newsweek--2020-12-30--New COVID-19 Strain 'Almost Certainly' in Multiple States, Biden Advisor Atul Gawande Says

A new variant of the novel coronavirus that was first detected in the United Kingdom is most likely circulating across the United States , a member of the Biden-Harris Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board said Tuesday .
`` It is almost certainly in multiple states and I think we will be seeing evidence of that in the days to come , '' Dr. Atul Gawande told CNN .
The new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus—dubbed the B.1.1.7 lineage—appears to be more transmissible than the original , although a study from Public Health England found that it does not seem to cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis announced that a man in the state had been infected with the new variant—the first case detected in the United States .
The individual in question is a male in his 20s and has no history of travel , Colorado health officials said .
He is currently recovering in isolation in Elbert County .
`` An unknown travel history mean that this person picked it up the community , '' Gawande said .
`` Exactly how prevalent it is , is the real question .
If it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? ''
`` We know it is a more contagious variant and that 's a serious concern if it is only just now beginning to spread , given that our hospitals and ICUs , in particular , are already being filled .
If this mutation , this mutated virus , which is more contagious , is not widespread yet and beginning to spread , that means it will be even more important to follow the approaches we know work . ''
Prior to the detection of the variant in Colorado , the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC ) had said that the B.1.1.7 lineage was likely already circulating in the United States undetected .
The agency said on December 22 that genetic sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 virus had only been carried out on a small fraction of the roughly 17 million COVID-19 cases in the country .
Scientists use genetic sequencing in order to identify new virus strains .
`` Ongoing travel between the United Kingdom and the United States , as well as the high prevalence of this variant among current U.K. infections , increase the likelihood of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
`` Given the small fraction of U.S. infections that have been sequenced , the variant could already be in the United States without having been detected . ''
The Colorado State Laboratory confirmed the case of the new variant and has notified the CDC , while public health officials investigate the case .
Officials have not identified any close contacts so far , but are currently working to uncover further potential cases .
`` There is a lot we do n't know about this new COVID-19 variant , but scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world that it is significantly more contagious , '' Polis said in a statement .
`` The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority and we will closely monitor this case , as well as all COVID-19 indicators , very closely .
We are working to prevent spread and contain the virus at all levels . ''

A new variant of the novel coronavirus that was first detected in the United Kingdom is most likely circulating across the United States, a member of the Biden-Harris Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board said Tuesday.
"It is almost certainly in multiple states and I think we will be seeing evidence of that in the days to come," Dr. Atul Gawande told CNN.
The new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus—dubbed the B.1.1.7 lineage—appears to be more transmissible than the original, although a study from Public Health England found that it does not seem to cause more severe illness.
On Tuesday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced that a man in the state had been infected with the new variant—the first case detected in the United States.
The individual in question is a male in his 20s and has no history of travel, Colorado health officials said. He is currently recovering in isolation in Elbert County.
"An unknown travel history mean that this person picked it up the community," Gawande said. "Exactly how prevalent it is, is the real question. If it's been spreading, how dominant is it?"
"We know it is a more contagious variant and that's a serious concern if it is only just now beginning to spread, given that our hospitals and ICUs, in particular, are already being filled. If this mutation, this mutated virus, which is more contagious, is not widespread yet and beginning to spread, that means it will be even more important to follow the approaches we know work."
Prior to the detection of the variant in Colorado, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had said that the B.1.1.7 lineage was likely already circulating in the United States undetected.
The agency said on December 22 that genetic sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 virus had only been carried out on a small fraction of the roughly 17 million COVID-19 cases in the country. Scientists use genetic sequencing in order to identify new virus strains.
"Ongoing travel between the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the high prevalence of this variant among current U.K. infections, increase the likelihood of importation," the agency said in a statement. "Given the small fraction of U.S. infections that have been sequenced, the variant could already be in the United States without having been detected."
The Colorado State Laboratory confirmed the case of the new variant and has notified the CDC, while public health officials investigate the case. Officials have not identified any close contacts so far, but are currently working to uncover further potential cases.
"There is a lot we don't know about this new COVID-19 variant, but scientists in the United Kingdom are warning the world that it is significantly more contagious," Polis said in a statement.
"The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority and we will closely monitor this case, as well as all COVID-19 indicators, very closely. We are working to prevent spread and contain the virus at all levels."


newsweek--2020-12-30--Video of Officer Punching Police Dog in the Face Sparks Investigation

An investigation has been launched after footage emerged of a California officer appearing to punch a trainee police dog in the face .
The clip , which was taken in Vacaville and posted on social media on Tuesday , showed an officer sat on top of the canine in a parking lot before striking it with his right hand .
According to police , the incident happened during a training exercise and the animal had become aggressive towards the officer shortly before the video was taken .
The scenes elicited an angry response on Facebook , where it has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 400 comments .
Local resident Roberto Palomino said he shot the video as he was collecting tools from his truck in Vaca Valley Parkway at around 12:15 p.m. that day .
`` It was like 'ohhh ' cries ; the dog was crying like someone was running him over or something , '' he told TV station ABC7 .
`` It was bad . ''
Although a single punch was recorded in the 25 second clip , Palomino alleges that the officer hit the dog about 10 times .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confused .
Never seen anything like that before , '' he told local newspaper The Reporter .
`` He was beating his partner , his coworker , his best friend . ''
He added : `` I just hope the dog 's OK and is removed from him , gets a better partner at least . ''
Discussing the incident , Vacaville Police Captain Matt Lydon—not the officer seen in the video—told The San Francisco Chronicle that the officer straddled the dog in a standard position of `` dominance '' after the canine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Lydon told the newspaper the 1.5-year-old male Belgian Malinois mix performed well in a narcotics training exercise and was rewarded with a toy , but then did not want to give the toy up .
Vacaville Police Department said it has launched an internal investigation into the incident .
Responding to online criticism , the department said it did `` understand how disturbing the video appears , '' but that the clip did not provide the full picture .
`` What the video does n't show is the moments prior , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the department said in a Facebook post .
It said : `` All training programs are not alike and need to be tailored to the needs of the specific dog and handler .
This is generally achieved by a careful balance of physical discipline and reward based training . ''
The department said it was `` constantly evaluating '' its canine training policies and procedures , and that the incident would be `` evaluated in its entirety '' and `` investigated appropriately . ''
The statement had been shared about 350 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time of publication .
Among the responses , Rachel Renee Wilson wrote : `` As someone who 's married to a Master K9 Trainer who has trained many police and military dogs , there is no excuse for what was on that video .
Liz Frome posted : `` Truly sad situation and action needs to be taken . ''
Christi Torrio said : `` I 'm sorry but there is no excuse for animal cruelty and from the video I just watched that 's exactly what I see . ''
Anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police Department at 449-5200 .

An investigation has been launched after footage emerged of a California officer appearing to punch a trainee police dog in the face.
The clip, which was taken in Vacaville and posted on social media on Tuesday, showed an officer sat on top of the canine in a parking lot before striking it with his right hand.
According to police, the incident happened during a training exercise and the animal had become aggressive towards the officer shortly before the video was taken.
The scenes elicited an angry response on Facebook, where it has been shared more than 300 times and received more than 400 comments.
Local resident Roberto Palomino said he shot the video as he was collecting tools from his truck in Vaca Valley Parkway at around 12:15 p.m. that day.
"It was like 'ohhh' cries; the dog was crying like someone was running him over or something," he told TV station ABC7. "It was bad."
Although a single punch was recorded in the 25 second clip, Palomino alleges that the officer hit the dog about 10 times.
"I was shocked. It got me completely confused. Never seen anything like that before," he told local newspaper The Reporter. "He was beating his partner, his coworker, his best friend."
He added: "I just hope the dog's OK and is removed from him, gets a better partner at least."
Newsweek has contacted Palomino for comment.
Discussing the incident, Vacaville Police Captain Matt Lydon—not the officer seen in the video—told The San Francisco Chronicle that the officer straddled the dog in a standard position of "dominance" after the canine lunged and tried to bite the officer.
Lydon told the newspaper the 1.5-year-old male Belgian Malinois mix performed well in a narcotics training exercise and was rewarded with a toy, but then did not want to give the toy up.
'Physical discipline'
In a statement to Newsweek, the City of Vacaville said an independent third-party with expertise in police canine training will be retained to evaluated the officer's actions, as well as review Vacaville Police Department's policies and procedures and its canine training program.
"Once the review is complete, the City of Vacaville will take appropriate action – including any necessary discipline and/or training, as well as any needed changes to policies and procedures to ensure the police department's canine program is in line with industry best practices," it said.
Officials added that the dog has been separated from the officer and is under the care of a non-police canine trainer, pending the investigation.
In a Facebook post earlier on Tuesday, the police department said it did "understand how disturbing the video appears," but that the clip did not provide the full picture.
"What the video doesn't show is the moments prior, when the canine became aggressive towards his handler," the department said in a Facebook post.
It said: "All training programs are not alike and need to be tailored to the needs of the specific dog and handler. This is generally achieved by a careful balance of physical discipline and reward based training."
The department said it was "constantly evaluating" its canine training policies and procedures, and that the incident would be "evaluated in its entirety" and "investigated appropriately."
The statement had been shared about 350 times and received nearly 3,000 comments at the time of publication.
Among the responses, Rachel Renee Wilson wrote: "As someone who's married to a Master K9 Trainer who has trained many police and military dogs, there is no excuse for what was on that video.
Liz Frome posted: "Truly sad situation and action needs to be taken."
Christi Torrio said: "I'm sorry but there is no excuse for animal cruelty and from the video I just watched that's exactly what I see."
Anyone with information is asked to call Vacaville Police Department at 449-5200.
File photo: A video has emerged online appearing to show an officer punching a different police dog in Vacaville, northern California. Mireya Acierto/FilmMagic/Getty
Update at 5:10 a.m. ET on 12/31/20: This article has been updated to include a statement from the City of Vacavill. The file photo used to illustrate this story has also been changed.


newsweek--2020-12-30--UFO Report Could Be Published by Government Agencies in 180 Days

Federal agencies have been asked to publish a report on unidentified flying objects ( UFOs ) in less than 180 days , thanks to an act included in the $ 2.3 trillion stimulus and government spending bill signed by President Donald Trump on Sunday .
A report by the Select Committee on Intelligence attached to the The Intelligence Authorization Act for 2021 states that the Director of National Intelligence , the Secretary of Defense and the heads of other relevant agencies submit a report to the congressional intelligence and armed services committees on `` unidentified aerial phenomena ( also known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including observed airborne objects that have not been identified . ''
They are asked to do this 180 days after the act is enacted .
The committee , chaired by Sen. Marco Rubio , asked for the report to include detailed analyses of FBI data taken from investigations into `` intrusions of unidentified aerial phenomena '' in restricted United States airspace , and of data and intelligence collected or held by the Office of Naval Intelligence .
It also asked for an analysis of the potential threats posed by `` unidentified aerial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assessment of whether this unidentified aerial phenomena activity may be attributed to one or more foreign adversaries . ''
The request comes after the Pentagon released three classified videos filmed by U.S. Navy pilots in 2004 and 2015 , of `` unidentified aerial phenomena . ''
One of the pilots told The New York Times in 2017 about the 2004 incident shot around 100 miles of the Californian coast : `` It accelerated like nothing I 've ever seen . ''
The ex-head of the U.S. government 's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has `` a lot more '' classified videos of so-called unidentified aerial phenomena .
The term `` unidentified aerial phenomena '' does not mean that the space crafts are aliens , but that did not stop the imaginations of Twitter users running wild on Wednesday , with some joking that the report may make 2021 even stranger than 2020 , when the world was upended by the COVID pandemic .
In a tweet using an alien and alien spacecraft emojis , Shon Gables , an anchor of CBS46 , tweeted : `` Are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government REALLY knows about UFO 's '' The unofficial Twitter account of the Reddit Aliens subreddit tweeted : `` 180 countdown til the pentagon releases information on what they know about UFO 's . ''
`` HOLY COW ! ''
wrote one Twitter user .
`` Not a believer in aliens visiting Earth but this will be interesting . ''
One said alongside a news article about the report : `` 2021 - when we looked back at 2020 as a less f*cked up year . ''
Another said : `` ca n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ended but here we are.. '' One Twitter user replied to a tweet from SpaceX founder Elon Musk , asking : `` Did u see the news about the aliens ?
Govt has 180 days to spill the beans from the day of the Covid relief signing . ''
According to The Debrief , the provision is not law so the report may never materialize .
Christopher Mellon , former staff Director of the United States Senate Intelligence Committee , told The Debrief : `` Assuming the Executive Branch honors this important request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have an objective basis for assessing the validity of the issue and its national security implications .
This is an extraordinary and long overdue opportunity . ''

Federal agencies have been asked to publish a report on unidentified flying objects (UFOs) in less than 180 days, thanks to an act included in the $2.3 trillion stimulus and government spending bill signed by President Donald Trump on Sunday.
A report by the Select Committee on Intelligence attached to the The Intelligence Authorization Act for 2021 states that the Director of National Intelligence, the Secretary of Defense and the heads of other relevant agencies submit a report to the congressional intelligence and armed services committees on "unidentified aerial phenomena (also known as "anomalous aerial vehicles''), including observed airborne objects that have not been identified." They are asked to do this 180 days after the act is enacted.
The committee, chaired by Sen. Marco Rubio, asked for the report to include detailed analyses of FBI data taken from investigations into "intrusions of unidentified aerial phenomena" in restricted United States airspace, and of data and intelligence collected or held by the Office of Naval Intelligence.
It also asked for an analysis of the potential threats posed by "unidentified aerial phenomena to national security, and an assessment of whether this unidentified aerial phenomena activity may be attributed to one or more foreign adversaries."
The request comes after the Pentagon released three classified videos filmed by U.S. Navy pilots in 2004 and 2015, of "unidentified aerial phenomena."
One of the pilots told The New York Times in 2017 about the 2004 incident shot around 100 miles of the Californian coast: "It accelerated like nothing I've ever seen."
The ex-head of the U.S. government's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program told Newsweek earlier this year the Pentagon has "a lot more" classified videos of so-called unidentified aerial phenomena.
The term "unidentified aerial phenomena" does not mean that the space crafts are aliens, but that did not stop the imaginations of Twitter users running wild on Wednesday, with some joking that the report may make 2021 even stranger than 2020, when the world was upended by the COVID pandemic.
In a tweet using an alien and alien spacecraft emojis, Shon Gables, an anchor of CBS46, tweeted: "Are you ready to find out what the government REALLY knows about UFO's"
Are you ready to find out what the government REALLY knows about UFO's 👽👾🛸
The $2.3 trillion COVID-19 relief and government funding bill passed Sunday - requires the Pentagon and spy agencies 180 days to reveal all.@CBS46 #SpaceForce pic.twitter.com/patFnTLqnG — shon gables cbs46 (@shongables) December 29, 2020
The unofficial Twitter account of the Reddit Aliens subreddit tweeted: "180 countdown til the pentagon releases information on what they know about UFO's."
"HOLY COW!" wrote one Twitter user. "Not a believer in aliens visiting Earth but this will be interesting."
One said alongside a news article about the report: "2021 - when we looked back at 2020 as a less f*cked up year."
Another said: "can't make this up... 2020 hasn't ended but here we are.."
One Twitter user replied to a tweet from SpaceX founder Elon Musk, asking: "Did u see the news about the aliens? Govt has 180 days to spill the beans from the day of the Covid relief signing."
According to The Debrief, the provision is not law so the report may never materialize.
Christopher Mellon, former staff Director of the United States Senate Intelligence Committee, told The Debrief: "Assuming the Executive Branch honors this important request, the nation will at long last have an objective basis for assessing the validity of the issue and its national security implications. This is an extraordinary and long overdue opportunity."


newsweek--2020-12-30--The Jewish Left's Warnock Whitewash | Opinion

Many on the Left in the Jewish community have reduced anti-Semitism to a partisan weapon .
According to them , whether an individual 's statements about Jews or Israel are bigoted depends entirely upon that individual 's political affiliation—or worse , his or her race .
Ilhan Omar and David Duke say many of the same things about Jews , and Duke has backed and praised Omar on numerous occasions for echoing his words .
Yet many on the Jewish Left insist that only Duke is hateful—and even claim , deplorably , that it is Omar 's critics who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Holocaust by comparing detention facilities for illegal immigrants to the Buchenwald concentration camp , every Jewish scholar and organization devoted to fighting anti-Semitism and remembering the Holocaust—including Yad Vashem , the U.S .
Holocaust Museum , and a consortium of Holocaust scholars and museums across the country—roundly condemned her .
Those on the Jewish Left , however , rushed to claim both that Ocasio-Cortez made no such comparison and that the comparison was appropriate—never mind that these claims were mutually contradictory .
An organization called `` Never Again Action '' sprang up overnight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overseeing illegal Latino immigrants to Nazi SS guards incinerating Jews .
These activists were not trying to make a logical argument , but to serve as Jewish shields to block well-deserved criticism of AOC 's disgraceful statements .
These were the same people , of course , who repeatedly attacked President Trump and his cabinet—despite the plethora of Orthodox Jews in the president 's inner circle—with false charges of anti-Semitism .
Leftists claimed Trump encouraged white supremacy no matter how often he condemned it .
They blamed him for the murderous attack on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though the gunman declared his hatred for Trump specifically due to the `` kike infestation '' he tolerated ( nay , encouraged ) in the White House .
The Forward stopped manufacturing charges of anti-Semitism against Steve Bannon , and published an editor 's opinion piece calling those scurrilous accusations both false and dangerous , only once Bannon left the administration .
And no matter how often Trump demonstrated open friendship and concern for Jews and Israel—even upending the false narratives about Israel , Palestinian Arabs and the Muslim/Arab world that kept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still rebuffed that friendship .
This is how the Jewish Left helped create the environment in which the Rev .
Raphael Warnock could conceivably be a major party candidate , much less a viable contender to become a U.S. senator .
Today Warnock claims to be a friend of Israel who rejects the odious comparison of Israel to apartheid South Africa and opposes BDS .
Just last year , however , he signed a statement that demonized Israel , made precisely that comparison and endorsed `` utilizing economic pressure '' against the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` shoot down unarmed Palestinian sisters and brothers like birds of prey . ''
This false charge not only slanders the army that leads the world in avoiding civilian casualties , and the country that has saved countless Arab lives across the Middle East with its advanced medical technology .
It also diminishes the murder of Esther Horgan , killed by a terrorist last week while jogging , making it and similar crimes appear somehow less barbaric and inhuman than they obviously are .
That is the loathing towards Israel that Warnock heaved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jewish Values , which I serve as managing director , sent both the Warnock campaign and the Jewish Democratic Council of America ( JDCA ) a letter requesting evidence that Warnock had abandoned these repugnant views before running for office—and was not merely saying different things to different audiences to fool those willing to be duped .
Our letter , which the Rabbinic leaders of Georgia 's two largest Orthodox congregations both signed , pointed out that Warnock had not merely bent the truth .
He , as a spiritual leader , had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Neither the campaign nor the JDCA responded to our letter .
Instead , Halie Soifer , CEO of the JDCA , went on Twitter to do more of her one-sided slander , attacking Richard Grenell upon his appointment to the Holocaust Memorial Council—never mind that Grenell proved an outstanding advocate against anti-Semitism during his tenure as U.S. ambassador to Germany .
The idea that a Republican might have done great things for the Jewish community is as inconceivable to them as the thought that they are endorsing a man who promoted hateful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat .
It is up to the good citizens of Georgia to see past the whitewash .
To use a person 's own minority status to shield him or her from the consequences of hate speech is identity politics in its most malignant form .
Warnock repeatedly made anti-Semitic statements , for which he can not be given a pass due to his progressive politics or his racial identity .
The push for true equality and tolerance demands no less .
Rabbi Yaakov Menken is the Managing Director of the Coalition for Jewish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article are the writer 's own .

Many on the Left in the Jewish community have reduced anti-Semitism to a partisan weapon. According to them, whether an individual's statements about Jews or Israel are bigoted depends entirely upon that individual's political affiliation—or worse, his or her race.
Ilhan Omar and David Duke say many of the same things about Jews, and Duke has backed and praised Omar on numerous occasions for echoing his words. Yet many on the Jewish Left insist that only Duke is hateful—and even claim, deplorably, that it is Omar's critics who are biased.
When Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez minimized the Holocaust by comparing detention facilities for illegal immigrants to the Buchenwald concentration camp, every Jewish scholar and organization devoted to fighting anti-Semitism and remembering the Holocaust—including Yad Vashem, the U.S. Holocaust Museum, and a consortium of Holocaust scholars and museums across the country—roundly condemned her.
Those on the Jewish Left, however, rushed to claim both that Ocasio-Cortez made no such comparison and that the comparison was appropriate—never mind that these claims were mutually contradictory. An organization called "Never Again Action" sprang up overnight, anxious to compare Latino ICE officers overseeing illegal Latino immigrants to Nazi SS guards incinerating Jews. These activists were not trying to make a logical argument, but to serve as Jewish shields to block well-deserved criticism of AOC's disgraceful statements.
These were the same people, of course, who repeatedly attacked President Trump and his cabinet—despite the plethora of Orthodox Jews in the president's inner circle—with false charges of anti-Semitism. Leftists claimed Trump encouraged white supremacy no matter how often he condemned it. They blamed him for the murderous attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, though the gunman declared his hatred for Trump specifically due to the "kike infestation" he tolerated (nay, encouraged) in the White House. The Forward stopped manufacturing charges of anti-Semitism against Steve Bannon, and published an editor's opinion piece calling those scurrilous accusations both false and dangerous, only once Bannon left the administration. And no matter how often Trump demonstrated open friendship and concern for Jews and Israel—even upending the false narratives about Israel, Palestinian Arabs and the Muslim/Arab world that kept peace at bay for decades—the Jewish Left still rebuffed that friendship.
This is how the Jewish Left helped create the environment in which the Rev. Raphael Warnock could conceivably be a major party candidate, much less a viable contender to become a U.S. senator.
Today Warnock claims to be a friend of Israel who rejects the odious comparison of Israel to apartheid South Africa and opposes BDS. Just last year, however, he signed a statement that demonized Israel, made precisely that comparison and endorsed "utilizing economic pressure" against the country.
Georgia Democratic Senate candidate Raphael Warnock speaks onstage during the "Vote GA Blue" concert for Georgia Democratic Senate candidates Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff on December 28, 2020 in Stonecrest, Georgia. Paras Griffin/Getty
In a sermon, Warnock claimed that Israeli soldiers "shoot down unarmed Palestinian sisters and brothers like birds of prey." This false charge not only slanders the army that leads the world in avoiding civilian casualties, and the country that has saved countless Arab lives across the Middle East with its advanced medical technology. It also diminishes the murder of Esther Horgan, killed by a terrorist last week while jogging, making it and similar crimes appear somehow less barbaric and inhuman than they obviously are. That is the loathing towards Israel that Warnock heaved upon his congregation.
The Coalition for Jewish Values, which I serve as managing director, sent both the Warnock campaign and the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) a letter requesting evidence that Warnock had abandoned these repugnant views before running for office—and was not merely saying different things to different audiences to fool those willing to be duped.
Our letter, which the Rabbinic leaders of Georgia's two largest Orthodox congregations both signed, pointed out that Warnock had not merely bent the truth. He, as a spiritual leader, had misused his pulpit to bear false witness.
Neither the campaign nor the JDCA responded to our letter. Instead, Halie Soifer, CEO of the JDCA, went on Twitter to do more of her one-sided slander, attacking Richard Grenell upon his appointment to the Holocaust Memorial Council—never mind that Grenell proved an outstanding advocate against anti-Semitism during his tenure as U.S. ambassador to Germany. The idea that a Republican might have done great things for the Jewish community is as inconceivable to them as the thought that they are endorsing a man who promoted hateful lies about Jews because he is a Democrat.
It is up to the good citizens of Georgia to see past the whitewash. To use a person's own minority status to shield him or her from the consequences of hate speech is identity politics in its most malignant form. Warnock repeatedly made anti-Semitic statements, for which he cannot be given a pass due to his progressive politics or his racial identity.
The push for true equality and tolerance demands no less.
Rabbi Yaakov Menken is the Managing Director of the Coalition for Jewish Values.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.


newsweek--2020-12-30--Who is Elizabeth Peratrovich? Google Doodle Honors Civil Rights Activist

Today 's Google Doodle honors Elizabeth Peratrovich , the Alaskan Civil Rights activist who worked tirelessly on behalf of equality for Alaska Natives and was instrumental in getting Alaska 's Anti-Discrimination Act passed in 1945 .
The search engine giant has chosen to pay tribute to Peratrovich with a Google Doodle—a special temporary alteration to its homepage logo that commemorates holidays , events , achievements and historical figures .
They picked December 30 as it was on this date in 1941 , after seeing an inn door sign that said `` No Natives Allowed , '' Peratrovich and her husband @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They gained his support and thus set the ball rolling towards the Anti-Discrimination Act in the territory four years later .
Today 's logo shows an illustration of Peratrovich by artist Michaela Goade , speaking at a lectern while giving testimony to the Alaska Territorial Legislature in 1945 .
Behind her is a raven , representing that as part of Alaska 's indigenous Tlingit clan , Peratrovich belonged to the Raven moiety ( one of two descendant groups ) .
The ocean and tree imagery in the illustration are a reference to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Google Doodle is available to all people who land on the search giant homepage today in the U.S. and Canada .
Peratrovich was born Kaaxgal.aat on July 4 , 1911 , in Petersburg , Alaska—at a time when segregation was present throughout the territory .
She married Roy Peratrovich , also a member of the Tlingit clan , and the two moved to Klawock , Alaska , where they both played a role in local politics .
In 1941 , they moved with their three children to Juneau .
That same year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draft the territory 's first anti-discrimination bill .
Though this failed to pass , Peratrovich 's continued efforts led to a second bill to reach Alaska 's Senate on February 5 , 1945 .
Her impassioned testimony on the Senate floor was met with widespread applause and is credited with playing a crucial role in the bill passing .
Fran Ulmer , former lieutenant governor of Alaska , described Peratrovich 's testimony in 1992 .
`` She talked about herself , her friends , her children , and the cruel treatment that consigned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She described to the Senate what it means to be unable to buy a house in a decent neighborhood because Natives are n't allowed to live there .
She described how children feel when they are refused entrance into movie theaters , or see signs in shop windows that read 'No dogs or Natives allowed . '
'' she wrote .
In 1988 , the Alaska State Legislature established February 16 as Elizabeth Peratrovich Day .
Betsy Peratrovich , granddaughter of the civil rights activist , told Google her thoughts about her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roy were quite a team , '' she said.
`` He liked to give her all of the credit , as she continually inspired him to strive to improve the lives of Alaska Native peoples .
`` But my dad recounts that they both used to sit around the dining table at night where together they typed letters , wrote and practiced speeches , and strategized on how best to secure equal rights for all , '' she added .

Today's Google Doodle honors Elizabeth Peratrovich, the Alaskan Civil Rights activist who worked tirelessly on behalf of equality for Alaska Natives and was instrumental in getting Alaska's Anti-Discrimination Act passed in 1945.
The search engine giant has chosen to pay tribute to Peratrovich with a Google Doodle—a special temporary alteration to its homepage logo that commemorates holidays, events, achievements and historical figures. They picked December 30 as it was on this date in 1941, after seeing an inn door sign that said "No Natives Allowed," Peratrovich and her husband decided to write to Alaska's governor. They gained his support and thus set the ball rolling towards the Anti-Discrimination Act in the territory four years later.
Today's logo shows an illustration of Peratrovich by artist Michaela Goade, speaking at a lectern while giving testimony to the Alaska Territorial Legislature in 1945. Behind her is a raven, representing that as part of Alaska's indigenous Tlingit clan, Peratrovich belonged to the Raven moiety (one of two descendant groups). The ocean and tree imagery in the illustration are a reference to the traditional homelands of Southeast Alaska.
The Google Doodle is available to all people who land on the search giant homepage today in the U.S. and Canada.
Who is Elizabeth Peratrovich?
Peratrovich was born Kaaxgal.aat on July 4, 1911, in Petersburg, Alaska—at a time when segregation was present throughout the territory.
She married Roy Peratrovich, also a member of the Tlingit clan, and the two moved to Klawock, Alaska, where they both played a role in local politics. In 1941, they moved with their three children to Juneau. That same year, the two worked with others to draft the territory's first anti-discrimination bill. Though this failed to pass, Peratrovich's continued efforts led to a second bill to reach Alaska's Senate on February 5, 1945. Her impassioned testimony on the Senate floor was met with widespread applause and is credited with playing a crucial role in the bill passing.
Today's Google Doodle of Alaska Civil Rights champion Elizabeth Peratrovich. Google
Fran Ulmer, former lieutenant governor of Alaska, described Peratrovich's testimony in 1992.
"She talked about herself, her friends, her children, and the cruel treatment that consigned Alaska Natives to a second class existence. She described to the Senate what it means to be unable to buy a house in a decent neighborhood because Natives aren't allowed to live there. She described how children feel when they are refused entrance into movie theaters, or see signs in shop windows that read 'No dogs or Natives allowed.'" she wrote.
In 1988, the Alaska State Legislature established February 16 as Elizabeth Peratrovich Day.
Betsy Peratrovich, granddaughter of the civil rights activist, told Google her thoughts about her legacy. "She and my grandpa Roy were quite a team," she said. " He liked to give her all of the credit, as she continually inspired him to strive to improve the lives of Alaska Native peoples.
"But my dad recounts that they both used to sit around the dining table at night where together they typed letters, wrote and practiced speeches, and strategized on how best to secure equal rights for all," she added.


newsweek--2020-12-30--Parler Users Shame 'Traitor' Kelly Loeffler for Asking for Campaign Money: 'You're a Billionaire'

Users of Parler , a conservative social media network , criticized Georgia Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler on Wednesday for soliciting political donations on the platform .
Loeffler is running a race that will determine party control of the U.S. Senate .
One Parler user called Loeffler a `` traitor '' for not being more vocally supportive of President Donald Trump 's attempts to overturn the results of the November presidential election .
Another asked why she needed donations considering that she 's a `` billionaire . ''
An evaluation from Forbes estimates that Loeffler is `` the richest person on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least $ 800 million .
Various Parler users responded to her asking for donations by stating , `` You 're a billionaire .
Why are you always begging for money ?
`` , `` You will never get a penny from us Georgia Patriots .
NEVER '' , `` Meth Barbie says what ? ''
and `` WE need YOU to stand with President Trump you traitor B ! ''
A recent report from Bloomberg News showed that Loeffler has been outraised by her Democratic opponent Raphael Warnock .
From October 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 64 million in political donations and had $ 21.3 million left in her campaign account as of December 24 .
Comparatively , Warnock raised $ 103.4 million during the same period and had $ 22.8 million in cash left in his campaign as of December 24 .
In December 2019 , Loeffler was appointed to the Senate by Georgia Governor Ben Kemp after then-Senator Johnny Isakson resigned for health reasons .
She then had to defend her seat in a special election on November 3 .
Because she did n't win a majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now has to face Warnock again in a January 5 runoff .
With one week left until the state 's special runoff election , more than half a dozen polls conducted in the past two weeks have shown the Democratic candidates as neck-and-neck or trading leader positions within the margin of error against their Republican opponents .
The race will determine party control of the Senate .
Loeffler 's husband , Jeff Sprecher , is the CEO of Intercontinental Exchange ( ICE ) , the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Loeffler was a senior executive at ICE .
She reportedly took $ 9 million with her in shares and stock options that she was set to forfeit when leaving the company .
This was in addition to her 2019 salary and roughly $ 3.5 million bonus , according to a copy of her financial disclosure form reviewed by The New York Times .
While Loeffler has refused to accept the results of the November presidential election , in mid-December she said she `` has n't looked at '' whether she 'll object to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the Senate .
`` I have n't looked at it , '' Loeffler said , according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution .
`` January 6 is a long way out , and there 's a lot to play out between now and then . ''
Asked if she disputed the election results calling the race for President-elect Joe Biden , Loeffler avoided acknowledging Biden 's win , and said , `` My focus right now is on my race . ''
Both her and fellow Republican Georgia Senator David Perdue , who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ runoff race , have refused to accept the election results .

Users of Parler, a conservative social media network, criticized Georgia Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler on Wednesday for soliciting political donations on the platform. Loeffler is running a race that will determine party control of the U.S. Senate.
One Parler user called Loeffler a "traitor" for not being more vocally supportive of President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the results of the November presidential election. Another asked why she needed donations considering that she's a "billionaire."
An evaluation from Forbes estimates that Loeffler is "the richest person on Capitol Hill" with a fortune worth at least $800 million.
Kelly Loeffler asked for more money on Parler. 🥰 pic.twitter.com/G9vVJ7ZjsN — Parlertakes🇺🇸 (@parlertakes) December 30, 2020
Various Parler users responded to her asking for donations by stating, "You're a billionaire. Why are you always begging for money?", "You will never get a penny from us Georgia Patriots. NEVER", "Meth Barbie says what?" and "WE need YOU to stand with President Trump you traitor B!"
Users of the far-right social network Parler have criticized Senator Kelly Loeffler of Georgia for soliciting political donations even though she's wealthy. In this November 19, 2020 photo, Loeffler speaks to the crowd of supporters during a "Defend the Majority" rally at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agriculture Center in Perry, Georgia. Jessica McGowan/Getty
A recent report from Bloomberg News showed that Loeffler has been outraised by her Democratic opponent Raphael Warnock.
From October 15 to December 16, Loeffler raised $64 million in political donations and had $21.3 million left in her campaign account as of December 24. Comparatively, Warnock raised $103.4 million during the same period and had $22.8 million in cash left in his campaign as of December 24.
In December 2019, Loeffler was appointed to the Senate by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp after then-Senator Johnny Isakson resigned for health reasons. She then had to defend her seat in a special election on November 3. Because she didn't win a majority vote during the general election, she now has to face Warnock again in a January 5 runoff.
With one week left until the state's special runoff election, more than half a dozen polls conducted in the past two weeks have shown the Democratic candidates as neck-and-neck or trading leader positions within the margin of error against their Republican opponents. The race will determine party control of the Senate.
Loeffler's husband, Jeff Sprecher, is the CEO of Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange. Before she became a senator, Loeffler was a senior executive at ICE.
She reportedly took $9 million with her in shares and stock options that she was set to forfeit when leaving the company. This was in addition to her 2019 salary and roughly $3.5 million bonus, according to a copy of her financial disclosure form reviewed by The New York Times.
While Loeffler has refused to accept the results of the November presidential election, in mid-December she said she "hasn't looked at" whether she'll object to the election results if she's voted into the Senate.
"I haven't looked at it," Loeffler said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "January 6 is a long way out, and there's a lot to play out between now and then."
Asked if she disputed the election results calling the race for President-elect Joe Biden, Loeffler avoided acknowledging Biden's win, and said, "My focus right now is on my race."
Both her and fellow Republican Georgia Senator David Perdue, who is also up for reelection in a Georgia runoff race, have refused to accept the election results.
Newsweek contacted Loeffler for comment.
Correction (12/31/2020, 11:45 a.m.): An earlier version of this article mistook the Georgia governor's first name.


newsweek--2020-12-30--Hundreds of Christians Attend Indoor Sermon, Concert Maskless, Without Social Distancing

Videos posted to social media appear to show hundreds of young Christians mingling at a recent event in Branson , Missouri without adhering to social distancing guidelines or wearing face masks despite the worsening COVID-19 pandemic .
Attendees of `` Xtreme Winter , '' an indoor Christian gathering that bills itself as `` the ultimate winter student experience , '' did not appear concerned about the risks to public health posed by not following the restrictions , according to a Wednesday report from Nexstar Media Wire .
`` I think the precautions they 're taking are very good , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as we can , but we 're not fearful of COVID , '' attendee Grace Daniels told the outlet .
`` We have a greater God on our side . ''
On Monday , crowds gathered at the 4,500 capacity Branson Convention Center to watch performances by artists including `` gospel-rap '' performer Lecrae and `` faith-based '' singer Riley Clemmons , along with sermons and a special appearance by evangelical former NFL player Tim Tebow .
Videos of the event posted on Instagram show closely gathered attendees , many with bare faces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would protect them from the highly contagious and sometimes deadly virus , but local officials appear to have less confidence .
An ordinance requiring face coverings applies to all regardless of faith , although it exempts those under 13 and some with specific , documented , medical issues .
Businesses and organizers of public events who violate the ordinance are liable for a relatively small $ 100 fine , although penalties can also include `` potential revocation of business license and other permits . ''
`` It is unlawful for any person operating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the public space who is not wearing a face covering unless that person is excepted from wearing a face covering as provided in this Article , '' the Branson ordinance reads .
A notice about COVID-19 on the Xtreme Conferences website insists that `` your safety is our # 1 priority , '' promising that `` we will be taking necessary precautions to help protect everyone in attendance '' at the Branson event .
`` We are in constant communication with local authorities and will follow their guidance at the time of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` By registering , you agree to adhere to any safety guidelines put in place at that time . ''
`` These guidelines may change as we get closer to December and could loosen or tighten based on current public health conditions at that time , '' it continues .
The notice goes on to list several guidelines including a promise that `` groups will be seated in small pods with 6 feet of distance from other groups , '' and a recommendation that `` all attendees who are able should wear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
It also urges attendees to not line up at the convention center sooner than an hour before the event , which it said would be held `` at a reduced capacity with plenty of room to spread out . ''
It is not clear whether the safety guidelines changed before the event .
The event website shows that a `` new session '' was added after reaching `` max capacity , '' with the gathering set to continue until Friday .
Newsweek reached out to the Taney County Department of Public @ @ @ @

Videos posted to social media appear to show hundreds of young Christians mingling at a recent event in Branson, Missouri without adhering to social distancing guidelines or wearing face masks despite the worsening COVID-19 pandemic.
Attendees of "Xtreme Winter," an indoor Christian gathering that bills itself as "the ultimate winter student experience," did not appear concerned about the risks to public health posed by not following the restrictions, according to a Wednesday report from Nexstar Media Wire.
"I think the precautions they're taking are very good, and we try to follow that as best as we can, but we're not fearful of COVID," attendee Grace Daniels told the outlet. "We have a greater God on our side."
A large crowd is pictured attending a religious event with hands raised in the air. arkira/Getty
On Monday, crowds gathered at the 4,500 capacity Branson Convention Center to watch performances by artists including "gospel-rap" performer Lecrae and "faith-based" singer Riley Clemmons, along with sermons and a special appearance by evangelical former NFL player Tim Tebow. Videos of the event posted on Instagram show closely gathered attendees, many with bare faces.
Some expressed confidence that their faith would protect them from the highly contagious and sometimes deadly virus, but local officials appear to have less confidence. An ordinance requiring face coverings applies to all regardless of faith, although it exempts those under 13 and some with specific, documented, medical issues.
Businesses and organizers of public events who violate the ordinance are liable for a relatively small $100 fine, although penalties can also include "potential revocation of business license and other permits."
"It is unlawful for any person operating a public space to allow any person in the public space who is not wearing a face covering unless that person is excepted from wearing a face covering as provided in this Article," the Branson ordinance reads.
A notice about COVID-19 on the Xtreme Conferences website insists that "your safety is our #1 priority," promising that "we will be taking necessary precautions to help protect everyone in attendance" at the Branson event.
"We are in constant communication with local authorities and will follow their guidance at the time of the conferences," the notice reads. "By registering, you agree to adhere to any safety guidelines put in place at that time."
"These guidelines may change as we get closer to December and could loosen or tighten based on current public health conditions at that time," it continues.
The notice goes on to list several guidelines including a promise that "groups will be seated in small pods with 6 feet of distance from other groups," and a recommendation that "all attendees who are able should wear face coverings when not in their seat." It also urges attendees to not line up at the convention center sooner than an hour before the event, which it said would be held "at a reduced capacity with plenty of room to spread out."
It is not clear whether the safety guidelines changed before the event. The event website shows that a "new session" was added after reaching "max capacity," with the gathering set to continue until Friday.
"The Taney County Health Department (TCHD) continues to recommend CDC guidelines such as physical distancing and face covering usage as a key measure to slow the spread of COVID-19," a TCHD spokesperson said in a statement obtained by Newsweek. "TCHD has actively worked with local businesses and the tourism community to protect residents and visitors. The Branson Hilton Convention center has been a partner in these efforts throughout the pandemic."
Update 12/31, 4:52 p.m.: This article has been updated to include a statement from the Taney County Health Department.


newsweek--2020-12-30--David Perdue's Dollar General Was Sued 2,500 Times for Sex, Race, Wage Practices

This story is co-published with Capital & Main Georgia Sen. David Perdue is seeking re-election in a campaign that could determine control of the U.S. Senate .
He 's doing so during a pandemic that has created hardship for ordinary workers , even as the wealthy have become more so .
The Republican says that he can restore the economy to health and cites his record as a businessman who created jobs that `` helped working families make it from payday to payday , '' as his Senate website claims .
His longest-serving CEO gig , at Tennessee-based Dollar General @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biographical arc .
He tells crowds he added 2,600 stores in four years and over 20,000 jobs .
Dollar General , which he ran between 2003 and 2007 , rests on a business model of offering low-cost goods at rock-bottom prices while paying workers poorly .
The stores , ubiquitous in low-income neighborhoods , are generally understaffed and have become magnets for crime , according to a recent investigation .
The corporate dictum that wages remain at 5 percent of gross sales `` placed us at the bottom of a low-paying industry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Dollar General 's founder , told ProPublica .
Perdue presided over a more than 30-fold increase in the number of employee lawsuits filed against the company , according to a Capital & Main review of court filings .
While he worked at the firm , 2,494 individual employment cases were filed charging the company with gender and racial discrimination , rampant wage theft , failure to provide medical leave and other workplace violations .
In the four years leading up to Perdue taking the helm , 76 employment cases were filed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely due to more than 2,000 wage theft cases filed in 2006 by Dollar General managers who claimed they were classified as managers only so that the company could circumvent federal law , which required hourly employees to be paid overtime when working over 40 hours in a single week , according to the employees ' complaints .
In an effort to keep their store 's payroll low , these `` managers '' were allegedly forced to work more than 70 hours a week , and sometimes up to 90 hours a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much the same work as hourly employees .
The plaintiffs sought to be represented collectively in a lawsuit that claimed they were misclassified as managers , but the court eventually required that the cases be filed individually , according to Mark Petro , an Alabama-based attorney involved in the effort .
Taken together , the lawsuits filed during Perdue 's tenure paint a portrait of a chain that is alleged to have put extraordinary pressure on its workforce , and that is alleged to have operated in such a way to limit opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Perdue prospered greatly , receiving tens of millions of dollars in compensation from the chain , even as profits declined under his management .
Dollar General and Perdue did not respond to repeated Capital & Main requests for comment on this story .
Perdue stepped in to run the family-owned business following a brief , unsuccessful attempt to revive Dallas-based textile company Pillowtex , in part by outsourcing that company 's manufacturing jobs .
Perdue would later acknowledge one of his greatest areas of expertise at a deposition connected to the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I spent most of my career doing that , '' he said in response to a question about outsourcing , according to a transcript obtained by Politico .
The company 's demise led to the loss of 7,600 jobs .
Asked later about that quote , Purdue had this to say : `` Defend it ?
I 'm proud of it , '' he said at a 2014 press appearance .
`` This is a part of American business , part of any business .
Outsourcing is the procurement of products and services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do that all day . ''
Perdue also ramped up outsourcing at Dollar General , increasing imports from China , as the Intercept has reported .
In addition , he pursued a strategy of aggressive expansion , increasing the number of Dollar General stores by almost 30 % to 8,205 during his time there .
The immense pressure allegedly placed on managers to keep payrolls low may have affected those they supervised .
Hourly employees reported they were forced to work `` off the clock '' and had their pay records altered , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed in New York District Court in 2006 .
The court denied the hourly employees ' request to be considered as a class in 2011 but settled the cases of 26 of the plaintiffs individually in 2013 , according to court records .
Attorneys who represented the thousands of Dollar General managers who say they suffered from wage theft would not comment on the resolution of those cases .
DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson has a problem with the way chains like Dollar General have proliferated in the poorer pockets of her county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She 's spoken to family grocery store owners who refuse to locate near Dollar General stores because they are unable to compete with their low prices , and she has seen firsthand how thinly staffed dollar stores contribute to theft .
She was surprised when Sen. Perdue began touting his leadership at Dollar General in his campaign for Senate .
`` You go into a community that already has challenges , and you are committed to paying the lowest wage possible , hiring the least amount of people , '' she says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ proud of ? ''
Cochran-Johnson has spearheaded a temporary countywide ban on `` small-box discount stores '' like Dollar General and Family Dollar .
While allegations of wage theft , low pay and gender discrimination during Perdue 's tenure as CEO of Dollar General have previously been reported , Capital & Main has uncovered new evidence of allegedly discriminatory practices at the company while Perdue was at the helm , including those that singled out pregnant women and African-Americans .
Dollar General was sued by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for discriminating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 6 million settlement .
Rachel Armington , a cashier at a Florida Dollar General store , was enduring a difficult pregnancy .
She said her requests to sit in a chair went unheeded , according to a 2007 lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Jacksonville .
Armington alleged she was derided as `` fat '' by a manager and was asked to clean up rat droppings and urine from store merchandise .
What led to her firing , she claimed , was her request to take time off following the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical condition .
The case , one of eight pregnancy discrimination cases filed during Perdue 's tenure , was settled .
Accusations levelled at Dollar General by women employees during Perdue 's tenure do not stop there .
A gender discrimination case filed in 2006 became a campaign issue when he ran for the Senate in 2014 .
More than 2,000 female store managers sued Dollar General , claiming they were paid less than men with the same job title .
Several years after Perdue left Dollar General , the company paid employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Perdue denied wrongdoing on the part of the company in a debate with his then-rival for the Senate seat , Michelle Nunn , saying that the lawsuit was `` settled five years after I left . ''
He also downplayed the number of women involved in the suit .
`` It was less than 2,000 people .
We had upwards of 70,000 people at that company . ''
What has received less attention is a civil-rights case alleging racially discriminatory hiring practices that stemmed from a charge filed in 2004 , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company .
The EEOC charged Dollar General with conditioning job offers on criminal background checks in a way that disproportionately screened out Black applicants in violation of federal law .
The applicant who filed the initial charge told Dollar General she had a six-year-old drug conviction before starting work at an Illinois store .
But her job was allegedly revoked because the chain regarded her conviction as a disqualifying factor for 10 years .
Last year , Dollar General paid $ 6 million to settle the case .
Now the company is under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fair process '' for hiring and one that is not based on `` unproven myths and biases about people with criminal backgrounds , '' according to a statement by Gregory Gochanour , regional attorney for the EEOC 's Chicago District .
African-Americans employed by the company during Perdue 's tenure have also alleged mistreatment as well as pay discrimination .
Catricea Davis , an African-American store manager , allegedly faced harassment from four white employees she supervised , including being called a racist epithet , according to a 2007 suit filed in Federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Illinois Eastern Division .
Her calls to a corporate hotline and a district manager failed to remedy the situation , she claimed .
Davis `` was forced to endure the racial harassment because she was unable to find sufficient replacement employees due to the low wage offered by '' Dollar General , according to the lawsuit .
Because the employees refused to work under her supervision , she found herself working 50 hour weeks , she alleged .
The case was one of at least 15 racial discrimination cases filed during Perdue 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the case was dismissed .
Perdue 's growth plans led to a turbulent tenure at Dollar General , and the company saw its profits decline .
He embarked on a restructuring plan in 2006 that would involve the closing of 400 stores and the opening of 300 others , according to press reports at the time .
Between his first and last year at the helm of the company , profits declined from $ 299 million to $ 137.9 million .
In 2007 , Perdue left Dollar General after arranging for its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ KKR , for $ 7.3 billion .
The company was forced to shell out more than $ 40 million to fend off shareholder lawsuits that alleged Perdue and other board members had undervalued the company in the deal .
Nevertheless , Perdue profited from his time there .
Dollar General paid him $ 42 million in 2007 and 2008 , according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution .
`` It worked for everybody , '' Perdue has said of the buyout .
`` We saved thousands of jobs with that deal , and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Today , Dollar General employees still struggle with low pay .
The company recently appeared high on a list compiled by the Government Accountability Office of large firms whose employees earn so little they are forced to rely on Medicaid and food stamps .
In Georgia alone , almost 1,400 of Dollar General 's workers rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs ( SNAP ) .
`` Dollar General stores are n't simply a symptom of economic distress , they are actually driving economic distress , '' says Stacy Mitchell , co-director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advocacy organization tracking the growth of dollar stores .
In 2017 , Georgia had the second-most Dollar General stores in the country , according to Mitchell .
Years after leaving Dollar General , Perdue would use his time there as a launching pad for his political career , and to connect with women voters .
`` I see some of you ladies in the audience got a little twinkle in your eye .
We have a few in the state , I think , '' he said .
He was warming up a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mention of the discount chain during his first run for Senate .
( A video of the 2013 event is posted online . )
He wanted them to know that as CEO , he 'd created thousands of jobs : `` Real jobs , '' he said .
`` Not part-time jobs . ''

Senator David Perdue, the former CEO of Dollar General, has a slight edge over Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff. Perdue addresses the crowd during a campaign rally at Peachtree Dekalb Airport on Monday in Atlanta, Georgia. Jessica McGowan/Getty
This story is co-published with Capital & Main
Georgia Sen. David Perdue is seeking re-election in a campaign that could determine control of the U.S. Senate. He's doing so during a pandemic that has created hardship for ordinary workers, even as the wealthy have become more so. The Republican says that he can restore the economy to health and cites his record as a businessman who created jobs that "helped working families make it from payday to payday," as his Senate website claims.
His longest-serving CEO gig, at Tennessee-based Dollar General, remains an integral part of his biographical arc. He tells crowds he added 2,600 stores in four years and over 20,000 jobs.
Dollar General, which he ran between 2003 and 2007, rests on a business model of offering low-cost goods at rock-bottom prices while paying workers poorly. The stores, ubiquitous in low-income neighborhoods, are generally understaffed and have become magnets for crime, according to a recent investigation. The corporate dictum that wages remain at 5 percent of gross sales "placed us at the bottom of a low-paying industry," Cal Turner Jr., the son of Dollar General's founder, told ProPublica.
Perdue presided over a more than 30-fold increase in the number of employee lawsuits filed against the company, according to a Capital & Main review of court filings. While he worked at the firm, 2,494 individual employment cases were filed charging the company with gender and racial discrimination, rampant wage theft, failure to provide medical leave and other workplace violations. In the four years leading up to Perdue taking the helm, 76 employment cases were filed in federal court.
That vast increase appears largely due to more than 2,000 wage theft cases filed in 2006 by Dollar General managers who claimed they were classified as managers only so that the company could circumvent federal law, which required hourly employees to be paid overtime when working over 40 hours in a single week, according to the employees' complaints. In an effort to keep their store's payroll low, these "managers" were allegedly forced to work more than 70 hours a week, and sometimes up to 90 hours a week, without earning overtime, despite doing much the same work as hourly employees. The plaintiffs sought to be represented collectively in a lawsuit that claimed they were misclassified as managers, but the court eventually required that the cases be filed individually, according to Mark Petro, an Alabama-based attorney involved in the effort.
Taken together, the lawsuits filed during Perdue's tenure paint a portrait of a chain that is alleged to have put extraordinary pressure on its workforce, and that is alleged to have operated in such a way to limit opportunity for Black and women employees. Meanwhile, Perdue prospered greatly, receiving tens of millions of dollars in compensation from the chain, even as profits declined under his management.
Dollar General and Perdue did not respond to repeated Capital & Main requests for comment on this story.
Perdue stepped in to run the family-owned business following a brief, unsuccessful attempt to revive Dallas-based textile company Pillowtex, in part by outsourcing that company's manufacturing jobs. Perdue would later acknowledge one of his greatest areas of expertise at a deposition connected to the company's bankruptcy filing: "Yeah, I spent most of my career doing that," he said in response to a question about outsourcing, according to a transcript obtained by Politico. The company's demise led to the loss of 7,600 jobs. Asked later about that quote, Purdue had this to say: "Defend it? I'm proud of it," he said at a 2014 press appearance. "This is a part of American business, part of any business. Outsourcing is the procurement of products and services to help your business run. People do that all day."
Perdue also ramped up outsourcing at Dollar General, increasing imports from China, as the Intercept has reported. In addition, he pursued a strategy of aggressive expansion, increasing the number of Dollar General stores by almost 30% to 8,205 during his time there.
The immense pressure allegedly placed on managers to keep payrolls low may have affected those they supervised. Hourly employees reported they were forced to work "off the clock" and had their pay records altered, according to a separate wage theft lawsuit filed in New York District Court in 2006. The court denied the hourly employees' request to be considered as a class in 2011 but settled the cases of 26 of the plaintiffs individually in 2013, according to court records. Attorneys who represented the thousands of Dollar General managers who say they suffered from wage theft would not comment on the resolution of those cases.
DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson has a problem with the way chains like Dollar General have proliferated in the poorer pockets of her county, which includes parts of Atlanta. She's spoken to family grocery store owners who refuse to locate near Dollar General stores because they are unable to compete with their low prices, and she has seen firsthand how thinly staffed dollar stores contribute to theft. She was surprised when Sen. Perdue began touting his leadership at Dollar General in his campaign for Senate.
"You go into a community that already has challenges, and you are committed to paying the lowest wage possible, hiring the least amount of people," she says. "But is that something to be proud of?" Cochran-Johnson has spearheaded a temporary countywide ban on "small-box discount stores" like Dollar General and Family Dollar.
While allegations of wage theft, low pay and gender discrimination during Perdue's tenure as CEO of Dollar General have previously been reported, Capital & Main has uncovered new evidence of allegedly discriminatory practices at the company while Perdue was at the helm, including those that singled out pregnant women and African-Americans. Dollar General was sued by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for discriminating against Black applicants—legal action that resulted in a $6 million settlement.
Rachel Armington, a cashier at a Florida Dollar General store, was enduring a difficult pregnancy. She said her requests to sit in a chair went unheeded, according to a 2007 lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Jacksonville. Armington alleged she was derided as "fat" by a manager and was asked to clean up rat droppings and urine from store merchandise. What led to her firing, she claimed, was her request to take time off following the birth of a baby with a life-threatening medical condition. The case, one of eight pregnancy discrimination cases filed during Perdue's tenure, was settled.
Accusations levelled at Dollar General by women employees during Perdue's tenure do not stop there. A gender discrimination case filed in 2006 became a campaign issue when he ran for the Senate in 2014. More than 2,000 female store managers sued Dollar General, claiming they were paid less than men with the same job title. Several years after Perdue left Dollar General, the company paid employees a settlement of almost $19 million. Perdue denied wrongdoing on the part of the company in a debate with his then-rival for the Senate seat, Michelle Nunn, saying that the lawsuit was "settled five years after I left." He also downplayed the number of women involved in the suit. "It was less than 2,000 people. We had upwards of 70,000 people at that company."
What has received less attention is a civil-rights case alleging racially discriminatory hiring practices that stemmed from a charge filed in 2004, when Perdue was at the helm of the company. The EEOC charged Dollar General with conditioning job offers on criminal background checks in a way that disproportionately screened out Black applicants in violation of federal law.
The applicant who filed the initial charge told Dollar General she had a six-year-old drug conviction before starting work at an Illinois store. But her job was allegedly revoked because the chain regarded her conviction as a disqualifying factor for 10 years.
Last year, Dollar General paid $6 million to settle the case. Now the company is under a consent decree to ensure "a fair process" for hiring and one that is not based on "unproven myths and biases about people with criminal backgrounds," according to a statement by Gregory Gochanour, regional attorney for the EEOC's Chicago District.
GOP Senator David Perdue was CEO of Dollar General. He was paid millions while profits sank and suits proliferated. File photo: Dollar General Retail Location iStock
African-Americans employed by the company during Perdue's tenure have also alleged mistreatment as well as pay discrimination. Catricea Davis, an African-American store manager, allegedly faced harassment from four white employees she supervised, including being called a racist epithet, according to a 2007 suit filed in Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division. Her calls to a corporate hotline and a district manager failed to remedy the situation, she claimed.
Davis "was forced to endure the racial harassment because she was unable to find sufficient replacement employees due to the low wage offered by" Dollar General, according to the lawsuit. Because the employees refused to work under her supervision, she found herself working 50 hour weeks, she alleged.
The case was one of at least 15 racial discrimination cases filed during Perdue's tenure. The parties reached an agreement and the case was dismissed.
Perdue's growth plans led to a turbulent tenure at Dollar General, and the company saw its profits decline. He embarked on a restructuring plan in 2006 that would involve the closing of 400 stores and the opening of 300 others, according to press reports at the time. Between his first and last year at the helm of the company, profits declined from $299 million to $137.9 million. In 2007, Perdue left Dollar General after arranging for its sale to a private equity firm, KKR, for $7.3 billion. The company was forced to shell out more than $40 million to fend off shareholder lawsuits that alleged Perdue and other board members had undervalued the company in the deal.
Nevertheless, Perdue profited from his time there. Dollar General paid him $42 million in 2007 and 2008, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "It worked for everybody," Perdue has said of the buyout. "We saved thousands of jobs with that deal, and I feel like we did it responsibly."
Today, Dollar General employees still struggle with low pay. The company recently appeared high on a list compiled by the Government Accountability Office of large firms whose employees earn so little they are forced to rely on Medicaid and food stamps. In Georgia alone, almost 1,400 of Dollar General's workers rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP).
"Dollar General stores aren't simply a symptom of economic distress, they are actually driving economic distress," says Stacy Mitchell, co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, an advocacy organization tracking the growth of dollar stores. In 2017, Georgia had the second-most Dollar General stores in the country, according to Mitchell.
Years after leaving Dollar General, Perdue would use his time there as a launching pad for his political career, and to connect with women voters.
"I see some of you ladies in the audience got a little twinkle in your eye. We have a few in the state, I think," he said. He was warming up a room of Cobb County Republicans with a mention of the discount chain during his first run for Senate. (A video of the 2013 event is posted online.) He wanted them to know that as CEO, he'd created thousands of jobs: "Real jobs," he said. "Not part-time jobs."
Roxane Auer provided research for this story.


newsweek--2020-12-30--Pro-Trump Lawyer Calls Mike Pence a 'Wolf in Sheep's Clothing' Only Focused on 2024

Attorney Lin Wood , who has helped President Donald Trump 's legal team file lawsuits challenging the results of the 2020 presidential election , posted on Parler Wednesday that he had no faith in Vice President Mike Pence .
As part of his duties as president of the Senate , Pence is expected to preside over the Congressional certification of electoral votes in January .
President-elect Joe Biden won the Electoral College in the November election and is widely expected to be confirmed as the next president .
Trump has encouraged GOP lawmakers to contest the electoral vote in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans have pressured Pence to reject electoral votes from states where voting fraud allegedly took place .
Wood expressed his distrust in Pence in a message that Twitter feed Parlertakes reposted with the caption , `` Lin Wood continuing his attack on everyone in the world . ''
`` Tough way to start day , but TRUTH is TRUTH , '' Wood posted .
`` I do NOT trust VP Mike Pence .
He is wolf in sheep 's clothing .
Pence is only focused on himself & 2024 .
He does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your voices & read your words .
If he does not support Trump , his career is over .
Warn him . ''
Wood has served as legal counsel in several high-profile cases , representing clients such as teenage Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse and Mark and Patricia McCloskey , who were indicted in October for unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with evidence .
The McCloskeys gained a measure of notoriety after waving weapons at a Black Lives Matter demonstration in their neighborhood that threatened to encroach on their property .
Newsweek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment .
Trump has baselessly claimed that voter fraud perpetrated by Democrats allowed Biden to win the election .
Multiple pieces of litigation alleging election manipulation have been filed by Trump 's legal team , but a majority of those lawsuits have been dismissed .
With Inauguration Day rapidly approaching , Trump has yet to concede the election to Biden .
Since all 50 states have already certified their electoral votes , Pence 's authority to overturn the results are minimal .
However , Texas Republican Representative Louie Gohmert filed a lawsuit against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pence from declaring Biden the winner of the Electoral College .
Gohmert 's lawsuit alleges that Pence has `` exclusive authority and sole discretion to open and permit the counting of the electoral votes for a given state . ''
According to the lawsuit , Pence 's declaration of Biden as the next president would be `` unconstitutional . ''
`` Five states are sending two sets of electors and [ Pence ] has to be able to determine which ones are based on fraud and which ones were not based on fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview with KLTV .
`` So that 's what we 're seeking , a declaration that he can do just that . ''
According to the lawsuit , Gohmert 's attorneys attempted to `` resolve the underlying legal issues by agreement '' with Pence before the litigation was filed .
Those attempts were `` not successful . ''

Attorney Lin Wood, who has helped President Donald Trump's legal team file lawsuits challenging the results of the 2020 presidential election, posted on Parler Wednesday that he had no faith in Vice President Mike Pence.
As part of his duties as president of the Senate, Pence is expected to preside over the Congressional certification of electoral votes in January. President-elect Joe Biden won the Electoral College in the November election and is widely expected to be confirmed as the next president.
Trump has encouraged GOP lawmakers to contest the electoral vote in order to overturn the election results. Some Republicans have pressured Pence to reject electoral votes from states where voting fraud allegedly took place. Wood expressed his distrust in Pence in a message that Twitter feed Parlertakes reposted with the caption, "Lin Wood continuing his attack on everyone in the world."
"Tough way to start day, but TRUTH is TRUTH," Wood posted. "I do NOT trust VP Mike Pence. He is wolf in sheep's clothing. Pence is only focused on himself & 2024. He does not support President Trump. Let Pence hear your voices & read your words. If he does not support Trump, his career is over. Warn him."
Lin Wood continuing his attack on everyone in the world. 😂 pic.twitter.com/oPdzNjgJ7j — Parlertakes🇺🇸 (@parlertakes) December 30, 2020
Wood has served as legal counsel in several high-profile cases, representing clients such as teenage Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse and Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who were indicted in October for unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with evidence. The McCloskeys gained a measure of notoriety after waving weapons at a Black Lives Matter demonstration in their neighborhood that threatened to encroach on their property.
Newsweek reached out to Pence's office for comment.
Vice President Mike Pence is seen by some Republicans as being able to overturn the presidential election results and give President Donald Trump a second term. Elijah Nouvelage/Getty
Trump has baselessly claimed that voter fraud perpetrated by Democrats allowed Biden to win the election. Multiple pieces of litigation alleging election manipulation have been filed by Trump's legal team, but a majority of those lawsuits have been dismissed. With Inauguration Day rapidly approaching, Trump has yet to concede the election to Biden.
Since all 50 states have already certified their electoral votes, Pence's authority to overturn the results are minimal. However, Texas Republican Representative Louie Gohmert filed a lawsuit against Pence on Monday, seeking to prevent Pence from declaring Biden the winner of the Electoral College.
Gohmert's lawsuit alleges that Pence has "exclusive authority and sole discretion to open and permit the counting of the electoral votes for a given state." According to the lawsuit, Pence's declaration of Biden as the next president would be "unconstitutional."
"Five states are sending two sets of electors and [Pence] has to be able to determine which ones are based on fraud and which ones were not based on fraud," Gohmert said in a Wednesday interview with KLTV. "So that's what we're seeking, a declaration that he can do just that."
According to the lawsuit, Gohmert's attorneys attempted to "resolve the underlying legal issues by agreement" with Pence before the litigation was filed. Those attempts were "not successful."


newsweek--2020-12-30--McConnell and Cruz's Georgia Senate Fundraising Money Benefitting Their Own Campaigns

Republican Senators Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas have both recently run online ads soliciting funds for the GOP candidates in Georgia 's upcoming special runoff election for the U.S. Senate .
However , a portion of the donations have gone into their personal campaign committees .
While McConnell and Cruz 's ads have asked donors to give funds to help Republican Georgia Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Purdue , the fine print at the bottom of the linked donation pages shows that some of the funds go towards their own campaign committees as well , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beast .
A McConnell spokesperson told the publication that his Georgia ads have raised over $ 3.4 million for the Republican candidates in Georgia .
Newsweek reached out to McConnell 's office for information on how much has been raised for his personal campaign committee .
The publication also found similar online ads from Republican Representatives Cathy McMorris Rogers of Washington and Ashley Hinson which split all donations between their own campaigns and those of the Republican candidates in Georgia .
Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah is also running similar ads , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that his ads have raised `` tens of thousands '' for the Georgia Republicans and only $ 100 for Lee .
New York Democratic Representative Kirsten Gillibrand 's ads fundraising for Georgia 's Democratic candidates put donations into her Off the Sidelines PAC which supports Democratic candidates .
However , PACs are only legally allowed to donate up to $ 5,000 to each candidate .
President Donald Trump has also been soliciting donations for the Georgia race with the fine print on his donation pages specifying that funds will benefit his own committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contacted McConnell , Cruz and Gillibrand 's offices , as well as the Trump campaign for comment .
On December 15 , Facebook lifted its national ban on political ads so that politicians and their campaigns could run digital ads that display for users in Georgia in the run-up to the state 's January 5 special runoff election .
The social network still rejects ads that target locations outside of Georgia or that are n't about the state 's runoff election .
Google lifted its own national ban on political ads entirely , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside of Georgia .
Both Facebook and Google blocked political ads nationwide the week before the national elections as a measure instated to help reduce the broadcast of misinformation before and after Election Day .
Since May 31 , 2018 , Google has made over $ 734.5 billion from political ads , according to its own reporting .
Facebook , comparatively has made an estimated $ 2.2 billion from over 11 million political ads since mid-2018 .
Those amounts include money spent to influence the November 2018 national midterm elections .
With one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ runoff election , more than half a dozen polls conducted in the past two weeks have shown the Democratic candidates as neck-and-neck or trading leader positions within the margin of error against their Republican opponents .
The race will determine party control of the U.S. Senate .
A report released on December 22 showed that the Democratic candidates , Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock , had outraised their opponents by tens of millions of dollars during autumn leading up to the election .
Warnock has also reportedly spent 38 times more on Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have spent more on television advertising .

Republican Senators Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas have both recently run online ads soliciting funds for the GOP candidates in Georgia's upcoming special runoff election for the U.S. Senate. However, a portion of the donations have gone into their personal campaign committees.
While McConnell and Cruz's ads have asked donors to give funds to help Republican Georgia Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Purdue, the fine print at the bottom of the linked donation pages shows that some of the funds go towards their own campaign committees as well, according to a recent report from The Daily Beast.
A McConnell spokesperson told the publication that his Georgia ads have raised over $3.4 million for the Republican candidates in Georgia. Newsweek reached out to McConnell's office for information on how much has been raised for his personal campaign committee.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas have both recently run Facebook ads soliciting funds for the Republican candidates in Georgia's upcoming special runoff election for the U.S. Senate. However, the donations have been funneled into their personal campaign accounts rather than that of the Republican candidates or any supporting political action committee. In this February 4, 2020 photo, McConnell shakes hands with Cruz at President Donald Trump's State of the Union address in the House chamber on in Washington, DC. Leah Millis-Pool/Getty
The publication also found similar online ads from Republican Representatives Cathy McMorris Rogers of Washington and Ashley Hinson which split all donations between their own campaigns and those of the Republican candidates in Georgia.
Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah is also running similar ads, but his office told The Daily Beast that his ads have raised "tens of thousands" for the Georgia Republicans and only $100 for Lee.
New York Democratic Representative Kirsten Gillibrand's ads fundraising for Georgia's Democratic candidates put donations into her Off the Sidelines PAC which supports Democratic candidates. However, PACs are only legally allowed to donate up to $5,000 to each candidate.
President Donald Trump has also been soliciting donations for the Georgia race with the fine print on his donation pages specifying that funds will benefit his own committee and the Republican National Committee.
Newsweek contacted McConnell, Cruz and Gillibrand's offices, as well as the Trump campaign for comment.
On December 15, Facebook lifted its national ban on political ads so that politicians and their campaigns could run digital ads that display for users in Georgia in the run-up to the state's January 5 special runoff election. The social network still rejects ads that target locations outside of Georgia or that aren't about the state's runoff election.
Google lifted its own national ban on political ads entirely, allowing ads to run both inside and outside of Georgia. Both Facebook and Google blocked political ads nationwide the week before the national elections as a measure instated to help reduce the broadcast of misinformation before and after Election Day.
Since May 31, 2018, Google has made over $734.5 billion from political ads, according to its own reporting. Facebook, comparatively has made an estimated $2.2 billion from over 11 million political ads since mid-2018. Those amounts include money spent to influence the November 2018 national midterm elections.
With one week left until the state's special runoff election, more than half a dozen polls conducted in the past two weeks have shown the Democratic candidates as neck-and-neck or trading leader positions within the margin of error against their Republican opponents. The race will determine party control of the U.S. Senate.
A report released on December 22 showed that the Democratic candidates, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, had outraised their opponents by tens of millions of dollars during autumn leading up to the election. Warnock has also reportedly spent 38 times more on Facebook Ads than Loeffler, although the Republicans have spent more on television advertising.