thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--Andrew Cuomo Says He's 'Eligible' For Dating And Quickly Gets An Offer

Great news , Cuomosexuals .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo is not only single , but is ready to mingle .
The state leader told 1010Wins radio Thursday that he is “ eligible.
” ( Hear the audio clip below . )
In a lighthearted conclusion to the interview , anchor Susan Richard asked the governor about a recent survey by matchmaker Maureen Tara Nelson that revealed he and younger brother Chris Cuomo of CNN tied for the most handsome man in New York .
Hundreds said the Cuomo brothers rated a “ find me someone like that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is ready to be found .
“ Now that you raise it ― most wanted eligibility ― my brother is married , I am not married , so I don ’ t think he would qualify as eligible , ” the governor said , laughing .
“ However , I am eligible.
” Cuomo , a divorced father of three , broke up with longtime girlfriend Sandra Lee in the fall and has earned heartthrob and hero status during the coronavirus pandemic .
His profile has risen while hosting daily briefings on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The hashtag # Cuomosexual trended on Twitter last month , when comedian Randy Rainbow professed to be one in a song parody about the governor , who approves of the term .
Interviewer Richard playfully threw her hat into the ring , noting that both she and Cuomo are single Sagittarians from Queens .
“ I ’ m just putting it out there , ” she said .
Richard later wrote on Twitter : “ Why yes , I did flirt ” with the governor .
( Hear the radio interview below the @ @ @

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Great news, Cuomosexuals. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is not only single, but is ready to mingle.
The state leader told 1010Wins radio Thursday that he is “eligible.” (Hear the audio clip below.)
In a lighthearted conclusion to the interview, anchor Susan Richard asked the governor about a recent survey by matchmaker Maureen Tara Nelson that revealed he and younger brother Chris Cuomo of CNN tied for the most handsome man in New York.
Hundreds said the Cuomo brothers rated a “find me someone like that,” and it appears the elder brother is ready to be found.
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“Now that you raise it ― most wanted eligibility ― my brother is married, I am not married, so I don’t think he would qualify as eligible,” the governor said, laughing. “However, I am eligible.”
Cuomo, a divorced father of three, broke up with longtime girlfriend Sandra Lee in the fall and has earned heartthrob and hero status during the coronavirus pandemic.
His profile has risen while hosting daily briefings on the outbreak and battling for more resources. The hashtag #Cuomosexual trended on Twitter last month, when comedian Randy Rainbow professed to be one in a song parody about the governor, who approves of the term.
Interviewer Richard playfully threw her hat into the ring, noting that both she and Cuomo are single Sagittarians from Queens.
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“I’m just putting it out there,” she said.
“Sounds good to me,” a chuckling Cuomo responded. “It all started in Queens, Susan.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--NJ To Schools: You Can’t Make Parents Promise Not To Sue Before Offering Special Education

HuffPost US Families in New Jersey were asked to sign forms waiving their legal rights .
After HuffPost reported that some school districts in New Jersey had been forcing students with disabilities to sign waivers promising not to sue before providing them with services , the state has issued a memo saying such practices are illegal , violating the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and state Department of Education regulations .
“ A key right guaranteed by both the IDEA and the state ’ s regulations is the right to disagree with a school district ’ s determination or action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a disability , ” notes the memo , issued Thursday .
HuffPost previously reported that some schools were making families sign forms relinquishing their ability to hold schools legally accountable in order to receive counseling and speech services for their child .
The form said that parents were not allowed to be present for , listen to or record virtual counseling or speech sessions , and that such recordings could violate state wiretapping law .
It provided the district with indemnity even if its services resulted in property damage , injury or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue with the form and made their displeasure known to the state , writing a letter taking umbrage with the legal premise .
After HuffPost ’ s initial report , the pushback ballooned .
An op-ed in NJ Advance Media called the forms “ outrageous and at odds with the law.
” The form was devised by a firm called Machado Law , which reports to represent around 30 school districts in the state .
Advocates said they had not heard of any students without disabilities being made to sign such a waiver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signing such a waiver might relate to a student ’ s ability to obtain compensatory services when school resumes .
Under IDEA , students should be offered make-up supports , or compensatory services , in circumstances where their individualized education program ( IEP ) has not been fulfilled .
An IEP is a legal document that details the education services with which a disabled student should be afforded .
Attorneys feared that if students signed away their rights now , when schools are closed , they may also not have recourse to obtain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Renay Zamloot , a professional education advocate for students with disabilities in New Jersey , said she started hearing about these forms from families about three weeks ago .
Some families , she said , refused to sign the document , and in turn , stopped receiving special education services for their children .
Zamloot advised families to revise the forms using a Sharpie marker , signing the document only once they felt comfortable with the changes .
In her experiences so far , districts have been accepting the revised versions .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the immense challenges school districts are currently facing amid widespread school closures during the coronavirus pandemic .
Educating children under distance learning presents hefty obstacles , especially when a child ’ s schooling is guided by meticulous and legally binding IEPs .
Some students with disabilities use a one-on-one aid in the classroom , or receive hands-on services like physical or occupational therapy .
Not providing these services could represent a violation of a child ’ s IEP , though it is notably difficult to do so remotely .
As noted by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a letter previously sent to the state , “ this is an unprecedented time , ” which involves never before raised questions of privacy and liability .
However , at the federal level , the U.S. Department of Education has emphasized that despite these issues , IDEA should be fully applied .
Some education groups like the School Superintendents Association have been pushing for the department to issue waivers relieving districts of some of the law ’ s most stringent aspects .
But earlier this week , Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos disappointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such flexibilities .
“ While the Department has provided extensive flexibility to help schools transition , there is no reason for Congress to waive any provision designed to keep students learning , ” DeVos said in a statement .
“ With ingenuity , innovation , and grit , I know this nation ’ s educators and schools can continue to faithfully educate every one of its students.
” Zamloot has observed some districts dealing with these obstacles better than others .
Some students are merely being emailed packets to complete and send back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and teletherapy sessions .
Some students are even attending online class , with their one-on-one aid virtually present .
“ We see a lot of variation within the same district .
There are different schools doing different things .
Within the same schools even different teachers are doing different things , ” said Zamloot .
“ Some districts are doing a better job .
Many are not .
”

Families in New Jersey were asked to sign forms waiving their legal rights. HuffPost US
After HuffPost reported that some school districts in New Jersey had been forcing students with disabilities to sign waivers promising not to sue before providing them with services, the state has issued a memo saying such practices are illegal, violating the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and state Department of Education regulations.
“A key right guaranteed by both the IDEA and the state’s regulations is the right to disagree with a school district’s determination or action concerning the educational program of a student with a disability,” notes the memo, issued Thursday.
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HuffPost previously reported that some schools were making families sign forms relinquishing their ability to hold schools legally accountable in order to receive counseling and speech services for their child. The form said that parents were not allowed to be present for, listen to or record virtual counseling or speech sessions, and that such recordings could violate state wiretapping law. It provided the district with indemnity even if its services resulted in property damage, injury or death.
Special education advocates immediately took issue with the form and made their displeasure known to the state, writing a letter taking umbrage with the legal premise. After HuffPost’s initial report, the pushback ballooned. An op-ed in NJ Advance Media called the forms “outrageous and at odds with the law.”
The form was devised by a firm called Machado Law, which reports to represent around 30 school districts in the state. Advocates said they had not heard of any students without disabilities being made to sign such a waiver.
“No parents should be asked to give up any rights or claims they may have in exchange for receiving constitutionally required educational services,” Elizabeth Athos, senior attorney with the Education Law Center, previously told HuffPost.
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Advocates also raised concerns with how signing such a waiver might relate to a student’s ability to obtain compensatory services when school resumes. Under IDEA, students should be offered make-up supports, or compensatory services, in circumstances where their individualized education program (IEP) has not been fulfilled. An IEP is a legal document that details the education services with which a disabled student should be afforded.
Attorneys feared that if students signed away their rights now, when schools are closed, they may also not have recourse to obtain more compensatory services when school resumes.
However, the state guidance clarifies that “Neither the IDEA nor the state’s special education regulations require or allow for the waiver of present or future claims, including claims to compensatory services.”
Renay Zamloot, a professional education advocate for students with disabilities in New Jersey, said she started hearing about these forms from families about three weeks ago. Some families, she said, refused to sign the document, and in turn, stopped receiving special education services for their children.
Zamloot advised families to revise the forms using a Sharpie marker, signing the document only once they felt comfortable with the changes. In her experiences so far, districts have been accepting the revised versions.
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“This is completely unacceptable. Districts are required to provide services listed in an IEP,” said Zamloot.
Shea Murray, who has a son with multiple disabilities in high school at Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District, received the form several weeks ago.
“We weren’t even told it was coming,” she said.
Per Zamloot’s advice, Murray wrote back saying she did not consent to the form’s contents. She was relieved when the district continued providing her son with services anyway.
The forms, to some extent, exemplify the immense challenges school districts are currently facing amid widespread school closures during the coronavirus pandemic. Educating children under distance learning presents hefty obstacles, especially when a child’s schooling is guided by meticulous and legally binding IEPs. Some students with disabilities use a one-on-one aid in the classroom, or receive hands-on services like physical or occupational therapy. Not providing these services could represent a violation of a child’s IEP, though it is notably difficult to do so remotely.
As noted by the law firm that composed these forms in a letter previously sent to the state, “this is an unprecedented time,” which involves never before raised questions of privacy and liability.
Advertisement
However, at the federal level, the U.S. Department of Education has emphasized that despite these issues, IDEA should be fully applied. Some education groups like the School Superintendents Association have been pushing for the department to issue waivers relieving districts of some of the law’s most stringent aspects. But earlier this week, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos disappointed such groups when she declined to seek such flexibilities.
“While the Department has provided extensive flexibility to help schools transition, there is no reason for Congress to waive any provision designed to keep students learning,” DeVos said in a statement. “With ingenuity, innovation, and grit, I know this nation’s educators and schools can continue to faithfully educate every one of its students.”
Zamloot has observed some districts dealing with these obstacles better than others. Some students are merely being emailed packets to complete and send back. Others are participating in online consultations and teletherapy sessions. Some students are even attending online class, with their one-on-one aid virtually present.
“We see a lot of variation within the same district. There are different schools doing different things. Within the same schools even different teachers are doing different things,” said Zamloot. “Some districts are doing a better job. Many are not.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--RNC Hawks Trump-Themed Merchandise For Mother's Day And Folks Aren't Happy

Mother 's Day is around the corner❤ If you 're looking for a gift for the woman in your life @ @ @ @ @ , then look no further !
The Official Trump Campaign store has everything you need @ @ @ @ @ in your life !
https : //t.co/VtNyglksFH pic.twitter.com/3ezaW4CYw8

Mother's Day is around the corner❤
If you're looking for a gift for the woman in your life who keeps your family great, then look no further!
The Official Trump Campaign store has everything you need to surprise the AMAZING mothers in your life!https://t.co/VtNyglksFH pic.twitter.com/3ezaW4CYw8


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--Mitt Romney Backs Hazard Pay For Essential Workers

Sen. Mitt Romney ( R-Utah ) on Friday released a plan to provide front-line workers with hazard pay during the pandemic , becoming the first GOP lawmaker to endorse the idea .
The proposal aims to compensate essential workers who now face a greater risk of contracting the coronavirus , like people in the health care or food processing industries .
Under the plan , workers would receive up to an additional $ 12 an hour during a three-month period ending in July .
Three-fourths of the cost of the proposal would be paid by the federal government through a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portion would be covered by employers .
The credit would gradually phase out for essential workers making over $ 50,000 annually .
Those making over $ 90,000 per year would be ineligible .
“ Health care professionals , grocery store workers , food processors , and many others — the unsung patriots on the frontline of this pandemic — every day risk their safety for the health and well-being of our country , and they deserve our unwavering support , ” the senator said in a statement on Friday .
A hazard pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers still clocking in during the pandemic .
From doctors and nurses to retail employees , many people have already been infected and even died from the coronavirus likely contracted through their jobs .
Last month , Democrats offered their own hazard pay plan , which would be fully funded by the federal government .
It would boost eligible workers ’ pay by $ 13 an hour on top of their normal wages , retroactive to the start of the pandemic and through the end of this year .
Unlike Romney ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out for higher-paid workers .
Instead , it would be capped at a total of $ 25,000 for those earning below $ 200,000 per year and at $ 5,000 for those earning more .
Setting the higher threshold for full eligibility would benefit better-paid hospital workers , the Democratic lawmakers said .
“ We ’ ve discovered who ’ s essential in this economy , ” Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
said Friday on a Zoom chat organized by Restaurant Opportunities Centers United , a restaurant workers ’ advocacy group .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep us healthy , who keep us fed .
If they ’ ve got our backs , everyone else in America should have their backs.
” Hazard pay is just one proposal that lawmakers are discussing as part of another coronavirus relief bill , which Congress is expected to take up later this month .
Democrats are pushing for hundreds of billions of dollars in aid to states and localities , which have lost tax revenue due to the coronavirus downturn , along with a list of other items .
Republicans are calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wave of lawsuits related to the pandemic .

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Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on Friday released a plan to provide front-line workers with hazard pay during the pandemic, becoming the first GOP lawmaker to endorse the idea.
The proposal aims to compensate essential workers who now face a greater risk of contracting the coronavirus, like people in the health care or food processing industries.
Advertisement
Under the plan, workers would receive up to an additional $12 an hour during a three-month period ending in July. Three-fourths of the cost of the proposal would be paid by the federal government through a refundable tax credit, while the remaining portion would be covered by employers.
The credit would gradually phase out for essential workers making over $50,000 annually. Those making over $90,000 per year would be ineligible.
Romney dubbed the credit “Patriot Pay.”
“Health care professionals, grocery store workers, food processors, and many others — the unsung patriots on the frontline of this pandemic — every day risk their safety for the health and well-being of our country, and they deserve our unwavering support,” the senator said in a statement on Friday.
Sen. Mitt Romney has joined Democrats in calling for hazard pay for essential workers. Alex Wong via Getty Images
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A hazard pay premium has become a rallying cry for workers still clocking in during the pandemic. From doctors and nurses to retail employees, many people have already been infected and even died from the coronavirus likely contracted through their jobs.
Last month, Democrats offered their own hazard pay plan, which would be fully funded by the federal government. It would boost eligible workers’ pay by $13 an hour on top of their normal wages, retroactive to the start of the pandemic and through the end of this year. Unlike Romney’s plan, the premium would not phase out for higher-paid workers. Instead, it would be capped at a total of $25,000 for those earning below $200,000 per year and at $5,000 for those earning more. Setting the higher threshold for full eligibility would benefit better-paid hospital workers, the Democratic lawmakers said.
“We’ve discovered who’s essential in this economy,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said Friday on a Zoom chat organized by Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, a restaurant workers’ advocacy group. “It’s the people who keep us healthy, who keep us fed. If they’ve got our backs, everyone else in America should have their backs.”
Hazard pay is just one proposal that lawmakers are discussing as part of another coronavirus relief bill, which Congress is expected to take up later this month.
Democrats are pushing for hundreds of billions of dollars in aid to states and localities, which have lost tax revenue due to the coronavirus downturn, along with a list of other items. Republicans are calling for protections to shield businesses from a wave of lawsuits related to the pandemic.
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Emily Peck contributed reporting.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--Sexual Assault Advocates Expected More From Joe Biden

Thomas added that sexual assault victims deserve “ the presumption of truth ” and a fair process when they come forward with their stories .
“ Biden has more to do and it ’ s appropriate to push him , ” she wrote .
“ Survivors and all Americans need a leader who can show humility , own the harm that people have experienced as a result of their behavior and take meaningful steps to facilitate healing .
It ’ s a new model of leadership that we deserve.
” “ These allegations deserve a rigorous investigation , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and all records that may be relevant , including those housed at the University of Delaware , in addition to any Senate records housed at the National Archives , ” Drevna said .
“ We urge him , his campaign , and any former staff to cooperate fully and provide complete transparency.
” “ Joe Biden deserves due process .
Due process is not deference , nor is it reliance on character evidence , ” Michele Dauber , chair of the organization and a Stanford University professor , told HuffPost .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can move on to November .
If the charge is substantiated he should step aside so that we Democrats can select another candidate.
” Dauber , who also led the recall against Brock Turner judge Aaron Persky , said she is a high-dollar Democratic fundraiser who says she raised over $ 2 million in the last two election cycles .
She vowed that she won ’ t raise money for Biden unless there is an independent investigation and he is cleared .
One advocate , who runs an organization supporting sexual assault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she is not authorized to publicly comment , told HuffPost she ’ s frustrated with Biden ’ s response .
If Reade ’ s allegation is truly false , she said , Biden himself should call for a fair and impartial investigation .
Calling for records to be released is not going to cut it .
So many survivors know how unreliable it is to depend on records to find justice ― just look at the backlog in rape kits and bias found in police reports .
The advocate added that she ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pawn by bad-faith actors who don ’ t actually care about progress for sexual assault victims — and that Reade may turn to President Donald Trump ’ s campaign if the Democratic Party keeps dismissing her story .
The organizer said she often envisions a presidential debate in which Biden invites all of Trump ’ s accusers and Trump shows up with Reade .
In 2016 , Trump brought the women who have accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct to a presidential debate against Hillary Clinton .
Many of the advocates HuffPost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were that Biden had put his rumored shortlist of vice presidential candidates ― all of whom are women ― and other female lawmakers in such a tough spot .
A significant part of a vice presidential candidate ’ s job is to defend and support the presidential nominee , which means whomever Biden chooses will have to repeatedly defend him from Reade ’ s accusation .
Another organizer for sexual assault survivors , who is not being named because they are not able to comment publicly , told HuffPost that Biden needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward is to truly listen to Reade and acknowledge her story ― even if Biden continues to deny the assault allegation .
Recognizing Reade as a person and affording her dignity is key .
The Biden campaign denied the allegation in March .
“ Women have a right to tell their story , and reporters have an obligation to rigorously vet those claims , ” the campaign told HuffPost at the time .
“ We encourage them to do so , because these accusations are false.
” As chairman of the Senate Judiciary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court confirmation hearings in 1991 .
He has been widely criticized for not doing enough to ensure Hill ’ s allegations were given full consideration .
And although he has had many opportunities to apologize for — or at the very least , explain — his mishandling of Hill ’ s allegations , many feel Biden never took responsibility for how his actions dismissed Hill ’ s sexual harassment claim .
“ I can not be satisfied by simply saying I ’ m sorry for what happened to you , ” Hill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Times that was published the day Biden announced his 2020 presidential bid .
“ I will be satisfied when I know there is real change and real accountability and real purpose.
” “ Look , women are to be believed [ and ] given the benefit of the doubt , ” he said .
“ If they come forward and say something that they said happened to them , they should start off with the presumption they ’ re telling the truth .
And then you have to look at the circumstances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this case do not exist .
They never happened .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The hashtags “I Believe Biden” and “I Believe Joe” were trending online Friday morning following Joe Biden’s first public denial of Tara Reade’s sexual assault allegation against him. The former vice president released a statement and later appeared on “Morning Joe” in a combative interview with Mika Brzezinski.
“It is not true,” Biden told Brzezinski of Reade’s accusation that she sexually assaulted her in 1993 when she worked for him as a Senate aide, which his presidential campaign had denied previously. “I’m saying unequivocally it never, never happened.”
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In his written statement (which felt a bit more measured than his tense interview), Biden requested that the National Archives release any records from the Office of Fair Employment Practices that relate to Reade’s claim.
Many anti-sexual violence advocates and organizers, however, expected more out of Biden ― a politician who helped draft the Violence Against Women Act, created the anti-sexual violence organization It’s On Us and has largely championed women’s rights throughout his career.
Some are encouraged by his response and hope he will take the next step in calling for an investigation. But most were disappointed, saying he lacked accountability and seemed to erase Reade’s story.
“Survivors deserve better than this,” Shaunna Thomas, the co-founder of anti-sexual violence organization UltraViolet, tweeted on Friday.
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Thomas added that sexual assault victims deserve “the presumption of truth” and a fair process when they come forward with their stories. “Biden has more to do and it’s appropriate to push him,” she wrote. “Survivors and all Americans need a leader who can show humility, own the harm that people have experienced as a result of their behavior and take meaningful steps to facilitate healing. It’s a new model of leadership that we deserve.”
“Survivors deserve better than this ... Biden has more to do and it’s appropriate to push him.” - Shaunna Thomas, UltraViolet co-founder
Heather Drevna, RAINN’s vice president of communications, told HuffPost the organization was happy to see Biden finally address Reade’s accusation but hoped he would also call for a thorough investigation.
“These allegations deserve a rigorous investigation, and we urge Vice President Biden to release any and all records that may be relevant, including those housed at the University of Delaware, in addition to any Senate records housed at the National Archives,” Drevna said. “We urge him, his campaign, and any former staff to cooperate fully and provide complete transparency.”
Enough is Enough Voter Project, an organization making violence against women a voting priority, called earlier this week for the Democratic National Committee to open an independent investigation into the accusation against Biden.
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“Joe Biden deserves due process. Due process is not deference, nor is it reliance on character evidence,” Michele Dauber, chair of the organization and a Stanford University professor, told HuffPost. “If the charge is not substantiated, then we can move on to November. If the charge is substantiated he should step aside so that we Democrats can select another candidate.”
Dauber, who also led the recall against Brock Turner judge Aaron Persky, said she is a high-dollar Democratic fundraiser who says she raised over $2 million in the last two election cycles. She vowed that she won’t raise money for Biden unless there is an independent investigation and he is cleared.
One advocate, who runs an organization supporting sexual assault survivors and is not being named because she is not authorized to publicly comment, told HuffPost she’s frustrated with Biden’s response. If Reade’s allegation is truly false, she said, Biden himself should call for a fair and impartial investigation. Calling for records to be released is not going to cut it. So many survivors know how unreliable it is to depend on records to find justice ― just look at the backlog in rape kits and bias found in police reports.
The advocate added that she’s worried Reade will be used as a pawn by bad-faith actors who don’t actually care about progress for sexual assault victims — and that Reade may turn to President Donald Trump’s campaign if the Democratic Party keeps dismissing her story. The organizer said she often envisions a presidential debate in which Biden invites all of Trump’s accusers and Trump shows up with Reade. In 2016, Trump brought the women who have accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct to a presidential debate against Hillary Clinton.
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event at Tougaloo College on March 08, 2020 in Tougaloo, Mississippi. Jonathan Bachman via Getty Images
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Many of the advocates HuffPost spoke with pointed out how disappointed they were that Biden had put his rumored shortlist of vice presidential candidates ― all of whom are women ― and other female lawmakers in such a tough spot. A significant part of a vice presidential candidate’s job is to defend and support the presidential nominee, which means whomever Biden chooses will have to repeatedly defend him from Reade’s accusation.
One organizer said that an important step Biden could take is to make a statement guaranteeing that no woman, including his running mate, will have to speak for his alleged actions.
Another organizer for sexual assault survivors, who is not being named because they are not able to comment publicly, told HuffPost that Biden needs to show some accountability. The only way forward is to truly listen to Reade and acknowledge her story ― even if Biden continues to deny the assault allegation. Recognizing Reade as a person and affording her dignity is key.
But Biden told Brzezinski on Friday that he has not reached out to Reade to start a conversation. “It was 27 years ago,” he said. “This never happened. When she first made the claim, we made it clear it never happened. And that’s as simple as that.”
The Biden campaign denied the allegation in March. “Women have a right to tell their story, and reporters have an obligation to rigorously vet those claims,” the campaign told HuffPost at the time. “We encourage them to do so, because these accusations are false.”
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Biden has not really acknowledged Reade or her story, even as he has been asked to address her accusation head-on ― similar to how he has never truly acknowledged Anita Hill or her allegation that Clarence Thomas sexually harassed her.
As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Biden presided over Thomas’ Supreme Court confirmation hearings in 1991. He has been widely criticized for not doing enough to ensure Hill’s allegations were given full consideration. And although he has had many opportunities to apologize for — or at the very least, explain — his mishandling of Hill’s allegations, many feel Biden never took responsibility for how his actions dismissed Hill’s sexual harassment claim.
“I cannot be satisfied by simply saying I’m sorry for what happened to you,” Hill said in an interview with The New York Times that was published the day Biden announced his 2020 presidential bid. “I will be satisfied when I know there is real change and real accountability and real purpose.”
“Biden has not really acknowledged Reade or her story, even as he has been asked to address her accusation head-on ― similar to how he has never truly acknowledged Anita Hill or her allegation that Clarence Thomas sexually harassed her.”
During one particularly tense moment Friday morning, Brzezinski asked the former vice president if people are supposed to believe women “unless it pertains to you.” Biden let out a sigh and appeared to become slightly agitated.
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“Look, women are to be believed [and] given the benefit of the doubt,” he said. “If they come forward and say something that they said happened to them, they should start off with the presumption they’re telling the truth. And then you have to look at the circumstances and the facts. And the facts of this case do not exist. They never happened.”
An attorney with the Sexual Violence Law Center, an organization that offers free legal services to survivors, told HuffPost she was not surprised by Biden’s interview. Many people only want to support survivors when it’s convenient. It’s frustrating and disappointing, she said, that one woman’s story still does not seem to be enough to spark tangible action.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--Twitter Users Skeptical About Kayleigh McEnany's 'Never Lie' Promise

`` The salacious , awful , and verifiably false allegations that were made against Justice Kavanaugh '' -- McEnany just @ @ @ @ @ she made not to just minutes ago .
The allegations against Kavanaugh were not verifiably @ @ @ @ @ good run .
pic.twitter.com/XQp1yer9vt

"The salacious, awful, and verifiably false allegations that were made against Justice Kavanaugh" -- McEnany just lied, breaking the promise she made not to just minutes ago. The allegations against Kavanaugh were not verifiably false.
It was a good run. pic.twitter.com/XQp1yer9vt


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--Democrats Propose New Paycheck Protection Program That Offers Direct Grants

Congress took two major steps to provide Americans relief as the coronavirus pandemic cost the nation tens of thousands of lives and millions of jobs : It boosted unemployment benefits and created a new program aimed at preventing layoffs .
Now , Senate Democrats are proposing a third initiative designed to plug the holes in the Paycheck Protection Program , which provides forgivable loans covering two months of payroll and other costs for businesses with up to 500 employees .
The proposed Paycheck Security Act , offered by Sens .
Mark Warner of Virginia , Bernie Sanders of Vermont , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Connecticut , would cut the middle man ― banks ― out of the process and provide qualifying businesses with direct grants from the federal government to achieve the same purpose for at least six months .
“ It is a heck of a lot simpler than what we have done up to now , ” Sanders said during a press call on Friday .
The direct approach is similar to that taken by countries like Germany and Denmark .
In essence , it ’ s what the Paycheck Protection Program could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lending institutions to act as the first point of contact .
Democrats initially proposed a direct government lending program for businesses but were rebuffed .
Banks were asked to process hundreds of thousands of PPP applications , many of which became backlogged due to high demand and insufficient funding .
Some companies had an easier time accessing the money than others .
Smaller businesses that had no prior relationships with a bank , for example , had greater difficulty securing funds than larger employers ― an issue that froze out some minority communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the program weren ’ t favorable to some employers who worried they might not be in business for the required two-month period and hence might be stuck paying off the loan .
The new plan offered by Democrats would cover salaries and wages up to $ 90,000 for each furloughed or laid-off employee , plus benefits such as employer-sponsored health insurance .
It would also cover a portion of fixed operating costs such as utilities , maintenance or rent .
In order to qualify for the program , businesses would have to show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 % .
Unlike the Paycheck Protection Program , employers and nonprofits of all sizes would be eligible ― unless they hold more than 18 months of average payroll in cash or cash equivalents .
Democrats did not release a cost estimate for the plan , but they suggested the overall price tag would be lower than existing coronavirus relief programs .
“ It will be much less costly to our economy and our country in the long run if we can offer direct grants to businesses facing heavy losses so that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the next several months of this crisis , ” Warner said .
Warner said he would favor eventually replacing the Paycheck Protection Program with the new proposal , rather than approving a third round of funding under the current measure .
Congress has appropriated nearly $ 600 billion for that program .
The idea of direct government support for businesses struggling due to the coronavirus has bipartisan support .
Sen. Josh Hawley ( R-Mo . )
last month pushed for the government to cover 80 % of employee wages until the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( D-Wash. ) introduced a bill that would cover 100 % of business payroll costs for at least three months .

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Congress took two major steps to provide Americans relief as the coronavirus pandemic cost the nation tens of thousands of lives and millions of jobs: It boosted unemployment benefits and created a new program aimed at preventing layoffs.
Now, Senate Democrats are proposing a third initiative designed to plug the holes in the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides forgivable loans covering two months of payroll and other costs for businesses with up to 500 employees.
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The proposed Paycheck Security Act, offered by Sens. Mark Warner of Virginia, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Doug Jones of Alabama and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, would cut the middle man ― banks ― out of the process and provide qualifying businesses with direct grants from the federal government to achieve the same purpose for at least six months.
“It is a heck of a lot simpler than what we have done up to now,” Sanders said during a press call on Friday.
The direct approach is similar to that taken by countries like Germany and Denmark. In essence, it’s what the Paycheck Protection Program could have looked like had Congress not relied on lending institutions to act as the first point of contact. Democrats initially proposed a direct government lending program for businesses but were rebuffed.
Banks were asked to process hundreds of thousands of PPP applications, many of which became backlogged due to high demand and insufficient funding. Some companies had an easier time accessing the money than others. Smaller businesses that had no prior relationships with a bank, for example, had greater difficulty securing funds than larger employers ― an issue that froze out some minority communities.
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In addition, the terms of the program weren’t favorable to some employers who worried they might not be in business for the required two-month period and hence might be stuck paying off the loan.
The new plan offered by Democrats would cover salaries and wages up to $90,000 for each furloughed or laid-off employee, plus benefits such as employer-sponsored health insurance. It would also cover a portion of fixed operating costs such as utilities, maintenance or rent.
In order to qualify for the program, businesses would have to show a drop in revenue of at least 20%. Unlike the Paycheck Protection Program, employers and nonprofits of all sizes would be eligible ― unless they hold more than 18 months of average payroll in cash or cash equivalents.
Democrats did not release a cost estimate for the plan, but they suggested the overall price tag would be lower than existing coronavirus relief programs.
“It will be much less costly to our economy and our country in the long run if we can offer direct grants to businesses facing heavy losses so that they can keep workers on payroll and benefits through the next several months of this crisis,” Warner said.
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Warner said he would favor eventually replacing the Paycheck Protection Program with the new proposal, rather than approving a third round of funding under the current measure. Congress has appropriated nearly $600 billion for that program.
The idea of direct government support for businesses struggling due to the coronavirus has bipartisan support. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) last month pushed for the government to cover 80% of employee wages until the pandemic is over. Progressive Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) introduced a bill that would cover 100% of business payroll costs for at least three months.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--Pope's 'Robin Hood' Wired Money For Food To Struggling Transgender Sex Workers

When the coronavirus lockdown left a group of transgender sex workers in a beach town near Rome without work , they turned to a local Catholic priest for help to buy food .
But his parish ’ s resources were already stretched by the health crisis so the priest turned to the cardinal known as “ the Pope ’ s Robin Hood ” who runs the Vatican charities .
He wired money to the parish for them .
“ I don ’ t understand why this is getting so much attention , ” Cardinal Konrad Krajewski told Reuters by phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work for the Church , it ’ s normal .
This is how the Church is a field hospital.
“ Krajewski , whose formal title is “ papal almoner , ” or distributor of alms , said the sex workers most likely were undocumented , making it difficult for them to seek help from Italian state welfare offices .
“ Everything is closed .
They don ’ t have any resources .
They went to the pastor .
They could not have gone to a politician or a parliamentarian .
And the pastor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really in difficulty because sometimes their passports were taken away by the mafia pimps who control them , ” he said .
“ We follow the gospel.
” Krajewski , at 56 , one of the youngest cardinals in the world , said it was what Jesus would have done .
And it was not the first time the Polish cardinal has made the news with his sometimes unorthodox ways of distributing the pope ’ s charities .
Last year , he clambered down a manhole , broke a police seal , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hundreds of homeless people , many of them immigrants , living in an occupied building in Rome .
Although he tries to shun the limelight , Krajewski has become a minor celebrity in Rome .
Since Pope Francis named him to the Vatican charity post in 2013 , he became known for dressing down into simple layman ’ s clothes at night and bringing food to the city ’ s homeless in a white van .
He has also opened shelters near the Vatican where the homeless can wash , get haircuts @ @ @ @ @ @

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When the coronavirus lockdown left a group of transgender sex workers in a beach town near Rome without work, they turned to a local Catholic priest for help to buy food.
But his parish’s resources were already stretched by the health crisis so the priest turned to the cardinal known as “the Pope’s Robin Hood” who runs the Vatican charities. He wired money to the parish for them.
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“I don’t understand why this is getting so much attention,” Cardinal Konrad Krajewski told Reuters by phone on Thursday. “This is ordinary work for the Church, it’s normal. This is how the Church is a field hospital.“
Krajewski, whose formal title is “papal almoner,” or distributor of alms, said the sex workers most likely were undocumented, making it difficult for them to seek help from Italian state welfare offices.
“Everything is closed. They don’t have any resources. They went to the pastor. They could not have gone to a politician or a parliamentarian. And the pastor came to us.
“They are really in difficulty because sometimes their passports were taken away by the mafia pimps who control them,” he said. “We follow the gospel.”
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Cardinal Konrad Krajewski is responsible for carrying out charity in Pope Francis's name. ANDREAS SOLARO via Getty Images
Krajewski, at 56, one of the youngest cardinals in the world, said it was what Jesus would have done. And it was not the first time the Polish cardinal has made the news with his sometimes unorthodox ways of distributing the pope’s charities. Last year, he clambered down a manhole, broke a police seal, and re-connected electrical circuit breakers to restore electricity to hundreds of homeless people, many of them immigrants, living in an occupied building in Rome.
Although Krajewski ran afoul of then-Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and his anti-immigrant policies, an Italian newspaper dubbed him “The Pope’s Robin Hood.“
Although he tries to shun the limelight, Krajewski has become a minor celebrity in Rome. Since Pope Francis named him to the Vatican charity post in 2013, he became known for dressing down into simple layman’s clothes at night and bringing food to the city’s homeless in a white van.
He has also opened shelters near the Vatican where the homeless can wash, get haircuts, and receive medical care.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--LGBTQ Coronavirus Victims Should Be Counted In Health Data, Lawmakers Say

NEW YORK , April 30 ( Thomson Reuters Foundation ) - State lawmakers urged U.S. officials on Thursday to determine how many coronavirus patients are LGBT+ , saying the data could be critical to the health of the gay and transgender community amid the pandemic .
Other minority groups such as African Americans and Latinos have been shown to be suffering higher death and infection rates than the general public , said legislators from New York , California , Colorado and Pennsylvania .
They staged a virtual town hall calling for data collection at state and federal levels.
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurts , you don ’ t know how much it hurts , you ’ ll never fix what hurts , ” said Malcolm Kenyatta , a Democratic Pennsylvania state representative .
“ We are ignored , and the scope of the problem is not readily available in data that we can all share , ” he said .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) has broken down coronavirus cases publicly by location , race , gender and age but not sexual orientation or gender identity .
Health departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jersey andMichigan , states hardest hit by the coronavirus so far , also said they were not collecting LGBT+ data .
The United States has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide , with more than 1,075,000 infections and about 60,000 deaths .
Members of the LGBT+ community with HIV or AIDS may have compromised immune systems or a higher chance of being homeless than the wider population , making social distancing and safe hygiene difficult , it said .
Data from U.S. states has shown minority groups with longstanding disparities in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care , African Americans in particular , are more likely to die from COVID-19 .
In Illinois and in Michigan , black people make up about 40 % of coronavirus-related deaths , yet they are less than 15 % of the states ’ population , data has shown .
Jack Turban , a physician in psychiatry at MassachusettsGeneral Hospital who has recovered from COVID-19 , said officials need data to identify and address health disparities .

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NEW YORK, April 30 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - State lawmakers urged U.S. officials on Thursday to determine how many coronavirus patients are LGBT+, saying the data could be critical to the health of the gay and transgender community amid the pandemic.
Other minority groups such as African Americans and Latinos have been shown to be suffering higher death and infection rates than the general public, said legislators from New York, California, Colorado and Pennsylvania.
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They staged a virtual town hall calling for data collection at state and federal levels.“If you don’t know where it hurts, you don’t know how much it hurts, you’ll never fix what hurts,” said Malcolm Kenyatta, a Democratic Pennsylvania state representative.
Kenyatta recently introduced a bill calling for state government forms that collect demographic information to include an LGBT+ identification option.
“We are ignored, and the scope of the problem is not readily available in data that we can all share,” he said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has broken down coronavirus cases publicly by location, race, gender and age but not sexual orientation or gender identity.
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Health departments in New York, Louisiana, New Jersey andMichigan, states hardest hit by the coronavirus so far, also said they were not collecting LGBT+ data.
“You can’t address a problem you can’t see,” said RandallSell, a professor at Drexel University’s School of Public Health who specializes in LGBT+ demographics.
“It could be wiping out whole communities and we don’t know.”
The United States has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide, with more than 1,075,000 infections and about 60,000 deaths.
In mid-April, the United Nations urged countries to protectLGBT+ people during the pandemic.
Members of the LGBT+ community with HIV or AIDS may have compromised immune systems or a higher chance of being homeless than the wider population, making social distancing and safe hygiene difficult, it said.
Data from U.S. states has shown minority groups with longstanding disparities in health and inequalities in access to medical care, African Americans in particular, are more likely to die from COVID-19.
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In Illinois and in Michigan, black people make up about 40% of coronavirus-related deaths, yet they are less than 15% of the states’ population, data has shown.
Jack Turban, a physician in psychiatry at MassachusettsGeneral Hospital who has recovered from COVID-19, said officials need data to identify and address health disparities.
“Medicine has a long history of ignoring minority groups, including LGBTQ people, resulting in worse health outcomes,” Turban said in an email. “We can’t continue to make that mistake.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--Poll: Voters Don’t Know What To Think Of The Sexual Assault Allegation Against Joe Biden

Handout via Getty Images In this screengrab from Joebiden.com , Democratic presidential candidate and former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks from his home on April 8 , 2020 in Wilmington , Delaware .
Most voters aren ’ t yet sure what to make of the sexual assault allegation levied against Joe Biden by a former Senate aide , a new HuffPost/YouGov poll finds , while a plurality believe that the multiple sexual misconduct allegations against President Trump are generally credible .
Neither candidate is seen by a majority of the voting public as respectful of women .
Just 21 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard a lot about Tara Reade ’ s allegation that Biden assaulted her in 1993 , with 53 % saying they ’ ve heard only a little and the rest that they ’ d heard nothing at all .
The poll was taken prior to Biden ’ s interview on Friday with MSNBC ’ s “ Morning Joe , ” during which he flatly denied Reade ’ s allegations .
( Because survey respondents tend to be more civically engaged than the public at large , the reported level of attention is probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side . )
Three in 10 voters say they consider the allegation against Biden generally credible , with 17 % saying it ’ s not credible .
The majority , 53 % , aren ’ t sure or say they haven ’ t heard enough to say .
If the allegation is true , 29 % of voters say , it disqualifies Biden from the presidency .
Forty percent consider it relevant but not disqualifying , with 18 % dismissing it as irrelevant .
So far , there is little indication the allegation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s political standing .
Most recent public polling has shown President Donald Trump ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic and economic downturn has hurt the Republican , giving Biden an advantage both nationally and in key swing states .
In March , Reade accused Biden of kissing her and penetrating her with his fingers without her consent in a Senate hallway in 1993 , when she was a staff assistant in his office .
She had previously come forward in April 2019 to say that Biden had sexually harassed and inappropriately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s behavior are more settled , and on balance , more negative .
A 54 % majority say they ’ ve heard a lot about the allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment levied against Trump during the 2016 election and in the years since , with another 38 % saying they ’ ve heard at least a little .
At least 22 women have accused Trump of some form of sexual misconduct .
An audio recording of a 2005 Trump appearance on “ Access Hollywood ” leaked shortly before the 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assaulting women .
The tape , which emerged after more than a dozen women had already accused Trump of sexual assault , led to calls from some Republicans for Trump to drop out of the presidential race .
Trump and his campaign dismissed the recording as “ locker room talk.
” Trump later said he would sue the women who had accused him of sexual assault , but never followed through on the threat .
Forty-five percent of voters say they consider the allegations against Trump generally credible , with 26 % saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 29 % saying they ’ re unsure or haven ’ t heard enough to say .
Roughly a third say that the allegations , if true , disqualify Trump from the presidency , with another 34 % saying it would be relevant but not disqualifying , and 21 % calling it irrelevant .
( The order in which the questions about Biden and Trump were asked was rotated for different respondents . )
Opinions on the accusations against Trump haven ’ t varied much over the past few years .
In an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters called the allegations against him generally credible .
In June 2019 , after advice columnist E. Jean Carroll wrote that Trump had assaulted her in the mid- ’ 90s ― an accusation that garnered even less attention than Reade ’ s ― the number was 46 % .
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey , using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups .

In this screengrab from Joebiden.com, Democratic presidential candidate and former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks from his home on April 8, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. Handout via Getty Images
Most voters aren’t yet sure what to make of the sexual assault allegation levied against Joe Biden by a former Senate aide, a new HuffPost/YouGov poll finds, while a plurality believe that the multiple sexual misconduct allegations against President Trump are generally credible. Neither candidate is seen by a majority of the voting public as respectful of women.
Just 21% of voters say they’ve heard a lot about Tara Reade’s allegation that Biden assaulted her in 1993, with 53% saying they’ve heard only a little and the rest that they’d heard nothing at all. The poll was taken prior to Biden’s interview on Friday with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” during which he flatly denied Reade’s allegations. (Because survey respondents tend to be more civically engaged than the public at large, the reported level of attention is probably, if anything, on the high side.)
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Three in 10 voters say they consider the allegation against Biden generally credible, with 17% saying it’s not credible. The majority, 53%, aren’t sure or say they haven’t heard enough to say. If the allegation is true, 29% of voters say, it disqualifies Biden from the presidency. Forty percent consider it relevant but not disqualifying, with 18% dismissing it as irrelevant.
So far, there is little indication the allegation will have a significant impact on Biden’s political standing. Most recent public polling has shown President Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and economic downturn has hurt the Republican, giving Biden an advantage both nationally and in key swing states.
In March, Reade accused Biden of kissing her and penetrating her with his fingers without her consent in a Senate hallway in 1993, when she was a staff assistant in his office. She had previously come forward in April 2019 to say that Biden had sexually harassed and inappropriately touched her.
Top Biden aides at the time have said they never heard of the accusation, despite Reade’s insistence she informed them. Biden has steadfastly denied assaulting Reade.
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“It never happened,” Biden said on Friday morning during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” around the same time he released a statement suggesting “responsible news organizations should examine and evaluate the full and growing record of inconsistencies in her story.”
Media attention to Reade’s accusation began growing earlier in the week, after Business Insider reported a neighbor of Reade’s said she had told her about the incident a few years later.
Most Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters, 57%, were reserving judgment on Reade’s allegation, but only about one-quarter said it would be disqualifying if true.
Results of a new HuffPost/YouGov poll. Ariel Edwards-Levy/HuffPost
Voters’ views about Trump’s behavior are more settled, and on balance, more negative. A 54% majority say they’ve heard a lot about the allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment levied against Trump during the 2016 election and in the years since, with another 38% saying they’ve heard at least a little.
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At least 22 women have accused Trump of some form of sexual misconduct. An audio recording of a 2005 Trump appearance on “Access Hollywood” leaked shortly before the 2016 presidential election featured him boasting about sexually assaulting women. The tape, which emerged after more than a dozen women had already accused Trump of sexual assault, led to calls from some Republicans for Trump to drop out of the presidential race.
“And when you’re a star, they let you do it,” Trump said on the tape. “You can do anything. Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything.”
Trump and his campaign dismissed the recording as “locker room talk.” Trump later said he would sue the women who had accused him of sexual assault, but never followed through on the threat.
Forty-five percent of voters say they consider the allegations against Trump generally credible, with 26% saying that they’re not credible, and 29% saying they’re unsure or haven’t heard enough to say. Roughly a third say that the allegations, if true, disqualify Trump from the presidency, with another 34% saying it would be relevant but not disqualifying, and 21% calling it irrelevant. (The order in which the questions about Biden and Trump were asked was rotated for different respondents.)
About half of Republican and Republican-leaning voters, 49%, say they don’t find the accusations against Trump to be credible. Just 12% consider them disqualifying if true.
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Results of a new HuffPost/YouGov poll. Ariel Edwards-Levy/HuffPost
Opinions on the accusations against Trump haven’t varied much over the past few years. In an October 2016 poll, 42% of voters called the allegations against him generally credible. In June 2019, after advice columnist E. Jean Carroll wrote that Trump had assaulted her in the mid-’90s ― an accusation that garnered even less attention than Reade’s ― the number was 46%.
Overall, voters currently say, 53% to 33%, that Trump does not respect women. They’re split, 39% to 36%, on whether Biden does, with roughly one-quarter unsure.
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey, using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups.
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The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted April 28-29 among U.S. adults, including 776 registered voters, using a sample selected from YouGov’s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population.
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls. You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov’s nationally representative opinion polling. More details on the polls’ methodology are available here.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--Progressive Group Pressures New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo In New Digital Ads

Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo speaks during his daily press briefing on Tuesday .
He is attracting criticism for not expediting the release of more prisoners during the coronavirus pandemic .
The progressive legal advocacy group Demand Justice is running a digital advertising campaign pressuring New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) to expedite the release of select groups of prisoners to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in the state ’ s jails and prisons .
The campaign ’ s 10-second video spot features headlines about the spread of the novel coronavirus in many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisons framed by the appeal , “ Gov .
Cuomo : Stop leaving New Yorkers to die.
” “ New York is one of the places where the prisons continue to be a major problem in terms of the spread of coronavirus , ” said Brian Fallon , founder and executive director of Demand Justice .
“ There has been an increase in the number of releases by both [ New York Mayor Bill ] de Blasio and by Cuomo , but the spread is still getting worse , and there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has not done.
” By the standards of a New York political campaign , Demand Justice ’ s five-figure digital ad buy is relatively modest .
But Demand Justice stands out for its willingness to take on Cuomo , a favorite villain of the activist left who is nonetheless enjoying a political honeymoon thanks to his popular daily press briefings on COVID-19 .
Cuomo committed in late March to release 1,100 low-level parole violators , a move welcomed by New York ’ s community of public defenders .
As of Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision .
“ We will continue to monitor the COVID situation as it impacts every aspect of our state , including prisons , and make adjustments as appropriate , ” Melissa DeRosa , the secretary to the governor , said in a statement .
Cuomo ’ s office provided a statement from earlier this month in which he touts , among other measures , the effect of a 2019 state law restricting the use of cash bail for lowering the risk of infection during the crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also enacted a new budget this month rolling back some provisions of that law .
Out of a total incarcerated population of 80,000 , the activists estimate that New York can safely release up to 5,000 elderly inmates and about 5,000 people with less than a year left to serve on their sentences .
The proponents of more rapid releases also project that there are several thousand more people incarcerated for technical violations of their parole that the state could release .
Demand Justice , which , in August , asked Democratic presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyers to the federal bench , sees the initiative as part of its larger effort to elevate public interest-focused areas of the legal profession .
In this case , it is amplifying the calls of public defenders , who have been some of the most outspoken critics of Cuomo ’ s handling of the pandemic .
COVID-19 has been particularly devastating to jails and prisons because of the density of the population , the lack of hygienic products and , in some cases , government mismanagement .
For example , Rikers Island , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City government , suffers an infection rate that is more than five times higher than that of the city at large .
Demand Justice sees a particular role for itself in pressuring Cuomo , who can grant clemency to Rikers inmates as well , since he has burnished such a positive image in the press for his handling of the pandemic .
“ The portrait of the governor is a little too flattering given how little emphasis he has given to the most vulnerable people in his state , ” Fallon @ @

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during his daily press briefing on Tuesday. He is attracting criticism for not expediting the release of more prisoners during the coronavirus pandemic. Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images
The progressive legal advocacy group Demand Justice is running a digital advertising campaign pressuring New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to expedite the release of select groups of prisoners to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in the state’s jails and prisons.
The campaign’s 10-second video spot features headlines about the spread of the novel coronavirus in many of New York’s jails and prisons framed by the appeal, “Gov. Cuomo: Stop leaving New Yorkers to die.”
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Another spot consists of a graphic with a fictional newspaper, “COVID-19 Update,” blaring the headline, “Cuomo to Rikers: Drop Dead.”
“New York is one of the places where the prisons continue to be a major problem in terms of the spread of coronavirus,” said Brian Fallon, founder and executive director of Demand Justice. “There has been an increase in the number of releases by both [New York Mayor Bill] de Blasio and by Cuomo, but the spread is still getting worse, and there’s still plenty that Cuomo, in particular, has not done.”
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By the standards of a New York political campaign, Demand Justice’s five-figure digital ad buy is relatively modest. But Demand Justice stands out for its willingness to take on Cuomo, a favorite villain of the activist left who is nonetheless enjoying a political honeymoon thanks to his popular daily press briefings on COVID-19.
Cuomo committed in late March to release 1,100 low-level parole violators, a move welcomed by New York’s community of public defenders. As of Thursday, the state had released 791, according to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
Cuomo also directed the state corrections agency on Thursday to begin releasing incarcerated pregnant women who are within six months of their scheduled releases.
“We will continue to monitor the COVID situation as it impacts every aspect of our state, including prisons, and make adjustments as appropriate,” Melissa DeRosa, the secretary to the governor, said in a statement.
The state has also been reviewing releasing select inmates over age 55 who have 90 days or less left on their sentences.
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Cuomo’s office provided a statement from earlier this month in which he touts, among other measures, the effect of a 2019 state law restricting the use of cash bail for lowering the risk of infection during the crisis. Cuomo does not mention that he also enacted a new budget this month rolling back some provisions of that law.
“Wherever we can get people out of jails, out of prisons, now, we are,” he added.
Demand Justice and other criminal justice reform advocates, including Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, are calling on him to consider releasing a much larger universe of inmates.
Out of a total incarcerated population of 80,000, the activists estimate that New York can safely release up to 5,000 elderly inmates and about 5,000 people with less than a year left to serve on their sentences. The proponents of more rapid releases also project that there are several thousand more people incarcerated for technical violations of their parole that the state could release.
“Cuomo has the ability to change the situation for any of those individuals through an act of clemency,” Fallon said.
Demand Justice, which, in August, asked Democratic presidential candidates to promise not to name corporate lawyers to the federal bench, sees the initiative as part of its larger effort to elevate public interest-focused areas of the legal profession. In this case, it is amplifying the calls of public defenders, who have been some of the most outspoken critics of Cuomo’s handling of the pandemic.
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“We’re interested in building power for public defenders,” Fallon said.
COVID-19 has been particularly devastating to jails and prisons because of the density of the population, the lack of hygienic products and, in some cases, government mismanagement. For example, Rikers Island, a notorious jail complex operated by the New York City government, suffers an infection rate that is more than five times higher than that of the city at large.
Demand Justice sees a particular role for itself in pressuring Cuomo, who can grant clemency to Rikers inmates as well, since he has burnished such a positive image in the press for his handling of the pandemic.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-02--Jake Tapper Hits Donald Trump With A Stunning Reminder Of His Hypocrisy

Donald Trump ’ s past praise of China ’ s handling of the coronavirus crisis was used against him by CNN ’ s Jake Tapper after the president launched his latest attack on the network .
Trump on Friday baselessly accused CNN and NBC News of being puppets for the Chinese government who are “ going out of their way to say GREAT things about China ” with their coverage of the pandemic .
Concast ( @ NBCNews ) and Fake News @ CNN are going out of their way to say GREAT things about China .
They are Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They use USA airwaves to help China .
The Enemy of the People !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) May 1 , 2020 In response , Tapper acknowledged that the Chinese government had been “ deceptive ” about the coronavirus outbreak “ from the beginning.
” It had whitewashed , lied and covered up the true threat posed by the virus that is believed to have originated in the country , he added , echoing reports on the network .
Tapper then took “ a little trip ” through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government during the earlier stages of the outbreak , when the president repeatedly downplayed the risk of the virus and reportedly failed to act on multiple warnings about how it could spread worldwide .
Trump has since taken a sterner tone with China , however , in an effort to divert attention away from his own administration ’ s failures in tackling the crisis .
The Chinese government has been deceptive from the beginning of the crisis , whitewashing and lying and covering up .
Let 's take a little trip through what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese government , shall we ?
1/ https : //t.co/rcZvIL4j4w — Jake Tapper ( @ jaketapper ) May 1 , 2020 Jan 24 : President Trump said `` China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus . ''
He said the US `` appreciates their efforts and transparency '' and he thanked President Xi on behalf of the American people .
2/https : //t.co/F3ld36XNAW — Jake Tapper ( @ jaketapper ) May 1 , 2020 3/ On Feb 7 , early in the morning , the president tweeted that Xi `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on leading the counterattack on the Coronavirus .
`` https : //t.co/AUzzGtehDV — Jake Tapper ( @ jaketapper ) May 1 , 2020 3/ On Feb 7 , early in the morning , the president tweeted that Xi `` is strong , sharp and powerfully focused on leading the counterattack on the Coronavirus .
`` https : //t.co/AUzzGtehDV — Jake Tapper ( @ jaketapper ) May 1 , 2020 5/ That same day the president said the Chinese government was `` doing a very professional job ... .
I think they 're doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus.https : //t.co/qX9h8eD6eh — Jake Tapper ( @ jaketapper ) May 1 , 2020 6/ And the president told a crowd in North Carolina that President Xi had `` handled it ( the pandemic ) really well '' https : //t.co/fKv9aPGpKE — Jake Tapper ( @ jaketapper ) May 1 , 2020 7/ On Feb 10 , the president told Fox Business that China is very 'professionally run in the sense that they have everything under control ... You know in April , supposedly , it dies with the hotter weather ... China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard .
`` https : //t.co/hsT9VE3vLl — Jake Tapper ( @ jaketapper ) May 1 , 2020

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Donald Trump’s past praise of China’s handling of the coronavirus crisis was used against him by CNN’s Jake Tapper after the president launched his latest attack on the network.
Trump on Friday baselessly accused CNN and NBC News of being puppets for the Chinese government who are “going out of their way to say GREAT things about China” with their coverage of the pandemic.
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“The Enemy of the People!” he tweeted.
Concast (@NBCNews) and Fake News @CNN are going out of their way to say GREAT things about China. They are Chinese puppets who want to do business there. They use USA airwaves to help China. The Enemy of the People! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 1, 2020
In response, Tapper acknowledged that the Chinese government had been “deceptive” about the coronavirus outbreak “from the beginning.”
It had whitewashed, lied and covered up the true threat posed by the virus that is believed to have originated in the country, he added, echoing reports on the network.
Tapper then took “a little trip” through what Trump had said about the Chinese government during the earlier stages of the outbreak, when the president repeatedly downplayed the risk of the virus and reportedly failed to act on multiple warnings about how it could spread worldwide.
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Trump has since taken a sterner tone with China, however, in an effort to divert attention away from his own administration’s failures in tackling the crisis.
The Chinese government has been deceptive from the beginning of the crisis, whitewashing and lying and covering up.
Let's take a little trip through what the president has been saying about the Chinese government, shall we?
1/ https://t.co/rcZvIL4j4w — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 1, 2020
Jan 24: President Trump said "China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus." He said the US "appreciates their efforts and transparency" and he thanked President Xi on behalf of the American people. 2/https://t.co/F3ld36XNAW — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 1, 2020
3/ On Feb 7, early in the morning, the president tweeted that Xi "is strong, sharp and powerfully focused on leading the counterattack on the Coronavirus."https://t.co/AUzzGtehDV — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 1, 2020
3/ On Feb 7, early in the morning, the president tweeted that Xi "is strong, sharp and powerfully focused on leading the counterattack on the Coronavirus."https://t.co/AUzzGtehDV — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 1, 2020
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5/ That same day the president said the Chinese government was "doing a very professional job.... I think they're doing a very good job" fighting the virus.https://t.co/qX9h8eD6eh — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 1, 2020
6/ And the president told a crowd in North Carolina that President Xi had "handled it (the pandemic) really well"https://t.co/fKv9aPGpKE — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 1, 2020
7/ On Feb 10, the president told Fox Business that China is very 'professionally run in the sense that they have everything under control...You know in April, supposedly, it dies with the hotter weather...China I can tell you is working very hard."https://t.co/hsT9VE3vLl — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 1, 2020
8/Ad infinitum — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 1, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-02--Legal Experts Erupt After White House Blocks Anthony Fauci's Coronavirus Testimony

Legal experts led the criticism of President Donald Trump ’ s White House on Friday after it confirmed it would not allow Dr. Anthony Fauci to testify before a House panel on the U.S. ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic next week .
White House spokesman Judd Deere claimed in a statement that the appearance of the infectious disease expert , who is a prominent member of its coronavirus task force , on Wednesday , May 6 , would be “ counterproductive.
” Instead , Fauci is expected to testify at a Senate Health Committee hearing the following week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The House is controlled by the Democrats , while the Senate has a Republican majority .
Harvard constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe described the move as “ outrageous.
” Maya Wiley , who served as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio ’ s chief counsel , called it “ unconstitutional.
” An unconstitutional # obstruction of Congress during an emergency .
Thank Senators who voted to give # Trump a pass on # impeachment for ... say it with me ... .
” ” : “ White House blocking Fauci from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ https : //t.co/2zogjtkpwK — Maya Wiley ( @ mayawiley ) May 1 , 2020 Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirshner called it “ a pathetic , transparent attempt to keep a lid on Trump ’ s incompetence ” and widely criticized handling of the pandemic , which has now killed more than 64,000 people nationwide .
I am so sick of this administration ’ s crimes , callousness and cover-ups .
What kind of sham , non-existent privilege has Trump asserted to stop Dr. Fauci from testifying ?
Wait , don ’ t tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on doctor-patient privilege .
.
.
https : //t.co/OmcNfb8WT4 — Glenn Kirschner ( @ glennkirschner2 ) May 1 , 2020 Dr. Fauci has been doing many TV appearances ( which we appreciate - accurate , unfiltered information from a respected medical professional ) .
But Trump says Fauci can ’ t testify before Congress ?
This is a pathetic , transparent attempt to keep a lid on Trump ’ s incompetence .
https : //t.co/WbtuTAIbo1 — Glenn Kirschner ( @ glennkirschner2 ) May 1 , 2020 Conservative commentator Bill Kristol , veteran journalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Milano also chimed in with criticism : So the White House is taking responsibility for Fauci not testifying .
It seems as if Fauci was willing to testify , and that neither he nor Azar wanted to say no publicly , forcing the White House to do so .
Got ta think relations between WH and HHS/Fauci are near a breaking point .
https : //t.co/1lqdUb9toU — Bill Kristol ( @ BillKristol ) May 1 , 2020 So the White House is blocking Fauci from testifying in front of the House ?
Calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ busy working on the pandemic ?
The jokes write themselves , but there 's nothing funny about this .
— Dan Rather ( @ DanRather ) May 2 , 2020 The obvious thing for Fauci to do is resign and then testify .
Or testify anyway and see if trump dares to fire him .
https : //t.co/GK004FU2hK — Howard Dean ( @ GovHowardDean ) May 1 , 2020 Interesting that Trump thinks it ’ s “ counterproductive , ” for Fauci to testify in the Dem lead House committee but he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOP lead Senate committee .
The GOP is playing politics with our health , safety and welfare .
And it ’ s not ok. https : //t.co/OsoQ0rc63w — Alyssa Milano ( @ Alyssa_Milano ) May 2 , 2020 Outrageous .
We ’ ve lost more people to this than in Vietnam & this President won ’ t allow a top official to testify before Congress so we can coordinate an integrated , whole-government response to save lives .
I ’ m disgusted by this game show host President.https : //t.co/VPPaGEttqi — Congressman Tim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 What the fuck , man .
Why is n't Dr. Fauci allowed to come back and testify ?
More coverups by the Trump administration .
https : //t.co/LbHnhYBz9z — Holly Figueroa O'Reilly ( @ AynRandPaulRyan ) March 11 , 2020 Totally makes sense to not let the top guy testify .
Definitely we should trust this clearly not deceptive and horrible move by the White House .
... CNBC : White House blocks Fauci from testifying at House coronavirus hearing.https : //t.co/2J2wUtxQEp via @ GoogleNews — Erik Kain ( @ erikkain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to live in a country where the White House blocks its top epidemiologist , Dr. Fauci , from testifying to Congress during a pandemic .
The guy who 's advised six presidents on domestic and global health issues ?
Really ?
'Spain me , magas .
— Randi Mayem Singer ( @ rmayemsinger ) May 1 , 2020

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Legal experts led the criticism of President Donald Trump’s White House on Friday after it confirmed it would not allow Dr. Anthony Fauci to testify before a House panel on the United States’ handling of the coronavirus pandemic next week.
White House spokesman Judd Deere claimed in a statement that the appearance of the infectious disease expert, who is a prominent member of Trump’s coronavirus task force, on Wednesday, May 6, would be “counterproductive.”
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Instead, Fauci is expected to testify at a Senate Health Committee hearing the following week, on May 12, reported NBC News. The House is controlled by the Democrats, while the Senate has a Republican majority.
Harvard constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe described the move as “outrageous.”
This is outrageous https://t.co/lsAiJmYEZE — Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 1, 2020
Maya Wiley, who served as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s chief counsel, called it “unconstitutional.”
An unconstitutional #obstruction of Congress during an emergency. Thank Senators who voted to give #Trump a pass on #impeachment for...say it with me....””: “White House blocking Fauci from testifying before Congress about coronavirus response” https://t.co/2zogjtkpwK — Maya Wiley (@mayawiley) May 1, 2020
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Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner called it “a pathetic, transparent attempt to keep a lid on Trump’s incompetence” and widely criticized handling of the pandemic, which has now killed more than 64,000 people nationwide.
I am so sick of this administration’s crimes, callousness and cover-ups. What kind of sham, non-existent privilege has Trump asserted to stop Dr. Fauci from testifying? Wait, don’t tell me, it’s a variation on doctor-patient privilege . . . https://t.co/OmcNfb8WT4 — Glenn Kirschner (@glennkirschner2) May 1, 2020
Dr. Fauci has been doing many TV appearances (which we appreciate - accurate, unfiltered information from a respected medical professional). But Trump says Fauci can’t testify before Congress? This is a pathetic, transparent attempt to keep a lid on Trump’s incompetence. https://t.co/WbtuTAIbo1 — Glenn Kirschner (@glennkirschner2) May 1, 2020
Conservative commentator Bill Kristol, veteran journalist Dan Rather and activist and actor Alyssa Milano also chimed in with criticism:
So the White House is taking responsibility for Fauci not testifying. It seems as if Fauci was willing to testify, and that neither he nor Azar wanted to say no publicly, forcing the White House to do so. Gotta think relations between WH and HHS/Fauci are near a breaking point. https://t.co/1lqdUb9toU — Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) May 1, 2020
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So the White House is blocking Fauci from testifying in front of the House? Calling it “counterproductive” since he's busy working on the pandemic? The jokes write themselves, but there's nothing funny about this. — Dan Rather (@DanRather) May 2, 2020
The obvious thing for Fauci to do is resign and then testify. Or testify anyway and see if trump dares to fire him. https://t.co/GK004FU2hK — Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) May 1, 2020
Interesting that Trump thinks it’s “counterproductive,” for Fauci to testify in the Dem lead House committee but he’s okay with Fauci testifying in the GOP lead Senate committee. The GOP is playing politics with our health, safety and welfare. And it’s not ok. https://t.co/OsoQ0rc63w — Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) May 2, 2020
Outrageous. We’ve lost more people to this than in Vietnam & this President won’t allow a top official to testify before Congress so we can coordinate an integrated, whole-government response to save lives. I’m disgusted by this game show host President.https://t.co/VPPaGEttqi — Congressman Tim Ryan (@RepTimRyan) May 2, 2020
What the fuck, man.
Why isn't Dr. Fauci allowed to come back and testify?
More coverups by the Trump administration. https://t.co/LbHnhYBz9z — Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) March 11, 2020
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Totally makes sense to not let the top guy testify. Definitely we should trust this clearly not deceptive and horrible move by the White House.
...
CNBC: White House blocks Fauci from testifying at House coronavirus hearing.https://t.co/2J2wUtxQEp
via @GoogleNews — Erik Kain (@erikkain) May 2, 2020
You want to live in a country where the White House blocks its top epidemiologist, Dr. Fauci, from testifying to Congress during a pandemic. The guy who's advised six presidents on domestic and global health issues? Really? 'Spain me, magas. — Randi Mayem Singer (@rmayemsinger) May 1, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-02--Fox News' Tucker Carlson Calls CNN's Brooke Baldwin An 'Airhead' In Coronavirus Interview Rant

Baldwin on Thursday spoke with Juan Desmarais of Vacaville , California , who said he wasn ’ t worried about contracting COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus , and would reopen his three stores the following day .
“ I ’ ve had it .
It was not fun , ” responded Baldwin , who only returned to the air following her own battle with the virus on Monday , as he cautioned her guest against downplaying the threat of the illness .
Carlson interviewed Desmarais on Friday and at times appeared more intent on calling out Baldwin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businessman himself .
“ He was lectured by someone with a guaranteed income .
Some airhead , ” said Carlson , later telling Desmarais that he ’ d been “ really struck by the pompous lecture that you received from one of their anchors yesterday .
Someone who will not be out of work when you are out of work.
” Desmarais said Baldwin had a “ somehow better than me tone ” during their interview .
“ I think she does have a secure job , her hair looked amazing and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same boat as I am , ” he added .
Carlson has repeatedly claimed on his widely watched primetime show that the contagion that has killed more than 64,000 people nationwide is not as deadly as health experts say .
Also on Friday , he again railed against statewide stay-at-home orders that have been implemented in a bid to slow the spread of the virus .
“ Where did politicians get the authority to do this ?
Because some elderly power-drunk epidemiologist told them to do it ?
That ’ s not how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t work that way , ” he claimed .
Hayes noted how the majority of the network ’ s New York workforce is currently working from home , while Carlson was “ broadcasting in safe isolation ” and “ telling you it ’ s safe to go out.
” Dozens of professors and teachers of journalism and communications have also called out the network ’ s coverage of the pandemic , describing it in an open letter to Fox Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch and his son , company CEO Lachlan Murdoch , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

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Baldwin on Thursday spoke with Juan Desmarais of Vacaville, California, who said he wasn’t worried about contracting COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and would reopen his three stores the following day.
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“I’ve had it. It was not fun,” responded Baldwin, who only returned to the air on Monday following her own battle with the virus, as she cautioned her guest against downplaying the threat of the illness.
Carlson interviewed Desmarais on Friday and at times appeared more intent on calling out Baldwin’s interview than talking with the businessman himself.
“He was lectured by someone with a guaranteed income. Some airhead,” said Carlson, later telling Desmarais that he’d been “really struck by the pompous lecture that you received from one of their anchors yesterday. Someone who will not be out of work when you are out of work.”
Desmarais said Baldwin had a “somehow better than me tone” during their interview. “I think she does have a secure job, her hair looked amazing and I think she’s not in the same boat as I am,” he added.
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Check out the interview here:
Carlson has repeatedly claimed on his widely watched prime-time show that the contagion that has killed more than 64,000 people nationwide is not as deadly as health experts say.
Also on Friday, he again railed against statewide stay-at-home orders that have been implemented in a bid to slow the spread of the virus.
“Where did politicians get the authority to do this? Because some elderly power-drunk epidemiologist told them to do it? That’s not how our system works. It can’t work that way,” he claimed.
Check out the segment from the 8-minute mark in the video below:
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Baldwin has yet to respond to Carlson’s insult.
MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, however, on Tuesday delivered a stinging rebuke of Fox News’ coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, calling it “coronavirus trutherism.”
Hayes noted how the majority of the network’s New York workforce is currently working from home, while Carlson was “broadcasting in safe isolation” and “telling you it’s safe to go out.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--Michael Cohen's Early Prison Release Held Up As Trump Lawyer Warns Against Tell-All Book

Early prison release for Donald Trump ’ s former fixer and personal attorney Michael Cohen was suddenly called off after a lawyer for the president sent a warning to Cohen not to publish a tell-all book , according to several published reports .
Cohen was expected to be released Friday from a federal prison in Otisville , New York , amid the coronavirus pandemic because of the increased contagion danger in prisons .
He had already completed a quarantine required for the release , CNBC reported .
Cohen ’ s lawyer Roger Adler told CNBC , “ I am disappointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14-day quarantine period.
” Cohen will now be eligible for release at the end of May to serve out his time confined at home , sources told The Wall Street Journal and CBS News .
Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 after pleading guilty to lying to Congress and violating campaign finance law by directing hush-money payments to keep women silent about past affairs with Trump .
Cohen was initially scheduled to be released in November 2021 .
The early-release delay occurred a day after Charles Harder , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cohen a letter warning him that he would be at legal risk if he wrote a book about his time working for Trump .
Harder noted that Cohen had signed a nondisclosure agreement that he would not reveal information about Trump , his family or his business , ABC News reported .
Cohen has been working on a tell-all book about his time working for Trump that would “ pull no punches , ” his friend , comedian Tom Arnold , told The Daily Beast last month .
It ’ s reportedly set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Congress must demand the transcript of Michael Cohen ’ s new book , given to publishers a short time ago .
Your heads will spin when you see the lies , misrepresentations and contradictions against his Thursday testimony .
Like a different person !
He is totally discredited !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) March 1 , 2019 White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Friday that the Trump administration had “ absolutely not ” intervened to hold up Cohen ’ s early release .
Comedian Rosie O ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cohen in prison .
She told “ Late Night ” host Seth Meyers that Cohen was contrite about his crimes ― and apologized for his role in Trump ’ s vicious name-calling attacks on her .

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Early prison release for Donald Trump’s former fixer and personal attorney Michael Cohen was suddenly called off after a lawyer for the president sent a warning to Cohen not to publish a tell-all book, according to several published reports.
Cohen was expected to be released Friday from a federal prison in Otisville, New York, amid the coronavirus pandemic because of the increased contagion danger in prisons. He had already completed a quarantine required for the release, CNBC reported.
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Cohen’s lawyer Roger Adler told CNBC, “I am disappointed that Michael was not released after the 14-day quarantine period.”
Cohen will now be eligible for release at the end of May to serve out his time confined at home, sources told The Wall Street Journal and CBS News.
Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 after pleading guilty to lying to Congress and violating campaign finance law by directing hush-money payments to keep women silent about past affairs with Trump. Cohen was initially scheduled to be released in November 2021.
The early-release delay occurred a day after Charles Harder, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, sent Cohen a letter warning him that he would be at legal risk if he wrote a book about his time working for Trump. Harder noted that Cohen had signed a nondisclosure agreement that he would not reveal information about Trump, his family or his business, ABC News reported.
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Cohen has been working on a tell-all book about his time working for Trump that would “pull no punches,” his friend, comedian Tom Arnold, told The Daily Beast last month. It’s reportedly set to be published before the November election.
Reports surfaced last year that Cohen was pitching the book to publishers.
Congress must demand the transcript of Michael Cohen’s new book, given to publishers a short time ago. Your heads will spin when you see the lies, misrepresentations and contradictions against his Thursday testimony. Like a different person! He is totally discredited! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 1, 2019
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Friday that the Trump administration had “absolutely not” intervened to hold up Cohen’s early release.
Comedian Rosie O’Donnell revealed Wednesday that she had visited Cohen in prison. She told “Late Night” host Seth Meyers that Cohen was contrite about his crimes ― and apologized for his role in Trump’s vicious name-calling attacks on her.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-01--President's Campaign Reportedly Ordering 'Trump Branded' Face Masks For Supporters

Campaign organizers hope the masks , meant to guard against the spread of the coronavirus , will help Trump woo older voters who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 — and who are increasingly supporting Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden amid the pandemic , according to the Journal .
They ’ ll be handed out free or provided in exchange for a campaign a donation , the newspaper reported .
The masks are an ironic touch , given that the president dismissed the threat of COVID-19 as recently as March .
He also doesn ’ t wear protective masks and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wearing one .
Vice President Mike Pence triggered controversy Tuesday when he ignored a Mayo Clinic requirement to wear a mask during a tour of the medical complex .
He was the only person in sight without one as he greeted health care workers and at least one patient .
In a fact-follows-fiction twist , “ Saturday Night Live ” in February mocked the Trump administration ’ s fumbling response to COVID-19 with a sketch featuring Beck Bennett as Pence and Kenan Thompson as Housing Secretary Dr. Ben Carson pitching “ Make America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be purchased from the White House , but “ it may take a couple months for delivery because they are made in Wuhan , China , ” Thompson ’ s Carson cautioned .
Trump has trailed Biden nationally among voters 65 and older in four national Wall Street Journal/NBC New polls this year .
Trump won 52 % of those voters against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in 2016 , according to exit polls .
In another bid to woo older voters , Trump ’ s campaign on Sunday will begin airing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profile as a fighter against COVID-19 .
The Trump campaign couldn ’ t immediately be reached for comment about the masks .
Critics on Twitter loved the mask idea — if only to skewer it .

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President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign is ordering red “Trump branded” face masks, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
Campaign organizers hope the masks, meant to guard against the spread of the coronavirus, will help Trump woo older voters who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 — and who are increasingly supporting Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden amid the pandemic, according to the Journal. They’ll be handed out free or provided in exchange for a campaign a donation, the newspaper reported.
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The masks are an ironic touch, given that the president dismissed the threat of COVID-19 as recently as March. He also doesn’t wear protective masks and has indicated he has no intention of ever wearing one.
Vice President Mike Pence triggered controversy Tuesday when he ignored a Mayo Clinic requirement to wear a mask during a tour of the medical complex. He was the only person in sight without one as he greeted health care workers and at least one patient.
In a fact-follows-fiction twist, “Saturday Night Live” in February mocked the Trump administration’s fumbling response to COVID-19 with a sketch featuring Beck Bennett as Pence and Kenan Thompson as Housing Secretary Dr. Ben Carson pitching “Make America Great Again” masks. The masks could be purchased from the White House, but “it may take a couple months for delivery because they are made in Wuhan, China,” Thompson’s Carson cautioned.
Trump has trailed Biden nationally among voters 65 and older in four national Wall Street Journal/NBC New polls this year. Trump won 52% of those voters against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in 2016, according to exit polls.
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In another bid to woo older voters, Trump’s campaign on Sunday will begin airing a TV ad aimed at beefing up his profile as a fighter against COVID-19.
The Trump campaign couldn’t immediately be reached for comment about the masks.
Critics on Twitter loved the mask idea — if only to skewer it.
How the hell can that happen when heath are workers cannot get the needed PPE’s ! #WorstPresidentInHistory — Mary Furse (@lastoften) May 1, 2020
But our hospitals and dental offices can get any. SMDH — preising (@preising) May 1, 2020
MAGAts think C19 is a hoax. No masks for them — Montanagirl (@Margare93369457) May 1, 2020
The mask of the red death. — Will Saletan (@saletan) May 1, 2020
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Anyone know where I can get a MAGA bodybag? — Danny Goldberg (@dannygberg) May 1, 2020
Made in China? — Grokken The Masked Sea Monster (@grokken) May 1, 2020