Leo Shane III
@LeoShane
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Deputy editor for Military Times, former vets reporter for Stars & Stripes. Philly sports fan trapped in DC. Don't judge me by past or future haircuts.
Washington, DC
Joined October 2008
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OUT NOW: Latest
@MilitaryTimes
poll shows half of service members disapprove of Trump as commander in chief. Continues the decline we have seen among troops in recent years.
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I missed this earlier, but in his remarks to military spouses today, Trump claimed that this year's military pay raise was the first in 10 years. That's wrong. The military has gotten a raise every year since the start of the all-volunteer military.
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Congress approves decisions of who lies in state at the Capitol. Unclear what part of McCain's funeral celebrations had to be approved by the White House, if any. Possibly transport of his body from Arizona via military aircraft?
Trump says that he gave John McCain "the funeral that he wanted. I didn't have to, I had to approve that." Says that he doesn't want to talk about McCain but "the press" keeps badgering him into it.
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Numerous
#PACTAct
advocates in the gallery moved to tears as
@SenSchumer
thanks them for their work, says the Senate is about to send the bill to the president to become law. Final passage vote happening now.
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Remember that story about homeless vets in New York being forced out of their hotel because immigrants needed a place to stay? It was all a hoax.
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.
@SenatorTester
: “The truth is what happened yesterday is Republicans voted against the men and women who fought for this country and want to have a normal life.”
#PACTAct
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Gaetz: "'A diverse and inclusive force is a warfighting imperative. That's on a slide at the Air Force Academy General, do you agree with that statement?"
Clark: "I do agree with that."
Gaetz: "Were the Mongols diverse?"
Clark: "I'm not well-versed in Mongol warfighting."
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.
@jonstewart
blasts
@LeaderMcConnell
as a liar,
@SenToomey
as a coward for their votes on the
#PACTAct
yesterday. “You don’t support the troops, you support the war machine … They haven’t met a veteran they won’t screw over.”
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Rep. Escobar is up next: "I need to apologize... You're gonna have to live through what we have been living through on this subcommittee for months. We have colleagues intent on doing everything possible to paint efforts of the government to be inclusive and diverse as divisive"
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Breaking: VA to suspend GI Bill enrollments/payments for University of Phoenix, Colorado Technical University, American InterContinental University, Bellevue University, and Temple University. Penalty for deceptive recruiting and advertising. More to come.
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Full story now: Court ruling could force VA to pay out billions in benefits to Vietnam veterans. VA officials have been strongly opposed to awarding presumptive status to the blue water Navy vets. Huge news:
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.
@SenJohnMcCain
statement on "partisan attacks on the FBI and Department of Justice" out now:
"We are doing Putin’s job for him.”
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Former chief of Capitol Police Steven Sund, on the Jan. 6 Capitol attack: "We properly planned for a mass demonstration with possible violence. What we got was a military-style coordinated assault on my officers and a violent takeover of the Capitol Building."
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Gaetz: "What about the Vikings?
Clark: "I'm looking at our country, the most diverse country in the world, and our warfighting force. Not the Vikings.
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Some clarity on why the bill to allow
@DeptVetAffairs
to vaccinate all veterans was sidelined today: Procedural move by Freedom Caucus members threw the future of the bipartisan measure into doubt.
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There is a group of political reporters still doing their jobs on Capitol Hill right now as a mob of terrorists who have been threatening them for years is attempting a coup. I've never been prouder or more scared for my colleagues than today.
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BREAKING NEWS —
@DeptVetAffairs
set to offer abortions to veterans in cases of rape, incest and pregnancies that endanger the life of a woman. Procedures could take place at medical centers even where abortion is outlawed. Details here:
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Biden says he is directing
@DeptVetAffairs
to make all 23 presumptive burn pit illnesses listed in the
#PACTAct
applicable today. Bill calls for a phased in approach over the next few years, but Biden says VA will move immediately instead.
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.
@SenatorTester
is angry now, accuses
@SenRickScott
of "turning his back on veterans." Tester is shouting now -- "I hope the senator from Florida doesn't walk into Memorial Day events and say what a friend he is of veterans, because he is not."
.
@SenatorTester
asks for unanimous consent to confirm Shereef Elnahal as the new
@DeptVetAffairs
UnderSec for health.
@SenRickScott
objects, saying that he wants a full chamber vote because he doesn't trust any of Biden's nominees.
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Up now: Support for Trump among troops is slipping, and the armed forces are now evenly divided over whether they approve of his presidency. The results from our latest Military Times poll:
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#PACTAct
passes 86-11. Bill now heads to the White House to be signed into law. Full details here:
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VA's 2018 so far:
-- A secretary fired
-- A Cabinet nominee force to withdraw
-- Two different acting secretaries
-- Public fights between VA leaders and the IG
-- And now a building controversy over shadow advisors influencing decisions
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Out now: Biden boots six members of West Point advisory board who were appointed by Trump (including HR McMaster, who is being honored by the school this weekend)
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Included in the indictment against
@Rep_Hunter
: Using campaign funds to buy Hawaiian shorts and lying that it was money spent on wounded veterans (Hunter is a USMC vet who served in Iraq and Afghanistan).
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Breaking now: Veterans, military retirees will see an 8.7% cost-of-living increase in their benefits next year, the Social Security Administration just announced. That's the biggest boost in 40 years. More to come.
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19 years old. We're getting closer to the first American casualty in Afghanistan who was born after the war started there.
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While you were sleeping, vets groups were standing outside the Capitol all night pushing for passage of the
#PACTAct
. Here’s a look at the weekend-long protest:
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If you're surprised by the numerous reporters speaking highly of John McCain, know that whatever his views, he was always willing to defend them to the press. I saw him speak to reporters many others would never consider stopping for. And he usually did it with grumpy charm.
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The major vets groups have been lobbying for a meeting with Trump since Election Day. 119 days later, still no plans for a sit down.
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Tons of applause as the WWII vets from Miss. storm their memorial. Park police on the way.
#shutdown
http://t.co/31UGU7MRry
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Huge crowd at today’s
#PACTAct
rally.
@SpeakerPelosi
just arrived. “Veterans have already waited too long for these benefits.” Blasts Senate Republicans for the last-minute opposition.
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Pentagon statement on transgender rules changes:
"We refer all questions about the President's statements to the White House"
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Breaking news: Message just went out from Coast Guard Vice Commandant that all servicemembers WILL be paid on the 31st. Reversal from previous service statements, says Homeland Security "identified a way to pay our military workforce." More details to come.
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Surprise House move tonight: Lawmakers unanimously passed the VA VACCINE Act in wrap-up work just now. Would allow VA to give
#coronavirus
vaccines to all vets (pending available supplies). Right now, it's only open to vets eligible for VA medical care. Heads to the Senate next.
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Out now: Big six vets groups (
@DAVHQ
@PVA1946
@AMVETSHQ
@VVAmerica
@VFWHQ
@AmericanLegion
) sends a letter to Trump asking for
@SecWilkie
to be fired. "He no longer has the trust or confidence of America’s veterans and should be removed."
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Happening now:
@RepTimWalz
demands VA turn over all correspondence between staff and three businessmen IDed as secret influencers over veterans policy decisions. Story to come.
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By my count, this is the 23rd lawmaker to call for
@SecWilkie
's resignation in the last week.
Secretary Wilkie has lost the trust of the brave Americans he is charged to serve. He is no longer fit to be head of the VA.
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That's about 350 words (5 percent of the speech) on veterans policy and issues in the
#StateOfTheUnion
tonight, folks. In the last three SOTU speeches combined, there were three sentences total on veterans policy.
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More DOD suicide stats: 9% of male servicemembers have thought about taking their own life. But more than 40% of troops say they would not seek help out of fear that it would label them as “broken.”
Stigma remains a major problem.
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This isn't how the new VA Mission Act works.
Veterans who are already enrolled in VA health care consult with department doctors, who then approve outside care. If veterans go to a private doctor on their own & later try to bill VA, they will not get any money back.
President Trump: "We passed VA choice. You go out now, you get a doctor, you fix yourself up, the doctor sends us the bill, we pay for it."
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Shout out to
@jaketapper
for really solid lines of questioning for
@SenToomey
and
@SecVetAffairs
on veterans issues this morning.
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Honor flight vets just knocked over the barriers at the WWII memorial to get inside,
#shutdown
or no.
http://t.co/T4bx8kvFYj
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@TaraCopp
@RepAdamSmith
@HASCDemocrats
Full statement from
@RepAdamSmith
: "DoD is attempting to circumvent Congress and the American people’s opposition."
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Veterans coalition blasts Trump for his attacks on Lt. Col. Vindman: "He has targeted anyone who currently wears or has worn the uniform."
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This video from Cindy McCain at
#DNCConvention
isn't supposed to be an explicit endorsement of Biden, but it's hard to see how it isn't.
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Every few years, DOD gets an idea to cut off this critical news lifeline to troops downrange. Usually, folks over there come to their senses before doing to much damage. Here's hoping that happens again this cycle. I imagine Congress will have plenty of questions.
Acting DoD Comptroller Elaine McCusker confirms
@starsandstripes
' budget faces significant cuts, per DoD-wide review. "We essentially decided, coming into the modern age, that newspapers is not the way we communicate any longer."
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On this issue: in 2018, Trump fired Shulkin via tweet, then skipped over his
#2
to install Wilkie as acting secretary. When lawmakers cried foul, the WH claimed that Shulkin had resigned, allowing Trump to appoint whoever he wanted. Shulkin insisted he never quit.
Pentagon refusing to answer why Deputy Secretary Norquist isn’t the acting defense secretary, as the law seem to unambiguously require. Won’t even answer if Norquist still has his job.
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Full story now:
@RepSpeier
calls for ethics inquiry into
@RepDanCrenshaw
's involvement in latest
@DeptVetAffairs
scandal, Crenshaw denies any issues
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Full story: In a major rebuke to
@SecWilkie
, the nation's six largest veterans groups call for his immediate firing.
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Crowdsourcing: Any veterans from the War of 1812 in my feed who may want to comment for an upcoming story?
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BREAKING: Vincent Viola, Trump's pick for Army Sec, withdraws from confirmation process Cites business concerns
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.
@RepMarkTakano
renews his call for
@SecWilkie
to resign, this time over his delayed response to the attack on the Capitol.
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VA leaders won't turn over documents to Congress related to Mar-a-Lago businessmen influencing department policy.
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And
@realDonaldTrump
corrects a veteran who cites the correct vets suicide number. "It's actually 22."
Latest VA number is 20.
#CICForum
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Bad news, folks: Troops aren't getting a 10 percent pay raise next year, no matter what Trump said in Iraq
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As Bob Dole is brought into the Capitol for a final time, Elizabeth Dole — big advocate for veteran caregivers — stands nearby to say her final goodbyes. Spare a thought today for the other vet caregivers who face the same challenges but don’t often get the public recognition.
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.
@PeteButtigieg
invokes his service in Afghanistan in his closing statement, says he wants to end "endless wars." Only one to touch on that in these final remarks.
#DemDebate
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Breaking now:
@DeptVetAffairs
concedes that Trump’s Mar-A-Lago three had “unusually persuasive access” to senior VA officials. Stems from the pending
@votevets
lawsuit against the prior administration
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Mattis' new book is out today -- here's what's inside:
-- Nothing substantial on his time as SecDef
-- Plenty of complaints about Obama
-- His plan to lay a trap for Iranian pilots
-- How to use Legos as a war planning tool
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While I wish it was under very different circumstances, it has been great to hang out the last few days with what feels like everyone in the DC vets advocacy community. It’s been too long since I’ve gotten to look eye to eye with a lot of these folks, thanks to covid.
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Second veterans coalition is out today with a letter to House/Senate Vet Affairs and House Ethics asking for an ethics investigation into
@RepDanCrenshaw
's connection to the
@SecWilkie
scandal (and top
@DeptVetAffairs
leaders' resignations). Background:
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Afghan War vet
@DanCrenshawTX
gets the last laugh, wins his Texas race and is headed to Congress. Maybe he'll get a guest host invite to SNL next?
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This seems crazy. GOP majority calls out Dem
@RepRubenGallego
for "disgracing" the service of
@SecretaryZinke
during questioning today by saying that Navy SEALs aren't good at math. Edits out where Zinke says "semper fi" back to Gallego for the intraservice dig.
Leave it to Committee Democrats to disgrace the service of a Navy SEAL for political gain...
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Big news --
@DeptVetAffairs
will follow
@DeptofDefense
's lead on expanding IVF services to unmarried couples and allow donated eggs for couples who need them.
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American Samoa delivers its delegate votes at the
#DNCConvention
with what appears to be two uniformed service members in the background, which is potentially a problem.
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GOP rep from Nebraska, retired Air Force Brigadier General, reacting to Trump's address from the WH moments ago.
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Neller: "Marines need to understand that using social media to denigrate others ... is not just against who we are, it's illegal."
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.
@DeptVetAffairs
official
#coronavirus
case counts continue to be problematic. For example: they have the Cleveland VAMC at 94 cases and 2 deaths. Internal memos have 125 cases and 16 deaths. Local officials have blamed it on reporting lag, but that's a huge difference in deaths.
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Terrorists etched into the doors of the Capitol the words "murder the media."
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Capitol Police officer killed in Wednesday's violence was an Air National Guard vet. Flags flying at half-staff on Capitol Hill today to honor his service. With
@StephenLosey
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#PACTAct
vets outside the Capitol hearing the good news about 5pm vote series today.
@johnfeal2
warns vets that even with a win, their fight isn’t over, and to watch their own mental health in days to come.
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Strong condemnation of Tucker Carlson from
@iava
's
@KaitHetrick
just now: “His remarks are an example of the ignorance around how women serve this country every day and the unfortunate lack of respect for the over 500,000 female veterans who have deployed since 9/11.”
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Big deal for
@PeteButtigieg
’s campaign. This is the largest veterans/military voice within the Democratic Party, builds on his recent poll momentum.
And we’re proud to stand with you
@PeteButtigieg
, and fight side-by-side with you to restore true leadership in the Oval Office!
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We're 8 senators into questioning at Robert Wilkie's VA confirmation hearing. So far, zero questions on:
-- his work on Jesse Helms' staff that critics called racially biased
-- his past affiliation with the Sons of the Confederacy
-- his work on Trump's transgender policy
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The Senate just confirmed Kathleen Hicks as the new deputy defense secretary in a unanimous consent vote.
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.
@SenSchumer
: "We expect to have an agreement on
#PACTAct
today, start voting at 5pm and pass this evening."
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GOP members on the House Oversight Committee are strongly against using medical marijuana to help veterans with mental health issues, strongly for using faith-based support programs to help with them. VA officials agreeing.
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The House takes up legislative business at 2pm, which includes the VA VACCINE Act, which would allow VA medical centers to vaccinate all vets and caregivers. Currently only vets eligible for VA medical care can get it. Bipartisan support for the bill.
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Austin, on the rules blocking transgender individuals from serving/enlisting in the military: "I support the plan to overturn the ban. I truly believe that if you're a fit and you're qualified to serve and you can maintain the standards, you should be allowed to serve."
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Just so we're clear:
- Military got a 2.4% pay raise in January. Biggest since 2010, but there was raise of at least 1% every year in between.
- Trump's White House asked for a smaller pay raise for 2018, 2.1%. Congress overrode him.
- 2.4% mark keeps pace with civilian wages.
Trump lies: "We just got you a big pay raise. First time in 10 years. We got you a big pay increase. First time in OVER 10 years."
Troops have received pay increases every year. This raise is not as big as the one eight years ago under Obama.
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Breaking news: All veterans, spouses and caregivers will be eligible to get
#coronavirus
vaccines through
@DeptVetAffairs
under legislation finalized by Congress today.
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Candidate Trump promised a White House hotline for veterans complaints. So far, there's no sign of one being set up.
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GOP rep from Illinois who deployed to the US southern border with the Air National Guard in early 2019, referring to the president's speech from the WH moments ago.
We want every vote counted, yes every legal vote (of course). But, if you have legit concerns about fraud present EVIDENCE and take it to court. STOP Spreading debunked misinformation... This is getting insane.
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FYI, there are still tens of thousands of military absentee ballots to be counted.
#Election2020
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To the reader who sent me a link to my own story and asked why there isn't media coverage of this issue:
Happy holidays.
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Sizable group of high school protestors (on gun control) between the Capitol and Supreme Court right now. Steady stream coming from Union Station.
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Happy third anniversary to Nick Foles establishing himself as the greatest QB in NFL history no I will not be taking any follow-ups thank you.
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In case you missed it last night: More frustration for advocates as the Senate leaves town without taking up legislation to get the Medal of Honor to Alwyn Cashe
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Reminder for vets following news this week: The Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7. Call 1-800-273-8255 and select option 1 for a VA staffer. Veterans, troops or their families members can also text 838255 or visit
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Bad news, folks: Our newsroom is being placed under citizens arrest for treason, via email. Unclear if we'll be able to keep filing stories today.
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Over the last four years, there were protests nearly every week over various policy/political issues at the Capitol complex. And they were peaceful. Never saw anyone take a swing at Capitol cops or try and knock them over to rush the buildings. Today is an attempt at mob rule.
I just had to evacuate my office because of a pipe bomb reported outside. Supporters of the President are trying to force their way into the Capitol and I can hear what sounds like multiple gunshots. (1/2)
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