freebeacon--2020-07-02--Pelosi Blames GOP for Russian Annexation of Crimea During Obama Admin

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) on Wednesday blamed Russia ’ s annexation of Crimea on Republicans , though the invasion took place on President Barack Obama 's watch .
Pelosi slammed President Donald Trump and Republicans for their alleged inability to face Russian aggression—and tied them to President Barack Obama ’ s appeasement of Moscow .
`` You just described , not only for the president , but the Republicans in Congress , dereliction of duty , '' Pelosi told MSNBC 's Nicolle Wallace .
`` Undermining our own elections , undermining our commitment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the base , in Syria .
The list goes on and on .
Ignoring the annexation of Crimea , the invasion of eastern Ukraine .
The list goes on and on . ''
In 2014 , the Obama administration took heat from Republicans for its failure to provide defense assistance to Ukraine when Russian president Vladimir Putin led a campaign to annex the Crimean peninsula .
The Trump administration changed course on this policy , selling arms to Ukraine for its defense against Russia .
Pelosi was addressing reports that Russia may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Afghanistan .
She said the reports are evidence that Trump `` lets the Russians get away with murder , '' but national security adviser Robert O ’ Brien said Trump had not been briefed about the bounties because intelligence officials had not found corroboration .
`` The president was not briefed , because at the time of these allegations , they were uncorroborated , '' O ’ Brien said on Fox News .
`` And as a result , the president ’ s career CIA briefer decided not to brief him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans were lambasting Obama for not providing military aid to the Ukrainians as they faced down Russia , with then-senator John McCain ( R. , Ariz. ) calling U.S. inaction `` shameful . ''
Pelosi voted with most of her House colleagues to affirm Ukraine 's territorial integrity in March of 2014 , but she did not publicly push back on the Obama administration for its inaction against Putin .

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) on Wednesday blamed Russia’s annexation of Crimea on Republicans, though the invasion took place on President Barack Obama's watch.
Pelosi slammed President Donald Trump and Republicans for their alleged inability to face Russian aggression—and tied them to President Barack Obama’s appeasement of Moscow.
"You just described, not only for the president, but the Republicans in Congress, dereliction of duty," Pelosi told MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace. "Undermining our own elections, undermining our commitment to NATO, giving away the store, the base, in Syria. The list goes on and on. Ignoring the annexation of Crimea, the invasion of eastern Ukraine. The list goes on and on."
In 2014, the Obama administration took heat from Republicans for its failure to provide defense assistance to Ukraine when Russian president Vladimir Putin led a campaign to annex the Crimean peninsula. The Trump administration changed course on this policy, selling arms to Ukraine for its defense against Russia.
Pelosi was addressing reports that Russia may have paid bounties for U.S. servicemen killed in Afghanistan. She said the reports are evidence that Trump "lets the Russians get away with murder," but national security adviser Robert O’Brien said Trump had not been briefed about the bounties because intelligence officials had not found corroboration.
"The president was not briefed, because at the time of these allegations, they were uncorroborated," O’Brien said on Fox News. "And as a result, the president’s career CIA briefer decided not to brief him."
Long before Trump became president, Republicans were lambasting Obama for not providing military aid to the Ukrainians as they faced down Russia, with then-senator John McCain (R., Ariz.) calling U.S. inaction "shameful."
Pelosi voted with most of her House colleagues to affirm Ukraine's territorial integrity in March of 2014, but she did not publicly push back on the Obama administration for its inaction against Putin.


freebeacon--2020-07-01--Detroit Removes Thousands of Dead Registrants From Voter Rolls

The city of Detroit has removed thousands of deceased and duplicate registrants from its voter rolls after being hit with a lawsuit .
City officials cleaned up the voter rolls after the Public Interest Legal Foundation , a government watchdog , filed suit against them in December .
Nearly 2,500 deceased individuals and 4,800 duplicate registrations were removed from the voter rolls .
The officials have also moved to review another 16,465 registrants who lacked actual dates of registration .
`` This is another win for election integrity , '' said J. Christian Adams , the watchdog 's president and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't complicated .
The City of Detroit could have started to fix these problems before litigation , but did n't .
Other jurisdictions should take note—if you do n't act on solid data that your voter rolls are corrupted with dead and duplicate registrations , you will be sued . ''
Debates over voter fraud have appeared as Democrats across the country push for mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic .
President Donald Trump claimed that mail-in voting will lead to the `` most corrupt Election in USA history . ''
Congressional Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pass legislation to support such measures .
Sen. Roy Blunt ( R. , Mo . )
, chair of the Senate Rules Committee , blocked a bill brought forth by Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D. , Minn. ) on the issue , saying he worried it would lead to a `` federal takeover of elections . ''
The watchdog filed suit against two Detroit officials—City Clerk Janice Winfrey and Director of Elections George Azzouz—after studying Detroit 's voter list maintenance efforts dating back to 2017 .
Outside liberal groups , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and League of Women Voters of Michigan , swooped into the city to intervene on behalf of the election officials but ultimately did not play much of a role .
Adams 's group dropped the lawsuit after the officials cleaned up the registrations .
The voter roll cleanup comes just four months before the November elections in a state that Trump carried by just over 10,000 votes in 2016 .
Michigan could again serve as a battleground state in the 2020 elections .
The voter registration irregularities were not the only time Detroit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Last year , clerk Sherikia L. Hawkins was charged with several felony counts for altering absentee ballots during the 2018 elections .
Past reports also showed voter machine irregularities in the city when 37 percent of its precincts in 2016 registered more votes than the number of voters who were tallied in polling stations .
PILF has identified a number of similar situations across the country .
The group filed a lawsuit against the city of Pittsburgh , which settled in May and agreed to turn over records to the watchdog , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Pennsylvania Department of State , the North Carolina State Board of Elections , and Harris County , Texas , were also sued by the group last year for withholding noncitizen voting records .
Detroit 's City Clerk 's Office did not respond to a request for comment .

The city of Detroit has removed thousands of deceased and duplicate registrants from its voter rolls after being hit with a lawsuit.
City officials cleaned up the voter rolls after the Public Interest Legal Foundation, a government watchdog, filed suit against them in December. Nearly 2,500 deceased individuals and 4,800 duplicate registrations were removed from the voter rolls. The officials have also moved to review another 16,465 registrants who lacked actual dates of registration.
"This is another win for election integrity," said J. Christian Adams, the watchdog's president and general counsel. "This case wasn't complicated. The City of Detroit could have started to fix these problems before litigation, but didn't. Other jurisdictions should take note—if you don't act on solid data that your voter rolls are corrupted with dead and duplicate registrations, you will be sued."
Debates over voter fraud have appeared as Democrats across the country push for mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic. President Donald Trump claimed that mail-in voting will lead to the "most corrupt Election in USA history." Congressional Democrats, meanwhile, are pressuring Senate Republicans to pass legislation to support such measures. Sen. Roy Blunt (R., Mo.), chair of the Senate Rules Committee, blocked a bill brought forth by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.) on the issue, saying he worried it would lead to a "federal takeover of elections."
The watchdog filed suit against two Detroit officials—City Clerk Janice Winfrey and Director of Elections George Azzouz—after studying Detroit's voter list maintenance efforts dating back to 2017. Outside liberal groups, such as the New York-based Brennan Center for Justice and League of Women Voters of Michigan, swooped into the city to intervene on behalf of the election officials but ultimately did not play much of a role. Adams's group dropped the lawsuit after the officials cleaned up the registrations.
The voter roll cleanup comes just four months before the November elections in a state that Trump carried by just over 10,000 votes in 2016. Michigan could again serve as a battleground state in the 2020 elections.
The voter registration irregularities were not the only time Detroit has faced election-related controversy in recent years. Last year, clerk Sherikia L. Hawkins was charged with several felony counts for altering absentee ballots during the 2018 elections. Past reports also showed voter machine irregularities in the city when 37 percent of its precincts in 2016 registered more votes than the number of voters who were tallied in polling stations.
PILF has identified a number of similar situations across the country. The group filed a lawsuit against the city of Pittsburgh, which settled in May and agreed to turn over records to the watchdog, including information on dead voting registrants. The Pennsylvania Department of State, the North Carolina State Board of Elections, and Harris County, Texas, were also sued by the group last year for withholding noncitizen voting records.
Detroit's City Clerk's Office did not respond to a request for comment.


freebeacon--2020-07-01--NY Times Joins DNC in Criticism of Mount Rushmore

Ahead of President Donald Trump 's Friday visit to Mount Rushmore the New York Times published an article criticizing the racist history of the memorial , its sculptor , and the `` complicated legacy '' of the presidents represented on it .
The article , `` How Mount Rushmore Became Mount Rushmore , '' states that the national monument has `` never been without controversy . ''
The article comes ahead of a planned Independence Day celebration at the monument featuring Trump , an event the Times says has `` invited even more scrutiny of the monument ’ s history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sculptor who created it and the land it towers over . ''
Reporters Bryan Pietsch and Jacey Fortin note critiques of each of the four presidents featured on Mount Rushmore—criticizing George Washington and Thomas Jefferson as slaveowners , Theodore Roosevelt as `` a racist '' who `` actively sought to Christianize and uproot Native Americans , '' and even Abraham Lincoln , noting that `` some have characterized [ the Emancipation Proclamation ] as reluctant and late . ''
The article follows a Monday attack on Mount Rushmore by the Democratic National Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media post that Trump was `` glorifying white supremacy '' by hosting a fireworks display at the monument .
The Times article invoked immediate criticism from Republicans such as Sen. Tom Cotton ( Ark . )
, who just last month was targeted by what he calls the `` woke mob '' at the paper .
`` Now , the woke mob at the New York Times is coming after Mount Rushmore , '' Cotton said .
`` If we give this mob an inch , they 'll take a mile . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediate predecessor Barack Obama , have visited Mount Rushmore .
Obama visited the structure during his 2008 campaign for president , an event that was covered by the paper without mention of its `` complicated legacy . ''
First Lady Michelle Obama and their two daughters also visited as part of a vacation in 2012 .
Longtime Times columnist Maureen Dowd in a 2016 piece on Obama 's legacy pondered whether Obama had established himself as `` a Mount Rushmore president . ''
It was n't made clear whether this would have been @ @ @

Ahead of President Donald Trump's Friday visit to Mount Rushmore the New York Times published an article criticizing the racist history of the memorial, its sculptor, and the "complicated legacy" of the presidents represented on it.
The article, "How Mount Rushmore Became Mount Rushmore," states that the national monument has "never been without controversy." The article comes ahead of a planned Independence Day celebration at the monument featuring Trump, an event the Times says has "invited even more scrutiny of the monument’s history, the leaders it celebrates, the sculptor who created it and the land it towers over."
Reporters Bryan Pietsch and Jacey Fortin note critiques of each of the four presidents featured on Mount Rushmore—criticizing George Washington and Thomas Jefferson as slaveowners, Theodore Roosevelt as "a racist" who "actively sought to Christianize and uproot Native Americans," and even Abraham Lincoln, noting that "some have characterized [the Emancipation Proclamation] as reluctant and late."
The article follows a Monday attack on Mount Rushmore by the Democratic National Committee, which wrote in a now-deleted social media post that Trump was "glorifying white supremacy" by hosting a fireworks display at the monument.
Now, the woke mob at the New York Times is coming after Mount Rushmore. If we give this mob an inch, they'll take a mile. pic.twitter.com/rUxttMvrvB — Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) July 1, 2020
The Times article invoked immediate criticism from Republicans such as Sen. Tom Cotton (Ark.), who just last month was targeted by what he calls the "woke mob" at the paper.
"Now, the woke mob at the New York Times is coming after Mount Rushmore," Cotton said. "If we give this mob an inch, they'll take a mile."
Several past presidents, including Trump's immediate predecessor Barack Obama, have visited Mount Rushmore. Obama visited the structure during his 2008 campaign for president, an event that was covered by the paper without mention of its "complicated legacy." First Lady Michelle Obama and their two daughters also visited as part of a vacation in 2012.
Longtime Times columnist Maureen Dowd in a 2016 piece on Obama's legacy pondered whether Obama had established himself as "a Mount Rushmore president." It wasn't made clear whether this would have been an honor.


freebeacon--2020-07-01--Virginia Police Will Now Ask for Race, Gender During Traffic Stops

A new Virginia law requires police officers to ask individuals pulled over during traffic stops for their race , ethnicity , and gender .
The change is part of the Community Policing Act , which took effect Wednesday .
Aimed at eliminating `` bias-based profiling , '' the law requires officers to record the driver ’ s race , ethnicity , age , and sex while conducting traffic stops .
The law says the police will collect data `` based on the officer 's observation or information provided to the officer by the driver . ''
The city of Arlington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be prepared for the change , as `` it may involve the officer asking them additional questions on a traffic stop . ''
Luke Torian , a Democratic delegate representing Prince William County , proposed the legislation to track complaints on the use of excessive force and determine whether police engage in racial targeting .
A similar bill was passed in Washington , D.C. , last year , and the ACLU issued a report in June charging that disparities found in the data on police stops suggest that there may be `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police department .
The legislation in Virginia comes amid calls from protesters to reform or defund the police .
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio ( D. ) confirmed earlier this week that he will be making a $ 1 billion budget cut to the NYPD .

A new Virginia law requires police officers to ask individuals pulled over during traffic stops for their race, ethnicity, and gender.
The change is part of the Community Policing Act, which took effect Wednesday. Aimed at eliminating "bias-based profiling," the law requires officers to record the driver’s race, ethnicity, age, and sex while conducting traffic stops.
The law says the police will collect data "based on the officer's observation or information provided to the officer by the driver."
The city of Arlington released a statement telling residents that they should be prepared for the change, as "it may involve the officer asking them additional questions on a traffic stop."
Luke Torian, a Democratic delegate representing Prince William County, proposed the legislation to track complaints on the use of excessive force and determine whether police engage in racial targeting. A similar bill was passed in Washington, D.C., last year, and the ACLU issued a report in June charging that disparities found in the data on police stops suggest that there may be "racial bias" in the city's police department.
The legislation in Virginia comes amid calls from protesters to reform or defund the police. New York City mayor Bill de Blasio (D.) confirmed earlier this week that he will be making a $1 billion budget cut to the NYPD.


freebeacon--2020-07-01--Trump Admin Vows to Secure Permanent U.N. Arms Embargo on Iran

The United States will seek a permanent extension of an arms embargo on Iran that is set to expire later this year , setting up a confrontation at the United Nations with Russia and China , Iranian allies poised to block the Trump administration 's efforts .
The October expiration of the United Nations arms embargo on Iran was a key part of the Obama-era nuclear deal that blocked nations from exporting arms to Tehran .
The Trump administration has vowed to keep the embargo alive and in recent months expended significant diplomatic capital preparing a U.N. resolution to accomplish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to veto any such measure and are able to unilaterally do so as permanent members of the U.N. Security Council .
Both countries remain close allies of Iran and have already discussed plans to sell Tehran billions of dollars ' worth of advanced weaponry once the embargo lifts .
The Trump administration has made extending the arms embargo a centerpiece of its `` maximum pressure '' campaign on Iran , which includes crippling economic sanctions .
The diplomatic push comes as Iran ramps up its contested nuclear work , particularly the enrichment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ atomic weapon .
For months , Tehran has blatantly violated the nuclear deal by , among other things , preventing international atomic inspectors from accessing key military sites believed to contain undeclared nuclear materials .
As the 2020 U.S. presidential election approaches , the arms embargo could be the Trump administration 's last chance to prevent Tehran from becoming an international arms dealer .
Amid the showdown between the United States , Russia , and China , European countries on the U.N. Security Council have sought to forge a compromise .
Under this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extended , but only for a short time , and might be limited in other ways , according to multiple sources familiar with the negotiations .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ruled out such a plan on Wednesday in some of his clearest comments on the matter to date .
The United States , he said , will not tolerate any plan that only extends the embargo for a limited time .
`` Our objective is not to extend the arms embargo for another short period of time , '' Pompeo said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beacon during a briefing at the State Department .
The embargo is `` not a time-limited matter , '' Pompeo said .
`` Extending it for six months or a year or two years fundamentally falls into the same trap that the previous administration fell into . ''
The only other option to extend the arms embargo would involve revoking the nuclear deal itself through a `` snapback mechanism '' written into the original U.N. resolution that endorsed the deal and lifted the embargo .
Iran hawks in Congress have long called for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday said snapback `` is not our first objective . ''
As part of the administration 's efforts to extend the arms embargo , Brian Hook , the administration 's top Iran diplomat , has been meeting with Middle Eastern and European allies .
Hook won the support of several key nations , including Israel , the United Arab Emirates , Saudi Arabia , and Bahrain .
He also pushed France , Germany , and the United Kingdom—collectively known as the E3—to publicly support U.S. efforts to extend the arms ban .
Richard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iranian Weapons of Mass Destruction at the White House National Security Council , told the Free Beacon that Europe should not stand in the way of U.S. efforts to extend the embargo .
`` Remember , the president vowed in 2016 to dismantle the Iran Deal , '' Goldberg said .
`` It was a major campaign promise .
But here we are four years later , the Iran Deal is on its last legs despite the Deep State 's efforts to save it , and now on the one-yard line the Europeans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , temporary arms embargo extension instead of completing the snapback ? ''
On Tuesday , Pompeo delivered a major address to the U.N. Security Council in which he emphasized the dangers of letting the arms embargo lapse .
`` Iran will be free to purchase Russian-made fighter jets that can strike up to a 3,000-kilometer radius—putting cities like Riyadh , New Delhi , Rome , and Warsaw in its crosshairs , '' he said .
`` Iran will be free to upgrade and expand its fleet of submarines to further threaten international shipping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Hormuz , Persian Gulf , and Arabian Sea . ''
All of these weapons , Pompeo said , will be shared with Tehran 's terror proxy groups , including Hamas , Hezbollah , and Houthi militia groups in Yemen .

The United States will seek a permanent extension of an arms embargo on Iran that is set to expire later this year, setting up a confrontation at the United Nations with Russia and China, Iranian allies poised to block the Trump administration's efforts.
The October expiration of the United Nations arms embargo on Iran was a key part of the Obama-era nuclear deal that blocked nations from exporting arms to Tehran. The Trump administration has vowed to keep the embargo alive and in recent months expended significant diplomatic capital preparing a U.N. resolution to accomplish that goal. Russia and China promise to veto any such measure and are able to unilaterally do so as permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. Both countries remain close allies of Iran and have already discussed plans to sell Tehran billions of dollars' worth of advanced weaponry once the embargo lifts.
The Trump administration has made extending the arms embargo a centerpiece of its "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, which includes crippling economic sanctions. The diplomatic push comes as Iran ramps up its contested nuclear work, particularly the enrichment of uranium, the key component in an atomic weapon. For months, Tehran has blatantly violated the nuclear deal by, among other things, preventing international atomic inspectors from accessing key military sites believed to contain undeclared nuclear materials. As the 2020 U.S. presidential election approaches, the arms embargo could be the Trump administration's last chance to prevent Tehran from becoming an international arms dealer.
Amid the showdown between the United States, Russia, and China, European countries on the U.N. Security Council have sought to forge a compromise. Under this proposal, the arms embargo would be extended, but only for a short time, and might be limited in other ways, according to multiple sources familiar with the negotiations.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ruled out such a plan on Wednesday in some of his clearest comments on the matter to date. The United States, he said, will not tolerate any plan that only extends the embargo for a limited time.
"Our objective is not to extend the arms embargo for another short period of time," Pompeo said in response to questions from the Washington Free Beacon during a briefing at the State Department.
The embargo is "not a time-limited matter," Pompeo said. "Extending it for six months or a year or two years fundamentally falls into the same trap that the previous administration fell into."
The only other option to extend the arms embargo would involve revoking the nuclear deal itself through a "snapback mechanism" written into the original U.N. resolution that endorsed the deal and lifted the embargo. Iran hawks in Congress have long called for such a move, but Pompeo on Wednesday said snapback "is not our first objective."
As part of the administration's efforts to extend the arms embargo, Brian Hook, the administration's top Iran diplomat, has been meeting with Middle Eastern and European allies. Hook won the support of several key nations, including Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. He also pushed France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—collectively known as the E3—to publicly support U.S. efforts to extend the arms ban.
Richard Goldberg, the former director for Countering Iranian Weapons of Mass Destruction at the White House National Security Council, told the Free Beacon that Europe should not stand in the way of U.S. efforts to extend the embargo.
"Remember, the president vowed in 2016 to dismantle the Iran Deal," Goldberg said. "It was a major campaign promise. But here we are four years later, the Iran Deal is on its last legs despite the Deep State's efforts to save it, and now on the one-yard line the Europeans want the President to take a phony, temporary arms embargo extension instead of completing the snapback?"
On Tuesday, Pompeo delivered a major address to the U.N. Security Council in which he emphasized the dangers of letting the arms embargo lapse.
"Iran will be free to purchase Russian-made fighter jets that can strike up to a 3,000-kilometer radius—putting cities like Riyadh, New Delhi, Rome, and Warsaw in its crosshairs," he said. "Iran will be free to upgrade and expand its fleet of submarines to further threaten international shipping and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Persian Gulf, and Arabian Sea."
All of these weapons, Pompeo said, will be shared with Tehran's terror proxy groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and Houthi militia groups in Yemen.


freebeacon--2020-07-01--Losers for Biden: Romney Campaign Alums Abandon GOP for Joe

Former staffers from Mitt Romney 's failed presidential campaign are abandoning the Republican Party and working to elect former vice president Joe Biden .
Micah Spangler , who worked as a Florida field director for Romney in 2012 , is working with the Biden campaign to `` cultivate a network of Romney alums that want to help elect Joe in November , '' according to an email Spangler wrote to solicit support for his deviant scheme .
Spangler 's former failed boss , who was the only GOP senator to vote to convict President Donald Trump , could be among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fall , or at least writing in `` Alexander Hamilton . ''
Romney was forced to endure a ritualistic humiliation after Trump 's victory in 2016 when the president-elect invited him to dinner and pretended like he wanted to nominate him for secretary of state .
Spangler told the Washington Times that `` dozens and dozens '' of his former colleagues on Romney 's failed 2012 campaign have `` signed up '' to be a part of the `` network , '' whatever that means .
A poor man 's Lincoln Project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their social standing and advance their careers in politics ?
The Lincoln Project , an anti-Trump super PAC started by a group of failed Republican strategists , has been lavished with Twitter praise from anti-Trump liberals for its snarky attack ads .
One of the group 's founders , John Weaver , was an adviser to failed GOP candidates John McCain , Jon Huntsman , and John Kasich , and has also advised the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee .
Not all former Romney staffers were eager to jump on the Biden bandwagon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Romney 's campaign in Florida but did n't remember Spangler , told the Times he wished his former colleagues `` no personal ill-will , '' but questioned `` the patriotism and wisdom of supporting Joe Biden , who would be a cultural and economic disaster for the country . ''

Former staffers from Mitt Romney's failed presidential campaign are abandoning the Republican Party and working to elect former vice president Joe Biden.
Micah Spangler, who worked as a Florida field director for Romney in 2012, is working with the Biden campaign to "cultivate a network of Romney alums that want to help elect Joe in November," according to an email Spangler wrote to solicit support for his deviant scheme.
Spangler's former failed boss, who was the only GOP senator to vote to convict President Donald Trump, could be among those who end up backing Biden in the fall, or at least writing in "Alexander Hamilton." Romney was forced to endure a ritualistic humiliation after Trump's victory in 2016 when the president-elect invited him to dinner and pretended like he wanted to nominate him for secretary of state.
Spangler told the Washington Times that "dozens and dozens" of his former colleagues on Romney's failed 2012 campaign have "signed up" to be a part of the "network," whatever that means. A poor man's Lincoln Project? Or a desperate ploy to improve their social standing and advance their careers in politics?
The Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump super PAC started by a group of failed Republican strategists, has been lavished with Twitter praise from anti-Trump liberals for its snarky attack ads. One of the group's founders, John Weaver, was an adviser to failed GOP candidates John McCain, Jon Huntsman, and John Kasich, and has also advised the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Not all former Romney staffers were eager to jump on the Biden bandwagon. Brett Doster, who also worked for Romney's campaign in Florida but didn't remember Spangler, told the Times he wished his former colleagues "no personal ill-will," but questioned "the patriotism and wisdom of supporting Joe Biden, who would be a cultural and economic disaster for the country."


freebeacon--2020-07-01--Study: Border Barriers Work

Study: Border Barriers Work

Barriers along America 's southwestern border significantly reduce illegal immigration , especially by low-skilled migrants , a new study argues .
The analysis , by University of Illinois at Chicago economist Benjamin Feigenberg , provides empirical evidence that the construction of border barriers—in this case , the 700 miles of border fencing authorized by Congress in 2006—cuts migration both in the areas where they are constructed and in adjacent territory .
In total , Feigenberg estimates , a fully fenced border would deter some 86,000 people from crossing the border every three months , at a cost of less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ findings provide robust empirical support for the idea of constructing a barrier along America 's often-porous border with Mexico—a proposal long-supported by Republicans , and President Donald Trump in particular , but vociferously opposed by Democrats .
The failure to support more border fencing , once a bipartisan goal , may have helped drive the recent wave of immigration that led to a crisis at the border .
To reach his conclusions , Feigenberg examined the results of the 2006 Secure Fence Act , a bipartisan bill signed into law under then-president George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the construction of some 700 miles of fencing along the Mexican-American border ; a subsequent appropriations bill put the exact location of the fencing at the discretion of the secretary of homeland security .
Using a novel dataset , Feigenberg argues that the locations at which the fencing was constructed were effectively randomly distributed .
That allows him to exploit the randomness in variation in construction timing to measure the effects of building a border fence on migration in adjacent Mexican territories using a robust collection of U.S. and Mexican government data .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ finds that fence construction in a given municipality reduces average migration by 27 percent .
In addition , fence construction in an adjacent municipality has a spillover effect , reducing migration by an additional 15 percent .
The total effect , Feigenberg writes , is to alter the illegal immigrant population in the United States : `` Fence construction significantly decreases the size of the likely undocumented , Mexican-born population on the US side of the border and in the US interior . ''
That reduction is particularly concentrated among low-skilled migrants , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of migration becomes less biased towards those with less education after border fencing is constructed .
Feigenberg is not able to conclude what drives this change , but speculates that increased crossing costs ' differential effect on low-earners , limited access to credit , and `` differences in access to legal migration opportunities offer potential explanations . ''
This last finding is significant because of the particular role that low-skilled migration plays in the debate over immigration restriction .
Proponents of increased immigration argue that the complementary effects of immigrants increase national wealth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low-skilled migration lowers wages and job opportunities for the lowest-skilled Americans , in turn fomenting social unrest .
The overall effect of border fencing , Feigenberg writes , is likely relatively easy to explain , attributable to `` the increase in the risk of apprehension for those who would attempt to climb over new fencing , '' as well as `` the increase in mortality ( and perhaps apprehension ) risk faced by migrants who choose to go around the fence and cross in remote , topographically inhospitable border segments where border fencing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Feigenberg 's is just the latest contribution to a literature that argues that immigration enforcement can substantially reduce levels of illegal immigration .
One 2018 study , for example , found that more aggressive sanctions on repeated illegal border crossings did significantly deter reentry .
At present , illegal immigration has returned to near-record lows , with just 23,000 individuals apprehended illegally entering in May compared with 144,000 in May of 2019 .
That decline is likely attributable to the novel coronavirus , which has spread as virulently throughout Central America as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , suggest that future border fencing construction may help mitigate any surge like the 2019 wave of illegal immigration .

Barriers along America's southwestern border significantly reduce illegal immigration, especially by low-skilled migrants, a new study argues.
The analysis, by University of Illinois at Chicago economist Benjamin Feigenberg, provides empirical evidence that the construction of border barriers—in this case, the 700 miles of border fencing authorized by Congress in 2006—cuts migration both in the areas where they are constructed and in adjacent territory.
In total, Feigenberg estimates, a fully fenced border would deter some 86,000 people from crossing the border every three months, at a cost of less than $2,000 per person deterred.
These findings provide robust empirical support for the idea of constructing a barrier along America's often-porous border with Mexico—a proposal long-supported by Republicans, and President Donald Trump in particular, but vociferously opposed by Democrats. The failure to support more border fencing, once a bipartisan goal, may have helped drive the recent wave of immigration that led to a crisis at the border.
To reach his conclusions, Feigenberg examined the results of the 2006 Secure Fence Act, a bipartisan bill signed into law under then-president George W. Bush. The bill called for the construction of some 700 miles of fencing along the Mexican-American border; a subsequent appropriations bill put the exact location of the fencing at the discretion of the secretary of homeland security.
Using a novel dataset, Feigenberg argues that the locations at which the fencing was constructed were effectively randomly distributed. That allows him to exploit the randomness in variation in construction timing to measure the effects of building a border fence on migration in adjacent Mexican territories using a robust collection of U.S. and Mexican government data.
The results are pronounced. The paper finds that fence construction in a given municipality reduces average migration by 27 percent. In addition, fence construction in an adjacent municipality has a spillover effect, reducing migration by an additional 15 percent.
The total effect, Feigenberg writes, is to alter the illegal immigrant population in the United States: "Fence construction significantly decreases the size of the likely undocumented, Mexican-born population on the US side of the border and in the US interior."
That reduction is particularly concentrated among low-skilled migrants, with the data indicating that the probability of migration becomes less biased towards those with less education after border fencing is constructed. Feigenberg is not able to conclude what drives this change, but speculates that increased crossing costs' differential effect on low-earners, limited access to credit, and "differences in access to legal migration opportunities offer potential explanations."
This last finding is significant because of the particular role that low-skilled migration plays in the debate over immigration restriction. Proponents of increased immigration argue that the complementary effects of immigrants increase national wealth on net. But opponents argue that low-skilled migration lowers wages and job opportunities for the lowest-skilled Americans, in turn fomenting social unrest.
The overall effect of border fencing, Feigenberg writes, is likely relatively easy to explain, attributable to "the increase in the risk of apprehension for those who would attempt to climb over new fencing," as well as "the increase in mortality (and perhaps apprehension) risk faced by migrants who choose to go around the fence and cross in remote, topographically inhospitable border segments where border fencing was more likely to be delayed."
Feigenberg's is just the latest contribution to a literature that argues that immigration enforcement can substantially reduce levels of illegal immigration. One 2018 study, for example, found that more aggressive sanctions on repeated illegal border crossings did significantly deter reentry.
At present, illegal immigration has returned to near-record lows, with just 23,000 individuals apprehended illegally entering in May compared with 144,000 in May of 2019. That decline is likely attributable to the novel coronavirus, which has spread as virulently throughout Central America as elsewhere. Feigenberg's findings, however, suggest that future border fencing construction may help mitigate any surge like the 2019 wave of illegal immigration.


freebeacon--2020-07-01--The Toughest Questions Chris Cuomo Asked His Big Brother

CNN primetime host Chris Cuomo has a famous and powerful older brother : New York governor Andrew Cuomo ( D. @ @ @ @ @ has appeared on CNN 's Cuomo Prime Time throughout the coronavirus pandemic despite the obvious @ @ @ @ @ good-natured ribbing , and mutual expressions of brotherly love .
Chris Cuomo has confessed to @ @ @ @ @ objective with his older brother , repeatedly lauded Andrew 's approach to battling coronavirus in @ @ @ @ @ country , and last week called him the `` best politician in the country .
@

CNN primetime host Chris Cuomo has a famous and powerful older brother: New York governor Andrew Cuomo (D.).
The elder Cuomo has appeared on CNN's Cuomo Prime Time throughout the coronavirus pandemic despite the obvious potential for chummy interviews, good-natured ribbing, and mutual expressions of brotherly love.
Chris Cuomo has confessed to viewers he cannot be objective with his older brother, repeatedly lauded Andrew's approach to battling coronavirus in the worst-hit state in the country, and last week called him the "best politician in the country."


freebeacon--2020-07-01--Change.org Defends ‘White Lives Don’t Matter’ Professor

Change.org deleted a petition that calls on Cambridge University to fire a professor who declared that `` white lives do n't matter '' after the petition gained traction and accumulated more than 20,000 signatures .
Cambridge English professor Priyamvada Gopal tweeted , `` White Lives Do n't Matter .
As white lives , '' on June 23 , sparking backlash from students , alumni , and even Twitter , which removed the professor 's tweet .
Students created a Change.org petition calling on Cambridge to fire the professor for her remarks .
The petition garnered more than 20,000 signatures but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ served as a major driver for targeting people who are tied to viral controversies .
A Change.org spokesman claimed the petition was a form of `` bullying '' because it singled out Gopal .
`` This petition was removed for being in breach of our bullying and harassment policy , '' the spokesman said .
The spokesman declined to say whether the site plans to erase other petitions that attempt to get others fired .
Despite the controversy , Gopal doubled down on her remarks in an interview with the Washington Free Beacon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make clear I stand by my tweets , now deleted by Twitter , not me , '' Gopal said .
`` They were very clearly speaking to a structure and ideology , not about people .
My Tweet said whiteness is not special , not a criterion for making lives matter .
I stand by that . ''
The day after Gopal 's tweet , Cambridge issued a statement claiming the university `` defends the right of its academics to express their own lawful opinions '' but has not commented further on Gopal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ status .
The university did not respond to a request for comment .
Gopal told the Free Beacon she does not believe she will be terminated given her right to freedom of speech .
`` I do n't think [ my employment ] is in question at this point as my employer is clear and has said publicly that they stand by my right to freedom of speech within the law .
My tweet did not violate the law in any way as the police have also publicly stated , '' Gopal said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to think and debate about the difference between White Lives Matter and Black Lives Matter .
They are not the same thing at this historical moment . ''
Observers of the controversy believe there is a double standard for professors who hold left-leaning views compared with speakers , activists , and professors who hold right-leaning views .
Emma Webb , a scholar at the London think tank Civitas , told the Free Beacon that Gopal 's continued employment would not fly had she targeted another group .
`` I do not agree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opinions , the problem is the evident double standard .
Cambridge University has had no qualms in the past firing people … the difference was simply that they were conservative academics , '' Webb said .
`` In the United Kingdom , it is increasingly common for people to lose their jobs for expressing ‘ heretical ' opinions .
But left-wing academics appear to be immune from this threat , no matter how horrifying or hateful their statements are . ''
In 2019 , Cambridge fired conservative scholar Noah Carl after 500 activist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` racist pseudoscience '' and calling on the university to fire him .
The university also rescinded a visiting fellowship offer to Dr. Jordan Peterson , a conservative Canadian scholar , after activists complained about his stance on political correctness .
Gopal reiterated that she would repost her tweet in comments to the Free Beacon .
`` I simply mean that whiteness could not be the basis for lives mattering so we could not be saying ‘ white lives matter ' as though it was the same as devalued black lives mattering , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are already valued where black lives are not .
Please note that the immediate context for my tweet was a response to a plane being hired to fly a ‘ White Lives Matter ' banner . ''
Gopal 's anti-white statements predate the anti-police protests that have rocked the country since the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer .
In February 2019 , Gopal wrote , `` I resist urges to kneecap white men every day .
So , no I am the hero . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ teaching and research interests are in gender , feminism , Marxism , and critical race studies .
She has since locked her Twitter account .
Gopal does not see this double standard .
After doubling down on her comments , she threatened to sue the Free Beacon for quoting her as saying `` white lives do n't matter . ''
`` That is not what I said but feel free to subject yourself to a lawsuit , '' Gopal said .
`` I am sending you this so that the legal record will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ correct quotation . ''
The quotation Gopal prefers is `` white lives do n't matter .
As white lives . ''
The professor claims that she has received death threats for her comments and believes white supremacist groups lobbied Twitter to have her tweet removed .
`` I think Twitter does sometimes get it wrong and this was one such instance .
My mistake was to not appeal—thought they gave me the option—and to simply agree to the deletion [ of the tweet ] in order to get back on Twitter and monitor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I think they were responding to a concerted effort to censor me undertaken by white supremacist groups .
They should certainly be more thoughtful and attentive to what is actually being said . ''
Twitter did not respond to requests for comment .

Change.org deleted a petition that calls on Cambridge University to fire a professor who declared that "white lives don't matter" after the petition gained traction and accumulated more than 20,000 signatures.
Cambridge English professor Priyamvada Gopal tweeted, "White Lives Don't Matter. As white lives," on June 23, sparking backlash from students, alumni, and even Twitter, which removed the professor's tweet. Students created a Change.org petition calling on Cambridge to fire the professor for her remarks. The petition garnered more than 20,000 signatures but was removed by the website—which has often served as a major driver for targeting people who are tied to viral controversies. A Change.org spokesman claimed the petition was a form of "bullying" because it singled out Gopal.
"This petition was removed for being in breach of our bullying and harassment policy," the spokesman said.
The spokesman declined to say whether the site plans to erase other petitions that attempt to get others fired.
Despite the controversy, Gopal doubled down on her remarks in an interview with the Washington Free Beacon.
"I would also like to make clear I stand by my tweets, now deleted by Twitter, not me," Gopal said. "They were very clearly speaking to a structure and ideology, not about people. My Tweet said whiteness is not special, not a criterion for making lives matter. I stand by that."
The day after Gopal's tweet, Cambridge issued a statement claiming the university "defends the right of its academics to express their own lawful opinions" but has not commented further on Gopal's tweet or the professor's employment status. The university did not respond to a request for comment. Gopal told the Free Beacon she does not believe she will be terminated given her right to freedom of speech.
"I don't think [my employment] is in question at this point as my employer is clear and has said publicly that they stand by my right to freedom of speech within the law. My tweet did not violate the law in any way as the police have also publicly stated," Gopal said. "My aim was to get us to think and debate about the difference between White Lives Matter and Black Lives Matter. They are not the same thing at this historical moment."
Observers of the controversy believe there is a double standard for professors who hold left-leaning views compared with speakers, activists, and professors who hold right-leaning views. Emma Webb, a scholar at the London think tank Civitas, told the Free Beacon that Gopal's continued employment would not fly had she targeted another group.
"I do not agree with firing people because they hold certain opinions, the problem is the evident double standard. Cambridge University has had no qualms in the past firing people ... the difference was simply that they were conservative academics," Webb said. "In the United Kingdom, it is increasingly common for people to lose their jobs for expressing 'heretical' opinions. But left-wing academics appear to be immune from this threat, no matter how horrifying or hateful their statements are."
In 2019, Cambridge fired conservative scholar Noah Carl after 500 activist colleagues signed a letter dubbing his research "racist pseudoscience" and calling on the university to fire him. The university also rescinded a visiting fellowship offer to Dr. Jordan Peterson, a conservative Canadian scholar, after activists complained about his stance on political correctness.
Gopal reiterated that she would repost her tweet in comments to the Free Beacon.
"I simply mean that whiteness could not be the basis for lives mattering so we could not be saying 'white lives matter' as though it was the same as devalued black lives mattering," Gopal said. "White lives are already valued where black lives are not. Please note that the immediate context for my tweet was a response to a plane being hired to fly a 'White Lives Matter' banner."
Gopal's anti-white statements predate the anti-police protests that have rocked the country since the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer. In February 2019, Gopal wrote, "I resist urges to kneecap white men every day. So, no I am the hero." The professor's biography says her main teaching and research interests are in gender, feminism, Marxism, and critical race studies. She has since locked her Twitter account.
Gopal does not see this double standard. After doubling down on her comments, she threatened to sue the Free Beacon for quoting her as saying "white lives don't matter."
"That is not what I said but feel free to subject yourself to a lawsuit," Gopal said. "I am sending you this so that the legal record will show you were warned and given the correct quotation." The quotation Gopal prefers is "white lives don't matter. As white lives."
The professor claims that she has received death threats for her comments and believes white supremacist groups lobbied Twitter to have her tweet removed.
"I think Twitter does sometimes get it wrong and this was one such instance. My mistake was to not appeal—thought they gave me the option—and to simply agree to the deletion [of the tweet] in order to get back on Twitter and monitor the death threats," Gopal said. "I think they were responding to a concerted effort to censor me undertaken by white supremacist groups. They should certainly be more thoughtful and attentive to what is actually being said."
Twitter did not respond to requests for comment.


freebeacon--2020-07-01--Record-Setting Gun Sales Could Leave Stores Dry

Gun sales once again set a new record for the month of June , but some retailers are reporting that the rush on guns and ammunition has drained their stock nearly dry .
An analysis of background check numbers by industry analyst Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting released on Wednesday indicates that more than 2.3 million guns were sold in the United States during June .
That 's an increase of more than 145.3 percent over June 2019 .
It 's also up from the 1.7 million estimated to have been sold in May , the 1.8 million in April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monthly record of 2.5 million set back in March .
There have now been an estimated 8.3 million firearms sold in the United States since March—a record-setting pace likely to make 2020 the greatest year for gun sales in American history if the trend continues .
Gun and ammunition retailers are having trouble keeping up with the demand as Americans flood stores .
`` Obama was the best gun sales in the country they claimed , '' Brandon Wexler , owner of Wex Gunworks in Delray Beach , Fla. , told the Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is . ''
He said sales picked up in March and have continued strong since then , with new spikes appearing over the last month .
`` Pretty much everything is out of stock , '' he said .
`` We have been doing it since the late '70s and have never seen literally no supply available .
As of last week , at all major distributors you could not get any guns .
Everything was literally sold out .
Can ’ t even get hearing protection . ''
Rex McClanahan , president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the largest online gun dealers in the country , said sales exploded in June .
Even with his company 's considerable reach , he is having trouble stocking the virtual shelves .
`` Our sales were within just a few thousand dollars of doubling in June 2020 as compared to 2019 , '' he told the Free Beacon .
`` Popular guns and ammo SKUs have been sold out for some time and now it is becoming a challenge to keep anything in stock that is among the higher demand categories … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , AR/MSRs and the associated ammo , particularly 9mm . ''
Windham Taylor , the outreach manager for Ammo.com , one of the largest ammunition dealers in America , said the company experienced the same strains as the gun dealers .
Demand for popular self-defense rounds such as 9mm and 223 has kept the store scrambling to find stock to keep their customers supplied .
`` Things are not slowing down in the ammo world at all , '' Taylor told the Free Beacon .
`` Sales have continued to soar throughout June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to the sustained demand from our customers .
We are working hard to keep up with demand and will continue to provide the best customer support possible . ''
Jurgen Brauer , chief economist for Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting , noted in a statement that the demand for handguns was again the main driver of gun sales in the country—a reversal from just a few years ago which he believes may signal a shift in gun buying as mainly motivated by a desire for self-defense .
He said the spike in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which the FBI identified as the second-busiest week in the history of their background check system , was `` presumably related to the aftermath of the killing of Mr. George Floyd . ''
The group 's gun-sales numbers are based on a review of the number of background checks processed through the FBI 's National Instant Criminal Background Check System ( NICS ) .
That system processed more than 3.9 million checks in June , but millions of those are related to gun-carry permit checks or other non-sales .
Brauer 's group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that count to get a more accurate measure of sales—though the count is still not perfect as NICS checks are not required on many private sales of used guns , and multiple guns can be bought during a single check .
Retailers are anxious to see supply catch up to demand , but they are not optimistic they 'll be back to full stock anytime soon .
`` Distributors and manufacturers are all struggling now , several months into this extremely high demand market , '' McClanahan said .
`` The current status @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with both no end to the current demand in sight … and a presidential election coming up in just four months . ''
`` Something has to give because there are no guns at any distributors who we all buy from as FFL dealers , '' Wexler , who said he 's currently operating at about 20 percent stock , told the Free Beacon .
But even as retailers struggle to fill new orders for their customers , all that demand has sent their businesses soaring as well .
`` It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business has had , no doubt , '' he said .

Gun sales once again set a new record for the month of June, but some retailers are reporting that the rush on guns and ammunition has drained their stock nearly dry.
An analysis of background check numbers by industry analyst Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting released on Wednesday indicates that more than 2.3 million guns were sold in the United States during June. That's an increase of more than 145.3 percent over June 2019. It's also up from the 1.7 million estimated to have been sold in May, the 1.8 million in April, and just shy of the all-time monthly record of 2.5 million set back in March.
There have now been an estimated 8.3 million firearms sold in the United States since March—a record-setting pace likely to make 2020 the greatest year for gun sales in American history if the trend continues.
Gun and ammunition retailers are having trouble keeping up with the demand as Americans flood stores.
"Obama was the best gun sales in the country they claimed," Brandon Wexler, owner of Wex Gunworks in Delray Beach, Fla., told the Washington Free Beacon. "No, Covid19 is."
He said sales picked up in March and have continued strong since then, with new spikes appearing over the last month.
"Pretty much everything is out of stock," he said. "We have been doing it since the late '70s and have never seen literally no supply available. As of last week, at all major distributors you could not get any guns. Everything was literally sold out. Can’t even get hearing protection."
Rex McClanahan, president of Bud's Gun Shop, one of the largest online gun dealers in the country, said sales exploded in June. Even with his company's considerable reach, he is having trouble stocking the virtual shelves.
"Our sales were within just a few thousand dollars of doubling in June 2020 as compared to 2019," he told the Free Beacon. "Popular guns and ammo SKUs have been sold out for some time and now it is becoming a challenge to keep anything in stock that is among the higher demand categories ... things like handguns, home defense shotguns, AR/MSRs and the associated ammo, particularly 9mm."
Windham Taylor, the outreach manager for Ammo.com, one of the largest ammunition dealers in America, said the company experienced the same strains as the gun dealers. Demand for popular self-defense rounds such as 9mm and 223 has kept the store scrambling to find stock to keep their customers supplied.
"Things are not slowing down in the ammo world at all," Taylor told the Free Beacon. "Sales have continued to soar throughout June despite major shortages from nearly all suppliers due to the sustained demand from our customers. We are working hard to keep up with demand and will continue to provide the best customer support possible."
Jurgen Brauer, chief economist for Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting, noted in a statement that the demand for handguns was again the main driver of gun sales in the country—a reversal from just a few years ago which he believes may signal a shift in gun buying as mainly motivated by a desire for self-defense. He said the spike in sales during the first week of June, which the FBI identified as the second-busiest week in the history of their background check system, was "presumably related to the aftermath of the killing of Mr. George Floyd."
The group's gun-sales numbers are based on a review of the number of background checks processed through the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). That system processed more than 3.9 million checks in June, but millions of those are related to gun-carry permit checks or other non-sales. Brauer's group removes what it believes are non-sales from that count to get a more accurate measure of sales—though the count is still not perfect as NICS checks are not required on many private sales of used guns, and multiple guns can be bought during a single check.
Retailers are anxious to see supply catch up to demand, but they are not optimistic they'll be back to full stock anytime soon.
"Distributors and manufacturers are all struggling now, several months into this extremely high demand market," McClanahan said. "The current status of the supply chain is already overwhelmed with both no end to the current demand in sight ... and a presidential election coming up in just four months."
"Something has to give because there are no guns at any distributors who we all buy from as FFL dealers," Wexler, who said he's currently operating at about 20 percent stock, told the Free Beacon.
But even as retailers struggle to fill new orders for their customers, all that demand has sent their businesses soaring as well.
"It’s going to be the best year the business has had, no doubt," he said.


freebeacon--2020-07-01--McConnell’s First Ad of General Focuses on Combating Mob, Defending Police

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R. , Ky. ) highlighted recent chaos overtaking Democrat-run cities across the country in his first campaign ad , calling the toppling of statues and harassment of police `` simply unbelievable . ''
`` The mobs have come for our founders and our heroes—Washington , Jefferson , Lincoln , '' McConnell says in the ad .
`` When the dust settles , it is never the mobs or the bullies that we honor .
It is the brave leaders who confront them . ''
The ad is McConnell 's first in his general election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nomination on Tuesday .
McConnell 's position is widely embraced by American voters .
Just 24 percent and 25 percent of Americans support removing statues of Washington and Jefferson , respectively , according to a June Just the News Daily Poll with Scott Rasmussen .
The Kentucky Republican 's focus on ongoing lawlessness across the U.S. could spell trouble for McGrath as she attempts to win back the more than 230,000 voters who backed progressive state legislator Charles Booker in the state 's Democratic primary .
The Booker campaign surged amid anti-police protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faced criticism for failing to attend a demonstration before a June 1 debate .
McConnell 's ad shows footage of defaced and destroyed statues of George Washington , Thomas Jefferson , and Ulysses S. Grant .
It also criticizes Democratic governors and mayors who `` stood down and watched criminals spray paint churches , topple statues , and harass police . ''
`` A large statue of Vladimir Lenin remains , while our own founding fathers are dragged through the dirt , '' McConnell says .
`` Americans know that our imperfect nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most perfect union the world has ever seen . ''
Republican lawmakers across the country are going on offense against those seeking to overturn statues .
The Republican Attorneys General Association released a new ad criticizing Democratic capitulation on public monuments .
The ad features headlines about vandalism and images of Mount Rushmore—which the Democratic National Committee recently referred to as a `` white supremacist '' symbol .
`` It ’ s absurd to think Democrats could be offended by Mount Rushmore or the Fourth of July , '' RAGA executive director Adam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Today ’ s cancel culture has absolutely nothing to do with promoting equality or ensuring domestic tranquility and everything to do with creating division and destroying anything and everything lawless liberals think they might hate .
Today , their targets are our founding fathers , our flag , and public safety . ''
McGrath , who did not return a request for comment , limped to a narrow primary win Tuesday after outspending Booker 40-to-1 in one of the most expensive primary campaigns in history .
The establishment-backed candidate has been successful at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take down the sitting GOP Senate leader .
McGrath currently holds $ 19 million on hand to McConnell 's $ 15 million .

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) highlighted recent chaos overtaking Democrat-run cities across the country in his first campaign ad, calling the toppling of statues and harassment of police "simply unbelievable."
"The mobs have come for our founders and our heroes—Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln," McConnell says in the ad. "When the dust settles, it is never the mobs or the bullies that we honor. It is the brave leaders who confront them."
The ad is McConnell's first in his general election battle since Amy McGrath captured the Democratic nomination on Tuesday. McConnell's position is widely embraced by American voters. Just 24 percent and 25 percent of Americans support removing statues of Washington and Jefferson, respectively, according to a June Just the News Daily Poll with Scott Rasmussen.
The Kentucky Republican's focus on ongoing lawlessness across the U.S. could spell trouble for McGrath as she attempts to win back the more than 230,000 voters who backed progressive state legislator Charles Booker in the state's Democratic primary. The Booker campaign surged amid anti-police protests in Louisville and beyond, and McGrath faced criticism for failing to attend a demonstration before a June 1 debate.
McConnell's ad shows footage of defaced and destroyed statues of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Ulysses S. Grant. It also criticizes Democratic governors and mayors who "stood down and watched criminals spray paint churches, topple statues, and harass police."
"A large statue of Vladimir Lenin remains, while our own founding fathers are dragged through the dirt," McConnell says. "Americans know that our imperfect nation built by imperfect heroes is still the most perfect union the world has ever seen."
Republican lawmakers across the country are going on offense against those seeking to overturn statues. The Republican Attorneys General Association released a new ad criticizing Democratic capitulation on public monuments. The ad features headlines about vandalism and images of Mount Rushmore—which the Democratic National Committee recently referred to as a "white supremacist" symbol.
"It’s absurd to think Democrats could be offended by Mount Rushmore or the Fourth of July," RAGA executive director Adam Piper said in a statement. "Today’s cancel culture has absolutely nothing to do with promoting equality or ensuring domestic tranquility and everything to do with creating division and destroying anything and everything lawless liberals think they might hate. Today, their targets are our founding fathers, our flag, and public safety."
McGrath, who did not return a request for comment, limped to a narrow primary win Tuesday after outspending Booker 40-to-1 in one of the most expensive primary campaigns in history. The establishment-backed candidate has been successful at wooing financial support from liberals eager to take down the sitting GOP Senate leader. McGrath currently holds $19 million on hand to McConnell's $15 million.


freebeacon--2020-07-01--Fox News Fires Anchor Ed Henry Over Sexual Misconduct Allegation 🍌

Fox News fired anchor Ed Henry on Friday following an independent investigation into a former employee ’ s allegation of sexual misconduct .
The former employee ’ s lawyer alleged Henry engaged in `` willful sexual misconduct in the workplace . ''
Fox hired an independent law firm to investigate the claim and suspended Henry , according to a letter from CEO Suzanne Scott and president Jay Wallace .
News broke Wednesday morning of Henry 's firing .
`` FOX News Media strictly prohibits all forms of sexual harassment , misconduct , and discrimination , '' Scott and Wallace wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintain a safe and inclusive workplace for all employees . ''
In January , Henry moved to co-anchor the America ’ s Newsroom show .
He also periodically served as a co-host on Fox & Friends Weekend .
In 2016 , Henry took time off from Fox after a report alleged that he had a 10-month affair with a Las Vegas hostess , which began while the correspondent was covering Donald Trump ’ s presidential campaign .
In the past four years , several women have brought forward allegations of sexual misconduct against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , former Fox and Friends cohost Gretchen Carlson , correspondent Megyn Kelly , and other women accused former Fox News CEO and chairman Roger Ailes of sexual harassment .
Ailes later resigned .
Allegations against former Fox personality Bill O ’ Reilly led the organization to cut ties with him in 2017 .
And in December , Fox News commentator Britt McHenry sued the network over an allegation of sexual harassment against her former cohost George Murdoch , better known as Tyrus .
Henry has worked at Fox News since 2011 and was @ @ @ @ @

Fox News fired anchor Ed Henry on Friday following an independent investigation into a former employee’s allegation of sexual misconduct.
The former employee’s lawyer alleged Henry engaged in "willful sexual misconduct in the workplace." Fox hired an independent law firm to investigate the claim and suspended Henry, according to a letter from CEO Suzanne Scott and president Jay Wallace. News broke Wednesday morning of Henry's firing.
"FOX News Media strictly prohibits all forms of sexual harassment, misconduct, and discrimination," Scott and Wallace wrote. "We will continue striving to maintain a safe and inclusive workplace for all employees."
In January, Henry moved to co-anchor the America’s Newsroom show. He also periodically served as a co-host on Fox & Friends Weekend.
In 2016, Henry took time off from Fox after a report alleged that he had a 10-month affair with a Las Vegas hostess, which began while the correspondent was covering Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
In the past four years, several women have brought forward allegations of sexual misconduct against other Fox News employees. In 2016, former Fox and Friends cohost Gretchen Carlson, correspondent Megyn Kelly, and other women accused former Fox News CEO and chairman Roger Ailes of sexual harassment. Ailes later resigned. Allegations against former Fox personality Bill O’Reilly led the organization to cut ties with him in 2017. And in December, Fox News commentator Britt McHenry sued the network over an allegation of sexual harassment against her former cohost George Murdoch, better known as Tyrus.
Henry has worked at Fox News since 2011 and was previously employed at CNN.


freebeacon--2020-07-01--Seattle Police Clear ‘Lawless and Brutal’ Protest Zone After Violence

SEATTLE ( Reuters ) – Seattle authorities moved on Wednesday to dismantle a protest zone that the city ’ s police chief derided as `` lawless and brutal '' and which had prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to call for action against demonstrators .
Officers , clad in helmets and extra protective gear , entered the `` autonomous zone '' early and by mid-morning had arrested 31 people for failure to disperse , assault and other alleged crimes .
One man was detained with a metal pipe and kitchen knife , according to the police department ’ s Twitter feed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan declared the gathering in and around the police department ’ s East Precinct and Cal Anderson Park an `` unlawful assembly , '' the police chief , Carmen Best , said in a statement that highlighted a recent spate of shootings .
Harry `` Rick '' Hearns , a protester who said he volunteered to provide armed security at CHOP for 24 straight days , told Reuters he supported the police crackdown `` 1,000 percent . ''
He said he blamed the violence on outsiders who had marred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The outsiders come in with guns , violence , rocks , sticks , '' said Hearns , 59 .
`` We don ’ t represent violence .
People brought that to us . ''
Police were walking in and out of the precinct on Wednesday , re-establishing control .
Weeks earlier , they abandoned the building following clashes with protesters in the wake of the May 25 killing in Minneapolis of George Floyd , a Black man , at the hands of that city ’ s police .
Floyd ’ s death triggered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against racial injustice and police brutality , giving rise in Seattle to the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest ( CHOP ) zone east of downtown .
`` The CHOP has become lawless and brutal .
Four shootings — two fatal — robberies , assaults , violence and countless property crimes have occurred in this several-block area , '' Best said in a statement .
Trump has been demanding that local authorities eject the protesters which he labeled `` domestic terrorists '' .
Conservative pundits have pointed to the zone in Seattle to support an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less peaceful than they were generally being portrayed .
Seattle police officers in black armored vehicles and officers in helmets carrying batons patrolled the perimeter of the area that was barricaded with spraypainted plywood , some marked with phrases like `` All Lives Don ’ t Matter Until Black Lives Matter '' and `` RIP E Precinct . ''
Bicycle police employed three dozen bikes to create a barricade at East Pike and 12th Avenue , allowing city crews to take down protesters ’ tents .
Some officers sipped Starbucks ’ coffee , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no serious resistance .
`` Officers continue to give dispersal orders and are checking Cal Anderson restrooms , '' the police department said .
`` Thank you to the individuals affiliated with the CHOP who have assisted officers in encouraging people to safely leave the area . ''
The zone has become less crowded and active over the past several days .
Crowds that came by the thousands to listen to speeches about police brutality and marvel at street art commemorating black lives have disappeared , as have medic stations and multiple free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a trendy neighborhood of hipster bars and boutiques , have been pushing for a tougher stance by authorities .
Attorneys have filed two class action lawsuits against the City of Seattle , including one aimed at preventing city and state leaders from allowing establishment of `` lawless autonomous zones '' in the future .

By Lindsey Wasson
SEATTLE (Reuters) - Seattle authorities moved on Wednesday to dismantle a protest zone that the city’s police chief derided as "lawless and brutal" and which had prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to call for action against demonstrators.
Officers, clad in helmets and extra protective gear, entered the "autonomous zone" early and by mid-morning had arrested 31 people for failure to disperse, assault and other alleged crimes. One man was detained with a metal pipe and kitchen knife, according to the police department’s Twitter feed.
Police moved to retake the zone after Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan declared the gathering in and around the police department’s East Precinct and Cal Anderson Park an "unlawful assembly," the police chief, Carmen Best, said in a statement that highlighted a recent spate of shootings.
Harry "Rick" Hearns, a protester who said he volunteered to provide armed security at CHOP for 24 straight days, told Reuters he supported the police crackdown "1,000 percent." He said he blamed the violence on outsiders who had marred an otherwise successful month-long occupation.
"The outsiders come in with guns, violence, rocks, sticks," said Hearns, 59. "We don’t represent violence. People brought that to us."
Police were walking in and out of the precinct on Wednesday, re-establishing control. Weeks earlier, they abandoned the building following clashes with protesters in the wake of the May 25 killing in Minneapolis of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of that city’s police.
Floyd’s death triggered a nationwide wave of largely peaceful demonstrations against racial injustice and police brutality, giving rise in Seattle to the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) zone east of downtown.
"The CHOP has become lawless and brutal. Four shootings — two fatal — robberies, assaults, violence and countless property crimes have occurred in this several-block area," Best said in a statement.
Trump has been demanding that local authorities eject the protesters which he labeled "domestic terrorists". Conservative pundits have pointed to the zone in Seattle to support an argument that protests across the country were less peaceful than they were generally being portrayed.
Seattle police officers in black armored vehicles and officers in helmets carrying batons patrolled the perimeter of the area that was barricaded with spraypainted plywood, some marked with phrases like "All Lives Don’t Matter Until Black Lives Matter" and "RIP E Precinct."
Bicycle police employed three dozen bikes to create a barricade at East Pike and 12th Avenue, allowing city crews to take down protesters’ tents. Some officers sipped Starbucks’ coffee, evidence the operation had so far met no serious resistance.
"Officers continue to give dispersal orders and are checking Cal Anderson restrooms," the police department said. "Thank you to the individuals affiliated with the CHOP who have assisted officers in encouraging people to safely leave the area."
The zone has become less crowded and active over the past several days. Crowds that came by the thousands to listen to speeches about police brutality and marvel at street art commemorating black lives have disappeared, as have medic stations and multiple free food tents.
Businesses in the area, a trendy neighborhood of hipster bars and boutiques, have been pushing for a tougher stance by authorities. Attorneys have filed two class action lawsuits against the City of Seattle, including one aimed at preventing city and state leaders from allowing establishment of "lawless autonomous zones" in the future.
(Reporting by Lindsey Wasson in Seattle, Barbara Goldberg in Maplewood, New Jersey and Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut; Editing by Steve Orlofsky, Bernadette Baum and David Gregorio)


freebeacon--2020-07-02--Virginia Implements Monthly Limits on Handguns

Virginia adopted some of the strictest gun regulations in the country on Wednesday after a judge rejected a bid to block a one-handgun-a-month limit from taking effect .
Virginia Democrats made gun control a top priority after taking control of both the state legislature and governor 's mansion in 2019 and quickly pushed through one of the most restrictive packages in the country .
Residents in the commonwealth are now subject to universal background checks , red flag laws , and a monthly limit on how many handguns they can purchase .
Gun-rights activists had attempted to block the July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separate suits .
A state judge rejected a request to temporarily block the one-gun-a-month law on Thursday .
The same group of gun-rights activists requested a stay in a new suit against the universal background check law , but were unable to secure a hearing before the law took effect .
Philip Van Cleave , president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League ( VCDL ) , which is involved in both current lawsuits and considering two more , expects the new laws to anger Virginians .
The new laws are at odds with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the quick implementation of strict gun-control measures could rankle residents enough to drive them to the polls .
`` People are not going to be happy with this , '' he told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` They 're not going to forget about what they 've [ Democrats ] done , so it 'll be curious to see the elections in 2021 in Virginia .
It might be curious to see the elections in 2020 . ''
Only Democratic strongholds Maryland , California , and New Jersey set monthly limits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went into effect .
Virginia Democrats captured both houses of the legislature in November 2019 with major financial backing from billionaire gun-control activist Michael Bloomberg .
Their push to pass a package of gun-control bills supported by Governor Ralph Northam ( D. ) produced a major grassroots backlash .
More than 90 of Virginia 's 95 counties declared themselves `` Second Amendment Sanctuaries '' and pledged not to enforce gun-control measures they viewed as unconstitutional .
The opposition movement culminated in January with a massive VCDL-sponsored rally in the capital .
After the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of passing laws to confiscate weapons and ban the popular AR-15 rifle .
The new restrictions , however , could still trigger backlash from voters .
Van Cleave said VCDL experienced unprecedented growth in the early months of 2020 as the gun-control debate accelerated , but the true surge came during the coronavirus pandemic and civil unrest that followed .
`` We 're seeing a lot of the new gun owners .
Gun owners are really awake and on top of all that , with this COVID and all these riots going on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ droves , '' he said .
`` That may also affect a lot of things when more and more people who have been added and all that much for gun rights suddenly realized that there is something to it and they 're now gun owners with skin in the game . ''
Northam did not respond to a request for comment .
Gun-rights activists are hopeful that they will not have to wait for Election Day to reverse the state 's new gun-control regime .
Despite the early legal setbacks , the plaintiffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Supreme Court .
`` We think we have a strong case , '' Van Cleave said .
`` We do n't ration any other rights . ''
Erich Pratt , senior vice president of Gun Owners of America—which has joined VCDL in its most recent suits—said the background check law is too burdensome .
He said the requirement that Virginians first transfer their guns through a licensed dealer whenever they sell a used gun to another person in the state is too onerous to stand .
`` This law forces honest citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to acquire a firearm , '' he said in a statement .
`` By making the ability to acquire a firearm so burdensome , Universal Background Checks flip a right that ‘ shall not be infringed ’ on its head . ''
Van Cleave said VCDL is also planning a suit against the red flag law , which allows courts to temporarily strip Virginians of their guns if judges determine the owner is a threat to themselves or others ; the gun owner is not present at such a hearing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ steps forward to challenge the law .
He said they are also considering filing a case against the new law allowing cities and towns to create their own gun-free zone on government property—something the city of Alexandria , Va. , has now implemented .
A state court is scheduled to hear arguments about the universal background law on Friday .

Virginia adopted some of the strictest gun regulations in the country on Wednesday after a judge rejected a bid to block a one-handgun-a-month limit from taking effect.
Virginia Democrats made gun control a top priority after taking control of both the state legislature and governor's mansion in 2019 and quickly pushed through one of the most restrictive packages in the country. Residents in the commonwealth are now subject to universal background checks, red flag laws, and a monthly limit on how many handguns they can purchase.
Gun-rights activists had attempted to block the July 1 implementation date of those measures in separate suits. A state judge rejected a request to temporarily block the one-gun-a-month law on Thursday. The same group of gun-rights activists requested a stay in a new suit against the universal background check law, but were unable to secure a hearing before the law took effect.
Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), which is involved in both current lawsuits and considering two more, expects the new laws to anger Virginians. The new laws are at odds with a traditional pro-gun culture in the state and the quick implementation of strict gun-control measures could rankle residents enough to drive them to the polls.
"People are not going to be happy with this," he told the Washington Free Beacon. "They're not going to forget about what they've [Democrats] done, so it'll be curious to see the elections in 2021 in Virginia. It might be curious to see the elections in 2020."
Only Democratic strongholds Maryland, California, and New Jersey set monthly limits on handgun purchases before Virginia's law went into effect. Virginia Democrats captured both houses of the legislature in November 2019 with major financial backing from billionaire gun-control activist Michael Bloomberg. Their push to pass a package of gun-control bills supported by Governor Ralph Northam (D.) produced a major grassroots backlash. More than 90 of Virginia's 95 counties declared themselves "Second Amendment Sanctuaries" and pledged not to enforce gun-control measures they viewed as unconstitutional. The opposition movement culminated in January with a massive VCDL-sponsored rally in the capital.
After the public outcry, state Democrats stopped short of passing laws to confiscate weapons and ban the popular AR-15 rifle. The new restrictions, however, could still trigger backlash from voters. Van Cleave said VCDL experienced unprecedented growth in the early months of 2020 as the gun-control debate accelerated, but the true surge came during the coronavirus pandemic and civil unrest that followed.
"We're seeing a lot of the new gun owners. Gun owners are really awake and on top of all that, with this COVID and all these riots going on, new gun owners are coming in droves," he said. "That may also affect a lot of things when more and more people who have been added and all that much for gun rights suddenly realized that there is something to it and they're now gun owners with skin in the game."
Northam did not respond to a request for comment.
Gun-rights activists are hopeful that they will not have to wait for Election Day to reverse the state's new gun-control regime. Despite the early legal setbacks, the plaintiffs are prepared to take their battle to the Supreme Court.
"We think we have a strong case," Van Cleave said. "We don't ration any other rights."
Erich Pratt, senior vice president of Gun Owners of America—which has joined VCDL in its most recent suits—said the background check law is too burdensome. He said the requirement that Virginians first transfer their guns through a licensed dealer whenever they sell a used gun to another person in the state is too onerous to stand.
"This law forces honest citizens to prove their innocence to the government in order to acquire a firearm," he said in a statement. "By making the ability to acquire a firearm so burdensome, Universal Background Checks flip a right that ‘shall not be infringed’ on its head."
Van Cleave said VCDL is also planning a suit against the red flag law, which allows courts to temporarily strip Virginians of their guns if judges determine the owner is a threat to themselves or others; the gun owner is not present at such a hearing. The group must wait until a plaintiff steps forward to challenge the law. He said they are also considering filing a case against the new law allowing cities and towns to create their own gun-free zone on government property—something the city of Alexandria, Va., has now implemented.
A state court is scheduled to hear arguments about the universal background law on Friday.


freebeacon--2020-07-02--Mississippi Passes Law Banning Abortions Based on Race, Sex, Disability

Gov .
Tate Reeves ( R. , Miss . )
signed the Life Equality Act into law Wednesday , banning abortion on the basis of a fetus 's race , sex , or disability in the state of Mississippi .
The bill , which makes sex-selective , race-selective , or disability-selective abortion a felony , passed Mississippi 's state senate by a 33-11 vote and went to Reeves 's desk after a concurrence from the state house .
The law 's language mentions sex-selective abortions and abortions targeting genetic abnormalities as examples of `` modern-day eugenics . ''
`` Sex-selection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a human being of the undesired sex .
Its victims are overwhelming [ sic ] female , '' the law states .
It also states that pharmaceutical treatments , gene therapies , and prosthetic advances have provided disabled individuals with `` much greater opportunities for survival and success than ever before . ''
The law requires physicians that perform abortions to confirm in a report that the abortion is not being performed because of the listed categories .
Violating the law is punishable by up to 10 years in jail and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice in the state .
While other pro-life laws , such as heartbeat bills , have encountered legal challenges after passage , laws banning selective abortions have found legal success .
In Missouri , a federal judge stopped a law banning abortions after eight weeks from going into effect , but allowed the provision of the law banning sex-selective abortions to stand .
`` The enactment of the Life Equality Act is an historic victory for the pro-life citizens of Mississippi , for the voiceless victims of discrimination and all who advocate for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Starting now , unborn babies in Mississippi can not be targeted for abortion based on their sex , race , or potential disability , such as Down syndrome . ''

Gov. Tate Reeves (R., Miss.) signed the Life Equality Act into law Wednesday, banning abortion on the basis of a fetus's race, sex, or disability in the state of Mississippi.
The bill, which makes sex-selective, race-selective, or disability-selective abortion a felony, passed Mississippi's state senate by a 33-11 vote and went to Reeves's desk after a concurrence from the state house. The law's language mentions sex-selective abortions and abortions targeting genetic abnormalities as examples of "modern-day eugenics."
"Sex-selection abortions are used to prevent the birth of a human being of the undesired sex. Its victims are overwhelming [sic] female," the law states.
It also states that pharmaceutical treatments, gene therapies, and prosthetic advances have provided disabled individuals with "much greater opportunities for survival and success than ever before."
The law requires physicians that perform abortions to confirm in a report that the abortion is not being performed because of the listed categories. Violating the law is punishable by up to 10 years in jail and a suspension of the physician's license to practice in the state.
While other pro-life laws, such as heartbeat bills, have encountered legal challenges after passage, laws banning selective abortions have found legal success. In Missouri, a federal judge stopped a law banning abortions after eight weeks from going into effect, but allowed the provision of the law banning sex-selective abortions to stand.
The pro-life Susan B. Anthony List praised Reeves's "strong pro-life leadership" in a statement.
"The enactment of the Life Equality Act is an historic victory for the pro-life citizens of Mississippi, for the voiceless victims of discrimination and all who advocate for them," the group said. "Starting now, unborn babies in Mississippi cannot be targeted for abortion based on their sex, race, or potential disability, such as Down syndrome."


freebeacon--2020-07-02--Anti-Israel Group Expands Boycott From Jewish State to Barstool Sports

A leading anti-Israel group has expanded its call to boycott the Jewish state and is now calling for a boycott against Barstool Sports , accusing the popular website of `` unapologetic racism '' and violent `` hate speech . ''
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee ( ADC ) , a group that has accused Israel of carrying out `` apartheid '' and `` ethnic cleansing , '' called on all Barstool sponsors and viewers to boycott the company on Wednesday .
`` We can no longer excuse hatred and must hold racists accountable for their actions and their rhetoric , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Hate speech is not funny and can lead to violence . ''
The call to boycott came after jokes that Barstool founder Dave Portnoy made in 2016 resurfaced on social media .
Portnoy questioned Colin Kaepernick 's decision to kneel during the national anthem , joking that he thought the ex-NFL quarterback was an `` ISIS guy '' who looked `` Arabic . ''
The ADC supports the anti-Semitic Boycott , Divestment , and Sanctions movement , which seeks Israel 's destruction .
Former ADC leaders have praised terrorist groups Hamas and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' `` disciplined , '' and `` responsible . ''
The group has also defended Rep. Ilhan Omar ( D. , Minn. ) against accusations of anti-Semitism , calling them `` fictitious '' and `` dangerous to the victims of true anti-Semitism . ''
Omar , who also supports BDS , has likened boycotting Israel to boycotting Nazis and said the Jewish state `` hypnotized the world . ''
Barstool did not reply to a request for comment .
Portnoy has refused to apologize for the comments , saying he wo n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` no-fun club . ''
`` Whenever you try to cancel us and do these movements that pop up once every couple years , it only makes us stronger because normal people want an escape for a couple f—ing seconds from this f—ed up world , '' Portnoy said in a video .
`` It just makes them like us more , so alright , keep trying to cancel us , we 'll keep growing stronger . ''
The ADC , which did not respond to a request for comment , has also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past .
In 2013 , the group accused the Washington Free Beacon* of harassment , racism , and bigotry after a reporter requested tax documents that the group is required by law to share .
*Full disclosure : This is the Washington Free Beacon

A leading anti-Israel group has expanded its call to boycott the Jewish state and is now calling for a boycott against Barstool Sports, accusing the popular website of "unapologetic racism" and violent "hate speech."
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), a group that has accused Israel of carrying out "apartheid" and "ethnic cleansing," called on all Barstool sponsors and viewers to boycott the company on Wednesday.
"We can no longer excuse hatred and must hold racists accountable for their actions and their rhetoric," the ADC said in a statement. "Hate speech is not funny and can lead to violence."
The call to boycott came after jokes that Barstool founder Dave Portnoy made in 2016 resurfaced on social media. Portnoy questioned Colin Kaepernick's decision to kneel during the national anthem, joking that he thought the ex-NFL quarterback was an "ISIS guy" who looked "Arabic."
The ADC supports the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, which seeks Israel's destruction. Former ADC leaders have praised terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah, calling them "very respectable," "disciplined," and "responsible." The group has also defended Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) against accusations of anti-Semitism, calling them "fictitious" and "dangerous to the victims of true anti-Semitism." Omar, who also supports BDS, has likened boycotting Israel to boycotting Nazis and said the Jewish state "hypnotized the world."
Barstool did not reply to a request for comment. Portnoy has refused to apologize for the comments, saying he won't "bend the knee" to the "no-fun club."
"Whenever you try to cancel us and do these movements that pop up once every couple years, it only makes us stronger because normal people want an escape for a couple f—ing seconds from this f—ed up world," Portnoy said in a video. "It just makes them like us more, so alright, keep trying to cancel us, we'll keep growing stronger."
The ADC, which did not respond to a request for comment, has also targeted other media publications and journalists in the past. In 2013, the group accused the Washington Free Beacon* of harassment, racism, and bigotry after a reporter requested tax documents that the group is required by law to share.
*Full disclosure: This is the Washington Free Beacon