thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-10--Layoffs Stuck At Historically High Level As 884,000 Seek Jobless Aid

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits was unchanged last week at 884,000 , a sign that layoffs are stuck at a historically high level six months after the viral pandemic flattened the economy .
The latest figure released by the Labor Department Thursday still far exceeds the number who sought benefits in any week on record before this year .
The job market is improving fitfully as portions of the economy have reopened and companies are recalling some workers they had temporarily laid off .
Employers have so far added back about half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost to the pandemic .
But hiring has slowed since June , and a rising number of laid-off workers say they regard their job loss as permanent .
The recovery of those jobs will likely take longer to achieve .
Jobless people typically find it harder to find work at a new company or in a new industry than to return to a previous employer .
The government also said Thursday that 13.4 million people are continuing to receive traditional jobless benefits , up from 13.3 million the previous week .
The increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly enough to offset still-widespread layoffs .
Hiring will likely remain restrained as long as Americans are unable or reluctant to resume their normal habits of shopping , traveling , dining out and engaging in other commerce .
The rate of reported infections has dropped over the past several weeks but remains well above where it was during the spring .
Most analysts say the economy won ’ t likely be able to sustain a recovery until a vaccine is widely available .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits was unchanged last week at 884,000, a sign that layoffs remain stuck at a historically high level six months after the viral pandemic flattened the economy.
The latest figures released by the Labor Department Thursday coincide with other recent evidence that the job market’s improvement may be weakening after solid gains through spring and most of summer. The number of people seeking jobless aid each week still far exceeds the number who did so in any week on record before this year.
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Hiring has slowed since June, and a rising number of laid-off workers say they regard their job loss as permanent. The number of people who are continuing to receive state unemployment benefits rose last week to 13.4 million, evidence that employers aren’t hiring enough to offset layoffs. Job postings have leveled off in the past month, according to the employment website Indeed.
“The claims data were disappointing,” said Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics. “It is especially concerning that the pace of layoffs has not slowed more materially even though the economy has reopened more fully and more and more businesses have come back online.”
Hiring will likely remain restrained as long as Americans are unable or reluctant to resume their normal habits of shopping, traveling, dining out and engaging in other commerce. The rate of reported infections has dropped over the past several weeks but remains well above where it was during the spring. Most analysts say the economy won’t likely be able to sustain a recovery until a vaccine is widely available.
Last week, the government reported that the nation gained 1.4 million jobs in August, down from 1.7 million in July. It was the lowest monthly gain since hiring resumed in May. The unemployment rate sank from 10.2% to 8.4%, a drop that economists said mainly reflected businesses recalling workers who had been temporarily laid off rather than hiring new employees.
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Economists say the recovery is being imperiled by Congress’ failure to agree to another emergency rescue package. The expiration of a $600-a-week federal jobless benefit has deepened the difficulties for America’s unemployed.
The Trump administration is providing a stripped-down version of that benefit — $300 a week. Yet because of a patchwork array of varying rules, some of the unemployed don’t qualify for it, notably people whose state benefits are less than $100 a week.
The $300-a-week aid program is so far operational in just 12 states, including California, Arizona, Florida and Texas. And some large states, like New York, Michigan and Illinois, haven’t yet started paying the money.
In addition to the laid-off people who applied last week for state benefits, roughly 840,000 others sought jobless aid under a federal program that has made self-employed and gig workers eligible for the first time. That figure isn’t adjusted for seasonal trends, so it’s reported separately.
All told, the Labor Department said 29.6 million people are receiving some form of unemployment benefits from the federal government or states, though that figure might be inflated by double-counting by some states.
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Across the country, businesses, particularly small companies, remain cautious about hiring beyond the recalling of workers they had laid off during the spring and summer. A government report Tuesday showed that companies are advertising 9% fewer jobs than they did a year ago, leaving roughly 2.5 unemployed workers for every available position. Before the pandemic, there were more openings than unemployed people.
Some companies are stepping up hiring. Amazon said Wednesday that it’s seeking to hire 33,000 people over the next several months in corporate and tech roles. UPS plans to hire 100,000 temporary holiday workers, about the same as it did last year.
Still, a number of of major corporations have announced mass job cuts. The latest to do so, Marriott International, said Wednesday that it will permanently cut 673 corporate jobs — 17% of its workforce — late next month.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-10--Trevor Noah: Since When Is Donald Trump Worried About Creating A Panic?

You know how Trump said coronavirus was like the flu and we knew it was bulls**t ?
Well , turns out he secretly knew it was bulls**t , too .
pic.twitter.com/NIPeogFaht Trevor Noah raised some questions on Wednesday in the wake of bombshell revelations about President Donald Trump in a forthcoming book by veteran journalist Bob Woodward .
In one of 18 taped interviews granted to Woodward for his book , Rage , Trump acknowledged in a Feb. 7 call that the novel coronavirus was deadly and airborne .
Yet he did not declare a national emergency until more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeatedly told the public there was nothing to be concerned about .
In another call six days after that declaration , Trump told Woodward he liked to downplay the severity of the outbreak “ because I don ’ t want to create a panic , ” according to a copy of the book obtained by CNN ahead of its release .
“ You didn ’ t want to create a panic ?
So what did you want , for people to be very calmly dying in the streets ?
” asked “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also , since when is Donald J. Trump concerned about creating a panic ?
That ’ s literally his favorite thing.
” “ Cities are burning .
Suburbs are collapsing .
Caravans of Antifa Mexicans are committing Muslim voter fraud , ” Noah cracked .
“ His campaign slogan is basically ‘ Look out behind you !
’ ”

You know how Trump said coronavirus was like the flu and we knew it was bulls**t? Well, turns out he secretly knew it was bulls**t, too. pic.twitter.com/NIPeogFaht — The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) September 10, 2020
Trevor Noah raised some questions on Wednesday in the wake of bombshell revelations about President Donald Trump in a forthcoming book by veteran journalist Bob Woodward.
In one of 18 taped interviews granted to Woodward for his book, Rage, Trump acknowledged in a Feb. 7 call that the novel coronavirus was deadly and airborne. Yet he did not declare a national emergency until more than a month later on March 13 and repeatedly told the public there was nothing to be concerned about.
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In another call six days after that declaration, Trump told Woodward he liked to downplay the severity of the outbreak “because I don’t want to create a panic,” according to a copy of the book obtained by CNN ahead of its release.
“You didn’t want to create a panic? So what did you want, for people to be very calmly dying in the streets?” asked “The Daily Show” host. “And also, since when is Donald J. Trump concerned about creating a panic? That’s literally his favorite thing.”
“Cities are burning. Suburbs are collapsing. Caravans of Antifa Mexicans are committing Muslim voter fraud,” Noah cracked. “His campaign slogan is basically ‘Look out behind you!’”
Watch the full segment on “The Daily Show” above.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-10--Pro Wrestling Icon Mick Foley Has One Scathing Question For Trump Supporters

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley says he didn ’ t intend to get too political ahead of November ’ s election , in which President Donald Trump is facing off against former Vice President Joe Biden .
That changed on Wednesday amid revelations that Trump knew how dangerous the coronavirus was , yet lied to the public about it earlier this year and repeatedly downplayed the threat .
“ There is simply TOO MUCH to lose to stay quiet , ” Foley wrote on Twitter .
He then shared a tweet with audio of Trump ’ s confession along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s supporters : # TrumpKew - and now YOU KNOW # TrumpKnew Explain to me , anyone , how you can continue to support this man .
https : //t.co/OAs6jMUF0n — Mick Foley ( @ RealMickFoley ) September 9 , 2020 Foley , who has wrestled under the names Cactus Jack and Mankind , among others , added : I did not intend to get THIS involved in the 2020 election ... but there is simply TOO MUCH to lose to stay quiet If he loses these states - # ARIZONA # GEORGIA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is through .
Please donate now : https : //t.co/mfEpeZP9Xxhttps : //t.co/bt7mVAoFrx — Mick Foley ( @ RealMickFoley ) September 10 , 2020 He later thanked those who responded .
Foley was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013 , the same year Trump was given the honor .
Last summer , Foley posted a video to Trump urging him to speed up coronavirus testing programs : Dear @ realDonaldTrump Mr President , we have a testing problem .
Can you please take 33 seconds out of your busy day to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foley pic.twitter.com/Dp6l4bsENd — Mick Foley ( @ RealMickFoley ) July 20 , 2020 Over the weekend , Foley called out people who refuse to wear a mask : WEARING A MASK = an easy , effective way of showing you care about others .
NOT WEARING A MASK = a simple , effective way of showing you do n't give a single , solitary F about anyone but yourself .
GIVE AN F. WEAR A MASK !
pic.twitter.com/8gArcfybrM — Mick Foley ( @ RealMickFoley ) September 6 , 2020

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WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley says he didn’t intend to get too political ahead of November’s election, in which President Donald Trump is facing off against former Vice President Joe Biden. That changed on Wednesday amid revelations that Trump knew how dangerous the coronavirus was, yet lied to the public about it earlier this year and repeatedly downplayed the threat.
“There is simply TOO MUCH to lose to stay quiet,” Foley wrote on Twitter.
He then shared a tweet with audio of Trump’s confession along with a question for the president’s supporters:
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#TrumpKew - and now YOU KNOW #TrumpKnew
Explain to me, anyone, how you can continue to support this man. https://t.co/OAs6jMUF0n — Mick Foley (@RealMickFoley) September 9, 2020
Foley, who has wrestled under the names Cactus Jack and Mankind, among others, added:
I did not intend to get THIS involved in the 2020 election...but there is simply TOO MUCH to lose to stay quiet
If he loses these states - #ARIZONA #GEORGIA #TEXAS #NorthCarolina - this President is through.
Please donate now: https://t.co/mfEpeZP9Xxhttps://t.co/bt7mVAoFrx — Mick Foley (@RealMickFoley) September 10, 2020
He later thanked those who responded.
Foley was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013, the same year Trump was given the honor. Last summer, Foley posted a video to Trump urging him to speed up coronavirus testing programs:
Dear @realDonaldTrump
Mr President, we have a testing problem. Can you please take 33 seconds out of your busy day to watch my video?
Sincerely,
Mick Foley pic.twitter.com/Dp6l4bsENd — Mick Foley (@RealMickFoley) July 20, 2020
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Over the weekend, Foley called out people who refuse to wear a mask:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-10--California Wildfire That Claimed 3 Lives Threatens Thousands Of Homes

Several other people have been critically burned and hundreds , if not thousands , of homes and other buildings are believed to have been damaged or destroyed by the North Complex fire northeast of San Francisco , authorities said .
Between Tuesday and Wednesday , the fire — which had been burning for weeks in forestland and was 50 % contained — exploded to six times its size as winds gusting to 45 mph drove a path of destruction through mountainous terrain and parched foothills .
Firefighters watch the Bear Fire approach in Oroville , California on Wednesday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Complex , expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region .
“ Time and time again we have seen how dangerous wildfires can be .
...
So I ask that you please , please please be prepared , maintain situational awareness and heed the warnings , ” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea pleaded .
Honea announced the three deaths but declined to provide details .
California Highway Patrol Officer Ben Draper told the Bay Area News Group that one person was found in a car and apparently had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sykes , a 50-year resident , managed to flee on Tuesday with his car and some clothes but he watched the town burn from about a mile away .
“ The school is gone , the fire department ’ s gone , the bar ’ s gone , the laundromat ’ s gone , the general store ’ s gone , ” he told the Sacramento Bee , adding , “ I ’ ll never go back.
” The fire also threatened Paradise , a town devastated just two years ago by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a deadly traffic jam as panicked residents tried to escape .
Eighty-five people lost their lives and nearly 19,000 buildings were destroyed in that fire .
On Wednesday , the sky turned from black to cherry red and ash carried on strong winds rained down in a scene reminiscent from the fateful morning of Nov. 8 , 2018 , former Mayor Steve “ Woody ” Culleton said .
“ It was extremely frightening and ugly , ” Culleton said .
“ Everybody has PTSD and what not , so it triggered everybody and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the midst of its dry , hot , windy fire season , California has seen wildfires advancing with unprecedented speed and ferocity .
Since the middle of August , fires in California have killed 11 people , destroyed more than 3,600 structures , burned old growth redwoods , charred chaparral and forced evacuations in communities near the coast , in wine country and along the Sierra Nevada .
Thick smoke choked much of the state and cast an eerie orange hue across the sky .
In some areas of the San Francisco Bay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smoke blocked out so much sunlight that it dropped the temperature by 20 to 30 degrees over the previous day , according to the National Weather Service .
More than two dozen major fires were burning around the state , some of them among the largest ever recorded in recent California history .
Between Tuesday and Wednesday , the fire exploded to six times its size as winds gusting to 45 mph drove a path of destruction through mountainous terrain and parched foothills .
The U.S. Forest Service , which had taken the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Southern California earlier in the week , ordered all 18 of its forests in the state closed Wednesday for public safety .

OROVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A Northern California wildfire threatened thousands of homes Thursday after winds whipped it into a monster that incinerated houses in a small mountain community and killed at least three people.
Several other people have been critically burned and hundreds, if not thousands, of homes and other buildings are believed to have been damaged or destroyed by the North Complex fire northeast of San Francisco, authorities said.
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Some 20,000 people were under evacuation orders or warnings in Plumas, Yuba and Butte counties.
Between Tuesday and Wednesday, the fire — which had been burning for weeks in forestland and was 50% contained — exploded to six times its size as winds gusting to 45 mph drove a path of destruction through mountainous terrain and parched foothills.
Firefighters watch the Bear Fire approach in Oroville, California on Wednesday. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The winds subsided Wednesday but the fire was only 24% contained and the danger remained.
“Time and time again we have seen how dangerous wildfires can be. ... So I ask that you please, please please be prepared, maintain situational awareness and heed the warnings,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea pleaded.
Honea announced the three deaths but declined to provide details. California Highway Patrol Officer Ben Draper told the Bay Area News Group that one person was found in a car and apparently had been trying to escape the flames.
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Many homes were incinerated in the Butte County hamlet of Berry Creek, with a population of 525 people.
John Sykes, a 50-year resident, managed to flee on Tuesday with his car and some clothes but he watched the town burn from about a mile away.
“The school is gone, the fire department’s gone, the bar’s gone, the laundromat’s gone, the general store’s gone,” he told the Sacramento Bee, adding, “I’ll never go back.”
“I don’t want to see it,” he said. “That’s why I’m leaving. I never want to see California again.”
Four burn victims were taken to UC Davis Medical Center in critical condition, the Bee reported.
The fire also threatened Paradise, a town devastated just two years ago by the deadliest blaze in state history that prompted a deadly traffic jam as panicked residents tried to escape. Eighty-five people lost their lives and nearly 19,000 buildings were destroyed in that fire.
On Wednesday, the sky turned from black to cherry red and ash carried on strong winds rained down in a scene reminiscent from the fateful morning of Nov. 8, 2018, former Mayor Steve “Woody” Culleton said.
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Embers light up a hillside behind the Bidwell Bar Bridge in Oroville, California. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“It was extremely frightening and ugly,” Culleton said. “Everybody has PTSD and what not, so it triggered everybody and caused terror and panic.”
Even in the midst of its dry, hot, windy fire season, California has seen wildfires advancing with unprecedented speed and ferocity. Since the middle of August, fires in California have killed 11 people, destroyed more than 3,600 structures, burned old growth redwoods, charred chaparral and forced evacuations in communities near the coast, in wine country and along the Sierra Nevada.
Thick smoke choked much of the state and cast an eerie orange hue across the sky. In some areas of the San Francisco Bay Area and the Sacramento Valley, the smoke blocked out so much sunlight that it dropped the temperature by 20 to 30 degrees over the previous day, according to the National Weather Service.
Many homes were incinerated in the Butte County hamlet of Berry Creek, with a population of 525 people. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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More than two dozen major fires were burning around the state, some of them among the largest ever recorded in recent California history.
Between Tuesday and Wednesday, the fire exploded to six times its size as winds gusting to 45 mph drove a path of destruction through mountainous terrain and parched foothills. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The U.S. Forest Service, which had taken the unprecedented measure of closing eight national forests in Southern California earlier in the week, ordered all 18 of its forests in the state closed Wednesday for public safety.
In Southern California, fires burned in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. People in foothill communities east of Los Angeles were warned to be ready to flee, but the region’s notorious Santa Ana winds were weaker than predicted.
“We’re encouraged that the wind activity appears to be dying down,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said. “The rest of the week looks a little more favorable.”
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___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-10--Climate Change-Fueled Fires Are Changing The Way Californians Live

Gina Santos cries in her car after evacuating due to the LNU Lightning Complex Fire in Vacaville , California , on Aug. 19 , 2020 .
She moved to her `` dream house '' several months ago and was distraught that it might have burned down .
Be ready to flee your home .
Evon Magsby , 49 , leaves a small gym bag in her car with a change of clothes , shoes , phone charger and a couple weeks ’ worth of medication .
The Oakland resident says she and her friends who live alone have established a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in case of a mass evacuation .
For Kimberly Michaels in Chico , the threat of fires is unfortunately all too real : She was living in Paradise when the Camp Fire hit in 2018 — the deadliest in state history .
After being trapped in her car for several agonizing hours as escape routes clogged , she finally abandoned it and got in another vehicle driving to nearby Chico .
That ’ s where she now lives after her Paradise home was damaged by smoke and water .
Michaels told HuffPost the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her anxiety levels exponentially .
She said that she had to take anti-anxiety medications on Wednesday and has been sleeping in her clothes , in case she has to flee her home again .
In her go-bag , she has medication , cash , clothes and toiletries .
High levels of smoke from the fires have spread throughout the state in recent weeks , with the EPA deeming air pollution levels “ unhealthy ” and even “ hazardous ” in some areas on Thursday .
Residents in the San Francisco Bay Area woke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as smoke from multiple fires in the state trapped fog in the region .
For many residents , it ’ s now become a daily ritual to wake up and check air quality indicators .
And many local restaurants , which were already severely affected by coronavirus restrictions , have had to close even their limited outdoor seating to protect customers and staff from smoke .
Sneha Patil , a 30-year-old San Francisco resident , has been shutting all her windows — even amid high heat — and running air purifiers in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the smoky air has been “ brutal ” for him , as she put it .
They ’ ve attempted to mitigate the impacts by drinking a lot of water and staying indoors .
Alton Gillard , 34 , who lived in Oakland for nearly a decade until 2018 and has been back visiting in recent weeks , has also been closing windows and taking more of his allergy medications than usual .
He keeps two masks with him : one to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and another with a different type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Exercise has been one way for me to cope with all the changes surrounding the pandemic , ” Lemus said .
“ Not being able to exercise outdoors leaves me feeling much more anxious.
” Find ways to cope with the high heat .
For people who work outdoors , such as in construction or farm work , the combination of heat and smoke has been impossible to escape .
And for homeless residents who are unsheltered , there is little respite from the high temperatures and the poor air quality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pandemic that affects one ’ s respiratory system .
“ Staying indoors and getting some air conditioning would be nice , ” Johnson said , noting the poor air quality has been affecting him “ tremendously.
” “ Mostly it ’ s shade , you look for shade , it ’ s the only one I ’ m gon na get , it ’ s hot … I try to keep going.
” JoLyn McMillan , the head of a homeless shelter in Stockton — about an hour ’ s drive from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that her team attempted to bring people who lived outdoors into the shelters to protect them from the heat and smoke , closing all the windows and doors .
“ But that ’ s a Catch-22 because public health says keep windows open because it ’ s better for COVID to have ventilation , ” she added .
“ It ’ s COVID versus smoke inhalation.
” Have supplies in case they cut your power .

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Californians, now accustomed to devastating wildfire seasons year after year, have come up with both ordinary and dystopian methods of coping with evacuations, smoky air and extreme heat.
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And fire season is just getting started.
Here’s how Californians have come to cope with the triple threat of fires, unhealthy air and heat — all amid a pandemic.
Gina Santos cries in her car after evacuating due to the LNU Lightning Complex Fire in Vacaville, California, on Aug. 19, 2020. She moved to her "dream house" several months ago and was distraught that it might have burned down. (Gabrielle Lurie/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Be ready to flee your home.
If all Californians didn’t already have a “go-bag” ready to evacuate anytime in response to possible earthquakes, many more do now due to the growing threat of wildfires each year.
Evon Magsby, 49, leaves a small gym bag in her car with a change of clothes, shoes, phone charger and a couple weeks’ worth of medication. The Oakland resident says she and her friends who live alone have established a plan to meet at a local beach in case of a mass evacuation.
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For Kimberly Michaels in Chico, the threat of fires is unfortunately all too real: She was living in Paradise when the Camp Fire hit in 2018 — the deadliest in state history. After being trapped in her car for several agonizing hours as escape routes clogged, she finally abandoned it and got in another vehicle driving to nearby Chico. That’s where she now lives after her Paradise home was damaged by smoke and water.
But now the North Complex fires have entered her county, killing three people, destroying hundreds of homes, and becoming the 10th-biggest blaze in state history, so far.
Michaels told HuffPost the smoke has triggered PTSD flashes and elevated her anxiety levels exponentially. She said that she had to take anti-anxiety medications on Wednesday and has been sleeping in her clothes, in case she has to flee her home again. In her go-bag, she has medication, cash, clothes and toiletries.
“My biggest anxiety was leaving my house,” Michaels said of recent days. “I’m finding it very difficult to leave my ‘safe place.’ It’s pushing me close to the edge.”
Smoke from the Northern California wildfires casts a reddish color over the Embarcadero in San Francisco on Sept. 9, 2020. Ray Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images
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Try to avoid breathing unhealthy air.
High levels of smoke from the fires have spread throughout the state in recent weeks, with the EPA deeming air pollution levels “unhealthy” and even “hazardous” in some areas on Thursday. Residents in the San Francisco Bay Area woke up to ominous orange skies on Wednesday as smoke from multiple fires in the state trapped fog in the region.
For many residents, it’s now become a daily ritual to wake up and check air quality indicators. And many local restaurants, which were already severely affected by coronavirus restrictions, have had to close even their limited outdoor seating to protect customers and staff from smoke.
Sneha Patil, a 30-year-old San Francisco resident, has been shutting all her windows — even amid high heat — and running air purifiers in the house since her husband has asthma and the smoky air has been “brutal” for him, as she put it. They’ve attempted to mitigate the impacts by drinking a lot of water and staying indoors.
Alton Gillard, 34, who lived in Oakland for nearly a decade until 2018 and has been back visiting in recent weeks, has also been closing windows and taking more of his allergy medications than usual. He keeps two masks with him: one to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and another with a different type of filter to aid with wildfire smoke.
Crystal Lemus, 26, in Fresno, has stopped running and biking outdoors — exercise she’d grown to depend on as the pandemic closed gyms. In the smoky air, those activities feel unsafe.
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“Exercise has been one way for me to cope with all the changes surrounding the pandemic,” Lemus said. “Not being able to exercise outdoors leaves me feeling much more anxious.”
A woman uses an umbrella to protect herself from the sun at Santa Monica pier while people flocked to the beach amid a heat wave on Sept. 6, 2020. Apu GOMES / AFP
Find ways to cope with the high heat.
There was a record-breaking heat wave over Labor Day weekend, with Los Angeles County seeing its highest temperature ever recorded of 121 degrees Fahrenheit and temperatures in several parts in Northern California reaching the triple digits.
For people who work outdoors, such as in construction or farm work, the combination of heat and smoke has been impossible to escape. And for homeless residents who are unsheltered, there is little respite from the high temperatures and the poor air quality — leaving them particularly at risk during a pandemic that affects one’s respiratory system.
Jimmy Edward Johnson, Jr, a 39-year-old Fairfield resident who is currently unhoused, has been sleeping on the street or in vehicles in recent weeks, exposed to the heat and smoky air.
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“Staying indoors and getting some air conditioning would be nice,” Johnson said, noting the poor air quality has been affecting him “tremendously.” “Mostly it’s shade, you look for shade, it’s the only one I’m gonna get, it’s hot … I try to keep going.”
JoLyn McMillan, the head of a homeless shelter in Stockton — about an hour’s drive from Fairfield — told HuffPost in late August that her team attempted to bring people who lived outdoors into the shelters to protect them from the heat and smoke, closing all the windows and doors. “But that’s a Catch-22 because public health says keep windows open because it’s better for COVID to have ventilation,” she added. “It’s COVID versus smoke inhalation.”
In the past week, California has seen an average of over 3,700 confirmed coronavirus cases and 93 deaths per day.
The Creek Fire creeps up on the Shaver Springs community on Sept. 8, 2020, in Auberry, California. Kent Nishimura via Getty Images
Have supplies in case they cut your power.
After deadly fires around Napa in 2017 and Paradise in 2018 were linked to electric utility PG&E’s equipment malfunctioning, the company began “public safety power shutoffs,” or proactively cutting power to thousands of residents in an effort to prevent possible fires.
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On Monday night, PG&E again cut power to some 172,000 households across Northern California in an effort to prevent potential fires. While most had power restored by Wednesday, some people remained without electricity into Thursday, the company said.
Kathy Sibley, 63, has lived in Mendocino County for three decades and recently had to evacuate her home in Willits as the Oak Fire threatened her town and brought smoky, “dismally dark” skies overhead. Her family members always keep their phones charged in case of power outages, “with hope the towers keep transmitting through the dense smoke,” she said. In recent days, they’ve been wearing masks even indoors at times, Sibley said, as the air “smells like a campfire.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-10--What Not To Say When Talking About Suicide

“ What we say to someone makes a difference in life and when we are talking to someone who is struggling with thoughts of death and dying , our choice of language is even more important , ” said Dan Reidenberg , executive director of the Suicide Awareness Voices of Education .
“ We want to be compassionate , caring and sensitive.
” This is especially true when talking to a loved one about self-harm or suicide .
What we say can have a direct impact on how safe a person feels speaking up about what they ’ re going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general ) and how severe it is .
“ There ’ s so much to live for ” or “ it ’ ll get better if you fight.
” A byproduct of suicidal ideations or thoughts of self-harm is the belief that the world would be better off without you ; someone may not think there is much to live for or that things will get better ( even if that isn ’ t the case ) .
“ There are so many other people who have it worse.
” “ We want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about suicide and mental health and be right there for them in that moment of complete darkness and despair .
We don ’ t want to judge someone , ” he said .
Here are positive and useful ways we can talk about mental health , self-harm and suicide .
“ The most important advice is to have a caring conversation .
The evidence has clearly demonstrated that talking about suicide does not cause suicide , ” Colleen Carr , the deputy director of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention , previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ openly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can increase hope and help someone on their journey to recovery.
” When we ’ re talking with someone considering self-harm or suicide , or has a history of these thoughts , we should really acknowledge their experience .
Something like , “ I ’ m sorry you are hurting in such a profound way and I understand that you desperately want relief from the pain ” can be validating , Henry said .
“ The best thing you can do to help is just be there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are there to help and support them , ” added Laura Horne , chief program officer at Active Minds , a nonprofit organization supporting mental health awareness and education for students .
“ For many people , feeling supported is just what they need.
” We also need to learn ― and relay ― that one conversation isn ’ t suddenly going to shift the tide .
Convey to someone living with thoughts of self-harm that “ you don ’ t have to be happy tomorrow and you aren ’ t wrong for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .

Whatever our good intentions in what we say, we need to approach conversations about suicide and self-harm with compassion if we want to make a real difference.
Words carry weight. If we want to make strides in reducing mental health stigma, a good place to start is examining our vocabulary ― even if what we say comes out of concern or with good intentions.
“What we say to someone makes a difference in life and when we are talking to someone who is struggling with thoughts of death and dying, our choice of language is even more important,” said Dan Reidenberg, executive director of the Suicide Awareness Voices of Education. “We want to be compassionate, caring and sensitive.”
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This is especially true when talking to a loved one about self-harm or suicide. What we say can have a direct impact on how safe a person feels speaking up about what they’re going through (either to you or in general) and how severe it is.
Below are some harmful phrases people often use related to suicide and advice on what to say instead.
“There’s so much to live for” or “it’ll get better if you fight.”
These responses are meant to be words of encouragement for someone, but the assertions “may not hold true for them,” said Racine Henry, a therapist and owner of Sankofa Marriage and Family Therapy in New York.
A byproduct of suicidal ideations or thoughts of self-harm is the belief that the world would be better off without you; someone may not think there is much to live for or that things will get better (even if that isn’t the case).
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“There are so many other people who have it worse.”
Comparisons of people’s pain are useless at best and harmful at worst. It’s like telling someone who is having a heart attack, “Well, there are people dying of cancer right now.”
Statements like this “are demeaning and dismissive,” Reidenberg said. “They minimize other people’s pain and are judgmental.” They completely ignore how mental health problems are real health problems.
“That’s selfish” or “that’s crazy.”
The same holds true for calling suicide selfish, crazy or any other negative term, Reidenberg said. It’s minimizing and doesn’t acknowledge the real pain your loved ones or friends are experiencing.
“We want to be free of our own biases about suicide and mental health and be right there for them in that moment of complete darkness and despair. We don’t want to judge someone,” he said.
Spiderplay via Getty Images Don't be afraid to bring up conversations about self-harm or suicide. Experts say it'll only help normalize discussing mental health when someone's in a bad place.
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Here are positive and useful ways we can talk about mental health, self-harm and suicide.
First, we shouldn’t be scared to talk about these topics. If you believe someone is struggling, bringing it up isn’t going to increase their risk.
“The most important advice is to have a caring conversation. The evidence has clearly demonstrated that talking about suicide does not cause suicide,” Colleen Carr, the deputy director of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, previously told HuffPost. “Instead, talking openly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can increase hope and help someone on their journey to recovery.” When we’re talking with someone considering self-harm or suicide, or has a history of these thoughts, we should really acknowledge their experience. Something like, “I’m sorry you are hurting in such a profound way and I understand that you desperately want relief from the pain” can be validating, Henry said.
“The best thing you can do to help is just be there and let that person know that you are there to help and support them,” added Laura Horne, chief program officer at Active Minds, a nonprofit organization supporting mental health awareness and education for students. “For many people, feeling supported is just what they need.”
Horne suggested using the V-A-R (validate, appreciate, refer) method for these conversations:
V: Validate their feelings by letting them know that what they’re going through is OK and that you believe them.
A: Appreciate their honesty and courage, since speaking up can be difficult for many people. Recognize that what they’re doing is difficult.
R: Refer them to resources and other professional support. Let them know help is available (here’s a great list of places to start).
We also need to learn ― and relay ― that one conversation isn’t suddenly going to shift the tide. Convey to someone living with thoughts of self-harm that “you don’t have to be happy tomorrow and you aren’t wrong for how you currently feel,” Henry said.
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Finally, we need to incorporate compassionate mental health language into our daily lives. What we say certainly matters when we’re talking with someone who is going through a hard time, but it also is important in our everyday conversations.
We can do this by eliminating mental health-related terms and colloquialisms from our vernacular. For example, not saying, “I wanna jump off a bridge,” or “I’m gonna kill myself” when something goes wrong. We wouldn’t use another fatal illness as a dramatic way to make a point ― mental health problems deserve the same consideration.
How we talk about mental health certainly won’t solve suicide or self-harm (for that we need a systemic overhaul of our health care system, food access, housing systems, treatment access ... the list goes on). But it will make it a little easier for people to feel comfortable coming forward about how they’re feeling. That’s always a good place to start.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-10--Smithfield Fined $13,000 For Hazards At Plant That Lost Four Workers To COVID-19

More than 1,000 workers at the plant tested positive for the virus , and four of them died .
During the early days of the pandemic , the plant became a symbol of the hazards faced by front-line essential workers who clock in to put food on the tables of homebound Americans .
The OSHA citation , dated Tuesday , is one of just a handful the agency has issued so far against three employers nationwide related to COVID-19 .
The modest fine is the maximum the agency can issue for what it deems a “ serious ” violation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue fines of $ 134,937 for “ willful ” or “ repeated ” violations .
Keira Lombardo , a Smithfield spokesperson , called the citation “ wholly without merit ” in a statement and said the company plans to appeal .
Lombardo said Smithfield “ took extraordinary measures on our own initiative to keep our employees as healthy and safe as possible so that we could fulfill our obligation to the American people to maintain the food supply.
” OSHA has drawn criticism for the small number of inspections and citations it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Workers filed more than 8,000 complaints against their employers alleging hazards .
The citation issued this week is the most high profile yet and the first to hit the meatpacking industry , which has lost more than 100 workers to COVID-19 , according to the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union .
“ Employers must quickly implement appropriate measures to protect their workers ’ safety and health , ” OSHA Sioux Falls Area Director Sheila Stanley said in a statement .
“ Employers must meet their obligations and take the necessary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at their worksite.
” OSHA relied on its general duty clause — a broad requirement in an otherwise specific set of work safety rules — to fine Smithfield .
The clause says that an employer must provide a workplace free from hazards that are likely to cause harm or death .
Because OSHA has issued no new regulations related to the coronavirus , the general duty clause is one of the few bases it has to punish companies .
Specifically , OSHA said Smithfield “ did not develop or implement timely and effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
Between March 22 and June 16 , an estimated 1,294 workers from the plant tested positive for the virus , the citation said .
In addition to the four who died , another 39 were hospitalized .
Workers at plants around the country complained about working shoulder-to-shoulder on the processing lines and having to get dressed in crowded locker rooms , particularly back in the spring .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out guidelines for meatpacking plants to protect workers from the virus , but those were essentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies appear to have fretted more about the meat supply than the safety of their workers .
Smithfield Foods ’ chief executive , Kenneth Sullivan , sent a letter to Nebraska Gov .
Pete Ricketts ( R ) in March calling social distancing “ a nicety that makes sense only for people with laptops , ” ProPublica reported .
Some workplace safety experts said they were disappointed in how small the Smithfield fine was and how long it took the agency to issue it .
OSHA has six months from the date of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and often uses the bulk of that time to build its case .
But the effect would have been greater months ago , said Debbie Berkowitz , a former OSHA official now with the National Employment Law Project .
The citation “ would have saved lives in that plant and the rest of the industry if [ it ] got out earlier , ” she said in an email .
The fine was “ an infinitesimal fraction ” of Smithfield ’ s annual earnings and a sign there were “ no real consequences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Public Justice Food Project , a legal group that sued OSHA during the pandemic , said in a statement .
“ We ’ ll know OSHA officials are upholding the law again when they act immediately to force workplace policy changes that prevent a clear outbreak in the making , not when they react with less than a slap on the wrist months later , ” the project said .

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined meatpacking giant Smithfield Foods $13,494 for failing to protect workers from the coronavirus at its plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
More than 1,000 workers at the plant tested positive for the virus, and four of them died. During the early days of the pandemic, the plant became a symbol of the hazards faced by front-line essential workers who clock in to put food on the tables of homebound Americans.
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The OSHA citation, dated Tuesday, is one of just a handful the agency has issued so far against three employers nationwide related to COVID-19. The modest fine is the maximum the agency can issue for what it deems a “serious” violation of workplace safety laws, though it can issue fines of $134,937 for “willful” or “repeated” violations.
Keira Lombardo, a Smithfield spokesperson, called the citation “wholly without merit” in a statement and said the company plans to appeal. Lombardo said Smithfield “took extraordinary measures on our own initiative to keep our employees as healthy and safe as possible so that we could fulfill our obligation to the American people to maintain the food supply.”
Employers often fight fines or negotiate with the agency to lower them even when they are small.
OSHA has drawn criticism for the small number of inspections and citations it has pursued so far related to the coronavirus. Workers filed more than 8,000 complaints against their employers alleging hazards. The citation issued this week is the most high profile yet and the first to hit the meatpacking industry, which has lost more than 100 workers to COVID-19, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.
“Employers must quickly implement appropriate measures to protect their workers’ safety and health,” OSHA Sioux Falls Area Director Sheila Stanley said in a statement. “Employers must meet their obligations and take the necessary actions to prevent the spread of coronavirus at their worksite.”
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“More than 1,000 workers from that facility tested positive for the virus, and four of them died.”
OSHA relied on its general duty clause — a broad requirement in an otherwise specific set of work safety rules — to fine Smithfield. The clause says that an employer must provide a workplace free from hazards that are likely to cause harm or death. Because OSHA has issued no new regulations related to the coronavirus, the general duty clause is one of the few bases it has to punish companies.
Specifically, OSHA said Smithfield “did not develop or implement timely and effective measures to mitigate exposures” to the coronavirus. Between March 22 and June 16, an estimated 1,294 workers from the plant tested positive for the virus, the citation said. In addition to the four who died, another 39 were hospitalized.
Workers at plants around the country complained about working shoulder-to-shoulder on the processing lines and having to get dressed in crowded locker rooms, particularly back in the spring. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out guidelines for meatpacking plants to protect workers from the virus, but those were essentially recommendations with no legal bite.
Many companies appear to have fretted more about the meat supply than the safety of their workers. Smithfield Foods’ chief executive, Kenneth Sullivan, sent a letter to Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) in March calling social distancing “a nicety that makes sense only for people with laptops,” ProPublica reported.
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Some workplace safety experts said they were disappointed in how small the Smithfield fine was and how long it took the agency to issue it. OSHA has six months from the date of an alleged hazard to issue a fine and often uses the bulk of that time to build its case. But the effect would have been greater months ago, said Debbie Berkowitz, a former OSHA official now with the National Employment Law Project.
The citation “would have saved lives in that plant and the rest of the industry if [it] got out earlier,” she said in an email.
The fine was “an infinitesimal fraction” of Smithfield’s annual earnings and a sign there were “no real consequences” for endangering workers during the pandemic, the Public Justice Food Project, a legal group that sued OSHA during the pandemic, said in a statement.
“We’ll know OSHA officials are upholding the law again when they act immediately to force workplace policy changes that prevent a clear outbreak in the making, not when they react with less than a slap on the wrist months later,” the project said.
This story has been updated to include a statement from Smithfield in response to the fine.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-10--Ivanka Trump Tells Skeptical Joy Behar She Would Get COVID-19 Vaccine On 'The View'

Joy Behar has a skeptical view of the Trump administration ’ s promise to have a coronavirus vaccine by November ― and Ivanka Trump wants to ease her concerns .
Although President Donald Trump has made bold predictions that a vaccine could be available before the election , Behar doesn ’ t think that ambitious timeline adds up historically , and she said as much on Wednesday ’ s episode of “ The View.
” “ As far as the vaccine is concerned , I ’ d like to inform America , in case we don ’ t know this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for you : The mumps vaccine took four years , the polio vaccine took 20 years , and the smallpox vaccine took a few centuries , ” Behar said .
“ It was developed initially in 1796 ... and it became useful in the 1950s .
OK ?
It ’ s not a simple thing to do.
” She then reminded viewers of the president ’ s tendency to exaggerate — or lie — for his own benefit .
“ He will push anything to get reelected .
Don ’ t fall for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And by the way , I will take the vaccine after Ivanka takes it.
” AMERICA ’ S DISTRUST IN COVID VACCINES ?
After a vaccine trial halted following an unexplained illness , the co-hosts discuss their thoughts on getting vaccinated for the novel coronavirus once one becomes publicly available .
https : //t.co/nKZl5plPXC pic.twitter.com/H5f3jLMAs8 — The View ( @ TheView ) September 9 , 2020 On Thursday , the first daughter called Behar ’ s bluff and said she ’ d be happy to get a shot live on “ The View @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she trusts the Food and Drug Administration and that “ vanquishing this virus should be our collective top priority.
” Deal @ JoyVBehar .
I would come on your show to do so .
I trust the FDA and so should all Americans .
Vanquishing this virus should be our collective top priority .
https : //t.co/FXb0Dqjdio — Ivanka Trump ( @ IvankaTrump ) September 10 , 2020 Behar hadn ’ t responded to the tweet as of Thursday afternoon , but others decided to chime in , including Ivanka Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Call me , I ’ ll help you prep for the interview @ IvankaTrump ... Joy , Whoopi and the rest of The View ladies love me .
😉🤣 https : //t.co/u056gc9bWd — Donald Trump Jr. ( @ DonaldJTrumpJr ) September 10 , 2020 Is vanquishing this virus your father ’ s top priority ?
Is it even a goal ?
He seems to prefer distracting us from it .
https : //t.co/LdiLNIXudA — Touré ( @ Toure ) September 10 , 2020 A lot of people stopped trusting the FDA when your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ *That's* the problem .
https : //t.co/dJE2fWKLX5 — Gary Legum ( @ GaryLegum ) September 10 , 2020 One person predicted that if Ivanka Trump went through with her proposal , it would be the shot seen ’ round the world .
Ratings for someone getting a vaccine shot on national TV appears to have no precedent , but methinks this would be the highest-rated View of all-time ... https : //t.co/XxHVteKNGM — Joe Concha ( @ JoeConchaTV ) September 10 , 2020

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Joy Behar has a skeptical view of the Trump administration’s promise to have a coronavirus vaccine by November ― and Ivanka Trump wants to ease her concerns.
Although President Donald Trump has made bold predictions that a vaccine could be available before the election, Behar doesn’t think that ambitious timeline adds up historically, and she said as much on Wednesday’s episode of “The View.”
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“As far as the vaccine is concerned, I’d like to inform America, in case we don’t know this, because I looked all this up for you: The mumps vaccine took four years, the polio vaccine took 20 years, and the smallpox vaccine took a few centuries,” Behar said. “It was developed initially in 1796 ... and it became useful in the 1950s. OK? It’s not a simple thing to do.”
She then reminded viewers of the president’s tendency to exaggerate — or lie — for his own benefit.
“He will push anything to get reelected. Don’t fall for it,” Behar said. “And by the way, I will take the vaccine after Ivanka takes it.”
AMERICA’S DISTRUST IN COVID VACCINES? After a vaccine trial halted following an unexplained illness, the co-hosts discuss their thoughts on getting vaccinated for the novel coronavirus once one becomes publicly available. https://t.co/nKZl5plPXC pic.twitter.com/H5f3jLMAs8 — The View (@TheView) September 9, 2020
On Thursday, the first daughter called Behar’s bluff and said she’d be happy to get a shot live on “The View” because, Ivanka Trump said, she trusts the Food and Drug Administration and that “vanquishing this virus should be our collective top priority.”
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Deal @JoyVBehar. I would come on your show to do so.
I trust the FDA and so should all Americans. Vanquishing this virus should be our collective top priority. https://t.co/FXb0Dqjdio — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) September 10, 2020
Behar hadn’t responded to the tweet as of Thursday afternoon, but others decided to chime in, including Ivanka Trump’s older brother, Donald Trump Jr.
Call me, I’ll help you prep for the interview @IvankaTrump...Joy, Whoopi and the rest of The View ladies love me. 😉🤣 https://t.co/u056gc9bWd — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 10, 2020
But others shared Behar’s skepticism.
Is vanquishing this virus your father’s top priority? Is it even a goal? He seems to prefer distracting us from it. https://t.co/LdiLNIXudA — Touré (@Toure) September 10, 2020
A lot of people stopped trusting the FDA when your father got his hooks into it. *That's* the problem. https://t.co/dJE2fWKLX5 — Gary Legum (@GaryLegum) September 10, 2020
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One person predicted that if Ivanka Trump went through with her proposal, it would be the shot seen ’round the world.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-10--DHS Whistleblower Complaint: 4 Of The Most Explosive Allegations Of Misconduct

Brian Murphy , the former head of DHS ’ s Office of Intelligence and Analysis , alleged in the complaint that department leaders retaliated against him after he pushed back on their requests to alter intelligence .
He said he was reassigned last month to a reduced role in the department ’ s management division .
1 .
Then-Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Lied To Congress About The U.S.-Mexico Border Threat In March 2019 , Murphy attended another preparation session with Nielsen in advance of her testimony before the House Homeland Security Committee , according to the complaint .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than three KSTs had crossed the border ― not 3,755 , as she had said during her December 2018 congressional testimony .
Nielsen ’ s aides suggested she should “ deflect away from addressing ” the discrepancy between the actual data and her previous testimony .
Murphy pushed back on that suggestion and was subsequently removed from the meeting , according to the complaint .
2 .
Top Immigration Official Demanded ‘ Deep State ’ Analysts Be Fired Over Intelligence Reports He Didn ’ t Like In December 2019 , Murphy presented Cuccinelli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Honduras and El Salvador ― three countries from which many undocumented immigrants in the U.S. have originated .
The reports are meant to help U.S. asylum officers “ render better determinations regarding their legal standards , ” according to Murphy ’ s complaint .
In July 2020 , Wolf told Murphy that an intelligence bulletin regarding Russian disinformation should be “ held ” because it “ made the President look bad , ” according to the complaint .
DHS ’ s decision to withhold the bulletin was first reported by ABC News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was eventually sent without Murphy ’ s approval , in which DHS attempted “ to place the actions of Russia on par with those of Iran and China in a manner that is misleading and inconsistent with the actual intelligence data , ” according to the complaint .
In May 2020 , Cuccinelli instructed Murphy to modify a section of an annual homeland threat assessment ( HTA ) report to make the threat of white supremacy “ appear less severe , ” according to the complaint .
Cuccinelli also allegedly asked Murphy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violent ‘ left-wing ’ groups.
” Murphy said he declined to do so .
Between May and July 2020 , Wolf and Cuccinelli pressured Murphy to “ modify intelligence assessments to ensure they matched up ” with Trump ’ s public comments about antifa and “ anarchist ” groups .
Trump has claimed for months that “ left-wing extremism ” and antifa are a major threat to the safety of Americans , despite the lack of evidence to support his claims .

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In a damning whistleblower complaint filed Tuesday, a Department of Homeland Security official accused several of the agency’s top leaders of seeking to alter intelligence that would undermine President Donald Trump’s policy objectives.
Brian Murphy, the former head of DHS’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis, alleged in the complaint that department leaders retaliated against him after he pushed back on their requests to alter intelligence. He said he was reassigned last month to a reduced role in the department’s management division.
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In light of the complaint, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) has asked Murphy to testify before the committee on Sept. 21.
The complaint “outlines grave and disturbing allegations that senior White House and Department of Homeland Security officials improperly sought to politicize, manipulate, and censor intelligence in order to benefit President Trump politically,” Schiff said in a statement Wednesday. “This puts our nation and its security at grave risk.”
Here are the most startling accusations from the complaint:
1. Then-Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Lied To Congress About The U.S.-Mexico Border Threat
Murphy alleged Nielsen, who served as Homeland Security secretary from December 2017 to April 2019, committed perjury by lying to Congress about the threat of terrorists crossing the border into the U.S. from Mexico.
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According to the complaint, Nielsen’s top aides repeatedly pressured Murphy’s office to ensure its intelligence assessments fit the Trump administration’s claim that “large numbers” of known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) were entering the U.S. from the southwest border. Murphy’s office reportedly declined each time.
Murphy said he provided Nielsen with accurate intelligence on KSTs during a preparation session ahead of her December 2018 testimony before Congress. Nonetheless, Nielsen made “a knowing and deliberate submission of false material information” about KSTs during her congressional testimony.
In March 2019, Murphy attended another preparation session with Nielsen in advance of her testimony before the House Homeland Security Committee, according to the complaint. He said he informed Nielsen that no more than three KSTs had crossed the border ― not 3,755, as she had said during her December 2018 congressional testimony.
Nielsen’s aides suggested she should “deflect away from addressing” the discrepancy between the actual data and her previous testimony. Murphy pushed back on that suggestion and was subsequently removed from the meeting, according to the complaint.
During her testimony the next day, Nielsen again lied to Congress about the number of KSTs crossing into the U.S., Murphy said in his complaint.
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2. Top Immigration Official Demanded ‘Deep State’ Analysts Be Fired Over Intelligence Reports He Didn’t Like
Ken Cuccinelli ― director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a DHS agency that administers the country’s naturalization and immigration system ― ordered analysts who compiled intelligence assessments he didn’t like to be fired or reassigned, according to Murphy’s complaint.
In December 2019, Murphy presented Cuccinelli with intelligence reports regarding conditions in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador ― three countries from which many undocumented immigrants in the U.S. have originated. The reports are meant to help U.S. asylum officers “render better determinations regarding their legal standards,” according to Murphy’s complaint.
Cuccinelli, an outspoken Trump supporter, requested “changes to the information outlining high levels of corruption, violence, and poor economic conditions in the three respective countries,” the complaint alleged.
He then accused “deep state intelligence analysts” of including such information in an attempt to undermine Trump’s hardline immigration policies, and demanded those analysts be either fired or reassigned, according to Murphy’s complaint.
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Murphy said he declined to follow Cuccinelli’s instructions.
3. Homeland Security Head Chad Wolf Ordered Murphy To Halt Intelligence Assessments On Russian Interference
In September 2018, David Glawe, the then-head of DHS’s intelligence and analysis office, testified before Congress that Russia had interfered in the 2016 elections. His confirmation of Russian interference angered Trump, who demanded Glawe be fired in response, according to Murphy’s complaint.
Nielsen and then-White House chief of staff John Kelly successfully convinced Trump to “give Glawe another chance,” the complaint alleged. Murphy worked under Glawe at the time.
In mid-May 2020, around the time Glawe left DHS, acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf instructed Murphy to cease providing intelligence assessments on the threat of Russian election interference, according to the complaint.
Murphy said Wolf told him to instead begin reporting on Chinese and Iranian efforts to interfere in U.S. elections per a request from White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien.
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Murphy told Wolf he would not comply with those instructions and that “doing so would put the country in substantial and specific danger,” according to the complaint.
In July 2020, Wolf told Murphy that an intelligence bulletin regarding Russian disinformation should be “held” because it “made the President look bad,” according to the complaint. DHS’s decision to withhold the bulletin was first reported by ABC News earlier this month.
Murphy said he objected to Wolf’s decision, calling it “improper to hold a vetted intelligence product for reasons for political embarrassment.” Wolf then excluded Murphy from subsequent meetings about the bulletin.
A revised bulletin was eventually sent without Murphy’s approval, in which DHS attempted “to place the actions of Russia on par with those of Iran and China in a manner that is misleading and inconsistent with the actual intelligence data,” according to the complaint.
4. Wolf And Cuccinelli Directed Murphy To Downplay White Supremacy Threat, Stoke Antifa Fears
In May 2020, Cuccinelli instructed Murphy to modify a section of an annual homeland threat assessment (HTA) report to make the threat of white supremacy “appear less severe,” according to the complaint. Cuccinelli also allegedly asked Murphy to include “information on the prominence of violent ‘left-wing’ groups.” Murphy said he declined to do so.
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Wolf echoed Cuccinelli’s concerns during a meeting with Murphy in July 2020, according to the complaint. When Murphy declined to sign off on edits proposed by Wolf’s team, Wolf allegedly assigned other DHS officials to complete the assessment without Murphy’s involvement.
In his complaint, Murphy said the final version of the HTA is likely to “more closely resemble a policy document with references to ANTIFA and ‘anarchist’ groups than an intelligence document” compiled by analysts.
Between May and July 2020, Wolf and Cuccinelli pressured Murphy to “modify intelligence assessments to ensure they matched up” with Trump’s public comments about antifa and “anarchist” groups. Trump has claimed for months that “left-wing extremism” and antifa are a major threat to the safety of Americans, despite the lack of evidence to support his claims.
Murphy said he declined to alter the intelligence assessments “based upon political rhetoric.”
On July 31, Wolf told Murphy he was considering reassigning him to DHS’s management division, according to the complaint. Wolf, hoping to be formally nominated as DHS secretary, allegedly told Murphy that the reassignment would help his own political ambitions.
Murphy said he told Wolf that demoting him for political gain would “constitute an abuse of authority,” but Wolf proceeded to do so the next day.
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Last week, Politico obtained and reported on three drafts of the HTA, which has not yet been published. The drafts warned that white supremacists are the greatest threat to the country’s homeland security. None of the drafts mentioned antifa.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-10--Trump Has Quite A Theory On Why Woodward Didn't Share COVID-19 Remarks Sooner

President Donald Trump downplayed reporting by Bob Woodward , offering a weak defense for his remarks amid criticism that the @ @ @ @ @ openly lied to Americans about the coronavirus pandemic and intentionally minimized the disease ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Trump tweeted in response to the public conversation surrounding Woodward ’ s forthcoming book , @ @ @ @ @ , which obtained an early copy of the book , Trump reportedly told Woodward in @ @ @ @ @ for the work : “ I wanted to always play it down .
I still @ @ @ @ @ because I don ’ t want to create a panic.
” When the quote hit @ @ @ @ @ lambasted for waiting until his book came out to drop such a bombshell .
In @ @ @ @ @ tweeted that Woodward didn ’ t publish his quotes sooner “ in an effort to @ @ @ @ @ he knew they were good and proper answers .
”

President Donald Trump downplayed reporting by Bob Woodward, offering a weak defense for his remarks amid criticism that the journalist withheld that the president openly lied to Americans about the coronavirus pandemic and intentionally minimized the disease’s severity.
On Thursday, Trump tweeted in response to the public conversation surrounding Woodward’s forthcoming book, “Rage.” Per CNN, which obtained an early copy of the book, Trump reportedly told Woodward in one of their many interviews for the work: “I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”
When the quote hit social media, Woodward was lambasted for waiting until his book came out to drop such a bombshell. In tandem with this, Trump tweeted that Woodward didn’t publish his quotes sooner “in an effort to save lives” because “he knew they were good and proper answers.”
“Calm, no panic!” wrote the president.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-10--Trump Hasn't Said A Word About The West Coast Fires In Weeks

It ’ s been nearly three weeks since President Donald Trump has acknowledged the catastrophic wildfires burning across California and other Western states , underscoring his pattern of dismissing climate disasters in Democratic strongholds .
The environmental group Climate Power 2020 called out Trump ’ s silence on Thursday , noting he hasn ’ t mentioned the ongoing crises at any of his 46 public events or on Twitter since mid-August , when he made this suggestion to California : “ You got ta clean your floors , you got ta clean your forests.
” He mentioned neither climate change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disasters , nor the fact that many of the state ’ s biggest blazes have burned on federally managed land .
“ President Trump ’ s silence and complete disregard for the millions of people at risk is horrifying , ” Climate Power 2020 Executive Director Lori Lodes said in a statement .
“ It shouldn ’ t matter if it ’ s a red state or a blue state , the president should be above politics in moments of crises .
He calls climate change a ‘ hoax ’ when we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Voters see through his BS.
” A layer of smoke generated by over two dozen wildfires burning in California created and eerie orange glow over much of the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday .
Fires raging across 13 states have burned an area nearly the size of Connecticut .
In Oregon , five entire towns have been destroyed .
In California , recent wildfires have pushed the number of acres burned this year past 2 million , nearly a 2,000 % increase in land burned by this time last year .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those figures , not even during a Tuesday speech he spent touting his environmental record , which has mostly involved rolling back any major efforts in the fight against climate change .
His silence on natural disasters in California and neighboring blue states isn ’ t shocking .
As HuffPost ’ s Chris D ’ Angelo has pointed out , his administration typically rolls out the red carpet for red states weathering a climate crisis but makes threats against Democratic ones .
Compare his silence on the wildfires to these remarks he made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of deadly tornadoes ripped through Alabama , one of the states that helped elect him : “ FEMA has been told directly by me to give the A Plus treatment to the Great State of Alabama and the wonderful people who have been so devastated by the Tornadoes , ” he boasted on Twitter .
The former chief of staff of Trump ’ s Department of Homeland Security , Miles Taylor , said last month that revenge against blue states was part of the Trump playbook .
“ The California wildfires , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On a phone call with the Federal Emergency Management Agency , he told FEMA to cut off the money , and to no longer give individual assistance to California .
He told us to stop giving money to people whose houses had burned down from a wildfire because he was so rageful that people in the state of California didn ’ t support him , and that politically it wasn ’ t a base for him .
”

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It’s been nearly three weeks since President Donald Trump has acknowledged the catastrophic wildfires burning across California and other Western states, underscoring his pattern of dismissing climate disasters in Democratic strongholds.
The environmental group Climate Power 2020 called out Trump’s silence on Thursday, noting he hasn’t mentioned the ongoing crises at any of his 46 public events or on Twitter since mid-August, when he made this suggestion to California: “You gotta clean your floors, you gotta clean your forests.” He mentioned neither climate change, a much bigger factor in these disasters, nor the fact that many of the state’s biggest blazes have burned on federally managed land.
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“President Trump’s silence and complete disregard for the millions of people at risk is horrifying,” Climate Power 2020 Executive Director Lori Lodes said in a statement. “It shouldn’t matter if it’s a red state or a blue state, the president should be above politics in moments of crises. He calls climate change a ‘hoax’ when we can all see our nation is burning. Voters see through his BS.”
A layer of smoke generated by over two dozen wildfires burning in California created and eerie orange glow over much of the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Fires raging across 13 states have burned an area nearly the size of Connecticut. In Oregon, five entire towns have been destroyed. In California, recent wildfires have pushed the number of acres burned this year past 2 million, nearly a 2,000% increase in land burned by this time last year.
Trump hasn’t said a word about those figures, not even during a Tuesday speech he spent touting his environmental record, which has mostly involved rolling back any major efforts in the fight against climate change.
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His silence on natural disasters in California and neighboring blue states isn’t shocking. As HuffPost’s Chris D’Angelo has pointed out, his administration typically rolls out the red carpet for red states weathering a climate crisis but makes threats against Democratic ones.
Compare his silence on the wildfires to these remarks he made in March 2019, when a swarm of deadly tornadoes ripped through Alabama, one of the states that helped elect him: “FEMA has been told directly by me to give the A Plus treatment to the Great State of Alabama and the wonderful people who have been so devastated by the Tornadoes,” he boasted on Twitter.
The former chief of staff of Trump’s Department of Homeland Security, Miles Taylor, said last month that revenge against blue states was part of the Trump playbook.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-10--Congressional Standoff Over Coronavirus Relief Likely To Last Until November

Congressional lawmakers are in a stubborn standoff over how much additional coronavirus aid should be given to millions of Americans suffering amid the pandemic .
The monthslong logjam might not end until November at the earliest .
Both sides are confident in their negotiating strategy and believe the other side will retreat .
That hasn ’ t happened so far , and there ’ s little to suggest it will before lawmakers leave town next month to focus on the approaching election .
The number of people seeking and collecting unemployment benefits has remained at historically high levels in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the labor market has lost momentum , thousands of jobs and businesses have been permanently lost , and mass evictions are on the rise .
“ Once they see that Democrats are not going to fold ... the pressure will mount on them as it did .
Just look at the last three bills , ” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) told CNN this week , pointing to Democratic tactics that led to Congress passing larger coronavirus relief measures earlier this year .
Republicans , meanwhile , are convinced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill , which Democrats blocked on Thursday , will prompt them to restart negotiations with the White House .
The downsized measure included aid for schools , small businesses , and the unemployed .
It failed to advance in a 52-47 vote , short of the necessary 60 votes , with Sen. Rand Paul ( R-Ky. ) joining Democrats in opposition .
The $ 600 billion proposal left out another round of stimulus checks to most Americans , which Republicans previously supported .
And it did not include rental assistance or aid to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insisted on .
“ Demonstrating that there is near-unanimous support among Republicans for this set of solutions hopefully will inspire Democrats to come back to the table and work with us on a solution , ” Senate Majority Whip John Thune ( R-S.D . )
told reporters on Thursday .
Republicans immediately accused Democrats of holding up critical aid to millions of Americans ― a charge they ’ re likely to amplify in television ads against incumbents on the ballot this year , like Jones and Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus bill four months ago ; Senate Republicans argued for a pause in providing further aid over the summer . )
More than a million people are losing their jobs every week ― more than the number who lost jobs in any given month of the Great Recession that started in 2007 .
The Labor Department announced Thursday that 1.7 million had filed for unemployment insurance in the first week of September .
“ Just as the rate of new infections appears to have plateaued , so too does pandemic induced unemployment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at between 1.3 and 1.7 million for the past month ― an unthinkably high level just months ago , ” Andrew Stettner , an unemployment expert with The Century Foundation , said Thursday .
And even though the economy has been adding jobs for the past several months , millions of people who lost their jobs early in the pandemic are still unemployed .
Erika Feldstein of Atlanta worked as a freelance producer of TV commercials until March 13 , when everything closed and gigs dried up .
She remained current on her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the $ 600 weekly supplement it added to state unemployment benefits earlier this year .
“ I ’ ve never been in this position in my life before .
I like to work and I can ’ t , ” Feldstein , 49 , said in an interview .
“ I hope our Congress had a nice break , enjoyed their multiple homes and vacations near and far.
” Republicans said the extra $ 600 stopped people from returning to work , but the most recent employment report showed a slowdown in hiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplement .
At the same time , some economists worried the lapse would hurt the economy .
But the jobs report nevertheless showed the unemployment rate continuing to decline , making the crisis seem less urgent ― especially to Republicans .
Feldstein ’ s state benefit is $ 360 .
She said she couldn ’ t make her August mortgage payment and has entered a forbearance arrangement with her lender .
She can skip house payments for three months , but then has to pay it all back in November .
She could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miss out on a commercial gig , and she ’ s optimistic that things will pick up this year .
As a single mom , she ’ s valued the flexibility her career provides .
“ The minute I go off of that and take a job somewhere else I ’ d be making the same money as on unemployment but wouldn ’ t be able to drop everything and do my normal freelance thing , ” Feldstein said .
“ When I get calls sometimes the job starts the next day.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid the benefits ; the Georgia Labor Department said last week it would start paying soon , but that the benefits are “ currently time-limited to an initial five-week period and not everyone who has filed an unemployment claim will be eligible .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Congressional lawmakers are in a stubborn standoff over how much additional coronavirus aid should be given to millions of Americans suffering amid the pandemic. The monthslong logjam might not end until November at the earliest.
Both sides are confident in their negotiating strategy and believe the other side will retreat. That hasn’t happened so far, and there’s little to suggest it will before lawmakers leave town next month to focus on the approaching election.
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“It’s a sort of a dead-end street and very unfortunate,” Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) said of the stalled talks on Thursday.
Democrats insist that public pressure will eventually force Republicans to accept a stimulus package large enough to adequately address the scope of the public health crisis and the accompanying economic recession.
The number of people seeking and collecting unemployment benefits has remained at historically high levels in recent weeks, a sign that the recovery in the labor market has lost momentum, thousands of jobs and businesses have been permanently lost, and mass evictions are on the rise.
“Once they see that Democrats are not going to fold ... the pressure will mount on them as it did. Just look at the last three bills,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told CNN this week, pointing to Democratic tactics that led to Congress passing larger coronavirus relief measures earlier this year.
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Republicans, meanwhile, are convinced that a vote on a slimmed-down messaging bill, which Democrats blocked on Thursday, will prompt them to restart negotiations with the White House. The downsized measure included aid for schools, small businesses, and the unemployed. It failed to advance in a 52-47 vote, short of the necessary 60 votes, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) joining Democrats in opposition.
The $600 billion proposal left out another round of stimulus checks to most Americans, which Republicans previously supported. And it did not include rental assistance or aid to cities and states, which Democrats have insisted on.
“Demonstrating that there is near-unanimous support among Republicans for this set of solutions hopefully will inspire Democrats to come back to the table and work with us on a solution,” Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters on Thursday.
Every Democrat opposed the bill, including Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama, who faces an extremely tough reelection bid in November.
“I don’t take votes with politics in mind. I take votes with what I’m thinking is the right thing to do and this bill is totally inadequate,” Jones said afterward.
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Republicans immediately accused Democrats of holding up critical aid to millions of Americans ― a charge they’re likely to amplify in television ads against incumbents on the ballot this year, like Jones and Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan. (House Democrats passed a $3 trillion coronavirus bill four months ago; Senate Republicans argued for a pause in providing further aid over the summer.)
More than a million people are losing their jobs every week ― more than the number who lost jobs in any given month of the Great Recession that started in 2007. The Labor Department announced Thursday that 1.7 million had filed for unemployment insurance in the first week of September.
“Just as the rate of new infections appears to have plateaued, so too does pandemic induced unemployment, as initial jobless claims have held steady at between 1.3 and 1.7 million for the past month ― an unthinkably high level just months ago,” Andrew Stettner, an unemployment expert with The Century Foundation, said Thursday.
And even though the economy has been adding jobs for the past several months, millions of people who lost their jobs early in the pandemic are still unemployed.
Erika Feldstein of Atlanta worked as a freelance producer of TV commercials until March 13, when everything closed and gigs dried up. She remained current on her bills until August, when Congress dropped the $600 weekly supplement it added to state unemployment benefits earlier this year.
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“I’ve never been in this position in my life before. I like to work and I can’t,” Feldstein, 49, said in an interview. “I hope our Congress had a nice break, enjoyed their multiple homes and vacations near and far.”
Republicans said the extra $600 stopped people from returning to work, but the most recent employment report showed a slowdown in hiring in the first month without the federal supplement. At the same time, some economists worried the lapse would hurt the economy. But the jobs report nevertheless showed the unemployment rate continuing to decline, making the crisis seem less urgent ― especially to Republicans.
Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, said Thursday he believed “odds are high the economy will backslide into recession in coming months if lawmakers don’t provide additional fiscal support.”
Feldstein’s state benefit is $360. She said she couldn’t make her August mortgage payment and has entered a forbearance arrangement with her lender. She can skip house payments for three months, but then has to pay it all back in November.
She could get another job, but then might miss out on a commercial gig, and she’s optimistic that things will pick up this year. As a single mom, she’s valued the flexibility her career provides.
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“The minute I go off of that and take a job somewhere else I’d be making the same money as on unemployment but wouldn’t be able to drop everything and do my normal freelance thing,” Feldstein said. “When I get calls sometimes the job starts the next day.”
Georgia has not yet started paying the $300 “lost wages assistance” that the Trump administration created to replace the lapsed $600 unemployment benefit.
So far, only 17 states have paid the benefits; the Georgia Labor Department said last week it would start paying soon, but that the benefits are “currently time-limited to an initial five-week period and not everyone who has filed an unemployment claim will be eligible.”
Feldstein said she’s not counting on it.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-10--ABC's Jon Karl Grills Trump: 'Why Did You Lie To The American People?'

“ These are a series of phone calls , mostly phone calls .
Bob Woodward is somebody that I respect just from hearing the name for many , many years .
Not knowing too much about his work , not caring about his work .
But I thought it would be interesting to talk to him for a period of calls .
So we did that .
I don ’ t know if it ’ s good or bad .
I don ’ t know if the book is good or bad .
“ Certainly if he thought that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported it because he thinks that , you know , you don ’ t want to have anybody that is going to suffer medically because of some fact .
He didn ’ t report it because he didn ’ t think it was bad .
Nobody thought it was bad .
“ Wait a minute .
And your question , the way you phrased that is such a disgrace .
It ’ s a disgrace to ABC television network , it ’ s a disgrace to your employer .
And that ’ s @ @ @ @

“These are a series of phone calls, mostly phone calls. Bob Woodward is somebody that I respect just from hearing the name for many, many years. Not knowing too much about his work, not caring about his work. But I thought it would be interesting to talk to him for a period of calls. So we did that. I don’t know if it’s good or bad. I don’t know if the book is good or bad.
“Certainly if he thought that was a bad statement, he would have reported it because he thinks that, you know, you don’t want to have anybody that is going to suffer medically because of some fact. He didn’t report it because he didn’t think it was bad. Nobody thought it was bad.
“Wait a minute. And your question, the way you phrased that is such a disgrace. It’s a disgrace to ABC television network, it’s a disgrace to your employer. And that’s your answer.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-10--Mike Pence Insists Trump Didn't Downplay Virus, Contradicting Trump's Own Words

Vice President Mike Pence said he didn ’ t believe President Donald Trump downplayed the threat of the coronavirus , contradicting Trump ’ s own words in an audio recording where the president said he “ wanted to always play it down.
” “ I didn ’ t sense the president was downplaying anything , ” Pence told Fox News on Thursday , a day after explosive new details from Bob Woodward revealed Trump ’ s lies about the severity of COVID-19 .
“ I wanted to always play it down , ” Trump told the famed journalist on March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Woodward ’ s new book , “ Rage , ” and audio recordings provided to CNN .
“ I still like playing it down , because I don ’ t want to create a panic.
” Trump was aware of just how dangerous the virus was , telling Woodward on Feb. 7 that it was “ more deadly than even your strenuous flus ” ― at the same time as he and the White House publicly minimized the threat .
Pence also said in a now-deleted tweet on Thursday that Trump “ shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health of America first.
” But almost immediately after the federal government released strong social distancing guidelines in late March that led to the shutdown of large swaths of the U.S. economy , Trump was already itching to reopen businesses , even at the expense of more people dying .
“ Our country wasn ’ t built to be shut down , ” Trump said at a White House briefing in March , the same month he told Woodward he was intentionally downplaying the threat of the virus .
“ America will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for business .
Very soon .
A lot sooner than three or four months that somebody was suggesting .
Lot sooner .
We can not let the cure be worse than the problem itself.
” And in May , as cases continued to rise across the U.S. , the president said he wouldn ’ t call for shutting down the U.S. economy should a second wave hit .
“ Whether it ’ s an ember or a flame , we ’ re going to put it out .
But we ’ re not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In June , Pence himself encouraged governors to downplay the community spread of COVID-19 and instead to attribute spikes in case numbers to an increase in testing , The New York Times reported .
“ The president has never lied to the American public on COVID , ” McEnany said , insisting that Trump “ never downplayed the virus.
” More than 190,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus so far .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Vice President Mike Pence said he didn’t believe President Donald Trump downplayed the threat of the coronavirus, contradicting Trump’s own words in an audio recording where the president said he “wanted to always play it down.”
“I didn’t sense the president was downplaying anything,” Pence told Fox News on Thursday, a day after explosive new details from Bob Woodward revealed Trump’s lies about the severity of COVID-19.
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“I wanted to always play it down,” Trump told the famed journalist on March 19, according to a copy of Woodward’s new book, “Rage,” and audio recordings provided to CNN. “I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”
Trump was aware of just how dangerous the virus was, telling Woodward on Feb. 7 that it was “more deadly than even your strenuous flus” ― at the same time as he and the White House publicly minimized the threat.
Pence also said in a now-deleted tweet on Thursday that Trump “shut down the entire American economy to put the health of America first.” But almost immediately after the federal government released strong social distancing guidelines in late March that led to the shutdown of large swaths of the U.S. economy, Trump was already itching to reopen businesses, even at the expense of more people dying.
“Our country wasn’t built to be shut down,” Trump said at a White House briefing in March, the same month he told Woodward he was intentionally downplaying the threat of the virus. “America will, again and soon, be open for business. Very soon. A lot sooner than three or four months that somebody was suggesting. Lot sooner. We cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself.”
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And in May, as cases continued to rise across the U.S., the president said he wouldn’t call for shutting down the U.S. economy should a second wave hit.
“Whether it’s an ember or a flame, we’re going to put it out. But we’re not closing our country,” Trump said.
In June, Pence himself encouraged governors to downplay the community spread of COVID-19 and instead to attribute spikes in case numbers to an increase in testing, The New York Times reported.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany also contradicted Trump’s own recorded words during a press conference on Wednesday.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-10--Trump Wildly Accuses Biden Of Being A Coronavirus 'Anti-Vaxxer'

“ Biden ’ s launched a public campaign against the vaccine , which is so bad , ” Trump said from the White House , adding that “ we have some vaccines coming that are incredible.
” “ You don ’ t want to have anything having to do with the political purposes being [ sic ] an anti-vaxxer , ” he said .
The term typically refers to early childhood vaccines against measles , mumps and rubella , which some have non-scientifically linked to autism .
Trump continued : “ You don ’ t want to be talking about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially when you see the statistics that we ’ re starting to see .
They ’ re incredible , actually .
Biden ’ s perfectly happy to endanger the lives of other people by doing something that he thinks is going to help him politically because his polls are getting very bad .
They ’ re getting very shaky.
” The president ’ s comments appear to come as a response to brief remarks Biden made earlier in the week about his hopes for a potential vaccine , and his concern that misinformation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump has said “ so many things that aren ’ t true , ” Biden stated Monday , “ I ’ m worried if we do have a really good vaccine , people are going to be reluctant to take it .
So he ’ s undermining public confidence.
” Asked if he would get the vaccine himself , Biden replied that he would follow scientific advice on taking any drug to prevent COVID-19 .
“ I would want to see what the scientists said , ” Biden asserted , echoing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris .
The California senator told reporters she would not follow advice from Trump alone , saying that she trusted “ the word of public health experts and scientists.
” “ If I could get a vaccine tomorrow I ’ d do it , ” he said .
“ If it would cost me the election I ’ d do it .
We need a vaccine and we need it now.
” Trump also suggested Thursday that Biden was politicizing the coronavirus pandemic , which the president has consistently sought to downplay despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The United States continues to lead the world in both COVID-19 infections and deaths ; 6.4 million cases have been reported across the country and more than 190,000 people have died of the virus since the crisis began .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump launched a bizarre attack against Democratic challenger Joe Biden on Thursday, suggesting that the former vice president opposes a coronavirus vaccine without explanation.
“Biden’s launched a public campaign against the vaccine, which is so bad,” Trump said from the White House, adding that “we have some vaccines coming that are incredible.”
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“You don’t want to have anything having to do with the political purposes being [sic] an anti-vaxxer,” he said. The term typically refers to early childhood vaccines against measles, mumps and rubella, which some have non-scientifically linked to autism.
Trump continued: “You don’t want to be talking about the vaccines in a negative way, especially when you see the statistics that we’re starting to see. They’re incredible, actually. Biden’s perfectly happy to endanger the lives of other people by doing something that he thinks is going to help him politically because his polls are getting very bad. They’re getting very shaky.”
Recent polls have consistently shown Biden to have a strong lead over Trump.
The president’s comments appear to come as a response to brief remarks Biden made earlier in the week about his hopes for a potential vaccine, and his concern that misinformation could hurt efforts to vaccinate the population.
Trump has said “so many things that aren’t true,” Biden stated Monday, “I’m worried if we do have a really good vaccine, people are going to be reluctant to take it. So he’s undermining public confidence.”
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Asked if he would get the vaccine himself, Biden replied that he would follow scientific advice on taking any drug to prevent COVID-19.
“I would want to see what the scientists said,” Biden asserted, echoing a comment made earlier by running mate Kamala Harris. The California senator told reporters she would not follow advice from Trump alone, saying that she trusted “the word of public health experts and scientists.”
Biden also emphasized the importance of securing a vaccine as soon as possible.
“If I could get a vaccine tomorrow I’d do it,” he said. “If it would cost me the election I’d do it. We need a vaccine and we need it now.”
Trump also suggested Thursday that Biden was politicizing the coronavirus pandemic, which the president has consistently sought to downplay despite its crippling effects on the global economy.
“He keeps talking about the pandemic,” Trump complained.
The United States continues to lead the world in both COVID-19 infections and deaths; 6.4 million cases have been reported across the country and more than 190,000 people have died of the virus since the crisis began.
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The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.