buzzfeed--2020-10-22--Obama Railed Against Trump’s Coronavirus Response In His First Campaign Trail Speech

Former president Barack Obama criticized President Donald Trump with unusual intensity on Wednesday — attacking him for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic , his tax returns , and his embrace of the mass delusions and conspiracy theories that have spread across the country — during his first public campaign event for Joe Biden .
“ We literally left this White House a pandemic playbook that would have shown them how to respond before the virus reached our shores , ” Obama said to a crowd of people parked in cars in Philadelphia .
“ They probably used it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prop up a wobbly table somewhere .
We don ’ t know where that playbook went.
” He told the audience that Trump wouldn ’ t be able to protect the country during the country 's most recent spike in coronavirus cases .
“ He can ’ t even take the basic steps to protect himself , ” he said , mentioning Amy Coney Barrett ’ s nomination event at the White House , where many people in attendance did not wear masks and tested positive for the virus in the days after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenging for any president , but this idea that somehow this White House has done anything but completely screw this up is just not true , ” Obama said before pointing to how countries like South Korea and Canada have handled the pandemic .
“ Other countries are still struggling with the pandemic , but they 're not doing as bad as we are , because they 've got a government that 's actually been paying attention , ” he said .
He later added , “ When the daily intelligence briefings flash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ca n't ignore them .
He ca n't be AWOL.
” The speech was a more intense version of the argument that he and Michelle Obama delivered during the Democratic National Convention in August .
The speech at a drive-in rally in Pennsylvania hammered away at an argument that Democrats have made for months against the Trump administration ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic .
He urged voters to support Biden ’ s campaign and to turn out to the polls in higher numbers than they did in the 2016 election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predicted a different outcome and that similar polls now shouldn ’ t make them complacent .
Pennsylvania is one of the most critical states in the election ; Trump won it with a slim margin in 2016 .
The speech comes as the Democratic National Committee rolled out a seven-figure ad campaign featuring the former president in five battleground states urging voters to make a plan to vote early or in person in their states .
Obama also attacked the president on taxes , saying Trump shouldn ’ t owe money to people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be sending more to foreign governments than he pays in the United States , ” he said before comparing Biden ’ s plans to the current situation in the White House .
And he made a particular pitch for the relative boredom of a Biden White House : “ With Joe and Kamala at the helm , you 're not going to have to think about the crazy things they said every day .
`` You 'll be able to go about your lives knowing that the president is not going to retweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world or that Navy SEALS did n't actually kill bin Laden , '' he soon after added .
`` Think about that .
The president of the United States retweeted that . ''

Former president Barack Obama criticized President Donald Trump with unusual intensity on Wednesday — attacking him for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, his tax returns, and his embrace of the mass delusions and conspiracy theories that have spread across the country — during his first public campaign event for Joe Biden.
“We literally left this White House a pandemic playbook that would have shown them how to respond before the virus reached our shores,” Obama said to a crowd of people parked in cars in Philadelphia. “They probably used it to — I don’t know — prop up a wobbly table somewhere. We don’t know where that playbook went.”
He told the audience that Trump wouldn’t be able to protect the country during the country's most recent spike in coronavirus cases. “He can’t even take the basic steps to protect himself,” he said, mentioning Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination event at the White House, where many people in attendance did not wear masks and tested positive for the virus in the days after.
“This pandemic would have been challenging for any president, but this idea that somehow this White House has done anything but completely screw this up is just not true,” Obama said before pointing to how countries like South Korea and Canada have handled the pandemic.
“Other countries are still struggling with the pandemic, but they're not doing as bad as we are, because they've got a government that's actually been paying attention,” he said.
He later added, “When the daily intelligence briefings flash warning signs about a virus, a president can't ignore them. He can't be AWOL.”
The speech was a more intense version of the argument that he and Michelle Obama delivered during the Democratic National Convention in August. The speech at a drive-in rally in Pennsylvania hammered away at an argument that Democrats have made for months against the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
He urged voters to support Biden’s campaign and to turn out to the polls in higher numbers than they did in the 2016 election, warning them that the polls then predicted a different outcome and that similar polls now shouldn’t make them complacent. Pennsylvania is one of the most critical states in the election; Trump won it with a slim margin in 2016.
The speech comes as the Democratic National Committee rolled out a seven-figure ad campaign featuring the former president in five battleground states urging voters to make a plan to vote early or in person in their states.
Obama also attacked the president on taxes, saying Trump shouldn’t owe money to people in foreign countries. “He may be sending more to foreign governments than he pays in the United States,” he said before comparing Biden’s plans to the current situation in the White House. And he made a particular pitch for the relative boredom of a Biden White House: “With Joe and Kamala at the helm, you're not going to have to think about the crazy things they said every day.
"You'll be able to go about your lives knowing that the president is not going to retweet conspiracy theories about secret cabals running the world or that Navy SEALS didn't actually kill bin Laden," he soon after added. "Think about that. The president of the United States retweeted that."


buzzfeed--2020-10-21--The Justice Department Canceled A Hearing In E. Jean Carroll’s Case Against Trump Rather Than Argue

The Justice Department Canceled A Hearing In E. Jean Carroll’s Case Against Trump Rather Than Argue By Phone

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department was set to face questions from a federal judge on Wednesday about the government ’ s unusual effort to take over President Donald Trump ’ s private defense against a defamation lawsuit filed by the writer and columnist E. Jean Carroll , who accused him of rape .
But less than an hour before the hearing was supposed to begin , the DOJ lawyer who was going to argue asked for a delay , saying that he ’ d been turned away from the Manhattan federal courthouse that morning because he hadn ’ t complied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions .
The judge gave DOJ three options : send another lawyer to the courthouse , argue by phone , or cancel the hearing altogether and have the judge decide on each side ’ s written briefs alone .
The Justice Department went for the last option , ending the proceeding shortly after it began .
The last-minute switch means the judge won ’ t get a chance to publicly probe the Justice Department ’ s extraordinary step last month of seeking to take over Trump ’ s defense against Carroll ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was acting within the scope of his office as President of the United States ” when he denied Carroll ’ s allegation that he raped her decades before .
Nor will Carroll ’ s lawyers get to argue in court on her behalf and challenge the government ’ s position .
Carroll went public last year with her allegation that Trump raped her more than 20 years ago in the dressing room of a department store in New York .
According to her description of what happened in court filings , Carroll said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack soon after it happened , but decided not to report it or go public at the time because she feared legal action from Trump , was worried no one would believe her , and blamed herself .
Trump denied that he had raped Carroll , claimed he ’ d never met her before , and accused her of making up the allegation to sell copies of her book .
Carroll filed a defamation lawsuit against Trump in November in state court in New York .
If DOJ succeeds and the federal government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defendant in the case , it would likely end Carroll ’ s lawsuit , since the US has what ’ s known as sovereign immunity against a range of civil claims , including libel .
Carroll ’ s lawyer Roberta Kaplan told US District Judge Lewis Kaplan ( the two are not related ) that she was disappointed they wouldn ’ t get a chance to present arguments .
She asked for time to file an additional brief in response to what she said were new arguments raised for the first time by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The government ’ s first brief articulating its argument for taking over Trump ’ s defense against Carroll ’ s case was five pages long ; its latest brief expanding on that position was more than 20 pages long .
The government opposed more briefing , and Kaplan struck a middle ground — he wouldn ’ t allow more briefs but made clear he wouldn ’ t consider any of the new arguments that DOJ had raised .
“ This is unquestionably a new low for DOJ , which should at least appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outrageous positions that it has taken here .
We remain confident that the Court will deny the Justice Department ’ s motion and we look forward to pursuing Ms. Carroll ’ s case in federal court , ” Roberta Kaplan said in a statement released after the hearing .
The judge and the DOJ lawyer , Stephen Terrell , didn ’ t offer any additional details at the hearing about what had happened earlier in the day .
Terrell wrote in his delay request that he was denied access “ on the grounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of residence in the Commonwealth of Virginia , which yesterday , apparently , was added to the jurisdictions from which the State of New York bans travel.
” Virginia was added to New York ’ s travel advisory list requiring visitors to quarantine for 14 days on Oct. 13 , according to a press release from New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , something the judge pointed out in a later order .
A DOJ spokesperson and a court representative did not immediately return requests for comment .
Private lawyers for Trump have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for months .
In August , the judge denied Trump ’ s request to pause Carroll ’ s case while he appealed a decision against him in another civil lawsuit against him in state court in New York — a defamation lawsuit brought by a former contestant on The Apprentice , Summer Zervos .
Zervos has also accused Trump of sexually assaulting her and she sued the president for defamation after he accused her of lying .
A month after the state court judge refused to put Carroll ’ s case on hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case to federal court and in September asked to substitute the US government as the defendant instead of Trump individually .
The head of the Justice Department unit that responds to lawsuits against the federal government , James Touhey Jr. , had determined that Trump “ was acting within the scope of his office as President of the United States when he publicly denied as false the allegations made by ” Carroll , DOJ lawyers wrote at the time .
The Justice Department argued that an elected official could still be acting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office when they spoke to the press about personal matters .
The department ’ s initial round of court papers didn ’ t address why , nearly a year after Carroll filed suit and after Trump ’ s personal lawyers had been handling the case , the government decided to get involved now .
Carroll ’ s lawyers argued that Trump wasn ’ t doing anything related to his duties as president when he allegedly defamed Carroll .
They also contend that the federal law that normally shields federal employees from being sued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t apply to the president .
“ There is not a single person in the United States — not the President and not anyone else — whose job description includes slandering women they sexually assaulted .
That should not be a controversial proposition .
Remarkably , however , the Justice Department seeks to prove it wrong , ” her lawyer wrote in an Oct. 5 brief .
The US Supreme Court has previously held that sitting presidents can be sued while in office for private matters , and Trump has lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuit tossed out based on the argument that he ’ s immune against such claims while he ’ s president .
Zervos ’ lawsuit involves statements that Trump made in October 2016 — a month before he won the presidential election — denying Zervos ’ allegations that he sexually assaulted her ; he has been represented by private lawyers in that case .
In a brief filed on Oct. 19 in Carroll ’ s case , government lawyers expanded on why they thought it was appropriate for DOJ to take over .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on duty and addressing allegations that implicated his fitness for office and touched on issues of interest to constituents fell within the scope of Trump ’ s duties as president .
DOJ addressed the timing of its intervention briefly in a footnote , saying the department could seek to substitute the government for an individual government official and move a case to federal court any time before a trial began .
Trump ’ s personal lawyers and the Justice Department have each separately defended the president in other cases that touched on his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president .
That ’ s been true in lawsuits filed accusing Trump of violating the Constitution by holding onto his financial stake in his companies after becoming president and fights over congressional and grand jury subpoenas for his personal tax records and other financial documents .
Trump has repeatedly and publicly criticized decisions by the Justice Department that he didn ’ t agree with and called for criminal prosecutions of political rivals .
Earlier in the summer , a career Justice Department prosecutor publicly accused senior DOJ officials of interfering in the criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of Trump ’ s desire to “ cut Stone a break.
” Former vice president Joe Biden recently touted Carroll ’ s case as an example of Trump turning the Justice Department into his “ own law firm.
” At a nationally televised town hall event on Oct. 15 , Biden said a president doesn ’ t “ own that Justice Department.
” “ Can you remember any Republican president going out there , or former Democratic president , ’ Go find that guy and prosecute him ’ ?
You ever hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I 'm being sued because a woman 's accused me of rape .
Represent me .
Represent me .
... What 's that all about ?
What is that about ?
” Biden said .

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department was set to face questions from a federal judge on Wednesday about the government’s unusual effort to take over President Donald Trump’s private defense against a defamation lawsuit filed by the writer and columnist E. Jean Carroll, who accused him of rape.
But less than an hour before the hearing was supposed to begin, the DOJ lawyer who was going to argue asked for a delay, saying that he’d been turned away from the Manhattan federal courthouse that morning because he hadn’t complied with the state’s coronavirus travel restrictions. The judge gave DOJ three options: send another lawyer to the courthouse, argue by phone, or cancel the hearing altogether and have the judge decide on each side’s written briefs alone.
The Justice Department went for the last option, ending the proceeding shortly after it began.
The last-minute switch means the judge won’t get a chance to publicly probe the Justice Department’s extraordinary step last month of seeking to take over Trump’s defense against Carroll’s libel case, arguing that Trump “was acting within the scope of his office as President of the United States” when he denied Carroll’s allegation that he raped her decades before. Nor will Carroll’s lawyers get to argue in court on her behalf and challenge the government’s position.
Carroll went public last year with her allegation that Trump raped her more than 20 years ago in the dressing room of a department store in New York. According to her description of what happened in court filings, Carroll said she told two friends about the alleged attack soon after it happened, but decided not to report it or go public at the time because she feared legal action from Trump, was worried no one would believe her, and blamed herself.
Trump denied that he had raped Carroll, claimed he’d never met her before, and accused her of making up the allegation to sell copies of her book. Carroll filed a defamation lawsuit against Trump in November in state court in New York.
If DOJ succeeds and the federal government is substituted in for Trump as the defendant in the case, it would likely end Carroll’s lawsuit, since the US has what’s known as sovereign immunity against a range of civil claims, including libel.
Carroll’s lawyer Roberta Kaplan told US District Judge Lewis Kaplan (the two are not related) that she was disappointed they wouldn’t get a chance to present arguments. She asked for time to file an additional brief in response to what she said were new arguments raised for the first time by DOJ in a filing this week. The government’s first brief articulating its argument for taking over Trump’s defense against Carroll’s case was five pages long; its latest brief expanding on that position was more than 20 pages long.
The government opposed more briefing, and Kaplan struck a middle ground — he wouldn’t allow more briefs but made clear he wouldn’t consider any of the new arguments that DOJ had raised.
“This is unquestionably a new low for DOJ, which should at least appear in open court to answer for the outrageous positions that it has taken here. We remain confident that the Court will deny the Justice Department’s motion and we look forward to pursuing Ms. Carroll’s case in federal court,” Roberta Kaplan said in a statement released after the hearing.
The judge and the DOJ lawyer, Stephen Terrell, didn’t offer any additional details at the hearing about what had happened earlier in the day. Terrell wrote in his delay request that he was denied access “on the grounds that he had traveled from his place of residence in the Commonwealth of Virginia, which yesterday, apparently, was added to the jurisdictions from which the State of New York bans travel.”
Virginia was added to New York’s travel advisory list requiring visitors to quarantine for 14 days on Oct. 13, according to a press release from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, something the judge pointed out in a later order. A DOJ spokesperson and a court representative did not immediately return requests for comment.
Private lawyers for Trump have actively litigated the case in state court for months. In August, the judge denied Trump’s request to pause Carroll’s case while he appealed a decision against him in another civil lawsuit against him in state court in New York — a defamation lawsuit brought by a former contestant on The Apprentice, Summer Zervos. Zervos has also accused Trump of sexually assaulting her and she sued the president for defamation after he accused her of lying.
A month after the state court judge refused to put Carroll’s case on hold, lawyers from the Justice Department moved the case to federal court and in September asked to substitute the US government as the defendant instead of Trump individually. The head of the Justice Department unit that responds to lawsuits against the federal government, James Touhey Jr., had determined that Trump “was acting within the scope of his office as President of the United States when he publicly denied as false the allegations made by” Carroll, DOJ lawyers wrote at the time.
The Justice Department argued that an elected official could still be acting “within the scope” of their office when they spoke to the press about personal matters. The department’s initial round of court papers didn’t address why, nearly a year after Carroll filed suit and after Trump’s personal lawyers had been handling the case, the government decided to get involved now.
Carroll’s lawyers argued that Trump wasn’t doing anything related to his duties as president when he allegedly defamed Carroll. They also contend that the federal law that normally shields federal employees from being sued, the Federal Tort Claims Act, doesn’t apply to the president.
“There is not a single person in the United States — not the President and not anyone else — whose job description includes slandering women they sexually assaulted. That should not be a controversial proposition. Remarkably, however, the Justice Department seeks to prove it wrong,” her lawyer wrote in an Oct. 5 brief.
The US Supreme Court has previously held that sitting presidents can be sued while in office for private matters, and Trump has lost efforts so far to get Zervos’ lawsuit tossed out based on the argument that he’s immune against such claims while he’s president. Zervos’ lawsuit involves statements that Trump made in October 2016 — a month before he won the presidential election — denying Zervos’ allegations that he sexually assaulted her; he has been represented by private lawyers in that case.
In a brief filed on Oct. 19 in Carroll’s case, government lawyers expanded on why they thought it was appropriate for DOJ to take over. They argued that responding to press inquiries while on duty and addressing allegations that implicated his fitness for office and touched on issues of interest to constituents fell within the scope of Trump’s duties as president. DOJ addressed the timing of its intervention briefly in a footnote, saying the department could seek to substitute the government for an individual government official and move a case to federal court any time before a trial began.
Trump’s personal lawyers and the Justice Department have each separately defended the president in other cases that touched on his private business dealings and his position as president. That’s been true in lawsuits filed accusing Trump of violating the Constitution by holding onto his financial stake in his companies after becoming president and fights over congressional and grand jury subpoenas for his personal tax records and other financial documents.
Trump has repeatedly and publicly criticized decisions by the Justice Department that he didn’t agree with and called for criminal prosecutions of political rivals. Earlier in the summer, a career Justice Department prosecutor publicly accused senior DOJ officials of interfering in the criminal case against longtime Trump ally Roger Stone because of Trump’s desire to “cut Stone a break.”
Former vice president Joe Biden recently touted Carroll’s case as an example of Trump turning the Justice Department into his “own law firm.” At a nationally televised town hall event on Oct. 15, Biden said a president doesn’t “own that Justice Department.”
“Can you remember any Republican president going out there, or former Democratic president, ’Go find that guy and prosecute him’? You ever hear that? Or, by the way, I'm being sued because a woman's accused me of rape. Represent me. Represent me. ... What's that all about? What is that about?” Biden said.


buzzfeed--2020-10-21--Ben Carson Attended An Indoor Fundraiser Where Dozens Were Maskless

WASHINGTON — Ben Carson , a famed pediatric neurosurgeon who leads the Department of Housing and Urban Development , attended a political fundraiser Monday where dozens of people congregated indoors without masks .
The private event was held in Fauquier County , Virginia , for the benefit of Bob Good , a Republican running for office in Virginia ’ s 5th Congressional District .
Press was denied access , but Good posted several pictures on Facebook of Carson mingling among maskless attendees at the indoor event .
A local progressive blog spotted the post as well and tweeted it Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the guidelines from both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Virginia ’ s health department .
The Virginia Department of Health recommended face coverings during the early days of the pandemic — but as of May 29 , it now “ requires people wear masks when spending time in indoor public settings.
” It was not immediately clear if the fundraiser took place inside a private residence or another location .
An executive order supersedes any conflicts with the health department ; as it relates to dining establishments , the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The photos , which show people mingling between tables , do not show the parties separated by 6 feet .
Carson ’ s office did not respond to more than one request for comment .
Carson ’ s actions go against statements he made in June during a television interview on ABC about wearing masks , when he warned , “ If we all do it , it will make a dramatic difference.
” Taison Bell , an assistant professor at the University of Virginia and an infectious disease specialist , called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr .
Carson is a highly accomplished surgeon who I looked up to as a child for my own inspiration to become a physician , ” Bell told BuzzFeed News .
“ He certainly understands the importance of wearing a mask to prevent the spread of communicable diseases .
We need the officials in the administration to lead by example and model the behavior that will best keep America safe.
” The mixed signaling is indicative of the Trump administration ’ s handling of the coronavirus — especially as it relates to masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March , White House officials , including the president , have downplayed wearing face coverings .
During last week ’ s town hall , when pressed about masks and why he hasn ’ t been a vocal advocate of them , the president mischaracterized a recent study that said people who wore masks and ate in restaurants were more likely to contract the coronavirus .
Last month , Trump endorsed Good after the Virginian bested the Republican incumbent , Rep. Denver Riggleman , for the party nomination in June .
The former county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practicing physician , who has outraised Good in what is historically a Republican-leaning district .
Good did not respond to a request for comment .
During a televised interview on Tuesday , he cited medical officials to downplay the efficacy of masks .
“ I had one doctor tell me — again , I 'm not a doctor — but I had one doctor tell me that wearing a mask is like ... putting up a chain-link fence to keep out mosquitoes , ” he said .

WASHINGTON — Ben Carson, a famed pediatric neurosurgeon who leads the Department of Housing and Urban Development, attended a political fundraiser Monday where dozens of people congregated indoors without masks.
The private event was held in Fauquier County, Virginia, for the benefit of Bob Good, a Republican running for office in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District. Press was denied access, but Good posted several pictures on Facebook of Carson mingling among maskless attendees at the indoor event.
A local progressive blog spotted the post as well and tweeted it Tuesday.
Attendees, including Carson, flouted the guidelines from both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Virginia’s health department. The Virginia Department of Health recommended face coverings during the early days of the pandemic — but as of May 29, it now “requires people wear masks when spending time in indoor public settings.” It was not immediately clear if the fundraiser took place inside a private residence or another location.
An executive order supersedes any conflicts with the health department; as it relates to dining establishments, the only mandate is that parties are physically separated. The photos, which show people mingling between tables, do not show the parties separated by 6 feet.
Carson’s office did not respond to more than one request for comment.
Carson’s actions go against statements he made in June during a television interview on ABC about wearing masks, when he warned, “If we all do it, it will make a dramatic difference.”
Taison Bell, an assistant professor at the University of Virginia and an infectious disease specialist, called the scene “very disheartening.”
“Dr. Carson is a highly accomplished surgeon who I looked up to as a child for my own inspiration to become a physician,” Bell told BuzzFeed News. “He certainly understands the importance of wearing a mask to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. We need the officials in the administration to lead by example and model the behavior that will best keep America safe.”
The mixed signaling is indicative of the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus — especially as it relates to masks. Since the pandemic was declared in March, White House officials, including the president, have downplayed wearing face coverings.
During last week’s town hall, when pressed about masks and why he hasn’t been a vocal advocate of them, the president mischaracterized a recent study that said people who wore masks and ate in restaurants were more likely to contract the coronavirus.
Last month, Trump endorsed Good after the Virginian bested the Republican incumbent, Rep. Denver Riggleman, for the party nomination in June. The former county supervisor faces Democrat Cameron Webb, a practicing physician, who has outraised Good in what is historically a Republican-leaning district.
Good did not respond to a request for comment. During a televised interview on Tuesday, he cited medical officials to downplay the efficacy of masks.
“I had one doctor tell me — again, I'm not a doctor — but I had one doctor tell me that wearing a mask is like ... putting up a chain-link fence to keep out mosquitoes,” he said.


buzzfeed--2020-10-21--Barack Obama Is The Face Of The Democrats’ Closing Get-Out-The-Vote Push

Barack Obama is at the center of a new , seven-figure advertising blitz to drive voter turnout for Joe Biden in five battleground states over the final two weeks of the election .
Images of the former president — who will make his first public campaign appearance for Biden on Wednesday night in Philadelphia — are anchoring Democratic National Committee ads on 25 local news websites across Arizona , Florida , Georgia , North Carolina , and Wisconsin .
The DNC push involves homepage takeovers that will “ utilize all available advertising space ” on the days they run in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first with BuzzFeed News .
It ’ s part of a wider effort to direct attention to a new DNC website , MakeAPlan.com , which walks voters through their options for casting their ballots early , by mail or in person , or on Election Day .
The effort includes paid advertising in the form of state-specific quizzes ( “ Only a Florida Resident Will Be Able to Pass This Test ” ) on BuzzFeed.com ( BuzzFeed News did not know about the advertising before reporting this story and does not work with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Whether you ’ re voting by mail , early in person or on Election Day , we ’ re making sure voters have all the information they need to make a plan to vote that works for them , ” DNC Chair Tom Perez said in an emailed statement .
“ We ’ re reaching voters wherever they are , and making sure it ’ s easy for every voter to build and follow through on their own customized voting plan — that ’ s how we ’ re going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats at every level of the ballot .
”

Barack Obama is at the center of a new, seven-figure advertising blitz to drive voter turnout for Joe Biden in five battleground states over the final two weeks of the election.
Images of the former president — who will make his first public campaign appearance for Biden on Wednesday night in Philadelphia — are anchoring Democratic National Committee ads on 25 local news websites across Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.
The DNC push involves homepage takeovers that will “utilize all available advertising space” on the days they run in each market, according to details shared first with BuzzFeed News. It’s part of a wider effort to direct attention to a new DNC website, MakeAPlan.com, which walks voters through their options for casting their ballots early, by mail or in person, or on Election Day. The effort includes paid advertising in the form of state-specific quizzes (“Only a Florida Resident Will Be Able to Pass This Test”) on BuzzFeed.com (BuzzFeed News did not know about the advertising before reporting this story and does not work with the business side on editorial content).
“Whether you’re voting by mail, early in person or on Election Day, we’re making sure voters have all the information they need to make a plan to vote that works for them,” DNC Chair Tom Perez said in an emailed statement. “We’re reaching voters wherever they are, and making sure it’s easy for every voter to build and follow through on their own customized voting plan — that’s how we’re going to elect Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Democrats at every level of the ballot.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-21--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--2020-10-22--Top US Intelligence Officials Say Iran And Russia Used Voter Registration Records To Spread Disinfor

Top US Intelligence Officials Say Iran And Russia Used Voter Registration Records To Spread Disinformation

Foreign actors in Iran and Russia have been using public US voter registration records to spread disinformation and undermine confidence in the 2020 election , top intelligence officials said Wednesday .
`` We have already seen Iran sending spoofed emails designed to intimidate voters , incite social unrest , and damage President Trump , '' John Ratcliffe , director of national intelligence , said during a news conference .
`` You may have seen some reporting on this ... or you may have been one of the recipients . ''
This week , threatening emails that claimed to be from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group supportive of the president , showed up in the inboxes of voters in multiple states , telling them to `` vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you , '' according to a copy of one of the emails provided to BuzzFeed News .
In reality , the emails came from foreign actors who exploited a vulnerable internet domain associated with the Proud Boys that was recently dropped by its hosting service , the Washington Post reported .
Ratcliffe said officials believed Iran was also distributing a video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from overseas , adding that the footage and its claims were not true .
`` These actions are desperate attempts by desperate adversaries , '' he said .
`` Even if the adversaries pursue further attempts to intimidate or attempt to undermine voter confidence , know that our election systems are resilient and you can be confident your votes are secure .
”

Foreign actors in Iran and Russia have been using public US voter registration records to spread disinformation and undermine confidence in the 2020 election, top intelligence officials said Wednesday.
"We have already seen Iran sending spoofed emails designed to intimidate voters, incite social unrest, and damage President Trump," John Ratcliffe, director of national intelligence, said during a news conference. "You may have seen some reporting on this ... or you may have been one of the recipients."
This week, threatening emails that claimed to be from the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group supportive of the president, showed up in the inboxes of voters in multiple states, telling them to "vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you," according to a copy of one of the emails provided to BuzzFeed News.
In reality, the emails came from foreign actors who exploited a vulnerable internet domain associated with the Proud Boys that was recently dropped by its hosting service, the Washington Post reported.
Ratcliffe said officials believed Iran was also distributing a video that suggested people could cast fraudulent ballots from overseas, adding that the footage and its claims were not true.
"These actions are desperate attempts by desperate adversaries," he said. "Even if the adversaries pursue further attempts to intimidate or attempt to undermine voter confidence, know that our election systems are resilient and you can be confident your votes are secure.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-22--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--2020-10-22--Remdesivir Just Became The First Drug Approved By The FDA To Treat COVID-19

Remdesivir is the first drug to gain FDA approval as a COVID-19 treatment , the agency announced on Thursday .
The drug was approved for all hospitalized COVID-19 patients age 12 and over who weigh at least 88 pounds .
`` Today ’ s approval is supported by data from multiple clinical trials that the agency has rigorously assessed and represents an important scientific milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic , '' said FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn .
`` As part of the FDA ’ s Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program , the agency will to continue to help move new medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while at the same time determining whether they are effective and if their benefits outweigh their risks.
” Remdesivir , which works by interfering with the reproduction of viruses in cells , was granted emergency authorization by the FDA in May following a drug trial led by the National Institutes of Health that showed a decrease in hospital stays following treatment .
The drug was not shown to be effective at reducing deaths .
But doctors stressed that the approval should not be taken as a sign that the drug is super @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a blockbuster drug or a miracle drug , '' said Megan Ranney , associate professor of emergency medicine and public health at Brown University .
`` We give it to hospitalized COVID patients because we don ’ t have anything better , which is frustrating . ''
A large international study published last week by the World Health Organization found that that remdesivir had no effect on the length of hospital stays , as well as no effect on deaths .
The findings have yet to be peer reviewed or published in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO study , which enrolled 12,000 patients in hundreds of hospitals across the world , saying the treatments were likely too varied to draw definitive conclusions .
The study also included patients with varying degrees of illness , making it harder to know if the drug is more effective for a certain subset .
`` It ’ s a good thing it was done in so many countries — it means it ’ s generalizable , but it means there were a lot of different treatments given to people at the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that study goes along with the fact that this is not something that is going to absolutely transform the outcome for many COVID patients .
It goes along with the fact that if there is an effect , there is a small effect . ''
The antiviral drug , originally developed as a treatment for Ebola and hepatitis C , has nevertheless become widely used as a treatment for hospitalized patients , often given early in a patient 's hospitalization .
And unlike many other drugs , Ranney said , it 's relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncommon and easy to spot .
That makes the potential benefit clearly outweigh the potential for harm .
Another drug , the steroid dexamethasone , has been shown to decrease the likelihood of deaths , but is only recommended for use in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with severe illness in need of oxygen .
Last month , President Donald Trump was given remdesivir , dexamethasone , and an antibody cocktail to treat his coronavirus infection .
The drug 's manufacturer , Gilead , celebrated the FDA 's announcement as a victory in the international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less than one year , the world has moved from a sense of desperation to understand an unknown disease spreading all too quickly and taking lives , to one of hope that we now have enough knowledge and a growing set of tools to help fight COVID-19 , '' said Gilead CEO Merdad Parsey .
`` With today ’ s FDA approval , and regulatory approvals or temporary authorizations in approximately 50 additional countries around the world , Veklury® ( remdesivir ) is one of the tools available today . ''
Gilead has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remdesivir driven in part by high demand as well as the patent held by the pharmaceutical company .
In contrast , dexamethasone is cheap and widely available because it is an old drug .
Earlier this month , Gilead sent thousands of doses of the drug to the EU to help manage the drug shortages .
`` It ’ s a huge win for Gilead to have it FDA approved .
But whether it ’ s actually going to help patients is TBD , '' Ranney said .
`` None of us think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she added .
`` It may be that we stop using it .
But we just don ’ t have anything else right now .

Remdesivir is the first drug to gain FDA approval as a COVID-19 treatment, the agency announced on Thursday.
The drug was approved for all hospitalized COVID-19 patients age 12 and over who weigh at least 88 pounds.
"Today’s approval is supported by data from multiple clinical trials that the agency has rigorously assessed and represents an important scientific milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic," said FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn. "As part of the FDA’s Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program, the agency will to continue to help move new medical products to patients as soon as possible, while at the same time determining whether they are effective and if their benefits outweigh their risks.”
Remdesivir, which works by interfering with the reproduction of viruses in cells, was granted emergency authorization by the FDA in May following a drug trial led by the National Institutes of Health that showed a decrease in hospital stays following treatment. The drug was not shown to be effective at reducing deaths.
But doctors stressed that the approval should not be taken as a sign that the drug is super effective.
"It is absolutely not a blockbuster drug or a miracle drug," said Megan Ranney, associate professor of emergency medicine and public health at Brown University. "We give it to hospitalized COVID patients because we don’t have anything better, which is frustrating."
A large international study published last week by the World Health Organization found that that remdesivir had no effect on the length of hospital stays, as well as no effect on deaths. The findings have yet to be peer reviewed or published in a scientific journal.
Health experts criticized the WHO study, which enrolled 12,000 patients in hundreds of hospitals across the world, saying the treatments were likely too varied to draw definitive conclusions. The study also included patients with varying degrees of illness, making it harder to know if the drug is more effective for a certain subset.
"It’s a good thing it was done in so many countries — it means it’s generalizable, but it means there were a lot of different treatments given to people at the same time," Ranney said. "But that study goes along with the fact that this is not something that is going to absolutely transform the outcome for many COVID patients. It goes along with the fact that if there is an effect, there is a small effect."
The antiviral drug, originally developed as a treatment for Ebola and hepatitis C, has nevertheless become widely used as a treatment for hospitalized patients, often given early in a patient's hospitalization. And unlike many other drugs, Ranney said, it's relatively well-tolerated and has side effects that are uncommon and easy to spot. That makes the potential benefit clearly outweigh the potential for harm.
Another drug, the steroid dexamethasone, has been shown to decrease the likelihood of deaths, but is only recommended for use in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with severe illness in need of oxygen.
Last month, President Donald Trump was given remdesivir, dexamethasone, and an antibody cocktail to treat his coronavirus infection.
The drug's manufacturer, Gilead, celebrated the FDA's announcement as a victory in the international fight against the pandemic.
"In less than one year, the world has moved from a sense of desperation to understand an unknown disease spreading all too quickly and taking lives, to one of hope that we now have enough knowledge and a growing set of tools to help fight COVID-19," said Gilead CEO Merdad Parsey. "With today’s FDA approval, and regulatory approvals or temporary authorizations in approximately 50 additional countries around the world, Veklury® (remdesivir) is one of the tools available today."
Gilead has been criticized for a global shortage of remdesivir driven in part by high demand as well as the patent held by the pharmaceutical company. In contrast, dexamethasone is cheap and widely available because it is an old drug. Earlier this month, Gilead sent thousands of doses of the drug to the EU to help manage the drug shortages.
"It’s a huge win for Gilead to have it FDA approved. But whether it’s actually going to help patients is TBD," Ranney said.
"None of us think that remdesivir is like this magical pharmaceutical," she added. "It may be that we stop using it. But we just don’t have anything else right now."


buzzfeed--2020-10-23--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--2020-10-22--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--2020-10-23--There’s No Chance Kanye West Wins The Election, But These People Say They’re Voting For Him Anyway

“ I do n't think Kanye West can do anything worse than what Donald Trump has done for America.
” There is no plausible reality in which Kanye West becomes the next president .
And yet people disenfranchised with the electoral system say they ’ re voting for him anyway .
“ Do I think he 's going to win ?
No .
Do I think we need change ?
Yes .
Am I voting for change ?
Am I voting for my interests ?
Yes , ” 33-year-old Quentin Jones told BuzzFeed News .
After officially announcing his candidacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 million on his own campaign , West is only on the ballot in 11 states , making it mathematically impossible for him to earn enough votes to become the next president of the United States .
In August , a survey by Morning Consult/Politico showed that only 2 % of 2,000 registered voters in the US supported West .
BuzzFeed News spoke to seven people who said they plan on voting for or have already voted for West , ranging from ages 19 to 42 in states across the country , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and California .
In the past , some of them had only cast ballots for either Republicans or Democrats ; others are first-time voters .
They also don ’ t have much in common except their disdain for the predominantly two-party system .
“ We have to wake up as a group of people and realize that we aren ’ t limited by two choices , because not everyone lines up with the views of the Democratic Party , ” William Tablada said .
“ So if I vote for Kanye , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that first step to move forward as a country and move towards having multiple parties.
” Tablada said he was initially skeptical when the rapper announced his candidacy .
In June , Tablada saw footage of West marching in a Black Lives Matter protest in Chicago — something the 19-year-old Floridian was disappointed that neither Trump nor Biden participated in .
So he started to seriously consider West as an option .
“ I haven ’ t been super open about it , but I ’ ve gotten a lot of flack from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m voting for West ] , ” Tablada said .
“ But you have to let people believe in what they want to believe in .
You can ’ t shut down people ’ s ideas just because they do n't seem like they ’ re going to pan out.
” A registered Republican in Wyoming , West has been outspoken about his support for Trump , notoriously wearing the red “ Make America Great Again ” hat and visiting the White House .
Now he ’ s running for president as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In California , he ’ s listed on the ballot as a vice presidential candidate for the American Independent Party alongside presidential nominee Roque `` Rocky '' De La Fuente Guerra .
Markham Robinson , vice chair of the AIP , told TMZ the far-right political party nominated West and De La Fuente without either candidate knowing , and the hope is to take away votes from Biden .
Jones , a Denver resident who said he voted for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama , said he went with West on his ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ satisfied with either Trump or Biden .
“ I ’ m a Black man in America , ” he said .
“ It ’ s things on both sides that rub me the wrong way as far as who ’ s available to me as an option , so I chose another option that ’ s available.
” In August 2015 , West took the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards and told the audience he was going to run for president in 2020 .
“ It 's not about me .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
People with ideas .
People who believe in truth , '' he said .
`` And yes , as you probably could 've guessed by this moment , I have decided in 2020 to run for president . ''
It was at that moment that Jones ’ wife , 42-year-old Cerissa Jones , decided she was also going to vote for West if he followed through with his promise .
So when she saw his name on her ballot in Colorado , she said , she voted accordingly .
“ I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who tells me I ’ m not Black if I don ’ t vote for him .
I voted for Kanye West and I ’ m still Black and my family ’ s still Black , ” she told BuzzFeed News .
“ I ’ m not going to vote for these racist old white men who keep running America .
That ’ s how we got to this point .
I need to see something different .
Kanye is not in his seventies , and he ’ s a Black man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t come from wealth like these other people.
” Cerissa ’ s 23-year-old son said he also voted for West .
Earlier this month , his tweet about voting for West went viral , with many critics saying a vote for the rapper takes away a vote for Biden and aids Trump .
But Cerissa defended her son , saying people should respect the right of others to vote for whomever they want .
“ I do n't think Kanye West can do anything worse than what Donald Trump has done for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say they agree with West on religious freedom , family values , and his “ America first ” philosophy .
But they also just like who he is as a person .
West did not respond to a request for comment .
But on Tuesday , his campaign released a video of people saying they ’ re voting for West .
One of them , Mikael Darrian Crane , a 20-year-old Latino man from Dallas who is a first-time voter , told BuzzFeed News he wasn ’ t planning on casting a ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was running .
Now he plans on writing in West ’ s name on his ballot .
“ Out of the three options , he ’ s the best choice , ” Crane said .
“ If there was a better Democratic candidate , I ’ d be willing to vote for that party .
But I think Kanye West is the best choice.
” While West ’ s popularity in the race hasn ’ t reached significant heights , some voters are concerned that third-party candidates are a distraction from the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Oval Office .
In 2016 , there was a thin margin of votes between Trump and Clinton in states like Michigan , Wisconsin , and Pennsylvania , where Gary Johnson and Jill Stein , candidates for the Libertarian and Green parties , respectively , may have impacted the final results .
But his supporters disagree ; they told BuzzFeed News that a vote for West is a vote for West only , and that it sends a message .
“ A vote for Kanye is a vote for nonpartisan political change .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the candidates that are out there today , which is a direct result of only having Democrats or Republicans running , ” California resident Mikey Fischer told BuzzFeed News .
Fischer , a 30-year-old white man , said he ’ s voted for Republicans in the past but was originally on board with Democratic candidate Andrew Yang until he dropped out of the race .
Now he hopes West can help “ break down the two-party system.
” “ Voting for a third-party candidate normalizes having more people run and having more competition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Danny , a 39-year-old white man who did not want his last name used for this story , said he ’ s voted for Republican candidates all his life and didn ’ t think it mattered whether he voted for Trump or Biden because , according to him , in his home state of Utah , “ it doesn ’ t really matter if you vote for someone other than a Republican for president , because they 're going to win no matter what.
” But he decided to change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s name on the ballot .
“ The weirdness dial in America is already cranked up .
Donald Trump is president — the guy from The Apprentice , the guy who has his name on golden towers — and then Kanye West takes off the MAGA cap and says , ‘ I ’ m running for president now , ’ ” Danny said .
“ And I opened up my ballot and the first thing I see is Kanye West and I ’ m like , he ’ s doing it , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I just think , Okay , sure , why not ?
Why not Kanye ?
”

There is no plausible reality in which Kanye West becomes the next president. And yet people disenfranchised with the electoral system say they’re voting for him anyway.
“Do I think he's going to win? No. Do I think we need change? Yes. Am I voting for change? Am I voting for my interests? Yes,” 33-year-old Quentin Jones told BuzzFeed News.
After officially announcing his candidacy in mid-July and reportedly spending nearly $12 million on his own campaign, West is only on the ballot in 11 states, making it mathematically impossible for him to earn enough votes to become the next president of the United States. In August, a survey by Morning Consult/Politico showed that only 2% of 2,000 registered voters in the US supported West.
BuzzFeed News spoke to seven people who said they plan on voting for or have already voted for West, ranging from ages 19 to 42 in states across the country, including Florida, Colorado, Utah, Texas, and California. In the past, some of them had only cast ballots for either Republicans or Democrats; others are first-time voters.
They also don’t have much in common except their disdain for the predominantly two-party system.
“We have to wake up as a group of people and realize that we aren’t limited by two choices, because not everyone lines up with the views of the Democratic Party,” William Tablada said. “So if I vote for Kanye, I feel like I’m taking that first step to move forward as a country and move towards having multiple parties.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-23--UK Lawmakers Are Launching A Formal Inquiry Based On The FinCEN Files

British lawmakers are launching a formal inquiry into “ deeply troubling ” questions raised by the FinCEN Files , a global money laundering investigation based on documents BuzzFeed News shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists .
The investigation revealed how the giants of Western banking move trillions of dollars in suspicious transactions , enriching themselves and their shareholders while facilitating the actions of terrorists , kleptocrats , and drug kingpins .
The documents included many revelations about the British financial system and some of its largest banks , including HSBC , Standard Chartered , and Barclays .
Money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move their cash thanks to the country ’ s lax company formation laws .
The UK ’ s problems are so extensive that a secret US government report described the country as a “ higher-risk ” jurisdiction for money laundering .
Parliament ’ s Treasury Committee announced the inquiry just after midnight local time on Friday .
Mel Stride , the committee ’ s conservative chair , said the inquiry will examine what progress government regulators and law enforcement have made in preventing money laundering .
“ It ’ s important that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scrutinised effectively to ensure that the UK is a clean place to do business , ” he wrote in a statement .
British parliamentary inquiries typically gather evidence via both written and oral testimony , much of which is made public , before issuing a final report .
When the FinCEN Files investigation first came to light in September , Stride declared that its findings were “ deeply troubling ” and sent a series of questions about it to key government agencies .
Stride released the agencies ’ formal responses to those letters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which oversees banks operating in the UK , said it had written to all of the banks named in the FinCEN Files to ask for further information , and said that in the event of any “ serious suspected misconduct , ” it would open its own investigations .
James Brokenshire , the government ’ s minister of state for security , wrote in a response to Stride that the Home Office and the National Economic Crime Center were “ carefully considering the allegations ” contained in the FinCEN Files to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The FinCEN Files investigation was based on thousands of “ suspicious activity reports ” sent by banks to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network , the US government agency charged with preventing money laundering .
Responding to questions about whether the FinCEN Files had resulted in banks filing fewer SARs , Brokenshire said law enforcement “ have not raised any concerns ” over the submission of suspicious activity reports .
In the week following publication , “ SARs continued to be submitted at , or above , their normal rate .
”

British lawmakers are launching a formal inquiry into “deeply troubling” questions raised by the FinCEN Files, a global money laundering investigation based on documents BuzzFeed News shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
The investigation revealed how the giants of Western banking move trillions of dollars in suspicious transactions, enriching themselves and their shareholders while facilitating the actions of terrorists, kleptocrats, and drug kingpins.
The documents included many revelations about the British financial system and some of its largest banks, including HSBC, Standard Chartered, and Barclays. Money launderers often use British shell companies to move their cash thanks to the country’s lax company formation laws. The UK’s problems are so extensive that a secret US government report described the country as a “higher-risk” jurisdiction for money laundering.
Parliament’s Treasury Committee announced the inquiry just after midnight local time on Friday.
Mel Stride, the committee’s conservative chair, said the inquiry will examine what progress government regulators and law enforcement have made in preventing money laundering.
“It’s important that the relevant bodies are held to account and scrutinised effectively to ensure that the UK is a clean place to do business,” he wrote in a statement. British parliamentary inquiries typically gather evidence via both written and oral testimony, much of which is made public, before issuing a final report.
When the FinCEN Files investigation first came to light in September, Stride declared that its findings were “deeply troubling” and sent a series of questions about it to key government agencies. Stride released the agencies’ formal responses to those letters on Thursday.
The Financial Conduct Authority, which oversees banks operating in the UK, said it had written to all of the banks named in the FinCEN Files to ask for further information, and said that in the event of any “serious suspected misconduct,” it would open its own investigations.
James Brokenshire, the government’s minister of state for security, wrote in a response to Stride that the Home Office and the National Economic Crime Center were “carefully considering the allegations” contained in the FinCEN Files to “see what more should be done.”
The FinCEN Files investigation was based on thousands of “suspicious activity reports” sent by banks to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, the US government agency charged with preventing money laundering.
Responding to questions about whether the FinCEN Files had resulted in banks filing fewer SARs, Brokenshire said law enforcement “have not raised any concerns” over the submission of suspicious activity reports. In the week following publication, “SARs continued to be submitted at, or above, their normal rate.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-22--Mitch McConnell's Hand Is Discolored But He Swears Nothing Is Wrong

Viral photos show McConnell picking up a face mask , revealing his right hand to be much darker than the rest of his body , as well as a bandaged thumb .
Mitch McConnell , the 78-year-old Senate Majority Leader currently running for reelection , is denying any health issues despite photos showing his hand bandaged and severely discolored .
On Wednesday , photos went viral of McConnell bending down to pick up a dropped face mask on Capitol Hill the day prior , revealing his right hand to be much darker than the rest of his body and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office did not respond to numerous requests for comment from BuzzFeed News about the health of the top Senate Republican , who is up for reelection in Kentucky in just under two weeks .
However , when asked by a reporter on Thursday about his health and the concerning photos of his hand , McConnell denied there was an issue .
`` Do you have some kind of health issue ? ''
asked Politico reporter John Bresnahan .
`` Everyone been 's talking about your hands . ''
`` I 've been worried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are you feeling ? ''
replied McConnell , using the reporter 's nickname .
`` But I 'm serious , is there anything going on we should know about ? ''
asked Bresnahan .
`` Of course not , '' replied McConnell .
However , the discoloration and bandages were still somewhat visible in C-SPAN video of McConnell speaking on the Senate floor on Thursday morning .
On Thursday afternoon , another reporter tried to ask McConnell about his hands .
`` You have a bruise or something , sir .
Everything ok @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Take a look at Bres , '' McConnell replied , referring to the Politico reporter .
`` So , no concerns ? ''
the CNN reporter continued .
The reporter then asked if McConnell had sought medical treatment for the issue and the senator ignored the question .
McConnell 's health may be a relevant issue for voters in Kentucky , where early voting began on Oct. 13 .
`` It 's understandable that Senator McConnell might not want to discuss questions about his health so close to an election , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kentucky Democratic Party .
`` But as Senate Majority Leader , he is a public figure which requires more disclosure and transparency than just the average private person . ''
McNee also noted that McConnell has spoken openly in the past about his medical care , such as undergoing surgery following a shoulder fracture .
`` It 's not clear why he 's suddenly become so secretive , but we certainly wish him well and hope he is okay , '' said McNee .
In most photos taken of McConnell in recent days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand hidden in his suit pocket .
The health of the country 's aging politicians has been brought into sharp focus in recent weeks , particularly after President Donald Trump , 74 , was hospitalized for several days and received experimental drug treatments after testing positive for COVID-19 .
If elected president , Joe Biden will become the oldest person to ever lead the nation , at 77 .
At the beginning of the current Congress in 2018 , the average age of a US senator was 61.8 years .
They are `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' according to an analysis by the Congressional Research Service .
McConnell leads a Senate that includes multiple octogenarians and which is currently working to confirm Amy Coney Barrett , 48 , to a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court less than two weeks out from an election .
McConnell previously led the charge to stop former president Barack Obama from nominating a justice to the court in the final year of his presidency .
On Thursday , Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to approve Judge Barrett 's nomination to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling it `` illegitimate , '' but a vote to finalize her nomination will take place on Monday .
Recently concerns were raised about Dianne Feinstein 's capabilities due to her age — the Californian senator is 87 — during the hearings for a new SCOTUS appointee , where she is the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee .
When other senators were asked if they believed her age was affecting her job , Politico quoted Sen. Chuck Grassley responding : `` She ’ s only three months older than I am , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m not running for reelection . ''

Mitch McConnell, the 78-year-old Senate Majority Leader currently running for reelection, is denying any health issues despite photos showing his hand bandaged and severely discolored.
On Wednesday, photos went viral of McConnell bending down to pick up a dropped face mask on Capitol Hill the day prior, revealing his right hand to be much darker than the rest of his body and that his thumb is bandaged.
McConnell's office did not respond to numerous requests for comment from BuzzFeed News about the health of the top Senate Republican, who is up for reelection in Kentucky in just under two weeks.
However, when asked by a reporter on Thursday about his health and the concerning photos of his hand, McConnell denied there was an issue.


buzzfeed--2020-10-22--Facebook Promised To Label Political Ads, But Ads For Biden, The Daily Wire, And Interest Groups Are

Facebook Promised To Label Political Ads, But Ads For Biden, The Daily Wire, And Interest Groups Are Slipping Through

With less than two weeks before the US presidential election , Facebook is failing to label who paid for some election ads , including some on behalf of Democratic nominee Joe Biden 's campaign .
As of Thursday morning , the Facebook page of Mitú , a news and entertainment website focused on Latino youth , had 11 active ads promoting Biden , none of which carried the payment disclosure required for election ads .
The same page also had more than a dozen ads for the `` Vote Like a Madre '' election initiative , which also did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show up in Facebook ’ s election ads archive .
The lack of disclosures was discovered by researchers at New York University .
Facebook requires advertisers of politics , elections , and social issues to register ; it also mandates that their ads disclose who paid for them , how much was spent , and who was targeted .
Those ads are indexed and stored in Facebook ’ s Ad Library for seven years .
Laura Edelson , a researcher with the NYU Online Political Ads Transparency Project , told BuzzFeed News that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ paid partnerships , ” more akin to sponsored posts with an influencer than a typical election ad .
“ Those things have become a huge business right now , and they 're not made transparent in the Facebook Ads Library , ” she said .
Mitú and Facebook did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
Along with Mitú ’ s ads , researchers found ads without proper disclosures from the Daily Wire , a right-wing site , Chinese state TV , as well as from pages for an insurance industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and an anti-tobacco group in California .
The Daily Wire ad promoted a story about Joe Biden with the headline “ 20 Lies & False Claims From the ‘ Honest ’ 2020 Candidate.
” Edelson and her team created a browser plug-in that has been installed by more than 6,500 people to collect ads about politics and issues on Facebook .
Her team released a new “ Missing Ads ” page Thursday that shows how ads about the election and political issues are slipping through Facebook ’ s systems .
Facebook has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 presidential election after admitting that it had not done enough to prevent foreign interference in the 2016 election .
Previously , the company said it would stop new election ads from being introduced in the week before voting day on Nov. 3 , and that it would prohibit political and issue-based paid content in the US for at least a week after the polls close .
But Edelson and her colleagues previously found that Facebook failed to identify and label 9.7 % of ads for elections and issues placed between May 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represented $ 37 million in spending .
Edelson recently found that 8.6 % of ads ran so far in 2020 without an initial disclosure .
“ That is not necessarily a number to be proud of , ” she said , pointing to Facebook ’ s impact and the number of ads that could be slipping through .
“ I happen to think the cost of undisclosed political ads is potentially really high.
” The Mitú ads supporting Biden started as early as Oct. 8 and appear to be part of a sponsored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s campaign .
Some of the ads directed people to sponsored articles on the Mitú website .
Other ads sent them to voter registration pages maintained by the Democratic National Committee .
Edelson called Mitú “ a really prolific political and nonpolitical advertiser ” and said it ’ s concerning that Facebook was unable to consistently identify election ads coming from the page , as well as from other obvious political advertisers .
“ We have seen lots of undisclosed ads from established political advertisers over the past couple of years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know why , ” she said .
“ What I can say is that it appears to be the result of human error and that Facebook 's enforcement appears to be inconsistent .
I have no way of quantifying how much of this is going on.
” A search of the election ad archive for Mitú ’ s page showed that Facebook previously removed ads that did not have the proper disclosures .
Between October and June , Mitú ran hundreds of ads that the social network later deactivated .
“ I commend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are showing , ” said Edelson , “ but they have been pressured into it by the public because they 've done things that are completely unreasonable.
” Without clearly communicated data , researchers and others can ’ t properly monitor and audit Facebook ’ s performance , Edelson said .
“ I do n't think it 's reasonable to say that Facebook will catch every single last political ad , ” she said .
“ But I do think that we should be able to answer the question : How good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now , you ca n't because you do n't have transparency of ads that Facebook has not labeled as political .
”

Laura Edelson, a researcher with the NYU Online Political Ads Transparency Project, told BuzzFeed News that the Biden ads are what Facebook labels “paid partnerships,” more akin to sponsored posts with an influencer than a typical election ad.
“Those things have become a huge business right now, and they're not made transparent in the Facebook Ads Library,” she said.
Mitú and Facebook did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Along with Mitú’s ads, researchers found ads without proper disclosures from the Daily Wire, a right-wing site, Chinese state TV, as well as from pages for an insurance industry organization, a national LGBTQ advocacy group, and an anti-tobacco group in California. The Daily Wire ad promoted a story about Joe Biden with the headline “20 Lies & False Claims From the ‘Honest’ 2020 Candidate.”
Edelson and her team created a browser plug-in that has been installed by more than 6,500 people to collect ads about politics and issues on Facebook. Her team released a new “Missing Ads” page Thursday that shows how ads about the election and political issues are slipping through Facebook’s systems.
Facebook has attempted to show it can handle the 2020 presidential election after admitting that it had not done enough to prevent foreign interference in the 2016 election. Previously, the company said it would stop new election ads from being introduced in the week before voting day on Nov. 3, and that it would prohibit political and issue-based paid content in the US for at least a week after the polls close.
But Edelson and her colleagues previously found that Facebook failed to identify and label 9.7% of ads for elections and issues placed between May 2018 and June 2019. These undisclosed ads represented $37 million in spending. Edelson recently found that 8.6% of ads ran so far in 2020 without an initial disclosure.
“That is not necessarily a number to be proud of,” she said, pointing to Facebook’s impact and the number of ads that could be slipping through. “I happen to think the cost of undisclosed political ads is potentially really high.”
The Mitú ads supporting Biden started as early as Oct. 8 and appear to be part of a sponsored content deal with the Democratic presidential nominee’s campaign. Some of the ads directed people to sponsored articles on the Mitú website. Other ads sent them to voter registration pages maintained by the Democratic National Committee.


buzzfeed--2020-10-22--A Judge Sided With The Government’s Plea Not To Take Trump's Tweets Literally

A federal judge decided , in a lawsuit brought by BuzzFeed News , that when President Donald Trump tweeted earlier this month that he had “ authorized the total Declassification of any & all documents pertaining to the single greatest political CRIME in American History , the Russia Hoax , ” he was not articulating an actual policy .
US District Court Judge Reggie Walton responded to emergency motions from BuzzFeed News seeking to make the government follow through on Trump ’ s public statements and quickly release the documents .
The government argued that Trump ’ s Oct. 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen as orders to declassify anything specific .
Walton ruled in favor of the White House on Wednesday but criticized the president ’ s “ inartful ” tweets for causing confusion over a matter of national security .
According to a report in the Washington Post , the judge sided with the White House but said , “ It is unfortunate that we are in this situation because , obviously , whenever there ’ s a reference to the declassification of classified information , the words spoken should be artfully spoken.
” A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 !
!
! ''
Trump ’ s chief of staff , Mark Meadows , signed a sworn declaration saying the tweets were about an “ authorization he had provided ” to Attorney General Bill Barr but “ were not self-executing declassification orders and do not require the declassification release of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , BuzzFeed News , and later CNN , filed lawsuits to gain access to the FBI summaries of witness interviews from former special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation .
Since last November , the Department of Justice and FBI have turned over more than 4,000 pages of documents .
Those records , however , have been heavily redacted .

A federal judge decided, in a lawsuit brought by BuzzFeed News, that when President Donald Trump tweeted earlier this month that he had “authorized the total Declassification of any & all documents pertaining to the single greatest political CRIME in American History, the Russia Hoax,” he was not articulating an actual policy.
US District Court Judge Reggie Walton responded to emergency motions from BuzzFeed News seeking to make the government follow through on Trump’s public statements and quickly release the documents. The government argued that Trump’s Oct. 6 tweets were ambiguous and should not be seen as orders to declassify anything specific.
Walton ruled in favor of the White House on Wednesday but criticized the president’s “inartful” tweets for causing confusion over a matter of national security. According to a report in the Washington Post, the judge sided with the White House but said, “It is unfortunate that we are in this situation because, obviously, whenever there’s a reference to the declassification of classified information, the words spoken should be artfully spoken.”
A second tweet on the matter from Trump 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!!!"
Trump’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, signed a sworn declaration saying the tweets were about an “authorization he had provided” to Attorney General Bill Barr but “were not self-executing declassification orders and do not require the declassification release of any particular documents."
In 2019, BuzzFeed News, and later CNN, filed lawsuits to gain access to the FBI summaries of witness interviews from former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. Since last November, the Department of Justice and FBI have turned over more than 4,000 pages of documents. Those records, however, have been heavily redacted.