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ineffably-good · 5 years ago

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Faeted (Good Omens AU)

Summary: Ezra fell is an English professor at a prestigious academy for boys. Crowley is the lord of the Unseelie court in the lands without sunrise or moonfall. Somehow fate will bring them together.

Excerpt: “That’s the only part that concerns you?” Ezra exclaimed. “My heart’s desire is apparently a large reptile and you’re just concerned about the laws of magic?”

Read it on AO3!

Chapter One

Ezra Fell laid down his chalk and turned to face the twelve teenage boys in his care. Twelve bodies ensconced in navy blazers jittered in barely concealed anticipation; twelve pairs of eyes jumped between him and the clock on the wall, ticking loudly as the last minutes of Friday lecture faded away.

There was no competing with the weekend, even at a school as prestigious as St. Aloysius Academy.

“Yes, yes, all right,” he sighed. “I expect you all to read the next section of the Faerie Queen for Monday, and to complete your permission slips for next week’s field trip.”

The bell clanged and the room was suddenly awash with the screeching sounds of chairs being pushed back and students exploding into motion.

“Class dismissed,” he called futilely, over the chaos.

Ezra sighed and wiped the chalk dust from his hands as he returned to his desk and began to straighten up his papers. There was a knock at the door and he smiled to see Miss Device, his friend and the resident art teacher, standing in the doorway. Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a braid and there were tiny bits of paint speckled on her glasses and her cheek. She still wore the smock she’d placed over her dress to protect it from her students’ creative endeavors.

“Survived another week, did you?” she asked with a grin.

“Indeed I did, my dear,” Ezra replied. “And you? Still employed I assume?”

“So it seems,” she said. “So that’s a score of two for us, zero for the urchins. We just might get through this term yet. Supper at the pub at seven?”

“Of course! Wouldn’t miss it.”

Anathema sketched a little wave and disappeared around the corner towards her own room.

Read it on AO3!

Ezra gathered his things into his leather satchel and made his way outside. It was a beautiful fall day, and the air was crisp and bracing. He stretched in the angled sunlight for a moment and then headed off towards his home.

He passed through the school gates and enjoyed the walk for another twelve minutes before he found himself arriving at his own doorstep – a small, tidy, whitewashed cottage, just the right size for one. Many of the instructors at the academy lived on campus with the students, but Ezra valued his privacy and his quiet reading time too much for that; he’d felt lucky to find and purchase his own modest little home so close to the school when he’d been hired on five years ago.

He stopped to collect his post and examine the flowers in his front window box, and then let himself in with a contented sigh and immediately set about putting a kettle on to boil. Time for tea.

The clock over the mantel showed that he had a little over two hours before he needed to meet Anathema. With a happy wriggle, he carried his tea over to his favorite arm chair in front of the fire, sat down, and picked up the copy of The Mabinogion he’d been reading. It took him just a moment to find his place, and then the world disappeared as he was lost in tales of pre-Arthurian Britain.

Anathema was waiting for him when he parked his bicycle outside the pub later that evening. She waved to him from their usual table in the front window and he noted she had two pints ready for them.

“So, what were you reading that made you late this time?” Anathema asked.

“Oh, doing some background research on old Celtic and British legends,” Ezra answered. “Faeries and mounds and elfshot and fairy stroke and what have you. Fascinating stuff! I’m taking the boys out to visit a few sites on Monday afternoon and want to give them context.”

Anathema nodded. “Faeries,” she said solemnly, “are not generally the nice little creatures that people like to imagine. They are dangerous and unpredictable and not to be taken lightly.”

Ezra examined her closely. “In literature, you mean,” he said pointedly.

“Whatever makes you happy,” she said with an ambiguous smile.

“I know you believe in magic, of course, but are you telling me you believe in the fair folk too?”

Anathema shrugged and took a long drink from her pint. It left a bit of foam on her lip that she licked off before answering. “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

Ezra tutted at her fussily. “Now, now, using Shakespeare to win an argument with an English professor is completely unfair.”

“Who ever said I play fair?”

“Indeed,” Ezra said with a fond smile. “I keep forgetting that.”

They turned their attention to food, then to sharing the latest gossip from their respective departments as the munched on their fish and chips.

“What is your coven up to tonight, then?” Ezra asked pleasantly.

“Oh, you know. Preparing for the larger gathering next week. Scrying.”

“What are you scrying for?”

She shrugged. “It varies from person to person. Glimpses of the future. The face of your one true love. The essay question that will appear on next week’s exam.”

He laughed. “And you find that this works?”

“Well maybe not for essay questions,” she said with a wink. “Although if the will is strong, anything is possible.”

She stopped and looked at him more closely.

“Oh now, don’t start, my dear,” he protested, knowing what was coming.

“You should come join us,” she said. It was an old refrain and quite possibly the hundredth time she’d brought this up.

“My dear, covens are for women,” Ezra said primly.

“No, they aren’t,” she said. “We are an equal opportunity coven. And you’d fit right in.”

“Perhaps some other time,” he said, signaling for another round of pints.

“Really, Ezra. We’ve got a few men who work with us regularly. And with your powers of concentration and imagination, you’d be a natural.” She peered at him. “What’s the harm in giving it a chance?”

Ezra had to think about that one. Born into a conservative and very rich family, he’d long since abandoned his family’s religious beliefs and instead devoted himself to a life of the mind and the senses. He considered himself an open minded man, and didn’t mind at all that his closest friend considered herself a practicing witch. But to try it himself?

Anathema leaned forward and prepared to break out the big guns. “Really Ezra,” she said. “Where’s your academic curiosity?”

She sat back and tried not to grin while she watched that comment land.

He huffed in mock disgust. “You,” he said, shaking a finger, “are a menace. You are an American menace, come to Great Britain to corrupt the souls of our young.”

She continued to grin smugly at him, one eyebrow coolly raised.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” he said. “I’m not coming to your coven. But perhaps you can show me something about how scrying works, after dinner. I do admit to some curiosity about the process.”

Anathema made a fist pumping gesture, which Ezra primly ignored.

“Do you have some ink?” Anathema asked as they entered the cottage.

Ezra gave her a stern look and gestured around him at the overflow of books, papers, notebooks, and pens lying on every possible surface. “What do you think?” he asked. “Of course I have ink!”

“Grab it,” she said, “and a pitcher of fresh water, and a silver spoon if you have one, and meet me in the back garden.”

“No niceties? No sitting down for a biscuit first?” he teased.

“I’ve got a coven to get to in an hour,” she said, pushing her glasses back up on her nose. “If you want a little tutorial, we’ve got to do it now.”

Ezra set about gathering the items she’d asked for, placing them carefully on a wooden tray, and then stopped and added a few biscuits on a plate too, just in case someone got peckish.

When he emerged in the backyard, he found Anathema had upended the brackish water and leaves out of his old, stone birdbath and wiped it as clean as she could with just her hands, and then had pushed and pulled it out of its usual corner beneath the plum tree into a spot where it was open to the sky above.

“It’s actually a beautiful night for scrying,” she said. “Nice bright moon, no wind…”

“Oh lovely,” Ezra said, a tad sarcastically.

She punched him lightly in the arm. “You asked for a lesson in scrying. Don’t be a bastard.”

“Sorry, sorry,” he said, smoothing his face into a more agreeable expression. “What do we do?”

“First pour the water into the bowl,” she said, indicating the birdbath. “And then add a few drops of ink to make it darken. Then stir it with the silver spoon, three times clockwise.””

He did so.

“Now,” she said firmly, “it’s mostly about your intention at this point.”

“My intention?”

“What do you want to see?” she asked. “You don’t have to tell me, but think of a question in your mind, as clearly as you can, and focus on it while you take deep breaths and calm yourself.”

Ezra sat back and thought. What did he want to know? He thought about asking it to show him his family and what they were doing, but he wasn’t really interested in that, to be honest. His parents were undoubtedly at some fancy fund raiser, as that was how they spent most of their weekends, and his older brother was undoubtedly preparing for tomorrow’s sermon at his swanky parish. None of them were thinking about him and seeing them would just point out how hopelessly different their lives were from his.

Did he want to know about the possibility of love or romance? To be perfectly honest, he wasn’t sure. He’d never had a strong feeling that love and romance were for him. He hadn’t ever really met anyone who evinced a strong interest in him, other than the occasional school crush on an older boy or two. These interests were passing and short, and he’d found himself mostly content with his life alone. He had his books, and his students, and a few good friends. It wasn’t out of the question that cupid could encounter him someday, but it hadn’t happened yet.

“I don’t know what to ask for,” he finally admitted.

Anathema studied him quietly. “Why don’t you ask it to show you what you most need to see?”

He straightened up and smiled. “Why, my dear, that’s a perfect solution. Nice and open, difficult to misinterpret. I do like to be precise.” He closed his eyes and took a series of long, slow breaths. He concentrated on that statement, repeating it over and over. Show me what I most need to see. Show me what I most need to see. Show me what I most need to see.

After a few minutes, he felt calm and centered, and he opened his eyes to look at Anathema, who was watching him closely.

“Lean forward,” she said, “and look into the water. Keep breathing and try to relax, and just wait.”

“That’s it?” he asked doubtfully.

“That’s all it takes,” she said.

He placed a hand on either side of the cold stone basin and leaned forward to stare at the reflection of the moon in the dark, inky water. Nothing happened for several minutes. There was only his face, watery and distorted, and the reflection of the moon, wobbling a little as gentle ripples made their way out from the center of the pool. He realized he was holding the edges of the basin with a death grip and tried to loosen his hands a little, letting the tension flow out of him.

He took a deep steadying breath and leaned in a little further, still repeating the words in his head, and suddenly the image in the water shifted, into a pair of golden, snake-like eyes that blinked at him in surprise and then darkened in alarm. He had a brief impression of hair like flames and a sense of agitation as the eyes leaned closer towards the surface and then — disappeared.

Ezra leapt back as if the bird bath had bitten him.

“What did you see?” Anathema asked, taking in his breathless surprise.

“I — I’m not sure!” he stammered. “Eyes. Reptilian eyes. Possibly a snake? I think it saw me, too.”

“That’s impossible,” the witch said. “Scrying is one direction only; no one can see back across the connection.”

“That’s the only part that concerns you?” Ezra exclaimed. “My heart’s desire is apparently a large reptile and you’re just concerned about the laws of magic?”

Anathema started to make a smart comment and then noted his pallor and how rapidly he was breathing. “Come on,” she said, “let’s get a finger or two of scotch into you.” She took him by the elbow and led him into the house.

The encounter left Ezra off balance and out of sorts for the rest of the evening. He saw Anathema off after more tea and a bit of whiskey, then set about trying to settle down and focus on lesson planning, but found himself distracted by thoughts of those golden, reptilian eyes widening in surprise and alarm. Who on earth was that supposed to be? His soulmate? He might not know a lot about the larger world outside of the academy, but he was fairly certain that nobody human had eyes like that.

#good omens #good omens fanfic #good omens au #ineffable husbands #aziraphale x crowley #fey #fey AU #human AU #crowley is unseelie #this is gonna be a bumpy ride

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jvlicns · 5 years ago

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julian amante , twenty - three , cis male , THE TOWER .

amusing , candid , resourceful , petty , cataclysmic , arrogant.

first of all HELLO !! im z. 25 / she+her / pst. im thrilled to be here and honestly a little shocked ?? my app was a rushed MESS but im so happy the admins understood my nonsense !!

this is going to be a lil long so pls bear w me. im going to break it down into sections and eventually make an entire bio , but this will do in the mean time !

connections are here , & my discord is zvvf#1885 !

* tw for mention of drugs & alcohol

. . .

TAROT ━

the tower represents chaos , destruction , & upheaval. this change is usually sudden & unexpected -- & not always good. the tower itself is a symbol of ambition , but in this card we see it built on faulty premises & false beliefs , all of which are no longer useful.

the ruin of the tower is inevitable -- necessary for growth & groundbreaking renewal. it’s time to break out of the old ways.

AESTHETICS ━

cracked asphalt , bloody knuckles , tangerine sunsets. the smell of freshly cut grass . still , slow mornings. a neat row of fire ants , climbing up your bedroom wall. broken stained glass , an overgrown field. tears of laughter , the only you’ll ever shed.

money in a yellow envelope , guilt in your eyes , pressed flowers , a string quartet , corruption , loss of morals , student debt , a yellow light , darkness , hellfire.

THOUGHTS ━

" you’ve got your orders & that’s enough. you don’t know who’s telling you to throw your classmates off the scent , but you’re getting paid to do it. maybe your moral compass would stop you if you didn’t struggle so much in the financial department , but hey. you’re doing what you have to do to survive. if only you didn’t have to go against your better judgment for it. "

GENERAL ━

assigned to REYNOLDS house

fourth year -- senior .

currently working at the corner store as a cashier .

scholarship student -- 2.3 average gpa .

athlete , st. cade’s lacrosse team .

BACKGROUND ━

grew up in a small town in arizona , in one of those unfinished suburbs that ran out of funding halfway through a government project to “ upgrade ” that was met with widespread disapproval. it’s all empty pools & dirt lawns , a patchwork neighborhood of old houses mixed in with the new.

former golden boy who peaked in high school : star athlete , prom king , voted best smile. eternally toeing the line between CHAMPION & DIRTBAG.

well - liked , but known for being something of a hell - raiser. out every night , hungover every morning. it was less obvious back then -- he could easily brush it off as simple youthful rebellion , rather than a real personality defect.

his first taste of alcohol was in seventh grade. a summer night , with the sun retiring for the day but leaving her kiss on the still - warm pavement. his world -- previously filled with sunday school , tense family dinners , & 24 hour marathons of professional passive aggression , was forever changed. finally , the boredom slipped away. & not just that ! this was actually FUN.

but for someone with zero impulse control . . . a door opened , & he never managed to close it.

from a young age , his parents were always involved in the church. they attended every sunday , no excuses.

this lapsed as the years passed & the amante family found it more & more unpleasant to be in the same room together , but his parent’s beliefs never wavered. religion was used as a weapon in their home -- to shame & guilt. they claimed love , preached tolerance. what they practiced , however , was the opposite. as he grew older , julian managed to weasel his way out of most of their theological outings. he gained some freedom , in addition to the ire of his family. their disappointment in him grew from a tiny acorn to a mighty oak.

his parents had their own issues , long before julian came along. a marriage between two irreconcilable people. the love they should have shared mutated into something twisted , something that they could give only to their son. it was enough for them to feed him , clothe him , & put a roof over his head. anything else was simply asking too much.

despite coming from a low - income family , things have never been particularly DIFFICULT for him. sure , they struggled. he’s lost count of the times the power got shut off , or the water. but julian was the type of kid who could charm teachers into bumping his grade up to a 71% , despite the dozens of half - finished assignments & failed tests. he didn’t really have to try -- they just wanted to help him. ( pity , perhaps ? he turns a blind eye )

he coasted through school. one of those natural athletes that coaches & admin treat like celebrities , focusing all their attention on a teenager they have high hopes for. higher hopes than he had for himself , in fact.

julian never had dreams , not a plan for his future. all that stubborn arrogance fooled them : he’s spent the better part of the past seven years stalling. cutting corners & taking shortcuts , desperately avoiding reality.

he never expected to even leave his hometown , let along attend a prestigious college on a full ride lacrosse scholarship. somehow , he played enough games & passed enough classes to qualify for an opportunity that would pluck him from his sad , tragic storyline & deposit him on a shiny path to success. a fresh start.

he didn’t want to go. fought endlessly about it with his parents , his friends , himself. his place wasn’t at some hoity - toity school , surrounded by do - gooders & the conscientious. julian may have a knack for delusion , for spinning a story that suits him in whatever moment is passing. but he’s smart enough knows what his future holds : drinking himself to an early death in the very house he was born in. you can’t fight fate -- but you can surely postpone it.

in the end , it’s the boredom that convinces him. he’s said & done just about everything he can here , exhausted all the options he cares to consider. made plenty of enemies , as well as friends. built & burnt bridges.

the expectation of his teachers , his parents , were choking him. it’s foolish to think that this might be the way out – he’ll never change. but why not have some fun , while he’s still here ?

st.cade’s was a treasure trove for julian , filled with endless opportunities to amuse himself. despite his placement in reynold’s house & the mandatory church shit ( a part of his scholarship’s stipulations ) , it hasn’t been bad. another social scene for him to invade , conquests to be had , fights to provoke. the first few years were amazing : an intoxicated blur of his own little slice of this world.

he lives in the moment , greedily gathering every experience he can. nodding off in class , smoking behind the greenhouse , collecting all the free alcohol he manages to sniff out.

he’s learned this : a loud laugh & bravado can get you far. but now , his actions have finally caught up with him. the school is threatening to terminate his scholarship , to pack up his bags & send him on the first train home. & while he has no idea what to do , he knows he can’t go back. god , no.

even without what’s keeping him – the enticing mystery of helena’s disappearance , his friends , his freedom. he just can’t stand to go in reverse ; it would mean facing the consequences of every mistake he’s ever made ( & there are quite a few ! )

he’s a shark – he has to keep moving.

that first letter came soon after the school - wide assembly. small , neat type. direct. there was no mincing words , the sender made it perfectly clear : this is his only option. if he wants to maintain this lifestyle , this is the way. so he burns the letters , following their instructions. almost relieved to be given direction. it’s a respite in the current disarray – something he used to enjoy , but now just feels exhausting. he’s the band , humming away as the titanic sinks. not my business , he thinks. but he’ll drown all the same.

PERSONALITY ━

he’s an asshole but a F U N asshole -- that makes it palatable , right ??

not a dumbass , but the lack of impulse control + arrogance could have fooled me ! his intelligence is only hinted at , invisible unless you’re looking : reciting keats from memory , listing off all 79 of jupiter’s moons. remnants of past & fleeting obsessions.

has to actively undermine his own common sense -- for the laughs , of course !

selfish ; his needs & wants come before anyone else’s. a childish habit , yes , but one he’s been unable to break. ( not that he’s tried )

vacillates between aloof & dramatic. you can count on him to stir some shit up -- he adores chaos & just can’t keep his mouth shut. petty , to a fault.

he’s hot - shit & he knows it ; well aware of his pretty face & statuesque build. julian’s never been afraid of using it to his advantage , or even just reminding anyone around him of just how cute he is. ( listen up 5′s , a 10 is speaking ! )

has a strong aversion to authority. “ don’t tell me what to do ! ” . . . * quietly takes your advice when you’re not looking * . . .

the good parts of him are buried deep. his loyalty , his gentleness. a warm heart that can easily empathize , but chooses not to. julians pursuit of superficial gratification blinds him , warping his reflection like a funhouse mirror.

aggressive & unrelenting. this could be channeled into something of a work ethic , if he cared enough. instead , he uses it to get what he wants. whatever that might be.

curious as a cat with nine lives , he won’t hesitate to ask the question everyone’s thinking. that bluntness is almost appealing , as long as it’s not directed at you. this makes him somewhat of a good listener , even if he’s only paying attention to satisfy his own nosiness.

he’ll literally fight for the ones he loves. there aren’t many of them , but the sentiment stands. years of sports have taught him the value of teamwork , & he has yet to shake it. once you endear yourself to him , there’s no going back.

despite everything , julian manages to be a charismatic little firebrand. he’ll guarantee a good time , he just won’t help clean up the mess.

FUN FACTS ━

can fit his entire fist in his mouth

has The Loudest Sneeze Of All Time

once bit into an apple n saw a WORM inside so now he hates apples w a passion

right handed , but taught himself to be ambidextrous during the summer between fifth & sixth grade

promptly forgot he was ambidextrous & never uses his left hand

has surprisingly neat handwriting

can fall asleep ANYWHERE

likes country music ( will never admit it , tho )

his mother used to read him poetry , so he’s lowkey Very Into It

can’t carry a tune for shit , & his impressions are a w f u l. his british accent is just a cheap dick van dyke imitation , & his australian accent is what the british one SHOULD be

#atonedintro #i refuse to look at this anymore so im gna go play ac for 6 hourS

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blackkudos · 5 years ago

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Maynard Jackson

Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. (March 23, 1938 – June 23, 2003) was an American politician and attorney from Georgia. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected in 1973 at the age of 35 as the first black mayor of Atlanta, Georgia and of any major city in the South. He served three terms (1974–1982, 1990–1994), making him the second longest-serving mayor of Atlanta, after six-term mayor (1937–1941, 1942–1962) William B. Hartsfield.

He is notable also for public works projects, primarily the new Maynard H. Jackson International terminal at the Atlanta airport, and for greatly increasing minority business participation in the city. After his death, the William B. Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport was re-named Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to honor his service to the expansion of the airport, the city and its people.

Family history, background and personal life

Jackson was born into a family that valued education and political activism. His maternal grandfather was civil rights leader John Wesley Dobbs, who worked to successfully overturn the white primary in Georgia. He also gained the hiring of black police officers in Atlanta and lighting of Auburn Street, the main retail street of the black community. Maynard's mother Irene (Dobbs) Jackson was one of his six daughters; all graduated from Spelman College, encouraged by their parents. Irene earned a doctorate in France and became a Professor of French at the college.

His father Maynard Holbrook Jackson was a Baptist minister from New Orleans. He became active in civil rights in Dallas, Texas, where he had grown up after his family moved. His grandfather Alexander Stephens Jackson had been a Baptist minister and educator in Louisiana and Texas. The young Jackson's father died when he was fifteen; his grandfather Dobbs became even more influential in his life.

Jackson attended David T. Howard High School in Atlanta and Morehouse College, a historically black college for men in Atlanta, graduating in 1956 at the age of eighteen. He sang in the Morehouse College Glee Club. After attending the Boston University Law School for a short time, Jackson held several jobs, including selling encyclopedias. He returned to graduate studies, attending the North Carolina Central University Law School. He graduated with a law degree in 1964. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

Jackson married Burnella "Bunnie" Hayes, in 1965. The couple had three children: Elizabeth, Brooke, and Maynard III. Bunnie Jackson founded First Class, Inc., a public relations and marketing firm in Atlanta, prior to their divorce.

Jackson married Valerie Richardson in 1977, to whom he was married for 25 years until his death. They have two daughters, Valerie and Alexandra. Valerie Jackson hosts Between the Lines each weekend on the WABE-FM radio station, the Atlanta Public Broadcasting station.

Early career

Jackson worked as a lawyer for the National Labor Relations Board and a legal services firm. He joined the Democratic Party.

Political career

In 1968, Jackson at 30, decided to run for the US Senate against incumbent Herman Talmadge. His campaign was underfunded, and he lost, but Jackson won in Atlanta, gaining prominence in the city, which had a substantial black minority. The following year, he built on his strength, gaining election as vice mayor, who was presiding officer of the board of aldermen. At that time, Atlanta modified its city charter, strengthening the position of mayor and renaming the vice mayor as president of the city council (aldermen were now city council members).

In 1970, Jackson became Atlanta's first Black Vice-Mayor, his first elected position which he held for four years.

In 1973, Jackson was elected with 60 percent of the vote, as the first African-American mayor of Atlanta and any major southern city; he was supported by a coalition of white liberals/moderates and African Americans. At the age of 35, he had unseated incumbent Sam Massell.

During his first term, Jackson worked to improve race relations in and around Atlanta after the polarization caused by the election campaign. As mayor, he led the beginnings and much of the progress on several huge public-works projects for the city and region. Affirmative action programs helped minority and women-owned businesses to participate. He helped arrange for the upgrade of the then-William B. Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport's huge terminal (now Domestic Terminal) to modern standards. Jackson strongly opposed the construction of freeways through in-town neighborhoods, knowing that such actions destroyed thriving communities.

Jackson was mayor through the period when the separate Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) obtained a large amount of Federal funding for a rapid-transit rail-line system, when construction began, and when MARTA began its first rail transit service in Atlanta and in DeKalb County in 1979 and during its continual expansion thereafter. As mayor, he celebrated in September 1990 when Atlanta was selected as the host city for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. As mayor, he accepted the Olympic flag at the 1992 closing ceremonies in Barcelona, Spain. He oversaw the completion of many planned public works projects, such as improvements to freeways and parks, and the completion of Freedom Parkway, which were expedited from 1990 to 1996 in preparation for the Olympic Games that began in August 1996.

During Jackson's second term as mayor, the Atlanta Child Murders were ongoing between 1979 and 1981. He supported the Atlanta Police and other police forces in the area but also worked to calm public tensions aroused by the serial killings of black children. The accused killer, Wayne Williams, was caught in 1981. Williams was convicted to serve two consecutive life sentences for the murder of two adult males, but never charged with or tried for the murder of any of the child victims. He is currently being held in Telfair State Prison.

In 1974, Jackson received the Samuel S. Beard Award for Greatest Public Service by an Individual 35 Years or Under, an award given out annually by Jefferson Awards.

Controversy

Maynard Jackson provoked a major racial crisis in May 1974 when he attempted to fire the incumbent white police chief, John Inman. Jackson believed the change was needed to grapple with Atlanta's growing crime problem and charges by the black community of police racial insensitivity toward African Americans. Whites opposed the firing and racial tensions rose, detracting from Atlanta's proud motto: "too busy to hate."

In August 1974 Mayor Jackson appointed A. Reginald Eaves, a college friend and fellow activist, as Public Safety Commissioner. Eaves was criticized for lacking police experience. He generated controversy by appointing an ex-convict as his personal secretary but was criticized more for what was considered as a system of quota promotions and hiring in the police department, which many decried as "reverse discrimination."

Jackson fired Eaves after revelation of a police exam cheating scandal. Eaves was later convicted by a federal jury of extortion in 1988 after selling his vote on two rezonings.

Atlanta's crime

In addition to the 1979–1981 Atlanta Child Murders mentioned above, residents were concerned about a rising crime rate during Mayor Jackson's tenure, which was consistent with national trends. In 1979, with a soaring murder rate and nationwide publicity about crime there, Georgia Governor George Busbee, acting on a request from Mayor Maynard Jackson, called in Georgia State Patrol troopers to help patrol the downtown. The business community accused Mayor Jackson and Police Chief George Napper of dismissing public concerns about crime. Atlanta had the highest murder rate and the highest overall crime rate of any city, and the numbers were rapidly climbing higher, with a 69% increase in homicides between 1978 and 1979 alone. Much of it was considered driven by drug wars.

Service to the Democratic National Committee

After leaving office as mayor, Jackson continued to be active with the Democratic Party. In 2001 he unsuccessfully sought the post as the Democratic National Committee chairman, losing to the fund-raiser Terry McAuliffe, who had the backing of former president Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. Jackson was backed by presidential candidate Bill Bradley, among others.

Jackson was appointed as the National Development Chairman of the Democratic National Committee and was the first Chairman of the DNC Voting Rights Institute. In 2002, he founded the American Voters League, a non-profit and non-partisan effort to increase national voter participation. He appeared briefly in the 2001 documentary Startup.com.

Legacy and honors

In 2008 the Southside Comprehensive High School was renamed the Maynard Holbrook Jackson High School.

In 2003, Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport had Jackson's name added to it, and in 2012 the airport's new international terminal was named for him.

In 2015 a documentary film about his life and work, entitled Maynard, was in preparation, directed by Samuel D. Pollard. It is expected to be released in 2016.

The Maynard Documentary was officially selected by DOC NYC to premiere at their film festival on November 16, 2017.

Death

Jackson died in 2003 at the age of 65, of a cardiac arrest at a hospital in Arlington, Virginia after suffering a heart attack at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. His remains are buried at the Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta.

#03/23 #06/23

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bountyofbeads · 5 years ago

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Trump Employs an Old Tactic: Using Race for Gain https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/20/us/politics/trump-race-record.html

Trump Employs an Old Tactic: Using Race for Gain

By Peter Baker, Michael M. Grynbaum, Maggie Haberman, Annie Karni and Russ Buettner | Published July 20, 2019 | New York Times | Posted July 20, 2019

For the fourth season of “The Apprentice,” Donald J. Trump searched for a gimmick to bolster ratings. His idea was simple if explosive — pit an all-white team against an all-black team.

“Do you like it?” he asked, previewing the concept on Howard Stern’s radio show in April 2005.

“Yes,” Mr. Stern said.

“Do you like it?” Mr. Trump asked Robin Quivers, the African-American co-host.

“Well,” she said, “I think you’re going to have a riot.”

That gave Mr. Trump no pause. “It would be the highest-rated show on television,” he exulted.

Long before he ignited a firestorm by telling four Democratic congresswomen of color to “go back” to their home countries, even though three were born in the United States and all are citizens, Mr. Trump sought to pit Americans against one another along racial lines.

Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump

So interesting to see “Progressive” Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly......

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8:27 AM - Jul 14, 2019

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Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump

· Jul 14, 2019

Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump

....and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how....

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8:27 AM - Jul 14, 2019

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Over decades in business, entertainment and now politics, Mr. Trump has approached America’s racial, ethnic and religious divisions opportunistically, not as the nation’s wounds to be healed but as openings to achieve his goals, whether they be ratings, fame, money or power, without regard for adverse consequences.

He was accused by government investigators in the 1970s of refusing to rent apartments to black tenants (he denied it but settled the case) and made a name for himself in the 1980s by championing the return of the death penalty when five black and Hispanic teenagers were charged with raping a jogger. They were later exonerated. He threatened to sell his Mar-a-Lago estate to the Unification Church in 1991 and unleash “thousands of Moonies” if city officials in Palm Beach, Fla., did not allow him to carve up his property.

Taking on competitors of his Atlantic City casinos, he questioned whether rival owners were really Native Americans entitled to federal recognition — then later teamed up with another tribe when there was money to be made. With his eye on the White House, he opened a yearslong drive to convince Americans that President Barack Obama was really born in Africa.

His own campaign in 2016 was marked by slurs against Mexicans, a proposed Muslim ban and other furors. To deflect criticism, two campaign officials said they regularly positioned a supporter nicknamed “Michael the Black Man” so cameras would show him behind Mr. Trump at his rallies.

In the White House, Mr. Trump equated “both sides” of a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., referred to African nations as “shithole countries” and said Nigerian visitors to the United States would never “go back to their huts.”

Mr. Trump has insisted he is the “least racist person you have ever met” and over the years he has made friends with prominent African-Americans, particularly sports and hip-hop stars. Just Friday, Mr. Trump spoke with the rapper Kanye West and promised to intervene in the case of his fellow artist ASAP Rocky, who is being held in Sweden on an assault charge, and followed up by calling the Swedish prime minister on Saturday.

Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump

Just spoke to @KanyeWest about his friend A$AP Rocky’s incarceration. I will be calling the very talented Prime Minister of Sweden to see what we can do about helping A$AP Rocky. So many people would like to see this quickly resolved!

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4:01 PM - Jul 19, 2019

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Some of Mr. Trump’s black friends defended him in recent days, saying his raw, politically incorrect approach was just bracing honesty about the reality of America, and not motivated by hate.

“I have an advantage of knowing the president very well, and he’s not a racist and his comments are not racist,” Ben Carson, the secretary of housing and urban development and only black member of the cabinet, said on Fox News. “But he loves the country very much and, you know, he has a feeling that those who represent the country should love it as well.”

Lynne Patton, a Trump family event planner now working in the administration, rejected accusations of racism.

“Trump sees success and failure, not color not race, not gender not religion,” said Ms. Patton, who is African-American. “I’ve traveled the country with this family, I’ve had drinks with this family, I’ve been at their weddings, their baby showers, their bachelorette parties. I’ve never heard anyone say anything bigoted or racist in my life.”

And White House officials argue that actions speak louder than words. Unemployment among Hispanics and African-Americans has fallen to record lows on Mr. Trump’s watch, they say, and the president signed legislation overhauling a criminal justice system tilted against people of color.

But the longer Mr. Trump spends on the stage, the more friends and former employees, like Michael D. Cohen, Omarosa Manigault Newman and Anthony Scaramucci, have concluded that he is more racist than they had admitted.

“Let me be clear: Donald Trump is a disgusting, filthy, petty racist and he is trying to start a race war in this country and what we saw this week is just the beginning,” said Ms. Manigault Newman, a former “Apprentice” star fired after a stint in the White House.

Mr. Scaramucci, who briefly served as White House communications director, wrote on Twitter that Mr. Trump would never have told a white immigrant to go back to his country. “That’s why the comments were racist and unacceptable,” he said, remarks that got him disinvited from a Republican fund-raiser.

For some who defended Mr. Trump against charges of racism in the past, this was a turning point. “As much as I have denied it and averted my eyes from it, this latest incident made it impossible,” Geraldo Rivera, a roaming correspondent at large for Fox News and longtime friend, said in an interview.

“My friendship with the president has cost me friendships, it has cost me schisms in the family, my wife and I are constantly at odds about the president,” he added. “I do insist that he’s been treated unfairly. But the unmistakable words, the literal words he said, is an indication that the critics were much more right than I.”

‘The City Was a Caldron’

Mr. Trump is a product of his place and time, born and raised in the Queens of another era. As he sought to make his mark in Manhattan real estate in the 1980s and 1990s, New York was struggling with a string of racial episodes, including the Bernhard H. Goetz subway shooting, the Howard Beach racial killing, the Tawana Brawley rape hoax and the Crown Heights riots.

In a city rived by tribal politics, elections were about assembling coalitions — white ethnic groups in Queens and Brooklyn, Hispanics in the Bronx, African-Americans in Harlem and, later, central Brooklyn. Race was a part of every citywide campaign every four years. That shaped the outlook of many rising stars of the moment.

“It was a period of enormous tension and the city was a caldron for those kind of emotions and very strong passions and feelings, and they spilled over,” said Robert Abrams, the special prosecutor in the Brawley case. “And unfortunately, I think Donald Trump was helping to fan some of those flames.”

The Justice Department housing discrimination lawsuit against him and his father and the case of the Central Park Five accused of rape were early milemarkers on Mr. Trump’s path. But he was a Democrat then operating in a diverse city and he showed a different side to many he met.

Charles B. Rangel, then a powerful African-American Democratic congressman from New York, saw Mr. Trump regularly when the developer would drop off checks for the party. What defined him was his “giant ego,” Mr. Rangel said the other day, but he never heard him make a racial remark.

“I don’t remember any remarks he ever made that was not sharing with me how much he thought about himself,” he said. “It was always the same story.”

The Rev. Al Sharpton, the civil rights leader who has grown more publicly critical of Mr. Trump in recent years, likewise recalled nothing overt. “I’ve never heard him say anything racial,” he said. But, he added, “I always sensed he was not comfortable being around us. He reminded me what he was — a Queens guy. He saw us as entertainers or athletes that he had to do business with.”

When Mr. Trump opened Mar-a-Lago as a club in the 1990s, he welcomed African-American and Jewish members. Still, he did not mind turning societal divisions to his advantage, at one point claiming Palm Beach was anti-Semitic in a zoning dispute because his members would be Jewish.

‘Put People in These Boxes’

Some who worked for Mr. Trump said he showed his true colors after growing comfortable with people. Jack O’Donnell, who was president of the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino and later wrote a scathing book about Mr. Trump, said the mogul would come into the casino and notice many African-Americans. “It’s a little dark tonight,” he would say.

According to Mr. O’Donnell, Mr. Trump said “laziness is a trait in blacks” and complained about an African-American accountant: “Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are short guys that wear yarmulkes every day.”

In an interview, Mr. O’Donnell said Mr. Trump trafficked in stereotypes. “He genuinely believes things like white people are smarter. And black people don’t want to live next to white, and white people don’t want to live next to black people,” Mr. O’Donnell said. “And he rationalizes that as, everybody thinks that, so it’s not racist.”

Mr. Trump has dismissed Mr. O’Donnell as “a loser” but at one point accepted the book’s description. “The stuff O’Donnell wrote about me is probably true,” he told Playboy. Later he disputed Mr. O’Donnell’s account, telling NBC’s “Meet the Press” that “he made up stuff.”

Mr. Trump’s assumptions about people are based on what his biographer, Michael D’Antonio, called his “racehorse theory of human development.” Mr. D’Antonio said Mr. Trump told him a person’s genetic traits at birth were more important than anything learned over life.

“He likes to put people in these boxes and deal with them accordingly,” Mr. D’Antonio said. “It’s not universal and you can work your way out of the box. But working your way out of it is always personal. So one by one, black people can gain his confidence, but he does have this mentality about people as members of a group.”

‘The Blacks Love Me’

That helped shape Mr. Trump’s time on “The Apprentice,” where he was accused of giving short shrift to an African-American contestant, Randal Pinkett, who won the fourth season. During the finale, Mr. Pinkett said he was stunned when Mr. Trump, upon declaring him the winner, suggested he share the honor with the white woman he had just beaten.

“I would describe it as racist,” Mr. Pinkett said in an interview. “Not even racist overtones — racist.”

“Donald,” he said, “has constructed a world around him that reflects his identity and reflects his values. People who agree with him, people who celebrate him, people who he would consider to be his peers — wealthy white men.”

Mr. Pinkett added: “He’s completely out of touch with the realities of people not like him. Whether that’s people of color, ethnic minorities, immigrants — I mean, take your pick.”

Over the years, Mr. Trump has deflected criticism by citing friendships with black celebrities. In the 1980s, he became a fixture ringside in Atlantic City, befriending the boxing legends Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson and the promoter Don King. He briefly owned a United States Football League team, leading to friendship with its star player, Herschel Walker.

As the hip-hop industry flourished in the 1990s and 2000s, rappers often used Mr. Trump’s name in lyrics as a symbol of wealth and flash. Along the way, he became friendly with Sean Combs, Snoop Dogg and Russell Simmons.

Mr. Trump boasted about the mention of his name in rap videos, asking one of the secretaries to find examples on YouTube and play them for guests. “The blacks love me,” he said proudly.

By 2015, now running for president, he stopped using “the” before describing ethnic groups. While some black celebrities stood by Mr. Trump, other relationships have soured because of his politics. Mr. Simmons, in an open letter that year, told his estranged friend to “stop fueling fires of hate.”

‘This Is Just Politics’

The foundation of Mr. Trump’s campaign was built on questioning the birth of the first African-American president. To Ms. Manigault Newman, a conversation she had with Mr. Trump about the “birther” campaign during a break in taping of “The Apprentice,” was the first time she saw him as overtly racial.

“He was bragging about it,” she said in an interview. “I asked him, ‘Why would you do this?’ He said, ‘This is just politics. This is what happens in politics, you do opposition research.’”

And yet like others in Mr. Trump’s orbit, Ms. Manigault Newman did not find it so objectionable that she broke with him at the time. She spoke out about what she considered Mr. Trump’s racism only after she followed him to the White House and was subsequently fired.

In a campaign filled with racial controversy, Mr. Trump’s team sought to prevent a backlash. An ally in their efforts was the one they called Michael the Black Man.

Michael is Maurice Symonette, a man from Florida who once belonged to a violent religious cult and was charged but acquitted of two murders in the 1990s. During the campaign, he traveled the country to appear at Mr. Trump’s rallies holding a sign saying, “Blacks for Trump.”

Campaign officials said they made sure to position him behind the candidate. In October 2016, Mr. Trump noticed his sign. “Blacks for Trump,” he said. “Those signs are great. Thank you.”

Lynnette Hardaway and Rochelle Richardson, two African-American sisters and internet stars better known as Diamond and Silk, came to Mr. Trump’s attention after one of their videos went viral attacking Megyn Kelly, then a Fox host, for her aggressive questioning during a debate. They met Mr. Trump in December 2015 when he brought them onstage at a rally in Raleigh.

“I turn on my television one night and I see these two on television,” he told the crowd. He called them an “internet sensation” and implored them to entertain the crowd. “Do a little routine; come on,” he said. From then on, they became a regular opening act at his rallies.

Mr. Trump’s presidency has been filled with so many racial conflicts that many in Washington have become numb. After he made his “shithole countries” remark to lawmakers, some just shook their heads. “It wasn’t too much of a surprise,” said former Senator Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican and outspoken critic. “He had been consistently coming from this.”

By the time of Mr. Trump’s “go back” taunt and the “send her home” chants of a rally crowd a few days later, congressional Republicans were clearly discomfited but unwilling to publicly repudiate him.

“The president,” said Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, “is not a racist.”

‘When the Riot Starts’

Mr. Trump’s vision of a black-against-white season of “The Apprentice” never came to pass. He pitched it to NBC executives, prompting a series of can-you-believe-this conversations inside the network, according to two executives involved. It was quickly rejected.

One former executive described his reaction as, “Uh, I don’t think so!”

The concept later came to fruition on a rival network, CBS, which aired a season of “Survivor” in 2006 in which contestants were initially grouped by ethnicity. The idea generated protests but was defended by the producer: Mark Burnett, who also created “The Apprentice.”

“He always told me that was Mark Burnett’s idea,” Ms. Manigault Newman recalled. “But Donald Trump was champing at the bit to do that.”

He sounded enthusiastic during his appearance on Mr. Stern’s show in 2005. Mr. Stern asked if there would be both light-skinned and dark-skinned contestants on the black team and Mr. Trump said it would be an “assortment.” As for the white team, Mr. Trump said it should include all blonds.

Even as he egged him on, Mr. Stern expressed more concern about the ramifications than Mr. Trump. “Wouldn’t that set off a racial war in this country?” he asked.

“See, actually, I don’t think it would,” Mr. Trump replied. “I think that it would be handled very beautifully by me. Because, as you know, I’m very diplomatic.”

Mr. Stern agreed. “I gotta tell you something, on some level it’s wrong,” he went on. “But I like it. I like it. I would watch.”

“You’d have to,” Ms. Quivers replied, “because you’d want to know when the riot starts.”

Even as he egged him on, Mr. Stern expressed more concern about the ramifications than Mr. Trump. “Wouldn’t that set off a racial war in this country?” he asked.

“See, actually, I don’t think it would,” Mr. Trump replied. “I think that it would be handled very beautifully by me. Because, as you know, I’m very diplomatic.”

Mr. Stern agreed. “I gotta tell you something, on some level it’s wrong,” he went on. “But I like it. I like it. I would watch.”

“You’d have to,” Ms. Quivers replied, “because you’d want to know when the riot starts.”

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livinglikebritishroyalty · 5 years ago

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𝒫𝓇𝒾𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝒜𝓃𝒹𝓇𝑒𝓌

♕ 𝐹𝓊𝓁𝓁 𝒩𝒶𝓂𝑒: Andrew Albert Christian Edward

♕ 𝐹𝓊𝓁𝓁 𝒯𝒾𝓉𝓁𝑒: His Royal Highness Andrew Albert Christian Edward The Duke of York

♕ 𝐵𝓸𝓇𝓃: Friday, February 19th, 1960 at in the Belgian Suite at Buckingham Palace in London, England

♕ 𝒫𝒶𝓇𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈: Her Majesty The Queen (Mother) & His Royal Highness Prince Philip The Duke of Edinburgh (Father)

♕ 𝒮𝒾𝒷𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈: His Royal Highness Prince Charles Prince of Wales (Brother), Her Royal Highness Anne The Princess Royal (Sister), & His Royal Highness Prince Edward The Earl of Wessex (Brother)

♕ 𝒮𝓅𝓸𝓊𝓈𝑒: Sarah Ferguson The Duchess of York (M. 1986 & D. 1996)

♕ 𝒞𝒽𝒾𝓁𝒹𝓇𝑒𝓃: Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice of York (Daughter) & Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie of York/Mrs. Jack Brooksbank (Daughter)

♕ 𝐸𝒹𝓊𝒸𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓸𝓃: Buckingham Palace, Heatherdown School (Ascot, Berkshire, England), Gordonstoun (Moray, Scotland: GCE Advanced Level in English, History, Economics, & Political Science), Lakefield College School Exchange Program (Lakefield, Ontario, K0L 2H0, Canada), & Britannia Royal Naval College

♕ 𝐼𝓃𝓉𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓉𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒫𝒶𝓉𝓇𝑜𝓃𝒶𝑔𝑒𝓈: Interests: Armed Forces (Air Force, Disabled, Fire Service, History, Marines, Navy, Police, Veterans, & Wounded), Business (Defense, Developements, Enterprise, Entrepreneurship, International Relations, Investment, Religion, Security, Skills, Trade, & Travel), Education (Engineering, Science, & Technology), Health (Blindness, Eye Diseases, Hospitals, Liver Disease, Orthopedics), Nature (Canoeing, Education, Space, & Wildlife), Sports (Badminton, Boat Racing, Canoeing, Cricket, Golf, Sail Training, Shooting, Skiing) & The Arts (Dance, Theatre), Young People (Child Abuse, Children, Education, Scouts, Women). Patronages: Captain (Now Ex-Captain) of The The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, Chair for The Quad Centenary Council, Chancellor of The University of Huddersfield, Founder of The Duke of York Young Entrepreneur Award, Founder of The Duke of York Award for Technical Education, Founder of The Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award, Founder of The Pitch@Palace Initiative, Founder of The Prince Andrew Charitable Trust, Fund Raiser for The Outward Bound Trust, Fund Raiser for The Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund, GBx of GBx, Grand President of The (British) Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League, Honorary Chairperson of Lakefield College School, Honorary Fellowship at Hughes Hall in Cambridge University, Honorary International Trustee of Outward Bound International, Honorary Member of The Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, Honorary Member of The Royal Guild of St Sebastian (Royal Guild of Archers of St. Sebastian - Bruges), Honorary Member of The Royal Hospital School, Honorary Police Inspector of The California State Police, Honorary President of The H.M.S. Duke of York Association, Honorary President of The Inverness Golf Club, Joint Patron of The Killyleagh Yacht Club, Life Member of The Inverness Branch of The Royal British Legion in Scotland, Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Shipwrights, Member of The International Advisory Board of the Royal United Services Institute, Member of The Scout Association, Partner of Women's Interlink Foundation (A project called Key to Freedom), Patron of 2015 International Year of Light, Patron of Action on Hearing Loss, Patron of Attend (National Association of Hospital and Community Friends), Patron of Badminton in England, Patron of Badminton in Wales (Welsh Badminton Union), Patron of Catalyst Inc., Patron of Constructionarium, Patron of Fight for Sight, Patron of Hunstanton Golf Club, Patron of Malaria No More UK, Patron of Power 2, Patron of Round Square, Patron of TeenTech, Patron of The 21st Doncaster Scout Group, Patron of The Alderney Maritime Trust, Patron of The Army Museums Ogilby Trust, Patron of The Army Officers' Golfing Society, Patron of The Army Rifle Association, Patron of The Aycliffe Centre for Young People, Patron of The Patron of The Baker Dearing Educational Trust, Patron of The Berkshire County Cricket Club, Patron of The Bermuda Sloop Foundation, Patron of The British Deaf Association, Patron of The British Science Association (formerly British Association for the Advancement of Science), Patron of The British-Kazakh Society, Patron of The Canadian Canoe Museum, Patron of The Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence, Patron of The Children North East, Patron of The City Gateway, Patron of The Commonwealth Golfing Society, Patron of The Council of British International Schools (COBIS), Patron of The Eden Court Theatre Improvement Project, Patron of The English National Ballet, Patron of The Enterprise Education Trust, Patron of The Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel Trust, Patron of The Falklands Conservation, Patron of The Fire Service Sports and Athletics Association, Patron of The Fly Navy Heritage Trust, Patron of The Foundation for Liver Research, Patron of The Friends of Lakefield College School, Patron of The Friends of the Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's), Patron of The Golf Foundation, Patron of The Greenwich Hospital, Patron of The Intercontinental Church Society, Patron of The Interfaith Explorers, Patron of The International Festival for Business (IFB), Patron of The International Space Innovation Centre, Patron of The Jubilee Sailing Trust, Patron of The Kohima Educational Trust, Patron of The London Metropolitan University, Patron of The Lucifer Golfing Society, Patron of The Maimonides Interfaith Foundation, Patron of The Maple Bay Yacht Club, Patron of The Middle East Association, Patron of The Morayvia Aerospace Centre, Patron of The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Full Stop Campaign (NSPCC), Patron of The Nominet Trust, Patron of The On Course Foundation, Patron of The Police Treatment Centres, Patron of The Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta, Patron of The Raspberry Pi Foundation, Patron of The Richmond Golf Club, Patron of The Robert T. Jones, Jr. Scholarship Foundation, Patron of The Royal Aero Club Trust, Patron of The Royal Air Force Golfing Society, Patron of The Royal Artillery Golfing Society, Patron of The Royal Ascot Golf Club, Patron of The Royal Belfast Golf Club, Patron of The Royal Blackheath Golf Club, Patron of The Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, Patron of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, Patron of The Royal County Down Golf Club, Patron of The Royal Fine Art Commission Trust, Patron of The Royal Free Charity, Patron of The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, Patron of The Royal Jersey Golf Club, Patron of The Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Patron of The Royal Montrose Golf Club, Patron of The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Patron of The Royal Navy Golf Association, Patron of The Royal Navy Golfing Society, Patron In Chief of The British Exploring Society (BSES Expeditions), President of The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), President of The Faldo Junior Series, Special Representative for International Trade and Investment for UK Trade & Investments (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills), President of The Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom, President of The St. James's Branch of The Royal British Legion, Visitor to Horris Hill School, Visitor to The Royal Hospital School, & the Duke of York is patron, member, president, visitor, etc. of more charities & clubs throughout the UK.

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chambergambit · 6 years ago

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i just ate a bunch of rice krispie treats so here is a fact:

they were invented in 1939 by Malitta Jensen and Mildred Day at the Kellogg Company Home economics department as a fund raiser for Camp Fire Girls.

here is a theory:

Kellogg was like “how to do make our bland af cereal better?”

and malitta and mildred where like “what if we added a shitton of marshmallow and butter?”

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thebikerbookforcharity · 3 years ago

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#kansasville #wisconsin - May 15

“Calling on all my friends: Some of you may have attended an event a few years ago we arranged for New York Fire Fighter Tim Duffy, a humble hero of the tragedy of 9-11. He retired from the fire department in New York due to health issues related to his actions when the towers fell. He started a non-profit to raise funds to train and provide companion dogs for veterans injured in service of their country. Tim recently suffered a tragic loss when, ironically, a fire destroyed a building on his property containing all his memorabilia from his service in the Navy, his fire-fighter memorabilia, and his iconic motorcycle captured in a famous photograph from that terrible day, and his records and administration documents of his non-profit. . A group of us are presenting a fund raiser to help him recover from this loss and we're attempting to restore what's left of his famous motorcycle. Please help us by attending this event on May 15. The event flier is in the photos below, as well as his prized motorcycle and the photograph of him riding toward Ground Zero as the North Tower was about to fall. He is an American Hero and we need to help him restore his bike and continue his great work assisting injured veterans. I hope to see you there at this event. Sorry for the late notice but we are dealing with many emotions and a need to get him back up doing his good work.”

#motorcycles #charity #charityevent #fundraiser #timduffy #sept112001

#thebikerbookforcharity

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ozma914 · 2 years ago

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Fish Fry To Support Albion Firefighters Coming Up

If you should be near Albion during the Chain O’ Lakes Festival, don’t forget to drop in on the fish and tenderloin fry at the fire station Wednesday, June 7th. This has been an annual tradition for many decades, with proceeds going to equipment and training for the Albion Fire Department. (Indiana, for those of you near other Albions.)

It’s from 4:30-7:00 p.m., with a price of $12 for adults and $8 for children under 12, and it’s darned good food for a good cause. I should know, having eaten it almost every year for ... a long time. The AFD is at 210 Fire Station Drive, on the east end of town. (It's traditional, when a town has a Fire Station Drive, to build the fire station there.)

While you're there ask someone for a copy of Smoky Days and Sleepless Nights, the Albion Fire Department's history book, which goes for just $9.95. Come on, you know you want to donate that extra nickle. It took me 25 years to write!

Okay, so I wasn't writing the entire 25 years.

Donations to the department get us all sorts of stuff, much of which helps keep us alive.

http://markrhunter.com/ https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

#fund raising #fund raiser #firefighters #donations #fish fry #events #humor #albion indiana #albion fire department

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siriuswoodfiredpizza · 4 years ago

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The mountain is out and we are at @highcedarsgolfcourse. What brings us here? The Fir Crest police department charity golf tournament fund raiser! Money raised goes towards camp for underprivileged local youth. The schedule! EVERY Wednesday- Acorn Brewing 2105 Meridian Ave E, Edgewood, WA q a 98371. 5 pm to 8 pm. OUTDOOR SEATING, Beer, Cockrell Hard Cider, wine, seltzer made on site, root beer made on site, and our permanent WEDNESDAY home. Family and dog friendly. Every Thursday- Cockrell Hard Cider. 6613 114th Ave Ct E, Puyallup. 4 pm to 7 pm. A 7 acre Apple orchard with LIVE MUSIC every Thursday and OUTDOOR SEATING/covered seating areas, and a fire pit. Out permanent THURSDAY home is 21 and up only. 18 months and under is allowed. No pets. This Friday? A staff appreciation lunch and golf tournament fund raiser for the Fircest police department underprivileged youth camp. Saturday? A graduation party. Pro tip-Text your order to 253-359-5259 to be among the first made or to skip the line. We will text you back when your food is ready. You can also text for a current menu. Also remember we have gluten-free, cauliflower crust. Lower carb? Yup. Vegan? We have it. Vegetarian? Got it. Meat lovers? Get the Charlie. Bring the whole crew, and we will feed them. Want us to come to your event? https://www.siriuswoodfiredpizza.com/bringing-sirius-to-your-function (at High Cedars Golf Club) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQR_SrrjGvx/?utm_medium=tumblr

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ignorantsanonymous · 4 years ago

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Image reads:

It kind of fits perfectly if covid where to go rampant enough to enforce a lot of voters to vote via mail.

THe simple availability of mail in voting will mean a lot more voters will vote from home and not show up to the voting booths.

AND that increase of total voters will allow the GOP enough maneuverability to "excuse" the results turning to trump winning by a margin.

They will limit the postal service in areas that are majority liberal and increase in areas where there are majority republican.

And then add in some fake votes and change some blue votes to red votes. Suddenly you have again another race with only a 5 figure difference in key states.

Russia and Trump will bribe and extort the key states to their sides and suddenly you have another minimum non-popular vote win for republicans.

The people will want to go out and protest for a couple of days. But the increasing number of covid cases means the government can enforce curfews and instill martial law.

They can slowly remove democratic leaderships and maneuver in republican leaning politicians to blue states.

They are already removing pentagon officials they see as disloyal to Trump.

The Liberal states will utilize the law and want the supreme court to rule on this.

As we have seen before, and the currently much older Ginsburg being at risk, the probability of the republicans winning the supreme court in the event of such a moment, is pretty damn high. Especially if something happens to ginsburg, the gop will have total control of government.

And i fear the public will be docile enough to let it happen.

edit: sources

https://www.vox.com/2020/6/8/21242003/trump-failed-coronavirus-response

Source 01. The Trump WhiteHouse and its allies, over the past 18 months, assembled detailed lists of disloyal government officials to oust — and trusted pro-Trump people to replace them — according to more than a dozen sources familiar with the effort who spoke to Axios.

Source 02. Trump Taps Point Man to Remove Pentagon Officials Seen as Disloyal

They replaced the US postal department head with a trump donor the second people started talking about mail in voting becoming the norm.

Source 03. The growing appetite for mail-in voting is adding to worries about the selection of a Republican fund-raiser and Trump donor to be the postmaster general.

They already fired not one two or three but six oversight department heads that used to make sure he doesn’t fuck with things further and replaced them with his loyalists.

Source 04. ‘Friday night massacres’: T’s purge of the US oversight community is another reminder that he believes officials owe him personal loyalty above all else

Source 05. Trump Moves to Replace Watchdog Who Identified Critical Medical Shortages

Source 06. Trump Is Attacking the Final Safeguard Against Executive Abuses

* They are replacing judges with fresh out of college republican leaning judges.

* He literally just fired someone investigating him for tax fraud and other crimes directly.

* Fauci says White House told NIH to cancel funding for bat virus study

* Theres a stockpile of ventilators just sitting breaking That they are refusing to ship.

* They are making states do bidding wars for supplies. Where cost above the production value goes to third party middle men.

* There are reports of millions/billions given to newly funded republican donor connected corporations who have not delivered anything.

* They "lost" 500billion. And plan on giving themselves a 4th tax cut while they argue that the 1,200 usd that the people got was too much.

* Hydroxychloroquine ended up causing more damage and is not recommended as a treatment.

* There are 350+ bills (bills like lowering insulin prices, affordable healthcare and social programs) are sitting on senate leaders McConnells desk that he has publicly stated he will not bring to a vote.

* They are hoping to get a third republican supreme court judge in and solidify their control of government.

He is trying to brute force a full authoritarian mode in front of our eyes and people are still thinking "lol this idiot hahaha can’t wait til this shit show is over" and then turn back to their regular entertainment without getting furious at the fucking real damage being done.

"Its ok hes just setting everything up for a takeover, its not like hes actually gonna do it."

#news #potus #united states #usps #post office #postoffice #fraud #mailfraud #corruption #president trump #president #trump #donald trump #donaldtrump #united states of america #corrupt politics #corrupt politicians #corrupt

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janepwilliams87 · 4 years ago

Text

Congress pushes fed employee cannabis protections (Newsletter: July 15, 2020)

NJ gov: Legal marijuana would help COVID recovery; ID medical cannabis activists threaten lawsuit; IL announces legalization tax haul

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Rob from Michigan: “I pledged to help Tom and Marijuana Moment in hopes that the silence about cannabis from Republican legislators will be broken. Republican House and Senate members need to be publicly questioned, recorded and forced to stop ignoring all matters related to removing marijuana from the Schedule I list of the Controlled Substances Act. If this happens, we may just get Trump to finally submit his clear stance on the matter. So we need journalists out there to ask these questions.”

https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment / TOP THINGS TO KNOW The House Appropriations Committee is directing the Office of Personnel Management to reconsider the current practice of firing federal employees for state-legal marijuana use. Other new directives attached to annual spending bills include expanding cannabis research and funding hemp and CBD regulations. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) said legalizing marijuana should be a “no-brainer” part of the economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s a job creator, it’s a tax revenue raiser, it checks a lot of boxes.”

Idaho medical cannabis activists are threatening to sue the state if officials don’t give them an electronic signature gathering option for their ballot measure by Thursday. A federal judge already granted that relief to a separate education campaign. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) announced that the state brought in $52 million in marijuana tax revenue in the first six months of legal sales.

“Since January, over $239 million has been spent on recreational cannabis in Illinois translating to $52 million in tax revenue, and a portion of every dollar spent will be reinvested in communities that have suffered from decades of disinvestment.”

The Drug Policy Alliance is urging the House Appropriations Committee to reject a possible amendment on Wednesday that would block Washington, D.C. from decriminalizing psychedelics through a measure likely to appear on the November ballot. / FEDERAL The Department of Transportation’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee heard a presentation on the impact of hemp legalization on road safety. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration enacted a final rule making changes to regulations on the confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said that licensed hemp businesses are eligible for the Delta Health Care Services grant program. Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) tweeted about the case of a military veteran sentenced to five years in prison for marijuana possession, saying, “Folks, there is a lot to unpack here, but first and foremost we cannot allow our veterans to be treated this way. Second, we have to find a way for medical marijuana to be allowed in all 50 states.” Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) tweeted, “Communities of color are still being targeted as a result of discriminatory cannabis policies. We need to focus on restorative justice, which includes ensuring those most impacted by the failed war on drugs have equal access to this industry. We need to pass the MORE Act.” Florida Democratic congressional candidate Jen Perelman tweeted, “I support marijuana legalization. My opponent, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, does not.” / STATES The Florida Supreme Court ordered a second round of oral arguments in a case challenging the state’s medical cannabis business vertical integration requirements. Missouri marijuana activists are looking ahead to working to place a legalization measure on the 2022 ballot. Maryland regulators proposed hemp rules. Nebraska regulators certified the state’s first hemp testing lab. Michigan regulators published an updated coronavirus-related advisory bulletin for marijuana businesses. Utah regulators are now accepting applications from retailers that want to sell hemp products. Massachusetts regulators sent a reminder that Wednesday is the deadline to submit public comments about quarantined marijuana vaping products. — Marijuana Moment is already tracking more than 1,500 cannabis bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments. Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. — / INTERNATIONAL The attorney general of the Bahamas said a draft marijuana legalization bill will be presented to the Cabinet “in very short order.” / SCIENCE & HEALTH A study concluded that “medicinal cannabis is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for a number of [spinal cord injury]-related symptoms.” A study found that “cannabis use decreased among patients with opioid use disorder” and “increased…in patients with chronic regional pain syndrome, trauma, spondylosis, and failed back surgery syndrome.” / ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS A poll of U.S. voters found that 65% support banning no-knock warrants in drug cases. Prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana circulated a sign-on letter thanking presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for refusing to support cannabis legalization. Code for America’s senior program director authored an op-ed on the organization’s efforts to help people clear their past records. / BUSINESS Aphria Inc. and Aurora Cannabis Inc. reportedly held ultimately unsuccessful talks about a potential merger. 4Front Ventures Corp. announced quarterly revenue of $17 million and an adjusted loss of $2.8 million. Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. closed on a Blue Harbor, New Jersey property and reached a lease agreement to rent it to a subsidiary of Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. Trulieve Cannabis Corp. announced that since more than 50% of its issued and outstanding subordinate voting shares are owned by U.S. shareholders, it will receive domestic issuer status. NC3 Systems, which does business as Caliva is facing a lawsuit over allegations that its website is not Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant. Metrc LLC is asking a Missouri appellate court to overturn a judge’s decision blocking it from charging fees to medical cannabis businesses for RFID tags. / CULTURE Mike Tyson’s The Ranch Companies is printing CBD-infused cups that can be filled with water to create cannabis beverages. Jane Fonda appears in an ad campaign for Uncle Bud’s hemp and CBD products.

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sinrau · 5 years ago

Link

The former national security adviser shared his unease with the attorney general, who cited his own worries about the president’s conversations with the leaders of Turkey and China.

According to John R. Bolton, the former national security adviser, Attorney General William P. Barr was concerned about President Trump’s conversations with autocratic leaders in two countries.Credit…Tom Brenner/Reuters

By Michael S. Schmidt and Maggie Haberman

Published Jan. 27, 2020Updated June 17, 2020, 3:24 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON — John R. Bolton, the former national security adviser, privately told Attorney General William P. Barr last year that he had concerns that President Trump was effectively granting personal favors to the autocratic leaders of Turkey and China, according to an unpublished manuscript by Mr. Bolton.

Mr. Barr responded by pointing to a pair of Justice Department investigations of companies in those countries and said he was worried that Mr. Trump had created the appearance that he had undue influence over what would typically be independent inquiries, according to the manuscript. Backing up his point, Mr. Barr mentioned conversations Mr. Trump had with the leaders, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and President Xi Jinping of China.

Mr. Bolton’s account underscores the fact that the unease about Mr. Trump’s seeming embrace of authoritarian leaders, long expressed by experts and his opponents, also existed among some of the senior cabinet officers entrusted by the president to carry out his foreign policy and national security agendas.

Mr. Bolton recounted his discussion with Mr. Barr in a draft of an unpublished book manuscript that he submitted nearly a month ago to the White House for review. People familiar with the manuscript described its contents on the condition of anonymity.

The book also contains an account of Mr. Trump telling Mr. Bolton in August that he wanted to continue freezing $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine until officials there helped with investigations of political rivals, The New York Times reported on Sunday. The matter is at the heart of the articles of impeachment against the president.

Early Tuesday, the Justice Department’s spokeswoman, Kerri Kupec, posted a statement on Twitter disputing aspects of Mr. Bolton’s account.

“There was no discussion of ‘personal favors’ or ‘undue influence’ on investigations, nor did Attorney General Barr state that the President’s conversations with foreign leaders was improper,” the statement said. “If this is truly what Mr. Bolton has written, then it seems he is attributing to Attorney General Barr his own current views — views with which Attorney General Barr does not agree.”

A spokesman for the National Security Council declined to comment on Mr. Barr’s conversations with Mr. Bolton. In a statement on Monday, Mr. Bolton, his publisher and his literary agency said they had not shared the manuscript with The Times.

“There was absolutely no coordination with The New York Times or anyone else regarding the appearance of information about his book, ‘The Room Where It Happened,’ at online booksellers,” Mr. Bolton, Simon & Schuster and Javelin said in a joint statement. “Any assertion to the contrary is unfounded speculation.”

Dean Baquet, the executive editor of The Times, responded that “The Times does not discuss its sources, but I should point out that no one has questioned the accuracy of our report.”

Mr. Bolton wrote in the manuscript that Mr. Barr singled out Mr. Trump’s conversations with Mr. Xi about the Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE, which agreed in 2017 to plead guilty and pay heavy fines for violating American sanctions on doing business with North Korea, Iran and other countries. A year later, Mr. Trump lifted the sanctions over objections from his own advisers and Republican lawmakers.

Mr. Barr also cited remarks Mr. Trump made to Mr. Erdogan in 2018 about the investigation of Halkbank, Turkey’s second-largest state-owned bank. The Justice Department was scrutinizing Halkbank on fraud and money-laundering charges for helping Iran evade sanctions imposed by the Treasury Department.

Mr. Erdogan had been making personal appeals to Mr. Trump to use his authority to halt any additional enforcement against the bank. In 2018, Mr. Erdogan told reporters in Turkey that Mr. Trump had promised to instruct cabinet members to follow through on the matter. The bank had hired a top Republican fund-raiser to lobby the administration on the issue.

For months, it looked as though the unusual lobbying effort might succeed; but in October, the Justice Department indicted the bank for aiding Iran. The charges were seen in part as an attempt by the administration to show that it was taking a tough line on Turkey amid an outcry over Mr. Trump’s endorsement of its incursions in Syria.

Image

Mr. Bolton has written a book about his time in the White House that is expected to be released this year.Credit…Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Listen to ‘The Daily’: How John Bolton Could Change the Impeachment

Details in a coming book by the former national security adviser are threatening to derail Republican senators’ plans for a speedy acquittal.

transcript

Back to The Dailybars

0:00/23:24

-23:24

transcript

Listen to ‘The Daily’: How John Bolton Could Change the Impeachment

Hosted by Michael Barbaro, produced by Rachel Quester and Luke Vander Ploeg, and edited by Paige Cowett and Lisa Chow

Details in a coming book by the former national security adviser are threatening to derail Republican senators’ plans for a speedy acquittal.

michael barbaro

From The New York Times, I’m Michael Barbaro. This is “The Daily.”

[music]

Today: A Times investigation reveals a firsthand account from John Bolton directly linking President Trump to the quid pro quo at the center of the impeachment. Maggie Haberman and Mike Schmidt on what that could mean for the final phase of the Senate trial.

It’s Tuesday, January 28.

Mike, Maggie, remind us when the discussion of John Bolton as a possible witness in the impeachment process starts.

michael schmidt

So John Bolton left the White House in early September. Trump said he was fired. Bolton said he resigned. A week later, we learn about the whistleblower’s complaint, and at that point, questions start to percolate. Why did Bolton resign, and what does he know? And in the coming weeks, as the House impeachment investigators summon White House officials to answer questions, we start to get different slivers —

archived recording

Bolton’s former aide, that’s Fiona Hill, testified yesterday before House impeachment investigators.

michael schmidt

— of Bolton’s concerns —

archived recording

Bolton reportedly called Giuliani, President Trump’s personal attorney this — “a hand grenade.”

michael schmidt

— and preoccupations with what was going on inside the White House.

archived recording

This is something that Fiona Hill said when she was talking about John Bolton, the former national security adviser.

michael schmidt

We don’t have a full picture, but we’re hearing things, like Bolton saying —

archived recording

Basically he said, you go and tell Eisenberg that I am not part of any drug deal that Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, and Mick Mulvaney are cooking up.

michael schmidt

— I didn’t want to participate in this drug deal that these administration officials were doing.

archived recording

The term “drug deal” here refers to the Ukraine probe that they were trying to initiate.

michael barbaro

Right, and that was his way of referring to this pressure campaign against Ukraine to start investigations into Democratic rivals.

michael schmidt

Correct. So we’re learning these different things, but we’re not hearing from Bolton.

archived recording

Let me read it one more time. “Ambassador Taylor recalls that Mr. Morrison told Ambassador Taylor that I told Mr. Morrison that I conveyed this message to Mr. Yermak on September 1, 2019, in connection with Vice President —”

michael schmidt

And one of the problems with the impeachment investigation —

archived recording

We’ve got six people having four conversations in one sentence, and you just told me this is where you got your clear understanding.

michael schmidt

— was that the House was only really talking to people who were sort of outside the president’s inner ring.

archived recording

Ambassador, you weren’t on the call, were you? You didn’t listen in on President Trump’s call and President Zelensky’s call?

archived recording (william b. taylor jr.)

I did not.

archived recording

You’ve never talked with Chief of Staff Mulvaney?

archived recording (william b. taylor jr.)

I never did.

archived recording

You never met the president?

archived recording (william b. taylor jr.)

That’s correct.

archived recording

This is what I can’t believe, and you’re their star witness. You’re their first witness.

michael schmidt

A few of the witnesses dealt with the president directly, but many of them were simply relaying what was going on inside the White House.

michael barbaro

So Bolton becomes an even more tantalizing figure. He’s in the center of juicy tidbits coming out of the inquiry. He may be on poor terms with the president. It all seems to make him a perfect witness.

michael schmidt

He’s someone who Republicans trust. He has a long history in the Republican Party, and we were hearing then that he had these concerns. So what was it that he saw? What was it that he could add? He was in the room with the president. What did the president tell him?

michael barbaro

So Maggie, what efforts are made by House impeachment investigators to get Bolton to testify, to get him to just spill the beans?

maggie haberman

They asked him, back in I believe it was October, to come testify voluntarily. He said no, and he had been ordered by the White House not to take part, but the House decided not to submit a subpoena to try to force him to testify, because —

michael barbaro

Why not?

maggie haberman

Because they were concerned that it was going to be a protracted legal battle. They were very consumed with trying to wrap this all up quickly. In hindsight, a lot of Democrats say, at least privately, they think that that was a mistake. They think that they should have actually tried to get him to come there.

michael barbaro

Right. So he does not end up testifying before the House.

maggie haberman

No. Bolton never spoke before the House and didn’t indicate that he really wanted to at the time. He just said that he would not cooperate with this request for testimony. So they sent over the articles of impeachment without having a witness like Bolton, somebody who had a direct conversation with the president, where the withheld military aid for Ukraine was tied to the president’s desires for investigations. There were just people who were speculating on motives or had heard things secondhand, but there was no one with a firsthand interaction with the president.

michael barbaro

O.K. So that brings us to November.

maggie haberman

Right, and so we get to November, and John Bolton is starting to make noises, like he has something to say and he’s willing to share it. And we learn on November 10, that one place he might be planning to share it is in a book that he’s planning to write about his time in the White House.

michael schmidt

So it was a pretty odd situation. You had House investigators that wanted Bolton to talk. Bolton sort of signaling that he has something to say. And then the news that he’s writing a book that you presume is going to have some Ukraine details in it. So who’s going to get to that information?

michael barbaro

Right. So in this situation, what do you two do as reporters to try to figure out what he knows and maybe what he’s put in this book?

maggie haberman

So the House inquiry is over, but there’s all this secrecy around this book. We knew it was coming. We had heard Simon & Schuster would be putting it out. They wouldn’t even confirm that. We were scratching around with people who might know. And as we were trying to do this, Bolton then says, on January 6 — after not complying with the House efforts to get him to testify — he says that he would be willing to testify in the Senate, if there is a subpoena. It seemed like he was trying to do a dance, where he was trying not to make Senate Republicans angry at him, when he’s worked with them for years. And he needs them to back him, as he’s embarking on this post-White House life and trying to sell a book. But also trying to look like he was doing the right thing and not just making it about the book. And it was really hard to decipher what his motives were.

michael schmidt

As reporters, there is nothing that galvanizes us like a high-profile public figure in a major story saying, I have important information, but I’m not going to tell. And he’s essentially out there doing that — putting the bait for reporters to try and get to the bottom of what’s in the book.

maggie haberman

So we did what we normally do when we are handed some kind of bait, which is we continued to try to figure out what was there and what was in it. And whether it would include some damaging information about the president. Or whether it would include some exculpatory information and would be something that the president’s folks could even point to and say it would help him. We just, we didn’t know, but we kept scratching.

michael barbaro

Right. If the one great unanswered question was what Bolton knew, then the most obvious thing is to find out what is inside the book.

maggie haberman

That’s right, and we kept scratching and looking, and then we found out what was in the book, and it was quite damaging to the president.

[music]

michael barbaro

We’ll be right back.

archived recording 1

Brand new reaction this morning from a bombshell New York Times report on John Bolton’s upcoming book.

archived recording 2

A trial that seemed to be on a steady and speedy path to certain acquittal has been hit by a seismic shock.

archived recording 3

Startling new report could upend the impeachment trial. According to The New York Times, former —

michael barbaro

So what did you learn was actually in this book?

maggie haberman

The biggest thing that is in there is that Bolton writes about a conversation that he claims to have had with President Trump in August of 2019, where he pushed the issue of this withheld military aid with the president. And the president suggested he didn’t want to end the aid freeze until Ukraine turned over materials that he wanted in connection with investigations into Democrats, who he thought had harmed him in 2016.

michael barbaro

So Bolton is having a conversation — he recounts in this book — with President Trump in which Bolton says, hey, Mr. President, I want to talk about this financial freeze on military aid to Ukraine, presumably in the context of Bolton wanting to end it.

maggie haberman

Bolton pushed this conversation with the president, because he, along with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, had been trying to get the president for weeks to end the freeze and turn the aid over, arguing that it was necessary for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia. And so Bolton raised this issue to test where the president was, and the president met him back by saying he didn’t want to end this freeze until materials that he wanted were turned over in relation to investigations into Democrats he thought had damaged him.

michael barbaro

Wow. Democrats, including Joe Biden.

maggie haberman

Democrats, including Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.

michael barbaro

So Bolton is confirming in this account that President Trump articulated — correct me if I’m wrong — a clear quid pro quo that explained why he was holding up the security aid to Ukraine. That it was in return for Ukraine investigating his Democratic rivals, like Joe Biden, and that of course is the central claim of the articles of impeachment. And what Bolton seems to be saying here is that that central claim is accurate, and there’s now a firsthand account of it from the mouth of the president himself.

michael schmidt

But you say confirms. This is the first time that we’re hearing anyone say this. This is the first time that someone who was in the room, who spoke directly to the president, says, yeah, the president didn’t want to release the money until he got the fruits of the investigations. This is new ground, and it’s significant, because the president’s lawyers have time and time again argued on the Senate floor —

archived recording (michael purpura)

— that there was no connection between security assistance and investigations.

michael schmidt

— that the aid and the investigations were not linked.

archived recording (michael purpura)

— the pause on security assistance was distinct and unrelated to investigations.

michael barbaro

So this directly contradicts the way the president’s own lawyers talk about the impeachment.

maggie haberman

Correct, or at least it undercuts their main argument, which is that there was not a connection between what the president wanted and releasing this aid.

michael barbaro

Am I right, Mike and Maggie, that this is as close to a smoking gun as it gets in a case like this?

michael schmidt

Maybe, but throughout the Trump presidency, we’ve learned similarly explosive disclosures, and the president has been able to weather them politically. So yeah, in a normal time, would the news of the president’s most recent national security adviser directly implicating him in a question that is at the center of an impeachment hearing be a smoking gun? Sure, but Trump has shown an ability to endure things like this that gives me reticence to say, yeah, that’s a smoking gun. Because when you say smoking gun, built into that is an assumption that the end would be near.

maggie haberman

I’m with Mike on that. I think that we are a ways away from knowing what this means. And as our colleague Peter Baker wrote today, it could end up being like when the “Access Hollywood” tape came out in 2016 in the campaign. And the big prediction was that this was going to be the end of Donald Trump, this was going to be the end of his campaign, and it obviously did not go that way. So we just don’t know yet.

michael barbaro

Well, what has been the reaction to this reporting, especially in the Senate, where the trial is well underway and where the question of calling witnesses is very much still alive?

michael schmidt

So we’re coming into the home stretch of the trial. And the question of whether Bolton will testify has still not been resolved.

michael barbaro

Right.

michael schmidt

The story comes out, and there’s increased pressure on Senate Republicans, those moderate ones who may be willing to go along with the Democrats. How much does this story move them?

michael barbaro

And Maggie, what’s the answer?

maggie haberman

So far, we are seeing the same moderates who have said they want witnesses before still say they want to hear from Bolton. So that’s Mitt Romney.

archived recording

Four of you need to say yes. Do you think there are four votes?

archived recording (mitt romney)

I think it’s increasingly likely that the other Republicans will join those of us who think we should hear from John Bolton. And whether there are other witnesses and documents, well, that’s another matter. But I think John Bolton’s relevance to our decision has become increasingly clear.

maggie haberman

Susan Collins of Maine is another person who has said this is another factor that points to why there should be witnesses. But two other possible votes for witnesses, one is Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Andother is Lamar Alexander, who the White House is watching very closely to see what he’ll do. They have been more circumspect about whether they think our story changes anything. And so far, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is trying to tell everybody to stay cool and just see how this plays out.

michael barbaro

I mean, there will be people hearing this — hearing that the national security adviser to the president observed him saying something that directly implicates him in this impeachment case — and will ask, why would any deliberative body sworn in as jurors not want to hear from that person? What would be the justification for not hearing from Bolton in this moment?

maggie haberman

So one thing that has come up from the senators in the last several hours is they’re saying, if this was so important to hear from Bolton, why didn’t the House subpoena him?

archived recording (john barrasso)

There’s nothing new here that John Bolton didn’t know before the House managers rested their case and stopped calling witnesses, and they never chose to call John Bolton.

maggie haberman

And you’re going to hear that, I think increasingly, if you don’t see a move toward witnesses. That’s going to be an argument that senators are going to point to.

michael barbaro

You missed your chance.

maggie haberman

Why are we doing your work for you? That part was in the House.

michael schmidt

And at another level, the reason why these senators are not going along with calling Bolton is that Trump doesn’t want that to happen. And they have been in lockstep with Trump for most of this.

michael barbaro

So the justification is keep the president happy.

maggie haberman

I think the justification is you have a lot of senators who are facing elections in their own states, and the base likes Trump. And in some states, like Lamar Alexander’s state, they want him to be loyal to Trump. And so those are the concerns that they’re measuring, — is do they let themselves be looked back on in history as turning away from evidence, which some people will say they did. Or do they say, voters don’t really want me casting that vote, and they decide to stick with the president’s desires.

michael barbaro

So how has all of this actually landed inside the White House?

maggie haberman

Well, the White House as a whole wasn’t happy about hearing about this. But for at least some of them, it wasn’t a surprise, because the White House had been given a draft of this manuscript about 3.5 weeks ago from John Bolton for a standard review process to look at classified information and whether there is any in the book.

michael schmidt

So that means at least some folks in the White House have had a sense of what Bolton would testify to in the impeachment investigation.

michael barbaro

If he testified.

maggie haberman

Correct.

michael barbaro

Wait. So does that mean that the president’s lawyers, including those who are currently defending him in the Senate trial, that they knew what John Bolton had written and knew what John Bolton had experienced, and then continued to make a case to the public that is quite contradictory to what Bolton is saying happened in this book?

michael schmidt

We don’t know the extent to which the manuscript, or the details about it, were circulated. But what we do know is that in the past several weeks, there has been a concerted effort by the president to stop Bolton from testifying. He’s made public statements about this.

archived recording (donald trump)

The problem with John is that it’s a national security problem. You can’t have somebody who’s at national security. And if you think about it, John, he knows some of my thoughts. He knows what I think about leaders. What happens if he reveals what I think about a certain leader and it’s not very positive, and then I have to deal on behalf of the country? It’s going to be very hard. It’s going to make the job very hard. He knows other things, and I don’t know if we left on the best of terms. I would say, probably not. And so you don’t like people testifying when they didn’t leave on good terms. And that was due to me, not due to him. And so we’ll see what happens.

michael schmidt

And he has said it privately to aides.

michael barbaro

So my final question is, if John Bolton has something to say — and it feels like he does — and the world wants to hear it, senators want to hear it, House impeachment managers want to hear it, we all want to hear it. And it feels like he has an obligation to the Democratic process to say it, why doesn’t he just find a way to say it? Go on Fox. Go on CNN. Have a news conference. Why hasn’t he taken any of those opportunities?

maggie haberman

It’s a great question, and there’s nothing preventing him from doing so. If he wanted to issue some kind of a statement or say something publicly that didn’t violate executive privilege with the president, he could do that. He has yet to do any of that, and it’s not really clear why.

michael schmidt

But you know what, if John Bolton went on television right now and said everything he would testify to, unless he was subpoenaed to appear at that trial or if the comments from him were put into evidence, then it couldn’t be considered by the lawmakers. This is a trial, where evidence is brought forward. And if there is not enough votes to bring that evidence in, then it doesn’t matter whether he stands out on the highest point in town and says everything he knows. It only matters whether it’s entered into the record in the Senate.

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michael barbaro

Maggie and Mike, thank you.

maggie haberman

Thank you.

michael schmidt

Thanks for having us.

michael barbaro

On Monday, a lawyer for the White House, Patrick Philbin, tried to tamp down talk of calling Bolton as a witness, saying that calling such a witness would be an effort to, quote, “redo” the House impeachment inquiry and would set a dangerous precedent for future impeachment trials. The record that the House Democrats collected during that process, Philbin said, shows that the president did nothing wrong. In a tweet, the president denied Bolton’s account of their conversation about Ukraine, writing, quote, “If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book.”

We’ll be right back.

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michael barbaro

Here’s what else you need to know today. On Monday, as it sought to contain the coronavirus, the Chinese government broadened its quarantine to more than 50 million people and said that it would spend at least $9 billion to stop the outbreak. The U.S. government said it was organizing an evacuation of American citizens out of the epicenter of the illness in Wuhan. And the pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson said it would begin developing a potential vaccine against the virus, joining several government agencies seeking to do the same. As of Monday night, the coronavirus had infected nearly 3,000 people and killed more than 80. That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Michael Barbaro. See you tomorrow.

Mr. Bolton’s statements in the book align with other comments he has made since leaving the White House in September. In November, he said in a private speech that none of Mr. Trump’s advisers shared the president’s views on Turkey and that he believed Mr. Trump adopted a more permissive approach to the country because of his financial ties there, NBC News reported. Mr. Trump’s company has a property in Turkey.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly praised dictators throughout his presidency. Last year, he said, “Where’s my favorite dictator?” as he waited to meet with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Mr. Trump’s soft spot for authoritarians dates at least to his presidential campaign, when he praised Saddam Hussein for being “good” at killing terrorists and suggested that the world would be better off were Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, the deposed Libyan dictator who was killed in a violent uprising in 2011, “in charge right now.” Mr. Trump then suggested the ouster of both men was ultimately worse for the Middle East because the Islamic State had filled the void.

Mr. Trump declared himself “a big fan” of Mr. Erdogan as they sat side by side in the Oval Office last fall after Mr. Trump cleared the way for Turkish forces to invade Syria, though he warned Mr. Erdogan behind the scenes against the offensive.

Of Mr. Xi, Mr. Trump has been similarly effusive. When the Chinese Communist Party eliminated term limits, allowing Mr. Xi to keep his tenure open-ended, Mr. Trump extolled the outcome.

Mr. Xi had personally asked Mr. Trump to intervene to save ZTE, which was on the brink of collapse because of tough American penalties for sanctions violations.

Lifting the sanctions on ZTE, a Chinese telecommunications giant that also serves as a geopolitical pawn for its government, most likely helped Mr. Trump negotiate with Mr. Xi in the trade war between the two countries. But Republican lawmakers and others objected to helping a Chinese company that broke the law and has been accused of posing a national security threat.

Mr. Bolton’s reputation for muscular foreign policy was always an odd fit with Mr. Trump, who often threatens excessive force but rarely reacts with it. Mr. Bolton was pleased when Mr. Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, including the United States, that the Obama administration had entered into. Other Trump advisers had urged him against it.

But Mr. Trump’s lack of action after Iranian aggression against the United States rankled Mr. Bolton.

Mr. Bolton’s book has already netted significant sales. Shortly after the disclosure of its contents on Sunday night, Amazon listed the book for purchase. By Monday evening, it was No. 17 on Amazon’s best-seller list.

Eric Lipton contributed reporting.

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