buzzfeed--2020-10-29--The "Anonymous” Figure Who Claimed To Be Resisting Trump Actually Defended His Controversial Immigra

The "Anonymous” Figure Who Claimed To Be Resisting Trump Actually Defended His Controversial Immigration Policies

“ They served as gatekeepers , White House liaisons , executors of policy , '' one source said of Miles Taylor and his high-ranking DHS colleagues .
Before he penned an anonymous , explosive New York Times column claiming to be part of a group of `` like-minded colleagues '' intent on bringing down the Trump administration from the inside , Miles Taylor was a top official at the Department of Homeland Security while it imposed some of the most restrictive US immigration policies in decades .
Taylor , former chief of staff for then–DHS secretary Kirstjen Nielsen , revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' writer on Wednesday and has said he left the administration because “ saying ‘ no ’ was no longer enough.
” Yet according to internal emails and former colleagues , Taylor worked on some of the most critical immigration policies of the Trump administration and either remained silent on , or actively worked to push through , the agenda .
Family separation and the administration ’ s push to force asylum-seekers to stay in Mexico as they await the fate of their immigration cases were among the policies enacted while Taylor was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later criticized on cable news shows .
“ On multiple occasions , I sat within inches of Miles Taylor during meetings solely focused on 'zero tolerance ' policy , and he was neither silent nor vocally opposed to the weighty decisions before us , ” one current Trump administration official told BuzzFeed News on the condition of anonymity .
A former administration official said Taylor was part of a group close to Nielsen , a tight inner circle that included the likes of Chad Wolf , the current acting head of DHS and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nielsen .
“ They had their hands in virtually every policy that Nielsen looked at , ” the former official said .
“ They served as gatekeepers , White House liaisons , executors of policy .
In many ways , they served to sustain Nielsen to the greatest extent possible.
” Nielsen ’ s reign at DHS oversaw massive upheavals of the immigration system , including efforts to deny permanent residency to immigrants who officials believe are likely to use public benefits , a `` zero tolerance '' policy at the border that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushing asylum-seekers into Mexico during immigration proceedings , known as the `` Remain in Mexico '' program .
A former administration official said Taylor was heavily involved in negotiations over the program , which has exposed vulnerable immigrants to rape , torture , kidnapping , and other documented violence , according to immigrant advocates .
But in his New York Times op-ed published in 2018 , Taylor , known only at the time as `` Anonymous , '' claimed senior officials within the Trump administration were “ working diligently from within to frustrate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inclinations [ because ] the president continues to act in a manner that is detrimental to the health of our republic.
” Then in August , Taylor began to publicly criticize the administration after leaving the DHS .
In an ad for Republican Voters Against Trump , he described his former role as “ terrifying.
” “ The president wanted to exploit the Department of Homeland Security for his own political purposes and to fuel his own agenda , ” he said in the ad .
He also blasted the Trump administration on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so because “ this has to do about being honest about the president and putting country before party.
” Yet , while he was distancing himself from immigration policies adopted by DHS during his tenure , Taylor was not being honest about his role .
In an interview with George Stephanopoulos on Aug. 18 on Good Morning America , Taylor claimed he had no role in the policy to separate immigrant families at the border , which then–attorney general Jeff Sessions said was a deterrent against illegal immigration .
“ That was actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took on my role as deputy chief of staff in the Department [ of Homeland Security ] before becoming chief of staff , ” Taylor told Stephanopoulos .
“ Attorney General Sessions announced that a few days before I stepped into that role.
” He also told NBC that “ people like me should have done more.
” “ Looking back , I wish I had laid my body on the train tracks and said , 'We can not implement this no matter what you guys tell us about resources , ’ ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supposedly worked to secretly undermine the administration , Taylor publicly defended President Donald Trump ’ s immigration policies that were criticized as xenophobic and politically motivated to appease his base .
When addressing questions about Trump ’ s travel ban that targeted Muslim-majority countries in September 2017 , Taylor called the rules “ tough and tailored , ” arguing that terrorists were trying to “ exploit our defenses ” and that screening and vetting procedures were no longer adequate .
Last October , BuzzFeed News reported that Taylor had joined Google as its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The news caused internal backlash at the company as employees wondered why Google had hired an individual that stood for policies that its own founders and executives had opposed and protested against .
BuzzFeed News later obtained internal emails through the Freedom of Information Act that showed how integral Taylor was in coordinating family separation efforts with Nielsen and Wolf .
In one email from May 2018 — a time when family separation was a department policy — Nielsen asked Taylor and Wolf to provide “ narratives ” days after a caravan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to the US–Mexico border in Tijuana .
Those “ narratives ” were meant to spin policies that had become highly controversial , particularly when images emerged of abandoned immigrant children in cages in squalid camps .
At Google , employees who asked questions about Taylor and his views ahead of a company-wide meeting were ultimately censored by the tech giant , which also cracked down on employees who tried to investigate his internal work history .
The company also eventually ended its weekly all-hands meetings in part because of the furor around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Google spokesperson confirmed that Taylor is still an employee but on unpaid leave .
The spokesperson said the company was previously unaware of his role as the unnamed Times op-ed writer and that it only found out on Wednesday via media reports .
“ I do n't know if he told Google he wrote the [ anonymous New York Times op-ed ] and book when he took the job , but either way they hired him knowing his role in atrocities , ” said Laurence Berland , a former Google employee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was subsequently fired .
“ Miles was tailor-made for Google leadership .
They practice the same exact amoral , cynical strategery.
” In an email from April 24 , 2018 , obtained by the nonprofit watchdog group American Oversight , Taylor asked for examples to provide Nielsen in which separations of adults and children apprehended at the border had to happen as the administration faced mounting public backlash .
Katie Miller , who was the agency ’ s press secretary and is now married to Trump senior adviser Stephen Miller , responded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of immigrant adults and children pretending to be families .
Despite his role , Taylor has continued giving interviews as a Trump critic and revamping his image as a sort of lifelong Republican working against the administration as the president faces a tough election in less than a week .
Last month , he ramped up efforts to campaign against Trump and was hired as a contributor at CNN , which for years has been the target of the president ’ s ire .
In August , he was asked by CNN ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writer of the New York Times op-ed , but he lied and said no .
“ I wear a mask for two things , Anderson : Halloween and pandemics , ” Taylor said .
“ So , no.
” Speaking to Chris Cuomo on CNN Wednesday night , Taylor apologized for lying about his identity , but said he did for a reason .
`` We have seen over the course of four years that Donald Trump 's preference is to find personal attacks and distractions to pull people away from criticisms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I wrote that work anonymously to deprive him of that opportunity and to force him to answer the questions on their merits . ''
`` The point was to focus on him and his record , '' he added .
In a statement Wednesday night , Wolf said Taylor 's announcement `` demonstrates that he was clearly pursuing a self-serving , self-promoting agenda while at the Department of Homeland Security rather than pursuing an agenda aimed at securing the Homeland . ''
`` Having worked with Mr. Taylor on the President ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can attest that he never vocalized disagreement with the President ’ s policies – and in fact expressed strong support , '' he added .
Earlier in the day , Taylor did not respond to BuzzFeed News ' multiple requests for comment .
When reached by a reporter via email , the former DHS official directed them instead to contact his agents with United Talent Agency , a Los Angeles–based firm that recently signed Paris Hilton .

He also told NBC that “people like me should have done more.”
“Looking back, I wish I had laid my body on the train tracks and said, 'We cannot implement this no matter what you guys tell us about resources,’” he added.
As he and others supposedly worked to secretly undermine the administration, Taylor publicly defended President Donald Trump’s immigration policies that were criticized as xenophobic and politically motivated to appease his base.
When addressing questions about Trump’s travel ban that targeted Muslim-majority countries in September 2017, Taylor called the rules “tough and tailored,” arguing that terrorists were trying to “exploit our defenses” and that screening and vetting procedures were no longer adequate.
Last October, BuzzFeed News reported that Taylor had joined Google as its “head of national security policy engagement.” The news caused internal backlash at the company as employees wondered why Google had hired an individual that stood for policies that its own founders and executives had opposed and protested against.
BuzzFeed News later obtained internal emails through the Freedom of Information Act that showed how integral Taylor was in coordinating family separation efforts with Nielsen and Wolf. In one email from May 2018 — a time when family separation was a department policy — Nielsen asked Taylor and Wolf to provide “narratives” days after a caravan of Central American immigrants had made its way to the US–Mexico border in Tijuana.
Those “narratives” were meant to spin policies that had become highly controversial, particularly when images emerged of abandoned immigrant children in cages in squalid camps.
At Google, employees who asked questions about Taylor and his views ahead of a company-wide meeting were ultimately censored by the tech giant, which also cracked down on employees who tried to investigate his internal work history. The company also eventually ended its weekly all-hands meetings in part because of the furor around Taylor’s hiring.
On Wednesday, a Google spokesperson confirmed that Taylor is still an employee but on unpaid leave. The spokesperson said the company was previously unaware of his role as the unnamed Times op-ed writer and that it only found out on Wednesday via media reports.
“I don't know if he told Google he wrote the [anonymous New York Times op-ed] and book when he took the job, but either way they hired him knowing his role in atrocities,” said Laurence Berland, a former Google employee who had raised concerns about Taylor internally and was subsequently fired. “Miles was tailor-made for Google leadership. They practice the same exact amoral, cynical strategery.”
In an email from April 24, 2018, obtained by the nonprofit watchdog group American Oversight, Taylor asked for examples to provide Nielsen in which separations of adults and children apprehended at the border had to happen as the administration faced mounting public backlash. Katie Miller, who was the agency’s press secretary and is now married to Trump senior adviser Stephen Miller, responded with four examples from 2016 and 2017 of immigrant adults and children pretending to be families.
Despite his role, Taylor has continued giving interviews as a Trump critic and revamping his image as a sort of lifelong Republican working against the administration as the president faces a tough election in less than a week.
Last month, he ramped up efforts to campaign against Trump and was hired as a contributor at CNN, which for years has been the target of the president’s ire.
In August, he was asked by CNN’s Anderson Cooper whether he was the writer of the New York Times op-ed, but he lied and said no.


buzzfeed--2020-10-29--Trump Brought Rage Toward Gretchen Whitmer And Doubt About The Kidnapping Plot To Michigan. He Had A

Trump Brought Rage Toward Gretchen Whitmer And Doubt About The Kidnapping Plot To Michigan. He Had A Receptive Audience.

LANSING , Michigan — President Donald Trump brought his anger with Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer to her home state on Tuesday , telling a campaign rally crowd that the kidnapping plot that targeted her `` maybe '' was n't a `` problem '' and coaxing his supporters into a chant of `` lock her up . ''
Whitmer has been one of Trump ’ s most frequent targets in his last campaign rallies before Election Day , just as she has been throughout the coronavirus pandemic after she took restrictive measures to try to limit the virus ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three weeks since the FBI announced the arrest of 13 people involved in an alleged plot to kidnap Whitmer .
In an essay for the Atlantic published Tuesday , Whitmer explained how the president ’ s verbal attacks encourage threats .
“ Every time the president ramps up his violent rhetoric , every time he fires up Twitter to launch another broadside against me , my family and I see a surge of vicious attacks sent our way , ” she wrote in the Atlantic .
Trump , looking for the state 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Whitmer is simply “ not a good governor.
” His response , made before thousands of his most ardent supporters , resulted in chants of `` lock her up , '' which Trump smiled through before resuming his remarks .
“ No , your governor , I do n't think she likes me too much , ” he told thousands of his supporters who came out to the Capital Region International Airport in Lansing , Michigan , to see him .
Trump then commented on the plot to kidnap Whitmer , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sitting president to address an alleged attempt on the life of a United States governor .
“ Hey , I 'm the one , it was our people who helped her out with her problem , and we ’ ll have to see if it 's a problem .
People are entitled to say , maybe it was a problem , maybe it was n't .
It was our people , my people , our people who helped her out .
And then she blamed me for it . ''
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standing in line , in the rain , Monday morning to get into the rally .
The retiree and lifelong Michigander expressed doubt about the FBI ’ s findings .
“ A small number of people have allegedly threatened [ Whitmer ] and the thing is that we do n't know all the facts , yet.
” He added , “ The FBI ’ s findings , right now , are preliminary .
”

LANSING, Michigan — President Donald Trump brought his anger with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to her home state on Tuesday, telling a campaign rally crowd that the kidnapping plot that targeted her "maybe" wasn't a "problem" and coaxing his supporters into a chant of "lock her up."
Whitmer has been one of Trump’s most frequent targets in his last campaign rallies before Election Day, just as she has been throughout the coronavirus pandemic after she took restrictive measures to try to limit the virus’s spread. It's only been about three weeks since the FBI announced the arrest of 13 people involved in an alleged plot to kidnap Whitmer. In an essay for the Atlantic published Tuesday, Whitmer explained how the president’s verbal attacks encourage threats.
“Every time the president ramps up his violent rhetoric, every time he fires up Twitter to launch another broadside against me, my family and I see a surge of vicious attacks sent our way,” she wrote in the Atlantic.
Trump, looking for the state's support in next week's election, said Whitmer is simply “not a good governor.”
His response, made before thousands of his most ardent supporters, resulted in chants of "lock her up," which Trump smiled through before resuming his remarks.
“No, your governor, I don't think she likes me too much,” he told thousands of his supporters who came out to the Capital Region International Airport in Lansing, Michigan, to see him.
Trump then commented on the plot to kidnap Whitmer, but not the way one would expect a sitting president to address an alleged attempt on the life of a United States governor.
“Hey, I'm the one, it was our people who helped her out with her problem, and we’ll have to see if it's a problem. People are entitled to say, maybe it was a problem, maybe it wasn't. It was our people, my people, our people who helped her out. And then she blamed me for it."
It’s the same skepticism Robert Bothwell conveyed while standing in line, in the rain, Monday morning to get into the rally. The retiree and lifelong Michigander expressed doubt about the FBI’s findings. “A small number of people have allegedly threatened [Whitmer] and the thing is that we don't know all the facts, yet.” He added, “The FBI’s findings, right now, are preliminary.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-29--Here Is The Last Day Mail-In Ballots Will Be Accepted In Every State

Most states require that your ballot be postmarked on Election Day , Nov. 3 , but even if they ’ re postmarked in time , some will not accept those ballots if they arrive too late ; the specific rules vary state by state .
Here is the latest possible date in each state when absentee ballots will be accepted ; these may not apply to voters overseas or in the military who are subject to special deadlines .
In order to ensure your ballot is counted , officials suggest mail-in ballots be sent in early , especially given USPS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot at least one week before Election Day ( that ’ s today ) to make sure it arrives in time .
WASHINGTON — Millions of people are voting by mail in the 2020 election — many for the first time due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Two states , Utah and Louisiana , require that ballots be postmarked the day before Election Day .
In Louisiana , all ballots must be received by 4:30 p.m. CST on Nov. 2 in order to be counted , though Utah will count ballots received through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long as they are postmarked on Nov .
However , voters in Utah can deliver their ballots in person to their local polling place on Nov. 3 before 8 p.m. MST .
One state , Ohio , requires that ballots be postmarked by Nov. 2 , but they can arrive as late as the close of business on Nov. 13 , 10 full days after Election Day , and still be counted .
Most states require mail-in ballots to be received by the time the polls close in the state on Election Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local time , but some allow ballots received after Election Day to be counted .
Washington state , which votes entirely by mail , has the latest deadline , allowing ballots received through Nov. 23 to be counted .
For months leading up to Election Day , President Donald Trump has baselessly attacked mail-in voting , but the process is safe and secure : According to the Brennan Center for Justice , Oregon , another fully vote-by-mail state , has found fraud in just 0.00001 % of all votes cast by mail since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal fights over the absentee ballot deadlines in two battleground states — North Carolina and Pennsylvania .
That means those dates could still change , although the closer it gets to Election Day , the less willing the justices will be to change the status quo , at least in theory .
Pennsylvania is currently accepting ballots through Nov. 6 , after the state Supreme Court extended the deadline and the US Supreme Court voted 4–4 to leave that timeline intact .
But state Republicans have gone back to the court in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Election Day , just as the Senate confirmed Justice Amy Coney Barrett as the court ’ s ninth justice .
Wisconsin , meanwhile , will only accept ballots received by Election Day , after the Supreme Court ruled 5–3 this week to block a lower court judge who ordered an extension .

Two states, Utah and Louisiana, require that ballots be postmarked the day before Election Day. In Louisiana, all ballots must be received by 4:30 p.m. CST on Nov. 2 in order to be counted, though Utah will count ballots received through Nov. 4 at 12 p.m. MST as long as they are postmarked on Nov. However, voters in Utah can deliver their ballots in person to their local polling place on Nov. 3 before 8 p.m. MST.
One state, Ohio, requires that ballots be postmarked by Nov. 2, but they can arrive as late as the close of business on Nov. 13, 10 full days after Election Day, and still be counted.
Most states require mail-in ballots to be received by the time the polls close in the state on Election Day, usually 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. local time, but some allow ballots received after Election Day to be counted. Washington state, which votes entirely by mail, has the latest deadline, allowing ballots received through Nov. 23 to be counted.
For months leading up to Election Day, President Donald Trump has baselessly attacked mail-in voting, but the process is safe and secure: According to the Brennan Center for Justice, Oregon, another fully vote-by-mail state, has found fraud in just 0.00001% of all votes cast by mail since the year 2000.
There are pending legal fights over the absentee ballot deadlines in two battleground states — North Carolina and Pennsylvania. That means those dates could still change, although the closer it gets to Election Day, the less willing the justices will be to change the status quo, at least in theory.
Pennsylvania is currently accepting ballots through Nov. 6, after the state Supreme Court extended the deadline and the US Supreme Court voted 4–4 to leave that timeline intact. But state Republicans have gone back to the court in a last-ditch attempt to push the deadline back to Election Day, just as the Senate confirmed Justice Amy Coney Barrett as the court’s ninth justice.
Wisconsin, meanwhile, will only accept ballots received by Election Day, after the Supreme Court ruled 5–3 this week to block a lower court judge who ordered an extension.


buzzfeed--2020-10-29--Here’s What Will Happen On Election Night

This is a really confusing time .
BuzzFeed News is working to answer some of your burning questions leading up to the election .
Have a question you want answered ?
Email addy.baird @ buzzfeed.com .
WASHINGTON — There ’ s one question on everyone ’ s mind these days : What the hell will happen on election night ?
With the coronavirus pandemic prompting mass mail-in voting , calling an official winner will likely take longer than usual .
If the election is a blowout for either candidate , it ’ s possible a winner could be declared on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in how absentee votes are counted in different states , it could be days or weeks before an official call is made .
The first polls will close at 6 p.m .
ET on Election Day in parts of Indiana and Kentucky , and the last polls will close at 1 a.m .
ET in Alaska .
If the election is close , it may initially look like President Donald Trump is winning , regardless of the final outcome .
Because of the president ’ s relentless — and baseless — attacks on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that in-person votes , which will be counted more quickly , will break for Trump , resulting in what Hawkfish , a political data firm founded by Michael Bloomberg , has called a “ red mirage.
” Polling has consistently shown Republican voters prefer to vote in person on Election Day by a giant margin , relative to Democrats .
Essentially , without comprehensive reporting of mail-in ballots in a close election , it might look on election night like Trump is winning big .
And it ’ s certainly possible that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ballots have been counted .
But once absentee ballots have been counted , former vice president Joe Biden could seriously cut into or overcome the president ’ s lead .
Some states , like Arizona , Florida , and North Carolina — all-important swing states to watch — have laws that allow them to begin processing mail-in ballots before Election Day itself , which could result in clear and relatively comprehensive results after the polls close on Nov. 3 .
But many other states , like Ohio , Pennsylvania , and Michigan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absentee votes prior to Election Day , and because they don ’ t have robust histories with mass mail-in voting , their results could likely be delayed .
Even states with strong histories of mail-in voting , however , could take longer to get results simply due to the possibly historic numbers of ballots they ’ ll have to count .

WASHINGTON — There’s one question on everyone’s mind these days: What the hell will happen on election night?
With the coronavirus pandemic prompting mass mail-in voting, calling an official winner will likely take longer than usual. If the election is a blowout for either candidate, it’s possible a winner could be declared on Nov. 3. But because of incongruities in how absentee votes are counted in different states, it could be days or weeks before an official call is made.
The first polls will close at 6 p.m. ET on Election Day in parts of Indiana and Kentucky, and the last polls will close at 1 a.m. ET in Alaska.
If the election is close, it may initially look like President Donald Trump is winning, regardless of the final outcome. Because of the president’s relentless — and baseless — attacks on mail-in voting, it’s likely that in-person votes, which will be counted more quickly, will break for Trump, resulting in what Hawkfish, a political data firm founded by Michael Bloomberg, has called a “red mirage.” Polling has consistently shown Republican voters prefer to vote in person on Election Day by a giant margin, relative to Democrats.
Essentially, without comprehensive reporting of mail-in ballots in a close election, it might look on election night like Trump is winning big. And it’s certainly possible that he could try to claim victory before all the ballots have been counted. But once absentee ballots have been counted, former vice president Joe Biden could seriously cut into or overcome the president’s lead.
Some states, like Arizona, Florida, and North Carolina — all-important swing states to watch — have laws that allow them to begin processing mail-in ballots before Election Day itself, which could result in clear and relatively comprehensive results after the polls close on Nov. 3.
But many other states, like Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, are not able to begin processing absentee votes prior to Election Day, and because they don’t have robust histories with mass mail-in voting, their results could likely be delayed.
Even states with strong histories of mail-in voting, however, could take longer to get results simply due to the possibly historic numbers of ballots they’ll have to count.


buzzfeed--2020-10-29--He’s About To Be The First Openly Gay Black Member Of Congress — And He’s Talking About Mental Healt

He’s About To Be The First Openly Gay Black Member Of Congress — And He’s Talking About Mental Health Like Few Politicians Ever Have

Ritchie Torres is grappling with how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting his likely New York district ’ s mental health and opening up about his own .
WASHINGTON — At 32 , Ritchie Torres has already been a star in New York City politics for years .
At 25 , he became the youngest member of the City Council .
Soon , he ’ ll likely become one of the youngest members of the House , and , along with fellow New York Democratic congressional nominee Mondaire Jones , the first openly gay Black member of Congress .
Torres loves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of policy debates , and he ’ ll name every healthcare provider in New York City if you ask him .
He ’ ll outline his vision for housing vouchers that would ensure no family in the city pays more than 30 % of their income on their rent .
And while a member of the New York City Council , he helped secure billions in federal funding for public housing in the city and investigated Kushner family real estate companies , alleging they were illegally operating eight buildings .
He ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , striking smile and a calm confidence that plays perfectly on TV .
Given how blue his district is , he ’ s very likely to win in November and join a historic Congress , along with a slew of other younger , more diverse , and more progressive lawmakers who have chartered a new type of politics that ’ s more open and more relatable to young voters .
For Torres , part of that is talking about his mental health , a rarity in Congress .
Torres was diagnosed with depression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes antidepressants .
It ’ s something he said he talks about with constituents , especially now , as the coronavirus pandemic has left many people feeling isolated , burned out , and traumatized .
“ The devastation that COVID-19 has wrought on communities like mine is creating a mental health crisis in America , so it does figure prominently in my conversations with constituents , ” Torres said in a recent interview with BuzzFeed News .
“ Most people find their elected officials to be distant and unapproachable , and there 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggle with mental health.
” Torres said his experience of mental illness began in late high school , but he didn ’ t have the language to talk about it .
He dropped out of college because of his depression , and he was hospitalized due to the condition .
It was the first time , he said , that he understood his depression was not his fault , but rather an illness .
“ I used substances .
I lost my best friend from an opioid overdose .
There were times when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It felt as if the world around me had collapsed , ” he said .
“ I assumed that the problem was me , that I was experiencing a failure of willpower or character , and then I came to later realize that I was struggling with a condition.
” The pandemic has affected Torres , too , he said .
He worries about his mom , who , at 60 and with comorbidities , is at high risk .
He said he worries about the unemployment rate in the Bronx , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher rates of substance abuse and mental illness , too .
But he sees being honest about his own struggles with mental health as one of his important responsibilities as a politician .
“ I feel like as a public servant , a public figure , I have an obligation to break the silence and the stigma and the shame that too often surrounds mental illness , ” he said .
It has been , for him , “ a form of coming out.
” “ I think my own acknowledgment of struggling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coming out , ” he said .
“ The process of coming out , the integrity that it demands from you … has taught me how to be more open and honest about my struggle with depression .
It teaches you an ethic of radical authenticity.
” Without treatment , Torres said he would not be alive today , and he said antidepressant medication enables him to be a productive public servant .
“ And I 'm grateful for that , ” he said .
On the night of his primary in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the winner but when it looked like he would come out on top , Torres teared up on live television and told NY1 , “ It would be the honor of my life to represent ” New York ’ s 15th District .
“ It ’ s my home , ” he said .
“ The opportunity to represent the essential workers of this borough , to represent the powerful mothers of this borough , it ’ s the culmination of a dream.
” A few weeks later , once it became clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a call from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , who represents the district neighboring his .
“ I had asked AOC , ‘ Do you have any advice for me ?
’ and what she said left an impression , ” Torres said .
“ She said , ‘ Come November , get rest and take care of yourself.
’ And that ’ s right , you know , those of us in elected office have to be mindful of a need to take care of ourselves .
We 're human too.
” Torres , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for All and a Green New Deal , sees the country “ entering the makings of an FDR moment , ” and he wants to be a part of it , a vision of the future he described confidently and at length .
“ If the Democrats control all the levers of power , the executive and the legislative branches , then we are going to have a once-in-a-century opportunity to fundamentally reinvest in America on the scale of the 21st century New Deal , a Marshall Plan , and a massive reinvestment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at once : recover from COVID-19 , fight catastrophic climate change , create the next generation of jobs , modernize infrastructure , build a comprehensive social safety net that establishes health and housing as human rights , and begin to address the root causes of systemic racism , which was laid bare by the 1619 Project , ” he said , laying it out in one very long sentence .
“ So I feel like this is a rare moment of transformational change in the making.
” But , of course , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a world where Democrats don ’ t control all the levers of power , and one where Torres becomes a member of Congress and President Donald Trump is inaugurated for a second term .
Torres doesn ’ t like to think about that possible world .
“ Four more years of Donald Trump is too terrifying to imagine , ” he said .
“ To be honest with you , I have not really come to grips with the worst-case scenario .
… I would feel as if the world around me had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sean McElwee , a pollster and friend of Torres ’ , told BuzzFeed News that he thinks progressives need “ someone who really is into the details of policy and wants to get down and dirty ” working on major progressive legislation .
“ We ’ re gon na move legislation in 2021 , like , laws are going to be passed .
And if progressives want a seat at the table , you ’ re going to have to have really specific policy domain knowledge and be able to pick strategic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is a necessity to have sort of ideological folks who call us to higher grounds morally , but you also have to have someone sit across the table actually figuring out what we want … I think Ritchie ’ s certainly a person in that mold.
” Torres calls himself a “ pragmatic progressive , ” and he supports many of the left ’ s progressive priorities .
But he ’ s said that the Democratic Socialists of America — of which Ocasio-Cortez counts herself a member — are out of touch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black church in the South Bronx , you are unlikely to come across an assemblage of Democratic Socialist revolutionaries , ” he told the New York Times in June .
“ It ’ s a fact that the DSA has the most robust membership in wealthier , whiter gentrified neighborhoods.
” And the DSA style of leadership , presenting big , long-term ideas and rejecting piecemeal compromises , doesn ’ t fit with the sense Torres has that he needs to “ bring home the bacon ” — as McElwee , the pollster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has the lowest median household income of any in the country .
If former vice president Joe Biden wins , Democrats will have a particular opportunity to actually move police reform legislation , an issue Torres has worked on closely over his years on the City Council .
Last month , Torres opened Twitter and started to scroll when suddenly he saw a photo of himself tweeted out from the Sergeants Benevolent Association Twitter account , and a caption that read , “ This is what a first class whore looks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was in a state of shock , ” Torres said of the now-deleted tweet .
“ If you look at the tweet it is as if Donald Trump himself wrote it.
” The tweet came after Torres held a press conference with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams , calling for an independent investigation to determine if there had been a slowdown in NYPD responses to gun crimes , despite a spike in shootings .
As Torres noted , a New York Times report found that from January to early July , police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , down from 30 % , and NY1 reported that NYPD response times fell significantly this summer .
“ So there 's been an outbreak of gun violence against a backdrop of the NYPD making far fewer gun arrests , solving far fewer gun cases , and responding more slowly to gun crime to progress , all of which are possible signs of a slowdown , ” Torres told BuzzFeed News .
“ Those were the concerns that I presented publicly .
Instead of responding rationally , with an argument with facts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to assassinate my character and call me a ‘ first-class whore.
’ ” It was further proof to Torres of the “ coarsening effect ” Trump has had on political culture .
Torres has called for the resignation of Ed Mullins , the head of the police union , because , he said , “ he has no business being in public life.
” But Torres has also drawn the ire of some progressives on policing .
A few years ago , a police reform group accused Torres of “ surrender ” on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City Council .
The Right to Know Act was designed to get police officers to identify themselves in interactions with community members , but Torres ’ version of the bill ultimately exempted police from identifying themselves in some common interactions , like traffic stops .
“ This NYPD bill being advanced by Torres is neither the Right to Know Act nor a compromise , but political backroom dealing and a surrender of legislative independence to the NYPD and the Mayor , ” Monifa Bandele , a spokesperson for Communities United for Police Reform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He has also reneged on his public pledge to the Right to Know Act coalition to not pass a version of the bill that the coalition does not support.
” At the time , Torres said , “ I refuse to cede my prerogatives as a legislator to a fanatical few.
” Today , he says , “ I did the best I could , given the circumstances.
” “ Compromise is an inescapable fact of governing .
It 's not enough to label yourself progressive .
There needs to be a governing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ball forward , ” he said .
“ For me , the central value of progressivism is actual progress .
… And I came to conclude that some progress is better than none at all .
And we should never let purity be the enemy of progress.
” But the bill still frustrates some progressives .
“ There ’ s certain things I value , ” New York state Sen. Gustavo Rivera , whose district overlaps with Torres ’ , said in an interview with BuzzFeed News .
“ I value honesty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there 's been times when I 've just doubted whether that 's something that can be said about Ritchie.
” Rivera said he believed Torres should have brought in police reform activists and explained why he agreed to a compromise bill .
“ I just have my concerns , ” the state senator said .
“ I do n't think that he can be counted on to be a progressive champion .
He 's not claiming that either .
… He 's not claiming he ’ s going to be a progressive champion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or twice that , but he ’ s not Rashida Tlaib , he ’ s not Jamaal Bowman , he ’ s not AOC .
And he knows this .
So he 's not gon na be a part of the Squad.
” Asked directly about his criticism of DSA and whether that will make it hard for him to work with Ocasio-Cortez and the growing Squad she leads , Torres was quick to point to the ways they could work together .
“ There are differences but there are larger policy questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I support the Green New Deal , and Medicare for All , which are the two highest priorities of the progressive movement , ” he said .
“ And , look , I have deep admiration for the talent of AOC .
She has a singular ability to set the terms of political discourse , and I have great appreciation for the prosecutorial approach that she has taken to congressional oversight.
” But many on the left want more from Torres : Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders both endorsed against Torres in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ran on a guaranteed housing for all platform .
And since winning the primary , Torres has managed to piss off many on the left with an aggressive pro-Israel stance .
“ The leadership of the DSA declines to affirm that the state of Israel should exist , ” he tweeted in August .
“ ‘ Insane ’ is the word that comes to mind.
” But Torres says he doesn ’ t care that he ’ s frustrated some progressives before even officially joining the next Congress .
“ I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ color with a mind of his own , there are going to be haters who are out there to destroy you , ” he said .
“ And the critics are resentful .
And envious , I guess .
But my record speaks for itself , and I won a race that few people thought I would win .
… If there are members of the peanut gallery who have an issue with it , I do n't give a damn .
Get over it .
I ’ m going to be in @ @ @ @ @ @

If former vice president Joe Biden wins, Democrats will have a particular opportunity to actually move police reform legislation, an issue Torres has worked on closely over his years on the City Council.
Last month, Torres opened Twitter and started to scroll when suddenly he saw a photo of himself tweeted out from the Sergeants Benevolent Association Twitter account, and a caption that read, “This is what a first class whore looks like. Meet LYING RITCHIE.”
“I was in a state of shock,” Torres said of the now-deleted tweet. “If you look at the tweet it is as if Donald Trump himself wrote it.”
The tweet came after Torres held a press conference with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, calling for an independent investigation to determine if there had been a slowdown in NYPD responses to gun crimes, despite a spike in shootings. As Torres noted, a New York Times report found that from January to early July, police made arrests in 23% of shootings, down from 30%, and NY1 reported that NYPD response times fell significantly this summer.
“So there's been an outbreak of gun violence against a backdrop of the NYPD making far fewer gun arrests, solving far fewer gun cases, and responding more slowly to gun crime to progress, all of which are possible signs of a slowdown,” Torres told BuzzFeed News. “Those were the concerns that I presented publicly. Instead of responding rationally, with an argument with facts and statistics, the Sergeants Benevolent Association chose to assassinate my character and call me a ‘first-class whore.’”
It was further proof to Torres of the “coarsening effect” Trump has had on political culture. Torres has called for the resignation of Ed Mullins, the head of the police union, because, he said, “he has no business being in public life.”
But Torres has also drawn the ire of some progressives on policing. A few years ago, a police reform group accused Torres of “surrender” on a bill that came up in the City Council. The Right to Know Act was designed to get police officers to identify themselves in interactions with community members, but Torres’ version of the bill ultimately exempted police from identifying themselves in some common interactions, like traffic stops.
“This NYPD bill being advanced by Torres is neither the Right to Know Act nor a compromise, but political backroom dealing and a surrender of legislative independence to the NYPD and the Mayor,” Monifa Bandele, a spokesperson for Communities United for Police Reform, said at the time. “He has also reneged on his public pledge to the Right to Know Act coalition to not pass a version of the bill that the coalition does not support.”
At the time, Torres said, “I refuse to cede my prerogatives as a legislator to a fanatical few.” Today, he says, “I did the best I could, given the circumstances.”
“Compromise is an inescapable fact of governing. It's not enough to label yourself progressive. There needs to be a governing progressivism. You have to actually move the ball forward,” he said. “For me, the central value of progressivism is actual progress. … And I came to conclude that some progress is better than none at all. And we should never let purity be the enemy of progress.”
But the bill still frustrates some progressives.
“There’s certain things I value,” New York state Sen. Gustavo Rivera, whose district overlaps with Torres’, said in an interview with BuzzFeed News. “I value honesty, and I value consistency, and there's been times when I've just doubted whether that's something that can be said about Ritchie.”
Rivera said he believed Torres should have brought in police reform activists and explained why he agreed to a compromise bill.
“I just have my concerns,” the state senator said. “I don't think that he can be counted on to be a progressive champion. He's not claiming that either. … He's not claiming he’s going to be a progressive champion. He might have called himself once or twice that, but he’s not Rashida Tlaib, he’s not Jamaal Bowman, he’s not AOC. And he knows this. So he's not gonna be a part of the Squad.”
Asked directly about his criticism of DSA and whether that will make it hard for him to work with Ocasio-Cortez and the growing Squad she leads, Torres was quick to point to the ways they could work together.
“There are differences but there are larger policy questions on which there’s agreement: I support the Green New Deal, and Medicare for All, which are the two highest priorities of the progressive movement,” he said. “And, look, I have deep admiration for the talent of AOC. She has a singular ability to set the terms of political discourse, and I have great appreciation for the prosecutorial approach that she has taken to congressional oversight.”
But many on the left want more from Torres: Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders both endorsed against Torres in his primary, favoring instead Samelys López, who ran on a guaranteed housing for all platform.
And since winning the primary, Torres has managed to piss off many on the left with an aggressive pro-Israel stance. “The leadership of the DSA declines to affirm that the state of Israel should exist,” he tweeted in August. “‘Insane’ is the word that comes to mind.”
But Torres says he doesn’t care that he’s frustrated some progressives before even officially joining the next Congress.
“I think when you're a young person of color with a mind of his own, there are going to be haters who are out there to destroy you,” he said. “And the critics are resentful. And envious, I guess. But my record speaks for itself, and I won a race that few people thought I would win. … If there are members of the peanut gallery who have an issue with it, I don't give a damn. Get over it. I’m going to be in the United States Congress.” ●


buzzfeed--2020-10-29--While Texans Brace For Another COVID Spike, Healthcare Is Defining Their Senate Race

At the same time , Texans are less likely than people in any other state to have health insurance — and that was before the sweeping job losses that they endured as a result of the pandemic .
One study found that just between March and May , even before the COVID-19 spike hit Texas in late July , around 1.6 million Texans likely lost health insurance after losing their jobs .
Texans account for close to 10 % of all COVID-19 cases in the US , and about 12.5 % of recorded COVID-19 deaths , according to the New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some 898,000 of the 8.5 million people in the US who have had COVID-19 were Texans , and 17,800 of the 223,948 Americans who have died of the virus came from Texas .
In recent days , cases are beginning to rise sharply again in parts of the state .
Texas hasn ’ t been considered competitive in presidential elections in decades — the last time a Democratic nominee won the state was Jimmy Carter in 1976 .
But the state is changing , diversifying and getting younger , and after Democrat Beto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loss in 2018 , Democrats think the state ’ s 38 electoral college votes and Cornyn ’ s Senate seat could both be theirs to win , shifting the Senate and the White House to Democrats along the way .
What ’ s happened in Texas in the last ten months could be a big part of why .
“ A lot of people are one illness or injury away from bankruptcy , ” she added .
“ Some people might say the economy .
I say that healthcare is the economy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BuzzFeed News this week .
“ Number one , healthcare provides jobs in rural areas .
Number two , healthcare is a small business barrier where people do n't want to quit their jobs and lose their health insurance to start a small business.
” This time around , against the backdrop of a pandemic that ’ s devastated his state and a deeply unpopular president , he ’ s facing a centrist Democrat who ’ s focusing squarely on healthcare — air force veteran and former healthcare worker MJ Hegar .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both fundraising and polls in recent weeks .
John Cornyn ’ s place in the Senate was supposed to be safe .
Until recently , it was a sure bet that the Republican would hold onto the seat he ’ s easily held onto in Texas for the past 18 years .
Sen. John Cornyn puts on his mask as Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett participates in her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Oct. 12 .
The Supreme Court case challenging the Affordable Care Act , which will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election , was filed by Texas Republicans .
Cornyn took on a central role advocating for the Senate GOP ’ s ACA repeal bill in 2017 , which narrowly failed to pass .
As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee , he has also played an important part in Trump ’ s court nominee Amy Coney Barrett ’ s confirmation process this month .
The fight in the Senate over Coney Barrett ’ s confirmation comes to a head next week , providing Hegar with another clear line of attack over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to her campaign for months : healthcare , the Affordable Care Act , and how Texans have suffered from COVID .
Although Hegar said she thinks healthcare and the economy are generally more pressing issues for Texas voters than what ’ s happening with the Supreme Court , healthcare is central to what ’ s at stake with SCOTUS .
As a result , there ’ s a third figure whose influence in the race neither candidate can ignore : Coney Barrett .
“ It ’ s ACA vs. ACB , I guess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing for Coney Barrett last week , suggesting that Democrats were raising the Affordable Care Act in the hearings without a real basis for concern .
Hegar ’ s campaign clipped the remark and tweeted , “ Your little line isn ’ t cute , John , it ’ s potentially deadly for 5 million Texans with pre-existing conditions.
” “ People clearly see that it 's about tearing down the Affordable Care Act , ” Hegar said this week , of the Senate GOP push to confirm Coney Barrett .
Senate Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed further stands in contrast to how they ’ ve resisted passing a new COVID-19 relief bill , Hegar said .
“ I wish that they would show some urgency , the same type of urgency they are around the Supreme Court , around getting us , you know , relief for small businesses and getting the pandemic under control , ” she said .
Hegar , who is trying to turn out Texas Democrats but also draw moderate Republicans and independents away from Cornyn , has been making unexpected gains both in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hegar ’ s fundraising in the first two weeks of October propelled her past Cornyn , with $ 3.7 million to Cornyn ’ s $ 1.3 million , leaving her with $ 6.9 million cash on hand to Cornyn ’ s $ 3.8 million .
But Texas has been here before .
Two years ago , O ’ Rourke came close to ousting Ted Cruz from the Senate seat he ’ s held since 2013 , but ultimately lost out .
Part of what ’ s different this time , Hegar argues , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have hovered around 38 % in recent months , lower than Cruz ’ s 52 % at election time in 2018 .
Cornyn has recently tried to distance himself from the president and his flailing approval ratings : In one University of Texas at Austin poll this month 43 % of Texans said they strongly disapprove of how Trump has handled the pandemic , while 27 % strongly approve .
In a separate interview with BuzzFeed News in July , before she won the runoff primary election , Hegar said the question she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear more likely to approve of Ted Cruz than John Cornyn .
“ The answer lies in the independent voters , and the independent voters are not moderate , they are not between the two parties .
They have removed themselves from the system and they are looking for someone who is going to put them first , ” Hegar said at the time .
She added this week that she thinks the outcome in Texas on Election Day could be key to a smooth transition of power if Trump loses the presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state has limited mail voting — one point Republicans are already using to attack the veracity of the election — and because the results are likely to be in relatively early .
“ I feel like Texas is the key to healing the nation and to moving on quickly and having an election result that is n't easy to challenge in the courts from some sort of conspiracy theory without evidence , because our votes have been so suppressed in Texas .
We 're one of only six states that has n't eased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
“ So if we can work , people working our tails off , to give our 38 electoral votes to Biden which would mean there 's not a mathematical victory for Trump , then that ’ s really the key to kind of moving on .
”

The Supreme Court case challenging the Affordable Care Act, which will be the first case justices hear after the election, was filed by Texas Republicans. Cornyn took on a central role advocating for the Senate GOP’s ACA repeal bill in 2017, which narrowly failed to pass. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he has also played an important part in Trump’s court nominee Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation process this month.
The fight in the Senate over Coney Barrett’s confirmation comes to a head next week, providing Hegar with another clear line of attack over an issue that’s been central to her campaign for months: healthcare, the Affordable Care Act, and how Texans have suffered from COVID.
Although Hegar said she thinks healthcare and the economy are generally more pressing issues for Texas voters than what’s happening with the Supreme Court, healthcare is central to what’s at stake with SCOTUS.
As a result, there’s a third figure whose influence in the race neither candidate can ignore: Coney Barrett.
“It’s ACA vs. ACB, I guess,” Cornyn joked during one confirmation hearing for Coney Barrett last week, suggesting that Democrats were raising the Affordable Care Act in the hearings without a real basis for concern.
Hegar’s campaign clipped the remark and tweeted, “Your little line isn’t cute, John, it’s potentially deadly for 5 million Texans with pre-existing conditions.”
“People clearly see that it's about tearing down the Affordable Care Act,” Hegar said this week, of the Senate GOP push to confirm Coney Barrett.
Senate Republicans’ push to get Coney Barrett quickly confirmed further stands in contrast to how they’ve resisted passing a new COVID-19 relief bill, Hegar said.
“I wish that they would show some urgency, the same type of urgency they are around the Supreme Court, around getting us, you know, relief for small businesses and getting the pandemic under control,” she said.
Hegar, who is trying to turn out Texas Democrats but also draw moderate Republicans and independents away from Cornyn, has been making unexpected gains both in fundraising and polls in recent weeks. Hegar’s fundraising in the first two weeks of October propelled her past Cornyn, with $3.7 million to Cornyn’s $1.3 million, leaving her with $6.9 million cash on hand to Cornyn’s $3.8 million.
But Texas has been here before. Two years ago, O’Rourke came close to ousting Ted Cruz from the Senate seat he’s held since 2013, but ultimately lost out. Part of what’s different this time, Hegar argues, is that Cornyn’s approval ratings have hovered around 38% in recent months, lower than Cruz’s 52% at election time in 2018.
Cornyn has recently tried to distance himself from the president and his flailing approval ratings: In one University of Texas at Austin poll this month 43% of Texans said they strongly disapprove of how Trump has handled the pandemic, while 27% strongly approve.
In a separate interview with BuzzFeed News in July, before she won the runoff primary election, Hegar said the question she was asking herself was why Texas voters appear more likely to approve of Ted Cruz than John Cornyn.
“The answer lies in the independent voters, and the independent voters are not moderate, they are not between the two parties. They have removed themselves from the system and they are looking for someone who is going to put them first,” Hegar said at the time.
She added this week that she thinks the outcome in Texas on Election Day could be key to a smooth transition of power if Trump loses the presidential election to Joe Biden, because the state has limited mail voting — one point Republicans are already using to attack the veracity of the election — and because the results are likely to be in relatively early.
“I feel like Texas is the key to healing the nation and to moving on quickly and having an election result that isn't easy to challenge in the courts from some sort of conspiracy theory without evidence, because our votes have been so suppressed in Texas. We're one of only six states that hasn't eased restrictions to vote by mail,” she said.
“So if we can work, people working our tails off, to give our 38 electoral votes to Biden which would mean there's not a mathematical victory for Trump, then that’s really the key to kind of moving on.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-30--A Woman's Thong Almost Killed Her And She Shared The Story On TikTok As A Precaution

`` Abscesses in the groin and anorectal area are not uncommon and can happen randomly to people who are more @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Lincoln said .
`` As for causing abscesses in the anorectal area , it @ @ @ @ @ cut in the skin from friction , which can then get infected .
So if @ @ @ @ @ one , opt for a loose-fitting , soft cotton version .
This may be better @ @ @ @ @ be more irritating to the skin , potentially more abrasive , or more likely to @ @ @ @ @ ''

"Abscesses in the groin and anorectal area are not uncommon and can happen randomly to people who are more prone to infections," Dr. Lincoln said. "As for causing abscesses in the anorectal area, it could theoretically cause a small cut in the skin from friction, which can then get infected. So if you do want to wear one, opt for a loose-fitting, soft cotton version. This may be better than synthetic fibers that can be more irritating to the skin, potentially more abrasive, or more likely to trap moisture and bacteria."


buzzfeed--2020-10-30--This Groomer's "Things We Don't Tell You" Video Is Something All Dog Owners Need To Know

BuzzFeed spoke to Vanessa , who said she made the video to show that an `` end of life '' @ @ @ @ @ day at the spa .
Her video is a message to owners of all dogs @ @ @ @ @ weak to be groomed — not just those getting their very last groom .
`` @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve had to inform three clients that their pet can no longer handle @ @ @ @ @ very hard time coming up with the words and courage to tell the owners that @ @ @ @ @ a client they can longer groom their pet , it is essentially us telling them @ @ @ @ @ the end of their life .
It ’ s not an easy thing to tell @ @ @ @ @ time to end their pet 's suffering , and as a groomer , I don @ @ @ @ @ ’ s my right to do that , '' explained Vanessa .

BuzzFeed spoke to Vanessa, who said she made the video to show that an "end of life" groom is not a relaxing day at the spa. Her video is a message to owners of all dogs who are too old and weak to be groomed — not just those getting their very last groom. "Over this last month, I’ve had to inform three clients that their pet can no longer handle grooming. I had a very hard time coming up with the words and courage to tell the owners that. When a groomer tells a client they can longer groom their pet, it is essentially us telling them that their pet is at the end of their life. It’s not an easy thing to tell someone that it’s time to end their pet's suffering, and as a groomer, I don’t always feel it’s my right to do that," explained Vanessa.


buzzfeed--2020-10-30--Minnesota Is Urging Voters To Return Ballots In Person After A New Court Decision

WASHINGTON — Minnesota officials are urging voters to return absentee ballots in person after a federal court on Thursday suddenly cast doubt on whether ballots that arrive by mail after Nov. 3 will be counted in the presidential race .
In an extraordinary 2-1 decision less than a week before Election Day , the US Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit ordered Minnesota to set aside ballots that arrive after Nov. 3 , and warned that votes cast for president on those ballots could be invalidated once a legal challenge plays out .
The ruling comes after the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with instructions that said that ballots postmarked by Election Day would be accepted up to seven days later .
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar tweeted on Thursday night , “ DO NOT put ballots in mail any more.
” Appearing by video on Thursday , Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon had the same message , telling voters they could bring their absentee ballots to an election office or another approved drop site , or could still vote in-person .
“ Don ’ t risk it .
Don ’ t put it in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that there are approximately 399,000 absentee ballots that were sent to voters and have n't been returned yet , although he said it was possible some of those were already en route and might arrive by Nov. 3 .
BuzzFeed News has journalists around the US bringing you trustworthy stories on the 2020 Elections .
To help keep this news free , become a member .
The secretary of state ’ s website features a plea to voters at the top of the homepage to return absentee ballots by hand .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home , YOU MUST drop it off by hand to an election office or official drop box .
DO NOT use the mail to return your absentee ballot .
You may also choose to vote in person early or on Election Day , ” the site read .
This summer , Simon had entered into an agreement that extended the state ’ s absentee ballot timeline for the November election , in response to a lawsuit brought by voting rights groups that challenged the Election Day deadline during the coronavirus pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agreement , which meant the state would count ballots that were postmarked in time and arrived by Nov. 10 .
Republican nominees to be presidential electors for Minnesota then sued to challenge that agreement in federal court .
A federal district judge found the electors lacked standing to bring the case , and the electors then asked the 8th Circuit to step in .
President Donald Trump ’ s campaign had briefly intervened in the state court case to oppose the deadline extension , and this week joined with Republicans in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to segregate ballots pending legal challenges to the deadline extension .
The two 8th Circuit judges in the majority wrote in Thursday ’ s decision that the electors were likely to win their argument that Simon unconstitutionally usurped the power of the state legislature , which set the Election Day deadline , by agreeing to extend it .
The judges wrote that they understood they were creating “ challenges ” for election officials , given that the election is five days away , but believed ordering the state to segregate post-Nov. 3 ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a better option than figuring out what to do if they were intermingled and then ultimately invalidated later on .
“ Better to put those voters on notice now while they still have at least some time to adjust their plans and cast their votes in an unquestionably lawful way , ” wrote Judges Bobby Shepherd and L. Steven Grasz , the former nominated by former president George .
W. Bush and the latter by Trump .
Judge Jane Kelly dissented , writing that her colleagues ’ order “ will cause voter confusion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election process.
” In a footnote , she wrote that it wasn ’ t clear how state election officials were supposed to separate out presidential votes from votes cast in other races on the Minnesota ballot , or whether the state was supposed to separately count the presidential votes at issue in the meantime .
Kelly , who is the lone 8th Circuit judge nominated by former president Barack Obama , wrote that she wasn ’ t convinced the electors had standing to bring the case , but even if they did she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because the Minnesota legislature had delegated certain legislative powers to the secretary of state to come up with election practices .
She also noted that the Minnesota legislature hadn ’ t gone to court to oppose the agreement to extend the absentee ballot deadline ; one of the elector nominees who sued , Eric Lucero , is a Republican state representative .
“ At this point , it is simply too late for any absentee voter who has not yet mailed their ballot to do so with confidence that it will arrive by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injunctive relief has the effect of telling voters — who , until now , had been under the impression that they had until November 3 to mail their ballots — that they should have mailed their ballots yesterday ( or , more accurately , several days ago ) , ” Kelly wrote .
“ With the court ’ s injunction in place , fewer eligible Minnesotans will be able to exercise their fundamental right to vote.
” If you have a news tip , we ’ d like to hear from you .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our tip line channels .
Lucero wrote in a statement to BuzzFeed News that the 8th Circuit ’ s order was “ a significant victory for Minnesota voters , fair elections , and the rule of law . ''
“ Secretary Simon should have come to the Legislature to change state law rather than needlessly injecting confusion into the long-established voting process by attempting to rewrite state statute unilaterally , ” Lucero wrote .

WASHINGTON — Minnesota officials are urging voters to return absentee ballots in person after a federal court on Thursday suddenly cast doubt on whether ballots that arrive by mail after Nov. 3 will be counted in the presidential race.
In an extraordinary 2–1 decision less than a week before Election Day, the US Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit ordered Minnesota to set aside ballots that arrive after Nov. 3 and warned that votes cast for president on those ballots could be invalidated once a legal challenge plays out. The ruling comes after the state had sent more than 1 million ballots with instructions that said that ballots postmarked by Election Day would be accepted up to seven days later.
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar tweeted on Thursday night, “DO NOT put ballots in mail any more.” Appearing by video on Thursday, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon had the same message, telling voters they could bring their absentee ballots to an election office or another approved drop site, or could still vote in person.
“Don’t risk it. Don’t put it in the mail,” Simon said. He said that there are approximately 399,000 absentee ballots that were sent to voters and haven't been returned yet, although he said it was possible some of those were already en route and might arrive by Nov. 3.
BuzzFeed News has journalists around the US bringing you trustworthy stories on the 2020 Elections. To help keep this news free, become a member.
The secretary of state’s website features a plea to voters at the top of the homepage to return absentee ballots by hand.
“If you still have an absentee ballot at home, YOU MUST drop it off by hand to an election office or official drop box. DO NOT use the mail to return your absentee ballot. You may also choose to vote in person early or on Election Day,” the site reads.
This summer, Simon had entered into an agreement that extended the state’s absentee ballot timeline for the November election, in response to a lawsuit brought by voting rights groups that challenged the Election Day deadline during the coronavirus pandemic. A state court judge signed off on the agreement, which meant the state would count ballots that were postmarked in time and arrived by Nov. 10.
Republican nominees to be presidential electors for Minnesota then sued to challenge that agreement in federal court. A federal district judge found the electors lacked standing to bring the case, and the electors then asked the 8th Circuit to step in. President Donald Trump’s campaign had briefly intervened in the state court case to oppose the deadline extension, and this week joined with Republicans in the state in asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to segregate ballots pending legal challenges to the deadline extension.
The two 8th Circuit judges in the majority wrote in Thursday’s decision that the electors were likely to win their argument that Simon unconstitutionally usurped the power of the state legislature, which set the Election Day deadline, by agreeing to extend it. The judges wrote that they understood they were creating “challenges” for election officials, given that the election is five days away, but believed ordering the state to segregate post–Nov. 3 ballots now while the litigation was pending was a better option than figuring out what to do if they were intermingled and then ultimately invalidated later on.
“Better to put those voters on notice now while they still have at least some time to adjust their plans and cast their votes in an unquestionably lawful way,” wrote Judges Bobby Shepherd and L. Steven Grasz, the former nominated by former president George. W. Bush and the latter by Trump.
Judge Jane Kelly dissented, writing that her colleagues’ order “will cause voter confusion and undermine Minnesotans’ confidence in the election process.” In a footnote, she wrote that it wasn’t clear how state election officials were supposed to separate out presidential votes from votes cast in other races on the Minnesota ballot, or whether the state was supposed to separately count the presidential votes at issue in the meantime.
Kelly, who is the lone 8th Circuit judge nominated by former president Barack Obama, wrote that she wasn’t convinced the electors had standing to bring the case, but even if they did she thought they would still lose the case because the Minnesota legislature had delegated certain legislative powers to the secretary of state to come up with election practices. She also noted that the Minnesota legislature hadn’t gone to court to oppose the agreement to extend the absentee ballot deadline; one of the elector nominees who sued, Eric Lucero, is a Republican state representative.
“At this point, it is simply too late for any absentee voter who has not yet mailed their ballot to do so with confidence that it will arrive by Election Day. The court’s injunctive relief has the effect of telling voters — who, until now, had been under the impression that they had until November 3 to mail their ballots — that they should have mailed their ballots yesterday (or, more accurately, several days ago),” Kelly wrote. “With the court’s injunction in place, fewer eligible Minnesotans will be able to exercise their fundamental right to vote.”
If you have a news tip, we’d like to hear from you. Reach out to us via one of our tip line channels.
Lucero wrote in a statement to BuzzFeed News that the 8th Circuit’s order was “a significant victory for Minnesota voters, fair elections, and the rule of law."
“Secretary Simon should have come to the Legislature to change state law rather than needlessly injecting confusion into the long-established voting process by attempting to rewrite state statute unilaterally,” Lucero wrote.


buzzfeed--2020-10-30--US Border Officials Told Asylum-Seekers They Didn't Have Space, Regardless Of Whether They Actually

US Border Officials Told Asylum-Seekers They Didn't Have Space, Regardless Of Whether They Actually Did, Inspector Finds

People wait to apply for asylum in the US in Tijuana , Mexico , July 24 , 2019 .
Authorities in the United States who turned away asylum-seekers at official border crossings told immigrants they did n't have space to process them , regardless of whether they actually could , according to an unpublished inspector general 's report obtained by BuzzFeed News .
The Department of Homeland Security 's Office of Inspector General focused on the agency 's practice of regulating how many immigrants border agents could allow to enter the US to seek asylum , known as queue management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 , after learning that Customs and Border Protection agents could turn away 650 immigrants every day if all ports of entry instituted the practice , Kirstjen Nielsen , the former homeland security secretary , instructed all ports to implement metering .
Seven official border crossings that are classified to process all immigrants subsequently stopped processing asylum-seekers , and CBP agents redirected them to other ports , some of which were more than 30 miles away .
`` We observed CBP officers telling aliens the port was at capacity and did not have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of actual capacity and capability at the time , '' the report states .
At two ports of entry , CBP left holding cells empty despite a line of immigrants and asylum-seekers waiting in line to be processed , inspectors reported .
The OIG also said that contrary to federal law and agency guidance , at least four CBP ports of entry sent asylum-seekers already on US soil back to Mexico .
The four ports of entry established their `` limit lines , '' where CBP officers instruct asylum-seekers to go back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the border .
The findings follow previous reporting that contradicted claims from DHS that `` metering '' was necessary due to a lack of resources to process asylum-seekers .
The report said `` metering '' has been in place along the southern border since at least 2016 when the Obama administration and Mexican officials stopped asylum-seekers from reaching US soil and put their names on a waiting list in response to a surge of Haitians arriving to Tijuana .
It became standard practice under the Trump administration .
Advocates have long criticized `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for weeks or months to request asylum in border cities where they were attacked or kidnapped in some cases .
In the years since `` metering '' took hold that wait time south of the border has been increased , sometimes more than a year and currently indefinitely because of the pandemic , by a Trump administration policy that makes immigrants wait in Mexico while their cases are completed in the US in some of the most dangerous cities in the Western Hemisphere .
In April 2018 , the Trump administration announced a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border that required CBP to refer every adult who entered the US illegally for prosecution .
That policy led to the systemic separation of families at the border because children could n't go with their parents who were being detained by the US Marshals after being charged with illegal entry .
After implementing the policy , Nielsen urged immigrants to enter the US at a port of entry versus crossing illegally .
“ As I said before , if you ’ re seeking asylum , go to a port of entry .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the United States to seek asylum , '' Nielsen told reporters on June 18 , 2018 .
Yet at the same time , DHS and CBP directed these ports to assign staffers away from processing immigrants , including asylum-seekers , to other duties , the watchdog report states .
On June 5 , 2018 , Nielsen signed a memo authorizing port directors to establish metering at official border crossings .
The memo also authorized port directors to reassign staffers away from processing undocumented immigrants .
`` CBP personnel and resources that would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aliens can focus on the detection and apprehension of narcotics and currency smugglers , '' Nielsen 's memo stated .
Weeks later , when reporters told Nielsen that asylum-seekers were being turned away at ports of entry , the report states , she called the accounts `` incorrect . ''
`` While DHS leadership urged asylum seekers to present themselves at ports of entry , the agency took deliberate steps to limit the number of undocumented aliens who could be processed each day , '' the report said .

Authorities in the United States who turned away asylum-seekers at official border crossings told immigrants they didn't have space to process them, regardless of whether they actually could, according to an unpublished inspector general's report obtained by BuzzFeed News.
The report was later released after this story was first published.
The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General report focused on the agency's practice of regulating how many immigrants border agents could allow to enter the US to seek asylum, known as queue management, or "metering." In 2018, after learning that Customs and Border Protection agents could turn away 650 immigrants every day if all ports of entry instituted the practice, Kirstjen Nielsen, the former homeland security secretary, instructed all ports to implement metering.
Seven official border crossings that are classified to process all immigrants subsequently stopped processing asylum-seekers, and CBP agents redirected them to other ports, some of which were more than 30 miles away.
"We observed CBP officers telling aliens the port was at capacity and did not have the capability to process them, regardless of actual capacity and capability at the time," the report states.
At two ports of entry, CBP left holding cells empty despite a line of immigrants and asylum-seekers waiting in line to be processed, inspectors reported.
The OIG also said that contrary to federal law and agency guidance, at least four CBP ports of entry sent asylum-seekers already on US soil back to Mexico. The four ports of entry established their "limit lines," where CBP officers instruct asylum-seekers to go back to Mexico, on the US side of the border.
The findings follow previous reporting that contradicted claims from DHS that "metering" was necessary due to a lack of resources to process asylum-seekers.
The report said "metering" has been in place along the southern border since at least 2016 when the Obama administration and Mexican officials stopped asylum-seekers from reaching US soil and put their names on a waiting list in response to a surge of Haitians arriving to Tijuana. It became standard practice under the Trump administration.
Advocates have long criticized "metering" because it made immigrants wait for weeks or months to request asylum in border cities where they were attacked or kidnapped in some cases. In the years since "metering" took hold, that wait time south of the border has been increased (sometimes more than a year and currently indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic) by a Trump administration policy that makes immigrants wait in Mexico while their cases are completed in the US in some of the most dangerous cities in the Western Hemisphere.
In April 2018, the Trump administration announced a "zero tolerance" policy at the border that required CBP to refer every adult who entered the US illegally for prosecution. That policy led to the systemic separation of families at the border because children couldn't go with their parents who were being detained by the US Marshals after being charged with illegal entry.
After implementing the policy, Nielsen urged immigrants to enter the US at a port of entry versus crossing illegally.
“As I said before, if you’re seeking asylum, go to a port of entry. You do not need to break the law of the United States to seek asylum," Nielsen told reporters on June 18, 2018.
Yet at the same time, DHS and CBP directed these ports to assign staffers away from processing immigrants, including asylum-seekers, to other duties, the watchdog report states.
On June 5, 2018, Nielsen signed a memo authorizing port directors to establish metering at official border crossings. The memo also authorized port directors to reassign staffers away from processing undocumented immigrants.
"CBP personnel and resources that would otherwise be deployed to process inadmissible arriving aliens can focus on the detection and apprehension of narcotics and currency smugglers," Nielsen's memo stated.
Weeks later, when reporters told Nielsen that asylum-seekers were being turned away at ports of entry, the report states, she called the accounts "incorrect."
"While DHS leadership urged asylum seekers to present themselves at ports of entry, the agency took deliberate steps to limit the number of undocumented aliens who could be processed each day," the report said.


buzzfeed--2020-10-30--Keke Palmer Made A Song About Voting And Recruited Some Of Your Faves For The Music Video

Election Day is less than a week away — Nov. 3 , to be specific — and we all need @ @ @ @ @

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buzzfeed--2020-10-30--Democrats Have Spent Millions Trying To Oust Susan Collins In Maine — And It’s Actually Helping To S

Democrats Have Spent Millions Trying To Oust Susan Collins In Maine — And It’s Actually Helping To Save Local News

WASHINGTON — Two years ago , when Republican Sen. Susan Collins announced that she would vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after he was accused of sexual assault , liberal groups vowed to oust her in the 2020 election — and they haven ’ t hit the brakes since .
Her opponent , Sara Gideon , who currently serves as the speaker of the Maine House of Representatives , has posted stunning fundraising numbers , raising more than $ 63.6 million since she launched her campaign last summer , while Collins raised just $ 25.2 million over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has resulted in massive spending , with ads from both candidates — and outside groups supporting them — inundating the airwaves in Maine .
And that spending has had a somewhat unexpected benefit , too : It ’ s helping support local news .
BuzzFeed News has journalists around the US bringing you trustworthy stories on the 2020 Elections .
To help keep this news free , become a member .
Laurie Lozier , the director of Pulse Marketing Agency — which is owned by the Bangor Publishing Company , which also owns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paper has seen a 3,000 % increase in political ad spending this cycle when compared to 2014 , the last time Collins ran for reelection .
“ I had to do the math a few times , because I could n't believe it , ” Lozier said .
“ The increase in election spending has helped offset some of the decline in ad revenue we have experienced since the onset of the pandemic .
So that is a positive for local newspapers.
” Federal campaign spending in the state has exceeded more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News reported , a record for the state that ’ s largely been driven by Collins ’ close reelection race .
Gideon currently leads in the polls by a small margin against Collins .
Collins , one of the rare pro–abortion rights Republicans , still has not said whether she plans to vote for President Donald Trump .
The raising and spending in the race is increasingly lopsided .
Between July and September alone , Gideon brought in $ 39.4 million , while Collins raised just $ 8 million .
According to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign spent $ 11 million from July to September on digital and TV ads , while Collins spent $ 4.3 million on media production .
“ As a direct result of such a historic race , our newspapers , television , radio stations in every city , every single digital platform , have been flooded with ads .
And it 's just unabating , ” Lozier said .
“ The frequency of political advertising is higher than ever before , both here at the Bangor Daily News and throughout the state.
” And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a story titled “ Maine ’ s US Senate Race Has Attracted So Much Money That It ’ s Hard to Spend It ” — according to Advertising Analytics , there has been more political spending in the Portland-Auburn media market this year than in other much larger markets like Chicago .

WASHINGTON — Two years ago, when Republican Sen. Susan Collins announced that she would vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after he was accused of sexual assault, liberal groups vowed to oust her in the 2020 election — and they haven’t hit the brakes since.
Her opponent, Sara Gideon, who currently serves as the speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, has posted stunning fundraising numbers, raising more than $63.6 million since she launched her campaign last summer, while Collins raised just $25.2 million over the last two years.
The massive fundraising has resulted in massive spending, with ads from both candidates — and outside groups supporting them — inundating the airwaves in Maine. And that spending has had a somewhat unexpected benefit, too: It’s helping support local news.
BuzzFeed News has journalists around the US bringing you trustworthy stories on the 2020 Elections. To help keep this news free, become a member.
Laurie Lozier, the director of Pulse Marketing Agency — which is owned by the Bangor Publishing Company, which also owns the Bangor Daily News — said the paper has seen a 3,000% increase in political ad spending this cycle when compared to 2014, the last time Collins ran for reelection.
“I had to do the math a few times, because I couldn't believe it,” Lozier said. “The increase in election spending has helped offset some of the decline in ad revenue we have experienced since the onset of the pandemic. So that is a positive for local newspapers.”
Federal campaign spending in the state has exceeded more than $100 million, the Bangor Daily News reported, a record for the state that’s largely been driven by Collins’ close reelection race. Gideon currently leads in the polls by a small margin against Collins.
Collins, one of the rare pro–abortion rights Republicans, still has not said whether she plans to vote for President Donald Trump.
The raising and spending in the race is increasingly lopsided. Between July and September alone, Gideon brought in $39.4 million, while Collins raised just $8 million. According to the Bangor Daily News itself, the Gideon campaign spent $11 million from July to September on digital and TV ads, while Collins spent $4.3 million on media production.
“As a direct result of such a historic race, our newspapers, television, radio stations in every city, every single digital platform, have been flooded with ads. And it's just unabating,” Lozier said. “The frequency of political advertising is higher than ever before, both here at the Bangor Daily News and throughout the state.”
And as the Daily News noted — in a story titled “Maine’s US Senate Race Has Attracted So Much Money That It’s Hard to Spend It” — according to Advertising Analytics, there has been more political spending in the Portland-Auburn media market this year than in other much larger markets like Chicago.