Clinton Campaign Calls for full Disclosure from the FBI

On Saturday, Hillary for America responded to the revelation that the FBI has found “additional evidence” related to Hillary Clinton’s email with a call for more information from the FBI and Director James Comey. Campaign Chair John Podesta and Manager Robby Mook held a press phone briefing earlier today. A transcript of their comments is below:

CAMPAIGN CHAIR JOHN PODESTA: The extraordinary letter that was long on innuendo and short on facts that Director Comey sent yesterday to eight Republican committee chairs. Twenty-four hours after that letter was sent, we have no real explanation of why Director Comey decided to send that letter to congressional leaders. In fact, the more information that has come out, the more overblown this all seems, and the more concern it creates about Director Comey’s actions. For starters, it seems clear that some of initial characterizations of the FBI’s actions were inaccurate, despite initial reporting that the letter amounted to the quote, unquote, “Reopening of the investigation concluded last July.” It seems that that is not at all the case. That notion was pushed of course was by Congressman Jason Chaffetz.

It is not surprising that Congressman Chaffetz would take the opportunity to distort the facts to mount an attack on Hillary Clinton. This is someone who has promised to launch years of new Hillary Clinton investigations when she is president. Even conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin, and said earlier this week that Chaffetz says undermined his own legitimacy and he was – that he was “obsessed with finding something, anything to hang around Hillary Clinton’s neck.” So while some initially ran with the notion that an investigation was being reopened, those were Chaffetz’s words, not Comey’s, and outlets have already walked back this claim.

But this is exactly the problem that Director Comey has created with sending off his letter just 11 days out from the presidential election. By providing selective information, he has allowed partisans to distort and exaggerate in order to inflict maximum political damage, and no one can separate what is true from what is not because Comey is not been forthcoming with the facts. What little Comey has told us makes it hard to understand why this step has been warranted at all. For instance, he says, quote, “The FBI cannot assess whether or not this material may even be significant,” unquote.

And the reporting that has surfaced in the hour since this letter surfaced create even more confusion why Comey would have raised this on the eve of the election. NBC has reported from law enforcement sources that the emails in question were never withheld by Hillary Clinton or the Clinton campaign. NBC reported that the emails in question did not come from Clinton’s server at all. That has now been corroborated by a slew of other news outlets, and according to the Los Angeles Times, Clinton did not even personally or receive any of the emails in question.

Reports indicate that many of these emails are likely duplicates of ones that have already been turned over and reviewed by the bureau and its investigation last July. It is in fact entirely possible all the emails in question are just that, duplicates. So that is what we have learned from reporting in the wake of Director Comey’s message to congressional leaders. So just to recap and to put this in perspective, there is no evidence of wrong doing, no charge of wrong doing, no indication that this is even about Hillary. In fact, there are reports that the emails they want to look at are duplicates of things they already have and aren’t even from or to Hillary.

Even Director Comey said, “This may not be significant.” If that is all true, it is hard to see how this amounts to anything, and we are not going to be distracted, and Hillary is not going to be distracted in the final days of this election over nothing. But we should not be forced to get this information from second and third hand sources, from leaks, from law enforcement and FBI sources, Director Comey was the one who decided to take this unprecedented step. We now learned against the advice of senior Justice Department officials, who told him it was against long-standing department policy from Democratic and Republican administrations. Director Comey was the one who wrote a letter that was light on facts, heavy on innuendo, knowing full well what Republicans in Congress would do with it. It’s now up to him, who owes the public answers to the questions that are now on the table, and we’re calling on him to come forward and give those answers to the American public. So with that, let me turn it over to our campaign manager, Robby Mook.

CAMPAIGN MANAGER ROBBY MOOK: Well, thank you John, and this is a very concerning situation. As John explained, the more information that comes out, the more overblown this entire situation seems to be. That, in turn, has raised more questions about Director Comey from his colleagues in law enforcement circles to take this extraordinary step 11 days out from the presidential election. Just this morning, there is a startling report in the Washington Post saying that senior Justice Department officials warned Director Comey not to do this and that it was inconsistent with the practices of the department. He was apparently told that “we do not comment on an ongoing investigation, and we don’t take steps that will be viewed as influencing an election,” according to one Justice official who spoke to the Post. As a result of this, Comey has come under considerable pressure from not just Democrats but also Republicans and legal experts alike.

The Washington Post amplifies this point. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Akerman says, “Director Comey acted totally inappropriately. He has no business writing to Congress about supposed new emails that neither he nor anyone in the FBI had ever reviewed. It is not the function of the FBI director to be making public pronouncements about an investigation, never mind about an investigation based on evidence that he acknowledges may not be significant.”

Also former federal prosecutor Peter Zeidenberg said he respects Comey, however, quote, “I don’t understand this idea of dropping this bombshell, which could be a big dud. Doing it in the last week or 10 days of a presidential election without more information, I don’t think that he, I don’t think he should because how does it inform voters? It just invites speculation.” And in addition, former Justice Department spokesperson, Matt Miller, said, “The Justice Department’s long-time, long-standing practice is ‘don’t do anything seen as trying to influence an election.’ That’s usually interpreted as 60 days, let alone 11. It’s completely unfair to Secretary Clinton, and it’s really unfair to the voters. There’s no reason he had to send this letter.”

And finally, according to reports, Attorney General Loretta Lynch “expressed her preference that Comey follow the department’s long-standing practice of not commenting on ongoing investigations and not taking any action that could influence the outcome of an election,” but he said he felt compelled to do otherwise. So as John said, “It’s now incumbent on Director Comey to immediately provide the American people with more information than what is contained in his letter.” He owes the public the whole story, or else he shouldn’t have cracked open this door in the first place. Both campaigns and leaders in both parties of Congress are in full agreement on this fact.

And the last thing I’d say before I turn it back to Brian is that based on the anecdotes I’m hearing from our team on the ground, this situation has created an urgency, an intensity among our volunteers and activists that was already high because we are so close to the election but that our volunteers are rallying behind Hillary. They know what a fighter she is. I think they were heartened that she came out and addressed this so forthrightly, that she is calling for the full story to be told. And they’re as upset and concerned as we are here, and they are turning out, not only to have her back but to rally our supporters to turn out and vote as early voting goes into full swing. And we’re not just seeing this in our offices on the ground, but also in our, in our online, in the online space as well. And the, I think this is, we already had momentum and wind behind our back going into yesterday. I think this has only increased the momentum that we’re feeling among our activists on the ground.

In addition, HFA released two briefs featuring articles and coverage from the press showing that as more details have been released, the less significant the evidence appears. The releases are below:

Comey Under Fire After Sending Unprecedented Letter

FBI Director James Comey is under widespread criticism for breaking department precedent by commenting on an ongoing investigation, and doing so just days before a presidential election. Indeed, the Washington Post reported this morning senior Justice Department officials made perfectly clear to Comey that he would be in violation of long-standing DOJ policy.

Moreover, according to CNN, Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates both objected to Comey sending this inappropriate letter to Congress. Nevertheless, Director Comey independently decided to move forward, rattling the presidential election with a note that was heavy on innuendo and extremely light on actual information or needed details.

The result? Broad bipartisan condemnation and demands for the swift disclosure of more information:

Washington Post: Justice officials warned FBI that Comey’s decision to update Congress was not consistent with department policy: “Senior Justice Department officials warned the FBI that Director James B. Comey’s decision to notify Congress about renewing the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server was not consistent with long-standing practices of the department, according to officials familiar with the discussions. Comey told Justice Department officials that he intended to inform lawmakers of newly discovered emails. These officials told him the department’s position “that we don’t comment on an ongoing investigation. And we don’t take steps that will be viewed as influencing an election,” said one Justice Department official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the high-level conversations.”

CNN: Comey notified Congress of email probe despite DOJ concerns: “Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates objected to FBI Director James Comey’s decision to notify Congress about his bureau’s review of emails related to Hillary Clinton’s personal server, law enforcement officials familiar with the discussion said. Comey decided to disregard their objections and sent the letter Friday anyway, shaking the presidential race 11 days before the election and nearly four months after the FBI chief said he wouldn’t recommend criminal charges over the Democratic nominee’s use of the server.

New York Times: Justice Dept. Strongly Discouraged Comey on Move in Clinton Email Case: “Mr. Comey’s letter opened him up to criticism not only from Democrats but also from current and former officials at the F.B.I. and the Justice Department, including Republicans. ‘There’s a longstanding policy of not doing anything that could influence an election,’ said George J. Terwilliger III, a deputy attorney general under the first President George Bush. ‘Those guidelines exist for a reason. Sometimes that makes for hard decisions. But bypassing them has consequences.’”

Politico: Comey’s disclosure shocks former prosecutors: “James Comey’s surprise announcement that investigators are examining new evidence in the probe of Hillary Clinton’s email server put the FBI director back under a harsh spotlight, reigniting criticism of his unusual decision to discuss the high-profile case in front of the media and two congressional committees.”

Los Angeles Times: “The emails were not to or from Clinton, and contained information that appeared to be more of what agents had already uncovered, the official said, but in an abundance of caution, they felt they needed to further scrutinize them.

Washington Post Editorial: The damage Comey’s bad timing could do: “Mr. Podesta said he is ‘confident’ full disclosure ‘will not produce any conclusions different from the one the FBI reached in July.’ If so, the question will be how badly damaged was Ms. Clinton’s candidacy by the 11th-hour re-eruption of a controversy that never should have generated so much suspicion or accusation in the first place.”

New York Times Editorial: “But Mr. Comey’s failure to provide any specifics about a new, potentially important development, less than two weeks before Election Day, is confounding. As Mr. Comey put it in July: “The American people deserve those details in a case of intense public interest.” They deserve details even more urgently today.”

Bloomberg: FBI Shocker on Clinton Fuels Criticism of Comey’s Tactics: “FBI Director James Comey is facing extraordinary pressure to explain himself after dropping a bombshell on the campaign of Hillary Clinton just 11 days before the presidential election… Former prosecutors and lawmakers from both parties expressed shock and dismay at Comey’s highly unusual decision, which flouted decades of legal custom that call for avoiding taking actions that could affect the outcome of an election.”

Washington Post: FBI Director James B. Comey under fire for his controversial decision on the Clinton email inquiry: “Nick Ackerman, a former federal prosecutor in New York and an assistant special Watergate prosecutor, said Comey ‘had no business writing to Congress about supposed new emails that neither he nor anyone in the FBI has ever reviewed.’”

Huffington Post: News Outlets Dial Back Reports Of FBI ‘Reopening’ Clinton Email Case: “The story took several other turns on Friday afternoon that complicated the early, screaming headlines, and then ensured the story would remain a topic of discussion in the days ahead. Multiple outlets subsequently reported that the new emails weren’t sent by Clinton and didn’t come from her private server.”

CNN Legal Analyst, Paul Callan: Time for FBI director Comey to go: “Comey’s public announcement in July that the FBI had concluded its investigation regarding Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server in the conduct of official State Department business and would not recommend the lodging of criminal charges was historically unprecedented in a high-profile political case.”

Washington Post Op-Ed by Former DOJ Spokesman Matt Miller: James Comey fails to follow Justice Department rules yet again: “With each step, Comey moved further away from department guidelines and precedents, culminating in Friday’s letter to Congress. This letter not only violated Justice rules on commenting on ongoing investigations but also flew in the face of years of precedent about how to handle sensitive cases as Election Day nears…. The director of the FBI has great power at his disposal…. With that independence comes a responsibility to adhere to the rules that protect the rights of those whom the FBI investigates. Comey has failed that standard repeatedly in his handling of the Clinton investigation.”

New York Times: F.B.I. Chief James Comey Is in Political Crossfire Again Over Emails: “The reaction was swift and damning, with Mrs. Clinton’s supporters and even some Republicans blasting Mr. Comey. Indeed, Mr. Comey, who was attacked this summer by Democrats and Republicans for both his decision not to bring charges against Mrs. Clinton and for the way he handled it, found himself in an even stronger crossfire on Friday.”

Los Angeles Times’ Michael McGough: FBI director should have known what his Clinton emails letter would unleash: “Having raised new doubts about Clinton so close to an election, Comey has an obligation —a moral obligation if not a legal one — to do everything he can to expedite the “additional work” required to determine whether this new information does, in fact, cast doubt on his earlier conclusion that Clinton wasn’t criminally culpable.”

Aurora Sentinel Editorial: FBI’s Comey needs to come clean on details, motivation — or resign: “If there’s damning or critical information about Clinton staff handling of email that creates the clear and immediate threat to national security that would warrant such a ploy, Americans deserve to have Clinton explain them, and Clinton must get that opportunity. Otherwise, Comey needs to apologize for his infelicity and possibly politically motivated stunt, and immediately step aside.”

Newsweek: Hillary Clinton’s Emails: The Real Reason The FBI Is Reviewing More Of Them: “Unfortunately, by trying to have things both ways – revealing the change in circumstances while remaining vague about what the agents know – Comey has created that misleading impression that could change the outcome of a presidential election, an act that, if uncorrected, will undoubtedly go down as one of the darkest moments in the bureau’s history.”

New Yorker: James Comey Broke With Loretta Lynch And Justice Department Tradition: “Coming less than two weeks before the Presidential election, Comey’s decision to make public new evidence that may raise additional legal questions about Clinton was contrary to the views of the Attorney General, according to a well-informed Administration official. Lynch expressed her preference that Comey follow the department’s longstanding practice of not commenting on ongoing investigations, and not taking any action that could influence the outcome of an election, but he said that he felt compelled to do otherwise.”

Charlotte Observer Editorial: Comey drops Hillary Clinton email bombshell; so tell us more: “But it is extraordinary for such volatile information to emerge so close to Election Day and that’s especially true given how few specifics are known. Because Comey was so vague, voters can’t know what to think. The new emails could be anything from meaningless to evidence of criminal activity by Clinton to most anything in between.”

ThinkProgress: The ‘new’ Clinton emails might all be duplicates: “So, to be clear, the FBI Director delivered a gut punch to the Clinton campaign, despite the fact that 1) he doesn’t know what he has; 2) it may be something that he already had; and, 3) whatever it is that he has, it reportedly didn’t come from Secretary Clinton, and was not sent to her.”

Huffington Post: Heat Rises For FBI Director James Comey As Both Campaigns Demand Email Answers: “Both camps demanded that FBI Director James Comey disclose more details about the emails and the bureau’s investigation, which he made known in a letter to Congress just 11 days before the election…. Many challenged the FBI director’s motives, increasing the pressure on him to comply with calls from both campaigns for more information.”

Once Again, “Bombshell” Clinton Revelation Fizzles As Facts Come Out

Yesterday, Republican Congressional leaders leaked an unprecedented letter from FBI Director James Comey, with initial reports including dire headlines for Hillary Clinton. But like most “bombshell” discoveries about Clinton over the course of this campaign, it fizzled rapidly as facts actually became available. Let’s review…

YESTERDAY’S BOMBSHELL: NBC News: FBI re-opening investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private e-mail server

• Jason Chaffetz: “FBI Dir just informed me, ‘The FBI has learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation.’ Case reopened”
• GOP: “BREAKING NEWS: The FBI is re-opening their investigation into @HillaryClinton’s secret server.”

…facts emerge:

1.  Investigation not reopened. Huffington Post: News Outlets Dial Back Reports Of FBI ‘Reopening’ Hillary Clinton Email Case
2. No emails had been withheld. NBC News: “the e-mails Comey announced today were NOT originally withheld by Clinton or campaign.”
3. Emils not from Clinton’s server. Bloomberg: New Clinton E-mails Not From Her Private Server, AP Says
4. Emails reportedly not to or from Clinton. Los Angeles Times: “The emails were not to or from Clinton”
5. No indication emails bear significance. Comey memo to employees: “we don’t know the significance of this newly discovered collection of emails”
6. Many emails likely duplicates of ones already turned over. ThinkProgress: The ‘new’ Clinton emails might all be duplicates
7. Comey letter violates DOJ policy. Washington Post: Justice officials warned FBI that Comey’s decision to update Congress was not consistent with department policy
8. Comey overruled AG Loretta Lynch. CNN: “Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates disagreed with FBI Director James Comey’s decision to notify Congress about his bureau’s review…”
9. Former officials on both sides of aisle criticized Comey. New York Times: “Mr. Comey’s letter opened him up to criticism not only from Democrats but also from current and former officials at the F.B.I. and the Justice Department, including Republicans.”
10.  Clinton and Trump both calling for more information. Huffington Post: “Both camps demanded that FBI Director James Comey disclose more details about the emails and the bureau’s investigation”

This is hardly the first time. It seems the script is always the same:

1. Bombshell allegation is made hastily without facts available
2. Media breathlessly covers the latest supposed Clinton Scandal
3. Republicans declare that this time they’ve found the smoking gun
4. Initial explosive reports slowly fizzle on account of facts

Here are just five of the many recent examples:

BOMBSHELL: @GOP, 8/30/16: “BREAKING: State Dept discovered 30 emails recovered from Hillary Clinton’s private server that discussed Benghazi.”

…facts emerge: Los Angeles Times, 9/7/16: “There appears to be only one new communication related to Benghazi… a complimentary note from a diplomat to Clinton, praising how she handled herself before a Senate panel investigating the matter.”

BOMBSHELL: @GOP, 5/5/16: “Hacker ‘Guccifer’ told news outlets that he repeatedly accessed Clinton’s unsecure email server & that ‘it was easy’”

…facts emerge: FOX News, 7/7/16: Comey: Hacker ‘Guccifer’ Lied About Accessing Clinton’s Emails

BOMBSHELL: @AP, 8/23/16: “BREAKING: AP analysis: More than half those who met Clinton as Cabinet secretary gave money to Clinton Foundation.”

…facts emerge: Vox, 8/24/16: “Except it turns out not to be true. The nut fact that the AP uses to lead its coverage is wrong, and Braun and Sullivan’s reporting reveals absolutely no unethical conduct….  the AP excluded from the denominator all employees of any government, whether US or foreign.”

BOMBSHELL: Washington Post, 8/22/16: The FBI found 15,000 emails Hillary Clinton didn’t turn over. Uh oh.

…facts emerge: CNN, 10/7/16: “Okay, so what’s in this latest batch? Short answer: No bombshells. More than half of the emails are these so-called “near duplicates” of previously released emails… There are also a number of emails between Clinton and her close aides in which they discuss scheduling matters — timing for phone calls, meetings, etc…. None of the new emails contained information marked as classified or upgraded to classified.”

BOMBSHELL: The Hill, 7/5/16: FBI director: Clinton emails were marked as classified at the time

…facts emerge: MediaIte, 7/7/16: FBI Director Admits Hillary Clinton Emails Were Not Properly Marked Classified

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Hillary Clinton Interviewed on The Breakfast Club

Hillary Clinton was interviewed by the morning radio show “The Breakfast Club.” During the interview, Clinton and hosts DJ Envy, Angela Yee & Charlamagne Tha God discussed a number of topics including Clinton’s thoughts on being parodied on Saturday Night Live, her support for the Chicago Cubs, and the presidential debates. The group also discussed a number of Clinton’s campaign points including her plan to combat systemic racism. She said, “It’s something that we have to be honest about. We have to face up to systemic racism. We see it in jobs, we see it in education, we see it in housing. But let’s be really clear; it’s a big part of what we’re facing in the criminal justice system. African American men get arrested, charged, convicted, and incarcerated far more often and for far longer for doing the same thing that white men do.” A video of the full interview is below.

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News Source: NBC News

Recapping Donald’s Day of New Housing Discrimination Revelations

Yesterday, Donald Trump suffered a day of new revelations and reporting on his real estate company’s history of  discrimination against black families. Mother Jones and NBC News published new reports on an additional racial discrimination suit from the 1980’s, as well as a disturbing anecdote in which Trump stood by his  father as he used the “N”-word and directed employees to put applications from aspiring black tenants “in a drawer.” The Las Vegas Sun reported on a local woman who served as a housing discrimination tester who, in her words, was “the right color” for a Trump apartment. And just today, the New York Observer exposed some of the aggressive and troubling tactics Trump’s lawyers used to discredit black individuals who wanted to rent in his buildings, including questioning their political affiliations and sexual activity.

Hillary for America also released a new video telling the story of Mae Brown Wiggins, a registered nurse who was turned away from an apartment Trump managed because of her skin color. The video is narrated by Senator Tim Kaine, who spent 17 years as a civil rights lawyer fighting housing discrimination–a stark contrast with Trump, who got his start managing apartment buildings that discriminated against African American renters.

Contrary to Trump’s claims, this level of discrimination was not common practice. The Department of Justice’s lawsuit against Donald Trump and his father and was “one of the strongest cases the Justice Department had ever seen for violations of the Fair Housing Act.”

Donald Trump must be held to account for his history of racial discrimination.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Mother Jones: Here’s Another Time a Trump Company Was Sued for Discriminating Against Black People: “Nor did [Trump] mention another relevant fact, which has not received prominent coverage during the current presidential campaign: just as the Trumps’ standoff with the Justice Department was winding down, their real estate business was hit by a group of similar lawsuits for again allegedly discriminating against black New Yorkers looking for apartments.”

• “In April 1982, the Open Housing Center, a fair housing advocacy outfit, filed class action lawsuits against several landlords and real estate brokers on behalf of nine African Americans who had been denied apartments in Queens.”

TIME: Hillary Clinton Campaign Video Highlights Trump Housing Discrimination Case: “An emotional new campaign video for Hillary Clinton highlights reports of discriminatory rental practices by Donald Trump’s business that led to a 1973 Justice Department lawsuit. The video, released Tuesday, features Mae Brown Wiggins, who shares her story of being denied an apartment in one of Trump’s New York City buildings ‘based on the color of my skin.’”

• Mae Brown Wiggins: “‘I felt very, very angry,’ Wiggins says in the video, wiping tears from her eyes. ‘So much so that it still evokes—it still evokes anger and hurt. Deep, deep hurt.’”

Las Vegas Sun: Henderson woman shares story as housing discrimination tester at Trump property: “A Henderson woman is coming forward to share her story as a housing discrimination tester at one of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s properties in the 1970s.”

• Sheila Morse: “She said that when she said she would take the apartment, the superintendent was ‘thrilled’ and said he would have the lease ready the next day. ‘I guess I was the right color and the gentleman was the wrong color,’ Morse said.”

NBC News: ‘Not Wanted’: Black Applicants Rejected for Trump Housing Speak Out

• Annette Gandy Fortt: “In 1973, New York City school teacher Annette Gandy Fortt was looking for a decent place to live. A listing for an apartment in a building owned by Donald Trump’s father, Fred, caught her eye — but she says the super told her there were no units available. ‘I was black,’ Fortt said recently. ‘I was not wanted.’”
• Maxine Brown: “The breadth of the allegations doesn’t surprise Maxine Brown, who applied for an apartment in a Queens building owned by Fred Trump in 1963. ‘I was turned away because of my color,’ said Brown, 86, whose account was first reported by the New York Times in August.”
• Stanley Leibowitz, former Trump rental agent who took Ms. Brown’s application: “‘Mr. Trump and his son Donald came into the office. I asked what I should do with this application because she’s calling constantly and his response to me was, ‘You know I don’t rent to the N-word. Put it in a drawer and forget about it,’’ Leibowitz, 89, told NBC News.”

WATCH the segment on NBC News’ reporting on last night’s Rachel Maddow Show.

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Hillary Clinton Campaigns with Mothers of the Movement in North Carolina

Hillary Clinton returned to North Carolina on Sunday where she spoke at a Sunday morning church service and two campaign events. At each of the events, she appeared with Mothers of the Movement, a group of women who have lost children as a the result of gun violence. She began this morning in Durham where spoke at Union Baptist Church. Clinton spoke about the importance of reducing violence, reforming the criminal justice system, and working to end the racial divide in our country. A video of Clinton’s remarks is below.

Clinton spoke to a crowd of supporters at St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh about her plans as president, but she also turned the focus of her message away from herself and on candidates running for office down ballot. She spoke about the importance of electing Democratic Senate candidate Deborah Ross in North Carolina, and Clinton encouraged voters to support Ross in addition to supporting her and Tim Kaine on November 8th. While in Raleigh, Clinton also met with voters outside of an early voting center. Watch a video of Clinton’s speech from the rally below.

Clinton then traveled to Charlotte where she spoke to a group of supporters at the University of North Carolina – Charlotte. During her speech, Clinton went after Donald Trump for his pledge to not accept the results of the election saying that he is a “direct threat to our democracy.” Clinton then spoke about a number of her key platform proposals including a plan to invest in the infrastructure, increasing investments in the economy, and her plan to make college affordable for everyone. Clinton said that she understands that not everyone supports her and there will be people that vote for Trump, but she wants to be a president for everyone. “I want to be the president for every American – Democrats, Republicans, independents. We have to bring this country together. We have to have everyone pulling in the same direction. I understand some people are angry, but anger is not a plan,” she said. Watch a video of her speech below.

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News Source: WNCN, News & Observer, NBC News, The Charlotte Observer

Hillary’s Plan: Supreme Court Justices

Clinton Will Appoint Supreme Court Justices Who Affirm Our Rights, While Trump’s Justices Will Roll Rights Back

The fourth topic for tonight’s debate is the Supreme Court. America’s next president could nominate multiple Supreme Court justices and the stakes could not be higher. Appointments made in the next four years could determine the makeup of the Court for decades to come. Hillary Clinton will appoint justices who will affirm the dignity and equality of all Americans. In contrast, Donald Trump will appoint justices who will roll back hard-fought rights.

*Considering Trump has been involved in more than 4,000 lawsuits, he should know this is not how the justice system works.

Hillary Clinton will appoint justices to the Supreme Court who will protect the constitutional principles of liberty and equality for all, and make sure Roe v. Wade remains the law of the land and women retain the right to make their own deeply personal healthcare decisions. Hillary will make sure the scales of justice aren’t tipped away from individuals toward corporations and special interests. And she will protect citizens’ right to vote, rather than billionaires’ right to buy elections.

Donald Trump has demonstrated his desire to appoint justices who would roll back rights Americans have fought for over decades. As president, Trump will:

• Appoint justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade.
• Appoint justices who would overturn the Supreme Court’s decision on marriage equality.
• Appoint justices who would weaken the Affordable Care Act.
• Consider justices with a history of supporting restrictive voter ID laws.
• Consider the heritage of an American citizen when evaluating fitness to serve as a federal judge.
• Pursue policies that ignore cornerstone constitutional principles, including imposing a religious test on immigrants; profiling U.S. Muslims; registering all Muslims in a “database”; punishing women for having an abortion; nationalizing New York City’s old stop-and-frisk policy; shutting down religious institutions; “open up those libel laws”; and retroactively repealing birthright citizenship.

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HFA Releases Issue Based Video Series

Earlier this week, Hillary for America released a series of issue based videos featuring African Americans talking about issues that are important to them. Topics covered include education, voting rights, criminal justice, health care, racial justice, LGBT rights, mental health, income inequality, and more. Each video is a powerful reminder about why the election is important. Watch the video series below.

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Hillary Clinton Endorsed by More Local Newspapers

This weekend, Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of four major prominent newspapers from across the country. The first was Nebraska’s Omaha World-Herald, the first time the paper has endorsed a Democrat since President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. The paper’s editorial board says that while Clinton has political faults, she is by far more qualified than Republican Donald Trump. The board concludes, “Clinton’s legislative experience and decades of political involvement — as first lady of Arkansas, first lady of the United States, U.S. senator from New York, secretary of state and two-time presidential candidate — make her the better prepared of the two major candidates for the office of president of the United States.” Read the full endorsement HERE.

The Wisconsin State Journal also published their endorsement of Clinton concluding that the country cannot risk a Trump presidency. The paper’s board said, “Trump’s scandal-a-day campaign has shown he would distract, isolate and embarrass our nation. The world doesn’t need a United States in retreat, nor a stark reset of America’s politics and international posture. The world needs a U.S. president who can actually lead. Clinton is that leader, and the world needs America to get this right.” Read the full article HERE.

Clinton has also earned the endorsement of the New Orleans newspaper The Times-Picayune. The paper’s editorial board says that Clinton is the better choice for New Orleans and Louisiana saying, “As for which candidate is better for Louisiana, there is no contest. Mrs. Clinton is committed to investments in infrastructure, including ports, that would benefit our state. She also wants to offer preschool to every 4-year-old, something that fits Louisiana’s goal of expanding and improving the quality of early childhood education. But for New Orleanians, perhaps the most compelling contrast between Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton is his intolerance and her inclusiveness. New Orleans has diversity in its DNA. A president who routinely degrades African-Americans, Hispanics, Muslims and women could not, and would not, represent us.” Click HERE to read the full endorsement.

In Iowa, The Des Moines Register’s editorial board asked what message Americas wanted to send to a ever interested global community. Do we want to pick the candidate that has run a divisive campaign or one that still believes in the promise of America? The board believes it is important that the American citizens elect a leader that represents our values, and for them that is Clinton. They conclude, “On Election Day, all of us share the privilege and responsibility of protecting the principles on which this country was founded and for which so many others have died: justice, liberty, equality and opportunity for all. In this particular election, only one of the two major-party candidates stands prepared to honor America and uphold its highest ideals. The Des Moines Register endorses Hillary Clinton for president.” Read the full editorial HERE.

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News Source: Omaha World-Herald, Wisconsin State Journal, The Times-Picayune, The Des Moines Register

HFA Highlights Hillary Clinton’s 30 Year Career

Donald Trump is eager to talk about the last 30 years and Hillary Clinton, too, is eager to discuss her three decades of experience and public service. Clinton has dedicated her life to serving others, while Trump has spent decades trying to get ahead at the expense of others. Today, Hillary for America is launch a new website offering a side-by-side comparison of what they were each doing at various times in their lives.  Their records show that there’s only one candidate in this race who truly puts the American people first: Hillary Clinton.

In the 1970s and 80s:

• Clinton’s first job out of law school was with the Children’s Defense Fund, and one of her first tasks was going door to door to figure out why so many children were missing school. The evidence she helped gather was presented to Congress to build the case for the passage of the law that ensures all children with disabilities have access quality education. Later, while a law professor at the University of Arkansas, Clinton founded a legal aid clinic to help low-income children and families in need of legal representation. And as First Lady of Arkansas, she chaired the state’s Education Standards Committee, working to improve the quality of schools and give every child a chance to succeed.

• Trump was President of his dad’s real estate company and the family business when it was sued by the Justice Department for refusing to rent apartments to African Americans in New York City and Virginia. The lawsuit unearthed a disturbing pattern among employees of Trump’s real estate company, who appeared to systematically deny applications to aspiring black renters.  Trump borrowed at least $14 million from his father for his real estate empire.

In the 1990s:

• Clinton worked with Democrats and Republicans to pass the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which insures more than 8 million American kids today. She traveled to China to give a bold, landmark address affirming women’s rights.

• Trump refused to pay contractors on some of his biggest projects and was sued for fraud repeatedly– like Marty Rosenberg, whose family business was paid less than half for its work at Trump’s casino. No business person or contractor proved too small for Trump to stiff. Trump claimed such large losses on his tax returns that he possibly avoided paying federal income taxes for up to 18 years. Trump insulted women for their appearances, calling a former Miss Universe an “eating machine.”

In the 2000s:

• After 9/11, Clinton immediately got to work fighting for first responders and emergency workers. She introduced a bill to speed up the payment of benefits to families of public safety officers who died in the line of duty on 9/11 and it became law a few days later. In 2006, she introduced the Heroes at Home Act to aid veterans with post-traumatic stress or traumatic brain injuries.

• In the Senate, Clinton also worked on improving access to health care and making it more affordable. She fought for Medicare to be able to negotiate for fair drug prices, supported getting generic drugs to market faster, and consistently backed safe prescription drug importation from other countries. She co-authored and worked to pass the Pediatric Research Equity Act, which forced drug companies to conduct pediatric tests on products prescribed for kids. “She also worked on economic issues for New York State, co-founding the bipartisan Senate manufacturing caucus and fighting for New York’s strong manufacturing base and steel industry.

• At the same time, Trump took $150,000 from a program designed to help small businesses in the aftermath of 9/11 and spent years lying about both his personal attachment to 9/11 and his commitment to helping New York recover. Trump also spent his time cheating more than 5,000 students at his scam Trump University and running a sham charitable foundation that spent money on non-charitable expenses like a portrait of himself and personal legal fees, and failed to properly register to raise money in the State of New York. It was reported that Trump repeatedly demeaned a crew member working on The Apprentice and used misogynistic language about female contestants.

In the 2010s:

• Clinton served as Secretary of State. She built the toughest sanctions regime in history on Iran, twisting arms in China, Russia, and dozens of other countries, to force Iran to the negotiating table. And when pressure started working, she sent her closest aides to explore a diplomatic opening that led to a  deal cutting off Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon. She personally negotiated an end to Hamas rockets raining down on Israel in 2012 and worked to build stronger defense programs for Israel, including upgrading the Iron Dome rocket defense system. She worked to ensure ratification of the New START treaty, which will make the world safer by reducing the number of deployed U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear weapons. She fought to make women’s rights a priority in international relations, stood up against sex trafficking of women and children, and led the fight for a UN Security Council resolution to combat sexual violence against women and children around the world that passed unanimously. She advised President Obama on the decision to bring Osama bin Laden to justice — and on May 1, 2011, she was in the Situation Room as the operation unfolded.

The same night as Clinton advised President Obama on the Osama bin Laden raid, Trump was busy appearing on an episode of The Celebrity Apprentice. Trump has spent this decade peddling shameful lies about President Obama’s nationality as the leader of the birther movement; making a deal with Gaddafi to set up a tent on Trump’s property; filing for bankruptcy at Trump Plaza; fighting fraud suits over Trump University; and doling out illegal campaign donations from his sham charitable foundation.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren Campaign for Hillary

Senator Bernie Sanders remained on the campaign trail on behalf of Hillary Clinton on Friday with events in New Hampshire and Maine. In New Hampshire, Sanders spoke at rallies in Keene and Nashua. During each event, he spoke about Hillary Clinton’s plans to continue economic growth, create new jobs by investing in infrastructure and manufacturing, increase the minimum wage, reform the criminal justice system, and reduce the cost of higher education. Sanders also criticized Republican Donald Trump for his divisive language and his policies that benefit the wealthy. A video from his speech in Keene is below.

Sanders’ final event was in Bangor, Maine where he urged voters to look beyond the personalities of the two presidential candidates and focus on the issues. He argued that only Clinton’s plans would benefit the middle and working classes. Sanders blasted trump for running a bigoted and insult-driven campaigning adding, “When you run for president of the United States, there has got to be at least a minimum threshold of decency.” A video from the Bangor event is below.

Senator Elizabeth Warren campaigned in Wisconsin where she spoke in support of Clinton and US Senate hopeful Russ Feingold. At her first stop in Madison, Warren spoke about the importance of voting in the upcoming election and the platform of Clinton. She also spoke about the importance of electing Clinton president and Feingold to the Senate so they can continue the progress made over the last eight years and continue with a progressive agenda. Warren has not been shy of her criticism of Trump, and she did not back off in Madison. She called him a “pathetic, heartless bully” and a “selfish little sleazeball.” A video of Warren’s speech is below.

Her second event was in Milwaukee where she urged voters to get out and support the campaign by volunteering and ensuring that people are informed. She also urged voters to take advantage of early voting if they are unable to make it to the polls on November 8. Warren’s speech was similar to the one she gave in Madison early in the day in which she outlined key parts of Clinton’s platform and called out Trump. A video from the event will be added when/if available.

Meanwhile, in Boston, Massachusetts, a fundraiser was held on behalf of Hillary for America. The event featured a conversation with Marc Elias.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: WMUR, Portland Press Herald, The Cap Times, Journal Sentinel, WISN

Chelsea Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders Campaign for Hillary

On Wednesday, Chelsea Clinton campaigned on behalf of her mother, Hillary Clinton, in Iowa. She spoke at events in Dubuque and Sioux City, and focused on the importance of voting at both. She encouraged everyone who is unable to vote on November 8 to take advantage of early voting in Iowa, which is currently under way. Chelsea also spoke about a number of her mother’s platform points including reforming the Department of Veterans Affairs, continuing to improve the health care system, and Hillary’s plans to help rural Americans. At each event, Chelsea also took questions from those in attendance. Videos from the events will be added when/if available.

Senator Bernie Sanders campaigned for Hillary today in Iowa and Wisconsin. His first event was in Des Moines where he spoke to supporters at Drake University. During the event, Sanders spoke about Hillary’s economic plan and her proposals to ensure a college education is affordable, help students who are in debt refinance at lower interest rates, create new jobs across the country by investing in the country’s infrastructure and expanding clean energy. Sanders also stressed the importance of the election urging everyone to get out and vote. A video of Sanders’ speech is below.

Sanders then traveled to Madison, Wisconsin for an event supporting both Hillary and U.S. Senate candidate Russ Feingold. Sanders said that he supports Hillary because she supports a progressive platform and will fight for it as president. He then outlined a number of the issues she will work on as president including raising the minimum wage, creating a public option for health care, reforming the criminal justice system, and implementing campaign finance reform. He stressed that Hillary is better then the alternative, Republican Donald Trump, saying, “We will not allow bigotry to resurface in the United States of America. We have come too far.” Watch Sanders’ full speech below.

Sanders’ final event of the day was in Green Bay where he continued to focus on Clinton’s dedication to progress. He spoke about similar points as he had in Des Moines and Madison earlier in the day, but the Senator was greeted warmly. Sanders, an Independent from Vermont, has been on the campaign trail for Hillary since the Democratic National Convention in July. As Hillary’s former rival for the Democratic nomination, he has repeatedly said that he is dedicated to electing Hillary president in November. A video from the Green Bay rally will be added when/if available.

Meanwhile, a series of fundraisers were held across the country in support of Hillary for America. The first was in Washington, DC and featured Hillary Clinton, Eva Longoria, Julianna Margulies, and special performance by Estelle. The next event was in San Francisco, California and featured a conversation with Senator Elizabeth Warren. Then, in St. Augustine, Florida, an event was held at the home of Dawn and Patrick Canan. The event featured a conversation with Congresswoman Gwen Graham. The final event was a fundraiser for American citizens in London featuring Melanne Verveer, former Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, U.S. Department of State.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Sioux City Journal, WQAD, Dubuque Telegraph Herald, Des Moines Register, WHOTV, Wisconsin State Journal, Fox 11