Presumptive Democratic candidate for president Hillary Clinton recently announced, "In my first 30 days as president, I will propose a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and give the American people, all of us, the chance to reclaim our democracy."
This injection of what would be the 28th Amendment into the heart of the presidential race and the top of Clinton"s agenda is much more significant than a bid for Bernie Sanders supporters or the checking another progressive agenda box. Instead, the constitutional amendment Clinton calls for is badly needed, has overwhelming cross-partisan support in the country and is much closer to passage and ratification than many realize.
The 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission is the most well-known of a series of 5-4 Supreme Court decisions that invalidated limits on political spending and declared that spending money to influence elections and policy is a constitutional "free speech" right that may not be limited. Since Citizens United, more than $30 billion has been spent in elections, most of it from a relatively handful of wealthy people, global corporations and some large unions. Beyond election spending, corporations now are using Citizens United to challenge the validity of financial regulation, environmental and energy laws, health care laws, cuts in taxpayer corporate subsidies and more.
By calling for a constitutional amendment to end this dangerous doctrine of special rights for money and corporations, Hillary Clinton may be jumping in front of an on-going parade, but it is a rapidly growing parade of almost all Americans, not only progressives.
More than 75 percent of Republicans, Democrats and independents support a 28th Amendment to overturn Citizens United. If you don"t believe polls, believe voters: In Montana and Colorado, citizens passed constitutional amendment ballot initiatives by 75 percent to 25 percent. This past April, 84 percent of voters in Janesville, Wisconsin, approved 28th Amendment resolutions. Janesville is the hometown of Republican Paul Ryan, the speaker of the House, and similar resolutions have passed with similar levels of support in 75 communities in Wisconsin and 700 cities and towns in every region of the country.
New York recently joined 16 other states to call on Congress to pass a 28th Amendment to secure fair elections, equal representation and the rights of Americans to limit spending and contributions in elections. And even Congress is responding. More than 150 House members are cosponsoring a 28th Amendment; 54 Senators voted for the amendment after it cleared the Judiciary Committee in 2014. The same amendment was reintroduced in the Senate with 44 cosponsors.
The growing support for a reforming constitutional amendment reflects a national conflict between two irreconcilable constitutional values, where the Court"s Citizens United jurisprudence has left no middle ground: Under Citizens United, we live under principles of oligarchy, where those with more money and access to the power of large corporations get more political representation, less regulation and more say. Under the 28th Amendment, we live under principles of human freedom and equal citizenship, where policy choices are decided in a democratic process among equal human beings. Only one of these constitutional values can prevail, and a constitutional amendment is necessary to decide that question.
Some say we can improve things with more disclosure, publicly financed elections or regulatory steps. Many good reforms have been proposed but no solution or set of policies can paper over the gaping cracks in our national foundation. Sound reform cannot be built on a doctrine of unequal citizenship; on privileged power for corporations and money; and on a nation of passive or angry spectators or "consumers" rather than engaged, responsible citizens.
The country needs this constitutional amendment, and there is no reason why Republicans and Independents should not help implement the wishes of most Americans and move the amendment toward ratification. Hillary Clinton may be an unexpected and perhaps not fully trusted advocate on this. After all, she is a vigorous large-dollar fundraiser, a master of the influence game and often is blind to conflicts and corporate influence. But ironies abound politics, and if Clinton"s leadership accelerates an end to one of the most corrupt, unfair, unequal and perilous periods for American democracy, and a re-balance of American politics towards all citizens, that would be a good thing indeed for all Americans.
At the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2016, Apple launched its latest iOS 10 mobile OS for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices. Although still in beta, the official public roll-out is expected to happen later this year with the launch of iPhone 7 in September. If you have upgraded to the latest software, which is still not entirely stable for regular use, and wish to go back to the earlier stable build of iOS, here"s a guide to assist you.
Before downgrading to an earlier version of an iOS, it is important that Apple is still signing that particular firmware. Currently, Apple is signing the iOS 9.3.2, which is also the latest stable firmware. The steps are pretty standard same as downgrading from any new OS to an older version.
In order to downgrade software from the current version on your iPhone, you must manually force the iOS 9.0.2 software to the device. Make sure you follow the guide correctly to avoid any midway trouble.
Disclaimer: This is a guide that assists you with the process of downgrading software on your iPhone. If not followed properly, there are chances the smartphone may get bricked or permanently irreparable. IBTimes Indiacannot be held responsible for any damage or claims from readers if the procedure does not yield the required results or if the smartphone is bricked. Hence, users are advised to proceed with caution.
Prerequisites
Download the correct iOS 9.3.2 IPSW file for your device. Download links for all iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch models can be found in this iOS9Cydia.com article.
Ensure you are running the latest version of iTunes for Mac or Windows with support for iOS.
Take backup of your data using iCloud or iTunes. Also note that backups taken on a higher version of iOS are not backwards compatible with older versions. You can manually save the essentials on your PC or individually sync using iCloud or iTunes.
Step-by-step guide to downgrade from iOS 10 to iOS 9.3.2
Step 1: Turn off Passcode/Touch ID by navigating to Settings >Touch ID and Passcode and Turn Passcode Off.
Step 2: Turn off Find My iPhone by navigating to Settings >iCloud >Find my iPhone and toggle the switch to off.
Step 3: Connect your iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch to your PC or Mac using a cable.
Step 4: Open iTunes on your computer and wait for the software to detect the connected device. Click Summary on the left hand panel.
Step 5: Restart your device into DFU mode. This can be done by holding down the Power and Home button on your device at the same time. Once the Apple logo appears on your device screen, release the Power button. Continue to hold the Home button until you see the Connect to iTunes message on your screen.
Step 6: iTunes will detect the device in Recovery mode and give you the option to either upgrade or restore. Tap on Alt key [windows users] Option Key [mac users] and click on Restore button.
Step 7: Navigate to the iOS 9.3.2 IPSW file downloaded on your PC and select it.
Step 8: Follow the on screen prompts.
Step 9: Wait for iTunes to run its course.
Step 10: Once completed, the iOS device will reboot and start up on the Welcome screen.
The entire process is likely to take about 20 minutes. You can verify if the device has been successfully downgraded by navigating to Settings >General >About.
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Heres the news and information you need as you rev up for the day.
Whats it like outside? Its kind of quaggy today: mid-90s, high humidity. That moistness on your upper lip is not a milk mustache. Please, wipe it off and find the nearest building with AC.
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While you were sleeping: At least two people were killed and at least 16 injured in a shooting at a Fort Myers, Fla., nightclub. Police have people in custody. Fort Myers is where the Sox hold spring training ... A Syrian who had been denied asylum in Germany and had psychiatric problems -- he had previously tried to commit suicide -- blew himself up at a bar in Ansbach, wounding 12 people. His connection to ISIS, if any, is unknown ... The UN reported that more than 5,000 civilians in Afghanistan were killed or maimed in the first six months of the year -- the most since record-keeping began in 2009 -- and almost one-third of them were kids ... Japan reported a $6.5 billion trade surplus, and the top of Donald Trumps head blew off.
Who are the Sox playing? The Tigers, who are chasing Cleveland in the AL Central. If Drew Pomeranz doesnt bounce back from his disastrous debut, maybe Dave Dombrowski can trade away more top-ranked prospects for another ineffective pitcher. Or just give away all of Pawtucket. (7:10 p.m., NESN, ESPN, and WEEI).
At the Democratic convention: Good grief, what is it with e-mails and the Democrats? Believing that things are secure in cyberspace is so 1999. The bottom line is that Debbie Wasserman Schultz is out, so when the convention opens today, Bernie Sanders supporters wont have a scapegoat to boo. Bernie will speak tonight, followed by US Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and First Lady Michelle Obama. Melania will be taking notes.
Hey, his conviction was overturned, so what about us? Lawyers for former state probation commissioner John OBrien and his deputies, Elizabeth Tavares and William Burke III, will argue in federal appeals court this morning that their 2014 convictions on mail fraud and racketeering should be overturned. One precedent theyll cite is the US Supreme Court decision last month overturning the corruption conviction of former Virginia governor Robert McDonnell, ruling that while his acceptance of money and gifts from a businessman may have been distasteful, it wasnt illegal.
It was nice knowing you, Yahoo: Verizons buying Yahoo -- the announcement came this morning -- and plans to combine it with AOL to give its customers more robust content and search. Kind of sad to see another early Web pioneer bite the dust as an independent entity, but then again, Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Apple rule the world these days.
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The feds want a 20-year prison term when a 22-year-old California man is sentenced today for planning to join the Islamic State in Syria and lying to get a replacement passport after his mother took his original to try to keep him from traveling abroad. Hes just one of several young men across the country who have been arrested for trying to provide material support to ISIS.
Come out and take it, you dirty yellow-bellied rat: New Zealand plans to rid itself of every single rat, possum, and stoat by 2050 in order to help native birds like the kiwi whose eggs are eaten by rats and who compete with the critters for food. Okay, what the heck is a stoat? A weasel. It was introduced to New Zealand to control rabbits. When are we going to learn ...
Cowering in the face of Beijings power: The 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations felt the need to rebuke China for its aggressiveness in the South China Sea after an international tribunal ruled that Chinas claims were illegal. But after 90 minutes of discussion (read: arm-twisting), the ASEAN statement today didnt even mention the ruling and said only that the group is seriously concerned. Whoop-de-do.
Finally, todays the 60th anniversary of the sinking of the Andrea Doria off Nantucket which, despite the loss of 51 lives, also was the greatest civilian maritime rescue in history. The Italian ocean liner, headed for New York, collided with the ocean liner Stockholm, heading home to Sweden, in heavy fog late at night. About three hours later, the Ile de France arrived and rescued 1,660 survivors from the Andrea Doria, which then sunk in 240 feet of strong currents and heavy sediment. Divers call it the Mount Everest of scuba diving.
John Rooney/AP/file
The Andrea Doria keeled over to starboard before sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean off Nantucket Island in 1956.
Thanks for reading. If youre so inclined, please follow me on Twitter: Im @BostonTeresa. Take it slow today. See you tomorrow.
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Songstress and Hillary Clinton supporter Demi Lovato played a dual role at tonight"s Democratic National Convention telling the crowd at the Well Fargo Center about her struggles with mental illness before breaking out into song.
"We can do better," Lovato urged the crowd, pleading with lawmakers on hand to pass legislation that would better improve access to good mental healthcare.
Whole the bold-faced political names tonight will be Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Michelle Obama, the Democrats tapped music acts, comedians and an actress to grace the stage too.
The trio of Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Michelle Obama will surely entertain the Democratic masses tonight in Philadelphia, but music acts, comedians and an actress will grace the stage too.
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Singer and Hillary Clinton surrogate Demi Lovato both spoke and performed at the Democratic National Convention tonight, talking about life with mental illness and singing her hit "Confident"
Singer Demi Lovato wowed the crowd at tonight"s Democratic National Convention by breaking out into her hit song "Confident"
R&B group was early on the bill at tonight"s Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, performing shortly after the first day"s session was gaveled in
ONSTAGE TONIGHT: Comedian Sarah Silverman will appear alongside Minnesota Sen. Al Franken, a former comedic performer. Singer Demi Lovato will talk about living with mental illness
Actress Susan Sarandon, who supported Sen. Bernie Sanders and has been a fierce critic his rival Hillary Clinton was spotted on the floor of the Democratic National Convention
Singer Paul Simon was tapped to perform at tonight"s Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. He was pictured during rehearsals earlier Monday
Early on, R&B group Boyz II Men entertained delegates, who were filing into the Wells Fargo Center for the first day of festivities after a crazed 24 hours of party politics gone awry with party leader Debbie Wasserman Schultz bowing out.
Lovato then took her turn, going from serious to fun.
She talked about the stigma associated with mental illness and how the country needed to banish it, while also saying that it"s possible to have a "normal and empowered life."
"This is not about politics, it is simply the right thing to do," she said, aiming her comments at those members of congress in the room.
She then performed her hit "Confident."
Legendary artist Paul Simon is also slated to perform.
Jarron and Jason Collins, twin brothers who both played in the NBA appeared with Jaron Collins introducing Jason as "my less handsome twin brother."
Jason Collins took the podium and said he had two goals.
"My dream was to play in the NBA an live my authentic life as a proud gay man," he said to huge applause.
He became the first American out gay athlete in professional sports when he came out in 2013.
Twin brothers Jason Collins (left) and Jarron Collins (right) spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia tonight
Jason Collins (left), the first out professional athlete, revealed that before he came out as gay publicly he told Bill and Hillary Clinton, friends of the family for 20 years. He was joined by twin brother Jarron (right)
Eva Longoria took the stage Monday night to introduce New Jersey Senator Cory Booker (pictured) and gave Hillary Clinton a ringing endorsement in the process
Longoria (pictured during her speech Monday evening) bashed Donald Trump and gave several examples of how the GOP nominee has insulted members of her family through some of his statements
Onstage he revealed that before he told the country, he told the Clintons about his sexual orientation, having known Hillary and Bill for 20-some years.
"They knew my sexual orientation made no ability to play basketball," Collins said. "Just as someone"s gender makes no difference in his or her ability to lead our nation."
Actress and activist Eva Longoria was tapped to introduce New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, who was reportedly on Clinton"s vice presidential shortlist.
On Friday, Clinton announced that she had chosen Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine.
Longoria gave Clinton a ringing endorsement during her speech on Monday night, declaring her the most qualified presidential candidate ever.
She also bashed Donald Trump, revealing the many ways in which the GOP nominee has insulted members of her family through some of his statements.
Longoria, who was born in Corpus Christi, began by telling the crowd she had grown up in South Texas - and reminded the audience it used to be a part of Mexico.
"So when Donald Trump calls us criminals or rapists, he"s insulting American families," she said.
"My father is not a criminal or a rapist. In fact, he"s a United States veteran."
She also criticized Trump"s remarks about reporter Serge Kovaleski, who has arthrogryposis - a condition that limits the functioning of his joints.
Trump recounted an earlier exchange with Kovaleski in November 2015, making jerking movements with his arms.He later denied he had been imitating the reporter.
"When Trump cruelly mocked a disabled reporter, he was also mocking my special needs sister Lisa and many like her," Longoria, who has a sister with an intellectual disability, said.
Comedian Sarah Silverman, who supported Vermont Sen.Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary, will appear with former comedian Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota.
Before Franken was elected to the U.S. Senate he was a staple on Saturday Night Live.
These bold faced names are part of a larger patchwork of celebrities in town to attend events surrounding the DNC.
Already spotted on the floor today actress Susan Sarandon, a Sanders supporter who said earlier that it was "disgusting" that the DNC tried to tilt the primary in favor of Clinton.
The week kicks off with a handful of more intimate shows and ends with a blowout "Unity" party where rapper Snoop Dogg will perform.
Across the river in New Jersey Lady Gaga, Lenny Kravitz and DJ Jazzy Jef will headline a show after Clinton concludes her remarks.
Actress and activist Eva Longoria was booked Monday to speak at the Democratic National Convention
TOP TALENT:Lady Gaga (left) and rapper Snoop Dogg (right) will both be headlining concerts on Thursday night, following Hillary Clinton"s big speech
Actor Tony Goldwyn has been appearing at Hillary Clinton events all year and will be on hand this week in Philadelphia at the Democratic National Convention
Starting tonight, Alicia Keys will play an intimate set at a Politico party, while Joe Walsh will entertain guests of the Distilled Spirits Council, the liquor lobby. The group Headcount is hosting an event with Grace Potter and Dawes. Singer Andra Day will entertain a Rock the Vote-sponsored fete.
The Creative Coalition, a group of Hollywood talent that advocates for the arts, will hold its first gathering Monday afternoon, with an ensemble that includes Hunger Games and Pitch Perfect actress Elizabeth Banks, who also appeared at a star-studded surrogate event for Clinton in advance of the California primary.
There, a number of actresses including Banks, Mary Steenburgen, Debra Messing and Sally Field spoke out for Clinton, while Samantha Ronson played tunes.
In Philadelphia Banks will make a repeat appearance, though as a part of the Creative Coalition, alongside the group"s president Tim Daly, who appears on Madame Secretary, one of Clinton"s favorite shows. Banks" husband,Max Handelman, will also attend.
The Creative Coalition list also includes Pretty Little Liars" Troian Bellisario, David Schwimmer of Friends fame, two actresses from the hit Netflix show Orange is the New Black Lea DeLaria andDiane Guerrero actress Ashley Judd, who almost ran for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell"s Senate seat and Glee"s Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz.
Rapper Diplo (left) and singer Fergie (right) will both play shows on Wednesday night. Diplo has been tapped by Clinton ally David Brock for his party, while Fergie will do a show for the Creative Coalition
Rounding out the list is Book of Mormon"s Josh Gad, The Newsroom"s Allison Pill, Reid Scott from Veep, Niecy Nash from Scream Queens and Dean Norris from Breaking Bad.
THE HEADLINERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION
MONDAY:
Alicia Keys
Janelle Monae
Grace Potter
Andra Day
TUESDAY:
Cyndi Lauper
Idina Menzel
WEDNESDAY:
Fergie
Blacked Eyed Peas (sans Fergie)
Diplo
THURSDAY:
Snoop Dogg
Lady Gaga
Lenny Kravitz
DJ Jazzy Jeff
Top Chef host Tom Colicchio hit up Cleveland last week for the Republican National Convention and will be in Philadelphia this week for the DNC as well, with his group Food Policy Action, as he continues to push Congress to adopt smarter food policies.
The Recording Industry Association of America is throwing another concert to benefit the charity Musicians on Call, which brings musicians to the bedsides of hospital patients.
In Cleveland last week, Musicians on Call invited Third Eye Blind to perform for a predominately Republican audience.
It didn"t go well, with the band trolling the guests, with frontman Stephen Jenkins yelling at one point, "Raise your hand if you believe in science!"
Of all band"s "90s hits, they only played Jumper, which chronicles a gay friend"s suicide to make a point about the GOP"s stance on gay rights.
In Philadelphia Nelly will perform Monday night and will likely be better behaved.
Tuesday will bring out Girls star and creator Lena Dunham to an event co-hosted by Glamour, the women"s magazine, and Facebook. In advance of the convention, Dunham joined forces with more talent from Orange is the new Black including actresses Taylor Schilling and Uzo Aduba and released a new video byHumanity for Hillary, with the goal of addressing sexism in the campaign.
Hillary Clinton surrogate Lena Dunham will be in Philadelphia this week. She"s attending one event alongside Chelsea Clinton and actress America Ferrera
Sen. Bernie Sanders, who will speak at the convention Monday night, has drawn stars to Philadelphia too including actresses Rosario Dawson (left) and Susan Sarandon (pictured right with Sanders)
On Tuesday Dunham will be joined by former and perhaps future first daughter Chelsea Clinton who has been a vocal surrogate this cycle for her mother"s campaign.
Actress America Ferrera will also join. In the past she"s been active with the group Voto Latino, which tries to turn out the Hispanic vote.
Rosario Dawson, who"s also been a familiar face in politics because of Voto Latino, will be in town as well, appearing at programming sponsored by Rock the Vote.
Those events are attracting a handful of Hollywood celebrities who actually backed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the primary, including Susan Sarandon, Danny Glover andShailene Woodley, who are all slated to make the trek to the city of brotherly love.
Scandal star Tony Goldwyn will also speak on one of the Rock the Vote panels. He"s a guest of Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi, who also brings along Janelle Monae, who"s performing Monday night.
On Tuesday night Pelosi"s guests singers Cyndi Lauper and Broadway star Idina Menzel will perform.
Pelosi is also bringing along actor Bryan Cranston, star of Breaking Bad and All The Way, where he played Democratic president LBJ. Cranston will also speak on a panel discussing civil rights.
Reality star and trans activist Caitlyn Jenner was probably the biggest name to come to Cleveland, but she did so to speak at a brunch outside the security perimeter and push gay and trans rights
Charles in Charge actor Scott Baio was one of the handful of celebrities who attended the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in support of Donald Trump
Wednesday will bring two dueling concerts with Fergie performing as part of a Creative Coalition charity gala.The rest of the Black Eyed Peas will be performing at a party for Rock the Vote.
That night, Clinton friend David Brock, the man behind Media Matters for America, American Bridge and Correct the Record, is also throwing a party where rapper Diplo will perform.
The final day of the convention brings comedian Chelsea Handler before a crowd at Politico"s hub.
Then, after Hillary Clinton gives her nominating address, some partygoers will cross the river into New Jersey to watch Lady Gaga headline a show, alongside Lenny Kravitz and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Meanwhile, back in Philly, rapper Snoop Dogg will perform at the Electric Factory.
The stars in Philadelphia shine brighter than those that attended Trump"s festivities last week.
Trump had a trio of entertainers speak on the opening night of his convention Charles in Charge actor Scott Baio, Duck Dynasty"s Willie Robertson and soap star Antonio Sabato Jr., who later got in some political hot water for proclaiming several times that President Obama was a Muslim.
Kid Rock appeared at an outside concert, as did The Band Perry and Rick Springfield.
The biggest celebrity reality star and activist Caitlyn Jenner stayed outside the perimeter and spoke at a brunch event held by pro-LGBT Republicans pushing the party to be more inclusive when it comes to gay and trans rights.
ALDON SMITH ALLEGEDLY USES PERISCOPE TO DISPLAY HIS MARIJUANA USE!
This comes after the embattled and currently suspended 26-year-old edge rusher allegedly appeared in a video speaking off camera to an unidentified female about a hand-rolled cigarette. Monday, Smith responded to the allegations via his Twitter account:
While the tweet offers his deniability of being in the video, the unidentified female in the video can be heard questioning whether or not the post should be made at all. The male, which sounds very much like Smith when compared to other installments when hes shown on screen, says his face cant be seen, and,they dont know its me. Its not like I put Aldon Smith
The video cuts off at that point.
Smith is currently serving a calendar-year suspension for violating the NFLs substance abuse policy. There is nothing in the Periscope video that directly shows hes in violation of the leagues policies for a player seeking reinstatement. Additionally, Smith has been drug tested regularly and randomly throughout the duration of his suspension, the results of such will have heavy bearing on his reinstatement status.
The oft-troubled linebacker was drafted by the 49ers in 2011 with the No. 7 overall pick he spent time in rehab in 2013, and served a nine-game suspension for his substance abuse and other matters in 2014. Smiths off-the-field issues culminated when he was cut by the 49ers during training camp last summer after he collected his fifth arrest since joining the team.
In September, Smith pleadedSmith pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor counts of hit-and-run, drunken driving and vandalism, charges that stemmed from the alleged Aug. 6 incident which resulted in his release from the 49ers.
Any player seeking reinstatement from Smiths level of suspension must demonstrate to the league that he has abstained from any substances of abuse during the period of his ban, according to leagues substance abuse policy.
Smith will be eligible for reinstatement in September.
For moreNFL coverage, be sure to visit our hub page.
The Yankees and Cubs agreed to a deal to send closer Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs in exchange for four players, both teams announced on Monday. The deal had been in the final stages since Sunday and will land Adam Warren, top prospect Gleyber Torres, Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford in New York.
From the Yankees" standpoint, Torres is the prize of the deal. As for Chapman, he"s of course an elite, shutdown closer. The 28-year-old lefty with the career ERA+ of 183 is eligible for free agency this coming offseason. For 2016, he"s owed the balance of an $11.33 million salary. Chapman"s start to the 2016 season was delayed because he was suspended under baseball"s domestic violence policy.
Both Chapman and the Cubs addressed the issue with statements on Monday after the deal was made official.
"As you know, earlier this year I accepted and served a 30-game suspension from Major League Baseball resulting from my actions of October 30, 2015. I regret that I did not exercise better judgment and for that I am truly sorry," Chapman said.
"Looking back, I feel I have learned from this matter and have grown as a person. My girlfriend and I have worked hard to strengthen our relationship, to raise our daughter together, and would appreciate the opportunity to move forward without revisiting an event we consider part of our past. Out of respect for my family, I will not comment any further on this matter," added Chapman.
Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts released the following statement:
Obviously, we are aware of the circumstances surrounding Aroldis Chapman"s suspension earlier this season. We are also aware that he cooperated fully with the league investigation and takes responsibility for his actions.
Today, prior to completing the trade, Theo, Jed and I spoke with Aroldis. I shared with him the high expectations we set for our players and staff both on and off the field. Aroldis indicated he is comfortable with meeting those expectations.
Finally, my family, this team and Major League Baseball take the issue of domestic violence very seriously and support efforts to reduce domestic violence through education, awareness and intervention.
Here are seven things you need to know about what"s going on right now for both the Cubs and Yankees with regard to this deal:
Aroldis Chapman is about to be on the move. USATSI 1. The Yankees are apparently rebuilding
Following a seemingly never-ending supply of should-they-or-shouldn"t-they pieces, it appears the Yankees will rebuild this deadline after all -- at least to some extent. The prospect they"re reportedly trying to get in return (more on Torres later) isn"t going to slot into the New York lineup anytime soon. This means the Yankees (and their fans) will have to show patience that they normally lack. We"ll see if the Yankees take the thousand-yard view on their other trades, but the days of instant gratification could be over in New York ... well, until we get to the winter, anyway.
As for what"s ahead in the near-term, it may depend on how the next few games go ...
2. Chapman makes the Cubs terrifying
Chapman has pitched well since returning from a suspension stemming from firing his gun following an argument with his child"s mother. In 31 games, he"s posted a 2.01 ERA and 5.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He"s also notched 20 saves and nearly 13 strikeouts per nine innings. The Cubs entered Sunday with a middle-of-the-road bullpen, so adding an elite closer could conceivably give them a top-10 unit. Another one, that is, joining their rotation, offense, and defense. Yeah.
As for Chapman"s signature tool -- his fastball velocity -- it"s been better than ever lately ...
Most pitchers start leaking velocity almost as soon as they reach the majors. Chapman, however, has boasted mega-elite gun readings for his entire career, and there"s no reason to think that will change any time soon.
3. Torres is a legitimate prize
Torres, 19, is hitting .275/.359/.433 in High Class A. He was recently ranked the 27th best prospect by Baseball America and the 34th best prospect by Baseball Prospectus. Torres" combination of three potential plus tools -- with power being his lone substandard one -- and polish makes him an intriguing piece. It"s unclear who else the Cubs might be sending to the Bronx, but Torres seems like a good start to the Yankees" rebuild.
4. The rest of the Yankees" haul is good but less impressive than Torres
That stands to reason, of course, as every multi-player package has one player who"s the most promising of all. Adam Warren is of course a former Yankee who struggled during his time with the Cubs. Still, he"s a potential asset, as he"s 28, under team control through the 2018 season, and capable of starting or working out of the bullpen.
Billy McKinney is the other notable. He turns 22 in August and is a speed, glove, and gap power outfielder in the mold of Brett Gardner. The Cubs originally acquired him from the A"s, and he was a consensus top-100 prospect coming into 2016. However, he"s struggled badly this season for Double-A Tennessee, especially in terms of power. What happened? It"s possibly his slow recovery from a knee fracture he suffered late in the 2015 season. He has on-base skills but his ability to hit for average and power at the big-league level is left to question.
As for Rashad Crawford, he"s a 22-year-old former 11th-rounder who can play center. He has speed on the bases, but he owns a career OPS of .674 and is yet to play above High-A.
5. Chapman sounds like he"s headed for free agency
As noted above, Chapman is eligible for free agency at the end of the current season. While this deal was taking shape, there was some talk that the Cubs were trying to work out a contract extension with him, but thus far that hasn"t come to pass. On that front, this is worth noting ...
If Chapman was indeed bent on testing the market while in New York, then it seems likely he"ll remain bent on testing the market in Chicago.
6. The Yankees almost chose another top prospect over Torres
The dirty from Joel Sherman, who paced a lot of the reporting on this story ...
Speaking of Eloy Jimenez, the 19-year-old is thriving this season at Single-A South Bend (.322/.360/.504 with 10 homers and 29 doubles in 89 games) despite being significantly younger than his peer group. That"s impressive power, especially on an age-adjusted basis, but Torres has offensive upside in tandem with an ability to man an up-the-middle position. Jimenez, meantime, will be confined to an outfield corner.
7. The Cubs don"t seem inclined to part with Kyle Schwarber
Trade rumors have swirled about the injured young power hitter for some time, but the Cubs don"t seem quite so amenable to such discussions ...
The Cubs have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to young positional talent, and when that"s the case you can afford to be selective. Sounds like we can put the Schwarber speculation on ice, at least for now.
WWE Battleground 2016! [WWE 2K16 Simulation] #WWEBattleground
CLEVELAND, Ohio WWE hasn"t confirmed yet when Finn Balor will make his debut on Raw. But the promotion probably won"t procrastinate too long before introducing the NXT superstar to its main roster.
Stephanie McMahon and Raw general manager Mick Foley chose Balor early during the WWE Draft. Balor"s debut could (and probably should) come as early as tonight.
The main focus of tonight"s Raw will be the aftermath of Battleground. With Dean Ambrose winning the triple-threat match and taking the WWE Championship to SmackDown Live, Raw is without a champion. But don"t expect that to last long.
It"s likely Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins (and possibly others) will take center stage in a feud to see who will be the champion for Raw. Fans are probably salivating at the possibility of Finn Balor entering the title picture. While that might be the ideal move, it may not be the likely one.
Vince McMahon and Triple H tend to slow play NXT superstars" arrivals by pairing them with an established superstar in non-title bouts. Think Kevin Owens feuding with John Cena or AJ Styles taking on Chris Jericho.
Speaking of Chris Jericho, early advertisements have been previewing a potential face-off between Y2J and Balor. That could just be for live shows (we hope!). But it"s possible Balor will find himself paired with Jericho, or another established name (maybe even Kevin Owens) before working his way to a title.
That means you"ll have to wait a while before that dream matchup between Balor and Seth Rollins.
