Global: Total confirmed cases: ~16,846,000; deaths: ~663,000
U.S.: Total confirmed cases: ~4,399,000; deaths: ~151,000
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2020/07/29/day-1287/
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2020/07/29/day-1287/
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Well, to his credit, he finally didn’t LIE about something.
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Basically, police got together, had a BBQ, and bent a point on their badges to show they had membership in an exclusive “club” of officers who had killed civilians.
Vallejo police held parties, bent badges after fatal shootings, shocking report says
The Vallejo Police Department, already under scrutiny for a series of fatal shootings, is now facing shocking allegations from a former captain, reports Open Vallejo.
John Whitney, a former SWAT commander, says he learned in 2019 of the existence of a secret fellowship within the department. According to Whitney, some police officers who killed someone in the line of duty were thrown a barbecue and initiated into a kind of club by bending one of the points of their badge to commemorate the killing.
Whitney says he was fired after he began probing the alleged misconduct. He filed a retaliation claim in February which went unanswered by the city, meaning Whitney is now free to file a lawsuit. His lawyer indicated to the San Francisco Chronicle that he plans to do so.
Assistant City Manager Anne Cardwell told The Chronicle that the city is aware of Whitney’s claims and investigated them last year.
“In conferring this evening with the City Manager, he noted that the Mayor had advised him last year regarding rumors of such a prior practice in years past at the Police Dept., and that he, the City Manager, then immediately consulted with former Police Chief (Andrew) Bidou, who indicated it had been previously investigated and such claims had not been substantiated,” Cardwell said.
An Open Vallejo investigation found three men, Sean Kenney, Joe McCarthy and Steve Darden, accounted for almost a third of Vallejo’s 30 fatal police shootings over the past two decades. Kenney denied manipulating his badge when contacted by Open Vallejo, which says it reviewed images that show his badge tips bent.
In addition to Whitney’s allegations that some officers glorified violence against civilians, he claims former Police Chief Andrew Bidou told him to delete text messages related to the case of kidnap victim Denise Huskins. In 2015, Huskins was taken from her boyfriend’s Vallejo residence and held captive for days. Vallejo police accused Huskins of staging the kidnapping, going so far as to hold a press conference to denounce her. Matthew Muller was later convicted on federal kidnapping charges, and the city ended up paying Huskins and her partner a $2.5 million settlement.
Whitney also claimed Bidou told a Vallejo Police Department spokesperson to “burn that bitch” in reference to Huskins.
Bidou retired from the department last year and now works for PG&E.
In June, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced his office is partnering with the city and Vallejo police to “modernize and reform VPD’s policies and practices and increase public trust.”
“This review and reform agreement we announce today with the City of Vallejo represents a critical step the Vallejo Police Department must take to build trust with people who have lost faith in them” Becerra said in a statement at the time of the announcement.
The California Department of Justice also has an open investigation into the June 2 killing of Sean Monterrosa, who was shot by a Vallejo police officer. The investigation was prompted by allegations that the police department destroyed evidence relating to the case.
“Some days I feel like I work with a bunch of thugs who take pleasure out of hurting people,” an anonymous department employee told Open Vallejo.
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The Suburban Lifestyle Dream tweet and Trump’s racist ramblings about low income housing, suburbs, and Cory Booker are blowing up.
Trump Plays on Racist Fears of Terrorized Suburbs to Court White Voters
President Trump painted a false picture of suburbs under siege, saying he was protecting them from low-income housing, as he seeks to win over white voters who were key to his 2016 victory.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNFfYvtaZFU&feature=emb_logo
‘Suburban Lifestyle Dream’: Trump attacks fair housing rule in tweet critics call ‘vile’
Trump tells suburban voters they will ‘no longer be bothered’ by low-income housing
Rawstory is pretty sensationalistic, but one thing I like about them is that they usually link to their sources, so can be a gateway to other articles.
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Second-quarter GDP plunged by worst-ever 32.9% amid virus-induced shutdown
The U.S. economy suffered its worst period ever in the second quarter, with GDP falling a historic 32.9%.
Economists surveyed by Dow Jones were looking for a decline of 34.7%.
Neither the Great Depression nor the Great Recession nor any other slump over the past two centuries have ever caused such a sharp drain on the economy.
The U.S. economy saw the biggest quarterly plunge in activity ever, though the plummet in the second quarter wasn’t as bad as feared.
Gross domestic product from April to June plunged 32.9% on an annualized basis, according to the Commerce Department’s first reading on the data released Thursday. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for a drop of 34.7%.
Still, it was the worst drop ever, with the closest previously coming in mid-1921.
The report “just highlights how deep and dark the hole is that the economy cratered into in Q2,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics. “It’s a very deep and dark hole and we’re coming out of it, but it’ going to take a long time to get out.”
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As T’s poll numbers drop, the GDP drops, the pandemic increases, unemployment increases, he tweets about DELAYING THE ELECTION.
Here are some reactions…illegal to do so.
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I imagine every governor and mayor who tried to deal with Trump’s gestapo in good faith is taking note of this:
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Well, this is unnecessary irresponsible and dangerous.
Gohmert Aide Alleges Staffers Are ‘Berated’ For Wearing Masks, Office Is Regularly Full
Politico playbook author Jake Sherman posted an email ostensibly from an aide to Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.) — who confirmed Wednesday he had tested positive for coronavirus — suggesting Gohmert requires the office to be full and that staffers are berated for wearing masks.
Gohmert reportedly told staffers about his diagnosis in person, which Sherman says has led to a “lot of frustration” towards him.
“Jake, thank you for letting our office know Louie tested positive for the Coronavirus,” the email begins.
The aide claims that Gohmert “requires full staff to be in the office, including three interns, so that ‘we could be an example to America on how to open up safely.’”
“When probing the office, you might want to ask how often people were berated for wearing masks,” they added.
Gohmert, who regularly shirks masks when on Capitol Hill, was reprimanded by Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) for taking off his mask during a House Judiciary Committee hearing — he also walked maskless and in close contact with Attorney General William Barr, whose office now says he will get tested as well.
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Trump suggests delaying November election
Republicans openly challenge Trump’s tweet on delaying election
Trump floats delaying election despite lack of authority to do so
Trump’s suggestion to delay the election is the most anti-democratic thing any president ever said
This last WaPo one is interesting; the author admits he generally agrees with Trump’s decisions and is pretty much an ass, but even he sees this as a big issue.
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Just click on through to the other side 
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