Madison Cawthorn Move Over, AOC ... I'm the Youngest Rep. Now!!!
Madison Cawthorn is only 25 years old, but that didn't stop him from being elected to represent North Carolina's 11th Congressional District ... making him the youngest member of the House in modern U.S. history.
Cawthorn -- a staunch Republican who's anti-abortion, pro-gun and shares President Trump's views on immigrants -- defeated Democrat Moe Davis for the seat ... according to CNN's projection.
His first message to his constituents after his historic victory was a sharp jab across the aisle -- "Cry more, lib." It's the kinda football spiking that would make Trump proud.
Before Cawthorn, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's win in New York in 2018 made her the youngest female elected member in modern history at 29 years, 2 months and 22 days.
However, the new NC Rep. isn't the youngest Congressman of all time ... that title belongs to William Charles Cole Claiborne of Tennessee, elected in 1797 at age 22 despite not meeting the constitutional age requirement.
Rules. NBD in the 18th century.
BTW, if Cawthorn looks familiar, it might be because you remember him from a maskless meeting with Trump back in July shortly after the Prez said it was "patriotic" to wear a mask amid the pandemic.
So, Cawthorn will be in D.C., but we'll see if his pal, 45, joins him.
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Patrick Mahomes & Foundation Split $100k Cost To Make Arrowhead Stadium a Polling Place
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Props to Patrick Mahomes -- who, along with his foundation, split the $100,000 cost to turn Arrowhead Stadium into a polling place.
Mahomes said he brought up the idea to Chiefs' president Mark Donovan -- but one of the issues they faced was funding the cost of additional voting machines.
KC QB Patrick Mahomes split the cost of opening Arrowhead Stadium as a polling place today. Here's why he did it. #HuddleAndFlow pic.twitter.com/IFE12UQkU1
— Jim Trotter (@JimTrotter_NFL) November 3, 2020 @JimTrotter_NFL
So, Mahomes (along with his 15 and the Mahomies foundation) and the Chiefs reportedly agreed to split the $100,000 cost to turn Arrowhead into a voting location.
"I thought it was very important, not only just to get as many people out to vote as possible, but also to use a place as Arrowhead where we have a lot of fun, show a lot of love and unity with people are coming together, and use it as a place where we can come together to vote and use our voice," Mahomes said Tuesday to Jim Trotter on the "Huddle & Flow" podcast.
"I thought Arrowhead was the perfect place for it, and the Chiefs were all aboard with it and some other guys on the team, we all just made our efforts strong and really got it to be a central point for everybody to go vote."
The good news ... Arrowhead got a pretty decent turnout -- with multiple Chiefs players and head coach Andy Reid stopping by to cast their votes.
Andy Reid and Mark Donovan cast their ballots this morning at Arrowhead Stadium! #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/OT98OZEtjV
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 3, 2020 @Chiefs
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Election Protection Hotline Sees Surge of Calls for 2020 ... Alleged Voter Intimidation
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A professional hotline dedicated to reporting funny business at the polls was inundated with calls alleging voter intimidation this election cycle ... far surpassing anything they saw 4 years ago.
Election Protection is a safe haven for whistleblowers who see something fishy or downright illegal at polling places all over the country -- and according to the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (a nonprofit that manages the hotline) ... 2020 was crazy busy.
A rep for the Lawyers' Committee tells TMZ ... since the month of October, their collection of 40k-plus legal volunteers fielded upwards of 115k calls about potential voter suppression -- which pales in comparison to the total 150k or so calls they got for the ENTIRE year in 2016.
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As of this past weekend -- when early voting was in full swing in a majority of states -- we're told EP got a call from out from Hanover, VA about what appeared to be a militia group holding a parade in front of a polling place ... which freaked out some people.
Lawyers' Committee adds that officials on the scene noted there were BLM counter-protesters on hand too -- and that voters were feeling uneasy about the whole thing in general. We're told local authorities were alerted to check it out and make sure nobody was being harassed.
On Tuesday, Lawyers' Committee tells us they received several calls regarding alleged voter intimidation in Florida ... from counties like Hillsborough, Brevard, Palm Beach and more. In Orange County, we're told they got a report of 5 pickup trucks blocking the entrance to a polling place there ... something Election Protection says they flagged to officials.
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There are more incidents they were made aware of on Election Day, including pollsters taking temp checks in Virginia -- which some folks thought was meant to keep people from voting -- as well as a heavy reliance on paper ballots, misappropriated voting machines and delayed opening times at polling places in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Ohio and other states.
The point here is that Election Protection -- despite being flooded with calls -- was dedicated to making sure people have a fair shot to cast their ballots. And, their cause has gotten the backing of some big-name celebs, like Chelsea Handler ... who recently plugged 'em.
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Joe Biden Looks Like We're Gonna Win!!! Pres. Trump Calling Foul
Joe Biden is feeling good about his chances to win the Presidency -- or at least he did shortly before 1 AM ET, when he addressed his supporters ... but President Trump is saying not so fast.
The former Vice President made his early morning speech in Wilmington, DE, telling the socially-distanced crowd he thinks he's "on track" to get the W ... once all the mail-in ballots and early votes are counted in swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Biden also tried to warn that final count is gonna take a while. He thanked Americans for being patient ... acknowledging what most experts are saying -- with so many ballots to be counted in multiple states, neither candidate will get to 270 electoral college votes Tuesday night ... or even Wednesday morning.
Joe says his campaign feels really good about its projected early lead in the race for 270 electoral votes, citing Fox News' projected flip of Arizona from red to blue.
We are up BIG, but they are trying to STEAL the Election. We will never let them do it. Votes cannot be cast after the Polls are closed!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 4, 2020 @realDonaldTrump
Trump is pushing a far different narrative ... the Prez tweeted his campaign is actually winning and he's accusing the Democrats of "trying to STEAL the Election."
Trump's saying votes can't be cast after the polls are closed. He wasn't specific about where that alleged cheating was happening. However, Biden's mainly banking on early voting and mail-in ballots for the bulk of his votes ... so, Trump's beef might be a moot.
Twitter's already flagged the President's tweet as potentially being "misleading" -- which is sure to piss him off even more.
Buckle up, the next few days are gonna be a wild ride.
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2020 Election Poll-Stressing Americans ... Time to Meditate!!!
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Americans freaking out through this volatile election season -- the most crucial of our lifetimes -- are drawing up self-care plans, and leaning into meditation to combat their anxiety and stress.
Health and wellness apps are seeing unprecedented spikes in activity this week ... which is good for biz, but ain't so pretty for citizens. For instance, honchos at Aura -- a meditation app with 4 million users -- tell us anti-anxiety usage was up 50% on election day. Anti-stress usage also spiked by 35% on Tuesday, but it was up a whopping 70% over the last month!!
By the way, anxiety is general worry about something -- while stress is brought on by something specific, and can lead to physical strain. Basically, stress is worse for ya, long term.
Now, over at Headspace, due to, not just politics, but also the coronavirus pandemic ... they're offering meditation resources for free. They say 65 percent of their users say they're anxious about politics, which actually edged out COVID-19 ... a mere 60 percent are worrying about that.
It's no wonder a recent survey found 52 percent of Americans believe their mental health has suffered as a result of the presidential election. The good news is that, depending on who ya voted for, that number might start plummeting as of Wednesday.
Until it does, mediation might be helping more people hold it together than ya think. Namaste.
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Offset Feeding ATL Voters Waiting at Polls ... Crunch (& Munch) Time!!!
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Offset's got an appetite to help people exercising their Constitutional right ... by hooking them up with free grub.
The Migos rapper hit up 3 polling locations Tuesday in Gwinnett and Fulton counties with some major back-up -- food trucks from The Slutty Vegan and Big Dave's ... a couple of ATL staples famous for their cheesesteaks.
Offset partnered with The Lincoln Project and AXSD Media to feed folks in line waiting to cast their vote ... helping to ensure turnout is maximized for what could be the most consequential election ever.
Offset got on the back of a truck, grabbed a bullhorn and talked about his excitement in voting for the first time ever.
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Offset dove headfirst into the election following an informative roundtable discussion last weekend with T.I. and activists Lee Merritt and Bakari Sellers. They discussed, among other things, the importance of Black male voters encouraging each other to turn out the vote.
If ya can feed people who show up to vote ... major bonus!
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Lil Pump I'm All About Trump Miss Me With MAGA Hate!!!
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11/3/2020
Lil Pump is blocking out haters who don't like his political views ... he's focusing on what 4 more years of President Trump means for him, and he's loving it!!!
We got the rapper pulling up to Trump's Washington D.C. hotel on Election Day in a red Ferrari, and he's feeling super confident about the Prez winning re-election.
Lil Pump's been catching tons of flak since endorsing Trump, seemingly because of not wanting to pay more in taxes under Joe Biden, but he told us he's ignoring the noise, and couldn't care less what critics have to say.
As you know ... Trump brought Lil Pump up on stage Monday night at his final campaign stop in Grand Rapids, MI, where 45 called the rapper "Little Pimp." Faux pas aside, Pump says he had an "amazing" time on the campaign trail, and even envisions a future in politics.
Check out the clip ... Lil Pump makes his own argument why other rappers should hop on board the Trump train.
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2020 Election TX Early Voter Back to Help Others ... Houston, We Have Snacks!!!
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The Texas woman who was super prepared to wait in a long line to cast her ballot early is helping her fellow voters on Election Day ... by providing sustenance.
As we reported ... Belinda Varnado's patriotism and determination were on full display last month in a TikTok where she showed off her early voting survival kit ... including a comfy chair and plenty of snacks.
SHE READY pic.twitter.com/zLWQbSMljH
— Meena Harris (@meenaharris) October 15, 2020 @meenaharris
Belinda told us her video was meant to be a guide for seniors like her on being prepared for long lines at the polls ... and stressed the importance of voting this year along with her daughter, Chevelle Brooks.
The women are practicing what they preach because they made their way to the Toyota Center in Houston on Tuesday -- a major polling site in the city -- to hand out drinks and snacks and help people braving the long lines.
As you can see ... Belinda's her usual charismatic self, bringing that "jush," and both she and Chevelle are prepared to stay there to encourage voting until the polls close.
The mother-daughter duo tells us it's important for them to help because early voting had slowed down in the state, so they knew there would be a mad rush to vote Tuesday.
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Kanye West My First Vote, Ever ... And It's For Me!!!
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2:29 PM PT -- Interestingly enough, while Kim didn't disclose who she voted for ... her social media activity might have given some clues. She liked a tweet from Kamala Harris about voting and another tweet from Kid Cudi that read, "Vote for Biden if you a real one."
Kanye West just hit the polls and cast his vote for the candidate he truly trusts ... himself.
The rapper made his vote count Tuesday in Park County, Wyoming, where he wrote-in himself and running-mate, Michelle Tidball, for President and Vice President. Remember, they're running independent, under the Birthday Party ... according to candidate Ye.
Kanye shot video of himself submitting his ballot with the caption, "KEEP BELIEVING KANYE 2020. Thank you Jesus Christ." He tweeted a similar video that also said, "The first vote of my life. We are here to serve. We pray for every servant leader in the world."
Sounds odd, but Kanye -- who is currently running for POTUS -- revealed a couple years ago he'd never voted. Writing yourself in for the top spot on the ballot is one hell of a way to exercise your Constitutional right!
Ye's political journey didn't come without bumps in the road ... from getting tons of shade from celebs and being called a narcissist ... to losing a battle to get on the Wisconsin ballot. He was also widely accused of being in cahoots with the GOP to run a spoiler campaign.
Not long ago ... Kanye appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast and revealed he was open to running for California Gov. if it helped him get his political feet wet. That being said, he insisted the presidency is his ultimate goal, even if it meant having to try again in 2024. He also didn't rule out running as a Democrat.
BTW ... Kim just moments ago also revealed she hit the polls, though she didn't reveal whether or not she voted for Kanye.
Originally published -- 1:20 PM PT
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Bill Barr Election Day Plans ... Steak Lunch and a Quiet Night
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Attorney General Bill Barr doesn't seem to be on edge like most of the country -- he looks pretty chill after lunch ... and he believes Americans will be chill on election night too.
We got AG Barr leaving the Capital Grille in D.C. Tuesday afternoon, and he tells us he just chowed down on a steak. He looks pretty happy about his meal choice.
The head of the U.S. Department of Justice also tells us he's confident things will remain peaceful as votes are tallied in the 2020 presidential election ... despite the fact the federal government has spent millions on security in anticipation of violence.
As we've reported ... businesses in D.C. and other major cities from coast-to-coast have also been boarding up all week in fear of unrest, regardless of the election results.
Even apartment complexes and banks have sent letters to their residents and customers warning them of potential ugliness due to the contentious election, but as you can see ... Bill's not visibly sweating it.
Of course, it's likely he'll be attending the party at The White House later tonight, and as you know ... that place is being protected like Fort Knox.
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Ahmaud Arbery Mom Voting for Biden-Harris ... Near Where Son Got Killed
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1:38 PM PT -- Wanda Cooper was in selfie-mode after casting her ballot at the polls -- she snapped a photo of herself, with her "I Voted" sticker prominently displayed. Wanda was also wearing a "Justice for Ahmaud" shirt.
Ahmaud Arbery's mother had a face-to-face with President Trump over the killing of her son -- but she still isn't voting for him, as she casts her ballot in the same city where her child was killed.
Wanda Cooper tells TMZ ... she's currently en route to Brunswick, GA to vote -- which is about a 3-hour drive for her. Wanda says she's still registered in Glynn County, but she doesn't live there anymore after relocating the fam in the wake of Ahmaud's death.
Brunswick is the city where Ahmaud was gunned down by the McMichaels in February -- and Wanda tells us it's important she votes there to honor him. As for who she's backing ... Wanda says she's voting for Biden-Harris, and adds Ahmaud would've done the same.
A GREAT woman. Her son is looking down from heaven & is very proud of his wonderful & loving mom!!! https://t.co/ZzKUbjlOOT
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 17, 2020 @realDonaldTrump
It's interesting ... Wanda actually met with Trump earlier this year to discuss Ahmaud and other race-related issues, and she had a pretty glowing review of how it went afterward.
At the time, Wanda said POTUS was compassionate and receptive to her story ... and the conference appeared to have gone well by most accounts.
But, Wanda doesn't believe he's lived up to a commitment of bridging the racial divide in this country. She says Trump's public comments on BLM and other issues pertaining to the Black community make her feel like what she said to him didn't really help after all.
Enter Biden ... whom Wanda says has won her over with his message of unity, and she believes he'll bring about real change. Moreover, she admires his backing of love and respect -- something she says Ahmaud also valued.
One last thing ... Wanda says Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic hasn't done him any favors, in her eyes. She says he hasn't shown remorse for those who've lost their lives -- another reason she's not backing him.
Originally Published -- 8:29 AM PT
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Claudia Jordan, Too Short We Are Not Pro-Trump ... Black Celebs Press Release is Fake News!!!
President Trump is garnering public support from some black celebrities and hip-hop artists, but Claudia Jordan and Too Short want everyone to know they're not part of that group ... despite a very misleading press release.
Here's the deal -- a press release went out Monday about Trump inviting a "prominent group of African-American actors and entertainers" to the White House in December to discuss issues facing the Black community and the President's proposed Platinum Plan.
According to the announcement, the December meeting would be attended by the stars of an upcoming documentary called "Trump vs. Hollywood" -- including rappers Eric B., Money-B, actor Isaiah Washington and the film's director, Daphne Barak. The documentary seems to be very pro-Trump.
That's where Claudia and Too Short come in, as their names are listed as being part of "Trump vs. Hollywood" alongside names of some well-known Trump supporters ... like Kid Rock, Dean Cain and Scott Baio.
It definitely reads like all of the celebs are endorsing the Prez, but as both the 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star and the rapper point out ... that's not the case.
They both say they were asked to do an interview by Barak and agreed to it, but in no way does that mean they support Trump. Claudia says the film director presented it as talking to people on both sides of the political aisle.
Too Short adds that he's about to go vote -- NOT for Trump -- and says in the past few weeks he's also been asked to fly to D.C. to meet with Trump or hop on a phone call with someone on his team.
He says he rejected both offers and, without naming names, throws some serious shade at fellow rappers who have taken the Trump meeting for what he believes is just a photo op.
Too Short's claim echoes what Rich The Kid recently said too -- that Trump tried to send him a private jet to fly him to his Michigan rally to buy his support.
Claudia says this all appears to be a "mad dash" to get black rappers to endorse Trump, but she and Too Short are warning everyone ... don't be fooled.
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Hinge, Tinder, Grindr Swipe Right, Vote Left ... Let's Hook Up & Talk Election!!!
Imagine opening up Hinge, Tinder or Grindr and the other person's opening line being ... who ya voting for? That's exactly what's happening ... especially in battleground states.
Tons of people are reportedly flooding to those datings apps to get users to the polls -- and that's not a euphemism. Specifically, Hinge users/poll pushers are changing their geolocations to battleground states like Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Michigan, Texas and Arizona.
Once there, users set up their profile and do what they can to attract a match ... going as far as posting tons of pictures with furry animals, for example. Once they match, they talk voting and ask if they've settled on a presidential candidate yet. According to CNN ... users reportedly try to persuade undecided voters to Joe Biden but they also respect those who have settled on President Trump.
Some people have called this operation #DateSaveAmerica ... and while some users told CNN they've lucked out and had meaningful conversations about the election, others have said they were turned off when the convo turned to politics.
It's not the first time dating apps have turned political. Back in 2018, the Washington Post reported Tinder users had a similar plan for the midterm elections.
While it's easy for a Hinge user in California to change their location to a battleground state, it's not so easy on Tinder and Grindr. Their users have to pay for premium service to do that.
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Trump & Biden Send in Their Celebrity Closers ... 'Lil Pimp,' Lady Gaga, John & Chrissy
President Trump and Joe Biden brought in some of their famous friends to close out election eve ... but it was Trump who might need some reacquainting with his buddy, Lil Pimp ... AKA, Lil Pump.
The rapper was at DT's final campaign stop Monday night in Grand Rapids, MI -- where the President actually invited him up at one point to say a few words. The problem ... POTUS seemed to forget the guy's name -- that, or he mispronounced it on purpose.
Check it out ... Trump actually introduced him as LIL PIMP!!! And no, we're not kidding. He correctly said his name shortly afterward, as LP made his way up to the podium.
Once there, he awkwardly asked how the crowd was doing -- stopping himself from saying "y'all" and pivoting to "you guys" -- and then thanked Trump because he "brought the troops home" before riling himself and the crowd up by telling them not to vote for "Sleepy Joe."
Trump was loving it, and sorry ... but the juxtaposition of Pump and the Prez is still an odd scene.
Meanwhile, over in Pennsylvania ... the Biden-Harris campaign decided to tap Lady Gaga and John Legend, respectively, as their ultimate fighters/music acts to encourage people to vote. Gaga performed for Biden in Pittsburgh, and John piano'd it up for Kamala in Philly.
John's wife, Chrissy Teigen, was also there ... and made occasional visits to the stage to help stump with her husband. He performed "Glory" with Common, "Wake Up Everybody" and other songs, while Gaga sang "Shallow," "You and I" and more tunes of hers.
Very different approaches from both sides -- time will tell which proved more effective.
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Election Night Security Feds Spending Big Buck$$$ Country Bracing for Violence
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There's deep concern for what will happen tonight and beyond in the streets of America, regardless of who wins the Presidential election, and we've learned the feds have spent millions to protect the candidates and the building they want to live in.
According to federal docs obtained by TMZ, the Secret Service has dished out $2.6 million in security expenses to protect Donald Trump and Joe Biden tonight -- money earmarked for contractors who specialize in setting up secure perimeters at political events.
One company, Arcus Group LLC, is raking in $988,788 to secure the perimeter of the White House on Election Night. Another company, Showcall Security Services will collect $1.6 mil to keep Joe Biden safe in Delaware Tuesday night.
Each company will construct barriers and walls to keep people out. As you've seen by now, the perimeter of The White House has already been fortified.
Cities across the U.S. are also preparing for the worst ... businesses from Washington D.C. to Beverly Hills have been boarded up out of fear of potential unrest. Police forces have beefed up their operations as well, bringing in additional officers and reinforcements.
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Election 2020 Companies Giving Paid Time Off ... Helps a Million Workers
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Nearly 900 companies are giving employees paid time off to vote this year, making it much easier for 1 million Americans to cast their ballots ... TMZ has learned.
If you haven't noticed, the push for voter turnout has been a big deal for the 2020 election, and ElectionDay.org is one of the groups at the forefront of that effort. Since 2018, its been hitting up companies, trying to get them to pledge paid voting time for workers.
The org says the goal is not making people choose between their Constitutional right (if not, duty) and their paycheck.
They accomplished that mission at 890 businesses and institutions, which signed up to make voter's leave part of their company policies. We're told that's a huge jump from 150 companies 2 years ago when the program launched.
Though the time off varies -- some companies give employees the whole day while others provide a 3 or 4-hour break -- the list includes names like Airbnb, T-Mobile, Shake Shack, Ford, Sony, Twitter, and Hollywood talent agencies CAA and UTA.
ElectionDay.org -- which is run by Vote.org -- says its efforts will help an estimated 1 million people vote this year.
Andrea Hailey, CEO of Vote.org, tells TMZ she hopes companies will be as accommodating as possible to its workers due to the "unique challenges facing voters this election cycle." She adds that the best policy ... is to provide as much time to vote as needed.