vox--2020-02-13--Edie Falco will always tell you exactly what she thinks, like it or not

When you interview Edie Falco , you ’ re in for a ride .
Even if she disagrees with the premise of your question — as she did when I tried to ask her about her acting process — she ’ ll tell you exactly what she thinks and spin you in a brand new direction entirely .
Where some actors remain tightly focused and pinned to their talking points , Falco is always game for whatever you throw at her .
Though she had been working steadily for over a decade when she was cast on the groundbreaking drama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work as Carmela Soprano , the endlessly compromised wife of Tony Soprano , shot her to stardom .
She won three Emmys across the show ’ s six seasons , which ran from 1999 to 2007 .
After that , she joined Showtime ’ s Nurse Jackie as the title character , an addict nurse just trying to hold her life together .
She played that role for seven seasons , from 2009 to 2015 , and won another Emmy .
So when she signed on for CBS ’ s new drama Tommy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tommy ” Thomas , the first woman chief of police in the history of the Los Angeles Police Department — the show ’ s profile immediately rose .
Tommy debuted last week , and though its early episodes reflect the growing pains you might expect of any network TV show in its first season , it ’ s nicely idiosyncratic and quirky for a CBS cop show , engaged with modern sociopolitical issues but also possessed of a dark streak of humor that keeps it lively .
Meanwhile , its personal storylines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to date women in a brand new city , go beyond those of the typical police drama .
Despite the show ’ s flaws , it ’ s clear why an actress of Falco ’ s caliber was attracted to it .
But her casting also led to a lot of big questions , about the ways she ’ s come to think about the role of policing in 2020 , about the fact that she ’ s playing a lesbian when she isn ’ t one herself , and about just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centrally about Los Angeles is filming in New York .
( Okay , maybe that last one isn ’ t a “ big question , ” but as an Angeleno , I had to ask . )
Falco and I recently met in Pasadena , California , to talk about those issues and so much more .
Our conversation , which has been lightly edited for length and clarity , follows .
I ’ ve heard you say that you like to watch documentaries about police officers .
What have you learned from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ ve played a cop in decades .
I played a prison warden in Oz .
That ’ s the closest .
But the way cop shows are done — it ’ s like , [ excited voice ] “ There he is .
It ’ s the perp.
” But these guys [ real cops ] are so chill .
They do this all day and all night , many of them for their whole lives .
They ’ re not going to ratchet up on the excitement level to where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I immediately become disengaged when I see that in a cop show .
When I see these guys on [ A & E documentary series ] The First 48 , they ’ re deeply passionate about finding the bad guy , but there ’ s something so low-level about their demeanor .
I find that really engaging .
When you watch those shows , do they give you a sense of what separates effective policing from ineffective policing , of which we have so many examples ?
An open mind .
I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what ’ s right and what ’ s wrong .
She ’ s got a pretty clear center as far as that ’ s concerned .
It isn ’ t as easy as one might think to implement that when you ’ ve got so many different variables .
It ’ s another in a long line of jobs I would not want to have .
Different characters I ’ ve played , I ’ m like , “ I don ’ t want to do that.
” There is so much at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s being clear about what is right and knowing that there are other people with other points of view that need listening to .
When you were developing this character , did you try to incorporate anything from the people you saw on the documentaries ?
If there is some sort of process that I have , I am unaware of it .
It happens on some sort of subconscious level .
And oftentimes , the period of time from when I say yes to when we start shooting is very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t a ton of time to do any preparation — which is not to say I would do it even if there was time .
Whatever it is that happens , happens on a subconscious level .
I read an interview recently with Anthony Hopkins , talking about The Two Popes , where he ’ s playing a real person .
The interviewer asked , “ What kind of research do you do ?
” And he said , “ I did none.
” And I almost jumped through my ceiling with joy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He knows how to be a person !
He knows what people believe in .
I have some actor friends who kid me about the fact that I don ’ t really do research , that whatever research I do , I do in my day-to-day life just about being a human .
What people do for a living is often one of the smaller parts of the stories that we tell .
There are a million people who aren ’ t going to agree with me on that , but this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Do you get a lot of questions like that , about your process ?
Writers tend to over-intellectualize .
We think so much about everything .
But when I sit down to write something , it ’ s coming from somewhere I don ’ t really think about .
The writers and the painters that I am most moved by , I ’ ll see their work , and I ’ m like , “ Oh , my God .
So , that ’ s probably because in your earlier works ... ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have no idea .
I just painted it.
” Something comes through you , and I think it ’ s language-less .
You ’ ve had the great luxury of playing a character for a very long time , twice now .
So , what do you look for when you take on a TV project , knowing it could take up years of your life ?
Well , I never assume that .
I ’ ve been doing this long enough to know that you really don ’ t know anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I thought were going to be the next big chapter of my life that fell apart .
I did a little thing [ The Sopranos ] as a whim , and that turned into the next 10 years of my life .
So , I don ’ t ever think in those terms .
I go by reading the pilot .
I find it interesting .
I don ’ t want to put it down .
My system becomes activated — whatever that means .
That ’ s how I know .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Oh , I ’ ve got to play this person ” ?
The writing was smart .
The dialogue was the way people really talk .
Tommy had dimensions .
She had a private life .
There were things about her that I felt gave her more than you often see in some of these cop shows or in any shows .
And also she was funny .
We had some quippy comments that all the characters said that I actually laughed out loud at .
I ’ ve read enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be .
Ooh , boy .
[ Laughs . ]
Depending on how much I want to work I ’ m like , “ Well , I mean , I could do this.
” I ’ m so glad I know enough to walk away from some of those .
There ’ s an aspect to Tommy about her sexual orientation that 20 years ago would have been the center of her character .
“ She ’ s a lesbian !
” But on this show , it ’ s just another thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you to play — finding a way to work in that personal aspect of the character amid all of the other stuff ?
I love the idea that she ’ s gay and that it isn ’ t a part of the way she ’ s identifying herself necessarily .
I hope we get to the point in the future where a person ’ s sexual orientation is irrelevant .
I mean , why is that something that has anything to do with her ability to do this job ?
It is one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am not gay , but I know , if I imagine , quite a bit about what it ’ s like to be gay .
There ’ s a person whose eyes you look into and you love them .
Why does anything else about that matter ?
It ’ s something I ’ ve never quite understood .
There will be people who disagree with me or may not like the answer .
I ’ m being honest with you .
I have a gay friend who said that growing up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Best .
It ’ s a man and a woman , and they ’ re always kissing and falling in love .
And he just thought , obviously there ’ s something wrong with me because never do I see a boy falling in love with a boy .
The only way you know how to grow up is you see yourself represented around you , either in your parents or in culture .
We ’ re a little late to the game with this .
But let people see themselves so that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loves other women and she ’ s the chief of police and she has a daughter .
Both The Sopranos and Nurse Jackie had incredible ensemble casts , and you might tune in for the main character but then become just as interested in the other characters .
And so much of television is about building out ensembles .
How do you try to nurture those relationships and performances throughout the cast ?
It ’ s interesting , because Tommy is about the police department in a huge city , so it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cast this , only then did I realize that I have not worked with a lot of people who aren ’ t white .
Nurse Jackie was certainly closer , but not close enough .
I saw tapes of a million actors who I had never seen before .
I ’ d never heard their name .
I ’ d never seen their work .
It was so exciting .
And the people that we found are so talented and so different and bring such different experience to the table .
The areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the things they experienced as kids .
I ’ m talking about the actors themselves now and what they can bring to their roles .
One of the many things I loved about making this show is how it made me realize how small-minded my own experience was and what a pleasure that I get to have this kind of growth as a person in the midst of my workday .
What do you respond to when you watch an audition tape ?
What gets you excited about another actor ?
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe them ?
Do they carry with them a certain confidence ?
My dear beloved Merritt Wever , whom I adore from Nurse Jackie , I remember seeing her audition for the first time .
She really is that girl who walked off the stage after her [ extremely brief Emmy acceptance ] speech that time .
She really hates all this stuff .
But when she started to read the lines , she snapped into this confidence of who this character was .
It was breathtaking .
Does this actor believe themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what I respond to .
You ’ re filming most of Tommy in New York , even though it ’ s about the Los Angeles Police Department .
What was important to you about making sure you could continue to film in New York instead of coming to LA ?
I shot [ Law & Order : True Crime ] in Los Angeles over three months .
It was very hard for me to be away from home .
I have two kids who are in school .
I ’ m a single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just pick up and leave .
It ’ s traumatizing for them , it ’ s traumatizing for me .
So I ’ ve set that stipulation for myself , more or less , that if I ’ m going to do something long term , that may be a series , it ’ s got to be in New York .
My own experience with being a New Yorker and having flavors of LA in my life is pretty much exactly what the character is going through , so that worked out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing in New York .
I came here to Los Angeles for one day to shoot .
And the rest is just people come and shoot B-roll stuff of people skating down the Venice boardwalk to make sure people know this is where this is .
I just have to make sure you ’ re not a New Yorker who irrationally hates Los Angeles for no reason .
It ’ s beautiful .
Look at this weather .
It ’ s just not home .
We ’ re living in a time when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the communities they are supposed to serve and protect , especially communities of color , is something we ’ re thinking and rethinking constantly .
Did playing a chief of police change how you thought about that issue at all ?
I don ’ t know .
There are good people and bad people and there are good cops and bad cops .
The truth is , I don ’ t really think anybody starts out bad , people or cops .
To go into that line of work , you ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that wants to serve the populace , that wants there to be justice .
And I think people in the course of their jobs and the course of their lives can start to have influences that may pull one way or another .
And who knows [ what can happen ] when people are vulnerable ?
People are swerved around all different ways .
[ This character ] understands that about people in general .
It ’ s part of the human condition .
But she really is pretty steady in her understanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That ’ s what ’ s guiding her .
Changing a whole system is much harder than changing people .
It ’ s on a granular level and it ’ s not going to be done quickly .
You ’ ve got to take a little piece at a time and just keep doing the right thing .
Tommy airs Thursdays at 10 pm Eastern on CBS .
Previous episodes are available on CBS All Access .

When you interview Edie Falco, you’re in for a ride. Even if she disagrees with the premise of your question — as she did when I tried to ask her about her acting process — she’ll tell you exactly what she thinks and spin you in a brand new direction entirely. Where some actors remain tightly focused and pinned to their talking points, Falco is always game for whatever you throw at her.
Though she had been working steadily for over a decade when she was cast on the groundbreaking drama The Sopranos, her complex and riveting work as Carmela Soprano, the endlessly compromised wife of Tony Soprano, shot her to stardom. She won three Emmys across the show’s six seasons, which ran from 1999 to 2007. After that, she joined Showtime’s Nurse Jackie as the title character, an addict nurse just trying to hold her life together. She played that role for seven seasons, from 2009 to 2015, and won another Emmy.
So when she signed on for CBS’s new drama Tommy — in which she plays Abigail “Tommy” Thomas, the first woman chief of police in the history of the Los Angeles Police Department — the show’s profile immediately rose. Tommy debuted last week, and though its early episodes reflect the growing pains you might expect of any network TV show in its first season, it’s nicely idiosyncratic and quirky for a CBS cop show, engaged with modern sociopolitical issues but also possessed of a dark streak of humor that keeps it lively. Meanwhile, its personal storylines, in which Tommy navigates being a lesbian trying to date women in a brand new city, go beyond those of the typical police drama. Despite the show’s flaws, it’s clear why an actress of Falco’s caliber was attracted to it.
But her casting also led to a lot of big questions, about the ways she’s come to think about the role of policing in 2020, about the fact that she’s playing a lesbian when she isn’t one herself, and about just why a show whose premise is so centrally about Los Angeles is filming in New York. (Okay, maybe that last one isn’t a “big question,” but as an Angeleno, I had to ask.)
Falco and I recently met in Pasadena, California, to talk about those issues and so much more. Our conversation, which has been lightly edited for length and clarity, follows.
Emily VanDerWerff
I’ve heard you say that you like to watch documentaries about police officers. What have you learned from those? This is the first time you’ve played a cop in decades.
Edie Falco
I played a prison warden in Oz. That’s the closest. But the way cop shows are done — it’s like, [excited voice] “There he is. It’s the perp.” But these guys [real cops] are so chill. They do this all day and all night, many of them for their whole lives. They’re not going to ratchet up on the excitement level to where a lot of actors play them.
I immediately become disengaged when I see that in a cop show. When I see these guys on [A&E documentary series] The First 48, they’re deeply passionate about finding the bad guy, but there’s something so low-level about their demeanor. I find that really engaging.
Emily VanDerWerff
When you watch those shows, do they give you a sense of what separates effective policing from ineffective policing, of which we have so many examples?
Edie Falco
An open mind. I think [Tommy] is very clear about what’s right and what’s wrong. She’s got a pretty clear center as far as that’s concerned. It isn’t as easy as one might think to implement that when you’ve got so many different variables.
It’s another in a long line of jobs I would not want to have. Different characters I’ve played, I’m like, “I don’t want to do that.” There is so much at stake here. Life-and-death stuff. But it’s being clear about what is right and knowing that there are other people with other points of view that need listening to.
Emily VanDerWerff
When you were developing this character, did you try to incorporate anything from the people you saw on the documentaries?
Edie Falco
If there is some sort of process that I have, I am unaware of it. It happens on some sort of subconscious level. And oftentimes, the period of time from when I say yes to when we start shooting is very short, so there really isn’t a ton of time to do any preparation — which is not to say I would do it even if there was time. Whatever it is that happens, happens on a subconscious level.
I read an interview recently with Anthony Hopkins, talking about The Two Popes, where he’s playing a real person. The interviewer asked, “What kind of research do you do?” And he said, “I did none.” And I almost jumped through my ceiling with joy because he knows what’s involved. He knows how to be a person! He knows what people believe in.
I have some actor friends who kid me about the fact that I don’t really do research, that whatever research I do, I do in my day-to-day life just about being a human. What people do for a living is often one of the smaller parts of the stories that we tell. There are a million people who aren’t going to agree with me on that, but this is how it works for me.
Emily VanDerWerff
Do you get a lot of questions like that, about your process? Writers tend to over-intellectualize. We think so much about everything. But when I sit down to write something, it’s coming from somewhere I don’t really think about.
Edie Falco
The writers and the painters that I am most moved by, I’ll see their work, and I’m like, “Oh, my God. So, that’s probably because in your earlier works ...” And they’re like, “I have no idea. I just painted it.” Something comes through you, and I think it’s language-less.
Emily VanDerWerff
You’ve had the great luxury of playing a character for a very long time, twice now. So, what do you look for when you take on a TV project, knowing it could take up years of your life?
Edie Falco
Well, I never assume that. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that you really don’t know anything. I did pilots very early on that I thought were going to be the next big chapter of my life that fell apart. I did a little thing [The Sopranos] as a whim, and that turned into the next 10 years of my life.
So, I don’t ever think in those terms. I go by reading the pilot. I find it interesting. I don’t want to put it down. My system becomes activated — whatever that means. That’s how I know.
Emily VanDerWerff
What about this pilot made you think, “Oh, I’ve got to play this person”?
Edie Falco
The writing was smart. The dialogue was the way people really talk. Tommy had dimensions. She had a private life. There were things about her that I felt gave her more than you often see in some of these cop shows or in any shows. And also she was funny. We had some quippy comments that all the characters said that I actually laughed out loud at.
Emily VanDerWerff
I’ve read enough scripts to know how unusual that can be.
Edie Falco
Ooh, boy. [Laughs.] Depending on how much I want to work I’m like, “Well, I mean, I could do this.” I’m so glad I know enough to walk away from some of those.
Emily VanDerWerff
There’s an aspect to Tommy about her sexual orientation that 20 years ago would have been the center of her character. “She’s a lesbian!” But on this show, it’s just another thing about her. Was that interesting to you to play — finding a way to work in that personal aspect of the character amid all of the other stuff?
Edie Falco
I love the idea that she’s gay and that it isn’t a part of the way she’s identifying herself necessarily. I hope we get to the point in the future where a person’s sexual orientation is irrelevant. I mean, why is that something that has anything to do with her ability to do this job? It is one characteristic of many in her.
I am not gay, but I know, if I imagine, quite a bit about what it’s like to be gay. There’s a person whose eyes you look into and you love them. Why does anything else about that matter? It’s something I’ve never quite understood. There will be people who disagree with me or may not like the answer. I’m being honest with you.
I have a gay friend who said that growing up, he would see shows like Father Knows Best. It’s a man and a woman, and they’re always kissing and falling in love. And he just thought, obviously there’s something wrong with me because never do I see a boy falling in love with a boy. The only way you know how to grow up is you see yourself represented around you, either in your parents or in culture. We’re a little late to the game with this. But let people see themselves so that they know that, yeah, she loves other women and she’s the chief of police and she has a daughter.
Emily VanDerWerff
Both The Sopranos and Nurse Jackie had incredible ensemble casts, and you might tune in for the main character but then become just as interested in the other characters. And so much of television is about building out ensembles. How do you try to nurture those relationships and performances throughout the cast?
Edie Falco
It’s interesting, because Tommy is about the police department in a huge city, so it is diverse. And when we went to cast this, only then did I realize that I have not worked with a lot of people who aren’t white. Nurse Jackie was certainly closer, but not close enough.
I saw tapes of a million actors who I had never seen before. I’d never heard their name. I’d never seen their work. It was so exciting. And the people that we found are so talented and so different and bring such different experience to the table. The areas of the city they grew up in, the things they experienced as kids. I’m talking about the actors themselves now and what they can bring to their roles.
One of the many things I loved about making this show is how it made me realize how small-minded my own experience was and what a pleasure that I get to have this kind of growth as a person in the midst of my workday.
Emily VanDerWerff
What do you respond to when you watch an audition tape? What gets you excited about another actor?
Edie Falco
It’s very simple: Do I believe them? Do they carry with them a certain confidence? My dear beloved Merritt Wever, whom I adore from Nurse Jackie, I remember seeing her audition for the first time. She really is that girl who walked off the stage after her [extremely brief Emmy acceptance] speech that time. She really hates all this stuff.
But when she started to read the lines, she snapped into this confidence of who this character was. It was breathtaking. Does this actor believe themselves as this character? That’s what I respond to.
Emily VanDerWerff
You’re filming most of Tommy in New York, even though it’s about the Los Angeles Police Department. What was important to you about making sure you could continue to film in New York instead of coming to LA?
Edie Falco
I shot [Law & Order: True Crime] in Los Angeles over three months. It was very hard for me to be away from home. I have two kids who are in school. I’m a single parent, so I can’t just pick up and leave. It’s traumatizing for them, it’s traumatizing for me. So I’ve set that stipulation for myself, more or less, that if I’m going to do something long term, that may be a series, it’s got to be in New York.
My own experience with being a New Yorker and having flavors of LA in my life is pretty much exactly what the character is going through, so that worked out quite well. We shoot the whole thing in New York. I came here to Los Angeles for one day to shoot. And the rest is just people come and shoot B-roll stuff of people skating down the Venice boardwalk to make sure people know this is where this is.
Emily VanDerWerff
I just have to make sure you’re not a New Yorker who irrationally hates Los Angeles for no reason.
Edie Falco
It’s beautiful. Look at this weather. It’s just not home.
Emily VanDerWerff
We’re living in a time when the ways that police departments intersect with the communities they are supposed to serve and protect, especially communities of color, is something we’re thinking and rethinking constantly. Did playing a chief of police change how you thought about that issue at all?
Edie Falco
I don’t know. There are good people and bad people and there are good cops and bad cops. The truth is, I don’t really think anybody starts out bad, people or cops. To go into that line of work, you’ve got to have a part of you that wants to serve the populace, that wants there to be justice. And I think people in the course of their jobs and the course of their lives can start to have influences that may pull one way or another. And who knows [what can happen] when people are vulnerable?
People are swerved around all different ways. [This character] understands that about people in general. It’s part of the human condition. But she really is pretty steady in her understanding of what’s expected of her. That’s what’s guiding her.
Emily VanDerWerff
Changing a whole system is much harder than changing people.
Edie Falco
It’s on a granular level and it’s not going to be done quickly. You’ve got to take a little piece at a time and just keep doing the right thing.
Tommy airs Thursdays at 10 pm Eastern on CBS. Previous episodes are available on CBS All Access.


vox--2020-02-13--Bill Barr: Trump’s tweets make it “impossible” to do my job

Attorney General Bill Barr said Thursday that while President Donald Trump has never asked him to interfere in a criminal case , his tweets make it “ impossible ” for Barr to do his job .
Barr made the comments during an exclusive interview with ABC News after days of a roiling controversy over the Justice Department ’ s leadership wading into the politically charged Roger Stone case that came out of special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation .
“ I ’ m happy to say , in fact , the president has never asked me to do anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told ABC News .
It ’ s an interestingly timed interview for Barr , who has consistently echoed Trump ’ s criticisms of the Mueller probe and has used his tenure in the Justice Department to try to diminish the legitimacy of the Russia investigation .
In the interview , Barr defended the department ’ s decision on Tuesday to change the initial recommendation that Stone serve a seven- to nine-year sentence for obstructing and lying to Congress and witness tampering .
Barr claimed he suggested that prosecutors defer to the judge .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do with a Trump tweet earlier that morning that called the original recommendation “ a horrible and very unfair situation.
” All four prosecutors on the Stone case withdrew from the case once it was clear the sentence recommendation would be tweaked , suggesting , at the very least , that they disagreed with the decision .
Barr told ABC News that he discussed the sentencing recommendations with the current US attorney for the District of Columbia ( who just began in the post on February 3 and had not previously overseen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he saw the news reports about a seven- to nine-year sentence , he thought the media was spinning it .
“ I was very surprised , ” he told ABC News ’ s Pierre Thomas , saying he told his staff “ that night ” to get ready to amend the sentencing memo .
“ I had made a decision that I thought was fair and reasonable in this particular case , and once the tweet occurred , the question was : Do you go forward with what you think is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back because of the tweet ?
” Barr said .
“ And that just sort of illustrates how disruptive these tweets can be , ” he added .
Disruptive is certainly a nice way of putting it , given that critics saw the timing of Trump ’ s tweet and the Justice Department ’ s reversal as a bit more nefarious .
The four prosecutors withdrawing from the case also looked like a protest of the Justice Department ’ s intervention .
But Barr tried to separate the two for ABC News , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his tweets but that it did not influence him in the Stone case ; Barr said his mind had already been made up .
“ However , to have public statements and tweets about the Department , about people in the Department , our men and women here , about cases pending in the department , and about judges before whom we have cases , make [ s ] it impossible for me to do my job and assure the courts and the prosecutors in the department that we ’ re doing our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump may not like Barr ’ s comments about his tweeting ( at least Barr gets compliments , Jeff Sessions might think ) , but he has little to complain about when it comes to his attorney general .
Trump has long disdained the Mueller probe , calling it a “ hoax ” and a “ witch hunt.
” And while he rails about it on Twitter , Barr has taken actual steps to spin it — or at least reduce some of its reach .
Beyond the intervention for Stone — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a congressional investigation , and witness tampering over his knowledge about WikiLeaks — the Justice Department has also intervened in the case of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn , who plead guilty to lying to the FBI in the Mueller probe , recommending a reduction in his sentence as well .
Critics have long accused Barr of acting as Trump ’ s personal attorney , beginning with his handling of Mueller ’ s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election .
Barr released selective details about Mueller ’ s report , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exoneration , ” despite Mueller himself disputing Barr ’ s characterization and urging him to release more detailed summaries .
Barr refused ; nearly a month later , he released a redacted version of Mueller ’ s full report , but not before giving a news conference that defended the president as “ frustrated and angered by a sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency.
” Barr also disputed some of the findings in the Justice Department inspector general ’ s report that found political bias did not motivate the opening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI launched an intrusive investigation of a US presidential campaign on the thinnest of suspicions that , in my view , were insufficient to justify the steps taken , ” Barr said after the release of the report .
The attorney general also ordered a separate investigation into the origins of the Russia probe , led by Connecticut US Attorney John Durham .
That investigation is reportedly looking into whether Obama administration intelligence officials potentially manipulated evidence to conclude that the Kremlin interfered to benefit Trump , and not merely to sow discord @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right — Trump ’ s tweets are likely to complicate the job he ’ s already doing efficiently and probably would prefer to do quietly , with the least amount of scrutiny .
But he dismissed some of those criticisms leveled against him about his lack of independence in the ABC interview .
“ I ’ m not going to be bullied or influenced by anybody , ” Barr said , “ whether it ’ s Congress , newspaper editorial boards , or the president .
”

Attorney General Bill Barr said Thursday that while President Donald Trump has never asked him to interfere in a criminal case, his tweets make it “impossible” for Barr to do his job.
Barr made the comments during an exclusive interview with ABC News after days of a roiling controversy over the Justice Department’s leadership wading into the politically charged Roger Stone case that came out of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.
“I’m happy to say, in fact, the president has never asked me to do anything in a criminal case,” Barr told ABC News.
It’s an interestingly timed interview for Barr, who has consistently echoed Trump’s criticisms of the Mueller probe and has used his tenure in the Justice Department to try to diminish the legitimacy of the Russia investigation.
In the interview, Barr defended the department’s decision on Tuesday to change the initial recommendation that Stone serve a seven- to nine-year sentence for obstructing and lying to Congress and witness tampering. Barr claimed he suggested that prosecutors defer to the judge. He also insisted the reversal had nothing to do with a Trump tweet earlier that morning that called the original recommendation “a horrible and very unfair situation.”
All four prosecutors on the Stone case withdrew from the case once it was clear the sentence recommendation would be tweaked, suggesting, at the very least, that they disagreed with the decision.
Barr told ABC News that he discussed the sentencing recommendations with the current US attorney for the District of Columbia (who just began in the post on February 3 and had not previously overseen the Stone case).
Barr said when he saw the news reports about a seven- to nine-year sentence, he thought the media was spinning it. “I was very surprised,” he told ABC News’s Pierre Thomas, saying he told his staff “that night” to get ready to amend the sentencing memo.
“I had made a decision that I thought was fair and reasonable in this particular case, and once the tweet occurred, the question was: Do you go forward with what you think is the right decision, or do you pull back because of the tweet?” Barr said.
“And that just sort of illustrates how disruptive these tweets can be,” he added.
EXCLUSIVE: “I think it’s time to stop the tweeting about Department of Justice criminal cases,” Attorney General Bill Barr tells @PierreTABC following Pres. Trump's tweets on Roger Stone sentencing. https://t.co/3bf9a1Z5v4 pic.twitter.com/yITwRgzutJ — ABC News (@ABC) February 13, 2020
Disruptive is certainly a nice way of putting it, given that critics saw the timing of Trump’s tweet and the Justice Department’s reversal as a bit more nefarious. The four prosecutors withdrawing from the case also looked like a protest of the Justice Department’s intervention.
But Barr tried to separate the two for ABC News, basically saying Trump was being Trump with his tweets but that it did not influence him in the Stone case; Barr said his mind had already been made up.
“However, to have public statements and tweets about the Department, about people in the Department, our men and women here, about cases pending in the department, and about judges before whom we have cases, make[s] it impossible for me to do my job and assure the courts and the prosecutors in the department that we’re doing our work with integrity,” he said.
Barr has been Trump’s dream attorney general
Trump may not like Barr’s comments about his tweeting (at least Barr gets compliments, Jeff Sessions might think), but he has little to complain about when it comes to his attorney general. Trump has long disdained the Mueller probe, calling it a “hoax” and a “witch hunt.” And while he rails about it on Twitter, Barr has taken actual steps to spin it — or at least reduce some of its reach.
Beyond the intervention for Stone — who was convicted of lying and obstructing a congressional investigation, and witness tampering over his knowledge about WikiLeaks — the Justice Department has also intervened in the case of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who plead guilty to lying to the FBI in the Mueller probe, recommending a reduction in his sentence as well.
Critics have long accused Barr of acting as Trump’s personal attorney, beginning with his handling of Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Barr released selective details about Mueller’s report, which Trump used to declare “total exoneration,” despite Mueller himself disputing Barr’s characterization and urging him to release more detailed summaries. Barr refused; nearly a month later, he released a redacted version of Mueller’s full report, but not before giving a news conference that defended the president as “frustrated and angered by a sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency.”
Barr also disputed some of the findings in the Justice Department inspector general’s report that found political bias did not motivate the opening of the Russia investigation. “The FBI launched an intrusive investigation of a US presidential campaign on the thinnest of suspicions that, in my view, were insufficient to justify the steps taken,” Barr said after the release of the report.
The attorney general also ordered a separate investigation into the origins of the Russia probe, led by Connecticut US Attorney John Durham. That investigation is reportedly looking into whether Obama administration intelligence officials potentially manipulated evidence to conclude that the Kremlin interfered to benefit Trump, and not merely to sow discord.
All told, Barr is probably right — Trump’s tweets are likely to complicate the job he’s already doing efficiently and probably would prefer to do quietly, with the least amount of scrutiny.
But he dismissed some of those criticisms leveled against him about his lack of independence in the ABC interview. “I’m not going to be bullied or influenced by anybody,” Barr said, “whether it’s Congress, newspaper editorial boards, or the president.”


vox--2020-02-13--Why Nevada’s powerful Culinary Union has issues with Bernie Sanders

Before the New Hampshire Democratic primary results had even finished coming in on Tuesday , Nevada ’ s Culinary Union took aim at Sen. Bernie Sanders .
The group , which is hugely influential in the state ’ s upcoming caucuses , singled out Sanders as the only candidate who would get rid of union health care plans in the near term .
It ’ s a message that went out in a physical flyer , as well as via emails and texts , to the organization ’ s 60,000 Nevada members , all of whom are covered under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s decision to release the flyer the night of the New Hampshire primary , which Sanders wound up winning , signals its focus on ramping up attacks against the senator ahead of the late-February Nevada caucuses .
As part of its contents , the flyer breaks down the positions of Nevada ’ s top six Democratic candidates in recent polls , summarizing their platforms around health care , immigration , and jobs .
It takes a jab at Sanders , listing him as the only candidate who would “ end ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noting that Warren would replace it after a three-year transition period .
At its core , this messaging highlights concerns some union members have expressed about losing a hard-won health care plan , the product of long and difficult negotiations , if Medicare-for-all is implemented .
The question about Medicare-for-all ’ s effects on unions is one that Sanders has faced before , and he ’ s responded by noting that the policy would not only provide robust health care coverage , it would also enable companies to transfer what they save on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other benefits .
He ’ s emphasized , too , that the policy would guarantee reliable health care for all workers , even amid potential strikes and other job changes .
“ Sanders ’ s proposed plan is more generous than the typical private-sector plan , offering no co-pays or deductibles and covering virtually everything , ” Tara Golshan previously wrote for Vox .
“ If it were to pass as proposed , many unions likely would see Medicare-for-all as a better deal.
” Sanders ’ s Nevada state director Sarah Michelsen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Culinary Union would be able to continue maintaining the health clinics it ’ s established exclusively for its workers , under the Senator ’ s plan .
“ Bernie has been clear that under Medicare for All , we will guarantee that coverage is as comprehensive or more so than the health care benefits union workers currently receive , and union health clinics , including the Culinary ’ s health clinic , will remain open to serve their members , ” she said in a statement .
While some unions have endorsed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposal .
The Culinary Union ’ s opposition to Medicare-for-all is especially significant given how powerful a force the organization is in Nevada elections , with its massive and diverse membership .
The group announced Thursday that it does not plan to endorse any candidate .
Any negative messaging it releases could potentially depress a candidate ’ s chances of a caucus win .
“ [ It ] is not just a great turnout machine for workers , but it ’ s essentially the Hispanic turnout machine , ” Jon Ralston , editor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vox ’ s Ella Nilsen .
“ If you can get the Culinary Union to go out for you and go out for you hard , that can be a game changer.
” Previously , the union released more oblique statements challenging both Sanders and Warren ’ s health care plans .
But this new , more pointed attack , suggests the organization is increasingly concerned about Sanders ’ s recent rise , and worried about whether his vision for universal health care is in its members ’ best interests .
The Culinary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s been posed about unions and Medicare-for-all Questions about how Medicare-for-all would affect union members have cropped up throughout the primary .
It ’ s an issue that members of the Culinary Union have raised at every presidential town hall that ’ s taken place at its headquarters in Nevada , writes the Los Angeles Times ’ s Matt Pearce : The subject is also one that some of Sanders ’ s opponents — including former Vice President Joe Biden — have tried to harp on , in an attempt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from workers .
Although the Culinary Union has not endorsed anyone , other affiliates of Unite Here — its parent organization — have come out in favor of Sanders , as well as Warren .
Unions including the American Federation of Teachers and National Nurses United have also expressed their support of Medicare-for-all .
Sanders has argued that the successful implementation of Medicare-for-all would continue to guarantee strong health care benefits for all workers , while bolstering unions ’ bargaining power on other fronts .
For instance , workers wouldn ’ t need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during an extended strike , as many United Auto Workers members said they struggled to do during a General Motors strike last fall .
Sanders has noted his bill also includes a provision that would enable companies to funnel savings they obtain from Medicare-for-all to workers in the form of either higher wages or other benefits .
With the Nevada caucuses fast approaching on February 22 , this conversation — and the debate about how Medicare-for-all would affect union health care — is one that ’ s sure to continue .
The Culinary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existing tension explicit .

Before the New Hampshire Democratic primary results had even finished coming in on Tuesday, Nevada’s Culinary Union took aim at Sen. Bernie Sanders. The group, which is hugely influential in the state’s upcoming caucuses, singled out Sanders as the only candidate who would get rid of union health care plans in the near term.
It’s a message that went out in a physical flyer, as well as via emails and texts, to the organization’s 60,000 Nevada members, all of whom are covered under the union health care plan. The union’s decision to release the flyer the night of the New Hampshire primary, which Sanders wound up winning, signals its focus on ramping up attacks against the senator ahead of the late-February Nevada caucuses.
As part of its contents, the flyer breaks down the positions of Nevada’s top six Democratic candidates in recent polls, summarizing their platforms around health care, immigration, and jobs. It takes a jab at Sanders, listing him as the only candidate who would “end” the union’s health care, while noting that Warren would replace it after a three-year transition period.
At its core, this messaging highlights concerns some union members have expressed about losing a hard-won health care plan, the product of long and difficult negotiations, if Medicare-for-all is implemented.
Since the whole political world will now be watching whether @Culinary226 endorses someone in Nevada, which would be a genuine earthquake, here’s the candidate policy explainer they’ve sent to members: pic.twitter.com/X3Cgvr3YAX — Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) February 12, 2020
The question about Medicare-for-all’s effects on unions is one that Sanders has faced before, and he’s responded by noting that the policy would not only provide robust health care coverage, it would also enable companies to transfer what they save on health care costs toward higher worker wages and other benefits. He’s emphasized, too, that the policy would guarantee reliable health care for all workers, even amid potential strikes and other job changes.
“Sanders’s proposed plan is more generous than the typical private-sector plan, offering no co-pays or deductibles and covering virtually everything,” Tara Golshan previously wrote for Vox. “If it were to pass as proposed, many unions likely would see Medicare-for-all as a better deal.”
Sanders’s Nevada state director Sarah Michelsen echoed this point — and noted that the Culinary Union would be able to continue maintaining the health clinics it’s established exclusively for its workers, under the Senator’s plan. “Bernie has been clear that under Medicare for All, we will guarantee that coverage is as comprehensive or more so than the health care benefits union workers currently receive, and union health clinics, including the Culinary’s health clinic, will remain open to serve their members,” she said in a statement.
While some unions have endorsed Sanders, not all are behind his proposal. The Culinary Union’s opposition to Medicare-for-all is especially significant given how powerful a force the organization is in Nevada elections, with its massive and diverse membership. The group announced Thursday that it does not plan to endorse any candidate. Any negative messaging it releases could potentially depress a candidate’s chances of a caucus win.
“[It] is not just a great turnout machine for workers, but it’s essentially the Hispanic turnout machine,” Jon Ralston, editor of the Nevada Independent, previously told Vox’s Ella Nilsen. “If you can get the Culinary Union to go out for you and go out for you hard, that can be a game changer.”
Previously, the union released more oblique statements challenging both Sanders and Warren’s health care plans. But this new, more pointed attack, suggests the organization is increasingly concerned about Sanders’s recent rise, and worried about whether his vision for universal health care is in its members’ best interests.
The Culinary Union’s flyers highlight a question that’s been posed about unions and Medicare-for-all
Questions about how Medicare-for-all would affect union members have cropped up throughout the primary.
It’s an issue that members of the Culinary Union have raised at every presidential town hall that’s taken place at its headquarters in Nevada, writes the Los Angeles Times’s Matt Pearce:
“We love our Culinary healthcare,” Elodia Muñoz, who went on strike for more than six years at the Frontier Hotel and Casino in the 1990s, told Sanders [in December]. “We want to keep it. I don’t want to change it. Why should I change it?”
The subject is also one that some of Sanders’s opponents — including former Vice President Joe Biden — have tried to harp on, in an attempt to undermine the Vermont senator’s support from workers. Although the Culinary Union has not endorsed anyone, other affiliates of Unite Here — its parent organization — have come out in favor of Sanders, as well as Warren. Unions including the American Federation of Teachers and National Nurses United have also expressed their support of Medicare-for-all.
Sanders has argued that the successful implementation of Medicare-for-all would continue to guarantee strong health care benefits for all workers, while bolstering unions’ bargaining power on other fronts. For instance, workers wouldn’t need to worry about paying for health care during an extended strike, as many United Auto Workers members said they struggled to do during a General Motors strike last fall. Sanders has noted his bill also includes a provision that would enable companies to funnel savings they obtain from Medicare-for-all to workers in the form of either higher wages or other benefits.
With the Nevada caucuses fast approaching on February 22, this conversation — and the debate about how Medicare-for-all would affect union health care — is one that’s sure to continue. The Culinary Union’s flyer simply made this existing tension explicit.


vox--2020-02-13--Nevada’s most powerful union won’t endorse anybody for president

Nine days before the state ’ s pivotal caucuses , Nevada ’ s most powerful union declined to endorse a candidate for president in the Democratic primary — though it has made its opposition to Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ s Medicare-for-all plan clear .
“ We ’ re going to endorse our goals , ” Culinary 226 Secretary-Treasurer Geoconda Arguello-Kline said at a Thursday press conference .
“ We ’ re not going to endorse a candidate.
” The non-news followed the union , which represents 60,000 workers in Nevada ’ s huge hospitality industry , ramping up its attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ahead of the third primary contest , nobody will receive the boon of a Culinary 226 endorsement , but Sanders is enduring more criticism from the union over his health care plan .
( And union leaders , for their part , have reportedly received threats or had their personal information posted online because of their health care stance . )
The union has been opposed to Medicare-for-all , which would set up a national health insurance plan , for a while .
But it put out new materials on Tuesday night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the New Hampshire primary , warning that Medicare-for-all would be the end of their negotiated health benefits .
“ We want to have choices in our health care , ” Arguello-Kline said on Thursday .
“ We want our health care.
” Despite its outsized influence , Culinary 226 is not a ticket to a win in Nevada .
In 2008 , the union endorsed Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton but the latter eked out a win .
The union didn ’ t endorse anybody in the primary between Clinton and Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narrow victory .
The non-endorsement leaves a bit of a muddled message about who the union thinks would be a good president , but Sanders , the frontrunner after Iowa and New Hampshire , is the clear target of its opposition .
The union ’ s materials have praised moderate proposals for protecting the union ’ s health care and they softened their language when describing Elizabeth Warren ’ s Medicare-for-all proposal , but warned Sanders would “ end ” their workers ’ current health benefits with his Medicare-for-all bill .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a right to health care , ” Arguello-Kline said .
“ But we believe everybody has the right to make choices.
” Next Saturday , their workers will get the chance to make theirs .
The Culinary Union recently went on the attack against Bernie Sanders Before the New Hampshire Democratic primary results had even finished coming in on Tuesday , Nevada ’ s Culinary Union took aim at Sanders .
The group , which is hugely influential in the state ’ s upcoming caucuses due to its organizing power , singled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would get rid of union health care plans in the near term .
Their flyer broke down the positions of Nevada ’ s top six Democratic candidates in recent polls , summarizing their platforms around health care , immigration , and jobs .
It takes a jab at Sanders , listing him as the only candidate who would “ end ” the union ’ s health care , while noting that Warren would replace it after a three-year transition period .
The message targets union members who might be concerned about losing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult negotiations if Medicare-for-all was implemented .
( Among people who are currently in a union or whose family member currently is , 39 percent think Medicare-for-all is a good idea and 59 percent think it ’ s a bad idea , according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll . )
It ’ s a problem Sanders has faced before , and one he ’ s responded to by noting that the implementation of Medicare-for-all would not only provide robust health care coverage but would also enable companies to transfer what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worker wages and other benefits .
He ’ s emphasized , too , that the policy would guarantee reliable health care for all workers , even amid potential strikes and other job changes .
“ Sanders ’ s proposed plan is more generous than the typical private-sector plan , offering no co-pays or deductibles and covering virtually everything , ” Tara Golshan previously wrote for Vox .
“ If it were to pass as proposed , many unions likely would see Medicare-for-all as a better deal.
” Sanders ’ s Nevada State Director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Culinary Union would be able to maintain a health clinic it established exclusively for its workers .
“ Bernie has been clear that under Medicare for All , we will guarantee that coverage is as comprehensive or more so than the health care benefits union workers currently receive , and union health clinics , including the Culinary ’ s health clinic , will remain open to serve their members , ” she said in a statement .
While some unions have endorsed Sanders , not all are behind his health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition to Medicare-for-all is especially significant given how powerful a force the organization is in Nevada elections .
“ [ It ] is not just a great turnout machine for workers , but it ’ s essentially the Hispanic turnout machine , ” Jon Ralston , editor of the Nevada Independent , previously told Vox ’ s Ella Nilsen .
“ If you can get the Culinary Union to go out for you and go out for you hard , that can be a game changer.
” Previously , the union released more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Warren ’ s health care plans .
But this new , more pointed attack , suggests the organization is increasingly concerned about Sanders ’ s recent rise and worried about whether his vision for universal health care is in its members ’ best interests .
The Culinary Union ’ s flyers highlight a question that ’ s been posed about unions and Medicare-for-all Questions about how Medicare-for-all would affect union members have cropped up throughout the Democratic primary .
It ’ s an issue that members of the Culinary Union have raised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s taken place at its headquarters in Nevada , writes the Los Angeles Times ’ s Matt Pearce : The subject is also one that some of Sanders ’ s opponents — including former Vice President Joe Biden — have tried to harp on in an attempt to undermine the Vermont senator ’ s support from workers .
Although the Culinary Union will not endorse anyone , other affiliates of Unite Here — its parent organization — have come out in favor of Sanders , as well as Warren .
Unions including the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United have also expressed their support of Medicare-for-all .
Sanders has argued that the successful implementation of Medicare-for-all would continue to guarantee strong health care benefits for all workers while bolstering unions ’ bargaining power on other fronts .
For instance , workers wouldn ’ t need to worry about paying for health care during an extended strike , as many United Auto Workers members said they struggled to do during a General Motors strike last fall .
Sanders has noted his bill also includes a provision that would enable companies to funnel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the form of either higher wages or other benefits .
With the Nevada caucuses fast approaching on February 22 , this conversation — and the debate about how Medicare-for-all would affect union health care — is one that ’ s sure to continue .
The Culinary Union ’ s flyer simply made this existing tension explicit .

Nine days before the state’s pivotal caucuses, Nevada’s most powerful union declined to endorse a candidate for president in the Democratic primary — though it has made its opposition to Sen. Bernie Sanders’s Medicare-for-all plan clear.
“We’re going to endorse our goals,” Culinary 226 Secretary-Treasurer Geoconda Arguello-Kline said at a Thursday press conference. “We’re not going to endorse a candidate.”
The non-news followed the union, which represents 60,000 workers in Nevada’s huge hospitality industry, ramping up its attacks on Medicare-for-all in the last few days. Ahead of the third primary contest, nobody will receive the boon of a Culinary 226 endorsement, but Sanders is enduring more criticism from the union over his health care plan. (And union leaders, for their part, have reportedly received threats or had their personal information posted online because of their health care stance.)
The union has been opposed to Medicare-for-all, which would set up a national health insurance plan, for a while. But it put out new materials on Tuesday night as Sanders was heading for a win in the New Hampshire primary, warning that Medicare-for-all would be the end of their negotiated health benefits.
“We want to have choices in our health care,” Arguello-Kline said on Thursday. “We want our health care.”
Despite its outsized influence, Culinary 226 is not a ticket to a win in Nevada. In 2008, the union endorsed Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton but the latter eked out a win. The union didn’t endorse anybody in the primary between Clinton and Sanders in 2016; Clinton again won a narrow victory.
The non-endorsement leaves a bit of a muddled message about who the union thinks would be a good president, but Sanders, the frontrunner after Iowa and New Hampshire, is the clear target of its opposition. The union’s materials have praised moderate proposals for protecting the union’s health care and they softened their language when describing Elizabeth Warren’s Medicare-for-all proposal, but warned Sanders would “end” their workers’ current health benefits with his Medicare-for-all bill.
“We know and we believe every human being has a right to health care,” Arguello-Kline said. “But we believe everybody has the right to make choices.”
Next Saturday, their workers will get the chance to make theirs.
The Culinary Union recently went on the attack against Bernie Sanders
Before the New Hampshire Democratic primary results had even finished coming in on Tuesday, Nevada’s Culinary Union took aim at Sanders. The group, which is hugely influential in the state’s upcoming caucuses due to its organizing power, singled out Sanders as the only candidate who would get rid of union health care plans in the near term.
Their flyer broke down the positions of Nevada’s top six Democratic candidates in recent polls, summarizing their platforms around health care, immigration, and jobs. It takes a jab at Sanders, listing him as the only candidate who would “end” the union’s health care, while noting that Warren would replace it after a three-year transition period.
The message targets union members who might be concerned about losing a health care plan won through long and difficult negotiations if Medicare-for-all was implemented. (Among people who are currently in a union or whose family member currently is, 39 percent think Medicare-for-all is a good idea and 59 percent think it’s a bad idea, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll.)
Since the whole political world will now be watching whether @Culinary226 endorses someone in Nevada, which would be a genuine earthquake, here’s the candidate policy explainer they’ve sent to members: pic.twitter.com/X3Cgvr3YAX — Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) February 12, 2020
It’s a problem Sanders has faced before, and one he’s responded to by noting that the implementation of Medicare-for-all would not only provide robust health care coverage but would also enable companies to transfer what they save on health care costs toward higher worker wages and other benefits. He’s emphasized, too, that the policy would guarantee reliable health care for all workers, even amid potential strikes and other job changes.
“Sanders’s proposed plan is more generous than the typical private-sector plan, offering no co-pays or deductibles and covering virtually everything,” Tara Golshan previously wrote for Vox. “If it were to pass as proposed, many unions likely would see Medicare-for-all as a better deal.”
Sanders’s Nevada State Director Sarah Michelsen echoed this point and noted that the Culinary Union would be able to maintain a health clinic it established exclusively for its workers. “Bernie has been clear that under Medicare for All, we will guarantee that coverage is as comprehensive or more so than the health care benefits union workers currently receive, and union health clinics, including the Culinary’s health clinic, will remain open to serve their members,” she said in a statement.
While some unions have endorsed Sanders, not all are behind his health care plan. The Culinary Union’s opposition to Medicare-for-all is especially significant given how powerful a force the organization is in Nevada elections.
“[It] is not just a great turnout machine for workers, but it’s essentially the Hispanic turnout machine,” Jon Ralston, editor of the Nevada Independent, previously told Vox’s Ella Nilsen. “If you can get the Culinary Union to go out for you and go out for you hard, that can be a game changer.”
Previously, the union released more oblique statements challenging both Sanders’s and Warren’s health care plans. But this new, more pointed attack, suggests the organization is increasingly concerned about Sanders’s recent rise and worried about whether his vision for universal health care is in its members’ best interests.
The Culinary Union’s flyers highlight a question that’s been posed about unions and Medicare-for-all
Questions about how Medicare-for-all would affect union members have cropped up throughout the Democratic primary.
It’s an issue that members of the Culinary Union have raised at every presidential town hall that’s taken place at its headquarters in Nevada, writes the Los Angeles Times’s Matt Pearce:
“We love our Culinary healthcare,” Elodia Muñoz, who went on strike for more than six years at the Frontier Hotel and Casino in the 1990s, told Sanders [in December]. “We want to keep it. I don’t want to change it. Why should I change it?”
The subject is also one that some of Sanders’s opponents — including former Vice President Joe Biden — have tried to harp on in an attempt to undermine the Vermont senator’s support from workers. Although the Culinary Union will not endorse anyone, other affiliates of Unite Here — its parent organization — have come out in favor of Sanders, as well as Warren. Unions including the American Federation of Teachers and National Nurses United have also expressed their support of Medicare-for-all.
Sanders has argued that the successful implementation of Medicare-for-all would continue to guarantee strong health care benefits for all workers while bolstering unions’ bargaining power on other fronts. For instance, workers wouldn’t need to worry about paying for health care during an extended strike, as many United Auto Workers members said they struggled to do during a General Motors strike last fall. Sanders has noted his bill also includes a provision that would enable companies to funnel savings they obtain from Medicare-for-all to workers in the form of either higher wages or other benefits.
With the Nevada caucuses fast approaching on February 22, this conversation — and the debate about how Medicare-for-all would affect union health care — is one that’s sure to continue. The Culinary Union’s flyer simply made this existing tension explicit.


vox--2020-02-13--A male lawmaker worries women will abuse a tax break to hoard tampons

A debate erupted this week in the Tennessee state legislature over the danger of women buying too many tampons .
The concern came up during a hearing Tuesday about taxation of the products .
Specifically , Democratic lawmakers in the state have proposed a bill to include tampons and other menstrual products in Tennessee ’ s yearly sales tax holiday , a three-day weekend when residents can buy things tax-free .
But state Sen. Joey Hensley , a Republican , worried that this might lead to out-of-control tampon-buying .
“ I would think since it ’ s a sales tax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limit on the number of items anybody can purchase , ” he said , according to the Associated Press .
“ I don ’ t know how you would limit the number of items someone could purchase.
” Hensley ’ s remarks have gotten nationwide coverage , with some questioning his grasp of the human menstrual cycle .
Associated Press reporter Kimberlee Kruesi noted that his comment reminded her of “ the time NASA thought a woman needed 100 tampons for a week in space.
” The lawmaker told Vox in an email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tampons to his state ’ s tax holiday , and that his concern was merely “ getting the facts regarding the cost of the bill.
” Whatever happens in Tennessee , the hearing was also part of a bigger debate around the cost of tampons and menstrual pads , which can put them out of reach for low-income people .
When someone can ’ t afford menstrual supplies , they are sometimes forced to miss work or school — as Jennifer Weiss-Wolf , author of the book Periods Gone Public : Taking a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ would you be able to walk down the street if you didn ’ t have a pad or a tampon ?
” Lawmakers around the country have tried to make tampons more affordable by lifting sales taxes on the products , noting that many other necessities , like bandages , are already tax-exempt .
Others have gone further by providing the products for free in places like schools , homeless shelters , and jails .
But Tennessee is not yet part of this movement .
A measure to lift the sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed in the legislature last year , even though the state already exempts proceeds from gun shows , fees for private gyms , and admission to county fairs , Weiss-Wolf said .
“ This is not a question of affordability , it ’ s a question of priority , ” Brandon Puttbrese , a spokesperson for Tennessee state Sen. Sara Kyle , who sponsored the tax holiday bill , told Vox in an email , noting that last year , the state legislature gave tax breaks to sports agents , architects , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controversy over Kyle ’ s measure shows that even though more than half of Americans will have a period at some point in their lives , the need for affordable menstrual products is sometimes poorly understood .
Hensley ’ s comments were a reminder of “ what it means and feels like to not be fully represented in the halls of governance , ” Weiss-Wolf said .
A new bill would make tampons part of Tennessee ’ s yearly sales tax holiday Tennessee ’ s annual sales tax holiday lets residents buy items @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usual 7 percent sales tax , Kruesi reports .
Held at the end of July , it ’ s often a time when families do back-to-school shopping .
This year , Kyle , a Democrat , introduced a bill to include tampons and menstrual pads in the list of items Tennesseans can buy tax-free during the holiday .
It ’ s especially important to include these products in a holiday aimed at back-to-school buying , Weiss-Wolf said , since “ they ’ re what people need to be productive and present in school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or pencils .
But in the hearing Tuesday , the bill faced pushback from Republicans , including Hensley .
“ I understand the importance of these products for women , ” the legislator from Hohenwald , Tennessee , told Vox .
But , he said , he wants more information on the cost of the bill .
According to the AP , Tennesseans who use tampons and other menstrual products spend about $ 120 a year on them , and the cost of the bill to the state would be about $ 132,700 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s possible that people would choose to buy more than a year ’ s supply of tampons , but it ’ s not clear why that would be a greater concern than , for example , residents buying more than a year ’ s supply of clothes or computers .
Hensley ’ s comments were an example of “ disrespect and outright misogyny , to sort of just assume the worst about women , ” Weiss-Wolf said , leaving her with “ disappointment and disgust that that is what our elected representatives think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ menstrual equity around the country — but they ’ re also facing pushback The Tennessee measure is part of a bigger movement around the country toward “ menstrual equity , ” or making tampons and other period products affordable and accessible to all .
It ’ s a recognition that people simply can ’ t go about their daily lives , or participate in the economy or society , if they don ’ t have reliable access to menstrual products , Weiss-Wolf said .
In recent years , nine states , including New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward menstrual equity by eliminating the so-called “ tampon tax , ” or sales tax on tampons and pads .
Others , like Virginia , are working on measures to do so .
Five states , including New York and California , have passed legislation requiring that tampons and pads be provided free in public schools , a recognition that students need reliable access to the products in order to attend and participate fully in class .
Additionally , several states have passed bills requiring that the products be made available free to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repealing the “ tampon tax ” argue that the taxes aren ’ t just detrimental to the health and well-being of those who menstruate — they ’ re also unconstitutional .
The group Period Equity , which Weiss-Wolf co-founded , helped launch an initiative last year to push more states to repeal tampon taxes , arguing that they constitute illegal discrimination against people who menstruate .
Tennessee , however , is one of 31 states that still impose sales tax on tampons and pads .
A measure to repeal it failed last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make up the resulting loss in revenue .
But in fact , Tennessee ended the year with a budget surplus , Weiss-Wolf said — and chose to use it to give residents a tax break on ammunition .
Overall , she and others say , questions about the cost of repealing tampon taxes miss the point that menstrual products are basic necessities for millions of Americans .
New York City Council member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland , who sponsored a measure to make the products free in city schools , shelters , and jails , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tampons to a product whose cost lawmakers don ’ t often worry about .
“ They ’ re as necessary as toilet paper , ” Ferreras-Copeland said , “ so they ought to be just as freely accessible .
”

A debate erupted this week in the Tennessee state legislature over the danger of women buying too many tampons.
The concern came up during a hearing Tuesday about taxation of the products. Specifically, Democratic lawmakers in the state have proposed a bill to include tampons and other menstrual products in Tennessee’s yearly sales tax holiday, a three-day weekend when residents can buy things tax-free.
But state Sen. Joey Hensley, a Republican, worried that this might lead to out-of-control tampon-buying.
“I would think since it’s a sales tax holiday, there’s really no limit on the number of items anybody can purchase,” he said, according to the Associated Press. “I don’t know how you would limit the number of items someone could purchase.”
Hensley’s remarks have gotten nationwide coverage, with some questioning his grasp of the human menstrual cycle. Associated Press reporter Kimberlee Kruesi noted that his comment reminded her of “the time NASA thought a woman needed 100 tampons for a week in space.”
A Tennessee (male) lawmaker asking if women would buy a crazy amount of feminine hygiene products if those products qualified for the state's annual tax free weekend reminds me of the time NASA thought a woman needed 100 tampons for a week in space. #tnleg — Kimberlee Kruesi (@kkruesi) February 11, 2020
The lawmaker told Vox in an email that he is not actually against adding tampons to his state’s tax holiday, and that his concern was merely “getting the facts regarding the cost of the bill.”
Whatever happens in Tennessee, the hearing was also part of a bigger debate around the cost of tampons and menstrual pads, which can put them out of reach for low-income people. When someone can’t afford menstrual supplies, they are sometimes forced to miss work or school — as Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, author of the book Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity, puts it, “would you be able to walk down the street if you didn’t have a pad or a tampon?”
Lawmakers around the country have tried to make tampons more affordable by lifting sales taxes on the products, noting that many other necessities, like bandages, are already tax-exempt. Others have gone further by providing the products for free in places like schools, homeless shelters, and jails.
But Tennessee is not yet part of this movement. A measure to lift the sales tax on tampons entirely in the state failed in the legislature last year, even though the state already exempts proceeds from gun shows, fees for private gyms, and admission to county fairs, Weiss-Wolf said.
“This is not a question of affordability, it’s a question of priority,” Brandon Puttbrese, a spokesperson for Tennessee state Sen. Sara Kyle, who sponsored the tax holiday bill, told Vox in an email, noting that last year, the state legislature gave tax breaks to sports agents, architects, and accountants, among other groups.
The controversy over Kyle’s measure shows that even though more than half of Americans will have a period at some point in their lives, the need for affordable menstrual products is sometimes poorly understood. Hensley’s comments were a reminder of “what it means and feels like to not be fully represented in the halls of governance,” Weiss-Wolf said.
A new bill would make tampons part of Tennessee’s yearly sales tax holiday
Tennessee’s annual sales tax holiday lets residents buy items from clothing to computers without paying the usual 7 percent sales tax, Kruesi reports. Held at the end of July, it’s often a time when families do back-to-school shopping.
This year, Kyle, a Democrat, introduced a bill to include tampons and menstrual pads in the list of items Tennesseans can buy tax-free during the holiday. It’s especially important to include these products in a holiday aimed at back-to-school buying, Weiss-Wolf said, since “they’re what people need to be productive and present in school,” just as much as notebooks or pencils.
But in the hearing Tuesday, the bill faced pushback from Republicans, including Hensley. “I understand the importance of these products for women,” the legislator from Hohenwald, Tennessee, told Vox. But, he said, he wants more information on the cost of the bill.
According to the AP, Tennesseans who use tampons and other menstrual products spend about $120 a year on them, and the cost of the bill to the state would be about $132,700 annually.
Of course, it’s possible that people would choose to buy more than a year’s supply of tampons, but it’s not clear why that would be a greater concern than, for example, residents buying more than a year’s supply of clothes or computers.
Hensley’s comments were an example of “disrespect and outright misogyny, to sort of just assume the worst about women,” Weiss-Wolf said, leaving her with “disappointment and disgust that that is what our elected representatives think of us.”
Advocates are pushing for menstrual equity around the country — but they’re also facing pushback
The Tennessee measure is part of a bigger movement around the country toward “menstrual equity,” or making tampons and other period products affordable and accessible to all. It’s a recognition that people simply can’t go about their daily lives, or participate in the economy or society, if they don’t have reliable access to menstrual products, Weiss-Wolf said.
In recent years, nine states, including New York and Nevada, have taken steps toward menstrual equity by eliminating the so-called “tampon tax,” or sales tax on tampons and pads. Others, like Virginia, are working on measures to do so.
Five states, including New York and California, have passed legislation requiring that tampons and pads be provided free in public schools, a recognition that students need reliable access to the products in order to attend and participate fully in class. Additionally, several states have passed bills requiring that the products be made available free to people who are incarcerated.
Advocates of repealing the “tampon tax” argue that the taxes aren’t just detrimental to the health and well-being of those who menstruate — they’re also unconstitutional. The group Period Equity, which Weiss-Wolf co-founded, helped launch an initiative last year to push more states to repeal tampon taxes, arguing that they constitute illegal discrimination against people who menstruate.
Tennessee, however, is one of 31 states that still impose sales tax on tampons and pads. A measure to repeal it failed last year amid questions about how the state would make up the resulting loss in revenue. But in fact, Tennessee ended the year with a budget surplus, Weiss-Wolf said — and chose to use it to give residents a tax break on ammunition.
Overall, she and others say, questions about the cost of repealing tampon taxes miss the point that menstrual products are basic necessities for millions of Americans. New York City Council member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, who sponsored a measure to make the products free in city schools, shelters, and jails, made this point in 2016 by comparing tampons to a product whose cost lawmakers don’t often worry about. “They’re as necessary as toilet paper,” Ferreras-Copeland said, “so they ought to be just as freely accessible.”


vox--2020-02-13--Kevin McCarthy refutes the idea he has legit concerns about corruption in a single Instagram post

In one Instagram post , Rep. Kevin McCarthy destroyed the idea that Republicans have the sorts of good-faith concerns about corruption they said they did during the impeachment trial .
On Wednesday evening , the House minority leader posted a photo of himself dining at the Trump International Hotel with President Trump and a few other Republicans , including Reps. Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows .
Trump was reportedly at his hotel in Washington , DC , for a fundraising committee reception .
But instead of “ family , ” the more apt description of McCarthy ’ s relationship to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” That ’ s because , in a break from decades of presidential precedent , Trump refused to divest from his businesses before his inauguration and as a result still owns and profits from the Trump International Hotel , among other resorts and properties .
A member of Congress directly lining the president ’ s pockets would be galling no matter the circumstances , but it ’ s especially so considering how McCarthy defended Trump during the impeachment process .
Trump was impeached for allegedly trying to leverage congressionally approved military aid to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign .
The Government Accountability Office ( GAO ) determined the hold on the aid was illegal .
But that didn ’ t bother McCarthy , who insisted that Trump was simply trying to root out corruption in Ukraine .
“ These are taxpayer dollars going to another country that people believe there was corruption with a new administration , ” McCarthy said during a news conference last month .
“ I think it was the rightful thing to do.
” But Trump didn ’ t go through the proper congressional channels to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim that the hold-up was rooted in concerns about corruption is belied by the fact that a top Defense Department official told Congress last May that Ukraine had made good enough progress on anti-corruption efforts to merit the aid .
Specifics aside , pretending that arguably the most personally corrupt president in American history has serious concerns about corruption abroad was absurd on its face .
But it ’ s especially so in light of McCarthy and other Republicans who defended Trump throughout the impeachment process making a spectacle out of patronizing his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t able to figure this out While members of Congress currying favor with the president by patronizing his businesses is pretty close to the textbook definition of corruption , McCarthy has pretended to be oblivious about it .
During a news conference last September — at a time when Vice President Mike Pence , Attorney General William Barr , and Air Force officials were all under scrutiny for seemingly needless trips to Trump properties — McCarthy was asked if he had concerns about officials lining the president ’ s pockets .
He indicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s resorts are hotels that he owns , that people are traveling .
It ’ s just like any other hotel , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t know that that ’ s different than anything else .
Is it different than if I go and stay or eat at a Marriott here or eat at the Trump ?
” The obvious difference is that spending money at a Marriott doesn ’ t curry favor with the president by enriching him and/or providing free promotion for his business , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Around the same time , Trump made a similarly unconvincing defense of corruption that benefits him , arguing that since he ’ s not directing anyone to do it , there ’ s nothing untoward about it .
It ’ s just free market competition , and he happens to be selling products and services that people like .
The reality , however , is that the president owning and profiting from a business while he ’ s in office creates market-distorting incentives for people to line his pockets — including Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to post on Instagram about it , in the process disproving a talking point they used to defend the president throughout the just-completed impeachment inquiry .
The news moves fast .
To stay updated , follow Aaron Rupar on Twitter , and read more of Vox ’ s policy and politics coverage .

In one Instagram post, Rep. Kevin McCarthy destroyed the idea that Republicans have the sorts of good-faith concerns about corruption they said they did during the impeachment trial.
On Wednesday evening, the House minority leader posted a photo of himself dining at the Trump International Hotel with President Trump and a few other Republicans, including Reps. Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows. Trump was reportedly at his hotel in Washington, DC, for a fundraising committee reception.
“Family dinner,” McCarthy captioned the photo.
But instead of “family,” the more apt description of McCarthy’s relationship to Trump in this setting is “customer.” That’s because, in a break from decades of presidential precedent, Trump refused to divest from his businesses before his inauguration and as a result still owns and profits from the Trump International Hotel, among other resorts and properties.
A member of Congress directly lining the president’s pockets would be galling no matter the circumstances, but it’s especially so considering how McCarthy defended Trump during the impeachment process.
Trump was impeached for allegedly trying to leverage congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine into political favors for his reelection campaign. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) determined the hold on the aid was illegal. But that didn’t bother McCarthy, who insisted that Trump was simply trying to root out corruption in Ukraine.
“These are taxpayer dollars going to another country that people believe there was corruption with a new administration,” McCarthy said during a news conference last month. “I think it was the rightful thing to do.”
.@GOPLeader McCarthy says he has no problem with the administration acting illegally (per the GAO's finding) by withholding aid to Ukraine because all they were trying to do is root out corruption pic.twitter.com/qkEGLKMV6L — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 16, 2020
But Trump didn’t go through the proper congressional channels to hold up the aid, and the claim that the hold-up was rooted in concerns about corruption is belied by the fact that a top Defense Department official told Congress last May that Ukraine had made good enough progress on anti-corruption efforts to merit the aid.
Specifics aside, pretending that arguably the most personally corrupt president in American history has serious concerns about corruption abroad was absurd on its face. But it’s especially so in light of McCarthy and other Republicans who defended Trump throughout the impeachment process making a spectacle out of patronizing his business.
McCarthy thinks people aren’t able to figure this out
While members of Congress currying favor with the president by patronizing his businesses is pretty close to the textbook definition of corruption, McCarthy has pretended to be oblivious about it.
During a news conference last September — at a time when Vice President Mike Pence, Attorney General William Barr, and Air Force officials were all under scrutiny for seemingly needless trips to Trump properties — McCarthy was asked if he had concerns about officials lining the president’s pockets. He indicated he did not.
“The president’s resorts are hotels that he owns, that people are traveling. It’s just like any other hotel,” he said. “I don’t know that that’s different than anything else. Is it different than if I go and stay or eat at a Marriott here or eat at the Trump?”
.@GOPLeader: "The President's resorts are hotels that he owns, that people are traveling. It's just like any other hotel... I don't know that that's different than anything else. Is it different than if I go and stay or eat at a Marriott here or eat at the Trump?" pic.twitter.com/sKQHJa0Hmo — The Hill (@thehill) September 10, 2019
The obvious difference is that spending money at a Marriott doesn’t curry favor with the president by enriching him and/or providing free promotion for his business, while spending money at his hotels does.
Around the same time, Trump made a similarly unconvincing defense of corruption that benefits him, arguing that since he’s not directing anyone to do it, there’s nothing untoward about it. It’s just free market competition, and he happens to be selling products and services that people like.
Trump claims he played no role in Pence's decision to patronize a hotel he still owns & profits from in Ireland, but then provides a plug for his properties.
"I have a lot of hotels all over the place, & people use them because they are the best ... people like my product." pic.twitter.com/588Zul6d7f — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 5, 2019
The reality, however, is that the president owning and profiting from a business while he’s in office creates market-distorting incentives for people to line his pockets — including Republican members of Congress who apparently feel compelled to post on Instagram about it, in the process disproving a talking point they used to defend the president throughout the just-completed impeachment inquiry.
The news moves fast. To stay updated, follow Aaron Rupar on Twitter, and read more of Vox’s policy and politics coverage.


vox--2020-02-13--Here’s an idea to save local news: Stop trying to make a profit from local news

America has a local news crisis : The small- and mid-sized papers that told their readers what was happening in their communities — and held powerful people and institutions in those communities to account — are shrinking or disappearing entirely .
Today , for instance , McClatchy — the newspaper chain whose 30 properties include the Miami Herald , the paper that broke open the Jeffrey Epstein case , filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection ( the company promises that it will continue to “ pursue our strategy of digital transformation ” ) .
The good news is that various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news problem , using a variety of techniques : asking readers to pay , or pay more , for news ; creating new digital publications that focus on low-cost , high-demand subjects , like real estate listings ; hoping that a very rich , benevolent person will come and save the local paper ; or maybe hoping that Google or Facebook will do the same .
The bad news , says venture capitalist John Thornton : None of that is going to work .
Thornton is based in Austin , Texas , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago .
The nonprofit newspaper , which focuses on Texas government and politics , sustains itself via a combination of reader donations , advertising , and philanthropy .
He is also the CEO of the American Journalism Project , which is trying to export the Tribune model to local news publications around America , along with a lot of money : The “ venture philanthropy ” thinks it can solve America ’ s local news problem by rounding up $ 1 billion — half of which it wants to raise itself , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from other people — and distributing the funds to local , digital , not-for-profit publications like Vermont ’ s VT Digger .
So far it has raised some $ 50 million and has allocated $ 8.5 million of that .
Thornton ’ s argument is both common sense and contrary to lots of perceived wisdom .
If you ’ ve spent any time thinking about how media companies survive in 2020 , you ’ ll be familiar with the idea that they need multiple revenue sources , as Thornton is preaching .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t survive as for-profit businesses because there ’ s no market-based solution for the kind of news that citizens need will be bracing for lots of people .
But it has a sad ring of truth to it : While national papers like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal seem to be very healthy , it is difficult to find local papers that have adapted to a world where both print and digital ad sales are declining while subscriptions aren ’ t close the gap .
Here ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week ’ s Recode Media , where he lays out his thesis , using McClatchy ’ s declining fortunes as a data point .
If you look at the earnings reports of the public newspaper companies that are reasonably transparent on this — and none of them are terribly transparent because the story ’ s just not very good — they talk about how their digital subscriptions are growing in the 30 and 40 percent range , but it ’ s on just a tiny base .
And so if you force your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a very consistent conclusion , which is that for every buck they ’ re losing on a year-over-year basis in advertising revenue , they ’ re recovering less than a dime [ from subscriptions ] .
McClatchy reported last quarter that the company has shrunk for 26 consecutive quarters .
There is just no hope that civic news is going to win in an environment where the idea is you pay as you go and you pay for what you read , rather than solving for what society needs as a whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in any given community who are going to pay enough money to make a viable newspaper ?
If you add up all the digital subscriptions in local news — not the Wall Street Journal , not the Washington Post , not the New York Times — the nonprofit news industry is actually almost as big as that .
And so that just gives you a sense for how minuscule a contribution that actually makes .
[ Another idea you say won ’ t work ] is “ basically hope a billionaire buys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jobs invests in us as a philanthropy , ” or maybe , “ Warren Buffet buys us as a for-profit business.
” But [ you say ] that “ hope a rich guy or girl buys us ” is not a good plan ?
We ’ re incredibly pro-billionaire .
Very , very , very pro-billionaire .
We think for the most part , though — with the exception of the Washington Post , where [ executive editor ] Marty Baron was nice enough to give me an hour recently , and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeff Bezos did was say , “ This is going to be a national paper.
” That ’ s the way the economics work — there ’ s really nobody who recently , at least , has tried this on a for-profit basis who hasn ’ t either thrown up their hands or , in the case of Paul Huntsman in Salt Lake City , converted it to a nonprofit .
So , it ’ s not out of the question , but I know that when my local paper came on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I had wealthy , really civically big-hearted friends who said , “ Well , what do you think ?
” And my response was , “ Well , what are they going to pay you to take it ?
” Because do you really want to buy something that my 13- and 15-year-old step-kids had never really heard of and won ’ t have any reason to ?
What happened instead was it traded four and a half or five times cash flow to Gatehouse who immediately offered buyouts to not just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while putting on the back page at the same time this sort of heartstring-plucking plea to support journalism by subscribing to the Austin American Statesman .
Which I just find to be complete and utter bullshit .
Like I said : bracing .
I don ’ t know that Thornton ’ s solution will work any better than what we ’ ve seen so far , but it ’ s certainly worth trying .
Listen for yourself and see if you agree : You can hear the whole thing above or at Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ podcast platform you ’ d like .

America has a local news crisis: The small- and mid-sized papers that told their readers what was happening in their communities — and held powerful people and institutions in those communities to account — are shrinking or disappearing entirely.
Today, for instance, McClatchy — the newspaper chain whose 30 properties include the Miami Herald, the paper that broke open the Jeffrey Epstein case, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection (the company promises that it will continue to “pursue our strategy of digital transformation”).
The good news is that various people are trying to solve the local news problem, using a variety of techniques: asking readers to pay, or pay more, for news; creating new digital publications that focus on low-cost, high-demand subjects, like real estate listings; hoping that a very rich, benevolent person will come and save the local paper; or maybe hoping that Google or Facebook will do the same.
The bad news, says venture capitalist John Thornton: None of that is going to work.
Thornton is based in Austin, Texas, and co-founded the widely lauded Texas Tribune 10 years ago. The nonprofit newspaper, which focuses on Texas government and politics, sustains itself via a combination of reader donations, advertising, and philanthropy.
He is also the CEO of the American Journalism Project, which is trying to export the Tribune model to local news publications around America, along with a lot of money: The “venture philanthropy” thinks it can solve America’s local news problem by rounding up $1 billion — half of which it wants to raise itself, and the rest it hopes to get from other people — and distributing the funds to local, digital, not-for-profit publications like Vermont’s VT Digger. So far it has raised some $50 million and has allocated $8.5 million of that.
Thornton’s argument is both common sense and contrary to lots of perceived wisdom. If you’ve spent any time thinking about how media companies survive in 2020, you’ll be familiar with the idea that they need multiple revenue sources, as Thornton is preaching.
But his insistence that local news organizations simply can’t survive as for-profit businesses because there’s no market-based solution for the kind of news that citizens need will be bracing for lots of people. But it has a sad ring of truth to it: While national papers like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal seem to be very healthy, it is difficult to find local papers that have adapted to a world where both print and digital ad sales are declining while subscriptions aren’t close the gap.
Here’s an excerpt of our conversation in this week’s Recode Media, where he lays out his thesis, using McClatchy’s declining fortunes as a data point.
John Thornton
If you look at the earnings reports of the public newspaper companies that are reasonably transparent on this — and none of them are terribly transparent because the story’s just not very good — they talk about how their digital subscriptions are growing in the 30 and 40 percent range, but it’s on just a tiny base. And so if you force your way through the math, you come to a very consistent conclusion, which is that for every buck they’re losing on a year-over-year basis in advertising revenue, they’re recovering less than a dime [from subscriptions].
McClatchy reported last quarter that the company has shrunk for 26 consecutive quarters. There is just no hope that civic news is going to win in an environment where the idea is you pay as you go and you pay for what you read, rather than solving for what society needs as a whole.
Peter Kafka
And there aren’t enough people in any given community who are going to pay enough money to make a viable newspaper?
John Thornton
If you add up all the digital subscriptions in local news — not the Wall Street Journal, not the Washington Post, not the New York Times — the nonprofit news industry is actually almost as big as that. And so that just gives you a sense for how minuscule a contribution that actually makes.
Peter Kafka
[Another idea you say won’t work] is “basically hope a billionaire buys us,” “Hope Laurene Powell Jobs invests in us as a philanthropy,” or maybe, “Warren Buffet buys us as a for-profit business.” But [you say] that “hope a rich guy or girl buys us” is not a good plan?
John Thornton
We’re incredibly pro-billionaire. Very, very, very pro-billionaire. We think for the most part, though — with the exception of the Washington Post, where [executive editor] Marty Baron was nice enough to give me an hour recently, and he told me how the first thing that Jeff Bezos did was say, “This is going to be a national paper.” That’s the way the economics work — there’s really nobody who recently, at least, has tried this on a for-profit basis who hasn’t either thrown up their hands or, in the case of Paul Huntsman in Salt Lake City, converted it to a nonprofit.
So, it’s not out of the question, but I know that when my local paper came on the market 18 months ago or so, and I had wealthy, really civically big-hearted friends who said, “Well, what do you think?” And my response was, “Well, what are they going to pay you to take it?”
Because do you really want to buy something that my 13- and 15-year-old step-kids had never really heard of and won’t have any reason to? What happened instead was it traded four and a half or five times cash flow to Gatehouse who immediately offered buyouts to not just the whole newsroom but the entire company while putting on the back page at the same time this sort of heartstring-plucking plea to support journalism by subscribing to the Austin American Statesman. Which I just find to be complete and utter bullshit.
Like I said: bracing. I don’t know that Thornton’s solution will work any better than what we’ve seen so far, but it’s certainly worth trying. Listen for yourself and see if you agree: You can hear the whole thing above or at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast platform you’d like.