theintercept--2020-06-18--John Bolton Is Telling the Truth but Let’s Not Forget His Horrible, Dangerous Career

new memoir of his days in the Trump administration , “ The Room Where It Happened , ” an accurate @ @ @ @ @ in the White House as national security adviser ?
The answer is almost certainly yes @ @ @ @ @ historical record .
Journalists may be particularly interested to learn that Donald Trump said that @ @ @ @ @ ” We can believe what Bolton says not because he has a long track record @ @ @ @ @ contrary , he ’ s one of the most deceitful individuals ever to hold high @ @ @ @ @ However , Bolton is also extremely intelligent by the standards of the right-wing and has @ @ @ @ @ own self-interest .
His lies in the past have always been about people and nations @ @ @ @ @ couldn ’ t exact a price for his mendacity .
By contrast , when he @ @ @ @ @ than him , such as a sitting president , we can be sure he ’ @ @ @ @ @ on his side .

Is John Bolton’s new memoir of his days in the Trump administration, “The Room Where It Happened,” an accurate account of what he saw in the White House as national security adviser? The answer is almost certainly yes, making it a valuable historical record. Journalists may be particularly interested to learn that Donald Trump said that we “should be executed.”
We can believe what Bolton says not because he has a long track record of honesty. On the contrary, he’s one of the most deceitful individuals ever to hold high office in the U.S. However, Bolton is also extremely intelligent by the standards of the right-wing and has a keen sense of his own self-interest. His lies in the past have always been about people and nations weaker than him, who couldn’t exact a price for his mendacity. By contrast, when he takes on those more powerful than him, such as a sitting president, we can be sure he’s careful to have reality on his side.
But whatever the merits of Bolton’s new book, it’s important to remember that he is no truth-telling hero. Here’s a short list of just some of his dreadful actions over his long and destructive career.
Bolton strenuously supported the Vietnam War, but just as strenuously opposed the idea of him personally having to fight it. Before graduating from Yale, he enlisted in the Maryland National Guard to be sure he avoided combat. He later explained, “I had no desire to die in a Southeast Asian rice paddy,” suggesting that he was generously providing an opportunity for someone who did want to die like that. Bolton shortly went on to intern for Vice President Spiro Agnew.
Perhaps Bolton’s most powerful impact on U.S. politics is the oldest and least-known: his role as a baby right-wing lawyer destroying post-Watergate campaign finance reforms. In Bolton’s memoir, he writes proudly of his efforts on the lawsuit Buckley v. Valeo, which resulted in a 1976 Supreme Court decision that was more important than Citizens United. The ruling struck down limits on campaign finance expenditures and self-funding by super-rich candidates. As Bolton explains, “Everyone knew the decision in Buckley v. Valeo could determine … the future shape of American politics.” He was right. Without Buckley v. Valeo, Donald Trump would never have been able to spend tens of millions of dollars of his own money to get elected and then hire Bolton.
Bolton held many different positions in the Reagan administration in the 1980s. One administration obsession was killing international regulations on the marketing of baby formula in countries without clean water. A subordinate later wrote that when she refused to help with this project, Bolton “shouted that Nestlé was an important company and that he was giving me a direct order from President Reagan.” He then tried to fire the subordinate, and when he couldn’t, had her moved into a basement office.
Bolton joined the George W. Bush administration as an undersecretary of state for arms control. In 2002, he declared that Cuba had a limited offensive biological weapons program. When a State Department analyst disputed stronger language in an earlier draft of the speech, Bolton characteristically tried to have the analyst fired.
That same year Bolton did succeed in getting Brazilian diplomat leader José Bustani ousted from his position as head of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. “We know where your kids live,” Bolton told Bustani when first attempting to get him to quit. “You have two sons in New York.” Bustani’s sin was persuading Iraq to sign the international chemical weapons ban treaty. This in turn would have led to intrusive OPCW inspections, which would have demonstrated that Iraq didn’t have anything. This would have been, from Bolton’s perspective, the worst outcome possible, since it would have made it more difficult for the U.S. to attack Iraq.
In 2015, Bolton wrote an op-ed for the New York Times headlined, “To Stop Iran’s Bomb, Bomb Iran.” It was riddled with Bolton’s characteristic falsehoods, all to make the case for unprovoked war.
Just before Trump brought Bolton into his administration in 2018, Bolton wrote an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal calling for yet another unprovoked war, this time with North Korea. In it, Bolton argued that presidents should now be able to ignore the war powers clause of the Constitution, which reserves the right to declare war to Congress, and attack other countries whenever they feel like it.
This barely scratches the surface of Bolton’s lifelong hard-right crusade. In particular, it will likely be years before we have a full accounting of his actions as national security adviser. But in a certain sense, Bolton’s expulsion from the Trump administration demonstrates just how successful he’s been. Like many extremist revolutionaries, he triumphed and then found that the people who eventually seized power in the chaos didn’t share his agenda, and finally decided that he himself had to be purged.


theintercept--2020-06-18--Josh Gottheimer Is a Democrat Who Votes Reliably With Republicans. His Primary Challenge Is Heating

Josh Gottheimer Is a Democrat Who Votes Reliably With Republicans. His Primary Challenge Is Heating Up.

, as protests against police brutality swept the country , New Jersey Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer attended a vigil mourning the death of George Floyd .
The next day , he tweeted about his participation in the event , vowing to join the “ fight to end discrimination , hate , and all forms of racism.
” His tweets invoked a handful of responses asking what Gottheimer had done as a legislator to address police brutality .
Why had he not signed on to Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley ’ s resolution condemning police brutality and calling for an end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Within a few days , Gottheimer signed onto the policing bill put forth by Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass on June 8 , which includes measures to enhance police accountability , eliminate discriminatory policing practices , and improve transparency and data collection .
The Congressional Black Caucus endorsed him yesterday .
“ I ’ m proud to be cosponsoring new legislation led by the Congressional Black Caucus — the Justice in Policing Act — to increase accountability , address racial discrimination , and help save lives , ” Gottheimer said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opponent , Arati Kreibich , has been attending Black Lives Matter rallies in her community and is using this political moment to draw a contrast with the incumbent .
There ’ s a prevailing sense in many small suburban towns “ ‘ not in my community , not police.
’ And what this movement is doing is really holding up this mirror to us and showing us , that ’ s not necessarily the case , ” she said .
“ Contrast that with my opponent , who refuses to use the phrase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use it.
” Throughout his relatively short time in Congress , Gottheimer has positioned himself as an ally to law enforcement .
In May , just 10 days before Floyd ’ s killing by Minneapolis police set off protests , Gottheimer proudly celebrated National Police Week and bragged about his 100 percent approval rating from the National Association of Police Organizations .
“ I will always get the backs of Jersey ’ s law enforcement , just as they get ours , ” he said in a May 15 press release .
Gottheimer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represent New Jersey ’ s 5th District , in the northernmost part of the state , is perhaps best known for consistently voting with Republicans — he voted with President Donald Trump 55 percent of the time last session and 77 percent of the time in 2018 — and being a terrible boss .
Elected as part of an anti-Trump wave , Gottheimer flipped the district , which Trump took with a narrow 48.8 percent in 2016 , from red to blue .
He went on to vote in line with the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kreibich , a neuroscientist and Glen Rock Council member , ironically , volunteered for Gottheimer during his first reelection campaign in 2018 .
She had been inspired that Democrats were able flip the district but eventually grew disenchanted by Gottheimer ’ s record and launched her primary challenge against him last July .
She decided to challenge him after he supported Trump ’ s border wall fight last year , obstructing Democratic efforts to include more protections for children in detention .
“ The 2016 election happened , and it rocked my world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after , ” she said , adding that it was part of what motivated her to run for local office .
Watching Gottheimer ’ s second term felt “ like a betrayal , ” she said , “ pretty much from the first vote onward.
” “ He not only hasn ’ t stood up for our values in Congress , ” Kreibich said , “ he ’ s also actively worked against the party.
” Part of a wave of insurgent candidates taking on the state ’ s historically corrupt Democratic machine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had her best fundraising haul so far this quarter , raising $ 190,000 over the last filing period , which ended on Wednesday .
Kreibich has raised $ 472,328 so far .
Her grassroots campaign has the support of a large group of volunteers , as well as more than 100 student fellows , who have made 200,000 calls and sent 100,000 text messages .
As the July 7 primary nears , she has racked up an impressive list of endorsements , including from Pressley , Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Families Party , and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee .
Kreibich ’ s campaign received more individual contributions on the day of Sanders ’ s endorsement than they did in the entire month of April .
They also raised $ 50,000 in the three days since his endorsement .
There hasn ’ t been any public polling on the primary race , but general election polls show Gottheimer with a comfortable chance of keeping his seat in November .
He has an overwhelming fundraising advantage , having raised $ 4.36 million so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morgan Stanley , other major private equity firms , and business political action committees .
Kreibich remains optimistic , though .
Her campaign ’ s internal polling shows that when respondents have heard about both candidates , she comes within a 2-point margin , she told The Intercept .
“ We have an excellent chance of winning .
And that is incredible , ” she said .
Voters have already started receiving ballots in the mail , meaning that some votes may already be in .
It remains to be seen how Kreibich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results .
The state ’ s primary , initially scheduled for June 2 , was postponed in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic , and vote-by-mail was expanded as well .
Pressley ’ s endorsement this week “ really reflects the viability of our campaign .
It was the only primary challenger against an incumbent in the slate that she endorsed , ” Kreibich added .
“ It really talks about what we need , who we need in this moment .
And who other members of Congress feel we need in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close resemblance to the Republican Party .
The campaign launched a microsite this week with the link , “ JoshGottheimer.Republican , ” under the banner , “ MEET CONSERVATIVE ‘ DEMOCRAT ’ JOSH GOTTHEIMER.
” Her platform includes typical progressive policies , like tackling climate change , combatting racism in the criminal justice system , enforcing corporate taxes , a wealth tax on the top 1 percent , and Medicare for All .
Gottheimer , like many of his congressional colleagues , has shown more recent interest in issues of police brutality and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time in office .
In 2018 , the New Jersey Police Benevolent Association named Gottheimer “ Legislator of the Year.
” In remarks at the event , Gottheimer assured the audience that he would continue helping to increase funding for police and other first responders .
“ I will continue to do everything I can in Congress to make sure our law enforcement and our first responders have the resources they need to keep us safe and keep themselves safe , including clawing back more of our federal tax dollars , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a coronavirus relief bill that would support working people , Gottheimer was lobbying in favor of bailing out payday lenders .
He prioritized appeasing to his wealthy donors , pushing relief for private equity and payday lenders , Sludge reported .
As a member of the conservative Blue Dog Caucus and co-chair of the billionaire-funded Problem-Solvers Caucus , Gottheimer has called to deregulate banks , helped block a bill that would have helped improve conditions for children in immigration detention , and supported calls to adjust federal loan programs in favor of @ @ @ @

Early this month , as protests against police brutality swept the country, New Jersey Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer attended a vigil mourning the death of George Floyd. The next day, he tweeted about his participation in the event, vowing to join the “fight to end discrimination, hate, and all forms of racism.”
His tweets invoked a handful of responses asking what Gottheimer had done as a legislator to address police brutality. Why had he not signed on to Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s resolution condemning police brutality and calling for an end to militarized policing, for instance?
Within a few days, Gottheimer signed onto the policing bill put forth by Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass on June 8, which includes measures to enhance police accountability, eliminate discriminatory policing practices, and improve transparency and data collection. The Congressional Black Caucus endorsed him yesterday. “I’m proud to be cosponsoring new legislation led by the Congressional Black Caucus — the Justice in Policing Act — to increase accountability, address racial discrimination, and help save lives,” Gottheimer said in a statement to The Intercept.
His primary opponent, Arati Kreibich, has been attending Black Lives Matter rallies in her community and is using this political moment to draw a contrast with the incumbent. There’s a prevailing sense in many small suburban towns “‘not in my community, not police.’ And what this movement is doing is really holding up this mirror to us and showing us, that’s not necessarily the case,” she said. “Contrast that with my opponent, who refuses to use the phrase ‘police brutality,’ refuses to use it.”
Throughout his relatively short time in Congress, Gottheimer has positioned himself as an ally to law enforcement. In May, just 10 days before Floyd’s killing by Minneapolis police set off protests, Gottheimer proudly celebrated National Police Week and bragged about his 100 percent approval rating from the National Association of Police Organizations. “I will always get the backs of Jersey’s law enforcement, just as they get ours,” he said in a May 15 press release.
Gottheimer, who was elected in 2016 to represent New Jersey’s 5th District, in the northernmost part of the state, is perhaps best known for consistently voting with Republicans — he voted with President Donald Trump 55 percent of the time last session and 77 percent of the time in 2018 — and being a terrible boss. Elected as part of an anti-Trump wave, Gottheimer flipped the district, which Trump took with a narrow 48.8 percent in 2016, from red to blue. He went on to vote in line with the president on issues from immigration to abortion.
Kreibich, a neuroscientist and Glen Rock Council member, ironically, volunteered for Gottheimer during his first reelection campaign in 2018. She had been inspired that Democrats were able flip the district but eventually grew disenchanted by Gottheimer’s record and launched her primary challenge against him last July. She decided to challenge him after he supported Trump’s border wall fight last year, obstructing Democratic efforts to include more protections for children in detention.
“The 2016 election happened, and it rocked my world. There was a distinct before and after,” she said, adding that it was part of what motivated her to run for local office. Watching Gottheimer’s second term felt “like a betrayal,” she said, “pretty much from the first vote onward.”
“He not only hasn’t stood up for our values in Congress,” Kreibich said, “he’s also actively worked against the party.”
Part of a wave of insurgent candidates taking on the state’s historically corrupt Democratic machine up and down the ballot, Kreibich had her best fundraising haul so far this quarter, raising $190,000 over the last filing period, which ended on Wednesday. Kreibich has raised $472,328 so far. Her grassroots campaign has the support of a large group of volunteers, as well as more than 100 student fellows, who have made 200,000 calls and sent 100,000 text messages. As the July 7 primary nears, she has racked up an impressive list of endorsements, including from Pressley, Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Sunrise Movement, Indivisible, the Working Families Party, and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. Kreibich’s campaign received more individual contributions on the day of Sanders’s endorsement than they did in the entire month of April. They also raised $50,000 in the three days since his endorsement.
There hasn’t been any public polling on the primary race, but general election polls show Gottheimer with a comfortable chance of keeping his seat in November. He has an overwhelming fundraising advantage, having raised $4.36 million so far, with significant support from banks like Morgan Stanley, other major private equity firms, and business political action committees.
Kreibich remains optimistic, though. Her campaign’s internal polling shows that when respondents have heard about both candidates, she comes within a 2-point margin, she told The Intercept. “We have an excellent chance of winning. And that is incredible,” she said.
Voters have already started receiving ballots in the mail, meaning that some votes may already be in. It remains to be seen how Kreibich’s recent surge will impact election results. The state’s primary, initially scheduled for June 2, was postponed in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and vote-by-mail was expanded as well.
Pressley’s endorsement this week “really reflects the viability of our campaign. It was the only primary challenger against an incumbent in the slate that she endorsed,” Kreibich added. “It really talks about what we need, who we need in this moment. And who other members of Congress feel we need in this moment.”
Kreibich’s campaign is focusing on Gottheimer’s close resemblance to the Republican Party. The campaign launched a microsite this week with the link, “JoshGottheimer.Republican,” under the banner, “MEET CONSERVATIVE ‘DEMOCRAT’ JOSH GOTTHEIMER.” Her platform includes typical progressive policies, like tackling climate change, combatting racism in the criminal justice system, enforcing corporate taxes, a wealth tax on the top 1 percent, and Medicare for All.
Gottheimer, like many of his congressional colleagues, has shown more recent interest in issues of police brutality and racism in recent weeks than throughout his time in office. In 2018, the New Jersey Police Benevolent Association named Gottheimer “Legislator of the Year.” In remarks at the event, Gottheimer assured the audience that he would continue helping to increase funding for police and other first responders.
“I will continue to do everything I can in Congress to make sure our law enforcement and our first responders have the resources they need to keep us safe and keep themselves safe, including clawing back more of our federal tax dollars,” he said.
While House progressives were pushing for a coronavirus relief bill that would support working people, Gottheimer was lobbying in favor of bailing out payday lenders. He prioritized appeasing to his wealthy donors, pushing relief for private equity and payday lenders, Sludge reported.
As a member of the conservative Blue Dog Caucus and co-chair of the billionaire-funded Problem-Solvers Caucus, Gottheimer has called to deregulate banks, helped block a bill that would have helped improve conditions for children in immigration detention, and supported calls to adjust federal loan programs in favor of private equity firms.


theintercept--2020-06-18--With the World Focused on the Pandemic, Israel Prepares to Annex Large Swaths of the West Bank

a move on July 1 that the international community has long regarded as one of the gravest assaults on the international order and international law : annexation of land that does not belong to it .
The annexation plan developed by the Netanyahu government in consultation with the Trump administration would declare not only the decades-old settlements in the West Bank which the U.N. Security Council in 2016 declared illegal to be permanent Israeli land , but also other swaths of Palestinian territory , including the Jordan Valley , that is central to Palestinian agriculture .
There are multiple reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemingly eager to incur condemnations from the international community by proceeding with this plan .
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is beset by political problems as he struggles to form a governing coalition for a new term and , even more importantly , by legal problems as he stands trial on felony charges of bribery and fraud .
Emboldening the Israeli population and causing them to unite behind him in the face of international denunciations could distract attention away from those crises and solidify his hold on power .
Most importantly , Israel has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hostile to Arabs , and fascistic over the last decade .
Aside from the Trump administration , its primary allies are no longer liberal democracies but Arab despots and far-right political movements in Central and Eastern Europe and in Latin America .
Illustrating the cultural and political shift among younger Israelis in particular , Netanyahu ’ s son , Yair , this week advocated that all minorities be removed — cleansed — from Tel Aviv .
The Israeli left and even center are virtually nonexistent .
That is the climate that now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of large chunks of the West Bank is , if anything , too moderate for a growing far-right Israeli movement that believes , on religious and militaristic grounds , that they are the owners of all of Palestine .
Regardless of motives , it is virtually certain that annexation of any part of the West Bank would trigger intense pressure in the west to impose serious sanctions on Israel .
The last significant annexation took place in 2014 , when Russia declared Crimea a formal part of its country , and that event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact that a large majority of people in Crimea wanted to be part of Russia rather than Ukraine .
Palestinians , needless to say , are virtually unanimous in their opposition to further control over their land and their lives by a foreign occupying government that grants them no political rights of any kind .
Any attempt by the west to avoid sanctioning a post-annexation Israel would destroy whatever residual credibility is vested in their claims of a consistent system of international law .
This week ’ s SYSTEM UPDATE episode explores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan : what the fall-out would be both in Palestine and in the international community .
This issue deserves far more attention that it has received , particularly in the U.S. where , pursuant to a 2016 agreement between the Obama and Netanyahu governments , billions of dollars in taxpayer money are transferred every year to the Israelis that enable this aggression .
Joining me to explore these questions is the long-time Palestinian human rights activist Omar Barghouti , one of the co-founders of the Boycott , Divestment and Sanctions ( BDS ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increased support if annexation occurs .
The episode debuts today at 2:00 p.m. on The Intercept ’ s YouTube channel .
A transcript will be posted below after the show ’ s airing , and audio-only version will be available on Saturday

Today’s SYSTEM UPDATE episode about this topic can be viewed on The Intercept’s YouTube channel or the player below.
Photo: Susan Walsh/AP
Israel is planning a move on July 1 that the international community has long regarded as one of the gravest assaults on the international order and international law: annexation of land that does not belong to it. The annexation plan developed by the Netanyahu government in consultation with the Trump administration would declare not only the decades-old settlements in the West Bank which the U.N. Security Council in 2016 declared illegal to be permanent Israeli land, but also other swaths of Palestinian territory, including the Jordan Valley, that is central to Palestinian agriculture.
There are multiple reasons why Israel is not just willing but seemingly eager to incur condemnations from the international community by proceeding with this plan. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is beset by political problems as he struggles to form a governing coalition for a new term and, even more importantly, by legal problems as he stands trial on felony charges of bribery and fraud. Emboldening the Israeli population and causing them to unite behind him in the face of international denunciations could distract attention away from those crises and solidify his hold on power.
Most importantly, Israel has become increasingly xenophobic, expansionist, militaristic, hostile to Arabs, and fascistic over the last decade. Aside from the Trump administration, its primary allies are no longer liberal democracies but Arab despots and far-right political movements in Central and Eastern Europe and in Latin America.
Illustrating the cultural and political shift among younger Israelis in particular, Netanyahu’s son, Yair, this week advocated that all minorities be removed — cleansed — from Tel Aviv. The Israeli left and even center are virtually nonexistent. That is the climate that now shapes Israel’s identity. Annexation of large chunks of the West Bank is, if anything, too moderate for a growing far-right Israeli movement that believes, on religious and militaristic grounds, that they are the owners of all of Palestine.
Regardless of motives, it is virtually certain that annexation of any part of the West Bank would trigger intense pressure in the west to impose serious sanctions on Israel. The last significant annexation took place in 2014, when Russia declared Crimea a formal part of its country, and that event triggered multi-level sanctions from the west despite the fact that a large majority of people in Crimea wanted to be part of Russia rather than Ukraine. Palestinians, needless to say, are virtually unanimous in their opposition to further control over their land and their lives by a foreign occupying government that grants them no political rights of any kind. Any attempt by the west to avoid sanctioning a post-annexation Israel would destroy whatever residual credibility is vested in their claims of a consistent system of international law.
This week’s SYSTEM UPDATE episode explores the implications of Israel’s annexation plan: what the fall-out would be both in Palestine and in the international community. This issue deserves far more attention that it has received, particularly in the U.S. where, pursuant to a 2016 agreement between the Obama and Netanyahu governments, billions of dollars in taxpayer money are transferred every year to the Israelis that enable this aggression.
Joining me to explore these questions is the long-time Palestinian human rights activist Omar Barghouti, one of the co-founders of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement that is almost certain to see increased support if annexation occurs.
The episode debuts today at 2:00 p.m. on The Intercept’s YouTube channel. A transcript will be posted below after the show’s airing, and audio-only version will be available on Saturday


theintercept--2020-06-18--Democratic Colorado Senate Candidate John Hickenlooper Once Described Black Ministers as “Articulate

Democratic Colorado Senate Candidate John Hickenlooper Once Described Black Ministers as “Articulate”

with the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance in 2019 , Colorado Senate candidate John Hickenlooper , referring to a group of black ministers , said , “ These guys are so articulate , ” drawing on a racist trope about black people .
The comments , unearthed and posted on Twitter by Colorado Rising PAC , a conservative advocacy group focused on the Senate race to unseat vulnerable Republican Sen. Cory Gardner , are the latest in a series of gaffes for which the former Colorado governor has had to apologize for .
Asked about the video , Hickenlooper ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s built and earned a broad coalition of support that includes endorsements from the Denver Ministerial Alliance ( the group in the video you reference ) , Denver Mayors Michael Hancock and Wellington Webb , Senator Kamala Harris , the CBCPAC , and Stacey Abrams .
He ’ s also released an Equity for All Plan laying out dramatic police reforms he would push for as Senator.
” In recent weeks , Hickenlooper has had to walk back saying “ every life matters , ” and apologized for comparing working with political staffers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slave ship.
” “ Imagine an ancient slave ship , ” Hickenlooper said in a 2014 video circulated by Tay Anderson , a Denver school board member and the youngest black candidate ever elected to public office in the state , drawing laughs from the crowd , “ with the guy with the whip , and you ’ re rowing .
We elected officials are the ones that are rowing.
” He apologized for the comments , which made it into national media coverage from the Washington Post to the San Francisco Chronicle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at this video from six years ago , I recognize that my comments were painful .
I did not intend them to be .
I offer my deepest apologies , ” Hickenlooper said in a statement released by his campaign .

At a lunch with the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance in 2019, Colorado Senate candidate John Hickenlooper, referring to a group of black ministers, said, “These guys are so articulate,” drawing on a racist trope about black people.
The comments, unearthed and posted on Twitter by Colorado Rising PAC, a conservative advocacy group focused on the Senate race to unseat vulnerable Republican Sen. Cory Gardner, are the latest in a series of gaffes for which the former Colorado governor has had to apologize for.
Asked about the video, Hickenlooper’s campaign said, “John’s built and earned a broad coalition of support that includes endorsements from the Denver Ministerial Alliance (the group in the video you reference), Denver Mayors Michael Hancock and Wellington Webb, Senator Kamala Harris, the CBCPAC, and Stacey Abrams. He’s also released an Equity for All Plan laying out dramatic police reforms he would push for as Senator.”
In recent weeks, Hickenlooper has had to walk back saying “every life matters,” and apologized for comparing working with political staffers to being whipped on an “ancient slave ship.”
“Imagine an ancient slave ship,” Hickenlooper said in a 2014 video circulated by Tay Anderson, a Denver school board member and the youngest black candidate ever elected to public office in the state, drawing laughs from the crowd, “with the guy with the whip, and you’re rowing. We elected officials are the ones that are rowing.”
He apologized for the comments, which made it into national media coverage from the Washington Post to the San Francisco Chronicle and NBC. “Taking a look at this video from six years ago, I recognize that my comments were painful. I did not intend them to be. I offer my deepest apologies,” Hickenlooper said in a statement released by his campaign.
Hickenlooper was asked about his series of recent “racial gaffes” during a debate Tuesday against Andrew Romanoff, the progressive he is facing off against in the June 30 primary. A debate moderator asked him whether he was “out of touch with this moment in America.”
Hickenlooper apologized again for his comments. “Black lives matter,” he said, going on to talk about the importance of reckoning with the nation’s myriad systemic inequalities.
Responding during the same debate to a question about what “defunding the police” means to him, Hickenlooper was unable to actually answer the question. Instead, he spoke for close to a minute about the myriad ways he “didn’t go far enough” to improve police accountability while in Colorado office. Indeed, as mayor of Denver, where he served from 2003 to 2011, Hickenlooper hired an architect of the now-debunked “broken windows theory” of policing to consult for the Denver Police Department.
During an earlier debate this month, Hickenlooper was asked “What does Black Lives Matter mean to you?” His response: “Black Lives Matter means every life matters.” Two days laters, amid mounting public criticism, Hickenlooper tweeted a clarification, saying “Black lives matter,” and issued a statement to the Colorado Sun walking back the comments,, saying he misspoke.
He’s also facing an escalating ethics controversy, after the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission found he violated state law in 2018 by accepting a free private jet ride and Maserati limousine ride when he served as governor. Last week, the five-member panel voted to fine him $2,750 for the estimated cost of the gifts.
Romanoff, the former state House Speaker, has been endorsed by more than 250 elected officials in Colorado, and 400 state and local leaders organizations nationwide, including the Sunrise Movement, Our Revolution, Our Revolution Metro Denver, environmental activist and 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben, and progressive activist Ady Barkan. Still, for the most part, his campaign has not picked up major national progressive support, like insurgent candidates in other states have. In Kentucky, for example, some of the state’s most prominent Democrats have endorsed Senate candidate Charles Booker over Amy McGrath, the establishment’s pick, along with leading progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Hickenlooper, meanwhile, has had plenty of help from national Democrats. He was endorsed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee two days after entering the race, and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s Senate Majority PAC has spent more than $1 million to support him. As The Intercept previously reported, the DSCC warned off consultants who were considering working with Romanoff.


theintercept--2020-06-18--Weeks After PTSD Settlement, Facebook Moderators Ordered to Spend More Time Viewing Online Child Abu

Weeks After PTSD Settlement, Facebook Moderators Ordered to Spend More Time Viewing Online Child Abuse

still drying on their landmark $ 52 million settlement with Facebook over trauma they suffered working for the company , many outsourced content moderators are now being told that they must view some of the most horrific and disturbing content on the internet for an extra 48 minutes per day , The Intercept has learned .
Following an unprecedented 2018 lawsuit by ex-Facebook content moderator Selena Scola , who said her daily exposure to depictions of rape , murder , and other gruesome acts caused her to develop post-traumatic stress disorder , Facebook agreed in early May to a $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1,000 individual minimums to current and former contractors employed by outsourcing firms like Accenture .
Following news of the settlement , Facebook spokesperson Drew Pusateri issued a statement reading , “ We are grateful to the people who do this important work to make Facebook a safe environment for everyone .
We ’ re committed to providing them additional support through this settlement and in the future.
” Less than a month after this breakthrough , however , Accenture management informed moderation teams that it had renegotiated its contract with Facebook , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ content workers who would now have to increase their exposure to exactly the sort of extreme content at the heart of the settlement , according to internal company communications reviewed by The Intercept and interviews with multiple affected workers .
The new hours were announced at the tail end of May and beginning of June via emails sent by Accenture management to the firm ’ s content moderation teams , including those responsible for reviewing Child Exploitation Imagery , or CEI , generally graphic depictions of sexually abused children , and Inappropriate Interactions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conversations in which adults message minors in an attempt to “ groom ” them for later sexual abuse or exchange sexually explicit images .
The Intercept reviewed multiple versions of this email , apparently based off a template created by Accenture .
It refers to the new contract between the two companies as the “ Golden SoW , ” short for “ Statement of Work , ” and its wording strongly suggests that stipulations in the renewed contract led to 48-minute increases in the so-called “ Safety flows ” that handle Facebook posts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For the past year or so , our Safety flows ( CEI , IIC ) as well as GT have been asked to be productive for 5.5 hours of their day , ” reads one email reviewed by The Intercept , referring to “ Ground Truth , ” a team of outsourced humans tasked with helping train Facebook ’ s moderation algorithms .
“ Over the last few weeks the golden sow , Accenture ’ s contractual agreement with Facebook , was signed .
In the contract , it discussed production time and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held to.
” Accenture moderators , the email continues , “ will need to spend 6.3 hours of their day actively in production ” — meaning an extra 48 minutes per day viewing the arguably most disturbing possible content found on the internet .
The email then notes that Accenture is “ aligning to our global partners as well as our partners in MVW , ” a likely reference to Mountain View , California , where , the email suggests , moderators were already viewing such content for 6.3 hours per day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that there could be “ one offs every now and then when you are unable to meet the daily expectation of 6.3″ hours of exposure , but warned against letting it become a pattern .
Pusateri , the Facebook spokesperson , told The Intercept , “ We haven ’ t increased guidance for production hours with any of our partners , ” but did not respond to questions about Accenture ’ s announcement itself .
Accenture spokesperson Sean Conway said only that they had not been instructed to enact any change by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide an explanation for the internal announcement .
Not only does the increase in child pornography exposure seemingly run afoul of Facebook ’ s public assurances that it will be “ providing [ moderators ] additional support through this settlement and in the future , ” it contradicts research into moderator trauma commissioned by the company itself .
A 2015 report from Technology Coalition , an anti-online child exploitation consortium co-founded by Facebook and cited in Scola ’ s lawsuit , found that “ limiting the amount of time employees are exposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key ” if employee trauma is to be avoided .
“ Strong consideration should be given to making select elements of the program ( such as counseling ) mandatory for exposed employees , ” the paper also noted .
“ This removes any stigma for employees who want to seek help and can increase employee awareness of the subtle , cumulative effects that regular exposure may produce.
” The Accenture announcement , however , appears to fall well short of mandatory counseling : “ Agents are free to seek out wellness coaches when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A request for comment sent to Technology Coalition was not returned .
Accenture ’ s “ wellness ” program is a contentious issue for Facebook moderators , many of whom say such quasi-therapy is a shoddy stand-in for genuine psychological counseling , despite the best intentions of the “ coaches ” themselves .
Last August , The Intercept reported an instance of Accenture management pressuring a wellness coach to divulge details of a session with an employee ; a recent New York University report on digital content moderators slammed Accenture ’ s wellness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those primed to develop PTSD .
To some moderators , the increase in required work hours is just another in a long series of slights from Accenture and Facebook .
“ It makes me feel extremely unappreciated and uncared for by this company and its management , even more so than before , ” said a moderator who works with child exploitation content , speaking with The Intercept on the condition of anonymity .
“ Management doesn ’ t view the content so they have no way of actually understanding or empathizing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ every once in a while , this doesn ’ t compare to having to sit in front of a computer screen being immersed in it for five and a half hours , five days a week ( now 6.3 ) .
” Though 48 minutes of extra work may not seem like a profound increase , this moderator emphasized that the heinousness of the task can ’ t be overstated and that they fear what effects even a sub-hour increase could have over time .
“ It is difficult to explain the emotional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who hasn ’ t firsthand experienced it , ” the source said .
“ The more time you spend every day immersed in the content the more it stays on your mind and is difficult to let go of after you clock out and in your time outside of work .
It gets very draining quickly ; it ’ s almost like how 48 minutes of running feels a lot longer and has more of an effect than 48 minutes of sitting or walking .
It might not seem like a lot longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the work we do , it really is .
We are witnessing child grooming and depraved predatory behavior firsthand , including child pornography , and all the while having to match everything to complicated and ever-changing policy and stressing about perfect quality and getting the actions right.
” Another Accenture moderator who also requested anonymity echoed the fear of psychological harm : “ This production increase will affect my ability to maintain the resiliency I ’ ve already established to safeguard my mental health from the content I view on a daily basis.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with The Intercept on the condition of anonymity explained that the previous 5.5 hour quota left some time at the end of the day for “ wellness ” — free time during which they could meditate , distract themselves , and generally decompress from the nightmarish things they had viewed during that day .
Under the new contract , these workers now fear their already precarious mental health could be pushed to a breaking point : “ Since starting in this job almost two years ago , I ’ ve had many nightmares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ images I ’ ve seen enter my mind regularly during my personal life off the clock , ” said the child exploitation moderator .
At the same time as workers are learning they ’ ll be subjected to deeply disturbing content for hours more each week , many are also learning that they ’ re no longer eligible for premium pay Accenture had for years provided for moderators working overnight or weekend shifts , according to interviews with contractors and Accenture communications reviewed by The Intercept .
Many Accenture workers speak openly about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the horrors of the work itself , with many taking on second or third jobs to make ends meet .
“ I can ’ t afford the therapy that I need with the barely-living-wage pay that we receive , ” added one moderator .
“ I can barely afford my rent and other bills and food .
”

With the ink still drying on their landmark $52 million settlement with Facebook over trauma they suffered working for the company, many outsourced content moderators are now being told that they must view some of the most horrific and disturbing content on the internet for an extra 48 minutes per day, The Intercept has learned.
Following an unprecedented 2018 lawsuit by ex-Facebook content moderator Selena Scola, who said her daily exposure to depictions of rape, murder, and other gruesome acts caused her to develop post-traumatic stress disorder, Facebook agreed in early May to a $52 million settlement, paid out with $1,000 individual minimums to current and former contractors employed by outsourcing firms like Accenture. Following news of the settlement, Facebook spokesperson Drew Pusateri issued a statement reading, “We are grateful to the people who do this important work to make Facebook a safe environment for everyone. We’re committed to providing them additional support through this settlement and in the future.”
Less than a month after this breakthrough, however, Accenture management informed moderation teams that it had renegotiated its contract with Facebook, affecting at least hundreds of North American content workers who would now have to increase their exposure to exactly the sort of extreme content at the heart of the settlement, according to internal company communications reviewed by The Intercept and interviews with multiple affected workers.
The new hours were announced at the tail end of May and beginning of June via emails sent by Accenture management to the firm’s content moderation teams, including those responsible for reviewing Child Exploitation Imagery, or CEI, generally graphic depictions of sexually abused children, and Inappropriate Interactions with Children, or IIC, typically conversations in which adults message minors in an attempt to “groom” them for later sexual abuse or exchange sexually explicit images. The Intercept reviewed multiple versions of this email, apparently based off a template created by Accenture. It refers to the new contract between the two companies as the “Golden SoW,” short for “Statement of Work,” and its wording strongly suggests that stipulations in the renewed contract led to 48-minute increases in the so-called “Safety flows” that handle Facebook posts containing depictions of child abuse.
“For the past year or so, our Safety flows (CEI,IIC) as well as GT have been asked to be productive for 5.5 hours of their day,” reads one email reviewed by The Intercept, referring to “Ground Truth,” a team of outsourced humans tasked with helping train Facebook’s moderation algorithms. “Over the last few weeks the golden sow, Accenture’s contractual agreement with Facebook, was signed. In the contract, it discussed production time and the standard that all agents will be held to.” Accenture moderators, the email continues, “will need to spend 6.3 hours of their day actively in production” — meaning an extra 48 minutes per day viewing the arguably most disturbing possible content found on the internet.
The email then notes that Accenture is “aligning to our global partners as well as our partners in MVW,” a likely reference to Mountain View, California, where, the email suggests, moderators were already viewing such content for 6.3 hours per day. It is understood, the email said, that there could be “one offs every now and then when you are unable to meet the daily expectation of 6.3″ hours of exposure, but warned against letting it become a pattern.
Pusateri, the Facebook spokesperson, told The Intercept, “We haven’t increased guidance for production hours with any of our partners,” but did not respond to questions about Accenture’s announcement itself. Accenture spokesperson Sean Conway said only that they had not been instructed to enact any change by Facebook, but would not elaborate or provide an explanation for the internal announcement.
Not only does the increase in child pornography exposure seemingly run afoul of Facebook’s public assurances that it will be “providing [moderators] additional support through this settlement and in the future,” it contradicts research into moderator trauma commissioned by the company itself. A 2015 report from Technology Coalition, an anti-online child exploitation consortium co-founded by Facebook and cited in Scola’s lawsuit, found that “limiting the amount of time employees are exposed to [child sexual abuse material] is key” if employee trauma is to be avoided. “Strong consideration should be given to making select elements of the program (such as counseling) mandatory for exposed employees,” the paper also noted. “This removes any stigma for employees who want to seek help and can increase employee awareness of the subtle, cumulative effects that regular exposure may produce.” The Accenture announcement, however, appears to fall well short of mandatory counseling: “Agents are free to seek out wellness coaches when needed,” the email states. A request for comment sent to Technology Coalition was not returned.
Accenture’s “wellness” program is a contentious issue for Facebook moderators, many of whom say such quasi-therapy is a shoddy stand-in for genuine psychological counseling, despite the best intentions of the “coaches” themselves. Last August, The Intercept reported an instance of Accenture management pressuring a wellness coach to divulge details of a session with an employee; a recent New York University report on digital content moderators slammed Accenture’s wellness program as “inadequate care” for those primed to develop PTSD.
To some moderators, the increase in required work hours is just another in a long series of slights from Accenture and Facebook. “It makes me feel extremely unappreciated and uncared for by this company and its management, even more so than before,” said a moderator who works with child exploitation content, speaking with The Intercept on the condition of anonymity. “Management doesn’t view the content so they have no way of actually understanding or empathizing. If they have seen pieces of content every once in a while, this doesn’t compare to having to sit in front of a computer screen being immersed in it for five and a half hours, five days a week (now 6.3).”
Though 48 minutes of extra work may not seem like a profound increase, this moderator emphasized that the heinousness of the task can’t be overstated and that they fear what effects even a sub-hour increase could have over time. “It is difficult to explain the emotional impact of doing this job to anyone who hasn’t firsthand experienced it,” the source said. “The more time you spend every day immersed in the content the more it stays on your mind and is difficult to let go of after you clock out and in your time outside of work. It gets very draining quickly; it’s almost like how 48 minutes of running feels a lot longer and has more of an effect than 48 minutes of sitting or walking. It might not seem like a lot longer, but when you’re doing the work we do, it really is. We are witnessing child grooming and depraved predatory behavior firsthand, including child pornography, and all the while having to match everything to complicated and ever-changing policy and stressing about perfect quality and getting the actions right.” Another Accenture moderator who also requested anonymity echoed the fear of psychological harm: “This production increase will affect my ability to maintain the resiliency I’ve already established to safeguard my mental health from the content I view on a daily basis.”
Multiple moderators who discussed the change with The Intercept on the condition of anonymity explained that the previous 5.5 hour quota left some time at the end of the day for “wellness” — free time during which they could meditate, distract themselves, and generally decompress from the nightmarish things they had viewed during that day. Under the new contract, these workers now fear their already precarious mental health could be pushed to a breaking point: “Since starting in this job almost two years ago, I’ve had many nightmares related to the content, and traumatizing images I’ve seen enter my mind regularly during my personal life off the clock,” said the child exploitation moderator. At the same time as workers are learning they’ll be subjected to deeply disturbing content for hours more each week, many are also learning that they’re no longer eligible for premium pay Accenture had for years provided for moderators working overnight or weekend shifts, according to interviews with contractors and Accenture communications reviewed by The Intercept. Many Accenture workers speak openly about how little the company pays relative to the horrors of the work itself, with many taking on second or third jobs to make ends meet. “I can’t afford the therapy that I need with the barely-living-wage pay that we receive,” added one moderator. “I can barely afford my rent and other bills and food.”