The Washington Post - 15 01 2020

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House will vote
campaign 2020
today on sending
articles to Senate
TRIGGER FOR TRUMP IMPEACHMENT TRIAL
Dispute over new witnesses still to be resolved
BY RACHAEL BADE tracting concessions from McCon-
AND MIKE DEBONIS nell on calling new witnesses as
part of a senate trial. McConnell
The House will take a historic refused — but the issue is still very
vote Wednesday on sending two much front and center for moder-
articles of impeachment to the ate senate Republicans balancing
senate and approving the team of party loyalty with difficult reelec-
lawmakers who will prosecute tion battles.
President Trump for high crimes “The American people deserve
and misdemeanors, triggering the truth, and the Constitution
only the third trial of an American demands a trial,” Pelosi said, an-
president. nouncing the vote in a statement.
The roll call will come nearly “. . . The president and the sena-
four weeks after a bitterly divided tors will be held accountable.”
House charged Trump with abuse Hours later, the chairs of four
of power and obstruction of Con- House committees released a
gress for pressuring Ukraine to cache of text messages and docu-
launch investigations that would ments provided by an associate of
benefit him politically. It will end a Rudolph W. Giuliani, Trump’s per-
political standoff between House sonal attorney, that revealed new
speaker nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) details about his efforts to seek
robyn beck/agence france-Presse/getty images and senate Majority Leader Mitch damaging information about
Democratic presidential hopefuls, from left, sen. elizabeth Warren (mass.), former vice president Joe biden and sen. bernie sanders of McConnell (R-Ky.) but set the Democrats from sources in
Vermont participate in the seventh Democratic primary debate tuesday in Des moines. Voting starts with iowa caucuses early next month. stage for an intense partisan fight Ukraine.
in the heat of an election year. “There cannot be a full and fair
In Iowa debate, e≠orts to stand out Pelosi informed her Democrat- trial in the senate without the
ic caucus Tuesday morning of the documents that President Trump
upcoming vote after holding the is refusing to provide to Congress,”
articles for weeks in hopes of ex- see impeachment on a4
House files: Dirt on Biden
Candidates’ spat raises
relitigation of the war in Iraq, and a renewed
Democratic candidates tackle discussion over how and whether the candi-
delicate question: Can
dates would commit troops in the Middle o≠ered for envoy’s ouster
foreign policy, gender and health
east. sen. elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) com-
a woman beat Trump?
care in last faceoff before caucuses mitted to bringing combat troops home,
while former south Bend, Ind., mayor Pete
Buttigieg pointed to his own experience in the
military. Former vice president Joe Biden cast BY SEAN SULLIVAN BY PAUL SONNE, lawyer for Yovanovitch said Tues-
BY MATT VISER, MICHAEL SCHERER his experience in that office as invaluable, AND ANNIE LINSKEY ROSALIND S. HELDERMAN day that the episode should be in-
AND ANNIE LINSKEY while sen. Bernie sanders (I-Vt.) suggested AND TOM HAMBURGER vestigated.
Biden’s vote in favor of the Iraq War was DES MOINES — Three years after Donald The cache of materials released
DES MOINES — A whittled-down field of disqualifying. Trump dashed Democratic hopes of electing new materials released by by House investigators late Tuesday
Democratic presidential candidates on Tues- “Joe and I listened to what Dick Cheney the country’s first female president, a fierce House Democrats appear to show exposed a number of previously un-
day focused on their shared disdain for Presi- and George Bush and [Donald] Rumsfeld had debate has erupted in the party’s presiden- Ukraine’s top prosecutor offering known details about efforts by Giu-
dent Trump and elaborated on a host of policy to say,” sanders said, speaking of the debate tial race about whether a woman can defeat an associate of President Trump’s liani and his associates to obtain
differences domestic and foreign in an Iowa after the sept. 11, 2001, attacks to give Bush him in november. personal attorney, Rudolph W. Giu- material in Ukraine that would un-
presidential debate whose most animated authority to strike overseas. “I thought they As a result, long-simmering questions liani, damaging information relat- dermine Trump’s Democratic op-
moment turned on whether a woman could were lying. I didn’t believe them for a mo- about gender and sexism have been thrust to ed to former vice president Joe ponents.
become president. ment. I took to the floor. I did everything the forefront of the primary race just weeks Biden if the Trump administration Its emergence on the eve of the
With the Democratic voting beginning in I could to prevent that war. Joe saw it before the first nominating contest on Feb. 3. recalled the U.s. ambassador to senate impeachment trial spurred
less than three weeks — and knotted among a differently.” sens. elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ukraine. Democrats to renew calls for the
quartet of leading contenders — the candi- Biden, while focusing on the work he did Bernie sanders (I-Vt.) acknowledged for the The text messages and docu- White House to turn over docu-
dates differed over the suddenly topical deci- during the obama administration to wind first time this week that they discussed the ments provided to Congress by for- ments related to the Ukraine pres-
sion of whether to commit troops abroad or down U.s. military involvement in Iraq, did fraught topic privately more than a year ago. mer Giuliani associate Lev Parnas sure campaign that it has refused to
remove them from the Middle east, their not defend the vote. They presented conflicting accounts of their also show that before the ambassa- see parnas on a6
disparate views on trade deals and their “It was a mistake to trust that they weren’t conversation at a debate Tuesday night, with dor, Marie Yovanovitch, was re-
starkly different proposals to remake the going to go to war,” Biden said about the Bush Warren saying sanders disagreed with her moved from her post, a Parnas asso- the witnesses issue: Pretrial focus
country’s health-care industry. administration’s assurances in 2002. “They view that a woman could win. sanders con- ciate now running for Congress turns to possible swing senators. a4
Coming on the heels of President Trump’s see Debate on a7 tends that he merely outlined what he said sent menacing text messages sug-
decision to kill Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem would be Trump’s efforts to defeat another gesting that he had Yovanovitch war powers: senate has votes
soleimani, the debate opened up with a the take: a split in sanders-Warren truce. a7 see Democrats on a9 under surveillance in Ukraine. A to limit trump’s authority. a12
Many U.S. firms to find American held in Egypt had pleaded for U.S. help
little relief in China deal
BY SUDARSAN RAGHAVAN
CAIRO — As an American impris-
less U.s. businesses — including oned in egypt, Mustafa Kassem
Despite ‘phase one’ chemical makers, apparel retail- thought his government would
ers and auto parts manufacturers rescue him from what he saw as
accord, Trump is likely
— that will still face the same his unjust incarceration. The 54-
to maintain most tariffs punishing tariffs they have con- year-old auto
fronted for some time. parts dealer
“There was an assumption that viewed his
this was a short-term situation,” blue U.s. pass-
BY DAVID J. LYNCH said ed Brzytwa, director for in- port as a bul-
ternational trade at the American letproof vest
From the Rust Belt to the Pacif- Chemistry Council, an industry that made him
ic northwest and from the Gulf group. “We’re now at the point untouchable,
Coast to niagara Falls, the out- where we’re telling our members especially in
look could not have been brighter they should expect these tariffs the hands of a Kassem
for U.s. chemical companies. are going to stay in place for a government
Then President Trump nearly long time. This has become the that receives billions in Ameri-
two years ago launched his trade new status quo for us.” can aid, his relatives have said.
war with China. In March 2018, when the presi- By the time he died Monday of
on Wednesday, Trump and dent began imposing tariffs on apparent heart failure, after
Chinese Vice Premier Liu He are Chinese goods — in a bid to force more than six years in jail with
scheduled to sign a partial trade Beijing to abandon its discrimi- negligent medical care, Kassem’s
deal, calling a truce in a conflict natory trade policies — chemical faith in American power had
that has shaken the global econo- companies were building dozens broken down. Influential U.s.
my. Yet as the chemical industry’s of new plants and creating tens of politicians called for his release
experience shows, many of the thousands of good-paying jobs but never applied any pressure,
trade war’s casualties have been around the country. such as the threat of sanctions on
left on the battlefield. Thanks to inexpensive shale egypt’s autocratic leader, Abdel
even as the White House cele- gas, U.s. chemical makers finally Fatah al-sissi, a key U.s. ally.
brates the president’s negotiating were poised to shed their high- khaled elfiqi/ePa-efe/shutterstock Finally, Kassem saw no choice
accomplishment, the “phase one” cost reputation and become the the tora prison in cairo in november. mustafa Kassem, 54, a hunger-striking american being held but to go on a hunger strike in
deal offers little relief for count- see china on a17 in the facility, died monday of apparent heart failure, after more than six years of incarceration. see egypt on a22
In the News
the world the region Food business news.........................a14
prince harry is British a tentative deal be- a pinch of funk comics.........................................c7
opinion pages..........................a19
royalty, but Canada, his tween a Metro contrac- fermenting is a safe and lotteries....................................b3
See and believe Doctored images in politics the nation sis, the Trump adminis- intended new home, is tor and a transit union is easy way to add depth to obituaries..................................b5
are multiplying and spreading online, and Lawmakers criticized tration now seeks coop- likely to treat him as a expected to end a strike your fruits and veggies. tweolrevldis nioenw..s.............................................................a.c150
a White House plan to eration. A3 commoner for migra- at a Northern Virginia
researchers say many viewers are fine with take an additional more than 100 billion tion purposes. A13 bus garage. B1 sports
that. A14 $7.2 billion in Pentagon doses of oxycodone and maryland gov. Larry more astros fallout 1ThCeO NWTaEsNhTin ©gto 2n0 P2o0st
funding to pay for the hydrocodone were the economy Hogan (R) said his alex cora won’t return as Year 143, No. 41
‘Where are we?’ The United States h as begun border wall. A2 shipped nationwide the nsa told Micro- budget increases fund- red sox manager after
putting asylum seekers on flights to Guatemala after attacking state from 2006 through soft about a security ing for fighting crime being implicated in the
without instructions about what’s next. A10 politicians over Califor- 2014, according to fed- flaw instead of using it and expands pre-K. B1 sign-stealing scandal. d1
nia’s homelessness cri- eral data. A6 as a weapon. A18
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a2 eZ re the washington post .wednesday, january 15, 2020
Plan to divert more defense funds to wall assailed
Happening today
For the latest updates all day, visit washingtonpost.com.
all day | president trump signs “phase one” of the U.s.-China trade BY PAUL SONNE, is more political than necessary for Senate Republicans reached agree- Ukraine in 2014.
agreement. For developments, visit washingtonpost.com/business. JEFF STEIN national security.” ment on a $1.4 trillion spending Esper said those countries, which
AND NICK MIROFF The additional funds would give package that did not backfill the rely on the United States to protect
all day | nasa flight engineers Jessica Meir and Christina Koch perform the administration the money to money. As a result, the construction them in the event of Russian mili-
a spacewalk at the International space station. Visit washingtonpost.com/ Lawmakers from both parties build about 885 miles of new barri- projects the Pentagon defunded in tary action, should “pick up the tab”
science for details. criticized White House plans to take ers by 2022, significantly more than 2019 for the wall effectively were for the projects themselves.
an additional $7.2 billion this year the 509 miles the administration canceled. The Pentagon’s counternarcotics
8:30 a.m. | the Labor department issues producer prices for december,
from Pentagon funds to pay for had set as a target for the end of For those projects to go forward, account had far less money in it
which are expected to increase 0.2 percent. For developments, visit
President Trump’s border wall proj- Trump’s first term. Congress would again have to ap- than Trump wanted to divert to the
washingtonpost.com/business.
ect, as more congressionally ap- Despite launching his run for the propriate funding for them. House wall, so the Pentagon had to move
10 a.m. | the supreme court hears arguments in Babb v. Wilkie, a case proved renovation and construc- presidency on a promise to make Democrats have opposed such a money into the account from else-
regarding the age discrimination in employment act. Visit tion plans for U.S. military installa- Mexico pay for the cost of a “border maneuver, which they view as an where in its budget. The funds came
washingtonpost.com/national. tions risked losing their funding. wall,” Trump has struggled to con- acquiescence to the president’s defi- from money slated for the Afghan
For the second year in a row, the vince lawmakers the project is nec- ance of their spending authorities. national security forces, the de-
White House is planning to obtain essary and useful. If his administra- The Constitution gives the power of struction of chemical weapons and
the majority of the funding it wants tion diverts $7.2 billion again this the purse — or the authority to fund the purchase of precision missiles.
for Trump’s barrier project by de- year, it will bring the total amount of the government’s initiatives and op- The Pentagon also tapped un-
KLMNO
funding construction and mainte- funds budgeted for Trump’s wall to erations — exclusively to Congress. spent military retirement funds to
corrections
nance projects on military bases at $18.4 billion. In a statement issued Tuesday come up with the $2.5 billion Trump
home and abroad and taking mon- Most of that money — $13.3 bil- evening, a group of Senate Demo- was demanding. What funds the
neWspaper deLiVery
A Jan. 12 Arts & Style article ey from elsewhere in the Pentagon’s lion — will derive from Defense De- crats led by Minority Leader Charles Pentagon will tap this year to shift
For home delivery comments l
about Ford Foundation President budget by funneling it through the partment money appropriated by E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said they op- $3.5 billion through the counterna-
or concerns contact us at
Darren Walker incorrectly counternarcotics program. Congress for other purposes. pose the plan to transfer counter- rcotics account to wall financing is
washingtonpost.com/subscriberservices or
send us an email at referred to Monet instead of Senior Republicans grumbled “I’m not in favor of diversions of drug funding for the wall and “will unclear.
[email protected] or call Manet in the title of an art about the plan but mostly put the budgets that were appropriated for force yet another vote to terminate Lt. Col. Chris Mitchell, a spokes-
202-334-6100 or 800-477-4679 exhibition Walker supported. The blame on Democrats, who agreed to specific purposes, and I’d rather see the President’s sham national emer- man for the Pentagon, said the De-
correct title is “Posing Modernity: provide $1.4 billion in border barri- specific appropriations for the wall,” gency declaration and return these fense Department had nothing new
to sUBscriBe
The Black Model From Manet and er funding this year — far less than Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said much-needed military construc- to announce regarding this year’s
800-753-Post (7678)
Matisse to Today.” the $5 billion Trump requested. Tuesday. tion funds back to our military.” plans.
to adVertise “I wish they’d get the money Lawmakers appropriated Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper, Reed said he had not spoken to
washingtonpost.com/mediakit
A Jan. 8 Page One article about somewhere else, instead of defense,” $1.05 billion for drug interdiction asked Tuesday if he supports the GOP senators yet, but added “this
Classified: 202-334-6200 l
the decision by D.C. Council said Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), and counterdrug activities in the continued diverting of Defense De- can’t continue.” Congress approved
display: 202-334-7642
member Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) to chairman of the Senate Appropria- 2020 fiscal year, far less than the partment money to fund the border $738 billion for the national defense
Main pHone nUMBer resign incorrectly said that he tions Committee. “But I do support $3.5 billion the White House is seek- wall, said that one of the Pentagon’s budget this year, up from $716 bil-
202-334-6000 grew up in central Pennsylvania. building the wall.” ing to divert from those programs missions is supporting homeland lion last year.
to reacH tHe neWsrooM Evans is from northeastern The White House shifted $2.5 bil- this year. That means the Pentagon defense. “If that’s what it takes, we “We can’t sit there and listen to
Metro: 202-334-7300; Pennsylvania. lion using counternarcotics author- would have to find money else- are prepared to support” it, he said. the Department of Defense say we
[email protected] ities last year, but this year Trump where in its budget for the remain- The military projects that lost have critical needs for the troops,
national: 202-334-7410; plans to boost that to $3.5 billion. ing $2.45 billion. funding to the border barrier in quality of life for their training and
[email protected] the Washington Post is committed to Trump administration officials also Trump administration officials 2019 included schools on military their readiness and then have that
business: 202-334-7320; correcting errors that appear in the are planning to take $3.7 billion in repeatedly have tried to play down bases at home and abroad, as well as thrown all overboard,” Reed said.
[email protected] newspaper. those interested in military construction funding, the potential impact of the funding repairs to military installations in “How can you come up to us and say,
sports: 202-334-7350; contacting the paper for that purpose slightly more than the $3.6 billion maneuver on military assets and Puerto Rico that suffered damage ‘We desperately need these projects
can:
[email protected] diverted in 2019. operations, depicting the move as from Hurricane Maria. The Navy — this is critical, it’s critical to the
email: [email protected].
reader advocate: 202-334-7582; “I think it’s outrageous,” said Sen. an act of creative accounting. The also was forced to stand down on quality of life of the troops — and
call: 202-334-6000, and ask to be
[email protected] Jack Reed (R.I.), the top Democrat $3.6 billion the White House shifted projects meant to fix “life safety vio- then say, ‘No, not really.’ ”
connected to the desk involved —
national, Foreign, Metro, style, sports, on the Armed Services Committee. from 2019 military construction lations” and fire hazards at ship The Trump administration has
to reacH tHe opinion pages
business or any of the weekly sections. Reed called it “a slap to the military projects would be “deferred,” Penta- maintenance buildings in Virginia. installed 101 miles of new fencing so
Letters to the editor:
Comments can be directed to the as well as a slap to Congress” and gon officials said last year, and European nations also took a hit. far, according to the most recent
[email protected] or call
Post’s reader advocate, who can be “another example of Congress sit- would proceed, in some cases with- More than $700 million was taken construction figures.
202-334-6215
opinion: reached at 202-334-7582 or ting down and trying to direct re- out delay, once Congress “back- from projects the Pentagon agreed [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]. sources that are of critical need to filled” the diverted funds in the to fund in allied nations in Europe [email protected]
Published daily (Issn 0190-8286). the Department of Defense, and 2020 budget. to help shore up defenses against [email protected]
PostMaster: send address changes to then having those needs disregard- But that has not happened. In Russia after Moscow’s annexation
the Washington Post, 1301 K st. nW, Washington,
ed by the president for a project that December, House Democrats and of Crimea from neighboring dan Lamothe contributed to this report.
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wednesday, january 15, 2020 . the washington post eZ re A3
Politics & the Nation
High court hears ‘Bridgegate’ case
northern New Jersey and Manhat- that the convictions hinged upon
Decision could sway tan — so that vehicles would back up Kelly and Baroni acting outside the
into Fort Lee, N.J., where the mayor scope of their power and needing to
prosecutors on pursuit
had declined to endorse Christie. commit fraud to execute their
of corruption allegations At the time, Kelly was Christie’s scheme.
deputy chief of staff, and Baroni was “They don’t get a free pass simply
the deputy executive director of the because Baroni worked for the Port
Port Authority of New York and New Authority when the evidence
BY MATT ZAPOTOSKY Jersey. The pair fabricated a traffic showed that he didn’t have the pow-
study, prosecutors said, and — with- er to direct these resources in this
As former New Jersey governor out warning to Fort Lee — took way without telling the lie,” Feigin
Chris Christie (R) looked on, the three lanes devoted to local traffic said.
Supreme Court heard arguments down to one, creating extensive Justice Sonia Sotomayor noted
Tuesday on whether to overturn the gridlock. Both were convicted; Bar- that David Wildstein, another Port
convictions against two of his for- oni was ultimately sentenced to 18 Authority official and government
mer political allies in the “Bridge- months in prison, Kelly to 13. witness in the case, had testified
gate” case, and the decision could Though Christie was never about having to lie to Port Authority
have broad implications for how charged in the case, prosecutors al- employees to put the plan in mo-
federal prosecutors pursue allega- leged he knew about the plot, and a tion. Did that, she asked, not indi-
tions of public corruption. key witness who admitted his role in cate Baroni lacked authority?
The two former allies — Bridget the affair testified that Christie Michael Levy, Baroni’s lawyer,
Kelly and William E. Baroni Jr. — laughed when informed. said it did not.
argue that the Justice Department The scandal largely dashed Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. said he
reached too far in charging them Christie’s national political ambi- saw “no indication whatsoever” that
Mason trinca for the Washington Post with fraud for their roles in an al- tions, though he has denied having the jury found Baroni lacked the
Pedestrians walk by homeless people sleeping in San Francisco in 2018. Amid rising homeless rates leged plot to back up traffic on the knowledge of the scheme. authority to order the change in
nationally, HUD’s homeless count for California was 22.5 percent higher in 2019 than in 2010. George Washington Bridge, the na- In filings to the Supreme Court, traffic patterns. Justice Stephen G.
tion’s busiest, as retaliation against Kelly and Baroni argued that — even Breyer noted that the defense want-
White House opts to cooperate with a local mayor who declined to en- if they did exactly what prosecutors ed jurors to be instructed that offi-
dorse Christie’s reelection bid. allege — it could not constitute a cials could not be convicted if they
They say that while the conduct federal crime. They argued that they were acting within their authority,
California on homelessness problem alleged may have been uncouth, it were essentially convicted of lying but that a lower court declined to do
was not illegal, and declaring it so about their true political motive for so. Feigin said such an instruction
would criminalize routine political a decision. might have been confusing.
dealings. Under that reasoning, defense at- Yaakov M. Roth, an attorney for
The Justice Department coun- torneys argued in the filings, a may- Kelly, argued that Kelly and Baroni
Homelessness in the United the possible provision of federal ters that Kelly and Baroni are mis- or who sent snowplows to the neigh- had simply “reallocated the traffic
Shift comes after Trump States rose for a third straight facilities, according to a person stating what occurred and that the borhood of a political donor could lanes from one public use to anoth-
year in 2019, federal officials said familiar with the conversation. evidence was sufficient to support be charged with a crime. Or, when a er,” so it was specious to suggest they
previously attacked state
in December, primarily because The conversation was first report- their convictions. court found that the Trump admin- had defrauded the government of
officials over the issue of the continued increase in Cali- ed by the Los Angeles Times. The questioning Tuesday did not istration gave a specious rationale its property.
fornia. The officials have exchanged break down neatly along traditional for its decision to add a citizenship Sotomayor said that, if she sided
In the fall, White House offi- letters, and Carson and Garcetti ideological lines, and it was difficult question to the census, it would not with Roth, she could “see a headline
cials were considering action to are expected to meet in Washing- to predict what the ultimate deci- just have jeopardized that policy that would say it’s okay for officials
BY JEFF STEIN, force homeless people in Califor- ton this month when Garcetti sion might be. Some justices who decision but also put administra- to use government public money in
ERICA WERNER nia cities into federal encamp- attends a conference of mayors, asked questions of the attorneys for tion officials at risk of being charged a way that is plainly unauthorized.”
AND JOSH DAWSEY ments, and officials from multi- the person said. Baroni and Kelly also seemed criti- criminally. Justice Elena Kagan asked
ple federal agencies toured an Details of the potential collabo- cal of some of the government’s The Justice Department shot whether Kelly and Baroni could
The Trump administration has abandoned Federal Aviation Ad- ration remain vague, and no points. Christie sat one row in front back that Kelly and Baroni lied have been charged if they had or-
shifted its approach for address- ministration site as a potential plans have been finalized. HUD’s of Kelly, who has blamed the former about the traffic study so they could dered the realignment to improve
ing California’s homelessness cri- place to relocate people. homeless count in California was governor for making her a scape- commandeer Port Authority re- their own commutes. But Chief Jus-
sis, seeking to work more cooper- “The president has never been 22.5 percent higher in 2019 than goat in the scandal. sources. Specifically, the depart- tice John G. Roberts Jr. and Kagan
atively with local leaders, accord- looking for a takeover from the in 2010. “He couldn’t even look me in the ment argued, the pair cheated the also pressed the government on
ing to three officials with knowl- federal government,” White Congressional negotiators put eye. He ruined my life,” Kelly said in Port Authority out of the thousands whether Kelly and Baroni had actu-
edge of internal planning. This is House spokesman Judd Deere language in the $1.4 trillion ap- an interview after the hearing. “He of dollars it paid to toll workers who ally obtained property — noting
a sharp contrast to the president’s said. “The president has seen a propriations package intended to took away my job, my health insur- would not have been working but that their goal was not to use toll
approach in the fall, which in- problem state and local leader- limit the wide discretion admin- ance, everything. But I’m still stand- for the scheme. workers.
cluded multiple presidential ship have failed to deal with and istration officials could have had ing. ” Several justices seemed focused The Supreme Court has in the
broadsides aimed at California asked the team to prepare options to spend that money, according to By prosecutors’ account, Baroni on the issue of whether Baroni, as past decade steadily narrowed the
politicians. for his consideration.” two people with knowledge of the and Kelly schemed in 2013 to deputy director of the Port Authori- definition of what constitutes pub-
Advisers to President Trump Congress included restrictive drafting process. change the traffic flow on the ty, had the authority to order the lic corruption and could do so again
met at the White House on Jan. 3 new language in a year-end The legislation also states that George Washington Bridge — which traffic realignment. Deputy Solici- in the Bridgegate case.
to discuss the issue. Administra- spending package that sets pa- the administration must “receive spans the Hudson River to connect tor General Eric Feigin conceded [email protected]
tion officials now hope to work rameters for a pot of funding prior written approval” from
closely with Los Angeles Mayor related to addressing homeless- House and Senate appropriators
Eric Garcetti (D). They are consid- ness. Administration officials before using certain recaptured
ering whether to send hundreds previously thought they had wide funding of these grants for other
of federal workers and additional discretion to spend these funds, purposes.
money for services if a deal can be according to one person with Several months ago, Trump
reached, one official said. knowledge of internal planning. was struck by conservative televi-
After the president had threat- Also, the Supreme Court decid- sion coverage of conditions in Los
ened to intervene in California, ed in December not to take up a Angeles’s Skid Row area and
Congress in December approved lower court’s ruling protecting wanted the needles, cardboard
new restrictions on how the ad- homeless people from prosecu- boxes and trash to be cleaned up, MD 301.388.5959 ScheduleFRED.com
ministration could use certain tion for sleeping outdoors. A fa- according to a senior administra-
VA 571.341.6202 A DIVISION OF
homelessness funds. vorable ruling from the Supreme tion official.
Attorneys with the Office of Court could have made it easier to Trump was confounded that DC 202.770.3131
Management and Budget and the enact administration plans to use there were restrictions that pre-
Department of Housing and Ur- law enforcement to address vented the federal government
ban Development are reviewing homelessness. from taking over, the person said.
that language, and it is not clear Trump said last week on Twit- But he has recently proposed a
whether it would complicate the ter that the federal government more cooperative approach.
administration’s efforts to ad- would help cities combat home- Three days after the White
WE GET
dress the situation in California, lessness if they ask for help “po- House meeting this month,
officials said. litely.” That marked a shift in tone Trump wrote on Twitter that the
The officials spoke on the con- from September, when Trump homelessness crisis “is a state and
IT DONE.
dition of anonymity because they told reporters about California’s local problem, not a federal prob-
were not authorized to speak homelessness crisis, “We’re look- lem,” but that the federal govern-
about internal planning matters. ing at it, and we’ll be doing some- ment could help.
The White House strategy thing about it.” “If however, the city or state in
comes after Trump spent months The administration’s position question is willing to acknowl- WINDOWS VANITIES
castigating California’s Demo- appears to lower the chances the edge responsibility, and politely SIDING FLOORING THOUSANDS OF HOMEOWNERS
cratic officials for the state’s grow- White House defies the wishes of asks for help from the Federal SERVED IN THE DMV
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A4 ez su the washington post .wednesday, january 15, 2020
Witnesses, documents remain pressure points ahead of Senate trial
BY SEUNG MIN KIM, publicans are working to balance oct. 6. That day, Trump told The
ELISE VIEBECK the party’s moderate wing, which Washington Post that murkowski
AND ROBERT COSTA has worked in recent weeks to would “never recover from this.”
shape GoP discussions over the In July 2017, both Collins and
The impeachment trial of Pres- trial, with its vocal conservative murkowski defied their party on
ident Trump, expected to open in faction. health care, dooming republican
the Senate on Thursday, is shining Cruz has long said Trump efforts to fully undo the Afford-
an intense spotlight on a handful should be able to get the kind of able Care Act. They were joined by
of Senate republicans who hold witnesses he wants in a trial, Sen. John mcCain (r-Ariz.); to-
the power to decide a key ques- while Democrats have balked at gether, the three sunk a measure
tion: whether to call witnesses. the prospect of having the Bidens that would have killed key fund-
on one end, a group of influen- or other GoP-sought witnesses ing and protections provided by
tial swing GoP senators — Sens. testify, arguing that doing so the law.
Susan Collins of maine, Lisa would allow Trump to divert at- five months earlier, Collins
murkowski of Alaska, mitt rom- tention away from his own alleged and murkowski voted in concert
ney of Utah and Lamar Alexander wrongdoing. Trump prevented against Trump’s education secre-
of Tennessee — are pushing to people with firsthand knowledge tary nominee, Betsy DeVos, who
hold a vote on whether to call of testifying during the impeach- they deemed unqualified. Vice
witnesses later in the proceed- ment inquiry in the House. President Pence was summoned
ings. Democrats have vowed to “People can express their own to the Capitol to break a 50-to-50
exert pressure on the group to view if they’d like,” romney said tie on the nomination, a first.
break with their party on witness- Tuesday. “I intend to be as impar- The two senators have already
es and other issues, such as ob- tial as the oath requires.” shown a willingness to buck their
taining documents. Despite their role as potential party on impeachment, refusing
At the same time, the Senate’s swing GoP votes in a narrowly in october to sign on to a resolu-
right flank is increasingly making divided Senate, the group of mod- gabriella Demczuk for the Washington Post tion that condemned the House
the case to majority Leader mitch erates has yet to defect in any Sen. Lamar alexander (R-tenn.), center, is one of a handful of influential swing GOp senators who are inquiry. romney joined them in
mcConnell (Ky.) and other GoP significant fashion from party pushing to hold a vote on whether to call witnesses later in the impeachment trial of president trump. declining to support the measure.
leaders for a more aggressive pos- leaders, who in turn have been meanwhile, the chamber’s right flank is increasingly arguing for a more aggressive defense. romney has maintained his
ture in defense of Trump. In a willing to accommodate the own independent streak since he
private meeting with mcConnell group’s requests as republicans mation from the trial proceedings. the former White House official. officials were watching all repub- joined the Senate early last year,
on Tuesday, Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.) finalize a measure that will set the Though the likes of romney, Col- “I won’t know until we get licans as the trial progresses. criticizing Trump on trade, oppos-
argued that if Democrats press parameters of the trial. lins, murkowski and Alexander there,” murkowski said this week. “We are very cognizant of all 53 ing a judicial nominee who called
the case for potentially damaging In a nod to the moderates, there have been the most closely “I need to hear first from both members and their priorities, former president Barack obama
witnesses — such as former na- is expected to be a provision guar- watched, other endangered re- sides. I’ll only be able to formulate needs, objectives,” he said. “And an “un-American impostor” and
tional security adviser John Bol- anteeing a vote on whether the publicans on the ballot this year — my questions [while listening] to we are continuing to engage in leading the charge against Her-
ton — the GoP should insist on Senate could consider subpoena- such as Sens. Cory Gardner (Colo.) the questions and responses from robust work and robust conversa- man Cain as a potential member
incendiary witnesses of their ing witnesses, according to two and martha mcSally (Ariz.) — are members. We’ll all have the op- tions and partnership with a lot of of the federal reserve Board.
own, such as Hunter Biden, the GoP officials familiar with the mat- also being scrutinized. portunity to weigh in. That’s what Senate and House GoP members As of mid-2019, romney had
former vice president’s son, ac- ter, who spoke on the condition of for weeks, Democrats have we’re trying to do is make sure up here, as we have for the last voted against Trump more than
cording to two GoP officials fa- anonymity because the resolution pushed for four current and for- that we all have a guaranteed several months.” any other Senate republican,
miliar with the discussion. has not been made public. Collins mer administration officials to opportunity [to weigh in].” Collins, who is up for reelection while Collins holds that distinc-
In the meeting, which was also had indicated last week that she testify, including Bolton and act- others, like Collins and Alexan- this year, is poised to join three tion now, according to a ranking
attended by Sens. John Cornyn wanted to ensure senators will get ing White House chief of staff der, have declined to specify other republicans in voting for a by fiveThirtyEight. more recent-
(Tex.), mike Lee (Utah) and Lind- to vote on the ability to call witness- mick mulvaney. Bolton, who which witnesses, if any, they resolution curbing Trump’s mili- ly, romney has been one of the
sey o. Graham (S.C.), mcConnell es. could shed more light on whether would like to hear from and prob- tary authority in Iran. loudest republican critics of
appeared receptive to Cruz’s mcConnell said Tuesday that Trump withheld military aid and ably will not until after the first The impeachment trial is also Trump calling on Ukraine and
pitch, according to the officials, both parties would get a say on a White House visit from Ukraine phase of the trial is over. reminiscent of other high-stakes China to investigate former vice
who spoke on the condition of witnesses, telling reporters: “I to force its president to investi- “We have a constitutional re- votes in which Collins and president Joe Biden, the issue at
anonymity to discuss a private can’t imagine that only the wit- gate his political rivals, said last sponsibility here. Just because the murkowski, in particular, have the heart of the impeachment
meeting. The discussions were nesses that our Democratic col- week that he would be willing to House was a circus doesn’t mean wielded considerable power. inquiry.
first reported by Politico. leagues would want to call would testify before the Senate if sub- the Senate needs to be,” Alexander In fall 2018, Collins and meanwhile, Alexander, a close
mcConnell was receptive to the be called.” poenaed. said Tuesday. “So we should hear murkowski were the final unde- mcConnell ally, is a veteran of the
idea since it could enable the GoP GoP leaders are confident that romney said this week that he the case, not dismiss it. We should cided swing votes during the con- chamber and one of its remaining
to frame their position as being once voting begins to set the scope presumes he will vote in favor of hear the arguments, we should ask firmation battle over then-Su- institutionalists who also has
both supportive of the president of the trial — called an organizing hearing from Bolton, although he our questions, and then we should preme Court nominee Brett m. bucked the president, including
and open to witnesses, one of the resolution — that no republicans added that his view could change vote on whether we need addition- Kavanaugh, who was accused of to reject Trump’s emergency dec-
officials said. Cruz then talked up will defect, with the moderates depending on what he hears from al evidence. And I think that’s a fair sexual misconduct during his laration issued last year to redi-
the idea at a broader lunch of all placated by a guaranteed decision the trial. He also said Tuesday that and impartial way to go about it.” teenage and young adult years. rect federal funding for his border
GoP senators, the officials said, on witnesses later. he doesn’t “plan to put a list White House legislative affairs (He denied the allegations.) Col- wall. He is retiring after this term.
and received encouragement. That calculus could change together” of desired witnesses. director Eric Ueland on Tuesday lins ultimately fell in line, while “Any four people could be pow-
The push by Cruz — and mcCo- once the Senate goes through the Last week, murkowski said she declined to say whether the ad- murkowski — in a dramatic 11th- erful,” Graham said. “I respect
nnell’s willingness to embrace an grind of opening arguments and a would be “curious” as to what ministration was paying any spe- hour announcement — said she them all.”
aggressive posture just days be- litany of questions, and if key GoP Bolton would have to say, but she cial attention to the requests of could not support the nominee. [email protected]
fore the trial is set to begin in senators become dissatisfied that had not made a commitment on the four senators and other poten- Kavanaugh was confirmed on a [email protected]
earnest — shows how Senate re- they hadn’t gotten enough infor- whether she wants to hear from tial swing votes, suggesting that near party-line vote of 50 to 48 on [email protected]
House will also vote to approve impeachment managers
impeachment from a1 “We’ve made our case,” he said.
“But I think the case can be ampli-
the chairs of the House Intelli- fied.”
gence, oversight and reform, Ju- In addition, Sen. richard Blu-
diciary, and foreign Affairs com- menthal (D-Conn.) argued that
mittees said in a joint statement. the House’s case was already
Wednesday’s vote sets in mo- “overwhelming” in support of
tion a ceremonial handoff be- Trump’s removal but that there
tween chambers, as House im- was no harm in pushing for more.
peachment managers physically “The case is already there —
carry the articles across the ro- these witnesses and documents
tunda in a high-profile procession. simply add to it,” he said.
mcConnell said Tuesday, how- Not every Democrat agrees.
ever, that opening arguments are Several warned on Tuesday that it
unlikely to begin for another could be a mistake for the prosecu-
week. He sketched out initial steps tors themselves to focus on the
this week, with Chief Justice John need for additional evidence —
G. roberts Jr. sworn in as the and said they should instead rely
presiding officer and all 100 sena- on outside political pressure to
tors, who will serve as jurors, also make that case.
sworn in. Then, the Senate will “Witnesses can buttress the
break for the four-day martin Lu- case, can maybe convince people
ther King Jr. Day weekend, push- with additional testimony as to
ing any debate on rules governing the accuracy and validation of
the trial into next week. what we presented to them. But
While Pelosi didn’t announce they’re not essential,” said rep.
her prosecution team Tuesday, Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.).
many senior Democrats expect multiple Democrats, however,
her to tap House Intelligence compared the House impeach-
Committee Chairman Adam B. ment to a grand jury indictment —
Schiff (D-Calif.), House Judiciary one that presents sufficient but
Committee Chairman Jerrold Na- not complete evidence for a con-
dler (D-N.Y.) and a few others close viction — and said it would be
to the investigation to make the appropriate to push for additional
case, closing out weeks of behind- witnesses.
the-scenes lobbying for the star- “It’s hard to imagine how you
ring role in the trial. decide this case and decide wheth-
“There’s a lot of people — I mean, er or not the president should be
Adam and Jerry foremost among melina mara/the Washington Post convicted of these very serious
them — who have all of the facts at house Speaker nancy pelosi (D-calif.) leaves a Democratic caucus meeting at the capitol. in a statement announcing the vote on sending charges before us without evi-
their fingertips, and they’re ready articles of impeachment to the Senate, she said, “the american people deserve the truth, and the constitution demands a trial.” dence being presented by way of
to go today,” said rep. Peter Welch witnesses and documents,” said
(D-Vt.). “I mean, Adam Schiff could stuck in the Senate chamber, un- Should four Senate republi- to Cruz’s argument, according to Connell argued that congressional rep. David N. Cicilline (D-r.I.). “I
present the case this afternoon. So able to campaign — a situation cans agree on the need to hear the officials. Cruz spoke about his investigators took 14 months to think obviously the impeachment
could Jerry.” already complicating any plans more evidence, Democrats could proposal, and the possibility of look into Watergate before Presi- managers will make that case.”
The late start complicates re- ahead of the feb. 3 Iowa caucuses. force the issue. Preemptively, Sen- seeking Hunter Biden’s testimony dent richard Nixon’s resignation The debate over witnesses un-
publicans’ plan to vote to acquit for now, how the trial will pro- ate republicans have warned if Democrats push for Bolton to and accused Pelosi of trying to folds as republicans confronted
Trump before the feb. 4 State of ceed depends on about half a doz- Democrats that should they pre- appear, with others at the weekly short-circuit the process. “They one internal dispute. Senate re-
the Union address. en centrist Senate republicans vail on securing testimony from GoP lunch. pulled the plug early because the publicans have rebuffed Trump’s
“You know, as I recall, President and whether they will buck their witnesses such as Bolton or acting Politico first reported on the facts were never the point; the weekend demand that their cham-
Clinton gave his State of the Union leadership and side with Demo- White House chief of staff mick meeting. point was to check a political box,” ber move immediately to dismiss
in the middle of that process, and I crats on summoning witnesses mulvaney, Trump’s team will be After the lunch, mcConnell told mcConnell said. charges against him rather than
would expect — no reason to be- such as John Bolton. The former sure to call its own witnesses, pos- reporters, “When you get to that The push for witnesses also hold a trial.
lieve that same thing wouldn’t hap- national security adviser likened sibly even Hunter Biden, the for- issue, I can’t imagine that only the complicates Democrats’ internal “Little or no sentiment in our
pen,” said Sen. roy Blunt (r-mo.). Trump’s pressure on Ukraine to a mer vice president’s son who was witnesses that our Democratic col- dynamics. If impeachment man- conference for a motion to dis-
The GoP was hoping Trump “drug deal,” according to sworn on the board of a Ukrainian gas leagues would want to call would agers argue during the trial that miss,” mcConnell told reporters.
could use the annual address to testimony from a former deputy, company. be called,” mcConnell said Tuesday. they need more evidence and ad- He has argued privately to the
pronounce himself exonerated, fiona Hill. Trump pressured Ukraine to in- Senate republicans have been ditional witnesses, that could un- president that there would not be
but now the trial could easily ex- The White House stonewalled vestigate his potential 2020 rival, coalescing around an argument dermine their case that the facts enough votes to dismiss the case,
tend past that date, prompting House investigators, repeatedly Joe Biden, and Hunter Biden. that it was the House’s duty — not are clear and that Trump should which could create embarrassing
some republicans, including rep. blocking witnesses and docu- on Tuesday, mcConnell met the Senate’s — to question first- be removed from office. optics for him, according to one
Jim Banks (Ind.), to float the idea ments requested in the months- with a small group of Senate re- hand witnesses who spoke to Those “two things cannot both individual close to the senator
of postponing the speech. long impeachment probe. While publicans, including Sen. Ted Cruz Trump about Ukraine. The White be true,” mcConnell said. “House who was not authorized to speak
The timing also raises the pros- Senate republican leaders have (Tex.), who told the leader that as House repeatedly rejected im- Democrats’ case cannot simulta- publicly and so spoke on the con-
pect of impeachment spilling into favored a no-witness strategy, long as Democrats insisted on call- peachment investigators’ sum- neously be so robust that it was dition of anonymity.
the New Hampshire Democratic some moderates up for reelection ing witnesses, republicans should monses for members of Trump’s enough to impeach in the first [email protected]
primary on feb. 11. Senators run- in swing or Democratic states, in- do the same, casting it as “witness inner circle, but House Democrats place . . . but also so weak that the [email protected]
ning for the presidential nomina- cluding Sen. Susan Collins (r- reciprocity,” according to two re- declined to appeal to the courts to Senate needs to go fishing.”
tion, including Bernie Sanders maine), are eager to show inde- publican officials who spoke on force the matter, citing the slow House majority Leader Steny H. Paul sonne, seung min kim and
(I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D- pendence from the party in seek- the condition of anonymity to talk litigation process. Hoyer (D-md.) said Tuesday that robert costa contributed to this
mass.), will soon find themselves ing a credible, robust trial. frankly. mcConnell was receptive In a floor speech Tuesday, mc- the two aren’t mutually exclusive. report.
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wednesday, january 15, 2020 . the washington post EZ RE A5
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A6 eZ su the washington post .wednesday, january 15, 2020
100 billion pain pills in nine years, data shows
The two additional years of in- through 2014, more than 130,000 what each company reported to the but he withheld the data from 2013
From 2006 to 2014, more formation — 2013 and 2014 — was Americans died from prescription DEA about the pills it distributed and 2014. The drug companies had
recently posted by a data analytics opioids. day by day, town by town. argued that the release of that data
opioids than previously
company managed by lawyers for The number of pills shipped It is at the center of a sprawling could damage their competitive ad-
known flooded the U.S. the plaintiffs in a massive lawsuit went from 8.4 billion in 2006 to 12.8 lawsuit pending in federal court in vantage, and the Justice Depart-
against the opioid industry. billion in 2011. Pill distribution Cleveland, where nearly 2,500 ment warned that the newer data
“In excess of 100 billion pills is started to decline slightly in 2012, towns, cities, counties and tribal could compromise ongoing investi- associated Press
simply jaw-dropping,” said Peter J. and the additional data shows that, nations have sued two dozen drug gations. on Tuesday, a special mas- Businessman George nader,
BY STEVEN RICH, mougey, a lawyer for the plaintiffs by 2014, the number of pills distrib- manufacturers, distributors and ter appointed to help manage the seen in 1998, was a witness in
SCOTT HIGHAM from Pensacola, fla. “The data uted was 11.8 billion. pharmacies for allegedly fueling litigation issued an order making robert s. Mueller III’s probe.
AND SARI HORWITZ demonstrates that every communi- The decline in pills distributed the worst drug epidemic in U.S. the 2013 and 2014 data public.
ty in the country has been negative- coincides with a series of aggressive history. Lawyers for the municipalities Nader files
Newly disclosed federal drug ly impacted.” regulatory enforcement actions the In october, several companies have accused drug manufacturers,
data shows that more than 100 bil- The newly released data, which DEA took against some of the big- reached a $260 million settlement wholesalers and pharmacies of fan-
lion doses of oxycodone and hydro- traces the path of pills from manu- gest names in the drug industry, with two ohio counties. The re- ning the opioid epidemic by pro- guilty plea
codone were shipped nationwide facturers and distributors to phar- including CVS, Walgreens, mcKes- maining lawsuits are pending. ducing, distributing and dispens-
from 2006 through 2014 — 24 bil- macies across the country, confirms son and Cardinal. The companies have blamed the ing tens of billions of pain pills. The
lion more doses of the highly addic- again that six companies distribut- The DEA accused the companies opioid epidemic on overprescrib- companies have paid more than $1 over child
tive pain pills than previously ed the vast majority of the pain pills. of failing to report suspicious or- ing by doctors, and on customers billion in fines to the Justice De-
known to the public. mcKesson Corp., Cardinal ders of pain pills to the federal gov- who abused the drugs. The compa- partment and food and Drug Ad-
sex charges
The data, which traces the path Health, Walgreens, Amerisource- ernment and shipping the pills nies also have said they were work- ministration over opioid-related
of every pain pill shipped in the Bergen, CVS and Walmart account- even after the companies had been ing to supply the needs of patients claims, and hundreds of millions
United States, shows the extent to ed for 76 percent of the oxycodone warned by the DEA and some of with legitimate prescriptions des- more to settle state lawsuits.
which opioids flooded the country and hydrocodone pills that were them had been fined, according to perate for pain relief. Settlements with the Justice De-
as deaths from the epidemic contin- shipped between 2006 and 2014, agency records. U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron partment were frequently accom- BY RACHEL WEINER
ued to climb over nine years. according to an analysis by The The new data further confirms Polster, who is overseeing that case, panied by agreements that kept de-
The Washington Post and the Post. The new data will be added to the states that were flooded with allowed the plaintiffs and defen- tails of the cases hidden from the George Nader, a key witness in
company that owns the Charleston the database of pills previously the most opioids per person: West dants to see the DEA data from public. the special-counsel probe of rus-
Gazette-mail in West Virginia first published by the The Post. Virginia with 66.8 pills per person 2006 through 2014 under a protec- Taken together, the data and the sian interference in the 2016 pres-
obtained the data, collected by the Three manufacturers still ac- per year, Kentucky with 63.6, South tive order, shielding it along with documents provide the public with idential election, admitted mon-
Drug Enforcement Administra- counted for 85 percent of the pills: Carolina with 60.9 and Tennessee tens of thousands of court records an unprecedented road map to the day to bringing a 14-year-old boy
tion, from 2006 through 2012 after SpecGx, a subsidiary of mallin- with 59. West Virginia also had the from the public view. The Post and opioid epidemic. to the United States for sex and to
waging a year-long legal fight. In ckrodt; Actavis Pharma; and Par highest prescription opioid death the Gazette-mail sued to gain ac- [email protected] possessing child pornography.
July, The Post reported that the data Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of rate during the nine-year period. cess to the material and won the [email protected] A wealthy Lebanese American
revealed that the nation’s drug com- Endo Pharmaceuticals. The DEA data is drawn from a court fight in June. [email protected] businessman with long-standing
panies had manufactured and dis- The volume of pills distributed database known as ArCoS, or the following the lawsuit by the political influence in Washington
tributed more than 76 billion pain skyrocketed as the epidemic Automation of reports and Consol- news organizations, Polster re- aaron Williams, andrew Ba tran and and the middle East, Nader faces
pills. claimed more lives. from 2006 idated orders System. It reveals leased the DEA data through 2012, Jenn abelson contributed to this report. at least a decade in federal prison
after his guilty plea in federal
court in Alexandria, Va.
Records detail bid to oust While the charges carry a max-
imum penalty of 30 years, prose-
cutors in the Eastern District of
U.S. envoy in Ukraine Virginia agreed to recommend
the mandatory minimum of 10
years. Sentencing is set for
April 10.
Prosecutors also agreed that
Parnas from a1 Affairs Committees said in a joint Nader, 60, a dual citizen, can ask
statement. “There cannot be a full to leave the country immediately
share with Congress. and fair trial in the Senate without after his prison sentence is com-
Among the revelations in the the documents that President plete, rather than serve proba-
documents released Tuesday: a Trump is refusing to provide to tion.
message from Giuliani to Parnas Congress.” He already has a conviction in
saying he had involved a person he Giuliani did not respond to re- the same court for transporting
called “no 1” — possibly Trump him- quests for comment. The White child pornography in 1991, for
self — in an effort to lift a U.S. visa House declined to comment. which he served six months in
ban on a former Ukrainian prose- The materials show that Parnas, prison. In exchange for his plea,
cutor who was planning to come to a russian-speaker who helped co- prosecutors dropped new charg-
the United States to make claims ordinate Giuliani’s outreach to es of transporting child pornog-
about Biden. Ukrainian sources, was directly raphy and obscene materials, and
The materials also include a let- communicating with an array of he will not be charged for similar
ter Giuliani wrote to Ukraine’s top Ukrainian officials. Among conduct in the Eastern District of
then-president-elect, Volodymyr them was Yuri Lutsenko, at the time New York or in Washington.
Zelensky, requesting a may 14 meet- Ukraine’s top prosecutor and a Nader still faces charges in
ing with the new leader in Giuliani’s close political ally of then-Ukraini- Washington federal court of con-
“capacity as personal counsel to an President Petro Poroshenko, spiring to funnel illegal campaign
President Trump and with his who was running for reelection. contributions to both Democrats
knowledge and consent.” Giuliani Lutsenko wanted to get rid of and republicans.
scrapped his planned trip, and the Yovanovitch, the U.S. ambassador, As an adviser to the leadership
meeting never took place. in part because she had been criti- susan Walsh/associated Press of the United Arab Emirates, Na-
Another document released by cal of his office and supported a rudolph W. Giuliani, right, with Lev Parnas, third from right, in Washington in 2018. records given to der met several times with offi-
the House investigators appears to quasi-independent anti-corruption House investigators by Parnas appear to show a campaign to undermine the U.s. ambassador to Ukraine. cials and associates of President
show Parnas directly involved with bureau he despised. Trump during the early days of
efforts to get Zelensky to announce The messages, written in rus- Burisma, the Ukrainian gas compa- not getting away.” did not respond to a message re- the administration. He helped set
investigations related to Biden. sian, show Lutsenko urging Parnas ny on whose board Hunter Biden Parnas, days later, told Lutsenko questing comment. up a January 2017 meeting be-
In handwritten notes on a piece to force out Yovanovitch in ex- served from 2014 to 2019. that “soon everything will turn The new documents also intro- tween Trump associate Erik
of stationery from the ritz-Carlton change for cooperation regarding four days later, Lutsenko told around and we’ll be on the right duced a new character in the drama Prince and a russian official close
Hotel in Vienna, Parnas wrote, “get Biden. At one point, Lutsenko sug- Parnas that work on the case course.” Lutsenko responded that over the ambassador’s ouster: a re- to russian President Vladi mir
Zalenksy [sic] to Annouce [sic] that gests he won’t make any helpful against the owner of the gas compa- he had copies of payments Burisma publican congressional candidate Putin that was closely scrutinized
the Biden case will be Investigated.” public statements unless “madam” ny is proceeding successfully and made to the investment firm co- in Connecticut who asserted to Par- by then-special counsel robert S.
“All of this new evidence con- is removed. evidence of the money transfers of founded by Biden’s son Hunter. nas in messages that he had Yo- mueller III.
firms what we already know: the “It’s just that if you don’t make a “B” had been obtained. The next month, Yovanovitch vanovitch under physical and elec- While Nader was being inter-
President and his associates pres- decision about madam — you are “And here you can’t even remove was removed from her post at Giu- tronic surveillance. viewed by the special-counsel
sured Ukrainian officials to an- calling into question all my declara- one fool :(” Lutsenko laments, liani’s urging. Lutsenko later said “Wow. Can’t believe Trumo [sic] team about that outreach, agents
nounce investigations that would tions. Including about B,” Lutsenko again appearing to push for Yo- publicly that he found no evidence hasn’t fired this b----,” robert f. found child pornography on his
benefit the President politically,” wrote to Parnas in a march 22 mes- vanovitch’s ouster. of wrongdoing under Ukrainian Hyde wrote in an encrypted mes- phone and referred it to others in
the chairs of the House Intelligence, sage on WhatsApp. “She’s not a simple fool[,] trust law by Hunter or Joe Biden. sage to Parnas on march 23. “I’ll get the fBI for investigation.
oversight, Judiciary and foreign It’s unclear if ‘B’ refers to Biden or me,” Parnas responded. “But she’s A spokeswoman for Lutsenko right [on] that.” Nader arranged for the 14-
Hyde described having contact year-old to travel from the Czech
INSULATION SALE with a “private security” team locat- republic to Nader’s Washington
Enjoy the Breeze ed near the embassy that was ap- home in february 2000, and the
parently monitoring the ambassa- boy stayed in the country for
dor’s movements. about a month.
in Your New
Keep The Heat! Being Cold Gets Old! “She’s talked to three people. Her Not long after, according to his
phone is off. Computer is off,” he attorneys, Nader went on to serve
Screen Room wrote in one message. as a contractor with the Defense
Cold House? High Heating Bills? “They will let me know when Department and an adviser on
she’s on the move,” he said in anoth- middle East policy for the George
Winter is here!
er. Later, he alerted Parnas that he W. Bush administration.
Installing Multilayer Foil Attic Insulation, Blown Insulation and had been told Yovanovitch would Law enforcement got a tip
Easy fi nancing Air Sealing Can Have an Immediate Impact on Your Energy Bill! nunotit b.”e moved to a “special security aNbaoduetr thhea db olye tfwt oth yee acros ulantterry,. bIunt
$149/mos. Monthly payments you“T whoeuy ladr lei kwei lal inprgi cteo, ”h heelp s aifi dw ien/ 2C0ze0c3h rhee pwubalsi c cfoorn sveicxtueadl cionn ttahcet
as low as $59!
one note. “Guess you can do any- with minor boys.
thing in the Ukraine with money . . . According to Czech court docu-
with approved credit.
Minimum purchases what I was told.” ments, he paid at least five teen-
of $4,000. Hyde did not explain how his age boys, four of whom were
Offer expires
1-31-20 team might “help” Parnas, who re- under 15, to engage in sex acts.
sponded only with “lol.” Nader enticed the boys with
When asked for comment by The “money, jewelry, mobile tele-
Washington Post in a text message, phones, clothing, care and hous-
Hyde replied: “Sorry I can’t talk ing,” according to the court re-
right now.” cord, and took some to Prague’s
Late Tuesday, Hyde tweeted that annual St. matthew’s fair.
he was “never in Kiev,” calling the The documents say he took one
messages a joke that he and his boy, who was at least 15 and
friends wrote “to some dweeb we facing possible time in a Czech
were playing with that we met a few juvenile detention center, to the
times while we had a few drinks.” United States and gave him hous-
Hyde is one of three republicans ing, food and spending money in
running to unseat an incumbent exchange for sexual acts. The
Democrat in the 5th Congressional Virginia case involves a different
District in Connecticut. He fre- child.
FREE quently tweets about his support In court, one of Nader’s current
for Trump and posted photos of attorneys described the 2003 con-
himself with the president. viction as “having a relationship
WINTER SALE
Lawrence S. robbins, a Yovano- with two young men two years
a $300 value vitch attorney, said in a statement: under the age of consent.” The age
BUY NOW AND
“Needless to say, the notion that of consent in the Czech republic
SAVE $1250 12-point Home Energy American citizens and others were is 15.
Loss Analysis
monitoring Ambassador Yovano- Nader was sentenced to a year
vitch’s movements for unknown in Czech prison. He didn’t return
Some restrictions apply
202-996-3585 DC purposes is disturbing. We trust to the United States until 2009.
that the appropriate authorities He maintains that the images
FREE ESTIMATES
301-245-2492 MD will conduct an investigation to de- of children found on his phone
202-741-4435 DC termine what happened.” during the mueller investigation
703-278-9016 VA [email protected] were not child pornography. But
703-334-0331 VA
[email protected] he admitted that in late 2012,
301-683-7211 MD [email protected] while in New York, he received an
***Attics Only - We Do Not Do Crawl Spaces*** email that included child pornog-
VA #2705029456A | MHIC #46744 | DC #67000878 | NC #77474 alice crites and ashley Parker raphy.
MHIC#125450, DC#67004413, VA#2705 108835A, WVA#036832
contributed to this report. [email protected]
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wednesday, january 15, 2020 . the washington post eZ su kk A7
campaign 2020
In Iowa debate, Democrats highlight their policy di≠erences
Debate from a1 testify about his activities in
Ukraine when his father was vice
said they were not going to go to president.
war.” Biden said Tuesday night that
The candidates agreed on the he had no concern about his fami-
need to reduce the U.S. military ly being dragged into the Senate
footprint in Iraq and Afghanistan, trail. There has been no evidence
though they differed slightly on of wrongdoing on the part of
timetables and other details. either Biden, but it has been a
“No one has a solution and an topic the campaign has generally
endpoint. We need to get our tried to avoid.
combat troops out,” Warren said. “It doesn’t really matter wheth-
“They are not helping.” er he goes after me,” Biden said. “I
Biden and others struck a more have got to be able not only to
nuanced note, arguing that Spe- fight but also to heal, and as
cial operations forces should re- president of the United States
main in the region to guard that’s what I will attempt to do.”
against a resurgence of the Islam- Some of the debate reprised
ic State and to protect U.S. inter- earlier such gatherings. for the
ests. seventh straight faceoff, the can-
The former vice president also didates cast different visions on
said he would not meet with health care, with Sanders con-
North Korean leader Kim Jong tinuing to push for medicare-for-
Un, with whom Trump met, to all, which would abolish the pri-
much-orchestrated drama but vate health care industry.
with whom he has been unable to “Again, I think it is much better
strike a deal on nuclear weapons. to build on the Affordable Care
“No. Not now. I wouldn’t meet Act,” Klobuchar said. “And if you
with him without preconditions,” want to be practical and progres-
he said, blaming Trump for giving sive at the same time and have a
the North Korean legitimacy by plan and not a pipe dream, you
meeting with him. have to show how are you going to
He also noted that the leader pay for it.”
had called him “a rabid dog who Several of the candidates tried
should be beaten to death with a to address some of their short-
stick.” comings.
“other than that, you like him,” Buttigieg responded to con-
Sanders joked. robyn beck/agence France-presse/getty Images cerns in the party, shown in a
Gender politics, which sub- From left, candidates tom Steyer, Sen. elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), former vice president Joe biden, Sen. bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), former recent Washington Post poll, that
sumed the campaign in recent South bend, Ind., mayor Pete buttigieg and Sen. amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) make their cases to voters during tuesday night’s debate. black voters do not support his
days, provided one of the sharpest campaign, even after they learn
exchanges of the night as Warren head-on.” gavel back to Nancy Pelosi. the country, endorsements, wher- Steyer, who has gained ground more about him.
and Sanders clashed over wheth- She went on to divide the stage But Democratic anxiety over ever we go, I am the one who has in several new polls after a bar- “The black voters who know
er Sanders said in a private 2018 by gender, saying that she and Trump, and whether he could the broadest coalition of anyone rage of television ads, made one of me best are supporting me,” Butt-
meeting that a woman could not Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-minn.) defeat another woman, has been running up here in this race.” his most aggressive arguments igieg said, before listing off sever-
be elected against Trump in 2020. were the only two candidates to one of the looming questions over The debate came just 20 days around the need to combat cli- al recent endorsements. “The big-
Sanders denied the claim out- have won all of their elections, the primary for the past year, before the Iowa caucuses, the re- mate change. gest mistake we can make is to
right. “Does anybody in their while the men onstage had collec- asked everywhere from top party sults of which are likely to be “We’re going to come to the take black votes for granted. And I
right mind believe that a woman tively lost 10 races. leaders to Democrats attending pivotal in the 2020 nomination rescue of Americans who are in never will.”
can’t be president?” Sanders said. Klobuchar laughingly agreed, rallies in early states. fight. The major Democratic can- trouble. But this is why climate is In the opening minutes of the
“I don’t think anybody believes and later noted that she had an Biden chimed into the discus- didates have gone all-in on the my number one priority,” he said. debate, Sanders also tried to ad-
that.” unbroken record of winning in sion to argue that he alone had state, and with polls showing a “And I’m still shocked that I’m the dress the concerns that he is too
But Warren, as part of an ap- areas similar to those in which the longevity and the experience multicandidate tie, with about 1 only person on this stage who will divisive and wouldn’t have
parent pivot to embrace her role Trump had defeated Clinton. to knit together a coalition of the in 5 voters favoring Biden, Sand- say this: I would declare a state of enough appeal to a general elec-
as the highest-polling woman in The extended exchange was re- whole party. ers and Buttigieg. Warren is close emergency on day one.” torate.
the race, stuck to the claim she markable, coming four years after “I agree women can win,” Biden on their heels with 16 percent for several of the candidates “I am able to work with repub-
first made the day before the the party selected Hillary Clinton said, touting the number of fe- support, according to an average onstage, the debate marked the licans,” he said, citing unsuccess-
debate. as its first female nominee. Her male candidates he campaigned of two Iowa polls over the past final highlighted moment before ful legislation he co-sponsored
“I disagreed,” she said of her loss to President Trump amid for in 2018 and calling it “the best week. the Senate impeachment trial di- with Sen. mike Lee (r-Utah). “I
conversation with Sanders in what many felt were misogynistic group I’ve ever campaigned for in The two other candidates on verts the nation’s attention and am able to bring people together
2018. “Bernie is my friend, and I attacks helped energize women terms of competence.” the stage, Klobuchar and the bil- demands their presence in Wash- to try to create a world where we
am not here to try to fight with who came out for massive march- “But the real issue is who can lionaire activist Tom Steyer, have ington. While Warren, Sanders solve conflicts over the negotiat-
Bernie. But look, this question es the day after he was elected, bring the whole party together been ranking in the single digits, and Klobuchar will have to serve ing table, not through military
about whether or not a woman helped fuel the election of record represents all elements of the par- well below the 15 percent thresh- as jurors, Biden too will be tied efforts.”
can be president has been raised numbers of women to Congress ty,” he said. “I would argue that in old required by party rules to up; some Senate republicans are [email protected]
and it’s time for us to attack it and handed the House speaker’s terms of endorsements around acquire convention delegates. seeking to force his son Hunter to [email protected]
Sanders vs. Warren: The clash that had to happen erupts on a surprising issue
DES MOINES — highlighted that at a time when potentially decisive in
Conflict between any of four candidates appear to determining which one has the
Sens. Bernie have a chance of winning the support to move to the later
Sanders (I-Vt.) caucuses, there are two pairings contests with momentum.
and Elizabeth in competition with one another. Iowa has turned into a free-
Warren (D-mass.) former vice president Joe for-all. Sanders was leading in
Dan Balz
is a story that has Biden and former South Bend, the latest Iowa poll, considered
The Take been waiting to Ind., mayor Pete Buttigieg are the most reliable indicator of
happen. What no appealing to those looking for voter attitudes here. Biden is
one expected is more modest policy initiatives leading in a monmouth
that their first clash of the 2020 and calls for unity, with Sen. Amy University poll released this
Democratic president race would Klobuchar (D-minn.) trying to week; Warren and Buttigieg both
come over issues of gender, class break into that competition. have led in earlier surveys. The
and electability. meanwhile, Sanders and Warren order of finish in Iowa now
Contradictory versions of are appealing to voters looking becomes extremely important
what happened during a private for big policy changes and a for all four candidates.
dinner more than a year ago as candidate with a fighting New Hampshire could be even
both were preparing to enter the posture. more consequential, especially
race — Warren says Sanders told Neither Sanders nor Warren is for Warren and Sanders, given
her a woman could not win the thinking or talking about small- political history. Both come from
White House; Sanders says he bore politics. Sanders wants a states adjacent to New
said no such thing — brought grass-roots revolution to Hampshire, which historically
them to the brink of open overturn the current power has proven an advantage.
conflict. Significantly, the flash structure. Warren has said, “We That gives both of them a
point underscored the broader have a better chance of winning potential edge, and whoever
reality that success for one could a big fight than we do a small finishes behind the other will
mean the undoing of the other. fight.” have suffered a significant
When the two met on the for the past year, the two have setback.
debate stage Tuesday night, avoided taking on each other, for the next three weeks, the
neither appeared eager to air the preferring to focus on those shannon stapleton/reuters fluidity of the competition in
details of what happened at their larger visions. In part, that’s audience members watch the seventh Democratic presidential primary debate tuesday in Des Moines. Iowa will consume all the
dinner in December 2018. because they are longtime Sens. bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) came to the brink of open conflict. campaigns. The major
Sanders stoutly denied again friends, having met years before candidates will be looking at one
that he said or believes that a Warren moved from academia to be competing in Iowa for the Warren and Buttigieg — and at people’s winning record . . . another, aware that the order of
woman can’t win the presidency. politics. They found common support of more-affluent voters there is some — the new story Look at the men on this stage. finish, however close, will shape
Warren stood by her version of cause over the concerns about with college degrees. Sanders’s was a reminder of the Collectively, they have lost 10 perceptions in ways that all the
events and used the moment to the hollowing out of the middle campaign saw that as an opening inevitability of the competition elections. The only people on this polls and commentary cannot
state forcefully why she is class and a shared belief that the and seized it. over the weekend, between Sanders and Warren. stage who have won every single do.
confident a woman can win and economic and political systems Politico reported that volunteers The biggest issue that has election that they’ve been in are Sanders sees an opportunity to
might do better than a man are rigged against ordinary in the Sanders campaign were shadowed the candidacies of the women, Amy and me.” seize an advantage with a victory
against President Trump. Americans. being urged to tell voters that both Sanders and Warren is Warren also sought to harness here and then in New
But even if the two appeared They still share those Warren was a candidate of the whether any nominee who is as her candidacy to earlier Hampshire. Biden knows that a
ready to declare a truce about assessments of the economy and elite — of the rich and well liberal as they are, whose Democratic pathbreakers, noting victory in Iowa could set him on
their dinner onstage, there is of the political system. Sanders educated. agendas would enlarge the role that in 1962 some questioned if a a course to the nomination.
little doubt that they remain on a attacks the billionaire class at Warren expressed of government as much as each Catholic could win the Buttigieg knows that a strong
collision course as voters begin every turn. Warren describes the disappointment, and Sanders has proposed, can win a general presidency and that in 2008 they finish here, especially one that
to cast their first votes of the system as one that has been noted that he had not personally election against Trump. asked the same about an African puts him ahead of Biden, could
campaign, with the feb. 3 Iowa corrupted by money and power. approved the script used by the But the other question, heard American — but that John f. be the springboard for his hopes.
caucuses and the feb. 11 New Each has made that message the volunteers, emphasizing that he from voters along the campaign Kennedy and Barack obama And Warren counts on her deep
Hampshire primary the testing foundation of their presidential had not directly attacked Warren trail, is whether any female proved them wrong. organization to surprise those
grounds that will shape the campaigns. And each is wary of at any point since the campaign candidate can capture the White Sanders said that “of course” a who believe she has fallen back.
futures of both. alienating voters that are loyal to started. But that hardly resolved House. It is a question woman can win the presidency, There have been surprises
After the debate wrapped up, the other but at some point may the matter. The Sanders understandably resented by but added that the central over the past year with the ebbs
Warren appeared to avoid be up for grabs. campaign criticism appeared female candidates, but one they question for Democrats is who is and flows of the polls and
shaking hands with Sanders, and for the past few months, designed to cast Warren as a nonetheless must confront. best equipped to defeat Trump, candidate performances. But
the two appeared to have a testy Warren found herself looking at candidate with a narrower Warren did so cogently when the and argued that the energy there are some things about the
exchange. Buttigieg as a more immediate appeal. question arose in the debate. surrounding his candidacy gives Democratic race that have been
Tuesday’s debate at Drake threat in Iowa. She took a lead in Then came the story, first “This question about whether him the strongest chance. clear from the start. one of those
University was the last such a September Iowa poll by the Des reported by CNN, about or not a woman can be president A major factor contributing to is the Warren-Sanders dynamic,
event ahead of the caucuses, and moines register and CNN, only Sanders’s ostensible comments has been raised, and it’s time for the inevitability of a Sanders- and as the days before Iowa
it came days before the Senate to see Buttigieg overtake her in during the dinner conversation us to attack it head-on,” she said. Warren clash is the political continue to dwindle, that has
begins the impeachment trial of the November poll. in December 2018. Whatever “And I think the best way to talk calendar, with the first two states come into clearer focus.
the president. The debate She and the mayor seemed to competition exists between about who can win is by looking — Iowa and New Hampshire — [email protected]
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A8 eZ m2 the washington post .wednesday, january 15, 2020
campaign 2020
Iraq War, health care bring out questionable assertions during seventh debate
The seventh were directed to posts that were
Democratic written by Paul Waldman for
presidential The Post’s “The Plum Line,” an
debate of the opinion column.
2020 campaign, Waldman compared a
hosted by CNN government projection that
The Fact
and the Des national health spending would
Checker
Moines Register, be about $50 trillion over the
had six next decade to an estimate that
Glenn
Kessler candidates, lasted projected the federal cost of
a little over two Medicare-for-all as $32.6 trillion.
hours — and did In one column cited by the
not have many statements that campaign, Waldman wrote: “So
merited fact-checking. Here are if Medicare-for-all actually costs
six claims that caught our $40 trillion, we would save
attention, mainly about the Iraq $10 trillion. Hooray!”
War and health care. Our Waldman told the Fact
practice is not to award Checker he has not read
Pinocchios in debate roundups. academic studies that looked
This piece was co-written with closely at the impact of a
my colleagues Salvador Rizzo Medicare-for-all plan on
and Meg Kelly. national health expenditures. It
turned out that all but one of five
“It was a mistake to trust major studies, from the left to
that they weren’t going to go to the right, predict that the
war. They said they were not Sanders plan would increase
going to go to war.” health spending, not reduce it.
— former vice president Joe The author of the fifth predicts a
Biden decline but said Sanders’s
This version of history is statement is exaggerated.
disputed by former president We ended up giving Sanders
George W. Bush. Three Pinocchios for his
“I’m sure it’s just an innocent comment.
mistake of memory, but that
recollection is flat wrong,” Bush “We are now spending twice
spokesman Freddy Ford told the as much per person on health
Fact Checker. He included a link shannon stapleton/reuters care as the people of any other
to a podcast titled “A Polite Word Audience members watch the latest Democratic presidential debate from the balcony at Drake University in Des Moines. country. That is insane.”
for Liar.” — Sanders
Here’s what happened. argued that an invasion should because he was later in charge of have said in public, the two Adjusted for inflation, Biden’s Sanders said this twice in the
Biden, during the Senate be delayed until the a U.S. troop withdrawal from conflicts are inextricably linked. $42,500 salary as a senator in debate, but both times he did
debate on a resolution administration obtained a U.N. Iraq during President Barack The Islamic State gained a 1972 would be almost $260,000 not quite get it right. He
authorizing force against Iraq on resolution authorizing an attack. Obama’s first term. foothold in Iraq in large part in today’s dollars. Meanwhile, apparently meant to say that the
Oct. 10, 2002, argued that the That was the position taken by In 2009, Obama asked Biden because U.S. forces had the average cost of child care in United States spends twice as
resolution was designed to Senate liberals that Biden had to manage the withdrawal of withdrawn. Delaware today runs $9,000 to much as other developed
ensure diplomacy. But he also previously dismissed during the U.S. forces. Obama wanted We previously gave Two $11,000 per year, according to countries — defined as members
fought against alternatives debate about the war resolution. “sustained, high-level focus” Pinocchios to Biden for telling the Economic Policy Institute. of the Organization for
offered by more liberal Bush, in his book “Decision from the White House on that half the story. That suggests Biden would Economic Cooperation and
Democrats that would have Points,” wrote: “Some members issue, “and then he turned to the have had the means to afford Development. Instead, he said
required Bush to first win U.N. of Congress would later claim vice president and said, ‘Joe, you “The very president who said child care in his home state in twice as much as any other
authority for an invasion or else they were not voting to know more about Iraq than he was going to end endless the early 1970s, though we can’t country.
seek a new war resolution from authorize war but only to anyone and I want you to take war, who pretended to have be certain because other The United States pays far
Congress. continue diplomacy. They must care of that,’ ” said Antony been against the war in Iraq all financial factors could have been more per capita on health care
The United Nations ordered not have read the resolution. Its Blinken, who was Biden’s along.” at play. than any other major country in
weapons inspectors back into language was unmistakable: national security adviser in the — Pete Buttigieg, former It’s worth noting that in an the world ($9,892 in 2016) —
Iraq, but the administration got ‘The President is authorized to White House and then deputy mayor of South Bend, Ind. emotional speech at Yale twice as much as Canada
impatient with the results, use the Armed Forces of the secretary of state from 2013 to Buttigieg is correct here. University in 2015, Biden said ($4,753). The OECD median was
calling for the inspections to end United States as he determines 2015. Biden chaired a committee Despite frequent claims, “the real reason I went home $4,033. But Switzerland is a
almost as soon as they started. to be necessary and appropriate that made sensitive decisions President Trump did not express every night was that I needed my major developed country, and
Irritating allies, the in order to defend the national about the pace and scope of the opposition to invasion of Iraq children more than they needed U.S. costs are 25 percent higher
administration argued that the security of the United States troop withdrawal, while also before it occurred. He even me.” than Switzerland ($7,919). These
inspections could not be allowed against the continuing threat keeping an eye on economic and praised the invasion figures come from a study by a
to drag on because the U.S. posed by Iraq; and enforce all political issues in Iraq. The immediately afterward. Trump “Medicare-for-all, which will team led by a Johns Hopkins
military buildup in the Persian relevant United Nations Security Biden committee included only became outspoken in his guarantee comprehensive Bloomberg School of Public
Gulf region had proceeded too Council resolutions regarding representatives from the opposition in 2004. Trump health care for every man, Health researcher.
far to turn back from war. Iraq.’ ” Defense Department, the Joint earned Four Pinocchios for his woman and child, will cost More recent OECD estimates
Nevertheless, Biden Chiefs of Staff, the Treasury claim. substantially less than the show the United States spent
continued to express support for “I was asked to bring Department and other agencies. status quo.” $10,586 per person, compared
his vote. “I supported the 156,000 troops home from that But Biden often leaves out “You know, I was a single — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) with Switzerland ($7,317 per
resolution to go to war. I am not war [in Iraq], which I did. I led what happened after that. parent, too. When my wife and In this debate, Sanders did not person), Norway ($6,187 per
opposed to war to remove that effort.” Obama sent U.S. troops back daughter were killed, my two define what he meant by “the person) and Germany ($5,986
weapons of mass destruction — Biden into Iraq during his second term. boys I had to raise. . . . I was status quo,” but in the third per person). All of those are
from Iraq,” he said in a February Biden voted for the Iraq War Biden was still the vice making $42,000 a year. I debate he said the cost of the more than half of U.S. spending,
2003 speech. “I am not opposed when he was a senator, and president. commuted every single solitary status quo would be $50 trillion though the OECD average was
to war to remove Saddam many Democrats won’t let him The Biden camp argues that day to Wilmington, Delaware over 10 years, compared with just under $4,000. So Sanders
[Hussein] from those weapons if forget it. these are two different conflicts — over 500 miles a day, excuse more than $30 trillion for would have been correct if he
it comes to that.” On the campaign trail these and that the troop levels were me, 250 miles a day — because I Medicare-for-all. When we spoke about the average or
In a Washington Post opinion days, Biden often says much higher pre-2011 and much could not afford . . . child care. queried the Sanders campaign median of other developed
article just before the conflict Americans can trust his lower post-2014. However, as top It was beyond my reach.” during the debate for the source countries.
began, Biden unsuccessfully judgment on questions of war Obama administration officials — Biden of the $50 trillion figure, we [email protected]
Warren and Sanders wield good strategy, while Buttigieg has a weak night
BY AARON BLAKE debates, including by criticizing live tweets: One candidate not on
Medicare-for-all as being unreal- the stage on Tuesday night was
The Democratic presidential istic and knocking a “Washington former New York mayor Mike
candidates took part Tuesday in mentality.” He at one point em- Bloomberg. So to draw attention,
the last debate before the Iowa phasized the national debt and his campaign instead fired off a
caucuses, which are less than deficit — one wonders whether bunch of deliberately bogus #De-
three weeks away. these are huge priorities for Dem- bateFacs. A sampling:
The field was the smallest yet, ocratic voters right now. Iowa is so “During the 1996 primaries,
with just six candidates qualify- important for Buttigieg, because Mike Tyson bit off part of Pat
ing. Below are some winners and it’s such a good constituency for Buchanan’s ear. #DebateFacts
losers. him. He wasn’t bad Tuesday, but it #DemDebate”
may not help him address some of “Mike has eaten clams casino
Winners his arrested momentum. for breakfast, lunch and dinner
Warren’s sly attack on Sand- Clarity on Democrats’ foreign every day for the past 30 years.
ers: The big question going into policy: With tensions with Iran #BloombergFacts #DemDebate”
the debate was just how Sen. Eliz- and controversy over President “For participating in the 1984
abeth Warren (Mass.) would han- Trump’s decision to kill Qasem debates, Walter Mondale and
dle the conspicuously timed story Soleimani big in the news, Demo- Ronald Reagan each received a
that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) crats had a chance to define their $25 Cracker Barrel gift certificate.
told her a woman couldn’t be party on the issue. And the debate #DebateFacts #DemDebate”
elected president. And she han- began on that subject, with the “To participate in tonight’s de-
dled it . . . obliquely. Warren de-es- candidates talking at some length. bate, candidates had to: Meet a
calated a little and said she wasn’t What we got instead was a lot of polling and donor threshold OR
there to “fight with Bernie” — general talk about taking out com- Have solved at least one cold case
despite having stood by the claim bat troops but leaving in other murder in the last six months
Monday — but she proceeded to troops who would be tasked with #DebateFacts #DemDebate”
offer an alternative and thinly other missions. They criticized There is a good way to try to
veiled case against Sanders as the Kerem yucel/agence France-presse/getty Images Trump as not having authoriza- grab a chunk of the spotlight. But
Democratic nominee. Members of the media watch the seventh Democratic primary debate of the presidential tion to attack Iran. It seemed like a as the candidates onstage were
She said there was a “real dan- campaign season at Drake University in Des Moines on Tuesday night. moment in which the Democratic discussing substantive issues, this
ger” in Democrats’ “picking a can- Party could define itself on this just felt frivolous and weird.
didate who can’t pull our party avoiding inflaming the most sen- bled a tough topic. and a bipartisan bill on lowering issue, but there wasn’t much of
together or someone who takes sitive tensions. We’ll see how she Klobuchar on health care: drug prices. And she pointed to that Tuesday night. Instead, it was In the middle
for granted big parts of the Demo- follows it up, though. This could Medicare-for-all has come up so 137 things she’s said she can do in a lot of Goldilocks-ing of troop Joe Biden: Biden looks like a
cratic constituency.” She said, “We be a mine field, as well. much in these debates that bring- the first 100 days as president numbers — each one assuring decent bet to win in Iowa despite
need a candidate who will excite Sanders’s response: To the ex- ing it up often elicits groans from without Congress. Medicare-for- that he or she would keep just the some not-so-strong debate perfor-
all parts of the Democratic Party, tent that people care about people who cover these things. all has fallen out of favor in recent right number in the Middle East. mances, so maybe he didn’t need a
bring everyone in.” She said she whether Sanders actually said Little of it seems new anymore. weeks and months, and to the Clarity on the Warren/Sand- big one on Tuesday. But he was
was the only candidate on the what Warren said he said, he also But Klobuchar carved out her extent that Democratic voters are ers tussle: However each candi- just okay. He connected on a per-
stage to beat an incumbent Re- had a strong response. He flatly niche on it Tuesday night. “This out of love with it, she made a date handled it from a strategic sonal level by talking about his
publican in the past 30 years. In denied the claim. He noted that he debate isn’t real,” she said. “I was strong play for the substantial standpoint, the fact remains: family history and avoided major
case it wasn’t clear, all of that said decades ago that a woman in Vegas the other day, and some- alternative mantle over which They are making contradictory stumbles. He also pointed out that
pointed at Sanders, who is the could win. He said the back-and- one said, ‘Don’t put your chips on she, Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden claims, and we didn’t get any things other candidates are talk-
most unapologetically liberal can- forth “is what Donald Trump and a number on the wheel that isn’t have been fighting. clarity on which claim is accurate. ing about on Iraq and Iran, like
didate in the race. He was also the maybe some of the media want.” even on the wheel.’ That’s the Warren says Sanders said it, while pulling troops out and seeking
last candidate on the stage to He said, “I deferred, in fact, to Sen. problem. Over two-thirds of the Losers he flatly denies it. Might he have authorization for the use of mili-
defeat an incumbent Republican Warren” when it came to the 2016 Democrats in the U.S. Senate are Pete Buttigieg: For arguably said it would be more difficult for tary force, are moves he advocated
— 30 years ago. Sanders soon presidential campaign, in which not on the bill that [Sanders] and the first time on one of these a woman to win? Is this a misun- for in the Obama administration.
noted this fact, and Warren ar- Warren ultimately opted not to Senator Warren are on.” debate stages, the former mayor derstanding? It seems apparent But he also occasionally seemed
gued that her math was correct run. This is something of a zero- Klobuchar then went a step of South Bend, Ind., was some- that this was injected for a reason, to struggle for words and for some
(her semantics were debatable). It sum game, given that Sanders and further, pointing to concrete thing of a bystander who didn’t so why not try a little bit harder to reason again cut his answers
was a good way to continue draw- Warren are largely fighting over things she’s done and would do, really add much. He hit many of get at the truth? short, citing the time constraints.
ing contrasts while perhaps the same voters, but neither fum- including on drug importation the same notes he has in previous The Bloomberg campaign’s [email protected]
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wednesday, january 15, 2020 . the washington post eZ M2 A9
campaign 2020
Sanders-Warren spat
words.
“Yes, many people have told me
raises an explosive a woman can’t win in 2020,” tweet-
ed author and columnist Connie
Schultz, who is married to Sen.
question for Democrats Sherrod Brown (D-ohio), who
considered a presidential run.
“This is fear speaking, & it has
sparked meaningful conversa-
tions. But a woman hears this
Democrats from a1 ock, the president of Emily’s List, a differently when she is the one
group focused on electing Demo- who is running. It feels personal
female candidate, and in the de- cratic women who support abor- because it is. Can we please not
bate, he said, “of course a woman tion rights. “We’ve been, for 12 lose sight of this difference?”
can win.” months, looking at electability in a The Gillibrand campaign,
Warren took a different ap- really narrow way, and it’s caused which ran on gender issues and
proach. making her most direct a huge amount of problems in this gained little traction, conducted
appeal yet on the basis of gender, primary.” research on sexism she faced and
she urged voters not to overlook But for many voters, supporting found that voters frequently
the added hurdle that female can- a woman for president is not an would say that gender didn’t mat-
didates face. But it’s one she can easy decision. With Democrats so ter. But there was a hitch, accord-
clear and make history, she ar- eager to defeat a president they ing to a person familiar with the
gued, drawing parallels to barriers see as a racist, sexist bully, many campaign.
that Presidents John f. Kennedy say they wonder whether the saf- “Voters said they would have no
and Barack obama broke. est bet to defeat him is a man. issues with a woman, but they
“Look, don’t deny that the ques- “Because I’m a woman, I sup- worried that other people might
tion is there,” Warren said. “Back in pose I should be wanting [War- have issues,” said the person, who
the 1960s, people asked, ‘Could a ren], but I’m not voting for her Melina Mara/the Washington Post spoke on the condition of anonym-
Catholic win?’ Back in 2008, people because she’s a woman,” said mari- sen. elizabeth Warren, seen at a town hall sunday in Iowa, confirmed a report that sen. Bernie ity to discuss sensitive campaign
asked if an African American could lyn Kean, 78, a Sanders supporter sanders told her a woman could not defeat President trump. sanders denied he said such a thing. material. “That’s classic research
win. In both times, the Democratic from Wilton, Iowa. “Too many which shows deflection and actu-
Party stepped up and said yes.” men that don’t want women in say it,” Sanders said. He said he show of doing the math in her head, tions by Sanders and Warren was ally is more of what that individual
The clash between Sanders and there.” didn’t want to spend much time before shooting back, “Wasn’t that particularly unnerving for the lib- thinks.”
Warren, both personal and public, Biden elliptically referred to on the topic, arguing that it would 30 years ago?” Sanders eventually eral wing of the party, fearful that In September, a Washington
has abruptly amplified a difficult that calculation earlier this play into Trump’s hands, but he backed down, saying it was not the divisions between the two most Post-ABC News poll found that
conversation that has been under- month, when he noted that Clin- added that anyone who knows major issue of the day. leftward candidates would usher 23 percent of Democrats and Dem-
way at Democratic gatherings ton faced “unfair” sexism during him would agree that it is “incom- Klobuchar joined the fray, say- in a moderate nominee. ocratic-leaning independents said
across the country ever since her campaign. prehensible that I would think a ing the power of female candi- “Too much is at stake right now a man would be more likely to de-
Trump’s election. And it cast a “That’s not going to happen woman cannot be president.” dates was evident in recent wins for mutual destruction,” said re- feat Trump than a woman; 7 per-
spotlight on shifting attitudes in with me,” Biden said. Sanders said Clinton besting by women in gubernatorial races becca Katz, a liberal strategist who cent said a woman would be more
the party toward women running reports about the conversation Trump in the popular vote in 2016 in michigan and Kansas. “You plans to vote for Warren but also likely to win, while a 69 percent
for office in the Trump era. between Sanders and Warren was clear evidence that a woman have to be competent to win, and likes Sanders. “our eyes need to be majority said the gender of a candi-
Hillary Clinton’s 2016 loss caught Trump’s attention. “I don’t can win. He also said he held back you have to know what you’re do- on the prize.” date didn’t matter.
shocked Democrats and prompt- believe that Bernie said that,” the in deciding to run that year before ing,” she said. A statement from an influential Warren has been putting more
ed many to wonder whether the president said Tuesday night at a Warren made up her mind about Tensions appeared to remain union said as much. emphasis on her gender, seeking
country was ready for a female rally in milwaukee. the race. high immediately after the con- “We can’t afford distractions. to re-energize the anti-Trump pas-
president. But it also pushed wom- The row between Sanders and Warren did not back down from clusion of the debate, when War- The only way any candidate can sion that gave rise to women’s
en to become more politically in- Warren brought the debate over her claim that Sanders told her a ren and Sanders were caught on beat either Sanders or Warren is marches and a high turnout of
volved, leading to a record num- gender rushing to the surface in a woman couldn’t defeat Trump. video holding a brief yet animated by dividing them. This looks like a female voters in 2018.
ber of Democratic women in Con- race that, until recently, had been Asked what she thought of his discussion after Warren declined desperate attempt to fracture a Dan Pfeiffer, a former aide to
gress; the return of the first female more cordial than many past cam- comment, she replied, “I dis- to shake Sanders’s hand. coalition of the candidates that obama, compared the current sit-
House speaker, Nancy Pelosi; and paigns. agreed.” And she said it was time The clash played on the still- represent the most popular ideas uation with what obama faced as
a new generation of women join- It started monday when CNN to attack the subject “head on.” raw wounds of the 2016 campaign among working people,” said Sara a black candidate in 2008.
ing the presidential contest. first reported on the 2018 one-on- “Can a woman beat Donald and continued consternation by Nelson, president of the Associa- “I would say the challenge now
But now, less than three weeks one meeting, in which Sanders Trump? Look at the men on this some sympathetic to Clinton who tion of flight Attendants. is even more difficult,” he said,
before the Iowa caucuses, two men allegedly told Warren that a wom- stage — collectively they have lost saw Sanders and his backers as The Progressive Change Cam- adding that in the 2008 campaign,
— Sanders and former vice presi- an couldn’t beat Trump. The Sand- 10 elections,” she said, prompting insufficiently supportive of her in paign Committee, which backs Democrats widely believed that
dent Joe Biden — have ascended to ers campaign vehemently denied gasps and cheers from the crowd. that contest. Warren, said in its own statement they would defeat the republican
the top of the polls, joined in some the report, with a top aide calling “The only people on this stage who The revelations could draw new that “a back-and-forth about this nominee after eight years of
of them by former South Bend, Ind., it a “lie” — but, in a sign that the have won every single election scrutiny to Sanders, who faced private meeting is counter-pro- George W. Bush. “The questions of
mayor Pete Butti gieg. Warren has issue was not likely to subside, that they’ve been in are the wom- criticism in 2016 for a campaign ductive for progressives. In this electability were more in the back-
faded since the fall. And once- Warren then confirmed it. en.” She said she was the only one that many saw as too white and pivotal moment of the campaign, ground than they are today.”
promising campaigns by women The dispute continued at Tues- who had defeated an incumbent too male. He has taken steps to progressives must work together He added, “All of the what I
such as Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand day night’s debate, hosted by CNN republican in the past 30 years. address that perception, hiring a to defeat Donald Trump and pre- believe to be incorrect racial and
(D-N.Y.) and Kamala D. Harris (D- and the Des moines register, Sanders took issue with her com- more diverse staff and securing vent a less-electable establish- gender stereotypes around elect-
Calif.) have ended. where Warren and Sen. Amy ment, saying he defeated a republi- the support of rep. Alexandria ment candidate like Joe Biden ability are so much more damag-
“We keep getting stuck in the Klobuchar (D-minn.) joined four can incumbent running for Con- ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and other from getting the nomination.” ing now.”
‘Yeah, but, can a woman beat men on the stage. gress in 1990. Warren responded by women of color. others underscored the per- [email protected]
Trump?’ ” said Stephanie Schri- “Well, as a matter of fact, I didn’t pausing to make an exaggerated The sharp break in recollec- sonal impact of the disputed [email protected]
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A10 eZ re the washington post .wednesday, january 15, 2020
The World
‘Where are we? What are we supposed to do now?’
U.S. is putting asylum seekers on flights to Guatemala but giving them little information in program that has been called a ‘total disaster’
BY KEVIN SIEFF
in Guatemala City
T
he chartered u.S. govern-
ment flights land here every
day or two, depositing Hon-
duran and Salvadoran asylum
seekers from the u.S. border.
many arrive with the same ques-
tion: “Where are we?”
For the first time ever, the unit-
ed States is shipping asylum seek-
ers who arrive at its border to a
“safe third country” to seek refuge
there. the trump administration
hopes the program will serve as a
model for others in the region.
But during its first weeks, asy-
lum seekers and human rights
advocates say, migrants have been
put on planes without being told
where they were headed, and left
here without being given basic
instruction about what to do next.
When the migrants land in
Guatemala City, they receive little
information about what it means
to apply for asylum in one of the
hemisphere’s poorest countries.
those who don’t immediately ap-
ply are told that they must leave
the country in 72 hours. the form
is labeled “Voluntary Return.”
“in the u.S., the agents told us
our cases would be transferred,
but they didn’t say where. then
they lined us up to get on the
plane,” said a woman named mar-
ta, 43, from Honduras. She sat in a
migrant shelter here with her
17-year-old son, who nursed a
gunshot wound in his left cheek —
the work, both say, of a Honduran
faction of the mS-13 gang.
“When we looked out the win-
dow, we were here,” she said. “We
thought, ‘Where are we? What are
we supposed to do now?’ ” victor J. blue/bloomberg News
Human rights organizations in A woman carries flowers on the roof of a home in Guatemala City. A U.S. asylum pact is bringing migrants to the country, which cannot provide security for its own citizens.
Guatemala say they have record-
ed dozens of cases of asylum seek- the Guatemalan government than a month after it began, fami- What would i do? Where would grante described spending a week “Why would they send us to a
ers who were misled by u.S. offi- says that it explains asylum op- lies with young children are arriv- we stay?” he said. “maybe we need in immigration and Customs en- country where the same gangs are
cials into boarding flights, and tions and that migrants are sim- ing on the charter flights. last to try to cross to the united States forcement custody in the united operating?” she asked.
who were not informed of their ply choosing to leave voluntarily. week, arana said, a 2-year-old again.” States, where they had intended in the absence of a thorough
asylum rights upon arrival. Of the “Central american people are arrived with flulike symptoms. the Office of the u.n. High to make their asylum claims. explanation of their asylum rights
143 Hondurans and Salvadorans given comprehensive attention On thursday, a man named Commissioner for Refugees is not many carried binders full of evi- in Guatemala, el Refugio de la
sent to Guatemala since the pro- when they arrive in the country, Jorge, 35, his wife and two daugh- participating in the program. But dence they assumed would bol- niñez is offering a short tutorial
gram began last month, only five and respect for their human ters, ages 11 and 15, landed here. a officials say they’re aware of prob- ster their cases. On her phone, to the asylum seekers. So far, 45
have applied for asylum, accord- rights is a priority,” said alejandra day later, they were clustered to- lems with its implementation. marta saved a video of her son have attended.
ing to the country’s migration mena, a spokeswoman for Guate- gether at the Casa del migrante, a “unHCR has a number of con- being tortured by mS-13 gang “the Guatemalan government
agency. mala’s migration agency. “the in- shelter in Guatemala City where cerns regarding the asylum Coop- members. is completely absent in this whole
“Safe third country” is one of formation provided is complete government officials took them in eration agreement and its imple- But in their brief conversations process,” said leonel Dubon, the
the trump administration’s most for them to make a decision.” a bus. they had been given the mentation,” said Sibylla Brodzin- with u.S. immigration officials, director of the u.n.-funded cen-
dramatic initiatives to curb mi- the Department of Homeland papers with 72 hours’ notice to sky, unHCR’s regional spokes- they were told they would not be ter. “it sends a clear message. the
gration — an effort to remake the Security did not respond to re- leave Guatemala, and couldn’t fig- woman for Central america and given a chance to apply for asylum government isn’t here to offer
u.S. asylum system. President quests for comment. the united ure out what to do. mexico. “We have expressed these in the united States. shelter, it’s here to push people
trump has called it “terrific for States has signed similar “safe the family had fled multiple concerns to the relevant u.S. and “We had all this information to out as quickly as possible.”
[Guatemala] and terrific for us.” third country” agreements with threats from gangs in Honduras, Guatemalan authorities.” show them,” marta said, leafing the trump administration ne-
But an asylum Cooperation el Salvador and Honduras, but which started with an interper- Human rights advocates who through photos of her son’s scars gotiated the “safe third country”
agreement is bringing migrants they have not yet been imple- sonal dispute between Jorge’s have interviewed the asylum and Honduran court documents. agreement last year with lame-
to a country that is unable to mented. in recent days, trump wife and one of the gang’s leaders. seekers, known locally as “trans- “they said, ‘that’s not going to duck Guatemalan President Jim-
provide economic and physical administration officials have said Jorge was certain that going back feridos,” say many have decided help you here.’ ” my morales.
security for its own citizens — they are considering sending would mean certain death. like that their best option is to migrate in interviews with the Wash- Guatemala’s constitutional
many of whom are themselves mexican asylum seekers to Guate- marta, Jorge did not want his last again to the united States. Smug- ington Post, some migrants said court initially blocked the deal.
trying to migrate. in fiscal 2019, mala to seek refuge. name to be published out of fear glers often offer their customers they were told vaguely that their then trump threatened tariffs on
Guatemala was the largest source Human rights groups in Guate- for his family’s safety. three chances to make it across cases were being “transferred.” the country and taxes on remit-
of migrants detained at the u.S. mala that have observed the pro- “We’re thinking about our op- the border. Others were told they were going tances sent home by Guatemalans
border, at more than 264,000. cess say migrants here are not tions. We know we can’t stay here. migrants at the Casa del mi- to be returned to their countries living in the united States. it was
the country has only a skeletal given key information about their of origin. eventually signed in July.
asylum program, with fewer than options — such as what asylum in “One agent told me, ‘you’re the new Guatemalan presi-
a dozen asylum officers. Guatemala entails and where going back to Honduras,’ ” marta dent, alejandro Giammattei, was
as the deal was negotiated, it they would stay while their claims said. But then they arrived in sworn in tuesday. He has raised
drew concerns from the united are being processed. many mi- Guatemala City. concerns about the agreement,
nations and human rights orga- grants are aware that Guatemala “When we looked out the win- saying he hadn’t been briefed on
nizations. But its implementa- suffers from the same gang vio- dow, we just assumed it was a its details.
tion, advocates say, has been lence and extortion that forced stop,” her son said. at the signing ceremony,
worse than they feared. them from their home countries. marta thought Guatemala trump said it would “provide
“it’s a total disaster,” said thel- Paula arana observed the ori- might be even more dangerous. safety for legitimate asylum seek-
ma Shau, who has observed the entation as child protection liai- they had no connection to the ers, and stop asylum fraud and
arrival of asylum seekers at la au- son for the human rights ombuds- country and nowhere to stay be- abuses [of the] system.”
rora international airport in her man. yond their first few days. When u.S. asylum officers do not vet
role overseeing migration issues “it’s clear that the government she left the migrant shelter to buy the cases of migrants before they
for Guatemala’s human rights is not providing enough informa- food Friday morning, she said, are sent to Guatemala.
ombudsman. tion for asylum seekers to make a she stumbled upon a crime scene in her brief conversations with
“they arrive here without be- decision, especially in the three with a dead body a few blocks u.S. immigration agents, marta
ing told that Guatemala is their minutes they are given,” she said. away. tried to get them to look at her
destination,” she said. “they are “instead, they are being pushed During their nine-day deten- binder of documents and photos.
asked, ‘Do you want refuge here out of the country.” tion at an iCe facility in texas, she “they weren’t interested,” she
or do you want to leave?’ and they the united States had suggest- said, the family shared a cell with said. “they just kept saying that
have literally minutes to decide ed that it would begin implement- oliver de ros/associated press a Guatemalan family that was your case will be transferred to an
without knowing anything about ing the agreement by sending Students protest before the legislative vote that made Guatemala a fleeing violence perpetrated by a institution that can handle it.”
what that means.” single men to Guatemala. But less “safe third country” for those seeking asylum in the United States. different mS-13 group based here. [email protected]
Digest
sUDAN civilian government. it has bloc’s highest court said in an general, its rulings are often apartheid government for years as Avalanches kill dozens in
Brief mutiny among pledged to hold elections in three opinion issued tuesday. similar to the opinions. a liberation movement in exile. Pakistani and Indian Kashmir:
years. in 2017, Hungary adopted the government said the rules, Representatives of refugees and at least 59 people were killed and
security forces quelled
“the incidents which took legislation forcing nGOs receiving which critics say are meant to asylum seekers say they will go to many more were missing after
place today are under control,” foreign funding of more than silence dissent, would serve to vet court to challenge the law, which avalanches in Pakistan-controlled
the prime minister of Sudan’s Prime minister abdalla Hamdok 7.2 million forints ($24,000) a year the “Soros network” — nGOs that they say limits freedoms of speech Kashmir, officials said. in
transitional government sought to tweeted tuesday, announcing the to register the fact with the courts get at least some of their funding and expression guaranteed under neighboring india, at least 10
reassure his country on tuesday end of the brief revolt. and identify themselves as from the Open Society South africa’s constitution. people were killed after
after an armed mutiny from During the mutiny, gunfire foreign-funded in their online and Foundations, set up by Hungarian the law quietly took effect avalanches hit the northern part
within the state’s security erupted in the streets of the printed publications. nGOs also american billionaire George Jan. 1, startling a community of of indian-administered Kashmir.
apparatus was quelled. capital, Khartoum, and the have to list foreign sponsors giving Soros, who Prime minister Viktor refugees from across the an indian police official said five
Sudan’s intelligence agency said western city of Obeid, according to them more than 500,000 forints Orban has said seeks to influence continent who have long relied on soldiers were among the 10 killed.
rogue officers fired live rounds information minister Faisal ($1,670) annually. Hungarian policies. the freedom in South africa to
into the air to express “objections” mohamed Saleh. there were no the law is nominally meant to — Associated Press speak out against what they call Cuba warns citizens to prepare
to unfair severance pay and reports of casualties, Salah added. increase transparency among civic repressive governments back for cooking-gas shortages: the
demand better financial — Associated Press groups and boost efforts against sOUtH AFRiCA home in places such as Rwanda, Cuban government warned
compensation. the statement on money laundering and the Refugees risk loss of Zimbabwe, Burundi and Congo. citizens to prepare for shortages of
twitter said the dispute was HUNgARY financing of terrorism, but the new law will have a “drastic cooking gas because of trump
status over political acts
related to the reorganization of Rules on NGO financing advocate General manuel Campos effect” both on newcomers and administration sanctions on the
the security apparatus in the Sánchez-Bordona’s nonbinding those already in South africa, said state energy company. State media
seen as against E.U. law
ongoing transitional period. opinion deemed the rules South africa can strip refugees a spokesman for the african announced that cylinders of liquid
the burst of unrest highlighted disproportionate and unjustified. of their asylum status if they Diaspora Forum. petroleum gas would be scarce for
the fragility of Sudan’s path to Restrictions imposed by the luxembourg-based engage in any political activity “We might even see Cubans who buy state-subsidized
democracy. a protest movement Hungary on the financing of european Court of Justice is related to their home countries, extraditions,” amir Sheikh said. gas as well as for customers who
ousted longtime President Omar nongovernmental organizations beginning its deliberations over according to a new law that critics — Associated Press buy gas at market prices.
Hassan al-Bashir in april and led from abroad are incompatible the case. While it is not forced to call illegal and ironic given that — From news services
to the creation of a military- with european union law, the follow the opinion of the advocate the ruling party fought the former