buzzfeed--2020-07-22--Trump Officials Are Attacking Anthony Fauci. Thousands Of Doctors Are Hitting Back.

More than 1,000 health officials came to the aid of Dr. Anthony Fauci after a White House official published an op-ed trying to discredit the nation ’ s top health expert who has helped steer the country through the coronavirus pandemic so far .
Peter Navarro , an assistant to the president and a director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy , wrote an op-ed in USA Today criticizing Fauci .
The op-ed said Fauci has “ been wrong on everything ” that Navarro has interacted with him on .
Thousands of doctors are now ridiculing Navarro ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defense of Fauci , who has led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984 .
Georges Benjamin , the executive director of the American Public Health Association , told BuzzFeed News that White House aides trying to discredit Fauci only hurts the Trump administration .
`` First of all , the people speaking out against Tony Fauci have absolutely no medical credibility , no public health credibility , and frankly , no policy credibility when it comes to any kind of disaster or situation involving human health , ” Benjamin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermining not just Fauci but everyone in the administration .
You can not have a competent public health response without a clear communication strategy .
This is n't it . ''
Benjamin also spoke to Navarro ’ s assertion of Fauci “ flip-flopping on the use of masks.
” In the first months of the pandemic , US public health officials who were worried about shortages discouraged the use of surgical masks for everyone but medical personnel .
But in April , the guidance switched to encouraging cloth masks for everyone after evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of infected people transmitting COVID-19 .
`` The reason Tony has changed his outlook on the virus is that we ’ ve learned more about it , obviously .
I would n't say all the same things now I said in the first months , ” said Benjamin .
“ We learn and we change what we do .
That is how infectious diseases work . ''
Fauci , in an unusually explicit public defense of his work and dig at those attacking him , told the Atlantic on Wednesday that the attempts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I think if you talk to reasonable people in the White House , they realize that was a major mistake on their part because it doesn ’ t do anything but reflect poorly on them , ” Fauci said .
He added : “ I can ’ t explain Peter Navarro .
He ’ s in a world by himself.
” Navarro , an economist best known for promoting his protectionist views on trade with China far removed from those of most trade experts , has also emerged as a fierce advocate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FDA pulled its emergency authorization of the drug last month after studies showed it offered patients no benefits and raised the risks of heart arrhythmia .
Benjamin is joined by thousands of other doctors in publicly defending Fauci .
The Infectious Diseases Society of America released a statement Wednesday speaking on behalf of its 12,000 medical doctors , research scientists , and public health experts , saying they won ’ t be “ sidelined ” and calling the campaign to discredit Fauci “ disturbing.
” “ Despite the nation ’ s vast resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in America have died from COVID-19 — more than any other country , and the numbers keep rising , '' the statement read .
`` Every day now brings a new high in the number of newly infected people and deaths .
This is a full-blown crisis , unlike any America has ever faced , and it needs to be treated as such.
” The statement added , “ If we have any hope of ending this crisis , all of America must support public health experts , including Dr. Fauci , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the coronavirus pandemic for his work leading the charge to research treatments during the AIDS epidemic , also has the backing of the HIV Medicine Association , an organization representing the interests of medical professionals who practice HIV medicine .
In a statement , the organization said Fauci ’ s “ leadership and support of a rigorous scientific process has been critical to transforming HIV from a death sentence to a chronic condition , saving millions of lives worldwide .
His voice and expertise need to be amplified not silenced if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 pandemic , which has now taken the lives of more than 135,000 Americans and more than 570,000 people worldwide.
” The American Society for Microbiology also wrote a letter Tuesday to Vice President Mike Pence expressing its support for Fauci and other health officials “ prioritizing science-based public health strategies to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
” In a separate statement to BuzzFeed News , Sudip Parikh , CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science , called the `` blatant attempts to discredit '' Fauci `` dismaying . ''
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ credibility could have real consequences in prolonging this pandemic , '' he said .
During an unrelated White House event on Wednesday , President Donald Trump skirted questions on whether he ’ s OK with Navarro ’ s op-ed ; he just described the nature of his relationship with Dr. Fauci .
“ I get along very well with Dr. Fauci , '' Trump said .
When pressed on the question again , “ That ’ s Peter Navarro , but I have a very good relationship with Dr. Fauci.
” Later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement “ representing himself .
He shouldn ’ t be doing that.
” But leading up to the op-ed , the White House sidelined Fauci when it issued a statement to the Washington Post on Saturday that said “ several ... officials are concerned about the number of times Dr. Fauci has been wrong on things.
” Others close to the president have also pushed messages discrediting Fauci over the last several days , including longtime Trump adviser Dan Scavino , who posted on Facebook a cartoon ridiculing the health expert and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring the economy to a halt .
The piece was titled “ Dr .
Faucet .
”

More than 1,000 health officials came to the aid of Dr. Anthony Fauci after a White House official published an op-ed trying to discredit the nation’s top health expert who has helped steer the country through the coronavirus pandemic so far.
Peter Navarro, an assistant to the president and a director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, wrote an op-ed in USA Today criticizing Fauci. The op-ed said Fauci has “been wrong on everything” that Navarro has interacted with him on.
Thousands of doctors are now ridiculing Navarro’s claims and responding with a broad defense of Fauci, who has led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984.
Georges Benjamin, the executive director of the American Public Health Association, told BuzzFeed News that White House aides trying to discredit Fauci only hurts the Trump administration.
"First of all, the people speaking out against Tony Fauci have absolutely no medical credibility, no public health credibility, and frankly, no policy credibility when it comes to any kind of disaster or situation involving human health,” Benjamin told BuzzFeed News. "They are undermining not just Fauci but everyone in the administration. You cannot have a competent public health response without a clear communication strategy. This isn't it."
Benjamin also spoke to Navarro’s assertion of Fauci “flip-flopping on the use of masks.” In the first months of the pandemic, US public health officials who were worried about shortages discouraged the use of surgical masks for everyone but medical personnel. But in April, the guidance switched to encouraging cloth masks for everyone after evidence emerged that face coverings lowered the risk of infected people transmitting COVID-19.
"The reason Tony has changed his outlook on the virus is that we’ve learned more about it, obviously. I wouldn't say all the same things now I said in the first months,” said Benjamin. “We learn and we change what we do. That is how infectious diseases work."
Fauci, in an unusually explicit public defense of his work and dig at those attacking him, told the Atlantic on Wednesday that the attempts to undermine him are “bizarre.”
“I think if you talk to reasonable people in the White House, they realize that was a major mistake on their part because it doesn’t do anything but reflect poorly on them,” Fauci said. He added: “I can’t explain Peter Navarro. He’s in a world by himself.”
Navarro, an economist best known for promoting his protectionist views on trade with China far removed from those of most trade experts, has also emerged as a fierce advocate of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19. The FDA pulled its emergency authorization of the drug last month after studies showed it offered patients no benefits and raised the risks of heart arrhythmia.
Benjamin is joined by thousands of other doctors in publicly defending Fauci. The Infectious Diseases Society of America released a statement Wednesday speaking on behalf of its 12,000 medical doctors, research scientists, and public health experts, saying they won’t be “sidelined” and calling the campaign to discredit Fauci “disturbing.”
“Despite the nation’s vast resources and abilities, more than 135,000 people in America have died from COVID-19 — more than any other country, and the numbers keep rising," the statement read. "Every day now brings a new high in the number of newly infected people and deaths. This is a full-blown crisis, unlike any America has ever faced, and it needs to be treated as such.”
The statement added, “If we have any hope of ending this crisis, all of America must support public health experts, including Dr. Fauci, and stand with science.”
Fauci, known before the coronavirus pandemic for his work leading the charge to research treatments during the AIDS epidemic, also has the backing of the HIV Medicine Association, an organization representing the interests of medical professionals who practice HIV medicine.
In a statement, the organization said Fauci’s “leadership and support of a rigorous scientific process has been critical to transforming HIV from a death sentence to a chronic condition, saving millions of lives worldwide. His voice and expertise need to be amplified not silenced if we are going to get control of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has now taken the lives of more than 135,000 Americans and more than 570,000 people worldwide.”
The American Society for Microbiology also wrote a letter Tuesday to Vice President Mike Pence expressing its support for Fauci and other health officials “prioritizing science-based public health strategies to address the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In a separate statement to BuzzFeed News, Sudip Parikh, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, called the "blatant attempts to discredit" Fauci "dismaying."
"Misleading attacks on Dr. Fauci’s credibility could have real consequences in prolonging this pandemic," he said.
During an unrelated White House event on Wednesday, President Donald Trump skirted questions on whether he’s OK with Navarro’s op-ed; he just described the nature of his relationship with Dr. Fauci.
“I get along very well with Dr. Fauci," Trump said. When pressed on the question again, “That’s Peter Navarro, but I have a very good relationship with Dr. Fauci.” Later, the president told reporters that Navarro made a statement “representing himself. He shouldn’t be doing that.”
But leading up to the op-ed, the White House sidelined Fauci when it issued a statement to the Washington Post on Saturday that said “several ... officials are concerned about the number of times Dr. Fauci has been wrong on things.”
Others close to the president have also pushed messages discrediting Fauci over the last several days, including longtime Trump adviser Dan Scavino, who posted on Facebook a cartoon ridiculing the health expert and accusing him of using the media to bring the economy to a halt. The piece was titled “Dr. Faucet.”


buzzfeed--2020-07-23--Anna Camp Revealed She Tested Positive For COVID-19 And Opened Up About Her "Persistent" And "Stress

Anna Camp Revealed She Tested Positive For COVID-19 And Opened Up About Her "Persistent" And "Stressful" Symptoms

`` I was incredibly safe , '' she wrote .
`` I wore a mask .
I used hand sanitiser @ @ @ @ @ the world was starting to open up , I decided to forgo wearing my mask @ @ @ @ @ Time .
And I ended up getting it . ''
`` I believe it may @ @ @ @ @ one time , '' she added .
Camp later clarified in an Instagram story that @ @ @ @ @ contracted the virus on the day she left the house without a mask , she @ @ @ @ @ .

In the post , Camp said that she has since tested negative for the disease, but she still has "lingering symptoms" after being "extremely sick for over three weeks".


buzzfeed--2020-07-23--“Disturbing And Demoralizing”: DHS Employees Are Worried The Portland Protest Response Is Destroying

“Disturbing And Demoralizing”: DHS Employees Are Worried The Portland Protest Response Is Destroying Their Agency’s Reputation

Federal officers launch tear gas and other crowd control munitions near the federal courthouse in Portland , July 20 .
“ Despite working at DHS , I watch and learn about every day ’ s new descent into lawlessness and authoritarianism just like the rest of the world , ” one employee said .
“ Being a part of this corrupt regime , even as I play no role in the decision-making process , leaves me disgusted by my employer and saddened for my country.
” But conversations with 17 DHS employees , all of whom requested anonymity because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the matter , reveal that many at the agency disagree with the show of force .
Some called for an investigation , while others said they feared the long-term consequences for the agency ’ s reputation .
The Trump administration and senior DHS officials have said the federal response in Portland — where officers from US Customs and Border Protection and ICE are deployed — is necessary to protect the federal courthouse from damage , and they have called some protesters violent criminals .
The situation in Portland , they ’ ve added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response due to local leaders ’ apparent unwillingness to help protect federal property .
In recent days , Oregon leaders , including the governor , have called on DHS officers to leave Portland as nightly protests have grown in size .
Videos captured by protesters and media have shown the consistent use of tear gas and other `` less than lethal '' weapons from officers guarding the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse in downtown Portland amid a backdrop of federal officers outfitted in camouflage snatching people off the street in unmarked vehicles .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to anti–police brutality protests in Portland , Oregon , has disturbed and angered many employees , who called the deployment of the federal force an unusual maneuver that could do long-term damage to the agency ’ s reputation .
Moms with interlocking arms stand between protesters and a fence blocking access to the entrance of the federal courthouse in Portland , July 19 .
Many employees believe the deployment was directly connected to President Donald Trump ’ s reelection efforts and was politicizing the agency .
“ This administration ’ s utterly transparent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaceful protesters in Portland and Chicago has no purpose other than to support Trump ’ s reelection bid .
It is blatantly unconstitutional and an embarrassment to the agency and the career civil servants who work here , ” said one employee .
Another DHS employee said they ’ d never seen anything like what 's happening in Portland in their many years at the agency .
“ We have a lot of work ahead in terms of repairing the public ’ s trust , ” the employee said .
Another staffer called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Such actions appear to do less to restore law and order than they do to deepen the public ’ s distrust of DHS , ” they said .
The DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the internal concerns .
The Trump administration has sent members from DHS ’ s Special Response Team , as well as members of the Border Patrol Tactical Unit , to support officers guarding the federal courthouse in downtown Portland .
While senior officials have said the officers on the ground have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrests tied to alleged damage to the facility , others in the department said it was a mistake .
“ I did not sign up nor was I trained to be a street cop , ” said one DHS employee who had not been deployed but had reservations of others being sent there .
“ Civil societies have immigration laws that need to be enforced , but that does not mean we should be used as this delusional president ’ s personal attack dog just because we happen to be available.
” Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was going about the effort “ absolutely hurts the reputation of the agency .
Most people have no clue what we do , but now they will have this ham-fisted response in their mind as they think about CBP.
” On Friday , the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Oregon sued the DHS and US Marshals Service in hopes of blocking the agents from arresting , dispersing , or detaining legal observers and journalists .
Last week , the US attorney for Oregon called on the inspector general to investigate some elements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Portland raise serious questions concerning both the use of DHS law enforcement assets and their conduct , ” said one DHS employee .
“ The DHS OIG should immediately open an inspection and investigation because all accounts suggest the law enforcement surge strays from DHS ’ s mission and is potentially unlawful.
” Former agency officials also echoed the fears about the long-term impact of the federal response in Portland .
“ When the current administration and the leadership in DHS insert DHS in the middle of this — to protect statues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Portland — it is so damaging to the brands of the agencies .
It guts public safety , ” said John Sandweg , a former senior DHS official in the Obama administration .
“ It ’ s devastating what this administration has done .
”

Many employees believe the deployment was directly connected to President Donald Trump’s reelection efforts and was politicizing the agency.
“This administration’s utterly transparent fearmongering of sending federal officers out against peaceful protesters in Portland and Chicago has no purpose other than to support Trump’s reelection bid. It is blatantly unconstitutional and an embarrassment to the agency and the career civil servants who work here,” said one employee.
Another DHS employee said they’d never seen anything like what's happening in Portland in their many years at the agency.
“We have a lot of work ahead in terms of repairing the public’s trust,” the employee said.
Another staffer called the deployment “disturbing and demoralizing.”
“Such actions appear to do less to restore law and order than they do to deepen the public’s distrust of DHS,” they said.
The DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the internal concerns.
The Trump administration has sent members from DHS’s Special Response Team, as well as members of the Border Patrol Tactical Unit, to support officers guarding the federal courthouse in downtown Portland. While senior officials have said the officers on the ground have been trained and have the authority to make arrests tied to alleged damage to the facility, others in the department said it was a mistake.
“I did not sign up nor was I trained to be a street cop,” said one DHS employee who had not been deployed but had reservations of others being sent there. “Civil societies have immigration laws that need to be enforced, but that does not mean we should be used as this delusional president’s personal attack dog just because we happen to be available.”
Another DHS employee said the way the department was going about the effort “absolutely hurts the reputation of the agency. Most people have no clue what we do, but now they will have this ham-fisted response in their mind as they think about CBP.”
On Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Oregon sued the DHS and US Marshals Service in hopes of blocking the agents from arresting, dispersing, or detaining legal observers and journalists.
Last week, the US attorney for Oregon called on the inspector general to investigate some elements of the response.
“The events in Portland raise serious questions concerning both the use of DHS law enforcement assets and their conduct,” said one DHS employee. “The DHS OIG should immediately open an inspection and investigation because all accounts suggest the law enforcement surge strays from DHS’s mission and is potentially unlawful.”
Former agency officials also echoed the fears about the long-term impact of the federal response in Portland.
“When the current administration and the leadership in DHS insert DHS in the middle of this — to protect statues and to bring ‘order’ to Portland — it is so damaging to the brands of the agencies. It guts public safety,” said John Sandweg, a former senior DHS official in the Obama administration. “It’s devastating what this administration has done.”


buzzfeed--2020-07-23--I'm Pretty Sure I'm Bisexual — Do I Have To Tell My Husband?

The only scenario where your husband would have a `` right '' to know this information would be if you @ @ @ @ @ terms of your marriage because of it — for example , if you wanted to @ @ @ @ @ you could explore your sexuality with others .
But that 's not the case here @ @ @ @ @ yourself whether you have to tell your husband ( you do n't ! )
, @ @ @ @ @ ask yourself whether you want to .

The only scenario where your husband would have a "right" to know this information would be if you were looking to change the terms of your marriage because of it — for example, if you wanted to open up the relationship so you could explore your sexuality with others. But that's not the case here, so instead of asking yourself whether you have to tell your husband (you don't!), I think you should instead ask yourself whether you want to.


buzzfeed--2020-07-23--This Woman On TikTok Got Pregnant Without Having Sexual Intercourse And Yes, It's Possible

She considered abortion , but ultimately decided to have the baby .
`` I was just nervous I would n't @ @ @ @ @ everything .
But he has it all and more , '' she said .
Samantha @ @ @ @ @ is now 5 .
She 's still with her boyfriend , Alex , and they @ @ @ @ @ named Theo who 's turning 1 next week .
And yes , Theo was conceived @ @ @ @ @ added .

She considered abortion, but ultimately decided to have the baby. "I was just nervous I wouldn't be able to give him everything. But he has it all and more," she said. Samantha's son, Bentley, is now 5. She's still with her boyfriend, Alex, and they also have a baby boy named Theo who's turning 1 next week. And yes, Theo was conceived the traditional way, Samantha added.


buzzfeed--2020-07-23--This Young Woman Was Just Asked Out By Her Old High School Teacher — What Should She Do?

First of all , there 's the obvious fact that he used to be your teacher .
It helps that @ @ @ @ @ , that you have n't had any contact over the years , and that you @ @ @ @ @ .
And yet I ca n't help but think there 's something a little bit @ @ @ @ @ , after taking on the responsibility of educating young , impressionable teens in their most @ @ @ @ @ around later and pursue a romantic relationship with one of them .
That , to @ @ @ @ @ flag .

First of all, there's the obvious fact that he used to be your teacher. It helps that it was a decade ago, that you haven't had any contact over the years, and that you're both consenting adults now. And yet I can't help but think there's something a little bit off about a man who, after taking on the responsibility of educating young, impressionable teens in their most formative years, can turn around later and pursue a romantic relationship with one of them. That, to me, is a red flag.


buzzfeed--2020-07-24--A Judge Said Federal Officers Can’t Arrest Or Use Force Against Journalists In Portland

A federal officer points a pepperball gun at a protester while dispersing a crowd in front of the Mark O. Hatfield US Courthouse in Portland on July 22 .
WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Portland , Oregon , entered a temporary restraining order on Thursday that blocks federal law enforcement officers from arresting or using physical force against journalists and legal observers as they respond to anti–police brutality protests there .
The Trump administration is facing multiple lawsuits challenging the federal response to the demonstrations in Portland , where protesters have reported that officers without identifying markers have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the first order that places a court-enforced restriction on the actions of law enforcement officers from the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice , which have been accused of making unlawful arrests and engaging in unconstitutional violence against demonstrators , journalists , and legal observers .
The legal team representing the journalists and legal observers , which includes the American Civil Liberties Union , had submitted declarations to the court from individuals who said they were clearly marked as members of the press and complying with orders to move away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were shot with “ less than lethal ” munitions , such as rubber and plastic bullets , by federal officers .
At a hearing earlier on Thursday , Matthew Borden , a lawyer for the journalists and legal observers , argued that the uses of force against journalists were “ acts of intimidation by a tyrant.
” US District Judge Michael Simon ’ s order prohibits federal agents from arresting or using force against journalists or legal observers unless there is probable cause they ’ ve committed a crime .
The order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not be required to leave an area if federal agents issue an order to disperse , and that federal officers can ’ t seize a journalist ’ s press pass or equipment unless they ’ re being lawfully arrested .
The temporary restraining order will be in effect for 14 days as the case moves forward .
Justice Department lawyer Andrew Warden argued that such an order would be unworkable , given the “ extraordinarily chaotic ” and “ volatile and dangerous ” situation on the ground .
He expressed concern that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if a journalist or legal observer were accidentally exposed to tear gas or munitions , but Simon noted the ACLU had carved out an exception for that type of scenario in its request .
Simon rejected the government 's argument that the journalists and legal observers lacked standing to bring the case because they had only pointed to past incidents involving encounters with law enforcement officers , as opposed to showing there was an ongoing threat .
The judge wrote that , `` The actions by the federal agents described by Plaintiffs are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct . ''
`` Absent an injunction , the Federal Defendants will continue to target journalists and legal observers and require them to disperse or face force and vioience by federal officers , even when the journalists and legal observers are not engaged in any harmful or illegal conduct , '' the judge wrote .
`` The threatened future harm is not speculative or hypothetical . ''
Simon ’ s order comes as another federal judge in Portland weighs whether to impose a broader injunction that would restrict federal officers from making any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and their agency before detaining someone ; one video has surfaced of federal agents snatching an individual off the street and putting them in an unmarked car .
That case was brought by the Oregon attorney general ’ s office .
At Thursday ’ s hearing , Simon made clear he was inclined to grant the 14-day temporary restraining order , questioning a Justice Department lawyer about why it would be “ impossible ” for federal agents to comply since he ’ d previously imposed a nearly identical order on local police in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of Portland not only hadn ’ t come back to court to complain the injunction was unworkable , Simon said , but it had joined the legal team for the journalists and legal observers in urging the judge to adopt a similar order for federal officers .
“ I do think it ’ s critically important that journalists and legal observers have an opportunity to see these things , ” Simon said at the end of the hearing , referring to videos of federal agents using force against protesters .
Denis Vannier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argued on Thursday that President Donald Trump ’ s latest plan to deploy more federal agents to other cities , which , like Portland , lean politically liberal , undermined the administration ’ s argument that federal officers were in Portland for legitimate law enforcement reasons .
“ Perhaps the elephant in the room is the fact that the president has stated publicly that , how can I put this , that the reasons for these deployments are political , ” Vannier said .
Earlier Thursday , the inspectors general for the departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are launching an investigation into the use of force by federal officers in Portland .
This is a developing story .
Check back for updates and follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.

WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Portland, Oregon, entered a temporary restraining order on Thursday that blocks federal law enforcement officers from arresting or using physical force against journalists and legal observers as they respond to anti–police brutality protests there.
The Trump administration is facing multiple lawsuits challenging the federal response to the demonstrations in Portland, where protesters have reported that officers without identifying markers have been snatching people off the street. This is the first order that places a court-enforced restriction on the actions of law enforcement officers from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice, which have been accused of making unlawful arrests and engaging in unconstitutional violence against demonstrators, journalists, and legal observers.
The legal team representing the journalists and legal observers, which includes the American Civil Liberties Union, had submitted declarations to the court from individuals who said they were clearly marked as members of the press and complying with orders to move away from the federal courthouse in Portland when they were shot with “less-than-lethal” munitions, such as rubber and plastic bullets, by federal officers. At a hearing earlier on Thursday, Matthew Borden, a lawyer for the journalists and legal observers, argued that the uses of force against journalists were “acts of intimidation by a tyrant.”
US District Judge Michael Simon’s order prohibits federal agents from arresting or using force against journalists or legal observers unless there is probable cause they’ve committed a crime. The order also states that journalists and legal observers will not be required to leave an area if federal agents issue an order to disperse, and that federal officers can’t seize a journalist’s press pass or equipment unless they’re being lawfully arrested.
The temporary restraining order will be in effect for 14 days as the case moves forward.
Simon wrote that the Justice Department was wrong when it argued that journalists didn't have a right to stay when federal law enforcement closed otherwise public streets and ordered people to disperse. He wrote that the role of journalists was to observe and report whether law enforcement was, in fact, lawfully closing streets (the judge also noted that closing streets was a function for local police, not federal agents).
"Without journalists and legal observers, there is only the government's side of the story to explain why a 'riot' was declared and the public streets were 'closed' and whether law enforcement acted properly in effectuating that order," the judge wrote.
At Thursday’s hearing, Simon made clear he was inclined to grant the 14-day temporary restraining order, questioning a Justice Department lawyer about why it would be “impossible” for federal agents to comply since he’d previously imposed a nearly identical order on local police in Portland in the same case.
The city of Portland not only hadn’t come back to court to complain the injunction was unworkable, Simon said, but it had joined the legal team for the journalists and legal observers in urging the judge to adopt a similar order for federal officers.
“I do think it’s critically important that journalists and legal observers have an opportunity to see these things,” Simon said at the end of the hearing, referring to videos of federal agents using force against protesters.
Justice Department lawyer Andrew Warden argued that such an order would be unworkable, given the “extraordinarily chaotic” and “volatile and dangerous” situation on the ground. He expressed concern that federal agents could be held legally responsible if a journalist or legal observer were accidentally exposed to tear gas or munitions, but Simon noted the ACLU had carved out an exception for that type of scenario in its request.
In his order several hours later, Simon highlighted the administration's argument that federal officers were needed in Portland now because protests had been going on in the city for more than 50 nights. The fact that local police could comply with an order not to arrest or use force against journalists under those circumstances was "compelling evidence" that it was a workable set of terms, the judge wrote.
"When asked at oral argument why it could be workable for City police but not federal officers, counsel for the Federal Defendants responded that the current protests are chaotic. But as the Federal Defendants have emphatically argued, Portland has been subject to the protests nonstop for every night for more than 50 nights, and purportedly that is why the federal officers were sent to Portland," Simon wrote. "There is no evidence that the previous 21 nights were any less chaotic."
Simon rejected the government's argument that the journalists and legal observers lacked standing to bring the case because they had only pointed to past incidents involving encounters with law enforcement officers, as opposed to showing there was an ongoing threat. The judge wrote that, "The actions by the federal agents described by Plaintiffs are part of a pattern of officially sanctioned conduct."
"Absent an injunction, the Federal Defendants will continue to target journalists and legal observers and require them to disperse or face force and violence by federal officers, even when the journalists and legal observers are not engaged in any harmful or illegal conduct," the judge wrote. "The threatened future harm is not speculative or hypothetical."
Simon’s order comes as another federal judge in Portland weighs whether to impose a broader injunction that would restrict federal officers from making any arrest without probable cause and identifying themselves and their agency before detaining someone; one video has surfaced of federal agents snatching an individual off the street and putting them in an unmarked car. That case was brought by the Oregon attorney general’s office.
Denis Vannier, a lawyer for the city, argued on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s latest plan to deploy more federal agents to other cities, which, like Portland, lean politically liberal, undermined the administration’s argument that federal officers were in Portland for legitimate law enforcement reasons.
“Perhaps the elephant in the room is the fact that the president has stated publicly that, how can I put this, that the reasons for these deployments are political,” Vannier said.
Earlier Thursday, the inspectors general for the departments of Justice and Homeland Security announced that they are launching an investigation into the use of force by federal officers in Portland.
A Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment. A temporary restraining order typically is not the type of court order that can be appealed, but Warden said at the hearing that if Simon ruled against the government, they would explore options to appeal.
The ACLU released a statement saying Simon's order was a "victory for the rule of law."
"Federal agents from Trump’s Departments of Homeland Security and Justice are terrorizing the community, threatening lives, and relentlessly attacking journalists and legal observers documenting protests. These are the actions of a tyrant, and they have no place anywhere in America," said Jann Carson, interim executive director of the ACLU of Oregon.


buzzfeed--2020-07-23--Trump Canceled His Republican National Convention In Florida Because Of The Coronavirus

President Donald Trump announced he ’ s canceling the Jacksonville , Florida , portion of the Republican National Convention because of the coronavirus pandemic .
“ So I told my team it 's time to cancel the Jacksonville , Florida , component of the GOP convention , ” he said during a Thursday press conference .
“ I ’ ll still do a convention speech , in a different form , but we won ’ t do a big crowded convention , per se .
It ’ s just not the right time for that.
” Local officials in Jacksonville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be virtually impossible to safely pull off the event , which had only been in planning for weeks , and it was made doubly complicated by rising coronavirus cases in Florida .
But Trump said the move was n't because of concerns in Florida , but rather because he felt it would not be setting the right example to stage a massive political convention during a pandemic — a sharp shift for a president who only a month ago held a political rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , without social distancing in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meetings in North Carolina will still take place as part of the convention , before moving to remote events .
“ We will be starting in North Carolina for the Monday , as has always been planned , we were never taking that off , ” Trump said .
“ That ’ s remaining as it is , the delegates are going to get together , that 's where they do their nomination .
So the delegates are going to North Carolina , they ’ ll be doing the nomination , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with tele-rallies and online the week that we are discussing , which will be really good.
” Trump said Florida officials had not asked him to cancel , when a reporter asked what changed his mind .
“ I would just say safety , '' he said .
The entire 2020 Republican National Convention was originally slated to take place in North Carolina , but the pandemic got in the way of years of planning and fundraising .
As Trump continued to push for a normal , crowded convention late this spring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat , demanded that proper protocols be put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
The president in early June ultimately said he ’ d seek another place to hold the convention , blaming Cooper for being in `` Shelter-In-Place Mode . ''
The RNC settled on having a small portion of the convention in North Carolina and the rest in Florida , including what would have been Trump 's acceptance speech and other big televised events .
The president , in canceling those plans Thursday , tried to make the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for good entertainment .
`` We 'll have a very nice something , we 'll figure it out .
It will be online , in some form , maybe it 'll be something a little bit different , we have time , we 're talking about the end of August .
But I think it 'll be something that will be exciting , but they can be nothing like having 25,000 people . ''
When asked whether his decision is an acknowledgment of the severity of the outbreak in Florida , Trump said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s going to come and go . ''
He pointed to the reversal in cases in the Northeast of the US .
“ We have to be vigilant , we have to be careful .
And we also have to set an example , I think , setting the example is very important.
” Trump said .
“ It 's hard for us to say we 're going to have a lot of people packed in a room and then other people should n't do it.
” The president was criticized for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Oklahoma was experiencing an uptick in coronavirus cases .
People who attended said everyone ’ s temperature was taken upon entering the 19,000-seat BOK Center convention center , but there was little mask use and Trump downplayed the rising coronavirus cases during his speech .

President Donald Trump announced he’s canceling the Jacksonville, Florida, portion of the Republican National Convention because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“So I told my team it's time to cancel the Jacksonville, Florida, component of the GOP convention,” he said during a Thursday press conference. “I’ll still do a convention speech, in a different form, but we won’t do a big crowded convention, per se. It’s just not the right time for that.”
Local officials in Jacksonville had warned this week that it would be virtually impossible to safely pull off the event, which had only been in planning for weeks, and it was made doubly complicated by rising coronavirus cases in Florida.
But Trump said the move wasn't because of concerns in Florida, but rather because he felt it would not be setting the right example to stage a massive political convention during a pandemic — a sharp shift for a president who only a month ago held a political rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, without social distancing in the crowd.
Trump said the planned party meetings in North Carolina will still take place as part of the convention, before moving to remote events.
“We will be starting in North Carolina for the Monday, as has always been planned, we were never taking that off,” Trump said. “That’s remaining as it is, the delegates are going to get together, that's where they do their nomination. So the delegates are going to North Carolina, they’ll be doing the nomination, and we are going to do some other things, with tele-rallies and online the week that we are discussing, which will be really good.”
Trump said Florida officials had not asked him to cancel, when a reporter asked what changed his mind. “I would just say safety," he said.
The entire 2020 Republican National Convention was originally slated to take place in North Carolina, but the pandemic got in the way of years of planning and fundraising. As Trump continued to push for a normal, crowded convention late this spring, Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, demanded that proper protocols be put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The president in early June ultimately said he’d seek another place to hold the convention, blaming Cooper for being in "Shelter-In-Place Mode." The RNC settled on having a small portion of the convention in North Carolina and the rest in Florida, including what would have been Trump's acceptance speech and other big televised events.
The president, in canceling those plans Thursday, tried to make the case that his convention could still make for good entertainment.
"We'll have a very nice something, we'll figure it out. It will be online, in some form, maybe it'll be something a little bit different, we have time, we're talking about the end of August. But I think it'll be something that will be exciting, but they can be nothing like having 25,000 people."
When asked whether his decision is an acknowledgment of the severity of the outbreak in Florida, Trump said, “No, I think it’s going to come and go." He pointed to the reversal in cases in the Northeast of the US.
“We have to be vigilant, we have to be careful. And we also have to set an example, I think, setting the example is very important.” Trump said. “It's hard for us to say we're going to have a lot of people packed in a room and then other people shouldn't do it.”
The president was criticized for holding a campaign rally in Tulsa just as Oklahoma was experiencing an uptick in coronavirus cases. People who attended said everyone’s temperature was taken upon entering the 19,000-seat BOK Center convention center, but there was little mask use and Trump downplayed the rising coronavirus cases during his speech.


buzzfeed--2020-07-23--Multiple Government Watchdogs Are Investigating The Use Of Force By Federal Officers In Portland And

Multiple Government Watchdogs Are Investigating The Use Of Force By Federal Officers In Portland And DC

WASHINGTON — The watchdog agencies for the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department announced on Thursday that they will investigate the use of force by federal law enforcement officers who were deployed to respond to anti–police brutality protests in Portland , as well as DOJ 's broader involvement in the federal response to protests in Portland and Washington , DC , this summer .
Protesters in Portland have reported that federal officers who were n't wearing identifying information on their uniforms have snatched people off the street and detained them without probable cause .
Videos have captured violent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly around the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse , and shown officers using tear gas and other `` less than lethal '' weapons .
More than 100 federal law enforcement officers have been involved in the response to demonstrations in Portland in recent weeks , according to a court filing by the government earlier this week in one of several lawsuits challenging the Trump administration 's actions .
One of the agencies involved , the US Marshals Services , is part of the Justice Department .
The rest of the officers have come from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within it .
The DOJ inspector general 's office said had opened the probe , in coordination with its DHS counterpart , in response to requests from members of Congress , complaints submitted to the office , and a referral by Billy Williams , the US attorney for Oregon .
The second , broader investigation announced by the DOJ inspector general 's office on Thursday regarding federal law enforcement activities in Portland and Washington will cover `` the training and instruction that was provided to the DOJ law enforcement personnel ; compliance with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and legal authorities ; and adherence to DOJ policies regarding the use of less-lethal munitions , chemical agents , and other uses of force . ''
During anti-racism and anti–police brutality demonstrations in Washington in May and June , federal law enforcement officers — often wearing uniforms that did n't identify who they were or which agency they were with — were involved in guarding federal property and pushing back protesters .
On June 1 , federal agents charged demonstrators gathered in Lafayette Square near the White House and used tear gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the area to do a photo op at a nearby church that previously had been damaged .
Attorney General Bill Barr has defended the decision to clear the park .
The DOJ inspector general 's office specified in Thursday 's announcement that it would review the Lafayette Square incident , working with its watchdog counterpart at the Department of the Interior , since US Park Police were involved .
The Park Police and the White House initially denied that officers used tear gas — even though protesters and journalists reported experiencing it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vox that it was a `` mistake '' to object to the term when the chemical irritants used had the same effect .
The Trump administration has vowed to send federal law enforcement officers to Chicago and Albuquerque , New Mexico , as well , claiming local officials are n't doing enough to address violent crime .
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has said the federal presence is unwanted in her city and accused Trump of using the deployment — titled `` Operation Legend '' — to distract from the administration 's `` failed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

WASHINGTON — The watchdog agencies for the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department announced on Thursday that they will investigate the use of force by federal law enforcement officers who were deployed to respond to anti–police brutality protests in Portland, as well as DOJ's broader involvement in the federal response to protests in Portland and Washington, DC, this summer.
Protesters in Portland have reported that federal officers who weren't wearing identifying information on their uniforms have snatched people off the street and detained them without probable cause. Videos have captured violent confrontations between federal officers and demonstrators, particularly around the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse, and shown officers using tear gas and other "less than lethal" weapons.
More than 100 federal law enforcement officers have been involved in the response to demonstrations in Portland in recent weeks, according to a court filing by the government earlier this week in one of several lawsuits challenging the Trump administration's actions. One of the agencies involved, the US Marshals Services, is part of the Justice Department. The rest of the officers have come from the Department of Homeland Security and agencies within it.
The DOJ inspector general's office said had opened the probe, in coordination with its DHS counterpart, in response to requests from members of Congress, complaints submitted to the office, and a referral by Billy Williams, the US attorney for Oregon.
The second, broader investigation announced by the DOJ inspector general's office on Thursday regarding federal law enforcement activities in Portland and Washington will cover "the training and instruction that was provided to the DOJ law enforcement personnel; compliance with applicable identification requirements, rules of engagement, and legal authorities; and adherence to DOJ policies regarding the use of less-lethal munitions, chemical agents, and other uses of force."
During anti-racism and anti–police brutality demonstrations in Washington in May and June, federal law enforcement officers — often wearing uniforms that didn't identify who they were or which agency they were with — were involved in guarding federal property and pushing back protesters. On June 1, federal agents charged demonstrators gathered in Lafayette Square near the White House and used tear gas to clear them out before Trump walked through the area to do a photo op at a nearby church that previously had been damaged.
Attorney General Bill Barr has defended the decision to clear the park. The DOJ inspector general's office specified in Thursday's announcement that it would review the Lafayette Square incident, working with its watchdog counterpart at the Department of the Interior, since US Park Police were involved. The Park Police and the White House initially denied that officers used tear gas — even though protesters and journalists reported experiencing it firsthand — but a spokesperson later told Vox that it was a "mistake" to object to the term when the chemical irritants used had the same effect.
The Trump administration has vowed to send federal law enforcement officers to Chicago and Albuquerque, New Mexico, as well, claiming local officials aren't doing enough to address violent crime. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has said the federal presence is unwanted in her city and accused Trump of using the deployment — titled "Operation Legend" — to distract from the administration's "failed leadership" responding to the coronavirus pandemic.


buzzfeed--2020-07-23--Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Called Out A GOP Lawmaker For Using His Wife And Daughter "As Shields And E

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Called Out A GOP Lawmaker For Using His Wife And Daughter "As Shields And Excuses" After He Accosted Her

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivered a heartfelt speech on the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday condemning a culture of `` accepting violence and violent language against women '' after she was accosted by a fellow member of Congress who reportedly called her a `` fucking bitch . ''
On Tuesday , the Hill reported that Florida Republican Rep. Ted Yoho confronted Ocasio-Cortez on the steps of Capitol Hill , called her `` disgusting , '' and said the sexist slur after they parted .
Rep. Yoho denied using the slur , but the Hill 's top editor told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Wednesday , Yoho stood in the House of Representatives and said , `` I can not apologize for my passion or for loving my God , my family , or my country . ''
He apologized for the `` misunderstanding '' of his remarks .
`` This is not an apology .
He did n't even say my name , '' Ocasio-Cortez said in response on Wednesday .
When she rose Thursday in the House to speak on a point of personal privilege , the Democratic lawmaker from the Bronx said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go without a response .
`` I could not allow my nieces , I could not allow the little girls that I go home to , I could not allow victims of verbal abuse and worse to see that ... and accept it as an apology , '' she said .
“ When you do that to any woman — what Mr. Yoho did was give permission to other men to do that to his daughters , '' she said .
`` In using the language in front of the press , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his wife , his daughters , women in his community , and I am here to say that is not acceptable . ''

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivered a heartfelt speech on the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday condemning a culture of "accepting violence and violent language against women" after she was accosted by a fellow member of Congress who reportedly called her a "fucking bitch."
On Tuesday, the Hill reported that Florida Republican Rep. Ted Yoho confronted Ocasio-Cortez on the steps of Capitol Hill, called her "disgusting," and said the sexist slur after they parted.
Rep. Yoho denied using the slur, but the Hill's top editor told BuzzFeed News they stood by its reporting.
On Wednesday, Yoho stood in the House of Representatives and said, "I cannot apologize for my passion or for loving my God, my family, or my country." He apologized for the "misunderstanding" of his remarks.
"This is not an apology. He didn't even say my name," Ocasio-Cortez said in response on Wednesday.
When she rose Thursday in the House to speak on a point of personal privilege, the Democratic lawmaker from the Bronx said she couldn't let Yoho's remarks go without a response.
"I could not allow my nieces, I could not allow the little girls that I go home to, I could not allow victims of verbal abuse and worse to see that ... and accept it as an apology," she said.
“When you do that to any woman — what Mr. Yoho did was give permission to other men to do that to his daughters," she said. "In using the language in front of the press, he gave permission to use that language against his wife, his daughters, women in his community, and I am here to say that is not acceptable."


buzzfeed--2020-07-23--A Judge Ordered Michael Cohen's Release From Prison Again And Said The Government Retaliated Over Hi

A Judge Ordered Michael Cohen's Release From Prison Again And Said The Government Retaliated Over His Trump Book

A federal judge has ordered Michael Cohen , Donald Trump 's former personal lawyer , to be rereleased from prison , saying the government had locked him up again because of his forthcoming book about the president .
US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein ruled during a hearing Thursday that the federal government retaliated against Cohen and violated his First Amendment right by taking him back into custody on July 9 after he refused to stop the publication and promotion of his tell-all book .
“ I make the finding that the purpose of transferring Mr. Cohen from furlough and home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hellerstein said .
“ And it ’ s retaliation because of his desire to exercise his First Amendment rights to publish a book and to discuss anything about the book or anything else he wants on social media and with others.
” Cohen will be released from solitary confinement at a prison in Otisville , New York , into home confinement .
In a statement to BuzzFeed News , attorney Danya Perry , who argued on behalf of Cohen at Thursday 's hearing , called the ruling a `` victory for the First @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not allow the government to block Mr. Cohen from publishing a book critical of the president as a condition of his release to home confinement , '' Perry said .

A federal judge has ordered Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, to be rereleased from prison, saying the government had locked him up again because of his forthcoming book about the president.
US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein ruled during a hearing Thursday that the federal government retaliated against Cohen and violated his First Amendment right by taking him back into custody on July 9 after he refused to stop the publication and promotion of his tell-all book.
“I make the finding that the purpose of transferring Mr. Cohen from furlough and home confinement to jail is retaliatory,” Hellerstein said. “And it’s retaliation because of his desire to exercise his First Amendment rights to publish a book and to discuss anything about the book or anything else he wants on social media and with others.”
Cohen will be released from solitary confinement at a prison in Otisville, New York, into home confinement.
In a statement to BuzzFeed News, attorney Danya Perry, who argued on behalf of Cohen at Thursday's hearing, called the ruling a "victory for the First Amendment."
“The First Amendment does not allow the government to block Mr. Cohen from publishing a book critical of the president as a condition of his release to home confinement," Perry said.


buzzfeed--2020-07-23--“Facebook Is Hurting People At Scale”: Mark Zuckerberg’s Employees Reckon With The Social Network Th

“Facebook Is Hurting People At Scale”: Mark Zuckerberg’s Employees Reckon With The Social Network They’ve Built

As the US heads toward a crucial and contentious presidential election , the world 's largest social network is facing an unprecedented cultural crisis .
On July 1 , Max Wang , a Boston-based software engineer who was leaving Facebook after more than seven years , shared a video on the company ’ s internal discussion board that was meant to serve as a warning .
“ I think Facebook is hurting people at scale , ” he wrote in a note accompanying the video .
“ If you think so too , maybe give this a watch.
” Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Mark Zuckerberg production ” typically post photos of their company badges along with farewell notes thanking their colleagues .
Wang opted for a clip of himself speaking directly to the camera .
What followed was a 24-minute clear-eyed hammering of Facebook ’ s leadership and decision-making over the previous year .
The video was a distillation of months of internal strife , protest , and departures that followed the company ’ s decision to leave untouched a post from President Donald Trump that seemingly called for violence against people protesting the police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wang ’ s message wasn ’ t necessarily unique , his assessment of the company ’ s ongoing failure to protect its users — an evaluation informed by his lengthy tenure at the company — provided one of the most stunningly pointed rebukes of Facebook to date .
“ We are failing , ” he said , criticizing Facebook ’ s leaders for catering to political concerns at the expense of real-world harm .
“ And what 's worse , we have enshrined that failure in our policies.
” “ This time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook engineer Dan Abramov in a June 26 post on Workplace , the company ’ s internal communications platform .
“ I ’ ve taken some [ paid time off ] to refocus , but I can ’ t shake the feeling that the company leadership has betrayed the trust my colleagues and I have placed in them.
” Messages like those from Wang and Abramov illustrate how Facebook ’ s handling of the president ’ s often divisive posts has caused a sea change in its ranks and led to a crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interviews with current and former employees and dozens of documents obtained by BuzzFeed News .
The documents — which include company discussion threads , employee survey results , and recordings of Zuckerberg — reveal that the company was slow to take down ads with white nationalist and Nazi content reported by its own employees .
They demonstrate how the company ’ s public declarations about supporting racial justice causes are at odds with policies forbidding Facebookers from using company resources to support political matters .
They show Zuckerberg being publicly accused of misleading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portray a fracturing company culture .
Frustrated and angry , employees are now challenging Zuckerberg and leadership at companywide meetings , staging virtual walkouts , and questioning if their work is making the world a better place .
The turmoil has reached a point where Facebook 's CEO recently threatened to fire employees who “ bully ” their colleagues .
As it heads into a US presidential election where its every move will be dissected and analyzed , the social network is facing unprecedented internal dissent as employees worry that the company is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ content decisions related to Trump , and fear that Facebook is undermining democracy .
Yaël Eisenstat , Facebook 's former election ads integrity lead , said the employees ’ concerns reflect her experience at the company , which she believes is on a dangerous path heading into the election .
“ All of these steps are leading up to a situation where , come November , a portion of Facebook users will not trust the outcome of the election because they have been bombarded with messages on Facebook preparing them to not trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She said the company ’ s policy team in Washington , DC , led by Joel Kaplan , sought to unduly influence decisions made by her team , and the company ’ s recent failure to take appropriate action on posts from President Trump shows employees are right to be upset and concerned .
“ These were very clear examples that did n't just upset me , they upset Facebook ’ s employees , they upset the entire civil rights community , they upset Facebook ’ s advertisers .
If you still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then you 're proving that your decision-making is being guided by some other voice , ” she said .
Do you work at Facebook or another technology company ?
We 'd love to hear from you .
Reach out at ryan.mac @ buzzfeed.com or via one of our tip line channels .
In a broad statement responding to a list of questions for this story , a Facebook spokesperson said the company has a rigorous policy process and is transparent with employees about how decisions are made .
“ Content decisions at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , most even , application of the public policies as written .
It will always be the case that groups of people , even employees , see these decisions as inconsistent ; that ’ s the nature of applying policies broadly , ” the spokesperson said .
“ That ’ s why we ’ ve implemented a rigorous process of both consulting with outside experts when adopting new policies as well as soliciting feedback from employees and why we ’ ve created an independent oversight board to appeal content policy decisions on Facebook.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ’ s worked at the social network for four years , compared Facebook to a nuclear power plant .
Facebook , unlike traditional media sources , can generate “ social energy ” at a scale never seen before , he said .
“ But even getting small details wrong can lead to disastrous consequences , ” he wrote .
“ Social media has enough power to damage the fabric of our society .
If you think that ’ s an overstatement , you aren ’ t paying attention.
” “ I Know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May 28 , as protests against police brutality raged in Minneapolis and around the country , President Donald Trump posted identical messages to his Facebook and Twitter accounts , which have a collective 114 million followers .
“ Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way , ” the president wrote that night .
“ Any difficulty and we will assume control but , when the looting starts , the shooting starts.
” Within a matter of hours , Twitter placed Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noting it violated its rules around glorifying violence .
Meanwhile , Facebook did nothing .
It had decided that the phrase “ when the looting starts , the shooting starts ” — which has historical ties to racially oppressive police violence — did not constitute a violation of its terms of service .
In explaining the decision the next day , Zuckerberg said that while he had a “ visceral negative reaction ” to the post , Facebook policies allowed for “ discussion around the state use of force.
” Moreover , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phrase ’ s historical context , it was possible that it could have been interpreted to mean the president was simply warning that looting could lead to violence .
( Axios later reported that Zuckerberg had personally called Trump the day after the post . )
Employees , already angered by the company ’ s failure to take action against a post from Trump earlier that May containing mail-in ballot misinformation , revolted .
In a Workplace group called “ Let ’ s Fix Facebook ( the company ) , ” which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a poll asking colleagues whether they agreed “ with our leadership ’ s decisions this week regarding voting misinformation and posts that may be considered to be inciting violence.
” About 1,000 respondents said the company had made the wrong decision on both posts , more than 20 times the number of responses for the third-highest answer , “ I ’ m not sure.
” “ I do n't know what to do , but I know doing nothing is not acceptable , ” Jason Stirman , a Facebook design manager at Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of a lengthy stream of dissenting voices .
“ I 'm a FB employee that completely disagrees with Mark 's decision to do nothing about Trump 's recent posts , which clearly incite violence .
I 'm not alone inside of FB .
There is n't a neutral position on racism.
” The following Monday , hundreds of employees — most working remotely due to the company ’ s coronavirus policies — changed their Workplace avatars to a white and black fist and called out sick in a digital walkout .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis , employee morale plunged .
Worker satisfaction metrics — measured by “ MicroPulse ” surveys that are taken by hundreds of employees every week — fell sharply after the ruling on Trump ’ s `` looting '' post , according to data obtained by BuzzFeed News .
On June 1 , the day of the walkout , about 45 % of employees said they agreed with the statement that Facebook was making the world better — down about 25 percentage points from the week before .
That same day , Facebook ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of employees were confident in “ Facebook leadership leading the company in the right direction ” — a 30 percentage point drop from May 25 .
Responses to that question have stayed around that lower mark as of earlier this month , according to data seen by BuzzFeed News .
Facebook employees who spoke to BuzzFeed News pointed to the company ’ s lack of consistency and poor communication around enforcement of its community standards as a key frustration .
In late May , following a decision by Twitter to place a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind a warning label , Zuckerberg appeared on Fox News to chastise his competitor for trying to be an “ arbiter of truth.
” “ I think in general , private companies probably shouldn ’ t be — or especially these platform companies — shouldn ’ t be in the position of doing that , ” he said in the interview .
Trump had made the same false claim on Facebook , which took no action against it .
Later that week , when Trump made his “ looting ” statement and Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zuckerberg — the “ ultimate decision-maker ” according to Facebook ’ s head of communications — defended his position .
“ Unlike Twitter , we do not have a policy of putting a warning in front of posts that may incite violence because we believe that if a post incites violence , it should be removed regardless of whether it is newsworthy , even if it comes from a politician , ” he wrote in a post on May 29 .
It took just four days for Zuckerberg to change his mind .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ June 2 that were first reported by Recode , Facebook ’ s founder said the company was considering adding labels to posts from world leaders that incite violence .
He followed that up with a Facebook post three days later , in which he declared “ Black lives matter , ” and made promises that the company would review policies on content discussing “ excessive use of police or state force.
” “ What material effect does any of this have ?
” one employee later asked on Facebook ’ s Workplace , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to review offer nothing material .
Has anything changed for you in a meaningful way ?
Are you at all willing to be wrong here ?
” On June 26 , nearly a month later , Zuckerberg posted a clarification to his remarks , noting that any post that is determined to be inciting violence will be taken down .
The company ’ s June 18 decision to remove a Trump campaign ad that featured a triangle symbol used by Nazis to identify political prisoners didn ’ t make things any better .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ads were taken down , Zuckerberg said the action was an easy call and evidence of Facebook ’ s commitment to applying its policies equally .
“ This decision was not a particularly close call from my perspective , ” he said .
“ Our position on all this stuff is we want to allow as wide open an aperture of free expression as possible … but if something is over the line , no matter who it is , we will take it down.
” Documents reviewed by BuzzFeed News , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remove the Trump ads was not as simple as Zuckerberg claimed .
In fact , the company failed to act on them until after it faced outside pressure , and despite internal alerts from its own employees .
On the morning before the ads were removed , a heated discussion took place among Facebook employees after at least nine different people said they had reported the content but were told it did not violate company policy .
“ I reported it and called it out as both possible hate speech and threat of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violation of our CS because our CS are fundamentally broken , ” Natalie Troxel , a user experience employee wrote on Workplace , referencing the company ’ s community standards .
Kaitlin Sullivan , whose LinkedIn profile says she leads “ the Americas branch of Facebook ’ s content policy team , ” replied , saying the ad was still being evaluated and that “ the triangle without any more context doesn ’ t clearly violate the letter there.
” It wasn ’ t “ helpful ” to describe the company ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I stand by what I said ... A world leader is promoting content on our platform that uses explicit Nazi imagery , ” Troxel responded .
“ The fact that this has even remained on our platform for this long is troubling , ” another employee added .
Troxel and Sullivan did not respond to requests for comment for this story .
A Facebook employee who spoke to BuzzFeed News anonymously for fear of retaliation said they were “ flabbergasted ” the ads were n't immediately ruled violative .
“ There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assume good intent , ” this person said .
“ To me , this was a case where you can not assume good intent for a symbol that could be Nazi imagery.
” They also were bothered that Facebook took action on the ad only after receiving questions from the Washington Post — more than 12 hours after it had been flagged by employees .
“ It certainly looks like a decision would not have been made the way it was had there not been media pressure and a larger than normal involvement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threads on Workplace , ” the anonymous employee said .
The incident was yet another example of Facebook declining to act on violative content only to change its mind following public criticism .
And once again , it raised questions about how decisions are made , and whether policies are applied consistently or in reaction to negative publicity or political concerns .
Eisenstat , the former Facebook election ads integrity lead , said the company ’ s failure to act quickly on the Trump ads , and to moderate his “ looting ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considerations and outside pressure are influencing policy decisions .
“ They put political considerations over enforcing their policies to the letter of the law , ” she said .
“ I can say for my time there that more than once the [ Washington ] policy team weighed in on appeals and decisions that made it clear there was a political consideration factoring into how we were enforcing our policy.
” A related scenario played out earlier this month over an ad run by a white nationalist Facebook page , “ White Wellbeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just 8 % of the world 's population so if you flood all white majority countries with nonwhites you eliminate white children forever , ” the ad proclaimed .
Facebook removed the ad and prevented the page from running paid content in the future only after being contacted by BuzzFeed News on Wednesday , July 8 .
But that move too came after a company employee flagged the ad and was told it wasn ’ t violative .
“ I reported the page and the post and was told that it doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violation , ” Facebook project manager Matthew Brennan wrote on Workplace after the publication of BuzzFeed News ’ story .
“ There is no doubt this is a white supremacy group and the post in question is not trying to hide that fact.
” Brennan , who saw the ad appear in his News Feed , said friends and family in Australia raised concerns about the ad over the weekend , leaving him frustrated that “ there was nothing that could be done about it.
” “ It wasn ’ t exactly filling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Brennan concluded .
“ I get the same from my wife , friends , and family , ” another employee responded .
“ These decisions are going to be on the wrong side of history.
” Brennan did not respond to a request for comment .
In the end , Facebook removed the ad and prevented the white nationalist page from running future ads .
The page , however , continues to exist on the social network .
In a June 19 companywide meeting , for example , Zuckerberg turned a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kaplan , Facebook ’ s vice president of global policy and a former member of President George W. Bush ’ s administration , into a discussion about the need for ideological diversity .
Kaplan , already a controversial figure within Facebook because of his public support for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his heated 2018 confirmation hearings , has drawn ire from external and internal critics alike , who say that his moves to placate conservative Facebook power users like Trump are driven by politics and not any dedication to policy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Kaplan 's Washington policy team had attempted to influence ad enforcement decisions being considered by her team , which she considered highly inappropriate .
In one example , her team was evaluating whether to remove an ad placed by a conservative organization .
“ But then a policy person chimed in and gave the both-sides argument .
They actually wrote something like , ‘ There 's bad behavior on both sides.
’ And I remember thinking , What does that have to do with anything ?
” she said .
“ When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavily on how you are enforcing that , to me , is where it makes it crystal clear this is not a strict letter-of-the-law enforcement .
Because if it was , then policy should never intervene , ” Eisenstat added .
Instead of answering the question about Kaplan ’ s influence at the meeting , Zuckerberg argued that his vice president brought an important conservative viewpoint to the table .
“ The population out there in the community we serve tends to be on average ideologically a little bit more conservative than our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Maybe ‘ a little ’ is an understatement.
” For Zuckerberg , Kaplan ’ s Republican leanings contributed to “ a good diversity of views ” within the company .
But for critics , the idea that moderating calls for violence or hate speech or Nazi imagery is little more than wrangling a political disagreement is disingenuous and prevents the company from taking a stand on civil rights .
“ He uses ‘ diverse perspective ’ as essentially a cover for right-wing thinking when the real problem is dangerous ideologies , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Color of Change , told BuzzFeed News after reading excerpts of Zuckerberg ’ s comments .
“ If you are conflating conservatives with white nationalists , that seems like a far deeper problem because that ’ s what we ’ re talking about .
We ’ re talking about hate groups and really specific dangerous ideologies and behavior.
” She said Zuckerberg ’ s assertion that the team making key content and policy decisions is diverse was “ a huge problem.
” “ The fact that he would look at the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision-making positions and pat himself on the back saying it has diversity is a huge problem right there , ” Collins-Dexter added , referencing the company ’ s overwhelmingly white C-suite .
Facebook ’ s recently completed civil rights audit reiterated concerns that the company ’ s leadership and decision-making process are falling short .
“ Many in the civil rights community have become disheartened , frustrated and angry after years of engagement where they implored the company to do more to advance equality and fight discrimination , while also safeguarding free expression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-year assessment .
Outside calls for Facebook to change its policies — like the Stop Hate For Profit ad boycott that now includes Coca-Cola , Starbucks , and Verizon — have further ratcheted up internal tensions .
“ Two years ago , I wouldn ’ t have had conversations with my colleagues where I would be supporting the advertising boycott , ” one employee told BuzzFeed News .
“ But we are having those conversations now.
” This is largely unprecedented for Facebook , a company unaccustomed to widespread internal dissent .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtual walkout , and the recent drop in employee satisfaction show Zuckerberg ’ s approach and fumbling explanations and reversals are beginning to take an internal toll .
“ I think Facebook is getting trapped by our ideology of free expression , and the easy temptation of just trying to stay consistent with an ideology , ” Wang said in his video .
Wang ’ s departure thread kicked off a discussion , attracting comments from people like Yann LeCun , Facebook ’ s head of artificial intelligence .
After thanking Wang for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his own June 2 post in which he expressed concern that Facebook ’ s policy and content decisions are not geared toward protecting democracy .
“ American Democracy is threatened and closer to collapse than most people realize , ” LeCun wrote on June 2 .
“ I would submit that a better underlying principle to content policy is the promotion and defense of liberal democracy.
” LeCun did not respond to requests for comment .
Other employees , like Abramov , the engineer , have seized the moment to argue that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership ’ s repeated attempts to convince employees otherwise , and as such needed to make decisions to limit harm .
Facebook has proactively taken down nudity , hate speech , and extremist content , while also encouraging people to participate in elections — an act that favors democracy , he wrote .
“ As employees , we can ’ t entertain this illusion , ” he said in his June 26 memo titled “ Facebook Is Not Neutral.
” “ There is nothing neutral about connecting people together .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Zuckerberg seems to disagree .
On June 5 , he wrote that Facebook errs on the “ side of free expression ” and made a series of promises that his company would push for racial justice and fight for voter engagement .
The sentiment , while encouraging , arrived unaccompanied by any concrete plans .
On Facebook ’ s internal discussion board , the replies rolled in .
“ There is exactly one impressive thing about this post : by apparently committing to nothing at all but acting like you have , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us , ” wrote one employee .
“ It ’ s good politics .
It ’ s bad leadership.
” ●

On July 1, Max Wang, a Boston-based software engineer who was leaving Facebook after more than seven years, shared a video on the company’s internal discussion board that was meant to serve as a warning.
“I think Facebook is hurting people at scale,” he wrote in a note accompanying the video. “If you think so too, maybe give this a watch.”
Most employees on their way out of the “Mark Zuckerberg production” typically post photos of their company badges along with farewell notes thanking their colleagues. Wang opted for a clip of himself speaking directly to the camera. What followed was a 24-minute clear-eyed hammering of Facebook’s leadership and decision-making over the previous year.
The video was a distillation of months of internal strife, protest, and departures that followed the company’s decision to leave untouched a post from President Donald Trump that seemingly called for violence against people protesting the police killing of George Floyd. And while Wang’s message wasn’t necessarily unique, his assessment of the company’s ongoing failure to protect its users — an evaluation informed by his lengthy tenure at the company — provided one of the most stunningly pointed rebukes of Facebook to date.
“We are failing,” he said, criticizing Facebook’s leaders for catering to political concerns at the expense of real-world harm. “And what's worse, we have enshrined that failure in our policies.”


buzzfeed--2020-07-23--Trump Said In A Fox News Interview That He Can Memorize Five Words In Order

`` It 's actually not that easy .
But , for me , it was easy , '' Trump said of the test , which is used in diagnosing Alzheimer 's .
President Donald Trump once again bragged about his supposed mental fitness on Wednesday , citing his completion of a `` not that easy '' cognitive test that is primarily used to diagnose dementia .
In a bizarre moment during a Fox News interview with network medical correspondent Dr. Marc Siegel , Trump repeatedly cited a memory phrase he invented on the spot — `` person , woman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of a discussion about the Montreal Cognitive Assessment he said he had taken during a recent routine checkup at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda , Maryland .
`` It 's like , you will go , 'person , woman , man , camera , TV , ' '' Trump said .
`` So they say , 'Could you repeat that ? '
So I said , 'Yeah .
So it 's person , woman , man , camera , TV . '
'' As he seeks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominee Joe Biden , Trump has spoken frequently about his cognitive test in recent weeks , telling Fox News earlier this month that doctors were `` surprised '' at his `` unbelievable '' performance .
In an interview with Chris Wallace that aired over the weekend , Trump bristled at the suggestion by the conservative network 's anchor that the test was not that difficult .
`` You could n't answer many of the questions , '' Trump insisted .
But the test Trump took was not an intelligence test .
The 30/30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago is considered `` normal , '' former White House physician Ronny Jackson , now a Republican congressional candidate in Texas , said at a January 2018 press briefing .
Jackson said Trump had taken the Montreal Cognitive Assessment , which `` screens for any type of cognitive issues like Alzheimer ’ s . ''
In his interview Wednesday , Trump insisted the test starts off `` very easy '' and then gets `` much more difficult . ''
He was asked to repeat the memory sequence again a few minutes later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` extra points '' for saying it again in the correct order .
`` They said , 'Nobody gets it in order , ' '' Trump said .
`` It 's actually not that easy .
But for me it was easy . ''
`` They say , 'That 's amazing , ' '' he added .
`` 'How did you do that ? '
'' Trump said the test proves he is `` cognitively there '' — a claim he has been staking much of his presidential campaign on , while pushing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mental decline — and challenged Biden to take the test as well .
`` Now , Joe should take that test , because something 's going on , '' he said .
`` And I say this with respect .
I mean , it 's going to probably happen to all of us , right ? ''
During Wallace 's interview with Trump , the anchor said he took the test after hearing Trump passed it .
`` Well , it 's not the hardest test , '' Wallace said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says , 'What 's that ? '
And it 's an elephant . ''
`` No , no , no , you see , that 's all misrepresentation , '' Trump replied .
`` Because yes , the first few questions are easy , but I 'll bet you could n't even answer the last five questions . ''
`` Well , one of them was count back from 100 by seven , '' Wallace said .
`` 93 ... '' Trump said he would `` guarantee you that Joe Biden could not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed back on suggestions of his cognitive decline , saying at a June 30 press conference that he has `` been tested , and I 'm constantly tested . ''
`` I can hardly wait to compare my cognitive capability to the cognitive capability of the man I 'm running against , '' Biden said .

As he seeks to question the mental acuity of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, Trump has spoken frequently about his cognitive test in recent weeks, telling Fox News earlier this month that doctors were "surprised" at his "unbelievable" performance. In an interview with Chris Wallace that aired over the weekend, Trump bristled at the suggestion by the conservative network's anchor that the test was not that difficult. "You couldn't answer many of the questions," Trump insisted.
But the test Trump took was not an intelligence test. The 30/30 score he got on it two years ago is considered "normal," former White House physician Ronny Jackson, now a Republican congressional candidate in Texas, said at a January 2018 press briefing. Jackson said Trump had taken the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, which "screens for any type of cognitive issues like Alzheimer’s."
In his interview Wednesday, Trump insisted the test starts off "very easy" and then gets "much more difficult."
He was asked to repeat the memory sequence again a few minutes later, he said, noting that he got "extra points" for saying it again in the correct order.
"They said, 'Nobody gets it in order,'" Trump said. "It's actually not that easy. But for me it was easy."
"They say, 'That's amazing,'" he added. "'How did you do that?'"


buzzfeed--2020-07-23--Trump’s Campaign Made Face Masks. They’re Just Not Selling Them.

The Trump campaign has purchased thousands of branded masks for surrogates but won ’ t add them to the collection of Trump keychains and coffee mugs sold on the campaign website .
Members of Black Voices for Trump told BuzzFeed News there were two official campaign offerings : a red neoprene mask and a newer navy canvas version with the `` Trump 2020 '' logo .
Staffers distributed the masks to surrogates who attended the president 's June rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
Those masks , though , have not been made widely available to the public .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks on the website , a campaign official told BuzzFeed News .
The decision to not market `` Trump 2020 '' masks is a break from a president who has lauded himself as an astute businessperson — one who ’ s sold all manner of branded items , up to and including 2016 ’ s red hats .
After all , it was the brainchild of this very campaign that raised $ 500,000 in a single week from selling Trump-engraved plastic straws .
The move was a clear rebuke to cities substituting plastic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the site a year later with a content description that reads , “ Liberal paper straws don ’ t work .
STAND WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP and buy your pack of recyclable straws today.
” Even Joe Biden ’ s campaign is selling masks .
Nobody from the Trump campaign will explain the decision to not sell its own masks , even as online sellers who peddle unauthorized versions of `` Trump 2020 '' masks say they ’ re blowing out of stock .
`` The only reason I know they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keeps asking me , 'Where are the masks ? '
and I ’ m like , go to the website , and they ’ re like , 'Oh , well , I can ’ t find any , ' '' Cecilia Johnson of Black Voices for Trump said in an interview with BuzzFeed News .
So the idea of a tycoon not using a pandemic to maximize his earnings seems like a bad business move — unless you consider the president ’ s approach on the mask debate amid the coronavirus pandemic thus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ silent until recently .
For months , the president has been criticized for slow-walking his coronavirus response .
But what was particularly obvious was his refusal to wear a mask and , until this week , his unwillingness to advise Americans to wear one — even as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended people do so as early as April .
The nation saw its leader speak cautiously about the benefits of wearing a mask .
Trump just last month called masks a “ double-edged sword , ” which seemed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cleanliness of handling masks worn all day .
In the same interview , he said he ’ s “ OK with it.
” This month , during a Fox interview , Trump made it clear he has no interest in mandating masks .
This is a point many lawmakers from the states now experiencing upticks in COVID-19 cases have struggled with as well .
As have his own surrogates , including Diamond and Silk , who likened any mandate of masks to “ Communist China ” and ... slavery .
Asked about mandating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said , `` No .
I want people to have a certain freedom , and I do n't believe in that .
No . ''
But he donned a mask during his visit to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on July 11 and tweeted Monday he was being “ patriotic ” by wearing it .
( He did mention the “ Invisible China Virus ” in the tweet . )
Then , in a stunning about-face , on Tuesday at his coronavirus press briefing , the president told reporters : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are not able to socially distance , wear a mask .
Get a mask .
Whether you like the mask or not , they have an impact .
They ’ ll have an effect.
” Five minutes later , the president , who for this briefing mainly read from his notes , doubled down : “ We 're instead asking Americans to use masks , socially distance , and employ vigorous hygiene.
” And then , within moments of his press conference — with possibly more impact than he has at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign has not responded to several requests as to whether it 'll change course and add the Trump masks to the campaign site 's offerings .
There ’ s certainly a demand .
Just ask @ isleofcapri777 , who inquired about one on Twitter last week .

The Trump campaign has purchased thousands of branded masks for surrogates but won’t add them to the collection of Trump keychains and coffee mugs sold on the campaign website.
Members of Black Voices for Trump told BuzzFeed News there were two official campaign offerings: a red neoprene mask and a newer navy canvas version with the "Trump 2020" logo. Staffers distributed the masks to surrogates who attended the president's June rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Those masks, though, have not been made widely available to the public. There was never a plan to sell the masks on the website, a campaign official told BuzzFeed News.
The decision to not market "Trump 2020" masks is a break from a president who has lauded himself as an astute businessperson — one who’s sold all manner of branded items, up to and including 2016’s red hats. After all, it was the brainchild of this very campaign that raised $500,000 in a single week from selling Trump-engraved plastic straws. The move was a clear rebuke to cities substituting plastic straws for paper ones; it remains on the site a year later with a content description that reads, “Liberal paper straws don’t work. STAND WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP and buy your pack of recyclable straws today.”
Even Joe Biden’s campaign is selling masks.
Nobody from the Trump campaign will explain the decision to not sell its own masks, even as online sellers who peddle unauthorized versions of "Trump 2020" masks say they’re blowing out of stock.
"The only reason I know they’re not selling the masks is because everyone keeps asking me, 'Where are the masks?' and I’m like, go to the website, and they’re like, 'Oh, well, I can’t find any,'" Cecilia Johnson of Black Voices for Trump said in an interview with BuzzFeed News.
So the idea of a tycoon not using a pandemic to maximize his earnings seems like a bad business move — unless you consider the president’s approach on the mask debate amid the coronavirus pandemic thus far. He’s been relatively silent until recently.
For months, the president has been criticized for slow-walking his coronavirus response. But what was particularly obvious was his refusal to wear a mask and, until this week, his unwillingness to advise Americans to wear one — even as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended people do so as early as April.
The nation saw its leader speak cautiously about the benefits of wearing a mask. Trump just last month called masks a “double-edged sword,” which seemed to point to his personal concerns around the cleanliness of handling masks worn all day. In the same interview, he said he’s “OK with it.”
This month, during a Fox interview, Trump made it clear he has no interest in mandating masks. This is a point many lawmakers from the states now experiencing upticks in COVID-19 cases have struggled with as well. As have his own surrogates, including Diamond and Silk, who likened any mandate of masks to “Communist China” and...slavery.
Asked about mandating masks during Sunday's Fox interview, Trump said, "No. I want people to have a certain freedom, and I don't believe in that. No."
But he donned a mask during his visit to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on July 11 and tweeted Monday he was being “patriotic” by wearing it. (He did mention the “Invisible China Virus” in the tweet.)
Then, in a stunning about-face, on Tuesday at his coronavirus press briefing, the president told reporters: “We're asking everybody that when you are not able to socially distance, wear a mask. Get a mask. Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact. They’ll have an effect.”
Five minutes later, the president, who for this briefing mainly read from his notes, doubled down: “We're instead asking Americans to use masks, socially distance, and employ vigorous hygiene.”
And then, within moments of his press conference — with possibly more impact than he has at the podium, he tweeted it.
The campaign has not responded to several requests as to whether it'll change course and add the Trump masks to the campaign site's offerings. There’s certainly a demand. Just ask @isleofcapri777, who inquired about one on Twitter last week.


buzzfeed--2020-07-23--A Federal Prosecutor Resigned After Using Anti-Gay Slurs And Asking “Do You Know Who I Am?” During A

A Federal Prosecutor Resigned After Using Anti-Gay Slurs And Asking “Do You Know Who I Am?” During A DUI Arrest

WASHINGTON — A federal prosecutor arrested for drunk driving used anti-gay slurs and other abusive language , misused his authority , and threatened the jobs of law enforcement officers , according to an inspector general report obtained by BuzzFeed News .
According to the report , the prosecutor , who is not named , was initially cooperative when he was arrested and given a field sobriety test .
But witnesses told the inspector general ’ s office that the man ’ s behavior grew increasingly abusive — one of the arresting officers said the prosecutor called him names including “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and “ retarded , ” and continued to “ belittle ” the officer once they arrived at the jail .
Other witnesses reported hearing the man refer to officers as “ retard or retarded , ” “ pussy , ” and “ bitch or bitches.
” The inspector general ’ s office noted that all nine law enforcement witnesses interviewed as part of the investigation specifically reported hearing the man repeatedly use the anti-gay slur .
The witnesses , whose names were redacted , included the arresting officers , jail officials , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employee who was present at the jail .
One witness at the jail reported that the man threatened to “ sue his ass , ” and other witnesses reported hearing the former prosecutor use threatening language , including , “ I will prosecute every single one of you , ” “ Wait until I get out , ” and “ Do you know who the fuck I am ?
” One witness told investigators that the man said , “ You don ’ t know who you are messing with .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs.
” The report doesn ’ t disclose the identity of the prosecutor , where he worked , or how long he served as an assistant US attorney — the inspector general ’ s office redacted identifying information in a version provided to BuzzFeed News on Tuesday in response to a Freedom of Information Act request , citing exemptions for privacy .

WASHINGTON — A federal prosecutor arrested for drunk driving used anti-gay slurs and other abusive language, misused his authority, and threatened the jobs of law enforcement officers, according to an inspector general report obtained by BuzzFeed News.
According to the report, the prosecutor, who is not named, was initially cooperative when he was arrested and given a field sobriety test. But witnesses told the inspector general’s office that the man’s behavior grew increasingly abusive — one of the arresting officers said the prosecutor called him names including “faggot,” “dumb rookie,” and “retarded,” and continued to “belittle” the officer once they arrived at the jail. Other witnesses reported hearing the man refer to officers as “retard or retarded,” “pussy,” and “bitch or bitches.”
The inspector general’s office noted that all nine law enforcement witnesses interviewed as part of the investigation specifically reported hearing the man repeatedly use the anti-gay slur. The witnesses, whose names were redacted, included the arresting officers, jail officials, and a US Department of Homeland Security employee who was present at the jail.
One witness at the jail reported that the man threatened to “sue his ass,” and other witnesses reported hearing the former prosecutor use threatening language, including, “I will prosecute every single one of you,” “Wait until I get out,” and “Do you know who the fuck I am?” One witness told investigators that the man said, “You don’t know who you are messing with. I’m going to have all of your jobs.”
The report doesn’t disclose the identity of the prosecutor, where he worked, or how long he served as an assistant US attorney — the inspector general’s office redacted identifying information in a version provided to BuzzFeed News on Tuesday in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, citing exemptions for privacy.


buzzfeed--2020-07-24--Trump Said In A Fox News Interview That He Can Memorize Five Words In Order


buzzfeed--2020-07-24--“Disturbing And Demoralizing”: DHS Employees Are Worried The Portland Protest Response Is Destroying