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The Tap: Monday, October 3, 2016

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The Tap covered election news, public policy, and other noteworthy events from February 2016 to February 2022.

Review of the day

The excerpts below were compiled from issue #37 of The Tap, which was published on October 8, 2016. READ THE FULL VERSION HERE.

Federal

  • The New York Attorney General’s Office ordered Donald Trump’s charity organization, The Donald J. Trump Foundation, to cease all fundraising activity in the state of New York. In a letter, the attorney general’s office stated that the foundation had violated a state law, “which requires charitable organizations that solicit contributions in New York State to register with the Charities Bureau and to provide annual financial reports and annual audited financial statements.” The letter said that The Trump Foundation had not registered with the Charities Bureau “and was thus not permitted to engage” in fundraising activities in the state of New York. The Washington Post reported last week that Trump’s foundation was not certified to solicit money from the public in New York.
    • Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks said in a statement, “While we remain very concerned about the political motives behind AG Schneiderman's investigation, the Trump Foundation nevertheless intends to cooperate fully with the investigation.” New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is a Democrat and a supporter of Hillary Clinton.
    • The Washington Post—which reported last week that Trump’s foundation was not certified to solicit money from the public in New York—has previously written that the foundation received more than $2 million from companies that owed money to Trump or his business but were told to pay the foundation instead. The Post also reported in mid-September that the Trump Foundation had spent $258,000 to settle lawsuits related to Trump’s for-profit business, an accusation that the Trump campaign has denied.
    • See also: Donald J. Trump Foundation
  • Trump discussed cybersecurity at a campaign event in Virginia. Speaking before a crowd of veterans, he said, “Cyberattacks from foreign governments — especially China, Russia, North Korea, along with nonstate terrorist actors and organized criminal groups — constitute one of our most critical national security concerns. The scope of our cybersecurity problem is enormous. Our government, our businesses, our trade secrets and our citizens — most sensitive information — are all facing constant cyberattacks and reviews by the enemy.” Calling cybersecurity “the warfare of the future,” he also suggested using it to combat terrorism: “We should turn cyberwarfare into one of our greatest weapons against the terrorists.”
  • Also in Virginia, Trump talked about mental health issues among veterans. He said, “When you talk about the mental health problems, when people come back from war and combat, they see things that maybe a lot of the folks in this room have seen many times over. And you're strong and you can handle it, but a lot of people can't handle it. And they see horror stories, they see events that you couldn’t see in a movie — nobody would believe it.” Hillary Clinton and her supporters, as well as some members of the media, criticized Trump’s comments, suggesting that they implied veterans with mental health issues are not “strong” and “can’t handle it.”
    • In an interview with CNN, Vice President Joe Biden said, “This is an ignorant man. This guy says things he has no idea about. He's not a bad man, but his ignorance is so profound, so profound. The number of people coming home with unseen injuries, post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury, is significantly higher. What's this say about a guy who doesn't have any notion of that? Look at what these kids are going through. Look at the sacrifices they're making. And look what they go to sleep dreading.”
    • In response to the criticism, the Trump campaign released a statement from retired Lt. General Michael Flynn, a surrogate for Trump. The statement said, “The media continues to operate as the propaganda arm of Hillary Clinton as they took Mr. Trump’s words out of context in order to deceive voters and veterans—an appalling act that shows they are willing to go to any length to carry water for their candidate of choice. Mr. Trump was highlighting the challenges veterans face when returning home after serving their country. He has always respected the service and sacrifice of our military men and women—proposing reforms to Veteran Affairs to adequately address the various issues veterans face when they return home.
    • See also: 2016 candidates on the military and veterans
  • Michael Chertoff, the lead Republican counsel for the congressional Whitewater investigation in the 1990s, endorsed Hillary Clinton in an interview with Bloomberg. Chertoff said that he made his decision based on Clinton's national security positions. She "has good judgment and a strategic vision how to deal with the threats that face us," he said. Chertoff also questioned Donald Trump’s temperament, saying, “Not only did he seem at the debate to lose his temper, but to get up at 3:30 a.m. and reach for your smartphone is to me a hysterical reaction. If you’re president, the button you reach for is not the Twitter button; it’s the nuclear button.”
  • Priorities USA, a super PAC supporting Hillary Clinton, launched a new ad targeting a comment Donald Trump made during the first presidential debate—“That makes me smart”—in response to Clinton’s accusation that he has paid nothing in federal taxes. The ad, titled “Smart,” features a clip from the debate followed by a woman saying, “When I saw Donald Trump say that he thought it was smart to get out of paying taxes, I felt like I was being called stupid. … We have schools that need money and roads that need to be fixes and veterans that need help. I want a president who’s proud of our country, not a president who’s proud of getting out of paying taxes.” The ad will be placed into a rotation of ads that Priorities USA is running in Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Nevada, Iowa, New Hampshire, and Colorado.
  • Former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) said that independent voters would be better served voting for Jill Stein than Gary Johnson. "I said if the independents, who don't know what to do and who should they pick, I say if you tend to lean towards progressivism and liberalism and you're interested in expressing yourself, you can vote for the Green Party," Paul said. He added, "I think she's probably best on foreign policy at the moment. But on Gary Johnson, he does not come across with a crisp libertarian message."
  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed allowing an increased amount of ethanol in gasoline—from 10 percent to 30 percent and higher. The rule was issued as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard, which requires a level of corn ethanol and other biofuels in gasoline diesel supplies. The goal of the standard is to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which are naturally present gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. The EPA’s rule is part of President Barack Obama’s (D) plan to address human-made climate change, the theory that rising greenhouse gas emissions from human activity contribute to changes in the global climate. Ethanol and biofuels emit fewer emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases than regular gasoline, but most cars older than model 2001 vehicles cannot process ethanol blends higher than 10 percent, according to the EPA. The rule is designed to allow higher ethanol blends to be sold at the pump for vehicles that can run on a higher blend.

State

  • Maryland regulators released the state's final hydraulic fracturing (fracking) regulations. The proposed regulations would ban fracking in three of the state's watersheds, mandate four layers of steel casing and cement around oil and gas wells to prevent leaks into underground water sources, and require drillers to release a list of the chemicals used during the fracking process. Ben H. Grumbles, Maryland's secretary of the environment, said the regulations were "the most stringent in the country." Environmental groups criticized the proposed regulations and expressed a plan to support legislation banning fracking next year. The regulatory process requires a 30-day comment period with the potential for a review by the state legislative regulatory review committee. The regulations can be found here.
  • Alaskan residents are receiving about half the amount expected earlier in the year as part of their dividend checks from the Alaska Permanent Fund. The Alaska Permanent Fund, established in 1976 after the discovery of oil in the state, pays out annual dividends to state residents. To date, the fund has paid out over $21 billion since payments started in 1982. In 2015, Alaska residents received $2,072 from the fund, a record amount. Earlier in 2016, payments were expected to be about $2,100 per resident. However, Governor Bill Walker (I) reduced the payments to $1,022 in a series of line-item vetoes to the state’s budget, which is facing a deficit caused in large part by low oil prices.
    • This cut is being challenged in court by state Senator Bill Wielechowski (D) and two former Republican lawmakers who claim that the governor acted illegally in vetoing fund earnings appropriated for the dividends. According to Wielechowski, “It was not done legally, it was not done appropriately and it did not belong in the budget, and because it didn't belong in the budget, the governor couldn't veto it.” The governor responded by saying that Wielechowski had “failed to work toward a solution” for the budget deficit and called the lawsuit a political maneuver designed to aid the senator’s 2016 re-election bid. An effort to recall Walker over the veto is also currently underway. Alaska currently has a divided government: Republicans control the state legislature while Walker, though formerly a Republican, was elected as an independent.

Local

  • San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer (R) endorsed a proposal for a new San Diego Chargers football stadium. The proposal, also known as Measure C, will appear on the ballot on November 8, 2016. It requires approval by two-thirds of voters to become law. If passed, Measure C, would replace the aging Chargers stadium with a new facility and convention center in a bid to keep the team in the San Diego area. To help fund the $1.8 billion project, Measure C would raise San Diego’s hotel tax from 10.5 percent to 16.5 percent. Faulconer publicly endorsed the measure after receiving a written agreement from Chargers Chairman Dean Spanos. The agreement guarantees that no money from the city’s general fund would be used in the construction of the facilities and that any non-NFL event money earned at the facilities would be given back to the city. The agreement also includes safeguards for the city if the team were to leave San Diego prior to the completion of the stadium or before the cost of building the stadium was paid in full. Opponents, including city Councilmen David Alvarez, Chris Cate, and Scott Sherman as well as Councilman-elect Chris Ward, argued that there has been limited public input on Measure C, that it would allow for large electronic signs to be installed in the downtown area, and that the multi-billion dollar National Football League would profit off of public spending. Supporters of the measure argued that it would build a multi-use, modern event center that could be used 300 days out of the year. San Diego is the second-largest city in California and the eighth-largest city in the U.S. by population.
  • In New Jersey, the Burlington County Board of Freeholders voted unanimously to ban the hiring of anyone collecting a taxpayer-funded retirement pension. Board member Latham Tiver proposed the ban, which is the first of its kind in New Jersey according to county officials. Tiver said the ban was adopted to prevent pension abuse and “double-dippers”—state and local government employees who return to a government position after retirement. These employees collect both a state pension and an annual salary from taxpayer-funded sources. Currently, 18 of the 1,300 Burlington County government employees fall into this category. James Kostopolis, a Democratic candidate for Burlington County sheriff, has been labeled a “double-dipper” by the all-Republican board. Kostopolis is a retired police lieutenant with 35 years of law enforcement experience. If elected, he would earn an annual salary of $120,000 while continuing to collect his state pension. Republican officials have called on Kostopolis to freeze his pension if elected, but he argued that the salary would be paid regardless of his candidacy. He also argued that his election would save the county the $28,000 per year it spends on sheriff’s pensions and benefits. Opponents have criticized the hiring ban, saying that it deprives the county of experienced teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other union members who wish to return to service after retirement. Proponents have responded to these criticisms, saying that pensions were created to support people no longer in the workforce and weren’t intended to supplement salaries.
  • Cleveland City Council member Zack Reed called on the council to denounce the endorsement that presidential nominee Donald Trump (R) received from the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association (CPPA). Reed will introduce a resolution during the council’s meeting on October 10, 2016, stating that the CPPA’s endorsement of Trump “implies that the union does not take seriously the need for reform and to rebuild trust in the community it services.” The city council could vote on the non-binding resolution next week, which would serve to publicly record the council’s dissent if passed. Reed’s announcement came shortly after union president Steve Loomis confirmed that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) would hold an event on behalf of Trump’s campaign at the CPPA union hall on October 11, 2016. Reed argued that the union’s endorsement will increase the community’s distrust of the police, especially among black and Hispanic citizens. The Cleveland Police Department has been working with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to correct a pattern of excessive force after multiple allegations were made against its officers. As part of the reconciliation and reform effort, the Cleveland Community Police Commission (CCPC) was formed in partnership with the DOJ. Loomis is a CCPC board member, and Jeffrey Follmer, a former CPPA president and current board member, accused Loomis of putting personal political views ahead of the union’s efforts to rebuild community trust. Cleveland is the second-largest city in Ohio and the 48th-largest city in the U.S. by population.
  • In California, officials in the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) announced that they failed to obtain accreditation for a new high school. A public elementary and middle school, Madison Park Academy, was expanded to include grades 9-12 during the 2016-2017 school year. The 75 members of the senior class will be the first to graduate from the school. The OUSD officials discovered that proper accreditation had not been obtained from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) prior to the start of the school year. The WASC certifies that a school’s courses are state-approved. Without the accreditation, Madison Park seniors cannot gain admission to the University of California or California State University systems with traditional qualifications such as grade point averages and transcripts. Instead, students will have to rely on SAT or other test scores or demonstrate an exceptional reason for admission. The WASC will vote on Madison Park’s accreditation application in December and a decision will be announced in January 2017, but college applications for California state system schools are due in November 2016. In response to the mistake, the OUSD hired an accreditation coordinator and pledged to send a college and career readiness counselor to Madison Park twice per week. The district will also sponsor a college admissions course and has given the school $10,000 for activities such as college campus tours. Officials said no other schools in the district lack accreditation. The Oakland Unified School District is the 12th-largest school district in the state. It served 47,194 students during the 2013-2014 school year—roughly one percent of all public school students in California.
    • Four of the seven seats on the OUSD Board of Education are up for by-district general election on November 8, 2016. In her bid for re-election to District 1, incumbent Jody London is running against challenger Don Macleay. District 3 incumbent Jumoke Hinton Hodge faces challengers Benjamin Lang, Lucky Narain, and Kharyshi Wiginton. The District 5 race features incumbent Roseann Torres and challengers Mike Hassid, Mike Hutchinson, and Huber Trenado. In District 7, incumbent James Harris is running against challenger Chris Jackson.

Preview of the day

The excerpts below were compiled from issue #36 of The Tap, which was published on October 1, 2016. READ THE FULL VERSION HERE.

Federal




The Tap covered election news, public policy, and other noteworthy events from February 2016 to February 2022.
March: 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31
April: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30
May: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31
June: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30
July: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31
August: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31
September: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30
October: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7• 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31
November: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30
December: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 31
January: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31
February: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17
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