talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-24--The Wired-Up Political Consultant Who Brought Down Ohio’s Speaker

The man who helped bring down perhaps the largest alleged bribery scheme in Ohio history is a rosy-cheeked motorcycle enthusiast and political consultant .
Tyler Fehrman — or rather “ CHS 1 ” as he ’ s referred to in federal court records — was a manager for the petition-gathering effort to reverse House Bill 6 , a massive energy law that passed in 2019 .
It was championed by Ohio state House speaker Larry Householder , and included a billion-dollar bailout for two aging nuclear plants in the state .
As it turns out , HB6 stunk .
Householder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week and charged in what U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio David DeVillers called “ likely the largest bribery–money laundering scheme ever perpetrated against the people of Ohio.
” Central to the charges against the men was a confidential human source for the FBI : Fehrman .
The Toledo Blade confirmed his identity Thursday .
In an affidavit released this week , an FBI agent alleged that Matt Borges , a lobbyist and former Ohio GOP chair , offered Fehrman a bribe to sabotage the anti-HB6 effort .
Instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fehrman went to the FBI — and the massive alleged bribery scheme began to unravel .
On Tuesday , prosecutors alleged that over several years , an “ enterprise ” of lobbyists and political consultants — and the speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives , Householder — secretly accepted $ 60 million from the then-owner of the power plants , FirstEnergy , as part of an effort to put Householder in the speaker ’ s chair and build support for HB6 .
The money allegedly flowed through a dark money group called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was also charged federally .
The gang is accused of a federal public corruption racketeering conspiracy .
After HB6 became law and activists started a petition gathering effort to reverse the legislation , the so-called “ Householder enterprise ” kept up its work — seeking to sabotage the activists .
In an interview with cleveland.com Friday , Fehrman said Borges was a “ close friend ” and “ mentor ” who ’ d encouraged him to take a manager job with the anti-HB6 group .
Then , Fehrman said , Borges got back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever think that Matt was going to put me in the position that he did , ” Fehrman said .
“ One of the first things he told me was , ‘ Dude , I don ’ t have a mortgage anymore .
Like , I ’ m so taken care of .
And we could do the same for you.
’ ” In the criminal complaint against Householder , Borges , Generation Now and three others , an FBI agent described the overture to Ferhman as an attempt to get inside information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can ’ t put a price tag on my integrity or my word , ” he told Borges , according to the complaint .
Borges responded that he understood , per the complaint , and stressed that Ferhman shouldn ’ t tell anyone about their conversation — “ no matter what.
” Ferhman didn ’ t take that advice .
Instead he went to the FBI , which encouraged him to go back to Borges and feign interest in the offer .
He recorded each subsequent conversation , including as he allegedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I was terrified , ” he recalled to cleveland.com .
“ I can not tell you how unsettling and abnormal and strange it feels to be in that situation .
I felt on edge , knowing that I had to go in and sit down and interact with ( Borges ) the same way I would normally as a close friend.
” After handing Ferhman the check a few days later , according to the complaint , Borges again allegedly told Ferhman to keep the relationship quiet .
Ferhman recalled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ screw ” him — and said he hoped he wasn ’ t recording the conversation for the Columbus Dispatch .
“ I ’ m not recording anything for the Dispatch , ” Ferhman said he responded .
As the pair got up to leave , Ferhman recalled , Borges looked at him , “ Seriously , though — if you ’ re ****ing with me , we ’ ll blow up your house , ” Ferhman recalled him saying .
“ I remember getting in my car and just feeling my heart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I played it off as a joke , but I was already scared — and that terrified me .
”

The man who helped bring down perhaps the largest alleged bribery scheme in Ohio history is a rosy-cheeked motorcycle enthusiast and political consultant.
Tyler Fehrman — or rather “CHS 1” as he’s referred to in federal court records — was a manager for the petition-gathering effort to reverse House Bill 6, a massive energy law that passed in 2019. It was championed by Ohio state House speaker Larry Householder, and included a billion-dollar bailout for two aging nuclear plants in the state.
As it turns out, HB6 stunk. Householder and several alleged accomplices were arrested earlier this week and charged in what U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio David DeVillers called “likely the largest bribery–money laundering scheme ever perpetrated against the people of Ohio.”
Central to the charges against the men was a confidential human source for the FBI: Fehrman. The Toledo Blade confirmed his identity Thursday.
In an affidavit released this week, an FBI agent alleged that Matt Borges, a lobbyist and former Ohio GOP chair, offered Fehrman a bribe to sabotage the anti-HB6 effort. Instead of taking it, the affidavit said, Fehrman went to the FBI — and the massive alleged bribery scheme began to unravel.
On Tuesday, prosecutors alleged that over several years, an “enterprise” of lobbyists and political consultants — and the speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, Householder — secretly accepted $60 million from the then-owner of the power plants, FirstEnergy, as part of an effort to put Householder in the speaker’s chair and build support for HB6.
The money allegedly flowed through a dark money group called Generation Now, a Householder-controlled group that was also charged federally. The gang is accused of a federal public corruption racketeering conspiracy.
After HB6 became law and activists started a petition gathering effort to reverse the legislation, the so-called “Householder enterprise” kept up its work — seeking to sabotage the activists.
In an interview with cleveland.com Friday, Fehrman said Borges was a “close friend” and “mentor” who’d encouraged him to take a manager job with the anti-HB6 group.
Then, Fehrman said, Borges got back in touch.
“Never did I ever think that Matt was going to put me in the position that he did,” Fehrman said. “One of the first things he told me was, ‘Dude, I don’t have a mortgage anymore. Like, I’m so taken care of. And we could do the same for you.’”
In the criminal complaint against Householder, Borges, Generation Now and three others, an FBI agent described the overture to Ferhman as an attempt to get inside information about the anti-bailout petition effort.
Ferhman initially refused.
“I can’t put a price tag on my integrity or my word,” he told Borges, according to the complaint. Borges responded that he understood, per the complaint, and stressed that Ferhman shouldn’t tell anyone about their conversation — “no matter what.”
Ferhman didn’t take that advice. Instead he went to the FBI, which encouraged him to go back to Borges and feign interest in the offer. He recorded each subsequent conversation, including as he allegedly “accepted” a $15,000 payoff.
“I was terrified,” he recalled to cleveland.com. “I cannot tell you how unsettling and abnormal and strange it feels to be in that situation. I felt on edge, knowing that I had to go in and sit down and interact with (Borges) the same way I would normally as a close friend.”
After handing Ferhman the check a few days later, according to the complaint, Borges again allegedly told Ferhman to keep the relationship quiet.
Ferhman recalled to cleveland.com that Borges warned Ferhman not to “screw” him — and said he hoped he wasn’t recording the conversation for the Columbus Dispatch.
“I’m not recording anything for the Dispatch,” Ferhman said he responded.
As the pair got up to leave, Ferhman recalled, Borges looked at him,
“Seriously, though — if you’re ****ing with me, we’ll blow up your house,” Ferhman recalled him saying.
“I remember getting in my car and just feeling my heart sink,” Fehrman said. “I played it off as a joke, but I was already scared — and that terrified me.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-24--ICYMI: Your TPM Weekend News Roundup

ICYMI: Your TPM Weekend News Roundup

• President Trump announced this week he ’ s taking his show of federal force on the road , a transparent effort to trumpet “ law and order ” as he stares down potential political defeat in November .
Trump announced a “ surge ” of federal law enforcement in Chicago and Albuquerque , slipping in a few digs against Democrats for good measure .
• The epicenter of the federal government ’ s aggressive use of force has been in Portland , Oregon , where protests have kept up in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor of Portland was tear-gassed by federal officers amid protests in the city .
Trump seemed pleased with the scene , gloating during a Fox News interview Thursday night .
“ He made a fool out of himself , ” Trump said of the mayor .
• A federal judge dealt a blow to the efforts in Portland , however , ruling on Thursday that federal agents could not detain protesters or journalists for the time being .
• An offensive comment really came back to haunt Rep. Ted Yoho ( R-FL ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reporter for The Hill overheard the Florida congressman get into a disagreement with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-NY ) on the steps of the Capitol .
After the lawmakers parted ways , Yoho allegedly called Ocasio-Cortez a “ f*cking b*tch.
” • On Wednesday , Yoho took to the House floor to offer a half-hearted apology for any “ misunderstanding.
” He denied uttering the vulgar phrase .
• The next day , Ocasio-Cortez laid into Yoho during a floor speech of her own .
“ To see that excuse and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and accept it as an apology and to accept silence as a form of acceptance , I could not allow that to stand , ” she said .
• The nationwide surge of coronavirus cases , along with the mounting death toll , finally forced Trump back into the White House briefing room .
This week , he resumed his coronavirus briefings after a months-long absence .
• The very first briefing went wildly off the rails when he offered well wishes to Ghislaine Maxwell , the indicted alleged enabler of Jeffrey Epstein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefings to once again display his rosy thinking that the coronavirus pandemic will “ disappear.
” The President also painted himself as Mr .
Mask , after shunning the simple but effective face coverings for months .
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Let us know .

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


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-24--Trump Claims He ‘Often’ Regrets Things He Retweets

President Donald Trump apparently has some regrets about his Twitter activity .
Some .
Trump took a rare moment to reflect on Friday when Barstool Sports exec Dave Portnoy asked if he ’ d ever regretted something he tweeted .
“ It used to be in the old days , before this , you ’ d write a letter and you ’ d say , ‘ This letter ’ s really bad ’ and you ’ d put it on your desk and then you ’ d go back tomorrow and you ’ d say ‘ Oh , I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , ' ” he continued .
“ But we don ’ t do that with Twitter , right ?
” However , Trump ’ s Twitter regret lies in the posts he retweets from others , not necessarily the incendiary things he tweets himself .
“ You know what I find ?
It ’ s not the tweets , it ’ s the retweets that get you in trouble , ” the President told Portnoy .
The main problem with his Twitter activity , according to Trump , is him retweeting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t notice .
“ You see something that looks good and you don ’ t investigate it , ” Trump said .
Along with his own racist and inflammatory tweets , the President has infamously retweeted deeply disturbing content from others , one notorious example being a video in which one of his supporters was seen shouting “ White power !
” The post was later deleted from Trump ’ s timeline , and the White House claimed the President “ did not hear ” the supporter ’ s cry .

President Donald Trump apparently has some regrets about his Twitter activity. Some.
Trump took a rare moment to reflect on Friday when Barstool Sports exec Dave Portnoy asked if he’d ever regretted something he tweeted.
“Often. Too often,” the President replied.
“It used to be in the old days, before this, you’d write a letter and you’d say, ‘This letter’s really bad’ and you’d put it on your desk and then you’d go back tomorrow and you’d say ‘Oh, I’m glad I didn’t send this,'” he continued. “But we don’t do that with Twitter, right?”
However, Trump’s Twitter regret lies in the posts he retweets from others, not necessarily the incendiary things he tweets himself.
“You know what I find? It’s not the tweets, it’s the retweets that get you in trouble,” the President told Portnoy.
The main problem with his Twitter activity, according to Trump, is him retweeting a post that contains something problematic that he didn’t notice.
“You see something that looks good and you don’t investigate it,” Trump said.
Along with his own racist and inflammatory tweets, the President has infamously retweeted deeply disturbing content from others, one notorious example being a video in which one of his supporters was seen shouting “White power!” The post was later deleted from Trump’s timeline, and the White House claimed the President “did not hear” the supporter’s cry.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-24--House Dems Accuse Trump Admin Of Downplaying Election Interference

Congressional Democrats and the Trump Administration released dueling statements about election interference on Friday , as top Dem leadership hit out at the President ’ s election security czar for underplaying the seriousness of the threat .
Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center William Evanina issued a statement on Friday saying that Russia , China , and Iran posed threats to this year ’ s election as they “ continue to use influence measures in social and traditional media in an effort to sway U.S. voters ’ preferences and perspectives , to shift U.S. policies , to increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democratic process.
” Congressional Democrats slammed the message as being incoherent and equivocal , in part because it appears to equate Russian interference efforts with those of other countries .
“ The statement gives a false sense of equivalence to the actions of foreign adversaries by listing three countries of unequal intent , motivation and capability together , ” the response , issued by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) , Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) , and leading Democrats on House and Senate intelligence panels , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , fails to fully delineate the goal , nature , scope and capacity to influence our election , information the American people must have as we go into November.
” The statements bring to mind the behind-the-scenes wrangling which prevented the Obama Administration from issuing any meaningful statement on Russia ’ s campaign to meddle in the 2016 election .
That came after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) said that he would interpret any statement as interfering in the election and say so publicly .
The same group of Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the FBI give Congress a defensive briefing regarding an unspecified foreign attempt to funnel disinformation to lawmakers .
That attempt is reportedly Sen. Ron Johnson ( R-WI ) ’ s probe of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and Ukraine , during which a number of dubious and Russia-linked Ukrainians have begun to feed information to Johnson ’ s probe .
Evanina , the counterintelligence chief , said in the Friday statement that foreign adversaries are “ seeking to compromise the private communications of U.S. political campaigns , candidates and other political targets.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S. that is designed to undermine confidence in our democratic process and denigrate what it sees as an anti-Russia ‘ establishment ’ in America , ” he wrote .
Democratic leadership derided that description as “ so generic as to be almost meaningless.
” “ The statement omits much on a subject of immense importance , ” the lawmakers added .

Congressional Democrats and the Trump Administration released dueling statements about election interference on Friday, as top Dem leadership hit out at the President’s election security czar for underplaying the seriousness of the threat.
Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center William Evanina issued a statement on Friday saying that Russia, China, and Iran posed threats to this year’s election as they “continue to use influence measures in social and traditional media in an effort to sway U.S. voters’ preferences and perspectives, to shift U.S. policies, to increase discord and to undermine confidence in our democratic process.”
Congressional Democrats slammed the message as being incoherent and equivocal, in part because it appears to equate Russian interference efforts with those of other countries.
“The statement gives a false sense of equivalence to the actions of foreign adversaries by listing three countries of unequal intent, motivation and capability together,” the response, issued by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and leading Democrats on House and Senate intelligence panels, reads. “The statement, moreover, fails to fully delineate the goal, nature, scope and capacity to influence our election, information the American people must have as we go into November.”
The statements bring to mind the behind-the-scenes wrangling which prevented the Obama Administration from issuing any meaningful statement on Russia’s campaign to meddle in the 2016 election. That came after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that he would interpret any statement as interfering in the election and say so publicly.
The same group of Democrats sent a letter two weeks ago demanding that the FBI give Congress a defensive briefing regarding an unspecified foreign attempt to funnel disinformation to lawmakers.
That attempt is reportedly Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI)’s probe of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and Ukraine, during which a number of dubious and Russia-linked Ukrainians have begun to feed information to Johnson’s probe.
Evanina, the counterintelligence chief, said in the Friday statement that foreign adversaries are “seeking to compromise the private communications of U.S. political campaigns, candidates and other political targets.”
“Russia continues to spread disinformation in the U.S. that is designed to undermine confidence in our democratic process and denigrate what it sees as an anti-Russia ‘establishment’ in America,” he wrote.
Democratic leadership derided that description as “so generic as to be almost meaningless.”
“The statement omits much on a subject of immense importance,” the lawmakers added.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-24--Can Social Media Giants Win Their Fight Against The QAnon Hydra?

Twitter announced this week that it had shut down 7,000 QAnon-related accounts and that with time , it would reduce the visibility of a total 150,000 in an attempt to quash the adherents ’ cyber attacks and promulgation of misinformation .
Other social media platforms are reportedly following their lead .
Facebook employees told the New York Times that the platform plans to roll out a similar policy next month .
YouTube told TPM that it has already been suspending or removing abusive or misleading QAnon accounts , and is getting better at keeping content that toes the line , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from being recommended to others .
TikTok is banning prominent hashtags associated with the conspiracy theory .
Reddit has blocked some QAnon subreddits in the past , but has announced no future moves .
QAnon is a patchwork conspiracy theory that was birthed and grew on the fringes on the internet , in messageboard websites like 4chan .
QAnon acolytes believe that President Donald Trump , a near-Messianic figure , is being undermined by a shadowy “ deep state , ” a cabal of the rich and powerful bent on taking down his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s enemies , whether politicians like Hillary Clinton or wealthy individuals like George Soros , are not just bad — they ’ re Satanic , pedophilic , cannibalistic villains .
A person who goes by “ Q ” online supposedly leaves breadcrumbs for followers — clues about the quiet struggle and a final judgment coming where Trump ’ s enemies will be tried and executed .
The social media crackdown will put the resilience of that conspiracy theory to the test .
Experts who study the spread of conspiracy theories told TPM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , booting related accounts and content off of Twitter is likely to go some way toward the intended effect of reducing the theory ’ s reach .
One compared it to the fate of of InfoWars ’ Alex Jones , a conspiracy theorist who , among many other bizarre assertions over the years , vociferously pushed the lie that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax .
“ One analogy is the deplatforming of Alex Jones a couple years ago by first some podcast sites deplatforming InfoWars , then Apple , then the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to diminish his influence and reach and to delegitimize him , ” Russel Muirhead , chair of Dartmouth University ’ s government department and co-author of “ A Lot of People Are Saying : The New Conspiracism and the Assault on Democracy , ” told TPM .
Marc Tuters , professor of new media and digital culture at the University of Amsterdam , pointed to another successful deplatforming when Reddit shut down the racist subreddit r/CoonTown .
“ It did lead to overall reduction in the racist speech on the platform , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users didn ’ t disappear , they went elsewhere , but didn ’ t use as much racist language.
” It will require vigilance on Twitter ’ s part to enforce the ban — already , some accounts are playing with the spelling of their names or making new ones to slip through the social media giant ’ s net .
Some seem to be relishing the fight , depicting themselves as digital martyrs .
“ Nothing that says these folks can ’ t open new accounts and engage in new targeted harassment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of political science at the University of Delaware .
But in terms of relegating QAnon back to the margins and stunting its growth , removing it from a platform with 330 million users is a first step , experts said .
With other social media companies doing the same , it simply reduces the size of QAnon ’ s megaphone .
“ People who sort of affiliate with it and find it cool and fun will have less ability to access it , so won ’ t participate as much , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Florida Law School and author of “ Conspiracy Theories : Secrecy and Power in American Culture.
” “ It ’ ll be harder to find new people to get interested in it and harder to engage people who just see it and click on it and like it.
” Back To The Fringes … Or To Instagram ?
The removal of more casual QAnon fans would leave a core group of devout believers to carry on their decoding and predicting and accusing on smaller platforms in a more intense and charged atmosphere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , groups like this are “ more aggrieved ” when they re-form on other websites .
“ It comes from an extremely toxic environment , ” he said .
“ These image boards like 4chan and 8chan are replete with extremely hateful bigotry.
” The conspiracy theory is also dribbling into less predictable places , spearheaded by less predictable messengers .
Some lifestyle influencers on Instagram have added Q to their brand , and the conspiracy theory has gained a foothold on TikTok .
“ It ’ s started to become a trendy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the move to search engine optimization .
Part of the resilience of the conspiracy theory , no matter how social media platforms censor it , is its fungibility as an idea .
It ’ s a constellation of vague but sinister accusations and encompasses so many ideas as to be as teflon as supposedly is the President at its core .
“ It ’ s not a theory about how the world really is , it ’ s a mode of participation that channels people ’ s enthusiasm and a narrative that their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other side evil , ” Muirhead said .
The problem is , and the reason why the social media companies are likely wary of the conspiracy theory ’ s spread , is that some are certain to take it seriously .
In December 2016 , Edgar Maddison Welch charged into Comet Ping Pong and fired off a gun , enraged by the false rumor that Hillary Clinton and her campaign manager were running a child sex ring in the store ’ s nonexistent basement .
The ideas in PizzaGate were neatly subsumed into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along a bit later .
“ When Twitter says they ’ re deplatforming these accounts because the information is dangerous , they have a point , ” Muirhead said .
“ It can be dangerous since some will believe it and act on it .
That ’ s one of the features of this fabulous concoction — it makes the other side seem so evil as to make violence justifiable for people who do believe it.
” Or , as Miller put succinctly : “ The Oklahoma City bombing only took one man.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a product of our technological landscape .
Similar conspiracy theories may have been kept completely out of the spotlight before , due to the difficulty in amassing a large audience .
That ’ s what makes believers ’ presence on Twitter or Facebook or YouTube so powerful — they suddenly have a many million-person crowd .
Moves by social media giants to crack down on the theory are “ a meek and belated attempt to recreate the gatekeeping function that editors and producers used to perform , ” Muirhead said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so many column inches , so many minutes of airtime .
Editors and producers decided what makes on and doesn ’ t make on , and their primary standard is truth.
” These social media companies have been unable or unwilling to replicate that same standard , giving fringe ideas a much louder voice .
Twitter is specifically going after QAnon accounts that violate its standards like harassment and multiple account usage , avoiding the squishier problem of what to do about ideas that mainstream people — “ normies , ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And the cyber abuse is easier to spot : model and cookbook author Chrissy Teigen claimed to have blocked a million people last week after becoming the target of a QAnon swarm .
“ Banning accounts that are inciting violence being abusive and so forth — that ’ s a behavior that ’ s in everybody ’ s best interest to mitigate , whether it ’ s QAnon or someone else , ” Miller told TPM .
“ I do think it ’ s trickier when we ’ re talking about the belief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s never gon na go away , ” Fenster added .
“ Conspiracy theorizing is a practice that ’ s been going on for centuries — you can ’ t just ban it.
” This post has been updated .

Twitter announced this week that it had shut down 7,000 QAnon-related accounts and that with time, it would reduce the visibility of a total 150,000 in an attempt to quash the adherents’ cyber attacks and promulgation of misinformation.
Other social media platforms are reportedly following their lead. Facebook employees told the New York Times that the platform plans to roll out a similar policy next month. YouTube told TPM that it has already been suspending or removing abusive or misleading QAnon accounts, and is getting better at keeping content that toes the line, like certain QAnon conspiracy theory videos, from being recommended to others. TikTok is banning prominent hashtags associated with the conspiracy theory. Reddit has blocked some QAnon subreddits in the past, but has announced no future moves.
QAnon is a patchwork conspiracy theory that was birthed and grew on the fringes on the internet, in messageboard websites like 4chan. QAnon acolytes believe that President Donald Trump, a near-Messianic figure, is being undermined by a shadowy “deep state,” a cabal of the rich and powerful bent on taking down his presidency from the inside. And Trump’s enemies, whether politicians like Hillary Clinton or wealthy individuals like George Soros, are not just bad — they’re Satanic, pedophilic, cannibalistic villains. A person who goes by “Q” online supposedly leaves breadcrumbs for followers — clues about the quiet struggle and a final judgment coming where Trump’s enemies will be tried and executed.
The social media crackdown will put the resilience of that conspiracy theory to the test.
‘Removing The Oxygen’
Experts who study the spread of conspiracy theories told TPM that despite the fringey origins of QAnon, booting related accounts and content off of Twitter is likely to go some way toward the intended effect of reducing the theory’s reach. One compared it to the fate of of InfoWars’ Alex Jones, a conspiracy theorist who, among many other bizarre assertions over the years, vociferously pushed the lie that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax.
“One analogy is the deplatforming of Alex Jones a couple years ago by first some podcast sites deplatforming InfoWars, then Apple, then the major platforms — that did a lot to diminish his influence and reach and to delegitimize him,” Russel Muirhead, chair of Dartmouth University’s government department and co-author of “A Lot of People Are Saying: The New Conspiracism and the Assault on Democracy,” told TPM.
Marc Tuters, professor of new media and digital culture at the University of Amsterdam, pointed to another successful deplatforming when Reddit shut down the racist subreddit r/CoonTown.
“It did lead to overall reduction in the racist speech on the platform,” he said, adding that “the users didn’t disappear, they went elsewhere, but didn’t use as much racist language.”
It will require vigilance on Twitter’s part to enforce the ban — already, some accounts are playing with the spelling of their names or making new ones to slip through the social media giant’s net. Some seem to be relishing the fight, depicting themselves as digital martyrs.
“Nothing that says these folks can’t open new accounts and engage in new targeted harassment,” said Joanne Miller, professor of political science at the University of Delaware.
But in terms of relegating QAnon back to the margins and stunting its growth, removing it from a platform with 330 million users is a first step, experts said. With other social media companies doing the same, it simply reduces the size of QAnon’s megaphone.
“People who sort of affiliate with it and find it cool and fun will have less ability to access it, so won’t participate as much,” said Mark Fenster, professor at the University of Florida Law School and author of “Conspiracy Theories: Secrecy and Power in American Culture.” “It’ll be harder to find new people to get interested in it and harder to engage people who just see it and click on it and like it.”
Back To The Fringes … Or To Instagram?
The removal of more casual QAnon fans would leave a core group of devout believers to carry on their decoding and predicting and accusing on smaller platforms in a more intense and charged atmosphere.
Tuters said that in some cases, groups like this are “more aggrieved” when they re-form on other websites.
“It comes from an extremely toxic environment,” he said. “These image boards like 4chan and 8chan are replete with extremely hateful bigotry.”
The conspiracy theory is also dribbling into less predictable places, spearheaded by less predictable messengers. Some lifestyle influencers on Instagram have added Q to their brand, and the conspiracy theory has gained a foothold on TikTok. “It’s started to become a trendy buzzword,” said Tuters, comparing the move to search engine optimization.
Part of the resilience of the conspiracy theory, no matter how social media platforms censor it, is its fungibility as an idea. It’s a constellation of vague but sinister accusations and encompasses so many ideas as to be as teflon as supposedly is the President at its core.
“It’s not a theory about how the world really is, it’s a mode of participation that channels people’s enthusiasm and a narrative that their side is virtuous and angelic and the other side evil,” Muirhead said.
The problem is, and the reason why the social media companies are likely wary of the conspiracy theory’s spread, is that some are certain to take it seriously. In December 2016, Edgar Maddison Welch charged into Comet Ping Pong and fired off a gun, enraged by the false rumor that Hillary Clinton and her campaign manager were running a child sex ring in the store’s nonexistent basement. The ideas in PizzaGate were neatly subsumed into the patchwork of QAnon, which came along a bit later.
“When Twitter says they’re deplatforming these accounts because the information is dangerous, they have a point,” Muirhead said. “It can be dangerous since some will believe it and act on it. That’s one of the features of this fabulous concoction — it makes the other side seem so evil as to make violence justifiable for people who do believe it.”
Or, as Miller put succinctly: “The Oklahoma City bombing only took one man.”
Missing The Gatekeepers
QAnon, to some degree, is a product of our technological landscape. Similar conspiracy theories may have been kept completely out of the spotlight before, due to the difficulty in amassing a large audience. That’s what makes believers’ presence on Twitter or Facebook or YouTube so powerful — they suddenly have a many million-person crowd.
Moves by social media giants to crack down on the theory are “a meek and belated attempt to recreate the gatekeeping function that editors and producers used to perform,” Muirhead said. “There’s only so much space, so many column inches, so many minutes of airtime. Editors and producers decided what makes on and doesn’t make on, and their primary standard is truth.”
These social media companies have been unable or unwilling to replicate that same standard, giving fringe ideas a much louder voice.
Twitter is specifically going after QAnon accounts that violate its standards like harassment and multiple account usage, avoiding the squishier problem of what to do about ideas that mainstream people — “normies,” in internet parlance — simply find distasteful. And the cyber abuse is easier to spot: model and cookbook author Chrissy Teigen claimed to have blocked a million people last week after becoming the target of a QAnon swarm.
“Banning accounts that are inciting violence being abusive and so forth — that’s a behavior that’s in everybody’s best interest to mitigate, whether it’s QAnon or someone else,” Miller told TPM. “I do think it’s trickier when we’re talking about the belief itself.”
“As a storytelling device it’s never gonna go away,” Fenster added. “Conspiracy theorizing is a practice that’s been going on for centuries — you can’t just ban it.”
This post has been updated.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-24--High School Named After Robert E. Lee To Be Renamed After Rep. John Lewis

A high school in Fairfax County , Virginia named after Confederate general Robert E. Lee is poised to change its name to honor the late Rep. John Lewis ( D-GA ) , who was at the forefront of the fight for civil rights .
The county school board voted for the change on Thursday after a month of discussions with students , school faculty and the rest of community .
“ It was important for us to be mindful of these comments and to select a name that reflected the diversity and multiculturalism that currently exists at the school and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ricardy Anderson said in a statement .
“ Rep .
Lewis was a champion of the Civil Rights movement , and our Board strongly believes this is an appropriate tribute to an individual who is a true American hero.
” Tamara Derenak Kaufax , one of the board members who led the charge , asserted in a statement that the “ Confederate values ” tied to Lee ’ s name “ are ones that do not align with our community.
” “ Our schools must be places where all students , staff , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and supported , ” she said .
The board ’ s decision is a thread in the nation ’ s reckoning with systemic racism against Black Americans in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death .
Amid the unrest , Confederate memorials and icons , particularly those established on government property , are being widely recognized as symbols of white supremacy .

A high school in Fairfax County, Virginia named after Confederate general Robert E. Lee is poised to change its name to honor the late Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), who was at the forefront of the fight for civil rights.
The county school board voted for the change on Thursday after a month of discussions with students, school faculty and the rest of community.
“It was important for us to be mindful of these comments and to select a name that reflected the diversity and multiculturalism that currently exists at the school and in our community,” board chair Ricardy Anderson said in a statement. “Rep. Lewis was a champion of the Civil Rights movement, and our Board strongly believes this is an appropriate tribute to an individual who is a true American hero.”
Tamara Derenak Kaufax, one of the board members who led the charge, asserted in a statement that the “Confederate values” tied to Lee’s name “are ones that do not align with our community.”
“Our schools must be places where all students, staff, and members of the community feel safe and supported,” she said.
The board’s decision is a thread in the nation’s reckoning with systemic racism against Black Americans in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Amid the unrest, Confederate memorials and icons, particularly those established on government property, are being widely recognized as symbols of white supremacy.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-24--Pelosi, Schumer Call Out GOP And White House For ‘Disarray’ And ‘Delay’ On COVID Relief

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) ripped Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) and the White House for their “ months-long disarray and delay ” on delivering a proposal for a coronavirus relief package .
In a join statement Friday , the Democratic leaders urged McConnell to “ get serious , ” adding that Republicans would to be to blame for millions of Americans losing their unemployment insurance as as enhanced unemployment benefits are poised to expire by next week .
The lawmakers said that “ Republicans dithering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of Americans who are counting on those benefits to avoid eviction from their homes .
The delay also follows a Department of Labor report that 1.4 million people filed for unemployment last week — the first time in four months that the weekly number of claims has risen , the Associate Press reported .
In an interview with MSNBC ’ s Andrea Mitchell on Friday , following a report that coronavirus cases surged past 4 million in the United States on Thursday and that the number of COVID-19-related deaths also exceeded 1,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed out that the coronavirus outbreak is “ accelerating.
” She attributed that acceleration to a strategy that used tactics of “ delay , denial , distortion.
” “ Now , finally , hopefully , we will be able to get a bill that holds this in check so we can open our schools and our economy with testing , tracing , treating , ” Pelosi said .
The statement from the Democratic lawmakers comes one day after McConnell explained on the Senate floor Thursday that the delay was due to a request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said has “ requested additional time to review the fine details.
” According to The Hill , White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters Thursday that the White House was “ looking at text and trying to go through and go line by line ” to review some of the proposal ’ s provisions .
Earlier on Thursday , Senator James Lankford ( R-OK. ) told The Hill that he “ expected it to be out today .
I haven ’ t seen it yet .
But that ’ s when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come out.
” Senator John Cornyn ( R-TX ) , also chimed in Thursday that he was “ expecting it this morning.
” But the day came and went and the package has yet to be unveiled .
McConnell has said that he intends to supply a proposal “ early next week.
” But Democratic lawmakers have suggested that Republicans and the White House are dragging their feet at the expense of Americans who are struggling against fierce financial winds .
“ We had expected to be working throughout this weekend to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response package , ” Pelosi and Schumer wrote Friday .
“ It is simply unacceptable that Republicans have had this entire time to reach consensus among themselves and continue to flail .
Time is of the essence and lives are being lost .
”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) ripped Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and the White House for their “months-long disarray and delay” on delivering a proposal for a coronavirus relief package.
In a join statement Friday, the Democratic leaders urged McConnell to “get serious,” adding that Republicans would to be to blame for millions of Americans losing their unemployment insurance as as enhanced unemployment benefits are poised to expire by next week.
The lawmakers said that “Republicans dithering for months” have put at risk millions of Americans who are counting on those benefits to avoid eviction from their homes. The delay also follows a Department of Labor report that 1.4 million people filed for unemployment last week — the first time in four months that the weekly number of claims has risen, the Associate Press reported.
In an interview with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell on Friday, following a report that coronavirus cases surged past 4 million in the United States on Thursday and that the number of COVID-19-related deaths also exceeded 1,000 for the third consecutive day, Pelosi pointed out that the coronavirus outbreak is “accelerating.”
She attributed that acceleration to a strategy that used tactics of “delay, denial, distortion.”
“Now, finally, hopefully, we will be able to get a bill that holds this in check so we can open our schools and our economy with testing, tracing, treating,” Pelosi said.
The statement from the Democratic lawmakers comes one day after McConnell explained on the Senate floor Thursday that the delay was due to a request from the Trump administration, which McConnell said has “requested additional time to review the fine details.”
According to The Hill, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters Thursday that the White House was “looking at text and trying to go through and go line by line” to review some of the proposal’s provisions.
Earlier on Thursday, Senator James Lankford (R-OK.) told The Hill that he “expected it to be out today. I haven’t seen it yet. But that’s when I was expecting it to be able to come out.” Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), also chimed in Thursday that he was “expecting it this morning.”
But the day came and went and the package has yet to be unveiled.
McConnell has said that he intends to supply a proposal “early next week.”
But Democratic lawmakers have suggested that Republicans and the White House are dragging their feet at the expense of Americans who are struggling against fierce financial winds.
“We had expected to be working throughout this weekend to find common ground on the next COVID response package,” Pelosi and Schumer wrote Friday. “It is simply unacceptable that Republicans have had this entire time to reach consensus among themselves and continue to flail. Time is of the essence and lives are being lost.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-24--Dems Demand Pentagon IG Probe Of Alleged Retaliation Against Vindman

House Democrats demanded in a letter this week that the Defense Department inspector general probe retaliation against a key witness in the impeachment inquiry into President Trump .
The heads of the House Oversight and Intelligence Committees asked Defense Department acting Inspector General Sean O ’ Donnell to probe “ a concerted effort ” by the White House to lash out at Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman in retaliation for testifying before House impeachment investigators last year .
“ Retaliation against a talented and dedicated war veteran is completely unacceptable and sends the wrong message to our fellow Americans in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defend and protect the Constitution , ” wrote Reps. Carolyn Maloney ( D-NY ) , Adam Schiff ( D-CA ) , and Stephen Lynch ( D-MA ) in the July 21 letter .
“ It is critical that your office act now to investigate these allegations to ensure that our military system remains impervious to political vendettas.
” Vindman resigned from the military on July 8 , saying that President Trump and his associates had orchestrated a “ campaign of bullying , intimidation , and retaliation ” to prevent his scheduled advancement in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Vindman was a particularly helpful witness .
A Ukraine specialist who sat in on President Trump ’ s infamous phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky , Vindman was able to corroborate key elements of Trump ’ s ham-handed attempt to extort Ukraine into becoming an opposition research arm of his 2020 reelection campaign .
NBC reported last week that after impeachment , the National Security Council circulated a list of criticisms of Vindman .
The allegations were reportedly never corroborated .
“ Specifically , we ask that you examine the Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employment , career opportunities , or promotion of LTC Vindman following LTC Vindman ’ s testimony before Congress , and whether they were influenced in any way by White House officials , ” the lawmakers wrote .
“ In addition , we request that your office investigate any actions by DOD or other officials to create a retaliatory work environment for LTC Vindman , including retributive actions taken against his brother LTC Yevgeny Vindman , as well as any systemic improvements that could be made to protect DOD whistleblowers from similar retaliation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats gave the DOD inspector general until Friday to respond to their demand that he open a probe .

House Democrats demanded in a letter this week that the Defense Department inspector general probe retaliation against a key witness in the impeachment inquiry into President Trump.
The heads of the House Oversight and Intelligence Committees asked Defense Department acting Inspector General Sean O’Donnell to probe “a concerted effort” by the White House to lash out at Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman in retaliation for testifying before House impeachment investigators last year.
“Retaliation against a talented and dedicated war veteran is completely unacceptable and sends the wrong message to our fellow Americans in uniform about the oaths they take to defend and protect the Constitution,” wrote Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Stephen Lynch (D-MA) in the July 21 letter. “It is critical that your office act now to investigate these allegations to ensure that our military system remains impervious to political vendettas.”
Vindman resigned from the military on July 8, saying that President Trump and his associates had orchestrated a “campaign of bullying, intimidation, and retaliation” to prevent his scheduled advancement in the military.
For House impeachment investigators, Vindman was a particularly helpful witness. A Ukraine specialist who sat in on President Trump’s infamous phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Vindman was able to corroborate key elements of Trump’s ham-handed attempt to extort Ukraine into becoming an opposition research arm of his 2020 reelection campaign.
NBC reported last week that after impeachment, the National Security Council circulated a list of criticisms of Vindman. The allegations were reportedly never corroborated.
“Specifically, we ask that you examine the Department of Defense’s actions regarding the employment, career opportunities, or promotion of LTC Vindman following LTC Vindman’s testimony before Congress, and whether they were influenced in any way by White House officials,” the lawmakers wrote. “In addition, we request that your office investigate any actions by DOD or other officials to create a retaliatory work environment for LTC Vindman, including retributive actions taken against his brother LTC Yevgeny Vindman, as well as any systemic improvements that could be made to protect DOD whistleblowers from similar retaliation in the future.”
In the letter, Democrats gave the DOD inspector general until Friday to respond to their demand that he open a probe.
Read the document here:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-24--Trump Gloats After Portland Mayor Gets Jeered, Tear-Gassed: ‘That Was The End Of Him’

President Donald Trump on Thursday night relished how Portland , Oregon Mayor Ted Wheeler had gotten roughed up at an anti-police brutality protest in his city the day before .
As Trump was bragging that “ we ’ ve been very , very strong ” during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity , the President swiped at Wheeler for joining the protesters gathered outside a federal courthouse on Wednesday , where the mayor was tear-gassed by unidentified officers from the Department of Homeland Security before a jeering crowd of protesters threw water bottles at him .
“ He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump told Hannity .
“ He wanted to be among the people so he went into the crowd and they knocked the hell out of him .
That was the end of him .
So it was pretty pathetic.
” Shortly after the feds tear-gassed him , Wheeler slammed the “ flat out urban warfare ” led by the Trump administration .
In wake of the incident , several protesters who were dissatisfied with Wheeler ’ s response to police brutality followed the mayor as he left the scene and shouted at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A lot of these people hate my guts , ” Wheeler told the New York Times , adding that he stood with the protesters in their resistance against the feds regardless .

President Donald Trump on Thursday night relished how Portland, Oregon Mayor Ted Wheeler had gotten roughed up at an anti-police brutality protest in his city the day before.
As Trump was bragging that “we’ve been very, very strong” during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, the President swiped at Wheeler for joining the protesters gathered outside a federal courthouse on Wednesday, where the mayor was tear-gassed by unidentified officers from the Department of Homeland Security before a jeering crowd of protesters threw water bottles at him.
“He made a fool out of himself,” Trump told Hannity. “He wanted to be among the people so he went into the crowd and they knocked the hell out of him. That was the end of him. So it was pretty pathetic.”
Shortly after the feds tear-gassed him, Wheeler slammed the “flat out urban warfare” led by the Trump administration.
In wake of the incident, several protesters who were dissatisfied with Wheeler’s response to police brutality followed the mayor as he left the scene and shouted at him while throwing water bottles.
“A lot of these people hate my guts,” Wheeler told the New York Times, adding that he stood with the protesters in their resistance against the feds regardless.
Listen to Trump below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-24--Chicago Mayor Orders Late-Night Removal of Two Christopher Columbus Statues

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot ( D ) directed that two statues of Christopher Columbus be removed from the city parks @ @ @ @ @ Friday morning .
The Chicago Tribune was the first to report the removal of one @ @ @ @ @ Park , noting that removal crews arrived around 1 a.m. , and a few dozen @ @ @ @ @ of the controversial figure was brought down from its pedestal a few hours later .
@ @ @ @ @ removed shortly after from Arrigo Park .
The move came hours after hundreds of protesters @ @ @ @ @ s home in the Logan Square neighborhood , The Tribune said .
The move follows @ @ @ @ @ Donal Trump , who told Fox News host Sean Hannity in a phone interview that @ @ @ @ @ to 75,000 federal agents to American cities to fight crime and protect federal property and @ @ @ @ @ have been targeted by demonstrators .

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) directed that two statues of Christopher Columbus be removed from the city parks during the early hours of Friday morning.
The Chicago Tribune was the first to report the removal of one of the statues from Grant Park, noting that removal crews arrived around 1 a.m., and a few dozen people cheered as the statue of the controversial figure was brought down from its pedestal a few hours later.
Crews remove the Columbus statue in Grant Park around 3 a.m. Friday in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/iXIbyn8jZk — armando l sanchez (@mandophotos) July 24, 2020
A second Columbus statue was removed shortly after from Arrigo Park.
The move came hours after hundreds of protesters gathered outside of Lightfoot’s home in the Logan Square neighborhood, The Tribune said.
Clashes between protesters and police in the Illinois city have intensified in recent days. Just a week earlier, demonstrators had vandalized and tried to topple the monument before those efforts were thwarted by law enforcement who used tear gas and batons to disperse protesters who police said threatened them with fireworks, rocks and other objects. In a statement issued after the statues were brought down that was obtained by the Associated Press, Lightfoot’s office said they were being “temporarily removed … until further notice.” The statement also said the statues had come down “in response to demonstrations that became unsafe for both protesters and police, as well as efforts by individuals to independently pull the Grant Park statue down in an extremely dangerous manner.” According to a local TV station, WGN9, on that occasion 12 people were arrested for mob action, and 20 complaints against police officers were filed with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability. The station also noted that the Fraternal Order of Police: Chicago Lodge No. 7 had posted a seething statement of its own on Facebook in response to the mayor’s decision. Rumor has it, the mayor in all her infinite wisdom is going to take down the Columbus Statue tonight! Once again, bowing down to the lawlessness of these anarchists! Posted by Fraternal Order of Police: Chicago Lodge No. 7 on Thursday, July 23, 2020 The mayor’s office statement also announced plans by Lightfoot and city officials “to assess each of the monuments, memorials, and murals across Chicago’s communities, and develop a framework for creating a public dialogue to determine how we elevate our city’s history and diversity.” The Tribune previously reported that the Chicago mayor opposed taking down the statues, citing concerns that it would erase the history of the Italian explorer. She has also previously rejected calls to rename the Columbus Day holiday.
The move follows an announcement Thursday by President Donal Trump, who told Fox News host Sean Hannity in a phone interview that he intended to deploy up to 75,000 federal agents to American cities to fight crime and protect federal property and buildings, which he said have been targeted by demonstrators.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-27--Sinclair Pulls Plug On Segment Pushing Conspiracy Theory On Fauci

The Sinclair Broadcast Group told CNN Business on Monday that it will no longer air a segment promoting a baseless conspiracy theory suggesting that Dr. Anthony Fauci played a role in creating the coronavirus .
According to CNN Business — which first reported on the segment that was set to air during the program “ America This Week ” hosted by Eric Bolling and features discredited “ Plandemic ” researcher Judy Mikovits — Sinclair initially announced over the weekend that it would postpone and “ rework ” the segment .
CNN Business reported that the segment slamming Fauci shows Mikovits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top infectious diseases expert “ manufactured ” and shipped coronaviruses to Wuhan , China — the location of the first reported COVID-19 case — over the past decade .
Although Bolling said that ’ s a “ hefty claim ” against Fauci , he did not press Mikovits further on the segment .
Last week , video clips of the segment was posted to local Sinclair websites , which have since been removed .
A Sinclair spokesperson told CNN Business on Monday that the network decided against airing Mikovits ’ interview altogether “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ segment did include an expert to dispute Dr. Mikovits , given the nature of the theories she presented we believe it is not appropriate to air the interview , ” a spokesperson for Sinclair told CNN Business in a statement on Monday .
The Sinclair spokesperson also told CNN Business that the network would like to reiterate its appreciation for Fauci and the rest of the White House coronavirus task force , saying that Sinclair and its affiliates have “ positively and prominently ” featured Fauci on air .
“ There remains an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on our stations any time , ” the Sinclair spokesperson told CNN Business .
Sinclair ’ s decision to back away from Mikovits ’ segment targeting Fauci comes on the heels of the White House ’ s efforts to discredit the nation ’ s top infectious diseases expert amid COVID-19 cases continuing to surge nationwide .
Earlier this month , an unnamed White House official sent news outlets a list of Fauci ’ s past remarks on the coronavirus that later turned out to be inaccurate .
Trump aides Peter Navarro and Stephen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discredit Fauci soon after .
On Thursday , Fauci said in a podcast interview with CNN commentator David Axelrod that he and his family were assigned security detail in response to the “ serious threats ” they ’ ve been dealing with amid the Trump administration ’ s efforts to undermine his credibility .

The Sinclair Broadcast Group told CNN Business on Monday that it will no longer air a segment promoting a baseless conspiracy theory suggesting that Dr. Anthony Fauci played a role in creating the coronavirus.
According to CNN Business — which first reported on the segment that was set to air during the program “America This Week” hosted by Eric Bolling and features discredited “Plandemic” researcher Judy Mikovits — Sinclair initially announced over the weekend that it would postpone and “rework” the segment.
CNN Business reported that the segment slamming Fauci shows Mikovits telling Bolling that the nation’s top infectious diseases expert “manufactured” and shipped coronaviruses to Wuhan, China — the location of the first reported COVID-19 case — over the past decade. Although Bolling said that’s a “hefty claim” against Fauci, he did not press Mikovits further on the segment.
Last week, video clips of the segment was posted to local Sinclair websites, which have since been removed.
A Sinclair spokesperson told CNN Business on Monday that the network decided against airing Mikovits’ interview altogether “upon further review.”
“Although the segment did include an expert to dispute Dr. Mikovits, given the nature of the theories she presented we believe it is not appropriate to air the interview,” a spokesperson for Sinclair told CNN Business in a statement on Monday.
The Sinclair spokesperson also told CNN Business that the network would like to reiterate its appreciation for Fauci and the rest of the White House coronavirus task force, saying that Sinclair and its affiliates have “positively and prominently” featured Fauci on air.
“There remains an open invite for Dr. Fauci to appear on our stations any time,” the Sinclair spokesperson told CNN Business.
Sinclair’s decision to back away from Mikovits’ segment targeting Fauci comes on the heels of the White House’s efforts to discredit the nation’s top infectious diseases expert amid COVID-19 cases continuing to surge nationwide.
Earlier this month, an unnamed White House official sent news outlets a list of Fauci’s past remarks on the coronavirus that later turned out to be inaccurate. Trump aides Peter Navarro and Stephen Moore also joined in on attempts to discredit Fauci soon after.
On Thursday, Fauci said in a podcast interview with CNN commentator David Axelrod that he and his family were assigned security detail in response to the “serious threats” they’ve been dealing with amid the Trump administration’s efforts to undermine his credibility.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-27--Watch Biden Pay Respects To John Lewis After Trump Says He Won’t

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden paid his respects to the late Rep. John Lewis ( D-GA ) on Monday afternoon hours after President Trump said he “ won ’ t be going.
” Biden was seen paying his respects to Lewis , who is lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda until Tuesday , alongside his wife Jill Biden .
On Sunday evening , Biden ’ s campaign announced that the former VP was set to pay his respects to the late civil rights icon .
Lewis died earlier this month at the age of 80 after battling cancer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ before his death earlier this month , telling reporters in a call announcing his endorsement of the former VP that he believes the country needs Biden “ now more than ever before.
” “ We need his voice .
We need his leadership now more than ever before , ” Lewis told reporters in April .
“ We need someone who is going to get our country on the right side of history and help save our planet.
” Despite Trump ’ s absence , Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Lewis later Monday .
Watch Biden pay his respects to Lewis below :

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden paid his respects to the late Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) on Monday afternoon hours after President Trump said he “won’t be going.”
Biden was seen paying his respects to Lewis, who is lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda until Tuesday, alongside his wife Jill Biden.
On Sunday evening, Biden’s campaign announced that the former VP was set to pay his respects to the late civil rights icon. Lewis died earlier this month at the age of 80 after battling cancer.
Lewis actively supported Biden in the months before his death earlier this month, telling reporters in a call announcing his endorsement of the former VP that he believes the country needs Biden “now more than ever before.”
“We need his voice. We need his leadership now more than ever before,” Lewis told reporters in April. “We need someone who is going to get our country on the right side of history and help save our planet.”
Despite Trump’s absence, Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence are slated to pay their respects to Lewis later Monday.
Watch Biden pay his respects to Lewis below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-27--READ: Trump Files New Complaint In Bid To Delay NY Criminal Probe

President Trump filed a new complaint on Monday , seeking to further delay a criminal subpoena for his long-withheld financial information .
The Supreme Court remanded the case , in which President Trump hired personal attorneys to block a state-level subpoena for records held by his longtime accountant , back to the Southern District of New York three weeks ago .
It did so with the proviso that Trump embark on new avenues of argument , other than that the simple fact of his holding the office of President negates any potential involvement in a state-level criminal probe .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that his status as President made him immune from any kind of criminal procedure .
In his supposedly new arguments , Trump called the subpoena “ wildly overbroad , ” saying that it “ is not a properly tailored subpoena for the President ’ s records.
” He also accused Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance , who got the subpoena from a grand jury , of acting “ in bad faith ” and trying to engage in “ harassment of the President.
” Trump went on to claim that Vance is limited on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which allegedly invalidate the subpoena .
The Manhattan DA ’ s jurisdiction is limited to “ New York County , ” and the DA is barred by a statute of limitations that keeps “ most New York crimes ” unprosecutable “ from one to five years after the commission of the offense.
” But the President ’ s business , his attorneys argued , spans the globe — with documents “ in Canada , the Dominican Republic , Dubai , India , Indonesia , Ireland , the Philippines , Scotland , and Turkey.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the subpoena was both invasively broad and invasively detailed , asking for “ an accounting and analysis of every single asset and liability of the President , including each one of the listed entities.
” “ That is hundreds — if not thousands — of comprehensive reports , each one containing a trove of information about the health , trajectory , and operations of the business , ” his attorneys wrote .
Trump ’ s attorneys — led by William Consovoy and Marc Mukasey— make much hay out of similarities between the New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued by the House Oversight Committee to Mazars .
“ The original author of the subpoena ( aside from the request for tax returns ) — the House Oversight Committee — had no intention of it being used to facilitate a state-law criminal investigation , ” Trump argued .
From there , the complaint goes on to address the separate House demand for Trump ’ s financial records , held by Mazars , falling just short of accusing the Manhattan District Attorney of conspiring with Congress .
“ It is inconceivable to think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of achieving the Committee ’ s explicitly national and international goals and structured around a particular action by the federal government that took place in Washington D.C. is properly tailored to the New York grand jury ’ s state-law investigation , ” Trump wrote .
Last week , Vance ’ s office said in court that it considered Trump like any other CEO whose records were subject to a subpoena .
In the amended complaint , Trump asks for the subpoena to be quashed .
Consovoy , the Trump attorney , argued in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his client would be immune from criminal investigation were he to have shot a person on Fifth Avenue .
The Supreme Court rejected that absurd argument .
But legal experts told TPM after the ruling that they way in which the court did so would still likely allow the case to proceed beyond the November election .

President Trump filed a new complaint on Monday, seeking to further delay a criminal subpoena for his long-withheld financial information.
The Supreme Court remanded the case, in which President Trump hired personal attorneys to block a state-level subpoena for records held by his longtime accountant, back to the Southern District of New York three weeks ago. It did so with the proviso that Trump embark on new avenues of argument, other than that the simple fact of his holding the office of President negates any potential involvement in a state-level criminal probe.
The high court denied earlier arguments from Trump that his status as President made him immune from any kind of criminal procedure.
In his supposedly new arguments, Trump called the subpoena “wildly overbroad,” saying that it “is not a properly tailored subpoena for the President’s records.”
He also accused Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, who got the subpoena from a grand jury, of acting “in bad faith” and trying to engage in “harassment of the President.”
Trump went on to claim that Vance is limited on a number of grounds, all of which allegedly invalidate the subpoena.
The Manhattan DA’s jurisdiction is limited to “New York County,” and the DA is barred by a statute of limitations that keeps “most New York crimes” unprosecutable “from one to five years after the commission of the offense.”
But the President’s business, his attorneys argued, spans the globe — with documents “in Canada, the Dominican Republic, Dubai, India, Indonesia, Ireland, the Philippines, Scotland, and Turkey.”
Trump went on to argue that the subpoena was both invasively broad and invasively detailed, asking for “an accounting and analysis of every single asset and liability of the President, including each one of the listed entities.”
“That is hundreds — if not thousands — of comprehensive reports, each one containing a trove of information about the health, trajectory, and operations of the business,” his attorneys wrote.
Trump’s attorneys — led by William Consovoy and Marc Mukasey— make much hay out of similarities between the New York state subpoena and a separate subpoena issued by the House Oversight Committee to Mazars.
“The original author of the subpoena (aside from the request for tax returns) — the House Oversight Committee — had no intention of it being used to facilitate a state-law criminal investigation,” Trump argued.
From there, the complaint goes on to address the separate House demand for Trump’s financial records, held by Mazars, falling just short of accusing the Manhattan District Attorney of conspiring with Congress.
“It is inconceivable to think that a subpoena designed for the purpose of achieving the Committee’s explicitly national and international goals and structured around a particular action by the federal government that took place in Washington D.C. is properly tailored to the New York grand jury’s state-law investigation,” Trump wrote.
Last week, Vance’s office said in court that it considered Trump like any other CEO whose records were subject to a subpoena. In the amended complaint, Trump asks for the subpoena to be quashed.
Consovoy, the Trump attorney, argued in an earlier iteration of the case that his client would be immune from criminal investigation were he to have shot a person on Fifth Avenue. The Supreme Court rejected that absurd argument. But legal experts told TPM after the ruling that they way in which the court did so would still likely allow the case to proceed beyond the November election.
Read the amended complaint here:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-27--DC National Guard Whistleblower Details Tear Gas Op For Trump Photo Shoot

The Park Police used tear gas and “ excessive use of force ” in June to clear protestors to make way for President Trump ’ s infamous Lafayette Park photo op , according to congressional testimony from a whistleblowing officer from the D.C. National Guard .
The account , by D.C. National Guard Maj. Adam DeMarco in testimony for the House Natural Resources Committee , offers firsthand details about the federal operation to push nonviolent Black Lives Matter protestors out of Lafayette Square , clearing the way for President Trump ’ s photo op at a historic church on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contradicts the statements of Attorney General Bill Barr , who was also present at the clearing , and later said that he and other officials did not order the square violently cleared to make room for the President and his entourage .
In a June 4 press conference , Barr took responsibility for “ moving the perimeter , ” but denied that there was a “ correlation ” with President Trump ’ s photo op .
The Park Police have defended the operation by claiming that it was necessary in order to build @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the White House .
But DeMarco wrote that fencing materials did not arrive until nearly three hours after federal law enforcement gassed and cleared the crowd .
Since the June 1 clearing of Lafayette Square , the Trump Administration has surged federal law enforcement into Portland , Oregon , tear gassing the city ’ s mayor as the President threatens to deploy federal troops around the country .
DeMarco told lawmakers in the written testimony that he was deployed as a National Guard liaison with the U.S. Park Police on June 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zone , and understanding how to assess threat environments , at no time did I feel threatened by the protestors or assess them to be violent , ” DeMarco wrote .
“ In addition , considering the principles of proportionality of force and the fundamental strategy of graduated responses specific to civil disturbance operations , it was my observation that the use of force against demonstrators in the clearing operation was an unnecessary escalation of the use of force.
” An Iraq War veteran , DeMarco will testify before Congress on Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he spoke with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley .
Milley ’ s presence during the clearing broke with a foundational precedent separating the U.S. military from domestic affairs .
Milley later apologized for appearing on the square , saying in a statement that his “ presence in that moment , and in that environment , created the perception of the military involved in domestic politics.
” DeMarco offers what appears to be the first detailed account of Milley ’ s actions on the square , writing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the security perimeter that the Park Police had established .
DeMarco wrote that Milley told him “ to ensure that National Guard personnel remained calm , adding that we were there to respect the demonstrators ’ First Amendment rights.
” Soon after , DeMarco wrote , Milley left , along with Attorney General Barr .
Immediately , the Park Police began to warn the protestors to disperse , though DeMarco cast doubt on whether the warnings were loud enough to have made it to the crowd of protestors .
Ten minutes after Milley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began to watch as federal law enforcement began to clear the square .
“ As the clearing operation began , I heard explosions and saw smoke being used to disperse the protestors , ” DeMarco wrote .
A Park Police officer told DeMarco that “ stage smoke ” was being used to disperse the crowds , but , the national guardsman wrote , “ I could feel irritation in my eyes and nose , and based on my previous exposure to tear gas in my training at West Point and later in my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as effects consistent with CS or ‘ tear gas.
’ “ And later that evening , I found spent tear gas canisters on the street nearby , ” he added .
At the end of the clearing operation , DeMarco ended up at a position near St. John ’ s Church — where , unbeknownst to the guardsman , President Trump would arrive for the photo shoot .
“ At around 7:05 pm , I saw the President walking onto H Street from Lafayette Square , near St. John ’ s Church , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeMarco wrote .
“ The President ’ s arrival was a complete surprise , as we had not been briefed that he would enter our sector .
”

The Park Police used tear gas and “excessive use of force” in June to clear protestors to make way for President Trump’s infamous Lafayette Park photo op, according to congressional testimony from a whistleblowing officer from the D.C. National Guard.
The account, by D.C. National Guard Maj. Adam DeMarco in testimony for the House Natural Resources Committee, offers firsthand details about the federal operation to push nonviolent Black Lives Matter protestors out of Lafayette Square, clearing the way for President Trump’s photo op at a historic church on the plaza.
DeMarco’s testimony publicly contradicts the statements of Attorney General Bill Barr, who was also present at the clearing, and later said that he and other officials did not order the square violently cleared to make room for the President and his entourage. In a June 4 press conference, Barr took responsibility for “moving the perimeter,” but denied that there was a “correlation” with President Trump’s photo op.
The Park Police have defended the operation by claiming that it was necessary in order to build a fence that would provide more security for the White House.
But DeMarco wrote that fencing materials did not arrive until nearly three hours after federal law enforcement gassed and cleared the crowd.
Since the June 1 clearing of Lafayette Square, the Trump Administration has surged federal law enforcement into Portland, Oregon, tear gassing the city’s mayor as the President threatens to deploy federal troops around the country.
DeMarco told lawmakers in the written testimony that he was deployed as a National Guard liaison with the U.S. Park Police on June 1.
“Having served in a combat zone, and understanding how to assess threat environments, at no time did I feel threatened by the protestors or assess them to be violent,” DeMarco wrote. “In addition, considering the principles of proportionality of force and the fundamental strategy of graduated responses specific to civil disturbance operations, it was my observation that the use of force against demonstrators in the clearing operation was an unnecessary escalation of the use of force.”
An Iraq War veteran, DeMarco will testify before Congress on Tuesday.
While on the square, DeMarco wrote, he spoke with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley.
Milley’s presence during the clearing broke with a foundational precedent separating the U.S. military from domestic affairs. Milley later apologized for appearing on the square, saying in a statement that his “presence in that moment, and in that environment, created the perception of the military involved in domestic politics.”
DeMarco offers what appears to be the first detailed account of Milley’s actions on the square, writing that the general spent around twenty minutes observing the security perimeter that the Park Police had established.
DeMarco wrote that Milley told him “to ensure that National Guard personnel remained calm, adding that we were there to respect the demonstrators’ First Amendment rights.”
Soon after, DeMarco wrote, Milley left, along with Attorney General Barr.
Immediately, the Park Police began to warn the protestors to disperse, though DeMarco cast doubt on whether the warnings were loud enough to have made it to the crowd of protestors.
Ten minutes after Milley and Barr departed the square, DeMarco began to watch as federal law enforcement began to clear the square.
“As the clearing operation began, I heard explosions and saw smoke being
used to disperse the protestors,” DeMarco wrote.
A Park Police officer told DeMarco that “stage smoke” was being used to disperse the crowds, but, the national guardsman wrote, “I could feel irritation in my eyes and nose, and based on my previous exposure to tear gas in my training at West Point and later in my Army training, I recognized that irritation as effects consistent with CS or ‘tear gas.’
“And later that evening, I found spent tear gas canisters on the street nearby,” he added.
At the end of the clearing operation, DeMarco ended up at a position near St. John’s Church — where, unbeknownst to the guardsman, President Trump would arrive for the photo shoot.
“At around 7:05 pm, I saw the President walking onto H Street from Lafayette Square, near St. John’s Church, accompanied by his security detail,” DeMarco wrote. “The President’s arrival was a complete surprise, as we had not been briefed that he would enter our sector.”
Read Maj. DeMarco’s testimony here:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-27--Herman Cain Remains Hospitalized For COVID-19 Weeks After Infection

Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain on Monday is still in the hospital receiving treatment for COVID-19 , after announcing @ @ @ @ @ tested positive for the coronavirus .
Cain was hospitalized on July 1 .
Cain ’ @ @ @ @ @ after that he ’ s still receiving oxygen treatment for his lungs .
However , @ @ @ @ @ said that his “ other organs and systems are strong.
” According to a statement @ @ @ @ @ earlier this month , Cain “ developed symptoms serious enough ” that required hospitalization and @ @ @ @ @ night in an Atlanta-area hospital .
Cain ’ s statement said that at the time @ @ @ @ @ respirator and is “ awake and alert.
” Although Cain ’ s statement said that @ @ @ @ @ of knowing for sure how or where ” he contracted the coronavirus , Cain attended @ @ @ @ @ attended Tulsa rally last month , which was held indoors and did not require face @ @ @ @ @

Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain on Monday is still in the hospital receiving treatment for COVID-19, after announcing earlier this month that he tested positive for the coronavirus. Cain was hospitalized on July 1.
Cain’s Twitter account said Monday after that he’s still receiving oxygen treatment for his lungs. However, the tweet added that doctors said that his “other organs and systems are strong.”
We know it's been a few days since we last gave you an update on the boss. But he is still in the hospital being treated with oxygen for his lungs. In the meantime, the doctors say his other organs and systems are strong. — Herman Cain (@THEHermanCain) July 27, 2020
According to a statement posted to his Twitter account earlier this month, Cain “developed symptoms serious enough” that required hospitalization and that he had spent a night in an Atlanta-area hospital. Cain’s statement said that at the time he did not require a respirator and is “awake and alert.”
Although Cain’s statement said that “there is no way of knowing for sure how or where” he contracted the coronavirus, Cain attended President Trump’s poorly attended Tulsa rally last month, which was held indoors and did not require face masks to be worn.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-27--Trump ‘Won’t Be Going’ To Pay Respects To John Lewis At Capitol

President Donald Trump on Monday said he would not visit the U.S. Capitol Building to pay his respects to the @ @ @ @ @ congressman John Lewis , who is lying in state there on Monday and Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ ’ t be going , no , ” Trump told reporters before taking off on @ @ @ @ @ .
Vice President Mike Pence and Karen Pence are scheduled to pay their respects to @ @ @ @ @ Hill noted , as are Joe and Jill Biden .
The day after Lewis ’ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ordered flags flown at half staff for a day and tweeted brief condolences to @ @ @ @ @ earlier in his presidency , Trump took aim at Lewis after the congressman announced that @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s inauguration .
Dozens of lawmakers followed suit .
Lewis , in interviews @ @ @ @ @ a racist ” and an illegitimate president .

President Donald Trump on Monday said he would not visit the U.S. Capitol Building to pay his respects to the late civil rights icon and congressman John Lewis, who is lying in state there on Monday and Tuesday.
“No, I won’t be going, no,” Trump told reporters before taking off on a flight for North Carolina.
President Trump tells reporters that he will not be going to the U.S. Capitol to pay his respects to Rep. John Lewis. pic.twitter.com/O1BwD1xXHf — Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) July 27, 2020
Vice President Mike Pence and Karen Pence are scheduled to pay their respects to Lewis on Monday, The Hill noted, as are Joe and Jill Biden.
The day after Lewis’ passing on July 17, Trump ordered flags flown at half staff for a day and tweeted brief condolences to Lewis’ family.
Saddened to hear the news of civil rights hero John Lewis passing. Melania and I send our prayers to he and his family. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 18, 2020
But earlier in his presidency, Trump took aim at Lewis after the congressman announced that he’d be skipping Trump’s inauguration. Dozens of lawmakers followed suit. Lewis, in interviews, described Trump as “a racist” and an illegitimate president.
Congressman John Lewis should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to…… — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2017


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-27--Twitter Schools Larry Kudlow: That Is Not How To Wear A Mask

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow ’ s latest attempt at promoting mask-wearing amid a nationwide surge of coronavirus cases slipped — literally !
— during a gaggle with reporters Monday .
When asked why he was wearing a mask , Kudlow told reporters that it ’ s because “ you were all wearing them.
” Kudlow insisted that he ’ s been wearing face coverings for at least a couple of weeks , as his mask began to slide down his face .
Kudlow then attempted to adjust his mask , but only for it to fall short of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s mask continued slipping farther down his face as he argued that the economy won ’ t stay open unless the public complies with CDC guidelines .
“ We ’ re not going to keep the economy open , we ’ re not going to get the V-shaped recovery , we ’ re not going to get kids back to school unless we follow simple guidelines : masking , distancing , testing and personal hygiene , ” Kudlow said .
Kudlow continued his press gaggle while appearing to give up on adjusting his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covering his mouth and chin — even as he reiterated that he ’ s been wearing his own mask “ much more ” and that he respects how reporters have been doing as well .
Kudlow ’ s failed attempt at proper mask etiquette comes amid President Trump ’ s newfound mask advocacy after reports of his aides pressuring him to do so in light of sinking poll numbers .
Twitter users quickly caught on to Kudlow ’ s mask mishap by tweeting snarky reactions to it .

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow’s latest attempt at promoting mask-wearing amid a nationwide surge of coronavirus cases slipped — literally! — during a gaggle with reporters Monday.
When asked why he was wearing a mask, Kudlow told reporters that it’s because “you were all wearing them.”
Kudlow insisted that he’s been wearing face coverings for at least a couple of weeks, as his mask began to slide down his face.
Kudlow then attempted to adjust his mask, but only for it to fall short of covering his nose entirely.
Kudlow’s mask continued slipping farther down his face as he argued that the economy won’t stay open unless the public complies with CDC guidelines.
“We’re not going to keep the economy open, we’re not going to get the V-shaped recovery, we’re not going to get kids back to school unless we follow simple guidelines: masking, distancing, testing and personal hygiene,” Kudlow said.
Kudlow continued his press gaggle while appearing to give up on adjusting his mask altogether — at one point only covering his mouth and chin — even as he reiterated that he’s been wearing his own mask “much more” and that he respects how reporters have been doing as well.
Kudlow’s failed attempt at proper mask etiquette comes amid President Trump’s newfound mask advocacy after reports of his aides pressuring him to do so in light of sinking poll numbers.
Twitter users quickly caught on to Kudlow’s mask mishap by tweeting snarky reactions to it.
Kudlow on #COVID19 on Feb. 25: "We have contained this. I won't say [it's] airtight, but it's pretty close to airtight" Apparently, "pretty close to airtight" also describes his mask wearing https://t.co/mS8T8SL32o — Chris Lu (@ChrisLu44) July 27, 2020
A study out last week found evidence that the nose is more likely to spread the virus than the mouth. https://t.co/CB1NGREVKM — Michael Del Moro (@MikeDelMoro) July 27, 2020
weird for a journalist to say this is wearing a mask https://t.co/hSp69qc8SA — Matt Negrin, HOST OF HARDBALL AT 7PM ON MSNBC (@MattNegrin) July 27, 2020
fortunately no air passes in or out of the nose, so this is proper mask wearing to prevent aerosol spread https://t.co/TqFnsPvdGb — Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) July 27, 2020
Tell him if he wants to avoid seeing COVID-19 the mask needs to go over his eyes. https://t.co/vOPk0g1oC4 — Clint Watts (@selectedwisdom) July 27, 2020
Watch Kudlow’s remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-27--WaPo: More Feds On The Way To Portland

WaPo: More Feds On The Way To Portland

The Washington Post reported Monday that the Trump administration is beefing up the federal muscle in Portland after weeks of protests there .
But in a statement , one of the law federal enforcement agencies in question called the Post ’ s reporting “ inaccurate.
” DOJ and DHS personnel in the city have prompted outrage from protesters and local leaders for their use of force and arrest tactics .
But the Trump administration has repeatedly criticized local leadership for not coming down harder on demonstrators .
As the DOJ ’ s law enforcement arm tasked with protecting courthouses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marshals Service ( USMS ) has been at the center of the action in Portland .
Citing an internal email , the Post reported that USMS had decided last week to send 100 deputies to Portland — that personnel began arriving Thursday night , the Post reported .
But in a statement to The Daily Beast ’ s Spencer Ackerman , a USMS spokesperson disputed the Post ’ s reporting .
“ USMS did not send 100 more deputy US Marshals to Portland last week , ” the statement read .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 personnel to send to the District of Oregon in case they were needed to relieve or supplement deputies permanently stationed in the district.
” “ They may also be used to rotate with personnel already sent there to support district operations during the civil unrest mission there to insure [ sic ] the function and safety of judicial proceedings , ” the statement added .
Dave Oney , a spokesperson for the Marshals , told TPM over the phone that USMS was giving deputies “ a heads up : ‘ Hey , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some point . '
” The Department of Homeland Security , the Post reported , was mulling sending another 50 Customs and Border Protection personnel to Portland .
The Federal Protective Service , the DHS arm in charge of protecting federal property , has invited back-up from CBP , ICE and other DHS agencies to Portland to protect the Hatfield federal courthouse and other buildings .
Deputy marshals in recent weeks have shot a “ less-lethal ” munition at a protester ’ s head , causing serious injury , and beat a U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand and a viral video of the beating .
DHS personnel have been faulted for multiple reported instances of detaining protesters and driving them them away without formally arresting them , spurring due process concerns .
Neither the U.S .
Marshals nor DHS immediately responded to TPM ’ s request to confirm the Post ’ s reporting .

The Washington Post reported Monday that the Trump administration is beefing up the federal muscle in Portland after weeks of protests there.
But in a statement, one of the law federal enforcement agencies in question called the Post’s reporting “inaccurate.”
DOJ and DHS personnel in the city have prompted outrage from protesters and local leaders for their use of force and arrest tactics. But the Trump administration has repeatedly criticized local leadership for not coming down harder on demonstrators.
As the DOJ’s law enforcement arm tasked with protecting courthouses, among other responsibilities, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) has been at the center of the action in Portland.
Citing an internal email, the Post reported that USMS had decided last week to send 100 deputies to Portland — that personnel began arriving Thursday night, the Post reported.
But in a statement to The Daily Beast’s Spencer Ackerman, a USMS spokesperson disputed the Post’s reporting.
“USMS did not send 100 more deputy US Marshals to Portland last week,” the statement read. “The agency took steps to identify up to 100 personnel to send to the District of Oregon in case they were needed to relieve or supplement deputies permanently stationed in the district.”
“They may also be used to rotate with personnel already sent there to support district operations during the civil unrest mission there to insure [sic] the function and safety of judicial proceedings,” the statement added.
Dave Oney, a spokesperson for the Marshals, told TPM over the phone that USMS was giving deputies “a heads up: ‘Hey, you may be going out there at some point.'”
The Department of Homeland Security, the Post reported, was mulling sending another 50 Customs and Border Protection personnel to Portland.
“CBP can confirm that additional personnel were sent to Portland,” the agency said in a statement to TPM Friday. “CBP remains fully committed to support the request from Federal Protective Services to protect federal buildings and property. The additional personnel will serve to maintain our current capabilities on the ground.”
The Federal Protective Service, the DHS arm in charge of protecting federal property, has invited back-up from CBP, ICE and other DHS agencies to Portland to protect the Hatfield federal courthouse and other buildings.
Deputy marshals in recent weeks have shot a “less-lethal” munition at a protester’s head, causing serious injury, and beat a U.S. Navy veteran, resulting in a broken hand and a viral video of the beating.
DHS personnel have been faulted for multiple reported instances of detaining protesters and driving them them away without formally arresting them, spurring due process concerns.
This post has been updated.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-27--Baseball’s Curtailed Season Looks Like It Could Strike Out After Team’s COVID-19 Outbreak

Yet another curveball has been thrown into 2020 ’ s already truncated baseball season due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Major League Baseball is reportedly holding an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss plans for the rest of the shortened 2020 season , following the postponement of the Miami Marlins ’ home opener after more than a dozen members of the organization tested positive for COVID-19 .
According to ESPN on Monday , in addition to the Marlins ’ home opener against the Baltimore Orioles being called off , the Philadelphia Phillies ’ home game against the New York Yankees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported that shortly after the Marlins completed a series in Philadelphia , seven more players and two coaches with the Marlins tested positive for the coronavirus .
The outbreak has reportedly spread throughout the Marlins ’ clubhouse , bringing total coronavirus cases to at least 13 .
In a statement on Monday , the MLB said that members of the Marlins ’ who were on the road are self-quarantining as they await results from COVID-19 testing .
The league also said that it ’ s coordinating with the MLB Players Association ; the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ weekend opponent , the Phillies ; and Club medical staffs as it works to “ provide updates as appropriate.
” Marlins CEO Derek Jeter also acknowledged in a statement on Monday that the team is focused on the health of players and staff as it navigates “ unchartered waters.
” Jeter added that postponing the team ’ s home opener was “ the correct decision to ensure we take a collective pause and try to properly grasp the totality of this situation.
” News of the Marlins ’ coronavirus outbreak comes amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , Florida ’ s Department of Health reported 8,892 new coronavirus cases in a single day .
Florida currently has 432,747 confirmed COVID-19 cases .

Yet another curveball has been thrown into 2020’s already truncated baseball season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Major League Baseball is reportedly holding an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss plans for the rest of the shortened 2020 season, following the postponement of the Miami Marlins’ home opener after more than a dozen members of the organization tested positive for COVID-19.
According to ESPN on Monday, in addition to the Marlins’ home opener against the Baltimore Orioles being called off, the Philadelphia Phillies’ home game against the New York Yankees has been canceled as well.
ESPN reported that shortly after the Marlins completed a series in Philadelphia, seven more players and two coaches with the Marlins tested positive for the coronavirus. The outbreak has reportedly spread throughout the Marlins’ clubhouse, bringing total coronavirus cases to at least 13.
In a statement on Monday, the MLB said that members of the Marlins’ who were on the road are self-quarantining as they await results from COVID-19 testing. The league also said that it’s coordinating with the MLB Players Association; the Marlins; the Orioles; the Marlins’ weekend opponent, the Phillies; and Club medical staffs as it works to “provide updates as appropriate.”
Marlins CEO Derek Jeter also acknowledged in a statement on Monday that the team is focused on the health of players and staff as it navigates “unchartered waters.” Jeter added that postponing the team’s home opener was “the correct decision to ensure we take a collective pause and try to properly grasp the totality of this situation.”
News of the Marlins’ coronavirus outbreak comes amid Florida becoming a hot spot. On Monday, Florida’s Department of Health reported 8,892 new coronavirus cases in a single day. Florida currently has 432,747 confirmed COVID-19 cases.