[KARAH RUCKER]

THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE EUROPEAN NATION OF SLOVAKIA IS IN “VERY SERIOUS” BUT STABLE CONDITION THIS MORNING – AFTER AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT THAT WAS CAUGHT ON CAMERA.

POLICE TOOK DOWN THE 71-YEAR-OLD GUNMAN MOMENTS AFTER HE SHOT PRIME MINISTER ROBERT FICO (FEET-ZO) FIVE TIMES IN AN ATTACK GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SAY WAS “POLITICALLY MOTIVATED”.

THE SUSPECT HAS REPORTEDLY BEEN CHARGED AND faces up  to LIFE IN PRISON.

THE COUNTRY’S DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER SAYING DOCTORS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STABILIZE FICO’S (FEET-ZO’S) CONDITION.

A HOSPITAL OFFICIAL SAYING THE PRIME MINISTER HAS UNDERGONE FIVE HOURS OF SURGERY AND WILL REMAIN IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT.

THE SHOOTING WAS THE FIRST MAJOR ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON A POLITICAL LEADER IN EUROPE IN MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

MORE AMERICAN WORKERS ARE CHEATING TO PASS THEIR WORKFORCE DRUG TESTS.

ACCORDING TO DATA OBTAINED BY QUEST DIAGNOSTICS – U.S. EMPLOYEES “WHOSE DRUG TEST SHOWED SIGNS OF TAMPERING INCREASED BY MORE THAN SIX-FOLD IN 2023” COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

THAT’S THE HIGHEST RATE RECORDED IN MORE THAN 30 YEARS.

“SOME AMERICAN WORKERS ARE GOING TO GREAT LENGTHS TO ATTEMPT TO SUBVERT THE DRUG TESTING PROCESS,” A SENIOR DIRECTOR AT QUEST DIAGNOSTICS SAID.

ABOUT 5.5 MILLION DRUG TESTS WERE COLLECTED FROM THE US WORKFORCE – AND OF THOSE – 6,000 WERE CLASSIFIED AS SUBSTITUTED URINE SPECIMENS — AN INCREASE OF 633% OVER LAST YEAR.

SUBSTITUTED URINE COULD MEAN A PERSON SUBSTITUTING THEIR OWN URINE WITH SOMEONE ELSE’S.. OR IT MEAN USING EITHER ANIMAL OR SYNTHETIC URINE PURCHASED ONLINE.

AN ADDITIONAL 25-THOUSAND TESTS CAME BACK AS “INVALID” – UP 45% OVER A YEAR AGO. INVALID TESTS CAN INCLUDE SAMPLES THAT HAD ADDITIVES USED TO HIDE DRUG USE, ACCORDING TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.

THE DRUG-TESTING LAB REPORTS POSITIVE DRUG SCREENS INCREASED IN INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATED WITH “OFFICE WORK” SUCH AS:

REAL ESTATE AND LENDING – UP 17-PERCENT…

PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND TECHNICAL SERVICES UP 9.3-PERCENT…

EDUCATIONAL SERVICES UP 7.9-PERCENT…

AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION UPO 5-PERCENT.

MARIJUANA POSITIVITY INCREASED IN 13 OUT OF 15 INDUSTRIES… WITH FINANCE AND INSURANCE LEADING WITH AN INCREASE OF 35.7-PERCENT JUMP IN POSITIVE MARIJUANA TESTS IN 2023.

POSITIVE COCAINE TESTS AMONG US WORKFORCE MEMBERS ALSO INCREASED 9.1-PERCENT LAST YEAR.

HOWEVER — HEROIN POSITIVITY DECREASED BY 16.7-PERCENT AND SO DID OPIATES AT 12.5-PERCENT.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LT..

IF YOU WANT MORE STORIES JUST LIKE THIS ONE – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

[RAY BOGAN]

Rep. Jamie Raskin the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, is opening a probe into possible campaign finance violations by Donald Trump. The former president reportedly asked oil executives for $1 billion in campaign contributions in exchange for favorable tax and regulatory policies if he is reelected. 

According to the Washington Post, Trump vowed to immediately reverse dozens of President Biden’s environmental rules and policies during a second term and described the request for $1 billion in fundraising as a “deal”.

Raskin described that as a quid pro quo proposition. 

He said the reports, “raise significant potential ethical, campaign finance, and legal issues that would flow from the effective sale of American energy and regulatory policy to commercial interests in return for large campaign contributions.”

Raskin sent letters to nine oil industry CEOs including the heads of Chevron, Exxon and the American Petroleum Institute requesting any information they have regarding the meeting and Trump’s reported proposal. 

“Mr. Trump’s unvarnished quid pro quo offer is especially troubling evidence in light of recent accounts that the ‘U.S. oil industry is drawing up ready-to-sign executive orders for Donald Trump aimed at pushing natural gas exports, cutting drilling costs and increasing offshore oil leases in case he wins a second term,” Raskin wrote.  

According to the Post, Trump told the oil executives that his policies would open up new offshore drilling, speed permitting and relax regulations, leading to bigger profits. 

That’s a contrast to the Biden Administration, which according to the Post’s analysis, has overturned 27 Trump actions affecting the fossil fuel industry and completed 24 new actions.

[JACK AYLMER]

ELECTRIC PICKUP TRUCKS AREN’T CHEAP IN THE U.S.

BUT, CHINA’S BYD IS LAUNCHING A MORE AFFORDABLE HYBRID RIG JUST SOUTH OF THE BORDER IN MEXICO.

COULD THIS PICKUP EVENTUALLY MAKE ITS WAY INTO THE U.S.?

THIS WEEK THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ACTED ON ITS THREATS AND QUADRUPLED TARIFFS ON EVS COMING FROM CHINA TO OVER 100 PERCENT. 

AUTOMAKERS IN CHINA KNEW IT WAS COMING, SO THEY’VE BEEN BUILDING THEIR EV FACTORIES IN MEXICO AS A BACKDOOR FOR CHINESE EVS TO REACH AMERICANS.

TO PREVENT THIS, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT REPORTEDLY PRESSURED MEXICAN OFFICIALS TO KILL EV INCENTIVES FOR CHINA-BASED AUTO COMPANIES.

BUT THAT MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH.   

BYD RECENTLY DEBUTED A NEW HYBRID-ELECTRIC PICKUP TRUCK IN MEXICO DESPITE HAVING ITS TAX BREAKS PULLED.

DUBBED THE SHARK, THIS VEHICLE COSTS JUST OVER 53-THOUSAND DOLLARS. 

CHEAPER THAN THE 2024 FORD F-150 LIGHTING, WHICH AT 57 THOUSAND DOLLARS WAS NAMED THE KELLY BLUE BOOK MOST AFFORDABLE ELECTRIC TRUCK OPTION.

AND IT’S TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THE OFFERINGS FROM COMPANIES LIKE CHEVROLET, HUMMER, AND RIVIAN.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME B-Y-D HAS LAUNCHED A VEHICLE OUTSIDE OF ITS HOME COUNTRY, WITH THE SHARK CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ONLY TO MEXICAN DRIVERS.

THE COMPANY PLANS TO PRODUCE 150,000 OF THESE TRUCKS IN MEXICO EVERY YEAR-

AND U.S. OFFICIALS ARE TALKING ABOUT SETTING UP ADDITIONAL ROADBLOCKS TO KEEP THEM OUT.

AFTER UNVEILING THE TARIFF INCREASES ON CHINA, THE U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE SAID ADDITIONAL PENALTIES ON CHINESE VEHICLES FROM MEXICO ARE BEING CONSIDERED.

FOR MORE STORIES ABOUT CHINESE ELECTRIC VEHICLES TRYING TO MAKE THE JUMP INTO THE U.S., DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP AND SIGN UP FOR ALERTS FROM ME- JACK AYLMER – SO YOU NEVER MISS A THING.

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE CLOCK IS TICKING FOR TIKTOK’S PARENT COMPANY TO SELL THE APP BY JANUARY 19TH OR BE BANNED IN THE U-S. 

A NEW LAW BACKED BY REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS AND SIGNED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN IS FORCING CHINA-LINKED BYTEDANCE TO DIVEST TIKTOK OR SEE THE APP BARRED FROM AMERICANS’ PHONES.

NOW A POTENTIAL BUYER HAS EMERGED AND HE’S HOPING TO FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE APP AND SOCIAL MEDIA.

FORMER LOS ANGELES DODGERS OWNER, BILLIONAIRE, FRANK MCCOURT SAID WEDNESDAY HIS ORGANIZATION, PROJECT LIBERTY, IS GATHERING BIDDERS TO BUY TIKTOK.

HE SAYS HIS GOAL IS TO REMAKE AND REIMAGINE HOW TIKTOK AND THE INTERNET CONSIDERS DATA AND PRIVACY. 

MCCOURT TOLD THE NEW YORK TIMES THE TIMING WAS RIGHT, SAYING:

“THIS SEEMED LIKE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY CREATE THE ALTERNATIVE TO THE CURRENT INTERNET. WHICH HAS BEEN COLONIZED BY LARGE PLATFORMS AND INCLUDING TIKTOK.”

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH SEMAFOR, HE PRAISED THE APP BUT OFFERED A SERIOUS WARNING, STATING: 

“TIKTOK PRESENTS THE BEST AND WORST OF THE INTERNET. IT CONNECTS 170 MILLION PEOPLE AND ALLOWS THEM TO BE CREATIVE AND BUILD THINGS AND ENJOY THINGS AND DO THINGS. ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY DON’T GET TO REALLY SHARE IN THE VALUE THAT’S CREATED, AND THEIR DATA IS SCRAPED AND STOLEN AND SHIPPED TO CHINA.”

MCCOURT SAYS HIS TAKEOVER COULD HELP PEOPLE “CONTROL THEIR IDENTITY, AND CONTROL THEIR DATA.” 

HIS ORGANIZATION PROJECT LIBERTY IS ALREADY WORKING TO LIMIT THE CONTROL TECH GIANTS LIKE FACEBOOK AND TIKTOK HAVE OVER USER INFORMATION.

MCCOURT’S BID IS STILL EARLY ON AND HE HASN’T NAMED A VALUATION.

SELLING TIKTOK IS REPORTEDLY DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF ITS ALGORITHMS, WHICH ARE VITAL TO IT SUCCESS.

MCCOURT “DOUBTS” CHINA” WOULD SELL TIKTOK WITH THE ALGORITHM BUT HE’S INTERESTED WITHOUT IT BECAUSE, “HE’S TALKING ABOUT A DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURE.”

THE LAW FORCING THE SALE OF TIKTOK WAS PASSED OVER NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS.

THE WHITE HOUSE SAID CHINA’S LINK TO THE APP WAS A THREAT TO THE U-S. BYTEDANCE HAS STATED IT WOULD PREFER SHUTTING DOWN TIKTOK IN THE U-S INSTEAD OF SELLING IT AN AMERICAN FIRM IF IT CAN’T BEAT THE U-S LAW IN COURT.

BYTEDANCE IS SUING THE U-S GOVERNMENT TO BLOCK THE LAW, ALLEGING IT INFRINGES ON FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.

NOW A GROUP OF TIKTOK USERS ARE SUING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ALSO CLAIMING THE NEW LAW VIOLATES THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS– BY STIFLING A COMMUNICATION METHOD AND INHIBITING CONTENT CREATION AND VIEWING EXPERIENCES.

FOR MORE STORIES LIKE THIS DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR GO TO SAN-DOT-COM.

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE MOTHERS OF MISS USA AND MISS TEEN USA ARE SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THE MISS UNIVERSE ORGANIZATION – AFTER THEIR DAUGHTERS RESIGNED THEIR TITLES EARLIER THIS MONTH.

MISS USA 2023 NOELIA VOIGT AND MISS TEEN USA 2023 UMASOFIA SRIVASTAVA – BOTH ABRUPTLY STEPPED DOWN FROM THEIR ROLES. VOIGT CITED MENTAL HEALTH REASONS AND SRIVASTAVA SAID HER VALUES NO LONGER ALIGNED WITH THE ORGANIZATION.

THE MOTHERS OF BOTH WOMEN ALLEGE THEIR DAUGHTER’S DREAMS TURNED INTO NIGHTMARES DUE TO TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENTS – CITING EMOTIONAL ABUSE AND BULLYING.

THE MOTHERS SPOKE ON BEHALF OF THEIR DAUGHTERS TO GOOD MORNING AMERICA – SAYING THEIR DAUGHTERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK DUE TO CONFIDENTIALITY CLAUSES IN THEIR CONTRACTS.

[JACKELINE VOIGT]

“THIS IS NOT WHAT SHE WORKED SO HARD FOR. THE CROWN WEIGHS HEAVY. AND THE MISS UNIVERSE ORGANIZATION NEEDS TO COME OUT AND SPEAK TO US OR APOLOGIZE OR CLEAN THIS MESS.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

NOELIA RESIGNED FIRST ON MAY 6TH – ANNOUNCING HER DECISION ON SOCIAL MEDIA – WITH THE FIRST LETTERS OF EACH SENTENCE SPELLING OUT “I AM SILENCED.”

SHE WROTE A LETTER TO THE MISS USA ORGANIZATION STATING “THERE IS A TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE MISS USA ORGANIZATION THAT, AT BEST, IS POOR MANAGEMENT, AT WORST, IS BULLYING AND HARASSMENT. I WAS MADE TO FEEL UNSAFE AT EVENTS WITHOUT AN EFFECTIVE HANDLER AND THIS CULMINATED IN BEING SEXUALLY HARASSED.” 

VOIGHT’S MOTHER TOLD GMA – NOELIA “RECEIVED UNWANTED ADVANCES AT A CHRISTMAS PARTY” – A MAN ALLEGEDLY ASKED HER IF SHE WAS INTO OLD MEN WITH MONEY – MAKING NOELIA VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.

SHE CLAIMED THE MISS USA ORGANIZATION RESPONDED TO THE INCIDENT — STATING THEY COULDN’T PREVENT PEOPLE FROM SAYING THINGS DURING PUBLIC APPEARANCES.

UMASOFIA’S MOTHER SAID – AFTER NOELIA RESIGNED – HER DAUGHTERKNEW SHE NEEDED TO DO THE SAME SAYING SHE WAS BULLIED BY MISS USA MANAGEMENT.

 LAST WEEK, SRIVASTAVA SAID “HER PERSONAL VALUES NO LONGER FULLY ALIGN WITH THE DIRECTION OF THE MISS USA ORGANIZATION.”

THE MISS USA ORGANIZATION SAID IT WOULD SEEK REPLACEMENTS FOR BOTH TITLES – HOWEVER – LAST YEAR’S MISS TEEN USA RUNNER UP -STEPHANIE SKINNER- TURNED DOWN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED THE CROWN SAYING SHE’S STUDYING ABROAD IN THAILAND THIS SUMMER.

IN A STATEMENT TO ABC NEWS, THE MISS USA ORGANIZATION SAID “WE ARE COMMITTED TO FOSTERING A HEALTHY, COMMUNICATIVE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL CONTESTANTS, STATE TITLEHOLDERS, NATIONAL TITLEHOLDERS AND STAFF.”

BOTH MOMS SAID YOUNG WOMEN SHOULD RE-EVALUATE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN PAGEANTS AND THEY ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO STAY TRUE TO THEMSELVES AND SPEAK OUT AGAINST MIS-TREATMENT.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LT.

IF YOU WANT MORE STORIES JUST LIKE THIS ONE – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP.

LISA MONACO
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL

“Our democratic process and the public servants who protect it have been under attack like never before. As threats evolve and spread today, those threats are being supercharged by advanced technologies.

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CONTINUES TO BE A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN AS THE 2024 ELECTION APPROACHES. ACCORDING TO A NEW Elon University Poll , MORE THAN THREE-QUARTERS OF AMERICANS BELIEVE AI ABUSES WILL IMPACT  THE ELECTION’S OUTCOME.

73% of Americans believe it’s “very” or “somewhat” likely AI will infiltrate and manipulate social media, including through the use of fake accounts and bots to spread misinformation.

70% suspect that AI-generated fake video and audio information will blur the lines between truth and deception.

62% say AI will be used to convince certain voters to skip voting.

78% say at least one of these AI abuses will be used, and more than half think all of them are likely to happen.

AI COULD BE USED FOR GOOD, BUT AMERICANS, BY AN EIGHT-TO-ONE MARGIN, BELIEVE IT WILL HARM ELECTIONS RATHER THAN HELP.

AS THE STAKES RISE, SO DO THE CONSEQUENCES.

FEDERAL PROSECUTORS ARE INCREASING THEIR EFFORTS TO COMBAT ELECTION-RELATED CRIMES INVOLVING A-I. DEPUTY U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL LISA MONACO ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK A JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TASK FORCE WILL SEEK TOUGHER SENTENCES FOR CRIMES WHERE AI IS USED, INCLUDING THREATS AGAINST ELECTION WORKERS AND VOTER SUPPRESSION.

LISA MONACO
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
“These advanced tools are providing new avenues for bad actors to hide their identities and obscure sources of violent threats. They’re providing new avenues to misinform and threaten voters through deepfakes, spreading altered video or cloned audio, impersonating trusted voices. And they’re providing new avenues to recruit and radicalize with incendiary social media content that accelerates online hate and harassment.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THIS POLICY CHANGE AIMS TO ADDRESS THE GROWING CHALLENGES POSED BY AI TOOLS IN THE LEAD-UP TO THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THESE TOOLS CAN EASILY MIMIC POLITICIANS’ VOICES AND LIKENESSES, SPREADING FALSE INFORMATION MORE EFFECTIVELY. THE NEW GUIDELINES WILL TARGET CASES WHERE AI MAKES THESE CRIMES MORE DANGEROUS AND IMPACTFUL.

A RECENT EXAMPLE INVOLVED AN AI-GENERATED ROBOCALL IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, IMITATING PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND URGING VOTERS TO SKIP THE PRIMARY. THE ROBOCALL WAS CREATED BY A NEW ORLEANS MAGICIAN FOR A POLITICAL CONSULTANT WORKING FOR MINNESOTA REP. DEAN PHILLIPS, A DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER TO BIDEN.

MERRICK GARLAND
ATTORNEY GENERAL
“Fulfilling that charge means confronting the full range of threats to our elections. That includes continuing our work through this task force, our U.S. Attorney’s offices, and our FBI offices across the country to investigate, disrupt, and combat unlawful threats against those who administer our elections.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

U.S. OFFICIALS ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT FOREIGN ADVERSARIES USING AI TO SPREAD ELECTION DISINFORMATION. IN DECEMBER, SENIOR OFFICIALS SIMULATED A SCENARIO IN WHICH CHINESE OPERATIVES CREATED AN AI-GENERATED VIDEO SHOWING A SENATE CANDIDATE DESTROYING BALLOTS.

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FACES PRESSURE FROM ELECTION OFFICIALS TO INVESTIGATE THE SURGE OF THREATS AND HARASSMENT THEY HAVE RECEIVED, MANY OF WHICH STEM FROM FALSE CLAIMS OF FRAUD IN THE 2020 ELECTION. IN MARCH, AN OHIO MAN WAS SENTENCED TO OVER TWO YEARS IN PRISON FOR MAKING DEATH THREATS TO AN ARIZONA ELECTION OFFICIAL.

TO STAY UP TO DATE ON 2024 ELECTION COVERAGE DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT US AT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.

[ELECTION OPEN]

[SOT]

[L3: BIDEN CHALLENGES TRUMP TO DEBATE, TRUMP QUICKLY ACCEPTS]

[SOURCE: (10) Joe Biden Announces That He Will Debate Donald Trump Twice | Biden-Harris 2024 – YouTube]

[JOE BIDEN]

“DONALD TRUMP LOST TWO DEBATES TO ME IN 2020. SINCE THEN, HE HASN’T SHOWN UP FOR A DEBATE. NOW, HE’S ACTING LIKE HE WANTS TO DEBATE ME AGAIN. MAKE MY DAY PAL. I’LL EVEN DO IT TWICE. SO, LET’S PICK THE DATES, DONALD. I HEAR YOU’RE FREE ON WEDNESDAY’S? ”

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THAT WAS PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN WEDNESDAY MORNING CHALLENGING FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP TO A PAIR OF DEBATES

TRUMP ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE MINUTES LATER.

WRITING ON TRUTH SOCIAL:

“I AM WILLING AND READY TO DEBATE CROOKED JOE AT THE TWO PROPOSED TIMES IN JUNE AND SEPTEMBER. I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND MORE THAN TWO DEBATES AND, FOR EXCITEMENT PURPOSES, A VERY LARGE VENUE, ALTHOUGH BIDEN IS SUPPOSEDLY AFRAID OF CROWDS– THAT’S ONLY BECAUSE HE DOESN’T GET THEM. JUST TELL ME WHEN, I’LL BE THERE. ‘LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!’”

THE BACK-AND-FORTH CONTINUED WITH BIDEN OFFERING A DATE FOR THEIR FIRST FACE-OFF:

JUNE 27TH.

SAYING C-N-N HAD INVITED HIM AND HE HAD ACCEPTED.

ACCORDING TO C-N-N, A TRUMP CAMPAIGN OFFICIAL SAID THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAD ACCEPTED THE OFFER.

SHORTLY AFTER, BIDEN AND TRUMP SAID THEY ACCEPTED AN INVITATION FOR A SECOND DEBATE ON SEPTEMBER 10TH FROM A-B-C NEWS.

BIDEN WANTS TO FOREGO THE WAY PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES HAVE BEEN HELD FOR DECADES, WHICH HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED BY THE BIPARTISAN COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES SINCE 1988.

BIDEN PROPOSED TWO TELEVISED PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES WITH A MODERATOR FROM THE BROADCAST HOST’S “REGULAR PERSONNEL AND FIRM TIME LIMITS ON ANSWERS, EQUAL SPEAKING TIME AND MICROPHONES ONLY ACTIVE DURING THE CANDIDATES TURN.

BIDEN’S CAMPAIGN CHAIR JEN O’MALLEY SAID THE DECADES OLD TRADITION BY THE COMMISSION ISN’T WORKING AND INDICATED TEAM BIDEN PREFERRED A SMALLER, CROWD-LESS EVENT.

“THE COMMISSION’S MODEL OF BUILDING HUGE SPECTACLES WITH LARGE AUDIENCES AT GREAT EXPENSE SIMPLY ISN’T NECESSARY OR CONDUCIVE TO GOOD DEBATE. THE DEBATES SHOULD BE CONDUCTED FOR THE BENEFIT OF AMERICAN VOTERS, WATCHING ON TELEVISION OR AT HOME– NOT AS ENTERTAINMENT FOR AN IN-PERSON AUDIENCE WITH RAUCOUS OR DISRUPTIVE PARTISANS AND DONORS, WHO CONSUME VALUABLE DEBATE TIME WITH NOISE SPECTACLES OF APPROVAL OR JEERING.”

TRUMP AND THE R-N-C HAVE ALSO SHOWN A WILLINGNESS TO FORGO THE COMMISSION — BUT THEY WANT A CROWD.

THE COMMISSION HAS ALREADY ARRANGED ONE VICE PRESIDENTIAL AND A SERIES OF THREE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES, BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 16TH THAT WOULD BE CARRIED BY BROADCAST AND CABLE NETWORKS. 

INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT ROBERT F. KENNEDY JUNIOR CURRENTLY WOULD NOT QUALIFY UNDER THE COMMISSION’S RULES BECAUSE HE IS NOT POLLING AT AT LEAST 15 PERCENT, WHICH IS REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE. 

BIDEN’S PROPOSAL WOULD ALSO EXCLUDE R-F-K JUNIOR BUT NOT BASED ON POLLING.