LIVINGSTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — New Jersey families who have relatives in long-term care facilities have a chilling plea. With vaccinations underway, they’re asking the governor to loosen visitation restrictions for fear isolation will kill their loved ones before COVID does. Hundreds of signs that read “Isolation kills, too” fill Jill Cohen’s Livingston lawn. She says in the last year since lockdown began, she’s watched her 82-year-old mom, Norma, who has Alzheimer’s, suffer cognitively and physically. Once a week, Cohen is allowed to visit her mother for two hours, most of the time consoling her. “And you know I’ll always be with you, right? Every step of the way,” she tells her mom in a video. “We’ve been vaccinated. They’ve been vaccinated. It’s been one year, two shots. And now what? What are we gonna do now? We don’t have time on our side anymore,” Cohen told CBS2’s Lisa Rozner. CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC Ask CBS2’s Dr. Max Your Vaccine Questions COVID Vaccine FAQ From CDC Vaccination Sites In New York City | Call 877-VAX-4NYC Track NYC Vaccinations By Zip Code Find A New York City Testing Site Near You Check NYC Testing Wait Times Resources: Help With Unemployment, Hunger, Mental Health & More Remote Learning Tools For Students And Parents At Home Complete Coronavirus Coverage It’s a message from a group called FACE for Seniors, standing for Family Advocate Care Experience. Randolph resident Ginger Vukas last saw her 84-year-old mom, Virginia, through a window in December. “I want to get back into the facility while my mom still knows who I am, and I wake up every day afraid that she won’t,” Vukas said. The New Jersey Department of Health is following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, which don’t take vaccinations into account. For visits to occur, there has to be a low number of cases in the county and the facility has to show it has not had a COVID case in two weeks. Bill Borrelle is the founder of FACE for Seniors. He says window visits and Facetime calls aren’t helping his 94-year-old mother, Rose, who is hard of heaering and legally blind. “We had many, many layers of protection to keep them safe, but the most important thing that we don’t have is the ability to be with them in their room and take care of them,” he said. “My mother’s vaccinated. She’ll wear PPE. I wear PPE.” COVID VACCINE New York State book online here or call 1-833-NYS-4-VAX New York City book online here or call 877-VAX-4NYC Track NYC Vaccinations By Zip Code Nassau County more info here Suffolk County more info here Westchester County more info here New Jersey book online here or call 1-855-568-0545 Connecticut book online here The “Isolation kills, too” signs will be moved throughout the state over the next week to send a message, asking the governor and the Department of Health for a post-vaccine visitation directive. “She basically just lays in her bed all day,” Vukas said. “Most of all I want to hug her and kiss her and tell her how much I love her.” The Department of Health says indoor visitation is open in 10 of its 21 counties. In response to the group’s request, a spokesperson acknowledges the emotional distress, but says, “There are currently 309 active COVID-19 outbreaks among our long term care facilities and virus variants circulating.” The department urges all to remain patient, but these families say their patience has already run thin. The New Jersey Department of Health sent CBS2 the following information — The NJ Department of Health’s Executive Directive 20-026 for the Resumption of Services in Long Term Care Facilities provides for outdoor, compassionate care, essential caregiver, and end-of-life visitation that is permitted in any reopening phase. The Department has not changed its visitation guidance at this time. Indoor visitation is now open in facilities in 10 counties that have met the Department’s requirements. Those counties are Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Salem and Somerset counties. The chart in this press release that sets up the color-coded system used to determine level of COVID-19 activity in a region — low, moderate or high. It looks at several factors including the level of COVID circulating in the county and the positivity level of county residents testing positive for the virus. A facility can resume indoor visitation if the CALI score for that region has been in the moderate/lower level of activity for at least two weeks, and if it can attest that it has met the following Department requirements: after no new cases have been detected in the last two weeks in accordance with CDC guidance the facility is not conducting outbreak testing facility has sufficient PPE and cleaning and disinfection supplies to permit visitation has a mechanism to collect informed consent from residents and visitors. Regarding the request from FACE For Seniors, a DOH spokesperson says — “We must continue to be cautious – there are currently 309 active COVID-19 outbreaks among our long term care facilities and virus variants circulating in the community that threaten the health of vulnerable residents and staff. However, the Department of Health acknowledges the emotional distress caused by isolation-which also causes us concern for the health and quality of life of residents in our long-term care facilities. For this reason, we have directed all facilities to permit compassionate care, essential caregiver, outdoor, and end-of-life visitation in every phase of our directive. The COVID-19 vaccine gives us hope for the future where we can reunite with our loved ones, but until then our facilities should be doing all they can to balance the risk of infection with the threat of isolation-and follow our directives to permit visitation in all applicable circumstances. We all must remain both patient and vigilant.” CBS2 reached out to the CDC for comment. A spokesperson said they would get back to us Friday.
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‘This Is A Moral Moment:’ Sen. Booker’s Crusade Against Supreme Court Nominee Kavanaugh
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – U.S. Sen. Cory Booker , D-N.J., is coming out against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh , saying if you don’t oppose the judge, you are “complicit in evil.” What’s behind the heated rhetoric? As CBS2’s Political Reporter Marcia Kramer reports, Booker appears to be positioning himself to run for president in 2020 with a call to defeat Kavanaugh. “You are either complicit in the evil, you are either contributing to the wrong, or you are fighting against it,” he said, trying mightily to outdo progressive icons Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and others by invoking the Bible in passionate attempt to derail President Donald Trump’s pick for the court. “I’m here to call on folk to understand that in a moral moment, there is no neutral. In a moral moment, there is no bystander,” he added. Speaking at the press conference with religious and political leaders, Booker insisted “this is not a political moment, this is not a partisan moment; this is a moral moment.” Hogwash, political experts say. “For him to say it’s not political, it’s moral is something that many people would suggest is absolutely not true,” said Jeanne Zaino, a professor of political science at Iona College. She called Booker’s comments “inflamed rhetoric” – words that will have little effect in convincing red state Democrats to vote against Kavanaugh. “In the end, Democrats can do very little on this nomination, which is why this is more about people like Cory Booker setting themselves up to appeal to the progressive left in advance of 2020, where he is… one of the leading contenders for the Democratic nomination.” “Doesn’t matter what Senator Booker said, this is pure politics. He’s found his #MeToo moment,” political consultant Hank Sheinkopf said. “Kavanaugh could be a stick figure in a field, as far as this is concerned. This is Cory Booker’s direct shot at Donald Trump to get in line to be president of the United States.” “He has shown us who he is,” Booker said. “In a moral moment, will we do nothing?” Sheinkopf said this is Booker’s attempt to elbow others out of the way, including U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand , D- N.Y. But she has one advantage: her Senate seat is up this year, so she’s free to run for anything in 2020. Booker’s seat, however, is up in 2020. Whether he decides to run for one race or both simultaneously remains to be seen.
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‘This Is A Moral Moment:’ Sen. Booker’s Crusade Against Supreme Court Nominee Kavanaugh
WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork/AP) — President Donald Trump is warning the Iranian president that he will face dire consequences for threatening the United States. Trump tweeted late Sunday night in all capital letters: “NEVER EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKE OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE.” He added: “WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!” To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2018 Earlier in the day, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said America “must understand well that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace and war with Iran is the mother of all wars.” Iran’s state-owned news agency IRNA dismissed Trump’s tweet, describing it as a “passive reaction” to Rouhani’s remarks. MORE FROM CBS NEWS “I think the president has been pretty strong since day one in his language towards Iran,” said White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders to reporters on Monday. “He was responding to comments made from them and he’s going to continue to focus on the safety and the security of the American people.” Sanders on @POTUS ' tweet at Iran: “I think the president has been pretty strong since day one in his language towards Iran. He was responding to comments made from them and he's going to continue to focus on the safety and the security of the American people.” pic.twitter.com/veQ95G8PDq — CBS News (@CBSNews) July 23, 2018 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump’s “strong stance” after years in which the Iranian “regime was pampered by world powers.” Trump earlier this year pulled the United States out of the international deal meant to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon and ordered increased American sanctions. With the economic pressure, Trump said earlier this month that “at a certain point they’re going to call me and say ‘let’s make a deal,’ and we’ll make a deal.” Iran has rejected talks with the U.S., and Rouhani has accused the U.S. of stoking an “economic war.” Rouhani also suggested Iran could immediately ramp up its production of uranium in response to U.S. pressure. Potentially that would escalate the very situation the nuclear deal sought to avoid — an Iran with a stockpile of enriched uranium that could lead to making atomic bombs. On Sunday in California, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was strongly critical of Iran, calling its religious leaders “hypocritical holy men” who amassed vast sums of wealth while allowing their people to suffer. In the speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, Pompeo castigated Iran’s political, judicial and military leaders, accusing several by name of participating in widespread corruption. He also said the government has “heartlessly repressed its own people’s human rights, dignity and fundamental freedoms.” He said despite poor treatment by their leaders, “the proud Iranian people are not staying silent about their government’s many abuses.” “And the United States under President Trump will not stay silent either. In light of these protests and 40 years of regime tyranny, I have a message for the people of Iran: The United States hears you,” he said. “The United States supports you. The United States is with you.” (© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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Trump Tweets Warning To Iran’s President
The Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) yesterday noted the current controversy around whether lawyers should give interviews to the media during criminal trials in particular and suggested that the approach should not be one of avoiding interaction with the press, but rather, encouraging more care and responsibility in public pronouncements.
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PAJ urges balanced approach to issue of lawyers talking to media
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBSNewYork) – President Donald Trump is extending an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The news seemed to catch many by surprise Thursday, in part because the White House is still dealing with the fallout from the first summit , CBS2’s Dick Brennan reported. The invite came as Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats was being interviewed. “OK, that’s going to be special,” he said of the news. Coats has been sounding the alarm about the ongoing cyber threat from Russia and said even he still doesn’t know what was agreed upon in Helsinki. He also said the Trump shouldn’t have met Putin alone. “Well you’re right, I don’t know what happened in that meeting,” he said. “I think we will learn more, but that is the president’s prerogative. If he had asked me how that ought to be conducted, I would have suggested a different way.” All this as the White House did more clarifying . On Wednesday, it confirmed the president and Putin discussed an idea to let Russia interrogate former U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul in exchange for letting the U.S. talk to 12 Russian officers indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller . “There was some conservation about it, but there wasn’t a commitment made on behalf of the United States. And the president will work with his team and we’ll let you know if there is an announcement on that front,” said White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders. On Thursday, Sanders announced the deal is a no-go. “It is a proposal that was made in sincerity by President Putin, but President Trump disagrees with it,” she said in a statement. The Senate unanimously approved a resolution Thursday warning the president not to let the Russian government question diplomats and other officials. “I call on President Trump to say once and for all, not through his spokespeople, that the lopsided, disgraceful trade he called an incredible offer is now off the table,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Meanwhile, the president is putting pressure on the Federal Reserve . He put Chairman Jerome Powell on notice, saying he’s tired of the fed wanting to raise rates. “I put a very good man in the fed. I don’t necessarily agree with it, because he’s raising interest rates,” Trump said. The fed has raised interest rates twice so far this year and it’s indicating it might even twice more in 2018. “I’m not thrilled, because we go up, and every time you go up, they want to raise rates again, and I don’t really, I am not happy about it. But at the same time, I’m letting what they feel is best,” the president added. On another topic, Trump told CBS Evening News Anchor Jeff Glor whom he would want to face-off against in 2020. “I dream about (Joe) Biden. That’s a dream. Look, Joe Biden ran three times. He never got more than one percent. And President Obama took him out of the garbage heap, and everybody was shocked that he did. I’d love to have it be Biden,” he said.
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President Trump Invites Putin To Washington For 2nd Summit
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBSNewYork) – President Donald Trump is extending an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The news seemed to catch many by surprise Thursday, in part because the White House is still dealing with the fallout from the first summit , CBS2’s Dick Brennan reported. The invite came as Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats was being interviewed. “OK, that’s going to be special,” he said of the news. Coats has been sounding the alarm about the ongoing cyber threat from Russia and said even he still doesn’t know what was agreed upon in Helsinki. He also said the Trump shouldn’t have met Putin alone. “Well you’re right, I don’t know what happened in that meeting,” he said. “I think we will learn more, but that is the president’s prerogative. If he had asked me how that ought to be conducted, I would have suggested a different way.” All this as the White House did more clarifying . On Wednesday, it confirmed the president and Putin discussed an idea to let Russia interrogate former U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul in exchange for letting the U.S. talk to 12 Russian officers indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller . “There was some conservation about it, but there wasn’t a commitment made on behalf of the United States. And the president will work with his team and we’ll let you know if there is an announcement on that front,” said White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders. On Thursday, Sanders announced the deal is a no-go. “It is a proposal that was made in sincerity by President Putin, but President Trump disagrees with it,” she said in a statement. The Senate unanimously approved a resolution Thursday warning the president not to let the Russian government question diplomats and other officials. “I call on President Trump to say once and for all, not through his spokespeople, that the lopsided, disgraceful trade he called an incredible offer is now off the table,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Meanwhile, the president is putting pressure on the Federal Reserve . He put Chairman Jerome Powell on notice, saying he’s tired of the fed wanting to raise rates. “I put a very good man in the fed. I don’t necessarily agree with it, because he’s raising interest rates,” Trump said. The fed has raised interest rates twice so far this year and it’s indicating it might even twice more in 2018. “I’m not thrilled, because we go up, and every time you go up, they want to raise rates again, and I don’t really, I am not happy about it. But at the same time, I’m letting what they feel is best,” the president added. On another topic, Trump told CBS Evening News Anchor Jeff Glor whom he would want to face-off against in 2020. “I dream about (Joe) Biden. That’s a dream. Look, Joe Biden ran three times. He never got more than one percent. And President Obama took him out of the garbage heap, and everybody was shocked that he did. I’d love to have it be Biden,” he said.
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President Trump Invites Putin To Washington For 2nd Summit
At a Cabinet meeting Wednesday, President Trump said “no” when a reporter asked if he believes Russia is still targeting the United States. Later, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that the president’s “no” was in reference to answering questions.
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Trump’s response to Russia question sparks confusion
(PRESS RELEASE) — Twelve-time Grammy-nominee, P Music Group/RCA Records recording artist and R&B icon Charlie Wilson will perform at …
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R&B icon Charlie Wilson to perform at Thunder Valley
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A Rikers Island correction officer was slashed across the face on Friday night, prompting calls for change. Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association, COBA, tweeted Saturday morning, saying, “CO AT RIKERS VICIOUSLY SLASHED ACROSS HIS FACE BY BLOODS GANG MEMBER LAST NIGHT.” BREAKING NEWS: CO AT RIKERS VICIOUSLY SLASHED ACROSS HIS FACE BY BLOODS GANG MEMBER LAST NIGHT. COBA TO HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE AT 1PM TODAY @77 -10 21st Ave East Elmhurst. We have chilling video of incident. Media contact Mike Skelly 917-364-8142. pic.twitter.com/a5ipX8Wixc — COBA (@NYCCOBA1) July 14, 2018 A short time later, New York City Councilman Joe Borelli, of Staten Island, posted, “After yet ANOTHER slashing of an Officer @ Rikers, I want 2 know why NYCDOC turned a blind eye 2 @NYCCOBA1’s rational concern 4 the safety of its members & the failure of the department to follow its own policy. The inmates are running the asuylum it seems.” After yet ANOTHER slashing of an Officer @ Rikers, I want 2 know why NYCDOC turned a blind eye 2 @NYCCOBA1 's rational concern 4 the safety of its members & the failure of the department to follow its own policy. The inmates are running the asuylum it seems https://t.co/tZWWj9tKka pic.twitter.com/TBwxBEQxb1 — Joe Borelli (@JoeBorelliNYC) July 14, 2018 CBS2 obtained a copy of a letter that COBA sent to the New York City Department of Corrections on June 20, raising concerns that “lock-in procedures” were not being followed at the Anna M. Kross Center on Rikers Island. “In AMKC every night during the institutional lock-in, all dorms and modular housing areas are not in compliance with lock-in procedures. Each night there are approximately 1,200 inmates not in compliance with the institutional lock-in procedures,” the letter read in part. “The inmates are refusing to obey the lock-in procedures,” it continued. “The house never locks in for the night and the officer will not turn the lights off for fear of being assaulted. Female officers are being sexually assaulted and groped by these inmates. We can’t continue this dangerous cycle where offices have to walk into a danger zone every night,” the letter said. COBA said it previously sent letters raising these concerns on June 8 and 15 as well. CBS2 reached out to the DOC for a comment but has not yet heard back.
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Rikers Island Correction Officer Slashed Across Face
GLASGOW, Scotland ( CBS News/AP ) – Scottish police say they are trying to trace a paraglider who flew a Greenpeace protest banner over the golf resort that President Donald Trump is staying at. In this Friday, July 13, 2018 photo, a Greenpeace protester flying a microlight passes over President’s Trump’s resort in Turnberry, South Ayrshire, Scotland, with a banner reading “Trump: Well Below Par,” shortly after Mr. Trump arrived at the hotel. (John Linton/Associated Press) Detective Inspector Stephen McCulloch said the protester breached a no-fly zone over the Turnberry hotel and committed a criminal offense. Greenpeace said the glider carried a banner reading “Trump: Well Below Par” on Friday night to protest his environmental and immigration policies. The group claimed that the protest forced Mr. Trump to take cover, with a statement saying “as the glider appears overhead the president can be seen making for the entrance breaking into a trot.” It said it had informed police about the stunt 10 minutes before the glider arrived. Mr. Trump is spending the weekend at the Turnberry resort, preparing for his high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday. He tweeted Saturday he “will be at Trump Turnberry for two days of meetings, calls and hopefully, some golf – my primary form of exercise!” Thousands of people are expected to join anti-Trump protests across Scotland on Saturday. © 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Search Continues For Paraglider Who Flew Over Trump At Scottish Resort
GLASGOW, Scotland ( CBS News/AP ) – Scottish police say they are trying to trace a paraglider who flew a Greenpeace protest banner over the golf resort that President Donald Trump is staying at. In this Friday, July 13, 2018 photo, a Greenpeace protester flying a microlight passes over President’s Trump’s resort in Turnberry, South Ayrshire, Scotland, with a banner reading “Trump: Well Below Par,” shortly after Mr. Trump arrived at the hotel. (John Linton/Associated Press) Detective Inspector Stephen McCulloch said the protester breached a no-fly zone over the Turnberry hotel and committed a criminal offense. Greenpeace said the glider carried a banner reading “Trump: Well Below Par” on Friday night to protest his environmental and immigration policies. The group claimed that the protest forced Mr. Trump to take cover, with a statement saying “as the glider appears overhead the president can be seen making for the entrance breaking into a trot.” It said it had informed police about the stunt 10 minutes before the glider arrived. Mr. Trump is spending the weekend at the Turnberry resort, preparing for his high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday. He tweeted Saturday he “will be at Trump Turnberry for two days of meetings, calls and hopefully, some golf – my primary form of exercise!” Thousands of people are expected to join anti-Trump protests across Scotland on Saturday. © 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Search Continues For Paraglider Who Flew Over Trump At Scottish Resort
NEAL SCHON: I Don't Think STEVE PERRY Would Ever Want To Do A JOURNEY Record Again
Neal Schon has told the Detroit Free Press that he would love to collaborate with his former JOURNEY bandmate Steve Perry on an R&B -style project.
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NEAL SCHON: I Don't Think STEVE PERRY Would Ever Want To Do A JOURNEY Record Again
WASHINGTON (CBS News) – Twelve Russians have been indicted by a grand jury in the special counsel probe for alleged hacking during the 2016 election, including for hacking emails of the Democratic National Committee, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announced Friday. U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein (C) holds a news conference at the Department of Justice July 13, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images) Rosenstein said the 12 defendants are all members of the Russian intelligence arm GRU, and attempted to interfere with the 2016 presidential election by spear phishing volunteers and employees of Hillary Clinton’s campaign. By doing this, according to the indictment, they were able to steal usernames and passwords, eventually hacking into the networks of the Democratic National Campaign Committee and Democratic National Committee. The GRU, Rosenstein said, created and controlled the groups D.C. Leaks and Guccifer 2.0., which in 2016, posted thousands of emails from Democratic party officials. READ HERE: The Mueller Indictment The indictment says that the alleged conspirators “spearphished individuals affiliated with the Clinton campaign throughout the summer of 2016,” and then goes on to say that “on or about July 27, 2016, the conspirators attempted after hours to spearphish for the first time email accounts at a domain hosted by a third-party provider and used by Clinton’s personal office. At or around the same time, they also targeted seventy-six email addresses at the domain for the Clinton campaign.” On that same day, July 27, 2016, Donald Trump expressed the hope that Russia would find Clinton’s missing emails. “I will tell you this — Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press,” the GOP presidential nominee said at a press conference in Miami. In another related allegation, the indictment claims Russian officers hacked a state election board’s website and stole the information of roughly 500,000 voters. The indictment also alleges the GRU officers hacked into computers belonging to a company that supplies software used to verify voter information, and targeted local and state election offices. Rosenstein made it clear that no Americans are accused of any wrongdoing. “There is no allegation in this indictment that Americans knew they were corresponding with Russian intelligence officers,” said Rosenstein, who also noted there is no evidence the alleged hacking had any impact on the election results. The indictment does mention that Russians provided opposition research to a congressional candidate, although that individual is not named. The indictment claims the conspirators, posing as Guccifer 2.0, “received a request for stolen documents from a candidate for the U.S. Congress. The Conspirators responded using the Guccifer 2.0 persona and sent the candidate stolen documents related to the candidate’s opponent,” the indictment reads. The charges come just days before President Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland. Rosenstein said he briefed Mr. Trump on the indictment earlier this week. “I’ll allow president to speak for himself,” Rosenstein said, asked for Mr. Trump’s response to the news. “Obviously it’s Important for the president to know what information we’ve uncovered because he’s got to make very important decisions for the country. So he needs to understand what evidence we have of foreign election interference.” The White House honed in on Rosenstein’s statement that the indictment does not include any Americans, or say the Russians influenced the election results. The statement did not condemn the Russians’ alleged behavior. ” Today’s charges include no allegations of knowing involvement by anyone on the campaign and no allegations that the alleged hacking affected the election result. This is consistent with what we have been saying all along,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Lindsay Walters said. Back in July 2016, Mr. Trump tweeted that the “new joke in town” is Russia leaked the “disastrous DNC emails.” “The new joke in town is that Russia leaked the disastrous DNC e-mails, which should never have been written (stupid), because Putin likes me,” he tweeted on July 25, 2016. Rudy Giuliani, the lawyer who is aiding Mr. Trump in the Russia investigation, used Rosenstein’s announcement as an opportunity to call on Mueller to end his investigation and declare Mr. Trump’s innocence. When a reporter in London asked Mr. Trump if he would bring up election meddling with Putin, Mr. Trump said he would. The charges come after Mueller’s investigation has already led to the indictment of 13 Russian nationals who were accused of manipulating social media. In the face of alleged foreign interference, Rosenstein urged unity and patriotism against foreign interference. “The partisan warfare fueled by modern technology does not fairly reflect the grace, dignity and unity of the American people,” Rosenstein said. © 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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12 Russian Officers Indicted For Hacking During 2016 Election
(CBS NEWS) – FBI official Peter Strzok is trying to publicly defend his actions during investigations of both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election as he testifies before a joint hearing before the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees on Thursday . Testimony has been slowed by bitter partisan arguments among the members on the panels. At one point, after just one member had questioned Strzok, the panel voted on whether to subpoena former White House strategist Steve Bannon. Strzok’s anti-Trump text messages fueled suspicions of partisan bias over the course of the 2016 election and Hillary Clinton email investigation. Congressional investigators are continuing to probe the Department of Justice and FBI after an internal inspector general report criticized leadership at the top levels during the Clinton investigation. While the report ultimately found political bias did not affect the final conclusion of the investigation, it raised serious questions about the FBI’s integrity during the contentious election. In revelations from the report, Strzok exchanged troubling communications with a fellow FBI colleague Lisa Page in which he appeared adamant that they would “stop” then-candidate Trump from ever becoming president. Page and Strzok both worked on the FBI investigation into Clinton’s emails and, later, on special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.Strzok faced aggressive questioning from Chairman Trey Gowdy, R-South Carolina, on this point. Strzok told the panels today that he “doesn’t recall” writing the text, saying that it was an off-the-cuff message written late at night, and it did not suggest that he or the FBI would take any action to intervene in election. He also said that he wrote the text in response to Mr. Trump’s comments about a Gold Star family. During the campaign, Mr. Trump had disparaged Khizr Khan after he delivered an emotional indictment of the then-GOP nominee at the Democratic convention. “If you look at his wife, she was standing there. She had nothing to say. She probably, maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say,” he speculated to ABC News about Ghazala Khan, who had stood on the stage next to her husband. The Khans’ son was killed in the Iraq War in 2004. The texts, in addition to previously released exchanges, have since given ammunition to the claim from conservatives that Strzok and others in the FBI were actively working against Mr. Trump. Deputy Assistant FBI Director Peter Strzok testifies before a joint committee hearing of the House Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform committees in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill July 12, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Follow along for live updates of Thursday’s hearing to begin streaming at 10:00 am : Strzok says he “did not” advise Mueller about relationship with Page Strzok, pressed by Rep. Karen Handel of Georgia, said he “did not” advise Mueller about his relationship with Lisa Page. Strzok said he did not find the information relevant. Strzok says FBI is generally “conservative” Strzok, pressed about the political views of fellow FBI agents, said he didn’t generally know the specific political beliefs of fellow FBI agents. But typically, people in the FBI are “conservative,” he said. Strzok made the comments in response to questions from Wisconsin’s Republican Rep. Glenn Grothman, who appeared to be pressing Strzok to say most of his colleagues are liberal. Generally, Strzok said, FBI agents in the D.C. office are “strongly conservative, strongly law and order, strongly national defense.” Strzok: “I am deeply regretful of those texts” Strzok said that he is “deeply regretful” of sending the anti-Trump texts to his colleague, but said that he did so with an expectation of privacy. “I had no idea that this was going to happen ,” he said, adding that he would not have done so otherwise. Still, Strzok said he doesn’t think his text messages are indicative of bias. Strzok says the FBI received documents from Bruce Ohr Rep. Jordan asked Strzok if he received any documents from Bruce Ohr. Strzok hesitated, checked with his counsel, and was then authorized to say: “not me, the FBI received documents and material from Mr. Ohr.” The session then paused for a recess so the congressmen present could go to votes on the House floor. Rep. DeSantis says he doesn’t think Strzok’s answers have been credible “The idea that there’s no bias here– I don’t think your explanations have been credible,” Rep. DeSantis said to Strzok. He later asked Strzok about the funding of the Steele Dossier, which the FBI has directed Strzok may not answer at this time. Time yielded to Chairman Gowdy Rep. Virginia Foxx yielded her time to Chairman Gowdy, who asked Strzok about his mention of impeachment on the day the special counsel was appointed. “My concern was not knowing, given these allegations, what existed,” Strzok said. “Whether on the one hand, there was no criminal activity whatsoever… or on the far end that there might be an impeachable offense.” Rep. Gohmert asks Strzok about his wife Rep. Louie Gohmert asked Strzok how many times he’s “looked into his wife’s eyes” and lied to her, as Gohmert claims Strzok has lied to the joint committee. The remark is a jab at Strzok’s affair with his former colleague Lisa Page. Those present at the hearing burst into an uproar and one representative suggested that the Gohmert “needs his medication” for the “inappropriate” question before order was called. Rep. Cohen says this hearing is just a distraction “If I could give you a purple heart, I would,” Rep. Steve Cohen said, calling the hearing an “attack” on Strzok. Cohen criticized the hearing as a distraction from Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and a way to discredit Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. “It’s astonishing to me that you would be put on trial as you have today,” Cohen said, praising Strzok’s work in security. House moves to recess for 1 hour Members are taking a 1 hour recess from the hearing for votes and will reconvene at 2:00 pm. Strzok reiterates “sincere regret” for texts While Strzok says he doesn’t agree with lawmakers’ characterization that his views were bias, the sentiment in his text messages “were not intended as direct animus as any set of people.” “I do sincerely regret that,” he said. Strzok said every day he walked in the door at the FBI, “the entirety of my action was dedicated to pursuing the facts wherever they lie.” He added that it would not have been necessary or required to recuse himself from any investigation. Democrats demand release of transcript of Strzok’s closed-door testimony Democratic members are urging Chairman Goodlatte to release the transcript of Strzok’s previous 11-hour long testimony offered to members behind closed doors out of transparency, citing that portions of the transcript have been leaked to the press. Goodlatte has vehemently denied such a request saying the request is disrupting the process of the hearing. Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island says that despite Goodlatte’s denial, he may move to unilaterally release the transcript citing no House rule dictating against its release. He set a deadline of 5:00 PM today to be given a reason not to. Goodlatte presses Strzok on his removal from special counsel probe Strzok tells Chairman Goodlatte that he never felt it necessary to recuse himself from the Russia probe over his personal beliefs. He told lawmakers that it was his impression that his removal was based on the desire to avoid any appearance of potential bias. Strzok, however, was adamant that his text messages were “not indicative of bias.” “I did not think that bias was exprsed in those text messages,” he added. Strzok said that it was impossible to say that “people must not have political opinion, everyone does, of course they do, the test is if that is left behind when they do their job.” Goodlatte asks for clarification on Trump supporter texts Goodlatte, referencing another well-known text exchange: “What does Trump support smell like?” Strzok says he was “struck by the extraordinary difference in the expression of political opinion” between voters in northern and southern VA; he called the text “flippant” “Do you understand the implications of this text when my constituents in Virginia read it?” Goodlatte asked. Strzok replied: “I do, sir. I would ask you to tell them that was, in some cases, a certainly unfortunate use of words.” Strzok says “no room for personal belief” at FBI “There’s no room for personal belief. It’s something culturally that doesn’t occur,” Strzok tells lawmakers, saying that there are numerous procedures and guidelines in place at the FBI to stop such instances of agents who are acting in any way other than an official capacity. “When I tell you that I personally what I believe and what I did, I understand why people may have doubts. But look at the entirety of the rest of the organization of all the things that are in place,” he added. House disrupts hearing to vote on Bannon subpeona The House broke questioning to hold a 5 minute long vote to table a motion made by Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California to subpoena former Trump aide Steve Bannon over his refusal to answer lawmaker’s questions, similar to threats Strzok received during Thursday’s hearing. The motion, after a lengthy back and forth, was tabled. Strzok says he “doesn’t recall” writing text suggesting he’d stop Trump Strzok says a text message suggesting that he would stop then-candidate Trump from being president was written late at night, and “in no way suggested that I or the FBI would take any action” to intervene in Trump’s election. He said he also didn’t recall writing it but that it was off the cuff and based on Mr. Trump’s comments about the Khan family and needs to be understood in the context of the political climate at the time. “It was in no way — unequivocally — any suggestion that me, the FBI, would take any action whatsoever to improperly impact the electoral process for any candidate,” Strzok sternly told lawmakers. He added, “at no time, in any of those texts, did those personal beliefs enter into the realm of any action I took.” A round of applause is heard in the hearing chamber as Strzok’s impassioned defense of his actions ends. Gowdy’s fiery exchange with Strzok Watch Gowdy’s entire exchange with Strzok, which took up the majority of time at the very start of Thursday’s hearing. Members break into argument over Strzok’s refusal to answer question Strzok objects to questions related to Russian interference as Gowdy continues to press the agent on specifics on the FBI’s probe into possible collusion between the Russian government and the Trump campaign. “I understand your question and would like to answer. As you know, the counsel of the FBI have directed me not to answer any questions about any questions about ongoing investigations,” Strzok replies. Chairman Goodlatte and Nadler then broke out into a sparring match over points of order of the hearing and the agent’s refusal to answer the question. (© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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FBI’s Strzok On Capitol Hill: I ‘Sincerely Regret’ Anti-Trump Texts
NEW YORK (AP) — Blake Snell blanked the Mets over a career-high-tying 7 1/3 innings, Wilson Ramos drove in a pair of runs and Tampa Bay downed New York 3-0 on Saturday. A late afternoon start under clear blue skies featured two young left-handers at the top of their game in recent weeks, both successfully dodging a slew of baserunners early. Ranked among the league leaders in several categories, the 25-year-old Snell was as advertised— keeping the Mets off the board despite allowing the leadoff runner to reach in six out of eight frames including each of the first four. Snell (12-4) struck out nine, scattering six hits and three walks while lowering his ERA to 2.09. The lanky lefty has yielded two runs or fewer in nine of his last 10 starts and is 4-0 with an 0.63 ERA over his last four outings, two against the Astros. After being held scoreless in 34 of their previous 36 innings, Tampa Bay finally broke through in the fifth. Matt Duffy lined a leadoff double down the right-field line, the fourth two-bagger surrendered by Mets starter Steven Matz to that point, advancing to third on a groundout. Ramos followed with a sharp grounder to shortstop. A charging Amed Rosario booted the ball before recovering and throwing to first for the out. With Duffy running on contact, Rosario likely would have cut down the run at home had he fielded the ball cleanly. Instead, the Rays took a 1-0 lead. Matz (4-6) continued his recent surge, charged with one run on five hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings— striking out five. The Long Island native has allowed four earned runs across his last his three starts, a span of 18 2/3 innings. He escaped trouble early by getting Adeiny Hechavarria to fly out, ending a bases-loaded threat in the first. The Rays left seven men on in the first four innings and were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position during that stretch. Tampa Bay was 2 for 25 with runners in scoring position in the first two games of the series, stranding a total of 18. The Rays added some insurance in the eighth on a bloop single by former Met Carlos Gomez, scoring Daniel Robertson. Ramos singled home a run in the ninth. Sergio Romo pitched a scoreless ninth for his ninth save in 13 chances. Neither Snell nor Matz had faced the opposing team before. Jose Bautista was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts after hitting a game-ending grand slam in the series opener Friday night. LOOSE LUMBER Both starting third basemen lost the grip on their bats an inning apart. Todd Frazier swung at a fastball in the bottom of the fourth, fouling it off and also sending his bat deep into foul territory down the third base line. Duffy had a similar experience in the fifth, letting go of his lumber and causing it to fly towards the Rays’ on-deck circle. FED UP One particularly vociferous spectator seated in front of the press box wore a paper bag on his head for most of the game, traditionally a sign of protest when fans are upset with the home team’s overall play. CLOSE CALL The Rays had a brief scare in the second when Snell’s pitching hand was grazed by a 92-mph sinker. The southpaw took his base and did not appear to be in pain. TRAINER’S ROOM Rays: Rookie infielder Willy Adames was scratched from the starting lineup. “He’s just under the weather,” manager Kevin Cash said. “He was battling a bug last night and I think he woke up this morning a little bit worse.” … RHP Jake Faria (strained left oblique) was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with high-A Charlotte Saturday night. … INF Christian Arroyo (strained left oblique) could play for Charlotte on Monday but the club is not fully committed to that plan, according to Cash. Mets: LF Yoenis Cespedes (right hip) is continuing baseball activities including running straight sprints, although he has yet to begin turning the bases to simulate a double. “Trying to figure out that schedule as we go along,” said manager Mickey Callaway about when his club’s top slugger might play in a rehab game. “All that’s going to be based on how he bounces back day-to-day.” UP NEXT Rays: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (2-3, 3.92 ERA) pitches in the rubber game on Sunday. He has allowed just two runs over his last two starts, a span of twelve innings in which he fanned 14 batters. Mets: RHP Chris Flexen (0-1, 10.80 ERA in 3 relief appearances) will make his first start of the season. (© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Snell, Ramos Help Rays Blank Mets