thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--Egypt Arrests Doctors, Silences Critics Over Virus Outbreak

At least 10 doctors and six journalists have been arrested since the virus first hit Egypt in February , according to rights groups .
Other health workers say they have been warned by administrators to keep quiet or face punishment .
One foreign correspondent has fled the country , fearing arrest , and another two have been summoned for reprimand over “ professional violations.
” “ Every day I go to work , I sacrifice myself and my whole family , ” said a front-line doctor in greater Cairo , who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story .
“ Then they arrest my colleagues to send us a message .
I see no light on the horizon.
” After Madbouly ’ s comments , the union scheduled a press conference in late June to raise awareness about doctors ’ sacrifices and discuss staff and supply shortages .
But before anyone could speak out , security forces surrounded the syndicate and sent members home , according to former leader Mona Mina .
A communications officer who promoted the event was detained and interrogated by security agents for hours , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ These doctors have no history of activism , they were arrested because they offered criticism of their very specific professional circumstances , ” said Amr Magdi of Human Rights Watch , which has confirmed the arrests of eight doctors and two pharmacists .
Two have been released , he said , while the rest remain in pretrial detention .
Last week , Dr. Ahmed Safwat , an intensive care doctor in the Cairo suburb of Nasr City and syndicate board member , disappeared , according to social media posts from fellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms , many assumed he was self-isolating at home until his family filed a complaint to the syndicate , saying they hadn ’ t heard from him in days .
A lawyer representing several detained doctors confirmed that he had been taken by state security and accused of terrorism activities .
His last Facebook post also criticized the prime minister ’ s comments , adding , “ The government says that everything is fine and under control , but you enter hospitals and find the opposite.
” In another case , security agents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an ophthalmologist north of Cairo , according to his lawyer and Amnesty International , over his Facebook post that criticized the government for sending coronavirus aid to Italy and China while its own doctors were desperately short of protective equipment .
He remains in detention on terrorism charges , his lawyer added .
A doctor in Cairo shared WhatsApp messages with the AP from his manager , alerting staff that their attendance sheets were monitored by state security .
He said two of his colleagues received a pay cut when administrators discovered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two other hospitals in the capital , workers retracted letters of collective resignation over working conditions for fear of reprisals .
“ There is no appetite , ” the advocate said , “ to address what is going on in Egypt , let alone sanction them in any way for what the government is doing to their own people .
”

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A doctor arrested after writing an article about Egypt’s fragile health system. A pharmacist picked up from work after posting online about a shortage of protective gear. An editor taken from his home after questioning official coronavirus figures. A pregnant doctor arrested after a colleague used her phone to report a suspected coronavirus case.
As Egyptian authorities fight the swelling coronavirus outbreak, security agencies have tried to stifle criticism about the handling of the health crisis by the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.
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At least 10 doctors and six journalists have been arrested since the virus first hit Egypt in February, according to rights groups. Other health workers say they have been warned by administrators to keep quiet or face punishment. One foreign correspondent has fled the country, fearing arrest, and another two have been summoned for reprimand over “professional violations.”
Coronavirus infections are surging in the country of 100 million, threatening to overwhelm hospitals. As of Monday, the Health Ministry had recorded 76,253 infections, including 3,343 deaths — the highest death toll in the Arab world.
In this June 17, 2020 file photo, a health worker prepares to take swab samples from people queuing in their cars to test for the coronavirus at a drive-through COVID-19 screening center at Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“Every day I go to work, I sacrifice myself and my whole family,” said a front-line doctor in greater Cairo, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, like all doctors interviewed for this story. “Then they arrest my colleagues to send us a message. I see no light on the horizon.”
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In 2013, el-Sissi, as defense minister, led the military’s removal of Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, after his brief rule sparked nationwide protests. In years since, el-Sissi has stamped out dissent, jailing Islamist political opponents, secular activists, journalists, even belly dancers.
Now the clampdown has extended to doctors who speak publicly about missing protective gear or question the official infection count.
A government press officer did not respond to requests for comment on the arrests of doctors and journalists but did send The Associated Press a document entitled “Realities defeating evil falsehoods,” which details what it says are el-Sissi’s successes in improving the economy and fighting terrorism.
El-Sissi has said the virus’s trajectory was “reassuring” and described critics as “enemies of the state.”
In recent weeks, authorities have marshaled medical supplies to prepare for more patients. The military has set up field hospitals and isolation centers with 4,000 beds and delivered masks to citizens, free of charge, at metro stops, squares and other public places.
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The government has scaled up testing within all general hospitals and ordered private companies to churn out face masks and gear for front-line health workers. El-Sissi has ordered bonuses for medical workers equivalent to $44-$76 a month.
Hospital beds are prepared to receive COVID-19 patients at Ain Shams University Field Hospital in Cairo, Egypt, on June 17, 2020. ASSOCIATED PRESS
But health personnel are sounding alarm on social media. Doctors say shortages have forced them to purchase surgical masks with their meager salaries. Families plead for intensive care beds. Dentists and pharmacists complain of being forced to handle suspected virus patients with little training.
The pandemic has pushed the Egyptian Medical Syndicate, a non-political group of professionals, into a striking new role as the country’s sole advocate for doctors’ rights.
Last month, the union released a letter to the public prosecutor demanding the release of five doctors detained for expressing their views about the government virus response. More syndicate members have been arrested than reported, said one board member, but families have kept quiet.
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Doctors’ low morale sank further last week, following the arrest of board member and treasurer Mohamed el-Fawal, who demanded on Facebook that the prime minister apologize for comments that appeared to blame health workers for a spike in coronavirus deaths.
In a televised briefing, Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly criticized doctors’ “negligence and mismanagement” for endangering citizens’ health.
Incensed doctors hit back, saying they’re untrained, underpaid and under-resourced, struggling to save patients at crowded clinics. So far at least 117 doctors, 39 nurses and 32 pharmacists have died from COVID-19, according to syndicate members’ counts, and thousands have fallen ill.
After Madbouly’s comments, the union scheduled a press conference in late June to raise awareness about doctors’ sacrifices and discuss staff and supply shortages. But before anyone could speak out, security forces surrounded the syndicate and sent members home, according to former leader Mona Mina. A communications officer who promoted the event was detained and interrogated by security agents for hours, said a board member, before being released.
In its latest statement, the syndicate said the accelerating detentions have caused “widespread anxiety” among health workers.
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“These doctors have no history of activism, they were arrested because they offered criticism of their very specific professional circumstances,” said Amr Magdi of Human Rights Watch, which has confirmed the arrests of eight doctors and two pharmacists. Two have been released, he said, while the rest remain in pretrial detention.
Last week, Dr. Ahmed Safwat, an intensive care doctor in the Cairo suburb of Nasr City and syndicate board member, disappeared, according to social media posts from fellow doctors. Because he had experienced virus symptoms, many assumed he was self-isolating at home until his family filed a complaint to the syndicate, saying they hadn’t heard from him in days. A lawyer representing several detained doctors confirmed that he had been taken by state security and accused of terrorism activities. His last Facebook post also criticized the prime minister’s comments, adding, “The government says that everything is fine and under control, but you enter hospitals and find the opposite.”
In another case, security agents burst into the home of Hany Bakr, an ophthalmologist north of Cairo, according to his lawyer and Amnesty International, over his Facebook post that criticized the government for sending coronavirus aid to Italy and China while its own doctors were desperately short of protective equipment. He remains in detention on terrorism charges, his lawyer added.
Workers at the ticket window of the Giza pyramids complex measures the temperature of local tourists in Giza, Egypt, on July 1, 2020. ASSOCIATED PRESS
In March, public prosecutors accused 26-year-old Alaa Shaaban Hamida of “joining a terrorist group” and “misusing social media” after she allowed a colleague to call the Health Ministry’s coronavirus hotline from her phone instead of first reporting the case to her managers, according to Amnesty International. Three months pregnant, she remains in pretrial detention.
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Doctors in three different provinces say their administrators have threatened to report them to the National Security Agency if they expressed frustration over working conditions, walked off the job or called in sick.
In one of several voice recordings obtained by The Associated Press, a health deputy in the Nile Delta province of Beheira can be heard telling workers, “Even if a doctor is dying, he must keep working … or be subjected to the most severe punishment.”
In another message sent to staff, a hospital director in the same province describes those who fail to show up to work as “traitors,” adding, “this will be treated as a national security matter ... and you know how that goes in Egypt.”
A doctor in Cairo shared WhatsApp messages with the AP from his manager, alerting staff that their attendance sheets were monitored by state security. He said two of his colleagues received a pay cut when administrators discovered their complaints on social media. In two other hospitals in the capital, workers retracted letters of collective resignation over working conditions for fear of reprisals.
The suppression of criticism in Egypt is hardly unusual, analysts say, but the government has become even more jittery as the pandemic tests its capabilities and slows the economy.
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Although el-Sissi resisted a total lockdown because of the economic impact, schools, mosques, restaurants, malls and clubs were closed early in the outbreak and a nightly curfew imposed.
With borders shut and cruise ships docked, Egypt’s critical tourism revenue has disappeared, among other sources of income. The country secured a badly needed $5.2 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund in June, on top of a previous $2.8 billion arrangement.
Last week, fearing further economic fallout, the government reopened much of society and welcomed hundreds of international tourists back to resorts, even as daily reported deaths exceeded 80. Restaurants and cafes are reopening with some continued restrictions, and masks have been mandated in public.
“Because of Egypt’s constant attention to its image as a place open for tourism, open for business, open for investment, authorities appear particularly sensitive to divergent perspectives during the pandemic,” said Amy Hawthorne, an Egypt expert at the Project on Middle East Democracy. “They want to project an image that everything is fine, they’re in control.”
Those who spread “false news” online about the coronavirus could face up to five years imprisonment and steep fines, Egypt’s top prosecutor warned this spring.
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A woman working at Medic Egypt for Medical Clothes company makes protective face masks to be used to help curb the spread of the coronavirus at a factory in Menoufiya, Egypt, on June 6, 2020. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights voiced concern in late March that 15 individuals had been arrested for broadcasting alleged false news about the pandemic. Four Egyptian journalists who reported on the outbreak remain in prison, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, which has labeled Egypt one of the world’s worst jailers of journalists, along with Turkey and China.
Security forces have also taken aggressive action against foreign reporters. In March, Egypt expelled a reporter for The Guardian who cited a scientific report disputing the official virus count. Egypt’s state information body has summoned The Washington Post and New York Times correspondents over their critical coverage during the pandemic.
Despite growing human rights abuses, the international community counts on Egypt as a bulwark against regional instability, said a Middle East-focused rights advocate at the U.N., speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss policy matters.
“There is no appetite,” the advocate said, “to address what is going on in Egypt, let alone sanction them in any way for what the government is doing to their own people.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--Introducing 'Don't Sweat It,' A Guide On Improving Your Fitness Relationship

As I write this , my fiancé is currently out on a 3-mile run and I ’ m sitting here beating myself up for not working out with him .
The thoughts that plague me include irrational stress over my health or fitness deteriorating ; a voice that ’ s quietly telling me I am actually just lazy ; and the mental calculation of the food I ate last night that I “ should ” be “ burning off.
” None of these thoughts are productive , true or good for me .
Yet here I am experiencing them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series on changing your relationship with exercise .
My outlook on fitness has been negative for most of my formative years .
I ’ ve always been the tallest one in a group , even as a kid .
But instead of being # blessed with a natural athleticism that would have landed me on a basketball team , I was uncoordinated and unsure of myself .
I was also bullied for my weight , which made me feel like I was too “ big ” for most rooms ― especially the locker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loathed gym class and the ridiculous curriculum that came with it .
Required activities like running a mile in under 15 minutes and the mandated Presidential Fitness Test ( seriously , how is that thing still around ? )
gave me uncontrollable anxiety that would linger the rest of the day .
When you ’ re young , you don ’ t have the awareness that you ’ re not the problem .
You just hate the body that doesn ’ t give you the same ability as the rest of your classmates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activity to my physical appearance , a habit that only got worse as I became an adult .
I would make excuses for why I couldn ’ t try a workout , like “ I ’ m too tall to be a runner ” or “ I don ’ t want to get in a dude ’ s way at the squat rack ” or “ I ’ m too large to be in a barre class.
” In reality , I was just too intimated to try these things and too soured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it could actually be beneficial ― and even fun .
Maybe you ’ re like me and this has been your experience , too .
Maybe you ’ re working out too much and it ’ s taking a toll on your mental health .
Maybe you ’ ve never tried a consistent exercise routine before and you ’ re looking to start one .
Don ’ t Sweat It is a series for all of us who have ever had a complicated relationship with fitness .
We will feature advice and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have repaired their own viewpoints on working out .
The goal is to educate us on all the ways we ’ ve come to feel this way .
We want to explore how to move our bodies in ways that feel good .
We ’ re looking at how to detach exercise from what we see in the mirror .
We hope to restore how we look at fitness and rest — both of which we desperately need for our well-being .
Don ’ t Sweat It won ’ t instantly cure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with exercise .
My story this week is definitive proof it ’ s a constant journey .
And sometimes , if the outlook is really bad , you may need professional help to work through it .
All of that is OK .
But if this guide helps us reexamine how we approach fitness , and urges us to keep working on that relationship , then it ’ s worth a million endorphins .
It ’ s time to stop sweating our sweat sessions ( including the ones we don ’ t take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Don ’ t Sweat It , a HuffPost Life series on improving your relationship with fitness .
We ’ re giving you a guide on the latest thinking on exercise and why we ’ ve been conditioned to hate it in the past .
Mental health and body-positive fitness experts will offer guidance and show you how to find a routine that works for you .
Find all of our coverage here .

Shanee Benjamin for HuffPost
As I write this, my fiancé is currently out on a 3-mile run and I’m sitting here beating myself up for not working out with him.
The thoughts that plague me include irrational stress over my health or fitness deteriorating; a voice that’s quietly telling me I am actually just lazy; and the mental calculation of the food I ate last night that I “should” be “burning off.”
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None of these thoughts are productive, true or good for me. Yet here I am experiencing them, right in the middle of editing this series on changing your relationship with exercise.
My outlook on fitness has been negative for most of my formative years. I’ve always been the tallest one in a group, even as a kid. But instead of being #blessed with a natural athleticism that would have landed me on a basketball team, I was uncoordinated and unsure of myself. I was also bullied for my weight, which made me feel like I was too “big” for most rooms ― especially the locker room.
As a result, I loathed gym class and the ridiculous curriculum that came with it. Required activities like running a mile in under 15 minutes and the mandated Presidential Fitness Test (seriously, why did that thing exist?) gave me uncontrollable anxiety that would linger the rest of the day. When you’re young, you don’t have the awareness that you’re not the problem. You just hate the body that doesn’t give you the same ability as the rest of your classmates.
I found myself constantly attaching physical activity to my physical appearance, a habit that only got worse as I became an adult. I would make excuses for why I couldn’t try a workout, like “I’m too tall to be a runner” or “I don’t want to get in a dude’s way at the squat rack” or “I’m too large to be in a barre class.”
Advertisement
In reality, I was just too intimidated to try these things and too soured by my history with exercise to see that it could actually be beneficial ― and even fun.
Maybe you’re like me and this has been your experience, too. Maybe you’re working out too much and it’s taking a toll on your mental health. Maybe you’ve never tried a consistent exercise routine before and you’re looking to start one.
Don’t Sweat It is a series for all of us who have ever had a complicated relationship with fitness. We will feature advice and interviews with experts, and highlight people who have repaired their own viewpoints on working out. The goal is to educate us on all the ways we’ve come to feel this way. We want to explore how to move our bodies in ways that feel good. We’re looking at how to detach exercise from what we see in the mirror. We hope to restore how we look at fitness and rest — both of which we desperately need for our well-being.
Don’t Sweat It won’t instantly cure us of every single issue we have with exercise. My story this week is definitive proof it’s a constant journey. And sometimes, if the outlook is really bad, you may need professional help to work through it. All of that is OK.
But if this guide helps us reexamine how we approach fitness, and urges us to keep working on that relationship, then it’s worth a million endorphins. It’s time to stop sweating our sweat sessions (including the ones we don’t take).
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--How To Tell If Your Relationship With Exercise Is Actually Toxic

What would happen if I didn ’ t exercise for a week ?
Am I flexible about when and how I exercise ?
Am I only exercising as a way to control my body ?
That might sound ludicrous to you , since our culture often paints exercise as a “ no pain , no gain ” endeavor that requires serious discipline .
But ask yourself what you actually hope to “ gain ” from an exercise routine you don ’ t enjoy .
Even if your body does change in the short-term , long-term weight loss is nearly impossible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks likely won ’ t change your life the way fitness culture tells you it will .
Do I only count certain types of movement as “ exercise ” ?
That ’ s not to say that all fitness goals are inherently bad .
Maybe you want to get stronger for health reasons , or get faster because you truly love racing .
But if your view of exercise is so narrow that only certain , more intense types of movement fit into it , try and expand your perspective .
Is exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or is it another source of stress ?
In other words : Are you engaging in a certain type of movement because you like it and it feels good , or are you only doing it because you think it ’ s “ good exercise ” ?
Exercise doesn ’ t need to be totally comfortable all the time — it ’ s OK to push yourself in ways that feel good to you — but there ’ s no reason to consistently engage in workouts you hate .
The right therapist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with exercise and start shifting your mindset .
At the end of the day , you have autonomy over your own body and can decide what ’ s best for it .
But if exercise is starting to create more problems than it solves for you , it might be time to ask yourself the tough questions and be prepared to change your thinking .
This story is part of Don ’ t Sweat It , a HuffPost Life series on improving your relationship with fitness .
We ’ re giving you a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and why we ’ ve been conditioned to hate it in the past .
Mental health and body-positive fitness experts will also offer guidance and show you how to find a routine that works for you .
Find all of our coverage here .

Getty Images/HuffPost How you view the gym or fitness can affect your overall mental health.
When we talk about diet culture and oppressive, unattainable body standards, the conversation often centers around food. But really, diet culture reaches far beyond what we eat. Obsessing about achieving or maintaining a certain body type can also wreak havoc on our relationships with exercise ― and often, mainstream fitness culture often encourages this unhealthy mindset.
Because most fitness programs are built around the explicit or implicit promise of weight loss or “improved body composition” (which — eye roll — is code for fat loss), many people only think of exercise as a way to change or control the way their body looks.
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That’s why it’s crucial to examine your relationship with exercise, determine if it’s unhealthy and, if it is, change the way you think about working out.
First, let’s talk about toxic fitness culture.
Ilya Parker, a North Carolina-based physical therapist assistant, certified medical exercise specialist, and creator of Decolonizing Fitness, gave the following examples of toxic fitness culture:
The promotion of fitness for the sole purpose of weight loss.
The belief that “fit” has a look.
Personal trainers unwilling or unable to modify exercises that support your unique body.
The belief that you’re not working hard enough if you haven’t achieved thinness.
Personal trainers who aren’t registered dietitians giving diet advice.
Unsolicited dieting advice in general.
Personal trainers who don’t believe you when you say need to stop and who encourage you to push through pain.
The belief that beating your body up makes for a good workout.
The belief that your body has to get smaller or toned when you engage in fitness, and, if it doesn’t, that you’re doing something wrong.
Thinking diet and exercise are the only ways for someone to take care of themselves.
Cultivating fitness spaces that aren’t accessible or affirming to a diverse group of bodies.
You’ve likely seen some of these in action, and you might even hold some as beliefs. The thing is, using exercise as a way to control your body isn’t actually healthy, nor is it possible for most people to achieve “ideal” bodies (thin, muscular, cisgendered, usually white) that toxic fitness culture promotes.
Certain exercise-related mental health issues are mentioned in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM-5), usually in relation to eating disorders. Anorexia athletica is a disorder characterized by obligatory exercise, in which a person arranges their life around workouts and consistently pushes limits to maximize time spent exercising. Exercise bulimia is a disorder in which a person frequently binges and then compensates with long bouts of exercise.
But beyond these disorders is a huge grey area of exercise behavior that, while it might fly under the radar, isn’t mentally or physically healthy. Below are some questions to ask yourself if you suspect that your relationship with exercise might be unhealthy or disordered.
Roberto Westbrook via Getty Images
What would happen if I didn’t exercise for a week?
Preoccupation is one sign of an unhealthy relationship with exercise, said Sand Chang, a licensed psychologist based in Oakland, California. Making regular movement a habit is one thing, but constantly thinking about when your next workout will be is another.
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Chang suggested asking yourself: “What would happen if I didn’t exercise for a week? A month? What feelings come up in even imagining this?” Going a week or two without exercise won’t negatively impact your health; if the idea of doing so makes you uncomfortable, it’s likely that your motivation for exercise isn’t actually healthy.
Am I flexible about when and how I exercise?
Kristy Fassio, a licensed mental health counselor based in Kent, Washington, looks for inflexibility as a sign of a disordered relationship with exercise.
“It becomes an issue when a day off can’t be taken without shame or a barrage of excuses, when rest is not prioritized, or when their physical health is actually in jeopardy because they have not taken enough rest,” Fassio said.
Scheduling workouts ahead of time might be necessary for some people, but being unable to move or cancel those workouts without shame is a problem. And, the “no days off” mindset isn’t good for mental or physical health — the amount of rest needed between workouts varies from person to person, but you should build rest days into your schedule and skip workouts if you’re too tired, stressed or sore.
Am I only exercising as a way to control my body?
Do you view exercise as a way to control the way your body looks, or as a way to stop it from changing?
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“This is not a healthy mindset,” Chang said. “I encourage people to move their bodies in ways that feel joyful, not for the purposes of changing their bodies.”
That might sound ludicrous to you, since our culture often paints exercise as a “no pain, no gain” endeavor that requires serious discipline. But ask yourself what you actually hope to “gain” from an exercise routine you don’t enjoy. Even if your body does change in the short-term, long-term weight loss is nearly impossible. And changing the way your body looks likely won’t change your life the way fitness culture tells you it will.
“The root problem is body shame, and no amount of weight loss or ‘fitness’ will make that go away,” Chang said.
Do I only count certain types of movement as “exercise”?
We’ve been using the word “exercise” pretty liberally thus far, but it’s worth asking what exactly that word means to you. Usually, our society thinks of exercise as a form of movement with a goal attached. But really, any kind of movement is exercise.
“What if we disconnect movement from changing our bodies and use it for stress relief, having fun, stretching, getting out into nature, rehabilitating an injury, trying something new, even just connecting to our precious bodies?” Fassio said.
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That’s not to say that all fitness goals are inherently bad. Maybe you want to get stronger for health reasons, or get faster because you truly love racing. But if your view of exercise is so narrow that only certain, more intense types of movement fit into it, try and expand your perspective.
Is exercise a form of stress relief for me, or is it another source of stress?
Movement is one way to relieve stress, but it shouldn’t be your only coping mechanism. While phrases like “running is my therapy” might be well intentioned and based in a little bit of truth, it’s worth repeating that running is not, in fact, therapy.
As Fassio and Chang have both explained above, being inflexible with how often you exercise or unwilling to take time off is a sign of a disordered relationship with exercise. And ultimately, this kind of thinking will add stress, not relieve it.
Does exercise even feel good?
Another question Chang recommended asking yourself: “How might exercise be motivated by an idea of what I’m supposed to be rather than what my body is actually telling me it needs?”
In other words: Are you engaging in a certain type of movement because you like it and it feels good, or are you only doing it because you think it’s “good exercise”? Exercise doesn’t need to be totally comfortable all the time — it’s OK to push yourself in ways that feel good to you — but there’s no reason to consistently engage in workouts you hate.
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Many experts use the terms “mindful movement” or “joyful movement” to describe a relationship with exercise that centers your own needs instead of focusing on outside rules or restrictions. Figure out what types of movement you actually like (the answer will be different for everyone), and do those things only when it feels good.
Drazen_ via Getty Images
The right therapist can help you work through your relationship with exercise and start shifting your mindset.
The truth is, only you can know whether your perspective on exercise is healthy or not.
“In my opinion, mindful movement is deeply connected to knowing what our body wants to do and what it needs to do,” Fassio said.
But while listening to your body is ultimately freeing and empowering, it can be tough to do when you’re used to pushing your body to its limits and ignoring your internal cues.
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Finding a therapist who works from a weight inclusive or Health At Every Size perspective is a good starting point for beginning a mindful relationship with movement, Fassio said. The same goes for fitness instructors and personal trainers — if they’re going to be guiding your exercise practice, make sure their approach is empowering to you.
At the end of the day, you have autonomy over your own body and can decide what’s best for it. But if exercise is starting to create more problems than it solves for you, it might be time to ask yourself the tough questions and be prepared to change your thinking.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-05--Fox News Edits Trump Out Of Jeffrey Epstein Photo — Leaves In Melania

Fox News on Sunday repeatedly featured a well-known photo of convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein posing with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago — but each time Trump was edited out of the image .
However , Trump ’ s future wife , Melania Knauss , was not cropped from the photo , which can be viewed in the video above .
The segment focused on longtime Epstein associate and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell — also in the photo — who allegedly recruited and groomed teenage sex victims for Epstein , according to charges announced alongside her arrest last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ From left , American real estate developer Donald Trump and his girlfriend ( and future wife ) , former model Melania Knauss , financier ( and future convicted sex offender ) Jeffrey Epstein , and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell pose together at the Mar-a-Lago club , Palm Beach , Florida , February 12 , 2000 .
( Photo by Davidoff Studios/Getty Images ) Epstein and Maxwell for years moved in the same New York social circles as Trump , who called Epstein a “ fun ” and “ terrific guy ” in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do , and many of them are on the younger side , ” the future president added .
Police began investigating Epstein in 2005 , and he was charged in Florida the following year with several counts of unlawful sex acts with a minor .
He eventually pleaded guilty to two lesser counts carrying an 18-month sentence as part of a controversial plea deal .
Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail cell last year awaiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed a month before his death .
Following Maxwell ’ s arrest , Trump ’ s son Eric tweeted a photo of former president Bill Clinton walking daughter Chelsea down an aisle at her wedding in 2010 .
Maxwell appears to be one of the wedding guests in the background .
Trump commented : “ Birds of a feather.
” He was quickly inundated with replies showing the Mar-a-Lago photo , and others of his dad with both Epstein and Maxwell .
The tweet vanished the following day .
Eric Trump , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maxwell , was literally himself on his dad ’ s private jet with her .
FFS .
You can not make this stuff up .
https : //t.co/dz7jo9H002 — Mehdi Hasan ( @ mehdirhasan ) July 3 , 2020

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Fox News on Sunday repeatedly featured a well-known photo of convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein posing with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago — but each time Trump was edited out of the image.
However, Trump’s future wife, Melania Knauss, was not cropped from the photo, which can be viewed in the video above.
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The segment focused on longtime Epstein associate and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell — also in the photo — who allegedly recruited and groomed teenage sex victims for Epstein, according to charges announced as she was arrested last week. Maxwell has denied the allegations.
From left, Donald Trump and his then-girlfriend (now wife), Melania Knauss, financier (and future convicted sex offender) Jeffrey Epstein, and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell pose together at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Feb. 12, 2000. Fox News recycled the photo on Sunday, but its viewers would not have seen Trump. Davidoff Studios Photography via Getty Images
On Monday, a Fox News spokesperson in a statement Trump was ”mistakenly eliminated” from the photo and that the network regrets “the error.”
Epstein and Maxwell for years moved in the same New York social circles as Trump, who called Epstein a “fun” and “terrific guy” in a now-infamous New York magazine interview in 2002.
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“It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side,” the future president added.
Police began investigating Epstein in 2005, and he was charged in Florida the following year with several counts of unlawful sex acts with a minor. He eventually pleaded guilty to two lesser counts carrying an 18-month sentence as part of a controversial plea deal.
Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail cell last year awaiting trial on new sex trafficking charges, filed a month before his death.
Following Maxwell’s arrest, Trump’s son Eric tweeted a photo of former President Bill Clinton walking daughter Chelsea down an aisle at her wedding in 2010. Maxwell appears to be one of the wedding guests in the background. Trump commented: “Birds of a feather.”
He was quickly inundated with replies showing the Mar-a-Lago photo, and others of his dad with both Epstein and Maxwell. The tweet vanished the following day.
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Eric Trump, who tweeted earlier about Bill Clinton and Ghislaine Maxwell, was literally himself on his dad’s private jet with her. FFS. You cannot make this stuff up. https://t.co/dz7jo9H002 — Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) July 3, 2020
Eric may be on to something pic.twitter.com/dnvE4Y8eEy — KD (@Fly_Sistah) July 2, 2020
This story has been updated with the Fox News statement that Trump’s omission from the photo was a mistake.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--Trump Rage-Quits Fox News After Network Shows Him Trailing Joe Biden In Polls

President Donald Trump said he ’ s done with Fox News after the network on Sunday showed him trailing former Vice President Joe Biden in the polls .
Trump claimed he was leading in “ real polls ” but did not cite any : .
@ FoxNews gladly puts up the phony suppression polls as soon as they come out .
We are leading in the REAL polls because people are sick & tired of watching the Democrat run cities , in all cases , falling apart .
Also , now 96 % Approval Rating in the Republican Party .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( @ realDonaldTrump ) July 5 , 2020 Trump has repeatedly claimed that 96 percent of Republicans approve of him .
While he does enjoy high levels of support among members of his party , there are no recent polls that show him reaching that level .
Last week , a Hill-Harris X poll found he had an 82 percent approval rating among Republicans , down from 91 percent in May .
In addition to attacking Fox , Trump also urged his supporters to change the channel : Trump has repeatedly attacked news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him and even sent a “ cease and desist ” threat to CNN last month for broadcasting a poll that showed him trailing Biden by 14 points .
The Trump campaign also reportedly cut ties with some pollsters last month after internal polls were leaked .
Those polls showed Trump trailing Biden in several swing states .
Trump has expressed displeasure with Fox News numerous times in recent months .
In May , he complained that the network was “ doing nothing to help Republicans , and me , get re-elected.
” He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new outlet.
” Despite his complaints , Fox News has remained friendly territory for Trump , with personalities such as Sean Hannity frequently offering lavish praise .
Over the weekend , the network even cropped an image of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein with Trump to remove the president .
Remember when you said it was a dirty filthy media lie that you spend all your time watching tv ; that actually , you rarely get a chance to , because you have to spend so much time reading “ documents ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Helen Kennedy ( @ HelenKennedy ) July 5 , 2020 The President spends more time watching TV than doing his job .
I 'm just glad he 's donating his salary , because he does n't work .
Now , if only he did n't steal taxpayer dollars with his golf trips and numerous emoluments .
— Nick Jack Pappas ( @ Pappiness ) July 5 , 2020 What ?
NOW you tell us ?
That 's three and a half years of my life you 've had me watching that crap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And Q .
And Bill ( somewhat ) .
I do n't know what the heck to do now .
You 've ruined it all .
🙅♀ — Alice Evans ( @ AliceEvansGruff ) July 6 , 2020

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President Donald Trump said he’s done with Fox News after the network on Sunday showed him trailing former Vice President Joe Biden in the polls.
Trump claimed he was leading in “real polls” but did not cite any:
.@FoxNews gladly puts up the phony suppression polls as soon as they come out. We are leading in the REAL polls because people are sick & tired of watching the Democrat run cities, in all cases, falling apart. Also, now 96% Approval Rating in the Republican Party. Another 2016! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 5, 2020
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Trump has repeatedly claimed that 96 percent of Republicans approve of him. While he does enjoy high levels of support among members of his party, there are no recent polls that show him reaching that level. Last week, a Hill-Harris X poll found he had an 82 percent approval rating among Republicans, down from 91 percent in May.
In addition to attacking Fox, Trump also urged his supporters to change the channel:
Trump has repeatedly attacked news agencies for reporting on polls unfavorable to him and even sent a “cease and desist” threat to CNN last month for broadcasting a poll that showed him trailing Biden by 14 points.
The Trump campaign also reportedly cut ties with some pollsters last month after internal polls were leaked. Those polls showed Trump trailing Biden in several swing states.
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Trump has expressed displeasure with Fox News numerous times in recent months. In May, he complained that the network was “doing nothing to help Republicans, and me, get re-elected.” He also said he was “looking for a new outlet.”
Despite his complaints, Fox News has remained friendly territory for Trump, with personalities such as Sean Hannity frequently offering lavish praise. Over the weekend, the network even cropped an image of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein with Trump to remove the president.
Twitter users had some thoughts on the feud:
Remember when you said it was a dirty filthy media lie that you spend all your time watching tv; that actually, you rarely get a chance to, because you have to spend so much time reading “documents?” That was a good one. — Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) July 5, 2020
Maybe you could spend some time reading your Presidential briefings rather than watching TV and golfing — Roland Scahill (@rolandscahill) July 5, 2020
Is *SOMEBODY* having a little Twitter tantrum because hims got the bigly bad news about his polls?
Poor Liddle' Bunker Baby. 🤣🤣😭 pic.twitter.com/4dIkftDCAz — BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) July 5, 2020
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Republican #CancelCulture getting out-of-control: now they are trying to silence Fox News! — David Rothschild (@DavMicRot) July 5, 2020
The President spends more time watching TV than doing his job.
I'm just glad he's donating his salary, because he doesn't work.
Now, if only he didn't steal taxpayer dollars with his golf trips and numerous emoluments. — Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) July 5, 2020
“We have the REAL polls, you just can’t see them because they live in Canada.” — Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) July 5, 2020
What? NOW you tell us?
That's three and a half years of my life you've had me watching that crap. Faithfully. Because I love you. And Q. And Bill (somewhat).
I don't know what the heck to do now. You've ruined it all. 🙅♀ — Alice Evans (@AliceEvansGruff) July 6, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--Scientists Plan To Urge WHO To Take Airborne Spread Of Coronavirus More Seriously

A group of 239 scientists plans to urge the World Health Organization to more seriously consider the threat that the novel coronavirus may be spread by microscopic particles in the air .
The New York Times first reported Saturday that an international coalition of researchers will publish an open letter asking WHO to address airborne transmission of the virus .
The scientists say there is growing evidence tiny aerosols can linger in the air indoors and result in new infections .
Throughout the pandemic , WHO has maintained that the virus spreads mainly through larger respiratory droplets or contact and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands and socially-distance to prevent infection .
These droplets , released by coughs or sneezes , are heavier than smaller aerosols and fall to the floor more quickly , thus presenting less of a threat if proper distance is maintained between a healthy and infected person .
However , if airborne transmission of the coronavirus is a significant threat , it could dramatically impact safety guidelines .
According to the Times , people would need to wear masks inside places with poor ventilation even if they were socially distancing .
Ventilation systems in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ updated to use powerful new filtration .
Health care workers would also require high-quality N95 masks to filter out even the smallest droplets .
The scientists ’ letter , titled “ It Is Time to Address Airborne Transmission of COVID-19 , ” will be published this week in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases .
Don Milton , a co-author of the letter and a professor at the University of Maryland , said on Twitter that the group was calling on WHO to revise guidelines in light of the possible aerosol threat .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Milton wrote .
“ Wear masks whenever you are not at home ; even simple homemade masks can have a major impact .
Open windows .
Don ’ t gather in large groups inside with singing and loud talking .
These three simple things will save lives.
” We ask WHO to lead in stopping spread by aerosols - microscopic droplets that can be inhaled .
That is why we must wear face masks , open windows , and avoid crowded indoor spaces with singing and loud talking .
Thanks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ //t.co/K80Z3YqsxE — Don Milton ( @ Don_Milton ) July 6 , 2020 To date , more than 11 million people have tested positive for COVID-19 around the world and more than 534,000 have died .
Even as states reel from a resurgence in cases , scientists still don ’ t know how many people have been infected , why some patients show symptoms for months and others none at all , and how close to a vaccine the world may be or how well it will work .
“ Especially in the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stating several times that we consider airborne transmission as possible but certainly not supported by solid or even clear evidence , ” Allegranzi told The Times .
“ There is a strong debate on this .
”

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A group of 239 scientists plans to urge the World Health Organization to more seriously consider the threat that the novel coronavirus may be spread by microscopic particles in the air.
The New York Times first reported Saturday that an international coalition of researchers will publish an open letter asking WHO to address airborne transmission of the virus. The scientists say there is growing evidence tiny aerosols can linger in the air indoors and result in new infections.
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Throughout the pandemic, WHO has maintained that the virus spreads mainly through larger respiratory droplets or contact and has primarily urged people to wash their hands and socially-distance to prevent infection. These droplets, released by coughs or sneezes, are heavier than smaller aerosols and fall to the floor more quickly, thus presenting less of a threat if proper distance is maintained between a healthy and infected person.
However, if airborne transmission of the coronavirus is a significant threat, it could dramatically impact safety guidelines. According to the Times, people would need to wear masks inside places with poor ventilation even if they were socially distancing. Ventilation systems in schools and businesses would need to be updated to use powerful new filtration. Health care workers would also require high-quality N95 masks to filter out even the smallest droplets.
The scientists’ letter, titled “It Is Time to Address Airborne Transmission of COVID-19,” will be published this week in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Don Milton, a co-author of the letter and a professor at the University of Maryland, said on Twitter that the group was calling on WHO to revise guidelines in light of the possible aerosol threat.
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“Simple things can make a big difference,” Milton wrote. “Wear masks whenever you are not at home; even simple homemade masks can have a major impact. Open windows. Don’t gather in large groups inside with singing and loud talking. These three simple things will save lives.”
We ask WHO to lead in stopping spread by aerosols - microscopic droplets that can be inhaled. That is why we must wear face masks, open windows, and avoid crowded indoor spaces with singing and loud talking. Thanks @kprather88 @linseymarr @UMDPublicHealth https://t.co/K80Z3YqsxE — Don Milton (@Don_Milton) July 6, 2020
To date, more than 11 million people have tested positive for COVID-19 around the world and more than 534,000 have died.
Even as states reel from a resurgence in cases, scientists still don’t know how many people have been infected, why some patients show symptoms for months and others none at all, and how close to a vaccine the world may be or how well it will work.
Dr. Benedetta Allegranzi, WHO’s technical lead on infection control, said she remained unconvinced that airborne transmission was a threat.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--John Bolton Suggests Trump Spends Much Of His Time Glued To TV

Former national security adviser John Bolton took a swipe at President Donald Trump ’ s reputed penchant for watching TV by saying it would be interesting to compare the president ’ s screen hours to his time listening to his advisers .
Bolton made the comment Sunday on “ Face the Nation ” after host Margaret Brennan asked him if the president ’ s thinking was shaped more by television or his advisers .
“ Well , I think it ’ s a combination of television and listening to people outside the government that he trusts for one reason or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s making the rounds promoting his new book , The Room Where It Happened , about his time in the Trump administration .
“ I think that if you could clock the amount of time he spent actually in the Oval Office versus the amount of time he spends in the little dining room off the Oval Office with the cable news networks in one form or another on , it would be a very interesting statistic , ” Bolton said .
Bolton is not the first person to suggest Trump spends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The New York Times reported in April that Trump was watching as much as seven hours of cable news programs each morning and not arriving in the Oval Office until noon .
The story ’ s headline even referred to TV as Trump ’ s “ constant companion.
” Time magazine reported that the president had a 60-inch TV installed in his private White House dining room in 2017 .
According to The New York Times , Trump mostly watches Fox News , which was making him increasingly cranky , CNN and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligence is distributed along the spectrum of uncertainty , ” he said .
“ And this intelligence in 2020 , by the administration ’ s own admission , was deemed credible enough to give to our allies .
So the notion that you only give the really completely 100 percent verified intelligence to the president would mean you give him almost nothing .
And that ’ s just not the way the system works .
”

Former national security adviser John Bolton took a swipe at President Donald Trump’s reputed penchant for watching TV by saying it would be interesting to compare the president’s screen hours to his time listening to his advisers.
Bolton made the comment Sunday on “Face the Nation” after host Margaret Brennan asked him if the president’s thinking was shaped more by television or his advisers.
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“Well, I think it’s a combination of television and listening to people outside the government that he trusts for one reason or another,” said Bolton, who’s making the rounds promoting his new book, The Room Where It Happened, about his time in the Trump administration.
“I think that if you could clock the amount of time he spent actually in the Oval Office versus the amount of time he spends in the little dining room off the Oval Office with the cable news networks in one form or another on, it would be a very interesting statistic,” Bolton said.
Bolton is not the first person to suggest Trump spends an inordinate amount of time watching TV. The New York Times reported in April that Trump was watching as much as seven hours of cable news programs each morning and not arriving in the Oval Office until noon. The story’s headline even referred to TV as Trump’s “constant companion.”
Time magazine reported that the president had a 60-inch TV installed in his private White House dining room in 2017. According to The New York Times, Trump mostly watches Fox News, which was making him increasingly cranky, CNN and a bit of MSNBC.
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Bolton said that’s not the way the system works.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--Truck Showing Trump 'Death Clock' For Coronavirus Circles White House On July 4th

A billboard truck showing the “ Trump Death Clock ” did laps around Washington , D.C. , on Saturday , bearing a stark reminder of the number of deaths that might ’ ve been prevented had President Donald Trump taken earlier action to mitigate the coronavirus crisis .
As Trump pushed ahead with July 4th celebrations that brought crowds to the National Mall and White House South Lawn ― despite concerns that doing so would further the spread of coronavirus ― the truck circled through the capital .
On the side of the truck was a running estimate of over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had social distancing measures been implemented on March 9 , a week earlier than the White House acted .
The names of COVID-19 victims were also read over a loudspeaker , according to a press release from Death Clock co-sponsor Public Citizen , a nonprofit consumer advocacy group .
The Death Clock uses models from two leading epidemiologists that projected a 60 % reduction in deaths had action been taken a week earlier .
On March 9 , Trump was still comparing coronavirus to “ the common flu , ” even though experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January .
We 've sent the @ TrumpDeathClock to Trump 's front doorstep during his reckless July 4th celebrations .
Experts have concluded that at least 77,000 of 132,000 US coronavirus deaths can be directly attributed to the president 's incompetent COVID response.https : //t.co/0OTgR83qyf — Public Citizen ( @ Public_Citizen ) July 4 , 2020 “ Trump ’ s cruelty , casual indifference to the loss of human life and utter incompetence have combined to kill tens of thousands of Americans , ” Robert Weissman , president of Public Citizen , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the failure to act early to stop the pandemic to the refusal to implement mitigation guidelines and make personal protective equipment widely available , from the stunning dismissal of the importance of mask-wearing to his failure to take action to ensure a vaccine is available as soon as possible to everyone on the planet , Trump has worsened ― and continues to worsen ― the pandemic , ” Weissman added .
The Death Clock billboard first appeared in New York City ’ s Times Square in May and has since been displayed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including most recently in Tulsa , Oklahoma , ahead of Trump ’ s June 20 rally .
As a second wave of infections has surged around the U.S. , Trump has continued to downplay the pandemic and host events for thousands of supporters .
To date , more than 2.8 million coronavirus cases have been recorded in the U.S. , according to Johns Hopkins University ’ s running tally .
There have also been nearly 130,000 deaths .

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A billboard truck showing the “Trump Death Clock” did laps around Washington, D.C., on Saturday, bearing a stark reminder of the number of deaths that might’ve been prevented had President Donald Trump taken earlier action to mitigate the coronavirus crisis.
As Trump pushed ahead with July 4th celebrations that brought crowds to the National Mall and White House South Lawn ― despite concerns that doing so would further the spread of coronavirus ― the truck circled through the capital. On the side of the truck was a running estimate of over 77,000 deaths that could have been avoided had social distancing measures been implemented on March 9, a week earlier than the White House acted.
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The names of COVID-19 victims were also read over a loudspeaker, according to a press release from Death Clock co-sponsor Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group.
The Death Clock uses models from two leading epidemiologists that projected a 60% reduction in deaths had action been taken a week earlier. On March 9, Trump was still comparing coronavirus to “the common flu,” even though experts were sounding the alarm as early as January.
We've sent the @TrumpDeathClock to Trump's front doorstep during his reckless July 4th celebrations.
Experts have concluded that at least 77,000 of 132,000 US coronavirus deaths can be directly attributed to the president's incompetent COVID response.https://t.co/0OTgR83qyf — Public Citizen (@Public_Citizen) July 4, 2020
“Trump’s cruelty, casual indifference to the loss of human life and utter incompetence have combined to kill tens of thousands of Americans,” Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, said in a press release.
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“From the failure to act early to stop the pandemic to the refusal to implement mitigation guidelines and make personal protective equipment widely available, from the stunning dismissal of the importance of mask-wearing to his failure to take action to ensure a vaccine is available as soon as possible to everyone on the planet, Trump has worsened ― and continues to worsen ― the pandemic,” Weissman added.
The Death Clock billboard first appeared in New York City’s Times Square in May and has since been displayed in a number of cities across the country, including most recently in Tulsa, Oklahoma, ahead of Trump’s June 20 rally.
As a second wave of infections has surged around the U.S., Trump has continued to downplay the pandemic and host events for thousands of supporters.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--3 Congressional Races To Watch In New Jersey’s Democratic Primary

Brendan McDermid / Reuters New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy ( D ) endorsed Amy Kennedy in the Democratic primary in New Jersey 's 2nd Congressional District .
The outcome could affect his power in the state .
Harrison , who was also endorsed by Democratic New Jersey Sens .
Cory Booker and Bob Menendez and the majority of the state ’ s labor unions , is running on a platform ― a moderate one by national standards ― of using federal power to improve South Jersey ’ s regional economy .
Given its dependence on the tourism and gambling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 2nd District — an impoverished one that also comprises the state ’ s largely rural southern tip — has been especially hard hit by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak .
Harrison is gunning for a seat on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in the hopes of helping finance an extension of the New Jersey Transit Corp. ’ s commuter train line farther south along the state ’ s beach-covered coast .
NJ-5 : Taking On One Of The Left ’ s Favorite Villains Kreibich , who immigrated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child , has run as a staunch , pro-Medicare for All progressive of the kind normally found in more urban seats .
But she told HuffPost when she announced her candidacy in July 2019 that it was Gottheimer ’ s derailment of House efforts to safeguard the well-being of undocumented immigrants , particularly children , that inspired her run .
“ Not only did he not stand up for the children in cages , for the humanitarian crisis that ’ s happening at the border ― he actively worked against the party on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : A New Generation Challenges The Old Guard

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) endorsed Amy Kennedy in the Democratic primary in New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District. The outcome could affect his power in the state. Brendan McDermid / Reuters
New Jersey is holding a number of contentious Democratic primary elections Tuesday that could have national implications.
Three key House races could test the strength of New Jersey’s Democratic machine, one of the most powerful in the country, as it reckons with a revolt from reformers backed by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D).
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The elections also give progressive insurgents an opportunity to prove their mettle in parts of the state where the left has had little success to date, including swing-voting suburbs.
Brigid Harrison, a political science professor backed by the South Jersey machine, is running as a champion of regional economic development. Brigid Harrison for Congress/Facebook
NJ-2: The Machine Strikes Back
When then-Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R) announced that he would retire from southern New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District in November 2017, it didn’t take long for state and national Democrats to coalesce behind then-state Sen. Jeff Van Drew. Van Drew, a Cape May County dentist on the far right edge of the Democratic Party, was a loyal member of the South Jersey machine ― a network of lawmakers, labor unions, lobbyists and business people under the influence of insurance executive George Norcross III.
After winning the open seat in 2018, Van Drew came under fire from local Democrats for his refusal to get behind the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. One of those angry constituents was Montclair State University political science professor Brigid Harrison, who began musing about a primary challenge in November 2019. Van Drew wouldn’t give her the chance: A few weeks later, he announced that he was becoming a Republican.
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Now Harrison has the backing of some of the same influential Garden State players who anointed Van Drew in 2018. Norcross has not officially endorsed her, but state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, a childhood friend and staunch political ally of Norcross’, has given Harrison his blessing. And a super PAC tied to Norcross has spent more than $270,000 on Harrison’s behalf. The support of machine-backed county parties helped secure Harrison preferential real estate at the top of the ballot alongside party incumbents.
“People here need hope, but they need more than hope ― they need results.” - Brigid Harrison
Harrison, who was also endorsed by Democratic New Jersey Sens. Cory Booker and Bob Menendez and the majority of the state’s labor unions, is running on a platform ― a moderate one by national standards ― of using federal power to improve South Jersey’s regional economy. Given its dependence on the tourism and gambling industries in Atlantic City, New Jersey’s 2nd District — an impoverished one that also comprises the state’s largely rural southern tip — has been especially hard hit by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak. Harrison is gunning for a seat on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in the hopes of helping finance an extension of the New Jersey Transit Corp.’s commuter train line farther south along the state’s beach-covered coast.
“There is a strong cohort of people in this district who feel left behind,” said Harrison, noting that the district’s residents voted for Barack Obama twice and then for Trump. “People here need hope, but they need more than hope ― they need results.”
But for the coalition of progressives backing Harrison’s well-funded rival, Amy Kennedy ― a schoolteacher married to former Rhode Island Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D) ― the election is primarily about crippling the South Jersey machine. The ways in which Kennedy is to Harrison’s left on policy are hard to spot, but Kennedy is more critical of the state’s corporate tax break program, which gave more than $1 billion in incentives to Norcross’ businesses, charities and allies. (Harrison, by contrast, downplayed the significance of the incentive money going to people tied to Norcross in a May 2019 Op-Ed.)
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Amy Kennedy, a schoolteacher backed by the progressive New Jersey Working Families Alliance, attracted scrutiny for her husband's financial ties. Amy Kennedy for Congress/Facebook
That point of contrast is a key reason why the progressive New Jersey Working Families Alliance, Murphy and two left-leaning labor unions ― the New Jersey Education Association and the Communication Workers of America ― have gotten behind Kennedy’s bid. Norcross’ network has bitterly fought Murphy’s effort to raise taxes on the state’s millionaires, as well as a task force Murphy convened to review the state’s corruption-ridden corporate tax incentive program.
Kennedy’s support for reforming New Jersey’s corporate tax incentives program is a window into how she would advocate for working people in Congress, according to Sue Altman, state director of the New Jersey Working Families Alliance.
“Nationally, we see that is a huge issue,” she said. “What we see happen with COVID relief is Republicans are taking care of corporations and leaving families and workers out to dry.”
The challenge for Kennedy, who is campaigning as an heir to the Kennedy family legacy, is that she is beset by controversies of her own, springing from her husband’s wealth and work and an alliance she made to counteract the power of the Norcross machine.
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Patrick Kennedy, who has been open about his battle to overcome alcohol and drug addiction, founded the nonprofit Kennedy Forum to promote mental health spending and addiction treatment. The nonprofit is sponsored by a number of major pharmaceutical and insurance companies and their trade groups. At the same time, Kennedy made more than $1 million in compensation from his seats on the boards of a number of health care companies marketing opioid addiction treatments, all while he advocated for their shared priorities in Congress. Amy Kennedy herself picked up a seat on the advisory board of the addiction rehabilitation company InteraXon.
“I am committed to addressing the growing mental health crisis in our nation and am willing to work with the people and organizations that support this mission.” - Amy Kennedy
Asked to address concerns about her and her husband’s work for for-profit health care companies, Kennedy said it was a necessary way to break down “partisan barriers” over funding mental health and drug addiction treatment programs. “I am committed to addressing the growing mental health crisis in our nation and am willing to work with the people and organizations that support this mission,” she said.
In addition, Patrick Kennedy recently joined the board of Wellpath, a company that provides health care services in for-profit prisons; the company’s executives have given $10,000 to Amy Kennedy’s campaign. The former congressman also contributed $500,000 to a super PAC supporting his wife’s bid.
Amy Kennedy’s campaign manager, Josh Roesch, called efforts by her opponents to highlight the donations from Wellpath a “vicious and personal attack.” He noted that she has foresworn corporate PAC money, winning the endorsement of the campaign finance reform group End Citizens United PAC.
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What’s more, former Atlantic City Council President Craig Callaway’s endorsement of Kennedy has attracted scrutiny. Callaway, who runs a smaller patronage machine through the Atlantic County Democratic Party, spent almost three years in federal prison for accepting bribes and extorting a political rival. At the end of June, it emerged that he had signed his name on two separate mail-in ballots, prompting an investigation by local authorities. He insisted that the double-vote was a mistake.
Kennedy has, to this point, refused to say whether she has formed any kind of financial relationship with Callaway; her campaign would not answer HuffPost’s question about it directly. Roesch argued instead that the entire line of questioning, promoted by Harrison, uses “racist, dog-whistle tactics.” (Callaway is Black.)
Will Cunningham, a former senior aide to the late Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), is the most progressive contender in New Jersey's 2nd District. Will Cunningham for Congress/Facebook
Given the criticism of both Kennedy and Harrison — who are also both white — there could be a natural opening for Will Cunningham, an openly gay, Black attorney, to emerge as the alternative. Cunningham, who rose from poverty to work as an aide to Booker and as a senior investigator for the late-Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), is running as an unabashed progressive in the mold of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). He supports Medicare for All, tuition-free college and divestment of police budgets in favor of greater social spending.
But while Cunningham has won the support of Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, a public policy expert and the former congressman’s widow, he has failed to attract the attention of major progressive groups or the Congressional Black Caucus. That’s partly because of Cunningham’s weak showing in the 2018 primary election, as well as his apparent failure to adequately court progressive stakeholders. Altman of New Jersey Working Families Alliance could not recall hearing from him prior to the group’s endorsement of Kennedy.
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Kennedy is “more progressive than Brigid Harrison and she can win,” Altman said.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) speaks during a Problem Solvers Caucus news conference in February. His use of the group as a bipartisan locus of power has elicited criticism. Bill Clark/Getty Images
NJ-5: Taking On One Of The Left’s Favorite Villains
At the opposite end of the state, in New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District, conservative Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer faces a spirited, though underfunded, challenge from Arati Kreibich, a neuroscientist and Glen Rock town councilwoman.
Gottheimer, a co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus and member of the business-friendly New Democrat Coalition, unseated conservative Republican Rep. Scott Garrett in 2016 and won reelection the following cycle by almost three times his 2016 margin.
New Jersey’s 5th District is gerrymandered to favor Republicans, combining affluent, middle-of-the-road suburbs outside New York City with solidly Republican rural counties in the state’s northwest corner.
Given the district’s status as a recently recaptured swing seat, Gottheimer, a former Microsoft executive and speechwriter for President Bill Clinton, seemed to many observers like the most liberal representative the district is capable of electing.
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But in line with national trends since Trump’s election, the suburban portion of the district has grown steadily more progressive.
Many of the suburbanites who have gotten involved in anti-Trump resistance groups have been disappointed in Gottheimer’s relatively cooperative relationship with the president and his status as a ringleader of House Democrats’ moderate and conservative members. In particular, Gottheimer made a name for himself as a proponent of hawkish foreign policy and a defender of the Wall Street banks that employ some of his constituents. He refused to sign on to a resolution calling on Trump to seek congressional authorization before striking Iran.
Arati Kreibich, a neuroscientist and town councilwoman, is running to unseat Josh Gottheimer. He has a massive cash advantage. Arati Kreibich for Congress/Facebook
When he is not using his perch on the Financial Services Committee to lavish praise on the country’s most powerful financial executives, he’s appealing to the Federal Reserve to allow more predatory lenders into one of the central bank’s emergency bailout programs. (This cycle alone, Gottheimer raised more than $875,000 from the securities and investment industry, making him the largest recipient of financial sector cash in the House.)
These are not mere stances for Gottheimer. He organized the Problem Solvers Caucus as a bloc capable of exercising veto power over legislation that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) wanted to advance. In June 2019, Gottheimer used that power to prevent the House from passing its own border funding bill with tougher humanitarian conditions on enforcement funding aimed at managing a sudden influx of asylum seekers.
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Kreibich, who immigrated to the U.S. from India as a child, has run as a staunch, pro-Medicare for All progressive of the kind normally found in more urban seats. But she told HuffPost when she announced her candidacy in July 2019 that it was Gottheimer’s derailment of House efforts to safeguard the well-being of undocumented immigrants, particularly children, that inspired her run. “Not only did he not stand up for the children in cages, for the humanitarian crisis that’s happening at the border ― he actively worked against the party on this,” she said.
Kreibich has hit Gottheimer from all angles, blasting him in videos for supporting a constitutional balanced budget amendment that would effectively force Social Security to spend down its surplus to cover gaps in the rest of the federal budget and for governing as “Trump’s favorite Democrat.” Kreibich even created an attack website alleging that Gottheimer would be more at home in the GOP.
“Progressives have a chance to replace Donald Trump’s favorite Democrat with a progressive woman of color who is a scientist during a pandemic.” - Sue Altman, New Jersey Working Families Alliance
Kreibich has been picking up momentum in recent weeks, winning the endorsements of Pressley, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and the Sunrise Movement. They join the New Jersey Working Families Alliance and Indivisible as influential backers of her bid.
But Kreibich’s campaign has stopped short of generating quite the level of national attention inspired by Jamaal Bowman in New York’s 16th Congressional District. Though Pressley has endorsed Kreibich, Ocasio-Cortez has tellingly stayed out of the race. (Justice Democrats, which recruited Bowman, limits its support for primary challenges to solid blue districts where it cannot be accused of jeopardizing Democratic control in the general election.)
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And it’s unclear whether Kreibich has the resources to compete with Gottheimer, particularly on TV. As of mid-June, Gottheimer had spent more than $850,000 and still had $8.5 million in cash on hand, while Kreibich had spent more than $320,000 and had just shy of $145,000 left over. Kreibich’s campaign decided not to spend on TV, but a super PAC created by Indivisible has spent more than $126,000 on TV ads supporting her.
Still, an upset win against Gottheimer would demonstrate the left’s influence far outside of its traditional strongholds and shift the balance of power in the House Democratic Caucus in a significantly more progressive direction.
“Progressives have a chance to replace Donald Trump’s favorite Democrat with a progressive woman of color who is a scientist during a pandemic … in a state that’s trending blue,” Altman said.
Rep. Albio Sires (D-N.J.) has represented northeast New Jersey in Congress since 2006. He faces a primary challenge from progressive attorney Hector Oseguera. Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/Getty Images
NJ-8: A New Generation Challenges The Old Guard
It is hard to get worked up one way or another about Rep. Albio Sires, who has represented racially diverse and working-class urban parts of northeast New Jersey since 2006. Sires, a mainstream Democrat, is not a member of any ideological caucus, choosing not to challenge party leadership either from the right or the left.
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But Sires, an immigrant from Cuba and former mayor of West New York, is part of a local political machine that local progressives believe has stymied bolder policy changes, as well as the growth of younger leadership more in line with the district’s changing demographic makeup. New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District, which includes the historically heavily Cuban American hub of Union City, is increasingly populated by immigrants from Caribbean and Central American countries.
Hector Oseguera, an attorney and anti-money laundering specialist descended from the latter group of immigrants, is challenging Sires. Oseguera, who volunteered for Sanders in 2016 and Ocasio-Cortez in 2018, is running as a progressive populist committed to eradicating “the injustices imposed by an economy rigged against working-class people.” Unlike Sires, Oseguera would fit in more with the “Squad,” the nickname for the group of outspoken progressive freshman lawmakers that includes Ocasio-Cortez and Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).
Attorney Hector Oseguera represents a new generation of Latino leaders in northeast New Jersey. He is running on an ambitious progressive platform. Hector Oseguera/Facebook
Oseguera is also part of a slate of progressive local candidates running against a particularly entrenched corner of New Jersey’s famously clannish machine politics. Through a combination of energetic organizing and a bit of luck, Oseguera’s slate will occupy the coveted Column A spot on the ballot in Hudson and Union counties, where most of the district’s residents live, The Intercept reported in May. Many voters instinctively vote Column A, since it is normally real estate reserved for machine candidates.
Oseguera’s odds of victory appear slim. The Intercept’s look at the race is one of the rare bits of national coverage of the primary in New Jersey’s 8th District. And Sires, himself not a prodigious fundraiser, has outspent the challenger by a 10-to-1 margin.
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In late June, though, Oseguera picked up the influential endorsement of the New Jersey Working Families Alliance. (In addition to Kennedy, Kreibich and Oseguera, the group is backing the reelection of Democratic Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman in New Jersey’s 12th District.)


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--Former FDA Chief: U.S. Is 'Right Back Where We Were' On Coronavirus

Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said the nation is “ right back where we were ” when the first peak in coronavirus infections occurred earlier this year and noted concerning distinctions about the new surge .
“ We ’ re right back where we were at the peak of the epidemic during the New York outbreak , ” Gottlieb said on CBS ’ “ Face the Nation.
” “ The difference now is that we really had one epicenter of spread when New York was going through its hardship .
Now we really have four major epicenters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Texas , cities in Florida and Arizona .
And Florida looks to be in the worst shape , and Georgia is heating up as well , and that ’ s concerning.
” His remarks come as many states reported record spikes in cases and hospitalizations , and some reversed reopening plans .
On Saturday , Florida recorded 11,458 new cases , surpassing the New York epicenter ’ s previous one-day high of 11,434 , recorded in mid-April .
Over the past week , 21 states set new all-time case records , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , South Carolina , Arizona , Nevada and California have reported record numbers of current coronavirus-related hospitalizations , the Washington Post reported .
Despite the troubling spikes , President Donald Trump has downplayed the situation , saying the virus will “ just disappear ” and blaming the increases on improved testing .
He has also fixated on the falling mortality rate , claiming falsely at a Fourth of July event that 99 % of coronavirus cases in the U.S. “ are totally harmless.
” “ The number of deaths has gone down because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a period of time and more of the new infections right now are in younger people , and we ’ re protecting more vulnerable populations like people in nursing homes , ” Gottlieb explained .
“ But the total number of deaths is going to start going up again as the number of hospitalizations starts to spike again.
” Even as the mortality rate declines due to advances in care and less vulnerable populations being infected , the fast-climbing number of infections will have grim repercussions , he said .
“ So if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if we make this half less lethal than it was , but we double the number of infections , we ’ re going to get more deaths .
And I think we ’ re going to start to see that , ” he said .
“ Medically , we are improving .
But we just have so much infection around this country , we ’ re going to see , unfortunately , a lot of lethality .
”

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Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said the nation is “right back where we were” when the first peak in coronavirus infections occurred earlier this year and noted concerning distinctions about the new surge.
“We’re right back where we were at the peak of the epidemic during the New York outbreak,” Gottlieb said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “The difference now is that we really had one epicenter of spread when New York was going through its hardship. Now we really have four major epicenters of spread: Los Angeles, cities in Texas, cities in Florida and Arizona. And Florida looks to be in the worst shape, and Georgia is heating up as well, and that’s concerning.”
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His remarks come as many states reported record spikes in cases and hospitalizations, and some reversed reopening plans. On Saturday, Florida recorded 11,458 new cases, surpassing the New York epicenter’s previous one-day high of 11,434, recorded in mid-April. Over the past week, 21 states set new all-time case records, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
Texas, South Carolina, Arizona, Nevada and California have reported record numbers of current coronavirus-related hospitalizations, the Washington Post reported. Despite the troubling spikes, President Donald Trump has downplayed the situation, saying the virus will “just disappear” and blaming the increases on improved testing. He has also fixated on the falling mortality rate, claiming falsely at a Fourth of July event that 99% of coronavirus cases in the U.S. “are totally harmless.”
GRIM WARNING: “The total number of deaths is going to start going up again,” @ScottGottliebMD tells @margbrennan as #COVID19 epidemics in places such as Florida and Arizona worsen and more Americans are hospitalized pic.twitter.com/lAR6CDu2Zx — Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) July 5, 2020
“The number of deaths has gone down because the number of infections went down for a period of time and more of the new infections right now are in younger people, and we’re protecting more vulnerable populations like people in nursing homes,” Gottlieb explained.
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“But the total number of deaths is going to start going up again as the number of hospitalizations starts to spike again.”
Even as the mortality rate declines due to advances in care and less vulnerable populations being infected, the fast-climbing number of infections will have grim repercussions, he said.
“So if we cut the death rate in half, if we make this half less lethal than it was, but we double the number of infections, we’re going to get more deaths. And I think we’re going to start to see that,” he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--How Utility Companies Use Charitable Giving To Influence Policy

Paul Sancya/ASSOCIATED PRESS DTE Energy is headquartered in Detroit , where city leaders who have received funds from the utility have criticized renewable energy in op-eds , questioned articles critical of the company and echoed industry talking points on social media .
In New Orleans , Entergy gave more than $ 54 million to six nonprofits and a university whose leaders spoke in favor of the company ’ s plans for a natural gas plant in an African American neighborhood .
After Entergy gave more than $ 300,000 to the Council on Aging , the nonprofit ’ s executive director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council he supported Entergy ’ s plans because gas “ does not have any kind of additional effects ” on the environment .
In Ohio , as regulators considered a Duke Energy proposal to hike residential rates by 24 % in 2013 , the utility gave $ 762,000 to five Cincinnati area organizations that spoke in favor of the proposal .
Among the recipients was the Fairfield City School District .
Its superintendent then praised Duke for providing “ superior ” service and asked regulators to “ please consider the importance of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Duke Energy in order to maintain its excellent service to its customers.
” “ It would be different if there were community folks coming out of the woodwork in support of DTE , but all the people who spoke for [ the company ] were in some way financially connected to it , and that seems to be way too convenient of a coincidence .
”

DTE Energy is headquartered in Detroit, where city leaders who have received funds from the utility have criticized renewable energy in op-eds, questioned articles critical of the company and echoed industry talking points on social media. Paul Sancya/ASSOCIATED PRESS
In June 2019, evangelical pastor Diedric Tupper passionately applauded a 15-year energy delivery plan from DTE Energy, Michigan’s largest utility, at a public meeting state regulators had convened.
Tupper’s short, dramatic speech was filled with utility industry talking points — renewable energy isn’t reliable or affordable for low-income residents, he claimed, and the plan’s focus on natural gas would ensure his largely Black congregation in western Michigan could keep the lights on.
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“We don’t always see the light of the sun, nor do we always enjoy the coolness of wind, so there needs to be a diversity of energy in order for it to be reliable,” he said, asking the regulators to approve DTE’s plan.
Tupper’s plea shocked some of the approximately 200 Detroiters in attendance, who see DTE as a corporate villain whose poor service and high rates hit Michigan’s low-income residents the hardest ― including those Tupper claimed to represent.
But Tupper omitted relevant information: His church had received $30,000 from DTE. Similarly, six Detroit-area leaders who also praised DTE at the meeting failed to disclose that their organizations had collectively received nearly $550,000 from the company’s charitable foundation in recent years. They largely represent nonprofits or churches in low-income communities of color.
Similar relationships are common throughout the industry. A December investigation from the utility watchdog Energy and Policy Institute found utilities appear to give money to minority community leaders in exchange for political action.
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The nation’s 10 largest utilities — including Duke, Dominion and Pacific Gas & Electric — spent about $1 billion on charitable giving from 2013 to 2017, partly “to manipulate politics, policies and regulation in ways designed to increase shareholder profits, often at the expense of low-income communities,” EPI wrote.
In many cases, the community leaders who benefited from those donations testified to government regulators and legislators in opposition to renewables, or in support of unpopular proposals like rate hikes. Nonprofits initially apply for grants, and in some cases utilities have stopped funding groups that oppose their agenda.
The utilities’ goal is to create the illusion of grassroots support for their agenda, especially in minority communities, said Al Weinrub, coordinator for California’s Local Clean Energy Alliance, which promotes renewable energy initiatives in the state.
He called the strategy a “pay for service arrangement.”
“The utilities say ‘We’re going to give you all these benefits and make charitable donations to your organizations, and all you guys have to do is say something good about us when we’re under fire,’” Weinrub said.
“I Call It A ‘Script”’
Aggressive public relations campaigns often supplement the policy advocacy. Detroit leaders who have received DTE funding have criticized renewable energy in op-eds, questioned stories that challenge the company and pushed industry talking points on social media. The industry has also been repeatedly caught ghostwriting op-eds and comments to regulators.
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That’s partly designed to counter criticism over DTE’s service. A DTE coal plant at the edge of southwest Detroit, a majority-Latino neighborhood, has for decades poisoned the area’s air while its toxic coal ash ponds are a source of pollution around the state. Throughout Detroit, utility poles lean and wires dangerously dangle or criss-cross through tree branches, a result of the utility failing to maintain its infrastructure while making billions in payouts annually to investors in recent decades.
The grid is in such a state of disrepair that customers in low-income areas regularly go without power for days or weeks when a storm blows through the region.
DTE is now dramatically increasing rates in an attempt to fund repairs to its decaying system, and many residents of the nation’s poorest big city struggle to keep up with the utility’s spiking rates. From 2015 to 2019, DTE hit customers with an additional $775 million in charges, representing the second-largest hike in the nation during that period.
In that context, the community leaders’ support for the company felt especially “pessimistic and cynical,” said Justin Onwenu, a Detroit resident and environmental justice organizer for the Sierra Club who attended the June 2019 meeting.
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“Everyone kind of gasped when they started talking about the sun not shining and wind not blowing,” he said. “From my perspective, you could see they were reading from a very detailed, prepared speech — I call it a ‘script.’”
In a statement to HuffPost, DTE said the company and its foundation are “proud of our efforts to build better neighborhoods.”
“The charities and local leaders we collaborate with provide vital services and support to members in their communities,” DTE spokesperson Peter Ternes said. Tupper didn’t respond to a request for comment.
“It’s A Strategy Of Divide And Conquer’’
EPI has documented similar activity around the country.
In New Orleans, Entergy gave more than $54 million to six nonprofits and a university whose leaders spoke in favor of the company’s plans for a natural gas plant in an African American neighborhood. After Entergy gave more than $300,000 to the Council on Aging, the nonprofit’s executive director, Howard Rodgers, told the City Council he supported Entergy’s plans because gas “does not have any kind of additional effects” on the environment.
The New Orleans City Council approved the deal, 6-1, and it was later revealed that Councilmember Cyndi Ngyuen’s nonprofit had received $6,000 from Entergy.
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Entergy in New Orleans gave more than $54 million to six nonprofits and a university whose leaders spoke in favor of its plan for a natural gas plant in a Black neighborhood. ASSOCIATED PRESS
In Ohio, as regulators considered a Duke Energy proposal to hike residential rates by 24% in 2013, the utility gave $762,000 to five Cincinnati area organizations that spoke in favor of the proposal. Among the recipients was the Fairfield City School District. Its superintendent then praised Duke for providing “superior” service and asked regulators to “please consider the importance of the investments made and to be made by Duke Energy in order to maintain its excellent service to its customers.”
In fact, the strategy is straight out of an industry playbook. In a “tactical guide” for beating municipalization efforts that the Edison Electric Institute put together, utilities are urged to cultivate support in the community through charitable giving and tout that support in front of regulators and in marketing material, including through opinion articles.
“It may not be appropriate to ask a particular organization to actively support your position, but each organization is made up of individuals who may become active on your behalf,” the manual says.
However, the industry is now clearly asking individuals and organizations to support its agenda — a strategy that ultimately amounts to “exploitation” of communities in need, said Johanna Bozuwa, co-manager of the Democracy Collaborative, a group that tracks utility’s charitable giving.
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“It’s a strategy of divide and conquer,” she said. “They’re taking people that have shared struggles and pitting them against each other, and that’s something we see in communities most affected by utility infrastructure.”
Edison Electric Institute spokesperson Brian Reil said the industry sees the strategy in a different light.
“America’s investor-owned electric companies are proud of their long history of making charitable contributions to organizations in the communities where their customers and their employees live and of engaging with members of their communities on important policy issues,” he said.
Why Utilities Give
The utilities are employing the deceptive tactic at a crucial point for the industry. Renewable programs, like rooftop solar incentives, decentralize energy, which makes delivery and production cheaper while reducing demand for utilities’ services.
Faced with an existential threat, behemoth utilities that operate on an increasingly outdated model desperately need to show regulators that there’s opposition to renewables. If that doesn’t exist, then utilities seem willing to pay to create it. From 2013 to 2017, DTE’s charitable foundation’s giving increased from $10 million annually to $15 million annually.
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“A lot of utilities are spiraling, so they’re using any lever that they have to ensure that they hold on and hold power over communities,” Bozuwa said.
That’s what Weinrub sees unfolding in Northern California, where beleaguered PG&E assembled an industry-funded “alliance” of nonprofits to oppose the Community Choice program, a public authority that sells power for lower rates than what PG&E offers. The utility regularly trots out nonprofit leaders from its alliance to oppose Community Choice, Weinrub says.
“It’s really dirty politics, and they’re pulling this out around issues that have to do with climate change and the transition to renewables so they can protect corporate interest and assets,” Weinrub said.
The utilities likely target minority nonprofits and low-income communities because those areas bear the brunt of utilities’ plans, EPI’s Kasper said. New gas plants aren’t built in wealthy white neighborhoods, and rate hikes hurt low-income residents the most.
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“The utilities know that if they want their plans to go through, then they may need voices from those areas to speak on their behalf,” Kasper said.
Nonprofits and pastors serving marginalized communities are also often in dire need of money and can be susceptible to exploitation, said Jessica Guadalupe-Tolvar, a Local Clean Energy organizer in California.
“But, at the same time, that’s pacifying the community’s ability to speak out when there’s an incident like an explosion,” she said. “At the same time, [nonprofits] are signing away their ability to advocate against a corporation that’s giving them money.”
Utilities also seem to view Black communities as a critical bloc for support for public policy, said Jacqui Patterson, director of the NAACP’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program. In 2012, she watched as DTE poured money into Black communities around Detroit as part of a successful campaign to defeat a ballot proposal that would’ve required 25% of the state’s energy to come from renewable sources by 2025.
“I think at the end of the day, the companies see [Black customers] as influencers,” she said.
Patterson added that she doesn’t believe those taking money are corrupt. The message utilities deliver to minority leaders — clean energy benefits the wealthy while burdening the poor — sounds reasonable.
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“They’re good at being able to explain things using an equity lens, so it’s not that they’re just straight-up buying people off and people are allowing themselves to be used — it’s a lot more sophisticated than that,” she said.
“It’s No Secret”
It’s unclear whether regulators see through the ploy. EPI highlighted comments from a Tennessee utility regulator who recently praised an unnamed company for giving money to “inner city” charities to placate opposition to the utility’s plans.
Florida’s top consumer advocate, J.R. Kelly, labeled nonprofit executives who advocate for private utilities “shills.”
“They show up because Florida Power and Light gives them money,” Kelly told the Palm Beach Post. “It’s no secret.”
In Michigan, Matt Helms, a spokesperson for the Michigan Public Services Commission, said it “has not researched funding of any individuals or organizations participating in the [June DTE] public meeting.” However, it was made aware of the financial ties after the meeting.
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Helms noted that the MPSC sent DTE “back to the drawing board,” partly because of the plan’s lack of emphasis on renewables.
Onwenu said it should be clear to everyone involved what’s going on.
“It would be different if there were community folks coming out of the woodwork in support of DTE, but all the people who spoke for [the company] were in some way financially connected to it, and that seems to be way too convenient of a coincidence.”