The Washington Post - 20 02 2020

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White House
election 2020
Free-for-all targets rising rivals
aims to centralize
clemency process
justice dept.’s role would be minimized
Kushner takes lead with new vetting initiative
BY TOLUSE OLORUNNIPA, bled a team of advisers to recom-
JOSH DAWSEY mend and vet candidates for
AND NEENA SATIJA pardons, according to several
people with knowledge of the
The White House is moving to matter who, like others, spoke on
take more direct control over the condition of anonymity to
pardons and commutations, with discuss internal deliberations.
President Trump aiming to limit The group, essentially an infor-
the role of the Justice Depart- mal task force of at least a half-
ment in the clemency process as dozen presidential allies, has
he weighs a flurry of additional been meeting since late last year
pardon announcements, accord- to discuss a revamped pardon
ing to people familiar with the system in the White House. Jared
matter. Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and
Trump, who granted clemency senior adviser, is taking a leading
Tuesday to a group of 11 people role in the new clemency initia-
that included several political tive and has supported the idea of
allies and supporters, has assem- see clemency on a6
Trump’s retweets pose
John locher/associated Press
former new york mayor mike bloomberg, left, sen. elizabeth Warren (D-mass.) and sen. bernie sanders (i-Vt.) were among six fresh challenge to Barr
candidates onstage during the Democratic primary debate in las Vegas, where candidates largely abandoned political civilities.
Bloomberg, Sanders sanders surges the take
assailed in fierce debate to the top in poll A tense urgency as time BY JOHN WAGNER, A day after it was revealed that
he opens 16-point MATT ZAPOTOSKY Barr told people close to Trump
edge over nearest begins to run out on some AND DEVLIN BARRETT that he had considered quitting,
BY MATT VISER, ANNIE LINSKEY, rival Biden, whose the president and his attorney
CHELSEA JANES AND MICHAEL SCHERER support dives. a9 President Trump continued to general seemed to reach a de-
BY DAN BALZ test his relationship with Attor- tente of sorts. officials inside the
LAS VEGAS — Former new York mayor Mike ney General William P. Barr on Justice Department said they
debate winners
Bloomberg suffered a punishing welcome and LAS VEGAS — The Democratic presidential Wednesday by amplifying conser- were watching the situation
and losers
sen. Bernie sanders was bludgeoned with candidates staged their toughest and noisiest vative allies demanding he “clean closely, mindful that a new string
sanders spared by
criticism as an animated cast of rival candi- debate of the campaign Wednesday night, house” at the Justice Department of tweets or comments could
heavy focus on
dates spent Wednesday’s presidential debate firing at one another with an intensity that and target those involved in the quickly upend the situation, but
Bloomberg. a9
scrambling to stake their claims against the underscored a growing sense that their Russia investigation that once there were no indications that
two rising contenders in the Democratic race. nomination contest has entered what could be threatened his presidency. Barr would leave imminently.
The result was an urgent, two-hour free- bloomberg holds a decisive moment. The grievances shared by The attorney general did not
for-all that sizzled with animosity. Candidates firm on ndas The race has moved swiftly since Iowa and Trump in a flurry of morning mention the controversy when he
who mostly avoided political combat in the rivals press him new Hampshire, with national polls now tweets included claims of a “sedi- spoke during an event Wednes-
previous debates, including sen. elizabeth to let women showing sen. Bernie sanders (I-Vt.) in the lead tious conspiracy” against him, day at FBI headquarters.
see Debate on a8 speak out. a10 see taKe on a8 and attacks on a “criminal gang” The fragile equilibrium may be
at the FBI and the Justice Depart- tested again Thursday, when
ment. see barr on a5
Fauquier family killings
climate solutions
Boston thrived by the sea. Now, it fights rising water.
leave father shattered
Facing one of the most alarming effects of climate change, the city has a stark choice: Adapt or retreat
Instead, he was met by gunfire.
His older son is charged; A bullet that seemed to come BY STEVEN MUFSON
from the basement door sliced
relative points to rift over across his forehead. As blood BOSTON — Famous for its role in
teen’s black girlfriend poured down his face, norwood America’s war for independence,
said, he ran into the small ranch this city is now fighting the rising
house to search for his family. The seas.
lights were on in the room belong- Boston is elevating streets,
BY MICHAEL E. MILLER, ing to his older son, Levi, but building berms and even requir-
MARISSA J. LANG there was no sign of the 17-year- ing that new high-rise condomini-
AND IAN SHAPIRA old. In the living room, there was um developments on its harbor
what looked like a large pile of acquire “aqua fences” — portable
As the sun set on Valentine’s blankets on the floor. metal barriers that can be dragged
Day, Josh norwood hurried from When he pulled back the blan- to the street and anchored to the
work to the grocery store to buy ket, he found his wife, Jen, 34, pavement to deflect incoming
his wife flowers. The 37-year-old facedown in a pool of blood. waves.
father of two pulled into his long Underneath another blanket Mayor Martin J. Walsh (D) has
driveway in rural Virginia a few on the love seat was the small vowed to spend more than
minutes before 6 p.m. — just in body of Wyatt. $30 million a year, an amount
time for dinner. “no, this isn’t real,” norwood equal to 10 percent of Boston’s
But as he walked up to the brick recalled screaming. five-year capital budget, to defend
home in Fauquier County bou- He said he fired his own gun, the city from a watery future that
quet in hand, norwood sensed which he carries with him, at the is expected because of climate
something was wrong, he said in basement, then ran out of the change.
an interview with The Washing- house and flagged down a passing “People talk about a managed
ton Post. Beneath the Christmas driver, who called 911. retreat” for waterfront cities, said
lights that still dangled from the It was another day before he Boston’s chief of environment, en-
eaves, the curtains were drawn. learned where his older son was. ergy and open space, Christopher
And when he opened the door, his on saturday, Levi was charged adam glanzman For the Washington Post Cook, as he looked out on the city
effervescent 6-year-old, Wyatt, with two counts of murder by the in a part of east boston, developers are building at higher levels to account for the waters’ rise, but skyline from a popular waterside
was not there to greet him. see family on a18 those projects are still at risk because of gaps where no defenses are built in the city’s long sea frontage. see boston on a4
In the News Inside
pulsion of three Wall ing to female candidates
Street Journal reporters this election season. A17
over an academic’s opin-
the nation fines from voting is un- ion column that Beijing the region
richard Grenell, the constitutional, a federal deemed racist. A13 Virginia lawmakers are lroacisailn lgi vkiindgs who
U.S. ambassador to Ger- appeals court ruled. A11 the U.n.-installed seeking a study to look
many, is expected to be Wikileaks founder Libyan government into extending Metro’s want to save earth
named acting director of Julian Assange’s lawyer pulled out of cease-fire Blue Line through Fair- Parents can’t fix climate
national intelligence. A3 said a GOP congress- talks after an attack on fax and Prince William change with life hacks —
a super Pac launched man offered a presiden- Tripoli’s port. A13 counties. B1 but here are ways to
in support of Sen. Eliza- tial pardon on behalf of a health expert called With D.c. legislation make a real impact.
beth Warren, who has Trump in exchange for Japan’s response to a that was music to fans’ style
decried the role of such absolving Russia in the coronavirus outbreak on ears, go-go became the dear prudence
groups during her presi- hack of Democratic a cruise ship “complete- city’s official sound. B1
greets a new day
dential run. A9 emails. A13 ly inadequate.” A15 in the District, where
President trump dis- school librarians are not daniel lavery’s job is to
Burak kara/agence France-Presse/getty images missed the Defense De- the world the economy required, employees fear have answers. he has
syrian aid crisis Relief agency workers, like partment’s top policy of- secretary of state the White House is cuts could come. B1 faced some big questions
those they serve, have been killed and ficial, who had clashed Mike Pompeo promoted reportedly considering a the opposing sides in his own life. c1
over the implementa- economic partnership minimum tax on corpo- made starkly different 1
displaced in the ongoing civil war. A12
tion of Trump’s foreign with the United States rations as part of a tax- claims in the case of a business news.......................a16 CONTENT © 2020
church abuse claims The Catholic Diocese of policy agenda. A11 as the path to “true lib- cut package ahead of the former U.S. diplomat’s comics.......................................c6 The Washington Post / Year 143, No. 77
a florida law prohibit- eration” in a speech in election. A16 daughter accused of opinion pages.........................a19
Harrisburg, Pa., facing new claims of abuse by ing ex-felons who can- Ethio pia. A11 retailer M.M. LaFleur murder in Montgomery loobtittuearrieises....................................................................bb35
clergy, filed for bankruptcy protection. A3 not pay certain legal china ordered the ex- is offering to lend cloth- County. B4 television.................................c4
world news............................a12
a2 eZ re the washington post .thursday, february 20, 2020
On 25th birthday, Blue Dogs stand alone
Happening today
For the latest updates all day, visit washingtonpost.com.
all day | president trump attends a Hope for Prisoners graduation When he Murphy (D-Fla.), the current co- president Joe Biden. 1995, had finished up a three-
ceremony in Las Vegas, then travels to colorado springs for an evening @PKCapitol organized the first chairman of the Blue Dogs, said After the 1994 elections swept year run as Republican chairman
campaign rally. For developments, visit washingtonpost.com/politics. Paul Kane retreat of the Blue in a House floor speech last Republicans into the House of the House Energy and
Dog Coalition in week. majority for the first time in 40 Commerce Committee.
all day | secretary of state Mike pompeo meets with leaders in Muscat, 1995, then-Rep. Their focus on fiscal matters, years, making huge gains in A few other original Blue Dogs
oman. Visit washingtonpost.com/world for details. John Tanner reserved 50 rooms however, comes at a fairly stark defeating rural Democrats, some also switched parties, and it was
at a resort on Maryland’s Eastern moment in national politics. of those remaining felt as if they not until the 2006 midterm
8:30 a.m. | the Labor department issues jobless claims for the week
Shore. After spending the Obama White needed a new home. elections — when Democrats
ended Feb. 15, which are expected to come in at 211,000, up from
As the event drew closer, the House years howling about the Tanner, who retired in 2010, successfully recruited a crop of
205,000 the previous week. For developments, visit washingtonpost.com/
Tennessee Democrat learned that federal debt, Republicans have put together a group of more candidates who appealed to
business.
he had booked only 23 rooms, largely abandoned fiscal than 20 Democrats who survived those rural and exurban regions
10 a.m. | Former trump campaign aide roger stone is expected to be setting the coalition of fiscally restraint both in terms of tax and the previous election and wanted — that both the coalition and the
sentenced by U.s. district Judge amy Berman Jackson of the district of moderate House Democrats off spending policies, with the debt to find some middle ground, broader caucus swept back into
columbia. Visit washingtonpost.com/politics for details. to a potentially very rocky start. soaring by more than $3 trillion particularly after Republicans power, allowing House Speaker
On Friday, though, the Blue in President Trump’s three years successfully lampooned the Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to make
7 p.m. | the Washington capitals host the Montreal canadiens at Dogs celebrated their 25th in office. Clinton administration’s health- history as the first woman ever to
capital one arena. Follow the game at postsports.com. birthday, a quarter-century run Democrats running for care proposal as big government. wield that chamber’s gavel.
of bonding over what it is like to president often critique Trump They were even willing to By 2010, their numbers soared
8 p.m. | cnn holds hour-long town halls with two democratic presidential
represent the most conservative and Republicans for rank work with Republicans on their to 54, but the group was set up
candidates: former vice president Joe Biden and sen. elizabeth warren
terrain inside the House hypocrisy on the issue, but none proposals to balance the annual for another big fall, getting
(Mass.). For developments, visit washingtonpost.com/politics.
Democratic caucus. Their ranks has any real plan to tackle the federal budget. wiped out in those midterms and
have ebbed and flowed over the debt. In fact, while they all “If you don’t get control of seeing their ranks dropped to a
years, a movement that could generally would push to repeal your budget, whether you’re a fraction of that record high.
usually be seen as tracking the 2017 tax cuts, those nation, a country, a business, or a By 2015, just 15 House
KLMNO
whether the Democrats were presidential candidates then family, you lose control of your Democrats joined the coalition, a
corrections
holding the majority. would use those funds on destiny. This is a great disservice low mark that left the Blue Dogs
If their weekly meetings had expansive federal programs, such to future generations who can’t without any real bark or bite.
neWspaper deLiVery
the washington Post is committed to several dozen lawmakers, that as the Medicare-for-all proposal vote and make decisions. So I But in 2016, following a
For home delivery comments
correcting errors that appear in the meant things were going well for touted by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I- thought we needed to work shooting massacre at a gay
or concerns contact us at
newspaper. those interested in House Democrats. When Vt.). toward balance,” then-Rep. Glen nightclub in Orlando, Murphy
washingtonpost.com/subscriberservices or
send us an email at contacting the paper for that purpose attendance dropped into the low This makes the Blue Dogs, Browder (D-Ala.) told a jumped into a House race in
can:
[email protected] or call teens, as it did five years ago, that while strong again in numbers biographer, transcripts of which Florida.
email: [email protected].
202-334-6100 or 800-477-4679 meant Democrats were out in the and clout, feel almost as isolated were included in a detailed Rescued by the U.S. Navy as an
call: 202-334-6000, and ask to be
political wilderness searching for now on a key policy as they were Medium post that is a infant Vietnamese boat refugee,
to sUBscriBe connected to the desk involved —
800-753-Post (7678) National, Foreign, Metro, style, sports, a path to relevance. when Tanner madly scrambled to retrospective on the coalition. Murphy, 41, defeated a 24-year
Business or any of the weekly sections. Now flush with 25 members — find staff and strategists to About two-thirds of the incumbent and then easily won
to adVertise comments can be directed to the including nine freshmen, eight of attend their first retreat. original group hailed from the reelection in 2018, providing the
washingtonpost.com/mediakit Post’s reader advocate, who can be whom flipped GOP districts in “Most importantly, Blue Dogs South, and only two were portrait for the new era of Blue
classified: 202-334-6200 reached at 202-334-7582 or 2018 — this coalition feels as if it remain focused on our founding women. Dogs: younger, more diverse,
display: 202-334-7642 [email protected]. is once again thriving. They look principles of fiscal Founded on Feb. 14, 1995, they socially liberal while still fiscally
Main pHone nUMBer a lot younger and more diverse responsibility,” said Murphy, who chose the name after a painting conservative.
202-334-6000 download the than the original 23 members, has endorsed former New York of a blue dog with yellow eyes There are five women among
to reacH tHe neWsrooM Washington post app with a geographic focus that is mayor Mike Bloomberg in the hanging in the offices of Rep. the Blue Dogs, including four
Metro: 202-334-7300; shifting into the suburban 2020 race. W.J. “Billy” Tauzin, then a who won GOP districts in 2018.
[email protected] stay informed with award-winning districts that were once Clearly the coalition is quite Democrat from Louisiana who As he gathered current staff
National: 202-334-7410; national and international news, Republican strongholds. concerned that Sanders, the self- hosted their early meetings. and Blue Dog alumni to celebrate
[email protected] PLUs complete local news “While the makeup and size of described democratic socialist, at What that group did not last Thursday, Tanner told the
Business: 202-334-7320; coverage of our coalition has changed over the top of the ticket would put realize was that it would be secret of how he made the
[email protected] the d.c. the years, our focus on fiscal many of their seats in peril. So another 12 years before annual retreat a success: no
sports: 202-334-7350; metro area. responsibility and a strong far, among those who have Democrats regained the policy or issue agenda items, just
[email protected] national security has never endorsed, the Blue Dogs heavily majority. By that point, Tauzin, socializing.
scan top
reader advocate: 202-334-7582; headlines for wavered,” Rep. Stephanie favor Bloomberg and former vice after switching parties later in [email protected]
[email protected]
must-read
to reacH tHe opinion pages stories. Get
Letters to the editor: fresh
[email protected] or call perspectives digest
202-334-6215
on the world
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from Post
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Published daily (issN 0190-8286). bloggers. ariZona inhumane and unsanitary the 2018 killings of a Dallas-area news outlets reported.
PostMaster: send address changes to save articles U.S. judge sides with conditions in some U.S. Border police officer and another man. The ruling came in a case filed
the washington Post, 1301 K st. Nw, washington, for offline Patrol facilities in the state. Brandon McCall, 28, faces by Ben Hart, a self-identified
dPe.cri.o 2d0ic0a7ls1 .p ostage paid in washington, d.c., and reading in My Post. Free to migrants over facilities The ruling came weeks after death or life in prison without atheist, who set out to get the
additional mailing office. download on the app store and the conclusion of a seven-day trial parole when he is sentenced for Kentucky plate in 2016. The
Play store, subscribers enjoy A U.S. judge in Arizona sided in which attorneys for migrants shooting his friend, Rene Gamez transportation agency denied the
unlimited access. Wednesday with migrants who who sued in 2015 argued that the II, and Richardson police officer request on the basis it violated
have long complained about agency holds immigrants in David Sherrard in what police anti-discrimination guidelines.
extremely cold, overcrowded, described as an ambush. Defense A federal judge ruled in
unsanitary and inhumane attorneys acknowledged that November that “vanity plates” are
conditions. McCall shot the men but said the private speech protected by the
The order makes permanent a killings were unintentional. First Amendment and that the
preliminary injunction that U.S. A Collin County jury returned state had violated Hart’s rights by
District Judge David C. Bury the guilty verdict after about two denying him the plate.
issued in 2016 requiring the hours of deliberations and will Attorneys for the state agency
Tucson Sector to provide clean begin hearing testimony Monday fought the costs, calling them
mats and thin blankets to in the punishment phase of excessive. The fees will go to a
migrants held for longer than 12 McCall’s trial. McCall was accused team of lawyers, including some
hours and to allow them to clean of shooting Gamez, 30, in an with the American Civil Liberties
themselves. apartment complex in the suburb Union of Kentucky and the
It also bars the agency from north of Dallas and then shooting Freedom From Religion
holding migrants more than 48 Sherrard in the chest as he Foundation, both of which helped
hours if they’ve been fully entered the apartment after Hart challenge the state’s
processed, which is common responding to reports of gunfire. decision.
when other agencies involved in The officer, a 37-year-old married — Associated Press
taking the migrants, such as father of two daughters, later died
Immigration and Customs at a hospital. 2 teens held in fatal library fire:
Enforcement, don’t have the — Associated Press Two 13-year-old boys have been
capacity to pick them up in a arrested on suspicion of starting a
reasonable amount of time. KentUcKy blaze at a public library in central
Bury is also banning the use of State agency ordered to California that left a firefighter
bathrooms for sleeping, which dead and another missing,
pay over license plate
came to light during the trial this officials said. Porterville Police
year, when video was shown of a Chief Eric Kroutil said
man trying to reach a bathroom The Kentucky Transportation Wednesday that the teenagers,
but failing to because migrants Cabinet, the state agency who were allegedly seen running
were sleeping in them. maintaining highways and from the library shortly after the
— Associated Press regulating transportation issues, blaze started, were arrested
has to pay more than $150,000 in Tuesday. Staff called 911 when
teXas legal fees for a man who won a they noticed flames in the
Man convicted in lawsuit allowing him to put “IM children’s section of the library, in
GOD” on his license plate. Porterville, 50 miles north of
killing of police officer
A judge ruled this week that Bakersfield, city librarian Vikki
the agency must pay $150,715.50 Cervantes told the Visalia Times-
A Texas man was convicted in attorneys’ fees and an Delta.
Wednesday of capital murder for additional $491.24 for court costs, — Associated Press
Fox11 News KttV-tV /associated Press
An aerial view of the Hollywood Hills home, right, where rapper Pop Smoke, 20, was shot and killed
before dawn Wednesday. Los Angeles police have not announced any arrests. His label, Republic Records,
said it is devastated by the loss. Public listings show the home, a rental, is owned by Edwin Arroyave and
wife Teddi Mellencamp, daughter of singer John Mellencamp, the Associated Press says.
thursday, february 20, 2020 . the washington post ez sU A3
Politics & the Nation
Harrisburg Diocese, amid new claims Students urge reversal
of pro-Harvard ruling
of sexual abuse, files for bankruptcy
penalty when Harvard reviews
Opponents of weighing their applications for undergradu-
ate admission.
race in college admissions
Move follows landmark “Harvard today engages in the
call decision flawed same kind of discrimination and
2018 investigation of
stereotyping that it used to justify
Catholic Church in Pa. quotas on Jewish applicants in the
1920s and 1930s,” the plaintiff ar-
BY NICK ANDERSON gued in the brief. “The district
court’s decision to accept Har-
BY JULIE ZAUZMER A group opposed to considering vard’s self-serving testimony over
race in college admissions on this mountain of evidence was re-
The Diocese of Harrisburg on Tuesday urged a federal appeals versible error.”
Wednesday became the first court to overturn a judge’s ruling The plaintiff also contends that
Catholic diocese to seek bank- last fall that Harvard University Harvard engages in unlawful ra-
ruptcy protection in Pennsylva- does not intentionally discrimi- cial balancing of its classes, that it
nia, a state that led the nation in nate against Asian Americans gives race too much weight in
investigating sexual abuse by when it selects a class. admissions and that it ignores
priests when it published a land- Students for Fair Admissions, workable alternatives that do not
mark report almost two years the plaintiff in a lawsuit that had rely on race or ethnicity.
ago. challenged Harvard’s race-con- Harvard, which denies all of
While Pennsylvania law pre- scious admissions policies, filed those allegations, pledged Tues-
vents victims of long-ago abuse the opening brief in its bid to have day to respond in court.
from suing the alleged perpetra- the U.S. Court of Appeals for the “We will vigorously defend the
tors, a recent appellate court 1st Circuit reverse the decision Court’s decision, which makes
decision has created a path for from the trial court in Boston. clear that Harvard does not dis-
victims to sue their dioceses. An U.S. District Judge Allison D. criminate on the basis of race in its
attorney for the Harrisburg Dio- Burroughs had given Harvard an admissions process, and that Har-
cese said it has been the target of across-the-board victory in the vard’s pursuit of a diverse student
several lawsuits since that opin- ruling made public Oct. 1, ending body is central to its educational
ion, while adding he did not the first phase of a closely watched mission and consistent with long-
blame abuse victims for the dio- affirmative-action case that could standing Supreme Court prece-
cese’s financial instability. marc levy/associated Press be headed for the Supreme Court. dent,” the university said in a state-
“The diocese was in need of Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D) at an October 2018 news conference in Harrisburg. Students for Fair Admissions filed ment. “Today’s filing by Students
right-sizing,” said the attorney, Shapiro has pushed for Pennsylvania to change its statute of limitations on child sex crimes. a notice of appeal Oct. 4. Now, the for Fair Admissions further expos-
Matthew Haverstick of the Klein- plaintiff is arguing in a 64-page es their ultimate goal of removing
bard law firm. “Bankruptcy is statutes of limitation prevented ture. bankruptcy settlement, and brief that the judge’s ruling was the consideration of race in col-
really the responsible way to do almost all of the named priests But the state Superior Court would not get the day in court flawed and that the evidence lege and university admissions.”
it, so it can continue to do all the who were still living from facing recently found that victims in that they sought. “If you’re a shows Asian Americans suffer a [email protected]
things it does, spiritually and criminal or civil suits. some circumstances can sue a victim that finally had your op-
charitably.” Shapiro and a host of activists diocese, even after the time in portunity to seek justice — it’s
Since 2004, 20 Catholic dioces- have campaigned, so far without which they can legally sue the horrendous,” he said. “That’s how
es in the United States have filed success, for Pennsylvania to allegedly abusive priest has [Catholic dioceses] operate.
for bankruptcy protection, ac- change its statute on child sex passed. Haverstick, who called They’re protecting the secrets,
cording to the website Bishop - the Superior Court’s decision the assets.”
Accountability.org, which tracks “bad law,” said the Harrisburg The Diocese of Harrisburg has
the Catholic Church’s sexual “If you’re a victim . . . Diocese has faced several law- already paid $12 million in settle-
abuse crisis. The most recent, in suits since that appellate deci- ments with more than 100 abuse
September, was the Diocese of it’s horrendous.” sion. victims, the diocese said in Au-
Rochester, N.Y. “Any of those lawsuits by them- gust, after opening a window
Pennsylvania sparked a wave Shaun Dougherty, an activist and selves could have been cata- from February through mid-May
of state investigations of Catholic state senate candidate worried that strophic. The combined liability for victims to apply for compen-
dioceses nationwide when its abuse victims will be shortchanged in could be an even bigger catastro- sation. The average settlement
attorney general, Josh Shapiro a bankruptcy settlement phe,” he said. “The advent of that was $114,000.
(D), unveiled a massive grand change in the law is something The diocese covers 15 counties
jury inquiry into six dioceses, that we considered” in deciding in central Pennsylvania, operat-
including Harrisburg, in the crimes and to open a window for to file for bankruptcy while these ing 40 schools and one hospital,
summer of 2018. (Two others, the victims of prior abuse to sue their suits are making their way and it says 230,000 Catholics live adam glanzman/bloomberg news
Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown abusers, as neighboring New through the courts. within its jurisdiction. A demonstrator against Harvard University’s admission process
and the Archdiocese of Philadel- York and New Jersey and other A bankruptcy proceeding [email protected] holds a sign during a protest in Boston in 2018.
phia, had been the subject of states have done in recent years. would freeze those lawsuits, and
earlier investigations.) Such a window potentially could compensation for victims would
The inquiry, which found more lead to financially devastating become part of the bankruptcy
than 300 priests had allegedly lawsuits against Catholic dioces- judgment.
molested more than 1,000 chil- es, similar to the suits faced by Shaun Dougherty, an activist
dren in the state over the span of the Boy Scouts of America, which who has campaigned for statute- Presidential
many decades, inspired attorneys filed for bankruptcy a day before of-limitation changes in Pennsyl-
general across the country to the Harrisburg Diocese. vania and is running for the state
seek documents from Catholic Those proposals have not Senate, said he feared victims
dioceses. But in Pennsylvania, made it through the state legisla- would get far less out of a
SAVINGS
Grenell named to top intelligence post EXTENDED
“leakers” and deserve to be fired, sen, who was the director of the
Ambassador to Germany, aides said. National Counterterrorism Center
In a statement, Maguire said “it under Trump and President Barack 80%
a loyal Trump confidant,
has been an honor to work along- Obama and who has known and
takes post on acting basis side the men and women of the worked with Maguire for over a de-
intelligence community” as acting cade.
director of national intelligence, “His chief attribute seems to be
and that he was “committed to lead- that President Trump views him as
BY SHANE HARRIS, ing [them] until Ambassador unfailingly loyal — hardly sufficient
ANNE GEARAN Grenell assumes the role.” to make someone qualified to per-
AND JOSH DAWSEY Maguire, who was scheduled to form the duties of the DNI.”
meet with White House officials Marc Polymeropoulos, a former
President Trump on Wednesday Thursday afternoon, was blindsid- senior CIA official, questioned why
named Richard Grenell, the U.S. ed by the news, said a person famil- the White House had again chosen OFF
ambassador to Germany, as the next iar with the matter, who spoke on not to nominate a permanent intel-
acting director of national intelli- the condition of ligence director.
gence, placing a fiercely loyal ally anonymity to “How are both sides of the aisle
atop an intelligence structure he has discuss a sensi- not outraged by yet another ‘acting’
frequently railed against. tive situation. role?” he said. “We are in need of the
It is unclear whether Trump in- The New DNI designate to provide his
tends to nominate Grenell to fill the York Times first thoughts on the whistleblower stat-
top intelligence post on a perma- reported ute, the intelligence community
nent basis, which would require Grenell’s ex- plan to thwart potential Russian in-
Senate confirmation. pected appoint- terference in the 2020 elections,
The appointment took many in Richard ment. possible Iranian retaliation for the
Washington, including on Capitol Grenell Grenell’s loy- Qasem Soleimani strike and other
Hill, by surprise. alty to the presi- key national security challenges.”
Grenell, a former State Depart- dent extends beyond his public Grenell inspired controversy al-
Rugs from All Over The World!
ment official and communications statements. In 2018, internal docu- most from the moment he became
executive, has been a Trump confi- ments from the Trump Internation- ambassador in 2018. In a tweet he
dant and ad hoc adviser on issues al Hotel in Washington listed posted hours after Trump said the
$5,000,000
beyond his ambassadorial work in Grenell as a “Gold” level member of United States would exit the Iran
Berlin. the Trump Organization’s “Trump nuclear deal, Grenell wrote that
He is a conservative foreign poli- Card” loyalty program. “German companies doing business Fine Rug Collection
cy hawk and sometime media critic, This is the second time that in Iran should wind down opera-
as well as a vocal supporter of Trump Trump has given a prominent post tions immediately.”
on social media. He has sparked to a high-level Trump Card member. Germany and other key U.S. allies
Antique & Rare Finds
controversy in his diplomatic role, Kelly Craft, Trump’s ambassador to said they intended to remain in the
but also won praise in Germany and the United Nations, also had gold agreement and the perceived ulti- Persian • Indian • Pakistan • Turkish
elsewhere for taking on issues such status, according to the 2018 docu- matum angered some officials in
as gay rights in Eastern Europe and ments — “VIP Arrivals” lists that the Berlin. Grenell has also focused on
the long-running tensions between hotel used to alert employees to im- NATO and the shortfall in German
Kosovo and Serbia. portant guests. The lists were ob- defense spending, an issue Trump
Grenell would be the first openly tained by The Washington Post. mentions frequently.
gay member of the Trump Cabinet. Grenell’s appointment is likely to Grenell also drew criticism from
He did not respond to a request for exacerbate tensions between the diplomats and foreign officials for
comment. president and members of the intel- an interview with the right-wing
Trump was being pushed by ligence community, who have been Breitbart news site, in which he said
some in the intelligence community frequent targets of Trump’s ire. he wanted to “empower” conserva-
to nominate the current acting intel- Current and former officials tives in Europe.
ligence director, Joseph Maguire, to questioned Grenell’s qualifications One U.S. official familiar with the
take the job permanently, but the to lead the intelligence agencies and decision said Grenell is expected to
7000 Wisconsin Ave. 2nd Floor
president has been fixated on ap- said his loyalty to Trump appeared take up his new post quickly.
pointing people he believes are loyal to be the reason for his appoint- [email protected] Chevy Chase, MD 20815
to him, according to White House ment. [email protected]
officials who, like others, spoke on “Nothing in Grenell’s back- [email protected] [phone] | www.parvizianfinerugs.com
the condition of anonymity to dis- ground suggests that he has the skill
cuss internal deliberations. set or the experience to be an effec- anne gearan, david a. Fahrenthold and FREE Parking
In recent weeks, he has asked tive leader of the intelligence com- ellen nakashima contributed to this
aides which employees are “bad” or munity,” said Nicholas J. Rasmus- report.
a4 ez re the washington post .thursday, february 20, 2020
Climate solutions
Threatened by the very sea that helped it to flourish, Boston fights back
boston from A1 and moved electrical equipment
to a platform several feet higher
park across the harbor. “Where do than the basement floor.
we retreat to?” from the Harborwalk — a pe-
Though florida, Louisiana and destrian path along the piers,
the Carolinas are frequently asso- wharves and shoreline around
ciated with flooding, Boston was Boston Harbor — it is seven steps
ranked the eighth most vulnerable up to the sidewalk that leads to
to floods among 136 coastal cities GE’s building at Necco Court.
around the world in a 2013 study When Brahim stands next to the
produced by the organization for equipment platform, it starts at
Economic Cooperation and Devel- the height of his shoulder.
opment. A short distance along the Har-
The sea facing Boston crept up borwalk, the city turned the flat
nine inches in the 20th century lawn beside the Boston Children’s
and is advancing ever faster to- museum into a tiny hillside play-
ward the heart of the city. ground by installing benches and
And as climate change acceler- mounds of earth with plants. The
ates, the pace of sea-level rise in museum had wanted to develop
Boston is expected to triple, add- the parcel.
ing eight inches over 2000 levels In many cases, the city can re-
by 2030, according to a report quire tougher flood standards be-
commissioned by the city. The cause developers are seeking zon-
ocean might climb as much as ing changes to reclassify property
three feet above 2013 levels by on South Harbor piers from indus-
2070, the report said. trial to commercial or residential
As much as or more than any use. And Cook notes that the near-
other coastal city in the country, ly 43-mile Harborwalk gives the
Boston is confronting this existen- city easements in most areas.
tial threat by taking steps now to Yet much remains undone.
contain the problem — at a rela- GE had planned on building a
tively affordable price and within 12-story headquarters, but to ease
a short timeline. financial pressures, the ailing con-
A surging sea could wreak hav- glomerate sold the site, which re-
oc in a place where half the city is mains vacant. Brahim said it isn’t
built on low-lying landfill. Among clear what the new developer is
the vulnerable spots are commer- planning. And the electrical
cial piers, Logan International photos by adam glanzman For the Washington post equipment of a brick building next
Airport, low-income neighbor- A pathway overlooks the sea in boston’s seaport neighborhood. the sea penetrates deep into the city via multiple inlets and tidal rivers. door remains in a vulnerable spot
hoods, the South End, the New below the level of the Harborwalk.
England Aquarium and pricey Nearby, some developers have
apartment buildings in the newly Facing rising seas opted for other defensive mea-
redeveloped Seaport area. The ef- sures. At 300 Pier 4 Blvd., a new
Boston is preparing for sea-level rise of as much as three feet above 2013 levels
fects are evident already; seawater luxury apartment building on the
by 2070. Under that scenario, much of Boston would be at risk of flooding.
at high tide has lapped up onto water’s edge a short walk from the
some streets even on days when Areas inundated at high tide Extreme flood risk zone children’s museum, the building
the sun is shining. manager keeps in the basement 16
Even in a city that is trying to 2030 2070 crates, each with 10 portable
grapple with the problem, the Mystic R. Mystic R. “aqua fences” designed to block
challenge is enormous. Green- water. If the weather forecast is
house gases are global, but the ominous, a Bobcat loader will car-
Charlestown Charlestown
impact of climate change is local. ry the roughly four-foot-high bar-
Boston’s low-income neighbor- riers outside to be fastened to steel
Cambridge East Cambridge East
hoods, where public housing proj- Boston Boston anchor points installed in the
ects were built on landfill, are stone sidewalks. metal legs are
BBoossttoonn BBoossttoonn LLooggaann BBoossttoonn BBoossttoonn LLooggaann
particularly vulnerable to flood- IInntt’’ll AAiirrppoorrtt IInntt’’ll AAiirrppoorrtt supposed to hold the barriers up-
ing. By the end of the century, a right, and tubing will help to seal
large part of the Dorchester neigh- Charles R. Charles R. them against the advancing wa-
borhood, which on its own would ters.
be the fourth-largest city in massa- The system must be tested an-
Seaport Seaport
chusetts, could be underwater. nually — or the building will lose
District District
“If there is a finite amount of South Boston South Boston its insurance. This year, in the first
resources and a finite amount of End Harbor End Harbor drill, it took 15 to 20 workers eight
time, we have to be intentional hours to assemble the barrier.
about protecting our most vulner- “I think it will do what it was
able residents,” Cook said. designed for,” said Jeremy Di-
Boston has already discarded flaminies, the general manager of
the most expensive alternative. Dorchester Bay Dorchester Bay 300 Pier 4 Blvd.
The University of massachu-
setts at Boston and the Woods the topography of poverty
1 MILE
Hole Group, an environmental There are no sea walls where
and scientific consulting firm, had most of Boston’s poorest residents
studied the possibility of building “Extreme flood risk” refers to a 100-year flood, or a flood with a 1 percent annual chance of occurring. JOE FOX AND JOHN MUYSKENS/THE WASHINGTON POST live.
a massive harbor barrier similar to Sources: Climate Ready Boston datasets via Analyze Boston; OpenStreetMap “Your most vulnerable citizens
those in the low-lying Netherlands are more likely to bear the burden
or the one across the river of climate change disproportion-
Thames in London. They estimat- it is built on landfill, making it alarming. The Boston city govern- “abruptly” elevated risk of coastal Practical problems abound. ately, so if we don’t provide climate
ed that construction would cost as “very, very vulnerable,” Cook said. ment has a slide presentation with flooding when tides shift, the sci- When the mBTA wanted to install adaptation plans, you’re doing
much as $11.8 billion, not count- So the city is looking at building a bar chart representing a 7-foot, entists said. a temporary wall farther into the more of our people a disservice,”
ing miles of structures and berms a flood protection berm as high as 4-inch rise in sea levels by 2100 if for many cities, floods that mystic river to allow construction Cook said.
needed to prevent water from out- 10 feet along the shore, raising the worldwide carbon emissions con- once occurred every 100 years are onshore, the agency discovered In areas that are being redevel-
flanking the barrier. And that level of the park and installing tinue to climb. Next to the bar expected to become annual events that the soil in the area was made oped, such as East Boston, most
price would not include the costs large chambers beneath the play- stands a drawing of former Boston — or even more frequent — by of weak marine sediments. Next, first floors of new buildings are
of interference with shipping and ing fields to hold 5 million cubic Celtics basketball star Kevin Gar- 2050, said Princeton University’s the engineers discovered two higher than is required by the
ecological damage from dredging feet of storm water. The package nett, who is a few inches short of michael oppenheimer, a profes- large-capacity electric power lines federal Emergency management
and altered currents. would include improved recre- the 7-foot-4 mark. sor of geosciences and interna- critical to keeping the region’s Agency or state codes, Brahim
In New York City, the U.S. Army ation areas. The forecast numbers all have tional affairs. lights on. The utility did not want said. But older residential build-
Corps of Engineers is studying a Similar plans have been drawn substantial margins of error, but “Enough is known to start for- to move them. ings are occupied by lower-in-
$119 billion barrier to protect up for ryan Playground in the even the smallest sea-level rise is mulating policies to make the Eventually, the mBTA laid come people, most of whom do not
against rising seas and more-de- Charlestown neighborhood on the threatening. coast more resilient and to adapt down a stone embankment to have the money to alter the topog-
structive storms, such as Hurri- mystic river. rising sea levels have already to anticipated sea-level rise,” he hold up the existing wall. It is raphy.
cane Sandy, the 2012 “super These shoreline plans are flexi- increased the frequency of flood- said. 5.4 inches higher than the city re- The new buildings “end up be-
storm” that flooded Lower man- ble, an advantage in preparing for ing during relatively normal tides Boston is one of 94 cities world- quires, and grasses were planted ing islands of resilience,” Brahim
hattan, tunnels and subway lines widely different, still-uncertain and rainfalls. In 2017, Boston expe- wide sharing information about on top to improve its appearance said. “If a building itself is being
and cut off electricity. In January, climate scenarios. rienced a record 22 days with how to deal with climate change. from the river and nearby bridge. raised, it could act as a barrier, but
President Trump slammed the “What Boston and other com- high-tide flooding, according to In the end, oppenheimer other agencies face daunting only if the surrounding landscape
idea in a tweet, calling it a “200 munities are doing is trying to be the National oceanic and Atmo- warned, retreat might be the only challenges. The Boston Water and is being raised.”
Billion Dollar Sea Wall” that is proactive,” said Nasser Brahim, spheric Administration. The city option. “It is what a lot of cities will Sewer Commission designs storm for now, he says, new standards
“costly, foolish [and an] environ- the technical leader on vulnerabil- could also experience more “blue have to do because a lot of neigh- sewers to cope with as much as are being imposed on new con-
mentally unfriendly idea that, ity assessment and adaptation sky” flooding, when seawater laps borhoods are not defensible,” he 4.8 inches of rain in 24 hours. That struction in the hope that eventu-
when needed, probably won’t planning at the consulting firm onto streets during high tides on said. Sea levels will continue to capacity covers 90 percent of the ally “as projects come on, they will
work anyway.” Kleinfelder, which is advising the sunny days. rise, no matter how high the coast- storms that occur in an average build up to something bigger.”
“It will also look terrible,” he city. “You never know when a di- for an academic paper on water al barriers might be, he said. year. But climate change is in- Cook drove a visitor along Joe
added. “Sorry, you’ll just have to saster is going to hit.” levels in Boston’s harbor, three “You either protect people or creasing the size and intensity of moakley Park in South Boston, the
get your mops & buckets ready!” scientists ferreted out correspon- you get them out of the way,” he rainfalls, which by 2100 could large flat area across from old
Boston’s projects are more sea science dence and measurements made as said. “There just isn’t a choice.” dump as much as 6.65 inches onto Harbor that would not offer much
modest in scale but no less crucial. The rise in sea levels has two early as 1825 by Loammi Baldwin the city in a 24-hour period. of a defense for some subsidized
In Charlestown, the city plans to main drivers: the melting of ice Jr., a civil engineer commissioned the soggy shoreline The neighborhood along the housing that is vulnerable to ris-
raise main Street by about two feet sheets in Greenland and Antarcti- to construct a dry dock at the An mBTA bus depot in the edge of the fort Point Channel, ing seas. He talked about changing
at an estimated cost of as much as ca; and “thermal expansion,” Charlestown Navy Yard. Charlestown neighborhood is one which feeds into Boston Harbor, the contours of the expanse.
$3 million. The higher structure meaning that warm water has They concluded that sea-level potential trouble spot. The buses also shows gains as well as tasks Then he drove through a tunnel
would block the main flood path- greater volume than cool water. rise in Boston began to pick up there serve nearly 100,000 people, ahead. under the harbor to East Boston,
way and protect more than 250 The result will be a rise in global speed only after 1940. one-third of but the depot stands on landfill General Electric has leased two where newcomers are moving in
residences and 60 businesses. sea levels of more than 10 inches by the 100 most extreme storm and is inundated during heavy historic brick buildings in the while others remain on the first
The massachusetts Bay Trans- 2100 if the rise in global tempera- events have taken place in the past rain. With higher sea levels, severe neighborhood that will become steps of the economic ladder. The
portation Authority is spending tures stays within the two degrees dozen years, including in 2018, storms could cause enough flood- the company’s slimmed-down latter group are the people “who in
$22 million to build watertight Celsius (3.6 degrees fahrenheit) tar- which saw some of the highest ing to knock out bus service fre- global headquarters. GE has ele- a climate emergency can’t evacu-
steel doors that can be closed at get set in the Paris accord, the inter- water levels measured since Euro- quently. And even if an existing vated the first floor of the building ate,” Cook said. “These aren’t peo-
the entrance of a rail tunnel near national agreement signed in 2015. pean colonization, they wrote. By wall is raised, water could still at Necco Court, installed systems ple who can relocate to the family
fenway Park. And the mBTA also other scenarios are more the 2030s, the city will face an creep in from another side. to capture and reuse rainwater, home in the mountains. These are
plans to tear out a heavy glass- people in public housing.”
brick cube protecting an under- Walsh, the mayor, is keenly
ground rail ventilation system aware of the inequities linked to
near its Aquarium stop and re- climate change, and he has fo-
place it with brick and steel-rein- cused on areas where the city’s
forced concrete. poorest residents live.
Cook is scouring waterside Cook pulls his electric vehicle
parks for places where changes in into the parking lot of a Shaw’s
elevation can be turned into natu- supermarket, the only big grocery
ral barriers. store in East Boston. Cook posi-
That’s why Joe moakley Park, a tions his car to face a pier lashed by
60-acre area in South Boston wintry weather and the 10-foot
across the street from a beach, is tides of Boston Harbor. Below the
important, Cook said. The park level of the parking lot is the
floods regularly, forcing the can- Shaw’s loading dock. Almost every
cellation of sporting events at its time there is an exceptionally high
playing fields. moreover, rising tide known as a king tide, the
sea levels are turning the park into loading dock floods.
a major flood pathway that in an- “When we think of vital infra-
other decade could contribute to structure, we [need to] think of a
the inundation of nearby neigh- grocery store,” Cook said. “This is
borhoods, including two low-in- LEFt: A section of a portable flood barrier at a high-rise apartment building in boston’s seaport neighborhood. RIGHt: Climate risk and the opportunity right here.”
come housing developments. And resilience specialist nasser brahim of the consulting firm Kleinfelder points out details of a flood map of greater boston. [email protected]
thursday, february 20, 2020 . the washington post eZ re A5
Trump retweets attacks on Justice, FBI
barr from a1 of their gavels” and that “the said, is not entirely receptive to suggested that Stone deserves a
Dems should be removed from calls to change his behavior, and new trial.
Trump’s longtime friend roger power in Nov for their corrupt, he has told those around him that He later acknowledged to re-
Stone is scheduled to be sen- rigged, rushed impeachment, hi- he is not going to stop tweeting porters that his tweeting does
tenced for lying to Congress and jacking Congress to appease a about the Justice Department. make Barr’s job more difficult.
obstruction. Trump’s tweets radical activist liberal base.” They said Trump considers high- [email protected]
about Stone last week prompted Trump was acquitted by the lighting what he perceives as fBI [email protected]
Barr to speak out publicly, saying Senate on charges of abuse of and Justice Department miscon- [email protected]
the president’s declarations power and obstruction of Con- duct a good political message. attorney General William P.
“make it impossible for me to do gress. Schiff and Nadler were on Tuesday, Trump declared barr, shown in October, did not
my job.” among the House impeachment he might sue those involved in mention recent tensions with
If Trump continues to tweet, managers. the special counsel’s investiga- the president during a speech
and Barr continues to stay in his Trump, White House officials tion of his 2016 campaign and Wednesday at the FbI. Jabin botsford/the Washington Post
job, “I think he is in danger of
getting into ‘Boy Who Cried Wolf’
territory,” said matthew miller, a
former Justice Department
spokesman in the obama admin-
istration. “He’s already said the
president’s commenting made
his job impossible, and the presi-
dent kept commenting, and then
he apparently told people that he
was considering resigning if the
president didn’t stop. So if the F E B RUA RY
president doesn’t stop now and
he doesn’t quit, he looks feckless
and insincere.”
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dler (D-N.Y.) should be “stripped
A6 eZ sU the washington post .thursday, february 20, 2020
Trump’s pardon e≠orts center on new in-house task force
clemency from A1
putting the White House more
directly in control of the process
that in past administrations has
been housed in the Justice De-
partment, officials said.
Pam Bondi, the former florida
attorney general who served on
Trump’s impeachment defense
team, is also playing a significant
role, vetting applications for po-
tential pardon recipients. Kush-
ner has personally reviewed ap-
plications with White House law-
yers before presenting them to
Trump for final approval, accord-
ing to two senior administration
officials.
Trump, who prefers granting
clemency to people with compel-
ling personal stories or lengthy
sentences, is inclined to grant
more pardons before facing vot-
ers in November, one official said.
“He likes doing them,” the offi-
cial said, adding that the presi-
dent was unfazed by criticism
over his decision to grant clemen-
cy, including to former Illinois
governor rod r. Blagojevich (D)
and financier michael milken.
The new effort comes at a
pivotal time in Trump’s presiden-
cy, as he is seeking to more
forcefully exert his executive
powers in the wake of his im-
peachment acquittal while also
campaigning for reelection.
Trump has tried to make a direct
appeal to minority voters by re-
peatedly touting his actions on
criminal justice, including with a
Super Bowl ad that featured Alice
Johnson thanking the president
for freeing her from prison.
The effort also represents an
attempt to establish a more orga-
nized way for making clemency
decisions. for most of Trump’s
presidency, his decisions about Jabin botsford/the Washington Post
whom to pardon appeared to be President Trump departs after delivering remarks Friday at the White House to national Border Patrol council members. As he considers granting more pardons, Trump has
based more on cues from celebri- assembled a team of advisers to recommend and vet candidates, a group that has been meeting since late last year, according to several people with knowledge of the matter.
ties, political allies and fox News
segments than a thorough vetting ed by Johnson, who had her life A move by Trump to ramp up Kushner was supportive of the involves direct submission of ap- sides recognize that the tradition-
of the merits of the case. It also sentence for a nonviolent drug the clemency process and seize Blagojevich commutation, while plicants to the White House of- al process needs to be reformed.”
led to criticism that only the offense commuted by Trump in control from the Justice Depart- other White House and campaign fice of American Innovation, The foundation’s executive,
well-connected were being con- 2018. Johnson has been working ment’s office of the Pardon Attor- aides argued heavily against it, which is led by Kushner, accord- Kevin roberts, was listed by the
sidered, rather than the thou- with the White House’s new clem- ney would be welcome by crimi- according to three administra- ing to people familiar with the White House as someone who
sands of applicants who were ency effort after Trump publicly nal-justice advocates, said mark tion officials. matter. advocated for the release of Hall,
pressing their cases through the asked her last year to submit a list Holden, general counsel of Koch Trump added to the sense of Ja’ron Smith, the deputy di- munoz and Negron.
official Justice Department pro- of names of other people who Industries, the private company confusion Tuesday by indicating rector of the office of American It’s not clear how the people in
cess. deserved commutations, officials controlled by billionaire industri- he decided to commute Innovation, has also been in- Trump’s informal network will
“Trump brags about criminal said. She recommended Crystal alist Charles Koch, whose politi- Blagojevich’s sentence after see- volved in the pardon process, select people to recommend for
justice reform, but instead of munoz, Tynice Hall and Judith cal network worked closely with ing his wife advocate for his officials said. clemency, or whether any of the
helping any of the 13,000 federal Negron, who each had their sen- the White House on legislation to release on television. Paul Larkin, a research fellow thousands of inmates with pend-
inmates who have petitioned for tences commuted by Trump on reduce sentences for nonviolent A set of White House talking at the Heritage foundation who ing applications will be able to
clemency — many of whom are Tuesday. offenders. points released to supporters has worked with the White House get the attention of Trump’s al-
serving overly harsh sentences Johnson is a member of the “I think the shift would be Wednesday defended Trump’s de- on criminal-justice issues, said lies.
and deserve mercy — Trump informal network of advocates great,” said Holden, who worked cision to grant clemency to Kushner and others in the admin- Larry Kupers, who led the
helped political supporters, the providing clemency recommen- with Johnson and the White Blagojevich, who had served istration have held discussions pardon office during the first two
wealthy and well-connected, dations. former acting attorney House to help secure commuta- eight years of a 14-year sentence, about changing the clemency years of the Trump administra-
those championed by fox News, general matthew Whitaker, Dem- tions for munoz, Hall and Ne- and others. process since 2018. tion, noted that a record-setting
and contestants on his TV show,” ocratic commentator Van Jones gron. “No disrespect intended to “The Americans granted par- Larkin said the discussions he number of nearly 13,000 people
the Democratic National Com- and Brett Tolman, a former U.S. the Department of Justice, but dons and commutations by Presi- participated in, including one led are waiting for responses to their
mittee said in a statement follow- attorney in Utah, are also part of having them decide who gets dent Trump were recommended by Kushner in 2018, included clemency requests. many of them
ing the recent pardon announce- the group, according to a senior freed after they’re the ones who and selected based on factors proposals for reducing or elimi- have no access to the president,
ment. administration official. locked people up with these ridic- such as excessive sentencing, nating the role of the Justice and it’s not clear how they would
Trump’s decision to rely on The informal effort ramped up ulous sentences? There seems to their rehabilitation, and more,” Department’s office of the Par- fare under a new clemency pro-
conservative allies for clemency after Johnson reached out to be some bias there.” the talking points said, without don Attorney in the clemency cess that cuts out the career
decisions also risks further politi- lawyers and other criminal-jus- Democrats have criticized describing how the recommenda- process. officials at the Justice Depart-
cizing the pardon process at a tice advocates to help her seek Trump’s willingness to use the tions were made. marc Levin, who leads the ment.
time of fraying confidence in the commutations for women she presidency’s almost unlimited Several officials familiar with Texas Public Policy foundation’s “I would urge President Trump
ability of the Justice Department knew in prison, said Inimai Chet- pardon authority to bestow clem- the matter said the White House right on Crime initiative, said to look closely at thousands of
to carry out its duties without tiar, legislative director for the ency to high-profile allies con- has been discussing ways to re- changing the presidential pardon federal inmates who really de-
political interference. Justice Action Network, a biparti- victed of fraud, lying and corrup- vamp the clemency process for process has long been on the serve clemency,” Kupers said,
While several of the pardons san group pushing for criminal tion. months, amid growing consensus agenda of advocates on both sides “rather than focusing on his cro-
Trump granted Tuesday went to justice change and represented Trump’s commutation of that the role of the Justice De- of the aisle. nies.”
well-connected or wealthy associ- on the informal task force by Blagojevich, who was convicted partment should be minimized. “In most states, as you know, [email protected]
ates, the president also commut- Tolman. on corruption charges in 2011 The White House has been disap- the parole and clemency process [email protected]
ed the sentences of three women Johnson reached out to these related to trying in 2008 to sell pointed with the Justice Depart- is not vested with prosecutors,” [email protected]
who had been convicted of nonvi- people “and they started meeting President-elect Barack obama’s ment’s process, officials said. he said, noting that obama also
olent offenses — part of the new with the White House,” Chettiar vacated Senate seat, received crit- While the Justice Department tried to make changes, though beth reinhard, anne gearan and
task-force effort. said. “Alice Johnson helped coor- icism from some republicans, as has traditionally received clem- those efforts still took place with- Matt Zapotosky contributed to this
The women were recommend- dinate this.” well as Democrats. ency petitions, the new process in the Justice Department. “Both report.
Trump freed Alice Johnson in 2018. Tuesday, he freed three of her friends.
BY BETH REINHARD Tuesday: convicted “junk-bond Attorney in the Justice Depart- Bowl ad for the Trump campaign, Johnson’s application to end grams, the White House said.
king” michael milken, former Illi- ment. That office vets the requests federal prosecutors in the West- supervised release is now pend- Negron, who had completed
Three of the women President nois governor rod r. Blagojevich, and sends recommendations to ern District of Tennessee have ing. eight years of a 35-year sentence
Trump granted clemency to this former New York City police com- the deputy attorney general, who opposed her request to cut short Johnson was held at several for health-care fraud, said she had
week had one thing in common: missioner Bernard Kerik and bil- forwards final recommendations her five years of supervised re- different prisons, including fed- never “praise-danced” before she
They were all in prison with Alice lionaire Edward DeBartolo Jr. to the White House. lease. eral medical Center Carswell in met Johnson in prison.
Johnson, the former drug dealer The men had members of Con- Clemency advocates have long “motivated now by continued Texas, where she met munoz, and “She made this beautiful chore-
whose sentence Trump commut- gress, wealthy campaign donors argued that the Justice Depart- greed for money, fame and celeb- federal Correctional Institution ography, and I wanted to be part
ed two years ago. and celebrities vouching for them. ment, traditionally led by tough- rity, the defendant seeks to throw Aliceville in Alabama, where she of that,” Negron, 48, said by phone
Crystal munoz was Johnson’s The women had their former on-crime former prosecutors, op- off the pesky burden of supervised befriended Hall and Negron. from her home in miami. “It kind
“adopted daughter” in federal prison mate — who was freed poses too many offenders who are release,” U.S. Attorney michael munoz, who spent 12 years in of helped us do our time.”
prison. Tynice Hall and Johnson after her case was championed by prison for her role in a marijuana Negron was convicted of aiding
prayed together. And Judith Ne- reality-television star Kim Kar- smuggling ring, described John- a $200 million fraud that was one
gron performed with Johnson in dashian West. “I knew I would always be in her heart, son as a surrogate mother. munoz of the largest mental-health bill-
dance productions. “Every time I think about it, my was separated from her two baby ing scams in the country.
When Trump freed Johnson in eyes fill and the tears just flow,” but I never knew she would advocate so hard for daughters when she was impris- “Every day, I am trying to com-
2018, the three hoped their own Johnson said in a telephone inter- oned. pensate and repair the damage,”
appeals for clemency would one view Wednesday, speaking of the me. She’s my secret angel.” “Alice was a light in a dark she said. “I am grateful I have
day also be granted. That day release of her friends. place,” said munoz, 40. “To know been given an opportunity, and I
came Tuesday, when Trump cut Amy Povah, founder of a pro- Tynice Hall, on alice Johnson’s advocating for her release that she had a life sentence and to will continue to pay my dues to
short their sentences, in part clemency group called CAN-Do, see the strength and motivation society.”
based on Johnson’s recommenda- said she and other advocates for that she gave to everyone around Johnson’s role in the clemency
tions. criminal justice reform submitted “Alice was a light in a dark place. . . . To see the her, it helped me have hope.” process dates to october, more
In interviews Wednesday, the a list of about a dozen meritorious The White House cited munoz’s than a year after her release, when
women said they had not spoken female offenders directly to the strength and motivation that she gave to everyone mentoring of other inmates, vol- Trump invited her to a criminal
with Johnson in years and were White House late last year. unteer work with a hospice pro- justice speech in South Carolina.
only vaguely aware of her efforts. “When it boiled down to only around her, it helped me have hope.” gram and “extraordinary commit- In the middle of his remarks, he
“I knew I would always be in three, it’s not surprising that the ment to rehabilitation.” called on Johnson to help him
her heart, but I never knew she White House put value on the Crystal Munoz , who like hall was granted clemency by trump on tuesday Hall said she and Johnson com- find other inmates worthy of
would advocate so hard for me,” ones Alice served time with and miserated during President Ba- clemency.
Hall said. “She’s my secret angel.” knew their character,” said Povah, rack obama’s second term when “You know some great people
The relief granted to the three who was incarcerated for nine deserving of leniency. Dunavant, a Trump appointee, they were not among a record-set- that are going to be there for
women is the latest example of the years for drug crimes before re- “I’m not trying to be the pardon said in a court filing in July. “Unin- ting number of about 1,700 com- many, many years, Alice. right?”
uno r tho dox ways that Trump ceiving a commutation in 2000. office or to say people have to go formed members of the public mutations. Trump asked. “And you’re going to
chooses to exercise his clemency “You know who those diamonds through me, but I am trying to continue to celebrate her crimi- “She kind of talked me through give me some names, all right?”
powers, having sidelined the tra- are in there who are so deserving, offer a little help,” said Johnson, a nality.” it and gave me moral support,” Johnson told The Washington
ditional pardon bureaucracy ad- and you know who the people are 64-year-old great-grandmother Johnson said it was “absolutely said Hall, 36, who served about 14 Post that she heard an alarm go
ministered by the Justice Depart- that are still engaging in shenani- who served about 22 years of a life crazy” to cast her as a risk to years of an 18-year sentence for off. “That was the moment I’d
ment. gans.” sentence for cocaine trafficking. public safety. She now lives with drug crimes. been waiting for,” she said. “That’s
The women stand in contrast to for decades, offenders have Despite Johnson’s role as an her daughter in Arizona, giving Hall completed apprentice- all it took, and then I hit the
the well-connected public figures filed petitions seeking clemency informal adviser to the president speeches about criminal justice ships, took college classes and ground running.”
who were also granted clemency with the office of the Pardon and her appearance in a Super reform and promoting a memoir. taught prison educational pro- [email protected]
thursday, february 20, 2020 . the washington post eZ re A7
Blagojevich says
he’s a ‘Trumpocrat’
York police commissioner Ber-
Also declares himself nard Kerik.
Blagojevich was caught on FBI
‘a freed political prisoner’
wiretaps talking about trying to
after sentence commuted sell Obama’s vacated Senate seat,
saying it was a “valuable thing”
and “you don’t just give it away
for nothing.”
BY SUSAN BERGER After he was indicted, but
AND JOHN WAGNER before he was convicted,
Blagojevich was a contestant on
CHICAGO — An unrepentant Rod Trump’s NBC reality show, “Ce-
Blagojevich expressed “everlast- lebrity Apprentice” in 2010.
ing gratitude” Wednesday to Trump praised Blagojevich at the
President Trump for commuting time for having “a lot of guts” to
his 14-year prison sentence and appear on the program.
declared himself “a freed political Trump has used his sweeping
prisoner” as he spoke to reporters clemency powers largely on be-
outside his home in Chicago. half of high-profile offenders who
“From the beginning to the have connections to him or his
end, this was persecution mas- supporters.
querading as prosecution,” the But Trump had wavered
former Democratic governor of over whether to commute tannen Maury/ePa-eFe/shutterstock
Illinois said of his legal ordeal, Blagojevich’s sentence because Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich autographs an image of himself after speaking Wednesday at his Chicago home for the first time
which resulted in a conviction on Illinois Republicans in Congress since his release from federal prison. He served about eight years of a 14-year federal prison sentence after being convicted of corruption.
corruption charges in 2011 relat- were very much against it. He
ed to trying to sell President first mentioned it as a possibility
Barack Obama’s former Senate in 2018, saying he believed the
seat, among other campaign fi- punishment was excessive.
nance violations. He even polled a group of
What Inspires You?
Blagojevich, who had been donors last year at Chicago fund-
serving time in a federal correc- raiser on whether he should grant
tional facility in Colorado, ap- Blagojevich clemency, people fa-
peared alongside his wife and two miliar with the event said.
It’s the question that matters most to us.
daughters at a news conference in If not for Trump’s intervention,
which he frequently dabbed his Blagojevich was not set to be
Because we’re making something special.
chin, explaining that he was released until 2024. Instead, he
bleeding from his first “normal” went home Tuesday night.
The one place in the world that’s yours.
shave in about eight years. On Wednesday, Blagojevich
“We want to express our most said he plans to draw upon his
profound and everlasting grati- experiences to help people who Inspiring Homeowners Since 1961.
tude to President Trump,” have been wrongly incarcerated
Blagojevich said, suggesting that or given unduly harsh sentences.
the Republican president had “It is a broken criminal justice
nothing to gain politically by system, and it has been for a long
granting clemency to a Democrat. time,” Blagojevich said, crediting
Blagojevich, who quoted scrip- Trump with doing more to fix it
ture and Martin Luther King Jr. at than other presidents.
various points, described himself Blagojevich, at times emotion-
as a “Trumpocrat” and said he al, talked about his “long and
would vote for Trump if he can — unhappy journey” and the toll it
seemingly uncertain as to wheth- took on his family.
er his time in prison would per- His oldest daughter, Amy, now
mit that. 23, graduated high school, at-
Blagojevich was greeted by tended Northwestern University
cheers of “Welcome home, gover- and got a master’s degree in
nor!” and “love you.” A banner marketing while he was gone. His
ran below the family’s front youngest daughter, Annie, was
porch, signed by neighbors, say- 8 when he left and is now driving,
ing, “Thank you Mr. President.” he said.
Reporters and TV cameras sur- Blagojevich described his first
rounded the house, and helicop- prison cell as “cold and dark . . .
ters could be overheard on a like a tomb.” He said he was
24-degree, sunny day. confined to 6-by-12-foot space in
Blagojevich’s wife, Patti, apolo- which he slept on the top bed of
gized for his tardiness, blaming it bunk beds. He recalled looking
on her newly returned husband out a small window at night and
not being able to find his socks. thinking of his wife and children,
Trump on Tuesday pardoned saying to himself, “One day I will
or commuted the sentences of make it back to you.”
seven convicted white-collar As Blagojevich spoke, Trump
criminals at the center of federal took to Twitter, writing: “He
anti-corruption and tax fraud served 8 years in prison, with
cases spanning decades, and an many remaining. He paid a big
additional four women whose price.”
cases were not as well known. [email protected]
Others to benefit from the presi-
dent’s clemency powers included Wagner reported from Washington.
convicted junk bond king Mi- colby Itkowitz contributed to this
chael Milken and former New report.
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8
2x
8
N111
a8 eZ m2 the washington post .thursday, february 20, 2020
election 2020
the take
Other Democratic candidates roiled by Sanders’s strength, Bloomberg’s resources
taKe from a1 No debate in this campaign Those ingredients are likely to Klobuchar (D-minn.) and former in national polls, a development Buttigieg. Their antagonism is
began with more at stake — and combine to boost Sanders, as South Bend, Ind., mayor Pete that has triggered alarms and not new, but the stakes have been
and mike Bloomberg, the with more expectations that it many Democrats predicted on Buttigieg, their candidacies considerable resentment from raised by the tests they face in
billionaire former mayor of New could mark an important shift in the night he narrowly won New facing fresh challenges, sparred the other candidates. Nevada and South Carolina in
York, rising at the expense of the race. Bloomberg’s presence on Hampshire. With Sanders with one another. former vice The pummeling of Bloomberg proving they can appeal to a far
others who have been fighting to the stage was one big reason. But increasingly consolidating the president Joe Biden went after was expected, and the big more diverse electorate than in
become a center-left alternative so, too, was the growing reality left wing of the party and the non- Bloomberg and Sanders. question was how he would Iowa and New Hampshire.
to Sanders. that Sanders built up significant Sanders supporters split among No one was more aggressive respond. At times, he fired back at The primary-season calendar
Everything that was on display momentum in the first two others in the field, the senator than Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D- his critics. At other times, he is now a friend to Sanders. In past
Wednesday night — as well as contests and is applying it to from Vermont has positioned mass.), who was nearly invisible seemed to avoid jumping in when years, there has sometimes been
everyone on the stage — showed future contests in ways that could himself to gain an advantage in at the New Hampshire debate two he came under fire. more than a week between last of
the tension that now exists and make him ever more difficult to pledged delegates over the next weeks ago and came to regret it. Buttigieg warned Democrats the early-state primaries and
the sense of urgency that time is stop. 40 days of competition. With her candidacy in jeopardy, that nominating either caucuses and Super Tuesday. This
running out on some of them. Ahead of the debate, a dual Bloomberg, the newest she was relentless in attacks on Bloomberg or Sanders would put year, Super Tuesday follows South
Sanders’s rise has raised fears sensibility permeated candidate on the stage, came in Bloomberg’s record. the party at risk. “We shouldn’t Carolina by three days.
that, if he were the nominee, his conversation among Democratic for the harshest attacks, an “Democrats are not going to have to choose between one other than Sanders or
brand of democratic socialism Party strategists. one, that only unruly welcome to someone who win if we have a nominee who has candidate who wants to burn this Bloomberg, no candidate has
could doom the party to defeat Bloomberg has the resources to has faced no serious scrutiny a history of hiding his tax returns, party down and another sufficient money to make a real
against President Trump, along compete as broadly on Super since announcing his candidacy. of harassing women, and of candidate who wants to buy this dent in the Super Tuesday states,
with many candidates for House Tuesday and beyond as Sanders. He often struggled to parry them supporting racist policies like party out,” he said. though some have worked to put
and Senate. Two, that all the other candidates effectively, particularly when redlining and stop-and-frisk,” on the issue of stop-and-frisk, organizations into place.
one measure of how rapidly competing to become the challenged on his record on stop- Warren said in the opening Bloomberg repeated his pre- The question of whether
things are changing is this: In alternative to Sanders and who and-frisk as mayor and when minutes of the debate. “Look, I’ll campaign apology for the policies Sanders can be stopped and who
barely a week, the question has have been running for the past called on to release women who support whoever the Democratic he pursued as mayor. But when might be able to do that might be
shifted from whether Sanders has year were not willing to concede had signed nondisclosure nominee is. But understand this: he tried to explain why he had getting ahead of the story, but the
a ceiling, based on the fact that he anything to a candidate who agreements over workplace Democrats take a huge risk if we sought to change the policy, final moments of the debate
managed just a quarter of the hasn’t been on any of the first four treatment at his company. just substitute one arrogant Biden slammed him, claiming showed how much this is at the
vote in both Iowa and New ballots. But the attacks weren’t limited billionaire for another.” that it was only because of the center of the campaign.
Hampshire, to whether he can be Bloomberg supporters have to the billionaire former mayor. Bloomberg’s presence on the intervention of the obama The candidates were asked
stopped. The answer to that not hidden their belief that only At one point or another, nearly stage added a new dynamic to a administration and not because whether the person with the most
question could be known as early he has the potential to stop everyone on the stage drew group of candidates who have of Bloomberg’s initiative. pledged delegates, even if not a
as Super Tuesday, less than two Sanders and that, in a general criticism from someone else. gotten used to debating one During the debate, Bloomberg majority, should be rewarded
weeks away. election, he has the resources and Sanders was criticized as too another and often have avoided was attacked for operating a with a first-ballot victory at the
Some Democrats see the positioning to defeat Trump. polarizing and for offering the kind of direct clashes that workplace hostile to women, for national convention or should the
Bloomberg as the one candidate As the debate showed, the other health-care and other proposals peppered the debate Wednesday calling the Affordable Care Act a convention decide at that
could sell better in a general candidates see him right now as without a plan to pay for them. night. “disgrace,” for failing so far to moment what to do. Everyone but
election, and there have been an intruder of uncertain The debate started with an Bloomberg has focused his release his tax returns — he said Sanders said the convention
suggestions that the time is Democratic Party lineage (much explosion of attacks and rarely efforts on contests starting in he is working on them — and for should be allowed to work its will.
coming for the party to coalesce like Trump with the republicans slowed down, with candidates march, while skipping the first having supported then-President Sanders stood alone on the other
around him. But nobody on the in 2016) and resent the vying to get into the fray and four events that have reshaped George W. Bush in 2004. side.
stage Wednesday night showed unprecedented amounts of his talking over one another so loudly the race. His spending and the Some of the most pointed That is what awaits the
any willingness to give the former own money he has poured into at times that the moderators results from Iowa and New exchanges, however, were Democrats in the coming months.
mayor any quarter. the campaign. struggled to keep order. Sen. Amy Hampshire have helped him rise between Klobuchar and [email protected]
Bloomberg is hit hard
Sanders offered a lengthy plea for
solutions to income inequality —
including putting workers on
in a gloves-o≠ debate
corporate boards. At one point, a
moderator asked Bloomberg if he
should be allowed to “exist.”
Bloomberg offered the dispas-
sionate case for his campaign: “I
Debate from a1 Democratic nomination. can’t think of a way that would
“I think we have two questions make it easier for Donald Trump
Warren (D-mass.) and former to face tonight. one is, who can to get reelected than listening to
South Bend, Ind., mayor Pete beat Donald Trump? And num- this conversation.”
Buttigieg, came out swinging, ber two, who can do the job if As in previous debates, Butt-
each of them aiming to avoid they get into the White House?” igieg and Klobuchar did little to
elimination from the race. Con- Bloomberg said. “And I would hide their disdain for each other.
tenders who had once respected argue that I am the candidate Buttigieg repeatedly attacked
time limits eagerly spoke over that can do exactly both of those Klobuchar for her voting record
one another, posing questions things.” and campaign performance.
directly to each other; former The debate came at a pivotal Klobuchar, who rode a breakout
vice president Joe Biden, facing point in the campaign, three days debate performance in New
his own make-or-break moment, before the third contest of the Hampshire to a surprising third-
was among those who repeatedly year, Saturday’s Nevada caucus- place finish in the first-in-the-na-
interrupted with the phrase “Let es. tion primary state, was asked to
me finish!” The debate was the first in address the fact that she could
Sanders (I-Vt.) was challenged which Sanders was the clear not name the president of mexico
on his electability and ques- front-runner in the race, having at an event last week.
tioned on his health, the combat- jumped to the top of national “I don’t think that that mo-
iveness of his online supporters polls and forcing many in the ment, that momentary forgetful-
and the viability of his policy party to grapple with the idea ness, actually reflects what I
prescriptions. Bloomberg was hit that he is in the best position to John Locher/associated Press know about mexico. And how
for his political record, his al- take a large delegate lead in much I care about it,” Klobuchar
leged coarse descriptions of coming weeks. But he has often said.
women, his extraordinary wealth been an afterthought in debates, Buttigieg seized on that mo-
and his contention that he is best with other candidates more fo- ment to make an argument he
positioned to defeat President cused on which moderate is the has made against Klobuchar in
Trump. The other candidates on best to take on Sanders than their many heated exchanges in
the stage, who have attended actually challenging Sanders. previous debates: He suggested
each of the previous eight debate As Sanders has soared, long- her Washington experience has
rounds, took advantage of their time leader Biden has plummet- not prepared her for the presi-
first opportunity to directly chal- ed, and Warren has struggled to dency as well as she says it has.
lenge the billionaire, who has regain ground. Buttigieg and “Are you trying to say that I’m
spent more than $339 million of Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-minn.) dumb, or are you mocking me
his own money on advertising to have sought to build national here?” Klobuchar asked, visibly
put his campaign in contention. campaigns after surprisingly upset. Later she shot back, sar-
Sanders accused Bloomberg of strong finishes in Iowa and New castically, “I wish everyone was
supporting the “outrageous” pol- Hampshire. for several of the as perfect as you, Pete.”
icy of stop-and-frisk policing and candidates, a weak showing in Eventually, Warren ended the
accumulating more wealth than Saturday’s vote or the South Car- discussion for them.
the poorest 120 million Ameri- olina primary on feb. 29 could be “I understand that she forgot a
cans, which he called “immoral.” dire. name,” Warren said. “It happens.
Warren described Bloomberg as Bloomberg has made his pres- It happens to everyone on this
“a billionaire who calls women ence felt not at the polls — his stage.”
fat broads and horse-faced lesbi- name will not be on a ballot until During the exchange, Biden
ans,” a reference to quotes attrib- the Super Tuesday primaries on attempted to interject. “I’m the
uted to him in a booklet written march 3 — but with his outsize only one who knows this man.
by a former employee, which advertising presence. And met with him. C’mon, man!”
Bloomberg disputes. Buttigieg Yet onstage, he struggled, roll- “Can I get a chance to say some-
accused Bloomberg of trying to ing his eyes when he was scruti- thing?” he asked again, eventual-
“buy this party out.” Biden called nized and finding it difficult to ly getting to tick off his experi-
Bloomberg’s stop-and-frisk poli- work his way into exchanges. ence and his knowledge of world
cy “abhorrent” and said the “What am I, chicken liver?” he mario tama/agence France-Presse/getty images leaders.
obama administration had to said at one point, voicing frustra- tOP: Pete buttigieg and Sen. amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) traded barbs over experience and readiness. Biden, who had squabbled
intervene. tion over his inability to get time both have sought to build national campaigns after strong finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire. with Bloomberg in the lead-up to
Warren, taking the tone of a to speak. abOVe: Joe biden faced his own critical moment after fourth- and fifth-place finishes in two states. the debate over who has the right
prosecutor, challenged Bloomberg The remade debate stage un- to claim the legacy of Barack
to release women who worked at leashed tensions over the role of plan as being concocted by con- The agreements, Warren said, demning the rhetoric of his more obama, grew most animated
his firm from nondisclosure agree- money in politics, each candi- sultants. will be used by the republicans boisterous supporters. over Bloomberg’s stop-and-frisk
ments signed as part of harass- date’s loyalty to the party and the “It’s not a plan; it’s a Power- to attack Bloomberg, prompting “At a certain point, you’ve got policy that targeted young black
ment settlements, and she sug- lack of transparency on medical Point,” Warren said. She then a “drip, drip, drip” of damaging to ask yourself: Why did this men in New York.
gested his response to criticism records and tax returns. turned to Klobuchar and dis- information. “We can’t just sub- pattern arise?” Buttigieg said to “It’s not whether he apologized
about how he treated women in Sanders said he would not missed her plan as “a Post-it stitute one arrogant billionaire Sanders. “Leadership is about or not. It’s the policy,” Biden said.
the workplace amounted to him release additional medical re- note.” for another,” she said at one what you draw out of people. It’s “The policy was abhorrent and a
saying “I treated some women cords as he once promised, while Later, she accused Klobuchar point, comparing the former about how you inspire people to violation of every right people
well.” Bloomberg insisted his tax re- of having small ideas. Her perfor- mayor to Trump. act.” have.”
“We’re not going to end these turns would be made public in a mance got results: About an hour Buttigieg built on arguments Sanders responded by suggest- “I’ve sat,” Bloomberg said. “I’ve
agreements because they were few weeks. into the debate, Warren’s cam- he has been making for the past ing that russian interference apologized. I’ve asked for forgive-
made consensually,” Bloomberg “It just takes us a long time,” paign said it had its best hour of week, suggesting that voters could be responsible for some of ness.”
said, to boos from the crowd. Bloomberg said, saying that his fundraising to date. “could wake up two weeks from the online vitriol. But then, he said, everyone
Bloomberg, who often stood tax returns are too lengthy to Warren rose to national promi- now” having to choose “between “We have over 10.6 million onstage had a problem in their
steely-faced with both hands release quickly and that he nence with her searing question- a socialist who thinks that capi- people on Twitter, and 99.9 per- past.
gripping the lectern, responded couldn’t merely go to TurboTax. ing of witnesses, first on a con- talism is the root of all evil and a cent of them are decent human “If we took off everybody that
by declaring that if Sanders be- “Pay overtime,” Warren said. gressional panel overseeing fed- billionaire who thinks that mon- beings, are working people, are was wrong on this off this panel,
came the nominee, Trump’s re- “And get it done.” eral bailout money and later in ey ought to be the root of all people who believe in justice, everybody that was wrong on
election would be guaranteed, Warren came to the debate the Senate. She showed that side power.” compassion and love,” he said. criminal justice at some time in
not solely because his medicare- with more fire; even her allies for the first time on the campaign He said Sanders hasn’t been “And if there are a few people their careers, there’d be nobody
for-all plan would remove private found her last debate perfor- trail, pressing Bloomberg repeat- fully transparent about how he who make ugly remarks . . . I else up here,” he said, as several
health insurance for 160 million mance disappointing. She had edly on why he would not release will fund medicare-for-all. He disown those people. They are candidates shook their heads.
Americans. Bloomberg had pre- barbs for everyone, accusing women from their nondisclosure argued that Sanders’s approach not part of our movement.” [email protected]
viously said that he would spend Biden of being too cozy with Sen. agreements and demanding to excludes too many people to beat When the conversation turned [email protected]
substantially to help Sanders de- mitch mcConnell (r-Ky.) and rid- know how many his company has Trump in November. And he to whether Americans should be [email protected]
feat Trump if the senator wins the iculing Buttigieg’s health-care signed. criticized Sanders for not con- allowed to become billionaires, [email protected]
thursday, february 20, 2020 . the washington post EZ M2 A9
election 2020
Sanders rockets into the national lead as Biden plummets
BY DAN BALZ 16 percent in the new survey. He Sanders has seen a big jump in POLL Washington Post-ABC News Poll
AND SCOTT CLEMENT faces significant hurdles as he at- support among voters under 50
tempts to mount a comeback, with and is now backed by 50 percent of Young voters are Sanders’s base, but he is competitive across racial,
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), on his hopes pinned on success in that group, up from 34 percent in ideological and educational groups
the strength of his performances Nevada and especially South Caro- January. He holds a 3-to-1 lead over
Q: Please tell me whom you’d vote for in the primary or caucus in your state. Which candidate would you lean
in Iowa and New Hampshire, has lina, where he had long been the his rivals among these voters.
toward? (Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independent registered voters)
surged nationally and now holds a favorite of African American vot- Sanders also has more than dou-
sizable lead over all his rivals for ers who make up a hefty majority bled his support among black vot- ALL DEMOCRATIC-LEANING VOTERS
the Democratic presidential nom- of the Democratic electorate there. ers and has gained among whites
Bernie Sanders Joe Biden Mike Bloomberg Elizabeth Warren
ination, according to a Washing- Bloomberg, who is skipping the without college degrees.
32% 16 14 12
ton Post-ABC News poll. first four states but has poured Bloomberg’s growth was fueled
Former vice president Joe hundreds of millions of dollars by more support among older vot- Under 50 years old Over 50 years old Liberal Moderate/Conservative
Biden, who led Sanders in a Post- into television ads in states with ers and among white voters with Sanders 50% 14% 39 28
ABC national poll in January, has primaries in March, stands at college degrees. Buttigieg, Warren Biden 12 20 9 21
seen a sharp drop in his support 14 percent, up from 8 percent in and Klobuchar saw no significant
Bloomberg 6 23 10 17
after finishing fourth in the Iowa January. He has only recently be- shifts in their coalitions.
Warren 15 8 19 6
caucuses and fifth in the New gun to receive significant criticism Many establishment Democrats
Hampshire primary. Biden is now from the other candidates, how- fear that Sanders, a democratic White Black White non-college White college graduate
in a battle for second place with ever. socialist, would be considered too Sanders 30 28 35 22
former New York mayor Mike Warren saw no change in her far left to win a general election Biden 10 31 11 9
Bloomberg and Sen. Elizabeth national support, remaining at and that he could cost Democratic Bloomberg 17 15 15 19
Warren (D-Mass.). 12 percent. Buttigieg, despite his candidates for House or Senate
Warren 13 10 10 16
Former South Bend, Ind., mayor strong performances in Iowa and their elections if he were at the top
Pete Buttigieg, who won the state- New Hampshire, runs fifth nation- of the ticket. Note: Candidates with 10% or less overall support and
delegate-count battle in the Iowa ally at 8 percent, ticking up from Democrats nationally appear to “no opinion” not shown. Sanders takes large lead in national
caucuses and came a close second 5 percent a month ago. Klobuchar be much less concerned about Biden’s reputation as most Democratic support following Iowa and
to Sanders in New Hampshire, is in stands at 7 percent in the new Sanders’s ideological stances than
electable Democrat has evaporated New Hampshire
single digits nationally, roughly national poll, up from 3 percent. voters in New Hampshire’s Demo-
even with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D- Buttigieg and Klobuchar face a cratic primary last week. In a New Q: Regardless of whom you may support, which Q: Please tell me whom you’d vote for in the primary or
Minn.), whose surprise third-place similar challenge, which is to ap- Hampshire exit poll, 50 percent of candidate do you think has the best chance to caucus in your state. Which candidate would you lean
finish in New Hampshire further peal to a broader coalition of voters Democratic primary voters said defeat Donald Trump in the general election? toward? (Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning
scrambled the Democratic contest. in the coming two early-state con- Sanders’s positions on the issues (Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning adults) independent registered voters)
The poll underscores how tests. were “too liberal,” an opinion
45%
quickly support for candidates can Biden’s poor finishes in Iowa shared by only 17 percent of Demo- 42 January February
change in national polls on the and New Hampshire appear to cratic-leaning adults in the nation- 40 percent 38 Biden32% 32%Sanders
strength of results from individual have robbed him of his image as al Post-ABC poll.
primaries and caucuses. The find- the most electable against Presi- In the Post-ABC poll, 62 percent
30 30% Sanders
ings came on the day of a Demo- dent Trump in November — the of Democratic-leaning adults say Sanders 23
cratic debate in Las Vegas that was chief attribute he has used to de- Sanders is “about right” ideologi-
20 18 18 19 Biden 16 Biden
to include Bloomberg on the stage fine his campaign. cally, almost 20 points higher than 14 18 Bloomberg 14 Bloomberg
for the first time and represented a By a wide margin, 58 percent to the share who said the same in the Warren12 12 Warren
high-stakes gamble for all the can- 38 percent, Democrats say they New Hampshire exit poll. Comfort 10 7 5 Buttigieg Bloomberg 8 8 Buttigieg
didates. would rather nominate a candi- with Sanders’s positions is roughly 1 8 4 Klobuchar Pete Buttigieg 5 7 Klobuchar
The poll also comes just days date who can defeat Trump than on par with Biden’s (63 percent), 0 3 Warren Amy Klobuchar 3
July ‘19 Sept. Jan. ‘20 Feb.
ahead of the third contest on the one who agrees with them on ma- Warren’s (63 percent) and Butt-
calendar, Saturday’s Nevada cau- jor issues. igieg’s (60 percent). Note: Opinions of 2% and lower and those with no Note: Candidates with 2% or less overall support and
cuses, with the South Carolina pri- Electability is a subjective judg- In a measure of how Democrats opinion not shown. “no opinion” not shown.
mary to follow on Feb. 29. After ment, however, and the former see Sanders as a candidate against Source: Feb. 14-17 , 2020, Washington Post-ABC News poll of 466 Democratic and Democratic-leaning adults with an error margin of +/- 5.5
South Carolina, the campaign goes vice president is paying the price Trump, 72 percent say they believe percentage points and 408 Democratic and Democratic-leaning registered voters with an error margin of +/- 6 points.
national, with 14 states holding for his failure to draw more signifi- he would defeat the president. BRITTANY RENEE MAYES/THE WASHINGTON POST
contests on March 3, Super Tues- cant backing from voters in the Among Democrats, 69 percent
day, and crucial primaries in a first two states. A month ago, think Bloomberg would win he is doing and 40 percent disap- the margin of error of Trump in pling error of plus or minus 3.5 per-
variety of big states later in the 38 percent of Democratic-leaning against Trump, and 68 percent say proving. Last month, 56 percent these measures. Across all match- centage points; the error margin is
month. adults cited Biden when asked that of Biden. Perceptions of War- gave him a positive rating. ups, Trump is in a similar position four points among the sample of
On the basis of the new national which candidate has the best ren and Buttigieg as general-elec- Looking ahead to November, as January, but better off than last 913 registered voters and six points
poll, Sanders appears well-posi- chance to defeat Trump, making tion candidates are also positive the poll tested six Democrats in October. among the sample of 408 Demo-
tioned to accumulate delegates in him their top choice in that regard. but not as strong as the others. hypothetical general-election The Post-ABC poll was conduct- crats and Democratic-leaning reg-
those states and, possibly, emerge Today that has dropped by half, to Democrats are roughly split on matchups. Biden, Sanders and ed by telephone from Feb. 14-17 istered voters.
by the end of March with a dele- 19 percent. whether Klobuchar or Trump Bloomberg fare best, edging among a random national sample [email protected]
gate advantage over his rivals. He In the new poll, Sanders is seen would prevail in a hypothetical Trump by five to seven points, with of 1,066 adults, 65 percent of [email protected]
is aided in his bid to accumulate as the most electable, cited by matchup. Trump receiving 45 percent sup- whom were reached on cellphones
more delegates by the fractured 30 percent of Democratic leaners If Sanders were to become the port against each. Buttigieg, and 35 percent on landlines. Over- Emily Guskin contributed to this
support among the more moder- as best situated to beat Trump. nominee, about half of all Ameri- Klobuchar and Warren are within all results have a margin of sam- report.
ate candidates in the field. All are Bloomberg is cited by 18 percent cans say it makes no difference in
jockeying to become the principal on this question, with no other their vote that he is a socialist,
Presidential
rival to the senator representing Democrat close to double digits. including about 7 in 10 Democrats.
Vermont, who has a firm hold on In the past month, Biden has But nearly 4 in 10 adults say that
the party’s liberal wing. lost support among three key con- fact makes them more likely to
The Post-ABC poll shows Sand- stituency groups: African Ameri- oppose him, including 37 percent Savings $1,500
ers, who got more votes in Iowa cans, older voters and whites with- of independents and 79 percent of
than any other candidate ahead of out college degrees, previously the Republicans. Just under 1 in 10
his narrow win in New Hampshire, bulwarks of his campaign. In a adults say it makes them more
with the support of 32 percent of Post-Ipsos poll this year, Biden was likely to support him. Views of OFF!
Democrats and Democratic-lean- backed by 48 percent of African Sanders’s identification as a demo-
EXTENDED!
ing registered voters. That is an American voters. Today that has cratic socialist are slightly less neg-
increase of nine percentage points fallen to 31 percent. Compared ative.
since January. He holds double- with January’s Post-ABC poll, his The president’s approval rating
digit leads among both women support has been cut nearly in half stands at 43 percent, with 53 per-
and men, as well as among those among voters over age 50 and cent disapproving, showing no
who say they are certain to vote in stands at 20 percent; among non- real change in the past month. His
their state’s primary or caucuses. college whites, support for Biden approval on handling the economy It’s often the things you don’t
Biden, who was at 32 percent plummeted from 33 percent to remains net positive, with 52 per-
support in January, has fallen to 11 percent. cent saying they approve of the job
see that matter the most.
ANALYSIS
Nevada debate’s winners and losers
A ntimicrobial Mold-Resistant Surface
n
T riple Seal System Moisture Barrier
n
BY AARON BLAKE Warren said. And then she went before comparing Sanders’s
after him for not sufficiently position to “communism.” That
The Democratic presidential addressing the treatment of may have gone too far, but it’s the Long Lifetime Warranty
n
candidates took part in a debate women at his companies, before contrast he wants to draw.
in Nevada on Wednesday, just pressing him to release women Bloomberg has run millions of
days before the Democratic from nondisclosure agreements. dollars’ worth of ads largely
caucuses there. Others piled on, and Bloomberg uncontested in states where the
Below, some winners and didn’t have much of an answer for other candidates aren’t yet
losers. any of it. focused. So Wednesday was a
The moderators: At the start, baptism by fire. It’s tough to argue
Winners “NBC Nightly News” host Lester he didn’t get burned.
Bernie Sanders: You wouldn’t Holt encouraged the candidates Joe Biden: If there was a
have thought from watching the “to directly engage with each bystander on the debate stage
debate that Sanders was the one other on the issues.” The Tuesday night, it was Biden.
threatening to open up a candidates heeded that. The There was nothing there to
potentially insurmountable result was the most substantive suggest he might rescue his
delegate lead in the weeks ahead. debate with by far the most struggling campaign. That said,
Instead, the candidates mostly contrasts to date. And that’s what he still seems well-positioned in
focused on Mike Bloomberg and debates should be about: the South Carolina primary. He
arguably landed tougher attacks competing visions and had better hope so.
on one another than on Sanders. arguments. Amy Klobuchar: She’s
Sanders did have to defend regularly been named a winner in
himself on some sticky subjects, Losers these debates, but she seemed
from his refusal to disclose more Bloomberg: The mayor was desperate and less prepared at
about his health to a powerful the big target from the get-go. He times Wednesday. She had a
Nevada union’s criticism of his came off as very technocratic, and particularly rough exchange on
Medicare-for-all plan. But there he often didn’t jump in to defend how she hadn’t been able to tell a
wasn’t much to suggest his himself, apparently hoping the reporter the name of Mexico’s
momentum would change. bad moments would pass. But president. Then she tried to recite
Elizabeth Warren’s they persisted. other trivia about foreign leaders
takedowns of Bloomberg: After Maybe the most brutal attacks but stumbled. She needed more
clashing with Sanders in the last were on stop-and-frisk. given where she is in this race.
debate, Warren did him a massive Bloomberg said he had simply Sanders’s claim about his
favor by taking a chain saw to been wrong about the policy but supporters: An early line of
Bloomberg. She jumped in early, that he eventually came around. attack on Sanders was the TM
throwing out some derogatory That skirted the fact that he nastiness of his supporters,
quotes about women — “fat defended it well into this decade, particularly online. “Why is it
broads” and “horse-faced and that it stopped not because of especially the case among your
lesbians” — and then pointing out his personal evolution, but supporters?” Pete Buttigieg asked Inst alled
Tthreuym wpe bruent ’itn ssatieda db yr ePproesritdedenlyt by becAa ruasree o pfu an ccohu trht aotr dseeer.m ed to iSta wnadse rths,e w chasoe s. aSiadn hdee drsi dbna’ctk tehrisn k in as lit tle FREE ESTIMATES! FINANCING OPTIONS!
Bloomberg. Later, she attacked land for Bloomberg was when he may not have a monopoly on such as 1 Day
Bloomberg’s apology for his stop- took on Sanders for saying there tactics, but it’s certainly more of 884444--447766--LLOONNGG LLoonnggBBaatthhss..ccoomm
and-frisk policy, which shouldn’t be billionaires. “I can’t an issue with them, as anyone n
disproportionately targeted think of a way that would make it who writes about his campaign
minorities. “This isn’t about how easier for Donald Trump to get can tell you. Denying that it’s MHIC 51346, VA 2705048183A, DC 67006785. Expires 3/25/20. Valid initial visit only.
it turned out; this is about what it reelected than listening to this unusual skirts the issue. Min. purchase required. Cannot be combined with other offers. Some exclusions may apply.
was designed to do to begin with,” conversation,” Bloomberg said, [email protected]
A10 eZ M2 the washington post .thursday, february 20, 2020
election 2020
Bloomberg holds the line on nondisclosure agreements
BY MICHAEL KRANISH
It was a dramatic moment at
Wednesday’s Democratic debate:
Elizabeth Warren turned to Mike
Bloomberg and demanded that he
release women from nondisclo-
sure agreements they had signed
after suing him, so they could tell
their stories of alleged harassment
or discrimination.
Bloomberg, visibly unsettled by
the fierceness of the attack, re-
fused to back down, saying the
deals were mutual and there was
no reason to nullify them. “They
signed the agreements, and that’s
what we’re going to live with,”
Bloomberg said.
Warren did not let up. “What we
need to know is exactly what’s
lurking out there,” she said. “He
has gotten some number of wom-
en — dozens, who knows — to sign
nondisclosure agreements both
for sexual harassment and for gen-
der discrimination in the work-
place. So, Mr. Mayor, are you will-
ing to release all of those women
from those nondisclosure agree-
ments, so we can hear their side of
the story?”
The sharp exchange came as
Bloomberg faces growing scrutiny
about whether he has made pro-
fane and sexist comments to wom-
en. His history of such alleged
comments was outlined in a re-
cent Washington Post report that
disclosed an array of new details.
His responses Wednesday reflect-
ed an awkwardness that has not
been evident in the numerous
television ads he has aired show- etienne Laurent/ePa-eFe/shutterstock
ing him as a can-do leader. Mike Bloomberg refused to back down in a debate clash with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) over nondisclosure agreements, saying the deals were mutual and there was no
Bloomberg also played down reason to nullify them. “They signed the agreements, and that’s what we’re going to live with,” the former New York mayor said in Las Vegas.
the alleged offenses involved.
“None of them accuse me of any- woman, Sekiko Sakai Garrison. going to kill it?” Zielenziger, who graph being taken, he asked her: hope you heard what his defense in exchange for silence and that
thing other than maybe they She alleged that when Bloomberg had not previously spoken public- “Why didn’t they ask you to be in the was: ‘I’ve been nice to some wom- there is no obstacle to his with-
didn’t like a joke I told,” he said, learned in 1995 that she was preg- ly about the matter, said he found picture? I guess they saw your face.” en.’ That just doesn’t cut it.” drawing his insistence that they
eliciting an audible gasp from the nant, he said “kill it,” allegedly the comment “outrageous. I un- Garrison also alleged that when Warren also said Bloomberg’s not talk.
audience. referring to the pregnancy and derstood why she took offense.” Bloomberg learned that a sales- refusal to release former employ- “It’s easy,” Biden said. “All the
Bloomberg said there were advocating an abortion. It is not clear whether Garrison man was getting married, he said ees from the agreements was not mayor has to do is say, ‘You are
“very few nondisclosure agree- Garrison said in her suit that wants to be released from the con- to a group of saleswomen: “All of just a matter of character. released from the nondisclosure.’ ”
ments” but declined to say exactly she asked Bloomberg to repeat his fidentiality agreement. She has you girls line up to give him [oral “This is also a question about Bloomberg also faced attacks
how many existed. comment, and he did. not responded to requests for sex] as a wedding present.” electability,” the senator from Wednesday for statements attrib-
While Bloomberg and his cam- Bloomberg, who denied mak- comment. The Post reported on Bloomberg on Wednesday ar- Massachusetts said. “We are not uted to him in a 1990 booklet
paign previously have said he ing the remark, has declined to Saturday that she sought $5 mil- gued that he was a champion of going to beat Donald Trump with a prepared by a top staffer, titled
would not release ex-employees release his deposition in the Garri- lion in compensatory damages women, saying the executive who man who has who knows how “The Wit and Wisdom of Michael
from the nondisclosure agree- son case. He said in a separate and $300,000 in punitive damag- runs his foundation is a woman, as many nondisclosure agreements Bloomberg.”
ments, his refusal to do so during deposition to the Equal Employ- es, and that the settlement was in are 70 percent of its employees, and the drip, drip, drip of stories of Warren, while not citing her
his first appearance on a Demo- ment Opportunity Commission the six figures. and that women hold prominent women saying they have been ha- source, said that Bloomberg had
cratic presidential debate stage is that the allegation by Garrison In her lawsuit, Garrison also al- jobs in his company. rassed and discriminated referred to “fat broads” and
likely to heighten attention on the was “ridiculous.” leged that Bloomberg regularly “I have no tolerance for the kind against.” “horse-faced lesbians.” Bloom -
allegations and on what is con- The Post interviewed a former made sexist and profane state- of behavior that the #MeToo move- Former vice president Joe berg’s spokesman has denied that
tained in the agreements. Bloomberg employee, David ments. She said that when ment has exposed,” Bloomberg Biden joined in, saying that the he made statements quoted in the
The highest-profile agreement Zielenziger, who said he heard Bloomberg noticed her near a said. agreements arose when 32-page booklet.
was signed by a former top sales- Bloomberg ask Garrison, “Are you group of people having their photo- Warren told the audience, “I Bloomberg agreed to pay women [email protected]
Bloomberg, Biden mislead on
accounting.
ending of stop-and-frisk policy “You know that from the
moment, from the moment we
passed that signature legislation,
Mike called it a disgrace.”
The ninth According to FactCheck.org, — Biden
Democratic “Bloomberg gets to his figure of a Biden gets this mostly right,
presidential 95% cut by cherry-picking the but some context is required. In a
debate of the 2020 quarterly high point of 203,500 speech in 2010, after the
campaign, hosted stops in the first quarter of 2012 Affordable Care Act was passed,
by NBC, MSNBC and comparing that with the Bloomberg gave a speech at
The Fact
and the Nevada 12,485 stops in the last quarter of Dartmouth College.
Checker
Independent, had 2013 — a decline that would not “We passed a health-care bill
six candidates, have been possible without the that does absolutely nothing to
Glenn
Kessler lasted two hours numbers ballooning earlier in fix the big health-care problems
— and did not Bloomberg’s tenure.” in this country. It is just a
have many Bloomberg said he later disgrace,” he said, according to a
statements that merited fact- discovered that the stop-and- report by CNN. “The president, in
checking. Here are five claims frisk policy had gotten out of all fairness, started out by
that caught our attention. Our control and ramped it down, but pointing out what the big
practice is not to award that claim misses some context. problems were, but then turned
Pinocchios in debate roundups. For starters, Bloomberg it over to Congress, which didn’t
This fact check was written with continued to defend it until pay any attention to any of those
my colleagues Salvador Rizzo recently, disowning it only before big problems and just created
and Sarah Cahlan. he joined the presidential race. another program that’s going to
In addition, his administration cost a lot of money.”
“Well, if I go back and look at was buffeted by lawsuits He went on to say: “It’s really
my time in office, the one thing challenging the practice, and a etienne Laurent/ePa-eFe/shutterstock sad because they say they’ve
that I’m really worried about, federal judge ruled in 2013 that Joe Biden and Mike Bloomberg both mentioned stop-and-frisk, the New York police policy. Bloomberg insured or provided coverage for
embarrassed about, was how it the way New York police officers said he cut 95 percent of those actions; Biden credited President Barack Obama with helping end them. another 45 million people. Except
turned out with stop-and-frisk. were conducting the stop-and- there’s no doctors for 45 million
When I got into office, there were frisks was unconstitutional. It President Barack Obama filed a multiethnic movement that rose supported nine of Trump’s 31 more people and unless they fix
650 murders a year in New York was in the face of those legal “statement of interest” months in NYC against Bloomberg’s circuit court nominees. Only immigration and let people who
City. And I thought that my first challenges and rulings that New before Scheindlin’s ruling. It took racist policing program. That’s three Democrats scored lower in come here for medical education
responsibility was to give people York reduced stop-and-frisks no position on whether stop-and- what ended stop-and-frisk. Not the Demand Justice ranking. stay here, those people are just
the right to live. That’s the basic under Bloomberg. frisks violated constitutional Biden, not Obama.” But Buttigieg was wrong in going to do the same thing.
right of everything. And we rights. suggesting Klobuchar had the They’re going to have to go to the
started it. We adopted a policy “Let’s get something straight. “The United States takes no “You have been unusual worst rating of those running for emergency rooms where they’ve
which had been in place. The The reason the stop-and-frisk position on the fact-dependent among Democrats . . . the president. Sen. Michael F. Bennet been, except that now it’s going to
policy that all big police changed is because Barack first question of whether NYPD’s Democrat among all of the (Colo.), who recently dropped cost a lot more money.”
departments use of stop-and- Obama sent moderators to see stop-and-frisk practices violate senators running for president, out, was ranked two slots below As Bloomberg noted, he did
frisk. What happened, however, what was going on when we sent constitutional standards such most likely to vote for Donald her. He tied on the number of write an opinion article for the
was it got out of control. And him there to say, ‘This practice that Plaintiffs should prevail on Trump’s judges.” votes on district court nominees Daily News supportive of a
when we discovered, I discovered, has to stop.’ The mayor thought it the merits of their claims,” the — Former South Bend, Ind., but voted for 11 circuit court health-care overhaul bill.
that we were doing many, many, was a terrible idea. We send them filing says. “The United States mayor Pete Buttigieg nominees.
too many stop-and-frisks, we cut there, a terrible idea. Let’s get the files this Statement of Interest “I have opposed and not Brian Fallon, executive “I’d like to talk about who
95 percent of it.” facts straight. Let’s get the order only in order to assist the Court supported two-thirds of the director of Demand Justice, we’re running against, a
— Former New York mayor straight. And it’s not whether you on the issue of remedy, and only Trump judges. So get your tweeted: “Klobuchar was one of billionaire who calls women ‘fat
Mike Bloomberg apologize or not. It’s the policy.” should it find that NYPD’s stop- numbers right, and I am in the the worst Senate Democrats in broads’ and ‘horse-faced
— Former vice president Joe and-frisk practices are unlawful.” top 10 to 15 of opposing them.” 2017-2018 when it came to voting lesbians.’ And, no, I’m not talking
Bloomberg’s claim that he cut Biden The department said an — Sen. Amy Klobuchar for Trump’s judges. She has about Donald Trump. I’m talking
95 percent of stop-and-frisks, Biden’s claim is misleading, independent monitor should be (Minn.) changed in 2019 since running about Mayor Bloomberg.”
which disproportionately stretching the minor role the appointed in that case, In this tiff over votes for Senate for President. Which is welcome. — Sen. Elizabeth Warren
targeted black and Hispanic men Justice Department played in the something Bloomberg had judges, Buttigieg and Klobuchar But in 2017-2018, she supported (Mass.)
in New York City while he was legal proceedings over New opposed. The claim from Biden offered dueling statistics that are two thirds of Trump nominees.” Warren was referring to a line
mayor, relies on a selective York’s stop-and-frisk policy also suggests the White House apples and oranges. He was The Klobuchar campaign, in a booklet given to Bloomberg
parsing of the data. under Bloomberg. was directing these moves from comparing her to senators citing a methodology that also on his 48th birthday, and
He inherited the city’s stop- A federal judge, Shira the Justice Department, which is running for president, while she counted voice votes, said she recently published in The
and-frisk policy from his Scheindlin, ruled in 2013 that the typically verboten as prosecutors responded how she compared to voted for Trump’s judges Washington Post, that
predecessor, Rudolph W. way New York police officers had and government lawyers are all other Senate Democrats. 33.5 percent of the time, which supposedly included actual
Giuliani, but it was the been conducting stop-and-frisks supposed to exercise Buttigieg was referring to her would place her as the seventh- quotes from Bloomberg,
Bloomberg administration that of predominantly black and independence. record in 2017-2018, which most-opposed Democrat. But including this one:
ramped up the practice by New Hispanic men was In response to Biden’s debate earned her an “F” from left- ahead of her are five candidates “The Royal Family — what a
York police. In Bloomberg’s first unconstitutional. The ruling claim, a top ACLU official leaning group Demand Justice. who ran for president, with Sen. bunch of misfits — a gay, an
10 years in office, stop-and-frisks came amid a series of legal tweeted: “One of the greatest The group said she voted for Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) leading architect, that horsy faced
increased nearly 600 percent, challenges brought by groups movements I ever had the Trump’s district court nominees the list. The only senator who ran lesbian, and a man who gave up
reaching a high point of about such as the ACLU. privilege of being a part of is the 70 percent of the time when there for president who opposed fewer Koo Stark for some fat broad.”
686,000 actions in 2011. The Justice Department under multiracial, multigenerational, were roll-call votes and judges is again Bennet under this [email protected]