thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-01--CNN’s Don Lemon Wipes Away Tears Talking About Chris Cuomo’s Coronavirus Diagnosis

CNN ’ s Don Lemon became visibly emotional while talking about his colleague and friend Chris Cuomo , who has tested positive for the coronavirus , on Tuesday ’ s broadcast of “ CNN Tonight.
” “ Sorry , I said I wasn ’ t going to do this .
Jesus , ” said Lemon , who bowed his head and wiped away tears with a tissue during a segment with CNN ’ s senior global affairs analyst Bianna Golodryga .
“ He ’ s probably at home laughing at me , ” Lemon lightheartedly added , before explaining the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his colleague .
Lemon had earlier ribbed Cuomo , who is continuing to broadcast while in quarantine at his home , during the handover between their shows .
“ Where ’ s your suit ?
” Lemon asked Cuomo .
“ I ’ m too sick , ” Cuomo responded , saying his wife had told him “ it didn ’ t look right for me to be sick in a funereal suit .
It ’ s too much like what I might be buried in.
” “ Yeah ?
Did she come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help you dress ?
” Lemon asked .
“ Nope .
Nobody will come anywhere .
Those stairs are a no-go zone , ” Cuomo replied .
“ Even the dogs don ’ t come.
” Lemon later urged people not to “ get it twisted , ” saying “ we know this is very serious ” and “ this is how Chris and I interact , we tease each other .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
CNN’s Don Lemon became visibly emotional while talking about his colleague and friend Chris Cuomo, who has tested positive for the coronavirus, on Tuesday’s broadcast of “CNN Tonight.”
“Sorry, I said I wasn’t going to do this. Jesus,” said Lemon, who bowed his head and dabbed his eyes with a tissue during a segment with CNN’s senior global affairs analyst Bianna Golodryga.
Advertisement
“He’s probably at home laughing at me,” Lemon lightheartedly added, before explaining the “great relationship” he has with his colleague.
Check out the clip here:
Lemon earlier ribbed Cuomo, who is continuing to broadcast while in isolation in his basement at home, during the handover between their shows.
“Where’s your suit?” Lemon asked Cuomo.
“I’m too sick,” Cuomo responded, saying his wife had told him “it didn’t look right for me to be sick in a funeral suit. It’s too much like what I might be buried in.”
Advertisement
“Yeah? Did she come down there and do some decorating and help you dress?” Lemon asked.
“Nope. Nobody will come anywhere. Those stairs are a no-go zone,” Cuomo replied. “Even the dogs don’t come.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-01--Joe Biden: ‘Hard To Envision’ How DNC Goes Ahead As Planned Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Former Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday he didn ’ t see how the Democratic Party could hold its national convention as scheduled in July as cases of COVID-19 continue to spike around the country .
The nation held political conventions “ in the middle of the Civil War all the way through to World War II , ” Biden added , “ have Democratic and Republican conventions and primaries and elections and still have public safety .
And we ’ re able to do both .
But the fact is it may have to be different.
” The comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health officials predicted as many as 240,000 deaths in America from the novel coronavirus even if current social distancing guidelines are maintained in regions around the country .
President Donald Trump said the U.S. was in for a “ rough two-week period ” as cases rose to more than 170,000 .
At least 3,500 Americans have died , many in New York , an epicenter of the outbreak .
“ We are continue to see things go up , ” Dr. Anthony Fauci , the country ’ s top infectious disease expert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hoped the U.S. would do “ much better ” than the potential 240,000 figure .
“ We can not be discouraged by that because the mitigation is actually working and will work.
” Williams asked Biden if he believed the Democrats would be able to hold the DNC — what he said would feature “ every prominent Democrat in this country from all 50 states inside a hot arena ” — in just over three months , prompting Biden to throw water on the idea .
“ Who knows by the time we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , September what it ’ s going to look like , ” Biden said , again repeating : “ We ’ ve got to listen to the scientists.
” Politico noted that the former vice president has pushed back against suggestions the election be delayed or rescheduled even as dozens of states and territories have issued stay-at-home orders and many locales have delayed their own primaries in order to protect voters .
The DNC has reportedly been looking into “ contingency options ” in case the convention , set to be held in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t go forward as planned .
The New York Times reported last week that planning has been complicated by the fact that Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) remains in the race , meaning Biden is not the presumptive nominee even though he currently holds about a 300-delegate lead in the primaries held so far..
Regardless , Biden said Tuesday the country should be planning for an election season tempered by the ongoing pandemic “ now , ” urging that there was still time to select a president and fight the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is about making sure that we ’ re able to conduct our democracy while we ’ re dealing with a pandemic .
We can do both , ” Biden said .
“ It may mean a difference in the way we do it , it may mean that social distancing doesn ’ t get it done , it may mean you have a circumstance where you have drive-in voting… .
There ’ s a lot of ways to do it , but we should be talking about it now .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Former Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday he didn’t see how the Democratic Party could hold its national convention as scheduled in July as cases of COVID-19 continue to spike around the country.
“It’s hard to envision that,” Biden, the leading Democratic candidate hoping to unseat President Donald Trump in November, told MSNBC’s Brian Williams. “Again, we should listen to the scientists.”
Advertisement
The nation held political conventions “in the middle of the Civil War all the way through to World War II,” Biden added, “have Democratic and Republican conventions and primaries and elections and still have public safety. And we’re able to do both. But the fact is it may have to be different.”
The comments came as the nation’s top public health officials predicted as many as 240,000 deaths in America from the novel coronavirus even if current social distancing guidelines are maintained in regions around the country. President Donald Trump said the U.S. was in for a “rough two-week period” as cases rose to more than 170,000. At least 3,500 Americans have died, many in New York, an epicenter of the outbreak.
Drive-thru voting? A virtual Democratic convention? @JoeBiden talks about the changes we could see to the 2020 election because of #coronavirus.
Learn more: https://t.co/4eJZK3ti2L#11thHour pic.twitter.com/5DOeH56qvG — 11th Hour (@11thHour) April 1, 2020
“We are continue to see things go up,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease expert, said Tuesday, noting that he hoped the U.S. would do “much better” than the potential 240,000 figure. “We cannot be discouraged by that because the mitigation is actually working and will work.”
Advertisement
Williams asked Biden if he believed the Democrats would be able to hold the DNC — what he said would feature “every prominent Democrat in this country from all 50 states inside a hot arena” — in just over three months, prompting Biden to throw water on the idea.
“Who knows by the time we get into June, July, August, September what it’s going to look like,” Biden said, again repeating: “We’ve got to listen to the scientists.”
Politico noted that the former vice president has pushed back against suggestions the election be delayed or rescheduled even as dozens of states and territories have issued stay-at-home orders and many locales have delayed their own primaries in order to protect voters.
“There’s no rationale for eliminating or delaying the election,” he said.
The DNC has reportedly been looking into “contingency options” in case the convention, set to be held in Milwaukee from July 13 to 16, can’t go forward as planned. The New York Times reported last week that planning has been complicated by the fact that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) remains in the race, meaning Biden is not the presumptive nominee even though he currently holds about a 300-delegate lead in the primaries held so far..
Regardless, Biden said Tuesday the country should be planning for an election season tempered by the ongoing pandemic “now,” urging that there was still time to select a president and fight the spread of the virus.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-31--Bernie Sanders Pushes Postal Service To Protect Letter Carriers In Coronavirus Crisis

Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) in a letter to United States Postal Service on Tuesday demanded answers on how letter carriers are being protected during the coronavirus pandemic , after reports that postal workers haven ’ t had access to needed sanitation and protective gear .
Sanders , who remains in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination , urged the postmaster general to “ protect employees and customers in the wake of an unprecedented public health crisis.
” The senator ’ s letter cited a report by ProPublica earlier this month , in which some letter carriers said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite having symptoms of illness .
Others said they had little to no access to hand sanitizer on the job .
Sanders also linked to a report in The Nation last week saying carriers reported not being given soap , disinfectant wipes or gloves .
As of Tuesday , over 200 postal workers have tested positive for coronavirus , according to the USPS — more than three times as many as last week .
This is still a relatively low figure among a workforce of about 630,000 .
But as testing is ramping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread , more cases are likely to emerge .
USPS told HuffPost that it would be responding directly to Sanders ’ letter and that the “ safety of our employees is our highest priority.
” The agency said it was “ making gloves and surgical masks available to all employees , ” and pointed to its increased coronavirus-related paid leave for workers to use for childcare or if they ’ ve come into contact with someone with COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus .
As millions of Americans have been ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stem the spread of coronavirus in recent weeks , postal workers nationwide are still going to work , risking their health to deliver the letters , government benefits , prescriptions and more mail that people need and rely on .
The workers are part of a workforce deemed “ essential ” during the coronavirus crisis , meaning that — like grocery store workers , firefighters , garbage collectors and more — they still have to show up to work every day , even as large swaths of the country have closed stores and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work from home .
Last week , HuffPost spoke to a postal worker union leader who said his members didn ’ t have enough sanitizer to meet their needs .
And a letter carrier , discussing the stress he is feeling , told HuffPost that he is on the go all day without access to a bathroom and can ’ t easily comply with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention telling people to wash their hands frequently .
He hadn ’ t found any hand sanitizer for sale in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jug they all share at work was the last on hand .
“ I just wear rubber gloves and try not to touch my face — I don ’ t know what else to do , ” the carrier said .
“ I actually think I ’ m going to get the virus , it ’ s just a matter of time .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in a letter to United States Postal Service on Tuesday demanded answers on how letter carriers are being protected during the coronavirus pandemic, after reports that postal workers haven’t had access to needed sanitation and protective gear.
Sanders, who remains in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, urged the postmaster general to “protect employees and customers in the wake of an unprecedented public health crisis.”
Advertisement
The senator’s letter cited a report by ProPublica earlier this month, in which some letter carriers said they were pressured to keep delivering mail despite having symptoms of illness. Others said they had little to no access to hand sanitizer on the job.
Sanders also linked to a report in The Nation last week saying carriers reported not being given soap, disinfectant wipes or gloves.
As of Tuesday, over 200 postal workers have tested positive for coronavirus, according to the USPS — more than three times as many as last week. This is still a relatively low figure among a workforce of about 630,000. But as testing is ramping up nationwide and the virus continues to spread, more cases are likely to emerge.
USPS told HuffPost that it would be responding directly to Sanders’ letter and that the “safety of our employees is our highest priority.”
Advertisement
The agency said it was “making gloves and surgical masks available to all employees,” and pointed to its increased coronavirus-related paid leave for workers to use for childcare or if they’ve come into contact with someone with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
As millions of Americans have been ordered to stay home to protect themselves and stem the spread of coronavirus in recent weeks, postal workers nationwide are still going to work, risking their health to deliver the letters, government benefits, prescriptions and more mail that people need and rely on.
The workers are part of a workforce deemed “essential” during the coronavirus crisis, meaning that — like grocery store workers, firefighters, garbage collectors and more — they still have to show up to work every day, even as large swaths of the country have closed stores and schools, and companies have mandated employees work from home.
Last week, HuffPost spoke to a postal worker union leader who said his members didn’t have enough sanitizer to meet their needs. And a letter carrier, discussing the stress he is feeling, told HuffPost that he is on the go all day without access to a bathroom and can’t easily comply with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention telling people to wash their hands frequently. He hadn’t found any hand sanitizer for sale in his town, and his supervisor said the jug they all share at work was the last on hand.
“I just wear rubber gloves and try not to touch my face — I don’t know what else to do,” the carrier said. “I actually think I’m going to get the virus, it’s just a matter of time.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-01--McConnell’s Excuse For Trump's Botched Coronavirus Response Isn’t Fooling Tweeters

# Mitchplease The only thing that distracted your golden god from protecting Americans from a pandemic was his own ego @ @ @ @ @ sinking ship and accept the fact that you and your ilk have done more damage @ @ @ @ @ the history of our country .

#Mitchplease
The only thing that distracted your golden god from protecting Americans from a pandemic was his own ego. Stop pandering to that sinking ship and accept the fact that you and your ilk have done more damage to democracy than anything in the history of our country.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-31--The Trump Administration Doesn't Care If You're Uninsured And Have COVID-19

On Tuesday , Politico reported that the federal government will not reopen health insurance enrollment on the federal HealthCare.gov exchange that serves the residents of 38 states .
Peculiarly , those places are mostly GOP-leaning states that declined to create their own health insurance exchanges and that Trump won in the 2016 presidential election .
The people living in the 38 states that use HealthCare.gov ― and those in Idaho , which hasn ’ t reactivated its state-run exchange ― will likely remain uninsured , leaving them potentially exposed to tens of thousands of dollars in costs if they get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical treatment .
Moreover , the high cost of health care frequently discourages Americans from seeking care , especially those who are among the 28 million uninsured .
And sick people not being isolated and treated means they are at risk of spreading the coronavirus to more people .
No one benefits from not allowing these millions of Americans to get health coverage in the midst of a pandemic that has practically shut down the nation .
There is no upside to the Trump administration ’ s decision .
It is plain , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s entire presidency , that he is utterly unconcerned about people in need .
It is just as plain that this cruel and spiteful move is rooted at least in part in Trump ’ s obsession with tearing down anything his predecessor Barack Obama did .
The Affordable Care Act , which created the exchanges , anticipated a moment like this .
Even in the states where people can ’ t enroll because of the Trump administration and the Idaho government , they still can qualify for health insurance and income-based subsidies under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job .
The law allows for “ special enrollment periods ” for emergencies , which is why 11 states and the District of Columbia have taken advantage of the option .
More than 100 House Democrats pleaded with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar for a special enrollment period for the coronavirus outbreak in a letter , as did nine Senate Democrats in a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) .
So did more than 200 patient advocacy organizations , labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice President Mike Pence , Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma and Azar .
Rep. Lloyd Doggett ( D-Texas ) and Sen. Bob Casey ( D-Penn . )
authored legislation to force a special enrollment period , but it has not advanced .
But for Trump and other Republicans , using the Affordable Care Act to offer assistance during an emergency would be an admission that the law and its benefits help people .
An admission of that sort would blow up the decade-long Republican mantra that “ Obamacare ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American health care system .
It was only days ago that Trump affirmed that he continues to support a lawsuit pending at the Supreme Court that would eliminate the Affordable Care Act .
“ What we want to do is terminate it , ” he said on March 22 .
( The Republican state attorneys general who originated the lawsuit also aren ’ t backing down . )
Prior to running for president , Trump railed against Obamacare .
He promised to repeal it on the campaign trail four years ago .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a half in office on a failed effort to repeal the law in Congress .
He joined the lawsuit awaiting a hearing at the Supreme Court .
But the harms that would befall the estimated 20 million people who would become uninsured if that lawsuit succeeds remain abstract .
What ’ s very real is that a growing number of Americans are getting sick from a disease with no cure and are staring down life-destroying medical bills , and Trump has decided the right thing to do about that is nothing .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump and his administration have a message for uninsured Americans who fear the cost of treatment for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus: We don’t care.
On Tuesday, Politico reported that the federal government will not reopen health insurance enrollment on the federal HealthCare.gov exchange that serves the residents of 38 states. Peculiarly, those places are mostly GOP-leaning states that declined to create their own health insurance exchanges and that Trump won in the 2016 presidential election.
Advertisement
The negative consequences of this active refusal to offer help to vulnerable Americans are obvious.
The people living in the 38 states that use HealthCare.gov ― and those in Idaho, which hasn’t reactivated its state-run exchange ― will likely remain uninsured, leaving them potentially exposed to tens of thousands of dollars in costs if they get sick from the novel coronavirus and need medical treatment.
Moreover, the high cost of health care frequently discourages Americans from seeking care, especially those who are among the 28 million uninsured. And sick people not being isolated and treated means they are at risk of spreading the coronavirus to more people.
No one benefits from not allowing these millions of Americans to get health coverage in the midst of a pandemic that has practically shut down the nation. There is no upside to the Trump administration’s decision.
Advertisement
It is plain, as it has been during Trump’s entire presidency, that he is utterly unconcerned about people in need. It is just as plain that this cruel and spiteful move is rooted at least in part in Trump’s obsession with tearing down anything his predecessor Barack Obama did.
The Affordable Care Act, which created the exchanges, anticipated a moment like this. Even in the states where people can’t enroll because of the Trump administration and the Idaho government, they still can qualify for health insurance and income-based subsidies under certain circumstances, such as losing a job. The law allows for “special enrollment periods” for emergencies, which is why 11 states and the District of Columbia have taken advantage of the option.
Newly jobless people also may be eligible for Medicaid coverage, which is cost-free in most cases.
More than 100 House Democrats pleaded with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar for a special enrollment period for the coronavirus outbreak in a letter, as did nine Senate Democrats in a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
So did more than 200 patient advocacy organizations, labor unions and nonprofits in a letter to Vice President Mike Pence, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma and Azar. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) and Sen. Bob Casey (D-Penn.) authored legislation to force a special enrollment period, but it has not advanced.
But for Trump and other Republicans, using the Affordable Care Act to offer assistance during an emergency would be an admission that the law and its benefits help people. An admission of that sort would blow up the decade-long Republican mantra that “Obamacare” is nothing but a train wreck destroying the American health care system.
Advertisement
It was only days ago that Trump affirmed that he continues to support a lawsuit pending at the Supreme Court that would eliminate the Affordable Care Act. “What we want to do is terminate it,” he said on March 22. (The Republican state attorneys general who originated the lawsuit also aren’t backing down.)
Perhaps it’s not surprising that Trump’s hostility toward the Affordable Care Act ― arguably Obama’s most impactful domestic policy initiative ― wouldn’t abate, even during a global public health emergency.
Prior to running for president, Trump railed against Obamacare. He promised to repeal it on the campaign trail four years ago. He spent much of his first year and a half in office on a failed effort to repeal the law in Congress. He joined the lawsuit awaiting a hearing at the Supreme Court.
But the harms that would befall the estimated 20 million people who would become uninsured if that lawsuit succeeds remain abstract. What’s very real is that a growing number of Americans are getting sick from a disease with no cure and are staring down life-destroying medical bills, and Trump has decided the right thing to do about that is nothing.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-01--Trump Said Coronavirus Would 'Miraculously' Be Gone By April. Well, It's April.

But Trump spent weeks , if not months , downplaying the seriousness of the virus while pushing his political agenda of boosting his own brand and trying to shut down U.S. borders .
In fact , the president really didn ’ t want to do much of anything about the virus .
He tried to assure people that it would be gone by April .
Nothing to see here .
On Feb. 10 , he repeatedly predicted ― at a meeting with governors , at a campaign rally and in a Fox Business interview ― that the coronavirus would no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He then made this claim at least three more times a few days later .
On Feb. 10 , there were 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19 , the illness caused by the coronavirus , in the United States , according to Johns Hopkins University .
Now there are nearly 200,000 .
And on Tuesday , the death toll in the U.S. surpassed 3,000 , making the virus more deadly than the 9/11 terrorist attacks that reshaped much of American life .
“ We don ’ t know a lot about this virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Feb. 13 .
“ This virus is probably with us beyond this season , beyond this year , and I think eventually the virus will find a foothold and we will get community-based transmission.
” On Feb. 10 , there were 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19 , the illness caused by the coronavirus , in the United States , according to Johns Hopkins University .
Now there are more than 174,000 .
Much of the U.S. economy is now shut down as people work from home and practice social distancing in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
Medical experts say it will get worse before it gets better .
But even amid the rising number of cases , Trump has continued to insist that everything is going well .
As recently as last week , he said he wanted the country “ opened up and just raring to go by Easter , ” which is on April 12 .
“ I just want to say on behalf of everyone I know in the business , that is literally out of the question , ” Redlener said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not happen .
We actually should be increasing the restrictions for some period of time.
” At the same press conference , he wondered why hospitals , which usually don ’ t need so many masks and ventilators , are suddenly saying they do .
Instead of realizing that the need for medical equipment has jumped exponentially with the spread of the coronavirus , Trump offered up a conspiracy theory : that the ventilators and masks that hospitals are asking for might be “ going out the back door .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump thinks he’s doing a fabulous job getting the country through the coronavirus crisis. He’s more than happy to boast about it.
But Trump spent weeks, if not months, downplaying the seriousness of the virus while pushing his political agenda of boosting his own brand and trying to shut down U.S. borders.
In fact, the president really didn’t want to do much of anything about the virus. He tried to assure people that it would be gone by April. Nothing to see here.
On Feb. 10, he repeatedly predicted ― at a meeting with governors, at a campaign rally and in a Fox Business interview ― that the coronavirus would no longer be a problem by April. He then made this claim at least three more times a few days later.
On Feb. 10, there were 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University. Now there are nearly 200,000. And on Tuesday, the death toll in the U.S. surpassed 3,000, making the virus more deadly than the 9/11 terrorist attacks that reshaped much of American life.
Medical experts never agreed with Trump’s rosy prediction. But as usual, science didn’t stop Trump from saying whatever he wanted.
“We don’t know a lot about this virus,” CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said on Feb. 13. “This virus is probably with us beyond this season, beyond this year, and I think eventually the virus will find a foothold and we will get community-based transmission.”
“On Feb. 10, there were 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University. Now there are more than 174,000.”
Advertisement
Much of the U.S. economy is now shut down as people work from home and practice social distancing in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. Medical experts say it will get worse before it gets better.
On Tuesday, the White House said that in a best-case scenario, as many as 240,000 Americans could die from COVID-19.
But even amid the rising number of cases, Trump has continued to insist that everything is going well. As recently as last week, he said he wanted the country “opened up and just raring to go by Easter,” which is on April 12.
Health experts have warned against easing restrictions too early.
During an online COVID-19 briefing last week, Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University, dismissed Trump’s Easter target.
“I just want to say on behalf of everyone I know in the business, that is literally out of the question,” Redlener said. “This cannot happen. It should not happen. We actually should be increasing the restrictions for some period of time.”
Advertisement
A group of more than 800,000 physicians with the Council of Medical Specialty Societies also wrote to the White House urging continued social distancing measures.
“Federal, state, and local governments should only set a date for lifting nationwide social distancing restrictions consistent with assessments by public health and medical experts,” they wrote. “Lifting restrictions sooner will gravely jeopardize the health of all Americans and extend the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
On Sunday, Trump endorsed extending social distancing guidelines through the end of April, saying his Easter timeline was “aspirational.”
At the same press conference, he wondered why hospitals, which usually don’t need so many masks and ventilators, are suddenly saying they do. Instead of realizing that the need for medical equipment has jumped exponentially with the spread of the coronavirus, Trump offered up a conspiracy theory: that the ventilators and masks that hospitals are asking for might be “going out the back door.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-01--Gov. Says Illinois Has Received About 10% Of Requested Medical Supplies From White House

Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ( D ) said Tuesday the state has received just 10 % of some medical equipment it had requested from the federal government to treat a growing surge of patients infected with COVID-19 , warning the state could soon run out of ventilators as people begin showing up at local hospitals in dramatic numbers .
Pritzker , speaking to CNN , said Illinois had been forced to bid against other states and even the federal government itself in order to buy personal protective equipment like masks , gowns and face shields to help guard health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what the state has received has fallen far short of what ’ s needed .
“ Well , we asked for 1.7 million N95 masks and we ’ ve gotten about 400,000 total .
We asked for many , many gloves and gowns and so on , we ’ ve gotten about 10 % of what we asked for , ” he told CNN ’ s Chris Cuomo .
“ They were promising millions of tests … the truth is that we ’ ve gotten very few tests from the federal government and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The comments counter those made by President Donald Trump , who has said the country is well-prepared to treat sick Americans despite pleas from governors that they don ’ t have enough equipment to do so .
When New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said the state needs tens of thousands of ventilators , Trump fired back on Tuesday saying he already had “ a lot.
” The state is an epicenter of the outbreak , and at least 1,550 people have died there .
“ The problem is , with some people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s never enough , ” the president said of Cuomo .
In a news briefing on Tuesday , the president said the White House predicted up to 240,000 people could die in the U.S. from the coronavirus even if current social distancing guidelines remain in place .
On Tuesday , Pritzker went on to say Illinois was largely dealing with the onslaught of coronavirus patients thanks to the work of local hospitals and testing facilities , rather than from aid from the White House .
We asked for millions of pieces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government , and we ’ ve gotten 10 % of what we asked for .
We asked for 4,000 ventilators , and we received a grand total of 450 .
We need a comprehensive national solution — and we need it now .
https : //t.co/iiXQx9VC9U — Governor JB Pritzker ( @ GovPritzker ) April 1 , 2020 “ The people of Illinois , honestly , have come through , ” he said .
“ We have the testing that we have today because of the hospitals here , because of the laboratories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone out and bought machines and as many swabs … as we can.
” But despite those efforts , the governor warned of an impending shortage of life-saving ventilators even after Pritzker said he ’ s been “ purchasing every ventilator that I can find.
” He noted the state estimated it needed around 4,000 to treat infected patients , but had been able to acquire just 450 .
“ I honestly don ’ t know if we ’ re going to be able to solve it fast enough , because I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ If we don ’ t have those ventilators delivered in the next week ?
… We ’ re going to run out of ventilators and the federal government really isn ’ t helping at all .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) said Tuesday the state has received just 10% of some medical equipment it had requested from the federal government to treat a surge of patients infected with COVID-19, warning the state could soon run out of ventilators as people show up at hospitals in dramatic numbers.
Pritzker, speaking to CNN, said Illinois had been forced to bid against other states and even the federal government itself in order to buy personal protective equipment like masks, gowns and face shields to help guard health care workers against the virus. But what the state has received has fallen far short of what’s needed.
Advertisement
“Well, we asked for 1.7 million N95 masks and we’ve gotten about 400,000 total. We asked for many, many gloves and gowns and so on, we’ve gotten about 10% of what we asked for,” he told CNN’s Chris Cuomo. “They were promising millions of tests … the truth is that we’ve gotten very few tests from the federal government and their federal testing is slowed down.”
Illinois's Democratic Gov. J. B. Pritzker slams President Trump for not making greater use of the Defense Production Act.
"We've had to go out onto the open market to find masks... gowns, goggles, face shields, et cetera. We are competing against the federal government." pic.twitter.com/PoLhvqcM7H — Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) April 1, 2020
The comments contradict those of President Donald Trump, who has said the country is well prepared to treat sick Americans despite pleas from governors that they don’t have enough equipment to do so.
When New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state needs tens of thousands of ventilators, Trump fired back on Tuesday saying he already had “a lot.” The state is an epicenter of the outbreak, and at least 1,550 people have died there.
Advertisement
“The problem is, with some people, no matter how much you give it’s never enough,” the president said of Cuomo.
In a news briefing on Tuesday, the president said the White House predicted up to 240,000 people could die in the U.S. from the coronavirus even if current social distancing guidelines remain in place.
On Tuesday, Pritzker went on to say Illinois was largely dealing with the onslaught of coronavirus patients thanks to the work of local hospitals and testing facilities, rather than from aid from the White House.
We asked for millions of pieces of personal protective equipment from the federal government, and we’ve gotten 10% of what we asked for.
We asked for 4,000 ventilators, and we received a grand total of 450.
We need a comprehensive national solution — and we need it now. https://t.co/iiXQx9VC9U — Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) April 1, 2020
“The people of Illinois, honestly, have come through,” he said. “We have the testing that we have today because of the hospitals here, because of the laboratories here, because our state government has gone out and bought machines and as many swabs … as we can.”
Advertisement
But despite those efforts, the governor warned of an impending shortage of life-saving ventilators even after Pritzker said he’s been “purchasing every ventilator that I can find.” He noted the state estimated it needed around 4,000 to treat infected patients, but had been able to acquire just 450.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-01--Mike Pence Says Trump Is Just Being 'Optimistic' About Coronavirus

Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday that President Donald Trump is merely being “ optimistic ” with remarks that downplayed the coronavirus outbreak .
Pence was pressed during an appearance on CNN by politics anchor Wolf Blitzer to explain why Trump hadn ’ t ordered a national lockdown in the days since he had stopped “ belittling the enormity of this crisis.
” New White House projections , Blitzer noted , suggest as many as 200,000 people may die from COVID-19 in the U.S. if the current state-by-state advisories and restrictions are maintained .
“ I don ’ t believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus , ” Pence said , adding : “ He expressed gratitude and confidence in health care workers in this country , and the American people can be assured President Trump is going to continue to be confident that we will meet this moment.
” Trump , however , has repeatedly contradicted public health officials about the threat of the coronavirus .
Even this week , after acknowledging the seriousness of the pandemic , he has attacked state governors asking for equipment and suggested that hospital staffers are squandering masks or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Earlier , the president repeatedly compared the outbreak to the seasonal flu , which has a much lower fatality rate and is much less contagious .
“ We lose thousands of people a year to the flu .
We never turn the country off , ” Trump said at a briefing last week when he argued for a loosening of national social distancing guidelines .
He went on : “ We lose much more than that to automobile accidents .
We didn ’ t call up the automobile companies and say , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also shrugged off the coronavirus in a tweet earlier this month , two days before the World Health Organization officially declared the outbreak a pandemic .
So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu .
It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year .
Nothing is shut down , life & the economy go on .
At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus , with 22 deaths .
Think about that !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) March 9 , 2020 “ The president is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ ve been from the very beginning ― when the president suspended all travel from China , stood up the White House coronavirus task force in January ― we have been hoping for the best but planning for the worst .
And that ’ s been being worked out every single day .
And what the American people can see in this president every day is a leader who knows that we will get through this.
” But health care workers say the U.S. medical system is not at all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re facing a deadly shortage of protective gear , ventilators and other items necessary to treat COVID-19 patients .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday that President Donald Trump is merely being “optimistic” with remarks that downplayed the coronavirus outbreak.
Pence was pressed during an appearance on CNN by politics anchor Wolf Blitzer to explain why Trump hadn’t ordered a national lockdown in the days since he had stopped “belittling the enormity of this crisis.” New White House projections, Blitzer noted, suggest as many as 200,000 people may die from COVID-19 in the U.S. if the current state-by-state advisories and restrictions are maintained.
Advertisement
Pence rejected the criticism.
“I don’t believe the president has ever belittled the threat of the coronavirus,” Pence said, adding: “He expressed gratitude and confidence in health care workers in this country, and the American people can be assured President Trump is going to continue to be confident that we will meet this moment.”
Trump, however, has repeatedly contradicted public health officials about the threat of the coronavirus. Even this week, after acknowledging the seriousness of the pandemic, he has attacked state governors asking for equipment and suggested that hospital staffers are squandering masks or stealing them “out the back door.”
Earlier, the president repeatedly compared the outbreak to the seasonal flu, which has a much lower fatality rate and is much less contagious.
“We lose thousands of people a year to the flu. We never turn the country off,” Trump said at a briefing last week when he argued for a loosening of national social distancing guidelines. He went on: “We lose much more than that to automobile accidents. We didn’t call up the automobile companies and say, ‘Stop making cars.’”
Advertisement
He also shrugged off the coronavirus in a tweet earlier this month, two days before the World Health Organization officially declared the outbreak a pandemic.
So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 9, 2020
Blitzer confronted Pence with Trump’s remarks, but the vice president stuck to his talking points.
“The president is an optimistic person,” Pence responded. “We’ve been from the very beginning ― when the president suspended all travel from China, stood up the White House coronavirus task force in January ― we have been hoping for the best but planning for the worst. And that’s been being worked out every single day. And what the American people can see in this president every day is a leader who knows that we will get through this.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-01--HHS Inspector General Asked To Look Into CDC Mailing Featuring Trump

WASHINGTON ― The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is facing a call for an investigation after it sent a coronavirus mailing prominently featuring President Donald Trump ’ s name to millions of Americans .
“ In terms of design , the main feature of the mailing is Trump ’ s name rather than the actual guidelines , ” the watchdog group Accountable.US wrote in a Wednesday letter to the Department of Health and Human Services ’ inspector general .
“ In fact , the message including the President ’ s name takes up more real estate on the postcard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other item.
” HHS oversees a number of agencies , including the CDC and the National Institutes of Health , that are involved in the coronavirus response .
Both the CDC and HHS offered this response to HuffPost queries on the matter , and said they would have no further comment : CDC , NIH , and Dr. [ Deborah ] Birx consulted on the content of this mailer through the White House Task Force for COVID-19 .
The Task Force has taken unprecedented steps to curb the spread of COVID-19 and protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the response efforts include the mailer , which was sent out to millions of Americans to educate them on ways to help slow the spread .
The postcard dated March 16 is headlined “ PRESIDENT TRUMP ’ S CORONAVIRUS GUIDELINES FOR AMERICA ” in all capital letters , and displays the logos of the CDC and the White House .
On the back are the same recommendations that were unveiled that day and are frequently referred to by Vice President Mike Pence during White House briefings .
The placards Pence has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ titled “ 15 Days to Slow the Spread ” and then “ 30 Days to Slow the Spread , ” do not feature Trump ’ s name .
It ’ s unclear who decided to use Trump ’ s name so prominently – the font size of the headline is the largest of anything on the card ― particularly since he did not really support those recommendations , he said recently , and only went along with them because he was afraid of being criticized if he did not .
“ I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have not done it we would have been unbelievably criticized for not doing it , ” he told Fox News in a Rose Garden interview on March 23 .
“ Because this mailing features Trump ’ s name above all else and clearly seeks to cover up his well-documented history of undermining CDC public health recommendations , it can be quite reasonably viewed as electioneering ― especially with Election Day fast approaching , ” stated the letter , signed by Accountable.US President Kyle Herrig .
Other critics , including health experts , pointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the population dislikes and distrusts Trump , many Americans were likely to ignore the CDC ’ s recommendations solely because Trump was associated with them .
Trump downplayed the seriousness of the virus and its threat to Americans from Jan. 22 through March 15 , at one point even calling concerns about it “ a hoax.
” Only in the last two days has Trump acknowledged that COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus , is likely to kill 100,000 to 200,000 Americans , even if strict guidelines are observed across @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON ― The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is facing a call for an investigation after it sent a coronavirus mailing prominently featuring President Donald Trump’s name to millions of Americans.
“In terms of design, the main feature of the mailing is Trump’s name rather than the actual guidelines,” the watchdog group Accountable.US wrote in a Wednesday letter to the Department of Health and Human Services’ inspector general. “In fact, the message including the President’s name takes up more real estate on the postcard ― one full side ― than any other item.”
Advertisement
HHS oversees a number of agencies, including the CDC and the National Institutes of Health, that are involved in the coronavirus response. Both the CDC and HHS offered this response to HuffPost queries on the matter, and said they would have no further comment:
CDC, NIH, and Dr. [Deborah] Birx consulted on the content of this mailer through the White House Task Force for COVID-19. The Task Force has taken unprecedented steps to curb the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of Americans ― part of the response efforts include the mailer, which was sent out to millions of Americans to educate them on ways to help slow the spread.
The postcard dated March 16 is headlined “PRESIDENT TRUMP’S CORONAVIRUS GUIDELINES FOR AMERICA” in all capital letters, and displays the logos of the CDC and the White House. On the back are the same recommendations that were unveiled that day and are frequently referred to by Vice President Mike Pence during White House briefings. The placards Pence has been holding up, though, originally titled “15 Days to Slow the Spread” and then “30 Days to Slow the Spread,” do not feature Trump’s name.
It’s unclear who decided to use Trump’s name so prominently – the font size of the headline is the largest of anything on the card ― particularly since he did not really support those recommendations, he said recently, and only went along with them because he was afraid of being criticized if he did not.
Advertisement
“I don’t think ― if I would have not done it we would have been unbelievably criticized for not doing it,” he told Fox News in a Rose Garden interview on March 23.
“Because this mailing features Trump’s name above all else and clearly seeks to cover up his well-documented history of undermining CDC public health recommendations, it can be quite reasonably viewed as electioneering ― especially with Election Day fast approaching,” stated the letter, signed by Accountable.US President Kyle Herrig.
Other critics, including health experts, pointed out that because such a large percentage of the population dislikes and distrusts Trump, many Americans were likely to ignore the CDC’s recommendations solely because Trump was associated with them.
Trump downplayed the seriousness of the virus and its threat to Americans from Jan. 22 through March 15, at one point even calling concerns about it “a hoax.” Only in the last two days has Trump acknowledged that COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, is likely to kill 100,000 to 200,000 Americans, even if strict guidelines are observed across the country.
The CDC mailer sent to Americans prominently features President Donald Trump's name. Amanda Terkel/HuffPost


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-01--Whoopi Goldberg Asks Bernie Sanders: 'Why Are You Still In The Race?'

That ’ s because Goldberg kept asking one question over and over : “ Why are you still in the race ?
” Sanders ( I-Vt. ) remains a candidate even as former Vice President Joe Biden has opened up a big lead among convention delegates and coalesced support from former rivals and other Democratic Party bigwigs .
Barring a dramatic turn of events , Biden ’ s advantages make it unlikely Sanders could overtake him .
“ I ’ m told that you intend to stay in this race because you believe there is a path to victory .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is , ” Goldberg said .
“ Because this feels a little bit like it did when you didn ’ t come out when Hillary Clinton ( who beat him in the 2016 Democratic race ) was clearly the person folks were going for , so can you explain why you ’ re still in the race , and what this path is that you see ?
” Sanders defended his support of Clinton , the former secretary of state .
“ That ’ s not quite accurate , I worked as hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clinton , ” he said .
“ But Bernie , just so we ’ re clear , ” she said .
“ You worked for Hillary , but it took you a very , very long time to hop in , and your people also took a very long time for them to hop in , so when I say that , that ’ s what I ’ m talking about.
” After Sanders said he didn ’ t “ accept that characterization , ” Goldberg snapped , “ Okay , why are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He added : “ And they have a right to vote for the agenda that they think can work for America , especially in this very very difficult moment.
” Sanders told Goldberg he and his staff are assessing their campaign , but he ’ s also working on an additional stimulus legislative package for working Americans .
Goldberg wondered if it might be “ smarter ” to focus on the stimulus measure than the presidential race instead of splitting his time on a presidential campaign .
“ Well , we are doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ I ’ m sitting in my house right now .
I ’ m not holding a rally in Wisconsin because of the nature of campaigns.
” The Democratic National Convention is scheduled for July 13-15 in Milwaukee , but the coronavirus pandemic has raised questions about whether it may need to be postponed or adhere to the traditional format of a mass gathering .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Matters got testy on “The View” between Whoopi Goldberg and Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday’s show.
That’s because Goldberg kept asking one question over and over: “Why are you still in the race?”
Sanders (I-Vt.) remains a candidate even as former Vice President Joe Biden has opened up a big lead among convention delegates and coalesced support from former rivals and other Democratic Party bigwigs. Barring a dramatic turn of events, Biden’s advantages make it unlikely Sanders could overtake him.
Advertisement
Goldberg pressed Sanders on exactly what sort of scenario could culminate in the presidential nomination for him.
“I’m told that you intend to stay in this race because you believe there is a path to victory. I want to know what that path is,” Goldberg said. “Because this feels a little bit like it did when you didn’t come out when Hillary Clinton (who beat him in the 2016 Democratic race) was clearly the person folks were going for, so can you explain why you’re still in the race, and what this path is that you see?”
Sanders defended his support of Clinton, the former secretary of state. “That’s not quite accurate, I worked as hard as I could to, for Hillary Clinton,” he said.
Goldberg was skeptical.
“But Bernie, just so we’re clear,” she said. “You worked for Hillary, but it took you a very, very long time to hop in, and your people also took a very long time for them to hop in, so when I say that, that’s what I’m talking about.”
Advertisement
After Sanders said he didn’t “accept that characterization,” Goldberg snapped,“Okay, why are you still in the race?”
Sanders responded, “Last I heard, people in a democracy have a right to vote.”
He added: “And they have a right to vote for the agenda that they think can work for America, especially in this very very difficult moment.”
Sanders told Goldberg he and his staff are assessing their campaign, but he’s also working on an additional stimulus legislative package for working Americans.
Goldberg wondered if it might be “smarter” to focus on the stimulus measure than the presidential race instead of splitting his time on a presidential campaign.
“Well, we are doing it, believe me,” Sanders said. “I’m sitting in my house right now. I’m not holding a rally in Wisconsin because of the nature of campaigns.”
Advertisement
Goldberg continued her line of questioning, asking, “So your plan is to stay in, yes?”
“Well, for the fourth time,” Sanders said, sounding exasperated. “We are assessing the campaign.”
Here’s the complete exchange below.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-01--Florida Governor Issues Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Order

Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis ( R ) on Wednesday issued a statewide stay-at-home order to slow further spread of the coronavirus following increasing COVID-19 cases and rising pressure from the public and state lawmakers .
The order , which takes effect at midnight Thursday , directs Floridians to “ limit movements and personal interactions outside the house ” to only those deemed “ essential , ” DeSantis said at a news conference .
The restrictions will remain in place for 30 days .
DeSantis , unlike governors of other states with burgeoning COVID-19 outbreaks , had for days resisted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state lawmakers .
The governor said just a day earlier that he was waiting for the White House coronavirus task force to recommend a statewide stay-at-home order .
Meanwhile , President Donald Trump hasn ’ t called for a national stay-at-home order , even as the U.S. has surpassed other nations as the epicenter of the pandemic .
The nearly 200,000 reported cases in the U.S. as of Wednesday was more than double the number from less than a week ago .
Florida is among the states with the highest number of cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus , with nearly 7,000 confirmed cases and at least 87 dead .
Areas of South Florida , including Miami-Dade County , have been under local stay-at-home restrictions for days .
More than half of the state ’ s coronavirus cases so far have been in southern counties of Broward and Miami-Dade , DeSantis noted .
DeSantis said Wednesday that there were “ a lot of places in Florida that have very low infection rates.
” He said he spoke with Trump and the president “ agreed with the approach of focusing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also “ understood ” the need for the statewide order .
Other states , including California and New York , have been under “ shelter in place ” or stay-at-home orders for nearly two weeks .
Earlier this month , DeSantis resisted calls to shut down beaches , even after college students from around the country descended on the state for spring break .
Terrie Rizzo , the chair of the Florida Democratic Party , said in a statement Wednesday that it was “ distressing that Governor Ron DeSantis waited until the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finally issuing a statewide stay-at-home order.
” “ I hope this will finally slow the rise in infections and that his actions are not too late , ” Rizzo added .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Wednesday issued a statewide stay-at-home order to slow further spread of the coronavirus following increasing COVID-19 cases and rising pressure from the public and state lawmakers.
The order, which takes effect at midnight Thursday, directs Floridians to “limit movements and personal interactions outside the house” to only those deemed “essential,” DeSantis said at a news conference. The restrictions will remain in place for 30 days.
Advertisement
DeSantis, unlike governors of other states with burgeoning COVID-19 outbreaks, had for days resisted mounting pressure to act, including from state lawmakers. The governor said just a day earlier that he was waiting for the White House coronavirus task force to recommend a statewide stay-at-home order.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump hasn’t called for a national stay-at-home order, even as the U.S. has surpassed other nations as the epicenter of the pandemic. The nearly 200,000 reported cases in the U.S. as of Wednesday was more than double the number from less than a week ago.
Florida is among the states with the highest number of cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, with nearly 7,000 confirmed cases and at least 87 dead.
Areas of South Florida, including Miami-Dade County, have been under local stay-at-home restrictions for days. More than half of the state’s coronavirus cases so far have been in southern counties of Broward and Miami-Dade, DeSantis noted.
Advertisement
DeSantis said Wednesday that there were “a lot of places in Florida that have very low infection rates.” He said he spoke with Trump and the president “agreed with the approach of focusing on the hot spots,” but also “understood” the need for the statewide order.
Other states, including California and New York, have been under “shelter in place” or stay-at-home orders for nearly two weeks.
Earlier this month, DeSantis resisted calls to shut down beaches, even after college students from around the country descended on the state for spring break.
Terrie Rizzo, the chair of the Florida Democratic Party, said in a statement Wednesday that it was “distressing that Governor Ron DeSantis waited until the coronavirus had spread to so many Floridians before finally issuing a statewide stay-at-home order.”
“I hope this will finally slow the rise in infections and that his actions are not too late,” Rizzo added.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-01--MyPillow CEO Rants Against 'Evil' Media For Coverage Of His White House Briefing

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell labeled the media “ evil ” for coverage of his remarks at a White House coronavirus press briefing with President Donald Trump .
Appearing on Lou Dobbs ’ show on Fox Business Tuesday night , the Bible-quoting executive tore into MSNBC host Chris Hayes , CNN ’ s Jim Acosta and journalists as a whole .
Hayes had commented that Trump ’ s daily coronavirus press briefings were counterproductive and “ dangerous from a public health perspective ” because of the president ’ s falsehoods and failure to embrace science .
The cable host suggested that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executives such as Lindell , was detracting further from the credibility of those briefings .
CNN ’ s Acosta had similar sentiments , suggesting that presidential briefings about a global pandemic should feature more medical experts and fewer business representatives touting their companies and praising Trump .
Media : @ Acosta in a recap with @ wolfblitzer : `` These briefings could be better designed .
@ realDonaldTrump could come out , say a few words – not have these PR stunts like Mr. Pillow coming out and getting a plug for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Dr. Birx and Dr .
Fauci . ''
pic.twitter.com/JVQLvakPGE — Porter Anderson ( @ Porter_Anderson ) March 30 , 2020 “ Seems crazy that everyone ’ s still taking [ the press briefings ] when you have the MyPillow guy getting up there talking about reading the Bible , ” Hayes said , in a clip Dobbs showed to Lindell on air .
“ I heard Jim Acosta attack me too , and he was 10 feet from me in the Rose Garden .
This is just evil , Lou .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The CEO defended his comments at Trump ’ s briefing , arguing that he put out a “ message of hope ” to the country .
“ I ’ m appalled by the journalists ...
I used to think ... are they really that evil ?
Well , yes they are , ” he declared .
Trump invited multiple business executives to speak during Monday ’ s briefing about their efforts to manufacture or donate medical supplies .
Lindell announced that his bedding company would dedicate 75 % of its manufacturing to produce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortages .
He then added something he said he wrote “ off the cuff ” : “ God gave us grace on Nov. 8 , 2016 , to change the course we were on , ” Lindell said , referring to the date Trump was elected .
“ God had been taken out of our schools and lives .
A nation had turned its back on God.
” He then encouraged Americans to use time spent social distancing at home to read the Bible , and praised the Trump administration and all those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting through the pandemic .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Appearing on Lou Dobbs’ show on Fox Business Tuesday night, the Bible-quoting executive tore into MSNBC host Chris Hayes, CNN’s Jim Acosta and journalists as a whole.
Advertisement
Hayes had commented that Trump’s daily coronavirus press briefings were counterproductive and “dangerous from a public health perspective” because of the president’s falsehoods and failure to embrace science. The cable host suggested that Trump, by calling on private company executives such as Lindell, was detracting further from the credibility of those briefings.
CNN’s Acosta had similar sentiments, suggesting that presidential briefings about a global pandemic should feature more medical experts and fewer business representatives touting their companies and praising Trump.
Media: @Acosta in a recap with @wolfblitzer: "These briefings could be better designed. @realDonaldTrump could come out, say a few words – not have these PR stunts like Mr. Pillow coming out and getting a plug for his company – and let us hear more from Dr. Birx and Dr. Fauci." pic.twitter.com/JVQLvakPGE — Porter Anderson (@Porter_Anderson) March 30, 2020
“Seems crazy that everyone’s still taking [the press briefings] when you have the MyPillow guy getting up there talking about reading the Bible,” Hayes said, in a clip Dobbs showed to Lindell on air.
Advertisement
“I heard Jim Acosta attack me too, and he was 10 feet from me in the Rose Garden. This is just evil, Lou. This is evil,” Lindell complained.
The CEO defended his comments at Trump’s briefing, arguing that he put out a “message of hope” to the country.
“I’m appalled by the journalists ... I used to think ... are they really that evil? Well, yes they are,” he declared.
American Ingenuity: @realMikeLindell discusses how MyPillow is dedicating 75% of its production to making masks to fight the Coronavirus. #AmericaFirst #KAG2020 #Dobbs pic.twitter.com/JC6fJdFwDD — Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) March 31, 2020
Trump invited multiple business executives to speak during Monday’s briefing about their efforts to manufacture or donate medical supplies.
Advertisement
Lindell announced that his bedding company would dedicate 75% of its manufacturing to produce cotton face masks to aid medical supply shortages. He then added something he said he wrote “off the cuff”:
“God gave us grace on Nov. 8, 2016, to change the course we were on,” Lindell said, referring to the date Trump was elected. “God had been taken out of our schools and lives. A nation had turned its back on God.”
He then encouraged Americans to use time spent social distancing at home to read the Bible, and praised the Trump administration and all those “praying daily” as crucial to getting through the pandemic.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-01--Get Sick Or Starve: How A Deep Cleaner Is Surviving The Pandemic

The 38-year-old wakes up each morning at 6 a.m. to head to her first job as a building manager at a local nonprofit in Denver .
She ’ s been designated an essential worker , making her the only employee who is still coming into her office during the coronavirus outbreak .
Afterward , she usually gets a few hours at home to nap and spend time with her husband and two sons before she heads out to her second job as a contract emergency deep cleaner for a large cleaning company .
Dominguez , an immigrant from Mexico , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven days a week , including office buildings , airports and even hospitals ― many of which , she suspects , have been exposed to the coronavirus .
When she finally gets home from her deep cleaning job , she sanitizes everything inside and outside of her car .
She strips down and puts her clothes in a bucket that she keeps by her front door to be washed immediately .
Sometimes , she ’ s so tired she simply throws them in the garbage .
In the shower , she scrubs her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t been exposed to the coronavirus and is unknowingly giving it to her children .
Before the coronavirus pandemic , Dominguez and her husband were making enough to keep them afloat .
She used to work as a house cleaner on the weekends and she nannied two children in the evenings after her building management job on the weekdays .
But all of her house cleaning and nannying clients have stopped offering work .
Now , Dominguez feels even more overwhelmed as the coronavirus spreads and she tries to survive .
She ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times and has been in remission for only six months .
She ’ s now the sole breadwinner in her family .
Her few moments of downtime are spent contemplating the hardest decision of her life : Get sick or starve .
“ I know that I ’ m putting a death sentence on myself and my family , ” Dominguez told HuffPost by phone last week .
“ But we are literally being put up against a wall and making a choice between life and death , between working and eating or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are over 2.5 million nannies , house cleaners and caregivers in the U.S. , and they have historically been excluded from basic labor protections under federal and state laws .
The overwhelming majority ― 90 % ― of domestic workers in the U.S. are women , and they are disproportionately women of color and immigrant women .
While President Donald Trump signed a coronavirus aid bill in March that will give relief to some domestic workers , the 10 days of sick leave it provides technically only apply to domestic workers who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That leaves some workers , including Dominguez , out .
The coronavirus has proven how essential workers like her are , but also how little the U.S. is willing to do to protect and provide for them .
“ Domestic workers have been some of the first responders in the midst of this public health crisis , ” Ai-jen Poo , executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance , said on a press call last week .
“ The people who care for us and continue to care through the crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for themselves or their families.
” But she ’ s worried all the time , she says .
At her daytime job , Dominguez oversees the operations for 65 nonprofit groups that are housed in her building .
It ’ s a good job in many ways , but the amount of work is overwhelming now that she ’ s the only employee coming in , she said .
She has to sanitize everyone ’ s mail and packages and distribute them throughout the offices .
She also waters all of the plants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from home .
There are so few people going to work in the Denver area that her boss gave her a letter stating she ’ s an essential employee in case police stop her .
Her deep cleaning job is what worries her the most .
She earns $ 10 an hour ― paid in cash to avoid any records ― with no insurance benefits .
Oftentimes , she has to drive long distances to get to each building she cleans .
That workload may be on the lighter end : She ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been asked to clean 15 to 20 buildings in one night .
“ It ’ s scary when you know you could be cleaning a building that ’ s been exposed to the virus , ” she said .
“ I ask a lot of questions , but they don ’ t really want me to ask questions .
A lot of times they won ’ t even tell you [ if the building has been exposed to the virus ] , they just want you to come in , sanitize and leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though she works around the clock seven days a week , Dominguez said she ’ s still not making enough money to provide for her family and survive through this crisis .
She only gets paid once a month , forcing her to choose between paying rent , paying bills , saving as much as she can or buying food for her family .

Photography by Rachel Woolf
Ezzie Dominguez estimates she gets around two hours of sleep every night.
The 38-year-old wakes up each morning at 6 a.m. to head to her first job as a building manager at a local nonprofit in Denver. She’s been designated an essential worker, making her the only employee who is still coming into her office during the coronavirus outbreak.
Afterward, she usually gets a few hours at home to nap and spend time with her husband and two sons before she heads out to her second job as a contract emergency deep cleaner for a large cleaning company. Dominguez, an immigrant from Mexico, says she cleans six to eight buildings seven days a week, including office buildings, airports and even hospitals ― many of which, she suspects, have been exposed to the coronavirus.
Advertisement
Ezzie Dominguez waters plants left behind by fellow employees at her day job as a building manager on March 31, 2020, in Denver. Rachel Woolf for HuffPost
When she finally gets home from her deep cleaning job, she sanitizes everything inside and outside of her car. She strips down and puts her clothes in a bucket that she keeps by her front door to be washed immediately. Sometimes, she’s so tired she simply throws them in the garbage. In the shower, she scrubs her entire body ― praying she hasn’t been exposed to the coronavirus and is unknowingly giving it to her children.
Her head usually hits the pillow sometime around 4 a.m.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, Dominguez and her husband were making enough to keep them afloat. She used to work as a house cleaner on the weekends and she nannied two children in the evenings after her building management job on the weekdays. But all of her house cleaning and nannying clients have stopped offering work.
Dominguez poses in her deep cleaning outfit on March 30, 2020, at her house in Denver. Rachel Woolf for HuffPost
Advertisement
Now, Dominguez feels even more overwhelmed as the coronavirus spreads and she tries to survive. She’s immunocompromised — she beat cancer four times and has been in remission for only six months. She’s now the sole breadwinner in her family. Her few moments of downtime are spent contemplating the hardest decision of her life: Get sick or starve.
“I know that I’m putting a death sentence on myself and my family,” Dominguez told HuffPost by phone last week. “But we are literally being put up against a wall and making a choice between life and death, between working and eating or not working and not eating.”
There are over 2.5 million nannies, house cleaners and caregivers in the U.S., and they have historically been excluded from basic labor protections under federal and state laws. The overwhelming majority ― 90% ― of domestic workers in the U.S. are women, and they are disproportionately women of color and immigrant women.
“We are human beings. ... We’re no different than you. And we deserve to have the same protections as everyone else.” - Ezzie Dominguez
Like Dominguez, domestic workers aren’t afforded the same benefits as white-collar workers: Eighty-two percent of nannies, house cleaners and caregivers lack paid sick days, leaving many to choose between a paycheck and their health.
Advertisement
While President Donald Trump signed a coronavirus aid bill in March that will give relief to some domestic workers, the 10 days of sick leave it provides technically only apply to domestic workers who are paid on the books by their employers. That leaves some workers, including Dominguez, out. The coronavirus has proven how essential workers like her are, but also how little the U.S. is willing to do to protect and provide for them.
“Domestic workers have been some of the first responders in the midst of this public health crisis,” Ai-jen Poo, executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, said on a press call last week. “The people who care for us and continue to care through the crisis have little to no support to care for themselves or their families.”
Like many workers, Dominguez doesn’t feel she has any choice but to keep working to support her family. Her husband had two jobs, but lost one not long before the pandemic started and the other as a result of the economic shutdown. Naturally, Dominguez doesn’t have the luxury of remote work, nor does she receive paid vacation time and sick leave. She is still able to receive paid time off, sick leave and health care for herself and her family from her job at the nonprofit.
From left: Jorge Garcia, 15, stands with his mother, Ezzie Dominguez, who is holding her son Cristian Dominguez, 2, next to her husband, Jesus Dominguez, as they all pose on March 30, 2020, at their Denver home. Rachel Woolf for HuffPost
But she’s worried all the time, she says. At her daytime job, Dominguez oversees the operations for 65 nonprofit groups that are housed in her building. It’s a good job in many ways, but the amount of work is overwhelming now that she’s the only employee coming in, she said. She has to sanitize everyone’s mail and packages and distribute them throughout the offices. She also waters all of the plants of the employees who are now working from home. There are so few people going to work in the Denver area that her boss gave her a letter stating she’s an essential employee in case police stop her.
Advertisement
Her deep cleaning job is what worries her the most. She earns $10 an hour ― paid in cash to avoid any records ― with no insurance benefits. Oftentimes, she has to drive long distances to get to each building she cleans. That workload may be on the lighter end: She’s heard of other workers who have been asked to clean 15 to 20 buildings in one night.
“It’s scary when you know you could be cleaning a building that’s been exposed to the virus,” she said. “I ask a lot of questions, but they don’t really want me to ask questions. A lot of times they won’t even tell you [if the building has been exposed to the virus], they just want you to come in, sanitize and leave as quickly as you can.”
Even though she works around the clock seven days a week, Dominguez said she’s still not making enough money to provide for her family and survive through this crisis. She only gets paid once a month, forcing her to choose between paying rent, paying bills, saving as much as she can or buying food for her family.
She wants others to understand that workers like her are people and need help.
“We are human beings,” she said. “We have children. We have husbands and wives. We’re no different than you. And we deserve to have the same protections as everyone else.”
UPDATE: April 6 ― After the publication of this article, the nonprofit at which Dominguez works part-time extended an offer of employment to her husband. They have also now made it possible for her to work remotely. (The article above has also been amended to clarify that Dominguez’s part-time position at the nonprofit does provide paid-time off and sick leave.)
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-01--Navajo Nation President: U.S. Government Ignoring Native Americans Amid Coronavirus

During a town hall that aired live on Facebook , Nez urged residents of his nation , the largest American Indian territory in the U.S. , to remain “ strong ” and take care of each other during the pandemic despite the lack of support .
“ There ’ s frustration from leadership ― not just here on Navajo but all of Indian Country , ” Nez said .
“ We feel that the United States government once again has ignored or even left out the first residents , the first people , the first citizens of this country : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing about people hauling water for their grandparents , people helping get water and hay for their elders out there .
That ’ s Navajo right there ― helping each other out to overcome this , ” he continued .
“ And we will overcome this.
” The Navajo Nation spans roughly 25,000 square miles ― about the size of West Virginia ― across portions of Arizona , New Mexico and Utah .
About 350,000 members are enrolled in the nation , making it the second most populous Native American tribe , after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there have been at least 174 confirmed cases of the virus in the Navajo Nation and at least seven deaths .
The numbers account for those living on the reservation ― both members of the tribe and nonmembers ― and do not include Navajo who reside outside of the territory .
“ It ’ s quite alarming to hear that some of the shipment that we get won ’ t even last a week , ” he said , adding that all 50 states are also dealing with this issue .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources out there.
” The $ 2 trillion stimulus bill enacted Friday carved out an additional $ 1 billion for the Indian Health Service , a notoriously underfunded agency that provides health services to federally recognized tribes .
The legislation also includes $ 8 billion in relief funds for tribal governments , though Nez suggested in his town hall Tuesday that the Navajo Nation had not yet received its share .
“ The topline fact is , since day one of the COVID-19 pandemic , the Department , including Indian Affairs , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Indian Education , the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians , along with our emergency management professionals and other agencies in the Federal government , has been communicating and working with the Tribes to assist Tribal communities , ” Swanson said in a statement .
He said the Interior and Treasury are hosting two national consultation calls with tribal governments ― one scheduled for Thursday and another next week ― and will accept written comments to “ ensure Tribes have ample opportunity to engage in the process and provide meaningful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s more , some Navajo have been reluctant to heed the warnings of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , due to what the LA Times described as “ a long-standing distrust of the federal government.
” Frequent hand-washing , as advised by medical experts , can also prove difficult in some areas of the reservation where there ’ s a lack of running water .
“ We ’ re seeing incredible spikes in the Navajo Nation , ” Grisham said .
“ This is going to be an issue where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figure that out and think about maybe testing and surveillance opportunities.
” The Navajo Nation declared a public health state of emergency on March 11 .
Nez has ordered all residents to stay at home unless they are deemed essential workers or need to seek medical care or obtain provisions .
On Sunday , Nez announced a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily that went into effect on Monday .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said Tuesday that the U.S. government “once again has ignored” the country’s Indigenous people, accusing federal officials of failing to deliver enough much-needed resources to help fight the coronavirus.
During a town hall that aired live on Facebook, Nez urged residents of his nation, the largest American Indian territory in the U.S., to remain “strong” and take care of each other during the pandemic despite the lack of support.
Advertisement
“There’s frustration from leadership ― not just here on Navajo but all of Indian Country,” Nez said. “We feel that the United States government once again has ignored or even left out the first residents, the first people, the first citizens of this country: Indigenous people.”
He said tribal nations haven’t yet seen any of the resources allocated in the three coronavirus relief bills signed into law by President Donald Trump last month.
“But you know what? We’re strong people, ladies and gentleman,” Nez told the Navajo Nation during his town hall. “We have overcome tough times and we’re utilizing our resources to help our people out there. Government can’t do everything.”
“I’m hearing about people hauling water for their grandparents, people helping get water and hay for their elders out there. That’s Navajo right there ― helping each other out to overcome this,” he continued. “And we will overcome this.”
Advertisement
The Navajo Nation spans roughly 25,000 square miles ― about the size of West Virginia ― across portions of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. About 350,000 members are enrolled in the nation, making it the second most populous Native American tribe, after the Cherokee Nation.
As of Wednesday, there have been at least 174 confirmed cases of the virus in the Navajo Nation and at least seven deaths. The numbers account for those living on the reservation ― both members of the tribe and nonmembers ― and do not include Navajo who reside outside of the territory.
During his town hall on Tuesday, Nez said the nation had received “some” supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile, but much more are needed.
“It’s quite alarming to hear that some of the shipment that we get won’t even last a week,” he said, adding that all 50 states are also dealing with this issue. “So we’re trying to find resources out there.”
Advertisement
The $2 trillion stimulus bill enacted Friday carved out an additional $1 billion for the Indian Health Service, a notoriously underfunded agency that provides health services to federally recognized tribes. The legislation also includes $8 billion in relief funds for tribal governments, though Nez suggested in his town hall Tuesday that the Navajo Nation had not yet received its share.
He told The Los Angeles Times last week that he was concerned about individual tribes having to apply for the aid. A representative for the Navajo Nation did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Conner Swanson, a spokesman for the Interior Department, called Nez’s accusation that the U.S. government is ignoring tribes “false,” pointing to communications sent to tribal leaders from Bureau of Indian Affairs officials.
“The topline fact is, since day one of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department, including Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education, the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians, along with our emergency management professionals and other agencies in the Federal government, has been communicating and working with the Tribes to assist Tribal communities,” Swanson said in a statement.
Swanson noted that the third coronavirus relief bill, which includes the $2 trillion stimulus package, was signed into law just four days before Nez’s comments. The federal government has 30 days to disburse the funds, he said.
Advertisement
He said the Interior and Treasury are hosting two national consultation calls with tribal governments ― one scheduled for Thursday and another next week ― and will accept written comments to “ensure Tribes have ample opportunity to engage in the process and provide meaningful guidance to the Federal government.”
“This process is thorough, inclusive and aims to effectively allocate funds to Tribes across the country,” he added.
Members of an Arizona National Guard unit pause while loading a helicopter with medical supplies to be taken to the remote Navajo Nation town of Kayenta on March 31. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Experts worry native populations are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 given their high rates of diabetes, heart disease and other underlying conditions that make individuals more at risk to the disease.
What’s more, some Navajo have been reluctant to heed the warnings of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, due to what the LA Times described as “a long-standing distrust of the federal government.” Frequent hand-washing, as advised by medical experts, can also prove difficult in some areas of the reservation where there’s a lack of running water.
Advertisement
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) reportedly warned Trump during a phone call Monday that the virus could “wipe out” some tribal nations.
“We’re seeing incredible spikes in the Navajo Nation,” Grisham said. “This is going to be an issue where we’re going to have to figure that out and think about maybe testing and surveillance opportunities.”
She said New Mexico is seeing a higher rate of infection among younger people as well as a more immediate need for ventilators compared to other populations.
In response, Trump reportedly directed other officials in the room to look into the issue and quickly build a hospital requested by Grisham.
“Boy, that’s too bad for the Navajo Nation ― I’ve been hearing that,” Trump said.
The Navajo Nation declared a public health state of emergency on March 11. Nez has ordered all residents to stay at home unless they are deemed essential workers or need to seek medical care or obtain provisions. On Sunday, Nez announced a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily that went into effect on Monday.
Advertisement
“We’ve got to think of our future,” Nez said during the town hall Tuesday. “We can’t let our elders leave us earlier. ... We are overcomers, we are resilient and we’ll be able to get through this COVID-19.”
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated the approximate size of the Navajo Nation as 250,000 square miles instead of 25,000.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-01--Ruth Bader Ginsburg 'Ain't Having It,' Won't Stop Working Out In Coronavirus Pandemic

Ruth Bader Ginsburg isn ’ t about to turn into a couch potato during the coronavirus pandemic .
The 87-year-old Supreme Court justice is still working out twice a week with her personal trainer while employing safeguards , the trainer told Law360 .
Many gyms have closed to enforce social distancing during the pandemic .
But Ginsburg continues using the Supreme Court ’ s private gym , trainer Bryant Johnson said .
The instructor noted that the two are cleaning the equipment and keeping their distance while Ginsburg sweats through “ planks , pushups and other exercises , ” Law360 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut down .
The only reason why I didn ’ t shut the justice down is because , hey , she ain ’ t having it , ” Johnson said .
“ If she wants to train , that ‘ s the least that I can do.
” According to a 2017 article in Politico , the session includes “ a machine bench press , where Ginsburg normally puts up 70 pounds .
From there it was leg curls and leg presses , chest flies and lat pull-downs , all on machines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in between sets.
” The justice , who ’ s been treated for cancer four times , declared in January she was “ cancer-free.
” And she wasn ’ t about to let the coronavirus impede her effort to stay healthy , even as the court closed to the public and postponed arguments .
“ Her choice is , she doesn ’ t make excuses not to do it , ” Johnson told Law360 .
“ So we find ways to do it .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Ruth Bader Ginsburg isn’t about to turn into a couch potato during the coronavirus pandemic.
The 87-year-old Supreme Court justice is still working out twice a week with her personal trainer while employing safeguards, the trainer told Law360.
Many gyms have closed to enforce social distancing during the pandemic. But Ginsburg continues using the Supreme Court’s private gym, trainer Bryant Johnson said. The instructor noted that the two are cleaning the equipment and keeping their distance while Ginsburg sweats through “planks, pushups and other exercises,” Law360 wrote.
Advertisement
“Everybody’s been shut down. The only reason why I didn’t shut the justice down is because, hey, she ain’t having it,” Johnson said. “If she wants to train, that‘s the least that I can do.”
Johnson detailed his star client’s routine in “The RBG Workout.”
According to a 2017 article in Politico, the session includes “a machine bench press, where Ginsburg normally puts up 70 pounds. From there it was leg curls and leg presses, chest flies and lat pull-downs, all on machines, while stretching the muscle groups being exercised in between sets.”
The justice, who’s been treated for cancer four times, declared in January she was “cancer-free.” And she wasn’t about to let the coronavirus impede her effort to stay healthy, even as the court closed to the public and postponed arguments.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-01--Bernie Sanders Calls For Wisconsin To Delay Upcoming Primary Due To Coronavirus

Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) on Wednesday urged election officials in Wisconsin to postpone the state ’ s Democratic primary out of concern for the spread of coronavirus .
“ People should not be forced to put their lives on the line to vote , which is why 15 states are now following the advice of public health experts and delaying their elections , ” Sanders said in a statement .
“ We urge Wisconsin to join them.
” The state ’ s primary is scheduled to take place next Tuesday .
Sanders , who is vying with former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nomination , said Wisconsin should push back its primary voting day , extend early voting and move entirely toward a vote-by-mail process .
More than 1 million voters had requested absentee ballots in Wisconsin as of Wednesday morning , according to the state ’ s elections commission .
On Wednesday afternoon , the state ’ s Democratic Party shared a Twitter video reminding voters of the April 7 deadline for mail-in ballots .
The Wisconsin Democratic Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Biden leads Sanders in delegates , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,991 pledged delegates to earn the nomination .
Still , Sanders told “ Late Night ” host Seth Meyers on Tuesday that he sees a “ narrow path ” to victory and vowed to stay in the race .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Wednesday urged election officials in Wisconsin to postpone the state’s Democratic primary out of concern for the spread of coronavirus.
“People should not be forced to put their lives on the line to vote, which is why 15 states are now following the advice of public health experts and delaying their elections,” Sanders said in a statement. “We urge Wisconsin to join them.”
Advertisement
The state’s primary is scheduled to take place next Tuesday.
Sanders, who is vying with former Vice President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination, said Wisconsin should push back its primary voting day, extend early voting and move entirely toward a vote-by-mail process.
More than 1 million voters had requested absentee ballots in Wisconsin as of Wednesday morning, according to the state’s elections commission.
On Wednesday afternoon, the state’s Democratic Party shared a Twitter video reminding voters of the April 7 deadline for mail-in ballots.
Advertisement
The Wisconsin Democratic Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Biden leads Sanders in delegates, 1,271 to 914. A candidate needs 1,991 pledged delegates to earn the nomination.
Still, Sanders told “Late Night” host Seth Meyers on Tuesday that he sees a “narrow path” to victory and vowed to stay in the race.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-01--Sen. Kelly Loeffler Faces Renewed Scrutiny For COVID-19 Stock Transactions

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The husband of Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler recently acquired as much as $ 415,000 in stock in DuPont de Nemours , a chemical company that manufactures protective equipment in exceedingly high demand because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The transaction , detailed in a mandatory disclosure the Republican filed late Tuesday , comes as senators in both parties have faced questions about the stock transactions they made in the weeks before the coronavirus upended the U.S. economy , wiping out jobs and personal wealth .
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr , R-N.C. , whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million in stocks have come under the most scrutiny , requested an ethics review of his actions in the days before markets dropped in February .
The FBI has also contacted him about the sale .
He has denied trading on inside information .
Like Burr , Loeffler came under fire last month after she and her husband dumped substantial portions of their portfolio .
The transactions came after a series of private congressional briefings on the then-burgeoning pandemic .
The new purchases disclosed by Loeffler include the purchase of DuPont stock , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the sale of protective equipment as hospitals search for desperately needed supply .
Loeffler says she had no involvement in the trades .
“ Her stock portfolio is managed independently by third-party advisors , ” said spokeswoman Kerry Rom .
“ Sen .
Loeffler continues to operate with integrity and transparency –- following both the spirit and the letter of the law.
” Their latest financial moves are likely to give more ammunition to critics of the newly appointed senator , who is on the ballot this year .
Her top Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously accused her of “ profiting ” while “ people are losing their jobs , their businesses , their retirements.
” The mandatory disclosures senators must make do not detail specific amounts of stock sales or purchases .
Instead , they give a range in dollars of the value of each transaction .
Tuesday ’ s filing shows Loeffler ’ s husband purchased anywhere between about $ 166,000 and $ 415,000 in DuPont , spread across four transactions in late February and early March .
The company ’ s website says “ thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clock in all parts of the world to increase capacity of protective garments during this time of high demand.
” The purchase represented just a portion of their recent financial activity .
They also bought as much as $ 250,000 in Chevron , as much as $ 50,000 in Amazon and as much as $ 350,000 in CME Group , the new disclosure shows .
At the same time , they sold between about $ 100,000 and $ 250,000 in DocuSign stock , sold as much as $ 150,000 in Facebook stock and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , TJ Maxx and Lululemon .
Loeffler ’ s husband , Jeffrey Sprecher , is chairman of the New York Stock Exchange .
A separate disclosure made Tuesday reveals he recently sold between about $ 6 million and $ 30 million of stock in its parent company , Intercontinental Exchange , a significant portion of which the filing indicates he received as compensation .
Loeffler , who also worked for Intercontinental Exchange , also sold between $ 5 million and $ 25 million in stock from the company , while exercising an option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 million more .
The couple ’ s new investment in DuPont drew notice from government watchdog groups , particularly because they also recently invested in a tech company that offers telecommuting software that could also benefit from the pandemic .
“ I think it deserves an extra amount of scrutiny because when she did the first round of sales after she got nonpublic information , she also bought a stock in a telecommuting company , ” said Jordan Libowitz , a spokesman for the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Loeffler and Burr last month .
“ This would follow that pattern , which is why it does raise an eyebrow , and it ’ s one of those things that even if it doesn ’ t go to the level of breaking the law or any rules , it looks bad .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — The husband of Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler recently acquired as much as $415,000 in stock in DuPont de Nemours, a chemical company that manufactures protective equipment in exceedingly high demand because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The transaction, detailed in a mandatory disclosure the Republican filed late Tuesday, comes as senators in both parties have faced questions about the stock transactions they made in the weeks before the coronavirus upended the U.S. economy, wiping out jobs and personal wealth.
Advertisement
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., whose sales of as much as $1.7 million in stocks have come under the most scrutiny, requested an ethics review of his actions in the days before markets dropped in February. The FBI has also contacted him about the sale. He has denied trading on inside information.
Like Burr, Loeffler came under fire last month after she and her husband dumped substantial portions of their portfolio. The transactions came after a series of private congressional briefings on the then-burgeoning pandemic.
The new purchases disclosed by Loeffler include the purchase of DuPont stock, a company that could see profits soar from the sale of protective equipment as hospitals search for desperately needed supply. Loeffler says she had no involvement in the trades.
“Her stock portfolio is managed independently by third-party advisors,” said spokeswoman Kerry Rom. “Sen. Loeffler continues to operate with integrity and transparency –- following both the spirit and the letter of the law.”
Advertisement
Their latest financial moves are likely to give more ammunition to critics of the newly appointed senator, who is on the ballot this year. Her top Republican primary rival, Rep. Doug Collins, previously accused her of “profiting” while “people are losing their jobs, their businesses, their retirements.”
The mandatory disclosures senators must make do not detail specific amounts of stock sales or purchases. Instead, they give a range in dollars of the value of each transaction.
Tuesday’s filing shows Loeffler’s husband purchased anywhere between about $166,000 and $415,000 in DuPont, spread across four transactions in late February and early March. The company’s website says “thousands of DuPont employees are working around the clock in all parts of the world to increase capacity of protective garments during this time of high demand.”
The purchase represented just a portion of their recent financial activity. They also bought as much as $250,000 in Chevron, as much as $50,000 in Amazon and as much as $350,000 in CME Group, the new disclosure shows.
At the same time, they sold between about $100,000 and $250,000 in DocuSign stock, sold as much as $150,000 in Facebook stock and unloaded holdings in retail stores like Ross, TJ Maxx and Lululemon.
Advertisement
Loeffler’s husband, Jeffrey Sprecher, is chairman of the New York Stock Exchange. A separate disclosure made Tuesday reveals he recently sold between about $6 million and $30 million of stock in its parent company, Intercontinental Exchange, a significant portion of which the filing indicates he received as compensation. Loeffler, who also worked for Intercontinental Exchange, also sold between $5 million and $25 million in stock from the company, while exercising an option that gave her as much as $25 million more.
The couple’s new investment in DuPont drew notice from government watchdog groups, particularly because they also recently invested in a tech company that offers telecommuting software that could also benefit from the pandemic.
“I think it deserves an extra amount of scrutiny because when she did the first round of sales after she got nonpublic information, she also bought a stock in a telecommuting company,” said Jordan Libowitz, a spokesman for the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, which filed a Senate ethics complaint against Loeffler and Burr last month.
“This would follow that pattern, which is why it does raise an eyebrow, and it’s one of those things that even if it doesn’t go to the level of breaking the law or any rules, it looks bad.”