We Now Have the Best Evidence Yet That Everyone Develops Long-Term Coronavirus Immunity After Infection

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Scientists may now have an answer to one of the most crucial lingering questions about COVID-19: whether people develop long-term immunity. . .

A study published Friday in the journal Cell suggests that everyone who gets COVID-19 – even people with mild or asymptomatic cases – develops T cells that can hunt down the coronavirus if they get exposed again later.

“Memory T cells will likely prove critical for long-term immune protection against COVID-19,” the study authors wrote, adding that they “may prevent recurrent episodes of severe COVID-19.”

That’s because memory T cells can stick around for years, while antibody levels drop following an infection.

The authors of the new study examined blood from 206 people in Sweden who had COVID-19 with varying degrees of severity. They found that regardless of whether a person had recovered from a mild or severe case, they still developed a robust T-cell response. Even coronavirus patients who did not test positive for antibodies developed memory T cells, the results showed. (Read more from “We Now Have the Best Evidence Yet That Everyone Develops Long-Term Coronavirus Immunity After Infection” HERE)

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Law Firm That Represented Tara Reade Pressures Kamala Harris: Your Husband Must ‘Step Up’ or Resign

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A law firm that specializes in employment litigation and which has, in recent years, been at the forefront of the #MeToo movement by representing survivors, is calling on Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) to pressure her husband over “sexual assault, sexual harassment and retaliation” allegations leveled against his own law firm, DLA Piper.

Wigdor LLP partner Jeanne M. Christensen made the demand in a letter addressed to Harris obtained by Law&Crime on Tuesday.

“Today I wrote to Sen. Kamala Harris about DLA Piper’s refusal to release our client, former DLA Piper partner Vanina Guerrero, from forced arbitration regarding her allegations of sexual assault at the hands of another DLA Piper partner, Louis Lehot.” Christensen said in an email accompanying the letter. “Senator Harris’ husband Douglas Emhoff is a DLA Piper partner who has earned millions of dollars there, including from clients likely billed by Mr. Lehot.” . . .

Notably, the namesake of Christensen’s firm, Douglas Wigdor, previously represented Tara Reade—a former congressional staffer who accused Biden of sexual assault earlier this year. Her claims were corroborated by several pieces of evidence but largely dismissed by the mainstream media.

Harris’s brother-in-law Tony West, Uber’s general counsel is also mentioned–as a positive example of a corporate higher-up who released sexual assault survivors from enforced arbitration provisions. (Read more from “Law Firm That Represented Tara Reade Pressures Kamala Harris: Your Husband Must ‘Step Up’ or Resign” HERE)

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Report: Key Republican in Trump’s Campaign Had a Secret Effort to Remove Him From the Ballot in 2016

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In another case of “strange bedfellows,” a Republican lawyer working on President Donald Trump’s campaign once worked secretly to remove him from the ballot in 2016.

Business Insider reported that Katie Walsh, a former chief of staff for Reince Priebus when he was at the RNC, worked behind the scenes to get Trump off the ballot. Since then, she’s served in the White House and has become one “of Trump’s most powerful outside operators,” reported the site.

She was outed by Trump campaign deputy Rick Gates, who said that Walsh and the Republican National Committee were part of “multiple” talks about getting rid of Trump in 2016. . .

At least ten GOP insiders confirmed to BI about Walsh’s efforts, the report said.

“A Trump steamrolled his competition — and with old-guard Republicans increasingly alarmed that the unpredictable, polarizing, gaffe-prone reality-TV host might tank them at the polls — Walsh began talking up the idea of saving the party by denying him the nomination,” Gates told BI. (Read more from “Report: Key Republican in Trump’s Campaign Had a Secret Effort to Remove Him From the Ballot in 2016” HERE)

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NY Gov. Cuomo — Who Fumbled the Coronavirus Pandemic — to Publish a Book About Handling the Coronavirus Pandemic

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Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who by all accounts bungled his response to the coronavirus pandemic in his state, plans to publish a book about his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. . .

The new book, titled “American Crisis,” will highlight the governor’s leadership in responding to the outbreak even as more than 33,000 people have died in the New York as a result of the virus — more than twice the number of deaths in any other state. Not to mention the fact that Cuomo will be cashing in on the project even as the pandemic rages on.

The announcement came just one day after Cuomo called the coronavirus response “beautiful” and the disease a “metaphor” during his speech at the Democratic National Convention Monday night.

The book will be released Oct. 13, just three weeks before the general election.

In a news release by Crown Publishing, “American Crisis” is billed as “a powerful testament to true leadership” and a “remarkable portrait of leadership during crisis and a gritty story of gut-wrenching choices that point the way to a safer future for us all,” the New York Post reported.

(Read more from “NY Gov. Cuomo — Who Fumbled the Coronavirus Pandemic — to Publish a Book About Handling the Coronavirus Pandemic” HERE)

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‘The Moment Trump Won Re-Election’: Did That DNC Outro Cost Joe the 2020 Election?

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This cannot be real. Did two hours of watching the Democratic National Convention cause me to lose my mind? President Trump was blamed by one woman for causing her father’s death from COVID. . .

But no, just as you thought this night of lunacy was over, there was this outro, which I missed, but everyone said was real. I, at first, didn’t believe it, but lo and behold, the official account for the Democrats thanked Billy Porter and Stephen Stills for playing “For What It’s Worth,” a signature protest song from Still’s Buffalo Springfield days.

(Read more from “‘The Moment Trump Won Re-Election’: Did That Dnc Outro Cost Joe the 2020 Election?” HERE)

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Guardian: Google is Voluntarily Turning Over Right-Wing Users’ Personal Data to U.S. Fusion Centers for Criminal Investigation

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A little-known investigative unit inside search giant Google regularly forwarded detailed personal information on the company’s users to members of a counter-terrorist fusion center in California’s Bay Area, according to leaked documents reviewed by the Guardian. . .

The Google documents containing subscriber information are signed by the company’s CyberCrime Investigation Group (CIG). CIG has been mentioned in coverage of criminal proceedings based on their reports, but its raw output to law enforcement agencies has never been exposed to public view.

[The Google] documents are associated with the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center, part of a nationwide network of fusion centers, which were created after 9/11 to facilitate information sharing between state, federal, local and tribal law enforcement agencies. . .

Steven Renderos, executive director of MediaJustice, a nonprofit campaigning for a more just and participatory media wrote in an email: “In a moment of reckoning on the failure of police to keep people safe, it is reckless for Google to hand off private user information to law enforcement”. . .

The Google documents . . . highlight the activities of individual users, providing detailed subscriber information, which often includes real names, street addresses, credit card numbers, Gmail and recovery email addresses, YouTube channel addresses and the time and IP addresses of recent logins. (Read more about Google giving your private information to government fusion centers HERE)

Mormons Repelled by President Trump Break Away From GOP

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Donald Trump is losing ground among typically Republican-voting Mormons in Arizona, as some members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints take a surprising turn and put their support behind Democratic candidate Joe Biden.

Yasser Sanchez, who twice worked to defeat Biden’s bids for vice presidency by building support for Republican candidates among fellow Mormons, now says he’ll vote for Biden in the upcoming election.

Sanchez finds himself in a surprising position as he’s become repelled from his party and by President Donald Trump. . .

On Wednesday more than 200 people identifying themselves as Republicans who belong to the church published an open letter declaring their opposition to Trump and calling him ‘the antithesis of so much the Latter-day Saints community believes.’

In a bid to recapture votes, the Trump campaign launched its Latter-day Saints for Trump Coalition this past week and sent Vice President Mike Pence to Mesa, a suburb of Phoenix, for the kickoff on Tuesday. (Read more from “Mormons Repelled by President Trump Break Away From GOP” HERE)

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17 Arrested in Flint-Area Child Trafficking Sting; Singer Accused of Pedophilia

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By The Detroit News. Seventeen people have been arrested following an investigation into child trafficking in the Flint area, a sheriff said.

A rescue operation Friday located seven children ages 17 and under, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said.

A law enforcement team over five months set up six stings in which law enforcement agents posed as 13, 14, and 15-year-old children on social media sites, Swanson said.

People who then arrived at locations expecting to be able to assault those children were instead arrested, and will be prosecuted, Swanson said. He did not say which charges they are likely to face, The Flint Journal reported. (Read more from “17 Arrested in Flint-Area Child Trafficking Sting” HERE)

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Brendon Urie Accused of Sexual Harassment, Pedophilia

By Daily Dot. Panic! At the Disco frontman Brendon Urie has been accused of sexual harassment and pedophilia. Multiple anonymous Twitter users came forward on Thursday with their stories of how Urie allegedly inappropriately touched them.

Prior to Thursday, fans were calling on Urie to fire the band’s security manager, Zack Hall, who was recently accused of sexual harassment.

The accusations against both Hall and Urie have led #BrendonUrieSpeakUp, #BrendonUrieisOverParty, #DismissZackHall, and #FireZackHall to all trend on Twitter. The #BrendonUrieSpeakUp hashtag alone has nearly 10,000 tweets under it.

Two anonymous accounts created Twitter threads to share their stories. (Read more from “Brendon Urie Accused of Sexual Harassment, Pedophilia” HERE)

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FLASHBACK: Thousands of USPS Mailboxes Removed During Obama-Biden Administration

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Former President Barack Obama accused President Donald Trump of purposely attempting to sabotage the U.S. Postal Service in an effort to alter the results of the 2020 presidential election.

“What we’ve seen in a way that is unique to modern political history is a president who is explicit in trying to discourage people from voting,” Obama said during an appearance on his former campaign adviser David Plouffe’s podcast on Friday. “What we’ve never seen before is a president say, ‘I’m going to try to actively kneecap the postal service to encourage voting and I will be explicit about the reason I’m doing it.'” . . .

USPS spokeswoman Kimberly Frum told The Hill that the removal of mailboxes is common. . .

In fact, between 2011 and 2016, there were roughly 14,000 USPS mailboxes removed, which was during the Obama-Biden administration.

A 2009 Washington Post article stated, “In the past 20 years, 200,000 mailboxes have vanished from city streets, rural routes and suburban neighborhoods – more than the 175,000 that remain.” (Read more from “FLASHBACK: Thousands of USPS Mailboxes Removed During Obama-Biden Administration” HERE)

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How Traitor John Kasich Managed to Infuriate Everyone With His DNC Antics; Top DNC Speaker Made Millions Lobbying for Russia; Republican Women Trash Trump

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By Townhall. . .You were already on the outs with the party, Mr. Kasich. And now, you’re not only endorsing Joe Biden for president—you’re speaking at their convention. I don’t know what is going through Kasich’s mind—I don’t. Does he think that somehow, after a Biden win, the GOP will go back to the days of old? Those days are gone. They’re over. Finished. All of those people who were uncomfortable with Trump have either retired or resigned. The Republican Party is now a right-wing populist party. And if you were paying attention, it’s a party that still mostly advocates close to 90 percent of what the old Reagan coalition has advocated for in the past 25 years. The delivery isn’t as polished sure—but who cares. Trump gets results. I’m a proud Trump Republican as is most of the base. Yes, there are some annoying folks who yearn for past days. They can still hop on the Trump train. Well, everyone can still do that, except John Kasich who is speaking tonight at the Democratic National Convention to break tribalism or something (via NYT):

Four years ago, John R. Kasich considered it unthinkable to vote for Donald J. Trump for president, yet he could not bring himself to cast a ballot for Hillary Clinton either — so he wrote in Senator John McCain of Arizona.

Not this time around. Mr. Kasich, a lifelong Republican who has spent decades in politics — as a state legislator, congressman, governor of Ohio and presidential aspirant — will become his party’s most prominent leader to cross the partisan divide and support former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., speaking at this week’s Democratic National Convention, and then voting for him this fall.

“I wasn’t going to vote for somebody else,” Mr. Kasich said in an interview before his speech on Monday night. “I just wasn’t going to do it this time. I did it the last time. You know, I had always been hopeful, even after the convention and after the election, that perhaps we would see a change in the president, but we just never have. I happen to think it’s the soul of our country that is being damaged, and that’s what I’m concerned about.”

(Read more from “How Traitor John Kasich Managed to Infuriate Everyone With His DNC Antics” HERE)

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Republican Women Trash Trump at DNC

By Washington Examiner. A trio of once-prominent Republican women trashed President Trump on the opening night of the virtual Democratic National Convention to highlight a segment of the GOP that is backing Joe Biden for president.

“I’m a longtime Republican and a longtime CEO,” Meg Whitman, a former top executive and GOP candidate for California governor in 2010, said. “And let me tell you, Donald Trump has no clue how to run a business, let alone an economy. Joe Biden, on the other hand, has a plan.”

Whitman was followed by former New Jersey GOP Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, who is also backing Biden.

“This isn’t about a Republican or Democrat,” Whitman, who was governor from 1994 to 2001, said, explaining her appearance at the convention. “It’s about a person — a person decent enough, stable enough, and strong enough to get our economy back on track. A person who can work with everyone.” (Read more from “Republican Women Trash Trump at DNC” HERE)

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Top DNC Speaker Made Millions Lobbying for Russia

By The Federalist. The heavily promoted formerly Republican lawmaker endorsing Joe Biden for president tonight at the Democratic National Convention was a highly paid Russian lobbyist whose firm was paid millions of dollars for work on behalf of the Kremlin, federal records show.

According to federal documents filed pursuant to the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), the lobbying firm run by former Rep. Susan Molinari and its business partner received nearly $2.5 million in just one six-month period in 2008 to “cover fees and expenses for providing services for the benefit of the Russian Federation.” During the final of the year, the Russian lobbying deal made the consortium another $2.8 million for its work on behalf of the Kremlin, records show.

Molinari, who ran for and won the same congressional seat vacated by her father in 1989, left Congress in 1997 to embark on a lucrative career promoting the interests of foreign governments in Russia, Bangladesh, and Panama. Molinari’s former firm The Washington Group was part of a consortium of high-powered marketing and lobbying operations that raked in more than $60 million from the Russian Federation to improve the country’s image in the United States.

In 2016, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) launched a sprawling investigation of the Trump campaign after Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak was spotted meeting with Republican lawmakers at the G.O.P’s nominating convention. Former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was targeted, illegally leaked against, and eventually prosecuted over his conversations with Kislyak during the presidential transition in 2016 and 2017. Federal records show, however, that Molinari’s lobbying partner worked directly for Kislyak to burnish his image to American voters. (Read more from “Top DNC Speaker Made Millions Lobbying for Russia” HERE)

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