freebeacon--2020-12-18--Labor Watchdogs and Republicans Raise Concerns Over Corruption Investigation of Pro-Biden Union

The union that spent big to help Joe Biden win Michigan has been forced to cough up $ 16.5 million to settle an embezzlement probe that led to prison terms for top executives .
Labor watchdogs and Republican lawmakers are fearful that Democrats will abandon anti-corruption measures that could threaten some of their largest campaign donors .
The United Auto Workers union reached a settlement this week with federal prosecutors over a years-long corruption probe that saw 11 former union officials charged with crimes .
Two Republican lawmakers on the House Committee on Education and Labor said congressional Democrats turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of soft-pedaling future treatment of unions even as the UAW settled the multimillion-dollar corruption probe .
`` Congressional Democrats have ignored this corruption scandal for too long , and it is time to put greater transparency and accountability measures in place to protect workers and their rights , '' Rep. Tim Walberg ( R. , Mich. ) told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` The hardworking dues-paying men and women of the UAW deserve nothing less . ''
Rep. Virginia Foxx ( N.C. ) , ranking Republican member on the committee , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labor .
She criticized congressional Democrats for repeatedly rejecting requests to dig into the union 's activities .
`` I am concerned that my Democrat colleagues have ignored this growing scandal and remain undeterred in their zeal to empower Big Labor , '' Foxx said in a statement .
`` Instead of shedding a light on union corruption and supporting efforts to increase transparency and accountability within unions , it appears Democrats are content to reward Big Labor for illegal behavior . ''
The UAW has already returned $ 15 million to training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chrysler executives to embezzle union funds .
It further agreed to pay $ 1.5 million to address back taxes , as well as six years of independent monitoring of its financial activities , according to a Department of Justice settlement announced on Monday .
U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said that while the investigation into the union is over , additional criminal charges against individuals in the union could still occur .
Top union officials , including two former presidents , have pleaded guilty to embezzlement and corruption allegations .
Labor watchdogs echoed Foxx @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unions .
F. Vincent Vernuccio , senior fellow at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy , told the Free Beacon that federal authorities should push for direct oversight , rather than outsourcing accountability to a third party .
He is skeptical that the Biden administration will take such action after the union spent $ 6 million to boost Democrats in 2020 and provided critical ground support in the crucial swing state of Michigan .
`` U.S. Attorney Schneider 's effort to protect UAW members and root out corruption among their leadership should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Vernuccio said .
`` In addition to prosecuting those who have breached the trust of their membership , a Biden Department of Labor should continue the work of the Trump administration to ensure transparency among union finances . ''
Patrick Semmens , vice president of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation , expressed skepticism that Biden would continue to pressure a union that supported him during the election .
He also pointed to Biden 's pro-labor track record as evidence that the president-elect will capitulate to labor unions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Biden has repeatedly sided with union bosses over rank-and-file workers , and that track record suggests he is more than willing to protect his union boss benefactors from being embarrassed by a full accounting of the corruption within the UAW hierarchy , '' Semmens said .
The settlement is also a victory for the workers the union mistreated , said Charlyce Bozzello , communications director for the Center for Union Facts .
`` Holding union officials accountable for their bad actions shouldn ’ t be a partisan issue , '' she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued investigations into individuals in the union , a UAW spokesman directed the Free Beacon to the joint statement issued with Schneider 's office .
`` As I said upon taking office , my overriding goal is to deliver a clean , reformed and ethical union to my successor , '' UAW president Rory Gamble said in the statement .
`` Today ’ s collaborative agreement with the government ensures that we are well on our way toward achieving that goal . ''
The Biden transition team did not respond to a request @ @ @

The union that spent big to help Joe Biden win Michigan has been forced to cough up $16.5 million to settle an embezzlement probe that led to prison terms for top executives. Labor watchdogs and Republican lawmakers are fearful that Democrats will abandon anti-corruption measures that could threaten some of their largest campaign donors.
The United Auto Workers union reached a settlement this week with federal prosecutors over a years-long corruption probe that saw 11 former union officials charged with crimes. Two Republican lawmakers on the House Committee on Education and Labor said congressional Democrats turned a blind eye to corruption and warned of soft-pedaling future treatment of unions even as the UAW settled the multimillion-dollar corruption probe.
"Congressional Democrats have ignored this corruption scandal for too long, and it is time to put greater transparency and accountability measures in place to protect workers and their rights," Rep. Tim Walberg (R., Mich.) told the Washington Free Beacon. "The hardworking dues-paying men and women of the UAW deserve nothing less."
Rep. Virginia Foxx (N.C.), ranking Republican member on the committee, said lawmakers should keep the pressure on organized labor. She criticized congressional Democrats for repeatedly rejecting requests to dig into the union's activities.
"I am concerned that my Democrat colleagues have ignored this growing scandal and remain undeterred in their zeal to empower Big Labor," Foxx said in a statement. "Instead of shedding a light on union corruption and supporting efforts to increase transparency and accountability within unions, it appears Democrats are content to reward Big Labor for illegal behavior."
The UAW has already returned $15 million to training centers used by UAW officials and Fiat Chrysler executives to embezzle union funds. It further agreed to pay $1.5 million to address back taxes, as well as six years of independent monitoring of its financial activities, according to a Department of Justice settlement announced on Monday. U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said that while the investigation into the union is over, additional criminal charges against individuals in the union could still occur. Top union officials, including two former presidents, have pleaded guilty to embezzlement and corruption allegations.
Labor watchdogs echoed Foxx's call for continued oversight of labor unions. F. Vincent Vernuccio, senior fellow at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, told the Free Beacon that federal authorities should push for direct oversight, rather than outsourcing accountability to a third party. He is skeptical that the Biden administration will take such action after the union spent $6 million to boost Democrats in 2020 and provided critical ground support in the crucial swing state of Michigan.
"U.S. Attorney Schneider's effort to protect UAW members and root out corruption among their leadership should be applauded and should continue into the future," Vernuccio said. "In addition to prosecuting those who have breached the trust of their membership, a Biden Department of Labor should continue the work of the Trump administration to ensure transparency among union finances."
Patrick Semmens, vice president of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, expressed skepticism that Biden would continue to pressure a union that supported him during the election. He also pointed to Biden's pro-labor track record as evidence that the president-elect will capitulate to labor unions.
"Through all his decades in Washington, Biden has repeatedly sided with union bosses over rank-and-file workers, and that track record suggests he is more than willing to protect his union boss benefactors from being embarrassed by a full accounting of the corruption within the UAW hierarchy," Semmens said.
The settlement is also a victory for the workers the union mistreated, said Charlyce Bozzello, communications director for the Center for Union Facts. "Holding union officials accountable for their bad actions shouldn’t be a partisan issue," she said.
When contacted for comment about the continued investigations into individuals in the union, a UAW spokesman directed the Free Beacon to the joint statement issued with Schneider's office. "As I said upon taking office, my overriding goal is to deliver a clean, reformed and ethical union to my successor," UAW president Rory Gamble said in the statement. "Today’s collaborative agreement with the government ensures that we are well on our way toward achieving that goal."
The Biden transition team did not respond to a request for comment.


freebeacon--2020-12-18--Republican Rep Slams Congressional Colleagues for Receiving First COVID Vaccines

A Republican representative slammed his fellow members of Congress for being among the first recipients of the coronavirus vaccine .
`` Asking Americans to wait to get vaccinated while Congress cuts the line is the opposite of leadership , '' Florida representative Brian Mast ( R. ) , an Army veteran , said in a statement Friday .
`` Congress needs to stop treating itself as a special political class , and the mere suggestion that Members of Congress are in any way more important than the very people who gave us the privilege of serving in Congress is appalling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brian P. Monahan announced that a batch of COVID-19 vaccines will be immediately available to members of Congress .
The federal government approved the Pfizer-produced vaccine last week , but it will be available to most Americans next year .
House speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) said Thursday that she will receive the vaccine in the coming days .
In the same statement , she called it `` imperative that we ensure that the vaccine will be free and delivered in a fair , equitable manner to as many Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his statement , Mast criticized Pelosi for receiving the vaccine ahead of the rest of the country .
`` Leaders eat last ; it 's one of the first lessons a soldier learns as early as basic training , '' said Mast , who lost his legs to a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan .
`` Speaker Pelosi apparently never learned this lesson . ''

'Asking Americans to wait to get vaccinated while Congress cuts the line is the opposite of leadership'
A Republican representative slammed his fellow members of Congress for being among the first recipients of the coronavirus vaccine.
"Asking Americans to wait to get vaccinated while Congress cuts the line is the opposite of leadership," Florida representative Brian Mast (R.), an Army veteran, said in a statement Friday. "Congress needs to stop treating itself as a special political class, and the mere suggestion that Members of Congress are in any way more important than the very people who gave us the privilege of serving in Congress is appalling."
On Thursday, congressional physician Brian P. Monahan announced that a batch of COVID-19 vaccines will be immediately available to members of Congress. The federal government approved the Pfizer-produced vaccine last week, but it will be available to most Americans next year.
House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) said Thursday that she will receive the vaccine in the coming days. In the same statement, she called it "imperative that we ensure that the vaccine will be free and delivered in a fair, equitable manner to as many Americans as soon as possible."
In his statement, Mast criticized Pelosi for receiving the vaccine ahead of the rest of the country.
"Leaders eat last; it's one of the first lessons a soldier learns as early as basic training," said Mast, who lost his legs to a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan. "Speaker Pelosi apparently never learned this lesson."


freebeacon--2020-12-18--Prominent Native American Lawmaker Robbed of Historic Cabinet Post

In what can only be seen as a snub toward a former primary opponent , President-elect Joe Biden announced his intention to nominate Rep. Deb Haaland ( D. , N.M. ) to lead the Department of the Interior .
That means Haaland , founder of Pueblo Salsa , is set to make history as the first Native American to serve in a senior cabinet position .
She will follow in the footsteps of Charles Curtis , a Republican member of the Kaw Nation and the first person of color to serve as vice president .
( Kamala Harris will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden to make history by tapping America 's foremost Native American politician , Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
, for a senior cabinet post .
Warren , the first woman of color to teach at Harvard Law School , was clearly the more qualified candidate .
Biden 's choice may have been motivated by hurt feelings over Warren 's attacks on him during the Democratic primary , when Warren suggested that nominating a `` Washington insider '' such as Biden would be a `` big risk for our party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him for supporting Obamacare .
Maybe the transition team learned that she 's pregnant ?
Either way , she deserves better .

In what can only be seen as a snub toward a former primary opponent, President-elect Joe Biden announced his intention to nominate Rep. Deb Haaland (D., N.M.) to lead the Department of the Interior.
That means Haaland, founder of Pueblo Salsa, is set to make history as the first Native American to serve in a senior cabinet position. She will follow in the footsteps of Charles Curtis, a Republican member of the Kaw Nation and the first person of color to serve as vice president. (Kamala Harris will be the second.)
Many had expected Biden to make history by tapping America's foremost Native American politician, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), for a senior cabinet post. Warren, the first woman of color to teach at Harvard Law School, was clearly the more qualified candidate.
Biden's choice may have been motivated by hurt feelings over Warren's attacks on him during the Democratic primary, when Warren suggested that nominating a "Washington insider" such as Biden would be a "big risk for our party and our country" and repeatedly shamed him for supporting Obamacare.
Maybe the transition team learned that she's pregnant? Either way, she deserves better.


freebeacon--2020-12-18--Left-Wing Activist Sets Himself Up to Profit From His Own Climate Plan

The leader of an activist group pushing for sweeping policy change to combat global warming has positioned himself to rake in money from those changes .
Bracken Hendricks is cofounder and senior adviser to Evergreen Action , an activist group formed in April by former staffers of Washington governor Jay Inslee ’ s ( D. ) failed 2020 presidential campaign .
Evergreen published an `` Action Plan '' —which echoes many of the policies put forward in the Green New Deal—in April pushing the Biden administration to adopt a `` Zero-Carbon Building Standard '' that would mandate that all new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standards .
If enacted , the policy would also require substantial retrofitting to nearly every building in the country as part of Evergreen 's `` Rebuild America energy retrofit program . ''
Enacting such demands could be lucrative for Hendricks , who is also CEO of Urban Ingenuity , a Washington , D.C. , consulting firm that , according to its website , `` provides innovative solutions to develop and finance advanced energy projects , building retrofits , and state of the art clean energy infrastructure '' to construction developers .
Hendricks did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his company ’ s potential conflict of interest by the time of publication .
Hendricks has spent his career pushing radical climate policies .
He coauthored a 2007 book with Inslee calling for a massive government overhaul of the economy to halt global warming and later advised Inslee 's campaign on climate policy .
Hendricks is also a former climate adviser to the Clinton Global Initiative .
In 2009 he penned a report that called for a national retrofit of buildings to halt global warming from his perch as a Center for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reconstruction mandate similar to the one proposed by Evergreen and Hendricks was included in the Green New Deal proposed by socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D. , N.Y. ) in 2019 to `` retrofit every building in America . ''
The conservative American Action Forum estimates the Green New Deal could cost between $ 52 and $ 93 trillion by 2030 and states that its national retrofitting scheme `` would have no impact on [ greenhouse gas ] emissions . ''
InfluenceWatch identifies Evergreen Action as a front for the Sixteen Thirty Fund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` dark money '' network run by Arabella Advisors , a center-left consulting firm .
Evergreen does n't file IRS Form 990 reports or disclose its budget but the group 's `` sister organization , '' Evergreen Collaborative , has received at least $ 250,000 from the liberal Hewlett Foundation .
In 2019 , Sixteen Thirty Fund gave $ 3.5 million to the League of Conservation Voters ( LCV ) , a Green New Deal advocacy group , and nearly $ 6.8 million to LCV 's PAC , which spent over $ 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Much of Evergreen Action 's `` Action Plan '' mimics the Green New Deal , demanding Biden enact an `` environmental justice '' executive order establishing an `` Office of Environmental Justice '' within the U.S. Justice Department to `` hold polluters fully accountable under maximum application of federal law '' and `` pursue maximum civil and criminal penalties–in particular against repeat offenders . ''
The mandate echoes that of Biden 's running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris ( Calif. , D. ) , who decried `` environmental injustice '' as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cosponsored with Ocasio-Cortez .
The Green New Deal bill text compares tackling climate change with the U.S. effort in World War II , proposing a `` 10-year national mobilization '' to stop global warming .
Similarly , Evergreen Action proposes establishing a `` White House Office of Climate Mobilization '' by executive order modeled on the now-defunct Office of War Mobilization , a World War II agency that coordinated all government agencies in the war effort .
The group also calls for the creation of a government-funded `` Climate Conservation Corps '' modeled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would train young Americans in retrofitting buildings and installing solar panels , send members overseas to aid in `` mitigation and resilience '' projects , and create labor union apprenticeships in `` clean energy economy '' jobs .
Likewise , the Green New Deal would guarantee jobs `` to all people of the United States . ''
Other notable policies from the Evergreen plan include a complete transition away from oil , coal , and natural gas by 2050 , a World War II-style G.I .
Bill for coal workers who lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s anti-coal policies , returning to the 2015 Paris climate accord on global warming , and sweeping changes to the National Labor Relations Act that would massively strengthen labor unions .

The leader of an activist group pushing for sweeping policy change to combat global warming has positioned himself to rake in money from those changes.
Bracken Hendricks is cofounder and senior adviser to Evergreen Action, an activist group formed in April by former staffers of Washington governor Jay Inslee’s (D.) failed 2020 presidential campaign.
Evergreen published an "Action Plan"—which echoes many of the policies put forward in the Green New Deal—in April pushing the Biden administration to adopt a "Zero-Carbon Building Standard" that would mandate that all new buildings meet climate change "resilience" standards. If enacted, the policy would also require substantial retrofitting to nearly every building in the country as part of Evergreen's "Rebuild America energy retrofit program."
Enacting such demands could be lucrative for Hendricks, who is also CEO of Urban Ingenuity, a Washington, D.C., consulting firm that, according to its website, "provides innovative solutions to develop and finance advanced energy projects, building retrofits, and state of the art clean energy infrastructure" to construction developers.
Hendricks did not respond to a request for comment on his company’s potential conflict of interest by the time of publication.
Hendricks has spent his career pushing radical climate policies. He coauthored a 2007 book with Inslee calling for a massive government overhaul of the economy to halt global warming and later advised Inslee's campaign on climate policy. Hendricks is also a former climate adviser to the Clinton Global Initiative. In 2009 he penned a report that called for a national retrofit of buildings to halt global warming from his perch as a Center for American Progress senior fellow.
A national reconstruction mandate similar to the one proposed by Evergreen and Hendricks was included in the Green New Deal proposed by socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) in 2019 to "retrofit every building in America." The conservative American Action Forum estimates the Green New Deal could cost between $52 and $93 trillion by 2030 and states that its national retrofitting scheme "would have no impact on [greenhouse gas] emissions."
InfluenceWatch identifies Evergreen Action as a front for the Sixteen Thirty Fund, part of a $715 million "dark money" network run by Arabella Advisors, a center-left consulting firm. Evergreen doesn't file IRS Form 990 reports or disclose its budget but the group's "sister organization," Evergreen Collaborative, has received at least $250,000 from the liberal Hewlett Foundation. In 2019, Sixteen Thirty Fund gave $3.5 million to the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), a Green New Deal advocacy group, and nearly $6.8 million to LCV's PAC, which spent over $60 million boosting Democrats in the 2020 election.
Much of Evergreen Action's "Action Plan" mimics the Green New Deal, demanding Biden enact an "environmental justice" executive order establishing an "Office of Environmental Justice" within the U.S. Justice Department to "hold polluters fully accountable under maximum application of federal law" and "pursue maximum civil and criminal penalties–in particular against repeat offenders." The mandate echoes that of Biden's running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris (Calif., D.), who decried "environmental injustice" as part of the Green New Deal legislation she cosponsored with Ocasio-Cortez.
The Green New Deal bill text compares tackling climate change with the U.S. effort in World War II, proposing a "10-year national mobilization" to stop global warming. Similarly, Evergreen Action proposes establishing a "White House Office of Climate Mobilization" by executive order modeled on the now-defunct Office of War Mobilization, a World War II agency that coordinated all government agencies in the war effort.
The group also calls for the creation of a government-funded "Climate Conservation Corps" modeled on the Great Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps that would train young Americans in retrofitting buildings and installing solar panels, send members overseas to aid in "mitigation and resilience" projects, and create labor union apprenticeships in "clean energy economy" jobs. Likewise, the Green New Deal would guarantee jobs "to all people of the United States."
Other notable policies from the Evergreen plan include a complete transition away from oil, coal, and natural gas by 2050, a World War II-style G.I. Bill for coal workers who lose their jobs as a result of Evergreen’s anti-coal policies, returning to the 2015 Paris climate accord on global warming, and sweeping changes to the National Labor Relations Act that would massively strengthen labor unions.


freebeacon--2020-12-18--Biden Calls Federal Investigation of His Son ‘Foul Play’

Democratic president-elect Joe Biden called a federal prosecutor 's investigation of his son Hunter Biden `` foul play '' during a Thursday interview .
CBS 's Stephen Colbert asked Biden to comment on his son , who faces a federal investigation of his taxes and business dealings in China by the U.S. attorney 's office in Delaware .
Biden replied that he is `` not concerned about any accusations that have been made against [ Hunter Biden ] '' and said , `` We have great confidence in our son . ''
`` It 's used to get to me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into Hunter Biden 's affairs .
`` I think it 's kind of foul play . ''
The younger Biden drew criticism during the president-elect 's campaign for his profitable business ties in China while his father was vice president .
Biden has consistently defended his son against allegations and said during a debate with President Donald Trump that Hunter Biden `` has not made money , in terms of this thing about … China . ''
The investigation into Hunter Biden was reportedly launched in 2018 .
Some Republican lawmakers , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and Lindsey Graham ( S.C. ) , have called for a special prosecutor to be appointed to the case to protect the probe during the Biden administration .

Democratic president-elect Joe Biden called a federal prosecutor's investigation of his son Hunter Biden "foul play" during a Thursday interview.
CBS's Stephen Colbert asked Biden to comment on his son, who faces a federal investigation of his taxes and business dealings in China by the U.S. attorney's office in Delaware. Biden replied that he is "not concerned about any accusations that have been made against [Hunter Biden]" and said, "We have great confidence in our son."
"It's used to get to me," Biden said of the probe into Hunter Biden's affairs. "I think it's kind of foul play."
The younger Biden drew criticism during the president-elect's campaign for his profitable business ties in China while his father was vice president. Biden has consistently defended his son against allegations and said during a debate with President Donald Trump that Hunter Biden "has not made money, in terms of this thing about … China."
The investigation into Hunter Biden was reportedly launched in 2018. Some Republican lawmakers, including Sens. Tom Cotton (Ark.) and Lindsey Graham (S.C.), have called for a special prosecutor to be appointed to the case to protect the probe during the Biden administration.


freebeacon--2020-12-18--Supreme Court Dismisses Challenge to Trump Census Order

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a challenge to President Trump 's bid to exclude illegal immigrants from the population baseline for awarding House seats , saying the challenge was premature .
In an unsigned opinion , the High Court said a final decision should be put off given ongoing uncertainty over the scope and effect of Trump 's policy .
A July memorandum from the president ordered commerce secretary Wilbur Ross to exclude illegal immigrants from the reapportionment baseline , which is derived from the decennial census .
Blue states and civil-rights groups challenged the order on several grounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not enough information to evaluate any of them .
The ruling could tee up a chaotic redistricting process , depending on the reach of Trump 's directive .
The states will begin to redraw their legislative lines soon after Congress receives an allocation of House seats from the White House .
Ongoing legal fights over the exclusion of non-citizens could complicate redistricting in states such as California , Texas , and Florida , which together have over 100 seats in the House .
Just how many undocumented immigrants the order will reach is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it 's too early to tell how the order will affect states with high populations of non-citizens , the High Court said , which undercuts the basis for a legal challenge .
Though Trump issued the contested order in July , officials at the Census Bureau have struggled to develop a formula for identifying every illegal alien in the nation .
`` Career experts at the Census Bureau confirmed with me that they still do n't know even roughly how many illegal aliens it 'll be able to identify , let alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affect apportionment , '' acting solicitor general Jeff Wall told the justices during arguments in November .
He added that they 'll at least be able to exclude every person in immigration detention , about 60,000 individuals .
`` At present , this case is riddled with contingencies and speculation that impede judicial review , '' the unsigned decision reads .
Justice Stephen Breyer , who led the three liberal justices in dissent , waved away that uncertainty .
While the precise contours of the policy might be unclear , the government has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very soon and to the maximum extent possible .
As such , Breyer argued , there 's no reason for foot-dragging .
`` Waiting to adjudicate plaintiffs ' claims until after the president submits his tabulation to Congress , as the Court seems to prefer , … risks needless and costly delays in apportionment , '' the justice wrote .
Trump 's memo notes that 2.2 million illegal aliens reside in California alone and that their inclusion in the apportionment process `` could result in the allocation of two or three more congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' House Democrats seized on that point in legal filings before the High Court .
`` [ W ] hen issuing the Memorandum , the president abandoned any pretense of lawful motivations , … confirming his intent to enhance the voting power of certain favored constituencies at the expense of others , '' the House 's brief reads .
The ACLU joined the challenge to Trump 's order and promised to continue its fight should the administration move forward .
`` Every single person counts in the census , and every single person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyer Dale Ho said .
`` If this policy is ever actually implemented , we 'll be right back in court challenging it . ''
Census data are also used to distribute federal funds among the states .
The National School Boards Association told the Court in legal papers that about $ 5 billion in Head Start funding and $ 18.9 billion in school meal subsidies were distributed pursuant to census figures in 2015 .
`` Countless public and private institutions rely on an accurate census to shape policy , set priorities and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Constitution requires the government to conduct a census every 10 years by counting `` the whole number of persons in each state . ''
The Trump administration argues that this phrase , which also appears in federal census statutes , covers only `` inhabitants , '' and that a person in the country illegally is not an inhabitant .
House Democrats and blue states say the phrase straightforwardly means total residents and note the Census Bureau has historically included the undocumented in its count .
The case is No .
20-366 @ @ @ @ @

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a challenge to President Trump's bid to exclude illegal immigrants from the population baseline for awarding House seats, saying the challenge was premature.
In an unsigned opinion, the High Court said a final decision should be put off given ongoing uncertainty over the scope and effect of Trump's policy. A July memorandum from the president ordered commerce secretary Wilbur Ross to exclude illegal immigrants from the reapportionment baseline, which is derived from the decennial census. Blue states and civil-rights groups challenged the order on several grounds, but the Court said there was not enough information to evaluate any of them.
The ruling could tee up a chaotic redistricting process, depending on the reach of Trump's directive. The states will begin to redraw their legislative lines soon after Congress receives an allocation of House seats from the White House. Ongoing legal fights over the exclusion of non-citizens could complicate redistricting in states such as California, Texas, and Florida, which together have over 100 seats in the House.
Just how many undocumented immigrants the order will reach is not clear. Without a clear scope, it's too early to tell how the order will affect states with high populations of non-citizens, the High Court said, which undercuts the basis for a legal challenge.
Though Trump issued the contested order in July, officials at the Census Bureau have struggled to develop a formula for identifying every illegal alien in the nation.
"Career experts at the Census Bureau confirmed with me that they still don't know even roughly how many illegal aliens it'll be able to identify, let alone how their number and geographic concentration might affect apportionment," acting solicitor general Jeff Wall told the justices during arguments in November. He added that they'll at least be able to exclude every person in immigration detention, about 60,000 individuals.
"At present, this case is riddled with contingencies and speculation that impede judicial review," the unsigned decision reads.
Justice Stephen Breyer, who led the three liberal justices in dissent, waved away that uncertainty. While the precise contours of the policy might be unclear, the government has said it will carry out the order very soon and to the maximum extent possible. As such, Breyer argued, there's no reason for foot-dragging.
"Waiting to adjudicate plaintiffs' claims until after the president submits his tabulation to Congress, as the Court seems to prefer, … risks needless and costly delays in apportionment," the justice wrote.
Trump's memo notes that 2.2 million illegal aliens reside in California alone and that their inclusion in the apportionment process "could result in the allocation of two or three more congressional seats than would otherwise be allocated." House Democrats seized on that point in legal filings before the High Court.
"[W]hen issuing the Memorandum, the president abandoned any pretense of lawful motivations, … confirming his intent to enhance the voting power of certain favored constituencies at the expense of others," the House's brief reads.
The ACLU joined the challenge to Trump's order and promised to continue its fight should the administration move forward.
"Every single person counts in the census, and every single person is represented in Congress," ACLU lawyer Dale Ho said. "If this policy is ever actually implemented, we'll be right back in court challenging it."
Census data are also used to distribute federal funds among the states. The National School Boards Association told the Court in legal papers that about $5 billion in Head Start funding and $18.9 billion in school meal subsidies were distributed pursuant to census figures in 2015.
"Countless public and private institutions rely on an accurate census to shape policy, set priorities and distribute resources," the brief reads.
The Constitution requires the government to conduct a census every 10 years by counting "the whole number of persons in each state." The Trump administration argues that this phrase, which also appears in federal census statutes, covers only "inhabitants," and that a person in the country illegally is not an inhabitant.
House Democrats and blue states say the phrase straightforwardly means total residents and note the Census Bureau has historically included the undocumented in its count.
The case is No. 20-366 Trump v. New York.
Trump v. New York decision by Washington Free Beacon


freebeacon--2020-12-18--High-Tech American Military Equipment Lost in Afghanistan

The Defense Department lost advanced military gear sent to bolster coalition forces in Afghanistan , raising the risk that this proprietary equipment falls into the hands of terrorist forces still operating in the war-torn country , according to a new government oversight report .
Around 60 percent of the military items transferred to Afghan forces were not properly inventoried , according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction , which oversees the Defense Department ’ s spending on the war .
In one case , 19 of nearly 50 night-vision goggles given to the Afghan National Defense and Security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by enemy forces .
U.S. officials admitted to the inspector that they have never been able to inventory 100 percent of the military equipment sent to Afghanistan due to the volatile security situation .
The Defense Department `` did not meet its own oversight requirements for monitoring sensitive defense articles transferred to the Afghan government , leaving them susceptible to theft or loss , '' according to the report .
`` The requirements are designed to minimize national security risks by preventing the diversion or misuse of defense articles that incorporate sensitive technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account for all of its military gear at least once a year .
The report spotlights the ongoing difficulties the United States faces in arming Afghan troops and ensuring the weaponry does not fall into enemy hands .
In some cases , the United States has not tracked sensitive military equipment for several years , `` increasing the chance that they could be lost or stolen . ''
During the 2019 reporting period , the Afghan military reported that more than 1,500 combat items were captured by enemy forces .
Another 1,422 were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost . ''
The report also found that U.S. military officials have not actively tried to implement workaround policies that may help them keep track of sensitive military equipment .
Large portions of Afghanistan remain a war zone , limiting the ability of U.S. military personnel to perform in-person checks at Afghan security facilities .
The United States `` did not inventory 60 percent of enhanced [ end-use-monitoring ] -designated articles—those considered to contain sensitive technology—between May 2019 and April 2020 because of security constraints and travel limitations , '' according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States accounted for just 1.7 percent of the 234,196 defense items transferred to the Afghan government during that time .

The Defense Department lost advanced military gear sent to bolster coalition forces in Afghanistan, raising the risk that this proprietary equipment falls into the hands of terrorist forces still operating in the war-torn country, according to a new government oversight report.
Around 60 percent of the military items transferred to Afghan forces were not properly inventoried, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, which oversees the Defense Department’s spending on the war. In one case, 19 of nearly 50 night-vision goggles given to the Afghan National Defense and Security Services in the past year were captured by enemy forces. U.S. officials admitted to the inspector that they have never been able to inventory 100 percent of the military equipment sent to Afghanistan due to the volatile security situation.
The Defense Department "did not meet its own oversight requirements for monitoring sensitive defense articles transferred to the Afghan government, leaving them susceptible to theft or loss," according to the report. "The requirements are designed to minimize national security risks by preventing the diversion or misuse of defense articles that incorporate sensitive technology." Current procedures stipulate the U.S. account for all of its military gear at least once a year.
The report spotlights the ongoing difficulties the United States faces in arming Afghan troops and ensuring the weaponry does not fall into enemy hands. In some cases, the United States has not tracked sensitive military equipment for several years, "increasing the chance that they could be lost or stolen." During the 2019 reporting period, the Afghan military reported that more than 1,500 combat items were captured by enemy forces. Another 1,422 were either "destroyed, damaged, or lost."
The report also found that U.S. military officials have not actively tried to implement workaround policies that may help them keep track of sensitive military equipment.
Large portions of Afghanistan remain a war zone, limiting the ability of U.S. military personnel to perform in-person checks at Afghan security facilities.
The United States "did not inventory 60 percent of enhanced [end-use-monitoring]-designated articles—those considered to contain sensitive technology—between May 2019 and April 2020 because of security constraints and travel limitations," according to the report.
From 2017 to 2018, the United States accounted for just 1.7 percent of the 234,196 defense items transferred to the Afghan government during that time.


freebeacon--2020-12-20--This Week In Campus Insanity Vol. 24

This Week In Campus Insanity Vol. 24

Welcome back to Campus Insanity , a weekly roundup of the craziest developments at our nation 's 4,000-plus institutions of higher education .
6 .
University of California-Berkeley Student Government Passes Resolution in Support of Mandated Xenophobia Training | The College Fix Students at Berkeley passed a resolution to mandate xenophobia prevention training for incoming freshmen .
An English professor is offering a course on feminism in the wake of the Trump administration , as the president 's `` ravages of assaults '' on women—such as the nomination of Supreme Court justice Amy Coney Barrett—have created an `` unprecedented dystopia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at University of Oregon Attempt to Remove College Republicans from Campus | Washington Free Beacon Student activists at the University of Oregon are attempting to remove the College Republicans from campus for attending a `` stop the steal '' rally .
3 .
University of Kansas Encourages Officers to Log Race of Individuals Stopped by Police | Campus Reform A University of Kansas task force charged with improving the policies and procedures of the Public Safety Office recommended recording the race of each individual stopped by officers .
2 .
A Georgetown Program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Racism | The College Fix Every member of a Georgetown University campus program designed to mentor students of color recently resigned , citing the program 's `` racism , queerphobia , sexism , [ and ] classism . ''
1 .
Holocaust Denier Remains on Northwestern University Website After Author of Controversial Op-Ed is Scrubbed | Washington Free Beacon Northwestern University scrubbed its website of references to a former professor who penned a controversial op-ed calling on Jill Biden to stop using the title `` doctor '' —but it continues to feature a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more Campus Insanity ?
Read Vol .
23 here .
If you have any suggestions for our Top 6 stories please email chrissy @ freebeacon.com & nester @ freebeacon.com .

Welcome back to Campus Insanity, a weekly roundup of the craziest developments at our nation's 4,000-plus institutions of higher education.
6. University of California-Berkeley Student Government Passes Resolution in Support of Mandated Xenophobia Training | The College Fix
Students at Berkeley passed a resolution to mandate xenophobia prevention training for incoming freshmen.
5. Tulane University Offers 'Feminism in Trumplandia' Course | Campus Reform
An English professor is offering a course on feminism in the wake of the Trump administration, as the president's "ravages of assaults" on women—such as the nomination of Supreme Court justice Amy Coney Barrett—have created an "unprecedented dystopia for women."
4. Students at University of Oregon Attempt to Remove College Republicans from Campus | Washington Free Beacon
Student activists at the University of Oregon are attempting to remove the College Republicans from campus for attending a "stop the steal" rally.
3. University of Kansas Encourages Officers to Log Race of Individuals Stopped by Police | Campus Reform
A University of Kansas task force charged with improving the policies and procedures of the Public Safety Office recommended recording the race of each individual stopped by officers.
2. A Georgetown Program for Students of Color Is Accused of Racism | The College Fix
Every member of a Georgetown University campus program designed to mentor students of color recently resigned, citing the program's "racism, queerphobia, sexism, [and] classism."
1. Holocaust Denier Remains on Northwestern University Website After Author of Controversial Op-Ed is Scrubbed | Washington Free Beacon
Northwestern University scrubbed its website of references to a former professor who penned a controversial op-ed calling on Jill Biden to stop using the title "doctor"—but it continues to feature a professor who denies the Holocaust.
Want more Campus Insanity? Read Vol. 23 here.
If you have any suggestions for our Top 6 stories please email chrissy@freebeacon.com & nester@freebeacon.com.


freebeacon--2020-12-20--Pressley: Prison Inmates Should Receive First Coronavirus Vaccines

Massachusetts congresswoman Ayanna Pressley ( D. ) said Sunday that incarcerated men and women should be prioritized alongside health care workers in the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine .
`` I 'm going to continue to fight for our most vulnerable communities who have been disproportionately impacted by the virus , for our health care workers , for our essential workers , for incarcerated men and women to be prioritized in the distribution of the vaccine , '' Pressley told CNN .
Pressley 's statement is in line with her state 's vaccination plan but clashes with other leaders ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and homeless individuals over senior citizens and at-risk individuals in its vaccination plan .
The state 's inmates will receive vaccines after frontline workers and residents of nursing homes .
Washington , D.C. , mayor Muriel Bowser ( D. ) has said her city 's inmates and homeless will be prioritized in vaccinations to create an `` equitable distribution '' of the vaccine .
Some Democratic state leaders have pushed back on the prioritization .
Colorado governor Jared Polis said there was `` no way '' incarcerated people would get the vaccine before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no way it 's going to go to prisoners before it goes to people who have n't committed any crime , '' Polis said .
`` That 's obvious . ''
In addition to calling for inmates to be prioritized , Pressley pressured Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker ( R. ) to release prison inmates because of COVID-19 outbreaks .
She also promoted an opinion piece written by a prison abolitionist who argued that society has a moral obligation to vaccinate inmates as soon as possible .

Massachusetts congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D.) said Sunday that incarcerated men and women should be prioritized alongside health care workers in the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine.
"I'm going to continue to fight for our most vulnerable communities who have been disproportionately impacted by the virus, for our health care workers, for our essential workers, for incarcerated men and women to be prioritized in the distribution of the vaccine," Pressley told CNN.
Pressley's statement is in line with her state's vaccination plan but clashes with other leaders' approaches. Massachusetts is prioritizing prison inmates and homeless individuals over senior citizens and at-risk individuals in its vaccination plan. The state's inmates will receive vaccines after frontline workers and residents of nursing homes.
Washington, D.C., mayor Muriel Bowser (D.) has said her city's inmates and homeless will be prioritized in vaccinations to create an "equitable distribution" of the vaccine.
Some Democratic state leaders have pushed back on the prioritization. Colorado governor Jared Polis said there was "no way" incarcerated people would get the vaccine before the general populace.
"There's no way it's going to go to prisoners before it goes to people who haven't committed any crime," Polis said. "That's obvious."
In addition to calling for inmates to be prioritized, Pressley pressured Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker (R.) to release prison inmates because of COVID-19 outbreaks. She also promoted an opinion piece written by a prison abolitionist who argued that society has a moral obligation to vaccinate inmates as soon as possible.


freebeacon--2020-12-21--ANALYSIS: Media Coverage of Biden Administration Will Be as Hard to Parody as Donald Trump

It is often said that Donald Trump killed satire because many of his actions ( and tweets ) since announcing his campaign for president were so outlandish they could not be parodied .
( Case in point . )
The same will not be said of the media 's coverage of the Biden administration .
But early indications suggest it will be just as true .
Specifically , the recent coverage of Pete Buttigieg 's nomination to lead the Department of Transportation has been just as destructive to satire .
Tribe , who appears regularly on CNN to provide expert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalist who covers politics .
But he might as well be , because his take on Buttigieg 's nomination is no less ridiculous than the actual reporting on it , the majority of which insists on portraying the former mayor of South Bend as a celebrity rather than a politician—as predicted by the Washington Free Beacon .
Try to imagine the following sentence being written about a Republican politician , then imagine how ruthlessly serious journalists would mock that politician and the media outlet that wrote it .
By NPR : Or this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on being named transportation secretary nominee : ‘ The eyes of history are on this appointment . '
'' The media certainly did n't write so fawningly about Richard Grenell , who became the first openly gay cabinet official when Trump named him acting intelligence director earlier this year .
But they insist on describing Buttigieg as `` historic , '' because he 'll be the first openly gay cabinet secretary to be confirmed by the Senate .
Rather than concern themselves with tangential issues like whether the 38-year-old former mayor of Indiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a federal department , the media have decided to focus on other , more important things .
The Washington Post , for example , seized on Buttigieg 's remarks by publishing an `` analysis '' piece in its `` relationships '' section under the headline : `` Pete Buttigieg is right .
Airports are romantic . ''
The Washingtonian offered suggestions on which trendy D.C. neighborhood Pete and his husband , Chasten , should call home .
It gets worse .
A recent addition of Politico ‘ s Playbook contains one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politician , about how Buttigieg and his husband have been hosting virtual `` holiday soirees , '' including one featuring celebrity chef José Andés .
The power couple have reportedly been entertaining their guests with transportation puns , such as `` Chasten your seat belt . ''
Oh , and in case you were wondering , Chasten ca n't decide what he likes more , listening to the soundtrack to A Child 's Christmas in Wales or listening to Pete 's singing .
Biden has n't even been sworn in yet , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bunch of fawning teens when it comes to covering the Democrats who will soon wield enormous power in Washington .
The president-elect 's nominee for secretary of state , Tony Blinken , faces serious questions about the consulting firm he cofounded .
The New Yorker recently investigated his music obsession for a piece titled `` A Dad-Rocker in the State Department . ''
The media 's fangirl obsession with Biden 's running mate , Kamala Harris , is beyond embarrassing , and increasingly difficult to satirize .
When a group of liberal activists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news coverage , '' such as reporting on a female politician 's looks and fashion choices , they nodded along .
When Kamala Harris wore a pair of trendy shoes , they lost their minds .
Journalists largely disgraced themselves during the Trump administration , but at the very least they insisted on treating powerful politicians the way they deserve to be treated : with intense scrutiny , skepticism , and mockery .
It wo n't last .
Many outlets are ( rightly ) worried that Trump 's departure will completely upend their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Resistance .
Biden himself is no celebrity .
He does n't even like the media , but he knows what they 'll let him get away with .
For example : talking to celebrities about issues he 'd rather not discuss with actual reporters .
Biden 's first comments in response to the news that his son , Hunter , is being investigated for tax fraud came 11 days after the fact , during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert .
It 's going to be a fun four years @

It is often said that Donald Trump killed satire because many of his actions (and tweets) since announcing his campaign for president were so outlandish they could not be parodied. (Case in point.)
The same will not be said of the media's coverage of the Biden administration. But early indications suggest it will be just as true. Specifically, the recent coverage of Pete Buttigieg's nomination to lead the Department of Transportation has been just as destructive to satire.
Case in point:
If anybody can make the post of transportation secretary sexy, it’s gotta be Mayor Pete https://t.co/xZN3jWJ5dM — Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) December 17, 2020
Tribe, who appears regularly on CNN to provide expert analysis and commentary, isn't a journalist who covers politics. But he might as well be, because his take on Buttigieg's nomination is no less ridiculous than the actual reporting on it, the majority of which insists on portraying the former mayor of South Bend as a celebrity rather than a politician—as predicted by the Washington Free Beacon.
Try to imagine the following sentence being written about a Republican politician, then imagine how ruthlessly serious journalists would mock that politician and the media outlet that wrote it. By NPR:
Pete Buttigieg, President-elect Biden's pick for transportation secretary, said he has "a personal love of transportation," recounting train trips on Amtrak while in college, and said he proposed to his now-husband, Chasten, in an airport terminal.
Or this hilarious CNN headline: "Pete Buttigieg on being named transportation secretary nominee: 'The eyes of history are on this appointment.'"
The media certainly didn't write so fawningly about Richard Grenell, who became the first openly gay cabinet official when Trump named him acting intelligence director earlier this year. But they insist on describing Buttigieg as "historic," because he'll be the first openly gay cabinet secretary to be confirmed by the Senate.
Rather than concern themselves with tangential issues like whether the 38-year-old former mayor of Indiana's fourth-largest city is qualified to run a federal department, the media have decided to focus on other, more important things.
The Washington Post, for example, seized on Buttigieg's remarks by publishing an "analysis" piece in its "relationships" section under the headline: "Pete Buttigieg is right. Airports are romantic." The Washingtonian offered suggestions on which trendy D.C. neighborhood Pete and his husband, Chasten, should call home.
It gets worse. A recent edition of Politico's Playbook contains one of the most nauseating passages ever written about a politician, about how Buttigieg and his husband have been hosting virtual "holiday soirees," including one featuring celebrity chef José Andrés.
The power couple have reportedly been entertaining their guests with transportation puns, such as "Chasten your seat belt." Oh, and in case you were wondering, Chasten can't decide what he likes more, listening to the soundtrack to A Child's Christmas in Wales or listening to Pete's singing.
Biden hasn't even been sworn in yet, but the media are already behaving like a bunch of fawning teens when it comes to covering the Democrats who will soon wield enormous power in Washington.
The president-elect's nominee for secretary of state, Tony Blinken, faces serious questions about the consulting firm he cofounded. The New Yorker recently investigated his music obsession for a piece titled "A Dad-Rocker in the State Department."
The media's fangirl obsession with Biden's running mate, Kamala Harris, is beyond embarrassing, and increasingly difficult to satirize. When a group of liberal activists warned journalists to refrain from "sexist news coverage," such as reporting on a female politician's looks and fashion choices, they nodded along. When Kamala Harris wore a pair of trendy shoes, they lost their minds.
Journalists largely disgraced themselves during the Trump administration, but at the very least they insisted on treating powerful politicians the way they deserve to be treated: with intense scrutiny, skepticism, and mockery. It won't last. Many outlets are (rightly) worried that Trump's departure will completely upend their business model of catering to the #Resistance.
Biden himself is no celebrity. He doesn't even like the media, but he knows what they'll let him get away with. For example: talking to celebrities about issues he'd rather not discuss with actual reporters. Biden's first comments in response to the news that his son, Hunter, is being investigated for tax fraud came 11 days after the fact, during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
It's going to be a fun four years.


freebeacon--2020-12-21--Biden Taps Liberal Billionaire’s Acolyte for Top Econ. Job

President-elect Joe Biden announced Monday that he will appoint Joelle Gamble , who previously worked as a principal at the social-change investment firm funded by liberal billionaire Pierre Omidyar , as a top economic adviser .
Gamble , who left her role at the Omidyar Network ( ON ) to work on domestic economic policy for the Biden-Harris transition team , will serve as special assistant to the president for economic policy , a job on the National Economic Council .
That role may be informed by her previous work as a principal at the network 's `` reimagining capitalism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that maintains that `` capitalism can still be a powerful force for good '' but that `` the current form of capitalism is fundamentally broken . ''
Gamble 's appointment means that an economic progressive will have the president 's ear as he seeks to revitalize the post-COVID economy .
It also forges a connection between the Biden administration and Omidyar , who has funneled millions to left-leaning activist groups , including those run by other Biden appointees , and is a major funder of groups opposed to President Donald Trump .
Neither @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Network responded to requests for comment .
Gamble joined the Omidyar Network last June , following her graduation from Princeton 's graduate program in economics .
In that role , she was a frequent public commentator on what she saw as the injustices and inequities of capitalism , writing in the left-wing magazine Dissent , for example , that `` our measure of economic security is based on white economic security . ''
Reporting her involvement with the Biden transition in October , the Washington Examiner described her as `` represent [ ing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party within Biden 's economic team . ''
She honed those positions at ON , a social-change investor that operates as both an LLC and a 501 ( c ) 3 nonprofit , allowing it to invest in both for-profit and non-profit ventures .
ON operates several major projects across its portfolio of over $ 100 million in outstanding grants .
That includes Gamble 's `` reimagining capitalism , '' which aims to restructure capitalist society around principles that include `` an explicitly anti-racist and inclusive economy '' and `` rebalanc [ ing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and communities . ''
Under that aegis , `` reimagining capitalism '' has given grants to a number of influential left-leaning groups , including those with connections to the incoming administration .
Contributions include $ 500,000 to the Roosevelt Institute , where Gamble worked for five years before matriculating at Princeton , as well as $ 700,000 to the Center for American Progress , run by Biden OMB nominee Neera Tanden , and $ 1.5 million to the Washington Center for Equitable Growth , led by Heather Boushey , a Biden nominee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Advisers .
The whole affair is funded by eBay cofounder Pierre Omidyar , whose net worth Forbes estimates to be in excess of $ 20 billion .
Omidyar is one of a group of Silicon Valley billionaires who have increasingly flexed their financial muscle in the political arena since Donald Trump 's ascent to the presidency .
ON is not Omidyar 's only charitable venture .
Through Democracy Fund Voice , he has given extensively to activist groups including the Proteus Action League , Sixteen Thirty Fund , and the Tides Foundation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He also has a history of financial support for Democrats , including generous donations to the DSCC and DCCC in the early 2000s and contributions to both Rep. Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) and then-senator Harry Reid ( D. , Nev. ) in 2008 .
His media company , First Look Media , is the primary backer of the left-wing investigative outlet The Intercept .
Omidyar has also been a generous backer specifically of opponents of Trump .
He was the primary funder of NeverTrump PAC , later Never Means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2016 cycle .
He also backed the anti-Trump `` Not Who We Are '' PAC , alongside fellow Silicon Valley billionaires Dustin Moskovitz , Cari Tuna , and Christopher Hughes .
Through Democracy Fund Voice , he has given over half-a-million dollars to support Stand Up Republic , a group that organizes Republicans critical of the president .
Techies like Omidyar have flocked to Biden , with a Wired investigation finding that 95 percent of contributions from tech employees went to the Democratic nominee .
They are in turn already enjoying outsized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drawn on Silicon Valley to staff its teams .
Gamble 's appointment extends these connections from the office to the network of charitable groups funded by top tech execs , further entwining the Biden administration with their wealth .

President-elect Joe Biden announced Monday that he will appoint Joelle Gamble, who previously worked as a principal at the social-change investment firm funded by liberal billionaire Pierre Omidyar, as a top economic adviser.
Gamble, who left her role at the Omidyar Network (ON) to work on domestic economic policy for the Biden-Harris transition team, will serve as special assistant to the president for economic policy, a job on the National Economic Council.
That role may be informed by her previous work as a principal at the network's "reimagining capitalism" project, an Elizabeth Warren-esque endeavor that maintains that "capitalism can still be a powerful force for good" but that "the current form of capitalism is fundamentally broken."
Gamble's appointment means that an economic progressive will have the president's ear as he seeks to revitalize the post-COVID economy. It also forges a connection between the Biden administration and Omidyar, who has funneled millions to left-leaning activist groups, including those run by other Biden appointees, and is a major funder of groups opposed to President Donald Trump.
Neither the Biden Transition Team nor the Omidyar Network responded to requests for comment.
Gamble joined the Omidyar Network last June, following her graduation from Princeton's graduate program in economics. In that role, she was a frequent public commentator on what she saw as the injustices and inequities of capitalism, writing in the left-wing magazine Dissent, for example, that "our measure of economic security is based on white economic security." Reporting her involvement with the Biden transition in October, the Washington Examiner described her as "represent[ing] the left wing of the Democratic Party within Biden's economic team."
She honed those positions at ON, a social-change investor that operates as both an LLC and a 501(c)3 nonprofit, allowing it to invest in both for-profit and non-profit ventures.
ON operates several major projects across its portfolio of over $100 million in outstanding grants. That includes Gamble's "reimagining capitalism," which aims to restructure capitalist society around principles that include "an explicitly anti-racist and inclusive economy" and "rebalanc[ing] the relationship between markets, governments, and communities."
Under that aegis, "reimagining capitalism" has given grants to a number of influential left-leaning groups, including those with connections to the incoming administration. Contributions include $500,000 to the Roosevelt Institute, where Gamble worked for five years before matriculating at Princeton, as well as $700,000 to the Center for American Progress, run by Biden OMB nominee Neera Tanden, and $1.5 million to the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, led by Heather Boushey, a Biden nominee to serve on the Council of Economic Advisers.
The whole affair is funded by eBay cofounder Pierre Omidyar, whose net worth Forbes estimates to be in excess of $20 billion. Omidyar is one of a group of Silicon Valley billionaires who have increasingly flexed their financial muscle in the political arena since Donald Trump's ascent to the presidency.
ON is not Omidyar's only charitable venture. Through Democracy Fund Voice, he has given extensively to activist groups including the Proteus Action League, Sixteen Thirty Fund, and the Tides Foundation, the primary sponsor of Black Lives Matter. He also has a history of financial support for Democrats, including generous donations to the DSCC and DCCC in the early 2000s and contributions to both Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) and then-senator Harry Reid (D., Nev.) in 2008. His media company, First Look Media, is the primary backer of the left-wing investigative outlet The Intercept.
Omidyar has also been a generous backer specifically of opponents of Trump. He was the primary funder of NeverTrump PAC, later Never Means Never PAC, dropping $250,000 over the 2016 cycle. He also backed the anti-Trump "Not Who We Are" PAC, alongside fellow Silicon Valley billionaires Dustin Moskovitz, Cari Tuna, and Christopher Hughes. Through Democracy Fund Voice, he has given over half-a-million dollars to support Stand Up Republic, a group that organizes Republicans critical of the president.
Techies like Omidyar have flocked to Biden, with a Wired investigation finding that 95 percent of contributions from tech employees went to the Democratic nominee. They are in turn already enjoying outsized influence in the transition, which has drawn on Silicon Valley to staff its teams. Gamble's appointment extends these connections from the office to the network of charitable groups funded by top tech execs, further entwining the Biden administration with their wealth.


freebeacon--2020-12-21--Tufts Students Pass Anti-Israel Ballot Measure

Students at Tufts University passed a ballot measure that would prohibit campus police from attending counterterrorism training in Israel .
The university 's `` Students for Justice in Palestine '' chapter introduced the measure in coordination with the Jewish Voice for Peace .
It demands that the university prohibit campus police from attending military-led trips to Israel and `` apologize for sending the former Tufts police chief to a militarized training trip . ''
The vote took place on Nov. 24 , though the results were delayed due to multiple rule violations by Students for Justice in Palestine .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 68 percent approval .
The organizations that pushed the resolution say U.S. police officers are being `` militarized '' by Israel during international police conferences on counterterrorism training .
Jewish Voice for Peace claims that such exchange programs `` promote and extend discriminatory and repressive policing practices that already exist in both countries . ''
Similar campaigns have gained steam at other universities , capitalizing on anti-police sentiment to justify opposition to Israel .
A Tufts spokesman told the Washington Free Beacon that the student-government resolution is nonbinding and said the school administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its police department .

Students at Tufts University passed a ballot measure that would prohibit campus police from attending counterterrorism training in Israel.
The university's "Students for Justice in Palestine" chapter introduced the measure in coordination with the Jewish Voice for Peace. It demands that the university prohibit campus police from attending military-led trips to Israel and "apologize for sending the former Tufts police chief to a militarized training trip."
The vote took place on Nov. 24, though the results were delayed due to multiple rule violations by Students for Justice in Palestine. On Dec. 19, the measure passed with 68 percent approval.
The organizations that pushed the resolution say U.S. police officers are being "militarized" by Israel during international police conferences on counterterrorism training. Jewish Voice for Peace claims that such exchange programs "promote and extend discriminatory and repressive policing practices that already exist in both countries."
Similar campaigns have gained steam at other universities, capitalizing on anti-police sentiment to justify opposition to Israel.
A Tufts spokesman told the Washington Free Beacon that the student-government resolution is nonbinding and said the school administration does not agree that Israel has militarized its police department.


freebeacon--2020-12-21--Teachers at Elite NYC Private School Make List of 24 ‘Anti-Racist’ Demands

Teachers and faculty at one of New York City ’ s most elite private schools created a list of 24 demands for school administrators to combat `` anti-Blackness . ''
The Naked Dollar blog on Friday posted a petition signed by 120 members of the Dalton School staff asking school administrators to implement a series of anti-racist measures .
Teachers and faculty asked the K-12 school to pay off student loans for black faculty and abolish advanced courses if black students are not performing on par with white peers by 2023 .
The list also invites each member of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public anti-racist statements . ''
Other items on the list call for revising curriculum .
Teachers proposed that administrators add mandatory courses that `` center Black liberation and challenges to white supremacy '' with a credit requirement `` equivalent to or greater than '' other departments .
Anti-racist curriculum should be `` embedded '' in the school 's curriculum , just like English and math , the teachers said .
Teachers and faculty also asked administrators to publish staff salaries based on race and gender and collect and release data on student discipline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led by the Black Lives Matter organization `` inspired '' teachers and faculty at the $ 54,000-per-year school to create the proposals , teachers said in the petition .
Teachers also said they felt `` heartened '' by measures the school has already taken to fight racism , such as developing an `` anti-racism and inclusion plan '' and revising course content .
Schools across the United States have taken a variety of steps to implement critical race theory , which holds that laws and society in the United States are inherently racist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francisco and Washington , D.C. , have looked to rename buildings with namesakes deemed problematic .
And Seattle Public Schools hosted a critical race theory training session for teachers that claimed the U.S. education system committed `` spirit murder '' against black youth .

Teachers and faculty at one of New York City’s most elite private schools created a list of 24 demands for school administrators to combat "anti-Blackness."
The Naked Dollar blog on Friday posted a petition signed by 120 members of the Dalton School staff asking school administrators to implement a series of anti-racist measures. Teachers and faculty asked the K-12 school to pay off student loans for black faculty and abolish advanced courses if black students are not performing on par with white peers by 2023. The list also invites each member of the Dalton School faculty to "produce individual public anti-racist statements."
Other items on the list call for revising curriculum. Teachers proposed that administrators add mandatory courses that "center Black liberation and challenges to white supremacy" with a credit requirement "equivalent to or greater than" other departments. Anti-racist curriculum should be "embedded" in the school's curriculum, just like English and math, the teachers said.
Teachers and faculty also asked administrators to publish staff salaries based on race and gender and collect and release data on student discipline and race.
Months of racial unrest led by the Black Lives Matter organization "inspired" teachers and faculty at the $54,000-per-year school to create the proposals, teachers said in the petition. Teachers also said they felt "heartened" by measures the school has already taken to fight racism, such as developing an "anti-racism and inclusion plan" and revising course content.
Schools across the United States have taken a variety of steps to implement critical race theory, which holds that laws and society in the United States are inherently racist. Some districts, including in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., have looked to rename buildings with namesakes deemed problematic. And Seattle Public Schools hosted a critical race theory training session for teachers that claimed the U.S. education system committed "spirit murder" against black youth.


freebeacon--2020-12-21--Biden Adviser Praises CDC Panel for Favoring Minorities in Vaccine Rollout Plan

A chief adviser for President-elect Joe Biden praised a federal recommendation for prioritizing minority groups in the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine .
Marcella Nunez-Smith , a co-chair of Biden 's COVID-19 advisory board , told the Washington Post that the board approves of the vaccine-distribution recommendations issued by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel on Sunday .
She said she was `` quite excited '' about the `` grounding in inequity '' of the panel 's guidance , referring to `` the importance given to factors such as housing and minority status in decisions about prioritization .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for frontline essential workers , such as grocery-store employees , teachers , and postal workers , to receive the vaccine next , along with adults aged 75 and older .
The following phase would see millions more essential workers receive the vaccine at the same time as adults aged 65 to 74 and persons with high-risk medical conditions .
The prioritization of essential workers in the early vaccine phases is partly intended to fast-track vaccine distribution to minority groups , who make up a disproportionate share of essential workers , even though older @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of dying from the coronavirus .
The CDC panel cited the under-representation of minorities among older adults and the large share of minorities among essential workers in its deliberations over how to achieve the goal of mitigating `` health inequities '' through targeted vaccine allotment .
The recommendation passed the CDC panel on a 13-to-1 vote .
The sole committee member to oppose the phased schedule , Henry Bernstein , said he believed adults aged 65 to 74 should have been included in the immediate next phase .
A previous proposal floated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of essential workers before older adults .
It designated older people as a low-priority category because of an underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities .
The panel 's assessments acknowledged that targeting older adults for vaccination would be the most effective way to combat `` morbidity and mortality . ''
The initial proposal sparked blowback from members of the public concerned that the CDC is prioritizing racial equity concerns over minimizing death .
José Romero , chairman of the panel , responded to criticism before Sunday 's vote , saying , `` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial group for receipt of the vaccine . ''
CDC director Robert Redfield signaled disagreement with the panel 's emphasis on race earlier this month , calling for `` future recommendations that … demonstrate that we as a nation also prioritize the elderly . ''

A chief adviser for President-elect Joe Biden praised a federal recommendation for prioritizing minority groups in the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine.
Marcella Nunez-Smith, a co-chair of Biden's COVID-19 advisory board, told the Washington Post that the board approves of the vaccine-distribution recommendations issued by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel on Sunday. She said she was "quite excited" about the "grounding in inequity" of the panel's guidance, referring to "the importance given to factors such as housing and minority status in decisions about prioritization."
The CDC panel's recommendation calls for frontline essential workers, such as grocery-store employees, teachers, and postal workers, to receive the vaccine next, along with adults aged 75 and older. The following phase would see millions more essential workers receive the vaccine at the same time as adults aged 65 to 74 and persons with high-risk medical conditions.
The prioritization of essential workers in the early vaccine phases is partly intended to fast-track vaccine distribution to minority groups, who make up a disproportionate share of essential workers, even though older members of the population are most at risk of dying from the coronavirus. The CDC panel cited the under-representation of minorities among older adults and the large share of minorities among essential workers in its deliberations over how to achieve the goal of mitigating "health inequities" through targeted vaccine allotment.
The recommendation passed the CDC panel on a 13-to-1 vote. The sole committee member to oppose the phased schedule, Henry Bernstein, said he believed adults aged 65 to 74 should have been included in the immediate next phase.
A previous proposal floated by the panel called for the vaccination of essential workers before older adults. It designated older people as a low-priority category because of an underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities. The panel's assessments acknowledged that targeting older adults for vaccination would be the most effective way to combat "morbidity and mortality."
The initial proposal sparked blowback from members of the public concerned that the CDC is prioritizing racial equity concerns over minimizing death. José Romero, chairman of the panel, responded to criticism before Sunday's vote, saying, "We have never targeted a specific ethnic nor racial group for receipt of the vaccine." CDC director Robert Redfield signaled disagreement with the panel's emphasis on race earlier this month, calling for "future recommendations that ... demonstrate that we as a nation also prioritize the elderly." Published under: CDC , Coronavirus , Vaccines


freebeacon--2020-12-21--In Reversal, CDC Experts Decide It Would Be Better If Fewer Old People Died from COVID

A panel of experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course over the weekend , deciding it would be better if the COVID-19 vaccine guidelines resulted in fewer deaths , specifically among elderly Americans , who are statistically the most at risk of dying from the virus .
In what the New York Times is calling a `` compromise , '' the panel voted to recommend that people age 75 and older be included in the second tier of individuals—after health care workers—to receive the COVID-19 vaccine , after initially placing them behind non-health care essential workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The CDC 's expert panel , comprised of nerds who claim to believe in science , based its initial decision on the fact that older Americans are more likely to be white and therefore should be deprioritized in the name of racial justice .
Those nerds were immediately called out by other nerds who argued scientific evidence would be a better basis for determining who should get the vaccine first .
Election nerd Nate Silver , for example , noted that , according to the CDC 's own calculations , the virus is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than it is to kill people with certain preexisting conditions .
The CDC panel ultimately backed down in the face of science-based criticism , and agreed that fewer old people dying would be a preferable outcome .
According to the updated recommendations , people over the age of 74 and `` frontline '' essential workers—such as teachers , firefighters , and police—should be next in line to receive the vaccine .
Just as it has done since the start of the pandemic—when Americans were advised against wearing masks , scolded for thinking COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and told that the health risks of large protests were different depending on the issue being protested—the `` science-based '' community of experts continues to prove that its judgment is beyond reproach , and any public skepticism of its expertise is completely unwarranted .

A panel of experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course over the weekend, deciding it would be better if the COVID-19 vaccine guidelines resulted in fewer deaths, specifically among elderly Americans, who are statistically the most at risk of dying from the virus.
In what the New York Times is calling a "compromise," the panel voted to recommend that people age 75 and older be included in the second tier of individuals—after health care workers—to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, after initially placing them behind non-health care essential workers and people with preexisting medical conditions.
The CDC's expert panel, comprised of nerds who claim to believe in science, based its initial decision on the fact that older Americans are more likely to be white and therefore should be deprioritized in the name of racial justice. Those nerds were immediately called out by other nerds who argued scientific evidence would be a better basis for determining who should get the vaccine first.
Election nerd Nate Silver, for example, noted that, according to the CDC's own calculations, the virus is far more likely to kill old people than it is to kill people with certain preexisting conditions.
Age needs to be a higher priority than pre-existing conditions in vaccine rollout plans. Or a lot of people are going to die, unnecessarily. It really is that sample. — Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) December 19, 2020
The CDC panel ultimately backed down in the face of science-based criticism, and agreed that fewer old people dying would be a preferable outcome. According to the updated recommendations, people over the age of 74 and "frontline" essential workers—such as teachers, firefighters, and police—should be next in line to receive the vaccine.
Just as it has done since the start of the pandemic—when Americans were advised against wearing masks, scolded for thinking COVID-19 was more dangerous than the flu, and told that the health risks of large protests were different depending on the issue being protested—the "science-based" community of experts continues to prove that its judgment is beyond reproach, and any public skepticism of its expertise is completely unwarranted.


freebeacon--2020-12-21--U.S. Charges Libyan Man in 1988 Pam Am Flight 103 Bombing

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) – The United States on Monday unsealed criminal charges against a third alleged conspirator in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie , Scotland that killed 270 people .
The Boeing 747 exploded and killed 190 Americans .
`` No amount of time or distance will stop the United States and our Scottish partners from pursuing justice in this case , '' U.S. Attorney General William Barr told a news conference Monday .
The suspect , Abu Agila Mohammad Masud Kheir Al-Marimi , a former senior Libyan intelligence official , is charged with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He is in Libyan custody , Barr said Monday , and U.S. officials are hopeful that Libya will allow Masud to be tried in the United States .
The Justice Department said Masud worked in various capacities for Libyan intelligence , including as a technical expert in building explosive devices from approximately 1973 to 2011 .
It also alleged Masud was involved in the 1986 bombing of the LaBelle Discotheque in West Berlin , Germany that killed two U.S. service members .
In 1991 , two other Libyan intelligence operatives were charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah .
Megrahi was found guilty in Scotland of the Lockerbie bombing in 2001 and freed in 2009 on compassionate release grounds before dying of cancer in 2012 .
Barr said the breakthrough that led to Masud ’ s charges came after law enforcement learned in 2016 that the third alleged conspirator `` had been arrested after the collapse of the Qaddafi regime and interviewed by a Libyan law enforcement officer in September 2012 . ''

By Mark Hosenball, David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Monday unsealed criminal charges against a third alleged conspirator in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland that killed 270 people.
The Boeing 747 exploded and killed 190 Americans. "No amount of time or distance will stop the United States and our Scottish partners from pursuing justice in this case," U.S. Attorney General William Barr told a news conference Monday.
The suspect, Abu Agila Mohammad Masud Kheir Al-Marimi, a former senior Libyan intelligence official, is charged with two criminal counts related to the bombing. He is in Libyan custody, Barr said Monday, and U.S. officials are hopeful that Libya will allow Masud to be tried in the United States.
The Justice Department said Masud worked in various capacities for Libyan intelligence, including as a technical expert in building explosive devices from approximately 1973 to 2011. It also alleged Masud was involved in the 1986 bombing of the LaBelle Discotheque in West Berlin, Germany that killed two U.S. service members.
In 1991, two other Libyan intelligence operatives were charged in the bombing: Abdel Baset Ali al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah.
Megrahi was found guilty in Scotland of the Lockerbie bombing in 2001 and freed in 2009 on compassionate release grounds before dying of cancer in 2012.
Barr said the breakthrough that led to Masud’s charges came after law enforcement learned in 2016 that the third alleged conspirator "had been arrested after the collapse of the Qaddafi regime and interviewed by a Libyan law enforcement officer in September 2012."
(Reporting by Mark Hosenball and David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Alistair Bell)


freebeacon--2020-12-22--Union: Stay at Home (Unless You’re Campaigning for Georgia Dems)

Days before calling for a `` true lockdown '' and closure of `` all nonessential businesses and activities , '' a California labor union dispatched members to Georgia to canvass for Democratic Senate hopefuls Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock .
UNITE HERE Local 11—a `` progressive '' hospitality union based in Los Angeles—signed a Wednesday `` Lock Down Now '' letter asking California officials to `` enact stay at home orders that are strict enough to truly suppress the virus by closing all nonessential businesses and activities . ''
Just days earlier , however , the union partnered with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of members to knock on doors for Ossoff and Warnock .
The union has since touted its work to `` take back the Senate '' in the Peach State , sharing videos from the ground in Atlanta .
A number of California Democrats have been caught breaking their own coronavirus rules in recent weeks .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom appeared to dine indoors at a posh Napa Valley restaurant in November—one night later , San Francisco mayor London Breed celebrated a friend 's birthday at the same restaurant .
At the time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than six diners at one table .
UNITE HERE Local 11 did not respond to a request for comment on if it considers political canvassing to be an `` essential activity . ''
While the letter signed by the union stresses the need to `` support our most vulnerable working families , '' UNITE HERE Local 11 has demanded dues payments from workers left unemployed by the coronavirus .
Ossoff has also signaled support for temporary shutdowns .
During a November CNN appearance , the Democrat said that it would be `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were endorsed by `` the CDC and its leadership . ''
Ossoff 's and Warnock 's Republican opponents , meanwhile , have campaigned against new coronavirus lockdowns .
`` I want to reopen our economy .
I want to ensure Georgia small businesses and workers have relief , '' Warnock 's opponent , Sen. Kelly Loeffler , tweeted in November .
`` Democrats want lockdowns—and they 've blocked relief time and time again . ''
UNITE HERE Local 11 is not the only California interest group that has gone to bat for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 26 million from Californians between Nov. 4 and Nov. 23 , compared with just $ 4.4 million from Georgians , according to Bloomberg News .
The Los Angeles union is one of many out-of-state organizations campaigning with the New Georgia Project , a voter-registration nonprofit founded by Stacey Abrams .
Warnock also served as CEO of the group from 2017 until February 2020 .
During his tenure , the group failed to pay thousands in unemployment insurance .
The nonprofit is now under investigation for allegedly sending ballot applications to non-Georgia residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senators David Perdue and Loeffler , respectively , on Jan. 5 .
Republicans must hold one of the two seats to maintain a 2021 majority in the upper chamber .

Days before calling for a "true lockdown" and closure of "all nonessential businesses and activities," a California labor union dispatched members to Georgia to canvass for Democratic Senate hopefuls Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.
UNITE HERE Local 11—a "progressive" hospitality union based in Los Angeles—signed a Wednesday "Lock Down Now" letter asking California officials to "enact stay at home orders that are strict enough to truly suppress the virus by closing all nonessential businesses and activities." Just days earlier, however, the union partnered with the New Georgia Project to send a group of members to knock on doors for Ossoff and Warnock. The union has since touted its work to "take back the Senate" in the Peach State, sharing videos from the ground in Atlanta.
A number of California Democrats have been caught breaking their own coronavirus rules in recent weeks. Gov. Gavin Newsom appeared to dine indoors at a posh Napa Valley restaurant in November—one night later, San Francisco mayor London Breed celebrated a friend's birthday at the same restaurant. At the time, San Francisco restaurants were banned from seating more than six diners at one table.
UNITE HERE Local 11 did not respond to a request for comment on if it considers political canvassing to be an "essential activity." While the letter signed by the union stresses the need to "support our most vulnerable working families," UNITE HERE Local 11 has demanded dues payments from workers left unemployed by the coronavirus.
Ossoff has also signaled support for temporary shutdowns. During a November CNN appearance, the Democrat said that it would be "malpractice" to oppose such measures if they were endorsed by "the CDC and its leadership." Ossoff's and Warnock's Republican opponents, meanwhile, have campaigned against new coronavirus lockdowns.
"I want to reopen our economy. I want to ensure Georgia small businesses and workers have relief," Warnock's opponent, Sen. Kelly Loeffler, tweeted in November. "Democrats want lockdowns—and they've blocked relief time and time again."
UNITE HERE Local 11 is not the only California interest group that has gone to bat for Ossoff and Warnock. The Democrats raised $26 million from Californians between Nov. 4 and Nov. 23, compared with just $4.4 million from Georgians, according to Bloomberg News.
The Los Angeles union is one of many out-of-state organizations campaigning with the New Georgia Project, a voter-registration nonprofit founded by Stacey Abrams. Warnock also served as CEO of the group from 2017 until February 2020. During his tenure, the group failed to pay thousands in unemployment insurance. The nonprofit is now under investigation for allegedly sending ballot applications to non-Georgia residents.
Ossoff and Warnock will face Republican senators David Perdue and Loeffler, respectively, on Jan. 5. Republicans must hold one of the two seats to maintain a 2021 majority in the upper chamber.