It's All DeSantis' Fault, Right?
As more and more Floridians continue to become infected with the COVID-19 virus, Florida Democrats have used the pandemic to try to saddle Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) with the blame for the spread.
In reality, the blame falls squarely on Floridians who irresponsibly chose not to cover up in public spaces and spread the disease.
Democrats are now saying that DeSantis and other lawmakers pushing for schools to re-open, are sending students to the wolves, and are advocating for schools to stay shutdown. READ MORE
In Broward County, Florida, school officials have told some employees that the school redistricting will not be addressed until after the November general election.
What does the re-opening of any school have to do with an election?
Florida’s Trail
Meanwhile, this congressional candidate that falsely stated that DeSantis had endorsed her, is defying the very laws she wants to pass “if” she goes to Congress. READ MORE
Rep. Bryon Donald (R) hasn’t penned a check for his congressional campaign, but he has raised the most of all the candidates. Now with the Club for Growth rumored to be pouring in $1.5 million in support of his campaign, all bets could be off in this contentious GOP primary race. READ MORE
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Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell @RepDMP-Barr repeatedly lied to the public about the firing of Berman. And this is not the first time. He continues to undermine justice to benefit Trump. Enough is enough! He must be removed.
Marco Rubio @marcorubio -I supported first “shutdown” to flatten the curve But we are in a very different place now Must weigh cost versus benefit Social,economic & enforcement costs are significant Benefits are questionable,govt can’t shutdown private gatherings & most businesses already restricted
Rick Scott @SenRickScott -I applaud the Administration for standing up against forced labor and human rights violations. These sanctions show Communist China that the U.S. will not allow the mistreatment of the Uyghur community go unnoticed.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz @DWStweets While the President tries to force kids back on campus in just a few weeks, doctors & experts are urging the exact opposite, esp if COVID is surging. The @GOP admin is putting children & staff in danger over a reckless attempt to open the country too fast.
US Rep Kathy Castor @USRepKCastor #SolvingTheClimateCrisis means taking smart, urgent steps to leave a livable for coming generations. @ClimateCrisis has a plan & we don’t have time to waste!
Rep. Matt Gaetz @RepMattGaetz We are all Americans. We should all be treated equally no matter what.
“Allen West wins Texas GOP Chairmanship” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – Former Congressman Allen West has won the chairmanship of the Republican Party of Texas. Former Texas GOP Chairman James Dickey conceded to West at 3 am on Monday after West had won 21 of the 31 state senate districts, the loving father of two told his family. West later tweeted out that he was “truly humbled” and honored to have the opportunity to “work hard for Texas and Texans.” Political insiders in Texas and those paying close attention to this race were in disbelief after the vote that was supposed to take place last Friday drag on through Monday morning. According to one insider, Dickey and his team were ill-prepared to carry out the duties needed to run a smooth virtual election and convention. One Austin-based insider even suggested that Dickey was stalling the inevitable, trying to buy himself more time in hopes that West supporters would side with chairmanship. They didn’t. Polling as late as July 15 showed that West held a 3-to-1 lead over Dickey.
“Deutch defends anarchists in Portland, blames “secret police” of inciting violence” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – Florida Rep. Ted Deutch (D) is pushing the media narrative that the ongoing violent riots in Portland, Oregon by the Black Lives Matter and ANTIFA movements are peaceful and accuses the “secret police” of hauling off innocent protestors that are just exercising their “constitutional rights.” But just as Rep. Deutch, who once said that only “some in that group (ANTIFA)” were calling for anarchy, makes his accusation about the “secret police,” the congressman from South Florida attaches a Washington Post story that explicitly cites that the secret police he is referring to is not-so-secret after all. “What’s happening in Portland is alarming,” stated Deutch “Americans exercising their constitutional rights shouldn’t have to live in fear of being being (sic) hauled away by unidentified officers. Are these individuals members of federal law enforcement? We need answers from the Admin NOW.” But this tweet shows that the police were clearly identifiable. According to the Post, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had taken responsibility for the so-called “secret agents,” but said that the agents “identified themselves and were wearing CBP insignia” during an encounter where authorities took down an individual suspected of assaulting police.
“Jessi Melton defies federal laws she herself wants to pass (Video)” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – Republican congressional candidate Jessica ‘Jessi’ Melton has made a name for herself as being a law-abiding and self-proclaimed constitutionalist that wants Floridians to send her to Congress to pass federal laws on their behalf, federal laws that she herself appears to take issue with. According to the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, congressional candidates like Melton are “required” by law, “Title I of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, as amended. 5 U.S.C. app. § 101 et seq.” to file their financial disclosure report within 30 days of qualifying for their respective congressional races. Melton recently stated that she received a “threatening” and “bullying” letter directly from House Ethics Committee Chairman Ted Deutch (D), but that claim was quickly debunked as it was uncovered that Melton had received a basic form letter from the Ethics Committee and signed by its director of financial disclosures, not the member of Congress. Melton received the letter because she refused to file her financial disclosure, and on a podcast with one of her supporters, Melton, said, “so yeah whatever, I filed it when I felt like filing it, I got other shit I gotta do.”
“DeSantis Throwing Students to the “Wolves?” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) held a press briefing today to inform Floridians on the continued approach that his administration is taking to combat the skyrocketing coronavirus cases that the sunshine state is experiencing. “I do not think we should be swept up in fear,” he argued in the briefing, assuring that his administration is closely monitoring the testing results in order to make sure that the state continues to reopen. The Governor was also questioned on his views over whether or not children should return to in-person classes, and he shared that it should be up to the states and the parents of those children. For him, “the system learning is not the same” to taking an in-person class. “We have to do whatever we can to meet that,” he explained when referring to parents that want their children back in school. “I do not want people falling behind,” DeSantis expressed when it comes to students’ academics. This comes at a time when Democrats are focusing on battleground states like Florida, and they have released an advertisement called “Wolves,” which tells Americans that the Trump administration threw older Americans to the wolves when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Donalds outraised entire field of GOP congressional candidates” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – One of the most-watched congressional contest in Florida is the Republican primary race in District 19, where nine candidates are vying to become the GOP nominee and eventual member of Congress. Money talks in politics and the candidates with the most cash usually win their respective races. This could very well be the case in Southwest Florida, where both Dr. William Figlesthaler and Casey Askar have poured in millions of their own dollars into the race. While Askar and Figlesthaler have the most cash on hand, according to the most recent FEC financial filings, Rep. Byron Donalds has raised the most this past reporting cycle with $440,800. Donald’s total money raised is $778, 963 edges out Rep. Dane Eagle’s $711,00, putting him in third behind Figlesthaler and Askar. Rep Eagle, who many consider as the frontrunner in the race because of his high name recognition, only raised about $329,000 since the beginning of 2020. It’s important to note that neither Donalds or Eagle have lone their campaigns any money. Figlesthaler has loaned himself $1,660,000, with Askar loaning his campaign $3,000,000.
“Parkland family disgusted with Scott Israel’s ‘minority school’ cop out” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – After the deadly shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida that left 17 innocent students and teachers dead, Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended then-Broward Sheriff Scott Israel for incompetence and dereliction of duty for actions before and after the shooting. Israel fought hard to get to keep his job, but the Florida Senate voted to uphold DeSantis’s suspension. Israel was permanently out. Israel, who is currently fighting a severe case of COVID-19, released a video where he said that if the shooting were to have taken place in a Black high school, none of the backlashes against him would have occurred. Israel also blamed DeSantis for the mess. “If the individuals who were killed that incredibly horrific day at Stoneman Douglas attended a high school like Boyd Anderson, what have you, a minority high school, we never would have been in this mess right now. This was all about a governor trying to impose his will, and it’s wrong.”- Scott Israel. But what Israel doesn’t see is that his very presence and the mentioning of his name in the county brings back all of the pain that Floridian’s felt after the shooting. Israel is persona non grata in Parkland, Coral Springs, and many other parts of the county.
“For Conservatives, Liberal Enviro Groups Are Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – Until proven otherwise, Florida is a red state. Republicans have dominated Tallahassee since the late 90s, and in 2016, President Trump won Florida. We have a Republican Governor, a Republican-led Legislature, and even cities like Jacksonville and Miami Dade County are led by Republicans. Conservatives are happy about this. So, it’s no surprise that every year that ends in an even number, left-leaning environmental activist groups appear to do their best impression of Republicans while throwing their support behind Republican candidates. They think it will give them credibility in the Republican-dominated halls of power. But despite these groups’ attempts to look conservative, the facts appear to show these groups have little interest in personal freedom, pro-growth economic policies, or defending constitutional rights. In fact, the long-standing record shows they continually support interests that counter pro-American and business policies. Here are just a few examples. In 2018, the Everglades Trust endorsed now-Governor Ron DeSantis. After this endorsement, the group’s liberal activists came out against the endorsement. A 2018 Gainesville Sun story noted that when the endorsement was made, “environmentalists were aghast.”
“Americans for Trump hosts contentious Republican congressional forum” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – Earlier this week, the Americans for Trump activist group lead by Attorney Scott Newmark, held another one of their candidate’s forum that serves to showcase congressional candidates vying to win their respective Republican district nominations. The Republican congressional candidates in District 22 – James Pruden, Jessica Melton, Fran Flynn, and Darlene Swaffar, all showed up and put their best foot forward in hopes to win over those undecided voters in attendance. Newmark, who has historically put on well-planned events, did not disappoint. Yours truly was not in attendance and was not able to watch via Facebook Live, because I was covering the run-off elections in Texas. I was able to get around to watch the full debate this past Thursday morning, and as expected, all the candidates just about said the same thing on all the issues. All four are good candidates who check off all the boxes that matter to the Republican voting base. They are all Pro-2nd Amendment, support Trump, are all Pro-Life, and all do not have a problem criticizing Rep. Ted Deutch (D), who currently holds the seat in District 22. But just when you thought there wasn’t going to be any fireworks at this very subdued forum, BOOM! When Newmark directed a question towards Jessica Melton about her recent support for actor Mel Gibson over an anti-Semitic remark he apparently made, and her false claim that the Republican Jewish Coalition was supporting her, Melton melted down.
“Florida’s largest teachers union to announce legal action on state reopening schools” by News 4 Jax’s Ashley Harding – The Sunshine State’s largest teacher and education worker union, the Florida Education Association (FEA), is expected to announce legal action against the state of Florida over the education commissioner’s order to open school buildings five days a week in August. Gov. Ron DeSantis has supported the decision since the beginning, noting the President also wanted schools reopened in fall. In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, FEA’s president Fredrick Ingram said schools aren’t ready to open under current circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic. “Until we get control of the community spread. Until we understand that our schools will not be superspreader events we have got to get rid of this hell or high water approach in opening up our brick-and-mortar schools,” he said. An online petition started by the FEA has more than 16,000 signatures. The petition urges the governor to take all necessary steps to slow the infection rate before children return to school. All indications show the FEA is taking their calls for action a step further. A news release shows the association is holding a news conference to “discuss legal action regarding the order to open schools five days a week.” Speakers will include FEA President Fedrick Ingram, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen García.
“Florida Housing Finance Corporation releases $75-million to help with rent and mortgage payments” by Wink News’ Corey Lazar – If you own a home or are renting, a brand new way to get some financial relief opens up Monday. The Florida Housing Finance Corporation is releasing $75-million across the state to help with rent or mortgage payments. All of this is provided through the Cares Act, which helps you if you have struggled financially because of COVID-19. Homeowners and renters can apply for rent or mortgage help, help with emergency repairs, or for rehab, and new construction caused by COVID-19. Starting Monday morning at 9 a.m. a toll-free coronavirus relief fund information line opens at 1-888-362-7885. It will be available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the week. For more information on how to apply visit the Florida Housing Finance Corporation website here.
“Some ICUs in Florida have run out of beds” by CBS News – At least 45 hospitals in Florida had no available beds in intensive care units as of Sunday afternoon as the state has emerged as the new epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus pandemic, according to data from the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration. Nine of those facilities are located in hard-hit Miami-Dade County and another five are in neighboring Broward County. Of the 6,252 total ICU beds in the state, 5,035 are filled, meaning only about 19% of ICU beds are free statewide. Several of Florida’s smaller counties — including Nassau, Okeechobee and Putnam — have no available ICU beds, while a number of larger counties, including Seminole and St. Lucie, have under 5% of their beds available. The number of new coronavirus cases in Florida topped 10,000 for the fifth day in a row, with 12,523 reported on Sunday. There are nearly 21,000 people hospitalized throughout the state, according to the Florida Department of Health. Miami-Dade, the largest county by population, has about 23% of ICU beds available, while neighboring Broward, the second-largest county by population, has about 11%.
“Supreme Court declines to assist Florida in restoring convicted felons’ right to vote” by Jurist’s Erin Napoleon – The Supreme Court has declined to block a Florida law that prevents convicted felons from voting. Justices Sotomayor, Ginsburg and Kagan all dissented from the majority’s denial of application to vacate stay. The dissent explained: “This Court’s order prevents thousands of otherwise eligible voters from participating in Florida’s primary election simply because they are poor. And it allows the Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit to disrupt Florida’s election process just days before the July 20 voter-registration deadline of the August primary, even though a preliminary injunction had been in place for nearly a year and a Federal District Court found the State’s pay-to-vote scheme unconstitutional after an 8-day trial. I would grant the application to vacate the Eleventh Circuit’s stay.” Even though Florida amended its constitution to restore convicted felons’ right to vote, the Florida legislature and courts have interpreted this amendment in a way that ultimately prevents a significant amount of convicted felons from actually exercising such right. The constitutionality of this pay-to-vote scheme was the source of this decision.
“Lawsuit filed to delay reopening of public schools in Florida” by Fox 35 Orlando – A lawsuit has been filed in Orange County against Gov. Ron DeSantis and top state and local education officials to stop the reopening of public schools over concerns about the coronavirus. The suit was filed by Jacob V. Stuart Jr and William Wieland II on behalf of a teacher at Orlando's Southwest Middle School, Kathryn Hammond, and a parent of three children enrolled in Orange County Public Schools, Monique Bellefleur. It comes in response to an Emergency Order by the Florida Department of Education on July 6, and the subsequent Orange County School Board decision to reopen schools Aug. 21. "Because of limited resources, Public Schools will not be able to provide for social distancing measures and other necessary policies, protocols, and procedures necessary to provide for safe learning," Stuart said. In addition to being a teacher, Stuart said Hammond is the mother of two children and is expecting a third child. He added that she has been advised by her doctor to avoid returning to the classroom. He said Bellefleur is an Assistant Nurse Manager in Labor/Delivery at an Orlando-area hospital. "Emergency action is being requested because the 2020-2021 School Year is scheduled to start on August 21, 2020, knowing the current plan is certain to lead to devastating health consequences for our entire community resulting in needless sickness and useless death," Stuart said.
“Florida coronavirus cases surge for fifth day as Trump pledges outbreak will be under control” by Reuters’ Doina Chiacu and Lisa Shumaker – Florida reported over 12,000 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, the fifth day in a row the state has announced over 10,000 new infections, even as President Donald Trump pledged that “it’s going to be under control.” The virus has claimed over 140,000 U.S. lives since the pandemic started, and Florida, California, and other Southern and Western states shatter records every day. Texas reported 7,300 new cases on Sunday after five straight days of new infections exceeding 10,000. Despite record levels of new cases nationwide, the Trump administration is pushing for schools to reopen in a few weeks and resisting a federal mandate to wear masks in public. Trump, who faces a tough battle for re-election in November, defended his handling of the coronavirus pandemic in an interview broadcast on Sunday. The United States, with 3.7 million total cases, has almost as many infections as the next three hardest-hit countries combined - Brazil, India and Russia. “We have embers and we do have flames. Florida became more flame-like, but it’s - it’s going to be under control.”
“Florida vote-by-mail legal battle reaches settlement” by News Service of Florida – On the eve of a trial slated to begin Monday, lawyers representing the state and plaintiffs in a legal battle over Florida’s vote-by-mail procedures have reached a settlement. Priorities USA, Dream Defenders and other plaintiffs have been seeking to expand the state’s vote-by-mail process, arguing that the COVID-19 pandemic will result in a record number of Floridians casting ballots from home to reduce chances of being infected with the highly contagious coronavirus. Among other things, the plaintiffs asked to extend a deadline for mail-in ballots to be returned. They also wanted free postage for the ballots and challenged a provision in Florida law restricting paid workers from collecting mail-in ballots. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle had set aside two weeks for a trial scheduled to start Monday. But on Sunday, plaintiffs and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration notified the court that they had reached a settlement. The agreement would require Secretary of State Laurel Lee to “educate” and “encourage” county supervisors of elections about a variety of vote-by-mail procedures that were at the heart of the lawsuit.
For example, the state’s top elections official would be required to educate supervisors about pre-paid postage for mail-in ballots. The settlement also would encourage local elections officials “to maximize the use of drop boxes for vote-by-mail ballots” and to inform voters about the availability of the ballot drop-off sites. Plaintiffs in the case argued that Florida needed to expand its vote-by-mail procedures because of COVID-19, which disrupted the state’s presidential primary election in March and is expected to cause even more issues in the Aug. 18 primary elections and the Nov. 3 general election. The settlement agreement, however, cited emergency orders issued by DeSantis that give county officials extra time to canvas vote-by-mail ballots and to conduct what are known as “logic and accuracy” tests before early voting begins.
“Graham says he will call Mueller to testify before Senate committee” by Fox News’ Ronn Blitzer – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., announced Sunday that he will grant a request to call former Special Counsel Robert Mueller to testify about the Russia investigation. Graham made the announcement in a statement a day after Mueller published an op-ed in the Washington Post in which he defended the prosecution and conviction of Roger Stone after President Trump commuted Stone's sentence. Stone's case spun out of Mueller's probe. "Apparently Mr. Mueller is willing -- and also capable -- of defending the Mueller investigation through an op-ed in the Washington Post," Graham said in a statement. "Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have previously requested Mr. Mueller appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify about his investigation. That request will be granted.” Mueller's op-ed defended both the decision to prosecute Stone, as well as the overarching Russia investigation that Republicans and the president have repeatedly denounced. Mueller said he felt "compelled to respond both to broad claims that our investigation was illegitimate and our motives were improper." Trump tweeted Saturday that Stone "was targeted by an illegal Witch Hunt that never should have taken place."
“Superintendent for one of US's largest public school systems has a message for DeVos: 'You can't put every kid back in a school'” by CNN’s Dana Bash and Bridget Nolan – The signage reminding students to stay 6 feet apart is already on the floors. The plexiglass is up in the front office. The desks are spaced in a socially-distanced way in the classrooms. This is how Mantua Elementary and all other public schools in Fairfax County, Virginia, are preparing for back-to-school in the age of Covid-19. For now, students in this suburban school system, one of the largest in the nation, will only come physically back to school in a limited way: two days a week in the classroom. The rest will be virtual, and parents also have the option to keep their kids home entirely. Scott Brabrand, the superintendent of Fairfax County schools, says this is the best option they could come up with to comply with US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. "We're going to have PPE for all of our teachers and students, and we're going to have a return to school in a new normal for Fairfax County and for school districts across the country," Brabrand said during an interview in a classroom amid desks stationed 6 feet apart. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos repeatedly calls out Fairfax County, Virginia, criticizing the school system's current plan for only two days a week in the classroom as insufficient. Devos has noted that it is well funded in one of the wealthiest parts of America.
“Coronavirus’s Spread Broadens Across U.S.” by WSJ’s Kate King and Jennifer Calfas – New coronavirus infections topped 15,000 in Florida, the largest one-day increase in any state since the start of the pandemic, while more than half U.S. states—including some that avoided a significant surge in the spring—were reporting steady climbs in new cases. The number of daily infections in the U.S. surpassed 60,000 for a third consecutive day on Saturday, after reaching a record of more than 66,000 cases the previous day, data compiled by Johns Hopkins University showed. The 15,299 new cases in Florida on Saturday represented an uptick of about nearly 5,000 over Friday’s numbers. The state, which has seen a surge in cases in recent weeks, hadn’t topped 12,000 new cases in any prior day since the start of the pandemic. California, Texas, and Arizona reported near-record daily Covid-19 cases on Saturday. Other states across the country were beginning to see significant rises in new infections, too. Case counts in 13 others—Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia—were up more than 20% in the past week, according to Johns Hopkins. Thirty-two states had increases of at least 10% in the past week.
“Los Angeles teachers union links defunding police to reopening schools” by Fox News’ Edmund DeMarche – United Teachers Los Angeles recently released a research paper on steps needed to safely reopen public schools amid the coronavirus outbreak and pointed to the need to free up additional funding by defunding the police. “Police violence is a leading cause of death and trauma for Black people, and is a serious public health and moral issue,” the paper said, citing the American Public Health Association. “We must shift the astronomical amount of money devoted to policing, to education and other essential needs such as housing and public health.” Teachers unions have long been criticized by Republicans as an extension of the Democrat Party. Republicans will likely use the paper to support that claim. The union's paper also took aim at charter schools and reportedly called for a federal Medicare-for-All program. The union's paper did not offer a dollar amount to cut from the police. The Los Angeles City Council already cut the LAPD budget by $150 million and said the money will be earmarked for disadvantaged communities. The union did not immediately respond to an after-hours email from Fox News.
“First cases of coronavirus-related inflammatory syndrome identified in children in South Carolina” by CNN’s Hollie Silverman and Dakin Andone – The children are both under the age of 10, DHEC said in a news release Sunday. One is located in the Midlands region in central South Carolina. The other is in the Pee Dee region in the northeastern part of the state. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C, is a potential complication seen in some children and teenagers following Covid-19 infections or exposure to those with Covid-19. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory to doctors across the country in May, warning them to be on the lookout for the syndrome. Symptoms include fever, stomach pain, vomiting, a rash and fatigue, according to the CDC. "We continue to see more and more young people, especially those under 20, contracting and spreading COVID-19, and we know MIS-C is a threat to our youngest South Carolinians," State Epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell said in a news release. "MIS-C is a serious health complication linked to COVID-19 and is all the more reason why we must stop the spread of this virus."
“Fed, Treasury Disagreements Slowed Start of Main Street Lending Program” by WSJ’s Nick Timiraos and Kate Davidson – Disagreements between leaders at the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department in recent months slowed the start of their flagship lending initiative for small and midsize businesses, according to current and former government officials. The differences centered on how to craft the loan terms of their $600 billion Main Street Lending Program to help support businesses through the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. Fed officials generally favored easier terms that would increase the risk of the government losing money, while Treasury officials preferred a more conservative approach, people familiar with the process said. Treasury, which has put up $75 billion to cover losses, resisted recent changes to relax loan terms. The disagreements over relatively narrow design issues reflect broader philosophical differences over what the program is trying to accomplish and how much risk the government should take as a result. The upshot is that the program, announced in March, went through multiple revisions and opened for business this past week. As of Wednesday, it hadn’t purchased any loans. Some Fed officials privately have voiced frustration that painstaking negotiations wasted precious weeks in launching the program, according to people familiar with the matter. One of three loan products under the program almost didn’t materialize due to Treasury reservations.
“AOC suggests NYC crime surge due to unemployment, residents who need to 'shoplift some bread'” by Fox News’ Yael Halon – New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggested over the weekend that the crime surge in New York City is likely because struggling residents are forced to shoplift in order to "feed their child." In a virtual town hall meeting she hosted Thursday, some clips of which were shared by The Hill, the 30-year-old Democratic congresswoman was asked about the troubling uptick in violent crimes overtaking the city. “Do we think this has to do with the fact that there’s record unemployment in the United States right now?" she responded. "The fact that people are at a level of economic desperation that we have not seen since the Great Recession?" "Maybe this has to do with the fact that people aren't paying their rent and are scared to pay their rent and so they go out, and they need to feed their child and they don't have money," Ocasio-Cortez continued, "so they feel like they either need to shoplift some bread or go hungry.” The New York Police Department (NYPD) has reported a staggering increase in shootings and violent crimes in recent weeks, as officials warn there’s “a storm on the horizon” amid calls for changes.
“Atlanta police release new images of a person of interest in fatal shooting of an 8-year-old girl” by CNN’s Amir Vera and Hollie Silverman – The Atlanta Police Department has released new images of an additional person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of an 8-year-old girl over the Independence Day weekend. Secoriea Turner was shot on the night of July 4 near the Wendy's where Rayshard Brooks was killed. Secoriea was riding in a vehicle with her mother and an adult friend when the shooting took place, according to police. The driver was attempting to enter a parking lot at 1238 Pryor Road where a group of individuals illegally placed barricades. Someone in the group opened fire on the vehicle, according to police, striking Secoriea. Police initially described one of the shooters as a man dressed like a bounty hunter, wearing all black, and the other shooter as a man wearing a white T-shirt. The new images released by police and Crime Stoppers appear to show another man in a red shirt, blue jeans and black shoes. Crime Stoppers is offering a $20,000 reward for anyone with information about the shooting. "I am asking you to please honor this baby's life. Please, if you know who did this, please turn them in," Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said at a press conference. "Enough is enough."
“GOP Women Embrace Guns in House Races” by WSJ’s Natalie Andrews – Tiffany Shedd, running for the House in Arizona, re-enacts a moment in which she pulled out a gun to defend her family when she saw what she said were drug runners on her land near the border. In New Mexico, Yvette Herrell promises to take on the “gun-grabbing elite in Washington” as she fires off rounds at a shooting range. Genevieve Collins says being a Texas woman “means you know how to shoot, clean, and eat your kill one day, then throw on your dress and work a boardroom the next.” Many Republican women running to win back Democratic-held House seats are embracing guns and shows of physical strength in their campaign ads to back up their support of tougher border security, Second Amendment rights and loyalty to President Trump. At the same time, they are attacking Democratic proposals and are avoiding talk of bipartisan cooperation in these competitive districts. Women candidates are central to the Republican Party’s efforts to rebuild its ranks following deep losses in 2018, which left the party in the minority in the House. More than 220 Republican women filed to run for the House this cycle, a record. Of those, more than 50 Republican women have secured their party’s nomination and several more are in runoff contests, with several primaries still to be held. “These Republican women aren’t just running on being tough—they are tough,” said Torunn Sinclair, spokeswoman for the House GOP campaign arm. She said House Democrats in the competitive districts “broke their promises to be middle-of-the-road representatives.”
President Donald Trump @realDonaldTrump- No, Radical Left anarchists, agitators, looters or protesters will not be knocking down or harming the Washington Monument, the Lincoln or Jefferson Memorials, or just about any other Federal Monument or Statue. If they even try, an automatic 10 years in prison. Sorry!
Nancy Pelosi @SpeakerPelosi -President Trump and his Administration are messing with the health of our children as they seek to rush schools to reopen.
