talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-03--While Constantly Yelling About Voter Fraud, Trump Tried To Register In FL With WH Address

President Donald Trump tried to register to vote in Florida while listing his address as the White House , which runs afoul of state law .
According to documents obtained by the Washington Post , he resubmitted his application with a Florida address — Mar-a-Lago — and voted in the state ’ s Republican primary in March .
He submitted the original registration form with the D.C. address on September 27 , 2019 — the same day that he , with much fanfare , separately changed his permanent address to Mar-a-Lago .
At the time , he complained that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was by state and city political leaders in New York as rationale for the domicile change .
Thus , on that day , he claimed both Mar-a-Lago and the White House as his permanent residence on different forms .
Florida voters have faced steep penalties for voting with a phony registration , as in the case of Deltona , Florida ’ s city manager last year .
Ironically , the White House itself uses registering to vote with the address of a second home as an example of voting fraud on its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time Trump has had difficulty with his absentee ballot .
In New York ’ s 2017 mayoral race , he wrote his birthday down wrong , inputting July 14 , 1946 instead of June 14 .
Trump has made screeds against voting by mail , and specious claims of widespread absentee ballot fraud , a central theme of his campaign .
When asked why he makes exceptions to the “ dangerous ” system for himself , he told reporters at a White House press briefing in April that he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was out of state at the White House for the Florida primary .
In fact , any eligible voter is allowed to vote by mail in Florida .
Per the Florida state department , no excuse is required to vote remotely .

President Donald Trump tried to register to vote in Florida while listing his address as the White House, which runs afoul of state law.
According to documents obtained by the Washington Post, he resubmitted his application with a Florida address — Mar-a-Lago — and voted in the state’s Republican primary in March.
He submitted the original registration form with the D.C. address on September 27, 2019 — the same day that he, with much fanfare, separately changed his permanent address to Mar-a-Lago.
At the time, he complained that “few have been treated worse” than he was by state and city political leaders in New York as rationale for the domicile change. Thus, on that day, he claimed both Mar-a-Lago and the White House as his permanent residence on different forms.
Florida voters have faced steep penalties for voting with a phony registration, as in the case of Deltona, Florida’s city manager last year.
Ironically, the White House itself uses registering to vote with the address of a second home as an example of voting fraud on its official website.
It’s not the first time Trump has had difficulty with his absentee ballot. In New York’s 2017 mayoral race, he wrote his birthday down wrong, inputting July 14, 1946 instead of June 14.
Trump has made screeds against voting by mail, and specious claims of widespread absentee ballot fraud, a central theme of his campaign.
When asked why he makes exceptions to the “dangerous” system for himself, he told reporters at a White House press briefing in April that he’s “allowed” to vote absentee because he was out of state at the White House for the Florida primary. In fact, any eligible voter is allowed to vote by mail in Florida. Per the Florida state department, no excuse is required to vote remotely.
Read Trump’s voter registration form here:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-03--MN Attorney General Charges All Four Cops Involved In George Floyd Killing

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) — Prosecutors charged a Minneapolis police officer accused of pressing his knee against George Floyd ’ s neck with second-degree murder on Wednesday , and for the first time leveled charges against three other officers at the scene , according to criminal complaints .
The upgraded charge against Derek Chauvin says the officer ’ s actions were a “ substantial causal factor ” in Floyd ’ s death .
“ Officer Chauvin ’ s restraint of Mr. Floyd in this manner for a prolonged period was a substantial causal factor in Mr. Floyd losing consciousness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd ’ s death as well , ” the criminal complaint said .
Widely seen bystander video showing Floyd ’ s May 25 death has sparked protests nationwide and around the world against police brutality and discrimination .
The officer , Derek Chauvin , was fired May 26 and initially charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter .
The three other officers involved were also fired but were not immediately charged .
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison upgraded the charge against Chauvin to unintentional second-degree murder .
He also charged Thomas Lane , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter .
Ellison was expected to talk about the new charges on Wednesday afternoon .
Attorney Earl Gray , who represents Lane , told The Associated Press that the Star Tribune ’ s initial report about the charges was accurate , before ending the call .
Before news of the upgraded charges , an attorney for Chauvin said he was not making any statements at this time .
Attorneys for Thao and Kueng did not return messages seeking comment on the charges .
Attorney Ben Crump tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gratified ” by Ellison ’ s action and called it “ a source of peace for George ’ s family in this difficult time.
” He said Ellison had told the family his office will continue to investigate and upgrade charges against Chauvin to first-degree murder if warranted .
Reached by phone , Crump declined to speak beyond the statement or make clear when Ellison had spoken with the family and whether he had been informed directly that additional charges had been filed .
Floyd ’ s family and protesters have repeatedly called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as more serious charges for Chauvin , who held his knee to Floyd ’ s neck , despite his protests that he couldn ’ t breathe , and stayed there even after Floyd stopped moving .
Floyd , a black man , was in handcuffs when he died with his face pressed to the street .
“ He died because he was starving for air , ” Crump said at a news conference earlier Wednesday .
“ He needed a breath .
So we are demanding justice .
We expect all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before we have the memorial here in Minneapolis , Minnesota , tomorrow.
” Crump said the other officers failed to protect a man who was pleading for help and said he couldn ’ t breathe .
“ We are expecting these officers to be charged as accomplices , ” he said .
Personnel records released by the city show Chauvin served as a military policeman in the U.S. Army in the late 1990s .
Since being hired as a police officer in 2001 , he has been awarded two medals of valor : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of officers who opened fire on a stabbing suspect after the man pointed a shotgun at them in 2006 , and one for apprehending another man in a domestic incident in 2008 .
In the latter incident , Chauvin broke down a bathroom door and shot the man in the stomach .
Chauvin was reprimanded in 2008 for pulling a woman out of her car in 2007 , frisking her and placing her in his squad car after he stopped her for speeding 10 miles per hour over the limit .
His dashboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he could have interviewed the woman while standing outside her car .
Lane , 37 , and Kueng both joined the department in February 2019 and neither have any complaints on their files .
Lane previously worked as a correctional officer at the Hennepin County juvenile jail and as a probation officer at a residential treatment facility for adolescent boys .
Kueng was a 2018 graduate of the University of Minnesota where he worked part-time on campus security .
He also worked as a theft-prevention officer at Macy ’ s in downtown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tou Thao , a native Hmong speaker , joined the police force as a part-time community service officer in 2008 and was promoted to police officer in 2009 .
He was laid off later that year due to budget cuts and rehired in 2012 .
Gov .
Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights on Tuesday launched a civil rights investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department and its history of racial discrimination , in hopes of forcing widespread change .
Associated Press reporters Scott Bauer and Todd Richmond in Madison , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sisak in New York contributed to this report .

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Prosecutors charged a Minneapolis police officer accused of pressing his knee against George Floyd’s neck with second-degree murder on Wednesday, and for the first time leveled charges against three other officers at the scene, according to criminal complaints.
The upgraded charge against Derek Chauvin says the officer’s actions were a “substantial causal factor” in Floyd’s death.
“Officer Chauvin’s restraint of Mr. Floyd in this manner for a prolonged period was a substantial causal factor in Mr. Floyd losing consciousness, constituting substantial bodily harm, and Mr. Floyd’s death as well,” the criminal complaint said.
Widely seen bystander video showing Floyd’s May 25 death has sparked protests nationwide and around the world against police brutality and discrimination. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was fired May 26 and initially charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The three other officers involved were also fired but were not immediately charged.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison upgraded the charge against Chauvin to unintentional second-degree murder. He also charged Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Ellison was expected to talk about the new charges on Wednesday afternoon.
Attorney Earl Gray, who represents Lane, told The Associated Press that the Star Tribune’s initial report about the charges was accurate, before ending the call. Before news of the upgraded charges, an attorney for Chauvin said he was not making any statements at this time. Attorneys for Thao and Kueng did not return messages seeking comment on the charges.
Attorney Ben Crump tweeted that the Floyd family was “deeply gratified” by Ellison’s action and called it “a source of peace for George’s family in this difficult time.” He said Ellison had told the family his office will continue to investigate and upgrade charges against Chauvin to first-degree murder if warranted. Reached by phone, Crump declined to speak beyond the statement or make clear when Ellison had spoken with the family and whether he had been informed directly that additional charges had been filed.
Floyd’s family and protesters have repeatedly called for criminal charges against all four officers as well as more serious charges for Chauvin, who held his knee to Floyd’s neck, despite his protests that he couldn’t breathe, and stayed there even after Floyd stopped moving. Floyd, a black man, was in handcuffs when he died with his face pressed to the street.
“He died because he was starving for air,” Crump said at a news conference earlier Wednesday. “He needed a breath. So we are demanding justice. We expect all of the police officers to be arrested before we have the memorial here in Minneapolis, Minnesota, tomorrow.”
Crump said the other officers failed to protect a man who was pleading for help and said he couldn’t breathe.
“We are expecting these officers to be charged as accomplices,” he said.
Personnel records released by the city show Chauvin served as a military policeman in the U.S. Army in the late 1990s. Since being hired as a police officer in 2001, he has been awarded two medals of valor: One for being part of a group of officers who opened fire on a stabbing suspect after the man pointed a shotgun at them in 2006, and one for apprehending another man in a domestic incident in 2008. In the latter incident, Chauvin broke down a bathroom door and shot the man in the stomach.
Chauvin was reprimanded in 2008 for pulling a woman out of her car in 2007, frisking her and placing her in his squad car after he stopped her for speeding 10 miles per hour over the limit. His dashboard camera was not activated and a report said he could have interviewed the woman while standing outside her car.
Lane, 37, and Kueng both joined the department in February 2019 and neither have any complaints on their files.
Lane previously worked as a correctional officer at the Hennepin County juvenile jail and as a probation officer at a residential treatment facility for adolescent boys.
Kueng was a 2018 graduate of the University of Minnesota where he worked part-time on campus security. He also worked as a theft-prevention officer at Macy’s in downtown Minneapolis while he was in college.
Tou Thao, a native Hmong speaker, joined the police force as a part-time community service officer in 2008 and was promoted to police officer in 2009. He was laid off later that year due to budget cuts and rehired in 2012.
Gov. Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights on Tuesday launched a civil rights investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department and its history of racial discrimination, in hopes of forcing widespread change.
___
Associated Press reporters Scott Bauer and Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin, and Bernard Condon and Michael Sisak in New York contributed to this report.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-03--Reports: WH ‘Not Happy’ With Esper After Breaking With Trump

Defense Secretary Mark Esper ’ s remarks on Wednesday morning — which broke with President Trump ’ s demand to invoke the Insurrection Act amid mounting protests nationwide in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death — reportedly did not sit well with the White House .
Earlier Wednesday , Esper said that active duty forces should only be used in a law enforcement role as a “ last resort ” and that he does not support invoking the Insurrection Act — a stark contrast from Trump ’ s call for governors to “ dominate ” protesters by activating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has emerged from recent protests .
According to a CNN report on Wednesday , Trump and other top officials are “ not happy ” with Esper following his remarks , citing three people familiar with the White House ’ s thinking .
One White House official told CNN that aides were not given a heads up about the content of Esper ’ s remarks .
Additionally , an official close to Esper and familiar with the White House ’ s thinking told CNN that the defense secretary is being “ skewered ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his remarks at odds with Trump ’ s demands .
“ ( I ’ m ) not sure who thought that was a good idea , ” another official told CNN .
Axios similarly reported that Esper is in “ precarious standing ” with the White House , according to multiple sources .
Citing multiple sources , CNN also reported that Trump has privately fumed over his frustrations with his defense secretary recently , which included a recent weekend at Camp David .

Defense Secretary Mark Esper’s remarks on Wednesday morning — which broke with President Trump’s demand to invoke the Insurrection Act amid mounting protests nationwide in the wake of George Floyd’s death — reportedly did not sit well with the White House.
Earlier Wednesday, Esper said that active duty forces should only be used in a law enforcement role as a “last resort” and that he does not support invoking the Insurrection Act — a stark contrast from Trump’s call for governors to “dominate” protesters by activating the National Guard to quell the violence that has emerged from recent protests.
According to a CNN report on Wednesday, Trump and other top officials are “not happy” with Esper following his remarks, citing three people familiar with the White House’s thinking.
One White House official told CNN that aides were not given a heads up about the content of Esper’s remarks. Additionally, an official close to Esper and familiar with the White House’s thinking told CNN that the defense secretary is being “skewered” by other White House officials in reaction to his remarks at odds with Trump’s demands.
“(I’m) not sure who thought that was a good idea,” another official told CNN.
Axios similarly reported that Esper is in “precarious standing” with the White House, according to multiple sources.
Citing multiple sources, CNN also reported that Trump has privately fumed over his frustrations with his defense secretary recently, which included a recent weekend at Camp David.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-04--Trump Cancels Planned Weekend Stay At New Jersey Golf Club

President Trump will no longer hit the links this weekend .
The President has called off to his scheduled weekend @ @ @ @ @ in Bedminster , New Jersey , according to an NJ.com report on Thursday citing an @ @ @ @ @ The official told NJ.com that although Trump is still set to travel to Maine on @ @ @ @ @ to Washington , D.C. instead .
NJ.com notes that Trump has yet to visit his @ @ @ @ @ this year — which reopened after temporarily closing due to coronavirus-related restrictions — but is @ @ @ @ @ for his re-election campaign , the Republican National Committee and 22 state parties there the @ @ @ @ @ event is restricted to around 25 attendees and costs $ 250,000 per person .

President Trump will no longer hit the links this weekend.
The President has called off to his scheduled weekend stay at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, according to an NJ.com report on Thursday citing an unnamed White House official.
The official told NJ.com that although Trump is still set to travel to Maine on Friday, he will return to Washington, D.C. instead.
NJ.com notes that Trump has yet to visit his golf club in New Jersey this year — which reopened after temporarily closing due to coronavirus-related restrictions — but is set to hold a fundraiser for his re-election campaign, the Republican National Committee and 22 state parties there the following weekend. The fundraising event is restricted to around 25 attendees and costs $250,000 per person.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-04--Tear Gas Is Way More Dangerous Than Police Let On — Especially During the Coronavirus Pandemic

This story first appeared at ProPublica .
ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom .
Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox .
When Amira Chowdhury joined a protest in Philadelphia against police violence on Monday , she wore a mask to protect herself and others against the coronavirus .
But when officers launched tear gas into the crowd , Chowdhury pulled off her mask as she gasped for air .
“ I couldn ’ t breathe , ” she said .
“ I felt like I was choking to death.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Vine Street Expressway that ran underground .
Everyone panicked as gas drifted into the dark , semi-enclosed space , she said .
People stomped over her as they scrambled away .
Bruised , she scaled a fence to escape .
But the tear gas found her later that evening , inside her own house ; as police unleashed it on protesters in her predominantly black neighborhood in West Philadelphia , it seeped in .
“ I can ’ t even be in my own house without escaping the violence of the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior at the University of Pennsylvania .
On Wednesday , she said her throat still felt dry , like it was clogged with ash .
The Philadelphia protest was one of many instances in recent days in which police launched tear gas — a toxic substance that can cause lung damage — into crowds .
In a statement , Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said that officers had no choice but to release it after protesters threw rocks at them and refused to disperse , and that officers also used nonchemical white smoke to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while maintaining a deterrent visual effect.
” She called it “ a means to safely [ defuse ] a volatile and dangerous situation.
” But tear gas is not safe , according to a number of experts interviewed by ProPublica .
It has been found to cause long-term health consequences and can hurt those who aren ’ t the intended targets , including people inside their homes .
This would be enough of a problem in normal times , but now , experts say , the widespread , sometimes indiscriminate use of tear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a respiratory pandemic threatens to worsen the coronavirus , along with racial disparities in its spread and who dies from it .
“ As an immunologist , it scares me , ” said Dr. Purvi Parikh , an allergy and immunology doctor at NYU Langone Health .
“ We just got through a brutal two months , and I ’ m really scared this will bring a second wave [ of COVID-19 ] sooner.
” It puts black communities in an impossible situation , said Dr. Joseph Nwadiuko , an internist and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School of Medicine .
Thirteen of the 15 coronavirus patients in the intensive care unit where he works are black , he said .
“ I worry that one of the compounding effects of structural racism is you ’ ll see a second wave of black patients , including those who were out there defending their lives.
” On Tuesday , an open letter signed by nearly 1,300 medical and public health professionals urged the police to stop using “ tear gas , smoke , or other respiratory irritants , which could increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tract more susceptible to infection , exacerbating existing inflammation , and inducing coughing.
” Here ’ s what you need to know about tear gas and how it ’ s being used by law enforcement in recent days .
Tear gas can cause long-term harm , by making people more susceptible to contracting influenza , pneumonia and other illnesses .
Tear gas is the generic term for a class of compounds that cause a burning sensation .
Most law enforcement agencies in the U.S. , including the Philadelphia Police Department this week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile .
CS activates a specific pain receptor , one that ’ s also triggered by eating wasabi , said Sven-Eric Jordt , a professor of anesthesiology at Duke University .
But CS is much more powerful , up to 100,000 times stronger than the sting from wasabi , he said .
“ They are really pain nerve gases .
They are designed to induce pain.
” CS is particularly painful when it gets on your skin or in your eyes .
( Doctors have advised protesters not to wear contact lenses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ induces people to cough .
The compound degrades the mucus membranes in your eyes , nose , mouth and lungs — the layers of cells that help protect people from viruses and bacteria .
Scientists know little about how CS affects the general public .
The most comprehensive studies were conducted by the U.S. military on thousands of recruits who were exposed to tear gas during training exercises .
Afterward , it left them at higher risk for contracting influenza , pneumonia , bronchitis and other respiratory illnesses .
The soldiers were generally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fewer underlying conditions like asthma or heart disease .
Studies of civilians in Turkey found that people who are repeatedly exposed to tear gas are more likely to have chronic bronchitis or chest pains and coughing that can last for weeks .
It may also be linked to miscarriages .
The effects worsen as people are repeatedly exposed to higher doses , Jordt said , but it ’ s hard to measure the concentrations of tear gas during chaotic protests , and many who are affected will be reluctant or afraid to seek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health doctor , is particularly worried about children at the protests .
Their lungs and immune system are still developing , and tear gas could lead to neurological problems or permanent skin or eye damage if it ’ s not washed off quickly .
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , severe tear gas poisoning , particularly if the gas was released in an enclosed space — can blind or kill people through chemical burns and respiratory failure .
Prisoners with respiratory conditions have died after inhaling tear gas in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an inmate at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn died after guards sprayed him with pepper spray , another kind of tear gas that causes similar health effects as CS .
In a statement , the U.S. Department of Justice ’ s Bureau of Prisons said the inmate , Jamel Floyd , was caught “ breaking the cell door window with a metal object ” and “ became increasingly disruptive and potentially harmful to himself and others.
” Medical staff “ immediately responded to assess the inmate , found Mr. Floyd to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” An investigation is underway .
Tear gas can increase the spread of the coronavirus and might make some people more vulnerable to catching it .
It ’ s too early to know exactly how tear gas affects coronavirus patients .
But Parikh said they both cause lung inflammation .
“ Anything that ’ s an irritant can cause that same inflammatory response , ” she said .
“ Your lungs can fill with mucus and it can be very difficult to breathe .
The muscles narrow ; it ’ s almost like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asthma and other respiratory illnesses already have higher baseline inflammation that makes them more susceptible to catching infections like the flu or the common cold , Parikh said , so tear gas could trigger an asthma attack or weaken the body ’ s ability to stave off COVID-19 .
“ If your lungs are already wheezing and coughing , working hard to expel this tear gas or this irritant , it ’ s unable to have that reserve to fight off any infection , whether a virus or bacteria , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the University of Nebraska , said it only took a whiff of tear gas to trigger an asthma attack when she was protesting in Omaha last Friday .
She could barely feel it in her eyes , but her throat “ just immediately started closing , ” she said .
Smith had brought her inhaler , but the medication inside was running low .
She ’ d only had one asthma attack in her life before this .
Smith had a burning feeling in her chest for days afterward , and she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; the results are pending .
She worries that if she catches the virus while still feeling the effects of the gas , she ’ d be fighting off the disease while her lungs aren ’ t at full capacity .
Parikh said there ’ s not enough data on asthma and the coronavirus in general .
While asthmatics are at higher risk for all respiratory infections , asthma isn ’ t among the top chronic conditions for the most severe coronavirus patients .
“ We are still seeing many asthmatics get it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon to say there ’ s no risk at all , she said .
Tear gas weakens the demonstrators ’ protections against the coronavirus , said Dr. Abraar Karan , a physician at Harvard Medical School who ’ s working on the coronavirus response .
Infections increase when people cough or talk loudly , he said , and even if someone is wearing a mask , when they ’ re hit with tear gas , they ’ ll take off the mask as they ’ re coughing .
“ Not only are you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inhaling to try and get more air in.
” Panic can cause a stampede , forcing people into close proximity as they ’ re expelling large droplets from their mouths , he said , perfectly describing the situation that Chowdhury experienced on Monday .
Karan said he ’ s worried that protests could turn into superspreading events , yet he also understands why people feel they must be there .
“ At the same time , I ’ m worried about my patients who ’ ve been destroyed by systemic racism .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pandemic is.
” It will take at least another week before researchers can study whether the protests led to outbreaks .
Even then , it will be hard to tell whether the infections were caused solely by the large gatherings or whether tear gas contributed to the increase .
Protesters aren ’ t the only people at risk .
Tear gas is entering homes and businesses .
Jordt said he was surprised by the sheer quantity of tear gas used by police in recent days , based on what he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Instead of reserving it for the most extreme situations , “ it ’ s more like fumigating and flushing people out , ” he said .
“ Tear gas has become a 1st line response , not a last resort , ” he added in an email .
Because many protests are occurring in residential neighborhoods , tear gas is now seeping into homes .
Parikh compared it to secondhand smoke .
“ It ’ s a terrible situation , ” she said .
“ To be honest there ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UPenn student who participated in the Philadelphia protest , said she couldn ’ t keep out the gas , even when she stuffed T-shirts and towels under the doors and windows .
She could still smell it the next morning .
If the gas gets indoors , people should wipe down their countertops and other surfaces with large amounts of water and soap , Jordt said .
Any food that wasn ’ t in a closed container could be contaminated and should be thrown out , and in extreme cases with large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business owners may need to contact fire departments for recommendations of professional cleaning services , he added .
Companies like Aftermath offer services for biohazard and infection control .
Its website ’ s section on “ tear gas removal ” says the chemical “ leaves behind residue that can present serious health hazards if not properly treated .
… Tear gas residue can seep into porous materials like furniture , mattresses , clothing , carpet and even hardwood floors , and continue to irritate the mucous membranes of anyone residing in or visiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are many different forms of tear gas and many ways to use it , said Anna Feigenbaum , the author of a recent book on the history of tear gas and an associate professor of communication and digital media at Bournemouth University in England .
Police can spray it from cans , shoot canisters or throw grenades .
Manufacturers sell grenades that produce light and noise as they expel tear gas and “ triple-chaser ” canisters that break into multiple pieces when they land so the gas can cover a larger area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is advancing far more quickly than scientists ’ understanding of the impacts , Jordt said .
“ While use of these [ compounds ] is escalating , there is a vacuum of research to back up the safety of high-level use.
” Feigenbaum said the current situation is dangerous because law enforcement has used tear gas “ at close range , in enclosed spaces , in large quantities , fired directly at people , used [ it ] offensively as a weapon and in conjunction with rubber-coated bullets as a force multiplier.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indiana lost his eye when a tear gas canister hit his face .
Tear gas is banned in international warfare , but it is classified as a “ riot control agent ” that law enforcement can use for crowd control .
Yet instead of calming the situation , tear gas can sometimes “ cause counter aggression , ” Jordt said .
“ It just doesn ’ t work well , and it hits the weakest people the most , and causes the most complications in them.
” One of the most controversial events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Washington , D.C. , used tear gas on peaceful demonstrators to clear the way so President Donald Trump could walk to a nearby church for a photo op .
A statement from the U.S. Park Police said they used “ pepper balls ” with an unspecified irritant powder and “ smoke canisters.
” ( A reporter with WUSA9 tweeted photos on Thursday of CS containers that he and his team said they found at the site . )
The CDC uses “ tear gas ” as the catch-all term for many “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Monica Sanders , who lives across the river in Alexandria , Virginia , said she could see the smoke from her house , like something from a “ dystopian reality.
” A University of Delaware professor who specializes in disaster management , Sanders said she ’ d thought about attending that protest but decided against it because her lungs were still weak from an earlier infection that might have been the coronavirus .
Although she never got tested , Sanders said she came down with a respiratory illness in mid-February that almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She is a triathlete with no history of asthma .
Last October , she swam a 5K race .
Today , she can ’ t even swim a mile .
She said , “ There are other ways to do crowd control that don ’ t involve creating respiratory ailments during a pandemic , in a city that doesn ’ t have enough [ medical ] supplies .
”

This story first appeared at ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.
When Amira Chowdhury joined a protest in Philadelphia against police violence on Monday, she wore a mask to protect herself and others against the coronavirus. But when officers launched tear gas into the crowd, Chowdhury pulled off her mask as she gasped for air. “I couldn’t breathe,” she said. “I felt like I was choking to death.”
Chowdhury was on a part of the Vine Street Expressway that ran underground. Everyone panicked as gas drifted into the dark, semi-enclosed space, she said. People stomped over her as they scrambled away. Bruised, she scaled a fence to escape. But the tear gas found her later that evening, inside her own house; as police unleashed it on protesters in her predominantly black neighborhood in West Philadelphia, it seeped in.
“I can’t even be in my own house without escaping the violence of the state,” said Chowdhury, a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania. On Wednesday, she said her throat still felt dry, like it was clogged with ash.
The Philadelphia protest was one of many instances in recent days in which police launched tear gas — a toxic substance that can cause lung damage — into crowds. In a statement, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said that officers had no choice but to release it after protesters threw rocks at them and refused to disperse, and that officers also used nonchemical white smoke to minimize the amount of the irritant “while maintaining a deterrent visual effect.” She called it “a means to safely [defuse] a volatile and dangerous situation.”
But tear gas is not safe, according to a number of experts interviewed by ProPublica. It has been found to cause long-term health consequences and can hurt those who aren’t the intended targets, including people inside their homes.
This would be enough of a problem in normal times, but now, experts say, the widespread, sometimes indiscriminate use of tear gas on American civilians in the midst of a respiratory pandemic threatens to worsen the coronavirus, along with racial disparities in its spread and who dies from it.
“As an immunologist, it scares me,” said Dr. Purvi Parikh, an allergy and immunology doctor at NYU Langone Health. “We just got through a brutal two months, and I’m really scared this will bring a second wave [of COVID-19] sooner.”
It puts black communities in an impossible situation, said Dr. Joseph Nwadiuko, an internist and researcher at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Thirteen of the 15 coronavirus patients in the intensive care unit where he works are black, he said. “I worry that one of the compounding effects of structural racism is you’ll see a second wave of black patients, including those who were out there defending their lives.”
On Tuesday, an open letter signed by nearly 1,300 medical and public health professionals urged the police to stop using “tear gas, smoke, or other respiratory irritants, which could increase risk for COVID-19 by making the respiratory tract more susceptible to infection, exacerbating existing inflammation, and inducing coughing.”
Here’s what you need to know about tear gas and how it’s being used by law enforcement in recent days.
Tear gas can cause long-term harm, by making people more susceptible to contracting influenza, pneumonia and other illnesses.
Tear gas is the generic term for a class of compounds that cause a burning sensation. Most law enforcement agencies in the U.S., including the Philadelphia Police Department this week, use a chemical called CS, short for 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile.
CS activates a specific pain receptor, one that’s also triggered by eating wasabi, said Sven-Eric Jordt, a professor of anesthesiology at Duke University. But CS is much more powerful, up to 100,000 times stronger than the sting from wasabi, he said.
“They are really pain nerve gases. They are designed to induce pain.”
CS is particularly painful when it gets on your skin or in your eyes. (Doctors have advised protesters not to wear contact lenses.) When inhaled, the pain induces people to cough. The compound degrades the mucus membranes in your eyes, nose, mouth and lungs — the layers of cells that help protect people from viruses and bacteria.
Scientists know little about how CS affects the general public. The most comprehensive studies were conducted by the U.S. military on thousands of recruits who were exposed to tear gas during training exercises. Afterward, it left them at higher risk for contracting influenza, pneumonia, bronchitis and other respiratory illnesses.
The soldiers were generally healthier than the average person, with fewer underlying conditions like asthma or heart disease. Studies of civilians in Turkey found that people who are repeatedly exposed to tear gas are more likely to have chronic bronchitis or chest pains and coughing that can last for weeks. It may also be linked to miscarriages.
The effects worsen as people are repeatedly exposed to higher doses, Jordt said, but it’s hard to measure the concentrations of tear gas during chaotic protests, and many who are affected will be reluctant or afraid to seek medical help.
Parikh, the Langone Health doctor, is particularly worried about children at the protests. Their lungs and immune system are still developing, and tear gas could lead to neurological problems or permanent skin or eye damage if it’s not washed off quickly.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, severe tear gas poisoning, particularly if the gas was released in an enclosed space — can blind or kill people through chemical burns and respiratory failure. Prisoners with respiratory conditions have died after inhaling tear gas in poorly ventilated areas. On Wednesday, an inmate at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn died after guards sprayed him with pepper spray, another kind of tear gas that causes similar health effects as CS.
In a statement, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Prisons said the inmate, Jamel Floyd, was caught “breaking the cell door window with a metal object” and “became increasingly disruptive and potentially harmful to himself and others.” Medical staff “immediately responded to assess the inmate, found Mr. Floyd to be unresponsive, and instantly initiated life-saving measures.” An investigation is underway.
Tear gas can increase the spread of the coronavirus and might make some people more vulnerable to catching it.
It’s too early to know exactly how tear gas affects coronavirus patients. But Parikh said they both cause lung inflammation. “Anything that’s an irritant can cause that same inflammatory response,” she said. “Your lungs can fill with mucus and it can be very difficult to breathe. The muscles narrow; it’s almost like breathing through a straw.”
People with asthma and other respiratory illnesses already have higher baseline inflammation that makes them more susceptible to catching infections like the flu or the common cold, Parikh said, so tear gas could trigger an asthma attack or weaken the body’s ability to stave off COVID-19.
“If your lungs are already wheezing and coughing, working hard to expel this tear gas or this irritant, it’s unable to have that reserve to fight off any infection, whether a virus or bacteria,” she said.
Talia Smith, a graduate student at the University of Nebraska, said it only took a whiff of tear gas to trigger an asthma attack when she was protesting in Omaha last Friday. She could barely feel it in her eyes, but her throat “just immediately started closing,” she said. Smith had brought her inhaler, but the medication inside was running low. She’d only had one asthma attack in her life before this. Smith had a burning feeling in her chest for days afterward, and she went to get tested for the coronavirus; the results are pending. She worries that if she catches the virus while still feeling the effects of the gas, she’d be fighting off the disease while her lungs aren’t at full capacity.
Parikh said there’s not enough data on asthma and the coronavirus in general. While asthmatics are at higher risk for all respiratory infections, asthma isn’t among the top chronic conditions for the most severe coronavirus patients. “We are still seeing many asthmatics get it,” so it’s too soon to say there’s no risk at all, she said.
Tear gas weakens the demonstrators’ protections against the coronavirus, said Dr. Abraar Karan, a physician at Harvard Medical School who’s working on the coronavirus response. Infections increase when people cough or talk loudly, he said, and even if someone is wearing a mask, when they’re hit with tear gas, they’ll take off the mask as they’re coughing. “Not only are you vigorously coughing, you’re vigorously inhaling to try and get more air in.” Panic can cause a stampede, forcing people into close proximity as they’re expelling large droplets from their mouths, he said, perfectly describing the situation that Chowdhury experienced on Monday.
Karan said he’s worried that protests could turn into superspreading events, yet he also understands why people feel they must be there. “At the same time, I’m worried about my patients who’ve been destroyed by systemic racism. So racism is killing them as much as a pandemic is.”
It will take at least another week before researchers can study whether the protests led to outbreaks. Even then, it will be hard to tell whether the infections were caused solely by the large gatherings or whether tear gas contributed to the increase.
Protesters aren’t the only people at risk. Tear gas is entering homes and businesses.
Jordt said he was surprised by the sheer quantity of tear gas used by police in recent days, based on what he’s seen in online videos and news clips. Instead of reserving it for the most extreme situations, “it’s more like fumigating and flushing people out,” he said. “Tear gas has become a 1st line response, not a last resort,” he added in an email.
Because many protests are occurring in residential neighborhoods, tear gas is now seeping into homes. Parikh compared it to secondhand smoke. “It’s a terrible situation,” she said. “To be honest there’s not much you can do.”
Chowdhury, the UPenn student who participated in the Philadelphia protest, said she couldn’t keep out the gas, even when she stuffed T-shirts and towels under the doors and windows. She could still smell it the next morning.
If the gas gets indoors, people should wipe down their countertops and other surfaces with large amounts of water and soap, Jordt said. Any food that wasn’t in a closed container could be contaminated and should be thrown out, and in extreme cases with large amounts of tear gas, residents and business owners may need to contact fire departments for recommendations of professional cleaning services, he added.
Companies like Aftermath offer services for biohazard and infection control. Its website’s section on “tear gas removal” says the chemical “leaves behind residue that can present serious health hazards if not properly treated. … Tear gas residue can seep into porous materials like furniture, mattresses, clothing, carpet and even hardwood floors, and continue to irritate the mucous membranes of anyone residing in or visiting the property long after the incident.”
Police tactics and tools can make matters worse.
There are many different forms of tear gas and many ways to use it, said Anna Feigenbaum, the author of a recent book on the history of tear gas and an associate professor of communication and digital media at Bournemouth University in England.
Police can spray it from cans, shoot canisters or throw grenades. Manufacturers sell grenades that produce light and noise as they expel tear gas and “triple-chaser” canisters that break into multiple pieces when they land so the gas can cover a larger area.
The technology for deploying tear gas is advancing far more quickly than scientists’ understanding of the impacts, Jordt said. “While use of these [compounds] is escalating, there is a vacuum of research to back up the safety of high-level use.”
Feigenbaum said the current situation is dangerous because law enforcement has used tear gas “at close range, in enclosed spaces, in large quantities, fired directly at people, used [it] offensively as a weapon and in conjunction with rubber-coated bullets as a force multiplier.”
Last weekend, a college student in Indiana lost his eye when a tear gas canister hit his face.
Tear gas is banned in international warfare, but it is classified as a “riot control agent” that law enforcement can use for crowd control. Yet instead of calming the situation, tear gas can sometimes “cause counter aggression,” Jordt said. “It just doesn’t work well, and it hits the weakest people the most, and causes the most complications in them.”
One of the most controversial events occurred on Monday, when law enforcement in Washington, D.C., used tear gas on peaceful demonstrators to clear the way so President Donald Trump could walk to a nearby church for a photo op. A statement from the U.S. Park Police said they used “pepper balls” with an unspecified irritant powder and “smoke canisters.” (A reporter with WUSA9 tweeted photos on Thursday of CS containers that he and his team said they found at the site.) The CDC uses “tear gas” as the catch-all term for many “riot control” compounds with similar effects.
Monica Sanders, who lives across the river in Alexandria, Virginia, said she could see the smoke from her house, like something from a “dystopian reality.”
A University of Delaware professor who specializes in disaster management, Sanders said she’d thought about attending that protest but decided against it because her lungs were still weak from an earlier infection that might have been the coronavirus. Although she never got tested, Sanders said she came down with a respiratory illness in mid-February that almost sent her to the emergency room. She is a triathlete with no history of asthma. Last October, she swam a 5K race. Today, she can’t even swim a mile.
She said, “There are other ways to do crowd control that don’t involve creating respiratory ailments during a pandemic, in a city that doesn’t have enough [medical] supplies.”
Maya Eliahou and Caroline Chen contributed reporting.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-04--Pelosi Wants Trump To Give Her List Of All Agencies Involved In Policing DC Unrest

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) on Thursday raised alarm at federal law enforcement operating in Washington , D.C. without identifying themselves , and she wrote to President Trump for a list of every agency involved in policing the nation ’ s capital .
“ We are concerned about the increased militarization and lack of clarity that may increase chaos.
” Pelosi wrote in the letter to Trump .
“ I am writing to request a full list of the agencies involved and clarifications of the roles and responsibilities of the troops and federal law enforcement resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s letter demanding transparency comes after protesters and reporters have complained about uncomfortable encounters with unidentified police in various uniforms on the streets of Washington , D.C. and elsewhere , where law enforcement personnel fail to wear badges , identifying insignia or name plates .
Dan Friedman , a national security reporter at Mother Jones , tweeted the image of a cluster of otherwise unidentified law enforcement personnel who provided vague affiliation with “ the Department of Justice.
” Protesters and members of the press in Washington have been met with armed riot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a refusal to distinguish themselves or their role in the show of force mandated by President Trump .
Mike Valerio , a reporter for the CBS affiliate in D.C. , tweeted on Wednesday that a group of riot officers refused to identify themselves .
They were later identified as officers from the Federal Bureau of Prisons .
Attorney General Bill Barr , who was tasked by Trump to manage law enforcement response to the protests , said many of the unidentified officers were members of Special Operations Response Teams deployed by the Bureau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ used frequently for emergency response and in emergency situations in either civil disturbances or hurricanes or other things like that.
” The Drug Enforcement Administration is another example of a department that has undergone reassignment for the purposes of quelling protests and unrest over police brutality .
In a document first reported by BuzzFeed News , the department was given permission to expand its investigations typically focused on drug-related crimes to the investigation of protest-related criminal activity .
Pelosi is expected to deliver a police reform bill drafted by members of the @ @ @ @ @ @

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Thursday raised alarm at federal law enforcement operating in Washington, D.C. without identifying themselves, and she wrote to President Trump for a list of every agency involved in policing the nation’s capital.
“We are concerned about the increased militarization and lack of clarity that may increase chaos.” Pelosi wrote in the letter to Trump. “I am writing to request a full list of the agencies involved and clarifications of the roles and responsibilities of the troops and federal law enforcement resources operating in the city.”
Americans deserve to know:
Who is in charge?
What is the chain of command?
What is the mission?
What agencies are involved? What are their roles & responsibilities?
And by what authority is the National Guard from other states operating in the Capital? — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) June 4, 2020
Pelosi’s letter demanding transparency comes after protesters and reporters have complained about uncomfortable encounters with unidentified police in various uniforms on the streets of Washington, D.C. and elsewhere, where law enforcement personnel fail to wear badges, identifying insignia or name plates.
Dan Friedman, a national security reporter at Mother Jones, tweeted the image of a cluster of otherwise unidentified law enforcement personnel who provided vague affiliation with “the Department of Justice.”
Asked who they’re with, these guys say only that they’re with “The Department of Justice.” pic.twitter.com/ciVDtP8ndk — Dan Friedman (@dfriedman33) June 2, 2020
Protesters and members of the press in Washington have been met with armed riot officers with affiliations of uncertain origin and a refusal to distinguish themselves or their role in the show of force mandated by President Trump.
Mike Valerio, a reporter for the CBS affiliate in D.C., tweeted on Wednesday that a group of riot officers refused to identify themselves. They were later identified as officers from the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
.@CBSNews confirms DOJ officers refusing to identify themselves are from the Bureau of Prisons. BOP tells @AndyTriay that their Crisis Management teams "are not wearing BOP specific clothing as they are serving a broader mission." https://t.co/eTSOca5q4f pic.twitter.com/QEthm5Efy9 — Sara Cook (@saraecook) June 3, 2020
Attorney General Bill Barr, who was tasked by Trump to manage law enforcement response to the protests, said many of the unidentified officers were members of Special Operations Response Teams deployed by the Bureau. He added that these teams are “used frequently for emergency response and in emergency situations in either civil disturbances or hurricanes or other things like that.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration is another example of a department that has undergone reassignment for the purposes of quelling protests and unrest over police brutality. In a document first reported by BuzzFeed News, the department was given permission to expand its investigations typically focused on drug-related crimes to the investigation of protest-related criminal activity.
Pelosi is expected to deliver a police reform bill drafted by members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Monday.
Read Pelosi’s letter below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-04--City Officials Weigh Police Department Budget Cuts Amid Nationwide Protests

Elected officials in major cities are weighing cuts to their police departments ’ budgets , a common demand from activists protesting the police killing of George Floyd .
On Wednesday , Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti ( D ) announced that he ’ d look for $ 250 million from city departments for “ reinvesting in black communities and communities of color.
” LA Police Commission President Eileen Decker said that $ 100 to $ 150 million of that would come from the LA Police Department ’ s allotment .
Garcetti also announced that he will axe a budget increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was written into the city ’ s budget proposal .
It would have ballooned the LAPD budget from $ 1.189 billion to $ 1.86 billion and included $ 41 million in bonuses .
Garcetti promised upcoming details about where the money would be rerouted .
The LA city council codified the announcement with a motion ordering the City Administrative Officer and Chief Legislative Analyst to find the $ 100- $ 150 million in cuts .
LA City Council President Nury Martinez called it a “ reset ” of priorities after Floyd ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not talk about change , we have to be about change.
” The Los Angeles Police Protective League , which represents rank-and-file officers , responded to an earlier iteration of a budget cut proposal with outrage .
“ Cutting the LAPD budget means longer responses to 911 emergency calls , officers calling for back-up won ’ t get it , and rape , murder and assault investigations won ’ t occur or will take forever to initiate , let alone complete , ” the group said in a statement .
“ At this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a global pandemic and nearly a week ’ s worth of violence , arson , and looting , ‘ defunding ’ the LAPD is the most irresponsible thing anyone can propose.
” Garcetti has been under intense pressure from protesters , many of whom have been demonstrating outside his house .
Earlier this week , he provoked their ire by standing by LAPD police chief Michael Moore who seemed to lay the blame for Floyd ’ s killing on those looting the city .
“ We didn ’ t have protests last night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moore had said Monday .
“ We didn ’ t have people mourning the death of this man , George Floyd — we had people capitalizing .
His death is on their hands as much as it is those officers.
” Moore corrected himself , saying the blame lies with the police officers , and Garcetti later said that he knows the chief “ didn ’ t mean it.
” The police budget cut idea is bouncing around other city councils as well , in places that have seen robust and sustained protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ site of Floyd ’ s killing , city council members are considering further divestment from traditional policing .
In prior years , council members redirected money earmarked for the police department to violence prevention and community outreach .
According to the local Southwest Journal , the city was already tasked with finding cuts due to losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic .
In New York City , the comptroller has joined in calls from city council members for a $ 1 billion cut from the police budget over four years , and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mayor Bill de Blasio , however , said that calls to “ defund the police ” are “ not the way forward.
” And in Phoenix , Arizona , the city council will hold a special session on Monday to debate activists ’ call for a 25 percent cut to the police department ’ s budget .

Elected officials in major cities are weighing cuts to their police departments’ budgets, a common demand from activists protesting the police killing of George Floyd.
On Wednesday, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (D) announced that he’d look for $250 million from city departments for “reinvesting in black communities and communities of color.” LA Police Commission President Eileen Decker said that $100 to $150 million of that would come from the LA Police Department’s allotment.
Garcetti also announced that he will axe a budget increase that he initially proposed, and that was written into the city’s budget proposal. It would have ballooned the LAPD budget from $1.189 billion to $1.86 billion and included $41 million in bonuses.
Garcetti promised upcoming details about where the money would be rerouted.
The LA city council codified the announcement with a motion ordering the City Administrative Officer and Chief Legislative Analyst to find the $100-$150 million in cuts. LA City Council President Nury Martinez called it a “reset” of priorities after Floyd’s killing, adding that “we cannot talk about change, we have to be about change.”
Today we intrdcd a motion to cut funding to the LAPD, as we reset our priorities in the wake of the murder of #GeorgeFloyd & the #BlackLivesMatter call that we all support to end racism. This is just one small step. We cannot talk about change, we have to be about change. pic.twitter.com/hR1tBAqwHP — Nury Martinez (@CD6Nury) June 3, 2020
The Los Angeles Police Protective League, which represents rank-and-file officers, responded to an earlier iteration of a budget cut proposal with outrage.
“Cutting the LAPD budget means longer responses to 911 emergency calls, officers calling for back-up won’t get it, and rape, murder and assault investigations won’t occur or will take forever to initiate, let alone complete,” the group said in a statement. “At this time, with violent crime increasing, a global pandemic and nearly a week’s worth of violence, arson, and looting, ‘defunding’ the LAPD is the most irresponsible thing anyone can propose.”
Garcetti has been under intense pressure from protesters, many of whom have been demonstrating outside his house. Earlier this week, he provoked their ire by standing by LAPD police chief Michael Moore who seemed to lay the blame for Floyd’s killing on those looting the city.
“We didn’t have protests last night — we had criminal acts,” Moore had said Monday. “We didn’t have people mourning the death of this man, George Floyd — we had people capitalizing. His death is on their hands as much as it is those officers.”
Moore corrected himself, saying the blame lies with the police officers, and Garcetti later said that he knows the chief “didn’t mean it.”
The police budget cut idea is bouncing around other city councils as well, in places that have seen robust and sustained protests.
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the site of Floyd’s killing, city council members are considering further divestment from traditional policing. In prior years, council members redirected money earmarked for the police department to violence prevention and community outreach. According to the local Southwest Journal, the city was already tasked with finding cuts due to losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In New York City, the comptroller has joined in calls from city council members for a $1 billion cut from the police budget over four years, and a rerouting of the funds into community development. Mayor Bill de Blasio, however, said that calls to “defund the police” are “not the way forward.”
And in Phoenix, Arizona, the city council will hold a special session on Monday to debate activists’ call for a 25 percent cut to the police department’s budget.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-04--Lafayette Park Protesters Aren’t Federal Prisoners, But Prison Riot Teams Are There Anyway

Among the alphabet soup of federal law enforcement agencies patrolling the streets of Washington , D.C. in recent days , a deployment of “ crisis management ” teams from the Federal Bureau of Prisons stuck out like a sore thumb .
That ’ s because the federal prison guards don ’ t typically deal with unincarcerated people , let alone protesters calling for an end to police brutality .
And yet , on Wednesday , photos from the demonstrations in D.C. showed men in riot gear on the city ’ s streets without identifying information on their uniforms .
Eventually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MSNBC that the men were “ SORT ” — Special Operations Response Teams .
The show of force was met with extreme skepticism .
“ This is a very , very bad idea , ” the former Justice Department Inspector General Michael Bromwich said Monday in response to the news that the department was deploying the federal prison riot teams to D.C. and Miami .
“ Bureau of Prisons riot teams are trained to deal with disturbances created by convicted criminals in prison facilities , not with protesters on the streets of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These are worlds apart.
” Deborah Golden , an attorney who ’ s worked for years on federal prisoners ’ rights , told TPM that federal prison guards work from a drastically different set of rules than street cops .
“ Respecting the rights of people to assemble and petition the government is not something that BOP officers are trained to be as cautious about , ” she said .
“ It would be a sign of incredible danger if you were in a prison and a group of 100 prisoners congregated and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be trained to react immediately to that as a serious situation.
” In prison , incarcerated people know about the obligation to follow officers ’ orders , Golden said , such as an order to get down on the ground if something were to happen in an open yard .
“ That ’ s not something that people in Lafayette Park have to obey , and aren ’ t going to , ” she said .
In a letter to Attorney General Bill Barr Thursday , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal law enforcement personnel ” at the nation ’ s capital , which included the BOP officers .
“ We are concerned about the increased militarization and lack of clarity that may increase chaos , ” she wrote .
At a press conference Thursday alongside Barr and others , Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal said federal prison guards were “ often called upon to assist during crisis situations within our communities.
” “ BOP Crisis Management teams are highly trained to deal with various types of emergency situations , including crowd control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They are experienced in confrontation avoidance and conflict resolution.
” Later Barr said SORT teams were “ used frequently for emergency response and in emergency situations in either civil disturbances or hurricanes or other things like that.
” There were at least two uses of BOP personnel in emergency situations when Barr was last attorney general , in the early ‘ 90s .
Two days after Hurricane Andrew rammed into the state of Florida , “ Bureau staff , assisted by the U.S .
Marshals Service , had safely transported nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ correctional facilities throughout the Southeast Region , ” according to a “ State of the Bureau ” report for that year .
Also in 1992 , Los Angeles experienced an upheaval over the police beating of Rodney King .
In response , as the report describes , “ 20 of the Bureau ’ s Special Operations Response Teams ( SORT ’ s ) from Federal institutions nationwide traveled to the riot-torn area.
” The report describes a chaotic situation , with the special operator prison guards patrolling neighborhoods , searching burned-out buildings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preventing an individual from stabbing a woman , and apprehending a sniper who had been shooting at residents.
” As Golden noted , it “ doesn ’ t sound like they were doing protest patrol .
”

Among the alphabet soup of federal law enforcement agencies patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C. in recent days, a deployment of “crisis management” teams from the Federal Bureau of Prisons stuck out like a sore thumb.
That’s because the federal prison guards don’t typically deal with unincarcerated people, let alone protesters calling for an end to police brutality.
And yet, on Wednesday, photos from the demonstrations in D.C. showed men in riot gear on the city’s streets without identifying information on their uniforms. Eventually, the Bureau of Prisons confirmed to MSNBC that the men were “SORT” — Special Operations Response Teams.
Shift change: National guard has been replaced with a different unit. One officer identified himself to protestors as being with “DOJ”, another said he was from California, and one has a Bureau of Prisons patch on his vest. No name plates. pic.twitter.com/QIjNlMTfsQ — Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) June 3, 2020
The show of force was met with extreme skepticism.
“This is a very, very bad idea,” the former Justice Department Inspector General Michael Bromwich said Monday in response to the news that the department was deploying the federal prison riot teams to D.C. and Miami.
“Bureau of Prisons riot teams are trained to deal with disturbances created by convicted criminals in prison facilities, not with protesters on the streets of our cities,” Bromwich said. “These are worlds apart.”
Deborah Golden, an attorney who’s worked for years on federal prisoners’ rights, told TPM that federal prison guards work from a drastically different set of rules than street cops.
“Respecting the rights of people to assemble and petition the government is not something that BOP officers are trained to be as cautious about,” she said. “It would be a sign of incredible danger if you were in a prison and a group of 100 prisoners congregated and started chanting. Any BOP officer would be trained to react immediately to that as a serious situation.”
In prison, incarcerated people know about the obligation to follow officers’ orders, Golden said, such as an order to get down on the ground if something were to happen in an open yard.
“That’s not something that people in Lafayette Park have to obey, and aren’t going to,” she said.
In a letter to Attorney General Bill Barr Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) sounded the alarm over the “unidentified federal law enforcement personnel” at the nation’s capital, which included the BOP officers.
“We are concerned about the increased militarization and lack of clarity that may increase chaos,” she wrote.
At a press conference Thursday alongside Barr and others, Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal said federal prison guards were “often called upon to assist during crisis situations within our communities.”
“BOP Crisis Management teams are highly trained to deal with various types of emergency situations, including crowd control and civil disturbances,” he added. “They are experienced in confrontation avoidance and conflict resolution.”
Later Barr said SORT teams were “used frequently for emergency response and in emergency situations in either civil disturbances or hurricanes or other things like that.”
There were at least two uses of BOP personnel in emergency situations when Barr was last attorney general, in the early ‘90s.
Two days after Hurricane Andrew rammed into the state of Florida, “Bureau staff, assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service, had safely transported nearly 1,400 inmates to other Bureau and non-Bureau correctional facilities throughout the Southeast Region,” according to a “State of the Bureau” report for that year.
Also in 1992, Los Angeles experienced an upheaval over the police beating of Rodney King. In response, as the report describes, “20 of the Bureau’s Special Operations Response Teams (SORT’s) from Federal institutions nationwide traveled to the riot-torn area.”
The report describes a chaotic situation, with the special operator prison guards patrolling neighborhoods, searching burned-out buildings, “apprehending four individuals possessing cocaine, preventing an individual from stabbing a woman, and apprehending a sniper who had been shooting at residents.”
As Golden noted, it “doesn’t sound like they were doing protest patrol.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-04--John Kelly Stands Up For Mattis: Trump Has ‘Clearly Forgotten How It Actually Happened’

Former White House chief of staff John Kelly threw his support behind fellow Trump administration alum Jim Mattis as he takes heat from the President for decrying the President ’ s “ abuse of executive authority ” in a scathing statement .
Shortly after Mattis ’ statement criticizing the President ’ s use of militaristic force ahead his surprise photo-op in front of St. John ’ s Episcopal Church was published Wednesday evening , Trump tweeted that “ probably the only thing Barack Obama & I have in common is that we both had the honor of firing Jim Mattis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General.
” Kelly pushed back at Trump ’ s claim that he fired Mattis in an interview with the Washington Post on Thursday .
“ The President did not fire him .
He did not ask for his resignation , ” Kelly told the Post .
“ The President has clearly forgotten how it actually happened or is confused.
” Kelly noted that the President posted a “ very positive tweet ” about Mattis — referring to his tweet in December 2018 saying that Mattis will retire “ with distinction ” — but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got nasty ” upon seeing Fox News ’ “ interpretation ” of his resignation letter .
Mattis submitted his resignation letter in December .
2018 , a day after Trump ’ s plans to withdraw troops from Syria were publicly released .
In his letter , Mattis wrote that it was right to step down from his position because the President has “ the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned ” with his .

Former White House chief of staff John Kelly threw his support behind fellow Trump administration alum Jim Mattis as he takes heat from the President for decrying the President’s “abuse of executive authority” in a scathing statement.
Shortly after Mattis’ statement criticizing the President’s use of militaristic force ahead his surprise photo-op in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church was published Wednesday evening, Trump tweeted that “probably the only thing Barack Obama & I have in common is that we both had the honor of firing Jim Mattis, the world’s most overrated General.”
Kelly pushed back at Trump’s claim that he fired Mattis in an interview with the Washington Post on Thursday.
“The President did not fire him. He did not ask for his resignation,” Kelly told the Post. “The President has clearly forgotten how it actually happened or is confused.”
Kelly noted that the President posted a “very positive tweet” about Mattis — referring to his tweet in December 2018 saying that Mattis will retire “with distinction” — but that the sentiment lasted until he “got nasty” upon seeing Fox News’ “interpretation” of his resignation letter.
Mattis submitted his resignation letter in December, 2018, a day after Trump’s plans to withdraw troops from Syria were publicly released. In his letter, Mattis wrote that it was right to step down from his position because the President has “the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned” with his.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-04--Grassley Putting Hold On Two Trump Admin Nominees Until WH Provides Explanation For IG Firings

Sen. Chuck Grassley ( R-IA ) announced Thursday that he is placing a hold on two Trump administration nominees until the White House provides him with an explanation for the firing of two inspectors general .
The two nominees are Christopher Miller to be director of the National Counterterrorism Center and Marshall Billingslea to be the undersecretary of State for arms control and international security , Grassley ’ s communication director George Hartmann told TPM .
The nominees are deliberate choices , one from each department that lost an inspector general to President Trump ’ s firing for which Grassley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week that the White House had “ failed ” to give him adequate rationale for the President ’ s firing of intelligence community Inspector General Michael Atkinson and State Department Inspector General Steve Linick .
He added that the White House also did not address the “ glaring conflict of interest ” created by Trump nominating replacements for the axed IGs from the departments they oversaw , some of whom are maintaining both positions at once .
In response to Grassley ’ s inquiries , counsel to the President Pat Cipollone did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond Trump losing confidence in the officials , instead focusing on the President ’ s legal right to remove inspectors general .
Trump has fired or removed from leadership positions five inspectors general this spring alone .
The most recent of those , Linick , testified Wednesday in private to a slew of House committees who are leading a probe into his firing .
Democrats who listened to the testimony reported that he said he had “ not heard any valid reason that would justify my removal .
”

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) announced Thursday that he is placing a hold on two Trump administration nominees until the White House provides him with an explanation for the firing of two inspectors general.
Im placing holds on 2 Trump Admin noms until I get reasons 4firing 2 agency watchdogs as required by law Not 1st time ive raised alarm when admins flout IG protection law Obama did same& got same earfull from me All I want is a reason 4 firing these ppl CHECKS&BALANCES — ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) June 4, 2020
The two nominees are Christopher Miller to be director of the National Counterterrorism Center and Marshall Billingslea to be the undersecretary of State for arms control and international security, Grassley’s communication director George Hartmann told TPM.
The nominees are deliberate choices, one from each department that lost an inspector general to President Trump’s firing for which Grassley is demanding an explanation.
He said last week that the White House had “failed” to give him adequate rationale for the President’s firing of intelligence community Inspector General Michael Atkinson and State Department Inspector General Steve Linick.
He added that the White House also did not address the “glaring conflict of interest” created by Trump nominating replacements for the axed IGs from the departments they oversaw, some of whom are maintaining both positions at once.
In response to Grassley’s inquiries, counsel to the President Pat Cipollone did not provide any reasoning for the firings beyond Trump losing confidence in the officials, instead focusing on the President’s legal right to remove inspectors general.
Trump has fired or removed from leadership positions five inspectors general this spring alone.
The most recent of those, Linick, testified Wednesday in private to a slew of House committees who are leading a probe into his firing.
Democrats who listened to the testimony reported that he said he had “not heard any valid reason that would justify my removal.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-04--‘You Sound Completely Barking Mad’: Piers Morgan And Giuliani Brawl In Wild Interview

“ Good Morning Britain ” co-host Piers Morgan , one of President Donald Trump ’ s biggest media allies , had an interview with Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Thursday that flew completely off the handle .
Giuliani appeared on the British program to defend Trump ’ s inflammatory tweet about the protests over George Floyd ’ s death , in which the President threatened to get the military involved and that “ when the looting starts , the shooting starts.
” The lawyer started off by accusing “ the left-wing media ” of “ deliberately misinterpreting ” the tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t advocating violence .
Giuliani kept ranting on and on until Morgan finally got a word in edgewise after trying to cut in several times .
“ Rudy , I ’ m sorry , but you ’ re talking total claptrap , ” the anchor told Giuliani .
Then Morgan , who ordinarily cozies up to Trump with softball interviews , confronted Giuliani with the racist history behind the phrase “ when the looting starts , the shooting starts.
” The interview quickly deteriorated into a shouting match , during which an unhinged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ correct propaganda so you can be popular ” and yelled “ What a bunch of garbage you ’ re spewing !
” That ’ s when Giuliani truly lost it , telling the anchor that “ everyone in America knows you ’ re a failed journalist.
” “ I know what happened to your show , Piers , ” the lawyer shouted , referring to Morgan ’ s CNN show that got cancelled due to poor ratings .
“ And I remember the mistakes you made , and I remember how you fucked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone completely mad and you sound deranged , and it ’ s really sad to see what ’ s happened to you , ” Morgan retorted .

“Good Morning Britain” co-host Piers Morgan, one of President Donald Trump’s biggest media allies, had an interview with Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Thursday that flew completely off the handle.
Giuliani appeared on the British program to defend Trump’s inflammatory tweet about the protests over George Floyd’s death, in which the President threatened to get the military involved and that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”
The lawyer started off by accusing “the left-wing media” of “deliberately misinterpreting” the tweet, and claimed that Trump wasn’t advocating violence.
Giuliani kept ranting on and on until Morgan finally got a word in edgewise after trying to cut in several times.
“Rudy, I’m sorry, but you’re talking total claptrap,” the anchor told Giuliani.
Then Morgan, who ordinarily cozies up to Trump with softball interviews, confronted Giuliani with the racist history behind the phrase “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”
The interview quickly deteriorated into a shouting match, during which an unhinged Giuliani accused Morgan of peddling “politically correct propaganda so you can be popular” and yelled “What a bunch of garbage you’re spewing!”
“You sound completely barking mad, you know that?” Morgan snapped.
That’s when Giuliani truly lost it, telling the anchor that “everyone in America knows you’re a failed journalist.”
“I know what happened to your show, Piers,” the lawyer shouted, referring to Morgan’s CNN show that got cancelled due to poor ratings. “And I remember the mistakes you made, and I remember how you fucked up!”
“You’ve gone completely mad and you sound deranged, and it’s really sad to see what’s happened to you,” Morgan retorted.
Watch the spectacle below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-04--Philly Inquirer Staffers Stage Walkout Over ‘Buildings Matter, Too’ Headline

The Philadelphia Inquirer has apologized to readers and staffers after publishing the headline “ Buildings Matter , Too ” — an ill-conceived and racist riff on the Black Lives Matter movement for a column that ran Monday .
While intending to address the city ’ s plans for repairing damages to buildings and infrastructure following anti-racism protests , the news outlet later acknowledged that the headline was insensitive — suggesting an equivalence between the value of property and the value of black lives .
In a letter of apology published two days after the incident , executive and managing editors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no such comparison was intended , ” the poor judgment exercised in the decision was “ unacceptable.
” Rocked by protests against racial injustice that have swept across the nation this week and dismayed by the poor judgment exercised by their colleagues , some Inquirer staffers penned an open letter that surfaced on Twitter Thursday addressing the “ systemic racism ” that unfolded in their own newsroom .
“ We ’ re tired of seeing our words and photos twisted to fit a narrative that does not reflect our reality , ” Brandon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other staffers wrote .
“ We ’ re tired of being told to show both sides of issues there are no two sides of.
” Forty-four people had signed the letter as of 8 a.m .
ET on Thursday , some adding that the walk-out reflected a rebuke not just of a single headline but a culture that needs changing .
The move to “ walkout ” echoes decisions by some staff at The New York Times who called out of work Thursday after sharply criticizing the publication of a controversial opinion essay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activation of military forces against racial equality demonstrations that had , in his view , been co-opted by “ anarchists .
”

The Philadelphia Inquirer has apologized to readers and staffers after publishing the headline “Buildings Matter, Too” — an ill-conceived and racist riff on the Black Lives Matter movement for a column that ran Monday.
While intending to address the city’s plans for repairing damages to buildings and infrastructure following anti-racism protests, the news outlet later acknowledged that the headline was insensitive — suggesting an equivalence between the value of property and the value of black lives. In a letter of apology published two days after the incident, executive and managing editors at the Inquirer said that while “no such comparison was intended,” the poor judgment exercised in the decision was “unacceptable.”
I was glad to see @PhillyInquirer respond with this apology and explanation for the unfortunate headline that accompanied my column Tuesday. I am deeply sorry for the trauma it caused black people in Philly, and my black and brown newsroom colleagues. https://t.co/N5f5uusQhY — Inga Saffron (@IngaSaffron) June 4, 2020
Rocked by protests against racial injustice that have swept across the nation this week and dismayed by the poor judgment exercised by their colleagues, some Inquirer staffers penned an open letter that surfaced on Twitter Thursday addressing the “systemic racism” that unfolded in their own newsroom.
Today, I’m joining my colleagues of color at the @PhillyInquirer and calling in sick and tired. Things need to change. We call on The Inquirer to do better. To be better. Here is the open letter we sent our newsroom leadership yesterday:https://t.co/zWavZdCXgV pic.twitter.com/Epp9fZKDnJ — Brandon Bell (@brandontrevion) June 4, 2020
“We’re tired of seeing our words and photos twisted to fit a narrative that does not reflect our reality,” Brandon Bell, a features reporter, and other staffers wrote. “We’re tired of being told to show both sides of issues there are no two sides of.”
A lot of us have been working to change the Inquirer and today was just another reminder that so many people are traumatized and exhausted — ?????? ????? (@cassieowens) June 3, 2020
Forty-four people had signed the letter as of 8 a.m. ET on Thursday, some adding that the walk-out reflected a rebuke not just of a single headline but a culture that needs changing.
"this conversation has been started time and time again." I just want to reiterate that it is not just because of one headline. It is not just one mistake. It is something that continuously happens at the Inquirer and when journalists of color call it out, they are often silenced — Lauren Schneiderman (@lschneiderman_) June 4, 2020
The move to “walkout” echoes decisions by some staff at The New York Times who called out of work Thursday after sharply criticizing the publication of a controversial opinion essay by Sen. Tom Cotton that promoted the activation of military forces against racial equality demonstrations that had, in his view, been co-opted by “anarchists.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-04--McConnell Boosts Esper As He Comes Under Fire At WH For Breaking With Trump

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) is throwing his support behind Defense Secretary Mark Esper amid reports that the White House is “ not happy ” after Esper broke with President Trump by opposing invoking the Insurrection Act to quell protests .
In Thursday morning tweets , McConnell praised both Esper and Attorney General Bill Barr for their “ dedicated work at this difficult time.
” McConnell added that he is glad the President “ assembled such an impressive team.
” McConnell ’ s tweets come a day after Esper contradicted Trump ’ s call for governors to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Guard to quell nationwide protests and unrest in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death .
During a Wednesday press conference , Esper argued that active duty forces should only be used in a law enforcement role as a “ last resort.
” Hours after Esper delivered his remarks , CNN and Axios reported that Trump and other top officials were “ not happy ” with Esper following his remarks , which officials claim they didn ’ t get a heads up on .
According to CNN , Trump has privately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretary during a recent weekend at Camp David .

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is throwing his support behind Defense Secretary Mark Esper amid reports that the White House is “not happy” after Esper broke with President Trump by opposing invoking the Insurrection Act to quell protests.
In Thursday morning tweets, McConnell praised both Esper and Attorney General Bill Barr for their “dedicated work at this difficult time.” McConnell added that he is glad the President “assembled such an impressive team.”
In these challenging times, the President and the American people are very well-served by the expert advice and principled leadership of people like Secretary Esper and Attorney General Barr. (1/3) — Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) June 4, 2020
I am glad President Trump has assembled such an impressive team that is working hard for all Americans. (3/3) — Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) June 4, 2020
McConnell’s tweets come a day after Esper contradicted Trump’s call for governors to “dominate” protesters by activating the National Guard to quell nationwide protests and unrest in the wake of George Floyd’s death. During a Wednesday press conference, Esper argued that active duty forces should only be used in a law enforcement role as a “last resort.”
Hours after Esper delivered his remarks, CNN and Axios reported that Trump and other top officials were “not happy” with Esper following his remarks, which officials claim they didn’t get a heads up on. According to CNN, Trump has privately fumed over his frustrations with his defense secretary during a recent weekend at Camp David.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-05--ICYMI: Your TPM News Roundup

ICYMI: Your TPM News Roundup

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--2020-06-05--Ohio National Guardsman Suspended For ‘White Supremacist’ Ideology

Ohio Republican Gov .
Mike DeWine said a member of the state ’ s National Guard was suspended and removed from a mission to quell disturbance at racial justice protests in Washington , D.C. , after the FBI discovered comments the guardsman had posted online supporting white supremacist ideology prior to his assignment .
“ While I fully support everyone ’ s right to free speech , guardsmen and women are sworn to protect all of us , ” DeWine said in a press briefing Friday , “ regardless of race , ethnic background or religion.
” “ Anyone who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans has no place in the Ohio National Guard , ” he said .
Ohio sent 100 guard members to D.C. this week to help subdue social unrest amid recent anti-racism protests in response to the death of George Floyd who died in police custody in May , DeWine said .
Although further investigation is underway , the governor added , it is “ highly likely ” the guardsman will be permanently dismissed from the National Guard .
DeWine was careful not to weigh in when prodded by a local Toledo Blade reporter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s widely criticized decision earlier this week to forcefully clear peaceful protesters from a D.C. park in preparation for a presidential photo-op .
“ I don ’ t know all the facts , ” DeWine said .
“ I ’ m not going to critique every single thing the Unites States President does.
” In a statement Thursday Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) demanded that President Trump provide detailed information about unidentified officers patrolling in D.C. — and to provide transparency about their roles and the chain of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal and state agencies , including the National Guard , to assist in containing protesters .
The investigation into the National Guard member ’ s conduct raises further questions about background checks and the selection process for guardsmen for the mission that has been widely criticized for officers ’ use of excessive force to suppress rights to peaceful demonstrators .

Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said a member of the state’s National Guard was suspended and removed from a mission to quell disturbance at racial justice protests in Washington, D.C., after the FBI discovered comments the guardsman had posted online supporting white supremacist ideology prior to his assignment.
“While I fully support everyone’s right to free speech, guardsmen and women are sworn to protect all of us,” DeWine said in a press briefing Friday, “regardless of race, ethnic background or religion.”
“Anyone who displays a malice toward specific groups of Americans has no place in the Ohio National Guard,” he said.
Ohio sent 100 guard members to D.C. this week to help subdue social unrest amid recent anti-racism protests in response to the death of George Floyd who died in police custody in May, DeWine said.
Although further investigation is underway, the governor added, it is “highly likely” the guardsman will be permanently dismissed from the National Guard.
DeWine was careful not to weigh in when prodded by a local Toledo Blade reporter on whether or not he supported Trump’s widely criticized decision earlier this week to forcefully clear peaceful protesters from a D.C. park in preparation for a presidential photo-op.
“I don’t know all the facts,” DeWine said. “I’m not going to critique every single thing the Unites States President does.”
In a statement Thursday Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) demanded that President Trump provide detailed information about unidentified officers patrolling in D.C. — and to provide transparency about their roles and the chain of command for riot police assigned from various federal and state agencies, including the National Guard, to assist in containing protesters.
The investigation into the National Guard member’s conduct raises further questions about background checks and the selection process for guardsmen for the mission that has been widely criticized for officers’ use of excessive force to suppress rights to peaceful demonstrators.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-05--Reporters Call Out WH For Flouting Social Distancing Rules, Using Media As Political ‘Prop’

During a victory lap press briefing at the White House on Friday , President Donald Trump praised reporters for sitting in a close arrangement that was ordered by his own press office — a move that defied social distancing guidelines despite ongoing warnings from the CDC about the need to comply to keep the coronavirus at bay .
Trump made the offhanded remark in the context of a wider announcement about the continued reopening of states still recovery from the pandemic .
Looking out at the chairs placed far closer together than the recommended six feet that ’ s become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump applauded reporters for sitting in such close proximity to each other — an image that “ looks much better , ” he said .
“ You ’ re not all the way there yet , but you ’ ll be there soon.
” Journalists on the scene described the move as self-serving and are calling out the White House for using reporters as political props .
Chief White House correspondent for ABC News Jon Karl , who is also the President of the White House Correspondents Association , issued a formal statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minute chair rearrangement from what was an appropriate distance to a dangerous one that “ needlessly put reporters ’ health at risk .
”

During a victory lap press briefing at the White House on Friday, President Donald Trump praised reporters for sitting in a close arrangement that was ordered by his own press office — a move that defied social distancing guidelines despite ongoing warnings from the CDC about the need to comply to keep the coronavirus at bay.
Trump made the offhanded remark in the context of a wider announcement about the continued reopening of states still recovering from the pandemic. Looking out at the chairs placed far closer together than the recommended six feet that’s become common wisdom in public health circles, Trump applauded reporters for sitting in such close proximity to each other — an image that “looks much better,” he said. “You’re not all the way there yet, but you’ll be there soon.”
Journalists on the scene described the move as self-serving and are calling out the White House for using reporters as political props.
This is a flagrant violation of CDC guidelines on social distancing and a move that puts reporters at risk for the purpose of turning the press corps into a prop for a so-called "press conference" where the president refuses to answer a single question. https://t.co/dgImSBblaO — jonkarl (@jonkarl) June 5, 2020
Chief White House correspondent for ABC News Jon Karl, who is also the President of the White House Correspondents Association, issued a formal statement condemning the White House’s last minute chair rearrangement from what was an appropriate distance to a dangerous one that “needlessly put reporters’ health at risk.”
Read the full statement below.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-05--Grounded! Army Immediately Suspended Helo Crew That Buzzed DC Protesters

The crew of the helicopter that buzzed protestors in D.C. Monday night was grounded immediately after the incident , Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said on Friday .
McCarthy announced that a 15-6 investigation was being conducted , which examines violations of Army regulations or standards , according to multiple news outlets covering the Pentagon .
Army investigators will provide an “ interim update ” of the probe later on Friday , according to a tweet from Politico ’ s Lara Seligman .
The D.C National Guard UH-72 Lakota helicopter – with a red cross marking – that flew low over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the downwash of its rotor blades but in the shock it provoked among those with military and helicopter experience .
The chopper buzzed protestors from the height of around four stories , causing winds strong enough to fell a tree and send debris careening around downtown D.C. city streets .
Experts in the area told TPM that flying so low was likely a “ show of force , ” used by the military to project power and instill fear in an adversary .
But those with experience in the matter were shocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous by using the downwash from the rotor blades to disperse a peaceful crowd – used in the U.S .
The backstory of who , if anyone , ordered the military helicopter to conduct the maneuver remains unclear .
The AP reported on Tuesday that President Trump himself ordered the helicopter to be deployed , while the New York Times wrote that it was “ directed by the highest echelons of the Washington National Guard .
”

The crew of the helicopter that buzzed protestors in D.C. Monday night was grounded immediately after the incident, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said on Friday.
McCarthy announced that a 15-6 investigation was being conducted, which examines violations of Army regulations or standards, according to multiple news outlets covering the Pentagon.
Army investigators will provide an “interim update” of the probe later on Friday, according to a tweet from Politico’s Lara Seligman.
The D.C National Guard UH-72 Lakota helicopter – with a red cross marking – that flew low over protestors in Washington made waves not only through the downwash of its rotor blades but in the shock it provoked among those with military and helicopter experience.
The chopper buzzed protestors from the height of around four stories, causing winds strong enough to fell a tree and send debris careening around downtown D.C. city streets.
Military helicopters trying to disperse protesters here in DC pic.twitter.com/md6hYVqE7u — Katie Hill (@KatieHill4CA) June 2, 2020
Experts in the area told TPM that flying so low was likely a “show of force,” used by the military to project power and instill fear in an adversary. But those with experience in the matter were shocked to see the tactic – made more dangerous by using the downwash from the rotor blades to disperse a peaceful crowd – used in the U.S.
The backstory of who, if anyone, ordered the military helicopter to conduct the maneuver remains unclear. The AP reported on Tuesday that President Trump himself ordered the helicopter to be deployed, while the New York Times wrote that it was “directed by the highest echelons of the Washington National Guard.”