Fauci Accused Of 'Misinformation Campaign' Against Hydroxychloroquine; Ohio Gov Wants State Officials To Reverse Prohibition

Update (1240ET): Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) says he agrees with FDA Commissioner Steven Hahn (see below), and has asked the state medical board to "halt their new rule prohibiting the selling or dispensing of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19."

Therefore, I am asking the @OhioRxBoard to halt their new rule prohibiting the selling or dispensing of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19.

— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) July 30, 2020

Therefore, I am asking the @OhioRxBoard to halt their new rule prohibiting the selling or dispensing of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19.

— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) July 30, 2020

• • *

With the science behind the use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to treat COVID-19 far from settled, more than a few people have noted the aggressive campaign against the widely-prescribed anti-malaria drug.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/yale-epidemiologist-accuses-fauci-misinformation-campaign-against-hydroxychloroquine-fda

More Tech Targeting: Wikipedia Labels Herman Cain “Peepee poopoo” on His Entry Following His Death

Republican presidential candidate and radio host Herman Cain died from coronavirus on Thursday.

Herman was 74-years-old.

Herman Cain battled colon cancer years ago and was in a high-risk group due to his age and medical history.

Herman Cain attended the Trump Tulsa rally in June with thousands of supporters.

Herman Cain’s entry has since been corrected.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/07/tech-targeting-wikipedia-labels-herman-cain-peepee-poopoo-entry-following-death/

Frontline COVID Doc Stella Immanuel Locked Out of Twitter For 6 Days For Asking Patients Who Have Been Cured by HCQ to Share Their Stories Online

How many Americans have died of COVID-19 because the Democrat-media complex lied about Hydroxychloroquine?

Dr. Stella Immanuel bravely came out on Monday and said that she has personally treated over 350 patients suffering from COVID-19 with Hydroxychloroquine, Zinc, and Zithromax and they have all recovered.

The doctor also disclosed that she put herself and her staff on Hydroxychloroquine as a preventative.

On Tuesday, Dr. Immanuel asked for help getting the truth about Hydroxychloroquine out to the public.

“WE NEED YOUR HELP. We are being attacked, ridiculed and discredited. We need our patients to SPEAK UP.” she said in a since-deleted Twitter post.

“If you have been cured by this drug, share your story online using this hashtag #HCQWorks.” Dr. Immanuel added.

Wednesday evening Dr. Immanuel was locked out of her Twitter account for 6 days and 14 hours for “violating the Twitter rules.”

When did big tech become our doctors, overlords and the arbiters of truth?

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/07/frontline-covid-doc-stella-immanuel-locked-twitter-6-days-asking-patients-cured-hcq-share-stories-online/

Rep. Louie Gohmert Taking Hydroxychloroquine To Treat COVID-19

Rep. Louie Gohmert said Wednesday he will be taking hydroxychloroquine to battle COVID-19 after being diagnosed with the virus.

The Texas Republican, 66, said he and his doctor have agreed that he should begin taking the anti-malarial drug, which some doctors believe can reduce the effects of the coronavirus.

“My doctor and I are all in,” Gohmert said in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity. “I got a text before I came on from a friend doctor who just found out he had it, and he started the regimen, too — zinc and hydroxychloroquine. And that will start in a day or two, so thank you.”

Gohmert said while he was diagnosed with the virus, he is asymptomatic.

While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says there is no proof the hydroxychloroquine is effective, an international poll of doctors found that many thought the drug useful. And even the FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn says there are some medical observational studies that “suggest a benefit” in using the drug hydroxychloroquine for treating COVID-19, but he notes that clinical, randomized trials show no benefit.

“So the FDA looks at all what we call ‘the totality of data,'” Hahn said in a Tuesday interview with Florida radio host Drew Steele. “There are observational studies that suggest a benefit. There are five randomized trials that did not show a benefit to hydroxychloroquine, both in the prophylactic setting and in the treatment — both early and late.”

But Hahn said doctors can decide what’s best for their patients.

“We believe that decision about whether a doctor writes for hydroxychloroquine, for a patient with COVID, is completely in the realm of the doctor-patient relationship,” Hahn said Tuesday, “with the doctor understanding what the data show, their comfort level with this drug, and also the other medications and other illnesses that a person has.”

President Trump has long touted the drug and did so again on Wednesday.

“I was very impressed with her and other doctors who stood with her,” Trump told reporters, referring to the controversial doctor Stella Immanuel. “I think she made sense, but I know nothing about it.”

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/07/rep-louie-gohmert-taking-hydroxychloroquine-treat-covid-19/

Senators Demand DoJ Probe Zoom, TikTok Over Allegations They Shared Private Data With CCP

Josh Hawley and Dick Blumenthal, a bipartisan pair of Senators who have struck up a valuable alliance by jointly backing efforts to antagonize big tech, an effort that culminated with yesterday's anti-trust hearing - have added Zoom to the growing list of companies they are seeking to hold accountable for their too-cozy relationship with Beijing.

Using their typical process, the writing of a sternly-worded letter to the DoJ, the pair argued on Thursday that a probe should be launched into the video technology company Zoom and social media company, TikTok.

The letter renews pressure on Zoom, which had seemingly overcome speculation that it was vulnerable to infiltration by Beijing, after the company repeatedly kowtowed to CCP officials.

The two lawmakers said they were asking for the investigation because of reports of violations of Americans' civil liberties by sharing private info with the CCP.

"Based on numerous reports, we are extremely concerned that Zoom and TikTok have disclosed private information about Americans to the PRC and engaged in censorship on behalf of the Chinese government," the letter read.

The news sent shares of Zoom spiraling lower in afternoon trade.

Shares of Zoom Video plunge as much as 5% after Senators Blumenthal & Hawley seek a Justice Dept. probe into Zoom and TikTok's relationships with the Chinese government. https://t.co/Yvaf41tKAc pic.twitter.com/N6FX5yE526

— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) July 30, 2020

Zoom shares fell more than 5% at one point.

Unfortunately, Blumenthal has been preoccupied by President Trump's suggestion that the election be delayed. We doubt we'll hear much else from the Connecticut Senator today.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/senates-demand-doj-probe-zoom-tiktok-over-allegations-they-shared-private-data-ccp

Federal Election Commissioner Says Trump Can't Delay Vote; Pompeo Says Up To DOJ

With reactions to Trump's tweet about possibly moving the election going about as one might expect - which the Trump campaign defended as 'just raising the question' - Federal Election Commissioner Ellen Weintraub said on Thursday that the executive branch does not have the power to move the November election, nor should it be moved.

No, Mr. President. No. You don't have the power to move the election. Nor should it be moved. States and localities are asking you and Congress for funds so they can properly run the safe and secure elections all Americans want. Why don't you work on that?

— Ellen L 😷 Weintraub (@EllenLWeintraub) July 30, 2020

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo seems to think it's a matter for the Justice Department:

"In the end, the Department of Justice and others will make that legal determination" – Mike Pompeo on Trump's tweet suggesting the presidential election should be delayed pic.twitter.com/lmCoolwAg0

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 30, 2020

In truth, only Congress can delay the date for the general election for the presidency, as the Constitution gives Congress the authority to set the general election date.

• • *

President Trump fired off a Thursday tweet that's about to dominate the weekend news cycle - suggesting that the 2020 election could be postponed over concerns that mail-in ballots will lead to "the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history," adding "It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???"

With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2020

Trump's tweet ignited a firestorm from the left:

Never in American history—not even during the Civil War and World War II–has there been a successful move to “Delay the Election” for President.

— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) July 30, 2020

We all knew it was coming to this. Make no mistake about it: Any announcement of a delay of the election will be a declaration of war against America by our criminal president. https://t.co/fIAE4spGWd

— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) July 30, 2020

Kids can go to school, but we can’t vote?

— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) July 30, 2020

Both CNN's Manu Raju and Business Insider went with the very editorialized "baseless" to describe voter fraud, despite a plethora of evidence it's indeed based (see below).

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-suggests-election-delay-over-vote-mail-fraud

It’s Official: America Is Following China’s Lead – Contact Tracing Is Here – Say Goodbye to Freedom and Hello to State Control

In May we reported on our concerns with contact tracing and our loss of freedom as a result of this practice. We reported that contact tracers will track you and tell you what you can and cannot do. You will be a puppet of the state. You must do what they say for the greater good. Freedom will be lost forever.

We reported that Democrat states were promoting the idea of “contact tracing” and when you realize what it is, you will think you are living in Orwell’s 1984.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot cheered the news that Chicago was hiring 600 tracers to track its citizens using the coronavirus as the excuse. We then shared an excellent video (which has now been taken down by YouTube) that explained the madness behind contact tracing. In the video the following points were made:

Of course John Hopkins offers contact tracer training (connected to the scary overboard coronavirus chart)

Based on you coming in contact with a person who has COVID-19 you will be placed in total isolation for 10 days

If you have no way of not sharing a bathroom you will need to be isolated

If you are quarantined you will be isolated for 14 days

A contact tracer will take care of your kids but you cannot leave your house

If you eat at a restaurant and someone was found with COVID you will be quarantined

Big government will video conference you and review your place to make sure you are isolated

If you contract it your family will have to be quarantined for 14 days and completely isolated

If you were on a train, at work or in a restaurant then everyone near you will have to be quarantined

They say this is voluntary but will arrest you if you don’t comply

You could be quarantined again, and again, and again

Training encourages contact tracers to know you are doing this for the greater good

The government will mandate you to take vaccines

Apple phones are now upgraded to manage your phone for COVID contact tracing

In India you have to show your app before getting on a train or taking a flight, etc.

New Zealand has a code that will clear you based on your app status

The government is asking for $100 billion to manage this process and force you to take vaccinations – (the video has also been removed by YouTube).

Communist China

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/07/official-america-following-chinas-lead-contact-tracing-say-goodbye-freedom-hello-state-control/

Berlin says US ‘weakening NATO’ & shooting itself in the foot as 12,000 troops set to withdraw from Germany

The planned US troop withdrawal from Germany will not help Washington advance its goals in Europe but will do exactly the opposite, the head of the Bundestag’s foreign affairs committee has warned.

“Instead of strengthening NATO, the troops’ withdrawal will weaken the Alliance,” Norbert Roettgen, an MP from Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union party, told Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung. “The effectiveness of the US military will not increase, but will be reduced, particularly when it comes to Russia and ongoing military conflicts in the Near and Middle East.”

Such an outburst of criticism was sparked by Washington’s decision to pull out additional forces from the territory of its NATO ally. Initially the US planned to withdraw some 9,500 personnel but this figure has recently grown to almost 12,000 – a development that apparently sparked particular concerns in Berlin, which was not amused by the move from the very beginning.

Earlier, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that the pull-out would promote America’s “strategic goals” like deterrence of Russia or showing support to its allies in Europe. President Donald Trump mostly justified the move by accusing Germany of not spending enough on defense and thus violating its NATO commitments. “We’re reducing the force because they’re not paying their bills. It’s very simple. They’re delinquent,” the president said, in one of his latest comments on the issue.

The German politicians believe such steps would strain relations between the two nations. "We very much regret the U.S. government's decision. Unfortunately, this puts a burden on the German-American relationship," said Markus Soeder, the Bavarian Prime Minister and the leader of Merkel’s allies – the Christian Social Union. "We are now waiting to see if the decision will last.”

Roettgen, meanwhile, believes that Washington is virtually shooting itself in the foot by moving the troops – and the US European Command headquarters and Special Operations Command Europe – from Germany.

“US soldiers do make a contribution to Germany's security, but Germany primarily serves the US as a logistic hub for its own international military presence,” he said.

https://www.rt.com/news/496577-germany-us-withdrawal-weaken-nato/

UK MP who allegedly told victim ‘I’m a naughty Tory’ convicted on sexual assault charges

An ex-Conservative lawmaker who allegedly told one of his victims “I’m a naughty Tory” has been found guilty on three counts of sexual assault. The judge warned the former MP that he now faces the “real possibility” of jail.

Charlie Elphicke, the former MP for Dover, revealed during the trial at Southwark Crown Court in London that he had wanted an affair with one of his victims – a UK parliamentary worker – but he had denied committing any offences.

The 49-year-old faced charges relating to two women – one in her early 30s who he assaulted at his home in 2007, and a UK parliamentary staffer in her early 20s who he said was “besotted” with in 2016.

But he has now been warned there is a “real possibility” of imprisonment. In court on Thursday, Judge Mrs Justice Whipple warned Elphicke that he faces the prospect of jail time. The now-disgraced former Tory MP has been released on bail and will be sentenced in September, with the judge adding that: “All (sentencing) options remain open.”

The father-of-two had allegedly tried to kiss and grope the young parliamentary employee after the pair shared a drink in Westminster in April 2016. The complainant said that, after the offence took place, Elphicke had told her: "I'm so naughty sometimes."

The other victim, who was in her 30s at the time, was invited by Elphicke to share a bottle of wine at his home while his wife Natalie was away (on business) for the first time since giving birth to their son. The MP enquired about his guest’s sexual interests and implied he was into “bondage and whips” before groping her breasts and trying to kiss her, jurors were told.

The prosecutor had described to jurors how, when the woman had rejected his advances, Elphicke then chased her around the kitchen in a scene likened to “a sketch from ‘The Benny Hill Show’.”

He was chanting in a sing-song way: 'I'm a naughty Tory, I'm a naughty Tory,' as though it was the school playground. He was very animated, excitable, and clearly enjoying himself, chanting towards her and slapping her bottom.

Following the judgment, Natalie Elphicke – who succeeded her husband as Dover MP last year – took to Twitter to say that the verdict brought “profound sorrow” that signaled the end of “my 25 year marriage to the only man I have ever loved.”

https://www.rt.com/uk/496662-tory-guilty-sexual-assault/

>>10127844

right sauce

https://www.rt.com/news/496577-germany-us-withdrawal-weaken-nato/

UK MP who allegedly told victim ‘I’m a naughty Tory’ convicted on sexual assault charges

An ex-Conservative lawmaker who allegedly told one of his victims “I’m a naughty Tory” has been found guilty on three counts of sexual assault. The judge warned the former MP that he now faces the “real possibility” of jail.

Charlie Elphicke, the former MP for Dover, revealed during the trial at Southwark Crown Court in London that he had wanted an affair with one of his victims – a UK parliamentary worker – but he had denied committing any offences.

The 49-year-old faced charges relating to two women – one in her early 30s who he assaulted at his home in 2007, and a UK parliamentary staffer in her early 20s who he said was “besotted” with in 2016.

But he has now been warned there is a “real possibility” of imprisonment. In court on Thursday, Judge Mrs Justice Whipple warned Elphicke that he faces the prospect of jail time. The now-disgraced former Tory MP has been released on bail and will be sentenced in September, with the judge adding that: “All (sentencing) options remain open.”

The father-of-two had allegedly tried to kiss and grope the young parliamentary employee after the pair shared a drink in Westminster in April 2016. The complainant said that, after the offence took place, Elphicke had told her: "I'm so naughty sometimes."

The other victim, who was in her 30s at the time, was invited by Elphicke to share a bottle of wine at his home while his wife Natalie was away (on business) for the first time since giving birth to their son. The MP enquired about his guest’s sexual interests and implied he was into “bondage and whips” before groping her breasts and trying to kiss her, jurors were told.

The prosecutor had described to jurors how, when the woman had rejected his advances, Elphicke then chased her around the kitchen in a scene likened to “a sketch from ‘The Benny Hill Show’.”

He was chanting in a sing-song way: 'I'm a naughty Tory, I'm a naughty Tory,' as though it was the school playground. He was very animated, excitable, and clearly enjoying himself, chanting towards her and slapping her bottom.

Following the judgment, Natalie Elphicke – who succeeded her husband as Dover MP last year – took to Twitter to say that the verdict brought “profound sorrow” that signaled the end of “my 25 year marriage to the only man I have ever loved.”

https://www.rt.com/uk/496662-tory-guilty-sexual-assault/

The Nuremburg defense? Twitterati bust out Nazi comparisons over new docuseries showing troubled ICE agents ‘just enforcing laws’

An upcoming documentary shows how US immigration agents deal with being viewed as the ‘bad guys’ for enforcing policies they don't necessarily endorse. Twitter’s collective reaction to a preview of the show? “They’re like Nazis!”

The docuseries ‘Immigration Nation’, by filmmakers Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiau, is the result of three years spent with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which gave them “unprecedented” access to its daily operations. Set to premiere on Netflix next month, the show follows individual agents and shows how they get “chewed up” in a “broken system,” according to a preview published by Newsweek.

“Really, this issue is grey, it's complicated,” Clusiau said, adding that the issues with the US' immigration system are “systematic in the sense that all sides, everybody, is kind of chewed up by this broken system.”

One agent told the filmmakers he simply refuses to arrest undocumented immigrants who have no criminal record, even though the current policy demands that officers hit higher arrest numbers by any means necessary. Another agent said he felt bad carrying out an arrest that broke up a family, while one interviewee complained that he and other ICE officers are branded Nazis by critics, when “all we're doing is enforcing the laws and doing our job.”

The sentiment, reflected in Newsweek’s headline, triggered a collective 'gotcha' moment on Twitter, as commenters pointed out that the same reasoning was used unsuccessfully by Nazi war criminals during their trial. “Nuremberg defense” trended on the platform as thousands reacted with various degrees of sarcasm and outrage, offered tidbits of historical knowledge about the criminal proceedings and shared hopes for a sequel featuring US federal agents on the bench.

https://www.rt.com/usa/496597-ice-nazi-docuseries-preview/

'Donald Trump killed Herman Cain': Liberals waste absolutely zero time politicizing Herman Cain’s death and blaming Trump

'It took mere seconds'

Liberals on Twitter wasted little time politicizing the tragic death of former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain as a result of COVID-19, blaming right-wing ignorance about the virus promulgated by President Donald Trump for killing the 74-year-old conservative commentator.

"Donald Trump killed Herman Cain," Black Lives Matter activist Shaun King wrote, arguing that it was the president's fault for going ahead with a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, amid the pandemic. Cain attended the June 20 rally reportedly not wearing a mask and tested positive for the coronavirus nine days later.

Donald Trump killed Herman Cain. Every health expert in the nation said the rally in Tulsa was not just a bad idea… https://t.co/2560T7cYJi

— Shaun King (@Shaun King)1596123693.0

Another user, "BrooklynDad_Defiant!" tweeted that Trump was guilty of manslaughter for allegedly having the "social distancing' stickers removed from the seats" at the Tulsa rally.

I'm old enough to remember trump had the "social distancing" stickers removed from the seats at the same Tulsa rall… https://t.co/56Zx94S2vr

— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@BrooklynDad_Defiant!)1596125035.0

Aaron McIntire, the producer of BlazeTV's "The Steve Deace Show," tweeted screenshots of tweets from Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe, NBC News correspondent Chris Jansing, Vermont Law School professor Jennifer Taub, and Democratic candidate for Congress Nate McMurray, calling them "ghouls" and saying "it took mere seconds."

In her tweet, Taub said: "Herman Cain would be alive had Trump canceled the Tulsa rally or insisted on mask-wearing. And 150,000 more Americans also died because of [Donald Trump's] incompetence, lies, and arrogance."

Ghouls. It took mere seconds. https://t.co/TSlx3VARa7

— Aaron McIntire (@Aaron McIntire)1596120723.0

Another user pointed to a tweet that Cain's account had posted less than a day before his death citing a CBS News poll to show that Americans are skeptical of a coronavirus vaccine.

The user wrote, "deathbed defiance."

Deathbed defiance. https://t.co/9JpxFmk2pf

— Will Truman (@Will Truman)1596123260.0

In a post on Cain's website, editor Dan Calabrese wrote: "Herman Cain — our boss, our friend, like a father to so many of us — has passed away. He's entering the presence of the Savior he's served as an associate minister at Antioch Baptist Church in Atlanta for, and preparing for his reward."

In the post, Calabrese detailed the final weeks of Cain's life, reporting that Cain was hospitalized after testing positive for the virus several weeks ago after he was having difficulty breathing.

The difficulties continued and Cain remained in the hospital for some time. But just five days ago, doctors allegedly expressed hope that he would eventually recover. Unfortunately, that ended up not being the case as Cain, a cancer survivor, passed away Thursday morning.

https://www.theblaze.com/news/liberals-politicize-herman-cain-death

Gaetz: ‘Congress Will Not Do Anything on Big Tech Because Congress Is Bought Off by Big Tech’

During an appearance on Wednesday’s “Hannity” on Fox News Channel, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) spoke out against Big Tech, describing Google as “the most dangerous election interference organization in the world.”

However, he acknowledged lawmakers on Capitol Hill would be reluctant to take on Big Tech given they were “bought off” by those companies.

“Here’s the message to the president: Congress will not do anything on big tech because Congress is bought off by big tech,” he said. “But we’ve proved today that many of American’s largest technology platforms are not acting in the best interest of our country. They’ve pulled out of deals as Google has with our own military to keep our service members safe. But then Google has no problem going and partnering with the Chinese military of all folks. Even General Dunford, the chairman of the joint chief of staff, said that Google is directly benefiting the Chinese military. But it’s not that they are just working with China, they are trying to turn our country into China. Google, in particular, is the most dangerous election interference organization in the world.”

“Sundar Pichai was at a meeting where his top executive team said that they had to stop Donald Trump in four years and make his victory just a populist blip in history,” Gaetz continued. “And since then, he admitted that individuals can go and alter search and change things on blacklists, so you don’t see sites that are conservative like The Federalist, The Daily Caller, Breitbart and others that Mr. Jordan mentioned. And then, also, you know, Mr. Pichai had to confess the fact that I really think there is an outcome that cannot be explained through these glitches where the conservative sites that we use to see in news are now starting to disappear. They want to control what you see so they can control what you think and how you act, and a free society must stand against this.”

The Florida Republican congressman went on to urge the Department of Justice to be more active in its pursuit of civil action against the tech giants.

“Twitter shadow-banned four members of Congress during the Russian hoax — Jim Jordan, Mark Meadows, Devin Nunes and Matt Gaetz. That wasn’t a coincidence, Sean,” he said. And you know what? The Department of Justice should go and investigate these major tech platforms and prove that they are not biased. We’ve got enough smoke. There’s definitely fire. And I think the Department of Justice needs to be a lot more active in this civil litigation.”

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2020/07/30/gaetz-congress-will-not-do-anything-on-big-tech-because-congress-is-bought-off-by-big-tech/

The U.S. Economy Suffers Sharpest Downturn on Record

The U.S. economy shrank in the second quarter by the fastest rate since the government began keeping track of gross domestic product after World War II, as lockdowns aimed at curbing the coronavirus pandemic decimated economic activity and anti-police riots tore through many American cities.

Gross domestic product, or the value of all goods and services produced by the economy, contracted at a 32.9 percent seasonally adjusted annualized rate in the April through June three month period, according to the preliminary estimate from the Bureau of Economic Analysis published on Thursday. That marked the steepest drop on records stretching back to 1947 and compared with economists’ forecasts for a 35 percent decline in output.

The BEA reports the change in GDP on an annualized basis, which can exaggerate the impact of temporary and sudden shifts in the economy. Compared with both a year ago and with the first quarter of the year, GDP was down 9.5 percent.

The previous record decline on the standard, annualized basis was a 10 percent drop in the first quarter of 1958. The U.S. economy shrank at a 5 percent rate in the first three months of 2020.

Consumer spending crashed at an annualized rate of 34.6 percent in the quarter, led by a 43.5 percent annualized decline in spending on services. Consumer spending on goods fell at an annualized 11.3 percent. Private sector investment fell 49 percent, driven down by a 38.7 percent decline in residential investment, a 34.9 percent decline in commercial building investment, and a 37.7 percent decline in equipment investment.

Consumer spending on durable goods, which had been the worst hit segment of the economy in the early stages of the pandemic, declined a milder 1.1 percent.

In comparison to the year-ago period, the declines look less extreme. Consumer spending was down 10.7 percent. Spending on services dropped 14.7 percent. Spending on goods declined 1.8 percent. Private investment fell 17.9 percent.

Much of the economy was locked down during the second quarter, with only essential workers and services permitted to operate for work that could not be done from home. Americans were under instructions to stay home or social distance when in public. State reopenings required many businesses to operate at diminished capacity, limiting the speed of any rebound.

As well, businesses in cities across the U.S. found themselves under siege as protests turned into riots and looting. Although the total number of businesses that were damaged during the Black Lives Matter riots remains uncounted, that number certainly runs into the thousands.

https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2020/07/30/gdp-crashes-32-9/

‘Effectiveness Unproven’: Dutch Government Won’t Use Mask Mandate; ‘No Proven Effectiveness’

The Dutch government on Wednesday advised the public that there will be no mask mandate to slow the spread of coronavirus, stating that their effectiveness remains unproven.

The Minister for Medical Care Tamara van Ark made the decision after a review by the country’s National Institute for Health (RIVM).

Instead the official advice is for better adherence to social distancing rules after a surge in coronavirus cases over the past seven days, Van Ark said at a press conference in The Hague, Reuters reports.

“Because from a medical perspective there is no proven effectiveness of masks, the Cabinet has decided that there will be no national obligation for wearing non-medical masks” Van Ark said.

RIVM chief Jaap van Dissel cited studies that show masks help slow the spread of disease but remained unconvinced they will do anything to counter coronavirus outbreak in the Netherlands.

He argued wearing masks incorrectly, together with worse adherence to social distancing rules, could increase the risk of transmitting the disease.

“So we think that if you’re going to use masks (in a public setting) … then you must give good training for it,” he said.

The decision followed a meeting of health and government officials after new coronavirus cases in the country rose to 1,329 in the past week, an increase of more than a third. The case level has since flattened out.

As Breitbart News reported, the Dutch have taken a different path in their reaction to the global pandemic almost from the first moment it was discovered.

Shops have remained open and families cycle along in the sunny summer weather in the Netherlands, which has opted for what it calls an “intelligent lockdown” to meet the coronavirus threat.

In contrast to most other European countries where people were ordered to remain housebound for months at a time, the Dutch authorities merely advised people to stay home if possible and to keep 1.5 metres (five feet) of social distance.

The Dutch position — very similar to Sweden’s — also reflects a wider philosophical split in both Europe and the world on how to balance the need to curb the disease against the catastrophic economic and broader societal damage caused by harsh lockdowns.

https://www.breitbart.com/health/2020/07/30/effectiveness-unproven-dutch-lawmaker-advises-against-wearing-masks/

Trump Jr. On Twitter Suspension: They Didn’t Have A Problem When CNN’s ‘Fake Jake’ Tapper Promoted Similar Content

Donald Trump Jr. appeared on Fox News’s “Tucker Carlson Tonight” this week where he sounded off on his recent Twitter suspension after sharing a video on his account that showed doctors discussing the use of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19.

“Now, when I posted that video, I didn’t say, well, this is the gospel,” Trump said (video below). “I said, wow, this is a must-watch because it seems very contrary to the narrative that they’ve been force-feeding us for a little while.”

Trump noted that Twitter has previously stated that coronavirus disinformation spread by the Chinese government does not violate their rules.

“It was very nice watching the people from CNN or MSNBC because Jake Tapper himself a few weeks ago posted, study finds

hydroxychloroquine helped coronavirus patients survive better,” Trump continued. “Now, why is Jake Tapper not spreading misinformation, but I somehow am? And again, I’m not a doctor. I didn’t claim to be. I just put something out there that challenged the narrative and because I have a large platform, I’m canceled.”

“You know who else got thrown off Twitter for the same offense? Sidney Powell, who happens to be Michael Flynn’s attorney and has been someone who has been sticking it to the Left,” Trump said. “So if Fake Jake [Tapper] at CNN, who no one is going to confuse as a conservative can put it, but not be censored, not be questioned, and certainly not be grilled by a panel of his peers on CNN, why is it that it’s happening to me and other Trump conservatives and other conservatives in general?”

Trump’s “Fake Jake” comment appears to be in reference to the anchor’s promotion in early July of a CNN report on a study Tapper summarized as showing “hydroxychloroquine helped coronavirus patients survive better,” a claim contradicted by other studies.

More

http://www.cuzzblue.com/2020/07/trump-jr-on-twitter-suspension-they.html

Feds In Chicago Arrest 23 In Gang-Related Gun-Running Operation

Federal agents made a major breakthrough in tacking gang-related drug- and gun-trafficking operations in the Chicago, arresting 23 individuals on Tuesday, including the reputed head of the Chicago Black Disciples gang, in connection with an alleged criminal enterprise that, authorities say, heavily impacted the crime rates on the city’s south side.

“The arrests on Tuesday came after a multiyear law enforcement investigation focused on the distribution of narcotics and guns in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side and other parts of the city, c said in a statement,” CNN reports. “Court documents describe more than 50 transactions in which the alleged gang members sold guns or drugs to people cooperating with law enforcement, according to the statement. Many of the transactions were captured on video.”

“Among those arrested is Darnell McMiller, 34, of Chicago, also known as ‘Murder.’ McMiller is described in the charges as the current leader of the Black Disciples street gang in Chicago,” according to Chicago’s ABC affiliate.

A statement from the office of the US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois also notes that authorities arrested several other high-ranking members of the Black Disciples as well as members of the Gangster Disciples, two of Chicago’s oldest street gangs. Charges range from “drug and firearm offenses to — in one case — bank fraud,” per CNN.

The gang members are accused of packaging, housing, and distributing cocaine, heroin, fentanyl-laced heroin, fentanyl, MDMA, laundered money, and handguns. An associated drug bust, on a warehouse on Chicago’s south side, yielded more than 30 kilos of cocaine alone.

“Authorities also seized 24 firearms, more than a kilogram of heroin, about 1,350 grams of heroin laced with fentanyl, some 750 grams of fentanyl or fentanyl analogue, around 378 grams of crack cocaine, $52,595 in suspected illicit cash proceeds, and distribution quantities of suspected MDMA pills,” per CNN.

Englewood is one of three Chicago neighborhoods experiencing a dramatic uptick in gun violence since late May when the city released its coronavirus-related lockdown restrictions. That violence, authorities say, has been largely driven by Chicago’s network of street gangs, supplied by gun-running operations, trafficking weapons into the city from states and cities that have more lenient gun control laws.

President Donald Trump authorized an influx of federal agents from the FBI, ATF, and DEA to collaborate with Chicago police and stem the tide of gun violence in the city as part of Operation Legend, a national anti-crime effort. Tuesday’s bust is not directly associated with the new operation but is likely to have a dramatic impact on the task force’s efforts.

“The arrests would have happened in the normal course whether or not Operation Legend had started,” the US Attorney’s office noted. “The true test in all of our efforts [is] what will we see with the number of shootings and the number of homicides in our city.”

http://www.madnesshub.com/2020/07/feds-in-chicago-arrest-23-in-gang.html

CDC Director Compares Rate of Suicides to COVID-19 Deaths

Center for Disease Control Director Robert Redfield said in a Buck Institute webinar that suicides and drug overdoses have surpassed the death rate for COVID-19 among high school students. Redfield argued that lockdowns and lack of public schooling constituted a disproportionally negative impact on young peoples’ mental health.

"But there has been another cost that we’ve seen, particularly in high schools," Redfield said. "We’re seeing, sadly, far greater suicides now than we are deaths from COVID. We’re seeing far greater deaths from drug overdose that are above excess that we had as background than we are seeing the deaths from COVID. So this is why I keep coming back for the overall social being of individuals, is let’s all work together and find out how we can find common ground to get these schools open in a way that people are comfortable and their safe."

Roughly 146,000 people have died from COVID or COVID-related causes in the U.S., according to CDC data.

The most recent publicized federal data records 48,000 deaths from suicide and at least 1.4 million attempts in 2018. In 2019, almost 71,000 people died from drug overdoses.

Where Redfield obtained his data is unknown, although a doctor at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, CA claimed the facility has “seen a year’s worth of suicide attempts in the last four weeks.” He did not say how many deaths occurred, or whether the statement was exaggerated for emphasis.

"What I have seen recently, I have never seen before," Hansen said. "I have never seen so much intentional injury,” said a nurse from the same hospital.

And while health authorities will not have verified data regarding suicides and drug overdoses in 2020 for two more years, local reporting indicates that suicide fatalities have increased year-on-year.

According to the American Medical Association, “More than 35 states have reported increases in opioid-related mortality as well as ongoing concerns for those with a mental illness or substance use disorder in counties and other areas within the state.”

In Eagle County, Colorado, six suicides have been recorded, just one below the yearly average. Colorado on the whole recorded a 40 percent decrease in suicides in March and April, but the number of calls to Colorado Crisis Services increased 48 percent.

The Chicago Sun-Times looked specifically at black populations. In Cook County, Illinois, the number of suicide deaths is already higher than for all of 2019.

In Yakima County, Washington, the suicide rate has risen 30 percent, according to the county coroner.

Between March 15 and April 29, as many people commited suicide in Queens, New York than did between January 1 and April 29 the year prior.

The Pima County Health Department in Arizona has recorded an uptick in suicide rates as well.

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/micaelaburrow/2020/07/28/redfield-says-more-abovebase-suicides-than-covid-deaths-n2573278

Google CEO Admits Company Engages in Manual Censorship, Blacklists

Does absolute power corrupt absolutely?

Without a doubt. And you don’t have to look any further than what big tech has done when it comes to conservative speech on the internet.

Thankfully, conservatives aren’t taking this laying down, as Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz’s scorching takedown of monolithic tech titan Google during a congressional hearing Wednesday proves.

“I want to talk about search [functions on Google], because that’s an area where I know Google has real market dominance,” Gaetz said while questioning Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

“You said, ‘We don’t manually intervene on any particular search result,'” Gaetz said in reference to a Dec. 11 hearing in front of the House Judiciary Committee.

“But leaked memos obtained by the Daily Caller show that that isn’t true. In fact, those memos were altered Dec. 3 just a week before your testimony and they describe a ‘deceptive news blacklist.'”

No, that’s not the name of a new CBS procedural show. That is allegedly the list that Google uses to decide what you, the reader, should and should not be privy to.

Gaetz also brought up Google’s “fringe ranking” and followed up with a quintessential question that big tech has yet to answer sufficiently.

“Who gets to decide what’s ‘fringe?'” Gaetz posited.

The Daily Caller memos that Gaetz referred to outline a process that appears to be teeming with manual input, as opposed to the self-functioning, algorithmic method that Google would have you believe is involved in its blacklisting process.

“The beginning of the workflow starts when a website is placed on a watchlist which is used for monitoring of sites to determine if they violate the Good Neighbor Policy. This watchlist is maintained and stored by Ares with access restricted to policy & enforcement specialists working on the Good Neighbor Policy,” part of the memo reads, according to the Daily Caller. “The investigation of the watchlist is done in the tool Athena, the Ares manual review tool, and intakes signals from Search, Webspan, and Ares in order to complete reviews.”

So, Google doesn’t “manually intervene” in the blacklisting, but they reportedly have a manual review tool? How does that work?

Pichai insisted that Google “algorithmically” uses its censorship tools, and that the tech titan doesn’t “manually tune” search results.

http://www.madnesshub.com/2020/07/google-ceo-admits-company-engages-in.html

WW3 ELITES AND THEIR OWNED GOVERNMENTS V THE PEOPLE WW

45 Communist Goals From The Naked Communist: Exposing Communism and Restoring Freedom

https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/45-communist-goals-from-the-naked-communist-exposing-communism-and-restoring-freedom/

John Brennan Finally Blocked From Accessing Classified Information

Former CIA director John Brennan is working on a memoir but can’t access his own classified notes.

He found this out recently because he is working on the book and tried to access them.

It couldn’t happen to a nicer member of the deep state.

The Washington Examiner reports:

John Brennan blocked from accessing classified information

Former CIA Director John Brennan, a vocal critic of President Trump, found out he had been blocked from accessing his classified notes and records while working on his new memoir.

He writes in his forthcoming book, Undaunted: My Fight Against America’s Enemies, at Home and Abroad, that after months of “haggling” he discovered the CIA was abiding by the directive Trump gave in August 2018 “that purportedly forbids anyone in the intelligence community from sharing classified information with me.”

The White House confirmed the directive was being enforced, which is news considering the New York Times reported in May of last year that the president never revoked Brennan’s security clearance.

“The President has constitutional authority to control access to classified information, which he exercised here in view of Mr. Brennan’s erratic behavior and the President’s belief that access to classified information should be solely for the benefit of the government and the American people,” White House spokesman Judd Deere said.

Brennan is lucky he’s not facing jail… yet.

http://www.madnesshub.com/2020/07/john-brennan-finally-blocked-from.html