thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-29--Ben Shapiro Suggests Older People Dying Of COVID-19 Is 'Tragic,' But Also Not So Bad

Conservative commentator and abortion opponent Ben Shapiro once said he wouldn ’ t even consider aborting Baby Hitler if he had the chance .
But based on an interview Shapiro had on Tuesday with political commentator Dave Rubin , maybe your grandma ’ s life isn ’ t that worthy of saving .
Shapiro noted that one of the effects of lifting stay-at-home orders in different states is that more people will get COVID-19 , but “ nobody just wants to say the obvious truth.
” According to Shapiro , that “ obvious truth ” is that everyone is making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs ” in human lives of lifting lockdown orders .
“ If somebody who is 81 dies of COVID-19 , that is not the same thing as somebody who is 30 dying of COVID-19 , ” Shapiro said ( ignoring the fact that 30-year-olds can and do die from the virus as well ) .
“ If this were killing children , everyone would be in lockdown forever .
That ’ s the reality.
” Meanwhile , “ If grandma dies in a nursing home at age 81 , that ’ s tragic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the life expectancy in the United States is 80 , ” Shapiro said .
You can see his comments here .
Ben Shapiro : `` If somebody who is 81 dies of COVID-19 , that is not the same thing as somebody who is 30 dying of COVID-19 ...
If grandma dies in a nursing home at age 81 , that 's tragic and it 's terrible , also the life expectancy in the United States is 80 '' pic.twitter.com/L2UJi95OUN — Jason Campbell ( @ JasonSCampbell ) April 29 , 2020 HuffPost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one immediately responded .
However , Twitter users noticed that Shapiro ’ s comment seemed to contradict his previous statements about the value of human life .
Repro advocates : Pregnant folks should be able to make their own choices .
Ben Shapiro : MURDERERS !
!
!
People : We need to take steps to help older folks who are vulnerable in this crisis .
Ben Shapiro : Listen , there 's a calculus for valuing `` life '' .
In this essay , I will ... — Charlotte Clymer 🏳🌈 ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ben Shapiro , 2017 : `` A first-trimester fetus has moral value ... more value than just a cluster of cells .
If left to its natural processes , it will grow into a baby .
The real question is , where do you draw the line ? ''
Ben Shapiro , 2020 : Your grandmother should be dead already .
https : //t.co/kRs9EbiCqu — Steve Silberman ( @ stevesilberman ) April 29 , 2020 the idea that bureaucrats were going to be making decisions about the value of human life based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` death panels , '' is something that ben shapiro was very , very against not that long ago https : //t.co/SaJar159nO — Christopher Hooks ( @ cd_hooks ) April 29 , 2020 Some people were surprised it took Shapiro so long to get to this opinion .
I have to admit I thought it would take longer than a month for the right to reach the point of “ the useless old people must die to give the young Übermenschen elbow room.
” https : //t.co/Eed8T4IOue — Charles Johnson ( @ Green_Footballs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next time they claim `` All Lives Matter '' or that they are `` Pro Life . ''
They never believed that .
Now they 're just saying the quiet part loud.
# COVID19 https : //t.co/f2e2lhfbkv — Qasim Rashid for Congress ( @ QasimRashid ) April 29 , 2020 People like this love to use words like `` tragic '' and `` terrible '' hastily , and only while on their way to a different destination , as if they 're glancing briefly at actual human feeling while speeding past it in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
https : //t.co/dw5T4MAzEn — Mark Harris ( @ MarkHarrisNYC ) April 29 , 2020 Some people tried to gently suggest that it might actually be possible to give COVID-19 patients decent medical treatment .

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Conservative commentator and abortion opponent Ben Shapiro once said he wouldn’t even consider aborting Baby Hitler if he had the chance.
But based on an interview Shapiro had on Tuesday with political commentator Dave Rubin, maybe your grandma’s life isn’t that worthy of saving.
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Shapiro noted that one of the effects of lifting stay-at-home orders in different states is that more people will get COVID-19, but “nobody just wants to say the obvious truth.”
According to Shapiro, that “obvious truth” is that everyone is making “actuarial deductions about what are the costs” in human lives of lifting lockdown orders.
“If somebody who is 81 dies of COVID-19, that is not the same thing as somebody who is 30 dying of COVID-19,” Shapiro said (ignoring the fact that 30-year-olds can and do die from the virus as well). “If this were killing children, everyone would be in lockdown forever. That’s the reality.”
Meanwhile, “If grandma dies in a nursing home at age 81, that’s tragic and it’s terrible; also, the life expectancy in the United States is 80,” Shapiro said.
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You can see his comments here.
Ben Shapiro: "If somebody who is 81 dies of COVID-19, that is not the same thing as somebody who is 30 dying of COVID-19...If grandma dies in a nursing home at age 81, that's tragic and it's terrible, also the life expectancy in the United States is 80" pic.twitter.com/L2UJi95OUN — Jason Campbell (@JasonSCampbell) April 29, 2020
HuffPost reached out to Shapiro, but no one immediately responded.
However, Twitter users noticed that Shapiro’s comment seemed to contradict his previous statements about the value of human life.
Repro advocates: Pregnant folks should be able to make their own choices.
Ben Shapiro: MURDERERS!!!
People: We need to take steps to help older folks who are vulnerable in this crisis.
Ben Shapiro: Listen, there's a calculus for valuing "life". In this essay, I will... — Charlotte Clymer 🏳🌈 (@cmclymer) April 29, 2020
Ben Shapiro, 2017: "A first-trimester fetus has moral value... more value than just a cluster of cells. If left to its natural processes, it will grow into a baby. The real question is, where do you draw the line?"
Ben Shapiro, 2020: Your grandmother should be dead already. https://t.co/kRs9EbiCqu — Steve Silberman (@stevesilberman) April 29, 2020
Remember when Ben Shapiro said he was so pro-life he wouldn't kill baby Hitler? https://t.co/vvN6os6fDk — Public Citizen (@Public_Citizen) April 29, 2020
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the idea that bureaucrats were going to be making decisions about the value of human life based on actuarial tables, in the form of "death panels," is something that ben shapiro was very, very against not that long ago https://t.co/SaJar159nO — Christopher Hooks (@cd_hooks) April 29, 2020
Some people were surprised it took Shapiro so long to get to this opinion.
I have to admit I thought it would take longer than a month for the right to reach the point of “the useless old people must die to give the young Übermenschen elbow room.” https://t.co/Eed8T4IOue — Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) April 29, 2020
Others? Not so much.
Remember this next time they claim "All Lives Matter" or that they are "Pro Life."
They never believed that. Now they're just saying the quiet part loud.#COVID19 https://t.co/f2e2lhfbkv — Qasim Rashid for Congress (@QasimRashid) April 29, 2020
People like this love to use words like "tragic" and "terrible" hastily, and only while on their way to a different destination, as if they're glancing briefly at actual human feeling while speeding past it in a limo with the windows rolled up. https://t.co/dw5T4MAzEn — Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) April 29, 2020
Some people tried to gently suggest that it might actually be possible to give COVID-19 patients decent medical treatment.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Joe Grogan, Trump's Top Domestic Policy Aide, Leaving White House Next Month

Joe Grogan , President Donald Trump ’ s top domestic policy adviser and an influential member of the White House coronavirus task force , has announced his intention to resign from the Trump administration next month .
Grogan , who currently serves as director of the White House Domestic Policy Council overseeing a wide range of issues , including health care and regulation , confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that May 24 would be his last day on the job .
He said he ’ s leaving the White House on good terms and that , despite reports of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Services Secretary Alex Azar , his departure “ has nothing to do with Azar , ” Politico reported .
Azar himself has been the subject of speculation in recent weeks that the White House is mulling his potential ouster .
“ I promised my wife two years , and I ’ m in my fourth year .
No one outworked me , ” Grogan told Politico of his planned departure , adding that he ’ d had a “ great conversation ” about it with Trump and White House chief of staff Mark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy adviser Joe Grogan is leaving his post , the latest sign of turnover as the administration grapples with coronavirus .
His resignation is effective May 24. w/ @ stepharmour1 https : //t.co/sf4mDqHMHf — Rebecca Ballhaus ( @ rebeccaballhaus ) April 29 , 2020 As Politico noted , Grogan — who worked as a lobbyist for drugmaker Gilead prior to his time at the White House — has played a significant role in crafting major health policies , including drug pricing , for the Trump administration .
More recently he ’ s been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to stem the coronavirus pandemic .
Grogan reportedly was among the first officials to warn the White House of the virus ’ s potential to disrupt American life .
Back in January , Grogan warned the administration “ to take the virus seriously or it could cost the president his reelection , and that dealing with the virus was likely to dominate life in the United States for many months , ” The Washington Post reported last month .

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Joe Grogan, President Donald Trump’s top domestic policy adviser and an influential member of the White House coronavirus task force, has announced his intention to resign from the Trump administration next month.
Grogan, who currently serves as director of the White House Domestic Policy Council overseeing a wide range of issues, including health care and regulation, confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that May 24 would be his last day on the job.
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He said he’s leaving the White House on good terms and that, despite reports of his repeated clashes with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, his departure “has nothing to do with Azar,” Politico reported. Azar himself has been the subject of speculation in recent weeks that the White House is mulling his potential ouster.
“I promised my wife two years, and I’m in my fourth year. No one outworked me,” Grogan told Politico of his planned departure, adding that he’d had a “great conversation” about it with Trump and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.
NEWS: Top White House policy adviser Joe Grogan is leaving his post, the latest sign of turnover as the administration grapples with coronavirus. His resignation is effective May 24. w/@stepharmour1 https://t.co/sf4mDqHMHf — Rebecca Ballhaus (@rebeccaballhaus) April 29, 2020
As Politico noted, Grogan — who worked as a lobbyist for drugmaker Gilead prior to his time at the White House — has played a significant role in crafting major health policies, including drug pricing, for the Trump administration.
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More recently he’s been closely involved in the administration’s efforts to stem the coronavirus pandemic. Grogan reportedly was among the first officials to warn the White House of the virus’s potential to disrupt American life.
Back in January, Grogan warned the administration “to take the virus seriously or it could cost the president his reelection, and that dealing with the virus was likely to dominate life in the United States for many months,” The Washington Post reported last month.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--California Gov. Gavin Newsom To Order All Beaches, State Parks Closed

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( AP ) — Gov .
Gavin Newsom will order all beaches and state parks closed Friday after tens of thousands of people flocked to the seashore last weekend during a heat wave despite his stay-at-home order , according to a memo sent Wednesday evening to police chiefs around the state .
Newsom this week targeted beachgoers in Orange and Ventura counties , calling them an example of “ what not to do ” if the state wants to continue its progress fighting the coronavirus .
While many beaches and trails throughout the state have been closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with warnings for visitors to practice social distancing and more have reopened .
In Newport Beach , some 80,000 visitors hit the beach over the weekend , although lifeguards said most people exercised social distancing .
With criticism swirling , the Newport Beach City Council met Tuesday and rejected a proposal to close the beaches for the next three weekends .
Six San Francisco Bay Area counties that imposed the first broad stay-at-home orders in California because of the coronavirus loosened them — slightly — for the first time Wednesday , joining a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cracking the door to a less-restrictive life .
The announcement was part of a dizzying list of modified orders making it difficult to keep up with what is allowed and what is not .
Tennis will be OK in Sacramento starting Friday , but not in San Francisco , where public health officials say it ’ s still not safe for people to share a ball .
“ I want to remind everyone that we must all abide by all the local health orders and the state health orders .
That means whichever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the state order , ” Santa Clara County legal counsel James Williams said .
“ It is important that we adhere to the stricter of both.
” The Bay Area order allows for landscaping , construction and other outdoor businesses , such as flea markets and nurseries , so long as social distancing is maintained .
And in what could be a critical addition for many parents , it specifies that summer camps are allowed , but only for children of people allowed to work under the state order .
The children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fewer and with the same supervisor and may not mingle with kids outside their group .
The changes in local orders reflect the growing unrest among some residents and government officials over Newsom ’ s order and his plan for a slow and methodical reopening of the nation ’ s most populous state even as other states such as Florida move much more quickly .
With much of the economy closed , more than 3.7 million Californians have filed for unemployment benefits since March 12 .
In Auburn , northeast of Sacramento , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started taking an occasional client to help pay her rent and meet other expenses .
She ’ s among a smattering of owners across the state who have dodged public health orders that closed their businesses because they are considered nonessential .
“ It won ’ t be on the basis of pressure , it won ’ t be on the basis of what we want , but what we need to do , ” Newsom said .
“ And what we need to do from my humble perspective is listen to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s 58 counties have their own public health experts , and many are starting to ask Newsom to open up the state .
On Monday , six rural Northern California counties sent a letter to the governor asking him to let them reopen , noting they only had 69 confirmed virus cases among a combined population of 500,000 people .
Santa Clara County Health Director Dr. Sara Cody said local officials have come up with their own metrics to measure infection rates , hospitalizations and testing to ensure that infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If that happens , she said , stricter rules will be back .
“ I wish I could give you a set timeline for when this was going to end .
My family asks me , my friends ask me — we don ’ t have a date , ” she said , noting that there still is no vaccine , so “ we are going to need to have protections in place for a very , very long time .
”

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Gov. Gavin Newsom will order all beaches and state parks closed Friday after tens of thousands of people flocked to the seashore last weekend during a heat wave despite his stay-at-home order, according to a memo sent Wednesday evening to police chiefs around the state.
Eric Nuñez, president of the California Police Chiefs Association, said it was sent to give chiefs time to plan ahead of Newsom’s expected announcement Thursday.
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A message to the governor’s office seeking comment wasn’t immediately returned.
Tens of thousands of people flocked to the seashore last weekend during a heatwave despite Gov. Gavin Newsom's stay-at-home order. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Newsom this week targeted beachgoers in Orange and Ventura counties, calling them an example of “what not to do” if the state wants to continue its progress fighting the coronavirus. While many beaches and trails throughout the state have been closed for weeks, others have remained open with warnings for visitors to practice social distancing and more have reopened.
In Newport Beach, some 80,000 visitors hit the beach over the weekend, although lifeguards said most people exercised social distancing. With criticism swirling, the Newport Beach City Council met Tuesday and rejected a proposal to close the beaches for the next three weekends.
Nearby Laguna Beach approved a limited reopening. Beaches across San Diego County reopened Monday, with a few exceptions.
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The governor’s order is sure to draw fire as pressure is building to ease restrictions and slowly reopen the state.
Six San Francisco Bay Area counties that imposed the first broad stay-at-home orders in California because of the coronavirus loosened them — slightly — for the first time Wednesday, joining a growing list of local governments that are cracking the door to a less-restrictive life.
The announcement was part of a dizzying list of modified orders making it difficult to keep up with what is allowed and what is not. Tennis will be OK in Sacramento starting Friday, but not in San Francisco, where public health officials say it’s still not safe for people to share a ball.
Compounding the confusion: Some elements of the revised orders won’t take effect because they conflict with the statewide stay-at-home order, which is still in place.
“I want to remind everyone that we must all abide by all the local health orders and the state health orders. That means whichever is stricter, in some cases that is the state order,” Santa Clara County legal counsel James Williams said. “It is important that we adhere to the stricter of both.”
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The Bay Area order allows for landscaping, construction and other outdoor businesses, such as flea markets and nurseries, so long as social distancing is maintained. And in what could be a critical addition for many parents, it specifies that summer camps are allowed, but only for children of people allowed to work under the state order. The children must remain in groups of 12 or fewer and with the same supervisor and may not mingle with kids outside their group.
It’s not clear if that element complies with the state order. When asked about it Wednesday, Newsom said it was “a point of clarification” his administration will be discussing with local officials.
The changes in local orders reflect the growing unrest among some residents and government officials over Newsom’s order and his plan for a slow and methodical reopening of the nation’s most populous state even as other states such as Florida move much more quickly.
With much of the economy closed, more than 3.7 million Californians have filed for unemployment benefits since March 12. In Auburn, northeast of Sacramento, salon owner Tisha Fernhoff said she has started taking an occasional client to help pay her rent and meet other expenses. She’s among a smattering of owners across the state who have dodged public health orders that closed their businesses because they are considered nonessential.
Newsom reiterated Wednesday it would be weeks before he makes the first significant modification to the state order, urging people to remain at home to prevent unintended outbreaks among the state’s most high-risk populations, including nursing homes.
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“It won’t be on the basis of pressure, it won’t be on the basis of what we want, but what we need to do,” Newsom said. “And what we need to do from my humble perspective is listen to the public health experts.”
But each of the state’s 58 counties have their own public health experts, and many are starting to ask Newsom to open up the state. On Monday, six rural Northern California counties sent a letter to the governor asking him to let them reopen, noting they only had 69 confirmed virus cases among a combined population of 500,000 people.
Santa Clara County Health Director Dr. Sara Cody said local officials have come up with their own metrics to measure infection rates, hospitalizations and testing to ensure that infections don’t start rising again. If that happens, she said, stricter rules will be back.
But she acknowledged there may be other health effects from forcing people to stay home, as well as the burgeoning unemployment the pandemic restrictions have caused.
“I wish I could give you a set timeline for when this was going to end. My family asks me, my friends ask me — we don’t have a date,” she said, noting that there still is no vaccine, so “we are going to need to have protections in place for a very, very long time.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Obama ‘Ebola Czar’ Names Donald Trump Traits That Are Deadly Combination Amid Pandemic

Three of President Donald Trump ’ s worst character traits are proving to be catastrophic for the U.S. amid the coronavirus pandemic , Ronald Klain argued on Wednesday .
Klain , who former President Barack Obama charged with leading the U.S. response to the Ebola crisis , told MSNBC ’ s Nicolle Wallace that Trump ’ s “ narcissism , incompetence and ideology ” were “ sadly , a very deadly combination for our country ” right now .
He also ripped the “ bad decisions , bad leadership , bad coordination ” from the Trump White House “ that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are waiting for Trump to change , they 're gon na way a long time .
He has n't changed in 3 years , he has n't changed over the course of this response .
He tried to happy talk the thing away in January ... in February ... in March ... in April '' - @ RonaldKlain w/ @ NicolleDWallace pic.twitter.com/bTlbV6n8HY — Deadline White House ( @ DeadlineWH ) April 29 , 2020 “ I think the president doesn ’ t want to use the full powers of the office to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests because how he thinks that ’ s socialism or something crazy like this , ” he said .
Klain also rejected the suggestion that Trump ’ s attitude toward the public health crisis may be about to change .
“ If people are waiting for Donald Trump to change , they ’ re gon na wait a long time , ” he said .
“ He hasn ’ t changed in three years , and he hasn ’ t changed over the course of this response.
” He noted Trump has “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” repeatedly over the last four months .

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Three of President Donald Trump’s worst character traits are proving to be catastrophic for the U.S. amid the coronavirus pandemic, Ronald Klain argued on Wednesday.
Klain, who former President Barack Obama charged with leading the U.S. response to the Ebola crisis, told MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace that Trump’s “narcissism, incompetence and ideology” were “sadly, a very deadly combination for our country” right now.
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He also ripped the “bad decisions, bad leadership, bad coordination” from the Trump White House “that have plagued this problem.”
"If people are waiting for Trump to change, they're gonna way a long time. He hasn't changed in 3 years, he hasn't changed over the course of this response. He tried to happy talk the thing away in January... in February... in March... in April" - @RonaldKlain w/ @NicolleDWallace pic.twitter.com/bTlbV6n8HY — Deadline White House (@DeadlineWH) April 29, 2020
“I think the president doesn’t want to use the full powers of the office to command the private sector to produce these tests because how he thinks that’s socialism or something crazy like this,” he said.
Klain also rejected the suggestion that Trump’s attitude toward the public health crisis may be about to change.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Conservative Columnist Taunts 'Sniveling Sycophant' Mike Pence Over Mask Stunt

Vice President Mike Pence continues to come under fire over his refusal to wear a mask during a visit to the Mayo Clinic this week .
Pence claimed he didn ’ t need a mask ― despite the clinic ’ s policy that everyone should wear one ― because he is frequently tested for coronavirus , as is everyone in close proximity to President Donald Trump .
Jennifer Rubin of The Washington Post suggested another reason .
“ Why would Pence act so recklessly , putting himself and caregivers in further danger ?
” she asked in her column , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump does not like the idea of wearing a mask so a sniveling sycophant probably wouldn ’ t want to be seen in one , either .
It is difficult to fathom someone so weak in character as to endanger others because of his boss ’ s vanity.
” Trump has said he will not wear a mask regardless of recommendations from his own task force that everyone should use facial coverings when going outside .
“ I just don ’ t want to wear one myself , it ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month .
“ Somehow sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk , the great Resolute Desk , I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents , dictators , kings , queens , I don ’ t know , I don ’ t see it for myself .
”

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Vice President Mike Pence continues to come under fire over his refusal to wear a mask during a visit to the Mayo Clinic this week.
Pence claimed he didn’t need a mask ― despite the clinic’s policy that everyone should wear one ― because he is frequently tested for coronavirus, as is everyone in close proximity to President Donald Trump.
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Jennifer Rubin of The Washington Post suggested another reason.
“Why would Pence act so recklessly, putting himself and caregivers in further danger?” she asked in her column, before providing an answer:
Well, Trump does not like the idea of wearing a mask so a sniveling sycophant probably wouldn’t want to be seen in one, either. It is difficult to fathom someone so weak in character as to endanger others because of his boss’s vanity.
Trump has said he will not wear a mask regardless of recommendations from his own task force that everyone should use facial coverings when going outside.
“I just don’t want to wear one myself, it’s a recommendation,” Trump said earlier this month. “Somehow sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk, the great Resolute Desk, I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, dictators, kings, queens, I don’t know, I don’t see it for myself.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-29--Joe Biden Stays Silent

Joe Biden Stays Silent

His campaign has put out a statement denying the accusation by Tara Reade , a former Senate aide , but Biden himself has not said anything .
And in his absence , other Democrats ― particularly female activists and politicians ― have had to weigh in and decide whether to defend him .
Democrats find themselves in a position with few easy options , particularly when they don ’ t fully know what happened .
Biden ’ s Democratic presidential campaign has reportedly circulated talking points to surrogates , obtained by BuzzFeed , telling people to say that the assault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media reports continue to come out that corroborate parts of Reade ’ s account .
One route for Democrats involves saying they believe Reade and denouncing Biden .
But that potentially hurts the presumptive nominee ’ s chances to defeat President Donald Trump ― and keeping Trump in office is unthinkable .
Trump has been accused of sexual misconduct ― including conduct that goes far beyond what Biden is alleged to have done ― by more than a dozen women .
“ It sucks that everyone can ’ t just say , ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m going to vote for Joe Biden , ’ because that ’ s the only morally defensible position here , ” said a Democratic strategist who requested anonymity to speak freely .
“ Donald Trump has been credibly accused by multiple women of sexual assault and has spent his first term in office undermining the basic tenets of our democracy .
Folks will vote for Joe Biden in the fall for many reasons , and yet again it will be marginalized groups who have to bite the bullet to stop Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a path for Biden would be to come out and acknowledge his past behaviors that were inappropriate and to talk about why they were wrong and how he has changed ― showing his personal growth over the years .
Rather than painting every man as good or bad , Biden could help demonstrate a path toward reform and change .
Tarana Burke , the founder of the Me Too movement , said she would like to see Biden , at a minimum , acknowledge “ that his demonstrated learning curve around boundaries with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left him open to the plausibility of these claims.
” On Wednesday , The New York Times reported that women ’ s rights groups had drafted a letter ― but decided not to release it yet ― calling Biden an “ outspoken champion for survivors of sexual violence ” and urging him to speak publicly about the Reade accusation .
HuffPost confirmed the existence of the letter and the involvement of the progressive group UltraViolet .
Biden ’ s public appearances are limited by the coronavirus crisis .
He has done a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but he has not yet been asked about it .
On Tuesday , he held a “ women ’ s town hall ” where he received the endorsement of 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and took prescreened questions read by Michelle Kwan , the former Olympic figure skater who is now a Biden staffer .
“ Politically , it is unfortunately already hard enough to get voters to pay attention to these stories when you have someone like Trump admitting to it on tape or being accused of rape by his wife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another Democratic strategist .
“ I think there are enough issues with this specific story , and voters feel like they know Joe Biden after his 40 years in office , that this doesn ’ t just doesn ’ t fit and it won ’ t become a significant factor.
” No staffers who worked with Reade have corroborated her account .
But two interns at the time did remember that Reade suddenly stopped supervising them , although they didn ’ t know why .
Multiple people have also confirmed that Reade told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden either at the time or long before this election cycle .

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UPDATE: Biden went on MSNBC’s Morning Joe and addressed the allegations on May 1, denying the sexual assault allegation.
PREVIOUSLY:
Joe Biden, who championed women’s rights during his time in the Senate and the vice president’s office, has remained silent as a sexual assault allegation against him gains more traction.
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His campaign has put out a statement denying the accusation by Tara Reade, a former Senate aide, but Biden himself has not said anything. And in his absence, other Democrats ― particularly female activists and politicians ― have had to weigh in and decide whether to defend him.
Democrats find themselves in a position with few easy options, particularly when they don’t fully know what happened. Biden’s Democratic presidential campaign has reportedly circulated talking points to surrogates, obtained by BuzzFeed, telling people to say that the assault “did not happen,” but media reports continue to come out that corroborate parts of Reade’s account.
One route for Democrats involves saying they believe Reade and denouncing Biden. But that potentially hurts the presumptive nominee’s chances to defeat President Donald Trump ― and keeping Trump in office is unthinkable. Trump has been accused of sexual misconduct ― including conduct that goes far beyond what Biden is alleged to have done ― by more than a dozen women.
Or they could stand by Biden and say they don’t believe Reade. But then they risk looking like hypocrites, willing to stand up for sexual assault victims only when it’s politically convenient.
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And then there’s a third option that combines the two.
“It sucks that everyone can’t just say, ‘Yeah, I believe Tara Reade and I’m going to vote for Joe Biden,’ because that’s the only morally defensible position here,” said a Democratic strategist who requested anonymity to speak freely. “Donald Trump has been credibly accused by multiple women of sexual assault and has spent his first term in office undermining the basic tenets of our democracy. Folks will vote for Joe Biden in the fall for many reasons, and yet again it will be marginalized groups who have to bite the bullet to stop Trump’s reelection.”
Reade, who was a junior staffer in Biden’s Senate office in 1993, last year accused Biden of making her feel physically uncomfortable while she worked for him. She was one of eight women with such stories.
But on March 25, during a podcast interview with writer Katie Halper, Reade said Biden had also sexually assaulted her in 1993. She said she complained to her supervisors about sexual harassment, and her job responsibilities were downgraded.
Women’s rights advocates have urged the Biden campaign to address the allegation before the end of April, which is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. But they want to see more than a denial.
One advocate said a path for Biden would be to come out and acknowledge his past behaviors that were inappropriate and to talk about why they were wrong and how he has changed ― showing his personal growth over the years. Rather than painting every man as good or bad, Biden could help demonstrate a path toward reform and change.
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Tarana Burke, the founder of the Me Too movement, said she would like to see Biden, at a minimum, acknowledge “that his demonstrated learning curve around boundaries with women, at the very least, left him open to the plausibility of these claims.”
On Wednesday, The New York Times reported that women’s rights groups had drafted a letter ― but decided not to release it yet ― calling Biden an “outspoken champion for survivors of sexual violence” and urging him to speak publicly about the Reade accusation. HuffPost confirmed the existence of the letter and the involvement of the progressive group UltraViolet.
Biden’s public appearances are limited by the coronavirus crisis. He has done a few interviews since the allegation came out, but he has not yet been asked about it. On Tuesday, he held a “women’s town hall” where he received the endorsement of 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and took prescreened questions read by Michelle Kwan, the former Olympic figure skater who is now a Biden staffer.
On Thursday, he and his wife, Jill Biden, also did an Instagram Live chat with soccer star Megan Rapinoe, an outspoken advocate for women’s rights. The Reade controversy never came up.
But already, Democratic politicians ― especially female ones ― are having to give their thoughts on Biden and the Reade accusation. Biden has said he will choose a woman as his running mate, putting extra pressure on the most-discussed candidates.
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It’s not yet clear what effect Reade’s allegation will have on the presidential election or whether it will even reach many voters who are focused on coronavirus.
“Politically, it is unfortunately already hard enough to get voters to pay attention to these stories when you have someone like Trump admitting to it on tape or being accused of rape by his wife in a divorce proceeding,” said another Democratic strategist. “I think there are enough issues with this specific story, and voters feel like they know Joe Biden after his 40 years in office, that this doesn’t just doesn’t fit and it won’t become a significant factor.”
Stories about Trump’s mistreatment of women ― and his infamous 2005 comments bragging about sexually assaulting women ― came out during the election or before, and he won anyway.
Although Biden has a legacy of advocacy for women’s rights, he also faced skepticism before his 2020 run about whether he was the right pick for a party that was energized in large part after Trump’s election by the women’s movement.
Aside from the accusations of physical discomfort from women, Biden has faced criticism for how he handled law professor Anita Hill’s accusation of sexual harassment against then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas in 1991, when Biden was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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No staffers who worked with Reade have corroborated her account. But two interns at the time did remember that Reade suddenly stopped supervising them, although they didn’t know why. Multiple people have also confirmed that Reade told them some details about her experience with Biden either at the time or long before this election cycle.
On Monday, Business Insider published an interview with Lynda LaCasse, who lived next door to Reade in the mid-1990s and said she remembered hearing about the incident.
“This happened, and I know it did because I remember talking about it,” she said.
And The Intercept published a transcript of a call to the “Larry King Live” program on CNN in 1993, in which a woman in California sought advice for her daughter, who had “problems” while working for a prominent senator in Washington. She did not name the senator or elaborate on the problems, but Reade said it was her mother’s voice.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-29--Feinstein Urges McConnell To Delay Senate’s Return: ‘We Remain In A Critical Time’

Sen. Dianne Feinstein ( D-Calif. ) urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) to reconsider plans to reconvene the chamber next week , saying the country was clearly still in a “ critical time ” of the coronavirus pandemic .
“ In the interest of public health and sending the right message to the nation , I ask that you allow the Senate to continue working remotely , ” Feinstein wrote in a letter to McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) on Wednesday .
McConnell confirmed this week the Senate will reconvene as planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would not “ sit on the sidelines ” as the nation reels from a bevy of stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines that have wrought economic havoc .
Jobless claims have climbed to record heights , and the U.S. economy shrunk by a nearly 5 % annual rate in the first quarter of the year .
“ We feel like if people on the front lines are willing to work during the pandemic , we should be as well , ” he told Fox News Radio .
“ And so the Senate will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in session next week.
” But the move comes amid stark warnings from the nation ’ s top medical officials about the country getting back to normal too quickly .
More than 1 million people have been infected with the coronavirus in the United States , and more than 60,000 people have died , numbers that may be dramatically undercounted .
Feinstein , who at 86 is the oldest senator , referenced those statistics in a statement Wednesday , saying that in some places around the country cases were still increasing .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new cases and deaths in the world , in the United States and in California .
It is clear that we remain in a critical time , ” she said .
“ In many states , the spread of this disease is continuing at a steady rate and transmission is even accelerating in others .
This is not the time to back off of protective measures.
” The House , which had planned to return on May 4 as well , delayed its reconvening this week after consulting with Congress ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choice , ” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) said Tuesday .
“ If the Capitol physician recommends that we not come back , then we have to take that guidance.
” While McConnell has pledged lawmakers wouldn ’ t be able to pass any further economic stimulus measures to build on the $ 2 trillion act signed by the president in March and a $ 484 billion package signed Friday , some Democrats have slammed his other legislative plans .
“ Of course , we will go back to judges , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hewitt on March 31 .
“ My motto for the rest of the year is , ‘ Leave no vacancy behind.
’ ” Every Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote a letter to Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) , the chairman of the panel , on Tuesday , urging him to delay a confirmation hearing that is already being planned for next week .
“ Now is not the time to process routine judicial nominations , ” the 10 lawmakers wrote in a letter .
“ We therefore urge you to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead focus the Committee ’ s efforts on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and protecting the lives and livelihoods of all Americans .
”

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Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to reconsider plans to reconvene the chamber next week, saying the country was clearly still in a “critical time” of the coronavirus pandemic.
“In the interest of public health and sending the right message to the nation, I ask that you allow the Senate to continue working remotely,” Feinstein wrote in a letter to McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday.
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McConnell confirmed this week the Senate will reconvene as planned on May 4, saying the body would not “sit on the sidelines” as the nation reels from a bevy of stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines that have wrought economic havoc. Jobless claims have climbed to record heights, and the U.S. economy shrunk by a nearly 5% annual rate in the first quarter of the year.
“We feel like if people on the front lines are willing to work during the pandemic, we should be as well,” he told Fox News Radio. “And so the Senate will come back; we’ll be in session next week.”
But the move comes amid stark warnings from the nation’s top medical officials about the country getting back to normal too quickly. More than 1 million people have been infected with the coronavirus in the United States, and more than 60,000 people have died, numbers that may be dramatically undercounted.
Feinstein, who at 86 is the oldest senator, referenced those statistics in a statement Wednesday, saying that in some places around the country cases were still increasing.
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“Every day I look at the numbers of new cases and deaths in the world, in the United States and in California. It is clear that we remain in a critical time,” she said. “In many states, the spread of this disease is continuing at a steady rate and transmission is even accelerating in others. This is not the time to back off of protective measures.”
The House, which had planned to return on May 4 as well, delayed its reconvening this week after consulting with Congress’s attending physician.
“We had no choice,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Tuesday. “If the Capitol physician recommends that we not come back, then we have to take that guidance.”
While McConnell has pledged lawmakers wouldn’t be able to pass any further economic stimulus measures to build on the $2 trillion act signed by the president in March and a $484 billion package signed Friday, some Democrats have slammed his other legislative plans.
McConnell stressed last month that he will quickly return to his efforts to fill federal court vacancies with conservative judges, even amid the pandemic.
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“Of course, we will go back to judges,” McConnell told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on March 31. “My motto for the rest of the year is, ‘Leave no vacancy behind.’”
Every Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote a letter to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), the chairman of the panel, on Tuesday, urging him to delay a confirmation hearing that is already being planned for next week.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Susan Rice Slams Jared Kushner's 'Ridiculous' Boast About U.S. Coronavirus Response

Former national security adviser Susan Rice tore into Jared Kushner on Wednesday for claiming the federal government ’ s handling of the coronavirus outbreak has been a “ great success story.
” Kushner made his comments after the U.S. topped 1 million cases of the virus and more than 59,000 deaths .
President Donald Trump ’ s son-in-law appeared on “ Fox & Friends ” Wednesday morning to congratulate the administration on its efforts .
He claimed “ the federal government rose to the challenge ” and predicted the country would be “ rocking ” again by July .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toll ― higher than any other country in the world ― the persistently inadequate testing , shortages of critical medical equipment and the lack of preparation that have plagued the administration ’ s crisis response .
Rice , a former Obama White House official , told CNN host Wolf Blitzer that Kushner ’ s claim “ would be laughable if it weren ’ t so deadly serious.
” “ It ’ s ridiculous , ” she said .
“ I don ’ t know how anybody with a straight face can call this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mission accomplished moment when more than 60,000 Americans are dead.
” Rice also noted that according to the experts , the pandemic is far from over .
Citing Dr. Anthony Fauci , whose judgment she said she trusts “ implicitly , ” Rice said that a second wave of infections is expected for the fall .
Fauci , who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , told CNN that if states ease restrictions too soon , there could be a rebound that would “ get us right back in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ago ” and that a second wave was “ inevitable.
” “ So we are far from being able to declare victory , ” Rice said .
“ And in any event , there ’ s no victory when the losses on the battlefield in less than two months exceed all of those through the entirety of the Vietnam War , 26-plus million Americans are out of work , the GDP is declining at a rate of almost 5 % .
” With this in mind , Rice said people need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of where we are .
She also called for the continued implementation of steps to keep Americans safe instead of inviting a rebound by declaring premature victory and reopening businesses too soon .

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Former national security adviser Susan Rice tore into Jared Kushner on Wednesday for claiming the federal government’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak has been a “great success story.”
Kushner made his comments after the U.S. topped 1 million cases of the virus and more than 59,000 deaths.
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President Donald Trump’s son-in-law appeared on “Fox & Friends” Wednesday morning to congratulate the administration on its efforts. He claimed “the federal government rose to the challenge” and predicted the country would be “rocking” again by July.
He didn’t mention the U.S. death toll ― higher than any other country in the world ― the persistently inadequate testing, shortages of critical medical equipment and the lack of preparation that have plagued the administration’s crisis response.
Rice, a former Obama White House official, told CNN host Wolf Blitzer that Kushner’s claim “would be laughable if it weren’t so deadly serious.”
“It’s ridiculous,” she said. “I don’t know how anybody with a straight face can call this a great success and declare this a mission accomplished moment when more than 60,000 Americans are dead.”
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Rice also noted that according to the experts, the pandemic is far from over. Citing Dr. Anthony Fauci, whose judgment she said she trusts “implicitly,” Rice said that a second wave of infections is expected for the fall.
Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN that if states ease restrictions too soon, there could be a rebound that would “get us right back in the same boat that we were a few weeks ago” and that a second wave was “inevitable.”
“It’s ridiculous. And it would be laughable if it weren’t so deadly serious,” Former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice reacts to Jared Kushner calling the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic a “great success story.” pic.twitter.com/si0FOMn3ZL — CNN (@CNN) April 30, 2020
“So we are far from being able to declare victory,” Rice said. “And in any event, there’s no victory when the losses on the battlefield in less than two months exceed all of those through the entirety of the Vietnam War, 26-plus million Americans are out of work, the GDP is declining at a rate of almost 5%.”
With this in mind, Rice said people need to come together and make a realistic assessment of where we are. She also called for the continued implementation of steps to keep Americans safe instead of inviting a rebound by declaring premature victory and reopening businesses too soon.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Infectious Disease Expert Spells Out Why Donald Trump’s Rally Plan Is ‘Not A Good Idea’

Infectious disease expert Dr. Harvey Fineberg on Wednesday explained why President Donald Trump ’ s stated hope to hold “ massive ” campaign rallies in the “ not-too-distant-future ” ― amid the coronavirus pandemic ― is “ not a good idea.
” Trump earlier in the day said he was unable to imagine a rally “ where you have every fourth seat full ” due to social distancing measures aimed at slowing the spread of the contagion that has killed more than 60,000 people nationwide .
The president , whose handling of the response to the public health crisis has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hoped to hold “ good old-fashioned 25,000-person rallies ” before the 2020 election .
“ We have a tremendous pent-up demand , they love what we ’ re doing , ” he claimed .
Fineberg , the former president of the National Academy of Medicine who has advised the Trump White House on the outbreak , reminded CNN ’ s Don Lemon that “ this virus doesn ’ t care about American politics.
” “ It doesn ’ t care whether you have a rally for political reasons , for a sporting event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to sing together , for a musical festivity , ” he noted .
“ It doesn ’ t make any difference.
” The virus spreads through proximity of one person who ’ s infected to others who are not infected .
The larger the numbers , the more likely infection will spread .
The longer the time together , the more likely infection will spread .
Shouting , singing , cheering are all things that help the virus to spread from one person through droplets , that are visible and invisible , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So , in short , bringing together 25,000 people for any reason in a closed space for any length of time while this virus is still present is not a good idea , ” Fineberg concluded .
`` Bringing together 25,000 people for any reason in a closed space for any length of time while this virus is still present is not a good idea . ''
- Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg , an infectious disease expert , on having large gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic https : //t.co/zbjaY1BvZh pic.twitter.com/8WLoqRxdY1 — CNN Tonight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020

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Infectious disease expert Dr. Harvey Fineberg on Wednesday explained why President Donald Trump’s hope to hold “massive” campaign rallies in the “not-too-distant future” during a pandemic is “not a good idea.”
Earlier in the day, Trump said he was unable to imagine a rally “where you have every fourth seat full” due to social distancing measures aimed at slowing the spread of the disease that has killed more than 60,000 people nationwide.
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The president, whose response to the public health crisis has been widely criticized, also said he hoped to hold “good old-fashioned 25,000-person rallies” before the 2020 election.
“We have a tremendous pent-up demand. They love what we’re doing,” he said.
Fineberg, the former president of the National Academy of Medicine who has advised the Trump White House on the outbreak, told CNN’s Don Lemon that “this virus doesn’t care about American politics.”
“It doesn’t care whether you have a rally for political reasons, for a sporting event, for a choir that’s going to sing together, for a musical festivity,” Fineberg said. “It doesn’t make any difference.”
“The virus spreads through proximity of one person who’s infected to others who are not infected. The larger the numbers, the more likely infection will spread. The longer the time together, the more likely infection will spread,” Fineberg continued. “Shouting, singing, cheering are all things that help the virus to spread from one person through droplets, that are visible and invisible, from one person to another.”
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“In short, bringing together 25,000 people for any reason in a closed space for any length of time while this virus is still present is not a good idea,” he concluded.
Check out the interview here:
"Bringing together 25,000 people for any reason in a closed space for any length of time while this virus is still present is not a good idea." - Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg, an infectious disease expert, on having large gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic https://t.co/zbjaY1BvZh pic.twitter.com/8WLoqRxdY1 — CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) April 30, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Here’s Who Will Help Decide Joe Biden’s Vice Presidential Pick

Former Vice President Joe Biden will rely on two longtime allies and two other key backers to help select his running mate , his Democratic presidential campaign announced Thursday morning .
Dodd served for decades in the Senate with Biden and was considered one of his closest friends in the upper chamber .
More recently , he ’ s served as the head of the Motion Picture Association of America and now works at the law and lobbying firm Arnold & Porter .
Hogan was the top staffer on the Senate Judiciary Committee when Biden was chair and was his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office during the Obama administration .
Blunt Rochester and Garcetti are more recent allies .
Blunt Rochester , the first Black woman elected to Congress from Delaware , endorsed Biden on the first day of his presidential bid .
Garcetti endorsed Biden in January .
“ Selecting a vice presidential candidate is one of the most important decisions in a presidential campaign , and no one knows this more than Joe Biden , ” Biden ’ s campaign manager , Jen O ’ Malley Dillon , said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and diversity of our party , and will provide tremendous insight and expertise to what will be a rigorous selection and vetting process.
” Former Vice President Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee for president , is relying on former Sen. Chris Dodd , one of his closest friends in politics , to help pick his running mate .
Biden has already pledged to select a female running mate .
Sens .
Kamala Harris ( D-Calif. ) , Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) , Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
and Catherine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams are considered the leading contenders .
None of the contenders has noticeably close ties to the selection committee , though Garcetti and Harris share a home state and Dodd ’ s and Klobuchar ’ s Senate tenures overlapped .
The Biden campaign said the four co-chairs would “ conduct conversations across the party ” and also work with vetting teams led by former White House counsel Bob Bauer , Biden campaign counsel Dana Remus and Lisa Monaco , a former White @ @ @ @ @

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Former Vice President Joe Biden will rely on two longtime allies and two other key backers to help select his running mate, his Democratic presidential campaign announced Thursday morning.
Former Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) and longtime Biden aide Cynthia Hogan will serve as co-chairs of a vice presidential selection committee.
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Dodd served for decades in the Senate with Biden and was considered one of his closest friends in the upper chamber. More recently, he’s served as the head of the Motion Picture Association of America and now works at the law and lobbying firm Arnold & Porter. Hogan was the top staffer on the Senate Judiciary Committee when Biden was chair and was his top legal aide in the vice president’s office during the Obama administration.
Blunt Rochester and Garcetti are more recent allies. Blunt Rochester, the first Black woman elected to Congress from Delaware, endorsed Biden on the first day of his presidential bid. Garcetti endorsed Biden in January.
“Selecting a vice presidential candidate is one of the most important decisions in a presidential campaign, and no one knows this more than Joe Biden,” Biden’s campaign manager, Jen O’Malley Dillon, said in a statement. “These four co-chairs reflect the strength and diversity of our party, and will provide tremendous insight and expertise to what will be a rigorous selection and vetting process.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, is relying on former Sen. Chris Dodd, one of his closest friends in politics, to help pick his running mate. Kris Connor via Getty Images
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Biden has already pledged to select a female running mate. Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams are considered the leading contenders.
None of the contenders has noticeably close ties to the selection committee, though Garcetti and Harris share a home state and Dodd’s and Klobuchar’s Senate tenures overlapped.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Maryland's GOP Governor Hid COVID-19 Test Kits So Feds Can't Take Them

Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan said he ’ s been forced to resort to drastic measures to protect nearly 500,000 COVID-19 test kits from the federal government .
The state bought the test kits from South Korea earlier this month , and the state ’ s National Guard is guarding them in a secret location to prevent them from being commandeered by the Trump administration .
On Thursday , Hogan , a Republican , told The Washington Post about the careful steps he ’ s taking to ensure the tests remain in Maryland .
For instance , he had the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International Thurgood Marshall Airport instead of Washington ’ s Dulles International Airport to reduce the chance that the feds would seize the COVID-19 cargo .
In addition , the plane was greeted by what Hogan described as “ a large contingent of Maryland National Guard and Maryland State Police.
” Hogan explained the reasoning for the intense security measures .
“ This was an extraordinarily valuable payload .
It was like Fort Knox to us , because it ’ s gon na save the lives of thousands of our citizens , ” Hogan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has left states largely on their own when it comes to testing their citizens and securing critical equipment during the pandemic .
But when it comes to those supplies , Hogan ’ s concern appears to have been warranted : There have been numerous reports of the Federal Emergency Management Agency hijacking desperately needed protective gear for first responders and health care workers .
“ We wanted to make sure that that plane took off from Korea safely , landed here in America safely , ” Hogan said .
“ And that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with us getting that to the folks who need it.
” Maryland @ GovLarryHogan on whether he was concerned that the federal government would seize the tests the state procured from South Korea .
He says the tests are being guarded by the National Guard at an undisclosed location .
https : //t.co/uGcUi6U5rL pic.twitter.com/15BhHmLzql — Washington Post Live ( @ postlive ) April 30 , 2020

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Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said he’s been forced to resort to drastic measures to protect nearly 500,000 COVID-19 test kits from the federal government.
The state bought the test kits from South Korea earlier this month, and the state’s National Guard is guarding them in a secret location to prevent them from being commandeered by the Trump administration.
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On Thursday, Hogan, a Republican, told The Washington Post about the careful steps he’s taking to ensure the tests remain in Maryland.
For instance, he had the plane from South Korea land at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport instead of Washington’s Dulles International Airport to reduce the chance that the feds would seize the COVID-19 cargo.
In addition, the plane was greeted by what Hogan described as “a large contingent of Maryland National Guard and Maryland State Police.”
Hogan explained the reasoning for the intense security measures. “This was an extraordinarily valuable payload. It was like Fort Knox to us, because it’s gonna save the lives of thousands of our citizens,” Hogan told the Post.
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The federal government has left states largely on their own when it comes to testing their citizens and securing critical equipment during the pandemic. But when it comes to those supplies, Hogan’s concern appears to have been warranted: There have been numerous reports of the Federal Emergency Management Agency hijacking desperately needed protective gear for first responders and health care workers.
“We wanted to make sure that that plane took off from Korea safely, landed here in America safely,” Hogan said. “And that we guarded that cargo from whoever might interfere with us getting that to the folks who need it.”
You can see Hogan explain the secret plan below.
Maryland @GovLarryHogan on whether he was concerned that the federal government would seize the tests the state procured from South Korea. He says the tests are being guarded by the National Guard at an undisclosed location. https://t.co/uGcUi6U5rL pic.twitter.com/15BhHmLzql — Washington Post Live (@postlive) April 30, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Fox Host Brian Kilmeade Shows Little Concern For Ainsley Earhardt’s Sick Mom

“ Fox & Friends ” host Brian Kilmeade attempted to score political points on Thursday against California Gov .
Gavin Newsom and his coronavirus policy , but only managed to irritate co-host Ainsley Earhardt .
It happened while Kilmeade , Earhardt and Steve Doocy were talking about Newsom ’ s decision to close all beaches and state parks on Friday .
Kilmeade grumbled about the closures , which Newsom ordered after tens of thousands of people flocked to the seashore last weekend .
“ To go ahead and say , ‘ I ’ m closing the beaches .
I didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week , ’ when most of that state is perfectly fine , just some congested areas aren ’ t , this is the foundation for an overreach , ” Kilmeade said .
Earhardt was more sympathetic to the governor ’ s plight , arguing that his main job at this point is flattening the curve and minimizing deaths .
“ The governors have to make tough decisions , because they don ’ t want a relapse in all of this .
That wouldn ’ t make them look good , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dying !
” Earhardt then tried to put a personal spin on the issue by revealing that her mother is very sick and at high risk should she contract the coronavirus .
“ My mom is very sick , ” Earhardt said .
“ And as much as I want to go out , ...
I still want everyone to play by the rules , because when I finally do get to go home to visit her … ” Kilmeade then interrupted her .
“ But is your mom going to the beach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t look impressed one bit , but gamely attempted to explain her situation in terms he might ― fingers crossed ― comprehend .
“ No , but Brian , you know , eventually she ’ s going to be around family again , ” Earhardt said .
“ I understand both sides , I really do .
I just don ’ t want a resurgence of this .
You know , I just don ’ t want us to go through all of this .
It ’ s been — it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels .
”

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It happened while Kilmeade, Earhardt and Steve Doocy were talking about Newsom’s decision to close all beaches and state parks on Friday.
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Kilmeade grumbled about the closures, which Newsom ordered after tens of thousands of people flocked to the seashore last weekend.
“To go ahead and say, ‘I’m closing the beaches. I didn’t like the way you acted last week,’ when most of that state is perfectly fine, just some congested areas aren’t, this is the foundation for an overreach,” Kilmeade said.
Earhardt was more sympathetic to the governor’s plight, arguing that his main job at this point is flattening the curve and minimizing deaths.
“The governors have to make tough decisions, because they don’t want a relapse in all of this. That wouldn’t make them look good,” she added. “Their residents would be dying!”
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Earhardt then tried to put a personal spin on the issue by revealing that her mother is very sick and at high risk should she contract the coronavirus.
“My mom is very sick,” Earhardt said. “And as much as I want to go out, ... I still want everyone to play by the rules, because when I finally do get to go home to visit her … ”
Kilmeade then interrupted her. “But is your mom going to the beach?” he asked.
Earhardt didn’t look impressed one bit, but gamely attempted to explain her situation in terms he might ― fingers crossed ― comprehend.
“No, but Brian, you know, eventually she’s going to be around family again,” Earhardt said. “I understand both sides, I really do. I just don’t want a resurgence of this. You know, I just don’t want us to go through all of this. It’s been — it’s been hard for everyone at different levels.”
You can watch the exchange below.
this is so incredibly awkward pic.twitter.com/Wpuc3BmnSa — Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) April 30, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Ex-Labor Secretary Explains How Donald Trump Is Exploiting Coronavirus For Personal Gain

The “ pure madness ” in America ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic is the “ perfect cover ” for President Donald Trump to “ hoard power and boost his chances of reelection , ” former Labor Secretary Robert Reich argued in a video released on his YouTube channel Wednesday .
“ Donald Trump has spent a lifetime exploiting chaos for personal gain and blaming others for his losses , ” said Reich , a commentator who served in the administration of former President Bill Clinton .
Reich detailed how Trump is attempting to capitalize politically from “ shortages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dwindling supplies of ventilators and critical medications ” and “ jaw-dropping confusion over how $ 2.2 trillion of aid in the recent coronavirus law will be distributed.
” He noted how the president has given preferential treatment to states whose governors have flattered him , attempted to reject independent oversight of his administration ’ s response to the crisis and made sure his name appeared on stimulus checks .
“ There should never have been any doubt that Trump would try to use this crisis to improve his odds of reelection , ” @ @ @

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The “pure madness” in America’s response to the coronavirus pandemic is the “perfect cover” for President Donald Trump to “hoard power and boost his chances of reelection,” former Labor Secretary Robert Reich argued in a video released on his YouTube channel Wednesday.
“Donald Trump has spent a lifetime exploiting chaos for personal gain and blaming others for his losses,” said Reich, a commentator who served in the administration of former President Bill Clinton.
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Reich detailed how Trump is attempting to capitalize politically from “shortages of equipment to protect hospital workers, dwindling supplies of ventilators and critical medications” and “jaw-dropping confusion over how $2.2 trillion of aid in the recent coronavirus law will be distributed.”
He noted how the president has given preferential treatment to states whose governors have flattered him, attempted to reject independent oversight of his administration’s response to the crisis and made sure his name appeared on stimulus checks.
“There should never have been any doubt that Trump would try to use this crisis to improve his odds of reelection,” Reich said.
Check out the clip here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--U.S. Intelligence Agencies Conclude Coronavirus 'Not Manmade'

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — U.S. intelligence agencies are debunking a conspiracy theory , saying they have concluded that the new coronavirus was “ not manmade or genetically modified ” but say they are still examining a notion put forward by the president and aides that the pandemic may have resulted from an accident at a Chinese lab .
The statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence , the clearinghouse for the web of U.S. spy agencies , comes as President Donald Trump and his allies have touted the as-yet-unproven theory that an infectious disease lab in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak , was the source of the global pandemic , which has killed more than 220,000 people worldwide .
In recent days the Trump administration has sharpened its rhetoric on China , accusing the geopolitical foe and vital trading partner of failing to act swiftly enough to sound the alarm to the world about the outbreak or to stop the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 .
U.S. officials have said the Chinese government should “ pay a price ” for its handling of the pandemic .
“ The IC will continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan.
” “ We just got hit by a vicious virus that should never have been allowed to escape China , ” he said during an Oval Office meeting with New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy .
Earlier this month , Trump addressed the lab theory saying , “ More and more , we ’ re hearing the story.
” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added at the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t know the answers — that China hasn ’ t shared the answers — I think is very , very telling.
” While Trump and Pompeo have made public statements speculating about the lab , a U.S. intelligence official disputed the notion that there was any pressure on agencies to bolster a particular theory .
The intelligence official was not authorized to publicly discuss the issue and spoke only on condition of anonymity .
Scientists say the virus arose naturally in bats .
Even so , Pompeo and others have pointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Chinese Academy of Sciences .
It has done groundbreaking research tracing the likely origins of the SARS virus , finding new bat viruses and discovering how they could jump to people .
“ We know that there is the Wuhan Institute of Virology just a handful of miles away from where the wet market was , ” Pompeo said two weeks ago .
The institute has an address 8 miles , or 13 kilometers , from the market that is considered a possible source .
U.S. officials say the American Embassy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues at the lab in Wuhan in 2018 , but they have yet to find any evidence the virus originated there nearly two years later .
“ I would like to point out again that the origin of the virus is a complex scientific issue , and it should be studied by scientists and professionals , ” Geng said .
Geng also criticized U.S. politicians who have suggested China should be held accountable for the global pandemic , saying they should spend their time on “ better controlling the epidemic situation at home.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zhao Lijian , demonstrated that China was not above sowing confusion in the face of the pandemic .
He tweeted in March the falsehood that the virus might have come from the U.S. Army .
Trump , whose early response to the outbreak has been questioned , also pushed back on news reports that he was repeatedly warned about the virus by intelligence agencies .
Trump said he was given the first intelligence briefing in “ later January.
” Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar also briefed Trump on the threat @ @ @ @ @ @

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WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. intelligence agencies are debunking a conspiracy theory, saying they have concluded that the new coronavirus was “not manmade or genetically modified” but say they are still examining a notion put forward by the president and aides that the pandemic may have resulted from an accident at a Chinese lab.
The statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the clearinghouse for the web of U.S. spy agencies, comes as President Donald Trump and his allies have touted the as-yet-unproven theory that an infectious disease lab in Wuhan, the epicenter of the Chinese outbreak, was the source of the global pandemic, which has killed more than 220,000 people worldwide.
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In recent days the Trump administration has sharpened its rhetoric on China, accusing the geopolitical foe and vital trading partner of failing to act swiftly enough to sound the alarm to the world about the outbreak or to stop the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. U.S. officials have said the Chinese government should “pay a price” for its handling of the pandemic.
The new statement says, “The Intelligence Community also concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified.”
“The IC will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan.”
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting about the coronavirus response with Gov. Phil Murphy, D-N.J., in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, April 30, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Trump on Thursday again blamed China for not doing enough to contain the coronavirus.
“We just got hit by a vicious virus that should never have been allowed to escape China,” he said during an Oval Office meeting with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.
Earlier this month, Trump addressed the lab theory saying, “More and more, we’re hearing the story.” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added at the time, “The mere fact that we don’t know the answers — that China hasn’t shared the answers — I think is very, very telling.”
Pompeo also pressed China to let outside experts into the lab “so that we can determine precisely where this virus began.”
While Trump and Pompeo have made public statements speculating about the lab, a U.S. intelligence official disputed the notion that there was any pressure on agencies to bolster a particular theory. The intelligence official was not authorized to publicly discuss the issue and spoke only on condition of anonymity.
Scientists say the virus arose naturally in bats. Even so, Pompeo and others have pointed fingers at an institute that is run by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It has done groundbreaking research tracing the likely origins of the SARS virus, finding new bat viruses and discovering how they could jump to people.
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“We know that there is the Wuhan Institute of Virology just a handful of miles away from where the wet market was,” Pompeo said two weeks ago. The institute has an address 8 miles, or 13 kilometers, from the market that is considered a possible source.
U.S. officials say the American Embassy in Beijing flagged concerns about potential safety issues at the lab in Wuhan in 2018, but they have yet to find any evidence the virus originated there nearly two years later.
The Chinese government said Thursday that any claims that the coronavirus was released from a laboratory are “unfounded and purely fabricated out of nothing.”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang cited the institute’s director, Yuan Zhiming, as saying the lab strictly implements bio-security procedures that would prevent the release of any pathogen.
“I would like to point out again that the origin of the virus is a complex scientific issue, and it should be studied by scientists and professionals,” Geng said.
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Geng also criticized U.S. politicians who have suggested China should be held accountable for the global pandemic, saying they should spend their time on “better controlling the epidemic situation at home.”
But a Chinese government spokesman, Zhao Lijian, demonstrated that China was not above sowing confusion in the face of the pandemic. He tweeted in March the falsehood that the virus might have come from the U.S. Army.
Trump, whose early response to the outbreak has been questioned, also pushed back on news reports that he was repeatedly warned about the virus by intelligence agencies. Trump said he was given the first intelligence briefing in “later January.” Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar also briefed Trump on the threat by phone on Jan. 18.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Michigan Court Backs Governor's Stay-At-Home Orders In Face Of Challenge

A Michigan court refused to block Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ’ s shelter-in-place orders in a lawsuit demanding that businesses reopen despite the continued threat of the coronavirus .
The case filed by business owner Steve Martinko and four other Michigan residents argues that the governor ’ s orders infringe on their constitutional rights .
Judge Christopher M. Murray of the state Court of Claims disagreed , Michigan Live reports .
“ Although the Court is painfully aware of the difficulties of living under the restrictions of these executive orders , those difficulties are temporary , while to those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( and to their family members and friends ) , it is all too permanent , ” Murray ruled in Wednesday ’ s order denying a preliminary injunction .
Protesters with rifles stand outside the state Capitol in Lansing , Michigan , on April 15 to demonstrate against Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer 's stay-at-home orders , meant to combat the coronavirus pandemic .
Michigan is one of several states in recent weeks where protesters gathered in large clusters to call for businesses to reopen , even as governors and health officials have repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice social distancing to slow the spread of the virus .
Despite the prominent coverage anti-lockdown protesters have gotten in recent weeks , the overwhelming majority of Americans of both parties support state stay-at-home orders , according to a HuffPost/YouGov poll from last week .
Hundreds flocked to Michigan ’ s Capitol on Thursday morning to protest Whitmer ’ s request to extend a statewide state of emergency .
Some who attended were without masks and did not practice social distancing , WXYZ reported .
Later that afternoon , men armed with guns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dayna Polehanki tweeted a photo of the incident , saying she was grateful to have the Sergeant-at-Arms present as men holding rifles yelled at her .
Directly above me , men with rifles yelling at us .
Some of my colleagues who own bullet proof vests are wearing them .
I have never appreciated our Sergeants-at-Arms more than today .
# mileg pic.twitter.com/voOZpPYWOs — Senator Dayna Polehanki ( @ SenPolehanki ) April 30 , 2020 More than 3,000 people in the state have died from the virus , with more than 60,000 dead @ @ @ @

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A Michigan court refused to block Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s shelter-in-place orders in a lawsuit demanding that businesses reopen despite the continued threat of the coronavirus.
The case filed by business owner Steve Martinko and four other Michigan residents argues that the governor’s orders infringe on their constitutional rights. Judge Christopher M. Murray of the state Court of Claims disagreed, Michigan Live reports.
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“Although the Court is painfully aware of the difficulties of living under the restrictions of these executive orders, those difficulties are temporary, while to those who contract the virus and cannot recover (and to their family members and friends), it is all too permanent,” Murray ruled in Wednesday’s order denying a preliminary injunction.
Protesters with rifles stand outside the state Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on April 15 to demonstrate against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home orders, meant to combat the coronavirus pandemic. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Michigan is one of several states in recent weeks where protesters gathered in large clusters to call for businesses to reopen, even as governors and health officials have repeatedly warned to stay home when possible and practice social distancing to slow the spread of the virus.
Despite the prominent coverage anti-lockdown protesters have gotten in recent weeks, the overwhelming majority of Americans of both parties support state stay-at-home orders, according to a HuffPost/YouGov poll from last week.
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Hundreds flocked to Michigan’s Capitol on Thursday morning to protest Whitmer’s request to extend a statewide state of emergency. Some who attended were without masks and did not practice social distancing, WXYZ reported.
Protest moves inside Michigan Capitol. Crowd attempts to get onto Hoise floor. Lots of Michigan State Police and House sergeants at arms blocking door. pic.twitter.com/4FNQpimP4W — Rod Meloni (@RodMeloni) April 30, 2020
Later that afternoon, men armed with guns flooded the capitol building. State Sen. Dayna Polehanki tweeted a photo of the incident, saying she was grateful to have the Sergeant-at-Arms present as men holding rifles yelled at her.
Directly above me, men with rifles yelling at us. Some of my colleagues who own bullet proof vests are wearing them. I have never appreciated our Sergeants-at-Arms more than today. #mileg pic.twitter.com/voOZpPYWOs — Senator Dayna Polehanki (@SenPolehanki) April 30, 2020
More than 3,000 people in the state have died from the virus, with more than 60,000 dead across the U.S.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-30--Mitch McConnell’s Plan To Let States Go Bankrupt Could Devastate His Own

But McConnell rejected congressional Democrats ’ calls for billions of dollars in state aid last week , saying that he would oppose efforts to “ borrow money from future generations ” to bail out the states .
McConnell placed blame for shortfalls on states ’ underfunding of their public pension systems and said Senate Republicans had “ no desire ” to help address those problems .
Letting states go bankrupt ― which would require a change in the law , one that some prominent conservatives have been arguing for ― would be a better option , McConnell said .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he changed course slightly , saying that bankruptcy was only a suggestion states should be able to consider and that the next relief bill may include aid to states , although he attached conditions that Democrats aren ’ t likely to support .
“ The point is we are not interested in borrowing money from future generations to send down to states to help them with bad decisions they ’ ve made in the past unrelated to the coronavirus epidemic , ” McConnell said .
“ We are more than happy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion down to states and localities to deal with the pandemic.
” Kentucky , which McConnell has represented in the Senate since 1985 , had 4,539 confirmed coronavirus infections and 235 deaths as of Wednesday evening , a relatively modest number compared to other states .
Although Beshear ’ s aggressive early moves to close schools , businesses and churches helped limit the spread of the virus , Kentucky ’ s economy has been among the nation ’ s hardest hit .
About 500,000 Kentuckians , or roughly a quarter of its workforce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak began , according to the U.S. Department of Labor .
Lost jobs and declines in consumer spending mean state tax revenues could be 18 % to 24 % lower in the current fiscal quarter than they were last year , Hicks projected .
That would cause Kentucky ’ s first yearly decline in revenues in a decade , the budget office said .
It projected that every source of state tax revenue will experience declines that will last through the end of 2020 .
Kentucky could face a total shortfall of more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kentucky state lawmakers have already taken steps to prepare for the looming financial crisis .
They scaled back spending and revenue plans in early April , approving a budget well below the revenue levels that forecasters had initially projected the state would reach this year .
The shoestring plan froze public education spending and salaries for public employees , including teachers , at 2019 levels , despite Beshear ’ s proposals to increase both .
State Senate President Robert Stivers ( R ) said a month ago that the budget would still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortfall .
“ We know there ’ s going to be big revenue shortfalls , and we know states provide vital and essential services for the citizens , ” said McGarvey , who sits on the state Senate budget committee .
“ As revenues continue to decline , those services are going to be hit in a way that impacts people ’ s daily lives.
” City leaders across Kentucky have also forecast massive shortfalls .
Louisville has taken a $ 46 million revenue hit since stay-at-home orders went into effect in mid-March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a $ 115 million projected shortfall for the fiscal year that ends July 1 .
That hole is about five times larger than it faced in 2019 , Mayor Greg Fischer said in his annual budget address last week .
Louisville received more than $ 100 million of the $ 2.4 billion in federal aid sent to Kentucky under the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Act , but the law prevents cities and states from using the funds to generally replace lost revenues .
Without federal relief , Fischer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be forced to furlough 1,000 public workers ― a fifth of the city government ’ s workforce .
Sixty percent of city employees are first responders , Fischer said .
“ During this very time when we ’ re struggling as a country and as communities , we don ’ t need to be cutting back on our first responders , ” Fischer said in an interview .
“ We need direction from D.C. , hopefully sooner rather than later , that they ’ re going to be helping states and local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Up The Pension System ’ “ It ’ s a purely political move on McConnell ’ s part , ” said Ron Richmond , the political and communications director for American Federation of State , County , and Municipal Employees Local 962 , the union that represents public workers in Kentucky and Indiana .
“ A lot of people have had their eye on the prize of trying to blow up the pension system .
They have targets they want to take out ― structures that are typically worker-based .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Atlantic , could allow states to prioritize the interests and finances of wealthy investors and bondholders , some of whom rank among McConnell and the GOP ’ s top campaign donors , over current and future pensioners , many of whom are state employees less likely to vote Republican .
That would especially benefit Republicans and their backers in the blue states that McConnell is so reluctant to help , Frum wrote .

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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s reluctance to approve what he dismissively called a “blue state bailout” for states struggling to shore up their budgets could devastate the Republican leader’s home state of Kentucky, which is looking at massive budget problems of its own.
Kentucky will face a budget shortfall of at least $318.7 million this year as the coronavirus pandemic hammers tax revenues, state budget director John Hicks said in a quarterly revenue report sent to Gov. Andy Beshear (D) on Thursday. Under the worst-case scenario, Hicks predicted, the shortfall could be nearly $500 million.
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Kentucky’s “revenue outlook has changed dramatically due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Hicks wrote in a letter that accompanied the updated projections. “The economic outlook” for Kentucky, he said in the forecast, “is bleak.”
The figures provide a glimpse of the crisis facing many states as declines in tax revenue leave them with gaping budget holes they cannot fill without deep spending cuts ― or help from Washington.
Beshear has already said that Kentucky will need federal aid in order to blunt the pain the crisis is causing.
“It will cripple our efforts to rebuild if we don’t see a relief package, not just for states, but for cities and counties,” Beshear said at a news conference last week.
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Let 'em go bankrupt, says Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Patrick Semansky/AP Photo
But McConnell rejected congressional Democrats’ calls for billions of dollars in state aid last week, saying that he would oppose efforts to “borrow money from future generations” to bail out the states. McConnell placed blame for shortfalls on states’ underfunding of their public pension systems and said Senate Republicans had “no desire” to help address those problems.
Letting states go bankrupt ― which would require a change in the law, one that some prominent conservatives have been arguing for ― would be a better option, McConnell said. On Monday, following a flood of criticism, he changed course slightly, saying that bankruptcy was only a suggestion states should be able to consider and that the next relief bill may include aid to states, although he attached conditions that Democrats aren’t likely to support.
Asked for comment on the new Kentucky budget projections and increasing calls for federal help, McConnell’s Senate office pointed to statements he made during a Thursday morning appearance on Fox News.
“The point is we are not interested in borrowing money from future generations to send down to states to help them with bad decisions they’ve made in the past unrelated to the coronavirus epidemic,” McConnell said. “We are more than happy, and already have, sent $150 billion down to states and localities to deal with the pandemic.”
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Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear warned, “It will cripple our efforts to rebuild if we don’t see a relief package, not just for states, but for cities and counties.” Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader via AP
Kentucky, which McConnell has represented in the Senate since 1985, had 4,539 confirmed coronavirus infections and 235 deaths as of Wednesday evening, a relatively modest number compared to other states. Although Beshear’s aggressive early moves to close schools, businesses and churches helped limit the spread of the virus, Kentucky’s economy has been among the nation’s hardest hit. About 500,000 Kentuckians, or roughly a quarter of its workforce, have filed for unemployment since the outbreak began, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
The state will feel the effects for months.
Lost jobs and declines in consumer spending mean state tax revenues could be 18% to 24% lower in the current fiscal quarter than they were last year, Hicks projected. That would cause Kentucky’s first yearly decline in revenues in a decade, the budget office said. It projected that every source of state tax revenue will experience declines that will last through the end of 2020. Kentucky could face a total shortfall of more than $1 billion next fiscal year.
Kentucky state lawmakers have already taken steps to prepare for the looming financial crisis. They scaled back spending and revenue plans in early April, approving a budget well below the revenue levels that forecasters had initially projected the state would reach this year. The shoestring plan froze public education spending and salaries for public employees, including teachers, at 2019 levels, despite Beshear’s proposals to increase both. State Senate President Robert Stivers (R) said a month ago that the budget would still leave Kentucky facing a $200 million shortfall.
The new forecasts suggest it will be even worse than lawmakers planned for when they outlined the budget, said state Sen. Morgan McGarvey (D), the Senate minority leader.
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“We know there’s going to be big revenue shortfalls, and we know states provide vital and essential services for the citizens,” said McGarvey, who sits on the state Senate budget committee. “As revenues continue to decline, those services are going to be hit in a way that impacts people’s daily lives.”
City Budgets In Peril
City leaders across Kentucky have also forecast massive shortfalls. Louisville has taken a $46 million revenue hit since stay-at-home orders went into effect in mid-March, and further declines will leave it with a $115 million projected shortfall for the fiscal year that ends July 1. That hole is about five times larger than it faced in 2019, Mayor Greg Fischer said in his annual budget address last week.
Louisville received more than $100 million of the $2.4 billion in federal aid sent to Kentucky under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, but the law prevents cities and states from using the funds to generally replace lost revenues. Without federal relief, Fischer warned, Kentucky’s largest city could be forced to furlough 1,000 public workers ― a fifth of the city government’s workforce. Sixty percent of city employees are first responders, Fischer said.
“During this very time when we’re struggling as a country and as communities, we don’t need to be cutting back on our first responders,” Fischer said in an interview. “We need direction from D.C., hopefully sooner rather than later, that they’re going to be helping states and local governments here.”
Lexington, Kentucky’s second-largest city, is facing a $40 million shortfall, and the Lexington-based University of Kentucky, one of the state’s biggest employers, has already furloughed 1,700 workers as it attempts to close a $70 million budget hole.
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Smaller cities and counties, especially across large parts of long-struggling eastern Kentucky, are anticipating revenue declines as large as 30%, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.
County leaders from both parties have suggested the hits could leave them unable to provide basic services, and they’ve called for assistance from lawmakers in Frankfort. But Kentucky is required to balance its budget, limiting how much aid it can provide its cities and counties.
“We can’t take on debt, so we can’t come up with a plan like the feds did, where they inject billions of dollars to help people,” McGarvey said.
‘Trying To Blow Up The Pension System’
Kentucky teachers, who in 2018 staged protests over pension overhauls proposed by then-Gov. Matt Bevin (R), are increasingly worried that the state fiscal crisis will be used to target their retirement benefits, said Eddie Campbell, president of the Kentucky Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union.
Other Kentucky labor leaders see McConnell’s support for letting states go bankrupt as merely his latest effort to undermine state pension systems.
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“It’s a purely political move on McConnell’s part,” said Ron Richmond, the political and communications director for American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 962, the union that represents public workers in Kentucky and Indiana. “A lot of people have had their eye on the prize of trying to blow up the pension system. They have targets they want to take out ― structures that are typically worker-based. It’s opportunistic.”
Kentucky’s public pension system is among the nation’s worst-funded, although lawmakers made a full contribution to it even in the scaled-back budget they approved in early April.
David Frum, a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, wrote last week that state bankruptcies are McConnell’s backdoor for the GOP to “impose its priorities upon the budgets” of states it doesn’t control ― and potentially shed state pension obligations that are often enshrined in state constitutions.
Bankruptcy, Frum wrote for The Atlantic, could allow states to prioritize the interests and finances of wealthy investors and bondholders, some of whom rank among McConnell and the GOP’s top campaign donors, over current and future pensioners, many of whom are state employees less likely to vote Republican. That would especially benefit Republicans and their backers in the blue states that McConnell is so reluctant to help, Frum wrote.
Amy McGrath, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to run against McConnell, blasted his suggestion that states should be allowed to go bankrupt, saying it threatened public worker pensions. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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McConnell’s initial refusal to support federal aid has already factored into his bid for a seventh term in Washington. Retired fighter pilot Amy McGrath, widely considered the front-runner in Kentucky’s Democratic Senate primary, said in a statement highlighting local budget problems that McConnell was “telling all the Kentucky teachers, police and firefighters that their pensions aren’t worth saving.”
“Special interests win. We lose. Same old Mitch,” McGrath said in a new ad campaign that hammered McConnell over his suggestion that states should go bankrupt.
McConnell’s bankruptcy idea would mean “that every hardworking public employee is in danger of losing his or her job, health care, and retirement benefits,” state Rep. Charles Booker, who is also seeking the Democratic Senate nomination, said in a statement.