Klobuchar's office retools family leave policy after news report

Source: CNN

Sen. Amy Klobuchar's Senate office scrapped a policy this week that required employees who took 12 weeks of paid maternity and paternity leave to stay at the office for three times that time off once they returned, an aide to the Minnesota Democrat said Friday.

The aide said the office policy -- which was first reported by The New York Times -- was brought to the staff's attention this week and no one was ever asked to abide by it. Once the policy was known, the aide said, it was updated on the staff handbook. According to the Times report, those who left after returning from leave would be required to pay back the money they earned during the weeks they were on leave.

"We've never once made staff pay back any of their leave and have already changed that language in the handbook," said Elena Ross, press secretary for Klobuchar. "Our office has one of the strongest paid leave policies in the Senate, offering 12 weeks of paid maternity and paternity leave (both adoptive and biological) for our staff."

There is no blanket family leave policy in the Senate and each senator's office determines its own policy.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/22/politics/klobuchar-family-leave-policy/index.html

Amy Klobuchar may have violated ethics rules with the treatment of her staff

The New York Times today corroborates a recent article in Buzzfeed citing aides who complained about demeaning treatment by Kobluchar.

‪She was known to throw office objects in frustration, including binders and phones, in the direction of aides, they said. Low-level employees were asked to perform duties they described as demeaning, like washing her dishes or other cleaning — a possible violation of Senate ethics rules, according to veterans of the chamber.

Tulsi Gabbard flip flops, admits Assad used chemical weapons

Then he went on to ask USA to leave him alone anyway.

https://twitter.com/TheView/status/1098315693802565632

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee wore Confederate uniform in 1980 yearbook photo: report

Source: Washington Post

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee wore a Confederate uniform in a photo published in his 1980 college yearbook, the Tennessean newspaper reported Thursday, in the latest instance of a state leader coming under scrutiny for past actions that critics have decried as racially insensitive.

Lee (R), who won election in November, confirmed to the newspaper through his office that he wore the uniform at an “Old South” party as a student at Auburn University in Alabama.

In a statement to The Washington Post, Lee said he regretted wearing the uniform.

“Although I have never acted to intentionally hurt anyone, I have the benefit of 40 years of hindsight to see that participating was insensitive and I’ve come to regret it,” Lee said.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/tennessee-gov-bill-lee-wore-confederate-uniform-in-1980-yearbook-photo-report/2019/02/21/bd9a0b78-361c-11e9-854a-7a14d7fec96a_story.html

South Carolina primary poll: Biden 36%, Bernie 14%, Kamala 13%

Self-proclaimed white nationalist planned mass terror attack, government says. 'I am dreaming of a w

Source: Washington Post

A U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant and self-identified white nationalist has been arrested after federal investigators uncovered a cache of weapons and ammunition in his Maryland home that authorities say he stockpiled to launch a massive domestic terror attack targeting politicians and journalists.

Christopher Paul Hasson called for “focused violence” to “establish a white homeland” and dreamed of ways to “kill almost every last person on earth,” according to court records filed in U.S. District Court in Maryland. Though court documents do not detail a specific planned date for an attack, the government said he had been amassing supplies and weapons since at least 2017, developed a spreadsheet of targets that included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and searched the Internet using phrases such as “best place in dc to see congress people” and “are supreme court justices protected.”

“The defendant intends to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country,” the government said in court documents filed this week, arguing that Hasson should stay in jail awaiting trial.

Hasson, of Silver Spring, is expected to appear before a judge for a detention hearing in federal court in Greenbelt at 1 p.m. Thursday.



Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/self-proclaimed-white-nationalist-planned-mass-terror-attack-government-says-i-am-dreaming-of-a-way-to-kill-almost-every-last-person-on-earth/2019/02/20/61daf6b8-3544-11e9-af5b-b51b7ff322e9_story.htm

Tulsi Gabbard: WikiLeaks "has spurred some necessary changes"

When responding to a question about her opinion of Julian Assange:

https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1096989391237505024

Breaking: New primary poll of New Hampshire, Bernie's 2016 stronghold

Venezuelan military ignores Trump; back Maduro

Trump asked the military to side with Guaido but he failed.
Military on high alert ready to block aid:

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/venezuela-military-backs-maduro-on-alert-for-border-violations-11260424

Arizina poll: Biden ties Trump. Sanders gets walloped by 12%

Everyone but Joe Biden currently has an electability problem in Arizona according to this new poll of likely voters.
Hillary only lost by 3.5%.

http://ktar.com/story/2446281/poll-has-trump-biden-even-among-likely-arizona-voters-in-2020/