vox--2020-06-27--US must release children from detention centers due to Covid-19, judge rules

Immigrant children held in US family detention centers must be released by July 17 due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic , a federal judge ruled Friday .
It ’ s the first time in the longstanding legal battle over the detention of migrant children that a court has set a deadline for their release , a situation spurred on by reports of increasingly dangerous conditions in the centers .
According to the court order , as of June 25 , 11 people at a family detention center in Karnes City , Texas have tested positive for Covid-19 .
Results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Dilley , Texas , where four staff members have tested positive .
And other diseases spreading among children in the centers are evidence of how vulnerable they are to the virus , wrote Judge Dolly M. Gee of the US District Court for the Central District of California in her order .
“ The [ family residential centers ] are ‘ on fire ’ and there is no more time for half measures , ” Gee wrote .
Gee also excoriated the Trump administration for failing to abide by the most basic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Control and Prevention ( CDC ) for preventing the spread of Covid-19 in the detention centers .
The order notes Dr. Paul Wise , a Stanford University professor of pediatrics and health policy who was assigned in 2019 to monitor the health standards at the facilities , found “ ICE ’ s critical areas of improvement are in social distancing , masking , and testing—in other words , the basics.
” It was in response to this assessment that Gee ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) to release children to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-free group home with their parents ’ consent .
The order requires the release be done with “ all deliberate speed ” — and by July 17 at the latest .
It applies to children who have been held in the two Texas centers and one Pennsylvania center for more than 20 days .
According to the ruling , there were 124 children in ICE custody as of June 8 .
The agency recently released nearly 400 other children from shelters .
ICE told Vox it is reviewing the order , adding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Karnes detention center were tested at intake and haven ’ t come in contact with other families in the facility .
“ The detainees are asymptomatic and have been medically isolated by family unit , ” the agency ’ s spokesperson wrote in an email .
Gee ’ s order is not the first time the Trump administration has been confronted by the courts over its detainment of migrant children during the coronavirus pandemic , but it is the first time such a deadline has been set .
Courts have been battling the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus began Gee oversees the administration ’ s compliance with the 1997 “ Flores settlement , ” which requires that the government release children “ without unnecessary delay ” and to keep them in safe , clean conditions while they are detained .
In late March , as states across the country were shutting down their economies in response to the rapid spread of the virus , Gee ordered ICE to promptly release immigrant children from custody or explain why they must continue to be detained .
In April , she again ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children in custody .
In an attempt to come into compliance with the Flores settlement , ICE officials then reportedly asked parents to choose between staying with their children in detention indefinitely or to allow their children to be released into the custody of family members , sponsors , or the Department of Health and Human Services .
A group of House Democrats sent a letter to the Trump administration in May , urging them to explain these reports .
“ The Administration must stop using this public health crisis as a means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In these extraordinary times , human suffering need not be compounded by locking up families or instilling fear in the hearts of migrant parents , ” the letter read .
ICE officials have said the policy was not an attempt to separate families , and was not part of a “ binary choice ” policy , but that it was implemented to ensure the health and safety of the children in question .
Medical experts have raised concerns since the beginning of the pandemic that migrants living in congregate detention facilities would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the administration were to closely follow CDC guidelines .
Because of these concerns , groups like the ACLU have been suing for the release of immigrants from detention centers across the country since mid-March .
From what scientists currently understand about the coronavirus , children without underlying health conditions are unlikely to die or become significantly ill from Covid-19 , but they can carry the virus and expose other vulnerable populations .
While there is little research on the direct impact of child separation in US immigrant detention facilities , a large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children from their parents can contribute to post-traumatic stress disorder , learning challenges , and other traumatic social and psychological effects .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

Immigrant children held in US family detention centers must be released by July 17 due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, a federal judge ruled Friday.
It’s the first time in the longstanding legal battle over the detention of migrant children that a court has set a deadline for their release, a situation spurred on by reports of increasingly dangerous conditions in the centers.
According to the court order, as of June 25, 11 people at a family detention center in Karnes City, Texas have tested positive for Covid-19. Results are pending from tests at another center in Dilley, Texas, where four staff members have tested positive. And other diseases spreading among children in the centers are evidence of how vulnerable they are to the virus, wrote Judge Dolly M. Gee of the US District Court for the Central District of California in her order.
“The [family residential centers] are ‘on fire’ and there is no more time for half measures,” Gee wrote.
Gee also excoriated the Trump administration for failing to abide by the most basic recommendations set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for preventing the spread of Covid-19 in the detention centers. The order notes Dr. Paul Wise, a Stanford University professor of pediatrics and health policy who was assigned in 2019 to monitor the health standards at the facilities, found “ICE’s critical areas of improvement are in social distancing, masking, and testing—in other words, the basics.”
It was in response to this assessment that Gee ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to release children to their parents or another guardian, or a Covid-free group home with their parents’ consent.
The order requires the release be done with “all deliberate speed” — and by July 17 at the latest. It applies to children who have been held in the two Texas centers and one Pennsylvania center for more than 20 days.
According to the ruling, there were 124 children in ICE custody as of June 8. The agency recently released nearly 400 other children from shelters.
ICE told Vox it is reviewing the order, adding that the 11 positive Covid-19 cases in the Karnes detention center were tested at intake and haven’t come in contact with other families in the facility. “The detainees are asymptomatic and have been medically isolated by family unit,” the agency’s spokesperson wrote in an email.
Gee’s order is not the first time the Trump administration has been confronted by the courts over its detainment of migrant children during the coronavirus pandemic, but it is the first time such a deadline has been set.
Courts have been battling the Trump administration over child detention since the virus began
Gee oversees the administration’s compliance with the 1997 “Flores settlement,” which requires that the government release children “without unnecessary delay” and to keep them in safe, clean conditions while they are detained.
In late March, as states across the country were shutting down their economies in response to the rapid spread of the virus, Gee ordered ICE to promptly release immigrant children from custody or explain why they must continue to be detained. In April, she again ordered ICE to conduct individualized release assessments for children in custody.
In an attempt to come into compliance with the Flores settlement, ICE officials then reportedly asked parents to choose between staying with their children in detention indefinitely or to allow their children to be released into the custody of family members, sponsors, or the Department of Health and Human Services.
A group of House Democrats sent a letter to the Trump administration in May, urging them to explain these reports.
“The Administration must stop using this public health crisis as a means for implementing unlawful and inhumane immigration policies. In these extraordinary times, human suffering need not be compounded by locking up families or instilling fear in the hearts of migrant parents,” the letter read.
ICE officials have said the policy was not an attempt to separate families, and was not part of a “binary choice” policy, but that it was implemented to ensure the health and safety of the children in question.
Medical experts have raised concerns since the beginning of the pandemic that migrants living in congregate detention facilities would be particularly vulnerable to Covid-19, even if the administration were to closely follow CDC guidelines. Because of these concerns, groups like the ACLU have been suing for the release of immigrants from detention centers across the country since mid-March.
From what scientists currently understand about the coronavirus, children without underlying health conditions are unlikely to die or become significantly ill from Covid-19, but they can carry the virus and expose other vulnerable populations. While there is little research on the direct impact of child separation in US immigrant detention facilities, a large body of research indicates that separation of children from their parents can contribute to post-traumatic stress disorder, learning challenges, and other traumatic social and psychological effects.


vox--2020-06-28--Russia reportedly offered the Taliban bounties for American soldiers. Trump denies knowing about it.

President Donald Trump is denying knowledge of an arrangement in which Russian military officials reportedly offered to secretly pay Taliban fighters for killing American troops in Afghanistan .
A pair of explosive reports from the New York Times indicates that United States officials learned months ago of a Russian intelligence unit secretly offering bounties to the Taliban for killing US and other coalition forces in Afghanistan , as peace talks to end the war continue .
American spies and commandos reportedly told their superiors about the plot as early as January , after discovering a Taliban outpost rife with US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to pull American troops out of Afghanistan following a peace deal reached earlier this year , which would bolster the president ’ s reelection campaign .
The situation has now sparked questions from both Democrats and Trump allies .
According to the Times , American intelligence officials told the president about the findings in March and offered a number of options for reprimanding Russia , including escalating sanctions or issuing diplomatic complaints .
But Trump didn ’ t choose to retaliate at all , instead apparently ignoring what intelligence suggested was an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a significant escalation of the country ’ s support for the Taliban .
Twenty Americans were killed in Afghanistan in 2019 and four others were killed in early 2020 , though the Taliban has not attacked any American bases since February .
It ’ s unclear which killings may be connected to the Russian plot or whether any bounties were actually paid .
National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe denied that the president had been briefed on the issue on Saturday , though he didn ’ t dispute the veracity of the Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kayleigh McEnany also issued a statement Saturday saying Trump did not receive a briefing but that “ does not speak to the merit of the alleged intelligence.
” Trump followed suit on Sunday morning , tweeting that nobody briefed him , Vice President Mike Pence or Chief of Staff Mark Meadows about the scheme .
The Russian embassy and the Taliban have also denied the Times report .
Trump added , “ Nobody ’ s been tougher on Russia than the Trump Administration.
” However , while some of Trump ’ s advisers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia , Trump has consistently been more amenable to the country ’ s authoritarian leadership .
Trump has indicated that he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin ’ s assertion that the country did not interfere in the 2016 US elections , questioning his own intelligence officials who have said otherwise .
He has reportedly suggested multiple times that the US should pull out of NATO , which would be a massive win for Russia and a significant blow to US allies in Europe .
And in 2017 when Congress passed new sanctions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a veto-proof majority , Trump reluctantly signed the bill and implied it was unconstitutional .
If Trump was briefed in March , the timing was not good for him .
He was reportedly told about the plot just as the coronavirus was beginning to explode throughout the country , and the president — facing reelection in November — hopes to complete the peace deal with the Taliban in order to put an end to the war in Afghanistan .
Top Democrats condemn Trump ’ s denial , Republicans question what ’ s next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s assertion that “ everybody ” is denying the Times ’ s reporting , intelligence experts ’ responses varied over the weekend .
Richard Grenell , former acting director of national intelligence , wrote a series of tweets Sunday arguing that the reporting is false .
“ No one would be fine with this if it were true , ” he wrote .
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton told NBC that it would be “ disturbing ” if officials hadn ’ t told the president about the issue if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s any accuracy to it , ” Bolton said , “ that is a very , very serious matter.
” Democrats , meanwhile , expressed outrage over the findings .
Former Vice President Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee for president , derided Trump at a campaign event for not punishing Russia .
“ His entire presidency has been a gift to Putin , but this is beyond the pale , ” Biden said during a virtual town hall Saturday .
“ It ’ s a betrayal of the most sacred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect and equip our troops when we send them into harm ’ s way.
” Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi told ABC ’ s This Week that she was not aware of the intelligence reports on the Russian plan , despite being one of the “ Gang of Eight ” congressional leaders who are regularly briefed on intelligence matters .
However , she said , “ it ’ s totally outrageous ” that the president did not respond to news of the scheme .
“ I don ’ t know what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , personally , financially , whatever it is , ” Pelosi said .
“ The president wants to ignore any allegation against Russia.
” Other Democrats questioned the likelihood that the president wouldn ’ t be looped in on a matter of such severity .
Sen. Tim Kaine ( D-VA ) , Hillary Clinton ’ s former running mate , said Trump was “ cozying up to Putin , ” while his administration knew of the Russian scheme .
Sen. Chris Murphy ( D-CT ) tweeted that Ratcliffe “ is lying ( which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DNI withheld earthshaking information from President Trump , ” which is also a problem .
The Times reported earlier this year that it ’ s difficult for intelligence officials to keep Trump ’ s attention when briefings are provided .
Ten current and former intelligence officials who spoke with the Times said he is easily distracted , veers off on tangents , and rarely reads the reports , instead relying on conservative media or friends for information .
Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) , a reliable supporter of the president ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the administration “ to take such allegations seriously.
” Rep. Liz Cheney ( R-WY ) , chair of the House Republican Conference , wrote that Trump “ must explain ” why he wasn ’ t briefed , who did know and when , and “ what has been done in response.
” Now that Trump does know about the alleged plot , it ’ s unclear whether he will choose to take action , but some of his supporters are looking for answers .
The president has long had a soft spot for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other critics are eyeing his denial with suspicion .
It remains to be seen whether Trump will choose to act against the Russian leader he has often praised .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

President Donald Trump is denying knowledge of an arrangement in which Russian military officials reportedly offered to secretly pay Taliban fighters for killing American troops in Afghanistan.
A pair of explosive reports from the New York Times indicates that United States officials learned months ago of a Russian intelligence unit secretly offering bounties to the Taliban for killing US and other coalition forces in Afghanistan, as peace talks to end the war continue. American spies and commandos reportedly told their superiors about the plot as early as January, after discovering a Taliban outpost rife with US cash.
The reports come amid ongoing efforts to pull American troops out of Afghanistan following a peace deal reached earlier this year, which would bolster the president’s reelection campaign. The situation has now sparked questions from both Democrats and Trump allies.
According to the Times, American intelligence officials told the president about the findings in March and offered a number of options for reprimanding Russia, including escalating sanctions or issuing diplomatic complaints. But Trump didn’t choose to retaliate at all, instead apparently ignoring what intelligence suggested was an unprecedented Russian attack on US troops — and a significant escalation of the country’s support for the Taliban.
Twenty Americans were killed in Afghanistan in 2019 and four others were killed in early 2020, though the Taliban has not attacked any American bases since February. It’s unclear which killings may be connected to the Russian plot or whether any bounties were actually paid.
National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe denied that the president had been briefed on the issue on Saturday, though he didn’t dispute the veracity of the Russian bounty plot. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany also issued a statement Saturday saying Trump did not receive a briefing but that “does not speak to the merit of the alleged intelligence.”
Trump followed suit on Sunday morning, tweeting that nobody briefed him, Vice President Mike Pence or Chief of Staff Mark Meadows about the scheme. The Russian embassy and the Taliban have also denied the Times report.
...Nobody’s been tougher on Russia than the Trump Administration. With Corrupt Joe Biden & Obama, Russia had a field day, taking over important parts of Ukraine - Where’s Hunter? Probably just another phony Times hit job, just like their failed Russia Hoax. Who is their “source”? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2020
Trump added, “Nobody’s been tougher on Russia than the Trump Administration.”
However, while some of Trump’s advisers have pushed for more stringent policies toward Russia, Trump has consistently been more amenable to the country’s authoritarian leadership.
Trump has indicated that he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin’s assertion that the country did not interfere in the 2016 US elections, questioning his own intelligence officials who have said otherwise. He has reportedly suggested multiple times that the US should pull out of NATO, which would be a massive win for Russia and a significant blow to US allies in Europe. And in 2017 when Congress passed new sanctions on Russia related to its election interference with a veto-proof majority, Trump reluctantly signed the bill and implied it was unconstitutional.
If Trump was briefed in March, the timing was not good for him. He was reportedly told about the plot just as the coronavirus was beginning to explode throughout the country, and the president — facing reelection in November — hopes to complete the peace deal with the Taliban in order to put an end to the war in Afghanistan.
Top Democrats condemn Trump’s denial, Republicans question what’s next, and intelligence officials are mixed
Despite Trump’s assertion that “everybody” is denying the Times’s reporting, intelligence experts’ responses varied over the weekend.
Richard Grenell, former acting director of national intelligence, wrote a series of tweets Sunday arguing that the reporting is false. “No one would be fine with this if it were true,” he wrote.
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton told NBC that it would be “disturbing” if officials hadn’t told the president about the issue if the intelligence was reliable. “If there’s any accuracy to it,” Bolton said, “that is a very, very serious matter.”
Democrats, meanwhile, expressed outrage over the findings. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, derided Trump at a campaign event for not punishing Russia.
“His entire presidency has been a gift to Putin, but this is beyond the pale,” Biden said during a virtual town hall Saturday. “It’s a betrayal of the most sacred duty we bear as a nation, to protect and equip our troops when we send them into harm’s way.”
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi told ABC’s This Week that she was not aware of the intelligence reports on the Russian plan, despite being one of the “Gang of Eight” congressional leaders who are regularly briefed on intelligence matters. However, she said, “it’s totally outrageous” that the president did not respond to news of the scheme.
“I don’t know what the Russians have on the president politically, personally, financially, whatever it is,” Pelosi said. “The president wants to ignore any allegation against Russia.”
The shocking reports about Russia’s bounty on American troops is as bad as it gets – and still, President Trump refuses to confront Putin. #ThisWeek pic.twitter.com/oeT0RgruOL — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) June 28, 2020
Other Democrats questioned the likelihood that the president wouldn’t be looped in on a matter of such severity. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Hillary Clinton’s former running mate, said Trump was “cozying up to Putin,” while his administration knew of the Russian scheme. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) tweeted that Ratcliffe “is lying (which is a massive problem) or the DNI withheld earthshaking information from President Trump,” which is also a problem.
The Times reported earlier this year that it’s difficult for intelligence officials to keep Trump’s attention when briefings are provided. Ten current and former intelligence officials who spoke with the Times said he is easily distracted, veers off on tangents, and rarely reads the reports, instead relying on conservative media or friends for information.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a reliable supporter of the president’s, said on Twitter that he expects the administration “to take such allegations seriously.” Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), chair of the House Republican Conference, wrote that Trump “must explain” why he wasn’t briefed, who did know and when, and “what has been done in response.”
Now that Trump does know about the alleged plot, it’s unclear whether he will choose to take action, but some of his supporters are looking for answers. The president has long had a soft spot for Putin — one of the reasons Democrats and other critics are eyeing his denial with suspicion. It remains to be seen whether Trump will choose to act against the Russian leader he has often praised.


vox--2020-06-28--What we know about a shooting at a protest in Louisville

A shooting at a protest in Louisville , Kentucky ’ s Jefferson Square Park resulted in one death and one injury Saturday night , according to the Louisville Courier-Journal .
The park has been the epicenter of ongoing protests against police brutality and racism , sparked by a series of police killings , including of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville .
Several protesters had set up tents and were staying overnight in the park .
The shooting began at around 9 pm ET , according to police .
Video posted on social media shows a man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crowd from the edge of the park .
Police cleared the park following the shooting early Sunday morning and said demonstrations can continue during the day , but no one will be allowed to stay overnight .
“ I am deeply saddened by the violence that erupted in Jefferson Square Park tonight , where those who have been voicing their concerns have been gathered , ” Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer wrote on Facebook .
“ It is a tragedy that this area of peaceful protest is now a crime scene.
” This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s what we know so far .
What we know • Louisville Metro Police received reports of shots fired at Jefferson Square Park around 9 pm ET Saturday .
• Video posted on Facebook shows a man firing a gun into the park .
The clips show people screaming and dropping to the ground ; others began running .
One person can be seen on the ground as someone near them calls for a medic .
• Interim Louisville Police Chief Robert Schroeder said Sunday afternoon “ the man who is believed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in police custody .
• Schroeder added the suspect had taken part in other protests , and had been asked to leave Saturday ’ s demonstration by other protesters “ due to his disruptive behavior.
” • The Jefferson County Sheriff ’ s Office reportedly attempted to perform emergency first aid on a man who had been shot .
He later died at the scene , and has been identified by Jefferson County ’ s coroner as 27-year-old Tyler Charles Gerth .
• A second victim , whose gender has not been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Hall of Justice near the park .
They were taken to a local hospital , having sustained non-life-threatening injuries .
• Around 10 pm Saturday , Louisville police arrived at the park in riot gear .
• Police cleared the park after the shooting to begin an investigation , and a local public works team packed up the tents left behind by protesters .
Police announced early Sunday morning that camping overnight in the park will no longer be allowed .
• Louisville has been a center of the international protests that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd in Minneapolis in late May .
Breonna Taylor , a 26-year-old Louisville EMT , was shot and killed by local police in her home on March 13 , about 10 weeks before Floyd ’ s death .
None of the three officers involved in Taylor ’ s death have been arrested .
• A counterprotest featuring “ armed freedom fighter patriots ” at the park was planned for earlier that day .
Some of the anti-racist and police brutality protesters brought their own firearms to the daytime demonstration in anticipation of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Saturday night ’ s shooting was not the first in a month of mostly-peaceful protests : Seven people were wounded during a shooting at nearby City Hall in Louisville on May 28 .
What we don ’ t know • The identity of the shooter • The shooter ’ s motive and the firearm used Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

A shooting at a protest in Louisville, Kentucky’s Jefferson Square Park resulted in one death and one injury Saturday night, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
The park has been the epicenter of ongoing protests against police brutality and racism, sparked by a series of police killings, including of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville. Several protesters had set up tents and were staying overnight in the park.
The shooting began at around 9 pm ET, according to police. Video posted on social media shows a man firing more than a dozen shots into the crowd from the edge of the park.
Police cleared the park following the shooting early Sunday morning and said demonstrations can continue during the day, but no one will be allowed to stay overnight.
“I am deeply saddened by the violence that erupted in Jefferson Square Park tonight, where those who have been voicing their concerns have been gathered,” Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer wrote on Facebook. “It is a tragedy that this area of peaceful protest is now a crime scene.”
This is a developing story. Here’s what we know so far.
What we know
What we don’t know


vox--2020-06-28--Trump thanks the “great people” in a video featuring a supporter yelling “white power”

The US had a historic week amid the coronavirus pandemic , hitting a record high of new cases every day beginning Wednesday .
President Donald Trump , however , spent his Sunday morning retweeting a video of a supporter saying “ white power , ” attacking presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s intelligence , and claiming he didn ’ t know anything about a reported Russian bounty on US troops in Afghanistan .
Early Sunday morning , Trump retweeted a video of members of The Villages , a Florida retirement community , both rallying for and protesting against him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Trump 2020 signs can be heard in the first seconds of the video chanting “ white power ” in response to heckling from residents protesting Trump .
“ Thank you to the great people of The Villages , ” Trump wrote .
“ The Radical Left Do Nothing Democrats will Fall in the Fall .
Corrupt Joe is shot .
See you soon !
!
!
” The video brought swift condemnation across the political spectrum .
Sen. Tim Scott ( R-SC ) , speaking on CNN ’ s State of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no question ” the president shouldn ’ t have retweeted it and added , “ He should take it down ... it ’ s indefensible.
” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar , also on State of the Union , condemned racism in general Sunday morning , but would not say whether it was a mistake to tweet the video .
“ Neither the president , his administration , nor I would do anything to be supportive of white supremacy or anything that would support discrimination of any kind , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appearance on CNN , and ahead of an interview on CBS ’ s Face the Nation during which he repeated his belief the video should be removed , the tweet was deleted .
The president did not comment further on the video Sunday morning , before traveling to his golf club in Sterling , Virginia .
Judd Deere , a spokesperson for the White House , told Reuters , “ President Trump is a big fan of The Villages .
He did not hear the one statement made on the video .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his many supporters.
” Trump has made racist comments himself in the past , including referring to the coronavirus as the “ kung flu ” and telling congresswomen of color who oppose him to “ go back ” to the “ crime infested places from which they came.
” And as Vox ’ s German Lopez notes , he has enjoyed the support of white supremacists since announcing his candidacy .
The president has been dismissive of accusations of racism in the past , and he has downplayed his support among white nationalists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pushback he received following the tweets about the congresswomen , he said , “ It doesn ’ t concern me because many people agree with me.
” It is certainly possible Trump retweeted the video without watching it , but it is worth noting the “ white power ” chant began within the first 10 seconds .
And given that the president has repeatedly made — and seemed to endorse — racist statements , it begins to appear , as Lopez wrote , “ that bigotry is not just political opportunism on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ element of his personality , character , and career.
” Trump also insulted Biden and claimed he knew nothing of a Russian bounty scheme in Afghanistan In addition to retweeting a white supremacist chant , Trump ’ s Sunday morning Twitter feed featured full-throated defenses of his administration ’ s relationship with Russia and a tweet calling “ Sleepy Joe [ Biden ] ” a “ Low IQ person.
” The New York Times reported Friday that the Russian military secretly offered to pay Taliban fighters to kill US soldiers in Afghanistan .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago and briefed the president in March , according to the report .
Officials reportedly offered Trump a number of options for reprimanding Russia , including escalating sanctions or issuing diplomatic complaints .
But Trump didn ’ t choose to retaliate at all , instead apparently ignoring what intelligence suggested was an unprecedented Russian attack on US troops — and a significant escalation of the country ’ s support for the Taliban .
Trump denied knowing about the intelligence and attacked the Times on Twitter , writing that “ everybody is denying [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been many attacks on us .
Nobody ’ s been tougher on Russia than the Trump Administration.
” As the Times reported , 20 Americans were killed in Afghanistan in 2019 — although it ’ s unclear which killings may be connected to the Russian plot .
Trump went on to allege that the Times ’ s sources don ’ t exist , calling on the paper to reveal its sources .
Democrats have spent the weekend criticizing Trump over the report ; Biden , for instance , derided Trump at a campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His entire presidency has been a gift to Putin , but this is beyond the pale , ” Biden said during a virtual town hall Saturday .
“ It ’ s a betrayal of the most sacred duty we bear as a nation , to protect and equip our troops when we send them into harm ’ s way.
” Trump took issue with this assessment , tweeting Sunday morning that Biden ’ s statements were “ written by his handlers ” and that “ Russia ate his and Obama ’ s lunch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweets — and others on the same themes — came as the coronavirus crisis is accelerating across the US .
Coronavirus cases hit their highest daily number yet on Thursday , and average weekly cases have been rising for the last two weeks .
Governors across the country remain largely on their own when it comes to deciding how and when to restrict people ’ s movement , or put other public health measures in place .
The White House coronavirus task force has called for increased vigilance against the virus as cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Western US .
Nevertheless , Vice President Mike Pence assured the public Friday that the country is “ in a much better place ” than it had been , and said Americans can choose to exercise their free speech by attending rallies like the ones recently hosted by Trump , as long as they keep official guidelines in mind .
And Trump has repeatedly made the incorrect argument that , “ Cases up only because of our big number testing.
” It ’ s not clear whether states will heed public health experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened too soon and are contributing to the disease ’ s spread .
But they are certainly getting mixed messages from the White House — and that is when the president addresses the issue at all .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

The US had a historic week amid the coronavirus pandemic, hitting a record high of new cases every day beginning Wednesday. President Donald Trump, however, spent his Sunday morning retweeting a video of a supporter saying “white power,” attacking presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s intelligence, and claiming he didn’t know anything about a reported Russian bounty on US troops in Afghanistan.
Early Sunday morning, Trump retweeted a video of members of The Villages, a Florida retirement community, both rallying for and protesting against him. One man driving a golf cart with Trump 2020 signs can be heard in the first seconds of the video chanting “white power” in response to heckling from residents protesting Trump.
“Thank you to the great people of The Villages,” Trump wrote. “The Radical Left Do Nothing Democrats will Fall in the Fall. Corrupt Joe is shot. See you soon!!!”
Seniors from The Villages in Florida protesting against each other: pic.twitter.com/Q3GRJCTjEW — Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) June 27, 2020
The video brought swift condemnation across the political spectrum. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, said there’s “no question” the president shouldn’t have retweeted it and added, “He should take it down ... it’s indefensible.”
“He should not have retweeted and he should just take it down… It is indefensible,” GOP Sen. Tim Scott reacts to the video President Trump shared of a man driving a golf cart with Trump campaign posters, chanting "white power." #CNNSOTU https://t.co/76wZzokkUw pic.twitter.com/4zk2rFndcP — State of the Union (@CNNSotu) June 28, 2020
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, also on State of the Union, condemned racism in general Sunday morning, but would not say whether it was a mistake to tweet the video. “Neither the president, his administration, nor I would do anything to be supportive of white supremacy or anything that would support discrimination of any kind,” he said.
Shortly after Scott’s appearance on CNN, and ahead of an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation during which he repeated his belief the video should be removed, the tweet was deleted. The president did not comment further on the video Sunday morning, before traveling to his golf club in Sterling, Virginia. Judd Deere, a spokesperson for the White House, told Reuters, “President Trump is a big fan of The Villages. He did not hear the one statement made on the video. What he did see was tremendous enthusiasm from his many supporters.”
Trump has made racist comments himself in the past, including referring to the coronavirus as the “kung flu” and telling congresswomen of color who oppose him to “go back” to the “crime infested places from which they came.” And as Vox’s German Lopez notes, he has enjoyed the support of white supremacists since announcing his candidacy. The president has been dismissive of accusations of racism in the past, and he has downplayed his support among white nationalists. For instance, when asked about the pushback he received following the tweets about the congresswomen, he said, “It doesn’t concern me because many people agree with me.”
It is certainly possible Trump retweeted the video without watching it, but it is worth noting the “white power” chant began within the first 10 seconds. And given that the president has repeatedly made — and seemed to endorse — racist statements, it begins to appear, as Lopez wrote, “that bigotry is not just political opportunism on Trump’s part but a real element of his personality, character, and career.”
Trump also insulted Biden and claimed he knew nothing of a Russian bounty scheme in Afghanistan
In addition to retweeting a white supremacist chant, Trump’s Sunday morning Twitter feed featured full-throated defenses of his administration’s relationship with Russia and a tweet calling “Sleepy Joe [Biden]” a “Low IQ person.”
The New York Times reported Friday that the Russian military secretly offered to pay Taliban fighters to kill US soldiers in Afghanistan. US officials learned of the scheme months ago and briefed the president in March, according to the report.
Officials reportedly offered Trump a number of options for reprimanding Russia, including escalating sanctions or issuing diplomatic complaints. But Trump didn’t choose to retaliate at all, instead apparently ignoring what intelligence suggested was an unprecedented Russian attack on US troops — and a significant escalation of the country’s support for the Taliban.
Trump denied knowing about the intelligence and attacked the Times on Twitter, writing that “everybody is denying [the report] & there have not been many attacks on us. Nobody’s been tougher on Russia than the Trump Administration.”
...Nobody’s been tougher on Russia than the Trump Administration. With Corrupt Joe Biden & Obama, Russia had a field day, taking over important parts of Ukraine - Where’s Hunter? Probably just another phony Times hit job, just like their failed Russia Hoax. Who is their “source”? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2020
As the Times reported, 20 Americans were killed in Afghanistan in 2019 — although it’s unclear which killings may be connected to the Russian plot.
Trump went on to allege that the Times’s sources don’t exist, calling on the paper to reveal its sources.
Democrats have spent the weekend criticizing Trump over the report; Biden, for instance, derided Trump at a campaign event for not punishing Russia.
“His entire presidency has been a gift to Putin, but this is beyond the pale,” Biden said during a virtual town hall Saturday. “It’s a betrayal of the most sacred duty we bear as a nation, to protect and equip our troops when we send them into harm’s way.”
Trump took issue with this assessment, tweeting Sunday morning that Biden’s statements were “written by his handlers” and that “Russia ate his and Obama’s lunch during their time in office.”
These tweets — and others on the same themes — came as the coronavirus crisis is accelerating across the US.
Coronavirus cases hit their highest daily number yet on Thursday, and average weekly cases have been rising for the last two weeks. Governors across the country remain largely on their own when it comes to deciding how and when to restrict people’s movement, or put other public health measures in place.
The White House coronavirus task force has called for increased vigilance against the virus as cases rise, especially across the South and Western US. Nevertheless, Vice President Mike Pence assured the public Friday that the country is “in a much better place” than it had been, and said Americans can choose to exercise their free speech by attending rallies like the ones recently hosted by Trump, as long as they keep official guidelines in mind. And Trump has repeatedly made the incorrect argument that, “Cases up only because of our big number testing.”
It’s not clear whether states will heed public health experts’ warnings that recent economic reopenings mostly happened too soon and are contributing to the disease’s spread. But they are certainly getting mixed messages from the White House — and that is when the president addresses the issue at all.


vox--2020-06-29--Exclusive: Sen. Elizabeth Warren introduces nationwide eviction moratorium bill

Desiree Kane , an organizer with Colorado Rent Strike and Eviction Defense , says her neighbors are fearful .
Many have lost jobs or wages , and bills are piling up .
“ Mostly the Colorado Rent Strike and Eviction Defense is a support group for people , ” she said , “ who come in , and they ’ re like , ‘ Oh , my god , my entire world is crumbling around me .
What do I do ?
’ ” Colorado , like many other states and cities , implemented a temporary eviction moratorium in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes during the coronavirus pandemic .
But the state ’ s moratorium expired on June 13 , though Gov .
Jared Polis issued a last-minute emergency order that required landlords to give tenants more notice about any evictions , effectively delaying many evictions for another 30 days .
It was a reprieve , but a temporary and incomplete one .
This is the grim reality facing vulnerable renters in Colorado , and across the US : Emergency eviction moratoriums are beginning to run out and housing courts are starting to reopen .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their bills to stay their homes are ending .
But the coronavirus crisis is far from over in the country , and while states are opening up , millions have lost jobs or had their hours cut .
The end of the moratoriums has experts and housing advocates predicting a “ tsunami ” of evictions , one that could lead to a spike in homelessness at a time when , still , the best defense against the pandemic is to stay home .
Against this backdrop , Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-MA ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationwide eviction moratorium .
The Protecting Renters from Evictions and Fees Act would extend eviction protections for nonpayment of rent for one year , starting from March 27 , 2020 .
It would also substantially expand the current federal eviction moratorium so it includes most renters .
Currently , states and localities have their own rules , which amounts to a confusing patchwork of eviction policies .
The CARES Act — the massive stimulus Congress package passed in March — imposed a 120-day moratorium on evictions for tenants in federally-assisted housing or in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million of the 43.8 million rental units in the US , according to the Urban Institute .
Those protections are set to expire on July 25 , 2020 .
Warren ’ s bill would keep those safeguards in place for an additional eight months , and extend those benefits beyond those in federally-backed housing to almost all renters , unifying the mishmash of state eviction moratoriums currently in place .
The bill would also bar landlords from charging additional fees for nonpayment of rent , and require landlords to give tenants 30-days notice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reps. Chuy Garcia ( D-IL ) and Barbara Lee ( D-CA ) are pushing similar legislation in the House .
“ Renters who have lost their job or had their income reduced shouldn ’ t have to fear losing their homes in the middle of a pandemic , ” Warren said in a statement to Vox .
“ Housing is a human right and an absolute necessity to keep families safe during this crisis , and Congress must step in now to help keep people in their homes.
” This new legislation is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the $ 3 stimulus package passed by the House that has languished in the Republican-led Senate , includes a similar nationwide eviction moratorium for nonpayment for most renters .
The HEROES Act also comes with additional cash stimulus , expanded unemployment insurance , and almost $ 200 billion in financial support for housing and homelessness programs , including $ 100 billion for emergency rental assistance .
( There ’ s standalone legislation on this , too . )
That money would also keep payment flowing to landlords , especially smaller landlords , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay for building maintenance , utilities , mortgages , taxes , and other expenses .
The eviction moratorium does provide a stopgap , preventing renters from becoming immediately homeless during the pandemic .
A nationwide policy is also much more effective than the current mess of state and local rules .
But the bill would not mean the rent bill is no longer due , or prevent arrears from piling up .
And tenants could still be evicted for nonpayment after the moratorium expires .
A nationwide eviction moratorium would protect renters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A nationwide eviction moratorium is just one piece of protection for vulnerable renters .
“ It ’ s a short-term emergency move to help prevent people from losing their homes , but ultimately , you need to be able to pay the rent , ” Alex Schwartz , a professor of urban policy at the New School , said of eviction moratoriums , in a conversation last week about the struggles facing US renters unrelated to Warren ’ s bill .
And , at least at the start of the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped households pay their rent .
It offered Americans making $ 75,000 or less per year a one-time stimulus check of $ 1,200 , with additional money for kids .
It also expanded unemployment insurance by $ 600 per week , but that is expected to end on July 31 .
So far , Congress has not replaced or extended any of those benefits .
“ When that ends , and it ’ s all ending , I just don ’ t see where the rent money is going to come from , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus hit , America ’ s renters , especially those of lower incomes , were in crisis .
Of the country ’ s approximately 43 million renters in 2018 , more than 40 percent were already considered “ rent burdened , ” spending more than 35 percent of their income on housing and utilities , according to US Census data .
The economic fallout from the pandemic has exacerbated this .
The Urban Institute estimates about 8.9 million renter households — almost 20 percent of all renter households — have seen at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past two months .
A moratorium on evictions would immediately protect tenants if they can ’ t send a rent check for a few months , but it does not stop landlords from charging , or trying , to collect rent .
And for people who fall behind on rent because they ’ ve lost their jobs or had their incomes cut , it will be even harder to catch up .
This is why some housing activists and organizers are calling for dramatic interventions , specifically canceling or pausing rent and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landlords could weather the crisis .
This wouldn ’ t be a deferral of payment , it would be a total erasure .
But it could be harder than it sounds to execute .
Even if rents are forgiven , it ’ s not guaranteed that private mortgage lenders would get on board .
And a lot of those mortgages are bundled and sold as investments ; as CityLab pointed out , many of those investors are things like pension funds .
This means the money may have to come from somewhere — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help get them from month-to-month , or somewhere on the back end to bail out the rent and mortgages that won ’ t get paid .
Economic stimulus and emergency rental assistance , such as those measures contained in the HEROES Act , would help achieve that while keeping more people stably housed .
Stimulus doesn ’ t entirely eliminate the need for a nationwide eviction moratorium , either .
A moratorium adds another critical safety net for vulnerable renters , especially those who may not be eligible for benefits like expanded unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death , ” Julian Smith-Newman , a member of the Los Angeles Tenants Union , a member-funded housing advocacy group , told me in April .
“ That ’ s never been more obvious than at this moment and in the public health crisis that we ’ re living in.
” Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

Desiree Kane, an organizer with Colorado Rent Strike and Eviction Defense, says her neighbors are fearful. Many have lost jobs or wages, and bills are piling up.
“Mostly the Colorado Rent Strike and Eviction Defense is a support group for people,” she said, “who come in, and they’re like, ‘Oh, my god, my entire world is crumbling around me. What do I do?’”
Colorado, like many other states and cities, implemented a temporary eviction moratorium in March, to prevent people from losing their homes during the coronavirus pandemic.
But the state’s moratorium expired on June 13, though Gov. Jared Polis issued a last-minute emergency order that required landlords to give tenants more notice about any evictions, effectively delaying many evictions for another 30 days. It was a reprieve, but a temporary and incomplete one.
This is the grim reality facing vulnerable renters in Colorado, and across the US: Emergency eviction moratoriums are beginning to run out, if they haven’t already, and housing courts are starting to reopen. The policies that allowed renters unable to pay their bills to stay in their homes are ending.
But the coronavirus crisis is far from over in the country, and while states are opening up, millions have lost jobs or had their hours cut. The end of the moratoriums has experts and housing advocates predicting a “tsunami” of evictions, one that could lead to a spike in homelessness at a time when, still, the best defense against the pandemic is to stay home.
Against this backdrop, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is introducing legislation that would implement a nationwide eviction moratorium. The Protecting Renters From Evictions and Fees Act would extend eviction protections for nonpayment of rent for one year, starting from March 27, 2020. It would also substantially expand the current federal eviction moratorium so it includes most renters.
“Renters who have lost their job or had their income reduced shouldn’t have to fear losing their homes in the middle of a pandemic,” Warren said in a statement to Vox. “Housing is a human right and an absolute necessity to keep families safe during this crisis, and Congress must step in now to help keep people in their homes.”
Currently, states and localities have their own rules, which amounts to a confusing patchwork of eviction policies. The CARES Act, the massive stimulus package Congress passed in March, imposed a 120-day moratorium on evictions for tenants in federally assisted housing or in homes with federally backed mortgages — about 12.3 million of the 43.8 million rental units in the US, according to the Urban Institute. Those protections are set to expire on July 25, 2020.
Warren’s bill would keep those safeguards in place for an additional eight months, and extend those benefits beyond those in federally backed housing to almost all renters, unifying the mishmash of state eviction moratoriums currently in place. The bill would also bar landlords from charging additional fees for nonpayment of rent, and require landlords to give tenants 30-days notice of eviction after the moratorium ends.
Reps. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia (D-IL) and Barbara Lee (D-CA) are pushing similar legislation in the House. Garcia said in a statement to Vox that as existing moratoriums expire, it’s more important than ever for Congress to protect renters. “My district consists principally of immigrant and working class communities, and more than half of my constituents are renters,” Garcia said. “As our country faces historic levels of unemployment and with another first of the month around the corner, people in my district are hurting — the last thing they should worry about is having a roof over their head.”
This new legislation is a standalone bill. The HEROES Act, the $3 trillion stimulus package passed by the House that has languished in the Republican-led Senate, includes a similar nationwide eviction moratorium for nonpayment for most renters.
The HEROES Act also comes with additional cash stimulus, expanded unemployment insurance, and almost $200 billion in financial support for housing and homelessness programs, including $100 billion for emergency rental assistance. (There’s standalone legislation on this, too.) That money would also keep payment flowing to landlords, especially smaller landlords, who may rely on rental income to pay for building maintenance, utilities, mortgages, taxes, and other expenses.
The eviction moratorium does provide a stopgap, preventing renters from becoming immediately homeless during the pandemic. A nationwide policy is also much more effective than the current mess of state and local rules. But the bill would not mean the rent is no longer due, or prevent arrears from piling up. And tenants could still be evicted for nonpayment after the moratorium expires.
A nationwide eviction moratorium would protect renters. But it’s just a start.
A nationwide eviction moratorium is just one piece of protection for vulnerable renters. “It’s a short-term emergency move to help prevent people from losing their homes, but ultimately, you need to be able to pay the rent,” Alex Schwartz, a professor of urban policy at the New School, said of eviction moratoriums, in a conversation last week about the struggles facing US renters unrelated to Warren’s bill.
And, at least at the start of the pandemic, benefits contained in the CARES Act likely helped households pay their rent. It offered Americans making $75,000 or less per year a one-time stimulus check of $1,200, with additional money for kids. It also expanded unemployment insurance by $600 per week, but that is expected to end on July 31. So far, Congress has not replaced or extended any of those benefits.
“When that ends, and it’s all ending, I just don’t see where the rent money is going to come from,” Schwartz said.
Even before the coronavirus hit, America’s renters, especially those of lower incomes, were in crisis. Of the country’s approximately 43 million renters in 2018, more than 40 percent were already considered “rent burdened,” spending more than 35 percent of their income on housing and utilities, according to US Census data.
The economic fallout from the pandemic has exacerbated this. The Urban Institute estimates about 8.9 million renter households — almost 20 percent of all renter households — have seen at least one household member lose a job in the past two months.
A moratorium on evictions would immediately protect tenants if they can’t send a rent check for a few months, but it does not stop landlords from charging, or trying to collect, rent. And for people who fall behind on rent because they’ve lost their jobs or had their incomes cut, it will be even harder to catch up.
This is why some housing activists and organizers are calling for dramatic interventions, specifically canceling or pausing rent and mortgage payments, so both tenants and landlords could weather the crisis.
This wouldn’t be a deferral of payment; it would be an erasure. But it could be harder than it sounds to execute. Even if rents are forgiven, it’s not guaranteed that private mortgage lenders would get on board. And a lot of those mortgages are bundled and sold as investments; as CityLab pointed out, many of those investors are things like pension funds.
This means the money may have to come from somewhere — whether directly into renters’ pockets to help get them from month to month, or somewhere on the back end to bail out the rent and mortgages that won’t get paid. Economic stimulus and emergency rental assistance, such as those measures contained in the HEROES Act, would help achieve that while keeping more people stably housed.
Stimulus doesn’t entirely eliminate the need for a nationwide eviction moratorium, either. A moratorium adds another critical safety net for vulnerable renters, especially those who may not be eligible for benefits like expanded unemployment or other assistance. “Eviction equals death,” Julian Smith-Newman, a member of the Los Angeles Tenants Union, a member-funded housing advocacy group, told me in April. “That’s never been more obvious than at this moment and in the public health crisis that we’re living in.”
This post has been updated with a comment from Rep. Garcia.


vox--2020-06-29--A foreign journalist’s warning about American authoritarianism

For most Americans , having a president who poses a direct threat to democracy is uncharted , perilous territory .
But it ’ s useful to remember that other societies have dealt with the same challenges in the recent past .
To truly understand the gravity of the threat we face , it ’ s helpful to turn abroad — to talk to people who have seen democracy in their own country crumble .
Serbian journalist Stevan Dojčinović is just such a person .
The editor-in-chief of the Crime and Corruption Reporting Network in Belgrade , he , along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lawlessness in the Serbian government — an elected regime that , according to international watchdogs , has worked hard to undermine the fairness of the political system and freedom of the press .
Under the leadership of the right-wing populist Serbian Progressive Party , the country has fallen lower on one widely used ranking of democracy than neighboring Hungary .
The decline of democracy in Serbia is a bitter pill for people like Dojčinović to swallow , given that Serbia worked hard to build a real democracy after throwing off first a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s dictatorship in 2000 .
“ We were kind of building democracy for 12 years , and now we are in the process of going backward , ” he tells me .
While America is not yet as bad off as Serbia , Dojčinović sees warning signs that America could go down the same road .
In particular , he says , President Trump has the same willingness to abuse his position — cultivating a captive media , enriching himself and his family — that characterizes the current Serbian government .
For this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a warning for America : A second term could , in his view , prove catastrophic for American democracy .
Populist authoritarians undermine democracy in an insidious way , dressing up attacks on the press and courts as what the people truly want .
After reelection , they believe they have a freer hand .
“ Mentally , for these guys , the second time they win is really important , ” Dojčinović tells me .
“ Then they really feel kind of that they have a right to do some deep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our conversation , edited for length and clarity .
Give me some concrete examples of the ways the current government has attacked democracy in Serbia .
The first thing that they did was to crack down on media .
They did it one day after they won election .
They started cracking down on the media because , for these guys , the media is actually the biggest threat .
In Milosevic ’ s time , he was doing propaganda through state-owned media .
[ This government is ] smarter .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media or take control over private media .
They understood that the best way actually is to keep media private but find ways to control them .
In Serbia , they control it through financial measures , basically .
The state suddenly started giving a lot of money to media through many different ways .
Basically , the media understands that if they want to receive this money , they have to stop criticizing the people in power .
The biggest TV station in Serbia , for instance , they owe dozens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pays ; they ’ re not being charged for taxes .
The state turns a blind eye while they don ’ t pay taxes .
Instead of censoring media , the media becomes self-censored .
They are much smarter than Milosevic was ; they ’ ve had time to learn lessons .
What they understand is they should not change any laws in a way that [ seems ] undemocratic .
So the laws stay the same .
But they understand that they can really easily undermine all the laws .
On paper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in reality , none of these laws apply .
How has the crackdown on media and hollowing out of the legal system affected you as a journalist ?
We have our own website .
There is a lot of independent media in Serbia , mostly online .
But the internet is still not mainstream in Serbia .
It ’ s really bizarre : When we discover some big story on corruption , we publish it online , and it gets really big hype .
People discuss about it for weeks .
But we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media organization do any piece about it .
It ’ s kind of like two realities in Serbia : There ’ s big mainstream and the rest of the media .
They have literally different stories .
There ’ s nothing in common .
There ’ s lots of different measures that they do against the [ independent ] media .
First thing is they cut you out of the finance .
They ’ ll just send a bunch of tax inspectors to companies who advertise in media they don ’ t like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll really harass you .
In the end , you understand it ’ s not good for business .
The second big problem is that the government established [ its own pliant ] media .
The whole purpose is just to attack all opponents of the government or voices of opposition .
This happened to me many times : I publish something , and tomorrow they open some smear campaign against me that will run for a week .
There ’ s a third really important element : Serbian state security , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really active in monitoring the journalists .
They will investigate you , and what they gather they will give to the tabloids to publish .
If this is not enough , you can get some even more hard warnings .
This happened to two of our journalists from our newsroom .
One day they came back home and they saw that their door was broken .
When they entered their home , inside they saw everything was turned upside down , literally .
Nothing was stolen from the house .
We understand this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
All day , every day , you don ’ t know what will happen , if somebody is watching you .
Every day you ’ re under some pressure .
We ’ re not there yet in the United States , obviously .
But what echoes of your plight do you see here in the States ?
I think , for the part of the population in the US , he [ Trump ] managed to kind of damage the reputation of some of the media .
This is the same thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When they attack us and smear us , basically our readers will support us more .
But the problem is when I talk with the people in Serbia who support our government , I see that what they say against us and what the media publishes really affects these people .
It ’ s really hard to fight .
What about Trump makes you worry that a second term would be so dangerous and so destructive ?
There is a lot of connection if you look at all these populists .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look at Serbia , if you look at Turkey — with these new guys , they will not brutally cancel some basics of democracy .
They are much smarter ; on the surface , they want to keep things to look the same .
But they will change the system by placing as much of their own players inside of the system ; through personal connection , they will control the system .
We publish some story to expose corruption , then [ a ] prosecutor basically stops investigations into these kinds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they want to make corruption as legal as possible .
In the end , they want money .
They want to make their own deals .
There ’ s lots of rules there to actually stop them from making some deals .
They create in a way to make corruption possible to do and not to get yourself [ arrested ] .
You know , [ Rudy ] Giuliani , who is working for Trump , he was hired by our guys to take part in one of their political campaigns .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US-Serbia parallels are attacks on the media and the rise of personal corruption .
I assume it matters , then , that the president is staffing his government with his family ?
That his sons run the Trump business empire but are also deeply involved in politics ?
That ’ s exactly the same .
Usually , the head of the state will always stay clean and out of the businesses .
On paper , our president [ doesn ’ t have a lot of money ] .
One of the stories when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were under the biggest pressure , is when we started messing into the business of his family members .
It turns out that they , the family members , are the ones who are basically handling all the stuff because the leader himself is trying to be the one who will sign nothing .
No property will be his .
The difference maybe a little bit is that Trump , when he came in power , he was rich , right ?
Our president was not .
He wants to stay poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members are the ones who are actually getting richer .
What does it look like from outside the US , especially in a country that has struggled to get democracy to function in recent years , to see the United States struggle like this ?
Historically speaking , the US has described itself as the bulwark of democracy internationally .
But now , in the Trump era , we ’ ve started looking more like we ’ re backsliding .
What does that mean to people in Serbia and other countries ?
Everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a way , especially Europe .
That ’ s why everybody here is also interested to see what ’ s going to happen in the election in the United States in November .
It ’ s one of the biggest topics because it ’ s like chain reactions , you know ?
Many things that Trump does , our leaders use as an excuse .
For instance , our president really brutally attacks publicly some journalists .
If you say something about it , he ’ ll say what ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president doing the same .
In the Balkans and Eastern Europe , the US is used as a reference for democracy .
If something happens there , it must be okay .
It ’ s not something we question .
What ’ s happening in the United States makes democracy much worse in Europe also .
That ’ s why , more than ever now , everybody cares .
People who are nationalists in Serbia , they ’ re really supportive toward Trump .
This is how it goes .
When he wins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s all kind of connected .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

For most Americans, having a president who poses a direct threat to democracy is uncharted, perilous territory. But it’s useful to remember that other societies have dealt with the same challenges in the recent past. To truly understand the gravity of the threat we face, it’s helpful to turn abroad — to talk to people who have seen democracy in their own country crumble.
Serbian journalist Stevan Dojčinović is just such a person. The editor-in-chief of the Crime and Corruption Reporting Network in Belgrade, he, along with his reporters, has doggedly documented corruption and lawlessness in the Serbian government — an elected regime that, according to international watchdogs, has worked hard to undermine the fairness of the political system and freedom of the press. Under the leadership of the right-wing populist Serbian Progressive Party, the country has fallen lower on one widely used ranking of democracy than neighboring Hungary.
The decline of democracy in Serbia is a bitter pill for people like Dojčinović to swallow, given that Serbia worked hard to build a real democracy after throwing off first a communist regime and then Slobodan Milosevic’s dictatorship in 2000.
“We were kind of building democracy for 12 years, and now we are in the process of going backward,” he tells me.
While America is not yet as bad off as Serbia, Dojčinović sees warning signs that America could go down the same road. In particular, he says, President Trump has the same willingness to abuse his position — cultivating a captive media, enriching himself and his family — that characterizes the current Serbian government.
For this reason, Dojčinović sees the Serbian experience as a warning for America: A second term could, in his view, prove catastrophic for American democracy. Populist authoritarians undermine democracy in an insidious way, dressing up attacks on the press and courts as what the people truly want. After reelection, they believe they have a freer hand.
“Mentally, for these guys, the second time they win is really important,” Dojčinović tells me. “Then they really feel kind of that they have a right to do some deep changes.”
What follows is a transcript of our conversation, edited for length and clarity.
Zack Beauchamp
Give me some concrete examples of the ways the current government has attacked democracy in Serbia.
Stevan Dojčinović
The first thing that they did was to crack down on media. They did it one day after they won election. They started cracking down on the media because, for these guys, the media is actually the biggest threat.
In Milosevic’s time, he was doing propaganda through state-owned media. [This government is] smarter. They didn’t want to create state-owned media or take control over private media. They understood that the best way actually is to keep media private but find ways to control them. In Serbia, they control it through financial measures, basically. The state suddenly started giving a lot of money to media through many different ways. Basically, the media understands that if they want to receive this money, they have to stop criticizing the people in power.
The biggest TV station in Serbia, for instance, they owe dozens of millions of euros of taxes and nobody pays; they’re not being charged for taxes. The state turns a blind eye while they don’t pay taxes. Instead of censoring media, the media becomes self-censored.
They are much smarter than Milosevic was; they’ve had time to learn lessons. What they understand is they should not change any laws in a way that [seems] undemocratic. So the laws stay the same. But they understand that they can really easily undermine all the laws. On paper, our laws are perfect. But in reality, none of these laws apply.
Zack Beauchamp
How has the crackdown on media and hollowing out of the legal system affected you as a journalist?
Stevan Dojčinović
We have our own website. There is a lot of independent media in Serbia, mostly online.
But the internet is still not mainstream in Serbia. It’s really bizarre: When we discover some big story on corruption, we publish it online, and it gets really big hype. People discuss about it for weeks. But we don’t have one single big media organization do any piece about it. It’s kind of like two realities in Serbia: There’s big mainstream and the rest of the media. They have literally different stories. There’s nothing in common.
There’s lots of different measures that they do against the [independent] media. First thing is they cut you out of the finance. They’ll just send a bunch of tax inspectors to companies who advertise in media they don’t like. They will send police. They’ll really harass you. In the end, you understand it’s not good for business.
The second big problem is that the government established [its own pliant] media. The whole purpose is just to attack all opponents of the government or voices of opposition. This happened to me many times: I publish something, and tomorrow they open some smear campaign against me that will run for a week.
There’s a third really important element: Serbian state security, who, with this government, became really active in monitoring the journalists. They will investigate you, and what they gather they will give to the tabloids to publish.
If this is not enough, you can get some even more hard warnings.
This happened to two of our journalists from our newsroom. One day they came back home and they saw that their door was broken. When they entered their home, inside they saw everything was turned upside down, literally. Nothing was stolen from the house. We understand this was a message coming from the government.
All day, every day, you don’t know what will happen, if somebody is watching you. Every day you’re under some pressure.
Zack Beauchamp
We’re not there yet in the United States, obviously. But what echoes of your plight do you see here in the States?
Stevan Dojčinović
I think, for the part of the population in the US, he [Trump] managed to kind of damage the reputation of some of the media. This is the same thing they’re doing here to us. When they attack us and smear us, basically our readers will support us more. But the problem is when I talk with the people in Serbia who support our government, I see that what they say against us and what the media publishes really affects these people. It’s really hard to fight.
Zack Beauchamp
What about Trump makes you worry that a second term would be so dangerous and so destructive?
Stevan Dojčinović
There is a lot of connection if you look at all these populists. If you look at Hungary, if you look at Serbia, if you look at Turkey — with these new guys, they will not brutally cancel some basics of democracy. They are much smarter; on the surface, they want to keep things to look the same.
But they will change the system by placing as much of their own players inside of the system; through personal connection, they will control the system. We publish some story to expose corruption, then [a] prosecutor basically stops investigations into these kinds of things.
I think the endgame is they want to make corruption as legal as possible. In the end, they want money. They want to make their own deals. There’s lots of rules there to actually stop them from making some deals. They create in a way to make corruption possible to do and not to get yourself [arrested].
You know, [Rudy] Giuliani, who is working for Trump, he was hired by our guys to take part in one of their political campaigns. This is no coincidence.
Zack Beauchamp
So two major US-Serbia parallels are attacks on the media and the rise of personal corruption. I assume it matters, then, that the president is staffing his government with his family? That his sons run the Trump business empire but are also deeply involved in politics?
Stevan Dojčinović
That’s exactly the same.
Usually, the head of the state will always stay clean and out of the businesses. On paper, our president [doesn’t have a lot of money]. One of the stories when they attacked us the most, when we were under the biggest pressure, is when we started messing into the business of his family members. It turns out that they, the family members, are the ones who are basically handling all the stuff because the leader himself is trying to be the one who will sign nothing. No property will be his.
The difference maybe a little bit is that Trump, when he came in power, he was rich, right? Our president was not. He wants to stay poor in the documents, but his family members are the ones who are actually getting richer.
Zack Beauchamp
What does it look like from outside the US, especially in a country that has struggled to get democracy to function in recent years, to see the United States struggle like this?
Historically speaking, the US has described itself as the bulwark of democracy internationally. But now, in the Trump era, we’ve started looking more like we’re backsliding. What does that mean to people in Serbia and other countries?
Stevan Dojčinović
Everything that happens there affects the whole world in a way, especially Europe. That’s why everybody here is also interested to see what’s going to happen in the election in the United States in November. It’s one of the biggest topics because it’s like chain reactions, you know?
Many things that Trump does, our leaders use as an excuse. For instance, our president really brutally attacks publicly some journalists. If you say something about it, he’ll say what’s the problem? You have the United States president doing the same.
In the Balkans and Eastern Europe, the US is used as a reference for democracy. If something happens there, it must be okay. It’s not something we question. What’s happening in the United States makes democracy much worse in Europe also.
That’s why, more than ever now, everybody cares. People who are nationalists in Serbia, they’re really supportive toward Trump. This is how it goes. When he wins, they also feel more empowered here. It’s all kind of connected.