https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-family-on-netflix-the-shadowy-christian-cabal-puppeteering-american-politicians?ref=home&fbclid=IwAR3RqfKyVqjBu9Y27OE9RPQeY1VdtXvmvYSdwTSl_rvLaYpVguGPvTrbPTo
"Moreover, it exposes their mounting interest in collaborating with Russia, which sent as many as 60 delegates to the 2018 National Prayer Breakfast, thanks in part to new Family bigwig Doug Burleigh, Coe’s son-in-law (who took over after Coe passed away in 2017) and a specialist in all things Russia. In this context, evangelicals’ support of President Donald Trump—a lewd urbanite without a pious bone in his body—isn’t hypocritical. On the contrary, they view him as the very sort of alpha strongman needed to expand their dominion, via a mutually beneficial alliance where power is the ultimate objective. In line with their long-standing fondness for authoritarians (including Hitler and Mao), the Family views Trump as a kindred spirit who understands that some are predestined to rule over others; that anyone is a potential business partner; and that ethics are no impediment to achieving one’s ends. Consequently, it’s no surprise that, in return for its support, Trump gifted the Family with the most fundamentalist Christian cabinet in American political history."
News And Opinion About The Republican War On Women And Issues Important To Women
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Tens Of Thousands Of Hong Kong Protesters March Through Heavy Rain
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tens-of-thousands-of-hong-kong-protesters-march-through-heavy-rain_n_5d593d6de4b056fafd0d5352
"Hong Kong streets were turned into rivers of umbrellas on Sunday as hundreds of thousands of people marched through heavy rain down a major road in the Chinese territory, where massive pro-democracy demonstrations have become a regular weekend activity. Organizers said at least 1.7 million participated, though the police estimate was far lower."
"Hong Kong streets were turned into rivers of umbrellas on Sunday as hundreds of thousands of people marched through heavy rain down a major road in the Chinese territory, where massive pro-democracy demonstrations have become a regular weekend activity. Organizers said at least 1.7 million participated, though the police estimate was far lower."
Another Incredible Drone Video Reveals the Enormity of New Hong Kong Protests
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/08/another-incredible-drone-video-reveals-the-enormity-of-new-hong-kong-protests/
"Hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy protesters braved a downpour on Sunday to once again jam the streets of Hong Kong. As night fell, the police-sanctioned venue for the demonstration, Victoria Park, was still filling up. CNN reported that central Hong Kong was so stuffed with people it was, yet again, effectively locked down."
"Hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy protesters braved a downpour on Sunday to once again jam the streets of Hong Kong. As night fell, the police-sanctioned venue for the demonstration, Victoria Park, was still filling up. CNN reported that central Hong Kong was so stuffed with people it was, yet again, effectively locked down."
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
The Trump Administration Just Gutted One of the Most Powerful Environmental Laws on the Books
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/08/the-trump-administration-just-gutted-one-of-the-most-powerful-environmental-laws-on-the-books/?fbclid=IwAR1BwV8LYV7B4onbI-VbnW4Ea_vO59f3fgDgGLTZBii8ruChRh0xhJMtM9U
"The Trump administration unveiled final regulations that weaken the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on Monday, just three months after the United Nations warned of the “unprecedented” decline in biodiversity around the world. “We are in the midst of an unprecedented extinction crisis, yet the Trump Administration is steamrolling our most effective wildlife protection law,” said Rebecca Riley, legal director of the nature program at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “This Administration seems set on damaging fragile ecosystems by prioritizing industry interests over science"."
"The Trump administration unveiled final regulations that weaken the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on Monday, just three months after the United Nations warned of the “unprecedented” decline in biodiversity around the world. “We are in the midst of an unprecedented extinction crisis, yet the Trump Administration is steamrolling our most effective wildlife protection law,” said Rebecca Riley, legal director of the nature program at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “This Administration seems set on damaging fragile ecosystems by prioritizing industry interests over science"."
Trump Administration Weakens Endangered Species Act Amid Global Extinction Crisis
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-endangered-species-rule_n_5cf7b7b4e4b01713bed4df9b?fbclid=IwAR2-WkOFunI0psLGwLi8TQJvPr6en9gKk1F0sTobp-mnXebfR4Ja8SklVxw
"Even as the administration was working to finalize the new Endangered Species Act rules, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which administers the act with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was working to weaken or remove protections for threatened and endangered species, according to an internal 2018 memo obtained by freelance reporter Jimmy Tobias. A coalition of 10 state attorneys general was among the many groups that condemned the Trump administration’s proposal to roll back species protections. In a September letter to the administration, the coalition called the proposed changes “unlawful, arbitrary, and harmful.” The goal of the overhaul is clear: to “undercut the science” and reduce the number of listed species, according to David Hayes, the executive director of New York University’s State Energy and Environmental Impact Center and former deputy secretary at the Interior Department under President Barack Obama. The only reason to consider economic impacts when making ESA decisions is to “poison the well and obtain a sort of public reaction to the listing,” he said. “The unifying principle of all these regulatory changes,” he added, “is to lessen the effectiveness of the act and to move away from what science tells you to do"."
"Even as the administration was working to finalize the new Endangered Species Act rules, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which administers the act with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was working to weaken or remove protections for threatened and endangered species, according to an internal 2018 memo obtained by freelance reporter Jimmy Tobias. A coalition of 10 state attorneys general was among the many groups that condemned the Trump administration’s proposal to roll back species protections. In a September letter to the administration, the coalition called the proposed changes “unlawful, arbitrary, and harmful.” The goal of the overhaul is clear: to “undercut the science” and reduce the number of listed species, according to David Hayes, the executive director of New York University’s State Energy and Environmental Impact Center and former deputy secretary at the Interior Department under President Barack Obama. The only reason to consider economic impacts when making ESA decisions is to “poison the well and obtain a sort of public reaction to the listing,” he said. “The unifying principle of all these regulatory changes,” he added, “is to lessen the effectiveness of the act and to move away from what science tells you to do"."
President Trump has made 12,019 false or misleading claims over 928 days
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/08/12/president-trump-has-made-false-or-misleading-claims-over-days/?fbclid=IwAR0-1b5qgduvQJ1CAV81xXkJp6pYqXzgSmsfxlEiXOhTyGk5vdSO94kf0Q0
"President Trump’s proclivity for spouting exaggerated numbers, unwarranted boasts and outright falsehoods has continued at a remarkable pace. As of Aug. 5, his 928th day in office, he had made 12,019 false or misleading claims, according to the Fact Checker’s database that analyzes, categorizes and tracks every suspect statement the president has uttered. Trump crossed the 10,000 mark on April 26, and he has been averaging about 20 fishy claims a day since then. From the start of his presidency, he has averaged about 13 such claims a day."
"President Trump’s proclivity for spouting exaggerated numbers, unwarranted boasts and outright falsehoods has continued at a remarkable pace. As of Aug. 5, his 928th day in office, he had made 12,019 false or misleading claims, according to the Fact Checker’s database that analyzes, categorizes and tracks every suspect statement the president has uttered. Trump crossed the 10,000 mark on April 26, and he has been averaging about 20 fishy claims a day since then. From the start of his presidency, he has averaged about 13 such claims a day."
Donald Trump has lied an average of 13 times a day since becoming president, analysis finds
https://www.salon.com/2019/08/12/donald-trump-has-lied-an-average-of-13-times-a-day-since-becoming-president-analysis-finds/?fbclid=IwAR2me8UIZNe3oMO3cyoBYl6wjd7UIv61HYq5DpA5EUjTdMPFUFin9htwYzw
"Since April 26, when Trump made his 10,000th false or misleading statement, he has averaged 20 such statements every day, or one every 72 minutes."
"Since April 26, when Trump made his 10,000th false or misleading statement, he has averaged 20 such statements every day, or one every 72 minutes."
He sounded the alarm on "Hateland": Daryl Johnson warned us about right-wing terror in 2009
https://www.salon.com/2019/08/12/he-sounded-the-alarm-on-hateland-daryl-johnson-warned-us-about-right-wing-terror-in-2009/?fbclid=IwAR0KTyg-rfkHA1CeaWCMKzCA-P7BI2f1XI5ydI37eOhrHXJa_h3nCpKu_Qc
"Daryl Johnson was a DHS analyst — and a Republican. Then he lost his job for warning us about right-wing violence"
"Daryl Johnson was a DHS analyst — and a Republican. Then he lost his job for warning us about right-wing violence"
After criticizing Trump, Nebraska Republican is urged to leave party
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/after-criticizing-trump-nebraska-republican-urged-leave-party?fbclid=IwAR1T5LcHiYBPall7ImI68XCKRm29zKgrtZT3F_xq-2bVBNxl31Jr4MG2bPo
"John McCollister, however, criticized Trump and the contemporary GOP’s willingness to “enable white supremacy” in the United States. And now we know what constitutes a bridge too far."
"John McCollister, however, criticized Trump and the contemporary GOP’s willingness to “enable white supremacy” in the United States. And now we know what constitutes a bridge too far."
“The President of the United States Says It’s Okay”: The Rise of the Trump Defense
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/08/donald-trump-domestic-terrorism-el-paso?fbclid=IwAR2Zg93HiaWOkllcTjRaYc0i8mw7FmeF6XxmW-k2V8_0fTiMYT5kPsxw8aA
"the Sayoc case is part of a broader pattern of attorneys invoking President Trump’s influence and rhetoric in defense of their clients in criminal cases. There have been at least a half-dozen such cases in the media over the last three years. In another high-profile case last November, an attorney representing Patrick Eugene Stein, one of three men convicted of plotting to bomb Somali refugees, argued that his client should receive a more lenient sentence because he was inspired by then-candidate Trump. “The court cannot ignore the circumstances of one of the most rhetorically mold-breaking, violent, awful, hateful, and contentious presidential elections in modern history,” attorneys Jim Pratt and Michael Shultz wrote. Similar defenses have been used in other cases that haven’t garnered the same level of media attention, as well: an attorney for a Los Angeles man who posted anti-Muslim threats on a mosque’s Facebook page argued that his client used “similar language and expressing similar views” to “campaign statements from then-candidate Donald Trump”; when a Florida man similarly made a threatening call to a mosque, his attorney noted the “very distinctly political climate” and cited the Trump travel ban; when a Penn State University student threatened to “put a bullet” in an Indian man on campus, his attorney argued he was motivated by “a love of country” and cited Trump “running for president of the United States saying that, ‘We’ve got to check people out more closely.’” The Trump Defense has only become more salient since the president took office. Last year, a man accused of groping a woman on a flight told FBI agents, “the president of the United States says it’s okay to grab women by their private parts."."
"the Sayoc case is part of a broader pattern of attorneys invoking President Trump’s influence and rhetoric in defense of their clients in criminal cases. There have been at least a half-dozen such cases in the media over the last three years. In another high-profile case last November, an attorney representing Patrick Eugene Stein, one of three men convicted of plotting to bomb Somali refugees, argued that his client should receive a more lenient sentence because he was inspired by then-candidate Trump. “The court cannot ignore the circumstances of one of the most rhetorically mold-breaking, violent, awful, hateful, and contentious presidential elections in modern history,” attorneys Jim Pratt and Michael Shultz wrote. Similar defenses have been used in other cases that haven’t garnered the same level of media attention, as well: an attorney for a Los Angeles man who posted anti-Muslim threats on a mosque’s Facebook page argued that his client used “similar language and expressing similar views” to “campaign statements from then-candidate Donald Trump”; when a Florida man similarly made a threatening call to a mosque, his attorney noted the “very distinctly political climate” and cited the Trump travel ban; when a Penn State University student threatened to “put a bullet” in an Indian man on campus, his attorney argued he was motivated by “a love of country” and cited Trump “running for president of the United States saying that, ‘We’ve got to check people out more closely.’” The Trump Defense has only become more salient since the president took office. Last year, a man accused of groping a woman on a flight told FBI agents, “the president of the United States says it’s okay to grab women by their private parts."."
Cesar Sayoc, Who Mailed Bombs to Trump Critics, Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/08/cesar-sayoc-magabomber-sentenced-20-years.html?fbclid=IwAR0cv1EDNpwMoK-tW2eQ0k0xyAP-j9TxJlNiuVj8gjkplndQzM59PLP3-pQ
"A judge sentenced the man who sent 16 mail bombs to more than a dozen prominent critics of President Donald Trump to 20 years in prison on Monday after his attempted attacks led to a national panic. Cesar Sayoc, described by attorneys as a Trump “super fan” and who became known online as the “MAGA bomber,” pleaded guilty in March to 65 felony charges stemming from what federal prosecutors described as a domestic terror attack."
"A judge sentenced the man who sent 16 mail bombs to more than a dozen prominent critics of President Donald Trump to 20 years in prison on Monday after his attempted attacks led to a national panic. Cesar Sayoc, described by attorneys as a Trump “super fan” and who became known online as the “MAGA bomber,” pleaded guilty in March to 65 felony charges stemming from what federal prosecutors described as a domestic terror attack."
Trump ‘Super Fan’ Cesar Sayoc Sentenced To 20 Years In Domestic Terror Bomb Plot
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cesar-sayoc-sentenced-trump-bomb-plot_n_5d485446e4b0acb57fd092e8?fbclid=IwAR1d9YvUZeOcCcyO_FMkb5Pp3nDja5BXsZkUo3gZjG74DhIbGxNo4n1ktyg
"Cesar Sayoc, the domestic terrorist who mailed poorly made explosive devices to President Donald Trump’s critics last year, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on Monday. U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff of the Southern District of New York imposed the sentence on the 62-year-old Florida man, who admitted in March to mailing 16 improvised explosive devices to those he perceived as Trump’s enemies. Attorneys for Sayoc had argued that their client was a Trump “super fan,” saw him as a “surrogate father” and came to believe in an “alternative reality” that was fueled by the president’s attacks on Democrats and the media. Sayoc’s van was covered in images of Trump, and his lawyers said Trump’s rhetoric guided Sayoc’s actions. “A rational observer may have brushed off Trump’s tweets as hyperbole, but Mr. Sayoc took them to heart,” they wrote. Sayoc “slowly became deranged” by conspiracy theories, defense attorney Ian Marcus told the court on Monday, according to reporter Adam Klasfeld. “We believe that the President’s rhetoric contributed to Mr. Sayoc’s actions in this offense,” Marcus said, according to the report."
"Cesar Sayoc, the domestic terrorist who mailed poorly made explosive devices to President Donald Trump’s critics last year, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on Monday. U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff of the Southern District of New York imposed the sentence on the 62-year-old Florida man, who admitted in March to mailing 16 improvised explosive devices to those he perceived as Trump’s enemies. Attorneys for Sayoc had argued that their client was a Trump “super fan,” saw him as a “surrogate father” and came to believe in an “alternative reality” that was fueled by the president’s attacks on Democrats and the media. Sayoc’s van was covered in images of Trump, and his lawyers said Trump’s rhetoric guided Sayoc’s actions. “A rational observer may have brushed off Trump’s tweets as hyperbole, but Mr. Sayoc took them to heart,” they wrote. Sayoc “slowly became deranged” by conspiracy theories, defense attorney Ian Marcus told the court on Monday, according to reporter Adam Klasfeld. “We believe that the President’s rhetoric contributed to Mr. Sayoc’s actions in this offense,” Marcus said, according to the report."
National Conservatism Conference was a coming-out party for unvarnished white nationalism
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/7/19/1872962/-National-Conservatism-Conference-is-a-coming-out-party-unvarnished-white-nationalism?utm_campaign=trending&fbclid=IwAR27ojZZGvnMPmZKX2sFltHaprQ-ExTkcaUEBU2D80PpbDf-iw0GP7q7Uds
"Behind this convention is the Edmund Burke Foundation. Oddly enough, considering what Hawley said in the speech, this foundation definitely has international ambitions, the sort not seen since, say, 1945. Because the purpose of the Edmund Burke Foundation is precisely to marry conservative talking points with nationalism, and to spread that idea around the world, or at least to “Western and democratic” countries, as the group’s very small website makes clear."
"Behind this convention is the Edmund Burke Foundation. Oddly enough, considering what Hawley said in the speech, this foundation definitely has international ambitions, the sort not seen since, say, 1945. Because the purpose of the Edmund Burke Foundation is precisely to marry conservative talking points with nationalism, and to spread that idea around the world, or at least to “Western and democratic” countries, as the group’s very small website makes clear."
Tucker Carlson’s claim that white supremacy is a “hoax” is false — but revealing
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/8/7/20757366/tucker-carlson-white-supremacy-hoax-el-paso?fbclid=IwAR34vCZyPpWHDDAUwYGUrrVPXOgDrM9BlXg0baBQOwNwN2FOCia1KRxPYqM
"So why is Carlson so vehemently denying that white supremacy is a problem? Maybe because he’s embraced a worldview disturbingly similar to that of outright racists."
"So why is Carlson so vehemently denying that white supremacy is a problem? Maybe because he’s embraced a worldview disturbingly similar to that of outright racists."
El Paso Was The Latest Target Of A Deadly, Global White Supremacist Movement
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/white-nationalist-el-paso-christchurch-shooting_n_5d488476e4b0ca604e36aba0?fbclid=IwAR2-sAgEKAM_Seal-Dt9NyQPxgxWAe7EkrXDrEwtwf0neToO-AohAM8WL_w
"When lawmakers focus on mental health or video games, they are also deflecting responsibility from those who have emboldened the white supremacist movement, from President Donald Trump to far-right pundits that traffic in anti-immigrant hysteria. It is easier to blame self-radicalization and mental illness than it is to acknowledge a congressman promoting the same racist conspiracy theory that served as the title of the Christchurch shooter’s manifesto, and that mass killings — like that in El Paso — do not happen in a vacuum."
"When lawmakers focus on mental health or video games, they are also deflecting responsibility from those who have emboldened the white supremacist movement, from President Donald Trump to far-right pundits that traffic in anti-immigrant hysteria. It is easier to blame self-radicalization and mental illness than it is to acknowledge a congressman promoting the same racist conspiracy theory that served as the title of the Christchurch shooter’s manifesto, and that mass killings — like that in El Paso — do not happen in a vacuum."
The Ravages Of Trump: Violent Attacks Carried Out In His Name
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/the-ravages-of-trump-violent-attacks-carried-out-in-his-name?fbclid=IwAR0UkxjiwTdINwRN1eAz3KhFK80efeQnGQEIsnJLw9_e9PFu06bp9KI1hsM
"Since declaring his run for the Presidency in 2015, President Donald Trump has used racist rhetoric to fan feelings of hatred among those that support him. And, as the President is set on demonizing immigrants and people of color as a 2020 reelection strategy, the trend could continue."
"Since declaring his run for the Presidency in 2015, President Donald Trump has used racist rhetoric to fan feelings of hatred among those that support him. And, as the President is set on demonizing immigrants and people of color as a 2020 reelection strategy, the trend could continue."
The True Origins Of The Seth Rich Conspiracy Theory
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/seth-rich-conspiracyland_n_5d249169e4b0cfb595fc2b7a?fbclid=IwAR0Sct-EoTeBrivMc68ykTaCThumJpQbwf6GD09751zJi-aZW8m9U-33qLU
"In the summer of 2016, Russian intelligence agents secretly planted a fake report claiming that Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich was gunned down by a squad of assassins working for Hillary Clinton, giving rise to a notorious conspiracy theory that captivated conservative activists and was later promoted from inside President Trump’s White House, a Yahoo News investigation has found. Russia’s foreign intelligence service, known as the SVR, first circulated a phony “bulletin” — disguised to read as a real intelligence report —about the alleged murder of the former DNC staffer on July 13, 2016, according to the U.S. federal prosecutor who was in charge of the Rich case. That was just three days after Rich, 27, was killed in what police believed was a botched robbery while walking home to his group house in the Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington, D.C., about 30 blocks north of the Capitol. The purported details in the SVR account seemed improbable on their face: that Rich, a data director in the DNC’s voter protection division, was on his way to alert the FBI to corrupt dealings by Clinton when he was slain in the early hours of a Sunday morning by the former secretary of state’s hit squad. Yet in a graphic example of how fake news infects the internet, those precise details popped up the same day on an obscure website, whatdoesitmean.com, that is a frequent vehicle for Russian propaganda. The website’s article, which attributed its claims to “Russian intelligence,” was the first known instance of Rich’s murder being publicly linked to a political conspiracy."
"In the summer of 2016, Russian intelligence agents secretly planted a fake report claiming that Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich was gunned down by a squad of assassins working for Hillary Clinton, giving rise to a notorious conspiracy theory that captivated conservative activists and was later promoted from inside President Trump’s White House, a Yahoo News investigation has found. Russia’s foreign intelligence service, known as the SVR, first circulated a phony “bulletin” — disguised to read as a real intelligence report —about the alleged murder of the former DNC staffer on July 13, 2016, according to the U.S. federal prosecutor who was in charge of the Rich case. That was just three days after Rich, 27, was killed in what police believed was a botched robbery while walking home to his group house in the Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington, D.C., about 30 blocks north of the Capitol. The purported details in the SVR account seemed improbable on their face: that Rich, a data director in the DNC’s voter protection division, was on his way to alert the FBI to corrupt dealings by Clinton when he was slain in the early hours of a Sunday morning by the former secretary of state’s hit squad. Yet in a graphic example of how fake news infects the internet, those precise details popped up the same day on an obscure website, whatdoesitmean.com, that is a frequent vehicle for Russian propaganda. The website’s article, which attributed its claims to “Russian intelligence,” was the first known instance of Rich’s murder being publicly linked to a political conspiracy."
YouTube’s Plan To Rein In Conspiracy Theories Is Failing
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/youtube-conspiracy-theories_n_5d320f69e4b004b6adafbb99?fbclid=IwAR1OtLFgD63qpTAGmjJI857XMnai9kzHUts_1S3R36WAGq8e5lC0akJIw-A
"Six months ago, under tremendous public pressure, YouTube announced that it would tweak its algorithm to recommend fewer videos “that could misinform users in harmful ways.” It was a major step for a company that has spent years driving people toward increasingly sensationalist content — including dangerous disinformation — that would keep viewers glued to their screens for as long as possible to maximize advertising revenue. The announcement in late January triggered panic within YouTube’s sprawling network of conspiracy theorists. The host of JustInformed Talk, a channel with nearly a quarter-million subscribers that spreads QAnon theories and baseless claims about Democratic politicians, warned in a February video that the new measure was sure to “instantly destroy” the ability of pages like his to get traffic."
"Six months ago, under tremendous public pressure, YouTube announced that it would tweak its algorithm to recommend fewer videos “that could misinform users in harmful ways.” It was a major step for a company that has spent years driving people toward increasingly sensationalist content — including dangerous disinformation — that would keep viewers glued to their screens for as long as possible to maximize advertising revenue. The announcement in late January triggered panic within YouTube’s sprawling network of conspiracy theorists. The host of JustInformed Talk, a channel with nearly a quarter-million subscribers that spreads QAnon theories and baseless claims about Democratic politicians, warned in a February video that the new measure was sure to “instantly destroy” the ability of pages like his to get traffic."
FBI Document Warns Conspiracy Theories Are A New Domestic Terrorism Threat
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fbi-domestic-terrorism_n_5d430db7e4b0acb57fc91818?fbclid=IwAR0XoYmSIDSMKc3BNU-N1mzGlW0eYy3Z6WMIJ4rUPdlorFxR6A7i3qBSyQU
"The FBI intelligence bulletin from the bureau’s Phoenix field office, dated May 30, 2019, describes “conspiracy theory-driven domestic extremists,” as a growing threat, and notes that it is the first such report to do so. It lists a number of arrests, including some that haven’t been publicized, related to violent incidents motivated by fringe beliefs. The document specifically mentions QAnon, a shadowy network that believes in a deep state conspiracy against President Trump, and Pizzagate, the theory that a pedophile ring including Clinton associates was being run out of the basement of a Washington, D.C., pizza restaurant (which didn’t actually have a basement)."
"The FBI intelligence bulletin from the bureau’s Phoenix field office, dated May 30, 2019, describes “conspiracy theory-driven domestic extremists,” as a growing threat, and notes that it is the first such report to do so. It lists a number of arrests, including some that haven’t been publicized, related to violent incidents motivated by fringe beliefs. The document specifically mentions QAnon, a shadowy network that believes in a deep state conspiracy against President Trump, and Pizzagate, the theory that a pedophile ring including Clinton associates was being run out of the basement of a Washington, D.C., pizza restaurant (which didn’t actually have a basement)."
FBI warns that conspiracy theories like QAnon pose a domestic terror threat
https://thinkprogress.org/fbi-warns-that-conspiracy-theories-like-qanon-pose-a-domestic-terror-threat-5a7f630dc019/?fbclid=IwAR39NvH7QxzwjLAZSiWqWimJM-Vk9inwHvVDcY0uxoZ8aITkdb4fBClv9X8
"It's first time the Feds have waded into the swamp of the pro-Trump conspiracy theory."
"It's first time the Feds have waded into the swamp of the pro-Trump conspiracy theory."
Trump’s Encouraging QAnon May Result in Violence—Just ask the FBI
https://www.justsecurity.org/65659/trumps-encouraging-qanon-may-result-in-violence-just-ask-the-fbi/?fbclid=IwAR0jYCcIQiUKWrZtz59P1yrG1OLxPG3SoDrQjnyJOXm6GGL0pOOuJjNVqog
"On Thursday, Yahoo! News published an exclusive story detailing a May 2019 FBI assessment that online conspiracy theories “very likely” result in domestic extremists committing violent crimes. The report notes that it is “the first FBI product examining the threat from conspiracy theory-driven domestic extremists and provides a baseline for future intelligence products,” and predicts an increased risk of violent outcomes as the United States enters “major election cycles such as the 2020 presidential election.” If that happens, it may be in no small part due to President Donald Trump’s endorsement and amplification of conspiracy theories and theorists such as QAnon. A few hours after the FBI assessment leaked, the President held a campaign rally in Cincinnati, where the pre-rally speaker Brandon Straka called out the phrase, “Where we go one, we go all,” a rallying cry of QAnon believers. That’s just the tip of the iceberg."
"On Thursday, Yahoo! News published an exclusive story detailing a May 2019 FBI assessment that online conspiracy theories “very likely” result in domestic extremists committing violent crimes. The report notes that it is “the first FBI product examining the threat from conspiracy theory-driven domestic extremists and provides a baseline for future intelligence products,” and predicts an increased risk of violent outcomes as the United States enters “major election cycles such as the 2020 presidential election.” If that happens, it may be in no small part due to President Donald Trump’s endorsement and amplification of conspiracy theories and theorists such as QAnon. A few hours after the FBI assessment leaked, the President held a campaign rally in Cincinnati, where the pre-rally speaker Brandon Straka called out the phrase, “Where we go one, we go all,” a rallying cry of QAnon believers. That’s just the tip of the iceberg."
CNN: Here's A List Of Conspiracy Theories Promoted By Trump
https://crooksandliars.com/2019/08/cnn-anchor-highlights-many-conspiracy?fbclid=IwAR1nuULj-ccN76a8Swxk0LvNyFMDUTb-J6BYwZqgcvTFQQMzvwBtKiVfWhk
"It's bad enough that these idiotic and destructive rumors that take place on crazy chat rooms and websites on the Internet that are shared, but for these same lunatic ideas to emanate and be promoted from the White House is morally reprehensible and despicable."
"It's bad enough that these idiotic and destructive rumors that take place on crazy chat rooms and websites on the Internet that are shared, but for these same lunatic ideas to emanate and be promoted from the White House is morally reprehensible and despicable."
Leading Civil Rights Lawyer Shows 20 Ways Trump Is Copying Hitler’s Early Rhetoric and Policies
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/08/09/leading-civil-rights-lawyer-shows-20-ways-trump-copying-hitlers-early-rhetoric-and?fbclid=IwAR0gCP3VtfjKHmZLst4SBo-zwC61WZHGN3MZigZVzDTOZGBRPMbzZmu3yc8
"3. Both blame others and divide on racial lines. As Neuborne notes, “Hitler used his single-frequency radios to wax hysterical to his adoring base about his pathological racial and religious fantasies glorifying Aryans and demonizing Jews, blaming Jews (among other racial and religious scapegoats) for German society’s ills.” That is comparable to “Trump’s tweets and public statements, whether dealing with black-led demonstrations against police violence, white-led racist mob violence, threats posed by undocumented aliens, immigration policy generally, protests by black and white professional athletes, college admission policies, hate speech, even response to hurricane damage in Puerto Rico,” he says. Again and again, Trump uses “racially tinged messages calculated to divide whites from people of color.” 4. Both relentlessly demonize opponents. “Hitler’s radio harangues demonized his domestic political opponents, calling them parasites, criminals, cockroaches, and various categories of leftist scum,” Neuborne notes. “Trump’s tweets and speeches similarly demonize his political opponents. Trump talks about the country being ‘infested’ with dangerous aliens of color. He fantasizes about jailing Hillary Clinton, calls Mexicans rapists, refers to ‘shithole countries,’ degrades anyone who disagrees with him, and dreams of uprooting thousands of allegedly disloyal bureaucrats in the State Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, the FBI, and the CIA, who he calls ‘the deep state’ and who, he claims, are sabotaging American greatness." 5. They unceasingly attack objective truth. “Both Trump and Hitler maintained a relentless assault on the very idea of objective truth,” he continues. “Each began the assault by seeking to delegitimize the mainstream press. Hitler quickly coined the epithet Lügenpresse (literally ‘lying press’) to denigrate the mainstream press. Trump uses a paraphrase of Hitler’s lying press epithet—‘fake news’—cribbed, no doubt, from one of Hitler’s speeches."
"3. Both blame others and divide on racial lines. As Neuborne notes, “Hitler used his single-frequency radios to wax hysterical to his adoring base about his pathological racial and religious fantasies glorifying Aryans and demonizing Jews, blaming Jews (among other racial and religious scapegoats) for German society’s ills.” That is comparable to “Trump’s tweets and public statements, whether dealing with black-led demonstrations against police violence, white-led racist mob violence, threats posed by undocumented aliens, immigration policy generally, protests by black and white professional athletes, college admission policies, hate speech, even response to hurricane damage in Puerto Rico,” he says. Again and again, Trump uses “racially tinged messages calculated to divide whites from people of color.” 4. Both relentlessly demonize opponents. “Hitler’s radio harangues demonized his domestic political opponents, calling them parasites, criminals, cockroaches, and various categories of leftist scum,” Neuborne notes. “Trump’s tweets and speeches similarly demonize his political opponents. Trump talks about the country being ‘infested’ with dangerous aliens of color. He fantasizes about jailing Hillary Clinton, calls Mexicans rapists, refers to ‘shithole countries,’ degrades anyone who disagrees with him, and dreams of uprooting thousands of allegedly disloyal bureaucrats in the State Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, the FBI, and the CIA, who he calls ‘the deep state’ and who, he claims, are sabotaging American greatness." 5. They unceasingly attack objective truth. “Both Trump and Hitler maintained a relentless assault on the very idea of objective truth,” he continues. “Each began the assault by seeking to delegitimize the mainstream press. Hitler quickly coined the epithet Lügenpresse (literally ‘lying press’) to denigrate the mainstream press. Trump uses a paraphrase of Hitler’s lying press epithet—‘fake news’—cribbed, no doubt, from one of Hitler’s speeches."
The Right Wing Is Trying to Make It a Crime to Oppose Fascism
https://truthout.org/articles/the-right-wing-is-trying-to-make-it-a-crime-to-oppose-fascism/
"As the GOP shifts further to the right through the “Trump coalition,” white nationalist policies and the participation of organized white supremacist groups have become more commonplace. The antifascist movement is one of the largest grassroots social movements that is confronting both the threat of white nationalist violence and institutional racism, so many antifascists see this resolution as an indication that they see the movement as a threat to their political hegemony."
"As the GOP shifts further to the right through the “Trump coalition,” white nationalist policies and the participation of organized white supremacist groups have become more commonplace. The antifascist movement is one of the largest grassroots social movements that is confronting both the threat of white nationalist violence and institutional racism, so many antifascists see this resolution as an indication that they see the movement as a threat to their political hegemony."
Leaked Draft of Trump Executive Order to 'Censor the Internet' Denounced as Dangerous, Unconstitutional Edict
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/08/11/leaked-draft-trump-executive-order-censor-internet-denounced-dangerous?fbclid=IwAR07g00Xa8z7s2T9L2yZBdrihzcNF79W_4znXFLmn6rGMxTC1ZhKP_nUf90
"Civil liberties groups are warning of a major threat to online freedoms and First Amendment rights if a leaked draft of a Trump administration edict—dubbed by critics as a "Censor the Internet" executive order that would give powerful federal agencies far-reaching powers to pick and choose which kind of Internet material is and is not acceptable—is allowed to go into effect."
"Civil liberties groups are warning of a major threat to online freedoms and First Amendment rights if a leaked draft of a Trump administration edict—dubbed by critics as a "Censor the Internet" executive order that would give powerful federal agencies far-reaching powers to pick and choose which kind of Internet material is and is not acceptable—is allowed to go into effect."
Trump Used Asian Accent to Mock US Allies at Fundraiser
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-asian-accent-mock-south-korea-japan-870252/?fbclid=IwAR2m7C9YFxJtOPJLvO7elaCIHBMncCwB6YBrgasKyRFFlfAFRK-_HvxUXPo
"Trump also spoke in glowing terms about North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. “I just got a beautiful letter from him this week,” Trump said. “We are friends. People say he only smiles when he sees me"."
"Trump also spoke in glowing terms about North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. “I just got a beautiful letter from him this week,” Trump said. “We are friends. People say he only smiles when he sees me"."
Trump Sent Some Truly Weird Letters To Canadian PM Justin Trudeau
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-weird-letters-justin-trudeau-canada?fbclid=IwAR21_oyvuUyb-D1x-jUJiqibKluXQ3oNWc8ItTTOV9G13iUN_-zC-qZ_jIs
"President Donald Trump has sent at least two strange letters to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, one of which was so bizarre that the Canadian ambassador had to make sure it wasn’t a prank. According to an Axios report Sunday, Trump mailed Trudeau a torn-out cover of Bloomberg Businessweek declaring the Canadian leader the “Anti-Trump” in mid-2017. “Looking good! Hope it’s not true!” Trump reportedly wrote on the cover in silver Sharpie. The letter prompted Canadian ambassador David MacNaughton to reach out to the White House and ask if it was some kind of prank, two unnamed sources told Axios."
"President Donald Trump has sent at least two strange letters to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, one of which was so bizarre that the Canadian ambassador had to make sure it wasn’t a prank. According to an Axios report Sunday, Trump mailed Trudeau a torn-out cover of Bloomberg Businessweek declaring the Canadian leader the “Anti-Trump” in mid-2017. “Looking good! Hope it’s not true!” Trump reportedly wrote on the cover in silver Sharpie. The letter prompted Canadian ambassador David MacNaughton to reach out to the White House and ask if it was some kind of prank, two unnamed sources told Axios."
From Hong Kong to Kashmir to the US, Authoritarianism Is Rising
https://truthout.org/articles/from-hong-kong-to-kashmir-to-the-us-authoritarianism-is-rising/
"Over the past couple weeks, the global pattern of authoritarianism has become particularly visible, and particularly gut-wrenching. Global politics is changing quickly, with political discourse becoming increasingly degraded and dangerous in one country after the next. In Turkey, Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan’s ruling party boasted of the mass book burning and destruction that it has, apparently, carried out since the failed coup in 2016, trying to literally eliminate the words of its political opponents. The numbers are staggering: Over 300,000 books have been removed from schools and libraries in order to be physically destroyed. In China, the crackdown against protests in Hong Kong, in which huge numbers of residents have protested an attempt to impose an extradition treaty with the Chinese mainland government, intensified. Gangs, presumably working with a nod-and-a-wink of approval from China’s central authorities, descended on protesters and beat them indiscriminately. Then, as the protests continued apace, the People’s Liberation Army released a training video which, in great specificity, detailed how it was prepared to crush urban protests. Reports began surfacing at about that same time of thousands of Chinese troops amassed on Hong Kong’s borders, ready for the order to begin operations against the island dissenters — though the veracity of those claims remains unclear."
"Over the past couple weeks, the global pattern of authoritarianism has become particularly visible, and particularly gut-wrenching. Global politics is changing quickly, with political discourse becoming increasingly degraded and dangerous in one country after the next. In Turkey, Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan’s ruling party boasted of the mass book burning and destruction that it has, apparently, carried out since the failed coup in 2016, trying to literally eliminate the words of its political opponents. The numbers are staggering: Over 300,000 books have been removed from schools and libraries in order to be physically destroyed. In China, the crackdown against protests in Hong Kong, in which huge numbers of residents have protested an attempt to impose an extradition treaty with the Chinese mainland government, intensified. Gangs, presumably working with a nod-and-a-wink of approval from China’s central authorities, descended on protesters and beat them indiscriminately. Then, as the protests continued apace, the People’s Liberation Army released a training video which, in great specificity, detailed how it was prepared to crush urban protests. Reports began surfacing at about that same time of thousands of Chinese troops amassed on Hong Kong’s borders, ready for the order to begin operations against the island dissenters — though the veracity of those claims remains unclear."
What caused Russia’s radioactive explosion last week? Possibly a nuclear-powered missile.
https://www.vox.com/2019/8/13/20803332/russia-nuclear-missile-explosion-skyfall
"A mysterious explosion last week in Russia has increased fears of a Chernobyl-like situation — and it may have occurred because Moscow was trying out what could become one of the world’s most dangerous weapons."
"A mysterious explosion last week in Russia has increased fears of a Chernobyl-like situation — and it may have occurred because Moscow was trying out what could become one of the world’s most dangerous weapons."
Brazilian Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Gave Secret Talk to Bankers and Took Money From a Company He Was Investigating
https://theintercept.com/2019/07/26/brazil-car-wash-deltan-dallagnol-paid-speaking/
"Deltan Dallagnol, the coordinator of Brazil’s Car Wash prosecutors, gave speeches to bankers organized by XP Investimentos and the big-data firm Neoway."
"Deltan Dallagnol, the coordinator of Brazil’s Car Wash prosecutors, gave speeches to bankers organized by XP Investimentos and the big-data firm Neoway."
In Secret Chats, Brazil’s Chief Corruption Prosecutor Worried That Bolsonaro’s Justice Minister Would Protect President’s Son From Scandals
https://theintercept.com/2019/07/21/in-secret-chats-brazils-chief-corruption-prosecutor-worried-that-bolsonaros-justice-minister-would-protect-bolsonaros-senator-son-flavio-from-scandals/
"GRAVE CONCERNS THAT a major corruption scandal involving Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s son, federal Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, might be shielded from serious investigative scrutiny by Bolsonaro’s powerful Justice Minister Sergio Moro were expressed in secret chats involving Moro’s longtime ally, Deltan Dallagnol, the chief prosecutor of the anti-corruption Car Wash investigation."
"GRAVE CONCERNS THAT a major corruption scandal involving Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s son, federal Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, might be shielded from serious investigative scrutiny by Bolsonaro’s powerful Justice Minister Sergio Moro were expressed in secret chats involving Moro’s longtime ally, Deltan Dallagnol, the chief prosecutor of the anti-corruption Car Wash investigation."
Brazilian Judge in Car Wash Corruption Case Mocked Lula’s Defense and Secretly Directed Prosecutors’ Media Strategy During Trial
https://theintercept.com/2019/06/17/brazil-sergio-moro-lula-operation-car-wash/
"BRAZIL’S JUSTICE MINISTER Sergio Moro, while serving as a judge in a corruption case that upended Brazilian politics, took to private chats to mock the defense of former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and direct prosecutors’ media strategy, according to newly unearthed chats from an archive obtained by The Intercept Brasil."
"BRAZIL’S JUSTICE MINISTER Sergio Moro, while serving as a judge in a corruption case that upended Brazilian politics, took to private chats to mock the defense of former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and direct prosecutors’ media strategy, according to newly unearthed chats from an archive obtained by The Intercept Brasil."
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