thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Republicans Confirm Another One Of Trump's Unqualified Court Picks

On a day when the United States surpassed a quarter of a million people dead from COVID-19 , Senate Republicans were busy taking action on something else : confirming another one of President Donald Trump ’ s judicial nominees rated “ not qualified ” by the American Bar Association .
The Senate spent Wednesday afternoon confirming Kathryn Kimball Mizelle to a lifetime seat on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida .
Every Republican present voted yes .
Every Democrat present voted no .
Mizelle , 33 , earned the ABA ’ s embarrassing “ not qualified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience .
She doesn ’ t meet the ABA ’ s requirement that a nominee to a lifetime federal judgeship have at least 12 years of experience practicing law .
Mizelle has been practicing law only since 2012 , which the ABA notes is “ a rather marked departure ” from its standard .
“ She presents as a delightful person and she has many friends who support her nomination .
Her integrity and demeanor are not in question , ” the ABA ’ s evaluation concludes .
“ These attributes however simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she has actually practiced law and her lack of meaningful trial experience.
” Mizelle is Trump ’ s 10th court pick to get the “ not qualified ” rating , an exceptionally high number for a president .
None of President Barack Obama ’ s court picks got the rating in eight years .
Six of President George W. Bush ’ s nominees earned the rating in his two terms .
More than 220 national human rights and civil rights groups opposed Mizelle ’ s confirmation , citing her “ stunning lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil rights rollbacks at Trump ’ s Justice Department .
During her time at the department , she supervised litigation for the Civil Rights Division and Civil Division , which , among other things , filed a Supreme Court brief arguing that businesses have a right to discriminate against LGBTQ customers and dropped the government ’ s longstanding position that a Texas voter ID law under legal challenge was intentionally racially discriminatory .
“ This nominee has been put forward not only because she is an ultraconservative ideologue , but also because she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Trump Justice Department to dismantle many critical civil rights protections , ” the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights wrote to senators in September .
“ The Senate must reject her nomination.
” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) , at right with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Wednesday , is racing to confirm as many of President Donald Trump 's judicial nominees as he can before Trump leaves office .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) is rushing to confirm as many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible before the current Congress ends .
Traditionally , the Senate does not confirm judges in a lame-duck session , but McConnell , whose priority has been confirming conservative judges , has pushed through half a dozen nominees in the two weeks since Trump lost the election , with more in the queue .
Thanks to McConnell ’ s efforts , Trump ’ s greatest legacy will arguably be his judges .
As of Wednesday , he has been able to confirm three Supreme Court justices , 53 appeals court judges and 168 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posts , and many of these judges are young , meaning they will likely sit on the courts for decades .
Most are also members of the Federalist Society , a conservative legal organization , and tend to have records of being hostile to abortion rights , LGBTQ rights , voting rights and the Affordable Care Act .

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On a day when the United States surpassed a quarter of a million people dead from COVID-19, Senate Republicans were busy taking action on something else: confirming another one of President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees rated “not qualified” by the American Bar Association.
The Senate spent Wednesday afternoon confirming Kathryn Kimball Mizelle to a lifetime seat on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Every Republican present voted yes. Every Democrat present voted no.
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Mizelle, 33, earned the ABA’s embarrassing “not qualified” rating because of her lack of experience. She doesn’t meet the ABA’s requirement that a nominee to a lifetime federal judgeship have at least 12 years of experience practicing law. Mizelle has been practicing law only since 2012, which the ABA notes is “a rather marked departure” from its standard.
She has also never tried a case ― civil or criminal ― as lead attorney or co-counsel.
“She presents as a delightful person and she has many friends who support her nomination. Her integrity and demeanor are not in question,” the ABA’s evaluation concludes. “These attributes however simply do not compensate for the short time she has actually practiced law and her lack of meaningful trial experience.”
Mizelle is Trump’s 10th court pick to get the “not qualified” rating, an exceptionally high number for a president. None of President Barack Obama’s court picks got the rating in eight years. Six of President George W. Bush’s nominees earned the rating in his two terms.
More than 220 national human rights and civil rights groups opposed Mizelle’s confirmation, citing her “stunning lack of experience” along with her involvement in civil rights rollbacks at Trump’s Justice Department.
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During her time at the department, she supervised litigation for the Civil Rights Division and Civil Division, which, among other things, filed a Supreme Court brief arguing that businesses have a right to discriminate against LGBTQ customers and dropped the government’s longstanding position that a Texas voter ID law under legal challenge was intentionally racially discriminatory.
“This nominee has been put forward not only because she is an ultraconservative ideologue, but also because she is a Trump loyalist, having worked in the Trump Justice Department to dismantle many critical civil rights protections,” the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights wrote to senators in September. “The Senate must reject her nomination.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), at right with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Wednesday, is racing to confirm as many of President Donald Trump's judicial nominees as he can before Trump leaves office. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is rushing to confirm as many of Trump’s court picks as possible before the current Congress ends. Traditionally, the Senate does not confirm judges in a lame-duck session, but McConnell, whose priority has been confirming conservative judges, has pushed through half a dozen nominees in the two weeks since Trump lost the election, with more in the queue.
Thanks to McConnell’s efforts, Trump’s greatest legacy will arguably be his judges. As of Wednesday, he has been able to confirm three Supreme Court justices, 53 appeals court judges and 168 district court judges. All are lifetime posts, and many of these judges are young, meaning they will likely sit on the courts for decades.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--‘Blood On His Hands’: Mary Trump Says Her Uncle Must Be 'Held To Account'

Mary Trump , the estranged niece of President Donald Trump , said on Wednesday that her uncle is in a situation he doesn ’ t know how to handle .
“ Donald has never been in a situation he couldn ’ t cheat , lie , steal or buy his way out of , ” she told CNN ’ s Don Lemon .
She said that while Trump defiantly fights his election loss to President-elect Joe Biden , the coronavirus crisis spirals out of control ― and he doesn ’ t care .
“ Let ’ s put it in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election decisively .
He feels rejected by the American people , ” she said .
“ He will sacrifice any of us to assuage his own wounded ego.
” And that includes his own supporters as the “ reddest of red states ” suffer the most right now .
Trump is not only failing to address the crisis , she said , but he is making it as difficult as possible for the incoming Biden administration to prepare .
“ He ’ s directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s got blood on his hands and he needs to be held to account so I hope President-elect Biden keeps that in mind come January.
” See her full conversation with Lemon below : Mary Trump , the President 's niece , says her uncle 's refusal to cooperate with the Biden transition team puts `` American lives at danger every day . ''
`` It 's despicable .
It 's criminal .
And the Republicans need to be held accountable just as much as Donald does at this point . ''
pic.twitter.com/IUg4DDyDh8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November 19 , 2020

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Mary Trump, the estranged niece of President Donald Trump, said on Wednesday that her uncle is in a situation he doesn’t know how to handle.
“Donald has never been in a situation he couldn’t cheat, lie, steal or buy his way out of,” she told CNN’s Don Lemon.
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She said that while Trump defiantly fights his election loss to President-elect Joe Biden, the coronavirus crisis spirals out of control ― and he doesn’t care.
“Let’s put it in really bleak terms: He lost an election decisively. He feels rejected by the American people,” she said. “He will sacrifice any of us to assuage his own wounded ego.”
And that includes his own supporters as the “reddest of red states” suffer the most right now.
Trump is not only failing to address the crisis, she said, but he is making it as difficult as possible for the incoming Biden administration to prepare.
“He’s directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans,” she said. “He’s got blood on his hands and he needs to be held to account so I hope President-elect Biden keeps that in mind come January.”
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See her full conversation with Lemon below:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--Rank-And-File Republicans Send Unequivocal Message To Donald Trump, GOP Enablers

These rank-and-file Republicans are done with President Donald Trump ’ s refusal to accept defeat in the 2020 election .
In a series of videos released on YouTube by the Republican Voters Against Trump group on Wednesday , anti-Trump Republicans from across the country urge the outgoing president to stop spreading falsehoods about mass voter fraud and to concede his election loss to President-elect Joe Biden .
Many of the disaffected GOPers say the coronavirus pandemic shows it ’ s imperative that Trump cooperate in a smooth transition to the Biden administration ― and they called out prominent Republicans for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s poor-loser defiance .
“ This man is just pitiful .
Who in the hell does Donald Trump think he is ?
It ’ s over , you won ’ t be president anymore , ” says James from Florida in one clip .
“ Just face reality .
This man is so stupid and ridiculous , he ’ s taking it to the extreme.
” Adds Alison from Michigan : “ It is more important than ever , as Republicans , for us to stand up and graciously concede this election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ teach our children what it means to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat.
” Check out some of the videos here :

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In a series of videos released on YouTube by the Republican Voters Against Trump group on Wednesday, anti-Trump Republicans from across the country urge the outgoing president to stop spreading falsehoods about mass voter fraud and to concede his election loss to President-elect Joe Biden.
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Many of the disaffected GOPers say the coronavirus pandemic shows it’s imperative that Trump cooperate in a smooth transition to the Biden administration ― and they called out prominent Republicans for failing to stand up to Trump’s poor-loser defiance.
“This man is just pitiful. Who in the hell does Donald Trump think he is? It’s over, you won’t be president anymore,” says James from Florida in one clip. “Just face reality. This man is so stupid and ridiculous, he’s taking it to the extreme.”
Adds Alison from Michigan: “It is more important than ever, as Republicans, for us to stand up and graciously concede this election. We have an opportunity right now to teach our children what it means to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat.”
Check out some of the videos here:
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--Atlanta Mayor: Donald Trump Would ‘Eat His Own Children’ If He Found It Prudent

Atlanta ’ s Democratic Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Wednesday ripped President Donald Trump over his willingness to throw fellow Republicans under the bus when they don ’ t agree 100 % with his agenda .
“ He will eat his own children , I ’ m sure , if he found it prudent , ” Bottoms told CNN anchor Anderson Cooper .
Bottoms made the quip during a discussion about the upcoming U.S. Senate runoff elections in Georgia on Jan. 5 , when GOP Sens .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler will face off against Democrats Jon Ossoff and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both seats to tie the Senate ’ s balance of power 50-50 , giving Vice President-elect Kamala Harris the tiebreaking vote .
The mayor said even if some Georgians did not vote for President-elect Joe Biden , she hopes that they ’ re now “ so disappointed and disgusted ” with Trump ’ s behavior following his election loss that they would be motivated to vote against the Trump-aligned Republican candidates in the runoffs .
Trump has spread baseless claims about mass voter fraud and has refused to allow the transition to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all against the backdrop of a dire public health emergency as COVID-19 infections , hospitalizations and deaths continue to soar at a record rate .
`` He will eat his own children , I 'm sure , if he found it prudent , '' says Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of President Trump turning on members of the GOP that do n't support his agenda .
`` He 's now picking a fight with Brian Kemp ... the Governor who he was closely allied with . ''
pic.twitter.com/uwBwVuvajt — Anderson Cooper 360° @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020

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Atlanta’s Democratic Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Wednesday ripped President Donald Trump over his willingness to throw fellow Republicans under the bus when they don’t agree 100% with his agenda.
“He will eat his own children, I’m sure, if he found it prudent,” Bottoms told CNN anchor Anderson Cooper.
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Bottoms made the quip during a discussion about the upcoming U.S. Senate runoff elections in Georgia on Jan. 5, when GOP Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler will face off against Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. Democrats need to win both seats to tie the Senate’s balance of power 50-50, giving Vice President-elect Kamala Harris the tiebreaking vote.
The mayor said even if some Georgians did not vote for President-elect Joe Biden, she hopes that they’re now “so disappointed and disgusted” with Trump’s behavior following his election loss that they would be motivated to vote against the Trump-aligned Republican candidates in the runoffs.
Trump has spread baseless claims about mass voter fraud and has refused to allow the transition to a Biden administration to begin, Bottoms noted, all against the backdrop of a dire public health emergency as COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths continue to soar at a record rate.
Check out the interview here:
"He will eat his own children, I'm sure, if he found it prudent," says Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of President Trump turning on members of the GOP that don't support his agenda.
"He's now picking a fight with Brian Kemp... the Governor who he was closely allied with." pic.twitter.com/uwBwVuvajt — Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) November 19, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--Biden Approaches 80 Million Votes In Historic Victory

Biden has already set a record for the highest number of votes for a winning presidential candidate , and President Donald Trump has also notched a high-water mark of the most votes for a losing candidate .
With more than 155 million votes counted and California and New York still counting , turnout stands at 65 % of all eligible voters , the highest since 1908 , according to data from The Associated Press and the U.S .
Elections Project .
The rising Biden tally and his popular vote lead — nearly 6 million votes — come as Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won the election , and his campaign and supporters intensify their uphill legal fight to stop or delay results from being certified , potentially nullify the votes of Americans .
“ It ’ s just a lot of noise going on , because Donald Trump is a bull who carries his own china shop with him , ” said Douglas Brinkley , a presidential historian at Rice University .
“ Once the noise recedes , it ’ s going to be clear that Biden won a very convincing victory.
” Biden currently has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But that does not include electors from Georgia , where Biden leads Trump by 0.3 percentage points as officials conduct a hand tally .
The AP has not called the race , but if Biden ’ s lead holds he will win the Electoral College on 306-232 vote — the identical margin Trump won in 2016 .
Back then Trump described it as a “ landslide.
” While Biden ’ s margins in states like Arizona and Wisconsin seem small — between 12,000 and 20,000 votes — those races aren ’ t nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flip through a recount or lawsuits .
Recounts typically shift total votes by only a few hundred votes .
In 2000 , the Florida recount and legal battle for the White House was prompted by a 537-vote margin .
“ If you ’ re talking about it being close enough to be within what those of us in the field call the margin of litigation , this is not within the margin of litigation , ” Hasen said .
Timothy Naftali , a presidential historian at New York University , has compared Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ College margins to those of every winner of a presidential election since 1960 .
His finding : Biden ’ s win was right in the middle — tighter than landslides like Barack Obama ’ s 2008 win or Ronald Reagan ’ s 1984 wipeout reelection , but broader than Trump ’ s 2016 victory or either of George W. Bush ’ s two wins .
Despite that , Trump and his allies are continuing to try to stop certification of the election , in a longshot attempt to deny states the ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are very unlikely to succeed , but they reached a new pitch this week when two Republican members of the board of canvassers in Michigan ’ s largest county Tuesday night managed to block certification of the votes there .
They allowed certification to proceed after an outcry , but it was a sign of how deeply Trump ’ s baseless claims of mass fraud have permeated .
In fact , argued Michael McDonald , a University of Florida professor who tracks vote counts for the U.S .
Elections Project , the relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a different story than the one the president is pushing .
Democrats have worried that the gap between the popular vote and the Electoral College tallies is growing as Democratic voters cluster on the coasts and outside of battleground states .
That dynamic could make it difficult for Democrats to win congressional races , creating a lasting disadvantage when it comes to advancing policies .

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President-elect Joe Biden’s winning tally is approaching a record 80 million votes as Democratic bastions continue to count ballots and the 2020 election cracks turnout records.
Biden has already set a record for the highest number of votes for a winning presidential candidate, and President Donald Trump has also notched a high-water mark of the most votes for a losing candidate. With more than 155 million votes counted and California and New York still counting, turnout stands at 65% of all eligible voters, the highest since 1908, according to data from The Associated Press and the U.S. Elections Project.
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The rising Biden tally and his popular vote lead — nearly 6 million votes — come as Trump has escalated his false insistence that he actually won the election, and his campaign and supporters intensify their uphill legal fight to stop or delay results from being certified, potentially nullify the votes of Americans.
“It’s just a lot of noise going on, because Donald Trump is a bull who carries his own china shop with him,” said Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian at Rice University. “Once the noise recedes, it’s going to be clear that Biden won a very convincing victory.”
Biden currently has an Electoral College lead of 290-232. But that does not include electors from Georgia, where Biden leads Trump by 0.3 percentage points as officials conduct a hand tally. The AP has not called the race, but if Biden’s lead holds he will win the Electoral College on 306-232 vote — the identical margin Trump won in 2016. Back then Trump described it as a “landslide.”
Trump sealed that victory with 77,000 votes across three battleground states, while Biden’s margin would be slightly narrower — about 45,000 votes across Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin.
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That slimmer win, however, is still decisive by election law standards, notes Rick Hasen, a professor at the University of Irvine and an expert on voting.
While Biden’s margins in states like Arizona and Wisconsin seem small — between 12,000 and 20,000 votes — those races aren’t nearly narrow enough to be considered likely to flip through a recount or lawsuits. Recounts typically shift total votes by only a few hundred votes. In 2000, the Florida recount and legal battle for the White House was prompted by a 537-vote margin.
“If you’re talking about it being close enough to be within what those of us in the field call the margin of litigation, this is not within the margin of litigation,” Hasen said.
Timothy Naftali, a presidential historian at New York University, has compared Biden’s still-growing popular vote and Electoral College margins to those of every winner of a presidential election since 1960. His finding: Biden’s win was right in the middle — tighter than landslides like Barack Obama’s 2008 win or Ronald Reagan’s 1984 wipeout reelection, but broader than Trump’s 2016 victory or either of George W. Bush’s two wins.
The closest analogy was Obama’s reelection, which he won by virtually the same margin as Biden has now.
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“Did anyone think 2012 was a narrow victory? No,” Naftali said.
Despite that, Trump and his allies are continuing to try to stop certification of the election, in a longshot attempt to deny states the ability to seat electors supporting Biden. These efforts are very unlikely to succeed, but they reached a new pitch this week when two Republican members of the board of canvassers in Michigan’s largest county Tuesday night managed to block certification of the votes there. They allowed certification to proceed after an outcry, but it was a sign of how deeply Trump’s baseless claims of mass fraud have permeated.
In fact, argued Michael McDonald, a University of Florida professor who tracks vote counts for the U.S. Elections Project, the relatively narrow Biden wins in battleground states tell a different story than the one the president is pushing.
Democrats have worried that the gap between the popular vote and the Electoral College tallies is growing as Democratic voters cluster on the coasts and outside of battleground states. That dynamic could make it difficult for Democrats to win congressional races, creating a lasting disadvantage when it comes to advancing policies.
“If there’s anything in the data here, it reveals how the system is stacked against the Democrats, not stacked against Trump,” McDonald said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--Chris Hayes Reveals Donald Trump’s ‘Weird Kind Of Superpower’

MSNBC ’ s Chris Hayes on Wednesday delivered a searing assessment of Donald Trump ’ s post-election behavior , suggesting that the outgoing president has a “ weird kind of superpower ” that allows him to cause destruction without care .
Hayes pointed out that there was “ no real master strategy ” in the legal challenges and baseless claims of mass voter fraud that Trump and his Republican enablers have spread since his election defeat .
Instead , they ’ re “ just kind of throwing everything at the wall , ” he said .
“ What they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disrupt and subvert one day at a time , extend the uncertainty and the turmoil for yet another day , and then another day and another , ” Hayes said .
“ And if this seems doomed to failure and not to make any sense , and wildly destructive for this country , it is all of those things.
” “ But it is also the way that Donald Trump has gotten to where he is , ” he continued .
“ His entire life has been about lying flagrantly and shamelessly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people over , casting aspersions on his enemies , litigating wildly and frivolously all over the place .
And you know what ?
It ’ s all worked out.
” “ His life is evidence that not caring about other people or the destruction you cause is itself a weird kind of superpower , ” Hayes added .
.
@ chrislhayes : It ’ s no wonder Trump is trying to steal the election : “ His entire life has been lying flagrantly and shamelessly , denying reality , stiffing people , screwing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enemies , litigating wildly and frivolously.
” pic.twitter.com/TQiiiXDMs0 — All In with Chris Hayes ( @ allinwithchris ) November 19 , 2020

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MSNBC’s Chris Hayes on Wednesday delivered a searing assessment of Donald Trump’s post-election behavior, suggesting that the outgoing president has a “weird kind of superpower” that allows him to cause destruction without care.
Hayes pointed out that there was “no real master strategy” in the legal challenges and baseless claims of mass voter fraud that Trump and his Republican enablers have spread since his election defeat.
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Instead, they’re “just kind of throwing everything at the wall,” he said.
“What they are doing is just trying to deny, disrupt and subvert one day at a time, extend the uncertainty and the turmoil for yet another day, and then another day and another,” Hayes said. “And if this seems doomed to failure and not to make any sense, and wildly destructive for this country, it is all of those things.”
“But it is also the way that Donald Trump has gotten to where he is,” he continued. “His entire life has been about lying flagrantly and shamelessly, denying reality, stiffing people, screwing people over, casting aspersions on his enemies, litigating wildly and frivolously all over the place. And you know what? It’s all worked out.”
“His life is evidence that not caring about other people or the destruction you cause is itself a weird kind of superpower,” Hayes added.
Check out the full segment here:
.@chrislhayes: It’s no wonder Trump is trying to steal the election:
“His entire life has been lying flagrantly and shamelessly, denying reality, stiffing people, screwing people over, casting aspersions on his enemies, litigating wildly and frivolously.” pic.twitter.com/TQiiiXDMs0 — All In with Chris Hayes (@allinwithchris) November 19, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--Trump Pushes New Environmental Rollbacks On Way Out The Door

Some decisions , if they go into effect , will be easy for Biden to simply reverse .
He already has pledged to return the United States to the Paris climate accord as a first step in his own $ 2 trillion climate plan .
But he faces years of work in court and within agencies to repair major Trump cuts to the nation ’ s framework of environmental protections .
One change that Trump wants to push through would restrict criminal prosecution for industries responsible for the deaths of the nation ’ s migratory birds .
Hawks and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to nesting grounds on the Great Plains navigate deadly threats — from electrocution on power lines , to wind turbines that knock them from the air and oil field waste pits where landing birds perish in toxic water .
Right now , the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 is a vital tool for protecting more than 1,000 species of birds including hawks and other birds of prey .
Federal prosecutors use the act to recover damages , including $ 100 million from BP for its 2010 oil-rig spill into the Gulf of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seabirds .
For industry , “ that ’ s an important one , ” said Rachel Jones , vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers .
Jones lobbied for the changes in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act at a meeting last year between private-sector representatives and staff from the White House and Interior Department .
“ It really matters in relation to the infrastructure we need for a modern society.
” Earlier moves by the Trump administration , which are now facing court challenges , remove protections for millions of miles of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wildlife species facing extinction , and open more of the hundreds of millions of acres of public land to oil and gas drilling .
Pushing to get new rules on the books before the end of a president ’ s term is not unusual — former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush both did it , said Cary Coglianese , an expert on administrative law and rule-making at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School .
“ What we ’ re seeing at the end is what we ’ ve seen all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private interests over public interests , ” said David Hayes , former deputy secretary of the Interior Department under Obama and now adjunct professor at the New York University School of Law .
“ They seem intent on finalizing these as a kind of ideological point.
” Another proposal that arrived at the White House last week would set emissions standards for small but dangerous particles of pollution emitted by refineries and other industrial sources .
Other changes would allow more drilling and mining on thousands of square miles of public lands around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Historical Park and deep in the Alaska wilderness .
Finalizing the pending changes is critical to maintaining the nation ’ s “ energy leadership , ” said American Petroleum Institute senior vice president Frank Macchiarola .
For the oil and gas industry , he said , the opening of the Arctic refuge to drilling was long overdue and would provide jobs and needed revenue for the state of Alaska .
If Democrats win both , they ’ ll control the Senate and the House and will be in position to invoke the Congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strike down newly approved regulations .
Otherwise , outside parties could sue or the Biden administration would have to undertake the often lengthy process of reversing changes that are fully enacted before Trump leaves office .

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BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Down to its final weeks, the Trump administration is working to push through dozens of environmental rollbacks that could weaken century-old protections for migratory birds, expand Arctic drilling and hamstring future regulation of public health threats.
The pending changes, which benefit oil and gas and other industries, deepen the challenges for President-elect Joe Biden, who made restoring and advancing protections for the environment, climate and public health a core piece of his campaign.
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“We’re going to see a real scorched-earth effort here at the tail end of the administration,” said Brian Rutledge, a vice president at the National Audubon Society.
The proposed changes cap four years of unprecedented environmental deregulation by President Donald Trump, whose administration has worked to fundamentally change how federal agencies apply and enforce the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act and other protections.
Most of the changes are expected to sail through the approval process, which includes the White House releasing the final version and publication in the Federal Register.
Some decisions, if they go into effect, will be easy for Biden to simply reverse. He already has pledged to return the United States to the Paris climate accord as a first step in his own $2 trillion climate plan. But he faces years of work in court and within agencies to repair major Trump cuts to the nation’s framework of environmental protections.
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One change that Trump wants to push through would restrict criminal prosecution for industries responsible for the deaths of the nation’s migratory birds. Hawks and other birds that migrate through the central U.S. to nesting grounds on the Great Plains navigate deadly threats — from electrocution on power lines, to wind turbines that knock them from the air and oil field waste pits where landing birds perish in toxic water.
This June 5, 2009, file photo shows a Redtail hawk feeding a snake to one of her young ones nested at the Rocky Mountain Wildlife Refuge in Commerce City, Colo. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Right now, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 is a vital tool for protecting more than 1,000 species of birds including hawks and other birds of prey. Federal prosecutors use the act to recover damages, including $100 million from BP for its 2010 oil-rig spill into the Gulf of Mexico, which killed more than 100,000 seabirds.
But the Trump administration wants to make sure companies face no criminal liability for such preventable, unintentional deaths.
Federal officials advanced the bird treaty changes to the White House, one of the final steps before adoption, two days after news organizations declared Biden the winner of the presidential race.
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For industry, “that’s an important one,” said Rachel Jones, vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers. Jones lobbied for the changes in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act at a meeting last year between private-sector representatives and staff from the White House and Interior Department. “It really matters in relation to the infrastructure we need for a modern society.”
Earlier moves by the Trump administration, which are now facing court challenges, remove protections for millions of miles of waterways and wetlands, narrow protections for wildlife species facing extinction, and open more of the hundreds of millions of acres of public land to oil and gas drilling.
Asked about the push now, as Trump and many of his supporters continue to deny his election loss. Environmental Protection Agency spokesman James Hewitt said, “EPA continues to advance this administration’s commitment to meaningful environmental progress while moving forward with our regulatory reform agenda.”
Pushing to get new rules on the books before the end of a president’s term is not unusual — former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush both did it, said Cary Coglianese, an expert on administrative law and rule-making at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.
Obama agency heads, after a 2016 Trump victory that surprised many, pushed through rules that sought to protect funding for Planned Parenthood and toughen pollution rules on the oil and gas industries, among others.
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In this July 16, 2017, file photo, ice is broken up by the passing of the Finnish icebreaker MSV Nordica as it sails through the Beaufort Sea off the coast of Alaska. ASSOCIATED PRESS
But environmentalists and some former federal officials said the actions being taken in Trump’s final days reflect a pro-industry agenda taken to the extreme, in disregard for imperiled wildlife, climate change and damage to human health from air pollution.
“What we’re seeing at the end is what we’ve seen all along, which is a fealty to private interests over public interests,” said David Hayes, former deputy secretary of the Interior Department under Obama and now adjunct professor at the New York University School of Law. “They seem intent on finalizing these as a kind of ideological point.”
Many of the final rollbacks still pending under the Trump administration have significant implications for oil and gas companies. That includes the administration’s steps this week toward a sale of energy leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Monday’s announcement of upcoming sale drew rebukes from environmentalists and Democrats in Congress.
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Brett Hartl with the Center for Biological Diversity said backers of drilling are playing the long game and know that another Republican administration favorable to drilling will come along eventually.
“Any time you’ve officially got an area under lease … it makes it harder to keep the land protected in the long run,” Hartl said.
Another proposal that arrived at the White House last week would set emissions standards for small but dangerous particles of pollution emitted by refineries and other industrial sources. Other changes would allow more drilling and mining on thousands of square miles of public lands around New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon National Historical Park and deep in the Alaska wilderness.
The Trump administration from its first days pursued American “energy dominance,” in which imported oil would no longer be needed and U.S. companies would produce a surplus of fuels that could be sold to other countries.
Finalizing the pending changes is critical to maintaining the nation’s “energy leadership,” said American Petroleum Institute senior vice president Frank Macchiarola. For the oil and gas industry, he said, the opening of the Arctic refuge to drilling was long overdue and would provide jobs and needed revenue for the state of Alaska.
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Trump critics are looking to two pending Senate contests in Georgia for insight into how easily any of his administration’s last-minute changes can be undone.
If Democrats win both, they’ll control the Senate and the House and will be in position to invoke the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to strike down newly approved regulations. Otherwise, outside parties could sue or the Biden administration would have to undertake the often lengthy process of reversing changes that are fully enacted before Trump leaves office.
“Regulations are not like diamonds,” said Coglianese, the Penn law professor. “They don’t last forever.”
___
Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City. On Twitter follow Brown: @MatthewBrownAP and Knickmeyer: @KnickmeyerEllen


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--Barack Obama Quit Coaching Sasha's Basketball Team Over 'True Washington' Beef

Former President Barack Obama had to take a permanent timeout from coaching his daughter Sasha ’ s grade-school basketball team , he wrote in his new memoir “ A Promised Land.
” It wasn ’ t because he had a country to run .
It was because of something even more powerful ― parents ’ complaints .
During his first term , Obama and first lady Michelle Obama supported Sasha Obama ’ s Vipers team at Sidwell Friends School in Washington as fans at first .
“ After observing an adorable , but chaotic , first couple of games , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to draw up some plays and volunteered to conduct a few informal Sunday afternoon practice sessions with the team , ” Obama wrote in an excerpt published by The Sunday Times in the U.K. “ We worked on the basics : dribbling , passing , making sure your shoelaces were tied before you ran onto the court .
“ The girls seemed to have as much fun as we did , ” he added .
Then-President Barack Obama talks to his daughter Sasha during a Howard University basketball game in 2010 , around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friends school basketball team .
The team won the league title , prompting the president and Love to celebrate “ like it was the NCAA finals.
” “ Of course nothing about our lives was completely normal anymore as I was reminded the following year , when , in true Washington fashion a few of the parents from a rival Sidwell team started complaining to the Vipers coaches and presumably the school that Reggie and I weren ’ t offering training sessions to their kids , too , ” Obama wrote .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were nothing special , “ just an excuse for me to spend extra time with Sasha.
” He even offered to help them organize practices of their own .
Love , he wrote , joked that the parents “ must think being coached by you is something they can put on a Harvard application.
” Obama finally decided that it was “ simpler for all concerned ” to hang up his whistle and return to the stands as a fan .
Former NBA and UCLA great Bill Walton once playfully declared that Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so it ’ s no wonder that his school team was so successful .
Sasha Obama , the former first couple ’ s youngest daughter , is now 19 and a sophomore at the University of Michigan .

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Former President Barack Obama had to take a permanent timeout from coaching his daughter Sasha’s grade-school basketball team, he wrote in his new memoir “A Promised Land.”
It wasn’t because he had a country to run. It was because of something even more powerful ― parents’ complaints.
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During his first term, Obama and first lady Michelle Obama supported Sasha Obama’s Vipers team at Sidwell Friends School in Washington as fans at first.
But the hoops-loving president and his aide, former Duke player Reggie Love, soon took a greater interest.
“After observing an adorable, but chaotic, first couple of games, Reggie and I took it upon ourselves to draw up some plays and volunteered to conduct a few informal Sunday afternoon practice sessions with the team,” Obama wrote in an excerpt published by The Sunday Times in the U.K. “We worked on the basics: dribbling, passing, making sure your shoelaces were tied before you ran onto the court.
“The girls seemed to have as much fun as we did,” he added.
Then-President Barack Obama talks to his daughter Sasha during a Howard University basketball game in 2010, around the time he was coaching her Sidwell Friends school basketball team. Yuri Gripas / Reuters
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The team won the league title, prompting the president and Love to celebrate “like it was the NCAA finals.”
The championship glow quickly wore off, however.
“Of course nothing about our lives was completely normal anymore as I was reminded the following year, when, in true Washington fashion a few of the parents from a rival Sidwell team started complaining to the Vipers coaches and presumably the school that Reggie and I weren’t offering training sessions to their kids, too,” Obama wrote.
The president told the parents that his practices were nothing special, “just an excuse for me to spend extra time with Sasha.” He even offered to help them organize practices of their own. Love, he wrote, joked that the parents “must think being coached by you is something they can put on a Harvard application.”
Obama finally decided that it was “simpler for all concerned” to hang up his whistle and return to the stands as a fan.
Former NBA and UCLA great Bill Walton once playfully declared that Obama should be UCLA’s coach, so it’s no wonder that his school team was so successful.
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Sasha Obama, the former first couple’s youngest daughter, is now 19 and a sophomore at the University of Michigan.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--After Years Apart, Muslim Families Split By Trump's Travel Ban Have High Hopes For Biden

Mohammed Salem Ali , a 64-year-old Muslim refugee from Somalia , has missed out on years with his family .
He wasn ’ t there for the birth of his three grandchildren , and , because of President Donald Trump ’ s travel ban , he was kept from joining his family in the United States .
If he isn ’ t approved for a visa soon , he could miss his 22-year-old daughter ’ s college graduation in the spring .
Biden , who will take office in January , has vowed to end Trump ’ s ban on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them majority Muslim , including Somalia .
The so-called Muslim ban has kept thousands of families apart , simply based on nationality , in a not-so-subtle twist on Trump ’ s 2015 campaign promise to ban all Muslims from entering the United States .
“ The Muslim and African immigrant community will hold them accountable to his pledge .
They want to make sure that this is a Day 1 action and the Biden administration repeals all iterations of the ban , including the Muslim ban and African ban , the refugee ban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Varadarajan , the legal and outreach fellow for the No Muslim Ban Ever Campaign , a coalition of civil rights organizations dedicated to overturning the travel and immigration restrictions .
Mohammed ’ s wife , Fadumo , and children , including college student Afnan , came to the U.S. in 2010 as refugees .
The Salem family applied for Mohammed to join them in 2013 and again after they became U.S. citizens in 2015 .
They also applied for Fadumo ’ s parents , Somali refugees living in Uganda , to come to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheduled for resettlement in February 2017 .
Fadumo ’ s parents were immediately blocked from resettling in the U.S. Mohammed continued to move through the visa process and had an interview with a U.S. official in May 2018 .
During the interview , the officer informed him his visa was denied due to the travel ban , even though he had completed his background checks and the health screenings , Afnan said .
The family applied for a waiver that same month but never received a response .
In 2018 , she and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where her father currently resides , to see him for the first time in years .
There , he finally met some of his grandchildren .
Then they had to go back to the U.S. and leave him behind .
She , her mother , two brothers and her sister all voted for Biden this year , seeing in him their only hope to end the separation from their father for another four years .
Afnan said they couldn ’ t bear it any longer .
“ This election was very stressful for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be someone who is willing to remove this travel ban or someone who was going to continue it , ” she said .
Biden ’ s promises won ’ t all be easy to fulfill .
The Democrat pledged to raise the maximum number of refugee admissions to 125,000 a year , but advocates for the immigrant and refugee communities , along with policy experts , say it won ’ t be easy rebuilding the refugee system after it suffered so many blows from the Trump administration .
The number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration , and 2020 marked a historic low .
The U.S. admitted only about 11,000 refugees in 2020 due to border closures during the first few months of the coronavirus pandemic , but even before COVID-19 hit , the number of actual admissions had been well below the caps set under Trump .
“ There needs to be a commitment from the Biden administration beyond simply writing an executive order but following through with the agencies that the executive controls to make sure that this xenophobic policy that was put in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to branch , ” said Kevin Herrera , a staff attorney at the National Immigration Law Center .
Afnan , in her last year at Ohio State University , hopes to go to law school and become an immigration lawyer .
She hopes her father is able to make it to the U.S. in time to see it .

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Mohammed Salem Ali, a 64-year-old Muslim refugee from Somalia, has missed out on years with his family. He wasn’t there for the birth of his three grandchildren, and, because of President Donald Trump’s travel ban, he was kept from joining his family in the United States. If he isn’t approved for a visa soon, he could miss his 22-year-old daughter’s college graduation in the spring.
The Salem family hopes that will change under President-elect Joe Biden.
Biden, who will take office in January, has vowed to end Trump’s ban on entrants from certain countries, most of them majority Muslim, including Somalia. The so-called Muslim ban has kept thousands of families apart, simply based on nationality, in a not-so-subtle twist on Trump’s 2015 campaign promise to ban all Muslims from entering the United States.
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And those families, like the Salems, are anxiously watching to see what Biden and his administration do next.
“The Muslim and African immigrant community will hold them accountable to his pledge. They want to make sure that this is a Day 1 action and the Biden administration repeals all iterations of the ban, including the Muslim ban and African ban, the refugee ban and asylum ban,” said Subha Varadarajan, the legal and outreach fellow for the No Muslim Ban Ever Campaign, a coalition of civil rights organizations dedicated to overturning the travel and immigration restrictions.
Afnan Salem with her parents and nephew in Kuala Lumpur during a recent visit in July 2019. Photo provided by Afnan Salem
Mohammed’s wife, Fadumo, and children, including college student Afnan, came to the U.S. in 2010 as refugees. The Salem family applied for Mohammed to join them in 2013 and again after they became U.S. citizens in 2015. They also applied for Fadumo’s parents, Somali refugees living in Uganda, to come to the United States, and they were scheduled for resettlement in February 2017.
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Then came Trump’s travel ban, implemented via executive order in January 2017, which also dramatically slashed refugee admissions.
Fadumo’s parents were immediately blocked from resettling in the U.S. Mohammed continued to move through the visa process and had an interview with a U.S. official in May 2018. During the interview, the officer informed him his visa was denied due to the travel ban, even though he had completed his background checks and the health screenings, Afnan said. The family applied for a waiver that same month but never received a response.
The separation has been heartbreaking, Afnan said.
In 2018, she and other family members traveled to Malaysia, where her father currently resides, to see him for the first time in years. There, he finally met some of his grandchildren. Then they had to go back to the U.S. and leave him behind.
“I wouldn’t wish this on anybody,” Afnan said.
She, her mother, two brothers and her sister all voted for Biden this year, seeing in him their only hope to end the separation from their father for another four years. Afnan said they couldn’t bear it any longer.
“This election was very stressful for me because it meant either it was going to be someone who is willing to remove this travel ban or someone who was going to continue it,” she said.
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Biden’s promises won’t all be easy to fulfill. The Democrat pledged to raise the maximum number of refugee admissions to 125,000 a year, but advocates for the immigrant and refugee communities, along with policy experts, say it won’t be easy rebuilding the refugee system after it suffered so many blows from the Trump administration.
The number of admitted refugees has steadily declined under the Trump administration, and 2020 marked a historic low. The U.S. admitted only about 11,000 refugees in 2020 due to border closures during the first few months of the coronavirus pandemic, but even before COVID-19 hit, the number of actual admissions had been well below the caps set under Trump.
And though Biden could repeal the ban with an executive order, policy experts say lawsuits by Republicans could delay a reversal taking effect.
Still, advocates say repealing the ban is an important first step.
“There needs to be a commitment from the Biden administration beyond simply writing an executive order but following through with the agencies that the executive controls to make sure that this xenophobic policy that was put in place by the Trump administration gets undone root to branch,” said Kevin Herrera, a staff attorney at the National Immigration Law Center.
That means making sure that the Department of State expedites the thousands of applications stuck in limbo by the ban and the thousands of denials that came afterward, Varadarajan added.
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Afnan, in her last year at Ohio State University, hopes to go to law school and become an immigration lawyer. She hopes her father is able to make it to the U.S. in time to see it.
“When the travel ban went into effect, I was being targeted and being told I didn’t have the right to be with my family because of my faith, or where I come from,” Afnan said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--CNN Fact-Checker Spells Out The Stark Truth Of Donald Trump's Post-Election Lies

The truth of the matter is that President Donald Trump has taken his lying to the next level since his 2020 election defeat , CNN ’ s fact-checking reporter Daniel Dale said on Wednesday .
“ Basically nothing the president is saying is true , ” tweeted Dale .
“ People say ‘ what else is new , ’ but this is a new lying level even for him , ” Dale continued .
“ He ’ s barely even bothering to sprinkle in some accurate and arguable claims.
” “ It ’ s almost all false all the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president is saying is true .
People say “ what else is new , ” but this is a new lying level even for him .
He ’ s barely even bothering to sprinkle in some accurate and arguable claims .
It ’ s almost all false all the time .
— Daniel Dale ( @ ddale8 ) November 18 , 2020 Trump has falsely claimed victory and has refused to acknowledge his defeat to President-elect Joe Biden .
The outgoing president has lashed out on Twitter multiple times to spread conspiracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter has applied so many “ this claim about election fraud is disputed ” labels to Trump ’ s feed that it has become a mocking meme .
The Washington Post ’ s running tally of Trump ’ s lies showed that by September , he had topped 22,500 falsehoods during his time in office .
Dale has called out Trump ’ s untruths often , exposing the president ’ s “ bombardment of dishonesty ” during the final presidential debate and his “ lie that won ’ t die .
”

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The truth of the matter is that President Donald Trump has taken his lying to the next level since his 2020 election defeat, CNN’s fact-checking reporter Daniel Dale said on Wednesday.
“Basically nothing the president is saying is true,” tweeted Dale.
“People say ‘what else is new,’ but this is a new lying level even for him,” Dale continued. “He’s barely even bothering to sprinkle in some accurate and arguable claims.”
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“It’s almost all false all the time,” Dale said.
Basically nothing the president is saying is true.
People say “what else is new,” but this is a new lying level even for him. He’s barely even bothering to sprinkle in some accurate and arguable claims. It’s almost all false all the time. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) November 18, 2020
Trump has falsely claimed victory and has refused to acknowledge his defeat to President-elect Joe Biden. The outgoing president has lashed out on Twitter multiple times to spread conspiracy theories attempting to undermine the election.
Twitter has applied so many “this claim about election fraud is disputed” labels to Trump’s feed that it has become a mocking meme.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--Twitter's Warning On Donald Trump’s Tweets Gets Hijacked In Mocking Meme

Wits on Twitter have hijacked the social media platform ’ s warning about President Donald Trump ’ s false election @ @ @ @ @ a mocking meme .
Twitter has applied a label saying “ This claim about election @ @ @ @ @ dozens of Trump ’ s posts since he lost the 2020 election .
The president @ @ @ @ @ has promoted baseless claims about mass voter fraud and a stolen election .

Wits on Twitter have hijacked the social media platform’s warning about President Donald Trump ’s false election tweets and turned it into a mocking meme.
Twitter has applied a label saying “This claim about election fraud is disputed” to dozens of Trump’s posts since he lost the 2020 election. The president has falsely claimed victory and has promoted baseless claims about mass voter fraud and a stolen election.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--Seth Meyers Singles Out Members Of Trump's 'Cuckoo Coup Crew'

Seth Meyers on Wednesday took a closer look at how Donald Trump and his allies are leading what he called the president ’ s “ dumbass coup attempt.
” “ President Trump and senior members of the Republican Party are engaging in an assault on democracy in an attempt to hang on to power and undercut the legitimately elected next president , Joe Biden , ” Meyers said on “ Late Night.
” Meyers pointed out that it was very unlikely that efforts by Trump and his ” kooky cuckoo coup crew ” would succeed but that it was alarming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We are finding out right now who in the Republican Party would be willing to go along with an actual coup attempt in the future if , say , an election was much closer , or if they had another chance to accept criminal interference from a foreign country or if Rudy Giuliani tried to break into a ballot machine to change votes for Trump only to realize that it ’ s a pinball machine at a pizzeria in Yonkers , ” Meyers said .
He singled out White House press secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pompeo , Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) and Fox Business host Lou Dobbs as some of Trump ’ s worst enablers .

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Seth Meyers on Wednesday took a closer look at how Donald Trump and his allies are leading what he called the president’s “dumbass coup attempt.”
“President Trump and senior members of the Republican Party are engaging in an assault on democracy in an attempt to hang on to power and undercut the legitimately elected next president, Joe Biden,” Meyers said on “Late Night.”
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Meyers pointed out that it was very unlikely that efforts by Trump and his ”kooky cuckoo coup crew” would succeed but that it was alarming enough just to see them try.
“We are finding out right now who in the Republican Party would be willing to go along with an actual coup attempt in the future if, say, an election was much closer, or if they had another chance to accept criminal interference from a foreign country or if Rudy Giuliani tried to break into a ballot machine to change votes for Trump only to realize that it’s a pinball machine at a pizzeria in Yonkers,” Meyers said.
He singled out White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Fox Business host Lou Dobbs as some of Trump’s worst enablers.
Watch his roast below.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--Kimmel Audience Cheers As He Answers 1 Burning Question About Trump

Jimmy Kimmel is fed up with President Donald Trump ’ s constant cries that everything and everyone is against him @ @ @ @ @ in Trump-land is empty , ” Kimmel declared on Wednesday night , then rattled off @ @ @ @ @ s come out of that tank , from conspiracy theories to former aides who ’ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Everything is bogus : Voting results , crowd size , witch hunts , @ @ @ @ @ , Rex Tillerson , John Kelly , John Bolton , Michael Bolton , Michael Cohen @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re all against him .
The deep state , Hillary ’ s emails @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s a new plot against Donald Trump.
” “ How much gas is @ @ @ @ @ ?
” he asked , before answering his own question .
“ 63 days , @ @ @ @ @ ” His audience cheered at the reminder about how many days are left before President-elect @ @ @ @ @

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Jimmy Kimmel is fed up with President Donald Trump’s constant cries that everything and everyone is against him.
“The think tank in Trump-land is empty,” Kimmel declared on Wednesday night, then rattled off a list of what’s come out of that tank, from conspiracy theories to former aides who’ve turned on the president:
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“Everything is bogus: Voting results, crowd size, witch hunts, perfect calls, Dr. Fauci, Rex Tillerson, John Kelly, John Bolton, Michael Bolton, Michael Cohen, windmills, caravans, they’re all against him. The deep state, Hillary’s emails, pizzagate. Every week there’s a new plot against Donald Trump.”
“How much gas is left in this light already?” he asked, before answering his own question. “63 days, folks. 63 more days.”
His audience cheered at the reminder about how many days are left before President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--'The Daily Show' Offers Trump Some Handy Tips On Conceding An Election

“ The Daily Show ” is trying something new to help President Donald Trump deal with his election loss .
@ @ @ @ @ Wednesday posted a mock ad for a new installment of the language-learning app Duolingo .
@ @ @ @ @ than a week and a half since virtually all major news outlets projected Democrat Joe @ @ @ @ @ the Nov. 3 election , but the president has still refused to accept the loss @ @ @ @ @ the electoral process and spin baseless conspiracy theories about voter fraud .
“ Having trouble @ @ @ @ @ t know how to say , ‘ I lost ’ ?
Then you need Duolingo @ @ @ @ @ the narrator of “ The Daily Show ” bit says .

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“The Daily Show” is trying something new to help President Donald Trump deal with his election loss.
The late-night comedy show on Wednesday posted a mock ad for a new installment of the language-learning app Duolingo.
It’s been more than a week and a half since virtually all major news outlets projected Democrat Joe Biden as the winner of the Nov. 3 election, but the president has still refused to accept the loss and continues to rail against the electoral process and spin baseless conspiracy theories about voter fraud.
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“Having trouble admitting defeat? Don’t know how to say, ‘I lost’? Then you need Duolingo: Concession Edition,” the narrator of “The Daily Show” bit says.
“You’ll learn the basics, including admitting defeat and acknowledging reality.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Tyson Foods Accused Of Betting Money On How Many Workers Would Contract COVID-19

A wrongful death lawsuit tied to COVID-19 infections at Tyson Foods ’ largest pork processing plant accuses the meatpacking giant of ordering employees to come to work while supervisors privately bet money on how many would get infected with the deadly coronavirus .
The family of Isidro Fernandez filed the lawsuit in August saying that Fernandez was exposed to the virus when he reported for work at the Tyson plant in Waterloo , Iowa .
Fernandez died in April from COVID-19 complications , leaving behind a wife and children , according to the lawsuit .
Fernandez was one of at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus .
More than 1,000 workers ― over a third of the facility ’ s workforce ― became infected , according to the Black Hawk County Health Department .
The lawsuit , filed in Black Hawk County , claims Tyson is guilty of a “ willful and wanton disregard for workplace safety ” and accuses the company of endangering employees by downplaying virus concerns and covering up the outbreak in order to keep them working .
As first reported by the Iowa Capital Dispatch , the lawsuit was recently amended to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plant officials .
One of them is that supervisors at the Waterloo plant began wagering money on how many workers would get COVID-19 .
The lawsuit reportedly accuses plant manager Tom Hart of organizing a cash buy-in , winner-takes-all betting pool for supervisors and managers in mid-April to guess how many plant employees would test positive after being forced to report for work .
According to the Capital Dispatch ’ s review of the amended suit , the reported betting pool occurred around the time that Black Hawk County Sheriff Tony Thompson visited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ shook [ him ] to the core.
” Another new allegation reportedly details how upper-level plant manager John Casey explicitly told supervisors to continue showing up to work even if they were experiencing COVID-19 symptoms , referring to the deadly virus as a “ glorified flu ” and telling workers “ everyone is going to get it.
” According to the lawsuit , Casey stopped a sick supervisor on their way to getting tested and ordered them back to work , saying , “ You have a job to do.
” Managers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the production line to continue working and return to work the next day , according to the suit .
Tyson Foods did not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s request for comment .
The company has previously said that it denies the original allegations , moving the lawsuit to federal court on claims that it remained open because of President Donald Trump ’ s April order requiring plants to stay open in order to maintain the nation ’ s meat supply .
The Tyson plant eventually did close after reports that it fueled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More than 180 infections were linked to the plant at the time of closure , according to the Black Hawk County Health Department .
The plant employs 2,800 workers .
Workers at poultry and meat processing plants usually work right alongside each other , but public health experts have been advising that people stay at least 6 feet apart .
Employees in these plants , including Fernandez , are also predominantly people of color and immigrants who are doing hard labor for low pay .
Workers report a higher injury rate than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advocates have said that the hazards are almost always worse than numbers suggest .
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance at the beginning of the pandemic recommending that meatpacking companies put up physical barriers , enforce social distancing and install more hand-sanitizing stations , among other steps .
But the guidance is not mandatory and is mostly unenforceable .

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A wrongful death lawsuit tied to COVID-19 infections at Tyson Foods’ largest pork processing plant accuses the meatpacking giant of ordering employees to come to work while supervisors privately bet money on how many would get infected with the deadly coronavirus.
The family of Isidro Fernandez filed the lawsuit in August saying that Fernandez was exposed to the virus when he reported for work at the Tyson plant in Waterloo, Iowa. Fernandez died in April from COVID-19 complications, leaving behind a wife and children, according to the lawsuit.
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Fernandez was one of at least five Waterloo plant employees who died of the virus. More than 1,000 workers ― over a third of the facility’s workforce ― became infected, according to the Black Hawk County Health Department. The lawsuit, filed in Black Hawk County, claims Tyson is guilty of a “willful and wanton disregard for workplace safety” and accuses the company of endangering employees by downplaying virus concerns and covering up the outbreak in order to keep them working.
As first reported by the Iowa Capital Dispatch, the lawsuit was recently amended to include new allegations against the company and plant officials. One of them is that supervisors at the Waterloo plant began wagering money on how many workers would get COVID-19.
The lawsuit reportedly accuses plant manager Tom Hart of organizing a cash buy-in, winner-takes-all betting pool for supervisors and managers in mid-April to guess how many plant employees would test positive after being forced to report for work. According to the Capital Dispatch’s review of the amended suit, the reported betting pool occurred around the time that Black Hawk County Sheriff Tony Thompson visited the plant and said the working conditions “shook [him] to the core.”
Another new allegation reportedly details how upper-level plant manager John Casey explicitly told supervisors to continue showing up to work even if they were experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, referring to the deadly virus as a “glorified flu” and telling workers “everyone is going to get it.” According to the lawsuit, Casey stopped a sick supervisor on their way to getting tested and ordered them back to work, saying, “You have a job to do.” Managers reportedly allowed one employee who vomited on the production line to continue working and return to work the next day, according to the suit.
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Tyson Foods did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment. The company has previously said that it denies the original allegations, moving the lawsuit to federal court on claims that it remained open because of President Donald Trump’s April order requiring plants to stay open in order to maintain the nation’s meat supply.
The Tyson plant eventually did close after reports that it fueled a massive coronavirus outbreak in Waterloo. More than 180 infections were linked to the plant at the time of closure, according to the Black Hawk County Health Department. The plant employs 2,800 workers.
Workers at poultry and meat processing plants usually work right alongside each other, but public health experts have been advising that people stay at least 6 feet apart. Employees in these plants, including Fernandez, are also predominantly people of color and immigrants who are doing hard labor for low pay. Workers report a higher injury rate than the rest of the private sector, and advocates have said that the hazards are almost always worse than numbers suggest.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance at the beginning of the pandemic recommending that meatpacking companies put up physical barriers, enforce social distancing and install more hand-sanitizing stations, among other steps. But the guidance is not mandatory and is mostly unenforceable.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Tiny Owl Found In Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree After Long Journey To NYC

The Ravensbeard Wildlife Center wrote Tuesday on Facebook that it was excited to share a “ rare holiday story ” @ @ @ @ @ year ’ s tree .
The rescue center said the northern saw-whet owl , one @ @ @ @ @ North America , was rescued from the 75-foot Norway spruce that was trucked into the @ @ @ @ @ in Oneonta last week .
Ellen Kalish , the director and founder of Ravensbeard , @ @ @ @ @ ’ t found until workers were unwrapping the tree in the city .
She suspects @ @ @ @ @ or pinned when the tree was wrapped up .

The Ravensbeard Wildlife Center wrote Tuesday on Facebook that it was excited to share a “rare holiday story” about a secret inside this year’s tree.
The rescue center said the northern saw-whet owl, one of the smallest owls in North America, was rescued from the 75-foot Norway spruce that was trucked into the city after it was felled in Oneonta last week.
Ellen Kalish, the director and founder of Ravensbeard, told HuffPost the stowaway wasn’t found until workers were unwrapping the tree in the city. She suspects he might have been stunned or pinned when the tree was wrapped up.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Coronavirus Live Updates: U.S. Military Reports Over 1,300 Coronavirus Cases In One Day

The U.S. is repeatedly breaking coronavirus records , and experts predict cases will surge after the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday .
@ @ @ @ @ 11.5 million Americans have contracted the coronavirus , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins @ @ @ @ @ million people worldwide , including more than 250,000 Americans , have died .
The virus @ @ @ @ @ around the globe , with more than 55.9 million people confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ first coronavirus lockdown in the city of Wuhan in January .
But pharmaceutical companies Pfizer @ @ @ @ @ promising results from vaccine trials , which some experts ― including Dr. Anthony Fauci , @ @ @ @ @ of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ― have called “ good news .
”

The U.S. is repeatedly breaking coronavirus records, and experts predict cases will surge after the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
To date, more than 12.2 million Americans have contracted the coronavirus, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. More than 1.39 million people worldwide, including more than 256,000 Americans, have died.
The virus continues to disrupt daily life around the globe, with more than 58.7 million people confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 since Chinese officials implemented the first coronavirus lockdown in the city of Wuhan in January. But pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna have both seen promising results from vaccine trials, which some experts ― including Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ― have called “good news.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-20--The Damage Of Trump’s International Anti-Abortion Policy Won’t Be Easy To Undo

President-elect Joe Biden has vowed to pursue an “ aggressive ” plan to further women ’ s equality in the U.S. and around the world ― a sharp reversal from the Trump administration ’ s moves to roll back reproductive rights , sexual health and family planning .
Part of that plan is to rescind the global gag rule , a policy that bars the federal government from offering U.S. aid to any foreign health organization that also offers or provides information on abortion services .
These policy changes will have a lasting effect around the world .
It will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden , both in messaging and in policy , to show the world that , under his administration , the U.S. supports women ’ s reproductive freedom .
The gag rule , also known as the Mexico City Policy or the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance ( PLGHA ) Policy , was first created in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan .
Ever since , each Democratic president has revoked it , and each Republican president has put it back in place .
Although the global gag rule has flip-flopped every time a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration ’ s impact stands out among past Republican administrations .
Until Trump , the gag rule was only applied to the portion of U.S. aid that went to family planning services .
But , in 2017 , Trump broadened the rule to include restrictions on all global health funding , not just money for reproductive care .
If that wasn ’ t restrictive enough , Trump again expanded the policy in 2019 to further cut support for groups that donated to organizations that mention abortion .
This means that NGOs can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanitation , access to clean water , HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis programs if those organizations also offer abortion services or information about abortion .
This expansion affected around $ 9 billion a year in foreign aid and cut integral assistance ahead of a global pandemic .
There are a few things that make the transition from a Biden to Trump administration more difficult than past hand-offs when it comes to the global gag rule .
Trump ’ s expansion of the policy will make it harder to destigmatize abortion care and other reproductive health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s refusal to accept defeat in the election is delaying integral work that usually takes place during the transition period .
Biden may take office in January , but the work to repeal the gag rule often starts before then .
During the transition period , Biden surrogates would reach out to partner organizations in the 60-plus countries that have been adhering to the rule and notify them that they will no longer need to enforce it .
By delaying this critical transition period , the Trump administration is essentially creating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The communication that has to happen on the ground to ensure that partners are comfortable to provide comprehensive services with their non-U.S. funding now ― that ’ s going to take a lot of time , ” Rucks said .
That time will likely be increased , Rucks added , due to Trump ’ s refusal to concede .
It ’ s not just the global gag rule that will leave a lasting impact on international perception of the U.S. ’ s stance on reproductive rights .
Just a month before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed on to the Geneva Consensus Declaration , a 32-country coalition that states , “ in no case should abortion be promoted as a method of family planning ” and undermines same-sex couples by reaffirming traditional family roles .
The coalition , which breaks from United Nations consensus , includes socially conservative countries the U.N. has accused of human rights violations .
“ Let ’ s be clear : Repealing the global gag rule won ’ t turn the U.S. into a global champion of reproductive rights ― it will just be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the greatest global hindrance to reproductive health , ” Zara Ahmed , associate director of federal issues at the Guttmacher Institute , said in a statement last week .
“ We can ― and must ― take a comprehensive approach to unraveling the dangerous , punitive and coercive policies the outgoing administration has woven into our foreign policy.
” Although Biden has made ending violence against women a centerpiece of his campaign , his record on abortion rights is somewhat mixed .
As a senator in the early 1980s , Biden once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overturn Roe v. Wade , the landmark Supreme Court decision that protects the right to an abortion .
For years , he also supported the Hyde Amendment , which is essentially the domestic version of the global gag rule because it bars federal funding for abortion procedures in the U.S .
In recent years , more and more Democrats have called to repeal the amendment .
Biden did reverse his support for the Hyde Amendment last year , saying : “ I can ’ t justify leaving millions of women without the health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care is a right , as I do , I can no longer support [ the amendment ] .
” One way the Biden administration can stop the seesaw effect of the gag rule and make a clear statement in support of reproductive rights worldwide is to pass the Global Health , Empowerment and Rights Act ( HER ) , which would repeal the global gag rule permanently by preventing future presidents from easily reimplementing the policy through executive order .
“ We consistently hear from partners across the globe about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Caitlin Horrigan , director of global advocacy at Planned Parenthood Action Fund .
“ That ’ s not just because of the gag rule ’ s actual restrictions , but because its significant chilling impact has fragmented health systems .
It has sown confusion and fear among health organizations and the people that they serve .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President-elect Joe Biden has vowed to pursue an “aggressive” plan to further women’s equality in the U.S. and around the world ― a sharp reversal from the Trump administration’s moves to roll back reproductive rights, sexual health and family planning. Part of that plan is to rescind the global gag rule, a policy that bars the federal government from offering U.S. aid to any foreign health organization that also offers or provides information on abortion services.
But reversing the work of four years of the most extreme anti-woman presidential administration in recent history won’t be easy.
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“Rescinding the [global gag rule] policy is not like turning a light switch on and off,” said Jonathan Rucks, senior director of policy and advocacy at PAI, an international group that promotes reproductive health care.
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence not only reinstated the gag rule on day one of Trump’s presidency (an expected move from a Republican president), Trump expanded it twice and is currently looking to expand it once more before his term ends.
These policy changes will have a lasting effect around the world. It will take time and a concerted effort from Biden, both in messaging and in policy, to show the world that, under his administration, the U.S. supports women’s reproductive freedom.
“The Trump administration has really stigmatized and discriminated against comprehensive services. In particular, abortion, but also any services that key and vulnerable populations seek out as well,” Rucks said. “All of that work has to be undone.”
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U.S. President-elect Joe Biden delivers remarks about the U.S. economy during a press briefing at the Queen Theater on November 16, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. Joe Raedle via Getty Images
The gag rule, also known as the Mexico City Policy or the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance (PLGHA) Policy, was first created in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan. Ever since, each Democratic president has revoked it, and each Republican president has put it back in place.
For some of the world’s poorest communities, sexual health organizations are essential for providing family planning services like birth control, maternal health care and, sometimes, abortion services. These organizations can sometimes be the only affordable and accessible medical care in the area at all.
Although the global gag rule has flip-flopped every time a new president comes into office, the Trump administration’s impact stands out among past Republican administrations. Until Trump, the gag rule was only applied to the portion of U.S. aid that went to family planning services. But, in 2017, Trump broadened the rule to include restrictions on all global health funding, not just money for reproductive care.
If that wasn’t restrictive enough, Trump again expanded the policy in 2019 to further cut support for groups that donated to organizations that mention abortion. This means that NGOs cannot receive money for essential services like sanitation, access to clean water, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis programs if those organizations also offer abortion services or information about abortion. This expansion affected around $9 billion a year in foreign aid and cut integral assistance ahead of a global pandemic.
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Despite its anti-abortion messaging, research shows that the gag rule reduces access to contraception, which creates an increase in unintended pregnancies and actually leads to more unsafe abortions.
“Repealing the global gag rule won’t turn the U.S. into a global champion of reproductive rights ― it will just be the first step in undoing our current status as the greatest global hindrance to reproductive health.” - Zara Ahmed, Guttmacher Institute
There are a few things that make the transition from a Biden to Trump administration more difficult than past hand-offs when it comes to the global gag rule. Trump’s expansion of the policy will make it harder to destigmatize abortion care and other reproductive health services in these countries.
Additionally, Trump’s refusal to accept defeat in the election is delaying integral work that usually takes place during the transition period. Biden may take office in January, but the work to repeal the gag rule often starts before then. During the transition period, Biden surrogates would reach out to partner organizations in the 60-plus countries that have been adhering to the rule and notify them that they will no longer need to enforce it. By delaying this critical transition period, the Trump administration is essentially creating a logistical nightmare and delaying on-the-ground repeal.
“The communication that has to happen on the ground to ensure that partners are comfortable to provide comprehensive services with their non-U.S. funding now ― that’s going to take a lot of time,” Rucks said. That time will likely be increased, Rucks added, due to Trump’s refusal to concede.
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It’s not just the global gag rule that will leave a lasting impact on international perception of the U.S.’s stance on reproductive rights. Just a month before the general election, Trump created and signed on to the Geneva Consensus Declaration, a 32-country coalition that states, “in no case should abortion be promoted as a method of family planning” and undermines same-sex couples by reaffirming traditional family roles. The coalition, which breaks from United Nations consensus, includes socially conservative countries the U.N. has accused of human rights violations.
“Let’s be clear: Repealing the global gag rule won’t turn the U.S. into a global champion of reproductive rights ― it will just be the first step in undoing our current status as the greatest global hindrance to reproductive health,” Zara Ahmed, associate director of federal issues at the Guttmacher Institute, said in a statement last week. “We can ― and must ― take a comprehensive approach to unraveling the dangerous, punitive and coercive policies the outgoing administration has woven into our foreign policy.”
Permanent Repeal Is Key
Although Biden has made ending violence against women a centerpiece of his campaign, his record on abortion rights is somewhat mixed. As a senator in the early 1980s, Biden once voted in favor of allowing states to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that protects the right to an abortion. For years, he also supported the Hyde Amendment, which is essentially the domestic version of the global gag rule because it bars federal funding for abortion procedures in the U.S.
In recent years, more and more Democrats have called to repeal the amendment. Biden did reverse his support for the Hyde Amendment last year, saying: “I can’t justify leaving millions of women without the health care they need... If I believe health care is a right, as I do, I can no longer support [the amendment].”
One way the Biden administration can stop the seesaw effect of the gag rule and make a clear statement in support of reproductive rights worldwide is to pass the Global Health, Empowerment and Rights Act (HER), which would repeal the global gag rule permanently by preventing future presidents from easily reimplementing the policy through executive order.
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“We consistently hear from partners across the globe about the need for permanent repeal,” said Caitlin Horrigan, director of global advocacy at Planned Parenthood Action Fund. “That’s not just because of the gag rule’s actual restrictions, but because its significant chilling impact has fragmented health systems. It has sown confusion and fear among health organizations and the people that they serve.”
Advocates expect Biden to support the HER Act, which means all eyes are on Congress. Although the bill has received a record number of supporters and co-sponsors, a Republican majority in the Senate could prevent it from becoming law.
The work to undo the damage wrought by the Trump administration and further support reproductive justice won’t stop with a Biden presidency, advocates said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-20--Pfizer To Ask FDA For Emergency Use Of Coronavirus Vaccine

Pfizer said Friday it is asking U.S. regulators to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine , starting the clock on a process that could bring limited first shots as early as next month and eventually an end to the pandemic ― but not until after a long , hard winter .
The companies said that protection plus a good safety record means the vaccine should qualify for emergency use authorization , something the Food and Drug Administration can grant before the final testing is fully complete .
In addition to Friday ’ s FDA submission , they have already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the U.K. and intend to submit similar information soon .
“ Help is on the way , ” Dr. Anthony Fauci , the top U.S. infectious disease expert said on the eve of Pfizer ’ s announcement , adding that it ’ s too early to abandon masks and other protective measures .
“ We need to actually double down on the public health measures as we ’ re waiting for that help to come.
” Friday ’ s filing sets off a chain of events as the FDA and its independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If so , still another government group will have to decide how the initial limited supplies are rationed out to anxiously awaiting Americans .
How much vaccine is available and when is a moving target , but initial supplies will be scarce and rationed .
About 25 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine may become available in December , 30 million in January and 35 million more in February and March , according to information presented to the National Academy of Medicine this week .
Recipients will need two doses , three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s known is based only on statements from Pfizer and BioNTech .
Of 170 infections detected to date , only eight were among people who ’ d received the actual vaccine and the rest had gotten a dummy shot .
On the safety side , the companies cites results from 38,000 study participants who ’ ve been tracked for two months after their second dose .
That ’ s a milestone FDA set because historically , vaccine side effects don ’ t crop up later than that .
Think of it like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the meeting , the FDA will release its own internal analysis .
That sets the stage for the advisers ’ daylong debate about any signs of safety concerns and how the new vaccine technology works before rendering a verdict .
They ’ ll recommend not just whether FDA should allow broader use of the vaccine generally but if so , for whom .
For example , is there enough proof the vaccine works as well for older , sicker adults as for younger , healthier people ?
EMERGENCY USE ISN ’ T @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a lot of unknowns .
For example , the 95 % protection rate is based on people who developed symptoms and then were tested for the virus .
Can the vaccinated get infected but have no symptoms , able to spread the virus ?
How long does protection last ?
Brewing vaccine is more complex than typical drug manufacturing , yet the millionth dose to roll out of Pfizer ’ s Kalamazoo , Michigan , factory must be the same purity and potency as every dose before and after .
Another government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disease Control and Prevention ― decides who is first in line for scarce doses .
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said he hopes that decision can be made at the same time as FDA ’ s .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Pfizer said Friday it is asking U.S. regulators to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine, starting the clock on a process that could bring limited first shots as early as next month and eventually an end to the pandemic ― but not until after a long, hard winter.
The action comes days after Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech announced that its vaccine appears 95% effective at preventing mild to severe COVID-19 disease in a large, ongoing study.
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The companies said that protection plus a good safety record means the vaccine should qualify for emergency use authorization, something the Food and Drug Administration can grant before the final testing is fully complete. In addition to Friday’s FDA submission, they have already started “rolling” applications in Europe and the U.K. and intend to submit similar information soon.
With the coronavirus surging around the U.S. and the world, the pressure is on for regulators to make a speedy decision.
“Help is on the way,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert said on the eve of Pfizer’s announcement, adding that it’s too early to abandon masks and other protective measures. “We need to actually double down on the public health measures as we’re waiting for that help to come.”
Friday’s filing sets off a chain of events as the FDA and its independent advisers debate if the shots are ready. If so, still another government group will have to decide how the initial limited supplies are rationed out to anxiously awaiting Americans.
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How much vaccine is available and when is a moving target, but initial supplies will be scarce and rationed. About 25 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine may become available in December, 30 million in January and 35 million more in February and March, according to information presented to the National Academy of Medicine this week. Recipients will need two doses, three weeks apart.
Not far behind is competitor Moderna Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccine. Its early data suggests the shots are as strong as Pfizer’s, and that company expects to also seek emergency authorization within weeks.
Here’s what happens next:
MAKING THE DATA PUBLIC
The public’s first chance to see how strong the evidence really is will come in early December at a public meeting of the FDA’s scientific advisers.
So far, what’s known is based only on statements from Pfizer and BioNTech. Of 170 infections detected to date, only eight were among people who’d received the actual vaccine and the rest had gotten a dummy shot. On the safety side, the companies cites results from 38,000 study participants who’ve been tracked for two months after their second dose. That’s a milestone FDA set because historically, vaccine side effects don’t crop up later than that.
“We’ll drill down on these data,” said FDA adviser Dr. Paul Offit of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
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Think of it like science on trial. A few days before the meeting, the FDA will release its own internal analysis. That sets the stage for the advisers’ daylong debate about any signs of safety concerns and how the new vaccine technology works before rendering a verdict.
They’ll recommend not just whether FDA should allow broader use of the vaccine generally but if so, for whom. For example, is there enough proof the vaccine works as well for older, sicker adults as for younger, healthier people?
There’s still no guarantee. “We don’t know what that vote’s going to be,” said former FDA vaccine chief Norman Baylor.
EMERGENCY USE ISN’T THE SAME AS FULL APPROVAL
If there’s an emergency green light, “that vaccine is still deemed investigational. It’s not approved yet,” Dr. Marion Gruber, chief of FDA’s vaccine office, told the National Academy of Medicine this week.
That means anyone offered an emergency vaccination must get a “fact sheet” describing potential benefits and risks before going through with the shot, she said.
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There will be a lot of unknowns. For example, the 95% protection rate is based on people who developed symptoms and then were tested for the virus. Can the vaccinated get infected but have no symptoms, able to spread the virus? How long does protection last?
That’s why the 44,000-person study needs to keep running ― something difficult considering ethically, participants given dummy shots at some point must be offered real vaccine, complicating the search for answers.
And at least for now, pregnant women won’t qualify because they weren’t studied. Pfizer only recently began testing the vaccine in children as young as 12.
A decision on Pfizer’s vaccine won’t affect other COVID-19 vaccine candidates in the pipeline, which will be judged separately.
MANUFACTURING
Brewing vaccine is more complex than typical drug manufacturing, yet the millionth dose to roll out of Pfizer’s Kalamazoo, Michigan, factory must be the same purity and potency as every dose before and after.
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That means the FDA decision isn’t just based on study data, but on its determination that the vaccine is being made correctly.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine ― and Moderna’s shots ― are made with brand-new technology. They don’t contain the actual coronavirus. Instead, they’re made with a piece of genetic code for the “spike” protein that studs the virus.
That messenger RNA, or mRNA, instructs the body to make some harmless spike protein, training immune cells to recognize it if the real virus eventually comes along.
GETTING INTO PEOPLE’S ARMS
Another government group ― advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ― decides who is first in line for scarce doses. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said he hopes that decision can be made at the same time as FDA’s.
The Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed has worked with states to line up how many doses they’d need to cover the populations offered vaccine first.
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Pfizer will ship those supplies as ordered by the states ― only after FDA gives the OK.
Company projections of how much it will ship each month are just predictions, Baylor warned.
“It’s not like a pizza,” he said. Manufacturing is so complex that “you don’t necessarily end up with what you thought.”
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