thedailycaller--2020-05-31--A Plan You Can Actually Keep: Trump Delivers On Obama’s Broken Health Care Promise

Sometimes , liberals and conservatives agree on a policy problem , but disagree strongly on the best solutions to that problem .
Our health insurance system presents one case of such a disconnect between problems and solutions .
In the last Democratic presidential debate , hosted by CNN in March , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said that the coronavirus pandemic made the “ dysfunctionality of the current health care system … obviously apparent.
” He elaborated in an April op-ed in Politico , in which he noted that “ already , an estimated 9.2 million workers have lost their employer-sponsored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million people might lose coverage by the end of the crisis.
” Sanders makes a valid point : The pandemic does illustrate the shortcomings of our system of health coverage .
But his single-payer health care plan — or even Joe Biden ’ s proposal for a ( purportedly ) voluntary government-run “ option ” in which individuals could enroll — would take the system in the exact opposite direction .
( RELATED : ‘ You Have A Single-Payer System In Italy ’ : Biden Rips Bernie Over Medicare For All ) The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employers control most Americans ’ health insurance .
Most conservatives would therefore support letting individuals control their health coverage , rather than liberals ’ plan to replace employer control with government control .
Thankfully , the Trump administration has moved health policy in that exact direction , laying the groundwork for a movement toward more personalized insurance options .
Sanders cited a study from Health Management Associates stating that as many as 35 million individuals could lose access to employer-sponsored insurance due to coronavirus-related layoffs .
A revised paper , released in late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the number of people losing employer insurance , but still showed significant coverage losses .
Other estimates have indicated similarly large numbers of Americans losing their employer coverage .
The sudden job losses sparked by coronavirus lockdowns have illustrated one of the three major problems with employer-provided health insurance .
Individually and collectively , these flaws have represented a problem hidden in plain sight for decades .
Lack of choice : The largest survey of employer-provided health insurance found that in 2019 , exactly three-quarters of firms ( 75 % ) offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In general , large firms offer more choices than small businesses , but even among the largest firms — those with more than 5,000 workers .
Because the employer and not the employee owns the insurance policy , workers often end up stuck with whatever plan their employer chooses .
An individual who doesn ’ t want to enroll in an HMO , or whose doctors lie outside his or her employer ’ s provider network , might have few choices but to switch jobs or accept a plan that does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its first season , the U.S. version of “ The Office ” satirized this dynamic , when resident megalomaniac Dwight Schrute got charged with picking the office health plan — and let the power go to his head .
While Americans don ’ t have to worry about contracting “ Count Choculitis , ” one of the fictitious diseases Schrute ’ s co-workers invented to needle him in the episode , they do face the very real worry that their employer ’ s choices and wishes regarding health care might not align with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conversation with one of my friends several years ago illustrated this problem .
My friend said he loved the insurance plan his employer provided : “ I can go to the doctor and it only costs me a $ 5 co-pay.
” I posed a thought experiment : What if your health insurance suddenly became taxable , and you had to pay $ 1,500 or so in taxes on that coverage ?
( At the time , a top-of-the-line plan cost about $ 6,000 for an individual , and I assumed a 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) He responded immediately : “ I wouldn ’ t want the plan — I would tell them to raise my co-pays and deductibles.
” That response illustrates the policy problem of employer-sponsored insurance : Everyone thinks they ’ re spending everyone else ’ s money .
Employees don ’ t pay taxes on employer coverage ; an IRS ruling during World War II , later codified by Congress , exempts employer-provided benefits from both income and payroll taxes .
All the incentives regarding employer-provided health care point in the wrong direction .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take more compensation in untaxed health insurance benefits rather than taxable wages .
Many employees don ’ t even realize that the employer ’ s share of the contribution for their coverage — which averaged nearly $ 15,000 for a family policy in 2019 — comes out of their own wallets in the form of lost wages .
All the flawed and misaligned incentives mean that the co-pay of “ only ” $ 5 my friend talked about years ago costs far more than that — to workers , employers and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s one major reason why our health care system represents such a large , and rising , share of our economy .
Lack of portability : This issue arises because employers and not individuals own their health plans .
As a result , when individuals lose their jobs , they also lose their health coverage .
That dynamic results in the double whammy Americans have experienced during the pandemic , when workers lose their coverage at the same time they have unexpectedly lost their job — compounding families ’ financial distress .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Care Coverage For Gig Economy Workers During COVID-19 ) Lack of portability also exacerbates the problem of pre-existing conditions .
Upon entering the workforce in their teens or 20s , most individuals have yet to develop a pre-existing condition like cancer or diabetes .
But every time individuals switch jobs , they lose their employer-provided health coverage — making them vulnerable if they have developed a condition in the intervening time .
The worst kinds of situations occur when individuals must leave their jobs because they have become too sick to work .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential sources of financial ruin : They have lost their source of income , and face the prospect of astronomical medical bills without a means to fund them .
Cure the Disease , Not the Symptoms In the past several years , Democrats have spent lots of time talking about the need to protect individuals with pre-existing conditions .
But in focusing on pre-existing conditions , the left focuses on the symptom , rather than the underlying problem .
Remember : When Obamacare went into effect in January 2014 , at least 4.7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to The Associated Press .
These individuals had plans that they liked , and wanted to keep — but the Obama administration wouldn ’ t let them .
Politifact called the promise that Americans could keep their plan the 2013 “ Lie of the Year , ” and that lie affected many individuals who had developed , or feared that they would develop , a pre-existing condition .
Let ’ s spare the notion that Democrats want to “ protect ” people with pre-existing conditions , when they “ protected ” millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liberals don ’ t talk about the underlying policy issue that creates the pre-existing condition problem — that people don ’ t own their own health coverage — because they don ’ t want people to own their own insurance .
They want Washington to control health care decisions , not individual patients .
It ’ s the classic example of former President Ronald Reagan ’ s nine most terrifying words in the English language : “ I ’ m from the government and I ’ m here to help.
” But if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joining the workforce — one that they owned , not their employer — and retain that policy from job to job for decades , most individuals could buy coverage well before they develop a pre-existing condition , and keep that coverage after they do so , the pre-existing condition problem would rapidly diminish .
( Yes , a small percentage of Americans , most notably those born with congenital illnesses , develop pre-existing conditions very early in life , but other policy solutions can address this population . )
You wouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hostility from the left , but the Trump administration has put forward a very positive solution that answers the policy problems associated with employer-provided health coverage .
It should increase portability in ways that help solve the pre-existing condition problem , while also providing additional choice and competition .
The administration ’ s policy , implemented through regulations finalized in 2019 , allows employers to contribute funds to workers on a pre-tax basis through Health Reimbursement Arrangements .
These HRAs allow individuals to purchase coverage that they own , not their employers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to job .
The HRA concept provides wins for employers , employees and the economy as a whole : • Employers get predictability when it comes to their health insurance offerings .
By providing employees a fixed sum ( say , $ 300 or $ 500 a month ) into the HRA , they will not have to worry about changing plans from year to year , a sudden spike in costs because of a sick employee , or many of the other paperwork hassles associated with offering coverage .
• Employees get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ select the insurance plan that best meets their needs — the doctors , deductibles and plan features that they want .
Not only can they keep the plan when they switch jobs , the fact that they and not their employer chose the coverage in the first place will make them more likely to do so .
• The economy will benefit from individuals selecting the plans they want , rather than the plans employers select for them .
Insurers will have to provide better , more customized plans that fit individuals ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make better choices to stretch the HRA dollars their employers provide them .
Ideally , Congress would amend the law regarding Health Savings Accounts , to allow individuals to use HSA dollars to fund health insurance premiums .
Because HSA funds can not pay insurance premiums in most cases under current law , the Trump administration had to use Health Reimbursement Arrangements ( which are owned by employers ) rather than Health Savings Accounts ( which are always owned by individuals ) to fund individual coverage .
( RELATED : Employers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Latest Health Care Policy ) Providing contributions via an HSA , as opposed to an HRA , would allow employees to control any unused employer contributions upon leaving a job .
That way , individuals would not only have a source of coverage in the event of a layoff , they could develop a source of savings to pay for that coverage while unemployed .
But until Congress acts , the Trump administration ’ s Health Reimbursement Arrangement regulations represent a tremendous step forward toward a more logical , patient-centered insurance system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government control of health care apparent .
As Joe Biden ( of all people ) noted in the March CNN debate , Italy has a single-payer system — and that nation had to ration access to ventilators , whereas the United States did not .
The pandemic has exposed the flaws in our health insurance system .
But it comes just as the Trump administration has shown a better path forward .
By empowering patients rather than government bureaucrats , Health Reimbursement Arrangements can help transform the coverage system into something that lowers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prefer .
Chris Jacobs is the founder and CEO of Juniper Research Group , and author of the book “ The Case Against Single Payer.
” He is on Twitter : @ chrisjacobsHC .
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , @ @ @ @ @ @

Sometimes, liberals and conservatives agree on a policy problem, but disagree strongly on the best solutions to that problem. Our health insurance system presents one case of such a disconnect between problems and solutions.
In the last Democratic presidential debate, hosted by CNN in March, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said that the coronavirus pandemic made the “dysfunctionality of the current health care system … obviously apparent.” He elaborated in an April op-ed in Politico, in which he noted that “already, an estimated 9.2 million workers have lost their employer-sponsored insurance, and as many as 35 million people might lose coverage by the end of the crisis.”
Sanders makes a valid point: The pandemic does illustrate the shortcomings of our system of health coverage. But his single-payer health care plan — or even Joe Biden’s proposal for a (purportedly) voluntary government-run “option” in which individuals could enroll — would take the system in the exact opposite direction. (RELATED: ‘You Have A Single-Payer System In Italy’: Biden Rips Bernie Over Medicare For All)
The dysfunctionality of the system exists largely because employers control most Americans’ health insurance. Most conservatives would therefore support letting individuals control their health coverage, rather than liberals’ plan to replace employer control with government control. Thankfully, the Trump administration has moved health policy in that exact direction, laying the groundwork for a movement toward more personalized insurance options.
The Problem: Employer-Provided Health Insurance
Sanders cited a study from Health Management Associates stating that as many as 35 million individuals could lose access to employer-sponsored insurance due to coronavirus-related layoffs. A revised paper, released in late May, did not specifically update estimates for the number of people losing employer insurance, but still showed significant coverage losses. Other estimates have indicated similarly large numbers of Americans losing their employer coverage.
The sudden job losses sparked by coronavirus lockdowns have illustrated one of the three major problems with employer-provided health insurance. Individually and collectively, these flaws have represented a problem hidden in plain sight for decades.
Lack of choice: The largest survey of employer-provided health insurance found that in 2019, exactly three-quarters of firms (75%) offered only one type of health insurance plan. In general, large firms offer more choices than small businesses, but even among the largest firms — those with more than 5,000 workers.
Because the employer and not the employee owns the insurance policy, workers often end up stuck with whatever plan their employer chooses. An individual who doesn’t want to enroll in an HMO, or whose doctors lie outside his or her employer’s provider network, might have few choices but to switch jobs or accept a plan that does not meet his or her needs.
In its first season, the U.S. version of “The Office” satirized this dynamic, when resident megalomaniac Dwight Schrute got charged with picking the office health plan — and let the power go to his head. While Americans don’t have to worry about contracting “Count Choculitis,” one of the fictitious diseases Schrute’s co-workers invented to needle him in the episode, they do face the very real worry that their employer’s choices and wishes regarding health care might not align with their own.
Flawed incentives: A conversation with one of my friends several years ago illustrated this problem. My friend said he loved the insurance plan his employer provided: “I can go to the doctor and it only costs me a $5 co-pay.”
I posed a thought experiment: What if your health insurance suddenly became taxable, and you had to pay $1,500 or so in taxes on that coverage? (At the time, a top-of-the-line plan cost about $6,000 for an individual, and I assumed a 25% state and local tax rate.) He responded immediately: “I wouldn’t want the plan — I would tell them to raise my co-pays and deductibles.”
That response illustrates the policy problem of employer-sponsored insurance: Everyone thinks they’re spending everyone else’s money. Employees don’t pay taxes on employer coverage; an IRS ruling during World War II, later codified by Congress, exempts employer-provided benefits from both income and payroll taxes.
All the incentives regarding employer-provided health care point in the wrong direction. Exempting employer coverage from taxation encourages individuals to take more compensation in untaxed health insurance benefits rather than taxable wages. Many employees don’t even realize that the employer’s share of the contribution for their coverage — which averaged nearly $15,000 for a family policy in 2019 — comes out of their own wallets in the form of lost wages.
All the flawed and misaligned incentives mean that the co-pay of “only” $5 my friend talked about years ago costs far more than that — to workers, employers and the economy as a whole. It’s one major reason why our health care system represents such a large, and rising, share of our economy.
Lack of portability: This issue arises because employers and not individuals own their health plans. As a result, when individuals lose their jobs, they also lose their health coverage. That dynamic results in the double whammy Americans have experienced during the pandemic, when workers lose their coverage at the same time they have unexpectedly lost their job — compounding families’ financial distress. (RELATED: Private Partnership Sets Up Health Care Coverage For Gig Economy Workers During COVID-19)
Lack of portability also exacerbates the problem of pre-existing conditions. Upon entering the workforce in their teens or 20s, most individuals have yet to develop a pre-existing condition like cancer or diabetes. But every time individuals switch jobs, they lose their employer-provided health coverage — making them vulnerable if they have developed a condition in the intervening time.
The worst kinds of situations occur when individuals must leave their jobs because they have become too sick to work. These patients face not one but two potential sources of financial ruin: They have lost their source of income, and face the prospect of astronomical medical bills without a means to fund them.
Cure the Disease, Not the Symptoms
In the past several years, Democrats have spent lots of time talking about the need to protect individuals with pre-existing conditions. But in focusing on pre-existing conditions, the left focuses on the symptom, rather than the underlying problem.
Remember: When Obamacare went into effect in January 2014, at least 4.7 million individuals received cancellation notices, according to The Associated Press. These individuals had plans that they liked, and wanted to keep — but the Obama administration wouldn’t let them. Politifact called the promise that Americans could keep their plan the 2013 “Lie of the Year,” and that lie affected many individuals who had developed, or feared that they would develop, a pre-existing condition. Let’s spare the notion that Democrats want to “protect” people with pre-existing conditions, when they “protected” millions of people right out of their coverage.
Liberals don’t talk about the underlying policy issue that creates the pre-existing condition problem — that people don’t own their own health coverage — because they don’t want people to own their own insurance. They want Washington to control health care decisions, not individual patients. It’s the classic example of former President Ronald Reagan’s nine most terrifying words in the English language: “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”
But if individuals could buy an insurance policy upon joining the workforce — one that they owned, not their employer — and retain that policy from job to job for decades, most individuals could buy coverage well before they develop a pre-existing condition, and keep that coverage after they do so, the pre-existing condition problem would rapidly diminish. (Yes, a small percentage of Americans, most notably those born with congenital illnesses, develop pre-existing conditions very early in life, but other policy solutions can address this population.)
Trump Administration’s Solution
You wouldn’t know it, given all the carping and hostility from the left, but the Trump administration has put forward a very positive solution that answers the policy problems associated with employer-provided health coverage. It should increase portability in ways that help solve the pre-existing condition problem, while also providing additional choice and competition.
The administration’s policy, implemented through regulations finalized in 2019, allows employers to contribute funds to workers on a pre-tax basis through Health Reimbursement Arrangements. These HRAs allow individuals to purchase coverage that they own, not their employers — making the coverage portable from job to job.
The HRA concept provides wins for employers, employees and the economy as a whole:
• Employers get predictability when it comes to their health insurance offerings. By providing employees a fixed sum (say, $300 or $500 a month) into the HRA, they will not have to worry about changing plans from year to year, a sudden spike in costs because of a sick employee, or many of the other paperwork hassles associated with offering coverage.
• Employees get both choice and portability. They can select the insurance plan that best meets their needs — the doctors, deductibles and plan features that they want. Not only can they keep the plan when they switch jobs, the fact that they and not their employer chose the coverage in the first place will make them more likely to do so.
• The economy will benefit from individuals selecting the plans they want, rather than the plans employers select for them. Insurers will have to provide better, more customized plans that fit individuals’ needs, and employees will have incentives to make better choices to stretch the HRA dollars their employers provide them.
Ideally, Congress would amend the law regarding Health Savings Accounts, to allow individuals to use HSA dollars to fund health insurance premiums. Because HSA funds cannot pay insurance premiums in most cases under current law, the Trump administration had to use Health Reimbursement Arrangements (which are owned by employers) rather than Health Savings Accounts (which are always owned by individuals) to fund individual coverage. (RELATED: Employers, Insurers Are Behind The Trump Administration’s Latest Health Care Policy)
Providing contributions via an HSA, as opposed to an HRA, would allow employees to control any unused employer contributions upon leaving a job. That way, individuals would not only have a source of coverage in the event of a layoff, they could develop a source of savings to pay for that coverage while unemployed. But until Congress acts, the Trump administration’s Health Reimbursement Arrangement regulations represent a tremendous step forward toward a more logical, patient-centered insurance system.
Empower Patients, Not Government
Coronavirus has made the problems with government control of health care apparent. As Joe Biden (of all people) noted in the March CNN debate, Italy has a single-payer system — and that nation had to ration access to ventilators, whereas the United States did not.
The pandemic has exposed the flaws in our health insurance system. But it comes just as the Trump administration has shown a better path forward. By empowering patients rather than government bureaucrats, Health Reimbursement Arrangements can help transform the coverage system into something that lowers costs and provides the care American patients prefer.
Chris Jacobs is the founder and CEO of Juniper Research Group, and author of the book “The Case Against Single Payer.” He is on Twitter: @chrisjacobsHC.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


thedailycaller--2020-05-31--Some Press Groups Remain Silent About Assault Against Fox News Reporter As Others Condemn It

Some press groups condemned the attack by protesters against Fox News reporter Leland Vittert in Washington , D.C. but others remained silent – despite speaking out against the arrest of a CNN reporter one day earlier .
Vittert was reporting in Lafayette Park , D.C. and covering protests sparked by the death of George Floyd .
Vittert and his crew were accosted and chased out of the area by protesters early Saturday morning , footage captured by the Daily Caller News Foundation shows .
( RELATED : CNN Correspondent Arrested Live On-Air During Minneapolis Riots ) Many of the groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued statements condemning Friday ’ s arrest of CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and his crew .
The two events , while both suppression of press , do have a noteworthy difference .
The CNN crew was arrested by police , and the Fox News crew was attacked by protesters .
First Amendment Coalition and Freedom of the Press Foundation did not respond to requests for comment from the Daily Caller .
The Committee to Project Journalists told the Daily Caller that it did not have “ have a specific statement in that specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regarding the attack against Vittert .
CPJ wrote that it is “ investigating several reported attacks on journalists covering protests around the country and urges police and protesters alike to refrain from targeting journalists so that they can safely cover these newsworthy event.
” When asked for clarification regarding whether CPJ specifically condemns the attack on Vittert , the group wrote that it is “ investigating , ” adding they “ do not make statements without doing our own reporting first.
” CPJ condemned the CNN reporter ’ s arrest shortly after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued a general statement condemning all attacks against journalists .
“ It ’ s difficult to imagine what police needed as ‘ confirmation that these individuals were members of the media ’ beyond Omar Jimenez showing his press badge while he spoke into a CNN camera surrounded by his producer and crew , ” CPJ Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna said , according to its website .
“ Journalists have a responsibility to report on matters of public interest , such as protests , and should be able to freely cover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities .
These arrests ring of intimidation and are simply outrageous.
” CPJ also issued a tweet condemning the arrest , had its advocacy director partake in a Newsy interview and retweeted numerous comments on the incident .
The Society of Professional Journalists ( SPJ ) president explained that it had not yet issued a public statement regarding the Vittert attack because they “ missed this one.
” “ I would just say we missed this one , ” Patricia Gallagher Newberry , president of SPJ , told the Daily Caller when asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The group added that it was working on a statement “ that essentially calls on police and protesters to remember that journalists play a particular role in these news happenings and that we are there to tell the story.
” “ We are going to double down on our position which is journalists should be free to do their jobs , they should not be impeded from doing their jobs they most certainly should not be attacked by protesters or police as they seek to do their jobs , ” Newberry said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalists at this time when they ’ re being , yet again , vilified in America for simply doing their jobs.
” Newberry then specifically condemned the protesters ’ actions against Vittert , calling the attack “ inexcusable.
” ( RELATED : Minneapolis 3rd Police Precinct On Fire After Officers Evacuate Building Amid George Floyd Riots ) “ He ’ s being taunted , he ’ s being called the f-word , he ’ s a journalist on the street trying to cover the story … he ’ s trying to do his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Newberry told the Daily Caller .
“ He , from what I could see of the video that I watched , he reacted exactly as he should have .
He did not engage , he did not spit back any vitriol to his taunters , he walked away , he sought protection.
” “ He behaved in an extremely responsible and ethical manner in the face of a great challenge to his safety … It ’ s not right for police to attack journalists , it ’ s not right for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , what the protesters there in D.C. did to Mr. Vittert.
” SPJ issued a general open letter to protesters and police Saturday evening urging them to allow journalists to do their jobs in covering the protests .
SPJ previously specifically condemned Jimenez ’ s arrest and wrote that it “ demands answers from the Minnesota State Patrol.
” “ Mr .
Jimenez and his team were clearly doing nothing but their job – even politely offering to move to wherever police wanted them to go – but were handcuffed and taken into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CNN arrest incident .
“ This is clearly a violation of the First Amendment and the Minnesota State Patrol owes them and the American people an explanation of why this occurred .
This happened on live TV where we could all see .
Sadly , it happens much more often than we know in this country and is not documented on live TV.
” Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press ( RCFP ) condemned all attacks against reporters in a response to the Daily Caller .
“ No reporter should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us the news , ” RCFP Executive Director Bruce Brown said .
“ Our attorneys are ready to assist any reporter who needs legal support.
” RCFP confirmed that it did specifically condemn the attack against Vittert when pressed further by the Daily Caller .
“ Yes , Reporters Committee condemns the harassment and attacks on the Fox News reporter Leland Vittert , ” RCFP wrote .
The group “ strongly ” condemned the CNN arrest in a lengthy public statement on its website Friday .
“ We strongly condemn the Minnesota State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news crew covering the protests in Minneapolis , who responded professionally and appropriately to the situation , ” RCFP wrote .
“ The First Amendment protects newsgathering , and prohibits the government from using police power as a pretext for interfering with press freedoms .
Arresting journalists to prevent reporting on a public demonstration is not acceptable.
” “ News coverage of protests like the one in Minneapolis is essential to informing the public and understanding the concerns of our communities .
While we are relieved that the news crew was ultimately released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide a full explanation as to why these reporters , who identified themselves as journalists , were taken into custody .
”

Some press groups condemned the attack by protesters against Fox News reporter Leland Vittert in Washington, D.C. but others remained silent – despite speaking out against the arrest of a CNN reporter one day earlier.
Vittert was reporting in Lafayette Park, D.C. and covering protests sparked by the death of George Floyd. Vittert and his crew were accosted and chased out of the area by protesters early Saturday morning, footage captured by the Daily Caller News Foundation shows. (RELATED: CNN Correspondent Arrested Live On-Air During Minneapolis Riots)
Many of the groups contacted by the Daily Caller previously publicly issued statements condemning Friday’s arrest of CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and his crew. The two events, while both suppression of press, do have a noteworthy difference. The CNN crew was arrested by police, and the Fox News crew was attacked by protesters.
First Amendment Coalition and Freedom of the Press Foundation did not respond to requests for comment from the Daily Caller.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) told the Daily Caller that it did not have “have a specific statement in that specific incident” when asked for its thoughts regarding the attack against Vittert. CPJ wrote that it is “investigating several reported attacks on journalists covering protests around the country and urges police and protesters alike to refrain from targeting journalists so that they can safely cover these newsworthy event.”
When asked for clarification regarding whether CPJ specifically condemns the attack on Vittert, the group wrote that it is “investigating,” adding they “do not make statements without doing our own reporting first.”
CPJ condemned the CNN reporter’s arrest shortly after the incident occurred Friday morning. It also issued a general statement condemning all attacks against journalists.
“It’s difficult to imagine what police needed as ‘confirmation that these individuals were members of the media’ beyond Omar Jimenez showing his press badge while he spoke into a CNN camera surrounded by his producer and crew,” CPJ Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna said, according to its website. “Journalists have a responsibility to report on matters of public interest, such as protests, and should be able to freely cover these events without fear of retaliation from authorities. These arrests ring of intimidation and are simply outrageous.”
CPJ also issued a tweet condemning the arrest, had its advocacy director partake in a Newsy interview and retweeted numerous comments on the incident.
WATCH:
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) president explained that it had not yet issued a public statement regarding the Vittert attack because they “missed this one.”
“I would just say we missed this one,” Patricia Gallagher Newberry, president of SPJ, told the Daily Caller when asked for comment on the protesters’ attack. The group added that it was working on a statement “that essentially calls on police and protesters to remember that journalists play a particular role in these news happenings and that we are there to tell the story.”
“We are going to double down on our position which is journalists should be free to do their jobs, they should not be impeded from doing their jobs they most certainly should not be attacked by protesters or police as they seek to do their jobs,” Newberry said, adding that SPJ stands “with journalists at this time when they’re being, yet again, vilified in America for simply doing their jobs.”
Newberry then specifically condemned the protesters’ actions against Vittert, calling the attack “inexcusable.” (RELATED: Minneapolis 3rd Police Precinct On Fire After Officers Evacuate Building Amid George Floyd Riots)
“He’s being taunted, he’s being called the f-word, he’s a journalist on the street trying to cover the story … he’s trying to do his job like every other journalist in America,” Newberry told the Daily Caller. “He, from what I could see of the video that I watched, he reacted exactly as he should have. He did not engage, he did not spit back any vitriol to his taunters, he walked away, he sought protection.”
“He behaved in an extremely responsible and ethical manner in the face of a great challenge to his safety … It’s not right for police to attack journalists, it’s not right for protesters to attack journalists. Not cool, what the protesters there in D.C. did to Mr. Vittert.”
SPJ issued a general open letter to protesters and police Saturday evening urging them to allow journalists to do their jobs in covering the protests.
SPJ asks police officers to let journalists do their jobs in covering the #GeorgeFloyd protests. Take a moment and think before you take action against a journalist there to do their job. Treat us with the same respect and dignity that you would want. https://t.co/OgzaluO7X3 pic.twitter.com/m8rXB5N223 — Society of Professional Journalists (@spj_tweets) May 30, 2020
SPJ previously specifically condemned Jimenez’s arrest and wrote that it “demands answers from the Minnesota State Patrol.”
“Mr. Jimenez and his team were clearly doing nothing but their job – even politely offering to move to wherever police wanted them to go – but were handcuffed and taken into custody anyway,” Newberry said in the CNN arrest incident. “This is clearly a violation of the First Amendment and the Minnesota State Patrol owes them and the American people an explanation of why this occurred. This happened on live TV where we could all see. Sadly, it happens much more often than we know in this country and is not documented on live TV.”
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP) condemned all attacks against reporters in a response to the Daily Caller.
“No reporter should be harassed for doing their job and bringing us the news,” RCFP Executive Director Bruce Brown said. “Our attorneys are ready to assist any reporter who needs legal support.”
RCFP confirmed that it did specifically condemn the attack against Vittert when pressed further by the Daily Caller.
“Yes, Reporters Committee condemns the harassment and attacks on the Fox News reporter Leland Vittert,” RCFP wrote.
The group “strongly” condemned the CNN arrest in a lengthy public statement on its website Friday.
“We strongly condemn the Minnesota State Patrol’s arrest of a CNN news crew covering the protests in Minneapolis, who responded professionally and appropriately to the situation,” RCFP wrote. “The First Amendment protects newsgathering, and prohibits the government from using police power as a pretext for interfering with press freedoms. Arresting journalists to prevent reporting on a public demonstration is not acceptable.”
“News coverage of protests like the one in Minneapolis is essential to informing the public and understanding the concerns of our communities. While we are relieved that the news crew was ultimately released, we expect the Minnesota State Patrol to provide a full explanation as to why these reporters, who identified themselves as journalists, were taken into custody.”


thedailycaller--2020-05-31--Tensions Flare As Protesters Square Off With Secret Service Outside White House

Protests led to a standoff Saturday between demonstrators and Secret Service agents outside the White House .
Video taken by WTOP News ’ Alejandro Alvarez showed a series of confrontations that took place after a largely peaceful rally on the National Mall .
Protesters gathered and listened to black activists discuss the death of George Floyd , an unarmed black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis last Monday .
The rally broke up , sending a large number of protesters marching toward the White House .
( RELATED : ‘ Catastrophic Judgmental Error ’ : Dan Bongino Warns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House ) Shortly after protesters gathered near the 17th Street checkpoint on Pennsylvania Avenue , some kicked over the barricades and pushed toward the line of Secret Service agents .
Some could be heard shouting , “ Don ’ t shoot !
” as they went over the barriers .
Inside the barricades , protesters formed a new line facing off with the Secret Service , some still yelling , “ Hands up , don ’ t shoot !
” The first real clash came as protesters pushed forward and agents deployed pepper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to disperse before the Secret Service agents charged into the crowd with more pepper spray .
Protesters responded by throwing water bottles and other objects as they were pushed back .
Agents herded journalists through the chaos in order to ensure their safety .
Once they had pushed the crowd back to the 17th Street access point , the crowd dispersed from that area .
Just hours earlier , Fox News contributor and former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino had warned rioters that an attempt to breach the White House grounds would not @ @ @

Protests led to a standoff Saturday between demonstrators and Secret Service agents outside the White House.
Video taken by WTOP News’ Alejandro Alvarez showed a series of confrontations that took place after a largely peaceful rally on the National Mall. Protesters gathered and listened to black activists discuss the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis last Monday.
The rally broke up, sending a large number of protesters marching toward the White House. (RELATED: ‘Catastrophic Judgmental Error’: Dan Bongino Warns Rioters Not To Try Breaching The White House)
The rally ended but a ton of people are marching on their own toward the White House. Yesterday in reverse, but turnout looks bigger. The whole of Penn. Ave. is being blocked off to make way, the second time in less than a day a protest has taken this major DC thoroughfare. pic.twitter.com/9WAXJMuzxk — Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) May 30, 2020
Shortly after protesters gathered near the 17th Street checkpoint on Pennsylvania Avenue, some kicked over the barricades and pushed toward the line of Secret Service agents. Some could be heard shouting, “Don’t shoot!” as they went over the barriers.
Barricades have fallen to the west of the White House and the crowd is surging forward, once again coming face-to-face with Secret Service who’ve moved into formation and raised their riot shields—a few stained yellow from eggs just thrown. pic.twitter.com/B0AMIk8aMZ — Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) May 30, 2020
Inside the barricades, protesters formed a new line facing off with the Secret Service, some still yelling, “Hands up, don’t shoot!”
Penn. and 17th is split between protesters and Secret Service with what’s basically a buffer zone between them. The situation is stable at the moment but some protesters are daring to inch forward. Cries of “hands up, don’t shoot” are getting louder. pic.twitter.com/ToiwFKwoP3 — Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) May 30, 2020
The first real clash came as protesters pushed forward and agents deployed pepper spray.
Tensions flared near the White House. Not sure what triggered it, all I saw was a blast of pepper spray and a sudden sprint backward. There’s a lot more pressure on the police cordon and they’re pulling out gas masks. pic.twitter.com/X4uCQRzPkw — Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) May 30, 2020
Protesters were warned several times to disperse before the Secret Service agents charged into the crowd with more pepper spray. Protesters responded by throwing water bottles and other objects as they were pushed back.
Insanity outside the White House. Three warnings of an unlawful assembly from the Secret Service before storming into the crowd. A lot of people have been hit with paper spray. In all the chaos, at least one person was tossed to the ground and presumably arrested. pic.twitter.com/Ab2eSkq9CS — Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) May 30, 2020
Agents herded journalists through the chaos in order to ensure their safety.
I was huddled with about a dozen other journalists on the steps to the Renwick Gallery when police pulled us off and herded us through the fight. pic.twitter.com/qLilbSaanA — Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) May 30, 2020
Once they had pushed the crowd back to the 17th Street access point, the crowd dispersed from that area.
The Secret Service didn’t push into 17th. There was a second standoff here until they shouted something unintelligible which freaked the hell out of everyone and caused a stampede. Most people took that as a sign to start moving. They’re heading to join another group. pic.twitter.com/RzIJiM80we — Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) May 30, 2020
Just hours earlier, Fox News contributor and former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino had warned rioters that an attempt to breach the White House grounds would not end well.


thedailycaller--2020-05-31--Tale Of Two Silicon Valley Giants: How Facebook And Twitter Are Dealing With Calls To Ban Trump’s Co

Tale Of Two Silicon Valley Giants: How Facebook And Twitter Are Dealing With Calls To Ban Trump’s Content

• President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday after Twitter applied a misinformation label to one of his tweets , as Silicon Valley companies were working to find a happy medium to content moderation .
• Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is taking a different route , creating a large , independent oversight body to help arbitrate instances where the company ’ s moderators were too zealous .
He also chided other social media companies that are attempting to be “ arbiters of truth.
” • Twitter censored a different Trump tweet referring to Minnesota rioters as “ THUGS , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to remove a post on the president ’ s profile containing the same comments .
Facebook and Twitter became mainstays in American culture more than a decade ago to connect people through social media , but today they are facing a new set of demands : how to contend with calls to ban or otherwise censor President Donald Trump and other conservatives .
Conservatives are railing against Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey after the platform slapped a misinformation label Tuesday on one of the president ’ s tweets , and concealed another on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pundits , reporters and activists demanded Twitter ban the president after he raised controversial theories targeting MSNBC host Joe Scarborough .
Trump ’ s critics have requested the company suspend the president since he came into office .
Facebook is facing the same problems .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren , for instance , lashed out against CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday for appearing on Fox News to explain why it ’ s a bad idea to become “ arbiters of truth ” while fact-checking political content .
“ This is eroding our democracy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet responding to Zuckerberg ’ s comments .
Trump sent a lightning bolt through the streets of Silicon Valley when he suggested in a Friday morning tweet that the “ THUGS ” rioting in Minneapolis are “ dishonoring the memory of George Floyd , ” a black man who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes , according to video of the incident .
The White House Twitter account quoted the president verbatim in a separate tweet .
( RELATED : ‘ Wretched Orange Man ’ : Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Who Donated To Planned Parenthood ) Twitter immediately took action .
The social media company concealed the tweet under a banner that reads : “ This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence .
However , Twitter has determined that it may be in the public ’ s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.
” The company applied the same banner to the White House tweet .
The company cited the historical relevance of the term “ looting starts , shooting starts ” to justify the move .
In 1967 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phrase during hearings about crime in the Florida city .
Trump later clarified what the tweet was meant to convey , telling his Twitter followers Friday that looting often leads to gun violence , something the president said he hopes to avoid .
Twitter placed a “ fact check ” label on a Trump tweet Tuesday in which he alleged that California ’ s mail-in ballot is “ fraudulent.
” That move prompted the president to sign an executive order Thursday calling for such platforms to lose their protection from legal liability if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a different direction .
Trump ’ s message referencing “ looting and shooting ” and “ THUGS ” was published on the president ’ s Facebook profile shortly after Twitter took action against Trump ’ s tweet .
His message was also posted on Instagram , which Facebook owns .
Neither post has been removed , and as a result they ’ ve collected a monstrous amount of engagements .
It ’ s been shared more than 70,000 times as of Saturday and has accumulated more than 250,000 reactions .
The Instagram post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Facebook did not remove or conceal the posts because the company is “ committed to free expression , ” Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post Friday .
( RELATED : Twitter Censors Trump For ‘ Glorifying Violence ’ In Tweet Vowing To Send Military On ‘ Thugs ’ ) “ Although the post had a troubling historical reference , we decided to leave it up because the National Guard references meant we read it as a warning about state action , and we think people need to know if the government is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote .
How Do They Approach Moderating ?
Facebook is aiming to create an independent oversight body , wherein the company ’ s platform can impartially protect free speech and create an arbitration system .
Zuckerberg constructed a type of independent body made up of a bipartisan crew of conservative and liberal judges to help determine whether specific comments , posts or links comply with Facebook ’ s terms of service .
The independent oversight board named a slate of 20 members out of a projected full membership of 40 during its May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook users who are unhappy with a moderator ’ s decision can file an appeal with the board , which will choose to take a handful of cases each year , similar to the Supreme Court .
The conservatives on the board laud the idea .
“ I think there is tremendous potential for doing good here .
What struck me most about the people on this Board is that they are idealistic , incredibly capable , and forward-looking , ” John Samples , an executive at the Cato Institute and one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Daily Caller News Foundation on May 7 .
Twitter , on the other hand , opted to become a type of security guard , moving aggressively to enforce conduct rules on its private property .
The company is also taking on election-related misinformation , a move that Zuckerberg has largely downplayed , telling Fox News on Wednesday that he believes tech companies should not be in the position to determine the truth of a user ’ s comments .
Dorsey responded shortly thereafter , telling his Twitter followers Wednesday night that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ arbiter of truth.
” “ This does not make us an ‘ arbiter of truth.
’ Our intention is to connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so people can judge for themselves .
More transparency from us is critical so folks can clearly see the why behind our actions , ” the Twitter CEO said .
Facebook spokesman Andy Stone directed the DCNF to Zuckerberg ’ s Wednesday comments and Twitter directed the DCNF to the company ’ s moderation policies dealing with world leaders .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday after Twitter applied a misinformation label to one of his tweets, as Silicon Valley companies were working to find a happy medium to content moderation.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is taking a different route, creating a large, independent oversight body to help arbitrate instances where the company’s moderators were too zealous. He also chided other social media companies that are attempting to be “arbiters of truth.”
Twitter censored a different Trump tweet referring to Minnesota rioters as “THUGS,” while Zuckerberg defended his move not to remove a post on the president’s profile containing the same comments.
Facebook and Twitter became mainstays in American culture more than a decade ago to connect people through social media, but today they are facing a new set of demands: how to contend with calls to ban or otherwise censor President Donald Trump and other conservatives.
Conservatives are railing against Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey after the platform slapped a misinformation label Tuesday on one of the president’s tweets, and concealed another on Friday. The company took action after media pundits, reporters and activists demanded Twitter ban the president after he raised controversial theories targeting MSNBC host Joe Scarborough.
Trump’s critics have requested the company suspend the president since he came into office.
Facebook is facing the same problems. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, for instance, lashed out against CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday for appearing on Fox News to explain why it’s a bad idea to become “arbiters of truth” while fact-checking political content.
“This is eroding our democracy,” the Massachusetts Democrat wrote in a tweet responding to Zuckerberg’s comments.
How Did Facebook, Twitter Handle Trump’s “THUGS” Tweet?
Trump sent a lightning bolt through the streets of Silicon Valley when he suggested in a Friday morning tweet that the “THUGS” rioting in Minneapolis are “dishonoring the memory of George Floyd,” a black man who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes, according to video of the incident.
The White House Twitter account quoted the president verbatim in a separate tweet. (RELATED: ‘Wretched Orange Man’: Twitter Official Overseeing Misinformation Efforts Is Anti-Trump Partisan Who Donated To Planned Parenthood)
Twitter immediately took action. The social media company concealed the tweet under a banner that reads: “This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public’s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.” The company applied the same banner to the White House tweet.
….These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
The company cited the historical relevance of the term “looting starts, shooting starts” to justify the move. In 1967, Miami police Chief Walter Headley used the phrase during hearings about crime in the Florida city. Trump later clarified what the tweet was meant to convey, telling his Twitter followers Friday that looting often leads to gun violence, something the president said he hopes to avoid.
Twitter placed a “fact check” label on a Trump tweet Tuesday in which he alleged that California’s mail-in ballot is “fraudulent.” That move prompted the president to sign an executive order Thursday calling for such platforms to lose their protection from legal liability if they engage in censorship.
Facebook took a different direction. Trump’s message referencing “looting and shooting” and “THUGS” was published on the president’s Facebook profile shortly after Twitter took action against Trump’s tweet. His message was also posted on Instagram, which Facebook owns.
Neither post has been removed, and as a result they’ve collected a monstrous amount of engagements. It’s been shared more than 70,000 times as of Saturday and has accumulated more than 250,000 reactions. The Instagram post, meanwhile, had nearly 500,000 likes.
Facebook did not remove or conceal the posts because the company is “committed to free expression,” Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post Friday. (RELATED: Twitter Censors Trump For ‘Glorifying Violence’ In Tweet Vowing To Send Military On ‘Thugs’)
“Although the post had a troubling historical reference, we decided to leave it up because the National Guard references meant we read it as a warning about state action, and we think people need to know if the government is planning to deploy force,” he wrote.
How Do They Approach Moderating?
Facebook is aiming to create an independent oversight body, wherein the company’s platform can impartially protect free speech and create an arbitration system. Zuckerberg constructed a type of independent body made up of a bipartisan crew of conservative and liberal judges to help determine whether specific comments, posts or links comply with Facebook’s terms of service.
The independent oversight board named a slate of 20 members out of a projected full membership of 40 during its May 6 unveiling. Under this system, Facebook users who are unhappy with a moderator’s decision can file an appeal with the board, which will choose to take a handful of cases each year, similar to the Supreme Court.
The conservatives on the board laud the idea.
“I think there is tremendous potential for doing good here. What struck me most about the people on this Board is that they are idealistic, incredibly capable, and forward-looking,” John Samples, an executive at the Cato Institute and one of the judges on the board, told the Daily Caller News Foundation on May 7.
Twitter, on the other hand, opted to become a type of security guard, moving aggressively to enforce conduct rules on its private property. The company is also taking on election-related misinformation, a move that Zuckerberg has largely downplayed, telling Fox News on Wednesday that he believes tech companies should not be in the position to determine the truth of a user’s comments.
Dorsey responded shortly thereafter, telling his Twitter followers Wednesday night that the company is not interested in becoming an “arbiter of truth.”
“This does not make us an ‘arbiter of truth.’ Our intention is to connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so people can judge for themselves. More transparency from us is critical so folks can clearly see the why behind our actions,” the Twitter CEO said.
Facebook spokesman Andy Stone directed the DCNF to Zuckerberg’s Wednesday comments and Twitter directed the DCNF to the company’s moderation policies dealing with world leaders.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


thedailycaller--2020-05-31--FACT CHECK: Viral Image Claims To Show Singapore Hospital Bill Sent To COVID-19 Patient

An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows a 180,000 Singapore dollar invoice incurred by a COVID-19 patient for an 18-day stay at Singapore General Hospital .
The hospital refuted the claim .
The photo of the bill appears on a fundraising page to cover the hospital bills for someone diagnosed with tuberculosis and severe aplastic anemia .
The Facebook post features a photo of a Singapore General Hospital medical bill sent to a patient on Feb. 27 .
Though a notice on the document states that it is not the final bill , the listed charges add up to over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 128,000 .
“ SGH Hospital Bill For COVID-19 Patient 18 Days Stay .
Total bil ( sic ) amount SD180,143.00 .
No joke , ” the caption reads .
“ Pls Stay at Home & Stay Safe.
” ( RELATED : Does This Video Show Defective Medical Gowns Made In China ? )
The bill , however , does not belong to a COVID-19 patient .
Singapore General Hospital refuted the claim in a Facebook post in April .
“ It has been brought to our attention that a hospital bill ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Feb 2020 belonging to one of our patients has resurfaced and is circulating on social media and text message platforms , ” Singapore General Hospital wrote .
“ There was claim that the patient was diagnosed with COVID-19 .
This is not true.
” Through a reverse image search , the Daily Caller found the photo of the hospital bill in a GIVE.Asia fundraising campaign set up by a man identified as Gan Chang .
That fundraiser was for his wife , who was hospitalized for severe aplastic anemia , tuberculosis and pneumonia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
His wife ’ s name matches that on the invoice in the Facebook post .
The Singaporean government pays the hospital bills incurred by Singapore residents and “ long term pass holders ” admitted to public hospitals for COVID-19 , except in cases where the individuals disregarded travel advisories , according to the Singapore Ministry of Health website .

An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows a 180,000 Singapore dollar invoice incurred by a COVID-19 patient for an 18-day stay at Singapore General Hospital.
Verdict: False
The hospital refuted the claim. The photo of the bill appears on a fundraising page to cover the hospital bills for someone diagnosed with tuberculosis and severe aplastic anemia.
Fact Check:
The Facebook post features a photo of a Singapore General Hospital medical bill sent to a patient on Feb. 27. Though a notice on the document states that it is not the final bill, the listed charges add up to over 180,000 Singapore dollars, equal to roughly $128,000.
“SGH Hospital Bill For COVID-19 Patient 18 Days Stay. Total bil (sic) amount SD180,143.00. No joke,” the caption reads. “Pls Stay at Home & Stay Safe.” (RELATED: Does This Video Show Defective Medical Gowns Made In China?)
The bill, however, does not belong to a COVID-19 patient. Singapore General Hospital refuted the claim in a Facebook post in April.
“It has been brought to our attention that a hospital bill (case number: xxxxxxx469H) dated 27 Feb 2020 belonging to one of our patients has resurfaced and is circulating on social media and text message platforms,” Singapore General Hospital wrote. “There was claim that the patient was diagnosed with COVID-19. This is not true.”
Through a reverse image search, the Daily Caller found the photo of the hospital bill in a GIVE.Asia fundraising campaign set up by a man identified as Gan Chang. That fundraiser was for his wife, who was hospitalized for severe aplastic anemia, tuberculosis and pneumonia, according to the GIVE.Asia fundraiser page. His wife’s name matches that on the invoice in the Facebook post.
The Singaporean government pays the hospital bills incurred by Singapore residents and “long term pass holders” admitted to public hospitals for COVID-19, except in cases where the individuals disregarded travel advisories, according to the Singapore Ministry of Health website.


thedailycaller--2020-05-30--Trump On George Floyd Riots: ‘I Will Not Allow Angry Mobs To Dominate’

President Donald Trump criticized George Floyd protesters who have turned to rioting across the country Saturday , saying he would not allow them to “ dominate.
” Trump made the comments at Kennedy Space Center in Florida soon after NASA and SpaceX launched American astronauts into space from American soil for the first time since 2011 .
While Trump critiqued the “ angry mobs , ” he said he stands with those who are peacefully protesting against Floyd ’ s death .
“ We support the right of peaceful protests and we hear their pleas , but what we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities has nothing to do with the memory of George Floyd .
The violence and vandalism is being led by antifa and other radical left-wing groups who are terrorizing the innocent , destroying jobs , hurting businesses and burning down buildings , ” Trump said .
“ I will not allow angry mobs to dominate .
It ’ s not going to happen , ” he added .
( RELATED : ‘ F*** Fox News !
’ : Protesters Chase Fox News Reporter Outside White House ) Trump soon turned his speech back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however .
He announced that as he was speaking , astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley had arrived safely in low-Earth orbit .
Their final destination is the International Space Station .
( RELATED : George Floyd Protests In Washington DC Throw White House Into Brief Lockdown ) Trump went on to praise SpaceX founder Elon Musk , calling him a “ great brain.
” NASA and SpaceX plan to continue their partnership to bring American astronauts back to the moon and eventually be the first to land on Mars .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commercial space industry is the future , ” he said .

President Donald Trump criticized George Floyd protesters who have turned to rioting across the country Saturday, saying he would not allow them to “dominate.”
Trump made the comments at Kennedy Space Center in Florida soon after NASA and SpaceX launched American astronauts into space from American soil for the first time since 2011. While Trump critiqued the “angry mobs,” he said he stands with those who are peacefully protesting against Floyd’s death.
“We support the right of peaceful protests and we hear their pleas, but what we are now seeing on the streets of our cities has nothing to do with the memory of George Floyd. The violence and vandalism is being led by antifa and other radical left-wing groups who are terrorizing the innocent, destroying jobs, hurting businesses and burning down buildings,” Trump said.
“I will not allow angry mobs to dominate. It’s not going to happen,” he added. (RELATED: ‘F*** Fox News!’: Protesters Chase Fox News Reporter Outside White House)
Trump soon turned his speech back to the return of Americans to spaceflight, however. He announced that as he was speaking, astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley had arrived safely in low-Earth orbit. Their final destination is the International Space Station. (RELATED: George Floyd Protests In Washington DC Throw White House Into Brief Lockdown)
Trump went on to praise SpaceX founder Elon Musk, calling him a “great brain.” NASA and SpaceX plan to continue their partnership to bring American astronauts back to the moon and eventually be the first to land on Mars.
“Today’s launch makes clear the commercial space industry is the future,” he said.


thedailycaller--2020-05-30--Sisters Facing Charges After One Allegedly Threw Molotov Cocktail At NYPD Van

Two sisters from upstate New York are facing charges after one of them allegedly threw a molotov cocktail at a NYPD van full of officers during riots in Brooklyn over the death of George Floyd .
“ It is by the grace of God , and I ’ ve said that unfortunately before , that we don ’ t have dead officers today , ” NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said during a press conference Saturday .
( RELATED : Rioters Descend On Cities Across America To Exact Vengeance Over George Floyd ’ s Death ) Demonstrations in Brooklyn occurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minneapolis police custody .
Samantha Shader , 27 , of Catskill , N.Y. is facing four counts of attempted murder , attempted arson , weapons possession and reckless endangerment for throwing a lit bottle of alcohol through the window of a police van that was occupied by four officers in Brooklyn around 11:30 p.m. on Friday night , according to New York Daily News .
The four officers from the 71st precinct managed to escape the vehicle as it caught on fire , authorities said , according to the Daily News .
Firefighters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to extinguish the flames .
Her sister , Darian Shader , 21 , was charged as well with resisting arrest and obstructing government administration for her involvement Friday night , according to the Daily News .
The sisters were caught by police officers shortly after the incident , and are awaiting their arraignments in Brooklyn Criminal Court , the Daily News reported .
“ The answer for violence should not be violence , or murder , ” Commissioner Shea said during the press conference , “ because it will not get us where @ @ @ @ @ @

Two sisters from upstate New York are facing charges after one of them allegedly threw a molotov cocktail at a NYPD van full of officers during riots in Brooklyn over the death of George Floyd.
“It is by the grace of God, and I’ve said that unfortunately before, that we don’t have dead officers today,” NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said during a press conference Saturday. (RELATED: Rioters Descend On Cities Across America To Exact Vengeance Over George Floyd’s Death)
Demonstrations in Brooklyn occurred protesting Floyd’s death while in Minneapolis police custody.
Samantha Shader, 27, of Catskill, N.Y. is facing four counts of attempted murder, attempted arson, weapons possession and reckless endangerment for throwing a lit bottle of alcohol through the window of a police van that was occupied by four officers in Brooklyn around 11:30 p.m. on Friday night, according to New York Daily News.
The four officers from the 71st precinct managed to escape the vehicle as it caught on fire, authorities said, according to the Daily News. Firefighters had to be called to the scene to extinguish the flames.
Her sister, Darian Shader, 21, was charged as well with resisting arrest and obstructing government administration for her involvement Friday night, according to the Daily News.
The sisters were caught by police officers shortly after the incident, and are awaiting their arraignments in Brooklyn Criminal Court, the Daily News reported.
“The answer for violence should not be violence, or murder,” Commissioner Shea said during the press conference, “because it will not get us where we want to be.”
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thedailycaller--2020-05-30--FACT CHECK: Did Donald Trump Re-Sign A 1952 Law Making ‘Muslamic Law’ Illegal?

There is no evidence that Trump re-signed such a law .
The article was originally published on a satire website .
The internet is replete with misinformation about politicians , with this particular post alleging Trump made many “ Muslamic laws ” illegal .
( RELATED : ‘ Down With The USA ’ – Meme Purportedly Shows Anti-American Protesters In Michigan ) The post links to an article , which put up the headline “ President Trump Re-Signs 1952 Law Making Muslamic Law Illegal Again , ” that was published on the website USA News earlier this month .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s landmark law making any kind of Muslamic law illegal in the United States.
” That appears to be a reference to the 1952 McCarran-Walter Act .
Also known as the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 , the law “ upheld the national origins quota system established by the Immigration Act of 1924 , ” according to the Office of the Historian at the State Department .
Some social media users have also falsely claimed the act banned Muslims from coming to America or running for public office , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” never appear in the act ’ s text .
Had Trump re-signed legislation to make “ Muslamic law ” illegal , it would have been picked up by major news outlets , yet none have reported on it , and there is no record of such a law in the Library of Congress .
The article appears to have copied nearly word-for-word from an article on Bustatroll.org , a parody news website that describes itself as part of a network that publishes “ parody , satire , and tomfoolery.
” Yet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the satirical nature of its content , the USA News article does not , portraying it as real .

An article shared on Facebook claims President Donald Trump re-signed a 1952 law making “Muslamic law” illegal.
Verdict: False
There is no evidence that Trump re-signed such a law. The article was originally published on a satire website.
Fact Check:
The internet is replete with misinformation about politicians, with this particular post alleging Trump made many “Muslamic laws” illegal. (RELATED: ‘Down With The USA’ – Meme Purportedly Shows Anti-American Protesters In Michigan)
The post links to an article, which put up the headline “President Trump Re-Signs 1952 Law Making Muslamic Law Illegal Again,” that was published on the website USA News earlier this month. It claims Trump recently “re-signed Senator McCarthy’s landmark law making any kind of Muslamic law illegal in the United States.”
That appears to be a reference to the 1952 McCarran-Walter Act. Also known as the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, the law “upheld the national origins quota system established by the Immigration Act of 1924,” according to the Office of the Historian at the State Department. Some social media users have also falsely claimed the act banned Muslims from coming to America or running for public office, but the words “Islam” and “Muslim” never appear in the act’s text.
Had Trump re-signed legislation to make “Muslamic law” illegal, it would have been picked up by major news outlets, yet none have reported on it, and there is no record of such a law in the Library of Congress.
The article appears to have copied nearly word-for-word from an article on Bustatroll.org, a parody news website that describes itself as part of a network that publishes “parody, satire, and tomfoolery.” Yet, while Bustatroll’s article clearly disclaims the satirical nature of its content, the USA News article does not, portraying it as real.


thedailycaller--2020-05-30--Tim Walz Blames Riots On ‘Outsiders,’ Cartels And White Supremacists — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Joy

Tim Walz Blames Riots On ‘Outsiders,’ Cartels And White Supremacists — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Joy Reid Join In

Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined MSNBC ’ s Joy Reid and Democratic Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz to push the theory that white supremacists were at the heart of nationwide riots .
Peaceful protests began in Minneapolis following the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in police custody .
Protests sprang up across the country as video showing former police officer Derek Chauvin holding Floyd down with a knee compressing his neck .
( Chauvin has since been fired , arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter . )
( RELATED : ‘ Catastrophic Judgmental Error @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To Try Breaching The White House ) Protests in multiple cities escalated to full-scale riots — stores were vandalized and looted and some were burned to the ground .
After several nights of rioting and violence , Gov .
Walz said Saturday that many of the rioters who had been arrested during the demonstrations were not local — and suggested that organized crime , cartels and white supremacists could be using the protest as a cover to incite violence .
Author and religious scholar Reza Aslan was among those who took things a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump supporters .
MSNBC host Joy Reid jumped on the narrative as well .
And Reid was quickly followed by Ocasio-Cortez .
A Fox 9 report that was released Saturday afternoon flew in the face of claims that the trouble was primarily being incited by outsiders .
It said that only seven of the 45 protesters who had been arrested in connection with the unrest in Minneapolis did not have Minnesota addresses .
President Donald Trump and several others have laid the blame at the feet of Antifa , with some calling on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a domestic terror organization .
Intelligence reports suggest that President Trump is correct and that any outside protesters are more likely to be left-leaning than right-leaning .
Walz announced Saturday that in the face of continued unrest , he had no choice but to activate the Minnesota National Guard .

Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined MSNBC’s Joy Reid and Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to push the theory that white supremacists were at the heart of nationwide riots.
Peaceful protests began in Minneapolis following the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in police custody. Protests sprang up across the country as video showing former police officer Derek Chauvin holding Floyd down with a knee compressing his neck. (Chauvin has since been fired, arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.) (RELATED: ‘Catastrophic Judgmental Error’: Dan Bongino Warns Rioters Not To Try Breaching The White House)
Protests in multiple cities escalated to full-scale riots — stores were vandalized and looted and some were burned to the ground.
After several nights of rioting and violence, Gov. Walz said Saturday that many of the rioters who had been arrested during the demonstrations were not local — and suggested that organized crime, cartels and white supremacists could be using the protest as a cover to incite violence.
Minnesota gov. hints that white supremacists, drug cartels could be part of widespread chaos https://t.co/pkrorByFFV via @NBCNews — Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 30, 2020
We are now confronting white supremacists, members of organized crime, out of state instigators, and possibly even foreign actors to destroy and destabilize our city and our region. — Mayor Jacob Frey (@MayorFrey) May 30, 2020
Minnesota officials say many of the violent protesters who have caused widespread damage are from out of state. Authorities have been monitoring alleged criminals online, including postings by suspected white supremacists trying to incite violence. — Josh Campbell (@joshscampbell) May 30, 2020
Author and religious scholar Reza Aslan was among those who took things a step further, pinning the riots on Trump supporters.
White Supremacists=Trump Supporters. These are Trump supporters burning and looting. https://t.co/DKyvP6mUJk — Reza Aslan (@rezaaslan) May 30, 2020
Minnesota public safety commissioner says white nationalists are organizing and coming to the state for violence and destruction. In other words, white supremacists are following Trump’s lead. pic.twitter.com/nKXHXnzSsb — Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) May 30, 2020
MSNBC host Joy Reid jumped on the narrative as well.
He adds that white nationalist groups are posting messages promoting going to Minneapolis to “get our loot on” and cause mayhem. He says they will investigate those using the outrage over the murder of George Floyd as a “cover” for illegal activity — Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) May 30, 2020
And Reid was quickly followed by Ocasio-Cortez.
Important. If you are at a demonstration and something doesn’t seem right, this could be why. Document it ⬇ https://t.co/FcYuAQeWJV — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 30, 2020
A Fox 9 report that was released Saturday afternoon flew in the face of claims that the trouble was primarily being incited by outsiders. It said that only seven of the 45 protesters who had been arrested in connection with the unrest in Minneapolis did not have Minnesota addresses.
Jail records show most arrested in Minneapolis riots are Minnesotans https://t.co/P75dypbRCS — FOX 9 (@FOX9) May 30, 2020
President Donald Trump and several others have laid the blame at the feet of Antifa, with some calling on the president to label the group as a domestic terror organization.
It’s ANTIFA and the Radical Left. Don’t lay the blame on others! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2020
Don’t believe what you’re reading about who these people are. Do your own research and go spend time watching the hours and hours of interviews that Unicorn Riot did on the ground in Minneapolis two nights ago. White supremacists didn’t destroy the CNN building. Antifa did. — Bridget Phetasy (@BridgetPhetasy) May 30, 2020
ANTIFA are not white supremacists They aren’t even Democrats or Republicans They are anarchists Often in support of communism They are nothing close to right wing They also believe violence/vandalism is justified to achieve their revolution Get it right Minneapolis! — ELIJAH SCHAFFER (@ElijahSchaffer) May 30, 2020
Intelligence reports suggest that President Trump is correct and that any outside protesters are more likely to be left-leaning than right-leaning.
A security expert says intelligence reports indicate most of the hard-core protesters in Minneapolis are far-left or anarchists, and that far-right groups have not yet made a significant appearance.https://t.co/pkJAKjkYYj — USA TODAY (@USATODAY) May 30, 2020
Walz announced Saturday that in the face of continued unrest, he had no choice but to activate the Minnesota National Guard.


thedailycaller--2020-05-30--‘Incredible’: President Trump Hails NASA, SpaceX For Successful Launch

President Donald Trump praised NASA and SpaceX for a successful launch minutes after he watched the Falcon 9 rocket take flight in Florida on Saturday .
The Demo-2 mission came as a partnership between public sector NASA and private sector SpaceX and launched American astronauts into space from U.S. soil for the first time since 2011 .
“ I ’ m so proud of the people , of NASA , public and private .
When you see a sight like that , it ’ s incredible , ” Trump said .
“ When you hear that sound — the roar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is.
” Trump also had praise for SpaceX founder Elon Musk , calling him a “ great brain.
” He also said the launch could be a symbol of recovery for Americans suffering through the COVID-19 pandemic as lockdown measures ease across the country .
“ I think this is such a great inspiration for our country .
Our country is doing well … We suffered something that was terrible .
It should have never happened — it should have never come out of China , ” Trump said .
“ That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to be here today and I think any one of you would say that was an inspiration to see what we just saw.
” The SpaceX rocket will take astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station , but the company and NASA also plan on returning American astronauts to the moon and being the first to reach Mars .
( RELATED : George Floyd Protests In Washington DC Throw White House Into Brief Lockdown ) Musk has found common ground with Trump throughout the pandemic , as both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economies and criticized local and state leaders who have been slow to do so .
Musk threatened to move his Tesla automaker plant out of California due to the state ’ s social distancing rules , leading to tweets from Trump supporting the move , according to Fox News .

President Donald Trump praised NASA and SpaceX for a successful launch minutes after he watched the Falcon 9 rocket take flight in Florida on Saturday.
The Demo-2 mission came as a partnership between public sector NASA and private sector SpaceX and launched American astronauts into space from U.S. soil for the first time since 2011.
“I’m so proud of the people, of NASA, public and private. When you see a sight like that, it’s incredible,” Trump said. “When you hear that sound — the roar — you can imagine how dangerous it is.”
Trump also had praise for SpaceX founder Elon Musk, calling him a “great brain.” He also said the launch could be a symbol of recovery for Americans suffering through the COVID-19 pandemic as lockdown measures ease across the country.


thedailycaller--2020-05-30--FACT CHECK: Does The ‘Squad’ Want The Bible To Be Deemed Hate Speech?

An article shared on Facebook claims Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , Rashida Tlaib , Ilhan Omar and Ayanna Pressley want the Bible to be deemed hate speech .
None of the congresswomen have called for such a measure .
The article was originally published on a satire website .
Omar and Tlaib are two of three Muslims serving in Congress .
Pressley , who represents Massachusetts ’ s 7th congressional district , is the first black woman to represent her state in Congress , and Ocasio-Cortez is the youngest woman ever elected to Congress .
All four , sometimes referred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” are members of the Progressive Caucus .
The May 1 article , titled “ The Squad Wants Bible Deemed To Be ‘ Hate Speech ' ” claims the four congresswomen want the Bible declared as hate speech , as well as censored or banned .
( RELATED : Did Ocasio-Cortez Tweet About Electric Cars During Hurricane Dorian ? )
It contains alleged comments from the four congresswomen : Ocasio-Cortez is quoted as saying , “ It promotes slavery , sexual assault , and murder , ” while Tlaib and Omar supposedly called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vile , ” respectively .
Pressley is credited with saying , “ I agree with them.
” None of these remarks appear to be real , however .
Nor is there any evidence the four congresswomen ever called for deeming the Bible as hate speech .
Searching their social media accounts turned up no calls for such a measure .
Nothing to that effect appears on their official websites .
The article appears to lift nearly word-for-word from an article published on Bustatroll.org , a parody news website that describes itself as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , satire , and tomfoolery.
” Despite the satirical nature of the content , some social media users perceived it as real because other websites failed to disclaim its origins .

An article shared on Facebook claims Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar and Ayanna Pressley want the Bible to be deemed hate speech.
Verdict: False
None of the congresswomen have called for such a measure. The article was originally published on a satire website.
Fact Check:
Omar and Tlaib are two of three Muslims serving in Congress. Pressley, who represents Massachusetts’s 7th congressional district, is the first black woman to represent her state in Congress, and Ocasio-Cortez is the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. All four, sometimes referred to as the so-called “squad,” are members of the Progressive Caucus.
The May 1 article, titled “The Squad Wants Bible Deemed To Be ‘Hate Speech'” claims the four congresswomen want the Bible declared as hate speech, as well as censored or banned. (RELATED: Did Ocasio-Cortez Tweet About Electric Cars During Hurricane Dorian?)
It contains alleged comments from the four congresswomen: Ocasio-Cortez is quoted as saying, “It promotes slavery, sexual assault, and murder,” while Tlaib and Omar supposedly called the Bible “racist” and “vile,” respectively. Pressley is credited with saying, “I agree with them.”
None of these remarks appear to be real, however. Nor is there any evidence the four congresswomen ever called for deeming the Bible as hate speech. Searching their social media accounts turned up no calls for such a measure. Nothing to that effect appears on their official websites.
The article appears to lift nearly word-for-word from an article published on Bustatroll.org, a parody news website that describes itself as part of a network that publishes “parody, satire, and tomfoolery.” Despite the satirical nature of the content, some social media users perceived it as real because other websites failed to disclaim its origins.


thedailycaller--2020-05-30--SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Launches After First Attempt Was Foiled By Inclement Weather

SpaceX ’ s Falcon 9 and its Crew Dragon capsule launched the Commercial Crew Program into space on Saturday .
The launch comes after scrubbing the first planned launch on Wednesday due to poor weather conditions .
Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley took off from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral , Fla. Saturday afternoon , averting any additional foreseen weather or technical problems that could have scrubbed their trip into orbit .
The crew is en route for the International Space Station .
( RELATED : Elon Musk ’ s SpaceX Beats Out Boeing In Race To Help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flight ) The Air Force ’ s 45th Weather Squadron was tasked with supporting meteorological analysis , which the launch director gave the all-clear on leading up to liftoff , according to the Washington Post .
Mission Demo-2 is a private-public partnership designed to renew American-manned spaceflight after a decade long hiatus , taking reliance off of other countries like Russia to get Americans into space , according to the Post .
Elon Musk ’ s SpaceX beat out Boeing in this endeavor , reportedly sparking some unrest among executives within the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — how does this guy who smokes pot beat us ?
” a Boeing official reportedly said .
“ We have a lot of humble pie to eat here.
” President Trump and Vice President Pence were both present witnessing the launch in-person , according to the Post .
The successful launch will help Trump satisfy a goal of making it into space without being forced to unload government funds for the endeavor .

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and its Crew Dragon capsule launched the Commercial Crew Program into space on Saturday.
The launch comes after scrubbing the first planned launch on Wednesday due to poor weather conditions.
Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley took off from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Saturday afternoon, averting any additional foreseen weather or technical problems that could have scrubbed their trip into orbit. The crew is en route for the International Space Station. (RELATED: Elon Musk’s SpaceX Beats Out Boeing In Race To Help Trump Complete Another Goal: Privatizing Space Flight)
The Air Force’s 45th Weather Squadron was tasked with supporting meteorological analysis, which the launch director gave the all-clear on leading up to liftoff, according to the Washington Post.
Mission Demo-2 is a private-public partnership designed to renew American-manned spaceflight after a decade long hiatus, taking reliance off of other countries like Russia to get Americans into space, according to the Post.
Crew Dragon has separated from Falcon 9’s second stage and is on its way to the International Space Station with @Astro_Behnken and @AstroDoug! Autonomous docking at the @Space_Station will occur at ~10:30 a.m. EDT tomorrow, May 31 pic.twitter.com/bSZ6yZP2bD — SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 30, 2020
Elon Musk’s SpaceX beat out Boeing in this endeavor, reportedly sparking some unrest among executives within the company.
“People are annoyed by Elon — how does this guy who smokes pot beat us?” a Boeing official reportedly said. “We have a lot of humble pie to eat here.”
President Trump and Vice President Pence were both present witnessing the launch in-person, according to the Post.
The successful launch will help Trump satisfy a goal of making it into space without being forced to unload government funds for the endeavor.


thedailycaller--2020-05-30--FACT CHECK: Does HR 6666 Require Microchips To Be Secretly Implanted During COVID-19 Tests?

An image shared on Facebook claims that H.R .
6666 requires microchips to be secretly implanted inside people during COVID-19 tests .
H.R .
6666 does not mention microchips at all .
There is no evidence that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and billionaire George Soros want to implant microchips in people via coronavirus testing .
The image includes a diagram of the nasopharyngeal swabbing procedure used to collect samples in some forms of COVID-19 testing .
An arrow pointing toward the end of the swab says , “ Insert microchip here.
” “ This is what Bill Gates and George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you with a chip while testing you for the corona virus , ” reads the caption .
“ The Dems have a bill on the house floor ready to vote on it to require this… .
House Bill 6666… .
no bull… .
look it up and wake up !
” H.R .
6666 , also known as the Testing , Reaching and Contacting Everyone ( TRACE ) Act , was introduced by Democratic Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush on May 1 .
The bill seeks to “ authorize the secretary of Health and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entities to conduct diagnostic testing for COVID-19 , and related activities such as contact tracing , through mobile health units and , as necessary , at individuals ’ residences , and for other purposes , ” according to its text .
There is , however , no mention of microchips or implants in the text of the bill .
There is also no evidence that Gates or Soros want to microchip people through COVID-19 testing .
Similar claims about Gates have been debunked by other fact-checkers .
( RELATED : Did The Italian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gates ? )
No action has been taken on H.R .
6666 , which has been the subject of other dubious claims , since its introduction .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact [ email protected ] .

An image shared on Facebook claims that H.R. 6666 requires microchips to be secretly implanted inside people during COVID-19 tests.
Verdict: False
H.R. 6666 does not mention microchips at all. There is no evidence that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and billionaire George Soros want to implant microchips in people via coronavirus testing.
Fact Check:
The image includes a diagram of the nasopharyngeal swabbing procedure used to collect samples in some forms of COVID-19 testing. An arrow pointing toward the end of the swab says, “Insert microchip here.”
“This is what Bill Gates and George Soros want to do…. Secretly stick you with a chip while testing you for the corona virus,” reads the caption. “The Dems have a bill on the house floor ready to vote on it to require this…. House Bill 6666…. no bull…. look it up and wake up!”
H.R. 6666, also known as the Testing, Reaching and Contacting Everyone (TRACE) Act, was introduced by Democratic Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush on May 1. The bill seeks to “authorize the secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to eligible entities to conduct diagnostic testing for COVID-19, and related activities such as contact tracing, through mobile health units and, as necessary, at individuals’ residences, and for other purposes,” according to its text.
There is, however, no mention of microchips or implants in the text of the bill. There is also no evidence that Gates or Soros want to microchip people through COVID-19 testing. Similar claims about Gates have been debunked by other fact-checkers. (RELATED: Did The Italian Parliament Call For The Arrest Of Bill Gates?)
No action has been taken on H.R. 6666, which has been the subject of other dubious claims, since its introduction.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].


thedailycaller--2020-05-30--FACT CHECK: Did Bill Gates Admit A COVID-19 Vaccine Might Kill Nearly 1 Million People?

An article shared on Facebook claims Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates admitted during an interview that a COVID-19 vaccine “ might kill nearly 1,000,000 people.
” Gates made a comment about how many people could theoretically experience side effects from a COVID-19 vaccine .
At no point did he suggest a COVID-19 vaccine might kill nearly 1 million people .
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation , which , among other things , promotes access to vaccinations around the world , has committed $ 300 million to help fund the development of coronavirus detection , treatments and vaccines .
Such efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ target for misinformation during the coronavirus pandemic , with this particular article claiming , “ WATCH : Bill Gates Admits His COVID-19 Vaccine Might KILL Nearly 1,000,000 People.
” The article , which was filed under the “ conspiracy ” section of the Clover Chronicle website , links to an interview Gates did with CNBC in early April about the work he and his foundation are doing to fight the pandemic .
During the interview , he discusses the difficulties of quickly developing a COVID-19 vaccine that will be effective for the elderly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Here , we clearly need a vaccine that works in the upper age range because they ’ re most at risk of that .
And doing that so that you amp it up so it works in older people , and yet you don ’ t have side effects , ” Gates said .
“ If we have one in 10,000 side effects , that ’ s way more — 700,000 people who will suffer from that.
” He added that “ understanding the safety at gigantic scales across all age ranges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undernourished , existing comorbidities — it ’ s very , very hard , ” according to the CNBC video .
( RELATED : Has Bill Gates ‘ Refused To Vaccinate His Children ’ ? )
At no point in the segment linked in the article or the rest of the interview does Gates suggest the vaccine might kill nearly 1 million people .
The Daily Caller News Foundation found no evidence Gates has suggested such a thing elsewhere .
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation did not respond to a request for comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact [ email protected ] .

An article shared on Facebook claims Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates admitted during an interview that a COVID-19 vaccine “might kill nearly 1,000,000 people.”
Verdict: False
Gates made a comment about how many people could theoretically experience side effects from a COVID-19 vaccine. At no point did he suggest a COVID-19 vaccine might kill nearly 1 million people.
Fact Check:
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which, among other things, promotes access to vaccinations around the world, has committed $300 million to help fund the development of coronavirus detection, treatments and vaccines.
Such efforts appear to have made Gates a popular target for misinformation during the coronavirus pandemic, with this particular article claiming, “WATCH: Bill Gates Admits His COVID-19 Vaccine Might KILL Nearly 1,000,000 People.”
The article, which was filed under the “conspiracy” section of the Clover Chronicle website, links to an interview Gates did with CNBC in early April about the work he and his foundation are doing to fight the pandemic. During the interview, he discusses the difficulties of quickly developing a COVID-19 vaccine that will be effective for the elderly in the context of side effects.
“Here, we clearly need a vaccine that works in the upper age range because they’re most at risk of that. And doing that so that you amp it up so it works in older people, and yet you don’t have side effects,” Gates said. “If we have one in 10,000 side effects, that’s way more — 700,000 people who will suffer from that.”
He added that “understanding the safety at gigantic scales across all age ranges — pregnant, male, female, undernourished, existing comorbidities — it’s very, very hard,” according to the CNBC video. (RELATED: Has Bill Gates ‘Refused To Vaccinate His Children’?)
At no point in the segment linked in the article or the rest of the interview does Gates suggest the vaccine might kill nearly 1 million people. The Daily Caller News Foundation found no evidence Gates has suggested such a thing elsewhere.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation did not respond to a request for comment.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].