buzzfeed--2020-10-19--A Ballot Box Fire In California Is Being Investigated As Arson

A mail-in ballot drop-off box in California was damaged by fire in an incident that 's being investigated as arson , officials said Monday .
Firefighters responded to reports of a ballot box fire outside the Baldwin Park Library around 8 p.m. Sunday , according to a representative for the Los Angeles County Fire Department .
Units on the scene reported that there was `` burning inside '' the ballot box , officials said .
It was n't immediately clear how many ballots may have been damaged in the fire or what their condition was .
Baldwin Park Police Commander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had sealed the ballots in a box to be retrieved by election officials .
The fire is still under investigation by county fire investigators .
The Los Angeles County registrar 's office has also reported the incident to the FBI and the state attorney general 's office .
“ Tampering with vote by mail drop boxes and ballots is serious criminal offense and we will vigorously seek the prosecution of individuals who engage in such behavior , '' Dean Logan , the registrar-recorder/county clerk , said in a statement .
Election officials are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ box and will notify voters whose ballots may have been affected , the registrar 's office said .
County staff last picked up ballots at the location at about 10:10 a.m. Saturday , about 34 hours before the fire was reported .
As a result of the incident , election officials are now increasing the frequency of ballot pickups at all drop box locations .
“ The arson of an official ballot drop box by the Baldwin Park Library in the First District has all the signs of an attempt to disenfranchise voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our elections , ” LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis said in a statement .
“ Tampering , or attempts to tamper , with our democracy will not be tolerated .
Rest assured , LA County residents ’ voices will be heard when they vote , including in this election . ''
The incident comes days after California ’ s Republican Party came under scrutiny for setting up unofficial ballot boxes for the Nov. 3 election .
A lawyer for the party said in a letter Thursday it planned to continue collecting ballots despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general .
More than 3.7 million mail-in ballots have been returned to election officials across the state as of Monday , the secretary of state 's office said .
Voters can track the status of their mail-in ballots online at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov .

A mail-in ballot drop-off box in California was damaged by fire in an incident that's being investigated as arson, officials said Monday.
Firefighters responded to reports of a ballot box fire outside the Baldwin Park Library around 8 p.m. Sunday, according to a representative for the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Units on the scene reported that there was "burning inside" the ballot box, officials said.
It wasn't immediately clear how many ballots may have been damaged in the fire or what their condition was. Baldwin Park Police Commander Chris Hofford told BuzzFeed News the department had sealed the ballots in a box to be retrieved by election officials.
The fire is still under investigation by county fire investigators. The Los Angeles County registrar's office has also reported the incident to the FBI and the state attorney general's office.
“Tampering with vote by mail drop boxes and ballots is serious criminal offense and we will vigorously seek the prosecution of individuals who engage in such behavior," Dean Logan, the registrar-recorder/county clerk, said in a statement.
Election officials are currently reviewing the material recovered from the box and will notify voters whose ballots may have been affected, the registrar's office said. County staff last picked up ballots at the location at about 10:10 a.m. Saturday, about 34 hours before the fire was reported.
As a result of the incident, election officials are now increasing the frequency of ballot pickups at all drop box locations.
“The arson of an official ballot drop box by the Baldwin Park Library in the First District has all the signs of an attempt to disenfranchise voters and call into question the security of our elections,” LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis said in a statement. “Tampering, or attempts to tamper, with our democracy will not be tolerated. Rest assured, LA County residents’ voices will be heard when they vote, including in this election."
The incident comes days after California’s Republican Party came under scrutiny for setting up unofficial ballot boxes for the Nov. 3 election. A lawyer for the party said in a letter Thursday it planned to continue collecting ballots despite a cease-and-desist order by the California attorney general.
More than 3.7 million mail-in ballots have been returned to election officials across the state as of Monday, the secretary of state's office said.
Voters can track the status of their mail-in ballots online at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov.


buzzfeed--2020-10-19--Facebook Banned An Alleged Russian Agent Spreading Disinformation About Joe Biden

“ We removed this account and this Page for violating our policy against the use of our platform by people engaged in election-focused influence operations , ” a Facebook spokesperson told BuzzFeed News .
Derkach , a member of Ukraine ’ s parliament , has been working with Giuliani and a shadowy group of Ukrainian operatives to gather dirt on former vice president Joe Biden and his son Hunter for roughly a year .
Facebook has suspended the account of Ukrainian politician Andriy Derkach , an ally of President Donald Trump 's lawyer Rudy Giuliani , for election interference .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's page overnight .
Below is how it appears now .
Just last night I was able to access it .
I wrote last week about how Facebook has been used by Derkach and other Ukrainian operatives in their anti-Biden campaign .
https : //t.co/DUfm6WX1hp As BuzzFeed News reported last week , even after Facebook limited the distribution of a New York Post story because it made unsubstantiated claims about the Bidens and their activities in Ukraine , Derkach was still posting about it .
On Monday morning , Derkach told BuzzFeed News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the publication by American media of my statement about the existence of a laptop in the possession of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies with which illegal payments were made to companies close to the Biden family.
” Derkach said the Facebook ban also amounted to “ direct interference in the electoral process in Ukraine , ” since local elections are taking place this month and his party is involved .
Derkach also said that he would not stop his anti-Biden campaign , saying he would publish more information about the former vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The US Treasury Department sanctioned Derkach in September for being “ complicit in foreign interference in an attempt to undermine the upcoming 2020 U.S. presidential election.
” The department also said it had determined Derkach was working as “ an active Russian agent ” in Ukraine for the past 10 years .
Derkach was schooled at a KGB academy in Moscow .
He later became a Ukrainian lawmaker , voting for a set of anti-protest laws that passed during the country ’ s democratic revolution in 2014 .
Derkach denies working for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the sanctions against him were “ revenge ” by Biden ’ s “ deep state associates ” and “ a preventative response ” to a press conference he was planning to hold .
For months , Derkach has held press conferences in Kyiv during which he published leaked and selectively edited recordings of alleged conversations between Biden and former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko .
In the recordings , which the Biden and Poroshenko camps have called fake and part of a Russian disinformation operation , voices similar to the two men are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reforms , none of which have supported Derkach ’ s claims of corruption on the part of Biden .
In September , Derkach held a press conference where he played a video of two men he claimed were “ witnesses ” to alleged crimes of the Bidens showing a laptop they said had been used by a Ukrainian gas company to wire payments to Hunter .
Much of the information included in Derkach ’ s recordings has been disseminated in the US by pro-Trump media and Republican politicians .
The latter have accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukrainian prosecutor general to bury an investigation into an alleged corruption scheme involving Burisma , a Ukrainian gas company on which his son Hunter sat on the board .
The prosecutor general , Viktor Shokin , was a controversial figure and had been accused of corruption himself .
Moreover , Ukrainian anticorruption activists said that Shokin — not Biden — was the one holding up an investigation into Burisma ’ s activities .
Two prosecutors who followed Shokin have said they found no evidence of misdeeds on the part of the Bidens involving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ origin of Derkach ’ s recordings was launched earlier this year .
Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said last month that her office was also looking at whether they had been edited , the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported .
But Venediktova has refused to open a probe into Derkach himself , a lawyer for Poroshenko said on Monday .
Derkach ’ s relationship with Giuliani has come under increasing scrutiny as the US government sanctioned him and following news that US intelligence agencies warned the White House about Russian intelligence using Giuliani to pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least three times , including a meeting in Kyiv when the lawmaker passed a stack of documents to the former New York City mayor to help with his Ukraine campaign and the two men were photographed together .

As BuzzFeed News reported last week, even after Facebook limited the distribution of a New York Post story because it made unsubstantiated claims about the Bidens and their activities in Ukraine, Derkach was still posting about it.
On Monday morning, Derkach told BuzzFeed News: “My Facebook account was blocked after the publication by American media of my statement about the existence of a laptop in the possession of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies with which illegal payments were made to companies close to the Biden family.”
Derkach said the Facebook ban also amounted to “direct interference in the electoral process in Ukraine,” since local elections are taking place this month and his party is involved.
Derkach also said that he would not stop his anti-Biden campaign, saying he would publish more information about the former vice president “in the next day or two.”
The US Treasury Department sanctioned Derkach in September for being “complicit in foreign interference in an attempt to undermine the upcoming 2020 U.S. presidential election.” The department also said it had determined Derkach was working as “an active Russian agent” in Ukraine for the past 10 years.
Derkach was schooled at a KGB academy in Moscow. He later became a Ukrainian lawmaker, voting for a set of anti-protest laws that passed during the country’s democratic revolution in 2014.
Derkach denies working for Russia and told BuzzFeed News last month that the sanctions against him were “revenge” by Biden’s “deep state associates” and “a preventative response” to a press conference he was planning to hold.
For months, Derkach has held press conferences in Kyiv during which he published leaked and selectively edited recordings of alleged conversations between Biden and former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko. In the recordings, which the Biden and Poroshenko camps have called fake and part of a Russian disinformation operation, voices similar to the two men are heard discussing several issues related to Ukraine reforms, none of which have supported Derkach’s claims of corruption on the part of Biden.
In September, Derkach held a press conference where he played a video of two men he claimed were “witnesses” to alleged crimes of the Bidens showing a laptop they said had been used by a Ukrainian gas company to wire payments to Hunter.
Much of the information included in Derkach’s recordings has been disseminated in the US by pro-Trump media and Republican politicians. The latter have accused Biden of pressuring Poroshenko to fire a Ukrainian prosecutor general to bury an investigation into an alleged corruption scheme involving Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company on which his son Hunter sat on the board.
The prosecutor general, Viktor Shokin, was a controversial figure and had been accused of corruption himself. Moreover, Ukrainian anticorruption activists said that Shokin — not Biden — was the one holding up an investigation into Burisma’s activities.
Two prosecutors who followed Shokin have said they found no evidence of misdeeds on the part of the Bidens involving Burisma.
A Ukrainian investigation into the origin of Derkach’s recordings was launched earlier this year. Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said last month that her office was also looking at whether they had been edited, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported. But Venediktova has refused to open a probe into Derkach himself, a lawyer for Poroshenko said on Monday.
Derkach’s relationship with Giuliani has come under increasing scrutiny as the US government sanctioned him and following news that US intelligence agencies warned the White House about Russian intelligence using Giuliani to pass misinformation to Trump.
Giuliani met Derkach at least three times, including a meeting in Kyiv when the lawmaker passed a stack of documents to the former New York City mayor to help with his Ukraine campaign and the two men were photographed together.


buzzfeed--2020-10-19--A New Virtual TikTok House Of Young Influencers Is Trying To Rally Votes For Joe Biden

In a bid to mobilize Gen Z voters , a group of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris supporters in the tech and marketing industries has created a virtual TikTok house comprising popular young creators .
Called `` The House of US , '' members include TikTokers @ Thereal_tati ( 4.4 million followers ) , @ king.science ( 9 million followers ) , @ nataliaseth , @ samvicchiollo ( both 1.9 million ) , @ itsjustaba ( 6.1 million ) , @ vaggianna3 ( 1.6 million ) , @ maya2960 ( 205,000 ) , and @ alexsey ( 212,000 ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new political action committee , or PAC , called the 99 Problems .
`` We were looking for TikTokers , who first and foremost aligned with the values we wanted the house to stand for : social justice , protecting the planet , opportunity and equality for all , and ultimately a belief in the collective , the 'we ' over the 'me , ' '' Katie Longmyer , the PAC 's co-founder and former chief of staff at WeWork , told BuzzFeed News .
Unlike other popular TikTok houses , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns .
It will also be focused exclusively on creating content supporting the Biden–Harris ticket leading up to the Nov. 3 election .
PAC treasurer Jesse Stollak , the chief marketing officer at Converse , told BuzzFeed News that the House of US will be sharing TikToks that touch on issues like social justice , climate change , equal rights , and gun violence .
`` We are looking to create content that makes participation personal , sharing their POV on issues that affect them as individuals , and using that to motivate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stollak .
`` We will also look to weave in facts about the Biden/Harris policies on issues we know this generation cares about . ''
To kick things off , the political TikTok house has featured a video from King Science , a massively popular TikToker known for his animated cartoons .
The video introduces the other members of the house through a parody of the opening credits of American Dad .

In a bid to mobilize Gen Z voters, a group of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris supporters in the tech and marketing industries has created a virtual TikTok house comprising popular young creators.
Called "The House of US," members include TikTokers @Thereal_tati (4.4 million followers), @king.science (9 million followers), @nataliaseth, @samvicchiollo (both 1.9 million), @itsjustaba (6.1 million), @vaggianna3 (1.6 million), @maya2960 (205,000), and @alexsey (212,000).
The TikTok house is the work of a new political action committee, or PAC, called the 99 Problems.
"We were looking for TikTokers, who first and foremost aligned with the values we wanted the house to stand for: social justice, protecting the planet, opportunity and equality for all, and ultimately a belief in the collective, the 'we' over the 'me,'" Katie Longmyer, the PAC's co-founder and former chief of staff at WeWork, told BuzzFeed News.
Unlike other popular TikTok houses, this one will be virtual due to COVID-19 concerns. It will also be focused exclusively on creating content supporting the Biden–Harris ticket leading up to the Nov. 3 election.
PAC treasurer Jesse Stollak, the chief marketing officer at Converse, told BuzzFeed News that the House of US will be sharing TikToks that touch on issues like social justice, climate change, equal rights, and gun violence.
"We are looking to create content that makes participation personal, sharing their POV on issues that affect them as individuals, and using that to motivate action in their peers," said Stollak. "We will also look to weave in facts about the Biden/Harris policies on issues we know this generation cares about."
To kick things off, the political TikTok house has featured a video from King Science, a massively popular TikToker known for his animated cartoons.
The video introduces the other members of the house through a parody of the opening credits of American Dad.


buzzfeed--2020-10-20--Jeff Bridges Shared That He's Been Diagnosed With Lymphoma

@ TheJeffBridges @ bowiesongs A cancer diagnosis is scary .
When my fiancé had cancer , he was told it @ @ @ @ @ one .
We were praying lymphoma because the prognosis is so good .
I know @ @ @ @ @ think of a cancer diagnosis as lucky , but this is very beatable .
My @ @ @ @

As the Dude would say.. New S**T has come to light. I have been diagnosed with Lymphoma. Although it is a serious disease, I feel fortunate that I have a great team of doctors and the prognosis is good. I’m starting treatment and will keep you posted on my recovery.


buzzfeed--2020-10-20--Microphones Will Be Automatically Muted During The Final Presidential Debate After Trump Caused Chao

Microphones Will Be Automatically Muted During The Final Presidential Debate After Trump Caused Chaos At The Last One

Former vice president Joe Biden and President Donald Trump participate in the first presidential debate on Sept. 29 in Cleveland .
The Commission on Presidential Debates announced Monday that it will mute microphones at the start of each segment of Thursday night 's debate to ensure both candidates can speak without interruption after President Donald Trump constantly spoke over former vice president Joe Biden the last time .
`` We realize , after discussions with both campaigns , that neither campaign may be totally satisfied with the measures announced today , '' the commission said in a statement .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and one may think they do not go far enough .
We are comfortable that these actions strike the right balance and that they are in the interest of the American people , for whom these debates are held . ''
As was intended in the Sept. 29 debate , each candidate will be given two minutes of uninterrupted speaking time at the beginning of 15-minute segments followed by a period of open discussion .
Under the new measure , the candidates ' microphones will be turned off during their opponent 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ segments to enforce the no interruptions rule already agreed on by the campaigns .
For the remainder of each segment , both microphones will be open , the commission said .
The new rules come just days before the two candidates are set to meet for what would have been the third and final debate of the 2020 election on Thursday night at Belmont University in Nashville .
The debate that was scheduled for Oct. 15 was canceled after Trump said he would n't participate in a virtual debate , which had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Acknowledging the chaos of the first debate that featured multiple bouts of cross talk , personal attacks , and a barrage of interruptions , the commission had said `` additional structure '' was needed `` to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues . ''
`` In considering this issue , the Commission is mindful of the distinction between enforcing rules already agreed upon by the candidates and making changes to the rules , '' the commission said .
`` The Commission has determined that it is appropriate to adopt measures intended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and inappropriate to make changes to those rules . ''
Trump 's campaign on Monday said the president was committed to participating in the event despite the rule change .
`` President Trump is committed to debating Joe Biden regardless of last minute rule changes from the biased commission in their latest attempt to provide advantage to their favored candidate , '' campaign manager Bill Stepien said in a statement .
Earlier on Monday , Trump 's campaign issued an unusual statement urging the commission to change the topics for the final debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also accusing the nonprofit group of trying to `` alter the focus of the final debate '' in order to protect Biden .
“ The Commission ’ s pro-Biden antics have turned the entire debate season into a fiasco and it is little wonder why the public has lost faith in its objectivity , ” Stepien said .
Biden 's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment .

The Commission on Presidential Debates announced Monday that it will mute microphones at the start of each segment of Thursday night's debate to ensure both candidates can speak without interruption after President Donald Trump constantly spoke over former vice president Joe Biden the last time.
"We realize, after discussions with both campaigns, that neither campaign may be totally satisfied with the measures announced today," the commission said in a statement. "One may think they go too far, and one may think they do not go far enough. We are comfortable that these actions strike the right balance and that they are in the interest of the American people, for whom these debates are held."
As was intended in the Sept. 29 debate, each candidate will be given two minutes of uninterrupted speaking time at the beginning of 15-minute segments followed by a period of open discussion. Under the new measure, the candidates' microphones will be turned off during their opponent's two-minute slot for each of the six segments to enforce the no interruptions rule already agreed on by the campaigns.
For the remainder of each segment, both microphones will be open, the commission said.
The new rules come just days before the two candidates are set to meet for what would have been the third and final debate of the 2020 election on Thursday night at Belmont University in Nashville. The debate that was scheduled for Oct. 15 was canceled after Trump said he wouldn't participate in a virtual debate, which had been suggested after he contracted the coronavirus.
Acknowledging the chaos of the first debate that featured multiple bouts of cross talk, personal attacks, and a barrage of interruptions, the commission had said "additional structure" was needed "to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues."
"In considering this issue, the Commission is mindful of the distinction between enforcing rules already agreed upon by the candidates and making changes to the rules," the commission said. "The Commission has determined that it is appropriate to adopt measures intended to promote adherence to agreed upon rules and inappropriate to make changes to those rules."
Trump's campaign on Monday said the president was committed to participating in the event despite the rule change.
"President Trump is committed to debating Joe Biden regardless of last minute rule changes from the biased commission in their latest attempt to provide advantage to their favored candidate," campaign manager Bill Stepien said in a statement.
Earlier on Monday, Trump's campaign issued an unusual statement urging the commission to change the topics for the final debate to focus on foreign policy, while also accusing the nonprofit group of trying to "alter the focus of the final debate" in order to protect Biden.
“The Commission’s pro-Biden antics have turned the entire debate season into a fiasco and it is little wonder why the public has lost faith in its objectivity,” Stepien said.
Biden's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


buzzfeed--2020-10-20--The Supreme Court Will Let Pennsylvania Count Ballots Received After Election Day, Rejecting A Repub

The Supreme Court Will Let Pennsylvania Count Ballots Received After Election Day, Rejecting A Republican Challenge

WASHINGTON — The US Supreme Court will allow election officials in Pennsylvania to count ballots received up to three days after Election Day , rejecting Republicans ' challenge to an expansion of mail-in voting in the state .
The court on Monday voted 4–4 on whether to take up the challenge , a tie that leaves in place a state court ruling that ordered the additional days of ballot-counting .
Pennsylvania Republicans had petitioned the justices to block a 4-3 ruling from the state Supreme Court last month that required election officials not only to count mail-in ballots postmarked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 p.m. , but also to count ballots without a clear postmark during that time frame as well , as long as there was no evidence it was put in the mail after Election Day .
Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. sided with the court 's three liberal-leaning justices in voting to deny the state Republicans ' request for an immediate order temporarily halting the state court decision from taking effect before Election Day .
The court 's four other conservative-leaning justices voted in favor of granting the state Republicans ' request .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dissenting opinion to explain their vote .
The possibility of tie votes loomed over the court 's docket after the death last month of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
President Donald Trump announced Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee for Ginsburg 's seat a week after the late justice had died , publicly saying that he wanted a full bench to hear any election-related cases that might reach the court .
Republicans are racing to get Barrett confirmed ; the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on her nomination on Oct. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McConnell has committed to holding a final vote soon after .
Barrett has n't ruled in any election-related cases during her three years on the 7th Circuit .
During her Senate confirmation hearings last week , Democrats pressed her to commit to recusing from any election-related cases this year , given Trump 's comments that he expects the election to end up in the Supreme Court and that he is “ counting on ” the court to “ look at the ballots.
” Barrett declined to say what she would do .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faithfully applying the law of recusal .
...
I will apply the factors that other justices have before me in determining whether the circumstances require my recusal or not , ” Barrett said at the time .
“ But I ca n't offer a legal conclusion right now about the outcome of the decision I would reach.
” Voting rights advocates and state and national Democratic organizations have argued in courts across the country in favor of extending the deadlines for election officials to accept absentee ballots .
They 've pointed to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic and reported delays this summer with US Postal Service delivery times .
There are other election-related cases pending before the Supreme Court .
Democrats are challenging a decision by the US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit earlier this month that reinstated Wisconsin 's Election Day deadline for accepting mail-in ballots ; a district judge had extended the deadline for receiving ballots until Nov. 9. , but the appeals court voted 2-1 to reverse that decision .
“ Today , in the midst of a pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court leaves voters to their own devices , ” Judge Ilana Rovner wrote in a dissenting opinion .
“ Good luck and G-d bless , Wisconsin .
You are going to need it.
” Republicans in Alabama , meanwhile , have petitioned the Supreme Court to undo a decision from the 11th Circuit this month that blocked the state from enforcing a de facto ban on curbside voting this year .
Other cases challenging how states are handling voting during the pandemic are still working their way up through state and federal courts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Election Day .
A federal judge in Pennsylvania earlier this month rejected an effort by Trump 's reelection campaign to challenge the state 's plan to set up drop sites where voters could return absentee ballots and to argue for stricter rules around when ballots are rejected because the voter 's signature does n't match what 's on file ; the campaign 's lawyers vowed to appeal , but have n't filed any paperwork to date .
The Supreme Court in recent months has generally sided with states seeking to enforce limits on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the court entered a brief order reinstating a South Carolina law that requires an absentee voter to have someone witness them signing their ballot and to prove it by having the witness sign the ballot , too .
No justice dissented from that decision .
In April , the court voted 5-4 — with Roberts joining the court 's other conservative-leaning justices — to block an extended timeline for counting mail-in ballots in Wisconsin during the primary election this spring .
In that case , the majority found that a federal district judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting procedures just days before the election was scheduled to take place .

WASHINGTON — The US Supreme Court will allow election officials in Pennsylvania to count ballots received up to three days after Election Day, rejecting Republicans' challenge to an expansion of mail-in voting in the state.
The court on Monday voted 4–4 on whether to take up the challenge, a tie that leaves in place a state court ruling that ordered the additional days of ballot-counting.
Pennsylvania Republicans had petitioned the justices to block a 4-3 ruling from the state Supreme Court last month that required election officials not only to count mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day received by Nov. 6 at 5 p.m., but also to count ballots without a clear postmark during that time frame as well, as long as there was no evidence it was put in the mail after Election Day.
Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. sided with the court's three liberal-leaning justices in voting to deny the state Republicans' request for an immediate order temporarily halting the state court decision from taking effect before Election Day. The court's four other conservative-leaning justices voted in favor of granting the state Republicans' request. No justice wrote a separate concurring or dissenting opinion to explain their vote.
The possibility of tie votes loomed over the court's docket after the death last month of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. President Donald Trump announced Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee for Ginsburg's seat a week after the late justice had died, publicly saying that he wanted a full bench to hear any election-related cases that might reach the court. Republicans are racing to get Barrett confirmed; the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on her nomination on Oct. 22, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has committed to holding a final vote soon after.
Barrett hasn't ruled in any election-related cases during her three years on the 7th Circuit. During her Senate confirmation hearings last week, Democrats pressed her to commit to recusing from any election-related cases this year, given Trump's comments that he expects the election to end up in the Supreme Court and that he is “counting on” the court to “look at the ballots.” Barrett declined to say what she would do.
“I commit to you to fully and faithfully applying the law of recusal. ... I will apply the factors that other justices have before me in determining whether the circumstances require my recusal or not,” Barrett said at the time. “But I can't offer a legal conclusion right now about the outcome of the decision I would reach.”
Voting rights advocates and state and national Democratic organizations have argued in courts across the country in favor of extending the deadlines for election officials to accept absentee ballots. They've pointed to the one-two punch of an unprecedented surge in mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic and reported delays this summer with US Postal Service delivery times.
There are other election-related cases pending before the Supreme Court. Democrats are challenging a decision by the US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit earlier this month that reinstated Wisconsin's Election Day deadline for accepting mail-in ballots; a district judge had extended the deadline for receiving ballots until Nov. 9., but the appeals court voted 2-1 to reverse that decision.
“Today, in the midst of a pandemic and significantly slowed mail delivery, this court leaves voters to their own devices,” Judge Ilana Rovner wrote in a dissenting opinion. “Good luck and G-d bless, Wisconsin. You are going to need it.”
Republicans in Alabama, meanwhile, have petitioned the Supreme Court to undo a decision from the 11th Circuit this month that blocked the state from enforcing a de facto ban on curbside voting this year. Other cases challenging how states are handling voting during the pandemic are still working their way up through state and federal courts and could also reach the justices before Election Day. A federal judge in Pennsylvania earlier this month rejected an effort by Trump's reelection campaign to challenge the state's plan to set up drop sites where voters could return absentee ballots and to argue for stricter rules around when ballots are rejected because the voter's signature doesn't match what's on file; the campaign's lawyers vowed to appeal, but haven't filed any paperwork to date.
The Supreme Court in recent months has generally sided with states seeking to enforce limits on mail-in voting. On Oct. 6, the court entered a brief order reinstating a South Carolina law that requires an absentee voter to have someone witness them signing their ballot and to prove it by having the witness sign the ballot, too. No justice dissented from that decision.
In April, the court voted 5-4 — with Roberts joining the court's other conservative-leaning justices — to block an extended timeline for counting mail-in ballots in Wisconsin during the primary election this spring. In that case, the majority found that a federal district judge was wrong to alter the state's voting procedures just days before the election was scheduled to take place.


buzzfeed--2020-10-20--A New Virtual TikTok House Of Young Influencers Is Trying To Rally Votes For Joe Biden


buzzfeed--2020-10-20--17 Posture Tips If Work Or School Keeps You At A Computer All Day

`` I purchased a memory foam seat cushion and it has done wonders .
I no longer have back pain @ @ @ @ @ quarantine where I was sitting for hours on a hard dining chair , and in @ @ @ @ @ '' —miscblogger92 Get it from Amazon for $ 32.95+ ( available in five colors ) @

"Definitely schedule some yoga in everyday to help relieve the stress." —yeah_yeah_waaaa
Watch more: Yoga Poses For Back And Neck Pain Relief


buzzfeed--2020-10-20--This Nurse's Method On How To Properly Shave Your Pubic Hair Is Going Viral

BuzzFeed spoke to Heather , who said part of her job is providing annual exams to women — such as @ @ @ @ @ , family planning , etc .
`` It ’ s not uncommon for women to @ @ @ @ @ bump of some sort on their lady bits .
This leads to questions like , @ @ @ @ @ this herpes ? '
or 'How can I avoid getting razor burn ? '
It @ @ @ @ @ culture to shave our pubic hair , but no one really talks about how to @ @ @ @ @ troubleshoot doing it , '' she explained .

BuzzFeed spoke to Heather, who said part of her job is providing annual exams to women — such as pap smears, pelvic exams, family planning, etc. "It’s not uncommon for women to come in with a new bump of some sort on their lady bits. This leads to questions like, 'What is this — is this herpes?' or 'How can I avoid getting razor burn?' It’s common in our culture to shave our pubic hair, but no one really talks about how to do it or how to troubleshoot doing it," she explained.


buzzfeed--2020-10-20--16 Things I Learned From My Toxic Friendship

It 's natural for friends to lean on each other during hard times — but overall , both of you @ @ @ @ @ are being met and you 're maintaining your independence .
Sometimes you may need to @ @ @ @ @ friend — but when this becomes constant , you might need to ask yourself if @ @ @ @ @ the same for you .
What 's going on in your life is just as @ @ @ @ @ on in theirs , even if their situation might seem more serious .
Jacobs says @ @ @ @ @ too much to another ’ s 'needs , ' whether it be feeling like you @ @ @ @ @ as to not upset them or spending copious amounts of emotional energy figuring out how @ @ @ @ @ are sacrificing pieces of who you are for the sake of the relationship .
This @ @ @ @ @ the friendship , one that can be quite hard to recalibrate . ''

But some friendships can be...well, draining. Some can even be toxic. There's a lot of focus when we're growing up and in media on romantic relationships and what good and bad relationships look like — but what about good and bad friendships?


buzzfeed--2020-10-21--A Blind Woman Is Going Viral For Showing How She Does Everyday Tasks

Lucy 's message for other people who are blind is this : `` You are blind , not broken .
@ @ @ @ @ bad blind days , but , I promise you , it is going to be @ @ @ @ @ side — even if you ca n't see the sun .
It is about looking @ @ @ @ @ , not what we ca n't .
And , to anyone out there reading this @ @ @ @ @ can acquire a disability at any point — just because someone is disabled does n't @ @ @ @ @ are .
Do n't just look at a person 's impairment , look at the @ @ @ @ @ is something to celebrate , and we should all be proud of who we are @ @ @ @ @ when I came out as blind to myself , accepted who I was , and @ @ @ @ @

Lucy's message for other people who are blind is this: "You are blind, not broken. There are going to be bad blind days, but, I promise you, it is going to be OK. Look on the bright side — even if you can't see the sun. It is about looking at what we can do, not what we can't. And, to anyone out there reading this without a disability, you can acquire a disability at any point — just because someone is disabled doesn't mean they lose who they are. Don't just look at a person's impairment, look at the whole person. Being different is something to celebrate, and we should all be proud of who we are. I found true acceptance when I came out as blind to myself, accepted who I was, and became unapologetically Lucy."


buzzfeed--2020-10-20--Trump Told His Chief of Staff He Didn't Mean What He Tweeted

Donald Trump 's chief of staff said Tuesday that the president told him his two tweets calling for the declassification of all documents related to the Russia investigation meant something entirely different .
Mark Meadows signed a sworn declaration that was submitted to the US District Court for the District of Columbia in response to legal challenges by BuzzFeed News , based on Trump 's Oct. 6 tweets , seeking the release of thousands of pages of records from former special counsel Robert Mueller 's investigation .
Meadows said Trump 's tweets were related to “ authorization he had provided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declassify documents on the genesis of the Russia probe .
Meadows described the records as pertaining to “ intelligence activities relating to the 2016 Presidential election and certain related matters.
” Meadows declared : `` The president indicated to me that his statements on Twitter were not self-executing declassification orders and do not require the declassification release of any particular documents , '' including documents that BuzzFeed News has filed multiple Freedom of Information Act lawsuits for .
Last week , US District Court Judge Reggie Walton ordered the government to obtain a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speak directly with the president to get the meaning behind his tweets and intent .
In one tweet , the president stated he has “ fully authorized the total Declassification of any & all documents pertaining ” to the Russia investigation without redactions .
The matter came before Walton after BuzzFeed News filed two emergency motions seeking the immediate release of Russia-related documents in response to Trump ’ s tweets .
The Justice Department has argued that the tweets are `` ambiguous '' and not declassification orders and don ’ t require the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News ’ ongoing Freedom of Information Act lawsuits related to former special counsel Mueller ’ s investigation .

Donald Trump's chief of staff said Tuesday that the president told him his two tweets calling for the declassification of all documents related to the Russia investigation meant something entirely different.
Mark Meadows signed a sworn declaration that was submitted to the US District Court for the District of Columbia in response to legal challenges by BuzzFeed News, based on Trump's Oct. 6 tweets, seeking the release of thousands of pages of records from former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.
Meadows said Trump's tweets were related to an “authorization he had provided” to Attorney General Bill Barr to declassify documents on the genesis of the Russia probe. Meadows described the records as pertaining to “intelligence activities relating to the 2016 Presidential election and certain related matters.”
Meadows declared: "The president indicated to me that his statements on Twitter were not self-executing declassification orders and do not require the declassification release of any particular documents," including Russia investigation-related documents that BuzzFeed News has filed multiple Freedom of Information Act lawsuits for.
Last week, US District Court Judge Reggie Walton ordered the government to obtain a declaration from Trump or someone who would speak directly with the president to get the meaning behind his tweets and his intent.
In one tweet, the president stated he has “fully authorized the total Declassification of any & all documents pertaining to the single greatest political CRIME in American History, the Russia Hoax. Likewise, the Hillary Clinton Email Scandal. No redactions!”
In a second tweet, he said, "All Russia Hoax Scandal information was Declassified by me long ago. Unfortunately for our Country, people have acted very slowly, especially since it is perhaps the biggest political crime in the history of our Country. Act!!!"
The Justice Department had argued in court papers that Trump's tweets are “ambiguous” and “do not refer to any specific document and do not indicate that the President was exercising his Constitutional authority to declassify specific information. They were not an order to declassify particular material."
The matter came before Walton after BuzzFeed News filed two emergency motions seeking the immediate release of Russia-related documents in response to Trump’s tweets.


buzzfeed--2020-10-20--Mark Zuckerberg Said Facebook Will Have Fewer Bans After The Election

In a companywide meeting , Facebook ’ s CEO said recent content rules banning hate and conspiracy content were implemented because of the US presidential election and that a wide margin of victory for either candidate could prevent violence following the vote .
Facebook has spent the past few months scrambling to ban Holocaust denial , the QAnon mass delusion , and right-wing extremist groups .
To outside observers , it appears the company is finally reckoning with the vast landscape of hate and disinformation it has helped create .
But Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently told employees at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network was cracking down : the US presidential election .
In an all-hands conference call with Facebook employees last Thursday , the 36-year-old billionaire said that the company made policy changes to address the unstable situation around the US election and its aftermath .
There has been no change in the way the company operates , according to Zuckerberg , who maintains majority shareholder voting power at Facebook .
“ Once we ’ re past these events , and we ’ ve resolved them peacefully , I wouldn ’ t expect that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are restricting of a lot more content , ” Zuckerberg said in audio of the conference call obtained by BuzzFeed News .
Do you work at Facebook or another tech company ?
We 'd love to hear from you .
Reach out at ryan.mac @ buzzfeed.com , craig.silverman @ buzzfeed.com , or via one of our tip line channels .
While observers have speculated that Facebook ’ s new policies against potentially violent and conspiratorial content could mean that it ’ s turned a corner — or that the company is preparing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regulation — Zuckerberg ’ s comments are an indication that the new rules are only stopgap measures .
The 3 billion people who use at least one Facebook-owned product should not expect more rule changes after the election , Zuckerberg said .
“ The basic answer is that this does not reflect a shift in our underlying philosophy or strong support of free expression , ” he said .
“ What it reflects is , in our view , an increased risk of violence and unrest , especially around the elections , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially around the time when we expect COVID vaccines to be approved over the coming months.
” While the social network has created new policies to address health misinformation , violence-inciting militants , and hate , Zuckerberg has not expressed the same kind of candor in public Facebook posts as he has in speeches to his own employees .
In September , he provided a general update on the company ’ s approach to the US election , which was followed this month by a post explaining the changing approach to Holocaust denial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video in August explaining the “ operational mistake ” of allowing a militant group to exist on the platform in the lead-up to the shooting deaths of two protesters in Kenosha , Wisconsin .
But he only published the video , which was made at an August all-hands meeting , after BuzzFeed News reported the contents of his talk and his admission to the company ’ s failure to act .
On Thursday , he tried to provide more clarity to more than 50,000 workers , some of whom pressed him on why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Holocaust denial .
In 2018 , Zuckerberg famously said in an interview that while he abhors such rhetoric , Facebook allowed Holocaust denial content because it showed that the company stood for free expression .
“ There are a lot of things that I think that people say that are deeply offensive , and that are hurtful or even hateful , ” Zuckerberg said .
“ But you know , where I think that we should draw the line is around when something has the likelihood to contribute to real-world violence or harm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last several years is a rise in anti-Semitic violence , both in the United States and across the world.
” “ There 's an increased risk of these kind of different attacks , especially around this flashpoint around the election , ” he added .
Facebook spokesperson Liz Bourgeois reiterated the idea that the changes in policies did not reflect a new approach to the company ’ s principles .
“ We remain committed to free expression while also recognizing the current environment requires clearer guardrails to minimize harm , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s comments may reinforce the charge that the company only makes policy changes when faced with major US events or under press scrutiny .
In an explosive internal memo posted last month , fired engineer Sophie Zhang wrote that the company prioritized action in instances of political or electoral misinformation in the US and Western Europe .
“ It ’ s an open secret within the civic integrity space that Facebook ’ s short-term decisions are largely motivated by PR and the potential for negative attention , ” she wrote in her note @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News .
In his talk , Zuckerberg cited non-US and European countries where the company had supposedly taken action to ban certain types of speech to prevent real-world harm .
“ We 've had ongoing work in a number of countries that we consider at risk — countries at risk of ongoing civil conflict , places like Myanmar , or Sri Lanka , or Ethiopia — where the determination that we 've made alongside human rights groups and local groups on the ground is that a wider band of speech and expression would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or different issues , ” he said .
In 2018 , United Nations investigators found that Facebook had been culpable and slow to act against hate speech that fueled the genocide of Rohingya Muslims , an ethnic minority that had lived primarily in Myanmar ’ s Rakhine state .
Facebook was also used to organize deadly violence against Muslims in Sri Lanka .
Violent rhetoric on the social network is also pushing Ethiopia closer to genocide , according to Vice .
“ The idea that this election is the only one that matters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a former UN special rapporteur on freedom of expression and clinical professor of law at the University of California , Irvine .
“ The platform has an enormous and a more significant impact in a lot of places around the world.
” “ To say we ’ re done does not strike me as a plausible response to the possible violence that could be done in the next couple of months or years , ” he added .
In his remarks about the election , Zuckerberg mostly avoided discussion of the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an unconfirmed New York Post story about Joe Biden ’ s son Hunter Biden , only suggesting that it could have been part of “ a big misinformation dump.
” He did , however , comment on the current presidential polling , which favors Biden .
“ It looks like potentially Biden 's margin of leading in the polls has increased , which may lead to a result , which is not close , which , could be potentially helpful — if there 's just a decisive victory from someone — that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not having violence or civil unrest after the election , ” Zuckerberg said .
Facebook is currently running an online voting information center to tell people that results may not be settled by the end of election night due to the large increase in mail-in voting during the pandemic .
Beyond the election , Zuckerberg addressed other employee concerns , including when they ’ d be asked to return to the office .
While some Facebook content moderator contractors have been required to come back to offices in California and Texas , Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a priority for full-time workers and that remote work “ was the only responsible thing to do during a pandemic.
” On Monday , the Intercept reported that a Facebook contractor hired by Accenture who had returned to an office in Austin had contracted the novel coronavirus .
That person is now in self-quarantine .
When prompted , Zuckerberg also discussed his views on a recent report from a House of Representatives subcommittee on antitrust issues .
After noting that he thought Facebook existed in a competitive environment that included Twitter , Snapchat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his company would be adopting a policy that prevented employees from discussing antitrust issues on internal forums and messages .
He called a policy at Google that prohibits employees from discussing antitrust issues because of ongoing federal investigations “ quite prudent ” and noted that Facebook would be taking the same approach .
“ Given that , you know , anything that any of you say internally is , of course , available to be subpoenaed or used in any of these investigations , I just think we should make sure that people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mouthing off about this and saying things that may reflect inaccurate data , or generally just are kind of incomplete , ” he said , minutes after noting how Facebook stood for free expression .
“ You should n't be emailing about these things and you should n't really be discussing this in non-privileged forums across the company .
”

While the social network has created new policies to address health misinformation, violence-inciting militants, and hate, Zuckerberg has not expressed the same kind of candor in public Facebook posts as he has in speeches to his own employees. In September, he provided a general update on the company’s approach to the US election, which was followed this month by a post explaining the changing approach to Holocaust denial content.
He had previously posted a video in August explaining the “operational mistake” of allowing a militant group to exist on the platform in the lead-up to the shooting deaths of two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin. But he only published the video, which was made at an August all-hands meeting, after BuzzFeed News reported the contents of his talk and his admission to the company’s failure to act.
On Thursday, he tried to provide more clarity to more than 50,000 workers, some of whom pressed him on why it took so long take action against Holocaust denial. In 2018, Zuckerberg famously said in an interview that while he abhors such rhetoric, Facebook allowed Holocaust denial content because it showed that the company stood for free expression.
“There are a lot of things that I think that people say that are deeply offensive, and that are hurtful or even hateful,” Zuckerberg said. “But you know, where I think that we should draw the line is around when something has the likelihood to contribute to real-world violence or harm. And what we've seen over the last several years is a rise in anti-Semitic violence, both in the United States and across the world.”
“There's an increased risk of these kind of different attacks, especially around this flashpoint around the election,” he added.
Facebook spokesperson Liz Bourgeois reiterated the idea that the changes in policies did not reflect a new approach to the company’s principles.
“We remain committed to free expression while also recognizing the current environment requires clearer guardrails to minimize harm,” she said.
For some, Zuckerberg’s comments may reinforce the charge that the company only makes policy changes when faced with major US events or under press scrutiny. In an explosive internal memo posted last month, fired engineer Sophie Zhang wrote that the company prioritized action in instances of political or electoral misinformation in the US and Western Europe.
“It’s an open secret within the civic integrity space that Facebook’s short-term decisions are largely motivated by PR and the potential for negative attention,” she wrote in her note, which was first obtained by BuzzFeed News.
In his talk, Zuckerberg cited non-US and European countries where the company had supposedly taken action to ban certain types of speech to prevent real-world harm.
“We've had ongoing work in a number of countries that we consider at risk — countries at risk of ongoing civil conflict, places like Myanmar, or Sri Lanka, or Ethiopia — where the determination that we've made alongside human rights groups and local groups on the ground is that a wider band of speech and expression would lead potentially to more incitement of violence or different issues,” he said.
In 2018, United Nations investigators found that Facebook had been culpable and slow to act against hate speech that fueled the genocide of Rohingya Muslims, an ethnic minority that had lived primarily in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. Facebook was also used to organize deadly violence against Muslims in Sri Lanka. Violent rhetoric on the social network is also pushing Ethiopia closer to genocide, according to Vice.
“The idea that this election is the only one that matters is nuts,” said David Kaye, a former UN special rapporteur on freedom of expression and clinical professor of law at the University of California, Irvine. “The platform has an enormous and a more significant impact in a lot of places around the world.”
“To say we’re done does not strike me as a plausible response to the possible violence that could be done in the next couple of months or years,” he added.


buzzfeed--2020-10-21--Jeffrey Toobin Can’t Be The Only Person Masturbating On Work Zoom Calls

I mean , who among us , you know ?
Yesterday was a fun day on Media Twitter , routinely the worst of all Twitter subcultures .
( Except , maybe , leg-washing Twitter , which I have decided we shall never speak of again after the end of this sentence . )
Earlier on Monday , Vice reported that writer and CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin had been suspended by the New Yorker for masturbating on a Zoom call that took place last week between New Yorker staffers and WNYC .
According to Vice , the call was “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Yorker ’ s biggest stars , ” including Jelani Cobb , Jane Mayer , Masha Gessen ( playing Donald Trump ) , and Toobin ( standing in for the courts ) , among others .
At one point , Toobin seemingly joined a secondary call , lowered his camera toward his penis , and allegedly — and I believe this is the technical term here — cranked it real good .
He left the call , and then later returned , apparently unaware that colleagues caught the whole thing .
( Toobin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know he was visible on the call while allegedly making mayonnaise . )
Loath as I am to relish someone else ’ s mini scandal , this one is ... particularly tremendous .
It has everything : a high-profile media person , his penis , a Zoom nightmare come to life , and an inexplicable “ election simulation ” that remains unexplained throughout all of this .
Most striking of all , though , is how bizarre it is that we haven ’ t read a thousand stories like this during the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our seventh full month of quarantine , a hellscape of endless Zoom happy hours ( no one likes them and I ’ m glad we all seemed to agree , at the same time — month three ?
— to just cut it out ) and Zoom work calls ( a lot of me not wearing pants and trying to figure out new ways to explain why I can ’ t go into another room to get a notebook I forgot because , again , I am usually not wearing pants ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a work call that , in normal circumstances , we ’ d never do during a meeting ?
Let he without sin cast the first stone ; the benefit of working from home is in the comfort to do whatever you want .
Endless snacks without judgment , cigarette breaks at your leisure , Real Housewives on all goddamn day .
Some of you , I ’ m sure , have turned your video off for a brief moment during a video conference to take a big , hearty pull off a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the smoke finally dissipated and your eyes look , miraculously , droopy .
I , of course , have never done this , as I am a good employee and have never done any drugs at all ( my review is next week , please be cool ) , but it would be naive to think that most people aren ’ t engaged in some fuckery during a work Zoom .
That ’ s the benefit of all this time working from home — the aberration in our routine allows for deviations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pleasure .
You ’ re going to tell me you ’ ve never taken a quick three minutes midday to crank your hog ?
To mash your meat ?
To butter your own muffin ?
There ’ s so little joy left in our lives ; are we not at least owed the time to toot our own horns ?
I mean , maybe not during an active Zoom call where your video is still on .
Time and place , I suppose .
But as our home lives and our work lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was inevitable that the cracks in our professional demeanors would start to show .
The slow ebb of our professionalism is becoming visible in a hundred little ways : bringing our pets to work calls , showing up in loungewear and no makeup , chewing on stale bread mindlessly during quarterly reports .
Do we work from home or do we live at the office ?
Whatever the case , it was inevitable that someone might slip , and let their colleagues witness them at their most primal : hunched over their weiner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleagues can ’ t see them at their most crude .
The details around Toobin ’ s act only serve to heighten the tale .
What in the fucking world is an election simulation ?
Is it a coincidence that simulation is very close to the word stimulation ?
Will the tape of this event — presumably recorded by WNYC — one day be released ?
If , during an election simulation , the courts start masturbating , what is that a metaphor for ?
Could it mean that the election results will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Does it mean that they won ’ t have to decide the election and will thus have plenty of free time on their hands , meaning lots of time to put dicks in their hands ?
Does Jeffrey Toobin know the election results somehow , and has this given him some kind of clarity on the future , fusing his political foresight and all of his urgent , sexual desires into one Zoom call ?
What erotica comes up for a law journalist by playing the SCOTUS ?
I ’ ve never once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In fact , I worry that thinking about him too long may force my body to retract its more sensitive parts , sucking them up into my abdomen like a pink turtle hiding in its shell .
Maybe this speaks volumes about where we are — where I am — in terms of global despair .
It ’ s a wretched thing to force a colleague into an unwanted sexual act , but in this context , replete with what sounds like a junior high play about the election , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are caught with their pants down there ’ s often a woman involved who ’ s not getting justice .
Instead , she ’ s foisted into a high-profile media cycle that destroys her life and reputation .
Here , there ’ s just the visual of an utterly exhausted New Yorker editor-in-chief David Remnick writing an email to his staff vaguely referencing an “ incident ” while saying nothing about anyone ’ s penis .
A Republican or Democrat commanding the one-eyed snake might lead to a different election outcome , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some harassment charges .
Here , it ’ s just an opportunity for me to google “ masturbation synonyms for penises ” on a work computer .
Every day that the news makes us moan in mirth instead of groan in despair is a gift .
Take this gift while you can , buy a webcam cover , and learn to watch porn on your phone in private mode like all the teens are doing .
●

Most striking of all, though, is how bizarre it is that we haven’t read a thousand stories like this during the pandemic. We’re almost finished with our seventh full month of quarantine, a hellscape of endless Zoom happy hours (no one likes them and I’m glad we all seemed to agree, at the same time — month three? — to just cut it out) and Zoom work calls (a lot of me not wearing pants and trying to figure out new ways to explain why I can’t go into another room to get a notebook I forgot because, again, I am usually not wearing pants).
Haven’t we all done something on a work call that, in normal circumstances, we’d never do during a meeting? Let he without sin cast the first stone; the benefit of working from home is in the comfort to do whatever you want. Endless snacks without judgment, cigarette breaks at your leisure, Real Housewives on all goddamn day.
Some of you, I’m sure, have turned your video off for a brief moment during a video conference to take a big, hearty pull off a joint, and turned it back on when the smoke finally dissipated and your eyes look, miraculously, droopy. I, of course, have never done this, as I am a good employee and have never done any drugs at all (my review is next week, please be cool), but it would be naive to think that most people aren’t engaged in some fuckery during a work Zoom. That’s the benefit of all this time working from home — the aberration in our routine allows for deviations in our day, which can include pleasure. You’re going to tell me you’ve never taken a quick three minutes midday to crank your hog? To mash your meat? To butter your own muffin? There’s so little joy left in our lives; are we not at least owed the time to toot our own horns?
I mean, maybe not during an active Zoom call where your video is still on. Time and place, I suppose.


buzzfeed--2020-10-21--This Is What Actual Teenagers Think About Claudia Conway

The daughter of former Trump strategist Kellyanne Conway has been treated as a political hero , but fellow teens just find her relatable .
As the list of Republicans and White House staffers diagnosed with COVID-19 grew over the last few weeks , all eyes seemed to be on an unlikely figure : a 16-year-old girl named Claudia Conway .
Claudia is the daughter of Kellyanne Conway , a former top adviser to President Donald Trump and a staple at the White House .
Kellyanne was among those who caught the virus , which we heard first not from breaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TikTok , where she has 1.5 million followers .
People also took to her liberal politics , and a star was born .
As people turned to the teen ’ s videos in the hope of insider information , a debate emerged over how exactly adults should think of a minor who 's been thrust into the public eye .
But it wasn ’ t politically minded adults who made Claudia TikTok-famous .
She 's made it big on the platform because of the Gen Z teens and young adults who make up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ base , and they love her politics just as much as her frequent lip syncs and dance videos .
Kazamira Baggott first found Claudia after one of her TikToks was posted on Twitter .
Baggott , a 21-year-old in Arizona , knew who Kellyanne Conway was , which is what first intrigued her , but kept watching because she grew to like Claudia as a person .
“ She 's really funny and relatable , ” said Baggott .
“ I 'm a few years older than her but can still relate.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Claudia have similar political views .
But she ’ s also been drawn in because she ’ s concerned for Claudia , who has posted before about seeking emancipation from her parents .
“ I do n't really put her up on a pedestal , because she 's just a 16-year-old girl dealing with a lot of home issues , which I feel like everyone 's experienced at one time or another , ” she said .
For Jacob Sellers , an 18-year-old in California , it ’ s a similar story to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I was manipulated — and seeing it in Claudia ’ s videos really drew me into her in the first place , ” he said .
He was also first drawn to Claudia because of who her mother is , but he stuck around because of how she uses her voice .
“ Claudia ’ s content is awesome because it ’ s hers .
She uses her platform to express herself and share her views , ” he said .
Her influence has also expanded beyond the United States .
Elena @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said she loves Claudia .
“ Even though I 'm not from the USA and I do n't know a lot about politics there , I can say that Claudia is really brave , ” Elena said .
“ She stands for what 's right and is n't scared to go against her mom .
Some people may find this inappropriate for a teenager , but I think she 's a good role model.
” Elena said she would personally never be able to go against her parents ’ beliefs the way Claudia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see her stand up for herself .
Claudia ’ s rebellion , both against her mom ’ s politics and to hints that her parents would rather she not be so bold on social media , has had adults lauding her as a sort of leftist hero .
But for the teens who love her , their view is more nuanced .
“ Claudia is not a hero or a rebel .
She is a kid who needs help , ” said Sellers .
Everyone BuzzFeed News talked to felt fiercely protective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of media scrutiny that she herself has complained about in her videos .
“ Just because she 's a famous person ’ s daughter does n't mean she should be open to such public criticism , especially when it 's taken out of context or makes her look like a horrible child for not agreeing with her mom , ” said Baggott .
Bailey Diamond , a 17-year-old in Las Vegas , said the media can be a hard place for children , let alone Kellyanne Conway 's child .
“ Many articles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come off in a bashing manner .
At the end of the day , she is a young 16-year-old with a voice and opinion with a large platform to show it off , ” she said .
“ If she was a child of the same age and the same views but not a child of the Conway family , would the media still report her in the same light ?
” She added that , at the end of the day , it ’ s not Claudia 's closeness to the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact that she appears to have remained true to herself despite it .
“ I like that Claudia is using her platform to inform and educate people on her political views , yet she still shows that at the end of the day she ’ s just a teenager who can relate to many other teenagers , ” Bailey said .
“ When she speaks up for herself , no matter how many times she ’ s been put down , she proves to many that she is a strong person .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ person you would want to be friends with as she knows what she wants and she goes for it .
”

As people turned to the teen’s videos in the hope of insider information, a debate emerged over how exactly adults should think of a minor who's been thrust into the public eye. But it wasn’t politically minded adults who made Claudia TikTok-famous. She's made it big on the platform because of the Gen Z teens and young adults who make up much of the app’s user base, and they love her politics just as much as her frequent lip syncs and dance videos.
Kazamira Baggott first found Claudia after one of her TikToks was posted on Twitter. Baggott, a 21-year-old in Arizona, knew who Kellyanne Conway was, which is what first intrigued her, but kept watching because she grew to like Claudia as a person.
“She's really funny and relatable,” said Baggott. “I'm a few years older than her but can still relate.”
In particular, Baggott said she and Claudia have similar political views. But she’s also been drawn in because she’s concerned for Claudia, who has posted before about seeking emancipation from her parents.
“I don't really put her up on a pedestal, because she's just a 16-year-old girl dealing with a lot of home issues, which I feel like everyone's experienced at one time or another,” she said.
For Jacob Sellers, an 18-year-old in California, it’s a similar story to his own.
“My whole childhood, I was manipulated — and seeing it in Claudia’s videos really drew me into her in the first place,” he said.
He was also first drawn to Claudia because of who her mother is, but he stuck around because of how she uses her voice.


buzzfeed--2020-10-21--17 Tips If Working From Home Has Been Kinda Killing Your Back


buzzfeed--2020-10-21--Trump Called The $10 Million A Loan. His Campaign Called It A Donation. Who Paid It Back, And How?

“ If this was a loan , it should have been reported as a loan , ” said Brendan Fischer , director of federal reform at the Campaign Legal Center , which monitors money in politics .
If it were a loan , he said , the transaction should also have been recorded on financial disclosures Trump was required to file , along with details of how the money was repaid .
“ If there is some off-the-books mechanism that Trump is using to get repaid for his loans , that should be disclosed , ” Fischer added .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to requests for comment on this story , the president and his advisers have always maintained his finances are above board .
But now , with his 2020 run under fire for a lack of financial transparency , and once again short on cash , significant questions remain about the mysterious 4-year-old loan and what it might say about the frothy final days of the 2016 election .
But nothing is known about whether the $ 10 million loan — which the campaign however appears to have reported as a contribution — was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , and whether it would even be legal to do so .
The very existence of the loan was a closely guarded secret until this month , when a newly unsealed document indicated that Trump ’ s closest advisers convinced him to let the campaign borrow the money from him after he refused to just write a check .
Speculation has swirled around the source of that money , with one report suggesting Trump might have gotten the funds from a casino magnate looking for help building a bullet train from Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed to the possibility of a shadowy foreign donation funneled through an Egyptian bank .
As the 2020 presidential campaign hurtles toward a close , questions remain about a last-minute , $ 10 million lifeline Trump threw to his previous campaign , the one that catapulted him into the presidency .
Then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump , with campaign CEO Steve Bannon , waves as he leaves a rally at the Open Door Christian Academy on October 28 , 2016 , in Lisbon , Maine .
It was late in the second presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back foot .
In the wake of the Access Hollywood tape , released just three days earlier , he was forced to defend what he referred to as “ locker room talk , ” while separately acknowledging that he did not pay income tax .
But he found something to brag about when it came to campaign financing .
Unlike Hillary Clinton , he said , he couldn ’ t be bought by powerful corporate interests , because he was using his own money rather than taking big donations .
“ By the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll have more than $ 100 million invested , ” he claimed , adding that the campaign by that point was “ pretty much self-funding.
” Federal Election Commission data , however , shows that Trump had by then put up barely half that amount — $ 56.1 million .
Records show that the campaign would return more than $ 12 million through payments for use of Trump ’ s hotels , restaurants , golf resorts , and an airline he owns , and also through reimbursements to his children for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the campaign had been vastly outspent by Clinton , who was leading in most opinion polls .
In the face of so many challenges , it was proving increasingly difficult for Trump ’ s campaign to raise funds , and it was spending money far faster than it could raise it .
By the third debate , on Oct. 19 , his war chest had dwindled to just $ 16 million , less than half of what it had been at the beginning of the month .
That day , Reuters released data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance of winning the electoral college .
Despite all that , a few hours before the debate , Steve Bannon , the campaign ’ s CEO , said Trump was confident : “ Right now he really , really thinks he ’ s going to win.
” But behind the scenes , Bannon would later tell the FBI , the campaign was imploding .
Not long after the debate , Bannon , Jeff DeWit , the campaign ’ s chief operating officer ; Brad Parscale , its digital media director ; and Jared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put their heads together to discuss finances , according to the FBI ’ s account of a 2018 interview with Bannon that BuzzFeed News published this month .
Bannon told investigators that it became apparent that if the campaign was going to make it over the finish line , Trump was going to have to write a very big check .
Kushner said “ that was not going to happen , ” according to the account of Bannon ’ s interview .
Trump liked to back winners , Bannon recalled Kushner saying , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probability guy ” who “ was not a guy who while six to eight points down , was going to write $ 25 million checks.
” Bannon said they figured that $ 10 million would at least allow them to get out the final television advertisement they had planned .
That ’ s when , Bannon said , Steve Mnuchin , the former Goldman Sachs banker who was then Trump ’ s national finance chair , put forward a novel solution .
In a meeting in the 26th-floor offices of the Trump Tower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put forward $ 10 million immediately .
The campaign could repay him down the line with the small donations that were still coming in .
It would be structured like a loan , complete with paperwork like a term sheet .
According to the FBI document , “ Mnuchin called it a cash advance.
” Federal records show that Trump had made his first loan to the campaign in April 2015 , several months before he formally declared his candidacy .
Eventually , he loaned a total of $ 47.5 million to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at almost the same time he accepted the Republican nomination for president , he formally forgave all those previous loans , converting them to outright donations .
At $ 10 million , the new loan Trump was being asked to make would be the single largest chunk of money he ’ d put into his campaign , and , based on Bannon ’ s recollections , the candidate was far from convinced .
Although federal campaign finance laws put strict limits on how much individuals can donate to politicians , there are no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donate to their own campaigns .
By the time billionaire Michael Bloomberg dropped out of the Democratic primary this past March , he had contributed nearly $ 900 million of his own money to his campaign , putting him atop a long list of self-funded efforts that fell short .
Candidates are also free to loan money to their campaigns , and many do .
But there are more stringent rules about those transactions when it comes to repayment , particularly for loans that come late in the campaign cycle .
Campaign finance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repaid only with campaign contributions made on or before Election Day , and that any contributions coming in after the election can be used to pay only up to $ 250,000 of the loan .
Anything beyond that is considered a donation .
According to Bannon , he , Mnuchin , and Kushner had a five-hour conversation with Trump that started in the Trump Tower and continued onto the Boeing 757 , dubbed “ Trump Force One , ” that he flew to campaign stops .
“ They kept working on Trump until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” investigators said that Bannon told them .
Finally Trump agreed to the plan .
Mnuchin had prepared the documents in advance and pulled them out as soon as he got a yes — including a term sheet and information on how to wire the money into the campaign ’ s accounts , the FBI document says .
Last week , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin acknowledged the loan had been made and the fact that he helped convince Trump to execute it , but provided no other details and did not respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump was convinced the cash would be there , ” the FBI document continues .
“ Trump understood the logic of it.
” During the final 20 days of a race for federal office , campaigns are required to file notice of any contributions or other deposits of $ 1,000 or more within 48 hours of receiving the funds .
So on Oct. 28 , 2016 , just 11 days before the election , the $ 10 million was duly reported to the Federal Election Commission — but not as a loan .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ contribution.
” To Fischer , of the Campaign Law Center , the idea that Trump would write a large check , sign documents characterizing it as a loan , then almost immediately recast it as a donation , “ just doesn ’ t add up.
” One of the people who was present during the negotiations with Trump and agreed to speak to BuzzFeed News only on condition of anonymity said it wasn ’ t until after the election that Trump was persuaded to forgive the loan .
( According to this source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would look bad ” to insist on repayment . )
If so , Trump waited at least two weeks to reverse course and donate the money , which would mean that at the time the campaign reported it , the $ 10 million donation should still have been characterized as a loan .
On the same day the money was reported to election officials , Trump appeared on Fox News and mentioned the $ 10 million .
When asked whether he ’ d come through with his pledge to put a total of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he hedged .
“ We ’ ll see what ’ s needed , ” he said .
Other than some in-kind contributions for rent and payroll , records show Trump did not donate again , meaning his total contributions for the cycle fell about $ 33 million short of his pledge .
Bannon , who was indicted on fraud and money laundering charges in August , did not respond to requests for comment on the loan , and the White House referred requests to the campaign , which did not respond to multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most recent filings from the 2020 race show that Trump — once again lagging in the polls — has taken a different approach this time around .
Other than a $ 5,000 donation to his own super PAC in October 2017 , he hasn ’ t donated or loaned a dime .
“ I would raise a billion dollars in one day , if I wanted to , ” said Trump , campaigning Monday in Prescott , Arizona .
“ I don ’ t want to do that , I do n't want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of money when I ran originally , I put in a lot of money into this campaign , my primary campaign .
And I never thought it was appreciated .
They never gave me credit for it.
” ●

AN URGENT REQUEST
It was late in the second presidential debate, and Trump was on the back foot. In the wake of the Access Hollywood tape, released just three days earlier, he was forced to defend what he referred to as “locker room talk,” while separately acknowledging that he did not pay income tax. But he found something to brag about when it came to campaign financing.
Unlike Hillary Clinton, he said, he couldn’t be bought by powerful corporate interests, because he was using his own money rather than taking big donations.
“By the time it’s finished, I’ll have more than $100 million invested,” he claimed, adding that the campaign by that point was “pretty much self-funding.”
Federal Election Commission data, however, shows that Trump had by then put up barely half that amount — $56.1 million. Records show that the campaign would return more than $12 million through payments for use of Trump’s hotels, restaurants, golf resorts, and an airline he owns, and also through reimbursements to his children for their travel during the campaign.
Meanwhile, the campaign had been vastly outspent by Clinton, who was leading in most opinion polls. In the face of so many challenges, it was proving increasingly difficult for Trump’s campaign to raise funds, and it was spending money far faster than it could raise it. By the third debate, on Oct. 19, his war chest had dwindled to just $16 million, less than half of what it had been at the beginning of the month. That day, Reuters released data suggesting that Clinton had a 95% chance of winning the electoral college.
Despite all that, a few hours before the debate, Steve Bannon, the campaign’s CEO, said Trump was confident: “Right now he really, really thinks he’s going to win.”
But behind the scenes, Bannon would later tell the FBI, the campaign was imploding.
Not long after the debate, Bannon, Jeff DeWit, the campaign’s chief operating officer; Brad Parscale, its digital media director; and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, put their heads together to discuss finances, according to the FBI’s account of a 2018 interview with Bannon that BuzzFeed News published this month. Bannon told investigators that it became apparent that if the campaign was going to make it over the finish line, Trump was going to have to write a very big check.
Kushner said “that was not going to happen,” according to the account of Bannon’s interview. Trump liked to back winners, Bannon recalled Kushner saying, adding that his father-in-law was “a probability guy” who “was not a guy who while six to eight points down, was going to write $25 million checks.”
Bannon said they figured that $10 million would at least allow them to get out the final television advertisement they had planned.
That’s when, Bannon said, Steve Mnuchin, the former Goldman Sachs banker who was then Trump’s national finance chair, put forward a novel solution. In a meeting in the 26th-floor offices of the Trump Tower in Manhattan, Mnuchin proposed that Trump put forward $10 million immediately. The campaign could repay him down the line with the small donations that were still coming in. It would be structured like a loan, complete with paperwork like a term sheet. According to the FBI document, “Mnuchin called it a cash advance.”
Federal records show that Trump had made his first loan to the campaign in April 2015, several months before he formally declared his candidacy. Eventually, he loaned a total of $47.5 million to the effort. But in July 2016, at almost the same time he accepted the Republican nomination for president, he formally forgave all those previous loans, converting them to outright donations.
At $10 million, the new loan Trump was being asked to make would be the single largest chunk of money he’d put into his campaign, and, based on Bannon’s recollections, the candidate was far from convinced.
Although federal campaign finance laws put strict limits on how much individuals can donate to politicians, there are no such caps for candidates who choose to donate to their own campaigns. By the time billionaire Michael Bloomberg dropped out of the Democratic primary this past March, he had contributed nearly $900 million of his own money to his campaign, putting him atop a long list of self-funded efforts that fell short.
Candidates are also free to loan money to their campaigns, and many do. But there are more stringent rules about those transactions when it comes to repayment, particularly for loans that come late in the campaign cycle.
Campaign finance law states that such loans may be repaid only with campaign contributions made on or before Election Day, and that any contributions coming in after the election can be used to pay only up to $250,000 of the loan. Anything beyond that is considered a donation.
According to Bannon, he, Mnuchin, and Kushner had a five-hour conversation with Trump that started in the Trump Tower and continued onto the Boeing 757, dubbed “Trump Force One,” that he flew to campaign stops. “They kept working on Trump until he couldn’t take it anymore,” investigators said that Bannon told them. Finally Trump agreed to the plan.
Mnuchin had prepared the documents in advance and pulled them out as soon as he got a yes — including a term sheet and information on how to wire the money into the campaign’s accounts, the FBI document says. Last week, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin acknowledged the loan had been made and the fact that he helped convince Trump to execute it, but provided no other details and did not respond to a request for comment.
“Trump was convinced the cash would be there,” the FBI document continues. “Trump understood the logic of it.”
During the final 20 days of a race for federal office, campaigns are required to file notice of any contributions or other deposits of $1,000 or more within 48 hours of receiving the funds. So on Oct. 28, 2016, just 11 days before the election, the $10 million was duly reported to the Federal Election Commission — but not as a loan. It was reported as a “candidate contribution.”
To Fischer, of the Campaign Law Center, the idea that Trump would write a large check, sign documents characterizing it as a loan, then almost immediately recast it as a donation, “just doesn’t add up.”
One of the people present during the negotiations with Trump who agreed to speak to BuzzFeed News only on condition of anonymity said it wasn’t until after the election that Trump was persuaded to forgive the loan. (According to this source, his advisers told him “it would look bad” to insist on repayment.)
If so, Trump waited at least two weeks to reverse course and donate the money, which would mean that at the time the campaign reported it, the $10 million donation should still have been characterized as a loan.
On the same day the money was reported to election officials, Trump appeared on Fox News and mentioned the $10 million. When asked whether he’d come through with his pledge to put a total of $100 million into the race, he hedged. “We’ll see what’s needed,” he said. Other than some in-kind contributions for rent and payroll, records show Trump did not donate again, meaning his total contributions for the cycle fell about $33 million short of his pledge.
Bannon, who was indicted on fraud and money laundering charges in August, did not respond to requests for comment on the loan, and the White House referred requests to the campaign, which did not respond to multiple messages seeking clarification.
Meanwhile, the most recent filings from the 2020 race show that Trump — once again lagging in the polls — has taken a different approach this time around. Other than a $5,000 donation to his own super PAC in October 2017, he hasn’t donated or loaned a dime.
“I would raise a billion dollars in one day, if I wanted to,” said Trump, campaigning Monday in Prescott, Arizona. “I don’t want to do that, I don't want to do it. I put in a lot of money when I ran originally, I put in a lot of money into this campaign, my primary campaign. And I never thought it was appreciated. They never gave me credit for it.” ●


buzzfeed--2020-10-21--Lawyers Can't Find The Parents Of More Than 500 Immigrant Children Who Were Separated By The Trump A

Lawyers Can't Find The Parents Of More Than 500 Immigrant Children Who Were Separated By The Trump Administration

Lawyers tasked with locating immigrant families who were separated by the Trump administration say they have been unable to reach the parents of 545 children in an effort that has been impeded by the coronavirus pandemic , according to a court filing on Tuesday .
`` People are constantly asking me when we will find all the families and I unfortunately do not know , '' Lee Gelernt , the lead attorney on the case and deputy director of the ACLU 's Immigrants ' Rights Project , told BuzzFeed News .
`` The numbers tell one story , but each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story with its own human dimension and that 's why we can not stop looking until we have found every family . ''
In 2018 , the Trump administration systematically separated thousands of children from their parents under a so-called `` zero tolerance policy '' in which parents were sent to federal prison before going to court on charges of entering the US without authorization .
Because children ca n't be sent to federal prison with their parents , the government separated them , listed them as unaccompanied minors , and transferred them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Refugee Resettlement ( ORR ) .
Wednesday 's report stems from a lawsuit filed by the ACLU in February 2018 on behalf of a Congolese asylum-seeker identified as Ms. L who had been separated from her 7-year-old daughter by US immigration authorities .
The mother and daughter were reunited , but the case was expanded into a class-action lawsuit that 's covered thousands of immigrant families separated by the US government .
Following the revelation last year that the Trump administration had actually been separating families as early as the summer of 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the class was expanded to include another 1,030 children that were separated from their parents as early as July 1 , 2017 .
As of Tuesday , a committee of law firms and nonprofits that the ACLU created to track down the separated families has attempted to reach the parents of all of the expanded class members , successfully reaching those of 485 children , the report states .
Of the parents the committee has been unable to reach , the ACLU believes approximately two-thirds have already been deported to their home countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave us was largely stale , so we ’ ve been looking for the families on the ground in Central America ... but because of COVID , the on the ground search has halted , '' Gelernt said .
He described the situation as `` extraordinarily sad , '' adding that some of the children , who are living with sponsors in the US that range from a close relative to a foster family , were just babies when they were separated three years ago and `` have now spent more than half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The report stated that while the on-the-ground efforts were suspended due to the pandemic , those efforts are starting again .
`` The Steering Committee intends to continue physical on-the-ground searches while it remains safe to do so , and will continue to update the Court on its progress , particularly if such searches must be limited or suspended again due to travel restrictions or health risks , '' the report states .

Lawyers tasked with locating immigrant families who were separated by the Trump administration say they have been unable to reach the parents of 545 children in an effort that has been impeded by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a court filing on Tuesday.
"People are constantly asking me when we will find all the families, and I unfortunately do not know," Lee Gelernt, the lead attorney on the case and deputy director of the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project, told BuzzFeed News. "The numbers tell one story, but each individual child has his or her own story with its own human dimension and that's why we cannot stop looking until we have found every family."
In 2018, the Trump administration systematically separated thousands of children from their parents under a so-called "zero tolerance policy" in which parents were sent to federal prison before going to court on charges of entering the US without authorization. Because children can't be sent to federal prison with their parents, the government separated them, listed them as unaccompanied minors, and transferred them to the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).
Wednesday's report stems from a lawsuit filed by the ACLU in February 2018 on behalf of a Congolese asylum-seeker identified as Ms. L who had been separated from her 7-year-old daughter by US immigration authorities. The mother and daughter were reunited, but the case was expanded into a class action lawsuit that's covered thousands of immigrant families separated by the US government.
Following the revelation last year that the Trump administration had actually been separating families as early as the summer of 2017 as part of a pilot program, the class was expanded to include another 1,030 children that were separated from their parents as early as July 1, 2017.
As of Tuesday, a committee of law firms and nonprofits that the ACLU created to track down the separated families has attempted to reach the parents of all of the expanded class members, successfully reaching those of 485 children, the report states.
Of the parents the committee has been unable to reach, the ACLU believes approximately two-thirds have already been deported to their home countries.
"The contact information the government gave us was largely stale, so we’ve been looking for the families on the ground in Central America ... but because of COVID, the on the ground search has halted," Gelernt said.
He described the situation as "extraordinarily sad," adding that some of the children, who are living with sponsors in the US that range from a close relative to a foster family, were just babies when they were separated three years ago and "have now spent more than half their lives separated from their parents."
The report stated that while the on-the-ground efforts were suspended due to the pandemic, those efforts are starting again.
"The Steering Committee intends to continue physical on-the-ground searches while it remains safe to do so, and will continue to update the Court on its progress, particularly if such searches must be limited or suspended again due to travel restrictions or health risks," the report states.


buzzfeed--2020-10-21--Trump Told His Chief of Staff He Didn't Mean What He Tweeted

Donald Trump 's chief of staff said Tuesday that the president told him his two tweets calling for the declassification of all documents related to the Russia investigation meant something entirely different .
Mark Meadows signed a sworn declaration that was submitted to the US District Court for the District of Columbia in response to legal challenges by BuzzFeed News , based on Trump 's Oct. 6 tweets , seeking the release of thousands of pages of records from former special counsel Robert Mueller 's investigation .
Meadows said Trump 's tweets were related to an “ authorization he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to declassify documents on the genesis of the Russia probe .
Meadows described the records as pertaining to “ intelligence activities relating to the 2016 Presidential election and certain related matters.
” Meadows declared : `` The president indicated to me that his statements on Twitter were not self-executing declassification orders and do not require the declassification release of any particular documents , '' including Russia investigation-related documents that BuzzFeed News has filed multiple Freedom of Information Act lawsuits for .
Last week , US District Court Judge Reggie Walton ordered the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone who would speak directly with the president to get the meaning behind his tweets and his intent .
In one tweet , the president stated he has “ fully authorized the total Declassification of any & all documents pertaining to the single greatest political CRIME in American History , the Russia Hoax .
Likewise , the Hillary Clinton Email Scandal .
No redactions !
” In a second tweet , he said , `` All Russia Hoax Scandal information was Declassified by me long ago .
Unfortunately for our Country , people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is perhaps the biggest political crime in the history of our Country .
Act !
!
! ''
The Justice Department had argued in court papers that Trump 's tweets are “ ambiguous ” and “ do not refer to any specific document and do not indicate that the President was exercising his Constitutional authority to declassify specific information .
They were not an order to declassify particular material . ''
The matter came before Walton after BuzzFeed News filed two emergency motions seeking the immediate release of Russia-related documents in response @ @ @ @ @ @


buzzfeed--2020-10-21--Mark Zuckerberg Said Facebook Will Have Fewer Bans After The Election