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Four days ago, at the left-wing Peoples Summit in Chicago, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) ended a speech to 4,000-odd activists with a 15-minute Q&A. The final question dealt with the political anger that Democrats, according to Sanders, had failed to grapple with in 2016. The lefts response to that anger was obvious: It had to be channeled into constructive change.

All over this country, there are people who are furious, Sanders said. Those people are angry, and what Trump has done is take that anger and say: The reason you are hurting is because some Mexican guy is picking strawberries for $8 an hour. Thats your problem. Theres a Muslim over there thats your problem. Our job is to bring people together and say: If you are angry because your standard of living is going down, because youre working longer hours for lower wages, youre worried about your kids, you should be angry. But take your anger out on the right people.

The crowd roared its approval. Our jobis to talk to people about the role Wall Street plays, the role the fossil-fuel industry plays, the role that the Koch brothers play, Sanders said. Our job is to take that anger and transform it into a constructive role, to take on the ruling class of this country that has done us so much harm.

Sitting in the audience, I tweeted the line that had started the most applause.

Wednesday, after news spread that the man suspected of shooting at members of Congress and security details at the House Republicans baseball practice had supported Sanders for president, I noticed the tweet circulating more widely than it had Saturday. Several Twitter users cited the quote without the source and sent links from conservative writers who are adept at amplifying news and quotes from social media. Earlier in the day, by chance, Ben Shapiro quoted the tweet in National Review as an example of the leftembracing a national pathology of anger.

But Sanders, who condemned Wednesdays attack on the Senate floor, had been clear. There was never any suggestion that political anger needed to be channeled into violence. A 2011 statement from Sanders on the shooting of Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffordsthat made the rounds Wednesday and was held up as proof of hypocrisy was largely a rundown of incidents in whichDemocrats felt threatened and a call on Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to denounce the increasingly violent rhetoric coming from the right-wing and exert his influence to create a civil political environment.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said he was "sickened" after learning that James T. Hodgkinson, accused of shooting Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and others on June 14, volunteered for his 2016 presidential campaign. (U.S. House of Representatives)

The search for an example of Sanders calling for actual violence was fruitless part of a snipe hunt that sometimes citedthe rush in 2011 to link the Giffords shooting, carried out by a man diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, to right-wing politics. James Hodgkinson, the shooter Wednesday in Virginia, had left a long trail of left-wing political opinions, from an appearance at a 2011 Occupy rally to memberships in anti-Trump Facebook groups. Former House speaker Newt Gingrich and Donald Trump Jr. were among the Republicans linking offensive portrayals of Trump, including comedian Kathy Griffins pose with a severed Trump head, to the shooting.

The intensity is very real, Gingrich said on Fox News, whether its a so-called comedian holding up the presidents head covered in blood or right here in New York City, a play that shows the president being assassinated, or its Democratic leading national politicians using vulgarity because they cant find any common language to talk.

Also on Wednesday, some in conservative media gilded the lily. A headline at the Drudge Report read Gunman: Kill as many Republicans as possible. That was a quote from Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.) describing what he thought the gunmans motivation had been, not a quote from the gunman. The editor of the conservative Vessel News shared a video by former attorney general Loretta E. Lynch and asked whether the shooter had heeded her call for blood on the streets. In reality, Lynch was referring to civil rights protesters who bled and died.

Politicians in Washington responded to the attack on the Republican baseball team on June 14 with messages of grief, gratitude and unity. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

Jack Posobiec, aright-wing activist and author who has asked (but not gotten answers to) questions at White House news briefings, tweeted a January story about Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) encouraging liberals to fight the Trump administration in the streets; even without context, it was a clear reference to protests.

Posobiec also drew attention to @OfficialAntifa, a hoax account that claimed anti-fascists were celebrating the shooting. That was on brand; in January, BuzzFeeds Joe Bernstein cited leaked text messages to show that Posobiec had worked to discredit Trump protesters byblending in and using violent slogans.

Other conservatives condemned the rush to blame the left for the shooting. Neither Bernie Sanders, nor any person or faction associated with him that I can tell, supports violence as of means of pursuing political objectives, David Harsanyiwrote in the Federalist. Sanders has zero responsibility for Hodgkinsons actions.

But as the day went on, the more popular sentiments on the right were focused on whetherthe broader left deserved blame for the shootings. The Democrat base voter who shot up the Republican Congress today in Virginia, he was a mainstream Democrat voter, said Rush Limbaugh on the Wednesday episode of his show. He was not a Looney Tune kook burger.

Excerpt from:
Conservative voices blame Alexandria shooting on Democrats and the left - Washington Post

Rep. Bobby Scott, the top Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, said Thursday that there was "broad bipartisan support" to expand apprenticeship programs, a policy that the White House has been pushing throughout the week.

"There is broad bipartisan support ... The challenge is that you need some sort of accountability," the Virginia Democrat said. He said he had several concerns over the potential direction of the policy and said the current standards for accountability in the government's existing apprenticeship programs should be maintained.

"What our input [to the administration] has been is to not re-invent the wheel," Scott said.

Scott was reacting to reports that Trump intends to limit or remove oversight of the funding as part of his reforms.

The lawmaker appeared with other lawmakers at the signing of an executive order Thursday by President Trump on expanding apprenticeships. "We are empowering these companies, these unions, industry groups, federal agencies to go out and create new apprenticeships for millions of our citizens. Apprenticeships place students into great jobs without the crippling debt of traditional four-year college degrees," the president said.

At the ceremony, Trump thanked Scott and Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., for "car[ing] so deeply about this effort." Scott's office emphasized that he had not been involved in drafting the order and had not seen a draft prior to the ceremony. The order had not been posted on the White House's website Thursday afternoon.

Asked if he supported the executive order, Scott demurred, saying there still "uncertainties" regarding the president's policy. "We would expect some minimum standards and accountability to the government if it is federal money."

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'Broad bipartisan support' on apprenticeships, Democrat Scott says - Washington Examiner

In a news conference in which they repeatedly discussed their concern about vitriolic partisan division, the managers of the Democratic and Republican teams for the Congressional Baseball Game declared that the game will go on.

Members of Congress will play each other in the decades-old game at Nationals Park on Thursday evening as scheduled. Attendees at the game will be asked to contribute to a charity supporting the families of police officers killed in the line of duty, in recognition of Wednesdays shooting which left two officers wounded, in addition to the three planned charities which support D.C. children.

Were not going to let incidents like this change our way of life or our daily routine. Were going to go ahead and play the ballgame, Democratic manager Rep. Michael Doyle (Pa.) said.

Those not attending the game can also donate online and may be able to watch the game on C-SPAN. In recent years, the game has raised more than a half-million dollars annually for local charities.

Doyle expressed hope that the congressmen showing the nation their lighthearted, united side as they play a summer game of baseball together would set a meaningful example. When the leadership of this country is civil to each other, maybe the country will be civil, too, and the news media will be civil, he said. We can change the mood of this country.

Republican manager Rep. Joe Barton (Tex.) said many of Congresss long-standing institutions aim to promote respect despite differences, from the baseball game to the language used on the House and Senate floors. You can be intensely political without being personal. A lot of the traditions of the House are designed to defuse personal animosity: the gentleman from Pennsylvania, my good friend from Texas.

He blamed numerous modern trends on eroding that bonhomie including harsher political ads demonizing members of Congress, members traveling more frequently to their districts rather than spending time getting to know each other outside of work hours, and the instantaneous news updates available online.

The managers also offered assurance that Nationals Park will be highly secure Thursday night, and said that perhaps in future years, the teams should beef up security at their practices.

I bet you most members of Congress would tell you they dont want any personal detail. I certainly dont. Ive never felt unsafe here or in Pittsburgh, Doyle said. But I do think when you have a situation where you have 20 or 30 or 40 members of Congress all in one place, in a completely open place that anybody can walk straight through, I do think maybe we should be rethinking that a little bit.

There was a Capitol Police officer present, parked in a car about 500 feet away, during the Democrats practice this morning too, Doyle said. The Republican practice had two officers, out of their car, because Scalise, as the majority whip, has a security detail.

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The baseball game will go on, Democrat and GOP managers say in joint conference - Washington Post

The poll, conducted by the Republican Trafalgar Group, was completed on Tuesday eveningbefore Wednesday mornings shooting of Rep. Steven Scalise (R-LA), staffers, a lobbyist, and two Capitol Hill Police at a Republican Congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia.

It is unclear what impact that shooting will have on the outcome of the election, which will be held next Tuesday.

The race has become the most expensive in American political history. Ossoff has raised over $23 million, while Handel has raised about $4.5 million, according to Federal Election filings covering the period ending on May 31. In addition, a number of SuperPACs and other organizations have spent money on behalf or against both candidates.

One poll released on Tuesdayshowed the race tied, butthe Real Clear Politics Average of Polls, which includes Wednesdays Trafalgar Group poll, gives Ossoff a slight 3.2 percent edge.

News of the shooting of Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), several staffers, and two members of the Capitol Police at a practice of the Republican Congressional baseball team at a field in Alexandria, Virginia on Wednesday morning shocked both campaigns.

Handels campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Hodgkinsons Facebook post. Earlier on Wednesday morning, Handel tweeted that she and her husband were sending our thoughts & prayers to Rep. Scalise, Capitol Police, staff, & everyone affected by this horrific attack, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported:

Handel has canceled her public events for tonight.

Her Democratic opponent, Jon Ossoff, described the Facebook post as sickening.

I condemn this appalling act of violence committed, obviously, by a disturbed individual, Ossoff said. The country is united right now in our prayers for those who are fighting for their lives and our appreciation of those who saved lives.

Numerous reports indicated that the alleged shooter, James Thomas Hodgkinson, was a supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and posted a number of statements on social media indicating a hatred for President Trump.

Hodgkinson local newspaper, the Belleville News-Democrat, reported that he frequently wrote letters to the paper protesting against Republicans and tax policies and supporting the legalization of marijuana, the Journal Constitution reported:

Trumps election as president was disturbing to Hodgkinson, who had also traveled recently to Washington to participate in protests, his brother told the New York Times.

I know he wasnt happy with the way things were going, the election results and stuff, Michael Hodgkinson said

Hodgkinson also apparently worked as a volunteer with Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders campaign and filed a number posts on Facebook opposing Trump, according to the Journal Constitution.

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Poll: Democrat Ossoff up by Three in Georgia Special Election, Impact of Shooting on Race a Wild Card - Breitbart News

WASHINGTON -- Democratic lawmakers are suing President Trump over foreign money flowing into his global business empire.

Almost 200 senators and representatives are plaintiffs in a lawsuit alleging Trump is violating the so-called emoluments clause of the Constitution. It's being filed early Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the lawmakers said.

The plaintiffs argue they have standing to sue because the clause says only Congress may approve foreign gifts and payments.

"The framers gave Congress a unique role, a unique right and responsibility," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat who helped organize the lawsuit.

Although Mr. Trump turned over control of his real estate development, management and marketing company to his adult sons and a senior executive, he did not divest from it. That means he stands to benefit financially from the Trump Organization's profits, including from foreign governments.

Since he's become president, the Trump Organization has secured dozens of potentially valuable patents, including in China, and collected fees from lobbyists working for Saudi Arabia and other countries using his properties.

The new suit - the third of its kind - says the full scope of foreign payments to the Trump Organization cannot be known because the president has not made his tax returns public.

Earlier this week, two Democratic attorneys general filed a similar claim. Days after Mr. Trump's inauguration in January, a liberal-funded government watchdog group filed an emoluments lawsuit. A restaurant group and two individuals in the hotel industry later joined as co-plaintiffs.

Mr. Trump and the Justice Department have called these lawsuits baseless. They argue the clause isn't intended to prevent normal business such as hotel payments and real estate transactions.

"The President's business interests do not violate the Emoluments Clause, for reasons explained at length in DOJ's filing on Friday night in the CREW case. This lawsuit appears to be just another politically motivated iteration of that case," said a senior White House official. "The White House will review the Complaint, but we expect that DOJ will move to dismiss this case in the ordinary course. This is another example of the Democrats playing political games instead of working for the American people they were elected to serve."

Rep. John Conyers, a Michigan Democrat, said he and Blumenthal have amassed the "greatest number of congressional plaintiffs on any lawsuit against a president." He said they're taking the action "not out of any sense of pleasure or partisanship but because President Trump has left us with no other option."

Ahead of the filing, only Democrats were asked to sign on, but Blumenthal and Conyers plan to send letters to their Republican colleagues Wednesday asking them to join the effort.

The Washington Post points out that, "The 37-page congressional complaint contends that the nation's founders were concerned that foreign powers could interfere with American affairs. The suit says that the founders were particularly worried that 'foreign states would give benefits and rewards to the nation's chief executive to subvert his loyalty.'

"As a result, they wrote the emoluments clause of the Constitution with language 'both sweeping and unqualified,"' the lawmakers' lawsuit says."

2017 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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Congressional Democrats suing Trump over foreign payments - CBS News