talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-11--DOJ To MD County: Since Protests Are OK Now, What About Church Services?!

The Trump administration has a track record of defending the religious convictions of its base in spite of restrictions put on public gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Now the Department of Justice is swooping in to deliver that message to a county in Maryland .
Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband aired these grievances in a letter sent Wednesday that amounted to trolling Montgomery County officials in Maryland for allowing anti-racism protests while denying gatherings for religious services .
“ During a crisis it is important for people of faith to be able to exercise their religion , ” Dreiband @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Montgomery County has shown no good reason for not trusting congregants who promise to use care in worship the same way it trusts political protesters to do the same.
” Dreiband , who serves in the DOJ ’ s civil right division , cited civil rights concerns in the matter of exercising religious freedom in Montgomery .
He urged the county ’ s leadership to amend the executive order banning public gatherings of more than 10 people so that its residents could gather freely for religious purposes .
The letter followed remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) , who challenged a double standard that he said permitted anti-police brutality demonstrations to take place but failed to allow the same for religious gatherings for reasons that he attributes to personal bias .
The DOJ letter , which is addressed to Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and the County Council , calls on local officials to “ ensure that it imposes no more onerous conditions on gatherings for religious exercise than it does for other purposes.
” Dreiband also cited an example of hundreds of protesters who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” in Bethesda despite social-distancing concerns .
The DOJ official cautioned county officials against infringing on “ civil liberties , ” despite federal authorities cracking down on peaceful protesters outside the White House on June 1 .
Breiband also previously issued a letter in May to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti , criticizing the mayor for extending a stay-at-home order .

The Trump administration has a track record of defending the religious convictions of its base in spite of restrictions put on public gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic. Now the Department of Justice is swooping in to deliver that message to a county in Maryland.
Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband aired these grievances in a letter sent Wednesday that amounted to trolling Montgomery County officials in Maryland for allowing anti-racism protests while denying gatherings for religious services.
“During a crisis it is important for people of faith to be able to exercise their religion,” Dreiband wrote in the letter on Wednesday. “Montgomery County has shown no good reason for not trusting congregants who promise to use care in worship the same way it trusts political protesters to do the same.”
Dreiband, who serves in the DOJ’s civil right division, cited civil rights concerns in the matter of exercising religious freedom in Montgomery. He urged the county’s leadership to amend the executive order banning public gatherings of more than 10 people so that its residents could gather freely for religious purposes.
The letter followed remarks on Tuesday made by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who challenged a double standard that he said permitted anti-police brutality demonstrations to take place but failed to allow the same for religious gatherings for reasons that he attributes to personal bias.
The DOJ letter, which is addressed to Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and the County Council, calls on local officials to “ensure that it imposes no more onerous conditions on gatherings for religious exercise than it does for other purposes.”
Dreiband also cited an example of hundreds of protesters who he says “packed into a library” in Bethesda despite social-distancing concerns.
The DOJ official cautioned county officials against infringing on “civil liberties,” despite federal authorities cracking down on peaceful protesters outside the White House on June 1.
Breiband also previously issued a letter in May to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, criticizing the mayor for extending a stay-at-home order.
Read the full letter below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-11--READ: Former DEA, Katherine Harris Spox Nabbed For Fraud While Posing As CIA

A former spokesperson for the Drug Enforcement Administration and for Rep. Katherine Harris ( R-FL ) faked being a CIA agent and combat veteran to scam $ 4.4 million out of defense contractors , the Justice Department said on Thursday .
Garrison Courtney reportedly pleaded guilty at federal court in Alexandria , Virginia on Thursday to one count of wire fraud , for which he faces up to twenty years in prison .
Courtney — also a former TMZ producer — claims on his Linkedin profile to be a Communications & Marketing Executive at “ Fortune 500 companies ( Various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal information filed Thursday in the Eastern District of Virginia , prosecutors concluded that Courtney had spent years lying about being a CIA spy as part of an elaborate scam .
Courtney admitted in federal court on Thursday to a scheme in which he would demand that defense contractors provide him with CIA-mandated “ commercial cover ” — a paid role at their firms which would make him seem to be an employee in the private sector , and not a government spy .
The problem that federal prosecutors had with this arrangement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spy , and has never worked for the CIA .
But in the criminal information , federal prosecutors lay out a scheme in which Courtney went to amazing lengths to convince his victims that he was who he said he was — a spy — and that he was working on a secret government intelligence project which required both their help and their cash .
That fake project was called “ Alpha214 ” : a super secret federal program to improve intelligence gathering , either to “ support special operations forces of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or to help the intelligence community recover from a damaging leak .
The con was fairly simple : use the fake story to get a salary .
Courtney would approach private companies and demand that they “ hire and pay him to create what Courtney described as ‘ commercial cover ' ” — demanding that the firms add him to their payrolls as a form of shielding his identity as a spy .
He padded his resume with additional lies about being a Gulf War veteran with “ hundreds of confirmed kills in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also purportedly tell the firms that they would be reimbursed by the government for his salary payments , at times in the form of contracts involving the non-existent intelligence gathering program .
When executives at the targeted companies expressed skepticism about the offer , prosecutors said that Courtney would reply that his work and identity were “ highly classified.
” Courtney would also demand that people sign fake non-disclosure agreements , say that foreign spies were listening in , ostentatiously search people for electronic devices , and threaten “ anyone who questioned his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaked.
” The information details the lengths to which Courtney went to burnish his fake aura of espionage .
The former DEA spokesman and onetime Seattle weatherman would demand that the people paying him as part of the scheme “ limit their use of credit cards or minimize their presence on social media , purportedly to make it more difficult for foreign intelligence services to monitor those individuals ’ conduct , ” and would claim that foreign spies had tried to kill him by ricin poisoning .
The fake spook purportedly used real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ persuade the executives of Northern Virginia defense contractors that he was the real deal .
According to the criminal information , Courtney provided these officials — some of which he purportedly knew from his time at the DEA — “ with talking points or other scripts regarding the supposed operation of the classified program to be used when those public officials would meet with executives of the victim companies.
” To make sure the shakedown went through , Courtney would convince the unsuspecting federal employees “ to scold and even threaten corporate executives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegedly classified information.
” After a while , the companies ’ executives would ask Courtney where the reimbursement was .
Per federal prosecutors , the former DEA spokesman would then accuse the executives of being foreign spies , accusing one of being an Iranian agent .
According to the criminal information , Courtney even told an unnamed investment firm that U.S .
Marshals were about to seize the company “ due to alleged legal violations ” by the firm ’ s president , but that there was a way out : if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firm that Courtney told them about , it would be repaid $ 2.5 million and the charges would disappear .
Prosecutors say that the investment firm agreed to the arrangement .
Courtney then used the funds to reimburse one of the firms he defrauded for the money it paid him .
An attorney for Courtney did not return a request for comment .

A former spokesperson for the Drug Enforcement Administration and for Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL) faked being a CIA agent and combat veteran to scam $4.4 million out of defense contractors, the Justice Department said on Thursday.
Garrison Courtney reportedly pleaded guilty at federal court in Alexandria, Virginia on Thursday to one count of wire fraud, for which he faces up to twenty years in prison.
Courtney — also a former TMZ producer — claims on his Linkedin profile to be a Communications & Marketing Executive at “Fortune 500 companies (Various).”
But according to a criminal information filed Thursday in the Eastern District of Virginia, prosecutors concluded that Courtney had spent years lying about being a CIA spy as part of an elaborate scam.
Courtney admitted in federal court on Thursday to a scheme in which he would demand that defense contractors provide him with CIA-mandated “commercial cover” — a paid role at their firms which would make him seem to be an employee in the private sector, and not a government spy.
The problem that federal prosecutors had with this arrangement was simple: Courtney is not a spy, and has never worked for the CIA.
But in the criminal information, federal prosecutors lay out a scheme in which Courtney went to amazing lengths to convince his victims that he was who he said he was — a spy — and that he was working on a secret government intelligence project which required both their help and their cash.
That fake project was called “Alpha214”: a super secret federal program to improve intelligence gathering, either to “support special operations forces of the United States operating covertly in Africa” or to help the intelligence community recover from a damaging leak.
The con was fairly simple: use the fake story to get a salary. Courtney would approach private companies and demand that they “hire and pay him to create what Courtney described as ‘commercial cover'” — demanding that the firms add him to their payrolls as a form of shielding his identity as a spy. He padded his resume with additional lies about being a Gulf War veteran with “hundreds of confirmed kills in combat.”
The former DEA spokesman would also purportedly tell the firms that they would be reimbursed by the government for his salary payments, at times in the form of contracts involving the non-existent intelligence gathering program.
When executives at the targeted companies expressed skepticism about the offer, prosecutors said that Courtney would reply that his work and identity were “highly classified.” Courtney would also demand that people sign fake non-disclosure agreements, say that foreign spies were listening in, ostentatiously search people for electronic devices, and threaten “anyone who questioned his legitimacy” with prosecution if they “leaked.”
The information details the lengths to which Courtney went to burnish his fake aura of espionage. The former DEA spokesman and onetime Seattle weatherman would demand that the people paying him as part of the scheme “limit their use of credit cards or minimize their presence on social media, purportedly to make it more difficult for foreign intelligence services to monitor those individuals’ conduct,” and would claim that foreign spies had tried to kill him by ricin poisoning.
The fake spook purportedly used real connections he had with public officials to persuade the executives of Northern Virginia defense contractors that he was the real deal. According to the criminal information, Courtney provided these officials — some of which he purportedly knew from his time at the DEA — “with talking points or other scripts regarding the supposed operation of the classified program to be used when those public officials would meet with executives of the victim companies.”
To make sure the shakedown went through, Courtney would convince the unsuspecting federal employees “to scold and even threaten corporate executives for the supposed mishandling or leaking of allegedly classified information.”
After a while, the companies’ executives would ask Courtney where the reimbursement was. Per federal prosecutors, the former DEA spokesman would then accuse the executives of being foreign spies, accusing one of being an Iranian agent.
According to the criminal information,Courtney even told an unnamed investment firm that U.S. Marshals were about to seize the company “due to alleged legal violations” by the firm’s president, but that there was a way out: if the company wired $1.95 million to another firm that Courtney told them about, it would be repaid $2.5 million and the charges would disappear.
Prosecutors say that the investment firm agreed to the arrangement. Courtney then used the funds to reimburse one of the firms he defrauded for the money it paid him.
An attorney for Courtney did not return a request for comment.
Read the criminal information here:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-11--His Campaign Music Video Got Him Arrested. Now He’ll Be The New DA.

“ Freedom and legalize weed , ” raps Jawga Boi , a local artist .
“ The people ’ s DA who we need .
Mark Jones , right now.
” The tie-clad subject of the campaign rap video steps into the circle of people holding election signs and leaning against parked cars , grabbing his suit lapels and bobbing in time to the music .
The camera pans out to an aerial shot of cars doing donuts in the Columbus Civic Center parking lot , leaving skid marks from the burning rubber .
And that ’ s where the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mark Jones , running to be district attorney for the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit in Georgia , was arrested on charges related to the campaign music video , got out of jail and still successfully primaried a three-term incumbent to become the next presumptive DA .
He and incumbent Julia Slater were competing in the Democratic primary , but it was a general election for all intents and purposes as no Republican is running .
But first , two of the young men who drove the cars in the music video were arrested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property and first-degree criminal damage to property , according to Muscogee County Sheriff ’ s Office records .
The two , Christopher Black and Erik Whittington , were initially held on bonds of about $ 250,000 , later lowered to around $ 31,000 a piece , per the local Ledger-Enquirer .
The two are black and had no previous criminal records .
Jones took to Facebook to call the charges “ total bullshit.
” “ Julia Slater with one penstroke could get those boys out of there , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some scuff marks — that ’ s an attempt to intimidate me , to intimidate people helping me and to basically steal an election and suppress the votes.
” Slater told local outlets that she had nothing to do with the arrests and recused herself from the case .
In the video , Jones added that he “ suspected ” he would be arrested soon after .
He was right .
A few days later , Columbus police put a warrant out for Jones ’ arrest , actually asking the public for help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the video had put the public in “ serious danger.
” He was charged with attempting to commit reckless conduct , conspiracy to commit reckless conduct , conspiracy to commit interference with government property , conspiracy to commit criminal damage to property and two counts of attempting to commit interference with government property , according to the sheriff ’ s records .
His lawyer , Christopher Breault , said that the claims were “ fabricated ” in a Facebook post .
Breault claimed that nearby police officers witnessed the filming of the video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ didn ’ t care.
” He said that police only took action days later after Jones gave an interview during which he accused police officers of confiscating marijuana and smoking it on the job .
“ Less than 24 hours later , ” he said , “ Columbus Police stormed the residences of Chris Black and Erik Whittington—drivers of the cars doing donuts—and arrested them with multiple felonies.
” In a video Jones recorded on the way to turn himself in , while wearing a bulletproof vest due to the “ trigger-happy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the charges did not disqualify him from being DA and that some parts of the case , like the high bails for a nonviolent crime , are exactly why he ran in the first place .
A day after his arrest , Jones , who is white , was let out of jail on his own recognizance — aka , without having to pay any bail money .
“ Although Mr. Jones was given a reasonable bond ( no money ) , it doesn ’ t change the fact that Erik Whittington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African-American men with no criminal records—were taken from their homes , arrested , and put behind bars with multiple felonies and NO BOND on one charge , and a $ 300,000.00 on the other , ” Breault wrote on Facebook .
He added that their bond was eventually lowered , still calling the amount “ completely inappropriate.
” Jones was out of jail and back on the campaign trail .
As protesters took to the streets across the country to protest police brutality , Jones , who bills himself as “ the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ My firm , among others , will defend you for free , ” Jones said in a Facebook video .
According to the Ledger-Enquirer , Jones represented 16 protesters a few days later who were arrested for failing to disperse .
About a week later , it was election day in Muskogee County .
The DA race suffered as did elections statewide due to issues with the new voting machines , and the voting deadline was extended until 9 p.m .
The vote count ended Wednesday night after being suspended on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ triumphed 52 percent to Slater ’ s 48 .
Jones will be the next DA .
While speaking to the Enquirer after his win , Jones attributed his upset win to the anger at police brutality and racial injustice currently engulfing the country .
“ That was my message , was they want change ; they want it now , ” he said .
“ They ’ re sick of what ’ s going on in the criminal justice system , and they are demanding reform .
”

“Freedom and legalize weed,” raps Jawga Boi, a local artist. “The people’s DA who we need. Mark Jones, right now.”
The tie-clad subject of the campaign rap video steps into the circle of people holding election signs and leaning against parked cars, grabbing his suit lapels and bobbing in time to the music.
The camera pans out to an aerial shot of cars doing donuts in the Columbus Civic Center parking lot, leaving skid marks from the burning rubber.
And that’s where the trouble began.
In three short weeks, Mark Jones, running to be district attorney for the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit in Georgia, was arrested on charges related to the campaign music video, got out of jail and still successfully primaried a three-term incumbent to become the next presumptive DA. He and incumbent Julia Slater were competing in the Democratic primary, but it was a general election for all intents and purposes as no Republican is running.
But first, two of the young men who drove the cars in the music video were arrested on charges including felony interference with government property and first-degree criminal damage to property, according to Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office records. The two, Christopher Black and Erik Whittington, were initially held on bonds of about $250,000, later lowered to around $31,000 a piece, per the local Ledger-Enquirer. The two are black and had no previous criminal records.
Jones took to Facebook to call the charges “total bullshit.”
“Julia Slater with one penstroke could get those boys out of there,” he said. “A $200,000 to 300,000 bond for some scuff marks — that’s an attempt to intimidate me, to intimidate people helping me and to basically steal an election and suppress the votes.”
Slater told local outlets that she had nothing to do with the arrests and recused herself from the case.
In the video, Jones added that he “suspected” he would be arrested soon after.
He was right. A few days later, Columbus police put a warrant out for Jones’ arrest, actually asking the public for help in locating him. They claimed that the video had put the public in “serious danger.”
He was charged with attempting to commit reckless conduct, conspiracy to commit reckless conduct, conspiracy to commit interference with government property, conspiracy to commit criminal damage to property and two counts of attempting to commit interference with government property, according to the sheriff’s records.
His lawyer, Christopher Breault, said that the claims were “fabricated” in a Facebook post.
Breault claimed that nearby police officers witnessed the filming of the video and donuts in the parking lot and “didn’t care.” He said that police only took action days later after Jones gave an interview during which he accused police officers of confiscating marijuana and smoking it on the job.
“Less than 24 hours later,” he said, “Columbus Police stormed the residences of Chris Black and Erik Whittington—drivers of the cars doing donuts—and arrested them with multiple felonies.”
In a video Jones recorded on the way to turn himself in, while wearing a bulletproof vest due to the “trigger-happy cops,” he assured his voters that the charges did not disqualify him from being DA and that some parts of the case, like the high bails for a nonviolent crime, are exactly why he ran in the first place.
A day after his arrest, Jones, who is white, was let out of jail on his own recognizance — aka, without having to pay any bail money.
“Although Mr. Jones was given a reasonable bond (no money), it doesn’t change the fact that Erik Whittington and Chris Black—two nice, productive young African-American men with no criminal records—were taken from their homes, arrested, and put behind bars with multiple felonies and NO BOND on one charge, and a $300,000.00 on the other,” Breault wrote on Facebook. He added that their bond was eventually lowered, still calling the amount “completely inappropriate.”
Jones was out of jail and back on the campaign trail. As protesters took to the streets across the country to protest police brutality, Jones, who bills himself as “the people’s DA,” joined in.
“My firm, among others, will defend you for free,” Jones said in a Facebook video. According to the Ledger-Enquirer, Jones represented 16 protesters a few days later who were arrested for failing to disperse.
About a week later, it was election day in Muskogee County. The DA race suffered as did elections statewide due to issues with the new voting machines, and the voting deadline was extended until 9 p.m.
The vote count ended Wednesday night after being suspended on Tuesday when polls closed. Jones had triumphed 52 percent to Slater’s 48. Jones will be the next DA.
While speaking to the Enquirer after his win, Jones attributed his upset win to the anger at police brutality and racial injustice currently engulfing the country.
“That was my message, was they want change; they want it now,” he said. “They’re sick of what’s going on in the criminal justice system, and they are demanding reform.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-11--Rupert Murdoch Predicts Trump Will ‘Crash And Burn’ In November Election

News Corp executive chairman Rupert Murdoch is reportedly pessimistic about President Trump ’ s odds of winning his re-election .
According to a Vanity Fair report on Thursday , citing two sources , Murdoch recently told people that Trump will “ crash and burn ” in the November election .
“ It ’ s a clear-eyed assessment , just based on just looking at the news , ” one person who has spoken with Murdoch regarding the election told Vanity Fair .
News Corp declined when asked by TPM for comment .
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vanity Fair ’ s report of the pessimism that Murdoch has over Trump ’ s re-election comes amid the President ’ s increasingly fraught relationship with Fox News .
The media mogul ’ s family owns its parent company , Fox Corporation .
On Wednesday , the President railed against his on-again-off-again favorite news network for cutting away from a congressional hearing on police reform .
Last month , Trump slammed Fox News for not doing enough to help his re-election , saying that the network has “ garbage littered all over.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s hosts and contributors of repeating “ the worst of Democrat speaking points.
” Vanity Fair ’ s report on Thursday also revealed that Fox News hosts Sean Hannity and Ainsley Earhardt are apparently dating , though neither host has confirmed the relationship .
A Fox News spokesperson shared with TPM a statement from Hannity saying : “ I do not discuss my personal life in public.
” Earhardt said in a statement to TPM via the Fox spokesperson that she is “ focused on raising my daughter and I am not dating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News will tell you , Sean is a wonderful person and whomever he chooses to date will be extremely fortunate , ” Earhardt said .
Vanity Fair noted that Hannity and Earhardt ’ s loyalty to Trump has proven increasingly valuable as Trump fumes over Fox polls showing that he is losing to Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
Last year , Vanity Fair reported that Hannity revealed to Trump that the Murdochs hate him and that Hannity was “ the only one holding Fox together.
” However , it appeared that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year during a signing ceremony for a trade deal with China .
Trump praised Murdoch for being “ the greatest ” before saying that “ the only problem ” with the Murdoch family ’ s $ 71.2 billion sale of the Fox film and TV studio to Disney last year was that he “ sold it to a group that doesn ’ t like Trump as much .
”

News Corp executive chairman Rupert Murdoch is reportedly pessimistic about President Trump’s odds of winning his re-election.
According to a Vanity Fair report on Thursday, citing two sources, Murdoch recently told people that Trump will “crash and burn” in the November election.
“It’s a clear-eyed assessment, just based on just looking at the news,” one person who has spoken with Murdoch regarding the election told Vanity Fair.
News Corp declined when asked by TPM for comment. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to TPM’s request for comment.
Vanity Fair’s report of the pessimism that Murdoch has over Trump’s re-election comes amid the President’s increasingly fraught relationship with Fox News. The media mogul’s family owns its parent company, Fox Corporation.
On Wednesday, the President railed against his on-again-off-again favorite news network for cutting away from a congressional hearing on police reform.
Incredible! @FoxNews just took Congressional Hearing off the air just prior to important witness statements. More like CNN!!! Fox is lost!!! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 10, 2020
Last month, Trump slammed Fox News for not doing enough to help his re-election, saying that the network has “garbage littered all over.” He accused some of the network’s hosts and contributors of repeating “the worst of Democrat speaking points.”
Vanity Fair’s report on Thursday also revealed that Fox News hosts Sean Hannity and Ainsley Earhardt are apparently dating, though neither host has confirmed the relationship.
A Fox News spokesperson shared with TPM a statement from Hannity saying: “I do not discuss my personal life in public.”Earhardt said in a statement to TPM via the Fox spokesperson that she is “focused on raising my daughter and I am not dating anyone.”
“As anyone at FOX News will tell you, Sean is a wonderful person and whomever he chooses to date will be extremely fortunate,” Earhardt said.
Vanity Fair noted that Hannity and Earhardt’s loyalty to Trump has proven increasingly valuable as Trump fumes over Fox polls showing that he is losing to Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Last year, Vanity Fair reported that Hannity revealed to Trump that the Murdochs hate him and that Hannity was “the only one holding Fox together.”
However, it appeared that the President was on a different page earlier this year during a signing ceremony for a trade deal with China. Trump praised Murdoch for being “the greatest” before saying that “the only problem” with the Murdoch family’s $71.2 billion sale of the Fox film and TV studio to Disney last year was that he “sold it to a group that doesn’t like Trump as much.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-11--McCarthy Announces Support For A Police Chokehold Ban

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy ( R-CA ) said he would support a police chokehold ban , which was proposed in a police reform package put forward by House Democrats on Monday .
His support for the ban came to light while taking questions from reporters during a press briefing on Thursday .
McCarthy added that putting someone in a chokehold while handcuffed was especially troubling and for that “ there should be severe consequences.
” McCarthy ’ s remarks come after a police reform bill drafted by the Congressional Black Caucus proposed an assortment of additional reforms earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , requiring federal law enforcement officers to wear body cameras and conducting independent investigations into police departments that demonstrate a pattern of misconduct .
McCarthy also said that House Republicans would be submitting their own legislative proposal for police reform .
Senate Republicans nominated the party ’ s only black senator — Tim Scott ( R-SC ) — to head up a Republican proposal for reforming the police in the aftermath of protests that fault police brutality for the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25 .
Scott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Act ” package and said in an NBC News interview with Craig Melvin on Thursday that he has been working on police reform since 2015 , following the death of Walter Scott , who was shot in the back five times by a North Charleston police officer .
McCarthy said that House Republicans would be meeting to work together with Scott on Thursday , to outline a policy agenda in what could be a joint proposal .

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said he would support a police chokehold ban, which was proposed in a police reform package put forward by House Democrats on Monday.
His support for the ban came to light while taking questions from reporters during a press briefing on Thursday. McCarthy added that putting someone in a chokehold while handcuffed was especially troubling and for that “there should be severe consequences.”
McCarthy’s remarks come after a police reform bill drafted by the Congressional Black Caucus proposed an assortment of additional reforms earlier this week, such as outlawing no-knock warrants, requiring federal law enforcement officers to wear body cameras and conducting independent investigations into police departments that demonstrate a pattern of misconduct.
McCarthy also said that House Republicans would be submitting their own legislative proposal for police reform. Senate Republicans nominated the party’s only black senator — Tim Scott (R-SC) — to head up a Republican proposal for reforming the police in the aftermath of protests that fault police brutality for the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25.
Scott has been at work on the “Justice Act” package and said in an NBC News interview with Craig Melvin on Thursday that he has been working on police reform since 2015, following the death of Walter Scott, who was shot in the back five times by a North Charleston police officer.
McCarthy said that House Republicans would be meeting to work together with Scott on Thursday, to outline a policy agenda in what could be a joint proposal.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-11--GOP-Controlled Committee Passes Measure To Change Confederate Names On Military Bases

A Republican-controlled Senate committee approved legislation this week that would instruct the military to find different names for bases currently named after Confederate generals — despite President Donald Trump saying he opposes a change .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-MA ) introduced the amendment to the Senate Armed Services Committee as part of the regular military funding package known as the National Defense Authorization Act .
Warren ’ s amendment passed with a voice vote , Roll Call first reported Wednesday , and the NDAA cleared the committee 25-2 .
Warren thanked the committee Thursday afternoon .
“ Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Pentagon leaders who recognize that it ’ s time to respect generations of loyal US servicemembers and rename these bases , ” she tweeted .
Trump on Wednesday vowed to oppose any effort to change the Confederate-named bases — which include massive stateside installations like Fort Bragg and Fort Hood .
He tweeted of the amendment Thursday , “ Hopefully our great Republican Senators won ’ t fall for this !
” So the Republican support for the measure was notable : Committee member Mike Rounds ( R-SD ) , for example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re moving in the right direction.
” “ I agree with the president that we don ’ t want to forget our history , ” Rounds told CNN .
“ But at the same time that doesn ’ t mean that we should continue with those bases with the names of individuals who fought against our country.
” In a statement to TPM , Sen. Kevin Cramer ( R-ND ) said he supported Waren ’ s amendment despite thinking it was “ overly prescriptive in concluding every confederate era name on everything must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I have never understood why we would name military bases after traitors , ” Cramer said .
A spokesperson for Sen. Rick Scott ( R-FL ) told TPM he supported the amendment as well Sen. Roy Blunt ( R-MO ) told CNN he didn ’ t have any problem with changing the base names .
“ If you want to name them after soldiers , there ’ s been lots of great soldiers since the Civil War , ” Blunt said , adding : “ Braxton Bragg was probably the worst commanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general to name a fort after.
” A committee summary of the legislation listed Warren ’ s amendment under a series of proposals “ to ensure we recruit and retain the best and to support military installations.
” In the summary ’ s words , the measure gives three years for a commission “ to study and provide recommendations concerning the removal , names , symbols , displays , monuments , and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America.
” The Associated Press reported that the eight-person commission would consist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senators of both parties .
The Armed Services Committee Chairman James Inhofe ( R-OK ) voiced some frustration with the amendment to Politico , saying that local communities “ ought to have veto authority.
” “ I don ’ t want them to be in a position where they ’ re going to do something over the objection of the local communities , ” he said .
“ We ’ ve got more forums coming up.
” A spokesperson for Inhofe pointed TPM to comments from the chairman that he would seek to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Inhofe aims to water down the legislation ’ s language requiring the name changes and give local communities a say in whether the changes will ultimately happen .
And Senate Majority Whip John Thune ( R-SD ) told CNN Thursday that it would be a “ heavy lift ” to remove anything from the committee ’ s bill , despite the President ’ s opposition .
“ So , we ’ ll see where that discussion goes , ” he said .
“ Like I said , I ’ ve seen what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aware of that in there.
” Sen. Josh Hawley ( R-MO ) tweeted Thursday morning that he opposed the amendment , saying that “ Congress should not be mandating renaming of our bases and military installations.
” Trump and White House officials on Wednesday shut the door on murmurs from the Pentagon about possibly renaming the bases .
In tweets two days after the secretaries of defense and the Army said they were “ open to a bipartisan discussion on the topic , ” Trump said he would “ not even consider ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said , represented a “ history of Winning , Victory , and Freedom.
” And White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Thursday that it showed “ complete disrespect ” to American soldiers to suggest that the forts themselves “ were somehow inherently racist .
”

A Republican-controlled Senate committee approved legislation this week that would instruct the military to find different names for bases currently named after Confederate generals — despite President Donald Trump saying he opposes a change.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) introduced the amendment to the Senate Armed Services Committee as part of the regular military funding package known as the National Defense Authorization Act.
Warren’s amendment passed with a voice vote, Roll Call first reported Wednesday, and the NDAA cleared the committee 25-2. Warren thanked the committee Thursday afternoon.
“Donald Trump should listen to his own party members and Pentagon leaders who recognize that it’s time to respect generations of loyal US servicemembers and rename these bases,” she tweeted.
Trump on Wednesday vowed to oppose any effort to change the Confederate-named bases — which include massive stateside installations like Fort Bragg and Fort Hood. He tweeted of the amendment Thursday, “Hopefully our great Republican Senators won’t fall for this!”
So the Republican support for the measure was notable: Committee member Mike Rounds (R-SD), for example, told reporters that “we’re moving in the right direction.”
“I agree with the president that we don’t want to forget our history,” Rounds told CNN. “But at the same time that doesn’t mean that we should continue with those bases with the names of individuals who fought against our country.”
In a statement to TPM, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) said he supported Waren’s amendment despite thinking it was “overly prescriptive in concluding every confederate era name on everything must be changed”
“As a northerner, I have never understood why we would name military bases after traitors,” Cramer said.
A spokesperson for Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) told TPM he supported the amendment as well
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) told CNN he didn’t have any problem with changing the base names.
“If you want to name them after soldiers, there’s been lots of great soldiers since the Civil War,” Blunt said, adding: “Braxton Bragg was probably the worst commanding general in the Confederate Army. Interesting general to name a fort after.”
A committee summary of the legislation listed Warren’s amendment under a series of proposals “to ensure we recruit and retain the best and to support military installations.”
In the summary’s words, the measure gives three years for a commission “to study and provide recommendations concerning the removal, names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America.”
The Associated Press reported that the eight-person commission would consist of four Defense Department officials and four senators of both parties.
The Armed Services Committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-OK) voiced some frustration with the amendment to Politico, saying that local communities “ought to have veto authority.”
“I don’t want them to be in a position where they’re going to do something over the objection of the local communities,” he said. “We’ve got more forums coming up.”
A spokesperson for Inhofe pointed TPM to comments from the chairman that he would seek to alter the amendment down the line. Inhofe aims to water down the legislation’s language requiring the name changes and give local communities a say in whether the changes will ultimately happen.
And Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-SD) told CNN Thursday that it would be a “heavy lift” to remove anything from the committee’s bill, despite the President’s opposition.
“So, we’ll see where that discussion goes,” he said. “Like I said, I’ve seen what the President had said. I was not aware of that in there.”
Committee member Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) told CNN, “It’s an issue that we’re reviewing.”
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) tweeted Thursday morning that he opposed the amendment, saying that “Congress should not be mandating renaming of our bases and military installations.”
Trump and White House officials on Wednesday shut the door on murmurs from the Pentagon about possibly renaming the bases.
In tweets two days after the secretaries of defense and the Army said they were “open to a bipartisan discussion on the topic,” Trump said he would “not even consider” changing the names.
The bases, he said, represented a “history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom.” And White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Thursday that it showed “complete disrespect” to American soldiers to suggest that the forts themselves “were somehow inherently racist.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-11--Cuomo Defends Columbus Statue: It ‘Represents’ Legacy Of Italian Americans

New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) on Thursday defended New York City ’ s statue paying tribute to Christopher Columbus amid the toppling of monuments of the colonizer as well as Confederate generals after George Floyd ’ s death .
During a press conference on Thursday morning , Cuomo said although he “ understands the dialogue ” regarding the criticism surrounding Columbus ’ history of colonization , the New York governor argued that the statue honoring him near Central Park “ represents ” the legacy and contributions of Italian Americans in the country .
“ I understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his acts , which nobody would support , but the statue has come to represent and signify appreciation for the Italian American contribution to New York , ” Cuomo said .
“ For that reason , I support it.
” This isn ’ t the first time that the New York governor refused the removal of the Columbus statue .
During his 2018 announcement that the Columbus statue was listed in the New York State Register of Historic Places , Cuomo touted that it ’ s “ a powerful symbol of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York ’ s role in assimilating immigrants from all over the world in our state.
” “ This designation sends a strong message of the statue ’ s importance to our state ’ s history and how worthy it is of preservation so that future generations cans see it , appreciate it and learn from it , ” Cuomo said in his 2018 announcement .
Cuomo ’ s remarks come a day after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) demanded the removal of 11 statues representing Confederate figures from the U.S. Capitol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the leadership of the Joint Committee on the Library , President Trump tweeted that he will “ not even consider ” changing bases named after Confederate generals , contradicting Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy ’ s statement on Monday saying that they are “ open to a bipartisan discussion ” on renaming the bases .

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Thursday defended New York City’s statue paying tribute to Christopher Columbus amid the toppling of monuments of the colonizer as well as Confederate generals after George Floyd’s death.
During a press conference on Thursday morning, Cuomo said although he “understands the dialogue” regarding the criticism surrounding Columbus’ history of colonization, the New York governor argued that the statue honoring him near Central Park “represents” the legacy and contributions of Italian Americans in the country.
“I understand the feelings about Christopher Columbus and some of his acts, which nobody would support, but the statue has come to represent and signify appreciation for the Italian American contribution to New York,” Cuomo said. “For that reason, I support it.”
This isn’t the first time that the New York governor refused the removal of the Columbus statue. During his 2018 announcement that the Columbus statue was listed in the New York State Register of Historic Places, Cuomo touted that it’s “a powerful symbol of the Italian-American community and a testament to New York’s role in assimilating immigrants from all over the world in our state.”
“This designation sends a strong message of the statue’s importance to our state’s history and how worthy it is of preservation so that future generations cans see it, appreciate it and learn from it,” Cuomo said in his 2018 announcement.
Cuomo’s remarks come a day after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) demanded the removal of 11 statues representing Confederate figures from the U.S. Capitol.
Hours before Pelosi issued her letter to the leadership of the Joint Committee on the Library, President Trump tweeted that he will “not even consider” changing bases named after Confederate generals, contradicting Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy’s statement on Monday saying that they are “open to a bipartisan discussion” on renaming the bases.
Watch Cuomo’s remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-11--Top WI GOPer: ‘No Need’ To Apologize For Blaming COVID Outbreak On Immigrants

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos ( R ) isn ’ t sorry for blaming immigrants for a spike in COVID-19 cases in his district during a meeting on the outbreak with Gov .
Tony Evers ( D ) and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald ( R ) last month .
“ There ’ s no need to apologize , ” Vos told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Thursday .
“ This is once again people trying to look and make something out of a conversation that was ‘ how do we deal with the coronavirus ? '
” In an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretly recorded and released on Wednesday by Evers ’ staff , the GOP leader is heard discussing what he believed to be the cause of the COVID-19 outbreak .
“ I know the reason at least in my region is because of a large immigrant population where it ’ s just a difference in culture where people are living much closer and working much closer , ” Vos told the governor and Fitzgerald .
The Assembly speaker brushed off criticism over his remark on Thursday , arguing that Evers ’ staff secretly taping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ m not going to get into this when the story is actually Gov .
Evers choosing to secretly record the Legislature and doing it in a way that ’ s never been done before , ” Vos said in his interview with the Journal Sentinel .
Evers addressed the incident during a press briefing several hours later on Thursday when a reporter asked if he believed Vos ought to apologize for his remark .
The governor said he had not heard the speaker ’ s comment at the time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tape , so I have a difficult time commenting on whether he should apologize or not , ” he told the reporter .
Evers also said he wasn ’ t aware that the discussion was being recorded at the time .
Melissa Baldauff , a spokesperson for Evers , said in a statement on Wednesday that the recording was “ intended for internal use only to inform detailed note taking and planning next steps.
” “ This was not intended for release to the media or anyone else , however , we were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law to release these records once they were requested , ” she said .

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) isn’t sorry for blaming immigrants for a spike in COVID-19 cases in his district during a meeting on the outbreak with Gov. Tony Evers (D) and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R) last month.
“There’s no need to apologize,” Vos told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Thursday. “This is once again people trying to look and make something out of a conversation that was ‘how do we deal with the coronavirus?'”
In an audio tape of the May 14 meeting secretly recorded and released on Wednesday by Evers’ staff, the GOP leader is heard discussing what he believed to be the cause of the COVID-19 outbreak.
“I know the reason at least in my region is because of a large immigrant population where it’s just a difference in culture where people are living much closer and working much closer,” Vos told the governor and Fitzgerald.
The Assembly speaker brushed off criticism over his remark on Thursday, arguing that Evers’ staff secretly taping their meeting was the real controversy.
“I’m not going to get into this when the story is actually Gov. Evers choosing to secretly record the Legislature and doing it in a way that’s never been done before,” Vos said in his interview with the Journal Sentinel.
Evers addressed the incident during a press briefing several hours later on Thursday when a reporter asked if he believed Vos ought to apologize for his remark.
The governor said he had not heard the speaker’s comment at the time.
“I did not listen to the tape, so I have a difficult time commenting on whether he should apologize or not,” he told the reporter.
Evers also said he wasn’t aware that the discussion was being recorded at the time.
Melissa Baldauff, a spokesperson for Evers, said in a statement on Wednesday that the recording was “intended for internal use only to inform detailed note taking and planning next steps.”
“This was not intended for release to the media or anyone else, however, we were obligated to comply with the open records law to release these records once they were requested,” she said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-11--Surgeon General Sees Himself In George Floyd: ‘That Could Be Me With A Knee In My Neck’

Surgeon General Jerome Adams shared an emotional response to the death of George Floyd during a podcast aired by Politico on Thursday .
After acknowledging that the 46-year-old Floyd was “ the same age that I am , ” Adams said that he really thinks “ that could have been me ” while reflecting on the death of the unarmed black man .
Floyd ’ s death sparked protests nationwide after video footage of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressing his knee on his neck for more than eight minutes went viral .
Adams told Politico that he empathizes with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial profiling by being repeatedly detained by police and security guards in public spaces .
“ That could be me , pulled over for speeding five miles over the speed limit .
That could be me with a busted tail light , ” Adams told Politico .
“ That could be me who is just seen as a black man and not as the surgeon general of the United States — especially if I ’ m not wearing a uniform , but I ’ m casually dressed in my hoodie and tennis shoes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be me on the side of a road with a knee in my neck.
” Adams added that the shared empathy among the black community is why there are many of them participating in protests in the wake of Floyd ’ s death .
“ I think really it ’ s why you have so many people angry and frustrated , because they saw that .
They saw that , ” Adams told Politico .
“ And they didn ’ t see George Floyd alone .
They saw themselves .
They saw their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necks.
” Adams then said that he understands why people are risking their health amid the COVID-19 pandemic by spilling onto the streets to protest in the wake of Floyd ’ s death , saying that “ we need a lot of work ” to reform police departments .
“ I understand the anger , the frustration , the fear and why people feel that that they need to prioritize going out and protesting , ” Adams told Politico , while also urging the public to continue wearing masks , use hand sanitizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the novel coronavirus .
“ What I say to people as a physician is , if you ’ re going to do something , I want to help you understand your risk and … how to do it as safely as possible , ” Adams told Politico .

Surgeon General Jerome Adams shared an emotional response to the death of George Floyd during a podcast aired by Politico on Thursday.
After acknowledging that the 46-year-old Floyd was “the same age that I am,” Adams said that he really thinks “that could have been me” while reflecting on the death of the unarmed black man. Floyd’s death sparked protests nationwide after video footage of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressing his knee on his neck for more than eight minutes went viral.
Adams told Politico that he empathizes with Floyd due to his experience dealing with racial profiling by being repeatedly detained by police and security guards in public spaces.
“That could be me, pulled over for speeding five miles over the speed limit. That could be me with a busted tail light,” Adams told Politico. “That could be me who is just seen as a black man and not as the surgeon general of the United States — especially if I’m not wearing a uniform, but I’m casually dressed in my hoodie and tennis shoes and athletic apparel — and that could be me on the side of a road with a knee in my neck.”
Adams added that the shared empathy among the black community is why there are many of them participating in protests in the wake of Floyd’s death.
“I think really it’s why you have so many people angry and frustrated, because they saw that. They saw that,” Adams told Politico. “And they didn’t see George Floyd alone. They saw themselves. They saw their faces there with that knee on their necks.”
Adams then said that he understands why people are risking their health amid the COVID-19 pandemic by spilling onto the streets to protest in the wake of Floyd’s death, saying that “we need a lot of work” to reform police departments.
“I understand the anger, the frustration, the fear and why people feel that that they need to prioritize going out and protesting,” Adams told Politico, while also urging the public to continue wearing masks, use hand sanitizer and other precautions to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“What I say to people as a physician is, if you’re going to do something, I want to help you understand your risk and … how to do it as safely as possible,” Adams told Politico.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-12--Trump Camp Warns Supporters They Can’t Sue If They Catch COVID At POTUS’ Rally

Better not blame us if you catch COVID-19 at President Donald Trump ’ s rally , the Trump campaign tells supporters .
Those who register for Trump ’ s upcoming rally on June 19 in Tulsa , Oklahoma must first agree they won ’ t hold the campaign legally responsible if they get infected with the coronavirus .
The event will be held at BOK Center , which can hold over 19,000 people .
“ By clicking register below , you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the registration form warns prospective attendees .
“ By attending the Rally , you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold Donald J. Trump for President , Inc. ; BOK Center ; ASM Global ; or any of their affiliates , directors , officers , employees , agents , contractors , or volunteers liable for any illness or injury.
” Trump has been itching to hold a rally for months even as health officials ( including the Centers for Disease Control and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid the COVID-19 outbreak .

Better not blame us if you catch COVID-19 at President Donald Trump’s rally, the Trump campaign tells supporters.
Those who register for Trump’s upcoming rally on June 19 in Tulsa, Oklahoma must first agree they won’t hold the campaign legally responsible if they get infected with the coronavirus.
The event will be held at BOK Center, which can hold over 19,000 people.
“By clicking register below, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present,” a notice at the bottom of the registration form warns prospective attendees. “By attending the Rally, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.; BOK Center; ASM Global; or any of their affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, or volunteers liable for any illness or injury.”
Trump has been itching to hold a rally for months even as health officials (including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) urge against attending mass events amid the COVID-19 outbreak.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-12--Why The November Election Is Going To Be Even More Effed Than We Realized

The election debacles across the country this month made one thing clear : the measures that voting experts hoped would mitigate the pandemic-related challenges didn ’ t go far enough to make voting accessible in the outbreak .
After a string of elections where election officials struggled with the surge in absentee voting prompted by the pandemic , there was optimism Georgia ’ s approach to scaling up vote-by-mail would provide a model for November .
Instead , long lines still stretched from in-person voting places , from the moment they opened the door Tuesday .
Some voters — particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several hours to cast ballots .
The fiasco was a major warning sign to election officials everywhere , given the proactive steps Georgia took to expand absentee voting and lessen the need for in-person voting sites .
While some of Georgia ’ s problems , including its rollout of new voting technology , were Georgia-specific , other lessons apply everywhere , particularly as similar trends emerged in elections in other states .
The bottom line is election officials will be doomed in November if they do not take drastic steps to expand their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , election officials were so backlogged on processing absentee applications , they were hand-delivering ballots to voters the weekend before the election .
But they ’ re also doomed if they assume a smooth absentee voting operation alone will be enough to make up for polling places being shuttered because of the outbreak .
Unlike in Georgia and D.C. , there were not widespread reports of Nevada voters not receiving the absentee ballots they requested .
Yet in-person voting lines were so long , some voters waited until well after midnight to cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the daunting task of planning a massive expansion of absentee voting ( something vote-by-mail states had years to adjust to ) , while also figuring out how to keep opportunities for in-person plentiful .
Here are three specific takeaways from the last two weeks of primaries : Plans For Fewer Polling Places Because Of COVID-19 Shouldn ’ t Underestimate The Demand To Vote In-Person .
The fundamental challenge this pandemic brings is that the way in-person voting normally operates is completely at odds how to best limit COVID-19 ’ s spread .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraging absentee voting .
With fewer poll workers — who are often elderly — willing to staff the sites , and fewer locations willing to host them , officials have had to shutter or consolidate polling places .
Due to the need for social distancing , the number of voters who can be in a room to vote at given time has been significantly decreased , and that dynamic also fueled the long lines seen across the country this month .
If anything , the last two weeks show election officials need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-person sites than they may have been considering for the pandemic .
That means aggressive recruitment campaigns to hire workers , and particularly young ones who are more resilient to the virus .
Those poll workers , since they ’ ll likely be new to the job , will in turn need much more training than the older volunteers who have worked election after election .
Election officials will also need to spend more to secure additional locations .
Nevada ’ s experience this week is illuminating .
The state was planning on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as its ramped up efforts to facilitate vote by mail .
Democrats sued and secured three sites in Clark County ( home to Las Vegas ) , and still some people waited seven hours to vote .
“ We are seeing an overall preference by certain types of voters to actually cast their ballot in person , due to distrust of the vote by mail [ process ] , ” Emily Zamora , executive director of the Nevada-based civic engagement group Silver State Voices , told reporters in a call on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You ’ re Expecting It ’ s clear that some in places , including Ohio , Wisconsin and D.C. , election officials underestimated the time it takes to turn around an absentee voter application .
In Georgia , there was a roughly half-million-ballot gap between the number of ballots sent out and the mail ballots received by Monday , but it will likely never be determined how many of those ballots went unreturned because they weren ’ t received in time Runbeck Election Services , the vendor that was hired by Georgia to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 36-60 hours to get a ballot in the mail from when it received a voter ’ s information , according the company ’ s president , Jeff Ellington .
But the whole chain of events , from when a voter put her absentee application in the mail to when her ballot is on its way back to her , took “ easily ” a week and a half , Ellington told TPM , since the application goes through the county first .
( Runbeck shipped off a final batch on June 1 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots after that ) .
This timeline creates some tension between voters advocates ’ traditional resistance to limiting the time period voters have to apply to vote absentee and the need to give officials extra time to process the spike in ballots .
In Ohio , such a fight has erupted over legislation that will move up by four days the deadline by which voters must have absentee ballots applications in the mail .
A Hard Look Is Needed At How Absentee Ballots Are Being Processed .
Election officials have stressed that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s possible , and maybe likely , we won ’ t know the winner of some major races until days after November ’ s election .
This is particularly an issue in states like Pennsylvania and Michigan that don ’ t allow election officials to do the bulk of the processing of absentee ballots until Election Day But the delay also complicates the options election officials have in preventing double voting by people who show up in person to vote after already submitting absentee ballots .
In parts of Pennsylvania — according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democracy Fund who has advised election officials on the process — election officials decided to hold off counting absentee ballots even later , so they could check whether any of those voters also showed up in person .
In places that allow the processing of absentee ballots to start early , Election Day poll books can be preloaded to show which voters already submitted an absentee ballot , Patrick said .
In other jurisdictions , anyone who even just requested to vote absentee will have to vote provisionally , regardless of whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slowing down the in-person process .
“ If you don ’ t start the [ absentee ballot counting ] process until election day , then you have to make a decision on how do you prevent double voting or how do you secure it in a way that limits it from occurring , ” Patrick said .
This conundrum will be exacerbated as interest in absentee voting surges , but voters don ’ t get their ballots in time or aren ’ t sure they returned them by the deadline , so they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , states need to be clearer about how far along they are in counting mail-in ballots , said MIT political science professor Charles Stewart , who cited California ’ s model of keeping the public updated on the percentage of ballots it has counted .
He said that it was “ critical ” that election officials figure out practices for making clear how many ballots are left to be processed , even though that will be another burden placed upon them .
“ You ’ re going to have two sets of partisans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be looking for any evidence that they can find that the election was rigged , ” Stewart said .
“ If you really can ’ t count fast enough , then we need to come up with the standards about how we communicate what ’ s left , rather than just generally saying , ‘ We have a lot of mail ballots .
Leave us alone.
’ I don ’ t think thats going be an accepted answer in a number of quarters .
”

The election debacles across the country this month made one thing clear: the measures that voting experts hoped would mitigate the pandemic-related challenges didn’t go far enough to make voting accessible in the outbreak.
After a string of elections where election officials struggled with the surge in absentee voting prompted by the pandemic, there was optimism Georgia’s approach to scaling up vote-by-mail would provide a model for November.
Instead, long lines still stretched from in-person voting places, from the moment they opened the door Tuesday. Some voters — particularly those in communities of color — waited several hours to cast ballots.
The fiasco was a major warning sign to election officials everywhere, given the proactive steps Georgia took to expand absentee voting and lessen the need for in-person voting sites.
While some of Georgia’s problems, including its rollout of new voting technology, were Georgia-specific, other lessons apply everywhere, particularly as similar trends emerged in elections in other states.
The bottom line is election officials will be doomed in November if they do not take drastic steps to expand their vote by mail operations. In D.C., election officials were so backlogged on processing absentee applications, they were hand-delivering ballots to voters the weekend before the election.
But they’re also doomed if they assume a smooth absentee voting operation alone will be enough to make up for polling places being shuttered because of the outbreak. Unlike in Georgia and D.C., there were not widespread reports of Nevada voters not receiving the absentee ballots they requested. Yet in-person voting lines were so long, some voters waited until well after midnight to cast ballots.
Election officials have before them the daunting task of planning a massive expansion of absentee voting (something vote-by-mail states had years to adjust to), while also figuring out how to keep opportunities for in-person plentiful.
Here are three specific takeaways from the last two weeks of primaries:
Plans For Fewer Polling Places Because Of COVID-19 Shouldn’t Underestimate The Demand To Vote In-Person.
The fundamental challenge this pandemic brings is that the way in-person voting normally operates is completely at odds how to best limit COVID-19’s spread.
This reality is why election officials have been encouraging absentee voting. With fewer poll workers — who are often elderly — willing to staff the sites, and fewer locations willing to host them, officials have had to shutter or consolidate polling places. Due to the need for social distancing, the number of voters who can be in a room to vote at given time has been significantly decreased, and that dynamic also fueled the long lines seen across the country this month.
If anything, the last two weeks show election officials need to figure out how to host even more in-person sites than they may have been considering for the pandemic. That means aggressive recruitment campaigns to hire workers, and particularly young ones who are more resilient to the virus. Those poll workers, since they’ll likely be new to the job, will in turn need much more training than the older volunteers who have worked election after election. Election officials will also need to spend more to secure additional locations.
Nevada’s experience this week is illuminating. The state was planning on having only one in-person location per county, as its ramped up efforts to facilitate vote by mail. Democrats sued and secured three sites in Clark County (home to Las Vegas), and still some people waited seven hours to vote.
“We are seeing an overall preference by certain types of voters to actually cast their ballot in person, due to distrust of the vote by mail [process],” Emily Zamora, executive director of the Nevada-based civic engagement group Silver State Voices, told reporters in a call on Tuesday.
Everything Takes More Time Than What You’re Expecting
It’s clear that some in places, including Ohio, Wisconsin and D.C., election officials underestimated the time it takes to turn around an absentee voter application. In Georgia, there was a roughly half-million-ballot gap between the number of ballots sent out and the mail ballots received by Monday, but it will likely never be determined how many of those ballots went unreturned because they weren’t received in time
Runbeck Election Services, the vendor that was hired by Georgia to send out its absentee ballots, took 36-60 hours to get a ballot in the mail from when it received a voter’s information, according the company’s president, Jeff Ellington. But the whole chain of events, from when a voter put her absentee application in the mail to when her ballot is on its way back to her, took “easily” a week and a half, Ellington told TPM, since the application goes through the county first. (Runbeck shipped off a final batch on June 1, but local officials continued to send out ballots after that).
This timeline creates some tension between voters advocates’ traditional resistance to limiting the time period voters have to apply to vote absentee and the need to give officials extra time to process the spike in ballots. In Ohio, such a fight has erupted over legislation that will move up by four days the deadline by which voters must have absentee ballots applications in the mail.
A Hard Look Is Needed At How Absentee Ballots Are Being Processed.
Election officials have stressed that the increase in mail-in voting means it’s possible, and maybe likely, we won’t know the winner of some major races until days after November’s election. This is particularly an issue in states like Pennsylvania and Michigan that don’t allow election officials to do the bulk of the processing of absentee ballots until Election Day
But the delay also complicates the options election officials have in preventing double voting by people who show up in person to vote after already submitting absentee ballots.
In parts of Pennsylvania — according to Tammy Patrick, a vote-by-mail expert at the Democracy Fund who has advised election officials on the process — election officials decided to hold off counting absentee ballots even later, so they could check whether any of those voters also showed up in person.
In places that allow the processing of absentee ballots to start early, Election Day poll books can be preloaded to show which voters already submitted an absentee ballot, Patrick said. In other jurisdictions, anyone who even just requested to vote absentee will have to vote provisionally, regardless of whether they actually sent in the ballot, slowing down the in-person process.
“If you don’t start the [absentee ballot counting] process until election day, then you have to make a decision on how do you prevent double voting or how do you secure it in a way that limits it from occurring,” Patrick said.
This conundrum will be exacerbated as interest in absentee voting surges, but voters don’t get their ballots in time or aren’t sure they returned them by the deadline, so they show up in-person as well.
Additionally, states need to be clearer about how far along they are in counting mail-in ballots, said MIT political science professor Charles Stewart, who cited California’s model of keeping the public updated on the percentage of ballots it has counted.
He said that it was “critical” that election officials figure out practices for making clear how many ballots are left to be processed, even though that will be another burden placed upon them.
“You’re going to have two sets of partisans, loaded for bear, that are going to be looking for any evidence that they can find that the election was rigged,” Stewart said. “If you really can’t count fast enough, then we need to come up with the standards about how we communicate what’s left, rather than just generally saying, ‘We have a lot of mail ballots. Leave us alone.’ I don’t think thats going be an accepted answer in a number of quarters.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-12--Hippies Or Antifa? A Rainbow Bus In Columbus Gets Caught In The Crosshairs

In early June , the Columbus , Ohio police posted a picture on Facebook of a rainbow school bus painted with animals and trees .
“ This bus was stopped yesterday at Broad St. & 3rd due for obstruction of traffic , ” the post reads .
“ There was a suspicion of supplying riot equipment to rioters.
” It goes on to say that “ bats , rocks , meat cleavers , axes , clubs and other projectiles ” were found on board , and that charges are pending .
The owners of the bus , however , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Buttercup , ” say that they were just there to dispense food and first aid to the protesters .
The trouble started on May 31 when the group of friends , connected by a love of performing circus tricks like juggling rings and spinning plates , had converted the bus into a roving aid station for protesters in Columbus , according to the local outlet Columbus Alive .
As they tried to leave the downtown arena at the end of the night , they were surrounded by police .
Kaylee Oiler , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , took a video on Facebook live .
Everyone inside the converted bus , complete with a stove and cluttered with hula hoops , has their hands up , as red and blue lights flash from the cars outside .
“ Should I back up ?
What should I do here ?
” the driver called out the window .
“ We ’ re just trying to leave.
” Over a loudspeaker , the police ordered them off of the bus one at a time .
Mutters of “ it ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Another officer told them to stay on , provoking quietly derisive reactions from those in the bus at the contradictory orders .
They eventually filed off .
“ They ’ re just being confusing , they ’ re not really being dickish , ” Oiler said of the police as she waited to disembark .
“ They impounded the bus and all our belongings inside including my money , car keys and ID , ” she wrote in a caption alongside the video .
“ They wouldn ’ t allow anyone to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was arrested , we are all free , they let us go and told us it was 20 minutes till curfew so we better find somewhere to go.
” She added that they were able to retrieve the bus the next day .
They thought that was the end of the encounter — until the police posted on Facebook and Twitter .
Both posts have thousands of comments and have been shared thousands of times .
Many of the respondents expressed vindication that members of antifa , a loosely defined idea of militant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by President Donald Trump , had indeed come to use the protests as an excuse to commit mass destruction .
The baseless fear has been echoed in towns across the country , some of whom have heeded rumors on social media and taken up arms for a threat that never materializes .
In many of these cases , the imaginary invasion is predicted to come in the form of “ busloads ” of antifa antagonizers .
One of the owners of the bus tried to clear up the misinformation in a comment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bus , ” Reese Digati posted .
“ We were at the protest handing out water and washing mace off of people ’ s faces .
If you have any questions , please feel free to talk to me .
This bus is my home and I often use it as a supply vehicle .
We were peaceful the entire time .
The ‘ weapons ’ that were found are tools .
Axes for my wood stove , knives for cooking , etc.
” “ They failed to mention that we were all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ If we were ‘ rioting and looting ’ wouldn ’ t there be a ton of stolen items from store found ?
Not a single one .
Because we weren ’ t out there causing destruction to anyone , or anything.
” Nevertheless , elected officials got in on the action , seizing the posts as evidence of intent to destroy the city .
“ Please note : The limited arrests to this point do not reflect the significant safety concerns we have for the city , ” wrote Columbus Mayor Andrew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retweeting the Columbus police .
“ I would point to the recovery of a bus registered in Vermont filled with bats , rocks , meat cleavers and axes on Sunday night.
” “ Police in Ohio found a bus near protests filled with bats , rocks & other weapons , ” he tweeted .
“ But I guess still ‘ no evidence ’ of an organized effort to inject violence & anarchy into the protests right ?
”

In early June, the Columbus, Ohio police posted a picture on Facebook of a rainbow school bus painted with animals and trees.
“This bus was stopped yesterday at Broad St. & 3rd due for obstruction of traffic,” the post reads. “There was a suspicion of supplying riot equipment to rioters.”
It goes on to say that “bats, rocks, meat cleavers, axes, clubs and other projectiles” were found on board, and that charges are pending.
The owners of the bus, however, a group of performers who named the vehicle “Buttercup,” say that they were just there to dispense food and first aid to the protesters.
The trouble started on May 31 when the group of friends, connected by a love of performing circus tricks like juggling rings and spinning plates, had converted the bus into a roving aid station for protesters in Columbus, according to the local outlet Columbus Alive.
As they tried to leave the downtown arena at the end of the night, they were surrounded by police. Kaylee Oiler, one of the people aboard the bus, took a video on Facebook live.
Everyone inside the converted bus, complete with a stove and cluttered with hula hoops, has their hands up, as red and blue lights flash from the cars outside.
“Should I back up? What should I do here?” the driver called out the window. “We’re just trying to leave.”
Over a loudspeaker, the police ordered them off of the bus one at a time.
Mutters of “it’s not curfew yet” rebounded around the bus.
Another officer told them to stay on, provoking quietly derisive reactions from those in the bus at the contradictory orders.
They eventually filed off. “They’re just being confusing, they’re not really being dickish,” Oiler said of the police as she waited to disembark.
“They impounded the bus and all our belongings inside including my money, car keys and ID,” she wrote in a caption alongside the video. “They wouldn’t allow anyone to get their items off. No one was arrested, we are all free, they let us go and told us it was 20 minutes till curfew so we better find somewhere to go.”
She added that they were able to retrieve the bus the next day.
They thought that was the end of the encounter — until the police posted on Facebook and Twitter.
Both posts have thousands of comments and have been shared thousands of times. Many of the respondents expressed vindication that members of antifa, a loosely defined idea of militant anti-fascist protesting that has been aggressively demonized by President Donald Trump, had indeed come to use the protests as an excuse to commit mass destruction.
The baseless fear has been echoed in towns across the country, some of whom have heeded rumors on social media and taken up arms for a threat that never materializes. In many of these cases, the imaginary invasion is predicted to come in the form of “busloads” of antifa antagonizers.
One of the owners of the bus tried to clear up the misinformation in a comment.
“Hey everyone! This is my bus,” Reese Digati posted. “We were at the protest handing out water and washing mace off of people’s faces. If you have any questions, please feel free to talk to me. This bus is my home and I often use it as a supply vehicle. We were peaceful the entire time. The ‘weapons’ that were found are tools. Axes for my wood stove, knives for cooking, etc.”
“They failed to mention that we were all peaceful protesting,” added Oiler. “If we were ‘rioting and looting’ wouldn’t there be a ton of stolen items from store found? Not a single one. Because we weren’t out there causing destruction to anyone, or anything.”
Nevertheless, elected officials got in on the action, seizing the posts as evidence of intent to destroy the city.
“Please note: The limited arrests to this point do not reflect the significant safety concerns we have for the city,” wrote Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther (D) on Twitter, retweeting the Columbus police. “I would point to the recovery of a bus registered in Vermont filled with bats, rocks, meat cleavers and axes on Sunday night.”
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) snarkily claimed vindication.
“Police in Ohio found a bus near protests filled with bats, rocks & other weapons,” he tweeted. “But I guess still ‘no evidence’ of an organized effort to inject violence & anarchy into the protests right?”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-12--ICYMI: TPM’s Week In Review

ICYMI: TPM’s Week In Review

The TPM Journalism Fund : A New Way To Support TPM We 're launching the TPM Journalism Fund as an @ @ @ @ @ members to support TPM .
Every dollar contributed goes toward : • -Providing free memberships @ @ @ @ @ afford them

The California State Bar is arguing that recent criminal charges against John Eastman in Fulton County, Georgia should not prevent…


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-12--One Month After Reopening, AZ Sees Record COVID Case Growth, ICUs Nearing Capacity

One month after opening up , the state of Arizona has become one of the country ’ s top COVID-19 hotspots .
Since May 26 , the state has seen the now all-too-familiar continual upward trend in COVID-19 cases , hitting a single-day record in case growth on Friday at 1,654 new cases in one day and with a reported total caseload increase of 76 percent since May 28 .
The unhindered growth in cases has sparked concerns that the state ’ s hospital capacity will be overwhelmed , with major hospital networks in the state publicly saying that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the span of a few weeks , if case growth continues unabated .
Since the state ’ s stay-at-home directive ended on May 15 , Arizonans have largely lived without mandates to socially distance or wear masks when in public .
“ When the stay at home order ended , the governor didn ’ t put any criteria for enforcement , compliance , or expectations on businesses that were enforceable whatsoever , ” Will Humble , director of the Arizona Public Health Association and a former head of Arizona ’ s Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health , a hospital chain with a large Arizona presence , said last week that its hospitals were nearing capacity .
Eighty-four percent of the state ’ s ICU beds were occupied this week ; in Phoenix , it was higher , near 90 percent .
The company released a slideshow outlining the situation , including a graph of increased hospitalizations in the state — what epidemiologists look to as the true measure of the severity of an outbreak .
Humble told TPM that the current outbreak first began to show up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ten days after the stay-at-home order came to an end .
He added that those 10 days “ represent one incubation period plus testing delay after the end of the stay at home order — thats the inflection point.
” Humble went on to say that cases began to increase at an even higher rate in the week following Memorial Day , describing the holiday weekend as “ throwing gas on the fire.
” Yet the state continues to lack both extensive testing and contact tracing , making it difficult to ascertain the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , according to Purnima Madhivanan , an associate professor at the University of Arizona ’ s college of public health .
“ Those people that are exposed are going to continue to go on living their lives , ” said Madhivanan .
“ You ’ re going to see they become infectious before they ’ re symptomatic — the shedding is already happening.
” Madhivanan described an environment with extremely limited signs that a pandemic was raging .
“ It ’ s been appalling to see people acting like nothing has happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with no masks , just like pre-COVID , ” she told TPM .
“ And we haven ’ t hit the peak — the major health systems are saying , get ready , have your plan B.
” “ If the big health systems are saying that , then it ’ s happening , ” she added.The remaining question is how far the outbreak will go in stressing the state ’ s hospital capacity .
State officials have taken what might be described as a hands-off approach towards the situation .
State health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press conference that “ we are not going to be able to stop the spread but we can ’ t stop living as well.
” Governor Doug Ducey ( R ) has downplayed the idea that the state was nearing capacity in its hospitals , saying that “ we are not in a crisis situation ” and adding that field hospitals could pick up the burden .
To Humble , the question is less of ability to handle the oncoming waves of patients , and more is one of honesty .
“ To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to put your head in the sand and say , we ’ re going to rely on surge capacity , then you have an obligation to tell the people of Arizona that with that surge comes different standards of care , ” Humble said .
“ You don ’ t get the same care in contingency or crisis mode — and that ’ s not just in field hospitals , that ’ s everywhere .
”

One month after opening up, the state of Arizona has become one of the country’s top COVID-19 hotspots.
Since May 26, the state has seen the now all-too-familiar continual upward trend in COVID-19 cases, hitting a single-day record in case growth on Friday at 1,654 new cases in one day and with a reported total caseload increase of 76 percent since May 28.
The unhindered growth in cases has sparked concerns that the state’s hospital capacity will be overwhelmed, with major hospital networks in the state publicly saying that they could see their ICU beds full in the span of a few weeks, if case growth continues unabated.
Since the state’s stay-at-home directive ended on May 15, Arizonans have largely lived without mandates to socially distance or wear masks when in public.
“When the stay at home order ended, the governor didn’t put any criteria for enforcement, compliance, or expectations on businesses that were enforceable whatsoever,” Will Humble, director of the Arizona Public Health Association and a former head of Arizona’s Department of Health Service, told TPM.
Banner Health, a hospital chain with a large Arizona presence, said last week that its hospitals were nearing capacity. Eighty-four percent of the state’s ICU beds were occupied this week; in Phoenix, it was higher, near 90 percent.
The company released a slideshow outlining the situation, including a graph of increased hospitalizations in the state — what epidemiologists look to as the true measure of the severity of an outbreak.
Humble told TPM that the current outbreak first began to show up in earnest between May 25 and 26 — ten days after the stay-at-home order came to an end.
He added that those 10 days “represent one incubation period plus testing delay after the end of the stay at home order — thats the inflection point.”
Humble went on to say that cases began to increase at an even higher rate in the week following Memorial Day, describing the holiday weekend as “throwing gas on the fire.”
Yet the state continues to lack both extensive testing and contact tracing, making it difficult to ascertain the true scale of the outbreak and contain it, according to Purnima Madhivanan, an associate professor at the University of Arizona’s college of public health.
“Those people that are exposed are going to continue to go on living their lives,” said Madhivanan. “You’re going to see they become infectious before they’re symptomatic — the shedding is already happening.”
Madhivanan described an environment with extremely limited signs that a pandemic was raging.
“It’s been appalling to see people acting like nothing has happened — sitting out in the coffee shops with no masks, just like pre-COVID,” she told TPM. “And we haven’t hit the peak — the major health systems are saying, get ready, have your plan B.”
“If the big health systems are saying that, then it’s happening,” she added. The remaining question is how far the outbreak will go in stressing the state’s hospital capacity.
State officials have taken what might be described as a hands-off approach towards the situation. State health director Cara Christ said at a Thursday press conference that “we are not going to be able to stop the spread but we can’t stop living as well.”
Governor Doug Ducey (R) has downplayed the idea that the state was nearing capacity in its hospitals, saying that “we are not in a crisis situation” and adding that field hospitals could pick up the burden.
To Humble, the question is less of ability to handle the oncoming waves of patients, and more is one of honesty.
“To look at hospital capacity dwindling, and to put your head in the sand and say, we’re going to rely on surge capacity, then you have an obligation to tell the people of Arizona that with that surge comes different standards of care,” Humble said. “You don’t get the same care in contingency or crisis mode — and that’s not just in field hospitals, that’s everywhere.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-12--Tulsa Reverend Is ‘Disgusted’ By Trump Campaign Rally On Juneteenth

Reverend Dr. Robert Turner , the pastor of a historic church that was burned in the Tulsa Massacre nearly a century ago , expressed “ disgust ” at the Trump campaign ’ s decision to hold a rally to reelect a man who he said has “ sympathized with neo-Confederates ” on the anniversary of the abolition of slavery .
Turner admonished the president in an MSNBC interview on Friday for launching his first rally in months on Juneteeth — a day intended to memorialize a large loss of life .
“ It is disgusting , because this is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Turner said .
The Tulsa Massacre of 1921 , which occurred on May 31 into June 1 , saw the mass killing of hundreds of residents of Greenwood , a predominantly black community in Oklahoma .
Homes were looted and local monuments were burned — including the historic Vernon Chapel A.M.E. Church where Turner now presides .
Its significance can not be overstated for a community that was subject to unthinkable racial violence and destruction 99 years ago .
Trump has been widely criticized for his handling of race .
Recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of stoking the flames of hate and racial division amid anti-police brutality protests in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd .
Some have predicted that Trump , who won 65 percent of the vote in Oklahoma in 2016 , will use Tulsa as the political occasion to address race in a speech that ’ s been loudly whispered about — yet remains undelivered — since the death of George Floyd on May 25 .

Reverend Dr. Robert Turner, the pastor of a historic church that was burned in the Tulsa Massacre nearly a century ago, expressed “disgust” at the Trump campaign’s decision to hold a rally to reelect a man who he said has “sympathized with neo-Confederates” on the anniversary of the abolition of slavery.
Tulsa Reverend Dr. Robert Turner expressed disgust on Friday, that Pres. Trump has "the audacity" to launch his reelection campaign on Junenteenth – a day celebrated for Black liberation from slavery. "This the same president that has sympathized with neo-Confederates," he said. pic.twitter.com/USjagdwkrx — TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) June 12, 2020
Turner admonished the president in an MSNBC interview on Friday for launching his first rally in months on Juneteeth — a day intended to memorialize a large loss of life.
“It is disgusting, because this is the same president that has sympathized with neo-Confederates,” Turner said.
The Tulsa Massacre of 1921, which occurred on May 31 into June 1, saw the mass killing of hundreds of residents of Greenwood, a predominantly black community in Oklahoma. Homes were looted and local monuments were burned — including the historic Vernon Chapel A.M.E. Church where Turner now presides. Its significance cannot be overstated for a community that was subject to unthinkable racial violence and destruction 99 years ago.
Trump has been widely criticized for his handling of race. Recently, Democratic opponent Joe Biden accused him of stoking the flames of hate and racial division amid anti-police brutality protests in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd.
Some have predicted that Trump, who won 65 percent of the vote in Oklahoma in 2016, will use Tulsa as the political occasion to address race in a speech that’s been loudly whispered about — yet remains undelivered — since the death of George Floyd on May 25.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-12--Perpetually Wrong Man Shares Good News About COVID

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Friday confidently declared that there won ’ t be a second spike of COVID-19 outbreaks .
“ I ’ m not the health expert but on the so-called spike , I spoke to our health experts at some length last evening , ” Kudlow told the co-hosts of “ Fox and Friends.
” “ They ’ re saying there is no second spike .
Let me repeat that : There is no second spike.
” “ And Secretary Mnuchin said yesterday in testimony , and I totally agree , we are not going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he added .
The White House adviser did not provide any names of the health experts he said he spoke to .
“ There is no emergency , there is no second wave , ” he insisted again a few minutes later .
Health experts do agree that “ second-wave ” is the wrong way to describe what is happening currently with the pandemic ’ s spread in the U.S. As health reporter and doctor James Hamblin and others have described it , there continues to be one “ long wave ” of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a plateau , with deaths and infection rates largely impacting minorities and vulnerable populations .
But despite Kudlow ’ s optimism , experts warn that economic reopening will inevitably cause spikes .
Kudlow has been prone to making rosy predictions about the pandemic that later prove to be utterly wrong .
In late February , the Trump official told investors that COVID-19 had been “ contained , ” then repeated the false claim again in early March .
“ I will still argue to you that this is contained , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Squawk on the Street ” at the time .

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Friday confidently declared that there won’t be a second spike of COVID-19 outbreaks.
“I’m not the health expert but on the so-called spike, I spoke to our health experts at some length last evening,” Kudlow told the co-hosts of “Fox and Friends.” “They’re saying there is no second spike. Let me repeat that: There is no second spike.”
“And Secretary Mnuchin said yesterday in testimony, and I totally agree, we are not going to shut down the economy,” he added.
The White House adviser did not provide any names of the health experts he said he spoke to.
“There is no emergency, there is no second wave,” he insisted again a few minutes later.
Health experts do agree that “second-wave” is the wrong way to describe what is happening currently with the pandemic’s spread in the U.S. As health reporter and doctor James Hamblin and others have described it, there continues to be one “long wave” of COVID-19 spread. The U.S. is experiencing a plateau, with deaths and infection rates largely impacting minorities and vulnerable populations.
But despite Kudlow’s optimism, experts warn that economic reopening will inevitably cause spikes.
Kudlow has been prone to making rosy predictions about the pandemic that later prove to be utterly wrong.
In late February, the Trump official told investors that COVID-19 had been “contained,” then repeated the false claim again in early March.
“I will still argue to you that this is contained,” he said during an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” at the time.
Watch Kudlow below: