Category Archives: Democrat

Americans are seeing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, an ongoing crisis at the border, rising prices because of record inflation and a nationwide crime surge after President Bidens first year in office.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said not to expect the president and Democrats to change their ways because Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and the radical left are calling the shots.

"The problem is they cant change their policies because the left has Biden in a box," Graham said Saturday on "Watters World." "If he tried to go back to Trumps policies on the border, AOC would go crazy."

Graham suggested AOC, other members of the "Squad" (Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri) and the rest of the radical left are the true leaders of todays Democratic Party.

"People live in fear of primaries from her and the radical left," he told host Jesse Watters. "If youre a middle-of-the-road Democrat, your biggest fear is crossing these people."

Grahams comments come amid recent reports that some progressives are panicking about a potential GOP wave in the November midterm elections and are concerned that will be a precursor to Biden losing the White House in 2024.

Corbin Trent, a former AOC aide, and Jeff Weaver, Sen. Bernie Sanderss former presidential campaign manager, both told Politico Biden could face a primary challenger.

FORMER AOC AIDE: 'OLD AS S--T, INEFFECTIVE' BIDEN COULD LEAD DEMS TOWARD 1992-STYLE ELECTION TURMOIL

"I dont know what will happen, but were not connecting," Trent told "The Story" on Fox News Friday. "Right now, the American people are divided in how they feel about the economy, divided about how were handling the COVID pandemic. We have to do a better job uniting the country. For whatever reason, President Biden has not been able to do that to this point."

Biden, Graham said Saturday, could have avoided many of his problems if he had kept former President Donald Trumps policies in place.

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"We have record levels of illegal crossings because Biden changed Trump policy," he said. "Look at Afghanistan. If he had done nothing in Afghanistan, kept it just like Trump had it, it wouldn't have been the disaster it is today. So here's the sum total: The American people are suffering. Our money is being eroded by record inflation. We're less safe. We're less prosperous. Crime is rampant across the country. Inflation is roaring and radicalism is on the rise."

"This is all due to Pelosi-Schumer-Biden-Harris. This the worst governing coalition in my lifetime," Graham concluded.

Meanwhile, Biden remains underwater in national polls. The president's approval rating stands at 40 percent approval and 54 percent disapproval in a USA Today/Suffolk University national poll released on Tuesday.

Fox News' Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

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Lindsey Graham: Biden, Democrats won't change policies because AOC, radical left have them 'in a box' - Fox News

(The Hill) Democrats angling to keep the Senate in their grasp are also aiming to reshape the chambers makeup while theyre at it, hoping their candidacieswill help reflect a more inclusive Washington if elected.

Some of the 2022 elections highest-profileSenatecontendersare more racially, economically and ideologically diverse than in previous midterm cycles, illustrating a new consciousness of identitytoward apart of Capitol Hill that is constantly criticized for being older, whiter and more male-dominated than the rest of the country.

In the build-up to November, Democratic candidates of color are taking the lead in primaries nationwide, a marked contrast from past early cycles that have sent white candidates to victory,sometimesover minority contenders.

Youre starting to see candidates backgrounds and experiences reflect those that theyre trying to represent, said Antjuan Seawright, an adviser to House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), who has endorsed Lt. Gov.Mandela Barnes(D) in theupcomingWisconsin Senate contest.

Barnes, who is the first Black official to serve as Wisconsins lieutenant governor, has consistently led the11other Democrats running in the Democratic Senate primary by double digits. He currently holds a 29-point electoral lead, according toan internal pollfrom his campaign released exclusively to The Hill on Friday.

He entered the states Democratic Senate primary in July against a crowded field, including state Treasurer Sarah Godlewski and businessman Alex Lasry.

The internal poll found thathissupport with primary voters grew to 46 percent oncetheyreceived his biography, which includes some notable hardships likebeing less affluentthan his opponents and receiving a state-run Medicaidsupplementas recently as the last midterm cycle, according to a report by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

For the Barnes camp, these bumpy times are also strategic advantages. A source close to the campaign told The Hill thatthey believehis lived experiences and statewide name recognition have played a role inhelping him gain an edge.

Theres a tremendous amount of excitement not only inside the Democratic Party right now, but I think among voters who reflect the day-to-day experiences that Americans have, the source said.

While Barnes is indeed gaining prominence due to his significant pollingspike, hes not entirely alone inrising to recognition. In the current campaign map, other candidates including several progressive and even less well-known aspirants are aiming tomake overthe way the Senate looksafter November.

Democrats say that there is greater urgency to recruit candidates whose own pasts can be seen through the eyes of voters living through similarly trying times. That is especially the case given the current economic climate, the COVID-19 pandemic and the desire to passPresident Bidensbiggest policies ahead of what is likely to be a tough election year for the party in power.

We have earned the right to see ourselves on the ballot through advocacy and sweat equity, said North Carolina state Sen. Natalie Murdock (D).

With the changing demographics of our country and the exposure of disparities in health care, wages and education caused by the pandemic, its refreshing and encouraging to see a diverse slate of U.S. Senate candidates, she said.

Their candidacies shone a light on their lived experiences and how these inequities affected their lives.

Bidens Build Back Better package stalled in the Senate last month after moderate Sen.Joe Manchin(D-W.Va.) abruptly said in a cable news interview that he would not support it, sending fellow Democratic senators and rank-and-file voters into an angry fury after months of discussions and promises about passing the legislation by theend of 2021.

Some Democrats believe having a more diverse Senate caucus means lawmakers like Manchin would have less sway to block bills essential to bringing relief to those who are struggling.

Adding more true champions of themultiracialworking class is an absolute priority this year because its the only way well be able to pass an agenda that meets the needs of working-class people, said Joe Dinkin, campaigns director at the Working Families Party, which has endorsed Barnes.

In a time of rising inequality, there are a lot of voters that want to see working-class people in office, that want to see somebody that can relate to them and is going to fight for them, he said.

Organizers for the Working Families Party and other progressive groups are coordinating with ahost of candidates theybelieve can help refashion the Senate to more accurately represent Americans perspectives. Many argue that for too long, the upper chamber has represented a tired version of what Washington politics used to be and still is to an extent where corporate money, gender and race were often tied to power at the table.

Looking to systematically change that, liberal groupsare boostingDemocrats who are more ideologically progressive and racially diverse. Beyond Barnes, two other candidates, Charles Booker andMalcolm Kenyatta, who are running to unseat Sen.Rand Paul(R) in Kentucky and to replace retiring Sen.Pat Toomey(R) in Pennsylvania, respectively, have also received the Working Families Partys stamp of approval, along with top labor and activist leaders.

Matthew Daggett, a political consultant working for Kenyattas camp, believes that he has a compelling enough personal narrative to convince voters to turn out for him over other rivals.

Kenyatta, an openly gay millennial, is running against arguably higher profile contenders in the Democratic primary, including Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Pa.).

But Daggett saysKenyattacan generate sorely needed enthusiasm with his ownnarrative arc.

In North Carolina, state Sen.Jeff Jackson(D) dropped out of that races Senate primary last month and promptly endorsed former state Supreme Court Chief JusticeCheri Beasley.Beasley is widely considered to be the likely Democratic nominee.

Jackson, a member of the Army National Guard, has served in North Carolinas state Senate since 2014. His move to bow out of the primary likely saved Democrats from a bruising intraparty contest.

If elected, Beasley would be the first Black senator to represent the Tar Heel State on Capitol Hill. Only two Black women, Vice President Harris and former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (D-Ill.), have been elected to serve in theSenate.

Beasley already made history in 2019 when she became the first Black woman to serve as chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. In the 2020 election, she was ousted by Republican Paul Newby by only 401 votes.

As a former judge, mother and woman of faith, I know I will bring an important perspective to the Senate thats missing now, but thats not the only reason Im running, Beasley said in a statement to The Hill. The people of North Carolina deserve a senator who understands the challenges they face every day and will fight for those who have been left behind and ignored for too long.

With all the enthusiasm of a possible landscape shift, some Democrats still acknowledge that it will not be easy to break through in a midterm cycle that is already being labeled by forecasters as particularly challenging.

But to those working to diversify the Senate, the effort is nonetheless worthwhile for the potential precedent it can set.

Regardless of whether they win or lose their election, Murdock said, they are building necessary political and donor relationships to support running for office again and future candidates that look like them.

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Democrats look to diversify ranks in bid to keep Senate - KFOR Oklahoma City

A top House Democrat is calling on the Senate to abolish the filibuster in order to pass federal voting rights legislation, pointing to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol as reason why election reforms are needed on the national level.

Assistant House Speaker Katherine ClarkKatherine Marlea ClarkTop House Democrat urges Senate to abolish filibuster to pass voting rights on Jan. 6 anniversary Photos of the Year Biden employs flurry of meetings to unite warring factions MORE (D-Mass.) penned an op-ed in Newsweekon Thursday, the first anniversary of the deadly riot, in which she said the upper chamber must nix the legislative hurdle because it has been weaponized against voting rights in the past year.

We must abolish the current filibuster to protect the vote and fair elections, Clark wrote, adding, The future of the republic depends on it.

The assistant Speakertook a swipeat Republican lawmakers for refusing to put democracy ahead of their own desperate pursuit of power, pointing to their false claims of election fraud, refusal to participate in the Jan. 6 investigation and backing restrictive voting laws at the state level.

At least 19 states passed 34 laws hampering access to voting between Jan. 1 and Dec. 7 of last year, according to the Brennan Center.

They have proven time and again that their political goal is undermining our democracy instead of standing up for its survival, Clark wrote. So, we must go it alone. And to do that, we must abolish the filibuster.

Clarks plea comes as voting rights legislation has largely stalled in the Senate. The House last year passed the Freedom to Vote Act and the John LewisJohn LewisSchumer makes plea for voting bill, filibuster reform in rare Friday session The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Altria - Biden unleashes on Trump and GOP Democrats skeptical of McConnell's offer to talk on election law MORE Voting Rights Advancement Act, both of which were later blocked by Senate Republicans.

As a result, a number of Democrats are calling for abolishing the filibuster to allow the caucus to pass voting rights legislation with a simple majority vote. Two key Democrats, however, are opposed to amending Senate rules to approve the bills: Sens. Joe ManchinJoe ManchinManchin can support the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund by backing Build Back Better Schumer makes plea for voting bill, filibuster reform in rare Friday session Like it or not, all roads forward for Democrats go through Joe Manchin MORE (W.Va.) and Kyrsten SinemaKyrsten SinemaSchumer makes plea for voting bill, filibuster reform in rare Friday session The Hill's 12:30 Report: Biden comes out swinging in 2022 Democrats skeptical of McConnell's offer to talk on election law MORE (Ariz.).

Senate Majority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerBiden eulogizes Reid as a fighter 'for the America we all love' at memorial service Like it or not, all roads forward for Democrats go through Joe Manchin Pelosi: It was 'inexplicable' why it took so long for National Guard to be activated on Jan. 6 MORE (D-N.Y.) is now turning up the heat to pass voting rights legislation. The top Democrat earlier this week said he will force a vote on amending the Senates rules by Jan. 17 if Republicans again block voting rights legislation.

President BidenJoe BidenAre we investing trillions on what matters? Biden eulogizes Reid as a fighter 'for the America we all love' at memorial service Fox News tops ratings for coverage on Jan. 6 anniversary events MORE last month said he supportsan exception to the filibusterto pass voting rights legislation.

Clark, in her op-ed, tied the push for voting rights to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, writing that despite the destruction and violence that occurred last year, federal voting rights legislation has still not been enacted.

The Capitol building has been repaired. But the threats we face are as real now as they were a year ago. Despite a seditious coup attempt meant to overthrow the election, not a single piece of federal voting protection legislation has been signed into law, Clark wrote.

Democracy cannot survive voter suppression laws that substitute the will of the people for the will of a few, she later added.

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Top House Democrat urges Senate to abolish filibuster to pass voting rights on Jan. 6 anniversary | TheHill - The Hill

The change has happened amid what Sam Workman, director of the Rockefeller Institute of Policy Research and Public Affairs at West Virginia University, describes as the nationalization of politics in West Virginia. In places where corporations buy up large portions of media share, its much easier for national party politics to influence state and local politics, Workman said. In the old days, the tether for the Democratic Party, or the left, was labor unions. But with the capitulation of labor, what you get is that these national media narratives can now be really influential in state and local politics because there is no countervailing power or force to check them that sews together societal elements in the way that labor used to.

Those national narratives can now activate what were always latent identities, whether its being pro-life or pro-gun, Workman said. You lose control of the behaviors driven by the salient identities, that you have made salient. You create something as a national party, as a national narrative, as a national media, that you can no longer control.

Those dynamics help explain why Barber ended up at the Capitol on January 6, Workman said.

Barbers transformation didnt happen overnight, but it did happen quickly. When local activists got Barber to support their campaign to pass a nondiscrimination ordinance in 2017, a right-wing group stepped in to stop them. The Family Policy Council of West Virginia, a local branch of the national Family Research Council, actively fought similar ordinances that were proposed in more than a dozen cities in the state.

With the FPCs intervention, the local debate over the ordinance became increasingly contentious. Shortly before the city council vote, it was reported that Barber was convicted of a felony. So now Ive got all these folks coming at me, talking about, Oh, recall! We didnt know you were a felon. Yeah, yeah, you can vote for that if you want, Barber recounted in an interview. He eventually voted against the ordinance he had originally sponsored, and it failed 6-3.

I just took the politicians road, Barber said. I went with what I thought was the best play.

That vote cost Barber his progressive allies, who began to notice a change in his behavior. Hes not talking to constituents and dealing with their needs, said Eric Engle, chair of Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action, a climate advocacy group. Hes not addressing anything locally in his district thats of any benefit to his constituents. Its all culture wars at this point. In 2020, Barber lost his seat to Democrat Wendy Tuck by just under 80 votes.

Looking back, Barber blames the people who helped him get elected for his turn to Trumpism.The more the hard left hated me, the more I searched out the warm embrace and hug of conservatism, Barber said. The more you guys were against me, the more they supported me. And the more hardcore Trump-like I was, the more positive feedback I got.

Film by Chris Jones and P. Nick Curran, article by Akela Lacy.

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What Drove a West Virginia Democrat to Storm the Capitol on January 6? - The Intercept

Former Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) head Andrew WheelerAndrew WheelerOvernight Energy & Environment Virginia gears up for fight on Trump-era official Virginia Democrats prepare for rare confirmation fight over Wheeler Overnight Energy & Environment Youngkin nominates Trump EPA chief MORE, Virginia Gov.-elect Glenn YoungkinGlenn YoungkinPandemic pushes teachers unions to center stage ahead of midterms Overnight Energy & Environment Virginia gears up for fight on Trump-era official Virginia Democrats prepare for rare confirmation fight over Wheeler MOREs (R) nominee for state secretary of natural resources, may be in for a confirmation fight from the state Senates Democratic majority.

Although Republicans regained control of the state House of Delegates in Novembers elections, Democrats retain a two-vote majority in the state Senate. Confirmation fights are uncommon in the legislature, but Wheelers record at the EPA has made him a lightning rod among environmental advocates.

At the EPA, Wheeler, a onetime coal lobbyist, loosened a number of environmental regulations, particularly those pertaining to greenhouse gas emissions, and sought to advance rules that placed limitations on the use of scientific studies that did not make all of their data public.

Despite receiving the endorsement of former President TrumpDonald TrumpFox News tops ratings for coverage on Jan. 6 anniversary events Sunday shows preview: Congress marks Jan. 6 anniversary; US, Russia to hold talks amid rising tensions Democrats must close the perception gap MORE, Youngkin largely kept him at arms length during the Virginia gubernatorial campaign even as his opponent, former Gov. Terry McAuliffeTerry McAuliffePandemic pushes teachers unions to center stage ahead of midterms Overnight Energy & Environment Virginia gears up for fight on Trump-era official Virginia Democrats prepare for rare confirmation fight over Wheeler MORE (D), sought to associate the two. In an interview Friday, Virginia state Sen. Lynwood Lewis (D) said the nomination of Wheeler sent the wrong message on that front.

I would think that we would all be better served, especially the governor-elect, if we would put the Trump years behind us and start moving forward, Lewis told The Hill. And this just sends a very troubling message in the early days of [Youngkins] administration.

The Trump administration was not necessarily environmentally sensitive or friendly. [Wheeler] was the point of the spear of those efforts. And so for that to come to Virginia is something that causes us all here a great deal of concern, he said.

Asked if the caucus has the votes to defeat the nomination, Lewis said, We do.

Lewis is one of four Democrats in the Virginia state Senate who have at times broken from the caucus but have raised concerns about Wheeler, suggesting the chambers Democrats would likely be united in any effort to defeat his nomination, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Others arent so sure what will happen, with state Sen. Scott Surovell, vice-chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, tellingThe New York Times Thursday that he didnt know if the votes are there to defeat the nomination.

Youngkin has basically nominated a guy whose job is to enforce a bunch of laws that hes spent his whole career opposing, Surovell told The Hill in an interview.

Virginia went from being one of the lagging states when it comes to environmental compliance to one of the leading states, and Wheeler has shown from his record that he seems to have zero interest in continuing that work, he added.

Virginia lawmakers do not officially return to Richmond until next Wednesday, Surovell said, and the Democratic caucus has not yet formally met to develop a strategy on the nomination.

Virginia Cabinet nominees, unlike their federal counterparts, must pass both chambers of the legislature, and I would not be surprised at the end of the day if there are some Republicans who vote against him, Surovell added.

And other caucus centrists are among those voicing opposition toWheeler's nomination. In an interview with The Hill on Friday, moderate state Sen. Joe Morrissey (D) said he wont be supporting him.

I really question this particular appointment. Its an individual who rolled back environmental safeguards as head of the EPA under Trump. It is an individual who was a lobbyist for the coal industry, Morrissey said.

He added that in most situations he supports giving new governors latitude but said this nominee is different.

I just dont think hes the right person for this job, he said.

Similarly, the office of moderate Democrat Chap Petersen provided The Hill with a copy of the senator's newsletter,in which he expresses "concerns" about the nominee, though the letter stops short of explicitly pledging to vote against Wheeler.

I've had a chance to meet and speak with the incoming Governor over the past two weeks ... I do have major concerns about his recent selection as Secretary of Natural Resources, said the letter from the lawmaker, who is also the chair of the state Senates Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee.

Virginias legislature has not rejected a governors nomination since 2006, when Republicans in the state House of Delegates rejected then-Gov. Tim KaineTimothy (Tim) Michael KaineDemocrats, Cruz set for showdown over Russian pipeline Virginia Democrats prepare for rare confirmation fight over Wheeler Meteorologist says transportation officials ignored forecasts, leading to I-95 disaster MOREs (D) nominee for secretary of the commonwealth, Daniel LeBlanc.

Rep. Don McEachin (D-Va.), himself a former Virginia state senator, on Friday called on all members to oppose the Wheeler's nomination, citing his environmental record.

At the Environmental Protection Agency, Mr. Wheeler sought to minimize the impacts of pollution in the rulemaking process, undo the Clean Power Plan to limit carbon pollution from our energy generation sector, weaken federal vehicle fuel standards, restrict the use of science in the rulemaking process and in protecting public health, and hinder the restoration of Chesapeake Bay by weakening Clean Water Act protections and proposing funding cuts to EPAs Chesapeake Bay Program of 90 percent, McEachin wrote in the letter.

A spokesperson for Youngkin referred The Hill to Youngkins statements in support of Wheelers record that came when he announced the nomination Monday.

In a statement earlier this week, the governor-elect said that Wheeler shares my vision in finding new ways to innovate and use our natural resources to provide Virginia with a stable, dependable, and growing power supply that will meet Virginias power demands without passing the costs on to the consumer.

Updated at 4:49 p.m.

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Virginia Democrats prepare for rare confirmation fight over Wheeler | TheHill - The Hill

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Google and Twitter employees are flooding Democratic campaigns and committees with cash, campaign finance records show, as Republicans argue that the tech titans censor conservative voices.

The top donors fromGoogle, which owns YouTube, pushed 94% of their total 2022 political contributions to Democrats, as did 99% of Twitter employee donations, the records show.

(Olly Curtis/Future via Getty Images via Getty Images)

"From the top to the bottom, these companies are overwhelmingly liberal, overwhelmingly pro-Democrat," Dan Gainor of the Media Research Center told Fox News. "At the top, they contribute to Democrat causes. At the bottom, they contribute to Democrat causes in overwhelming numbers."

Individual donors at Google who contributed $2,000 or more for the midterm elections have given a combined $690,300 to Democrats and Republicans this campaign cycle, Federal Election Commissionrecordsshow.

The vast majority of that amount has filled Democratic coffers.

YOUTUBE REMOVES VIDEO OF GEORGIA MOTHER CRITICIZING MASK MANDATES FOR CHILDREN:'MEDICAL MISINFORMATION'

Those Google employees provided $652,600 to Democrats and just $37,700 to Republicans, meaning that just over 94% of those donations went to Democrats.

Employees at Alphabet, Google's parent company, and its affiliated organizations contributed nearly$22 millionto Democrats during the 2020 elections compared to $1.4 million to Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. President Biden took in nearly $4.4 million from those individuals.

Twitter employees also drastically favor Democrats. Individuals at the company have given 99% of their nearly $15,000 in political donations to Democrats for the 2022 elections, theNew York Postreported.

Democrats on the federal level raked in98%of Twitter employee donations during the last cycle, data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics shows.

"That's the problem, the politics of the day who and what is happening is being decided by people all of one political stripe, all of one political party," Gainor told Fox News.

(AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Gainor, vice president of Free Speech America at the Media Research Center, helps run a website calledCensorTrack.org, which chronicles instances where right-leaning accounts and individuals were silenced. The site's running tracker has tallied 3,185 such cases involving YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

SEN. RAND PAUL EXPLAINS WHY HE IS LEAVING YOUTUBE

YouTube has several recent cases where right-wing figures were silenced, according to the website and news articles. Ivy Choi, a Google spokesperson, told Fox News that YouTube's Community Guidelines publicly outline what is and what is not allowed on the platform and are enforced equally for everyone.

In December, the platform suspended Steven Crowder a conservative comedian and political commentator after an episode of his show called "The Left HATES Elon Musk Because He's Too Based!" featured a parody song about a transgender individual in a romantic relationship. Choi said Crowder repeatedly targeted the LGBTQ+ community.

That same month, YouTubeset an age-restriction on a video from Young America's Foundation, a conservative organization, on "Victims of Socialism," which featured a seminar from George Harbison, a retired chief financial officer. Choi said the content didn't violate their policies but may not be appropriate for children under 18.

YouTube received widespread criticism after deleting rapper Bryson Gray's popular "Let's Go Brandon" song from its platform for "medical misinformation." Choi said the social media site removed the video for claims that the pandemic isn't real and that the COVID-19 vaccines don't work

"YouTube has banned Lets Go Brandon song from YouTube due to medical information, Gray posted on Twitter at the time. "What medical misinformation is in the song? Whoa."

"Why is the most censored rapper in the country someone that doesn't even curse in songs?" Gray told Fox News. "Why can you rap about murder, sex and drugs, but when I rap about questioning the government I get banned? Is this still America?"

YouTube also removed a speech fromRep. Darrell Issa, alleging that the California Republican violated its rules against anti-vaccine information. Issa supported vaccines during the speech,Fox News reported.

And recently, YouTuberemoveda video from conservative documentary filmmakers and podcasters Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer for "medical misinformation," following an episode in which McAleer joked that it's "great the pandemic is over and lockdowns are finished."

Choi said YouTube later reinstated McAleer's and Issa's videos after further review.

DR. ROBERT MALONE ON JOE ROGAN INTERVIEW CENSORSHIP, TWITTER BAN: 'YOU CAN'T SUPPRESS INFORMATION'

(REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration)

Twitter, likewise, has faced accusations of biased censorship.

Most recently, the social media platform removed Georgia Republican Rep. Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene's personal account from its website for violating its COVID-19 misinformation policy.

Twitteralso bannedDr. Robert Malone, a contributor to mRNA vaccine technology, days before he appeared on Joe Rogan's popular podcast to discuss the government's response to theCOVID-19pandemic and vaccines.

Gainor told Fox News that the "overwhelming spin" on censorship incidents is against Republicans.

"When Donald Trump was shut down, prior to that point, his account had been censored 625 times," Gainor said. "Biden, zero. That's a pretty substantial difference."

Since then, 54 Republican members of Congress have been censored on social media platforms compared to just one Democrat, according to Gainor.

He further noted that Facebook censored the Democrat but apologized and "canceled the censorship two hours later."

"On social media, if you dare criticize anything about vaccines, even if you point out masking cloth masks for instance, which aren't very effective if you pointed that out for a long time on social media you'd be suspended or banned, even though it's factually true," Gainor said.

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A growing contingency of experts have said cloth masks are not as effective at protecting against the Omicron variant as N95 or K95 masks, though they've also said that some form of face-covering is better than none.

"The media and big tech have sort of worked together on this to silent dissent," Gainor said.

Twitter did not respond to a Fox News request for comment.

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Google, Twitter employees flood Democrats with donations as companies are accused of censoring conservatives - Fox News

It was a visceral cry at the moment of maximum peril for American democracy.

A furious mob had overrun police and was nearly at the door of the House of Representatives. Inside the chamber, Republican Paul Gosar was launching a spurious challenge to Joe Bidens election victory in Arizona.

Then, at the back of the gallery on the second floor, Democrat Dean Phillips rose to his feet and screamed at the top of his lungs at Gosar: This is because of you!

The outburst was out of character for a Minnesota nice congressman with a reputation for moderation and working across the aisle. But a year later, Phillips remains convinced it was an urgent and necessary response to the deadly insurrection inspired by then president Donald Trump.

Its not my style to break decorum and to scream, he told the Guardian, but I have to say at that moment I felt the way that tens of millions of Americans did, which is there were people responsible for what was about to transpire and there are moments where you do what you got to do, and I had to do it. I dont regret it one bit because its true.

Phillips, 52, comes from a business background. He led a family-owned distillery producing vodka, gin, rum and other liquors and ice cream company. He was elected to Congress in 2018, representing Minnesotas third congressional district, and is vice chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus.

I never imagined Id be doing this, he admits. I woke up the morning after the 2016 election, saw the reaction of my daughters, who were 18 and 16 at that time their fear, their tears and I promised them right then and there I would do something, and here I am.

On 6 January 2021, he had been advised that there could be trouble so told his staff to stay home. He watched his office TV horrified as Trump gave a speech urging supporters to fight like hell to overturn his defeat. He then walked to the House to begin certifying Bidens election victory. But soon he received text messages from anxious family members showing video of protests forming outside.

I asked my colleague, Tom Malinowski from New Jersey, to walk from the House chamber with me to look out the windows and a Capitol police officer literally screamed at us to get away from the windows and get back into the House chamber. We asked if everything was OK, and Ill never forget it she said, Youre in the United States Capitol. Its the most secure building in the country.

They returned to the House chamber just as Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer were being evacuated. Gosar was at the microphone, leading efforts to subvert his states electoral college vote, when the sergeant-at-arms urged members to take cover behind seats and prepare their smoke hoods prompting Phillips to feel fury and let rip at the Trump loyalist.

While members on the House floor were able to escape, there was no way out for 20 sitting up in the gallery due to coronavirus safety measures. I screamed at my colleagues at that moment to follow me to the Republican side of the chamber because I thought it would be safer, Phillips says. I thought the insurrectionists were coming for us.

First, it was almost impossible to get through these railings; you either had to go under or over. But more than that, I recognized at that very moment that a lot of my colleagues couldnt blend in. Im talking about those of color. It really left an indelible mark on me.

That whole day changed me, of course, as it would anybody, to recognise that privilege and the fragility of democracy and also a significant increase in my empathy for those who have endured trauma in their lives, which is life-changing.

Rioters reached the doors of the House chamber but found their way blocked by an improvised barricade and Capitol police with guns drawn. After an ordeal lasting about 25 minutes, Phillips recalls, members in the gallery were led out by a Capitol police officer and through a maze of tunnels.

We ran into the Rayburn lunch room and it was a bizarre moment because there were people just having lunch at the tables. The sun was shining in from the big plate glass windows and here we are, an officer with a rifle running with us into the lunch room and people just stunned, looking at us like, what the hecks going on? Of course, the TVs moments later would sure change that.

The group was then moved on to a committee room where they were finally safe. But their shared ordeal would stay with them. They now call themselves the gallery group and still meet regularly, sometimes with facilitators or therapists. Its been the most wonderful support group imaginable because we endured it together, Phillips says.

On the night of 6 January, with the Capitol finally secured, they and other members returned to the House and Senate to finish the job and ratify Biden as president. For a fleeting moment, it seemed that Democrats and Republicans were united in completing the work of democracy and jettisoning the authoritarianism of Trump. But it was not to last.

In the year since the insurrection, some Republicans have embraced Trumps big lie and his portrayal of the mob as patriots driven by a noble cause; others have simply remained tight-lipped and failed to denounce it. Phillips, who sees them up close during sessions of Congress, believes they are motivated by self-preservation of both position and personal safety.

Thats perhaps the saddest part of all this. Many of my colleagues especially those who voted to impeach, those who voted to impanel the January 6 commission, those who voted to certify the election have received horrifying threats to their safety and the safety of their loved ones. Its an unenviable position but its also our responsibility and duty. I understand self-preservation but I do wish principle would take precedence, he says.

It has been difficult for Phillips to witness 6 January denialism as Republicans and rightwing media attempt to rewrite the history of what happened that day, variously characterising it as a normal tourist visit or an FBI false flag operation designed to entrap Trump supporters. The former president himself insisted that his followers were hugging and kissing police.

The Democrat says: This is one of those rare occasions where I was there. I was inside. I heard the gunshot. I saw the remnants of the insurrection in the rotunda and went with [Congressman] Andy Kim at midnight that night to help clean it up when I saw him on his hands and knees alone.

I saw the body armour. I saw the clubs. I saw faeces. I saw the speakers office ransacked. I saw with my own eyes people on the ground under arrest. I saw the mob breaking in. I met with the officers who were subject to it since. I was there to bear witness to it and to hear people say it didnt happen or it wasnt a big deal or its time to move on, shame on them.

Republicans denial of reality, and continued addiction to Trump, has raised fears that 6 January was the beginning, not the end, of American democracys near death experience. The party is imposing sweeping voter restrictions across the country and seeking to put big lie believers in charge of future elections. Trump could mount another bid for the White House in 2024 with many checks and balances no longer in place.

Phillips comments: We are at the precipice of a very slippery slope and its a long way up the mountain when youre building a democracy but its a fast ride down when it slips away. We collectively have to make a choice and a decision here, starting with the simple fact that this is not something that one side or the other can win.

If one side upends democracy and destroys its institutions and disrespects the rule of law, chaos will result, violence will result and everything that those propagating this claim is important to them a strong, stable, secure, prosperous country will have been lost. Thats why I try to be a voice of reason and a bridge builder, not a destroyer.

A self-described eternal optimist, Phillips believes there is still a cohort in the Republican party that can find a way back to the mainstream. He describes Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, Trump critics serving on the House select committee investigating 6 January, as heroic.

I know there are more that share that sentiment that simply are not as public. I have confidence that we will see some type of restoration of principle, assuming American voters find that important.

The congressmans efforts to lower the political temperature include a series of common ground get-togethers in his home district that encourage mutual understanding between constituents across the ideological spectrum.

He says: Theyve inspired me and made me more optimistic because Ive discovered when, with some intention, you bring people together with disparate political perspectives and break bread, get to know each other and share life stories, common ground is readily available and easily discoverable.

But in this age of polarisation and negative partisanship, there must be some awkward conversations? We had an experience just a few weeks ago in which someone pulled up in what would be considered a vehicle that a Donald Trump supporter might be driving and someone who was on the far left of that person in a very uncomfortable moment but it turned out to be a very productive one acknowledged what she felt when she saw that vehicle pull into the parking lot and what she expected of the person who drove it.

It took courage to share that. It took courage for the driver of the vehicle to listen to it. At the end of the evening, for both of them to recognise their shared humanity and shared interest in a safe and secure country, was a moment of great reassurance but one that can only occur if people stop stereotyping and actually start breaking bread together.

Read more here:

I was there: Democrat recalls horror and fury on day of Capitol attack - The Guardian

In the year since the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, a handful of Democrats, constitutional scholars and pro-democracy advocates have been quietly exploring how a post-Civil War amendment to the Constitution might be used to disqualify former President TrumpDonald TrumpFox News tops ratings for coverage on Jan. 6 anniversary events Sunday shows preview: Congress marks Jan. 6 anniversary; US, Russia to hold talks amid rising tensions Democrats must close the perception gap MORE from holding office again.

Calls for Congress to take steps to strip Trump of his eligibility, which reached a crescendo in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 riot, have since decreased. But those who remain engaged on the issue say discussions about applying Section 3 of the 14th Amendment have been ongoing.

If anything, the idea has waxed and waned, said Laurence Tribe, a constitutional expert at Harvard Law School. I hear it being raised with considerable frequency these days both by media commentators and by members of Congress and their staffs, some of whom have sought my advice on how to implement Section 3.

An analysis by The Hill found that around a dozen Democratic lawmakers have spoken either publicly or privately over the last year about how Section 3 of the 14th Amendment might apply to those who engaged in insurrection on Jan. 6.

Among those whose offices have spoken recently with Tribe are Rep. Jamie RaskinJamin (Jamie) Ben RaskinSunday shows preview: Congress marks Jan. 6 anniversary; US, Russia to hold talks amid rising tensions The 'hero' of Jan. 6 should embrace the truth The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Altria - Marking the Jan. 6 'chaos and carnage' MORE (D-Md.), who sits on the Jan. 6 House Select Committee; Rep. Jerry NadlerJerrold (Jerry) Lewis NadlerDemocrats quietly explore barring Trump from office over Jan. 6 The Memo: Nation's racial reckoning plays out in 2021's big trials House Judiciary asks for expanded probe of FBI response to Portland protests MORE (D-N.Y.), who chairs the powerful House Judiciary Committee; and Rep. Debbie Wasserman SchultzDeborah (Debbie) Wasserman SchultzDemocrats quietly explore barring Trump from office over Jan. 6 Omar allies dig in on calls for Boebert punishment Lobbying world MORE (D-Fla.).

I continue to explore all legal paths to ensure that the people who tried to subvert our democracy are not in charge of it, Wasserman Schultz told The Hill.

Nadler and Raskin did not respond to a request for comment.

Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which was ratified after the Civil War, says that officeholders who "have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same" are disqualified from future office.

Raskin, a former constitutional law professor, served as a House manager during Trumps impeachment trial over his role in the Jan. 6 attack. Days after Trump's acquittal in the Senate, Raskin discussed the constitutional provision in a press interview, saying Trump was right in the bullseye middle of that group."

"The point is that the constitutional purpose is clear, to keep people exactly like Donald Trump and other traitors to the union from holding public office," he told ABC News on Feb. 17, adding that the legal mechanics would require "more research."

Most constitutional scholars who spoke to The Hill think the provision is not self-executing. In practical terms, that means applying Section 3 to Trump would require an additional step by lawmakers to make the 14th Amendment operative.

Some scholars believe that Congress, by a simple majority in both chambers, could act on its own to find Trump engaged in insurrection, which would implicate the constitutional provision. Under the 14th Amendment, restoring Trumps eligibility would then require a supermajority vote.

Other experts, like Tribe of Harvard, say Congress would need to go further, either by establishing a neutral fact-finding body to determine whether Trump engaged in insurrection under Section 3, or assigning that fact-finding role to a federal court.

One bill, introduced by Rep. Steve CohenStephen (Steve) Ira CohenDemocrats quietly explore barring Trump from office over Jan. 6 Progressives win again: No infrastructure vote Thursday Liberals defy Pelosi, say they'll block infrastructure bill MORE (D-Tenn.) after Trumps Senate impeachment trial last February, would permit the attorney general to make the case before a three-judge panel that an office holder hadviolated the provision and should be barred from future office.

In addition to legislative discussions, other efforts have focused on pressuring state elections officials with a view toward private litigation over the issue.

One pro-democracy group, Free Speech For People, has mounted a pressure campaign on top state elections officials to apply the 14th Amendment to Trump should he run again. Doing so would effectively bar Trumps name from appearing on their states ballot in 2024.

This summer, the group sent letters to chief election officials for all 50 states and Washington, D.C., making the case that they have a constitutional duty to bar Trump from appearing on future state ballots. The group argues the provision doesnt require additional steps by Congress because the 14th Amendment is already operative by itself.

Just as states are permitted (if not required) to exclude from the presidential ballot a candidate who is not a natural born citizen, who is underage, or who has previously been elected twice as president, so too states should exclude from the ballot a candidate, such as Mr. Trump, who previously swore to support the Constitution, but then engaged in insurrection, their letter to Georgia's top election official argues.

And if the elections officials dont comply?

We intend to litigate this question, John Bonifaz, the group's president, told The Hill. So if a secretary of state does not follow the mandate of Section 3, the 14th Amendment, we will bring this matter in court.

But some scholars think such lawsuits could face serious hurdles and would likely face a challenge in the Supreme Court.

If a Secretary of State declines to find Trump ineligible, it is far from clear who could challenge that determination, said Gerard Magliocca, a law professor at Indiana University, who noted that state law varies widely on the issue.

According to Tribe, if lawsuits arose over Trump's eligibility in 2024, the outcome of that litigation would likely hinge on whether a neutral fact-finder setup by Congress had previously determined that Trump's role in the Jan. 6 attack triggered Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Absent that, a lawsuit by Trump challenging his exclusion from a ballot would stand a good chance of success, he said.

Whether a push for Trump's disqualification under the 14th Amendment gains wider support or more legislative traction may turn on what the Jan. 6 House panel ultimately reveals about his role.

Once that committee makes clear, as I trust it will, that what took place was indeed an insurrection that triggers Section 3 of the 14th Amendment and that supports criminal prosecution by DOJ of those responsible, it is difficult to imagine this not becoming a logical next step, Tribe said.

Mike Lillis contributed to this report.

Continued here:

Democrats quietly explore barring Trump from office over Jan. 6 | TheHill - The Hill

Updated, 8:45 AM, 1/4/22:

More than two-and-a-half times as many Democrats changed their party registrations to Republican in Nevada during December, according to figures from the secretary of state.

About one and a half times more Dems switched to nonpartisan as did Republicans. (Those Independent American party numbers below surely reflect many who thought they were switching to nonpartisan, and Dems lost more there, too.)

I will be tracking this all year. The numbers for last month:

Democrat to Republican: 350

Republican to Democrat: 142

Democrat to nonpartisan: 587

Republican to nonpartisan: 395

Democrat to IAP: 195

Republican to IAP: 150

Democrat to Other: 11

Republican to Other: 16

----

All major party branding problems are equal, but some are more equal than others.

To wit:

More than two and a half times as many Democrats have switched their voter registrations to Republicans as vice-versa during the last three months, a statistic with ominous portents for Democratic candidates.

The numbers since September also show that one and a half times as many Democrats switched to nonpartisan as did Republicans numbers also reflected in how many major party voters would rather be members of The Jedi Party or some other minor or essentially nonexistent party.

Here are the numbers, via the secretary of state:

Democrat to Republican: 1,912

Republican to Democrat: 736

Democrat to nonpartisan: 3,555

Republican to nonpartisan: 2,262

Democrat to IAP: 1,025

Republican to IAP: 1,017

Democrat to Other: 2,524

Republican to Other: 1,647

So what does this mean? Some thoughts insertingcaveat that this is just three months of stats and it is a long way before November 2022:

---I am sure Dems were hopeful that the Trump brand would have caused more Republicans to flee than Democrats. But the Biden brand is now proving toxic or appears to be at least in 2021.

---These numbers are relatively small considering the 1.8 million registered voters in Nevada. But if this pattern continues well into 2022, it could well be the canary in the coal mine for a red wave.

---I still believe most of those going to the Independent American Party think they are registering as independents.

---The Other number should worry the Dems, too. Ill keep an eye on that pattern, too.

I have often said demographics are not destiny, and as always, the Democrats (not the socialists) will be better at executing than the Republicans next year. But national atmospherics and math matter, and these numbers reinforce that even though Republicans seem poised to have an inferior slate of candidates, most of them will have a chance if this continues.

Read the original post:

UPDATE: Trend continues of more Dems switching to GOP than vice-versa - The Nevada Independent

I was raised in a Republican household. I remember my mom sending me, as a 10-year-old, to school in red, white and blue on Election Day 1972, with a white elephant on a pendant around my neck. I didnt have any idea of the significance at the time, and none of us could have known how that election would shape our countrys political landscape.

I have always been particularly interested in what I now know are social justice issues. As a teenager I just thought of it as living the Christian gospels, caring for the poor, the needy the homeless and immigrants among us. So I registered as a Democrat on my 18th birthday because of the social justice leanings of the party.

Jennifer Jenkins (right), seconds after finding out she won the Brevard School Board District 3 seat, hugs her husband, Sam, and her campaign manager, Pamela Castellana.

The election of Donald Trump in 2016 brought a lot of people out of their armchairs and into the realm of politics from both political divides for so many reasons. Blame social media, blame the exceptionally unique candidacy Trump provided. Whatever the reason, we are different today. The average voter is much more aware of issues involving them, but not always how their vote matters.

I spent the last four years learning the ins and outs of our local politics, and was elected to the position of chair of Brevard Democrats in November 2020. Since then Ive seen both the best and worst Brevard has to offer.

Ive seen our long-term congressman, a man who ran as a moderate (and for whom I voted in the past) dissent in the certification of Arizonas fair election results, a choice that contributed to The Big Lie and the disastrous events of Jan. 6, 2021. Ive seen that same man utter a juvenile, veiled pejorative of our president from the congressional floor. Ive seen him vote over and over in ways that hurt the citizens of Brevard County.

Ive seen locally elected state representatives run roughshod over average citizens as well as other equally elected officials, using their bully pulpit to indeed, bully their constituents. Ive seen them lie, cheat and attempt to steal our free and fair elections right here in Brevard County.

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Ive seen vulgarities at once-boring school board meetings and more.

And yet I remain hopeful.

Pamela Castellana is chair of Brevard Democrats.

Ive seen my Republican neighbors share from their abundance with others in need. Ive seen my Republican family mourn in love as we lost our patriarch and matriarch. Ive shared meals with dearly beloved Republican friends. I know we can work together for the betterment of our community.

Looking into 2022, I see political battle lines being drawn, but they dont have to be actual battle lines.

Ive spent 26 years here in Brevard County, listening to my friends, to new friends and strangers, listening to their hopes and fears, their dreams and aspirations. It is my concerted goal to provide Democratic candidates for every level of government who will work with their Republican counterparts to meet the needs of their communities. Working with a team of super-dedicated patriotic Americans, including several military veterans, retired teachers, defense contractors in short, Brevardians from every walk of life we will fight fiercely for our values of equal economic, criminal and educational justice. We will fight to defend access to and improve our public school system. We will fight to save our manatees and our entire lagoon. We will fight for economic justice so that no one wants for basics such as food, shelter and affordable health care in our county.

Brevard Democrats chair Pamela Castellana, right, pictured before the 2020 election, says: "Not voting for candidates Brevard Democrats promote does not make you my enemy, in spite of what a very loud, very small group of voices says. It simply makes you my political opponent. In this new era, I will listen to anyone with a goal of joint solutions."

All the same, not voting for candidates Brevard Democrats promote does not make you my enemy, in spite of what a very loud, very small group of voices says. It simply makes you my political opponent. In this new era, I will listen to anyone with a goal of joint solutions. I will meet with anyone with good intentions for our community and Ill listen without prejudging. Anyone.

No matter how hard and loud my political opponents try and push me and my party down, Im not pushing back. Im pushing ahead and Im not quitting.

Because our beautiful, unique county deserves far better than the ugliness its been served in our partisan infighting.

Pamela Castellana is chair of Brevard Democrats.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Our county deserves more than this ugly partisan infighting| Opinion

More here:

Democrats will fight for our values, but we're open to joint solutions, too | Opinion - Yahoo News