msnbc--2020-11-11--Biden will have a long list of economic fixes to make: Experts say these are the top 3

Economists and market analysts say that when President-elect Joe Biden takes the oath of office in January , he will inherit a battered economy .
While most metrics of economic activity have risen from the record-shattering lows they hit in March and April , the pace of improvement has slowed , and analysts worry that burgeoning Covid-19 case numbers will throttle the hard-won economic momentum the country has eked out so far .
It won ’ t be easy .
Control of the Senate is still up in the air , but many believe it ’ s likely that Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a Republican majority with Sen. Mitch McConnell , R-Ky , as Majority Leader .
Although Biden has referenced his work with McConnell in the past to bolster his credentials as a politician who can successfully work across the aisle , McConnell ’ s public backing of President Donald Trump ’ s refusal to concede on Monday was , if nothing else , a clear indication that bipartisanship will be elusive for Biden .
“ With a divided Congress , a handful of the major legislative priorities of a Biden administration seem unlikely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investment strategy analyst at Baird .
“ Any kind of major corporate tax hike or wealth tax seems incredibly unlikely with a Republican Senate.
” Despite Biden positioning himself as a centrist , economists aren ’ t expecting much across-the-aisle cooperation .
After a stimulus deal is passed , “ I think it ’ s going to be difficult to do much beyond that , legislatively , ” said Mark Zandi , chief economist at Moody ’ s Analytics .
Although Biden will be unable to put most of his — and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action , Zandi said the new president would likely implement a flurry of executive orders , many targeted at undoing policies Trump had unilaterally imposed the same way .
“ Biden ’ s going to reverse Trump on trade , on immigration , on climate change , on banking regulations , '' he said .
“ It ’ s not big , fundamental shifts… it ’ s more incremental.
” Economists say these are the week-one , day-one challenges Biden will face as soon as he is sworn in — and how he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Although a public health crisis first and foremost , experts agree that containing and lowering the burgeoning number of Covid-19 cases is the only way to alleviate the economic crisis that has gripped the country since March .
Getting the virus under control will ensure that stores , restaurants , hotels and entertainment venues can stay open , and that Americans will have the confidence — and the disposable income — to take flights , attend ball games , eat out at restaurants and shop in stores .
“ He ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face masks be mandatory in order to try and improve the chance of the economy opening as quickly as possible , ” said Sam Stovall , chief investment strategist at CFRA Research .
“ I think everybody realizes that more action is needed.
” His administration will need to invest in people , equipment and technology to improve the availability and accuracy of testing , production and dissemination of PPE and development of virus-mitigation and contract tracing protocols — all goals endorsed by public health officials .
However , observers caution that Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members and governors over issues such as mask mandates and increased funds for testing and contact tracing .
Congress was unable to come to an agreement on the terms of a stimulus package before the election .
Economists are divided on whether or not — and when — another tranche of aid might be forthcoming .
“ Any kind of coronavirus fiscal stimulus legislation still seems likely , [ but ] some of the good recent economic data shows economic momentum that has pared the appetite for a big bill , ” Mayfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top officials like Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell , do agree that additional stimulus is needed .
The progress announced by Pfizer on Monday towards a Covid-19 vaccine was promising , some said , but did not negate the need for lawmakers to act in the near term .
“ Regardless of the path of the virus , I think there 's pretty high awareness across the partisan spectrum that there needs to be some sort of bill to carry this recovery across the finish line , ” Mayfield said .
A worsening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work quickly , some said .
“ Majority Leader McConnell ’ s reluctance to move ahead with a relief bill the last few months suggests it will be uphill sledding — though one might note that many experts expect the pandemic to be considerably worse by the time Biden is sworn in , which may make the politics of a broad relief and recovery effort somewhat more feasible , ” said Mason B. Williams , a political science professor at Williams College .
A growing number of job losses are shifting from temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economists say will get worse between now and the inauguration , particularly if the current alarming trajectory of case growth continues unchecked .
Economists agree that , even if a Biden White House is able to get a sufficient handle on Covid-19 to avoid reimposition of shutdowns , Americans will need the means as well as the willingness to spend .
Securing more stimulus is an important first step , Stovall said .
“ He would want to focus on stimulus right away to save as many jobs as he can , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest contributor to GDP , putting money in the pockets of ordinary Americans is a quick way to insulate the jobs of countless cashiers , cooks , hairstylists , hotel staffers and others in high-contact service-sector positions .
Mayfield said another way Biden could contribute to job gains would be to coordinate more PPE production at American factories .
“ I think you ’ ll probably see some effort on some things like utilizing the Defense Production Act to mobilize some U.S. manufacturing , ” he said .
This would have a multifaceted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration priorities : Adding jobs , securing enough PPE to combat Covid-19 and revitalizing American manufacturing with an eye towards rebuilding .
Biden ’ s transition website calls for establishing a 100,000-person job corps to combat the coronavirus .
“ In proposing a Public Health Jobs Corps , Biden is wisely copying from the New Deal ’ s playbook of providing short-term ‘ emergency ’ employment in ways that will stimulate long-term economic growth , ” Williams said .
Although hailed by some as a proactive way to tackle the nation ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges , this proposal would likely face resistance from Congressional Republicans .
Likewise , Biden ’ s proposals to develop jobs in sectors as diverse as infrastructure , green energy and child- and elder-caregiving all would require the kind of spending outlays he would be unlikely to wrest from a GOP-led Senate .
“ Republican Senators are even less likely to support Biden ’ s spending priorities than they would be likely to support some of Trump ’ s spending priorities , ” said Chris Zaccarelli , chief investment officer for the Independent @ @ @

Economists and market analysts say that when President-elect Joe Biden takes the oath of office in January, he will inherit a battered economy. While most metrics of economic activity have risen from the record-shattering lows they hit in March and April, the pace of improvement has slowed, and analysts worry that burgeoning Covid-19 case numbers will throttle the hard-won economic momentum the country has eked out so far.
It won’t be easy. Control of the Senate is still up in the air, but many believe it’s likely that Congress’s upper chamber might still have have a Republican majority with Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, as Majority Leader. Although Biden has referenced his work with McConnell in the past to bolster his credentials as a politician who can successfully work across the aisle, McConnell’s public backing of President Donald Trump’s refusal to concede on Monday was, if nothing else, a clear indication that bipartisanship will be elusive for Biden.
“With a divided Congress, a handful of the major legislative priorities of a Biden administration seem unlikely,” said Ross Mayfield, an investment strategy analyst at Baird. “Any kind of major corporate tax hike or wealth tax seems incredibly unlikely with a Republican Senate.”
"Pfizer's progress towards a vaccine is promising, but does not negate the need for lawmakers to act in the near term."
Despite Biden positioning himself as a centrist, economists aren’t expecting much across-the-aisle cooperation. After a stimulus deal is passed, “I think it’s going to be difficult to do much beyond that, legislatively,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics.
Although Biden will be unable to put most of his — and his party’s — boldest initiatives into action, Zandi said the new president would likely implement a flurry of executive orders, many targeted at undoing policies Trump had unilaterally imposed the same way. “Biden’s going to reverse Trump on trade, on immigration, on climate change, on banking regulations," he said. “It’s not big, fundamental shifts… it’s more incremental.”
Economists say these are the week-one, day-one challenges Biden will face as soon as he is sworn in — and how he might be able to meet them.
Corral the coronavirus
Although a public health crisis first and foremost, experts agree that containing and lowering the burgeoning number of Covid-19 cases is the only way to alleviate the economic crisis that has gripped the country since March. Getting the virus under control will ensure that stores, restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues can stay open, and that Americans will have the confidence — and the disposable income — to take flights, attend ball games, eat out at restaurants and shop in stores.
“He’s going to encourage the governors to recommend that face masks be mandatory in order to try and improve the chance of the economy opening as quickly as possible,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research. “I think everybody realizes that more action is needed.”
His administration will need to invest in people, equipment and technology to improve the availability and accuracy of testing, production and dissemination of PPE and development of virus-mitigation and contract tracing protocols — all goals endorsed by public health officials. However, observers caution that Biden could run into resistance from Republican Congress members and governors over issues such as mask mandates and increased funds for testing and contact tracing.
Get America more stimulus
Congress was unable to come to an agreement on the terms of a stimulus package before the election. Economists are divided on whether or not — and when — another tranche of aid might be forthcoming. “Any kind of coronavirus fiscal stimulus legislation still seems likely, [but] some of the good recent economic data shows economic momentum that has pared the appetite for a big bill,” Mayfield said.
Most analysts, along with top officials like Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, do agree that additional stimulus is needed. The progress announced by Pfizer on Monday towards a Covid-19 vaccine was promising, some said, but did not negate the need for lawmakers to act in the near term.
“Regardless of the path of the virus, I think there's pretty high awareness across the partisan spectrum that there needs to be some sort of bill to carry this recovery across the finish line,” Mayfield said.
A worsening public health picture could incentivize lawmakers to work quickly, some said. “Majority Leader McConnell’s reluctance to move ahead with a relief bill the last few months suggests it will be uphill sledding — though one might note that many experts expect the pandemic to be considerably worse by the time Biden is sworn in, which may make the politics of a broad relief and recovery effort somewhat more feasible,” said Mason B. Williams, a political science professor at Williams College.
Bring back jobs
A growing number of job losses are shifting from temporary to permanent, an ominous change labor economists say will get worse between now and the inauguration, particularly if the current alarming trajectory of case growth continues unchecked.
Economists agree that, even if a Biden White House is able to get a sufficient handle on Covid-19 to avoid reimposition of shutdowns, Americans will need the means as well as the willingness to spend. Securing more stimulus is an important first step, Stovall said. “He would want to focus on stimulus right away to save as many jobs as he can,” he said. With consumer spending the biggest contributor to GDP, putting money in the pockets of ordinary Americans is a quick way to insulate the jobs of countless cashiers, cooks, hairstylists, hotel staffers and others in high-contact service-sector positions.
Mayfield said another way Biden could contribute to job gains would be to coordinate more PPE production at American factories. “I think you’ll probably see some effort on some things like utilizing the Defense Production Act to mobilize some U.S. manufacturing,” he said. This would have a multifaceted impact touching on a few different Biden administration priorities: Adding jobs, securing enough PPE to combat Covid-19 and revitalizing American manufacturing with an eye towards rebuilding.
“In proposing a Public Health Jobs Corps, Biden is wisely copying from the New Deal’s playbook of providing short-term ‘emergency’ employment."
Biden’s transition website calls for establishing a 100,000-person job corps to combat the coronavirus. “In proposing a Public Health Jobs Corps, Biden is wisely copying from the New Deal’s playbook of providing short-term ‘emergency’ employment in ways that will stimulate long-term economic growth,” Williams said.
Although hailed by some as a proactive way to tackle the nation’s considerable public health as well as economic challenges, this proposal would likely face resistance from Congressional Republicans. Likewise, Biden’s proposals to develop jobs in sectors as diverse as infrastructure, green energy and child- and elder-caregiving all would require the kind of spending outlays he would be unlikely to wrest from a GOP-led Senate.
“Republican Senators are even less likely to support Biden’s spending priorities than they would be likely to support some of Trump’s spending priorities,” said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer for the Independent Advisor Alliance.


msnbc--2020-11-11--It's a hit: Beyoncé is teaming up with Peloton

Peloton , the interactive fitness company that makes treadmills and spin bikes , now has one of the biggest stars in the world on its payroll — Beyoncé .
The company announced a multiyear deal with the singer on Tuesday that will include a curated series of themed workouts across all categories offered on the Peloton app , including cycling , running , strength , bootcamp , yoga and meditation .
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed .
“ Peloton and I both believe that the power of music can help uplift , motivate and inspire those on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
`` I 've been a Peloton member for several years , and I 'm excited to partner with a company that helps people , young and old , be the best versions of themselves , in an innovative and adaptable way.
” Beyoncé is the most requested artist by its community of more than 3.6 million members , according to Peloton , making the partnership a natural fit .
Peloton and Beyoncé also announced plans to give free two-year digital memberships to students at 10 historically Black colleges and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building long-term recruiting partnerships with those schools to bring in new talent .
“ Previously they didn ’ t carry her music , so this is going to extend what is already a competitive advantage for Peloton .
The depth of their music catalog extends that advantage further , ” said James Hardiman , managing director at Wedbush Securities analysts .
Of course , everything Beyoncé does is a hit and the latest deal is no exception .
Shares of Peloton surged 8 percent on Tuesday after the partnership announcement .
Or as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peloton market cap went up $ 2.5 billion in the last 3 hours of announcing deal with Beyoncé.
” Peloton promoted the classes in an email and push alert to its app subscribers .
“ Work wise , this week has been and will continue to be insane .
Personally , I ’ m still elated about the Beyoncé Peloton partnership , ” one person wrote on Twitter .
“ Got ta take those nuggets of joy when you find em in these times , ” another user added .
In February , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Music Publishers ’ Association that could have jeopardized the fitness company ’ s music playlists , an essential part of class .
As part of the agreement , Peloton and the trade association agreed to a “ joint collaboration agreement and will work together to further optimize Peloton ’ s music-licensing systems and processes.
” The following month , Peloton ’ s business boomed due to the coronavirus pandemic .
After gyms closed during quarantine , Peloton had a surge in sales from people looking for an alternative way to work out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company scrambled to keep up with demand and had a waitlist stretching more than 10 weeks for its indoor cycles .
Peloton cut the price of its most popular spin bike by $ 350 in September to make it more accessible .
The standard bike now costs $ 1,895 .
Peloton also debuted a premium Bike+ with added features , such as a rotating touchscreen and four-speaker sound system .
A new lower-priced treadmill will also be available for $ 2,495 early next year , offering an alternative to Peloton ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from strength to strength this year , the company faced its first major test on Monday when shares dropped 20 percent on the upbeat news that Pfizer has a vaccine that in early trials shows a 90 percent efficacy rate in protecting people against the coronavirus .
While the stock is rebounding , Hardiman said he thinks Peloton has long-term potential , even after a vaccine is distributed .
“ Peloton ’ s future remains bright , ” he said .
“ I have been a long-time believer there is going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditional gyms and toward at-home fitness , and Peloton remains the best-positioned company to capitalize on that .
”

Peloton, the interactive fitness company that makes treadmills and spin bikes, now has one of the biggest stars in the world on its payroll — Beyoncé.
The company announced a multiyear deal with the singer on Tuesday that will include a curated series of themed workouts across all categories offered on the Peloton app, including cycling, running, strength, bootcamp, yoga and meditation. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Peloton and I both believe that the power of music can help uplift, motivate and inspire those on their fitness journeys," Beyoncé said in a statement. "I've been a Peloton member for several years, and I'm excited to partner with a company that helps people, young and old, be the best versions of themselves, in an innovative and adaptable way.”
Beyoncé is the most requested artist by its community of more than 3.6 million members, according to Peloton, making the partnership a natural fit. Peloton and Beyoncé also announced plans to give free two-year digital memberships to students at 10 historically Black colleges and universities and said it will commit to building long-term recruiting partnerships with those schools to bring in new talent.
“Previously they didn’t carry her music, so this is going to extend what is already a competitive advantage for Peloton. The depth of their music catalog extends that advantage further,” said James Hardiman, managing director at Wedbush Securities analysts.
Of course, everything Beyoncé does is a hit and the latest deal is no exception. Shares of Peloton surged 8 percent on Tuesday after the partnership announcement.
Or as one Twitter user put it: “Peloton market cap went up $2.5 billion in the last 3 hours of announcing deal with Beyoncé.”
Peloton promoted the classes in an email and push alert to its app subscribers.
“Work wise, this week has been and will continue to be insane. Personally, I’m still elated about the Beyoncé Peloton partnership,” one person wrote on Twitter.
Work wise, this week has been and will continue to be insane. Personally, I’m still elated about the Beyoncé Peloton partnership. — Erin (@erinava) November 10, 2020
“Gotta take those nuggets of joy when you find em in these times,” another user added.
In February, Peloton settled a lawsuit filed by the National Music Publishers’ Association that could have jeopardized the fitness company’s music playlists, an essential part of class. As part of the agreement, Peloton and the trade association agreed to a “joint collaboration agreement and will work together to further optimize Peloton’s music-licensing systems and processes.”
The following month, Peloton’s business boomed due to the coronavirus pandemic. After gyms closed during quarantine, Peloton had a surge in sales from people looking for an alternative way to work out at home. In some locations, the company scrambled to keep up with demand and had a waitlist stretching more than 10 weeks for its indoor cycles.
Peloton cut the price of its most popular spin bike by $350 in September to make it more accessible. The standard bike now costs $1,895. Peloton also debuted a premium Bike+ with added features, such as a rotating touchscreen and four-speaker sound system. A new lower-priced treadmill will also be available for $2,495 early next year, offering an alternative to Peloton’s premium $4,295 product.
After going from strength to strength this year, the company faced its first major test on Monday when shares dropped 20 percent on the upbeat news that Pfizer has a vaccine that in early trials shows a 90 percent efficacy rate in protecting people against the coronavirus.
While the stock is rebounding, Hardiman said he thinks Peloton has long-term potential, even after a vaccine is distributed.
“Peloton’s future remains bright,” he said. “I have been a long-time believer there is going to be a long and significant shift away from traditional gyms and toward at-home fitness, and Peloton remains the best-positioned company to capitalize on that.”


msnbc--2020-11-11--U.S. deports migrant women who alleged abuse by Georgia doctor

HOUSTON — The Trump administration is trying to deport several women who allege they were mistreated by a Georgia gynecologist at an immigration detention center , according to their lawyers .
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has already deported six former patients who complained about Dr. Mahendra Amin , who has been accused of operating on migrant women without their consent or performing procedures that were medically unnecessary and potentially endangered their ability to have children .
At least seven others at the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla , Georgia , who had made allegations against the doctor have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removed from the country , the lawyers said .
Hours after one detained woman spoke to federal investigators , she said ICE told her that it had lifted a hold on her deportation and she faced “ imminent ” removal .
Another woman was taken to a rural Georgia airport early Monday and told to sign deportation papers , only to be brought back to the facility as her lawyers sued in federal court .
They allege Amin performed operations that caused or worsened their pain without explaining what he was doing or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fit a broader pattern of allegations made by detained women against Amin , some of them revealed in interviews with attorneys and medical records reviewed by The Associated Press .
The Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation , and the Department of Homeland Security 's inspector general also is investigating .
Amin 's lawyer , Scott Grubman , has previously denied the doctor did anything wrong and called him a “ highly respected physician who has dedicated his adult life to treating a high-risk , underserved population in rural Georgia.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Detention Center .
Immigrant advocates have urged federal investigators to examine not just the doctor but also the detention center and any role ICE had in sending patients to him .
While people who have been deported might still be able to serve as witnesses in a criminal or civil case , many end up in unstable countries or situations where it becomes difficult to maintain contact with them .
The deportations are occurring in the last weeks of President Donald Trump 's administration following his defeat by Democrat Joe Biden .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for this investigation , ” said Elora Mukherjee , a Columbia University law professor who is working with several of the women .
ICE said it had notified the Homeland Security inspector general “ about any planned transfers or removals of Irwin detainees who were former patients of Dr. Amin.
” “ Any implication that ICE is attempting to impede the investigation by conducting removals of those being interviewed is completely false , ” the agency said in a statement .
The Justice Department declined to comment .
Grubman declined to say whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mbeti Ndonga , 37 , was taken to Amin last year after seeking treatment for abdominal pain and excessive vaginal bleeding .
She said she wanted a new prescription to continue treatment ordered by a previous doctor .
Instead , she said , Amin insisted she have a procedure known as dilation and curettage , in which tissue is removed from the uterus as a treatment for excessive bleeding .
Her medical records show she was also given a laparoscopy , in which incisions are made in the abdomen .
“ He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Ndonga told AP .
When she awoke , she said Amin told her she would never be able to have children .
It ’ s unclear whether that 's the case .
She still suffers from bleeding and pain .
Ndonga has spoken twice to government investigators , most recently on Tuesday .
“ I told them that I was abused , tortured , dehumanized , ” she said .
Within hours of her first interview last week , Ndonga and her lawyers say she was told ICE had lifted a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be sent to Kenya at any time .
“ Mbeti 's fear in answering the investigators ’ questions were that it would make her immigration case worse , '' Mukherjee said .
“ And within hours of the interview , her worst fears were realized.
” Another woman was taken to see Amin in February after requesting estrogen patches to treat hot flashes , following a hysterectomy performed by another doctor in 2014 .
She asked to be identified only by her first name , Yanira , because she fears being targeted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Amin told her he would perform a vaginal ultrasound and that she would need a Pap smear , a test for cancer in which a doctor collects cells from a woman 's cervix .
Both procedures caused her intense pain .
After the Pap smear , Yanira said she noticed there was no lubrication on the tools Amin had used .
She had trouble sitting for nearly a week .
“ We are humans .
We are women .
We have feelings , ” she said .
`` Just because we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be treated like animals.
” ICE did n't respond to questions about the two women , who were brought to the U.S. as young children .
Ndonga was previously deported after being arrested for interference with government property , then apprehended by ICE after reentering the country , Mukherjee said .
Yanira entered immigration custody after being arrested for possession of less than a gram of cocaine or methamphetamine , criminal records show .
Her attorneys notified the government Thursday that she wanted to talk to investigators about Amin .
Early Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airport to board a deportation flight .
But another ICE agent approached to say she would n't be deported because her lawyers had intervened .
ICE policy instructs agents to “ exercise all appropriate discretion on a case-by-case basis ” regarding the deportation of “ victims of crime , witnesses to crime , and individuals pursuing legitimate civil rights complaints.
” The agency said this week that it was “ accommodating the interviews ” done by government investigators .
It added that once a detained migrant has exhausted all appeals , “ they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removal ... and that order must be carried out . ''

HOUSTON — The Trump administration is trying to deport several women who allege they were mistreated by a Georgia gynecologist at an immigration detention center, according to their lawyers.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has already deported six former patients who complained about Dr. Mahendra Amin, who has been accused of operating on migrant women without their consent or performing procedures that were medically unnecessary and potentially endangered their ability to have children. At least seven others at the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia, who had made allegations against the doctor have received word that they could soon be removed from the country, the lawyers said.
Hours after one detained woman spoke to federal investigators, she said ICE told her that it had lifted a hold on her deportation and she faced “imminent” removal.
Another woman was taken to a rural Georgia airport early Monday and told to sign deportation papers, only to be brought back to the facility as her lawyers sued in federal court.
They allege Amin performed operations that caused or worsened their pain without explaining what he was doing or giving them an alternative. Their stories fit a broader pattern of allegations made by detained women against Amin, some of them revealed in interviews with attorneys and medical records reviewed by The Associated Press.
The Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation, and the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general also is investigating.
Amin's lawyer, Scott Grubman, has previously denied the doctor did anything wrong and called him a “highly respected physician who has dedicated his adult life to treating a high-risk, underserved population in rural Georgia.” Amin has stopped seeing women at Irwin County Detention Center.
Immigrant advocates have urged federal investigators to examine not just the doctor but also the detention center and any role ICE had in sending patients to him.
While people who have been deported might still be able to serve as witnesses in a criminal or civil case, many end up in unstable countries or situations where it becomes difficult to maintain contact with them. The deportations are occurring in the last weeks of President Donald Trump's administration following his defeat by Democrat Joe Biden.
“ICE is destroying the evidence needed for this investigation,” said Elora Mukherjee, a Columbia University law professor who is working with several of the women.
ICE said it had notified the Homeland Security inspector general “about any planned transfers or removals of Irwin detainees who were former patients of Dr. Amin.”
“Any implication that ICE is attempting to impede the investigation by conducting removals of those being interviewed is completely false,” the agency said in a statement.
The Justice Department declined to comment. Grubman declined to say whether the doctor had spoken to investigators.
Mbeti Ndonga, 37, was taken to Amin last year after seeking treatment for abdominal pain and excessive vaginal bleeding. She said she wanted a new prescription to continue treatment ordered by a previous doctor. Instead, she said, Amin insisted she have a procedure known as dilation and curettage, in which tissue is removed from the uterus as a treatment for excessive bleeding. Her medical records show she was also given a laparoscopy, in which incisions are made in the abdomen.
“He was adamant and said I must have surgery,” Ndonga told AP.
When she awoke, she said Amin told her she would never be able to have children. It’s unclear whether that's the case. She still suffers from bleeding and pain.
Ndonga has spoken twice to government investigators, most recently on Tuesday. “I told them that I was abused, tortured, dehumanized,” she said.
Within hours of her first interview last week, Ndonga and her lawyers say she was told ICE had lifted a hold on her deportation and she could be sent to Kenya at any time.
“Mbeti's fear in answering the investigators’ questions were that it would make her immigration case worse," Mukherjee said. “And within hours of the interview, her worst fears were realized.”
Another woman was taken to see Amin in February after requesting estrogen patches to treat hot flashes, following a hysterectomy performed by another doctor in 2014. She asked to be identified only by her first name, Yanira, because she fears being targeted by criminals if deported to Mexico.
Yanira said Amin told her he would perform a vaginal ultrasound and that she would need a Pap smear, a test for cancer in which a doctor collects cells from a woman's cervix.
Both procedures caused her intense pain. After the Pap smear, Yanira said she noticed there was no lubrication on the tools Amin had used. She had trouble sitting for nearly a week.
“We are humans. We are women. We have feelings,” she said. "Just because we are detained doesn’t mean we should be treated like animals.”
ICE didn't respond to questions about the two women, who were brought to the U.S. as young children. Ndonga was previously deported after being arrested for interference with government property, then apprehended by ICE after reentering the country, Mukherjee said.
Yanira entered immigration custody after being arrested for possession of less than a gram of cocaine or methamphetamine, criminal records show. Her attorneys notified the government Thursday that she wanted to talk to investigators about Amin. Early Monday, Yanira says she was driven to an airport to board a deportation flight. But another ICE agent approached to say she wouldn't be deported because her lawyers had intervened.
Grubman declined to comment, citing federal privacy law.
ICE policy instructs agents to “exercise all appropriate discretion on a case-by-case basis” regarding the deportation of “victims of crime, witnesses to crime, and individuals pursuing legitimate civil rights complaints.”
The agency said this week that it was “accommodating the interviews” done by government investigators. It added that once a detained migrant has exhausted all appeals, “they remain subject to a final order of removal ... and that order must be carried out."


msnbc--2020-11-11--Gen. Barry McCaffrey on shakeup at the Pentagon: ‘Mark me down as alarmed’

How to have a safe Thanksgiving in the time of Covid-19

Gen. Barry McCaffrey on shakeup at the Pentagon: ‘Mark me down as alarmed’
Retired four star general Barry McCaffrey expresses his concern over Trump loyalists being given top roles at the Defense Department in the last 70 days of Donald Trump’s presidencyNov. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-12--How to have a safe Thanksgiving in the time of Covid-19

How to have a safe Thanksgiving in the time of Covid-19
Chris Hayes, Dr. Dara Kass, and Dr. Syra Madad discuss how to safely celebrate Thanksgiving amid the raging pandemic—and that may require rethinking your plans or starting your quarantine now.Nov. 12, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-12--How Democrats can win the Georgia Runoff races

Public financial disclosure should not be new to Thomas: Fmr. ethics officer on new report on gifts 07:43


msnbc--2020-11-11--Facebook has no excuse for ignoring misinformation after this election

Four years ago , in the run-up to the 2016 election , a lot of people were afraid that malicious foreign actors would use social media disinformation to interfere with American politics .
And , as it turned out , they had good reason .
But increasingly during President Donald Trump ’ s term , the threat of disinformation came not from outside the country , but from inside our own house — the White House , to be exact .
In the days surrounding the election , we saw a steady stream of false information on critical election results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his inner circle .
In 2020 , tech platforms have shifted their role from being gatekeepers of foreign and public misinformation to navigating a whole new type of content-moderation challenge : What happens when disinformation comes from the top ?
During this election cycle , it seems Twitter has been leading the fight against election disinformation .
The platform took a decisive stance on the issue , flagging many of President Donald Trump ’ s own tweets as false or misleading , something the company has done only rarely since it first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year .
Twitter has added interstitial disclaimer screens over the tweets , so users have to click past the warnings in order to view the underlying tweets .
Facebook continued to show similarly problematic posts , without requiring users to click through , but added warnings to the bottom edge of the posts .
Facebook reports it is now prepared to take a stronger role in taking down disinformation , including taking steps to shut down groups dedicated to spreading disinformation or advocating for political violence .
For example , on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down a viral group , “ Stop the Steal , ” which had gained more than 350,000 members in a single day while promoting false information about the election .
As Trump continues to insist he will not concede the presidency to President-elect Joe Biden , Facebook has also announced a prolonged pause on political ads , a policy that may prove to have a substantial impact on crucial political events like the Georgia Senate runoffs than first realized .
Misinformation from Trump is no new issue .
In 2019 , Vice President-elect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to delete Trump ’ s account , citing Trump ’ s history of false , offensive , and inflammatory tweets .
The big question , of course , is : Why did it take so long for tech platforms and media outlets to wise up to Trump ’ s antics ?
One explanation is that these companies — and the American people — were simply caught unaware the first time around .
Before Trump , we had become conditioned to accept that the president of the United States would be a person who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least argue to be factually true , in some charitable reading of the situation .
However , that doesn ’ t explain why platforms have been so slow to deal with disinformation coming from the top , when they had countless examples of foreign and domestic election interference since before 2016 .
One possible explanation is simply that power dynamics have shifted .
As the Trump presidency is waning , tech companies may now feel less concerned about repercussions from checking the president .
With the decisive results of the election , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming even from the White House , safe in the knowledge that America ( and the world ) will support them .
Just as the independent role of the free press is critical for checking the power of the government , so too , we are finding , is the independent role of companies and private individuals .
Tech companies have been able to finally take some decisive action to fight disinformation , standing strong against the power of the president , and they would not have been able to do this without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the flow of speech they host on their sites and services .
Some policymakers want to restrict that ability , but we must be careful : To be truly beneficial , any regulation of speech for private platforms must be broad enough to allow companies like Twitter and Facebook to continue acting independently , supporting free speech and making sure users have access to verified information .
Tech platforms like Twitter , Facebook , and YouTube have been dealing with misinformation for years now .
But throughout the past four long years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misrepresenting — nearly everything , tech companies have never taken actions as strong as the ones they are taking now .
Each has developed content moderation policies and workflows to flag , take down , and stop the spread of false information , with mixed results .
Policymakers have accused platforms of political bias in content moderation , though there is no evidence of this .
Some have criticized tech companies for not taking down enough content , while others have criticized them for taking down too much content .
What is clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies do have the capacity to stop the spread of disinformation and protect the security of our elections — even when it comes from the president .
Much of the success ( if we can call it a success at this early stage ) comes to years of research , consultation with experts , and many , many hours spent working through how to effectively design and implement protocols to stop the spread of disinformation .
From designing disinformation warning labels to creating policies on election integrity and when to take down misleading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preparing for years for this election cycle , the greatest challenge any have faced so far , with global consequences .
Trump and his associates want you to believe that he has won the election .
In the days immediately after the election , Trump ’ s campaign wanted you to believe him when he said the counting should be stopped ( and , confusingly , he also wanted you to believe him when he said the counting should continue . )
Even today , after it has become abundantly clear to most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the election has been settled and Biden is the president-elect , still Trump wants you to somehow believe that the mail-in ballots were fake , the neutral vote counting was rigged , and the election itself was a fraud .
He wants you to believe so many lies .
But this time , tech platforms are pushing back .
Traditional media won ’ t let him get away with spreading false information , either .
The evening of Nov. 5 , Trump attempted to give a press conference from the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election .
In the past , networks have quibbled over how to carry this misleading content .
This time , MSNBC , NBC , ABC , CBS , and NPR all cut away from his broadcast , citing the falseness of his claims .
CNN and Fox carried the broadcast but fact-checked the misinformation live and immediately after .
Just yesterday , Fox News cut off a stream of false information from White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany , with Fox News host Neil Cavuto stating he could not “ in good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims from the White House representative .
What we ’ re seeing is a sea change in the way both tech and media treat Trump and his propensity for making claims that are , at best , without strong evidence , and at worst , intentionally false and misleading .
This strong united front from both new and traditional media is critical , as Trump and his associates continue their futile , embarrassing fight against the lawful election results and obstruct the peaceful transition of power .
Regardless of whether they should have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , both tech and the media are now taking strong stances on combatting misinformation , even when it comes from the highest office in the land .
It ’ s certainly too much to say that Twitter and TV news are saving our democracy , but they are at least finally doing their part to better uphold it .

Four years ago, in the run-up to the 2016 election, a lot of people were afraid that malicious foreign actors would use social media disinformation to interfere with American politics. And, as it turned out, they had good reason. But increasingly during President Donald Trump’s term, the threat of disinformation came not from outside the country, but from inside our own house — the White House, to be exact.
What happens when disinformation comes from the top?
In the days surrounding the election, we saw a steady stream of false information on critical election results coming directly from the president and people in his inner circle.
In 2020, tech platforms have shifted their role from being gatekeepers of foreign and public misinformation to navigating a whole new type of content-moderation challenge: What happens when disinformation comes from the top?
During this election cycle, it seems Twitter has been leading the fight against election disinformation. The platform took a decisive stance on the issue, flagging many of President Donald Trump’s own tweets as false or misleading, something the company has done only rarely since it first began fact-checking Trump’s tweets earlier this year. Twitter has added interstitial disclaimer screens over the tweets, so users have to click past the warnings in order to view the underlying tweets. Facebook continued to show similarly problematic posts, without requiring users to click through, but added warnings to the bottom edge of the posts.
Facebook reports it is now prepared to take a stronger role in taking down disinformation, including taking steps to shut down groups dedicated to spreading disinformation or advocating for political violence. For example, on the Thursday after Election Day, Facebook shut down a viral group, “Stop the Steal,” which had gained more than 350,000 members in a single day while promoting false information about the election. As Trump continues to insist he will not concede the presidency to President-elect Joe Biden, Facebook has also announced a prolonged pause on political ads, a policy that may prove to have a substantial impact on crucial political events like the Georgia Senate runoffs than first realized.
Facebook made it clear that they're continuing the pause because Trump has not conceded: "While multiple sources have projected a presidential winner, we still believe it’s important to help prevent confusion or abuse on our platform."
The GOP knows exactly what they're doing. — Hector Sigala (@hgsigala) November 11, 2020
Misinformation from Trump is no new issue. In 2019, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris launched a campaign urging Twitter to delete Trump’s account, citing Trump’s history of false, offensive, and inflammatory tweets. The big question, of course, is: Why did it take so long for tech platforms and media outlets to wise up to Trump’s antics? One explanation is that these companies — and the American people — were simply caught unaware the first time around. Before Trump, we had become conditioned to accept that the president of the United States would be a person who would generally say things that one could at least argue to be factually true, in some charitable reading of the situation.
However, that doesn’t explain why platforms have been so slow to deal with disinformation coming from the top, when they had countless examples of foreign and domestic election interference since before 2016. One possible explanation is simply that power dynamics have shifted. As the Trump presidency is waning, tech companies may now feel less concerned about repercussions from checking the president. With the decisive results of the election, tech companies can freely reign in disinformation coming even from the White House, safe in the knowledge that America (and the world) will support them.
Just as the independent role of the free press is critical for checking the power of the government, so too, we are finding, is the independent role of companies and private individuals. Tech companies have been able to finally take some decisive action to fight disinformation, standing strong against the power of the president, and they would not have been able to do this without the ability to independently control their platforms and the flow of speech they host on their sites and services. Some policymakers want to restrict that ability, but we must be careful: To be truly beneficial, any regulation of speech for private platforms must be broad enough to allow companies like Twitter and Facebook to continue acting independently, supporting free speech and making sure users have access to verified information.
What is clear in all of this is that tech companies do have the capacity to stop the spread of disinformation and protect the security of our elections — even when it comes from the president.
Tech platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube have been dealing with misinformation for years now. But throughout the past four long years of Trump’s abysmal record of misrepresenting — nearly everything, tech companies have never taken actions as strong as the ones they are taking now. Each has developed content moderation policies and workflows to flag, take down, and stop the spread of false information, with mixed results. Policymakers have accused platforms of political bias in content moderation, though there is no evidence of this. Some have criticized tech companies for not taking down enough content, while others have criticized them for taking down too much content.
What is clear in all of this is that tech companies do have the capacity to stop the spread of disinformation and protect the security of our elections — even when it comes from the president. Much of the success (if we can call it a success at this early stage) comes to years of research, consultation with experts, and many, many hours spent working through how to effectively design and implement protocols to stop the spread of disinformation. From designing disinformation warning labels to creating policies on election integrity and when to take down misleading posts, tech companies have essentially been preparing for years for this election cycle, the greatest challenge any have faced so far, with global consequences.
Trump and his associates want you to believe that he has won the election. In the days immediately after the election, Trump’s campaign wanted you to believe him when he said the counting should be stopped (and, confusingly, he also wanted you to believe him when he said the counting should continue.) Even today, after it has become abundantly clear to most Americans, and most world leaders, that the election has been settled and Biden is the president-elect, still Trump wants you to somehow believe that the mail-in ballots were fake, the neutral vote counting was rigged, and the election itself was a fraud. He wants you to believe so many lies. But this time, tech platforms are pushing back.
Traditional media won’t let him get away with spreading false information, either. The evening of Nov. 5, Trump attempted to give a press conference from the White House, spouting out more false information about the election. In the past, networks have quibbled over how to carry this misleading content. This time, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS, and NPR all cut away from his broadcast, citing the falseness of his claims. CNN and Fox carried the broadcast but fact-checked the misinformation live and immediately after. Just yesterday, Fox News cut off a stream of false information from White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, with Fox News host Neil Cavuto stating he could not “in good countenance” continue to show the false claims from the White House representative.
What we’re seeing is a sea change in the way both tech and media treat Trump and his propensity for making claims that are, at best, without strong evidence, and at worst, intentionally false and misleading. This strong united front from both new and traditional media is critical, as Trump and his associates continue their futile, embarrassing fight against the lawful election results and obstruct the peaceful transition of power.
Regardless of whether they should have acted sooner, or acted more boldly, both tech and the media are now taking strong stances on combatting misinformation, even when it comes from the highest office in the land. It’s certainly too much to say that Twitter and TV news are saving our democracy, but they are at least finally doing their part to better uphold it.


msnbc--2020-11-12--Chris Hayes: If the GOP loves our country, it needs to fight Covid-19

“If we had a government that cared for its people, it would be fighting for us right now,” says Chris Hayes on the Trump admin. and the GOP surrendering as the coronavirus overwhelms the U.S. “If they love this country, they should start acting like it.”Nov. 12, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-11--Raphael Warnock: 'If money could purchase this seat, Kelly Loeffler would have it by now'

Raphael Warnock: 'If money could purchase this seat, Kelly Loeffler would have it by now'
Georgia Democratic Senate candidate Raphael Warnock speaks about his race against Sen. Kelly Loeffler and why he feels he can beat the senator in the state's Jan. 3 runoff election.Nov. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-11--El Paso running out of morgue space as Covid cases continue to rise in Texas

El Paso running out of morgue space as Covid cases continue to rise in Texas
As coronavirus cases continue to sharply rise in Texas, El Paso is setting up mobile morgues after the city said it was running out of physical morgue space.Nov. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-12--Epic loser: New data shows Biden smashing 80-year record in victory over Trump | MSNBC

Joe Biden’s total vote lead is growing and is now larger than Donald Trump’s narrow Electoral College victory from 2016, which Republicans hailed as a “mandate.” MSNBC’s Ari Melber outlines the historic nature of Biden’s win and makes it clear Biden won decisively with one of the largest margins in many decades.Nov. 12, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-11--Georgetown Law Professor: The Trump effort to undermine the election is ‘almost certainly doomed’

Katy Tur is joined for a discussion by Georgetown Law Professor, Rosa Brooks. She is the Organizer of the Transition Integrity Project, which brought together a bipartisan group of experts over the summer to "war-game" potential scenarios around the election, for example, what if President Trump lost the election and refused to concede.Nov. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-11--Fmr. Def. Secy. Cohen: Pres. Trump's handling of the transition is 'inappropriate' and 'reckless'

William Cohen, former Republican senator and Secretary of Defense to President Clinton, joins Andrea Mitchell to discuss the lack of cooperation in the transition process and President Trump's refusal to concede. Cohen reflects on the transition between President Clinton and President George W. Bush, "That's what a democracy is supposed to be about, that you want your successor to be in a position to protect and defend the interests of the American people."Nov. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-11--Georgia to recount all presidential ballots by hand

Georgia to recount all presidential ballots by hand
Priscilla Thompson brings the latest from Georgia where the Georgia Secretary of State has announced a recount of all presidential ballots by hand.Nov. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-12--Joe: The rule of law is stronger than any one person

Rep. Sherrill : Military is one nut Trump is finding hard to crack

Joe: The rule of law is stronger than any one person
While President Trump still refuses to concede the election, Joe Scarborough looks at what the data from the 2020 election shows and why we have to avert our eyes from Trump's 'shock opera'.Nov. 12, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-12--GOP senator calls on Biden transition to begin

Meacham: Pence probably saved the republic, but I don't always want to count on one person to do it 08:18


msnbc--2020-11-12--Georgia Senate candidate: I'm running to stand up for ordinary families


msnbc--2020-11-12--Trump's emotional state is 'quite fragile' after election loss

Philip Rucker of The Washington Post details, based on his reporting, the president's mindset after days of silence following his loss in the 2020 election to Joe Biden.Nov. 12, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-12--Lawrence: ‘Donald Trump’s silence is his concession speech’

Lawrence O’Donnell explains why Donald Trump’s silence is the silence of a man who is terrified of what his life will become on January 20th.Nov. 12, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-12--Meet Trump's new Penta-goons

Meet Trump's new Penta-goons

Remember when President Donald Trump used to be all about `` my generals '' ?
He had John Kelly as first his homeland security secretary , then as his White House chief of staff , then as a pariah ; James Mattis as his defense secretary , the only one who saw the futility of his task and quit before he could be fired ; and H.R .
McMaster , the warrior scholar , as his second national security adviser .
But one by one , his generals all failed to be as loyal and subservient as he required them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` adults in the room '' — all of whom have been scattered to the winds and various book deals — keeping Trump 's worst instincts in check , we have henchmen in the room at the largest federal agency .
These are political appointees who 've been deemed deeply unfit for office or have twisted national security issues for Trump 's benefit or sometimes both .
And it 's not clear what they intend to do with the time they have left .
Defense Secretary Mark Esper was — until his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the few Cabinet members left who has publicly disagreed with the president .
His departure cleared the way for a whole slate of firings and reshuffling in the Pentagon 's E-Ring , where the highest-ranking civilians have office space .
Esper 's replacement , acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller , is n't thought to be deep in Trumpland — he was running the National Counterterrorism Center before his abrupt promotion .
But he 'll be surrounded by a lot of people who think like Trump .
Miller 's agenda will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief of staff , Kashyap Patel .
Patel has been at the heart of some of the dumbest and noisiest intelligence-related scandals of the last four years .
He joined the House Intelligence Committee staff under then-Chair Devin Nunes , R-Calif. , in 2017 after a few years of service at the Justice Department .
He almost immediately joined in Nunes ' hunt for proof that the FBI and the Justice Department had done something nefarious when they began the Russia investigation .
The fruits of their efforts — the secret four-page `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for release in 2018 — had Patel as its main author .
In it , GOP committee staffers alleged that the FBI had basically lied to get a surveillance warrant against a Trump campaign staffer and that the investigation was biased from the jump .
It was all a big to-do at the time , but it did n't override the conclusions of the Mueller report when it was released or get anyone fired or do much of anything , really , except serve as a Republican talking point .
Patel moved early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security Council , where , as a senior member of the counterterrorism desk , in a role created especially for him , he for some reason wound up with his nose in Ukraine policy .
His name came up repeatedly during the impeachment hearings as that of someone who was feeding Trump 's belief that Ukraine was rife with corruption and that it , not Russia , had meddled in the 2016 election .
It got to the point that Trump was reportedly convinced that Patel was the one in charge of Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released during the hearings also showed that he 'd been in touch with Rudy Giuliani during Giuliani 's efforts to force Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden — as had his old boss , Nunes .
Patel then shifted to the office of the director of national intelligence this year — during Trump stalwart Richard Grenell 's brief tenure as acting director — ahead of his new job as one of the most powerful people at the Pentagon .
Then we have Ezra Cohen-Watnick , who will be acting undersecretary for intelligence and security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security Council staff as a protégé of Trump 's short-lived first national security adviser , Michael Flynn , back in 2017 and quickly became an ally of Trump 's son-in-law-turned-White House Swiss Army knife , Jared Kushner .
Even though he was only 30 years old at the time , he was already ensconced in a senior position , liaising between the White House and intelligence agencies , which confused the hell out of many people .
McMaster tried to fire Cohen-Watnick and failed before Kelly became chief of staff and managed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ software giant Oracle , itself led by a Trump supporter , before rejoining the administration without fanfare in March .
Importantly , at the start of Trump 's `` Obamagate '' claims in 2017 — a conspiracy too inane to detail here — Cohen-Watnick started looking into intelligence gathered during routine surveillance of foreign nationals , allegedly looking for something to back up Trump 's wild claims .
He was then one of two officials reported to have passed that highly classified information to none other than Nunes .
( His lawyer denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) The `` unmasking '' scandal Nunes kicked off with that information died a quiet death in October .
Meanwhile , the other staffer , Michael Ellis , was just installed as the top lawyer at the National Security Agency .
( Surely that wo n't be a problem later . )
And then there 's Anthony Tata , who will now be the No .
3 official at the Defense Department — sort of .
The Pentagon was a bit more specific in its announcement : `` Mr. Tata is the Senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secretary of Defense for Policy .
He previously was the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy . ''
Tata had been nominated to become the undersecretary for policy earlier this year but had his confirmation hearing canceled in light of some of the deeply racist things he 'd tweeted , including calling former President Barack Obama a `` terrorist leader . ''
He also tweeted that Islam is the `` most oppressive violent religion I know of , '' according to CNN .
As a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputy spot , instead , from which he 's now been promoted , all without Senate confirmation .
Tata replaces James Anderson , who had reportedly pushed back against previous White House efforts to install loyalists in the Pentagon .
Anderson 's resignation letter , submitted Tuesday , ended with his writing : `` Now , as ever , our long-term success depends on adhering to the U.S. Constitution all public servants swear to support and defend . ''
It 's a sentence that rings more than a little ominously .
And Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Douglas Macgregor — who once called for martial law at the southern U.S. border and deadly force against undocumented immigrants — will be one of Miller 's senior advisers .
Macgregor , like Tata , was also a Fox News contributor , and he was once nearly nominated to be undersecretary of defense for policy , but Tata got tapped , instead .
But why are these changes all happening now ?
Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin wrote Tuesday that Trump loyalists opted to spring these changes while the president is focused on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ installing themselves in top jobs , these officials are stalling the transition , settling scores and advancing their own ambitions , '' Rogin wrote .
`` Many officials in the agencies they are taking over are also now wondering whether the loyalists ' plan includes helping Trump resist leaving office . ''
Democrats have been wondering the same thing .
`` This confirms what I have been saying for months : The president 's singular obsession with loyalty has severely undermined the competence of our government and made us less safe , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , D-Wash. , told Politico .
`` It is an insult to the American people to hamstring government , particularly during a period of presidential transition . ''
This is clearly not the group of people you want acting as the civilian hands steering the world 's most powerful military .
But with Trump 's term ending in January , how much trouble can they get into ?
Well , for now , the Pentagon is staying in lockstep with the White House , refusing to work with Biden officials on the transition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could end the year like we started , nearly starting a war with Iran .
Or , as Axios reports , with an immediate removal of all U.S. troops from Afghanistan or Syria .
Most troubling of all would be if the newly installed leaders are n't as keen as Esper or Gen. Mark Milley , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , to push back against the president next time he decides he wants the military to shut down mass protests .
Will Miller — taking advice from Patel , MacGregor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Cohen — be similarly disinclined ?
Let 's hope we do n't have to find out .

Remember when President Donald Trump used to be all about "my generals"? He had John Kelly as first his homeland security secretary, then as his White House chief of staff, then as a pariah; James Mattis as his defense secretary, the only one who saw the futility of his task and quit before he could be fired; and H.R. McMaster, the warrior scholar, as his second national security adviser. But one by one, his generals all failed to be as loyal and subservient as he required them to be.
Now, instead of the "adults in the room" — all of whom have been scattered to the winds and various book deals — keeping Trump's worst instincts in check, we have henchmen in the room at the largest federal agency. These are political appointees who've been deemed deeply unfit for office or have twisted national security issues for Trump's benefit or sometimes both. And it's not clear what they intend to do with the time they have left.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper was — until his sudden firing via tweet on Monday — one of the few Cabinet members left who has publicly disagreed with the president. His departure cleared the way for a whole slate of firings and reshuffling in the Pentagon's E-Ring, where the highest-ranking civilians have office space.
Esper's replacement, acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller, isn't thought to be deep in Trumpland — he was running the National Counterterrorism Center before his abrupt promotion. But he'll be surrounded by a lot of people who think like Trump.
Miller's agenda will be shaped in large part by his new chief of staff, Kashyap Patel. Patel has been at the heart of some of the dumbest and noisiest intelligence-related scandals of the last four years. He joined the House Intelligence Committee staff under then-Chair Devin Nunes, R-Calif., in 2017 after a few years of service at the Justice Department. He almost immediately joined in Nunes' hunt for proof that the FBI and the Justice Department had done something nefarious when they began the Russia investigation.
The fruits of their efforts — the secret four-page "Nunes memo," which Trump cleared for release in 2018 — had Patel as its main author. In it, GOP committee staffers alleged that the FBI had basically lied to get a surveillance warrant against a Trump campaign staffer and that the investigation was biased from the jump. It was all a big to-do at the time, but it didn't override the conclusions of the Mueller report when it was released or get anyone fired or do much of anything, really, except serve as a Republican talking point.
Patel moved early last year to the White House National Security Council, where, as a senior member of the counterterrorism desk, in a role created especially for him, he for some reason wound up with his nose in Ukraine policy. His name came up repeatedly during the impeachment hearings as that of someone who was feeding Trump's belief that Ukraine was rife with corruption and that it, not Russia, had meddled in the 2016 election. It got to the point that Trump was reportedly convinced that Patel was the one in charge of Ukraine policy on the council. Phone records released during the hearings also showed that he'd been in touch with Rudy Giuliani during Giuliani's efforts to force Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden — as had his old boss, Nunes.
Patel then shifted to the office of the director of national intelligence this year — during Trump stalwart Richard Grenell's brief tenure as acting director — ahead of his new job as one of the most powerful people at the Pentagon.
These are political appointees who have been deemed deeply unfit for office, twisted national security issues for Trump's benefit or sometimes both.
Then we have Ezra Cohen-Watnick, who will be acting undersecretary for intelligence and security. He was brought onto the National Security Council staff as a protégé of Trump's short-lived first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, back in 2017 and quickly became an ally of Trump's son-in-law-turned-White House Swiss Army knife, Jared Kushner. Even though he was only 30 years old at the time, he was already ensconced in a senior position, liaising between the White House and intelligence agencies, which confused the hell out of many people. McMaster tried to fire Cohen-Watnick and failed before Kelly became chief of staff and managed to turn him loose. He parked at software giant Oracle, itself led by a Trump supporter, before rejoining the administration without fanfare in March.
Importantly, at the start of Trump's "Obamagate" claims in 2017 — a conspiracy too inane to detail here — Cohen-Watnick started looking into intelligence gathered during routine surveillance of foreign nationals, allegedly looking for something to back up Trump's wild claims. He was then one of two officials reported to have passed that highly classified information to none other than Nunes. (His lawyer denied that was the case in 2018.)
The "unmasking" scandal Nunes kicked off with that information died a quiet death in October. Meanwhile, the other staffer, Michael Ellis, was just installed as the top lawyer at the National Security Agency. (Surely that won't be a problem later.)
This is clearly not the group of people you want acting as the civilian hands steering the world's most powerful military.
And then there's Anthony Tata, who will now be the No. 3 official at the Defense Department — sort of. The Pentagon was a bit more specific in its announcement: "Mr. Tata is the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. He previously was the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy."
Tata had been nominated to become the undersecretary for policy earlier this year but had his confirmation hearing canceled in light of some of the deeply racist things he'd tweeted, including calling former President Barack Obama a "terrorist leader." He also tweeted that Islam is the "most oppressive violent religion I know of," according to CNN. As a result, he got slipped into the deputy spot, instead, from which he's now been promoted, all without Senate confirmation.
Tata replaces James Anderson, who had reportedly pushed back against previous White House efforts to install loyalists in the Pentagon. Anderson's resignation letter, submitted Tuesday, ended with his writing: "Now, as ever, our long-term success depends on adhering to the U.S. Constitution all public servants swear to support and defend." It's a sentence that rings more than a little ominously.
And Wednesday, we learned that retired Army Col. Douglas Macgregor — who once called for martial law at the southern U.S. border and deadly force against undocumented immigrants — will be one of Miller's senior advisers. Macgregor, like Tata, was also a Fox News contributor, and he was once nearly nominated to be undersecretary of defense for policy, but Tata got tapped, instead.
But why are these changes all happening now? Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin wrote Tuesday that Trump loyalists opted to spring these changes while the president is focused on fighting the election results. "By installing themselves in top jobs, these officials are stalling the transition, settling scores and advancing their own ambitions," Rogin wrote. "Many officials in the agencies they are taking over are also now wondering whether the loyalists' plan includes helping Trump resist leaving office."
Democrats have been wondering the same thing. "This confirms what I have been saying for months: The president's singular obsession with loyalty has severely undermined the competence of our government and made us less safe," House Armed Services Committee Chair Adam Smith, D-Wash., told Politico. "It is an insult to the American people to hamstring government, particularly during a period of presidential transition."
This is clearly not the group of people you want acting as the civilian hands steering the world's most powerful military. But with Trump's term ending in January, how much trouble can they get into? Well, for now, the Pentagon is staying in lockstep with the White House, refusing to work with Biden officials on the transition. There are also concerns that we could end the year like we started, nearly starting a war with Iran. Or, as Axios reports, with an immediate removal of all U.S. troops from Afghanistan or Syria.
Most troubling of all would be if the newly installed leaders aren't as keen as Esper or Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to push back against the president next time he decides he wants the military to shut down mass protests. Will Miller — taking advice from Patel, MacGregor and Tata, burnished with intelligence provided by Cohen — be similarly disinclined? Let's hope we don't have to find out.


msnbc--2020-11-11--'I never would have imagined seeing something like this in America'

Freedom House is a non-profit organization that exists in large part to promote the value of democracy and the idea that `` freedom flourishes in democratic nations where governments are accountable to their people . ''
Keep this in mind when reading the comments the group 's president made to the New York Times about Donald Trump refusing to accept the results of his own country 's elections .
It 's quite likely that the outgoing Republican president has been made aware of this .
It 's equally likely Trump is putting his interests above any other consideration .
Regardless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's worth dwelling on Abramowitz 's observation : as Freedom House watches Trump , it sees unmistakable parallels between the incumbent president 's antics and `` the tactics of the kind of authoritarian leaders we follow . ''
Indeed , it 's not difficult to imagine the reporting on the latest developments if they were unfolding in a different country : '' After four years in which the autocratic leader sought to undermine his country 's democratic institutions , the head of state rejected the results of a national election , borrowing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without evidence to fraud that international observers insisted did not exist .
`` The autocrat , plagued by corruption allegations and a scandal that led to his impeachment , launched a series of futile lawsuits , hoping the judiciary he 'd helped politicize would overturn the will of his own country 's voters , though to date those efforts have failed .
`` Nevertheless , the autocrat maintained the backing of his parliamentary allies , most of whom know their leader had just suffered an embarrassing electoral rebuke , but who fear the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the divided nation 's political system .
`` It was against this backdrop that the autocrat 's chief diplomat told dubious jokes to journalists about his boss maintaining his grip on power ; the chief executive 's justice minister announced plans to investigate non-existent election crimes ; and the autocrat took steps to stack his nation 's military leadership with fierce partisans and loyalists . ''
As we discussed last week , we used to be a country that threatened sanctions against despots who tried to undermine their country 's democratic process this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days , we 're a country led by someone who would gladly take a sledgehammer to the pillars of our political system for the most pernicious of reasons : he is a failed , flailing vandal , desperate to avoid looking like a loser .
A Washington Post report added the other day , `` Trump is pulling out a playbook perfected by Russian President Vladimir Putin and other authoritarians .
It relies on sowing doubt about the institutions of law and government , spreading misinformation or outright lies that serve a leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cadre of loyal supporters to believe what they are told , Putin scholars said . ''
The familiarity of these circumstances are far from comforting .

Freedom House is a non-profit organization that exists in large part to promote the value of democracy and the idea that "freedom flourishes in democratic nations where governments are accountable to their people."
Keep this in mind when reading the comments the group's president made to the New York Times about Donald Trump refusing to accept the results of his own country's elections.
"What we have seen in the last week from the president more closely resembles the tactics of the kind of authoritarian leaders we follow," said Michael J. Abramowitz, the president of Freedom House, a nonprofit organization that tracks democracy around the world. "I never would have imagined seeing something like this in America." Mr. Abramowitz doubted there was much danger of Mr. Trump overturning the election. "But by convincing a large part of the population that there was widespread fraud, he is seeding a myth that could endure for years and contribute to an erosion of public confidence in our electoral system," he said.
It's quite likely that the outgoing Republican president has been made aware of this. It's equally likely Trump is putting his interests above any other consideration.
Regardless of the Republican's thinking, it's worth dwelling on Abramowitz's observation: as Freedom House watches Trump, it sees unmistakable parallels between the incumbent president's antics and "the tactics of the kind of authoritarian leaders we follow."
Indeed, it's not difficult to imagine the reporting on the latest developments if they were unfolding in a different country:
"After four years in which the autocratic leader sought to undermine his country's democratic institutions, the head of state rejected the results of a national election, borrowing a page from the authoritarian playbook and pointing without evidence to fraud that international observers insisted did not exist.
"The autocrat, plagued by corruption allegations and a scandal that led to his impeachment, launched a series of futile lawsuits, hoping the judiciary he'd helped politicize would overturn the will of his own country's voters, though to date those efforts have failed.
"Nevertheless, the autocrat maintained the backing of his parliamentary allies, most of whom know their leader had just suffered an embarrassing electoral rebuke, but who fear the consequences of telling the truth and defending the divided nation's political system.
"It was against this backdrop that the autocrat's chief diplomat told dubious jokes to journalists about his boss maintaining his grip on power; the chief executive's justice minister announced plans to investigate non-existent election crimes; and the autocrat took steps to stack his nation's military leadership with fierce partisans and loyalists."
As we discussed last week, we used to be a country that threatened sanctions against despots who tried to undermine their country's democratic process this way. But for the next 70 days, we're a country led by someone who would gladly take a sledgehammer to the pillars of our political system for the most pernicious of reasons: he is a failed, flailing vandal, desperate to avoid looking like a loser.
A Washington Post report added the other day, "Trump is pulling out a playbook perfected by Russian President Vladimir Putin and other authoritarians. It relies on sowing doubt about the institutions of law and government, spreading misinformation or outright lies that serve a leader's political ends, and relying on a cadre of loyal supporters to believe what they are told, Putin scholars said."
The familiarity of these circumstances are far from comforting.


msnbc--2020-11-11--Social media's post-election crackdown reveals how badly it messed up pre-election


msnbc--2020-11-11--Puerto Ricans must decide if statehood works for them — not the Democratic agenda

The liberal fantasy of having 104 U.S. senators — i.e.
, four new guaranteed Democrats to end the Republican majority — is all dependent on statehood being granted to Washington , D.C. , and Puerto Rico .
And while the push for D.C. statehood might have more credibility inside Washington and inside the progressive movement , the push on the mainland for Puerto Rico statehood is now mostly coming from a group of people who lack any real knowledge about the colony ’ s history or its long-standing independence movement .
In fact , white liberals ' newfound desire to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , is just the latest form of American colonialism .
It is not as overt as when U.S. troops invaded Puerto Rico in 1898 , but it is still colonialism .
The fantasy of granting Puerto Rico statehood just so the Senate can have more Democratic senators rather than as an acknowledgment of the fact that Puerto Ricans are and always should have been equal partners in the American experiment speak to exactly what colonialism is all about : the patronizing attitude that white , mainland Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than those of the people who live there , and that they generally know better than the people who do live there , who do n't need to decide what they want .
Yes , it ’ s true that , on Election Day — Puerto Rico is , after all , part of the United States , albeit not a state — 52 percent of Puerto Ricans who went to the polls ( and whose ballots were not among those undiscovered until Tuesday ) answered “ Yes ” to the following question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately into the Union as a State ?
” If only the answer to that question were really so clear .
First , the vote is nonbinding and not sanctioned by the Department of Justice — just like the island-colony ’ s previous five plebiscites .
So it was little more than a popularity contest to settle political agendas inside Puerto Rico ; the results don ’ t kick in some formal clause for the statehood process to start or force the one entity that literally owns Puerto Rico — Congress — to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same election , the only pro-statehood candidate , Pedro Pierluisi , got only 33 percent of the vote , which was enough to make him the governor-elect , but hardly a majority .
The Puerto Rico independence candidate , Juan Dalmau , got 14 percent — the most for an independence candidate in decades — and another left-leaning third-party candidate , Alexandra Lúgaro , got 15 percent .
Candidates backing independence also gained in the statehouse , strongly suggesting that the seeming `` majority '' for statehood is hardly as wide a sentiment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One reason might be that while technically a vote against the question `` Should Puerto Rico be admitted immediately into the Union as a state ? ''
was a vote for full independence from the United States , the question was n't worded that way .
Voter information campaigns can do a lot , but better-worded ballot questions would actually measure voter sentiment a lot better .
Where does that leave Puerto Ricans — and the mainland Americans who suddenly want us to be a state in their union ?
Statehood is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states requires that both chambers of Congress pass legislation and that it be signed by the president , an unlikely scenario in a Senate led by McConnell , who has said several times that statehood for D.C. and Puerto Rico are just adding more “ full-borne socialism ” to the mix .
Beyond that , while polls indicate that Puerto Ricans in Florida heavily favored statehood , those voters did n't carry the day in that state for Biden .
Puerto Ricans in Pennsylvania did help deliver the state to the president-elect , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including in New York ) tend to be more anti-statehood ; many who left Puerto Rico in the middle of the 20th century tended to support independence .
In addition , two members of Congress of Puerto Rican heritage , Reps. Nydia Velázquez and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , both New York Democrats , have co-sponsored a bill calling a mainland-manufactured push for Puerto Rican statehood a direct form of colonialism .
Real liberals and progressives should take note of all of these dynamics , instead of talking about how Puerto Ricans are American citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliver the Senate to Democrats .
For all the sympathy and support that Puerto Rico has received since Hurricane Maria , the progressive push for statehood is a cynical play , not a supportive move .
By pushing for Puerto Rican statehood to benefit themselves , mainland liberals are making Puerto Rico a political pawn once again .
That ’ s what happens with colonies .
President-elect Joe Biden , at least , seems to understand some of these dynamics .
At a Hispanic Heritage Month event in Central Florida in September , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe that statehood would be the most effective means of ensuring that residents of Puerto Rico are treated equally , '' and immediately added , `` But the people of Puerto Rico must decide , and the United States federal government must respect and act on that decision . ''
This week , Biden re-emphasized the need for a just and binding process .
It ’ s obvious that some liberals ’ intentions to make Puerto Rico a state are as exploitative as a pro-statehood governor saying that a nonbinding popularity contest that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the people ; Biden is n't going to expend political capital to support it , especially when thought leaders like AOC are urging the process to be led from within Puerto Rico and not Washington .
What is clear from the election results is that the people of Puerto Rico are feeling increasingly ill-served by their two-party system ; they aren ’ t even voting at the levels they have in the past .
Progressives do not need to step in and declare themselves “ experts ” on what Puerto Rico needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainland , white Americans have showed up with all the supposed answers ; Puerto Rico is still a colony .
Let Puerto Ricans decide for themselves what we want to do and who we want to be .
Once we do , we will act and let you all know .

The liberal fantasy of having 104 U.S. senators — i.e., four new guaranteed Democrats to end the Republican majority — is all dependent on statehood being granted to Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. And while the push for D.C. statehood might have more credibility inside Washington and inside the progressive movement, the push on the mainland for Puerto Rico statehood is now mostly coming from a group of people who lack any real knowledge about the colony’s history or its long-standing independence movement.
In fact, white liberals' newfound desire to grant Puerto Rico statehood to thwart Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is just the latest form of American colonialism. It is not as overt as when U.S. troops invaded Puerto Rico in 1898, but it is still colonialism.
The fantasy of granting Puerto Rico statehood just so the Senate can have more Democratic senators rather than as an acknowledgment of the fact that Puerto Ricans are and always should have been equal partners in the American experiment speak to exactly what colonialism is all about: the patronizing attitude that white, mainland Americans' political priorities are of greater importance than those of the people who live there, and that they generally know better than the people who do live there, who don't need to decide what they want.
Yes, it’s true that, on Election Day — Puerto Rico is, after all, part of the United States, albeit not a state — 52 percent of Puerto Ricans who went to the polls (and whose ballots were not among those undiscovered until Tuesday) answered “Yes” to the following question: “Should Puerto Rico be admitted immediately into the Union as a State?”
If only the answer to that question were really so clear.
The push on the mainland for Puerto Rico statehood is mostly coming from people who lack knowledge about the colony’s history or independence movement.
First, the vote is nonbinding and not sanctioned by the Department of Justice — just like the island-colony’s previous five plebiscites. So it was little more than a popularity contest to settle political agendas inside Puerto Rico; the results don’t kick in some formal clause for the statehood process to start or force the one entity that literally owns Puerto Rico — Congress — to act in any way.
In the same election, the only pro-statehood candidate, Pedro Pierluisi, got only 33 percent of the vote, which was enough to make him the governor-elect, but hardly a majority. The Puerto Rico independence candidate, Juan Dalmau, got 14 percent — the most for an independence candidate in decades — and another left-leaning third-party candidate, Alexandra Lúgaro, got 15 percent. Candidates backing independence also gained in the statehouse, strongly suggesting that the seeming "majority" for statehood is hardly as wide a sentiment as the vote count would suggest.
One reason might be that while technically a vote against the question "Should Puerto Rico be admitted immediately into the Union as a state?" was a vote for full independence from the United States, the question wasn't worded that way. Voter information campaigns can do a lot, but better-worded ballot questions would actually measure voter sentiment a lot better.
Where does that leave Puerto Ricans — and the mainland Americans who suddenly want us to be a state in their union?
Statehood is not even a real possibility: Admitting new states requires that both chambers of Congress pass legislation and that it be signed by the president, an unlikely scenario in a Senate led by McConnell, who has said several times that statehood for D.C. and Puerto Rico are just adding more “full-borne socialism” to the mix.
Beyond that, while polls indicate that Puerto Ricans in Florida heavily favored statehood, those voters didn't carry the day in that state for Biden. Puerto Ricans in Pennsylvania did help deliver the state to the president-elect, but Puerto Ricans in the Northeast (including in New York) tend to be more anti-statehood; many who left Puerto Rico in the middle of the 20th century tended to support independence.
In addition, two members of Congress of Puerto Rican heritage, Reps. Nydia Velázquez and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, both New York Democrats, have co-sponsored a bill calling a mainland-manufactured push for Puerto Rican statehood a direct form of colonialism.
Real liberals and progressives should take note of all of these dynamics, instead of talking about how Puerto Ricans are American citizens and deserve a state that would also deliver the Senate to Democrats. For all the sympathy and support that Puerto Rico has received since Hurricane Maria, the progressive push for statehood is a cynical play, not a supportive move. By pushing for Puerto Rican statehood to benefit themselves, mainland liberals are making Puerto Rico a political pawn once again. That’s what happens with colonies.
By pushing for Puerto Rican statehood to benefit themselves, mainland liberals are making Puerto Rico a political pawn once again.
President-elect Joe Biden, at least, seems to understand some of these dynamics. At a Hispanic Heritage Month event in Central Florida in September, he said, "I happen to believe that statehood would be the most effective means of ensuring that residents of Puerto Rico are treated equally," and immediately added, "But the people of Puerto Rico must decide, and the United States federal government must respect and act on that decision." This week, Biden re-emphasized the need for a just and binding process.
It’s obvious that some liberals’ intentions to make Puerto Rico a state are as exploitative as a pro-statehood governor saying that a nonbinding popularity contest that shows no clear mandate is the will of the people; Biden isn't going to expend political capital to support it, especially when thought leaders like AOC are urging the process to be led from within Puerto Rico and not Washington.
What is clear from the election results is that the people of Puerto Rico are feeling increasingly ill-served by their two-party system; they aren’t even voting at the levels they have in the past. Progressives do not need to step in and declare themselves “experts” on what Puerto Rico needs. For the last 122 years, mainland, white Americans have showed up with all the supposed answers; Puerto Rico is still a colony.
Let Puerto Ricans decide for themselves what we want to do and who we want to be. Once we do, we will act and let you all know.


msnbc--2020-11-13--‘Four Seasons Total Lawyering’: Why Trump voter fraud lawsuits are ‘meritless’

Biden Covid team member : We need to hit over 90 % mask use to curve the pandemic

“They can’t even come up with a solid anecdote of either fraud or votes not being counted,” says Fordham Law professor Jed Shugerman. “If you don’t have any substance to your vote fraud claim … just like in the Four Seasons Total Landscaping, people will be asking you, “Why are you here?”Nov. 13, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-12--Trump begins to come to grips with the reality that he will not be president come January 20

Trump begins to come to grips with the reality that he will not be president come January 20
White House correspondent for PBS NewsHour Yamiche Alcindor, former Congressman David Jolly, and former Congresswoman Donna Edwards on the dangers of Trump not conceding the election despite privately acknowledging there is no path to victoryNov. 12, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-13--After Trump lost election, see how he's losing in court

In a special report, MSNBC's Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber debunks Trump’s voter “fraud” claims with the facts and the judges’ own words from court. Melber highlights the fact that Trump's own lawyer admitted there's no evidence of voter fraud under oath and that Trump's own aides are privately acknowledging they're aware this legal fight is "unsustainable."Nov. 13, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-13--Biden Covid team member: We need to hit over 90% mask use to curve the pandemic

Member of the Biden-Harris Transition Covid-19 Board Dr. Gawande says that if we could get mask compliance up to 90 percent across the country, we could curve the pandemic. “We have parts of the country where we are up above 90-95%, and we have large parts of the country where we are nowhere near there.”Nov. 13, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-13--Rep. Ayanna Pressley is calling for covid relief that ‘meets the scale and scope of this crisis’

Rep. Ayanna Pressley is calling for covid relief that ‘meets the scale and scope of this crisis’
Rep. Ayanna Pressley tells Joy Reid that covid relief that meets the scale and scope of the ciris is one of the top priorities of the incoming administration. She also highlights declaring climate change as a national emergency, cancelling student debt, and supporting reproductive justice as other commitments the administration should move on.Nov. 13, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-12--Congressman Himes believes ‘we are witnessing the decapitation of the American national security app

Congressman Himes believes ‘we are witnessing the decapitation of the American national security apparatus’

Congressman from Connecticut and member of the House Intelligence Committee Jim Himes blasts the president’s refusal to accept the reality that he lost re-election, and expresses concerns over the shakeup at the Pentagon, because he says the changes leave us vulnerable to our adversariesNov. 12, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-12--Jelani Cobb on lessons Obama could pass on to Biden: ‘Moderation won’t save you’

Jelani Cobb on lessons Obama could pass on to Biden: ‘Moderation won’t save you’
Staff writer for the New Yorker Jelani Cobb discusses President Obama’s new memoir and what role Obama will play in a Joe Biden presidencyNov. 12, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-12--John Bolton: GOP leaders need to think of 'the country and then the party'

John Bolton: GOP leaders need to think of 'the country and then the party'
Former national security adviser John Bolton says, "Donald Trump is pursuing his highest interest, which is Donald Trump. I think Republican leaders need to think of ... the country."Nov. 12, 2020