Susan Collins says she is voting against Coney Barrett confirmation to be 'fair and consistent'

 Republican??

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, took a veiled shot at her party’s leadership in the Senate on Sunday when she announced that she would be voting against the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.

“Prior to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, I stated that, should a vacancy on the Supreme Court arise, the Senate should follow the precedent set four years ago and not vote on a nominee prior to the presidential election.,” Collins said in a statement.

She added: “Because this vote is occurring prior to the election, I will vote against the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett.”

Collins noted in her statement that her vote against confirming Coney Barrett to the nation’s highest court is not meant as a slight against the jurist but instead is a matter of “being fair and consistent.”

The Maine Republican’s statement appears to directly hit at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s stance to move forward with confirming Coney Barrett with just over a week to go before the presidential election. McConnell has drawn widespread criticism from Democrats and been labelled a hypocrite based on the treatment of former President Barack Obamas Supreme Court nominee and D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals chief Judge Merrick Garland.

Obama nominated Garland to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who passed away in February 2016, but McConnell and Senate Republicans refused to hold a hearing or vote on his nomination, citing the imminent 2016 presidential election.

McConnell has said his stance was not hypocritical -- because in 2020, Republicans would control both the White House and the Senate, unlike Democrats in 2016, who controlled only the White House.

"You have to go back to 1880s to find the last time a Senate controlled by a party different from the president filled a vacancy on the Supreme Court that was created in the middle of a presidential election year," McConnell previously told Fox News.

Collins in her statement, however, appears to be agreeing with McConnell’s detractors.

“When the Senate considers nominees to the United States Supreme Court, it is particularly important that we act fairly and consistently, using the same set of rules, no matter which political party is in power,” she said. “What I have concentrated on is being fair and consistent, and I do not think it is fair nor consistent to have a Senate confirmation vote prior to the election.”

Despite Collins statement, Republicans will have enough votes to confirm Coney Barrett to the bench when they meet Monday evening to decide.

Another Republican who was one the fence, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, announced her support for Coney Barrett Saturday during a floor speech in the Senate.

Murkowski said she's still opposed to the Senate taking up a Supreme Court nominee so close to Nov. 3 election, but the senator said she already lost that procedural fight and she must evaluate Barrett's qualifications to the bench. 

"I will be a yes," Murkowski said Saturday in a floor speech. "I have no doubt about her intellect. I have no doubt about Judge Barrett's judicial temperament. I have no doubt about her capability to do the job -- and to do it well."

Fox News’ Marisa Schultz contributed to this report.

 

Pence says Biden, Harris should stop playing politics with COVID-19 vaccine

Vice President Mike Pence took Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., to task on Sunday for what he said was a clear effort to undermine any safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines.

Pence, who was interviewed on Fox News’ “Life, Liberty & Levin,” told host,  Mark Levin, Biden, Harris and Gov.  Andrew Cuomo, the New York Democrat, need to “stop playing politics with people’s lives by undermining confidence in a safe and effective vaccine.”

Pence said President Trump has tried to speed up the vaccine through initiatives like Operation Warp Speed, but said no corners have been cut when it comes to safety. He said any vaccine that would be released to the public would be vetted and approved by several agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration.

“So to have Kamala Harris say,  two, three times in a row that she would refuse to take the vaccine that was produced under the Trump administration” is unconscionable, he said.

Health officials have said even if pharmaceutical companies produce an effective vaccine, a certain number of the population must be willing to participate for it to be effective. Stat News reported only 58% of the U.S. public said they would be willing to be vaccinated once a vaccine is available. The number is down from 69% from mid-August.

Biden and fellow Democrats have tried to exploit Trump as reckless when it comes to the coronavirus when it comes to transmission and treatment options. They say Trump tends to oversell unproven medical advancements and apparently see his coronavirus response as a political vulnerability.

The Mayo Clinic said a vaccine would be the “ideal approach to achieving herd immunity,” which is the threshold reached when a sufficient number of individuals have recovered from the disease and have antibodies against future infections. The Mayo Clinic said about 70% of the population — or 200 million people — would need to have recovered from the virus or receive an effective vaccine to achieve that goal.

Biden said in September while he trusts what scientists say about a potential coronavirus vaccine, he doesn’t trust Trump.

“I trust vaccines, I trust scientists, but I don’t trust Donald Trump,” Biden said, “and at this moment, the American people can’t, either.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report

 

Family describes horror as violent maskless rioters throw rocks, attack 'Jews for Trump' convoy

A family of seven -- including four kids -- were pepper-sprayed by violent rioters on Sunday while participating in a “Jews For Trump” rally in New York City. 

A member of the family told Fox News that the unprovoked attack happened while the family was driving down 5th Ave with the car windows down and Trump flags displayed. 

A pro-Trump caravan making its way through Manhattan.  (Provided)

The man, who wished to remain anonymous fearing his family could be targeted, said a car pulled up next to them and unleashed pepper spray into their vehicle. 

"Immediately the kids started crying and screaming and I jumped out of the car after I was peppered [sic] sprayed as well," the man said. 

The man said the culprit chased him down 5th Ave trying to pepper spray him again. His mother flagged down an officer and the suspect was arrested. 

The man told Fox News that the kids "are now left traumatized" and still "coughing from" the residue. 

The encounter was one of many violent confrontations between the rally's participants and protesters. The Jewish Telegraph Agency reported that a convoy was to take place in several Orthodox Jewish communities ahead of a planned event in Brooklyn’s Marine Park organized by Boris Epshteyn, an advisor to the Trump campaign and co-chair of Jewish Voices for Trump.

A caravan of Trump supporters driving through NYC, prominently displaying Trump 2020 flags.  (Provided)

Multiple disturbing video clips of the convoy posted on @NYScanner show crowds not taking too kindly to rows of vehicles with hoisted Trump 2020 flags.

In one video, a man can be seen appearing to throw eggs at the convoy in Brooklyn.

In another video, pedestrians can be seen appearing to throw rocks at vehicles displaying a Trump flag.

The hostility evidently lingered throughout the day. In multiple clips, people can be heard yelling expletives at the “Jews For Trump” participants.

One man – on a bike, no less – appears so incensed that the “pro-Trump” vehicles have congested traffic on the Brooklyn that he resorts to punching a window.

In Manhattan, a woman was arrested for allegedly using pepper spray on the convoy, according to police.

Later, a scuffle broke out between the pro- and anti-Trump crowd in the middle of a street. Masked protesters could be seen in one clip converging on a vehicle doused in red paint as “YMCA” is blasting in the background.

“Go home! We don’t you here!” somebody in the crowd shouts.

“Go back to Long Island!” another person shouts.

A video posted on Twitter shows a pro-Trump caravan led by former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani shows being pelted with eggs. 

In the clip, Giuliani can be seen rolling down the window from the passenger side of a vehicle. He briefly speaks to a police sergeant before the car drives away. Protester can be heard shouting expletives as the former mayor.

Several police officers can be seen struggling to separate the opposing sides before slapping handcuffs on a bicyclist.

A scuffle between the opposing continues, as people brawl between a traffic divider. In the confusion, a masked protester appears to strike a Trump supporter on the head. As the masked culprit tries to run away, another person trips him, causing him to fall and slam his head into the ground.

Police later declared the gathering an unlawful assembly and made multiple arrests. 

Chief Terence Monahan said later Sunday that NYPD detectives are investigating the rock-throwing incident. 

 

Where's Hunter Cartoons

 

Fla. man claims he was fired in retaliation for sharing a letter about layoffs under Biden administration

 

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 12:24 PM PT – Saturday, October 24, 2020

A Florida man has claimed he was fired after he revealed a letter from his employers that warned of potential lay-offs if Joe Biden wins the upcoming election.

Stan Smith said the letter warned: “if Biden and the Democrats win, Daniels Manufacturing Corporation in Florida could be forced to begin permanent layoffs in late 2020 or early 2021.”

President Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden. (Photo by JIM WATSON,SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

The company’s president, George Daniels, reported it was his duty to notify employees of potential outcomes in the workplace following the election.

President of the ‘Job Creators Network‘ Elaine Parker also defended the letter and stated it was not about revenge over election results.

“Employers have the right to educate their employees about the negative impacts of policy,” claimed Parker. “We believe that they have the obligation to do so.”

Smith was allegedly fired for sharing the information with a media source as well as falsely accusing Daniels of voter intimidation. He plans to file a lawsuit over his termination.

Air Force vet would be California's first Black GOP woman elected to US House

Aja Smith is running against Democratic incumbent Rep. Mark Takano in California's 41st district  (Aja Smith campaign)

An Air Force veteran in Southern California would be the state’s first Black Republican woman elected to a U.S. House seat if she’s able to unseat her Democratic opponent in November, according to a report.

“I am driven every day by the sacrifice of those that came before me,” Aja Smith, who was deployed to Qatar in 2007, told The Washington Times in an interview published Saturday.

“My grandfather was a veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam and my great uncle was a Tuskegee Airman pilot,” she added.

Smith is running against Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., who was first elected to Congress in 2012. He is also the first openly gay person of color elected to Congress, according to GLAAD. 

Smith last challenged Takano in the 41st Congressional District, which includes Riverside, Moreno Valley, Perris and Jurupa Valley, in 2018, according to the Inland Empire’s Press-Enterprise.

The district is east of Los Angeles.

Smith isn’t likely to beat Takano, however: FiveThirtyEight ranks the race as “Solid D” with Takano having a better than 99% chance of winning.

“This is truly a grassroots effort,” Smith told the Times. “Our campaign is fueled by over 20,000 small donors that have joined together to fight for our country and take on entrenched special interests.”

When interviewed by the Press-Enterprise, Smith told the paper her first priority on the coronavirus "is restoring the American Dream for the many families that have had their lives upended by this pandemic. Our bloated bureaucracies can afford to shrink. Our hurting families must come first.”

Smith has also lodged a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice over concerns she is being "shadow-banned" on social media, according to the Times. 

“On Twitter, I have over 41,000 followers and I am specifically followed by over 10,000 users, but many of my posts receive minimal interaction, in the single digits,” she said. “My campaign depends on me being able to communicate to my supporters freely. The illegal behavior by the companies has real consequences, limiting my ability while providing a boost to my opponent." 

 

AOC tells Jane Fonda it's OK to be Trump's 'public enemy No. 1': 'That's a good thing' (Hanoi Jane Vietnam)

AOC

AOC and Family.

Drink of Socialism.

Vietnam Veterans will never forget this Traiter.

Being attacked by President Trump is a “badge of honor," U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told actress Jane Fonda during an online interview last week.

"If the worst and most authoritarian, borderline -- or probably, actually -- fascistic president in modern history considers me public enemy No. 1, I think that's a good thing. I'm doing a great job,” the New York Democrat said in an interview for Greenpeace during Fonda's "Fire Drill Fridays." 

Ocasio-Cortez and the three other so-called “Squad” members are frequent targets for President Trump because of their liberal policy proposals and their tendency to speak out against him as well.

Separately on Friday, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted she was offended by Trump referring to her by her nickname "AOC," rather than addressing her as Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez.

In the interview with Fonda, Ocasio-Cortez also spoke about why young voters -- a demographic that could help Democratic nominee Joe Biden if they turn out to vote -- usually come out in small numbers. 

“It’s kind of this cyclical thing because the reason young people aren’t really passionate or supportive of a lot of elected officials is because a lot of elected officials do nothing substantively to address the real material cares that a young electorate is passionate about," she said, mentioning issues like student loans and climate change. 

Fonda suggested the prospect of implementing the Green New Deal -- Ocasio-Cortez's signature climate proposal -- would bring a large number of young people to the polls.

“I can’t believe how it resonates with young people and gives them hope," she told Ocasio-Cortez. 

The New York congresswoman agreed, adding that she and Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., registered thousands of young voters last week while streaming themselves playing the popular online game “Among Us” on Twitch.

The 31-year-old said to progressives not necessarily excited about voting for Biden that she believes he’s more “vulnerable to [our] activism" while Trump is “accountable to no one.”

She said it’s OK to admit Biden isn’t perfect and to still support him.

“I am casting this vote out of solidarity with the most marginalized and vulnerable communities,” she said.

Traiter

“This isn’t always about support for the candidate," she added. "We can make tactical votes."

Kamala Harris caught on hot mic checking rally location: 'Are we in Cleveland?'

Dumb-ass

A hot mic appeared to catch Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris checking her location before addressing supporters Saturday.

“Are we in Cleveland?” she was heard quietly asking an aide before yelling to supporters, “Hey, Cleveland, it’s Kamala!”

Video of the incident circulated widely on social media, with retweeters including Eric Trump, son of the president.

Harris rescheduled the Cleveland trip after canceling a week earlier in reaction to a staffer testing positive for the coronavirus, according to Cleveland.com.

During the visit, Harris urged supporters to vote in large numbers, stressing the struggles of the middle class due to the coronavirus pandemic and what she said was the president stoking racial tensions.

In her remarks, Harris also accidentally overstated the U.S. death toll of the virus, saying it had killed "over 220 million" Americans instead of the actual tally of around 224,000.

"You are going to make the difference!" she told supporters, according to WKYC-TV in Cleveland. "You are going to make the decision about your future, about your family's future. It is through the voice of your vote, and you have the power. The power is with the people, and you know that. That's why you're standing in this line today, and I just came to say thank you!"

Biden, meanwhile, held a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday while former President Obama stumped for the Democratic ticket in Florida.

President Trump made stops in Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Ohio and Vice President Mike Pence spoke to voters in Florida.