19 June 20
RSN: Marc Ash | Biden Endorsement on Hold
Marc Ash, Reader Supported News
Ash writes: "Should Joe Biden become the eventual Democratic Party presidential nominee, and it seems highly likely that he will, I fully intend to vote for him. Under no circumstances would I consider voting for Donald Trump. I should take a moment to say that the moral and constitutional urgency to remove Trump from the Oval Office is extreme. Which means that sitting the election out is out of the question. That having been said, I am struggling with the notion of formally endorsing Joe Biden."
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Marc Ash, Reader Supported News
Ash writes: "Should Joe Biden become the eventual Democratic Party presidential nominee, and it seems highly likely that he will, I fully intend to vote for him. Under no circumstances would I consider voting for Donald Trump. I should take a moment to say that the moral and constitutional urgency to remove Trump from the Oval Office is extreme. Which means that sitting the election out is out of the question. That having been said, I am struggling with the notion of formally endorsing Joe Biden."
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Facebook removed a Trump ad after The Washington Post pointed out that it was the same symbol Nazis used to mark prisoners in concentration camps. (photo: Twitter)
Facebook Removed Trump Campaign Ads That Invoked Nazi Symbols
Jane Lytvynenko, BuzzFeed
Lytvynenko writes: "In a House Intelligence hearing Thursday, Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook's head of cybersecurity, addressed President Donald Trump's campaign ads that used an upside-down red triangle reminiscent of a Nazi symbol alongside fearful messaging about anti-fascism activists."
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Jane Lytvynenko, BuzzFeed
Lytvynenko writes: "In a House Intelligence hearing Thursday, Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook's head of cybersecurity, addressed President Donald Trump's campaign ads that used an upside-down red triangle reminiscent of a Nazi symbol alongside fearful messaging about anti-fascism activists."
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Mary Elizabeth Taylor. (photo: U.S. State Dept.)
One of the Highest-Ranking Black Women in the Trump Administration Resigns Over Trump's Response to Racial Injustice
Lauren Frias, Business Insider
Frias writes: "Mary Elizabeth Taylor had served as assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs since Trump assumed office in January 2017. She was one of the highest-ranking Black officials in the Trump administration."
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Lauren Frias, Business Insider
Frias writes: "Mary Elizabeth Taylor had served as assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs since Trump assumed office in January 2017. She was one of the highest-ranking Black officials in the Trump administration."
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Evan Hreha stands for a portrait on Tuesday, June 16, 2020, near Pike Place Market in Seattle. (photo: Megan Farmer/KUOW)
He Captured Footage of a Child Pepper Sprayed During a Seattle Protest. Then the Cops Came for Him.
Liz Brazile, KUOW
Brazile writes: "Evan Hreha of Seattle recorded a video of a young child who had been pepper sprayed during a protest on May 30. A week later, on June 6, he was arrested."
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Liz Brazile, KUOW
Brazile writes: "Evan Hreha of Seattle recorded a video of a young child who had been pepper sprayed during a protest on May 30. A week later, on June 6, he was arrested."
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Firefighters battle the Camp Fire in Northern California in 2018. (photo: AFP)
'You Murdered My Dad': Families of Victims From Deadly 2018 Wildfire Blast PG&E for Crimes
Madison Wade, Associated Press
Wade writes: "Pacific Gas & Electric is being vilified as a greedy, corrupt and reckless company in a court hearing featuring victims of the 2018 wildfire that killed 85 people in Northern California. Families of those who died were in court Wednesday telling heartbreaking stories of the pain caused by the utility's crimes."
acific Gas & Electric is being vilified as a greedy, corrupt and reckless company in a court hearing featuring victims of the 2018 wildfire that killed 85 people in Northern California.
Randy and Paula Dodge
Madison Wade, Associated Press
Wade writes: "Pacific Gas & Electric is being vilified as a greedy, corrupt and reckless company in a court hearing featuring victims of the 2018 wildfire that killed 85 people in Northern California. Families of those who died were in court Wednesday telling heartbreaking stories of the pain caused by the utility's crimes."
"You murdered my dad. I don’t know how he died; I’ll never know whether it was asphyxiation, smoke inhalation, or a heart attack for burning to death."
acific Gas & Electric is being vilified as a greedy, corrupt and reckless company in a court hearing featuring victims of the 2018 wildfire that killed 85 people in Northern California.
Families of those who died were in court Wednesday telling heartbreaking stories of the pain caused by the utility’s crimes.
It's the second day of an extraordinary court hearing that will culminate in PG&E being sentenced for 85 felony counts stemming from the November 2018 wildfire that wiped out Paradise, California.
As a corporation, PG&E can’t go to jail for its crimes. Instead, it will pay a maximum fine of $4 million, including $500,000 for the investigation costs.
Below are some of the powerful words and statements read in the Chico courtroom by families of those who died in the Camp Fire.
Julian Binstock
Phillip Binstock lost his father Julian Binstock, who died alongside his rescue dog Jack. In court, he listed the crimes PG&E is already responsible for, ending with the Camp Fire which took his father.
Binstock then read the rest of his victim impact statement.
"You murdered over 85 people, 84 in the fire, one who committed suicide rather than be burned to death, and at least three elderly citizens that I know of who died a few days later because of the stress of being left homeless and penniless.
These were not manslaughter cases as you were charged, because you had the capacity to know that what you were doing would kill people. With 1,500 annual wildfires, the specific disasters I listed, you knew what you were doing was wrong. Rather than reduce your bonuses, you allowed your failed equipment and improper inspections to kill people. That is homicide with malice aforethought; that is MURDER.
YOU MURDERED MY DAD. I don’t know how he died; I’ll never know whether it was asphyxiation, smoke inhalation, or a heart attack for burning to death.
Tonight, you should think how much it would hurt to hold a lighter flame under your forearm. Now imagine that is all over your body, in your eyes, mouth, nose, ears and lungs as you inhale smoke up to 2,000 degrees. You thrash around blindly; your clothes have been burned into your melted skin. If you can hear anything, it is only the sound of fire. In my father’s case, he might have heard his dog whimpering and howling. You did that to eighty-five people.
And what’s even more galling is that you will retain your bonuses, and through my PG&E bills I will be paying your bonuses, your fines, your shareholders’ dividends and your settlements. You are sub-human evil excrement, not fit to roam this planet, and you’re getting away with murder, you filthy, slick-haired vermin.
Paul Ernest
Paul Ernest died nine months after the fire from complications from his third-degree burns. He was in the hospital with his wife Sue, who was also badly burned.
She survived. He did not.
The months after the fire were, I think, the longest of any of our lives. Days were spent at my parents’ bedsides. Family and friends took turns being there for excruciatingly painful skin grafts (they each had approximately 6), recoveries, more surgeries, talk of amputation, forward progress and major complications. Jessee, an independent contractor in Chico, postponed or canceled most of his jobs.
Jake, a sales manager who travels all over the country for work, scheduled all business trips to go through Sacramento in order to be at the hospital as often as possible. I also lost my house in the fire and fortunately, my work was accommodating and my in-laws had taken us in, so I was able to be at the hospital in between figuring out insurance, the kids’ school and...the rest of life.
My parents always had all the answers and here we were now, in new territory making major life decisions for them. After 4 months in the hospital, the majority in the burn ICU, my mom was healed enough to be released from the hospital. My dad however, had numerous complications and eventually had to have a tracheostomy tube inserted. He would have good days, where he seemed alert and cognizant.
These days were promising but also gut wrenching, as he often communicated to us he did not want us to leave or begged us to get him out of there. There were also days where he was barely awake and confused the little bit he was. These days were painful because they were an indication that he wasn’t progressing towards getting better. The stress took its toll on all of us.
My dad passed away on August 5th.
(Watch the rest of Paul Ernst's family's statement below.)
Randy and Paula Dodge
Paula and Randy Dodge died together in the Camp Fire. They were remembered as wonderful people, devote Christians and selfless.
A native of upstate New York, Randy Dodge was a hardworking retired oil refinery worker. He was "a good man" who loved his wife, 70-year-old Paula, and even gave a kidney to his other brother.
In lieu of a video, his niece Megan Janes prepared a statement for ABC10.
"I sent out messages and calls on behalf of not only my family but everyone who was searching for their loved ones. I didn't expect my twitter feed get so much attention at that time but it at least got the answers we needed. We all lost someone and it still hurts today. Watching the courtroom trial today broke my heart. For those mourning you are not alone. Nobody deserved this kind of death, and I feel for all the families who have lost a loved one. You are not alone."
To hear more of the impact statements from families of Camp Fire victims, watch below.
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Celebrants dressed to hear speeches during a 1900 Juneteenth celebration in Texas. (photo: Austin Public)
Juneteenth: Activists Across US Inherit a Historic Battle for Racial Justice
Kenya Evelyn, Guardian UK
Excerpt: "First celebrated in 1865, the holiday marking slavery's end is both a painful reminder and a celebration of freedom fighters."
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Kenya Evelyn, Guardian UK
Excerpt: "First celebrated in 1865, the holiday marking slavery's end is both a painful reminder and a celebration of freedom fighters."
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Runoff water flowing into a pond in Irvine, California. (photo: Don Bartletti/LA Times)
Trump Administration Waives Regulation of Brain Damage-Causing Water Contaminant Against Court Orders
Arun Balaji and Kunaal Venugopal, The Incentive
Excerpt: "On Thursday morning, the Trump Administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a decision to waive a regulation for a contaminant in clean water that harms babies' brains and can reduce their IQ severely at a young age. The chemical, perchlorate, had been recognized as harmful for years and had been ordered by the court to introduce a new regulation by this month."
Arun Balaji and Kunaal Venugopal, The Incentive
Excerpt: "On Thursday morning, the Trump Administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a decision to waive a regulation for a contaminant in clean water that harms babies' brains and can reduce their IQ severely at a young age. The chemical, perchlorate, had been recognized as harmful for years and had been ordered by the court to introduce a new regulation by this month."
However, the EPA did not introduce a new regulation, instead waiving the current existing regulation out of reason that perchlorate was not present enough in water to the point where regulations would need to be implemented.
In rolling back the regulation, the Trump Administration hopes to remove a burden to business in the United States. However, this regulation sets federal limits for perchlorate, a chemical compound that has detrimental effects on humans. According to the EPA, “Perchlorate is commonly used in solid rocket propellants, munitions, fireworks, airbag initiators for vehicles, matches, and signal flares. Perchlorate may occur naturally, particularly in arid regions such as the southwestern United States and is found as an impurity in hypochlorite solutions used for drinking water treatment and nitrate salts used to produce nitrate fertilizers, explosives, and other products.” Rolling back the regulation allows for greater perchlorate levels in drinking water, increasing the risk of developing illnesses like hypothyroidism.
In 2018, the court demanded the EPA introduce a regulation that would prevent the outstanding quantities of perchlorate in the water. However, the EPA has now gone against this rule and instead has waived the regulation, causing many to be in shock.
The public is reasonably infuriated by the EPA’s lack of action to regulate a chemical as toxic as perchlorate. On top of its contamination, the chemical causes brain damage in babies and is especially damaging to the health of animals as well. Since the chemical is present in something the world needs, drinking water, the public is angry at the lack of effort to protect the health of the country’s citizens.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the EPA has revoked, altered, or waived several Obama-era regulations, citing the health of the economy or necessity out of reason. The Trump Administration has revoked two other clean water regulations on top of revoking mercury and fuel emission regulations.
The decision to revoke yet another clean water regulation is one that has many people confused and furious. Although the EPA cites reasons for removing these regulations, only time will tell what effect it will have on the environment and the health of citizens.
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