Watch New York’s John Heilemann Discuss Our Country’s ‘Pledge-Demic’

Polls Show Bernie Sanders Way Ahead in Nevada

By Matt Stieb

One poll showed Sanders 19 points ahead of the next leading candidate, with 66 percent support among likely Hispanic voters.

Over 2,000 Former DOJ Officials Call for Attorney General William Barr to Resign

department of justice

By Matt Stieb

Department of Justice alumni are furious over Barr’s decision to intervene on the president’s behalf in the case of Trump surrogate Roger Stone.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Pledges $10 Billion to Fight Effects of Climate Change

environment

By Matt Stieb

It’s a substantial figure from the founder of a company that reportedly threatened to fire employees who publicly condemned its carbon footprint.

As Bloomberg Rises, Democratic Candidates Go On the Attack

democratic primaries

By Adam K. Raymond

The ascendant billionaire is drawing fire over his remarks and his spending from nearly everyone else in the field.

Virginia’s Assault Weapons Ban Fails

gun control

By Adam K. Raymond

It was the most controversial bill in a package of gun control legislation advanced by Gov. Ralph Northam.

2/17/2020

Senator Tom Cotton is still promoting the debunked conspiracy theory that China engineered the coronavirus

“This analysis provides evidence that SARS-CoV-2 is not a laboratory construct nor a purposefully manipulated virus.” Before you read any speculation about SARS-CoV-2 origins, read this post by some leading researchers in pathogen evolution/genomics https://t.co/S2OeJuLCYS

—@AdamJKucharski

2/17/2020

The White House mole hunt sounds like the search for a serial killer

Officially, assistant to the president Peter Navarro is Trump’s point-man on trade policy. But Navarro has also taken it upon himself in recent weeks to uncover the identity of the person known simply as “Anonymous,” the senior Trump administration official who has railed against the president in the New York Times opinion pages and, most recently, in a bestselling book titled A Warning, and whose actual identity has so far confounded White House leak hunters.

Since at least the time of the impeachment process against Trump, Navarro—whom the president affectionately calls “my Peter”—began conducting his own private investigation into the identity of Anonymous, according to three sources with knowledge of Navarro’s efforts.

One of those sources described Navarro’s investigative efforts as partially an in-depth analysis of the language and phrases used in Anonymous’ book and other public writings. The process, as described to The Daily Beast, mimics forensic linguistic profiling, and the goal is to cross-reference Navarro’s “profile” with a list of potential suspects.

Trump’s Top Trade Adviser Peter Navarro Has a Side Project: Secretly Hunting for ‘Anonymous’

—The Daily Beast

L.A.’s Beguiling Idea: An African-American Arts Destination

cityscape

By Justin Davidson

In South Los Angeles—formerly known as South Central—Destination Crenshaw will be an elevated park amid the traffic arteries.

What Would Four More Years of Trump Look Like?

the second term

By The Editors

The death of global climate efforts. Escalating trade wars. Nuclear brinkmanship. Here, 19 visions of a future that seems more possible than ever.

What Obama Is Saying in Private About the Democratic Primary

By Gabriel Debenedetti

Sure, he’s got thoughts about Sanders and Bloomberg — and others in the field. But keeping mum is part of a much bigger plan.

2/16/2020

health

Everything We Know About the Coronavirus Epidemic

By Hannah Gold and Claire Lampen

The death toll has passed 1,600, and there are about 69,000 reported cases worldwide.

2/16/2020

new york city

Could Andrew Yang and His Gang Make It in New York’s Mayoral Race?

By Ross Barkan

He has teased a potential run, but the road from long-shot presidential candidate to city hall will be hard without more support from progressives.

2/15/2020

Bloomberg’s billions on political causes

In less than three months as a candidate, Mr. Bloomberg has poured more than $400 million, and rapidly counting, into the campaign. But that figure pales in comparison with what he spent in prior years, positioning himself as a national leader with presidential ambitions.

A Times examination of Mr. Bloomberg’s philanthropic and political spending in the years leading up to his presidential bid illustrates how he developed a national infrastructure of influence, image-making and unspoken suasion that has helped transform a former Republican mayor of New York City into a plausible contender for the Democratic nomination. …

In all, Mr. Bloomberg has spent at least $10 billion on his charitable and political pursuits. The vast majority has gone to philanthropy, for causes that reflect his personal interests and passions, including $3.3 billion to his alma mater, Johns Hopkins University.

But The Times’s examination — based on a review of years of campaign and nonprofit tax filings, as well as interviews with more than 50 people who have benefited from his support — illustrates how deeply that philanthropy is entwined with Mr. Bloomberg’s political preoccupations. In fact, in 2019, the year he declared his presidential candidacy, Mr. Bloomberg’s charitable giving soared to $3.3 billion — more than in the previous five years combined. His campaign disclosed that total in response to inquiries by The Times, but the donations were not itemized and most of it does not fall under public disclosure requirements.

Bloomberg’s Billions: How the Candidate Built an Empire of Influence

—The New York Times

2/15/2020

More details emerge about Bloomberg’s denigrating comments toward women

While allegations about Bloomberg’s comments and treatment of women have received notice over the years, a review by The Post of thousands of pages of court documents, depositions obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and interviews with witnesses underscores how Bloomberg and his company, Bloomberg LP, have fought the claims.

A number of the cases have either been settled, dismissed in Bloomberg’s favor or closed because of a failure of the plaintiff to meet filing deadlines. The cases do not involve accusations of inappropriate sexual conduct; the allegations have centered around what Bloomberg has said and about the workplace culture he fostered. …

[One accuser] alleged that Bloomberg berated female employees who got pregnant. “What the hell did you do a thing like that for?” Bloomberg allegedly told one pregnant employee. On another occasion, the lawsuit said, Bloomberg berated a female employee who had trouble finding a nanny. “It’s a f—— baby! . . . All you need is some black who doesn’t have to speak English to rescue it from a burning building.”

Mike Bloomberg for years has battled women’s allegations of profane, sexist comments

—The Washington Post

2/15/2020

election reform

Sometimes Slow Election Results Are Good for Democracy

By Ed Kilgore

We have no birthright to instant election results, particularly when a slow count reflects greater access to the ballot.

2/15/2020

This One Chart Explains Why the Kids Back Bernie

By Eric Levitz

Today’s version of American capitalism can’t give the rising generation of college graduates what they were promised.

De Blasio To Endorse, Campaign With, Sanders

By Ed Kilgore

It’s unclear whether this was the mayor’s idea, or Bernie’s, but he’ll be back on the campaign trail in Nevada.

Disgraced Lawyer Michael Avenatti Found Guilty in Nike Extortion Trial

the law

By Chas Danner

The onetime legal celebrity and Trump adversary now faces a maximum of 20 years in prison — and more trials for other crimes.

Why Biden’s Candidacy May Survive

By Ed Kilgore

He’s been left for dead by many observers, but Nevada and especially South Carolina could revive him in time for Super Tuesday.

2/14/2020

Game over

Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York will endorse Sen. Bernie Sanders for the Democratic presidential nomination, according to people familiar with the plans https://t.co/JRIyjqfAP9

—@nytimes

Tall Delta CEO Asks Passengers to Please Think of the Tall Before Reclining

air travel

By Josh Barro

There’s a button to recline your seat because that’s a thing you’re allowed to do; there’s no button to shake the seat in front of you.

A Stranded Cruise Passenger on Staying Cheerful Through a Coronavirus Quarantine

just asking question

By M.L. Nestel

“We realized that for the next 14 days, there was nothing we could do to change the situation, so we had to make the best of it.”