newyorkpost--2020-09-21--Family of Louisville BBQ restaurant owner sues cops, state over fatal shooting

The family of a Louisville restaurant owner killed in an exchange of gunfire with police and Kentucky National Guard troops is suing over his death , according to reports .
David “ YaYa ” McAtee , 53 , died from a single gunshot wound to the chest on June 1 when cops moved in to disperse a crowd after curfew in the midst of Black Lives Matter protests — in what his family claims was “ excessive use of force , ” the Courier-Journal reported .
Surveillance video from inside and outside McAtee ’ s barbecue restaurant showed a large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the intersection outside the eatery , with many in the crowd — mostly friends and relatives for whom McAtee was grilling — scrambling inside .
The footage shows McAtee , who is black , poke his head outside and fire two shots before he stumbles back and falls into his kitchen mortally wounded .
His mother maintained McAtee did not realize the approaching mob were law enforcement officers .
“ There was no protest going on , there were not riots going on , there were no crimes going on and there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Romines said .
“ There had never been a single call for service at that location that night.
” The lawsuit , which seeks unspecified damages , claims police and the guard violated standard operating procedure for dispersing crowds , including failing to identify themselves by name and rank .
The shooting came after Kentucky Gov .
Andy Beshear called the National Guard into the city in the midst of protests over the police-shooting death of Breonna Taylor , a 26-year-old EMT shot while sleeping during a botched raid .
Authorities said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Food Mart , next to McAtee ’ s barbecue restaurant , were out after curfew , and they had been tipped off that a new round of protests was forming at the intersection .
McAtee fired at least two 9mm rounds and was hit with a barrage of return fire .
Two Louisville police officers — Katie Crews and Austin Allen — fired at least 19 rounds in response , the Courier Journal said .
The national guard soldier who fired the fatal shot has not been identified .

The family of a Louisville restaurant owner killed in an exchange of gunfire with police and Kentucky National Guard troops is suing over his death, according to reports.
David “YaYa” McAtee, 53, died from a single gunshot wound to the chest on June 1 when cops moved in to disperse a crowd after curfew in the midst of Black Lives Matter protests — in what his family claims was “excessive use of force,” the Courier-Journal reported.
Surveillance video from inside and outside McAtee’s barbecue restaurant showed a large deployment of police and guard troops descending on the intersection outside the eatery, with many in the crowd — mostly friends and relatives for whom McAtee was grilling — scrambling inside.
The footage shows McAtee, who is black, poke his head outside and fire two shots before he stumbles back and falls into his kitchen mortally wounded.
His mother maintained McAtee did not realize the approaching mob were law enforcement officers.
“What happened to David was wrong,” McAtee family attorney Steve Romines told WHAS-TV.
“There was no protest going on, there were not riots going on, there were no crimes going on and there was no violence going on,” Romines said. “There had never been a single call for service at that location that night.”
The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, claims police and the guard violated standard operating procedure for dispersing crowds, including failing to identify themselves by name and rank.
The shooting came after Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called the National Guard into the city in the midst of protests over the police-shooting death of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT shot while sleeping during a botched raid.
Authorities said the crowd in the parking lot of Dino’s Food Mart, next to McAtee’s barbecue restaurant, were out after curfew, and they had been tipped off that a new round of protests was forming at the intersection.
McAtee fired at least two 9mm rounds and was hit with a barrage of return fire. Two Louisville police officers — Katie Crews and Austin Allen — fired at least 19 rounds in response, the Courier Journal said.
The national guard soldier who fired the fatal shot has not been identified.


newyorkpost--2020-09-21--Coronavirus patient blocked from boarding Florida-bound plane in Maine

A person who tested positive for the coronavirus last week tried to board a Florida-bound plane at an airport in Maine on Sunday — but was stopped from getting on the flight by public health officials .
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday they got in touch with the person at Portland International Jetport and convinced them to stay off the flight .
“ Maine CDC staff communicated with the individual with COVID-19 , who subsequently chose not to board the aircraft , ” they said in a statement .
Another person traveling with the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later removed , the agency said .
The person who tested positive went back into isolation , as did the person traveling with them , but it ’ s unclear if they contracted the virus .
Maine CDC warned travelers and workers who were at the airport between 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday that they may have been exposed to coronavirus .
Researchers have found that flying with coronavirus could lead to clusters of the bug .
A new study in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases found that a single sickened airline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a March flight from London to Vietnam .

A person who tested positive for the coronavirus last week tried to board a Florida-bound plane at an airport in Maine on Sunday — but was stopped from getting on the flight by public health officials.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday they got in touch with the person at Portland International Jetport and convinced them to stay off the flight.
“Maine CDC staff communicated with the individual with COVID-19, who subsequently chose not to board the aircraft,” they said in a statement.
Another person traveling with the coronavirus patient boarded the plane, but was later removed, the agency said.
The person who tested positive went back into isolation, as did the person traveling with them, but it’s unclear if they contracted the virus.
Maine CDC warned travelers and workers who were at the airport between 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday that they may have been exposed to coronavirus.
Researchers have found that flying with coronavirus could lead to clusters of the bug.
A new study in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases found that a single sickened airline passenger spread coronavirus to 15 others aboard in a March flight from London to Vietnam.


newyorkpost--2020-09-21--Yankees may benefit from Aroldis Chapman witness issue

Domingo German is channeling an iconic Yankee to signal what ...

Aaron Boone said he hasn’t received official word that Aroldis Chapman’s appeal of a three-game suspension will bleed into next year but said Monday there is a possibility that will happen.
“Sounds like a chance of that it will go into next year,’’ Boone said prior to the Yankees’ 11-5 loss to the Blue Jays at Sahlen Field in Buffalo. “But then again I haven’t been told anything officially. I am treating it that he is with us and if something comes up between now and then we will adjust, but I am planning on him being with us.’’
Jon Heyman reported Monday the delay is due to an issue involving the availability of witnesses.
Since the Twins and Yankees are competing against each other for the No. 4 seed in the first round of the playoffs in which the higher seed will host all the games of the best-of-three series, the Twins can’t be pleased the Yankees won’t have to play a few of their final seven games without their closer.
Chapman received a three-game suspension shortly after buzzing the Rays’ Mike Brosseau’s head with a 101 mph fastball on Sept. 1 at Yankee Stadium, a pitch that led to dugouts emptying but no fights. Chapman believed the suspension was harsh and appealed it.
“I feel great, feel like he is in a good place and feel like he has been throwing the ball well,’’ Boone said when asked about the likelihood of having Chapman for the remainder of the regular season. “Really pleased where he is at in this point of the season and looking forward to him playing a huge role hopefully this final week and into October.’’
Asked if he knew the reason for the delay in the appeal being heard, Boone said he has formulated an idea based on what he has heard.
“But it’s more me hearing things and speculating and I would rather not do that,’’ Boone said.
Domingo German might be in Tampa working out but that isn’t to get ready for a possible postseason roster spot.
German is serving an 81-game ban for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy last season.
Boone said there is no chance German would figure in the Yankees’ postseason plans.
“No, because he hasn’t been able to throw with us. To be able to ramp him up and put him in this kind of situation I don’t think is really fair to anyone,’’ Boone said of the starter who hasn’t pitched since the middle of last September. “We look forward to Domingo being a really significant part of the team again heading into next year.’’
Yankees didn’t have a starter listed for Thursday night’s game against the Blue Jays but Boone said it probably would be Jordan Montgomery.
Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu was named AL Player of the Week on Monday. It is the second time in LeMahieu’s career he has won the award. The previous time was July 1, 2019. He is the second Yankee this season to win the award. Aaron Judge won it on Aug. 3.
In six games LeMahieu batted .423 with four homers and 10 RBIs. From Tuesday to Thursday, LeMahieu homered in three straight games and hit two on Wednesday.
“Obviously a cool honor,’’ said LeMahieu, who went 2-for-4 in Monday night’s 11-5 loss to the Blue Jays in Buffalo and leads the majors with a .365 average. White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson is next at .355.
Bernie Williams is the last Yankee to win a batting title in 1998. Should LeMahieu win the AL title he would be only the second player in history to win batting titles in both leagues. Hall of Famer Ed Delahanty is the other.


newyorkpost--2020-09-21--Ruth Bader Ginsburg deserves better than the ‘Notorious RBG’ cult

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , who died Friday at 87 from ...

Ours is a country where celebrities are increasingly not known for any real accomplishments. Americans are fascinated with people who are “famous for being famous,” like the Kardashians. So when a legal pioneer and eminent jurist like the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg becomes a pop icon, we might consider that progress of a sort.
Yet the secular cult that emerged around her hasn’t gotten any less creepy or civically dangerous since her passing.
RBG’s achievements as a female lawyer and judge are deserving of the adulatory eulogies. Girls would do well to emulate a woman who shattered glass ceilings and forcefully advocated for what she believed. Certainly, she is to be preferred to the likes of, say, Cardi B, whose profane and sexually exploitative output has elevated her to a position of cultural eminence, with Joe Biden even granting her a rare interview.
Then, too, Ginsburg’s close personal friendship with the late Justice Antonin Scalia, with whom she often crossed swords over cases, set an example for all of us to follow.
Still, the way she was transformed from a respected judge into the “Notorious RBG” says something unpleasant about our culture. The cult that grew up around the diminutive grandmother wasn’t so much about honoring her achievements as it was a way for leftists to weaponize her celebrity against their opponents.
In principle, there is nothing wrong with a Supreme Court justice who inspires sales of “I dissent” T-shirts, action figures, bobbleheads, coffee mugs and coloring books. But as the distance between the deeply serious and cultured jurist and the feminist “superhero” grew, it became clear that the point of all the fuss was for a leftist-dominated pop culture to use her image as a cudgel against conservatives.
The nickname, a play on the name of rapper Notorious BIG, was a clever device to recast as a revolutionary a conventional personality working very much within the system. It was used in a fawning biography and then a documentary film that was nominated for an Oscar more because of her politics than anything else.
“On the Basis of Sex,” a dull feature film about her early legal work, was another element in the campaign to elevate her into a symbol of a liberal “resistance” against conservative politicians and judges and, of course, President Trump.
The justice seemed to have been amused by her late-blooming celebrity and fed it with stunts like doing a workout with late-night, left-wing comic Stephen Colbert.
Probably even more important to the mythologizing of Ginsburg was her emergence as a character on “Saturday Night Live.” In a series of skits, comedian Kate McKinnon would play the robed justice spewing vulgar abuse at Republicans. “You’ve been Ginsburned!” McKinnon would shout at her colleague Justice Brett Kavanaugh. How edifying.
The “Notorious RBG” brand helped fuel a spirit of partisan warfare and delegitimization of those who disagreed with her opinions. The brand didn’t reflect who she truly was, yet it came to overtake the real person.
And as with all cults of saints, RBG’s only gathered fervor after her death. A ubiquitous sign that popped up — “May Her Memory Be for a Revolution” — put a twist on the traditional Jewish phrase: May the memory of the deceased, mourners say, “be for a blessing.”
Others tweeted “rest in power.” But what does that even mean? Are the dead expected to continue fighting for socially liberal causes from the beyond? Is the afterlife a campus struggle session? Is there no peace to be found?
Those who are now threatening to “burn it all down” — or to pack the court with liberals next year if a conservative jurist replaces her (a proposal she rejected) — display symptoms of a sick political culture.
To the extent that Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s “badass” celebrity image has taken over her legacy, it actually undermines the legal principles she stood for. Remembering her as a “notorious” mythical culture-war idol, rather than a reasoning thinker, doesn’t honor Ginsburg, the Constitution or the nation.
Jonathan S. Tobin is editor in chief of JNS.org. Twitter: @JonathanS_Tobin


newyorkpost--2020-09-21--Why Steve Cohen would choose Sandy Alderson over his trusted lieutenant

Steve Cohen is weighing bringing Sandy Alderson back to the ...

Steve Cohen is now in a period in which he is trying to make his candidacy to be the Mets owner more appealing to the 29 owners, who will vote whether to have him join their club.
Which perhaps helps explain why Sandy Alderson could be coming back to Flushing and Andrew Cohen, one of Steve Cohen’s key lieutenants but a polarizing one, won’t be part of the day-to-day operations of the club. Steve and Andrew are not related.
An ownership subcommittee is currently vetting Steve Cohen and will provide a recommendation to the full body. All the owners could vote on Cohen as soon as late October or early November. He needs 23 yes votes to gain approval and succeed Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz as Mets owner.
Cohen is not a slam dunk. He is not expected to be unanimously approved. The question is whether there are two to four dissenters or whether that total could grow to eight, which would mean a rejection. To that end, one person close to Cohen said he will do all he could to present himself as benignly and positively as possible to the voters.
An MLB executive described Cohen almost as a political candidate “promising a chicken in every pot” to appeal to the 29 voters.
Which is why an alliance with Alderson makes sense.
Alderson was hired to be the Mets general manager after the 2010 season, with anything from a recommendation to a strong push from central baseball. The Mets were in both organizational disarray (familiar) and financial distress (due to the fallout from Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme). MLB wanted a steadying influence with gravitas and a strong reputation for propriety in the role. Bud Selig, then the commissioner, was very tight with Fred Wilpon and backed Alderson, who was named to succeed Omar Minaya.
Rob Manfred is now the commissioner, but Alderson’s reputation has remained similar in central baseball and around the game, even as he joined the Athletics as a special adviser after leaving the Mets.
If a worry about Steve Cohen, based on his financial career, is that he will run afoul of rules and not play well with others, Alderson could be seen as a mitigating agent. Alderson dealt with Cohen and his Mets board of directors proxy Andrew Cohen while he was GM. That he would return to work with Steve Cohen again could be an attempt to send a subliminal message to owners — would Alderson do this if he did not think Cohen would be a good owner who abided by the rules?
Cohen’s previous company, S.A.C. Capital Advisors, pleaded guilty to insider trading in 2013 and paid $1.8 billion in penalties. His current company, Point72 Asset Management, recently reached an agreement with a female employee who had sued, claiming unfair pay practices based on gender and that Point72 had a sexist work environment.
Whether these issues, in particular, are enough to cause the other owners to not approve Cohen remains a mystery. But that Andrew Cohen will not be part of the day-to-day running of the club suggests that Steve Cohen wants to remove as many concerns as possible.
Andrew Cohen runs Cohen Private Ventures, which is Steve Cohen’s family office. Essentially, Andrew oversees almost everything that Steve owns or invests in outside the Point72 hedge fund, which includes the 8 percent stake in the Mets. That minority stake is why Andrew Cohen serves on the Mets board of directors.
He also is viewed as one of Steve Cohen’s most trusted advisers. There was some belief within MLB that Andrew Cohen could gain a prominent role if Steve Cohen’s 95 percent purchase of the Mets was finalized. One MLB executive said that Andrew Cohen’s reputation for playing bad cop in Steve Cohen’s company would move Steve Cohen’s bid to be viewed less favorably among owners.
Which might explain why Steve Cohen emphasized baseball expertise as key to Mets leadership under his watch.
“It’s premature to talk about management decisions,” Cohen said. “But I can say with certainty that baseball people will be running baseball operations.”
— Additional reporting by Thornton McEnery


newyorkpost--2020-09-21--Why Amy Coney Barrett is hands-down best pick to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg

The state is considering Brooklyn Bridge Park as a location ...

Picture a female jurist who has consistently defied social expectations imposed on women and whose legal thinking is closely bound up with her faith. No, I’m not talking about Amy Coney Barrett, reported to top President Trump’s list of candidates to fill the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat. I’m talking about Ginsburg herself.
Ginsburg believed fervently that conventional expectations shouldn’t hinder women as they seek their full, fair share of public life. Nor was she shy about how her Jewish faith shaped her judicial mind. In an essay for the American Jewish Committee published in 1993, she wrote: “Laws as protectors of the oppressed, the poor, the loner, is evident in the work of my Jewish predecessors. . . . The biblical command ‘Justice, justice shalt thou pursue’ is a strand that ties them together.”
By those criteria, Barrett would make a most worthy successor to RBG. In nominating the 48-year-old Louisianan, the president would present the nation with an inspiring vision of what it means to be an American woman in 2020 — one that could by turns surprise and captivate the suburban women Trump is keen to court while also delivering for the GOP base.
“Amy represents an opportunity to showcase a generationally brilliant, special intellect — who also is a mom,” says O. Carter Snead, Barrett’s longtime faculty colleague at the Notre Dame law school, where Barrett also received her law degree.
Her rare combination of hyper-intelligence and humility is a matter of bipartisan consensus. “The smartest person in the room and also the most humble” was how Snead and two other sources intimately familiar with Barrett described her, echoing each other almost verbatim.
Harvard Law School prof Noah Feldman — a liberal who testified before Congress in favor of impeaching the president — hailed her as “a truly brilliant lawyer” in a 2018 column. Feldman should know. He and Barrett were members of the same class of Supreme Court clerks in 1998.
“She was one of the two best lawyers” of the 40 clerks “and arguably the single best.” Feldman concluded: “She was legally prepared enough to go on the court 20 years ago.”
When Trump nominated Barrett to the Seventh Circuit, every single one of those 40 fellow clerks endorsed her as a “first-rate” thinker, including such vehemently anti-Trump figures as Neal Katyal, solicitor general under Team Obama. The entire Notre Dame law faculty likewise endorsed her, “and that includes people who identify as liberal,” as Snead was quick to note.
She is recognized as an expert on how judges are supposed to interpret statutes — a crucial role, as demonstrated by Justice Neil Gorsuch’s bizarre recent reading of “gender identity” into a civil rights statute enacted in the 1960s. She has also thought deeply about the relationship among the branches of government, a gnarly and seriously important area of law.
To these achievements Barrett marries a vibrant Christian faith. For the evangelicals and Catholics the president needs to turn out in November, her pro-life bona fides are on display not just in her activities and statements, but also in her own family: She is a mother of seven, including one biological child with intellectual disabilities and two adopted from Haiti.
Yes, Democrats and their media allies will attack and demonize her — viciously. But that’s no reason to nominate other candidates who have no record on life issues. As one conservative activist told me, “the left is going to burn everything down no matter whom we pick, so we might as well get the right person on the court.”
One senior Hill staffer was even blunter: “This late in the game, I’m not interested in today’s version of [George H.W. Bush chief of staff John] Sununu vouching for today’s version of [Justice David] Souter” — i.e., social conservatives don’t want to gamble on a candidate without a clear record on life and religious-liberty questions, only to have the justice with a lifetime appointment turn out to be a liberal squish.
The inherent dignity of all life is no mere slogan or academic concept for Barrett. Perhaps a large family like hers is unusual for a woman of Barrett’s social class and profession. Then again, as one highly accomplished lawyer put it in 2007, it’s “good for the public to see that women come in all sizes and shapes, just as men do, and they don’t necessarily look alike or think alike.”
That lawyer was Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Sohrab Ahmari is The Post’s op-ed editor and author of the forthcoming book “The Unbroken Thread: Discovering the Wisdom of Tradition in an Age of Chaos.” Twitter: @SohrabAhmari


newyorkpost--2020-09-21--Democrats answer to anything they dislike is increasingly ‘burn it all down’

Constitutional revolution is going mainstream .
After delivering lectures about political norms for the entirety of the Trump era ( often with good cause ) , much of the left is now threatening to kneecap an important institution of American government on a partisan vote in an act of ideological vengeance .
If the Republican Senate confirms a Trump appointee to fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s Supreme Court seat right before or after the election , progressives say Democrats , if they sweep in November , should retaliate by packing the high court .
This would do vastly more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the country than anything President Trump has said or done , but respectable center-left outlets like The New Yorker and Vox have run pieces advocating it , and Democratic leaders are making fraught “ all options on the table ” statements .
None of this comes out of the blue .
The left is disenchanted with our country , and especially its governing institutions , which it believes are deeply undemocratic and shot through with racism .
Democrats have gone from assuming a few years ago that they have a permanent majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibly win under such a rigged system .
They no longer want to live under a government that checks majoritarian passions , recognizes the importance of states in our federal system and features a Supreme Court that is supposed to render independent judgments based on the law and the Constitution .
All of this , once a matter of basic civics , is now for suckers .
Before its new fashion , court-packing used to be notorious , the ill-considered move that FDR couldn ’ t see through even at the height of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To add a bunch of new seats to the Supreme Court explicitly so a Democratic president could fill them would radically diminish the court ’ s standing .
It would invite Republicans to counter with their own bout of court-packing when they again returned to power .
The high court would become merely a partisan plaything and essentially an adjunct to the legislative branch — the black robes would stay the same , even as the institution would be hollowed out .
And for what ?
To compensate for a duly elected GOP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one Supreme Court nominee  ( Obama nominee Merrick Garland ) and potentially confirm another ( Trump ’ s nominee to fill the RBG seat ) .
The Senate itself is now an affront , because small states get equal representation with large states .
Never mind that this arrangement was at the center of the deal that gave us the Constitution .
Never mind that the Constitution stipulates that this provision is unamendable .
Never mind that prior to 2014 the Democrats controlled the Senate and didn ’ t seem overly concerned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of legitimacy .
The fact is that senators are elected in democratic elections in their respective states , and it isn ’ t a failing of our constitutional design that Democrats have made themselves so hateful to rural voters that they despair of reliably holding the Senate going forward .
As a corrective , they are talking about eliminating the filibuster to allow them to add Washington , DC , and Puerto Rico as states to boost their number of senators , a maneuver that smacks of pre-Civil War era power politics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Joe Biden ’ s candidacy .
We are told that Biden is an inoffensive institutionalist and committed moderate , but if Republicans defy his wishes on the RGB seat , he will respond by blessing outlandish changes to our system passed by narrow majorities .
And , by the way , Biden better win .
Shadi Hamid of The Atlantic wrote a piece expressing his worry “ that Trump will win re-election and Democrats and others on the left will be unwilling , even unable , to accept the result.
” He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and political violence across American cities.
” Accepting the result of an election is a pretty important norm — unless you ’ ve convinced yourself you live under a hideously undemocratic regime with no legitimacy .

Constitutional revolution is going mainstream. After delivering lectures about political norms for the entirety of the Trump era (often with good cause), much of the left is now threatening to kneecap an important institution of American government on a partisan vote in an act of ideological vengeance.
If the Republican Senate confirms a Trump appointee to fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Supreme Court seat right before or after the election, progressives say Democrats, if they sweep in November, should retaliate by packing the high court.
This would do vastly more damage to norms and the governing structures of the country than anything President Trump has said or done, but respectable center-left outlets like The New Yorker and Vox have run pieces advocating it, and Democratic leaders are making fraught “all options on the table” statements.
None of this comes out of the blue. The left is disenchanted with our country, and especially its governing institutions, which it believes are deeply undemocratic and shot through with racism. Democrats have gone from assuming a few years ago that they have a permanent majority to assuming that they can’t possibly win under such a rigged system.
They no longer want to live under a government that checks majoritarian passions, recognizes the importance of states in our federal system and features a Supreme Court that is supposed to render independent judgments based on the law and the Constitution. All of this, once a matter of basic civics, is now for suckers.
Before its new fashion, court-packing used to be notorious, the ill-considered move that FDR couldn’t see through even at the height of his power. For good reason.
To add a bunch of new seats to the Supreme Court explicitly so a Democratic president could fill them would radically diminish the court’s standing. It would invite Republicans to counter with their own bout of court-packing when they again returned to power. The high court would become merely a partisan plaything and essentially an adjunct to the legislative branch — the black robes would stay the same, even as the institution would be hollowed out.
And for what? To compensate for a duly elected GOP Senate acting on its prerogatives to block one Supreme Court nominee (Obama nominee Merrick Garland) and potentially confirm another (Trump’s nominee to fill the RBG seat).
The Senate itself is now an affront, because small states get equal representation with large states. Never mind that this arrangement was at the center of the deal that gave us the Constitution. Never mind that the Constitution stipulates that this provision is unamendable. Never mind that prior to 2014 the Democrats controlled the Senate and didn’t seem overly concerned about the body’s alleged lack of legitimacy.
The fact is that senators are elected in democratic elections in their respective states, and it isn’t a failing of our constitutional design that Democrats have made themselves so hateful to rural voters that they despair of reliably holding the Senate going forward.
As a corrective, they are talking about eliminating the filibuster to allow them to add Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico as states to boost their number of senators, a maneuver that smacks of pre-Civil War era power politics.
All this talk is an awkward fit for Joe Biden’s candidacy. We are told that Biden is an inoffensive institutionalist and committed moderate, but if Republicans defy his wishes on the RGB seat, he will respond by blessing outlandish changes to our system passed by narrow majorities.
And, by the way, Biden better win. Shadi Hamid of The Atlantic wrote a piece expressing his worry “that Trump will win re-election and Democrats and others on the left will be unwilling, even unable, to accept the result.” He raises the possibility of “mass unrest and political violence across American cities.”
Accepting the result of an election is a pretty important norm — unless you’ve convinced yourself you live under a hideously undemocratic regime with no legitimacy.
Twitter: @RichLowry


newyorkpost--2020-09-21--Brittany Cartwright is pregnant, expecting first baby with Jax Taylor

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) A post shared by Brittany Cartwright💋 ( @ brittany ) on Sep 21 , 2020 at 4:25pm PDT Jax Taylor , 41 , and wife Brittany Cartwright , 31 , are expecting their first child , the “ Vanderpump Rules ” stars announced via Instagram Monday night .
“ Mom & Dad , ” Cartwright captioned the pic .
“ The love of our lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same pic , adding , “ Sooooo … I am gon na be Dad.
” The pair follow fellow “ Rules ” couple Stassi Schroeder and her fiancé Beau Clark in new-parent-dom .
Schroeder was let go from the show in June over her treatment of cast member Faith Stowers and announced her pregnancy shortly thereafter ; she and Clark are expecting a girl in early 2021 .
The Taylor-Cartwrights , along with Schroeder and Clark , reunited with other Bravo stars Tom Schwartz , Katie Maloney , Lala Kent ( and her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Nevada in August for a bit of R & R amid the pandemic .
“ WE ALL TESTED NEGATIVE FOR COVID AND ARE QUARANTINED ALONE ON A HOUSEBOAT , ” Clark , 40 , wrote .
“ Vanderpump ” newbies Brett Caprioni and Max Boyens were also let go from “ Vanderpump Rules ” after racist tweets from both men resurfaced in January .

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Congrat-SUR-lations.
Jax Taylor, 41, and wife Brittany Cartwright, 31, are expecting their first child, the “Vanderpump Rules” stars announced via Instagram Monday night.
“Mom & Dad,” Cartwright captioned the pic. “The love of our lives is coming soon.” Taylor posted the same pic, adding, “Sooooo … I am gonna be Dad.”
The pair follow fellow “Rules” couple Stassi Schroeder and her fiancé Beau Clark in new-parent-dom. Schroeder was let go from the show in June over her treatment of cast member Faith Stowers and announced her pregnancy shortly thereafter; she and Clark are expecting a girl in early 2021.
The Taylor-Cartwrights, along with Schroeder and Clark, reunited with other Bravo stars Tom Schwartz, Katie Maloney, Lala Kent (and her fiancé, Randall) on a houseboat in Nevada in August for a bit of R&R amid the pandemic.
“WE ALL TESTED NEGATIVE FOR COVID AND ARE QUARANTINED ALONE ON A HOUSEBOAT,” Clark, 40, wrote.
“Vanderpump” newbies Brett Caprioni and Max Boyens were also let go from “Vanderpump Rules” after racist tweets from both men resurfaced in January.


newyorkpost--2020-09-22--Seattle pays ex-pimp $150,000 to offer ‘alternatives to policing’

Seattle now has a convicted pimp who once vowed to “ go to war ” with the city on its payroll — a $ 150,000 “ Street Czar , ” whose mission is to come up with “ alternatives to policing , ” reports said .
Andre Taylor — who appeared in the documentary “ American Pimp ” about his life as “ Gorgeous Dre ” — is getting $ 12,500 per month for a year , along with an office in Seattle ’ s Municipal Tower , according to the contract published by PubliCola .
It comes just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Time , was paid $ 100,000 to sponsor a speaker series that was called “ Conversations with the Streets.
” Taylor led one of the first rallies in Seattle after the police-custody death of George Floyd , the Seattle Times said .
He was later accused of trying to get millions from the city for militants who set up the controversial police-free Capitol Hill Occupied Protest ( CHOP ) zone , the Seattle Times said .
“ Don ’ t just leave .
Leave with something , ” he told activists in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to demand $ 2 million to exit the hub of much of the city ’ s worst violence this year , the report said .
They ignored his advice , the paper said , with one saying the money grab felt “ off.
” Those some militants then accused him of betraying the , too , when he appeared at a press conference with the mayor to tell them to shut-down CHOP — the same day he was given his six-figure contract , the paper said .
The new Street Czar justified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his “ particular genius in a particular area ” — saying he can talk to “ gang members , pimps and prostitutes ” who “ won ’ t sit down with anybody else.
” “ Black people as a whole have not been in a place to be compensated for their genius or their work for a very very long time , ” he said .
“ Not too many people can go talk to gangbangers in their territory , and then go talk to the government in their territory , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taylor first found notoriety in Las Vegas , where he was sentenced in 2000 to more than five years in prison , serving little more than a year , the Seattle Times previously noted .
Some of the girls he pimped for were underage , according to court reports in the Las Vegas Sun .
“ I was born from the streets ; I come out of the deep darkness , ” he said in a YouTube video earlier this year , bragging how he “ had children with some of the women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a pimp .
“ We decided we were going to be in this subculture , like the Mafia , whether you liked it or not , ” he said of his life .
“ We knew you considered us the waste of the world from the beginning , ” he said .
“ We didn ’ t care what you thought about us … just like I don ’ t care what you think about me now , ” he said .
He came to Seattle in 2016 after his brother , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting — saying he was “ here to go to war , ” the Seattle Times noted .
As Street Czar , his contract tasks him to “ provide recommendations to the City on de-escalation , community engagement , and alternatives to policing.
” Mayor Jenny Durkan ’ s spokesperson Kelsey Nyland told the Seattle Times the contract was offered because of an “ existing working partnership.
” Taylor ’ s group was chosen because of its “ lived experience with the criminal legal system , and their history of successful advocacy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systemic racism , ” Nyland added , noting that the city is spending millions this year on similar contracts with various groups .

Seattle now has on its payroll a convicted pimp who once vowed to “go to war” with the city — a $150,000 “street czar” whose mission is to come up with “alternatives to policing,” reports said.
Andre Taylor — who appeared in the documentary “American Pimp” about his life as “Gorgeous Dre” — is getting $12,500 per month for a year, along with an office in Seattle’s Municipal Tower, according to the contract published by PubliCola.
It comes just a year after his organization, Not This Time, was paid $100,000 to sponsor a speaker series that was called “Conversations with the Streets.”
Taylor led one of the first rallies in Seattle after the police-custody death of George Floyd, the Seattle Times said.
He was later accused of trying to get millions from the city for militants who set up the controversial police-free Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) zone, the Seattle Times said.
“Don’t just leave. Leave with something,” he told activists in a meeting caught in a recording, telling them to demand $2 million to exit the site of much of the city’s worst violence this year, the report said. They ignored his advice, the paper said, with one saying the money grab felt “off.”
Some of those militants then accused him of betraying them, too, when he appeared at a press conference with the mayor to tell them to shut down CHOP — the same day he was given his six-figure contract, the paper said.
The new street czar justified the contract to KOMO News as payment for his “particular genius in a particular area” — saying he can talk to “gang members, pimps and prostitutes” who “won’t sit down with anybody else.”
“Black people as a whole have not been in a place to be compensated for their genius or their work for a very, very long time,” he said.
“Not too many people can go talk to gangbangers in their territory, and then go talk to the government in their territory,” Taylor also told the Seattle Times.
Taylor first found notoriety in Las Vegas, where he was sentenced in 2000 to more than five years in prison, serving little more than a year, the Seattle Times previously noted.
Some of the girls he pimped for were underage, according to court reports in the Las Vegas Sun.
“I was born from the streets; I come out of the deep darkness,” he said in a YouTube video earlier this year, bragging how he “had children with some of the women who were with me” when he was a pimp.
“We decided we were going to be in this subculture, like the Mafia, whether you liked it or not,” he said of his life. “We knew you considered us the waste of the world from the beginning. We didn’t care what you thought about us … just like I don’t care what you think about me now.”
He came to Seattle in 2016 after his brother, Che Taylor, died in a police shooting — saying he was “here to go to war,” the Seattle Times noted.
As street czar, his contract tasks him to “provide recommendations to the City on de-escalation, community engagement, and alternatives to policing.”
Mayor Jenny Durkan’s spokesperson Kelsey Nyland told the Seattle Times the contract was offered because of an “existing working partnership.”
Taylor’s group was chosen because of its “lived experience with the criminal legal system, and their history of successful advocacy and activism on issues of policing and dismantling systemic racism,” Nyland added, noting that the city is spending millions this year on similar contracts with various groups.


newyorkpost--2020-09-22--World Economic Forum scraps 2021 Davos conference amid coronavirus

The World Economic Forum has canceled next year ’ s conference in Davos , Switzerland amid the coronavirus pandemic — but the annual event may take place elsewhere , according to reports .
The international business group recently told the town ’ s hotels in a letter that it would not hold its 2021 conference there , Swiss media reported Tuesday .
“ As things stand today , the WEF 2021 in Davos will unfortunately be completely canceled , ” Davos tourism official Reto Branschi told the Südostschweiz newspaper .
The revelation followed the Geneva-based WEF ’ s late August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attracts corporate and government leaders from around the world — from January to early summer because of COVID-19 concerns .
The organization is now looking for a different location in Switzerland to host the conference , according to Südostschweiz , which reported that most of the Alpine resort town ’ s hotels would be closed during the late spring and early summer months .
“ We were somewhat surprised by this letter , ” Tamara Henderson , president of Hotel Gastro Davos , a local hotel industry group , told Switzerland ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left out and we want more clarity in the future.
” The World Economic Forum did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday morning .
The group said last month that it would share details about its postponed 2021 conference as soon as it could “ guarantee the health and safety of our participants and the hosting community.
” “ The decision was not taken easily , since the need for global leaders to come together to design a common recovery path and shape the ‘ Great Reset ’ in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group said in a statement .
“ However , the advice from experts is that the forum can not do so safely in January .
”

The World Economic Forum has canceled next year’s conference in Davos, Switzerland amid the coronavirus pandemic — but the annual event will take place elsewhere.
The international business group recently told the town’s hotels in a letter that it would not hold its 2021 conference there, Swiss media reported Tuesday.
“As things stand today, the WEF 2021 in Davos will unfortunately be completely canceled,” Davos tourism official Reto Branschi told the Südostschweiz newspaper.
The revelation followed the Geneva-based WEF’s late August move to postpone the meeting — which attracts corporate and government leaders from around the world — from January to early summer because of COVID-19 concerns.
A WEF spokeswoman confirmed to The Post that the conference is still on for next year, but it won’t be held in Davos.
The organization is now looking for a different location in Switzerland to host the conference, according to Südostschweiz, which reported that most of the Alpine resort town’s hotels would be closed during the late spring and early summer months.
“We were somewhat surprised by this letter,” Tamara Henderson, president of Hotel Gastro Davos, a local hotel industry group, told Switzerland’s Keystone-ATS News Agency. “We feel left out and we want more clarity in the future.”
The World Economic Forum said last month that it would share details about its postponed 2021 conference as soon as it could “guarantee the health and safety of our participants and the hosting community.”
“The decision was not taken easily, since the need for global leaders to come together to design a common recovery path and shape the ‘Great Reset’ in the post-COVID-19 era is so urgent,” the group said in a statement. “However, the advice from experts is that the forum cannot do so safely in January.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-22--Bronx motorcycle crash kills teen driver, critically injures passenger

A teen driver was killed and her passenger is clinging to life after their motorcycle slammed into the back of @ @ @ @ @ Bronx , cops said .
Stephanie Gil , 18 , was riding her motorcycle east @ @ @ @ @ just east of Bryant Avenue , Monday in Hunts Point around 9:15 p.m. , when @ @ @ @ @ a double-parked and unoccupied 2003 Sterling flatbed tow truck , police said .
Gil and @ @ @ @ @ woman , were thrown from the motorcycle and fell to the ground , hitting their @ @ @ @ @ Neither was wearing a helmet , police sources said .
Both women were rushed to @ @ @ @ @ Gil was pronounced dead and her passenger remains in critical condition , cops said .
@ @ @ @ @ was not immediately clear .

A teen driver was killed and her passenger is clinging to life after their motorcycle slammed into the back of a tow truck in the Bronx, cops said.
Stephanie Gil, 18, was riding her motorcycle east on Hunts Point Avenue, just east of Bryant Avenue, Monday in Hunts Point around 9:15 p.m., when she struck the back of a double-parked and unoccupied 2003 Sterling flatbed tow truck, police said.
Gil and her passenger, a 20-year-old woman, were thrown from the motorcycle and fell to the ground, hitting their heads, cops said.
Neither was wearing a helmet, police sources said.
Both women were rushed to Lincoln Medical Center, where Gil was pronounced dead and her passenger remains in critical condition, cops said.
The relationship between the pair was not immediately clear.


newyorkpost--2020-09-22--Justice Dept. rejects Rep. Nadler’s request for testimony from senior officials

Attorney General William Barr pulled no punches in his Tuesday ...

The Justice Department has denied House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler’s request for testimony from senior officials — arguing that Democrats on the panel “squandered” their chance during Attorney General William Barr’s testimony.
In a letter signed by Assistant Attorney General Stephen E. Boyd dated Monday, the department rebuffed the request from Nadler (D-NY) to hear from three top officials: Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband, Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal and US Marshals Service Director Donald Washington.
Boyd argued that Barr had just come before the committee, prepared to discuss all of the topics that Nadler wanted to question Dreiband, Carvajal and Washington on, including the murder of George Floyd and the federal government’s response to months of racial justice protests that were sparked by his killing.
Instead, Boyd wrote, Democrats on the panel spent their time during the July 28 hearing “scolding and insulting” him.
“Unfortunately, when given the opportunity to obtain information from the head of the Department of Justice about precisely these matters, many committee members chose instead to use their allotted time to air grievances,” the letter read.
“Rather than attempt to obtain information from the department that would assist the Committee in recommending legislation to the House, many members of the majority devoted their time entirely towards scolding and insulting the Attorney General. These members refused to allow the Attorney General to respond to their accusations or to answer questions asked for rhetorical effect,” it continued before quoting a New York Times article that offered a take on Democrats’ handling of the hearing.
“Democrat after Democrat posed questions to Mr. Barr only to cut him off when he tried to reply, substituting their own replies for his,” the Times wrote in their quoted piece.
The attorney general and the New York Democrat have had a contentious relationship since Barr was approved by the Senate in early 2019.
During his July 28 appearance before the Democrat-led House committee, tensions came to a head between Barr and some Democrats on the panel.
Throughout the raucous hearing, Democrats repeatedly cut off the attorney general, refusing to let him finish his answers.
At one point, committee ranking member Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) sparred with Nadler over the bickering in the hearing room and whether they would allow Barr a five-minute break.
“For months you’ve tried to get the attorney general to come. He’s here. Why don’t you let him speak?” Jordan protested. “Why don’t you let him answer the questions, time after time? If you want the attorney general to come, at least let him answer the questions and the accusations made against him.”
Nadler fired back: “The gentleman’s rudeness is not recognized!”
“Rudeness? The rudeness is on the other side” Jordan said. “You refuse to let the attorney general of the United States answer the questions posed to him.”
Jordan defended Barr after Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Ga.) cut off the attorney general when he told her he sympathized with cancer patients, as two of his own children had cancer, and after McBath again cut him off when Barr said he ordered renewed efforts to prosecute people who lie on gun background checks, as she insisted he should do.
Another blowup followed over whether Barr could have just a short break despite having had no lunch at nearly 4 p.m.
A Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.


newyorkpost--2020-09-22--Jackie Stallone, colorful mother of Sylvester Stallone, dead at 98

Sylvester Stallone ’ s mom , Jackie Stallone , has reportedly died at the age of 98 .
The matriarch of the famous Hollywood family recently passed away from unknown causes , according to TMZ .
The outlet also reported that exact circumstances surrounding her death are currently unclear .
In addition to bringing the 74-year-old actor who played the legendary Rocky Balboa into the world , Jackie was also mom to singer Frank Stallone , 70 , and late actress Toni D ’ Alto .
The famed celebrity astrologer had married three times in her life — first to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They tied-the-knot in 1945 and had their two boys in their 12-year-marriage however , they divorced in 1957 .
Jackie went on to marry Anthony Filiti — whom she shared daughter Toni with — in 1959 .
They divorced sometime later , though the year of their separation was not revealed publicly .
Toni died in 2012 at the age of 48 after a battle with lung cancer .
In 1998 , Jackie got hitched to her third and current spouse , Stephen Levine .
The Washington , D.C. native is survived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven grandchildren .
She was a prominent business woman who also previously held a career as a dancer and as a women ’ s wrestling promoter .
The entertainer first appeared on screen in the 1980s on the popular wrestling show “ GLOW : Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.
” In January 2005 , Jackie joined the UK ’ s version of “ Celebrity Big Brother ” as a “ surprise ” housemate .
She was brought onto the show to ruffle feathers in the house — as her former daughter-in-law Brigitte Nielsen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along after her marriage to Sylvester Stallone from 1985 to ’ 87 , was also a contestant .
We all remember uttering those immortal words “ yeah , Jackie ” when she entered the house .
She was voted out first by viewers after spending just four days in the house .
Sylvester has not yet commented on his mother ’ s passing however , the active social media user posted a throwback of her son as her last-ever Instagram post .

Sylvester Stallone’s mom, Jackie Stallone, has reportedly died at the age of 98.
The matriarch of the famous Hollywood family recently passed away from unknown causes, according to TMZ. The outlet also reported that exact circumstances surrounding her death are currently unclear.
In addition to bringing the 74-year-old actor who played the legendary Rocky Balboa into the world, Jackie was also mom to singer Frank Stallone, 70, and late actress Toni D’Alto.
The famed celebrity astrologer had married three times in her life — first to her sons father, Frank Stallone Sr.
They tied-the-knot in 1945 and had their two boys in their 12-year-marriage however, they divorced in 1957.
Jackie went on to marry Anthony Filiti — whom she shared daughter Toni with — in 1959.
They divorced sometime later, though the year of their separation was not revealed publicly.
Toni died in 2012 at the age of 48 after a battle with lung cancer.
In 1998, Jackie got hitched to her third and current spouse, Stephen Levine.
The Washington, D.C. native is survived by her husband, three kids and seven grandchildren.
She was a prominent business woman who also previously held a career as a dancer and as a women’s wrestling promoter.
The entertainer first appeared on screen in the 1980s on the popular wrestling show “GLOW: Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.”
In January 2005, Jackie joined the UK’s version of “Celebrity Big Brother” as a “surprise” housemate.
She was brought onto the show to ruffle feathers in the house — as her former daughter-in-law Brigitte Nielsen, with whom she notoriously did not get along after her marriage to Sylvester Stallone from 1985 to ’87, was also a contestant.
We all remember uttering those immortal words “yeah, Jackie” when she entered the house.
She was voted out first by viewers after spending just four days in the house.
Sylvester has not yet commented on his mother’s passing however, the active social media user posted a throwback of her son as her last-ever Instagram post.


newyorkpost--2020-09-22--Japanese firm develops first UV lamp that safely kills coronavirus

There was some significant movement at the high end of ...

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A Japanese company that teamed up with Columbia University has developed a first-of-its-kind ultraviolet lamp that can kill the coronavirus without harming people’s health, according to a report.
Light equipment maker Ushio’s Care 222 UV lamp is expected to be used to disinfect heavily trafficked spaces where people run the risk of contracting the deadly bug, including buses, trains, elevators and offices, Japan Today reported.
UV lamps have been widely used for sterilization, notably in the medical and food-processing industries, and JetBlue recently announced plans to use the technology aboard its planes.
However, conventional UV rays cannot be used when people are present because they cause skin cancer and eye problems.
But Ushio’s new UV lamp emits rays with a wavelength of 222 nanometers, as opposed to the conventional 254-nanometer wavelength, making them deadly to germs but harmless to humans, the news outlet reported.
At 222 nanometers, the UV rays cannot penetrate the skin and eyes to cause cancer-causing genetic defects and other damage, according to Ushio.
When emitted from a ceiling, the UV from the new machine snuffs out 99 percent of viruses and bacteria in the air and up to a 32-square-foot surface of objects about eight feet away from the lamp, in six to seven minutes, Japan Today reported.
The 2.6-pound Care 222 device, which is about the size of a hardcover book, costs about $2,800.
Ushio said it only accepts orders from medical institutions for now, but that it will serve other customers once production catches up with demand.


newyorkpost--2020-09-22--Trump continues to get support from key age group ahead of election, poll finds

President Trump continues to enjoy the support of voters under age 50 – with 55 percent of those aged 35-49 giving him a positive approval rating , according to a poll .
The last Hill-HarrisX poll — released Sept. 8 — showed the 35-49 group giving the president a slightly higher approval rating of 57 percent , according to Newsweek .
In the latest poll from Monday , although 35 percent of those in the age group said they “ strongly disapprove ” of Trump , another 33 percent said they “ strongly approve ” and 21 percent “ somewhat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Only 10 percent said they “ somewhat disapprove ” of the commander-in-chief .
Meanwhile , voters 65 and older disapproved of the president by 57 percent , the poll found – as several surveys have shown his standing with seniors descending amid the coronavirus pandemic , Newsweek reported .
And across the remaining age groups , disapproval numbers were similar — with a 58 percent majority of the 50-64 demographic disapproving , and the 18-34 group disapproving by 56 percent , the poll found .
The survey also found that men overall were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 54 percent approving and 46 percent disapproving .
Among women , 41 percent approved and 59 percent disapproved .
Along racial lines , a 55 percent majority of white voters approved of the president , compared to 25 percent of black voters and 37 percent of Hispanics , according to the poll , which found Trump ’ s approval rating among all voters was 48 percent , a 1 percent jump from Sept. 8 .
The poll was conducted among 2,804 registered voters online between Friday and Monday .
It has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

President Trump continues to enjoy the support of voters under age 50, with 55 percent of those ages 35 to 49 giving him a positive approval rating, according to a poll.
The last Hill-HarrisX poll, released Sept. 8, showed the 35-49 group giving the president a slightly higher approval rating of 57 percent, according to Newsweek.
In the latest poll from Monday, although 35 percent of those in the age group said they “strongly disapprove” of Trump, another 33 percent said they “strongly approve” and 21 percent “somewhat approve,” the mag reported.
Only 10 percent said they “somewhat disapprove” of the commander-in-chief.
Meanwhile, voters 65 and older disapproved of the president by 57 percent, the poll found — as several surveys have shown his standing with seniors descending amid the coronavirus pandemic, Newsweek reported.
And across the remaining age groups, disapproval numbers were similar — with a 58 percent majority of the 50-64 demographic disapproving, and the 18-34 group disapproving by 56 percent, the poll found.
The survey also found that men overall were more likely to approve of Trump, with 54 percent approving and 46 percent disapproving. Among women, 41 percent approved and 59 percent disapproved.
Along racial lines, a 55 percent majority of white voters approved of the president, compared to 25 percent of black voters and 37 percent of Hispanics, according to the poll, which found Trump’s approval rating among all voters was 48 percent, a 1 percentage-point jump from Sept. 8.
The poll was conducted among 2,804 registered voters online between Friday and Monday. It has a margin of error of 1.9 percentage points.


newyorkpost--2020-09-22--Good Samaritan who stepped in to stop pervert fumes over suspect’s no-bail release

A good Samaritan is outraged because he risked his life to save a mom and her kids from a violent pervert at Hudson River Park — only to to learn the suspect was quickly released without bail .
“ It ’ s basically a lawless free for all , ” hero Denis Goncharov lamented of New York City , after learning the suspect will remain free until a December court date .
“ Like in the movie ‘ Joker , ' ” he told The Post .
As a dad of two grade-school-aged girls himself , Goncharov , 33 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about leaping between a terrified family and a deranged man who had walked up to their park bench last week and starting masturbating .
Goncharov chased the creep for more than half a mile through Greenwich Village to help cops catch him — even after the still-exposed man picked up a brick from the ground and ran at his head with it .
“ What upsets me is the kids he was exposing himself to were similar age to my daughters , ” Goncharov explained of his bravery .
“ I imagined the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was Sept. 8 , a sunny Tuesday afternoon , and Goncharov — who lives in Westchester and works in finance in Manhattan — was eating his lunch on a park bench near Pier 45 off Christopher Street when he saw the man leave the nearby public restroom , pants open .
Police later identified the man as Justin Merritt , 34 .
Merritt has a long misdemeanor rap sheet — mostly for criminal possession of stolen property , trespassing and turnstyle jumping , but with at least one aggravated harassment arrest thrown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Merritt allegedly walked straight over to a mom and her two kids .
“ From my recollection it was a boy and a girl , aged around seven to ten , ” Goncharov recalled .
“ They were sitting on the bench and looked very scared .
They were similar age to my own kids , who were fortunately back home at this time.
” The man “ started to touch himself in a sexual way , and was by this point approximately six , seven feet from the scared woman , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Goncharov jumped up from his own bench about 20 feet away , screaming .
“ I tried to form a human barrier by jumping in between , ” he said .
“ At this point , he backed off from the family and focused his attention on me.
” As the mother dialed 911 , Goncharov and the man squared off .
“ He was right up close to me in a very confrontational and menacing way , ” Goncharov said .
“ In self defense , I was forced to push him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ At that point , he — unsuccessfully — tried to spit on me and called me ‘ White trash . '
” Merritt then allegedly picked up a brick and lunged , “ aiming for my head , ” according to Goncharov and prosecutors .
Goncharov ducked , then grabbed a nearby orange traffic cone — more of a shield than a weapon , but it was all he could find , he said .
“ Nobody else attempted to intervene , ” he said , though he saw “ a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene on their iPhones.
” When his adversary took off , pants still open , Goncharov followed , dialing 911 and filming the pervert ’ s retreat .
“ I followed him for six , seven blocks all the way to Slaughtered Lamb pub , and the suspect then disappeared down into the 4th Street subway entrance , ” he said .
In a 911 call recording he shared with The Post , Goncharov is heard breathlessly telling an NYPD dispatcher , “ He has a brick ; he has a weapon … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene .
He exposed his penis to children — this man is a pedophile .
He ’ s a sex offender.
” Police caught up to Merritt at 8 p.m. , and after a night in jail , he was charged with lewdness , harassment , menacing and criminal possession of a weapon — the brick .
All four are non-violent misdemeanors .
Under bail reforms signed by the governor , and in effect since January , none of the charges are eligible for bail .
At Merritt ’ s arraignment in Manhattan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was assigned a lawyer from the New York County Defender Services and a judge had no choice but to release him on his own recognizance .
Even in 2019 , most judges would similarly “ ROR ” most misdemeanor defendants , said Sergio De La Pava , the NYCDS legal director .
“ Though also as a general principal the more contact you have had with the criminal justice system , the higher chance that bail would be set , ” De La Pava said .
If Merritt re-offends between now and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8 , “ potentially he could be put back in ” by a judge , he added .
“ A lunatic like this is able to re-offend again and again and without consequences , ” Goncharov complained .
“ I felt sorry for the hardworking NYPD officers who often feel so powerless , ” he added .
“ The law is completely letting down innocent , law abiding citizens .
Shootings , burglaries and violent crime are off the charts — and is it any wonder ?
”

Georgett Roberts, Larry Celona, Laura Italiano

A good Samaritan is outraged because he risked his life to save a mom and her kids from a violent pervert at Hudson River Park — only to learn the suspect was quickly released without bail.
“It’s basically a lawless free-for-all,” hero Denis Goncharov lamented of New York City, after learning that the suspect will remain free until a December court date.
“Like in the movie ‘Joker,'” he told The Post.
As a dad of two grade-school-age girls himself, Goncharov, 33, says he didn’t think twice about leaping between a terrified family and a deranged man who had walked up to their park bench last week and starting masturbating.
Goncharov chased the creep for more than half a mile through Greenwich Village to help cops catch him — even after the still-exposed man picked up a brick from the ground and ran at his head with it.
“What upsets me is the kids he was exposing himself to were similar age to my daughters,” Goncharov explained of his bravery. “I imagined the kids being harassed were my own.”
It was Sept. 8, a sunny Tuesday afternoon, and Goncharov — who lives in Westchester and works in finance in Manhattan — was eating his lunch on a park bench near Pier 45 off Christopher Street when he saw the man leave the nearby public restroom, pants open.
Police later identified the man as Justin Merritt, 34.
Merritt has a long misdemeanor rap sheet — mostly for criminal possession of stolen property, trespassing and turnstile jumping, but with at least one aggravated harassment arrest thrown in, law enforcement sources said.
Merritt allegedly walked straight over to a mom and her two kids.
“From my recollection, it was a boy and a girl, aged around 7 to 10,” Goncharov recalled.
“They were sitting on the bench and looked very scared. They were similar age to my own kids, who were fortunately back home at this time.”
The man “started to touch himself in a sexual way, and was by this point approximately 6, 7 feet from the scared woman, who was attempting to cover their eyes.”
Goncharov, screaming, jumped up from his own bench about 20 feet away.
“My dad instinct kicked in,” he explained.
“I tried to form a human barrier by jumping in between,” he said. “At this point, he backed off from the family and focused his attention on me.”
As the mother dialed 911, Goncharov and the man squared off.
“He was right up close to me in a very confrontational and menacing way,” Goncharov said.
“In self-defense, I was forced to push him away from me,” Goncharov remembered.
“At that point, he — unsuccessfully — tried to spit on me and called me ‘white trash.'”
Merritt then allegedly picked up a brick and lunged, “aiming for my head,” according to Goncharov and prosecutors.
Goncharov ducked, then grabbed a nearby orange traffic cone — more of a shield than a weapon, but it was all he could find, he said.
“Nobody else attempted to intervene,” he said, though he saw “a few people backing away and timidly filming the scene on their iPhones.”
When his adversary took off, pants still open, Goncharov followed, dialing 911 and filming the pervert’s retreat.
“I followed him for six, seven blocks all the way to Slaughtered Lamb pub, and the suspect then disappeared down into the 4th Street subway entrance,” he said.
In a 911 call recording he shared with The Post, Goncharov is heard breathlessly telling an NYPD dispatcher, “He has a brick; he has a weapon … He’s getting away from the scene. He exposed his penis to children — this man is a pedophile. He’s a sex offender.”
Police caught up to Merritt at 8 p.m., and after a night in jail, he was charged with lewdness, harassment, menacing and criminal possession of a weapon — the brick.
All four are non-violent misdemeanors. Under bail reforms signed by the governor, and in effect since January, none of the charges are eligible for bail.
At Merritt’s arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court the next day, he was assigned a lawyer from the New York County Defender Services and a judge had no choice but to release him on his own recognizance.
Even in 2019, most judges would similarly release most misdemeanor defendants, said Sergio De La Pava, the New York County Defender Services legal director.
“Though also as a general principle, the more contact you have had with the criminal justice system, the higher chance that bail would be set,” De La Pava said.
If Merritt re-offends between now and his next court date, which is Dec. 8, “potentially he could be put back in” by a judge, he added.
“A lunatic like this is able to re-offend again and again and without consequences,” Goncharov complained.
“I felt sorry for the hardworking NYPD officers who often feel so powerless,” he added.
“The law is completely letting down innocent, law-abiding citizens. Shootings, burglaries and violent crime are off the charts — and is it any wonder?”


newyorkpost--2020-09-22--Fantasy football: How to fix your running back crisis

No matter what your path in life may be , no ...

Parades are supposed to be fun, celebratory events every one can enjoy. Too bad that isn’t always the case.
The parade of injuries in Week 2 was devastating for NFL teams, as well as fantasy rosters across the land. Saquon Barkley, frequently the second-overall pick in fantasy drafts, will miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL. And it didn’t stop there. Consensus top fantasy pick Christian McCaffrey could miss multiple weeks with a high ankle sprain. And one of the Madman’s favorite draft targets, Raheem Mostert, has what initial reports described as a “mild” ankle sprain.
Those were just the high-profile running backs, not including the collection of ailments suffered by those at other positions. But that is enough at RB alone to cause waiver-wire chaos.
First, check James Robinson’s availability. He probably is gone by now (owned in 60-70 percent of leagues), but make sure. He is making a good argument he should maintain the feature RB role in Jacksonville, even when some of their other scrubs get healthy.
Chargers rookie Joshua Kelley received a surprising amount of use in Week 2 vs. the Chiefs (23-for-68 rushing, 2-for-49 receiving), getting more total touches than primary ballcarrier Austin Ekeler. Kelley isn’t taking over this backfield, but it appears he will get enough work to warrant a roster spot.
After that, look at the real-life subs for your fantasy needs. Dion Lewis is the only Giants running back other than Barkley to have any rushing attempts this season — we have yet to see Wayne Gallman. But Lewis hasn’t been impressive (11-for-21 rushing this season). It should also be noted that in his seven previous seasons, he never has topped 200 carries, has exceeded 100 just twice and has zero 1,000-yard seasons on his ledger.
The Giants seem to know this, as they reportedly plan to bring in free agent Devonta Freeman for a workout. This is not good news for fantasy purposes. Though Lewis represents the best real-time replacement, likely to inherit the bulk of the workload in the immediate future, if signed, Freeman would eventually cut into that workload. If not Freeman, then some other possible free-agent or trade addition — since it appears the Giants are actively looking at other options.
This creates some uncertainty in the long-term for the fantasy fill-in options on the Giants roster. There is little ambiguity regarding who will inherit the bulk of McCaffrey’s work. Mike Davis had just one rush (1 yard) Sunday, but the Panthers were playing from behind, so they weren’t in position to run the ball — he did have eight receptions for 74 yards. He should get enough volume to warrant an add, and even a start for desperate rosters.
Tevin Coleman got the majority of carries once Mostert left. But Jerick McKinnon was, and will remain, involved. And he was much more productive than Coleman. Add McKinnon for depth and potential, not immediate use.
Then cross your fingers and hope this injury parade has come to an end.
Bull rush
Joe Burrow QB, Bengals
Has looked solid in his first two starts. Worth an add to be a backup/platoon QB option. Think, insurance policy if Carson Wentz continues to struggle.
Justin Herbert QB, Chargers
The fact coach Anthony Lynn insists Tyrod Taylor will return to the starting role if healthy is worrisome. But Herbert performed admirably in fill-in duty Sunday, and the offense looked more potent with him. Grab now with eyes on the future.
Mike Gesicki TE, Dolphins
We had Gesicki on our radar late in drafts, and he showed why in Week 2 (8-for-130, one TD).
Jonnu Smith TE, Titans
Frequency of red-zone looks make him worthy of a back-end roster spot.
Read & react
Darrell Henderson Jr. RB, Rams
With an injury to Cam Akers, Henderson and Malcolm Brown split carries this week, with Henderson performing much better. Dangle as trade bait and see if anyone bites.
Calvin Ridley WR, Falcons
He has been great (16-for-249, four TDs so far), which is why his value is sky high. Recall: In 2018, he had six TDs in the first three games, and just four the rest of the season. If you can get back a top-tier WR or RB in return, trade him.
Tyler Higbee TE, Rams
Had three TDs Sunday on just five catches. That is not a sustainable TD rate. Shop him, and if you can get back a weekly RB or WR starter, and have a TE alternative, consider it.
Jordan Reed TE, 49ers
He was a temp fix while George Kittle is out. But Kittle is expected back soon, perhaps even next week. See if there is a reactionary owner susceptible to recency bias who would give you something valuable in return.


newyorkpost--2020-09-22--NFL Power Rankings for Week 3: Raiders rise in major Top 10 overhaul

It was another goal-line play in the closing seconds between ...

There was some significant movement at the high end of the Post’s weekly NFL Power Rankings, as two of the Top 10 teams from the previous list fell in Week 2.
The New England Patriots dropped three notches to No. 9, and the New Orleans Saints tumbled seven spots to No. 11 with a Monday night loss in the first game in Las Vegas since the Raiders moved to Sin City.
At least two more unbeaten teams will fail to win in Week 3, with a couple of marquee matchups on tap pitting Top 10 teams against each other.
1. Kansas City Chiefs, 2-0 (Last week: 1)
The beauty of the defending Super Bowl champs continues to be their propensity for comebacks, even if they look shaky for much of the game. They are 6-0 when they fall behind by at least 10 points in the past two seasons with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback after Sunday’s win over the Chargers. Next: Monday at Baltimore.
2. Seattle Seahawks, 2-0 (3)
Russell Wilson threw touchdowns to five different receivers Sunday night against New England and his 82.5 percent completion percentage through Week 2 is the highest mark (min: 40 attempts) through the first two games of any season in NFL history. Next: Sunday vs. Dallas.
3. Baltimore Ravens, 2-0 (2)
The first major heavyweight clash this season will be between Mahomes and Lamar Jackson in primetime in Week 3. The Ravens rushed for 230 yards Sunday against J.J. Watt and the Houston Texans for their 14th straight regular season win. Next: Monday vs. Kansas City.
4. Green Bay Packers, 2-0 (5)
Aaron Rodgers and the Pack are only the fourth team over the past 40 NFL seasons with at least 80 points and 1,000 yards of offense in their first two games. The other Aaron, running back Aaron Jones, had more than 200 scrimmage yards and scored three touchdowns Sunday, only the second Packer to do that since 1966 (Javon Walker, 2004). Next: Sunday night at New Orleans.
5. Buffalo Bills, 2-0 (7)
Josh Allen continues to outplay the quarterbacks taken ahead of him in the 2018 draft — Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold. He has set a career best in passing yardage in each of the first two weeks: 312 against the Jets in Week 1 and 417 (with four TDs) in Sunday’s win over Miami. Next: Sunday vs. LA Rams.
6. Arizona Cardinals, 2-0 (9)
Last year’s No. 1 overall draft pick Kyler Murray continues to be a dual threat, with 516 passing yards and 158 on the ground combined in wins against San Francisco and Washington. Trade acquisition DeAndre Hopkins already has 22 receptions to show for his $54.5 million contract extension. Next: Sunday vs. Detroit
7. Los Angeles Rams, 2-0 (8)
The Rams are playing like they expect to be a factor in the loaded NFC West after missing the playoffs last season. Jared Goff picked apart the Eagles for three aerial touchdowns in Sunday’s blowout win. Next: Sunday at Buffalo.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers, 2-0 (10)
The Steelers held off Denver backup Jeff Driskel after knocking Drew Lock out of Sunday’s game. Mike Tomlin’s defense recorded seven sacks and a safety and stopped the Broncos’ potential game-winning drive 15 yards shy of the go-ahead score in the closing minutes. Next: Sunday vs. Houston.
9. New England Patriots, 1-1 (6)
Even with Cam Newton getting stuffed by the Seahawks at the goal line to end the Pats’ Sunday night bid, the new quarterback in town looks like he’ll be a supreme bargain for Bill Belichick at the veteran minimum base salary of $1.05 million. As long as Cam stays healthy, of course. Next: Sunday vs. Las Vegas.
10. Las Vegas Raiders, 2-0 (17)
Vegas, baby. Jon Gruden’s team makes the biggest move of the week after christening Allegiant Stadium with an impressive 34-24 Monday night takedown of the Saints, who were playing without record-setting receiver Michael Thomas. Next: Sunday at New England.
11. New Orleans Saints, 1-1 (4)
12. Tennessee Titans, 2-0 (18)
13. Dallas Cowboys, 1-1 (15)
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1-1 (12)
15. San Francisco 49ers, 1-1 (11)
16. Chicago Bears, 2-0 (19)
17. Los Angeles Chargers, 1-1 (13)
18. Washington Football Team, 1-1 (14)


newyorkpost--2020-09-22--Dog’s hilarious cheesy smile gets him out of trouble

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This pooch knows how to grin and bear it. See how Nova the dog hides behind a super cheesy smile after having an accident on the carpet in this funny video filmed in Logan, Utah.
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newyorkpost--2020-09-22--New bills would reopen NY comedy clubs closed during COVID-19 pandemic

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Comedy clubs ordered closed in March during the peak of the coronavirus outbreak haven ’ t been allowed to reopen — while restaurants and bowling alleys got the OK to to resume operations , albeit with rules limiting capacity to prevent the spread of the killer bug .
But bills introduced by Sen. Michael Gianaris ( D-Queens ) and backed by the jokers and club operators would allow the venues to re-open and operate under the same indoor restrictions as either bowling alleys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comedians and club owners say they ’ re getting “ no respect ” from Gov .
Andrew Cuomo and state health officials even though the COVID-19 pandemic has abated in New York .
“ Everybody understands that this is complicated .
But NY State seems to have figured it out for every other industry , ” said comedian Christian Finnegan .
“ I ’ m not sure why comedy can ’ t even get a concrete plan .
I can tell you this : The ban on live comedy has done nothing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night–in backyards , parking lots , and private homes .
The only thing this confusion does is prevent those shows from happening safely , under the oversight of licensed venues , ” he said .
One measure introduced by Gianaris would treat comedy venues like indoor restaurants that can operate at 25 percent capacity in New York City .
Another bill he ’ s pushing would allow venues to be treated like bowling alleys and operate at 50 percent occupancy without food & beverage service .
Other venues with outdoor performance spaces — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be allowed to open immediately , Gianaris said .
“ I challenge anyone to explain why comedy clubs would be less safe to operate than restaurants or bowling alleys .
There is no good reason to keep them closed when these other establishments are open — all that does is further hurt our economic recovery , ” Gianaris said .
Gianaris will promote the measures with entertainers during a noon press conference Tuesday at the New York Comedy Club in the East Village .
Cuomo said last week that re-opening comedy clubs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When you look back at what we did , the most essential businesses with the lowest risk we did first , ” he said of New York ’ s reopening plan .
“ My good friend Billy Joel , he was doing Madison Square Garden — when will we get back to Madison Square Garden .
Those large arenas pose the greatest risk .
Even if you say every two seats , every three seats , yeah , but you ’ re still channeling people in and out of a corridor.
” Cuomo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a comedy club when you ’ re talking about a possible infection rate ?
Not to offend people in a comedy club and Lord knows we need to laugh — but those are the calibrations we ’ re making.
” Other industries like movie theaters — which have reopened already in New Jersey — and live acting on Broadway also have yet to gain the green light for reopening .
With the backing of actor-funnyman Jerry Seinfeld , Sen. Charles Schumer last week proposed the “ Save our Stage Act ” federal legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep afloat comedic venues that have seen their profits undergo significant shrinkage because of pandemic closures .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
It’s time to laugh again.
Comedy clubs ordered closed in March during the peak of the coronavirus outbreak haven’t been allowed to reopen — while restaurants and bowling alleys got the OK to to resume operations, albeit with rules limiting capacity to prevent the spread of the killer bug.
But proposals introduced by Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Queens) and backed by the jokers and club operators would allow the venues to re-open and operate under the same indoor restrictions as either bowling alleys or restaurants.
Channeling Rodney Dangerfield, comedians and club owners say they’re getting “no respect” from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state health officials even though the COVID-19 pandemic has abated in New York.
“New York without culture is a very expensive Cincinnati. I would like to go back to being New York,” quipped comedian Ophira Eisenberg, host of NPR’s “Ask Me Another.”
“Everybody understands that this is complicated. But NY State seems to have figured it out for every other industry,” said comedian Christian Finnegan.
“I’m not sure why comedy can’t even get a concrete plan. I can tell you this: The ban on live comedy has done nothing of the sort. Shows are happening every night–in backyards, parking lots, and private homes. The only thing this confusion does is prevent those shows from happening safely, under the oversight of licensed venues,” he said.
One measure introduced by Gianaris would treat comedy venues like indoor restaurants that can operate at 25 percent capacity in New York City.
Another recommendation he’s pushing would allow venues to be treated like bowling alleys and operate at 50 percent occupancy without food & beverage service.
Other venues with outdoor performance spaces — which a number of clubs have — should be allowed to open immediately, Gianaris said.
“I challenge anyone to explain why comedy clubs would be less safe to operate than restaurants or bowling alleys. There is no good reason to keep them closed when these other establishments are open — all that does is further hurt our economic recovery,” Gianaris said.
“This is no laughing matter.”
Gianaris promoted the measures with 150 comedians, club owners and various supporters during a noon press conference Tuesday outside the New York Comedy Club in the East Village.
Kambri Crews, founder of the Q.E.D. comedy club in Long Island City, said, “The governor cites science and data as his guides. I love science. I love math. I named my venue Q.E.D [Latin abbreviation for quod erat demonstrandum, or proving an argument].
“But where is the data to support that escape routes are safer than an outdoor comedy show? Where is the data to support a crackdown in arts and entertainment outdoors at licensed venues, while allowing non-ticketed, unregulated public gatherings and indoor private events? The 2,400 independent arts venues — we would like to know the answer to that,” Crews said.
“The 20,000 employees that are employed by these venues, they would like to know the answer to that. The thousands upon thousands of independent contractors and gig workers, actors and performers that the venues employ, they would like to know the answer to that….. We are drowning here. Throw us a lifeline instead of pushing us deeper into debt and despair.”
For his part, Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday was in no rush to reopen comedy clubs.
“We’ll look at that one. Honestly, it hasn’t been one of the areas we focused on a lot, but it’s an important part of life in the city. It’s something we’re proud of,” the mayor said during his COVID-19 press briefing.
“Outdoors works so long as it’s the right size group and there’s distancing. Obviously, we always prefer outdoors. But, in terms of indoors, it’s something we’ll talk about” with state officials, he said.
A top aide to Cuomo said there are ongoing talks about the possibility of reopening comedy clubs and under what conditions.
“If there is any time when a laugh is needed, it’s now. We’ve been talking to the industry and other stakeholders and it’s our hope we’ll be able to put together guidance where these performances can resume in a way that also keeps New Yorkers safe,” said Cuomo senior advisor Richard Azzopardi.”
Cuomo said last week that re-opening comedy clubs and arenas was still risky.
“When you look back at what we did, the most essential businesses with the lowest risk we did first,” he said of New York’s reopening plan.
“My good friend Billy Joel, he was doing Madison Square Garden — when will we get back to Madison Square Garden. Those large arenas pose the greatest risk. Even if you say every two seats, every three seats, yeah, but you’re still channeling people in and out of a corridor.”
Cuomo then added: “How essential is a comedy club when you’re talking about a possible infection rate? Not to offend people in a comedy club and Lord knows we need to laugh — but those are the calibrations we’re making.”
Other industries like movie theaters — which have reopened already in New Jersey — and live acting on Broadway also have yet to gain the green light for reopening.
With the backing of actor-funnyman Jerry Seinfeld, Sen. Charles Schumer last week proposed the “Save our Stage Act” federal legislation, which would provide $10 billion to keep afloat comedic venues that have seen their profits undergo significant shrinkage because of pandemic closures.


newyorkpost--2020-09-22--John Lennon’s killer reportedly apologizes to Yoko Ono for ‘despicable’ act

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on Monday night said his party ...

Mark David Chapman, who killed John Lennon in 1980, has apologized to the famed singer’s wife Yoko Ono — describing his crime as “despicable” and saying he “deserves” the death penalty, according to a report.
The 65-year-old — who was denied parole on Aug. 19 — gunned the 40-year-old Beatles star down as he and Ono walked toward The Dakota building on the Upper West Side.
Chapman told the parole board that he killed Lennon for “self-glory,” the Telegraph reported, citing the transcript of the parole hearing obtained by the PA news agency.
“I assassinated him… because he was very, very, very famous and that’s the only reason and I was very, very, very, very much seeking self-glory, very selfish,” Chapman said in his apology to Lennon’s family.
“I want to add that and emphasize that greatly. It was an extremely selfish act. I’m sorry for the pain that I caused to her (Ono). I think about it all of the time,” he added at the hearing, which was held at Wende Correctional Facility in Erie County.
Chapman, who became eligible for parole in 2000, is required to have a parole hearing every two years but was denied release for the 11th time on the grounds it “would be incompatible with the welfare of society,” the Telegraph reported.
Ono has written to the board for several of the hearings to warn that Chapman continues to pose a threat to her and her family.
Previous 1 of 6 Next Advertisement A photo of Yoko Ono and John Lennon taken in 1968. Getty Images Mark David Chapman being escorted out of the police station after the shooting of John Lennon. Bettmann Archive Advertisement A mug-shot of Mark David Chapman REUTERS Mourners hold up newspapers announcing the death of musician John Lennon in New York City December 1980. Getty Images Advertisement
The 87-year-old has not commented about his apology, but tweeted about an Oct. 9 event to mark what would have been her husband’s 80th birthday.
“Join us for an online celebration of John’s life to celebrate our community, creativity and connection. Raising the spirit of peace and love – with great artists, great people and great songs,” Ono wrote.
In last month’s heating, Chapman also discussed his fixation with the book “The Catcher In The Rye” at the time of the murder, saying he could relate with the main character’s “isolation, loneliness”.
Asked if justice had been served, he told the panel: “When you knowingly plot someone’s murder and know it’s wrong and you do it for yourself, that’s a death penalty right there in my opinion.
Chapman added: “If the law and you choose to leave me in here for the rest of my life, I have no complaint whatsoever.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-22--Graham says GOP-controlled Senate has enough votes to confirm SCOTUS nominee

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on Monday night said his party has enough votes to confirm a new Supreme Court justice before the November election .
“ We ’ ve got the votes to confirm Justice Ginsburg ’ s replacement before the election , ” Graham , the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee , told Fox News ’ Sean Hannity .
“ We ’ re going to move forward in the committee , we ’ re going to report the nomination out of the committee to the floor of the United States Senate so we can vote before the election.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mitch McConnell was a bit more vague , vowing to hold a floor vote “ this year ” on President Trump ’ s nominee to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
Trump said he would announce his nominee , a woman , on Friday or Saturday .
Republicans , who hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate , need at least 50 votes to confirm a nominee .
Two GOP senators , Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska , indicated they would not vote to confirm a justice before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key Republicans , Senators Chuck Grassley , of Iowa , and Cory Gardner , of Colorado , both pledged support to vote before the election .

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham on Monday night said his party has enough votes to confirm a new Supreme Court justice before the November election.
“We’ve got the votes to confirm Justice [Ruth Bader] Ginsburg’s replacement before the election,” Graham, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
“We’re going to move forward in the committee, we’re going to report the nomination out of the committee to the floor of the United States Senate so we can vote before the election.”
Earlier Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was a bit vaguer, vowing to hold a floor vote “this year” on President Trump’s nominee to replace Ginsburg, who died Friday.
Trump said he would announce his nominee, a woman, on Friday or Saturday.
Republicans, who hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, need at least 50 votes to confirm a nominee.
Two GOP senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, indicated they would not vote to confirm a justice before the Nov. 3 election.
But two other key Republicans, Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Cory Gardner of Colorado, both pledged support to vote before the election.


newyorkpost--2020-09-22--Oregon man showing off handgun accidentally shoots himself in groin

A Oregon man showing off his handgun to a pal inside a supermarket accidentally blasted himself in the groin Sunday @ @ @ @ @ .
Nicholas Ellingford , 29 , fired off the unintentional shot from his Glock 9mm @ @ @ @ @ McKay ’ s Market in Lincoln City , the Oregonian reported , citing police .
@ @ @ @ @ Ellingford placed it back into his pants — and the bullet went through his groin @ @ @ @ @ , the report said .
He was airlifted to a Portland hospital .
Police said @ @ @ @ @ he didn ’ t have a concealed handgun license .

A Oregon man showing off his handgun to a pal inside a supermarket accidentally blasted himself in the groin Sunday night, a report said.
Nicholas Ellingford, 29, fired off the unintentional shot from his Glock 9mm while waiting to checkout at McKay’s Market in Lincoln City, the Oregonian reported, citing police.
The gun went off as Ellingford placed it back into his pants — and the bullet went through his groin and out through his thigh, the report said.
He was airlifted to a Portland hospital.
Police said Ellingford could face charges since he didn’t have a concealed handgun license.


newyorkpost--2020-09-22--Cardi B faces defamation suit for blasting ‘racist MAGA supporters’ after beach fight

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Cardi B defamed a group of Long Island beachgoers , who she called “ racist MAGA supporters , ” by posting edited video and commentary of an altercation between them , her sister and her sister ’ s partner , a new lawsuit reportedly alleges .
Cardi ’ s sister , Hennessy Carolina , and her girlfriend , model Michelle Diaz , got into a heated argument with the group on Sept. 6 at Smith Point Beach , Fox News reported at the time .
One of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wearing a red , “ Make America Great Again ” hat during the altercation , according to the report .
In social media posts after the beef , Cardi wrote Carolina and Diaz were harassed over where they parked their car , “ all because they are a Afro/Hispanic gay couple.
” But in the suit , which also names Carolina and Diaz as defendants , the beachgoers allege the two women harassed them — and then defamed them by posting edited video and commentary about the altercation on social media , ABC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaceful Suffolk County residents were quietly enjoying a Sunday at the Smith Point beach with their families , when rap celebrity Hennessy Carolina suddenly approached them , raging , spitting , insulting , assaulting , defaming and threatening them , all the while videotaping them because one of them wore a MAGA hat , ” the plaintiffs ’ attorney , John Ray , told the news outlet .
“ Then Hennessy , Cardi B and celebrity model Michelle Diaz deviously edited the videotape and published the edited version all over social media , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and maliciously falsely labeled these residents and their families as ‘ N…s ’ and as racists , ” Ray said .
Hennessy , in an audio recording explaining the fight , claimed two men told her and her girlfriend to “ go to your f—king country.
” The men targeted them , Hennessy said , because they “ saw us parking here and we were speaking Spanish and we ’ re mixed , ” according to the recording , which was also shared on Twitter by Cardi B .
An attorney for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to request for comment .

Cardi B defamed a group of Long Island beachgoers, whom she called “racist MAGA supporters,” by posting edited video and commentary of an altercation between them, her sister and her sister’s partner, a new lawsuit reportedly alleges.
Cardi’s sister, Hennessy Carolina, and her girlfriend, model Michelle Diaz, got into a heated argument with the group on Sept. 6 at Smith Point Beach, Fox News reported at the time. One of the men they were arguing with was wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat during the altercation, according to the report.
In social media posts after the beef, Cardi wrote that Carolina and Diaz were harassed over where they parked their car, “all because they are a Afro/Hispanic gay couple.”
But in the suit, which also names Carolina and Diaz as defendants, the beachgoers allege the two women harassed them — and then defamed them by posting edited video and commentary about the altercation on social media, ABC 7 New York reported.
“These peaceful Suffolk County residents were quietly enjoying a Sunday at the Smith Point beach with their families, when rap celebrity Hennessy Carolina suddenly approached them, raging, spitting, insulting, assaulting, defaming and threatening them, all the while videotaping them because one of them wore a MAGA hat,” the plaintiffs’ attorney, John Ray, told the news outlet.
“Then Hennessy, Cardi B and celebrity model Michelle Diaz deviously edited the videotape and published the edited version all over social media, across the world for all to see, and maliciously falsely labeled these residents and their families as ‘N…s’ and as racists,” Ray said.
Hennessy, in an audio recording explaining the fight, claimed two men told her and her girlfriend to “go to your f—king country.”
The men targeted them, Hennessy said, because they “saw us parking here and we were speaking Spanish and we’re mixed,” according to the recording, which was also shared on Twitter by Cardi B.
An attorney for the Bronx-born rapper didn’t respond to request for comment.