thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-28--Most States Are Exempting Houses Of Worship From Social Distancing Orders

Most houses of worship in the U.S. have been shuttered since mid-March to combat the spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
But in some places , the closures have sparked showdowns between pastors and their local and state governments over whether houses of worship should be exempted from the stay-at-home orders that have brought many other aspects of American life to a halt .
About one-third of states haven ’ t imposed size restrictions on religious gatherings , fully exempting houses of worship from state regulations on social distancing , according to Pew .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida , South Carolina and Tennessee ― have deemed religious gatherings to be “ essential , ” lumping houses of worship together with health care facilities and grocery stores .
In Florida late last month , evangelical pastor Rodney Howard-Browne of Tampa ’ s River megachurch was arrested for defying a local order limiting public gatherings .
Two days later , Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis ( R ) announced that attending religious services is an “ essential ” activity permitted in his state , overruling the local ban .
Michigan ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exempted places of worship from being penalized for holding gatherings of any size .
Whitmer has said that she was pressured by her state ’ s Republican-controlled legislature to create an exemption for churches .
On the other end of the spectrum , nine states have outright banned all in-person religious gatherings , Pew reports .
Six of those states are led by Democratic governors , while three are led by Republican governors .
Some are states that have been heavily hit by the pandemic ― including New York , New Jersey , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City , over 16,000 deaths have been attributed to the virus .
These regulations are changing swiftly as some states look toward reopening .
Pew ’ s map reflects executive orders that were in effect on April 24 .
Montana initially prohibited all religious gatherings , but as of April 26 , the state is allowing houses of worship to resume operations while limiting gatherings to groups of less than 10 in buildings where physical distancing isn ’ t possible .
The governor ’ s new guidelines don ’ t overturn more restrictive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Control and Prevention is still urging faith groups to limit events and meetings that require close contact and to cancel large meetings or events in areas where minimal or moderate spread is happening in the community .
Nevertheless , the ability to practice religion as one sees fit is a right that has strong legal protections in the U.S .
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 ( along with similar measures passed by states ) ensures that authorities can ’ t substantially infringe on Americans ’ religious practices without proving they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a compelling government interest .
Subsequent Supreme Court decisions have further established that the government can create exemptions to generally applicable laws just for religious objectors .
RFRA initially had bipartisan support , but in recent years , the religious right has latched on to the law as a way to secure exemptions for conservative beliefs about abortion and LGBTQ rights .
Law firms working within the Christian legal movement have extensive experience using RFRA to further conservative causes ― and these are the firms behind many of the lawsuits currently challenging governors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 77 % ) say that places of worship shouldn ’ t get religious exemptions to stay-at-home orders , according to a Public Religion Research Institute study from mid-April .
White evangelical Protestants were more likely than other religious groups to support such exemptions .
Regardless of whether or not their state has carved religious exemptions into stay-at-home orders , most Americans of faith don ’ t appear to be attending services .
According to PRRI , only 3 % of regular churchgoers reported that they planned to attend in-person services for Easter ― @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A new Pew Research Center analysis is offering a clearer picture of where state governments have drawn the line between protecting public health and ensuring religious freedom during the coronavirus pandemic.
Most houses of worship in the U.S. have been shuttered since mid-March to combat the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. But in some places, the closures have sparked showdowns between pastors and their local and state governments over whether houses of worship should be exempted from the stay-at-home orders that have brought many other aspects of American life to a halt.
Advertisement
Most states have built these religious exemptions into the guidelines they’ve issued on the coronavirus, according to a Pew Research Center analysis published Monday.
About one-third of states haven’t imposed size restrictions on religious gatherings, fully exempting houses of worship from state regulations on social distancing, according to Pew. Some of these states ― places like Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee ― have deemed religious gatherings to be “essential,” lumping houses of worship together with health care facilities and grocery stores.
A parishioner holds a rosary while she prays wearing a mask and protective gloves at Saint Jude Melkite Greek Catholic Church on April 12, 2020, in Miami. David Santiago/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
In Florida late last month, evangelical pastor Rodney Howard-Browne of Tampa’s River megachurch was arrested for defying a local order limiting public gatherings. Two days later, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced that attending religious services is an “essential” activity permitted in his state, overruling the local ban.
Advertisement
Michigan’s Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also exempted places of worship from being penalized for holding gatherings of any size. Whitmer has said that she was pressured by her state’s Republican-controlled legislature to create an exemption for churches.
On the other end of the spectrum, nine states have outright banned all in-person religious gatherings, Pew reports. Six of those states are led by Democratic governors, while three are led by Republican governors. Some are states that have been heavily hit by the pandemic ― including New York, New Jersey, Illinois and California. In New York City, over 16,000 deaths have been attributed to the virus.
Most states have taken a middle route, Pew reported ― allowing religious gatherings to take place with limits on how many people can meet.
A Pew Research Center graphic shows how states have restricted religious practices during the coronavirus pandemic. The graph reflects executive orders in effect on April 24, 2020. Pew Research Center
These regulations are changing swiftly as some states look toward reopening. Pew’s map reflects executive orders that were in effect on April 24. Montana initially prohibited all religious gatherings, but as of April 26, the state is allowing houses of worship to resume operations while limiting gatherings to groups of less than 10 in buildings where physical distancing isn’t possible. The governor’s new guidelines don’t overturn more restrictive local regulations.
Advertisement
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still urging faith groups to limit events and meetings that require close contact and to cancel large meetings or events in areas where minimal or moderate spread is happening in the community.
Nevertheless, the ability to practice religion as one sees fit is a right that has strong legal protections in the U.S. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (along with similar measures passed by states) ensures that authorities can’t substantially infringe on Americans’ religious practices without proving they are using the least restrictive means of fulfilling a compelling government interest. Subsequent Supreme Court decisions have further established that the government can create exemptions to generally applicable laws just for religious objectors.
RFRA initially had bipartisan support, but in recent years, the religious right has latched on to the law as a way to secure exemptions for conservative beliefs about abortion and LGBTQ rights.
Law firms working within the Christian legal movement have extensive experience using RFRA to further conservative causes ― and these are the firms behind many of the lawsuits currently challenging governors’ stay-at-home orders.
Worshippers offer prayers inside the "Smallest Church In America" in Townsend, Georgia, during the novel coronavirus pandemic on April 26, 2020. CHANDAN KHANNA via Getty Images
Advertisement
Most Americans (77%) say that places of worship shouldn’t get religious exemptions to stay-at-home orders, according to a Public Religion Research Institute study from mid-April. White evangelical Protestants were more likely than other religious groups to support such exemptions.
Regardless of whether or not their state has carved religious exemptions into stay-at-home orders, most Americans of faith don’t appear to be attending services. According to PRRI, only 3% of regular churchgoers reported that they planned to attend in-person services for Easter ― typically the most well-attended Sunday of the year.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-28--California May Reopen Schools In July, Gov. Gavin Newsom Says

California Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) said Tuesday he ’ s considering kicking off the coming school year as early as July to account for in-person learning that students are missing right now .
“ As a parent myself and having talked to many other parents and educators , even the kids , I think we might want to consider getting that school year moved up a little bit , ” Newsom said at a press briefing .
California schools have been closed since mid-March to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and are expected to remain closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While classrooms have moved online , so-called “ distance learning ” can not entirely replace the benefits of in-person instruction , and it ’ s especially challenging for the millions of U.S. students without computers or Wi-Fi at home .
“ Learning continues at home , distance learning and the like , but we recognize there ’ s been a learning loss because of this disruption , ” Newsom said .
“ We ’ re concerned about that learning loss even into the summer .
So we are considering the prospect of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall , as early as late July , early August.
” For now , that ’ s just one of the plans under consideration .
“ We have made no decisions definitively in that space , but I just want folks to know the concern around learning loss and the concern about waiting until later in the year into the fall for the new school year , ” Newsom said .
Newsom ’ s approach comes as President Donald Trump pushes states to reopen schools , saying Tuesday that governors should “ get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Washington , D.C. , having already ordered or recommended that all schools stay closed for the remainder of the academic year .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said Tuesday he’s considering kicking off the coming school year as early as July to account for in-person learning that students are missing right now.
“As a parent myself and having talked to many other parents and educators, even the kids, I think we might want to consider getting that school year moved up a little bit,” Newsom said at a press briefing.
Advertisement
California schools have been closed since mid-March to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and are expected to remain closed for the rest of the academic year. While classrooms have moved online, so-called “distance learning” cannot entirely replace the benefits of in-person instruction, and it’s especially challenging for the millions of U.S. students without computers or Wi-Fi at home.
“Learning continues at home, distance learning and the like, but we recognize there’s been a learning loss because of this disruption,” Newsom said. “We’re concerned about that learning loss even into the summer. So we are considering the prospect of an even earlier school year into the fall, as early as late July, early August.”
For now, that’s just one of the plans under consideration.
“We have made no decisions definitively in that space, but I just want folks to know the concern around learning loss and the concern about waiting until later in the year into the fall for the new school year,” Newsom said.
Newsom’s approach comes as President Donald Trump pushes states to reopen schools, saying Tuesday that governors should “get going on it” despite 43 states and Washington, D.C., having already ordered or recommended that all schools stay closed for the remainder of the academic year.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-29--Nancy Pelosi Reveals Why It's Not Worth Phoning Trump During Coronavirus Pandemic

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) said she doesn ’ t plan on picking up the telephone to call President Donald Trump about the coronavirus pandemic anytime soon .
Pelosi on Tuesday told MSNBC ’ s Nicolle Wallace that her time is better spent talking about the public health crisis that ’ s killed almost 60,000 people nationwide “ in a public forum ” because “ that ’ s something he pays attention to.
” Wallace asked Pelosi if she thought it was “ worth being the one who picks up the phone ” to call Trump to talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
The relationship between the pair has been increasingly strained ever since the Democratic-controlled House ’ s impeachment of the president over the Ukraine scandal .
Trump was later acquitted by the GOP-controlled Senate .
“ Well , let me say ‘ worth.
’ What is the word ‘ worth ’ ?
Would it change his behavior ?
” Pelosi responded .
“ Has he ever said anything in our meetings that we ’ ve had about Dreamers , that he was going to get the job done and then he changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infrastructure and then he changed his mind , what he said about guns and then he changed his mind ?
” Pelosi said .
She added that “ time is the most finite quantity that we all have.
” Does @ SpeakerPelosi think it 's worth picking up the phone to call the president ?
She tells @ NicolleDWallace it 's not .
`` Would it change his behavior ?
... Time is the most finite quantity that we all have .
My time is better spent speaking to this president in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House ( @ DeadlineWH ) April 28 , 2020

LOADING ERROR LOADING
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she doesn’t plan on picking up the telephone to call President Donald Trump about the coronavirus pandemic anytime soon.
Pelosi on Tuesday told MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace that her time is better spent talking about the public health crisis that’s killed almost 60,000 people nationwide “in a public forum” because “that’s something he pays attention to.”
Advertisement
Wallace asked Pelosi if she thought it was “worth being the one who picks up the phone” to call Trump to talk about ways to move forward amid the pandemic. The relationship between the pair has been increasingly strained ever since the Democratic-controlled House’s impeachment of the president over the Ukraine scandal. Trump was later acquitted by the GOP-controlled Senate.
“Well, let me say ‘worth.’ What is the word ‘worth’? Would it change his behavior?” Pelosi responded.
“Has he ever said anything in our meetings that we’ve had about Dreamers, that he was going to get the job done and then he changed his mind, what he said about infrastructure and then he changed his mind, what he said about guns and then he changed his mind?” Pelosi said.
She added that “time is the most finite quantity that we all have.”
Check out the clip here:
Does @SpeakerPelosi think it's worth picking up the phone to call the president? She tells @NicolleDWallace it's not.
"Would it change his behavior?... Time is the most finite quantity that we all have. My time is better spent speaking to this president in a public forum." pic.twitter.com/W3pbu20IWq — Deadline White House (@DeadlineWH) April 28, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-28--Ex-NAACP Leader Kweisi Mfume Wins Special Election To Replace Elijah Cummings

Maryland opened just three polling stations Tuesday and sent ballots weeks in advance to encourage mail voting because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Earlier this month , thousands of Wisconsin primary voters waited hours outside overcrowded polling stations , and Maryland ’ s contest could be a test for future races in a key election year .
Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 4-1 in the majority-black district , which includes a significant portion of the city of Baltimore and parts of Baltimore and Howard counties .
The diverse district includes areas of Baltimore that struggle with poverty and violent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas and landmarks such as Johns Hopkins Hospital .
Mfume was scheduled to speak to supporters in Baltimore later in the evening after capturing an overwhelming number of votes in the city and strong majorities in the two neighboring counties.. Maryland ’ s senior Sen. Ben Cardin , a fellow Democrat , welcomed Mfume back to the state ’ s congressional delegation .
“ As both the predecessor and now successor to our friend and colleague Elijah Cummings , I know Congressman Mfume will serve the people of the 7th Congressional district in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep legacy , ” Cardin ’ s statement said .
For her part , Klacik tweeted : “ That one time when hard work didn ’ t pay off .
Perhaps one day District 7 will want a change .
Proud of my team & the work we put in .
We will continue to wait for the final results.
” Mfume supports stronger gun-control measures , including reauthorizing a federal assault weapons ban that expired in 2005 .
Baltimore had 348 homicides last year — the fifth straight year topping 300 — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violent year ever per capita .
Mfume also is focusing on the root causes of crime , including the inability of young adults to find jobs , and supports apprenticeships to develop employable skills for young people .
Mfume is to serve the rest of Cummings ’ term until January .
Vicotry also means Mfume , 71 , will run as an incumbent in Maryland ’ s June primary to be the nominee for a full term in November .
Mfume held for five terms from 1987 to 1996 and chaired the NAACP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is based in Baltimore .
The 7th district attracted national attention last year when President Donald Trump referred to it on Twitter as a “ disgusting , rat and rodent infested mess ” where “ no human being would want to live.
” At the time , Cummings was the powerful House Oversight Committee chairman , leading multiple investigations of the president .
Trump ’ s tweets also followed an appearance by Klacik on the Fox News network ’ s program “ Fox & Friends , ” which invited her on air to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Baltimore .
Klacik , a Baltimore County Republican Central Committee member , had campaigned on economic development and helping struggling parts of Baltimore via a federal “ opportunity zones ” program .
The district includes an area in Baltimore that had the state ’ s highest number of reported coronavirus cases for weeks .
Democratic lawmakers sounded the alarm over the virus killing African Americans at a higher rate .
Mfume , who spent years at the National Institutes of Health Council for Minority Health Disparities , called it frustrating the black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it wants : “ It ’ s almost like being attacked by the virus and having someone tie your arm behind your back.
” In the June 2 primary , Mfume will face many of the same opponents he defeated in February .
The primary was originally scheduled for April but was postponed by Gov .
Larry Hogan due to the virus .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
BALTIMORE (AP) — Democrat Kweisi Mfume easily won a special election Tuesday to finish the term of the late Elijah Cummings, retaking a Maryland congressional seat Mfume held for five terms before leaving to lead the NAACP.
Mfume defeated Republican Kimberly Klacik in the heavily Democratic 7th Congressional district.
Maryland opened just three polling stations Tuesday and sent ballots weeks in advance to encourage mail voting because of the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this month, thousands of Wisconsin primary voters waited hours outside overcrowded polling stations, and Maryland’s contest could be a test for future races in a key election year.
Advertisement
Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 4-1 in the majority-black district, which includes a significant portion of the city of Baltimore and parts of Baltimore and Howard counties. The diverse district includes areas of Baltimore that struggle with poverty and violent crime, as well as more affluent areas and landmarks such as Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Mfume captured an overwhelming number of votes in the city and strong majorities in both Howard and Baltimore counties.
Mfume was scheduled to speak to supporters in Baltimore later in the evening after capturing an overwhelming number of votes in the city and strong majorities in the two neighboring counties.. Maryland’s senior Sen. Ben Cardin, a fellow Democrat, welcomed Mfume back to the state’s congressional delegation.
“As both the predecessor and now successor to our friend and colleague Elijah Cummings, I know Congressman Mfume will serve the people of the 7th Congressional district in a way that honors Elijah’s deep legacy,” Cardin’s statement said.
Advertisement
For her part, Klacik tweeted: “That one time when hard work didn’t pay off. Perhaps one day District 7 will want a change. Proud of my team & the work we put in. We will continue to wait for the final results.”
Mfume supports stronger gun-control measures, including reauthorizing a federal assault weapons ban that expired in 2005. Baltimore had 348 homicides last year — the fifth straight year topping 300 — making it the city’s most violent year ever per capita.
Mfume also is focusing on the root causes of crime, including the inability of young adults to find jobs, and supports apprenticeships to develop employable skills for young people.
Mfume is to serve the rest of Cummings’ term until January. Vicotry also means Mfume, 71, will run as an incumbent in Maryland’s June primary to be the nominee for a full term in November.
Mfume held for five terms from 1987 to 1996 and chaired the NAACP from 1996 until 2004. The NAACP is based in Baltimore.
Advertisement
The 7th district attracted national attention last year when President Donald Trump referred to it on Twitter as a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” where “no human being would want to live.” At the time, Cummings was the powerful House Oversight Committee chairman, leading multiple investigations of the president.
Trump’s tweets also followed an appearance by Klacik on the Fox News network’s program “Fox & Friends,” which invited her on air to discuss her social media posts showing trash in Baltimore. Klacik, a Baltimore County Republican Central Committee member, had campaigned on economic development and helping struggling parts of Baltimore via a federal “opportunity zones” program.
The district includes an area in Baltimore that had the state’s highest number of reported coronavirus cases for weeks. Democratic lawmakers sounded the alarm over the virus killing African Americans at a higher rate.
Mfume, who spent years at the National Institutes of Health Council for Minority Health Disparities, called it frustrating the black community can’t fight back as it wants: “It’s almost like being attacked by the virus and having someone tie your arm behind your back.”
In the June 2 primary, Mfume will face many of the same opponents he defeated in February. The primary was originally scheduled for April but was postponed by Gov. Larry Hogan due to the virus.
Advertisement
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-28--Female Inmate Dies Of Coronavirus After Giving Birth On Ventilator

Since then , the families of inmates have complained as the rules shifted several times over who could qualify to be released home .
In some cases , inmates were moved into a 14-day quarantine required prior to release , only to discover later they were no longer eligible and transferred back to their cells .
At least 30 federal inmates have died since March of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , and 1,313 inmates have tested positive , according to the BOP .
Circle Bear was transported from a jail in South Dakota on March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fort Worth , Texas , and quarantined on arrival .
She was taken to a hospital on March 28 amid concerns about her pregnancy , and released back to prison the same day .
By March 31 , she had developed a fever and a cough and returned to the hospital for treatment .
She was placed on a ventilator , and gave birth to her son the next day by cesarean section .
She tested positive for COVID-19 on April 4 and died on Tuesday .
A BOP spokesman had no immediate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confinement or how many other inmates are pregnant .
A Justice Department representative told Reuters earlier this month that the BOP had discretion to let inmates serve their terms at home and was reviewing more eligible inmates each day .
More than 1,700 have been placed in home confinement to date .

Since then, the families of inmates have complained as the rules shifted several times over who could qualify to be released home. In some cases, inmates were moved into a 14-day quarantine required prior to release, only to discover later they were no longer eligible and transferred back to their cells.
At least 30 federal inmates have died since March of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and 1,313 inmates have tested positive, according to the BOP.
Circle Bear was transported from a jail in South Dakota on March 20 to Federal Medical Center Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas, and quarantined on arrival. She was taken to a hospital on March 28 amid concerns about her pregnancy, and released back to prison the same day. By March 31, she had developed a fever and a cough and returned to the hospital for treatment.
She was placed on a ventilator, and gave birth to her son the next day by cesarean section. She tested positive for COVID-19 on April 4 and died on Tuesday.
A BOP spokesman had no immediate comment on whether she qualified for home confinement or how many other inmates are pregnant.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-29--Veteran Ohio Democrat Survives Progressive Primary Challenge

Alex Wong/Getty Images Rep. Joyce Beatty ( D-Ohio ) speaks at the 2016 Democratic National Convention .
She has a relatively liberal record , but does not challenge the party establishment .
But Beatty ’ s connection to her district and her progressive voting record made her a tougher target for a challenger .
Beatty is , for instance , a longtime co-sponsor of House legislation that would create a single-payer “ Medicare for All ” health care system .
And as chair of the Financial Services Committee ’ s subcommittee on diversity and inclusion , she delivered a well-received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October .
“ It is insulting and offensive that you would have someone that would come here with as much need as we have and ask people to vote for you when you never voted for them , ” Beatty told Politico .
Despite higher name recognition and a major cash advantage , Beatty , 70 , also campaigned ardently against Harper , 36 .
As vice chair of the Congressional Black Caucus , Beatty mobilized support from her fellow Black lawmakers .
The caucus held a fundraiser for Beatty at a Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harper is also Black . )
She also focused on the role that she argued Beatty and her husband , influential attorney Otto Beatty , played in making Columbus less hospitable to poor and working-class families .
Although he recused himself from the vote , Otto served on a zoning board that signed off on a rule enabling him to sell some downtown property to a developer for $ 800,000 in 2013 .
Harper would have been not only more progressive than Beatty on individual policy questions , but likely also a more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She would be a de facto addition to the radical quartet of freshman women known as the “ Squad , ” which is part of a small contingent of left-wing lawmakers willing to publicly break with Democratic House leadership to advance their priorities .
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine ( R ) to cancel the state ’ s primary elections on March 17 .
The legislature ultimately postponed them until April 28 , requiring all votes to be cast by absentee ballot , which voters can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand .
The later election deadline bought Harper additional time , but it saddled her with other disadvantages .
The new date deprived her of the chance to be on the ballot while Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) was still running , or at a time when left-leaning students at Ohio State were still on campus .
In an interview with HuffPost earlier this month , Harper declined to criticize Beatty as she had in the past .
She instead emphasized how the pandemic had made clear the need for more dramatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the adoption of Medicare for All and a universal paid family and sick leave policy .
“ It ’ s not that we do what it takes to address the emergency immediately at hand or think about the most systemic solutions , it ’ s both , ” she said .
And though Harper ’ s army of volunteers could no longer muster the same canvassing might that often boosts insurgent candidates , she mobilized her team to deliver an estimated 4,000 absentee ballot request forms .
( The Ohio government did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to voters by mail . )
In the end , though , Harper either lacked a critical mass of hardcore progressive voters clamoring for an independent-minded newcomer , or the good fortune to run for office at a time when she could campaign more heavily in person .
“ There ’ s obviously been a group as it relates to Columbus city politics that are trying to make the case that the city Democrats are too establishment and work too closely with the business community and the developers , ” Asher said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the congressional race .
”

Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) speaks at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. She has a relatively liberal record, but does not challenge the party establishment. Alex Wong/Getty Images
Rep. Joyce Beatty won the Democratic House primary in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday, staving off a challenge from progressive consumer rights attorney Morgan Harper.
Harper’s bid to unseat Beatty, who has represented the city in Congress since 2013, reflects the activist left’s difficulty dislodging incumbent Democrats in primary contests.
Advertisement
Harper was backed by Justice Democrats, the left-wing group that propelled Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) to victory in New York in 2018.
But Beatty’s connection to her district and her progressive voting record made her a tougher target for a challenger. Beatty is, for instance, a longtime co-sponsor of House legislation that would create a single-payer “Medicare for All” health care system. And as chair of the Financial Services Committee’s subcommittee on diversity and inclusion, she delivered a well-received interrogation of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in October.
She is now almost certain to return to Congress for another term. Republicans are not competitive in the gerrymandered district.
Harper “did connect with a small faction within the Democratic Party, but Beatty has been an institution within the community,” said Herb Asher, a political science professor at the Ohio State University.
Advertisement
In fact, Beatty claimed to have deeper roots in the community than Harper, who only recently moved back to the district from New York.
“It is insulting and offensive that you would have someone that would come here with as much need as we have and ask people to vote for you when you never voted for them,” Beatty told Politico.
Despite higher name recognition and a major cash advantage, Beatty, 70, also campaigned ardently against Harper, 36. As vice chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Beatty mobilized support from her fellow Black lawmakers. The caucus held a fundraiser for Beatty at a Washington lobbying firm in late February. (Harper is also Black.)
“She did not take her opponent for granted,” Asher said of Beatty.
“She did not take her opponent for granted.” - Herb Asher, The Ohio State University
Harper, who was a former senior adviser at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, criticized Beatty for relying on donations from wealthy donors and corporate political action committees. Harper, by contrast, refused to accept contributions from corporate PACs.
Advertisement
She also focused on the role that she argued Beatty and her husband, influential attorney Otto Beatty, played in making Columbus less hospitable to poor and working-class families. Although he recused himself from the vote, Otto served on a zoning board that signed off on a rule enabling him to sell some downtown property to a developer for $800,000 in 2013.
Beatty, Harper said in a television advertisement, is “profiting off of gentrification and taking money from corporations.”
Harper would have been not only more progressive than Beatty on individual policy questions, but likely also a more independent and anti-establishment kind of lawmaker. She would be a de facto addition to the radical quartet of freshman women known as the “Squad,” which is part of a small contingent of left-wing lawmakers willing to publicly break with Democratic House leadership to advance their priorities.
Ohio congressional candidate Morgan Harper at a rally. Morgan Harper
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) to cancel the state’s primary elections on March 17. The legislature ultimately postponed them until April 28, requiring all votes to be cast by absentee ballot, which voters can cast by mail or drop off by hand.
Advertisement
The later election deadline bought Harper additional time, but it saddled her with other disadvantages. The new date deprived her of the chance to be on the ballot while Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was still running, or at a time when left-leaning students at Ohio State were still on campus.
In an interview with HuffPost earlier this month, Harper declined to criticize Beatty as she had in the past. She instead emphasized how the pandemic had made clear the need for more dramatic changes in American society ― changes like the adoption of Medicare for All and a universal paid family and sick leave policy.
“It’s not that we do what it takes to address the emergency immediately at hand or think about the most systemic solutions, it’s both,” she said.
And though Harper’s army of volunteers could no longer muster the same canvassing might that often boosts insurgent candidates, she mobilized her team to deliver an estimated 4,000 absentee ballot request forms. (The Ohio government did not deliver absentee ballots or the request forms to voters by mail.)
Our campaign hand-delivered close to...wait for it 4⃣0⃣0⃣0⃣‼absentee ballot applications across OH-3 in under 30 days. I am so proud of our team and volunteers who came through for our community. Now we need voters to come through for our community! 💪🏽 #MORGANIZE pic.twitter.com/YOpxJa979t — Morgan Harper (@mh4oh) April 25, 2020
Advertisement
In the end, though, Harper either lacked a critical mass of hardcore progressive voters clamoring for an independent-minded newcomer, or the good fortune to run for office at a time when she could campaign more heavily in person.
“There’s obviously been a group as it relates to Columbus city politics that are trying to make the case that the city Democrats are too establishment and work too closely with the business community and the developers,” Asher said. “That did not carry over into the congressional race.”
Thus far, Justice Democrats, a group that exclusively targets members in safe Democratic seats, has had limited success in unseating incumbent members of Congress. With a big boost from mainstream pro-choice groups like EMILY’s List, Justice Democrats helped nonprofit executive Marie Newman defeat Rep. Dan Lipinski, a conservative Illinois Democrat, on March 17. (Newman’s success followed a narrow loss to Lipinski in 2018.)
In South Texas, Justice Democrats-backed immigration attorney Jessica Cisneros fell just short in her bid to unseat Rep. Henry Cuellar, another conservative Democrat. Cuellar won the March 3 race by less than 4 percentage points.
Black members of Congress, who make up a disproportionate share of Democrats in safe seats, have proven to be especially adept at beating back primary challenges.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-29--Dr. Fauci Says U.S. Should ‘Hopefully’ Be Able To Test All Who Need One By June

Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , said Tuesday the U.S. would hopefully have the capacity to test anyone thought to have the coronavirus “ toward the end of May ” or the beginning of June , more than two months after President Donald Trump first assured the public “ anybody ” could get tested .
“ Everyone who needs a test , according to the way we ’ re approaching the identification , isolation , contact tracing , keeping the country safe and healthy , hopefully we should see that as we get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning of June , ” Fauci told CNN ’ s Jake Tapper .
“ That ’ s what I ’ m being told by the people who are responsible for the testing .
I take them for their word.
” '' Everyone who needs a test , according to the way we 're approaching the identification , isolation , contact tracing , keeping the country safe and healthy , that hopefully we should see that as we get towards the end of May , the beginning of June , '' Dr. Anthony Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( @ TheLeadCNN ) April 28 , 2020 The U.S. has continuously struggled to test people for the virus since the pandemic first reached the U.S. Trump first told reporters on March 6 that “ anybody that wants a test can get a test , ” but those assurances were far from true .
Doctors and hospitals around the country said for weeks they couldn ’ t get authorization to test patients presenting with symptoms associated with COVID-19 under strict federal guidelines , and medical professionals have continued to report shortages of swabs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Governors have also said they lack adequate testing to determine if they can safely move past social distancing or stay-at-home measures .
Fauci said Tuesday that those reports were accurate , noting there had been difficulty in “ tests getting to the people who need them , ” although he stressed that states and the federal government would need to work in conjunction to fix the issues .
“ If that ’ s not happening , if we ’ re not connecting those dots , we need to help them do that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t just leave them on their own on the one hand , and the federal government can ’ t do it by itself on the other hand.
” More than 1 million people have tested positive for the virus and more than 58,000 have died .
But experts warn those numbers are likely far lower than reality .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday there were thousands of more deaths in seven states hit hardest by the outbreak than usual , suggesting actual death tolls were much higher than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statistics , the White House has pushed some parts of the country to reopen and kickstart their economies .
Trump once again assured the public Monday that the nation had adequate testing capabilities , saying the government planned to give states enough tests to sample more than 2 % of their populations each month ( a majority of states are already doing this , according to The Associated Press ) .
Researchers at Harvard estimate the country should be able to test at least 500,000 people per day , or about 15 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. should aim to do 3 million to 4 million per week .
On Tuesday , Trump said the U.S. would have the capacity to conduct 5 million tests per day “ very soon.
” The country currently tests around 200,000 each day .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said Tuesday the U.S. would hopefully have the capacity to test anyone thought to have the coronavirus “toward the end of May” or the beginning of June, more than two months after President Donald Trump first assured the public “anybody” could get tested.
“Everyone who needs a test, according to the way we’re approaching the identification, isolation, contact tracing, keeping the country safe and healthy, hopefully we should see that as we get towards the end of May, the beginning of June,” Fauci told CNN’s Jake Tapper. “That’s what I’m being told by the people who are responsible for the testing. I take them for their word.”
Advertisement
"Everyone who needs a test, according to the way we're approaching the identification, isolation, contact tracing, keeping the country safe and healthy, that hopefully we should see that as we get towards the end of May, the beginning of June," Dr. Anthony Fauci says. pic.twitter.com/R6YJqFTJup — The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) April 28, 2020
The U.S. has continuously struggled to test people for the virus since the pandemic first reached the U.S. Trump first told reporters on March 6 that “anybody that wants a test can get a test,” but those assurances were far from true.
Doctors and hospitals around the country said for weeks they couldn’t get authorization to test patients presenting with symptoms associated with COVID-19 under strict federal guidelines, and medical professionals have continued to report shortages of swabs and reagents needed to conduct them. Governors have also said they lack adequate testing to determine if they can safely move past social distancing or stay-at-home measures.
Fauci said Tuesday that those reports were accurate, noting there had been difficulty in “tests getting to the people who need them,” although he stressed that states and the federal government would need to work in conjunction to fix the issues.
Advertisement
“If that’s not happening, if we’re not connecting those dots, we need to help them do that,” he said. “We can’t just leave them on their own on the one hand, and the federal government can’t do it by itself on the other hand.”
More than 1 million people have tested positive for the virus and more than 58,000 have died. But experts warn those numbers are likely far lower than reality. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday there were thousands of more deaths in seven states hit hardest by the outbreak than usual, suggesting actual death tolls were much higher than officially reported thus far.
Despite the statistics, the White House has pushed some parts of the country to reopen and kickstart their economies. Trump once again assured the public Monday that the nation had adequate testing capabilities, saying the government planned to give states enough tests to sample more than 2% of their populations each month (a majority of states are already doing this, according to The Associated Press).
“Testing is not going to be a problem at all,” Trump said Monday in the Rose Garden.
Researchers at Harvard estimate the country should be able to test at least 500,000 people per day, or about 15 million a month. Fauci himself has said the U.S. should aim to do 3 million to 4 million per week.
On Tuesday, Trump said the U.S. would have the capacity to conduct 5 million tests per day “very soon.” The country currently tests around 200,000 each day.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-28--Sanders Advisers Form Super PAC Aimed At Pushing Biden Left

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Top advisers to Bernie Sanders ' unsuccessful presidential campaign are forming an outside political group to support Joe Biden , hoping to push the former vice president to the left on key issues and boost his appeal with progressives , young voters and Latinos who may remain wary of him .
The political action committee , announced Tuesday , is called A Future to Believe In .
It will be headed by Sanders ’ longtime senior strategist Jeff Weaver and include the Vermont senator ’ s top aide on Latino outreach , Chuck Rocha .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a veteran of Sanders ’ presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020 who was instrumental in building his formidable fundraising operation by attracting armies of small but consistent donors nationwide .
Weaver said Sanders brought ideas once dismissed as radical — such as universal health care coverage under “ Medicare for All ” and canceling student loan debt — into the political mainstream .
He said the group wants to ensure that voters energized by those ideals stay that way .
“ Over the last five years , the progressive movement in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the debate and changing the party , ” Weaver said in a phone interview .
He added that the organization now sees in Biden the chance to “ elect a candidate who will help us institutionalize some of those changes.
” A central theme of Sanders ’ campaign was denouncing super PACs , which he decried as corporate power brokers ' and political insiders ' way to unduly influence elections .
But Weaver said forming the group is necessary in a political environment where “ the Republicans are going to bring every asset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's reelection .
Weaver also said that the advisers spoke to Sanders before forming A Future to Believe In and that its fundraising will be separate from the senator ’ s , not relying on email or other digital lists of his supporters or receiving funds transferred from his campaign accounts .
Still , the announcement comes at a critical time for Biden as he works to consolidate the progressive movement behind him and bring together a Democratic Party he will likely need fully unified to win in November .
Sanders suspended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden days later , potentially defusing some tensions that divided the party in 2016 , when he waited until shortly before the Democratic National Convention to endorse his former rival , Hillary Clinton .
Some of the senator ’ s core supporters have been reluctant to embrace Biden , however , saying they 'd like to see him champion more progressive values .
Biden has since backed some of the proposals promoted by Sanders and fellow progressive Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren on expanding health insurance coverage under Medicare , canceling student loans for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s bankruptcy laws .
But he has continued to reject Medicare for All , even as its popularity has risen with some Americans during the coronavirus outbreak .
Weaver said Biden has adopted progressive positions on other issues like labor rights and higher education funding .
He also noted that Biden 's and Sanders ' campaign advisers are preparing joint task forces to tackle top issues at the Democratic National Convention , now scheduled for August .
But Weaver conceded that Biden likely wo n't undergo core philosophical changes , like endorsing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t think anybody should be under the illusion that Joe Biden is suddenly going to become exactly like Bernie Sanders , ” he said .
“ Everything starts obviously with leaders saying , ’ Hey , let ’ s come together and let ’ s unite . '
But then there ’ s a lot of hard work that has to go on to take that vision and make that a reality , ” said Klain , who has no paid role with Biden 's presidential campaign but remains a close adviser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s doing is part of taking that vision — that vision that Vice President Biden and Sen. Sanders and others have had — and saying , ‘ Hey , now how can we go make this happen ?
’ ”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — Top advisers to Bernie Sanders' unsuccessful presidential campaign are forming an outside political group to support Joe Biden, hoping to push the former vice president to the left on key issues and boost his appeal with progressives, young voters and Latinos who may remain wary of him.
The political action committee, announced Tuesday, is called A Future to Believe In. It will be headed by Sanders’ longtime senior strategist Jeff Weaver and include the Vermont senator’s top aide on Latino outreach, Chuck Rocha. Also helping lead it is Tim Tagaris, a veteran of Sanders’ presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020 who was instrumental in building his formidable fundraising operation by attracting armies of small but consistent donors nationwide.
Advertisement
Weaver said Sanders brought ideas once dismissed as radical — such as universal health care coverage under “Medicare for All” and canceling student loan debt — into the political mainstream. He said the group wants to ensure that voters energized by those ideals stay that way.
“Over the last five years, the progressive movement in this country has had tremendous success in changing the debate and changing the party,” Weaver said in a phone interview. He added that the organization now sees in Biden the chance to “elect a candidate who will help us institutionalize some of those changes.”
A central theme of Sanders’ campaign was denouncing super PACs, which he decried as corporate power brokers' and political insiders' way to unduly influence elections. But Weaver said forming the group is necessary in a political environment where “the Republicans are going to bring every asset to bear” to promote President Donald Trump's reelection.
“Bernie Sanders remains opposed to super PACs. Joe Biden is already supported by a number of super PACs,” he said.
Advertisement
Weaver also said that the advisers spoke to Sanders before forming A Future to Believe In and that its fundraising will be separate from the senator’s, not relying on email or other digital lists of his supporters or receiving funds transferred from his campaign accounts.
Mike Casca, a Sanders campaign spokesman, said Tuesday that “Sen. Sanders has always opposed the creation of super PACs, and his position has not changed.”
“This is an effort completely independent of him and his campaign,” Casca said in an email.
Still, the announcement comes at a critical time for Biden as he works to consolidate the progressive movement behind him and bring together a Democratic Party he will likely need fully unified to win in November.
Sanders suspended his campaign three weeks ago and endorsed Biden days later, potentially defusing some tensions that divided the party in 2016, when he waited until shortly before the Democratic National Convention to endorse his former rival, Hillary Clinton. Some of the senator’s core supporters have been reluctant to embrace Biden, however, saying they'd like to see him champion more progressive values.
Biden has since backed some of the proposals promoted by Sanders and fellow progressive Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren on expanding health insurance coverage under Medicare, canceling student loans for millions of Americans and overhauling the nation’s bankruptcy laws. But he has continued to reject Medicare for All, even as its popularity has risen with some Americans during the coronavirus outbreak.
Advertisement
Weaver said Biden has adopted progressive positions on other issues like labor rights and higher education funding. He also noted that Biden's and Sanders' campaign advisers are preparing joint task forces to tackle top issues at the Democratic National Convention, now scheduled for August. But Weaver conceded that Biden likely won't undergo core philosophical changes, like endorsing Medicare for All.
“I don’t think anybody should be under the illusion that Joe Biden is suddenly going to become exactly like Bernie Sanders,” he said.
Ron Klain, who was Biden’s chief of staff when he was vice president, said Sanders' advisers can bring deep knowledge of successful digital organizing and outreach to Biden's campaign.
“Everything starts obviously with leaders saying, ’Hey, let’s come together and let’s unite.' But then there’s a lot of hard work that has to go on to take that vision and make that a reality,” said Klain, who has no paid role with Biden's presidential campaign but remains a close adviser. “I think what Jeff’s doing is part of taking that vision — that vision that Vice President Biden and Sen. Sanders and others have had — and saying, ‘Hey, now how can we go make this happen?’”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-28--Andrew Cuomo Calls Homeless On Subway Cars 'Disgusting' And 'Disrespectful'

New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) called the sight of homeless people sleeping on New York City subway cars “ disgusting ” on Tuesday , claiming they were putting essential workers at risk .
Cuomo held up a copy of the New York Daily News , which features a cover story about homeless people seeking refuge on the train cars amid the coronavirus pandemic , during his daily press briefing .
“ The front page is a picture of a subway car filled with homeless people and their belongings , ” the governor said .
“ Respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , what is happening on those subway cars .
It ’ s disrespectful to the essential workers who need to ride the subway system.
” His words stood in stark contrast to those of transit leaders , who acknowledge there have been problems with homeless people on the trains but have urged compassionate action .
“ The city has failed our most vulnerable who are in desperate need of mental health care and housing services , ” interim NYC Transit President Sarah Feinberg told The Daily News for the story Cuomo highlighted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything in our power to address this important issue , including working closely with all partners , but it is outrageous that a transportation agency is conducting social services in place of the city.
” Incidents outlined in that article include a homeless passenger covered in human waste and a homeless rider lighting pieces of cardboard on fire .
Some transit operators and riders have reported a spike in homeless people sleeping on subway cars .
“ It ’ s not even safe for the homeless people to be on trains , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks , you have this whole outbreak , we ’ re concerned about homeless people , so we let them stay on the trains without protection in this epidemic of the COVID virus ?
No .
We have to do better than that , and we will.
” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio vowed Monday that the city would increase homeless outreach work at subway stations , provide an additional 200 shelter beds and close some stations at night to conduct an “ enhanced sanitization ” of subway cars .
MTA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department was disappointed it has taken such dire circumstances to help homeless people who seek shelter on trains .
“ We ’ re relieved on behalf of our customers and employees that the City has agreed to do more to provide safe shelter for homeless New Yorkers , ” she said in a statement , “ but it should not have taken a global pandemic for the City to do a job the MTA has called on it to do for years .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) called the sight of homeless people sleeping on New York City subway cars “disgusting” on Tuesday, claiming they were putting essential workers at risk.
Cuomo held up a copy of the New York Daily News, which features a cover story about homeless people seeking refuge on the train cars amid the coronavirus pandemic, during his daily press briefing.
Advertisement
“The front page is a picture of a subway car filled with homeless people and their belongings,” the governor said. “Respect the essential workers. That is disgusting, what is happening on those subway cars. It’s disrespectful to the essential workers who need to ride the subway system.”
His words stood in stark contrast to those of transit leaders, who acknowledge there have been problems with homeless people on the trains but have urged compassionate action.
“The city has failed our most vulnerable who are in desperate need of mental health care and housing services,” interim NYC Transit President Sarah Feinberg told The Daily News for the story Cuomo highlighted. “NYC Transit will continue to do everything in our power to address this important issue, including working closely with all partners, but it is outrageous that a transportation agency is conducting social services in place of the city.”
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo holding up an article about problems with homeless people riding the subway. Stefani Reynolds via Getty Images
Advertisement
Incidents outlined in that article include a homeless passenger covered in human waste and a homeless rider lighting pieces of cardboard on fire. Some transit operators and riders have reported a spike in homeless people sleeping on subway cars.
Cuomo also called for better solutions for homeless people seeking protection from the coronavirus.
“It’s not even safe for the homeless people to be on trains,” he said Tuesday. “No face masks, you have this whole outbreak, we’re concerned about homeless people, so we let them stay on the trains without protection in this epidemic of the COVID virus? No. We have to do better than that, and we will.”
However, he did not outline any plans.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio vowed Monday that the city would increase homeless outreach work at subway stations, provide an additional 200 shelter beds and close some stations at night to conduct an “enhanced sanitization” of subway cars.
MTA chief communications officer Abbey Collins said the department was disappointed it has taken such dire circumstances to help homeless people who seek shelter on trains.
“We’re relieved on behalf of our customers and employees that the City has agreed to do more to provide safe shelter for homeless New Yorkers,” she said in a statement, “but it should not have taken a global pandemic for the City to do a job the MTA has called on it to do for years.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-29--Andrew Yang Sues New York State Board Of Elections For Canceling Presidential Primary

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang is suing the New York State Board of Elections after the state became the first in the country to cancel its presidential primary over COVID-19 concerns .
The suit , obtained by Politico and filed in federal court on Tuesday by Yang and seven New York residents who ’ d intended to serve as his delegates to the Democratic National Convention , accuses the election commission of denying “ voters due process and … the right to vote.
” “ This unprecedented and unwarranted move infringes the rights of Plaintiffs and all New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are estimated to be more than 6 million , as it fundamentally denies them the right to choose our next candidate for the office of President of the United States , ” the complaint states .
The suit also argues that nixing the primary could impact down-ballot candidates as “ voters will have less incentive to vote if they can not cast a vote for the highest office in the land , and thereby negatively impact challenger candidates.
” New York originally postponed its Democratic presidential primary ― moving it from April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fears .
The state ’ s Board of Elections said this week , however , that it had voted to cancel it entirely after Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) dropped out of the presidential race , leaving former Vice President Joe Biden as the last Democratic contender standing .
State and congressional primaries are still expected to go ahead in June ; but as The New York Times noted , about one-third of New York ’ s counties have no other primaries scheduled , so voters in those counties will no longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ At a time when the goal is to avoid unnecessary social contact , our conclusion was that there was no purpose in holding a beauty contest primary that would marginally increase the risk to both voters and poll workers , ” Douglas Kellner , one of the board ’ s Democratic commissioners , told CNN of the decision to cancel the presidential primary .
As Jeff Weaver , a senior adviser to Sanders , noted , “ the primary process not only leads to [ a presidential nominee ] but also the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ platform and rules of the Democratic Party.
” “ New York has clearly violated its approved delegate selection plan , ” Weaver said in a statement .
“ If this is not remedied , New York should lose all its delegates to the 2020 Democratic National Convention and there should be a broader review by the Democratic Party of New York ’ s checkered pattern of voter disenfranchisement.
” Sanders had said previously that he wants to keep amassing delegates so he can exert influence on the party platform on issues like “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , The Los Angeles Times reported .
But Jay Jacobs , the chairman of the New York Democratic Party , said this week that he hoped to find a way to allocate some delegates to Sanders .
“ What we ’ re going to do in discussions with the Biden campaign and the Sanders campaign is try to come up with some fair allocation , so that the delegates that go to the convention will have Sanders ’ voices as well , as they would have had had we had the primary , @ @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang is suing the New York State Board of Elections after the state became the first in the country to cancel its presidential primary over COVID-19 concerns.
The suit, obtained by Politico and filed in federal court on Tuesday by Yang and seven New York residents who’d intended to serve as his delegates to the Democratic National Convention, accuses the election commission of denying “voters due process and … the right to vote.”
Advertisement
“This unprecedented and unwarranted move infringes the rights of Plaintiffs and all New York State Democratic Party voters, of which there are estimated to be more than 6 million, as it fundamentally denies them the right to choose our next candidate for the office of President of the United States,” the complaint states.
The suit also argues that nixing the primary could impact down-ballot candidates as “voters will have less incentive to vote if they cannot cast a vote for the highest office in the land, and thereby negatively impact challenger candidates.”
Voting is kind of a big deal. — Andrew Yang🧢🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) April 29, 2020
New York originally postponed its Democratic presidential primary ― moving it from April 28 to June 23 ― over coronavirus fears. The state’s Board of Elections said this week, however, that it had voted to cancel it entirely after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) dropped out of the presidential race, leaving former Vice President Joe Biden as the last Democratic contender standing.
Advertisement
State and congressional primaries are still expected to go ahead in June; but as The New York Times noted, about one-third of New York’s counties have no other primaries scheduled, so voters in those counties will no longer need to go to the polls.
“At a time when the goal is to avoid unnecessary social contact, our conclusion was that there was no purpose in holding a beauty contest primary that would marginally increase the risk to both voters and poll workers,” Douglas Kellner, one of the board’s Democratic commissioners, told CNN of the decision to cancel the presidential primary.
He added that Sanders’ departure from the race “basically rendered the primary moot.”
But Sanders ― and Yang ― had wanted the presidential primary to go ahead.
As Jeff Weaver, a senior adviser to Sanders, noted, “the primary process not only leads to [a presidential nominee] but also the selection of delegates which helps determine the platform and rules of the Democratic Party.”
“New York has clearly violated its approved delegate selection plan,” Weaver said in a statement. “If this is not remedied, New York should lose all its delegates to the 2020 Democratic National Convention and there should be a broader review by the Democratic Party of New York’s checkered pattern of voter disenfranchisement.”
Our campaign statement on the New York State Board of Elections decision to cancel the state’s presidential primary: pic.twitter.com/BzylNaqCaS — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) April 27, 2020
Advertisement
Sanders had said previously that he wants to keep amassing delegates so he can exert influence on the party platform on issues like “Medicare for all” and climate change, The Los Angeles Times reported.
Following the election board’s decision, Biden is expected to get all of New York’s 274 pledged delegates, The Hill noted.
But Jay Jacobs, the chairman of the New York Democratic Party, said this week that he hoped to find a way to allocate some delegates to Sanders.
“What we’re going to do in discussions with the Biden campaign and the Sanders campaign is try to come up with some fair allocation, so that the delegates that go to the convention will have Sanders’ voices as well, as they would have had had we had the primary,” Jacobs said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-29--Trump Says He Won't Extend Social Distancing Guidelines

ASSOCIATED PRESS President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting about the coronavirus with Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards , not pictured , in the Oval Office of the White House , Wednesday , April 29 , 2020 , in Washington .
( AP Photo/Evan Vucci ) The administration says the its cautionary guidance issued 45 days ago has been incorporated into recommendations given to the states on how they can begin gradually easing restrictions and reopening their economies .
“ They ’ ll be fading out because now the governors are doing it , ” Trump told reporters in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with John Bel Edwards , the Democratic governor of Louisiana .
Edwards told Trump that his state has turned the corner in its fight against the virus , meeting on a day that brought hopeful signs for a new treatment but also grim economic numbers .
The U.S. economy shrank at a 4.8 % annual rate last quarter — a precursor to far grimmer reports that are expected this summer from the pandemic that has shut down much of the country and triggered a severe recession .
“ I just wanted to congratulate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , commending him on the job he ’ s done after New Orleans became one of the nation ’ s coronavirus hot spots .
However , Edwards is currently under fire from Republican lawmakers in his state after he extended Louisiana ’ s stay-at-home order through May 15 .
As he was in Washington , some GOP legislators were trying to rally support to take the extraordinary step of trying to override the governor ’ s emergency decision-making about the state ’ s outbreak .
During the meeting , Trump , who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said decisions will be left to them , confirmed the White House will not be extending its “ 30 Days to Slow the Spread ” guidelines when they expire Thursday .
Those guidelines — which were originally supposed to last 15 days and were then extended an additional 30 — encouraged Americans to work from home and avoid restaurants and discretionary travel and advised older Americans and those with serious underlying health conditions to isolate themselves .
Vice President Mike Pence said the guidelines have been incorporated into the new guidance issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that lays out how states can gradually begin to reopen as the rate of new cases slows .
The White House on Wednesday was also talking up the prospect of an experimental drug , Remdesivir , which proved effective against the virus in a major new study run by the National Institutes of Health , shortening the time it takes for patients to recover by four days on average .
The White House and Trump in particular have been eager to give the country positive news as they work to move past the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the country ’ s death tally continues to rise .
The U.S. has now recorded more than 58,000 deaths from the virus , surpassing the total number of Americans who were killed in the Vietnam War .
More than one million people have now tested positive .
The U.S. has dramatically increased its testing after a slow and rocky start , but many health experts say the country still must do more — as many as 5 million a day — to safely reopen the economy .
Otherwise , they warn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work , creating another deadly spike .
“ I think what you ’ ll see in May , as the states are reopening now , is May will be a transition month , ” he said .
“ And I think you ’ ll see by June , a lot of the country should be back to normal and the hope is that ... by July the country is really rocking again .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday the federal government’s coronavirus social distancing guidelines will be “fading out” when they expire Thursday, counting on states taking charge as they pivot to reopening .
The administration says the its cautionary guidance issued 45 days ago has been incorporated into recommendations given to the states on how they can begin gradually easing restrictions and reopening their economies.
Advertisement
“They’ll be fading out because now the governors are doing it,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Wednesday as he met with John Bel Edwards, the Democratic governor of Louisiana.
Edwards told Trump that his state has turned the corner in its fight against the virus, meeting on a day that brought hopeful signs for a new treatment but also grim economic numbers.
The U.S. economy shrank at a 4.8% annual rate last quarter — a precursor to far grimmer reports that are expected this summer from the pandemic that has shut down much of the country and triggered a severe recession.
While Trump spoke confidently of the governors steering recovery in their states, transition is not going smoothly everywhere.
Advertisement
“I just wanted to congratulate you,” Trump said to Edwards, commending him on the job he’s done after New Orleans became one of the nation’s coronavirus hot spots.
However, Edwards is currently under fire from Republican lawmakers in his state after he extended Louisiana’s stay-at-home order through May 15. As he was in Washington, some GOP legislators were trying to rally support to take the extraordinary step of trying to override the governor’s emergency decision-making about the state’s outbreak.
During the meeting, Trump, who has both threatened to force states to reopen and said decisions will be left to them, confirmed the White House will not be extending its “30 Days to Slow the Spread” guidelines when they expire Thursday.
Those guidelines — which were originally supposed to last 15 days and were then extended an additional 30 — encouraged Americans to work from home and avoid restaurants and discretionary travel and advised older Americans and those with serious underlying health conditions to isolate themselves.
Vice President Mike Pence said the guidelines have been incorporated into the new guidance issued by the White House earlier this month that lays out how states can gradually begin to reopen as the rate of new cases slows.
Advertisement
The White House on Wednesday was also talking up the prospect of an experimental drug, Remdesivir, which proved effective against the virus in a major new study run by the National Institutes of Health, shortening the time it takes for patients to recover by four days on average.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, said the drug reduced the time it takes patients to recover by 31% — 11 days on average versus 15 days for those just given usual care.
“It’s highly significant,” said the usually cautious doctor. “What it has proven is that a drug can block this virus.”
The White House and Trump in particular have been eager to give the country positive news as they work to move past the crisis and rebuild the economy, even as the country’s death tally continues to rise. The U.S. has now recorded more than 58,000 deaths from the virus, surpassing the total number of Americans who were killed in the Vietnam War. More than one million people have now tested positive.
Trump said that number has risen so high in large part because of increased U.S. testing.
“That’s a tremendous amount and the reason is because of testing,” he said.
The U.S. has dramatically increased its testing after a slow and rocky start, but many health experts say the country still must do more — as many as 5 million a day — to safely reopen the economy. Otherwise, they warn, cases will skyrocket as Americans return to work, creating another deadly spike.
Advertisement
Trump has dismissed that recommended number, calling it unnecessary and a “media trap.”
Separately on Wednesday, Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, told “Fox and Friends” that the administration is preparing the country to “get as close back to normal as possible as quickly as possible.”
“I think what you’ll see in May, as the states are reopening now, is May will be a transition month,” he said. “And I think you’ll see by June, a lot of the country should be back to normal and the hope is that ... by July the country is really rocking again.”
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-29--Jared Kushner Mocked For Calling Coronavirus Response 'A Great Success Story'

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner seems to have the same affinity for hyperbole , exaggeration and outright falsehoods as his father-in-law , President Donald Trump .
Kushner made that obvious on Wednesday during a “ Fox & Friends ” appearance where he praised the Trump administration ’ s handling of the coronavirus outbreak .
Although the virus has now killed more Americans than the Vietnam War , Kushner said the country is on “ the other side of the medical aspect of this , ” and claimed the federal government ’ s response to the challenge “ is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t feel the need to mention that the U.S. now has more confirmed cases of the coronavirus than any other country in the world .
Or that the president and his underlings downplayed the virus threat , fumbled the distribution of supplies and failed to provide a convincing plan for states .
You can see Kushner make his dubious claim below : Jared Kushner , the morning after we hit 1 million cases and more deaths than in the Vietnam War : “ We ’ re on the other side of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government rose to the challenge , and this is a great success story.
” pic.twitter.com/sRGDR4rNsl — Ian Sams ( @ IanSams ) April 29 , 2020 People on Twitter mocked Kushner ’ s attempt at spin control by citing other “ great success stories.
” JARED ON THE END OF HAMLET : `` Denmark 's really turned a corner .
Classic happy ending .
JARED ON DEATH OF A SALESMAN : `` Our free-market system proved extraordinarily resilient . ''
JARD ON THE HINDENBERG : `` Within minutes , the fatality rate fell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blimping . ''
https : //t.co/B37EFdOYmI — David Litt ( @ davidlitt ) April 29 , 2020 To others , Kushner ’ s claim had echoes of the past .
Or course , there were questions .
Lots of questions .
Some people thought Kushner had a point , but not necessarily in the way he intended .
In an incredibly tragic way , Kushner isn ’ t lying .
This has been a success for the Trump Administration .
They ’ ve refused to help anyone while undermining confidence in government and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an organized crime family .
https : //t.co/T9wne6tED0 — Jared Yates Sexton ( @ JYSexton ) April 29 , 2020 Jared has always been almost entirely surrounded by people who tell him the bad job he 's doing is actually a good job , either because they 're suck ups or they 're being paid to stroke his ego .
I 'm sure that 's true here and he really believes he 's over-performing .
https : //t.co/t0Sh2PbU4n — Elizabeth Spiers ( @ espiers ) April 29 , 2020

LOADING ERROR LOADING
White House senior adviser Jared Kushner seems to have the same affinity for hyperbole, exaggeration and outright falsehoods as his father-in-law, President Donald Trump.
Kushner made that obvious on Wednesday during a “Fox & Friends” appearance where he praised the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak.
Advertisement
Although the virus has now killed more Americans than the Vietnam War, Kushner said the country is on “the other side of the medical aspect of this,” and claimed the federal government’s response to the challenge “is a great success story.”
He apparently didn’t feel the need to mention that the U.S. now has more confirmed cases of the coronavirus than any other country in the world. Or that the president and his underlings downplayed the virus threat, fumbled the distribution of supplies and failed to provide a convincing plan for states.
You can see Kushner make his dubious claim below:
Jared Kushner, the morning after we hit 1 million cases and more deaths than in the Vietnam War:
“We’re on the other side of the medical aspect of this. The federal government rose to the challenge, and this is a great success story.”pic.twitter.com/sRGDR4rNsl — Ian Sams (@IanSams) April 29, 2020
People on Twitter mocked Kushner’s attempt at spin control by citing other “great success stories.”
JARED ON THE END OF HAMLET: "Denmark's really turned a corner. Classic happy ending.
JARED ON DEATH OF A SALESMAN: "Our free-market system proved extraordinarily resilient."
JARD ON THE HINDENBERG: "Within minutes, the fatality rate fell to zero. A huge win for blimping." https://t.co/B37EFdOYmI — David Litt (@davidlitt) April 29, 2020
Advertisement
Today was a great success story.
~ Ray Lafferty, coach of Washington Redskins, December 8, 1940, after losing 73-0 to the Chicago Bears in the NFL Championship game https://t.co/GnBvZBt2BH — The Cheese Kitty (@WhoFdTheStork) April 29, 2020
My home school teaching career is also a “Great Success Story” — Scott Wolf (@scottwolf) April 29, 2020
and i am a supermodel ... https://t.co/TwzVRRySt7 — ROSIE (@Rosie) April 29, 2020
To others, Kushner’s claim had echoes of the past.
"This is a great success story" pic.twitter.com/Czlw59frDG — Lee Aronsohn (@BennyAce) April 29, 2020
Jared’s “this is a great success story” is like Bush's “Heck-of-a-job” except it’s exponentially more ridiculous and detached from reality. https://t.co/ssIn8B58H7 — Sam Stein (@samstein) April 29, 2020
Advertisement
Or course, there were questions. Lots of questions.
I wonder what he would consider to be a failure? — Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) April 29, 2020
Jared: “This is a great success story.”
How fucking tone deaf, clueless, and uncaring can one person be? https://t.co/T0cZTyi1nG — Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) April 29, 2020
Some people thought Kushner had a point, but not necessarily in the way he intended.
In an incredibly tragic way, Kushner isn’t lying. This has been a success for the Trump Administration. They’ve refused to help anyone while undermining confidence in government and enriching themselves by trafficking life-saving supplies like an organized crime family. https://t.co/T9wne6tED0 — Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) April 29, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-29--New York Times Refutes Biden Campaign's Reported Talking Points On Tara Reade Allegation

While presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has yet to publicly address a sexual assault allegation against him made by former Senate staffer Tara Reade , behind the scenes the campaign is pushing talking points to surrogates that say the incident never occurred .
As BuzzFeed reported on Tuesday , the centerpiece of those talking points is the assertion that a New York Times review “ led to the truth : this incident did not happen.
” But on Wednesday , in a statement to HuffPost , a spokesperson for the Times pushed back on this claim , denying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way ” about the truth of Reade ’ s accusation .
Reade has alleged Biden pushed her against a wall and penetrated her with his fingers when she worked as a staff assistant in his Senate office in 1993 .
The Biden campaign has vehemently denied the allegation .
For their article published earlier this month , Times reporters Lisa Lerer and Sydney Ember interviewed numerous people who worked in Biden ’ s office in 1993 .
They also contacted friends and family members who Reade said she confided in about the alleged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , our story found three former Senate aides whom Reade said she complained to contemporaneously , all of whom either did not remember the incident or said that it did not happen , ” the Times spokesperson said .
“ The story also included former interns who remembered Reade suddenly changing roles and no longer overseeing them , which took place during the same time period that Reade said she was abruptly reassigned , ” the statement continued .
“ The Times also spoke to a friend who said Reade told her the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; another friend and Reade ’ s brother say she told them of a traumatic sexual incident involving Biden.
” “ Biden believes that all women have the right to be heard and to have their claims thoroughly reviewed , ” the talking points reportedly say .
“ In this case , a thorough review by the New York Times has led to the truth : this incident did not happen.
” Stacey Abrams , a top contender to be Biden ’ s vice presidential running mate , told HuffPost on Tuesday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other reports on Reade ’ s allegation suggested anything other than Biden having the potential to “ make women proud as the next President of the United States.
” “ I believe that women deserve to be heard and I believe that they need to be listened to , ” Abrams told CNN ’ s Don Lemon .
“ But I also believe that those allegations have to be investigated by credible sources .
The New York Times did a deep investigation .
And they found that the accusation was not credible.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden .
I believe that he is a person who has demonstrated his love of family , of our community , has been made perfectly clear through his work as a congressional leader and as an American leader .
I know Joe Biden , and I think he ’ s telling the truth and this did not happen.
” HuffPost this week reached out to nine people rumored to be on Biden ’ s short list of vice presidential candidates about Reade ’ s allegation .
As of Wednesday morning , only Abrams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least eight women last year to publicly accuse Biden of inappropriate touching .
She said at the time that she worked in his Senate office when she was in her mid-20s and that he would make her uncomfortable by running his fingers up her neck or putting his hand on her shoulder .
Reade expanded on her allegation last month in separate interviews with The Intercept and with podcast host Katie Halper to include the assault claim .
The Times confirmed in its investigation that Reade worked for Biden ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She said she complained about Biden ’ s behavior to several senior staffers at the time and also filed a formal complaint with the Senate .
Reade said she was subsequently stripped of most of her duties .
She said Ted Kaufman , Biden ’ s chief of staff at the time , later told her she wasn ’ t a good fit for the job and gave her a month to find a new one .
Kaufman told the Times that he “ did not know her ” and that Reade did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s behavior .
The Biden campaign told the Times it does not have the complaint that Reade said she filed .
Reade ’ s former neighbor , Lynda LaCasse , told Business Insider in a report published Tuesday that Reade confided in her about what happened in the mid-1990s .
“ I remember her saying , here was this person that she was working for and she idolized him , ” LaCasse told the outlet .
“ She felt like she was assaulted , and she really didn ’ t feel there was @ @ @ @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
While presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has yet to publicly address a sexual assault allegation against him made by former Senate staffer Tara Reade, behind the scenes the campaign is pushing talking points to surrogates that say the incident never occurred.
As BuzzFeed reported on Tuesday, the centerpiece of those talking points is the assertion that a New York Times review “led to the truth: this incident did not happen.”
Advertisement
But on Wednesday, in a statement to HuffPost, a spokesperson for the Times pushed back on this claim, denying that its report made a conclusion “either way” about the truth of Reade’s accusation.
The reported talking points “inaccurately suggest” the Times investigation found the alleged assault “did not happen,” the Times spokesperson said. “Our investigation made no conclusion either way.”
Reade has alleged Biden pushed her against a wall and penetrated her with his fingers when she worked as a staff assistant in his Senate office in 1993. The Biden campaign has vehemently denied the allegation.
For their article published earlier this month, Times reporters Lisa Lerer and Sydney Ember interviewed numerous people who worked in Biden’s office in 1993. They also contacted friends and family members who Reade said she confided in about the alleged assault.
Advertisement
“As Buzzfeed correctly reported, our story found three former Senate aides whom Reade said she complained to contemporaneously, all of whom either did not remember the incident or said that it did not happen,” the Times spokesperson said.
“The story also included former interns who remembered Reade suddenly changing roles and no longer overseeing them, which took place during the same time period that Reade said she was abruptly reassigned,” the statement continued. “The Times also spoke to a friend who said Reade told her the details of the allegation at the time; another friend and Reade’s brother say she told them of a traumatic sexual incident involving Biden.”
The talking points reportedly crafted by the Biden campaign, obtained by BuzzFeed, advise campaign surrogates to say the Times’ investigation determined the incident “did not happen.”
“Biden believes that all women have the right to be heard and to have their claims thoroughly reviewed,” the talking points reportedly say. “In this case, a thorough review by the New York Times has led to the truth: this incident did not happen.”
A spokesperson for Biden’s campaign declined to comment, citing a policy against commenting on reported leaks from the campaign.
Advertisement
Stacey Abrams, a top contender to be Biden’s vice presidential running mate, told HuffPost on Tuesday that nothing in the Times investigation or any other reports on Reade’s allegation suggested anything other than Biden having the potential to “make women proud as the next President of the United States.”
She doubled down on her defense of Biden during an interview with CNN hours later.
“I believe that women deserve to be heard and I believe that they need to be listened to,” Abrams told CNN’s Don Lemon. “But I also believe that those allegations have to be investigated by credible sources. The New York Times did a deep investigation. And they found that the accusation was not credible.”
She added: “I believe Joe Biden. I believe that he is a person who has demonstrated his love of family, of our community, has been made perfectly clear through his work as a congressional leader and as an American leader. I know Joe Biden, and I think he’s telling the truth and this did not happen.”
HuffPost this week reached out to nine people rumored to be on Biden’s short list of vice presidential candidates about Reade’s allegation. As of Wednesday morning, only Abrams had responded.
Abrams did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment about the talking points.
Reade was one of at least eight women last year to publicly accuse Biden of inappropriate touching. She said at the time that she worked in his Senate office when she was in her mid-20s and that he would make her uncomfortable by running his fingers up her neck or putting his hand on her shoulder.
Biden, in response to the touching allegations, acknowledged last year that “social norms are changing.” He said he would be “more mindful about respecting personal space in the future.”