motherjones--2020-08-20--Trump Lost Again on Taxes in Federal Court

A federal judge on Thursday threw out a lawsuit by Donald Trump that argued the president should not have to comply with a subpoena by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance for his financial records , including tax returns .
The Supreme Court last month rejected Trump ’ s argument that prosecutors could not order his accounting firm Mazars to hand over his records .
Trump ’ s lawyers argued that he enjoys absolute immunity from criminal scrutiny , as well as congressional oversight , while in office .
In an appeals court ruling last fall , Trump ’ s lawyers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Fifth Avenue , he would be immune from not only prosecution but investigation by federal or local authorities .
The Supreme Court ’ s decision allowed Trump to contest Vance ’ s subpoena on other grounds .
On Thursday US District Judge Victor Marrero ruled that Trump ’ s new arguments—that Vance ’ s subpoena is “ overbroad and issued in bad faith ” —is “ at its core ” the same claim judges have already rejected .
“ It amounts to absolute immunity through a back door , an entry point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also potentially other persons and entities , public and private , could effectively gain cover from judicial process , ” Marrero wrote .
Marrero said Trump ’ s litigation strategy , if successful , would have dire national consequences .
It “ could impact the constitutional order and justice system all the more adversely precisely because the expedient emanates from the President than it would when an ordinary citizen pursues similar practices , ” the judge wrote .
Vance ’ s office disclosed last month that it is investigating Trump and his company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vance has also subpoenaed Trump ’ s longtime lender , Deutsche Bank , for financial records Trump and his company provided when he sought loans , the New York Times reported .
Deutsche Bank complied .
Thursday ’ s ruling is another stinging legal defeat for Trump , but it doesn ’ t mean Americans will get to see Trump taxes anytime soon .
Trump ’ s lawyers filed an emergency notice of appeal shortly after Thursday ’ s ruling and requested an order blocking Mazars from complying with a subpoena pending the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the case until after November ’ s election .
And even if Vance does eventually get Trump ’ s taxes , grand jury rules prevent their public release .

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A federal judge on Thursday threw out a lawsuit by Donald Trump that argued the president should not have to comply with a subpoena by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance for his financial records, including tax returns.
The Supreme Court last month rejected Trump’s argument that prosecutors could not order his accounting firm Mazars to hand over his records. Trump’s lawyers argued that he enjoys absolute immunity from criminal scrutiny, as well as congressional oversight, while in office. In an appeals court ruling last fall, Trump’s lawyers said that even if he shot someone on Fifth Avenue, he would be immune from not only prosecution but investigation by federal or local authorities.
The Supreme Court’s decision allowed Trump to contest Vance’s subpoena on other grounds. On Thursday US District Judge Victor Marrero ruled that Trump’s new arguments—that Vance’s subpoena is “overbroad and issued in bad faith”—is “at its core” the same claim judges have already rejected.
“It amounts to absolute immunity through a back door, an entry point through which not only a President but also potentially other persons and entities, public and private, could effectively gain cover from judicial process,” Marrero wrote.
Marrero said Trump’s litigation strategy, if successful, would have dire national consequences. It “could impact the constitutional order and justice system all the more adversely precisely because the expedient emanates from the President than it would when an ordinary citizen pursues similar practices,” the judge wrote.
Vance’s office disclosed last month that it is investigating Trump and his company for “bank and insurance fraud.” Vance has also subpoenaed Trump’s longtime lender, Deutsche Bank, for financial records Trump and his company provided when he sought loans, the New York Times reported. Deutsche Bank complied.
Thursday’s ruling is another stinging legal defeat for Trump, but it doesn’t mean Americans will get to see Trump taxes anytime soon. Trump’s lawyers filed an emergency notice of appeal shortly after Thursday’s ruling and requested an order blocking Mazars from complying with a subpoena pending the appeal. That action may delay resolution of the case until after November’s election. And even if Vance does eventually get Trump’s taxes, grand jury rules prevent their public release.


motherjones--2020-08-20--Trump Supported the Private Border Wall at the Center of a Fraud Case, a Close Ally Said

In January 2019 , Kris Kobach told the New York Times that President Trump had given his blessing to an effort to build a private wall along the border with Mexico .
The organizers of the project are now facing federal fraud charges .
Kobach , a former Kansas secretary of state and prominent Trump supporter , was serving as an adviser to “ We Build the Wall , ” the group that raised more than $ 25 million to build the wall .
“ I talked with the president , and the ‘ We Build the Wall Effort ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times .
“ The president said ‘ the project has my blessing , and you can tell the media that.
’ ” On Thursday , federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging Steve Bannon , Trump ’ s former campaign chairman , and three others involved with “ We Build the Wall ” with conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering .
The defendants allegedly pocketed more than a million dollars of donations , despite repeated assurances to donors that all the money would go construction .
Trump tweeted last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ build a private section of wall : There isn ’ t evidence that Trump knew about the alleged fraud , and he is continuing to distance himself from the project .
“ I feel very badly , ” Trump said in the Oval Office on Thursday .
“ I haven ’ t been dealing with [ Bannon ] for a very long period of time…I don ’ t know anything about the project at all…I don ’ t like that project .
I thought it was being done for showboating reasons .
”

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In January 2019, Kris Kobach told the New York Times that President Trump had given his blessing to an effort to build a private wall along the border with Mexico. The organizers of the project are now facing federal fraud charges.
Kobach, a former Kansas secretary of state and prominent Trump supporter, was serving as an adviser to “We Build the Wall,” the group that raised more than $25 million to build the wall. “I talked with the president, and the ‘We Build the Wall Effort’ came up,” Kobach told the Times. “The president said ‘the project has my blessing, and you can tell the media that.’”
On Thursday, federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging Steve Bannon, Trump’s former campaign chairman, and three others involved with “We Build the Wall” with conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The defendants allegedly pocketed more than a million dollars of donations, despite repeated assurances to donors that all the money would go construction.
Trump tweeted last month that he disagreed with the plan to build a private section of wall:
I disagreed with doing this very small (tiny) section of wall, in a tricky area, by a private group which raised money by ads. It was only done to make me look bad, and perhsps it now doesn’t even work. Should have been built like rest of Wall, 500 plus miles. https://t.co/L8RUPCAhqc — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2020
There isn’t evidence that Trump knew about the alleged fraud, and he is continuing to distance himself from the project. “I feel very badly,” Trump said in the Oval Office on Thursday. “I haven’t been dealing with [Bannon] for a very long period of time…I don’t know anything about the project at all…I don’t like that project. I thought it was being done for showboating reasons.”


motherjones--2020-08-20--Steve Bannon Charged With Fraud and Money Laundering for Pocketing Border Wall Funds

Federal prosecutors have charged Steve Bannon and other right-wing activists with defrauding hundreds of thousands of people who donated money to build a private border wall .
In an indictment unsealed Thursday , the US Attorney ’ s Office for the Southern District of New York charged Bannon , Donald Trump ’ s former campaign chairman and White House adviser , and three others with conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud .
US Postal Service agents arrested Bannon on Thursday , CBS News reported .
Acting US Attorney Audrey Strauss said in a statement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of thousands of donors , capitalizing on their interest in funding a border wall to raise millions of dollars , under the false pretense that all of that money would be spent on construction.
” As part of an effort called “ We Build the Wall , ” the defendants crowdfunded more than $ 25 million to build a private wall along the border with Mexico .
In doing so , they repeatedly assured donors that none of the money would go to the salary of Brian Kolfage , the public face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped secretly pay Kolfage hundreds of thousands of dollars while also taking more than $ 1 million for himself through a nonprofit , according to the indictment .
Kolfage allegedly used his money to pay for , among other things , a golf cart , a boat , and cosmetic surgery .

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Federal prosecutors have charged Steve Bannon and other right-wing activists with defrauding hundreds of thousands of people who donated money to build a private border wall.
In an indictment unsealed Thursday, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York charged Bannon, Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman and White House adviser, and three others with conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. US Postal Service agents arrested Bannon on Thursday, CBS News reported.
Acting US Attorney Audrey Strauss said in a statement, “As alleged, the defendants defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors, capitalizing on their interest in funding a border wall to raise millions of dollars, under the false pretense that all of that money would be spent on construction.”
As part of an effort called “We Build the Wall,” the defendants crowdfunded more than $25 million to build a private wall along the border with Mexico. In doing so, they repeatedly assured donors that none of the money would go to the salary of Brian Kolfage, the public face of the campaign.
Instead, Bannon helped secretly pay Kolfage hundreds of thousands of dollars while also taking more than $1 million for himself through a nonprofit, according to the indictment. Kolfage allegedly used his money to pay for, among other things, a golf cart, a boat, and cosmetic surgery.


motherjones--2020-08-21--Biden’s Pitch to Voters: What America Needs Now Is Empathy

On Thursday , Joe Biden achieved a feat 33 years in the making : He accepted the Democratic nomination for president of the United States .
It surely wasn ’ t the scene Biden had envisioned .
The former vice president marked the occasion in an empty convention hall , facing just about 30 members of the press as an audience .
But both Biden ’ s long , tragic journey to the Democratic nomination and the circumstances under which he accepted it gave power to his point : In his speech , Biden spoke to his empathy , forged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrast to President Trump ’ s bullying behavior .
Over the course of 25 minutes , Biden touched on every theme he ’ s traced in the arc of his run for the White House .
He made the moral pitch on which he launched his campaign , telling voters that Trump had “ cloaked American in darkness for far too long ” and that this election is about “ winning the heart and soul of America.
” He made a plea for bipartisanship—that America isn ’ t just a country “ of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blue states.
” He harked back to Franklin Delano Roosevelt , a Democratic president who inherited daunting economic circumstances and whose New Deal Biden has promised to emulate if he inherits the pandemic and its devastating economic and human consequences from Trump .
But Biden made his most compelling case when he moved away from grandiose declarations of morality , his place in history , and even the various specific plans he laid out to return the country to even footing .
It was when he talked about his own personal experience with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deaths of more than 174,000 Americans from COVID-19 .
“ I know how it feels to lose someone you love , ” Biden said , an unspoken reference to the tragic , untimely deaths of his first wife , infant daughter , and son Beau .
“ I know that deep black hole that opens up in your chest .
That you feel your whole being is sucked into it .
I know how mean and cruel and unfair life can be sometimes.
” From pain , Biden learned two things .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have left this Earth but they never leave your heart , ” Biden said .
“ And second , I found the best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose.
” Biden also recalled an adage from his father , as he often does in campaign speeches , one that spoke to the need for an empathetic government .
“ Joey , I don ’ t expect the government to solve my problems , ” he said , “ but I sure as hell expect them to understand them.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ name the ways in which Trump failed to show empathy throughout his presidency—by defending white supremacists in Charlottesville , by stoking divisiveness in the face of racial injustice , by letting a pandemic rage as it kills tens of thousands of Americans .
Biden made the contrast clear : He ’ ll be an empathetic leader , Trump will be a bully .
“ Love is more powerful than hate , ” Biden said .
“ Hope is more powerful than fear .
And light is more powerful than dark .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

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On Thursday, Joe Biden achieved a feat 33 years in the making: He accepted the Democratic nomination for president of the United States. It surely wasn’t the scene Biden had envisioned. The former vice president marked the occasion in an empty convention hall, facing just about 30 members of the press as an audience.
But both Biden’s long, tragic journey to the Democratic nomination and the circumstances under which he accepted it gave power to his point: In his speech, Biden spoke to his empathy, forged in personal grief, offering his sharpest contrast to President Trump’s bullying behavior.
Over the course of 25 minutes, Biden touched on every theme he’s traced in the arc of his run for the White House. He made the moral pitch on which he launched his campaign, telling voters that Trump had “cloaked America in darkness for far too long” and that this election is about “winning the heart and soul of America.” He made a plea for bipartisanship—that America isn’t just a country “of clashing interests, or red states and blue states.” He harked back to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a Democratic president who inherited daunting economic circumstances and whose New Deal Biden has promised to emulate if he inherits the pandemic and its devastating economic and human consequences from Trump.
But Biden made his most compelling case when he moved away from grandiose declarations of morality, his place in history, and even the various specific plans he laid out to return the country to even footing. It was when he talked about his own personal experience with grief—something so many families are feeling amid the deaths of more than 174,000 Americans from COVID-19.
“I know how it feels to lose someone you love,” Biden said, an unspoken reference to the tragic, untimely deaths of his first wife, infant daughter, and son Beau. “I know that deep black hole that opens up in your chest. That you feel your whole being is sucked into it. I know how mean and cruel and unfair life can be sometimes.”
From pain, Biden learned two things. “First, your loved ones may have left this Earth but they never leave your heart,” Biden said. “And second, I found the best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose.”
Biden also recalled an adage from his father, as he often does in campaign speeches, one that spoke to the need for an empathetic government. “Joey, I don’t expect the government to solve my problems,” he said, “but I sure as hell expect them to understand them.”
Biden would go on to the name the ways in which Trump failed to show empathy throughout his presidency—by defending white supremacists in Charlottesville, by stoking divisiveness in the face of racial injustice, by letting a pandemic rage as it kills tens of thousands of Americans. Biden made the contrast clear: He’ll be an empathetic leader, Trump will be a bully.
“Love is more powerful than hate,” Biden said. “Hope is more powerful than fear. And light is more powerful than dark. This is our moment. This is our mission.”


motherjones--2020-08-21--Democrats Put Voting Rights Front and Center on Convention’s Final Night

As Democrats made their final plea for Americans ’ votes on the last night of their party convention , their central message was about preserving the right to vote itself .
Voting rights took center stage on Thursday evening as party leaders and allies sought to overcome the barriers to voting the Trump administration has erected .
The party offered viewers practical advice about how to successfully cast a ballot by mail and framed the current partisan divide over ballot access as the modern extension of the civil rights battle for a fair and inclusive democracy .
President Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election process with claims of fraud .
Today , afraid of losing , his administration is dismantling the US Postal Service one sorting machine and overtime hour at a time , threatening the ability of voters to cast their ballots through the mail during a pandemic .
Democrats used their last night of the convention to rebut him head on .
Host Julia Louis-Dreyfus kicked it off by saying she would vote by mail , just like Trump and his family members and staff , who have also cast absentee ballots even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for others to do the same .
Comedian Sarah Cooper , who gained TikTok fame by lip-syncing Trump ’ s own words , picked up the theme , mocking Trump ’ s attempt to insert doubt and confusion into the process of voting by mail : The convention also featured two Democratic secretaries of state , Alex Padilla of California and Jocelyn Benson of Michigan , who gave serious advice to viewers on how to cast a ballot and make it count .
“ There is absolutely no difference between voting by mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rebutting Trump ’ s fallacy that absentee voting is safe and voting by mail is somehow subject to fraud .
“ Republicans and Democrats agree it is safe ” to vote by mail , she said .
“ If you ’ re planning to vote from home , request and return your ballot early.
” Trump has warned that ballots counted after Election Day may be fraudulent .
Padilla explained that was not true .
“ Election results may take a little longer this year , ” he said .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot is counted.
” The Biden campaign and the Democratic Party also sought to situate this current struggle as the latest chapter in the long battle for voting rights .
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms spoke from her home state of Georgia , which has gained national headlines for its long lines at the polls and assault on voting rights in recent years , urging Americans to use their right to vote that the late Rep. John Lewis of Atlanta fought to secure .
“ Congressman Lewis would not be silenced , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we .
Our votes can be our voice.
” In a documentary-style video , the convention then paid tribute to Lewis and his fight for voting rights .
Finally , Rep. Deb Haaland ( D-N.M. ) , a Puebla Indian , reminded viewers that Native Americans were not guaranteed the right to vote until 1962 .
Democrats are taking access to the ballot seriously this year because Republicans are too .
As the Democrats urged voters not just to vote but to take precautions to make sure their votes are counted on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he could to scare voters away .
Appearing on Hannity on Fox News during the convention , Trump pledged to have law enforcement monitoring the polls .
“ We ’ re going to have sheriffs and we ’ re gon na have law enforcement and we ’ re going to have hopefully US attorneys , ” he said .

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As Democrats made their final plea for Americans’ votes on the last night of their party convention, their central message was about preserving the right to vote itself.
Voting rights took center stage on Thursday evening as party leaders and allies sought to overcome the barriers to voting the Trump administration has erected. The party offered viewers practical advice about how to successfully cast a ballot by mail and framed the current partisan divide over ballot access as the modern extension of the civil rights battle for a fair and inclusive democracy.
President Trump has spent his entire presidency trying to delegitimize the election process with claims of fraud. Today, afraid of losing, his administration is dismantling the US Postal Service one sorting machine and overtime hour at a time, threatening the ability of voters to cast their ballots through the mail during a pandemic. Democrats used their last night of the convention to rebut him head on.
Host Julia Louis-Dreyfus kicked it off by saying she would vote by mail, just like Trump and his family members and staff, who have also cast absentee ballots even as they try to make it harder for others to do the same.
"Personally, I plan to follow the example of six current cabinet members, vice president Pence, and president Trump himself, and vote by mail." – @OfficialJLD #DemConvention pic.twitter.com/unoHUyE8jr — Vote Save America (@votesaveamerica) August 21, 2020
Comedian Sarah Cooper, who gained TikTok fame by lip-syncing Trump’s own words, picked up the theme, mocking Trump’s attempt to insert doubt and confusion into the process of voting by mail:
The convention also featured two Democratic secretaries of state, Alex Padilla of California and Jocelyn Benson of Michigan, who gave serious advice to viewers on how to cast a ballot and make it count. “There is absolutely no difference between voting by mail and voting absentee,” Benson explained, rebutting Trump’s fallacy that absentee voting is safe and voting by mail is somehow subject to fraud. “Republicans and Democrats agree it is safe” to vote by mail, she said. “If you’re planning to vote from home, request and return your ballot early.” Trump has warned that ballots counted after Election Day may be fraudulent. Padilla explained that was not true. “Election results may take a little longer this year,” he said. “But Democrats will fight to make sure your ballot is counted.”
The Biden campaign and the Democratic Party also sought to situate this current struggle as the latest chapter in the long battle for voting rights. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms spoke from her home state of Georgia, which has gained national headlines for its long lines at the polls and assault on voting rights in recent years, urging Americans to use their right to vote that the late Rep. John Lewis of Atlanta fought to secure. “Congressman Lewis would not be silenced,” she said. “And neither can we. Our votes can be our voice.”
In a documentary-style video, the convention then paid tribute to Lewis and his fight for voting rights. Finally, Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.), a Puebla Indian, reminded viewers that Native Americans were not guaranteed the right to vote until 1962.
Democrats are taking access to the ballot seriously this year because Republicans are too. As the Democrats urged voters not just to vote but to take precautions to make sure their votes are counted on Thursday night, Trump promised to do everything he could to scare voters away. Appearing on Hannity on Fox News during the convention, Trump pledged to have law enforcement monitoring the polls. “We’re going to have sheriffs and we’re gonna have law enforcement and we’re going to have hopefully US attorneys,” he said.


motherjones--2020-08-21--Senate Republicans Stand With the Postmaster General, Even As He Admits Mail Delays

Louis DeJoy , the embattled US Postmaster General , defended recent his policy changes in recent weeks , telling the Senate Homeland Security Committee that his efforts to make the Postal Service more efficient are part of a plan to deal with the agency ’ s legacy of budget shortfalls .
DeJoy acknowledged that by “ transportation changes ” —including dispatching mail trucks without all the day ’ s mail to keep delivery chains running on time—have led to delayed mail .
Those delays , as noted by Sen. Gary Peters ( D-Mich. ) and other members of the committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paychecks .
DeJoy claimed that postal worker availability—severely limited in some areas due to the pandemic—was behind a lot of the delays , even as data suggests the biggest declines have come after DeJoy took the reins , already months into the pandemic .
But he was generally blunt in defending his moves .
When Peters asked about organizational changes he ’ s made to postal service leadership , DeJoy said the changes had no impact on mail delivery .
He insisted sorting machines removed from facilities nationwide were “ not needed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of putting them back .
He vehemently denied that changes such as the removal of those machines or the timing of mail trucks ’ movements have anything to do with a deliberate effort to hobble the postal service ahead of the fall election where , as a result of the pandemic , record numbers of voters will rely on the postal service to both receive and submit mail ballots .
His assertions stand in stark contrast to concerns and observations from postal workers around the country who say that while the postal service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the recent changes instituted by DeJoy have had quick and severe consequences .
Some postal workers have concluded the changes amount to a deliberate effort to suppress mail voting .
While the idea has been derided as a conspiracy theory by Republicans , the president has been open in both questioning the ability of the postal service to handle election mail and in his opposition to providing it funding specifically because he opposes mail voting .
“ They need that money in order to make the post office work , so it can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ballots , ” he said on August 13 to Fox Business News ‘ s Maria Bartiromo , as he explained that funding for mail voting was one of the key sticking points in the latest stalled COVID-19 relief funding negotiations .
“ If we won ’ t make a deal , that means they don ’ t get the money .
That means they can ’ t have universal mail-in voting .
They just can ’ t have it.
” At the hearing , Sen. Tom Carper , ( D-Del . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ ve got a president who doesn ’ t want to have vote-by-mail .
We ’ ve got a president who ’ d like to suppress the vote .
We ’ ve got a president who would like to see the postal service not do well.
” More than a dozen states filed a lawsuit against Trump administration earlier this week arguing that DeJoy ’ s actions would harm mail voting .
Another half-dozen filed a separate lawsuit Friday morning arguing much the same thing .
Peters launched an investigation into mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s already heard from 7,500 Michigan residents .
Legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate that would halt operational changes at the postal service , and the postal service ’ s inspector general ’ s office confirmed that it was reviewing DeJoy ’ s actions .
DeJoy ’ s testimony Friday came a day after David Williams , the former vice chair of the US Postal Service Board of Governors , told a separate congressional committee that US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had pushed the postal service to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding .
Williams said he resigned his position recently “ when it became clear to me that the administration was politicizing the Postal Service with the Treasury Secretary as the lead figure for the White House in that effort.
” His resignation came after the hiring process that landed on DeJoy and DeJoy ’ s interviews with the board , which Williams characterized as a disaster .
Williams says DeJoy was the only candidate who appeared to be unqualified , according to the New York Times .
Mnuchin has denied that he or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selection of DeJoy or in pushing for the policy changes .
Williams said that part of the White House ’ s effort had to do with Trump ’ s desire to squeeze Jeff Bezos , the owner of Amazon and of the Washington Post , and that Mnuchin was “ keenly interested ” in labor agreements , postage pricing , and volume discounts given to Amazon , UPS , and FedEx .
“ The Postal service replied to early demands from the Secretary explaining that his demands were illegal , but the concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election administration expert and senior adviser for the Elections Program at the Democracy Fund , testified alongside Williams on Friday , saying she was troubled by recent developments .
She noted that DeJoy has claimed that he has not cut overtime—a claim he repeated while testifying Friday—but cited internal memos and claims from workers that suggest that supervisors are indeed limiting and blocking overtime .
“ The tone I am hearing from this Postmaster General is a new one , ” she said , “ it is accusatory and combative where previously it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Senate committee noted that they , too , had heard from constituents about mail delays , and expressed concerns .
But most asked questions or made statements that were helpful to DeJoy .
Sen. Mike Enzi ( R-Wyo . )
used part of his time brag about the “ really efficient carriers ” in rural areas , contrasting them with the type of service he says he receives in Washington , D.C. , where he claimed mail workers are inefficient and “ eat in front of customers.
” DeJoy did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Enzi ’ s characterization .
Sen. Rand Paul ( R-Ky. ) suggested that the postal service has too many employees and that it should reduce mail delivery , especially in hard-to-reach rural areas , a suggestion even DeJoy thought went too far .
Committee chair Ron Johnson ( R-Wisc . )
ended the hearing by telling DeJoy he supports his efforts at the postal service , while acknowledging that “ there have been some unusual delays.
” But , Johnson said of the complaints his office had received , “ the vast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this could be a very well organized effort , which doesn ’ t surprise me in the slightest.
” “ I have no doubt the Democrats are ginning these issues and these problems up into something that it ’ s not , ” he said .
“ A very false narrative designed to extract a political advantage.
” Peters , the committee ’ s highest ranking Democrat , directly pushed back .
“ These are real concerns that I ’ m hearing , ” he said .
“ These are not manufactured .
@

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Louis DeJoy, the embattled US postmaster general, defended his policy changes in recent weeks, telling the Senate Homeland Security Committee that his efforts to make the Postal Service more efficient are part of a plan to deal with the agency’s legacy of budget shortfalls.
DeJoy acknowledged that by “transportation changes”—including dispatching mail trucks without all the day’s mail to keep delivery chains running on time—have led to delayed mail. Those delays, as noted by Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and other members of the committee, have slowed everything from medications to paychecks. DeJoy claimed that postal worker availability—severely limited in some areas due to the pandemic—was behind a lot of the delays, even as data suggests the biggest declines have come after DeJoy took the reins, already months into the pandemic.
DeJoy denied his changes have anything to do with a deliberate effort to hobble the postal service ahead of the election.
But he was generally blunt in defending his moves. When Peters asked about organizational changes he’s made to postal service leadership, DeJoy said the changes had no impact on mail delivery. He insisted sorting machines removed from facilities nationwide were “not needed,” and that he has no plans of putting them back. He vehemently denied that changes such as the removal of those machines or the timing of mail trucks’ movements have anything to do with a deliberate effort to hobble the postal service ahead of the fall election where, as a result of the pandemic, record numbers of voters will rely on the postal service to both receive and submit mail ballots.
His assertions stand in stark contrast to concerns and observations from postal workers around the country who say that while the postal service has had its issues for years, the recent changes instituted by DeJoy have had quick and severe consequences. Some postal workers have concluded the changes amount to a deliberate effort to suppress mail voting. While the idea has been derided as a conspiracy theory by Republicans, the president has been open in both questioning the ability of the postal service to handle election mail and in his opposition to providing it funding specifically because he opposes mail voting.
“They need that money in order to make the post office work, so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots,” he said on August 13 to Fox Business News’ Maria Bartiromo, as he explained that funding for mail voting was one of the key sticking points in the latest stalled COVID-19 relief funding negotiations. “If we won’t make a deal, that means they don’t get the money. That means they can’t have universal mail-in voting. They just can’t have it.”
At the hearing, Sen. Tom Carper, (D-Del.) highlighted this point for DeJoy: “We’ve got a president who doesn’t want to have vote-by-mail. We’ve got a president who’d like to suppress the vote. We’ve got a president who would like to see the postal service not do well.”
More than a dozen states filed a lawsuit against Trump administration earlier this week arguing that DeJoy’s actions would harm mail voting. Another half-dozen filed a separate lawsuit Friday morning arguing much the same thing. Peters launched an investigation into mail delays in early July, and says he’s already heard from 7,500 Michigan residents. Legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate that would halt operational changes at the postal service, and the postal service’s inspector general’s office confirmed that it was reviewing DeJoy’s actions.
DeJoy’s testimony Friday came a day after David Williams, the former vice chair of the US Postal Service Board of Governors, told a separate congressional committee that US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had pushed the postal service to make operational changes in exchange for agency-sustaining funding. Williams said he resigned his position recently “when it became clear to me that the administration was politicizing the Postal Service with the Treasury Secretary as the lead figure for the White House in that effort.” His resignation came after the hiring process that landed on DeJoy and DeJoy’s interviews with the board, which Williams characterized as a disaster. Williams says DeJoy was the only candidate who appeared to be unqualified, according to the New York Times.
Mnuchin has denied that he or Trump did anything improper either in the selection of DeJoy or in pushing for the policy changes.
“We’ve got a president who doesn’t want to have vote-by-mail. We’ve got a president who’d like to suppress the vote.”
Williams said that part of the White House’s effort had to do with Trump’s desire to squeeze Jeff Bezos, the owner of Amazon and of the Washington Post, and that Mnuchin was “keenly interested” in labor agreements, postage pricing, and volume discounts given to Amazon, UPS, and FedEx. “The Postal service replied to early demands from the Secretary explaining that his demands were illegal, but the concerns were ignored.”
Tammy Patrick, an election administration expert and senior adviser for the Elections Program at the Democracy Fund, testified alongside Williams on Friday, saying she was troubled by recent developments. She noted that DeJoy has claimed that he has not cut overtime—a claim he repeated while testifying Friday—but cited internal memos and claims from workers that suggest that supervisors are indeed limiting and blocking overtime.
“The tone I am hearing from this postmaster general is a new one,” she said, “it is accusatory and combative where previously it was collaborative and instructive.”
Some Republicans on the Senate committee noted that they, too, had heard from constituents about mail delays, and expressed concerns. But most asked questions or made statements that were helpful to DeJoy. Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) used part of his time brag about the “really efficient carriers” in rural areas, contrasting them with the type of service he says he receives in Washington, D.C., where he claimed mail workers are inefficient and “eat in front of customers.” DeJoy did not defend his workers or otherwise push back on Enzi’s characterization. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) suggested that the postal service has too many employees and that it should reduce mail delivery, especially in hard-to-reach rural areas, a suggestion even DeJoy thought went too far.
Committee chair Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) ended the hearing by telling DeJoy he supports his efforts at the postal service, while acknowledging that “there have been some unusual delays.” But, Johnson said of the complaints his office had received, “the vast majority seem very highly scripted, like this could be a very well organized effort, which doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.”
“I have no doubt the Democrats are ginning these issues and these problems up into something that it’s not,” he said. “A very false narrative designed to extract a political advantage.”
Peters, the committee’s highest ranking Democrat, directly pushed back. “These are real concerns that I’m hearing,” he said. “These are not manufactured.”


motherjones--2020-08-21--DeJoy Says USPS Won’t Reinstall More Than 600 Removed Mail Sorting Machines

Embattled Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testified before the US Senate on Friday that he will not reinstall more than 600 mail sorting machines that have been removed under his leadership .
Postal workers say the removal of these machines has contributed to major mail delays that could affect whether mail ballots are counted in the 2020 election .
Earlier this week , DeJoy announced that he was halting some planned changes to the USPS until after the election , following public outcry .
But he will not reverse steps that he has already taken .
“ Will you be bringing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been removed ?
” Sen. Gary Peters ( D-Mich. ) asked DeJoy during a hearing of the Senate Homeland Security & Government Affairs Committee .
“ There is no intention to do that , ” DeJoy testified .
“ They are not needed.
” USPS plants were ordered to remove 671 mail sorting machines that can efficiently process thousands of pieces of mail by the end of September .
More than 90 percent of the machines have already been removed—and won ’ t be replaced .
Many of the machines have been removed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida , 58 in Texas , 34 in Ohio , 30 in Pennsylvania , 26 in Michigan , 15 in North Carolina , 12 in Virginia , 12 in Wisconsin , and 11 in Georgia .
( This data was provided to Mother Jones by Jacob Bogage and Christopher Ingraham of the Washington Post , who have detailed removal of the machines . )
While some of the removals have been described as routine , many more machines have been removed this year compared to years past .
“ In 2018 , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of its Delivery Bar Code Sorters , or 125 machines , ” the Post reported .
“ In 2019 , it was 5 percent , or 186 machines .
The 671 on this year ’ s list amounted to about 13 percent.
” President Trump has admitted that he is refusing to fund the USPS because he doesn ’ t want mail voting to be expanded .
This latest revelation suggests that DeJoy ’ s announcement that he is reversing efforts to undercut USPS was more about public relations than tangible action—and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to handle a huge increase in mail ballots in November .
Below is a list of all the sorting machines that have been removed :

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Embattled Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testified before the US Senate on Friday that he will not reinstall more than 600 mail sorting machines that have been removed under his leadership. Postal workers say the removal of these machines has contributed to major mail delays that could affect whether mail ballots are counted in the 2020 election.
Earlier this week, DeJoy announced that he was halting some planned changes to the USPS until after the election, following public outcry. But he will not reverse steps that he has already taken.
“Will you be bringing back any mail sorting machines that have been removed?” Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) asked DeJoy during a hearing of the Senate Homeland Security & Government Affairs Committee.
“There is no intention to do that,” DeJoy testified. “They are not needed.”
USPS plants were ordered to remove 671 mail sorting machines that can efficiently process thousands of pieces of mail by the end of September. More than 90 percent of the machines have already been removed—and won’t be replaced.
Many of the machines have been removed in critical swing states: 59 in Florida, 58 in Texas, 34 in Ohio, 30 in Pennsylvania, 26 in Michigan, 15 in North Carolina, 12 in Virginia, 12 in Wisconsin, and 11 in Georgia. (This data was provided to Mother Jones by Jacob Bogage and Christopher Ingraham of the Washington Post, who have detailed removal of the machines.)
While some of the removals have been described as routine, many more machines have been removed this year compared to years past. “In 2018, for instance, the agency decommissioned about 3 percent of its Delivery Bar Code Sorters, or 125 machines,” the Post reported. “In 2019, it was 5 percent, or 186 machines. The 671 on this year’s list amounted to about 13 percent.”
President Trump has admitted that he is refusing to fund the USPS because he doesn’t want mail voting to be expanded.
This latest revelation suggests that DeJoy’s announcement that he is reversing efforts to undercut USPS was more about public relations than tangible action—and raises questions about whether USPS will be able to handle a huge increase in mail ballots in November.
Below is a list of all the sorting machines that have been removed:


motherjones--2020-08-21--Democrats Put Voting Rights Front and Center on the Convention’s Final Night


motherjones--2020-08-22--Judge Orders Trump to Pay Stormy Daniels $44,000 in Legal Fees

It ’ s been a bad week in court for President Donald Trump .
First , Steve Bannon—his former campaign chief and White House aide—was arrested and charged with defrauding donors who had supported a privately funded effort to build a border wall .
Then Trump lost his legal bid to delay handing over his tax returns to New York prosecutors .
And now , a California judge has ordered him to pay $ 44,000 in legal fees to porn star Stephanie Clifford , better known as Stormy Daniels .
The fees stem from Daniels ’ fight to be released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Trump attorney Michael Cohen in October 2016 , during the presidential campaign , in which Cohen paid her $ 130,000 in exchange for keeping quiet about her alleged affair with Trump .
Trump , who has denied having an affair with Daniels , later reimbursed Cohen for the payment .
Daniels claimed that the NDA was invalid because Trump himself never signed it .
She ultimately prevailed in the case after Trump agreed not to try to enforce the contract or to seek repayment of the $ 130,000 .
Cohen , meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prison for tax evasion and campaign finance violations related to the hush-money payment .
While the legal case was largely moot , Daniels continued to press for Trump to pay her legal fees and expenses that were required to win the case .
On Monday , a California Superior Court judge awarded her $ 44,100 in legal fees as the prevailing party but denied her motion to recoup about $ 10,000 in expenses .
Daniels and Trump have been embroiled in legal disputes for years now , and while this week ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s small change compared to what she owes Trump in legal fees from a different case .
In 2018 , represented by Michael Avanatti , Daniels filed a defamation lawsuit against Trump over a tweet that attacked her credibility .
A federal judge found Trump ’ s tweet to be protected opinion , dismissed the case , and ordered her to pay Trump nearly $ 300,000 in legal fees for a case that lasted but six months .
After the decision , Avanatti tweeted , “ We will appeal the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and are confident in a reversal.
” He added , “ There is something really rich in Trump relying on the First Amendment to justify defaming a woman.
” A few months later , Avanatti was arrested on extortion , fraud , and embezzlement charges .
He was subsequently charged with stealing nearly $ 300,000 from Daniels herself .
That case is supposed to go to trial in October .
Meanwhile , Daniels has continued to appeal the dismissal of her defamation case and the fee award—meaning that her legal battle with Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even the alleged affair that started it all .

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It’s been a bad week in court for President Donald Trump. First, Steve Bannon—his former campaign chief and White House aide—was arrested and charged with defrauding donors who had supported a privately funded effort to build a border wall. Then Trump lost his legal bid to delay handing over his tax returns to New York prosecutors. And now, a California judge has ordered him to pay $44,000 in legal fees to porn star Stephanie Clifford, better known as Stormy Daniels.
The fees stem from Daniels’ fight to be released from a nondisclosure agreement she signed with former Trump attorney Michael Cohen in October 2016, during the presidential campaign, in which Cohen paid her $130,000 in exchange for keeping quiet about her alleged affair with Trump. Trump, who has denied having an affair with Daniels, later reimbursed Cohen for the payment.
Daniels claimed that the NDA was invalid because Trump himself never signed it. She ultimately prevailed in the case after Trump agreed not to try to enforce the contract or to seek repayment of the $130,000. Cohen, meanwhile, was sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion and campaign finance violations related to the hush-money payment. While the legal case was largely moot, Daniels continued to press for Trump to pay her legal fees and expenses that were required to win the case. On Monday, a California Superior Court judge awarded her $44,100 in legal fees as the prevailing party but denied her motion to recoup about $10,000 in expenses.
Daniels and Trump have been embroiled in legal disputes for years now, and while this week’s award is a big win for Daniels, it’s small change compared to what she owes Trump in legal fees from a different case. In 2018, represented by Michael Avanatti, Daniels filed a defamation lawsuit against Trump over a tweet that attacked her credibility. A federal judge found Trump’s tweet to be protected opinion, dismissed the case, and ordered her to pay Trump nearly $300,000 in legal fees for a case that lasted but six months.
After the decision, Avanatti tweeted, “We will appeal the dismissal of the defamation cause of action and are confident in a reversal.” He added, “There is something really rich in Trump relying on the First Amendment to justify defaming a woman.” A few months later, Avanatti was arrested on extortion, fraud, and embezzlement charges. He was subsequently charged with stealing nearly $300,000 from Daniels herself. That case is supposed to go to trial in October. Meanwhile, Daniels has continued to appeal the dismissal of her defamation case and the fee award—meaning that her legal battle with Trump may last longer than his presidency or even the alleged affair that started it all.


motherjones--2020-08-23--Twitter Calls Out Trump’s Bogus Claim of Voter Fraud and Flags His Tweet

Twitter just flagged another Donald Trump tweet for making “ misleading health claims that could potentially dissuade people from participation in voting.
” At 7:25 a.m. Sunday , Trump tweeted the bogus claim that “ Democrats are using Mail Drop Boxes , which are a voter security disaster.
” He questioned their security and wrongfully said they make it possible for people to vote multiple times .
“ Also , who controls them , are they placed in Republican or Democrat areas ?
They ’ re not Covid sanitized , ” Trump wrote .
“ A big fraud !
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest notice ” on his tweet .
This is not the first time the social media platform has flagged President Trump ’ s tweets for pushing inflammatory and factually incorrect content to his 85 million followers .
In late June , Twitter placed a notice on a Trump tweet for violating its policy against abusive behavior .
And in late May , a Trump tweet was flagged for violating Twitter ’ s policy against glorification of violence and “ risk it could inspire similar actions.
” Trump ’ s Sunday morning tweet was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but of course , Facebook didn ’ t flag it or take it down .

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Twitter just flagged another Donald Trump tweet for making “misleading health claims that could potentially dissuade people from participation in voting.”
At 7:25 a.m. Sunday, Trump tweeted the bogus claim that “Democrats are using Mail Drop Boxes, which are a voter security disaster.” He questioned their security and wrongfully said they make it possible for people to vote multiple times. “Also, who controls them, are they placed in Republican or Democrat areas? They’re not Covid sanitized,” Trump wrote. “A big fraud!”
Hours later Twitter placed a “public interest notice” on his tweet.
We placed a public interest notice on this Tweet for violating our Civic Integrity Policy for making misleading health claims that could potentially dissuade people from participation in voting. https://t.co/MA6E7mBpkm — Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) August 23, 2020
This is not the first time the social media platform has flagged President Trump’s tweets for pushing inflammatory and factually incorrect content to his 85 million followers. In late June, Twitter placed a notice on a Trump tweet for violating its policy against abusive behavior.
We’ve placed a public interest notice on this Tweet for violating our policy against abusive behavior, specifically, the presence of a threat of harm against an identifiable group.https://t.co/AcmW6O6d4t — Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) June 23, 2020
And in late May, a Trump tweet was flagged for violating Twitter’s policy against glorification of violence and “risk it could inspire similar actions.”
We have placed a public interest notice on this Tweet from @realDonaldTrump. https://t.co/jau9J2edX7 — Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) May 29, 2020
Trump’s Sunday morning tweet was also a Facebook post on his page, but of course, Facebook didn’t flag it or take it down.


motherjones--2020-08-23--In a Secret Recording, Trump’s Sister Says “Donald Is Cruel” and Has No Principles

In newly released audio , President Trump ’ s sister Maryanne Trump Barry is candidly critical of her brother Donald , saying she did his homework for him and that he is , among other things , unprepared , a brat , and cruel .
“ It ’ s the phoniness of it all .
It ’ s the phoniness and this cruelty .
Donald is cruel , ” Barry told her niece Mary Trump in a conversation that Mary Trump secretly recorded .
The Washington Post reported the story Saturday after it was given transcripts and audio of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All he wants to do is appeal to his base , ” Barry said .
“ He has no principles .
None .
None .
And his base , I mean my God , if you were a religious person , you want to help people .
Not do this.
” Mary Trump is the only person in Trump ’ s family to have publicly spoken badly of him .
Last month , she spoke with Mother Jones about her tell-all book , Too Much and Never Enough : How My Family Created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which my colleague David Corn described as “ a harrowing account of a man and a clan shaped by ego , rivalry , the pursuit of wealth , and profound pathology.
” Barry , who is about ten years older than the president , had not spoken negatively about her brother in the past .
At one point in the conversation with her niece , the former federal judge seemed to almost stop herself , saying that she was “ talking too freely.
” Barry , 83 , was aghast at how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ His goddamned tweet and lying , oh my God , ” she said .
“ I ’ m talking too freely , but you know .
The change of stories .
The lack of preparation .
The lying .
Holy shit.
” Lamenting “ what they ’ re doing with kids at the border , ” she guessed her brother “ hasn ’ t read my immigration opinions ” in court cases .
In one case , she berated a judge for failing to treat an asylum applicant respectfully .
Mary Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 15 hours of conversations with Barry in 2018 and 2019 .
Barry had been out of the public eye until Trump told Fox News in 2018 that “ maybe I ’ ll have to put her at the border , ” to stop the thousands of families seeking asylum at the US border .
This was also around the time the Trump administration was separating families at the border .
The White House responded to the Washington Post after the story was published , with a statement that read : “ Every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who cares .
I miss my brother , and I ’ ll continue to work hard for the American people .
Not everyone agrees , but the results are obvious .
Our country will soon be stronger than ever before !
”

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In newly released audio, President Trump’s sister Maryanne Trump Barry is candidly critical of her brother Donald, saying she did his homework for him and that he is, among other things, unprepared, a brat, and cruel.
“It’s the phoniness of it all. It’s the phoniness and this cruelty. Donald is cruel,” Barry told her niece Mary Trump in a conversation that Mary Trump secretly recorded. The Washington Post reported the story Saturday after it was given transcripts and audio of the conversation between aunt and niece.
“All he wants to do is appeal to his base,” Barry said. “He has no principles. None. None. And his base, I mean my God, if you were a religious person, you want to help people. Not do this.”
Mary Trump is the only person in Trump’s family to have publicly spoken badly of him. Last month, she spoke with Mother Jones about her tell-all book, Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man, which my colleague David Corn described as “a harrowing account of a man and a clan shaped by ego, rivalry, the pursuit of wealth, and profound pathology.”
Barry, who is about ten years older than the president, had not spoken negatively about her brother in the past. At one point in the conversation with her niece, the former federal judge seemed to almost stop herself, saying that she was “talking too freely.”
The Post‘s Michael Kranish writes:
Barry, 83, was aghast at how her 74-year-old brother operated as president. “His goddamned tweet and lying, oh my God,” she said. “I’m talking too freely, but you know. The change of stories. The lack of preparation. The lying. Holy shit.” Lamenting “what they’re doing with kids at the border,” she guessed her brother “hasn’t read my immigration opinions” in court cases. In one case, she berated a judge for failing to treat an asylum applicant respectfully.
Mary Trump told the Post that she secretly recorded about 15 hours of conversations with Barry in 2018 and 2019. Barry had been out of the public eye until Trump told Fox News in 2018 that “maybe I’ll have to put her at the border,” to stop the thousands of families seeking asylum at the US border. This was also around the time the Trump administration was separating families at the border.
Maryanne Trump Barry is not just “Trump’s sister,” she was until 2019 a respected federal judge, appointed by Reagan to the District Court of New Jersey and by Clinton to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. And these comments, which came during family separation… whew. https://t.co/361NiuNANi pic.twitter.com/rhF8AToZkm — Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick) August 23, 2020
The White House responded to the Washington Post after the story was published, with a statement that read: “Every day it’s something else, who cares. I miss my brother, and I’ll continue to work hard for the American people. Not everyone agrees, but the results are obvious. Our country will soon be stronger than ever before!”


motherjones--2020-08-24--She’s Taking the Virus Seriously. Her Neighbors Think It’s a Hoax.

Two years ago , Catherine Poole and her family were living in the Atlanta-adjacent city of Decatur , Georgia .
They had great friends and neighbors , but when they had a second child , their two-bedroom house began to feel small , so they put it on the market and began looking for a roomier place in the close-in suburbs .
But after repeatedly getting outbid , they quickly discovered that the market was hotter than they had thought .
They didn ’ t find anything in the nearest exurbs , either .
“ We got pushed out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we made was outbid by a ton .
It was insane.
” Finally , the realtor showed them a handsome house in Paulding County , an exurb community about 30 miles northwest of Atlanta .
It was big enough , and the school system was well-rated .
Poole had some misgivings : She didn ’ t love the suburban vibe , and the schools weren ’ t very diverse .
Still , the space for the price was great , so they made an offer and moved in a few weeks later .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned : As soon as she moved , Poole could tell her family didn ’ t fit in .
The neighbors seemed horrified that she had lived in Atlanta—they thought her beloved city was dangerous and crowded .
When the coronavirus pandemic arrived , things got worse .
Poole was disturbed by Gov .
Brian Kemp ’ s refusal to enact the most basic social-distancing ordinances , but her community seemed to cheer his decisions .
In early August , no sooner had schools reopened with in-person instruction when a back-to-school photo of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high school went viral .
The student who took the photo was suspended , then un-suspended a few days later .
In the wake of the ordeal , at least 12 students tested positive for COVID-19 and the school had to close for a week .
But that wasn ’ t the end of the national attention focused on Poole ’ s new home .
A widely circulated Facebook post showed Paulding County parents discouraging other parents from having their children tested for COVID-19 : A video of a school board meeting showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have children change seats to skirt the CDC rule that people who have spent 15 minutes or more within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 are considered close contacts : Meanwhile , parents in the county protested virtual learning , some of them espousing the QAnon conspiracy theory : For Poole , sentiments like these are chilling but unsurprising .
Poole , whose name has been changed to protect her privacy , is relatively new to Paulding ; she takes the pandemic seriously ; and each new incident underscored the vast rift between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she and her husband are house-hunting again .
I was curious about what it was like to live with two children in a place where the dominant values are so at odds with her own .
In a phone call last weekend , Poole told me about her increasingly alienating experience of living in Paulding County .
On her neighbors ’ perception of Atlanta : It ’ s been two years and this county still baffles me .
When we first moved in , I met some neighbors .
When we told them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Oh , God , why would you live there ?
Thank God , you moved out here and got out of that mess , huh ?
” They see Atlanta as the big , scary city , with traffic , crime , and violence .
Some other parents have said , thank God you got them out of that school system .
We were in one of the best school systems in the state , but they have a stereotype of the inner city : that there ’ s a lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just some vagrant .
Honestly , I hate to say it because you know , we ’ re neighbors , but now I kind of try to avoid them .
There are a couple of people who live in our neighborhood who I do get along with and are super nice and very friendly .
But I still drive down to Atlanta to hang out with my real true friends .
On life in the pandemic : Starting in March , we were very secluded .
My husband immediately started working from home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I quit .
The kids were home .
We played in the front yard and the backyard , and that was it .
Going off mostly Facebook posts of people I know , I could immediately tell their viewpoint on it .
“ Masks are for sheep and you ’ re gon na lose oxygen , ” all that .
On social media in Paulding County : I ’ m on a bunch of Paulding County Facebook pages .
There ’ s the official Paulding County School page , and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And then there ’ s three or four other pages that I follow .
One page is usually about local politics—people running for office .
But when school was coming up , every day it was , “ You can ’ t keep my kids home .
This is all a hoax , and we ’ re going to keep kids home for nothing .
It ’ s the flu !
” And then there ’ s the “ don ’ t worry , in November this will all disappear ” posts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agenda to keep the kids out of school.
” Some of these are crazy conspiracy theorists , so far out that they just don ’ t even make sense .
Also , I ’ m on the unofficial Paulding County schools page , which is mostly parents .
I ’ d say about 98 percent of the posts are about how we have to return to school face to face .
“ Don ’ t you dare try and force my child to wear a mask .
That ’ s my civil liberties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights.
” There was even one woman who said something like , “ Masks terrify my child .
If I send my child to school and his teacher is wearing a mask , he ’ s going to have PTSD for the rest of his life.
” And people are agreeing .
They ’ re going , “ You ’ re absolutely right.
” Every now and then there ’ s a single post like , “ Hey , guys , really , what ’ s the big deal if we mandated masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem that would come from that ?
” And they get ripped apart .
The tone has changed slightly since those photos came out of the school .
“ Let ’ s pray for our staff and students that they remain safe.
” But that ’ s just some people .
The overall consensus is still , “ I ’ m not gon na wear a mask , and you ’ re an idiot for wearing a mask.
” On one of the pages , someone was making masks and said , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this mask.
” His example was , “ Stay six feet back.
” And then another one had a smiley face .
And people were laughing at it and going , “ good job selling something that doesn ’ t work.
” And then someone says , “ Hey , would you print ‘ this mask does absolutely nothing ’ on a mask ?
” Then someone else said , “ Will you make one that says ‘ this is a hoax ’ ” ?
On parents discouraging other parents from having their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that post .
Basically , I think the woman was saying that her son ’ s bus buddy tested positive , and they said that either her son needed to quarantine or get a test .
And it was just this rant of , “ All we ’ re doing is increasing numbers and making our county look bad .
The more cases that we have , the more that show up .
They ’ re going to shut us down.
” I think all they care about is that they don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school before COVID-19 : I really liked the middle school .
I liked the teachers—they were very responsive .
I would get an email that said my daughter failed a test .
And then a couple of days later , I would get a phone call from the teacher just to check in and let us know why she failed .
It wasn ’ t just one teacher , it was all them .
Even when they had to go virtual starting in March , I was getting phone calls and emails every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you today to talk you through this virtual stuff ?
” I was really impressed .
In June or July , they sent out a survey for input on the 2021 school year .
I would have wanted a hybrid option , maybe two days in , two days off .
But there wasn ’ t an option for hybrid .
It was , “ How do you feel about sending your kids back to school ?
” And then , “ If we offered a virtual option , would you take it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about masks , nothing about social distancing , nothing about class sizes .
That was all from the school board .
I ’ m personally impressed with the middle school teachers , but I think the problem is the school board .
On her daughter ’ s impressions of what ’ s going on : I don ’ t think she really understands .
She has asked , “ Why is it so hard for people to wear masks ?
” I try not to be negative around my kids .
I just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s a personal choice right now and some people choose to wear them and some people choose to not wear them.
” We went to go visit my parents , and we all got tested just to make sure that we were negative before we went up there .
My daughter said , “ Well , what if it was wrong ?
What if we ’ re sick and we don ’ t know it , and we get someone sick ?
” She ’ s very concerned about the health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know how it ’ s become politicized .
She doesn ’ t really understand that .
On life going forward : I went from the shock and awe of moving here and thinking “ Wow , these people are crazy ” to “ I can ’ t change these people.
” I ’ ve become numb to it all .
There ’ s really nothing personally I can do to change people ’ s minds .
If we do interact with neighbors , it ’ s when they ’ re out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll say , “ Hey , how you doing ?
” and that ’ s pretty much it .
We ’ re not going to restaurants .
We just stay home .
We ’ re doing what we have to do as a family to keep ourselves safe .

Two years ago, Catherine Poole and her family were living in the Atlanta-adjacent city of Decatur, Georgia. They had great friends and neighbors, but when they had a second child, their two-bedroom house began to feel small, so they put it on the market and began looking for a roomier place in the close-in suburbs. But after repeatedly getting outbid, they quickly discovered that the market was hotter than they had thought. They didn’t find anything in the nearest exurbs, either. “We got pushed out,” Poole remembers. “Every offer we made was outbid by a ton. It was insane.”
Finally, the realtor showed them a handsome house in Paulding County, an exurb community about 30 miles northwest of Atlanta. It was big enough, and the school system was well-rated. Poole had some misgivings: She didn’t love the suburban vibe, and the schools weren’t very diverse. Still, the space for the price was great, so they made an offer and moved in a few weeks later.
Things haven’t exactly gone as planned: As soon as she moved, Poole could tell her family didn’t fit in. The neighbors seemed horrified that she had lived in Atlanta—they thought her beloved city was dangerous and crowded. When the coronavirus pandemic arrived, things got worse. Poole was disturbed by Gov. Brian Kemp’s refusal to enact the most basic social-distancing ordinances, but her community seemed to cheer his decisions.
Poole was disturbed by Gov. Brian Kemp’s refusal to enact the most basic social-distancing ordinances, but her community seemed to cheer his decisions.
In early August, no sooner had schools reopened with in-person instruction when a back-to-school photo of a crowded hallway at North Paulding County high school went viral. The student who took the photo was suspended, then un-suspended a few days later. In the wake of the ordeal, at least 12 students tested positive for COVID-19 and the school had to close for a week.
But that wasn’t the end of the national attention focused on Poole’s new home. A widely circulated Facebook post showed Paulding County parents discouraging other parents from having their children tested for COVID-19:
A video of a school board meeting showed a school board member suggesting that schools have children change seats to skirt the CDC rule that people who have spent 15 minutes or more within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 are considered close contacts:
Per the Georgia Department of Health, schools are required to classify anyone who has been within 6 feet of a covid victim for 15 mins or more as a close contact. Theresa Lyons, who sits on the Paulding County BOE, suggested students change seats every 14 mins to get around this. pic.twitter.com/TLRlTr8ua1 — 🇯🇲Black🇭🇹Aziz🇳🇬aNANsi🇹🇹 (@Freeyourmindkid) August 8, 2020
Meanwhile, parents in the county protested virtual learning, some of them espousing the QAnon conspiracy theory:
At least one Q-anon supporter showed up at the Paulding County Board of Education meeting to demand that schools remain open. pic.twitter.com/irP0plaBMf — 🇯🇲Black🇭🇹Aziz🇳🇬aNANsi🇹🇹 (@Freeyourmindkid) August 11, 2020
For Poole, sentiments like these are chilling but unsurprising. Poole, whose name has been changed to protect her privacy, is relatively new to Paulding; she takes the pandemic seriously; and each new incident underscored the vast rift between her and her neighbors. Now, she and her husband are house-hunting again. I was curious about what it was like to live with two children in a place where the dominant values are so at odds with her own. In a phone call last weekend, Poole told me about her increasingly alienating experience of living in Paulding County.
On her neighbors’ perception of Atlanta: It’s been two years and this county still baffles me. When we first moved in, I met some neighbors. When we told them we moved from Atlanta, they said, “Oh, God, why would you live there? Thank God, you moved out here and got out of that mess, huh?” They see Atlanta as the big, scary city, with traffic, crime, and violence. Some other parents have said, thank God you got them out of that school system. We were in one of the best school systems in the state, but they have a stereotype of the inner city: that there’s a lack of education, that everyone’s just some vagrant. Honestly, I hate to say it because you know, we’re neighbors, but now I kind of try to avoid them. There are a couple of people who live in our neighborhood who I do get along with and are super nice and very friendly. But I still drive down to Atlanta to hang out with my real true friends.
On life in the pandemic: Starting in March, we were very secluded. My husband immediately started working from home. I was working at a restaurant, and I quit. The kids were home. We played in the front yard and the backyard, and that was it. Going off mostly Facebook posts of people I know, I could immediately tell their viewpoint on it. “Masks are for sheep and you’re gonna lose oxygen,” all that.
Going off mostly Facebook posts of people I know, I could immediately tell their viewpoint on it. “Masks are for sheep and you’re gonna lose oxygen.”
On social media in Paulding County: I’m on a bunch of Paulding County Facebook pages. There’s the official Paulding County Schools page, and then my daughter’s middle school page. And then there’s three or four other pages that I follow. One page is usually about local politics—people running for office. But when school was coming up, every day it was, “You can’t keep my kids home. This is all a hoax, and we’re going to keep kids home for nothing. It’s the flu!” And then there’s the “don’t worry, in November this will all disappear” posts. And “this is a liberal agenda to keep the kids out of school.” Some of these are crazy conspiracy theorists, so far out that they just don’t even make sense.
Also, I’m on the unofficial Paulding County schools page, which is mostly parents. I’d say about 98 percent of the posts are about how we have to return to school face to face. “Don’t you dare try and force my child to wear a mask. That’s my civil liberties. It’s infringing on my rights.” There was even one woman who said something like, “Masks terrify my child. If I send my child to school and his teacher is wearing a mask, he’s going to have PTSD for the rest of his life.” And people are agreeing. They’re going, “You’re absolutely right.” Every now and then there’s a single post like, “Hey, guys, really, what’s the big deal if we mandated masks, like what’s the biggest problem that would come from that?” And they get ripped apart. The tone has changed slightly since those photos came out of the school. “Let’s pray for our staff and students that they remain safe.” But that’s just some people. The overall consensus is still, “I’m not gonna wear a mask, and you’re an idiot for wearing a mask.”
On one of the pages, someone was making masks and said, “I can put anything you want on this mask.” His example was, “Stay six feet back.” And then another one had a smiley face. And people were laughing at it and going, “good job selling something that doesn’t work.” And then someone says, “Hey, would you print ‘this mask does absolutely nothing’ on a mask?” Then someone else said, “Will you make one that says ‘this is a hoax’”?
On parents discouraging other parents from having their kids tested for COVID-19: I saw that post. Basically, I think the woman was saying that her son’s bus buddy tested positive, and they said that either her son needed to quarantine or get a test. And it was just this rant of, “All we’re doing is increasing numbers and making our county look bad. The more cases that we have, the more that show up. They’re going to shut us down.” I think all they care about is that they don’t want these kids virtual.
On school before COVID-19: I really liked the middle school. I liked the teachers—they were very responsive. I would get an email that said my daughter failed a test. And then a couple of days later, I would get a phone call from the teacher just to check in and let us know why she failed. It wasn’t just one teacher, it was all them. Even when they had to go virtual starting in March, I was getting phone calls and emails every day. “How can I help you today to talk you through this virtual stuff?” I was really impressed.
In June or July, they sent out a survey for input on the 2021 school year. I would have wanted a hybrid option, maybe two days in, two days off. But there wasn’t an option for hybrid. It was, “How do you feel about sending your kids back to school?” And then, “If we offered a virtual option, would you take it? Yes or no?” Nothing about masks, nothing about social distancing, nothing about class sizes. That was all from the school board. I’m personally impressed with the middle school teachers, but I think the problem is the school board.
On her daughter’s impressions of what’s going on: I don’t think she really understands. She has asked, “Why is it so hard for people to wear masks?” I try not to be negative around my kids. I just say, “You know, because it’s a personal choice right now and some people choose to wear them and some people choose to not wear them.”
We went to go visit my parents, and we all got tested just to make sure that we were negative before we went up there. My daughter said, “Well, what if it was wrong? What if we’re sick and we don’t know it, and we get someone sick?” She’s very concerned about the health aspect of it, but she doesn’t know how it’s become politicized. She doesn’t really understand that.
On life going forward: I went from the shock and awe of moving here and thinking “Wow, these people are crazy” to “I can’t change these people.” I’ve become numb to it all. There’s really nothing personally I can do to change people’s minds. If we do interact with neighbors, it’s when they’re out cutting their grass or something and we’ll say, “Hey, how you doing?” and that’s pretty much it. We’re not going to restaurants. We just stay home. We’re doing what we have to do as a family to keep ourselves safe.


motherjones--2020-08-21--Senate Republicans Stand With the Postmaster General, Even as He Admits Mail Delays

Louis DeJoy , the embattled US postmaster general , defended recent his policy changes in recent weeks , telling the Senate Homeland Security Committee that his efforts to make the Postal Service more efficient are part of a plan to deal with the agency ’ s legacy of budget shortfalls .
DeJoy acknowledged that by “ transportation changes ” —including dispatching mail trucks without all the day ’ s mail to keep delivery chains running on time—have led to delayed mail .
Those delays , as noted by Sen. Gary Peters ( D-Mich. ) and other members of the committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paychecks .
DeJoy claimed that postal worker availability—severely limited in some areas due to the pandemic—was behind a lot of the delays , even as data suggests the biggest declines have come after DeJoy took the reins , already months into the pandemic .
But he was generally blunt in defending his moves .
When Peters asked about organizational changes he ’ s made to postal service leadership , DeJoy said the changes had no impact on mail delivery .
He insisted sorting machines removed from facilities nationwide were “ not needed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of putting them back .
He vehemently denied that changes such as the removal of those machines or the timing of mail trucks ’ movements have anything to do with a deliberate effort to hobble the postal service ahead of the fall election where , as a result of the pandemic , record numbers of voters will rely on the postal service to both receive and submit mail ballots .
His assertions stand in stark contrast to concerns and observations from postal workers around the country who say that while the postal service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the recent changes instituted by DeJoy have had quick and severe consequences .
Some postal workers have concluded the changes amount to a deliberate effort to suppress mail voting .
While the idea has been derided as a conspiracy theory by Republicans , the president has been open in both questioning the ability of the postal service to handle election mail and in his opposition to providing it funding specifically because he opposes mail voting .
“ They need that money in order to make the post office work , so it can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ballots , ” he said on August 13 to Fox Business News ‘ s Maria Bartiromo , as he explained that funding for mail voting was one of the key sticking points in the latest stalled COVID-19 relief funding negotiations .
“ If we won ’ t make a deal , that means they don ’ t get the money .
That means they can ’ t have universal mail-in voting .
They just can ’ t have it.
” At the hearing , Sen. Tom Carper , ( D-Del . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ ve got a president who doesn ’ t want to have vote-by-mail .
We ’ ve got a president who ’ d like to suppress the vote .
We ’ ve got a president who would like to see the postal service not do well.
” More than a dozen states filed a lawsuit against Trump administration earlier this week arguing that DeJoy ’ s actions would harm mail voting .
Another half-dozen filed a separate lawsuit Friday morning arguing much the same thing .
Peters launched an investigation into mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s already heard from 7,500 Michigan residents .
Legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate that would halt operational changes at the postal service , and the postal service ’ s inspector general ’ s office confirmed that it was reviewing DeJoy ’ s actions .
DeJoy ’ s testimony Friday came a day after David Williams , the former vice chair of the US Postal Service Board of Governors , told a separate congressional committee that US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had pushed the postal service to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding .
Williams said he resigned his position recently “ when it became clear to me that the administration was politicizing the Postal Service with the Treasury Secretary as the lead figure for the White House in that effort.
” His resignation came after the hiring process that landed on DeJoy and DeJoy ’ s interviews with the board , which Williams characterized as a disaster .
Williams says DeJoy was the only candidate who appeared to be unqualified , according to the New York Times .
Mnuchin has denied that he or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selection of DeJoy or in pushing for the policy changes .
Williams said that part of the White House ’ s effort had to do with Trump ’ s desire to squeeze Jeff Bezos , the owner of Amazon and of the Washington Post , and that Mnuchin was “ keenly interested ” in labor agreements , postage pricing , and volume discounts given to Amazon , UPS , and FedEx .
“ The Postal service replied to early demands from the Secretary explaining that his demands were illegal , but the concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election administration expert and senior adviser for the Elections Program at the Democracy Fund , testified alongside Williams on Friday , saying she was troubled by recent developments .
She noted that DeJoy has claimed that he has not cut overtime—a claim he repeated while testifying Friday—but cited internal memos and claims from workers that suggest that supervisors are indeed limiting and blocking overtime .
“ The tone I am hearing from this postmaster general is a new one , ” she said , “ it is accusatory and combative where previously it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Senate committee noted that they , too , had heard from constituents about mail delays , and expressed concerns .
But most asked questions or made statements that were helpful to DeJoy .
Sen. Mike Enzi ( R-Wyo . )
used part of his time brag about the “ really efficient carriers ” in rural areas , contrasting them with the type of service he says he receives in Washington , D.C. , where he claimed mail workers are inefficient and “ eat in front of customers.
” DeJoy did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Enzi ’ s characterization .
Sen. Rand Paul ( R-Ky. ) suggested that the postal service has too many employees and that it should reduce mail delivery , especially in hard-to-reach rural areas , a suggestion even DeJoy thought went too far .
Committee chair Ron Johnson ( R-Wisc . )
ended the hearing by telling DeJoy he supports his efforts at the postal service , while acknowledging that “ there have been some unusual delays.
” But , Johnson said of the complaints his office had received , “ the vast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this could be a very well organized effort , which doesn ’ t surprise me in the slightest.
” “ I have no doubt the Democrats are ginning these issues and these problems up into something that it ’ s not , ” he said .
“ A very false narrative designed to extract a political advantage.
” Peters , the committee ’ s highest ranking Democrat , directly pushed back .
“ These are real concerns that I ’ m hearing , ” he said .
“ These are not manufactured .
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