June 5, 2018

Hundreds of migrant kids separated from parents are stuck at border stations

Source: NBC News



HHS officials will tour three bases in Texas to see if they are suitable to house unaccompanied migrant children, who now number more than 11,000.

by Julia Ainsley and Courtney Kube / Jun.05.2018 / 4:32 AM ET

WASHINGTON — Border agents and child welfare workers are running out of space to shelter children who have been separated from their parents at the U.S. border as part of the Trump administration's new "zero tolerance" policy, according to two U.S. officials and a document obtained by NBC News.

As of Sunday, nearly 300 of the 550 children currently in custody at U.S. border stations had spent more than 72 hours there, the time limit for immigrants of any age to be held in the government's temporary facilities. Almost half of those 300 children are younger than 12, according to the document, meaning they are classified by the Department of Homeland Security as "tender age children."

The stations, run by the Border Patrol and meant only as the first stop for children detained at the border, often lack adequate bedding or separate sleeping rooms for children.

"It would be highly inappropriate and even unsafe to hold children for extended periods in these short-term border facilities because they often lack the adequate medical and nutritional resources for these young people," said Greg Chen, director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association. "It would place these children at risk of harm if they are housed with adults without the proper privacy that children should have."



Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hundreds-migrant-kids-separated-parents-are-stuck-border-stations-n878696

June 5, 2018

Illinois governor's race spending surges past $200 million

By NATASHA KORECKI 06/04/2018 08:04 PM EDT

CHICAGO — Billionaire J.B. Pritzker dropped $25 million into his campaign this week and Gov. Bruce Rauner’s campaign is preparing to air at least $1 million in attack ads beginning Tuesday, keeping the Illinois governor’s election on track to be one of the most expensive in U.S. history.

After a brief ceasefire, the two wealthy businessmen restarted their frenzied pace of spending this week for an election that’s still five months away.

Pritzker, who has already pumped $100 million of his own personal wealth into the contest, has not set a limit on what he’s willing to spend.

In fact, a source close to the Pritzker campaign said, the Democratic businessman is vowing to spend double whatever multimillionaire Rauner puts into the contest.

more
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/06/04/illinois-governor-race-spending-623662

June 5, 2018

Trump criticizes 'numerous delays' in release of IG report on Clinton's email use

Source: Politico



By LOUIS NELSON 06/05/2018 07:48 AM EDT

President Donald Trump complained Tuesday that there have been “numerous delays” in the release of the Justice Department inspector general’s report on the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state, expressing concern that the report is being “made weaker.”

“What is taking so long with the Inspector General’s Report on Crooked Hillary and Slippery James Comey. Numerous delays,” the president wrote on Twitter. “Hope Report is not being changed and made weaker! There are so many horrible things to tell, the public has the right to know. Transparency!”

Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz told Congress last November that he expected his office to release its report on the bureau’s Clinton investigation and then-FBI Director James Comey’s handling of it “in late winter/early spring — hopefully in that March/April time period” of 2018, but the report has yet to be released.

Comey’s handling of the Clinton investigation, specifically his decision to hold a press conference in July, 2016, where he announced that the FBI would not recommend charges for the former secretary of state and laid out the reasons why, have come under significant scrutiny and was initially offered as the reason for the president’s decision to fire him last year. Trump later told NBC News that he had the FBI’s Russia investigation on his mind when he made the decision to fire Comey.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/06/05/trump-inspector-general-report-clinton-624178

June 5, 2018

Trump abandons loyalty test in midterm primary endorsements

The president is giving his imprimatur to candidates who didn't even vote for him in 2016 in hopes of keeping GOP control.

By CHRISTOPHER CADELAGO 06/05/2018 05:06 AM EDT

President Donald Trump is tossing aside his habit of punishing his past doubters, and is increasingly embracing Republicans running in state and congressional races whether or not they supported him in 2016.

The list includes California gubernatorial candidate John Cox, whom Trump endorsed ahead of Tuesday’s open primary, siding with state GOP leaders who fear being shut out of the general election in November under California’s top-two finisher rule — despite the fact that Cox voted for libertarian Gary Johnson in 2016.

Cox, an obscure businessman and perennial candidate, has been happy to trumpet the White House nod, though he spent months on the campaign trail portraying Trump as a virtual nonfactor for voters hungering for a new direction.

White House aides and outside advisers described a chief executive at greater ease with the daily realities of being the face of the party than ever before, including making endorsements and raising money — a characterization at odds with his iconoclastic approach in 2016 and with his idiosyncratic and mostly unsuccessful endorsement strategy in special elections since he took office.

more
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/06/05/trump-primary-election-endorsements-623657

June 5, 2018

Patrick plans 2020 decision by end of the year

By LAUREN DEZENSKI 06/04/2018 05:53 PM EDT

Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is inching closer toward deciding on a 2020 presidential run.

The former two-term Democrat plans to hit the campaign trail in a handful of races around the country this fall, which would “help him sort it out by the end of the year,” said John Walsh, a close adviser who managed Patrick’s 2006 insurgent gubernatorial campaign and later headed up his leadership PAC.

“He’s really thinking about running but hasn’t decided yet,” Walsh, who frequently speaks with the former governor, told POLITICO.

Patrick’s public visibility has increased since saying on a Kansas City radio station on Feb. 28 that a presidential run is “on my radar screen.” But he’s not yet actively working the midterm election circuit because of restrictions related to his position at investment firm Bain Capital.

more
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/06/04/deval-patrick-2020-elections-622825

June 5, 2018

Eagles star shames Fox News for twisting photo of him praying to spread Trump 'propaganda'

Zach Ertz, the star tight end of the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, slammed Fox News on Tuesday for using footage of him praying with his teammates to make it look like they were kneeling during the national anthem.

A Fox News segment that aired Tuesday morning used multiple photos of Eagles players kneeling on the football field. However, these players were not kneeling during the national anthem and were actually praying before the start of the game.

In fact, no Eagles knelt during the national anthem during the 2017 NFL season.

Ertz watched the segment and reacted angrily to photos of him and his teammates being ripped out of context.

https://twitter.com/ZERTZ_86/status/1003970728008519680

President Donald Trump on Monday night rescinded his White House invitation to the Eagles, despite the fact that none of them had knelt during the anthem last year. Trump was reportedly upset that only a few players from the team actually wanted to come to the White House to meet him.

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https://www.rawstory.com/2018/06/eagles-star-shames-fox-news-twisting-photo-praying-spread-trump-propaganda/

June 5, 2018

U.S. appeals against ruling that Trump could not block Twitter followers

Source: Reuters




JUNE 4, 2018 / 9:42 PM / UPDATED 9 HOURS AGO

David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department said on Monday it would appeal against a federal judge’s ruling that President Donald Trump may not legally block Twitter users from his account on the social media platform based on their political views, according to a court filing.

Jameel Jaffer, a lawyer for the seven plaintiffs who sued, said the @realDonaldTrump account had unblocked the seven plaintiffs on Monday. “We’re pleased that the White House unblocked our clients from the President’s Twitter account but disappointed that the government intends to appeal the district court’s thoughtful and well-supported ruling,” Jaffer said in an email.

The White House did not comment immediately. A Justice Department spokeswoman confirmed the plaintiffs had been unblocked.

Trump has made his Twitter account - with more than 52 million followers - an integral and controversial part of his presidency, using it to promote his agenda, announce policy and attack critics. He has blocked many critics from his account, which prevents them from directly responding to his tweets.




Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-twitter/u-s-appeals-ruling-that-trump-could-not-block-twitter-followers-idUSKCN1J1078?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social&__twitter_impression=true&__twitter_impression=true

June 5, 2018

Same-sex spouses have EU residence rights, top court rules

Source: BBC News



1 hour ago

The European Union's top court has ruled in favour of a Romanian gay man's right to have his US husband live with him in Romania.

The country, which does not recognise same-sex marriage, had argued that the American was not entitled to the EU residency rights awarded to spouses. But the European Court of Justice said the term "spouse" was gender neutral.

Adrian Coman and his American partner Clai Hamilton were married in Brussels in 2010.

Following the judgment on Tuesday, Mr Coman said: "We can now look in the eyes of any public official in Romania and across the EU with certainty that our relationship is equally valuable and equally relevant.

"We are grateful to the EU Court and to the many people and institutions who have supported us, and through us, other same-sex couples in a similar situation," he said, adding: "It is human dignity that wins today."

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44366898

June 5, 2018

Judge: 'In God We Trust' on Money isn't Religion Endorsement

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled printing "In God We Trust" on U.S. currency doesn't amount to a religious endorsement and therefore doesn't violate the U.S. Constitution.

By Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — A federal court has ruled that printing “In God We Trust” on U.S. currency doesn’t amount to a religious endorsement and therefore doesn’t violate the U.S. Constitution.

The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin reports the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago made the ruling Thursday in a lawsuit brought by a self-declared Satanist, Kenneth Mayle. He argued that the motto propagates a religious view he opposes.

A lower court tossed the suit citing a Supreme Court decision that a motto on currency isn’t something people display prominently and thus that people are not forced to publicly advertise views that clash with their own.

Mayle appealed to restore the suit, but the 7th Circuit refused, describing the phrase as a “historical reminder” of the nation’s heritage.

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https://www.snopes.com/ap/2018/06/04/judge-god-trust-money-isnt-religion-endorsement/

June 5, 2018

NASA's new administrator says he's talking to companies to take over the International Space Station

Source: The Washington Post



By Christian Davenport
June 5 at 7:00 AM

NASA is talking to several international companies about forming a consortium that would take over operation of the International Space Station and run it as a commercial space lab, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in an interview.

“We’re in a position now where there are people out there that can do commercial management of the International Space Station,” Bridenstine said in his first extensive interview since being sworn in as NASA administrator in April. “I’ve talked to many large corporations that are interested in getting involved in that through a consortium, if you will.”

The White House touched off a heated discussion about the future of the orbiting laboratory earlier this year when it said it planned to end direct government funding of the station by 2025, while working on a transition plan to turn the station over to the private sector.

Some members of Congress said they would vigorously oppose any plan that ends the station’s life prematurely. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) said the decision to end funding for it was the result of “numskulls” at the Office of Management and Budget.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2018/06/05/nasas-new-administrator-says-hes-talking-to-companies-to-take-over-the-international-space-station/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.84ce2ec3f54f&wpisrc=al_news__alert-economy--alert-national&wpmk=1