The Commentariat -- June 2, 2020
Late Morning/Afternoon Update:
** Savannah Behrmann of USA Today: "There are multiple presidential primary elections taking place around the country Tuesday as election season chugs forward amid the coronavirus pandemic. Think of it as the 'Super Tuesday' of postponed elections.... Voters in seven states plus the District of Columbia will cast ballots in presidential primary elections. Originally scheduled to host primaries on Tuesday were: New Mexico, South Dakota, Washington, D.C., [and] Montana[.] Meanwhile, the states that postponed their elections to Tuesday due to COVID-19 crisis are: Indiana, rescheduled from May 5; Maryland, rescheduled from April 28; Pennsylvania, rescheduled from April 28; [and] Rhode Island, rescheduled from April 28[.] Thanks to citizen625 for the reminder.
Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: "Republicans and Democrats in Congress have begun a new push to shut down a Pentagon program that transfers military weaponry to local law enforcement departments, as bipartisan urgency builds to address the excessive use of force and the killings of unarmed black Americans by the police. With protests turning violent across the country, lawmakers are scrutinizing the Defense Department initiative -- curtailed by former President Barack Obama but revived by President Trump -- that furnishes police departments with equipment such as bayonets and grenade launchers.... Top lawmakers in both parties and on both sides of the Capitol moved quickly last week to announce their intention to hold hearings on the use of excessive force by law enforcement and racial violence.... The push stands in stark contrast to the reaction of Mr. Trump, who has often encouraged rough tactics by law enforcement.... On his call with governors on Monday, the president appeared to applaud the National Guard's handling of the riots in Minneapolis, pointedly remarking on their use of tear gas. 'They just walked right down the street, knocking them out with tear gas, tear gas,' Mr. Trump said. 'These guys, they were running.'" ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: When he was an adult, he spake as a child. As anyone who has been around eight-year-old boys knows, that citation of Trump's remarks is word-for-word the sort of exclamation an eight-year-old boy makes.
In no world whatsoever should arresting a man for an alleged minor infraction involve a police officer putting his knee on the man's neck for nine minutes while he cries out 'I can't breathe' and then goes silent. Our nation cannot deafen itself to the anger, the pain and the frustration of black Americans. Our nation needs to hear this. -- Sen. Mitch McConnell, Monday
Don't know if this is merely Mitch's reaction to a tight re-election race or a true concern, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt -- until he knocks down proposed legislation to reduce racial disparities. -- Mrs. Bea McCrabbie
Barr Falls on Trump's Sword. Alexander Mallin & Katherine Faulders of ABC News: "Attorney General William Barr personally ordered the expansion of the security perimeter around Lafayette Park Monday just before ... Donald Trump's visit to St. John's Episcopal Church, a senior DOJ official and senior White House official confirmed to ABC News.... When Barr was seen in Lafayette Park late Monday afternoon surveying the crowd prior to the aggressive push by law enforcement to clear the peaceful protesters out of the area, he was "surprised" that they had not yet been cleared out, the officials said.... Officials insisted that the decision was made independent of the president's walk to St. John's.... Officials ... [said] that Barr assumes that 'typical crowd control measures' will be used in the face of resistance from protesters."
Katie Glueck of the New York Times: "Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Tuesday excoriated President Trump's stewardship of a nation convulsed in crisis over issues of racism and police brutality, promising action to confront those matters and work to foster national unity if he is elected president. Traveling to Philadelphia from his home in Wilmington, Del., to address the civil unrest convulsing the nation, Mr. Biden ... [said,] 'I won't traffic in fear and division. I won't fan the flames of hate. I will seek to heal the racial wounds that have long plagued this country -- not use them for political gain." ~~~
~~~ MEANWHILE, Donald Trump congratulated himself for ordering "overwhelming force" to effect "domination" over peaceful protesters. ~~~
D.C. had no problems last night. Many arrests. Great job done by all. Overwhelming force. Domination. Likewise, Minneapolis was great (thank you President Trump!). -- Donald Trump, in a tweet this morning
Ben Collins, et al., of NBC: "A Twitter account claiming to belong to a national 'antifa' organization and pushing violent rhetoric related to ongoing protests has been linked to the white nationalist group Identity Evropa, according to a Twitter spokesperson. The spokesperson said the account violated the company's platform manipulation and spam policy, specifically the creation of fake accounts. Twitter suspended the account after a tweet that incited violence." --s ~~~
~~~ Donie O'Sullivan of CNN: "A Twitter account that tweeted a call to violence and claimed to be representing the position of 'Antifa' was in fact created by a known white supremacist group, Twitter said Monday. The company removed the account. Before it emerged the account was run by white supremacists, Donald Trump Jr. ... pointed his 2.8 million Instagram followers to the account as an example how dangerous Antifa is.... The revelation of the account comes as ... [President] Trump increasingly blames left-wing activists for violence occurring at protests across America."
Barbara Starr, et al. of CNN: "Defense officials tell CNN there was deep and growing discomfort among some in the Pentagon even before President Donald Trump announced Monday that he is ready to deploy the military to enforce order inside the United States.... They have tried to respond by making a strong case that the situation does not yet call for deploying active duty troops unless state governors make a clear argument such forces are needed.... There is also discomfort with the civil order mission among some National Guard troops -- more of whom are now mobilized inside the US than at any previous time in history." --s
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Tuesday's New York Times' live updates of events related to protests against police brutality are here. ~~~
~~~ The Washington Post's live updates for Tuesday are here. "Clashes between police and the public escalated Monday night, as largely peaceful daytime protests descended into violence and chaos after dark, despite widespread curfews and National Guard deployments. As the mayhem spread, authorities across the United States said they were under assault. One officer was shot on the Las Vegas Strip, and the police chief in St. Louis said 'some coward fired shots at officers and now we have four in the hospital.' Video captured a car in New York mowing down an officer, who suffered serious injuries. In Buffalo, two officers were struck by a car during a confrontation at a police station. And authorities in Seattle said rioters pelted officers with rocks and fireworks and tried to break through a fence near a police station."
Monday's New York Times' live updates of events related to protests against police brutality are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Monday are here.
Mrs. Bea McCrabbie: Of all the stupid things that Donald Trump could pull from his huge collection of stupid tricks, Donald Trump chose Monday night to pull out the stupidest thing: ~~~
~~~ Zack Beauchamp of Vox: “President Trump gave his first televised statement on the George Floyd protests Monday, emphasizing the need for 'law and order' and threatening to send in the US military to violently disperse 'mobs' across the country. Just before he spoke, federal police violently broke up a peaceful protest just outside the White House, tear-gassing a group of about 1,000 demonstrators and then firing rubber bullets at them so Trump could have an uninterrupted photo op at a nearby church damaged in the weekend's upheaval." Emphasis added.
~~~ Samantha Schmidt, et al., of the Washington Post: "The sudden use of force left protesters bruised, bleeding and in shock.... Earlier in the day, [AG William] Barr had ordered the Federal Bureau of Prisons to send anti-riot teams to D.C.... The influx of federal law enforcement agencies was at the direction of Trump, who boasted about the military might descending upon America." ~~~
~~~ Now, if you possibly can, watch video of the photo-op for which it was worth injuring hundreds of peaceful protesters exercising the First Amendment right "of the people peaceably to assemble." Trump sort of juggles what he confirms is "a Bible" before finally deciding to hold up the Good Book as if he were doing an infomercial where the product was The Art of the Deal or a Trump "University" "diploma." ~~~
~~~ The church Trump was visiting is right across from the White House. It is St. John's Episcopal Church and is called "Church of the Presidents" because every U.S. president since James Madison has attended services there. Trump has seldom been inside. What makes his photo-op even stupider than the video reveals is that St. John's services are Episcopalian masses. To follow the mass, you will use the Book of Common Prayer, you will use a hymnal, and unless you're a really, really fantastic Episcopalian, you will use an Order of Service. You will not need a Bible. You will not bring a Bible. You will not use a Bible. But Trump, who is not familiar with Episcopalian services, much less any denomination's service, thought it would be essential to stand in front of the boarded-up church & do his best imitation of a Bible salesman. Good Lord!
I am outraged.... The president used a Bible, the most sacred text of the Judeo-Christian tradition, and one of the churches of my diocese, without even asking us, as a backdrop for a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus and everything that our church stands for. -- Bishop Mariann E. Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington
From the Washington Post's live updates Monday: "Arlington County officials pulled their police officers, who had been helping the National Park Police with crowd control, from the District after they were used to clear the way for President Trump to make his appearance at St. John's Church -- an action that involved firing chemical canisters and stingers at protesters, including families with children, who were demonstrating peacefully before the District's 7 p.m. curfew went into effect.... [Libby] Garvey (D)[, chair of Arlington County's board.] said. 'Our mutual aid agreement is to help each other when we're trying to protect people; not for photo ops. It endangered everybody in the park. It endangered all of our officers. We don't do that.'" ~~~
~~~ Why Did He Do That? Ashley Parker, et al., of the Washington Post: "The evening's events were the product of a president who favors brute strength and fears looking weak.... Trump's decision to speak to the nation from the Rose Garden and to visit the church came together earlier in the day, said one senior White House official.... The president was upset about news coverage of him briefly retreating to the White House bunker Friday evening amid protests, and he repeatedly wondered why anyone would have disclosed those details to the news media, two officials said. He was also frustrated by coverage this weekend of his call with the Floyd family, which he believed was positive -- Trump called it 'a very good call,' an official said -- but was portrayed negatively. Finally, Trump was angry at cable news footage from Sunday evening, showing protests and riots near the White House.... 'It was just to win the news cycle,' one Trump adviser said."
** Posse Comitatus Act. President* Threatens to Impose Martial Law. Caitlin Oprysko of Politico: "... Donald Trump on Monday declared himself the 'president of law and order' and said he would mobilize every available federal force both 'civilian and military' as he vowed to put an immediate end to violent protests that have swept the nation for days. In a brief statement delivered from the Rose Garden of the White House as law enforcement forces deployed tear gas to clear out protesters just on the opposite side of Pennsylvania Avenue, Trump ordered governors and mayors to establish 'an overwhelming law enforcement presence' until the protests have been quelled, and he threatened to send in the U.S. military to 'quickly solve the problem for them.'... Trump said. 'I will fight to protect you. I am your president of law and order and an ally of all peaceful protesters.'" Mrs. McC: Mind you, "the ally of all peaceful protesters" made that remark over the sound of exploding tear-gas canisters & guns firing rubber bullets against hundreds of actual peaceful protesters so he could go to his Bible photo-op. Here's how the prep for Trump's photo-op looked on the street: ~~~
Trump Is No Richard Nixon. Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times: "... whereas Nixon's 'law and order' was a contrast with and rebuke to Lyndon Johnson and the Democratic Party, a Trump attempt to play the hits and recapitulate that campaign would only be an attack on his own tenure. You can't promise 'law and order' when disorder is happening on your watch.... Having promised to throw the system into disarray, Trump could not then sell himself as an avatar of order and control."
I am mobilizing all available federal resources -- civilian and military -- to stop the rioting and looting, to end the destruction and arson and to protect the rights of law-abiding Americans, including your Second Amendment rights. -- Donald Trump, Rose Garden remarks
Let's be clear: Trump mentioning 'Second Amendment rights' while discussing the protests is a direct call to arms to the right wing radicals and other armed individuals who have integrated themselves with peaceful protesters. He is asking for violence from his base. -- Prof. Igor Volsky, in a tweet
Trump just invoked the Second Amendment. As if that was part of this. Pretty much a signal for jumpy white people to walk around with guns. -- Tom Nichols, in a tweet
Where are the Second Amendment zealots who claim to worry about an overzeaolous federal government when Trump is threatening to send the military to attack and subdue American citizens on American soil? -- Neera Tanden, President of the Center for American Progress, in a tweet
Trump invoked the need to defend the Second Amendment and then walked outside and violated the First Amendment. -- Former Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, in a tweet (all via Monday's Washington Post live updates)
~~~ ** Dana Milbank of the Washington Post: "In his inaugural address, [Donald Trump] vowed an end to 'American carnage.' In his [GOP nomination] acceptance speech, he promised a fast end to the 'violence in our streets and the chaos in our communities.'... Four years later, Trump has made real the apocalyptic vision of America he imagined then. There, unfolding on live television Monday night, was a dystopian horror. Federal authorities attacked peaceful protesters outside the White House with tear gas, flash-bangs and rubber bullets, as Trump, with Orwellian gall, stood in the Rose Garden proclaiming himself 'an ally of all peaceful protesters.' Trump threatened to mobilize federal troops against U.S. citizens on U.S. soil without permission from governors -- an act associated with totalitarian countries -- then walked across Lafayette Square to St. John's Church where he held aloft a Bible.... Peaceful protesters had been gassed and forcibly dispersed so Trump could have a photo op.... Police brutality against African Americans -- and racism generally -- has plagued us for centuries. But Trump uniquely fueled fury, with his constant bigotry, his dismantling of police reforms, his encouragement of police aggression and his violent speech."
Stephen Collinson of CNN: "... Donald Trump's made-for-TV embrace of authoritarianism's imagery and tools at a brittle national moment risks unleashing toxic political forces that threaten America's democratic traditions.... in one of the most bizarre moments in modern presidential history, he strode across the park to stand in front of an iconic church holding a Bible aloft in a striking photo op. It was a moment of vanity and bravado -- orchestrated for the cameras and transparently political -- as Trump struggles to cope with protests sweeping the country ... and tries to cover up his botched leadership during the coronavirus pandemic. Overnight, the White House's official Twitter account released a triumphant video of the moment set to music but omitting any signs of the mayhem unleashed on the protesters.... The lesson of the last three years is that scenarios that appear unthinkable have a habit of coming true under a President who has little concern for constitutional constraints and believes the power of his office belongs to him."
How a Real President Would Respond to This American Tragedy. Maggie Astor of the New York Times: "... former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. emerged from isolation to meet with community leaders at a black church in Delaware. The event Monday morning, at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, was part listening session, part campaign speech and part forum for members of Wilmington's black community to express their collective anguish.... For around an hour, Mr. Biden sat silently at the front of the church, a surgical mask covering his face, taking notes as speaker after speaker expressed versions of the same message: We support you, but you need to do more.... When Mr. Biden finally stood up to speak, he quoted the philosopher Soren Kierkegaard -- '"Faith sees best in the dark,"' he said, 'and it's been pretty dark' -- before condemning President Trump for, he said, publicly legitimizing the racism that protesters are fighting against." Mrs. McC: If Trump were smarter, he would think Kierkegaard were the Swiss soldiers who protect the pope. As he is, he probably thinks Kierkegaard is a deodorant.
A Real President Shares His Thoughts. Barack Obama in Medium: "First, the waves of protests across the country represent a genuine and legitimate frustration over a decades-long failure to reform police practices and the broader criminal justice system in the United States. The overwhelming majority of participants have been peaceful, courageous, responsible, and inspiring. They deserve our respect and support, not condemnation -- something that police in cities like Camden and Flint have commendably understood. On the other hand, the small minority of folks who've resorted to violence in various forms, whether out of genuine anger or mere opportunism, are putting innocent people at risk, compounding the destruction of neighborhoods that are often already short on services and investment and detracting from the larger cause." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
~~~ MEANWHILE. A President* Makes Another "Unhinged" Rant. Ed O'Keefe of CBS News: "President Trump unloaded on the nation's governors Monday morning, calling them 'weak' for failing to more aggressively enforce law and order over the weekend, as some of the nation's biggest cities burned in the wake of the death of George Floyd. On a video teleconference, the president warned that the law enforcement presence across Washington is set to intensify later Monday. He said the protests are ruining the nation's standing on the world stage. And he called on governors to pass new bans on flag burning, a constitutionally protected expression of free speech. 'Washington was under very good control, but we're going to have it under much more control,' Mr. Trump said, according to audio of the meeting obtained by CBS News. 'We're going to pull in thousands of people.' He added later: 'We're going to clamp down very, very strong.'... During the call, the president repeatedly called into question the leadership and decisions made over the weekend by governors and big-city mayors, imploring them to make broader use of the National Guard and other military capabilities. 'You're making a mistake because you're making yourselves look like fools,' he told the governors at one point. 'And some have done a great job. But a lot of you, it's not -- it's not a great day for our country.... You have to dominate, if you don't dominate you're wasting your time. They're going to run over you. You're going to look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate,' the president told governors.... 'And most of you are weak.'... One participant on the call described the president's words and tone as 'unhinged.'" (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
~~~ BUT There Is This:
General Milley is here who's head of Joint Chiefs of Staff, a fighter, a warrior, and a lot of victories and no losses. And he hates to see the way it's being handled in the various states. And I've just put him in charge. The attorney general is here, Bill Barr, and we will activate Bill Barr and activate him very strongly. We're strongly -- the secretary of defense is here. -- Donald Trump, phone call with U.S. governors
I think the sooner that you mass and dominate the battlespace, the quicker this dissipates and we can get back to the right normal. We need to dominate the battlespace. -- Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, phone call with U.S. governors
Just to allow the freedom to assemble and the freedom of speech. That's perfectly fine; we support that. We took an oath of allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America to do that, to protect everyone's rights, and that's what we do. -- Current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, wearing full camo battledress, telling reporters what he was telling with members of the D.C. National Guard
... America is not a battleground. Our fellow citizens are not the enemy. #BeBetter -- Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Martin Dempsey, in a tweet, responding to Esper ~~~
~~~ Felicia Sonmez of the Washington Post: "President Trump's Rose Garden remarks Monday night triggered a firestorm of criticism from congressional Democrats, several of whom denounced the president's threat to deploy the military domestically as the behavior of a would-be authoritarian leader.... 'It is un-American to use our service members to 'dominate' civilians, as both the President and Secretary of Defense have suggested,' House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said in a statement. 'We live in a democracy, not a dictatorship.' Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) decried Trump's remarks as 'fascist,' while Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) tweeted that Trump had 'just declared war on millions of Americans and the 1st Amendment.'" ~~~
If a city or a state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them. -- Donald Trump, Rose Garden speech ~~~
~~~ Can He Do That? Yes He Can. Matt Zapotosky of the Washington Post: "President Trump has the legal authority to deploy active-duty military personnel to states to help quell violent protests across the country over the death of a black man in police custody.... A law called the Posse Comitatus Act prohibits the domestic use of military for law enforcement purposes without specific congressional authorization.... But a different law, the Insurrection Act, provides the president authorization to do so under certain circumstances.... The act was invoked in 1992 during riots in California over the beating of motorist Rodney King, though in that instance, the state's governor requested it. It was also used during the civil rights movement, including when President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent the Army into Little Rock to desegregate its schools...." ~~~
~~~ Dareh Gregorian, et al., of NBC News: "To activate the military to operate in the U.S., Trump would have to invoke the 213-year-old Insurrection Act, which four people familiar with the decision had told NBC News he planned to do. The military police forces would come from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and possibly Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and they could arrive in Washington within hours, these people said.... To invoke the act, Trump would first have to issue a proclamation to 'immediately order the insurgents to disperse and retire peaceably to their abodes within a limited time.'..." ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Having spent a couple of minutes scanning Wikipedia's entries on the Insurrection Act & Posse Comitatus Act, I'm now an expert. And I'm not sure a president* has the legal right to invoke it unless a governor invites him to do so or unless a state is breaking federal law. When Eisenhower sent in federal troops to enforce school integration, he did so because the state was violating the U.S. Constitution. When Bush I sent troops to L.A., he did so at the governor's request. The Insurrection Act, which is an amendment to the Posse Comitatus Act, specifies that the Army can "disperse insurgents." But what is an insurgent? According to Webster, it is "a person who revolts against civil authority or an established government." Peaceable demonstrators are protected by the First Amendment. They are not insurgents unless they're breaking a law or a lawful order; say, violating a curfew or failing to get a required permit to gather. But if Trump were to send in troops over the objections of the state governor, & those troops attempted to disburse lawful protesters, I think the actions would be unlawful. Trump & his henchmen are on shaky legal grounds here.
** Martin Longman in the Washington Monthly: "There is zero chance that Trump can set things right. His own White House advisers don't even want him to try.... Like [Lyndon] Johnson, Trump should step aside. It won't fix everything, but he won't fix anything. He is completely used up and utterly bankrupt." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
Paul Krugman of the New York Times: "The core story of U.S. politics over the past four decades is that wealthy elites weaponized white racism to gain political power, which they used to pursue policies that enriched the already wealthy at workers' expense.... What has Trump really offered to the white working class that makes up most of his base? Basically, he has provided affirmation and cover for racial hostility. And nowhere is this clearer than in his relationship with the police.... On one side, [Trump is] effectively inciting violence by his supporters. On the other, he's very close to calling for a military response to social protest."
Casey Tolan & Ashley Fantz of CNN: "During the Obama administration, high-profile police shootings of black men like Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and Laquan McDonald in Chicago helped spark sweeping federal investigations and reforms of biased policing practices.... But under ... Donald Trump, the Department of Justice has all but abandoned broad investigations into unconstitutional policing practices, a half-dozen former DOJ lawyers who worked on similar cases told CNN -- essentially giving up on one of the federal government's most effective tools to fight police misconduct. While the Justice Department launched 12 investigations of law enforcement agencies for practices that violate the Constitution during George W. Bush's first term, and 15 during Barack Obama's first term, the department has opened only a single public investigation of that kind in the three and a half years since Trump became president, according to legal experts and DOJ records." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
Marc Tracy & Rachel Abrams of the New York Times: "Many reporters, photographers and press advocates said the treatment of journalists by police officers in recent days reflected an erosion of trust in the news media that has seeped into law enforcement under President Trump, who has deemed critical coverage of his administration 'fake news' and has frequently labeled some news organizations and journalists with variants of the phrase 'enemies of the people.'... On Sunday, Mr. Trump blamed the 'Lamestream Media' for the protests in a tweet, calling journalists 'truly bad people with a sick agenda.'... In interviews, reporters said they had identified themselves as members of the press before police fired projectiles, drew their weapons or pepper-sprayed them.... 'There is now a culture of impunity for attacks on the press,' said Bruce Shapiro ... of the ... Columbia University School of Journalism. 'It's essentially the abandonment of press freedom as an American value.'" The reporters cite incident after incident, all of which are sickening. ~~~
~~~ Elahe Izadi & Paul Farhi of the Washington Post: "While the unrest sparked by the Minneapolis death of George Floyd in police custody is posing challenges for all reporters, black journalists are laboring under extra complications -- from the fear of police racially profiling them as demonstrators to the psychic toll of covering yet another black death captured on bystander video." ~~~
If you can't keep a Fox News correspondent from getting attacked directly across from your house, how can you protect my family? How are you going to protect the country? How hard are you trying? On Twitter..., the president reassured America that he and his family were just fine. Their federally-funded bodyguards kept them safe. He did not mention protecting the rest of the nation, some of which was on fire. He seemed aware only of himself. -- Tucker Carlson of Fox "News," Monday
Minnesota. Amir Vera of CNN: "An independent autopsy found that George Floyd's death was a homicide and the unarmed black man died of 'asphyxiation from sustained pressure.' The autopsy says compression to Floyd's neck and back led to a lack of blood flow to his brain. Floyd was essentially 'dead on the scene' in Minneapolis on May 25, said Ben Crump, attorney for the Floyd family.... 'The ambulance was his hearse,' Crump told reporters Monday.... 'There is no other health issue that could cause or contribute to the death,' said Dr. Michael Baden, one of the independent medical examiners. 'Police have this false impression that if you can talk, you can breathe. That's not true.' The independent autopsy's findings come after the Hennepin County Medical Examiner found 'no physical findings' to 'support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation," according to the criminal complaint." Mrs. McC: Dr. Vin Gupta, an MSNBC medical expert, said the county's autopsy was not credible. Dr. Eddie Glaude said on MSNBC that it has become clear that there is a conspiracy among the police, the Hennepin County attorney & medical examiner to cover up the cause of Floyd's death. (paraphrases) (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
~~~ Update. Frances Robles & Audra Burch of the New York Times: "Shortly after the family's autopsy findings were announced, the Hennepin County medical examiner released its own findings, also concluding that the manner of death was homicide. The county attributed the cause of death to 'cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression.' In other words, Mr. Floyd's heart stopped beating and his lungs stopped taking in air while he was being restrained by law enforcement. The one-page summary also noted that Mr. Floyd was intoxicated with fentanyl and had recently used methamphetamines."
"Let's Do This Another Way." George Floyd's brother Terrance Floyd makes impromptu remarks at a makeshift memorial in Minneapolis:
Justin Glawe, et al., of the Daily Beast have more on the tanker truck that barreled into a crowd of thousands peacefully protesting on the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis: "Laura Eltawely told The Daily Beast she and her husband, Ahmad, along with their four small children, were trying to exit the bridge when police drove up an entrance ramp and inexplicably fired tear gas into the crowd fleeing the truck. 'They were openly gassing people that they knew were running away from the incident they were responding to,' Eltawely said Sunday. The couple and their kids, aged 1 month to 10 years old, took shelter in an apartment building. 'This was a daytime peaceful demonstration,' Eltawely added. 'We had no idea there would be clashes with police.'" Related stories linked below. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: These cops elected a white supremacist to head their union. According to several reports I've heard, after some people on the bridge dragged the truck driver from his cab & began beating, a larger number of protesters moved to protect him even though he had tried to run them down. There's now video of the incident in this Star Ledger report. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
~~~ Former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, in a Politico opinion piece, acknowledges that the Minneapolis police department has a race problem: "... we have a majority of officers who let a minority of officers create an us-vs.-them culture that over time dehumanizes the people and neighborhoods the officers are supposed to protect and serve. Throw race into this toxic mix and you end up with behavior that often has to be named for what it is: racism." Rybak suggests several ways to reduce racist acts, but the "police culture" is the most difficult to change.
Kentucky. Ben Kesslen of NBC News: "A man was shot dead in Louisville after police officers and the Kentucky National Guard 'returned fire' while clearing a large crowd early Monday. Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad said in a statement that at around 12:15 a.m. his officers and the National Guard were sent to a parking lot to break up a crowd. 'Officers and soldiers began to clear the lot and at some point were shot at,' Conrad said in a statement. 'Both LMPD and National Guard members returned fire, we have one man dead at scene[.]' In a statement Monday morning, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear ... said he has asked the Kentucky State Police to independently investigate the shooting." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
~~~ Update. Billy Kobin and Kala Kachmar of the Louisville Courier Journal: "A city reeling from four straight nights of violent protests woke Monday to learn that the owner of a beloved West End eatery had been shot by police and National Guards troops responding to gunfire. David McAtee, known in the Russell neighborhood for his popular barbeque stand outside of Dino's Food Mart, was killed early Monday morning as Louisville Metro Police and National Guard were trying to break up a 'large crowd' in the parking lot of the mart.... Hours after the governor publicly asked Louisville officials to release a 'significant' amount of body camera footage from the incident 'as soon as possible, the city announced there wasn't any. Two LMPD officers involved in the shooting either had failed to activate or were not wearing body cameras during the incident, Mayor Greg Fischer told the public Monday night. The mayor also said Monday he fired LMPD Chief Steven Conrad, who announced he would retire at the end of June amid mounting public pressure following the police killing of 26-year-old ER technician Breonna Taylor." ~~~
~~~ Update 2. Aída Chávez of the Intercept: "David McAtee laid [lay!] in the streets of Louisville, Kentucky, for over [more than!] 12 hours on Monday. McAtee had been killed by law enforcement just after midnight on Sunday, May 31, amid days of protests over police violence nationwide. Noon the next day, protesters were gathered at the site. McAtee's body was still there.... Acting Chief Robert Schroeder, at [a] press conference, seemed to walk back [Gov. Andy] Beshear's statement [that Metro Police and/or National Guardsmen had killed McAtee] pending investigation."
Sheera Frenkel & Mike Isaac of the New York Times: "Dozens of Facebook employees, in rare public criticism on Monday of their own company, protested executives' decision not to do anything about inflammatory posts that President Trump had placed on the giant social media platform over the last week. The employees, who took the day off by logging into Facebook's systems and requesting time off to support protesters across the country, also added an automated message to their emails saying that they were out of the office in a show of protest.... More than a dozen current and former employees have described the unrest as the most serious challenge to [Mark] Zuckerberg's leadership since the company was founded 15 years ago.... 'Facebook's inaction in taking down Trump's post inciting violence makes me ashamed to work here,' said Lauren Tan, a Facebook engineer, in a tweet on Friday. 'Silence is complicity.'" (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
~~~ Jonathan Swan of Axios: On Friday, after Trump had sent his 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts' tweet, & Twitter had squelched it, "Trump phoned Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. During the call, Zuckerberg 'expressed concerns about the tone and the rhetoric, according to a source familiar with the call. Zuckerberg 'didn't make any specific requests," the source said. A second source familiar with the call said the Facebook boss told Trump that he personally disagreed with the president's incendiary rhetoric and that by using language like this, Trump was putting Facebook in a difficult position." Mrs. McC: Aw, Mark, I feel so sad for you. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
Makena Kelly of the Verge: "Twitter has restricted a tweet from Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) for violating its policies against glorifying violence, following a similar action taken against ... Donald Trump last week. In a tweet published Monday, Gaetz wrote, 'Now that we clearly see Antifa as terrorists, can we hunt them down like we do those in the Middle East?' The post was retweeted over 12,000 times before Twitter took action against it. Hours after it was posted, Twitter determined that it violated its policies against glorifying violence. In doing so, the tweet is hidden from Gaetz's profile and users must click a 'view' button before seeing. Likes, retweets, and replies are all disabled from the tweet in an effort to limit its reach."
Tom Vanden Brook of USA Today: "The Army has determined 16 West Point cadets have tested positive for COVID-19 after returning to the campus for a commencement address by President Trump scheduled for June 13, according to sources on Capitol Hill. The affected cadets, a fraction of the 850 who have returned to the campus since spring break in March, are receiving treatment but are not showing symptoms of the disease, Army Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams, the West Point superintendent, said in an interview. Williams, who declined to specify the number of cadets affected, said screening and safety procedures will allow the ceremony to be held safely." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
David Leonhardt & Lauren Leatherby of the New York Times: "The four large countries where coronavirus cases have recently been increasing fastest are Brazil, the United States, Russia and Britain. And they have something in common. They are all run by populist male leaders who cast themselves as anti-elite and anti-establishment.... This pattern isn't a coincidence, many political scientists believe. Illiberal populists tend to reject the opinions of scientists and promote conspiracy theories.... The pattern is apparent beyond just those countries, too. Iran -- a country with a theocratic supreme leader -- is fifth in case growth over the past two weeks among countries with at least 50 million people.... Countries run by women appear to have been more successful in fighting the virus, as some observers have previously noted. Germany, New Zealand and Taiwan are all examples.... The connection between populist leaders and bad outbreaks is not perfect. Viktor Orban in Hungary and Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines are also illiberal populists who responded quickly. Case counts appear to be relatively low in both countries. Both Mr. Orban and Mr. Duterte have used the crisis as an excuse to crack down further on political opponents."
Debbie Cenziper, et al., of the Washington Post: "More than 25,000 residents died and 60,000 were infected as the coronavirus swept through U.S. nursing homes in recent months, particularly affecting facilities with a history of low marks for staffing and patient care, the federal government reported Monday. The virus also infected 34,000 staff and took the lives of more than 400, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal agency that oversees the nation's nursing homes.... The tally, however, is incomplete. Only about 80 percent of the nation's nursing homes reported data to the federal government, and they were required only to include cases since early May."
Presidential Race
An ad by the conservative Lincoln Group to air in some swing states & in the Washington, D.C. market:
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Reader Comments (23)
Ah, but the Pretender tbinks he was being smart.
He believes he can maintain the loyalty of the haters whoi love him--and he might be right--by sounding "tough," an act which comes easily to him because he'd like to think he is.
In his mind ordering someone else to gas and shoot peaceful demonstrators to clear a space for a campaign rally qualifies as his kind of tough. The videos will be critical. As I remember, those of the Kent State murders didn't increase the country's support for Vietnam.
And he probably thought holding up a Bible in front of a church would appeal to his fundamentalist base, though there be nary an Episcopalian among them.
It's all an act, always has been, and every day less convincing. We'll see how thin it's wearing out there in the "real" world as the poll numbers come out over the next weeks.
Too bad the doofus didn't hold the Good Book upside down. Probably had a sticky note with an arrow pointing up on the back.
@Ken Winkes: Thanks for making me LOL. I'll bet Trump did have a visual aid to help him figure out which way was up.
Who did not see this coming?
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/01/trump-considering-a-move-to-invoke-insurrection-act.html
From today's Krugman, this nugget:
"How did we get here? The core story of U.S. politics over the past four decades is that wealthy elites weaponized white racism to gain political power, which they used to pursue policies that enriched the already wealthy at workers’ expense."
Near perfect. But I would make it six decades, at least.
TRUMP PLAYS BILLY SUNDAY ON MONDAY:
Oh, Lordy, Lordy, thou art so divine ( in your eyes only) and so utterly, disgustingly stupid and misguided that this Lord of the Bible––the one you are holding––and we do hope it's not upside down–-would weep, if he could, at your dodgy doings and your soiled, spoiled heart.
Horses, hoses, pellets, gas and guns will not quell the cries of the people who need to be heard; voices stronger, louder and righteous will again try like hell to send their message––this time we better pay attention.
Trump is losing his home team fans: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/no-one-should-want-four-more-years-of-this-taste-of-ashes/2020/06/01/1a80ecf4-a425-11ea-bb20-ebf0921f3bbd_story.html. I will grant that Will has long been not a fan of the Orange Buffoon; the intractable 40% that support Orangey or Shrub no matter what, were formerly spoon fed shit by the likes of George Will and David Brooks. Now the contents of the spoon has become fetid in the sunshine. As an aside, next time you feel pressed in your day, go talk to a 40%er. After the shower and washing the mouth out with soap to get the stench off, I always feel relief knowing that not every day is endured together with them. Oh wait! These people are driving the policy car and directing it to the barrow pit against blacks/minorities, women, peaceniks, environmentalists and those seeking cooperation. Today is election day where I am; Vote!
As usual, the New York Times gets it wrong-- Many protests over its bad headline--implying that Dumppants is declaring in noble terms that he is personally ending the "chaos" himself. Prez POS is always given the benefit of the doubt. If I subscribed, that would end now. This time it is a damn lie, no matter what the POS mumbles. Cowardly repugnicans are nowhere to be found, on airwaves or outside. His troops gassing and shooting rubber bullets at peaceful protesters recalls the bad old days of George Wallace, encouraged by Dump. Kristen Welker is reporting on his "frustration" and his casting himself as a "law and order" hero. I am beyond outrage at this point and stuttering and mumbling myself, no longer able to even describe my hatred for the so-called leader of the free world, although I doubt if that is true anymore. Besides that, he is stone-cold stupid-- what a combo. Mean as a snake moron--
I don't think I can adequately address the looting and destroying. It is criminal and there seems to be no way to stop it without hurting the good people protesting. I don't even know who those deliberately out-of-control people are--nor do most protesters. I do know that anyone with R after his or her name is not anyone that I want in my life ever again. They should take their guns and their inept "governing" and secede already. From Charlie Pierce:
On Monday evening, the President* of the United States gave his first public remarks since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. He used it further to divide the country, to traduce the Constitution, and to declare war on citizens of whom he does not approve. A mewling tub of unresolved psychological flotsam, with the moldy stench of the bunker still clinging to him, thumping his bloated chest and threatening martial law while, just up the street, police and soldiers were deployed as special effects against peaceful protestors so this plump and odious little man could inflate his withered mushroom at the expense of a once-great republic.
Yeah, it was a bad moment.
@citizen625
Noted the same Will column yesterday and while I mostly agreed with the sentiments he expressed, I cannot forgive him for the years of groundwork he did to prepare the nation for our awful present--so I told him so.
Some may not know a Will fact I gathered from one of his columns years ago that might have contributed to his support of "conservatism." He's strictly pro-life, anti-abortion, the father of a Down's son. Don't know if he chose that outcome, but that column suggested that because he and his wife had that experience, everyone should have the same opportunity.
Remember thinking reaching such a conclusion was the essence of what we have come to know as narcissism, a wholly ego-centered universe.
As I commented to the Post yesterday, "Little argument with this, Mr. Will, except to say that conservatives, including yourself, should be feeling beyond abashed, deeply ashamed in fact for having legitimized much of what the Republican Party has stood for since Ronald Reagan.
It is a party of self-serving nihilists, eager to bring down all that good government can or might do to rein in their self-serving greed.
Smart folks like yourself have no excuse for not noticing or caring where the Republican Party was going over the last fifty years, and that you are now unhappy with the inevitable result of decades of race-baiting and the tripartite cries of guns, god and gays should garner no sympathy from anyone.
Cozened or not, you were complicit all along."
@Ken: atta boy–-nice bite on Mr. Good Will Hunting who always struck me as someone who thought he was above it all and could call it as he thought it and wanted everyone to comply. I especially liked your last sentence.
The Atlantic has posted their cover article by Anne Applebaum (July/August edition). I'm a fan of many Atlantic writers (Adam Serwer!) This piece is amazing: "History Will Judge the Complicit". Applebaum writes about various types of collaborators and their motivations. She takes the reader through Leonhard (Oxford, Columbia, Yale) and Wolf's (top Stasi spy) evolutions in thinking as East German residents and party members after WWII, then compares their evolution with that of Graham and Romney.
"Both men (Leonhard / Wolf) could see the gap between propaganda and reality. Yet one remained an enthusiastic collaborator while the other could not bear the betrayal of his ideals. Why?"
The piece is rich and satisfying. These days, I am raging, despondent, incredulous that our country is crumbling, baffled by the blindness of the citizenry, the greed, cruelty, the fake piety, and on and on. This piece is engrossing, provided me a respite from overwhelming emotions and gave me a better framework to understand the madness. Although, I'm afraid the decline will continue unabated. Just this morning Barr announced that "foreign" actors are going to be able to change ballots. It can't happen here, is happening.
https://bit.ly/3dtmfc2
Another Pro Publica piece. Looting by the Deputy Treasury Secretary Justin Muzinich ( Mnuchin mini-me).
https://bit.ly/3033dpk
Watching Trump try to figure out how to hold a bible reminded me of this cartoon monkey trying to figure out how to wear a hat.
"In interviews, reporters said they had identified themselves as members of the press before police fired projectiles, drew their weapons or pepper-sprayed them.... 'There is now a culture of impunity for attacks on the press,' said Bruce Shapiro"
It was only a few years ago that Trump was offering to pay the legal bills to his supporters to beat up his enemies. With Bill Barr at DOJ Trump's friends get special treatment. So yeah, Trump's supporters are feeling very confident that they can get away with almost anything short of murder on camera.
Burn baby burn. Do it again the next time an unarmed black man is killed by a cop. A terrible attack on municipal budgets may encourage cities to put bully cops on desks or the street.
Of course, protests give the bullies license as the are demonstrating now. The criminal plundering is part of the cost of supporting a racist department.
Save money, clean up your police department.
clean
Carlyle: I read this: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/05/brooklyn-president-and-former-nypder-eric-adams-on-protests.html. Eric Adams has some really salient points as both a politician and a former cop. And take away the military Tonka toys from the police. If they must have military stuff, make it contingent upon police consent to a national database of police on public violence. As is being shown with collecting Covid statistics, many will do anything but provide meaningful data to obscure what is really happening. You can't manage what you don't measure.
Just a note on something that has gotten shoved aside as we look at so many other things, https://www.wbtv.com/2020/06/02/rnc-visiting-other-cities-after-nc-governor-says-full-convention-unlikely-charlotte/
Something else to burden the brain of the greatest U.S. president ever.Where oh where will the screaming red hatted elephants go?
@Bobby Lee, a few days ago someone here suggested that the convention will be held at the Doral "resort". Seems more likely by the day. It'll be interesting to see the cell phone data showing the Covid-19 spread 2-3 weeks after it.
@unwashed Miami-Dade county already leads the state in C-19 cases.
Maybe Governor DeSantis, Senators Rubio and Scott, and Rep Gaetz will attend sans masks.
@Anoymous: The Atlantic piece you posted is, indeed, an extraordinary piece of writing–-and I thank you. I have no time to expound on this but it's the kind of food for thought that makes for serious consideration. Perhaps we can talk more about this tomorrow. Here's the link: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/07/trumps-collaborators/612250/
Rt report:
Number of states at 1.0 or above is ten.
Florida is at .99 and trending upward.
@carlyle & @citizen 625: Good point. Turns out the actual direct costs of that "free" military equipment are burned-out buildings, decimated economic zones, higher insurance rates, lower tax receipts, and and and. That doesn't even speak to the lowered quality of life residents of their cities experience.
@Ken Winkes If the entire state attitude is like NE Florida in regard to masking, it should get there quickly. Officially our average daily new cases is 732, but with our corrupt government no one knows for sure.
"if Trump were to send in troops over the objections of the state governor, & those troops attempted to disburse lawful protesters, I think the actions would be unlawful."
And the troops might not get much bang for their buck. They should probably stick to trying to disperse them... 😊