talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-01--QAnoner Beats Incumbent GOP Rep In Primary, Adding To Would-Be QAnon Caucus

Appearing on the web show “ Steel Truth ” in mid-May , Republican congressional candidate Lauren Boebert took a deep breath , adjusted her glasses , and opened up about QAnon .
“ Honestly , everything that I ’ ve heard of Q , I hope that this is real , ” Boebert said .
“ Because it only means that America is getting stronger and better , and people are returning to conservative values .
And that ’ s what I am for.
” Boebert on Tuesday night defeated a five-term , Trump-endorsed Republican congressman to become the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Representatives in Colorado ’ s third district .
The district boasts a Republican plus-6 lean per the Cook Political Report , giving Boebert fairly good chances of reaching Congress .
She ’ s one of a small number of competitive candidates who ’ ve professed their interest in , or hopes about , QAnon — a vast and Byzantine conspiracy whose adherents believe , among other things , that Trump is engaged in a behind-the-scenes war against the “ deep state ” and an underground pedophile ring .
“ Q ” refers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-ranking official , or officials , who leaves cryptic breadcrumbs for their followers in the form of online gibberish .
The President congratulated Boebert Tuesday night for her “ really great win.
” While 2020 has seen dozens of candidates who profess belief in QAnon , most aren ’ t competitive .
Boebert joins Marjorie Greene , a Republican out of Georgia ’ s 14th district , as one who is .
Greene is well-positioned for a primary runoff on August 11 , after she finished 20 points ahead of the next closest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district is heavily Republican , so the winner of the GOP primary will likely take the seat .
She too earned a presidential congratulations , along with a handful of initial endorsements from the likes of Rep. Jim Jordan ( R-OH ) and the House Freedom Caucus .
Greene is outspoken about her interest in the most extreme branches of QAnon , and has recorded a slew of unrelated but racist and Islamophobic videos to boot .
She had amassed a significant social media following , which formed the foundation of her bid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the growing trove of recordings and social media posts documenting her beliefs — has greatly discomfited Republican leadership , many of whom have issued disavowals or endorsed her opponent .
Boebert , the surprise Colorado nominee , got her name out there through a good old-fashioned confrontation : When then-Democratic presidential contender Beto O ’ Rourke made gun control a major component of his campaign , following a shooting massacre in his hometown of El Paso , Boebert called him out at a campaign stop .
“ I was one of the gun-owning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ hell yes , we ’ re going to take your AR-15s.
’ Well , I ’ m here to say hell no , you ’ re not , ” she told the candidate .
She ’ s got street cred on the topic : Boebert owns a restaurant , “ Shooters Grill ” in Rifle , CO , where wait staff openly carry pistols on their hips and firearms adorn the walls .
Much of Boebert ’ s May interview on “ Steel Truth , ” focused on her clash with health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for service in defiance of local COVID-19 orders .
Ultimately , the county suspended her restaurant after she ignored a cease-and-desist order .
( The license was reinstated later in May . )
But when host Ann Vandersteel brought up QAnon , Boebert said she was “ very familiar ” with the movement .
“ Everything that I have heard of this movement is only motivating and encouraging and bringing people together , stronger , ” she added .
“ And if this is real , then it could be really great for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that YouTube ’ s real-time commenters had responded to the affirmation by posting a QAnon slogan — “ where we go one , we go all.
” “ That ’ s very ‘ Q , ’ by the way , ” Vandersteel said .
“ Like you said , we ’ re all in this together ?
It means the same thing.
” Where They Go One , They Go All The QAnon caucus of congressional hopefuls is expansive , though , unfortunately for the movement , filled almost entirely with underdogs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rae Perkins , will take on Sen. Jeff Merkley ( D-OR ) in November .
Perkins garnered a flood of headlines when she won her primary and celebrated by brandishing a sticker emblazoned with the “ where we go one , we go all ” phrase .
She walked back those beliefs in a statement — but , soon after that , said that her campaign advisers had bullied her into issuing the retraction , disavowing the disavowal .
When Greene came out ahead in the first round of her primary , Perkins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to have another candidate who is vocal about reading QAnon posts .
Perkins , Greene and Boebert are some of the dozens of QAnon-supporting candidates Media Matters has tracked — though most have either lost their primaries or face steep odds ahead .
One possible contender is Buzz Patterson , the retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who trailed the incumbent Democratic Rep. Ami Bera by just seven points in the March 3 jungle primary .
Asked on Twitter a month later whether he supported the “ Q movement , ” Patterson responded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s Angela Stanton-King , who in February got a pardon from President Donald Trump and in March posted a QAnon-themed video on Instagram with the caption , “ This would explain why they tried so hard to make us hate him… ” ( Stanton-King ran unopposed for the Republican nomination to face off against Rep. John Lewis ( D-GA ) . )
In February , after receiving her pardon , Stanton-King appeared with a group of Trump ’ s Black supporters to pray with him in the Oval Office .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ translate her proximity to the President into a long-shot bid against the veteran lawmaker .
“ I have never run for office and I don ’ t have political experience , ” Stanton-King said .
“ But I do have life experiences .
”

Appearing on the web show “Steel Truth” in mid-May, Republican congressional candidate Lauren Boebert took a deep breath, adjusted her glasses, and opened up about QAnon.
“Honestly, everything that I’ve heard of Q, I hope that this is real,” Boebert said. “Because it only means that America is getting stronger and better, and people are returning to conservative values. And that’s what I am for.”

Boebert on Tuesday night defeated a five-term, Trump-endorsed Republican congressman to become the party’s nominee for the House of Representatives in Colorado’s third district.
The district boasts a Republican plus-6 lean per the Cook Political Report, giving Boebert fairly good chances of reaching Congress.
She’s one of a small number of competitive candidates who’ve professed their interest in, or hopes about, QAnon — a vast and Byzantine conspiracy whose adherents believe, among other things, that Trump is engaged in a behind-the-scenes war against the “deep state” and an underground pedophile ring. “Q” refers to the anonymous online moniker of a supposedly high-ranking official, or officials, who leaves cryptic breadcrumbs for their followers in the form of online gibberish.
The President congratulated Boebert Tuesday night for her “really great win.”
The ‘QAnon Caucus’
While 2020 has seen dozens of candidates who profess belief in QAnon, most aren’t competitive. Boebert joins Marjorie Greene, a Republican out of Georgia’s 14th district, as one who is.
Greene is well-positioned for a primary runoff on August 11, after she finished 20 points ahead of the next closest competitor, neurosurgeon John Cowan. The district is heavily Republican, so the winner of the GOP primary will likely take the seat.
She too earned a presidential congratulations, along with a handful of initial endorsements from the likes of Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and the House Freedom Caucus.
Greene is outspoken about her interest in the most extreme branches of QAnon, and has recorded a slew of unrelated but racist and Islamophobic videos to boot. She had amassed a significant social media following, which formed the foundation of her bid.
But her preliminary success — and the growing trove of recordings and social media posts documenting her beliefs — has greatly discomfited Republican leadership, many of whom have issued disavowals or endorsed her opponent.
‘Hell No, You’re Not’
Boebert, the surprise Colorado nominee, got her name out there through a good old-fashioned confrontation: When then-Democratic presidential contender Beto O’Rourke made gun control a major component of his campaign, following a shooting massacre in his hometown of El Paso, Boebert called him out at a campaign stop.
“I was one of the gun-owning Americans that heard your speech, regarding ‘hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15s.’ Well, I’m here to say hell no, you’re not,” she told the candidate.

She’s got street cred on the topic: Boebert owns a restaurant, “Shooters Grill” in Rifle, CO, where wait staff openly carry pistols on their hips and firearms adorn the walls.
Much of Boebert’s May interview on “Steel Truth,” focused on her clash with health officials — she repeatedly opened Shooters Grill for service in defiance of local COVID-19 orders. Ultimately, the county suspended her restaurant after she ignored a cease-and-desist order. (The license was reinstated later in May.)
But when host Ann Vandersteel brought up QAnon, Boebert said she was “very familiar” with the movement.
“Everything that I have heard of this movement is only motivating and encouraging and bringing people together, stronger,” she added. “And if this is real, then it could be really great for our country.”
Later, Vandersteel noted that YouTube’s real-time commenters had responded to the affirmation by posting a QAnon slogan — “where we go one, we go all.”
“That’s very ‘Q,’ by the way,” Vandersteel said. “Like you said, we’re all in this together? It means the same thing.”
Boebert smiled. “We are,” she agreed.
Where They Go One, They Go All
The QAnon caucus of congressional hopefuls is expansive, though, unfortunately for the movement, filled almost entirely with underdogs.
One such candidate, Republican nominee Jo Rae Perkins, will take on Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) in November. Perkins garnered a flood of headlines when she won her primary and celebrated by brandishing a sticker emblazoned with the “where we go one, we go all” phrase.
She walked back those beliefs in a statement — but, soon after that, said that her campaign advisers had bullied her into issuing the retraction, disavowing the disavowal.
When Greene came out ahead in the first round of her primary, Perkins told TPM that she was “happy” to have another candidate who is vocal about reading QAnon posts.
Perkins, Greene and Boebert are some of the dozens of QAnon-supporting candidates Media Matters has tracked — though most have either lost their primaries or face steep odds ahead.
One possible contender is Buzz Patterson, the retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who trailed the incumbent Democratic Rep. Ami Bera by 17 points in the March 3 jungle primary. Asked on Twitter a month later whether he supported the “Q movement,” Patterson responded with a “Yep!”
Then there’s Angela Stanton-King, who in February got a pardon from President Donald Trump and in March posted a QAnon-themed video on Instagram with the caption, “This would explain why they tried so hard to make us hate him…” (Stanton-King ran unopposed for the Republican nomination to face off against Rep. John Lewis (D-GA).)
In February, after receiving her pardon, Stanton-King appeared with a group of Trump’s Black supporters to pray with him in the Oval Office. A political neophyte, she has sought to translate her proximity to the President into a long-shot bid against the veteran lawmaker.
“I have never run for office and I don’t have political experience,” Stanton-King said. “But I do have life experiences.”
Correction: This post originally miscounted the margin of Buzz Patterson’s second-place primary finish. He trailed Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) by 17 points, not seven.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-01--NPS Acting Director Offers Nuanced Take On Decision To Keep Confederate Monuments

National Park Service acting director David Vela on Wednesday discussed the complexities of dealing with racism associated with parks as the movement to remove Confederate monuments gains momentum nationwide .
During an interview that aired on ABC News Wednesday , Vela acknowledged the history of racism in parks and explained that the NPS is working on developing “ a different approach ” to combat it .
Vela , who is the first Latino to lead the agency after being appointed by President Trump in 2017 , said that part of the solution is to have an open discussion about racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ challenging times ” in history .
“ I think that as a person of color , I think that our national parks and what I ’ ve found , is opportunities to really reflect on the most difficult and challenging times in our nation ’ s history , ” Vela said .
When asked about the growing movement to remove monuments linked to racism that emerged during protests in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death , Vela said that “ there ’ s no question that the vast majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” but that it ’ s “ painful ” to see the defacement of statues and memorials on park land .
However , Vela offered a nuanced take on the NPS ’ position against removing statues or memorials paying tribute to Confederate figures , arguing that removal would risk removing “ the stories that they contain.
” “ I ’ ve had conversations even today about the position of the Park Service is that we ’ re not tearing down , removing any statue or memorial , ” Vela said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we then remove the stories that they contain .
And if those stories are further sanitized in the history text , we may completely lose that narrative .
We can ’ t. ” Vela added that the role of the Park Service is to foster discussion if a statue or memorial in a national park is offensive to visitors .
“ Let ’ s talk about who put it up , why they put it up .
The context , the lens that they used in putting it up , and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ And then when you leave that visitor experience , you decide , visitor , what do you do with it ?
” Vela said that he hopes visitors will “ want to learn more and do further research ” with this approach .
“ And if that ’ s the case , we did our job , ” Vela said .
“ But we ’ re not going to make that decision for you .
But we ’ re going to give you the information that we have through our @ @ @ @ @ @

National Park Service acting director David Vela on Wednesday discussed the complexities of dealing with racism associated with parks as the movement to remove Confederate monuments gains momentum nationwide.
During an interview that aired on ABC News Wednesday, Vela acknowledged the history of racism in parks and explained that the NPS is working on developing “a different approach” to combat it. Vela, who is the first Latino to lead the agency after being appointed by President Trump in 2017, said that part of the solution is to have an open discussion about racism and using park programming to reflect on “challenging times” in history.
“I think that as a person of color, I think that our national parks and what I’ve found, is opportunities to really reflect on the most difficult and challenging times in our nation’s history,” Vela said.
When asked about the growing movement to remove monuments linked to racism that emerged during protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death, Vela said that “there’s no question that the vast majority of the protests and demonstrations have been peaceful,” but that it’s “painful” to see the defacement of statues and memorials on park land.
However, Vela offered a nuanced take on the NPS’ position against removing statues or memorials paying tribute to Confederate figures, arguing that removal would risk removing “the stories that they contain.”
“I’ve had conversations even today about the position of the Park Service is that we’re not tearing down, removing any statue or memorial,” Vela said. “If we do that on park land, we then remove the stories that they contain. And if those stories are further sanitized in the history text, we may completely lose that narrative. We can’t.”
Vela added that the role of the Park Service is to foster discussion if a statue or memorial in a national park is offensive to visitors.
“Let’s talk about who put it up, why they put it up. The context, the lens that they used in putting it up, and then give you more information,” Vela said. “And then when you leave that visitor experience, you decide, visitor, what do you do with it?”
Vela said that he hopes visitors will “want to learn more and do further research” with this approach.
“And if that’s the case, we did our job,” Vela said. “But we’re not going to make that decision for you. But we’re going to give you the information that we have through our interpretive and educational processes.”
Watch Vela’s remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-01--Trump Condemns Budget Cuts to NYPD, Calls ‘Black Lives Matter’ A ‘Symbol Of Hate’

President Trump criticized New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday for the second-term mayor ’ s decision to cut roughly $ 1 billion from the city ’ s police department budget .
In a morning Twitter rant , Trump tossed red meat to blue-uniform sympathizers and white supremacists , saying the move to cut the NYPD budget was made worse by an unrelated decision to paint the words “ Black Lives Matter ” along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan , which he said would denigrate “ this luxury Avenue.
” In tweets , the President called the installation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matter ” — a phrase associated with a movement of the same name — “ a symbol of hate.
” The BLM movement has condemned racism and police violence in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis over Memorial Day weekend .
Trump also suggested that the sign reflected the mayor ’ s disrespect for the police .
The move to pit police against a movement for racial justice is the latest in the president ’ s continued attempts at putting his reelection at the center of a culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reckoning with racial inequality .
Ironically , de Blasio was the subject of faltering enthusiasm last month among former supporters who criticized his response to anti-racism protests which yielded many instances of police violence against largely peaceful demonstrators .
In a press conference on Tuesday , the mayor called the trimming of one-sixth of the NYPD ’ s $ 6 billion budget a “ balancing act.
” It will involve the cancellations of plans to hire roughly 1,160 officers in July .
It will also shift officers away from school safety and away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the street .
In spite of the cuts , the New York Times reported that a fall class of officers is still expected to begin training in October .
That fact has upset some lawmakers who have noted that a hiring freeze by the city for some others — including teachers — will remain in place for the next year .
“ Defunding police means defunding police , ” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-NY ) said in a statement on Monday , criticizing the mayor for using “ budget tricks ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers from one city budget to the next .
The mayor told MSNBC ’ s Joe Scarborough in an interview on Wednesday that the “ Black Lives Matter ” sign could help the President , who just days ago retweeted a video that included a man crying “ white power , ” grasp a message “ that he still doesn ’ t understand.
” “ Maybe seeing it outside of his doorstep will help him get the point , ” de Blasio said .

President Trump criticized New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday for the second-term mayor’s decision to cut roughly $1 billion from the city’s police department budget.
In a morning Twitter rant, Trump tossed red meat to blue-uniform sympathizers and white supremacists, saying the move to cut the NYPD budget was made worse by an unrelated decision to paint the words “Black Lives Matter” along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, which he said would denigrate “this luxury Avenue.”
….horrible BLM chant, “Pigs In A Blanket, Fry ‘Em Like Bacon”. Maybe our GREAT Police, who have been neutralized and scorned by a mayor who hates & disrespects them, won’t let this symbol of hate be affixed to New York’s greatest street. Spend this money fighting crime instead! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2020
In tweets, the President called the installation of a street painting reading “Black Lives Matter” — a phrase associated with a movement of the same name — “a symbol of hate.” The BLM movement has condemned racism and police violence in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis over Memorial Day weekend. Trump also suggested that the sign reflected the mayor’s disrespect for the police.
The move to pit police against a movement for racial justice is the latest in the president’s continued attempts at putting his reelection at the center of a culture war that demonizes the nation’s reckoning with racial inequality.
Ironically, de Blasio was the subject of faltering enthusiasm last month among former supporters who criticized his response to anti-racism protests which yielded many instances of police violence against largely peaceful demonstrators.
In a press conference on Tuesday, the mayor called the trimming of one-sixth of the NYPD’s $6 billion budget a “balancing act.” It will involve the cancellations of plans to hire roughly 1,160 officers in July. It will also shift officers away from school safety and away from policing illegal vendors and homeless people on the street.
In spite of the cuts, the New York Times reported that a fall class of officers is still expected to begin training in October. That fact has upset some lawmakers who have noted that a hiring freeze by the city for some others — including teachers — will remain in place for the next year.
“Defunding police means defunding police,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said in a statement on Monday, criticizing the mayor for using “budget tricks” and “funny math” that moves police officers from one city budget to the next.
The mayor told MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough in an interview on Wednesday that the “Black Lives Matter” sign could help the President, who just days ago retweeted a video that included a man crying “white power,” grasp a message “that he still doesn’t understand.”
“Maybe seeing it outside of his doorstep will help him get the point,” de Blasio said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-02--4.8 Million Jobs Added In June, Unemployment Falls To 11%

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

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers added a substantial 4.8 million jobs in June, and the unemployment rate fell to 11.1%, as the job market improved for a second straight month yet still remained far short of regaining the colossal losses it suffered this spring.
The nation has now recovered roughly one-third of the 22 million jobs it lost to the pandemic recession. And with confirmed coronavirus cases spiking across the Sun Belt states, a range of evidence suggests that a job market recovery may be stalling. In those states and elsewhere, some restaurants, bars and other retailers that had re-opened are being forced to close again.
The re-closings are keeping layoffs elevated: The number of Americans who sought unemployment benefits barely fell last week to 1.47 million. Though that weekly figure has declined steadily since peaking in late March, it’s still more than double the pre-pandemic peak set in 1982. And the total number of people receiving jobless aid remains at a sizable 19 million.
California has re-closed bars, theaters and indoor restaurant dining across most of the state. Florida has also re-closed bars and beaches. Texas has reversed some of its efforts to reopen its economy. New York has paused its plans to allow indoor dining.
Credit and debit card data tracked by JPMorgan Chase show that consumers reduced their spending last week after having increased it steadily in late April and May. The reversal has occurred both in states that have reported surges in COVID-19 and in less affected states, said Jesse Edgerton, an economist at J.P. Morgan.
Nationwide, card spending fell nearly 13% last week compared with a year ago. That’s worse than the previous week, when year-over-year card spending had fallen just under 10%.
And Kronos, which produces time management software, has found that in the past two weeks, growth in the number of shifts worked has slowed in the Southeast and is now rising at just half the rate of the Northeast.
“The pace of recovery is starting to slow,” said Dave Gilbertson, an executive at Kronos. “We are expecting to see more of a plateauing over the next couple of months.”
Thursday’s jobs report is based on data gathered in the second week of June, which helps explain why the figures reflect an improving trend. Last week’s plateau in work shifts will instead affect the July jobs figures, to be released in early August.
McDonald’s has paused its reopening efforts nationwide, and Apple says it will re-close 30 more of its U.S. stores, on top of 47 that it had already shut down for a second time.
Economists have long warned that the economic benefits of allowing businesses to reopen would prove short-lived if the virus wasn’t brought under control. Until most Americans feel confident enough to dine out, travel, shop or congregate in groups without fear of infection, restaurants, hotels and retailers will lack enough customer demand to justify rehiring all their previous workers.
Still, some bright spots in the economy have emerged in recent weeks. Manufacturers expanded in June after three months of shrinking, the Institute for Supply Management, a trade group, said Wednesday. New orders are flowing in, and factories are adding more jobs, the ISM said.
And record-low mortgage rates are encouraging more home buyers. Purchases of new homes rose sharply in May. And a measure of signed contracts to buy existing homes soared by a record amount, a sign that sales should rebound after falling for three straight months.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-02--Judge Rules In Favor Of Publisher In Mary Trump Tell-All Book Debacle

Publishers of Mary Trump ’ s tell-all book can go ahead with publication following a ruling by a New York appellate judge on Wednesday which reversed a lower court ’ s decision to pause the publication of a much-anticipated account by President Trump ’ s niece .
The book , “ Too Much and Never Enough : How My Family Created the World ’ s Most Dangerous Man , ” according to court papers filed by publisher Simon & Schuster and obtained by The New York Times has allegedly already been printed and sold tens of thousands of copies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ seller on Amazon .
The account is anticipated to reveal how Mary Trump contributed to a report from The Times on the Trump family ’ s tax schemes .
The text was central to a legal dispute about whether , by writing the book , Trump ’ s niece had violated a two decades old confidentiality agreement that she signed after a struggle over the will of Donald Trump ’ s father Fred Trump Sr .
In his decision , ruling judge Alan Scheinkman ruled that Simon & Schuster was not a party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be bound by it in spite of a Tuesday ruling that placed a temporary restraining order on the book ’ s publication .
While the restraining order was lifted on Simon & Schuster the court left the temporary restraining order in place for Mary Trump until a hearing scheduled for July 10 .
“ Unlike Ms. Trump , ” Scheinkman wrote , “ S & S has not agreed to surrender or relinquish any of its First Amendment rights.
” The publishers had earlier argued they were unaware of Mary Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Simon & Schuster quickly celebrate the decision as a win in a statement on Wednesday night calling the book a work of “ real interest and importance ” that “ fully deserves to be published for the benefit of the American public.
” “ As all know , there are well-established precedents against prior restraint and pre-publication injunctions , and we remain confident that the preliminary injunction will be denied , ” the publishing company added .
While Scheinkman declined to rule on the question of whether Mary Trump had violated the agreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a prominent family to agree to keep “ intimate family matters ” away from the public .
He also said , however , that the 20-year-old agreement to protect the Trump family ’ s privacy may have been altered by the fact that Donald Trump had become the president during that time .
The book is scheduled to be released at the end of July .

The publisher of Mary Trump’s tell-all book can go ahead for now with publication plans following a ruling by a New York appellate judge on Wednesday, which reversed a lower court’s decision to pause the publication of a much-anticipated account by President Trump’s niece.
The book, “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man,” according to court papers filed by publisher Simon & Schuster and obtained by The New York Times, has allegedly already been printed and sold tens of thousands of copies. It is also listed as a best seller on Amazon.
The account is anticipated to reveal how Mary Trump contributed to a report from The Times on the Trump family’s tax schemes.
The text was central to a legal dispute about whether, by writing the book, Trump’s niece had violated a two decades old confidentiality agreement that she signed after a struggle over the will of Donald Trump’s father Fred Trump Sr.
In his decision, Judge Alan Scheinkman ruled that Simon & Schuster was not a party to the confidentiality agreement and therefore could not be bound by it in spite of a Tuesday ruling that placed a temporary restraining order on the book’s publication. While the restraining order was lifted on Simon & Schuster, the court left the temporary restraining order in place for Mary Trump until a hearing scheduled for July 10.
“Unlike Ms. Trump,” Scheinkman wrote, “S&S has not agreed to surrender or relinquish any of its First Amendment rights.” The publishers had earlier argued they were unaware of Mary Trump’s signing of a confidentiality agreement.
Simon & Schuster quickly celebrated the decision as a win in a statement on Wednesday night, calling the book a work of “real interest and importance” that “fully deserves to be published for the benefit of the American public.”
“As all know, there are well-established precedents against prior restraint and pre-publication injunctions, and we remain confident that the preliminary injunction will be denied,” the publishing company added.
While Scheinkman declined to rule on the question of whether Mary Trump had violated the agreement, he said it it was reasonable for a prominent family to agree to keep “intimate family matters” away from the public.
He also said, however, that the 20-year-old agreement to protect the Trump family’s privacy may have been altered by the fact that Donald Trump had become the president during that time.
The book is scheduled to be released at the end of July.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-02--AZ GOP Rep. Clashes With Fox News Host Over Call To Disband WH COVID-19 Task Force

Rep. Andy Biggs ( R-AZ ) found himself in hot water during an interview with Fox News host Neil Cavuto on Thursday after demanding the disbandment of the White House Coronavirus Task Force amid surging COVID-19 cases in several cities .
Earlier Thursday , Biggs ripped White House Coronavirus Task Force members Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx in a statement praising the June jobs report .
Biggs accused them of “ causing panic ” by contradicting President Trump ’ s “ goals and actions for returning to normalcy ” and called for the disbandment of the task force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message is not mitigated or distorted.
” Biggs repeated his tirade against Fauci and Birx during an interview with Cavuto on Thursday afternoon , saying that they ’ ve “ expired.
” “ Their time of usefulness has expired , ” Biggs told Cavuto .
“ What they do is when the President comes out and makes a policy , because he is the President and he is the policymaker , when they make these statements that they make , they engender panic and hysteria and undermine what the President is doing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” After Biggs accused Fauci for being “ all over the ballpark ” regarding wearing masks to reduce the spread of the coronavirus , Cavuto expressed his disbelief with the Arizona Republican by pointing out the recent surge in coronavirus cases and pressing him on whether this is the time to disband the White House Coronavirus Task Force .
Biggs pushed back by accusing Cavuto of “ cherry picking ” data points before attributing his state ’ s high number of coronavirus cases on a per capita basis to “ mostly coming from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After Biggs claimed that Arizona had “ a reduction in hospitalizations by 50 , excuse me , almost 100 percent ” over the past three weeks , Cavuto hit back by expressing his disbelief again over his call for Trump to disband the coronavirus task force due to disagreeing with Birx and Fauci ’ s remarks .
“ Doesn ’ t he refer to them as the health experts ?
Doesn ’ t he have a commission because he defers to them as the health experts ?
” Cavuto asked Biggs .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are citing also that we can get this under control .
It needn ’ t be a panic if people should do what they ’ re supposed to be doing .
But isn ’ t that what doctors do , look at people ’ s lives ?
” Biggs went on to question the last time Fauci and Birx treated a coronavirus patient , before Cavuto cut in to ask Biggs the same question .
“ But you ’ re telling the ones who are to get out , get off the commission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you , ’ ” Cavuto said , while raising his voice .
Biggs replied by reiterating his argument that the coronavirus task force “ may not be necessary anymore ” and that he thinks “ it ’ s a good idea ” to disband it “ for different reasons .
”

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) found himself in hot water during an interview with Fox News host Neil Cavuto on Thursday after demanding the disbandment of the White House Coronavirus Task Force amid surging COVID-19 cases in several cities.
Earlier Thursday, Biggs ripped White House Coronavirus Task Force members Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx in a statement praising the June jobs report. Biggs accused them of “causing panic” by contradicting President Trump’s “goals and actions for returning to normalcy” and called for the disbandment of the task force so that the President’s “message is not mitigated or distorted.”
Biggs repeated his tirade against Fauci and Birx during an interview with Cavuto on Thursday afternoon, saying that they’ve “expired.”
“Their time of usefulness has expired,” Biggs told Cavuto. “What they do is when the President comes out and makes a policy, because he is the President and he is the policymaker, when they make these statements that they make, they engender panic and hysteria and undermine what the President is doing. That’s what’s critical.”
After Biggs accused Fauci for being “all over the ballpark” regarding wearing masks to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, Cavuto expressed his disbelief with the Arizona Republican by pointing out the recent surge in coronavirus cases and pressing him on whether this is the time to disband the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
Biggs pushed back by accusing Cavuto of “cherry picking” data points before attributing his state’s high number of coronavirus cases on a per capita basis to “mostly coming from the age 20 to 44 brackets.”
After Biggs claimed that Arizona had “a reduction in hospitalizations by 50, excuse me, almost 100 percent” over the past three weeks, Cavuto hit back by expressing his disbelief again over his call for Trump to disband the coronavirus task force due to disagreeing with Birx and Fauci’s remarks.
“Doesn’t he refer to them as the health experts? Doesn’t he have a commission because he defers to them as the health experts?” Cavuto asked Biggs. “And they are citing worries and they are citing also that we can get this under control. It needn’t be a panic if people should do what they’re supposed to be doing. But isn’t that what doctors do, look at people’s lives?”
Biggs went on to question the last time Fauci and Birx treated a coronavirus patient, before Cavuto cut in to ask Biggs the same question.
“But you’re telling the ones who are to get out, get off the commission, ‘We don’t need you,’” Cavuto said, while raising his voice.
Biggs replied by reiterating his argument that the coronavirus task force “may not be necessary anymore” and that he thinks “it’s a good idea” to disband it “for different reasons.”
Watch Biggs’ remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-02--Ex-US Attorney Berman To Sit For Closed-Door Interview With House Judiciary Next Week

Former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman will sit for a transcribed , closed-door interview with the House Judiciary Committee on July 9 , a House aide told TPM .
Berman will sit for the interview at 12:00 p.m. next Thursday .
The move comes two weeks after Berman refused to resign from his post , after Attorney General William Barr suddenly announced the resignation on the night of June 19 .
Berman ’ s office issued a press release at the time saying that “ our investigations will move forward without delay or interruption.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Barr reported that President Trump had fired him .
The interview comes as Barr has politicized a series of high-profile investigations and prosecutions undertaken by the Justice Department , prompting an investigation by the House Judiciary Committee .
Several federal prosecutors resigned in protest after Barr ordered a lighter sentencing recommendation for Trump ally Roger Stone , while the DOJ has undertaken an unprecedented reversal in moving to drop charges against ex-National Security Adviser Michael Flynn .
The SDNY has been conducting criminal investigations into a number of people and entities associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rudy Giuliani and the committee responsible for his 2017 inauguration .
The SDNY ’ s neighboring federal district in Brooklyn — the Eastern District of New York — also lost its top prosecutor on Thursday .
There , Richard Donoghue is reportedly departing for a position as principal associate deputy general at the Justice Department ’ s D.C. headquarters .
CNN reported that the DOJ is considering replacing Donoghue with a Barr ally .

Former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman will sit for a transcribed, closed-door interview with the House Judiciary Committee on July 9, a House aide told TPM.
Berman will sit for the interview at 12:00 p.m. next Thursday.
The move comes two weeks after Berman refused to resign from his post, after Attorney General William Barr suddenly announced the resignation on the night of June 19.
Berman’s office issued a press release at the time saying that “our investigations will move forward without delay or interruption.”
Berman only departed the following day after Barr reported that President Trump had fired him.
The interview comes as Barr has politicized a series of high-profile investigations and prosecutions undertaken by the Justice Department, prompting an investigation by the House Judiciary Committee.
Several federal prosecutors resigned in protest after Barr ordered a lighter sentencing recommendation for Trump ally Roger Stone, while the DOJ has undertaken an unprecedented reversal in moving to drop charges against ex-National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.
The SDNY has been conducting criminal investigations into a number of people and entities associated with President Trump, including his attorney Rudy Giuliani and the committee responsible for his 2017 inauguration.
The SDNY’s neighboring federal district in Brooklyn — the Eastern District of New York — also lost its top prosecutor on Thursday. There, Richard Donoghue is reportedly departing for a position as principal associate deputy general at the Justice Department’s D.C. headquarters.
CNN reported that the DOJ is considering replacing Donoghue with a Barr ally.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-02--In Whiplash-Inducing Reversal, Abbott Requires Masks In COVID-Ravaged Texas

In a major reversal , Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott ( R ) issued a statewide rule Thursday requiring masks to be worn in public , but only after the dramatic COVID-19 spike in the state .
Abbott has long resisted taking the kinds of strong public health measures that other COVID-ravaged states have implemented to combat the virus .
While he hasn ’ t been as extreme as some other Republican governors in dismissing the threat of COVID-19 and resisting mitigation strategies , Abbott has until the last few days toed the GOP line that reopening the economy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counts in Texas began to skyrocket , especially since the Memorial Day reopening .
The move came just two weeks after mayors of large cities hit by surging case counts begged Abbott for the authority to require mask-wearing .
“ If you do not have plans to mandate face coverings statewide , we ask that you restore the ability for local authorities to enforce the wearing of face coverings in public venues where physical distancing can not be practiced , ” the mayors of Houston , San Antonio , Austin , Dallas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Plano and Grand Prairie asked in the June 16 letter .
At the time , a previous executive order from the governor prohibited localities from using penalties or fines to enforce mask rules .
Ultimately , a day after the mayors ’ letter , Abbott gave his blessing for localities to fine businesses that don ’ t require masks — rather than individuals .
Abbott celebrated the odd workaround , saying “ there has been a plan in place all along that all that was needed was for local officials to actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state of Texas.
” Abbott on Thursday also issued an executive order giving local authorities the power to prohibit gatherings above 10 people .

In a major reversal, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued a statewide rule Thursday requiring masks to be worn in public, but only after the dramatic COVID-19 spike in the state.
Abbott has long resisted taking the kinds of strong public health measures that other COVID-ravaged states have implemented to combat the virus. While he hasn’t been as extreme as some other Republican governors in dismissing the threat of COVID-19 and resisting mitigation strategies, Abbott has until the last few days toed the GOP line that reopening the economy is the top priority.
Then the case counts in Texas began to skyrocket, especially since the Memorial Day reopening.
The move came just two weeks after mayors of large cities hit by surging case counts begged Abbott for the authority to require mask-wearing.
“If you do not have plans to mandate face coverings statewide, we ask that you restore the ability for local authorities to enforce the wearing of face coverings in public venues where physical distancing cannot be practiced,” the mayors of Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, El Paso, Arlington, Plano and Grand Prairie asked in the June 16 letter.
At the time, a previous executive order from the governor prohibited localities from using penalties or fines to enforce mask rules.
Ultimately, a day after the mayors’ letter, Abbott gave his blessing for localities to fine businesses that don’t require masks — rather than individuals. Abbott celebrated the odd workaround, saying “there has been a plan in place all along that all that was needed was for local officials to actually read the plan that was issued by the state of Texas.”
The rule applies in counties with 20 or more positive COVID-19 cases, a statement from the governor’s office said, and an executive order from the governor lays out some exceptions including people at religious services.
Abbott on Thursday also issued an executive order giving local authorities the power to prohibit gatherings above 10 people.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-02--Joint Chiefs Chairman Confirms Soldiers Were Issued Bayonets For DC Protests

CHARLOTTE , N.C. ( AP ) — The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has confirmed a report by The Associated Press that some of the service members who were mobilized to Washington , D.C. , last month in response to civil unrest over the killing of George Floyd were issued bayonets .
Defense documents obtained by the AP show some were not trained in riot response .
Members of the Army ’ s 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg , North Carolina , and the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment , which is based in D.C. and typically guards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were mobilized last month to respond to massive protests over the treatment of Black Americans and systemic issues of police brutality .
But they were never actually sent to the protests after they arrived .
The soldiers were issued bayonets for their June 2 deployment — but told they were to remain in their scabbards and not attached to their service rifles , Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Mark A. Milley wrote to two U.S. representatives in a letter that was obtained by the AP .
The soldiers were also told no weapons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders and only after nonlethal options were first reviewed , he said .
Milley said the order to mobilize the troops came from Major Army Gen. Omar Jones , who serves as commander of the military district of Washington .
His letter , dated June 26 , was sent to two Democratic Congressmen , Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois , and Rep. Ted Lieu of California , who asked him for an explanation after the AP first reported on the use of bayonets on June 2 .
Roughly 700 members of the 82nd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bases near the District Capitol Area .
The soldiers were armed with live-rounds , bayonets , and riot gear .
Bloomberg reported on June 11 that the Old Guard was also issued bayonets .
Upon arrival , neither the 82nd or The Old Guard were ever called off base and into the city to respond to protests .
Division paratroopers were sent back to Fort Bragg on June 4 , just days after they arrived .
But the reports also led to sharp condemnation and outrage on social media platforms .
An unclassified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows that some of the soldiers were not prepared to deal with the protesters .
Instead commanders planned to give paratroopers the proper training within 96 hours of their arrival in Washington , the document shows .
While some infantry soldiers are trained in crowd control , especially those preparing for an overseas deployment , they don ’ t typically undergo training for riot control and domestic civil unrest .
In a letter to Milley on June 22 , Krishnamoorthi and Lieu expressed concern that the use of bayonets could escalate any potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parallels to the 1970 Kent State shootings in which four students were killed by National Guardsmen .
“ The escalation and violence leading up to and following those killings included those same troops meeting peaceful demonstrators with bayonets , ” wrote Krishnamoorthi and Lieu .
In his response , Milley stopped short of agreeing to bar service members from deploying to domestic protests with bayonets .
He said the decision would depend on individual circumstances .
In a joint statement to the AP , the U.S. representatives responded : “ While we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our questions concerning the arming of troops with bayonets for potential deployment against protesters , we were disappointed he was not willing to commit to banning the practice.
, ” They added : “ We recognize the necessity of the Joint Force preserving flexibility to respond to varying circumstances , but it is difficult for us to imagine a circumstance which could necessitate or justify the deployment of bayonets against American civilians.
” The bayonet news broke at the same time the AP first reported that President Donald Trump ordered military aircraft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show of force , ” according to two Defense Department officials , who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss ongoing operations publicly .
Show-of-force missions within the U.S. military are designed to intimidate an opposing force and to warn of potential military action if provoked further .
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters that the incident involving an Army National Guard medical evacuation helicopter that hovered low over protesters in Washington , D.C. , is under investigation .
Milley also found himself embroiled in controversy over the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially after he walked with President Donald Trump to a photo-op outside St. John ’ s Church after passing through Lafayette Park , which the military cleared of protesters beforehand .
He later apologized and said he “ should not have been there .
”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has confirmed a report by The Associated Press that some of the service members who were mobilized to Washington, D.C., last month in response to civil unrest over the killing of George Floyd were issued bayonets. Defense documents obtained by the AP show some were not trained in riot response.
Members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, which is based in D.C. and typically guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, were mobilized last month to respond to massive protests over the treatment of Black Americans and systemic issues of police brutality. But they were never actually sent to the protests after they arrived.
The soldiers were issued bayonets for their June 2 deployment — but told they were to remain in their scabbards and not attached to their service rifles, Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Mark A. Milley wrote to two U.S. representatives in a letter that was obtained by the AP. The soldiers were also told no weapons were to enter the capital without clear orders and only after nonlethal options were first reviewed, he said.
Milley said the order to mobilize the troops came from Major Army Gen. Omar Jones, who serves as commander of the military district of Washington. His letter, dated June 26, was sent to two Democratic Congressmen, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, and Rep. Ted Lieu of California, who asked him for an explanation after the AP first reported on the use of bayonets on June 2.
Roughly 700 members of the 82nd Airborne Division were sent to two military bases near the District Capitol Area. The soldiers were armed with live-rounds, bayonets, and riot gear. Bloomberg reported on June 11 that the Old Guard was also issued bayonets.
Upon arrival, neither the 82nd or The Old Guard were ever called off base and into the city to respond to protests. Division paratroopers were sent back to Fort Bragg on June 4, just days after they arrived.
But the reports also led to sharp condemnation and outrage on social media platforms.
An unclassified military document obtained by the AP also shows that some of the soldiers were not prepared to deal with the protesters. Instead commanders planned to give paratroopers the proper training within 96 hours of their arrival in Washington, the document shows.
While some infantry soldiers are trained in crowd control, especially those preparing for an overseas deployment, they don’t typically undergo training for riot control and domestic civil unrest.
In a letter to Milley on June 22, Krishnamoorthi and Lieu expressed concern that the use of bayonets could escalate any potential violence at the protests. They drew parallels to the 1970 Kent State shootings in which four students were killed by National Guardsmen.
“The escalation and violence leading up to and following those killings included those same troops meeting peaceful demonstrators with bayonets,” wrote Krishnamoorthi and Lieu.
In his response, Milley stopped short of agreeing to bar service members from deploying to domestic protests with bayonets. He said the decision would depend on individual circumstances.
In a joint statement to the AP, the U.S. representatives responded: “While we are grateful for General Milley’s responses to our questions concerning the arming of troops with bayonets for potential deployment against protesters, we were disappointed he was not willing to commit to banning the practice.,”
They added: “We recognize the necessity of the Joint Force preserving flexibility to respond to varying circumstances, but it is difficult for us to imagine a circumstance which could necessitate or justify the deployment of bayonets against American civilians.”
The bayonet news broke at the same time the AP first reported that President Donald Trump ordered military aircraft to fly above demonstrators in a “show of force,” according to two Defense Department officials, who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss ongoing operations publicly.
Show-of-force missions within the U.S. military are designed to intimidate an opposing force and to warn of potential military action if provoked further. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters that the incident involving an Army National Guard medical evacuation helicopter that hovered low over protesters in Washington, D.C., is under investigation.
Milley also found himself embroiled in controversy over the White House’s response to the protesters, especially after he walked with President Donald Trump to a photo-op outside St. John’s Church after passing through Lafayette Park, which the military cleared of protesters beforehand.
He later apologized and said he “should not have been there.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-02--‘Nothing Is Normal Here’: Trump Campaign Claims Its NDA Applies To Omarosa’s WH Work

The Trump campaign has recently filed hundreds of arbitration counts against Omarosa Manigault-Newman over a confidentiality agreement she signed , the former White House employee and “ Apprentice ” star said Wednesday .
But the alleged violations we know about don ’ t concern Newman ’ s campaign work — even though the Trump campaign is the entity challenging them .
Rather , the campaign is going after her for records and descriptions of her work as a Trump administration official .
According to a copy of the arbitration complaint that Newman filed in court Wednesday , that includes her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matthews , during an episode of TV show “ Celebrity Big Brother ” that aired in February 2018 , two months after she was fired from the White House .
“ She was a federal government employee in the White House .
I don ’ t see how a [ non-disclosure agreement ] signed with the Trump campaign , on the side , could trump the First Amendment , ” David Heller , deputy director of the Media Law Resource Center , told TPM Thursday .
“ Nothing is normal here.
” Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercising her First Amendment rights other than with respect to classified information , ” the national security attorney Mark Zaid told TPM .
Zaid criticized the arrangement in 2018 as well , writing that NDAs for government workers “ are unconstitutional on their face.
” “ The law is crystal clear on this issue , ” he told TPM .
The news trickled out in a court filing Wednesday for a separate case : The Justice Department alleged in 2019 that Newman knowingly failed to file a required financial disclosure form after being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that case , but Newman responded Wednesday that she risked exposing herself to even more “ bad faith litigation ” from the Trump campaign if she complied with federal prosecutors ’ requests for documents .
She cited the campaign arbitration documents as proof .
The campaign first filed an arbitration action against Newman in mid-2018 .
At the time , they said her new tell-all book about her White House service , “ Unhinged , ” had broken a confidentiality agreement Newman had signed as a 2016 Trump campaign employee .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ’ d secretly recorded with then-chief of staff John Kelly and President Trump — which the campaign said violated Newman ’ s campaign pledge not to disclose confidential or disparaging information about Trump .
The campaign also went after Newman for her remarks about Trump on the reality show “ Big Brother , ” after she left her White House job .
The damage was worth “ millions of dollars , ” the campaign said .
“ I was haunted by tweets every single day , like what is he going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the show , part of a longer conversation in which she trashed Trump .
That quote and others were listed in the campaign ’ s complaint against Newman .
In legalese , Newman “ materially breached the Agreement by , among other things , disclosing Confidential Information and making disparaging statements about Trump Persons , ” the campaign alleged .
On Wednesday , Newman ’ s lawyers said in a filing that the campaign “ recently added nearly four hundred additional counts to the arbitration action and is keeping tabs on everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are at a complete loss , ” the attorneys pleaded .
This isn ’ t an arbitration case of a private employee disparaging a private employer , Heller told TPM .
Those types of legal actions , he said , are “ what actors do all the time with nannies and their household staff — but you can ’ t do that with government employees.
” Descriptions and records of government work are “ sort of an awkward and totally unusual thing to be asking an arbitrator to decide , ” he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial disclosure case said the records they ’ re seeking in discovery “ do not relate ” to the things laid out in the campaign ’ s confidentiality agreement .
And Newman ’ s lawyers said that they agreed with that assessment .
But , they said , “ that does not eliminate the weaponization of lawsuits filed against her or the attorneys fees she has incurred to defend even the most frivolous claims.
” Zaid said the situation was unprecedented — and exhausting .
“ Watching anything relating to President Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching a tennis match and the ball going back and forth across the net , ” he said .
“ It is incredibly tiresome on one ’ s neck .
”

The Trump campaign has recently filed hundreds of arbitration counts against Omarosa Manigault-Newman over a confidentiality agreement she signed, the former White House employee and “Apprentice” star said Wednesday.
But the alleged violations we know about don’t concern Newman’s campaign work — even though the Trump campaign is the entity challenging them. Rather, the campaign is going after her for records and descriptions of her work as a Trump administration official.
According to a copy of the arbitration complaint that Newman filed in court Wednesday, that includes her trashing Trump to the television personality Ross Matthews, during an episode of TV show “Celebrity Big Brother” that aired in February 2018, two months after she was fired from the White House.
The alleged violations stumped media law experts.
“She was a federal government employee in the White House. I don’t see how a [non-disclosure agreement] signed with the Trump campaign, on the side, could trump the First Amendment,” David Heller, deputy director of the Media Law Resource Center, told TPM Thursday. “Nothing is normal here.”
Trump “cannot constitutionally block her from exercising her First Amendment rights other than with respect to classified information,” the national security attorney Mark Zaid told TPM.
Zaid criticized the arrangement in 2018 as well, writing that NDAs for government workers “are unconstitutional on their face.”
“The law is crystal clear on this issue,” he told TPM.
The news trickled out in a court filing Wednesday for a separate case: The Justice Department alleged in 2019 that Newman knowingly failed to file a required financial disclosure form after being fired.
Federal prosecutors are pursuing discovery in that case, but Newman responded Wednesday that she risked exposing herself to even more “bad faith litigation” from the Trump campaign if she complied with federal prosecutors’ requests for documents. She cited the campaign arbitration documents as proof.
The campaign first filed an arbitration action against Newman in mid-2018.
At the time, they said her new tell-all book about her White House service, “Unhinged,” had broken a confidentiality agreement Newman had signed as a 2016 Trump campaign employee.
While promoting the book, Newman released conversations she’d secretly recorded with then-chief of staff John Kelly and President Trump — which the campaign said violated Newman’s campaign pledge not to disclose confidential or disparaging information about Trump.
The campaign also went after Newman for her remarks about Trump on the reality show “Celebrity Big Brother,” after she left her White House job. The damage was worth “millions of dollars,” the campaign said.
“I was haunted by tweets every single day, like what is he going to tweet next?” Newman told Matthews on the show, part of a longer conversation in which she trashed Trump.

That quote and others were listed in the campaign’s complaint against Newman. In legalese, Newman “materially breached the Agreement by, among other things, disclosing Confidential Information and making disparaging statements about Trump Persons,” the campaign alleged.
On Wednesday, Newman’s lawyers said in a filing that the campaign “recently added nearly four hundred additional counts to the arbitration action and is keeping tabs on everything she says and does.”
“We are at a complete loss,” the attorneys pleaded.
This isn’t an arbitration case of a private employee disparaging a private employer, Heller told TPM.
Those types of legal actions, he said, are “what actors do all the time with nannies and their household staff — but you can’t do that with government employees.”
Descriptions and records of government work are “sort of an awkward and totally unusual thing to be asking an arbitrator to decide,” he added.
Federal prosecutors in Newman’s financial disclosure case said the records they’re seeking in discovery “do not relate” to the things laid out in the campaign’s confidentiality agreement. And Newman’s lawyers said that they agreed with that assessment.
But, they said, “that does not eliminate the weaponization of lawsuits filed against her or the attorneys fees she has incurred to defend even the most frivolous claims.”
Zaid said the situation was unprecedented — and exhausting.
“Watching anything relating to President Trump’s enforcement of non-disclosure agreements is like watching a tennis match and the ball going back and forth across the net,” he said. “It is incredibly tiresome on one’s neck.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-02--Ari Fleischer Compares Occupied Seattle Protest Zone To Confederacy

Former George W. Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer compared Seattle ’ s Capitol Hill Occupied Protest ( CHOP ) movement to the Confederacy on Thursday , saying the only feature that differentiated the two was slavery .
“ Frankly , at a time when we ’ re debating Confederate statues , I don ’ t know what the difference is between the Confederacy and CHOP , other than slavery , ” Fleischer said on Fox News , where he is a contributor .
“ They are both secessionist movements .
What happened in Seattle should be condemned as secessionism.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayhem , anarchy will be the order ” in places where public officials refuse to stand up to protesters echoes the sentiments of President Trump , who has repeatedly called for law and order in the area and on June 10 tweeted that the protesters were “ Domestic Terrorists.
” In a Monday morning tweet , Trump referred to the group as “ Seattle looters , Agitators , and Anarchists.
” “ They have ZERO respect for Government , ” Trump wrote .
Fleischer ’ s remarks come after Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sit-in protest follwoing a string of shooting near the area in recent days .
CHOP has been operating for weeks following protests against police violence after the police killing of George Floyd over Memorial Day weekend .
The protest zone has been occupied by a mix of peaceful demonstration and violent agitation since the Police Department ’ s East Precinct station was boarded up and abandoned and residents were left to police themselves .
Durkan has been widely criticized and asked to resign for her handling of the protest zone .

Former George W. Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer compared Seattle’s Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) movement to the Confederacy on Thursday, saying the only feature that differentiated the two was slavery.
Ari Fleischer condemned the 'Capitol Hill Occupied Protest' in Seattle, telling Fox News on Thursday: "Frankly, at a time when we're debating Confederate statues, I don't know what the difference is between the Confederacy and CHOP, other than slavery." pic.twitter.com/ZwGCkFpmrX — TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) July 2, 2020
“Frankly, at a time when we’re debating Confederate statues, I don’t know what the difference is between the Confederacy and CHOP, other than slavery,” Fleischer said on Fox News, where he is a contributor. “They are both secessionist movements. What happened in Seattle should be condemned as secessionism.”
Fleischer, who also said that “mayhem, anarchy will be the order” in places where public officials refuse to stand up to protesters echoes the sentiments of President Trump, who has repeatedly called for law and order in the area and on June 10 tweeted that the protesters were “Domestic Terrorists.”
In a Monday morning tweet, Trump referred to the group as “Seattle looters, Agitators, and Anarchists.”
“They have ZERO respect for Government,” Trump wrote.
Fleischer’s remarks come after Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan directed police to clear demonstrators from the sit-in protest follwoing a string of shooting near the area in recent days. CHOP has been operating for weeks following protests against police violence after the police killing of George Floyd over Memorial Day weekend.
The protest zone has been occupied by a mix of peaceful demonstration and violent agitation since the Police Department’s East Precinct station was boarded up and abandoned and residents were left to police themselves.
Durkan has been widely criticized and asked to resign for her handling of the protest zone.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-02--Dem Senator Makes Extraordinary Move To Protect Key Impeachment Witness

Sen. Tammy Duckworth ( D-IL ) will block more than 1,000 military promotions from going through until the Defense Department confirms that a key impeachment witness will not suffer from retaliation for speaking out last year .
Duckworth , who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee , said that she would block 1,123 senior armed forces promotions until Defense Secretary Mark Esper writes a statement confirming that Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman ’ s “ expected and deserved ” promotion will not be blocked .
Vindman ’ s promotion to colonel is reportedly in jeopardy as Trump has raged at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s House impeachment inquiry .
Vindman played a key role in testimony showing that the President used military aid to pressure the Ukrainian government to manufacture dirt against Joe Biden last year .
A specialist on the former Soviet Union , Vindman sat in on the infamous July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in which Trump asked the foreign leader to do him “ a favor.
” Vindman was marched out of the White House in February , after which Trump told reporters , “ I ’ m not happy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m supposed to be happy with him ?
I ’ m not , ” President Trump added at the time .
Duckworth , herself a veteran , said in a statement that the “ military is supposed to be the ultimate meritocracy.
” “ It is simply unprecedented and wrong for any Commander in Chief to meddle in routine military matters at all , whether or not he has a personal vendetta against a Soldier who did his patriotic duty and told the truth—a Soldier who has been recommended for promotion by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she added .
Duckworth demanded that Esper confirm in writing that the Army is considering Vindman for a promotion to colonel , whether Vindman ’ s promotion has been sent to the Pentagon , and that he won ’ t attempt to block any promotion given to Vindman .
The move comes as Trump has moved to politicize the military , most dramatically during Black Lives Matter protests outside the White House last month .
There , President Trump threatened to use active-duty soldiers to quash peaceful protests , as military helicopters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over protestors in a bid to use the force of the choppers ’ rotors to disperse them .
“ This goes far beyond any single military officer , it is about protecting a merit-based system from political corruption and unlawful retaliation , ” Duckworth said .

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) will block more than 1,000 military promotions from going through until the Defense Department confirms that a key impeachment witness will not suffer from retaliation for speaking out last year.
Duckworth, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that she would block 1,123 senior armed forces promotions until Defense Secretary Mark Esper writes a statement confirming that Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman’s “expected and deserved” promotion will not be blocked.
Vindman’s promotion to colonel is reportedly in jeopardy as Trump has raged at him for testifying in last year’s House impeachment inquiry. Vindman played a key role in testimony showing that the President used military aid to pressure the Ukrainian government to manufacture dirt against Joe Biden last year. A specialist on the former Soviet Union, Vindman sat in on the infamous July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in which Trump asked the foreign leader to do him “a favor.”
Vindman was marched out of the White House in February, after which Trump told reporters, “I’m not happy with him.”
“You think I’m supposed to be happy with him? I’m not,” President Trump added at the time.
Duckworth, herself a veteran, said in a statement that the “military is supposed to be the ultimate meritocracy.”
“It is simply unprecedented and wrong for any Commander in Chief to meddle in routine military matters at all, whether or not he has a personal vendetta against a Soldier who did his patriotic duty and told the truth—a Soldier who has been recommended for promotion by his superiors because of his performance,” she added.
Duckworth demanded that Esper confirm in writing that the Army is considering Vindman for a promotion to colonel, whether Vindman’s promotion has been sent to the Pentagon, and that he won’t attempt to block any promotion given to Vindman.
The move comes as Trump has moved to politicize the military, most dramatically during Black Lives Matter protests outside the White House last month. There, President Trump threatened to use active-duty soldiers to quash peaceful protests, as military helicopters from the D.C. National Guard flew low over protestors in a bid to use the force of the choppers’ rotors to disperse them.
“This goes far beyond any single military officer, it is about protecting a merit-based system from political corruption and unlawful retaliation,” Duckworth said.