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For all the bad things going on, there are, on the other side, Joe Bidens approval ratings, which are a nonstop source of joy for us. And if youve seen them recently, you know in your heart exactly how the November elections are going to turn out. Bidens obviously been a disaster for the country, but not only has he made the U.S. poorer, weaker and much more ridiculous, people know that he has, and they tell pollsters about it all the time. Biden is the single least popular president in modern American history. At this point, absolutely nobody is impressed by Joe Biden and that would be including Dr. Jill. So, this is a big problem for the Biden family, obviously, but a much bigger problem even for the Democratic Party, which Joe Biden leads. Unpopular presidents drag their parties to the bottom in midterm elections. Thats the unchanging rule of politics. You saw it famously in 1994 with the Republican takeover of Congress after two disastrous years of Bill Clinton. You saw it in 2006 after Hurricane Katrina. You saw it in 2010 after ObamaCare. You saw it in 2018. So, theres no question based on precedent that thats about to happen once again in 2022, in November. Thats what everybody assumes and in fact, it may well happen. Were certainly praying for it, but as of tonight, we have to be honest with you, the numbers dont show that happening. Not even close. In fact, all the indications we have right now suggest that despite Joe Bidens well-earned unpopularity, the Democratic Party still, again, as of tonight, has a strong chance of holding Congress in November. The prediction markets, which many believe are more accurate than the polls, overwhelmingly point to the Democrats keeping at least one chamber and maybe strangest of all, as of this week, Democrats are leading Republicans nationally in the so-called generic ballot by about four points. So, if you ask people, Which party do you like more? they say Democrats. And maybe thats why Democrats are raising a lot more money, too and not just money from their patrons in big tech, but from small-dollar donors. Thats bad. JUDGE TO WEIGH WHETHER UNSEALING AFFIDAVIT FOR MAR-A-LAGO RAID WILL JEOPARDIZE TRUMP INVESTIGATION In June, Democrats raised $64 million online from 4 million people. That same month, this June, Republicans raised only $26 million online from just over a million donors. From the first quarter to the second quarter of this year, donations to the Republican Party dropped by more than 12%. By contrast, donations to the Democratic Party are up more than 20%. That is not good at all, not simply because you need money to run a political campaign, but because money is, to some extent, a measure of commitment and intensity and you see the same dynamic playing out in individual races across the country. For example, last quarter, Raphael Warnock, that would be the thoroughly mediocre Democratic senator from Georgia, the guy who was caught on video appearing to commit spousal abuse (Remember that?) that guy raised more than $12 million online. His opponent, Herschel Walker, who everyone likes, raised less than half of that. So far, Raphael Warnock has raised an astounding amount of money. Hes hauled in more dollars online than seven Republican senatorial candidates combined: Candidates in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin and Georgia combined. Herschel Walker is now trailing Raphael Warnock by ten points and this is happening in a state they tell us went for Joe Biden by a margin of about one-third of a percentage point. That is bizarre. What is going on here? Its not just happening in Georgia. According to the official numbers, youll recall, Joe Biden won the state of Pennsylvania by a little over a single percentage point in 2020. So, its been two years. Biden has become much less popular since then. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania, which is controlled by the Democratic Party, has become much worse, far more chaotic and dangerous. Here is the scene in the states largest city on Tuesday. GRASSLEY SAYS NEW WHISTLEBLOWER INFO REVEALS DEEPLY ROOTED POLITICAL INFECTION WITHIN THE FBI REPORTER: Nearly 100 shots fired on 57th Street between Haverford and Westminster tonight. A sea of evidence markers lined this West Philly Street telling of the potentially deadly chaos that unfolded here. Responding officers found four victims on 57th Street. Two shot in the head in critical condition tonight. One victim, were told, in a BMW, is an innocent bystander caught in gunfire and shot in the shoulder, all while kids and young adults were on a nearby playground. Over 100 shots right in the middle of the street. Its hard to believe thats an American city. Its hard to believe thats the place where our Constitution was written. Its totally unacceptable, and it wasnt organic. It didnt just happen. This is a result of policies from the Democratic Party. Period. Now, youd think this being a democracy, that voters would punish anyone who had anything to do with turning Philadelphia into the disaster you just saw and John Fetterman certainly did have a hand in that. Hes the sitting lieutenant governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Fetterman now wants a new job. Hes running for the U.S. Senate. Hes the candidate. In some ways, John Fetterman is the weakest possible candidate you could run. He has obviously a very public record of failure. He also had a devastating stroke this spring, which is sad, but it affected him. Here he is campaigning for Senate: JOHN FETTERMAN: You can count on us to eliminate the filibuster. If you come out and step with us, we will be able to stand with you in DC and lets get some stuff done for America. I gave away the lieutenant governor, governor in Pennsylvania, the only lieutenant governor in the history to do that. JUDGE SAYS HE WILL RELEASE PORTION OF AFFIDAVIT THAT LED TO SEARCH OF TRUMPS MAR-A-LAGO So, this guy is everything youd think wouldnt work. Hes radical, for one thing. Lets eliminate the filibuster. Oh, good idea, John Fetterman. Hes implicated in the destruction of the state that hes still a lieutenant governor of and hes obviously impaired. Thats not an attack on him. Its just true. Watch him. So, youd think there would be no way a guy like that could win a Senate seat, and heres the sad news, however, John Fetterman is winning overwhelmingly. He currently has a double-digit lead over his Republican opponent Mehmet Oz, Dr. Oz. The National Republican Senatorial Committee just slashed its spending in the state of Pennsylvania by more than $5 million, including their ad buys in the city of Philadelphia. Thats a retreat, and its happening in a state the Republicans ought to be winning. What is going on here, and why is no one mentioning it? Well, a couple of things are going on, but first, lets hear from Mitch McConnell. Mitch McConnell is the head Republican in the Senate. Hes not there because everyone likes him. McConnell has no close friends. Hes loved by no one, but hes considered very smart. Hes a master tactician as the dummies who cover politics for Politico and The Washington Post are always telling us. In Washington, people are very much afraid of Mitch McConnell. Cross him and he will hurt you and they listen carefully to his political analysis because thats what hes spent his life doing. Thats the only thing he spent his life doing. So, heres what Mitch McConnell says the problem is. Watch. MITCH MCCONNELL: Theres probably a greater likelihood the House flips than the Senate. Senate races are just different. Theyre statewide. Candidate quality has a lot to do with the outcome. So, theres the head Republican in the Senate conceding three months out that Republicans are probably not going to retake the Senate. Why is that? Well, the answer, of course, is in the final line you just heard. Some of the candidates are mediocre. Thats Mitch McConnells excuse and theres some truth in that. Obviously, some of them are mediocre, but compared to what? Mediocre in the Congress. Well, lets see. Dianne Feinstein hasnt spoken a coherent sentence in years, hasnt had trouble getting reelected. Eric Swalwell had sex with a Chinese spy. Hes still there. So, mediocre people get elected to office, lots and lots and lots of them do every cycle. So, what McConnells analysis really is, of course, is buck-passing. Dont blame me. I didnt choose these people. All right, but theyre still the nominees. FORMER ICE DIRECTOR SAYS BORDER IS LARGEST CRISIS HES SEEN IN HIS CAREER: ITS COSTING LIVES So, if you want to save the country and move in a different direction, yes using some mediocre people to do it, what are you going to do? No hint of what you might do for Mitch McConnell other than just accept the inevitable. Now, the truth is, its entirely possible Mitch McConnell doesnt want to retake the Senate because then youd have to run things and theres one thing Republican leaders dislike. Its running anything, much easier to complain on Fox News, but if you actually wanted to win, what would you do? Well, heres an idea just kind of out of nowhere. Just spitballing here. How about you run on issues that voters care about? That might work even for a mediocre candidate. So, lets say again, just for the sake of argument that you ran a campaign on illegal immigration and crime. Now, these are two issues that didnt just arise out of nowhere. Theyre the product of policies the Democratic Party put in. They were intentional outcomes. We have millions of people coming in illegally and we have a lot more murders than we had two years ago. These two issues, immigration and crime, dont simply annoy voters, though they very much do. These two issues threaten the existence of our society. So, maybe you should run on them. That seems reasonable, but thats not what theyre doing. Oh, no. Here, for example, is a recent campaign ad from Dr. Oz. Hes the guy whos losing to the stroke victim in Pennsylvania. Watch. DR. OZ: I thought Id do some grocery shopping. Im at Wegners and my wife wants some vegetables for a crudites, right. So, heres the broccoli. Thats two bucks, not a ton of broccoli there. Theres some asparagus. Thats $4. Yep and carrots, thats four more dollars. Thats $10 of vegetables there and then we need some guacamole. Thats $4 more and she loves salsa. Yes, there is salsa there. $6. Must be a shortage of salsa. Guys, thats $20 for crudits and this doesnt include the tequila. I mean, thats outrageous. Now we got Joe Biden to thank for this. THOUSANDS OF RAINBOW FENTANYL PILLS SEIZED AS AUTHORITIES WARN OF POSSIBLE NEW TREND TARGETING KIDS $20 for crudits, whatever that is. Its obviously very easy to make fun of that, but its not entirely a stupid ad if inflation were the salient issue here, the generational issue of this campaign season, but its not. Inflation is terrible. Its making people poorer. We actually could tank the U.S. dollar. These are all big, big problems, but changing the population of the United States, allowing people to be murdered in the street, letting drug addicts live on the sidewalk and sending them crack pipes that will change everything forever. These are offenses against the most basic rules of any civilization and the most basic of all is you reward people for doing the right thing and you penalize them for doing the wrong thing. If you start doing the opposite, then everything falls apart and everybody knows that. So, why not just say it? Why dont you say that? Dont be embarrassed. Just say that. If you live in Texas, for example, supposedly aconservative state, you dont even have police protection anymore. Thats how quickly things have changed on the most basic level. Thats not some report from a government agency telling you what the inflation rate is. Thats your life. You dont have police protection anymore. If theres one reason to run for office, its to fix things like that. Heres Fox reporter Madison Alworth describing it. MADISON ALWORTH:In Dallas, they are unable to fill the nearly 600 openings that they have budgeted for. In Atlanta, they have over 400 openings that they cannot fill, even with an up to $4,000 signing bonus. SEN. KELLY LOOKING TO CARVE BIPARTISAN PATH ON BORDER SOLUTIONS AS ARIZONA HIT HARD BY CRISIS PAT LYNCH, PBS PRESIDENT: Police department has been demonized across the country in communities across the country, from coast to coast, its been demonized. If that police officer in uniform is not on your corner, we are seeing the results. The staffing crisis is creating crime. Its creating violence. ALWORTH: You take a look at crime across the U.S. and it is way up. Robbery is up nearly 20% in Chicago and Los Angeles and here in New York City, up nearly 40%. Okay, crudits is 20 bucks. Got it, but thats more important than everything else thats going on right now. Law and Order. You see it on the streets of our cities. You see it at our southern border. Its collapsed. So, if youre a Republican voter and not just a Republican voter, any voter, you probably want to know what is the government going to do about the fact that I can call 911 and no one shows up? What are you going to do about the fact that our border is open to the world and that millions of them have come in illegally? How can you take the country seriously when it doesnt even have a border? And it doesnt, and we know that because on video, every single day people stream in. Foxs Bill Mulligan just caught the whole thing once again on camera. AOCS DEFUND THE POLICE REPORT CARD FLUNKS STATISTICS TEST AS NYC CRIME SPIKE RATTLES COMMUNITIES BILL MELUGIN: Take a look at this video we shot yesterday where were standing. This is the first time we had ever seen this. The Texas National Guard closed and locked a gate on this property. Its a major crossing area and they blocked the illegal immigrants from being able to come into this property. Its private property. The owner allows the National Guard and Border Patrol to work here, but you can see illegal immigrants started showing up. They werent let in. They expected to be let in and they were surprised they couldnt get in. Heres what happened, though. Take a look at this video. Border Patrol showed up. A supervisor came with a key, opened up that gate and let all of those illegal immigrants in, symbolic of the way the state of Texas handles things versus the way the federal government handles things. So, if every Republican candidate just repeated, repeat after me, law enforcement, law and order is not racist. Law and order is a prerequisite for civilization, and if it goes away, so does the country, you would win the votes not simply of your own voters, but of a lot of other voters and people who have never voted before and any normal Democrat would agree with that because its inherently true, but is the opposite of what we have. When Ann Coulter saw the video we just played, she noted correctly that its easier to get into this country as an illegal alien than it is to return as an American citizen back into JFK. By the way, the people you saw are the ones who just want to be caught. Theyre turning themselves into the bus to your town. There is a lot of people who dont want to be caught, and those people are bringing in fentanyl, which is killing thousands of Americans every month. REPORTER: Its been a busy few weeks for U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Nogales. At the checkpoint on Saturday, they found 2.5 pounds of black tar heroin, 9 pounds of heroin, 89 pounds of meth, and 320,000 fentanyl pills. Later that day, another huge bust, including more than 40 pounds of drugs and 150,000 fentanyl pills hidden in a car. Border officials say people are becoming more creative in the ways they smuggle items through. In one case, someone tried to hide 10,000 fentanyl pills using a body-shaping garment. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Everybody knows this is happening. This is not hidden information. These are not the Gnostic gospels. Every American citizen knows exactly whats happening and yet the leader of the Republican Party, Mitch McConnell, will watch footage like that and tell you, no, that most important issue that we face: territorial integrity of Ukraine and in the same breath, they will tell you there is nothing the Republican Party can do to avert historic humiliation in the midterm elections. But the truth, as you well know, is that the people who run the Republican Party dont actually want to do anything about it. There are candidates who are talking about the stuffJ.D. Vance in Ohio, Blake Masters in Arizona, Joe Kent in the Pacific Northwest. The leaders of the Republican Party in Washington would rather those guys lose and people like them lose than change the focus of the party to issues that voters actually care about. But the truth is, you cant win elections unless you listen to voters. Theyre telling you what they want. Republicans have less than three months to figure this very simple riddle out, or its going to be an actual disaster.

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Tucker Carlson: Despite Biden's unpopularity, Democrats still have a chance of holding Congress in November - FOX Bangor/ABC 7 News and Stories

Karma?

Anewpoliticalactioncommittee, or PAC,aimed atpreventingformer PresidentTrump fromever coming close totheOval Officeagainis being led by a woman.

AndRep. Liz Cheney(R-Wyo.)is likely to be arm-in-arm withseveralotherRepublican womenintakinga defiantstand against Trump.

BobbieKilberg, a major GOP fundraiserwho helped Cheney raise money in the past,told the Wall Street Journallast weekthe congresswomanwill have plenty of moneyto fundherfight against Trump inside the GOP.

Cheneymight get support fromElaine Chao and Betsy DeVos,two prominent Republican women.

Theyboth resignedfromTrumps cabinet to protest hisrole in inciting the mob attackof Jan. 6,2021,on the Capitol.

Anddont forget thesethreewomen,conservativeandTV-friendly,ready to follow Cheneys lead:

Carly Fiorina, thebusinesswoman andformer presidential candidate; Christine Todd Whitman, the former governor of New Jersey; and Barbara Comstock, the former Virginia congresswoman. Allarewilling to pay the political price for calling out Republicans who have fallen under Trumps spell.

Thenthere is Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler(R-Wash.)who, like Cheney, voted to impeachthe then-presidentand went on toloseher GOP primary to a Trump-backed challenger.Shehas no regrets about being punished in the primary for defying Trump.

I always told the truth, stuck to my principles, and did what I knew to be best for our country, she said after her defeat.

Anotherwomanin the fightlooks to be a political winner despite defying Trump:Sen. Lisa Murkowski(R-Alaska).

Her reelectionbidsurvived the primarieseven though she is in a red state and isone of the seven Senate Republicans to voteto convict Trumpafterhis second impeachment.

Then there are the youngerwomen.

One former Trump White House aide, Cassidy Hutchinson, caused a sensationin late Junewith her damning evidence to the HouseSelect Committeeinvestigating Jan. 6.FormerdeputypresssecretarySarah Matthews testified the following month, whileformer director of strategic communicationsAlyssa Farah Griffinhas become a high-profile Trump criticthrough herfrequent media appearances.

Six years ago, Trump trafficked in sexist rhetoric to defeata woman,Hillary Clinton. He was infamously recorded on theAccess Hollywoodtape boasting about howstardommeans you can do anythinggrab[women]by the pssy. Hesaidtough debate questioningfromjournalistMegyn Kellywas becauseshe had blood coming out of her wherever. He denigrated his former aide, Omarosa ManigaultNewman, aBlack woman, as a dog.

Oh, and lets not forget, henominatedthreeSupreme Court justiceswhovoted to end abortion rightsfor American women.

Now for the payback.

Cheney,vice-chair of theJan 6.Committee,will have a nationalspotlightto lead her brigade of women warriorsfor the rest of this Congress.

And she will have her new PAC,apparently to becalled The Great Task.The name is an allusion toPresident Lincolns Gettysburg Address.

Lincoln famously called on Americans to honor those who died in the Civil War by being dedicated to the great task remaining before usensuring the U.S. remainsa democracy.

Cheney sees herself protecting democracy in the 21stcentury.She hascontempt forthe mencowering before Trump.

In a new book, she is quoted delivering scathing criticism of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

Where Kevinis like full-on public embrace [of Trump],McConnell is: Ignore and hope he goes away. And that just doesnt work,shetold Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin for their book This Will Not Pass.

Cheneyraisedmore than$13million for her failed primary bid against a Trump-backed candidate.At the end of July,she still had around$7 million left, which could yet be used in her broader fight against Trump.

Speaking to hersupporters on election night, Cheney made her future plain:We must be very clear-eyed about the threat we face and about what is required to defeat it. I have said since January6 that I will do whatever it takes toensure Donald Trump is never again anywhere near the Oval Office.

Im a conservative RepublicanI love what our party has stood for, she said.But I love my country more.

An Economist/YouGov poll last week found women favoring Democrats by 14 pointsin the coming midterm electionswhile men leaned towardthe GOP by two points.Smart GOP strategists and conservative pundits have always understood the gender gap is their Achilles heel in elections.

Ann Coulter has always been fond ofpointingoutthat in every presidential election since 1950 except [Barry] Goldwater in 64 the Republican would have won, if only the men had voted.

Republicans are trying to counter the gender gap by fielding pro-Trump MAGA firebrands who parrot the Big Lieof 2020 election fraudlikeHarrietHageman,the attorneywhodefeated Cheneyin the GOP primarylast week. There are more like her,includingArizona gubernatorial nominee Kari Lakeand Michigan gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon.

History will remember them as selling out for short-term political gain.

Ifthe Party of Lincolncanbe savedfrom becoming a cult,to quote Cheney,it will bedue tocourageous womenwilling to shoulder the burden of history.

Now is the time for all good Republican women to come to the aid of the party and their country.

Now is their time to stand with Liz.

Juan Williams is anauthor,and a political analyst for Fox News Channel.

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Juan Williams: Will GOP women stand with Cheney? - The Hill

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

(CBM) On Aug. 15 on what would have been his 37th birthday, the late Grammy-nominated rapper, entrepreneur and philanthropist Nipsey Hussles was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

He is the 11th rapper to have a Walk of Fame star.

Hussles fans, family and friends from the industry attended the ceremony.

I think I speak for the entire city of LA when I say that weve known Nip was destined for greatness, said Lauren London, Hussles longtime girlfriend who spoke at the ceremony. This moment only amplifies that for us. Nip would have been honored by this moment. I think he would want everyone to remember that you cant get to whats possible unless you commit to moving forward. It doesnt mean forgetting where you come from, but it requires acknowledging the reality you were born into and the power you have to change that reality for the better.

Los Angeles City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson declared Aug. 15, Nipsey Hussle Day in Los Angeles.

Today, on his born day, we finally got him a star on the walk of fame. Rest in Paradise Nip Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) a guest in attendance at the 30-minute ceremony posted on Twitter.

Born Airmiess Joseph Asghedom, Hussle was a Los Angeles native who rose to fame in the mid-2000s. After gaining notoriety locally following the release of a string of mixtapes, his gritty sound and inspirational spirit captivated listeners imaginations. He became more famous as he sold physical copies of his mixtapes for $100 each, an unheard-of strategy given the music was available digitally for free. This declaration of self-worth caught the attention of his fans and the music industry at large. Jay-Z famously bought 100 copies of the mixtape in a show of respect and support.

Hussles crowning musical achievement was the release of his 2018 album Victory Lap. The effort received a Best Rap Album Grammy nomination in 2019. In 2020, at the 62nd Grammy Awards, he posthumously earned three more nominations and took home two wins for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap/Sung Performance.

His impact on the community impact grew with the opening of his Marathon clothing store in the heart of the Crenshaw commercial district. The store gave customers access to exclusive music along with the clothing. Hussle would go on to buy the entire shopping mall that surrounded the Marathon clothing store, in which he invested in STEM technology workspaces and housed other local entrepreneurs.

On March 21, 2019, Hussle was killed outside of his Marathon store by Eric Holder who last month was found guilty of first-degree murder. Following his death, there was an outpouring of tributes. People in his community, across California and around the country honored his life with murals, vigils and other remembrances, reflecting the impact Hussle had on California and the hip hop community worldwide.

While the Marathon store has closed, the location remains a memorial to Hussle where fans pay daily tribute to his memory. There are plans to open a second store on Melrose Avenue. However, no date has been set for its opening.

Writer and sports media personality Justin Tinsley narrated an ESPN 30 for 30 special about Hussle and his close relationship with athletes and the sports world, particularly LA Sports.

That star on the Walk of Fame is symbolic of so much, said Tinsley. Nipsey is one of those people who will always be remembered, yes, as an incredible rapper. But even more than that, he was a man who had a vision for himself and his people. He put that into action and the result of which will keep his name alive for generations of Black folk. Thats so beautiful and its inspiring that he cared so much to do everything he did. But that star is also symbolic of everything we lost with him to. Everything he was yet to think of. Everything he was supposed to do and accomplish.

Tinsley said he feels the sadness following the senseless murder of Hussle still lingers amongst his supporters but that the joy, pride and motivation he brought to many cannot be forgotten.

Losing Nipsey in the physical sense will never truly make sense. Its something God or whomever you pray to can truly answer. But its such a blessing that we were all given the time to be impacted by him whether up close and personal or from afar. And through all the pain thats still there and will always be there thats how we got to look at it. Grief is a very real emotion. But it shouldnt be the only one when we talk about Nipsey Hussle.

The concept of The Marathon was a staple in Hussles music. Persevering through obstacles to reach your goal and enduring the pain that inevitably comes when striving for greatness. At the conclusion of Londons Walk of Fame induction speech, she referenced this concept and left a message for everyone visiting Hussles monument.

Whenever youre in the City of Angels and you see this star, I hope it encourages you to break away from whatever might be holding you back and for you to run your marathon until God says that it is finished, she said.

CBM exists to facilitate communication between the black community, media, grassroots organizations, and policy makers by providing fact-based reporting to a network of over 21 Black media outlets on leading public policy issues

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Nipsey Hussles Legacy Honored by Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame - Sacramento Observer

By Menra Mapfumo, BlackPressUSA

After years of anticipation and fundraising, the wife of Jackie Robinson, Rachel Robinson, has officially opened the Jackie Robinson Museum to the public.

The museum will educate visitors by showcasing the life, legacy, and accomplishments of Jackie and Rachel Robinson, and not just their role in transforming Americas pastime, but their social justice activism.

The recent opening of the Jackie Robinson Museum makes it the only Civil Rights museum in New York City.

At 100 years old, Mrs. Robinson herself was there to cut the ribbon herself in front of a crowd of several hundred which included her two remaining children, Sharon and David Robinson, and many of her grandchildren.

Jackie Robinson Foundation CEO Della Britton described what she wants young people to get out of the museum: We want them to become knowledgeable about Jackie Robinson and Rachel Robinson and their legacy. We want them to be inspired by that. We want them to learn from the challenges Jackie had, from strategies he had for how to create change. Primarily, interested in equal opportunity, interested in economic empowerment. He spent his entire life working to close the achievement gap to get a level playing field. So, we want them to learn the story and then we want them to be inspired to continue the work, and to create a society that is more just.

Former Attorney General Eric Holder shared how Jackie Robinson inspired him as he grew up: Jackie Robinson was a hero of mineJackie Robinson was the key to my interest in the Brooklyn Dodgers. The first team to integrate. You could not be a young Black man in New York without rooting for the Dodgers. To see this museum, it is the culmination of recognition that I think he deserved. I think this is not only a testament to the past, it is also a call to people to be engaged in the future in the way that Jackie and Rachel want.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed how he felt about the impact Jackie Robinson had on his life: Just the belief that because something seems impossible, it is possible. We cannot always find the safest pathway. He just inspired me I was the first Black Borough President and I am the second Black mayor. Going through the challenges of breaking down those barriers, I just think so many of us can look at his story Other people think it is not possible or doable, but he did it. It is also about partnership. You cannot get away from his love affair with his wonderful wife and even as he transitioned, she continued. That is why this museum is open. That is why the [Jackie Robinson Foundation] is doing well.

Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark and Vice President of the MLB Players Alliance C.C. Sabathia gave their opinions on what needs to be done to get more African Americans back on the playing field, and as managers and owners.

Clark said, There is a long answer and a lot of moving pieces to that As it relates to ownership, as it relates to management, those are decisions that ownership and management are going to have to makeWe are hopeful that at some point in time the light will indeed come on and the folks that are making decisions on that side of the equation will appreciate the value of a more diverse ownership group and a more diverse management group

Sabathia said, That is a big issueThat is [The Players Alliances] big mission, to get kids back playing. When I was playing, I thought the kids were not playing baseball, but that is not true. Kids are playing baseball at a high clip, especially in our community. We just got to give them more opportunities.

Sabathia shined a light on Major League Baseballs development programs like the Hank Aaron Invitational and Elite Development Invitational. Sabathia mentioned some of the players drafted this year that came up through those programs.

He said, It is just about making [the programs] bigger and expanding and doing a better job of identifying those kids that want to play baseball.

New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman articulated what the opening of the museum meant to him: The Yankees were there for the beginning and we have stepped up. [Former Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner] had a great relationship with Rachel Robinson It means everything. First of all, I did not grow up a Yankee fan. I grew up a Dodger fan so I know the history of Jackie Robinson, the impact he had not only on the game of baseball, but on the world, especially here in America. He was a game changer. We celebrate his life, his impact, and obviously a lot more work to be done. He is a pillar of hope and strength for so many. To remind us of where we were, but also where we need to keep going. It is a pleasure to be here for the opening. It is my trade deadline, but when it is Jackie Robinson you stop everything and come.

Director Spike Lee, and renowned journalist, biographer and the author of the text on the very walls of the Jackie Robinson Museum, Howard Bryant opined on what most impressed them about the museum and what the opening meant to them.

Lee said, This is something that the queen Rachel Robinson wanted for her husband and herself. This is a place where this should be one of the top museums. Not just in New York City. Not just in Washington, D.C., but the United States of America. You cannot underestimate the significance, the importance, of Jackie RobinsonApril 14, 1947, is a delineationthe day Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and it is one of the greatest days in the history of this country. That is what it means.

Bryant said, It means more than I can say The thing that means most to me is that Rachel is here to see it. To be able to see a vision come through. Shes wanted this for more than 20 years and to be able to see it with your own two eyes, it brings you to tears. It is really special. To me, what I am really impressed about is the dedication of seeing a project through because this was hard to get done. We always say things like Do not talk about it, be about it. The number of people who were committed to make this happen, it tells you how important this is and it tells you how when you are really committed to something worthwhile see it through. You fight for it. You make sure that everybody else around you builds you up. This is a testament to Jackies commitment, Rachels commitment, to the commitment of everybody who wanted to see this happen and now it is here.

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Long-awaited Jackie Robinson Museum open to the public - Afro American

After years of igniting conflict with his special brand of kerosene, Donald Trump now wants to bring down the temperature in the country.

Hes sensing the risks to his own interests if he gets blamed for the violence he unleashed on law enforcement after the search of his Florida residence. So he appeared on Fox News and sent an emissary to the Justice Department, to deliver the message that he was ready to help lead the way out of chaos.

Of course, what Trump actually wants is plausible deniability for the chaos he continues to create. On TV he intoned for conciliation, but online he kept right on the attack, blaming his legal troubles on Democrats and corrupt enemies. Meanwhile, there are more threats of violence from his allies.

Trumps lawyer warned on right-wing TV that criminal charges for Trump would cause so much mayhem and would be a monstrous mistake. (Most lawyers say my client is innocent. Trumps seems to be advising that if you decide to prosecute, youre signing up for mob violence in the bargain.)

Another Trump lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, threatened instant house-raiding retribution for President Biden the moment Trump is re-elected. And Trump himself was right behind him, affirming that he, too, is thinking of retribution on so many enemies, most of whom no longer even hold public office.

Former veep Mike Pence, ever looking for disgraces that let him nudge away from his onetime boss, also noticed that sowing violence against law enforcement may pose a political opportunity. Pence, who just happened to be in the early-presidential-primary state of New Hampshire this week, chided the GOP for suborning attacks on the FBI and Justice Department.

The Republican Party is the party of law and order, Pence said, deploying a slogan that completely misidentifies the contemporary Republican Party. Who can convince the GOP base that attacking law enforcement (or election officials, or political opponents, or public health spokespersons) really is un-American?

Probably no one, because, as Mar-a-Lagos aftermath has proven, this is an authoritarian movement. Law and order is a phrase that long ago was co-opted to mean intimidation and domination. What Pence never counted on when he signed up for Team Trump is that the intimidation and domination would extend to insufficiently supplicated cops.

This week I sat down with former Attorney General Eric Holder for an interview airing on VICE News upcoming Breaking the Vote TV show (watch for it after Labor Day!). Holder has a book out on what he calls the existential emergency of American democracy, and how to fix it. He had some pretty specific things to say about Trump getting charged, and especially the aftermath of the Mar-a-Lago search.

All but the most cynical AGs would get fired up about a politician who targets law enforcement personnel for personal gain. But Holder also seems to recognize the political salience of the Mar-a-Lago aftermath. Holder isnt running for office, but he does want Democrats to hold the House and add a couple Senate seats so they can quickly enact democratic and voting reforms.

Whats interesting is that with Trump looking for cover, and Pence looking for opportunity, and Holder looking for a rallying cry, youve heard very little from any prominent Dem office-holders. Maybe its because its politically-sleepy August, or maybe because President Biden would rather talk about the new climate bill.

Were likely to learn more in the next several days about what the DOJ has on Donald Trump and his quest to take and hold onto classified documents. It probably wont be the last time Trumps supporters threaten law enforcement, and it definitely wont be the last time Trump encourages them.

Makes you wonder if that will piss off any Democrats actually running for something the way it pisses off an attorney general from the Obama years.

Sign up your friends for Breaking the Vote! And watch out for the Breaking the Vote show coming soon from VICE News. Youll be able to say you read it before they watched it!

Concession-proof

GOP Rep. Liz Cheney used the attention on her loss in Tuesdays GOP Wyoming primary to pivot to her next act: making good on her vow to never let Donald Trump get to the Oval Office again.

Cheney moved quickly to form a political action committee dedicated to the task, and juiced it with millions from her now-moot congressional campaign war chest.

Cheneys life as a future-ex member of Congress began very poetically: with bullshit from her opponent on Fox News. Harriet Hageman, who took Trumps endorsement and beat Cheney by more than 37 points, went on Hannity Wednesday and complained that Cheney never called her to concede the election.

Cheney, as is her practice in the January 6 committee, responded with receipts. Hi, Harriet, it is Liz Cheney calling, Cheney said on Hagemans voicemail. It is about 8:13 on Tuesday the 16th. Im calling to concede the election and congratulate you on the win. Thanks.

Hageman, who lied about the 2020 election throughout her campaign, is probably not caught in a lie here, as more squabbling showed the whole thing was likely a miscommunication. Still, it makes perfect sense that her official road to Congress begins with misinforming everyone on Hannity.

Everybody has resigned

The feds this week charged Walter Lee Hoornstra, of Missouri, for threatening an election official in Arizona in May 2021. According to the indictment, Hoornstra left a voicemail on the personal cellphone of the official, threatening that your ass will never make it to your next little board meeting if the official didnt comply with election audits in the state.

Hoornstra is just the sixth person charged for threatening election workers, despite more than 1,000 threats reported to a DOJ task force over the past year.

Given the epidemic of intimidation, its a staggeringly low number of charges. Federal officials said about 10 percent of reports warrant further criminal investigation, and only a tiny fraction of those meet the legal threshold for a threat. The problem, of course, is that threats dont have to be technically illegal to be effective.

Take Gillespie County, Texas, where the entire local election administration staff just resigned because of ongoing intimidation. Ive been threatened, Ive been stalked, Anissa Herrara, who just resigned as county election administrator, told the local press. We have some people who are pretty fanatical and radical about things, said county Judge Mark Stroeher. Unfortunately, they have driven out our elections administrator, and not just her, but the staff. Everybody has resigned.

You really have to choose your venue to keep all the action straight This Week in Subpoenas. Lets go around the horn from Georgia, to D.C., to New York, and Mar-a-Lago!

Target acquired

Its not clear exactly how Rudy Giuliani got himself to the Fulton County Courthouse on Wednesday. Ill give you one answer: I didnt walk, Rudy said as he arrived to testify in front of the grand jury investigating interference in the 2020 election in Georgia.

Last week Rudy tried to get out of appearing in DA Fani Willis grand jury by saying recent medical procedures left him unable to fly by plane. Ordered by a judge to get to Atlanta by some other conveyance, Rudy turned up shortly after finding out hes a target of the investigation.

We dont know what prosecutors asked Rudy, what he said, or if he answered questions at all. Did he come close to matching Trumps Fifthtastic record of refusing to answer questions 440 times? Alas, grand jury proceedings are secret, and we may never know unless or until Rudy gets charged.

So whats next for Rudy? He has legal exposure all over the place, both criminal and civil. Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen told VICE News Greg Walters that he thinks Rudy will eventually flip and become a cooperating witness against Trump. And Rudy himself, asked by a reporter at an NYC airport where hed just flown in after his testimony, quoted the DA saying he satisfied his obligation to the Fulton County grand jury.

More lawyers who need lawyers

Two other Trump coup lawyers have been ordered to appear in Fulton County. Jenna Ellis, who was sunk deep into Trump efforts to overturn 2020and is currently trying to help Christian nationalist Doug Mastriano take over elections as governor of Pennsylvaniais due to appear Aug. 25. And John Eastman, whos been searched by federal agents investigating the coup attempt AND who told Georgia lawmakers about evidence of widespread fraud that didnt exist, is trying to fight his subpoena and is set to appear in a Santa Fe court next Friday.

Senators who need lawyers

A federal judge ordered GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham to testify in Fulton County too, since Graham made two phone calls to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger after the election, just to see about throwing out ballots. Graham is still on a quest to quash his subpoena.

Governors who need lawyers

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp resisted Trumps scheme to overthrow the election, but he doesnt want to appear as a witness in front of Willis grand jury. Kemp said that would interfere with his reelection bid, after which, Willis went HAM.

Still other lawyers who need lawyers

Trump White House lawyer Eric Herschmann got a subpoena from a federal grand jury investigating the coup attempt. You may remember Herschmann from his earlier hits, which include representing Trump during his first impeachment trial, and from his testimony in front of the January 6 committee, where he recalled telling John Eastman he was out of his fucking mind for his coup plan involving former Veep Mike Pence.

Former presidents (and more of their lawyers) who need lawyers

A Florida judge appears ready to reveal more information about what federal agents were looking for when they raided Mar-a-Lago nearly two weeks ago. The judge heard arguments yesterday from media organizations who want to unseal the affidavit backing up the FBIs search warrant. DOJ opposes that release because it could complicate a possible future prosecution and tip off targets about sources, methods, and legal strategies.

But the judge ordered DOJ to propose redactions that could allow the affidavit to come out without compromising investigations. The feds have until next Thursday, and then they may have to fight it out with the judge over just how much information about the search, any classified documents, and the case comes out. DOJs position is understandable, but literally everyone else wants to know what exactly prompted the agency, all the way up to AG Merrick Garland, to calculate that getting the documents back was worth the blowbacklike having FBI agents lives threatened.

We also learned that former White House Counsel Pat Cipollone and his deputy, Patrick Philbin, were also questioned in the documents probe earlier this year.

Former vice presidents possibly considering hiring lawyers

Mike Pence is looking for places to edge away from the guy who whipped up the mob that called for him to be hanged. He may want to run for president, after all! This week Pence was asked if hed testify in front of the Jan. 6 committee and he didnt say no!

In the public Pinterest

When Arizona GOP Rep. Mark Finchem isnt busy spreading election conspiracies and hanging out with Oath Keepers, he likes to spend lots of time online. Finchems Pinterest posts offer a window into the interests and mindset of the guy whos running to control elections as Arizonas next secretary of state. Finchem likes normie things like dogs, but he was also very disappointed with Michelle Obamas choice of shorts. Also, he kept a Treason Watch List, compared Barack Obama to Hitler, and appears to fantasize about another American civil war. He deleted some of his posts, but you can still see them (thanks, Internet Archive!).

You are both wrong and confused. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, in a letter to attorney Brian McEvoy, calling out McEvoys attempt to shield Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp from testifying to Willis special grand jury.

Clerk Cant Mesa County, Colorado Clerk and indicted felon Tina Peters wont get to be on the red carpet for the premier of a new film about her! A judge this week denied Peters request to travel out of state so she could attend Mike Lindells Moment of Truth election conspiracy summit in Missouri. The event features the new film Selection Code, a documentary about Peters hosted by (honestly, though, what the hell happened to) Lara Logan.

August breach days All the Mar-a-Lago news this week kind of obscured this wild report: While Trump forces scrambled to overturn election results after November 2020, aligned lawyers were very busy trying to get access to voting machine data all across the country. The Washington Post has records from Sidney Powell and a bunch of Trump allies who retained a private data firm to gain access to voting systems and data in Georgia, Nevada, and Michigan. The scope of it is mind-blowing, one plaintiffs lawyer in a lawsuit says. Investigations, including potentially criminal ones, are underway. Dont miss a special appearance from Cyber Ninjas sleuth Doug Logan!

Felonious bunk In a world where conspiracy theorists are running to control voting, election workers face threats by the thousands, and a losing president could get charged for mounting a coup attempt, the greatest threat to democracy is clearly convicted felons who vote.

Welcome to Gov. Ron DeSantis newly created election crimes unit, which delivered its first investigations leading to charges Thursday. DeSantis announced 20 people were arrested for voting in 2020 despite being ineligible because of murder or sex offense convictions. Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2018 that restored voting rights to most felons if they meet certain conditions. But some classes of felons were excluded.

The new era of political violence is here. THE ATLANTIC

The Arizona Republican Partys anti-democracy experiment. NEW YORK TIMES

TikTok is great for spreading political messagesand conspiracy theories. VOX

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RIP, Party of Law and Order - VICE