ABCDE

Prices may vary in areas outside metropolitan Washington. m2V1 V2 V3 V

Mostly cloudy 42/25 • Tomorrow: Sunny 41/29 B8 Democracy Dies in Darkness thursday, february 20 , 2020. $ 2

syrian aid crisis Relief agency workers, like

those they serve, have been killed and

displaced in the ongoing civil war. A

church abuse claims The Catholic Diocese of

Harrisburg, Pa., facing new claims of abuse by

clergy, filed for bankruptcy protection. A

local living

raising kids who

want to save earth

Parents can’t fix climate

change with life hacks —

but here are ways to

make a real impact.

style

dear prudence

greets a new day

daniel lavery’s job is to

have answers. he has

faced some big questions

in his own life. c

In the News

the nation

richard Grenell, the

U.S. ambassador to Ger-

many, is expected to be

named acting director of

national intelligence. A

a super Pac launched

in support of Sen. Eliza-

beth Warren, who has

decried the role of such

groups during her presi-

dential run. A

President trump dis-

missed the Defense De-

partment’s top policy of-

ficial, who had clashed

over the implementa-

tion of Trump’s foreign

policy agenda. A

a florida law prohibit-

ing ex-felons who can-

not pay certain legal

fines from voting is un-

constitutional, a federal

appeals court ruled. A

Wikileaks founder

Julian Assange’s lawyer

said a GOP congress-

man offered a presiden-

tial pardon on behalf of

Trump in exchange for

absolving Russia in the

hack of Democratic

emails. A

the world

secretary of state

Mike Pompeo promoted

economic partnership

with the United States

as the path to “true lib-

eration” in a speech in

Ethi o pia. A

china ordered the ex-

pulsion of three Wall

Street Journal reporters

over an academic’s opin-

ion column that Beijing

deemed racist. A

the U.n.-installed

Libyan government

pulled out of cease-fire

talks after an attack on

Tripoli’s port. A

a health expert called

Japan’s response to a

coronavirus outbreak on

a cruise ship “complete-

ly inadequate.” A

the economy

the White House is

reportedly considering a

minimum tax on corpo-

rations as part of a tax-

cut package ahead of the

election. A

retailer M.M. LaFleur

is offering to lend cloth-

ing to female candidates

this election season. A

the region

Virginia lawmakers are

seeking a study to look

into extending Metro’s

Blue Line through Fair-

fax and Prince William

counties. B

With D.c. legislation

that was music to fans’

ears, go-go became the

city’s official sound. B

in the District, where

school librarians are not

required, employees fear

cuts could come. B

the opposing sides

made starkly different

claims in the case of a

former U.S. diplomat’s

daughter accused of

murder in Montgomery

County. B

Inside

Burak kara/agence France-Presse/getty images

business news.......................a

comics.......................................c

opinion pages.........................a

lotteries...................................b

obituaries.................................b

television.................................c

world news............................a

CONTENT © 2020

The Washington Post / Year 14 3, No. 77

1

bled a team of advisers to recom-

mend and vet candidates for

pardons, according to several

people with knowledge of the

matter who, like others, spoke on

the condition of anonymity to

discuss internal deliberations.

The group, essentially an infor-

mal task force of at least a half-

dozen presidential allies, has

been meeting since late last year

to discuss a revamped pardon

system in the White House. Jared

Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and

senior adviser, is taking a leading

role in the new clemency initia-

tive and has supported the idea of

see clemency on a

BY TOLUSE OLORUNNIPA,

JOSH DAWSEY

AND NEENA SATIJA

The White House is moving to

take more direct control over

pardons and commutations, with

President Trump aiming to limit

the role of the Justice Depart-

ment in the clemency process as

he weighs a flurry of additional

pardon announcements, accord-

ing to people familiar with the

matter.

Trump, who granted clemency

Tuesday to a group of 11 people

that included several political

allies and supporters, has assem-

White House

aims to centralize

clemency process

justice dept.’s role would be minimized

Kushner takes lead with new vetting initiative

climate solutions

adam glanzman For the Washington Post

in a part of east boston, developers are building at higher levels to account for the waters’ rise, but

those projects are still at risk because of gaps where no defenses are built in the city’s long sea frontage.

A day after it was revealed that

Barr told people close to Trump

that he had considered quitting,

the president and his attorney

general seemed to reach a de-

tente of sorts. officials inside the

Justice Department said they

were watching the situation

closely, mindful that a new string

of tweets or comments could

quickly upend the situation, but

there were no indications that

Barr would leave imminently.

The attorney general did not

mention the controversy when he

spoke during an event Wednes-

day at FBI headquarters.

The fragile equilibrium may be

tested again Thursday, when

see barr on a

BY JOHN WAGNER,

MATT ZAPOTOSKY

AND DEVLIN BARRETT

President Trump continued to

test his relationship with Attor-

ney General William P. Barr on

Wednesday by amplifying conser-

vative allies demanding he “clean

house” at the Justice Department

and target those involved in the

Russia investigation that once

threatened his presidency.

The grievances shared by

Trump in a flurry of morning

tweets included claims of a “sedi-

tious conspiracy” against him,

and attacks on a “criminal gang”

at t he FBI and the Justice Depart-

ment.

Trump’s retweets pose

fresh challenge to Barr

BY STEVEN MUFSON

BOSTON — Famous for its role in

America’s war for independence,

this city is now fighting the rising

seas.

Boston is elevating streets,

building berms and even requir-

ing that new high-rise c ondomini-

um developments on its harbor

acquire “aqua fences” — portable

metal b arriers that c an be dragged

to the street and anchored to the

pavement to deflect incoming

waves.

Mayor Martin J. Walsh (D) has

vowed to spend more than

$30 million a year, an amount

equal to 10 percent of Boston’s

five-year c apital b udget, to defend

the city from a watery future that

is expected because of climate

change.

“People talk about a managed

retreat” for waterfront cities, said

Boston’s chief of environment, en-

ergy and open space, Christopher

Cook, as he looked out on the city

skyline from a popular waterside

see boston on a

Boston thrived by the sea. Now, it fights rising water.

Facing one of the most alarming effects of climate change, the city has a stark choice: Adapt or retreat

BY MICHAEL E. MILLER,

MARISSA J. LANG

AND IAN SHAPIRA

As the sun set on Valentine’s
Day, Josh norwood hurried from
work to the grocery store to buy
his wife flowers. The 37-year-old
father of two pulled into his long
driveway in rural Virginia a few
minutes before 6 p.m. — just in
time for dinner.
But as he walked up to the brick
home in Fauquier County bou-
quet in hand, norwood sensed
something was wrong, he said in
an interview with The Washing-
ton Post. Beneath the Christmas
lights that still dangled from the
eaves, the curtains were drawn.
And when he opened the door, his
effervescent 6-year-old, Wyatt,
was not there to greet him.

Instead, he was met by gunfire.

A bullet that seemed to come

from the basement door sliced

across his forehead. As blood

poured down his face, norwood

said, he ran into the small ranch

house to search for his family. The

lights were on in the room belong-

ing to his older son, Levi, but

there was no sign of the 17-year-

old. In the living room, there was

what looked like a large pile of

blankets on the floor.

When he pulled back the blan-

ket, he found his wife, Jen, 34,

facedown in a pool of blood.

Underneath another blanket

on the love seat was the small

body of Wyatt.

“no, this isn’t real,” norwood

recalled screaming.

He said he fired his own gun,

which he carries with him, at the

basement, then ran out of the

house and flagged down a passing

driver, who called 911.

It was another day before he

learned where his older son was.

on saturday, Levi was charged

with two counts of murder by the

see family on a

Fauquier family killings

leave father shattered

His older son is charged;

relative points to rift over

teen’s black girlfriend

election 2020

Free-for-all targets rising rivals

John locher/associated Press

former new york mayor mike bloomberg, left, sen. elizabeth Warren (D-mass.) and sen. bernie sanders (i-Vt.) were among six

candidates onstage during the Democratic primary debate in las Vegas, where candidates largely abandoned political civilities.

BY MATT VISER, ANNIE LINSKEY,

CHELSEA JANES AND MICHAEL SCHERER

LAS VEGAS — Former new York mayor Mike

Bloomberg suffered a p unishing welcome and

sen. Bernie sanders was bludgeoned with

criticism as an animated cast of rival candi-

dates spent Wednesday’s presidential debate

scrambling to stake their claims against the

two rising contenders in the Democratic race.

The result was an urgent, two-hour free-

for-all that sizzled with animosity. C andidates

who mostly avoided political combat in the

previous debates, including sen. elizabeth

see Debate on a

Bloomberg, Sanders

assailed in fierce debate

BY DAN BALZ

LAS V EGAS — The Democratic presidential

candidates staged t heir toughest and noisiest

debate of the c ampaign Wednesday night,

firing at o ne another with an i ntensity t hat

underscored a growing s ense t hat their

nomination contest h as entered what c ould b e

a decisive moment.

The race has moved s wiftly s ince Iowa and

new Hampshire, with national p olls now

showing sen. Bernie sanders ( I-Vt.) i n the lead

see taKe on a

the take

A tense urgency as time

begins to run out on some

sanders surges

to the top in poll

he opens 16-point

edge over nearest

rival Biden, whose

support dives. a

bloomberg holds

firm on ndas

rivals press him

to let women

speak out. a1 0

debate winners

and losers

sanders spared by

heavy focus on

Bloomberg. a