Fourteenth Amendment
Section 3
No Person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Amdt14.S3.1 Disqualification from Holding Office
Amdt14.S3.1.1 Disqualification Clause
https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/amendment-14/section-3/
More supposedly voter-fraud protections won't stop the root cause of perceptions of vote fraud: opportunistic politicians who spread misinformation about the election system to promote laws to suppress the votes of marginal people in our society, the youth and minorities
https://twitter.com/ElectProject/status/1356231631577772035
Don't believe me? Bill Barr said there were no cases of widespread fraud that affected the election, backed up by election officials and law enforcement. None. There is no need for more suppressive "voter protection" laws. The system works
https://twitter.com/ElectProject/status/1356234202509942789
Last minute of the game, Westbrook plays great defense denying KD the ball in the post leading to a Joe Harris drive and miss. Russ then goes coast-to-coast and scores on KD at the other end.
https://streamable.com/y4a4sk
Zach LaVine in January: 28.3/5.8/5.8 on 53.8/45.6/87.9. Joins Steph Curry (2x) as the only players in NBA history to put up 25/5/5 on 50/45/85% shooting in a month.
President Joe Biden has told Congress he will rescind a last-minute move by President Donald Trump to cut nearly $30 billion in funding to multiple federal agencies. Top Democrats had immediately rejected Trump's proposed rescissions, which affected a total of 28 government agencies, including the Treasury and the Departments for Agriculture, Commerce, and Education, partly on the grounds that Trump had less than a month left in office.
https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-reverses-trumps-bid-to-cut-274-billion-government-spending-2021-2
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/31/letter-from-president-joe-biden-to-the-speaker-of-the-house-of-representatives-and-the-president-of-the-senate/
A federal court has vacated the Trump administration's "secret science" Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule, which critics had said would undermine the use of public health studies in agency rulemaking. The decision comes after the Biden administration asked the court to throw out the rule restricting the EPA's use of studies that don't make their underlying data publicly available.
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/536787-court-tosses-trump-epas-secret-science-rule
U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper's first big task is helping wrangle COVID relief talks
https://www.denverpost.com/2021/01/29/john-hickenlooper-covid-relief-congress/
Rep. Jackie Speier wants Biden and the Defense Department to start screening the social media accounts of service members and other individuals with sensitive roles for any white supremacist or extremist ties.
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1356308836253130753
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EtKrl-PXYAQs8D7?format=jpg&name=small
@WVGovernor Jim Justice: "I've not had the privilege to see either plan...there is a tremendous difference between $1.9 trillion and $600 billion...I don't think that American can go wrong being too high...America's got to go to the higher number."
https://twitter.com/i/status/1356307930254106626
https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1356307930254106626
Reminder from Sept 2020: A more conservative Supreme Court is primed to weaken or nix Roe v. Wade even with Joe Biden in the White House. Here are 16 abortion cases in the pipeline to the high court.
https://businessinsider.com/rbg-abortion-rights-supreme-court-trump-roe-wade-nominee-2020-9
Black History Month is a chance to remember those who have made enormous contributions to this country, but it's also an opportunity to remember that those contributions didn't just come from major figures. They also came from millions of Black folks whose names we'll never know. It's the stories of ordinary Black people, those still living and those who have passed, that I think of most when we reflect on this country's history. It's the story of Frederick Douglass, but also the story of the millions of other enslaved people whose voices we don't hear. It's the story of Dr. King and of Rosa Parks, but also the story of the millions of Black people across the country and across generations who fought for civil rights in their local towns, communities, and neighborhoods. The stories that didn't make the front page of the paper. It's the stories that take seriously the impact centuries of oppression have had on Black people, while not limiting conceptions of Blackness singularly to a history of violence. It is a recognition of all that Black folks have done and continue to do *in spite of* that violence. It's essential to remember the exceptional contributions Black people have made to America, but also important to remember that Black people don't need to do anything "exceptional" to justify or legitimate their place in this country.
The development marks the latest instance of how Frank Biden's business ties sometimes have coincided with his older brother's time in office. Last week, CNBC reported that Frank Biden touted his relationship with his brother, and their shared commitment to environmental issues, in a law firm's newspaper ad that ran on Inauguration Day. That revelation drew a rebuke from the White House, as Joe Biden has sought to limit ties between his administration and his family's business dealings. "The president's name should not be used in connection with any commercial activities to suggest, or in any way that could reasonably understood to imply, his endorsement or support," a White House official told CNBC. White House press secretary Jen Psaki reiterated the administration's position in a press conference last week. | Frank Biden previously told CNBC that he "will never be employed by any lobbyist or lobbying firm." Indeed, there is no evidence that Biden was involved with the lobbying effort for Chesapeake. Frank Biden has another LinkedIn page that only highlights his work with the Berman Law Group, the Florida law firm that bought the Jan. 20 ad touting the younger Biden's work as an advisor. Abruzzo, in a lengthy statement, said that Frank Biden was not involved in any matters related to the Delmarva-Cassidy lobbying effort. Frank Biden was not involved in any meetings or discussions or procurement related to Cassidy and Associates or federal lobbying efforts by Cassidy and Associates on behalf of Chesapeake Petroleum and Supply in 2016," Joseph Abruzzo (an owner of the now-defunct company) said. "Frank Biden never attended a meeting with Cassidy and Associates or any government agency or official, nor did he communicate in any manner with a government agency or official in 2016 or any other subsequent year on behalf of Chesapeake Petroleum and Supply Co. There was never any federal government business obtained or procured with or through Delmarva Group, LLC. To Delmarva Group's knowledge, Chesapeake Petroleum and Supply Co. decided not to move forward with expanding their federal government practice."
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/01/frank-biden-linked-to-firm-involved-in-effort-to-lobby-obama-administration-in-2016.html
___________________________
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/01/statement-by-president-joseph-r-biden-jr-on-the-situation-in-burma/
Statement by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on the Situation in Burma
February 01, 2021 • Statements and Releases
The military's seizure of power in Burma, the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian officials, and the declaration of a national state of emergency are a direct assault on the country's transition to democracy and the rule of law. In a democracy, force should never seek to overrule the will of the people or attempt to erase the outcome of a credible election. For almost a decade, the people of Burma have been steadily working to establish elections, civilian governance, and the peaceful transfer of power. That progress should be respected.
The international community should come together in one voice to press the Burmese military to immediately relinquish the power they have seized, release the activists and officials they have detained, lift all telecommunications restrictions, and refrain from violence against civilians. The United States is taking note of those who stand with the people of Burma in this difficult hour. We will work with our partners throughout the region and the world to support the restoration of democracy and the rule of law, as well as to hold accountable those responsible for overturning Burma's democratic transition.
The United States removed sanctions on Burma over the past decade based on progress toward democracy. The reversal of that progress will necessitate an immediate review of our sanction laws and authorities, followed by appropriate action.
The United States will stand up for democracy wherever it is under attack.
___________________________
Japan demands restoration of democracy in Myanmar
https://thehill.com/policy/international/asia-pacific/536717-japan-demands-restoration-of-democracy-in-myanmar
US Doctor and his team are 'brutally beaten' by police as they try to help victims of vicious clashes as Indian farmers' protests turn violent
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9205129/US-doctor-team-brutally-beaten-police.html
Israel's vaccination programme is showing signs of working to drive down infections and illness in the over-60s - figures show 531 over-60s, out of almost 750,000 fully vaccinated, tested positive for coronavirus (0.07%)
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55706855
Charles Manson believed the tensions between blacks and whites in the counter-cultural boiling pot of the 1960s would erupt into a cataclysmic race war that would end in the slaughter of nearly all white people. He called this doomsday scenario "Helter Skelter." In the scenario, the tensions between the races would lead to violent murders of whites by blacks, which would be met in return with murders of blacks by whites, and so on, until a full scale war erupted. At the same time, in Manson's theory, white people would turn against their neighbors, leading the white race to fight both itself and the blacks at the same time until it was annihilated and blacks emerged victorious. Meanwhile, Manson and his followers would crawl down a secret hole in Death Valley and wait out the bloody war in a secret underground city. Upon the war's end, the group would rise from the desert and rule the victorious blacks, whom Manson thought would be incapable of governing themselves. Manson became obsessed with the Beatles' White Album, which included a song called "Helter Skelter." Manson believed the Beatles had sent subtle, coded messages about the race war through the songs on the album that predicted both the war and the Manson Family's eventual rule over the survivors. Manson took the name of his doomsday scenario from the song "Helter Skelter," but interpreted lyrics from songs across the album. He compared the lyrics to verses he found in the Book of Revelations, which he interpreted as having predicted the Beatles as harbingers of the apocalypse. This is also where he confirmed his theory of a bottomless pit where the family would wait out the war. Manson became impatient after his race war failed to materialize. He told his followers that they needed to give the war a kick - to "do what blackie didn't have the energy or the smarts to do - ignite Helter Skelter and bring in Charlie's kingdom," according to Tex Watson, one of Manson's followers.
Yikes, Holy Fucking Yikes: Dustin Diamond, who portrayed Screech, the awkward but lovable anti-heartthrob in the 1990's sitcom "Saved by the Bell", has died at 44, lung cancer.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/01/entertainment/dustin-diamond-obit/index.html
Schumer announces on Senate floor that he and Pelosi are filing a budget resolution reconciliation today, setting up a way to skirt Republicans on covid19 relief if needed, then adds, "There is nothing in this process that would preclude it from being bipartisan."
https://twitter.com/katierogers/status/1356342283856191488
There's nothing preventing Republicans from joining reconciliation
Karl Rove had the John Weaver story back in 2004
https://theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/11/karl-rove-in-a-corner/303537/
When the state shut down around her in March, 67-year-old Joyce Babineau, a supermarket employee in Dartmouth, Mass., was among the many workers who stayed on the job providing basic needs during the pandemic. She felt pride walking into Stop & Shop at 6 a.m. five days a week. She also felt constant dread knowing she was risking the health of her husband, who had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. At home after her nine-hour shift, she'd dash to the basement to strip off her work clothes and dump them straight into the washer, and then scrub herself in the shower. Only then would she greet her spouse, Paul Babineau, a 76-year-old U.S. Coast Guard veteran so friendly she nicknamed him "the welcome wagon." Now, months later, Ms. Babineau has a new after-work routine. She walks to her fireplace mantel, lights a candle and talks to the gold urn that holds her husband's ashes. "I talk to him and tell him I'm sorry," she says. "Because I brought it home." | Now unsure if she can still afford to retire, Ms. Babineau rises at 4:30 a.m. for work each day, putting on her Stop & Shop shirt and now, a heart locket, containing some of her husband's ashes, around her neck. She says she kisses it during her shift.
https://wsj.com/articles/pandemic-wears-on-essential-workers-everybody-forgets-that-youre-still-on-the-front-line-11612197832
In the pre-Trump and pre-Obama days, everyone would look at Republicans offering $618B and Dems $1.9T and conclude that they would end up at $1.25T, then add LIHEAP for Collins and a big earmark for West Virginia. But Billy Joel said the good old days weren't always good.
The standard by which this column judges Portman renders every other Republican -- including late-coming anti-Trump voices like Kinzinger, Romney and Cheney -- "worse than Marjorie Taylor Greene."
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has delivered an ultimatum to Kevin McCarthy: Either Republicans move on their own to strip Marjorie Taylor Greene of her committee assignments within 72 hours, or Democrats will bring the issue to the House floor.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/01/democrats-marjorie-taylor-greene-ultimatum-464382
Wall Street profits off of working people/rigged system for decades.
Reddit users creatively deploy said rigged system against Wall Street **once**.
Wall Street gets pissed.
You know what would be great? If the system wasn't rigged to start with.
The Orioles received a higher organizational-ranked prospect for Alex Cobb than the Rockies did for Nolan Arenado: 2B Jahmai Jones, the Angels' second-round pick in 2015, is headed to the Orioles in the Alex Cobb trade, sources tell me and @FabianArdaya.
https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1356310740194504704
The Rays have signed RHPs Adrian De Horta and Yacksel Ríos to minor league contracts with invitations to big-league camp. The Rays also invited INF Wander Franco, 1B/OF Dalton Kelly, INF Esteban Quiroz and C/OF Brett Sullivan to Major League Spring Training camp.
https://twitter.com/Feinsand/status/1356346769257476101
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_(musician)
On National Freedom Day, we commit to intensify our efforts on behalf of those who live without freedom. Nearly 25M people globally are exploited by human traffickers. The U.S. takes seriously our role as a leader in the global fight to #Endtrafficking.
https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1356263589468844033
They stormed the Capitol to overturn the results of an election they didn't vote in
https://cnn.com/2021/02/01/us/capitol-rioters-non-voters-invs/index.html
VP Harris had her first phone call with a world leader - Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau. Mostly unsurprising, but the highlighted part was not in the White House summary of the Biden/Trudeau call of Jan 22.
Marjorie Taylor Greene doesn't live in her district. If they remove her from committees, she is likely done.
As Black History Month begins today, we remember and honor those who have come before, and we work to build a brighter future for all who follow in their steps. Our ongoing charge is to build a more just and inclusive America.
https://twitter.com/VP/status/1356301475530612737
A judge today ordered Couy Griffin, the "Cowboys for Trump" founder charged in the Capitol insurrection, jailed pending trial.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetillman/cowboys-for-trump-jail-trial
Harassed by guards and extorted by inmates, Jeffrey Epstein shared suicidal thoughts at NYC federal jail. Before he committed suicide, Jeffrey Epstein got an early taste of hell. The multimillionaire sex offender was extorted by inmates and ignored by staff as he became increasingly suicidal, Metropolitan Correctional Center inmates told the Daily News in exclusive interviews. "He was saying he's going to kill himself because the government is trying to kill him anyway," one inmate recalled. Shocking details about Epstein's one-month stay behind bars in lower Manhattan were corroborated by the niece of Efrain "Stone" Reyes, who was the last inmate to share a cell with the multimillionaire sex offender. "Epstein was very depressed and he mentioned to my uncle that he didn't want to live anymore and my uncle was telling him, 'Don't do any of this while I'm in the room,' " Angelique Lopez told The News. "My uncle just wanted to do his time and get out."
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-epstein-mcc-suicide-20201228-fk2h7hzynzburdqwb44jydllnq-story.html
Durbin wants a hearing for Merrick Garland on Feb. 8, but there's a problem: Lindsey Graham is still chairman of the committee because the Senate's power-sharing agreement has not been finalized yet. Until it is, Dems need Republican backing to schedule hearings https://durbin.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Letter%20to%20Graham%20re%20Garland%20Hearing%20-%202.1.21%20final%20for%20Durbin%20review(001).pdf
The union that represents rank-and-file US Capitol Police officers has scheduled a vote of no-confidence for three of the department's top leaders, according to a memo obtained by @PeterNickeas. It says USCP can't begin to "address systemic failures" w/o new leadership.
https://twitter.com/ZcohenCNN/status/1356365158273216518
Prosecuting a crime is justice. Your tweet is vindictive. Your actions disingenuous, self-serving and proof you're still part of the Big Lie cult. And you oppose the Covid19 relief bill.
https://twitter.com/SenTedCruz/status/1356328344619540482
__________________________________
https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/dr-jill-biden/
ill Biden, Ed.D., is the First Lady of the United States, a community college educator, and bestselling author. Dr. Biden also served as Second Lady of the United States from 2009–2017.
Early Life and Career
Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden was born on June 3, 1951, in Hammonton, New Jersey, to Bonny Jean G-dfrey Jacobs and Donald Carl Jacobs. The oldest of five daughters, she grew up in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia. She graduated from Upper Moreland High School in 1969, then graduated from the University of Delaware with a bachelor's degree in English in 1975.
In 1976, Jill Biden began teaching English at St. Mark's High School in Wilmington. She then became a reading specialist at Claymont High School. At that time, she was also pursuing a Master of Education with a specialty in reading from West Chester University. She completed her first master's degree in 1981.
In 1975, she met then-Senator Joe Biden. They married at the United Nations Chapel in New York City in 1977 and she became the mother of his two sons, Beau and Hunter. Their daughter, Ashley, was born in 1981.
Jill Biden taught English at Rockford Center psychiatric hospital while also pursuing a Master of Arts in English from Villanova University. In 1993, she accepted a job at Delaware Technical Community College. In 2007, she received a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in educational leadership from the University of Delaware.
When Joe Biden became Vice President and the Bidens moved to Washington, DC, Dr. Biden continued her career at Northern Virginia Community College, teaching throughout their eight years in office.
Second Lady
As Second Lady, Dr. Biden focused on advocating for community colleges, military families, and the education of women and girls around the world.
As the Obama-Biden Administration focused on recovering from the 2008 economic recession, Dr. Biden worked to underscore the critical role of community colleges in the nation's economy. She hosted the first-ever White House Summit on Community Colleges with President Obama and led the Community College to Career Bus Tour to highlight industry partnerships between community colleges and employers. She also became the honorary chair of the College Promise National Advisory Board, leading the effort to make community colleges free for hard-working students.
The daughter of a Navy Signalman and the mother of Major Beau Biden, a soldier in the Delaware Army National Guard, Dr. Biden has been a longtime advocate for military families. As Second Lady, she launched Joining Forces with First Lady Michelle Obama, an initiative to support service members, veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. She also released a children's book in 2012, Don't Forget, G-d Bless Our Troops, the story of their family's experience with deployment through the eyes of Dr. Biden's granddaughter, Natalie, in the year her father, Beau, was deployed to Iraq.
During her first White House tenure, Dr. Biden traveled to nearly forty countries, visiting military bases, hospitals, and refugee camps, and advocating for education and economic empowerment for women and girls.
Dr. Biden's advocacy for more cancer education and prevention began in 1993, when four of her friends were diagnosed with breast cancer. Following that year, she launched the Biden Breast Health Initiative to educate Delaware high school girls about the importance of early detection. After Dr. Biden and then-Vice President Joe Biden lost their son Beau to brain cancer in 2015, they helped push for a national commitment to ending cancer as we know it through the White House Cancer Moonshot.
Life After the Obama-Biden Administration
Following the Obama-Biden Administration, then-former Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden launched the Biden Foundation and the Biden Cancer Initiative.
Her New York Times bestselling memoir, Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself was published in 2019. That was followed by her second children's book, JOEY: The Story of Joe Biden, which was published in 2020.
First Lady
As First Lady, Dr. Biden continues her work for education, military families, and fighting cancer. She is a professor of writing at Northern Virginia Community College.
"Teaching isn't just what I do, it's who I am."
Dr. Jill Biden
__________________________________
Good: In addition to DOJ's ask to SCOTUS today re the border wall, the admin is also beginning to put lawsuits launched under Trump that were intended to acquire private land for the purpose of border wall construction on hold:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/01/politics/supreme-court-border-wall-asylum/index.html
Lagoon, Spanish Water Dog (3 y/o), Central Park, New York, NY • "'Lags' for short. He made the long transatlantic trip from Malaga, Spain to New York City. He's the only one (Spanish Water Dog) we know of in the area. Everyone mistakes him for a doodle."
https://twitter.com/ericgeller/status/1356369716311445504
HOYER: "The resolution intro'ed at today's pro forma would remove Rep Greene from her cmte assignments. It is my hope + expectation Rs will do the right thing + hold Rep. Greene accountable + we will not need to consider this resolution. But we are prepared to do so if necessary"
https://twitter.com/AlexNBCNews/status/1356369674766852104
The roll call vote on confirmation of the Buttigieg nomination to be Secretary of Transportation @USDOT will still occur at 12:00pm noon on Tuesday, 2/2.
https://twitter.com/SenateCloakroom/status/1356369309367480322
ROLL CALL VOTE UPDATE: The previously scheduled roll call vote on confirmation the Mayorkas nomination to be Secretary of Homeland Security @DHSgov will now occur at 2:30pm on Tuesday, February 2nd.
https://twitter.com/SenateCloakroom/status/1356369308436328450
A new whistleblower complaint accuses Ken Cuccinelli, a top Trump homeland security official, of acting without legal authority to sabotage President Biden's ability to manage ICE.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/01/us/politics/cuccinelli-biden-ice.html
When some people say you should condemn the crazy conspiracy theorist in your ranks but it's tough because condemning her would upset the largest group in your party, you have a problem beyond one crazy conspiracy theorist in your ranks.
https://politico.com/news/2021/02/01/democrats-marjorie-taylor-greene-ultimatum-464382
___________________________
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2021/02/01/remember-there-was-an-attempted-coup-against-the-united-states-less-than-a-month-ago/
Remember: There Was An Attempted Coup Against The U.S. Less Than A Month Ago
Do not forget, and do not let them try to make you forget—not until there is justice and accountability.
by David Atkins
February 1, 2021
Among the unique characteristics of American politics is our capacity to forget the unpleasant and inconvenient.
After a sitting president burgled his opponent's headquarters and then tried to sack his entire Justice Department, his successor pardoned him in the service of "unity" and his party went on to thrive in the aftermath. Just over a decade later, there was an enormous scandal involving the secret sale of weapons to America's top-profile international enemy to fund murderous paramilitaries on our own continent. The criminals involved were pardoned, the president involved feigned ignorance and then got the national capital's airport named after him. Shortly thereafter, another Republican president lied the country into a costly and devastating war from which there remains no exit, then oversaw the worst natural disaster response in American history before catapulting the nation into the greatest economic calamity since the Great Depression. Within a decade, both parties seem to have forgotten that he even existed except to be seen as a respectable elder statesman at funerals and public functions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watergate_scandal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Massacre
https://www.brown.edu/Research/Understanding_the_Iran_Contra_Affair/thepardons.php
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ronald-Reagan/The-Iran-Contra-Affair
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/12/leadup-iraq-war-timeline/
https://www.vox.com/2015/8/23/9191907/hurricane-katrina
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Recession
https://www.businessinsider.com/michelle-obama-george-w-bush-friendship-history-photos-2019-12
Then came Donald Trump. Trump, his catastrophic failures and extraordinary malfeasance have not yet been forgotten because he still dominates the Republican Party. But his most horrific transgression is already receding into the background of the nation's collective memory. So let's all remind ourselves of what happened just this month.
This month—25 days ago!—there was an armed, murderous insurrection against the government of the United States. This insurrection was based on a months-long campaign of spurious lies that the election had been stolen somehow from Trump. These lies were enabled by intentional Republican policies like insisting on counting mail ballots late in order to create the impression of falsification, by the conservative infotainment brigade that promoted the calumnies of Trump and his lawyers, and crucially by hundreds of Republican politicians who backed the president's lies in statehouses and on the floor of Congress.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/31/us/trump-election-lie.html
https://couriernewsroom.com/2020/11/04/pa-ballot-delay/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/01/19/never-forget-fox-newss-promotion-big-lie/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/12/11/126-house-republicans-now-support-lawsuit-to-overturn-election-in-updated-brief/?sh=d6e5cc8e5db0
Major GOP members of Congress and well-funded conservative groups organized the massive public event at the Capitol. The president's apparatchiks in the Pentagon denied National Guard assistance to the Capitol Police, who were dramatically underprepared for what was to come—even though the President himself knew that perhaps over 10,000 troops would be needed.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/12/politics/gop-lawmakers-fiery-language-under-scrutiny-invs/index.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/capitol-rally-organizers-before-riots/2021/01/16/c5b40250-552d-11eb-a931-5b162d0d033d_story.html
https://www.businessinsider.com/pentagon-hindered-dc-national-guard-response-to-insurrection-attempt-report-2021-1
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/01/embedding-with-pentagon-leadership-in-trumps-chaotic-last-week
And then the attempted coup began. Even as molotov cocktails and pipe bombs were staged at national party headquarters and elsewhere–likely as distractions–the Capitol building began to be overrun. Paramilitary militia men and women with military-style radios and handcuff zipties rolled through the halls and onto the floor of the Senate. They sought to kill or kidnap members of Congress, shoot the Speaker of the House and hang the Vice President from a makeshift scaffold, even as the legislators barely escaped with their lives by a matter of minutes thanks only to the heroism and quick thinking of handfuls of Capitol Police. They stole government computers with the intent to sell them to the Russian secret service. They sought to deliberately decapitate the line of succession behind Trump.
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/washington-dc-pipe-bombs-and-cooler-of-molotov-cocktails/65-d3fe68e9-0b79-4882-95ed-070da6abf2ee
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_storming_of_the_United_States_Capitol
https://www.businessinsider.com/women-charged-capitol-riot-shoot-nancy-pelosi-2021-1
https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/01/11/capitol-assault-a-more-sinister-attack-than-first-appeared/
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/live-blog/electoral-college-certification-updates-n1252864/ncrd1253129#blogHeader
https://www.wsj.com/articles/lawmakers-were-feet-and-seconds-away-from-confrontation-with-the-mob-in-the-capitol-11610481854
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/capitol-rioter-plotted-sell-stolen-pelosi-laptop-russian-intelligence-n1254583
The seditious putsch plotters reportedly knew precisely not only where the Members' offices were, but also their unmarked private workspaces in what appears may have been an inside job. As they went door to door in search of the Speaker of the House with murder on their minds, one Republican member of the House tweeted out the Speaker's movements from the floor while being protected by the police, after allegedly having given some of the insurrectionists a tour of the Capitol just days before.
https://www.tmz.com/2021/01/10/more-evidence-capitol-riot-was-inside-job-jim-clyburn/
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/08/congress-democrats-capitol-riot-inside-job-456725
https://coloradonewsline.com/2021/01/11/rep-boebert-under-scrutiny-for-tweets-relaying-intel-during-capitol-attack/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/01/19/lauren-boebert-tour-capitol-riots/
They failed by the narrowest of windows. But they did succeed in murdering a police officer. They clamored for the murder of others, shouting to kill one with his own gun. They injured dozens of others. One lost an eye; others suffered traumatic brain injuries. Another officer committed suicide afterward. And curiously, the only reinforcements during the event for hours came not to assist the officers–who were deliberately instructed to stand down without armed violence except under extreme duress–but to quickly secure and drag to medical attention the only insurrectionist fatally wounded by police.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55866716
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/15/police-officer-capitol-mob-kill-him-with-his-own-gun
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/police-capitol-injuires-trump/2021/01/11/ca68e3e2-5438-11eb-a08b-f1381ef3d207_story.html
https://www.newsweek.com/capitol-police-union-reveals-cops-suffered-brain-injuries-loss-eye-after-pro-trump-riot-1564993
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/second-officer-capitol-riot-dies-suicide-police-chief-says-n1256003
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/01/08/coup-j08.html
It was not, as most journalistic organizations are calling it, a "mob" or a "riot." It was an attempted coup, an insurrection, a mass assassination attempt. Those who perpetrated it were remarkably allowed to exit with their stolen loot and disappear into the night on their own recognizance, and while many have been arrested or are under surveillance, many are remain at large with whereabouts unknown. The President of the United States, having sent his army to the Capitol, did nothing to quell the violence for hours. Reportedly, the president grinned with glee and excitement as he watched the autogolpe unfold. And then that very same evening 147 Republican members of the House of Representatives sustained the President's same lies that prompted the insurrection from the floor of the House—an act that, had it succeeded as a majority position, would have overturned the will of the voters and the Electoral College, functionally installing Trump as an unelected dictator. Two Republican Senators did the same from the floor of the Senate. All of them did so in a direct affront to their colleagues who were almost murdered in front of their eyes just hours previously.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dejected-trump-supporters-leave-washington-create-new-theories-capitol-violence-n1253407
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/533403-sasse-says-trump-was-delighted-and-excited-by-reports-of-capitol-riot
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/07/us/elections/electoral-college-biden-objectors.html
https://nowthisnews.com/politics/lawmakers-call-for-expulsion-of-cruz-hawley-who-voted-to-overturn-election-results
This All Happened Less Than A Month Ago
And now? Forty-five Republican Senators remarkably voted that there shouldn't even be an impeachment trial at all, under the theory that if a president commits high crimes in the waning days of his presidency he cannot be held accountable at all. The conservative media wurlitzer is pretending the incident never took place, that it was a minor blip on the political radar, that it was justified or a false flag perpetrated by leftists.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/01/26/us/biden-trump-impeachment
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/01/mcconnell-trump-impeachment-insurrection-senate-trial-dismiss-former.html
Meanwhile, President Biden has taken office and most of the press has settled into its comfortable role of analyzing stimulus talks, wondering if a few Republican Senators can draw out the negotiations, kvetching over deficits and reconciliation rules as if many of these same legislators hadn't just been engaged in a coup against democracy just three weeks earlier. None of the insurrectionists has even been charged yet for the injury or murder of a police officer. Congresswoman Boebert has not yet been forced under oath to explain in public why she was tweeting out the Speaker's location. One of the Congressmembers who supported the president's assault on democracy just flew to the district of one of his Republican colleagues who had the temerity to hold the former president accountable, staging a rally in her backyard to encourage her removal in the next election. And after a short joke of an impeachment trial in which most Republicans will dutifully acquit the lead instigator of the failed coup, most of the political establishment will send the entire incident down the memory hole, encouraging Americans to "look forward not backward."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/01/31/gop-stimulus-compromise/
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/28/politics/gaetz-cheney-rally-cheyenne-republican-reaction/index.html
But we cannot. There was a violent, murderous coup attempt against the United States less than a month ago. None of the pawns have yet been charged with the most serious crimes. None of the most powerful people who truly instigated it have faced any accountability at all. And nothing has structurally changed to prevent it from happening again.
Do not forget, and do not let them try to make you forget. Not until there is justice and accountability.
David Atkins is a writer, activist and research professional living in Santa Barbara. He is a contributor to the Washington Monthly's Political Animal and president of The Pollux Group, a qualitative research firm.
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Schumer, Pelosi File Joint FY2021 Budget Resolution To Give Congress Additional Legislative Tool To Pass Urgently-Needed COVID Relief
https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schumer-pelosi-file-joint-fy2021-budget-resolution-to-give-congress-additional-legislative-tool-to-pass-urgently-needed-covid-relief
Immediate relief for individuals and families throughout 2021 including $1,400 per-person and per-child direct payments, an extension of unemployment insurance programs through September 2021 with a $400/week federal enhancement, and $350 billion in critical state, local, Tribal and territorial fiscal relief. The resolution will also provide funds to greatly increase health care coverage to Americans that have lost it through no fault of their own during the pandemic.
https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schumer-pelosi-file-joint-fy2021-budget-resolution-to-give-congress-additional-legislative-tool-to-pass-urgently-needed-covid-relief
Funding to help defeat the coronavirus including through support for vaccines, testing, and public health programs. It also includes funding to help K-12 schools safely re-open and provides crucial support for the child care sys
https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schumer-pelosi-file-joint-fy2021-budget-resolution-to-give-congress-additional-legislative-tool-to-pass-urgently-needed-covid-relief
Relief funds for the millions of Americans struggling to make rent and mortgage payments, as well as those experiencing homelessness. The resolution also includes funding for transit agencies deeply impacted by the pandemic and support for the use of the Defense Production Act to expand domestic production of supplies critical to beating the coronavirus.
https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schumer-pelosi-file-joint-fy2021-budget-resolution-to-give-congress-additional-legislative-tool-to-pass-urgently-needed-covid-relief
Additional relief for our nation's small businesses and hard-hit industries through increased funding for EIDL Advance grants, the creation of a dedicated grant relief program for restaurants, expanded PPP assistance for nonprofits and digital media services, more funds for Save Our Stages grants to independent live venues, independent movie theaters and cultural institutions, and new community navigator technical assistance to help connect underserved communities with critical resources.
https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schumer-pelosi-file-joint-fy2021-budget-resolution-to-give-congress-additional-legislative-tool-to-pass-urgently-needed-covid-relief
Funding for crucial investments in broadband and distance learning and relief for Amtrak and the aviation sector struggling with declining revenues and volumes due to COVID-19.
https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schumer-pelosi-file-joint-fy2021-budget-resolution-to-give-congress-additional-legislative-tool-to-pass-urgently-needed-covid-relief
Funding for the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund to ramp up the President's national vaccination program and provide flexible, targeted assistance to state, local, Tribal, territorial and the District of Columbia governments, as well as those individuals hit hardest by the pandemic.
https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schumer-pelosi-file-joint-fy2021-budget-resolution-to-give-congress-additional-legislative-tool-to-pass-urgently-needed-covid-relief
Support for hungry families through programs like SNAP, WIC, and Pandemic-EBT. This also includes critical funding for the food supply chain and the Agriculture Department's lending and financial assistance programs to support farmers across the country.
https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schumer-pelosi-file-joint-fy2021-budget-resolution-to-give-congress-additional-legislative-tool-to-pass-urgently-needed-covid-relief
Health care and other support to meet the needs of veterans during the coronavirus pandemic. These funds will support vaccine distribution, expanded mental health care, enhanced telehealth capabilities, extended support for veterans who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless, PPE and supplies for clinical employees, and improved supply chain management.
https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schumer-pelosi-file-joint-fy2021-budget-resolution-to-give-congress-additional-legislative-tool-to-pass-urgently-needed-covid-relief
Critical funding for the Indian Health Service, Administration for Native Americans, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, and Native American housing programs to maintain essential health, education, and social services and mitigate the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Native communities.
https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schumer-pelosi-file-joint-fy2021-budget-resolution-to-give-congress-additional-legislative-tool-to-pass-urgently-needed-covid-relief
Funding to the Economic Development Administration and environmental justice grants to help low-income, minority communities who have been hardest hit by COVID.
https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schumer-pelosi-file-joint-fy2021-budget-resolution-to-give-congress-additional-legislative-tool-to-pass-urgently-needed-covid-relief
Funding for critical programs to aid in the global response to and recovery from the pandemic. These instructions include significant funding for humanitarian assistance and Global Health programs.
https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schumer-pelosi-file-joint-fy2021-budget-resolution-to-give-congress-additional-legislative-tool-to-pass-urgently-needed-covid-relief
Robinhood CEO to testify before House committee
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/robinhood-ceo-to-testify-before-house-committee-report-2021-02-01
Judgement is the British spelling.
Judgment is the American spelling.
And you already bow to law and justice.
https://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1356228045510742016
President Biden is expected to announce a task force that will review demands for compensation to families separated by the Trump-era border policy, including restitution, mental health services and permanent legal residency.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/01/us/immigration-family-separations-biden.html
The Biden administration on Monday asked the Supreme Court to cancel upcoming arguments on two cases important to former president Donald Trump: a funding dispute over the border wall and a policy requiring asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their claims are considered. Acting solicitor general Elizabeth B. Prelogar told the court that President Biden has stopped construction of the wall and announced a review of the asylum program, called the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). Until those reviews are completed, she said, the court should suspend consideration of the lawsuits. The border wall case, now called Biden v. Sierra Club, is scheduled for argument Feb. 22. The immigration case is now called Pekoske v. Innovation Law Lab — David Pekoske is acting Homeland Security secretary — and is scheduled for March 1.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/biden-supreme-court-trump-border-wall-immigration/2021/02/01/07acf182-64d1-11eb-8c64-9595888caa15_story.html
.@delta says it has banned 950 passengers who failed to comply with mask policy and praises @JoeBiden @CDCgov legal mask mandate that takes effect at 11:59 pm EST
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EtJ5nrRXEAI7yEG?format=jpg&name=small
Are you frustrated by the way San Francisco's public schools are run but don't know what to do about it? I've heard from many people who are upset that the school board seems more focused on renaming schools than safely reopening them. Parents want to know if the school board can be recalled. Or if we can stop electing the school board in a low information/low turnout race and let the mayor appoint competent school commissioners. When school board members recently debated appropriate school names, it took seven hours to bring up what should be the only topic of every meeting: how to better teach students in a pandemic. Kids who haven't been in a classroom for a year are falling behind in academic and social development. Parents are stressed. Meanwhile, the private schools that serve a third of San Francisco's children are open. Some schools honoring conquistadors or slave owners absolutely warrant a name change. But the widely reported incompetence of the renaming process undermined the entire effort. Without any expert historian input, it was based on cursory Wikipedia searches and riddled with errors. This was a tipping point. How could parents expect the elected school board to handle the complexities of providing a good education to 57,000 students when the renaming committee didn't know whether Roosevelt Middle School referred to Teddy or FDR? The school board's answer was to cancel both presidents. But students need a school board willing to do more critical thinking than that. THE RECALL SOLUTION: Recalling the school board isn't easy. There are seven members and you would need to mount seven separate recalls to replace the board. To qualify for the ballot, each recall requires 52,100 signatures. Online signatures don't count. They must be pen on paper, collected in person during a pandemic. You would ideally need 70k signatures for each school board member because the Dept. of Elections verifies the signatures and many can be disqualified for a number of reasons. Collecting all those signatures within a deadline of 160 days will take a lot of resources. Imagine the logistics of volunteers standing outside grocery stores with seven clipboards in hand, asking people to sign seven different recall sheets. The pandemic limits where you can get lots of signatures in a short time. Muni stations at rush hour aren't an option. A massive network of volunteers would have to get the signatures from their neighbors. Realistically, the effort will require paid signature gatherers — at up to $5 per signature. A recall will depend on serious fundraising. Timing is another issue. The four school board members just elected last November are not eligible for a recall until at least six months into their term. You can't begin a recall effort for them until after July 2021. The three remaining school board members cannot be recalled less than six months before their term ends January 2023. So there is a limited window when all seven school board members can be recalled. There's a catch: If the effort to recall Gov. Newsom qualifies, a special election fall 2021 could complicate timing for a local school board recall. Election law is complex and lawyers on both sides of a recall will try to get those complexities to work in their favor. Local recall elections are different from statewide recalls. When a governor is recalled statewide, voters simultaneously decide to recall the governor and pick a replacement. In San Francisco, a recall only removes the person from office. Voters do not pick a replacement. The mayor appoints a replacement who must run for a full term at the next regularly scheduled election. Read the Department of Election's "Guide to Recalling Local Elected Officials. THE CHARTER AMENDMENT SOLUTION: A charter amendment isn't a recall. It fundamentally changes how the school board is formed. Currently, SF directly elects school board members. A charter amendment could eliminate school board elections and have the mayor appoint qualified commissioners to decide school policies. This is how schools are run in major cities like New York and Chicago. School board elections are low turnout and voter information is even lower. Each member of today's school board was elected by less than 17 percent of the vote. Most voters don't know anything about the candidates, which are elected by narrow special interest groups. Many school board members over years did not have kids or any connection to education. The position is commonly used as a platform for higher office. Mayoral appointments to the school board could ensure more qualified members who are experts in education policy. The criteria for a certain number of appointments could include having kids who attend public schools. Parents would have better representation. There would be accountability with mayoral appointments because everyone knows who the mayor is. The education platforms of mayoral candidates would have great importance and people could vote the mayor in or out of office based on how well the schools were run. Changing the formation of the school board from direct election to mayoral appointees would be novel in San Francisco. It will require election lawyers to navigate the complicated state education code and how state law interacts with our city charter. Here's how charter amendments work: The charter is the city Constitution. Amending it requires 52,100 signatures to put an amendment on the ballot. The signature collection must be in-person with pen on paper. You have six months to gather enough signatures, but you must deliver them three months before the next election. Otherwise you have to wait until the election after that. For timing, charter amendments can only happen on regularly scheduled elections. If there is a special election to recall the governor, we cannot put a charter amendment on that ballot. The June 2022 primary is the soonest we can change how the school board is formed. Read the Department of Election's "Guide to Qualifying Initiative Charter Amendments". WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS: If a recall or charter amendment is not possible, the last recourse is to replace the incumbent school board members by voting them out when they are up for re-election in November 2022. Doing so will require recruiting qualified candidates now and organizing parents, friends and neighbors in every part of the city to promote one slate of candidates to replace the incumbents. It will take an extraordinary effort to overcome the powerful political machines and unions that back their own candidates for purposes beyond education. They are investing in the next generation of higher office holders. Many supervisors at City Hall over the years started at the school board. If you care about how the Board of Supervisors handles citywide issues, the current school board members are a preview of what is to come.
https://sfelections.sfgov.org/sites/default/files/Documents/candidates/20200427_RecallGuide.pdf
https://sfelections.sfgov.org/sites/default/files/Documents/candidates/Nov2016_Overall%20Guide%20for%20Ballot%20Initiatives.pdf
The Warriors say James Wiseman will be out at least seven to 10 days with a sprained left wrist
https://twitter.com/thesteinline/status/1356386427802689537
The Hornets announce LaMelo BALL starts tonight ... Terry Rozier is out with a sprained right ankle
https://twitter.com/thesteinline/status/1356384642673336321
Heat injury report of tonight vs. Hornets: Available: Tyler Herro (protocols) Andre Iguodala (neck) Gabe Vincent (knee) Out: Meyers Leonard (shoulder) Moe Harkless (thigh) Chris Silva (hip) Questionable: Goran Dragic (groin) Avery Bradley (knee)
https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/status/1356369496399876096
Short thread on Biden's COVID relief plan vs. GOP Senators' plan: Median income here in western PA is around 60K, meaning half our people make that or less. If you're in/close to that group, there's no question which COVID release proposal is better for you.
https://twitter.com/ConorLambPA/status/1356329295946375168
Biden's proposal gives you:
-$1400 more right away
-at least $1K more in child tax credit
-$100 more in unemployment for 3 months longer
-Protection from getting foreclosed or evicted
https://twitter.com/ConorLambPA/status/1356329298316165120
A lot of people have lost jobs or had hours cut through no fault of their own. No one knows for sure how long that will last.
Keeping these people afloat & in their own homes isn't "too expensive" — it's a necessary wartime measure in the battle against COVID.
https://twitter.com/ConorLambPA/status/1356329300581081094
The cuts in the GOP Senators' plan come from those same people who make around $60K or have lost jobs.
They have some good ideas on vaccination & I'm glad the Biden admin is working with them in the spirit of unity.
But unity doesn't determine the outcome here.
https://twitter.com/ConorLambPA/status/1356329301826818049
Our job is to fight for workers & the middle class.
The GOP takes from them after giving to big companies all year. You can't cover that up with unity or bipartisanship.
It's just not good enough.
https://twitter.com/ConorLambPA/status/1356329302770511878
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Monday blasted Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's embrace of "loony lies and conspiracy theories" as a "cancer for the Republican Party." "Somebody who's suggested that perhaps no airplane hit the Pentagon on 9/11, that horrifying school shootings were pre-staged, and that the Clintons crashed JFK Jr.'s airplane is not living in reality," McConnell said in a statement first shared with The Hill. "This has nothing to do with the challenges facing American families or the robust debates on substance that can strengthen our party." McConnell didn't mention Greene by name in his three-sentence statement, but his rare, scathing remarks about a freshman GOP lawmaker from the other chamber suggests he recognizes the potential damage her violent rhetoric and bizarre conspiracy theories could inflict on congressional Republicans as they try to take back both the House and Senate in next year's midterms.
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/536850-mcconnell-says-taylor-greene-a-cancer-to-gop-country
Andy Slavitt announces there will be at home COVID-19 test kits that will be able to detect the virus through a self performed test in 15 mins & with 95% accuracy. The government is awarding the company $230M to scale up manufacturing with 8.5M tests guaranteed to U.S.
https://twitter.com/Yamiche/status/1356279760104599564
Biden is doing stuff he campaigned on while not doing stuff like pushing Medicare for All, banning fracking etc., that he did not campaign on.
Tear down the fence already: "The council has a requirement under the Home Rule Act to transmit all legislation to Congress for congressional review, but we can't get through those fences," Mendelson said at a news conference Monday morning, explaining why the council plans to vote Tuesday on emergency legislation to temporarily carry out seven bills that cannot be permanently enacted until Congress gets 30 days to review them. "We've been trying to figure out for the last 10 days how we can deliver legislation, because we cannot get through the fence, literally." By the time Mendelson revealed the dilemma to reporters, his staff had come up with an unconventional solution. On Friday, a council employee rendezvoused at a local hotel — Mendelson said he believes it was the Kimpton George, which is four blocks north of the Capitol and outside the fencing — with an aide to Harris, who serves as president of the Senate. The Senate copies of the bills were transmitted that way. On Monday, a staffer from the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) came to the Wilson Building, the District's version of city hall, to pick up the boxes of bills destined for the House. With the bills thus delivered to both the Senate and the House, the congressional review period could begin. | Mendelson said his staff will have to keep planning hotel handoffs until the fences come down or they work out another solution. It is just one more example, he said, of the inconvenience caused by the fencing — which has also cut off access for Capitol Hill residents to their beloved sledding hill and other green spaces — and of the unfair limits on the city's power of self-determination. The District, he argued, shouldn't have to submit its local legislation to Congress at all, either through hand delivery or more modern methods. "It is this crazy home rule situation which would be avoided if we had statehood," Mendelson said. "It is an irrational and unsustainable situation that we cannot pass permanent legislation that can become permanent law, because right now we cannot deliver these bills to Congress."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dc-laws-capitol-fence/2021/02/01/79da8b86-64ca-11eb-886d-5264d4ceb46d_story.html
Republican senators in Georgia introduced bills Monday to illegally and unconstitutionally end no-excuse absentee voting, automatic voter registration and ballot drop boxes.
https://www.ajc.com/politics/ga-bills-would-end-no-excuse-absentee-voting-automatic-registration/OBTWL3M6MJH25MI56XGNNUODPY/
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https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/01/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-black-history-month/
Statement by President Joe Biden On Black History Month
February 01, 2021 • Statements and Releases
This February, during Black History Month, I call on the American people to honor the history and achievements of Black Americans and to reflect on the centuries of struggle that have brought us to this time of reckoning, redemption, and hope.
We have never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation that all people are created equal and have the right to be treated equally throughout their lives. We know that it is long past time to confront deep racial inequities and the systemic racism that continue to plague our nation.
A knee to the neck of justice opened the eyes of millions of Americans and launched a summer of protest and stirred the nation's conscience.
A pandemic has further ripped a path of destruction through every community in America, but we see its acute devastation among Black Americans who are dying, losing jobs, and closing businesses at disproportionate rates in the dual pandemic and economic crises.
We are also less than a month after the attack on the Capitol by a mob of insurrectionists and white supremacists that shows that we are very much in a battle for the soul of America.
In the Biden-Harris Administration, we are committed to finishing the work left undone and fulfilling the promise of America for Black families and communities and for all Americans.
We bring to our work a seriousness of purpose and urgency to contain the pandemic, deliver economic relief to tens of millions of Americans, and advance racial justice and equity across the board in health care, education, housing, our economy, our environment, our justice system, and in our electoral process.
We do so not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it is the smart thing to do and benefits all of us in this nation.
_______________________________
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/01/statement-by-white-house-press-secretary-jen-psaki-on-president-joe-biden-and-vice-president-kamala-harris-meeting-with-republican-senators/
Statement by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' Meeting with Republican Senators
February 01, 2021 • Statements and Releases
The President and the Vice President had a substantive and productive discussion with Republican senators this evening at the White House. The group shared a desire to get help to the American people, who are suffering through the worst health and economic crisis in a generation.
While there were areas of agreement, the President also reiterated his view that Congress must respond boldly and urgently, and noted many areas which the Republican senators' proposal does not address. He reiterated that while he is hopeful that the Rescue Plan can pass with bipartisan support, a reconciliation package is a path to achieve that end. The President also made clear that the American Rescue Plan was carefully designed to meet the stakes of this moment, and any changes in it cannot leave the nation short of its pressing needs.
The President expressed his hope that the group could continue to discuss ways to strengthen the American Rescue Plan as it moves forward, and find areas of common ground — including work on small business support and nutrition programs. He reiterated, however, that he will not slow down work on this urgent crisis response, and will not settle for a package that fails to meet the moment.
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Trump exempted this tarriff (Proclamation 10139) as part of UAE/Israel agreement, Biden rightfully restores the tariff, read points 4 and 5
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/01/a-proclamation-on-adjusting-imports-of-aluminum-into-the-united-states/
A Proclamation on Adjusting Imports of Aluminum Into the United States
February 01, 2021 • Presidential Actions
ADJUSTING IMPORTS OF ALUMINUM INTO THE UNITED STATES
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
1. Proclamation 10139 of January 19, 2021 (Adjusting Imports of Aluminum Into the United States), amended Proclamation 9704 (Adjusting Imports of Aluminum Into the United States), as amended, with respect to tariffs on certain imports of aluminum articles proclaimed under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1862). Proclamation 10139 provides that those amendments will not take effect until 12:01 a.m. on February 3, 2021.
2. I consider it is necessary and appropriate in light of our national security interests to maintain, at this time, the tariff treatment applied to aluminum article imports from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under Proclamation 9704, as amended, as they are currently in effect as of this date. Accordingly, and as provided for in clause (6) of Proclamation 10139, I am terminating the modifications contained in that proclamation before they take effect.
3. Proclamation 9704 applied tariffs to help ensure the economic viability of the domestic aluminum industry — an industry that the Secretary of Commerce had previously identified as essential to our critical industries and national defense. Because robust domestic aluminum production capacity is essential to meet our current and future national security needs, Proclamation 9704 aimed to revive idled aluminum facilities, open closed smelters and mills, preserve necessary skills, and maintain or increase domestic production by reducing United States reliance on foreign producers.
4. In my view, the available evidence indicates that imports from the UAE may still displace domestic production, and thereby threaten to impair our national security. Proclamation 9704 authorized the Secretary of Commerce to grant exclusions from the aluminum tariffs based on specific national security considerations or if specific imported aluminum articles were determined not to be produced sufficiently in the United States, such that the imports would not diminish domestic production. Tellingly, there have been 33 such exclusion requests for aluminum imported from the UAE, covering 587,007 metric tons of articles, and the Secretary of Commerce has denied 32 of those requests, covering 582,007 metric tons. This indicates the large degree of overlap between imports from the UAE and what our domestic industry is capable of producing.
5. Since the tariff on aluminum imports was imposed, such imports substantially decreased, including a 25 percent reduction from the UAE, and domestic aluminum production increased by 22 percent through 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic began. In light of that history, I believe that maintaining the tariff is likely to be more effective in protecting our national security than the untested quota described in Proclamation 10139.
6. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended, authorizes the President to adjust the imports of an article and its derivatives that are being imported into the United States in such quantities or under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security.
7. Section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2483), authorizes the President to embody in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States the substance of statutes affecting import treatment, and actions thereunder, including the removal, modification, continuance, or imposition of any rate of duty or other import restriction.
Now, Therefore, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended, section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, do hereby proclaim that Proclamation 10139, including the Annex, is revoked.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
first day of February, in the year of our L/rd two thousand twenty-one, and
of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
_______________________________
Biden to Free Up Billions in Delayed Puerto Rico Storm Aid: The administration plans to release $1.3 billion that was meant to help Puerto Rico rebuild after Hurricane Maria in 2017, and will remove restrictions on another $4.9 billion.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/01/climate/puerto-rico-maria-federal-aid.html
Dolly Parton says turned down the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice during Trump years
https://www.today.com/popculture/dolly-parton-turned-down-presidential-medal-freedom-twice-t207752
Good: The District has asked a judge to stop the Washington Teachers' Union from engaging in any talks about a potential strike as the city attempts to bring teachers and students back to school buildings Tuesday for the first time since March, according to a Temporary Restraining Order filed in D.C. Superior Court Monday. The move comes on the heels of marathon union meetings this past week in which members discussed possible strategies — including not showing up at school buildings and continuing with remote instruction — to oppose the city's plan to return 45 percent of the teaching workforce to schools. The union's members have not voted to authorize a strike, nor has leadership decided to pursue one, according to Elizabeth Davis, president of the Washington Teachers' Union.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/dc-teachers-union-restraining-order/2021/02/01/ce86ce70-64c4-11eb-8468-21bc48f07fe5_story.html
Greenland is careening toward a critical tipping point for ice loss
https://www.livescience.com/greenland-ice-loss-threshold-2055.html
35 year old Chris Paul in tonight's Suns win against the Mavs: 34 pts, 9 Reb, 9 ast, 2 stl, 14/20 from the field, 4/7 from 3
The Phoenix Suns (11-8) defeat the Dallas Mavericks (8-13), 109 - 108
The Charlotte Hornets (10-11) defeat the Miami Heat (7-13), 129-121 behind 36 points and 9 three pointers from Malik Monk.
Full sequence of Booker go-ahead triple and Luka's near make to end the game
https://streamable.com/yipvym
Luka Doncic is shooting 29.3% from three on 7 attempts >per game this season.
Only Kelly Oubre is shooting worse from distance this season (min 100 total attempts)
https://twitter.com/statmuse/status/1356455380184825862
The Chicago Bulls (8-11) defeat the new York Knicks (9-13) 110-102, led by 30 points from Lauri Markkanen
Trae Young drops in the logo 3
https://streamable.com/2ehlr3
Thanasis Antetokounmpo gets the putback slam over Simons the hits the mean mug
https://streamable.com/e5exgh
LaVine drills the dagger 3 to put the Bulls up 6 with 22.4 left
https://streamable.com/20qn3b
Garland pulls off an absolutely beautiful move to score over Ed Davis
https://streamable.com/y6w6tw
The Grizzlies are excellent right now even without Jaren Jackson Jr and could be a legit playoff team this year
The Miami Heat have the third worst record in the NBA. The Thunder own the 2 best picks out of the Heat's, Houston's and their own pick. Miami's pick is unprotected. The Rockets get the worst out of the 3.
Jae'Sean Tate stuffs SGA like a scarecrow
https://streamable.com/mw6sp4
Bucks passing gets Khris Middleton an open 3
https://streamable.com/0rgn3o
Trump Raised $76 Million For Vote Challenges And Illegally And Unconstitutionally Pocketed The Money, He Literally Illegally And Unconstitutionally Pocketed A Billion Campaign Dollars
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-slush-fund_n_6018900dc5b6bde2f5c232bb
Education Dept. orders Navient to refund $22.3 million it overcharged in decade-old student loan scandal
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/02/01/navient-student-loans-education-department/
In 2019, Republican Terrorist Marjorie Taylor Greene told protesters to flood the Capitol and murder Democrats to save America from "tyranny"
https://www.salon.com/2021/02/02/in-2019-marjorie-taylor-greene-told-protesters-to-flood-the-capitol-feel-free-to-use-violence/
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https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/02/fact-sheet-president-biden-outlines-steps-to-reform-our-immigration-system-by-keeping-families-together-addressing-the-root-causes-of-irregular-migration-and-streamlining-the-legal-immigration-syst/
FACT SHEET: President Biden Outlines Steps to Reform Our Immigration System by Keeping Families Together, Addressing the Root Causes of Irregular Migration, and Streamlining the Legal Immigration System
February 02, 2021 • Statements and Releases
Biden-Harris Administration Forms Family Reunification Task Force and Issues Executive Orders on Regional Migration and Legal Immigration
On January 20th, the Biden Harris Administration took the first steps in a broad, whole of government effort to finally reform our immigration system, including sending to Congress legislation that creates a pathway to citizenship for the nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants living in and contributing to our country. Today, the Administration is announcing a series of additional actions it is taking to rebuild and strengthen our immigration system.
Today's actions build on executive actions the President took his first day in office, including steps to preserve and fortify protections for Dreamers, end the Muslim and Africa ban, halt border wall construction and protect Liberian nationals living and working in our country. On day 1, the President also sent the United States Citizenship Act to Congress, which seeks to modernize our immigration system and smartly manage our borders, while addressing the root causes of migration.
President Biden's strategy is centered on the basic premise that our country is safer, stronger, and more prosperous with a fair, safe and orderly immigration system that welcomes immigrants, keeps families together, and allows people—both newly arrived immigrants and people who have lived here for generations—to more fully contribute to our country. President Biden knows that new Americans fuel our economy, as innovators and job creators, working in every American industry, and contributing to our arts, culture, and government.
Today's executive actions will:
Create a Task Force to Reunify Families. President Biden believes that families belong together. He has made clear that reversing the Trump Administration's immigration policies that separated thousands of families at the border is a top priority. A key part of this effort is the creation of a task force to reunite families that remain separated. This task force will work across the U.S. government, with key stakeholders and representatives of impacted families, and with partners across the hemisphere to find parents and children separated by the Trump Administration. The task force will make recommendations to the President and federal agencies regarding steps that they can take to reunify families. Further, the task force will report regularly to the President and recommend steps to prevent such tragedies from occurring again. This Order also revokes the Trump Administration's Executive Order that sought to justify separating children from their parents.
Develop a Strategy to Address Irregular Migration Across the Southern Border and Create a Humane Asylum System. The Trump Administration's policies at the border have caused chaos, cruelty and confusion. Those policies have undermined the safety of our communities, penalized asylum seekers fleeing violence, and destabilized security across the Western hemisphere. Today, the Biden Harris Administration will begin to roll back the most damaging policies adopted by the prior administration, while taking effective action to manage migration across the region.
Specifically, the Biden Harris Administration will begin implementing a comprehensive three-part plan for safe, lawful, and orderly migration in the region. First, the Administration will address the underlying causes of migration through a strategy to confront the instability, violence, and economic insecurity that currently drives migrants from their homes. Second, the Administration will collaborate with regional partners, including foreign governments, international organizations, and nonprofits to shore up other countries' capacity to provide protection and opportunities to asylum seekers and migrants closer to home. Finally, the Administration will ensure that Central American refugees and asylum seekers have access to legal avenues to the United States. The Secretary of Homeland Security is also directed to review the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program. The situation at the border will not transform overnight, due in large part to the damage done over the last four years. But the President is committed to an approach that keeps our country safe, strong, and prosperous and that also aligns with our values. This Executive Order also directs a series of actions to restore the U.S. asylum system, including by rescinding and directing agency review of a host of Trump Administration proclamations, rules, and guidance documents that have effectively closed the U.S. border to asylum seekers.
Restore Faith in Our Legal Immigration System and Promote Integration of New Americans. President Biden believes that immigrants are essential to who we are as a nation and critical to our aspirations for the future. The prior administration enacted hundreds of policies that run counter to our history and undermine America's character as a land of opportunity that is open and welcoming to all who come here seeking protection and opportunity. This Executive Order elevates the role of the White House in coordinating the federal government's strategy to promote immigrant integration and inclusion, including re-establishing a Task Force on New Americans, and ensuring that our legal immigration system operates fairly and efficiently. The order requires agencies to conduct a top-to-bottom review of recent regulations, policies, and guidance that have set up barriers to our legal immigration system. It also rescinds President Trump's memorandum requiring family sponsors to repay the government if relatives receive public benefits, instructs the agencies to review the public charge rule and related policies, and streamline the naturalization process.
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The Hawks are investigating an incident during which four fans allegedly yelled obscenities at LeBron James while sitting courtside in Atlanta during Monday night's game against the Lakers, CEO Steve Koonin told The Athletic.
https://theathletic.com/2361362/2021/02/02/atlanta-hawks-lebron-james-incident
Impeachment Managers File Trial Brief, Explain Senate's Obligation to Hear Case against Donald Trump; The brief lays out the case for the conviction of former President Trump for "incitement of insurrection against the Republic he swore to protect."
https://judiciary.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3515
Chairman Nadler Seeks Answers on DOJ's Prosecution of January 6th Insurrectionists - "It is critical that all of the perpetrators of this insurrectionist attack be identified, investigated, arrested, charged and subsequently prosecuted."
https://judiciary.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3511
After testing negative as recently as this weekend, I have taken a positive COVID rapid test. I'm experiencing mild symptoms, but am otherwise feeling well & in good spirits. I'm quarantining & adhering to public health guidelines until I can get back out on the campaign trail.
Thumbs up
https://twitter.com/davidaxelrod/status/1356648156969144320
An El Paso woman witnessed a mass shooting of Latinos at a Walmart in 2019, and provided critical information to state and federal investigators. She was deported last week. The deportation came days before her attorneys filed an application for a U visa, which confers legal status to undocumented people who are crime victims or witnesses who cooperate with law enforcement in an investigation. The woman is one of several witnesses slated to testify in the capital murder trial of the Dallas-area man accused of killing 23 people, including Mexican citizens, in the August 2019 shooting rampage. Police said the shooter told authorities he was targeting "Mexicans."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/witness-to-el-paso-mass-shooting-deported-after-federal-judge-blocks-biden-deportation-pause/2021/02/01/8caa31c4-64ae-11eb-8468-21bc48f07fe5_story.html
The State Department has formally determined that the military takeover in Myanmar constitutes a coup d'état, a designation that requires the US to cut its foreign assistance to Myanmar's government
Tom Moore, the 100-year-old World War II veteran who raised millions for Britain's health care system during the coronavirus pandemic, has died after testing positive for COVID-19.
https://apnews.com/article/health-walking-veterans-coronavirus-pandemic-world-war-ii-744f031f8720b48b60683c794d8bd171
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-55881753
15 million baby bees could be seized and burned over Brexit rules
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-bees-burned-uk-eu-rules-b1796201.html
.@flotus sent @michelleobama some vegetables harvested from the White House Kitchen Garden Jill Biden sent Michelle Obama some vegetables: michelleobama's profile picturemichelleobamaVerified So thankful for this beautiful care package from our amazing @FLOTUS! These fresh veggies from the White House Kitchen Garden were such a wonderful — and delicious — surprise. Love you, Jill!
https://instagram.com/p/CKzAfWbrOJ0/
This is great news, mass produce and send everywhere: Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, criticized for its early rollout, is 91.6% effective against symptomatic Covid-19 and 100% effective against serious illness, according to an interim analysis
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/02/02/health/russia-sputnik-v-phase-3-intl/index.html
The Biden administration will begin providing COVID-19 vaccines to U.S. pharmacies, part of its plan to ramp up vaccinations as new and potentially more serious virus strains are starting to appear.
Pete Buttigieg has now passed the majority threshold needed for confirmation in the Senate, although the vote hasn't been called yet as lawmakers continue to vote.
In Russia, it's a serious crime to survive an attempted poisoning by the president of the state.
Moscow court ruled to replace Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny's suspended sentence with a real jail sentence, sending him to prison for two and a half years.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/world/europe/russia-navalny-putin.html
Expanding Vaccine Supply: Building on last week's announcement, the Biden-Harris Administration will increase overall, weekly vaccine supply to states, Tribes, and territories to 10.5 million doses nationwide beginning this week. This is a 22% increase since taking office on January 20. The Administration is committing to maintaining this as the minimum supply level for the next three weeks, and we will continue to work with manufacturers in their efforts to ramp up supply.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/02/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-increased-vaccine-supply-initial-launch-of-the-federal-retail-pharmacy-program-and-expansion-of-fema-reimbursement-to-states/
Launching First Phase of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 Vaccination: As part of the Biden-Harris Administration's efforts to increase access to COVID-19 vaccines, starting on February 11, those eligible for the vaccine will have the opportunity to be vaccinated at select pharmacies across the country through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 Vaccination. This program is a public-private partnership with 21 national pharmacy partners and networks of independent pharmacies representing over 40,000 pharmacy locations nationwide (listed below). It is a key component of the Administration's National Strategy to expand equitable access to vaccines for the American public.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/02/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-increased-vaccine-supply-initial-launch-of-the-federal-retail-pharmacy-program-and-expansion-of-fema-reimbursement-to-states/
As the first phase of this program launches, select retail pharmacies nationwide will receive limited vaccine supply to vaccinate priority groups at no cost. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) worked with states to select initial pharmacy partners based on a number of factors including their ability to reach some of the populations most at risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Americans should check their pharmacy's website to find out if vaccine is available as supply will be limited in the initial phase. More information is available at cdc.gov/covid19.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/02/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-increased-vaccine-supply-initial-launch-of-the-federal-retail-pharmacy-program-and-expansion-of-fema-reimbursement-to-states/
Increasing Reimbursements to States: Central to the Biden-Harris Administration's COVID-19 National Strategy is ensuring states, Tribes, territories, and jurisdictions have the resources they need to defeat the virus. That's why, in his second day in office, President Biden directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to fully reimburse states for the cost of National Guard Personnel and emergency costs. Today, President Biden is announcing that the administration will go even further, retroactively reimbursing states fully for FEMA-eligible services – including masks, gloves, emergency feeding actions, sheltering at risk populations, and mobilization of the National Guard – back dated to the beginning of the pandemic in January 2020. This reimbursement is estimated to total $3-5 billion and is only a small share of the resources that states need to fight this pandemic — including for testing, genomic sequencing, and mass vaccination centers. To fully support states, Tribes, and territories' needs to contain the pandemic and vaccinate their populations, President Biden is requesting $350 billion from Congress in American Rescue Plan.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/02/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-increased-vaccine-supply-initial-launch-of-the-federal-retail-pharmacy-program-and-expansion-of-fema-reimbursement-to-states/
Participating Federal Pharmacy Partners (not all will be active in every state in initial phase)
Chain Pharmacies
• Walgreens (including Duane Reade)
• CVS Pharmacy, Inc. (including Long's)
• Walmart, Inc. (including Sam's Club)
• Rite Aid Corp.
• The Kroger Co. (including Kroger, Harris Teeter, Fred Meyer, Fry's, Ralphs, King Soopers, Smiths, City Market, Dillons, Mariano's, Pick-n-Save, Copps, Metro Market)
• Publix Super Markets, Inc.
• Costco Wholesale Corp.
• Albertsons Companies, Inc. (including Osco, Jewel-Osco, Albertsons, Albertsons Market, Safeway, Tom Thumb, Star Market, Shaw's, Haggen, Acme, Randalls, Carrs, Market Street, United, Vons, Pavilions, Amigos, Lucky's, Pak n Save, Sav-On)
• Hy-Vee, Inc.
• Meijer Inc.
• H-E-B, LP
• Retail Business Services, LLC (including Food Lion, Giant Food, The Giant Company, Hannaford Bros Co, Stop & Shop)
• Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. (including Winn-Dixie, Harveys, Fresco Y Mas)
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/02/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-increased-vaccine-supply-initial-launch-of-the-federal-retail-pharmacy-program-and-expansion-of-fema-reimbursement-to-states/
Network Administrators
• Topco Associates, LLC (including Acme Fresh Markets, Associated Food Stores, Big-Y Pharmacy and Wellness Center, Brookshire's Pharmacy, Super One Pharmacy, FRESH by Brookshire's Pharmacy, Coborn's Pharmacy, Cash Wise Pharmacy, MarketPlace Pharmacy, Giant Eagle, Hartig Drug Company, King Kullen, Food City Pharmacy, Ingles Pharmacy, Raley's, Bel Air, Nob Hill Pharmacies, Save Mart Pharmacies, Lucky Pharmacies, SpartanNash, Price Chopper, Market 32, Tops Friendly Markets, ShopRite, Wegmans, Weis Markets, Inc.)
• CPESN USA, LLC
• GeriMed (long-term care and retail pharmacies)
• Good Neighbor Pharmacy and AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation's pharmacy services administrative organization (PSAO), Elevate Provider
• Health Mart Systems, Inc.
• Innovatix (long-term care pharmacies)
• LeaderNET and Medicine Shoppe, Cardinal Health's PSAOs
• Managed Health Care Associates (retail and long-term care pharmacies)
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/02/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-increased-vaccine-supply-initial-launch-of-the-federal-retail-pharmacy-program-and-expansion-of-fema-reimbursement-to-states/
Congress Now Has More Power to Shed Light on Trump's Abuses of Power. And President Biden doesn't even have to lift a finger.
https://www.justsecurity.org/74477/congress-now-has-more-power-to-shed-light-on-trumps-abuses-of-power/
Fred Guttenberg to CNN on MTG: "I want Kevin McCarthy to grow a spine today. He needs to do more than talk. And if we've learned one thing with her comments yesterday, she's really not gonna change what she has to say about anything. Kevin McCarthy needs to tell her to leave."
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1356658641621843968
It doesn't go far enough but let the 2022 season begin! The DCCC launched a $500,000 TV and digital ad campaign today accusing Republicans of "Standing with Q and Not With You" in its first ad buy of the 2022 cycle. The 30-second spots feature images of the Capitol riot. The ads will target
- #CA25 Mike Garcia
- #CA39 Young Kim
- #CA48 Michelle Steel
- #FL27 Maria Elvira Salazar
- #NE02 Don Bacon
- #PA01 Brian Fitzpatrick
- #TX24 Beth Van Duyne
- Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjjbkF7F9vM
With a vote of 86-13, the Senate has confirmed Pete Buttigieg as the Secretary of Transportation. He's making history as the first openly LGBTQ cabinet secretary. To be sure, other openly gay people have obtained Senate confirmation, just not for Cabinet-level roles. In many ways, Buttigieg's confirmation is a long overdue vote buttoning up the progress and historic confirmations the LGBTQ community have achieved in years past.
The shitstains who voted against Pete Buttigieg: Blackburn, Cassidy, Cotton, Cruz, Hagerty, Hawley, Lankford, Marshall, Rubio, Scott (Rick), Scott (Tim), Shelby, Tuberville
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Zlj6Jr23D4a-Ajzh1VtC_5HGB55DGO-leVWzQkTc1h8/edit#gid=1830138682
Senate Minority Leader McConnell votes Yes to confirm Pete Buttigieg to be Transportation Secretary for the Biden Administration.
Over 752,000 Georgia voters who cast ballots in the November election didn't show up again for the Senate runoffs. More than half of the no-shows were white, and many lived in rural areas
https://www.ajc.com/politics/turnout-dip-among-georgia-republicans-flipped-us-senate/IKWGEGFEEVEZ5DXTP7ZXXOROIA/
.@JeffZients on first phase of Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 Vaccinations: "Starting on February 11th, the federal government will deliver vaccines directly to select pharmacies across the country."
https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1356659113736953858
The United States is deeply concerned by Russia's actions toward Aleksey Navalny. We reiterate our call for his immediate and unconditional release as well as the release of all those wrongfully detained for exercising their rights.
https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1356665053492219904
I've had good conversations with @POTUS and @SecBlinken about the need for a swift and decisive response from the U.S. and allies following the coup in Burma. Expect the Administration will quickly sanction the junta and defend democracy.
https://twitter.com/LeaderMcConnell/status/1356666396894191618
Senator to congresswoman: Please detail how your views on Jewish space lasers have evolved and developed over the last three years.
So within the last 3 years - straight through to 2021 and today - she argued that wealthy Jews were using lasers to create forest fires to make money; that the 9/11 plane crashing into the Pentagon was a hoax; and called mass shooting events conspiracies or false flags...but what does she think now?
Seems like Republican Pro-Trump West Virginia governor's comments had some impact after all. Major boost for Dems today as Manchin indicates he's on board with plowing ahead on Covid19 relief, with or without Republicans
https://politico.com/news/2021/02/02/democrats-covid-relief-package-464997?2
Manchin says, "I will vote to move forward with the budget process because we must address the urgency of the COVID-19 crisis." The $1.9 trillion COVID relief package is now poised to pass through budget reconciliation (simple majority).
There will be a vote to move forward on the budget resolution today. Then there will be up to 50 hours of debate and a "vote-a-rama" on amendments before the committees work on a final budget reconciliation bill.
365 days after winning the Iowa caucuses (remember, 2020 was a leap year), Pete Buttigieg is the Transportation secretary
Defense Sec Lloyd Austin has dismissed every member of the Pentagon's policy advisory boards, "ousting last-minute Trump administration nominees". Buh Bye Corey Lewandowski
https://wsj.com/articles/defense-chief-clears-out-pentagon-advisory-boards-to-oust-last-minute-trump-picks-11612289262
Department of Defense topped processing Trump's nominees last week
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/28/pentagon-suspends-trump-appointments-463601?2
Donald Trump's legal team misspelled "United States" in the opening of their brief opposing the Senate impeachment trial: "To: The Honorable, the Members of the Unites States Senate:"
But even Trump's own lawyers do not explicitly affirm Trump's false claim that the election was stolen: "Insufficient evidence exists upon which a reasonable jurist could conclude that the 45th President's statements were accurate or not, and he therefore denies they were false."
The Senate will hold its first confirmation hearing for Neera Tanden next Tuesday to press the nominee on her plans for leading the Office of Management and Budget.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/02/neera-tanden-confirmation-tuesday-465043
It's long past time we raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. The American Rescue Plan will get it done.
https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1356678782288019461
Pretty crazy that Tom Brady is playing in the Super Bowl in the same year Peyton Manning is being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Brady has played in four Super Bowls since Peyton retired.
A barber who recently cut the hair of two Chiefs players received a positive test result for COVID-19 on Sunday, per sources, leading to receiver Demarcus Robinson and center Daniel Kilgore landing on the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday, six days before Super Bowl LV. Neither Robinson nor Kilgore has tested positive and all parties were masked during the encounters, lowering the chance of transmission, sources say. But given the duration and proximity, both were deemed high-risk close contacts of the barber and had to be placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. If Robinson and Kilgore continue to test negative, both will be eligible to return to the Chiefs' active roster in time to face the Buccaneers prior to Sunday, though they won't be able to practice before the weekend because of the mandatory five-day isolation period. The Chiefs aren't traveling to Tampa until Saturday. Sources say the barber tested negative five consecutive days before he was allowed to enter the Chiefs' facility -- including a Saturday PCR test that came back negative Sunday. The barber took an additional rapid test as a precaution before entering the facility Sunday, but the results were delayed briefly because of a line of friends and family also getting tested. He was wearing double PPE and was still cutting Kilgore's hair -- the first in a line of players waiting for haircuts -- when the positive result came back. The barber was immediately removed; in a follow-up interview with NFL officials, the barber said he'd also cut Robinson's hair the previous day away from the facility.
https://www.nfl.com/news/two-chiefs-players-clipped-by-barber-s-positive-covid-19-test
Former Dolphins RB Mark Walton was arrested at a Pizza Hut in Miami on Sunday night. Walton was trying to break the store's window after he was "disrespected" on the phone while placing his order, a police source tells me. Slater: Walton also beat up his cousin outside the Pizza Hut, I'm told, when he tried to get the NFL free agent to leave the area. Paramedics had to respond.
https://twitter.com/andyslater/status/1356317090140065795
I explored the release of the Trump White House logs a few months ago and was told it's part of his presidential records which means it could be years before we see what's in those logs.
https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1356685046443216896
.@PressSec says she will check whether it's possible to review visitor logs in days leading up to Jan 6 insurrection to see whether anyone involved visited the WH. Unclear whether it's technically possible for them to release those logs publicly, she says.
https://twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1356683753263890440
Due to Minority Leader McConnell's obstruction, Senate Republicans still control the Judiciary Committee and are blocking Merrick Garland's AG confirmation hearing. They must let Garland get to work on preventing future domestic terror attacks like the January 6 attack.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1356686127370039298
https://twitter.com/jamiedupree/status/1356688809845473282
McConnell is king partisan. The hypocrisy is utterly ridiculous.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1356688252703559680
https://c-span.org/video/?508548-1/senate-republican-luncheon-stakeout
The only reason people still have doubts about this election is because YOU ARE STILL TELLING LIES ABOUT THIS ELECTION. Noem says 2020 election was not fair or transparant and not sure if Biden won.
https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-south-dakota-coronavirus-pandemic-elections-1155ffcaa922757b213ffeac58f93aec
Romney on Marjorie Taylor Greene: "Our big tent is not large enough to both accommodate conservatives and kooks."
https://twitter.com/igorbobic/status/1356685393085804547
State Dept spokesman @nedprice says the US intends to restore aid to the Palestinian people, not as a favor to the Palestinians but because it's in the best interest of the US. He added that the suspension of that aid by the previous administration only hurt the Palestinian people and achieved no political progress or achievements with the Palestinian leadership. Ned Price says new Iran envoy Rob Malley not yet had any contacts with Iranian officials; first consulting with allies, partners, members of Congress. State Dept @nedparker says engagement and partnership discussions with allies - and NOT a meeting with the Iranians - will be the priority for Iran Envoy Rob Malley and others dealing with Iran.
That headline is NOT what @SecBlinken told me @NBCNews. He said public reports have Iran a few months from having enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon but "if Iran continues to lift some of these constraints imposed by the agreement that could get down to a few weeks"
https://twitter.com/mitchellreports/status/1356244592455282689
https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-iran-could-produce-enough-material-for-nuclear-weapon-within-weeks-blinken-says-1.9500848
Mayorkas confirmed:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Zlj6Jr23D4a-Ajzh1VtC_5HGB55DGO-leVWzQkTc1h8/edit#gid=1830138682
United States Constitution, Article I, Section 5: "Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behaviour, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member." CRS: The House of Representatives has actually expelled only 5 members in its history, but a number of members, facing likely congressional discipline for misconduct, have resigned from Congress or have been defeated in an election prior to any formal House action. The underlying conduct in those 5 expulsions has involved either disloyalty to the United States, or the violation of a criminal law involving the abuse of one's official position, such as bribery.
33-year-old bat loves to curl around his mom's arm and fall asleep Two hearts @batworld
https://twitter.com/i/status/1356437181967912960
https://twitter.com/soledadobrien/status/1356698267371900928
geribatric ward
The Biden administration has illegally and unconstitutionally issued at least 31 new drilling permits authorizing operations on federal land and coastal waters, despite an order putting political appointees in charge of the decisions. The move signals those drilling authorizations are continuing to flow, despite President Joe Biden's plan to pause oil and gas leasing -- and a Jan. 20 order temporarily putting decisions about oil and gas permits, mining operations, hiring and other matters in the hands of top Interior Department officials. The order provoked alarm across the oil industry, as energy companies worried they wouldn't get approval to drill new wells or swift approval to amend permits for ongoing drilling operations. So far, there's no sign of that blockade. Offshore, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has issued 22 drilling permits to eight companies since Jan. 20, when President Joe Biden was inaugurated. Recipients have included BP Exploration and Production Inc., Arena Offshore, Shell Offshore Inc. and a BHP Billiton Petroleum subsidiary, according to a Bloomberg News review of an Interior Department database. The offshore approvals, for wells in the Gulf of Mexico, have been issued on a steady basis since Biden's inauguration, including this week. Onshore, the Bureau of Land Management issued nine permits for wells in Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming on Jan. 20 and Jan. 21, according to a review of a separate database by the watchdog group Accountable.US. The companies that received the authorizations were Jonah Energy LLC, Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Co. LP and Legacy Reserves Operating LP. The Interior Department said in a statement that permits for valid, existing leases "are continuing to be reviewed and approved." The agency has maintained that the order, which is set to expire March 20, does not equate to a drilling permit freeze and does not apply to tribal lands.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-27/biden-issues-dozens-of-oil-drilling-permits-in-first-few-days
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-27/biden-to-order-climate-measures-including-oil-leasing-moratorium
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Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Call with Ibrahim Kalin, Spokesperson and Chief Advisor to the President of Turkey
February 02, 2021 • Statements and Releases
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke by phone today with Ibrahim Kalin, Spokesperson and Chief Advisor to the President of Turkey. Mr. Sullivan underscored the Biden Administration's desire to build constructive U.S.-Turkey ties, expanding areas of cooperation and managing disagreements effectively. He conveyed the administration's intention to strengthen transatlantic security through NATO, expressing concern that Turkey's acquisition of the Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile system undermines alliance cohesion and effectiveness. Mr. Sullivan welcomed the resumption of exploratory talks between Turkey and Greece, and he expressed support for plans by United Nations Secretary General Guterres to resume talks on Cyprus. He underscored the Biden administration's broad commitment to supporting democratic institutions and the rule of law. They agreed to cooperate on global challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, and to consult closely on regional issues of mutual concern.
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Rep. Lauren Boebert paid herself more than $22,000 in mileage reimbursements from her campaign account. Her campaign defends the reimbursements but three ethics experts who reviewed them for The Denver Post say they raise some red flags. #copolitics #CO03
https://www.denverpost.com/2021/02/02/lauren-boebert-colorado-congress-campaign-finance/
Newsmax invites Mike Lindell, who advocated for a coup and spews dangerous conspiracy theories, on air. It didn't go well.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1356719881564086272
https://twitter.com/JasonSCampbell/status/1356719881564086272
This is extremely important for anyone fighting antisemitism to read and take in. The Polish rewriting of history is hugely problematic: We view with great concern how historians researching the Holocaust are being sued in Poland for presenting the findings of their work. Read the full statement:
https://www.holocaustremembrance.com/statements/ihra-chairs-statement-suing-holocaust-historians-poland
Jeff Bezos, Amazon's founder and chief executive, said on Tuesday that he will hand over the reins of the e-commerce giant this summer and transition into the role of executive chairman, in a changing of the guard for one of the internet's foundational companies. Andy Jassy, the chief executive of Amazon's cloud computing division, will be promoted to run the entire company, Amazon said. The transition will be effective in the third quarter, which starts in July. "As much as I still tap dance into the office, I'm excited about this transition," Mr. Bezos, 57, said in an email sent to employees. As executive chairman, he said, he intends "to focus my energies and attention on new products and early initiatives." The move marks the end of an era for Amazon. Mr. Bezos has personified the company since he founded it as an online bookseller in 1996, growing it into a $1.7 trillion behemoth with more than 1.2 million workers. Under his leadership, Amazon expanded into sales of millions of different items, became a logistics giant, upended the retail industry — and then spread further into cloud computing, streaming entertainment and artificial-intelligence-powered devices.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/technology/jeff-bezos-amazon.html
Fire him already: The Angels announce that they have suspended Mickey Callaway
https://twitter.com/angels/status/1356702232473858049
Republicans who voted for Mayorkas: Romney, Capito, Portman, Collins, Murkowski, Sullivan. Two Cuban-American Senators, Rubio and Cruz, voted against him.
Records pried loose by BuzzFeed News have prompted a demand to investigate former Trump officials who tried to silence members of the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jasonleopold/trump-health-officials-gag-orders
In 2020, we spent over $80,000 in legal fees to support our FOIA work. We're committed to increasing our efforts in 2021. The FOIA lawsuits we file this year could unearth stories the public needs to know about the Trump administration, how the government handled the pandemic, and more. So please help us reach our new goal of $100,000 for our FOIA fund this year. Every BuzzFeed News Membership sign up or one-time contribution from now until March 15th will go towards our FOIA fund. When you donate, you'll become a BuzzFeed News member and receive special member-only emails, including an inside look when we publish the next major FOIA scoop.
https://support.buzzfeednews.com/
House now debating a resolution which in part sets up fines against lawmakers who refused to go through new metal detectors set up outside the House floor after the January 6 attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters.
https://twitter.com/jamiedupree/status/1356726897804206082
Dominion don't play. MyPillow CEO comes on and starts spouting conspiracy theorists about the machines, and Newsmax immediately cuts him off and corrects him with a script defending the machines and the company! The argument grows so heated that one host walks off.
https://twitter.com/JasonSCampbell/status/1356719881564086272
The sun had not come up yet on Tuesday when a group of F.B.I. agents assigned to investigate criminals who prey on children online approached the Water Terrace apartments in Sunrise, Fla., to execute a warrant, a routine part of the job that is always fraught with risk. What exactly happened in the ensuing minutes is unknown, but a gun battle broke out, rousting neighbors out of bed in the quiet residential community. Law enforcement officials called emergency dispatchers. Multiple shots fired, they reported. Send air rescue. Two F.B.I. agents died and three more were injured in one of the deadliest shootings in the bureau's history. No agent had been shot and killed on duty since 2008. The man being investigated in the case, which the authorities said involved violent crimes against children, had barricaded himself inside the complex and was found dead. A law enforcement official said it appeared that the man had killed himself before agents were able to arrest him. His identity was not released.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/us/fbi-shooting-sunrise.html
JoAnn Chase, Director, American Indian Environmental Office, Office of International and Tribal Affairs. JoAnn Chase is a citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Indian Nation, and was born and raised on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in central North Dakota. In 2010, JoAnn served as Senior Advisor to the Administrator of the EPA for Native American Affairs. Most recently, JoAnn has partnered with music icon Nona Hendryx and social justice innovator, Makani Themba, to launch SisterSMATR.org. Focused predominately on providing opportunity for young women of color, SisterSMATR (Science, Math, Art, Technology, Robotics) leverages art and community to close the gender gap in science and technology. Previously, JoAnn served as the Executive Director of the National Congress of American Indians, this country's oldest and largest national Indian membership organization. She was also the Director of the National Network of Grantmakers. JoAnn has a law degree from the University of New Mexico Law School and a baccalaureate in film theory and criticism from Boston University.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-additional-biden-harris-appointees-0
Nick Conger, Press Secretary, Office of Public Affairs. Nick Conger returns to EPA after previously serving under Administrator Gina McCarthy as Strategic Communications Advisor, and before that, as Communications Director in the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. Most recently, Nick was Communications Director for former Vice President Al Gore since the fall of 2017, working directly with the Vice President on international climate advocacy, as well as rallying grassroots activists in the U.S. on climate action. Prior to that, he was press secretary in the federal communications office at the Natural Resources Defense Council focusing on transportation and corporate engagement issues. Prior to his time in the Obama Administration, Nick was at World Wildlife Fund and Edelman Public Relations working with major companies on strategies to reduce their business impact on the environment.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-additional-biden-harris-appointees-0
Brent Efron, Special Assistant, Office of Policy. Brent graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 2018 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. After graduating he worked as an organizer for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and then for a solar energy start-up, Solstice, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He has since worked as an organizer for Warren for President in Iowa and Ohio and, most recently, as Deputy Data Director for the North Carolina Democratic Party.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-additional-biden-harris-appointees-0
Marianne Engelman Lado, Deputy General Counsel for Environmental Initiatives, Office of the General Counsel. Marianne's career has been devoted to civil rights and environmental justice. Most recently, she directed an Environmental Justice Clinic at Vermont Law School and served as Lecturer at both the Yale University School of Public Health and the Yale School of the Environment. She previously served as senior staff attorney at Earthjustice. Her experience includes ten years as General Counsel at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI), a non-profit civil rights law firm. She began her legal career as a staff attorney at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF). Marianne has lectured widely and taught graduate, law and undergraduate level courses. She holds a B.A. in government from Cornell University, a J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley, and an M.A. in Politics from Princeton University.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-additional-biden-harris-appointees-0
Eunjung Kim, Special Assistant, Office of Air and Radiation. Eunjung began her career as a Materials Engineer at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, working on projects such as hazardous chemical detection and explosives remediation. After 5 years in a technical role, Kim joined the Elizabeth Warren campaign in Iowa and Minnesota and continued on with the 2020 election cycle as a Deputy Data Director in Nevada for the Biden-Harris campaign, before finishing off with the Georgia U.S. Senate runoff team. Kim is an immigrant from South Korea and a graduate of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-additional-biden-harris-appointees-0
Maria Michalos, Speechwriter, Office of Public Affairs. Maria comes to EPA from the Natural Resources Defense Council, where she was Senior Manager for Executive Communications, serving on former President & CEO Gina McCarthy's communications team. Prior to that, she oversaw U.S. Eastern communications for NRDC. Previously, she spent several years working for New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, where she led the development of the governor's keynote presentations. Maria earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science from New York University. She holds a master's degree from Baruch College's Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. She is originally from Long Island, New York.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-additional-biden-harris-appointees-0
Alejandra joins EPA from the Sierra Club, where she served as a senior attorney at the Environmental Law Program. Her work focused on litigation and regulatory advocacy on federal greenhouse gas and corporate average fuel economy standards for light- and heavy-duty vehicles, carbon dioxide standards for new and existing power plants, state transportation and clean energy policies, and the integration of environmental justice in climate policy. Before Sierra Club, Ale worked as associate counsel at the World Bank's Legal Vice Presidency, where she advised on public-private partnerships in the energy and water infrastructure sectors, and was also an associate at Morrison & Foerster, where she represented clients on public trust issues, carbon sequestration projects, and conservation easements. Ale holds Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) and Masters of Law (LL.M.) degrees from Harvard Law School, and a law degree (LL.B.) from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-additional-biden-harris-appointees-0
Carlton Waterhouse, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management, Office of Land and Emergency Management. Professor Carlton Waterhouse is an international expert on environmental law and environmental justice, as well as reparations and redress for historic injustices. He lectures globally on climate justice and group-based inequality. After completing law school at Howard University, Professor Waterhouse began his career as an attorney with the EPA, where he served in the Office of Regional Counsel in Atlanta, Georgia and the Office of General Counsel in Washington, D.C. At the EPA, he served as the chief counsel for the agency in several significant cases and as a national and regional expert on environmental justice, earning three of the Agency's prestigious national awards. Professor Waterhouse graduated with honors from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University with a Master of Theological Studies degree and from the Emory University Graduate School with a Ph.D. in Social Ethics.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-additional-biden-harris-appointees-0
President Biden: "There's a lot of talk, with good reason, about the number of executive orders that I have signed. I'm not making new law. I'm eliminating bad policy."
https://c-span.org/video/?508551-1/president-biden-signs-immigration-executive-orders
Miami Heat center Meyers Leonard will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery
https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1356728605154377733
Hunting group sues to force Wisconsin allow them to murder engangered wolves. A national hunting group filed a lawsuit Tuesday to force an immediate start to Wisconsin's wolf season before President Joe Biden's administration restores federal protections for the animals.
https://www.twincities.com/2021/02/02/hunting-group-sues-to-force-wisconsin-wolf-season/amp/
Now an agency that oversees aviation safety, railroads, transit, highways and more, and has an entire bureaucracy devoted to corralling statistics, will run headfirst into Mayor Pete's throngs of social media fans. On Twitter, hordes of #TeamPete followers — who sport bumble bee emojis as a nod to a cordial campaign-trail encounter between Buttigieg and a bee — hang on every word written about him. They relentlessly retweet each other and have been studying up on transportation issues, the better to follow the ins and outs of his career turn at DOT. "From #TeamPete — excited to be learning about the tugboat, towboat and barge industry today! #SecretaryMayorPete" wrote one fan. Some industry groups have even begun to seize on that dynamic, using #TeamPete hashtags to get more eyes on their issues. And it seems to be working, as Buttigieg's Twitter army has begun to engage — such as one tweet from progressive group Transportation for America, which drew this response from an account calling itself @GoodGuyPete2024: "#TeamPete is a loyal bunch. We are also curious and just nerdy enough to keep you on your toes. #HighwayHopes." The AFL-CIO's Transportation Trades Department, an umbrella group for various transportation-related unions, also has been leaning into Buttigieg's fandom. "Clearly there is a new audience there, there's some new audience that we want to make sure we reach," said Greg Regan, the TTD's secretary-treasurer. "There's an established constituency that already cares about the secretary personally and listens to what he has to say," adding that his group plans to "channel that." | Beyond flash, Buttigieg's celebrity could breathe life into an ambitious climate-and-infrastructure plan he'll be tasked with promoting. That's an exciting prospect for transportation wonks both inside and outside the agency tired of stale jokes about the Trump administration's constant promises to pivot to an infrastructure agenda. | One of his primary tasks will be shepherding the transportation pieces of Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure vision, in whatever form it might take. He will be aided by deputy secretary-designate Polly Trottenberg, a DOT veteran from Obama's first term who spent the intervening seven years running the New York City DOT. Trottenberg, who has also worked for several senators including now-Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, has the Washington credentials and connections to work effectively with Capitol Hill, the White House and beyond. | A former DOT official who worked in a Republican administration said Buttigieg is "politically astute enough to know that he's going to have a lot of attention on the department, and he'll use that to his advantage."
Hilariously unconstitutional but you do you
https://twitter.com/ColumbiaBugle/status/1356702926899605506
New DHS Sec Mayorkas JUST emailed staff at DHS. His message: "Our success will be measured not only by the results we deliver, but also by the values we uphold in achieving them. We will act with integrity and humility. We will be open, transparent, and accountable." "We will respect the rights and dignity of others," he continued.
https://twitter.com/Haleaziz/status/1356730159861092352
https://twitter.com/Haleaziz/status/1356730242870562817
John Thune on House Republican: "Do they want to be the party of limited government and fiscal responsibility, free markets, peace through strength and pro-life — or do they want to be the party of conspiracy theories and QAnon?"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/02/politics/marjorie-taylor-greene-republican-reaction/index.html
On Capitol Hill today, Senator @JoeManchinWV said it was "a mistake" for the WH to pressure him in his home state. Tonight, @wolfblitzer asked @WHCommsDir if they viewed this as a mistake: "No, not at all. We are going out across the country to make the case for this package."
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/02/politics/marjorie-taylor-greene-republican-reaction/index.html
Georgia's Secretary of State office confirmed that it suspects attorney Lin Wood —who spread baseless allegations of widespread elections fraud in the state — is being investigated on suspicion of living full time in South Carolina but illegally voting in the last two GA elections. Wood was one of most visible, controversial people claiming illegal voting in GA.
https://www.wsbtv.com/news/politics/exclusive-attorney-lin-wood-under-investigation-over-whether-he-voted-illegally-november-officials-say/FIMPMEJHFFFBBA66O5P5QEY25E/
In my call with families of loved ones held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad, I reaffirmed that their family members are a top priority in our diplomatic engagements. We will continue to use every tool and resource available under U.S. law to bring Americans home.
https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1356736442005938182
It may sound like something out of a futuristic science fiction film, but scientists have managed to engineer spinach plants which are capable of sending emails. Through nanotechnology, engineers at MIT in the US have transformed spinach into sensors capable of detecting explosive materials. These plants are then able to wirelessly relay this information back to the scientists. When the spinach roots detect the presence of nitroaromatics in groundwater, a compound often found in explosives like landmines, the carbon nanotubes within the plant leaves emit a signal. This signal is then read by an infrared camera, sending an email alert to the scientists. This experiment is part of a wider field of research which involves engineering electronic components and systems into plants. The technology is known as "plant nanobionics", and is effectively the process of giving plants new abilities. "Plants are very good analytical chemists," explains Professor Michael Strano who led the research. "They have an extensive root network in the soil, are constantly sampling groundwater, and have a way to self-power the transport of that water up into the leaves." "This is a novel demonstration of how we have overcome the plant/human communication barrier," he adds. While the purpose of this experiment was to detect explosives, Strano and other scientists believe it could be used to help warn researchers about pollution and other environmental conditions. Because of the vast amount of data plants absorb from their surroundings, they are ideally situated to monitor ecological changes. In the early phases of plant nanobionic research, Strano used nanoparticles to make plants into sensors for pollutants. By altering how the plants photosynthesized, he was able to have them detect nitric oxide, a pollutant caused by combustion. Scientists from the American University have found that when spinach is converted into carbon nanosheets, it can function as a catalyst to help make metal-air batteries and fuel cells more efficient. "This work suggests that sustainable catalysts can be made for an oxygen reduction reaction from natural resources," explains Professor Shouzhong Zou, who led the paper.
https://www.nature.com/articles/nmat4771.epdf
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsomega.0c02673
We look forward to the continuing work of Space Force and invite the members of the team to come visit us in the briefing room anytime to share an update on their important work.
https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1356758904596811776
"The urn bearing Sicknick's remains is due to arrive at the Capitol by 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and be greeted by family members, Capitol officers and congressional leaders." Over at the White House, reporters have a "lid" until 9 pm. "The heroism of Officer Sicknick and the Capitol Police force during the violent insurrection against our Capitol helped save lives, defend the temple of our democracy and ensure that the Congress was not diverted from our duty to the Constitution," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) said in announcing the ceremonies for Sicknick, which will not be open to the public.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/sicknick-honor-capitol/2021/02/02/3878d5ae-6578-11eb-8c64-9595888caa15_story.html
Executive Order on Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans. This executive order announced Tuesday focuses more on the legal immigration system in the U.S., and rescinds a Trump Administration memo requiring family sponsors to repay the government if relatives receive public benefits. It will also begin the review of the Trump Administration's Public Charge rule, which began on Aug. 14, 2019. The rule faced many legal challenges, but ultimately the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit decided the rule could be implemented in Sept. 2020. Ultimately, it means applications for some immigrants, including those wishing to seek permanent legal residency, could be rejected it if the immigrant received public benefits for more than 12 months within any 36-month period and if "at the time of application for admission or adjustment of status, is likely at any time to become a public charge," according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Once again this has been cancelled by Biden. The executive order will also include re-establishing a Task Force Pn New Americans, which previously existed during the Obama Administration and focused on better integrating immigrants and refugees into American life.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/02/executive-order-on-restoring-faith-in-our-legal-immigration-systems-and-strengthening-integration-and-inclusion-efforts-for-new-americans/
Executive Order on Creating a Comprehensive Regional Framework to Address the Causes of Migration, to Manage Migration Throughout North and Central America, and to Provide Safe and Orderly Processing of Asylum Seekers at the United States Border. One of the things this exectuive order does is cancel and likely dismantle the Migrant Protection Protocols (Remain In Mexico policy). The situation at the border will not transform overnight, due in large part to the damage done over the last four years. But the President is committed to an approach that keeps our country safe, strong, and prosperous and that also aligns with our values.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/02/executive-order-on-creating-a-comprehensive-regional-framework-to-address-the-causes-of-migration-to-manage-migration-throughout-north-and-central-america-and-to-provide-safe-and-orderly-processing/
Executive Order on the Establishment of Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families. Contains provision to basically set aside immigration laws to 1) allow deported immigrants back into the US to reunite with children and 2) provide them with (temporary) legal documention
Sec. 4. Functions. The Task Force shall, consistent with applicable law, perform the following functions:
(a) Identifying all children who were separated from their families at the United States-Mexico border between January 20, 2017, and January 20, 2021, in connection with the operation of the Zero-Tolerance Policy;
(b) To the greatest extent possible, facilitating and enabling the reunification of each of the identified children with their families by:
(i) providing recommendations to heads of agencies concerning the exercise of any agency authorities necessary to reunite the children with their families, including:
(A) recommendations regarding the possible exercise of parole under section 212(d)(5)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, as amended (8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A)), or the issuance of visas or other immigration benefits, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law;
(B) recommendations regarding the provision of additional services and support to the children and their families, including trauma and mental health services; and
(C) recommendations regarding reunification of any additional family members of the children who were separated, such as siblings, where there is a compelling humanitarian interest in doing so;
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/02/executive-order-on-the-establishment-of-interagency-task-force-on-the-reunification-of-families/
For years, organizations like Justice in Motion and Kids In Need of Defense (KIND) have been working to reunify families who were separated before and during the Trump Administration's "Zero Tolerance" policy. The groups say however, that the U.S. government has provided them with outdated or inaccurate contact information for many of the parents, making it difficult to locate them. Complicating the challenging task of reunification is the fact that many parents were deported without their children, many families are distrustful of the government because of their experience being separated, and the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed on-the-ground searches for parents. Despite those obstacles, Cathleen Caron, executive director of Justice in Motion, a legal aid nonprofit that has been conducting on-the-ground searches for deported parents in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, says she's optimistic the remaining missing parents will be located in a few months with the creation of Biden's task force.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/biden-s-new-immigration-executive-orders-include-creating-a-task-force-to-reunify-families-here-s-what-to-know/ar-BB1dkPDH
Here is how the meeting with McCarthy & Greene should have gone:
- Do you still believe these? (shows Greene her Tweets & facebook comments, including all her recent tweets that she deleted but were screencapped)
- Yes! The election was stolen and you don't tell me what to do, you're a radical socialist communist devil laser demon, I answer to Trump, I represent the MAGA Army and ---
- We're voting in 5 minutes to expel you from the House altogether, we have the votes and you have 5 minutes to get your shit and leave or I will order you arrested for refusing to leave the House floor
- The End
In the same vote, the House has
1) taken the first step to approve a giant COVID relief package, and
2) voted to fine lawmakers who refuse to go through metal detectors to get into the House chamber.
https://twitter.com/jamiedupree/status/1356771043835334657
All Republicans present voted against the measure to stop lawmakers who illegally bring guns to the House floor
The House has voted to penalize lawmakers who seek to bypass the security screening measures that have been enacted in the wake of the Capitol riot, with members facing a $5,000 fine for the first offense and $10,000 each time thereafter.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/02/02/house-vote-tonight-leveling-fines-up-10000-lawmakers-who-flout-security-screening/
The remarkable part of all of Marjorie Taylor Greene's social media content is the absence of any apology or remorse. It's all a culture of victimhood & grievance without the slightest acknowledgement of wrongdoing or even that people have legitimate reasons to be upset with her
Iowa House Speaker has claimed he can't enforce a mask mandate. He's told reporters that this is how he would enforce the chamber's dress code. A Democratic Rep. apparently tested that this evening. Also, 5 COVID-19 cases have been reported tied to the Iowa House
https://twitter.com/KatarinaSos/status/1356761770849800193
Fred VanVleet has 28 points with 8 threes at half against the Orlando Magic
Paul George spilts the Nets defense for the open slam
https://streamable.com/xi4j1u
Marcus Morris drills back-to-back triples to push the Clippers lead back out to 11
https://streamable.com/m3zuif
Slum Chain Kroger - worth $100+ billion dollars - closing two stores because they refuse to pay better wages for overworked employees
https://thehill.com/policy/finance/537002-kroger-closing-two-stores-after-city-orders-higher-pandemic-pay-for-workers
Republicans have made the decision to defend Marjorie Taylor Greene while in the next room over Officer Sicknick is lying in honor in the rotunda tonight because he was murdered during a terrorist attack that she cheerleaded and continues to cheerlead and hopes will happen again and again and again with her full support until MAGA takes back America
Marjorie Taylor Greene equates David Hogg to a dog in new video
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/marjorie-taylor-greene-david-hoggs-dog-b1796789.html
Fred VanVleet Tonight: Career High 54 Points, 17/23 from the field, 11/14 from Three, 9/9 from the line
DeMar DeRozan congratulates FVV and roasts Kyle Lowry
https://twitter.com/DeMar_DeRozan/status/1356793964226093058
VanVleet said in his interview with Sportsnet after tonight's game that he had DeMar in mind as he chased the record in part because DeRozan would text him anytime he had a big game and tell him it was "weak" because he hadn't taken down his record yet. Context: Fred VanVleet finished with 54 points tonight in a win vs the Magic & set the record for most points by an undrafted player in the common draft era (since 1966). After a follow up with Elias Sports Bureau (thanks to @ESPNStatsInfo), the prior record for an undrafted free agent not named Moses Malone or Connie Hawkins (who are not exactly typical UFAs) was Anthony Morrow's 42 points for the New Jersey Nets on Feb. 3, 2012
The Brooklyn Nets (14-9) defeat the Los Angeles Clippers (16-6) 124-120 behind 39 points from Kyrie Irving and a 23/11/14 triple double from James Harden
Steph goes coast to coast, carves through the Celtics defense and finishes with a circus shot
https://streamable.com/ysmxgw
Dame hits the huge step back three and checks his watch
https://streamable.com/r9hfae
Harden with a clutch full-court dime to Green
https://streamable.com/2wlc4f
Paul George: "As good defense we played all night, the fact of the matter is, they have some of the best ISO players in the world. Kyrie, James, KD. I thought there was a stretch where we played great defense right in their face and almost each of them took turns taking shots. They're just tough."
https://streamable.com/qmpcq1
The Clippers' duo scored 59 points on 48 shots. The Nets' trio scored 90 points on 51 shots.
Dame blows past Westbrook and throws down the one hand slam
https://streamable.com/nst0m1
Steph Curry in loss against the Celtics: 38 pts, 11 rebs, 8 asts, 3 stl, on 12/21 ans 7/14 from downtown
Steve Kerr on Jaylen Brown: "I actually had Jaylen in the car a couple times when he came to Oracle with my son for games, and I remember at the time telling Jaylen, 'Please don't say anything'"
https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/steve-kerr-jokes-jaylen-brown-carpool-mightve-been-ncaa-violation
Kyrie with the eurostep and circus lay in to give the Nets the lead
https://streamable.com/f0g52b
Curry gets the and-1 with an insane reverse at the rim
https://streamable.com/t75i3j
Blake Griffin rips his jersey in frustration going into halftime of Pistons/Jazz
https://streamable.com/otn2vu
Here is the more fun way to think about this:
Kelly Oubre is costing GSW $68 million in luxury taxes.
Half of luxury taxes are spread among non-tax paying teams. There are 23 of them, per Spotrac.
Other teams are getting paid $1.5 million for Oubre to miss shots against them.
https://twitter.com/SamQuinnCBS/status/1356851008354144258
Tatum loads up from Lillard range and airballs it; fake crowd chants "airball"
https://streamable.com/8lvm8i
The Utah Jazz (16-5) defeat the Detroit Pistons (5-16), 117 - 105
Wizards are 0-5 when Russell Westbrook has a triple double
Steve Kerr said he doesn't expect Kevon Looney to play in the next couple games. Sprained left ankle. So no centers to open the Texas road trip.
https://twitter.com/anthonyVslater/status/1356842890056486914
Jerami Grant tonight vs. Utah despite the loss: 27 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists (1 TO), 3 blocks, on 9-18 shooting (2-5 from three, 7-8 on FTs).
German Nuns Sold Orphaned Children To Pedophiles
https://www.thedailybeast.com/german-nuns-sold-orphaned-children-to-sexual-predators-says-report
China blocks UN condemnation of Myanmar coup
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55913947
WHO team visits Wuhan virus lab at centre of speculation
https://apnews.com/article/genetics-virology-coronavirus-pandemic-wuhan-china-8798374a3c6acc56b1e8b973309045ba
The United Nations had planned to start a maritime salvage operation to prevent leaks from a dilapidated tanker holding four times the oil that spilled in the Exxon Valdez disaster. But Houthi insurgents have failed to provide a written security guarantee, the U.N. said. The United Nations said Tuesday that it had indefinitely delayed an expedition to avert an ecological disaster from a crippled Yemeni tanker holding roughly 48 million gallons of oil, citing what the organization called a failure by Yemen's Houthi insurgents to guarantee the salvage team's safety in writing. The announcement came weeks after the team was supposed to have begun technical operations aboard the tanker, the FSO Safer, which has been moored off Yemen's Red Sea coast for many years. The 1,188-foot vessel is regarded by maritime environmental experts as a floating bomb, within easy range of the shooting war between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition of Arab states trying to defeat them in a protracted war in Yemen.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/world/middleeast/yemen-oil-tanker-salvage-fso-safer.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/24/world/middleeast/yemen-houthis-tanker.html?searchResultPosition=3
Not a single Senate Republican voted to advance the stimulus package that would give most Americans a $1,400 one-time check
https://www.businessinsider.com/not-a-single-republican-voted-to-advance-the-stimulus-package-2021-2
Warren To Join Senate Finance Committee, Immediately Introduces Wealth Tax Bill To Levy Two-Cent Tax On Every Dollar Of Individual Wealth Over $50 Million.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/warren-senate-finance-committee-wealth-tax_n_6019c576c5b668b8db3c99d3
Romney Said It Was Disingenuous To Criticize Democrats After Big Spending Under Trump But Romney Then Immediately Proceeded To Vote Against American Rescue Plan (Covid19 Stimulus)
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/537076-romney-disingenuous-to-criticize-dems-after-big-spending-under-trump
Stephen Bannon, pardoned by Trump, may now be charged over the same scheme in New York
https://theweek.com/speedreads/964748/stephen-bannon-pardoned-by-trump-may-now-charged-over-same-scheme-new-york
Watchdog Investigates Ted Cruz Over Loan Changes That Aided Billionaire Donors - The Wilks brothers obtained a $35 million Main Street loan. They also donated $15 million to a PAC that backed Cruz's presidential run.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tex-cruz-probe-pandemic-watchdog-fracking-loans_n_6018a246c5b653f644d689c9
President Biden traveled to the Capitol to pay respects to Brian Sicknick, the officer who died from injuries sustained at the Capitol riot. Both CNN and MSNBC aired the ceremony. Fox News completely ignored the entire ceremony to attack Democrats and talk about the Deep State and an on obscene violent threatening pro-Trump racist blob getting booted from a Lakers' game.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/us/politics/bidens-brian-sicknick-rotunda.html
Election workers weren't surprised by the Capitol riot. Trump's supporters targeted them first
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/election-workers-weren-t-surprised-capitol-riot-trump-s-supporters-n1256535
Missouri State Rep. Tricia Derges Indicted for Selling Fake 'Stem Cell Shot'
https://www.newsweek.com/missouri-state-rep-tricia-derges-indicted-selling-fake-stem-cell-shot-1566322
Nina Turner takes big fundraising lead in congressional race to succeed Marcia Fudge; her donors include actress Susan Sarandon and entrepreneur Andrew Yang
https://www.cleveland.com/open/2021/02/nina-turner-takes-big-fundraising-lead-in-congressional-race-to-succeed-marcia-fudge-her-donors-include-actress-susan-sarandon-and-entrepreneur-andrew-yang.html
Jobless Americans missed $17.6 billion in benefits last month because of relief bill delays
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/03/politics/unemployment-benefits-missed-congress-trump-relief-bill/index.html
Mark Meadows under investigation for campaign finance violations (using campaign donations for personal expenses).
https://www.salon.com/2021/02/03/new-filing-suggests-mark-meadows-under-investigation-for-campaign-finance-violations/
The AstraZeneca covid19 vaccine is shown to drastically cut transmission of the virus.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/03/us/astrazeneca-coronavirus-vaccine.html
Police in Myanmar have charged deposed national leader Aung San Suu Kyi with having several illegally imported walkie-talkies in her home, legally allowing her to be held until Feb. 15, members of her party said Wednesday. The charges against Suu Kyi appear to carry a maximum sentence of two years in prison. The charge sheets indicate the unregistered walkie-talkies were for use by Suu Kyi's bodyguards.
https://apnews.com/article/aung-san-suu-kyi-myanmar-coronavirus-pandemic-elections-yangon-6884aae25bac2dbf952a8cc0447c83fc
Officer Sicknick Lying in Honor in U.S. Capitol
https://c-span.org/video/?508541-1/officer-sicknick-lies-honor-us-capitol
First Amendment rights do not include spearheading a premeditated assault on American democracy. The world is watching whether we are strong enough to hold the guilty accountable. The Senate can show we are by prohibiting Trump from ever holding an office of public trust again.
Reporting that a politician believes in/flirts with conspiracy theories is legit, but the attention they get should be proportional to their ability to influence actual public policy. Don't make them famous, help them raise money or elevate conspiracy theories
FBI raids homes of 2 men who held rally on eve of Capitol attack. The FBI recently raided the homes of two men that sponsored an invective-laced rally near the US Capitol a day before the deadly insurrection, the first known search warrants involving people who organized and spoke at rallies preceding the attack. CNN learned of the raids through an eyewitness account, public records, a lawyer representing one of the rally organizers and an FBI spokeswoman who confirmed details of the searches. FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller confirmed that federal agents executed search warrants last week at two properties in Orange County, California, which public records indicate belong to Russell Taylor and Alan Hostetter. The two men run the American Phoenix Project, which co-sponsored a pro-Donald Trump rally near the Supreme Court on January 5, one day before the attack.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/03/politics/fbi-raids-capitol-attack-investigation/index.html
Sanders amasses budget arsenal to enact $15 minimum wage
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/02/minimum-wage-increase-bernie-sanders-465249
Justice Department drops suit accusing Yale of discriminating against White and Asian applicants, in reversal from Trump era
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/03/doj-drops-suit-accusing-yale-of-discriminating-against-white-asian-students.html
Utah Jazz will play the Pacers, Celtics, Bucks, Heat, 76ers, Clippers (2) in 12 days
Covid team is briefing the press on the status of the pandemic. "Data shows we are making progress," with 1.3 million shots per day - putting the administration on track to vaccinate 100 million in 100 days.
https://twitter.com/BrianKarem/status/1356997998744653825
This is notable because, as she demonstrated earlier this week, AOC breaks news directly to her constituents through IGTV and social media instead of going through traditional news outlets. The reach is extensive: her video this week has 5 million views and counting: Good morning everyone! Sun with face. I'm teaching my once-a-term digital / social media session for members of Congress today. Help me help them! What do you wish you saw more of digitally from your elected officials? Who's doing a great job that you think others can learn from? Lmk Downwards arrow
https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1356975660888121347
Secretary of Education Nominee Miguel Cardona delivers an opening statement at his Senate confirmation hearing.
https://c-span.org/video/?508484-1/education-secretary-nominee-miguel-cardona-testifies-confirmation-hearing
RIP Hal Holbrook
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/theater/hal-holbrook-dead.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hal_Holbrook
Wen-Ling Chestnut, wife of Officer J.J. Chestnut, who died in the line of duty along with Detective John Gibson, July 24, 1998 was at Sicknick's memorial. Sicknick joined Chestnut, Gibson & as the only 3 USCP officers to ever lie in honor at the Capitol
https://twitter.com/ktullymcmanus/status/1356997415086260226
If you are unfamiliar with the 1998 shooting at the Capitol, I recommend this excellent video @thomasmckinless did marking the anniversary
https://www.rollcall.com/2018/07/18/20-years-ago-a-deadly-shooting-in-the-capitol-changed-life-on-the-hill-forever/
https://www.rollcall.com/2018/07/24/shooting-of-capitol-police-officers-was-turning-point-for-department/
___________________________________
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/theater/hal-holbrook-dead.html
Hal Holbrook, Actor Who Channeled Mark Twain, Is Dead at 95
He carved out a substantial career in television and film but achieved the widest acclaim with his one-man stage show, playing Twain for more than six decades.
By Robert Berkvist
Feb. 2, 2021
Hal Holbrook, who carved out a substantial acting career in television and film but who achieved his widest acclaim onstage, embodying Mark Twain in all his craggy splendor and vinegary wit in a one-man show seen around the world, died on Jan. 23 at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif. He was 95.
His death was confirmed by his assistant, Joyce Cohen, on Monday night.
Mr. Holbrook had a long and fruitful run as an actor. He was the shadowy patriot Deep Throat in "All the President's Men" (1976); an achingly grandfatherly character in "Into the Wild" (2007), for which he received an Oscar nomination; and the influential Republican Preston Blair in Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" (2012).
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/09/movies/lincoln-by-steven-spielberg-stars-daniel-day-lewis.html
He played the 16th president himself, on television, in Carl Sandburg's "Lincoln," a 1974 mini-series. The performance earned him an Emmy Award, one of five he won for his acting in television movies and mini-series; the others included "The Bold Ones: The Senator" (1970), his protagonist resembling John F. Kennedy, and "Pueblo" (1973) in which he played the commander of a Navy intelligence boat seized by North Korea in 1968.
Mr. Holbrook was a regular on the 1980s television series "Designing Women." He played Willy Loman in "Death of a Salesman," Shakespeare's Hotspur and King Lear, and the Stage Manager in Thornton Wilder's "Our Town."
https://www.nytimes.com/1990/11/16/theater/review-theater-hal-holbrook-in-a-lear-of-druids-and-wimps.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/09ttheaterct.html
But above all he was Mark Twain, standing alone onstage in a rumpled white linen suit, spinning an omnisciently pungent, incisive and humane narration of the human comedy.
But above all he was Mark Twain, standing alone onstage in a rumpled white linen suit, spinning an omnisciently pungent, incisive and humane narration of the human comedy.
https://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/13/theater/holbrook-s-half-century-twain-actor-never-tires-channeling-ornery-irresistible.html
Mr. Holbrook never claimed to be a Twain scholar; indeed, he said, he had read only a little of Twain's work as a young man. He said the idea of doing a staged reading of Twain's work came from Edward A. Wright, his mentor at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. And Mr. Wright would have been the first to acknowledge that the idea had actually originated with Twain himself — or rather Samuel Clemens, who had adopted Mark Twain as something of a stage name and who did readings of his work for years.
Mr. Holbrook was finishing his senior year as a drama major in 1947 when Mr. Wright talked him into adding Twain to a production that Mr. Holbrook and his wife, Ruby, were planning called "Great Personalities," in which they would portray, among others, Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, John Alden and Priscilla Mullins, and Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Mr. Holbrook had doubts at first. "Ed, I think this Mark Twain thing is pretty corny," he recalled telling Mr. Wright after the first rehearsals. "I don't think it's funny."
But Mr. Wright prevailed upon him to stay with it, and in 1948 the character came along when the Holbrooks took to the road with a "Great Personalities" touring production.
They first tried the Twain sketch before an audience of psychiatric patients at the veterans hospital in Chillicothe, Ohio — a circumstance Mr. Holbrook explains only vaguely in his 2011 memoir, "Harold: The Boy Who Became Mark Twain." In the sketch, Mr. Holbrook's cantankerous Twain was interviewed by Ruby Holbrook:
"How old are you?"
"Nineteen in June."
"Whom do you consider the most remarkable man you ever met?"
"George Washington."
"But how could you have ever met George Washington if you're only nineteen years old?"
"If you know more about me than I do, what do you ask me for?"
The patients stared straight ahead — "No one was looking at us," Mr. Holbrook wrote — and guffawed at the laugh lines, proving that "the guys in the ward were saner than they looked" and that the material had legs.
The Twain piece became their most popular sketch over the next four years, as the couple crisscrossed the country performing for schoolchildren, ladies' clubs, college students and Rotarians.
Mr. Holbrook began developing his one-man show in 1952, the year Ms. Holbrook gave birth to their first child, Victoria. He soon looked the part, with a wig to match Twain's unruly mop, a walrus mustache and a rumpled white linen suit, the kind Twain himself wore onstage. From his grandfather, Mr. Holbrook got an old penknife, which he used to cut the ends off the three cigars he smoked during a performance (though he was not sure whether Twain ever smoked onstage). He sought out people who claimed to have seen and heard Twain, who died in 1910, and listened to their recollections.
He had more or less perfected the role by 1954, the year he began a one-man show titled "Mark Twain Tonight!" at Lock Haven State Teachers College in Pennsylvania.
Two years later he took his Twain to television, performing on "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "The Tonight Show." In the meantime he had landed a steady job in 1954 on the TV soap opera "The Brighter Day," on which he played a recovering alcoholic. The stint lasted until 1959, when, tiring of roles he no longer cared about, he opened in "Mark Twain Tonight!" at the Off Broadway 41st Street Theater.
By then the metamorphosis was complete. With his shambling gait, Missouri drawl, sly glances and exquisite timing, Hal Holbrook had, for all intents and purposes, become Mark Twain.
"After watching and listening to him for five minutes," Arthur Gelb wrote in The New York Times, "it is impossible to doubt that he is Mark Twain, or that Twain must have been one of the most enchanting men ever to go on a lecture tour."
But for Mr. Holbrook, the Mark Twain guise he put on every night was a mask; behind it, he wrote in his memoir, was a lonesomeness that had plagued his early life, beginning when his parents abandoned him as a small child. As an adult he found his marriage, his fatherhood and even his stage life caught in an existential deadlock, with "survival and suicide impulses working in tandem." His escape, he said, was punishing amounts of work, not to mention the company of friends like Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.
In his memoir, Mr. Holbrook described an emotional low point in the early 1950s. He was sitting in a hotel room at the end of a long day, still undecided about doing an all-Mark Twain show and feeling lost, when he began rereading "Tom Sawyer" for the first time since high school.
"You heard the voices coming right off the page," he wrote. "This was a surprise, and after a while I began to feel pleasant with myself and that was a surprise, too. Bitterness receded and in its place a boy came crowding in, his friends came in and his family, and it wasn't very long before I did not feel so lonely anymore. Mark Twain had cheered me up."
Harold Rowe Holbrook Jr. was born on Feb. 17, 1925, in Cleveland. He was 2 years old when his parents left him. His mother, the former Aileen Davenport, ran off to join the chorus of the revue "Earl Carroll's Vanities." Harold Sr. went to California after leaving young Hal in the care of grandparents in South Weymouth, Mass.
The young Mr. Holbrook spent his high school years at the Culver Military Academy in Indiana and then enrolled at Denison to major in the dramatic arts, but his education was interrupted by service as an Army engineer during World War II. He was stationed for a while in St. John's, Newfoundland, where he joined an amateur theater group and met Ruby Elaine Johnston, who became his first wife. The couple returned to Denison after the war, and Mr. Holbrook soon became Mr. Wright's prize student.
After he became an established attraction in the United States, Mr. Holbrook took "Mark Twain Tonight!" to Europe, performing in Britain, Germany and elsewhere. German audiences roared when he presented Twain's view of Wagnerian opera: "I went to Bayreuth and took in 'Parsifal.' I shall never forget it. The first act occupied two hours and I enjoyed it, in spite of the singing."
Mr. Holbrook toured the country with the show several times a year, racking up well over 2,000 performances. He compiled an estimated 15 hours of Twain's writings, which he dipped into whenever his routine needed refreshing. He won a Tony Award in 1966 for his first Broadway run in "Mark Twain Tonight!"
Mr. Holbrook was 29 when he started playing Twain at 70; as he grew older, he found he needed less and less makeup to look elderly. He continued the act well past his own 70th birthday, returning to Broadway in 2005, when he was 80.
https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/10/theater/reviews/storyteller-at-work-mark-twain-tonight-and-as-ever.html
After playing Twain for more than six decades, he abruptly retired the role in 2017. "I know it must end, this long effort to do a good job," he wrote in a letter to the Oklahoma theater where he had been scheduled to perform. "I have served my trade, gave it my all, heart and soul, as a dedicated actor can."
https://oklahoman.com/article/5564003/hal-holbrook-retires-one-man-show-mark-twain-tonight-after-63-years-cancels-oklahoma-city-performance
Mr. Holbrook made his Broadway debut in 1961 in the short-lived "Do You Know the Milky Way?" He returned there in the musical "Man of La Mancha," in Arthur Miller's "After the Fall" and other plays.
His scores of television appearances included "That Certain Summer" (1972), a groundbreaking film in which he starred as a divorced man who must ultimately admit to his son that he has a gay lover (Martin Sheen). In the early 1990s he had a recurring role on the sitcom "Evening Shade."
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/arts/television/14-tv-shows-that-broke-ground-with-gay-and-transgender-characters.html
Mr. Holbrook's many film roles tended to be small ones, although there were exceptions. One was as the anonymous informant Deep Throat in "All the President's Men," the 1976 film adaptation of the book by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein about the Watergate cover-up. (Deep Throat was later revealed to have been W. Mark Felt, a top F.B.I. official.) Another big movie role was in "The Firm" (1993), based on John Grisham's corporate whodunit, in which Mr. Holbrook played the stop-at-nothing head of a Memphis law firm.
His Oscar-nominated performance, in "Into the Wild," directed by Sean Penn, was as a retired military man who has a desert encounter with a young man on a quest for self-knowledge that would ultimately take him to the Alaskan wilderness. His final screen roles were in 2017, when, at 92, he guest-starred in episodes of the television series "Grey's Anatomy" and "Hawaii Five-0."
Mr. Holbrook's first marriage ended in divorce in 1965. In addition to their daughter, Victoria, they had a son, David. His second marriage, to the actress Carol Eve Rossen, ended in divorce in 1983. They had a daughter, Eve. In 1984 he married the actress Dixie Carter, who died in 2010.
https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/arts/television/12carter.html
He is survived by his children as well as two stepdaughters, Ginna Carter and Mary Dixie Carter; two grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren.
In adapting Mark Twain's writing for the stage, Mr. Holbrook said he had the best possible guide: Twain himself.
"He had a real understanding of the difference between the word on the page and delivering it on a platform," he told The San Francisco Chronicle in 2011. "You have to leave out a lot of adjectives. The performer is an adjective."
https://www.sfgate.com/performance/article/Hal-Holbrook-in-Mark-Twain-Tonight-2387758.php
Richard Severo, Paul Vitello and William McDonald contributed reporting.
Correction: Feb. 2, 2021
An earlier version of this obituary misstated the year Mr. Holbrook and his second wife, the actress Carol Eve Rossen, divorced. It was 1983, not 1979.
A version of this article appears in print on Feb. 3, 2021, Section B, Page 10 of the New York edition with the headline: Hal Holbrook, Actor Who for 6 Decades Played Twain to a T, Dies at 95. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe
___________________________________
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonas_Gricius
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Hale
In Rare Public Statement, Congressional Aides Call for Trump's Conviction
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/03/us/politics/congress-trump-impeachment.html
Block him from being confirmed: U.S. education secretary nominee Miguel Cardona tells senators he supports allowing transgender female athletes to compete in girl's sports
https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-cardona-senate-hearing-20210203-ukfihpruyzgzjatqfcrn44gfiu-story.html
House to vote Thursday to drop Greene from all committees
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/537156-house-to-vote-thursday-to-drop-greene-from-all-committees
House Republicans aim to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar from committees instead of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene
https://www.businessinsider.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-ilhan-omar-congressional-reublicans-strip-from-committees-2021-2
We want to do it bipartisan, but we must be strong. We cannot dawdle, we cannot delay, we cannot dilute —because the troubles that this nation has, and the opportunities that we can bring them, are so large," @SenSchumer tells us after Oval mtg with Biden.
https://twitter.com/Jordanfabian/status/1357029144987635716
Perhaps the biggest difference between Trump's impeachment trials is that this time the senators are not just the jurors but also the victims of the crime and the trial is going to be held at the crime scene
Some probes on Sen. Wyden's desk:
* Trump's interference in the multibillion money laundering case against Turkey's state-run Halkbank
* Jared Kushner's 666 Fifth Ave. property deal and Qatar.
* Dark money in the Jan. 6 siege.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unity-requires-accountability-feat-sen-ron-wyden/id1550656252
US military halts Trump order to withdraw 12,000 troops from Germany
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-us-military-germany-biden-austin-b1797175.html
"They absolutely have the full support of the Biden administration," @PressSec says today regarding Space Force, adding they are not revisiting the decision to establish the newest branch of the U.S. armed forces.
https://twitter.com/kaitlancollins/status/1357041795323027456
Neera Tanden- Biden's pick for OMB is set to appear in front of the Senate Budget Committee (and Chair Bernie Sanders) next Wednesday at 10am.
Tanden was already scheduled to appear in front of the Homeland Security Committee next Tuesday at 9:15am.
https://twitter.com/ryanobles/status/1357037743868682241
The Presidential Records Act, which requires a sitting president to preserve and ultimately make public all records relating to the performance of their official duties, was passed 42 years ago in response to President Richard Nixon's attempts to hide the White House tapes that led to his downfall. The law makes presidential records available to the public via the Freedom of Information Act beginning five years after the end of an administration. | The Biden administration does not have "carte blanche" access to Trump administration records, and would be required to make a request to NARA to locate a particular record. "NARA would then need to consult with a representative of the relevant former president before providing it to the current White House," the lawyer said. "But that is rare, and is usually done only when there is some novel issue that presents itself and the current administration is curious about how its predecessor handled it."
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/03/biden-white-house-trump-visitor-logs-465564
On Monday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected that without additional government spending, the unemployment rate will remain above its pre-pandemic projections until 2024. This means millions would be unemployed for years after the health threat has lessened, unless we take action. The projections on economic growth relative to the beginning of the pandemic also underscore the urgency of additional action. While the CBO forecasts that growth in gross domestic output will rebound in 2021, back up to 3.7 percent for the year, that pace would not—absent additional action—return GDP to potential until 2025. CBO's forecasts include the December relief package but not President Biden's proposed American Relief Plan. Some people took the CBO's projections for growth in 2021 as a sign that we can wait to see whether additional fiscal relief is needed. But in fact, what the CBO is projecting is dire: around 7 million people out of work in 2021 whom CBO thought before the pandemic would be working. That's dire – and a call to immediate action, not calm, not wait-and-see. | In addition to CBO's macroeconomic estimates of when the economy will return to pre-pandemic employment and growth trends, the current crisis is generating deeply inequitable outcomes for American families. Almost a year into the pandemic, almost 11 million workers remain unemployed and around 4 million have been unemployed for six months or longer. More than 2 million women have left the labor force, many in the wake of school closures and challenges with child care. These job losses have been concentrated among lower wage workers. In addition, more than 15 million adults are behind on rental payments, nearly 24 million adults — and as many as 12 million children — are struggling with food insecurity, and more than 80 million adults are having trouble covering usual household expenses. The COVID-19 pandemic and related economic crisis have brought tens of millions of Americans to the brink of financial ruin through no fault of their own. | It does not have to be this way. In designing the American Rescue Plan, President Biden tasked his team with building a bottom-up plan that provides resources for our highest priority needs: getting shots in arms, opening schools, and providing relief to the workers, families, and small businesses that need it most. That bottom-up approach also makes sense top-down, looking at the economy as a whole and the challenges that yesterday's CBO report laid bare: a labor market that is projected to recover too slowly and economic output that fails to get back to pre-pandemic expectations soon enough. | First, Moody's Analytics projects that the President's Plan will bring the economy to full employment a full year earlier than a baseline without additional fiscal stimulus. This is significant because it's a difference of 4 million jobs in 2021. But it's also important because history shows that lower-income workers – and Black and brown workers – see the largest wage gains when the economy is at full employment. Second, leading Brookings Institution economists projected that, if the President's plan is enacted, GDP would reach CBO's pre-pandemic projection at the end of 2021, while CBO says we won't reach potential GDP until 2025 without additional economic relief. As they conclude, "In all, with the $1.9 trillion package, we project that cumulative real GDP between 2020 and 2023 would end up close to its pre-pandemic projection." Simply put, the ARP gets the overall economy back on track. (and who knows what disasters will happen between now and 2025....) | Unique crises call for unique approaches. Our economic strategy in response to this pandemic-induced economic crisis is centered around the belief that the costs of inaction are far higher than the costs of acting too aggressively. We should not wait for years for the economy to return to full employment and get the economy back to pre-pandemic expectations. Relying on the usual tools and the usual approaches to determine how much government action we need is a recipe to ensure that we come out of this crisis weakened and that we do not take this opportunity to build back better. We cannot afford to make this mistake.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/blog/2021/02/03/the-economics-of-the-american-rescue-plan/
Since entering office two weeks ago, the Biden administration has taken aggressive steps to activate the full resources of the federal government to improve our vaccination supply. First, we have increased vaccine supply to states, tribes, and territories by over 20 percent. Second, we are providing visibility on supply on a rolling three-week basis so governors and local leaders have the ability to plan and maximize the number of needles in arms. Third, we secured the equipment required to extract a sixth dose from every Pfizer vial of vaccine. And fourth, we're purchasing an additional 200 million doses to ensure that every American can get vaccinated. | First, the federal government is expediting financial support to bolster community vaccination sites nationwide, including in states like Georgia, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. As of today, FEMA has provided more than $1.7 billion to 27 states, localities, tribes, and territories. This funding covers critical steps in the vaccination process, including transportation and storage equipment, supplies needed to administer vaccines, and safety equipment like PPE and masks. Second, we're deploying personnel to provide technical assistance to support vaccination sites nationwide and provide additional staff from the federal government. FEMA has already assigned over 600 staff to this effort, including experts in logistics, IT, and registration, with over 350 of these staff deployed directly to the vaccination sites across the country. The federal government is now supporting thousands of National Guard members who are providing support to sites in 39 states, including 800 trained vaccinators. And CDC is providing on-the-ground technical assistance in jurisdictions across the country. And, third, we are building new community vaccination centers across the country. The Department of Defense will dedicate substantial personnel and resources to help manage many of these new sites. | So I just want to remind people that this is a global effort, and the more we get the virus controlled globally — and we will be part of that process as part of the global community — the better off we will be. Because I've said it many times, and I'll close by saying it again: We have to be concerned about the mutants. Viruses will not mutate well if you don't give them the opportunity to replicate in a very large way. Namely, if you have an open playing field for the virus, they will replicate, and they will mutate. The best way to prevent that is the implementation of the public health measures that Dr. Walensky just mentioned, both home and abroad, as well as the implementation of the administration of vaccines, as effectively and efficiently and as quickly as we possibly can.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/02/03/press-briefing-by-white-house-covid-19-response-team-and-public-health-officials/
YEP: Jen Psaki on RT and Sputnik: "I think it's pretty factual to say they are tools of propaganda who work on behalf of the Russian government."
Nominee to be EPA Administrator Micahel Regan
https://c-span.org/video/?508425-1/confirmation-hearing-epa-administrator-nominee-michael-regan
Methinks Biden, who ran for president three times and never won the Iowa caucuses (he lost two Iowa caucuses by significant margins), would personally not be sad to see them go.
Marjorie Taylor Greene was the moderator of a Facebook group that expressed support for executing Democrats and Trump opponents
https://www.businessinsider.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-moderated-facebook-group-death-threats-report-2021-2
Rep. Ted Deutch, who represents Parkland, is in tears now in this Rules hearing on MGT, who spread conspiracies about the shooting. "There are not words in the English language to properly describe" the impact of those conspiracies on the victims families, he says
https://twitter.com/CHueyBurns/status/1357061917257453569
Reporting that a politician believes in/flirts with conspiracy theories is legit, but the attention they get should be proportional to their ability to influence actual public policy
Don't make them famous, help them raise money or elevate conspiracy theories
https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1356938839806382080
William Jefferson was kicked off his committee because the FBI found $100,000 in marked bills in his freezer as part of a bribery sting
Israel is the only country where vaccines are already reducing transmission because inoculation has been rolled out more extensively and rapidly than anywhere else in the world
https://ft.com/content/e29efb8b-46ec-4815-98aa-458deffcd896
The number of Covid-19 vaccinations globally has surpassed the total number of confirmed cases. According to our vaccine tracker, over 105m doses have been administered so far, while the number of confirmed cases is just over 103m
https://ft.com/content/e29efb8b-46ec-4815-98aa-458deffcd896
Yes, the WH cannot *unilaterally* release these records, but that's not the end of the story. There are two sorts of visitor logs in question. The first type is logs kept by the Executive Office of the President, which would be Presidential ... records as the story suggests. For those, yes, the WH would have to request records from NARA, but that's basically pro forma & not at all a practical impediment. The second type is records kept by the Secret Service, which are emphatically NOT Presidential records & NOT controlled by NARA. They are controlled by the Secret Service, which is why you can file a FOIA request for them (Presidential records are excluded from FOIA). For them, the WH can't just *release* them any more than they can release USDA records, but they can tell USSS to ...release them & USSS will release them. And Trump doesn't get a vote there. So this is even less of an impediment. Bottom line, the word "unilaterally" is doing a lot of work here & while the statement is technically correct, it's not really relevant.
FBI agents killed in Florida spent years fighting crimes against children: "It's our job to stop that"
https://cbsnews.com/news/fbi-agents-killed-florida-shooting-laura-schwartzenberger-daniel-alfin/
The Manhattan D.A. investigation into Bannon's role in a charity supposed to use private funds to build the border wall began shortly after his federal pardon.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/manhattan-district-attorney-investigating-steve-bannon-n1256641
NW Georgia, meet Middle Georgia.
https://twitter.com/jamiedupree/status/1357068392390352905/photo/1
It's beyond reprehensible for any elected official, especially a member of Congress, to parrot violent QAnon rhetoric and promote deranged conspiracies like the Pentagon wasn't really hit by a plane on 9/11. It's not conservative, it's insane.
https://twitter.com/SenThomTillis/status/1357068314921558018
Actually its because you think 9/11 was an inside job, don't think a plane hit the Pentagon, think two major school shoots were false flags, and think the Jews have a giant space laser that set a major wild fire.
https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/1357068048600031233
Today, President Joseph R. Biden declared that a major disaster exists for the Navajo Nation and ordered federal assistance to supplement the Tribe's efforts in the areas affected by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic beginning on January 20, 2020, and continuing. Federal funding is available to the Navajo Nation and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, for the entire Tribe impacted by COVID-19. Robert J. Fenton, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Tammy Littrell as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the Tribe and warranted by the results of further assessments. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/03/president-joseph-r-biden-approves-the-navajo-nation-disaster-declaration/
Matt Ryan says he thinks Tampa will win Super Bowl, as much as it "pains" him to say that. He said their defense was one of the toughest they went against all year and their offense is playing better. Ryan also says Tampa's defensive line was the best they faced all year.
https://twitter.com/falconskelsey/status/1356962861709484036
My takeaway from Antonio Brown's 25-minute media session: He seems to believe he's a victim. He mentioned haters and doubters. Remember this when you see AB redemption arc stories this week: This was all self-inflicted.
https://twitter.com/bylindsayhjones/status/1357046319500521473
Former #Chargers and #Colts QB Philip Rivers announces he will be signing a one-day deal to retire as a Charger.
https://twitter.com/aroundthenfl1/status/1356777480724578305
One woman in the world's tallest residential building, at 432 Park in Manhattan, has "$82,000 in late fees and interest — more than twice the median household income in the Bronx" as tenants clash with management over costs and problems with the building.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/03/realestate/luxury-high-rise-432-park.html
One big issue with Marjorie Taylor Greene is that she surely will not be the last fringe candidate Donald Trump endorses out of office, so how the party establishes its relationship with his favored politicians is pretty important. There's a whoooole lot of open House, Senate, and Gov primaries coming up. You know what kind of candidates he's attracted to and what his current biggest litmus tests are for support. You can extrapolate out from there.
Kevin McCarthy will do nothing to punish Marjorie Taylor Greene. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy says Republicans will take no action to remove Majorie Taylor Greene from her House Committees because they feel she did nothing wrong and share her viewpoints and accuse Democrats - whom are the majority House party and have been since 2018 - of being the minority party attempting to steal power away from the majority Republican party.
https://republicanleader.gov/leader-mccarthys-statement-rep-marjorie-taylor-greene/
Republicans refuse to vote on Greene and will likely succeed in thwarting House Democrat vote (Democrats need 2/3 to vote to remove Greene from committee assignments). Republicans to vote on expelling Liz Cheney from House.
On the same day Canada declares the Proud Boys a terrorist organization, U.S. prosecutors arrest and unseal charges against another of the group's self-described "Sergeant of Arms" in Seattle: Ethan Nordean, a.k.a. Rufio Panman.
https://twitter.com/KlasfeldReports/status/1357090126464249859
Two weeks after Democrats claimed a majority in the 50-50 Senate, the chamber has now been formally organized and committee gavels will be passed to the new chairs. Senate passed the organizing resolution for the 117th Congress by unanimous consent. Democrats will now chairs the Senate committees as well as hold the majority in the 50-50 Senate. Similar to the 2001 Senate power-sharing agreement, Leaders McConnell and Schumer have entered a colloquy into the Congressional Record. One of the final issues discussed was the "filling the amendment tree" procedures highlighted in bold in the statement below.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EtVarNgWQAEZMPG?format=png&name=4096x4096
AOC seems to have had a truly frightening experience on January 6th, but members of the mob did not break into her office. The man she hid from was a Capitol Police officer who told her to go to a different office building. She didn't lie — I watched her IG live. She said that's what she thought was happening at first and then said it was really Capitol Police. The Cannon building was evacuated because of a bomb threat. Members were obviously in danger even if they weren't in the Capitol building proper during the attack. The Capitol is connected to Cannon and the other office buildings via tunnels. There were Republicans in the Cannon building who hunkered down in their offices with a gun for hours on end. They didn't see some sort of safety distinction between the Capitol building and the offices either. They were where she was and they were scared.
Liz Cheney, in the closed-door Republican caucus meeting, said that she absolutely will not apologize for her impeachment vote or her statement about Donald Trump's role in inciting the insurrection.
A bipartisan report released Tuesday urged the Biden admin. to postpone a May deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, warning an early exit would allow terrorist groups to reemerge and undercut a tenuous peace process.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/bipartisan-report-urges-postponing-planned-u-s-troop-exit-afghanistan-n1256642
Our country has entered a new chapter in which justice, accountability, and rooting out corruption in the highest levels of government are possible again. I'll continue fighting tooth and nail to shed light on the truth for the American people.
https://twitter.com/RonWyden/status/1357100403939106822
The chair of the Senate budget committee is a socialist and the federal government is about to mail $1,400 to the poorest people in the country. The Democratic Party has changed less than many would like and faster than many thought possible
https://www.budget.senate.gov/
Israeli Jewish Antifa (Hayalim Almonim) hacks KKK website, doxxes members. A website belonging to the Patriotic Brigade Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, an organization affiliated with the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan (KKK), was hacked by an anti-fascist Israeli organization, exposing pictures, names and personal information of many of the organizations members.
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/israeli-jewish-antifa-hacks-kkk-website-doxxes-members-657546
Chemists create and capture einsteinium, the elusive 99th element. Scientists have successfully studied einsteinium — one of the most elusive and heaviest elements on the periodic table — for the first time in decades. The achievement brings chemists closer to discovering the so-called "island of stability," where some of the heftiest and shortest-lived elements are thought to reside. Like other elements in the actinide series — a group of 15 metallic elements found at the bottom of the periodic table — einsteinium is made by bombarding a target element, in this case curium, with neutrons and protons to create heavier elements. The team used a specialized nuclear reactor at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, one of the few places in the world where einsteinium can be made. However, the reaction is designed to make californium — a commercially important element used in nuclear power plants — and so it makes only a very small amount of einsteinium as a byproduct. Extracting a pure sample of einsteinium from californium is challenging because of similarities between the two elements, which meant the researchers ended up with only a tiny sample of einsteinium-254, one of the most stable isotopes, or versions, of the elusive element. However, getting the einsteinium is only half the battle. The next problem is finding a place to keep it. Einsteinium-254 has a half-life of 276 days — the time for half of the material to decay — and breaks down into berkelium-250, which emits highly damaging gamma radiation. Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico designed a special 3D-printed sample holder to contain the einsteinium and protect the Berkeley Lab scientists from this radiation. However, the element's decay also created other problems for the researchers. "It's decaying consistently, so you lose 7.2% of your mass every month when studying it," Carter said. "You have to take this into account when you are planning your experiments." The main finding from the study was the measurement of the einsteinium bond length — the average distance between two bonded atoms — a fundamental chemical property that helps scientists predict how it will interact with other elements. They found that einsteinium's bond length goes against the general trend of the actinides. This is something that had been theoretically predicted in the past, but has never been experimentally proved before. Compared with the rest of the actinide series, einsteinium also luminesces very differently when exposed to light, which Carter describes as "an unprecedented physical phenomenon." Further experiments are needed to determine why. The new study "lays the groundwork for being able to do chemistry on really small quantities," Carter said. "Our methods will allow others to push boundaries studying other elements in the same way."
https://www.livescience.com/einsteinium-experiments-uncover-chemical-properties.html
https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-03179-3
Without ending the meat/dairy industry, we are in danger of having no future at all. Go vegan.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/03/plant-based-diets-crucial-to-saving-global-wildlife-says-report
12 state police officers charged after 19 bodies found near Mexico-U.S. border. A dozen state police officers have been arrested for allegedly killing 19 people, including Guatemalan migrants, whose bodies were found shot and burned near the U.S. border late in January, Mexican authorities announced Tuesday. Tamaulipas state Attorney General Irving Barrios Mojica said all 12 officers were in custody and face charges of homicide, abuse of authority and making false statements.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/12-state-police-officers-charged-killing-19-people-mexico-us-border/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mexico-us-border-19-bodies-found-camargo/
Biden Ousts All 10 of Trump's Union Busters From Powerful Labor Panel. On Tuesday, Joe Biden demanded the resignations of all 10 of Donald Trump's appointees to the Federal Service Impasses Panel, a powerful labor relations board, in a major victory for federal unions. Eight members resigned, and two were fired after refusing to step down. Trump's appointees—a group of partisan anti-labor activists—had hobbled federal unions for years, sabotaging their ability to organize and bargain collectively. Biden's clean sweep, which was first reported by Government Executive's Erich Wagner, marks a crucial step toward ending his predecessor's campaign of federal union busting. | Trump's appointees consistently defied the panel's legal obligations to remain a neutral arbiter. Instead, they displayed a clear pattern of siding with management and sometimes even imposed harsher terms than management requested. In an unprecedented and radical move, the panel even imposed terms that management did not request at all, like extending the length of an unfavorable contract. In other words, it functioned as intended: Trump stacked the panel with deeply ideological conservatives with extensive experience busting unions. | For example, Trump installed Karen M. Czarnecki, a leader of the avowedly anti-labor Mercatus Center who previously worked at the American Legislative Exchange Council (which ghostwrites anti-union legislation for Republican legislators) and the Heritage Foundation (which publicly promotes that legislation). Patrick Wright and F. Vincent Vernuccio, two more Trump appointees, work at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, an anti-union pressure group funded by the DeVos family. Most of Trump's appointees were affiliated with similar anti-labor groups, including the Freedom Foundation, Americans for Fair Treatment, the Goldwater Institute, the Fund for American Studies, and the Illinois Policy Institute. Others were management-side lawyers who specialize in union busting. Some appointees had questionable credentials, and many lacked any experience in mediation or arbitration. Panel member Michael Lucci, for instance, holds a B.A. in philosophy, and his official profile cryptically stated that he "completed self-directed coursework in economics" after college. (The fired members' profiles were removed from the agency's website on Tuesday night, but you can read an archived version here.) | When Biden took office, he elevated Ernest DuBester, the agency's lone Democrat, to the chairman position, shifting some power away from the Republican majority. Still, the FLRA's anti-union bent will continue until Biden replaces Abbott with another Democrat—which he can do almost immediately: Abbott's term has already expired, and he can only continue serving until Biden appoints his successor (with Senate approval). Yet the new president has not named a candidate to succeed Abbott. Nor has Biden named a general counsel, a position that Trump left vacant to prevent the agency from effectively enforcing union rights. | These remaining tasks do not diminish the importance of Biden's restoration of the impasses panel. If anything, they reveal just how much work the president must do to rid the federal government of Trump holdovers who are burrowed in. These individuals are not civil servants, but partisan activists who were selected to destroy their agencies from the inside. Ousting them is necessary to prevent the dead hand of the Trump administration from strangling the executive branch.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/02/biden-fires-trump-union-busters-federal-service-impasses-panel.html
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/biden-cleans-house-at-labor-impasse-panel-after-union-complaints
https://www.govexec.com/management/2021/02/biden-demands-resignations-impasses-panel/171807/
https://www.afge.org/globalassets/documents/generalreports/2020/complaint-nvac-v-fsip-as-filed-3-37-20.pdf
https://fcw.com/articles/2020/04/22/aalj-sues-impasse-panel-russell.aspx
Kevon Looney will be re-evaluated in two weeks for his sprained left ankle. So sounds like he'll probably miss around seven games. Expectation within Warriors is James Wiseman will return sooner. There aren't immediate plans to add another center.
https://twitter.com/anthonyVslater/status/1357095784638869507
She believed that even though Biden was declared the winner of the election, his inauguration would be thwarted. First, Trump would declare martial law, then the Democrats (and some Republicans) and the Hollywood celebrities in Washington, DC for the inauguration would be rounded up and arrested. Trump had "opened back up Guantanamo Bay" (it never closed) and "increased the capacity to 200,000." That was the conspiracy theory being pushed by QAnon followers on the eve of the inauguration, and it is what Vanderbilt believed. But on the morning of January 20th, 2021, Trump flew out of Washington to his new home in Florida and Biden became the 46th President of the United States. "I was devastated," Vanderbilt recalls. "Instantly, I went into panic mode." She called her mom who was at work. "I just told her it's like we're all going to die. We're going to be owned by China. And I was like, I might have to pull my daughter out of school because they're going to take her." Her mom tried to calm her down. "Obviously G-d's will was to have President Biden come in for this country, so it's going to be fine," Vanderbilt says her mom told her. "This happens all the time. It's an election. Parties switch, no big deal." A key tenet of QAnon is that there is a master plan at work and Trump is in charge. "The plan" said he would round-up the so-called deep state and bring them to justice. "The plan" said he would win the 2020 election in a landslide. When this didn't happen, QAnon supporters began spinning absurd predictions that Trump would somehow halt Biden's inauguration in the days or hours leading up to it. None of that happened. But like in many cults, the lore and predictions in QAnon are ever-changing. Each time a prophecy fails to come to fruition, a new theory crops up to fill the void. And so some QAnon adherents concocted a new conspiracy theory in the hours after inauguration. President Joe Biden's inauguration itself was a key part of the plan, the new theory held, and Trump would return as President in the coming few weeks. Then, certainly, all the deep-state arrests would happen. That was a step too far for Vanderbilt. She began to realize that she had bought into a lie with an almost religious fervor. Over the past two weeks she has been posting on TikTok, the platform that dragged her into the conspiracy theory, sharing her story in the hope that it might help or inspire others to see the light. Some followers of QAnon cite specific posts from the anonymous person or people behind the conspiracy theory as if they were scripture. Vanderbilt credits her faith in G-d for helping her out of QAnon. While she was deep in the conspiracy theory, she said that Trump was becoming an almost messianic figure for her who could do no wrong. She recalls once asking herself, "Am I putting even Trump above G-d?" Vanderbilt reflects that she could perhaps have been pulled out of QAnon before inauguration day if Trump himself condemned it. Instead, he flirted with it and tacitly embraced it by retweeting prominent QAnon accounts and saying positive things about QAnon followers. Instead, she had a revelation of her own. She was able to do something that many people, including some elected representatives and a few members of the Republican Party, are not. She has admitted she was wrong and has condemned QAnon as a dangerous political movement. On the national stage, Vanderbilt hopes her story will help others. At home, four-year-old Emmerson is just happy to have her mom back. She didn't become a QAnon orphan, a child with a parent living in a parallel universe of conspiracy theory, but others will.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/03/tech/qanon-mom-former-believer/index.html
The idea reconciliation was never meant to pass major legislation is from where? Some of the biggest, most important bills of the past 40 years were reconciliation bills.
218-212: House passes the Democrats budget resolution on a near party line vote with reconciliation instructions to cmtes to write their parts of COVID-19 relief legislation, based on President Biden's $1.9T plan.
https://twitter.com/CraigCaplan/status/1357101592319787008
Kyle Rittenhouse violated bond by moving residences. He faces an arrest warrant and a $2M Bond and a $200,000 Bond and is required to inform the court as to his address. He crossed state lines to commit murder. They didn't know he could be a flight risk?
Your client is out on $2M Bond, on an order that requires updating the court as to his address, & when the DA says "no, we won't redact unless you can justify it" you just say "fuck it, we'll violate the order" instead of asking the Court for relief??!!
https://twitter.com/CassidyWtv/status/1357104200111505417
DOJ/Treasury tell a federal judge they need more time to consider what position to take on the long-standing House Dem fight for Donald Trump's tax returns "due to the still-ongoing transition to new leadership" with Biden admin. They offer to check back in on March 3.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EtVotVuXYAYTeyS?format=png&name=small
______________________________
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/03/a-proclamation-on-american-heart-month-2021/
A Proclamation on American Heart Month, 2021
February 03, 2021 • Presidential Actions
Tragically, heart disease continues to be a leading cause of death in the United States. It affects Americans of all genders, races, and ethnicities. Yet despite being one of the country's most costly and deadly diseases, it is among the most preventable. During American Heart Month, we recommit to fighting this disease by promoting better health, wellness, and prevention awareness in our communities.
Heart disease can impact anyone, but risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity, tobacco use, and alcohol abuse can increase the likelihood of developing the disease. By adopting a few healthy habits, each of us can reduce our risk. Avoiding tobacco, moderating alcohol consumption, making balanced and nutritious meal choices, and staying active can help prevent or treat conditions that lead to heart disease. Adults with heart conditions are also at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, which makes it even more important to follow these suggestions.
We have seen the death rate from heart attacks rise dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic because people are delaying or not seeking care after experiencing symptoms. It is important not to ignore early warning signs like chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, and sudden dizziness. And the symptoms of a heart attack can be different for men and women, an often-overlooked fact that can impact when people seek care. For more resources and information, follow your health care provider's advice or visit www.CDC.gov/HeartDisease.
My Administration is committed to supporting Americans in their efforts to achieve heart health. Under the Affordable Care Act, many insurance plans cover preventive services like blood pressure and obesity screening at no out-of-pocket cost to the patient. By protecting and expanding access to quality, affordable health care, we will work tirelessly to provide all Americans with the care they need to prevent and treat heart disease.
We are also committed to closing the racial disparities in cardiovascular health. Despite an overall decline in death rates for heart disease, risk of heart disease death differs by race and ethnicity, and Black Americans continue to have the highest death rate for heart disease. Increased awareness and access to care will help reduce these staggering and unacceptable statistics.
This month, we also honor the health care professionals, researchers, and heart health advocates who save our fellow Americans' lives with their hard work. Every day, they put themselves on the front lines of our fight against heart disease, as well as the scourge of COVID-19.
The First Lady and I encourage everyone to participate in National Wear Red Day on Friday, February 5th. By wearing red, we honor those we have lost to heart disease, and we raise awareness of the steps we can all take to prevent this devastating disease. Combatting heart disease is essential to improving public health in our Nation, and together we will renew our efforts to make all Americans aware of its signs and symptoms. This month, we recommit to building a healthier future for all.
In acknowledgement of the importance of the ongoing fight against cardiovascular disease, the Congress, by Joint Resolution approved December 30, 1963, as amended (36 U.S.C. 101), has requested that the President issue an annual proclamation designating February as "American Heart Month."
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim February 2021 as American Heart Month, and I invite all Americans to participate in National Wear Red Day on February 5, 2021. I also invite the Governors of the States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, officials of other areas subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and the American people to join me in recognizing and reaffirming our commitment to fighting cardiovascular disease.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of February, in the year of our L-rd two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
______________________________
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/03/a-proclamation-on-national-black-history-month-2021/
A Proclamation on National Black History Month, 2021
February 03, 2021 • Presidential Actions
This February, during Black History Month, I call on the American people to honor the history and achievements of Black Americans and to reflect on the centuries of struggle that have brought us to this time of reckoning, redemption, and hope.
We have never fully lived up to the founding principles of this Nation –- that all people are created equal and have the right to be treated equally throughout their lives. But in the Biden-Harris Administration, we are committed to fulfilling that promise for all Americans.
I am proud to celebrate Black History Month with an Administration that looks like America –- one that reflects the full talents and diversity of the American people and that heralds many firsts, including the first Black Vice President of the United States and the first Black Secretary of Defense, among other firsts in a cabinet that is comprised of more Americans of color than any other in our history.
It is long past time to confront deep racial inequities and the systemic racism that continue to plague our Nation. A knee to the neck of justice opened the eyes of millions of Americans and launched a summer of protest and stirred the Nation's conscience.
A pandemic has further ripped a path of destruction through every community in America, but we see its acute devastation among Black Americans who are dying, losing jobs, and closing businesses at disproportionate rates in the dual crisis of the pandemic and the economy.
We saw how a broad coalition of Americans of every race and background registered and voted –- more people than in any other election in our Nation's history –- to heal these wounds and unite and move forward as a Nation.
But also less than 1 month after the attack on the Capitol, on our very democracy, by a mob of insurrectionists –- of extremists and white supremacists –- a bookend of the last 4 years and the hate that marched from the streets of Charlottesville, and that shows we remain in a battle for the soul of America.
We must bring to our work a seriousness of purpose and urgency. That is why we are putting our response to COVID-19 on a war footing and marshalling every resource we have to contain the pandemic, deliver economic relief to millions of Americans who desperately need it, and build back better than ever before.
That is why we are also launching a first-ever whole‑government-approach to advancing racial justice and equity across our Administration –- in health care, education, housing, our economy, our justice system, and in our electoral process. We do so not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it is the smart thing to do, benefitting all of us in this Nation.
We do so because the soul of our Nation will be troubled as long as systemic racism is allowed to persist. It is corrosive. It is destructive. It is costly. We are not just morally deprived because of systemic racism, we are also less prosperous, less successful, and less secure as a Nation.
We must change. It will take time. But I firmly believe the Nation is ready to make racial justice and equity part of what we do today, tomorrow, and every day. I urge my fellow Americans to honor the history made by Black Americans and to continue the good and necessary work to perfect our Union for every American.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim February 2021 as National Black History Month. I call upon public officials, educators, librarians, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
third day of February, in the year of our L-rd two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
______________________________
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/03/a-proclamation-on-national-teen-dating-violence-awareness-and-prevention-month-2021/
A Proclamation on National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, 2021
February 03, 2021 • Presidential Actions
This February, during National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, we stand with those who have known the pain and isolation of an abusive relationship, and we recommit to ending the cycle of teen dating violence that affects too many of our young people.
Together, it's on all of us to raise the national awareness about teen dating violence and promote safe and healthy relationships.
Dating violence transcends gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. It takes many forms, among them physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, bullying, and shaming, which can occur in person or through electronic communication and social media. The spiral of violent dating relationships can lead to depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol use, as well as suicidal thoughts. Victims, especially young women, transgender, and gender nonconforming youth who face higher rates of violence, may suffer lifelong consequences. Many young people do not report the abuse for fear of retribution or unwarranted embarrassment. The pattern of abuse often continues to future relationships.
My Administration encourages all Americans to lead by example by promoting healthy relationships, protecting our teens from abuse, and ensuring they have access to good help and support.
If you or someone you know is involved in an abusive relationship of any kind, immediate and confidential support is available by visiting loveisrespect.org, calling 1-866-331-9474 (TTY: 1-800-787-3224), or texting "loveis" to 22522. For additional information and resources on dating violence, please visit VetoViolence.CDC.gov.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim February 2021 as National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. I call upon all Americans to support efforts in their communities and schools, and in their own families, to empower young people to develop healthy relationships throughout their lives and to prevent and respond to teen dating violence. It's on all of us.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of February, in the year of our L-rd two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
______________________________
Sick. Nothing but murdering terrorists, Republicans applauded Marjorie Taylor Greene's support for killing Nancy Pelosi, encouraging violence in the Capitol, blaming Jews for wildfires, dismissing 9/11 as a hoax, dismissing mass shootings as false flags, etc: Source tells me that roughly half the House Republican conference gave Marjorie Taylor Greene a standing ovation after she rose to speak a few min ago.
https://twitter.com/cam_joseph/status/1357116355988910080
Jen Psaki revives a White House briefing tradition. White House press secretary Jen Psaki ended Tuesday's press briefing with a quick exchange: "Thank you, Jen," said Josh Boak, a White House reporter for the Associated Press. "Great," replied Psaki. Then she put on her mask and headed out. Those four words signaled the resurrection of an old White House briefing room tradition — observed under both Democratic and Republican administrations — in which the press secretary awaits the nod of the attending AP reporter before closing the book. (The privilege was initially assigned to the senior wire correspondent, but it eventually turned into an exclusively AP role.) Whereas her predecessor, Kayleigh McEnany, often ended briefings with scripted attacks on the media, Psaki has embraced a custom that accords the media a voice in the management of the briefing room. George Condon, a National Journal White House reporter on the beat since 1982, described the traffic-cop role of longtime United Press International reporter Helen Thomas: "Before she would say, 'Thank you,' she was in the first row and she would glance around to see if there were hands still up because she didn't want to cut it off before people had a chance to ask questions," Condon said. Terence Hunt, a former AP White House reporter, tells us that the practice goes back at least 75 years, citing a 1946 book by longtime UPI reporter Merriman Smith, titled "Thank You, Mr. President" in reference to Smith's role in closing out presidential news conferences. The procedure vests a fair bit of power in a single correspondent, who risks permitting the press secretary's exit before everyone has had a chance to ask a question. Hunt usually waited 45 minutes or an hour before giving the nod. It is possible to wait too long: One White House correspondent recalled pinging the AP correspondent during an Obama-era briefing to shut it down. | The courtesy is about more than just manners, argues Pace. "It puts power back in the hands of the press, which is where you want it to be," she says. "This is our press room. The press secretary is stepping out into our press room. We should control the rhythm of that room."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/02/03/jen-psaki-revives-white-house-briefing-tradition/
Six of Biden's Cabinet secretaries have now been sworn in but only PETE BUTTIGIEG was ready on Day One with a campaign-style video touting his plans for the Department of Transportation. The rollout is the latest sign the former mayor with presidential ambitions will try to be the highest-profile Transportation secretary in recent memory.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1357020205038338049
https://twitter.com/SecretaryPete/status/1357020205038338049
.@chuckschumer to hold a presser tomorrow with @ewarren, @RepAdams @AyannaPressley @IlhanMN @MondaireJones in new proposal to cancel up to $50K in federal student loan debt
https://twitter.com/bresreports/status/1357121173876785152?s=20
Imagine, for a second, what would happen if Hunter Biden opened up a Biden International Hotel a couple blocks from the White House
https://twitter.com/SenRonJohnson/status/1357036261723226116
"Let's be clear: this is a desperate smear rooted in racism, misogyny, and Islamophobia. Marjorie Taylor Greene has incited violence against her fellow Members of Congress, repeatedly singling out prominent women of color. She actively encouraged the insurrection on the Capitol that threatened my life and the life of every Member of Congress, and resulted in multiple deaths. She ran a campaign ad holding an assault rifle next to my face. She came to the Capitol demanding that me and Rep. Tlaib swear in on the Christian bible instead of the Quran. "The House Republican Caucus, instead of holding her accountable, is now fanning the flames. Republicans will do anything to distract from the fact that they have not only allowed but elevated members of their own caucus who encourage violence. It's time to stop whitewashing the actions of the violent conspiracy theorists, who pose a direct and immediate threat to their fellow Members of Congress and our most fundamental democratic processes."
https://omar.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-ilhan-omar-statement-republican-efforts-whitewash-marjorie-taylor-greene-s
A source confirms this to me as well. Standing O from roughly half the House Republican for a woman who trafficked in anti Semitic and racist conspiracy theories, who questioned whether 9/11 and mass shootings were real events. (Source tells me that roughly half the House Republican conference gave Marjorie Taylor Greene a standing ovation after she rose to speak a few min ago.)
https://twitter.com/jaketapper/status/1357125057408098306
This vote is momentous not just for Liz Cheney, but also House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. If Cheney loses, he's no longer House Minority Leader
Shocked, shocked I am that members of the party of authoritarian white supremacists would give a standing ovation to an authoritarian white supremacist
Consider two people:
- An heir with $500 million worth of yachts and jewelry and art
- A public school teacher with no savings in the bank
They both bring home $50,000/year. And they both pay the same amount in federal taxes.
That's a system that is rigged for the top.
https://twitter.com/ewarren/status/1356976134873903105
My plan: Just a two-cent #WealthTax for every dollar over $50 million in assets and a few more cents for every dollar of wealth over $1 billion. With that, with the wealthy starting to pay their fair share, we can help working families recover and help improve their lives.
https://twitter.com/ewarren/status/1356976136467677184
Eugene Goodman was given the Army's Distinguished Public Service Award: It was a distinct honor to join @SecArmy in presenting the Army's Distinguished Public Service Award to Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman. Officer Goodman is a @101stAASLTDIV Soldier-for-Life whose heroic actions at the Capitol Jan. 6 helped safeguard lawmakers from violence.
https://twitter.com/ArmyChiefStaff/status/1356755439015387136
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Goodman_(police_officer)
If you're comparing the Mueller Report findings to denying terrorists attacked the Pentagon or claiming someone faked the shooting deaths of children at Parkland, I have a giant space laser to sell you.
https://twitter.com/CortesSteve/status/1357110432692076545
Jeffrey S. Sallet Named FBI Associate Deputy Director. Sallet started his FBI career as a special agent in 1997. During the 9/11 investigation, he was responsible for identifying how the attacks were funded and for tracking al Qaeda's financial assets.
https://fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/jeffrey-s-sallet-named-fbi-associate-deputy-director/layout_view
Reporter - "Jared Dudley released a book and I'm gonna get right to the book —"
Ty Lue cuts him off - "A book? Jared Dudley?... Who cares?"
https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly/status/1357114520909484033
https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly/status/1357109967434645504
Context: Jared Dudley released a new, 41-page mini-book on Kindle about his experience winning a title in the NBA bubble and said this about the Clippers and PG: "We hear some of those guys talking about how they're the team to beat in LA. It's fine if Kawhi says stuff like that. He's defending a championship. We don't trip if someone like Patrick Beverley is talking trash; that's how he feeds his family. We get it. We respect the hustle. But we think it's disrespectful for Paul George, who hasn't won, to put himself on the level of Bron and AD. This motivates us. When we see those guys around the compound, we don't really kick it with them. The one exception of course is Markieff, whose twin brother, Marcus, is on the Clippers. This probably keeps tensions from boiling over."
Given that almost all the Republican House members also voted to overturn the election, nobody should be surprised that House Republicans are cheering Greene and trying to destroy Liz Cheney.
There are Republicans complaining Biden is fake talking about unity yet they gave a standing to a woman who said 9/11 was a hoax. Whether or not Biden is sincere on unity, what's the middle ground for unity with a 9/11 truther?
Rep. Lauren Boebert's campaign reimbursed her $22K for mileage, which means she drove 38,712 miles despite having no publicly advertised events in March, April or July, and only one in May.
https://denverpost.com/2021/02/02/lauren-boebert-colorado-congress-campaign-finance/
The absolute funniest detail here is these hedge fund dudes entered into GameStop in late 2020, held all the way through the rally, and then made the decision that it had peaked and was time to sell when they saw Elon Musk tweeting "Gamestonk". The wild story of how two renegade thinkers outsmarted the entire internet and made a killing on the trade of a lifetime
https://wsj.com/articles/this-hedge-fund-made-700-million-on-gamestop-11612390687
At least Boebert is working: Lauren Boebert calls for probe of Trump — for moving Space Command to Mo Brooks' district. A last-minute Trump administration decision to relocate a major Air Force command office to Alabama may bear marks of a favor to Republican Rep. Mo Brooks, who pimped for the former president's election lies and played a role in the events surrounding the Jan. 6 insurrection. The full Colorado congressional delegation, including Republican freshman outsider Rep. Lauren Boebert, has called on the Biden administration to investigate "significant evidence" of unspecified political influence behind the decision. On Dec. 18, Boebert, fresh off her election win but not yet officially seated in the House, signed on to a letter with more than 600 officials and business and community leaders urging the Trump administration to keep the command in her home state. Her name apparently did not sway the former president, who had repeatedly emphasized his support for her candidacy.
https://www.salon.com/2021/02/03/boebert-calls-for-investigation-into-trumps-order-to-move-space-command-to-mo-brooks-district/
https://boebert.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/boebert.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/USSPACECOM%20Open%20Letter_AllSignatories_FINAL_20201216.pdf
Covid is on the retreat in South Dakota, not long ago the virus's epicenter in the U.S. There's a grim reason for that progress, as Harold Frazier, leader of the state's Cheyenne River Sioux reservation, knows too well. As many as 2 in 5 residents of the state have been infected, turning it into an unwitting experiment in herd immunity as Governor Kristi Noem refused to mandate safety precautions. The numbers are that bad or worse on the reservation, and its residents' painful experience shows the steep cost of building up antibodies through laissez-faire policies. "We were in dire straits," said Frazier, chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux, who set up highway checkpoints and instituted lockdowns to protect a community whose health was already challenged by poverty, obesity and diabetes. Ultimately, he couldn't keep the roiling pandemic at bay. "We knew it was just a matter of time before that virus got here." South Dakota reported its first few virus cases in March, before a major outbreak at a meat-processing plant. For months, the pandemic carved channels through the state's population while Noem refused to require masks or limit large gatherings. In August, she allowed a massive motorcycle rally to proceed in Sturgis, about 140 miles from the reservation's main town. And in September, she put federal relief funds toward a $5 million tourism ad to attract visitors. Within weeks, cases were beginning to soar. Noem said she wasn't imposing her views, but rather respecting personal freedom, and her stance made her an instant celebrity on conservative media—catapulting her into the conversation for the 2024 presidential race. In the end, the predictable thing happened: Given a long leash, South Dakotans used masks sparingly and most made few changes to their daily lives, surveys and mobility data show. Even those who tried to follow experts' guidance were engulfed in an epic surge. | On Frazier's reservation, the benefits of that approach are less apparent. Of about 8,000 people, more than 1,700 have tested positive and 33 have died, rocking the relatively poor cattle farming community—filled with multi-generational households—and hastening the demise of the native Lakota language, whose native speakers tend to be in their 70s or older. "This pandemic is killing them off," said Beth Lone Eagle, a community advocate, mother and grandmother who lost three brothers-in-law in quick succession. Frazier set up the roadblocks early in the pandemic and escalated his efforts when things got worse. He turned the reservation's motel into a quarantine site and eventually ordered two communities into lockdowns. The tribe pooled cattle so everyone could have food as they isolated. It wasn't enough to prevent several brutal months that have ended with South Dakota having the sixth-lowest number of cases per capita in the U.S. in the past week, according to Covid Tracking Project data. The rate of 18.3 daily cases per 100,000 residents is well under half the national average. | "One plausible explanation is the people who were at the highest risk because of their behavior—either because they are risk-takers or because they had no other option—have already been exposed and been infected," said Fischer. "That's not the same as herd immunity, but it does reduce the number of susceptible people in the population." | South Dakota was another story altogether. Mobility analytics from Google show South Dakotans made almost no reductions in their movement from pre-pandemic times. Traffic at retail and recreation areas registered at normal levels in September when the outbreak was seeded, and it dropped about 10% below typical levels when the virus was at its worst in November. As of Sept. 1, fewer than 30% reported always wearing a mask when going out. The figures climbed to about 58%, but it's still the lowest in the country, according to the data provided by IHME. Lone Eagle, who lives on the Cheyenne River reservation, said it was unconscionable that so many South Dakotans ignored basic public-health guidance. "We need to isolate ourselves and our families, we need to be following all of these things, because people spread the virus," she said. "It's not like it's traveling from one place to another on its own." | Some opponents of strict Covid measures argued that society would have attained herd immunity faster if the virus was just allowed to run its course. Ultimately, South Dakota's strategy translated into about 1 in 500 residents dead, plus many more hospitalized or living with long-term effects. Four Northeastern states and Mississippi still have worse per capita deaths over the course of the pandemic. But the Northeastern deaths unfolded in dense urban settings in March and April when little was known of the virus and there was little testing; South Dakota's peak occurred a half year later when masks had been proven effective and testing was widely available. The Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker shows that the state now ranks fifth in using its vaccine doses, a measure of efficiency. But it's far from clear that the devastation is over. New variants introduce new questions about immunity, and only 69% of South Dakotans say they are open to getting the vaccine, according to a Massachusetts Institute of Technology survey, provided via IHME. | For Frazier, the challenge now is to hurry vaccines to the community's most vulnerable before the virus returns—no easy feat on a reservation with some communities that are hours apart. But as of Monday, about 1,978 people had received at least one shot, around a quarter of the population. For all the suffering, he's convinced that the toll would have been much worse if he hadn't instituted the lockdowns starting in November. "We were able to keep on moving forward," Frazier said. "I believe that it could've been a lot worse."
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-02-03/covid-19-retreats-in-kristi-noem-s-south-dakota-because-so-many-got-infected
https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/
Important bite from Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) just now on COVID relief bill: "If it's $1.9 trillion, so be it." "If it's a little smaller than that and we find a targeted need, then that's what we're going to be."
https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1356961492671823874
House Republicans vote to keep Liz Cheney in leadership after impeachment vote. Vote 145-61.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/03/politics/liz-cheney-house-republican-meeting/index.html
McCarthy just said he doesn't even know what QAnon is. So the House Minority Leader doesn't care to learn about a set of beliefs that helped inspire an insurrection at the Capitol. There was literally a giant Q being carried around in front of the Capitol at the height of the attack. Liar McCarthy put out a statement condemning QAnon literally this afternoon
https://republicanleader.gov/leader-mccarthys-statement-rep-marjorie-taylor-greene/
This is notable. She is publicly unapologetic and has been fundraising off this controversy. What's more significant — that? Or things said behind closed doors to avoid punishment in the heat of a moment? Just asked Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to confirm whether she denounced her previous remarks/embrace of conspiracy theories after telling her colleagues she did today. Why say one thing publicly and make another stmt privately? Asked why not say this publicly? Wouldn't reply.
https://twitter.com/Olivia_Beavers/status/1357145617450024960
QAnon devotees harassed me in September of 2020. One of them was Marjorie Taylor Greene who was then a candidate for Congress. The idea that she's since denounced QAnon is absurd.
https://medium.com/@melissaryan/qanon-came-for-me-5627eac57e10
Were the votes counted on Dominion equipment Idiot Gaetz?
https://twitter.com/LukeTBall/status/1357072554691805187
Massive night not just for Cheney, but for McCarthy. Sources had indicated that this was going to be a close vote. It wasn't -- at all. Major boost for both of them. Never forget: Unexpected things happen on secret ballot.
https://twitter.com/alweaver22/status/1357143641270140928
Question: Did McCarthy's speech drive the support for Cheney or did awareness of Cheney's super-major-majority support amongst House Republicans drive McCarthy to make the speech?
DeRozan puts Okogie on a poster
https://streamable.com/2oi4vj
With 10:21 left in the 4th quarter tonight, the Timberwolves were up 97-81. The Spurs then went on a 30-11 run to close out the game and win.
The Washington Wizards (5-13) defeat the Miami Heat (7-14), 103-100 behind Beal's 32 points and 9 rebounds
Giannis Antetokounmpo 21 Pts 14 Rebs 10 Asts vs Indiana Pacers
Bledsoe launches an oop for Zion, who throws down a one-handed slam to give the Pelicans a 26-point lead
https://streamable.com/xd8i2a
Zion Williamson in a blowout win over the Phoenix Suns: 28 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists (0 TO), 1 steal, on 12-14 shooting and a game high +37.
D'Aaron Fox with 26/1/11 on 9/17 shooting and 2/5 from 3 including game winner vs Celtics
Patty Mills with the circus layup to tie the game
https://streamable.com/zlgb0j
Haliburton plays to the buzzer and lays it in at the last second to end the third quarter
https://streamable.com/fe8dyl
The Oklahoma City Thunder (9-11) defeat the Houston Rockets (10-10), 104 - 87
Kristaprapist inbounds ball to himself, ref watches and does nothing
https://streamable.com/7xusun
In his first speech on the Senate floor since officially becoming chairman of the chamber's budget committee on Wednesday, Sen. Bernie Sanders reminded Republican senators complaining about the Democratic majority's effort to pass coronavirus relief through the filibuster-proof reconciliation process that the GOP used the same tool to unilaterally ram through tax cuts for the wealthy just over three years ago. "There has been some discussion here, the media seems fixated, on the issue of partisanship," said the Vermont senator. "Oh my g/d, we're being so partisan. So let me remind everybody... under the Trump administration, massive tax breaks were passed that went to the top 1% and large corporations—83% of the benefits of the Trump tax plan went to the 1% and large corporations. And you know how bipartisan that bill was, passed in reconciliation? There was not one Democrat that voted for that bill. It was [passed] just with Republican votes." "Then outrageously, as part of reconciliation, Republicans came forward and said, 'Hey, we think it's a brilliant idea to repeal the Affordable Care Act and throw up to 32 million people off the healthcare that they have," Sanders said, recounting the GOP's failed 2017 effort. "Not one Democrat voted for that bill. My point is that it's one thing for my Republican friends here to be talking about the need for bipartisanship, which all of us support. But the reality is they used exactly the same process to pass—or at least try to pass—major, major pieces of legislation."
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/02/04/first-speech-budget-chair-sanders-rebuffs-partisanship-complaints-gop-unilaterally
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iQMnm3yhNg
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has ordered a staggered pause of operations across the entire US military so commanders can have "needed discussions" with service members about the issue of extremism over the next 60 days, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby announced on Wednesday. Austin hopes the pause, known as a stand down, will accomplish two things -- he wants leaders of each branch to be able to communicate their expectations of how their troops should behave, and leaders to "gain insight" from members on the "scope of the problem from their view," Kirby said. The issue of extremism in the military has been at the forefront since the January 6 riot at the US Capitol. At least 22 people either formerly or currently associated with the military were charged in connection with the riot, according to CNN's latest analysis. While Austin gave a 60-day timeframe for the stand down, Kirby said he expects the secretary will take "additional action" sooner than that to tackle the issue of extremism. Kirby said these discussions are meant to help inform Austin's "decision-making going forward."
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/03/politics/pentagon-stand-down-domestic-extremism-military/index.html
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/31/us/capitol-riot-arrests-active-military-veterans-soh/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/pentagon-orders-pause-across-military-address-extremism-its-ranks-n1256678
"The leader of a private paramilitary group that provided security for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said he has formed alliances with other far-right groups to advocate for Georgia's secession from the union." | "Things are different now. Everything has changed," he said. "We've seen our last Republican president in American history. The ballot box — we tried as hard as we could try. It's not working."
https://www.ajc.com/news/militia-alliance-in-georgia-signals-new-phase-for-extremist-paramilitaries/UD2JMQV5A5EABHHAKBQZBK2IVY/
President Biden is expected to address the National Prayer Breakfast today. The event asks political combatants to set aside differences for a morning, but it's not without controversy: Last year, President Trump used it to question his opponents' faith.
YEP: Martellus Bennett reveals ugly side of NFL: 'Most of your favorite players aren't good people'
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/martellus-bennett-nfl-favorite-players-arent-good-people/1qymhptsqkxz914ptju23egqil
The White House transparency program is coming into focus: WH visitor logs will be released quarterly, Psaki said yesterday, and staff financial disclosures will be made publicly available beginning March 19
https://www.axios.com/biden-white-house-ethics-bf51588a-8c47-4d75-a206-453d8c50066e.html
People of color experience more air and water pollution than white people and suffer the health impacts. The federal government helped create the problem, and has largely failed to fix it. NPR climate reporter Rebecca Hersher talks about the history of environmental racism in the United States, and what Biden's administration can do to avoid the mistakes of the past.
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/03/963667177/biden-promises-to-grapple-with-environmental-racism
Every minute a garbage truck of plastic is dumped into the seas. We catch seafood equivalent to the weight of China every year. We need to change course.
There's no time to waste. There's no planet B. #GreenNewDeal.
#ActOnClimate #climate #energy #useless #wasteless #go100re
https://twitter.com/i/status/1355162401017102336
https://twitter.com/MikeHudema/status/1355162401017102336
Rosa Parks lay in honor in @USCapitol for two days in October 2005, the first woman to be so honored. She also won a #CongressionalGoldMedal. 8 years later, a statue of the civil rights pioneer was unveiled. #RosaParksDay #BlackHistoryMonth
https://twitter.com/USHouseHistory/status/1357309932891037697
https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/2000-/The-honoring-of-civil-rights-icon-Rosa-Parks/
Completely and utterly false. Liz Cheney was the one demanding a recorded vote and you guys tried parliament tricks. My G/d losing doesn't mean you have to lie to save face.
https://twitter.com/RepKinzinger/status/1357316975928758274
Sen. John Kennedy once again does his whole "man of the people" shtick while blasting "the tuna tartar crowd who live in expensive condos with high ceilings and art on the wall" The dude is worth $7 million, was a partner for a ritzy law firm, and went to Vanderbilt and Oxford.
https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1357160435745755136
WRONG: The NBA and NBPA have agreed to host the All-Star Game on March 7 in Atlanta
https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1357329993005727744
Lauren Boebert already faces three Democratic challengers in 2022, including state Sen. Kerry Donovan
https://www.denverpost.com/2021/02/03/kerry-donovan-lauren-boebert-congress/
Klobuchar unveils sweeping antitrust bill, laying out her vision as new subcommittee chair
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/04/sen-amy-klobuchar-unveils-sweeping-antitrust-bill-laying-out-her-vision-as-new-subcommittee-chair-.html
After Hundreds of Meatpacking Workers Died From COVID-19, Congress Wants Answers. A key House subcommittee cited reports by ProPublica and other news outlets in launching an investigation into how the country's meatpacking companies handled the pandemic, which has killed hundreds of workers to date.
https://www.propublica.org/article/after-hundreds-of-meatpacking-workers-died-from-covid-19-congress-wants-answers
House Oversight Hearing on Trump Administration's Family Separation Immigration Policy
https://www.c-span.org/video/?508626-1/house-oversight-hearing-trump-administrations-family-separation-immigration-policy&live
U.S. Navy warship transits Taiwan Strait for first time under Joe Biden
https://www.newsweek.com/u-s-navy-warship-transits-taiwan-strait-first-time-under-joe-biden-1566715
Remarkable. She told colleagues she'd been too credulous about Q and didn't know about Jewish space lasers. But she told them she does still think school shootings are staged. And that was apparently okay.
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/house-gopers-applaud-greene-for-showing-bare-minimum-of-remorse-in-private
GOOD: On the Iran deal, Sullivan says "we are actively engaged" with European partners, particularly the P5+1, on talks re: best way forward on JCPOA. "The consultations will produce a unified front when it comes to our strategy," but says he doesn't want to get ahead of talks.
https://c-span.org/video/?508668-1/white-house-press-secretary-holds-briefing
GOOD: Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan says he'll announce an end to American support for offensive operations in Yemen at the State Department today. He's also freezing a plan by Trump to move troops out of Germany.
https://c-span.org/video/?508668-1/white-house-press-secretary-holds-briefing
McKinsey will pay $573 million over claims of 'turbocharging' opioid crisis with 'cynical' marketing for Purdue Pharma. Settles actions by 49 AGs. McKinsey admits no wrongdoing, must release new docs.
https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/mckinsey-will-pay-more-than-half-a-billion-dollars-resolving-claims-of-turbocharging-opioid-epidemic-with-cynical-marketing-for-purdue-pharma/
I asked Pelosi if she's concerned at all about the precedent Dems are setting by removing a member of the minority (Greene) from committees "Not at all. If any of our members threatened the safety of other members, we would be the first ones to take them off of the committee."
https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1357375985520410625
Digging our own grave as a party because a few senators want to cling to the filibuster: The most striking thing about the concerted Republican attack on voting rights is that while Democrats are unlikely to beat it in the states or the courts - especially with a court system stacked with Republicans - they have the power to preempt it with national laws guaranteeing voting rights (HR1/VRA). Republicans have already become party of Marjorie Taylor Greene at state level, introducing waves of new voter suppression laws based on unhinged conspiracy theories. This is huge scandal that should be getting as much attention as Trump's plot to overturn election.
________________________________________
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/02/voting-rights-republicans-trump-georgia/
After Trump Failed to Overturn 2020 Election, Republicans Are Trying to Steal the Next One
This is the most concerted effort to roll back voting rights in decades.
Ari Berman
In 2015, white members of the board of elections in Hancock County, Georgia—a majority-Black area one hundred miles southeast of Atlanta—launched a plan to remove Black voters from the registration rolls in advance of elections for mayor and city council in the county seat of Sparta, which is nearly 90 percent Black. The board challenged the eligibility of nearly 20 percent of the city's residents—almost all of them Black—and sent law enforcement officials to serve them a summons to appear at board hearings or else be purged from the rolls, an intimidating tactic straight out of the Jim Crow era. Voter participation fell by 40 percent in that year's election and Sparta elected a white candidate for mayor for the first time in 32 years. "It was an effort, pretty clearly, to disqualify African-American voters in Sparta so that white candidates, including the mayor, could gain a political advantage," says Julie Houk, a lawyer for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, who filed suit against the voter challenges.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/04/politics/georgia-hancock-county-right-to-vote-senate/index.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/01/us/critics-see-efforts-to-purge-minorities-from-voter-rolls-in-new-elections-rules.html
https://www.thsppl.com/thsppl-articles/2016/12/4/the-worst-case-of-voter-suppression-that-i-have-ever-seen
https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2017/0710/One-test-case-for-voter-fraud-vs.-suppression-Sparta-Ga
https://lawyerscommittee.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Hancock-Co-Complaint.pdf
The county attorney at the time, GOP state representative Barry Fleming, denied there was any voter suppression in Sparta. "The allegations that people were denied the right to vote are the opposite of the truth," he told the New York Times. But in 2018 Hancock County agreed to a legal settlement with civil rights groups, restoring eligible voters to the rolls and agreeing to allow a third-party examiner to oversee voter registration procedures. Hancock County became the first jurisdiction since the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013 to be placed back under federal supervision.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/01/us/critics-see-efforts-to-purge-minorities-from-voter-rolls-in-new-elections-rules.html
https://casetext.com/case/ga-state-conference-of-the-naacp-v-hancock-cnty-bd-of-elections
While his efforts in Sparta may have hit a roadblock, Fleming has now taken on a prominent position where his test run to roll back voting rights could be expanded to the full state. In early January, he was named chair of a new Special Committee on Election Integrity created by the speaker of the Georgia House, tasked with enacting new laws to make it harder to vote—particularly for Democratic-leaning constituencies—after Georgia flipped blue and Donald Trump failed to overturn the results in the state.
https://twitter.com/fairfightaction/status/1352254844699095046
https://www.motherjones.com/2020-elections/2020/12/georgia-republicans-are-using-fake-claims-of-fraud-to-make-it-harder-to-vote/
Before he accepted the assignment, Fleming, who's also chair of the House Judiciary Committee, took aim at mail-in voting—which was popular among Republicans for many years before Black voters and Democrats used it at a higher rate in 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. "Democrats are relying on the always-suspect absentee balloting process to inch ahead in Georgia and other close states," he wrote in December. "If elections were like coastal cities, absentee balloting would be the shady part of town down near the docks you do not want to wander into because the chance of being shanghaied is significant."
https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/the-jolt-seeds-of-power-sharing-in-the-georgia-house/SMS6KORJWVENTMSZPOPMMQ3NJY/
A decade ago Republicans passed new voter ID laws and other efforts to curtail voting rights when they took power in the states following Barack Obama's election. Now they're taking that strategy to the next level—trying to accomplish through legislation what Trump couldn't with litigation. All in all, these efforts amount to the most concerted attempts to roll back voting rights since the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965.
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/the-gop-war-on-voting-242182/
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/01/the-insurrection-was-put-down-the-gop-plan-for-minority-rule-marches-on/
Georgia Republicans have already introduced an avalanche of new laws that would radically limit voting options in the state. On Monday—the first day of Black History Month—Republicans in the state Senate introduced nine bills to restrict access to the ballot, including eliminating automatic voter registration, no-excuse absentee voting, and mail ballot drop boxes, as well as prohibiting third party groups from sending mail ballot applications, and banning people who move to Georgia after the general election from voting in runoff elections. Many of the bills were sponsored by Republicans who backed Texas' unsuccessful attempt to persuade the Supreme Court to throw out election results from Georgia and other states carried by Biden. These bills come on the heels of another bill that would require voters to submit physical copies of photo identification twice to vote by mail, once when they request a mail-in ballot and again when they return it.
https://www.ajc.com/politics/ga-bills-would-end-no-excuse-absentee-voting-automatic-registration/OBTWL3M6MJH25MI56XGNNUODPY/
https://www.gpb.org/news/2021/02/02/georgia-senate-republicans-unveil-bills-make-voting-harder
https://www.ajc.com/politics/bill-seeks-two-copies-of-photo-id-to-vote-absentee-in-georgia/2IC372BV2NC3VFNAYIWA4OPQKQ/
The voting methods under attack were used by millions of voters—1.3 million people voted by mail in the 2020 general election and 5 million of the state's 7.6 million voters were automatically registered at the Georgia Department of Driver Services—and were enacted and praised by Republicans. "[Georgia] was the first state in the country to implement the trifecta of automatic voter registration, at least 16 days of early voting (which has been called the 'gold standard'), and no-excuse absentee voting," a press release from Georgia's GOP Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger boasted last year.
https://sos.ga.gov/index.php/elections/georgia_easy_voter_registration_options_break_new_records
Establishment Georgia Republicans like Raffensperger publicly rebuked Trump's attempt to subvert the election results—holding three recounts of the presidential election that found zero evidence of fraud—but now the GOP seems determined to weaponize Trump's lies about voter fraud to suit their own political ends after the state voted for Biden and sent two Democrats to the US Senate. Raffensperger, who became a liberal darling for standing up to Trump, has endorsed calls to end no-excuse absentee voting and add voter ID for mail-in ballots.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/01/brad-raffensperger-defended-the-election-but-not-the-right-to-vote-in-future-ones/
https://www.wabe.org/raffensperger-calls-for-end-of-no-excuse-absentee-voting-in-georgia/
"I will not let them end this [legislative] session without changing some of these laws," Alice O'Lenick, the GOP chair of the board of elections in Gwinnett County in suburban Atlanta, which Biden carried by 18 points, said last month. "They don't have to change all of them, but they've got to change the major parts of them so that we at least have a shot at winning."
https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/calls-grow-for-republican-gwinnett-elections-board-chair-to-resign/DB56QUPOMJDR5PENQQVJ6XEHPU/
O'Lenick's statement shows how the GOP's true goal isn't enhancing election integrity but rather curtailing Democratic turnout to keep the state from turning bluer, especially with a rematch between Republican Governor Brian Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams likely in 2022. "This unhinged set of voter suppression legislation," tweeted Fair Fight Action, a voting rights groups founded by Abrams, "appears intended to appease conspiracy theorists like those who stormed the Capitol last month."
https://twitter.com/fairfightaction/status/1356425102183776256
Today, Georgia Senate Republicans dropped nine – NINE! – anti-voting bills. This unhinged set of voter suppression legislation from a radical Senate Republican leadership appears intended to appease conspiracy theorists like those who stormed the Capitol last month. #gapol
— Fair Fight (@fairfightaction) February 2, 2021
https://twitter.com/fairfightaction/status/1356425102183776256
Georgia is a microcosm of how state-level Republicans are dramatically escalating a decade-long strategy to make it harder for Democratic constituencies to vote following record turnout in 2020. A recent study by the Brennan Center for Justice found that 106 bills have already been introduced in 28 states to restrict access to the ballot, three times the number at the same point this year. "These proposals primarily seek to: (1) limit mail voting access; (2) impose stricter voter ID requirements; (3) limit successful pro-voter registration policies; and (4) enable more aggressive voter roll purges," the report says. "These bills are an unmistakable response to the unfounded and dangerous lies about fraud that followed the 2020 election." Seventeen of these states are under full GOP control, increasing the likelihood that restrictive legislation will pass there.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gop-state-legislatures-pennsylvania-trump_n_60146d71c5b6aa4bad33f207
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-laws-roundup-2021
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/trumps-big-lie-led-insurrection
106 bills introduced in 28 states already this year to restrict voting access, finds @BrennanCenter
That's 3x as high as last year
GOP weaponizing Trump's lies to make it harder to vote https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-laws-roundup-2021
— Ari Berman (@AriBerman) January 27, 2021
https://twitter.com/AriBerman/status/1354456538082144261
Republican state legislators in Arizona, which Biden carried by 10,500 votes, have introduced at least 34 bills to reduce voter access, in a state where 80 percent of voters cast ballots by mail. These include eliminating no-excuse absentee voting, getting rid of the state's list of 3.2 million voters that are automatically sent mail-in ballots or removing hundreds of thousands of voters from it, and requiring that signatures on absentee ballots be notarized. Other proposals would dramatically shrink the number of polling locations even while curtailing mail-in voting, so that Maricopa County, the largest in the state, would have only 15 vote centers instead of the 100 it had in November.
https://twitter.com/Progress_AZ/status/1356664680941449221
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/legislature/2021/01/29/gop-proposal-would-let-arizona-legislature-overturn-presidential-election-result/4308396001/
The most extreme bill would allow the GOP-controlled legislature to override the secretary of state's certification of election results and appoint its own electors to nullify the popular vote choice of the voters—which Trump tried and failed to persuade them to do in 2020. Arizona Republic columnist Laurie Roberts called it "the most arrogant power grab I have ever witnessed." Some of these bills, like overturning the will of the voters or scrapping no-excuse absentee voting altogether, may be too extreme even for some Republicans, but with the GOP in control of state government, other changes, like purging voters from the list of who automatically receives a mail-in ballot, are more likely to pass.
https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/laurieroberts/2021/01/28/arizona-legislator-wants-veto-your-vote-president/4302254001/
In Pennsylvania, another state where Republicans spread baseless claims of fraud in an attempt to overturn Biden's victory, legislative Republicans have introduced 14 bills to make it harder to vote, among the most in the country. Like in Georgia, they want to repeal no-excuse absentee voting, which all but two Republicans voted for in 2018. The main sponsor is GOP Senator Doug Mastriano, who attended the Capitol Hill rally on January 6 that incited the violent mob at the US Capitol. Republicans also want to reject mail-in ballots that don't arrive by Election Day, throw out ballots for minor signature errors, and eliminate a list of voters who automatically receive mail-in ballots.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gop-state-legislatures-pennsylvania-trump_n_60146d71c5b6aa4bad33f207
https://www.inquirer.com/politics/pennsylvania/spl/doug-mastriano-trump-capitol-attack-resignation-investigation-20210108.html
They are also fast-tracking a constitutional amendment that would gerrymander the state courts—so that judges are elected from districts drawn by the legislature instead of through statewide races, giving Republicans far more control over them—after the state supreme court overturned gerrymandered Congressional maps drawn by the legislature and blocked Republican attempts to undermine ballot access before the November election. Democratic Governor Tom Wolf, who cannot run for reelection in 2022 because of term limits, can block restrictive voting laws but the attempt to gerrymander the courts will likely go before voters during May primary elections.
https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/editorials/pennsylvania-courts-judicial-districts-gerrymandering-gop-20210201.html
A third of restrictions on voting this year target mail-in voting, according to the Brennan Center, but many go well beyond that. Republicans in New Hampshire and Montana have introduced legislation to repeal Election Day registration, which increases voter turnout by as much as 10 percent. Republicans in Alaska, like in Georgia, want to eliminate automatic voter registration, which was approved by 65 percent of voters in 2016. Republicans in Wisconsin, Arizona, and Mississippi have introduced bills to allocate electoral votes based on congressional districts instead of the popular vote winner of the state, which would've reduced Biden's Electoral College margin by 11 votes.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/30/us/republicans-voting-georgia-arizona.html
Democrats will be largely powerless to block many of these laws through the legislative process in states like Georgia, Arizona, and New Hampshire that Republicans control. But with Democrats in charge of Congress and the White House, the party can pass federal measures like the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and sweeping pro-democracy reforms that could stop GOP voter suppression efforts.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/07/senators-just-introduced-a-bill-to-restore-the-voting-rights-act-its-named-after-john-lewis/
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/03/house-passes-the-most-significant-democracy-reform-bill-in-a-generation/
This is shameful. We need to swiftly pass the For The People Act to strengthen access to the ballot and prevent voter suppression from silencing our voices. https://twitter.com/ajc/status/1356396413299621892
— Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (@ReverendWarnock) February 2, 2021
https://twitter.com/ReverendWarnock/status/1356425857481531393
That will only happen, however, if they eliminate the filibuster, which Democrats Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have said they will not do. Senate Democrats now face a critical choice—they can preserve what Obama has called a "Jim Crow relic" relic and allow Republicans to undermine democracy for the next decade, which could cost them key state races, the House in 2022, and the presidency in 2024. Or they could eliminate one anti-democratic feature of the political system in order to put a stop to many more.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/01/the-senate-has-used-the-filibuster-to-block-civil-rights-bills-for-decades-thats-another-reason-for-dems-to-ditch-it/
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2021/01/democrats-biggest-decision-nuking-filibuster/617854/
________________________________________
Researchers are starting human trials to test if you can mix and match vaccines by different manufacturers, which if proven effective could help ease pressure on vaccine supplies.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccine-combinations-face-trials-as-variants-of-virus-emerge-11612434600
The House impeachment managers on Thursday requested Donald Trump testify at his upcoming Senate impeachment trial, in a dramatic move to try to get Trump on the record about his conduct surrounding the January 6 riots at the Capitol. They want an answer by 5pm tomorrow.
https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-impeachment-managers-request-former-president-trump-testify-under-oath
_________________________
https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-impeachment-managers-request-former-president-trump-testify-under-oath
https://judiciary.house.gov/UploadedFiles/President_Trump_Letter.pdf
February 4, 2021
President Donald J. Trump
c/o Bruce L. Castor Jr. and David Schoen
Via E-Mail
Dear President Trump,
As you are aware, the United States House of Representatives has approved an article of impeachment against you for incitement of insurrection. See H. Res. 24. The Senate trial for this article of impeachment will begin on Tuesday, February 9, 2021. See S. Res. 16.
Two days ago, you filed an Answer in which you denied many factual allegations set forth in the article of impeachment. You have thus attempted to put critical facts at issue notwithstanding the clear and overwhelming evidence of your constitutional offense. In light of your disputing these factual allegations, I write to invite you to provide testimony under oath, either before or during the Senate impeachment trial, concerning your conduct on January 6, 2021. We would propose that you provide your testimony (of course including cross-examination) as early as Monday, February 8, 2021, and not later than Thursday, February 11, 2021. We would be pleased to arrange such testimony at a mutually convenient time and place.
Presidents Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton both provided testimony while in office—and the Supreme Court held just last year that you were not immune from legal process while serving as President—so there is no doubt that you can testify in these proceedings. Indeed, whereas a sitting President might raise concerns about distraction from their official duties, that concern is obviously inapplicable here. We therefore anticipate your availability to testify.
If you decline this invitation, we reserve any and all rights, including the right to establish at trial that your refusal to testify supports a strong adverse inference regarding your actions (and inaction) on January 6, 2021.
I would request that you respond to this letter by no later than Friday, February 5, 2021 at 5pm. I look forward to your response and to your testimony.
Very truly yours,
Jamie Raskin
Lead Impeachment Manager
_________________________
Missouri bill - illegal and unconstitutional - would ban enforcement of federal gun laws
https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/politics/missouri-bill-bans-enforcement-federal-gun-laws/63-299d18f7-d7e2-47e9-85fd-a191c5c6357c
The governor of the state that has recorded the 2nd-most cases per capita and 6th-most deaths per capita, while she advocates "freedom" and "personal responsibility," says the media just hates how much better they've done than other states have.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/04/politics/fact-check-kristi-noem-south-dakota-pandemic-state-health-economy/index.html
Voting company Smartmatic files $2.7 billion libel suit against Fox News, Fox hosts, Giuliani and Powell.
https://www.businessinsider.com/smartmatic-sues-fox-news-over-election-conspiracy-theories-2021-2
Federal grand jurors in DC were busy busy busy yesterday: Per docket entries showing up today, at least 10 Capitol insurrection defendants were indicted yesterday. Some were originally only charged with misdemeanors, and are now facing a felony count — for ex, Jenny Cudd
https://twitter.com/ZoeTillman/status/1357400266044243970
Doctor in charge of treating Alexei Navalny in Russia after Novichok poisoning dies suddenly and 'very unexpectedly' of suspected heart attack aged 55
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9224179/amp/Doctor-charge-treating-Alexei-Navalny-Russia-Novichok-poisoning-dies-suddenly.html
Kenyan recycles plastic waste into bricks stronger than concrete
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-kenya-environment-recycling-idUSKBN2A211N
A former Ugandan child soldier who became a commander of the rebel L/rd's Resistance Army was convicted on Thursday of dozens of crimes, including widespread rape, sexual enslavement, child abductions, torture and murder, including killings of babies.
https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20210204-former-child-soldier-and-lra-rebel-commander-in-uganda-convicted-of-war-crimes-at-icc
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-04/icc-convicts-former-ugandan-rebel-commander-for-war-crimes
Lokman Slim, a prominent Lebanese Shiite publisher who criticised Iran-backed Hezbollah, was found shot dead in a car in southern Lebanon on Thursday. Lokman Slim had four bullets in the head and one in the back, in the first such killing of a known activist in years. The International Criminal Court convicted victim-turned-perpetrator Dominic Ongwen of war crimes committed during two decades of insurgency in northern Uganda. Ongwen, 46, was found guilty of 61 of 70 charges, including abductions, sexual slavery, murder, rape and torture, ICC Judge Bertram Schmitt said in the verdict delivered Thursday in The Hague. The crimes relate to Ongwen's time as a commander of the L/rd's Resistance Army rebel group that began a rebellion in northern Uganda in the 1980s. The group, led by Joseph Kony, still operates in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic. The conviction brings some closure to families of the more than 50,000 children reported to have been abducted by the LRA and used as soldiers, sex slaves or sold into slavery. | The LRA abducted Ongwen at the age of about 10 and transformed him into a child soldier. He rose through the ranks and become one of the most brutal commanders the group accused of atrocities including abducting, killing and cutting off of victims' hands, lips and ears. Ongwen has been on trial since 2015, when he was arrested by U.S. troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His lawyers argued that because he was abducted when he was a child, he should be exonerated.
https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20210204-lokman-slim-prominent-hezbollah-critic-shot-dead-in-south-lebanon
https://www.thedailybeast.com/lokman-slim-journalist-who-predicted-he-would-be-murdered-by-hezbollah-found-dead
Piers Corbyn arrested over leaflets comparing vaccine programme to Auschwitz
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/feb/04/piers-corbyn-arrested-over-leaflets-comparing-covid-vaccine-programme-to-auschwitz
Out today for Blazers game vs Sixers: Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Jusuf Nurkic, Zach Collins, Derrick Jones Jr, Nassir Little
https://twitter.com/CHold/status/1357399422674456577
This is the second major Bernie adviser to land a Biden policy position this week: Hi, a little personal news: I've joined the Biden Administration at the Department of Labor, as Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary. As we face multiple historic crises, I'm thankful for the chance to help DOL act boldly to improve the lives and build the power of workers.
https://twitter.com/joshorton/status/1357407363108593665
The Doctor who treated Navalny when he was poisoned has died suddenly Navalny
https://cnn.com/2021/02/04/europe/russia-navalny-doctor-maximishin-dies-intl/index.html
Leaving aside what Dems felt duty-bound to do, a solid win for Greene. Doesn't have to pretend to be involved in committee work. Tons of online donations. Sympathy from Republican colleagues who previously resented her. Publicly recast her narrative. Center of attention.
Wisconsin's Republican-controlled Legislature on Thursday illegally and unconstitutionally repealed Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' mask mandate, dismissing covid19 as a hoax
https://apnews.com/article/legislature-wisconsin-health-coronavirus-pandemic-d8436b7f9a7539e9d1cd2589483916d8
________________________________
The problem is Democrats already tried the Howard Dean plan to win Senate seats in 2018 and 2020 and were BLOWN THE FUCK OUT OF THOSE ELECTIONS. Texas, Texas again, Florida, Kansas, ahem South Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Alabama (Tuberville over Jones), Kentucky, North Carolina, Maine, Iowa, Nebraska, etc
https://gen.medium.com/new-dnc-chair-jaime-harrison-is-borrowing-from-the-howard-dean-playbook-7fbbb91c3750
Democrats Need to Invest In State Parties, Not Just Rock Star Candidates
New DNC chair Jaime Harrison is borrowing from the Howard Dean playbook
Eric Michael Garcia
Jaime Harrison, the new chair of the Democratic National Committee, knows fully well the power that an individual candidate can have on their state party's bottom line. After all, though he lost his Senate race in November against incumbent Lindsey Graham, Harrison still raised $130 million — $15 million of which he diverted to the South Carolina Democratic Party, according to Federal Election Commission filings. That made Harrison by far the state party's biggest source of cash; it raised $22 million overall during the last election cycle.
Yet Harrison isn't exactly looking back on his fundraising efforts as an example of a new winning formula for the party — it's more of a warning. He felt obligated to transfer so much money to the South Carolina Dems because the national party had not invested in state parties for the long term — especially not in Republican states like his. Without his contribution, the S.C. Dems would not have been able to spend as much on other local races.
"We need to think about what additional resources we need to bring to help state parties so that their work is continuous work and not something that just stops at the end of the cycle," Harrison, who was chairman of South Carolina's Democratic Party before he ran for Senate and became chair of the national party, told GEN.
It's a sentiment that was echoed by other state party chairs who have been arguing for years for a return to a tried, tested, and curiously abandoned model for the role of the DNC. Jane Fleming Kleeb, chairwoman of the Nebraska Democratic Party, said the main conflict among Democratic leaders these days is not whether to embrace progressive versus moderate policies, but whether resources should be centralized or put into state parties, as they were briefly in the mid-aughts
"We know all of our media folks. We know the rising candidates. We know the current elected officials. We know the landscape. We know the issues," she said, referring to state parties. Yet the national party all too often has treated state parties as a nuisance and an obstacle, according to Kleeb. That's not the case on the other side: The Center for Responsive Politics found in September that the Republican National Committee had transferred over 20 times more money to state parties in swing states than the DNC had.
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2020/09/rnc-transferring-more-920/
This doesn't mean Democrats as a whole disregard state parties; the RNC had a cash advantage in 2020, and many Democratic donors gave directly to candidates rather than to the committee. But it does indicate the DNC's relationship to some states and how it treats emerging battleground states. Whereas Republicans spent $1.1 million in solidly Democratic California between January 2019 and the end of August 2020, the DNC spent just $795,899 in Texas, a traditionally red state that Democrats have been trying, so far unsuccessfully, to flip.
Still, Harrison said he wants a system in place so that candidates only need to focus on winning their races and not shoring up their state parties. "Let's get to the point where candidates can just do what candidates need to do and not also have to try to do the work of a state party in terms of resources and building an apparatus," he said.
Harrison said he plans on helping Democrats build a strategy similar to the famed 50-state strategy that Howard Dean implemented when he became party chairman in 2005, in which the DNC sought to invest in every locality, regardless of how red or blue it was.
https://www.governing.com/archive/gov-democrat-howard-deans-fifty-state-strategy.html
"If Democrats are really serious about keeping the majority in the United States Senate, you've got to win some states that are not traditionally blue states in order to get to that majority," Harrison said.
Cornell Belcher, who was a pollster for Dean's DNC and Barack Obama's presidential campaigns and worked with Harrison's campaign, said the 50-state strategy made the Democratic Party more competitive in areas where it hadn't been. Indeed, the 50-state strategy, he said, was the precursor to Stacey Abrams' organizing strategy in Georgia, which led to Georgia flipping blue, casting its Electoral College votes for Biden and then electing two Democratic U.S. senators in January.
https://gen.medium.com/for-voting-rights-activists-in-georgia-the-senate-runoff-is-a-moment-of-truth-3eb2c4026941
"It's a continuation of those ideals, expanding the electorate and bringing more people into the process, which was at the root of the 50-state strategy," Belcher said.
By all indications, the strategy worked. Democrats won back the House and the Senate during the 2006 midterm elections; in 2008, they gained a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. According to Governing, Democrats in 20 historically Republican states like Alabama, Mississippi, Montana, and Texas made modest net gains between 2005 and 2009, including winning 39 state house seats, three U.S. House seats, and one U.S. Senate seat.
https://www.governing.com/archive/gov-democrat-howard-deans-fifty-state-strategy.html
"Let's get to the point where candidates can just do what candidates need to do and not also have to try to do the work of a state party."
But the strategy was largely abandoned when Dean stepped down as chairman in 2009. Newly elected President Obama named Rahm Emanuel, who as head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had clashed with Dean on the strategy, as his White House chief of staff. (Incidentally, Chuck Schumer, who led the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee at the same time and also clashed with Dean, now leads Democrats in the Senate.)
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dean-prepares-to-step-dow_n_142614
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/copying-the-gop-democrats-focus-on-data-exchange-with-dean-leading-the-charge/2020/05/30/781d6630-a1d7-11ea-b5c9-570a91917d8d_story.html
In the four years after the DNC abandoned the 50-state strategy, Democrats in 20 historically red states saw a net loss of four governorships, 249 state House seats, six attorneys general offices, and three Senate seats and a 40% drop in House seats. Of course, the shift away from the 50-state strategy wasn't the sole cause of Democrats' decline in red areas. Political polarization, the rise of the Tea Party movement and its financial benefactors like the Koch brothers' network, and the Republican Party's historic obstruction of Obama, along with races becoming nationalized, all played a role in Democrats' weakening during this time. But the end of the strategy did remove one tool Democrats had in their arsenal for remaining competitive around the country in down-ballot races as well as at the top of the ticket.
"It's like we forgot all of those key lessons and fell back into the very significant trap of 'we need to be candidate-driven,'" said Kleeb of the Obama era. Instead, she added, the party moved more toward fielding "rock star candidates."
Similarly, Obama essentially created an alternative group, Organizing for Action, that received more attention than the committee.
Amanda Litman, who co-founded the progressive PAC Run for Something after Hillary Clinton's 2016 loss, said fundraising woes were also to blame for Democrats' recent down-ballot losses: While Republican donors treat contributions like business investments, many Democratic donors — both big and small — often give based on intuition rather than rationality.
"You give because you're inspired," Litman said. "You give because you're hopeful. You give because you're mad." But it's hard to get angry or inspired by year-round canvassing, she said. Even if it can make the difference come election time.
"You can't see it. It's not going to make headlines. It doesn't change a lot, which is actually sort of the point," she said.
In the same vein, Belcher said, donors often prefer to give to super PACs, which don't build parties, instead of the actual party committees.
"So, when I think about sort of the top challenge to Jaime and to the DNC right now is how do you party-build?" he said. "How do you become the central focus point for progressive money today when you have so many super PACs competing in that space?"
Harrison's nomination as committee chairman won't solve the internal divisions among Democrats ahead of the midterm elections, let alone before the 2024 presidential election. And much like how Dean and Emanuel clashed, there will also likely be pushback about investing in state parties when Democrats have a slim House majority, an urgent need to prevent any further losses.
Still, Harrison is hopeful that Biden is committed to the long-lasting health of the DNC.
"I would love for President Biden to be known as the best, not only one of the most successful presidents of a generation but probably one of the most successful party builders of the generation," Harrison said. "The bones are there. We just need to put it all together."
________________________________
Mistakes were made, but not by me: Greene's "I was allowed to believe things that weren't true" quote
President Biden: "Today, I'm approving an executive order to begin the hard work of restoring our refugee admissions program to help meet the unprecedented global need. It's going to take time to rebuild what has been so badly damaged."
Pres. Biden: "I made it clear to President Putin, in a manner very different than my predecessor, that the days of the United States rolling over in the face of Russia's aggressive actions — interfering with our elections, cyberattacks, poisoning its citizens — are over."
https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1357418103303516161
After Biden announces the end of U.S. support for offensive actions and relevant arms sales re: Yemen, he says support for KSA defense will be maintained. "We're going to continue to help and support Saudi Arabia defend its sovereignty."
President Biden: "We believe a free press isn't an adversary. Rather, it's essential — a free press is essential — to the health of a democracy."
President Biden to State Dept. officials: "This administration is going to empower you to do your jobs, not target or politicize you. We want a rigorous debate that brings all perspectives and makes room for dissent. That's how we'll get the best policy outcomes."
Biden says he will sign an executive order "to begin the hard work of restoring our refugee admissions program to help meet the unprecedented global need. It's going to take time to rebuild what has been so badly damaged."
We need a video of the pets of the cabinet members having their own Zoom meeting
https://twitter.com/TheOvalPawffice/status/1357031214318837763
Greene Admits 9/11 Happened But Doesn't Actually Disavow Her Conspiracy Theory About It
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/greene-admits-9-11-happened-but-doesnt-actually-disavow-her-conspiracy-theory-about-it
Trump lawyer Bruce Castor says "no" when asked if former President Donald Trump will testify during his impeachment trial next week as Democrats have requested.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EtaON8LXIAsAQGL?format=jpg&name=large
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers issues new mask mandate less than an hour after Republican-controlled Legislature repeals prior order.
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1357436464225611776
No one should have to worry about keeping a roof over their head. President Biden is urging Congress to pass the American Rescue Plan to extend the moratorium on foreclosures and evictions for countless Americans.
https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1357387197826142208
Let's be clear: Working families need more than the $600 that Congress passed in December. The American Rescue Plan will finish the job of delivering $2,000 in direct relief to those who need it most.
https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1357338126700580873
Across the country, millions of Americans are out of work through no fault of their own. The American Rescue Plan will help them get through these crises by providing an additional $400 a week.
https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1357079167507005444
In 2018 comments, Greene said "all Muslims" want to take away women's rights. She said Rep. Omar and Tlaib "should go back to the Middle East." She said Obama was a Muslim and compared him to Osama Bin Laden.
https://cnn.com/2021/02/04/politics/kfile-marjorie-taylor-greene-history-of-conspiracies/index.html
In newly covered writings, Greene wrote multiple blog posts and press releases in 2018 suggesting Pelosi could be executed for treason.
https://cnn.com/2021/02/04/politics/kfile-marjorie-taylor-greene-history-of-conspiracies/index.html
"No one endorses what Rep. Greene said," says Freedom Caucus Chair @RepAndyBiggsAZ, who endorsed Greene during the GOP primary last year, after some of these quotes had already surfaced.
https://twitter.com/cam_joseph/status/1357454221378023425
In fall of 2018, Marjorie Taylor Greene promoted a theory multiple times the government puts voices in people's heads to do school shootings.
https://cnn.com/2021/02/04/politics/kfile-marjorie-taylor-greene-history-of-conspiracies/index.html
The Biden administration is considering using executive action to forgive Americans' federal student debt, the White House's chief spokeswoman said Thursday, responding to pressure from Democratic lawmakers and progressive groups. The White House shifted Thursday, saying it was open to forgiving debt without a move by Congress. "Our team is reviewing whether there are any steps he can take through executive action and he would welcome the opportunity to sign a bill sent to him by Congress," Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, wrote on Twitter. Ms. Psaki's comments followed a news conference earlier Thursday held by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) and Reps. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.), Ayanna Pressley (D., Mass.), Alma Adams (D., N.C.) and Mondaire Jones (D., N.Y.) Mr. Schumer urged Mr. Biden to use his executive powers to eliminate $50,000 in student loan debt for all borrowers.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-administration-weighs-forgiving-student-debt-by-executive-action-11612476685
Amendment proposed by Senator Young of Indiana to block stimulus payments to undocumented immigrants passes 58-42. Democratic senators voting in the affirmative:
Hassan (NH)
Kelly (AZ)
Shitstain Sinema (AZ), who represents one of the largest population blocks of undocumented people, voting to murder them
Shitstain Manchin (WV)
Peters (MI)
Stabenow (MI)
Tester (MT)
Hickenlooper (CO)
.@SenSherrodBrown: "I would like to ask Senator Paul, in front of everybody, to start wearing a mask on the Senate floor like the entire staff does all the time...I wish Senator Paul would show the respect to his colleagues to wear a mask."
https://twitter.com/i/status/1357446608305152006
https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1357446608305152006
It's official! I'm running for Congress against Lauren Boebert. We need a Congresswoman who understands that real toughness isn't what you wear on your hip. Real toughness is what you get done for other people. Watch our launch video & donate here:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/coloradans-for-kerry-donovan-1
Rep. Ilhan Omar on the House floor: "This is about whether it is OK to encourage the murder of the Speaker of the House. As a survivor of civil conflict and civil war, I know political violence and political rhetoric does not go away on its own."
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1357455377185480704
Biden Adm informed these unqualified despicable Trump nominees they would not be confirmed, their nominations have been withdrawn
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/04/withdrawals-sent-to-the-senate/
______________________________
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/04/fact-sheet-president-biden-to-sign-executive-actions-restoring-americas-place-in-the-world/
Fact Sheet: President Biden to Sign Executive Actions Restoring America's Place in the World
February 04, 2021 • Statements and Releases
The Biden-Harris Administration is placing diplomacy back at the center of United States' foreign policy.
U.S. international engagement to be grounded in American values, working in partnership with allies and focused on strengthening international institutions.
Today, President Biden is sending a message loud and clear to the rest of the world: America is back.
Since taking office, President Biden has already undertaken a number of steps to strengthen our nation at home and restore our standing in the world. The United States has begun the process of rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, re-engaged the World Health Organization, and pledged to join COVAX. President Biden has signed executive actions to combat climate change, and reversed both the xenophobic and bigoted so-called "Muslim Ban" and the ban on transgender individuals serving in our military. He signed an Executive Order strengthening Buy American provisions to help the American middle class succeed in a global economy, and has surged resources to combating COVID-19. And earlier this week, the President has taken additional actions to rebuild and strengthen our immigration system, centered on the basic premise that America is safer, stronger, and more prosperous with a fair, orderly and humane immigration system that welcomes immigrants, keeps families together, and allows people—both newly arrived immigrants and people who have lived here for generations—to more fully contribute to our country. Through early outreach to friends and partners, we are rebuilding crucial alliances that will help us face the challenges of the 21st century in harmony with like-minded nations.
Today, President Biden is taking additional action to reassert our values on the world stage, to restore clarity and leadership to how America makes its foreign policy, and to support and empower the national security professionals who execute our policies, building a modern national security force that looks like the nation it serves.
Leading with Our Values: Presidential Memorandum on Advancing the Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons Around the World
Restoring our historic, bipartisan policy of generous support to refugees is central to a values-based foreign policy that demonstrates American moral leadership on the world stage. Today President Biden approved executive actions to:
Restore one of America's most deeply valued programs: the United States' refugee admissions program. Today's Executive Order will launch administrative reforms efforts to allow us to reach our goal of increasing refugee admissions to 125,000 in the first full fiscal year of the Biden-Harris Administration. This Executive Order will 1) rescind policies from the previous administration that limited refugee resettlement and required excessive vetting of applicants, 2) improve USRAP's efficacy, integrity, security, and transparency, 3) expand refugee adjudication capacity, 4) enhance access for the most vulnerable refugees, including women, children, and those at risk of persecution because of their gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation, and 5) review the current Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) Program for Iraqis and Syrians, including considering whether to pursue legislation for a SIV program for individuals who serve the United States in conflict areas. President Biden also intends to propose a raise in refugee admissions for this fiscal year, after appropriate consultation with Congress.
Protect and Promote Human Rights of LGBTQI+ persons around the world. President Biden strongly believes all people should be treated with respect and dignity, and be able to live without fear no matter who they are or whom they love. Today, he will sign a Presidential Memorandum to protect and promote the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons around the world. This Memorandum builds on guidance first issued by President Obama in 2011, and directs relevant federal agencies to engage constructively to advance protections for the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons abroad. We demonstrate leadership on human rights by reinforcing protections for the most vulnerable, including LGBTQI+ persons. This Memorandum restores clarity to the U.S. position by directing all departments and agencies engaged abroad to ensure that our diplomacy and foreign assistance promotes and protects the rights of LGBTQI+ persons, including combating the criminalization of LGBTQI+ status or conduct, enhancing our range of diplomatic responses to protect human rights abuses of LGBTQI+ persons, building coalitions with civil society and international organizations, requiring annual reporting by the State Department on human rights abuses experienced by LGBTQI+ persons globally, and rescinding inconsistent policies within 100 days of signing.
Revitalizing America's National Security Workforce, Institutions, and Partnerships
To reclaim our place in the world, the Biden-Harris administration will undertake a bold and sustained effort to revitalize and modernize the national security workforce, ensuring that it reflects the full diversity of the United States, and renewing and modernizing our national security institutions and partnerships.
In all of today's actions, President Biden is centering the integrity and judgment of America's public servants. Their oath is to the Constitution of the United States, and these career officials have the responsibility and obligation to serve the public interest by offering their expert views and judgments without regard to the political preferences of the Administration and without fear of reprisal or retribution.
President Biden will sign a National Security Memorandum to:
Modernize how the national security community recruits, retains, and empowers its workforce to lead on new and emerging national security challenges. This NSM will also ensure that our national security workforce reflects the unparalleled talent and diversity of our nation. It will establish an interagency working group to develop proposals to recruit, retain, and support national security professions, including creating additional pathways for Americans with skills in critical areas such as cyber, technology, and science, technology, engineering, and math to engage in public service. It also organizes the national security community to better work with outside partners, including state and local governments, colleges and universities, and civil society.
Organizing and Strengthening the National Security Council (NSC)
President Biden will sign a National Security Memorandum to:Outline the structure of the National Security Council and the manner in which the Biden administration will pursue our most important objective: the safety, security, and prosperity of the American people. Today's interlocking challenges require a new and broader understanding of national security, one that recognizes that traditional national security, economic security, health security, and environmental security are all linked. The Biden NSC structure will reflect the cross-cutting nature of our most critical national challenges by more regularly integrating cabinet officials from domestically-focused agencies into national security decision-making. President Biden has also made clear that his National Security Council will bring professionalism, respect, transparency, inclusivity, collaboration, collegiality, and accountability to its work. Above all, the Biden administration will respect the rule of law and act consistently with our values.
______________________________
MR. SULLIVAN: We are conducting a review of our policy towards North Korea as we speak. President Biden told President Moon last night that that review is underway and that we will consult closely with our allies, particularly the ROK and Japan, in doing that. And I'm not going to get ahead of that review.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/02/04/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-national-security-advisor-jake-sullivan-february-4-2021/
MR. SULLIVAN: Without getting too far ahead of ourselves, we are reviewing the possibility of a new executive order, and we are also looking at specific targeted sanctions both on individuals and on entities controlled by the military — that enrich the military. So we believe we have plenty of space to be able to find the types of sanctions targets necessary to sharpen the choice for the Burmese military.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/02/04/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-national-security-advisor-jake-sullivan-february-4-2021/
MR. SULLIVAN: We are actively engaged with the European Union right now, particularly the three members of the P5+1: Germany, the UK, and France. We are talking to them at various levels of our government. Those consultations, I think, will produce a unified front when it comes to our strategy towards Iran and towards dealing with diplomacy around the nuclear file. And I just don't want to get ahead of where that's going to end up.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/02/04/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-national-security-advisor-jake-sullivan-february-4-2021/
MR. SULLIVAN: Yes, he will. You know, as I said in my remarks today, he is going to announce an end to American support for offensive operations in Yemen. That is a promise that he made in the campaign that he will be following through on. But he will go further than that: He will talk about the United States playing a more active and engaged role in the diplomacy to bring an end to the conflict in Yemen, and that will include the naming of a special envoy, which will happen today.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/02/04/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-national-security-advisor-jake-sullivan-february-4-2021/
MR. SULLIVAN: So it does not extend to actions against AQAP, which are actions that we undertake in service of protecting the homeland and protecting American interests in the region and our allies and partners. It extends to the types of offensive operations that have perpetuated a civil war in Yemen that has led to a humanitarian crisis. The types of examples of that include two arms sales of precision-guided munitions that the President has halted, that were moving forward at the end of the last administration. We have spoken with both senior officials in the UAE and senior officials in Saudi Arabia. We have consulted with them. We are pursuing a policy of "no surprises" when it comes to these types of actions so they understand that this is happening, and they understand our reasoning and rationale for it.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/02/04/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-national-security-advisor-jake-sullivan-february-4-2021/
House votes to strip Majorie Taylor Greene of her 2 committee seats. 11 Republicans vote with Democrats in 230-199 vote.
Eleven Republicans voted YEA
Fitzpatrick
Gimenez
Diaz Balart
Jacobs (NY)
Katko
Kim (CA)
Kinzinger
Malliotakis
Salazar
Smith (NJ)
Diaz Balart
https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1357478147571261441
95% (almost all) of the House Republicans voted to keep Greene on the committees. That is greater than the percentage of Republicans who voted to keep Liz Cheney as the head of hers. More voted in favour of Greene - a worthless piece of shit terrorist who hasn't done anything and is incapable of doing anything and hasn't done anything for anybody and thinks sloganizing her mask to attack people translates to "making america great again" - than for Liz Cheney, a genius stacked workaholic policy wonk legislator dedicated to Congress and the Congressional process and to fighting for the Republican legislative agenda using that Congressional process.
Sen. Ben Sasse to the Nebraska GOP State Central Committee: "You are welcome to censure me again. But let's be clear about why this is happening: It's because I still believe, as you used to, that politics isn't about the weird worship of one dude." "Personality cults aren't conservative. Conspiracy theories aren't conservative. Lying that an election has been stolen isn't conservative. Acting like politics is a religion isn't conservative."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jCnUHNeTkg
This is garbage from Owens (and from others last year). Ocasio-Cortez was photographed, by a photojournalist, during a 2018 protest outside a tent detention facility that was used for migrant children, including some kids the Trump administration separated from their parents.
https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/1357185264410583042
Today, the Democrats in the House of Representatives stood up for democracy and voted to hold Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene accountable for her shocking and undemocratic unconstructive violent mentally ill ideology and behaviour. While a majority of the House acted urgently to condemn Greene's disturbing endorsement of political violence and reject her politics of hate and division, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and most House Republicans failed their responsibility to our democracy and our nation. Congresswoman Greene has demonstrated a lack of regard for our democracy and its institutions - these consequences today should be the beginning of isolating her and showing the American people exactly what she and those who ally themselves with her believe.
Joe Biden Makes Shocking Announcement: None of His Children or Grandchildren Will Be Named Senior Advisers to the President
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/02/joe-biden-family-no-government-jobs
Congressional report finds toxic metals in baby food brands
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/congressional-report-finds-toxic-metals-in-baby-food-brands/2021/02/04/adcf72c2-673a-11eb-bab8-707f8769d785_story.html
Jared Kushner's apartment management company committed "numerous, serious violations" of consumer protection laws, the Maryland Attorney General's Office says, following months of testimony by tenants alleging substandard conditions and improper fees.
https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-pr-md-frosh-kushner-closings-20210204-rklebm43srcyhd2qfc7nx2edee-story.html
Draymond Green with the hammer
https://streamable.com/m4wvrs
Donovan Mitchell shaqtin moment missed open dunk
https://streamable.com/rrnftf
Draymond Green Isn't Scoring, But He's Doing Everything Else For The Warriors
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/draymond-green-isnt-scoring-but-hes-doing-everything-else-for-the-warriors
Walsh cruises through Labor secretary confirmation hearing, pledging to fight for workers' rights and opportunities. No Republican signaled opposition and most said they looked forward to working with Walsh, an acknowledgment that the narrow Senate Democratic majority can confirm him without their support. Burr said at the end of the hearing that he would work with Murray to expedite Walsh's confirmation. Murray said she intended to schedule a committee vote "as quickly as possible."
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/02/04/nation/walsh-pledges-fight-workers-rights-opportunities-his-labor-secretary-confirmation-hearing/
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene backs bill that would ban Pride flags at U.S. embassies
https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-backs-bill-would-ban-pride-flags-n1256796
Booker reintroduces 'baby bonds' bill to give all newborns a $1K savings account
https://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2021/02/04/booker-reintroduces-baby-bonds-bill-to-give-all-newborns-a-1k-savings-account-9425345
After Romney makes motion to speed up voting, Senate has a mini debate whether to speed up voting, eating even more time. (Romney asked for 10 minute votes to actually last 10 minutes, prompting applause in the chamber. Durbin objected, saying it might not allow enough time for VP Harris to tie break if needed.)
https://twitter.com/igorbobic/status/1357502270301216771
Draymond throws a bullet to Steph who lays it in, Steph approves
https://streamable.com/3lmlgv
Tough injury news for the Heat: Guard Avery Bradley will miss 3-to-4 weeks with a strained right calf
https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1357504047310393348
Embiid gets hurt, heads to the locker room
https://streamable.com/zz1s99
____________________________
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/04/executive-order-on-rebuilding-and-enhancing-programs-to-resettle-refugees-and-planning-for-the-impact-of-climate-change-on-migration/
Executive Order on Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration
February 04, 2021 • Presidential Actions
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq., I hereby order as follows:
Section 1. Policy. The long tradition of the United States as a leader in refugee resettlement provides a beacon of hope for persecuted people around the world, promotes stability in regions experiencing conflict, and facilitates international collaboration to address the global refugee crisis. Through the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), the Federal Government, cooperating with private partners and American citizens in communities across the country, demonstrates the generosity and core values of our Nation, while benefitting from the many contributions that refugees make to our country. Accordingly, it shall be the policy of my Administration that:
(a) USRAP and other humanitarian programs shall be administered in a manner that furthers our values as a Nation and is consistent with our domestic law, international obligations, and the humanitarian purposes expressed by the Congress in enacting the Refugee Act of 1980, Public Law 96-212.
(b) USRAP should be rebuilt and expanded, commensurate with global need and the purposes described above.
(c) Delays in administering USRAP and other humanitarian programs are counter to our national interests, can raise grave humanitarian concerns, and should be minimized.
(d) Security vetting for USRAP applicants and applicants for other humanitarian programs should be improved to be more efficient, meaningful, and fair, and should be complemented by sound methods of fraud detection to ensure program integrity and protect national security.
(e) Although access to United States humanitarian programs is generally discretionary, the individuals applying for immigration benefits under these programs must be treated with dignity and respect, without improper discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, or other grounds, and should be afforded procedural safeguards.
(f) United States humanitarian programs should be administered in a manner that ensures transparency and accountability and reflects the principle that reunifying families is in the national interest.
(g) My Administration shall seek opportunities to enhance access to the refugee program for people who are more vulnerable to persecution, including women, children, and other individuals who are at risk of persecution related to their gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation.
(h) Executive departments and agencies (agencies) should explore the use of all available authorities for humanitarian protection to assist individuals for whom USRAP is unavailable.
(i) To meet the challenges of restoring and expanding USRAP, the United States must innovate, including by effectively employing technology and capitalizing on community and private sponsorship of refugees, while continuing to partner with resettlement agencies for reception and placement.
(j) The Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) programs for Iraqi and Afghan allies provide humanitarian protection to nationals of Iraq and Afghanistan experiencing an ongoing, serious threat because they provided faithful and valuable service to the United States, including its troops serving in those countries. The Federal Government should ensure that these important programs are administered without undue delay.
Sec. 2. Revocation, Rescission, and Reporting. (a) Executive Order 13815 of October 24, 2017 (Resuming the United States Refugee Admissions Program With Enhanced Vetting Capabilities), and Executive Order 13888 of September 26, 2019 (Enhancing State and Local Involvement in Refugee Resettlement), are revoked.
(b) The Presidential Memorandum of March 6, 2017 (Implementing Immediate Heightened Screening and Vetting of Applications for Visas and Other Immigration Benefits, Ensuring Enforcement of All Laws for Entry Into the United States, and Increasing Transparency Among Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government and for the American People), is revoked.
(c) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide a report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), describing all agency actions, including memoranda or guidance documents, that were taken or issued in reliance on or in furtherance of the directives revoked by subsections (a) and (b) of this section. This report shall include recommendations regarding whether each action should be maintained, reversed, or modified, consistent with applicable law and as appropriate for the fair, efficient, and secure administration of the relevant humanitarian program or otherwise in the national interest.
Sec. 3. Special Immigrant Visas for Iraqi and Afghan Allies. (a) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall complete a review of the Iraqi and Afghan SIV programs and submit a report to the President with recommendations to address any concerns identified. The report shall include:
(i) an assessment of agency compliance with existing law governing the SIV programs, including program eligibility requirements and procedures for administrative review;
(ii) an assessment of whether there are undue delays in meeting statutory benchmarks for timely adjudication of applications, including due to insufficient staffing levels;
(iii) a plan to provide training, guidance, and oversight with respect to the National Visa Center's processing of SIV applications;
(iv) a plan to track the progress of the Senior Coordinators as provided under section 1245 of the Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act of 2007 (RCIA), subtitle C of title XII of Public Law 110-181, and section 602(b)(2)(D)(ii)(II) of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 (AAPA), title VI of division F of Public Law 111-8, as amended; and
(v) an assessment of whether adequate guidelines exist for reconsidering or reopening applications in appropriate circumstances and consistent with applicable law.
(b) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall also direct a review of the procedures for Chief of Mission approval of applications with the aim of, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law:
(i) ensuring existing procedures and guidance are sufficient to permit prospective applicants a fair opportunity to apply and demonstrate eligibility;
(ii) issuing guidance that would address situations where an applicant's employer is unable or unwilling to provide verification of the applicant's "faithful and valuable service," and provide for alternative forms of verification;
(iii) revising requirements to facilitate the ability of applicants to demonstrate the existence of a qualifying contract with the United States Government and require that the supervisor verifying the applicant's "faithful and valuable service" be a United States citizen or national;
(iv) ensuring that applicants are not prejudiced by delays in verifying their employment; and
(v) implementing anti-fraud measures to ensure program integrity.
(c) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State shall submit to the President the results of the review described in subsection (b) of this section.
(d) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall conduct a review and submit a report to the President identifying whether additional populations not currently provided for under section 1059 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, Public Law 109-163, section 1244 of the RCIA, or section 602 of the AAPA are at risk as a result of their faithful and valuable service to the United States Government. The review should also evaluate whether it would be appropriate to seek legislation that would create a SIV program for individuals, regardless of nationality, who faithfully assisted the United States Government in conflict areas for at least 1 year or made exceptional contributions in a shorter period and have experienced or are experiencing an ongoing serious threat as a result of their service.
(e) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that appropriate policies and procedures related to the SIV programs are publicly available on their respective agency's websites, and that any revisions to such policies and procedures in the future are made publicly available on those websites within 30 days of issuance.
Sec. 4. Steps to Improve the Efficacy, Integrity, Security, and Transparency of USRAP. (a) Consistent with the policy set forth in section 1 of this order and to facilitate this order's effective and expeditious implementation:
(i) The APNSA shall designate a National Security Council Senior Director to be responsible for coordinating the agencies and vetting partners involved in USRAP.
(ii) The Secretary of State shall designate a senior-level employee to have primary responsibility for overseeing refugee application processing, consistent with applicable law.
(iii) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall designate a senior-level employee to have primary responsibility for coordinating the review and any revision of policies and procedures regarding the vetting and adjudication of USRAP refugee applicants, including follow-to-join refugee applicants and post-decisional processing, consistent with applicable law.
(iv) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall assign a team of technology, process, and data experts from the United States Digital Service to assist agencies in streamlining application processing, improving the automation and effectiveness of security vetting and fraud detection, and strengthening data-driven decision-making.
(b) Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide the President a report on the fraud detection measures in place for USRAP. The report shall also include a plan to enhance fraud detection within components at both agencies and recommendations for the development of new anti-fraud programs, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law.
(c) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall promptly consider taking all appropriate actions, consistent with applicable law, to expand refugee vetting and adjudication capacity, including by:
(i) developing more efficient processes to capture and share refugee applicant biometric data; and
(ii) permitting the use of video and audio teleconferencing to conduct refugee interviews and establishing the necessary infrastructure to do so.
(d) To increase refugee adjudication capacity, the Office of Personnel Management shall, consistent with applicable law, support the use of all hiring authorities, including expanded use of direct hiring authority, for positions associated with the adjudication of refugee applications.
(e) Within 30 days of the date of this order, the heads of all agencies involved in the Security Advisory Opinion process and other inter-agency vetting processes for refugee applicants, including follow-to-join refugee applicants, shall submit data to the National Vetting Governance Board on the number of staff performing refugee security vetting, the thresholds for checks, and the rates at which checks have returned an objection. Such data shall be disaggregated by age range, gender, and nationality of the refugee applicant. The National Vetting Governance Board shall meet to consider if and how agency processes and staffing levels should change to improve security reviews and make refugee arrivals more efficient, and shall share any conclusions and recommendations with the heads of relevant agencies, including the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in order to inform potential resourcing strategies where necessary.
(f) Within 60 days of the date of this order, agencies responsible for the Security Advisory Opinion process shall meet to consider proposals from member agencies to adjust the list of countries and other criteria that require a Security Advisory Opinion for a refugee case.
(g) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall consider whether to promulgate regulations and any other policies, including internal oversight mechanisms, to ensure the quality, integrity, efficiency, and fairness of the adjudication process for USRAP applicants, while also taking due account of the challenges facing refugee applicants. The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, should consider adopting regulations or policies, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, that:
(i) develop mechanisms to synthesize reliable, detailed, and current country conditions that may be relied upon, where appropriate, to make specific factual and legal determinations necessary for the adjudication of refugee applications from individuals or from individuals within a designated group of applicants;
(ii) ensure that refugee applicants have timely access to their own application records;
(iii) permit refugee applicants to have a representative at their interview at no cost to the United States Government; and
(iv) ensure, when refugee applications are denied for non-security or non-fraud-based reasons, an applicant is given a short explanation describing the basis for the denial, so that the applicant has a meaningful opportunity to present additional evidence and to request a review of the decision.
(h) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide the President, through the APNSA, a report describing any action taken pursuant to subsection (g) of this section within 180 days of the date such action is taken.
(i) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that adjudicators are trained in the standards governing refugee claims of women, children, and other individuals who are more vulnerable to persecution due to their age, gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation.
(j) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall consider taking actions, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to recognize as "spouses" for purposes of derivative status through USRAP individuals who are in committed life partnerships but who are unable to marry or to register their marriage due to restrictions in the law or practices of their country of origin, including for individuals in same-sex, interfaith, or camp-based marriages. The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide the President a report, through the APNSA, describing any action taken pursuant to this subsection within 180 days of the date such action is taken.
(k) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, deliver a plan to the President, through the APNSA, to enhance the capacity of USRAP to welcome refugees by expanding the use of community sponsorship and co-sponsorship models by refugee resettlement agencies, and by entering into new public-private partnerships.
(l) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall consider ways to expand mechanisms under which non-governmental organizations with direct access to and knowledge of refugees abroad in camps or other settings could identify and directly refer to USRAP particularly vulnerable individuals who have a strong possibility of qualifying for admission to the United States as refugees.
(m) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take all appropriate steps, taking into account necessary safeguards for program integrity, to ensure that the current policies and procedures related to USRAP are publicly available on their respective websites, and that any new or revised policies and procedures are made publicly available on their websites within 30 days of their adoption.
(n) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, and as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, shall develop options for improving USRAP applicants' ability to access relevant material from their case files on an expedited basis to inform timely appeals from adverse decisions.
Sec. 5. Improving Performance. (a) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall develop and ensure adherence to a plan that addresses USRAP processing backlogs. In developing this plan, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Director of National Intelligence, and in collaboration with the National Vetting Governance Board and United States Digital Service, shall conduct a review of refugee security vetting processes and develop recommendations to increase their efficiency, fairness, and effectiveness, consistent with the humanitarian goals of USRAP and the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.
(b) The plan and review described in subsection (a) of this section shall also:
(i) examine whether existing vetting processes, including the Security Advisory Opinion process, can be improved to increase efficiency and provide more effective security reviews; and
(ii) seek to bring national average processing times within the period described in 8 U.S.C. 1571(b).
(c) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit to the President the plan described in subsection (a) of this section, including the Secretary's recommendations for process improvements.
Sec. 6. Climate Change and Migration. Within 180 days of the date of this order, the APNSA, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, and the Director of National Intelligence, shall prepare and submit to the President a report on climate change and its impact on migration, including forced migration, internal displacement, and planned relocation. This report shall include, at a minimum, discussion of the international security implications of climate-related migration; options for protection and resettlement of individuals displaced directly or indirectly from climate change; mechanisms for identifying such individuals, including through referrals; proposals for how these findings should affect use of United States foreign assistance to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change; and opportunities to work collaboratively with other countries, international organizations and bodies, non-governmental organizations, and localities to respond to migration resulting directly or indirectly from climate change. The APNSA shall work with appropriate agencies to ensure that the report, or a summary thereof, is made publicly available.
Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
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GOOD: Sec. 6. Climate Change and Migration. Within 180 days of the date of this order, the APNSA, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, and the Director of National Intelligence, shall prepare and submit to the President a report on climate change and its impact on migration, including forced migration, internal displacement, and planned relocation. This report shall include, at a minimum, discussion of the international security implications of climate-related migration; options for protection and resettlement of individuals displaced directly or indirectly from climate change; mechanisms for identifying such individuals, including through referrals; proposals for how these findings should affect use of United States foreign assistance to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change; and opportunities to work collaboratively with other countries, international organizations and bodies, non-governmental organizations, and localities to respond to migration resulting directly or indirectly from climate change. The APNSA shall work with appropriate agencies to ensure that the report, or a summary thereof, is made publicly available.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/04/executive-order-on-rebuilding-and-enhancing-programs-to-resettle-refugees-and-planning-for-the-impact-of-climate-change-on-migration/
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President Joe Biden's drive to enact a $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid bill gained momentum on Friday as the U.S. Senate narrowly approved a budget blueprint allowing Democrats to push the legislation through Congress in coming weeks with or without Republican support. At the end of about 15 hours of debate and back-to-back votes on dozens of amendments, the Senate found itself in a 50-50 partisan deadlock over passage of the budget plan. That deadlock was broken by Vice President Kamala Harris, whose "yes" vote provided the win for Democrats. None of the Republicans support making America great again by bailing out America.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-congress-idUSKBN2A514V
Pete Buttigieg: I want the United States to be leading the world in high speed rail
https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/pete-buttigieg-i-want-the-united-states-to-be-leading-the-world-in-high-speed-rail-100555333554
In Fiery Floor Speech, Cori Bush Demands Accountability for Every Republican Who Incited 'Vile White Supremacist Attack' of January 6 "We can't build a better society if members are too scared to stand up and act to reject the white supremacist attack that happened right before our eyes." "This was one of the days when the police would ambush us from behind, from behind trees, and from behind buildings, and all of a sudden now we're on the ground feeling brutalized," Bush said. "And I just remember taking a second thinking, if they touch these doors, and come anywhere near my staff, and I'm just going to be real honest about it, my thought process was: we banging to the end. I'm not letting them take out my people. And you're not taking me out. We've come too far." The Missouri Democrat went on to specifically address the Republicans whose incessant lies about the results of the 2020 presidential election—and efforts to overturn the results of that contest—helped fuel last month's attack, pointing to her resolution calling for investigation and expulsion of seditious members of Congress. "If we cannot stand up to white supremacy in this moment, as representatives, then why did you run for office in the first place?" Bush asked. "We can't build a better society if members are too scared to stand up and act to reject the white supremacist attack that happened right before our eyes. How can we trust that you will address the suffering that white supremacy causes on a day to day basis in the shadows if you can't even address the white supremacy that happens right in front of you in your house? Does your silence speak to your agreement is the question." "On January 3, we stood together to swear an oath to office to the Constitution," Bush continued. "We swore to defend it against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Well, it was attacked by a domestic enemy called white supremacy and we must stand together now, today, to uphold that oath and hold every single person who helped incite it accountable."
https://twitter.com/i/status/1357496446161883137
Actor Bruno Amato announces bid to unseat Kevin McCarthy. Amato was the uncredited wrecking ball operator in Evan Almighty and the gym coach in episode eight of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. He was cop at the sex addict therapy session in the movie Horrible Bosses 2.
https://www.bakersfield.com/news/actor-bruno-amato-announces-bid-to-unseat-kevin-mccarthy/article_1cf84406-6738-11eb-b625-2b44e2e93521.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjX2WgeLmnM
The Golden State Warriors (12-10) feast the Dallas Mavericks (9-14) 147-116 behind a career-high 40 points from Kelly Oubre Jr. This game Kelly Oubre increased his FG by over 2% (37.5 to 40) and 3FG by 4% (23 to 27).
Kelly Oubre Jr with a career high 40 points (14-21 FG) 7 Threes 8 rebounds 2 assists 1 steal 1 block vs Mavs. I NEVER DOUBTED HIM as I delete all messages attacking Oubre.....I said he should be traded a couple days ago because he was inconsistent (and too often awful) for the first 20 games. Until he starts being consistently good for the next 10-20 games, I'm not changing my mind, please trade him for Brandon Ingram. The Kelly Oubre rollercoaster has no breaks. He's probably going to go like 3/18 within a few games and have everyone going for his head again before another 30 point game. Point is, no one should be basing their judgement off just 1 good or bad game
Mark Cuban defends Luka from criticism: "Fuck you, Zach Lowe… you don't know shit"
https://twitter.com/Boweman55/status/1357488747563130880
Wiggins blocks Luka and Steph celebrates
https://streamable.com/l903vx
Carmelo tonight: 24/4/5, two blocks on 8-14 shooting, 3-4 from behind the arc
Draymond Green against the Mavs today had a season high of 11 points,6 rebounds and 15 assists in 28 minutes of play
Steph Curry is averaging 29/5.7/6 on 48/43/93, 65.3% TS over the last 20 games
Agreed: LeBron James: "I don't even understand why we're having an All-Star Game this year."
https://twitter.com/kylegoon/status/1357578962784841728
LeBron: "I have zero energy and zero excitement about an All-Star game this season." He said he was looking to a five-day break in March after the shortened offseason and believes it is not a wise decision during the pandemic, either. "I'll be there physically but not mentally"
https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1357579308823310343
https://twitter.com/billoram/status/1357579106074828804
Depleted The Portland Trail Blazers (12-9) defeat the Philadelphia 76ers (16-7), 121 - 105
Kelly Oubre hits the 3
https://streamable.com/xq00wi
SIGH......Christian Wood suffers a gruesome injury and had to leave in a wheelchair
https://streamable.com/c8ese7
NBA players are playing 72 games in 5 and a half months this season (versus 82 over 7 and a half months), resulting in endless injuries
SIGH......Rapist Lakers go on a 51-22 run to close the game after being down 71-63 in the 3rd quarter
Oubre blocks Boban
https://streamable.com/j97jtx
Kuzma hustles back to block MPJ's 3 pointer
https://streamable.com/ttqvuu
Mavericks have now lost 7 of 8 games, 13th in the Western Conference only behind the Pelicans and the Timberwolves. 25-point loss to the Rockets, back-to-back losses against the Suns, and 31 point loss to the Warriors. A huge step back from their bubble playoff run.
Murray "Steph" Jamal Curries it down on AD
https://streamable.com/w9hf3v
The Utah Jazz (17-5) defeat the Atlanta Hawks (10-12), 112 - 91 behind 23 points from Jordan Clarkson
Nikola Jokic drops 13 points(6-16) 10 rebounds 6 assists in a loss to the Los Angles Lakers
The Houston Rockets (11-10) scorch the Memphis Grizzlies (9-8), 115 - 103
John Wall is planking, and Boogie is... Well... Boogying.
https://streamable.com/ugvvr7
With 5 seconds of 3rd quarter left, Anfernee blasts up the court and finishes with the layup
https://streamable.com/aq422n
Oubre dishes to Steph, who makes the awkward reverse
https://streamable.com/vnp358
Kevin Durant is leading the league in DFG% (defensive field goal %) coming off an achilles injury
Luka Doncic puts up 27 points on (8/20 FGs), 3 Three pointers, 6 assists, 6 rebounds and 5 turnovers vs the Warriors.
GOOD: Kansas Measure Could Criminalize Medical Treatment For Mentally Ill Sexual Deviant Minors
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kansas-transgender-youth-measure_n_601c715dc5b617b09ac433c4
Reminder: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York Democrat, took to Instagram Live on Monday to describe what the Jan. 6 pro-Trump terrorist attack was like from inside the Capitol complex, critics have claimed that she wasn't where she said she was, or that she couldn't have experienced what she described from her location. These claims are lies. While Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was not in the main, domed Capitol building when the pro-Trump terrorists breached it, she never said she was. She accurately described being in the Cannon House Office Building, which is part of the Capitol complex and is connected to the main building by tunnels. In her livestream, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recalled hiding in a bathroom and thinking she was going to die as unknown people entered her office and shouted, "Where is she?" They turned out to be Capitol Police officers who had not clearly identified themselves, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said so on Instagram. She did not claim that they were rioters, only that, from her hiding spot, she initially thought they were. During the pro-Trump terrorist attack, reporters wrote on Twitter that the Cannon building was being evacuated because of credible threats, and that Capitol Police officers were running through the hallways and entering offices just as Ocasio-Cortez described. The lies about her account have spread widely online, much of the backlash stemming from an article on the conservative RedState blog and a livestream from the right-wing commentator Steven Crowder. On Thursday, Representative Shitstain Liar Nancy Mace, Republican of South Carolina, tweeted, "I'm two doors down from Alexandria and no insurrectionists stormed our hallway." But Ocasio-Cortez never said insurrectionists had stormed that hallway, and Mace herself said she was frightened enough to barricade her own door. Others have corroborated Ms. Ocasio-Cortez's account and confirmed that the Cannon building was threatened, even though the pro-Trump terrorists did not ultimately breach it. Ari Rabin-Havt, a deputy manager for Senator Bernie Sanders's 2020 presidential campaign, tweeted that he was in the Capitol tunnels during the attack. As Mr. Rabin-Havt moved toward the Cannon building, he wrote, members of a SWAT team yelled at him to find a hiding place. (https://twitter.com/AriRabinHavt/status/1357080433717104640). And Representative Katie Porter, Democrat of California, said on MSNBC that after the Cannon building was evacuated, she and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez sheltered in Ms. Porter's office in another building. (https://twitter.com/MSNBC/status/1356457876714364928). She said Ocasio-Cortez was clearly terrified, opening closets to try to find hiding places and wishing aloud that she had worn flats instead of heels in case she had to run.
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https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/02/04/remarks-by-president-biden-on-americas-place-in-the-world/
Remarks by President Biden on America's Place in the World
February 04, 2021 • Speeches and Remarks
U.S. Department of State Headquarters
Harry S. Truman Building
Washington, D.C.
2:45 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Secretary, it's great to be here with you. And I've been looking forward a long time to be able to call you "Mr. Secretary."
Good afternoon, everyone. It's an honor to be back at the State Department under the eyes of the first American chief diplomat, Benjamin Franklin.
And, by the way, I want you all to know in the press I was the Benjamin Franklin Professor of Presidential Politics at Penn. And I thought they did that because I was as old as he was, but I guess not.
Anyway, all kidding aside, it's great to be here and stand alongside our most recent and senior diplomat, Secretary Tony Blinken. Mr. Secretary, thank you for welcoming us today. We've worked together for over 20 years. Your diplomatic skills are respected equally by your friends and our competitors around the world.
And they know when you speak, you speak for me. And so — so is the message I want the world to hear today: America is back. America is back. Diplomacy is back at the center of our foreign policy.
As I said in my inaugural address, we will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again, not to meet yesterday's challenges, but today's and tomorrow's. American leadership must meet this new moment of advancing authoritarianism, including the growing ambitions of China to rival the United States and the determination of Russia to damage and disrupt our democracy.
We must meet the new moment accelerating glo- — accelerating global challenges — from the pandemic to the climate crisis to nuclear proliferation — challenging the will only to be solved by nations working together and in common. We can't do it alone.
That must be this — we must start with diplomacy rooted in America's most cherished democratic values: defending freedom, championing opportunity, upholding universal rights, respecting the rule of law, and treating every person with dignity.
That's the grounding wire of our global policy — our global power. That's our inexhaustible source of strength. That's America's abiding advantage.
Though many of these values have come under intense pressure in recent years, even pushed to the brink in the last few weeks, the American people are going to emerge from this moment stronger, more determined, and better equipped to unite the world in fighting to defend democracy, because we have fought for it ourselves.
Over the past few days, we've been in close cooperation with our allies and partners to bring together the international community to address the military coup in Burma.
I've also been in touch with Leader McConnell to discuss our shared concerns about the situation in Burma, and we are united in our resolve.
There can be no doubt: In a democracy, force should never seek to overrule the will of the people or attempt to erase the outcome of a credible election.
The Burmese military should relinquish power they have seized, release the advocates and activists and officials they have detained, lift the restrictions on telecommunications, and refrain from violence.
As I said earlier this week, we will work with our partners to support restoration of democracy and the rule of law, and impose consequences on those responsible.
Over the past two weeks, I've spoken with the leaders of many of our closest friends — Canada, Mexico, the UK, Germany, France, NATO, Japan, South Korea, Australia — to being [begin] reforming the habits of cooperation and rebuilding the muscle of democratic alliances that have atrophied over the past few years of neglect and, I would argue, abuse.
America's alliances are our greatest asset, and leading with diplomacy means standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our allies and key partners once again.
By leading with diplomacy, we must also mean engaging our adversaries and our competitors diplomatically, where it's in our interest, and advance the security of the American people.
That's why, yesterday, the United States and Russia agreed to extend the New START Treaty for five years to preserve the only remaining treaty between our countries safeguarding nuclear stability.
At the same time, I made it clear to President Putin, in a manner very different from my predecessor, that the days of the United States rolling over in the face of Russia's aggressive actions — interfering with our elections, cyberattacks, poisoning its citizens — are over. We will not hesitate to raise the cost on Russia and defend our vital interests and our people. And we will be more effective in dealing with Russia when we work in coalition and coordination with other like-minded partners.
The politically motivated jailing of Alexei Navalny and the Russian efforts to suppress freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are a matter of deep concern to us and the international community.
Mr. Navalny, like all Russian citizens, is entitled to his rights under the Russian constitution. He's been targeted — targeted for exposing corruption. He should be released immediately and without condition.
And we'll also take on directly the challenges posed by our prosperity, security, and democratic values by our most serious competitor, China.
We'll confront China's economic abuses; counter its aggressive, coercive action; to push back on China's attack on human rights, intellectual property, and global governance.
But we are ready to work with Beijing when it's in America's interest to do so. We will compete from a position of strength by building back better at home, working with our allies and partners, renewing our role in international institutions, and reclaiming our credibility and moral authority, much of which has been lost.
That's why we've moved quickly to begin restoring American engagement internationally and earn back our leadership position, to catalyze global action on shared challenges.
On day one, I signed the paperwork to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement. We're taking steps led by the example of integrating climate objectives across all of our diplomacy and raise the ambition of our climate targets. That way, we can challenge other nations, other major emitters, up to — to up the ante on their own commitments. I'll be hosting climate leaders — a climate leaders' summit to address the climate crisis on Earth Day of this year.
America must lead in the face of this existential threat. And just as with the pandemic, it requires global cooperation.
We've also reengaged with the World Health Organization. That way, we can build better global preparedness to counter COVID-19, as well as detect and prevent future pandemics, because there will be more.
We've elevated the status of cyber issues within our government, including appointing the first national — Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology. We're launching an urgent initiative to improve our capability, readiness, and resilience in cyberspace.
Today, I'm announcing additional steps to course-correct our foreign policy and better unite our democratic values with our diplomatic leadership.
To begin, Defense Secretary Austin will be leading a Global Posture Review of our forces so that our military footprint is appropriately aligned with our foreign policy and national security priorities. It will be coordinated across all elements of our national security, with Secretary Austin and Secretary Blinken working in close cooperation.
And while this review is taking place, we'll be stopping any planned troop withdrawals from Germany. We're also stepping up our diplomacy to end the war in Yemen — a war which has created a humanitarian and strategic catastrophe. I've asked my Middle East team to ensure our support for the United Nations-led initiative to impose a ceasefire, open humanitarian channels, and restore long-dormant peace talks.
This morning, Secretary Blinken appointed Tim Lenderking, a career foreign policy officer, as our special envoy to the Yemen conflict. And I appreciate his doing this. Tim is a life — has lifelong experience in the region, and he'll work with the U.N. envoy and all parties of the conflict to push for a diplomatic resolution.
And Tim's diplomacy will be bolstered by USI- — USAID, working to ensure that humanitarian aid is reaching the Yemeni people who are suffering un- — an undurable [sic] — unendurable devastation. This war has to end.
And to underscore our commitment, we are ending all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arms sales.
At the same time, Saudi Arabia faces missile attacks, UAV strikes, and other threats from Iranian-supplied forces in multiple countries. We're going to continue to support and help Saudi Arabia defend its sovereignty and its territorial integrity and its people.
We also face a crisis of more than 80 million displaced people suffering all around the world. The United States' moral leadership on refugee issues was a point of bipartisan consensus for so many decades when I first got here. We shined the light of lamp on — of liberty on oppressed people. We offered safe havens for those fleeing violence or persecution. And our example pushed other nations to open wide their doors as well.
So today, I'm approving an executive order to begin the hard work of restoring our refugee admissions program to help meet the unprecedented global need. It's going to take time to rebuild what has been so badly damaged, but that's precisely what we're going to do.
This executive order will position us to be able to raise the refugee admissions back up to 125,000 persons for the first full fiscal year of the Biden-Harris administration. And I'm directing the State Department to consult with Congress about making a down payment on that commitment as soon as possible.
And to further repair our moral leadership, I'm also issuing a presidential memo to agencies to reinvigorate our leadership on the LGBTQI issues and do it internationally. You know, we'll ensure diplomacy and foreign assistance are working to promote the rights of those individuals, included by combatting criminalization and protecting LGBTQ refugees and asylum-seekers.
And finally, to successfully reassert our diplomacy and keep Americans safe, prosperous, and free, we must restore the health and morale of our foreign policy institutions.
I want the people who work in this building and our embassies and consulates around the world to know: I value your expertise and I respect you, and I will have your back. This administration is going to empower you to do your jobs, not target or politicize you. We want a rigorous debate that brings all perspectives and makes room for dissent. That's how we'll get the best possible policy outcomes.
So, with your help, the United States will again lead not just by the example of our power but the power of our example.
That's why my administration has already taken the important step to live our domestic values at home — our democratic values at home.
Within hours of taking office, I signed an executive order overturning the hateful, discriminatory Muslim ban; reversed the ban on transgender individuals serving in our military.
And as part of our commitment to truth, transparency, and accountability, we stated on day one — we started on day one with daily briefings of the press from the White House. We've reinstate- — we've reinstituted regular briefings here at State and at the Pentagon. We believe a free press isn't an adversary; rather, it's essential. A free press is essential to the health of a democracy.
We've restored our commitment to science and to create policies grounded in facts and evidence. I suspect Ben Franklin would approve.
We've taken steps to acknowledge and address systemic racism and the scourge of white supremacy in our own country. Racial equity will not just be an issue for one department in our administration, it has to be the business of the whole of government in all our federal policies and institutions.
All this matters to foreign policy, because when we host the Summit of Democracy early in my administration to rally the nations of the world to defend democracy globally, to push back the authoritarianism's advance, we'll be a much more credible partner because of these efforts to shore up our own foundations.
There's no longer a bright line between foreign and domestic policy. Every action we take in our conduct abroad, we must take with American working families in mind. Advancing a foreign policy for the middle class demands urgent focus on our domestic econog- — economic renewal.
And that's why I immediately put forth the American Rescue Plan to pull us out of this economic crisis. That's why I signed an executive order strengthening our Buy American policies last week. And it's also why I'll work with Congress to make far-reaching investments in research and development of transformable — in transformable technologies.
These investments are going to create jobs, maintain America's competitive edge globally, and ensure all Americans share in the dividends.
If we invest in ourselves and our people, if we fight to ensure that American businesses are positioned to compete and win on the global stage, if the rules of international trade aren't stacked against us, if our workers and intellectual property are protected, then there's no country on Earth — not China or any other country on Earth — that can match us.
Investing in our diplomacy isn't something we do just because it's the right thing to do for the world. We do it in order to live in peace, security, and prosperity. We do it because it's in our own naked self-interest. When we strengthen our alliances, we amplify our power as well as our ability to disrupt threats before they can reach our shores.
When we invest in economic development of countries, we create new markets for our products and reduce the likelihood of instability, violence, and mass migrations.
When we strengthen health systems in far regions of the world, we reduce the risk of future pandemics that can threaten our people and our economy.
When we defend equal rights of people the world over — of women and girls, LGBTQ individuals, indigenous communities, and people with disabilities, the people of every ethnic background and religion — we also ensure that those rights are protected for our own children here in America.
America cannot afford to be absent any longer on the world stage. I come today to the State Department, an agency as old and as storied as the nation itself, because diplomacy has always been essential to how American — America writes its own destiny.
For the diplomacy of Ben Franklin helped assure the success of our revolution. The vision of the Marshall Plan helped prevent the world from foundering on the wreckage of war. And the passions of Eleanor Roosevelt declared the audacious idea of universal rights that belong to all.
The leadership of diplomats of every stripe, doing the daily work of engagement, created the very idea of a free and interconnected world. We are a country that does big things. American diplomacy makes it happen. And our administration is ready to take up the mantle and lead once again.
Thank you all. And may G-d bless you and protect our troops, our diplomats, and our development experts, and all Americans serving in harm's way.
Going this way. Thank you all.
END 3:04 P.M. EST
________________
49K jobs created vs. 105K Expected and -140K last month.
Unemployment rate falls to 6.3% vs. 6.7% Expected
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/live-blog/2021-01-28/u-s-employment-report-for-january
Democrat Pa. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman files paperwork for Senate run
https://www.wgal.com/article/pennsylvania-lt-gov-john-fetterman-files-paperwork-for-2022-us-senate-run/35424109
Today's employment situation release is yet another reminder that our economy remains in a hole worse than the depths of the Great Recession and needs additional relief to ensure that the pandemic can be brought under control, that families and businesses can stay solvent, and that workers can feed their families and keep a roof over their head. This month's data gives us a sense of the scale of relief necessary and the economic costs of inaction. This need for urgent, sustained action for the duration of this crisis is underscored by a few special questions that the Bureau of Labor Statistics added to its household survey. In January, just under 15 million people reported that they were "unable to work because their employer closed or lost business due to the pandemic." This number has been about the same since October, after falling in the wake of the implementation of the CARES Act from May to September. | Leisure and hospitality remains by far the worst hit industry, having lost 61,000 jobs in January on top of a downwardly revised 536,000 jobs in December, for a total of almost 4 million jobs lost since February 2020. This industry alone accounts for around 40 percent of jobs lost during the pandemic. Within leisure and hospitality, performing arts and spectator sports and accommodation and food services are suffering particularly badly. On the other hand, the financial activities sector, where workers can more easily telecommute, has held up relatively well, down only 1 percent from February 2020. Long-term unemployment has risen, reflecting the duration of the economic crisis and the fact that the virus was uncontained during most of 2020. Almost 40 percent of workers in January were unemployed for 27 weeks or more, and over half were unemployed for 15 weeks or more. This partly reflects certain industries where finding work is difficult right now, in no small part due to pandemic precautions: the unemployment rate for leisure and hospitality workers is around 16 percent. The elevation in long-term unemployment is especially salient since benefits for these workers will expire soon without further Congressional action. While the unemployment rate for men and women is relatively similar, women have left the labor force in staggering numbers. This phenomenon is reflected in the employment rate (or employment-population ratio) among women age 25 to 54, which is down 4.1 percentage points (2.6 million women) since February 2020, compared to a decrease of 3.9 percentage points (2.3 million men) among men. The larger decrease for women is unusual and likely reflects both the industries that this pandemic has hit and increased care responsibilities that have been pulling women out of the labor force. | As the Administration stresses every month, the monthly employment and unemployment figures can be volatile, and payroll employment estimates can be subject to substantial revision. Therefore, it is important not to read too much into any one monthly report, and it is informative to consider each report in the context of other data as they become available.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/blog/2021/02/05/the-employment-situation-in-january/
Virginia is set to become 23rd state to abolish the death penalty. It has executed over 1,300 people — more than any other state since the Jamestown colony's first recorded execution in 1608 for espionage, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/05/politics/virginia-to-abolish-death-penalty/index.html
They didn't cover Trump this way when he did the same thing, but this does cause increased exposure for staff, reporters and others: Biden flying to Delaware despite CDC warnings to avoid travel
https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1357692297245323270
Biden makes clear he's prioritizing a large relief package over bipartisanship here w/ strongest criticism of GOP plan to date. "What Republicans have proposed is either to do nothing, or not enough," he says adding that he cannot in "good conscience" ask Americans to wait on aid
YEP: MikeBloomberg tells SRuhle "It's time for Joe Biden to stand up and say the kids are the most important things...and teachers just are going to have to suck it up and stand up and provide an education. Otherwise these kids have no chance whatsoever."
https://twitter.com/i/status/1356985931648159750
https://twitter.com/RuhleOnMSNBC/status/1356985931648159750
In a press conference following her removal from committees, Marjorie Taylor Greene said her constituents were stifled, but she also was happy to have more time. She apologized for past remarks then said she was not sorry for anything she said and wasn't sorry for relentlessy attacking high school mass shooting survivor David Hogg and peppered her remarks with attacks against Democrats. She also attacked House Committees saying they would be a waste of her time because her "conservative values" (conspiracy theories, hate speech, racism, antisemitism, misogyny, lies, verbal abuse, physical abuse - remember she physically attacked staffers of Cori Bush) would not "be heard".
A judge says Republicans downplayed climate change impacts and other environmental costs from the expansion of a massive coal mine near the Montana-Wyoming border, in a case that could test how far the Biden administration is willing to go to unwind its predecessors' decisions. The lawsuit over Montana's Spring Creek mine hinges in part on an issue central to President Joe Biden's climate change agenda: Making decisions based on the full costs of fossil fuel extraction, including impacts on a warming planet that are being felt across society. U.S. District Judge Susan Watters said that under former President Donald Trump, the Interior Department played up the economic benefits of the 2-square-mile (5-square-kilometer) expansion of Spring Creek, which opened up development of 85 million tons of coal. But Watters said in her ruling Wednesday that officials failed to fully consider how burning the coal would contribute to climate change, known as the "social cost of carbon," a concept that places a dollar value on every ton of greenhouse gasses emitted. | Mining in the Spring Creek expansion has been ongoing since it was approved in 2012 and has cost irreversible permament environmental disaster. Watters illegally and unconstitutionally and terroristically rejected a request from environmentalists to reverse that approval, which could have legally and constitutionally blocked mining. She gave the government until October to do a new analysis of the mine's climate impacts and other environmental effects. Jeremy Nichols with WildEarth Guardians, one of the environmental groups that sued over the expansion, said the case highlighted the need for the Biden administration to reform its fossil fuel leasing programs.
https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-climate-climate-change-environment-2eff22ee0245fdb90fb2873c6820bd34
Woman Arrested Who Helped Coordinate Attack On Capitol, Smashed Window With Pipe. Rachel Marie Powell, a Pennsylvania mother of eight, used a bullhorn to give directions on storming the Capitol building.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/woman-who-helped-coordinate-attack-on-capitol-smashed-window-with-pipe-arrested_n_601d744bc5b69749da3d4b6f?81
Ballotpedia releases federal judicial vacancy count for January 2021.There are 57 vacancies out of 870 active Article III judicial positions on courts covered in this report.
https://news.ballotpedia.org/2021/02/04/ballotpedia-releases-federal-judicial-vacancy-count-for-january-2021/
While Marjorie Taylor Greene spends so much time trashing the media, her aides have spent a bunch of time adding reporters to her government and campaign email lists as she chases as much coverage for herself and what she says as she can get
https://www.vice.com/en/article/akdq4e/marjorie-taylor-greene-is-turning-her-cancellation-into-a-cash-grab
THE PRESIDENT: We're going to be talking about the recovery package, but we saw the jobs report that only 6,000 private sector jobs have been created. And at that rate, it's going to take 10 years before we get to full employment. That's not — that's not hyperbole; that's a fact. We're going to be in a situation where it'll take a long, long time. And I appreciate you all coming over because — and the urgency with which you're moving — this is about people's lives. This is not just about numbers; this is about people's lives. People are — I don't have to tell any of you, they're really hurting. People are being evicted. Just look at all the number of people who are needing and seeking mental health services now. Suicide is up. People are very — really, really — drug abuse, violence against women. People are really feeling the hole. They don't know how to get out. You've given them a lot of hope — a lot of hope with the — as they say in southern Delaware: With the grace of G/d and the goodwill of the neighbor, with the crick not rising, we can really begin to do something consequentially. So I want to thank you all. And what I — you know, President — President Obama put me in charge of the Recovery Act, and it was hard as hell to get the votes for it to begin with, and then it was hard as hell to get even the number we got. But one thing we learned is, you know, we can't do too much here; we can do too little. We can do too little and sputter. But again, the end result is, it's not just the macroeconomic impact on the economy and our ability to compete internationally; it's people's lives. Real, live people are hurting, and we can fix it. And we can fix it. And the irony of all ironies is, when we help them, we are also helping our competitive capacity through the remainder of this decade. I mean, it's real. So we got a chance to do something big here. And I'm — and thank you for last night, yesterday, and what you're going to be doing on this Recovery Act. And I can hardly wait to sit down with Peter DeFazio to work on infrastructure. (Laughter.) This is the next big piece. So, thank you all for being here, and thank you for coming in. I appreciate it.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/02/05/remarks-by-president-biden-before-meeting-with-house-democratic-leaders-working-on-the-american-rescue-plan/
Christopher Plummer dies at 91, manager says. He was a pre-eminent Shakespearean actor, but it was his performance as Captain von Trapp in the beloved musical that propelled a steady half-century parade television and film roles. The scion of a once-lofty family whose status had dwindled by the time he was born, Mr. Plummer nonetheless displayed the outward aspects of privilege throughout his life. He had immense and myriad natural gifts: a leading man's face and figure; a slightly aloof mien that betrayed supreme confidence, if not outright self-regard; an understated athletic grace; a sonorous (not to say plummy) speaking voice; and exquisite diction. He also had charm and arrogance in equal measure, and a streak both bibulous and promiscuous, all of which he acknowledged in later life as his manner softened and his habits waned. In one notorious incident in 1971, he was replaced by Anthony Hopkins in the lead role of "Coriolanus" at the National Theater in London; according to the critic Kenneth Tynan who at the time was the literary manager of the National, Mr. Plummer was dismissed in a vote by the cast for crude and outrageous behavior. For years, until he came to share the widely held opinion of his best-known film — the beloved 1965 musical "The Sound of Music," in which he starred as the Austrian naval officer Georg von Trapp opposite Julie Andrews — as a pinnacle of warmhearted family entertainment, Mr. Plummer disparaged it as saccharine claptrap, famously referring to it as "S&M" or "The Sound of Mucus." "That sentimental stuff is the most difficult for me to play, especially because I'm trained vocally and physically for Shakespeare," Mr. Plummer said in a People magazine interview in 1982. "To do a lousy part like von Trapp, you have to use every trick you know to fill the empty carcass of the role. That damn movie follows me around like an albatross." Mr. Plummer's résumé, which stretched over seven decades, was at least colossal, if not nonpareil, encompassing acting opportunities from some of dramatic literature's greatest works to some of commercial entertainment's crassest exploitations. He embraced it all with uncanny grace, or at least professional relish, displaying a uniform ease in vanishing into personalities not his own — pious or menacing, benign or malevolent, stern or mellow — and a uniform delight in delivering lines written by Elizabethan geniuses and Hollywood hacks. He played Hamlet, Macbeth, Richard III, Mark Antony and others of Shakespeare's towering protagonists on prominent stages to consistent acclaim, and he starred in "Hamlet at Elsinore," a critically praised 1964 television production, directed by Philip Saville and filmed at Elsinore Castle in Demark, where the play is set. But he also accepted roles in a fair share of clinkers, in which he made vivid sport of some hoary clichés — as the evil bigot hiding behind religiosity in "Skeletons" (1997), for example, one of his more than 40 television movies, or as the somber emperor of the galaxy who appears as a hologram in "Starcrash," a 1978 rip-off of "Star Wars."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Plummer
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001626/
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/05/movies/christopher-plummer-dead.html
The Biden administration reviewing an 11th-hour move by the Trump administration to temporarily ease sanctions on Israeli billionaire Dan Gertler after an uproar among lawmakers as well as government officials who were left out of the decision-making process, two people familiar with the matter said. The U.S. sanctioned Gertler and his companies in 2017 for allegedly corrupt mining and oil deals in the Democratic Republic of Congo. But in his final days in office,Trump's Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, issued a license which, while not lifting the sanctions against Gertler, exempted his business activities from them until Jan. 31, 2022. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is reviewing the issue, and it's not clear whether she's made a final decision, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-03/house-democrats-urge-yellen-to-reinstate-gertler-sanctions
Draymond Green is currently 6th in the NBA in assists per 100 possessions, and 6th last in points/100
Trump's campaign and its joint-fundraising committees illegally and unconstitutionally put $400,000 in donor money into Trump's private business
https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2021/02/05/trump-shifted-campaign-donor-money-into-his-private-business-after-losing-the-election/
Recently released records also show former Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette was looped in about a July 2019 "Ukraine call."
https://twitter.com/weareoversight/status/1357774873301549064
In May 2019, Perry led the delegation to Kyiv for Zelensky's inauguration. While there are still many questions about Perry's involvement in Ukraine, recent reporting shed light on Perry's energy industry connections and administration's Ukraine policy.
https://americanoversight.org/rick-perrys-energy-industry-connections-and-the-trump-administrations-ukraine-policy
Records we obtained show that in advance of a June 2019 call between Perry and Ukrainian president Zelensky, a senior advisor emailed: "Please do not share with anyone outside of the building…"
https://twitter.com/weareoversight/status/1357774870197788675
Damion Lee gets past Luka and scores, then calls him a "little ass boy
https://streamable.com/ea0ds7
A chunk of the Warriors' small-ball success last night was targeting Kristaps Porzingis. He just has so little chance in space guarding wings like Kelly Oubre and Andrew Wiggins.
Video surfaces showing Trump ally Roger Stone flanked by Domestic Terrorist Organization Oath Keepers on morning of Jan. 6
https://abcnews.go.com/US/video-surfaces-showing-trump-ally-roger-stone-flanked/story?id=75706765
But Captain Bone Spurs was? 'Beijing Biden Is Not My President:' Troops' Social Media Posts in Spotlight After Capitol Riots. Captain Bone Spurs was right when he said the army was full of "losers and suckers". What he meant was "losers and suckers I can take advantage of"
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/02/04/beijing-biden-not-my-president-troops-social-media-posts-spotlight-after-capitol-riots.html
Investing in our diplomacy isn't something we do just because it's the right thing to do for the world. We do it in order to live in peace, security, and prosperity. We do it because it's in our own naked self-interest. When we strengthen our alliances, we amplify our power as well as our ability to disrupt threats before they can reach our shores. When we invest in economic development of countries, we create new markets for our products and reduce the likelihood of instability, violence, and mass migrations. When we strengthen health systems in far regions of the world, we reduce the risk of future pandemics that can threaten our people and our economy. When we defend equal rights of people the world over — of women and girls, LGBTQ individuals, indigenous communities, and people with disabilities, the people of every ethnic background and religion — we also ensure that those rights are protected for our own children here in America.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/02/04/remarks-by-president-biden-on-americas-place-in-the-world/
The Los Angeles Dodgers rotation:
Trevor Bauer
Walker Buehler
Clayton Kershaw
Julio Urías
David Price
Dustin May
Tony Gonsolin
NFL commissioner offers Joe Biden all football stadiums as Covid vaccination sites
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/nfl-covid-vaccine-biden-coronavirus-b1798458.html
I'm honoured to join this year's National Prayer Breakfast, Jewel, and I'm humbled by your prayers and that means everything to us. I want to thank our dear friend from Delaware, a man of deep faith, Senator Chris Coons. We've been friends a long time. thank you all to the fellow bipartisan cultures of this year's Breakfast, Tim Scott, Tom Suozzi, and John Moolenaar. Ambassador Andrew Young, a national treasure, who speaks the Good News and does the Good Deeds, thank you for your continued friendship. You are the best. You are the best. I'm also grateful for the predecessors who were part of this year's program, President Carter, President Bush, President Clinton and President Obama. I'm honored to continue this tradition of reflection in fellowship that started with President Eisenhower. I have attended many of these Prayer Breakfasts over the years with a nation at war and struggle and a nation of peace and prosperity, a nation though always in prayer. What we know this time is different. Over 400,000 of our fellow Americans have lost their lives to a deadly virus. Millions are out of work. We see long lines for food at food banks that stretch for miles. We hear the call for racial justice, some 400 years in he making. And we know the dream but more importantly the reality of justice for all cannot be deferred any longer. We see the existential threat that climate crisis poses to our planer and everywhere we turn. With more severe floods, stronger hurricanes, more intense wildfires. We just have to open our eyes. We just witnessed images that we've never imagined, images that now we will never forget, the violent assault on use capital, an assault on our democracy, on our capital, a violent attack that threaten allies and took lives. We know now we must confront and defeat political extremism, white supremacy and domestic terrorism. For so many in our nation this is a dark, dark time. So where do we turn? "Faith," Kierkegaard wrote, "faith sees best in the dark." I believe that to be true. For me, in the darkest moments faith provides hope and solace, provides clarity and purpose as well. It shows the way forward, and as one nation, in a common purpose to respect one another, to care for one another, to leave no one behind. These are not Democrats or Republicans going hungry in our nation. They are our fellow Americans, fellow human beings. They are not Democrats or Republicans going without health care in America. They are our fellow Americans, fellow human beings. They are not Democrats and Republicans being evicted from their homes. They are fellow Americans, fellow human beings. And these are not Democrats or Republicans losing their lives to this deadly virus. They are fellow Americans, fellow human beings. This is not a nation that can't or will simply stand by and watch this. It's not who we are. It's not who faith calls us to be. In this moment we cannot be timid or tired. We have too much work to do. It's by our work, not just our words, that we will be judged. But as tough as the times are, I believe, as a matter fact, I know, we are going get through all of this here. We will come out stronger for it. The Bible tells us we may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning. We still have in front of us many difficult nights to endure, but we will get through them together. We will need one another. We need to lean on one another. With one another and with faith to guide us to the darkest into the light. May G/d bless you all and may G/d protect our troops.
https://www.c-span.org/video/?507806-1/lawmakers-participate-national-prayer-breakfast
Reminder: Wall of shame...The 147 Republicans Who Voted to Overturn Election Results
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/07/us/elections/electoral-college-biden-objectors.html
Still my new favourite phrase: Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
Republicans Reps. Gohmert, Clyde are first lawmakers fined $5,000 under new metal detector rules
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/02/05/republican-louie-gohmert-andrew-clyde-fined-new-metal-detector-rules/4411456001/
Biden rejects ex-Obama adviser Larry Summers' suggestion stimulus too big: "If I have to choose between getting help right now to Americans who are hurting badly and getting bogged down in a lengthy negotiation, or compromising on a bill that's up to the crisis, that's an easy choice." | "The one thing we learned is we can't do too much here," Biden said in the meeting, "The end result is … not just the macroeconomic impact on the economy and our ability to compete internationally," said the President, "It's people's lives."
https://www.salon.com/2021/02/05/biden-rejects-ex-obama-adviser-larry-summers-suggestion-stimulus-too-big-we-cant-do-too-much/
Texas Republicans endorse legislation to allow vote on secession from US
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/05/texas-republicans-endorse-legislation-vote-secession
Democrats fight for this seat you cowards: GA-14 is among the most conservative districts in the country. Flowers is a longshot. But Doug Jones won in Alabama a few years ago, so anything is *possible*: U.S. Sen. Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, the Senate's fourth most senior member, has indicated to confidantes that he does not intend to run for reelection next year — prompting some Republicans to urge the powerful, establishment politician to reconsider, even as potential replacements prepare to run for his seat.
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article249046885.html
Donald Trump's Business Sought A Stake In Parler Before He Would Join. The Trump Organization negotiated on behalf of then-president Donald Trump to make Parler his primary social network, but it had a condition: an ownership stake in return for joining, according to documents and four people familiar with the conversations. The deal was never finalized, but legal experts said the discussions alone, which occurred while Trump was still in office, raise legal concerns with regards to anti-bribery laws.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/trump-parler-ownership
These aren't Democrats or Republicans — they're Americans. And they're suffering. And they're suffering not because of anything they did. Through no fault of their own, they're suffering. A once-in-a-century virus has decimated our economy, and it's still wreaking havoc on our economy today. And so much of it is still about the virus. We're still in the teeth of this pandemic. In fact, January was the single deadliest month of the whole pandemic. We lost nearly 100,000 lives. I know some in Congress think we've already done enough to deal with the crisis in the country. Others think that things are getting better and we can afford to sit back and either do a little or do nothing at all. That's not what I see. I see enormous pain this country. A lot of folks out of work. A lot of folks going hungry, staring at the ceiling at night wondering, "What am I going to do tomorrow?" A lot of folks trying to figure out how to keep their jobs and take care of their children. A lot of folks reaching the breaking point. Suicides are up. Mental health needs are increasing. Violence against women and children is increasing. A lot of folks are losing hope. And I believe the American people are looking right now to their government for help, to do our job, to not to let them down. So I'm going to act, and I'm going to act fast. I'd like to be — I'd like to be doing it with the support of Republicans. I've met with Republicans. There's some really fine people who want to get something done, but they're just not willing to go as far as I think we have to go. I've told both Republicans and Democrats that's my preference: to work together. But if I have to choose between getting help right now to Americans who are hurting so badly and getting bogged down in a lengthy negotiation or compromising on a bill that's — that's up to the crisis, that's an easy choice. I'm going to help the American people who are hurting now. That's why I'm so grateful to the House and Senate for moving so fast on the American Rescue Plan.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/02/05/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-state-of-the-economy-and-the-need-for-the-american-rescue-plan/
First, it puts $160 billion into our national COVID-19 strategy, which includes more money for manufacturing, distribution, and setting up of vaccination sites — everything that's needed to get vaccines into people's arms. There is simply nothing more important than us getting the resources we need to vaccinate the people in this country as soon, as quickly as possible. So, job number one of the American Rescue Plan is vaccines. Vaccines.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/02/05/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-state-of-the-economy-and-the-need-for-the-american-rescue-plan/
The second, the American Rescue Plan is going to keep the commitment of $2,000: $600 has already gone out; $1,400 checks to people who need it. This is money directly in people's pockets. They need it. We need to target that money. So, folks making $300,000 don't get any windfall. But if you're a two — if you're a two — if you're a family that's a two-wage earner, each of the parents — one making 30 grand and one making 40 or 50 — maybe that's a little more than — well, yeah, they need the money, and they're going to get it.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/02/05/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-state-of-the-economy-and-the-need-for-the-american-rescue-plan/
And here's what I won't do: I'm not cutting the size of the checks. They're going to be $1,400. Period. That's what the American people were promised.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/02/05/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-state-of-the-economy-and-the-need-for-the-american-rescue-plan/
It has money for food and nutrition so that folks don't go hungry. I think our Republican friends are going to support that. It extends unemployment insurance, which is going to run out on March 13th of this year, to the end of September of this year, because there is still going to be — we're still going to have high unemployment.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/02/05/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-state-of-the-economy-and-the-need-for-the-american-rescue-plan/
It helps small businesses, thousands of whom have had to go out of business. It has money to help folks pay their health insurance. It has rental assistance to keep people in their homes, rather than being thrown out in the street. It's got money to help us open our schools safely. It has money for childcare, for paid leave. It gets needed resources to state and local governments to prevent layoffs of essential personnel — firefighters, nurses, folks that are schoolteachers, sanitation workers. It raises the minimum wage. It's big, and it's bold. And it's a real answer to the crisis we're in. And it's one more thing.
And I want to say it very clearly on this — be very clear on this point: It's better economics. It not only addresses the immediate crisis we're in, it's better for the long-term economic health of our nation and our competitiveness. My plan creates more jobs, it creates more economic growth, and does more to make us competitive with the rest of the world than any other plan. Don't take my word for it. Just look at what leading economists across the nation have said — and the world, and across the ocean have said. Wall Street investment firm, Moody's, says if we pass the American Rescue Plan, it will lead to 4 million more jobs than otherwise would be created. The nonpartisan Brookings Institution has looked at the Rescue — American Rescue Plan and said the GDP of — will reach pre-pandemic projections by 2021, meaning we'll have recovered by the end of 2021. And much sooner, by the way, than if we do nothing. Look, just this week, the Congressional Budget Office projected that if we don't take action, it would take until the year 2025 to return to full employment. There's also a growing chorus of top economists — right, center, and left — that say we should be less focused on the deficit and more focused on the investments we make, and can make now, in jobs, keeping families out of poverty, and preventing long-term economic damage to our nation. The simple truth is, if we make these investments now, with interest rates at historic lows, we'll generate more growth, higher incomes, a stronger economy, and our nation's finances will be in a stronger position as well. And the payoff won't just be in jobs but in our global competitiveness as well — because we'll be regaining our economic strength faster. So, the way I see it: The biggest risk is not going too big, if we go — it's if we go too small. We've been here before. When this nation hit the Great Recession that Barack and I inherited in 2009, I was asked to lead the effort on the economic Recovery Act to get it passed. It was a big recovery package, roughly $800 billion. I did everything I could to get it passed, including getting three Republicans to change their votes and vote for it. But it wasn't enough. It wasn't quite big enough. It stemmed the crisis, but the recovery could have been faster and even bigger. Today, we need an answer that meets the challenge of this crisis, not one that falls short. And that's the issue facing the country right now.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/02/05/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-state-of-the-economy-and-the-need-for-the-american-rescue-plan/
What Republicans have proposed is either to do nothing or not enough. All of a sudden, many of them have rediscovered fiscal restraint and the concern for the deficits. But don't kid yourself — this approach will come with a cost: more pain for more people, for longer than it has to be. Secretary Yellen talks about the scarring effect that comes with prolonged economic pain. We see that scarring effect in economic data. But more important, we can see it in the lives of people living with long-term unemployment, living in hunger, at wits' end over how to keep their jobs and take care of their kids.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/02/05/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-state-of-the-economy-and-the-need-for-the-american-rescue-plan/
So, to me, this is — this is what this moment comes down to. Are we going to pass a big enough package to vaccinate people, to get people back to work, to alleviate the suffering in this country this year? That's what I want to do. Or are we going to say to millions of Americans who are out of work — many of whom have been out of work for six months or longer, who have been scarred by this economic and public health crisis — "Don't worry, hang on. Things are going to get better. We're going to go smaller, so it's just going to take us a lot longer"? Like, until 2025. That's the Republican answer right now. I can't in good conscience do that. Too many people in the nation have already suffered for too long through this pandemic and economic crisis. And telling them we don't have the money to alleviate their suffering, to get to full employment sooner, to vaccinate America after $8 trillion in deficit spending over the past four years — much of it having gone to the wealthiest people in the country — is neither true nor necessary. We do have the resources to get to full employment sooner. We do have the tools to reduce a lot of suffering in this country. We just have to choose to use them. So it's time to act. We can reduce suffering in this country. We can put people back to work. We can control — gain control of this virus. That's what the American Rescue Plan does. And that's what I'm determined to do, and that's what I hope we're going to be able to do in the near term. So may G/d bless you all. May G/d protect our troops. And I truly believe real help is on the way. Thank you all so very much. Thank you.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/02/05/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-state-of-the-economy-and-the-need-for-the-american-rescue-plan/
Paw prints We are pawsitively thrilled to be making a pawppearance at #PuppyBowl XVII with our pawsome mom, @FLOTUS, to spread the woof about COVID safety but also about the impawrtantce of adoptions. Orphan shelter pets are amazing, so pls #AdoptDontShop. Awooof! - Champ & Major #DOTUS
https://twitter.com/i/status/1357706150641295361
https://twitter.com/TheOvalPawffice/status/1357706150641295361
Double exclamation mark Pupdate: these 2 pets need homes urgently, @OCAS_Orlando is a government facility, so a kill shelter. #MarinoDog face
ID A464902 & #Gigi ID A465883 are alone and afraid, because they don't fit in hoomans' classic standards of beauty & they might lose their lives because of it. #SOS
https://twitter.com/TheOvalPawffice/status/1357812636142960644
Paw prints Heart suit That's what our @bestfriends are doing, that's why we are raising funds to help them as much as pawssible, because their goal is to render kill shelters extinct by 2025 and we can't woofin' wait until that day arrives! Because no healthy, nom terminal pet should be killed!
https://twitter.com/TheOvalPawffice/status/1357813782505021441
Fox Business suddenly cancels 'Lou Dobbs Tonight,' its highest-rated show
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/05/media/lou-dobbs-fox-show-canceled/index.html
https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-cancels-lou-dobbs-tonight-following-multibillion-dollar-smartmatic-lawsuit
"I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings. What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?" Biden told CBS:
https://twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1357836506929504258
CBS's Norah O'Donnell: Should former President Trump still receive intelligence briefings?
Joe Biden: I think not.
O'Donnell: Why not?
Joe Biden: Because of his erratic behavior unrelated to the insurrection.
Give Trump a written report. Problem solved.
Britt Reid, the son of Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and the team's outside linebackers coach, was involved in a multicar accident Thursday night that has left a 5-year-old child with life-threatening injuries, according to a team statement and the police report. According to an incident report provided by the Kansas City Missouri Police Department, a car ran out of gas on an on-ramp to Interstate 435 in Kansas City on Thursday night. After the driver called relatives for help, a second car arrived, also parking on the on-ramp. According to the police report, a third car, which Kansas City television station KSHB says was driven by Britt Reid, then came along and struck first the left front of the disabled vehicle and then the rear of the second vehicle, where the 5-year-old child was in the backseat along with a 4-year-old child, who also was taken by ambulance to an area hospital but with non-life-threatening injuries. The station said Reid acknowledged to police that he was driving the third car, according to a search warrant. The police report said the driver of the third car sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was being investigated for possible impairment.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30842264/kansas-city-chiefs-assistant-coach-britt-reid-involved-multi-car-crash-life-threatening-injuries
According to a search warrant filed just before midnight Thursday, a KCPD officer said they could smell a moderate odor of alcoholic beverages and that Reid's eyes were bloodshot and red. According to the search warrant, Reid told the officer he had two to three drinks. The officer wrote in the warrant that he observed signs of impairment, after which Reid complained of stomach pain and was transported to an area hospital for treatment. Britt Reid pleaded guilty to DUI in 2008 and was previously jailed for a road rage charge.
https://www.kshb.com/sports/road-to-repeat/chiefs-assistant-coach-hurt-in-i-435-crash-that-injured-2-children-1-severely
From 2008: Britt Reid was charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance and drug possession after he drove into a shopping cart in a parking lot in August. Reid was out on bail on the road rage charge at the time. He pleaded guilty to flashing a gun at another motorist in an early 2007 incident and was entenced in November to eight to 23 months in prison. Britt Reid's older brother, 24-year-old Garrett Reid, also was sentenced in November for an unrelated DUI crash that injured another motorist. Garrett Reid also faces charges he smuggled nearly 90 pills into prison the week he was sentenced.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3201696
Whatever dynamic has led to Larry Summers having to scream his bad advice at Biden from outside the White House is a good one, and I hope the administration continues ignoring it.
Are You Smarter Than A Trump Lawyer? Typos are a recurring theme for Trump's lawyers.
https://abovethelaw.com/2021/02/are-you-smarter-than-a-trump-lawyer/
Kevin Durant will not be available to start tonight's game due to health and safety protocols. Further updates will be provided when available.
https://twitter.com/BrooklynNets/status/1357851213128208384
Election employees in Fulton County, Georgia are still grappling with the emotional and psychological trauma they suffered after being threatened and intimidated due to former President Trump's obsession with false claims of voter fraud.
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/05/963828783/you-better-run-after-trumps-false-attacks-election-workers-faced-threats
The Biden administration will remove Yemen's Houthi rebels from the U.S. government's list of foreign terrorist organizations per sources, reversing an 11th-hour Trump decision that aid groups said would worsen the dire humanitarian situation there
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/biden-yemen-rebels-terrorist-list/2021/02/05/e65e55c8-5b40-11eb-aaad-93988621dd28_story.html
Cory Booker had some of the more memorable visual branding in the 2020 field. Apparently, he told his team he wanted it to reflect four words: "Love, Defiant, Black, and Young." There was also a subtle nod to Newark. Cool story on all of it here:
https://championsdesign.com/featured/cory-2020
On this night in 1858, things got ugly on the floor of the US House. Keitt was no stranger to this stuff. He pulled a pistol on the floor of the Senate to keep anyone from stopping the caning of Sen. Charles Sumner.
Rep. Boebert paid off nearly $20K in state tax liens in 2020. Right after she illegally and unconstitutionally reimbursed herself $20K for mileage.
https://coloradonewsline.com/2021/02/04/rep-boebert-paid-off-nearly-20k-in-state-tax-liens-in-2020/
Rudy Gobert liked this.....: Draymond Green: "I view screens like I view assists. When I nail a guy on a screen and Steph hits the 3, I probably feel better than Steph does hitting the 3."
https://twitter.com/DrewShiller/status/1357777193066242054
You're a rated 63 scrub who can't shoot or defend so you spam screens to get your teammate grade up
Draymond on Wiseman: "He's probably faster than all of us. From baseline to baseline, I'm not sure if any of us can keep up with him. I know he can keep up running wise. But to play that kind of pace, it takes some getting used to ... I'm 100 percent sure he will get there."
https://twitter.com/DrewShiller/status/1357777658990452744
Paul George has been ruled out against Boston tonight with a sore right foot.
https://twitter.com/notoriousohm/status/1357857750450020352?s=21
Zion Williamson scores his 1000th career points in his 44th NBA game with a nice spin dunk
https://streamable.com/tnzwwa
I, too, would like a $250,000 payment and $40,000 per month to establish personal financial security
https://twitter.com/AndrewSolender/status/1357854979839696901
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EtgR5GKXUAEphxA?format=jpg&name=900x900
The Lincoln Project statement appears to be a response to Horn telling the nytimes she left because of John Weaver's "grotesque and inappropriate behavior" and "longstanding deceptions."
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/31/us/politics/john-weaver-lincoln-project-harassment.html
Jennifer Horn once raised a massive stink over claims of "drive thru voting" ...over 4 dem campaign staffers who legally registered to vote at their supporter housing (a home which she called "a sanctuary of voter fraud").
https://www.nashuatelegraph.com/opinion/editorials/2013/07/31/party-flap-hardly-voter-fraud-case/
The Securities and Exchange Commission has sued Lev Parnas, an associate of Rudy Giuliani, for stealing from investors in his Florida-based start-up called Fraud Guarantee, conduct for which he is already facing criminal charges. The SEC is trying to recover all funds that were taken in the alleged scheme by Parnas and by his partner David Correia, plus interest. According to the complaint filed Thursday by the SEC, the pair raised more than $2 million for a bogus company that purported to offer fraud protection services to other businesses, but the investments were "used instead to pay for lavish personal expenses unrelated to the company."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/lev-parnas-and-business-partner-sued-by-sec-in-fraud-guarantee-scam-lawsuit-seeks-forfeiture-of-stolen-funds/2021/02/04/43541f88-673a-11eb-8c64-9595888caa15_story.html
But it was fine when American flags were taken down to put up Trump flags during the Capitol riot.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/marjorie-taylor-greene-lgbt-pride-flag-black-lives-matter-us-embassies-b1798390.html
The United States gives almost 1.7 million coronavirus vaccinations in a single day, a record.
Roger Stone says he never left his hotel on Jan 6. newly discovered video of him with at least one of the insurrectionists says otherwise.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/congressional-investigators-probe-videos-trump-associates-actions-ahead/story?id=75711459
The Wizards are topping themselves with the slow starts tonight. Heat lead 71-43 at the half. Bradley Beal is 0-12 from the field.
The United States objects to today's @IntlCrimCourt decision regarding the Palestinian situation. Israel is not a State Party to the Rome Statute.
https://twitter.com/StateDeptSPOX/status/1357844884238041088
We will continue to uphold President Biden's strong commitment to Israel and its security, including opposing actions that seek to target Israel unfairly. Today, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a decision claiming jurisdiction in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, while expressly recognizing the serious legal and factual questions that surround its ability to do so. As we made clear when the Palestinians purported to join the Rome Statute in 2015, we do not believe the Palestinians qualify as a sovereign state, and therefore are not qualified to obtain membership as a state, or participate as a state in international organizations, entities, or conferences, including the ICC. We have serious concerns about the ICC's attempts to exercise its jurisdiction over Israeli personnel. The United States has always taken the position that the court's jurisdiction should be reserved for countries that consent to it, or that are referred by the UN Security Council.
https://www.state.gov/opposing-international-criminal-court-attempts-to-affirm-territorial-jurisdiction-over-the-palestinian-situation/
Nikola Vucevic in a win over the Chicago Bulls: 42 points on 17/29 shooting (4/10 from 3, 5/6 from the line), 19 rebounds, 4 assists and a block
LaMelo drops 34/4/8 on 14-27FG [4-9 on 3s] in a loss to the Utah Jazz.
Kawhi Leonard on the All Star Game: "We all know why we're playing it. It's money on the line ... and putting money over health, pretty much. We're playing games now and it's still a pandemic, we're doing all these protocols."
https://streamable.com/ewoj1u
With 8 points tonight, Kevin Durant's 166 consecutive game double-digit scoring streak, and third-longest active streak in the NBA ends.
Lonzo Ball contests Turner at the rim to force the miss and get the game-saving stop for the Pelicans
https://streamable.com/8w6w6c
Giannis on the All-Star Game: "We've got to all follow the big dog [Lebron]. The big dog says he has zero excitement and zero energy for the All-Star Game, and I'm the same way. I really right now don't care about the All-Star Game. We cannot see our families."
https://streamable.com/bpghlk
Draymond: "I won't throw anybody under the bus, I'm talking about one superstar, I've never seen him out of shape. He's so out of shape right now. With the bubble and everything...it's been a very tough season, I think a lot of guys are struggling with it" (probably Anthony Davis, but Davis has always been out of shape and clunky and badly bulky)
https://streamable.com/5qadq1
With a win over the Brooklyn Nets tonight, Toronto moves up from the 10th seed to the 6th seed
YEP: James Harden: "I'm thinking to myself, well, if it's contact tracing and we're all in the locker room together, that means there's no game..."
https://streamable.com/05l5in
Russell drills an ice-cold triple to put the Wolves up 3 with 2.9 left
https://streamable.com/cm94wy
The Utah Jazz are currently making 17.1 threes per game this season, the most in NBA History, while shooting 40.7% from beyond the arc.
Kyle Lowry in a win against the Nets: 30 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 12/18 FG%, 6/9 from 3.
Durant was held out pre-game because of an inconclusive test for someone who he interacted with this afternoon --- and pulled from game once that person returned a positive test later
http://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1357887640322912256
The Utah Jazz (18-5) defeat the Charlotte Hornets (10-13), 138-121.
Giannis back-to-back blocks
https://streamable.com/vi74gd
Kemba puts the Celtics up 1 with 32.1 left
The Rockets' Christian Wood has been diagnosed with a right ankle sprain. He will be reevaluated on a weekly basis
https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1357879461715271680
The Utah Jazz made 26 three pointers tonight, tied the fourth most in NBA history. They did it in 50 attempts.
Giannis Antetokounmpo tonight: 33 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks, 1 steal
Behind a career game of 34/4/8, LaMelo "not Me7o" Ball is averaging 20/5/7 on 52/38/93 splits on 29min over the last 6 games
CP3 beautiful one-handed bounce pass to Cam Johnson for the layup
https://streamable.com/iv7594
One game after scoring a franchise-record 54 points, Fred VanVleet scored a three in his 54th straight game to extend yet another franchise record
https://twitter.com/SNstats/status/1357888083639865344
CP3 vs. Pistons - 20 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists
Horford drills the 3 to tie the game at 103 with 25.7 left
https://streamable.com/m92gld
Rubio almost throws the game away but the Thunder can't convert
https://streamable.com/5v2x0f
Kevin Durant is being kept in a holding cell below Barclays Center and can't come out until he explains what a hesi pull-up jimbo is
https://twitter.com/KDTrey5/status/1357885018169868288
Pro-Trump Terrorist Republican Supreme Court "Judges" illegally and unconstitutionally block enforcement of health care measures that keep EVERYBODY alive
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/02/06/supreme-court-blocks-calif-prohibiting-indoor-church-services/4324338001/
Pro-Trump Terrorist Republican Iowa "governor" bans mask mandate and social distancing that keep EVERYBODY alive
https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/health/iowa-covid-restrictions-lifted-mask-mandate-gatherings-gov-kim-reynolds-20210205
Pro-Trump Terrorist Who Tried To Murder Democratic Lawmakers To Keep Trump In Power Released From Prison By Pro-Trump Terrorist "Judge", Allowing Her To Abscond To Mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/05/politics/capitol-riot-mexican-vacation/index.html
Mahomes has a chance to win 2 Super Bowls before he gets his tenth career loss. That is beyond wild.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MahoPa00.htm
Logo Lillard with the deeeeep three to beat the first quarter buzzer
https://streamable.com/2u2m09
Dame with a sick dime to Kanter
https://streamable.com/38r9bi
Zion Williamson difficult layups
https://streamable.com/fdzhkx
The New York Knickerbockers are currently in possession of the 6th seed in the East with the easiest schedule for the remaining first half of the season.
The Nets say Kevin Durant (health and safety protocols) is questionable tonight against Philadelphia and list Kyrie Irving as out with a right index finger sprain
https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1358096323673804801
UN names Mike Bloomberg special envoy for climate change. Bloomberg will work with governments, businesses, cities and financial institutions to secure new pledges to significantly reduce emissions over the next several decades. The former New York City Mayor previously held roles as UN Special Envoy for Climate Action in 2018 and UN Special Envoy on Cities and Climate Change in 2014.
https://thehill.com/changing-america/sustainability/climate-change/537609-un-names-mike-bloomberg-special-envoy-for
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/united-nations-secretary-general-appoints-michael-r-bloomberg-as-special-envoy-for-climate-ambition-and-solutions-301222841.html
Former Trump Campaign Aide And Staunch Pro-Life Advocate Ruben Verastigui Charged With Receiving, Distributing, and Possessing Child Pornography
https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/former-trump-campaign-aide-and-staunch-pro-life-advocate-charged-with-receiving-distributing-and-possessing-child-pornography/
Biden Extends Ban on Turkey Buying F-35 Stealth Fighter | Pentagon spokesman urges Ankara "not to retain" an advanced Russian air-defense system.
https://www.defenseone.com/business/2021/02/biden-extends-ban-turkey-buying-f-35-stealth-fighter/171896/
I'm a street walking cheetah
With a heart full of napalm
Happy 48th birthday to the legendary, influential album RAW POWER by Iggy and The Stooges, released on this day in 1973
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k0a0d76jG91eO5m4PdyrZsqDnMJbPe-FI
"The Washington Post video team has closely studied who was on the House floor and in the gallery at the time and cannot find any images of Greene to confirm her claim."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/02/06/ocasio-cortezs-recounting-jan-6-riot-was-not-hoax/
Trump's lie that the election was stolen has cost $519 million (and counting) as taxpayers fund enhanced security, legal fees, property repairs and more.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2021/cost-trump-election-fraud/
Ross Graham Dies at 93; Tenacious Fighter for New York City. She died of Covid-19 after a lifetime of fighting to legalize abortion and preserve Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen on Manhattan's West Side. Ross Graham, an unheralded exponent of Manhattan's West Side and a pioneering legislative aide whose legacy involves the Hudson River Park, the preservation of Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen and the legalization of abortion in New York State, died on Jan. 28 in Manhattan. She was 93. The cause was the coronavirus, which she contracted after being hospitalized for a broken hip, her sister, Judith Graham Miller, said. Ms. Graham was hired as a legislative aide in 1964 by State Senator Manfred Ohrenstein, a Manhattan Democrat who became the minority leader in 1975. She became his chief of staff and was at one point described as the highest-paid woman on the state payroll in Albany. In 1970, three years before the United States Supreme Court ruled in Roe vs. Wade, Ms. Graham was a leader in the legislative fight to decriminalize abortion in New York (she hung the historic roll call tally on her wall), which was accomplished by a one-vote margin.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/04/obituaries/ross-graham-dead-coronavirus.html
If I have to choose between getting help right now to Americans who are hurting and getting bogged down in a lengthy negotiation — it's an easy choice. I'm going to help the American people who are hurting.
https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1358150975320707072
Last year, Michele lost her job because of the pandemic. I recently gave her a call to hear her story and discuss how my American Rescue Plan will help families like hers.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1358083335508082690
https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1358083335508082690
We can reduce suffering in this country.
We can put people back to work.
We can gain control of this virus.
Congress needs to pass the American Rescue Plan to get it done.
https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1357855276943171586
Susan Bayh, former Indiana First Lady and wife of former Sen. and Gov. Evan Bayh, died last night of glioblastoma and its complications. She was 61.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Bayh
After questions from BuzzFeed News, a spokesperson for the Office of Director of National Intelligence said Morgan Muir is no longer expected to brief Biden personally
https://twitter.com/JasonLeopold/status/1358187308386643970
These are definitely the people you want overseeing your child's education
https://newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/how-san-francisco-renamed-its-schools
Tyrese Haliburton tonight: 24 points on 67/62/100 splits, 13 points in the 4th, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, a block and 0 turnovers in 34 minutes
MVP Nikola Jokic in a loss to the Kings: 50 points on 20/33 shooting (3/6 from 3), 8 rebounds, 12 assists, a steal and 3 blocks. In addition, he hit all 7 of his free throws
Fred VanVleet with the beautiful rainbow 3 to end the first quarter
https://streamable.com/5fkx3b
Harden gets a tech for...?
https://streamable.com/g05rct
The Chicago Bulls (9-13) defeat the Orlando Magic (9-15), 118 - 92 behind 39 points from Zach LaVine
Mike Muscala hits his 6th three. He's 6/6 with 19 points.
https://streamable.com/2immry
Giannis fakes a pass before slamming it home
https://streamable.com/qvxvcu
Curry hits it from the logoHighlight
https://streamable.com/22i7c7
Steph Curry tonight: 57pts on 19/31 FG, 11/19 3PT, 8/8 FT
Referees refuse to call the out-of-bounds call, costing GSW the game
https://streamable.com/g4iqqg
Steve Kerr on Doncic lean in fouls: "I fault the league for basically gifting those calls to all of our players. Our guys get them, too. To me, it's not a basketball play. If you jump 3 feet forward, I don't think you should get a foul when all you're doing is looking for a foul"
https://twitter.com/anthonyvslater/status/1358272960805568512
Luka Doncic flies into Andrew Wiggins to draw the 3PT foul
https://streamable.com/xc5wms
Draymond Green tonight: 2 points, 6 rebounds, 15 assists, 6 steals, 4 blocks
Tonight's losses by Steph Curry and Nikola Jokic mark only the second time in NBA history that two players have scored 50 points in one night and both lost
Stephen Curry almost trips but still makes the 3
https://streamable.com/n1yx7p
Luka Doncic Tonight: 42/7/11 on 11/22 shooting, 7/12 from 3 and 11/14 from the line
Giannis moves his arm mid-dunk to avoid getting blocked by Jarrett Allen
The San Antonio Spurs (13-10) defeat the Houston Rockets (11-11), 111 - 106
Bledsoe lobs it up to Zion for the monster hammer to seal the game
https://streamable.com/ml1n10
The New Orleans Pelicans (10-12) defeat the Memphis Grizzlies (9-9), 118-109 behind Zion's 29 points and 5 assists on 10/14 shooting, 9/11 from the line
The 11th Seed in the West (Sacramento Kings) would be the 6th seed in the East (above the Atlanta Hawks)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 15 in the 4th quarter, finishing with 31 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists, guiding the Thunder past the Timberwolves.
Draymond throws a dime to Bazemore for the slam
https://streamable.com/8gf83f
Andrew Wiggins is averaging more blocks this season (1.3) than recent DPOY Giannis Antetokounmpo (1.2)
Brilliant pass from Draymond
https://streamable.com/petkp3
India, Massive Glacier Burst, 100-150 Casualties feared in flash flood.
https://www.timesnownews.com/india/blog/uttarakhand-glacier-burst-flash-flood-joshimath-alert-haridwar-rishikesh-live/536
MPs call to relocate 2022 Beijing Games over China's genocide Uighur minority
https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5904286
Cleveland F Larry Nance Jr., is expected to be lost four-to-six weeks with a fractured finger on his left hand. Nance will likely undergo surgery.
http://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1358450823903277064
Today will mark Tom Brady's 10th Super Bowl start and just the third time ever that a QB has started a Super Bowl since turning the age of 40: Super Bowl LII: Tom Brady, 40 Super Bowl LIII: Tom Brady, 41 Super Bowl LV: Tom Brady, 43
Liz Cheney, asked whether the Senate should convict: "What we already know does constitute the gravest violation of his oath of office by any president in the history of the country, & this is not something that we can simply look past or pretend didn't happen or try to move on."
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1358464289128943617
Oklahoma City big man Mike Muscala sustained a concussion during Saturday night's 120-118 victory over the Timberwolves and has been placed in the NBA's concussion protocol, the Thunder announced Sunday.
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30854045/oklahoma-city-thunder-mike-muscala-placed-concussion-protocol
Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016 with 46% of the vote. He and his supporters called that 46% a historic landslide: A narrow majority of Americans (56%) say Trump should be convicted and barred from holding office again
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/majority-americans-trump-convicted-barred-holding-federal-office/story
GOOD: Sen. Bernie Sanders opposes cutting the income cap for $1,400 stimulus checks
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/07/stimulus-checks-bernie-sanders-opposes-cutting-income-cap-for-1400-payments.html
Sen. Bernie Sanders on CNN: "A $15 an hour minimum wage is not a radical idea. Making $600 a week in the United States of America, given the high costs of rent and other living expenses people have to pay, that's not a lot of money."
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1358483164725968897
I think I'll create Antifa and BLM Voting Systems to make a cool billion
https://twitter.com/RudyGiuliani/status/1358485526421110789
GO VEGAN: "Scientists have created what are sometimes called 'exploding chickens' that put on weight at a monstrous clip...The journal Poultry Science once calculated that if humans grew at the same rate as these chickens, a 2-month-old baby would weigh 660 pounds."
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/06/opinion/sunday/costco-chicken-animal-welfare.html
Jeff Van Gundy claims Draymond is gaming the system in a situation where Porzingis intentionally fouls Draymond to stop the easy dunk.
https://streamable.com/m0jpc2
Olynyk connects the and one dunk on Robinson late in the fourth
https://streamable.com/0wthmg
Detroit has agreed to trade guard Derrick Rose to New York for Dennis Smith Jr., and a 2021 second-round pick (via Charlotte). Rose reunites with Tom Thibodeau, who coached him in Chicago and Minnesota.
http://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1358518477955493892
Jimmy Butler puts up 17/10/9 on 3 made FGs and a team-high +17 against the Knicks
The Phoenix Suns (13-9) defeat the Boston Celtics (12-10), 100 - 91
Booker pulls up over Walker and knocks down the jumper to put the Suns up 5 with 43.7 left
https://streamable.com/ii8p7e
Rep. Ayanna Pressley to CNN on the Capitol riot: "One of the images that I'm haunted by is Black custodial staff cleaning up the mess left by the violent white supremacist mob. That's a metaphor for America."
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1358520918763597825
Democrats in Congress want a new postmaster general, which could happen only if the nine-member governing board changes. Though the administration has signaled it will move aggressively to rehabilitate the agency — Biden replaced the Republican chair of the Postal Regulatory Commission with a Democrat on Jan. 25 — there's not much the president can do to intervene immediately in postal operations. | In a Jan. 25 letter, Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-N.J.) urged Biden to fire every member of the board of governors. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) made the same request on Jan. 29. Biden can remove governors "for cause," which is not clearly defined by law. There is no indication the president is interested in such a move. "The board members' refusal to oppose the worst destruction ever inflicted on the Postal Service was a betrayal of their duties and unquestionably constitutes good cause for their removal," Pascrell wrote. | The president's most linear path to mail changes is by appointing governors to the agency's nine-member board. Agency operations are specifically insulated from elected leaders to prevent politicians from tinkering with the mail service, postal historians say. Governors are confirmed by the Senate and serve staggered seven-year terms. No more than five members may belong to the same party. Biden has three seats to fill, and could also replace Ron Bloom, a Democrat serving a one-year holdover term. Those four seats, plus sitting Democrat Donald Lee Moak, could give Democrats the votes to unseat DeJoy, if desired. Securing that majority may be months away, as the administration prioritizes Cabinet and sub-Cabinet nominations. | The president also could push Congress to pass reform legislation for the first time since the 2006 bill that created the Postal Service's prefunded retiree health-care obligation. Members of both parties in the House and Senate introduced legislation Monday to repeal that requirement and allow the Postal Service to pay off health-care costs annually, as most private corporations and government agencies do. That legislation passed the House in the last Congress but failed in the Senate.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2021/business/usps-performance-whats-next-biden/
South Africa suspends AstraZeneca vaccine for now -- too little impact on the variant circulating there now (and take note because this variant is spreading)
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/07/south-africa-astrazeneca-466996
Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered a review of the groups that run New York's homeless housing
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/07/nyregion/victor-rivera-investigation.html
Biden's cabinet secretaries will all have college degrees; 3 have doctorates & 8 have JDs; the only secretaries (out of 15) without graduate degrees are Walsh & Buttigieg (but he got a 2nd BA as a Rhodes Scholar). Kind of amazing that Secretary Mayor Pete is at the low end of Biden Administration educational attainment
"I'd rather be governed by the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard University." William F. Buckley
Suzanne Nossel, who leads an group (PEN America) that pushes for free expression, says the departure of NYT's Donald McNeil "risks sending a chilling message" -- that for journalists, "a lone errant statement may cost them their job." "For reporter Donald McNeil to end his long career as a result of a single word, risks sending a chilling message. That the paper apparently altered its course ... as a result of public pressure is a further worrying signal. Pen America weighs in:
https://pen.org/press-release/pen-america-responds-to-resignation-of-new-york-times-reporter-mcneil/
The worst of the current wave of coronavirus infections may be behind us as new cases in the US drop 47% from the peak, which was hit just last month. But even so, the new cases are still higher than last summer.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/02/05/us/covid-peak-comparison.html
While Biden pushes crisis response, Republicans go to war with themselves. The striking dichotomy between two parties - one eager to deliver sweeping legislative relief amid a pandemic and economic crisis, the other consumed by debates over conspiracy theories and loyalty to Trump - has become a defining feature of the Biden administration's first weeks. And it's providing Biden with a more comfortable honeymoon than new presidents usually enjoy. It feels like there's nothing but open road for Biden right now. Republicans are just circling around the drain. When you see them on television right now, it's to fight with each other. At the moment, Biden's plan is broadly popular, something administration aides have pointed to in asserting that it has bipartisan public appeal even as support from congressional Republicans remains uncertain. According to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday, 68% of Americans support the massive relief plan. The president also saw his job approval rise to 61% in an Associated Press-NORC survey Thursday. Vowing not to reduce the size of the $1,400 direct relief checks in his package, Biden sought to exert a degree of political pressure on Republicans, arguing "some in Congress think we've already done enough to deal with the crisis. That's not what I see. I see enormous pain in this country." Republican lawmakers were largely silent in response, a pattern that has drawn frustration from some party strategists, who say Republicans need to mount more sustained, focused criticism on the administration's plan. Instead of shooting holes in Biden's proposal, Republicans have engaged in a circular firing squad.
https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-02-05/while-biden-pushes-crisis-response-republicans-go-to-war-with-themselves
In picking a science team of prominent researchers who have extensive knowledge of the federal government, President Joe Biden has signaled that science would play an elevated role in his administration. At a 16 January press conference, Biden formally introduced mathematician and geneticist Eric Lander to be both director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and his science adviser. If the Senate confirms him as OSTP director, Lander would be the first life scientist to hold the posts and the first to be a member of the president's Cabinet. Biden also released a letter that asks Lander to focus on five grand challenges facing the country, including applying lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic to improve public health, dealing more aggressively with climate change, and creating new industries from emerging technologies like quantum information science and artificial intelligence. Biden also introduced sociologist Alondra Nelson, who will fill the new position of OSTP deputy director for science and society. Nelson's title and appointment, which does not require Senate confirmation, appears to reflect Biden's interest in using the federal research machinery to address social inequality.
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/371/6528/452
Clearly something they are increasingly worried about: Boycotting 2022 Beijing Winter Games, an unpopular idea, won't receive wide support. IOC and athletes will both oppose it, and China will seriously sanction any country that follows such a call.
https://twitter.com/HuXijin_GT/status/1358387752459411458
A California judge ordered OAN's parent company to pay $250,000 in Rachel Maddow and MSNBC's legal fees after its failed defamation suit
https://www.businessinsider.com/oan-ordered-to-pay-maddow-and-msnbc-legal-fees-2021-2
Brady finds Gronk for the 1st TD of the game
https://streamable.com/p8ypgc
Gronk gets his second touchdown of the game
https://www.clippituser.tv/c/mmqpke
Chiefs interception gets reversed on a holding call
https://streamable.com/qkhbf0
Brady hits A-Rapist-B to make it 20-6
https://www.clippituser.tv/c/exlpvq
Rob Gronkowski (LII and LV) joins Jerry Rice (XXIV and XXIX) as the only players with multiple Rec TD in multiple Super Bowls.
https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1358579361125916672
Paw prints Guess who was the bestest boy while mom @FLOTUS & dad @POTUS taped the #SuperBowl televised message? I was! Look at me, I didn't make a sound & I kept smiling the whole time because I pawpprove 100 purrcent of what my pawsome parents said to the nation. Camera @MegHays46
https://twitter.com/TheOvalPawffice/status/1358584768322019331
Between Tom Brady's 3rd Superbowl appearance and his 10th, Calvin Johnson has been drafted, retired, and made the Hall of Fame.
Brady damn the only one there to get it that's about as huge as his run on 3rd down in SB 51 sigh.....
Does the Chiefs defense know they don't have to follow Covid19 social distance protocols? And they can tackle Brady?
Chiefs need 3 touch downs and a field goal to win in 17 mins...
Flags or no flags. The Chiefs are getting outplayed tonight. Tampa Bay defense has forced him to play bad.
Only way Tampa Bay loses this championship is if Kevin Cash comes out of the stands and pulls Tom Brady
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