thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-25--Republican Group Asks Americans A Critical Question In Scathing Anti-Trump Ad

Two conservative groups that are working to defeat Donald Trump in the 2020 election released online ads Friday attacking the president ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
The Lincoln Project , of which conservative attorney George Conway ( the husband of White House counselor Kellyanne Conway ) is a prominent member , released this video asking which kind of American its viewers would like to be ― one , like Trump , who demands , or one who makes sacrifices .
Republicans for the Rule of Law , meanwhile , shared a minute-long video of Trump musing during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injecting disinfectant to combat the virus .
Trump claimed Friday he was being sarcastic .
“ 50,000 people have died .
This is our president , ” read the text at the start of the clip .
It ended with the words : “ Unfit .
Unwell .
Unacceptable.
” Both groups have in recent months released multiple spots condemning the president , members of his administration , and other prominent Republicans .
The Lincoln Project earlier this week even took the step of endorsing Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” it hailed him as “ a bipartisan leader who puts good ideas ahead of party politics ” and “ the man for this moment.
” On its founding in December 2019 , the group said it wanted to persuade “ enough disaffected conservatives , Republicans and Republican-leaning independents in swing states and districts to help ensure a victory in the Electoral College , and congressional majorities that don ’ t enable or abet Mr. Trump ’ s violations of the Constitution , even if that means Democratic control of the Senate and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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Two conservative groups that are working to defeat Donald Trump in the 2020 election released online ads Friday attacking the president’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Lincoln Project, of which conservative attorney George Conway (the husband of White House counselor Kellyanne Conway) is a prominent member, released this video asking which kind of American its viewers would like to be ― one, like Trump, who demands, or one who makes sacrifices.
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Check out the ad here:
Republicans for the Rule of Law, meanwhile, shared a minute-long video of Trump musing during Thursday’s task force briefing about injecting disinfectant to combat the virus. Trump claimed Friday he was being sarcastic.
“50,000 people have died. This is our president,” read the text at the start of the clip. It ended with the words: “Unfit. Unwell. Unacceptable.”
Check out the ad here:
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Both groups have in recent months released multiple spots condemning the president, members of his administration, and other prominent Republicans.
The Lincoln Project earlier this week even took the step of endorsing Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee.
In an ad titled “Ready,” it hailed him as “a bipartisan leader who puts good ideas ahead of party politics” and “the man for this moment.”
Check out the ad here:
On its founding in December 2019, the group said it wanted to persuade “enough disaffected conservatives, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents in swing states and districts to help ensure a victory in the Electoral College, and congressional majorities that don’t enable or abet Mr. Trump’s violations of the Constitution, even if that means Democratic control of the Senate and an expanded Democratic majority in the House.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-25--Trump Organization Seeking Aid From U.K., Ireland For Golf Resorts

In yet another mind-blowing business situation for an American president , Donald Trump ’ s company is seeking handouts from foreign governments for three struggling golf resorts .
The Trump Organization is after aid from the British and Irish governments to cover most of the wages of employees who have been furloughed because of COVID-19 lockdowns , Bloomberg reports .
Ironically , the 2,000 Trump employees laid off in his own country won ’ t get the same government help .
The situation raises huge ethical concerns for a president .
The Trump Organization stands to gain from foreign governments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them on international issues as head of the U.S .
The dual role as businessman and president highlights concerns about whose interests he is serving .
Fordham University law professor Jed Shugerman called it a “ flagrant violation ” of the emoluments clause of the Constitution , which prohibits American officials from accepting money from a foreign government or its representatives to avoid conflicts of interest .
`` I need a favor though . ''
Trump 's making another hell of an ask of a foreign government that has nothing to do with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or being strong .
https : //t.co/nzhq6531cb — John Oberlin ( @ OMGno2trump ) April 23 , 2020 This would be a direct and flagrant violation of the Foreign Emoluments Clause .
The UK surely prohibits bailouts that would be illegal where the corp is incorporated .
Donald Trump asks government to bail out his Scottish golf courses | The National https : //t.co/Eqm8Qlvou4 — Jed Shugerman ( @ jedshug ) April 23 , 2020 Some across the pond are furious they ’ re being asked to bail out a man who frequently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a crack businessman .
“ The huge tab for this will be borne throughout the whole population through higher taxes , ” said Martin Ford , an elected official in Aberdeenshire , Scotland , where one of Trump ’ s resorts is located .
“ If what he says about his personal wealth is true , Trump doesn ’ t need the money , and I don ’ t see why U.K. taxpayers of the future should be helping him out , ” he told Bloomberg .
The president ’ s son Eric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Today that the money the company is seeking “ does not benefit ” the Trump Organization — it is “ solely about protecting people and their families who would otherwise be out of work.
” Presumably , however , many employees can continue to work on the Trump properties maintaining the greens and buildings at little cost to the president ’ s company .
The Trump family was initially said to be prohibited from cashing in on the U.S. stimulus packages passed by Congress — though Trump ’ s Virginia winery and four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funds , according to a report by ProPublica .
The Trump Organization is seeking an annual rent cut of $ 3 million from the U.S. General Services Administration for the government-owned former post office that ’ s the site of the president ’ s Washington , D.C. , hotel .
In another unique business situation for a president , Trump , the businessman renter of the site , also serves as the landlord because he ’ s the president of the United States .
The executive branch chief asking executive branch employees for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government he leads comes after he retaliated against other employees who tried holding him to legal standards , so the technical term for that is a flaming conflict of interest .
https : //t.co/nVSudaV2S6 — Walter Shaub ( @ waltshaub ) April 22 , 2020

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In yet another mind-blowing business situation for an American president, Donald Trump’s company is seeking handouts from foreign governments for three struggling golf resorts.
The Trump Organization is after aid from the British and Irish governments to cover most of the wages of employees who have been furloughed because of COVID-19 lockdowns, Bloomberg reports.
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Ironically, the 2,000 Trump employees laid off in his own country won’t get the same government help.
The situation raises huge ethical concerns for a president. The Trump Organization stands to gain from foreign governments at the same time Trump negotiates with them on international issues as head of the U.S. The dual role as businessman and president highlights concerns about whose interests he is serving. Fordham University law professor Jed Shugerman called it a “flagrant violation” of the emoluments clause of the Constitution, which prohibits American officials from accepting money from a foreign government or its representatives to avoid conflicts of interest.
"I need a favor though." Trump's making another hell of an ask of a foreign government that has nothing to do with helping Americans, putting America first, or being strong. https://t.co/nzhq6531cb — John Oberlin (@OMGno2trump) April 23, 2020
This would be a direct and flagrant violation of the Foreign Emoluments Clause.
The UK surely prohibits bailouts that would be illegal where the corp is incorporated.
Donald Trump asks government to bail out his Scottish golf courses | The National https://t.co/Eqm8Qlvou4 — Jed Shugerman (@jedshug) April 23, 2020
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Some across the pond are furious they’re being asked to bail out a man who frequently boasts he’s a billionaire and a crack businessman.
“The huge tab for this will be borne throughout the whole population through higher taxes,” said Martin Ford, an elected official in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where one of Trump’s resorts is located. “If what he says about his personal wealth is true, Trump doesn’t need the money, and I don’t see why U.K. taxpayers of the future should be helping him out,” he told Bloomberg.
The president’s son Eric Trump said in a statement to USA Today that the money the company is seeking “does not benefit” the Trump Organization — it is “solely about protecting people and their families who would otherwise be out of work.” Presumably, however, many employees can continue to work on the Trump properties maintaining the greens and buildings at little cost to the president’s company.
The Trump family was initially said to be prohibited from cashing in on the U.S. stimulus packages passed by Congress — though Trump’s Virginia winery and four hotels may still be eligible for the funds, according to a report by ProPublica.
The Trump Organization is seeking an annual rent cut of $3 million from the U.S. General Services Administration for the government-owned former post office that’s the site of the president’s Washington, D.C., hotel. In another unique business situation for a president, Trump, the businessman renter of the site, also serves as the landlord because he’s the president of the United States.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-25--Donald Trump Unfollows Piers Morgan On Twitter After Coronavirus Criticism

It ’ s hard to imagine a more stupid thing for a President to say than publicly float a completely @ @ @ @ @ that which will inevitably make some Americans believe having bleach inside them will cure the @ @ @ @ @ s exactly what he did .

It’s hard to imagine a more stupid thing for a President to say than publicly float a completely unsubstantiated “idea” like that which will inevitably make some Americans believe having bleach inside them will cure the virus.
Yet that’s exactly what he did.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-25--To Access Online Services, New Jersey Students With Disabilities Must Promise Not To Sue

A form distributed by districts asks families to “ waive and relinquish ; fully release and discharge ; and indemnify and hold harmless ” the school district and all of its employees “ from all claims , liabilities , causes of action , costs , expenses , attorneys ’ fees , damages , indemnities , and obligations of every kind and nature , in law , equity , or otherwise , ” before providing students with the counseling and speech services outlined in their individualized education program , or IEP .
( An IEP is the legal document that details @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide to a given student with disabilities . )
The form , devised with help from an education law firm , has raised alarms for disability advocates and lawyers , who have taken up the matter with the New Jersey Department of Education .
Rebecca Schore , the legal advocacy director at Disability Rights New Jersey , said her organization already has two clients who have been asked to sign the waiver in order to receive counseling and speech support .
Legal liability has become a significant concern of school districts as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closures due to the coronavirus epidemic .
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ― the sprawling federal law that governs special education ― schools are required to provide disabled students with an education analogous to that of their peers .
But many of the services these students receive , whether that ’ s modified instruction or a full-time one-on-one aid , have proved challenging to provide virtually .
School administration groups have been pushing for Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to recommend waivers for IDEA provisions .
In late March , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to present Congress with a report about whether she thinks districts should be given flexibility in certain areas .
The report could come at any minute .
The form asks parents to sign off on a number of issues .
It asks parents to agree not to be present for , or listen in on , or record virtual educational sessions .
A recording could be a violation of the New Jersey wiretapping law , says the form ― a claim lawyers take issue with .
It also asks parents to give up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negligence or negligent acts , for injuries , damage or loss which may occur , including , but not limited to , loss or damage to property , an injury invasion of privacy , disability or death to persons , arising out of , resulting from or in connection with the Services provided above.
” The agreement provides indemnity to the district even after the student has become an adult .
An Machado Law Group attorney defended the forms in a letter to the New Jersey Department of Education and the governor ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disability rights groups raised the issue .
The letter notes that the firm represents approximately 30 districts across the state of New Jersey and that they have already negotiated several waivers with families .
“ This is an unprecedented time , as is the number of online interactions between teachers and students from their respective homes , ” says the letter .
“ These new interactions create novel privacy and functionality questions and concerns for both school districts and parents that require careful consideration of both short-term benefits and long-term consequences.
” It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect our state ’ s school districts , who are funded entirely by taxpayer money .
Waivers will appropriately notify parents to the risks associated with virtual instruction , and allow them to discuss alternate instruction , if not wanting to expose their children to the potential risks.
” Disability rights groups take specific issue with what the waiver means for a student ’ s ability to receive compensatory services .
Under IDEA , if a student has not been afforded their IEP-mandated services through a denial of a free appropriate public education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The form says that when schools reopen , districts will evaluate individual students to determine their entitlement to compensatory services .
The letter from the Machado Law Firm seemed to downplay this risk , saying that “ the waivers being sought reflect the need to inform parents of the inherent risks associated with these online services and do not broadly waive their rights to compensatory education and other entitlements.
” The form represents one way districts have reckoned with the newfound challenges of educating students with disabilities outside of school buildings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ opted not to provide instruction to any students , for fear they would run afoul of IDEA if they could not provide disabled students with same rigor as their peers .
Subsequent guidance from the Department of Education said that districts should not decline to provide instruction or close as a means of addressing equity concerns .
However , parents and disability civil rights groups have said this fear is misguided ― that parents understand that virtual services will likely not live up to what ’ s required in their IEP , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give districts an excuse to not provide basic services to an especially vulnerable group of students .

Some New Jersey schools have been forcing students with disabilities to sign waivers promising not to sue the district before giving them access to special education services, HuffPost has learned.
A form distributed by districts asks families to “waive and relinquish; fully release and discharge; and indemnify and hold harmless” the school district and all of its employees “from all claims, liabilities, causes of action, costs, expenses, attorneys’ fees, damages, indemnities, and obligations of every kind and nature, in law, equity, or otherwise,” before providing students with the counseling and speech services outlined in their individualized education program, or IEP. (An IEP is the legal document that details the educational services districts are required to provide to a given student with disabilities.)
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The form, devised with help from an education law firm, has raised alarms for disability advocates and lawyers, who have taken up the matter with the New Jersey Department of Education. Rebecca Schore, the legal advocacy director at Disability Rights New Jersey, said her organization already has two clients who have been asked to sign the waiver in order to receive counseling and speech support.
“If the parent refuses to sign it, they will absolutely withhold services,” Schore said.
Lawyers say they have not heard of students who do not require special education services being made to sign any such waivers.
Legal liability has become a significant concern of school districts as they transition to distance learning amid widespread school closures due to the coronavirus epidemic. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ― the sprawling federal law that governs special education ― schools are required to provide disabled students with an education analogous to that of their peers. But many of the services these students receive, whether that’s modified instruction or a full-time one-on-one aid, have proved challenging to provide virtually.
Districts and employees worry that they can be held legally accountable for failing to fulfill a student’s IEP, or if a child gets hurt performing physical or occupational therapy activities without employees’ in-person supervision.
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School administration groups have been pushing for Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to recommend waivers for IDEA provisions. In late March, the coronavirus relief package gave her 30 days to present Congress with a report about whether she thinks districts should be given flexibility in certain areas. The report could come at any minute.
“Federal laws were not written anticipating a global pandemic that has closed a large majority of schools across the country,” wrote the National Association of State Directors of Special Education and the Council of Administrators of Special Education in a March letter to the Department of Education, pushing for general waivers.
But presenting individual families with forms absolving districts and their employees of liability goes one step further on the issue.
“No parents should be asked to give up any rights or claims they may have in exchange for receiving constitutionally required educational services,” said Elizabeth Athos, senior attorney with the Education Law Center.
The form asks parents to sign off on a number of issues. It asks parents to agree not to be present for, or listen in on, or record virtual educational sessions. A recording could be a violation of the New Jersey wiretapping law, says the form ― a claim lawyers take issue with.
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It also asks parents to give up their right to press charges for “negligence or negligent acts, for injuries, damage or loss which may occur, including, but not limited to, loss or damage to property, an injury invasion of privacy, disability or death to persons, arising out of, resulting from or in connection with the Services provided above.” The agreement provides indemnity to the district even after the student has become an adult.
The form was devised with the help of Machado Law Group, an education law firm in New Jersey. An attorney at the firm did not respond to HuffPost’s requests for comment on the matter.
An Machado Law Group attorney defended the forms in a letter to the New Jersey Department of Education and the governor’s office in early April, after disability rights groups raised the issue. The letter notes that the firm represents approximately 30 districts across the state of New Jersey and that they have already negotiated several waivers with families.
“This is an unprecedented time, as is the number of online interactions between teachers and students from their respective homes,” says the letter. “These new interactions create novel privacy and functionality questions and concerns for both school districts and parents that require careful consideration of both short-term benefits and long-term consequences.”
It continues, “Waivers are needed to protect our state’s school districts, who are funded entirely by taxpayer money. Waivers will appropriately notify parents to the risks associated with virtual instruction, and allow them to discuss alternate instruction, if not wanting to expose their children to the potential risks.”
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Disability rights groups take specific issue with what the waiver means for a student’s ability to receive compensatory services. Under IDEA, if a student has not been afforded their IEP-mandated services through a denial of a free appropriate public education, they should be offered make-up supports. The form says that when schools reopen, districts will evaluate individual students to determine their entitlement to compensatory services.
However, attorneys worry that parents who eventually take issue with the level of compensatory services offered to their children after schools reopen may find themselves in a bind.
“The district will say you need this much and you may not have any recourse to challenge that decision,” said Athos.
The letter from the Machado Law Firm seemed to downplay this risk, saying that “the waivers being sought reflect the need to inform parents of the inherent risks associated with these online services and do not broadly waive their rights to compensatory education and other entitlements.”
In response to questions about the form, the New Jersey Department of Education told HuffPost it has been “actively monitoring this situation to ensure that all students receive the services they need in a safe and comprehensive manner.”
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“We reached out to SPAN, the statewide organization that represents families with special needs children, and asked them to direct parents who have complaints to the Department,” New Jersey Department of Education spokesman Michael Yaple told HuffPost in an e-mail.
The form represents one way districts have reckoned with the newfound challenges of educating students with disabilities outside of school buildings. Initially, some districts around the country opted not to provide instruction to any students, for fear they would run afoul of IDEA if they could not provide disabled students with same rigor as their peers. Subsequent guidance from the Department of Education said that districts should not decline to provide instruction or close as a means of addressing equity concerns.
Districts have said they’re especially fearful of facing legal repercussions during a time when their financial belt buckle is likely to tighten amid state budget shortfalls.
However, parents and disability civil rights groups have said this fear is misguided ― that parents understand that virtual services will likely not live up to what’s required in their IEP, and that they fear broad federal waivers could give districts an excuse to not provide basic services to an especially vulnerable group of students.
In New Jersey, attorneys worry that parents will sign the waiver without realizing what they’re giving up.
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“We’re talking about accessing essentially basic educational services,” said Athos. “It’s kind of beyond the pale.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-25--Ex-Bush Aide Predicts How Trump's Coronavirus Response Will End Badly For GOP

Frum , who is now a senior editor at The Atlantic , predicted on Friday ’ s broadcast of MSNBC ’ s “ The Beat with Ari Melber ” that Trump is headed for a “ historic political defeat ” in the 2020 election .
He further warned that the Trump White House ’ s botched response to the public health crisis , which for weeks saw the president downplaying the threat of the contagion , in lockstep with multiple GOP lawmakers , would “ likely take the Republican Senate down with him.
” The death toll in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― currently stands at around 52,000 .
Frum called on the scientists and public health officials on the White House coronavirus task force to do more to stop Trump “ from doing harm ” by spreading falsehoods and misinformation during the daily updates .
The president frequently uses his time at the lectern to attack journalists who report critically on his administration , or question his statements about the outbreak .
Frum also named what he believed will become “ one of the most notorious moments ” of Trump ’ s presidency .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ injecting disinfectant as a way to combat the coronavirus .
He later walked back his comments , however , claiming he was being sarcastic — although many people did not buy the defense .

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Frum, who is now a senior editor at The Atlantic, predicted on Friday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber” that Trump is headed for a “historic political defeat” in the 2020 election.
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He further warned that the Trump White House’s botched response to the public health crisis, which for weeks saw the president downplaying the threat of the contagion, in lockstep with multiple GOP lawmakers, would “likely take the Republican Senate down with him.”
The death toll in the U.S. ― now the epicenter of the virus ― currently stands at around 52,000.
Frum called on the scientists and public health officials on the White House coronavirus task force to do more to stop Trump “from doing harm” by spreading falsehoods and misinformation during the daily updates.
The president frequently uses his time at the lectern to attack journalists who report critically on his administration, or question his statements about the outbreak.
Frum also named what he believed will become “one of the most notorious moments” of Trump’s presidency. Namely, when Trump on Thursday pondered injecting disinfectant as a way to combat the coronavirus. He later walked back his comments, however, claiming he was being sarcastic — although many people did not buy the defense.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-25--‘Reopen’ Protests Started Small. Right-Wing Media Gave Them A Massive Platform.

Earlier this month , a number of small Facebook groups around the U.S. called for protests against social distancing measures enacted to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
They had only a few members , limited engagement and appeared largely uncoordinated .
Now , weeks later , anti-lockdown protests are in cities across the United States and have drawn national attention as they undermine public health officials urging citizens to stay home and experts who warn that such gatherings could cause a spike in COVID-19 cases .
What has changed in just a brief period of time is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerful conservative activists and President Donald Trump have all championed the demonstrations and helped their organizers grow the movement ― giving relatively small and widely unpopular protests an outsized platform and influence .
The surge in protests is a recent trend , and most of the Facebook groups organizing the rallies didn ’ t exist even two weeks ago .
Apart from in Michigan and Washington state ― where anti-lockdown protests drew a few thousand people ― the rallies have tended to attract only several hundred people .
The majority of Americans oppose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support them , according to a recent CBS/YouGov poll conducted between April 20 and 22 .
A Yahoo/YouGov poll conducted between April 17 and 19 found similar results , with support for the protests at 22 % .
It also found only 7 % of Americans , including 13 % of Republicans , believe that Trump should encourage the protesters .
Both polls showed that the majority of Americans are more concerned about opening the country too quickly than too slowly .
Fox News ran 91 segments on the protests for over six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and April 20 , according to an analysis by the liberal nonprofit group Media Matters For America .
These segments repeatedly included interviews with protest leaders and members of law enforcement who said they wouldn ’ t enforce lockdown measures , as well as graphics that showed the locations or start time of some events .
Pundits often praised and encouraged the protests , presenting them as expressions of freedom and patriotism rather than threats to public health .
“ The American spirit is too strong , and Americans are not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lansing [ Michigan ] today , God bless them , it ’ s going to happen all over the country , ” Fox News host Jeanine Pirro said .
Outside of Fox News , far-right media activists directly helped plan protests and create anti-lockdown groups .
Owen Shroyer , a host at conspiracy theory website InfoWars , was an early organizer and drew hundreds of people to a rally in Austin , Texas .
Right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh touted the protests to his millions of listeners , calling for the U.S. to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outlets ’ early coverage of the protests gave an enormous platform to what were still fledgling groups at the start of last week , and that coverage was likely the catalyst for Trump ’ s tweets encouraging the demonstrations .
Around two minutes after Fox News aired a segment on the protests in Michigan , Virginia and Minnesota on April 17 , Trump posted a series of tweets that included “ LIBERATE MICHIGAN , ” “ LIBERATE VIRGINIA ” and “ LIBERATE MINNESOTA.
” After Trump ’ s tweets , researchers monitoring Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spike in activity .
“ It took it to entirely new levels .
All the pages we had been monitoring , they started ticking up in membership , ticking up in engagement , ” said Diara J. Townes , a research reporter at First Draft , an organization that monitors online misinformation .
The protests are overwhelmingly pro-Trump , and in recent days , the anti-lockdown Facebook pages have seen an increase in conspiracies that the social distancing measures are a ploy by Democrats to steal the presidential election .
Along with right-wing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked to amplify and organize demonstrations .
An initiative called the Convention of States ― which has received funding from Robert Mercer , a billionaire Republican megadonor and backer of the far-right media outlet Breitbart ― has poured its resources into the protests and paid for anti-lockdown Facebook ads .
Right-wing activist groups including Freedom Works and Tea Party Patriots have worked to expand the protests and dedicated employees to helping the cause .
A group of pro-gun , anti-abortion activist brothers with a history of profiting off conservative causes was behind yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for anti-lockdown rallies , according to investigations by The Washington Post and NBC News .
The role of Fox News and conservative action groups in mobilizing these protests echoes the wave of Tea Party protests that emerged in 2010 .
Fox effectively acted as an advocacy organization for those protests , and the network ’ s coverage helped set the debate around the movement , while conservative political groups tried to stoke grassroots grievances for their own benefit .
Far-right extremist groups and armed militias have also attended or helped organize some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally in Maine where a white nationalist former lawmaker encouraged protesters to show up in MAGA gear , and a Florida protest created by far-right street gang The Proud Boys .
Rallies have featured Confederate flags and anti-vaccine conspiracy signs , as well as threats of a second civil war .
But right-wing media ’ s coverage has ignored the powerful political groups and conspiracy theorists pouring gasoline on these protests , instead falling back on their common populist trope that somehow a corrupt group of elite Democrats and the media is ignoring @ @ @ @ @ @

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Earlier this month, a number of small Facebook groups around the U.S. called for protests against social distancing measures enacted to stop the spread of the coronavirus. They had only a few members, limited engagement and appeared largely uncoordinated.
Now, weeks later, anti-lockdown protests are in cities across the United States and have drawn national attention as they undermine public health officials urging citizens to stay home and experts who warn that such gatherings could cause a spike in COVID-19 cases.
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More rallies are scheduled in the days to come, and the array of Facebook groups opposed to social distancing has grown to include hundreds of thousands of members.
What has changed in just a brief period of time is that a network of right-wing media outlets, powerful conservative activists and President Donald Trump have all championed the demonstrations and helped their organizers grow the movement ― giving relatively small and widely unpopular protests an outsized platform and influence.
The surge in protests is a recent trend, and most of the Facebook groups organizing the rallies didn’t exist even two weeks ago. Apart from in Michigan and Washington state ― where anti-lockdown protests drew a few thousand people ― the rallies have tended to attract only several hundred people.
The majority of Americans oppose the demonstrations and only around 23% support them, according to a recent CBS/YouGov poll conducted between April 20 and 22. A Yahoo/YouGov poll conducted between April 17 and 19 found similar results, with support for the protests at 22%. It also found only 7% of Americans, including 13% of Republicans, believe that Trump should encourage the protesters. Both polls showed that the majority of Americans are more concerned about opening the country too quickly than too slowly.
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People take part in a "reopen" Pennsylvania demonstration on April 20, 2020 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. NICHOLAS KAMM via Getty Images
But despite the protests’ general unfavorability and fringe nature, right-wing media has repeatedly promoted them and given them heaps of laudatory coverage.
Fox News ran 91 segments on the protests for over six total hours of coverage between April 13 and April 20, according to an analysis by the liberal nonprofit group Media Matters For America. These segments repeatedly included interviews with protest leaders and members of law enforcement who said they wouldn’t enforce lockdown measures, as well as graphics that showed the locations or start time of some events. Pundits often praised and encouraged the protests, presenting them as expressions of freedom and patriotism rather than threats to public health.
“The American spirit is too strong, and Americans are not going to take it, and what happened in Lansing [Michigan] today, God bless them, it’s going to happen all over the country,” Fox News host Jeanine Pirro said.
Outside of Fox News, far-right media activists directly helped plan protests and create anti-lockdown groups. Owen Shroyer, a host at conspiracy theory website InfoWars, was an early organizer and drew hundreds of people to a rally in Austin, Texas. Right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh touted the protests to his millions of listeners, calling for the U.S. to reopen.
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Fox News and other right-wing outlets’ early coverage of the protests gave an enormous platform to what were still fledgling groups at the start of last week, and that coverage was likely the catalyst for Trump’s tweets encouraging the demonstrations. Around two minutes after Fox News aired a segment on the protests in Michigan, Virginia and Minnesota on April 17, Trump posted a series of tweets that included “LIBERATE MICHIGAN,” “LIBERATE VIRGINIA” and “LIBERATE MINNESOTA.” After Trump’s tweets, researchers monitoring Facebook groups promoting the demonstrations quickly saw a spike in activity.
“It took it to entirely new levels. All the pages we had been monitoring, they started ticking up in membership, ticking up in engagement,” said Diara J. Townes, a research reporter at First Draft, an organization that monitors online misinformation. The protests are overwhelmingly pro-Trump, and in recent days, the anti-lockdown Facebook pages have seen an increase in conspiracies that the social distancing measures are a ploy by Democrats to steal the presidential election.
A protest against stay-at-home orders in Columbus, Ohio, on April 20, 2020. MEGAN JELINGER via Getty Images
Along with right-wing media, conservative political groups have also worked to amplify and organize demonstrations. An initiative called the Convention of States ― which has received funding from Robert Mercer, a billionaire Republican megadonor and backer of the far-right media outlet Breitbart ― has poured its resources into the protests and paid for anti-lockdown Facebook ads. Right-wing activist groups including Freedom Works and Tea Party Patriots have worked to expand the protests and dedicated employees to helping the cause. A group of pro-gun, anti-abortion activist brothers with a history of profiting off conservative causes was behind yet another series of state-specific groups that called for anti-lockdown rallies, according to investigations by The Washington Post and NBC News.
The role of Fox News and conservative action groups in mobilizing these protests echoes the wave of Tea Party protests that emerged in 2010. Fox effectively acted as an advocacy organization for those protests, and the network’s coverage helped set the debate around the movement, while conservative political groups tried to stoke grassroots grievances for their own benefit.
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Far-right extremist groups and armed militias have also attended or helped organize some of the anti-lockdown demonstrations, including at a rally in Maine where a white nationalist former lawmaker encouraged protesters to show up in MAGA gear, and a Florida protest created by far-right street gang The Proud Boys. Rallies have featured Confederate flags and anti-vaccine conspiracy signs, as well as threats of a second civil war.
But right-wing media’s coverage has ignored the powerful political groups and conspiracy theorists pouring gasoline on these protests, instead falling back on their common populist trope that somehow a corrupt group of elite Democrats and the media is ignoring the will of the people.
“Thank you for exercising your constitutionally protected rights as an American,” Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who has condemned lockdown measures as “authoritarian,” told a rally organizer. “Bless you.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-25--White House Discussing Plans To Replace HHS Sec. Alex Azar: Reports

KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI via Getty Images U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar speaks during roundtable discussion after touring GE Healthcare Manufacturing Facility in Madison , Wisconsin , on April 21 , 2020 .
The White House is reportedly discussing plans to replace U.S. Health and Human Service Secretary Alex Azar as the Trump administration faces criticism for its delayed response to the coronavirus outbreak , which has killed over 50,000 people in the U.S. so far .
Talks to potentially remove Azar from his post are happening after weeks of growing tension between the HHS secretary and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump ’ s former 2016 campaign adviser Michael Caputo was installed as a top spokesperson for HHS ― a move reportedly made to give Trump more control over Azar , Politico reported earlier this month .
Meanwhile , President Trump has spent most of the White House ’ s coronavirus task force updates defending his handling of the pandemic and the Strategic National Stockpile , shifting the blame to state governors , the Obama administration , the World Health Organization and China .
The Wall Street Journal and Politico were the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ousting with both outlets citing people familiar with the discussion .
CNN also confirmed the talks , citing a senior administration official .
The reports said that there is no clear timeline for Azar to be moved , as officials are worried about personnel changes during a pandemic .
“ The Department of Health and Human Services , under the leadership of Secretary Azar , continues to lead on a number of the President ’ s priorities , ” said spokesman Judd Deere .
“ Any speculation about personnel is irresponsible and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Despite the White House ’ s downplay of the reports , Azar and the administration have been at odds during the pandemic .
According to a report published Wednesday by the Journal , Food and Drug Administration chief Stephen Hahn was told in January that he could not begin contacting diagnostic and pharmaceutical companies about potential shortages of personal protective gear and other equipment .
Azar had reportedly told his associates that doing so would “ alarm the industry and make the administration look unprepared , ” according to the Journal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter .
Azar also dismissed concerns from Trump administration officials that Hahn was not on the White House ’ s coronavirus task force since his absence would stifle the FDA ’ s efforts to work with commercial labs on testing , according to the paper .
The Washington Post reported in late March that Azar and former acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney encouraged Trump to act earlier on a response to the growing threat of the coronavirus , but Trump appeared “ dismissive.
” In response to reports that Azar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a Tweet Wednesday that the secretary was “ serving the American people alongside [ Trump ] during this pandemic.
” Azar “ has clearly told many reporters that POTUS has responded resolutely to all recommendations from public health experts , ” Caputo added .
“ The # FakeNews peddlers who heard him say this won ’ t report it because it proves POTUS ’ s early leadership .
”

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar speaks during roundtable discussion after touring GE Healthcare Manufacturing Facility in Madison, Wisconsin, on April 21, 2020. KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI via Getty Images
The White House is reportedly discussing plans to replace U.S. Health and Human Service Secretary Alex Azar as the Trump administration faces criticism for its delayed response to the coronavirus outbreak, which has killed over 50,000 people in the U.S. so far.
Talks to potentially remove Azar from his post are happening after weeks of growing tension between the HHS secretary and other administration officials.
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Just this week, President Trump’s former 2016 campaign adviser Michael Caputo was installed as a top spokesperson for HHS ― a move reportedly made to give Trump more control over Azar, Politico reported earlier this month.
Meanwhile, President Trump has spent most of the White House’s coronavirus task force updates defending his handling of the pandemic and the Strategic National Stockpile, shifting the blame to state governors, the Obama administration, the World Health Organization and China.
The Wall Street Journal and Politico were the first to report on Azar’s potential ousting with both outlets citing people familiar with the discussion. CNN also confirmed the talks, citing a senior administration official.
The reports said that there is no clear timeline for Azar to be moved, as officials are worried about personnel changes during a pandemic.
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In a statement to CNN on Saturday night, the White House denied any plans to remove Azar.
“The Department of Health and Human Services, under the leadership of Secretary Azar, continues to lead on a number of the President’s priorities,” said spokesman Judd Deere. “Any speculation about personnel is irresponsible and a distraction from our whole-of-government response to COVID-19.”
Despite the White House’s downplay of the reports, Azar and the administration have been at odds during the pandemic.
According to a report published Wednesday by the Journal, Food and Drug Administration chief Stephen Hahn was told in January that he could not begin contacting diagnostic and pharmaceutical companies about potential shortages of personal protective gear and other equipment.
Azar had reportedly told his associates that doing so would “alarm the industry and make the administration look unprepared,” according to the Journal, who spoke to people familiar with the matter.
“HHS officials waited weeks to contact manufacturers about possible shortages of medical supplies,” the Journal reported.
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Azar also dismissed concerns from Trump administration officials that Hahn was not on the White House’s coronavirus task force since his absence would stifle the FDA’s efforts to work with commercial labs on testing, according to the paper.
Earlier reports have also said that Azar and Trump’s relationship had been souring.
The Washington Post reported in late March that Azar and former acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney encouraged Trump to act earlier on a response to the growing threat of the coronavirus, but Trump appeared “dismissive.”
In response to reports that Azar and Trump were at odds, Caputo said in a Tweet Wednesday that the secretary was “serving the American people alongside [Trump] during this pandemic.”
Azar “has clearly told many reporters that POTUS has responded resolutely to all recommendations from public health experts,” Caputo added. “The #FakeNews peddlers who heard him say this won’t report it because it proves POTUS’s early leadership.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-25--Trump Suddenly Loses Interest In Briefings After Disastrous Disinfectant Comments

President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday that he suddenly believes his White House daily press briefings are no longer “ worth the time ” and the “ effort ” — just days after his comments that a disinfectant “ injection ” might work to battle COVID-19 triggered an uproar .
Trump ’ s lightning-fast pull-back from his rambling , daily briefings that often last close to two hours comes amid reports that aides have been desperately trying to convince him to scale back his often-problematic participation .
Advisers fear that Trump ’ s disjointed , often confusing , inaccurate and contradictory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are hurtng his poll numbers .
Trump ’ s tweet makes it seem that if he no longer appears at the briefings , it was all his idea .
“ What is the purpose of having White House news conferences when the Lamestream Media asks nothing but hostile questions ” and “ refuses to report the truth or facts ?
” he asked .
“ Not worth the time & effort !
” What is the purpose of having White House News Conferences when the Lamestream Media asks nothing but hostile questions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or facts accurately .
They get record ratings , & the American people get nothing but Fake News .
Not worth the time & effort !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) April 25 , 2020 Trump on Thursday suggested that an “ injection ” of disinfectant or a burst of “ powerful light ... inside the body ” might work against COVID-19 .
Stunned health experts immediately issued warnings that ingesting or injecting any kind of disinfectant would be toxic and possibly fatal .
Trump scrambled to walk back the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was speaking “ sarcastically ” when he suggested the dangerous action .
Trump gave a short briefing on Friday and took no questions from reporters .
There was no briefing on Saturday .
It was the first time since Easter weekend two weeks ago that Trump has not held a press conference on COVID-19 developments .
Since March , he and Vice President Mike Pence have held some 50 briefings along with members of the coronavirus task force on COVID-19 .

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President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday that he suddenly believes his White House daily press briefings are no longer “worth the time” and the “effort” — just days after his comments that a disinfectant “injection” might work to battle COVID-19 triggered an uproar.
Trump’s lightning-fast pull-back from his rambling, daily briefings that often last close to two hours comes amid reports that aides have been desperately trying to convince him to scale back his often-problematic participation. Advisers fear that Trump’s disjointed, often confusing, inaccurate and contradictory musings may be frightening voters, and are hurting his poll numbers.
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Trump’s tweet makes it seem that if he no longer appears at the briefings, it was all his idea.
“What is the purpose of having White House news conferences when the Lamestream Media asks nothing but hostile questions” and “refuses to report the truth or facts?” he asked. “Not worth the time & effort!”
What is the purpose of having White House News Conferences when the Lamestream Media asks nothing but hostile questions, & then refuses to report the truth or facts accurately. They get record ratings, & the American people get nothing but Fake News. Not worth the time & effort! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2020
Trump on Thursday suggested that an “injection” of disinfectant or a burst of “powerful light ... inside the body” might work against COVID-19. Stunned health experts immediately issued warnings that ingesting or injecting any kind of disinfectant would be toxic and possibly fatal. Trump scrambled to walk back the shocking comments the following day, claiming he was speaking “sarcastically” when he suggested the dangerous action.
Trump gave a short briefing on Friday and took no questions from reporters. There was no briefing on Saturday. It was the first time since Easter weekend two weeks ago that Trump has not held a press conference on COVID-19 developments. Since March, he and Vice President Mike Pence have held some 50 briefings along with members of the coronavirus task force on COVID-19.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-25--FEMA Reportedly Took The 5 Million Masks Ordered For Veterans To Send To Stockpile

Several hospitals in seven states surveyed by the Los Angeles Times complained that FEMA officials were showing up unannounced and seizing their supplies , leaving them desperately short and uncertain about where to turn for more equipment .
PeaceHealth , a 10-hospital system in Washington , Oregon and Alaska , had a shipment of testing supplies confiscated .
“ It ’ s incredibly frustrating , ” CEO Richard DeCarlo told the newspaper .
FEMA also seized 500 ventilators ordered by Colorado this month , according to state officials .
Trump then restored 100 of them , apparently as an opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Cory Gardner , who ’ s in the middle of a tough reelection campaign in the state .
Trump has ordered states to get their own supplies , but once the supplies are in the pipeline , they ’ re often seized by the federal government .
Trump ’ s son-in-law , senior White House adviser Jared Kushner announced at a coronavirus press briefing early this month that the emergency stores were “ our ” stockpile — and not the states ’ .
The website for the stockpile , however , pointedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The site was quickly changed after Kushner spoke to conform with what he said .

Several hospitals in seven states surveyed by the Los Angeles Times complained that FEMA officials were showing up unannounced and seizing their supplies , leaving them desperately short and uncertain about where to turn for more equipment.
PeaceHealth, a 10-hospital system in Washington, Oregon and Alaska, had a shipment of testing supplies confiscated. “It’s incredibly frustrating,” CEO Richard DeCarlo told the newspaper.
FEMA also seized 500 ventilators ordered by Colorado this month, according to state officials. Trump then restored 100 of them, apparently as an opportunity to give a shout out to GOP Sen. Cory Gardner, who’s in the middle of a tough reelection campaign in the state.
Trump has ordered states to get their own supplies, but once the supplies are in the pipeline, they’re often seized by the federal government.
Trump’s son-in-law, senior White House adviser Jared Kushner announced at a coronavirus press briefing early this month that the emergency stores were “our” stockpile — and not the states’. The website for the stockpile, however, pointedly said supplies were for the states. The site was quickly changed after Kushner spoke to conform with what he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-26--Joe Biden’s Vice Presidential Pick Could Cost Democrats A Senate Seat

Joe Raedle via Getty Images Both Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar are on Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s list of potential vice presidents , but selecting either would put their Senate seat at risk .
Every Democratic presidential nominee since the 1980s has picked a senator as their running mate , but if the party ’ s presumptive nominee , Joe Biden , does the same in 2020 , he could risk what will be , at best , a razor-thin Senate majority .
Biden has publicly declared he will pick a female running mate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ floated for the job come from the Senate : Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
and Tammy Baldwin ( D-Wis. ) are popular picks among progressives ; moderates prefer Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) or Sen. Tammy Duckworth ( D-Ill. ) ; those seeking a woman of color often suggest Kamala Harris ( D-Calif. ) or Catherine Cortez Masto ( D-Nev. ) .
But a growing group of Democrats are warning about the electoral risks of once again picking a senator as a running mate , in a time where increased political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states rare , making it more difficult than ever for the party to seize control of the Senate .
“ People really underestimate the fact that if we win the presidency , the second we win , we ’ re going to start losing almost every conceivable election where we don ’ t have an incumbent , ” said David Shor , the director of political data science at Civis Analytics , which does data work for many major Democratic groups , including Senate Majority PAC , the major Democratic super PAC .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the possibilities : The death of Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy , and the subsequent victory by Republican Scott Brown in a special election , nearly torpedoed efforts to pass the Affordable Care Act in 2010 when Biden was vice president .
“ It ’ s part of the calculus .
If you ’ re Biden , the most productive years of your presidency are going to be your first two .
And if you ’ re dealing with a 50-50 Senate , every one of those votes counts , ” said Addisu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker ’ s bid for the presidential nomination last year .
“ But it ’ s down the list .
I don ’ t think it disqualifies people.
” Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate , though Democrats are mounting a strong challenge to take control of the chamber for the first time since 2014 .
Still , barring a Biden landslide , most strategists believe a Democratic majority at the start of 2021 is likely to rely on either a vice president casting a tie-breaking vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 51-49 advantage .
But Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers ( D ) would not be able to make an interim appointment for Baldwin , and a special election would take place in the spring of 2021 against a state Republican party considered one of the nation ’ s most ruthless .
A possible solution to worries about Warren comes from a memo written by Marc Elias , the party ’ s most prominent election lawyer .
The document was requested in 2016 by then-Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid , who was pushing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice presidential pick .
The memo outlines a way for Warren to stay in the seat until the day before Massachusetts ’ already scheduled Sept. 1 primary .
With the Nov. 3 general election just two months later , a Baker appointee would only serve during a brief period when no major legislation is expected to be considered .
( The Senate is tentatively scheduled to leave on October 12 and not return until after the election . )
The key is timing : When Warren would file a letter of resignation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that resignation effective .
As long as she filed it more than 70 days before the primary , she would be free to set her actual resignation date on any day before the primary .
The Democratic Party would then likely see a contested primary for her seat .
By scheduling the election to replace Warren on the same day as the presidential general election ― when Biden is likely to win Massachusetts by double digits ― Democrats could shrink the chances of the GOP claiming the seat , blocking Republicans from having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Biden ’ s presidency .
The memo , the existence of which was first reported in 2016 , relieved Reid of his concerns about losing Warren ’ s seat .
But the method outlined would require Warren to resign her seat , potentially risking the end of her career in politics if a Biden-Warren ticket were to lose .

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Every Democratic presidential nominee since the 1980s has picked a senator as their running mate, but if the party’s presumptive nominee, Joe Biden, does the same in 2020, he could risk what will be, at best, a razor-thin Senate majority.
Biden has publicly declared he will pick a female running mate, and most of the names frequently floated for the job come from the Senate: Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) are popular picks among progressives; moderates prefer Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) or Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.); those seeking a woman of color often suggest Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) or Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.).
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But a growing group of Democrats are warning about the electoral risks of once again picking a senator as a running mate. Increased political polarization has made Democratic victories in rural states rare, making it more difficult than ever for the party to seize control of the Senate. Even temporarily handing a Senate seat to the GOP could hinder the Democratic agenda.
These analysts note that Republicans could win seats even in bright blue states during the 2022 midterms. And critical losses could imperil Biden’s plans to pass Democratic priorities like expanded health care access, student debt relief and gun control.
“People really underestimate the fact that if we win the presidency, the second we win, we’re going to start losing almost every conceivable election where we don’t have an incumbent,” said David Shor, the director of political data science at Civis Analytics, which does data work for many major Democratic groups, including Senate Majority PAC, the major Democratic super PAC.
Both Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar are on Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s list of potential vice presidents, but selecting either would put their Senate seat at risk. Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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Biden is likely to be well aware of the possibilities: The death of Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, and the subsequent victory by Republican Scott Brown in a special election, nearly torpedoed efforts to pass the Affordable Care Act in 2010 when Biden was vice president.
In the subsequent midterm elections, Democrats lost the Illinois seat previously held by then-president Barack Obama. Biden’s seat also nearly fell to GOP hands, but was saved after Republican primary voters selected tea party activist Christine O’Donnell as the nominee.
“It’s part of the calculus. If you’re Biden, the most productive years of your presidency are going to be your first two. And if you’re dealing with a 50-50 Senate, every one of those votes counts,” said Addisu Demissie, a Democratic operative who managed New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker’s bid for the presidential nomination last year. “But it’s down the list. I don’t think it disqualifies people.”
Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, though Democrats are mounting a strong challenge to take control of the chamber for the first time since 2014. Still, barring a Biden landslide, most strategists believe a Democratic majority at the start of 2021 is likely to rely on either a vice president casting a tie-breaking vote in a 50-50 or on a slim 51-49 advantage.
The possibility of losing a critical Senate seat could push the Biden campaign toward the other options, including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and Florida Rep. Val Demings.
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Biden has said he’ll announce a selection committee for his running mate by May 1, with the final selection likely happening sometime in July.
Klobuchar, Baldwin and Cortez Masto all represent swing states where Democrats typically prevail by slim margins. Duckworth and Warren represent solidly blue states where Democrats nonetheless lost Senate seats during Obama’s first midterms.
Under state laws, replacements for Klobuchar, Cortez Masto, Duckworth and Harris would serve until the 2022 election.
But Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) would not be able to make an interim appointment for Baldwin, and a special election would take place in the spring of 2021 against a state Republican party considered one of the nation’s most ruthless.
Warren also faces a unique problem: She’s the only potential pick under consideration where a Republican, Gov. Charlie Baker, would pick her replacement.
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A possible solution to worries about Warren comes from a memo written by Marc Elias, the party’s most prominent election lawyer. The document was requested in 2016 by then-Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, who was pushing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s campaign to name Warren as its vice presidential pick.
The memo outlines a way for Warren to stay in the seat until the day before Massachusetts’ already scheduled Sept. 1 primary. With the Nov. 3 general election just two months later, a Baker appointee would only serve during a brief period when no major legislation is expected to be considered. (The Senate is tentatively scheduled to leave on October 12 and not return until after the election.)
The key is timing: When Warren would file a letter of resignation, and when she would decide to make that resignation effective. As long as she filed it more than 70 days before the primary, she would be free to set her actual resignation date on any day before the primary. The Democratic Party would then likely see a contested primary for her seat.
By scheduling the election to replace Warren on the same day as the presidential general election ― when Biden is likely to win Massachusetts by double digits ― Democrats could shrink the chances of the GOP claiming the seat, blocking Republicans from having an additional senator during the early days of Biden’s presidency.
The memo, the existence of which was first reported in 2016, relieved Reid of his concerns about losing Warren’s seat. But the method outlined would require Warren to resign her seat, potentially risking the end of her career in politics if a Biden-Warren ticket were to lose.
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A spokesperson for Warren declined to comment on the memo.
For Klobuchar and Cortez Masto, the concerns are electoral rather than legal.
Both Nevada and Minnesota have strong state Democratic parties that have led to winning streaks in recent years, coupled with elected Democratic officials statewide — but neither is bright blue. Republicans won a Senate race in Nevada as recently as 2012, and the GOP has long viewed Minnesota as a prime pickup opportunity.
The concerns are less acute for Duckworth and Harris. Both states have only become more Democratic under President Donald Trump, and both are full of expensive media markets that could deter Republicans from making a serious play for the seat without recruiting a candidate with the ability to self-fund.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-26--America Is Not Set Up For This

America Is Not Set Up For This

Though their specific locations are confidential , the stockpile is stored in shipping containers in regional offices across the country @ @ @ @ @ of the stockpile designed to respond to chemical attacks , is stored in so many @ @ @ @ @ the American population lives within one hour of a facility from which they can acquire @ @ @ @ @ of Health and Human services swaps out all the pharmaceuticals within one year of their @ @ @ @ @ and replacement .
Who Does What , Exactly ?
And that ’ s disaster preparedness @ @ @ @ @ is even harder to track due to its intersection with America ’ s for-profit health @ @ @ @ @ competitors , hospitals have little reason to collaborate on stockpiles or staff training .
Due @ @ @ @ @ data , federal officials don ’ t know which clinics have which equipment .
In @ @ @ @ @ no centralized body had a clear idea of how many ventilators the U.S. had or @ @ @ @ @ in an emergency .

By the last week of January, Rob DeLeo knew it was going to get bad.
“I was having breakfast with my partner and I said, ‘We should get some extra food because we’re going to be inside for awhile,’” said DeLeo, a Bentley University professor who has been studying America’s political response to pandemics for more than 15 years.
Over the next two weeks, as he began preparing for a lengthy period of self-isolation, he was struck how calm political leaders seemed to be. The coronavirus was never mentioned at the Democratic presidential debate on Feb. 7. Even as cases appeared in major cities and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that person-to-person transmission was underway, no one seemed interested in warning Americans to get ready for a lockdown.
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DeLeo later searched the congressional record and found just six mentions of the word “coronavirus” before Feb. 8.
“I’m a political scientist, not an epidemiologist,” said DeLeo. “If I was freaking out, why wasn’t anyone else?”
Warnings of a global flu pandemic have been appearing in academic papers, government documents, magazine articles and TED Talks for over two decades. A 2015 study estimated that an influenza outbreak could kill up to 300,000 Americans. Last October, the Center for Strategic and International Studies convened a panel of 20 global health experts to run a disaster-preparedness scenario and give advice to policymakers. The catastrophe they chose was a novel strain of coronavirus.
And yet, despite these warnings — not to mention real-life influenza outbreaks in 2009, 2013 and 2017 — the gaps in America’s pandemic response have never been filled. In 2015, researchers found just 56,300 ventilators ready to be deployed in a respiratory disease outbreak. In February, the Government Accountability Office noted that America’s strategy for tackling biological threats included ”no clear processes, roles, or responsibilities” for data gathering or decision making.
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“This has been painfully predictable for so long,” DeLeo said. “But still, even I’ve been surprised at how poor the response has been.”
America’s political institutions had all the information they needed to avert disaster. So why didn’t they?
Oklahoma's Strategic National Stockpile warehouse contains 4 million pairs of gloves, 120,000 gowns, 173,000 face shields and goggles, 900,000 surgical and medical masks, and 110,000 respirators. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Preparing For the Previous Disaster
The best thinking about disasters, said Davia Downey, a public administration professor at Grand Valley State University, happens only after they’ve ended.
“We’re always looking backward at where the holes are,” said Downey, who has been researching American disaster response for over a decade. “That’s understandable, but over time you lose the ability to respond to events that aren’t like something you’ve seen before.”
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Nearly every development in the history of America’s disaster-preparedness tracks this insight. When it was first established in 1999, the Strategic National Stockpile, a store of essential supplies and medications, was an afterthought. The obscure program (then known as the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile) was reportedly created because then-President Bill Clinton read a popular novel about a chemical attack on New York City.
The book turned out to be eerily prescient. After the terror attacks of Sept. 11, the program deployed over 50 tons of medical supplies within hours. Just over a year later, the stockpile delivered post-exposure prophylaxis to hundreds of postal workers who had been exposed to anthrax.
Those early successes set the template for growth. By 2019, the Strategic National Stockpile’s budget had grown from its initial outlay of $50 million to $7 billion. Since 2002, administrators have used the stockpile to deploy emergency medications and equipment in 60 national disasters, including hurricanes Katrina, Sandy and Harvey; flooding in North Dakota; and the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak. The stockpile now includes 900 types of pharmaceuticals — from generic antivirals to nerve agent antidotes — as well as 134,000 pallets of equipment and 13,570 portable beds.
Though their specific locations are confidential, the stockpile is stored in shipping containers in regional offices across the country. CHEMPACK, the part of the stockpile designed to respond to chemical attacks, is stored in so many facilities that 90% of the American population lives within one hour of a facility from which they can acquire a dose. The Department of Health and Human services swaps out all the pharmaceuticals within one year of their expiration date, for resale and replacement.
“Our systems were designed to respond to a single disaster in a single place.” - Patrick Roberts, author of “Disasters and the American State"
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But even as it has expanded in size and sophistication, America’s disaster response system has retained its original focus on chemical weapons and biological attacks. In the early 2000s, DeLeo said, administrators primarily focused on the kinds of highly fatal diseases that would be useful to terrorists. The stockpile included, for example, treatments for the black plague and enough smallpox vaccine to immunize every single American. Diseases with lower fatality rates but higher chances of outbreaks were largely overlooked.
“The concern was a weaponized virus when there were emerging diseases that posed more of a threat,” DeLeo said. “There was a lot of concern in public health that homeland security had co-opted viable public health research.”
Patrick Roberts, a Rand Corporation researcher and the author of “Disasters and the American State,” pointed out that America’s disaster response infrastructure has always conceived of disasters as local, short-term events.
“Our systems were designed to respond to a single disaster in a single place,” Roberts said. “But public health threats are very different from natural disasters and terror attacks. What we’re experiencing now is much closer to a civil defense threat, something the entire country has to be prepared for at once.”
COVID-19 is affecting every state at once, and for months on end. Its global spread has choked supply lines for protective equipment and medications. Even if the federal government could send 50 tons of supplies to every city in the country, that would only offer temporary relief.
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“Most disasters we’ve confronted in our lifetimes are short-duration events,” DeLeo said. “The disaster happens, a part of our life gets washed away and then we have time to rebuild. COVID-19 is a long-term event with accumulating consequences. We’ve never had to deal with anything like that before.”
America's disaster-relief funding is split between 300 programs and 17 federal agencies. AFP Contributor via Getty Images
Who Does What, Exactly?
Disasters have reached a scale and frequency never before seen in U.S. history. The number of state and local disaster declarations has roughly tripled since the late 1990s. Between 1980 and 2018, disasters costing more than $1 billion have risen from six per year to 13 per year. Most of these are natural disasters like storms, floods, fires.
But it’s not just the number and size of disasters that explains America’s sluggish response to the coronavirus. It is their increasing complexity.
Federal disaster relief is split between 17 agencies and 300 programs. The response to Superstorm Sandy in 2012 — to pick just one recent emergency — involved 12 states, dozens of cities, and hundreds of local utilities, transportation authorities and government offices. Each of those bodies is responsible for getting its own share of relief.
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“There’s this myth that the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] just magically rides in on a white horse, but most of the responsibility actually goes down to local jurisdictions,” DeLeo said.
America’s emergency management system was not designed to handle disasters on its own. It is first and foremost a resource for states. To get relief, governors have to issue an emergency declaration within strictly defined legal limits. Within 12 hours, they should receive a ”push package” — a caravan of roughly 100 specialized shipping containers filled with medical supplies.
After that comes “managed inventory,” a steady trickle of equipment, staff and pharmaceuticals targeted to each state’s needs. In some cases, the Department of Health and Human Services can also send a Federal Medical Station, a MASH-style compound of portable tents capable of treating up to 250 patients.
All of these activities depend on well-greased coordination between federal, state and local officials. To be eligible for relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, counties have to document that they sustained damage of at least $3.68 per person. Federal administrators require states to spend 25% of their own funds to get relief grants. All of these bureaucratic hurdles cost local officials precious time and resources when they have the least to spare.
“We have this perverse electoral incentive structure. You get rewarded for distributing relief, but not for preventing disasters.” - Rob DeLeo, Bentley University professor
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“There’s this huge concern about waste, fraud and abuse, which leads agencies to micromanage for people getting too much help rather than getting no help at all,” said Sarah Labowitz, a former administrator for Hurricane Harvey relief in Houston. Before the floodwaters had fully receded, she was already locked in bureaucratic combat with other government bodies.
“First we engaged in a months-long battle about whether the city or the state should administer the money,” she said. “Then, we fought with federal and state agencies about obscure questions like whether we were allowed to rebuild a three-bedroom home for a single person. The amount of time we spent in administrative fights where no oversight agency would take a definitive stand was unbelievable.”
This bureaucratic labyrinth is particularly ill-suited to a pandemic, which affects all levels of government and nearly every administrative agency all at once. Political officials who want to move quickly may find themselves tangled in a briar patch of permissions and legal barriers.
As an example, Downey noted that many American airports are administered as their own jurisdictions. That means that even if they wanted to, governors may not be able to restrict air travel into and out of their states without an FAA declaration.
“Bureaucracy has its benefits because we get predictability,” she said, “but in the middle of natural disaster it means you end up spending a lot of time just figuring out who’s in charge.”
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For every $1 spent preparing for disasters, America saves roughly $6 in relief funds. RODRIGO BUENDIA via Getty Images
Less Money, More Problems
Despite years of warnings and dozens of critical reports, politicians have never had a reason to fix the problems in America’s disaster preparedness systems.
The problem, DeLeo said, is that preparing for disasters doesn’t have a built-in political constituency. Unlike cutting taxes or preserving national parks, stockpiling equipment for pandemics doesn’t have a group of vocal supporters.
Politicians who make investments in disaster preparedness barely see a bump in their vote share. Mayors and governors who manage disasters poorly do see a decline in their popularity, but the effect is small and short-lived.
It makes more sense, DeLeo said, for politicians to allow disasters to happen and then deliver huge federal relief funds to their districts.
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“We have this perverse electoral incentive structure,” DeLeo said. “You get rewarded for distributing relief, but not for preventing disasters.”
And yet preparing for hurricanes, earthquakes and pandemics is one of the best investments cities can make. According to a 2017 study, every dollar spent preparing for catastrophe saves roughly $6 in relief. Up to 80% of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, for example, could have been prevented with stricter building codes.
But America still spends orders of magnitude more on post-disaster relief than pre-disaster preparedness. Between 2011 and 2014, the federal government spent $3.2 billion fixing damage from disasters and just $222 million preparing for them. In 2016, FEMA had just $100 million set aside for major disasters — less than one-tenth the cost of just the first month of Hurricane Sandy relief.
“There’s not much fat left to trim,” W. Craig Fugate, a former FEMA administrator, told a congressional hearing in 2009.
The situation is even worse at the state level. In 2018, Pew attempted to survey states on their disaster preparedness spending. Only 23 states answered the survey. Of those that did, just eight could provide detailed accounting. None had spent more than $11 million of their own funds over a five-year period.
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“We track every single Medicaid dollar in this country,” DeLeo said. “We know it a year ahead of time. But most states can’t even tell you what they’re spending on disaster preparedness, much less whether it’s adequate. It’s such a tertiary issue.”
And that’s disaster preparedness in general. Pandemic preparedness is even harder to track due to its intersection with America’s for-profit health care system. As market competitors, hospitals have little reason to collaborate on stockpiles or staff training. Due to the lack of centralized data, federal officials don’t know which clinics have which equipment. In 2015, researchers warned that no centralized body had a clear idea of how many ventilators the U.S. had or how they could be deployed in an emergency.
All of this fragmentation has resulted in a system with significant inequalities in the equipment, staff and training necessary to tackle a pandemic.
“Some counties have robust public health departments, while others have no health department at all and may rely on neighboring counties,” Roberts said. “Someone called me the other day and said, ‘I’m in a fire department and I’m being asked to write our social distancing plan. I need help.’”
All of these problems have been clear for years, according to Roberts.
“We’ve always had the same unresolved questions,” he said. “I remember working on Ebola [in 2014] and thinking, ‘Something like this is going to happen again and it’s going to be even worse.’”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-26--Florida, 2020's Largest Swing State, Is Pushing Voting By Mail For November

President Donald Trump says that voting by mail is “ horrible ” and “ corrupt ” because the “ tremendous potential for voter fraud ” helps Democrats win elections .
But county-level election supervisors in his home state of Florida — where he recently cast a vote for himself , by mail — disagree , and are doing everything they can to ensure this crucial swing state can hold a safe election during the coronavirus pandemic .
While Florida isn ’ t prepared to hold an all vote-by-mail election , Broward , Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties , the three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to send absentee vote-by-mail registration forms to every registered voter ahead of the state ’ s August primary and November ’ s general election .
Many more counties have increased their outreach efforts to residents with mailers , postcards and public information campaigns in order to radically increase vote-by-mail sign-ups .
A handful are planning to provide prepaid postage for voters to return their ballots .
“ Certainly every election cycle we reach out to voters giving them the options they have in the method of voting , ” Susan Gill , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the west-central part of the state , said in an email .
“ This cycle it is more urgent.
” Allowing citizens to vote by mail was already important , in order to allow people who can ’ t make it to the polls on Election Day to still exercise their rights .
But this year , with the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing measures designed to counter its spread , mail-in ballots are all the more vital .
Multiple states postponed primaries because of the pandemic .
Illinois and Wisconsin held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases of coronavirus and at least one death linked to in-person voting .
The November election can ’ t be postponed , so state and local election officials will need to ensure that voters are both aware of , and able to use , safe options to cast their ballots .
Florida is one of 34 states that either allows residents to vote absentee by mail for any reason or conducts all-mail elections .
It is very easy to obtain an absentee ballot in Florida , election officers say .
Voters can apply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the phone .
They then receive absentee ballots for the next four elections before having to renew their absentee ballot request .
Both the Republican and Democratic parties have pushed their voters to sign up to vote by mail in Florida since no-excuse absentee voting was implemented in the state in 2002 as part of a set of reforms following the 2000 presidential election debacle .
The Republican Party long held an advantage in vote-by-mail sign-ups , particularly among elderly voters , but Democrats have caught up in recent years .
“ [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers call in sick or no-show .
Polling locations cancelled at the last minute , ” Lori Edwards , supervisor of elections for Polk County , said in an email .
“ And , that was early in the pandemic .
I ’ m very concerned that we will have a hard time keeping polling locations and recruiting workers , so we are trying to take the pressure off precinct voting.
” Currently , election supervisors ’ main focus is sending out educational materials about voting by mail .
These mailings inform recipients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to vote by mail ― online or over the phone .
In some counties , the mailers will contain tear off applications that can be sent back .
Depending on the county , mailings will be sent to all registered voters and , in others , they are targeted only at registered voters who have not signed up to vote by mail .
Lux ’ s reasons are two-fold .
“ [ R ] egardless of the status of the virus , until there is an actual cure there will still be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more comfortable voting from their homes , ” he wrote .
He also needs to know how many voters plan to vote by mail as early as possible in order to properly prepare his budget .
These concerns were echoed by many other county election supervisors for why they needed to do outreach in their communities now .
Many of them have to weigh the cost of postage with the amount of outreach they can do .
They expect to see some money from the $ 400 million Congress approved in the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election offices prepare for an increase in voting by mail .

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President Donald Trump says that voting by mail is “horrible” and “corrupt” because the “tremendous potential for voter fraud” helps Democrats win elections. But county-level election supervisors in his home state of Florida — where he recently cast a vote for himself, by mail — disagree, and are doing everything they can to ensure this crucial swing state can hold a safe election during the coronavirus pandemic.
While Florida isn’t prepared to hold an all vote-by-mail election, Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, the three most populous counties in the state, plan to send absentee vote-by-mail registration forms to every registered voter ahead of the state’s August primary and November’s general election. Many more counties have increased their outreach efforts to residents with mailers, postcards and public information campaigns in order to radically increase vote-by-mail sign-ups. A handful are planning to provide prepaid postage for voters to return their ballots.
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Two counties, Santa Rosa and Citrus, even used emergency alert systems to text residents to encourage them to sign up to vote by mail. Citrus’s text went out to 107,000 residents, netting 2,200 new vote-by-mail sign-ups.
“Certainly every election cycle we reach out to voters giving them the options they have in the method of voting,” Susan Gill, supervisor of elections for Citrus County, in the west-central part of the state, said in an email. “This cycle it is more urgent.”
This polling station in Delray Beach, Florida, was made available after some precincts in Palm Beach County were unable to open on March 17 after poll workers did not report to work. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Allowing citizens to vote by mail was already important, in order to allow people who can’t make it to the polls on Election Day to still exercise their rights. But this year, with the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing measures designed to counter its spread, mail-in ballots are all the more vital. Multiple states postponed primaries because of the pandemic. Illinois and Wisconsin held theirs ― which resulted in multiple positive cases of coronavirus and at least one death linked to in-person voting. The November election can’t be postponed, so state and local election officials will need to ensure that voters are both aware of, and able to use, safe options to cast their ballots.
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Florida is one of 34 states that either allows residents to vote absentee by mail for any reason or conducts all-mail elections. It is very easy to obtain an absentee ballot in Florida, election officers say. Voters can apply online, through the mail or over the phone. They then receive absentee ballots for the next four elections before having to renew their absentee ballot request.
Both the Republican and Democratic parties have pushed their voters to sign up to vote by mail in Florida since no-excuse absentee voting was implemented in the state in 2002 as part of a set of reforms following the 2000 presidential election debacle. The Republican Party long held an advantage in vote-by-mail sign-ups, particularly among elderly voters, but Democrats have caught up in recent years.
Mail-in ballots accounted for approximately 30% of votes cast by Floridians in the 2016 and 2018 elections; in some counties, two-thirds of votes came by mail.
The state’s county-level election supervisors, who hail from both political parties, also have a long record of educating county residents about vote-by-mail options. The coronavirus pandemic has led them to dramatically increase their outreach.
“[W]e are doubling down on our efforts and using every avenue we can to creatively reach our voters,” Vicki Davis, supervisor of elections for Martin County, said in an email.
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One big reason why election supervisors are ramping up vote-by-mail educational efforts is that the state’s March 17 presidential primary revealed the problems that awaited them in future elections.
“[W]e had hundreds of poll workers call in sick or no-show. Polling locations cancelled at the last minute,” Lori Edwards, supervisor of elections for Polk County, said in an email. “And, that was early in the pandemic. I’m very concerned that we will have a hard time keeping polling locations and recruiting workers, so we are trying to take the pressure off precinct voting.”
A flyer sent to registered voters in Martin County, Florida, informing them about how to request a mail ballot for the 2020 elections. Martin County Supervisor of Elections
Currently, election supervisors’ main focus is sending out educational materials about voting by mail. These mailings inform recipients of the easy ways they can sign up to vote by mail ― online or over the phone. In some counties, the mailers will contain tear off applications that can be sent back. Depending on the county, mailings will be sent to all registered voters and, in others, they are targeted only at registered voters who have not signed up to vote by mail.
County elections offices are also ramping up social media messaging, placing op-eds in local newspapers, advertising on local television and radio stations, and putting up flyers and billboards throughout their communities.
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Nonprofits distributing food during the pandemic are helping out by handing out educational flyers about vote-by-mail in Martin County.
“I do this not as a political measure,” Paul Lux, Okaloosa County supervisor of elections, said in an email about his efforts to ramp up vote-by-mail educational mailers.
Lux’s reasons are two-fold. “[R]egardless of the status of the virus, until there is an actual cure there will still be plenty of at-risk voters who will feel more comfortable voting from their homes,” he wrote. He also needs to know how many voters plan to vote by mail as early as possible in order to properly prepare his budget.
These concerns were echoed by many other county election supervisors for why they needed to do outreach in their communities now. Many of them have to weigh the cost of postage with the amount of outreach they can do. They expect to see some money from the $400 million Congress approved in the coronavirus relief act to help state and local election offices prepare for an increase in voting by mail.
As they educate their county residents about vote-by-mail, Florida’s election supervisors are also asking Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) to help them run safe elections by increasing the time period they can mail ballots to voters and allowing them to expand early voting while consolidating election day polling locations. DeSantis has not yet responded.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-26--U.S. Unemployment Rate Could Rival Great Depression's: Trump Adviser

The U.S. economy is experiencing the “ biggest negative shock ” it has likely ever seen , with the country ’ s unemployment rate approaching the level last seen during the Great Depression , an economic adviser to President Donald Trump said Sunday .
“ Make no mistake , it ’ s a really grave situation , ” White House senior adviser Kevin Hassett said on ABC ’ s “ This Week ” when asked about the current economic outlook and Trump ’ s hope for a sharp , V-shaped recovery .
“ We ’ re going to be looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we saw during the Great Depression , ” he said .
“ During the Great Recession , remember that was the financial crisis around 2008 , that we lost 8.7 million jobs in the whole thing .
Right now we ’ re losing that many jobs about every 10 days .
So the lift , the economic lift for policymakers is an extraordinary one , ” he said .
NEW : White House senior adviser Kevin Hassett tells @ gstephanopoulos that the economic outlook is a `` really grave situation . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at an unemployment rate that approaches rates that I think we saw during the Great Depression . ''
https : //t.co/vM8WcrQKg0 pic.twitter.com/ds7QtseNqe — This Week ( @ ThisWeekABC ) April 26 , 2020 Roughly 26 million people have filed for unemployment benefits in the U.S. since the coronavirus outbreak began , with economists forecasting the unemployment rate to be as high as 20 % this month .
The Great Depression , for comparison , saw unemployment peak around 25 % in 1933 .
Hassett , who is the former chairman of the Council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be up to both Republicans and Democrats to determine what happens next “ to give us the best chance possible for a V-shaped recovery.
” This sobering analysis by Hassett came as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin offered a far more rosy forecast that relied on financial boosts being injected into the economy .
In an interview with Fox News Sunday , Mnuchin told host Chris Wallace that he expects the economy will “ really bounce back ” through July , August and September thanks to stimulus checks being sent to Americans and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the replenished Paycheck Protection Program .
Mnuchin , in his public comments , has remained hopeful throughout these past several weeks .
Back in March , he said he didn ’ t expect an economic recession , only a “ slowdown.
” “ We are putting in an unprecedented amount of fiscal relief into the economy , ” Mnuchin said Sunday .
“ You ’ re seeing trillions of dollars that ’ s making its way into the economy and I think this is going to have a significant impact.
” When confronted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Goldman Sachs recently predicting the global hit from the coronavirus to be four times worse than the 2008 recession — Mnuchin said : “ We ’ ll see.
” Expedia and IAC Chairman Barry Diller , also sharing his economic expectations Sunday , gave a contrasting downcast view , with the billionaire businessman telling CBS ’ s “ Face the Nation ” that “ there ’ s no chance ” of a rebound by the fall .
“ Anyone who thinks that this economy is going to bounce … it can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is catastrophic , ” he said .
NEWS : “ There ’ s no chance ” of an economic rebound this fall , as the White House predicts , $ IAC and $ EXPE senior executive Barry Diller tells @ margbrennan .
“ To anyone who thinks this economy is going to bounce you have to have the idea of a rubber ball that is not in existence ” pic.twitter.com/7Qr5msHTN5 — Face The Nation ( @ FaceTheNation ) April 26 , 2020

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The U.S. economy is experiencing the “biggest negative shock” it has likely ever seen, with the country’s unemployment rate approaching the level last seen during the Great Depression, an economic adviser to President Donald Trump said Sunday.
“Make no mistake, it’s a really grave situation,” White House senior adviser Kevin Hassett said on ABC’s “This Week” when asked about the current economic outlook and Trump’s hope for a sharp, V-shaped recovery.
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“We’re going to be looking at an unemployment rate that approaches rates that we saw during the Great Depression,” he said. “During the Great Recession, remember that was the financial crisis around 2008, that we lost 8.7 million jobs in the whole thing. Right now we’re losing that many jobs about every 10 days. So the lift, the economic lift for policymakers is an extraordinary one,” he said.
NEW: White House senior adviser Kevin Hassett tells @gstephanopoulos that the economic outlook is a "really grave situation."
"We're going to be looking at an unemployment rate that approaches rates that I think we saw during the Great Depression." https://t.co/vM8WcrQKg0 pic.twitter.com/ds7QtseNqe — This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 26, 2020
Roughly 26 million people have filed for unemployment benefits in the U.S. since the coronavirus outbreak began, with economists forecasting the unemployment rate to be as high as 20% this month. The Great Depression, for comparison, saw unemployment peak around 25% in 1933.
Hassett, who is the former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, said that it will be up to both Republicans and Democrats to determine what happens next “to give us the best chance possible for a V-shaped recovery.”
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This sobering analysis by Hassett came as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin offered a far more rosy forecast that relied on financial boosts being injected into the economy.
In an interview with Fox News Sunday, Mnuchin told host Chris Wallace that he expects the economy will “really bounce back” through July, August and September thanks to stimulus checks being sent to Americans and loans being offered to small businesses through the replenished Paycheck Protection Program.
Secretary Mnuchin on expectations for restarting US economy, new relief for small businesses https://t.co/zBg7LXH3QI — James Cooper (@coop22089074) April 26, 2020
Mnuchin, in his public comments, has remained hopeful throughout these past several weeks. Back in March, he said he didn’t expect an economic recession, only a “slowdown.”
“We are putting in an unprecedented amount of fiscal relief into the economy,” Mnuchin said Sunday. “You’re seeing trillions of dollars that’s making its way into the economy and I think this is going to have a significant impact.”
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When confronted by Wallace with contrasting assessments — including Goldman Sachs recently predicting the global hit from the coronavirus to be four times worse than the 2008 recession — Mnuchin said: “We’ll see.”
“As businesses begin to open, you’re going to see the demand side of the economy rebound,” Mnuchin said.
Expedia and IAC Chairman Barry Diller, also sharing his economic expectations Sunday, gave a contrasting downcast view, with the billionaire businessman telling CBS’s “Face the Nation” that “there’s no chance” of a rebound by the fall.
“Anyone who thinks that this economy is going to bounce … it can’t. The damage that is being done is catastrophic,” he said.
NEWS: “There’s no chance” of an economic rebound this fall, as the White House predicts, $IAC and $EXPE senior executive Barry Diller tells @margbrennan.
“To anyone who thinks this economy is going to bounce you have to have the idea of a rubber ball that is not in existence” pic.twitter.com/7Qr5msHTN5 — Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) April 26, 2020