Monthly Archives: September 2020

09/14/2020

SUNY Cortlands Institute for Civic Engagement will offer two opportunities for members of the university community to participate in important conversations as part of Constitution Day.

The first, Should Cortland County became a Second Amendment sanctuary county? will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 4 to 5 p.m. on WebEx.

Three Cortland County towns, Cincinnatus, Solon and Truxton, have recently passed laws that prohibit town officials from enforcing state laws that limit the acquisition or use of personal firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition. This panel discussion will localize interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, particularly the Second Amendment and issues of gun control and the right to bear arms.

The panelists are Stephen A. Furlin, Solon town supervisor, Ann L. Homer, Cortland County legislator and Robert Spitzer, distinguished service professor in SUNY Cortlands Political Science Department and one of the nations foremost experts on gun control.

A 20-minute question-and-answer period will follow the first 40 minutes of discussion.

To register, please contact John Suarez, director of the Institute for Civic Engagement.

The second event is a SUNY-wide deliberative dialogue that will explore the future of voting. Constitution Day: Deliberation on Voting in the United States, will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17 via Zoom.

Register online through SUNYs Center for Professional Development.

Constitution Day is recognized annually on Sept. 17, the day in 1787 on which delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the document in Philadelphia, Pa.

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SUNY Cortland to hold Constitution Day events - SUNY Cortland News

Theresa Greenfield, who has yet to debate U.S. Senator Joni Ernst in Iowas U.S. Senate race, spent time discussing gun control measures withGiffords PAC.

Giffords PAC, the political action committee started by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz., a victim of gun violence,held a virtual rallyfor universal background checks with Greenfield.

Giffords PAC executive director Peter Ambler asked Greenfield what message she gives to Iowans about gun control when she travels the state. Greenfield has not traveled the state and has not held a public, in-person event since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Evenher announced, virtual public campaign events are rare.

I have done over 250 events now around the state and were going to keep traveling the state as we work our way to victory on November 3, Greenfield stated.

Again, virtual events are not traveling the state.

Look, Iowans theyre a bunch of responsible gun owners, they really are. And I grew up on a farm. Thats where I learned to be responsible gun handler, eventually a gun owner, she said. Thats where I learned to shoot because Ill tell you what, filling up the freezer in the fall, thats a big deal. And it is with a lot of pride that you take your venison sausage to a winter card game or something. But I also had the responsibility as a teenager for protecting our livestock and making sure that you know the varmints didnt get our baby pigs.

They must have had quite a problem having Greenfield stand guard in the middle of the night, keeping coyotes out of their pig pens.

She also mentioned how she loved to shoot skeet with her dad, which Im sure is a great memory of her childhood.

She told Giffords PAC that she supports bipartisan background checks, closing the gun show loophole, and funding gun violence research. These are points she brought up duringa rare, in-person public event back before the primary.

Look, there is no gun show loophole. Licensed gun dealers at gun shows must do background checks just like they would if someone came to their store.

The loophole actually talks about private sales and transfers. In fact, those are the only gun sales where background checks are not required. In reality, I dont know how background checks of private gun sales and transfers would be implemented or enforced. I believe this is a trojan horse for banning private sales, something House Democratsvoted to do last year.

Its also a step toward a federal gun registry, something I vehemently oppose.

We have to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. We have to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and suspected terrorists. Absolutely. And but we have to make sure that responsible gun owners have that ability to hunt and to enjoy skeet with their children to like I grew up, Greenfield said.

So, she wants to make sure that responsible gun owners can continue to hunt and to enjoy skeet with their children.

Thats pretty telling. The Second Amendment is not about hunting and shooting skeet; its about the right to self-defense.

Giffords PAC has worked to repeal stand your ground legislation, so I think it is fair to ask, where does Greenfield stand on that?

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Vander Hart: Greenfield Doesn't Understand What Second Amendment Is About - Caffeinated Thoughts

Johnson County Commissioner Mike Brown urged constituents to buy firearms and prepare for a coming war" in a Facebook post that described a chaotic end to law and order. Brown, a Republican, used the hashtags All Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter as he described violence, burning churches" and looting stores in the weekend post. I hear the war drum off in the distance from a not far away place foreshadowing in whispers the haunting cadence of the coming war," he wrote, urging people to buy a firearm and ammunition and take a class now to learn how to safely use it to defend yourself and your property, know what's happening around you at all times."The post is no longer public, but Brown said on Tuesday its the Left thats beating the war drum.And they know exactly what they're doing, Brown said.Brown said the post is a message to elected officials. He blames Democratic leaders, including Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, for not stopping violence and supporting local protesters.Lucas, a Democrat, retweeted images of it Monday and described the message as racist and reckless. Brown said the post is not a call to violence on his part.You have a Second Amendment right that guarantees your First Amendment right, Brown said. Your Second Amendment right, you should exercise that just like you exercise your First Amendment right. It is most certainly not a call to violence.Johnson County Commission chairman Ed Eilert noted that Brown was up for election in November.The voters in his district do have a decision to make," he said in an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press. We want our community safe. We want law enforcement to operate in a safe environment. The feedback I read, and I hear, is people looked at that post and saw indications that there was a violent note to it. We understand free speech and Second Amendment rights, but it left the opportunity for many, many people to come away with the idea that it promoted violence.Brown's commentary comes after President Donald Trump said while laying out his case for re-election that a Joe Biden presidency would give free rein to violent anarchists, a contention that Biden has disputed.Brown wrote the post following the shooting of two sheriffs deputies in California.Brown said hes received lots of positive comments from people who read his full post. He thinks people criticizing have not read the whole thing.During his term, Brown has come under fire multiple times for his Facebook posts, including in March when he wrote that the COVID-19 pandemic is a political stunt and told constituents to get a grip. In recent months, Brown has sparred with other commissioners and public health officials over COVID-19 restrictions and the mask mandate.The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Johnson County Commissioner Mike Brown urged constituents to buy firearms and prepare for a coming war" in a Facebook post that described a chaotic end to law and order.

Brown, a Republican, used the hashtags All Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter as he described violence, burning churches" and looting stores in the weekend post.

I hear the war drum off in the distance from a not far away place foreshadowing in whispers the haunting cadence of the coming war," he wrote, urging people to buy a firearm and ammunition and take a class now to learn how to safely use it to defend yourself and your property, know what's happening around you at all times."

The post is no longer public, but Brown said on Tuesday its the Left thats beating the war drum.

And they know exactly what they're doing, Brown said.

Brown said the post is a message to elected officials. He blames Democratic leaders, including Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, for not stopping violence and supporting local protesters.

Lucas, a Democrat, retweeted images of it Monday and described the message as racist and reckless.

This content is imported from Twitter.You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Brown said the post is not a call to violence on his part.

You have a Second Amendment right that guarantees your First Amendment right, Brown said. Your Second Amendment right, you should exercise that just like you exercise your First Amendment right.

It is most certainly not a call to violence.

Johnson County Commission chairman Ed Eilert noted that Brown was up for election in November.

The voters in his district do have a decision to make," he said in an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press. We want our community safe. We want law enforcement to operate in a safe environment. The feedback I read, and I hear, is people looked at that post and saw indications that there was a violent note to it.

We understand free speech and Second Amendment rights, but it left the opportunity for many, many people to come away with the idea that it promoted violence.

Brown's commentary comes after President Donald Trump said while laying out his case for re-election that a Joe Biden presidency would give free rein to violent anarchists, a contention that Biden has disputed.

Brown wrote the post following the shooting of two sheriffs deputies in California.

Brown said hes received lots of positive comments from people who read his full post. He thinks people criticizing have not read the whole thing.

During his term, Brown has come under fire multiple times for his Facebook posts, including in March when he wrote that the COVID-19 pandemic is a political stunt and told constituents to get a grip.

In recent months, Brown has sparred with other commissioners and public health officials over COVID-19 restrictions and the mask mandate.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Questions raised after JoCo Commissioner's post urges followers to arm themselves for 'coming war' - KMBC Kansas City

ATLANTA (AP) Joe Biden is resisting calls from President Donald Trump and even some fellow Democrats to release his list of potential Supreme Court picks seven months after he pledged to name the first Black female justice.

Some on the left suggest that outlining potential picks would help Biden build enthusiasm in the final weeks of the campaign, particularly after he already selected California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate, making her the first Black woman on a major presidential ticket. Trump, meanwhile, is eager to comb through a list to find possible nominees who would bolster his false depiction of Biden as an extreme liberal.

Trump helped insert the Supreme Court squarely into presidential politics in 2016 by taking the unprecedented step of releasing a list of potential nominees before he was elected, a move that helped rally the conservatives who ultimately carried him to victory.

But some of Bidens allies say a list wont provide the same payoff for him and could hurt him by distracting voters from Trumps handling of the coronavirus and give the president fuel to suggest Bidens choices are too far left.

Why play into Trumps hands? asked Karen Finney, a prominent Black Democratic strategist.

Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, a Biden protg and confidant, pointed to the former vice presidents 36 years in the Senate and his brand as a liberal pragmatist as assurance enough for voters.

He doesnt need to issue some lists in order for Democrats to be comfortable that they know his values and his priorities, Coons said, arguing that voters of all stripes know Biden would elevate highly qualified, mainstream jurists.

Still, the issue represents a familiar tightrope for Biden. Hes a center-left establishment figure aiming for a broad ideological coalition to defeat Trump in an era when the loudest voices come from the political poles. On issues from health care to the climate crisis, progressives hammer Biden as too incremental while conservatives cast him as too liberal. A Supreme Court nomination is certain to amplify those dynamics.

Trump offered a preview last week, challenging Biden to match his list of choices while sketching a caricature of radical justices he insisted would gut Second Amendment rights, remove under God from the Pledge of Allegiance and declare the death penalty unconstitutional. Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, a former Senate Judiciary chair, followed up Wednesday by urging Biden not to hide his intentions for the court.

On the left, the group Demand Justice wants to match the rights intensity on judicial politics, while a second group, She Will Rise, is raising awareness about the possibility of a Black woman joining the high court.

Demand Justice has assembled a list of 17 Black women it says would make ideal justices. The list includes law professors, leading civil rights attorneys and jurists from lower federal courts and state supreme courts. But there are no names as prominent as the headliners on Trumps list: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton.

Demand Justice has launched a $2 million ad campaign targeting voters in Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin around the Supreme Court and Bidens promise of a Black female nominee. But executive director Brian Fallon argued that Biden could do more.

Whatever good is achieved by making a general commitment like that would only be expanded and furthered if he put out some names of people hes considering, said Fallon, an adviser on Hillary Clintons 2016 presidential campaign.

Pew Research found in August that 66% of Biden supporters identified Supreme Court nominations as a very important issue, more than the 61% of Trump supporters who said the same. Thats a reversal from 2016, when Pew found Trumps supporters were 8 percentage points more likely than Clintons to consider the court a key issue.

There were key differences in 2016. Most important was a vacancy: Justice Antonin Scalia, a conservative icon, had died and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to consider President Barack Obamas nominee, Merrick Garland, who would have tilted the courts majority to the left. There is no vacancy now, despite considerable attention on the health of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the liberal wings 87-year-old leader.

Further, Trump in 2016 faced distrust among many conservatives, including white evangelicals, because of his support as a private citizen for Democratic politicians and public statements in favor of abortion rights and same-sex marriage. Trump turned that to his advantage by accepting help from the Federalist Society and other conservative legal advocates to compile a public list of would-be justices. Hes since nominated Justices Neil Gorsuch, who appeared on a preelection list in 2016, and Brett Kavanaugh, who appeared on a post-election list.

Without that list, he wouldnt have won, Coons said.

There is some irony in Supreme Court politics being such a potentially prominent variable in Bidens presidential hopes.

The conservative political movement on the judiciary blossomed after Biden, as Senate Judiciary chair, helped scuttle the nomination of conservative firebrand Robert Bork submitted by President Ronald Reagan in 1987. Biden angered some women four years later during the confirmation hearings of another conservative, Clarence Thomas, because of senators treatment of Anita Hill, who accused Thomas of sexual harassment. Biden voted against Thomas, but he was confirmed.

Even a 5-4 Supreme Court majority deciding the 2000 presidential election in favor of Republican George W. Bush over Democrat Al Gore did little to shift campaign dynamics concerning the court. All five justices in the majority were nominated by Republican presidents.

Kitchen-table issues, health care and economics have always resonated more with our voters, said Donna Brazile, a former Democratic Party chair and Gores campaign manager.

Fallon acknowledged, much to my chagrin, that it would be a first for Democrats to leverage the court as a key presidential issue more effectively than Republicans.

Finney said part of the challenge is the Democrats are mostly protecting existing precedent, while conservatives have spent decades trying to reclaim lost turf, from the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide to decades of rulings on civil rights and the expansion of federal power. In short, its harder to get voters on the left to understand potential threats to rights they already take for granted.

Republicans have been better at using fear as a motivator, Finney said. A board member of NARAL, an abortion-rights group, Finney added: Ive had people say to me, Do we really need NARAL anymore? Arent our abortion rights safe? No!

Another example: A divided Supreme Court in 2013 gutted key provisions of the Voting Rights Act, but Democrats didnt make that an issue in 2016 even with the vacancy from Scalias death.

If theres a shift in 2020, Finney predicted it wont come from Biden or his promise of a historic nomination. Trumps list is a motivating factor by itself, she said. There is no Democrat who wants to see Ted Cruz on the Supreme Court.

___

Associated Press writer Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed to this report.

Originally posted here:
Biden under pressure to unveil list of potential court picks - The Associated Press

Its not just that Biden would revoke the presidents offers of federal backup for overwhelmed or hamstrung local police departments the former vice president has made it clear that he would do everything in his power to deprive law-abiding citizens of the means to defend themselves, their families, or their property should they find themselves in the crosshairs of rampaging radicals.

If the left gains power, they will demolish the suburbs, confiscate your guns, and appoint justices who will wipe away your Second Amendment and other constitutional freedoms, President Trump warned on the closing night of the RNC.

Thats not even hyperbole. Biden sent an unmistakable message to the country when he appointed his former rival Robert Francis Beto ORourke best known for his full-throated declaration that, Hell, yes, he would confiscate legally-owned firearms from American citizens to help devise his campaigns gun control platform.

As the president explained, our votes in this election will decide whether we protect law abiding Americans, or whether we give free reign to violent anarchists, agitators and criminals who threaten our citizens.

Its not a trick question. Between now and Nov. 3, the Democrats will do everything they can to obscure and obfuscate, just as they did throughout the DNC. Theyre well aware that the American people would never accept their radical message if they were to deliver it in plain English.

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Scott Walker: American greatness will prevail over the forces of darkness - Madison.com

Fox NationhostTomi Lahrensat down with Alek Skarlatos, a veteranhero who helped stop aterrorist attack on a Paris-bound train in 2015, about his run for Congress in Oregon's 4th congressional district.

Lahren previewed her interview with the 27-year-old Army National Guard veteran on hershow "No Interruption."The hero hopes to flip the seat Republican against 33-year incumbent liberal DemocraticRep. Peter DeFazio.

"He decided after taking downa terrorist he is ready to takedown the swamp in Washington,D.C.," Lahren told "Fox & Friends" Thursday of Skarlatos.

Her longtime friend is ready to "fight for the rural peopleof Oregon and show that not all youngpeople are crazy and liberal andleftist and that they believe inthe Second Amendment.They believe in freedom.They believe in small-townAmerica and he is ready to win," she added.

TOMI LAHREN ASKS ARMY VET TURNED COUNTRY MUSIC STAR HOW HE RESPONDS TO UNABASHED HATRED OF AMERICA

Skarlatos played himself in the 2018 Clint Eastwood film The 15:17 to Paris, which depictedthe attempted attackon a train from Amsterdam to Paris. Skarlatos and two of his friends,Anthony Sadler and Spencer Stone,were traveling in Europe in August 2015 when they incapacitated an Islamist gunman.

Since then he came in third on the show, "Dancing with the Stars," and now the hero wants to help flip his district red.

Skarlatos told Lahren his district is made up of timber, fishing, grass seed farming, rural and working-class, blue-collar people who've "had a tough time over the last 30 years."

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD VETERAN ON PORTLAND UNREST: 'I THINK IT'S TIME' TO 'DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT'

"Economically since the timberindustry went away, thingshave really gone downhilland the incumbent Democrat not doinganything to help us," Skarlatos explained, "it really just made me want to stand up andfight for the people that I livewith."

Co-host Ainsley Earhardt noted the 27-year-old "has done more than most of us in our lifetime."

Skarlatos won the Republican primary in May with more than 86% of the vote.

"This is somebody who could've justtaken his famefrom a Clint Eastwood movie and just been happy with that, but no, he saidthe people in my district, theyhaven't been fought for," Lahren said. "We have a Democrat that justkeeps getting reelected over andover and over again."

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She said his race is similar to so many across the country, saying people are "tired ofwatching Democrats run theircities into the ground and notpay attention to the littlepeople."

Lahren said that despite Portland's "craziness," Skarlatos' district wants the timber industry and good-paying jobs back, not what the radical leftists are offering with the Green New Deal and "other things that are going to completely decimatetheir livelihood."

"He's ready to fight for themand he'sa young conservativeready to do it and I think he isgoing to win," she said.

To watch all of"No Interruption",go to Fox Nationand sign up today.

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Tomi Lahren talks to Oregon congressional candidate, 27, who became American hero - Fox News