A post-election investigation by The New York Times found that among 49 states (Kentucky would not respond to any requests) and D.C., voter fraud during the 2016 election was virtually nonexistent. Election officials in 26 states and D.C. found “no credible allegations of fraudulent voting,” according to the Times report, while only a handful of states reported fraud claims that required further review.

Claims of voter fraud are hardly new. But from governor races to the presidential election, and from governors who were unseated to the president-elect himself, 2016 has breathed new life into the debate. Tennessee and Georgia reported the most widespread instances of claims that justified further review, at 40 and 25 claims respectively. But a lack of evidence of widespread, election-altering voter fraud should quell most concerns.

Republicans–including President-elect Donald Trump–have largely been behind the push to limit voter fraud by tightening voter ID laws, many of which have been struck down by federal courts. Still, others have questioned the legitimacy of the 2016 presidential race as well, most notably Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Stein challenged the results in three states that were key to Trump’s victory: Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, which was the only state of the three to move forward with Stein’s recount request. The recount in Wisconsin yielded an even greater margin of victory for Trump.

But the crusade against voter fraud has mainly come from Republicans. On November 27, in response to doubts about the validity and necessity of the Electoral College, and the insistence that he lost the popular vote by over 2.8 million votes, Trump tweeted:

In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016

Two of Trump’s closest surrogates, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, and Trump’s Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, have deflected the president-elect’s claims that “millions of people” voted illegally. In an interview with “60 Minutes” a few weeks ago, Ryan, when pressed about Trump’s comments, said: “I don’t know. I’m not really focused on these things.” And Priebus, when asked the same question in a recent interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” said: “I don’t know that it’s not true…It’s possible.”

Distrust for the legitimacy of some votes didn’t just come from the top of the GOP ticket. In North Carolina, Governor Pat McCrory, the incumbent Republican who lost to Democrat Roy Cooper, ordered a weeks-long review into statewide voter fraud. McCrory conceded defeat on December 6, after the Republican-led state and county boards found little evidence of fraud. Out of nearly 4.7 million ballots, 25 were illicitly casted by felons, though that does not mean they knew that doing so was illegal. Some of the “dead voters,” (deceased people who, some Republicans claim, are used by the living to cast ballots) had cast their votes early, and then actually did pass away by Election Day.

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Post-Election Review Finds Scant Evidence of Voter Fraud appeared first on Law Street.

A presidential elector has officially announced that he will not be voting for Donald Trump on December 19. In an op-ed in the New York Times, Republican Christopher Suprun declared his opposition to Trump. He says that the President-elect’s lack of foreign policy experience and his demeanor make him unfit for the presidency: “He does not encourage civil discourse, but chooses to stoke fear and create outrage. This is unacceptable.”

I worry about America when taking a vote is considered treason. https://t.co/ingWbRkdC1

— (((Chris Suprun))) (@TheChrisSuprun) December 6, 2016

Now, some Democrats calling themselves the “Hamilton Electors” are hoping that more Republicans will be encouraged by Suprun’s act and refuse to stand by their party’s nominee. According to Politico, there are at least eight Democratic electors in the group, based in Colorado and Washington. They have been working to influence other electors to choose a Republican alternative, likely Governor John Kasich. It is unclear whether he would be up for the job, but Suprun also mentioned him as a fitting choice. There are 538 electors that officially choose the president, and one candidate needs 270 to win. So, to have a chance to block Trump from actually taking office, the anti-Trump electors and Democrats would need to persuade 36 more to vote for someone else.

Curious about #HamiltonElectors strategy? Get clear here, and then unite with us to #stoptrump: pic.twitter.com/G3BHdcByUD

— HamiltonElectors (@HamiltonElector) December 3, 2016

Prominent Harvard law professor Lawrence Lessig is joining forces with a California law firm, ready to give legal support and free counsel to electors who choose to vote for someone other than Trump. The effort, called “The Electors Trust,” will also provide a space and platform for electors to discuss and construct a strategy for how to vote on the 19^th, to see whether there is enough support to actually stop Trump. “It makes no sense to be elector number five who comes out against Trump. But it might make sense to be elector 38,” Lessig said.

Clinton’s popular vote lead is now over 2.65 million — and above 2%. This shouldn’t happen. It’s time to reform the electoral college.

— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) December 6, 2016

Since Hillary Clinton received over 2.5 million votes more than Trump in the election, abolishing the Electoral College has been a hot topic. However, some say removing it would only lead to chaos. To do so would require a Constitutional amendment.

Eradicating the Electoral College would also risk tilting general elections in favor of nominees that could win major metropolitan areas such as New York and California, with no need to campaign in rural areas or in less populated states. It could also lead to extremely close elections that would require recounts, and delay the whole process. And if elections were to be decided by the popular vote, it would be difficult to win an absolute majority because of third party candidates. This year, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, but not by a majority—she got 48 percent of the vote.

On December 19, the electors will head to their respective state capitals and cast their votes. To further support electors who are anti-Trump, a team of lawyers connected to the Hamilton Electors is already preparing to challenge laws in the 29 states that have legislation binding electors to their party’s nominee. Even if the chance of avoiding a Trump presidency isn’t that great, they’re going to try.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Presidential Electors and Lawyers Organize Against Trump appeared first on Law Street.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette filed a lawsuit on Friday to stop the recount of election ballots that Green Party leader Jill Stein has initiated. His argument is that it is expensive and could cost taxpayers millions of dollars. The recount in Michigan has not started yet, and Schuette asked the Michigan Board of Canvassers to reject Stein’s request, claiming that she doesn’t have any evidence of fraud or errors. Since it is pretty urgent, he also filed an emergency motion with the Michigan Supreme Court to look at the issue immediately. “We have asked the court to end the recount which Stein is pursuing in violation of Michigan laws that protect the integrity of our elections,” he said.

It is inexcusable for Stein to put MI votes at risk of paying millions and potentially losing their voice in the Elec College.

— A.G. Bill Schuette (@SchuetteOnDuty) December 2, 2016

The lawsuit says that Stein received only about 50,000 votes of the 4.7 million votes cast in Michigan, and yet she wants a recount to make sure that was the right result. It claims that it will cost taxpayers millions of dollars and criticizes the fact that she waited until three weeks after the election and then requested a recount by hand, which will take a very long time.

But Stein’s campaign paid the fee for filing the request in full, almost $1 million, and has also raised more than $6 million in just a few days to cover the recounts in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Her argument for doing so has nothing to do with believing she could win the election; rather it is about transparency and fairness. She wrote in an op-ed in USA Today on Thursday:

In the age of computerized voting machines and unprecedented corporate influence in our elections, our electoral system is under increasing threat. How can every citizen’s voice be heard if we do not know if every citizen’s vote is counted correctly?

Also on Friday, the Board of State Canvassers in Michigan failed to reach an agreement on another objection to the recount effort, this time by Trump’s lawyers. Since the vote was 2-2, the requested recount could theoretically start as early as the beginning of next week. But it all depends on what happens with Schuette’s lawsuit.

The recounts Americans are calling for will help restore trust in our democracy. They’ll also point us to reforms that safeguard that trust.

— Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) December 2, 2016

Stein bashed the lawsuit, calling it a politically motivated attempt to side with Trump, and said: “Our democracy allows for recounts to ensure the accuracy and security of elections, and today’s move by the Attorney General is yet another frivolous attempt to obstruct this legal process.”

She pointed out that a miscount doesn’t need to have been made on purpose, but as with anything that has to do with machines, glitches do happen. In 2004, 90,000 votes remained uncounted because of calibration problems with the machines in a county in Ohio. Who knows if anything else could be wrong?

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Michigan Attorney General Files Lawsuit to Stop Election Recount appeared first on Law Street.

Sarah Palin likes Donald Trump, but doesn’t believe he made it all the way to the White House on his own. On the holiday edition of the Breitbart News Daily radio show she claimed that God was responsible for Trump’s win. In the show, she said she saw the role “divine providence” played on the campaign trail. She said people have been desperate for a change after the country’s deterioration and that his victory was due to people praying to God that the rest of the citizens would wake up. Palin claimed she had seen it “first-hand.” And she also said this:

I saw more and more people’s eyes open, and I think so much of that was based on the church in general, those people of faith who were praying to God that people would wake up. Remember, our Founders dedicated this land, this new country that would be America, this idea of America, dedicated it to God. If I were President, I’d re-dedicate us to God.

Palin has described herself as a “Bible-believing Christian,” saying that God has an important role to play in American elections. But the last time she said that God would do the right thing for America by helping John McCain beat Barack Obama in 2008, her predictions were wrong and Obama became the first black president in U.S. history. Many people had something to say about her views on religion and the 2016 election:

Dear Sarah Palin,

God heard what you said and wants you to know he responded thusly: “Leave me out of this.”

— Ricky Pine ⚡️❄️ (@redrainricky) November 30, 2016

Sarah Palin says God made Trump win, confusing God with slaveowners who demanded an electoral college during the constitutional convention.

— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) November 30, 2016

Palin also said: “We found our revolutionary Donald Trump, he’s our messenger. Donald Trump heard the voice of the people and allowed the people to expose what needed exposing.”

To make Palin’s year even better, it was reported on Wednesday that she is being considered for a cabinet role as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. According to a Palin aide she has been telling Trump transition officials that she feels she could be of use in a “productive and positive way.” She has focused on the VA for a while; her eldest son is an Iraq War veteran and earlier this week her son-in-law posted a video to Facebook promoting her work with veterans. Though Palin has not yet been to the Trump Tower to meet with the President-elect, she was one of his first endorsements.

There were mixed reactions on social media to that news as well.

Sarah Palin is “super duper excited” that she might be in charge of the dept for animal doctors. @monicajibanez @georgeswright

— AnnAMae (@SweetasPHI) November 30, 2016

Sarah Palin as VA Secretary seems completely insane until you remember that Donald Trump was just elected President.

— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) November 30, 2016

I’m probably more qualified to be VA Secretary than Sarah Palin just by having ‘VA’ in my Twitter name

— Matt Oswalt (@MattOswaltVA) November 30, 2016

Palin has also been talked about for the position of Energy Secretary, which could be pretty catastrophic considering she posted a Facebook status showing off her view on energy, saying “Drill, baby, drill!” She also wrote: ”The inherent link between energy and security, and energy and prosperity, is real and recognized by every American except sketchy politicians and deceived faux environmentalists.” So, if you thought we left Palin behind in 2008, don’t worry, she’s back and busy in 2016.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Sarah Palin Claims God Intervened and Helped Trump Win the Election appeared first on Law Street.

Despite his transition into the White House, President-elect Donald Trump took time out of his day on Sunday to rehash the election results, going so far as to claim that millions of votes were cast illegally. He made the claim without citing evidence and despite an apparent consensus among election monitors that there was no indication of widespread voter fraud.

President-elect Trump’s comments came as popular vote counts began showing Hillary Clinton’s sizable lead in the popular vote. While Clinton lost the electoral college and the election as a result, it looks likely that she will have a popular vote lead of somewhere between 2.5 to 2.7 million votes, or about 2 percent of all votes cast. This appears to have troubled the president-elect, leading to his claim that enough votes were illegally cast to lose the popular vote.

In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016

This unprecedented attack on the legitimacy of the same process that elected him president surprised many, particularly because earlier in the day, Trump sent out a series of tweets denouncing the recount effort organized by Green Party candidate Jill Stein. On Saturday, Trump tweeted that the recount effort was a scam.

The Green Party scam to fill up their coffers by asking for impossible recounts is now being joined by the badly defeated & demoralized Dems

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016

Last week Stein began raising money to fund a recount in multiple key states, and on Friday, announced that she initiated the recount process in Wisconsin. The Clinton campaign said that it would join in the recount effort, although a lawyer for the campaign indicated that he did not expect the process to change the final outcome. However, that appears to have been enough to upset Trump, who went on to criticize Clinton in several tweets. Trump cited Clinton’s concession speech and statements made during the presidential debates to indicate that she was hypocritically challenging the election after criticizing him for doing the same thing during the campaign.

Just a few hours later, Trump claimed that millions of votes were cast illegally and then alleged that voter fraud occurred in several states. He also claimed that if the popular vote determined the outcome of the election he would have campaigned differently and won that as well.

It would have been much easier for me to win the so-called popular vote than the Electoral College in that I would only campaign in 3 or 4–

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016

states instead of the 15 states that I visited. I would have won even more easily and convincingly (but smaller states are forgotten)!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016

Serious voter fraud in Virginia, New Hampshire and California – so why isn’t the media reporting on this? Serious bias – big problem!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 28, 2016

Glenn Kessler, the fact-checker at the Washington Post, quickly refuted Trump’s claims and gave his statement a “four-Pinocchio” rating, which is reserved for particularly brazen and false claims. While the exact source of Trump’s statements remains unknown, the claim that millions of non-citizens voted illegally has been making its way around some right-wing media sites.

One of the most notable examples of this argument came from the conspiracy website Infowars, which cited a Twitter user and self-described voter fraud expert who made claims about fraud before election data was even available. The site Infowars is run by Alex Jones, a well-known conspiracy theorist who, among other things, seems to believe that no one died in the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. During the campaign, Jones had Trump on his radio show and after the election, he claimed that Trump called to thank him for his support.

Based on all available evidence, claims of widespread voter fraud are false. Trump’s statements have been criticized by independent monitors and election officials alike. California Secretary of State Alex Padilla said in a statement on Sunday:

It appears that Mr. Trump is troubled by the fact that a growing majority of Americans did not vote for him… His unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud in California and elsewhere are absurd. His reckless tweets are inappropriate and unbecoming of a President-elect.

ProPublica, a nonprofit investigative news outlet that coordinated a massive effort to monitor the election across the country, also refuted the claim in a series of tweets.

We had 1,100 people monitoring the vote on Election Day. We saw no evidence the election was “rigged” no matter what Stein or Trump say. /1

— ProPublica (@ProPublica) November 27, 2016

Whether Trump genuinely believes that millions of illegal votes were cast or, as many critics speculate, whether he was using his tweets to distract from other potentially damaging reports–such as the conflicts of interest that Trump will face once in the White House–remains to be seen. However, given that the president-elect has openly challenged the legitimacy of the election, it’s possible that his comments may lead to further calls for recounts.

Kevin Rizzo

Kevin Rizzo is the Crime in America Editor at Law Street Media. An Ohio Native, the George Washington University graduate is a founding member of the company. Contact Kevin at krizzo@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Without Evidence, Donald Trump Suggests Millions Voted Illegally appeared first on Law Street.

Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein took on a pretty big project over Thanksgiving weekend–a Wisconsin recount effort. Trump won a narrow, upset victory in Wisconsin. But Stein raised money to look into that victory–citing concerns of election tampering, perhaps from Russian nationals. Now, the Clinton campaign has lent its support–although officials from the campaign don’t seem particularly optimistic.

Stein went after Wisconsin first, given that the deadline to file for a recount was on Friday. She now promises to file in Pennsylvania and Michigan, two other swing states that narrowly went for Trump. In order to support her efforts, Stein has raised more than $5 million (more, CNBC ironically points out, than she raised for her entire presidential campaign).

The margins were indeed thin in those states. According to the New York Times:

In Wisconsin, Mr. Trump leads by 22,177 votes. In Michigan, he has a lead of 10,704 votes, and in Pennsylvania his advantage is 70,638 votes.

But, those are still larger margins than have ever been overcome in a recount. Marc Elias, a lawyer for the Clinton camp explained the campaign’s reasoning for participating, but the statement was decidedly somewhat pessimistic that the recount would change anything:

Because we had not uncovered any actionable evidence of hacking or outside attempts to alter the voting technology, we had not planned to exercise this option ourselves, but now that a recount has been initiated in Wisconsin, we intend to participate in order to ensure the process proceeds in a manner that is fair to all sides. If Jill Stein follows through as she has promised and pursues recounts in Pennsylvania and Michigan, we will take the same approach in those states as well. We do so fully aware that the number of votes separating Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in the closest of these states — Michigan — well exceeds the largest margin ever overcome in a recount.

President-elect Donald Trump was (unsurprisingly) quite unimpressed with Stein’s effort. He called it a “scam” and said “the results of this election should be respected instead of being challenged and abused, which is exactly what Jill Stein is doing.” But as Elias said: “now that a recount is underway, we believe we have an obligation to the more than 64 million Americans who cast ballots for Hillary Clinton to participate in ongoing proceedings to ensure that an accurate vote count will be reported.” We’ll have to see if Stein’s efforts unearth any new news.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Recount Effort Underway in Wisconsin, Clinton Camp Now Participating appeared first on Law Street.

All eyes are on President-elect Donald Trump as he begins to build his Cabinet and staff other key positions essential to his administration. While his rumored short list varies, one thing is certain: it’s definitely aimed at “shaking up” Washington. Here are a few of the biggest highlights so far:

Dr. Ben Carson Turned Down Secretary of Health and Human Services

On Tuesday it was reported that Dr. Ben Carson rejected Trump’s offer to serve as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Carson’s business manager and personal confidant Armstrong Williams told “The Hill”:

Dr. Carson feels he has no government experience, he’s never run a federal agency. The last thing he would want to do was take a position that could cripple the presidency.

That’s pretty awkward given that Carson thought he was qualified to run the entire country just a few months ago.

Rudy Giuliani Favored to be Secretary of State

After reportedly shooting down rumors that he’d be the next Attorney General, New York’s former mayor and Trump loyalist, Rudy Giuliani, is now considered to be the top pick for Trump’s Secretary of State. Giuliani is being considered alongside former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, a hawkish conservative who advocated for the U.S. to bomb Iran to halt the country’s nuclear program.

Jeff Sessions as Possible Attorney General or Secretary of Defense

Originally it was speculated that Chris Christie would be Trump’s first choice for leader of the Department of Justice, but the New Jersey Governor has been losing steam in the Trump camp as of late. On Friday he was replaced abruptly by Vice President-elect Pence as head of the transition team. With Giuliani probably out, Sen Jeff Session [R-AL] is the new leading contender for Attorney General, and is being considered for Secretary of Defense as well. Sessions is known for his hardline positions on immigration, and supported Trump’s proposed wall along the Mexico border.

What About His Non-Cabinet Positions?

Unlike Cabinet positions, these positions don’t require confirmation from the Senate, but they’re still important.

Reince Priebus Will Be Chief of Staff

On Sunday, Trump named RNC chairman Reince Priebus as his Chief of Staff. Priebus will be in charge of the day-to-day operations in the White House. This was probably one of Trump’s safest decisions, given that it’s clearly an olive branch to establishment Republicans. During the election Priebus criticized Trump’s proposed Muslim ban, but later helped rally support for the party nominee during the campaign’s final weeks.

Steve Bannon Will Be Chief Strategist

However, Trump’s next pick was much more controversial. On Sunday Trump also named Breitbart News’ executive chairman, Steve Bannon, as his Chief Strategist. The alt-right media exec has been called racist, anti-Semetic, and a White Nationalist, and has supported Trump wholeheartedly through the election. Bannon even took a leave of absence from his Breitbart role to help manage Trump’s campaign.

On Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid delivered a speech before Congress denouncing Bannon. Reid pleaded for trump to rescind his nomination, adding: “Rise to the dignity of the office – president of the United States – instead of hiding behind your Twitter account.”

When Will We Learn More?

Other recognizable Republicans rumored to be on Trump’s short list include: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin, and Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, just to name a few. There are predictions galore for the rest of Trump’s Cabinet, but it may be several more days, or weeks even, before he announces his picks.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Trump’s Cabinet: What We Know So Far appeared first on Law Street.

So there we have it: what seemed inconceivable is now a reality. Donald J. Trump, former “Apprentice” host, a businessman with a slew of failed ventures to his name, and a man with literally no public service experience, has defeated Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, a woman who spent her entire life working toward this moment and who was poised to become our first female president.

Mr. Trump has been surprisingly indestructible during this election cycle. Despite his astounding hypocrisy, consistent lies, and vile and hateful rhetoric toward nearly every group imaginable, he made it. Even after starting his campaign off by calling Mexicans rapists, insulting a Gold Star family, being caught on tape talking about groping a woman, and literally any other time where it seemed like he was self-sabotaging his campaign, he made it.  We have our next Commander-in-Chief.

Look, Trump voters, I get it. A lot of you are part of a disenfranchised and largely-ignored group of Americans, and “Make America Great Again” sounds like a really simple solution to a lot of the major problems you’re dealing with. And yes, the government feels like it consistently is dealing with partisan gridlock, which makes it difficult to actually get things done. People want a change from all of that, and it’s understandable; these are issues we must acknowledge and take action on as a country.

But I’m sorry to tell you: Trump doesn’t care about you. If you voted for him because you think he’s the one who’s going to solve these problems, you’ve made a terrible, terrible mistake.

Here’s what Trump cares about: power, fame, money, and himself.

Here’s what Trump doesn’t care about: climate change, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, religious minorities, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, income inequality, refugees, diplomacy, education reform, veterans, Black Lives Matter, and criminal justice reform.

Trump has yet to explain his policies on the most pressing issues facing this country today. His views on fighting terrorism? He says he’s going to get rid of ISIS, but he doesn’t want to tell us how because he doesn’t want to tip them off. His immigration plan mainly consists of two words: “the wall.” (By the way, Mexico hasn’t agreed to this wall, and there’s not really a way to make them do it, so that will probably add to our debt).  His proposed Muslim ban is probably unconstitutional.

But hey, he will bring our jobs back, right? Well, a lot of his economic proposals don’t really add up, and his economic plan is likely to add trillions to the debt.

Fine, he can appoint advisors and Cabinet members who have more experience with these issues. But do you really want a leader who doesn’t understand what he’s talking about, and who advocates for policies that are straight-out unconstitutional, unfeasible, and downright criminal? Even if he’s unable to act on certain things he’s said over this campaign, he is now the world’s representative for America.

He doesn’t understand your problems; he’s never lived them. Throughout his campaign, he’s shown us his narcissism and his love for attention. Even with his alleged billions of dollars, he’s not even charitable with his money. Oh, and don’t forget that we still haven’t seen his tax returns, despite the IRS giving him the okay to release them even under audit.

I haven’t written this to shame Trump supporters, but for people to fully understand the choice they made when they stepped into that voting booth. If Trump doesn’t fulfill his promises, don’t say you weren’t warned. After Brexit, a lot of “leave” voters had regrets over their decision. I don’t know if that will happen in the U.S., but I wouldn’t be surprised if some voters have buyer’s remorse not long after he takes power.

Congratulations, Trump voters. You celebrate along with ISIS, the KKK, and many other hate groups that are thrilled that about this election result. For the sake of our country, I genuinely do wish that he does “make America great,” but I don’t have much hope that he will.

Mariam Jaffery

Mariam was an Executive Assistant at Law Street Media and a native of Northern Virginia. She has a B.A. in International Affairs with a minor in Business Administration from George Washington University. Contact Mariam at mjaffery@lawstreetmedia.com.

The post Dear Fellow Americans: Trump Doesn’t Care About Us appeared first on Law Street.

Today President-elect Donald Trump met with President Obama in the Oval Office to discuss plans for the hand-off between presidencies and the peaceful transfer of power. While the meeting seems to have been cordial, it had to have been a little awkward given that Obama and Trump are bitter political rivals and Trump plans to “cancel every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama” on his first day in office–that’s if Trump’s plan for his first 100 days in office is to be believed.

In October, Trump laid out a detailed list of his plans, and the first day alone looks daunting. Aside from beginning to lay the groundwork to appeal Obamacare, he also plans to put an immediate hiring freeze on all federal employees, begin renegotiating NAFTA, withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, move forward with the Keystone Pipeline, and suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where vetting can’t safely occur (aka begin banning Muslims)–and that’s not even half of his first day plans.

Trump also announced ten pieces of legislation he hopes to introduce to Congress that would: fund the construction of a wall along the Southern border (with the “understanding” that Mexico would reimburse the U.S.), promote school choice, and invest heavily in infrastructure.

As Vox notes, some of these actions, like the federal hiring freeze and immigration ban, he could easily do from the Oval Office, while other actions  would require cooperation from  relevant government agencies and Congress. But with a Republican controlled Congress on his side, he could easily tick off a few of these items on his list.

Below is a copy of Trump’s full 100 day plan titled “Donald Trump’s Contract With the American Voter” that was released in October.

What follows is my 100-day action plan to Make America Great Again. It is a contract between myself and the American voter — and begins with restoring honesty, accountability and change to Washington

Therefore, on the first day of my term of office, my administration will immediately pursue the following six measures to clean up the corruption and special interest collusion in Washington, DC:

* FIRST, propose a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress;

* SECOND, a hiring freeze on all federal employees to reduce federal workforce through attrition (exempting military, public safety, and public health);

* THIRD, a requirement that for every new federal regulation, two existing regulations must be eliminated;

* FOURTH, a 5 year-ban on White House and Congressional officials becoming lobbyists after they leave government service;

* SIXTH, a complete ban on foreign lobbyists raising money for American elections.

On the same day, I will begin taking the following 7 actions to protect American workers:

* FIRST, I will announce my intention to renegotiate NAFTA or withdraw from the deal under Article 2205

* SECOND, I will announce our withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership

* THIRD, I will direct my Secretary of the Treasury to label China a currency manipulator

* FOURTH, I will direct the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to identify all foreign trading abuses that unfairly impact American workers and direct them to use every tool under American and international law to end those abuses immediately

* FIFTH, I will lift the restrictions on the production of $50 trillion dollars’ worth of job-producing American energy reserves, including shale, oil, natural gas and clean coal.

* SIXTH, lift the Obama-Clinton roadblocks and allow vital energy infrastructure projects, like the Keystone Pipeline, to move forward

* SEVENTH, cancel billions in payments to U.N. climate change programs and use the money to fix America’s water and environmental infrastructure

Additionally, on the first day, I will take the following five actions to restore security and the constitutional rule of law:

* FIRST, cancel every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama

* SECOND, begin the process of selecting a replacement for Justice Scalia from one of the 20 judges on my list, who will uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States

* THIRD, cancel all federal funding to Sanctuary Cities

* FOURTH, begin removing the more than 2 million criminal illegal immigrants from the country and cancel visas to foreign countries that won’t take them back

* FIFTH, suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where vetting cannot safely occur. All vetting of people coming into our country will be considered extreme vetting.

Next, I will work with Congress to introduce the following broader legislative measures and fight for their passage within the first 100 days of my Administration:

1. Middle Class Tax Relief And Simplification Act. An economic plan designed to grow the economy 4% per year and create at least 25 million new jobs through massive tax reduction and simplification, in combination with trade reform, regulatory relief, and lifting the restrictions on American energy. The largest tax reductions are for the middle class. A middle-class family with 2 children will get a 35% tax cut. The current number of brackets will be reduced from 7 to 3, and tax forms will likewise be greatly simplified. The business rate will be lowered from 35 to 15 percent, and the trillions of dollars of American corporate money overseas can now be brought back at a 10 percent rate.
2. End The Offshoring Act. Establishes tariffs to discourage companies from laying off their workers in order to relocate in other countries and ship their products back to the U.S. tax-free.
3. American Energy & Infrastructure Act. Leverages public-private partnerships, and private investments through tax incentives, to spur $1 trillion in infrastructure investment over 10 years. It is revenue neutral.
4. School Choice And Education Opportunity Act. Redirects education dollars to give parents the right to send their kid to the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school of their choice. Ends common core, brings education supervision to local communities. It expands vocational and technical education, and make 2 and 4-year college more affordable.
5. Repeal and Replace Obamacare Act. Fully repeals Obamacare and replaces it with Health Savings Accounts, the ability to purchase health insurance across state lines, and lets states manage Medicaid funds. Reforms will also include cutting the red tape at the FDA: there are over 4,000 drugs awaiting approval, and we especially want to speed the approval of life-saving medications.
6. Affordable Childcare and Eldercare Act. Allows Americans to deduct childcare and elder care from their taxes, incentivizes employers to provide on-side childcare services, and creates tax-free Dependent Care Savings Accounts for both young and elderly dependents, with matching contributions for low-income families.
7. End Illegal Immigration Act Fully-funds the construction of a wall on our southern border with the full understanding that the country Mexico will be reimbursing the United States for the full cost of such wall; establishes a 2-year mandatory minimum federal prison sentence for illegally re-entering the U.S. after a previous deportation, and a 5-year mandatory minimum for illegally re-entering for those with felony convictions, multiple misdemeanor convictions or two or more prior deportations; also reforms visa rules to enhance penalties for overstaying and to ensure open jobs are offered to American workers first.
8. Restoring Community Safety Act. Reduces surging crime, drugs and violence by creating a Task Force On Violent Crime and increasing funding for programs that train and assist local police; increases resources for federal law enforcement agencies and federal prosecutors to dismantle criminal gangs and put violent offenders behind bars.
9. Restoring National Security Act. Rebuilds our military by eliminating the defense sequester and expanding military investment; provides Veterans with the ability to receive public VA treatment or attend the private doctor of their choice; protects our vital infrastructure from cyber-attack; establishes new screening procedures for immigration to ensure those who are admitted to our country support our people and our values
10. Clean up Corruption in Washington Act. Enacts new ethics reforms to Drain the Swamp and reduce the corrupting influence of special interests on our politics.

On November 8th, Americans will be voting for this 100-day plan to restore prosperity to our economy, security to our communities, and honesty to our government.

This is my pledge to you.

And if we follow these steps, we will once more have a government of, by and for the people.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Here is What Donald Trump Says He Plans to Do in His First 100 Days appeared first on Law Street.

All of the sudden, the streets in New York City were filled with chanting people while men and women in skyscrapers peeked down from their windows and tourists on buses snapped pictures. Wednesday night saw thousands of people in cities with largely Democratic populations take to the streets to protest the election of Donald Trump.

Masses of people protesting in Union Square in New York tonight.
Together, we are stronger. #LoveTrumpsHate #NotMyPresident pic.twitter.com/ubbGpBCAda

— PerfectWarrior (@SurvivorHealer) November 10, 2016

In Manhattan, estimates suggest that as many as 5,000 people worked their way uptown along Fifth Avenue and Broadway. At one point, the procession encountered a chain of police officers blocking Broadway going north, with speakers blaring out the message that the protesters were illegally blocking streets and would be arrested unless they moved onto the sidewalks. But no one listened–they just turned right and took the next street to move forward until they reached the Trump Tower.

Throughout the night there were no signs of violence or conflict, just people chanting “Not my president,” “My body, my choice,” and “Donald Trump, go away, racist, sexist, anti-gay.” Even some of the people who were stranded in their cars did not appear upset, but instead honked, cheered, and high-fived strangers through their car windows. The protests were massive, and all of the protestors united in their distrust and disapproval of a Trump presidency.

Protesting is democracy too. It shows those who feel marginalized that they are not alone. That’s important. #TrumpProtest

— Lana Huyen (@lanahuyen) November 10, 2016

The beautiful thing about Wednesday’s spontaneous demonstration was the diversity. More and more people joined from the sidewalks as they saw what was going on. People of all different skin colors, religions, and personalities. What they had in common was that most were young and all were disappointed with the election results.

According to preliminary exit poll numbers from CNN, Hillary Clinton won 54 percent of voters aged 18-29 on Tuesday night. But those margins indicate that she failed to spur young voters to turn out at a sufficient rate to win, a problem that she has had since the primary. In fact, in the primaries, her challenger Bernie Sanders earned nearly 30 percent more votes from Americans under the age of 30 than both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton combined. Many of those voters now feel hopeless.

The scene right now outside #TrumpTower. Never covered anything like this before @PIX11News pic.twitter.com/vy7q7bACTb

— Ayana Harry PIX11 (@AyanaHarry) November 10, 2016

Delivery truck driver (who couldn’t go anywhere if he tried) blowing his horn to cheering crowd, pumping fist pic.twitter.com/8IE9cKGHqe

— Steve Annear (@steveannear) November 10, 2016

CNN reports that similar protests went on in Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, Portland, Austin, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Oakland. Also on Wednesday evening, a candlelight vigil for Clinton supporters was held in front of the White House. Organizers said about 2,600 watched online as supporters called out, “you are not alone.”

Trump supporters and conservatives expressed disgust at the protests on social media, saying that Democrats don’t respect democracy and only protest if they don’t get their way.

You’re literally protesting against free democratic elections. Go live in North Korea, you absolute trash.#TrumpProtest

— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) November 10, 2016

But peaceful protesting and freedom of expression is also a part of democracy.

People aren’t upset about losing the election.

People are terrified for their safety and futures.

See the difference. #TrumpProtest

— Matthew Kick (@MatthewKick) November 10, 2016

This video shows just how many people were on the streets in Manhattan:

New York City protests against Donald Trump’s presidency. They haven’t stopped coming. pic.twitter.com/qwZlBe2i0L

— Phil McCausland (@PhilMcCausland_) November 10, 2016

Filmmaker Michael Moore happened to come across the demonstration in his cab and got out to join it. “We had all those big protests before the Iraq War and once the war started, everyone stopped protesting. […] This time, we keep it up and we don’t stop till he’s out of there,” he said to the Huffington post.

Michael Moore happened upon the protest tonight, calling for resistance and agitation. pic.twitter.com/LFiGaO1wfy

— Andy Campbell (@AndyBCampbell) November 10, 2016

Stay strong, people.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post ‘Not My President’: Thousands Unite To Protest Trump Presidency appeared first on Law Street.

Tuesday night’s presidential result shocked a whole lot of people in the U.S. and around the world; it stunned those that supported Donald Trump and especially those that supported Hillary Clinton. Shock and surprise, it seems, have also blotted out another equally important fact: Congress will remain red.

Republicans retaining their House majority hardly came as a surprise, but some pundits and polls (we know how accurate both can be) predicted control of the Senate to shift from Republicans to Democrats. That did not happen, and now the White House and Congress belong to the GOP, something that has not happened since 2007.

Heading into Tuesday, there were eight Senate races–out of 34 open seats–presumed to be tossups. From Nevada to Wisconsin, Illinois to North Carolina, Democrats and Republicans were expected to wage bruising battles that could flip either way. In the days preceding Election Day, polls in those eight states were split: Democrats were leading in four. Republicans were leading in four. However, by night’s end, seven of eight ended up in the Republican column, bringing their total number of seats to 51. Democrats control 47 seats. Races in New Hampshire and Louisiana are too close to call.

Democrats were hard pressed to find any good news Tuesday night, though there were some small victories: three states elected a woman of color to the Senate. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat with Thai and Vietnamese ancestry beat Republican Mark Kirk in Illinois. Women of color, all Democrats, won in California and Nevada as well. Elsewhere in the Senate, Marco Rubio (R-FL) won a decisive re-election bid, which was an uphill battle considering his failed presidential run and his tenuous relationship with Trump.

Republicans will also retain control of the House, and not by a slim margin either: at least 239 seats will be red heading into next year, while 193 will be blue. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, who in a speech on Wednesday said Trump now has a “mandate” to govern, held onto his district seat in Wisconsin. A few districts have yet to call a result. The 115th U.S. Congress will convene on January 3, roughly two weeks before Trump is set to take the oval office.

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Election 2016: Republicans Retain Control of Congress appeared first on Law Street.

All across the country, students on college campuses protested the election results, which declared Donald Trump the next President of the United States.

Young voters (18-29 years old) voted 55 percent to 37 percent in favor of Democratic Candidate Hillary Clinton. But for voters 65 and over, Trump held the majority of the votes.

With numbers like those it is easy to see how many college students could be unhappy with the way the election went. Students around the country, including many on the West Coast (likely due to the time difference), poured into the streets crying, shouting, and marching against the president-elect.

Some students headed to the bars, while others headed to the streets.

Students could be heard screaming “F— Donald Trump,” as mobs marched arm in arm through campuses, trying to make some sort of sense out of what had happened. Here are a few examples of protests from college campuses around the country:

University of California, Santa Barbara:

UCSB and SBCC students marching to Storke Tower in a peaceful protest in regards to the election results. 11-9-2016/2:04 AM. #NotMyPresident pic.twitter.com/G3sF40bnQh

— Saitama (@heisenchapo) November 9, 2016

University of California, Berkeley:

“The people, United, will never be divided.” UC Berkeley anti-Trump protest at Telegraph and William Street, Oakland. #berkvote pic.twitter.com/4nKvcsLJHG

— Maya Eliahou (@MayaEliahou) November 9, 2016

University of California, Los Angeles:

Sorry that these are getting repetitive. This is a huge, growing group of students. #UCLA pic.twitter.com/dxfOp8QerY

— Tanner Walters (@tannerbwalters) November 9, 2016

These are all different UC’s reacting to the Presidential Election.The revolution has started. #ucsc #ucla #usb #ucd pic.twitter.com/Au4SPFN2DJ

— Wuendy (@whendcalm7) November 9, 2016

Berkeley High School, Berkeley, California:

BERKELEY HIGH SCHOOL WALKOUT #NotMyPresident #TrumpPresident pic.twitter.com/6HAv7jVAH4

— B (@BerenabasG) November 9, 2016

University of Pittsburgh:

UPitt riots part 2 pic.twitter.com/55s46LWf0K

— reilly (@reidaddy) November 9, 2016

Students at UPitt could be heard chanting, “No KKK no fascist USA! No Trump!” and “Whose streets?” “OUR streets!” Along with “Not my president!”

University of Oregon:

Students from the University of Oregon marched through Eugene to protest America’s new president #LifeAsAJStudent pic.twitter.com/kQU97Sdv2i

— phillip (@philllup) November 9, 2016

Students in Washington D.C. went to The White House to protest.

People in Obama and Clinton shirts link arms outside the White House. #ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/fBx6b7eYKB

— The GW Hatchet (@gwhatchet) November 9, 2016

Anti-Trump protestors outside the White House. #ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/vTokvFL6Qt

— The Hoya (@thehoya) November 9, 2016

At different universities, it has been reported that professors have cancelled exams and assignments Wednesday, after students expressed their grief over the outcome of the 2016 election.

Julia Bryant

Julia Bryant is an Editorial Senior Fellow at Law Street from Howard County, Maryland. She is a junior at the University of Maryland, College Park, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Economics. You can contact Julia at JBryant@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post College Campuses React to the 2016 Election with Protests and Anger appeared first on Law Street.

The Huffington Post discontinued its editor’s note labeling Donald Trump a “racist” and “xenophobe” after he was declared the president-elect earlier this morning.

In a note to readers, the online publication opted for a “clean slate” by removing a note that appeared at the end of nearly every article documenting Trump’s candidacy, which read:

Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims — 1.6 billion members of an entire religion — from entering the U.S.

Ryan Grim, Washington bureau chief for The Huffington Post, explained that the site will continue to hold Trump accountable when necessary, writing:

Where we find fault in how Trump governs, we won’t hesitate to call it out. If he encroaches on the norms of our democracy, if he targets minority groups or other vulnerable elements of the population, we won’t hesitate to say so loudly and clearly. If he follows his worst instincts and caters to the klatch of white supremacists who endorsed him, we won’t flinch from calling him racist. But we have hope that the man we saw on the trail at his worst moments is not the man who will enter the White House.

POLITICO reported that Grim sent a memo to staff members that further explained the decision to remove the note.

“The thinking is that (assuming he wins) that he’s now president and we’re going to start with a clean slate,” Grim wrote. “If he governs in a racist, misogynistic way, we reserve the right to add it back on. This would be giving respect to the office of the presidency which Trump and his backers never did.”

According to some Huffington Post sources, the removal of the note was part of the outlet’s plan the entire time.

“This note was added to stories about presidential candidate Donald Trump during the election cycle,” said Huffington Post spokeswoman Sujata Mitra. “Now that the election is over, we will no longer be adding the note to future stories, as he is no longer a presidential candidate.”

The news outlet initially placed its coverage of Trump in its entertainment section instead of its politics section.

Bryan White

Bryan is an editorial intern at Law Street Media from Stratford, NJ. He is a sophomore at American University, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. When he is not reading up on the news, you can find him curled up with an iced chai and a good book. Contact Bryan at BWhite@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Huffington Post Drops Donald Trump Editor’s Note appeared first on Law Street.

Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump and Vice Presidential nominee Mike Pence won the 2016 election last night.

Here are the fast facts:

Trump won 279 electoral votes, 9 over the threshold of 270.

Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, but Donald Trump won the electoral map.

Republicans retained control of the U.S. Senate, with 51 Senators. They also retained control of the House, with 236 Representatives.

Here’s a look at the current electoral map https://t.co/ga9QMGfB2l #ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/JSbdnwuTQY

— Bloomberg (@business) November 9, 2016

For continued election coverage, stay tuned with Law Street Media, as we break down the ballot measures that passed and failed, and news in the coming weeks of transition.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Donald Trump Wins the 2016 Presidential Election appeared first on Law Street.

If Trump loses the election tonight, he’s definitely not going down without a fight. The Republican presidential nominee has already filed a lawsuit against the state of Nevada over an early voting dispute.

The lawsuit accuses Clark County, Nevada, of keeping the polls open “two hours beyond the designated closing time” Friday night. The polling locations closed at 7 PM; however, some polling locations were kept open until 10 PM to accommodate voters waiting in line.

Nevada state law requires that voters be allowed to cast their ballots if they have entered a polling place, or are physically waiting in line to vote at the time of closing.

As it just so happens, the Las Vegas polling places targeted in the suit happen to be home to large Hispanic populations–and Hillary Clinton has a significant advantage over Donald Trump with Hispanic voters.

The Trump campaign called the extended voting times evidence of a “rigged system,” and alleged that Clark Country voting registrar Joe Gloria’s actions “very much appear to have been intentionally coordinated with Democratic activists.”

According to Business Insider, Judge Gloria Sturman denied Trump’s lawyer’s request for Gloria to preserve the names of the poll workers who permitted the late voting–mainly because he is already legally required to do so.

“I don’t get what you’re asking,” Judge Sturman told David Lee, a lawyer with the Trump campaign.

“I can’t obligate [Gloria] to do something he’s already obligated to do,” Sturman said. “This is Election Day. He has other things to be doing.”

Sturman maintained that she would not expose the poll workers to harassment and an army of Twitter trolls, especially when “they’re not here to defend themselves.”

Trump’s lawyers also requested that the votes cast after 7 PM not be “co-mingled” with the other votes, but that request was shot down as well.

While Trump may not have been successful in what very well may be his first attempt at proving voter fraud, it’s very clear that he’s steadfast in disputing the election if the results don’t swing in his favor.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Trump Campaign Sues Nevada For Keeping Early Voting Polls Open Late appeared first on Law Street.

The map above will be updated on election night to reflect the election results as they come in. All results will be based on the official Associated Press state projections. Scroll over the map to see when the polls close in each state as well as how many electoral votes are at stake.

Kevin Rizzo

Kevin Rizzo is the Crime in America Editor at Law Street Media. An Ohio Native, the George Washington University graduate is a founding member of the company. Contact Kevin at krizzo@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post 2016 Election Results: State by State Map appeared first on Law Street.

On Sunday, FBI Director James Comey announced that after reviewing new emails found on Anthony Weiner’s computer, his decision not to recommend charges against Hillary Clinton remains. Barring any new information, the FBI’s announcement effectively closes Clinton’s case–a conclusion that has left many unsatisfied.

FBI Dir just informed us “Based on our review, we have not changed our conclusions that we expressed in July with respect to Sec Clinton”

— Jason Chaffetz (@jasoninthehouse) November 6, 2016

The FBI was in the process of investigating Anthony Weiner’s computer because of an alleged sexting affair with an underage girl. During the course of that investigation, the FBI found emails related to Hillary Clinton sent or received by Weiner’s estranged wife Huma Abedin, a top Clinton aide.

Soon after Comey’s announcement, conspiracy theorists and Donald Trump supporters questioned whether the FBI could review so many emails in just over a week. Michael T. Flynn, former Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, seemed to imply that Comey himself had looked through all of the documents.

IMPOSSIBLE:
There R 691,200 seconds in 8 days. DIR Comey has thoroughly reviewed 650,000 emails in 8 days? An email / second? IMPOSSIBLE RT

— General Flynn (@GenFlynn) November 6, 2016

It took 1 year to review 60K and 8 days to review 650K? Smart machines or not, something does not jive. Thoughts?

— General Flynn (@GenFlynn) November 6, 2016

In response to a tweeted question by journalism professor Jeff Jarvis, former NSA contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden tweeted back an explanation of how a computer could do this:

@jeffjarvis Drop non-responsive To:/CC:/BCC:, hash both sets, then subtract those that match. Old laptops could do it in minutes-to-hours.

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) November 7, 2016

Snowden, who revealed the NSA’s metadata surveillance program, said that such a review shouldn’t take very long. And according to reports, most of the emails, that were found on Weiner’s computer were duplicates of emails already reviewed by the FBI.

John Conyers Jr., a Michigan Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, told NBC on Sunday, “In the days that come, we will have many questions about the FBI’s handling of this investigation. In the meantime, however, I welcome this news confirming again that no charges are warranted in this matter.”

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Snowden Debunks FBI Investigation Conspiracy Theories with One Tweet appeared first on Law Street.

Americans take great pride in our democratic system, which we tout as the main opportunity for our citizens to be a part of the political process. Despite this, voting (the mechanism that gives us the most access to this process) is still something we struggle with: America’s voter participation rates are still astonishingly low compared to other developed countries. With a 53.6 percent participation rate among eligible voters, we fall far behind countries such as Belgium (87.2 percent), Sweden (82.6 percent), and France (71.2 percent). In an especially crazy and unpredictable general election year, exercising your right to vote is more crucial than ever.

While the overall national participation rate is low, the rates vary widely on a state-by-state basis. With the presidential election just one day away, Law Street took a look at the average state turnout during general elections to see who’s been voting (and who hasn’t) for president. We’ll have to wait until Election Day to see if these states will maintain their spots on the list.

Click through the slideshow below to see the top to see our rankings of the top five states with the lowest and highest voter turnout rates:

*Note: these numbers reflect the average of the turnout rates of general elections since 1980, based on Census Bureau statistics.

Image courtesy of Ruediger Gros; License: (CC BY-ND 2.0)

#1 Lowest: Hawaii

Average Voter Participation Rate: 54.8 percent

Blue/Red/Swing State?: Blue

Hawaii’s voter turnout rate among eligible voters is almost astoundingly low. Among the citizen-age voter population, a little more than half of Hawaii residents on average have shown up to vote during general elections. This past summer, the state set a new record for voter apathy in a primary election, after only 31.4 percent of registered voters cast ballots.

It’s not just the laid-back lifestyle that seems to be keeping people away from the polls; among native Hawaiians, there is reportedly an overwhelming sense of disconnect with American politics. The belief that Hawaii shouldn’t have been occupied by America is still strong among many in the state, which is leading to a lot of voter apathy. So no, people aren’t just too busy surfing (although that honestly does seem to play a small factor).

Mariam Jaffery

Mariam was an Executive Assistant at Law Street Media and a native of Northern Virginia. She has a B.A. in International Affairs with a minor in Business Administration from George Washington University. Contact Mariam at mjaffery@lawstreetmedia.com.

The post Which States Vote the Least and Which States Vote the Most? appeared first on Law Street.

Twitter trolls–presumably supporting Donald Trump–have crafted a faux social media campaign aimed at tricking Hillary Clinton supporters into voting via text on November 8.

You cannot vote for the President of the United States via text. I repeat, text voting is really not a thing people–unless when used for some type of talent competition, typically of the singing and dancing variety. In fact, there’s only two ways to vote; you can go to your designated polling place in person and vote, or you can mail in an absentee ballot (although you can register to vote via text.)

The ad-like memes, written in both English and Spanish, carried captions like “Avoid the line” and  “Vote from home” next to “text ‘Hillary’ to 59925.” They even contained a small, printed disclaimer at the bottom, which reads:

Must be 18 or older to vote. One vote per person. Must be legal citizen of the United States. Voting by text not available in Guam, Puerto Rico, Alaska, or Hawaii. Paid by Hillary for President 2016.

They have since been deleted, but here a few tweets containing screengrabs of the images.

This is a SCAM! You must go to the POLLS to VOTE! YOU CANNOT TEXT, EMAIL, or PHONE in your VOTE! pic.twitter.com/fYdRx8I3ZU

— Kathy (@PayDownTheDebt) November 4, 2016

No, you cannot vote for Hillary Clinton via text message https://t.co/WPwikLjjTi pic.twitter.com/3Nb10W9V2c

— Fortune (@FortuneMagazine) November 3, 2016

The use of minority models and Spanish captioning likely means the ads were aimed at black and Latino voters, intended to suppress Democratic turnout by tricking would-be voters into thinking they already voted.

Twitter user @mcness saw the images and immediately attempted to flag the misleading material; however, he claims that Twitter Support told him the tweets did not violate Twitter Rules. After sharing his frustrations online, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted Wednesday that the issue had been fixed.

@mcnees @Support not sure how this got past us. Fixed (and thanks for reporting)

— jack (@jack) November 2, 2016

Many of the accounts that initially tweeted out the images have since been deleted.

Fortune reports that even though they may be misleading, these ads are not necessarily illegal. UC Irvine law professor Rick Hasen explained in an email to Fortune:

There is no law against misinformation or lying at polls. It is possible to argue that providing some misinformation to voters could be seen as voter intimidation and therefore a violation of the Voting Rights Act and other federal (and state) laws. But I don’t think that would apply to these ads.

He also stated that President Obama had proposed a law against such misinformation when he was a senator.

According to New York Magazine, if you text “Hillary” to the number listed on the ads, you will receive a response stating the ad is not affiliated with the Clinton campaign.

Now that we’ve cleared that up, don’t forget to vote on November 8. It may not be as convenient as texting from your couch at home, but it is a vital part of our nation’s democracy.

If you’re upset about attempts to trick voters, please
1) Vote
2) Help others vote
Don’t let friends/family sit this out. Every vote counts.

— Robert McNees (@mcnees) November 4, 2016

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Don’t be Fooled by Fake Twitter Ads: Voting Via Text Isn’t a Thing appeared first on Law Street.

Are you a voter in a solidly red or blue state, and frustrated that your preferred candidate has no chance of winning in that state? Alternatively, are you a voter in a swing state who would like to vote third-party, but are afraid that your vote will help another candidate get elected?

Enter “vote trading,” a practice which allows voters in swing states who are not a strong proponent of either candidate to vote third-party without feeling like their vote is wasted.

It goes like this: say a voter in Virginia, a swing state, does not want to vote for Clinton, and instead prefers a third party candidate such as Jill Stein. However, they do not want to make it easier for Trump to win by taking away a potential vote from Clinton. That individual can reach out to a Clinton supporter in a heavily blue state, such as California, and make an agreement to “swap” so that the Californian votes for Stein and the Virginian votes for Clinton without worrying about contributing to a Trump win in the state.

According to Vox, this practice first came about in the 2000 election, when voter trading websites popped up to help Nader supporters in swing states make sure that their third-party vote didn’t help Bush get elected. This time around, the #NeverTrump app is an attractive option for voters who refuse to vote for Clinton but also fear a Trump victory. The app claims that it “matches Hillary voters in blue states with third-party voters in swing states to help them trade votes.” It also allows users to chat with their matches before agreeing to trade, helping to increase trust (although there’s no way to completely ensure that both parties will follow through on their agreement).

It’s not too surprising that this practice is making a comeback during this election cycle, in which both candidates have favorability ratings of under 50 percent. It is clear that there are a large swath of voters that do not feel that they can vote for either candidate in good conscience, but still want to avoid a worst-case scenario of a Trump presidency.

And yes, vote trading is legal: as this New York Times op-ed explains, a ruling after the 2000 election declared this practice permissible as “constitutionally protected speech and conduct.”

For voters that are particularly uninspired by this year’s major party candidates, vote trading might actually be an option to consider.

Mariam Jaffery

Mariam was an Executive Assistant at Law Street Media and a native of Northern Virginia. She has a B.A. in International Affairs with a minor in Business Administration from George Washington University. Contact Mariam at mjaffery@lawstreetmedia.com.

The post What Is “Vote Trading?” appeared first on Law Street.

Melania Trump gave a rare speech in Pennsylvania on Thursday, in which she expressed her concerns about people being mean on the internet, causing many to ask: does she even know her husband?

Melania Trump has generally kept quiet in the campaign since it was revealed that she plagiarized parts of Michelle Obama’s speech from 2008 during the Republican National Convention in July. But on Thursday evening, Pennsylvania women got to hear what her plans would be if she were to become the First Lady.

Trump said she worries about “all of our children” and that people are being mean on the internet. “Our culture has gotten too mean and too rough, especially to children and teenagers,” she said. She went on to say that kids are “hurt when they are made fun of, or made to feel less in looks or intelligence. This makes their life hard. It can force them to hide and retreat.”

The irony in Melania Trump’s words–as her husband has become known for cyberbullying, insulting people based on their looks, and for the recent news that he may have sexually assaulted as many as 17 women–is almost too much. During the campaign, Donald Trump has insulted and verbally harassed anyone who is the least bit critical of him or doesn’t live up to his standards of appearance. The New York Times compiled a list of 282 people, places, and things that Trump has insulted since declaring his candidacy last June. The list includes, among many others, the TV show Saturday Night Live (“unfunny show”), actor Alec Baldwin (“portrayal stinks”), Megyn Kelly (“crazy” and “sick”), Alicia Machado (“disgusting”), and the United States (“weak”).

Melania Trump can’t be serious with being an advocate for cyberbullying when Donald Trump is a cyberbullying predator on & off social media! pic.twitter.com/lRAbw3b3Ba

— Mr. Weeks (@MrDane1982) November 4, 2016

Melania may not have realized that she used one of Hillary Clinton’s foremost arguments against Donald–also put forth by Michelle Obama–to challenge his fitness for the presidency. Clinton and Obama both talk about how important it is to be a role model for children and to protect them from language that is disrespectful and mean. On Thursday, Melania Trump spoke of the exact same problems. She said:

It is never OK when a 12-year-old girl or boy is mocked, bullied or attacked. It is terrible when that happens on the playground and it is unacceptable when it’s done by someone with no name hiding on the Internet.

The internet reacted right away.

.@MELANIATRUMP I’m so glad you lectured America on the evils of cyber bullying. Please also discuss it with this man.->

“Melania Trump” pic.twitter.com/lPL4V1j8Ma

— Cornelia (@PaladinCornelia) November 4, 2016

She also said that children are often picked on for their “looks and intelligence,” which she says isn’t cool. Trump also said that she will work for women’s rights. Maybe she forgot that her husband called Rosie O’Donnell “fat” and “ugly,” Bette Midler “extremely unattractive,” and Debbie Wasserman Schultz “highly neurotic.”

Donald Trump’s rhetoric has already had a notable effect on kids, a development that has actually been named the “Trump Effect.” His language may be increasing bullying in schools, especially for kids of a nationality, race, or religion that Trump has mocked.

Now Melania Trump says she would like to focus on the same groups and issues that the Democrats are using to criticize her husband. But the question is, will she be able to disregard everything that her husband has said and done, and how long will that last?

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Melania Trump Wants to Fight Cyberbullying, but Forgot Who She Married appeared first on Law Street.

A woman who filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump for allegedly raping her as a child, pulled out of a press conference where she was expected to reveal her identity moments before it began.

The accuser, known by the pseudonym Jane Doe, was expected to reveal her identity before media outlets in her lawyer’s Los Angeles office on Wednesday.

BREAKING: woman who sued Donald Trump for child rape breaks her silence today. https://t.co/ecbzZ6jxSU pic.twitter.com/kdCRsG7wIm

— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) November 2, 2016

Her attorney, Lisa Bloom, cancelled the event due to fears surrounding her client’s safety–citing death threats.

“Jane Doe has received numerous threats today as have all the Trump accusers that I have represented. She has decided she is too afraid to show her face,” said Bloom. “She has been here all day, ready to do it, but unfortunately she is in terrible fear. We’re going to have to reschedule. I apologize to all of you who came. I have nothing further.”

The federal lawsuit alleged Trump raped Doe in 1994 when she was 13 years old, and sexually assaulted her on other occasions while attending sex parties at the New York City mansion of billionaire and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The woman making the claims is referred to as “Jane Doe” in the most recent court complaints filed in New York, but as “Katie Johnson” in a similar suit filed in California earlier this year. Doe filed a lawsuit in April, without legal representation, which was dismissed for technical filing errors. Trump responded to the allegations and claimed the lawsuit was an attempt to bring him down.

“The allegations are not only categorically false, but disgusting at the highest level and clearly framed to solicit media attention or, perhaps, are simply politically motivated,” Trump told RadarOnline. “There is absolutely no merit to these allegations. Period.”

There have, of course, been questions about the validity of the lawsuits from some. According to Jon Swaine of The Guardian, the lawsuits seem to be orchestrated by Norm Lubow, a former producer on the “The Jerry Springer Show” who is “an eccentric anti-Trump campaigner” with a record of making outlandish claims about celebrities.

A civil lawsuit is scheduled for an initial status conference in a New York district court on December 16.

Bryan White

Bryan is an editorial intern at Law Street Media from Stratford, NJ. He is a sophomore at American University, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. When he is not reading up on the news, you can find him curled up with an iced chai and a good book. Contact Bryan at BWhite@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Donald Trump’s Child Rape Accuser Cancels Public Appearance appeared first on Law Street.

Wikileaks dumped a new batch of emails on Wednesday that provide a peek into the behind-the-scenes correspondence between Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the State Department as The New York Times prepared to break the story on Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of state. They also show the initial scramble Clinton’s team went through as the story was about to hit the media. The emails come from the same trove belonging to Clinton Campaign Chairman John Podesta that Wikileaks has been steadily leaking on a daily basis. Russia is widely believed to be behind the hacks.

In an email dated March 1, 2015, a State Department press aide, Lauren Hickey, sent the following message to a department contact (Heather Samuelson, a former Clinton aide who has come under fire) and group of Clinton’s aides: “Hi guys – Jen just cleared. She made the highlighted change — just rephrased a line about NARA updates state is undertaking. Yes on your point re records – done below. And yes will let you know — should be in the new few minutes,” Hickey wrote, referencing Clinton’s Director of Communications Jennifer Palmieri.

State Department spokesman John Kirby declined to comment on the leaked emails on Wednesday, but said the effort to release accurate information to the media has “at times required communicating with her representatives to ensure accuracy.”

In another email thread, dated March 17, Clinton aides discussed how best to respond to questions sent over by New York Times reporter Mike Schmidt. “Jen when we talked over the weekend you noted that it was fairly irresponsible for them to cherry pick leaked emails and write it up as representative,” wrote campaign aide Nick Merrill, who also works in the Office of Strategic Communications at the State Department. He added that some of Schmidt’s questions were “a little ridiculous to say the least.”

The same email chain shows the initial defensive stance the Clinton team took. Aide Philippe Reines wrote: “There’s a lot to respond to here, but first and foremost the premise is wrong. There is nothing wrong with anyone having personal email addresses or her emailing someone’s private account or vice versa. Maybe she was wishing (longtime aide) Jake (Sullivan) a happy birthday. Or I was sending her a note about her mom. … We’re allowed to have personal lives.”

Palmieri, meanwhile, foreshadowing the pall this would cast over Clinton’s campaign for months to come, wrote: “Strikes me as a big problem that the NYT is having selected emails leaked to them and I think we should do a call to discuss the proper way to handle.”

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post New Leaked Emails Show Communication Between State Department and Clinton Aides appeared first on Law Street.

A federal judge has ordered the Republican National Committee to provide details on what kind of agreements it has with the Trump campaign for preventing voter fraud and maintaining “ballot security.” The RNC is bound by a decree from 1982 to not engage in voter fraud prevention activities without the consent of a federal court.

The judge also ordered the RNC to give an explanation of what Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway and Mike Pence were alluding to when they recently said that their campaign is collaborating “closely” with the RNC to make sure there is no voter fraud going on. The order comes after a lawsuit that the Democratic National Committee filed against the RNC last week, alleging that it is supporting the Trump campaign with ballot security measures that could be illegal.

Trump has been talking at great lengths about how widespread voter fraud is and claiming that the system is rigged. On his website he urges people who see anything “suspicious” going on at the polls to personally intervene or to sign up to become a volunteer “Trump Election Observer.” This is all to prevent Crooked Hillary from rigging the election, of course.

Of course there is large scale voter fraud happening on and before election day. Why do Republican leaders deny what is going on? So naive!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2016

At a rally in Cleveland, Trump claimed that there are 24 million registered voters that are “invalid or significantly inaccurate” and 1.8 million people registered to vote who are actually dead. But there is no evidence of any widespread voter fraud in America and Factcheck.org debunked Trump’s statements.

This makes it extra ironic that it was a Trump supporter who was arrested for attempting to vote twice in Iowa last week. Terri Lynn Rote, 55, said that she hadn’t planned on voting twice, it was just a spontaneous idea. “I don’t know what came over me,” she said to the Washington Post. She also told Iowa Public Radio that the polls are rigged, and she was afraid someone would change her Trump vote into a vote for Clinton.

Des Moines woman Terri Lynn Rote arrested for voting twice #voterfraud https://t.co/snE3mz9Tn6 pic.twitter.com/uCS09WQmOp

— Jeffrey Guterman (@JeffreyGuterman) October 28, 2016

The decree that blocks the RNC from engaging in any voter fraud prevention that is not approved by federal authorities came about after the RNC used armed guards at the polls in 1981 to intimidate minority voters. It is set to expire in December of next year, but if the DNC is correct in its suspicions, it could be extended. The RNC has until Wednesday at 5 PM to respond to the judge.

But individual presidential candidates are not bound by the decree, which means the Trump campaign is free to go ahead with whatever plans it has uphold “security” at the polls. And according to Slate, Republican officials all over the country are engaging in illegal measures to prevent Democrats from casting their votes. So why are the Republicans so sure that voter fraud exists? Maybe because in some cases they are the ones behind it.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Judge Orders the RNC to Explain What it Means by “Ballot Security” appeared first on Law Street.

Innocent Googlers just trying to figure out the definition of “pathological lying” were subjected to internet trolling on Monday, when users edited its Wikipedia page to include presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s picture.

Everyone Google the words – Pathological Lying – right now. This is what I got – no joke. pic.twitter.com/jX7m1krIE3

— Brett R. Smith (@BrettRSmith76) October 31, 2016

Typically when Google users put in their search query, the first result is often a brief section of the query’s corresponding Wikipedia page. Because of this feature, the first search result users saw alongside the Wikipedia page for “pathological lying” was Hillary Clinton’s photo.

The Wikipedia revision history for the “pathological lying” page shows the many different users who meddled with the article. The first of these changes occurred on October 28, by an anonymous user who “Added the only person who has a proven track record for being a Pathlogical [sic] liar. References can be easily looked up on wikileaks, most media sites, and thru [sic] congressional hearings.”

IP addresses are used to identify anonymous users who make changes or additions to Wikipedia posts. From a search on the internet, the aforementioned user’s IP address was located in Bedminster Township, New Jersey at the time of the search, only 10 minutes from the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster. Interesting.

On October 29, a different anonymous user added the photo of Clinton to the page. This IP address is located in Boise, Idaho, where Clinton is far behind Trump in multiple polls.

Users went back and forth reverting each other’s edits until October 31 when moderators locked the page until November 3, citing “persistent vandalism.”

As of November 1, moderators had locked the page until after the election, writing, “Changed protection level of Pathological lying: make protrection [sic] consistent with other articles being attacked, until after the election.”

In similar fashion, the first result when users search “45th U.S. president” is the Wikipedia page for “United States presidential election, 2016,” which briefly showed a picture of only Trump. Wikipedia moderators also chose to lock this page due to a wave of recent edits.

@triplejHack What in the Wide World of Sports is going on with Google!? pic.twitter.com/PJHC23CzDK

— Dilo on Fire (@FireDilo) October 31, 2016

Julia Bryant

Julia Bryant is an Editorial Senior Fellow at Law Street from Howard County, Maryland. She is a junior at the University of Maryland, College Park, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Economics. You can contact Julia at JBryant@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post A Rigged Election, A Rigged Search Engine, and Rigged Wikipedia appeared first on Law Street.

During a stop in Charlotte, North Carolina last week, presidential candidate Donald Trump laid out his plans to a predominantly white crowd, for what he is calling a “new deal for black America.”

His platform calls for better education, an increased police presence, proposed designation of “blighted communities” with a “disaster designation” to spark change and rebuild these communities with an emphasis on bringing back businesses.

Trump has said previously that black communities are at their worst in history, a comment that didn’t sit well with many people of color. At this rally he echoed those concerns, describing the cities as places where “you walk to the store to buy a loaf of bread, maybe with your child, and you get shot, your child gets shot,” but discussing it in a way that lumps all African Americans into one group.

He also prefaced his discussion on inner cities and African Americans by saying that “we’re going to work on our ghettos.”

Help me out there. Did Trump just say “we’re going to work on our ghettos” before mentioning inner cities, violence and African Americans? pic.twitter.com/v9KqZSLbh6

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) October 27, 2016

Some of his new proposals included tax holidays used to help cities, arguing for foreign companies to invest in these blighted communities, and bringing in direct funding to urban areas.

While discussing the need for more police patrolling the streets, Trump said that the problem is a lack of police for African American communities rather than too many police, connecting the former to a increase in murder rate in cities.

“Whether you vote for me or not, I will be your greatest champion,” Trump said. “We live in a very divided country, and I will be your greatest champion.”

Additionally, he blamed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton for starting a “war on police,” but did not discuss the other side, police brutality, an issue that carries importance for black voters.

After 70yrs of ignoring our struggle, Trump’s got a “new deal” for African Americans?
Hmm.Let’s examine some old deals he/GOP have shared pic.twitter.com/E2YYJ5rvkw

— T. Fisher King (@T_FisherKing) October 27, 2016

In a recent CNN/ORC poll, Trump has attracted just 20 percent of the nonwhite vote. According to Gallup, in the 2012 election, Barack Obama garnered 95 percent of the black vote.

Julia Bryant

Julia Bryant is an Editorial Senior Fellow at Law Street from Howard County, Maryland. She is a junior at the University of Maryland, College Park, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Economics. You can contact Julia at JBryant@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Trump Unveils “New Deal for Black America” appeared first on Law Street.

Actress Lena Dunham hit the mark with her 2016 Halloween Costume, seemingly inspired by quotes from Republican nominee Donald Trump. She dressed as a surprised cat with two plastic hands attached to her, portraying a “grabbed p***y.” She posted a picture on her Instagram on Monday evening. “Happy Halloween! With love from a Grabbed P—y,” she wrote.

@LenaDunham sassily takes aim at Donald Trump with her Halloween costume https://t.co/znoJ4dogVF pic.twitter.com/0oUufCP6lL

— Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) November 1, 2016

Dunham’s inspiration came from the audio recording that was leaked earlier in October when Trump was heard saying, “when you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the p—y. You can do anything,” to TV personality Billy Bush, who has since been sacked by NBC. And ironically the tape might have still been a secret if Bush himself hadn’t bragged about having had that conversation with Trump while in Rio covering the Olympics. Someone at NBC then thought it would be funny to dig up the old tape and release it, which Bush probably hadn’t counted on.

Dunham is a Clinton supporter and spoke out against Trump in People Magazine after the audiotape was released:

To hear someone in a position of power, in the race for the highest office in the land, to say something that is so distinctly violent, and so distinctly abusive — I think it creates a lot of fear and a lot of sort of pain in the public consciousness that we’re going to be dealing with for a long time.

Over the weekend and on Monday, she campaigned for Clinton in North Carolina and has been urging people on Twitter to go vote early.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Lena Dunham Took a Shot at Trump with Bold Halloween Costume appeared first on Law Street.

Right now we all hear a lot of “Hillary Clinton this,” “Donald Trump that.” Love or hate Donald and Hillary, the 2016 presidential election has dominated our newsfeeds and happy hour conversations. And don’t get me wrong–the presidential election is incredibly important. But many of the laws that affect us on a day-to-day basis are made at the state level, often by our state legislators, but also by us, the American people. States give voters the opportunity to weigh in on important questions, and in some cases directly impact our state’s laws through ballot measures. And there’s a bunch up for grabs this year that millennials should be paying attention to. Learn more about ballot measures, and Law Street’s picks for the top five types of ballot measures we should all be paying attention to below. 

What is a Ballot Measure?

Generally speaking, a ballot measure is a public vote on a proposed issue or question that voters get to weigh in on. Rules about ballot measures vary from state to state and there are a few different ways that ballot measures end up on the ballot. One type, a ballot initiative, requires signatures from citizens who want to see the question weighed by voters. Another option is legislative referral, in which the legislature puts up a law it’s considering to be voted on. In some states, this process is required to pass an amendment to the state constitution.

Why Should I Care About Ballot Measures?

They give you a chance to weigh in directly on issues. America’s government is, at its core, a representative democracy. We elect people to make decisions for us, and we have to accept that sometimes we don’t like those decisions. We, as millennials, routinely answer in polls that we don’t trust the government, the path our country is on, or our elected officials.

But ballot initiatives are different–they’re a real, legitimate way to vote on issues we care about. There’s not really political middlemen to deal with. They’re direct democracy. Regardless of how you feel about the politicians you’ll be asked to vote for in November, it’s important that you make your voice heard on these issues, many of which can and likely will affect millennials.

Gun Control

Image courtesy of Peretz Partensky; License: (CC BY-SA 2.0)

What States are Looking at Gun Control Measures?

California’s Proposition 63: Proposition 63, which is also called the “Safety for All Initiative,” would prohibit Californians from owning high-capacity magazines, make any gun theft a felony, and tighten a variety of loopholes regarding felons owning guns. The especially contentious part of the proposal, however, is that it would require a background check and a four-year permit to obtain ammunition. Here’s the full text.

Maine’s Question 3: Question 3 would require a background check when an individual who is not a licensed firearm dealer sells or transfers a gun to another individual. They would have to meet at a licensed firearm dealer in order to conduct the background check, although there are exceptions, such as for family members. Here’s the full text.

Nevada’s Question 1: Nevada will be asking voters to vote on whether firearm transfers have to go through licensed gun dealers, and therefore be required to have a background check. Like Maine, there would be some exceptions to these provisions, like temporary transfers or transfers to family members would not require a gun dealer. Here’s the full text.

Washington’s Initiative 1491: Formally named the “Individual Gun Access Prevention by Court Order” a “yes” vote on this initiative would allow the use of courts to issue “extreme risk protection orders,” that would prevent someone from having a firearm. This would be used for people who pose a serious threat to themselves or others. Here’s the full text.

Image copyright Law Street Media

Why should we be paying attention to gun control measures?

From Columbine, to Virginia Tech, to Sandy Hook, our lives have been marked by high profile gun violence. We learned what to do if there was an armed shooter in our schools–a drill that probably would have been unthinkable to our parents. We grew up watching violent movies and playing first person shooter video games–a phenomenon that had some worried about the relationship between young people and violence. And guns affect many of our daily lives too–54 percent of Americans killed by gun violence in 2010 were under the age of 30. But exactly how to deal with this violence hasn’t necessarily manifested itself in strong support for one side or the other: do we need more control or less?

Millennials remain split on gun control measures as a whole. A 2015 Gallup poll found that 50 percent of millennials support more gun control, which stands in contrast to 57 percent of the 30-49 age bracket. A 2015 Pew poll also saw millennials almost perfectly split on whether or not to ban assault weapons.

These measures give us the chance to weigh in more directly depending on how we feel about the prospect of more restrictions and the Second Amendment.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Election Day 2016: Top 5 Ballot Measures to Watch appeared first on Law Street.

Donald Trump’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Star has been repeatedly defaced since he announced his presidential bid, but early Wednesday morning, one vandal went beyond the spray-painted swastika and mini barbed-wire wall, opting for a pickax instead.

Donald Trump’s star in Hollywood vandalized. Witness says, white male w/ sledge hammer, destroyed star over Trump’s alleged abuse of women. pic.twitter.com/7agxzUrISi

— Leslie Lopez (@abc7leslielopez) October 26, 2016

A man dressed as a construction worker wielding a pickax and a sledgehammer was captured smashing the iconic plaque while onlookers watched and recorded the incident. Sparks flew as he repeatedly struck the star, fracturing the terrazzo and brass and removing both’s Trump’s name and the camera icon in the center of the star.

Watch the Full Video Below

The man in the construction getup identified himself as James Otis in an interview to Deadline Hollywood. Otis told the website he was trying to remove the star in order to auction it off then give the funds to women who have accused Trump of sexually assaulting them.

Trump has repeatedly dismissed accusations that he kissed and groped women without their permission. In the final presidential debate, he said, “Nobody has more respect for women than I do” and claimed “those stories have been largely debunked” (when in fact they haven’t). He later threatened to sue “all of these liars” after the election is over.

The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the incident and is asking the public to call (213)-972-2971 with any tips that may help identify the man.

The star will be replaced according to Hollywood Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Leron Gubler. Gubler lamented the vandalism in a statement saying:

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an institution celebrating the positive contributions of the inductees. When people are unhappy with one of our honorees, we would hope that they would project their anger in more positive ways than to vandalize a California state landmark. Our democracy is based on respect for the law. People can make a difference by voting and not destroying public property.

“The Apprentice” host received the star in 2007 with his wife Melania and sons Donald Jr. and Barron at his side for his contribution to television.

—

UPDATE: 

The man responsible for destroying Trump’s Hollywood star turned himself in to the Los Angeles police Thursday morning. As it turns out, James Otis is actually heir to the Otis Elevator Company fortune, and he’s “proud” of his act of civil disobedience.

According to NBC, Otis said he’s been arrested over two dozen times in the past for protesting various causes. Following his surrender, police arrested Otis on charges of felony vandalism.

“I admitted I’ve broken the law, I’ve vandalized, I’ve stolen, and now I’m going to go get my punishment,” Otis said. “And that’s something Mr. Trump has never done.”

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post UPDATE: Trump’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Destroyed by Man With Pickax appeared first on Law Street.

AT&T’s $85.4 billion deal to buy Time Warner turned media consolidation into a campaign issue for both Democrats and Republicans this past weekend. 

The biggest deal of the year–announced just over two weeks before the November 8 U.S. election–received backlash from critics who believe the combination of AT&T’s millions of wireless and pay-television subscribers with Time Warner’s stable of TV networks and programming would reduce competition and hurt consumers.

Any merger would have to be reviewed and approved by federal antitrust regulators. The announcement caused a stir in Washington and led the candidates to criticize the status quo on antitrust and regulatory enforcement.

Donald Trump’s campaign has remained vocal about its distaste for the media and proposed merger did not sit well with the billionaire mogul.

“As an example of the power structure I’m fighting, AT&T is buying Time Warner and thus CNN, a deal we will not approve in my administration because it’s too much concentration of power in the hands of too few,” Trump said during a speech on Saturday.

The Republican candidate has been vocal about the “disgusting and corrupt” media. The campaign’s economic advisor Peter Navarro criticized the new media oligopolies for unduly influencing America’s political process.

“AT&T, the original and abusive ‘Ma Bell’ telephone monopoly, is now trying to buy Time Warner and thus the wildly anti-Trump CNN. Donald Trump would never approve such a deal because it concentrates too much power in the hands of the too and powerful few,” Navarro said in a statement on Sunday.

Trump said that if he is elected, he would look at breaking up the 2011 merger of Comcast and NBCUniversal. The Obama administration approved the merger with some restrictions in 2011.

Trump said of Comcast-NBCUniversal, “We’ll look at breaking that deal up, and other deals like that. This should never, ever have been approved in the first place.”

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton hasn’t yet weighed in on the merger plan, but her running mate, Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he shared “concerns and questions” raised by fellow Senator Al Franken, a Democrat representing Minnesota. Franken, a member of the antitrust subcommittee, said in a statement that huge media mergers “can lead to higher costs, fewer choices, and even worse service for consumers.”

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders joined the political opposition and urged the Obama administration to kill the deal. He tweeted:

The administration should kill the Time Warner-AT&T merger. This deal would mean higher prices and fewer choices for the American people.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) October 23, 2016

Bryan White

Bryan is an editorial intern at Law Street Media from Stratford, NJ. He is a sophomore at American University, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. When he is not reading up on the news, you can find him curled up with an iced chai and a good book. Contact Bryan at BWhite@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The AT&T-Time Warner Deal Quickly Becomes a Campaign Issue appeared first on Law Street.

What do you get when you put cute animal videos next to hard political news? A nice way to take your mind off of the craziness of this election, that’s what!

The writers over at The Washington Post must be having a hard time coping with the stress of the election, and they seem to feel that most Americans are as well.

Because of the increasing anxiety leading up to November 8, WAPO has unveiled a series of videos intended to help people relax–a much needed distraction from fiery rhetoric and constant insults.

One of the videos features a koala bear getting its belly rubbed for around 45 seconds.

The videos are all titled “Election-free video: No Trump, no Clinton. Just [insert cute or amazing thing here],” and there are currently five of them on the Post’s video channel Relax 2016.

They begin each video with an aggressive flashing of election coverage clips all over the screen. Then the video suddenly cuts to all black, adding the text “And now, The Washington Post presents something else entirely.”

Are cute animals not really your thing? How about drone footage of Versailles?

WAPO said on October 19, “From now until Election Day, The Washington Post Video team will share daily politics-free videos to help you de-stress from the calamities of this election season.”

Their latest video features a polar bear playing in a kiddie pool filled with ice.

People on  social media seem to really be enjoying these posts as well.

@washingtonpost love your non election video of zen & a koala getting a belly rub. ❤ from your mates Down Under. https://t.co/UgtxNsX8c4

— Danielle Lonnon (@DameDivaDan) October 19, 2016

This is very important. https://t.co/xO56cgA297

— Eric Geller (@ericgeller) October 18, 2016

A reminder: The world is actually wonderful — Election-free video: Just a beautiful jellyfish. https://t.co/v9dkngj9R6

— Doubtful News (@DoubtfulNews) October 18, 2016

It is hard to speculate what other videos they plan to put out, but whatever they come up with will probably  be much better than listening to nonstop election coverage.

Julia Bryant

Julia Bryant is an Editorial Senior Fellow at Law Street from Howard County, Maryland. She is a junior at the University of Maryland, College Park, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Economics. You can contact Julia at JBryant@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Washington Post is Stressed Out by This Election appeared first on Law Street.

With just over two weeks until Americans vote for their next president, Donald Trump may have lost a key member of his campaign: National Political Director Jim Murphy said he will “take a step back from the campaign.” In a short statement to Politico, he attributed his decision to “personal reasons” while making clear that he has “not resigned.” Campaign aides said Murphy has been absent in recent days.

Internal clashes and international scandals have rocked Trump’s campaign since its inception. Murphy joined Trump’s campaign in June, succeeding Rick Wiley, who clashed with Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s first campaign manager, a position now held by Kellyanne Conway. Paul Manafort resigned as campaign chairman in August following intense pressure surrounding his lobbying work for the pro-Russian former president of Ukraine.

A career lobbyist, Murphy was a key waypoint between Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee. He also helped build field operations in battleground states, and oversaw the floor operations at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July. It’s quite late in the game for such a vital piece of a presidential campaign to “step back,” especially considering Trump’s recent self-inflicted wounds and falling poll numbers.

Murphy’s stint with the Trump campaign–which, if he is on hiatus, might still be ongoing–is not his first foray into politics. In 1988, he worked on Bob Dole’s unsuccessful White House bid. Murphy and Manafort worked together for Dole’s 1996 presidential campaign as well.

There are 18 days until Election Day, and Trump has seemingly lost his national political director. How this affects the logistics of his campaign’s final push is unclear at this point, but certainly worth keeping an eye on.

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Did Trump’s National Political Director, Jim Murphy, Just Quit? appeared first on Law Street.

A series of undercover videos released earlier this week, “Rigging the Election,” by veteran conservative activist and guerrilla journalist James O’Keefe, has nabbed two victims: Democratic operatives and activists Robert Creamer and Scott Foval. Both lost their jobs over the video sting, which appears to show them, especially Foval, toying with voter fraud schemes and detailing past attempts to stir violence at Donald Trump rallies.

Americans United for Change, a DNC-aligned non-profit, fired Foval on Monday. He was the organization’s national field director. On Tuesday, Creamer, whose wife is Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois) said he was “stepping back” from his position at Democracy Partners. Produced by O’Keefe’s outfit, Project Veritas Action, the undercover videos are the “culmination of a year-long […] investigation into the dark, backroom dealings of the Hillary Clinton campaign,” O’Keefe says in one of the videos.

Creamer and Foval were featured throughout the two 16-minute-long videos, covertly filmed by Project Veritas Action journalists. Posing as Democratic donors and registered voters, the journalists engaged in a number of conversations with the two operatives–at a Wisconsin bar, in a restaurant, and at their offices. 

There are moments in the first video where Foval directly addresses instigating violence at Trump rallies. “There’s a script of engagement,” he says. “Sometimes the crazies bite and sometimes the crazies don’t bite,” adding, “the key is initiating the conflict by having leading conversations with people who are naturally psychotic.” He is shown telling one Veritas journalist that he engages in a “kind of agitator training” with some protesters, and that “we’re starting anarchy here.”

Others parts of the videos are less directly incriminating of Foval and Creamer, and perhaps more the result of clever editing by O’Keefe to fit his narrative. In the first video, Zulema Rodriguez, an activist paid by the DNC, mentions being at the protest at a Trump rally in March at the University of Illinois-Chicago campus. A protest coordinator with the DNC, Aaron Black, explicitly credits his tactics and paid activists like Rodriguez for being the reason the rally was shut down. Journalists who attended the rally, however, painted a largely unanimous picture of the protests being led by UIC students, not paid activists.

In the second video–the bulk of which shows Foval and a Veritas journalist discussing a hypothetical voter fraud scheme in which voters registered in one state are bussed to another to vote–editing tricks seem to steer the message to fit O’Keefe’s agenda. After a few minutes-long conversation where Foval and the Veritas journalist discuss bussing voters between states, the tape skips to Foval saying, “so Bob Creamer comes up with a lot of these ideas.” But that statement appears to be shown out of context, and Foval and the Veritas journalist could have been discussing any number of unrelated ideas.

Democratic Partners, Creamer’s organization, issued a statement following the undercover videos: “Our firm has recently been the victim of a well-funded, systematic spy operation that is the modern day equivalent of the Watergate burglars,” the statement said. “The plot involved the use of trained operatives using false identifications, disguises, and elaborate false covers to infiltrate our firm and others, in order to steal campaign plans, and goad unsuspecting individuals into making careless statements on hidden cameras.”

Project Veritas Action, and its proprietor, O’Keefe, have produced a number of successful, if controversial, undercover videos over the years. In 2009, the liberal community activist organization ACORN closed down following a Veritas video that showed ACORN members advising on tax evasion strategies. Another video, in 2011, cost NPR senior vice president for fundraising Ron Schiller his job, after ripping the Tea Party as “racist, racist people.” However, some past videos have been criticized for being heavily edited.

It is worth noting that O’Keefe is an activist himself, and video editing techniques can be easily weaponized to fit one’s agenda. Without the full unedited version of the video, it is difficult to understand the context in which the comments were made. But the videos are worth a critical and careful viewing in their entirety.

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Undercover Videos Cause Two Democratic Operatives to Lose Their Jobs appeared first on Law Street.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange revealed in early October that he will publish a huge tranche of one million leaked documents before the U.S. presidential election–and over the last few weeks these revelations have caused a stir in American politics.

Julian Assange’s whistleblower platform WikiLeaks has published about 20,000 pages of emails illegally stolen from John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s campaign chair. Podesta, a longtime Clinton hand and Democratic party operative, was President Obama’s top political adviser before becoming chairman of Clinton’s presidential campaign in February 2015.

The hacked emails provide an unprecedented glimpse into the inner workings of the Clinton campaign and its allies.

The U.S. government has said there is mounting evidence to suggest that Russia was responsible for supplying WikiLeaks with the hacked emails.

Clinton condemned the email hack during the third and final presidential debate. Moderator Chris Wallace, of Fox News, pressed the Democratic nominee to clarify her opinion on “open borders.” While Clinton rejected that she ever supported “open borders,” Wallace pointed to a $25,000 speech to a Brazilian bank, recently exposed by WikiLeaks, in which Clinton said that her “dream is a hemispheric common market, and open trade and open borders.”

“You are very clearly quoting from WikiLeaks. What’s really important about WikiLeaks is that the Russians have engaged in espionage against Americans,” Clinton said. “They have given that information to WikiLeaks for the purpose of putting it on the internet.”

Clinton accused the highest levels of the Russian government and Putin himself for the cyberattacks on the U.S. The Democratic nominee called on Donald Trump to reject Russian espionage against Americans.

The Republican nominee criticized Clinton for pivoting the conversation about immigration to Putin. Trump offered his insights on the Russian leader, saying:

I don’t know Putin. He said nice things about me. If we got along well, that would be good. If Russian and the US get along well and went after ISIS that would be good.

When asked whether he condemned Russia’s alleged interference in the U.S. elections, he said: “Of course I condemn, be it Russia or anybody else.”

The emails have raised fears for both political parties. Florida Senator Marco Rubio warned GOP officials earlier this week to stay quiet about the hacks.

“As our intelligence agencies have said, these leaks are an effort by a foreign government to interfere with our electoral process, and I will not indulge it,” Rubio said. “Further, I want to warn my fellow Republicans who may want to capitalize politically on these leaks: Today it is the Democrats. Tomorrow it could be us.”

The 2016 presidential election continues to remain an unpredictable cycle marked by the leaks of emails, voice recordings, tax returns and classified information.

Bryan White

Bryan is an editorial intern at Law Street Media from Stratford, NJ. He is a sophomore at American University, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. When he is not reading up on the news, you can find him curled up with an iced chai and a good book. Contact Bryan at BWhite@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Political Fears Surrounding WikiLeaks: What You Should Know appeared first on Law Street.

Good news, everyone! We don’t have to worry about Trump contesting the election and claiming it was rigged…if he wins. Here’s a video:

JUST IN: Trump: “I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election… if I win” https://t.co/4z453rVzqK

— CNN (@CNN) October 20, 2016

This speech from Trump was a follow up to last night’s debate, when Trump was asked if he would respect the outcome of the election. He said: “I will tell you at the time,” and “I’ll keep you in suspense, OK?” Trump has been claiming the election is rigged for a while now (check out fellow Law Street Alec Siegel’s article on the distrust Trump has been sowing among the electorate for more on that.) But this ambiguity about whether or not he’ll accept the election results if he loses seems to go a step further.

There’s more to this than just a narcissistic celebrity who, by almost every definition, is a sore loser. Refusing to accept the democratic outcome of an election is deeply problematic–and can undermine our political system. That’s not to say that when there is corruption or election fraud we shouldn’t be vigilant, but rather to say that when we know that there’s not voter fraud, it’s irresponsible to keep encouraging the narrative that there is. Shaun Bowler, who teaches political science at the University of California Riverside wrote for Vox:

Donald Trump is a candidate who seems to want to claim that, whenever he loses, it is not because more people voted against him than for him, but because the election is rigged. From this assumption arises his frequent call for ‘poll watchers’ with no legal authority and questionable roles. (Will they intimidate voters? Will they interfere with the process?) The longer-term consequence will be the same as in Mexico, Ukraine and elsewhere: They will undermine voter support for the system. The difference is that in the US, the claims have very little basis in actual levels of election fraud.

Donald Trump, by constantly positing that this is a rigged election, and saying he’s not sure that he’ll accept the outcome of the vote, is encouraging even more mistrust in our democracy than there already is. In fact, Trump’s claims are so outrageous that a lot of Republicans are speaking out against them. Both Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) and Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pennsylvania) refuted the idea that the election is rigged last night, as did Senator Lindsey Graham:

My thoughts on a ‘rigged’ presidential election. pic.twitter.com/075n83NXMH

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 20, 2016

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley had perhaps the strongest condemnation of Trump’s “rigged” comments, saying:

This election is not rigged, and it’s irresponsible to say that it is. Faith in the democratic process is one of America’s greatest strengths, and it’s more important than the outcome of any election.

Clinton’s chances to win on November 8 are looking even more promising, given recent polling results. Whether Trump will accept that reality remains to be seen.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Don’t Worry, Trump Will Accept the Outcome of the Election…If He Wins appeared first on Law Street.

The third and final debate in Las Vegas, Nevada began with a notably different tone compared to previous debates. Chris Wallace, the moderator, guided the candidates through the predetermined categories to address a few of the substantive issues that have gotten little attention throughout much of the election season. But the formality that we saw in the beginning quickly subsided as the questions turned to the legitimacy of the elections and the candidates’ past records.

Here’s a quick rundown of the highlights:

The Show Started Before the Candidates Took the Stage

The circus surrounding the debate got started well before 9 PM on Wednesday when news about debate guests started circulating. Trump’s guests included Malik Obama, President Obama’s half-brother and a Trump supporter, as well as Patricia Smith, the mother of Sean Smith, who was killed in the 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya. In light of Trump’s similar efforts to shake up the second debate, the Clinton campaign moved to make sure guests and families did not cross paths when entering the stage, which was approved by the debate commission.

But while talk of guests took up much of the attention going into Wednesday’s event, they appeared to have little effect on what happened on stage. While most expected Smith’s attendance to force the issue on Clinton’s response to the Benghazi attack, the topic hardly came up.

Trump Doesn’t Commit to Respecting the Election Outcome

When asked about his recent rhetoric and unsubstantiated claims that the election is “rigged,” Trump continued criticism of incomplete voter registration data, going so far as to indicate that the election may be mishandled. But when Chris Wallace followed up and asked if he would accept the outcome of the election, Trump refused to say yes, responding with “I will look at it at the time.” He later added, “I will keep you in suspense.”

This is a significant reversal from his response to the same question at the first debate and was probably the most striking moment at the entire debate. His response was also striking in light of his statements at the second debate, when he promised to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Clinton and indicated that she belonged in prison. Both of these comments amount to a significant departure from established democratic norms to promote the peaceful transition of power and the nonpartisan rule of law.

Rukmini Callimachi, a New York Times foreign correspondent, has heard that notion before:

8. Trump refuses to say he’ll accept results of election. “I’ll tell you at the time.” (I heard that a lot covering African elections)

— Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) October 20, 2016

Striking Disagreement on the Economy

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are running on vastly different economic platforms and some of those differences made their way to the forefront in Wednesday’s debate. Trump’s plan to cut taxes, particularly for the highest earning Americans, stood in striking contrast to Clinton’s plan, which would modestly raise taxes for those at the very top. Clinton highlighted her plan to use those new revenues to invest in infrastructure and working families while Trump claimed that his massive tax cuts would unleash unprecedented economic growth. He later dodged questions on his plan’s consequences for the deficit and the national debt, claiming that they wouldn’t matter with all the new jobs he plans to create.

Still No Questions on Climate Change

For the final point here, I’ll highlight something that was missing from tonight’s debate, as well as the two that preceded it. Climate change is an issue that the Democratic Party and nearly all governing parties throughout the rest of the world have agreed is one of the most significant problems facing the world. But in an election to determine the next president of the United States, and arguably one of the most influential people in global climate policy in the next decade, barely any time was devoted to discussing it. President Obama has said of climate change, “No challenge poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change,” but if you are a voter worrying about how the candidates plan to address it, you were left waiting.

Kevin Rizzo

Kevin Rizzo is the Crime in America Editor at Law Street Media. An Ohio Native, the George Washington University graduate is a founding member of the company. Contact Kevin at krizzo@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post 4 Highlights from the Third Presidential Debate appeared first on Law Street.

With only 19 days until election day, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton will take the stage Wednesday night for the third and final presidential debate.

Here’s some quick background on the format and timing:

The third and final debate will be hosted by the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and will be moderated by Chris Wallace of the Fox News Network. The format will largely resemble the first debate as the two candidates will be seated at a table and will respond to questions from the moderator. Wallace announced the seven categories that his questions will focus on last week, namely: debt and entitlements, immigration, the economy,  the Supreme Court, foreign hot spots, and fitness to be president. The debate starts at 9 PM and will go to 10:30 PM without commercial breaks. You can watch it on the major networks and broadcast channels and it will be streamed online by major news organizations on Youtube and Twitter.

The primary question going into the debate is whether there is anything Donald Trump can do to make up his particularly large polling deficit with Clinton. With that in mind, here is a rundown of the major unanswered questions and continuing challenges to keep an eye out for at the debate.

Trump’s Response to Sexual Assault Allegations

Donald Trump’s treatment of women has been widely discussed throughout the entire campaign, going all the way back to Megyn Kelly’s questioning at the first Republican debate last year. But between the recently uncovered “Access Hollywood” tape and Anderson Cooper’s tough questioning at the second debate, the issue is back in the forefront. When Cooper pressed Trump on the issue–noting that what Trump talked about was sexual assault–he asked whether he had actually done what he said in the video. Trump denied it, saying it was just “locker room talk,” but shortly afterward many woman came forward claiming that Trump had in fact sexually harassed and assaulted them.

With the exception of flatly calling each accusation false when asked for comment, Trump has not yet had to face many questions about the recent allegations. It seems likely that either Chris Wallace or Clinton will bring this up at the debate. It remains unclear exactly how Trump will respond to the issue but it’s certainly something to look out for. Will he continue to deny everything? Will he make any effort to apologize? Or will he continue to try and turn the conversation to Bill Clinton?

Wikileaks

While many of the recent scandals have focused on Trump, the Clinton campaign has had to address questions surrounding Campaign Chairman Jonn Podesta’s leaked emails, which are being released in batches by Wikileaks. While most of the emails provide a window into the inner workings of the campaign and are more embarrassing than anything else, some do point to potential issues. Notably, a batch of emails illustrates a potential ethics issue surrounding donations to the Clinton Foundation during Hillary Clinton’s tenure as Secretary of State. As Reuters notes, a $1 million donation pledge from Qatar may have breached Clinton’s ethics agreement at the State Department. Look to see if Clinton tries to address the controversy or if she simply refuses to discuss the hacked information.

In addition to the information found in the emails, it’s important to acknowledge their source. Many security officials believe that the Russian government supplied the hacked emails to Wikileaks. If the recent leaks do come up at tonight’s debate–and it’s pretty likely that they are at least mentioned by Donald Trump–look for how both candidates respond to the prospect of foreign interference in U.S. elections.

What About Policy?

With so much else going on in recent weeks, there’s been a notable lack of discussion of some major policy issues on the campaign trail. Health care got a brief time in the spotlight at the last debate, but despite the quick discussion, there are many unanswered questions. Clinton provided a full-throated defense of Obamacare and laid out a rough plan to help fix some of its core issues, but she has said little about how she would accomplish that if Republicans continue to hold control of all or part of Congress. For his part, Trump offered some sort of discussion about wanting to “break out the lines and allow the competition to come,” but what exactly that means as well as his larger plan to address Americans’ health care concerns remains extremely murky.

We also haven’t heard the candidates talk about crucial issues like climate change, a long-term plan for the ongoing civil war and humanitarian crisis in Syria, and declining productivity growth and dynamism in the U.S. economy. It’s also important to look out for each candidates’ plan to fill the vacant Supreme Court and the possibility that more seats will open during the next president’s term. More broadly, look out for any indication of how the candidates plan to work with Congress to accomplish their goals in the ongoing period of polarization and gridlock.

For some more unanswered questions, check out this list from the New York Times.

 Can Trump Win Over New Voters?

Donald Trump is currently–and pretty much has been since the end of the primary campaign–lagging behind Clinton in the polls. According to most polling averages, Trump has never really had a lead in the general election, with the possible exception of the brief period between the Republican and Democratic conventions. Put simply, Trump doesn’t just need to make sure his core base of support turns out on election day, he needs to court new voters as well. Meanwhile, Clinton has managed to consolidate the support of many undecided voters, though a relatively large number of voters still haven’t made up their minds or plan to vote for third parties.

Recently, Trump has shown almost no interest in expanding beyond his core base of support. He has doubled down on baseless claims that the election is being rigged against him and has said that if he were to become president he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate his opponent, an unprecedented breach of the nonpartisan rule of law. While such arguments may play well to Trump’s base–who have very negative views of Clinton–it will likely do little to win over undecided voters.

Kevin Rizzo

Kevin Rizzo is the Crime in America Editor at Law Street Media. An Ohio Native, the George Washington University graduate is a founding member of the company. Contact Kevin at krizzo@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post What to Look Out for at the Final Presidential Debate appeared first on Law Street.

Adults still have 20 days to decide who to vote for in the 2016 presidential election, but kids, as it turns out, have already cast their ballots. As part of Scholastic’s mock presidential election, students selected Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton to be our next president in a landslide decision.

153,000 students across the country voted for the next president. Here are the results! –> https://t.co/ZCw53pqky3 #ScholasticVote pic.twitter.com/PNsPapNo6f

— Scholastic (@Scholastic) October 18, 2016

Clinton won with 52 percent of the students’ votes, while her main opponent Republican Donald Trump received 35 percent. The remaining 13 percent belonged to dozens of write-in candidates, with Libertarian Gary Johnson coming in third. Losing the primaries didn’t keep Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders from coming in  at a close fourth, followed by Green Party candidate Jill Stein in fifth.

According to Scholastic, “Mom,” Kanye West, Harambe the gorilla, Spider-Man, and “bacon” also received votes.

This year about 153,000 students nationwide, from kindergarten through grade 12, voted in the mock election online or by mail-in paper ballot.

If the past is any indicator, then we should take note of their choice. Since 1940, Scholastic’s results have accurately predicted the outcome of every presidential race except for two–including all 13 contests since 1964. In 1948, students selected Thomas E. Dewey over President Harry S. Truman. And in 1960, students incorrectly backed Richard M. Nixon over John F. Kennedy.

Clinton is currently leading national polls with 49.7 percent of the votes. She needs just 270 electoral votes to win., and as of today FiveThirtyEight put her at 344.

But I guess we’ll have to wait and see what the adults decide on November 8.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post If Kids Could Vote, They Would Elect Hillary Clinton appeared first on Law Street.

The presidential election will be rigged, Donald Trump has warned his supporters. He has suggested they man polling sites to screen for any fraud. It’s a charge Trump has been hurling for months, one that he is doubling down on, as election day nears and his poll numbers remain behind Hillary Clinton’s. On the Sunday talk shows, and in interviews with media outlets, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have countered Trump’s “rigged” rhetoric and sought to underscore the importance of trusting America’s democratic promise.

Trump’s latest missive came via Twitter on Sunday:

The election is absolutely being rigged by the dishonest and distorted media pushing Crooked Hillary – but also at many polling places – SAD

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 16, 2016

Representatives of both parties–including a number of Republican secretaries of state–have renounced Trump’s skepticism. “It is so irresponsible because what he’s doing really goes to the heart of our democracy,” Trey Grayson, a Republican and former secretary of state of Kentucky told The New York Times. “What is great about America is that we change our leaders at the ballot box, not by bullets.”

According to an Associated Press poll conducted earlier this month, some Trump supporters, and registered Republicans in general, are also wary of voter fraud. The survey found that of the Republicans who were polled, 49 percent believe there is a “great deal of fraud” in U.S. elections, while only 11 percent said there is “hardly any fraud.” Those percentages are considerably lower among Democrats: 22 percent think there is a a “great deal of fraud” in U.S. elections, and 36 percent said there is “hardly any fraud.”

Given that Republicans, according to the figures in the AP poll, seem to have less confidence in the coming election, Trump preemptively calling the presidential election “one big fix” and “one big, ugly lie,” could underscore that distrust. Trump’s running mate, Governor Mike Pence (R-IN), sent an assuring message on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, where he said he and Trump “will absolutely accept the result of the election.” Though he also called the election “rigged.”

Of course there is large scale voter fraud happening on and before election day. Why do Republican leaders deny what is going on? So naive!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2016

So is there any truth to Trump’s voter fraud claims? Recent studies have shown no evidence to support widespread voter fraud, or even any amount of voter fraud that could sway an election any one way. One study examined 2,068 alleged-cases of voter fraud between 2000 and 2012, and found that only 10 of those were voter impersonation cases. Another analysis, conducted by a professor at Loyola Law School in 2014, found only 31 cases of voter impersonation in over one billion ballots cast in all elections (general, primary, special, and municipal) from 2000 to 2014.

Paul Ryan, who has ceased campaigning with Trump and has all but officially withdrawn his endorsement, is also at odds with his party’s torchbearer on this issue. A statement through his spokeswoman said: “Our democracy relies on confidence in election results, and the speaker is fully confident the states will carry out this election with integrity.”

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Lawmakers Seek to Restore Voter Confidence after Trump Tweets about “Rigged” Election appeared first on Law Street.

Donald isn’t the only Trump these days pressing the press for an apology. His wife, the usually silent Melania Trump, is also demanding a retraction and apology from People Magazine after one of its writers alleged the presidential nominee sexually assaulted her.

In an extremely personal first-hand account published Wednesday, People writer Natasha Stoynoff revealed that in 2005–the same year Trump bragged to Billy Bush on an “Access Hollywood” bus that being a celebrity allowed him to grab women “by the p***y”–Donald pushed her up against a wall and forced his tongue down her throat.

Stoynoff, who had covered Donald Trump for years for the magazine, claims that at the time of the assault she had been been interviewing Donald and a “then-very-pregnant” Melania at their home in Mar-o-Largo for a profile on the couple’s first wedding anniversary. After the assault, she says she immediately took herself off the beat, but bumped into Melania later that winter.

“That winter, I actually bumped into Melania on Fifth Avenue, in front of Trump Tower as she walked into the building, carrying baby Barron,” Stoynoff wrote. “’Natasha, why don’t we see you anymore?’ [Melania] asked, giving me a hug. I was quiet and smiled, telling her I’d missed her, and I squeezed little Barron’s foot. I couldn’t discern what she knew. Did she really not guess why I hadn’t been around?”

Apparently that’s not how Melania remembers it.

At 7:15 PM on Thursday, Melania tweeted a copy of a letter addressed by her lawyer, Charles Harder, to Stoynoff and People editorial director Jess Cagle. Harder, who represented Hulk Hogan in his sex tape lawsuit against Gawker, wrote that Stoynoff’s story was “false and completely fictionalized,” before singling out a relatively minor anecdote from the story that his client would like retracted.

! @people #NatashaStoynoff pic.twitter.com/zXNm6boveP

— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) October 13, 2016

The letter reads:

The true facts are these: Mrs. Trump did not encounter Ms. Stoynoff on the street, nor have any conversation with her. The two are not friends and were never friends or even friendly. At the time in question, Mrs. Trump would not even have recognized Ms. Stoynoff if they had encountered one another on the street.

The letter demands that People “immediately and permanently” remove the anecdote about Melania and Barron from the article and print a prominent retraction and apology. Harden writes that failure to do this in 24 hours will “require Mrs. Trump to consider her legal options.”

While Melania never admits that her husband assaulted Stoynoff in the letter, she doesn’t deny it either. It’s unclear what Melania hopes to accomplish by arguing that she wasn’t friends with the woman who is claiming her husband “stuck his tongue” down her throat while she was changing in another room. Instead of helping her husband’s hemorrhaging campaign, she may have just twisted the knife further.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Melania Trump Demands Retraction From People, Threatens to Sue appeared first on Law Street.

In an article published Wednesday by The New York Times, two women describe how Donald Trump sexually harassed them: one said Trump groped her 36 years ago when she sat next to him on an airplane. The other said he forcibly kissed her on the lips in 2005, when she was a secretary for one of his real estate firms in Manhattan. At a rally in West Palm Beach, Florida on Thursday, Trump, calling the women “horrible, horrible liars,” dismissed the charges as “all fabricated” and “pure fiction.” He claimed they were whipped up by the media and Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent.

“These vicious claims about me, of inappropriate conduct with women, are totally and absolutely false. And the Clintons know it,” Trump said at the rally.

A spate of sexual assault accusations involving the Republican presidential hopeful have surfaced in the days following a leaked tape in which Trump, in 2005, brags about forcing himself on women because he’s a “star.” Aside from the two women who shared their stories with the Times, Natasha Stoynoff, a writer with PEOPLE Magazine, recounted an incident from 2005 in which Trump assaulted her at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

“We walked into that room alone,” Stoynoff wrote, referencing a “tremendous” room Trump showed her while giving her a tour of his mansion. “Trump shut the door behind us. I turned around, and within seconds he was pushing me against the wall and forcing his tongue down my throat.”

Trump vociferously denied all of these reports on Thursday in front of a boisterous crowd, saying:

And so now we address the slander and libels that was just last night thrown at me by the Clinton machine and the New York Times and other media outlets, as part of a concerted, coordinated and vicious attack. It’s not coincidence that these attacks come at the exact same moment, and all together at the same time as WikiLeaks releases documents exposing the massive international corruption of the Clinton machine, including 2,000 more e-mails just this morning.

Trump’s attorneys, meanwhile, threatened the Times, saying it would be sued for libel unless they took the article down. Times’ Vice President and Assistant General Counsel David McCraw responded in a letter:

“Nothing in our article has had the slightest effect on the reputation that Mr. Trump, through his own words and actions, has already created for himself,” he wrote, adding: “If Mr. Trump disagrees, if he believes that American citizens had no right to hear what these women had to say and that the law of this country forces us and those who would dare to criticize him to stand silent or be punished, we welcome the opportunity to have a court set him straight.”

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Trump Dismisses Sexual Assault Stories as “Fabricated” and “Pure Fiction” appeared first on Law Street.

First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama took to the podium Thursday afternoon to deliver a powerful speech condemning Donald Trump’s “sexually predatory behavior,” admitting that she can’t believe “a candidate for president of the United States has bragged about sexually assaulting women.”

During the speech, which took place at a Hillary Clinton campaign rally in New Hampshire, Obama referenced Trump’s salacious “Access Hollywood” audio recording, calling the Republican nominee’s comments “shocking,” “demeaning,” and lacking “basic standards of human decency.”

Obama, who at times looked emotional, admitted that she couldn’t stop thinking about the tape that has “shaken her to her core.”

FLOTUS said:

This wasn’t just locker room banter. This was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behavior. And actually bragging about kissing and groping women using language so obscene that many of us worried about our children hearing it when we turned on the TV. And to make matters worse it now seems very clear that this isn’t an isolated incident. It’s one of countless examples of how he has treated women his whole life.

Obama later rejected Trump’s excuse for his language saying, “to dismiss this as everyday locker room talk is an insult to decent men everywhere.”

Clinton applauded Obama’s comments on Twitter writing, “FLOTUS, I’m in awe. Thanks for putting into words what’s in so many of our hearts.”

.@FLOTUS, I’m in awe. Thanks for putting into words what’s in so many of our hearts. -H

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 13, 2016

Michelle Obama’s speech will definitely be remembered as one of the most powerful this election cycle. Trump’s campaign continues to implode following numerous sexual assault allegations and inappropriate comments toward women, proving voters may have finally had enough when it comes to his scandals.

Watch Part of Michelle Obama’s Speech Below

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Michelle Obama Condemns Trump’s “Predatory Behavior” in NH Speech appeared first on Law Street.

Donald Trump’s campaign announced its decision to pull its field operation out of Virginia to focus on battlegrounds critical to his chances in November.

The news, which broke from Trump’s New York headquarters Wednesday night, came as a surprise to Republican Party members in the state. Two staffers directly involved in the GOP’s efforts in Virginia confirmed the decision to NBC News.

Clinton currently leads Trump by 7.5 points, according to a RealClearPolitics average of state polls. The move effectively concedes the state, and its 13 electoral votes, to Clinton and her Vice-Presidential candidate, former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine.

Earlier in the week, Trump fired his Virginia state co-chairman, Corey Stewart, after Stewart participated in a protest in front of the Republican National Committee headquarters. The former state director still supports the campaign that fired him.

Stewart, a Prince William County Commissioner, posted a plea on his Facebook urging the campaign to not pull out of Virginia. Stewart wrote:

Thousands of dedicated volunteers have spent millions of hours knocking on doors, making phone calls and raising money for Mr. Trump over the past 15 months. Virginia is winnable. An aggressive ad campaign–in combination with the efforts of these volunteers–will produce results. Pulling out now would be a betrayal to these volunteers.

Over the past decade, Virginia has become increasingly favorable terrain for Democrats. President Barack Obama won the state twice after decades of Republican dominance–by six points in 2008 and four points in 2012.

“The move to pull out of Virginia shows Trump is ‘running essentially a four state campaign,’ with the focus now shifting to battlegrounds critical to his chances in November: Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio,” NBC reported after receiving a tip from a source with knowledge of the decision.

Trump has 25 days left in the election cycle to turn battleground states in his favor. The Republican nominee is currently falling behind Clinton in national polls.

Bryan White

Bryan is an editorial intern at Law Street Media from Stratford, NJ. He is a sophomore at American University, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. When he is not reading up on the news, you can find him curled up with an iced chai and a good book. Contact Bryan at BWhite@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Trump’s Campaign Pulls Out of Virginia appeared first on Law Street.

After the first presidential debate broke records as the most watched debate in U.S. history, expectations for Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump’s second showdown at Washington University in St. Louis were high. Here are five of the most buzzworthy moments from the second presidential debate:

 You Know They Had to Talk About The Tape

Going into the second debate, we knew Trump was going to be confronted with questions about the 2005  recording where he was heard speaking vulgarly about women with then “Access Hollywood” host Billy Bush. CNN’s Anderson Cooper wasted no time bringing it up saying, “You’ve bragged that you sexually assaulted women,”  before asking the Republican nominee to explain his actions. Trump responded by saying repeatedly that it was just ” locker room talk” and deflected the conversation to ISIS, Clinton’s emails, and Bill’s past discretions.

Clinton responded by saying that the video and Trump’s attacks against the Khan family, a Hispanic federal judge, President Obama, and a reporter with a physical disability definitively show that he’s not fit to be president. “He owes the president an apology. He owes our country an apology.”

That video represents exactly who Donald Trump is.

-Hillary Clinton.#debate

— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) October 10, 2016

More Sniffling

Like the first debate, viewers continued to be distracted by Trump’s constant sniffling. While the source of his nasal woes is still unclear, people couldn’t help but speculate about the cause.

#Debate: @realDonaldTrump seems a lot more calm, although his sniffling hasn’t gone away.

— Melissa Mecija (@10NewsMecija) October 10, 2016

Is Trump going to blame the sniffling on his mic again? #debate

— Anthony De Rosa (@Anthony) October 10, 2016

symptoms of cocaine abuse

1. dry mouth
2. sniffling
3. rambling incoherently #debate

— Hutch Harris (@thethermals) October 10, 2016

Trump Threatens to Put Clinton in Jail

When addressing Clinton, Trump said that if he wins, “I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation,” in response to her private email server use while serving as Secretary of State. Clinton responded by saying viewers should fact check his falsehoods, and that it’s a good thing Trump isn’t in charge of our nation’s laws. “Because you’d be in jail,” shot back Trump, followed by cheers from the audience.

Excuse me, Moderators

It’s not unusual to see presidential candidates interrupt the moderator to get their points across, but this time it was excessive. Trump accused the moderators of teaming up against him and favoriting Clinton.  “It’s one-on-three,” muttered Trump. In fact, ABC’s Martha Raddatz had just asked Clinton about her emails. “We brought up the emails,” Cooper responded.

The Candidates Had to Say Something Nice About Each Other!

After attacking each other’s policies, personal lives, and scandals for an hour and a half, the candidates were asked to close out the debate by naming one positive thing they respect about one another.

Clinton went first, saying that she admires Trump’s children. Trump closed out the debate saying, “She doesn’t quit, she doesn’t give up. I respect that. I tell it like it is. She is a fighter.”

Aww maybe there is hope that they can one day be friends. Or not.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post 5 Buzzworthy Moments From the 2nd Presidential Debate appeared first on Law Street.

On Friday, in an interview with the Associated Press, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations told of an episode that could prove to further the theory that Donald Trump has some sort of ties to the Kremlin. Vitaly Churkin, the ambassador, said that he lodged an aggressive complaint to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on September 13 about negative comments made by the U.N. human rights commissioner in April. Essentially, a top Russian diplomat went to bat for Trump.

During a speech in Cleveland in April, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights decried the “bigotry” of Trump, and the dangerous road his positions might pave: “Less than 150 miles away from where I speak, a front-running candidate to be president of this country declared, just a few months ago, his enthusiastic support for torture,” Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, the high commissioner, said, referencing Trump’s pro-waterboarding remarks in Ohio in November 2015.

Churkin told the AP that Zeid’s criticisms of several European politicians–particularly far-right ones who are stoking anti-immigrant fears–as well as Trump, were out of bounds. “Prince Zeid is overstepping his limits from time to time and we’re unhappy about it,” Churkin said. “He should stick to his file, which is important enough.”

Russia formally rebuking negative comments made about a U.S. politician is unusual enough, but given the fact that Moscow seems to have a stake in Trump defeating Hillary Clinton in November, Churkin’s actions are especially interesting.

Clinton’s senior policy adviser Jake Sullivan weighed in on the Kremlin’s latest favor for Trump: “This is not only strange – it’s scary,” he said. “A major party candidate for the presidency of the United States is being protected by the Kremlin. Wow.”

Trump’s relationship with Moscow has been questioned since he started praising Russian President Vladimir Putin. He suggested Russia hack whatever they could of Clinton’s deleted emails she sent from a private server while she was secretary of state. And he has also questioned NATO, a key check on the Kremlin’s power in Europe, hinting that the bloc could see less U.S. involvement if he were president.

While Russia steadfastly denies playing favorites in the election, it is hard to imagine a top Russian diplomat would defend any criticism of Clinton.

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Did Russia Criticize the U.N. for Condemning Donald Trump? appeared first on Law Street.

Even if Donald Trump is not successful in November, his legacy of questionable rhetoric will live on in the lives of young American children.

Educators around the country have been sharing their experiences with students participating in a wide range of discriminatory actions, even students as young as third graders. These actions range anywhere from students telling others that they will be deported to quoting Trump’s infamous “Build the wall!” phrase to predominantly Hispanic groups of kids.

The Southern Poverty Law Center came out with a comprehensive report in April detailing what it calls the “Trump Effect.”

The report found:

It’s producing an alarming level of fear and anxiety among children of color and inflaming racial and ethnic tensions in the classroom. Many students worry about being deported

Other students have been emboldened by the divisive, often juvenile rhetoric in the campaign. Teachers have noted an increase in bullying, harassment and intimidation of students whose races, religions or nationalities have been the verbal targets of candidates on the campaign trail.

In a statement, the National Education Association said, “Since Trump entered the race for president last year, educators have witnessed a steady increase in bullying and harassing behavior that mirrors his words and actions on the campaign trail.”

In Fairfax County, Virginia, a mom took to Facebook to talk about her third grade child’s experience at school.

Evelyn Momplaisir wrote on Facebook:

I just got a call from my son’s teacher giving me a heads up that two of his classmates decided to point out the ‘immigrants’ in the class who would be sent ‘home’ when Trump becomes president. They singled him out and were pointing and laughing at him as one who would have to leave because of the color of his skin. In 3rd grade . . . in Fairfax County . . . in 2016!

Her claim was confirmed by Fairfax County school officials, according to the Washington Post, and they are working to address the situation.

In Indiana, students from predominantly white Andrean High School shouted “Build the wall!” at students from heavily Hispanic Bishop Noll Institute during a basketball game. Students from Andrean HS also waved a picture of Trump.

This newfound freedom to express pent up bigotry has been shown by adults at Trump rallies screaming at peaceful protesters and minorities. It is also shown by Trump himself, who can often be heard shouting “Get ’em out!” or singling out minorities in the audience at his events. And now it is bleeding into schools. The SPLC identified many cases of hateful speech directed at students, like a teacher’s report of a fifth-grader saying “that he was supporting Donald Trump because he was going to kill all of the Muslims if he became president!” Additionally, a Latino kindergarten student reportedly asked his teacher if the wall has been built yet because his classmates have told him that he will be deported and trapped behind it.

These instances have prompted the NEA to launch an ad campaign against Trump, particularly focusing on his role in the discrimination and bullying of students in schools around the country.

While kids may not be watching all of the debates, or even closely following the campaigns, this has shown that Trump’s rhetoric is having an impact on the way America’s kids treat one another.

Julia Bryant

Julia Bryant is an Editorial Senior Fellow at Law Street from Howard County, Maryland. She is a junior at the University of Maryland, College Park, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Economics. You can contact Julia at JBryant@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The “Trump Effect” is Impacting Kids appeared first on Law Street.

Never has the United States seen a powerhouse debate quite like…Senator Tim Kaine and Mike Pence–two people that most of the United States don’t really care about.

But that’s kind of the point–a big part of tonight’s debate was trying to get to know the two VP candidates, who have thus far been overshadowed by their significantly more famous ticket-mates. So here were the five most defining moments of tonight’s debate:

No One Played Nice…From the First Question

From almost the first moment of the debate, Kaine and Pence went after each other. The two started squabbling early, beginning with disagreements over Hillary Clinton’s record, and the way that her campaign has been run. Pence said: “Well, let me say first and foremost that, Senator, you and Hillary Clinton would know a lot about an insult-driven campaign. It really is remarkable.”

Just a few minutes later, Kaine went hard against Trump over the tax return issue, pointing out that by not paying his federal taxes, he’s not supporting the military. Pence tried to brush it off, but Kaine got some punches in too.

Put simply: these two VP candidates brought the fire, and we finally started to see a hint of their unique personalities.

Pence Put his Foot in his Mouth on Racism and Implicit Bias

Pence tried to give a compassionate answer about police shootings in the United States, and claimed that implicit bias isn’t really something we should be caring about. He said:

Donald Trump and I both believe that there’s been far too much of this talk of institutional bias or racism in law enforcement.

For a lot of people, that kind of broad-brushed, and frankly pretty inaccurate, claim sat very poorly with a lot of people:

KAINE: there’s bias in the system

PENCE: what about when black cops shoot black people

this isn’t even a joke this just happened

— tc (@chillmage) October 5, 2016

Mike Pence has clearly never spent any time thinking about race. Like at all. #VPDebate

— Zerlina Maxwell (@ZerlinaMaxwell) October 5, 2016

Bringing up the race of a black officer to argue there isn’t “implicit bias” in policing shows you don’t know definition of “implicit bias”

— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) October 5, 2016

Mike Pence Didn’t Talk that Much About Donald Trump

Mike Pence stayed away from talking a lot about his running mate, Donald Trump. Instead, Pence went on the offensive, going after Clinton and Kaine’s records, as well as President Barack Obama’s two terms in office.

That was probably a smart call. Mike Pence had a job to do tonight–look like the adult in the room. And by not trying to defend some of Trump’s more indefensible positions, he didn’t have to try to look like an adult purely at the expense of his running mate.

Tim Kaine Really Liked his Zingers…and the Tax Return Point

Whoever writes the one-liners and zingers for the Hillary Clinton campaign has perhaps been slacking a bit. Tim Kaine had some good jabs at Trump and Pence, but also had some that fell a little flat.

Kaine: “Donald Trump has a Mt Rushmore” of world dictators. Pence: “Did you work on that a long time?” Mocks Kaine zingers. #VPDebate

— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) October 5, 2016

No zingers are worse than zingers from old debates.

— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) October 5, 2016

But for as many zingers as Tim Kaine tried to put out there, he also make a lot of comments about Trump’s tax returns. He brought almost every point back to it–and don’t get me wrong, it’s a powerful slam against Trump. But Kaine brought it up perhaps a few times too many, to the point where it became almost ineffective.

A Faith Question for Both Candidates

Kaine is a Catholic who has worked with Jesuit missionaries in South America; Pence is an Evangelical Christian who has long been a social conservative. A conversation about their faith led to a discussion on abortion, and it became one of the most substantive exchanges of the two debates so far.

This year’s election has been in some cases more about personal attacks than about the real ideological divides between the Democrats and the Republicans. While Kaine and Pence didn’t manage to totally avoid personal questions, some substance did shine through in tonight’s debate, and it was a welcome change.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Five Most Defining Moments of the Kaine-Pence VP Debate appeared first on Law Street.

Tonight, Senator Tim Kaine, Hillary Clinton’s running mate, and Governor Mike Pence, Donald Trump’s running mate, will face off at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia at 9 PM EST. Here are the answers to the pressing questions you might have before tonight’s vice presidential debate:

So…Who are These Guys?

Republican VP nominee Governor Mike Pence was elected as Indiana’s governor in 2012. He served as a congressman for 12 years, and before that he worked as a political radio pundit. He’s a strong social conservative and a supporter of the Tea Party movement.

Democratic VP nominee Tim Kaine has served as Richmond, Virginia’s mayor, Governor of Virginia, and now a senator from his home state. He also served as the DNC chair for part of Obama’s presidency. Kaine is Catholic, speaks fluent Spanish, and has a lot of experience working with the military and in foreign policy.

Why Haven’t I Heard a Lot About Either of Them?

Pence and Kaine both have impressive resumes, but when surveyed, 41 percent of Americans couldn’t name Mike Pence, and 46 percent couldn’t name Tim Kaine. Both Pence and Kaine were chosen, in part, to balance out their more attention-grabbing running mates.

Often VPs are put in a position to be a little more fiery than their running mates and to take shots at the other side not befitting a presidential candidate. Pence and Kaine are almost the opposite this year–they are supposed to be the calmer ones, and to soften their controversial presidential counterparts.

What Are They Talking About Tonight?

Both candidates are going to come in ready to defend their candidate’s platforms, and they’ll likely have to defend their candidates as well. From questions about missing tax returns to missing emails, you’re probably going to hear “Hillary” and “Donald” a lot tonight.

But that doesn’t mean that Pence and Kaine won’t get any personal jabs in on each other. Pence has been criticized for his extremely social conservative positions in the past, like his support of Indiana’s “religious freedom” law, which led to anti-LGBT discrimination. Kaine may have to defend the fact that throughout his career, he’s been viewed as a flip-flopper on the issues of abortion and the death penalty.

Will Tim Kaine do His Donald Trump Impression Again?

We can only hope.

Will Mike Pence’s Daughter Show up on Camera?

Mike Pence’s daughter didn’t show up in a mirror during a campaign stop earlier this summer. Will anyone ask Pence about his possibly vampiric daughter? We’ll have to see on that one.

at first you think w/e this is just mike pence and his fam enjoying a nice meal at chilis. then you realize HIS DAUGHTER ISNT IN THE MIRROR pic.twitter.com/fGO1PlEQXP

— Roberto Ferdman (@robferdman) September 26, 2016

Who is Moderating the Debate?

Tonight’s VP debate moderator is Elaine Quijano, of CBS News. She’s the child of Filipino immigrants, and she’s the first Asian-American individual to moderate a presidential or vice presidential debate. While Pence and Kaine will likely be slightly easier to reign in than Trump or Clinton, Quijano, as the debate’s sole moderator, certainly has a hefty task in front of her.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post What you Need to Know about Tonight’s Vice Presidential Debate appeared first on Law Street.

Donald J. Trump previously confessed that he tries to “pay as little as possible” when it comes to taxes. Therefore, it came as no surprise when a partial report of the Republican presidential nominee’s 1995 tax records confirmed his financial outlook.

The New York Times published Trump’s 1995 income tax returns on Saturday, which explain how the former reality TV show host and real-estate mogul could have avoided taxes for nearly two decades. That year Trump declared a $916 million loss, a loss that could have allowed him to legally avoid paying federal income taxes for up to 18 years.

Trump was recently criticized by Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton during the first presidential debate for not being forthcoming about his tax returns. Clinton suspected that the businessman didn’t pay his federal income taxes–a claim Trump said made him “smart.”

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani agreed with Trump’s statement and called him a genius after the tax records were released.

“The reality is, this is part of our tax code. The man’s a genius. He knows how to operate the tax code to the benefit of the people he’s serving,” Giuliani told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”

Legal, yes. Genius, not so much.

The Washington Post’s Allan Sloan, a seven-time winner of the Loeb Award (business journalism’s highest honor), didn’t offer the same sentiments as Giuliani. Sloan’s op-ed said:

Sure, the $900 million-plus of losses reported by the New York Times–losses that could be used to offset income for a total of 18 years–are totally shocking. Legal, yes. But shocking.

But there’s something I consider even more shocking–although it involves a much smaller number.

By my read of the Trump tax return published by the New York Times, he would have been tax-free because of a $15,818,562 loss reported on Line 11 of the return under “Rental real estate, royalties, partnerships, S corporations, trusts, etc.” It looks to me that this loss reflects the outrageous, special tax break that real estate developers that people like Trump can get, but that the rest of us can’t.

In the current election cycle Trump has refused to release his returns, unlike every other presidential candidate in modern history. As the candidates begin to bridge the gap between voters, it is imperative they remain honest and forthcoming–a common complaint for both of their campaigns.

Trump declined to comment on the documents. Instead, he tweeted a personal attack at the Times.

I know our complex tax laws better than anyone who has ever run for president and am the only one who can fix them. #failing@nytimes

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2016

The Trump campaign released a statement that neither challenged nor confirmed the $916 million loss.

“Mr. Trump is a highly-skilled businessman who has a fiduciary responsibility to his business, his family and his employees to pay no more tax than legally required,” the statement said. “That being said, Mr. Trump has paid hundreds of millions of dollars in property taxes, sales and excise taxes, real estate taxes, city taxes, state taxes, employee taxes and federal taxes, along with very substantial charitable contributions.”

Bryan White

Bryan is an editorial intern at Law Street Media from Stratford, NJ. He is a sophomore at American University, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. When he is not reading up on the news, you can find him curled up with an iced chai and a good book. Contact Bryan at BWhite@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Trump’s Taxes: “Trumped Up, Trickle Down” Economics or Genius? appeared first on Law Street.

Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of The Arizona Republic editorial board on Tuesday evening–a decision that changed the course of the paper’s history. 

Arizona’s largest newspaper has been in publication since 1890 and has never endorsed a Democrat for president.

The endorsement comes a day after the first presidential debate–a debate which saw Republican nominee Donald J. Trump failing in the eyes of the paper. The editorial board released a statement online to explain their decision:

Since The Arizona Republic began publication in 1890, we have never endorsed a Democrat over a Republican for president. Never. This reflects a deep philosophical appreciation for conservative ideals and Republican principles.

This year is different.

The 2016 Republican candidate is not conservative and he is not qualified.

That’s why, for the first time in our history, The Arizona Republic will support a Democrat for president.

The editorial board noted Trump’s clumsiness on the world stage, lack of respect for women, and an inability to control his words as some of the reasons why they have chosen to endorse Clinton. The board recognized Clinton’s missteps, but despite her flaws, the former Secretary of State was deemed the superior choice.

“Hillary Clinton is super progressive and liberal and to prove it here is a list of all the Republicans voting for her.”

— Dan Arel (@danarel) September 20, 2016

The Arizona Republic joins other major papers with conservative editorial boards in endorsing Clinton or declining to endorse Trump. The Cincinnati Enquirer and Dallas Morning News are two other notable examples.

Republican elite have continued to support Clinton–exposing the complicated reality of the Republican Party.

Bryan White

Bryan is an editorial intern at Law Street Media from Stratford, NJ. He is a sophomore at American University, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. When he is not reading up on the news, you can find him curled up with an iced chai and a good book. Contact Bryan at BWhite@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Clinton Continues To Receive Republican Endorsements appeared first on Law Street.

November 8 looms over America, and as the days tick away and the leaves turn brown, the nation’s focus is squarely on two people: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Both the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates had their time in the spotlight during Monday’s first of four debates (one will be between the two VP picks) leading up to November. At times on Monday, the two butted heads on issues from tax returns to Obama’s birthplace to the Iraq War. Here are the top five most contentious exchanges from Monday night:

Tax Returns and Deleted Emails

About 30 minutes in, Holt asked Trump about his tax returns. For a few bumbling, nearly nonsensical minutes, Trump pointed to an IRS audit as to why he has withheld his returns. He also said: “When Secretary Clinton releases her 33,000 deleted emails, I’ll release my tax returns.”

Clinton and Holt both prodded Trump–Holt said the IRS audit does not prevent Trump from releasing his tax returns–who continued to “bait and switch,” in the words of Clinton. The audience cheered at his admonishing of her private email server. For the next few minutes, Trump’s tax returns and Clinton’s deleted emails left the two red-faced and hoarse.

NAFTA: “The Worst Trade Deal Ever Negotiated”

At the beginning of the evening’s discussion, trade, a rising, contentious issue, cropped up. Trump thrashed NAFTA, the Atlantic trade pact supported by former President Bill Clinton, as “the worst trade deal ever negotiated.”

This is not a new stance, but the first direct discussion between Trump, who has spent the past months bashing trade deals as they currently stand, and Clinton, whose husband supported NAFTA and who herself has previously expressed support for trade deals such as TPP, on the trade issue. Things got heated fast: Trump trashed NAFTA as a job killer. Clinton defended it. Trump said she once called the TPP the “gold standard” of trade deals, which she did. Clinton said she said that before the deal took its final form.

Obama’s Birthplace

It’s an issue that hogged the headlines and the airwaves for the past few weeks: the “birther” claim. Trump finally admitted, to the nation, that Obama was in fact born in America. His admission followed years of rumor-mongering that Obama was born elsewhere. Many viewed it as a racist tactic meant to boost his political profile.

An hour or so into Monday’s debate, Holt brought up the issue. Trump deflected, birthing the birther issue to Clinton, whose campaign, he said, dispatched a reporter to Kenya to dig up details on Obama’s true birthplace in 2008. Clinton didn’t quite respond to that claim, instead drudging up the 1973 lawsuit against Trump and his racist rental policies. Trump of course defended them and said the lawsuit ended without an admission of guilt.

Iraq Vote

During an interview with Howard Stern in 2002, Trump, in response to a question about whether he supported the impending Iraq invasion, said: “Yeah, I guess so.” That, his critics say, amounts to explicit support of the invasion, even though his political career was 13 years from beginning at that time. Either way, his stance on the Iraq vote, and Clinton’s vote in support of it when she was Senator of New York, has been a contentious issue all year.

On Monday, Holt asked Trump about his Stern interview.

“That is mainstream media nonsense put out by her because the best person in her campaign is the mainstream media,” Trump said. He mentioned arguments he had at the time with Sean Hannity, who he said supported the Iraq War, while Trump did not. “The record shows otherwise,” Holt replied. Clinton stood by, smiling and nodding.

“Trumped Up, Trickle Down”

After Trump described pieces of his economic vision, which include tax cuts from 35 to 15 percent for “big businesses and middle businesses and small businesses,” Clinton called his plans “trumped up, trickle down.” It’s an extreme revival of Ronald Reagan’s trickle down economic policy, Clinton said, using an oft-used pun with his surname to color that point.

When Clinton mentioned her “broad based,” approach to economic growth, Trump responded: “All talk, no action. Sounds good, doesn’t work. Our country is suffering.”

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Road to November: Top 5 Testiest Moments at the First Presidential Debate appeared first on Law Street.

Someone finally figured out a genius way to to get more young people to register to vote: let them use their phones.

The non-profit group Fight for the Future created HelloVote, a chat bot that guides users through the process of registering by asking them a series of questions via text messages or Facebook messenger.

Register to VOTE via text, yes it’s that easy now. Try @_hellovote_ here: https://t.co/90AJoWtmdv pic.twitter.com/p96mcLL4V5

— Andrew Curry (@andrewcurryla) September 17, 2016

Here’s how it works:

• Start by simply texting “HELLO” to the number 384-387, or start on Facebook messenger.
• Then follow along with the chat bot as it asks for basic information like: name, address, date of birth, and driver’s license number, or the last four digits of your social security number.
• If your state accepts instant registration, HelloVote will send your forms in automatically.
• If your state doesn’t accept instant registration and requires a signature, HelloVote will send you a pre-filled form via email or mail, along with a pre-addressed stamped envelope that you can sign and send to your local Board of Elections.

According to Business Insider, HelloVote can now fully register people to vote via SMS or Facebook in six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Virginia.

CEO Holmes Wilson told the website that the company is close to launching in Vermont and Illinois and “should be able to add Kentucky, West Virginia, and Hawaii soon.” It also hopes to add Pennsylvania to the list before the state’s October 11 registration deadline.

In other states HelloVote is only partially operational and requires voters to mail in registration forms.

Users have already begun using the service, and attest that it does in fact work.

I tried https://t.co/VOZpxhqDhD and it works! Everyone, please check to be sure you’re registered to vote, or use it to register via text.

— thefourthvine (@thefourthvine) September 22, 2016

As the election nears, young voters make up a crucial portion of votes for the potential victor. Targeting young people with convenient services like this is a great way to encourage voter turnout and participation in this year’s election. If you haven’t already registered, here’s your chance!

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post HelloVote Allows You to Register to Vote Via Text appeared first on Law Street.

A white Trump county campaign chairwoman in Ohio said there was no racism before Obama became president and that black people who haven’t succeeded in the past 50 years only have themselves to blame. On Thursday she resigned from her position. In an interview with the Guardian, Kathy Miller, a volunteer campaign chair in Mahoning County, literally said:

If you’re black and you haven’t been successful in the last 50 years, it’s your own fault. You’ve had every opportunity, it was given to you.

She followed up with this gem:

You’ve had the same schools everybody else went to. You had benefits to go to college that white kids didn’t have. You had all the advantages and didn’t take advantage of it. It’s not our fault, certainly.

She also said that the Black Lives Matter movement is a “stupid waste of time.” Her comments are very untimely since the county she has been campaigning in is a historically Democratic one and no Republican President has won the presidential election without winning Ohio.

Ohio Trump campaign chair Kathy Miller: “There was no racism before Obama got elected…”https://t.co/SxITbW9JAZ pic.twitter.com/yQus7lz9VY

— My Daughter’s Army (@MyDaughtersArmy) September 22, 2016

However, several thousands Democrats there have switched party affiliation leading up to the 2016 election. According to Miller, most of the people switching over are older and white. But she didn’t think that matters since she claims that African-American voters make up such a small portion of the voter population. “I don’t think that’s part of the way they’re raised,” she said. “For us, I mean, that was something we all did in our families, we all voted.”

But since African-Americans make up 16 percent of the population in Mahoning County, maybe she should worry. For the past two elections black citizens have voted at a higher proportion than white citizens.

Miller also blamed racism on Obama, saying she had never seen racism before he became president.

Growing up as a kid, there was no racism, believe me. We were just all kids going to school […] I don’t think there was any racism until Obama got elected. We never had problems like this… Now, with the people with the guns, and shooting up neighborhoods, and not being responsible citizens, that’s a big change, and I think that’s the philosophy that Obama has perpetuated on America.

George Takei had something to say about Kathy Miller.

Ohio Trump campaign county chair: “I don’t think there was any racism until Obama got elected.” THIS IS WHY ALIENS WON’T VISIT US.

— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) September 22, 2016

And many people on Twitter pointed out how the reporter had to try to keep a straight face during the interview.

This Trump campaign creep in OH is appalling, but don’t miss the magic of the reporter trying to control his face https://t.co/spVnjHNXtB

— John Hodgman (@hodgman) September 22, 2016

Later on Thursday the Trump campaign released a statement apologizing for Miller’s statements and saying that county chairs are not spokespeople for the whole campaign.

To make things even worse, Miller expressed no remorse at all when later asked by NBC about what she had said, but said she didn’t understand how her remarks were racist.

I’m thinking, ‘What did I say that was racist?’ I didn’t murder anybody, I didn’t kill anybody, I didn’t steal from anybody, I didn’t call them a liar — what did I say that was racist, other than you should take responsibility for yourself? But that’s not racism … I don’t know, maybe I’m clueless.

She continued defending her previous statements but said they had more to do with the concept of discrimination than racism.

Good riddance, Kathy Miller, your 15 minutes of fame are hopefully up.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post County Campaign Chair for Trump Makes a lot of Racist Statements in Ohio, Resigns appeared first on Law Street.

On Monday September 26, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will go head-to-head in the first presidential debate. The debate starts at 9 p.m. EST and will air on all major news networks and stream live on Twitter. Make sure you’re following Law Street on Twitter and Facebook for live debate coverage and commentary. Here’s everything you need to know heading into round one.

The Participants

Clinton and Trump are the only two participants in Monday’s debate, which will take place at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. But what about the Green Party’s Jill Stein and Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson? The Commission on Presidential Debates, which has been sponsoring debates since 1987, invites only those candidates who receive at least 15 percent support in an average of five national polls. Clinton (43 percent) and Trump (40.4) averaged far above the 15 percent bar, while Johnson (8.4) and Stein (3.2), did not.

After months of scathing tweets and abrasive stump speeches, Monday’s debate will be the first direct engagement between Clinton and Trump of the 2016 campaign season. Expect both to make an attempt at softening their images amid historically low favorability ratings.

The Moderator

The man in the middle for debate number one is NBC’s “Nightly News” host, Lester Holt. In February 2015, Holt replaced Brian Williams as anchor after Williams was dropped for embellishing his war-reporting experiences in Iraq.

Holt, 57, has decades of journalism experience and is known for diving into the thick of a story, rather than reporting on it from the periphery. A week before the debate, Trump let loose a pre-emptive missile toward Holt by calling the debate “rigged.” “Look, it’s a phony system, said Trump in an interview Monday with Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly. “Lester is a Democrat. I mean, they are all Democrats. Okay? It’s a very unfair system.”

Holt is not, in fact, a Democrat, but a registered Republican.

The Topics

The format for the debate is as follows: there will be six topics touched on for 15 minutes each for a total of 90 minutes. The three main topics chosen by Holt are: “America’s direction,” “Achieving Prosperity,” and “Securing America.”

In her primary debates, Clinton projected a substantive, detail-oriented posture, largely free of insults and the noise that so often dominated the Republican primary debates. She’ll likely do the same on Monday, spending her allotted time fleshing out her policies as much as possible. Trump might take a different tack. A formidable showman, Trump branded his Republican opponents with catchy nicknames in the primary debates, turning nearly all of his opponents into laughing stocks and caricatures.

But perhaps America will see a new Trump come Monday. “I think this, if she treats me with respect, I will treat her with respect,” said Trump during his interview with O’Reilly.

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post What You Need to Know About the First Presidential Debate appeared first on Law Street.

The facts are thin, and the story even thinner: Hillary Clinton has pneumonia. That’s pretty much it. But of course, that raises some very intriguing questions–especially if you’re a conspiracy theorist: Has she been harboring the disease, shielding her failing health from the media since she was Secretary of State? Did she contract it while delivering a contracted speech to Goldman Sachs? And given the very fact that Clinton has spent her entire career tag teaming with a body double–in speeches, in meetings with now-deposed Middle East dictators, at a dinner date with Bill–has she already moved on from not only this election season, but this life? Here’s what we actually know:

Friday Diagnosis

Following a week of coughing fits and mockery from her political opponents, the Democratic presidential nominee was diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday. That fact became evident on Sunday, while she spoke at a memorial event at Ground Zero in Manhattan. While getting into a Secret Service van after the ceremony, Clinton appeared unstable and required assistance from a few agents who held her upright as she climbed into the van.

According to her longtime doctor, Lisa Bardack, Clinton is “re-hydrated and recovering nicely,” in her upstate New York home. Clinton’s campaign announced that the candidate will be teleconferencing into her San Francisco fundraising events on Monday and Tuesday.

An Uncharacteristic (Yet Also Characteristic) Trump

Seemingly shocking everyone who expects Donald Trump to say something earth-shattering on a daily basis, “I just hope she gets well and gets back on the trail and we’ll be seeing her at the debate,” was Trump’s diplomatic response to his opponent’s diagnosis.

And while his well wishes were a bit of a surprise, Trump left room for some of his more conspiracy-minded supporters to question the pneumonia diagnosis. “You know, it was interesting because they say pneumonia on Friday, but she was coughing very, very badly a week ago, and even before that, if you remember. This wasn’t the first time,” Trump said Monday morning on CNBC. “So it’s very interesting to see what is going on.”

He wished her well, and then seemed to question the legitimacy of the diagnosis. He said “interesting,” a few times, hinting that perhaps there is something deeper that the Clinton campaign isn’t disclosing.

#BodyDouble

And as Twitter so often does after game changing events such as a routine pneumonia diagnosis, an inventive hashtag was hatched: #BodyDouble. Yes, as of Monday morning, that was a trending topic. People were voicing their–seemingly very real in some cases–concerns that Clinton has been using a body double, not only for Sunday’s 9/11 anniversary event, but for years before that.

Take a look at some of Twitter’s finest #BodyDouble musings below:

#Hillarys #BodyDouble on the left… Look at the hips. She came out 20 lbs lighter 2 hrs later with no medical or SS pic.twitter.com/ZFh4Vlj4iq

— MalibuUSA (@JamesABaade) September 12, 2016

This also could be her #BodyDouble @AnnCoulter @BreitbartNews @seanhannity should INVESTIGATE! #TrumpsArmy pic.twitter.com/FPUb7pui8N

— GIRLSFORTRUMP (@lbrot1) September 12, 2016

#hillaryshealth #BodyDouble guys if that wasn’t her she may not have recovered from the incident. What if she’s dead?

— Still Sanders (@StillBernin) September 12, 2016

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Clinton’s Pneumonia: A Post-Speech Scare, a Body Double, and a Tame Trump appeared first on Law Street.

Joe Scarborough, one of the hosts of the show “Morning Joe” really hates Donald Trump. Scarborough has slammed Trump on multiple occasions, beginning earlier this year, but seems to really have hit his stride with Trump-bashing this week. In honor of Trump’s constant nicknaming of his political opponents, Scarborough has given Trump a moniker of his own: #AmnestyDon.

On the show Monday morning, Scarborough clearly mocked Trump’s speaking style and his flip-flopping on immigration issues in one go, saying:

They’re calling him Amnesty Don. Amnesty Don, that’s what people are calling him, I’m not calling him that. Amnesty Don. Hashtag Amnesty Don. For 14 months, Amnesty Don has been putting illegal immigration at the center of Amnesty Don’s campaign… And, yet, nobody in Amnesty Don’s own campaign can tell you what Amnesty Don’s position is after Amnesty Don won the primaries promising to deport 11 [million illegal immigrants].

Scarborough said that he would write a song about his new nickname for Trump, and he followed through. Today Scarborough put up a music video on Facebook in an attempt to continue his trolling of the Republican nominee:

The feud between Trump and Scarborough (and Scarborough’s cohost Mika Brzezinski) has been on and off since February. While Scarborough used to be friendly with Trump, Trump’s hesitance to disavow KKK leaders who were supporting him soured their relationship, and since then Scarborough has hit Trump on a number of issues. Last week that feud spilled over to Twitter (although not for the first time):

Tried watching low-rated @Morning_Joe this morning, unwatchable! @morningmika is off the wall, a neurotic and not very bright mess!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 22, 2016

Joe Scarborough has officially descended into a professional Trump troll, and I can’t want to see what he comes up with next.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Joe Scarborough Makes Awesome and Bizarre #AmnestyDon Music Video appeared first on Law Street.

Donald Trump has announced he is going to Mexico on Wednesday to meet with President Enrique Peña Nieto only a few hours before a major immigration speech in Arizona. Last week, Peña Nieto sent out invitations to Trump and Hillary Clinton to come visit. Trump waited until the last minute to accept, and declared on Twitter Tuesday night that he looked “very much forward” to the personal meeting.

I have accepted the invitation of President Enrique Pena Nieto, of Mexico, and look very much forward to meeting him tomorrow.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 31, 2016

But Trump’s trip to Mexico has given birth to the Twitter hashtag #TrumpsMexicoTripSayings, which makes fun of Trump’s distinctive way of speaking.

.#TrumpsMexicoTripSayings
just stopping by to check on my best employees.
no, not the rapists. those are friends.
. pic.twitter.com/YHXB5D2pdD

— ANONYMOUS JOBS (@AnonymousJobsUS) August 31, 2016

"I know walls. Walls love me. I build the best walls. Everyone agrees. They're terrific." #TrumpsMexicoTripSayings pic.twitter.com/tjdNco93d1

— I H Laking (@IHLaking) August 31, 2016

The visit to Mexico may come as a surprise given Trump’s previous statements about Mexicans and Latinos–he has accused them of being rapists and killers who are bringing crime and drugs into the U.S., he kicked a Hispanic journalist out of a news conference, and he wants to build a wall and have Mexico pay for it.

So, maybe this trip is an attempt to win over some Latino votes as Trump’s poll numbers are going down. Trump’s stance on immigration has been questioned during the past couple of weeks, as he has indicated he might be open to a more lenient immigration policy than he has previously stated.

But that doesn’t necessarily go far in Mexico. Former President Vicente Fox apologized on behalf of the country in an interview with CNN, saying that this invitation is a very opportunistic move that he hopes both the U.S. and Mexican public can see through. He said that Trump cannot undo the harm of his offensive remarks about Mexicans and Muslims that have made him so unpopular in many parts of the world.

There was even a Twitter argument going on between Trump and Fox on Wednesday morning. Trump reminded Fox that he also invited him to visit Mexico earlier this year, after apologizing for saying Mexico would not pay for that “f—–g wall”.

Former President Vicente Fox, who is railing against my visit to Mexico today, also invited me when he apologized for using the "f bomb."

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 31, 2016

Fox replied that his invitation only stood if Trump was willing to apologize to the Mexican people.

@realDonaldTrump, I invited you to come and apologize to all Mexicans. Stop lying! Mexico is not yours to play with, show some respect.

— Vicente Fox Quesada (@VicenteFoxQue) August 31, 2016

Writer Andy Borowitz suggested in a satire article in the New Yorker that Obama would pay $5 billion for Mexico to keep Trump.

.@BorowitzReport: Obama Pays Mexico Five Billion Dollars to Keep Donald Trump https://t.co/0mmA0R6WYl pic.twitter.com/7HM6QsKghe

— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) August 31, 2016

But it seems like the Mexican politicians would rather only have a quick visit.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post #TrumpsMexicoTripSayings Makes Fun of Donald Trump’s Mexico Visit appeared first on Law Street.

Hillary Clinton stopped by “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Monday to finally set the record straight on “wacky” rumors that her health is failing–using, of all things, a jar of pickles.

When host Jimmy Kimmel asked Clinton point blank if she is in good health, she offered up her wrist so he could take her pulse, joking “Make sure I’m alive!”

Clinton then sarcastically mocked the baselessness of the rumors that she’s dying, adding, “With every breath I take, I feel like it’s a new lease on life.”

The Democratic presidential nominee’s health became a major campaign topic after several conspiracy theories (courtesy largely in part from Trump, Rudy Giuliani, and Breitbart) suggested she’s secretly ill, with Parkinson’s disease or some deadly brain blood clot, looks “tired” and “sick,” and lacks the “mental and physical stamina” to fight ISIS .

“It absolutely makes no sense,” Clinton said. “I don’t go around questioning Donald Trump’s health. I mean as far as I can tell, he’s as healthy as a horse.”

Kimmel then dared Clinton to prove she’s in good health by opening a jar of pickles in front of the studio audience.

Watch her exaggerated lid twist below:

Clinton also discussed plans to prepare for upcoming debates with Trump saying, “I watched a lot of his debates during the primaries and he insulted all of his opponents, he insulted all the moderators, he insulted, I guess about 80 percent of the American people and the rest of the world.” While she wants to “take it seriously,” she recognizes she needs to also prepare for any “wackiness” by drawing on her experience in elementary school with “pony tail pullers.”

Later during the interview, the topic then shifted to news that the State Department plans to release 15,000 new emails before the debate deadline. When asked if she’s concerned Hillary said, “Jimmy my emails are so boring. And I’m embarrassed about that. They’re so boring. So we’ve already released, I don’t know, 30,000 plus so what’s a few more.”

Kimmel closed out the segment by asking Clinton to pick out Donald Trump quotes from a toupee-topped fishbowl, and try to keep a straight face while reading them aloud. Clinton managed to stay expressionless while uttering a few memorable Trump lines, before finally refusing to read aloud Trump’s creepy comments about possibly wanting to date his daughter Ivanka.

Watch the full clip below:

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Clinton Proves She’s Fit to be Prez By Opening Jar of Pickles on Kimmel appeared first on Law Street.

Less than three months before the election, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump appointed two new employees to top posts in his campaign staff–Steve Bannon from Breitbart and Kellyanne Conway, an experienced Republican pollster.

Paul Manafort will maintain his role as campaign chairman despite recent accusations of receiving large cash payments from the Ukrainian government.

Steve Bannon, conservative media executive at Breitbart News and former investment banker, is the new chief executive of the Trump campaign. The campaign has always had a positive relationship with the Breitbart, which has published a lot of Trump-friendly news coverage over the past year. When Trump’s former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski was arrested for assaulting Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields earlier this year, Breitbart and Bannon didn’t do much to support her. Then-editor Ben Shapiro quit in protest and has since called Bannon a bully that “has shaped the company into Trump’s personal Pravda.”

That is just one of many things Shapiro has to say about Bannon:

I Know Trump’s New Campaign Chairman, Steve Bannon. Here’s What You Need To Know. https://t.co/nTZ2GpGJnnpic.twitter.com/qJrOQyRv9t

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 17, 2016

Now that Bannon is the formal campaign executive for the Republican nominee, he will step down from his position at Breitbart, at least, until the campaigning is over.

Kellyanne Conway was first hired by Trump in July, before then she worked for a super PAC that supported Ted Cruz and was not exactly a fan of Trump. She has been in the media spotlight before for some of her past statements, like when she said that women should be more feminine rather than feminist, or that conservatives need to stop talking about rape (she preferred to call it “the four letter word”). She once said that there’s an alternative for liberal women “constantly thinking about abortion, contraception, being a victim of the patriarchy,” and that conservatives present “an alternative of fun, engaging accomplished women.”

She has now been upgraded to Trump’s campaign manager. A statement published on the campaign’s website said:

I have known Steve and Kellyanne both for many years. They are extremely capable, highly qualified people who love to win and know how to win. I believe we’re adding some of the best talents in politics, with the experience and expertise needed to defeat Hillary Clinton in November and continue to share my message and vision to Make America Great Again. I am committed to doing whatever it takes to win this election, and ultimately become President because our country cannot afford four more years of the failed Obama-Clinton policies which have endangered our financial and physical security.

The news about the Trump campaign’s reshuffling comes after weeks of negative headlines and rising tension from news about Manafort. Roger Ailes, the Fox News founder and anchor who had to leave his post because of sexual harassment allegations, was appointed as campaign adviser earlier this week as well.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Trump Reshuffles Campaign Staff, Hires Breitbart News Chief appeared first on Law Street.

Under a President Trump, American foreign policy would look something like this: Guantanamo Bay would remain open. Drone strikes would continue. Nation building and regime change would cease. And–in what Trump referred to as “extreme vetting” in his foreign policy speech Monday afternoon–immigrants from regions of the world that have a “history of exporting terrorism” will be subject to screening tests.

At Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio, Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, highlighted America’s threats–and criticized the architects of its current foreign policy–before revealing the tenets of his foreign policy plan. With broad strokes, he painted a bleak portrait of an America under siege from “radical Islamic terrorism,” a phrase he used often and pointedly in his speech. He derided President Obama’s and then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s approach to the Middle East as a failure. “The rise of ISIS is the direct result of policy decisions made by President Obama and Secretary Clinton,” Trump said, pointing to decisions made in Libya, Syria, and Iraq that led to the region’s current instability, allowing ISIS to prosper.

That speech was a reminder that Prompter Trump will always be just as dishonest and incompetent as Twitter Trump.

— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) August 15, 2016

The Cold War was a consistent reference point throughout his speech, as Trump sought to parallel the idealogical threat of radical Islam with that of communism. “Our victory in the Cold War relied on a bipartisan and international consensus,” Trump said. “That is what we must have to defeat Radical Islamic terrorism.” And in a surprising backtracking of his previous remarks that called into question NATO’s effectiveness, Trump said under his administration, America will “work closely with NATO.” He added that “we could find common ground with Russia in the fight against ISIS.”

And in a move he has alluded to in past interviews, Trump called for an “ideological screening test” that would root out “all members or sympathizers of terrorist groups.” In addition, such a test would screen out those who “believe that Sharia law should supplant American law;” “Those who do not believe in our Constitution;” and those who “support bigotry and hatred.” Specifically what such a test would look like, to whom it would be distributed, and how it would be administered was not expounded upon.

Trump ends his hateful, bigoted, fear-mongering speech promising…to reject bigotry & hatred. No self-awareness or sense of irony. Amazing.

— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) August 15, 2016

Trump’s speech–which was precluded by remarks from former mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani and Trump’s running mate Gov. Mike Pence (R-IN)–focused exclusively on the threat of “radical Islamic terrorism.” He did not mention China, North Korea, or Russia, three nations that many foreign policy analysts see as some of America’s gravest threats apart from ISIS and other terrorist groups.

Though his speech mirrored the apocalyptic tone of the speech he delivered a few weeks ago at the Republican National Convention, he sought to end it on a cheery, unifying note: “I will fight to ensure that every American is treated equally, protected equally, and respected equally,” he said. “Only this way will we make America great again and safe again for everyone.”

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Trump Vows to ‘Destroy’ ISIS, Use ‘Extreme Vetting’ on Immigrants appeared first on Law Street.

As Donald Trump continues to poll poorly among minority voters, many within the Republican Party are getting nervous as the electorate becomes more diverse each year. On Monday morning, the hashtag #BlackVotesMatter started trending on Twitter, as the general election gets closer and Trump still hasn’t done much to win over black voters.

The fact is, very few black Americans support Donald Trump. According to a FiveThirtyEight analysis, Trump is actually polling in fourth place among black voters, behind Hillary Clinton, Gary Johnson, and Jill Stein. In an average of several recent polls, Trump’s support among black voters sits at about 2 percent.

Trump’s numbers are worse than almost every Republican presidential nominee since 1948, in surveys that are taken after the party conventions and before Election Day. The only Republican nominee to poll worse than Trump was Barry Goldwater in 1964, who voted against the Civil Rights Act in the same year as the election. For a closer look at the parallels between Trump and Goldwater you should check out Sean Simon’s analysis.

With black voters expected to make up between 10 to 15 percent of the electorate in November, the GOP is urging Trump to change his tactics and appeal to a broader group of Americans. But as the New York Times reports, Trump has done very little to reach out to black voters, preferring to campaign with a mix of large rallies and media interviews.

In a recent visit to Detroit–the city with the 10th largest black population in the country–to talk economics last week, he went straight from his private plane to the Detroit Economic Club, where he talked to a mainly white audience. So far, Trump has decided against traditional community stops along the campaign trail and as the New York Times points out, he has yet to hold an event geared toward important black constituencies.

His director of African-American outreach, Omarosa Manigault, told the New York Times that she was “extremely concerned” about Trump’s standing among black voters. Manigault also said she is researching opportunities for him to meet key figures in the African-American community to improve his perception. “He’s alienated a number of minority voters, and that’s reflected in his low numbers,” said Tara Wall, a communications consultant who has helped with black outreach on previous Republican presidential campaigns.

But the question posed by many on social media is how black votes can matter to the Republicans when their nominee has openly criticized the Black Lives Matter movement as a threat to police officers. Trump also has a questionable record on race himself.

Yo, say, GOP, if Black votes matter, drop your racist Presidential candidate and the KKK vibe at his rallies & your convention. Start there.

— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) August 15, 2016

However, many were also unhappy with both parties’ records on race.

Black ppl should not fall for the “Black Votes Matter” crap. When both parties are dominated by white supremacy

— Cliff Po (@Pharaoh_Po) August 15, 2016

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Do #BlackVotesMatter to Donald Trump? appeared first on Law Street.

Donald Trump is now trying to take back his repeated claims that President Obama “founded ISIS” by calling it sarcasm, which only proves he doesn’t even know what sarcasm means. On Friday he tweeted:

Ratings challenged @CNN reports so seriously that I call President Obama (and Clinton) “the founder” of ISIS, & MVP. THEY DON’T GET SARCASM?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2016

This comes after his statement at a rally on Wednesday saying Obama was the founder of ISIS. On Thursday, radio show host Hugh Hewitt tried to clarify what Trump meant by asking if he simply meant that the Obama administration created the vacuum where ISIS could thrive. But he doubled down on his conclusion that Obama founded ISIS.

When Hewitt kept questioning him, saying that Obama is actually fighting ISIS, Trump’s clever answer was “I don’t care. He was the founder.”

The journalist Christopher Hayes joked on Twitter about Trump’s insistence.

INTERVIEWER: You mean, metaphoric–
TRUMP: No literally
INTERVIEWER: But, he didn’t *actually*–
TRUMP: No, actually. Obama is Baghdadi

— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) August 11, 2016

Trump went on to say that Hillary Clinton also was an important player in the creation of ISIS, which caused her to react on Twitter, saying:

It can be difficult to muster outrage as frequently as Donald Trump should cause it, but his smear against President Obama requires it.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 11, 2016

She also tweeted, “Anyone willing to sink so low, so often, should never be allowed to serve as our Commander-in-Chief.”

But what Trump is now criticizing Obama for is actually what he himself wanted. He claimed Obama caused ISIS to flourish by withdrawing American troops from Iraq in 2011. But he didn’t mention that he also wanted to get out of Iraq as early as in 2007.

In an interview with CNN that year he said, “There’s nothing that we’re going to be able to do with a civil war. They are in a major civil war.” Trump has actually expressed this view several times on the record, statements he seems to have forgotten about.

Buzzfeed’s Andrew Kaczynski captured it like this:

Trump Iraq timeline:
2002: Supports the war
2004: Against the war
2008: Withdraw the troops
2016: Obama founded ISIS when he withdrew troops

— andrew kaczynski (@BuzzFeedAndrew) August 11, 2016

Trump’s latest utterance caused a lot of reactions on social media, particularly as this mini-scandal follows a remarkably familiar pattern.

THE WEEK IN TRUMP

Tues: Kill Hillary, please.
Wed: LOL, JK
Thurs: Obama founded an anti-American terrorist group, literally.
Fri: LOL, JK

— Heather Hogan (@hhoagie) August 12, 2016

A lot of people are saying Trump literally doesn’t know what day it is. A lot of people are saying. I don’t know. You tell me.

— Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) August 11, 2016

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Trump Claims Calling Obama the Founder of ISIS was Sarcasm appeared first on Law Street.

Jill Stein is the nominee of the Green Party, a left-wing party focusing on environmentalism, grassroots democracy, and social justice. Stein, from Chicago, attended Harvard Medical School and practiced internal medicine in Massachusetts for 25 years. She has run for Governor of Massachusetts, the House of Representatives, other local Massachusetts offices, and was the Green Party’s presidential nominee in 2012. She has served as a Town of Lexington Town Meeting Representative, but has lost her other bids for public office.

Where does Jill Stein stand on some of the prevalent issues of 2016?

Economy:

Jill Stein calls for an economic solution that alleviates economic inequality while simultaneously working toward a greener economy. She calls for such initiatives as a $15 minimum wage, job creation by urging the clean energy industry forward, and democratizing banks, the federal reserve, and public utilities.

Gun Rights and Control:

Stein advocates improving community mental health resources, ending the culture of drug violence, and legalizing marijuana as mechanisms to reduce gun violence. She is in favor of increased local regulation and background checks.

Healthcare:

Jill Stein hopes to replace the Affordable Care Act by extending Medicare to everybody with a single payer public health program. In Stein’s platform, she also advocates lowering the cost of prescription drugs, expanding access to contraceptives and abortion, and enhancing community health resources.

Immigration:

Stein hopes to establish a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, supports the DREAM act and deferred action for immigrants, and condemns the deportation of law-abiding undocumented immigrants.

Privacy and National Security:

In her platform, Stein expresses dedication to personal security and privacy. She supports the deauthorization of Guantanamo Bay, termination of the executive power to indefinitely imprison citizens, and other top-heavy gestures of national security. Stein also supports the repeal of the Patriot Act.

What are Jill Stein’s priorities?

Jill Stein places high priority on addressing climate change, an unfair economy that caters to corporations and the rich, and social injustice. Her platform consists of 12 points; transitioning to a green economy, establishing jobs, education, and health care as rights, ending poverty, creating a just economy, fostering racial justice, protecting mother earth, freedom and equality, justice, peace and human rights, and empowering the people.

How is Jill Stein polling?

According to the last national poll conducted by Public Policy Polling on July 30, Jill Stein is currently polling at 2 percent.

You can read here about the other third party candidate, Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party.

Ashlee Smith

Ashlee Smith is a Law Street Intern from San Antonio, TX. She is a sophomore at American University, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Journalism. Her passions include social policy, coffee, and watching West Wing. Contact Ashlee at ASmith@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Who is Jill Stein? appeared first on Law Street.

Governor Gary Johnson is the nominee of the Libertarian Party, a party that places heavy emphasis on fiscal conservatism, limited government, and civil liberties. After studying political science at the University of New Mexico, Johnson founded Big J Enterprises. The construction contracting business became a lucrative success before he sold it in 1999. Johnson ran for Governor of New Mexico in 1994, won, and held that office from 1995-2003. During his tenure, Johnson drastically cut the size of the state government, lowered taxes, favored privatization of services like prisons and Medicaid, and was known for frequently exercising veto power. Johnson was also the Libertarian Party nominee in 2012.

Where does he stand on some of the prevalent issues of 2016?

Economy:

Many of Gary Johnson’s high-priority proposals have to do with Libertarian revisions to the economy. Johnson wants to end the corporate income tax to draw companies and jobs to the U.S., introduce a single consumption tax, and cut government spending by at least 20 percent.   

Immigration:

According to Johnson’s platform, he believes that making it easier for immigrants to legally obtain work visas and enter the U.S. will create a safer national environment. Johnson opposes an increase in border security and building a border wall.

Gun Rights and Control:

Johnson strongly defends gun ownership and wants to seek provisions to make it more difficult for individuals suspected of terrorism and mentally ill individuals to obtain guns.

Health Care:

Gary Johnson favors the repeal of the Affordable Care Act in exchange for privatized healthcare based on free market principles. Johnson has expressed intentions to cut funding to Medicare and Medicaid. He also supports the right for a woman to have an abortion.

Privacy and National Security:

In line with Libertarian Party ideology, Johnson is in fierce defense of personal privacy. He has expressed intention to dismantle the National Security Agency (NSA) if elected. In his book, “Seven Principles of Good Government,” Johnson also expressed that the Patriot Act should be repealed. His platform expresses fierce opposition to foreign military intervention.

What are Gary Johnson’s priorities?

Gary Johnson places strong emphasis on civil liberties, government downsizing, and the private, laissez-faire economic strategy. His platform consists of 13 points: wasteful spending, taxes, job creation, civil liberties, internet freedom, abortion, immigration, the war on drugs, criminal justice reform, education, foreign policy and national defense, creation of term limits and the environment.

Who is Gary Johnson’s vice president pick?

William “Bill” Weld, like Gary Johnson is a former Libertarian-Republican governor. Weld has served as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, the head of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, and as Governor of Massachusetts from (1991-1997). He was also nominated as Ambassador to Mexico, ran for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts in 1996, and was a candidate for Governor of New York in 2005. While Governor of Massachusetts, Weld had a similar track record to Johnson. He cut taxes, pursued the elimination of state employees and privatization of human services, and drastically reduced state spending.

How is Gary Johnson polling?

According to the last national poll conducted by Public Policy Polling on July 30, Gary Johnson is currently polling at 6 percent.

You can read here about the other third party candidate, Jill Stein of the Green Party.

Ashlee Smith

Ashlee Smith is a Law Street Intern from San Antonio, TX. She is a sophomore at American University, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Journalism. Her passions include social policy, coffee, and watching West Wing. Contact Ashlee at ASmith@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Who is Gary Johnson? appeared first on Law Street.

Donald Trump’s campaign has had a rough week. After the intense backlash surrounding the presidential candidate’s comments about Khizr Khan, followed by his erroneous claims that he saw a video of the U.S. plane delivering $400 million to Iran, and recent reports of discord within the Trump campaign, the latest poll numbers are now showing a widening lead for Hillary Clinton. On top of all that drama, rumors have been flying that Trump may not make it to November.

Trump himself doesn’t seem to be backing down from the fight just yet, and it would be surprising if his ego actually let him. However, ABC News reports that Republican officials are already thinking about his potential replacement if he were to leave the race. Many are even questioning if Trump’s recent actions, which seem to be reckless even by Trump standards, are actually a form of self-sabotage, insinuating that he doesn’t want to run anymore but has too much pride to actually say so.

Trump says he would never drop out: https://t.co/Avr6eAK6o8 pic.twitter.com/4hev2jZRaR

— andrew kaczynski (@BuzzFeedAndrew) August 5, 2016

If Trump ultimately did decide to drop out, the Republican National Committee would have the authority to choose an alternate nominee. The RNC’s official rule on filling vacancies in nominations states the following:

(a) The Republican National Committee is hereby authorized and empowered to fill any and all vacancies which may occur by reason of death, declination, or otherwise of the Republican candidate for President of the United States or the Republican candidate for Vice President of the United States, as nominated by the national convention, or the Republican National Committee may reconvene the national convention for the purpose of filling any such vacancies.

(b) In voting under this rule, the Republican National Committee members representing any state shall be entitled to cast the same number of votes as said state was entitled to cast at the national convention.

(c) In the event that the members of the Republican National Committee from any state shall not be in agreement in the casting of votes hereunder, the votes of such state shall be divided equally, including fractional votes, among the members of the Republican National Committee present or voting by proxy.

(d) No candidate shall be chosen to fill any such vacancy except upon receiving a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election.

It is unclear who specifically the RNC would have in mind as a replacement, but it would be tough to find someone to replace Trump’s blend of personality traits and anti-PC opinions that have attracted so many to him. If he were to leave the race, it would be difficult to find a candidate to appeal to both establishment Republicans as well as the unique crowd that Trump has been able to attract.

The list of Republicans who won’t be backing Trump in the general election keeps growing, with many prominent figures even pledging to vote for Clinton. Meanwhile, as his poll numbers fall, Trump has begun commenting on his fears of a “rigged election” in November. If Trump’s support does keep falling, could he drop out just to avoid the humiliation of defeat? Or would he decide to stick it out and blame a loss on factors such as the electoral system itself?

A candidate dropping out of the race is fairly unprecedented; the only person to attempt it was independent candidate Ross Perot, who dropped out for 3 months before re-entering the race prior to the election. However, Trump has run a different kind of campaign, one that hasn’t played by the rules of traditional American politics. Having a major candidate drop out would fit right in with the unpredictable atmosphere of this insane election year.

Mariam Jaffery

Mariam was an Executive Assistant at Law Street Media and a native of Northern Virginia. She has a B.A. in International Affairs with a minor in Business Administration from George Washington University. Contact Mariam at mjaffery@lawstreetmedia.com.

The post Could Trump Drop Out of the Race? appeared first on Law Street.

The 2016 campaign season has revealed divisions across America, both cultural and political. Donald Trump fired up crops of people who feel like they’ve been lost and forgotten about in Washington. But it’s not just your average Joe who feels that way. One current Republican Congressman has endorsed Trump’s Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, a former Senator has done the same, and a handful of prominent Republican aides and advisors are also #WithHer. 2016 is a highly irregular instance–Republicans are embracing the torchbearer of the Democrats, and there are rumblings that more are prepared to do the same as the days tick toward November. Here are five influential Republicans who have already said they’ll probably be voting for Hillary:

Representative Richard Hanna

Hanna, a representative from New York, became the first sitting–and so far, the only–Congressman to not only reject Trump, but also say he’d be voting for Clinton. “I do not expect perfection, but I do require more than the embodiment of at least a short list of the seven deadly sins,” Hanna wrote in an op-ed published on the Syracuse’s website on Tuesday.

Questioning his party’s ability to nominate an “electable” president, Hanna said he finds Trump “deeply flawed in endless ways,” citing the billionaire’s recent spat with the parents of a Muslim soldier who died fighting for America in Iraq. Hanna noted the ideological differences between himself and Clinton, but said, “I will vote for Mrs. Clinton,” adding: “I will be hopeful and resolute in my belief that being a good American who loves his country is far more important than parties or winning and losing.”

Rep. Richard Hanna has become the first GOP congressman to cross party lines & say he’ll vote for @HillaryClinton pic.twitter.com/WIzAjVLGUu

— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) August 3, 2016

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Trump Effect: 5 Republicans Who Will Be Voting for Clinton appeared first on Law Street.

Melania Trump’s recent nude photo scandal has raised a lot of questions about her immigration to the U.S., causing people to wonder if the wife of the “Build The Wall” presidential nominee was once an illegal immigrant herself.

The speculation began after the New York Post posted photos of Melania from a nude photoshoot that took place in New York in 1995. According to Politico, this conflicts with Melania’s statements that she first came to the U.S. in 1996 and traveled every few months back to her home country of Slovenia to stamp the visa.

“I came here for my career,” Melania told Harper’s Bazaar in January, “It never crossed my mind to stay here without papers. That is just the person you are. You follow the rules. You follow the law. Every few months you need to fly back to Europe and stamp your visa. After a few visas, I applied for a green card and got it in 2001. After the green card, I applied for citizenship. And it was a long process.”

This seemingly small timeline discrepancy was enough for Politico reporters Ben Schreckinger and Gabriel Debendetti to begin poking holes into the former Slovenian’s model’s story, revealing crucial gaps. Politico writes,

Trump’s tale of returning to Europe for periodic visa renewals is inconsistent with her holding an H-1B visa at all times she was living in New York — even if it was the lesser-known H-1B visa specifically designed for models — said multiple immigration attorneys and experts. An H-1B visa can be valid for three years and can be extended up to six years — sometimes longer — and would not require renewals in Europe every few months. If, as she has said, Trump came to New York in 1996 and obtained a green card in 2001, she likely would not have had to return to Europe even once to renew an H-1B.

They concluded that Melania’s story was actually more consistent with someone traveling on a B-1 Temporary Business Visitor or B-2 Tourist Visa. If Melania was in fact using a B-1 or B-2 Visa while working in the United States, instead of an H-1B Visa, that would mean that she was working illegally in the country–making her, for all intents and purposes, an illegal immigrant.

Melania responded to the rumors on Twitter, denying the allegations with the following tweet.

pic.twitter.com/U3VTY05mzc

— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) August 4, 2016

Melania’s former agent Paolo Zampolli has since corroborated her story, telling the AP that he did, in fact, secure her an H-1B visa for models. However, many still aren’t convinced that she followed the letter of the law when immigrating to the U.S. If these allegations are correct it could potentially be troubling for her husband’s campaign, which relies heavily on opposition to illegal immigration.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Was Melania Trump an Illegal Immigrant? appeared first on Law Street.

Last week’s Democratic National Convention was a star-studded parade of the party’s top figures. President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, President Bill Clinton, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and an array of Hollywood celebrities delivered speeches. And of course, Hillary Clinton officially accepted the Democratic nomination for president, which gave the media much to talk about. While those speeches produced many notable moments, it appears that the speech that has reverberated the most in the days following the convention is that of Khizr Khan, the father of a fallen American Muslim soldier.

Mr. Khan, with wife Ghazala Khan at his side, criticized Trump for his Islamophobic and xenophobic rhetoric, and drew special attention for the moment he pulled out his copy of the Constitution and directly challenged Trump, saying, “Let me ask you: have you even read the United States Constitution? I will gladly lend you my copy.”

He followed up by declaring, “You have sacrificed nothing, and no one.”

These criticisms have proven to have had a powerful impact, one that the Trump campaign has been unable to effectively combat. When asked about his reaction to the speech by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Trump said that Khan “probably looked like a nice guy” but followed by saying, “If you look at his wife, she was standing there. She had nothing to say. She probably–maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say. You tell me.”

I was viciously attacked by Mr. Khan at the Democratic Convention. Am I not allowed to respond? Hillary voted for the Iraq war, not me!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2016

The backlash against Trump’s comments was immediate. In an MSNBC interview, Mrs. Khan explained that she chose not to speak because she would not be able to keep her composure, due to her immense grief. In that same interview, Mr. Khan called his wife his “coach,” and said that he was “strengthened by her presence.” Mrs. Khan then went on to publish an op-ed in The Washington Post, where she refuted Trump’s claims and discussed her son’s sacrifices for his country.

The Khans’ son, Capt. Humayun Khan, was killed in 2004 at age 27 in Iraq after stepping into the line of fire to save his colleagues from a suicide bomb. His sacrifice reportedly saved over 100 of his fellow soldiers from death.

The speech has provoked a large public response. Major figures in the Republican Party, such as Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, and John McCain, have strongly condemned Trump’s comments. The presidential candidate has also drawn ire from veterans’ groups and other Gold Star families.

On Twitter, #TrumpSacrifices hashtag used Khan’s comment to mock Trump’s (lack of) sacrifices for his country. Another hashtag, #CanYouHearUsNow, attacked Trump’s insinuation that Muslim women were not allowed to speak.

.@realDonaldTrump This is me, giving a talk at @Georgetown. Do I look oppressed to you? #CanYouHearUsNow pic.twitter.com/NVVMJDbnlJ

— Rim-Sarah Alouane (@RimSarah) August 1, 2016

Today we raise our voices for Muslim women around the world who empower their community #LLSP2016 #CanYouHearUsNow pic.twitter.com/n6bId5Usjj

— KaramahDC (@KaramahDC) August 1, 2016

Khizr Khan’s DNC speech, and the response that has followed it, has been able to do what no one has seemingly been able to do: make Trump seem vulnerable. Last December, Trump made the comment that he could “stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and not lose any voters.” And so far, it has seemed to be true, as he has gotten away with attacking nearly every group–Muslims, African-Americans, immigrants, Mexicans, women–and yet has still been able to maintain his base of support. This unwavering support has allowed him to make flat-out false statements and be blatantly hypocritical and offensive, without fear of repercussions.

This time, however, Trump’s insensitive remarks toward a Gold Star family, and inability to take any criticism aimed against him, have brought him into a battle he cannot win. By directly challenging Trump, a Muslim immigrant man might be Trump’s most forceful opponent so far.

Mariam Jaffery

Mariam was an Executive Assistant at Law Street Media and a native of Northern Virginia. She has a B.A. in International Affairs with a minor in Business Administration from George Washington University. Contact Mariam at mjaffery@lawstreetmedia.com.

The post Are the Parents of a Fallen Muslim Soldier Trump’s Biggest Threat? appeared first on Law Street.

Both Donald Trump and Eric Trump have made some truly upsetting comments about women and workplace sexual harassment over the last few days–statements that show that neither have any idea about the issues that many women face in the workplace. And it’s worth asking: is this the kind of treatment women can expect in the Trumps’ America?

It all started when Donald Trump was asked about the sexual harassment allegations against Roger Ailes, the head of Fox News, who is stepping down as chairman and CEO. Chuck Todd was interviewing Trump and asked about his thoughts on the allegations against Ailes, and Trump spouted off some routine victim-blamey rhetoric about how women who praised Ailes in the past couldn’t possibly have done so if he had been less than polite to them in any way. Trump said:

Some of the women that are complaining, I know how much he’s helped them…And when they write books….and say wonderful things about him….[N]ow, all of a sudden, they’re saying these horrible things about him.

Trump, is obviously ignoring the fact that oftentimes women have to turn a blind eye to inappropriate behavior or sexual harassment from a boss or higher up at a company if they fear retribution at work in any way.

Then, Kirsten Powers, a journalist for USA Today, followed up with Trump on the topic. She framed it as a more personal issue–how would he feel if his beloved daughter, Ivanka, experienced sexual harassment at work. His answer?

He hopes that she would find a new job.

Let that sink in for a minute.

Trump is advocating that if a woman experiences harassment at work, it should be on her to go out and find a new job. Never mind the fact that she could have to relocate for this new job, could have to give up other work relationships she has cultivated, will have to consider whether she can transfer her benefits, and so many other related issues. Nope, it’s on the woman to leave that environment, not on men to treat women fairly in the workplace.

Then, Trump’s son, Eric Trump, was asked a similar question. He was asked by Charlie Rose whether a woman leaving her job was really the solution his father was advocating for, or whether “perhaps, a better answer would be drawing it to the attention of Human Resources and other things that we can do with regard to sexual harassment in the workplace.” The younger Trump’s response was just as illuminating–he said:

Hey, listen, we all run a company, my father runs a company, we take this – that is an absolute no-go anywhere, and that’s very much the case. I think what he’s saying is, Ivanka is a strong, powerful woman, she wouldn’t allow herself to be objected to it, and by the way, you should take it up with Human Resources, and I think she would as a strong person, at the same time, I don’t think she would allow herself to be subjected to that. I think that’s a point he was making, and I think he did so well.

So while Eric Trump conceded that if someone is being harassed they should take it up with HR, he also managed to imply that only non-strong women “allow” themselves to be subjected to sexual harassment. Again, the younger Trump puts on the onus of sexual harassment on women–not men.

Suppose that Trump does become president. What does this mean for his presidency? What if a woman in say, his cabinet, is sexually harassed, is she supposed to leave that job? Is it because she’s a weak woman? That’s obviously an extreme example, but as we get closer to the general election in November, it’s worth asking–will Trump’s actions speak as loud as his words?

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Let’s Talk About the Trump Family’s WTF Comments on Sexual Harassment appeared first on Law Street.

The internet is not convinced that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has ever sacrificed anything, after Trump criticized the Gold Star family who spoke at the Democratic National Convention last week.

Khizr Khan stole the show at the DNC Thursday, when he said Donald Trump has “sacrificed nothing and no one,” and questioned if Trump has read the U.S. Constitution. Trump responded to the speech during an interview with ABC News’ “This Week,” where he criticized Khizr and his wife Ghazala–the Muslim American parents of a soldier killed in Iraq–claiming Ghazala remained silent during the speech because she “wasn’t allowed to speak,” and that he’s “made a lot of sacrifices!“

Unfortunately, no one seems to believe him.

Twitter quickly started mocking the billionaire’s supposed sacrifices with a string of sarcastic tweets using the trending hashtag #TrumpSacrifices. Here are the top ten #TrumpSacrifices from the hashtag:

His Stock Pile of Aqua Net

Once survived an entire weekend at Mar-a-Lago with just one can of hairspray. #TrumpSacrifices

— Paul Begala (@PaulBegala) July 30, 2016

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Twitter Defends Khan Family, Mocks #TrumpSacrifices appeared first on Law Street.

This year, Law Street Media is attending both the RNC and DNC conventions, and bringing Law Street readers the inside scoop. We’ll be doing day-by-day rundowns and exclusive features. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat for even more content.

Here’s a look at the second day of the festivities, courtesy of Law Street reporters Alexis Evans and Anneliese Mahoney:

Protests Continued Around Philly

Given the divisive nature of the Democratic National Convention, protests continued around the city of Philadelphia for much of the time we were there. These events ranged from showing continued support for Bernie Sanders, to demonstrations against Israel, to protests against drone warfare. Here are some pictures from near the Pennsylvania Convention Center, where part of the convention took place:

Image courtesy of Anneliese Mahoney for Law Street Media

Image courtesy of Alexis Evans for Law Street Media

Was this the Most Powerful Speech of the Convention?

Hillary Clinton was, quite obviously, billed as the headliner for the last night of the DNC. But one of the most powerful speeches came from Khizr Khan, the father of Army Captain Humayun Khan. Captain Khan, a Muslim American, died serving our country in Iraq. Khan’s powerful speech was possibly one of the strongest rebukes against Donald Trump yet–everyone particularly loved the moment when he challenged whether the Republican nominee has ever read the U.S. Constitution, and then offered Trump his own pocket version. Put simply: if you want to see one of the best moments of the convention, you need to watch this speech.

A DNC highlight: Khizr Khan spoke as a Muslim father who had lost his son in war. Here’s the full video https://t.co/EabNEsIYzX

— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) July 29, 2016

Hillary Clinton’s Speech Riled up the Crowd

Clinton’s speech seemingly started a bit slow, but quickly picked up gusto. But regardless of what you think of Clinton’s politics, it truly was a historic moment. Watching Clinton accept the Democratic nomination on the national stage was a monumental moment for many women (and men!) in the U.S. Here are some of the reactions:

@HillaryClinton we noticed the historical reference in wearing all white. We feminists thank you. #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/bd78CDaFvb

— Laurel Davila, CPA (@laureldavilacpa) July 29, 2016

A woman’s place is in the White House. #ImWithHer

— Nev Schulman (@NevSchulman) July 29, 2016

My great grandmother walked 10 mi from her farm 2B among the first women allowed to vote. Think about that & how far we’ve come. #ImWithHer

— (((#BoycottTrump))) (@puppymnkey) July 29, 2016

My wife and two daughters watching. My youngest daughter asked, “Is she taking on that bad man?” #ImWithHerpic.twitter.com/SrdkLEwIvw

— Geoffrey Colon (@djgeoffe) July 29, 2016

We Performed a Card Stunt?

When we arrived at the arena last night, there were packages taped to all of our chairs. Was it a present?

No, it was a “card stunt.” Here were the instructions:

Image courtesy of Anneliese Mahoney for Law Street Media

Then we received instructions about what exactly we were supposed to do–which were unnecessarily long and complicated when the point was just “when we say so, hold up your card.”

When it came time to do the “card stunt” it didn’t go so well, mostly because a lot of people had opened their cards beforehand, a lot of people didn’t try, and also because honestly, trying to get about 50,000 people to hold things up in unison is very tricky.

[P] Analysts are still trying to decipher what that final card stunt at the DNC was supposed to spell.

— Paul and Storm (@paulandstorm) July 29, 2016

But, in case you were wondering, here was what it looked like to those of us who held up our cards: 

Image courtesy of Anneliese Mahoney for Law Street Media

THERE WERE SO MANY BALLOONS

After Clinton’s speech, a bunch of balloons were released from the ceiling. This was very exciting.

THERE ARE SO MANY BALLOONS #DemsInPhillypic.twitter.com/5kEP5ocDl8

— Anneliese Mahoney (@amahoney8672) July 29, 2016

But we weren’t the only ones who were excited. The politicians down on the floor had a wonderful time playing with the massive balloons as well, particularly Vice Presidential nominee Tim Kaine.

Tim Kaine is just lettin’ loose! https://t.co/LIFy6wWHVG

— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) July 29, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post What’s up at the DNC?: Law Street’s Day 4 Coverage appeared first on Law Street.

Dear Members of the Bernie or Bust Movement,

We’ve seen you in full force at the Democratic National Convention this week. Whether you were sobbing as the live camera coverage panned over your section of the crowd, silently sitting with duct tape over your mouth, or booing every time anyone at the DNC said something positive about Hillary Clinton, this letter is for you. Listen up, because before the November elections you all have a choice to make, and it’s an important one. Who are you going to vote for? Because, as I’m sure you all know somewhere deep down inside, doing nothing is not going to cut it.

It’s time to take a look at some of this week’s most savage Bernie or Bust attacks and hash out exactly why you all need to grow up and get on board with someone (hopefully Hillary) this election cycle.

The first big blow to Bernie babies was Sarah Silverman’s shoutout earlier this week.

In direct response to the nonsensical “Bernie!” chants that have been disrupting the convention all week, Silverman politely says what we’ve all been thinking: “to the Bernie or bust people you’re being ridiculous.” While it may sound harsh, it’s the truth. On the unity themed night of the DNC none of this Bernie nonsense should have been happening, period. If the Democratic Party wants any chance at defeating Trump, togetherness is going to be the only way to accomplish it–and that does not allow for any of your disruptive Bernie ridiculousness. Judging by the eruption of cheers after Silverman squashed the Bernie chants, I would say a lot of convention-goers agree with her.

If you want a more scripted take on why you’re being ridiculous, check out Seth Meyers’ new segment “Hey!,” which explains exactly why we need you on board with Hillary this fall.

Meyers quickly points out exactly why we need you on our side, Bernie Bros. We do not have time to fight over who should be the one to stop “racist demagogue” Donald Trump from taking office–we just need someone to do it. And, newsflash, that someone is not going to be Bernie Sanders.

Look, I know you’re Bernie or bust but the results are in. Bust won. We don’t have time for this. Donald Trump is ahead in the polls. The house is on fire; stop crying because we’re not putting it out with your hose.

Meyers also points out that you all have done a great job! Part of the reason Sanders stayed in the race as long as he did was to weave his goals for the Democratic Party into Hillary’s platform and he did just that. We now have what is perhaps the most progressive party platform the nation has ever seen. Take pride in that fact and get behind the platform, no matter who the figurehead of it happens to be.

Finally, we heard from the big man himself–President Obama. While his statements may not have been directly in response to the Bernie or Bust movement, they apply to you all oh so well. Stop booing. Stop it.

If you are out there booing, put your voice to better use! We get it. You’ve poured your heart and soul into what Sanders supported and continues to support. You’ve been with him from the beginning and it feels impossible to let go. But, quite honestly, it’s time to get over yourselves. It’s time to take off the robin hood hats, put down the nasty signs, rip off that duct tape over your mouths and let your voices be heard! Donald Trump can NOT be our next president.

If you want an even more progressive platform, fight for it. If you want Sanders’ ideas to be more prevalent in our government, fight for them. Just like Obama said in his speech at the DNC, it’s time for everyone to be as vocal, organized and persistent as you all, Bernie supporters, have been. If there’s one thing you can be certain of this election season, it’s that there is no way in hell a Donald Trump presidency is going to bring you closer to the progressive goals you so fervently seek to promote.

So, with all the love in the world (from a former Bernie lover and a hesitant Hillary supporter), it’s time to cut it out, Bernie-or-Busties. Get with the program and pick a side to be on rather than causing a ruckus. Even though you won’t have a President Sanders come November, you will have a president. Take a stand and have a voice in who that person will be and think about who is most likely to bring Americans a living wage, racial justice, and some political reform in the next few years. My bet is you may not settle on Trump.

Best of luck, both to you and, quite frankly, all of us.

Alexandra Simone

Alex Simone is an Editorial Senior Fellow at Law Street and a student at The George Washington University, studying Political Science. She is passionate about law and government, but also enjoys the finer things in life like watching crime dramas and enjoying a nice DC brunch. Contact Alex at ASimone@LawStreetmedia.com

The post An Open Letter to Members of the Bernie or Bust Movement appeared first on Law Street.

This year, Law Street Media is attending both the RNC and DNC conventions, and bringing Law Street readers the inside scoop. We’ll be doing day-by-day rundowns and exclusive features. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat for even more content.

Here’s a look at the third day of the festivities, courtesy of Law Street reporters Alexis Evans and Anneliese Mahoney:

Big Tech Presence at DNC

Several tech companies, including Facebook, Twitter, and Microsoft, set up shop inside the Wells Fargo Center for the Democratic National Convention. The arena quickly turned into an analytics lover’s paradise, as each company seemingly competed for the award for biggest data tech screen.

Microsoft Station Courtesy of Anneliese Mahoney for Law Street Media

#TweetShop Courtesy of Alexis Evans for Law Street Media

Pokémon Go Break

In between speeches I had time to quickly catch a cp 36 Rattata that was hiding in a camera guys lap. Hey, Ash told me I “gotta catch em’ all” right?

Image Courtesy of Alexis Evans for Law Street Media

Bernie Protesters Take Over the Media Tent…Again

For the second night in a row, protesters took over the media tent. They were protesting the fact that Nina Turner, a Sanders’ delegate and backer, was allegedly blocked from being one of Sanders’ nominators.

Image courtesy of Anneliese Mahoney for Law Street Media

A few celebrities even joined the protest, including Danny Glover, Susan Sarandon, and Rosario Dawson.

Image courtesy of Anneliese Mahoney for Law Street Media

Gun Violence Theme

There was a strong gun violence theme day three at the convention. Democrats called upon the mother of one of the Pulse nightclub victims in Orlando, the daughter of  the slain Sandy Hook Elementary principal, two of the three survivors from the Mother Emanuel Church shooting in Charleston, SC, and Gabby Giffords to rally support against the gun lobby.

Watch Christine Leinonen, mother of Pulse victim Christopher “Drew” Leinonen, give an emotional plea for gun control below:

Christine Leinonen’s son died in the Orlando shooting; she made an emotional plea about gun control at the @DNCinPHLhttps://t.co/OzFmhuMCWR

— Business Insider (@businessinsider) July 28, 2016

Joe Biden Loves the Word Malarkey

Biden made a clear case against Donald Trump last night, calling out the Republican nominee’s “malarkey” and “you’re fired” catchphrase.

VP Joe Biden calls out Donald Trump’s ‘malarkey,’ says he ‘has no clue.’ https://t.co/ZlJFcMn4hn #DemConvention https://t.co/CaVzWLXtob

— ABC News (@ABC) July 28, 2016

Tim Kaine Became the DNC’s Dad

When Hillary’s VP first stepped onto the DNC stage Wednesday night, he was still a relatively unknown senator from Virginia to many Americans. But thanks to some smooth Spanish, hilarious “believe me” Trump impersonations, and corny Dad jokes, Tim Kaine quickly won over the crowd–becoming the DNC’s newly appointed dad. Here are some of Twitter’s best dad jokes during Kaine’s speech:

Tim Kaine absolutely SCOURED Consumer Reports to get the BEST car seat for his kid

— Charlie Warzel (@cwarzel) July 28, 2016

Tim Kaine is your friend’s dad who catches you smoking weed at a sleepover and doesn’t rat you out but talks to you about brain development

— PJ Vogt (@PJVogt) July 28, 2016

Tim Kaine just wants one word alone with your prom date.

— Jordan Weissmann (@JHWeissmann) July 28, 2016

Tim Kaine really wants you to have a good time at this party but would ask that you just remember to use a coaster!!!!!!

— Kevin O’Keeffe (@kevinpokeeffe) July 28, 2016

Tim Kaine comes off as that super goofy high school teacher who always made terrible jokes and is also the reason you got to go to college.

— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) July 28, 2016

Obama and Hillary Hug

Unlike Monday and Tuesday, every seat in the stadium was filled in anticipation for the president’s speech Wednesday night–and he sure delivered. Obama warned the American public against electing Trump, declaring “America is already great!” Obama stated,”Our power doesn’t come from some self-declared savior promising that he alone can restore order. We don’t look to be ruled.” 

Obama then gave a strong endorsement of his formal rival saying,

I can say with confidence there has never been a man or a woman–not me, not Bill, nobody–more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as President of the United States of America.

At the conclusion of Obama’s speech, Hillary surprised the audience by joining him onstage for a warm embrace. Looks like some rivals can truly become friends.

Hillary Clinton joins President Obama on DNC stage after his speech #DemsInPhilly pic.twitter.com/fQOhrPd2aT

— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) July 28, 2016

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post What’s up at the DNC?: Law Street’s Day 3 Coverage appeared first on Law Street.

For Bernie button collectors and Hillary diehards, the Democratic National Convention is the mother of all opportunities for Democrats to show their favorite politicians some love by donning their best DNC outfits. Here is a collection of  some of the best dressed attendees we found over the course of the convention.

Red, White, and Bernie

Mississippi delegate is decked out in red, white, and blue to show her support for Bernie Sanders.

Image Courtesy of Alexis Evans for Law Street Media

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Inside the DNC: A Look at Some of the Best Dressed Attendees appeared first on Law Street.

As attention turns to the Democratic Party while it hosts its convention this week, Donald Trump made a move to take back some of the spotlight. In a bizarre press conference, often featuring Trump’s stream of consciousness speaking style, he suggested that Russia should seek out Hillary Clinton’s deleted emails–in effect, asking a foreign nation to spy on the email correspondence of a U.S. secretary of state.

“Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press,” Trump said–referring to an estimated 30,000 emails that were deleted from Clinton’s email server before it was turned over to the FBI.

Here’s the clip from C-SPAN for some additional context:

Donald Trump: “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.”https://t.co/XHc9hh4gBt

— CSPAN (@cspan) July 27, 2016

His comments come at a striking time: a recent hack of the Democratic Party’s servers led to a massive release of internal emails sent by party leaders. The emails were published by WikiLeaks and although the source of the hack remains unknown, cyber security experts and American intelligence agencies strongly suspect that Russians were involved.

However, at his press conference on Wednesday, Trump noted that no one knows for sure who was behind the attack and argued that Russia probably wasn’t involved. He also took the opportunity to call the current Democratic leadership weak, noting that if Russias were involved, the hack shows that they don’t respect the U.S. government.

Interestingly, shortly after Trump made his comments at the press conference, his running mate–Indiana Governor Mike Pence–issued a statement saying, “If it is Russia and they are interfering in our elections, I can assure you both parties and the United States government will ensure there are serious consequences.” Speaker of the House Paul Ryan issued a similar statement denouncing any potential Russian involvement. “Russia is a global menace led by a devious thug. Putin should stay out of this election,” a spokesperson for Paul Ryan said.

The leak has been particularly embarrassing for the Democratic Party. The emails provided evidence that, among other things, the party failed to live up to its neutrality claims in the primary race between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Shortly after the documents were released, DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Shultz resigned and the rift between the Democratic Party and many Bernie Sanders supporters deepened.

Given the timing of the DNC email leak and its potential ties to the Russian government, many are deeply concerned that it reflects an effort by a foreign government to influence the outcome of a major American election. The decision to release the emails shortly before the Democratic Convention in Philadelphia appears to have been made to have the largest political effect. Indeed, the scandal may have added to many voters dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party and its handling of the primary campaign, which recently culminated in protests at the party’s convention early this week.

Meanwhile, Trump appears to have doubled down on his call for Russia to find Clinton’s deleted emails. Shortly after his speech, Trump sent out the following Tweet:

If Russia or any other country or person has Hillary Clinton’s 33,000 illegally deleted emails, perhaps they should share them with the FBI!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 27, 2016

The Clinton campaign recently started suggesting that Trump’s relationship with Russia may be cause for concern. “He certainly has a bromance with Mr. Putin,” Clinton Campaign Chairman John Podesta said of Trump on Tuesday. But when asked, Trump quickly said he had no business dealings in Russia. And Paul Manafort, his campaign manager, recently labeled the implication that Trump has ties with the Russian government “absurd.”

Whether Trump’s recent comments are merely a way to steal attention away from Clinton during her party’s convention or if–to borrow a phrase from Trump–“something else is going on,” well, that’s for you to decide.

Kevin Rizzo

Kevin Rizzo is the Crime in America Editor at Law Street Media. An Ohio Native, the George Washington University graduate is a founding member of the company. Contact Kevin at krizzo@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Trump Calls on Russia to Find Clinton’s Deleted Emails appeared first on Law Street.

This year, Law Street Media is attending both the RNC and DNC conventions, and bringing Law Street readers the inside scoop. We’ll be doing day-by-day rundowns and exclusive features. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat for even more content.

Here’s a look at the second day of the festivities, courtesy of Law Street reporters Alexis Evans and Anneliese Mahoney:

There was a Gender Neutral Bathroom, Without Any Fuss

Image courtesy of Anneliese Mahoney for Law Street Media

Given all the of the hubbub about gender neutral bathrooms in the U.S. this past year, it was a nice “f you” to the GOP to see a gender neutral  bathroom at the DNC.

Of course, some conservative attendees of the DNC were freaked out by the horror. Personally I went in, and wasn’t surprised to see no less than five drug-filled orgies.

I’m kidding. It was just a bathroom.

Hillary Clinton Became the Democratic Nominee After a Delightful Roll Call Vote

Have you ever wanted to see a bunch of adults–some of them famous and important politicians–grin and recite fun facts about their states? If your answer is yes, look no further than the roll call vote held today. DNC Secretary Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who is also the Mayor of Baltimore, asked each state and territory (in alphabetical order) to cast their votes for either Hillary Clinton, or Bernie Sanders.

Some delegates had passionate messages for the group assembled, like DC’s Mayor Muriel Bowser, who used the moment to rally for DC statehood.

Mayor @MurielBowser casts 5 votes for @BernieSanders & 39 votes for @HillaryClinton & full support for #DCStatehoodpic.twitter.com/RV6kCQdN9X

— John J. Falcicchio (@falcicchio) July 26, 2016

Others had deeply personal moments, like Hillary Clinton’s childhood friend Betsy Ebeling speaking for Illinois:

HRC’s childhood best friend Betsy Ebeling doing roll call for Illinois gave me all the feels ❤️ #DemConvention https://t.co/fnwC1qEByf

— Sarah Lerner (@SarahLerner) July 26, 2016

And Bernie Sanders’ brother, Larry Sanders, spoke for the Democrats abroad. He currently resides in the UK and is affiliated with the Green Party of England and Wales.

An emotional Larry Sanders cast a vote for his brother Bernie at the DNC: https://t.co/QwxtEQFo8lhttps://t.co/PqAP5Bz5dw

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) July 26, 2016

#DemsInPhilly even if this roll call serves no real purpose other than being endearing, it’s certainly changed the mood in here.

— Anneliese Mahoney (@amahoney8672) July 26, 2016

Hillary Officially Became the Nominee

Hillary Clinton made history today. She is the first woman to be nominated for president of the United States by a major party.

History. pic.twitter.com/1ayWTx8SPH

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 26, 2016

But Not Everyone was Happy

Image courtesy of Alexis Evans for Law Street Media

As we moved through the roll call vote, many Sanders supporters decided to show their frustration by staging a walkout and then sitting down in the media tent. For a look at the protest, check out Law Street Media’s coverage here.

Mothers of the Movement Moved Arena to Tears

While the Bernie sit-in was still underway inside and outside of the media tent, the crowd inside the arena erupted into chants of “Black lives matter” as the Mothers of the Movement–a collection of black women whose children had been killed in police shootings or by gun violence–took the stage to endorse Hillary Clinton and share stories of their slain children.

This is a pretty profound moment. The “Mothers of the Movement” on stage at the DNC. pic.twitter.com/SrMyPOSGms

— Trymaine Lee (@trymainelee) July 27, 2016

The nine women included: Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin; Geneva Reed-Veal, the mother of Sandra Bland; Lucy McBath, the mother of Jordan Davis; Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner; Cleopatra Pendleton, the mother of Hadiya; Maria Hamilton, the mother of Dontre; Lezley McSpadden, the mother of Michael Brown; and Wanda Johnson, the mother of Oscar Grant.

Fulton dismissed concerns that the women were being used by the Clinton campaign as political pawns saying:

This isn’t about being politically correct. It’s about protecting our children. That’s why we’re here tonight with Hillary Clinton. And that’s why, in the memory of our children, we are imploring you — all of you — to vote in this election.Hillary is the one mother who can ensure our movement will succeed.

‘This isn’t about being politically correct’: Watch Trayvon Martin’s mother make an emotional plea at the DNChttps://t.co/wTZhdtmclK

— Business Insider (@businessinsider) July 27, 2016

Bill Clinton Shares Really Long Love Story

Former President Bill Clinton officially became the first man to give a first lady speech with a really, really, long retelling of his and Hillary’s love story.

“Third time was the charm”- says @billclinton on asking @HillaryClinton to marry him #DNC

— Alexis Evans (@Lex_vans) July 27, 2016

Bill documented what seemed like each year with Hillary including moving Chelsea into college in 1997 and the later events of 1999, but unsurprisingly fast forwarding over 1998’s Monica Lewinsky scandal. All in all Bill’s speech was clearly an attempt to humanize Hillary with voters, and I think he succeeded.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post What’s up at the DNC?: Law Street’s Day 2 Coverage appeared first on Law Street.

Here at the DNC, there’s a cushy little area for the press. Giant tents, creature comforts like snacks and water, and (most importantly) enough charging stations for our phones/laptops/tablets/obscene amount of technology we lug around. The DNC media tent is, for many, a peaceful workspace, and a quiet respite from the complete and utter craziness that is the Democratic National Convention.

Tonight it was a little less peaceful.

Sanders supporters walked out of the convention in protest after Hillary Clinton became the official Democratic nominee, and ended up staging a sit in inside and around the media tent.

Here are some scenes from the protest:

Image courtesy of Anneliese Mahoney for Law Street Media

Image courtesy of Anneliese Mahoney for Law Street Media

Image courtesy of Anneliese Mahoney for Law Street Media

Image courtesy of Anneliese Mahoney for Law Street Media

Image courtesy of Alexis Evans for Law Street Media

Many of the protesters were the picture of tranquility, with taped mouths, or cloths wrapped around their faces. Many clutched each others’ hands, while others held signs ranging from protesting TPP to outright animosity toward Hillary Clinton.

Image courtesy of Anneliese Mahoney for Law Street Media

Fellow Law Streeter Alexis Evans talked to a protester, 20-year-old Caitlin Gladwell, who explained that the protest was arranged via social media, around when the North Dakota delegates were announced. She explained that there wasn’t a theme to the protest, saying:  “No it was just meant to be a walkout, saying we are walking out of there, we’re not going to lie down and accept this decision by the DNC.” When asked if she could ever see herself actually voting for Hillary Clinton she stated:

I don’t know. I will have to go home and do a lot of self thought a lot of research and see what her actions are in the coming months. The number one thing she could do is come clean and take responsibility for the email scandals. And then maybe some of us might considering trusting her.

Stay updated on the conventions by following Law Street on Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat for even more content.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Sanders Supporters Take Over DNC Media Tent to Protest Clinton’s Nomination appeared first on Law Street.

This year, Law Street Media is attending both the RNC and DNC conventions, and bringing Law Street readers the inside scoop. We’ll be doing day-by-day rundowns and exclusive features. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat for even more content.

Here’s a look at the first day of the festivities, courtesy of Law Street reporters Alexis Evans and Anneliese Mahoney:

A View of the Convention Center

Delegates, supporters, and press waited in lines to attend several caucus and council events throughout the day at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Image Courtesy of Anneliese Mahoney for Law Street Media

Best Supporter Outfits

Image Courtesy of Alexis Evans for Law Street Media

Image Courtesy of Alexis Evans for Law Street Media

Convention goers in Philly got decked out in festive campaign apparel to advocate for both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. One Clinton supporter from Hillary’s hometown of Chappaqua, New York had a “Yaaas-worthy” shirt, while these Bernie supporters from Maine rocked crocheted Bernie beer caps. Check back later for more coverage on the best DNC outfits in Philly.

Who Said It: Trump Vs. Internet Troll

NARAL Pro-Choice America enticed people to its booth with this “Who Said It: Trump vs. Internet Troll” misogyny themed poster.

Image Courtesy of Alexis Evans for Law Street Media

Wet Hot American Summer

Image Courtesy of Alexis Evans for Law Street Media

So far this has been one wet, hot American summer, and the Democratic National Convention was no exception. The city of Philadelphia kicked off the DNC with an excessive heat warning, as temperatures climbed well above 90 degrees.  The sticky temps made waiting in line for shuttles from the Pennsylvania Convention Center to the Wells Fargo Center close to unbearable. Once the buses finally arrived, sweaty, frustrated delegates, who had been waiting for over an hour due to heavy traffic and Bernie supporters’ protests, pushed and shoved their way toward the buses. The disorganized mess lead to some heated exchanges between convention goers and volunteers. Later that evening, day one’s weather was capped off by some intense thunderstorms and flash flood warnings, which forced the media tents outside of the convention to evacuate. Philly appears to be rebelling against the democrats’ convention.

At #DNCinPHL, there’s been 95°+ weather and flash floods because nothing says “hey guys our democracy is fine” like apocalyptic weather.

— Anneliese Mahoney (@amahoney8672) July 25, 2016

What’s Next for Bernie Sanders Supporters

Walking around the Democratic National Convention today, one thing was abundantly clear–despite the fact that Hillary Clinton is the presumptive Democratic nominee, delegates that showed up to support Sanders aren’t going to take this convention sitting down. Almost everywhere we went there were people decked out in full on Bernie gear, chants erupted at the drop of a hat, and Bernie Sanders’ rally–during which he tried to push for party unity–ended with his supporters booing him for that sentiment. And observing all of that today, feeling the palpable tension in the crowd, and seeing hundreds of supporters burst into chants, it’s hard not to wonder what could possibly come next.

Here’s the scene as Sanders tried to push his fans to support Hillary:

BERNIE: “We have got to defeat Donald Trump, & we have to got to elect Hillary Clinton & Tim Kaine.”
CROWD: pic.twitter.com/uYpi1yex3L

— David Mack (@davidmackau) July 25, 2016

After that response, Sanders also sent out an email to his supporters, urging them to stay calm at the convention.

Here’s the email version of the text Bernie Sanders sent to delegates this afternoon (via @kasie) #DemsInPhillypic.twitter.com/zr8ZO8uQeF

— Monica Alba (@albamonica) July 25, 2016

Yet, a handful of Sanders supporters have gotten arrested, and there are still plenty of protests going on at the DNC.

Hashtag Controversy

Twitter had trouble committing to an official DNC hashtag Monday. Hopefully Philly can figure it out before the convention’s over.

CAN WE PLEASE AGREE ON ONE HASHTAG FOR THIS THING?!? #DemConvention #DemsInPhilly #DNCinPHL

— Ellie Hall (@ellievhall) July 25, 2016

Michelle Obama’s Epic Takedown of Trump–Without Ever Saying his Name

Michelle Obama was one of the primary speakers of the night, and made a compelling argument about why we shouldn’t vote for Trump. While plenty of viewers made Melania Trump plagiarism jokes during the first lady’s speech, many others commented on the elegance and weight of her rhetoric.

She said:

That is the story of this country, the story that has brought me to this stage tonight, the story of generations of people who felt the lash of bondage, the shame of servitude, the sting of segregation, but who kept on striving and hoping and doing what needed to be done so that today I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves. And I watch my daughters, two beautiful, intelligent, black young women playing with their dogs on the White House lawn. And because of Hillary Clinton, my daughters and all our sons and daughters now take for granted that a woman can be president of the United States.

After an evening where many of the speakers were left with some level of discontent–boos abounded during many of the earlier speeches, mostly from voters who aren’t #WithHer–Obama’s speech was almost universally beloved.

“If they go low we go high” @MichelleObama filled me with hope for people, not just this current outcome What a supreme champion. #DNCinPHL

— Minnie Driver (@driverminnie) July 26, 2016

Why can’t Michelle Obama just be the next president? She is seriously the best option

— Camilla Long (@camillalong) July 26, 2016

Incredible speech by an incredible woman. Couldn’t be more proud & our country has been blessed to have her as FLOTUS. I love you, Michelle.

— President Obama (@POTUS) July 26, 2016

Bernie Sanders Called for Party Unity

Bernie Sanders called for the party to come together to support Hillary Clinton when he gave the final speech last night. When he took the stage, a lot of people were really freaking out. 

Some Bernie Sanders supporters looking super emotional … crying in the crowd pic.twitter.com/yDhJ7CEbxO

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) July 26, 2016

Photos & Memes: Crying Bernie Sanders’ Supporters at DNC https://t.co/GRbudCDIJIpic.twitter.com/GAalZG96pZ

— PoliticsS2 (@Politic2k) July 26, 2016

Sanders speech, as expected, was a strong approval of Clinton–he didn’t have a “Ted Cruz” moment and refuse to endorse her. But Sanders is now still faced with the rather monumental task of getting his supporters to calm down. Maybe Sarah Silverman can help.

Sarah Silverman: “To the Bernie or bust people — you’re being ridiculous” https://t.co/gyUMMophnv #DemsInPhilly https://t.co/NZTj1DHUcM

— CNN (@CNN) July 26, 2016

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post What’s up at the DNC?: Law Street’s Day 1 Coverage appeared first on Law Street.

This year, Law Street Media is attending both the RNC and DNC conventions, and bringing Law Street readers the inside scoop. We’ll be doing day-by-day rundowns and exclusive features. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat for even more content.

Here’s a look at the fourth day of the festivities, courtesy of Law Street reporters Kevin Rizzo and Alec Siegel:

Still Not Many Protesters, But Those Who Came Out Weren’t Messing Around

Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media

Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media

Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media

Peter Thiel Talked About Gay Rights

Businessman Peter Thiel took the stage and spoke about his identity as a gay man. He made history, stating: “Every American has a unique identity. I am proud to be gay. I am proud to be a Republican, but most of all I am proud to be an American.”

While Thiel’s speech applauded Trump for not getting distracted with social issues, the GOP platform runs contrary to that message. We’ll have to see if the Republicans heed Thiel’s advice come fall.

Donald Trump Finally Took to the Stage

Check out a look at the facts (and the not-so-true) facts in Trump’s speech here.

We Got Really Excited About Balloons

At the end of Trump’s terrifying speech, a bunch of balloons were released from the ceiling. This was a highlight.

I think I just took more than 50 pictures of balloons

— Kevin Rizzo (@kevinrizzo10) July 22, 2016

But the balloons also felt a little out of place after Trump’s long and serious acceptance speech. In total Trump spoke for over an hour, giving prepared remarks on topics ranging from crime and lawlessness to trade deals.

Bernie Was Watching too

#RNCwithBerniepic.twitter.com/x5nuSI6AuN

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 22, 2016

Sanders live-Tweeted Trump’s acceptance speech and laid down some pretty strong criticism. Here’s his most popular Tweet:

Trump: “I alone can fix this.”
Is this guy running for president or dictator? #RNCwithBernie

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 22, 2016

He even reached across the aisle to bash Trump:

Looks like Ted Cruz was right about one thing. Trump does not understand what the Constitution is about. #RNCwithBernie

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 22, 2016

In the End, We’ve Got Our Matchup

Image courtesy of Kevin Rizzo for Law Street Media

As the RNC comes to a close we turn our heads to Philadelphia, which hosts the Democratic National Convention next week. Hillary Clinton is expected to announce her running mate as early as today, at which point the tickets for both major parties will be established. Check back here for more of Law Street’s convention coverage next week.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post What’s up at the RNC?: Law Street’s Day 4 Coverage appeared first on Law Street.

This year, Law Street Media is attending both the RNC and DNC conventions, and bringing Law Street readers the inside scoop. We’ll be doing day-by-day rundowns and exclusive features. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat for even more content.

Here’s a look at the third day of the festivities, courtesy of Law Street reporters Kevin Rizzo and Alec Siegel:

The big story of the evening, of course, was Ted Cruz’s speech…

Maybe His Nickname Should Be ‘Stubborn Ted’?

Wednesday evening’s theme was “Make American First Again.” Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, in one of the more anticipated speeches of the convention, struck that chord, but mainly just ruffled delegates’ feathers as he glazed over Donald Trump, his eyes dead set on a 2020 run. Cruz spent most of his speech expounding on freedom and American values, and the role of limited government:

America is more than just a land mass between two oceans, America is an ideal. A simple, yet powerful ideal. Freedom matters. For much of human history government power has been the unavoidable constant in life. Government decrees and the people obey, but not here. We have no king or queen, we have no dictator, we the people constrain government. Our nation is exceptional because it was built on the five most beautiful and powerful words in the English language, ‘I want to be free.’

And while he did congratulate the man who christened him ‘Lyin’ Ted’ during the bruising spring campaign season, Cruz did not explicitly endorse Trump. According to media outlets who received advanced transcripts of Cruz’s speech, Trump knew about the non-endorsement as early as Monday. The NYT reported that Trump called Cruz Monday evening in an attempt to secure his support.

Now that we’ve seen Trump’s negotiating skills with Cruz’s convention speech I can’t wait to see our new trade deals #TheArtOfTheDeal

— Kevin Rizzo (@kevinrizzo10) July 21, 2016

Delegates on the floor showered Cruz with boos and chants of “Say it!” and “Trump!” as it became clear he would not endorse the man who–after an emphatic roll call on Tuesday–will be the official Republican torchbearer come November. As Cruz spoke, the interior of Quicken Loans Arena seemingly shook with the near unanimous discontent from delegates. “I appreciate the enthusiasm of the New York delegation,” Cruz cracked. But it seemed like all 50 states and U.S. territories jeered in unison.

WATCH: Ted Cruz doubles down on not explicitly endorsing Donald Trump at #RNCinCLEhttps://t.co/HrVIVjljlkhttps://t.co/qF83Q6ASEK

— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) July 21, 2016

And of course, this quote garnered quite a few boos for Cruz: 

.@tedcruz met with boos after saying “vote your conscience” instead of saying Trump’s name https://t.co/yTgdsGVcSx

— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) July 21, 2016

The Crowd Seemed to Enjoy the Music Selections

We Met Some Festively-Dressed Delegates

The conventions have long been known as spots for delegates to show off their patriotic fashion choices.

Here are delegates from the American Virgin Islands (left) and Hawaii (right).

Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media

Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media

Police Officers Everywhere you Turn

Police officers from all over the country have a large presence in downtown Cleveland this week. I’ve spotted officers from bordering states like West Virginia and Pennsylvania as well as from states as far as Montana and California. While it’s hard to tell if this event is different from other conventions, the number of officers is particularly striking. There are officers everywhere you look, and so far, they have taken an active approach to maintaining law and order.

Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media

As is the case when a city hosts any major event, outside law enforcement officers are called in to help maintain order and respond to potential disruptions. But in the wake of high-profile and highly polarizing shootings, both of and by police officers, the tone is decidedly different. I’ve seen many people stop to thank police officers and when groups of officers walk down the street or around the convention area many have even been met with applause. That message is prominent in many of this week’s speeches, with frequent references to Blue Lives matter and some offering a full-throated defense of police officers.

A Few Protests But Nothing Big Yet

Image courtesy of Kevin Rizzo via Law Street Media

There were two incidents in particular when I noticed the overwhelming number of police officers. On Tuesday afternoon, competing protests drew large crowds in Cleveland’s Public Square. Before things escalated further police officers blocked off the square’s perimeter and filled the interior. They allowed protesters to leave but didn’t let anyone pass the barrier. Over time the situation diffused and police officers outnumbered protesters in the square.

Image courtesy of Kevin Rizzo for Law Street Media

On Wednesday, news broke that protesters were planning a flag burning on East 4th Street, right outside of the entrance to Quicken Loans Arena, drawing large crowds. Officers again flooded the area and blocked more people from entering while police riding horses helped disperse the crowd. Ultimately 17 people were arrested, but the situation never escalated.

Police officers have repeatedly stood in between different competing protests this week. The problem may be that not only are people protesting, but that both sides of a protest are represented and often engaging with each other. There are a number of people protesting at each other, which is what police appear to be most concerned with.  For example, there were anti-LGBT and pro-LGBT protests looking right at each other with a line of officers right in between.

Yet, People Seem Happy?

You could tell during roll call vote yesterday. Even states that didn’t vote Trump proudly announced their delegates for him

— Kevin Rizzo (@kevinrizzo10) July 21, 2016

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post What’s up at the RNC?: Law Street’s Day 3 Coverage appeared first on Law Street.

Law Street reporters Kevin Rizzo and Alec Siegel have been covering the RNC in Cleveland, Ohio all week. It’s been a wild few days–check out our day 1 and day 2 coverage here.

The RNC is a festive event, and attendees have their choice of a bunch of different campaign themed merchandise to purchase. Here are some of the best (and weirdest?) items that you could have purchased from the many vendors outside the venue:

Mixed Message T-Shirts

I wouldn’t imagine that the market for Hillary Clinton/Rosie the Riveter mash-up T-shirts is particularly high at the RNC, but here they are, alongside the presumably highly coveted Trump tank tops.

Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Here’s Some of the Best Swag Sold at the RNC appeared first on Law Street.

With today’s constant access to news and commentary on law, policy, and legislation, voters expect candidates to be “policy wonks.” Bernie Sanders was commended during his presidential bid for his strong socio-economic policy reform proposals. Speaker Paul Ryan is lauded for squeezing out a laborious policy plan while a loud presidential election overshadows congressional action. Yet somehow Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, is running a nearly policy-free campaign.

Now, let’s give this a fair appraisal; Donald Trump has seven published platform points. This pales in comparison to Hillary Clinton’s 32 published platform points. Trump has even published less than libertarian candidate Gary Johnson’s 13 points.

While this might be excusable if his policy proposals were comprehensive and diligently crafted, they are not. Point for point, Donald Trump offers contradictory opinions, fosters disdain for Obama-era policies without offering alternatives, and proposes costly measures without revenue-building measures to offset them. Here are two of the most jarringly unrefined “policies”:

Immigration Reform/The Wall

While Donald Trump claims that his infamous wall along the Mexican-U.S. border will cost $8 billion, construction economists estimate that it will cost at least $25 billion, not including maintenance and surveillance.

Though this won’t be a superfluous expense because Trump promises that Mexico will pay for it. Trump proposes banning undocumented immigrants from being able to wire money to Mexico (an estimated $24 billion per year.) He will then tell Mexico that in order to resume wire payments, that it has to pay for the wall.

However there are two jarring flaws in this plan. Firstly, individuals wiring money to Mexico are not funding the government, but rather family still living in Mexico. Secondly, Mexico–a deeply fragile state currently–would not prioritize $24 billion in diffused money to families over a $25+ billion state-funded project.

Though this isn’t Trump’s only strikingly expensive proposal without a funding plan. Trump also proposes we triple the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, each with an annual salary of $30,000-$50,000.

Many of Trump’s immigration reform tactics are rooted in isolationist sentiments and labor practices, disguised as job creation. He proposes a temporary bar on granting green cards to force employers to hire authorized citizens, expresses persistent anti-trade sentiments, and falsely cites illegal immigrants as a large source of unemployment for authorized citizens.

To be clear, according to Pew Research unauthorized immigrants only comprise about 5.1 percent of the workforce and work predominantly in occupations like farming, maintenance, and construction. Even if these were widely desirable and growing occupations in the U.S.–which they are not–authorized citizens reclaiming these jobs would not significantly revitalize the middle class as Trump claims it could.

Healthcare Reform

Donald Trump’s ideas on healthcare are some of his most un-established and contradictory. The system which Trump describes is most similar to a single-payer healthcare system. Trump ensures that everybody will have insurance and that the government will pay for it. However he also promises a large, competitive private market.

Above all else, he promises the repeal of Obamacare. However, consider that the Affordable Care Act, a comprehensive multi-thousand page bill, extends healthcare coverage to more than 12 million people. Trump’s healthcare platform contrarily offers little more than supporting the sale 0f health insurance across state lines, support for health savings accounts, and a move to block-granting Medicaid to states.

He also suggests that those who cannot afford private health insurance plans should enroll in Medicaid. However, presently a family of four must make an average of $20-$35k to qualify. Further, in many states income alone doesn’t qualify a family.

Trump would have to support Medicaid expansion to bridge the gap between the current low income Medicaid threshold and the income level families who would strain to afford private insurance. This is contrary to his proposition to block-grant the program to states.

Trump acts as though by scapegoating immigrants and Obama-era policy, he can ignore how glaringly debt-inducing his proposals are. Holding executive power inevitably means holding vision for your party and country. It means planning to renovate, innovate, spend, and save all in future-minded consciousness. Ending each of your thoughts with “Make America Great Again” doesn’t invoke greatness from your policies, vision, or lack thereof.

Ashlee Smith

Ashlee Smith is a Law Street Intern from San Antonio, TX. She is a sophomore at American University, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Journalism. Her passions include social policy, coffee, and watching West Wing. Contact Ashlee at ASmith@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Sorry Trump, but “Make America Great Again” Isn’t a Platform appeared first on Law Street.

This year, Law Street Media is attending both the RNC and DNC conventions, and bringing Law Street readers the inside scoop. We’ll be doing day-by-day rundowns and exclusive features. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat for even more content.

Here’s a look at the second day of the festivities, courtesy of Law Street reporters Kevin Rizzo and Alec Siegel:

There Was Some High Quality Merch for Sale

Image courtesy of Kevin Rizzo for Law Street Media

Image courtesy of Kevin Rizzo for Law Street Media

Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media

Ben Carson Talks About Hillary Clinton and the Devil

Tuesday night’s theme was “Make America Work Again” and although many speakers veered off topic during their remarks, Ben Carson may have also deviated from his prepared remarks. He appeared to make an association between Hillary Clinton, and well, the devil.

Carson notes that Clinton wrote her senior thesis on Saul Alinsky and he went as far as saying that Alinsky was a mentor of hers. As Politifact notes, Clinton did write her senior thesis about Alinsky and Alinsky’s book “Rules for Radicals” does include an epigraph referencing Lucifer, but the rest of the connection appears to be tenuous. Ultimately, Clinton disagreed with Alinsky’s goal of changing the system from outside, and as for Lucifer, I’m not really sure where Carson was going with that.

Here’s a clip from Carson’s speech:

Even More Plagiarism? Not Quite

Donald Trump Jr. gave the strongest speech of the night on Tuesday and possibly the strongest speech in the first two days of the convention. He invoked traditional Republican themes of hard work and the American Dream with a forceful eloquence that moved the crowd. However, just as plagiarism became the topic of conversation last night, one of Trump Jr.’s lines appears to have been lifted from a recent essay. But it’s a little more complicated than that. Here’s a tweet from the “Daily Show” pointing out the similarity:

pic.twitter.com/QEftnTTwy3

— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) July 20, 2016

As is the case for nearly every major speech (although possibly not Melania Trump’s), the speaker didn’t write the actual speech. Or they at least had some help from a professional speechwriter. That appears to explain what happened last night. And the essay that the piece was taken from? The speechwriter wrote that too. The author of the American Conservative essay said that he simply recycled his own material rather than copying someone else’s.

We Did Some Snapchat Evangelism

I explained Snapchat to a Texas delegate. He was rightly baffled. #RNCinCLE

— Alec Siegel (@beardedbard92) July 20, 2016

There Were a Ton of Protestors and Vendors and Local Flavor

Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media

Covered by a slice of shade under a small tree, a woman quietly practiced yoga. A sign at her side read: “Pro police, anti brutality.” In the middle of the square surrounding the monument, a man hawked “Trump whoopie cushions.” Another man–in a red, white and blue tie dye shirt and shoulder length hair–sat on the steps and strummed his guitar, a tin can at his side printed with the words, “make America free again.”

Image courtesy of Kevin Rizzo for Law Street Media

And on East 4th Street, an alleyway filled with restaurants and bars that juts out from the “Q,” people of all stripes expressed themselves in a myriad number of ways. One woman stood still and silent, in an olive green headscarf and a black shirt (“As-salamu Alaykum” printed on the front), next to a table selling tie dyed Trump t-shirts.

A young man walked his bicycle along the narrow street, under a blazing afternoon sun. A light blue crate was tied to the back of his bike, filled with books. “Make America read again,” he said as he paced the alleyway. Others held dueling signs promoting two wildly different (and at the moment, wildly trendy) societal systems: “I <3 Capitalism” and “Jesus was a Socialist.”

And Donald Trump Became the Official Republican Nominee

Regardless of what happens in November, this movement is real. The passion is palpable in Cleveland. #RNCinCLE

— Alec Siegel (@beardedbard92) July 20, 2016

Trump is officially the Republican nominee. This is not a drill #RNCinCLE

— Kevin Rizzo (@kevinrizzo10) July 19, 2016

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post What’s up at the RNC?: Law Street’s Day 2 Coverage appeared first on Law Street.

It’s been less than a week since Donald Trump announced that his running mate is going to be Indiana Governor Mike Pence. But not a ton is known about Pence–according to CBS News, 86 percent of voters are undecided on him or don’t have enough information on him to form an opinion. But as reporters, pundits, and commenters dig into Pence’s past, some weird revelations are coming to light. Check out the top 5 weirdest revelations about Mike Pence, his life, and his family so far.

He Really Doesn’t Like Mulan

Mike Pence had a long history of commenting on politics before he ever ran for office. He wrote an op-ed on “Mulan” back when the Disney movie came out in the late 1990s. Pence dubbed the movie propaganda that was designed to change people’s hearts and minds when it comes to women in the military.  He wrote:

I suspect that some mischievous liberal at Disney assumes that Mulan’s story will cause a quiet change in the next generation’s attitude about women in combat and they just might be right.

via GIPHY

 But he Has Weird Views on Smoking

Mike Pence apparently has never sat through a high school D.A.R.E. class. He wrote an op-ed entitled the “Great American Smoke Out,” in which he proclaimed: “Despite the hysteria from the political class and the media, smoking doesn’t kill.” While he gracefully recognized that “smoking is not good for you” his narrative runs contrary to recognized fact.

via GIPHY

Pence’s Daughter May be a Vampire

The evidence is in a tweet posted by Pence a few days ago. He’s at a Chili’s with his family, enjoying a nice meal. There’s clearly a mirror next to them, and while both Pence and his wife Karen have reflections, his daughter Charlotte doesn’t.

Busy weekend in NY! Enjoying a quick dinner with the family at @Chilis. Looking forward to getting back to Indiana. pic.twitter.com/SUFjYcvQpH

— Mike Pence (@mike_pence) July 16, 2016

Apparently the weird optical illusion has to do with where the photo was taken from, but I’m going to need real proof that Charlotte Pence isn’t a vampire.

He Thinks George Washington was a Republican

In George Washington’s famous farewell address, he warned against exactly what’s happening in the United States right now–an entrenched two party system. And Washington was expressly not a Republican.

Yet Pence wrote in an op-ed that stated: “Republicans, from George Washington to George W. Bush just have better ideas.” Not all Georges are Republicans, Pence!

via GIPHY

His Wife Helen has a Hard Time Keeping her Towels Straight

Helen Pence just shut down her towel charm business. What is a towel charm? Well, it’s a small metal charm that fixes that pesky problem when you can’t figure out which towel is yours.

if karen pence doesn’t give everybody @ #RNCinCLE a towel charm she’s failed https://t.co/xjRo3JUCe3 (via @TonyRomm) pic.twitter.com/v9McPn1No4

— Nick Andersen (@nicktheandersen) July 14, 2016

CLAM TOWEL CHARM. #pencehttps://t.co/oky2ngn67Dpic.twitter.com/1Fjg2jRbGV

— Max Freeman (@maxmfreeman) July 17, 2016

In case you wanted any, unfortunately, it looks like Helen’s towel charm business has been put on hold while we finish the election. 

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post 5 Weirdest Revelations About Mike Pence So Far appeared first on Law Street.

This year, Law Street Media is attending both the RNC and DNC conventions, and bringing Law Street readers the inside scoop. We’ll be doing day-by-day rundowns and exclusive features. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat for even more content.

Here’s a look at the first day of the festivities, courtesy of Law Street reporters Kevin Rizzo and Alec Siegel:

Day 1’s theme was Making America Safe Again. And the Republican National Convention in Cleveland started off with an unusual bout of excitement. In a day filled with a range of speakers, from senators, to Melania Trump, and even Scott Baio, a lot of the excitement happened before the prime time speakers took stage.

The Rules Fight

In a last ditch effort to thwart the nomination of Donald Trump, a group of delegates attempted to force a roll call vote instead of a voice vote to accept the party rules. Chants erupted on the convention floor after three state delegations reportedly dropped their support of a measure to change the voting procedure used to approve the party rules.

Although the effort had little chance of success, it amounted to a rare show of disunity and chaos on the convention floor. It also wasn’t the only time a voice vote caused an uproar on Monday. In a largely symbolic vote to make Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell temporary chairman, the “nays” appeared to have outbid the “ayes,” yet Reince Priebus, the acting chair, concluded that the “ayes” won.

in a voice vote just now to name Mitch McConnell temporary chairman, the Nays were arguably louder. Priebus said the Ayes won.

— Tim Carney (@TPCarney) July 18, 2016

Alec Has a Weird Pierogi Run In

Quicken Loans Perimeter: Pierogi and Press. Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media.

Monday evening, reporters were still scrambling over the grounds on the perimeter, scrounging for last-minute food before the dive into Quicken Loans. Pierogi–pillows of dough filled with cheese–were being sold at one popular concession tent, a nod to Cleveland’s large Polish population. A moment that seems to sum up the caffeine fueled, sleep-less nature of the convention: a reporter from a TV outlet stumbled up to me–overcome by the smell of my delicious pierogi–and asked where he could get some. I told him I was the last sale of the night. Tears welling up in his eyes, he said, “I’m gonna pass out if I don’t eat,” and ambled off, mic and camera cord dragging behind him.

We Weren’t Allowed to Bring our Drones in

Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media

Rudy Giuliani Gets the Crowd Going

All of Monday night’s speakers were well received by the audience, but no one got the crowd louder than former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. The theme was “Make America Safe Again” and Giuliani touched on the Republicans’ greatest hits. From a full-throated defense of American police officers to a long tirade decrying radical islamic terrorism, everyone in the crowd stood as he spoke.

Giuliani gets the crowd to the loudest volume of the night with his defense of police officers #RNCinCLEpic.twitter.com/gw2LaLruIt

— Kevin Rizzo (@kevinrizzo10) July 19, 2016

While it was certainly an exciting speech, it’s also important to take a closer look at what many of the speakers were describing on Monday night. The theme was “Make America Safe Again” and with that came many references to crime rates and policing. But what many might not recognize is that violent crime has dropped precipitously over the past several decades. The United States today has considerably less violent crime than it did a couple decades ago.

Here’s a graph from Gallup that shows how public opinion and the reality of crime rates are often far apart. For years, many people believed that violent crime was increasing while, in fact, it was consistently going down. So the convention speakers’ calls for law and order may be doing more to evoke emotion than accurately describing the facts on the ground.

Liberal Bashing was Visible

Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media

There were plenty of jabs at Hillary, too.

“Hillary Clinton wants to be the president of Hillary Clinton”-Scott Baio #RNCinCLE

— Alec Siegel (@beardedbard92) July 19, 2016

“Hillary loves her pantsuits…but we should send her an email saying she deserves an orange jumpsuit” #RNCinCLE

— Alec Siegel (@beardedbard92) July 19, 2016

A Little Bit of Plagiarism?

Melania Trump was the headline speaker on Monday night, even receiving an introduction from none other than Donald Trump. Also of note, Trump’s intro may have been his shortest public speaking appearance yet in the campaign. While brief, Trump’s appearance came with his fair share of fanfare–he walked out to “We Are the Champions” and exclaimed “we’re gonna win so big” upon taking the podium. But everyone was there to see Mrs. Trump, a point that became clear as the crowd almost immediately filed out when she was done speaking.

Although Melania Trump’s speech appeared to go off without a hitch, a short while after after her speech some “striking similarities” were recognized between her remarks and Michelle Obama’s famous address at the Democratic Convention in 2008. You can see for yourself:

So that’s pretty blatant, right? pic.twitter.com/EPnHME7afV

— Mike Hearn (@mikehearn) July 19, 2016

Texas’s Delegates Win Alec’s Fashion Awards for Day 1

Texas state delegates were hard to miss. They showed up in their state costume: a cowboy hat and a red, white, and blue collared shirt. Some wore jeans. Toward the end of the night, one Texas cowboy walked off into the night in a cowboy hat and skirt. A red, white and blue skirt, to be specific, and he had his dog at his side, also decked out in patriotic hues.

The Texas Delegates Are Not Messing Around At The RNC! #NeverTrump #CruzCrew pic.twitter.com/Tg6A2UDMiE

— DLW (@Dlw20161950) July 18, 2016

You Couldn’t Miss the Police Presence

Police presence at the exits. Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media.

And in what is probably convention tradition, but especially amplified in light of the last few tumultuous weeks, sheriffs and police certainly made their presence known on Day 1. Brawny clumps of men with badges and sheriffs hats watched the proceedings from the perimeter on the TV screen. After Melania Trump spoke, most of the attendees spilled out from the “Q” (The cordoned off area where reporters and delegates are allowed–Quicken Loans and its perimeter).

The mass of us wound through a fenced off maze, finally spilling out onto East Fourth Street, an alleyway of restaurants and bars, many rented out for the week from news outlets like CNN and The Washington Post. Police formed a human boundary on both sides as we made our way from the “Q,” into the Cleveland night, off to get some sleep for day two.

Kevin Rizzo

Kevin Rizzo is the Crime in America Editor at Law Street Media. An Ohio Native, the George Washington University graduate is a founding member of the company. Contact Kevin at krizzo@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post What’s up at the RNC?: Law Street’s Day 1 Coverage appeared first on Law Street.

With only a few days until the official start of the Republican National Convention, it seems all anyone can talk about is what is going to happen in Cleveland. While we all spent the past week practically bursting with anticipation as we waited for Donald Trump to announce his vice presidential running mate, now that the news is out the build up to the convention has seemed to plateau. But, good news for all you thrill-seeking political followers out there, because drama is back! Not five minutes from the site of the convention in Cleveland, a new billboard has popped up, and it’s a good one.

A giant billboard of Trump and Ted Cruz kissing just went up 5 minutes from the RNC https://t.co/OD96csFsCNpic.twitter.com/YcLjGt1EXP

— JamesMichael Nichols (@jamesmichael) July 14, 2016

That’s right folks, this gigantic billboard right outside the RNC features an artistic representation of Donald Trump and Ted Cruz kissing.

The billboard–which was funded and put up by Planting Peace, a non-profit focused on spreading peace through humanitarian aid–reads, “Love Trumps Hate. End Homophobia.” Aaron Jackson, the President of Planting Peace, claims that this billboard is a direct response to the recently released GOP platform on LGBT issues.

Many have noted this week that the platform up for ratification at the convention is perhaps the most homophobic platform that the Republican party has ever seen. While the platform has some expected positions, like defining marriage as between a man and a woman, it also includes much harsher and intolerant provisions, such as subtle support for conversion therapy. Republican leaders, like president of the Log Cabin Republicans Gregory Angelo, are disappointed with these archaic stances on homosexuality:

Opposition to marriage equality, nonsense about bathrooms, an endorsement of the debunked psychological practice of ‘pray the gay away’–it’s all in there. This isn’t my GOP, and I know it’s not yours either. Heck, it’s not even Donald Trump’s!

Planting Peace’s response to these hateful stances is an attempt to remind members of the LGBT community that they matter and are loved. The group insightfully points out in a statement:

What Donald, Ted and the Republican platform either fail to realize, or realize and just don’t seem to care about, is that their words and actions toward our LGBT family–especially LGBT children–have meaning and impact. LGBT children hear these messages telling them they are nothing but second class citizens and are left feeling somehow broken or “less than.”

The group hopes this billboard will challenge conservatives at the convention and, really, people everywhere to think about the effects that their hate can have on people in the LGBT community. Thus far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive, with people posting online about how art like this makes America a great country.

Hateful speech and homophobic party platforms are not something that our country should support ever, especially not in 2016. It’s time for love to trump hate. Here’s to hoping Ted Cruz and Donald Trump making out will forever burn that reality into the minds of closed-minded people everywhere.

Alexandra Simone

Alex Simone is an Editorial Senior Fellow at Law Street and a student at The George Washington University, studying Political Science. She is passionate about law and government, but also enjoys the finer things in life like watching crime dramas and enjoying a nice DC brunch. Contact Alex at ASimone@LawStreetmedia.com

The post Billboard of Trump and Cruz Kissing Displayed Next to RNC appeared first on Law Street.

Before he extolled Hillary Clinton’s virtues and qualifications, Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) ripped into Donald Trump. He presented the audience–gathered in the gymnasium of Northern Virginia Community College for a rally–with a three-part quiz: “Do you want a ‘you’re fired’ president, or a ‘you’re hired’ president?”; “Do you want a trash talking president, or a bridge building president?”; “Do you want a ‘me first’ president or a ‘kids and families first’ president?”

If the couple hundred strong audience’s reaction was any indication, the latter–clearly Clinton–was the unanimous choice. Thursday’s rally was an audition of sorts for Kaine, a presumed favorite as Clinton’s running mate. And perhaps as a response to those who fear he is too bland, too safe, too vanilla for the job, Kaine grew red in the face while animating his reservations about Trump and his reverence for Clinton.

“‘Ready for Hillary’ in Español is ‘estamos listos para Hillary,'” said Kaine, a fluent Spanish speaker who has spent time in Honduras as a minister. “The word ‘ready’ in Spanish is a little bit different than the word ‘ready’ in English…[In Honduras] the best compliment you could receive is to say that you are ‘listo’ because it means you’re well prepared, ready to get on the battlefield. You’re ready to fight.” At this, the crowd erupted in chants of “Hillary, Hillary.”

When it was Clinton’s turn to speak, Trump took a backseat to policy points (she still managed to land a few jabs: “this would be a good reality show, it’s just so serious”). The former secretary of state and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee evoked the popular play “Hamilton”–which, she said, she has seen three time–and the historical context it explores. America’s founding fathers “did not all agree,” she said. “They didn’t even all like each other. But here’s what they did–they worked together, and they set the most outrageous, unbelievable goal.” Their achievement, she said, was transforming disparate colonies “into a nation that could stand with the rest of the world.”

Thousands wait in over ninety degree heat. Most were turned away.

And with that, Clinton presented America’s choice as the most consequential of her lifetime, perhaps of the country’s lifetime: “We are asked whether we want to go forward into our future with confidence, optimism and hope, or whether we give in to bigotry and bluster and bullying.” She added: “Coal country, Indian country, inner city neighborhoods. I want us all to rise together.” But after the rally, on a small lawn outside the gymnasium, a scene emblematic of America’s current political gridlock unfolded.

“As illustrated recently by what happened over the email scandal, [the Clintons] have not been honest or law abiding citizens,” Laurie Kirby, who with her husband Ron braved over ninety degree heat and a staggering sun, told Law Street. The Kirbys stood with a giant American flag and signs opposing Clinton as “unlawful” and “untrustworthy.” As the soft-spoken couple shakily expressed their support for Trump (“I don’t necessarily agree with every statement that comes out of his mouth,” said Laurie), Clinton supporters streamed past, shaking their heads, shouting “stronger together!” and booing the couple.

A small circle began to form: the Kirbys conversed with a stocky, boisterous man in sunglasses, M.T. Two young women joined in. Both were turned away from the rally, they told Law Street, because the gym had reached capacity. “Our reservation apparently wasn’t good enough,” said A.D. (who declined to provide her full name), a first-generation Somalian, and a rising sophomore at Northern Virginia Community College. A.D. and her friend I.K. (who also requested only her initials be used) came as “moderates,” open to hear what Clinton had to say.

As they discussed the “false promises” of Bernie Sanders and the “elitism” of Clinton, a woman–decked in Clinton gear and clutching a “stronger together” sign–shouted at the Kirbys: “[Hillary] is not a liar” and “not crooked.” “I’m a Hillary supporter all the way, thank you,” she said, joining the circle chat. While the debate over Clinton’s character raged on, M.T. laughed. “It’s a very great conversation, it’s great dialogue,” he said. “Only in America!” He grew serious and shook his head as the tone around him grew testy, and personal attacks began to fly. “Just because you have different political views doesn’t mean people have to shame each other,” he said.

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post At Virginia Rally, Tim Kaine Rips Trump, Praises “Ready” Clinton appeared first on Law Street.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has all the qualities of your favorite grandma: 83 years old, looks great in glasses, makes borderline inappropriate political comments.

The Supreme Court justice came under intense scrutiny this week after publicly criticizing presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump not once, not twice, but three times, calling him a faker, inconsistent, and chastising him for his ego, all while reaching for her passport so she could move to another country pending his inauguration.

Trump did not take it well.

Justice Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court has embarrassed all by making very dumb political statements about me. Her mind is shot – resign!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 13, 2016

RBG isn’t the first to let her doubts about Trump bleed out into newsfeeds, but this is different from the typical political figure because as a SCOTUS justice, she is, by definition, supposed to avoid being political. Despite common knowledge of Ginsburg’s liberal tendencies, her position as a justice calls for objectivity and removal from the political sphere when making court decisions, and many think she may have crossed the line.

Even the @NYTimes and @WashingtonPost Editorial Boards condemned Justice Ginsburg for her ethical and legal breach. What was she thinking?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 13, 2016

Her comments led to a huge debate by legal ethicists and judges nationwide and there is a legitimate fear of a Bush v. Gore sequel, in which Ginsburg would have to recuse herself because she has demonstrated a clear bias against one of the parties.

But on Thursday, RBG did take a couple steps back from the fight. She said in a statement,

On reflection, my recent remarks in response to press inquiries were ill-advised and I regret making them…Judges should avoid commenting on a candidate for public office. In the future I will be more circumspect.

Still, it seems like these two won’t be fast friends if he does make it to the White House.

Samantha Reilly

Samantha Reilly is an editorial intern at Law Street Media. A New Jersey native, she is pursuing a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park. Contact Samantha at SReilly@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Recuse Me, What Did You Say?: RBG and Donald Trump Go Head-to-Head appeared first on Law Street.

The Republican National Convention–during which Donald Trump will presumably go from “presumptive” Republican nominee to the Republican nominee–is just a few days away. In anticipation, Trump is releasing his VP pick tomorrow. Sources today are saying that Indiana Governor Mike Pence is going to be that pick.

Who is Mike Pence?

Pence was elected governor of Indiana in 2012. He previously represented Indiana’s 6th District in Congress for six terms. He began his career in politics as a talk radio host, focusing on politics.

Why would Trump pick Pence?

Trump’s candidacy has been anything but orthodox, and his VP pick has been hotly anticipated. But what does Trump stand to gain by picking Pence?

Rallying the Social Conservatives

Pence is, without a doubt, a staunch social conservative. Fellow Law Streeter Alex Simone wrote a takedown of Pence back when he signed an incredibly restrictive abortion bill–women called Pence to update him on their menstrual cycles to protest the legislation. He also has a lot of social conservative street cred when it comes to his opposition to LGBT rights and his Christian background. Given that some of Trump’s social conservative positions have been questioned, Pence’s background may be part of the attraction.

More Friends 

Pence’s resume will also likely come in handy. Trump has been certainly running against the establishment, and while a lot of Republicans–including current Speaker of the House Paul Ryan–have fallen in line, Pence’s many friends on the Hill could still be a good get. Pence spent 12 years in the House, and reportedly remains deeply respected there. Representative John Carter, a Republican from Texas, told the Hill:

I’d be dancing in the aisles. He’s one of the best we’ve ever had in Congress. I’d love to see Mike Pence be the guy. It’d be awesome.

Regional Balance

Pence is from the Rust Belt–an area that Trump may need to rely on if he hopes to win the presidency. As Ronald Brownstein of the Atlantic put it during a more nuanced look at Donald Trump’s need for Rust Belt voters:

Large Rust Belt prizes such as Ohio, Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin would be indispensable for any Trump general-election bid because they offer him the best chance to tip states primarily by widening the GOP advantage among the blue-collar white voters who have keyed his advance in the Republican primaries.

A Different Public Presence

Trump’s unpredictability, passion, and willingness to piss anyone and everyone off have characterized his campaign. Pence, while described by some as a “firebrand,” is more of a practiced politician. He plays to his strengths–Adam Wren of Politico described him as having an “aw-shucks Hoosier persona.” That certainly stands in contrast to Trump’s New York accent and abrasive personality and could win more voters to Trump’s ticket.

So…is Trump/Pence set in stone?

Not quite. Trump isn’t set to announce his VP until tomorrow in New York. But according to “a Republican with direct knowledge of the decision,” it’s going to be Pence.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post It Looks Like Governor Mike Pence will be Trump’s VP Pick appeared first on Law Street.

He remained committed to his own campaign as long as he could. But on Tuesday morning, in front of a packed high school auditorium in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Bernie Sanders finally budged, endorsing Hillary Clinton as the Democratic presidential nominee.

“This campaign is about the needs of the American people and addressing the very serious crises that we face, and there is no doubt in my mind that, as we head into November, Hillary Clinton is far and away the best candidate to do that,” said the 75-year-old Vermont senator, who electrified the progressive wing of the Democratic Party during his campaign.

Sanders represents the final–and perhaps most coveted–endorsement of the former secretary of state from key liberal figures. President Obama endorsed Clinton in June, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), another progressive stalwart, followed a few weeks later, stoking rumors of an all-female Democratic ticket.

#BernieSanders just endorsed #Clinton, did she blackmail him or threaten his life? Either way this is bad for the world.

— Partisangirl (@Partisangirl) July 12, 2016

And although his presidential hopes are all but officially dashed (the Democratic National Convention in less than two weeks will likely be the final blow), Sanders has his thumbprints all over the party’s platform, which was released as a draft on July 1. At Tuesday’s rally, Clinton touched on points likely to go over well with Sanders supporters, a cohort that has proved difficult to attract to her side.

She was steadfast in her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal that she has supported in the past. She spoke on raising the minimum wage, as well as shaking up the way political campaigns are financed. All of the aforementioned issues were touchstones of the Sanders campaign. “These aren’t just my fights. These are Bernie’s fights. These are America’s fights,” she said. Sanders was hopeful that the party’s platform will get pushed through a White House and Congress dominated by Democrats. He said: “Our job now is to see that platform implemented by a Democratically controlled Senate, a Democratically controlled House and a Hillary Clinton presidency – and I am going to do everything I can to make that happen.”

I am somewhat surprised that Bernie Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters. They are not happy that he is selling out!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2016

And indeed, the sea of Clinton supporters at the Portsmouth rally was punctuated by Sanders supporters who remained by his side, even as he embraced the candidate that they vehemently booed. According to a recent Reuters poll, Sanders supporters might not budge simply because Clinton increasingly absorbs his talking points. The poll found that only 40 percent of Sanders supporters signaled that they plan to back Clinton in November.

Donald Trump, Clinton’s counterpart on the Republican side, jumped on Tuesday’s endorsement as an opportunity to court disillusioned Sanders supporters. He tweeted before and after the rally, and released a statement on his website, saying: “Bernie’s endorsement becomes Exhibit A in our rigged system – the Democrat Party is disenfranchising its voters to benefit the select and privileged few.”

To all the Bernie voters who want to stop bad trade deals & global special interests, we welcome you with open arms. People first.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2016

Trump wasn’t the only opportunist after the endorsement. Gary Johnson and Jill Stein, both third party possibilities, criticized Sanders and called on his supporters to join their campaigns. But a unified party finally emerged on Tuesday, as Sanders and Clinton clasped hands and raised them in the sky in a show of unity. “I can’t help but reflect on how much more enjoyable this election will be now that we are on the same side,” Clinton said.

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Bernie Sanders Officially Endorses Hillary Clinton appeared first on Law Street.

After FBI director James Comey announced that the FBI would not recommend charges against Hillary Clinton for her private email use, the former Secretary of State took the stage in Charlotte, North Carolina with President Obama. Obama announced his endorsement of Secretary Clinton shortly before she secured the Democratic nomination. Tuesday’s appearance was the first time the two Democrats campaigned together, and President Obama has already managed to breathe some much  needed life back into Clinton’s campaign.

Hillary sells herself as a savvy politician with practical solutions for the country–which can often translate onstage as being a little too analytical. In other words, Hillary majorly lacks the fun factor. That’s where our beatboxing, b-balling, belting, boogie-busting Barack-in-Chief comes in.

Obama’s infectious energy and smoothness help round out Hillary’s campaign. It’s kinda like when your mom tricks you into eating your vegetables by disguising them as fun shapes–or when “Blackfish” got a little boring so they threw in some cool animations to explain just how depressed orcas are.

President Obama was able to provide the yin to Clinton’s yang. Clinton’s speech was full of tongue-in-cheek remarks about how the two politicians were fierce primary rivals eight years ago, including strange anecdotes about their diplomatic travels during Obama’s first term.

When Obama took the stage, the energy in the room built to a fever pitch. Obama chanted “Hill-a-ry! Hill-a-ry!” with the crowd. Like a deft stand up comedian, Obama cracked some jokes about North Carolina food, hospitality, and had a back-and-fourth with the audience comparing basketball teams.

Much like DJ Khaled at the beginning of a Beyoncé concert, Obama did some call-and-response chants to feed the energy of the crowd. “Hillary got me fired up,” he kept repeating. Then he laid out his case for Hillary. Even though almost every word that he said was about Secretary Clinton, from the moment he stepped into the convention center, it was the Obama show.

Watch President Obama and Secretary Clinton’s remarks below:

Sean Simon

Sean Simon is an Editorial News Senior Fellow at Law Street, and a senior at The George Washington University, studying Communications and Psychology. In his spare time, he loves exploring D.C. restaurants, solving crossword puzzles, and watching sad foreign films. Contact Sean at SSimon@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Obama the Hype Man: Bringing the “Fun Factor” to Clinton’s Campaign appeared first on Law Street.

The jokes started out pretty harmless, referencing some of our favorite childhood cartoons.

#MoreTrustedThanHillary Spongebob’s magic conch pic.twitter.com/Vmn714Gpav

— Preston (@PrestonFlowers) July 6, 2016

Alexandra Simone

Alex Simone is an Editorial Senior Fellow at Law Street and a student at The George Washington University, studying Political Science. She is passionate about law and government, but also enjoys the finer things in life like watching crime dramas and enjoying a nice DC brunch. Contact Alex at ASimone@LawStreetmedia.com

The post #MoreTrustedThanHillary Trend Takes Twitter by Storm appeared first on Law Street.

If you’re sick of hearing about Hillary Clinton’s emails, clap your hands.

James Comey is right there with you. The FBI Director said Tuesday that the bureau is recommending to the Department of Justice that no charges be brought against Hillary Clinton for using a personal email server during her term as secretary of state.

Some people are pretty mad.

Declining to prosecute Sec. Clinton for recklessly transmitting national security info will set a terrible precedent https://t.co/URtm1pFIIB

— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) July 5, 2016

The Background

In 2012, Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed in an attack in Benghazi, Libya, prompting a long string of investigations and questions about officials’ actions at the time–officials including a key player, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Part of the investigation was a look into Clinton’s email, which revealed that she had been using a personal server during her time heading up the State Department, which got more than a few people feeling uneasy. As secretary of state, she had access to a lot of classified information, which wasn’t supposed to be mixed in with her personal notes or hair appointment confirmations. This scandal has followed Clinton all throughout her campaign.

What’s Next?

 Comey said that the FBI didn’t find enough evidence to show that she intentionally mishandled the classified information, but did slide a little commentary in about how she was “extremely careless” with it. The Bureau is technically passing the case over to the Department of Justice to make a prosecutorial decision, but its recommendation essentially means there will be no prosecution.

While Hillary supporters are rejoicing, this recommendation is fuel for certain other candidates who don’t play nice with the Clintons and use “Crooked Hillary” in a good portion of their tweets.

FBI director said Crooked Hillary compromised our national security. No charges. Wow! #RiggedSystem

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 5, 2016

Samantha Reilly

Samantha Reilly is an editorial intern at Law Street Media. A New Jersey native, she is pursuing a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park. Contact Samantha at SReilly@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post FBI Recommends No Charges for Hillary Clinton appeared first on Law Street.

Last Tuesday, Hillary Clinton released a technology and innovation policy platform with a myriad of initiatives to expand internet accessibility, support STEM entrepreneurs, and more. The brief is full of bold ideas to revitalize the American economy through the outlet of technological innovation and proposes initiatives like deferring student loans for periods of 3 years for young entrepreneurs and expanding broadband internet access to every American household by 2020.

This is in stark contrast to Donald Trump who only has seven published platform points, none of which focus on technology and only one—tax reform—which really discusses American economy. In fact, some of Trump’s only comments on the topic of technology  have been calling to “close up parts of the internet.”

#DonaldTrump advocates closing up the Internet 2 stop the process of thought/free speech. So Communist China-like. pic.twitter.com/hRab3xpVcK

— NotBuffytheVMPslayer (@NotBUFFY_VS) December 8, 2015

Obama’s attack on the internet is another top down power grab. Net neutrality is the Fairness Doctrine. Will target conservative media.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 12, 2014

This paired with his opposition to net neutrality has pretty clearly put tech and open-internet advocates in Clinton’s court.

Hillary Clinton’s plan for innovation and technology is more than a favorable political contrast; it is a comprehensive plan for expanding technology, internet access and quality, and the culture of innovation in the U.S.

The plan consists of five core points;

• Investing in technology to create jobs
• Investing in digital infrastructure
• Advancing America’s global technology leadership
• Promoting innovation while protecting privacy
• Engineering a more innovative government

Within these points are many specific proposals that tech advocates are fawning over such as defending net neutrality, engaging the private sector to create 50,000 computer science educators, and expanding internet access to more public places.

Despite having so many specific policy proposals, Clinton’s plan retains an overarching message to appeal to all voters; technology should not be exclusive but should act as an equalizer to allow anybody to become an entrepreneur and innovator.

The plan invests equally in industry and communities through proposals like offering loan forgiveness up to $17,500 to entrepreneurs who start businesses in “distressed areas,” improving copyright and patent systems, and offering grants to cities to expand low cost, high quality internet.

Though the plan is more far-reaching than a defense of net neutrality and goals to extend computer science education, it truly is a full economic policy agenda with initiatives to create jobs, reduce college debt, closing corporate loopholes and more. The fact that Hillary Clinton’s avenue to achieve these goals is technological innovation is emblematic of her commitment to the future and to opportunity.

While the plan has been met with some skepticism that Clinton is pandering to Silicon Valley-ites and concerns that the plan is too far-reaching to be achieved without a completely cooperative Congress abound, the plan is at the least evidence that Hillary Clinton and her team have a fantastic understanding of creating complex, cohesive policy that promotes progressive economic goals.

Ashlee Smith

Ashlee Smith is a Law Street Intern from San Antonio, TX. She is a sophomore at American University, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Journalism. Her passions include social policy, coffee, and watching West Wing. Contact Ashlee at ASmith@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Hillary Clinton Releases Tech Agenda Aiming to Equalize the Internet appeared first on Law Street.

Donald Trump, in addition to spouting sexist, xenophobic, and racist rhetoric on a near daily basis, has a pretty distinctive habit. He’ll retweet or repeat something that is offensive, and then receive criticism for it. Trump’s next move is to accuse his critics of being “oversensitive” or too “politically correct” or pretend that the comment in question was just misinterpreted by people who don’t want to see him become president. Given that Trump and Hillary Clinton are now the presumptive nominees for their parties, their exchanges are starting to get nastier, and Trump is up to some of these old tricks.

This weekend, that pattern repeated itself. Trump tweeted out a poster accusing Clinton of being corrupt. It contained a picture of her with money in the background, and a Star of David naming her the “Most Corrupt Candidate Ever!” The image’s origin has been traced to a site that contains other neo-Nazi and anti-Semitic content. Check it out for yourself:

Trump puts a Jewish star in an attack ad calling Hillary “corrupt” along with pictures of cash: pic.twitter.com/Q4A9GoRk0D

— logjammin Pete (@LogjamminPete) July 2, 2016

The Star of David juxtaposed with cash screamed not-so-subtle Anti-Semitism to pretty much everyone who saw it. After the backlash, Trump tweeted out a new image that contained a circle instead of the Star of David. Here’s the new tweet:

Crooked Hillary — Makes History! #ImWithYou#AmericaFirstpic.twitter.com/PKQhYhMmIX

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 2, 2016

And of course Trump blamed the media for lying about the image, another move straight out of his playbook. He also claimed that the image didn’t depict a Star of David, but rather a “Sheriff’s badge,” saying: 

These false attacks by Hillary Clinton trying to link the Star of David with a basic star, often used by sheriffs who deal with criminals and criminal behavior, showing an inscription that says ‘Crooked Hillary is the most corrupt candidate ever’ with anti-Semitism is ridiculous.

There are two ways to interpret Trump’s behavior in this case (and the dozens of similar incidents since his campaign kicked off a year ago.) Either he’s feigning ignorance at the socio-political impact of the horrible things he says, retweets, and shares, or he’s truly that ignorant. Either should disqualify him from the presidency. 

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Donald Trump’s Anti-Semitic Attack on Hillary Clinton is More of the Same appeared first on Law Street.

Tim Kaine on Meet The Press

What does he do? Democratic Senator from Virginia.

What has he done? Mayor of Richmond, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.

The argument for him: It’s difficult to think of an argument against Tim Kaine. Perhaps he’s not a hot young thing, but he’s got the perfect pedigree for the job, and his cautious style and strong resume help him fit the ideal Hillary mold–not a firebrand, but a policy wonk willing to show a little heart. He also has the benefit of already being vetted by Obama.

Likelihood? Since the beginning of “veepstakes” speculation, Tim Kaine has been a front-and-center choice. While he is most likely still the front runner, if Hillary is looking to add a “secret ingredient” to her campaign, she might look elsewhere.

Sean Simon

Sean Simon is an Editorial News Senior Fellow at Law Street, and a senior at The George Washington University, studying Communications and Psychology. In his spare time, he loves exploring D.C. restaurants, solving crossword puzzles, and watching sad foreign films. Contact Sean at SSimon@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Get to Know Clinton’s Likely VPs appeared first on Law Street.

In what could be a foreshadowing of the Democratic ticket come November, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts appeared onstage with Hillary Clinton at a rally Monday morning–the first official campaign event of the 2016 race–where she extolled Clinton’s virtues, slammed Donald Trump, and inspired liberal passions over the potential for a historic, all-female Democratic ticket. “I’m ready. Are you ready for this?” Warren asked the cheering crowd of 2,600 at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Standing behind a lectern featuring Clinton’s “Stronger Together” slogan, Warren ticked off Clinton’s achievements as a “fighter”–for children, for women, for families, for health care, for human rights, and “for those who need her most.” The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee stood to the side, smiling and clapping. The two seemed a natural fit, like they’d been at each other’s side for years. The chemistry leaves Democrats, especially the party’s liberal wing, wondering: Might Clinton choose Warren as her running-mate this fall?

According to a recent Bloomberg Politics poll–of the vice presidential candidates floated around so far by the Clinton camp–the Democratic electorate would like to see Warren hold that mantle by a wide margin. 35 percent of those surveyed chose Warren as the preferred vice president to Clinton, with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) in second with 17 percent, and Housing Secretary Julian Castro in third with 12 percent. Of course, the VP seat is not filled based on the desires of voters, and there is no guarantee Warren would accept a VP invitation if one is extended her way. Steps are being taken, however, as she is currently being vetted by Clinton campaign lawyers, and is expected to be subject to a closed-door interview with Clinton in the near future. And according to aides who spoke to The New York Times Monday on condition of anonymity, Clinton will select her VP with the fall Senate elections on her mind.

Irrespective of her future as the Democratic Party’s potential second in command, Warren spent nearly 20 minutes on Monday playing two roles that would certainly come in handy for a Clinton running-mate: a champion of Clinton and a trasher of Trump (“You want to see goofy? Look at him in that hat,” she said). Warren spent the first half of her speech running through personal anecdotes about her siblings and parents, highlighting her middle-class upbringing and working-class values. And of course, she painted Clinton, a “granddaughter of a factory worker whose going to make it all the way to the White House,” with the same brush, while tackling the Trump issue with vigor and venom.

“She knows what it takes to beat a thin-skinned bully who is driven by greed and hate,” Warren said of Clinton, eliciting boos from the crowd at the mere mention of “Donald Trump.” “She knows you beat a bully not by tucking tail and running, but by standing your ground and fighting back.” Calling Clinton a survivor of 25 years of “right wing attacks,” the Massachusetts senator–who will be up for re-election in the fall–offered full support: “most of all she has a good heart, and that’s what America needs.”

Just before Clinton took the stage to reciprocate Warren’s supportive words, the crowd erupted in chants of “Hillary! Hillary!” Warren joined them for a brief moment. Soon, perhaps weeks from now, we will know if Warren will continue rallying the troops, administering jolts of support at rally events, or play an even larger role in November.

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post At Campaign Rally, Warren and Clinton Prove a Strong Duo, Blast Trump appeared first on Law Street.

Has Bernie Sanders finally given up? It appears that might be the case, as he announced on C-SPAN this week that “it doesn’t appear that [he’s] going to be the nominee.”

After admitting that he probably won’t be the nominee, Sanders mentions that his campaign’s goal is still to push a progressive platform. He notes that he isn’t giving up on transforming the Democratic party just yet.

On top of the C-SPAN bomb drop, Bernie also announced on MSNBC that, come November, he will be voting for Clinton.

JUST IN: @BernieSanders says “yes,” he will vote for @HillaryClinton in November https://t.co/6FT0ZLi0JG

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) June 24, 2016

Although Sanders seems to be giving a lot of hints at the fact that he won’t be president, he has yet to drop out of the race. With a Sanders win essentially mathematically impossible–barring any election fraud accusations–it’s hard to say why he hasn’t pulled the plug yet. Perhaps staying in the race is the best way to push Clinton’s agenda further left. Perhaps he enjoys the political limelight. Perhaps he’s saddened by the fact that ending the campaign will be the end of his last legitimate chance at becoming the leader of the free world. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that Sanders is prepared to step back any day now and put his weight behind Clinton.

Of course, there are still die-hard Berniebros holding out hope that Sanders will win the nomination–swearing they won’t vote for “$hillary” under any circumstances. In fact, there are many conspiracies on exactly how Sanders will become our country’s leader. According to some YouTube commenters, Sanders will storm into the lead after Clinton is indicted by the DOJ.

Bernie Sanders can’t say it yet publicly, but he’s waiting as many of us are for the FBI to recommend criminal indictments against Hillary Clinton and then for DOJ head Loretta Lynch to indict her. Then the super-delegates will wisely defect from Hillary over to Bernie when they vote at the convention in Philadelphia next month.

According to other commenters, Sanders actually has the votes to win but election fraud is making it look like Clinton is in the lead.

There is a lawsuit going on to set the record straight. BERNIE THEY SAY YOU WON. These are the same guys who made sure the record was straight so that Obama rightfully won in 2008 and 2012. Don’t lose hope because we haven’t!!!!!! #BernieorBust!! And if they don’t get the lawsuit together before the general election, then I will be voting for Ms. Jill Stein. #ThankYouBernie

Best of all, some commenters just think Sanders has something up his sleeve. They claim that he winks in the C-SPAN video right before he says that it doesn’t appear he will be the nominee. What could this wink mean? Some are taking the wink as a sign of his resilience, claiming it means he isn’t giving up quite yet.

Whatever the results of this election are, it’s pretty clear President Bernie Sanders is almost certainly not one of the possible outcomes. It’s nice to know that, after months of what has been a pretty one-sided Democratic race, Sanders has finally come to terms with his campaign’s inevitable end. Plus, with what was essentially an endorsement of Clinton this week, the Democratic party may actually have a shot at keeping the White House this fall, which could mean another four years of progressive policies, even if the country doesn’t quite seem to be #feelingthebern.

Alexandra Simone

Alex Simone is an Editorial Senior Fellow at Law Street and a student at The George Washington University, studying Political Science. She is passionate about law and government, but also enjoys the finer things in life like watching crime dramas and enjoying a nice DC brunch. Contact Alex at ASimone@LawStreetmedia.com

The post Bernie Sanders May Be Backing Down appeared first on Law Street.

Alicia Machado, Miss Universe 1996, is speaking up for minorities and speaking out against Donald Trump. Her message? Become an American so you can vote against Trump this November.

In the past month Machado has come forward about Trump’s horrendous behavior toward her as Miss Universe. Apparently, Trump made fun of her weight and nationality repeatedly after the pageant, calling her names like “Miss Piggy” and “Miss Housekeeper” in response to her weight gain following the competition. At the time, Machado said it pushed her into bouts of anorexia and bulimia for years as well as sparking her depression. Trump even admits to pushing Machado to lose weight after her reign as Miss Universe, not to mention the dozens of other Miss Universe contestants he reportedly shamed.

In response to Trump’s bullying, Machado has applied to become a U.S. citizen to vote against him in favor of the presumptive Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, this fall. Clinton tweeted at Machado, congratulating her on attaining citizenship and sharing a video of the former Miss Universe talking about Trump:

Congratulations on becoming a U.S. citizen, Alicia. Enjoy casting that vote. https://t.co/jewmwZrrOA

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) May 20, 2016

The video includes footage of Trump forcing Machado to workout with the media watching her. It also shows him shaming the then-19-year-old for her weight:

She weighed 118 pounds or 117 pounds and she went up to 160 or 70 pounds so this is somebody that likes to eat.

The video ends with a clip of Machado laughing as the interviewer asks if she will be voting for Trump this fall.

Machado has finally decided to speak up. She claims to have realized a few weeks ago that the only way to stop Trump from reaching the White House is to gain citizenship and vote against him, as well as to urge members of her community to do the same. Machado sees Trump as the next Hugo Chavez and wants to put a stop to his play for power.

Her commitment to increasing awareness of Trump’s Chavez-like ways in the Latino community is backed by many national organizations. Machado met with immigration advocacy groups, including People for the American way and Casa in Action, recently to help their cause. An ad the two groups are releasing aims to play up Trump’s anti-immigrant statements to showcase why Latinos should vote for Hillary.

The video explains how a Trump presidency will cause our society to become more intolerant and hateful. It also showcases several of the inappropriate names Trump has used to describe immigrants. Machado stands firmly with the message of this video, saying that “everybody in America needs to open their eyes” and that “we don’t need more divisions in this country.” Plus, the video is almost entirely in Spanish to appeal to Latino voters.

Machado has taken the hits from Trump with dignity, choosing to see his insults about her heritage (calling her Miss Housekeeper) as honorable because of how hard immigrant housekeepers and nannies work. She claims she is not going to flee the country if he is elected president because, “this is a great country with wonderful politics and amazing benefits, and this imbecile won’t be able to change that, we are stronger than Trump.” What she wants people to know is that:

This country does not deserve a Chávez. And that’s what Trump is…a demagogue, racist, egocentric, misogynist, demeaning man, who lacks cultural and political knowledge. This country does not deserve that.

As a result of her resilience and well known name, Machado has the potential to influence lots of voters. Seems like Trump better watch who he insults, or he could see his campaign quickly lose traction.

Alexandra Simone

Alex Simone is an Editorial Senior Fellow at Law Street and a student at The George Washington University, studying Political Science. She is passionate about law and government, but also enjoys the finer things in life like watching crime dramas and enjoying a nice DC brunch. Contact Alex at ASimone@LawStreetmedia.com

The post Miss Universe 1996 Speaks Out Against Trump appeared first on Law Street.

When word broke Monday that Donald Trump’s campaign was essentially broke, having raised only $1.3 million to Hillary Clinton’s $42 million at the end of May, Twitter quickly reacted with the trending hashtag  #TrumpSoPoor.

The hashtag taunts the presumptive Republican nominee who prides himself on funding his own campaign because he’s “REALLY RICH!” 

Trump better hope that rich mindset of his can pay for his future campaign expenses. In the meantime, Twitter is fiercely chiming in with #TrumpSoPoor to point out the irony of Trump’s shrinking pockets.

#TrumpSoPoor He’ll have to start paying taxes

— Jocelyn Plums (@FilthyRichmond) June 21, 2016

#TrumpSoPoor even his fact check bounced

— Andrew Tumilty (@AndrewTumilty) June 21, 2016

One user called out GOP public assistance resentment.

#TrumpsSoPoor the @GOP is making him take a drug test before they give him any financial assistance.

— Raoul_Duke (@RaoulDuke99) June 21, 2016

#TrumpSoPoor he’s applying for public housing pic.twitter.com/D24IETllKk

— etymology of hip (@indianainsomnia) June 21, 2016

Another speculated Trump’s racist comments were taken from Ted Nugent, who has plenty to spare.

#TrumpsSoPoor He gotta borrow his racism from Ted Nugent.

— (((Crash Thompson))) (@TehRockCritic) June 21, 2016

Don’t think they forgot about that time Trump started a for-profit college that targeted poor people.

#TrumpSoPoor he’s being targeted by Trump University as a potential student.

— Bethany Albertson (@AlbertsonB2) June 21, 2016

Trump already wants Mexico to pay for his wall, but why not his campaign too.

#TrumpSoPoor he’s going to ask Mexico to pay for his campaign.

— BWD (@theonlyadult) June 21, 2016

#TrumpSoPoor he’s the first male politician in history to get less money than a woman working in the same position.

— (((Charles Clymer))) (@cmclymer) June 21, 2016

Needless to say, Donald Trump obviously doesn’t know what experiencing poverty is like, and the hashtag has received criticism for playing on the pain that vulnerable people face.

#TrumpSoPoor liberals made a hashtag so they could make fun of all the things actual poor people have go through everyday & not feel guilty.

— D (@Delo_Taylor) June 21, 2016

But #TrumpSoPoor is not about making fun of poverty and the problems poor people face, rather it is shooting sarcasm at a presidential candidate who has boosted himself repetitively as self-made and rich (as though these are the very best qualifications for the leader of a country.) This sarcasm is pointed at the self-aggrandizing candidate of a party.

Further, let’s not forget Trump was never poor or even struggling because 20 percent of his campaign expenditures are funneled back into Trump businesses. Trump is taking “self-funded campaign” to a whole new level because this campaign is clearly funding himself. While this could become an unsuccessful campaign due to failures to prioritize expenditures such as ad time, which will become necessary in the general election, Trump and his businesses are doing just fine.

Don’t worry about the state of Trump’s campaign fund though, Trump sent out his first fundraising email Tuesday, promising within that it would be “the most successful introductory fundraising email in modern political history.” Hopefully its success can beat the monumental introductory fundraising emails of ancient political history. 

Ashlee Smith

Ashlee Smith is a Law Street Intern from San Antonio, TX. She is a sophomore at American University, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Journalism. Her passions include social policy, coffee, and watching West Wing. Contact Ashlee at ASmith@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post #TrumpSoPoor that He Can’t Afford to Defend Himself on Twitter appeared first on Law Street.