thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-15--Trump Digs Into Voter Fraud Conspiracies About 'Ballot Harvesting'

Although widely practiced and rarely found to be abused , the rule permitting a third party to collect and return multiple ballots remains a source of partisan dispute .
Those fights are likely to continue up to Election Day as states adjust their laws for the pandemic .
One of the few recent instances of fraud related to ballot collection happened in North Carolina in 2018 , resulting in a congressional election being overturned .
More than half of states allow a third party to collect ballots .
And political groups and campaigns from both parties have run ballot-collection programs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are older , homebound , disabled , or live far from U.S. postal services can get their ballot returned .
“ The issue has taken on heightened importance because there are so many people that are either confined to their homes or fearful of going to out to the post office because of the coronavirus , ” said Wendy Weiser , director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice .
This year , Republicans and Democrats have squared off in lawsuits over the third-party collection of ballots in Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a conservative law firm known as the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty requested that election officials outlaw the process .
Though that state ’ s laws don ’ t specifically address “ ballot harvesting , ” officials said they weren ’ t aware of any efforts to systematically collect absentee ballots in the state and did not impose a rule prohibiting it .
The 9th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals earlier this year struck down a 2016 law passed by Republicans in Arizona that made it a felony for someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or caregiver to return an absentee ballot .
While the appeals court sided with Democrats who had sued to challenge the law , the ruling is on hold while the state ’ s Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court .
In the meantime , the ballot collection restriction remains in force for the 2020 election .
Trump ’ s reelection campaign , the Republican National Committee and Nevada GOP filed a lawsuit last week asking a judge to strike down the law .
The complaint makes a brief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleging without supporting evidence that it is among changes that “ facilitate fraud and other illegitimate voting practices.
” Election security experts say voter fraud is rare among all forms of voting , including by mail .
They point to a 2018 congressional election in North Carolina as one of the few instances where there were reports of fraud related to ballot collection .
A state probe there found that a Republican political operative illegally gathered ballots and workers testified that they were directed to collect blank or incomplete ballots , forge signatures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election .
Nevada is among 26 other states allowing voters to more broadly designate someone to drop off their ballot .
About a dozen of those states have imposed limits on how many ballots a person can submit .
Minnesota limits a person to collecting and returning three ballots , for example .
California since 2016 has allowed for someone to collect an unlimited number of ballots from voters , though it does bar someone from being paid based on how many ballots they return .
California ’ s law became the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats used the practice to their advantage in 2018 , flipping Republican-held congressional seats after a flood absentee ballots came in before the deadline and were counted after Election Day .
Richard L. Hasen , a law professor and elections expert at the University of California , Irvine , School of Law , said that despite then-U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan declaring it “ bizarre , ” there was no evidence in those contests that any ballots were tampered with .
“ On the one hand , there ’ s going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absentee ballots because of the potential safety concerns of voting in person , ” Hasen said of the 2020 election .
“ On the other hand , there are going to be more people who are going to be receiving absentee ballots and more potential for interfering with them.
” Nevada ’ s law does not include limits on how many ballots can be collected or restrictions on payment .
It does allow someone to be charged with a felony for blocking the ballot from being submitted or failing to return it after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addition to expanding ballot collection , Nevada ’ s law also allows voters who are over 65 , have a disability or are unable to read or write to have someone assist them in physically marking their ballot .
Those provisions have also drawn criticism from Trump .

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LAS VEGAS (AP) — As President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign challenged Nevada’s new voting law in court, the president and Republicans argued the rules would facilitate fraud and illegal voting. Chief among their criticisms was a provision allowing “ballot harvesting.”
The Nevada lawsuit highlighted a practice that has long fueled Republicans’ suspicions about mail-in voting.
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Although widely practiced and rarely found to be abused, the rule permitting a third party to collect and return multiple ballots remains a source of partisan dispute. Those fights are likely to continue up to Election Day as states adjust their laws for the pandemic. One of the few recent instances of fraud related to ballot collection happened in North Carolina in 2018, resulting in a congressional election being overturned.
More than half of states allow a third party to collect ballots. And political groups and campaigns from both parties have run ballot-collection programs aimed at boosting turnout and ensuring voters who are older, homebound, disabled, or live far from U.S. postal services can get their ballot returned.
“This is not new ground,” Nevada’s Democratic Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson said in a statement. “Allowing someone to assist a voter in turning in their ballot helps protect vulnerable populations, including our tribal and rural communities.”
Trump and the GOP contend “ballot harvesting” opens the door for fraud and have fought to restrict it. This has escalated as states prepare for greater reliance on absentee voting or vote-by-mail amid COVID-19.
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“The issue has taken on heightened importance because there are so many people that are either confined to their homes or fearful of going to out to the post office because of the coronavirus,” said Wendy Weiser, director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice.
This year, Republicans and Democrats have squared off in lawsuits over the third-party collection of ballots in Pennsylvania, Florida and Minnesota. In Wisconsin, a conservative law firm known as the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty requested that election officials outlaw the process. Though that state’s laws don’t specifically address “ballot harvesting,” officials said they weren’t aware of any efforts to systematically collect absentee ballots in the state and did not impose a rule prohibiting it.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals earlier this year struck down a 2016 law passed by Republicans in Arizona that made it a felony for someone besides a voter’s family member or caregiver to return an absentee ballot. While the appeals court sided with Democrats who had sued to challenge the law, the ruling is on hold while the state’s Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the meantime, the ballot collection restriction remains in force for the 2020 election.
In Nevada, an easing of ballot collection rules was included in a new law that calls for automatically sending ballots to all active voters this November.
Trump’s reelection campaign, the Republican National Committee and Nevada GOP filed a lawsuit last week asking a judge to strike down the law. The complaint makes a brief mention of “ballot harvesting,” alleging without supporting evidence that it is among changes that “facilitate fraud and other illegitimate voting practices.”
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Nevada’s Democratic attorney general asked a judge this past week to dismiss the lawsuit. A hearing has not yet been held.
Election security experts say voter fraud is rare among all forms of voting, including by mail. They point to a 2018 congressional election in North Carolina as one of the few instances where there were reports of fraud related to ballot collection. A state probe there found that a Republican political operative illegally gathered ballots and workers testified that they were directed to collect blank or incomplete ballots, forge signatures and fill in votes. Officials overturned the election.
North Carolina is among 10 states that generally only allow a family member or caregiver to drop off someone’s ballot, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Nevada is among 26 other states allowing voters to more broadly designate someone to drop off their ballot. About a dozen of those states have imposed limits on how many ballots a person can submit. Minnesota limits a person to collecting and returning three ballots, for example.
California since 2016 has allowed for someone to collect an unlimited number of ballots from voters, though it does bar someone from being paid based on how many ballots they return.
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California’s law became the source of controversy and GOP criticism after Democrats used the practice to their advantage in 2018, flipping Republican-held congressional seats after a flood absentee ballots came in before the deadline and were counted after Election Day.
Richard L. Hasen, a law professor and elections expert at the University of California, Irvine, School of Law, said that despite then-U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan declaring it “bizarre,” there was no evidence in those contests that any ballots were tampered with.
“On the one hand, there’s going to be much more need for the use of absentee ballots because of the potential safety concerns of voting in person,” Hasen said of the 2020 election. “On the other hand, there are going to be more people who are going to be receiving absentee ballots and more potential for interfering with them.”
Hasen said that’s particularly true for states like Nevada that plan to send ballots to voters in the mail regardless of whether they requested one.
Nevada’s law does not include limits on how many ballots can be collected or restrictions on payment. It does allow someone to be charged with a felony for blocking the ballot from being submitted or failing to return it after being entrusted to do so.
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In addition to expanding ballot collection, Nevada’s law also allows voters who are over 65, have a disability or are unable to read or write to have someone assist them in physically marking their ballot. Those provisions have also drawn criticism from Trump.
Nevada requires anyone assisting a voter in physically marking a ballot to include a written statement with the name, address and signature of the person who assisted the voter.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-15--NJ Congressman Calls For Grand Jury Criminal Probe Of Trump's Election 'Subversion' By Mail

Rep. Bill Pascrell ( D-N.J. ) is calling for a grand jury criminal probe into what he characterizes as President Donald Trump and his hand-picked postmaster general ’ s “ subversion ” of the Nov. 3 elections through mail manipulation .
“ I call upon you to open a wide-ranging investigation of Trump ’ s actions to interfere in our elections and to empanel a grand jury for the purpose of considering criminal indictments for Donald Trump , U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy ... [ who ] are participating in ... the subversion of New Jersey state elections , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” notice to New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal on Friday .
“ We do not have much time to prepare and our state , like others , will rely absolutely on the USPS ’ s efficiency , ” Pascrell wrote .
“ Amid this ongoing pandemic , the USPS will be the electoral heart and engine of New Jersey ’ s and America ’ s electoral machinery.
” He warned : “ American democracy is today in question .
What we do today can make a difference in our future .
Please @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Phil Murphy ( D ) signed an executive order to provide all 6.2 million registered voters in his state with a mail-in ballot to help protect citizens amid COVID-19 .
Results in previous elections “ here and across our nation showed that making it easier to vote does not favor any one political party , ” Murphy said .
“ But it does favor democracy.
” On Thursday Trump all but admitted he is blocking a desperately needed infusion of funds to the cash-strapped Postal Service , so it can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes by Americans hoping to avoid the risk of COVID-19 at polling stations .
Democrats have accused Trump and DeJoy , a prominent Trump campaign contributor , of actively sabotaging the mail system to block Joe Biden voters — or provide the president with an excuse for losing the election in a result he would challenge .
Just as the USPS should be gearing up for a spike in mail volume , DeJoy banned overtime and imposed new limits on mail delivery times in an internal memo last month .
In addition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its automated mail-sorting machines that help speed delivery — and postal employees earlier this week began ripping out scores of letter collection boxes in a number of states .
Even as the Postal Service began to dismantle its own process for speedy mail delivery , it sent a letter to 46 states warning that voters could be disenfranchised because their mail-in ballots may not be delivered in time to make vote deadlines , The Washington Post reported Friday .
Trump has already declared the Nov. 3 election the “ most corrupt ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase in mail-in ballots , even before any votes have been cast .
He has claimed , without any evidence , that the mail-in ballots will be “ rigged , ” even though he and first lady Melania Trump on Wednesday requested their own mail-in ballots for Tuesday ’ s Florida primary .
The Inspector General ’ s Office of the USPS has launched an investigation into the USPS service cuts and ethics concerns regarding DeJoy following complaints from Democratic lawmakers .
DeJoy stands to profit from an implosion of the Postal Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he continues to hold a $ 30 million equity stake in his former company , XPO Logistics , a USPS contractor , which could conceivably partner with a competitor if the agency stumbles .
DeJoy also purchased Amazon stock options after he was appointed postmaster general , giving him the right to buy new shares of Amazon at a price much lower than their current market price , according to his financial disclosure filings .

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Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) is calling for a grand jury criminal probe into what he characterizes as President Donald Trump and his hand-picked postmaster general’s “subversion” of the Nov. 3 elections through mail manipulation.
“I call upon you to open a wide-ranging investigation of Trump’s actions to interfere in our elections and to empanel a grand jury for the purpose of considering criminal indictments for Donald Trump, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy ... [who] are participating in ... the subversion of New Jersey state elections,” Pascrell wrote in his “criminal referral” notice to New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal on Friday.
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“We do not have much time to prepare and our state, like others, will rely absolutely on the USPS’s efficiency,” Pascrell wrote. “Amid this ongoing pandemic, the USPS will be the electoral heart and engine of New Jersey’s and America’s electoral machinery.”
He warned: “American democracy is today in question. What we do today can make a difference in our future. Please act decisively.”
Tonight I’ve made a criminal referral to the New Jersey Attorney General asking him to empanel a grand jury to look at subversion of NJ election laws by donald trump, louis dejoy, and other trump officials in their accelerating arson of the post office. pic.twitter.com/mxqbV8EmVn — Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) August 14, 2020
On Friday New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed an executive order to provide all 6.2 million registered voters in his state with a mail-in ballot to help protect citizens amid COVID-19.
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Results in previous elections “here and across our nation showed that making it easier to vote does not favor any one political party,” Murphy said. “But it does favor democracy.”
On Thursday Trump all but admitted he is blocking a desperately needed infusion of funds to the cash-strapped Postal Service, so it can’t handle an expected groundswell of mail-in votes by Americans hoping to avoid the risk of COVID-19 at polling stations.
Democrats have accused Trump and DeJoy, a prominent Trump campaign contributor, of actively sabotaging the mail system to block Joe Biden voters — or provide the president with an excuse for losing the election in a result he would challenge.
Just as the USPS should be gearing up for a spike in mail volume, DeJoy banned overtime and imposed new limits on mail delivery times in an internal memo last month. In addition, the USPS is eliminating some 15% of its automated mail-sorting machines that help speed delivery — and postal employees earlier this week began ripping out scores of letter collection boxes in a number of states.
Even as the Postal Service began to dismantle its own process for speedy mail delivery, it sent a letter to 46 states warning that voters could be disenfranchised because their mail-in ballots may not be delivered in time to make vote deadlines, The Washington Post reported Friday.
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Trump has already declared the Nov. 3 election the “most corrupt” in American history because of the anticipated increase in mail-in ballots, even before any votes have been cast. He has claimed, without any evidence, that the mail-in ballots will be “rigged,” even though he and first lady Melania Trump on Wednesday requested their own mail-in ballots for Tuesday’s Florida primary.
The Inspector General’s Office of the USPS has launched an investigation into the USPS service cuts and ethics concerns regarding DeJoy following complaints from Democratic lawmakers.
“DeJoy still holds at least $30 million in stock in XPO Logistics, a contractor company that processes mail for USPS” - If he can sabotage the USPS’ ability to sort and process mail...they will have to outsource to XPO - #InsiderTrading https://t.co/ebCW2XehKk — Hal Sparks (@HalSparks) August 15, 2020
There was no immediate comment from Grewal on Pascrell’s call for a grand jury probe.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-16--'Devastating': The Census Bureau Is About To Severely Undercount Tribes

Joe Raedle via Getty Images Lizzy Hawley ( C ) and her sister Ella Hawley ( R ) relax together on September 10 , 2019 in Kivalina , Alaska .
The census is so much more than a headcount .
Census data is used to draw congressional districts , which means , for example , the more that minorities are counted in a given area , the more likely they will be kept together as a community and have a voice in Congress .
If fewer minorities are counted in a given area , those communities are broken apart and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also used to decide how much federal money goes to every community .
For each person who isn ’ t counted in the census , their community loses thousands of dollars every year for the next 10 years .
That money would have otherwise been used for services like health care , education , infrastructure and housing assistance .
Why ?
People in remote areas , like many tribal communities , often rely on census takers coming to them in the final stage of data collection to do “ nonresponse follow-ups.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who haven ’ t responded to the census online or by mail , and they interview them .
Many people on reservations don ’ t have internet access or reliable mail , so they get counted in person .
But because of the coronavirus pandemic , reservations closed to the public for months .
Now , with census field operations cut short , census takers simply won ’ t reach some of these communities at all .
Tribes in remote areas rely entirely on federal dollars for health care , which the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Native Americans under its treaty obligations .
A census undercount means they will get a fraction of the federal money they are owed for the next 10 years , in an already chronically underfunded health care system overseen by the Indian Health Service , amid a pandemic that has ravaged tribal communities .
In Alaska , which is home to 229 of the 574 federally recognized tribes in the country , the level of census data collection among tribes sounds abysmal .
The state is so big and some tribes are so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities as early as January , much earlier than in the rest of the country .
But bad storms early in the year delayed the process .
That was followed by tribes ’ shutting down for months because of the pandemic .
Now that it ’ s August , a lot of locals aren ’ t home .
They ’ ve left their villages for weeks of fishing and hunting as part of the seasonal subsistence cycle .
“ They had been trained to tell rural residents that they could only do it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being told they can do it online or over the phone , when they had neither option before , ” she said .
“ Then they said they ’ d be back in person .
But instead , they ’ re just mailing them flyers and postcards .
Then they said field operations are going to last through October .
Now all of a sudden they ’ re ending at the end of September.
” “ Our tribal nations and tribal communities have been ravaged by COVID-19 , and an extension of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during an unprecedented global health catastrophe that provided critically needed additional time to tribal nations to ensure that ... everyone in their communities are counted , ” said the statement from the National Congress of American Indians , the Native American Rights Fund and the National Urban Indian Family Coalition .
“ For millions of American Indians and Alaska Natives , whether they live on rural reservations or in America ’ s large cities , an inaccurate census count will decimate our ability to advocate for necessary services for our most vulnerable communities.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Capitol Hill .
Sens .
Lisa Murkowski ( R-Alaska ) and Brian Schatz ( D-Hawaii ) wrote to House and Senate leaders Tuesday urging them to extend the statutory deadlines to deliver census data to the president and states to the spring of 2021 from Dec. 31 .
That would extend the entire census process , not just field operations , which is what some census officials have said they need to do an accurate census count .
“ In July , the associate director of the census , Albert Fontenot , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ window of being able to get those counts ’ by year ’ s end , ” said the letter from Murkowski and Schatz , which was signed by a total of 48 senators .
“ Extending the deadlines for the delivery of these files in the next COVID-19 relief package will ensure that the Census Bureau has adequate time to complete a full , fair and accurate 2020 census.
” But congressional leaders are nowhere near a deal on the next COVID-19 relief bill .
Congress doesn ’ t even return from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depressing sign that the census itself has become a partisan issue , only two of the 48 senators who signed the Murkowski-Schatz letter are Republicans : Murkowksi and fellow Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska .
“ This is all politically motivated , ” he said .
“ This is about Republicans trying to keep control over a changing demographic that they just can ’ t keep up with .
... Republicans understand if the census data comes back strong , when it comes to reelections , they ’ re going to have an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gerrymandered district .
”

Lizzy Hawley (C) and her sister Ella Hawley (R) relax together on September 10, 2019 in Kivalina, Alaska. Joe Raedle via Getty Images
WASHINGTON ― The U.S. Census Bureau unexpectedly announced it will end 2020 census field operations early, a decision that will disproportionately hurt Native American tribes that are already historically undercounted, hard to reach and rely on accurate census data for lifesaving federal dollars.
The agency slipped the news into a press release last week: “We will end field data collection by Sept. 30, 2020. Self-response options will also close on that date to permit the commencement of data processing.”
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That’s a month earlier than the Census Bureau ― and any organization focused on a strong census count ― planned for all year.
So what? It’s only a month, right? And why does the census matter anyway, beyond showing us how many people live here and where they live?
The census is so much more than a headcount. Census data is used to draw congressional districts, which means, for example, the more that minorities are counted in a given area, the more likely they will be kept together as a community and have a voice in Congress. If fewer minorities are counted in a given area, those communities are broken apart and lumped into other districts.
Census data is also used to decide how much federal money goes to every community. For each person who isn’t counted in the census, their community loses thousands of dollars every year for the next 10 years. That money would have otherwise been used for services like health care, education, infrastructure and housing assistance.
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Native Americans were the most undercounted population in the country the last time the census was taken in 2010. This time, it’s going to be even worse because of the Census Bureau’s decision to close up shop early.
Why? People in remote areas, like many tribal communities, often rely on census takers coming to them in the final stage of data collection to do “nonresponse follow-ups.” They knock on the doors of people who haven’t responded to the census online or by mail, and they interview them. Many people on reservations don’t have internet access or reliable mail, so they get counted in person. But because of the coronavirus pandemic, reservations closed to the public for months. Now, with census field operations cut short, census takers simply won’t reach some of these communities at all.
“It ensures a historic, devastating undercount for Native Americans,” said Natalie Landreth, senior staff attorney at the Native American Rights Fund. “It ensures it. We’re not guessing. We’ve run all the numbers, and we know it.”
Tribes in remote areas rely entirely on federal dollars for health care, which the federal government is required to provide to millions of Native Americans under its treaty obligations. A census undercount means they will get a fraction of the federal money they are owed for the next 10 years, in an already chronically underfunded health care system overseen by the Indian Health Service, amid a pandemic that has ravaged tribal communities.
Native Americans have long been undercounted. The official estimated undercount in the 2010 census was 4.9%, though Landreth said it was likely closer to 7%. But this year’s pandemic and the Census Bureau’s shortened timeline mean tribes will take a bigger hit.
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“It’s going to throw people who are already poor into more extreme poverty and diminish their political power so you never get anybody who represents your interests,” Landreth said. “Think of being powerless and poor. That’s what this does.”
The 2020 census response rate is trackable on the Census Bureau’s website. It currently shows a 63.6% response rate nationwide among people who responded online, by mail or by phone. If you toggle the data, it shows a 20.5% response rate among tribes.
“Think of being powerless and poor. That's what this does.” - Natalie Landreth, Native American Rights Fund
In Alaska, which is home to 229 of the 574 federally recognized tribes in the country, the level of census data collection among tribes sounds abysmal. The state is so big and some tribes are so remote that census takers typically head into communities as early as January, much earlier than in the rest of the country. But bad storms early in the year delayed the process. That was followed by tribes’ shutting down for months because of the pandemic. Now that it’s August, a lot of locals aren’t home. They’ve left their villages for weeks of fishing and hunting as part of the seasonal subsistence cycle.
On top of that, the Census Bureau sowed confusion among Alaskan tribes about how census data would be collected this year, said Nicole Borromeo, executive vice president of the Alaska Federation of Natives.
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“They had been trained to tell rural residents that they could only do it in person. Now they’re being told they can do it online or over the phone, when they had neither option before,” she said. “Then they said they’d be back in person. But instead, they’re just mailing them flyers and postcards. Then they said field operations are going to last through October. Now all of a sudden they’re ending at the end of September.”
It doesn’t help that there is already a massive amount of distrust of the federal government among tribes due to decades of oppression and broken promises.
“This could not be any worse for Alaska,” Borromeo added.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska is one of few Republicans urging the Census Bureau to reverse its decision to stop 2020 census field operations early. POOL New / reuters
Three major tribal advocacy groups last week issued a rare joint statement sounding the alarm on the Census Bureau’s “unwarranted and irresponsible decision” to cut short the census count.
“Our tribal nations and tribal communities have been ravaged by COVID-19, and an extension of the census enumeration period was a humane lifeline during an unprecedented global health catastrophe that provided critically needed additional time to tribal nations to ensure that ... everyone in their communities are counted,” said the statement from the National Congress of American Indians, the Native American Rights Fund and the National Urban Indian Family Coalition. “For millions of American Indians and Alaska Natives, whether they live on rural reservations or in America’s large cities, an inaccurate census count will decimate our ability to advocate for necessary services for our most vulnerable communities.”
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The groups urged Congress to include language in the next COVID-19 relief bill to require the Census Bureau to stick to its original Oct. 31 deadline to end field operations.
There is some support for this on Capitol Hill. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) wrote to House and Senate leaders Tuesday urging them to extend the statutory deadlines to deliver census data to the president and states to the spring of 2021 from Dec. 31. That would extend the entire census process, not just field operations, which is what some census officials have said they need to do an accurate census count.
“In July, the associate director of the census, Albert Fontenot, said, ‘We are past the window of being able to get those counts’ by year’s end,” said the letter from Murkowski and Schatz, which was signed by a total of 48 senators. “Extending the deadlines for the delivery of these files in the next COVID-19 relief package will ensure that the Census Bureau has adequate time to complete a full, fair and accurate 2020 census.”
But congressional leaders are nowhere near a deal on the next COVID-19 relief bill. Congress doesn’t even return from a break until September. And in a depressing sign that the census itself has become a partisan issue, only two of the 48 senators who signed the Murkowski-Schatz letter are Republicans: Murkowksi and fellow Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska.
HuffPost could only find one other GOP senator, Steve Daines of Montana, who publicly urged the Census Bureau to extend its deadlines.
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A spokesperson for Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), who chairs the Committee on Indian Affairs, did not respond to a request for comment on whether he is concerned about census field operations ending early and hurting tribes.
Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) says the Census Bureau's decision to end its field operations early is entirely political and aimed at helping Republicans gerrymander districts so they can retain power. Pool via Getty Images
Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), chairman of the House Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States, said there’s only one reason why the Census Bureau is closing up shop early.
“This is all politically motivated,” he said. “This is about Republicans trying to keep control over a changing demographic that they just can’t keep up with. ... Republicans understand if the census data comes back strong, when it comes to reelections, they’re going to have an even harder time holding power through a gerrymandered district.”
It makes no sense to stop counting people early, and all signs point to corruption within the Trump administration, Gallego added.
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“They could ask for more money if they wanted,” he said. “They have given us no real reason for this. They’re just not going to count.”
A Census Bureau spokesperson responded to a HuffPost request for comment by emailing a link to the agency’s press release announcing its plans to end its field operations early. The spokesperson did not respond to a follow-up email asking if politics are driving the agency’s decision.
With Congress gone and hardly any Republicans making the issue a priority, there’s nothing stopping the Census Bureau from ending its count early. Unless something changes, tribal villages and reservations already wrestling with poverty and health disparities will have to brace for even fewer federal resources for another 10 years.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-15--Robert Trump, The President’s Younger Brother, Dead At 71

NEW YORK ( AP ) — President Donald Trump ’ s younger brother , Robert Trump , a businessman known for an even keel that seemed almost incompatible with the family name , died Saturday night after being hospitalized in New York , the president said in a statement .
He was 71 .
The president visited his brother at a New York City hospital on Friday after White House officials said he had become seriously ill. “ It is with heavy heart I share that my wonderful brother , Robert , peacefully passed away tonight , ” Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not just my brother , he was my best friend .
He will be greatly missed , but we will meet again .
His memory will live on in my heart forever .
Robert , I love you .
Rest in peace.
” The youngest of the Trump siblings remained close to the 74-year-old president and , as recently as June , filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Trump family that unsuccessfully sought to stop publication of a tell-all book by the president ’ s niece , Mary .
Both longtime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different personalities .
Donald Trump once described his younger brother as “ much quieter and easygoing than I am , ” and “ the only guy in my life whom I ever call ‘ honey.
’ ” “ When he worked in the Trump Organization , he was known as the nice Trump , ” Gwenda Blair , a Trump family biographer , told The Associated Press .
“ Robert was the one people would try to get to intervene if there was a problem.
” The president , two years older than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their younger years , even as he praised his loyalty and laid-back demeanor .
“ I think it must be hard to have me for a brother but he ’ s never said anything about it and we ’ re very close , ” Donald Trump wrote in his 1987 bestseller “ The Art of the Deal.
” “ Robert gets along with almost everyone , ” he added , “ which is great for me since I sometimes have to be the bad guy.
” In the 1980s , Donald Trump tapped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ casino project , calling him the perfect fit for the job .
When it cannibalized his other casinos , though , “ he pointed the finger of blame at Robert , ” said Blair , author of “ The Trumps : Three Generations that Built an Empire.
” “ When the slot machines jammed the opening weekend at the Taj Mahal , he very specifically and furiously denounced Robert , and Robert walked out and never worked for his brother again , ” Blair said .
He avoided the limelight during his elder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Hudson Valley .
But he described himself as a big supporter of the White House run in a 2016 interview with the New York Post .
Authors Michael Kranish and Marc Fisher described Robert Trump as soft spoken but cerebral in “ Trump Revealed : The Definitive Biography of the 45th President ” : “ He lacked Donald ’ s charismatic showmanship , and he was happy to leave the bravado to his brother , but he could show flashes of Trump temper .
”

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NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump’s younger brother, Robert Trump, a businessman known for an even keel that seemed almost incompatible with the family name, died Saturday night after being hospitalized in New York, the president said in a statement. He was 71.
The president visited his brother at a New York City hospital on Friday after White House officials said he had become seriously ill.
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Younger brother of @realDonaldTrump has died.
In statement, @POTUS says: "He was not just my brother, he was my best friend." pic.twitter.com/XRa4UF4xVA — Steve Herman (@W7VOA) August 16, 2020
The youngest of the Trump siblings remained close to the 74-year-old president and, as recently as June, filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Trump family that unsuccessfully sought to stop publication of a tell-all book by the president’s niece, Mary.
Robert Trump had reportedly been hospitalized in the intensive care unit for several days that same month .
Both longtime businessmen, Robert and Donald had strikingly different personalities. Donald Trump once described his younger brother as “much quieter and easygoing than I am,” and “the only guy in my life whom I ever call ‘honey.’”
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Robert Trump began his career on Wall Street working in corporate finance but later joined the family business, managing real estate holdings as a top executive in the Trump Organization.
“When he worked in the Trump Organization, he was known as the nice Trump,” Gwenda Blair, a Trump family biographer, told The Associated Press. “Robert was the one people would try to get to intervene if there was a problem.”
President Donald Trump hugs his brother Robert Trump after delivering his acceptance speech in 2016. Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
Robert Stewart Trump was born in 1948, the youngest of New York City real estate developer Fred Trump’s five children.
The president, two years older than Robert, admittedly bullied his brother in their younger years, even as he praised his loyalty and laid-back demeanor.
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“I think it must be hard to have me for a brother but he’s never said anything about it and we’re very close,” Donald Trump wrote in his 1987 bestseller “The Art of the Deal.” “Robert gets along with almost everyone,” he added, “which is great for me since I sometimes have to be the bad guy.”
In the 1980s, Donald Trump tapped Robert Trump to oversee an Atlantic City casino project, calling him the perfect fit for the job. When it cannibalized his other casinos, though, “he pointed the finger of blame at Robert,” said Blair, author of “The Trumps: Three Generations that Built an Empire.”
“When the slot machines jammed the opening weekend at the Taj Mahal, he very specifically and furiously denounced Robert, and Robert walked out and never worked for his brother again,” Blair said.
A Boston University graduate, Robert Trump later managed the Brooklyn portion of father Fred Trump’s real estate empire, which was eventually sold.
Once a regular boldface name in Manhattan’s social pages, Robert Trump had kept a lower profile in recent years. “He was not a newsmaker,” Blair said.
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Before divorcing his first wife, Blaine Trump, more than a decade ago, Robert Trump had been active on Manhattan’s Upper East Side charity circuit.
He avoided the limelight during his elder brother’s presidency, having retired to the Hudson Valley. But he described himself as a big supporter of the White House run in a 2016 interview with the New York Post.
“I support Donald one thousand percent,” Robert Trump said.
In early March of 2020, he married his longtime girlfriend, Ann Marie Pallan.
The eldest Trump sibling and Mary’s father, Fred Trump Jr., struggled with alcoholism and died in 1981 at the age of 43. The president’s surviving siblings include Elizabeth Trump Grau and Maryanne Trump Barry, a retired federal appeals judge.
Authors Michael Kranish and Marc Fisher described Robert Trump as soft-spoken but cerebral in “Trump Revealed: The Definitive Biography of the 45th President”: “He lacked Donald’s charismatic showmanship, and he was happy to leave the bravado to his brother, but he could show flashes of Trump temper.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-16--White House Chief Of Staff Offers Baffling Defense Of Voter Fraud Claims

Host Jake Tapper confronted Meadows on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union ” about the White House ’ s false claims regarding mail-in voting , pointing out that Trump himself requested a mail-in ballot this year .
Several states have moved to expand mail-in voting amid growing concerns over in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic .
Trump has claimed without evidence that mail-in ballots will lead to a “ rigged ” election in November .
Meadows said that Trump has no issue with voters requesting absentee ballots but criticized states that automatically send ballots to every registered voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Columbia do this , a practice known as “ universal vote by mail.
” There have historically been more instances of fraud related to mail-in voting than to in-person voting , but the incidence of mail-in voter fraud is exceedingly rare , according to election experts .
Trump sued the battleground states of Nevada and Pennsylvania over their efforts to expand voting accessibility amid the pandemic .
A federal judge in Pennsylvania ruled Thursday that the Trump campaign must produce evidence to back up its claims of mail-in voter fraud in the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refused to do so .
Democrats have accused Trump of bashing mail-in voting and attempting to block funding for the U.S .
Postal Service as an effort to undermine the integrity of the coming election and to boost his chances of remaining in the White House .
Trump on Thursday appeared to admit that he wanted to block funding for the Postal Service in an effort to hamper mail-in voting .
Concerns over the Trump administration ’ s apparent efforts to sabotage the Postal Service continued to build later in the week with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machines were removed in at least four states .
The Washington Post reported Friday that the Postal Service sent letters to 46 states warning that voters could be disenfranchised because their mail-in ballots may not be delivered in time to make voting deadlines .
At least 19 mail-sorting machines in five Postal Service processing facilities were removed or are scheduled to be removed in the near future , Vice reported Wednesday .
The Postal Service told Vice that the removals were in response to “ changing mail and package volumes.
” Meadows told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” would be “ going offline between now and the election.
” He appeared to deny that some machines were deactivated recently .
Democrats have proposed $ 25 billion in additional funding for the Postal Service as part of the latest coronavirus economic stimulus package .
Trump said he would agree to the funding if Democrats made concessions .
Trump campaign adviser Steve Cortes told “ Fox News Sunday ” that payroll tax cuts — which critics say could gut Social Security and Medicare — are part of the concessions Democrats must make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is no amount of money that could get the United States Postal Service ready for universal vote by mail .
”

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White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Sunday offered a head-scratching response when told there’s no evidence of widespread voter fraud, contrary to President Donald Trump’s repeated suggestions otherwise.
Host Jake Tapper confronted Meadows on CNN’s “State of the Union” about the White House’s false claims regarding mail-in voting, pointing out that Trump himself requested a mail-in ballot this year.
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“There’s no evidence of widespread voter fraud,” Tapper said.
“There’s no evidence that there’s not either,” Meadows responded. “That’s the definition of fraud, Jake.”
CNN’s @jakestapper: "There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud."
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows: "There’s no evidence that there’s not either. That’s the definition of fraud, Jake." #CNNSOTU https://t.co/F6hQkaEele pic.twitter.com/g9XXgz2ZBS — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 16, 2020
Several states have moved to expand mail-in voting amid growing concerns over in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic. Trump has claimed without evidence that mail-in ballots will lead to a “rigged” election in November.
Meadows said that Trump has no issue with voters requesting absentee ballots but criticized states that automatically send ballots to every registered voter. Nine states and the District of Columbia do this, a practice known as “universal vote by mail.”
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There have historically been more instances of fraud related to mail-in voting than to in-person voting, but the incidence of mail-in voter fraud is exceedingly rare, according to election experts.
Trump sued the battleground states of Nevada and Pennsylvania over their efforts to expand voting accessibility amid the pandemic. A federal judge in Pennsylvania ruled Thursday that the Trump campaign must produce evidence to back up its claims of mail-in voter fraud in the state. The Trump campaign so far has refused to do so.
Democrats have accused Trump of bashing mail-in voting and attempting to block funding for the U.S. Postal Service as an effort to undermine the integrity of the coming election and to boost his chances of remaining in the White House.
Trump on Thursday appeared to admit that he wanted to block funding for the Postal Service in an effort to hamper mail-in voting.
Concerns over the Trump administration’s apparent efforts to sabotage the Postal Service continued to build later in the week with reports that mail collection boxes and letter-sorting machines were removed in at least four states.
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The Washington Post reported Friday that the Postal Service sent letters to 46 states warning that voters could be disenfranchised because their mail-in ballots may not be delivered in time to make voting deadlines.
At least 19 mail-sorting machines in five Postal Service processing facilities were removed or are scheduled to be removed in the near future, Vice reported Wednesday. The Postal Service told Vice that the removals were in response to “changing mail and package volumes.”
Meadows told CNN Sunday that “no sorting machines” would be “going offline between now and the election.” He appeared to deny that some machines were deactivated recently.
Democrats have proposed $25 billion in additional funding for the Postal Service as part of the latest coronavirus economic stimulus package. Trump said he would agree to the funding if Democrats made concessions.
Trump campaign adviser Steve Cortes told “Fox News Sunday” that payroll tax cuts — which critics say could gut Social Security and Medicare — are part of the concessions Democrats must make. But, he added, “there is no amount of money that could get the United States Postal Service ready for universal vote by mail.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-16--House Committee Calls On Postmaster General To Testify On USPS Changes

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) - Top Democrats in the U.S. Congress on Sunday called on President Donald Trump ’ s appointed postmaster general to testify this month on changes that have stoked fears they are aimed at holding up mail-in ballots ahead of the November election .
The Postal Service ’ s internal watchdog has begun investigating a wave of cost-cutting kicked off by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy that has slowed mail delivery around the country , alarming lawmakers ahead of the Nov. 3 election when up to half of U.S. voters could cast ballots by mail .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manipulate the Postal Service to deny eligible voters access to the ballot in pursuit of his own re-election , ” Democrats including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney said in a joint statement .
“ The Postmaster General and top Postal Service leadership must answer to the Congress and the American people as to why they are pushing these dangerous new policies that threaten to silence the voices of millions , just months before the election.
” Trump himself on Thursday said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fresh round of coronavirus stimulus funding to block Democrats from providing more funds for mail-in voting and election infrastructure .
Trump later walked back those comments , saying he would not veto a bill that included funds for the Postal Service .
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told CNN on Sunday said he would agree to $ 10 billion to $ 25 billion in fresh Postal funding .
Democrats had sought $ 25 billion .
Separately , Meadows told CNN ’ s State of the Union that the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delay election results and leave the naming of the new president to the speaker of the House .
“ A number of states are now trying to figure out how they are going to go to universal mail-in ballots , ” Meadows said .
“ That ’ s a disaster where we won ’ t know the election results on Nov. 3 and we might not know it for months and for me that ’ s problematic because the Constitution says that then a Nancy Pelosi in the House would actually pick the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to make sure that we do it right.
” Trump has repeatedly and without evidence said that a surge in mail-in voting would lead to fraud .
Voting by mail is nothing new in the United States , as one in four voters cast ballots that way in 2016 .
The House could vote on a measure to prohibit the Postal Service from implementing any changes to the operations or level of service it had in place in January 2020 , until the COVID-19 pandemic has ended .
“ The House should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S .
Postal Service is fully funded , ” Sanders said .
“ This goes to the fact of whether or not we are a democracy .
”

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top Democrats in the U.S. Congress on Sunday called on President Donald Trump’s appointed postmaster general to testify this month on changes that have stoked fears they are aimed at holding up mail-in ballots ahead of the November election.
The Postal Service’s internal watchdog has begun investigating a wave of cost-cutting kicked off by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy that has slowed mail delivery around the country, alarming lawmakers ahead of the Nov. 3 election when up to half of U.S. voters could cast ballots by mail.
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Congressional Democrats called on DeJoy, a donor to Republican President Donald Trump, and U.S. Postal Service Chairman Robert Duncan to testify in an Aug. 24 committee hearing.
“The President has explicitly stated his intention to manipulate the Postal Service to deny eligible voters access to the ballot in pursuit of his own re-election,” Democrats including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney said in a joint statement. “The Postmaster General and top Postal Service leadership must answer to the Congress and the American people as to why they are pushing these dangerous new policies that threaten to silence the voices of millions, just months before the election.”
DeJoy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
JUST IN: House Oversight Committee calls postmaster general DEJOY to testify on Aug. 24, nearly a month earlier than scheduled. pic.twitter.com/4Zt7l8pEb9 — Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) August 16, 2020
Democrats have accused Trump, who is trailing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in polls, of trying to hamstring the cash-strapped Postal Service to suppress mail-in voting.
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Trump himself on Thursday said he had held up talks with Congress over a fresh round of coronavirus stimulus funding to block Democrats from providing more funds for mail-in voting and election infrastructure.
Trump later walked back those comments, saying he would not veto a bill that included funds for the Postal Service. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told CNN on Sunday said he would agree to $10 billion to $25 billion in fresh Postal funding. Democrats had sought $25 billion.
Pelosi may recall lawmakers from a summer recess to address changes at the Postal Service, a Democratic congressional aide said on Saturday.
In this Aug. 5, 2020, file photo Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, left, is escorted to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) ASSOCIATED PRESS
WHITE HOUSE FEARS PELOSI
Separately, Meadows told CNN’s State of the Union that the White House fears a surge in mail-in voting could delay election results and leave the naming of the new president to the speaker of the House.
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“A number of states are now trying to figure out how they are going to go to universal mail-in ballots,” Meadows said. “That’s a disaster where we won’t know the election results on Nov. 3 and we might not know it for months and for me that’s problematic because the Constitution says that then a Nancy Pelosi in the House would actually pick the president on Jan. 20. So we need to make sure that we do it right.”
Trump has repeatedly and without evidence said that a surge in mail-in voting would lead to fraud. Voting by mail is nothing new in the United States, as one in four voters cast ballots that way in 2016.
The House could vote on a measure to prohibit the Postal Service from implementing any changes to the operations or level of service it had in place in January 2020, until the COVID-19 pandemic has ended.
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders told ABC’s “This Week” he would back that move.
“The House should come back and make sure that the U.S. Postal Service is fully funded,” Sanders said. “This goes to the fact of whether or not we are a democracy.”
(Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Additional reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Scott Malone, Lisa Shumaker and Nick Zieminski)


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-16--Meadows Says Kamala Harris Eligible For Vice Presidency After Trump Promotes Racist Claim

“ I kind of can ’ t believe I even have to ask you this , but just a simple yes or no : Do you accept that fact ― and it is a fact ― that Sen. Kamala Harris is eligible to be vice president ?
” Tapper asked .
“ Sure , ” Meadows responded , before attacking Harris ’ “ liberal ideas ” and the “ policies born out of California that would take root ” if she were to become vice president .
The racist and false claim that Harris , the daughter of Jamaican and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice presidency was the subject of an op-ed by lawyer John Eastman posted Wednesday by Newsweek .
Eastman suggested that Harris can ’ t be vice president because her parents were not naturalized citizens at the time of her birth .
( Harris was born in California . )
This argument is false .
The Constitution says that only “ a natural-born citizen , or a citizen of the United States , ” shall be eligible to serve as president or vice president .
The 14th Amendment says that anyone born or naturalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I have no idea if that ’ s right , ” he added .
“ I would have thought , I would have assumed , that the Democrats would have checked that out before she gets chosen to run for vice president.
” Asked during a press briefing Saturday if he would say Harris is eligible , Trump refused .
Instead , the president said the false claim against Harris is “ not something that bothers me ” and that he was “ not going to be pursuing it.
” But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So when you say , ‘ sure ’ ― yes , you accept that she is eligible to be vice president ?
” The Harris claim echoed the racist birther conspiracy theory pushed by Trump ahead of President Barack Obama ’ s election in 2008 .
Trump and other subscribers to the theory argued falsely that Obama was born in Kenya and was therefore not eligible to be president .
( Obama was born in Hawaii . )
Host Chris Wallace asked whether Trump and his campaign acknowledged that Harris is eligible to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ yes , ” before repeating Trump ’ s vague statement that he wouldn ’ t be “ pursuing ” the claim .
“ I don ’ t know why it ’ s incumbent upon him to opine on legal scholarship of the Constitution , ” Cortes said .
“ I don ’ t think that ’ s his place as president .
What he ’ s saying is , we have not made an issue of this , and we will not make an issue of this.
” “ They ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distract from the real issues that are impacting the American people , ” Harris said .
“ This is going to be a knockdown , drag-out .
And we ’ re ready .
”

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White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Sunday conceded that Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) is eligible to serve as vice president, rejecting a racist conspiracy theory promoted by President Donald Trump.
CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Meadows on “State of the Union” about the “discredited lie” against Harris, whom presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced as his running mate last week.
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“I kind of can’t believe I even have to ask you this, but just a simple yes or no: Do you accept that fact ― and it is a fact ― that Sen. Kamala Harris is eligible to be vice president?” Tapper asked.
“Sure,” Meadows responded, before attacking Harris’ “liberal ideas” and the “policies born out of California that would take root” if she were to become vice president.
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows says he accepts that Sen. Kamala Harris is eligible to be vice president. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/kLcjgP4lYi — State of the Union (@CNNSotu) August 16, 2020
The racist and false claim that Harris, the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, is ineligible for the vice presidency was the subject of an op-ed by lawyer John Eastman posted Wednesday by Newsweek.
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Eastman suggested that Harris can’t be vice president because her parents were not naturalized citizens at the time of her birth. (Harris was born in California.) This argument is false.
The Constitution says that only “a natural-born citizen, or a citizen of the United States,” shall be eligible to serve as president or vice president. The 14th Amendment says that anyone born or naturalized in the U.S. is a U.S. citizen.
Nonetheless, some of Trump’s allies have seized on the theory. Jenna Ellis, a legal adviser to the Trump campaign, retweeted Eastman’s op-ed on Thursday.
Trump told reporters at a press briefing Thursday that he heard Harris “doesn’t meet the requirements” to be president.
“I have no idea if that’s right,” he added. “I would have thought, I would have assumed, that the Democrats would have checked that out before she gets chosen to run for vice president.”
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Asked during a press briefing Saturday if he would say Harris is eligible, Trump refused. Instead, the president said the false claim against Harris is “not something that bothers me” and that he was “not going to be pursuing it.”
Meadows on Sunday appeared to shrug off the Harris claim. He said Trump already “spoke to” the issue in his news conference a day earlier.
But Tapper pressed him on it. “So when you say, ‘sure’ ― yes, you accept that she is eligible to be vice president?”
“Yes,” Meadows said. “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”
The Harris claim echoed the racist birther conspiracy theory pushed by Trump ahead of President Barack Obama’s election in 2008. Trump and other subscribers to the theory argued falsely that Obama was born in Kenya and was therefore not eligible to be president. (Obama was born in Hawaii.)
Steve Cortes, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, further muddied the waters in an appearance on “Fox News Sunday.”
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Host Chris Wallace asked whether Trump and his campaign acknowledged that Harris is eligible to be vice president. Cortes said, “yes,” before repeating Trump’s vague statement that he wouldn’t be “pursuing” the claim.
“Isn’t this just like the birther claims the president made against Barack Obama?” Wallace asked. “Why not just say it’s wrong?”
Cortes repeated that Trump won’t be “pursuing” the claim and accused the media of trying to “create a controversy that simply doesn’t exist.”
“I don’t know why it’s incumbent upon him to opine on legal scholarship of the Constitution,” Cortes said. “I don’t think that’s his place as president. What he’s saying is, we have not made an issue of this, and we will not make an issue of this.”
Harris said she wasn’t surprised by the Trump campaign’s “dirty tactics” in an interview posted Sunday on TheGrio.
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“They’re going to engage in an attempt to distract from the real issues that are impacting the American people,” Harris said. “This is going to be a knockdown, drag-out. And we’re ready.”
Watch Cortes’ full interview with “Fox News Sunday” below. His comments about Harris begin around the 30-second mark.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-16--Joe Biden Sends Condolences To Trump Following Death Of Brother, Robert

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden expressed his condolences to President Donald Trump on Sunday following the death of his younger brother , Robert Trump , saying , “ I hope you know that our prayers are with you all.
” “ I know the tremendous pain of losing a loved one — and I know how important family is in moments like these , ” the former vice president said in a post on Twitter .
Biden ’ s first wife and their young daughter died in a car crash in 1972 .
His son Beau Biden died in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 46 .
Mr. President , Jill and I are sad to learn of your younger brother Robert ’ s passing .
I know the tremendous pain of losing a loved one — and I know how important family is in moments like these .
I hope you know that our prayers are with you all .
— Joe Biden ( @ JoeBiden ) August 16 , 2020 Biden ’ s running mate , Kamala Harris , echoed his sentiments in her own Twitter post to Trump and his family .
“ Losing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we are thinking of you , ” the California senator said .
Trump announced the death of his brother late Saturday .
Robert Trump , 71 , had been hospitalized in New York City prior to his death .
Officials did not immediately release a cause of death .
Robert Trump , seen left of his brother Donald Trump in 1999 , died Saturday after being hospitalized in New York , the president said in a statement .
He was 71 .
“ He was not just my brother , he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
“ He will be greatly missed , but we will meet again .
His memory will live on in my heart forever .
Robert , I love you .
Rest in peace.
” Robert Trump ’ s death comes amid a particularly contentious reelection campaign for his brother , with less than three months until the November election .

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Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden expressed his condolences to President Donald Trump on Sunday following the death of his younger brother, Robert Trump, saying, “I hope you know that our prayers are with you all.”
“I know the tremendous pain of losing a loved one — and I know how important family is in moments like these,” the former vice president said in a post on Twitter.
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Biden’s first wife and their young daughter died in a car crash in 1972. His son Beau Biden died in 2015 from cancer at the age of 46.
Mr. President, Jill and I are sad to learn of your younger brother Robert’s passing. I know the tremendous pain of losing a loved one — and I know how important family is in moments like these. I hope you know that our prayers are with you all. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 16, 2020
Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, echoed his sentiments in her own Twitter post to Trump and his family.
“Losing a loved one is never easy but know that we are thinking of you,” the California senator said.
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Trump announced the death of his brother late Saturday. Robert Trump, 71, had been hospitalized in New York City prior to his death. Officials did not immediately release a cause of death.
Robert Trump, seen left of his brother Donald Trump in 1999, died Saturday after being hospitalized in New York, the president said in a statement. He was 71. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“He was not just my brother, he was my best friend,” Trump said in a statement. “He will be greatly missed, but we will meet again. His memory will live on in my heart forever. Robert, I love you. Rest in peace.”
Robert Trump’s death comes amid a particularly contentious reelection campaign for his brother, with less than three months until the November election.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-16--Postal Service: We Will Stop Removing Mailboxes Ahead Of Election Day

The Washington Post via Getty Images A mailbox near a construction site on in Washington on Friday .
The U.S .
Postal Service will stop removing mailboxes across the country for 90 days , a spokeswoman said Sunday in the wake of protests arguing that the action was part of President Donald Trump ’ s attempt to influence the outcome of the upcoming election .
“ Given the recent customer concerns , the Postal Service will postpone removing boxes for a period of 90 days while we evaluate our customers ’ concerns , ” Postal Service spokeswoman Kim Frum said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the removals forced the service to walk back its policy in Western states on Friday .
By Sunday , ongoing protests against what was seen as a blatant voter suppression effort led the Postal Service to extend its 90-day moratorium to the rest of the country .
Despite the agency ’ s assurances , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) said later Sunday she would recall the chamber early to vote on legislation meant to protect the Postal Service before the election .
“ Lives , livelihoods and the life of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the President , ” she wrote in a letter to colleagues .
She added : “ In a time of a pandemic , the Postal Service is Election Central .
Americans should not have to choose between their health and their vote.
” The House was not scheduled to return until Sept. 14 , but the vote on the Postal Service legislation will likely take place Saturday .
The Postal Service said earlier that it was removing mailboxes in some communities because of “ declining mail volume.
” But Americans are expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the upcoming election because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Trump has spent the last several months baselessly attacking mail-in voting as “ fraudulent.
” ( He installed Louis DeJoy , a major campaign donor , to lead the Postal Service this year . )
Trump on Friday appeared to admit that he opposed more funding for the Postal Service because “ that means you can ’ t have universal mail-in voting.
” The Postal Service recently warned 46 states that it can not guarantee all mailed ballots will be delivered in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Service under DeJoy has also removed mail sorting machines from postal facilities around the country to the dismay of concerned postal workers and Americans who rely on timely delivery .
But White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Sunday said , “ Sorting machines between now and Election Day will not be taken offline.
” Critics have argued that voter suppression is the cornerstone of the Trump campaign ’ s reelection strategy .
In addition to the Postal Service ’ s actions , the campaign has filed lawsuits challenging states ’ voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The things they had in there were crazy , ” Trump said about the proposal .
“ They had things — levels of voting that , if you ever agreed to it , you ’ d never have a Republican elected in this country again .
”

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The U.S. Postal Service will stop removing mailboxes across the country for 90 days, a spokeswoman said Sunday in the wake of protests arguing that the action was part of President Donald Trump’s attempt to influence the outcome of the upcoming election.
“Given the recent customer concerns, the Postal Service will postpone removing boxes for a period of 90 days while we evaluate our customers’ concerns,” Postal Service spokeswoman Kim Frum said in a statement to CNN.
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Reports about the removals forced the service to walk back its policy in Western states on Friday. By Sunday, ongoing protests against what was seen as a blatant voter suppression effort led the Postal Service to extend its 90-day moratorium to the rest of the country.
The net effect is that mailboxes will remain in place until after the November election.
A mailbox near a construction site on in Washington on Friday. The Washington Post via Getty Images
Despite the agency’s assurances, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said later Sunday she would recall the chamber early to vote on legislation meant to protect the Postal Service before the election.
“Lives, livelihoods and the life of our American Democracy are under threat from the President,” she wrote in a letter to colleagues. She added: “In a time of a pandemic, the Postal Service is Election Central. Americans should not have to choose between their health and their vote.”
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The House was not scheduled to return until Sept. 14, but the vote on the Postal Service legislation will likely take place Saturday.
The Postal Service said earlier that it was removing mailboxes in some communities because of “declining mail volume.” But Americans are expected to vote by mail in unusually high numbers in the upcoming election because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Trump has spent the last several months baselessly attacking mail-in voting as “fraudulent.” (He installed Louis DeJoy, a major campaign donor, to lead the Postal Service this year.)
Trump on Friday appeared to admit that he opposed more funding for the Postal Service because “that means you can’t have universal mail-in voting.”
The Postal Service recently warned 46 states that it cannot guarantee all mailed ballots will be delivered in time to be counted.
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The Postal Service under DeJoy has also removed mail sorting machines from postal facilities around the country to the dismay of concerned postal workers and Americans who rely on timely delivery.
But White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Sunday said, “Sorting machines between now and Election Day will not be taken offline.”
Critics have argued that voter suppression is the cornerstone of the Trump campaign’s reelection strategy. In addition to the Postal Service’s actions, the campaign has filed lawsuits challenging states’ voting rights as they conduct mail-in voting.
Losing such lawsuits over mail-in voting poses his “biggest risk” to reelection, Trump said.
Trump said in March that he opposed a Democratic proposal to increase funding to assist mail-in voting because mail-in votes don’t help Republicans.
“The things they had in there were crazy,” Trump said about the proposal. “They had things — levels of voting that, if you ever agreed to it, you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-16--Kamala Harris Responds To Racist Birther Attack, Says She's Ready For A Fight

Sen. Kamala Harris hit back at a racist conspiracy theory that she is not eligible to be vice president , saying she fully expects lies and distractions by her political opponents and that she ’ s ready for a fight .
“ They ’ re going to engage in lies , they ’ re going to engage in deception , they ’ re going to engage in an attempt to distract from the real issues that are impacting the American people , ” the California-born senator told The Grio in an interview published Sunday .
“ And I expect they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to be a knock-down , drag-out and we ’ re ready .
We ’ re ready.
” Harris ’ defiance follows presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden naming her as his running mate last week , in effect making her the first Black and South Asian woman VP nominee for a major political party .
Shortly after the announcement , an opinion piece published in Newsweek questioned whether she is eligible for the role based on her parents ’ immigration status at the time of her birth .
Her citizenship and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Constitution are in truth not in question .
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden ( left ) looks on as his running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris , speaks in Delaware last week .
Harris ' eligibility to serve as VP was recently questioned in an opinion piece that targeted her parents ' immigration status at the time of her birth in California .
President Donald Trump , who for years pushed a similar conspiracy theory against his predecessor , former President Barack Obama , called the “ birther ” claim against Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reporter at a press conference Thursday .
He added that it isn ’ t anything he will be pursuing but also did not say anything to discredit it .
“ I heard it today , that she doesn ’ t meet the requirements , ” he told reporters before praising the author of the opinion piece as “ a very highly qualified , very talented lawyer.
” Though Trump said he would not be looking into Harris ’ eligibility , Jenna Ellis , a senior legal adviser to the Trump campaign , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to address it .
“ It ’ s an open question , and one I think Harris should answer so the American people know for sure she is eligible , ” she told ABC News .
Trump senior adviser Steve Cortes , when asked about Trump not condemning the false claim against Harris , said it ’ s not the president ’ s responsibility .
“ I don ’ t know why it ’ s incumbent upon him to opine on legal scholarship of the Constitution , ” he told Fox News ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t think that ’ s his place as president .
What he ’ s saying is , we have not made an issue of this and we will not make an issue of this .
”

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Sen. Kamala Harris hit back at a racist conspiracy theory that she is not eligible to be vice president, saying she fully expects lies and distractions by her political opponents and that she’s ready for a fight.
“They’re going to engage in lies, they’re going to engage in deception, they’re going to engage in an attempt to distract from the real issues that are impacting the American people,” the California-born senator told The Grio in an interview published Sunday. “And I expect they will engage in dirty tactics and this is going to be a knock-down, drag-out and we’re ready. We’re ready.”
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Harris’ defiance follows presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden naming her as his running mate last week, in effect making her the first Black and South Asian woman VP nominee for a major political party. Shortly after the announcement, an opinion piece published in Newsweek questioned whether she is eligible for the role based on her parents’ immigration status at the time of her birth. Her citizenship and eligibility for the role under the U.S. Constitution are in truth not in question.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden (left) looks on as his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, speaks in Delaware last week. Harris' eligibility to serve as VP was recently questioned in an opinion piece that targeted her parents' immigration status at the time of her birth in California. ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Donald Trump, who for years pushed a similar conspiracy theory against his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, called the “birther” claim against Harris “very serious” when questioned by a reporter at a press conference Thursday. He added that it isn’t anything he will be pursuing but also did not say anything to discredit it.
“I heard it today, that she doesn’t meet the requirements,” he told reporters before praising the author of the opinion piece as “a very highly qualified, very talented lawyer.”
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Though Trump said he would not be looking into Harris’ eligibility, Jenna Ellis, a senior legal adviser to the Trump campaign, retweeted the opinion piece and encouraged Harris to address it. “It’s an open question, and one I think Harris should answer so the American people know for sure she is eligible,” she told ABC News.
Trump senior adviser Steve Cortes, when asked about Trump not condemning the false claim against Harris, said it’s not the president’s responsibility.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-16--Pelosi Calls On House To Return Early To Vote On Postal Service Legislation

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday the chamber will return from its vacation early to vote on legislation meant to limit changes to the Postal Service ahead of the presidential election in November .
The California Democrat said she would call on the House to return to the Capitol in the coming days .
“ Lives , livelihoods and the life of our American Democracy are under threat from the President , ” Pelosi wrote in a letter to colleagues .
“ That is why I am calling upon the House to return to session later this week to vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolyn B . ]
Maloney ’ s ‘ Delivering for America Act , ’ which prohibits the Postal Service from implementing any changes to operations or level of service it had in place on January 1 , 2020.
” The House was not scheduled to return until Sept. 14 , but the vote on the Postal Service legislation will likely take place Saturday , both Politico and The New York Times reported .
The House Democratic leader , Rep. Steny Hoyer ( Md . )
, will announce a final schedule on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The abrupt return to Congress comes amid growing concerns about the Postal Service as an unprecedented number of Americans are expected to vote by mail in November ’ s upcoming election because of changes to absentee voting rules and the threat of the coronavirus pandemic .
President Donald Trump ’ s new postmaster general , Louis DeJoy , enacted changes to mail service that voting rights advocates worry could disenfranchise many voters who could have trouble getting their ballots in time .
DeJoy , a top Republican megadonor and supporter of the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May and quickly moved to limit overtime for postal workers and remove mail-sorting machines from some processing centers .
The agency recently warned 46 states that it couldn ’ t guarantee that all mailed ballots would be delivered to voters in time ( Americans are also deeply concerned about getting regular mail , including prescriptions and paychecks ) .
DeJoy moved to assuage those concerns earlier this month by saying the Postal Service still had “ ample capacity to deliver all election mail securely and on time , ” arguing that he instituted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losing money because of a “ broken business model.
” The moves sparked public outrage , and the Postal Service said that it would stop removing mailboxes around the country for 90 days .
The White House , meanwhile , said it would not take any more sorting machines offline before Election Day .
But Democrats have called for DeJoy to testify before lawmakers to address “ why they are pushing these dangerous new policies that threaten to silence the voices of millions just months before the election.
” “ I call on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into session to quickly act on the House ’ s legislation that will undo the extensive damage Mr. DeJoy has done at the Postal Service so that people can get their paychecks , medicines and other necessities delivered on time and to ensure our elections will remain completely free and fair , ” Schumer said in a statement Sunday night .
“ In a time of a pandemic , the Postal Service is Election Central , ” she wrote .
“ Americans should not have to choose between their health and their vote @ @

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday the chamber will return from its vacation early to vote on legislation meant to limit changes to the Postal Service ahead of the presidential election in November.
The California Democrat said she would call on the House to return to the Capitol in the coming days.
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“Lives, livelihoods and the life of our American Democracy are under threat from the President,” Pelosi wrote in a letter to colleagues. “That is why I am calling upon the House to return to session later this week to vote on Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman [Carolyn B.] Maloney’s ‘Delivering for America Act,’ which prohibits the Postal Service from implementing any changes to operations or level of service it had in place on January 1, 2020.”
The House was not scheduled to return until Sept. 14, but the vote on the Postal Service legislation will likely take place Saturday, both Politico and The New York Times reported. The House Democratic leader, Rep. Steny Hoyer (Md.), will announce a final schedule on the vote in the next few days.
The abrupt return to Congress comes amid growing concerns about the Postal Service as an unprecedented number of Americans are expected to vote by mail in November’s upcoming election because of changes to absentee voting rules and the threat of the coronavirus pandemic.
President Donald Trump’s new postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, enacted changes to mail service that voting rights advocates worry could disenfranchise many voters who could have trouble getting their ballots in time.
DeJoy, a top Republican megadonor and supporter of the president, took over the Postal Service in May and quickly moved to limit overtime for postal workers and remove mail-sorting machines from some processing centers.
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The agency recently warned 46 states that it couldn’t guarantee that all mailed ballots would be delivered to voters in time (Americans are also deeply concerned about getting regular mail, including prescriptions and paychecks).
DeJoy moved to assuage those concerns earlier this month by saying the Postal Service still had “ample capacity to deliver all election mail securely and on time,” arguing that he instituted the changes to keep the agency from losing money because of a “broken business model.”
The moves sparked public outrage, and the Postal Service said that it would stop removing mailboxes around the country for 90 days. The White House, meanwhile, said it would not take any more sorting machines offline before Election Day.
But Democrats have called for DeJoy to testify before lawmakers to address “why they are pushing these dangerous new policies that threaten to silence the voices of millions just months before the election.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called on the chamber’s Republican leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell (Ky.), to bring back the Senate early as well.
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“I call on Leader McConnell to bring the Senate back into session to quickly act on the House’s legislation that will undo the extensive damage Mr. DeJoy has done at the Postal Service so that people can get their paychecks, medicines and other necessities delivered on time and to ensure our elections will remain completely free and fair,” Schumer said in a statement Sunday night.
Pelosi on Sunday called the Postal Service a “pillar of our democracy” and urged her colleagues to move to protect the agency.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-16--Democratic Lawmakers May Cut Recess Short To Deal With USPS Crisis: Reports

As DeJoy — a prominent Trump campaign contributor — eliminated equipment and slowed service , the agency warned in a @ @ @ @ @ voters could be disenfranchised because their mail-in ballots may not be delivered in time to @ @ @ @ @ Washington Post reported Friday .
Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) @ @ @ @ @ Trump and Republicans of waging an “ all-out assault on the Postal Service and its @ @ @ @ @ of the 2020 election.
” Trump “ made plain that he will manipulate the operations @ @ @ @ @ deny eligible voters the ballot in pursuit of his own re-election , ” the statement @ @ @ @ @ ’ s own words confirm : He needs to cheat to win .
”

As DeJoy — a prominent Trump campaign contributor — eliminated equipment and slowed service, the agency warned in a letter to 46 states that voters could be disenfranchised because their mail-in ballots may not be delivered in time to make election deadlines, The Washington Post reported Friday.
Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) in a statement Friday accused Trump and Republicans of waging an “all-out assault on the Postal Service and its role in ensuring the integrity of the 2020 election.”
Trump “made plain that he will manipulate the operations of the Post Office to deny eligible voters the ballot in pursuit of his own re-election,” the statement added. “The president’s own words confirm: He needs to cheat to win.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-16--Odd Jobs And A GoFundMe: One Renter’s Struggle To Remain Housed

VALERIE MACON via Getty Images Graffiti in Los Angeles highlights the looming eviction crisis if Congress fails to address rent relief in a new COVID-19 aid package .
The 24-year-old Georgia native , who lives near Atlanta , eventually had to leave that job and find a new phone sex company , but it didn ’ t pay enough either .
She began cleaning houses , cleaning cars , tutoring , babysitting and finding other odd jobs just to make rent and pay bills .
She was able to pay only a portion of her rent and received several calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she would be able to pay the back rent .
Millions of other people across the country are in a similar situation : An estimated 19 million to 23 million renters risk being displaced by the end of September , largely due to unemployment , and it ’ s estimated that 30 million to 40 million people will be evicted by the end of 2020 .
Republicans in Congress and the White House are largely failing to help them ― the Senate adjourned on Thursday until September without passing a COVID-19 relief bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in a perilous position , with rent due dates creeping closer .
“ Despite the CARES Act protecting me from eviction at the time , [ my landlord ] always framed things as if she were doing me a favor by not kicking me out of my home , ” Lea , who is being referenced by her first name only to protect her privacy , told HuffPost .
Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid , Relief and Economic Security ( CARES ) Act , which included a moratorium on evictions , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced millions of people out of work as businesses across the country closed their doors .
On July 24 , the national eviction moratorium expired .
Three days later , Lea found a notice on her door saying that she would be evicted if she couldn ’ t come up with $ 2,278 in 30 days ― an amount greater than her monthly rent that didn ’ t quite seem right .
The online rent payment system was down , so she called her landlord to ask why the amount was so high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
“ I don ’ t want to get too political , but as a Black woman , it can be incredibly difficult to advocate for myself without being labeled ‘ aggressive , ’ and trying to balance that with not letting people walk all over me and be disrespectful is … exhausting , to put it mildly , ” Lea said .
And the federal government isn ’ t helping curb that anxiety .
A week ago , President Donald Trump in a news conference spoke of “ stopping evictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confusing executive order , and with Republicans and Democrats unable to agree on the next coronavirus aid package , a national eviction moratorium is more mirage than reality .
Unfortunately for Lea , Georgia has not set its own moratorium .
In the Atlanta area where she lives , eviction hearings have started up again .
Unable to drum up the necessary funds to keep her apartment , Lea did what many across the country have had to do during a financial crisis : She set up a GoFundMe page , putting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of online strangers .
One Twitter user with a large following retweeted the link , and Lea was able to pay her landlord what she owed .
“ I am not set for next month or any other months , but I ’ m not completely underwater like I was before , ” Lea said .
“ I thought about asking for more than the $ 2,278 , but it just seemed like bad karma to ask for more than what was absolutely needed.
” “ When I posted the GoFundMe on my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I was lazy and to get a job and how getting a job isn ’ t that hard if you aren ’ t lazy , ” she said .
“ They had no idea how hard I had been working or the circumstances that led me to ask for help , yet they felt comfortable judging me anyway.
” The mental health crisis accompanying the coronavirus pandemic has affected millions .
In May , nearly half of Americans reported worsening mental health symptoms , and the federal government ’ s crisis hotline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls .
Talkspace , a therapy app , also reported a 65 % jump in clients .
For people with preexisting mental health issues ― especially in the Black community , where the virus has hit so hard ― the last five months have been a scary time .
If you or someone you know needs help , call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline .
You can also text HOME to 741-741 for free , 24-hour support from the Crisis Text Line .
Outside of the U.S. , please visit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ database of resources .

Graffiti in Los Angeles highlights the looming eviction crisis if Congress fails to address rent relief in a new COVID-19 aid package. VALERIE MACON via Getty Images
In early March, when the coronavirus became a full-blown public health crisis in the U.S., Lea’s job drastically changed: She went from upwards of 30 clients calling her phone sex hotline each nightly shift to only three or four.
The 24-year-old Georgia native, who lives near Atlanta, eventually had to leave that job and find a new phone sex company, but it didn’t pay enough either. She began cleaning houses, cleaning cars, tutoring, babysitting and finding other odd jobs just to make rent and pay bills. She was able to pay only a portion of her rent and received several calls a month from her landlord asking when she would be able to pay the back rent.
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Millions of other people across the country are in a similar situation: An estimated 19 million to 23 million renters risk being displaced by the end of September, largely due to unemployment, and it’s estimated that 30 million to 40 million people will be evicted by the end of 2020. Republicans in Congress and the White House are largely failing to help them ― the Senate adjourned on Thursday until September without passing a COVID-19 relief bill. Without help, Lea and others are in a perilous position, with rent due dates creeping closer.
“Despite the CARES Act protecting me from eviction at the time, [my landlord] always framed things as if she were doing me a favor by not kicking me out of my home,” Lea, who is being referenced by her first name only to protect her privacy, told HuffPost. Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which included a moratorium on evictions, in March, when the coronavirus pandemic had forced millions of people out of work as businesses across the country closed their doors.
On July 24, the national eviction moratorium expired. Three days later, Lea found a notice on her door saying that she would be evicted if she couldn’t come up with $2,278 in 30 days ― an amount greater than her monthly rent that didn’t quite seem right. The online rent payment system was down, so she called her landlord to ask why the amount was so high, and the landlord grew defensive, she said.
“I don’t want to get too political, but as a Black woman, it can be incredibly difficult to advocate for myself without being labeled ‘aggressive,’ and trying to balance that with not letting people walk all over me and be disrespectful is … exhausting, to put it mildly,” Lea said.
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According to Lea, her landlord then mentioned that her niece was hoping to move into Lea’s unit.
“I was not happy about this,” Lea said, “but still I kept my composure.”
Affordable housing advocates have warned that the looming eviction crisis for people like Lea is an unprecedented one.
“The urgency of the situation really can’t be overstated,” Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, told HuffPost earlier this month. “It’s keeping people very confused and anxious about what’s next.”
And the federal government isn’t helping curb that anxiety. A week ago, President Donald Trump in a news conference spoke of “stopping evictions” through a legally questionable and overall confusing executive order, and with Republicans and Democrats unable to agree on the next coronavirus aid package, a national eviction moratorium is more mirage than reality. Unfortunately for Lea, Georgia has not set its own moratorium. In the Atlanta area where she lives, eviction hearings have started up again.
Unable to drum up the necessary funds to keep her apartment, Lea did what many across the country have had to do during a financial crisis: She set up a GoFundMe page, putting the future of her livelihood in the hands of online strangers. One Twitter user with a large following retweeted the link, and Lea was able to pay her landlord what she owed.
“I am not set for next month or any other months, but I’m not completely underwater like I was before,” Lea said. “I thought about asking for more than the $2,278, but it just seemed like bad karma to ask for more than what was absolutely needed.”
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Lea, like many, has struggled to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic both financially and psychologically. She has borderline personality disorder and has experienced suicidal ideation ― issues that self-isolation certainly haven’t helped. Doing a GoFundMe fundraiser was also difficult for her.
“When I posted the GoFundMe on my Twitter, I had trolls telling me that I was lazy and to get a job and how getting a job isn’t that hard if you aren’t lazy,” she said. “They had no idea how hard I had been working or the circumstances that led me to ask for help, yet they felt comfortable judging me anyway.”
The mental health crisis accompanying the coronavirus pandemic has affected millions. In May, nearly half of Americans reported worsening mental health symptoms, and the federal government’s crisis hotline saw a 1,000% increase in phone calls. Talkspace, a therapy app, also reported a 65% jump in clients. For people with preexisting mental health issues ― especially in the Black community, where the virus has hit so hard ― the last five months have been a scary time.
Research has shown that economic insecurity and housing instability damages our mental health. People who lose their homes via foreclosure or eviction are especially traumatized, and suicide rates in the U.S. have correlated with affordable housing crises ― something Lea relates to.
“Just trying to stay grounded and reminding myself to not commit suicide as a means to get out of debt and political turmoil is honestly kind of hard,” she said.
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“When ... things start to get me down and take me to that dark mental place, I remind myself that dozens of people donated money to a complete stranger so that she wouldn’t get kicked out of her apartment.”
If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741-741 for free, 24-hour support from the Crisis Text Line. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention for a database of resources.