thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-29--U.S. Officially Surpasses 150,000 Coronavirus Deaths

At least 150,000 people in the United States have now died of the coronavirus , according to Johns Hopkins University .
The grim milestone comes months after President Donald Trump claimed Democrats were starting a false panic over COVID-19 and predicted that the number of cases in the U.S. would “ go down close to zero ” within days .
In reality , every state in the nation remains gripped by the pandemic in one way or another .
Widespread deaths and hospitalizations , as well as waves of forced economic shutdowns to curb the spread of the virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , by the numbers , has waged the world ’ s worst fight against coronavirus .
Trump , who in February said he believed the virus would “ miraculously ” go away by April , has tried desperately to turn Americans ’ attention from the virus , reportedly out of concern for his own political prospects .
In recent weeks , he has focused on amplifying far-right , white nationalist grievances , including voicing his disapproval over housing desegregation measures and the removal of monuments and symbols honoring the Confederacy .
In response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injustice , his administration has also deployed a squad of unidentified federal officials to violently quell protests .
Unfortunately for Trump , earlier efforts to distract from the virus have failed , and evidence suggests that is still the case .
Just 38 % of the public approves of Trump ’ s handling of the pandemic , according to a HuffPost/YouGov poll released last week .
President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference earlier this month about his administration 's response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
He said in February that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' disappear by April .
However , it has killed more than 150,000 Americans .
In March , he bemoaned letting passengers on a cruise ship disembark in California because he didn ’ t want to add to the total number of reported cases in the U.S .
Some Americans on board were infected with the virus .
As the numbers of coronavirus-related infections , hospitalizations and deaths across the country have risen , the president has complained about how much testing has been done in the U.S. “ When you test , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test , you find something is wrong with people , ” Trump said in May during a tour of a medical supply distribution plant in Allentown , Pennsylvania .
“ If we didn ’ t do any testing , we would have very few cases.
” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego , for example , said the Federal Emergency Management Agency told her it was “ moving away ” from helping states administer tests , even as her city had the highest number of new cases per capita in the United States .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could come and do community-based testing here , ” Gallego said July 5 .
“ We were told they ’ re moving away from that , which feels like they ’ re declaring victory while we ’ re still in crisis mode.
” In Arizona and Texas — states that have seen coronavirus cases skyrocket over the last few weeks — many people reported running out of gas as they spent hours at drive-through testing sites .
A test site spokesperson in Florida said in early July that the state was “ asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure the air conditioning is working and make sure your windows can fully open and close because if not , they can ’ t perform a test on you.
” Many labs responsible for processing tests have been overwhelmed by the number of requests , and the inability to provide results quickly has made containing the virus nearly impossible in many areas .
And when asked whether he was afraid to discuss testing with the president , Giroir said , “ Nobody in the task force is afraid to bring up anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

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At least 150,000 people in the United States have now died of the coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University. The grim milestone comes months after President Donald Trump claimed Democrats were starting a false panic over COVID-19 and predicted that the number of cases in the U.S. would “go down close to zero” within days.
In reality, every state in the nation remains gripped by the pandemic in one way or another. Widespread deaths and hospitalizations, as well as waves of forced economic shutdowns to curb the spread of the virus, are the markings of a nation that, by the numbers, has waged the world’s worst fight against coronavirus.
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Trump, who in February said he believed the virus would “miraculously” go away by April, has tried desperately to turn Americans’ attention from the virus, reportedly out of concern for his own political prospects. In recent weeks, he has focused on amplifying far-right, white nationalist grievances, including voicing his disapproval over housing desegregation measures and the removal of monuments and symbols honoring the Confederacy. In response to demonstrations against police brutality and racial injustice, his administration has also deployed a squad of unidentified federal officials to violently quell protests.
Unfortunately for Trump, earlier efforts to distract from the virus have failed, and evidence suggests that is still the case. Just 38% of the public approves of Trump’s handling of the pandemic, according to a HuffPost/YouGov poll released last week.
President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference earlier this month about his administration's response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. He said in February that he believed the virus would "miraculously" disappear by April. However, it has killed more than 150,000 Americans. Drew Angerer/Getty Images
From the beginning, Trump has dismissed the threat of the virus and complained that it made him look bad.
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In March, he bemoaned letting passengers on a cruise ship disembark in California because he didn’t want to add to the total number of reported cases in the U.S. Some Americans on board were infected with the virus.
“I don’t need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasn’t our fault,” Trump said at the time.
As the numbers of coronavirus-related infections, hospitalizations and deaths across the country have risen, the president has complained about how much testing has been done in the U.S.
“When you test, you have a case. When you test, you find something is wrong with people,” Trump said in May during a tour of a medical supply distribution plant in Allentown, Pennsylvania. “If we didn’t do any testing, we would have very few cases.”
During a rally the following month, he said he’d asked officials in his administration to “slow the testing down.”
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Several states reported struggling to administer tests, and some said they’d received little to no help from the federal government.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, for example, said the Federal Emergency Management Agency told her it was “moving away” from helping states administer tests, even as her city had the highest number of new cases per capita in the United States.
“We’ve asked FEMA if they could come and do community-based testing here,” Gallego said July 5. “We were told they’re moving away from that, which feels like they’re declaring victory while we’re still in crisis mode.”
Yet the U.S. continues to struggle during the pandemic largely due to its inability to conduct widespread testing quickly and efficiently.
In Arizona and Texas — states that have seen coronavirus cases skyrocket over the last few weeks — many people reported running out of gas as they spent hours at drive-through testing sites. A test site spokesperson in Florida said in early July that the state was “asking people to have plenty of gas and make sure the air conditioning is working and make sure your windows can fully open and close because if not, they can’t perform a test on you.”
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Many labs responsible for processing tests have been overwhelmed by the number of requests, and the inability to provide results quickly has made containing the virus nearly impossible in many areas.
Still, officials continue to spin the Trump administration’s response as a success.
Adm. Brett Giroir, a Department of Health and Human Services official in charge of the administration’s testing protocol, claimed Sunday there was sufficient support for laboratories in need.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-29--Fauci: Hydroxychloroquine 'Is Not Effective' In Treating COVID-19

Dr. Anthony Fauci has again stressed the determinations by health officials that hydroxychloroquine is ineffective in combatting the coronavirus after President Donald Trump continued to baselessly endorse its use this week .
“ Hydroxychloroquine is not effective in the treatment of coronavirus disease or COVID-19 , ” Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , said on MSNBC on Wednesday .
He cited the results of numerous clinical trials that he said have “ consistently ” shown this .
“ If a study that ’ s a good study comes out and shows efficacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug that we do , if you do it in the right way , you accept the scientific data , ” said Fauci , a key member of Trump ’ s Coronavirus Task Force .
“ But right now today , the cumulative scientific data that has been put together , and done over a number of different studies , has shown no efficacy.
” Dr. Anthony Fauci on Wednesday reaffirmed that scientifically valid studies have found hydroxychloroquine is not effective in treating COVID-19 , even as President Donald Trump continues to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For months , Trump has repeatedly insisted that the anti-malaria drug is a safe and effective treatment for those infected by the coronavirus , despite the evidence showing otherwise .
For the most part , in making his case he has relied on anecdotes about hydroxychloroquine rather than the type of tests Fauci referred to .
“ I happen to believe in it , ” he said at a White House press briefing on Tuesday .
“ I would take it .
As you know , I took it for a 14-day period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m here .
I happen to think it works in the early stages.
” That endorsement followed Trump retweeting a video that called the drug “ a cure ” for the disease .
That video has since been removed from social media platforms after it was determined to contain misleading information .
Fauci , when asked about that video Wednesday , said the only recourse in fighting such misinformation “ is to be very , very clear in presenting the scientific data that essentially contradicts that .
”

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Dr. Anthony Fauci has again stressed the determinations by health officials that hydroxychloroquine is ineffective in combatting the coronavirus after President Donald Trump continued to baselessly endorse its use this week.
“Hydroxychloroquine is not effective in the treatment of coronavirus disease or COVID-19,” Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on MSNBC on Wednesday. He cited the results of numerous clinical trials that he said have “consistently” shown this.
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“If a study that’s a good study comes out and shows efficacy and safety for hydroxychloroquine or any other drug that we do, if you do it in the right way, you accept the scientific data,” said Fauci, a key member of Trump’s Coronavirus Task Force. “But right now today, the cumulative scientific data that has been put together, and done over a number of different studies, has shown no efficacy.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci on Wednesday reaffirmed that scientifically valid studies have found hydroxychloroquine is not effective in treating COVID-19, even as President Donald Trump continues to be the drug's most prominent cheerleader. ASSOCIATED PRESS
For months, Trump has repeatedly insisted that the anti-malaria drug is a safe and effective treatment for those infected by the coronavirus, despite the evidence showing otherwise. For the most part, in making his case he has relied on anecdotes about hydroxychloroquine rather than the type of tests Fauci referred to.
“I happen to believe in it,” he said at a White House press briefing on Tuesday. “I would take it. As you know, I took it for a 14-day period. And as you know, I’m here. I happen to think it works in the early stages.”
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That endorsement followed Trump retweeting a video that called the drug “a cure” for the disease. That video has since been removed from social media platforms after it was determined to contain misleading information.
Fauci, when asked about that video Wednesday, said the only recourse in fighting such misinformation “is to be very, very clear in presenting the scientific data that essentially contradicts that.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-29--Colorado Restaurant That Reopened Amid Coronavirus Shutdown Closes For Good

Jesse and April Arellano — who operated C & C Breakfast and Kitchen in Castle Rock , Colorado , for more than six years — announced on Facebook Sunday that they opted not to renew the eatery ’ s lease .
“ After locking down our stores and following the guidance of our government , we expected to be back up and running after 2 weeks , ” the Arellanos wrote .
“ I am sad to say that we are having issues just like many other small businesses .
Not only are sales hurting because of all the restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ the toll on our family from all of this has been immense , ” the couple added that they “ hope one day to return to ” Castle Rock .
The restaurant ’ s sister location in Colorado Springs will remain open .
“ We want to weather the storm and last long enough to be able to return someday , better and stronger , ” they wrote .
“ We trust God , and we know that he opens doors and closes them.
” C & C Breakfast and Kitchen made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopened their restaurant ’ s doors for full dine-in service , defying their state ’ s public health orders that had been in place for weeks to curb the spread of coronavirus .
Viral photos and videos posted on social media on Mother ’ s Day May 10 showed the eatery ’ s interior packed with seated patrons and a line of customers awaiting coffee and take-out orders .
In many of the images , only one person could be seen wearing a mask .
“ I expected it to be busy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arellano told the Castle Rock News-Press at the time .
“ I ’ m so happy so many people came out to support the Constitution and stand up for what is right .
We did our time .
We did our two weeks .
We did more than two weeks , ... and we were failing .
We had to do something.
” Days later , Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis ( D ) ordered the restaurant closed for at least 30 days and had its business license suspended indefinitely as the crowding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I joined most Coloradans in our frustration watching videos of people illegally packed into restaurants and thinking about all the moms and grandmothers and aunts and everyone who was put at increased risk of dying from this horrible virus , ” he said .
As of Wednesday afternoon , there were more than 45,296 cases of coronavirus in Colorado and 1,807 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University .

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A Colorado restaurant that flouted state orders by reopening amid the COVID-19 shutdown has served its final customer.
Jesse and April Arellano — who operated C&C Breakfast and Kitchen in Castle Rock, Colorado, for more than six years — announced on Facebook Sunday that they opted not to renew the eatery’s lease.
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The closure was effective immediately, they said.
“After locking down our stores and following the guidance of our government, we expected to be back up and running after 2 weeks,” the Arellanos wrote. “I am sad to say that we are having issues just like many other small businesses. Not only are sales hurting because of all the restrictions, but staffing too.”
Noting that “the toll on our family from all of this has been immense,” the couple added that they “hope one day to return to” Castle Rock. The restaurant’s sister location in Colorado Springs will remain open.
In a similarly worded Facebook post Tuesday, the Arellanos reiterated their hope to reopen the restaurant one day.
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“We want to weather the storm and last long enough to be able to return someday, better and stronger,” they wrote. “We trust God, and we know that he opens doors and closes them.”
C&C Breakfast and Kitchen made national headlines in May when the Arellanos reopened their restaurant’s doors for full dine-in service, defying their state’s public health orders that had been in place for weeks to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Viral photos and videos posted on social media on Mother’s Day May 10 showed the eatery’s interior packed with seated patrons and a line of customers awaiting coffee and take-out orders.
In many of the images, only one person could be seen wearing a mask.
Happy Mother’s Day from C& C in Castle Rock, where the owner said this is almost double a normal Mother’s Day. pic.twitter.com/cPSzjmAfAg — Nick Puckett (@nick__puckett) May 10, 2020
“I expected it to be busy. I never expected this,” April Arellano told the Castle Rock News-Press at the time. “I’m so happy so many people came out to support the Constitution and stand up for what is right. We did our time. We did our two weeks. We did more than two weeks, ... and we were failing. We had to do something.”
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Days later, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) ordered the restaurant closed for at least 30 days and had its business license suspended indefinitely as the crowding caused “an imminent health hazard.”
“I joined most Coloradans in our frustration watching videos of people illegally packed into restaurants and thinking about all the moms and grandmothers and aunts and everyone who was put at increased risk of dying from this horrible virus,” he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-29--White House Adviser Keeps Pushing Unfounded Claims About Hydroxychloroquine

White House economic adviser Peter Navarro on Wednesday doubled down on the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine , which President Donald Trump and his allies continue to falsely tout as a COVID-19 treatment , despite scant concrete evidence of its efficacy .
“ I stand by it .
I ’ m sitting on millions of doses of it , ” he said in a combative interview on CNN .
When host John Berman repeatedly pointed to several limitations of recent studies of the drug ’ s use on COVID-19 patients , Navarro falsely claimed the media is “ wanting to knock this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media , as soon as Donald Trump said this stuff is good , politicized it , ” Navarro said .
There is no clear evidence that the anti-malarial drug is effective as a COVID-19 treatment .
Public health experts , including infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci , leading the U.S. response to the COVID-19 crisis , have warned against promoting it because of the lack of widespread scientific consensus on the drug ’ s use as a COVID-19 treatment .
Yet Trump and his administration continue to claim otherwise , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 press conference Tuesday , he again promoted the drug by citing a conspiracy theorist who falsely claimed it could “ cure ” COVID-19 .
On Wednesday , Navarro continued to attempt to discredit Fauci , which he previously did in an op-ed by cherry-picking statements from Fauci from earlier in the pandemic .
Navarro ended the interview by referencing “ the China virus.
” Trump and his allies have repeatedly used the racist phrase and others to refer to COVID-19 .
Throughout this year , Asian Americans have experienced a cascade of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
When Berman pointed out the surge in anti-Asian racism , Navarro replied : “ We love the Chinese people .
They are hardworking .
”

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White House economic adviser Peter Navarro on Wednesday doubled down on the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine, which President Donald Trump and his allies continue to falsely tout as a COVID-19 treatment, despite scant concrete evidence of its efficacy.
“I stand by it. I’m sitting on millions of doses of it,” he said in a combative interview on CNN. When host John Berman repeatedly pointed to several limitations of recent studies of the drug’s use on COVID-19 patients, Navarro falsely claimed the media is “wanting to knock this down.”
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“The problem is that the media, as soon as Donald Trump said this stuff is good, politicized it,” Navarro said.
.@JohnBerman and White House trade adviser Peter Navarro clash on hydroxychloroquine and President Trump's praise of a doctor who has said demons caused illness.https://t.co/IApcrCz7yp pic.twitter.com/0KE99PyoQG — New Day (@NewDay) July 29, 2020
There is no clear evidence that the anti-malarial drug is effective as a COVID-19 treatment. Public health experts, including infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, leading the U.S. response to the COVID-19 crisis, have warned against promoting it because of the lack of widespread scientific consensus on the drug’s use as a COVID-19 treatment.
Yet Trump and his administration continue to claim otherwise, including by retweeting discredited videos. At his COVID-19 press conference Tuesday, he again promoted the drug by citing a conspiracy theorist who falsely claimed it could “cure” COVID-19.
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On Wednesday, Navarro continued to attempt to discredit Fauci, which he previously did in an op-ed by cherry-picking statements from Fauci from earlier in the pandemic.
Navarro ended the interview by referencing “the China virus.” Trump and his allies have repeatedly used the racist phrase and others to refer to COVID-19. Throughout this year, Asian Americans have experienced a cascade of racist attacks and harassment related to the pandemic.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--Coronavirus Live Updates: U.S. Records More Than 150,000 COVID-19 Deaths

For the second day in a row , Florida has reported a record-breaking coronavirus death toll .
The state ’ s Department of Health said Wednesday that 216 people had died of the virus — marking the highest number of COVID-19 deaths to be recorded in Florida in a single day .
On Tuesday , health officials said 191 people had died of the virus overnight , which at the time had been the daily record .
More than 6,400 people have died in Florida of COVID-19 to date .
More than 150,000 people in the United States have now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johns Hopkins University .
The United States leads the world in both coronavirus deaths and total infections .
Months after President Donald Trump claimed Democrats were starting a false panic over COVID-19 , and predicted that the number of cases in the U.S. would “ go down close to zero , ” the pandemic continues to ravage Americans and stifle the U.S. economy .
Fauci : Hydroxychloroquine Is Not Effective In Treating COVID-19 — 7/29/20 , 1:45 p.m .
ET Dr. Anthony Fauci doubled down on health officials ’ determination that drugs like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after President Donald Trump continued to endorse its use this week .
“ Hydroxychloroquine is not effective in the treatment of coronavirus disease or COVID-19 , ” Fauci , a member of the president ’ s coronavirus task force , said Wednesday on MSNBC .
He cited the results of numerous clinical trials that he said were randomized and controlled .
Trump has repeatedly insisted that the anti-malaria drug is a safe treatment for the virus , despite evidence showing otherwise .
“ I happen to believe in it .
I would take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took it for a 14-day period .
And as you know , I ’ m here .
I happen to think it works in the early stages , ” Trump said Tuesday .
Federal Report Adds 3 More States To Coronavirus ‘ Red Zone ’ — 7/29/20 , 9:45 a.m .
ET A new report from the White House ’ s coronavirus task force lists 21 states in the “ red zone , ” which means in the past week they recorded more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 10 % , The New York Times reported Tuesday .
Meanwhile , President Donald Trump is undermining his own administration ’ s public health officials by urging more states to reopen .
The report , which was dated July 26 and sent to state officials , adds three states — Missouri , North Dakota and Wisconsin — to the “ red zone , ” according to the Times .
A similar report was released roughly two weeks earlier .
Most states fall into the “ yellow zone.
” That means they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100,000 people last week and a diagnostic testing positivity rate of 5 % to 10 % , or that they reported one of those conditions and one of the “ red zone ” qualifying conditions .
Vermont is the only state currently in the “ green zone , ” according to the report , which was obtained by the Times .
Policy recommendations outlined in the report for “ red zone ” areas include closing bars and gyms and limiting social gatherings to 10 people or fewer .
Individuals in affected areas should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the home , the report states .
Despite the warnings and recommendations put forth by his own administration , Trump has repeatedly downplayed the severity of the virus in the United States .
He falsely claimed during a White House briefing on Monday that much of the country is “ corona-free.
” Later that day , the president shared misinformation about the virus to his more than 80 million Twitter followers , including a video in which a group of fringe doctors claimed hydroxychloroquine cures COVID-19 and that people don ’ t need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s spread .
No legitimate medical organizations have recognized any “ cure ” for COVID-19 , and multiple clinical trials have shown hydroxychloroquine is not beneficial in treating the virus .
6 States In South , West Break Records For Coronavirus Deaths - 7/29/20 , 4:38 a.m .
ET More than 1,300 lives were lost in the U.S. on Tuesday to the coronavirus , making it the biggest one-day increase since May .
According to Reuters , Arkansas , California , Florida , Montana , Oregon and Texas each reported record spikes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this writing , nearly 150,000 Americans have lost their lives due to the pandemic .
Robert O ’ Brien , national security adviser to President Trump , has tested positive for COVID-19 , the White House confirmed Monday .
He is the highest-ranking official in the Trump administration known to have contracted the coronavirus .
“ He has mild symptoms and has been self-isolating and working from a secure location off site , ” the White House said in a statement .
“ There is no risk of exposure to the President or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the National Security Council continues.
” O ’ Brien came down with the virus after attending a family event , Bloomberg reported , citing a person familiar with the matter .
Earlier this month , he returned from a three-day trip to Paris , where he met with his counterparts from the U.K. , France , Germany and Italy , according to Politico .
Several people close to Trump , including his reelection campaign ’ s top fundraising official and Vice President Mike Pence ’ s press secretary , have tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Urges Several States To Close Bars , Limit Social Gatherings — 7/27/20 , 9 a.m .
ET Dr. Deborah Birx , the coronavirus response coordinator for the Trump administration , urged states with rising infections to impose new restrictions that include closing bars , reducing indoor restaurant capacity and limiting social gatherings to 10 people .
“ We can see what is happening in the South is moving north , ” Birx told reporters in Kentucky on Sunday , suggesting that new hot spots outside of Florida , Texas and other Southern states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she is specifically focused on controlling the pandemic “ before it gets worse ” in Kentucky , Tennessee , Ohio , Indiana and Virginia , and she recommended that “ 100 % ” of individuals in these states wear masks when they ’ re in public or around others .
Kentucky allowed bars to reopen on June 29 , but Gov .
Andy Beshear ( D ) said Sunday that he planned to announce new restrictions early this week amid a surge in new cases .
As of Monday , the state has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 718 deaths .
Meanwhile , Florida and California have surpassed New York , once the epicenter of the virus in the U.S. , in known infections .
World ’ s Biggest Vaccine Study Begins In U.S. — 7/27/20 , 8:05 a.m .
ET The biggest COVID-19 vaccine study to date is now underway in the United States .
Beginning Monday , the first 30,000 volunteers will help test shots created by the National Institutes of Health and biotechnology company Moderna , the Associated Press reported .
Researchers will inject volunteers with either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track which people contract the virus as they go about their lives .
The researchers will also track any potential negative side effects of the vaccine .
Several other vaccines made by China and Britain ’ s Oxford University are in the final stages of testing .
Read more from AP here .
Florida Records More Coronavirus Infections Than New York — 7/27/20 , 3 a.m .
ET According to figures released on Sunday , Florida has now recorded more coronavirus cases than New York , which was once the U.S. epicenter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Florida had reached a total of more than 423,00 cases , nearly 77,000 of which were reported in the last seven days .
That figure exceeds New York ’ s 416,000 , which has seen just under 5,000 cases in the last week .
California currently has the most cases of any state in the country .
Despite the official figures , it ’ s hard to know just how many people have been infected in epicenters of the pandemic as both New York and California had surges earlier this year when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times reported .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this month ’ s true figures may be more than 10 times higher than the reported figures in some areas .
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared a state of emergency on Saturday after the country for the first time acknowledged a suspected coronavirus case within its borders .
In response to the apparent case , Kim locked down the city of Kaesong , located near the country ’ s border with South Korea .
North Korea has previously denied having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside experts have questioned that claim , according to The Associated Press .
North Korea ’ s official Korean Central News Agency said the suspected virus patient had illegally entered the country last week after fleeing to South Korea three years ago .
The patient , anyone who had contact with them , and those who were in Kaesong recently have been placed under quarantine , according to KCNA .
During an emergency meeting of top North Korean officials , Kim was quoted as saying there was a “ critical situation in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have entered the country.
” Read more from the AP here .

— Nick Visser
Florida Reports Largest Single-Day Coronavirus Death Toll For 2nd Consecutive Day — 7/29/20, 7:05 p.m. ET
For the second day in a row, Florida has reported a record-breaking coronavirus death toll. The state’s Department of Health said Wednesday that 216 people had died of the virus — marking the highest number of COVID-19 deaths to be recorded in Florida in a single day.
On Tuesday, health officials said 191 people had died of the virus overnight, which at the time had been the daily record.
More than 6,400 people have died in Florida of COVID-19 to date.
— Dominique Mosbergen
U.S. Officially Passes 150,000 Coronavirus Deaths ― 7/29/20, 4:28 p.m. ET
More than 150,000 people in the United States have now died from the coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States leads the world in both coronavirus deaths and total infections.
Months after President Donald Trump claimed Democrats were starting a false panic over COVID-19, and predicted that the number of cases in the U.S. would “go down close to zero,” the pandemic continues to ravage Americans and stifle the U.S. economy.
― Ja’han Jones
Fauci: Hydroxychloroquine Is Not Effective In Treating COVID-19 — 7/29/20, 1:45 p.m. ET
Dr. Anthony Fauci doubled down on health officials’ determination that drugs like hydroxychloroquine are ineffective in combatting the coronavirus after President Donald Trump continued to endorse its use this week.
“Hydroxychloroquine is not effective in the treatment of coronavirus disease or COVID-19,” Fauci, a member of the president’s coronavirus task force, said Wednesday on MSNBC. He cited the results of numerous clinical trials that he said were randomized and controlled.
Trump has repeatedly insisted that the anti-malaria drug is a safe treatment for the virus, despite evidence showing otherwise.
“I happen to believe in it. I would take it. As you know, I took it for a 14-day period. And as you know, I’m here. I happen to think it works in the early stages,” Trump said Tuesday.
― Nina Golgowski
Federal Report Adds 3 More States To Coronavirus ‘Red Zone’ — 7/29/20, 9:45 a.m. ET
A new report from the White House’s coronavirus task force lists 21 states in the “red zone,” which means in the past week they recorded more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people as well as a diagnostic test positivity rate of at least 10%, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is undermining his own administration’s public health officials by urging more states to reopen.
The report, which was dated July 26 and sent to state officials, adds three states — Missouri, North Dakota and Wisconsin — to the “red zone,” according to the Times. A similar report was released roughly two weeks earlier.
Most states fall into the “yellow zone.” That means they have reported 10 to 100 new cases per 100,000 people last week and a diagnostic testing positivity rate of 5% to 10%, or that they reported one of those conditions and one of the “red zone” qualifying conditions.
Vermont is the only state currently in the “green zone,” according to the report, which was obtained by the Times.
Policy recommendations outlined in the report for “red zone” areas include closing bars and gyms and limiting social gatherings to 10 people or fewer. Individuals in affected areas should wear a mask at all times outside the home, the report states.
Despite the warnings and recommendations put forth by his own administration, Trump has repeatedly downplayed the severity of the virus in the United States.
He falsely claimed during a White House briefing on Monday that much of the country is “corona-free.” Later that day, the president shared misinformation about the virus to his more than 80 million Twitter followers, including a video in which a group of fringe doctors claimed hydroxychloroquine cures COVID-19 and that people don’t need to wear masks to prevent the virus’s spread.
No legitimate medical organizations have recognized any “cure” for COVID-19, and multiple clinical trials have shown hydroxychloroquine is not beneficial in treating the virus.
― Hayley Miller
6 States In South, West Break Records For Coronavirus Deaths - 7/29/20, 4:38 a.m. ET
More than 1,300 lives were lost in the U.S. on Tuesday to the coronavirus, making it the biggest one-day increase since May.
According to Reuters, Arkansas, California, Florida, Montana, Oregon and Texas each reported record spikes in fatalities.
At the time of this writing, nearly 150,000 Americans have lost their lives due to the pandemic.
―Jade Walker
Trump’s National Security Adviser Tests Positive — 7/27/20, 9:20 a.m. ET
Robert O’Brien, national security adviser to President Trump, has tested positive for COVID-19, the White House confirmed Monday. He is the highest-ranking official in the Trump administration known to have contracted the coronavirus.
“He has mild symptoms and has been self-isolating and working from a secure location off site,” the White House said in a statement. “There is no risk of exposure to the President or the Vice President. The work of the National Security Council continues.”
O’Brien came down with the virus after attending a family event, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the matter. Earlier this month, he returned from a three-day trip to Paris, where he met with his counterparts from the U.K., France, Germany and Italy, according to Politico.
Several people close to Trump, including his reelection campaign’s top fundraising official and Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary, have tested positive for the virus in recent months.
— Hayley Miller
Birx Urges Several States To Close Bars, Limit Social Gatherings — 7/27/20, 9 a.m. ET
Dr. Deborah Birx, the coronavirus response coordinator for the Trump administration, urged states with rising infections to impose new restrictions that include closing bars, reducing indoor restaurant capacity and limiting social gatherings to 10 people.
“We can see what is happening in the South is moving north,” Birx told reporters in Kentucky on Sunday, suggesting that new hot spots outside of Florida, Texas and other Southern states are beginning to emerge.
Birx said she is specifically focused on controlling the pandemic “before it gets worse” in Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana and Virginia, and she recommended that “100%” of individuals in these states wear masks when they’re in public or around others.
Kentucky allowed bars to reopen on June 29, but Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said Sunday that he planned to announce new restrictions early this week amid a surge in new cases. As of Monday, the state has recorded more than 27,000 cases and at least 718 deaths. Meanwhile, Florida and California have surpassed New York, once the epicenter of the virus in the U.S., in known infections.
— Hayley Miller
World’s Biggest Vaccine Study Begins In U.S. — 7/27/20, 8:05 a.m. ET
The biggest COVID-19 vaccine study to date is now underway in the United States.
Beginning Monday, the first 30,000 volunteers will help test shots created by the National Institutes of Health and biotechnology company Moderna, the Associated Press reported. Researchers will inject volunteers with either the experimental vaccine or a placebo and track which people contract the virus as they go about their lives. The researchers will also track any potential negative side effects of the vaccine.
Several other vaccines made by China and Britain’s Oxford University are in the final stages of testing.
Read more from AP here.
— Hayley Miller
Florida Records More Coronavirus Infections Than New York — 7/27/20, 3 a.m. ET
According to figures released on Sunday, Florida has now recorded more coronavirus cases than New York, which was once the U.S. epicenter of the outbreak.
Johns Hopkins University reported that Florida had reached a total of more than 423,00 cases, nearly 77,000 of which were reported in the last seven days. That figure exceeds New York’s 416,000, which has seen just under 5,000 cases in the last week.
California currently has the most cases of any state in the country.
Despite the official figures, it’s hard to know just how many people have been infected in epicenters of the pandemic as both New York and California had surges earlier this year when testing was limited, The New York Times reported. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this month’s true figures may be more than 10 times higher than the reported figures in some areas.
— Nick Visser
North Korea Declares Emergency Over Suspected Coronavirus Case — 7/26/20, 12:10 p.m. ET
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared a state of emergency on Saturday after the country for the first time acknowledged a suspected coronavirus case within its borders.
In response to the apparent case, Kim locked down the city of Kaesong, located near the country’s border with South Korea. North Korea has previously denied having any cases of the virus, though outside experts have questioned that claim, according to The Associated Press.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said the suspected virus patient had illegally entered the country last week after fleeing to South Korea three years ago. The patient, anyone who had contact with them, and those who were in Kaesong recently have been placed under quarantine, according to KCNA.
During an emergency meeting of top North Korean officials, Kim was quoted as saying there was a “critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country.”
Read more from the AP here.
— Hayley Miller


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-29--Trump Says Suburbs Won’t Be ‘Bothered’ By Low-Income Housing Anymore

The inflammatory tweets follow Trump ’ s Department of Housing and Urban Development announcing last week it was terminating the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing ( AFFH ) rule , a 2015 rule that required local governments to identify and address patterns of racial segregation outlawed under the Fair Housing Act of 1968 .
“ I am happy to inform all of the people living their Suburban Lifestyle Dream , ” Trump wrote Wednesday , “ that you will no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low income housing built in your neighborhood , ” then said in another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am happy to inform all of the people living their Suburban Lifestyle Dream that you will no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low income housing built in your neighborhood ... — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) July 29 , 2020 “ Housing justice and racial justice are inextricably linked , ” she noted in a statement last week when HUD announced it was reversing the AFFH rule .
“ The AFFH regulation was an important step to rectify decades of racist housing policies that created today ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harm to children , families and the country.
” The NLIHC is one of 14 fair housing and anti-racism groups that issued a joint statement condemning the Trump administration ’ s actions last week .
This is Trump ’ s latest attempt to make appeals to suburbanites , whom he ’ s falling out of favor with , polls indicate .
If those numbers hold on Election Day , it would mark the Republican Party ’ s worst defeat in the suburbs in decades , Politico noted .
Many suburban neighborhoods , notably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far more diverse than they were decades ago .
“ Your home will go down in value and crime rates will rapidly rise , ” he said on July 16 .
“ Joe Biden and his bosses from the radical left want to significantly multiply what they ’ re doing now and what will be the end result is you will totally destroy the beautiful suburbs .
Suburbia will be no longer as we know it.
” “ Democrats want to abolish the suburbs , they are too clean and nice , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Tucker Carlson said on his show on July 9 .
Trump ’ s move to end the AFFH rule , which sought to make fairly prices housing easier for everyone to access , comes amid financial uncertainty for millions of Americans as the U.S. plunges deeper into the COVID-19 pandemic .
Earlier this month , another 1.4 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits for the first time , marking the first increase in those numbers in 16 weeks .

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President Donald Trump promised on Twitter on Wednesday that an Obama-era rule intended to fight racial segregation would no longer “bother” suburban Americans.
The inflammatory tweets follow Trump’s Department of Housing and Urban Development announcing last week it was terminating the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule, a 2015 rule that required local governments to identify and address patterns of racial segregation outlawed under the Fair Housing Act of 1968.
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“I am happy to inform all of the people living their Suburban Lifestyle Dream,” Trump wrote Wednesday, “that you will no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low income housing built in your neighborhood,” then said in another tweet that crime would go down.
I am happy to inform all of the people living their Suburban Lifestyle Dream that you will no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low income housing built in your neighborhood... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2020
...Your housing prices will go up based on the market, and crime will go down. I have rescinded the Obama-Biden AFFH Rule. Enjoy! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2020
The racist undertones in Trump’s tweet were obvious to those working in the fair housing space.
“Vile, despicable, racist,” Diane Yentel, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), tweeted in response.
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“Housing justice and racial justice are inextricably linked,” she noted in a statement last week when HUD announced it was reversing the AFFH rule. “The AFFH regulation was an important step to rectify decades of racist housing policies that created today’s segregated neighborhoods and all its associated harm to children, families and the country.”
The NLIHC is one of 14 fair housing and anti-racism groups that issued a joint statement condemning the Trump administration’s actions last week.
This is Trump’s latest attempt to make appeals to suburbanites, whom he’s falling out of favor with, polls indicate. If those numbers hold on Election Day, it would mark the Republican Party’s worst defeat in the suburbs in decades, Politico noted. Many suburban neighborhoods, notably those in some battleground states, are far more diverse than they were decades ago.
During remarks at the White House earlier this month, Trump used talking points that mimicked decades-old arguments against integration.
“Your home will go down in value and crime rates will rapidly rise,” he said on July 16. “Joe Biden and his bosses from the radical left want to significantly multiply what they’re doing now and what will be the end result is you will totally destroy the beautiful suburbs. Suburbia will be no longer as we know it.”
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Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has made campaign commitments to spend $640 billion over 10 years to fight housing insecurity and discrimination.
Fox News has also fueled Trump’s arguments that Biden’s plans are an attack on suburbia.
“Democrats want to abolish the suburbs, they are too clean and nice, and therefore by definition they are racist,” Tucker Carlson said on his show on July 9.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-29--Republicans Salivate Over Possibility Joe Biden Might Pick Susan Rice For Vice President

Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , said Tuesday he ’ ll be making the long-anticipated announcement next week .
He has vowed to select a woman — someone , he said , who is “ simpatico with me , both in terms of personality as well as substance ” but who has “ strengths and capacities I don ’ t. ” Sen. Chris Murphy ( D-Conn. ) , a prominent progressive voice on foreign policy , said all the purported candidates on Biden ’ s shortlist , including Rice , would make a “ great ” vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facts get in the way of a good narrative , ” he said in defense of Rice .
It ’ s not clear how seriously one should take reports that Rice is being considered for the job .
Multiple candidates usually get floated to the press , and those who are seriously in the running often don ’ t talk about it .
Moreover , Rice has no experience in elected office , and her expertise in foreign policy overlaps an area in which Biden is already well versed .
But the recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tickled , nevertheless .
Many Republican lawmakers view her involvement in Obama-era controversies , such as the 2012 terrorist attacks on a U.S. consulate in Benghazi , Libya , as an opportunity to go after Biden ’ s eight-year record as vice president and his decades-long record on foreign policy in the Senate , including in Iraq and Afghanistan .
“ Susan Rice was the ‘ Typhoid Mary ’ of the Obama-era foreign policy , and Joe Biden and his Secretary of Defense Bob Gates have been wrong about every foreign policy decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Tom Cotton ( R-Ark . )
, who might be the biggest foreign policy hawk in the upper chamber , put it recently .
Gates was secretary of defense under George W. Bush and then Obama .
He earlier served as CIA director .
Rice ’ s handling of the aftermath of the Benghazi attacks is apparently a factor in her consideration as Biden ’ s running mate .
According to The New York Times , “ people close to Mr. Biden ... fear that choosing her would force the campaign to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in responding to the attacks .
As then-ambassador to the United Nations , Rice was criticized for delivering talking points she was given by the administration that blamed the attacks on an internet video .
Rice defended her role in responding to the consulate attacks on Wednesday , however , saying that the many congressional probes Republicans set up to look into the matter cleared her of wrongdoing .
“ Not one of them found that I had deliberately misled the American people , but I don ’ t doubt that the Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll attack whoever is Joe Biden ’ s choice to be his vice president .
But let ’ s be honest about what this is .
This is dishonest , and it ’ s a distraction , ” Rice said in an interview with ABC ’ s “ The View.
” Sen. Rand Paul ( R-Ky. ) , another critic of the Obama administration ’ s foreign policy , suggested another line of attack against Rice if she becomes Biden ’ s running mate : her role in “ unmasking ” identities of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 2016 campaign and transition team who were mentioned in foreign surveillance intelligence reports .
Some of those reports involved conversations with suspected Russian intelligence sources .
Paul suggested without evidence that Rice ’ s actions were political in nature ― namely that she was seeking to target and damage Trump before he took office .
Rice , however , says she was simply doing her job as the country ’ s national security adviser .
“ If I were vetting her , I would see how much involvement she had in political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday , questioning “ whether or not she abused her authority for unmasking.
” Rice has ratcheted up her attacks against Trump and his policies as chatter about her future has grown in recent days .
She has been particularly vocal about the president ’ s handling of intelligence indicating that Russian officials had paid bounties to Taliban-linked militants in exchange for the deaths of U.S. troops in Afghanistan .
The former national security adviser said Trump “ knew and has chosen not to act ” on the information .
Rice has also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media platform .
When the president said he was backing out of throwing the opening pitch at an upcoming Yankees baseball game , she tweeted a photo of herself throwing the first pitch at a Nationals game in 2013 .

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News that former national security adviser Susan Rice is apparently among a handful of women under consideration to be Joe Biden’s running mate has Republicans salivating — especially GOP foreign policy hawks in the Senate.
“It’d be a good move for Republicans,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Wednesday when asked about the possibility Biden settles on Rice as his vice presidential pick.
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“I don’t think she’ll wear well over time,” he chuckled of the former aide to President Barack Obama.
Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said Tuesday he’ll be making the long-anticipated announcement next week. He has vowed to select a woman — someone, he said, who is “simpatico with me, both in terms of personality as well as substance” but who has “strengths and capacities I don’t.”
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a prominent progressive voice on foreign policy, said all the purported candidates on Biden’s shortlist, including Rice, would make a “great” vice president. “Republicans have never let the facts get in the way of a good narrative,” he said in defense of Rice.
Sens. Kamala Harris of California, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois are also among those reportedly on Biden’s shortlist. Others floated for the job include Reps. Val Demings of Florida and Karen Bass of California.
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It’s not clear how seriously one should take reports that Rice is being considered for the job. Multiple candidates usually get floated to the press, and those who are seriously in the running often don’t talk about it. Moreover, Rice has no experience in elected office, and her expertise in foreign policy overlaps an area in which Biden is already well versed.
But the recent speculation surrounding Rice apparently has the GOP tickled, nevertheless. Many Republican lawmakers view her involvement in Obama-era controversies, such as the 2012 terrorist attacks on a U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, as an opportunity to go after Biden’s eight-year record as vice president and his decades-long record on foreign policy in the Senate, including in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Susan Rice was the ‘Typhoid Mary’ of the Obama-era foreign policy, and Joe Biden and his Secretary of Defense Bob Gates have been wrong about every foreign policy decision of the last 40 years,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who might be the biggest foreign policy hawk in the upper chamber, put it recently. Gates was secretary of defense under George W. Bush and then Obama. He earlier served as CIA director.
Asked about Rice as Biden’s possible veep on Wednesday, Cotton tilted his head back and laughed.
Rice’s handling of the aftermath of the Benghazi attacks is apparently a factor in her consideration as Biden’s running mate. According to The New York Times, “people close to Mr. Biden... fear that choosing her would force the campaign to spend precious days relitigating her role” in responding to the attacks. As then-ambassador to the United Nations, Rice was criticized for delivering talking points she was given by the administration that blamed the attacks on an internet video.
Rice defended her role in responding to the consulate attacks on Wednesday, however, saying that the many congressional probes Republicans set up to look into the matter cleared her of wrongdoing.
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“Not one of them found that I had deliberately misled the American people, but I don’t doubt that the Republicans will use this, and they’ll attack whoever is Joe Biden’s choice to be his vice president. But let’s be honest about what this is. This is dishonest, and it’s a distraction,” Rice said in an interview with ABC’s “The View.”
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), another critic of the Obama administration’s foreign policy, suggested another line of attack against Rice if she becomes Biden’s running mate: her role in “unmasking” identities of Americans connected with President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and transition team who were mentioned in foreign surveillance intelligence reports. Some of those reports involved conversations with suspected Russian intelligence sources.
Paul suggested without evidence that Rice’s actions were political in nature ― namely that she was seeking to target and damage Trump before he took office. Rice, however, says she was simply doing her job as the country’s national security adviser.
“If I were vetting her, I would see how much involvement she had in political purposes,” the Kentucky senator said Wednesday, questioning “whether or not she abused her authority for unmasking.”
Rice has ratcheted up her attacks against Trump and his policies as chatter about her future has grown in recent days. She has been particularly vocal about the president’s handling of intelligence indicating that Russian officials had paid bounties to Taliban-linked militants in exchange for the deaths of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The former national security adviser said Trump “knew and has chosen not to act” on the information.
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Trump confirmed to Axios on Tuesday that he had never brought the issue up with Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite speaking to him a half dozen times since the reports first surfaced.
Rice has also been active on Trump’s favorite social media platform. When the president said he was backing out of throwing the opening pitch at an upcoming Yankees baseball game, she tweeted a photo of herself throwing the first pitch at a Nationals game in 2013.
“What’s the matter, Mr. President? Can’t get it up and over the plate?” she wrote.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-29--Mike Pence Met With Group Behind Viral Coronavirus Misinformation Video

Vice President Mike Pence held a quiet meeting on Tuesday with a group called America ’ s Frontline Doctors to discuss the use of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as an unproven treatment for COVID-19 .
The meeting came as video of a Monday press conference held by the group was going mega-viral online , racking up tens of millions of views and leading to a widespread effort by social media companies to remove the video and penalize some people who shared it , including one of the president ’ s sons .
Pence ’ s office did not publicize the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but several members of the group tweeted Tuesday evening that the meeting had just occurred .
“ Just finished a great meeting with Vice President Mike Pence and his Chief of Staff , ” wrote James Todaro , a member of the group who trained as an ophthalmologist .
“ We are doing everything to restore the power of medicine back to doctors .
Doctors everywhere should be able to prescribe Hydroxychloroquine without repercussions or obstruction.
” Todaro , who also presents himself as a cryptocurrency entrepreneur , co-authored a widely circulated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hydroxychloroquine in March .
It claimed to be affiliated with Stanford Medical University and several other institutions , but HuffPost reported in March that wasn ’ t true .
Google removed the document for violating its terms of service , but not before it gained the attention of Fox News and other right-wing media outlets , which began promoting the document .
Trump advocated for the drug shortly after .
The Monday press conference by America ’ s Frontline Doctors , whose website went live only days ago and is now offline as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially harmful misinformation , including falsely claiming a “ cure ” for COVID-19 and telling people they don ’ t need masks .
Simone Gold , who founded the group , is a frequent guest on Fox News and has spoken at anti-lockdown rallies around the country .
Gold tweeted that she and other members had met with Pence to advocate for hydroxychloroquine and discuss “ censorship of doctors.
” ( Gold did not respond to a request for comment from HuffPost . )
Despite the lack of evidence for the medical claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of some of the group ’ s members , the White House appears to be lending it legitimacy by inviting the group to meet with Pence .
In addition to Pence meeting with the group this week , Trump also praised the video in a Tuesday press conference .
Hydroxychloroquine has become a fixture among right-wing media and anti-lockdown activists following Trump ’ s early promotion of the drug in March as a “ game changer.
” Although the drug is still being studied , several high-quality studies have shown that hydroxychloroquine provides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health have warned about use of the drug or abandoned trials due to unlikelihood of success , and the government ’ s own top infectious disease expert , Dr. Anthony Fauci , stated on Tuesday that evidence suggests it is not an effective treatment .
The America ’ s Frontline Doctors group heavily promoted the use of the drug at their event , which was organized by Tea Party Patriots , a wealthy Republican donor-backed nonprofit organization that has partnered with other right-wing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushing for the rapid reopening of the United States economy .
Many of those groups , including Tea Party Patriots itself , received substantial funding from the conservative megadonor Charles Koch and his late brother David .
Marc Short , Pence ’ s chief of staff who also attended the meeting , was a longtime president of Freedom Partners , which is the Koch political operation ’ s main fundraising vehicle .
There was no mention from the group ’ s social media if the Pence meeting included Dr. Stella Immanuel , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bizarre claims that extraterrestrial DNA is used in medical treatments , blamed satanic influence for a range of ills and warned that dream-world sex with demons can make you sick .
Immanuel claimed during the press conference to have cured hundreds of patients using hydroxychloroquine , but has provided no proof for her statements .
Trump , whose reelection chances have grown increasingly poor as the pandemic goes on and case numbers in the United States continue to grow , has returned to promoting hydroxychloroquine as a potential quick fix solution .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specifically described Immanuel as “ very impressive ” during his Tuesday press conference .
As Trump offered praise for the fringe group , coronavirus deaths in the United States surpassed 150,000 people on Wednesday , the largest death toll in the world and one of the highest rates per capita .
Several states reported record-high average deaths this week , as cases continued to surge .

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Vice President Mike Pence held a quiet meeting on Tuesday with a group called America’s Frontline Doctors to discuss the use of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as an unproven treatment for COVID-19. The meeting came as video of a Monday press conference held by the group was going mega-viral online, racking up tens of millions of views and leading to a widespread effort by social media companies to remove the video and penalize some people who shared it, including one of the president’s sons.
Pence’s office did not publicize the meeting nor respond to requests for comment, but several members of the group tweeted Tuesday evening that the meeting had just occurred. “Just finished a great meeting with Vice President Mike Pence and his Chief of Staff,” wrote James Todaro, a member of the group who trained as an ophthalmologist. “We are doing everything to restore the power of medicine back to doctors. Doctors everywhere should be able to prescribe Hydroxychloroquine without repercussions or obstruction.”
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Todaro, who also presents himself as a cryptocurrency entrepreneur, co-authored a widely circulated Google Docs file proclaiming the benefits of hydroxychloroquine in March. It claimed to be affiliated with Stanford Medical University and several other institutions, but HuffPost reported in March that wasn’t true. Google removed the document for violating its terms of service, but not before it gained the attention of Fox News and other right-wing media outlets, which began promoting the document. Trump advocated for the drug shortly after.
The Monday press conference by America’s Frontline Doctors, whose website went live only days ago and is now offline as of Wednesday, contained numerous pieces of potentially harmful misinformation, including falsely claiming a “cure” for COVID-19 and telling people they don’t need masks.
Vice President Mike Pence met with the group behind a viral video touting the use of hydroxychloroquine to "cure" COVID-19. Joe Raedle via Getty Images
Simone Gold, who founded the group, is a frequent guest on Fox News and has spoken at anti-lockdown rallies around the country. Gold tweeted that she and other members had met with Pence to advocate for hydroxychloroquine and discuss “censorship of doctors.” (Gold did not respond to a request for comment from HuffPost.)
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Despite the lack of evidence for the medical claims in the video and highly questionable expertise of some of the group’s members, the White House appears to be lending it legitimacy by inviting the group to meet with Pence. In addition to Pence meeting with the group this week, Trump also praised the video in a Tuesday press conference.
Hydroxychloroquine has become a fixture among right-wing media and anti-lockdown activists following Trump’s early promotion of the drug in March as a “game changer.” Although the drug is still being studied, several high-quality studies have shown that hydroxychloroquine provides no benefit in treating COVID-19. Both the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health have warned about use of the drug or abandoned trials due to unlikelihood of success, and the government’s own top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, stated on Tuesday that evidence suggests it is not an effective treatment.
“The overwhelming prevailing clinical trials that have looked at the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine have indicated that it is not effective in coronavirus disease,” Fauci said.
The America’s Frontline Doctors group heavily promoted the use of the drug at their event, which was organized by Tea Party Patriots, a wealthy Republican donor-backed nonprofit organization that has partnered with other right-wing dark money groups to form a coalition pushing for the rapid reopening of the United States economy.
Many of those groups, including Tea Party Patriots itself, received substantial funding from the conservative megadonor Charles Koch and his late brother David. Marc Short, Pence’s chief of staff who also attended the meeting, was a longtime president of Freedom Partners, which is the Koch political operation’s main fundraising vehicle.
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There was no mention from the group’s social media if the Pence meeting included Dr. Stella Immanuel, an evangelical minister and pediatrician who has promoted bizarre claims that extraterrestrial DNA is used in medical treatments, blamed satanic influence for a range of ills and warned that dream-world sex with demons can make you sick. Immanuel claimed during the press conference to have cured hundreds of patients using hydroxychloroquine, but has provided no proof for her statements.
Trump, whose reelection chances have grown increasingly poor as the pandemic goes on and case numbers in the United States continue to grow, has returned to promoting hydroxychloroquine as a potential quick fix solution. Trump offered support for the doctors group and specifically described Immanuel as “very impressive” during his Tuesday press conference.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-29--Federal Officers To Depart Portland After Weeks Of Violent Clashes With Protesters

Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown announced Wednesday that the federal officers brought in to quell anti-racism protests in Portland will leave the city beginning Thursday after weeks of violent clashes with demonstrators .
“ These federal officers have acted as an occupying force , refused accountability , and brought violence and strife to our community , ” Brown said in a statement .
The governor said a “ phased ” withdrawal agreement came out of talks with Vice President Mike Pence and other officials this week .
Crowds advocating against racism and police brutality have been showing up daily around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death of George Floyd , the Black Minnesota man who was killed by a white police officer in late May .
Department of Homeland Security acting secretary Chad Wolf has repeatedly said the federal officers were needed to protect federal property from damage .
Before they go , the federal officers “ will also clean up the Courthouse , removing the graffiti , ” Brown said .
In exchange , Oregon State Police will ramp up security for the exterior of the building , while a small number of federal officers will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do year-round .
Local officials have been outspoken about their opposition to the federal officers ’ presence , arguing that they had made the situation worse .
Since the beginning , protesters opposed the use of force and tear gas by local police .
“ We need to recognize that the protests in Portland are not solely about the federal presence , ” Brown said .
“ If slavery is America ’ s original sin , then anti-Blackness is Oregon ’ s , ” she said in the conclusion of her statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a state , Oregon prevented African Americans from settling here and owning property .
For far too long , Oregon ’ s constitution ingrained discrimination into state law.
” The federal officers ’ use of tear gas and dangerous projectiles injured multiple protesters , including one who was standing opposite a row of officers holding a speaker above his head earlier this month .
One then shot him in the head with an impact munition , fracturing his skull .
The officers also sparked outrage when video emerged showing groups of them patrolling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identify themselves as they detained protesters and drove away .
In recent days , a group of mothers in yellow T-shirts began gathering to attempt to protect the younger protesters , earning the nickname “ wall of moms.
” Another group , “ leaf blower dads , ” began showing up with cordless leaf blowers , which proved to be very effective at blocking tear gas and sending it back in the direction of the federal officers .
Last week , video of a Navy veteran enduring a beating from the officers went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David , said he was inspired to join the protests after seeing officers in unmarked vehicles make arrests .
He was also pepper sprayed in the face .
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler made headlines on July 23 for being in a crowd of demonstrators that was tear-gassed by federal agents .
The mayor , who is also the city ’ s police commissioner , has been intensely criticized by protesters for not doing more to rein in local police .

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Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced Wednesday that the federal officers brought in to quell anti-racism protests in Portland will leave the city beginning Thursday after weeks of violent clashes with demonstrators.
“These federal officers have acted as an occupying force, refused accountability, and brought violence and strife to our community,” Brown said in a statement.
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The governor said a “phased” withdrawal agreement came out of talks with Vice President Mike Pence and other officials this week.
Crowds advocating against racism and police brutality have been showing up daily around a federal courthouse building in Portland since the death of George Floyd, the Black Minnesota man who was killed by a white police officer in late May. Department of Homeland Security acting secretary Chad Wolf has repeatedly said the federal officers were needed to protect federal property from damage.
Before they go, the federal officers “will also clean up the Courthouse, removing the graffiti,” Brown said.
In exchange, Oregon State Police will ramp up security for the exterior of the building, while a small number of federal officers will patrol the interior, as they typically do year-round.
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Local officials have been outspoken about their opposition to the federal officers’ presence, arguing that they had made the situation worse. Since the beginning, protesters opposed the use of force and tear gas by local police.
“We need to recognize that the protests in Portland are not solely about the federal presence,” Brown said.
“If slavery is America’s original sin, then anti-Blackness is Oregon’s,” she said in the conclusion of her statement. “Even before it was recognized as a state, Oregon prevented African Americans from settling here and owning property. For far too long, Oregon’s constitution ingrained discrimination into state law.”
The federal officers’ use of tear gas and dangerous projectiles injured multiple protesters, including one who was standing opposite a row of officers holding a speaker above his head earlier this month. One then shot him in the head with an impact munition, fracturing his skull. The officers also sparked outrage when video emerged showing groups of them patrolling streets in unmarked vans, failing to identify themselves as they detained protesters and drove away.
In recent days, a group of mothers in yellow T-shirts began gathering to attempt to protect the younger protesters, earning the nickname “wall of moms.” Another group, “leaf blower dads,” began showing up with cordless leaf blowers, which proved to be very effective at blocking tear gas and sending it back in the direction of the federal officers.
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Last week, video of a Navy veteran enduring a beating from the officers went viral; the man, 53-year-old Christopher David, said he was inspired to join the protests after seeing officers in unmarked vehicles make arrests. He was also pepper sprayed in the face.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler made headlines on July 23 for being in a crowd of demonstrators that was tear-gassed by federal agents. The mayor, who is also the city’s police commissioner, has been intensely criticized by protesters for not doing more to rein in local police.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-29--GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert, Who Wrote Off Mask Wearing, Tests Positive For COVID-19

Rep. Louie Gohmert ( R-Texas ) , who has been seen without a coronavirus face mask in the U.S. Capitol and last month downplayed the importance of wearing one , has confirmed that he has tested positive for COVID-19 .
In a video posted to Twitter Wednesday afternoon , Gohmert said he tested positive for the virus during a routine test given to him upon his arrival at the White House earlier that morning .
He said he is asymptomatic and that he has been wearing a mask in recent days , including during Tuesday ’ s House Judiciary Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ ve worn a mask more in the last week or two than I have in the whole last four months , ” he said , then suggested that his mask may have inadvertently caused his infection since he was frequently adjusting it with his hands .
“ I can ’ t help wonder if that puts some germs in the mask , ” he said .
“ Now that I apparently have it , I will be very , very careful to make sure that I don ’ t give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmaker was seen wearing a bandana around his neck at Tuesday ’ s hearing , during which he questioned Barr about protests taking place and their relation to the virus ’ s spread .
But Gohmert was not wearing a mask when he arrived for the hearing directly behind Barr , who also wasn ’ t wearing a mask , according to video shared on social media by a reporter for The Hill .
ACTUALLY ... here is a video of AG Barr and Gohmert .
While Barr arrived with a mask , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hearing room , so both men were not wearing masks at this time .
pic.twitter.com/xm6wuq6QvW — Olivia Beavers ( @ Olivia_Beavers ) July 29 , 2020 He returned to his Capitol Hill office to inform his staff of his positive test in person , ABC News reported , citing unnamed “ people familiar with the matter.
” Gohmert ’ s chief of staff , Connie Hair , did not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s request for comment Wednesday but tweeted that the congressman wore a mask during Tuesday ’ s hearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been wearing one.
” “ But I ’ m also sorry [ for ] my members who are concerned because he has been showing up at meetings without a mask and making a thing of it , ” she added .
“ Hopefully , now , he will look after his health and others.
” Gohmert , an eight-term representative , said last month that he would not wear a facial covering , which health officials recommend to prevent the virus ’ s spread .
He argued in an interview with CNN that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has never had it .
Gohmert made similar statements during a meeting with Trump in May , when he told attending media outlets that members of Congress are tested regularly for the virus and that “ the only reason we would wear masks is if we were trying to protect ourselves from you , in the media .
And we ’ re not scared of you .
”

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Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), who has been seen without a coronavirus face mask in the U.S. Capitol and last month downplayed the importance of wearing one, has confirmed that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
In a video posted to Twitter Wednesday afternoon, Gohmert said he tested positive for the virus during a routine test given to him upon his arrival at the White House earlier that morning. He said he is asymptomatic and that he has been wearing a mask in recent days, including during Tuesday’s House Judiciary Committee hearing with Attorney General William Barr.
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“I’ve worn a mask more in the last week or two than I have in the whole last four months,” he said, then suggested that his mask may have inadvertently caused his infection since he was frequently adjusting it with his hands.
“I can’t help wonder if that puts some germs in the mask,” he said. “Now that I apparently have it, I will be very, very careful to make sure that I don’t give it to anybody else.”
My statement about today's diagnosis: pic.twitter.com/qvf7zIcgdN — Louie Gohmert (@replouiegohmert) July 29, 2020
The 66-year-old lawmaker was seen wearing a bandana around his neck at Tuesday’s hearing, during which he questioned Barr about protests taking place and their relation to the virus’s spread.
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But Gohmert was not wearing a mask when he arrived for the hearing directly behind Barr, who also wasn’t wearing a mask, according to video shared on social media by a reporter for The Hill.
ACTUALLY... here is a video of AG Barr and Gohmert.
While Barr arrived with a mask, it was off when he walked into the hearing room, so both men were not wearing masks at this time. pic.twitter.com/xm6wuq6QvW — Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) July 29, 2020
Gohmert received a coronavirus test before he planned to fly to Texas with President Donald Trump, Politico first reported, citing multiple unnamed sources.
He returned to his Capitol Hill office to inform his staff of his positive test in person, ABC News reported, citing unnamed “people familiar with the matter.”
Gohmert’s chief of staff, Connie Hair, did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment Wednesday but tweeted that the congressman wore a mask during Tuesday’s hearing unless he was speaking and “has been wearing one.”
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Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) questioning Attorney General William Barr during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill Tuesday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told an MSNBC reporter that she is “so sorry for him” upon hearing the news of Gohmert’s diagnosis.
“But I’m also sorry [for] my members who are concerned because he has been showing up at meetings without a mask and making a thing of it,” she added. “Hopefully, now, he will look after his health and others.”
Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), left, speaks with Gohmert on Capitol Hill in June. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gohmert, an eight-term representative, said last month that he would not wear a facial covering, which health officials recommend to prevent the virus’s spread. He argued in an interview with CNN that he is tested regularly for the virus and has never had it.
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“But if I get it, you’ll never see me without a mask,” he told the news outlet.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-29--Big Tech CEOs Answer To Congress On Competition

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Fending off accusations of stifling competition , four Big Tech CEOs — Facebook ’ s Mark Zuckerberg , Amazon ’ s Jeff Bezos , Sundar Pichai of Google and Tim Cook of Apple — are answering for their companies ’ practices before Congress as a House panel caps its yearlong investigation of market dominance in the industry .
The executives provided bursts of data showing how competitive their markets are , and the value of their innovation and essential services to consumers .
But they sometimes struggled to answer pointed questions about their business practices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other concerns about alleged political bias , their effect on U.S. democracy and their role in China .
Among the toughest questions for Google and Amazon involved accusations that they used their dominant platforms to scoop up data about competitors in a way that gave them an unfair advantage .
Bezos said in his first testimony to Congress that he couldn ’ t guarantee that the company had not accessed seller data to make competing products , an allegation that the company and its executives have previously denied .
Regulators in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationship with the businesses that sell on its site and whether the online shopping giant has been using data from the sellers to create its own private-label products .
“ We have a policy against using seller specific data to aid our private label business , ” Bezos said in a response to a question from U.S Rep. Pramila Jayapal , a Washington Democrat .
“ But I can ’ t guarantee to you that that policy hasn ’ t been violated.
” But the Google executive struggled as Cicilline accused the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steal ideas and information from other websites and manipulating its results to drive people to its own digital services to boost its profits .
Pichai repeatedly deflected Cicilline ’ s attacks by asserting that Google tries to provide the most helpful and relevant information to the hundreds of millions of people who use its search engine each day in an effort to keep them coming back instead of defecting to a rival service , such as Microsoft ’ s Bing .
As Democrats largely focused on market competition , several Republicans aired longstanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative voices and questioned their business activities in China .
“ Big Tech is out to get conservatives , ” said Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio .
In a tweet before the hearing , President Donald Trump challenged Congress to crack down on the companies , which he has accused , without evidence , of bias against him and conservatives in general .
Executive orders are more limited in scope than laws passed by Congress , though they too have the force of law .
But presidents can ’ t use executive orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congressional action .
Trump ’ s Justice Department has urged Congress to roll back long-held legal protections for online platforms such as Facebook , Google and Twitter .
The proposed changes would strip some of the bedrock protections that have generally shielded the companies from legal responsibility for what people post on their platforms .
The four tech CEOs command corporations with gold-plated brands , millions or even billions of customers , and a combined value greater than the entire German economy .
One of them , Bezos , is the world ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fourth-ranked billionaire .
In its bipartisan investigation , the Judiciary subcommittee collected testimony from mid-level executives of the four firms , competitors and legal experts , and pored over more than a million internal documents from the companies .
A key question : whether existing competition policies and century-old antitrust laws are adequate for overseeing the tech giants , or if new legislation and enforcement funding are needed .
Cicilline has called the four companies monopolies , although he says breaking them up should be a last resort .
While forced breakups may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Big Tech points toward possible new restrictions on its power .
Cicilline also said that in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic , “ these giants stand to profit ” and become even more powerful as millions shift more of their work and commerce online .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Fending off accusations of stifling competition, four Big Tech CEOs — Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai of Google and Tim Cook of Apple — are answering for their companies’ practices before Congress as a House panel caps its yearlong investigation of market dominance in the industry.
The powerful CEOs sought to defend their companies amid intense grilling by lawmakers on Wednesday.
The executives provided bursts of data showing how competitive their markets are, and the value of their innovation and essential services to consumers. But they sometimes struggled to answer pointed questions about their business practices. They also confronted a range of other concerns about alleged political bias, their effect on U.S. democracy and their role in China.
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The four CEOs were testifying remotely to lawmakers, most of whom were sitting, in masks, inside the hearing room in Washington.
Among the toughest questions for Google and Amazon involved accusations that they used their dominant platforms to scoop up data about competitors in a way that gave them an unfair advantage.
Bezos said in his first testimony to Congress that he couldn’t guarantee that the company had not accessed seller data to make competing products, an allegation that the company and its executives have previously denied.
Regulators in the U.S. and Europe have scrutinized Amazon’s relationship with the businesses that sell on its site and whether the online shopping giant has been using data from the sellers to create its own private-label products.
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“We have a policy against using seller specific data to aid our private label business,” Bezos said in a response to a question from U.S Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Washington Democrat. “But I can’t guarantee to you that that policy hasn’t been violated.”
Pichai’s opening remarks touted Google’s value to mom-and-pop businesses in Bristol, Rhode Island and Pewaukee, Wisconsin, in the home districts of the antitrust panel’s Democratic chairman, Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline, and its ranking Republican, Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin.
But the Google executive struggled as Cicilline accused the company of leveraging its dominant search engine to steal ideas and information from other websites and manipulating its results to drive people to its own digital services to boost its profits.
Pichai repeatedly deflected Cicilline’s attacks by asserting that Google tries to provide the most helpful and relevant information to the hundreds of millions of people who use its search engine each day in an effort to keep them coming back instead of defecting to a rival service, such as Microsoft’s Bing.
As Democrats largely focused on market competition, several Republicans aired longstanding grievances that the tech companies are censoring conservative voices and questioned their business activities in China. “Big Tech is out to get conservatives,” said Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio.
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In a tweet before the hearing, President Donald Trump challenged Congress to crack down on the companies, which he has accused, without evidence, of bias against him and conservatives in general.
“If Congress doesn’t bring fairness to Big Tech, which they should have done years ago, I will do it myself with Executive Orders,” Trump tweeted.
Executive orders are more limited in scope than laws passed by Congress, though they too have the force of law. But presidents can’t use executive orders to alter federal statutes. That takes congressional action.
Trump’s Justice Department has urged Congress to roll back long-held legal protections for online platforms such as Facebook, Google and Twitter. The proposed changes would strip some of the bedrock protections that have generally shielded the companies from legal responsibility for what people post on their platforms.
The four tech CEOs command corporations with gold-plated brands, millions or even billions of customers, and a combined value greater than the entire German economy. One of them, Bezos, is the world’s richest individual; Zuckerberg is the fourth-ranked billionaire.
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Critics have questioned whether the companies stifle competition and innovation, raise prices for consumers and pose a danger to society.
In its bipartisan investigation, the Judiciary subcommittee collected testimony from mid-level executives of the four firms, competitors and legal experts, and pored over more than a million internal documents from the companies. A key question: whether existing competition policies and century-old antitrust laws are adequate for overseeing the tech giants, or if new legislation and enforcement funding are needed.
Cicilline has called the four companies monopolies, although he says breaking them up should be a last resort. While forced breakups may appear unlikely, the wide scrutiny of Big Tech points toward possible new restrictions on its power.
Cicilline also said that in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, “these giants stand to profit” and become even more powerful as millions shift more of their work and commerce online.
The companies face legal and political offensives on multiplying fronts, from Congress, the Trump administration, federal and state regulators and European watchdogs. The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission have been investigating the four companies’ practices.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-29--Mitch McConnell Had Months To Act. Now Unemployment Benefits Are Expiring.

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc via Getty Images Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell waited until Monday to unveil a complicated unemployment proposal that would take months for some states to implement .
The House passed a bill preserving the expanded benefits two months ago , but McConnell waited until Monday to unveil a complicated proposal that would take months for some states to implement .
Both unemployment proposals are small parts of legislative packages with many other areas of disagreement .
Even if Congress somehow passes a bill reauthorizing the $ 600 payments for a short period to allow time for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it still could take weeks for the benefits to actually resume ― and such an interruption could have dire consequences .
More than 25 million Americans have been receiving the extra $ 600 a week on top of their state benefits .
Without the federal supplement , the average benefit will shrink by 55 % , according to the Century Foundation , resulting in such a steep collective income loss that economists worry it could rattle the entire economy .
It took the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development two months to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after she filed for benefits in March .
She said she missed just one car payment while she waited and still received a repossession notice .
With the $ 600 added to her state benefit , Waybrant , 35 , said she has been able to pay all her bills .
Without the extra $ 600 , she won ’ t .
Tennessee ’ s maximum state benefit of $ 275 is one of the lowest in the country .
Republicans have argued that the extra $ 600 discourages people from returning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They have cited anecdotal reports from employers complaining that their laid-off workers are receiving more in unemployment benefits than they would in wages .
But Yale University economists looked at whether people who received more in benefits than they previously earned were less likely to return to work , and it turned out they weren ’ t , at least not on a large scale .
The researchers said this week they found “ no evidence to support concerns about adverse aggregate labor supply effects of expanded UI generosity in the context of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s case , she doesn ’ t want to find another job .
She works as a restaurant server and said her employer is set to reopen in October .
She is paying to maintain her health insurance while on furlough .
Next week she ’ s having surgery to remove a fibroid and will need four weeks of bed rest , meaning she couldn ’ t chase down a new job even if she wanted .
“ They ’ re living on thousands and thousands of dollars a month that regular people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
“ We know that our wages have been so low for so long that most people don ’ t have any money saved up.
” Senate Republicans are starkly divided over what to do about the expanded unemployment benefits .
It ’ s one of the biggest reasons why Congress hasn ’ t acted yet .
Some don ’ t think they should pass any additional relief , including an extension of the federal unemployment benefits , because it would add too much to the budget deficit .
The proposal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce the extra benefits from $ 600 per week to $ 200 per week until October , and then switch to a new formula so that total benefits don ’ t exceed 70 % of what unemployed workers earned from their prior jobs .
But even some Republicans have little confidence in that plan given the antiquated technology that states rely on to dispense unemployment benefits .
The White House , meanwhile , has continued to talk up just passing a short-term fix on unemployment insurance and a moratorium on evictions ahead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats have repeatedly rejected the idea of a bill that doesn ’ t deal with other issues , such as aid to states and extra food assistance .
But the idea also appears to be gaining steam among Senate Republicans given that negotiations between administration officials and top congressional Democrats don ’ t seem to be going anywhere .

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell waited until Monday to unveil a complicated unemployment proposal that would take months for some states to implement. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc via Getty Images
Millions of unemployed Americans received their final $600 unemployment payment from the federal government last weekend and things are not looking good for a continuation of the extra benefit past July.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) are nowhere near a deal on the next bill to help the country stumble through the coronavirus pandemic.
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The House passed a bill preserving the expanded benefits two months ago, but McConnell waited until Monday to unveil a complicated proposal that would take months for some states to implement. Both unemployment proposals are small parts of legislative packages with many other areas of disagreement.
Even if Congress somehow passes a bill reauthorizing the $600 payments for a short period to allow time for lawmakers to reach a broader deal, it still could take weeks for the benefits to actually resume ― and such an interruption could have dire consequences.
More than 25 million Americans have been receiving the extra $600 a week on top of their state benefits. Without the federal supplement, the average benefit will shrink by 55%, according to the Century Foundation, resulting in such a steep collective income loss that economists worry it could rattle the entire economy.
To make matters worse, the benefit lapse is happening just after the expiration of a moratorium on evictions from federally subsidized properties, and right before the rent is due.
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A big part of the problem is that no matter how fast Congress makes up its mind now, state workforce agencies will be slow.
It took the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development two months to approve Brenda Waybrant’s unemployment claim after she filed for benefits in March. She said she missed just one car payment while she waited and still received a repossession notice.
With the $600 added to her state benefit, Waybrant, 35, said she has been able to pay all her bills. Without the extra $600, she won’t. Tennessee’s maximum state benefit of $275 is one of the lowest in the country.
“That covers my rent and groceries and that’s about it,” she said. “It doesn’t cover my car payment, it doesn’t cover my credit cards, it doesn’t cover my phone and my internet.”
Republicans have argued that the extra $600 discourages people from returning to work, thereby hampering the economy. They have cited anecdotal reports from employers complaining that their laid-off workers are receiving more in unemployment benefits than they would in wages.
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But Yale University economists looked at whether people who received more in benefits than they previously earned were less likely to return to work, and it turned out they weren’t, at least not on a large scale. The researchers said this week they found “no evidence to support concerns about adverse aggregate labor supply effects of expanded UI generosity in the context of the current pandemic.”
In Waybrant’s case, she doesn’t want to find another job. She works as a restaurant server and said her employer is set to reopen in October. She is paying to maintain her health insurance while on furlough. Next week she’s having surgery to remove a fibroid and will need four weeks of bed rest, meaning she couldn’t chase down a new job even if she wanted.
She thinks Republican politicians are oblivious.
“They’re living on thousands and thousands of dollars a month that regular people just don’t have,” she said. “We know that our wages have been so low for so long that most people don’t have any money saved up.”
Senate Republicans are starkly divided over what to do about the expanded unemployment benefits. It’s one of the biggest reasons why Congress hasn’t acted yet. Some don’t think they should pass any additional relief, including an extension of the federal unemployment benefits, because it would add too much to the budget deficit.
The proposal unveiled by McConnell earlier this week would reduce the extra benefits from $600 per week to $200 per week until October, and then switch to a new formula so that total benefits don’t exceed 70% of what unemployed workers earned from their prior jobs. But even some Republicans have little confidence in that plan given the antiquated technology that states rely on to dispense unemployment benefits.
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“Many of our state departments of labor ― they just got microwaves last week,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) quipped on Tuesday.
The National Association of State Workforce Agencies has practically begged Congress not to pass something complicated. Georgia’s Republican labor commissioner told Bloomberg Law this week that reducing the $600 payment for several weeks and then switching to a targeted wage replacement level is “the dumbest idea ever.”
The White House, meanwhile, has continued to talk up just passing a short-term fix on unemployment insurance and a moratorium on evictions ahead of Friday’s deadline ― even though Democrats have repeatedly rejected the idea of a bill that doesn’t deal with other issues, such as aid to states and extra food assistance. But the idea also appears to be gaining steam among Senate Republicans given that negotiations between administration officials and top congressional Democrats don’t seem to be going anywhere.
“The rest of it, we’re so far apart, we don’t care, we really don’t care,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday, referring to the congressional talks.
Whatever happens, state workforce agencies can’t move fast on federal changes. The extra $600, formally known as federal pandemic unemployment compensation, has already been switched off, as most states made their final payments over the weekend.
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“At this point it would take them 2-4 weeks to switch it back on,” Michele Evermore of the National Employment Law Project said in an email.
If congressional negotiations over the next coronavirus bill collapse this week, Republicans could ultimately decide to move forward with a narrower package, whether the White House proposal or something a bit broader, that includes some kind of extension of unemployment benefits.
“The [Republican proposal] is full of provisions that I would frankly dare my Democratic colleagues to actually say they oppose,” McConnell said on Tuesday.
But not even the most vulnerable Senate Democrat is sweating voter fallout from that scenario.
“It’s a little late to start looking at that now,” Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.), who faces a tough reelection fight in a red state, said Wednesday when asked if he supported a short-term fix. “They should have started looking at that two months ago when we were asking them to.”