thedailycaller--2020-03-31--Tucker Carlson: ‘China Continues To Threaten The Rest Of Us With Wet Markets’

Fox News host Tucker Carlson blasted China for continuing “ to threaten the rest of us ” by reopening its open-air food markets .
Chinese wet markets , where all sorts of unusual animals — from bats to cats to scorpions — are sold to consumers as food , have long been considered a breeding ground for exotic viruses .
Despite the fact that such markets were considered ground zero for the novel coronavirus outbreak , reports emerged over the weekend that wet markets have been reopened in major cities across China .
“ Well , we still don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ originally in Wuhan , and anyone who tells you we are certain of that is lying to you , ” Carlson said .
“ But many people believe it could have originated in the wet market in Wuhan .
That ’ s a place where consumers buy the meat of wild animals to eat including bats .
Wild animal wet markets have long been recognized as a major pandemic threat .
As coronavirus spread , China announced it would crack down on them , obviously , but it looks like the crackdown didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daily Mail , across China , wet markets are reopening and selling the same animals that they did before.
” The Fox News host listed two major cities , one where “ dogs and cats are both for sale as food ” and another with “ a stand selling traditional Chinese medicines advertises things like lizards , scorpions , and , yes , bats.
” ( RELATED : Here ’ s A List Of Some Of The Most Unusual Animals , Reptiles Available At A Typical Wuhan Wet Market ) “ Again , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decade that wet markets are a disease timebomb , ” said the Daily Caller co-founder .
“ This is not the first virus to emanate from them .
But it looks like even after a global crisis , China continues to threaten the rest of us with wet markets .
”

Fox News host Tucker Carlson blasted China for continuing “to threaten the rest of us” by reopening its open-air food markets.
Chinese wet markets, where all sorts of unusual animals — from bats to cats to scorpions — are sold to consumers as food, have long been considered a breeding ground for exotic viruses. Despite the fact that such markets were considered ground zero for the novel coronavirus outbreak, reports emerged over the weekend that wet markets have been reopened in major cities across China.
WATCH:
“Well, we still don’t know where the coronavirus came from originally in Wuhan, and anyone who tells you we are certain of that is lying to you,” Carlson said. “But many people believe it could have originated in the wet market in Wuhan. That’s a place where consumers buy the meat of wild animals to eat including bats. Wild animal wet markets have long been recognized as a major pandemic threat. As coronavirus spread, China announced it would crack down on them, obviously, but it looks like the crackdown didn’t last long. According to Daily Mail, across China, wet markets are reopening and selling the same animals that they did before.”
The Fox News host listed two major cities, one where “dogs and cats are both for sale as food” and another with “a stand selling traditional Chinese medicines advertises things like lizards, scorpions, and, yes, bats.” (RELATED: Here’s A List Of Some Of The Most Unusual Animals, Reptiles Available At A Typical Wuhan Wet Market)
“Again, we have known for more than a decade that wet markets are a disease timebomb,” said the Daily Caller co-founder. “This is not the first virus to emanate from them. But it looks like even after a global crisis, China continues to threaten the rest of us with wet markets.”


thedailycaller--2020-03-31--Garth Brooks And Trisha Yearwood To Host CBS Benefit Concert From Their Home During Coronavirus Outb

Garth Brooks And Trisha Yearwood To Host CBS Benefit Concert From Their Home During Coronavirus Outbreak

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are set to host a benefit concert from their home that will air on CBS during primetime Wednesday amid the coronavirus outbreak .
“ We ’ re seeing how big things can be when we all do them as one , ” the superstar country duo shared in a joint statement .
The post was noted by the Daily Mail in a piece published Monday .
( RELATED : Here Are The Members Of Congress Self-Quarantining After Meeting Person With Coronavirus At CPAC ) “ In addition to the special , we and CBS will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be determined , combating the COVID-19 virus , ” the statement added .
( RELATED : REPORT : Coachella Potentially Rescheduled To October Due To Coronavirus Fears ) A message on the “ Friends In Low Places ” hitmaker ’ s Facebook page read , “ Do YOU have a song request for Garth & Trisha ?
Join Garth for # StudioG tonight to put in YOUR requests for the # GarthAndTrishaLIVE special on CBS this Wednesday at 9pm ET !
You write the show !
!
-Team Garth.
” It all comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concert last Monday from their home Studio G brought in 5.2 million viewers live or during the period of time the video was posted .
“ After we saw Garth and Trisha crash Facebook , we reached out to them about bringing this Studio G to a larger audience in a safe and exciting way , ” Jack Sussman , CBS ’ Executive Vice President , Specials , Music and Live Events , explained in a statement to the outlet .
“ Garth & Trisha Live !
” airs this Wednesday , April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elton John hosted a star-studded concert Sunday from his home for Fox ’ s “ iHeart Living Room Concert For America , ” which brought in millions of viewers and tied for the top spot in the ratings .
As previously reported , entertainers during the concert encouraged viewers to support two organizations that have been helping during the pandemic , Feeding America and First Responders Children ’ s Foundation , per USA Today .

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are set to host a benefit concert from their home that will air on CBS during primetime Wednesday amid the coronavirus outbreak.
“We’re seeing how big things can be when we all do them as one,” the superstar country duo shared in a joint statement. The post was noted by the Daily Mail in a piece published Monday. (RELATED: Here Are The Members Of Congress Self-Quarantining After Meeting Person With Coronavirus At CPAC)
“In addition to the special, we and CBS will donate $1 million to charities to be determined, combating the COVID-19 virus,” the statement added. (RELATED: REPORT: Coachella Potentially Rescheduled To October Due To Coronavirus Fears)
A message on the “Friends In Low Places” hitmaker’s Facebook page read, “Do YOU have a song request for Garth & Trisha? Join Garth for #StudioG tonight to put in YOUR requests for the #GarthAndTrishaLIVE special on CBS this Wednesday at 9pm ET! You write the show!! -Team Garth.”
It all comes after the legendary married couple’s concert last Monday from their home Studio G brought in 5.2 million viewers live or during the period of time the video was posted.
“After we saw Garth and Trisha crash Facebook, we reached out to them about bringing this Studio G to a larger audience in a safe and exciting way,” Jack Sussman, CBS’ Executive Vice President, Specials, Music and Live Events, explained in a statement to the outlet.
“Garth & Trisha Live!” airs this Wednesday, April 1 at 9 p.m. on CBS.
Elton John hosted a star-studded concert Sunday from his home for Fox’s “iHeart Living Room Concert For America,” which brought in millions of viewers and tied for the top spot in the ratings.
As previously reported, entertainers during the concert encouraged viewers to support two organizations that have been helping during the pandemic, Feeding America and First Responders Children’s Foundation, per USA Today.


thedailycaller--2020-03-31--EXCLUSIVE: ‘They Didn’t Care’: As Coronavirus Crippled Small Businesses, Some Lenders Pounced

• At a time when American individuals and businesses are banding together , cash advance companies are aggressively going after small businesses struggling due to coronavirus .
• One company , Itria Ventures , filed numerous lawsuits foreclosing on small businesses amid the crisis but discontinued many of those suits after the Daily Caller News Foundation attempted to contact the businesses for this story .
• In an ironic twist , Itria ’ s parent company , Biz2Credit , is holding itself out as a champion of small business and has recently launched a resource hub for businesses seeking relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national banks deferring mortgage payments to CEOs giving up their pay in solidarity for furloughed workers , there have been many examples of American industries stepping up to the plate as federal , state and local governments have adopted wartime-like responses to combat the coronavirus crisis .
But one industry , which offers an obscure form of financing to small businesses called Merchant Cash Advances ( MCA ) , has seemingly taken a different approach .
“ There ’ s lots of talk about helping small businesses .
But in the last few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suing small businesses to extract cash , ” Federal Trade Commission member Rohit Chopra tweeted on March 19 about the MCA industry .
“ The lawyers work for lenders that offer pricey payday-style loans using sketchy contract terms to restaurants and businesses.
” MCAs are a form of financing typically leveraged by small businesses that don ’ t have access to traditional loan options .
MCAs are not loans , rather , they ’ re the sale of a portion of a business ’ s future income at a discount .
Typical MCA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business day of a set dollar amount until the agreement is settled .
MCA agreements typically include “ confessions of judgment , ” clauses that force businesses to plead liable if the MCA provider alleges that the agreement has been breached , which can occur if the business misses just one or two of their daily payments .
The agreements typically grant providers the immediate right to the outstanding balance from the business in the event of a breach .
“ This is robosigning on steroids , ” Chopra said of confessions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial attorney who testified before Congress in 2019 about small businesses who have been sued by MCA companies , told the DCNF that he has seen an increase in litigation actions brought forth by MCA companies since the coronavirus crisis hit the United States .
“ I haven ’ t seen a decrease at all , instead I ’ ve seen an increase in filings and even more aggressive behavior than prior to this , ” Heskin said .
One prolific filer was Itria Ventures , an MCA provider that filed lawsuits against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week of March 16 .
In one of its recent lawsuits , Itria accused its client of failing to make its daily payments beginning “ on or about March 18.
” Itria filed its lawsuit against that client on March 19 in a New York court for $ 282,000 .
The complaint was signed by Jonathan Gitlin , the general counsel of Biz2Credit , a small business lender of which Itria is a subsidiary .
As Itria filed actions against small businesses in New York courts in March , Biz2Credit presented itself in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small businesses trying to navigate the coronavirus crisis .
“ Biz2Credit stands with business owners during difficult times to get them the funding their businesses need to grow and thrive again , ” the company wrote in its recently-launched resource hub for small businesses seeking help from the Small Business administration and other government initiatives .
( RELATED : More Than Three Million Americans File For Unemployment , Shattering Previous Record ) Itria filed motions to discontinue many of its recently-filed lawsuits in New York hours after the Daily Caller News Foundation began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Paul Hansen Jr. operates a Missouri-based heating and air conditioning repair business that he said has suffered an 85 % decline in business in March because his customers are scared to let people in their homes due to the coronavirus .
His was one of the 15 businesses sued by Itria the week of March 16 , according to records obtained from the New York State Unified Court System .
“ With the Corona virus [ sic ] we are seeing a slow in our residential work , ” Hansen wrote in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on March 18 .
“ We only owe $ 19k between the two loans .
Why would your company not be willing to work out payment with us rather than stopping altogether and trying to collect through a lawsuit ?
” “ All you will do is cause us to go under , ” Hansen told his Itria representative in the email , which he provided to the DCNF .
“ If we can make it through until April 15th somehow I can go back to full payments at that time and get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the time to Hansen , Itria had already filed two lawsuits against him for a combined $ 20,561 plus interest and attorney fees .
Hansen told the DCNF he first received notice of the lawsuit on March 24 .
Itria accused Hansen of breaking the terms of his agreement beginning “ on or about March 9 , 2020 , ” in one of the lawsuits it filed against the small business owner on March 17 .
Itria ’ s second lawsuit against Hansen , filed the same day , accused the small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning “ on or about March 10.
” “ They didn ’ t care , ” Hansen told the DCNF .
“ They placed a lien on our PayPal account and are basically trying to bankrupt our small family-owned business.
” “ It ’ s frustrating because we had a year-long relationship with them , ” Hansen said .
“ That didn ’ t seem to matter and we definitely feel like they took advantage of the downward spiral of the economy to file against when we wouldn ’ t be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the afternoon of March 25 , the DCNF attempted to reach many of the other business owners Itria sued the week of March 16 .
By the evening of the 25th , Itria had filed motions to discontinue all but three of the matters it had brought forth that week , New York court records show .
Outside counsel for Itria , Albert Shemmy Mishaan , told the DCNF that for the majority of the businesses subject to a lawsuit that week , “ Itria subsequently entered into payment arrangements with them and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the complaints were dismissed.
” “ For the handful of other unresolved matters filed recently , Itria voluntarily dismissed those complaints as the court system is now closed , and the merchants have not yet had to respond to the complaint , ” Mishaan said .
“ It therefore served no purpose to keep these matters open .
In the meantime , we continue to work to enter into agreements with these merchants as well.
” One of the small business owners contacted by the DCNF on March 25 was unaware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 50,000 the week prior .
The business owner , who did not agree to speak on the record , expressed shock upon learning from the DCNF of the lawsuit , saying they were under the impression they had worked out a payment plan with Itria .
Itria sued another business , an Arizona-based restaurant chain , for $ 282,000 on March 19 after failing to remit payments “ beginning on or about March 18 , ” according to the lawsuit .
New York court records show that all of the lawsuits Itria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gitlin , the general counsel of Biz2Credit , a small business lender of which Itria is a subsidiary .
Biz2Credit CEO Rohit Arora expressed concern in an unrelated press release Tuesday that vast swaths of small businesses are in danger of going bankrupt unless the Small Business Administration enlists the help of companies such as his .
“ We need to act fast or else 75 % of small businesses in America will go bankrupt if they don ’ t get access to credit in the next 60 days , ” Arora said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in hand.
” According to press releases , Arora has been aware of the impact coronavirus would have on small businesses since at least March 3 .
He acknowledged in a March 3 press release that most small businesses in the United States are already taking a hit due to coronavirus and that most small businesses have no more than one month of working capital , a financial metric used to measure a business ’ s short-term financial health .
Itria Dismissed Lawsuits After The DCNF Contacted The Businesses Sued The DCNF made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 15 companies Itria filed actions against the week of March 16 .
Later that afternoon , the DCNF received an unsolicited phone call from a spokesman for Biz2Credit , John Mooney , who said he was made aware that the DCNF was contacting its clients .
Unaware at the time that Itria is a subsidiary of Biz2Credit , the DCNF told Mooney it was surprised to receive his phone call and informed him that it was looking into lawsuits filed by Itria specifically for the week of March 16 .
Mooney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Itria during March 25 afternoon conversation .
By that same evening , Biz2Credit ’ s general counsel had filed motions to discontinue complaints Itria had filed against 13 of the 15 clients it filed matters against the week of March 16 .
Outside counsel for Itria , Albert Shemmy Mishaan , told the DCNF on Friday that Itria “ voluntarily dismissed ” many of its recently filed matters because of the recent closure of the New York court system and because the “ merchants have not yet had to respond to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Suffers Worst Drop Since 2011 Amid Coronavirus Fears , Oil Dispute ) “ It therefore served no purpose to keep these matters open , ” Mishaan said .
Mishaan is an attorney with Kasowitz Benson Torres , whose founding partner , Marc Kasowitz , has worked with President Donald Trump for over 15 years and has a reputation for being one of the toughest lawyers on Wall Street , according to The New York Times .
Mishaan said that two of the matters from the week of March 16 that haven ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be dismissed when the courts reopen .
Speaking generally about the lawsuits Itria filed the week of March 15 , Mishaan said that many of the companies it sued the week of March 16 “ breached their funding agreements last year , and after Itria made numerous attempts to resolve the matters.
” But Itria ’ s own lawsuits seem to tell a different story .
One of the lawsuits Itria filed the week of March 16 accused a California-based car dealership of failing to remit payments beginning on or about Dec. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date in the lawsuit was a “ typographical error ” and that it should have stated Dec. 18 , 2019 .
None of the other companies Itria filed actions against in New York courts that week were accused in the lawsuits of breaching their agreements before early February .
Responding to this figure , Mishaan reiterated that many of the businesses Itria sued had entered default at least once prior to the date disclosed in their lawsuits and that the businesses defaulted again on the resolutions reached after the initial default .
Mishaan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entered defaults , which for some companies dated back to October 2019 .
In the case of Hansen , the owner of the Missouri-based HVAC business , Mishaan told the DCNF he first defaulted on his agreements in December 2019 .
The two lawsuits Itria filed against Hansen each only mention one default apiece , alleging they occurred on or about March 9 and March 10 , respectively .
“ They did not tell us we had defaulted until March , ” Hansen told the DCNF when asked if Itria ever informed him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in December 2019 .
The DCNF reviewed email communications Hansen had with his Itria account representative between December and March .
The communications show that Hansen requested Itria in January to restructure his payment plans after his business began falling behind on business due to a seasonal lull , but the Itria representative never informed Hansen that he was in default at that time in the materials reviewed by the DCNF .
Mishaan did not respond when asked why Itria didn ’ t include information regarding earlier defaults by its clients in any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 16 .
“ The bulk of the defaults cited in the lawsuits occurred well before any coronavirus-related lockdowns began in the United States , ” Mishaan said .
“ For example , New York did not close restaurants and bars until mid-March.
” Itria is able to sue companies soon after they fall behind on payments because the financing they offer — Merchant Cash Advances — isn ’ t technically a loan , nor are they subject to usury laws such as the Truth in Lending Act , according to Yahoo Finance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” 5.98 % of his business ’ s future receivables to Itria for $ 21,350 , according to an agreement he signed with the company in October 2019 .
The agreement stipulates that Itria owns that percentage stake in his business until $ 30,375 is paid back .
Hansen signed a second agreement with Itria in December signing over an additional 1.34 % of his future account receivables until $ 10,400 is repaid .
The agreements , which Hansen shared with the DCNF , state that they ’ re a “ sale and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ assumed the risk that Future Receivables may not be available for remittance.
” After all , going by percentage alone , if Hansen ’ s business can ’ t make any money due to the coronavirus crisis , he wouldn ’ t owe Itria anything .
But there ’ s a kicker : Itria ’ s agreements with Hansen also stipulate that his business is obligated to pay Itria a combined $ 413 every business day , an estimation that was based on his business ’ s monthly income at the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December .
And the contracts state if Hansen fails to make his daily payments , he would be found in “ Material Breach ” of the agreement , thereby granting Itria the immediate right to the outstanding balance owed by his business , plus attorneys ’ fees and interest .
Furthermore , as a guarantor of the agreements , Hansen is also held personally in the event of a contractual breach .
And finally , Hansen was required to sign a “ confession of judgment ” as part of both agreements , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispute brought upon him by Itria .
Confessions of judgment are widely utilized by MCA companies such as Itria .
Confessions of judgments in favor of MCA companies in New York have exploded since 2014 , according to Bloomberg News .
Only 14 such cases were filed before 2014 .
By mid-2018 , over 3,000 confessions of judgment were being filed in the state each quarter .
Hansen told the DCNF that , as the owner of an HVAC repair business , he typically sees a lull in business during the winter months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that this past winter was one of the warmest in recorded history .
Put simply , $ 413 a day for Hansen ’ s business in February was a far greater percentage of his business ’ s pre-expense earnings than it was in October and December when the rates were set .
Emails Hansen shared with the DCNF show that Itria agreed to reduce his daily payments by nearly half in early February from a combined $ 413 a day to $ 225 a day .
But the communications viewed by the DCNF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s end to ensure Hansen ’ s payments constituted 7.32 % of his business ’ s pre-expense income , the sum of the two figures stipulated in his two contracts with Itria .
Hansen said that Itria reached out to him Thursday evening with an offer to restart his payments on April 1 at the rate he was paying in February , but even then he ’ s looking at $ 4,950 in total payments to Itria for the month of April .
“ I ’ ll likely have no choice but to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday .
“ Not sure what else we can do honestly.
” Hansen told the DCNF that he has seen his business drop by 75 % to 85 % in March from the same time in 2019 due to the coronavirus .
Hansen said he has gone from running 15 to 20 jobs per day down to just one or two and that at best .
Hansen ’ s contracts grant him the right to request a “ true-up , ” or a refund , from Itria for any amount he overpaid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but he ’ s likely ineligible to make such a request as his contracts also prohibit him from requesting a true-up if he ’ s in breach of the agreements .
However , shortly after the publication of this article on Monday , Hansen told the DCNF that on Monday afternoon he was informed by Itria it would reduce his daily payments to $ 72 a day after he had requested a true-up review .
Hansen added that Itria will also hold off until April 15 to restart his daily payments .
Shane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a leading expert defending small businesses sued by MCA companies , told the DCNF that the true-up provisions found in most MCA agreements are crafted in a way that makes it impossible for borrowers to actually use them .
“ The contracts are so confusing , ” he said .
“ You have to wait until after the month is over before you can reconcile .
So what ’ s a small business supposed to do right now ?
” In his testimony before Congress in 2019 about the alleged predatory practices of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he ’ s represented more than 50 clients on MCA-related matters , and not one ever received money back under a true-up provision .
“ The vast majority of my clients do not even know they have a right to ask for a refund , ” Heskin said in his testimony , adding that “ the vast majority of MCA agreements contain an addendum declaring a default if the business misses two or more daily payments.
” Heskin told the DCNF that the experiences Hansen has gone through with Itria is par @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal ?
Yeah , this is normal , ” Heskin said generally of the MCA industry .
“ These guys are heartless , they ’ re ruthless.
” If you are a small business owner that has been sued by an MCA company and want to share your story , please contact Andrew securely at AndrewKerrNC @ ProtonMail.com UPDATE : This article has been updated to include additional comments from Paul Hansen .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

At a time when American individuals and businesses are banding together, cash advance companies are aggressively going after small businesses struggling due to coronavirus.
One company, Itria Ventures, filed numerous lawsuits foreclosing on small businesses amid the crisis but discontinued many of those suits after the Daily Caller News Foundation attempted to contact the businesses for this story.
In an ironic twist, Itria’s parent company, Biz2Credit, is holding itself out as a champion of small business and has recently launched a resource hub for businesses seeking relief from the Small Business Administration.
UPDATE: The subject of this article, Itria Ventures LLC, disputes the accuracy of this article and has provided a statement that the Daily Caller News Foundation has agreed to publish here. The Daily Caller News Foundation stands by its reporting.
From national banks deferring mortgage payments to CEOs giving up their pay in solidarity for furloughed workers, there have been many examples of American industries stepping up to the plate as federal, state and local governments have adopted wartime-like responses to combat the coronavirus crisis.
But one industry, which offers an obscure form of financing to small businesses called Merchant Cash Advances (MCA), has seemingly taken a different approach.
“There’s lots of talk about helping small businesses. But in the last few days, lawyers running lawsuit mills are suing small businesses to extract cash,” Federal Trade Commission member Rohit Chopra tweeted on March 19 about the MCA industry. “The lawyers work for lenders that offer pricey payday-style loans using sketchy contract terms to restaurants and businesses.”
MCAs are a form of financing typically leveraged by small businesses that don’t have access to traditional loan options. MCAs are not loans, rather, they’re the sale of a portion of a business’s future income at a discount. Typical MCA agreements require businesses to make payments every business day of a set dollar amount until the agreement is settled.
MCA agreements often include “confessions of judgment,” clauses that force businesses to plead liable if the MCA provider alleges that the agreement has been breached, which can occur if the business misses just one or two of their daily payments. The agreements typically grant providers the immediate right to the outstanding balance from the business in the event of a breach.
“This is robosigning on steroids,” Chopra said of confessions of judgment clauses.
Shane Heskin, a trial attorney who testified before Congress in 2019 about small businesses who have been sued by MCA companies, told the DCNF that he has seen an increase in litigation actions brought forth by MCA companies since the coronavirus crisis hit the United States.
“I haven’t seen a decrease at all, instead I’ve seen an increase in filings and even more aggressive behavior than prior to this,” Heskin said.
One prolific filer was Itria Ventures, an MCA provider that filed lawsuits against 15 businesses in New York during the week of March 16.
In one of its recent lawsuits, Itria accused its client of failing to make its daily payments beginning “on or about March 18.”
Itria filed its lawsuit against that client on March 19 in a New York court for $282,000. The complaint was signed by Jonathan Gitlin, the general counsel of Biz2Credit, a small business lender of which Itria is a subsidiary.
As Itria filed actions against small businesses in New York courts in March, Biz2Credit presented itself in multiple press releases as a partner to small businesses trying to navigate the coronavirus crisis.
“Biz2Credit stands with business owners during difficult times to get them the funding their businesses need to grow and thrive again,” the company wrote in its recently-launched resource hub for small businesses seeking help from the Small Business administration and other government initiatives. (RELATED: More Than Three Million Americans File For Unemployment, Shattering Previous Record)
Itria filed motions to discontinue many of its recently-filed lawsuits in New York hours after the Daily Caller News Foundation began contacting some of the businesses it sued.
‘They Didn’t Care’
Paul Hansen Jr. operates a Missouri-based heating and air conditioning repair business that he said has suffered an 85% decline in business in March because his customers are scared to let people in their homes due to the coronavirus. His was one of the 15 businesses sued by Itria the week of March 16, according to records obtained from the New York State Unified Court System.
“With the Corona virus [sic] we are seeing a slow in our residential work,” Hansen wrote in an email to his Itria account representative on March 18. “We only owe $19k between the two loans. Why would your company not be willing to work out payment with us rather than stopping altogether and trying to collect through a lawsuit?”
“All you will do is cause us to go under,” Hansen told his Itria representative in the email, which he provided to the DCNF. “If we can make it through until April 15th somehow I can go back to full payments at that time and get this account paid in full.”
Unbeknownst at the time to Hansen, Itria had already filed two lawsuits against him for a combined $20,561 plus interest and attorney fees. Hansen told the DCNF he first received notice of the lawsuit on March 24.
Itria accused Hansen of breaking the terms of his agreement beginning “on or about March 9, 2020,” in one of the lawsuits it filed against the small business owner on March 17. Itria’s second lawsuit against Hansen, filed the same day, accused the small business owner of failing to make payments beginning “on or about March 10.”
“They didn’t care,” Hansen told the DCNF. “They placed a lien on our PayPal account and are basically trying to bankrupt our small family-owned business.”
“It’s frustrating because we had a year-long relationship with them,” Hansen said. “That didn’t seem to matter and we definitely feel like they took advantage of the downward spiral of the economy to file against when we wouldn’t be able to do much to defend ourselves.”
On the afternoon of March 25, the DCNF attempted to reach many of the other business owners Itria sued the week of March 16. By the evening of the 25th, Itria had filed motions to discontinue all but three of the matters it had brought forth that week, New York court records show.
Outside counsel for Itria, Albert Shemmy Mishaan, told the DCNF that for the majority of the businesses subject to a lawsuit that week, “Itria subsequently entered into payment arrangements with them and are on good terms with them and, and the complaints were dismissed.”
“For the handful of other unresolved matters filed recently, Itria voluntarily dismissed those complaints as the court system is now closed, and the merchants have not yet had to respond to the complaint,” Mishaan said. “It therefore served no purpose to keep these matters open. In the meantime, we continue to work to enter into agreements with these merchants as well.”
One of the small business owners contacted by the DCNF on March 25 was unaware that they had been sued for over $50,000 the week prior. The business owner, who did not agree to speak on the record, expressed shock upon learning from the DCNF of the lawsuit, saying they were under the impression they had worked out a payment plan with Itria.
Itria sued another business, an Arizona-based restaurant chain, for $282,000 on March 19 after failing to remit payments “beginning on or about March 18,” according to the lawsuit.
New York court records show that all of the lawsuits Itria filed that week were filed by Jonathan Gitlin, the general counsel of Biz2Credit, a small business lender of which Itria is a subsidiary.
Biz2Credit CEO Rohit Arora expressed concern in an unrelated press release Tuesday that vast swaths of small businesses are in danger of going bankrupt unless the Small Business Administration enlists the help of companies such as his.
“We need to act fast or else 75% of small businesses in America will go bankrupt if they don’t get access to credit in the next 60 days,” Arora said. “Small business owners need money in hand.”
According to press releases, Arora has been aware of the impact coronavirus would have on small businesses since at least March 3. He acknowledged in a March 3 press release that most small businesses in the United States are already taking a hit due to coronavirus and that most small businesses have no more than one month of working capital, a financial metric used to measure a business’s short-term financial health.
Itria Dismissed Lawsuits After The DCNF Contacted The Businesses Sued
The DCNF made attempts on March 25 to contact many of the 15 companies Itria filed actions against the week of March 16. Later that afternoon, the DCNF received an unsolicited phone call from a spokesman for Biz2Credit, John Mooney, who said he was made aware that the DCNF was contacting its clients.
Unaware at the time that Itria is a subsidiary of Biz2Credit, the DCNF told Mooney it was surprised to receive his phone call and informed him that it was looking into lawsuits filed by Itria specifically for the week of March 16.
Mooney did not disclose Biz2Credit’s ownership of Itria during March 25 afternoon conversation.
By that same evening, Biz2Credit’s general counsel had filed motions to discontinue complaints Itria had filed against 13 of the 15 clients it filed matters against the week of March 16.
Outside counsel for Itria, Albert Shemmy Mishaan, told the DCNF on Friday that Itria “voluntarily dismissed” many of its recently filed matters because of the recent closure of the New York court system and because the “merchants have not yet had to respond to the complaint.” (RELATED: Stock Market Suffers Worst Drop Since 2011 Amid Coronavirus Fears, Oil Dispute)
“It therefore served no purpose to keep these matters open,” Mishaan said.
Mishaan is an attorney with Kasowitz Benson Torres, whose founding partner, Marc Kasowitz, has worked with President Donald Trump for over 15 years and has a reputation for being one of the toughest lawyers on Wall Street, according to The New York Times.
Mishaan said that two of the matters from the week of March 16 that haven’t yet been discontinued have been resolved and will be dismissed when the courts reopen.
Speaking generally about the lawsuits Itria filed the week of March 15, Mishaan said that many of the companies it sued the week of March 16 “breached their funding agreements last year, and after Itria made numerous attempts to resolve the matters.”
But Itria’s own lawsuits seem to tell a different story.
One of the lawsuits Itria filed the week of March 16 accused a California-based car dealership of failing to remit payments beginning on or about Dec. 18 this year. Mishaan said the date in the lawsuit was a “typographical error” and that it should have stated Dec. 18, 2019.
None of the other companies Itria filed actions against in New York courts that week were accused in the lawsuits of breaching their agreements before early February.
Responding to this figure, Mishaan reiterated that many of the businesses Itria sued had entered default at least once prior to the date disclosed in their lawsuits and that the businesses defaulted again on the resolutions reached after the initial default.
Mishaan provided specific dates that the businesses originally entered defaults, which for some companies dated back to October 2019.
In the case of Hansen, the owner of the Missouri-based HVAC business, Mishaan told the DCNF he first defaulted on his agreements in December 2019. The two lawsuits Itria filed against Hansen each only mention one default apiece, alleging they occurred on or about March 9 and March 10, respectively.
“They did not tell us we had defaulted until March,” Hansen told the DCNF when asked if Itria ever informed him that he had defaulted on his agreements in December 2019.
The DCNF reviewed email communications Hansen had with his Itria account representative between December and March. The communications show that Hansen requested Itria in January to restructure his payment plans after his business began falling behind on business due to a seasonal lull, but the Itria representative never informed Hansen that he was in default at that time in the materials reviewed by the DCNF.
Mishaan did not respond when asked why Itria didn’t include information regarding earlier defaults by its clients in any of its lawsuits filed the week of March 16.
“The bulk of the defaults cited in the lawsuits occurred well before any coronavirus-related lockdowns began in the United States,” Mishaan said. “For example, New York did not close restaurants and bars until mid-March.”
‘These Guys Are Heartless’
Itria is able to sue companies soon after they fall behind on payments because the financing they offer — Merchant Cash Advances — isn’t technically a loan, nor are they subject to usury laws such as the Truth in Lending Act, according to Yahoo Finance.
For example, Hansen “sold” 5.98% of his business’s future receivables to Itria for $21,350, according to an agreement he signed with the company in October 2019. The agreement stipulates that Itria owns that percentage stake in his business until $30,375 is paid back. Hansen signed a second agreement with Itria in December signing over an additional 1.34% of his future account receivables until $10,400 is repaid.
The agreements, which Hansen shared with the DCNF, state that they’re a “sale and not a loan” and that Itria “assumed the risk that Future Receivables may not be available for remittance.”
After all, going by percentage alone, if Hansen’s business can’t make any money due to the coronavirus crisis, he wouldn’t owe Itria anything.
But there’s a kicker: Itria’s agreements with Hansen also stipulate that his business is obligated to pay Itria a combined $413 every business day, an estimation that was based on his business’s monthly income at the time the agreements were signed in October and December.
And the contracts state if Hansen fails to make his daily payments, he would be found in “Material Breach” of the agreement, thereby granting Itria the immediate right to the outstanding balance owed by his business, plus attorneys’ fees and interest.
Furthermore, as a guarantor of the agreements, Hansen is also held personally in the event of a contractual breach.
Confessions of judgment are often utilized by MCA companies such as Itria. Itiria’s attorney, Mishaan, told the DCNF on March 31 that neither of the suits filed against Hanson were enforcements of a confession of judgement but were instead “breach of contract” claims.
Nonetheless, confessions of judgments in favor of MCA companies in New York have exploded since 2014, according to Bloomberg News. Only 14 such cases were filed before 2014. By mid-2018, over 3,000 confessions of judgment were being filed in the state each quarter.
Hansen told the DCNF that, as the owner of an HVAC repair business, he typically sees a lull in business during the winter months, and it didn’t help that this past winter was one of the warmest in recorded history.
Put simply, $413 a day for Hansen’s business in February was a far greater percentage of his business’s pre-expense earnings than it was in October and December when the rates were set.
Emails Hansen shared with the DCNF show that Itria agreed to reduce his daily payments by nearly half in early February from a combined $413 a day to $225 a day. But the communications viewed by the DCNF show no apparent effort on Itria’s end to ensure Hansen’s payments constituted 7.32% of his business’s pre-expense income, the sum of the two figures stipulated in his two contracts with Itria.
Hansen said that Itria reached out to him Thursday evening with an offer to restart his payments on April 1 at the rate he was paying in February, but even then he’s looking at $4,950 in total payments to Itria for the month of April.
“I’ll likely have no choice but to agree,” Hansen told the DCNF on Friday. “Not sure what else we can do honestly.”
Hansen told the DCNF that he has seen his business drop by 75% to 85% in March from the same time in 2019 due to the coronavirus. Hansen said he has gone from running 15 to 20 jobs per day down to just one or two and that at best.
Hansen’s contracts grant him the right to request a “true-up,” or a refund, from Itria for any amount he overpaid at the end of every month, but he’s likely ineligible to make such a request as his contracts also prohibit him from requesting a true-up if he’s in breach of the agreements.
However, shortly after the publication of this article on Monday, Hansen told the DCNF that on Monday afternoon he was informed by Itria it would reduce his daily payments to $72 a day after he had requested a true-up review. Hansen added that Itria will also hold off until April 15 to restart his daily payments.
Shane Heskin, a trial attorney recognized as a leading expert defending small businesses sued by MCA companies, told the DCNF that the true-up provisions found in most MCA agreements are crafted in a way that makes it impossible for borrowers to actually use them.
“The contracts are so confusing,” he said. “You have to wait until after the month is over before you can reconcile. So what’s a small business supposed to do right now?”
In his testimony before Congress in 2019 about the alleged predatory practices of the MCA industry, Heskin told lawmakers that he’s represented more than 50 clients on MCA-related matters, and not one ever received money back under a true-up provision.
“The vast majority of my clients do not even know they have a right to ask for a refund,” Heskin said in his testimony, adding that “the vast majority of MCA agreements contain an addendum declaring a default if the business misses two or more daily payments.”
Heskin told the DCNF that the experiences Hansen has gone through with Itria is par for the course.
“Is this normal? Yeah, this is normal,” Heskin said generally of the MCA industry. “These guys are heartless, they’re ruthless.”
If you are a small business owner that has been sued by an MCA company and want to share your story, please contact Andrew securely at AndrewKerrNC@ProtonMail.com
UPDATE: This article has been updated to include additional comments from Paul Hansen.
Correction: This article has been updated to show that Itria’s lawsuits against Hanson were based in a “breach of contract” and were not enforcements of a confession of judgement. Hansen also was not required to sign confessions of judgment in both agreements as previously reported. The Daily Caller News Foundation regrets the error.
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--2020-03-31--China’s Propaganda Machine Loves WHO Official Bruce Aylward

• China ’ s state-controlled media outlets have frequently boosted the remarks of Dr. Bruce Aylward , a top WHO official who has come under scrutiny following an interview in which he suggested Taiwan is part of China .
• Aylward has been a staunch defender of Beijing ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
• “ If I had COVID-19 , I ’ d want to be treated in China , ” Aylward said in February after returning from a fact-finding mission to study coronavirus .
• Propaganda outlets like CGTN , China Daily and Xinhua News Agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
World Health Organization official Bruce Aylward has become a favorite of the Chinese government ’ s propaganda machine over his praise for the communist regime ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic , a review of China ’ s state-controlled media outlets shows .
Propaganda mills like Xinhua News Agency , China Global Television Network ( CGTN ) and China Daily have amplified numerous clips of Aylward , a WHO assistant director-general , praising Beijing ’ s response to the coronavirus crisis .
“ If I had COVID-19 , I ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Aylward said during one press conference that CGTN highlighted on Feb. 27 .
“ They ’ ve done this at scale , they know what they ’ re doing .
They ’ re really , really good at it , and they ’ re really keen to help , ” Aylward said of Chinese health officials .
Aylward , who led a 25-person team on a fact-finding mission to China last month , has also called China ’ s response to the pandemic “ agile and aggressive.
” He said during a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News that “ China ’ s bold approach ” had “ changed the course ” of the spread of coronavirus around the world .
While the Chinese government ’ s draconian measures seemingly have slowed the spread of coronavirus within its own borders , the regime has been widely criticized for letting the pandemic get out of hand in the first place .
( RELATED : Top WHO Official Won Election With China ’ s Help ) The government has been accused of covering up the extent of the outbreak , threatening doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lying about case numbers , and waging a disinformation campaign to pin blame for the pandemic on the United States and other Western nations .
As of Monday , the United States has recorded nearly 160,000 cases of coronavirus .
China has reported around 82,000 cases , though those figures are widely disputed .
The cover-up allegations have not deterred Aylward and WHO from defending China ’ s response to the pandemic .
WHO as an organization has been dogged by allegations of doing China ’ s bidding during the coronavirus crisis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ election in 2017 with the backing of China .
On Jan. 14 , WHO published a tweet that circulated the Chinese government ’ s claim that there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission of coronavirus .
Coronavirus is widely recognized now as being highly transmissible .
Aylward ’ s deference to Beijing was highlighted during an interview he conducted Friday with a Hong Kong-based journalist who asked the WHO official about Taiwan ’ s response to coronavirus .
The democratic nation , which has claimed independence from China , has kept a tight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the interview , Aylward appeared to pretend not to hear questions during an interview when a journalist implied that Taiwan was independent of China .
China does not recognize Taiwan ’ s independence .
After pretending not to hear the question about Taiwan , Aylward ended the interview , which was conducted over the internet .
When he was contacted again , he told the reporter asking about Taiwan that he had already addressed China ’ s handling of coronavirus .
Whether witting or unwitting , Aylward ’ s remarks have been in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spin of its response to the pandemic .
The State Department warned earlier in March that the Chinese government ’ s propaganda machine has waged a disinformation campaign to portray Beijing as helping other nations cope with outbreak .
State Department official Lea Gabrielle said Friday that the propaganda campaign aims “ to turn the crisis into a news story highlighting supremacy of the Chinese Communist Party in handling the health crisis.
” In mid-February , the State Department classified all of the news outlets as being part of a “ foreign mission.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to register as foreign agents of the Chinese government .
On Feb. 24 , CGTN published video of Aylward praising China ’ s “ bold approach ” to containing the spread of coronavirus .
“ There ’ s no question that China ’ s bold approach to the rapid spread of this new respiratory pathogen has changed the course of what was a rapidly escalating , and continues to be a deadly epidemic , ” he said .
Aylward failed to mention the extent of the Chinese government ’ s clampdown in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials in the Hubei province erected barricades , welded shut the doors of houses and businesses and used electronic surveillance measures to slow the spread of coronavirus .
China Daily , another leading propaganda outlet , quoted Aylward praising China ’ s response to coronavirus as the reason that cases had dropped substantially there .
Aylward also granted an exclusive interview to China Daily in which he said that he was fielding phone calls from colleagues asking him how China was able to curtail the spread of coronavirus .
Xinhua News Agency , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aylward praising the Chinese government ’ s “ agile and aggressive ” response through 5G technology .
President Donald Trump implemented travel restrictions on China in late January .
Though he was heavily criticized at the time , Dr. Anthony Fauci , the top infectious disease expert in the United States , has praised the move for preventing a heavy influx of cases to the United States .
Since Aylward ’ s remarks , shipments from China of coronavirus tests and equipment have been found to be defective .
Spain , the Netherlands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that shipments from China contained defective equipment and test kits .
There is also growing evidence that coronavirus continues to spread more widely in Wuhan and other parts of China than the government lets on .
Residents of Wuhan has told reporters at independent news outlets about a massive number of urns that have showed up at funeral homes there , indicating that there are far more coronavirus fatalities than the government has acknowledged .
The South China Morning Post , an independent news agency , reported on March 22 that Chinese government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wuhan who had coronavirus but displayed few symptoms .
South China Morning Post reported that the government did not include the patients in its official tally of coronavirus patients .
Not only did the report provide evidence that Beijing has fudged its numbers , it also undercut assurances that Aylward made after his WHO investigation about the transmissibility of the disease .
Aylward told The New York Times in an interview that data from China ’ s Guangdong suggested little evidence that coronavirus was being spread by asymptomatic carriers .
“ There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only the tip of a grand iceberg , with nine-tenths of it made up of hidden zombies shedding virus .
What we ’ re seeing is a pyramid : most of it is aboveground , ” he told TheNYT .
WHO did not respond to a request for comment for this story .
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 licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

China’s state-controlled media outlets have frequently boosted the remarks of Dr. Bruce Aylward, a top WHO official who has come under scrutiny following an interview in which he suggested Taiwan is part of China.
Aylward has been a staunch defender of Beijing’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
“If I had COVID-19, I’d want to be treated in China,” Aylward said in February after returning from a fact-finding mission to study coronavirus.
Propaganda outlets like CGTN, China Daily and Xinhua News Agency have circulated Aylward’s pro-China remarks.
World Health Organization official Bruce Aylward has become a favorite of the Chinese government’s propaganda machine over his praise for the communist regime’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, a review of China’s state-controlled media outlets shows.
Propaganda mills like Xinhua News Agency, China Global Television Network (CGTN) and China Daily have amplified numerous clips of Aylward, a WHO assistant director-general, praising Beijing’s response to the coronavirus crisis.
“If I had COVID-19, I’d want to be treated in China,” Aylward said during one press conference that CGTN highlighted on Feb. 27.
“They’ve done this at scale, they know what they’re doing. They’re really, really good at it, and they’re really keen to help,” Aylward said of Chinese health officials.
Aylward, who led a 25-person team on a fact-finding mission to China last month, has also called China’s response to the pandemic “agile and aggressive.”
He said during a Feb. 24 press conference highlighted by Xinhua News that “China’s bold approach” had “changed the course” of the spread of coronavirus around the world.
While the Chinese government’s draconian measures seemingly have slowed the spread of coronavirus within its own borders, the regime has been widely criticized for letting the pandemic get out of hand in the first place. (RELATED: Top WHO Official Won Election With China’s Help)
The government has been accused of covering up the extent of the outbreak, threatening doctors who called attention to the crisis, lying about case numbers, and waging a disinformation campaign to pin blame for the pandemic on the United States and other Western nations.
As of Monday, the United States has recorded nearly 160,000 cases of coronavirus. China has reported around 82,000 cases, though those figures are widely disputed.
The cover-up allegations have not deterred Aylward and WHO from defending China’s response to the pandemic.
WHO as an organization has been dogged by allegations of doing China’s bidding during the coronavirus crisis. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus won his election in 2017 with the backing of China.
On Jan. 14, WHO published a tweet that circulated the Chinese government’s claim that there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission of coronavirus. Coronavirus is widely recognized now as being highly transmissible.
Aylward’s deference to Beijing was highlighted during an interview he conducted Friday with a Hong Kong-based journalist who asked the WHO official about Taiwan’s response to coronavirus. The democratic nation, which has claimed independence from China, has kept a tight lit on coronavirus cases there.
During the interview, Aylward appeared to pretend not to hear questions during an interview when a journalist implied that Taiwan was independent of China. China does not recognize Taiwan’s independence.
After pretending not to hear the question about Taiwan, Aylward ended the interview, which was conducted over the internet. When he was contacted again, he told the reporter asking about Taiwan that he had already addressed China’s handling of coronavirus.
Whether witting or unwitting, Aylward’s remarks have been in line with the Chinese government’s spin of its response to the pandemic.
The State Department warned earlier in March that the Chinese government’s propaganda machine has waged a disinformation campaign to portray Beijing as helping other nations cope with outbreak.
State Department official Lea Gabrielle said Friday that the propaganda campaign aims “to turn the crisis into a news story highlighting supremacy of the Chinese Communist Party in handling the health crisis.”
In mid-February, the State Department classified all of the news outlets as being part of a “foreign mission.” The U.S. Justice Department already requires them to register as foreign agents of the Chinese government.
WATCH:
On Feb. 24, CGTN published video of Aylward praising China’s “bold approach” to containing the spread of coronavirus.
“There’s no question that China’s bold approach to the rapid spread of this new respiratory pathogen has changed the course of what was a rapidly escalating, and continues to be a deadly epidemic,” he said.
“The world owes you a debt,” a message to #Wuhan residents from @WHO expert Dr. Bruce Aylward, who said China’s response to #COVID19 has shifted the curve of the rapid rise in new cases of #COVID19 – an 80% drop in two weeks of a tricky and dangerous virus pic.twitter.com/u4zBXQnH4o — CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) February 24, 2020
Aylward failed to mention the extent of the Chinese government’s clampdown in Wuhan. Various news outlets reported that officials in the Hubei province erected barricades, welded shut the doors of houses and businesses and used electronic surveillance measures to slow the spread of coronavirus.
China Daily, another leading propaganda outlet, quoted Aylward praising China’s response to coronavirus as the reason that cases had dropped substantially there.
“The decline that was seen is real,” said Bruce Aylward, senior adviser to the director-general of @WHO and head of the foreign expert panel. #coronavirus #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/YRfHTrod7F — China Daily (@ChinaDaily) February 25, 2020
#China‘s mobilization and rapid response to the #coronavirus are why the country has seen its number of new cases drop substantially, said Dr Bruce Aylward of @WHO. #COVID19 — China Daily (@ChinaDaily) March 5, 2020
Aylward also granted an exclusive interview to China Daily in which he said that he was fielding phone calls from colleagues asking him how China was able to curtail the spread of coronavirus.
“And now that cases are picking up, my phone is ring much more and people are saying: How did China do? What they did exactly? ”Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director General of the WHO, told China Daily in an exclusive interview. #COVID19 #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/PnPJtiB3bg — China Daily (@ChinaDaily) March 7, 2020
Xinhua News Agency, the largest government-controlled news outlet, quoted Aylward praising the Chinese government’s “agile and aggressive” response through 5G technology.
WHO advance team leader Bruce Aylward says China’s #coronavirus containment effort is “agile and aggressive”, highlighting the application of 5G technology in remote areas pic.twitter.com/P8i9mloM0B — China Xinhua News (@XHNews) February 25, 2020
Xinhua News also quoted Aylward criticizing travel bans targeting China.
As China has the most experience in the world with #COVID19, WHO expert Bruce Aylward says “if countries create barriers between themselves and China in terms of travel or trade, it is only going to compromise everyone’s ability to get this done” https://t.co/v0GcDnLu82 pic.twitter.com/Yyi8Ue8Tam — China Xinhua News (@XHNews) February 26, 2020
President Donald Trump implemented travel restrictions on China in late January. Though he was heavily criticized at the time, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the United States, has praised the move for preventing a heavy influx of cases to the United States.
Since Aylward’s remarks, shipments from China of coronavirus tests and equipment have been found to be defective. Spain, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic have all reported that shipments from China contained defective equipment and test kits.
There is also growing evidence that coronavirus continues to spread more widely in Wuhan and other parts of China than the government lets on. Residents of Wuhan has told reporters at independent news outlets about a massive number of urns that have showed up at funeral homes there, indicating that there are far more coronavirus fatalities than the government has acknowledged.
The South China Morning Post, an independent news agency, reported on March 22 that Chinese government officials quarantined more than 43,000 residents of Wuhan who had coronavirus but displayed few symptoms. South China Morning Post reported that the government did not include the patients in its official tally of coronavirus patients.
Not only did the report provide evidence that Beijing has fudged its numbers, it also undercut assurances that Aylward made after his WHO investigation about the transmissibility of the disease.
Aylward told The New York Times in an interview that data from China’s Guangdong suggested little evidence that coronavirus was being spread by asymptomatic carriers.
“There is no evidence that we’re seeing only the tip of a grand iceberg, with nine-tenths of it made up of hidden zombies shedding virus. What we’re seeing is a pyramid: most of it is aboveground,” he told TheNYT.
WHO did not respond to a request for comment for this story.
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--2020-03-31--FACT CHECK: Did Buckingham Palace Confirm Queen Elizabeth Tested Positive For Coronavirus?

A post shared on Facebook claims Buckingham Palace confirmed Queen Elizabeth II has tested positive for coronavirus .
While several people who had regular contact with the queen have tested positive for the disease , there is no indication that the queen has contracted COVID-19 at this time .
Nor has Buckingham Palace confirmed it .
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the first major world leader to test positive for the disease on Friday , USA Today reported .
Earlier in March , Prince Charles , the heir to the British throne , also tested positive .
They last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 11 and 12 , respectively .
One post shared on Facebook claims the queen has contracted COVID-19 , saying , “ Royal Palace confirms Queen Elizabeth tests positive for Coronavirus.
” But there is no evidence that its claim is accurate .
No statement or confirmation about such a diagnosis could be found on the official British royal family website , and there is likewise no credible news reporting to corroborate it .
( RELATED : Did The Vatican Confirm Pope Francis Has The Novel Coronavirus ? )
“ Her Majesty The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Buckingham Palace spokesperson told Fox News earlier in March after news of Prince Charles ’ s positive test broke .
“ The Queen last saw the Prince of Wales briefly after the investiture on the morning of the 12th of March and is following all the appropriate advice with regard to her welfare.
” Speculation that the queen might have contracted the virus intensified after The Sun reported over the weekend that a royal servant in regular contact with the queen also tested positive .
But as of now , there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for COVID-19 .
The 93-year-old monarch is currently isolating at Windsor Castle with her husband , Prince Philip , as a precaution , according to The Associated Press .
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 ] .

A post shared on Facebook claims Buckingham Palace confirmed Queen Elizabeth II has tested positive for coronavirus.
Verdict: False
While several people who had regular contact with the queen have tested positive for the disease, there is no indication that the queen has contracted COVID-19 at this time. Nor has Buckingham Palace confirmed it.
Fact Check:
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the first major world leader to test positive for the disease on Friday, USA Today reported. Earlier in March, Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, also tested positive. They last came in contact with the queen on March 11 and 12, respectively.
One post shared on Facebook claims the queen has contracted COVID-19, saying, “Royal Palace confirms Queen Elizabeth tests positive for Coronavirus.” But there is no evidence that its claim is accurate.
No statement or confirmation about such a diagnosis could be found on the official British royal family website, and there is likewise no credible news reporting to corroborate it. (RELATED: Did The Vatican Confirm Pope Francis Has The Novel Coronavirus?)
“Her Majesty The Queen remains in good health,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson told Fox News earlier in March after news of Prince Charles’s positive test broke. “The Queen last saw the Prince of Wales briefly after the investiture on the morning of the 12th of March and is following all the appropriate advice with regard to her welfare.”
Speculation that the queen might have contracted the virus intensified after The Sun reported over the weekend that a royal servant in regular contact with the queen also tested positive. But as of now, there is no indication that the queen has tested positive for COVID-19.
The 93-year-old monarch is currently isolating at Windsor Castle with her husband, Prince Philip, as a precaution, according to The Associated Press.
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--2020-03-31--Mark Meadows Officially Resigns From Congress, Starts Job As White House Chief Of Staff

Republican North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows on Monday night officially sent his letter of resignation from Congress to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi .
Meadows will officially start his new job at the White House as President Donald Trump ’ s new chief of staff on Tuesday .
President Trump appointed Meadows to be his new chief of staff on March 6 , replacing Mick Mulvaney .
“ Dear Madam Speaker , I write today to inform you that I will resign from the House of Representatives , effective 5:00pm Monday , March 30 .
Serving the people of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for these last seven years has been the honor of my life .
I will forever be grateful for the opportunity .
Thank you , and God bless you all in the days ahead , ” Meadows said in a letter to Pelosi .
Meadows announced his retirement from Congress on December 19 .
( RELATED : North Carolina Republican Mark Meadows , Former Freedom Caucus Chair , To Retire At End Of Term ) “ This was a decision I struggled with greatly , ” the Meadows wrote in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been so blessed to serve the people of NC-11 and help give a voice to millions of Americans who feel Washington , DC has forgotten them.
” Shortly after , Trump appointed Meadows , he sent a tweet out saying , “ I want to thank acting chief Mick Mulvaney for having served the Administration so well .
He will become the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland .
Thank you , ” Trump wrote .
Meadows joins a large number of Republicans in Congress who have decided they will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ switched jobs , as the GOP is trying to take back control of the chamber .

Republican North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows on Monday night officially sent his letter of resignation from Congress to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
Meadows will officially start his new job at the White House as President Donald Trump’s new chief of staff on Tuesday. President Trump appointed Meadows to be his new chief of staff on March 6, replacing Mick Mulvaney.
“Dear Madam Speaker, I write today to inform you that I will resign from the House of Representatives, effective 5:00pm Monday, March 30. Serving the people of North Carolina’s eleventh congressional district for these last seven years has been the honor of my life. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity. Thank you, and God bless you all in the days ahead,” Meadows said in a letter to Pelosi.
Meadows announced his retirement from Congress on December 19. (RELATED: North Carolina Republican Mark Meadows, Former Freedom Caucus Chair, To Retire At End Of Term)
“This was a decision I struggled with greatly,” the Meadows wrote in a statement. “These last 8 years, I have been so blessed to serve the people of NC-11 and help give a voice to millions of Americans who feel Washington, DC has forgotten them.”
Shortly after, Trump appointed Meadows, he sent a tweet out saying, “I want to thank acting chief Mick Mulvaney for having served the Administration so well. He will become the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland. Thank you,” Trump wrote.
Meadows joins a large number of Republicans in Congress who have decided they will not be seeking re-election in 2020 or have switched jobs, as the GOP is trying to take back control of the chamber.


thedailycaller--2020-03-31--EXCLUSIVE: Former Physician To The President Breaks Down Trump Administration’s Coronavirus Response

Dr. Ronny Jackson , the former physician to the president , sat down for an exclusive interview with the Daily @ @ @ @ @ House correspondent Christian Datoc .
Jackson talked about how coronavirus is impacting his campaign for @ @ @ @ @ and how the Trump administration is responding to the pandemic .

Dr. Ronny Jackson, the former physician to the president, sat down for an exclusive interview with the Daily Caller’s senior White House correspondent Christian Datoc.
Jackson talked about how coronavirus is impacting his campaign for Texas’ 13th congressional district and how the Trump administration is responding to the pandemic.
WATCH:


thedailycaller--2020-03-31--‘America’s Oldest Retailer,’ Brooks Brothers, Is Repurposing Factories To Make ‘150,000 Masks’ A Day

“ America ’ s oldest retailer , ” Brooks Brothers , is repurposing its factories from producing suits and ties to making “ 150,000 masks ” a day amid the coronavirus outbreak .
“ Brooks Brothers ( the ‘ Company ’ ) , America ’ s oldest retailer , today announced its response to the urgent call from the White House and other state and local leaders for medical supplies , ” a message on the company ’ s website read Monday .
( RELATED : LIVE UPDATES : Here ’ s What Every State In America Is Doing To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The Company is in the process of converting its New York , North Carolina and Massachusetts factories from manufacturing ties , shirts and suits to now making masks and gowns , ” the message added .
“ Brooks Brothers plans to use these facilities to produce up to 150,000 masks per day on an ongoing basis , to help increase access to protective gear for health care workers and others battling the spread of COVID-19 at the nation ’ s hospitals and other facilities .
The company will also be producing gowns.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Potentially Rescheduled To October Due To Coronavirus Fears ) “ We consider this a duty , and part of our DNA at Brooks Brothers , ” Chief Executive Officer Claudio Del Vecchio shared in the statement .
“ These are challenging times that are impacting us all .
We are deeply grateful to the medical personnel at the frontlines who are fighting the pandemic , and we are honored to do our part and join our peers in retail to provide protective masks that our health care system critically needs.
” “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees who are returning to work as we reopen our factories to make this possible , ” he added .
The message on the retailer ’ s website noted that for the last 200 years , the company has been there to help out in from “ its support of the Red Cross Society in 1898 –to crafting U.S. military uniforms from the Civil War through today.
” The message continued by noting production on the masks and gowns will get underway right away as their employees will be coming back to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The Company is closely following public health guidance and will enforce federal guidelines for sanitation and social distancing on-site at all facilities to protect employees , ” the statement concluded .
Not long after the post appeared , Ivanka Trump tweeted about it , and praised the company for “ answering the  @ WhiteHouse ’ s call to action ” during the pandemic .
“ Effective immediately , Brooks Brothers will produce 150,000 masks per day to protect those on the frontlines battling the spread of # COVID19 , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Claudio DelVecchio for answering the @ WhiteHouse ’ s call to action !
” Brooks Brothers joins a growing list of manufacturers and companies in the country and the world repurposing their factories to make much needed medical supplies during the pandemic .

“America’s oldest retailer,” Brooks Brothers, is repurposing its factories from producing suits and ties to making “150,000 masks” a day amid the coronavirus outbreak.
“Brooks Brothers (the ‘Company’), America’s oldest retailer, today announced its response to the urgent call from the White House and other state and local leaders for medical supplies,” a message on the company’s website read Monday. (RELATED: LIVE UPDATES: Here’s What Every State In America Is Doing To Combat The Spread Of The Coronavirus)
This week we are in the process of converting our New York, North Carolina and Massachusetts factories from manufacturing ties, shirts and suits to now making masks and gowns. #BrooksBrothers Learn more: https://t.co/p12Oez6VHU pic.twitter.com/VsLtDUcCbj — Brooks Brothers (@BrooksBrothers) March 30, 2020
“The Company is in the process of converting its New York, North Carolina and Massachusetts factories from manufacturing ties, shirts and suits to now making masks and gowns,” the message added. “Brooks Brothers plans to use these facilities to produce up to 150,000 masks per day on an ongoing basis, to help increase access to protective gear for health care workers and others battling the spread of COVID-19 at the nation’s hospitals and other facilities. The company will also be producing gowns.” (RELATED: REPORT: Coachella Potentially Rescheduled To October Due To Coronavirus Fears)
“We consider this a duty, and part of our DNA at Brooks Brothers,” Chief Executive Officer Claudio Del Vecchio shared in the statement. “These are challenging times that are impacting us all. We are deeply grateful to the medical personnel at the frontlines who are fighting the pandemic, and we are honored to do our part and join our peers in retail to provide protective masks that our health care system critically needs.”
“I also want to thank our dedicated manufacturing employees who are returning to work as we reopen our factories to make this possible,” he added.
The message on the retailer’s website noted that for the last 200 years, the company has been there to help out in from “its support of the Red Cross Society in 1898 –to crafting U.S. military uniforms from the Civil War through today.”
The message continued by noting production on the masks and gowns will get underway right away as their employees will be coming back to work “following a two-week precautionary self-quarantine.”
“The Company is closely following public health guidance and will enforce federal guidelines for sanitation and social distancing on-site at all facilities to protect employees,” the statement concluded.
Not long after the post appeared, Ivanka Trump tweeted about it, and praised the company for “answering the @WhiteHouse’s call to action” during the pandemic.
“Effective immediately, Brooks Brothers will produce 150,000 masks per day to protect those on the frontlines battling the spread of #COVID19,” the first daughter wrote. “Thank you Claudio DelVecchio for answering the @WhiteHouse’s call to action!”
Effective immediately, Brooks Brothers will produce 150,000 masks per day to protect those on the frontlines battling the spread of #COVID19. Thank you Claudio DelVecchio for answering the @WhiteHouse’s call to action! https://t.co/ifl2LY5WqS — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) March 30, 2020
Brooks Brothers joins a growing list of manufacturers and companies in the country and the world repurposing their factories to make much needed medical supplies during the pandemic.


thedailycaller--2020-03-31--World Health Organization Spends Twice As Much On Travel As On Medical Supplies

The World Health Organization ( WHO ) spends twice as much on travel as it does on medical supplies , according to its most recent financial report .
Eight percent of the WHO ’ s budget in 2018 went to travel expenses , while just 4 % went to medical supplies and materials , the report shows .
“ Of total travel expenditure , only 45 % was for staff travel , the rest was incurred for non-staff travel , mainly for meeting participants nominated by Member States , ” the report states .
WHO ’ s travel expenditures have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press reported in 2017 that WHO “ routinely has spent about $ 200 million a year on travel expenses , more than what it doles out to fight some of the biggest problems in public health , including AIDS , tuberculosis and malaria combined.
” The organization has only barely cut its travel spending since then .
Travel expenses dropped by just one percent between 2017 and 2018 , according to WHO ’ s report .
WHO didn ’ t return an email seeking comment on whether the organization should have spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the shortage that many countries are experiencing as a result of the coronavirus crisis .
WHO , the health arm of the United Nations , has come under fire over its cozy relationship with China .
The organization ’ s leadership has echoed the Chinese government ’ s talking points on the virus , providing ammunition for the communist regime in its propaganda war .
Republican Florida Sen. Rick Scott on Tuesday called for a congressional investigation into whether the WHO helped China ’ s communist government cover up the virus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Top WHO Official Won Election With China ’ s Help .
Now He ’ s Running Interference For China On Coronavirus ) The senator also called for congressional hearings on whether the United States should continue funding the WHO .
The United States contributes nearly 15 % of WHO ’ s annual budget , far more than any other WHO member .
“ They need to be held accountable for their role in promoting misinformation and helping Communist China cover up a global pandemic , ” Scott said Tuesday .
Content created by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .

The World Health Organization (WHO) spends twice as much on travel as it does on medical supplies, according to its most recent financial report.
Eight percent of the WHO’s budget in 2018 went to travel expenses, while just 4% went to medical supplies and materials, the report shows.
“Of total travel expenditure, only 45% was for staff travel, the rest was incurred for non-staff travel, mainly for meeting participants nominated by Member States,” the report states.
WHO’s travel expenditures have faced scrutiny in the past.
The Associated Press reported in 2017 that WHO “routinely has spent about $200 million a year on travel expenses, more than what it doles out to fight some of the biggest problems in public health, including AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined.”
The organization has only barely cut its travel spending since then.
Travel expenses dropped by just one percent between 2017 and 2018, according to WHO’s report.
WHO didn’t return an email seeking comment on whether the organization should have spent more on medical supplies, in light of the shortage that many countries are experiencing as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
WHO, the health arm of the United Nations, has come under fire over its cozy relationship with China.
The organization’s leadership has echoed the Chinese government’s talking points on the virus, providing ammunition for the communist regime in its propaganda war.
Republican Florida Sen. Rick Scott on Tuesday called for a congressional investigation into whether the WHO helped China’s communist government cover up the virus in its early stages. (RELATED: Top WHO Official Won Election With China’s Help. Now He’s Running Interference For China On Coronavirus)
The senator also called for congressional hearings on whether the United States should continue funding the WHO. The United States contributes nearly 15% of WHO’s annual budget, far more than any other WHO member.
“They need to be held accountable for their role in promoting misinformation and helping Communist China cover up a global pandemic,” Scott said Tuesday.
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--2020-03-31--Kylie Jenner Is Using Her Cosmetics Line In Battle Against Coronavirus Outbreak

Kylie Jenner is using her cosmetics line , Kylie Skin , to start making hand sanitizers for those on the front lines in the battle against the coronavirus .
The 22-year-old reality star , in connection with her mom Kris Jenner and the cosmetics giant and Kylie Skin investor Coty , announced they will start making the sanitizer for health care workers in Southern California hospitals , according to Page Six in a piece published Tuesday .
( RELATED : Here Are The Members Of Congress Self-Quarantining After Meeting Person With Coronavirus At CPAC ) The product will be made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to workers dealing with stopping the spread of COVID-19 .
Each bottle of the liquid will reportedly contain a special message for those medical professionals .
( RELATED : Pearl Jam Postpones North American Tour Over Growing Coronavirus Concerns ) “ The custom hand sanitizer includes a special message for recipients : ‘ Dedicated to first responders working to support our communities , ' ” according to a press release .
It all comes following reports last week that the “ Keeping Up With The Kardashians ” star donated $ 1 million to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care workers on the front line of the pandemic , per TMZ .
The younger reality star has been very outspoken about the pandemic and has been warning her millions of followers to take the self-isolation rules seriously , especially after Surgeon General Jerome Adams called on Jenner and other influencers like her to help fight the coronavirus outbreak .
“ Hey , guys .
Happy self-quarantine !
” Kylie shared in an Instagram story .
“ I know I ’ ve already been doing my daily reminders about how important it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-quarantine.
” “ I ’ m going on my ninth day , ” she added .
“ The coronavirus is a real thing .
I listened to the surgeon general this morning … he definitely encouraged me to come on here and talk to you guys.
” Jenner continued , “ Please stay inside .
Please stay inside .
Practice social distancing , self-quarantine .
If you live with your parents , you don ’ t want to go home and get your parents sick .
You might have it and not even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s serious and the only way that we ’ re gon na slow this down is if we do this because there is not a cure right now .
”

Kylie Jenner is using her cosmetics line, Kylie Skin, to start making hand sanitizers for those on the front lines in the battle against the coronavirus.
The 22-year-old reality star, in connection with her mom Kris Jenner and the cosmetics giant and Kylie Skin investor Coty, announced they will start making the sanitizer for health care workers in Southern California hospitals, according to Page Six in a piece published Tuesday. (RELATED: Here Are The Members Of Congress Self-Quarantining After Meeting Person With Coronavirus At CPAC)
Kris and Kylie Jenner announce Kylie Skin will make hand sanitizer https://t.co/663cSKYYqI pic.twitter.com/DBqAcUQoYU — Page Six (@PageSix) March 31, 2020
The product will be made by Coty’s factories and donated to workers dealing with stopping the spread of COVID-19. Each bottle of the liquid will reportedly contain a special message for those medical professionals. (RELATED: Pearl Jam Postpones North American Tour Over Growing Coronavirus Concerns)
“The custom hand sanitizer includes a special message for recipients: ‘Dedicated to first responders working to support our communities,'” according to a press release.
It all comes following reports last week that the “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” star donated $1 million to supply masks and protective gear to health care workers on the front line of the pandemic, per TMZ.
The younger reality star has been very outspoken about the pandemic and has been warning her millions of followers to take the self-isolation rules seriously, especially after Surgeon General Jerome Adams called on Jenner and other influencers like her to help fight the coronavirus outbreak.
“Hey, guys. Happy self-quarantine!” Kylie shared in an Instagram story. “I know I’ve already been doing my daily reminders about how important it is right now to practice social distancing and self-quarantine.”
“I’m going on my ninth day,” she added. “The coronavirus is a real thing. I listened to the surgeon general this morning … he definitely encouraged me to come on here and talk to you guys.”
Jenner continued, “Please stay inside. Please stay inside. Practice social distancing, self-quarantine. If you live with your parents, you don’t want to go home and get your parents sick. You might have it and not even know and be infecting other people. It’s serious and the only way that we’re gonna slow this down is if we do this because there is not a cure right now.”


thedailycaller--2020-03-31--Trump Finally Abandons Saying Coronavirus Is Not As Deadly As Seasonal Flu

President Donald Trump ’ s tone and messaging at Tuesday ’ s coronavirus task force press briefing marked a sharp departure from his previous statements regarding the virus and seasonal influenza .
Dating back to February , Trump had repeatedly compared coronavirus to the flu , noting that the latter routinely kills up to 70,000 Americans every year , but on Tuesday he said coronavirus is not “ like the flu .
It ’ s vicious.
” ( RELATED : Trump Extends Social Distancing Guidelines By Another 30 Days ) In a now infamous tweet in early March , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu.
” “ It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year .
Nothing is shut down , life & the economy go on , ” he continued .
“ At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus , with 22 deaths .
Think about that !
” Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx both predicted Tuesday that with full mitigation strategies , including the extended social distancing guidelines for the month of April , America should still expect to see between 100,000-200,000 coronavirus deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ sobering ” when pressed by reporters at the briefing .

President Donald Trump’s tone and messaging at Tuesday’s coronavirus task force press briefing marked a sharp departure from his previous statements regarding the virus and seasonal influenza.
Dating back to February, Trump had repeatedly compared coronavirus to the flu, noting that the latter routinely kills up to 70,000 Americans every year, but on Tuesday he said coronavirus is not “like the flu. It’s vicious.” (RELATED: Trump Extends Social Distancing Guidelines By Another 30 Days)
In a now infamous tweet in early March, the president noted that in 2019, “37,000 Americans died from the common Flu.”
“It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on,” he continued. “At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!”
So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 9, 2020
Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx both predicted Tuesday that with full mitigation strategies, including the extended social distancing guidelines for the month of April, America should still expect to see between 100,000-200,000 coronavirus deaths.
The president admitted those figures were “sobering” when pressed by reporters at the briefing.
WATCH:


thedailycaller--2020-03-31--FBI Arrests New York Man Accused Of Assaulting Officers And Hoarding Medical Supplies

A New York man who coughed on FBI agents after claiming he was infected with the coronavirus has been arrested and is being accused of hoarding medical supplies , price gouging , assault and making false statements to police , ABC News reported .
Baruch Feldheim , 43 , is being accused of taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic and medical equipment shortages at New York hospitals to make medical workers pay inflated prices for protective masks , medical gowns and other critical supplies , according to ABC News .
The FBI approached Feldheim at his home Sunday in Brooklyn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his door with boxes they believed contained medical equipment .
“ After identifying themselves as FBI agents , they told Feldheim that they wanted to stay a distance away from him given concerns over the spread of Coronavirus , ” the DOJ said in a statement .
“ When the agents were within four to five feet of him , Feldheim allegedly coughed in their direction without covering his mouth.
” Feldheim told the agents that he was infected with the coronavirus , and he was subsequently arrested and charged with assaulting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false statements , after prosecutors said Feldheim repeatedly lied about his possessions and sale of the medical equipment .
He is suspected of selling a New Jersey doctor nearly 1,000 masks for $ 12,000 , a markup of almost 700 % , and he also directed another doctor to a New Jersey auto repair shop to pick up another order , the New York Post reported .
The doctor reported to investigators that Feldheim was allegedly hoarding enough medical supplies “ to outfit an entire hospital.
” Agents also alleged that Feldheim offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of surgical gowns , ” and received a shipment from Canada containing “ eight pallets of medical face masks , ” ABC News reported .
The arrest follows a nationwide crackdown by the DOJ and FBI on people hoarding critically needed medical equipment and then selling the materials at inflated prices .
( RELATED : Trump Signs Executive Order Cracking Down On Price Gouging For Masks , Ventilators )

A New York man who coughed on FBI agents after claiming he was infected with the coronavirus has been arrested and is being accused of hoarding medical supplies, price gouging, assault and making false statements to police, ABC News reported.
Baruch Feldheim, 43, is being accused of taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic and medical equipment shortages at New York hospitals to make medical workers pay inflated prices for protective masks, medical gowns and other critical supplies, according to ABC News.
The FBI approached Feldheim at his home Sunday in Brooklyn after watching several individuals walking away from his door with boxes they believed contained medical equipment.
“After identifying themselves as FBI agents, they told Feldheim that they wanted to stay a distance away from him given concerns over the spread of Coronavirus,” the DOJ said in a statement. “When the agents were within four to five feet of him, Feldheim allegedly coughed in their direction without covering his mouth.”
Feldheim told the agents that he was infected with the coronavirus, and he was subsequently arrested and charged with assaulting a federal officer, as well as making false statements, after prosecutors said Feldheim repeatedly lied about his possessions and sale of the medical equipment.
He is suspected of selling a New Jersey doctor nearly 1,000 masks for $12,000, a markup of almost 700%, and he also directed another doctor to a New Jersey auto repair shop to pick up another order, the New York Post reported. The doctor reported to investigators that Feldheim was allegedly hoarding enough medical supplies “to outfit an entire hospital.”
Agents also alleged that Feldheim offered to sell a nurse “a quantity of surgical gowns,” and received a shipment from Canada containing “eight pallets of medical face masks,” ABC News reported.
The arrest follows a nationwide crackdown by the DOJ and FBI on people hoarding critically needed medical equipment and then selling the materials at inflated prices. (RELATED: Trump Signs Executive Order Cracking Down On Price Gouging For Masks, Ventilators)


thedailycaller--2020-03-31--Coronavirus Task Force Anticipates Between 100,000 And 200,000 Coronavirus Deaths

The White House coronavirus task force anticipates the U.S. will suffer 100,000 to 200,000 deaths from the disease before the pandemic ends .
Task force members Deborah Birx and Anthony Fauci made the sobering announcement at a White House press briefing Tuesday .
Birx referenced a graphic showing the U.S. could still be suffering deaths by June , though both she and Fauci stressed that the U.S. can bring down the death toll by following distancing rules .
( RELATED : Ted Cruz To Stay Home In Texas For One Week After Saying He Met Person With Coronavirus At CPAC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it ’ s a projection based on using very much what has happened in Italy and all the models , ” Birx said .
“ 100,000 to 200,000 we think of that as the range .
We believe and hope every day we can do a lot better than that because that isn ’ t assuming 100 percent [ of Americans ] are doing everything they are supposed to be doing .
But I think that ’ s possible.
” Birx appeared to misspeak saying the range was between 100,000 and 200,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upper limit of 240,000 .
Fauci later said that the projection model could change with the addition of new data .
The announcement comes one day after Trump said full-on quarantines would not be necessary for New York , New Jersey , and Connecticut on Saturday .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said Saturday that New York has confirmed 52,318 cases of coronavirus in the state .
New Jersey has the second-highest case total of any state , with 8,825 .
New York City alone is nearing 30,000 cases .
Just over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire United States .

The White House coronavirus task force anticipates the U.S. will suffer 100,000 to 240,000 deaths from the disease before the pandemic ends.
Task force members Deborah Birx and Anthony Fauci made the sobering announcement at a White House press briefing Tuesday. Birx referenced a graphic showing the U.S. could still be suffering deaths by June, though both she and Fauci stressed that the U.S. can bring down the death toll by following distancing rules. (RELATED: Ted Cruz To Stay Home In Texas For One Week After Saying He Met Person With Coronavirus At CPAC)
“This is a projection, and it’s a projection based on using very much what has happened in Italy and all the models,” Birx said. “100,000 to 200,000 we think of that as the range. We believe and hope every day we can do a lot better than that because that isn’t assuming 100 percent [of Americans] are doing everything they are supposed to be doing. But I think that’s possible.”
Birx appeared to misspeak saying the range was between 100,000 and 200,000. The graph she referenced had an upper limit of 240,000.
Fauci later said that the projection model could change with the addition of new data.
The announcement comes one day after Trump said full-on quarantines would not be necessary for New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut on Saturday.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday that New York has confirmed 52,318 cases of coronavirus in the state. New Jersey has the second-highest case total of any state, with 8,825. New York City alone is nearing 30,000 cases. Just over 110,000 cases have been reported in the entire United States.