Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Lieutenant Colonel Vindman refuses to answer question that could out whistleblower

Lieutenant Colonel Vindman refuses to answer question that could out whistleblowerDuring Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman's testimony at a public hearing in the House's impeachment inquiry, he declined to answer questions from Ranking Member Nunes about who he may have told about the July 25 phone call.




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Hey, Elizabeth Warren: Your wealth tax plan? It's unconstitutional.

Hey, Elizabeth Warren: Your wealth tax plan? It's unconstitutional.Not every tax is created equal; Not in effectiveness or legality. Hopefully, the senator from Massachusetts will learn that lesson.




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In Astros Inquiry, Rob Manfred Raises Possibility of Big Penalties


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Stephen Miller covertly directed Breitbart to attack Marco Rubio and Fox News, new emails reveal

Stephen Miller covertly directed Breitbart to attack Marco Rubio and Fox News, new emails revealWhite House adviser Stephen Miller was in deep with Breitbart.Last week, the Southern Poverty Law Center published emails sent from Miller to the right-wing publication during the 2016 race showing how he directed white nationalist viewpoints on the site, and how those views "became policy" in the Trump White House. A second batch of emails now shows there's more to Miller's back-door Breitbart publication, including how he fed the site attacks on then-presidential candidate Marco Rubio.The new round of emails obtained via former Breitbart editor Katie McHugh shows even more news stories, opinion pieces, and other comments Miller suggested the site could turn into new articles. For example, as a communications director for then-Sen. Jeff Sessions, he sent over at least 10 attacks on Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) that fueled Breitbart's attempts to "harm his candidacy," McHugh said. And when Fox News and other conservative outlets said anything positive about Rubio, he suggested Breitbart take them down as well. In some cases, he explicitly said his suggested articles should be published under the nondescript byline "Breitbart News."McHugh was sent many of these emails, but Breitbart editor turned White House adviser Stephen Bannon and other editors were copied on the emails too. McHugh was a young editor at the site at the time, and said "no one at Breitbart ever raised a question about whether this was ethical." The White House and Bannon did not respond to a request for comment, while Breitbart said Miller's "pitches" were "not exactly a newsflash." The White House previously said "The SPLC … is an utterly-discredited, long-debunked far-left smear organization" in response to reporting about Miller.More stories from theweek.com The potential lie that could actually destroy Trump The coming death of just about every rock legend Everyone will eventually turn on Trump. Even Steve Doocy.




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Indiana teachers use 'outside voices' to demand higher wages

Indiana teachers use 'outside voices' to demand higher wagesThousands of chanting red-clad Indiana teachers swarmed the state capitol on Tuesday, demanding higher salaries and reforms to evaluation policies in a protest that forced half the state's school districts to cancel classes for the day. "It's time to use our 'outside voices,'" read one of the signs hoisted by largely peaceful Indiana State Teachers Association demonstrators wearing red hats and sweaters as they stood at the steps of the capitol, some beating on 5-gallon paint barrels as improvised drums. In 2018, teachers in Arizona, West Virginia and Oklahoma staged largely successful days-long strikes to demand higher salaries.




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Democrats’ Southern victories could affect redistricting

Democrats’ Southern victories could affect redistrictingThe re-election victory by Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards over the weekend has assured Democrats of an all-important place at the table when political maps are redrawn after the 2020 census for future elections to Congress and the state Legislature. Edwards’ narrow triumph on Saturday marked the third significant win in a Southern state in two weeks for Democrats, following their takeover of both legislative houses in Virginia and the defeat in Kentucky of Republican Gov. Matt Bevin by Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear. The recent Southern state elections provided a preview of the battle over redistricting power that is to come next year in many states.




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Will Pete Buttigieg be the first gay president? Older LGBTQ Americans celebrate his run

Will Pete Buttigieg be the first gay president? Older LGBTQ Americans celebrate his runMayor Pete Buttigieg's presidential bid was something older LGBTQ voters say they never could have imagined when they were young.




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Suit seeks to block prosecutor from excluding black jurors

Suit seeks to block prosecutor from excluding black jurorsFour black voters and a branch of the NAACP sued a Mississippi prosecutor on Monday, asking a federal judge to order him to stop excluding African Americans from juries. The lawsuit against District Attorney Doug Evans is an outgrowth of a case where the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a murder conviction of an African American man, citing racial bias in jury selection. Evans has tried Curtis Flowers six times for murder in a 1996 slaying, charging that he gunned down four people execution-style in a Winona furniture store.




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China seen flexing legal muscles on Hong Kong

China seen flexing legal muscles on Hong KongCriticism from China’s rubber-stamp parliament of a Hong Kong court decision is raising concerns that Beijing may move to flex its legal muscles and overrule the verdict. A statement Tuesday from the National People’s Congress’ Legislative Affairs Commission said some deputies had expressed “strong dissatisfaction” with the Hong Kong court’s ruling, which struck down a ban on face masks at protests. Pro-Beijing figures had strongly urged the ban, which was imposed last month after Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam invoked emergency powers under a 1922 British colonial-era statute that allowed her to circumvent the Legislative Council.




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New York Times editor says Trump's comments have put his reporters' lives at risk

New York Times editor says Trump's comments have put his reporters' lives at riskThe executive editor of the New York Times has accused President Trump of putting his reporters’ lives at risk by subjecting them to personal abuse and describing them as “enemies of the people.”




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Israel intercepts rocket fire from Syria, reportedly hits back

Israel intercepts rocket fire from Syria, reportedly hits backIsrael's air defences intercepted four rockets fired from neighbouring Syria on Tuesday, the army said, prompting reported retaliatory missile strikes against the source of the fire. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the rockets were fired from positions around the capital held by groups loyal to the Damascus government. It did not elaborate on which group had launched the rockets or whether there had been any casualties in the retaliatory strikes.




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Cuomo Blasts Syracuse U Leadership After White-Supremacist Manifesto Allegedly AirDropped to Students

Cuomo Blasts Syracuse U Leadership After White-Supremacist Manifesto Allegedly AirDropped to StudentsPhoto by Brett Carlsen/Getty ImagesNew York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday blasted leadership at Syracuse University for its handling of ongoing hate speech and racist harassment on campus, which escalated overnight when a white-supremacist manifesto was allegedly AirDropped to some students’ cell phones.The university’s Department of Public Safety announced in a campus-wide email early Tuesday morning that it was investigating reports that the hate manifesto, which students told The Daily Beast was the same one used by the Christchurch mosque shooter, was sent to student phones at Bird Library at around 1 a.m. It was also posted in an online discussion forum about Greek life just after 10 p.m., The Daily Orange, the student newspaper, reported.“The hateful activities at Syracuse University are most disturbing, not only to the Syracuse University community, but to the greater community of New York,” Cuomo said in a press release on Tuesday afternoon. “They have not been handled in a manner that reflects this state's aggressive opposition to such odious, reckless, reprehensible behavior. That these actions should happen on the campus of a leading New York university makes this situation even worse.”Earlier this month, Cuomo ordered state agencies to investigate hate speech on the upstate school’s campus.The university’s DPS is working with the Syracuse Police Department, New York State Police, and the FBI to investigate the quickly escalating situation on campus, but the university’s DPS said there was no “specific” threat to the school Tuesday, The Daily Orange reported.In response to the events overnight, protesters have asked that the administration cancel classes and campus events.“Students are scared for their own safety,” tweeted Josh Meyers, a Syracuse student journalist, on Tuesday morning. “Campus is looking extra empty this morning.”“Students are truly terrified here,” he told The Daily Beast.The screed shared on Tuesday marks the 11th racist incident reported on campus since Nov. 6, including the Saturday night harassment of a black student by members of a fraternity who allegedly yelled the n-word at her as she waited for a bus. Others have included anti-Semitic and anti-Asian graffiti in the form of a swastika and slurs. The n-word was also reportedly found scribbled in residence halls and a physics building. In another incident, a student loudly yelled a racial slur against black Americans. Separately, a Chinese freshman reported a racial epithet being used against him.University Chancellor Kent Syverud said in a letter to students and staff Sunday that he was “deeply angered by these events” and hours later announced a $50,000 reward for any evidence that leads to “the apprehension of the individual or individuals responsible for these heinous acts.” The money came from a “generous” donor, he said. Otherwise, anyone with relevant information about the spate of incidents is encouraged to contact the Department of Public Safety directly.But Cuomo said Tuesday, after hours of silence from the university administration in the wake of the manifesto’s alleged release: “Despite his efforts, I do not believe Chancellor Syverud has handled this matter in a way that instills confidence.”“As we have learned repeatedly, these increasing exhibitions of hate and bigotry must be handled strongly, swiftly and justly,” said Cuomo, who also called for the school’s board of trustees to install a monitor. “That must be both the reality and the perception. Syracuse University and its leadership have failed to do that. It is your obligation to remedy the situation immediately.”The monitor, Cuomo said, must “effectively investigate these incidents, clearly communicate the facts with the board and to the State Police Hate Crimes Task Force and recommend a decisive strategy to address both the specific incidents and behavior.”Syracuse University Offers $50,000 Reward for Information About Racist Incidents on CampusEarlier this week, after it became clear that one of the hate incidents originated from a fraternity on campus, Syverud suspended Alpha Chi Rho and—in one fell swoop—directed the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs to suspend all social activities of fraternities for the remainder of the semester.“While only one fraternity may have been involved in this particular incident, given recent history, all fraternities must come together with the university community to reflect upon how to prevent recurrence of such seriously troubling behavior,” Syverud said.An ongoing campus sit-in has been staged by black students leading a movement called NotAgainSU, which also organized a boycott of Syracuse basketball games. The sit-in began last Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., and dozens of students have joined the effort inside the school’s Barnes Center at The Arch—a brand-new $50 million recreational complex. Participants have been holding signs that read “Black Safety Matters” and sharing their frustration on social media.Early Tuesday morning, demonstrators asked the administration to cancel all classes and campus events until further notice. “These active threats targeting students should be taken seriously and handled with a sense of urgency,” said a statement from the group on Tuesday. “We believe that students should stay in spaces where they feel the most comfortable, as safety is paramount.”The demonstrators have vowed not to end the protest until all of their demands—including the expulsion of students involved in what they’ve called the “November Hate Crimes”—are met. “The safety of students on this campus—specifically the safety of underrepresented and underserved students—is paramount,” the group said Monday in a press release.“I’ve never felt less safe on campus than I do right now,” said Claire Bauerle, an 18-year-old Syracuse freshman. Bauerle told The Daily Beast on Tuesday that she, a white student, wants students of color to know they are supported.“People aren’t involved just to be involved,” the Chicago native said.“It’s awful,” Bauerle added, emphasizing that students are afraid that it will escalate into a shooting. “It doesn’t feel real. It’s like walking through an awful nightmare.”“Whether or not tonight’s threat is credible, it’s tremendously irresponsible if Syracuse doesn’t cancel classes,” broadcast journalism major Sam Gelfand—a native of Parkland, Fla.— tweeted just after 3 a.m. on Tuesday.“People on this campus, myself included, are shaken, frightened, and fatigued. This is no environment for academics right now. Just let people go home,” he added.Gelfand, a sophomore, told The Daily Beast on Tuesday that he was “down the street from the Stoneman Douglas shooting while it occurred”—when 17 people died in one of the nation’s most harrowing school shootings in February 2018—and that while on campus at Syracuse today he found himself “drawing parallels.”“I was terrified last night,” Gelfand, who is Jewish, said. “These hateful incidents have consumed our lives; it’s all we can talk about.”The “lackluster response” from the administration and the DPS is, Gelfand added, “inexcusable.”Professors, meanwhile, were not immune to the campus tension. Several tweeted that they had either canceled classes or would not penalize students who chose not to attend Tuesday.“I will support and advocate for any students who choose not to go to class today,” Prof. Genevieve García de Müeller tweeted. “I support the students protesting and I urge the chancellor to uptake their demands in a serious and systemic way.”She added: “Most of my students have said they are not going to campus today. As a Mexican and Jewish woman I don’t feel safe going to campus. This is a direct attack. First and foremost I care about the safety of my students.”Late Tuesday afternoon, after days of intense national scrutiny, leaders at the university released a detailed, 11-page list of proposed campus changes, including a $1 million commitment to implement the responses over the next year. After meetings with a group of international students and protesters, Syverud said administrators have promised specific responses to each of the concerns voiced by students, including revisions to the student code of conduct, curriculum changes, increased access to resources, and better security. “As Chancellor, I take very seriously these immediate priorities, and commit to promptly achieving them, as well as to supporting the other important measures in the responses,” said Syverud. Kathy Walters, chair of Syracuse University’s Board of Trustees, later praised the plan’s comprehensiveness. “What he and members of his leadership team put forward is a plan with actionable solutions with real timelines, real deliverables, real resources and real accountability,” she said. “That’s what our students are asking for, that’s what our students deserve.”Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.




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Authorities: Body found in search for missing Missouri woman

Authorities: Body found in search for missing Missouri womanAuthorities have been searching since last week for Jennifer Rothwell, 28, a chemical engineer from St. Louis County, and she’s been presumed dead. “We’re going to follow up with DNA to do a total confirmation to make sure it is Jennifer Rothwell, but I do believe and detectives believe it is her,” St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar told reporters. Beau Rothwell was spotted Nov. 11 on video purchasing cleaning products, including bleach, carpet cleaner and gloves, according to a police probable cause statement.




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Trump claims first lady thought he'd had heart attack because of 'sick' media coverage of medical visit

Trump claims first lady thought he'd had heart attack because of 'sick' media coverage of medical visitDonald Trump claimed the first lady thought he had had a heart attack after the "sick" media reported on his unscheduled visit to a medical centre.The president was unexpectedly taken to the Walter Reed Medical Centre on Saturday in a visit that was not listed on his official engagements and which came just nine months after his annual physical.




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Meet Britain's Deadly Nuclear Missile Submarines

Meet Britain's Deadly Nuclear Missile SubmarinesA powerful deterrent.




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‘Fire magicians’ and medieval weaponry: a Hong Kong university under siege

‘Fire magicians’ and medieval weaponry: a Hong Kong university under siegeFor three days last week, anti-government protesters camped out at Hong Kong's sprawling Polytechnic University prepared for what they feared might be a bloody, even deadly, battle with police. In the university's heart, littered with smashed glass and covered in revolutionary graffiti spray-painted on the walls, the black-clad demonstrators in gas masks sawed metal poles into batons and practiced firing rocks from a makeshift catapult. Nearby, others ferried around crates of petrol bombs and wrapped arrows in cloth to set aflame.




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Christine Blasey Ford makes rare public remarks, a year after Kavanaugh ordeal

Christine Blasey Ford makes rare public remarks, a year after Kavanaugh ordealProfessor who accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault says ‘I did not feel courageous. I was simply doing my duty as a citizen’Dr Christine Blasey Ford accepting an award from the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California in Beverly Hills on Sunday night. Photograph: Alberto E Rodríguez/Getty ImagesChristine Blasey Ford, who accused supreme court justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, made a rare public appearance on Sunday night.“When I came forward last September,” she said, accepting an award from the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California in Beverly Hills, “I did not feel courageous. I was simply doing my duty as a citizen.”embed“I understood that not everyone would welcome my information, and I was prepared for a variety of outcomes, including being dismissed.”Blasey Ford, a professor of psychology at Palo Alto University in California, came forward in September 2018, as Kavanaugh’s nomination was before the Senate.In testimony before the Senate judiciary committee, she alleged that he assaulted her at a party in suburban Maryland in 1982, pinning her down, groping her, trying to remove her clothing and putting his hand over her mouth when she screamed.Kavanaugh angrily denied the allegation – and similar claims against him – and was confirmed as Donald Trump’s second supreme court pick.His ascent, after that of Neil Gorsuch, tipped the ideological balance of the highest court in favour of conservative justices.Kavanaugh also appeared in public last week, addressing an event on Friday in Washington and staged by the Federalist Society, the rightwing group which has played an influential role in Trump’s supreme court picks.“I signed up for what I knew would be an ugly process,” he said. But he said he had expected his confirmation to be “maybe not that ugly”.Kavanaugh was confirmed by just two votes, the narrowest margin for a supreme court justice since 1881.His appearance at Union Station in Washington was greeted by protests, including women dressed up as characters from The Handmaid’s Tale television series.Last year, lawyers for Ford said her life had been “turned upside down” and she had effectively gone into hiding, such was the vitriol directed her way after her testimony in the Senate.Ford “received a stunning amount of support from her community and from fellow citizens across our country”, the lawyers said in a letter to Senate judiciary committee chairman, Chuck Grassley.“At the same time, however, her worst fears have materialized. She has been the target of vicious harassment and even death threats. As a result of these kind of threats, her family was forced to relocate out of their home. Her email has been hacked, and she has been impersonated online.”At the Beverly Hills event on Sunday, Blasey Ford accepted the Roger Baldwin Courage Award, named for the founder of the ACLU. When coming forward, she said, she had “simply thought that it was my duty as a citizen and that anyone in my position would do the same thing”.




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Ukrainian gas executive cooperating in US probe of Giuliani

Ukrainian gas executive cooperating in US probe of GiulianiFederal prosecutors in New York are investigating Rudy Giuliani's business dealings, including whether he failed to register as a foreign agent.




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‘We were not hidden’: Jeffrey Epstein accuser pleads with Prince Andrew to speak to FBI

‘We were not hidden’: Jeffrey Epstein accuser pleads with Prince Andrew to speak to FBIAn alleged victim of billionaire sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein has pleaded for Prince Andrew to provide evidence against the disgraced financier, after revealing she was invited to a party where he was due to be among the attendees.Giving her name only as Jane Doe 15 – a common anonymous pseudonym in the US – the now-31-year-old said during a press conference that she had been raped by Epstein at his Zorro Ranch in New Mexico.




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Impeachment hearings: Trump Ukraine scandal isn’t just another partisan dispute

Impeachment hearings: Trump Ukraine scandal isn’t just another partisan disputeHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats have begun to refer to what President Trump did as bribery. A better word might be extortion: Our view




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Lieutenant Colonel Vindman refuses to answer question that could out whistleblower

Lieutenant Colonel Vindman refuses to answer question that could out whistleblowerDuring Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman's testimony at a public hearing in the House's impeachment inquiry, he declined to answer questions from Ranking Member Nunes about who he may have told about the July 25 phone call.




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The Twitter Ads That Weren’t


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Guardian identified for small child found wandering Sunday morning by Fort Myers police

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