Politics week of Sept 21

[mbcdefg]

In a stunning declaration of authority, Alex M. Azar II, the secretary of health and human services, this week barred the nation’s health agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, from signing any new rules regarding the nation’s foods, medicines, medical devices and other products, including vaccines.

Going forward, Mr. Azar wrote in a Sept. 15 memorandum obtained by The New York Times, such power “is reserved to the Secretary.” The bulletin was sent to heads of operating and staff divisions within H.H.S.

It’s unclear if or how the memo would change the vetting and approval process for coronavirus vaccines, three of which are in advanced clinical trials in the United States. Political appointees, under pressure from the president, have taken a string of steps over the past few months to interfere with the standard scientific and regulatory processes at the health agencies. For example, a much criticized guideline on testing for the coronavirus was not written by C.D.C. scientists, and was posted on the agency’s public website over their objections. It was reversed on Friday.


www.nytimes.com/2020/09/19/health/azar-hhs-fda.html

[mbcdefg]

The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which has been locked in a yearlong legal battle with President Trump over obtaining his tax returns, suggested for the first time on Monday that it had grounds to investigate him and his businesses for tax fraud.

The assertion by the office of the district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., offered a rare detailed disclosure about the office’s investigation into the president and his business dealings, which began more than two years ago.

Mr. Vance, a Democrat, has never revealed the scope of his office’s criminal inquiry, citing grand jury secrecy. The investigation has been stalled by the fight over a subpoena that the office issued in August 2019 for eight years of the president’s tax returns.

Lawyers for Mr. Trump have said the subpoena should be blocked, calling it “wildly overbroad” and politically motivated. Mr. Vance responded to that argument in a new filing that did not directly accuse Mr. Trump or any of his businesses or associates of wrongdoing.

www.nytimes.com/2020/09/21/nyregion/donald-trump-taxes-cyrus-vance.html

[silva]

Something is brewing with the Breonna Taylor case. It sounds like they are going to clear the three officers. 🤬

www.cbsnews.com/news/louisville-breonna-taylor-police-declare-state-of-emergency-ahead-of-decision/

[msmerymac]

[sofamonkey]

TW - suicide


The bar owner in Omaha that murdered James Scurlock 3 months ago was indicted recently. He has now died by suicide.

www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/09/21/915266044/omaha-bar-owner-has-died-by-suicide-after-he-was-charged-in-shooting-of-black-ma?utm_term=nprnews&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&fbclid=IwAR1jEok5PDAKl-XNhOHCPAf0bOXHtRBnAXrCyo1b7Hi9W_9_xC5WNHKs724&fbclid=IwAR1rP1SqNUqy2xOcf9dfcLXUzykvTDAloE5yuqFOMz7hO82Ure5oXgA3ZLQ

[mbcdefg]

A $1 billion fund Congress gave the Pentagon in March to build up the country's supplies of medical equipment has instead been mostly funneled to defense contractors and used for making things such as jet engine parts, body armor and dress uniforms.

www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/09/22/covid-funds-pentagon/

[isabel]

Sept 21, 2020 20:59:09 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

If you have to do this, isn’t that an indication that you’re making the wrong decision?

I just feel sick over this.

[AJL]

I don't know if we talked about this on here and maybe we did, so my apologies for being redundant. Prosecutors attempted to tie Breonna Taylor to an "organized crime syndicate" after her death in a plea deal for her ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, a drug trafficking suspect.

NPR link - www.npr.org/2020/09/02/908625259/prosecutors-plea-offer-alleged-breonna-taylor-was-part-of-organized-crime-syndic

Excerpt:

"A man charged with running a drug syndicate was offered a plea deal in July if he would name Breonna Taylor, the 26-year-old Black woman who had been killed by police in her Louisville, Ky., apartment, as a member of his alleged criminal gang, according to the man's attorney.

The purpose of the raid on Taylor's home was to find evidence linking her to an ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, a convicted felon with a history of drug trafficking, according to court documents.
Police didn't find any.

Now it appears prosecutors attempted to tie Taylor to a life of crime after her death.

Glover was arrested the same night Taylor was killed, in a separate raid on an alleged drug house about 10 miles away. Police say they "recovered approximately 119.032 grams (4.2 ounces) of cocaine and over 10 dosage units of opiates," according to court records.

Glover's attorney, Scott Barton, told NPR that as part of a lengthy plea negotiation, the Jefferson Commonwealth's Attorney's office offered Glover a deal that included naming Taylor as a member of his "organized crime syndicate."

[kiminky]

Sept 22, 2020 10:31:25 GMT -5 isabel said:

Sept 21, 2020 20:59:09 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

If you have to do this, isn’t that an indication that you’re making the wrong decision?

I just feel sick over this.

The mood in Louisville is like a powder keg right now waiting on the announcement. They have erected barriers today in downtown, which will only hem in protestors.

[carmenere]

Sort of a crossover from the SCOTUS thread...
Potential nominee Barbara Lagoa ruled in favor of what is effectively a poll tax in Florida. After the people of Florida voted to restore voting rights to people with felony convictions, DeSantis and the GOP passed a measure requiring people to pay fines and court fees before their voting rights are restored. The decision is expected to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. But it virtually guarantees that the estimated 800,000 people with felony convictions in Florida who owe fines, fees or restitution to victims will not be allowed to vote in the November election.

www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2020/09/11/florida-felons-lose-voting-rights-case-in-federal-appeals-court/
www.aclufl.org/en/news/amendment-4-back-court-florida-fights-our-victory-over-its-modern-day-poll-tax

[fortnightlily]

Sept 22, 2020 15:19:57 GMT -5 carmenere said:

Sort of a crossover from the SCOTUS thread...
Potential nominee Barbara Lagoa ruled in favor of what is effectively a poll tax in Florida. After the people of Florida voted to restore voting rights to people with felony convictions, DeSantis and the GOP passed a measure requiring people to pay fines and court fees before their voting rights are restored. The decision is expected to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. But it virtually guarantees that the estimated 800,000 people with felony convictions in Florida who owe fines, fees or restitution to victims will not be allowed to vote in the November election.

www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2020/09/11/florida-felons-lose-voting-rights-case-in-federal-appeals-court/
www.aclufl.org/en/news/amendment-4-back-court-florida-fights-our-victory-over-its-modern-day-poll-tax

Bloomberg and others are raising money to help those former felons pay off those fees and vote, at least. I actually donated to this fund earlier today.
news.yahoo.com/bloomberg-raises-16-million-help-175406233.html

[MixedBerryJam]

I voted yesterday. I still had to show ID which pisses me off. I still, a year after moving, have not gotten a VA license so I used my passport.
Before moving here I’d never had to show voter ID. 46 years of voting. I thought I’d read recently (time is a social construct; it was probably 6 months ago) that Northam/legislature had gotten tid of the requirement but I’m either wrong or or hasn’t taken effect yet.

[juliachild]

Sept 22, 2020 10:05:46 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

A $1 billion fund Congress gave the Pentagon in March to build up the country's supplies of medical equipment has instead been mostly funneled to defense contractors and used for making things such as jet engine parts, body armor and dress uniforms.

www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/09/22/covid-funds-pentagon/

How is this allowed? Serious question. Did they not make it super clear what the money was for? Or did DoD do what they wanted regardless?

[aurora]

Cindy McCain has endorsed Biden:

Text in Tweet: "My husband John lived by a code: country first. We are Republicans, yes, but Americans foremost. There's only one candidate in this race who stands up for our values as a nation, and that is joebiden
."

[cville]

So, 45 talked about "racehorse theory" and "good genes" at his Minnesota rally, and then contrasted it to the "refugees" in the state, casting aspersions on them. Why aren't people* talking about this? It's white supremacy stated plainly. It's Nazi blood purity. It's eugenics.

What
The
Fuck




*In the media, in conversations, on Twitter, etc. Not just here.

[mrsukyankee]

Sept 22, 2020 21:40:01 GMT -5 cville said:

So, 45 talked about "racehorse theory" and "good genes" at his Minnesota rally, and then contrasted it to the "refugees" in the state, casting aspersions on them. Why aren't people* talking about this? It's white supremacy stated plainly. It's Nazi blood purity. It's eugenics.

What
The
Fuck




*In the media, in conversations, on Twitter, etc. Not just here.

I've seen it in a few places. And yes, it's disgusting.

[mbcdefg]

Has anyone followed what’s been happening with the presidential election in Belarus? I’m sure Trump’s people are taking notes:

President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus assumed his sixth term of office Wednesday during an inauguration ceremony that officials did not announce in advance after weeks of mass protests against the authoritarian leader’s reelection, which opposition activists maintain was rigged.

State news agency Beltra reported that the swearing-in ceremony took place in the capital of Minsk with several hundred top government officials, lawmakers, representatives of media organizations and other prominent figures present.

apnews.com/c1d91895962eab5120e1dd2ae5fb2b16?utm_medium=AP_Europe&utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=SocialFlow

[basilosaurus]

Sept 22, 2020 21:40:01 GMT -5 cville said:

So, 45 talked about "racehorse theory" and "good genes" at his Minnesota rally, and then contrasted it to the "refugees" in the state, casting aspersions on them. Why aren't people* talking about this? It's white supremacy stated plainly. It's Nazi blood purity. It's eugenics.

What
The
Fuck




*In the media, in conversations, on Twitter, etc. Not just here.

It's been pretty prominent on my FB feed, but it's pretty well cultivated.

[anonymous]

This article is scaring the shit out of me

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/11/what-if-trump-refuses-concede/616424/

If he does this will ANYONE step in from the GOP?

[wambam]

Sept 23, 2020 9:36:57 GMT -5 anonymous said:

This article is scaring the shit out of me

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/11/what-if-trump-refuses-concede/616424/

If he does this will ANYONE step in from the GOP?

This has literally kept me awake at night - he’ll just say “I won” despite clear evidence he didn’t and his followers will just go along with it and become violent

[underwaterrhymes]

Sept 23, 2020 9:36:57 GMT -5 anonymous said:

This article is scaring the shit out of me

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/11/what-if-trump-refuses-concede/616424/

If he does this will ANYONE step in from the GOP?

I know some of y’all probably thought I was / still think I am crazy, but I’ve been saying this for months.

We have lost our checks and balances.

[krystee]

Related to that article, this tweet is making my stomach churn with anxiety:

[anonymous]

Sept 23, 2020 10:13:29 GMT -5 krystee said:

Related to that article, this tweet is making my stomach churn with anxiety:

Yes that’s what I saw too which prompted me to look at the article. It is sooooo scary. When he won in 2016 I said I didn’t think he’d ever leave and I meant it. But now that we’re here and we know there are no checks and balances, it is just unbelievable to me that there is no one to step in and stop this.

And the I lose my shit at how narrowly he won in a few states And how the third party votes made all the difference.

[mbcdefg]

Sept 21, 2020 18:16:11 GMT -5 silva said:

Something is brewing with the Breonna Taylor case. It sounds like they are going to clear the three officers. 🤬

www.cbsnews.com/news/louisville-breonna-taylor-police-declare-state-of-emergency-ahead-of-decision/

Announcement coming at 1:15pm:

[taratru]

Sept 23, 2020 10:05:19 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

Sept 23, 2020 9:36:57 GMT -5 anonymous said:

This article is scaring the shit out of me

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/11/what-if-trump-refuses-concede/616424/

If he does this will ANYONE step in from the GOP?

I know some of y’all probably thought I was / still think I am crazy, but I’ve been saying this for months.

We have lost our checks and balances.

I'm firmly on your couch of crazy now. 

eta: I probably shouldn't have read that Atlantic article.  Fucking hell. 

[carmenere]

Tweet from NY AG Letitia James

#BREAKING: A judge just ruled that Eric Trump can no longer delay an interview under oath with my office as part of our ongoing investigation into financial dealings of the Trump Organization.

Eric Trump must interview with my office by October 7th, 2020.


The judge also ordered the Trump Organization to submit financial records about the Seven Springs Estate and other properties related to our investigation.
 
Justice and the rule of law prevailed today.

[underwaterrhymes]

Sept 23, 2020 11:11:30 GMT -5 taratru said:

Sept 23, 2020 10:05:19 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

I know some of y’all probably thought I was / still think I am crazy, but I’ve been saying this for months.

We have lost our checks and balances.

I'm firmly on your couch of crazy now. 

eta: I probably shouldn't have read that Atlantic article.  Fucking hell. 

I’m doing a poor job of talking myself down. Sorry you’re there with me. 😭

[goldengirlz]

I thought this was interesting news out of California. Gov. Newsom signed an EO directing the state to ban new gas vehicles over the next 15 years.

www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/09/23/newsom-bans-new-gas-cars-and-begs-trump-for-a-fight-1317947

I’m ... not sure yet how I feel about this. It seems like the right move for climate change but the timing and his comments feel like a PR stunt. Newsom is such a showman. Plus, our state electrical grid always seems to be on the brink of a meltdown.

[AAM2012]

Sept 23, 2020 9:36:57 GMT -5 anonymous said:

This article is scaring the shit out of me

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/11/what-if-trump-refuses-concede/616424/

If he does this will ANYONE step in from the GOP?

I think at this point it will be complete anarchy. I mean I know I’ll be out on the streets....

[was5]

This kind of ties into the anarchy/tRump doing what he wants discussion. WH spokesperson criticizes the FBI director over testimony that there is no evidence of wide-spread voter fraud.

This is an FBI director that tRump appointed but he will still criticize him to create distrust in our national institutions/checks and balances/processes for maintaining democracy. Under any other president, this type of statement from a WH spokesperson would have been HUGE but now it's just par for the course.

www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/white-house-slams-fbi-chief-wray-over-voter-fraud-testimony/ar-BB19qc6x?ocid=spartan-ntp-feeds