Source: Democracy Now!
Friday, July 20, 2018
Arrest is Made in Vandalism of Monument Honoring Medal of Honor Recipient Michael Murphy
By Chad Garland
Police arrested a 14-year-old boy and charged him with vandalism on
Friday after a memorial to a slain Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor
recipient was found smashed to pieces at a Long Island lake.
New York state will pay to replace the stone, inscribed with the image
of Lt. Michael P. Murphy and his Medal of Honor, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said
earlier in the day. The new stone is expected be nearly impossible to
shatter.
Suffolk County Police said Friday in a Facebook post that the minor had
been arrested at 3 a.m. in his Ronkonkoma home and charged with second
degree criminal mischief, following an investigation into the damage at a
park named for the fallen SEAL in Lake Ronkonkoma, where Murphy once
worked as a lifeguard.
Click here for the full article.
Source: Stars and Stripes
Statement from Governor Andrew Cuomo
"Lieutenant Michael Murphy served our nation with extraordinary courage, valor and dignity, and we are all indebted to him and his family for his sacrifice. He was a Smithtown native who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the military's highest decoration, for his actions in Afghanistan during Operation Red Wings on June 28, 2005, the first member of the Navy to be awarded the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War. This most-esteemed award memorializes and honors his leadership and service, and to desecrate this honor is beyond the pale.
"I am appalled and disgusted by this apparent act of vandalism. The State of New York will fully fund the replacement of the plaque, and I hope this brings comfort to his family and community. The people of this state and this nation owe Lieutenant Murphy a debt of gratitude, and I personally thank him for his service."
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
What the U.S. Ruling Class and the Repubs. Are Most Afraid Of: Voting
By Steven Jonas
Even before the end of the First Civil War the 13th
Amendment to the Constitution, which freed the slaves, was passed by
the Union Congress (although it was not fully ratified until the end of 1865). In 1868, the
14th Amendment was ratified. Among other things, it gave citizenship and
the right to vote to the former slaves.
While in the 11 former states of the Confederacy opposition to the
results and potential results of the Northern military victory began almost
immediately after the end of hostilities at Appomattox, that opposition really
took off, and became violent, after the ratification of the 14th. Because of course with citizenship came the
right to vote. And having former slaves
with the right to vote terrified the white ruling class in the South, and for
good reason. In the former Confederate states,
on the average, the former slave population amounted to about 35% of the total.
The Ku Klux Klan was
only one of a number of violence-prone organizations that was formed in the
former Confederacy almost immediately after the end of the War. After the passage of the 14th, one
of their major targets in terrorizing former slaves was the free vote. They had good reason for such a concern, for
during Reconstruction, numbers of former slaves were elected to a wide variety
of offices in those states. Following
the end of Reconstruction, as is well-known, voting rights, along with many
other rights, were very quickly eliminated for former slaves. "Jim Crow" was well in place by the
1880s. And as is well known was kept in
place until the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts on the mid-1960.
During Reconstruction, the reconstructed Democratic
Party, which formerly represented the Southern States, was the principal
opponent of it in national politics. But
following the election of 1876, when the Republican Party made a deal with the
Southern States to end Reconstruction in return for stealing the election from
a Democrat (no less) who had pledged to maintain Reconstruction, (yes, there
have been stolen elections more than once in U.S. history), the Republican
Party very quickly also became a party concerned with "the others" making their way
into citizenship and thus the voting population.
This should come as no surprise (although it does
to most U.S.). For one of the founding
members of the political coalition that became the Republican Party in 1856 was
the American Party (popularly known as the "Know-Nothings), led at the time by
a former Whig, former U.S. President, Millard Fillmore. The American Party was built on xenophobia,
at that time aimed at Irish and German immigrants. So, xenophobia (see of course Donald Trump)
is nothing new for the Repubs. It surfaced
again in the Chinese Exclusion
Act of 1882, and then again of course in the much more well-known Immigration
Act of 1924. The latter was aimed
at Roman Catholics (especially those from Southern Europe) generally and
specifically at Italians, as well as Jews and other Eastern Europeans. (Isn't it ironic that the three leading
Republican xenophobes now are Donald Trump, of German ancestry, Sean Hannity
[Irish], and Rudy Giuliani [Italian].)
Click here for the full article.
Source: OpEdNews
'Flashback Friday': Barriers for Black Voters in the South in the Early 1960s
Iowans Return to Freedom Summer
Source: IowaPublicTelevision
NFL Halts Anthem Policy After Backlash
by Associated Press
The NFL and National Football League Players Association have agreed
to halt enforcement of rules regarding the new national anthem policy
while the two sides work on a resolution.
The league and its
players union issued a joint statement late Thursday, hours after The
Associated Press reported that Miami Dolphins players who protest on the
field during the anthem could be suspended for up to four games under a
team policy issued this week.
"The
NFL and NFLPA, through recent discussions, have been working on a
resolution to the anthem issue. In order to allow this constructive
dialogue to continue, we have come to a standstill agreement on the
NFLPA's grievance and on the NFL's anthem policy. No new rules relating
to the anthem will be issued or enforced for the next several weeks
while these confidential discussions are ongoing," the statement read.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
Trailblazers in Black History: Aesha Ash
African-American Ballerina Breaks Barriers with Swan Dreams Project
Speaker Paul Ryan on Threats to Democracy
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) joined the American Enterprise Institute
for a discussion on political philosophy and constitutional principles
in an age of growing populism and identity politics. Speaker Ryan talked
about how new media and technology have contributed to a rise in
tribalism, which he said runs counter to the more traditional Republican
beliefs in classical liberalism. He also advocated for a return to
civil society in contrast to the prevailing “zero-sum” mentality now
prominent in American politics.
This report was broadcast on July 19.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Immigrant Shelters Drug Traumatized Teenagers Without Consent
Whether they came to the U.S. alone, or were forcibly separated from their families at the border, despondent minors are often pressured into taking psychotropic drugs without approval from a parent or guardian.
by Caroline Chen and Jess Ramirez
Fleeing an abusive stepfather in El Salvador, Gabriela headed for
Oakland, California, where her grandfather had promised to take her in.
When the teenager reached the U.S. border in January 2017, she was
brought to a federally funded shelter in Texas.
Initially, staff described her as receptive and resilient. But as she
was shuttled from one Texas shelter to another, she became increasingly
depressed. Without consulting her grandfather, or her mother in El
Salvador, shelter staff have prescribed numerous medications for her,
including two psychotropic drugs whose labels warn of increased suicidal
behavior in adolescents, according to court documents. Still
languishing in a shelter after 18 months, the 17-year-old doesn’t want
to take the medications, but she does anyway, because staff at one
facility told her she wouldn’t be released until she is considered
psychologically sound.
Gabriela’s experience epitomizes a problem that the Trump
administration’s practice of family separation exacerbated: the failure
of government-funded facilities to seek informed consent before
medicating immigrant teenagers. Around 12,000 undocumented minors are in
custody of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of
Refugee Resettlement. The majority crossed the border unaccompanied,
while more than 2,500 were separated from their parents while Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy was in effect from April to June.
Click here for the full article.
Source: ProPublica
Intelligence Chief Discusses President Trump's Meeting with Vladimir Putin
This report was published on YouTube on July 19.
Source: CBS News
ICE Agents Accused of Sexual Abuse, Report
This report was published on YouTube on July 19.
Source: CBS News
Asbestos Concerns After Steam Pipe Explosion
This report was published on YouTube on July 19.
Source: CBS News
Mayor de Blasio Provides Info on July 19 Steam Pipe Explosion
This video was published on YouTube on July 19.
Source: NYC Mayor's Office
Treating Family Reunification Like a National Emergency, HHS Stresses Safety Precautions
This report was published on YouTube on July 19.
Nicaraguans 'Betrayed' by Ortega, Bianca Jagger Tells FRANCE 24
This report was published on YouTube on July 19.
Heavy Meddle: Is Russia Outmanoeuvring the West?
This report was published on YouTube on July 19.
Source: FRANCE 24 English
Hungarian PM Orban on Israeli Visit
This report was published on YouTube on July 19.
Source: euronews.
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Can This Progressive Woman of Color Pull Off an Ocasio-Cortez-Style Upset in Massachusetts?
By Eoin Higgins
In the weeks since Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez‘s surprise victory in New York’s 14th District, the
Democratic Party has been waking up to the possibility that a
progressive wave could overturn the party’s leadership and usher in a
new guard — one led by young women of color. Ocasio-Cortez said as much
in her victory speech, delivered from a bar top at the pool hall in the
Bronx that hosted her election night party.
“We’ve got a whole bunch of primaries to go. When we get to November, we should be electing a caucus,” she said.
That’s what Tahirah Amatul-Wadud is hoping will happen in Massachusetts’s 1st District, where she’s mounting an insurgent campaign against Richard Neal, one of the longest serving Democratic representatives in the House.
According to Amatul-Wadud, Neal
represents everything that’s wrong with Washington Democrats. He’s an
uninvolved career politician who puts the interests of his national
donors in front of the people he represents, Amatul-Wadud says, and his
seniority in the House hasn’t brought much benefit to the region.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Intercept_
GOP Sen. Tim Scott Sinks Trump Nominee Over Past Racist Writings
By Jackie Kucinich and Andrew Desiderio
In an extraordinarily rare move on Thursday afternoon, Senate
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) withdrew a circuit court judge
nomination after Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) indicated that he would not vote
for the nominee, causing other Republican senators to follow suit.
According
to a GOP source familiar with the matter, Scott, the only black
Republican senator, raised concerns to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) about
Ryan Bounds’ college writings which allegedly included racially charged
comments and other controversial statements.
Rubio, the source
said, pledged to vote against Bounds alongside Scott, and “more
Republicans [were] heading to ‘no’” on the nomination as a result.
McConnell
then withdrew the nomination—but not before huddling with his top
deputy, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX), in his office off the
Senate floor. The saga unfolded just minutes before the scheduled 1:45
p.m. vote. By 2:30 p.m., it was over.
Click here for the full article.
Chance the Rapper Might Well Become One of the Most Balanced Media Barons
By Will Gore
I like to think I have a fairly eclectic taste in music. Thomas
Tallis competes for attention with They Might be Giants on my
near-obsolete iPod.
However, I must admit I have never come across the
Chicago-based artiste known as Chance The Rapper. I assumed in fact that
Chance must be a stage name, but as it happens his real name is
Chancelor. And sure enough, just like our own Philip Hammond, he seems
to know a thing or two about business.
Last night he took the opportunity to announce his purchase of a local news website, the Chicagoist;
doing so – as only a media owner who is also a rapper could – in the
form of a catchy song, called “I might need your security”. In the ditty
he explains forcefully how “I bought the Chicagoist just to
run you racist bitches outta business”. Not the usual motivation for a
merger or an acquisition, but who’s to say it’s not a good one.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Independent
Maxine Waters Urges Supporters Not to Counter-Protest Far-Right Militia Group Targeting Her
By Chris Riotta
Maxine Waters
has warned her supporters against staging counter-protests to the
militia group that’s planning demonstrations outside of her California
offices.
The Democratic congresswoman released a statement on Tuesday
night after becoming the target of the Oath Keepers, a
militia organisation associated with anti-government movements. She said
the group’s main goal was to "inflame racial tensions and create
explosive conflict in our community," adding that residents throughout
district should not get “baited” into confrontations with the group.
"I am requesting those individuals and groups planning a
counter-protest to not be baited into confronting the Oath Keepers with
any demonstrations in opposition — such an occurrence would only
exacerbate tensions and increase the potential for conflict," Ms Waters said.
"In order to ensure the peace and security of our community, it is best
and preferable if no other demonstrations are scheduled on the same
date and time as the Oath Keepers’ planned protest."
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Independent
Senate Blocks Resolution Backing Intelligence Community on Russian Interference
Senator Jeff Flake Senator Chris Coons
Senate Republican Whip John Cornyn objects to adoption of a bipartisan
resolution agreeing with the intelligence community's assessment on
Russian interference in the 2016 election. The resolution, offered by
Senators Jeff Flake and Chris Coons also commends the special counsel's
probe on Russian meddling, reaffirms that Russia should be held
accountable, calls for hearings on what was discussed in private between
Presidents Trump and Putin at the Helsinki summit, and it also calls
for additional sanctions on Russia. Following objection of the
resolution, Senators Chuck Schumer and Robert Menendez introduce another
resolution rejecting the request from Russia that it be allowed to
question former U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul regarding alleged crimes
by financier Bill Browder, a critic of the Putin government.
Click here for video.
Four Years After Eric Garner’s Killing in Police Chokehold, His Family Still Seeks Accountability
This report was published on YouTube on July 18.
Source: Democracy Now!
New York City Will Force Airbnb to Disclose Information on Hosts
By Gerrit De Vynck and Olivia Zaleski
Airbnb Inc. will
need to share the names and addresses of hosts in New York City with
officials thanks to a new law, the latest setback for the home-rental
company in one of the world’s largest tourism destinations.
The
law, which passed 45-to-0 in a city council vote Wednesday, is designed
to help enforce existing rules banning short-term rentals. Mayor Bill
de Blasio has said he supports the bill. Earlier in the day an Airbnb
host backed financially by the company filed a lawsuit against New York City, accusing officials of retaliating against him for speaking out in support of home rentals.
Click here for the full article.
Source: Bloomberg (via Empire Report New York)
Parity on the Frontline: U.N. Seeks to Boost Number of Female Peacekeepers
Source: FRANCE 24 English
Pranksters Dupe EU: Juncker and Mogherini Prank-Called by Russian Duo
This report was published on YouTube on July 18.
Nicaragua Unrest: Is the Country on the Verge of a Revolution?
This report was published on YouTube on July 18.
Hungary's Migration Decision: Hungary to Quit UN Migration Pact Before Its Final Approval
This report was published on YouTube on July 18.
Contentious Migrant Rescue: Europe's Migration Debate Takes Another Turn
This report was published on YouTube on July 18.
Mayor de Blasio Delivers Remarks at Harlem Week Reception
This video was published on YouTube on July 18.
Source: NYC Mayor's Office
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Lawsuit Filed to Protect New York from Public Safety Cuts
Action Taken As Trump Administration Seeks
to Punish States That Assist Immigrants
to Punish States That Assist Immigrants
The following statement was issued today by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
"It
is unconscionable that the Trump administration would put New Yorkers'
public safety at risk to impose its abhorrent and un-American
immigration policies on our state. Because we believe in welcoming
immigrants and celebrating our diversity, the federal government is
illegally trying to withhold critical Byrne JAG funding that plays a
critical role in combatting gun violence, fighting the opioid epidemic
and supporting criminal justice services.
"With
the lawsuit filed today, New York and other states are sending a
message loud and clear that we will not stand for intolerance or hate
and we will not be bullied with disgraceful political tactics, let alone
ones that are blatantly unconstitutional. New Yorkers should know that
we will continue fighting against this shameful administration and its
unjust policies at every turn and will not rest until every New Yorker,
regardless of where they come from or how they got here, is treated with
respect and dignity."
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Black Students from Atlanta Make History at Harvard Debate Competition
A group of 25 black students from Atlanta, competing against hundreds of young scholars from around the world, made history over the weekend with winning performances in a Harvard debate tournament.
The young scholars were the first backed by scholarships through the Atlanta-based Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project to participate in Harvard’s summer debate council residency.
Harvard Debate Council, which runs the annual summer program at the school’s campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, divided nearly 400 participants, including high school students from Asia, Europe and Russia, into 12 teams for debate competitions.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Huffington Post
'It is Not Too Late to Save Brexit', Boris Johnson Delivers Resignation Speech
Former British foreign secretary Boris Johnson delivered his cabinet
resignation speech in the House of Commons today, praising Prime
Minister Theresa May while criticizing her handling of Brexit
negotiations.
Source: CBC News
Eye on Africa (Nigeria): Army Denies Reports of Missing Soldiers After Boko Haram Attacks
Source: FRANCE 24 English
Eurogroup Chief Centeno: 'We Need to Put an End to What Seems to Be a Trade War in the Making'
Source: FRANCE 24 English
US Tourism to Cuba Drops After Trump Tightens Trade Embargo Against Island
Source: FRANCE 24 English
Ocasio-Cortez Calls for Occupation of Airports, ICE Offices: ‘We Have to Mobilize’
New York congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has called
on protesters rallying under the “Abolish ICE” banner to occupy border
crossings, airports and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
offices across the country.
Ocasio-Cortez made the comments during an interview on Monday with Democracy Now's Amy Goodman, speaking alongside Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau.
Asked
by Goodman about her decision to leave New York to join protests at the
U.S.-Mexico border just days before the primary in which she defeated
Democratic Representative Joseph Crowley in a stunning
upset, Ocasio-Cortez said, "There is no convenient time" to "stand up
against human rights violations."
Click here for the full article.
Source: Newsweek (via Empire Report New York)
Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. Probed Over Email Use
By Erin Durkin
Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. is facing a probe by the Council’s ethics
panel over allegations he used his official email to send political
missives.
Diaz
said he’s been informed he is the target of the investigation opened
Monday in a closed-door session of the Standards and Ethics Committee,
after someone filed a complaint about an email he sent last week.
“Somebody is angry, and they’re trying to censor me,” Diaz said.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The New York Daily News
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
‘Putin’s Favorite Congressman’ Now Engulfed in NRA Spy Case
A Daily Beast Exclusive
Maria Butina allegedly helped her Russian handler meet with a congressional delegation in August 2015. That’s when these lawmakers—one Democrat, one Republican—were in Russia.
By Jackie Kucinich and Spencer Ackerman
Pro-Kremlin GOP Congressman Dana Rohrabacher met with a Putin ally in
Russia in August 2015, The Daily Beast has confirmed, matching an
account in Monday’s blockbuster FBI affidavit against accused Russian
spy Maria Butina.
Butina
was part of “discussions about the RUSSIAN OFFICIAL’s plans to meet
with a U.S. Congressman during a Congressional Delegation trip to Moscow
in August 2015,” FBI agent Kevin Helson’s affidavit swears. “In that
conversation, BUTINA noted she has the RUSSIAN OFFICIAL’s diplomatic
passport and can purchase a plane ticket for him from St. Petersburg to
Moscow.”
The official is widely believed to be Alexander Torshin,
an influential former Russian politician from Vladimir Putin’s party
who established trans-continental ties to the National Rifle Association.
The
lawmakers on that Congressional delegation were Rohrabacher and
Democrat Gregory Meeks of New York, the leadership of the House foreign
affairs subcommittee on Europe. They were in Russia from from August 4 to 6, 2015, the Congressional Record shows and their offices confirmed.
An aide to Rohrabacher, Ken Grubbs, told The Daily Beast that Rohrabacher met with Torshin.
Click here for the full article.
From The Archives
Health Insurers Are Vacuuming Up Details About You — And It Could Raise Your Rates
Without any public scrutiny, insurers and data brokers are predicting your health costs based on data about things like race, marital status, how much TV you watch, whether you pay your bills on time or even buy plus-size clothing.
This story was co-published with NPR.
To an outsider, the fancy booths at last month’s health
insurance industry gathering in San Diego aren’t very compelling. A
handful of companies pitching “lifestyle” data and salespeople touting
jargony phrases like “social determinants of health.”
But dig deeper and the implications of what they’re selling might
give many patients pause: A future in which everything you do — the
things you buy, the food you eat, the time you spend watching TV — may
help determine how much you pay for health insurance.
With little public scrutiny, the health insurance industry has joined
forces with data brokers to vacuum up personal details about hundreds
of millions of Americans, including, odds are, many readers of this
story. The companies are tracking your race, education level, TV habits,
marital status, net worth. They’re collecting what you post on social
media, whether you’re behind on your bills, what you order online. Then
they feed this information into complicated computer algorithms that
spit out predictions about how much your health care could cost them.
Are you a woman who recently changed your name? You could be newly
married and have a pricey pregnancy pending. Or maybe you’re stressed
and anxious from a recent divorce. That, too, the computer models
predict, may run up your medical bills.
Are you a woman who’s purchased plus-size clothing? You’re considered
at risk of depression. Mental health care can be expensive.
Low-income and a minority? That means, the data brokers say, you are
more likely to live in a dilapidated and dangerous neighborhood,
increasing your health risks.
Click here for the full article.
Source: ProPublica
UCCA Statement on the Fourth Anniversary of the Downing of MH17
The Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), the largest representation of Americans of Ukrainian descent, expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the innocent victims murdered on Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 four year ago today.
On July 17, 2014, a Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 passengers and crew aboard, including one American citizen. Subsequent investigations by the National Bureau of Air Accidents Investigation of Ukraine, the Dutch Safety Board, and the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) consisting of additional investigators from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and the United Kingdom, as well as independent journalists, have all determined that the civilian aircraft MH17 was shot down by a Russian BUK surface-to-air missile launched from an area of Ukraine under Russian military occupation. Detailed analysis of video and photos have unequivocally established that the BUK missile in question was fired from a mobile launch platform driven across the border from a military base in Russia, and hastily returned there after the downing of MH17.
On this solemn fourth anniversary, UCCA calls on Russia to account for its role in the downing of MH17 and fully cooperate with the multinational JIT. In the words of the foreign ministers representing the G7 nations, “in a rules-based international order, those responsible for unacceptable actions, such as the firing or launching of the BUK missile of Russian origin, which intercepted and downed a civilian aircraft, must be held accountable.” Only by establishing the truth about what happened to those 298 innocent men and women, including 20 families and 80 children, will those responsible be brought to justice. The innocent victims' families deserve no less!
UCCA’s thoughts and prayers go out to all the victim’s families and we ask God to remember all those who perished and grant them Eternal Memory.
Source: UCCA
On July 17, 2014, a Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 passengers and crew aboard, including one American citizen. Subsequent investigations by the National Bureau of Air Accidents Investigation of Ukraine, the Dutch Safety Board, and the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) consisting of additional investigators from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and the United Kingdom, as well as independent journalists, have all determined that the civilian aircraft MH17 was shot down by a Russian BUK surface-to-air missile launched from an area of Ukraine under Russian military occupation. Detailed analysis of video and photos have unequivocally established that the BUK missile in question was fired from a mobile launch platform driven across the border from a military base in Russia, and hastily returned there after the downing of MH17.
On this solemn fourth anniversary, UCCA calls on Russia to account for its role in the downing of MH17 and fully cooperate with the multinational JIT. In the words of the foreign ministers representing the G7 nations, “in a rules-based international order, those responsible for unacceptable actions, such as the firing or launching of the BUK missile of Russian origin, which intercepted and downed a civilian aircraft, must be held accountable.” Only by establishing the truth about what happened to those 298 innocent men and women, including 20 families and 80 children, will those responsible be brought to justice. The innocent victims' families deserve no less!
UCCA’s thoughts and prayers go out to all the victim’s families and we ask God to remember all those who perished and grant them Eternal Memory.
Source: UCCA
Paul Ryan: Russia is a Menacing Government
House Speaker Paul Ryan says there is no doubt Russia interfered in the
2016 presidential election, adding that they are a "menacing government
that does not share our values."
Monday, July 16, 2018
Ukrainian-Americans Respond to President Trump's Press Conference in Helsinki
The following statement was submitted today by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA).
In his joint press conference with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland, President Trump stunned the world when he failed to publicly condemn Russia for attacking the United States’ election process. Asked directly if he held Russia at all accountable or responsible
for anything in particular, President Trump not only dismissed the
findings of U.S. intelligence agencies regarding Russian meddling in
U.S. elections, but demonstrated a shocking ignorance of Russia’s
international crimes, failing to condemn the Russian Federation’s
continuing war against Ukraine, or reiterate the United States’ support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova’s internationally recognized borders. Furthermore, the President did not guarantee that the United States’ sanctions regime against the Russian Federation would be maintained until Russia fully complies with their international obligations regarding Ukraine.
The Ukrainian-American community, as do all Americans, look to our Commander-in-Chief to live up not only to his oath of office in defense of our Republic, but to stand in defense of our ideals of Liberty and Democracy when confronted by a foreign adversary. The Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), the largest representation of Americans of Ukrainian descent, has spoken out for over 75 years in support of United States authorities executing their duties for the common good of our country. President Trump’s failure in Helsinki to publicly rebut the excuses of Russia’s military intelligence units were a disservice to the legitimate work of United States law enforcement and intelligence officials who serve our country proudly. We further voice our support for the law enforcement officials in the United Kingdom and The Netherlands, who have exposed Russia’s crimes against their citizens with the use of the Novichok nerve agent in the U.K. and the downing of the commercial airliner MH17 over Ukraine, murdering 298 innocent men, women and children. We echo the words we sent to the President before his departure to Europe: Vladimir Putin is not an ally of the United States.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in 2014, over 10,000 people have been killed and over 2 million civilians have been displaced - the largest wartime displacement in Europe since WWII. Since 2014, the United States government has spoken with one voice in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and the inviolability of its borders, when it declared as official state policy that the United States will “assist the government of Ukraine in restoring its sovereignty and territorial integrity in order to deter the government of the Russian Federation from further destabilizing and invading Ukraine and other independent countries.”
Today, instead of confronting Vladimir Putin, President Trump failed to publicly affirm the United States’ declared support of Ukraine. UCCA maintains that the national security interests of the United States include the fulfillment of our country’s public and binding security guarantees to Ukraine, and calls on supporters of Liberty and Democracy to condemn the President’s failure to confront Vladimir Putin in Helsinki. Only by standing united with our security alliance partners will we prevail over an enemy that remains the greatest existential threat not only to the United States and Ukraine, but to the entire post-World War II global security structure.
The Ukrainian-American community, as do all Americans, look to our Commander-in-Chief to live up not only to his oath of office in defense of our Republic, but to stand in defense of our ideals of Liberty and Democracy when confronted by a foreign adversary. The Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), the largest representation of Americans of Ukrainian descent, has spoken out for over 75 years in support of United States authorities executing their duties for the common good of our country. President Trump’s failure in Helsinki to publicly rebut the excuses of Russia’s military intelligence units were a disservice to the legitimate work of United States law enforcement and intelligence officials who serve our country proudly. We further voice our support for the law enforcement officials in the United Kingdom and The Netherlands, who have exposed Russia’s crimes against their citizens with the use of the Novichok nerve agent in the U.K. and the downing of the commercial airliner MH17 over Ukraine, murdering 298 innocent men, women and children. We echo the words we sent to the President before his departure to Europe: Vladimir Putin is not an ally of the United States.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in 2014, over 10,000 people have been killed and over 2 million civilians have been displaced - the largest wartime displacement in Europe since WWII. Since 2014, the United States government has spoken with one voice in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and the inviolability of its borders, when it declared as official state policy that the United States will “assist the government of Ukraine in restoring its sovereignty and territorial integrity in order to deter the government of the Russian Federation from further destabilizing and invading Ukraine and other independent countries.”
Today, instead of confronting Vladimir Putin, President Trump failed to publicly affirm the United States’ declared support of Ukraine. UCCA maintains that the national security interests of the United States include the fulfillment of our country’s public and binding security guarantees to Ukraine, and calls on supporters of Liberty and Democracy to condemn the President’s failure to confront Vladimir Putin in Helsinki. Only by standing united with our security alliance partners will we prevail over an enemy that remains the greatest existential threat not only to the United States and Ukraine, but to the entire post-World War II global security structure.
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