thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-20--Melania Trump Nixes Campaign Trip Due To Lingering COVID-19 Cough

The first lady has decided against accompanying President Donald Trump to a campaign rally Tuesday in Erie , Pennsylvania , because of a lingering cough after her bout with COVID-19 , said Stephanie Grisham , her chief of staff .
It was to be Mrs. Trump ’ s first public appearance since recovering from the coronavirus , as well as her first time out on the campaign trail in more than a year .
The first lady ’ s announcement served as yet another reminder for the president that , as much as he wishes the virus would “ just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — it remains a powerful presence in everyday life , including his .
Trump said Monday that people are tired of hearing about COVID-19 .
More than 58,000 Americans a day are testing positive for the virus , and more than 700 a day are dying from the disease .
Mrs. Trump continues to feel better every day “ but with a lingering cough , and out of an abundance of caution , she will not be traveling today , ” Grisham said .
The first lady last appeared in public for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Democrat Joe Biden .
She and the president tested positive two days later .
The first lady announced in a blog post last week that she had recovered from a bout with COVID-19 that included headaches , body aches and fatigue , and had tested negative .
She also revealed that the couple ’ s 14-year-old son , Barron , also had contracted the virus , but never had symptoms .
He has since tested negative .
President Trump spent three nights at a military hospital outside Washington receiving treatment for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released Oct. 5 and returned to active campaigning last week .
Tuesday ’ s rally in Pennsylvania was to be the first campaign trail appearance for Mrs. Trump since she spoke briefly at a June 2019 event in Orlando , Florida , where the president launched his reelection bid .
The first lady had planned to headline Trump campaign fundraisers back in March , but those appearances were canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak .
She is expected to accompany the president to Nashville , Tennessee , on Thursday for his second and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 election .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump’s return to the campaign trail will have to wait.
The first lady has decided against accompanying President Donald Trump to a campaign rally Tuesday in Erie, Pennsylvania, because of a lingering cough after her bout with COVID-19, said Stephanie Grisham, her chief of staff.
It was to be Mrs. Trump’s first public appearance since recovering from the coronavirus, as well as her first time out on the campaign trail in more than a year.
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The first lady’s announcement served as yet another reminder for the president that, as much as he wishes the virus would “just disappear” — as he has said — it remains a powerful presence in everyday life, including his.
Trump said Monday that people are tired of hearing about COVID-19. More than 58,000 Americans a day are testing positive for the virus, and more than 700 a day are dying from the disease.
Mrs. Trump continues to feel better every day “but with a lingering cough, and out of an abundance of caution, she will not be traveling today,” Grisham said.
The first lady last appeared in public for the Sept. 29 debate in Cleveland between Trump and Democrat Joe Biden. She and the president tested positive two days later.
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The first lady announced in a blog post last week that she had recovered from a bout with COVID-19 that included headaches, body aches and fatigue, and had tested negative. She also revealed that the couple’s 14-year-old son, Barron, also had contracted the virus, but never had symptoms. He has since tested negative.
President Trump spent three nights at a military hospital outside Washington receiving treatment for his case of the disease. He was released Oct. 5 and returned to active campaigning last week.
Tuesday’s rally in Pennsylvania was to be the first campaign trail appearance for Mrs. Trump since she spoke briefly at a June 2019 event in Orlando, Florida, where the president launched his reelection bid.
She addressed a mostly virtual Republican National Convention in August from the White House Rose Garden.
The first lady had planned to headline Trump campaign fundraisers back in March, but those appearances were canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-20--Leaked Reports Show White House Knew Of COVID-19 Spike As Trump Downplayed Crisis

The White House has been aware for more than a month that coronavirus cases have been surging nationwide as President Donald Trump has publicly downplayed the virus and held crowded events , according to private documents obtained and released Tuesday by a key House committee .
Rep. Jim Clyburn ( D-S.C. ) , chair of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis , released six weekly White House coronavirus task force reports showing that the White House has known since just after Labor Day that COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing and that there is a serious need for more testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House chose to hide these reports , according to Clyburn , as Trump publicly claimed in September the coronavirus “ affects virtually nobody ” and hosted potential superspreader events in states the task force warned had spikes in cases , including Wisconsin , Minnesota and North Carolina .
The reports show that White House officials watched as the number of states in the “ red zone ” ― a region with newly diagnosed COVID-19 case rates above 100 per 100,000 people over the previous week , and lab test positivity results above 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Sept. 13 and Oct. 18 .
The reports also show a dangerous disconnect between the task force ’ s findings and Trump ’ s actions .
In its Sept. 20 report , the task force warned the number of states in the “ red zone ” had ticked up to 18 .
Wisconsin was seeing a particularly high increase in positive cases , at 145 % .
Yet , on Oct. 1 , Trump held two more rallies in the state .
By Oct. 18 , the task force reported that 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” A day later , Trump told campaign staffers on a call , “ People are tired of COVID .
... People are saying , ‘ Whatever .
Just leave us alone.
’ They ’ re tired of it .
People are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots , ” referring to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci .
The task force calls for more testing in all 50 states , contradicting Trump ’ s claim that he has “ done too good a job ” on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zone ” states to put mask mandates in place , as governors in some of those states ignore the recommendations and embrace Trump ’ s false claims that “ there ’ s a lot of problems with masks ” and “ 85 % of the people that wear masks catch it.
” “ The White House reports released today show that President Trump ’ s contempt for science and refusal to lead during this crisis have allowed the coronavirus to surge , ” Clyburn said in a statement .
“ Contrary to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rounding the turn , ’ more states are now in the ‘ red zone ’ than ever before .
...
It is long past time that the Administration implement a national plan to contain this crisis , which is still killing hundreds of Americans each day and could get even worse in the months ahead.
” “ In the midst of an ongoing pandemic , some members of Congress have chosen to irresponsibly issue a partisan statements [ sic ] completely for the purpose of falsely distorting the President ’ s record to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American people and save millions of lives , ” Deere said in a statement .
“ The Coronavirus Task Force has been providing tailored recommendations to individual states for months encouraging Governors and local health officials to act immediately while at the same time President Trump and the entire administration has reminded Americans to follow CDC recommendations and best practices to slow the spread as we work to reopen.
” But a White House aide who would only speak without being named said Pence has told state leaders to “ feel free to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as you want to.
” Renowned infectious disease expert Michael Osterholm said Sunday that “ the next six to 12 weeks are going to be the darkest of the entire pandemic ” and raised concerns about the lack of leadership on the issue .
“ When I was on this show last on Sept. 13 , we had 33,000 cases reported that day , ” Osterholm said on NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press.
” “ Friday , we had 70,000 cases , matching the largest number we had seen back during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That number , we ’ re going to blow right through that.
” “ This is more than just science , ” he added .
“ This is bringing people together to understand , why are we doing this ?
This is an FDR fireside chat approach .
And we ’ re just not doing that .
”

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The White House has been aware for more than a month that coronavirus cases have been surging nationwide as President Donald Trump has publicly downplayed the virus and held crowded events, according to private documents obtained and released Tuesday by a key House committee.
Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), chair of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, released six weekly White House coronavirus task force reports showing that the White House has known since just after Labor Day that COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing and that there is a serious need for more testing and mask mandates.
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But the White House chose to hide these reports, according to Clyburn, as Trump publicly claimed in September the coronavirus “affects virtually nobody” and hosted potential superspreader events in states the task force warned had spikes in cases, including Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Carolina.
Until now, the task force reports were shared privately with state governments but were not disclosed to the public.
President Donald Trump holds a rally at Tucson International Airport on Oct. 19. He was not wearing a mask and neither were many of his rally attendees. MANDEL NGAN via Getty Images
The reports show that White House officials watched as the number of states in the “red zone” ― a region with newly diagnosed COVID-19 case rates above 100 per 100,000 people over the previous week, and lab test positivity results above 10% ― jumped from 18 to 31 between Sept. 13 and Oct. 18.
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The reports also show a dangerous disconnect between the task force’s findings and Trump’s actions. In its Sept. 20 report, the task force warned the number of states in the “red zone” had ticked up to 18. Wisconsin was seeing a particularly high increase in positive cases, at 145%. Yet, Trump scheduled two rallies in the state for Oct. 1. At the last minute, one was canceled and the other was postponed after the president tested positive for COVID-19.
By Oct. 18, the task force reported that 31 states were in the “red zone.” A day later, Trump told campaign staffers on a call, “People are tired of COVID. ... People are saying, ‘Whatever. Just leave us alone.’ They’re tired of it. People are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots,” referring to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci.
The task force calls for more testing in all 50 states, contradicting Trump’s claim that he has “done too good a job” on testing. It also urges “red zone” states to put mask mandates in place, as governors in some of those states ignore the recommendations and embrace Trump’s false claims that “there’s a lot of problems with masks” and “85% of the people that wear masks catch it.”
“The White House reports released today show that President Trump’s contempt for science and refusal to lead during this crisis have allowed the coronavirus to surge,” Clyburn said in a statement. “Contrary to his empty claims that the country is ‘rounding the turn,’ more states are now in the ‘red zone’ than ever before. ... It is long past time that the Administration implement a national plan to contain this crisis, which is still killing hundreds of Americans each day and could get even worse in the months ahead.”
You can read the six task force reports, dated Aug. 16 through Sept. 20, at the links below:
Aug. 16, 2020
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White House spokesperson Judd Deere accused Clyburn of misrepresenting Trump’s response to the coronavirus crisis.
“In the midst of an ongoing pandemic, some members of Congress have chosen to irresponsibly issue a partisan statements [sic] completely for the purpose of falsely distorting the President’s record to protect the health and safety of the American people and save millions of lives,” Deere said in a statement. “The Coronavirus Task Force has been providing tailored recommendations to individual states for months encouraging Governors and local health officials to act immediately while at the same time President Trump and the entire administration has reminded Americans to follow CDC recommendations and best practices to slow the spread as we work to reopen.”
A spokeswoman for Vice President Mike Pence, who leads the White House coronavirus task force, did not respond to a request for comment.
But a White House aide who would only speak without being named said Pence has told state leaders to “feel free to share [the reports] as widely as you want to.”
More than 220,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and more than 8.2 million have tested positive, according to Johns Hopkins’ Coronavirus Resource Center.
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Renowned infectious disease expert Michael Osterholm said Sunday that “the next six to 12 weeks are going to be the darkest of the entire pandemic” and raised concerns about the lack of leadership on the issue.
“When I was on this show last on Sept. 13, we had 33,000 cases reported that day,” Osterholm said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “Friday, we had 70,000 cases, matching the largest number we had seen back during the really serious peak in July. That number, we’re going to blow right through that.”
“This is more than just science,” he added. “This is bringing people together to understand, why are we doing this? This is an FDR fireside chat approach. And we’re just not doing that.”
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article said Trump held two rallies in Wisconsin on Oct. 1. In fact, one of those events was canceled and another was postponed.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-20--Texan Plane Passenger In Her 30s Reportedly Died Of Coronavirus While On Tarmac

A woman in her 30s from Garland , Texas , died of COVID-19 in a plane that was about to fly from Arizona to Texas on July 25 , local health officials said over the weekend .
The woman died while the plane was still on the tarmac after reportedly experiencing severe breathing difficulties , according to local news station KXAS-TV and a report by Buzzfeed News .
She was administered oxygen before she died and had underlying high-risk health conditions , per a press release from Dallas County Health and Human Services .
The airline involved in the incident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman remain undisclosed for privacy reasons .
The woman ’ s death was announced on Sunday , along with two other previously unreported coronavirus deaths .
Despite the woman dying nearly three months ago , Dallas County was only recently notified that the cause of death was confirmed to be COVID-19 .
“ We don ’ t know a whole lot , ” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins told local news station WFAA .
“ We may not know if she was aware she was sick.
” Jenkins added that this was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age restriction in COVID.
” He criticized the loosening of coronavirus lockdown restrictions throughout Texas , including an executive order passed by Republican Gov .
Greg Abbott in early October allowing bars to reopen at 50 % capacity .
“ What happens with that is people hear that — they may not be going to a bar , but they think it ’ s now safe to have friends over to watch the Cowboys game or do something else they want to do , ” Jenkins said .
“ We keep jumping the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a situation which hurts public health and businesses and schools.
” As of Monday , the state of Texas has seen over 828,500 confirmed coronavirus cases , with more than 17,000 fatalities .

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A woman in her 30s from Garland, Texas, died of COVID-19 in a plane that was about to fly from Arizona to Texas on July 25, local health officials said over the weekend.
The woman died while the plane was still on the tarmac after reportedly experiencing severe breathing difficulties, according to local news station KXAS-TV and a report by Buzzfeed News. She was administered oxygen before she died and had underlying high-risk health conditions, per a press release from Dallas County Health and Human Services.
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The airline involved in the incident as well as the identity of the woman remain undisclosed for privacy reasons. The woman’s death was announced on Sunday, along with two other previously unreported coronavirus deaths.
Despite the woman dying nearly three months ago, Dallas County was only recently notified that the cause of death was confirmed to be COVID-19.
“We don’t know a whole lot,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins told local news station WFAA. “We may not know if she was aware she was sick.”
Jenkins added that this was a stark “reminder that there is no age restriction in COVID.” He criticized the loosening of coronavirus lockdown restrictions throughout Texas, including an executive order passed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in early October allowing bars to reopen at 50% capacity.
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“What happens with that is people hear that — they may not be going to a bar, but they think it’s now safe to have friends over to watch the Cowboys game or do something else they want to do,” Jenkins said. “We keep jumping the gun, and it puts us back in a situation which hurts public health and businesses and schools.”
As of Monday, the state of Texas has seen over 828,500 confirmed coronavirus cases, with more than 17,000 fatalities.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-20--CDC Urges Travelers To Wear Masks In Latest COVID-19 Guidance

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its coronavirus travel guidance on Monday to include a recommendation that passengers and employees on mass transit wear masks to help prevent the spread of the virus .
Travel operators are asked to help ensure that passengers wear masks when boarding , throughout travel , and while disembarking .
If a passenger refuses , the CDC asks that they be refused service and/or be removed at the earliest opportunity .
“ Traveling on public conveyances increases a person ’ s risk of getting and spreading COVID-19 by bringing persons in close contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and exposing them to frequently touched surfaces , ” the CDC said .
“ Broad and routine utilization of masks on our transportation systems will protect Americans and provide confidence that we can once again travel more safely even during this pandemic.
” A traveler wears a mask while reading in John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City .
The CDC has advised that people on public conveyances — including trains , planes and buses — wear masks for the entire duration of their trip .
The updated guidance follows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found the White House blocked the CDC ’ s earlier attempt to issue a far stronger , nationwide mask mandate for public transportation .
That mandate would have required passengers and employees to wear face masks on planes , trains , buses and subways , as well as at transit networks such as airports , train stations and bus depots .
The mandate had the support of the secretary of health and human services , Alex Azar .
However , the White House ’ s coronavirus task force reportedly declined to discuss it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decision to require masks should be left up to states and localities .
Airlines already require that passengers and their employees wear masks , and recent studies on air travel show that face coverings can reduce virus transmission .
One such study by the U.S. Department of Defense concluded that the risk of COVID-19 exposure on aircraft is “ virtually non-existent ” when masks are worn .
Another study by the University of Edinburgh found that face coverings can reduce the forward spread of potential COVID-19 droplets from the mouth by 90 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Air Transport Association , a trade association that represents 82 % of the world ’ s air traffic , states on its website that passengers who refuse to comply with the airline industry ’ s mask mandate can face removal , penalties under national laws , and restrictions on future travel .

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its coronavirus travel guidance on Monday to include a recommendation that passengers and employees on mass transit wear masks to help prevent the spread of the virus.
Travel operators are asked to help ensure that passengers wear masks when boarding, throughout travel, and while disembarking. If a passenger refuses, the CDC asks that they be refused service and/or be removed at the earliest opportunity.
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“Traveling on public conveyances increases a person’s risk of getting and spreading COVID-19 by bringing persons in close contact with others, often for prolonged periods, and exposing them to frequently touched surfaces,” the CDC said. “Broad and routine utilization of masks on our transportation systems will protect Americans and provide confidence that we can once again travel more safely even during this pandemic.”
A traveler wears a mask while reading in John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. The CDC has advised that people on public conveyances — including trains, planes and buses — wear masks for the entire duration of their trip. Lucas Jackson / Reuters
The updated guidance follows a recent New York Times report that found the White House blocked the CDC’s earlier attempt to issue a far stronger, nationwide mask mandate for public transportation. That mandate would have required passengers and employees to wear face masks on planes, trains, buses and subways, as well as at transit networks such as airports, train stations and bus depots.
The mandate had the support of the secretary of health and human services, Alex Azar. However, the White House’s coronavirus task force reportedly declined to discuss it, with a task force official stating the decision to require masks should be left up to states and localities.
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Airlines already require that passengers and their employees wear masks, and recent studies on air travel show that face coverings can reduce virus transmission.
One such study by the U.S. Department of Defense concluded that the risk of COVID-19 exposure on aircraft is “virtually non-existent” when masks are worn. Another study by the University of Edinburgh found that face coverings can reduce the forward spread of potential COVID-19 droplets from the mouth by 90% when properly worn.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-20--Facebook Is Still Running New Anti-Vaccination Ads, Despite Ban

Facebook/Earthley Alternative medicine company Earthley has continued to run anti-vaccine ads on Facebook without issue , despite the platform 's ban on such ads .
As of Tuesday morning , the alternative medicine company Earthley had more than a dozen active ads on Facebook criticizing vaccines , and in several cases , spreading misinformation .
Earthley makes money by selling supposed vaccine alternatives , such as the “ elderberry elixir ” it promotes on Facebook .
“ Ever wondered why your child needs 5+ [ Diphtheria , Tetanus and Pertussis ] shots ?
It ’ s because it isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ad , which contradicts data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Another ad suggests vaccines cause autism or neurological injury , a myth that medical authorities have repeatedly debunked .
Other ads feature images of scared-looking children and their mothers — and question the effectiveness of not only vaccines but also the CDC-recommended practices of social distancing and wearing face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
“ THE PEOPLE THAT PROFIT WHEN YOU ’ RE SICK WILL NOT SELL YOU THE CURE , ” reads an Earthley Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We all know that this fall they are going to be pushing vaccines and masks like crazy !
” Vaccines are rigorously tested and have been deemed safe by an abundance of independent studies .
Public health experts stress that a coronavirus vaccine , once it ’ s available , will be vital for ending the pandemic and preventing more deaths .
Yet more than 1 in 3 Americans say they won ’ t take it , according to a Gallup poll — underscoring the harm caused by anti-vaccine propaganda advertised on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Facebook ’ s new policy applies only to ads ; other anti-vaccine content is still allowed and continues to flourish on the platform through posts and groups .
But even the minimal effort of restricting ads — which can be selectively targeted and can reach far bigger audiences than organic content — is , so far , failing .
After the ad policy announcement last Tuesday , HuffPost drew attention in a tweet to two of the many anti-vaccine ads from Earthley that remained active on the platform .
Facebook executive Rob @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be “ rolling ” over the remainder of last week , and Facebook removed those two ads .
Yet Earthley was still able to run other old and new anti-vax ads into this week without issue .
“ It is our understanding that Facebook is banning ads that actively tell people not to get a vaccine , ” said Tietje .
“ We do not tell our audience what choice to make ; we aim to provide links to peer-reviewed studies so that people can make informed decisions for themselves .
We do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy , nor should it.
” Facebook has long been aware of controversy surrounding health claims from Earthley , which recently received a warning letter from the Food and Drug Administration for selling “ unapproved and misbranded ” products to prevent COVID-19 .
BuzzFeed News reported in January that the alternative medicine company was pushing falsehoods about the whooping cough vaccine in its Facebook ads — seemingly in violation of the platform ’ s already-existing policy prohibiting misinformation in ads .
Facebook declined at the time to take any action .
Along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also announced a campaign to provide authoritative information about the flu vaccine and committed to “ help messages about the safety and efficacy of vaccines reach a broad group of people.
” Anti-vaccine conspiracy theories have burgeoned on Facebook , including the absurd claim that billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates will somehow microchip people through a forthcoming COVID-19 vaccine to exert mind control .
Facebook-owned Instagram is also rife with anti-vaccine misinformation , which the platform continues to algorithmically promote more than a year and a half after vowing to reduce the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where people regularly exchange natural home remedies in lieu of doctor-recommended treatments for various ailments , are thriving on Facebook .
Earlier this year , a mother turned to a 178,000-member anti-vax Facebook group for advice on caring for her seriously ill 4-year-old son , as NBC News reported .
Users there suggested that she try thyme and elderberry , and urged her not to give her son the vaccine that her doctor had prescribed , so she didn ’ t .
The child died .

Alternative medicine company Earthley has continued to run anti-vaccine ads on Facebook without issue, despite the platform's ban on such ads. Facebook/Earthley
It’s been a week since Facebook announced a ban on ads “that discourage people from getting a vaccine,” a move that elicited widespread praise as the coronavirus death toll soars. “We don’t want these ads on our platform,” the social media giant declared.
But Facebook has quietly continued to run anti-vaccination ads — including new ones that launched days after its policy change.
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As of Tuesday morning, the alternative medicine company Earthley had more than a dozen active ads on Facebook criticizing vaccines, and in several cases, spreading misinformation. Earthley makes money by selling supposed vaccine alternatives, such as the “elderberry elixir” it promotes on Facebook.
“Ever wondered why your child needs 5+ [Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis] shots? It’s because it isn’t working,” claims one Earthley ad, which contradicts data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another ad suggests vaccines cause autism or neurological injury, a myth that medical authorities have repeatedly debunked. Other ads feature images of scared-looking children and their mothers — and question the effectiveness of not only vaccines but also the CDC-recommended practices of social distancing and wearing face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“THE PEOPLE THAT PROFIT WHEN YOU’RE SICK WILL NOT SELL YOU THE CURE,” reads an Earthley Facebook ad image beneath the caption, “We all know that this fall they are going to be pushing vaccines and masks like crazy!”
Vaccines are rigorously tested and have been deemed safe by an abundance of independent studies. Public health experts stress that a coronavirus vaccine, once it’s available, will be vital for ending the pandemic and preventing more deaths. Yet more than 1 in 3 Americans say they won’t take it, according to a Gallup poll — underscoring the harm caused by anti-vaccine propaganda advertised on the world’s biggest social media platform.
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Facebook’s new policy applies only to ads; other anti-vaccine content is still allowed and continues to flourish on the platform through posts and groups. But even the minimal effort of restricting ads — which can be selectively targeted and can reach far bigger audiences than organic content — is, so far, failing.
Earthley’s anti-vaccine ads demonstrate Facebook’s jarring inability or unwillingness to enforce its own policies.
After the ad policy announcement last Tuesday, HuffPost drew attention in a tweet to two of the many anti-vaccine ads from Earthley that remained active on the platform. Facebook executive Rob Leathern tweeted in response that enforcement would be “rolling” over the remainder of last week, and Facebook removed those two ads. Yet Earthley was still able to run other old and new anti-vax ads into this week without issue.
A number of Earthley's Facebook ads suggest masks and social distancing are ineffective in keeping people safe from COVID-19. Public health experts say the opposite is true. HuffPost
Kate Tietje, Earthley’s lead herbalist, told HuffPost that she believes her company’s ads comply with Facebook rules.
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“It is our understanding that Facebook is banning ads that actively tell people not to get a vaccine,” said Tietje. “We do not tell our audience what choice to make; we aim to provide links to peer-reviewed studies so that people can make informed decisions for themselves. We do not think this violates Facebook’s policy, nor should it.”
Facebook has long been aware of controversy surrounding health claims from Earthley, which recently received a warning letter from the Food and Drug Administration for selling “unapproved and misbranded” products to prevent COVID-19. BuzzFeed News reported in January that the alternative medicine company was pushing falsehoods about the whooping cough vaccine in its Facebook ads — seemingly in violation of the platform’s already-existing policy prohibiting misinformation in ads. Facebook declined at the time to take any action.
Along with the new anti-vax ad ban, Facebook also announced a campaign to provide authoritative information about the flu vaccine and committed to “help messages about the safety and efficacy of vaccines reach a broad group of people.”
But despite its many claims that it is taking public health concerns seriously, Facebook is still a major driving force in rising anti-vaccine sentiment.
Anti-vaccine conspiracy theories have burgeoned on Facebook, including the absurd claim that billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates will somehow microchip people through a forthcoming COVID-19 vaccine to exert mind control. Facebook-owned Instagram is also rife with anti-vaccine misinformation, which the platform continues to algorithmically promote more than a year and a half after vowing to reduce the spread of such content. And massive anti-vax groups, where people regularly exchange natural home remedies in lieu of doctor-recommended treatments for various ailments, are thriving on Facebook.
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Earlier this year, a mother turned to a 178,000-member anti-vax Facebook group for advice on caring for her seriously ill 4-year-old son, as NBC News reported. Users there suggested that she try thyme and elderberry, and urged her not to give her son the vaccine that her doctor had prescribed, so she didn’t. The child died.
That Facebook group is still active; it now has more than 200,000 members.
UPDATE: Oct. 21 — Facebook removed most, but not all, of Earthley’s anti-vaccine ads on Wednesday.
“We have rejected several of these ads because they discourage vaccines and spread vaccine misinformation,” a Facebook spokesperson told HuffPost in an email. “We also remove misinformation about masks, including claims like masks can make you sick or that masks don’t prevent the spread of COVID-19, but we do allow ads that disagree with masks requirements.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-20--Ice Cube Burns Eric Trump For Tweeting Fake Photo Of Him And 50 Cent

Eric Trump learned that lesson the hard way on Tuesday after posting a manipulated photo showing Ice Cube and fellow rapper 50 Cent wearing hats bearing the “ Trump 2020 ” logo .
The post came a day after 50 Cent announced he was voting for Trump even though the president “ doesn ’ t like black people , ” due to Joe Biden ’ s tax plan .
But while Ice Cube said he is willing to work with whichever party is in power , he wasn ’ t happy when Trump ’ s second born son tried to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this now-deleted manipulated photo .
The photo wasn ’ t legit , as BuzzFeed media editor Craig Silverman pointed out .
The other day it was a false claim about Biden owning a home he sold many years ago .
Today , Eric Trump shares an obviously photoshopped pic of two rappers in Trump hats .
Things will continue to get dumber .
pic.twitter.com/EfAW03henG — Craig Silverman ( @ CraigSilverman ) October 20 , 2020 Ice Cube had a strong reaction to the tweet : So far , 50 Cent hasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @

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Eric Trump learned that lesson the hard way on Tuesday after posting a manipulated photo showing Ice Cube and fellow rapper 50 Cent wearing hats bearing the “Trump 2020” logo.
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The post came a day after 50 Cent announced he was voting for Trump even though the president “doesn’t like black people,” due to Joe Biden’s tax plan.
But while Ice Cube said he is willing to work with whichever party is in power, he wasn’t happy when Trump’s second born son tried to turn that into an endorsement by tweeting this now-deleted manipulated photo.
Eric Trump posted a fake photo showing Ice Cube and fellow rapper 50 Cent wearing “Trump 2020” hats on Tuesday. Twitter
The photo wasn’t legit, as BuzzFeed media editor Craig Silverman pointed out.
The other day it was a false claim about Biden owning a home he sold many years ago. Today, Eric Trump shares an obviously photoshopped pic of two rappers in Trump hats. Things will continue to get dumber. pic.twitter.com/EfAW03henG — Craig Silverman (@CraigSilverman) October 20, 2020
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Ice Cube had a strong reaction to the tweet:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-20--Chuck Schumer Says He Had 'Long And Serious Talk' With Dianne Feinstein

“ I disagree strongly with Sen. Feinstein that that set of hearings was one of the best or was even acceptable , ” Porter said in an interview with HuffPost last week .
“ I think Amy Coney Barrett did not answer basic questions about her beliefs and stonewalled repeatedly .
We got many fewer direct answers than we have out of most Supreme Court hearings.
” Feinstein declined to answer questions about her conversation with Schumer and the criticism from progressives on Tuesday .
“ Thank you very much , ” the senator told HuffPost before walking into an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take charge of the Judiciary Committee as chairwoman if Democrats win control of the Senate next year .
The 87-year-old senator , who is serving her fifth term in the upper chamber , has faced questions from her colleagues about her ability to lead her party through the high-stakes Supreme Court battle and future judicial fights .
Republican leaders on Tuesday cited Feinstein ’ s comments from last week praising Graham ’ s handling of the hearings as further evidence why Barrett should be confirmed to the Supreme Court .
“ She was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the hearing was conducted in a very fair and balanced way .
I agree with her on that point .
I think she ’ s absolutely right , ” Senate Majority Whip John Thune ( R-S.D . )
told reporters .
Other GOP senators on the Judiciary Committee defended Feinstein , criticizing liberals for attacking a senator who they say was merely being civil to a member of the opposing party .
“ She ’ s such an outstanding legislator .
It ’ s totally unjustified , ” said Sen. Chuck Grassley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second oldest sitting member of the Senate .
“ She ’ s only three months older than I am .
And I haven ’ t announced that I ’ m not running for reelection.
” “ They didn ’ t lay a glove on the judge so they ’ re showing their frustration on people like Sen. Feinstein , ” Sen. John Cornyn ( R-Texas ) added of the backlash .
Graham , meanwhile , said he was “ shocked and sad ” to hear of the attacks on his fellow committee member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not whether you agree with them , you have to hate the people they hate , ” Graham said .
“ I feel terrible for her .
She ’ s a good person .
”

“I disagree strongly with Sen. Feinstein that that set of hearings was one of the best or was even acceptable,” Porter said in an interview with HuffPost last week. “I think Amy Coney Barrett did not answer basic questions about her beliefs and stonewalled repeatedly. We got many fewer direct answers than we have out of most Supreme Court hearings.”
Feinstein declined to answer questions about her conversation with Schumer and the criticism from progressives on Tuesday.
“Thank you very much,” the senator told HuffPost before walking into an elevator.
Feinstein is in line to take charge of the Judiciary Committee as chairwoman if Democrats win control of the Senate next year. The 87-year-old senator, who is serving her fifth term in the upper chamber, has faced questions from her colleagues about her ability to lead her party through the high-stakes Supreme Court battle and future judicial fights.
Republican leaders on Tuesday cited Feinstein’s comments from last week praising Graham’s handling of the hearings as further evidence why Barrett should be confirmed to the Supreme Court.
“She was very impressed with the nominee and thought that the hearing was conducted in a very fair and balanced way. I agree with her on that point. I think she’s absolutely right,” Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters.
Other GOP senators on the Judiciary Committee defended Feinstein, criticizing liberals for attacking a senator who they say was merely being civil to a member of the opposing party.
“She’s such an outstanding legislator. It’s totally unjustified,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who is the second oldest sitting member of the Senate. “She’s only three months older than I am. And I haven’t announced that I’m not running for reelection.”
“They didn’t lay a glove on the judge so they’re showing their frustration on people like Sen. Feinstein,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) added of the backlash.
Graham, meanwhile, said he was “shocked and sad” to hear of the attacks on his fellow committee member.
“For some people, it’s not whether you agree with them, you have to hate the people they hate,” Graham said. “I feel terrible for her. She’s a good person.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-20--Billy Graham's Granddaughter: Evangelicals' Excuses For Trump Hurt Their Reputation

Jerushah Duford is the granddaughter of the late American evangelist Billy Graham .
It ’ s a label and a legacy the 42-year-old evangelical Christian remembers carrying when she was a little girl in elementary school , and one that still appears to weigh heavily on her .
Duford said she ’ s very much aware that her world-famous grandfather ’ s name opens doors that she would otherwise not have access to ― and that people may be more likely to listen to her words because of her lineage .
“ I want every marginalized community , every sex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every sexual orientation to know that Jesus loves them , ” Duford told HuffPost in an email .
“ I want them to know that if they have not felt that from the church through this administration , then WE HAVE FAILED.
” Over the past few months , Duford has published an opinion piece slamming evangelical leaders for staying silent while Trump pursued policies that contradict the core tenets of Christianity .
She has joined the women ’ s coalition of The Lincoln Project , a political action committee formed by Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name to the rollout of a bipartisan political action committee , Not Our Faith , which seeks to draw evangelicals and Catholics away from Trump .
And she ’ s endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in two venues : through a group called Pro-life Evangelicals for Biden , which makes the case that it ’ s possible for those who oppose abortion to vote Democrat , and through the faith-based voter mobilization group Vote Common Good , where she is on a list of over 1,600 faith leaders and activists who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Greenville , South Carolina , told HuffPost she believes evangelical leaders ’ willingness to excuse the president ’ s immoral actions has severely damaged the way non-Christians see the church and view Jesus himself .
She said she wants people to know that the “ greed and hypocrisy ” they ’ ve seen in Christian communities over the past four years does not represent the Jesus she reads about in the Bible .
Duford is the child of Billy Graham ’ s eldest daughter , Virginia Graham .
Her grandfather , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an adviser to many U.S. presidents , died in 2018 at the age of 99 .
His body lay in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda , a privilege bestowed on only a handful of American citizens who haven ’ t served in elected office .
Both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence attended Graham ’ s funeral .
Duford ’ s anti-Trump advocacy sets her apart from other members of her family ― particularly her uncle , Franklin Graham , who has been one of the president ’ s most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Franklin Graham drew the line at family separation at the U.S.-Mexico border , over the past four years , he has defended many of Trump ’ s controversial policies and actions , from the 2017 travel bans to Trump ’ s aggressively obtained photo shoot with a Bible during protests against the police killing of George Floyd .
Duford said she believes abortion is the key issue that holds evangelicals back from voting for a Democrat .
As someone who identifies as “ pro-life , ” she said she wishes the Democratic Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside the womb.
” But she also wishes that the Republican Party would “ place a greater value on life outside the womb.
” The “ pro-life ” movement needs to be redefined to also include issues such as poverty , health insurance coverage and racism , Duford said .
Her first vote for a Democrat was for President Barack Obama when he was running for reelection .
Duford said while she doesn ’ t agree with everything Biden supports , she believes him to be a “ man of faith and integrity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her values .
“ We have a large family and we have a number of strong leaders in it , ” she said .
“ If I ’ m going to find the courage to speak out when it ’ s not easy ( trust me it ’ s not easy ) because I believe that Jesus taught us to , above all else , love Him and love others , I need to offer that same love to those that disagree with me , even when they are family members.
” Through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ segment of American evangelicalism , a faction whose voices are often drowned out by the Christian right .
These are the evangelicals who believe that being “ pro-life ” also means lifting expectant mothers out of poverty , welcoming refugees and addressing climate change .
They ’ ve been paying attention to the voices of evangelicals of color who bear witness to the continued effects of systemic racism .
And they are deeply upset about the way Trump has represented Christianity .
Duford acknowledges that most evangelicals probably don ’ t feel that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much access they ’ ve had to the White House during his administration .
But ultimately , she thinks this political alliance has been costly .
Younger generations of Americans are walking away from Christianity after witnessing the failure of church leaders to condemn Trump ’ s behavior , she said .

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Jerushah Duford is the granddaughter of the late American evangelist Billy Graham. It’s a label and a legacy the 42-year-old evangelical Christian remembers carrying when she was a little girl in elementary school, and one that still appears to weigh heavily on her. Duford said she’s very much aware that her world-famous grandfather’s name opens doors that she would otherwise not have access to ― and that people may be more likely to listen to her words because of her lineage.
Now, Duford is using the platform she inherited to try to convince fellow evangelicals not to vote for President Donald Trump, putting her at odds with many members of her religious group ― including her own extended family.
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“I want every marginalized community, every sex, every race, every nationality and every sexual orientation to know that Jesus loves them,” Duford told HuffPost in an email. “I want them to know that if they have not felt that from the church through this administration, then WE HAVE FAILED.”
Over the past few months, Duford has published an opinion piece slamming evangelical leaders for staying silent while Trump pursued policies that contradict the core tenets of Christianity. She has joined the women’s coalition of The Lincoln Project, a political action committee formed by Republicans who oppose Trump. She lent her name to the rollout of a bipartisan political action committee, Not Our Faith, which seeks to draw evangelicals and Catholics away from Trump.
And she’s endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in two venues: through a group called Pro-life Evangelicals for Biden, which makes the case that it’s possible for those who oppose abortion to vote Democrat, and through the faith-based voter mobilization group Vote Common Good, where she is on a list of over 1,600 faith leaders and activists who have endorsed Biden.
Voting for a Republican is not as important as listening to that Spirit inside of you. It’s okay to go against what you’ve always done.
We don’t have to give an account for what we do in the voting booth to anyone but the Lord. Character is what we do when nobody is watching. pic.twitter.com/zIbfIXZngQ — Vote Common Good (@VoteCommon) October 16, 2020
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Duford, a writer from Greenville, South Carolina, told HuffPost she believes evangelical leaders’ willingness to excuse the president’s immoral actions has severely damaged the way non-Christians see the church and view Jesus himself. She said she wants people to know that the “greed and hypocrisy” they’ve seen in Christian communities over the past four years does not represent the Jesus she reads about in the Bible.
“Jesus always built a bigger table not a higher wall,” she said. “Jesus did not scare people to Himself or demand that people listen: Jesus DREW people to Himself because He was loving and authentic and humble.”
Duford is the child of Billy Graham’s eldest daughter, Virginia Graham. Her grandfather, an icon of American evangelicalism who served as an adviser to many U.S. presidents, died in 2018 at the age of 99. His body lay in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, a privilege bestowed on only a handful of American citizens who haven’t served in elected office. Both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence attended Graham’s funeral.
Near the end of his long life, Graham, who had a close relationship with President Richard Nixon before the Watergate scandal, said he regretted getting entangled in partisan politics.
Some of his descendants don’t appear to have such qualms.
Jerushah Duford is a writer and speaker from Greenville, South Carolina. She is a granddaughter of the late American evangelist Billy Graham. Jerushah Duford
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Duford’s anti-Trump advocacy sets her apart from other members of her family ― particularly her uncle, Franklin Graham, who has been one of the president’s most high-profile and loyal evangelical supporters. Although Franklin Graham drew the line at family separation at the U.S.-Mexico border, over the past four years, he has defended many of Trump’s controversial policies and actions, from the 2017 travel bans to Trump’s aggressively obtained photo shoot with a Bible during protests against the police killing of George Floyd.
But there appears to be disagreement about Trump behind the scenes among members of the extended Graham family.
Duford said she grew up seeing very little separation between evangelicalism and the GOP. She distinctly remembers seeing a bumper sticker for a Democratic politician on a friend’s car when she was around the age of 9, and thinking, “But I thought they were Christians.”
“Obviously, I was young and uninformed but that describes my relationship with the Republican Party,” she said.
But her views about politics have since evolved. She said she now prioritizes “Gospel over party” ― meaning that she votes for candidates who make sharing Jesus’ love easier. For her, that comes down to kindness, integrity and policies that fight for marginalized communities.
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Duford said she believes abortion is the key issue that holds evangelicals back from voting for a Democrat. As someone who identifies as “pro-life,” she said she wishes the Democratic Party would place “greater value for life inside the womb.” But she also wishes that the Republican Party would “place a greater value on life outside the womb.” The “pro-life” movement needs to be redefined to also include issues such as poverty, health insurance coverage and racism, Duford said.
Her first vote for a Democrat was for President Barack Obama when he was running for reelection. Duford said while she doesn’t agree with everything Biden supports, she believes him to be a “man of faith and integrity” who is better suited to uphold her values.
“I would rather have an agnostic in the White House than a president that claims my faith and yet demonstrates it to the world so poorly,” she said.
Duford hasn’t been shy about publicly contradicting her uncle, Franklin Graham ― telling The Washington Post in January 2017 that her uncle’s suggestion that Trump was God’s ambassador “diminishes not only my Jesus but all he stood for and came to earth to fight against.”
In an August opinion piece for USA Today, Duford said that “many female family members” had pulled her aside at a family event and quietly thanked her for speaking out against the Trump administration.
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Duford told HuffPost she’s trying to represent Jesus as authentically as she can, regardless of who disagrees.
“We have a large family and we have a number of strong leaders in it,” she said. “If I’m going to find the courage to speak out when it’s not easy (trust me it’s not easy) because I believe that Jesus taught us to, above all else, love Him and love others, I need to offer that same love to those that disagree with me, even when they are family members.”
Jerushah Duford, an evangelical Christian, has endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for the 2020 presidential election. Courtesy of Jerushah Duford
The conflicting views dividing American evangelicalism’s royal family may well be a reflection of difficult dynamics emerging in other evangelical families ahead of the election.
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Through her advocacy, Duford is highlighting another segment of American evangelicalism, a faction whose voices are often drowned out by the Christian right. These are the evangelicals who believe that being “pro-life” also means lifting expectant mothers out of poverty, welcoming refugees and addressing climate change. They’ve been paying attention to the voices of evangelicals of color who bear witness to the continued effects of systemic racism. And they are deeply upset about the way Trump has represented Christianity.
Duford acknowledges that most evangelicals probably don’t feel that Trump has failed them, given how much access they’ve had to the White House during his administration. But ultimately, she thinks this political alliance has been costly. Younger generations of Americans are walking away from Christianity after witnessing the failure of church leaders to condemn Trump’s behavior, she said.
“The church has a serious branding problem,” she said. “The very community that considered themselves a moral authority were now, all of a sudden, willing to look past and excuse the behavior of Donald Trump to serve their own agendas. The result has been very damaging to our witness.”
As the election draws closer, Duford said she is hoping for Trump’s defeat.
“I believe our country needs to begin a significant healing process that I don’t think is possible under Trump,” she said. “He has continually stoked the flame of fear and division for his own purposes and the county is sick and hurting.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-20--With Amy Coney Barrett In The Wings, SCOTUS Conservatives Hint At Radical Voting Decisions

While the non-decision is a victory for voting rights advocates , it ’ s also an ominous warning sign for a court soon to seat a new conservative justice : Conservatives on the court could return to this case soon , with a new majority , and potentially hand the 2020 election to Donald Trump .
For now , Pennsylvania absentee voters will be able to mail their ballots on or before Election Day and have them still count if they arrive up to three days after the election , as the state Supreme Court ruled .
Many states allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that people voting by mail don ’ t effectively have an earlier election deadline than people who go to the polls .
By taking away the power of state courts to interpret what their own state constitutions say about the right to vote , the soon-to-be six conservatives appointed by Republicans on the Supreme Court could become the ultimate arbiters of any expansion of voting rights .
The looming confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett , who likens her judicial philosophy to the late arch-conservative Justice Antonin Scalia , could potentially provide the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a later date — or even intervene in Pennsylvania in the days before or after the election .
“ A newly seated Justice Barrett casting a fifth vote in this type of case would basically allow the U.S. Supreme Court to impose its restrictive view of the right to vote not only to the U.S. Constitution but also to state constitutions , ” said Josh Douglas , an election law expert at the University of Kentucky College of Law .
When the Supreme Court refused to stay the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case or ruled on its merits .
The case is technically still live , and the court could theoretically pick it back up prior to the election .
Another possibility is that a close race in Pennsylvania between President Donald Trump and Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden could lead to post-election litigation .
“ I ’ m counting on them to look at the ballots , definitely , ” Trump said on Sept. 30 about his desire to see Barrett confirmed to the Supreme Court before the election .
Trump could then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Republican legislators that the state Supreme Court ’ s ruling extending the ballot receipt deadline was unconstitutional and , therefore , invalid .
This is one argument that could lead to the invalidation of all ballots postmarked by Election Day and received in the three days afterward .
This provides yet more fuel for a potential post-election nightmare scenario , in which there is no clear winner for weeks as Trump presses his case in the courts , and Republican legislators in key states — like Pennsylvania — seize on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At issue is the argument put forward by Pennsylvania Republican legislators that only a state legislature , and not a state court , may change state election law .
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court extended the state ’ s absentee ballot receipt deadline by finding that voters casting their ballots through the mail due to the coronavirus pandemic could be hindered by delayed mail delivery in a manner that violated the state constitution ’ s right to vote .
“ It ’ s a dangerous idea that a state court applying a state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly in states like Pennsylvania where the state legislature has itself approved the constitutional provisions being applied , ” Rick Hasen , an election law expert at the University of California Irvine , wrote in a piece for Slate in October .
Such an interpretation would run counter to the 5-4 Supreme Court decision in Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission in 2015 , written by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and finding that the term “ Legislature ” in the Constitution refers to the whole of a state government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The high court ’ s interpretation of voting rights has been increasingly hostile during Roberts ’ tenure as chief justice .
From his 2014 Shelby County v. Holder decision gutting the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to the shadow docket decisions crushing any attempt by the lower judiciary to ease voting restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic , the Roberts Court is already deep into its project of dismantling the 20th century ’ s voting rights expansion .
We want to know what you ’ re hearing on the ground from the candidates .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspicious !
― campaign mailers , robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about , email us at scoops @ huffpost.com .

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The U.S. Supreme Court refused to stay a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling protecting absentee voting rights in the state on Monday by locking 4-4 and thus accepting the lower court’s decision in the case.
While the non-decision is a victory for voting rights advocates, it’s also an ominous warning sign for a court soon to seat a new conservative justice: Conservatives on the court could return to this case soon, with a new majority, and potentially hand the 2020 election to Donald Trump.
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For now, Pennsylvania absentee voters will be able to mail their ballots on or before Election Day and have them still count if they arrive up to three days after the election, as the state Supreme Court ruled. Many states allow ballots to arrive after Nov. 3 so that people voting by mail don’t effectively have an earlier election deadline than people who go to the polls.
But four justices ― Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh ― voted to prevent the implementation of this new rule and to consider a radical argument that could eviscerate the right to vote granted in 49 state constitutions.
By taking away the power of state courts to interpret what their own state constitutions say about the right to vote, the soon-to-be six conservatives appointed by Republicans on the Supreme Court could become the ultimate arbiters of any expansion of voting rights.
The looming confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who likens her judicial philosophy to the late arch-conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, could potentially provide the fifth vote to take up this issue at a later date — or even intervene in Pennsylvania in the days before or after the election.
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“A newly seated Justice Barrett casting a fifth vote in this type of case would basically allow the U.S. Supreme Court to impose its restrictive view of the right to vote not only to the U.S. Constitution but also to state constitutions,” said Josh Douglas, an election law expert at the University of Kentucky College of Law.
“The conservative-dominated U.S. Supreme Court could override state courts' interpretations of what their own state constitutions say about the right to vote.”
When the Supreme Court refused to stay the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s decision, it never took up the case or ruled on its merits. The case is technically still live, and the court could theoretically pick it back up prior to the election.
Another possibility is that a close race in Pennsylvania between President Donald Trump and Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden could lead to post-election litigation. “I’m counting on them to look at the ballots, definitely,” Trump said on Sept. 30 about his desire to see Barrett confirmed to the Supreme Court before the election.
Trump could then make the same argument presented by Pennsylvania’s Republican legislators that the state Supreme Court’s ruling extending the ballot receipt deadline was unconstitutional and, therefore, invalid. This is one argument that could lead to the invalidation of all ballots postmarked by Election Day and received in the three days afterward.
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This provides yet more fuel for a potential post-election nightmare scenario, in which there is no clear winner for weeks as Trump presses his case in the courts, and Republican legislators in key states — like Pennsylvania — seize on the uncertainty to send Trump electors to Congress.
At issue is the argument put forward by Pennsylvania Republican legislators that only a state legislature, and not a state court, may change state election law. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court extended the state’s absentee ballot receipt deadline by finding that voters casting their ballots through the mail due to the coronavirus pandemic could be hindered by delayed mail delivery in a manner that violated the state constitution’s right to vote.
Pennsylvania Republicans argued that the court usurped the legislature’s power to change the conduct of the election, since the U.S. Constitution vests the power to appoint state electors for the presidential election “in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct.”
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett could well be the fifth vote to provide Donald Trump with an opening to throw out ballots in Pennsylvania and make it harder for state courts to expand voting rights. ASSOCIATED PRESS
This exact argument was made by George W. Bush’s lawyers — who included future Chief Justice John Roberts, Kavanaugh and Barrett — in the infamous Bush v. Gore Supreme Court case that determined the outcome of the 2000 presidential election. Back then, three justices ― then-Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Scalia and Thomas ― filed a concurrence agreeing.
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“It’s a dangerous idea that a state court applying a state constitution is taking away legislative power, particularly in states like Pennsylvania where the state legislature has itself approved the constitutional provisions being applied,” Rick Hasen, an election law expert at the University of California Irvine, wrote in a piece for Slate in October.
Such an interpretation would run counter to the 5-4 Supreme Court decision in Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission in 2015, written by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and finding that the term “Legislature” in the Constitution refers to the whole of a state government and not solely the elected legislature.
It could also mean that the conservative-dominated U.S. Supreme Court could override state courts’ interpretations of what their own state constitutions say about the right to vote.
The high court’s interpretation of voting rights has been increasingly hostile during Roberts’ tenure as chief justice. From his 2014 Shelby County v. Holder decision gutting the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to the shadow docket decisions crushing any attempt by the lower judiciary to ease voting restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic, the Roberts Court is already deep into its project of dismantling the 20th century’s voting rights expansion.
A future 6-3 court with Barrett seated could take this up as part of that project to prevent any state judicial expansion of voting rights in the future.
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“No longer can we feel secure that state constitutions can continue to be more robust than the U.S. Constitution,” Douglas said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-20--Top State Department Official Repeatedly Drank To Excess On The Job: Watchdog

The department ’ s inspector general “ believes that [ Cam Henderson ’ s ] conduct raises significant suitability concerns and given the visibility of her position , [ the office ] believes it is important to bring them to the attention of department leadership , ” the report says .
The investigation was concluded in May and submitted to Pompeo ’ s team , but it is not expected to be officially released .
It largely addresses a period between the fall of 2017 and the summer of 2019 , when Henderson served in a less senior role .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of protocol , an important post that oversees delicate diplomatic events and matters of rank .
The revelation about her behavior and apparent impunity adds to the impression that the State Department has become less professional and more politicized under President Donald Trump and Pompeo .
Two department officials also described alcohol-related issues with Henderson to The Washington Post for an August story .
They said Henderson encouraged her predecessor and previous boss , Sean Lawler , to drink in the office “ to calm him down.
” Lawler left the job in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harassed and denigrated employees .
Pompeo tapped Henderson to succeed Lawler without seeking Senate confirmation , breaking with normal practice .
Henderson has been deeply involved in Pompeo ’ s controversial practice of holding “ Madison dinners , ” swanky taxpayer-funded events featuring the secretary and his wife that some lawmakers and officials at the State Department view as politically motivated ― more about Pompeo ’ s future presidential ambitions than any diplomatic purpose .
Henderson collaborated with Susan Pompeo ― who has played an outsize role at the department and in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post as director there ― on guest lists , menus and entry for VIPs , a source told ABC News .
Invitees have included political power players from Kansas , where Pompeo considered a Senate run , and at least 150 conservative figures , including dozens of Republican donors , according to an NBC News count .
The State Department inspector general and congressional committees are currently investigating the dinners .
Henderson is a longtime GOP operative who worked for years with former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie , a Trump confidant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s attorney general ordered her to pay a fine for failing to register a company she owned as a fundraising organization after it took money for fundraising services from a well-funded nonprofit called Trump for America , the New Jersey Globe reported .
“ The department ’ s leadership is extremely disappointed in the quality of work displayed in this memo from the IG ’ s office , as it leaves out important facts and paints a picture that is not accurate to what actually transpired , ” the spokesperson wrote in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the report had been shared with journalists .
“ It is clear in statements to IG investigators that both Ms. Henderson and [ her deputy Mary-Kate ] Fisher are respected for their professionalism and actions as members of the protocol staff.
” “ My dealings with her have been nothing but professional , ” a State Department employee of more than five years apparently said , while a senior employee allegedly added , “ She is thoughtful , kind and I have never seen Cam act in an unprofessional manner.
” And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the most influential people at the agency , Pompeo ’ s counselor Ulrich Brechbühl .
It came with a preface : “ This comment should be used in its entirety considering the level of accusations being made from unnamed sources and because it ’ s online and the length of the internet is endless.
” Brechbühl called the accusations against Henderson “ particularly egregious ” and claimed the inspector general ’ s report lacked context because the investigation did not include interviews with Fisher and other senior protocol office members .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Henderson missed an official event , citing her response that she slept through an alarm for 3:30 a.m. and arrived at a later event at 5:30 a.m. “ Leaving out critical information in memos , and leaking personnel information to the media is corrupt and puts people ’ s lives and careers at stake , ” Brechbühl wrote .
“ The world would be a better place if organizations like the Huffington Post and the person responsible for leaking internal documents had the character and heart displayed daily by Ms. Henderson.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however : “ Ms .
Henderson told [ the inspector general ] that her use of alcohol has not caused her to miss an event or deadline and has not otherwise affected her ability to carry out her responsibilities.
” A spokeswoman for the inspector general told HuffPost there are no plans to publicly release the document , which accuses Lawler of “ workplace violence ” and Henderson and Fisher of enabling and downplaying his abuse .
In one instance , Henderson reacted to Lawler cracking a horsewhip in the office by placing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( A source told ABC News that Lawler then brought a soccer ball to kick at staffers ’ desks . )
Politico , the Post and ABC News first revealed other elements of the investigation earlier this year .
In May , soon after the protocol office report was concluded , Pompeo successfully pushed Trump to fire inspector general Steve Linick , who was probing matters ranging from whether Pompeo misused State Department resources to how he bypassed Congress to push through weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , resigned less than three months later .

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A high-ranking State Department official who is close to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo drank alcohol excessively on “numerous” occasions while working, even raising a red flag among foreign counterparts, multiple State Department officials told the agency’s watchdog for an unpublished report obtained by HuffPost.
The department’s inspector general “believes that [Cam Henderson’s] conduct raises significant suitability concerns and given the visibility of her position, [the office] believes it is important to bring them to the attention of department leadership,” the report says. The investigation was concluded in May and submitted to Pompeo’s team, but it is not expected to be officially released. It largely addresses a period between the fall of 2017 and the summer of 2019, when Henderson served in a less senior role.
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Last August, Henderson became the chief of protocol, an important post that oversees delicate diplomatic events and matters of rank. The revelation about her behavior and apparent impunity adds to the impression that the State Department has become less professional and more politicized under President Donald Trump and Pompeo.
The State Department inspector general said agency staff believed Henderson had missed an official event on Dec. 13, 2019, because of “overconsumption of alcohol at an official [Office of Protocol] event the night before.”
“Several of these employees told [the inspector general] that members of foreign delegations had made comments or raised concerns about Ms. Henderson’s alcohol intake,” the watchdog added.
Two department officials also described alcohol-related issues with Henderson to The Washington Post for an August story. They said Henderson encouraged her predecessor and previous boss, Sean Lawler, to drink in the office “to calm him down.” Lawler left the job in July 2019 after multiple complaints that he harassed and denigrated employees.
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Pompeo tapped Henderson to succeed Lawler without seeking Senate confirmation, breaking with normal practice. Henderson has been deeply involved in Pompeo’s controversial practice of holding “Madison dinners,” swanky taxpayer-funded events featuring the secretary and his wife that some lawmakers and officials at the State Department view as politically motivated ― more about Pompeo’s future presidential ambitions than any diplomatic purpose.
Henderson collaborated with Susan Pompeo ― who has played an outsize role at the department and in the CIA during her husband’s previous post as director there ― on guest lists, menus and entry for VIPs, a source told ABC News. Invitees have included political power players from Kansas, where Pompeo considered a Senate run, and at least 150 conservative figures, including dozens of Republican donors, according to an NBC News count. The State Department inspector general and congressional committees are currently investigating the dinners.
Henderson is a longtime GOP operative who worked for years with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Trump confidant. In July, New Jersey’s attorney general ordered her to pay a fine for failing to register a company she owned as a fundraising organization after it took money for fundraising services from a well-funded nonprofit called Trump for America, the New Jersey Globe reported.
Cam Henderson (center) is the chief of protocol at the State Department, attending high-profile events like the White House ceremony in September at which Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates agreed to recognize Israel. Alex Wong via Getty Images
A State Department spokesperson strongly defended Henderson and attacked the inspector general, or IG, in a response to HuffPost.
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“The department’s leadership is extremely disappointed in the quality of work displayed in this memo from the IG’s office, as it leaves out important facts and paints a picture that is not accurate to what actually transpired,” the spokesperson wrote in an email, calling it “outrageous” that the report had been shared with journalists. “It is clear in statements to IG investigators that both Ms. Henderson and [her deputy Mary-Kate] Fisher are respected for their professionalism and actions as members of the protocol staff.”
Like Henderson, Fisher previously worked under Christie and Lawler.
An official from the inspector general’s office, Thomas McDonald, told Henderson he had heard the atmosphere at the protocol office “had greatly improved” on her watch, the spokesperson added.
The inspector general’s office did not respond to a HuffPost request for comment on the criticism from the State Department.
The State Department spokesperson also shared testimonials purportedly from three unnamed State Department officials. One “federal employee of over 20 years” praised Henderson’s “open-door policy and emphasis on good communication.”
“My dealings with her have been nothing but professional,” a State Department employee of more than five years apparently said, while a senior employee allegedly added, “She is thoughtful, kind and I have never seen Cam act in an unprofessional manner.”
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And the spokesperson shared a lengthy comment from one of the most influential people at the agency, Pompeo’s counselor Ulrich Brechbühl. It came with a preface: “This comment should be used in its entirety considering the level of accusations being made from unnamed sources and because it’s online and the length of the internet is endless.”
Brechbühl called the accusations against Henderson “particularly egregious” and claimed the inspector general’s report lacked context because the investigation did not include interviews with Fisher and other senior protocol office members. He also directly addressed the claim that Henderson missed an official event, citing her response that she slept through an alarm for 3:30 a.m. and arrived at a later event at 5:30 a.m.
“Leaving out critical information in memos, and leaking personnel information to the media is corrupt and puts people’s lives and careers at stake,” Brechbühl wrote. “The world would be a better place if organizations like the Huffington Post and the person responsible for leaking internal documents had the character and heart displayed daily by Ms. Henderson.”
No part of the State Department’s response directly refuted the idea that Henderson regularly drank to excess on the job.
The report includes a comment from her, however: “Ms. Henderson told [the inspector general] that her use of alcohol has not caused her to miss an event or deadline and has not otherwise affected her ability to carry out her responsibilities.”
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A spokeswoman for the inspector general told HuffPost there are no plans to publicly release the document, which accuses Lawler of “workplace violence” and Henderson and Fisher of enabling and downplaying his abuse. In one instance, Henderson reacted to Lawler cracking a horsewhip in the office by placing the item in her personal office. (A source told ABC News that Lawler then brought a soccer ball to kick at staffers’ desks.)
Brechbühl wrote a scathing response to the report over the summer, per Politico, that would be included in any final package.
Politico, the Post and ABC News first revealed other elements of the investigation earlier this year. In May, soon after the protocol office report was concluded, Pompeo successfully pushed Trump to fire inspector general Steve Linick, who was probing matters ranging from whether Pompeo misused State Department resources to how he bypassed Congress to push through weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Linick’s successor, Stephen Akard, resigned less than three months later.
The office is now led by Diana Shaw, who previously served in the Department of Homeland Security’s IG’s office.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-20--Intel Officers 'Terrified' Of Briefing Trump On Russia Because He Would 'Explode': Report

Intelligence officers in charge of briefing President Donald Trump on threats against the nation are reportedly “ terrified ” of speaking to him about Russia out of fear of how the president will react .
“ No one ’ s going to brief anything on Russia to the president , ” Marc Polymeropoulos told GQ correspondent Julia Ioffe .
“ They ’ re terrified of doing that .
I know that from the briefers .
Because he ’ ll explode and the whole thing will get derailed , because he has this weird affinity for [ Russian President Vladimir ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to be embarrassed in front of Putin , that ’ s part of the dilemma , ” he said .
“ Just look at how he behaves with the Queen .
That ’ s how he behaves with everyone who has any glamour and cachet , ” he continued , adding , “ Putin has everything he doesn ’ t have.
” The former official ’ s comments bolster a September report from Politico alleging that CIA Director Gina Haspel has been preventing intelligence about Russia from reaching the president ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soviet republic ran disinformation campaigns to tilt the 2016 U.S. presidential election in Trump ’ s favor , and Trump has been repeatedly criticized throughout his presidency for his dealings with Putin , which have included at least five secret meetings .
Most recently , Trump allies have been accused of playing into the Russians ’ hands by accepting and making political hay out of disinformation about Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden and his family .
Ioffe ’ s in-depth reporting describes the lingering effects of a mysterious attack Polymeropoulos , a former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Moscow hotel in December 2017 .
He believes he was hit with the same unknown device that has been aimed at U.S. diplomats in Cuba and China and is believed to be wielded by Russians .
Some experts believe the device uses microwaves to target specific individuals or rooms , causing sudden and overwhelming nausea and dizziness .
Some victims say the attacks were accompanied by either a high or low buzzing or grinding noise .
According to Ioffe , the scope of the attacks is actually much larger than previously known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the globe have suffered its effects , which include lasting brain damage ― and , under the Trump administration , the United States is not doing much to stop them .
Polymeropoulos alleges that Russia knows Trump “ is at war with our intelligence community ” and thus feels emboldened to “ kick them when they ’ re down .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Intelligence officers in charge of briefing President Donald Trump on threats against the nation are reportedly “terrified” of speaking to him about Russia out of fear of how the president will react.
“No one’s going to brief anything on Russia to the president,” Marc Polymeropoulos told GQ correspondent Julia Ioffe. “They’re terrified of doing that. I know that from the briefers. Because he’ll explode and the whole thing will get derailed, because he has this weird affinity for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin.”
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Asked why Putin is such a touchy subject, Polymeropoulos said that Trump “wants Putin to like him.”
“He doesn’t want to be embarrassed in front of Putin, that’s part of the dilemma,” he said.
“Just look at how he behaves with the Queen. That’s how he behaves with everyone who has any glamour and cachet,” he continued, adding, “Putin has everything he doesn’t have.”
The former official’s comments bolster a September report from Politico alleging that CIA Director Gina Haspel has been preventing intelligence about Russia from reaching the president’s ears to appease him.
Ioffe’s in-depth reporting describes the lingering effects of a mysterious attack Polymeropoulos, a former CIA operative, withstood while staying at a Moscow hotel in December 2017. He believes he was hit with the same unknown device that has been aimed at U.S. diplomats in Cuba and China and is believed to be wielded by Russians.
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Some experts believe the device uses microwaves to target specific individuals or rooms, causing sudden and overwhelming nausea and dizziness. Some victims say the attacks were accompanied by either a high or low buzzing or grinding noise.
According to Ioffe, the scope of the attacks is actually much larger than previously known to the public ― CIA agents all over the globe have suffered its effects, which include lasting brain damage ― and, under the Trump administration, the United States is not doing much to stop them.
Polymeropoulos alleges that Russia knows Trump “is at war with our intelligence community” and thus feels emboldened to “kick them when they’re down.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-20--U.S. Justice Department Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) - The U.S. Justice Department filed an antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet Inc ’ s < GOOGL.O > Google on Tuesday , accusing the $ 1 trillion company of illegally using its market power to fend off rivals and said nothing was off the table , including a breakup of the internet search and advertising company .
The lawsuit marks the biggest challenge by the United States to the growing power of tech companies in a generation , comparable to the lawsuit against Microsoft Corp < MSFT.O > filed in 1998 and the 1974 case against AT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Bell System .
The complaint , which was joined by 11 states , says Google acted unlawfully to maintain its position in search and search advertising on the internet , and says that “ absent a court order , Google will continue executing its anticompetitive strategy , crippling the competitive process , reducing consumer choice , and stifling innovation.
” Attorney General Bill Barr said his investigators had found Google does not compete on the quality of its search results but instead bought its success through payments to mobile phone makers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference call if the department was seeking a breakup or another remedy , Ryan Shores , a Justice Department official , said , “ Nothing is off the table , but a question of remedies is best addressed by the court after it ’ s had a chance to hear all the evidence.
” In its complaint , the Justice Department said that Americans were hurt by Google ’ s actions .
In its “ request for relief , ” it said it was seeking “ structural relief as needed to cure any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in antitrust matters generally means the sale of an asset .
“ Ultimately it is consumers and advertisers that suffer from less choice , less innovation and less competitive advertising prices , ” the lawsuit states .
“ So we are asking the court to break Google ’ s grip on search distribution so the competition and innovation can take hold.
” Still , coming just days before the U.S. presidential election , the filing ’ s timing could be seen as a political gesture since it fulfills a promise made by President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain companies to account for allegedly stifling conservative voices .
Republicans often complain that social media companies including Google take action to reduce the spread of conservative viewpoints on their platforms .
Lawmakers have sought , without explaining how , to use antitrust laws to compel Big Tech to stop these alleged limitations .
Neil Campling , head of tech media and telecom research at Mirabaud Securities in London , said , “ It ’ s like locking the proverbial door after the horse has bolted .
Google has already got the monopolistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , AI , technologies , software , engineering and talent .
You can ’ t simply unwind a decade of significant progress.
” “ General search services , search advertising , and general search text advertising require complex algorithms that are constantly learning which organic results and ads best respond to user queries , ” the government said in its complaint .
“ By using distribution agreements to lock up scale for itself and deny it to others , Google unlawfully maintains its monopolies.
” More lawsuits could be in the offing since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s broader businesses are under way , as well as an investigation of its broader digital advertising businesses .
Attorneys general led by Texas are expected to file a separate lawsuit focused on digital advertising as soon as November , while a group led by Colorado is contemplating a more expansive lawsuit against Google .
Seven years ago , the FTC settled an antitrust probe into Google over alleged bias in its search function to favor its products , among other issues .
The settlement came over the objections of some FTC @ @ @

(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department filed an antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet Inc’s Google on Tuesday, accusing the $1 trillion company of illegally using its market power to fend off rivals and said nothing was off the table, including a breakup of the internet search and advertising company.
The lawsuit marks the biggest challenge by the United States to the growing power of tech companies in a generation, comparable to the lawsuit against Microsoft Corp filed in 1998 and the 1974 case against AT&T which led to the breakup of the Bell System.
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The complaint, which was joined by 11 states, says Google acted unlawfully to maintain its position in search and search advertising on the internet, and says that “absent a court order, Google will continue executing its anticompetitive strategy, crippling the competitive process, reducing consumer choice, and stifling innovation.”
The government said Google has nearly 90% of all general search engine queries in the United States and almost 95% of searches on mobile.
Attorney General Bill Barr said his investigators had found Google does not compete on the quality of its search results but instead bought its success through payments to mobile phone makers and others.
“The end result is that no one can feasibly challenge Google’s dominance in search and search advertising,” Barr said.
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When asked on a conference call if the department was seeking a breakup or another remedy, Ryan Shores, a Justice Department official, said, “Nothing is off the table, but a question of remedies is best addressed by the court after it’s had a chance to hear all the evidence.”
In its complaint, the Justice Department said that Americans were hurt by Google’s actions. In its “request for relief,” it said it was seeking “structural relief as needed to cure any anti-competitive harm.” “Structural relief” in antitrust matters generally means the sale of an asset.
“Ultimately it is consumers and advertisers that suffer from less choice, less innovation and less competitive advertising prices,” the lawsuit states. “So we are asking the court to break Google’s grip on search distribution so the competition and innovation can take hold.”
Google called the lawsuit “deeply flawed,” adding that people “use Google because they choose to - not because they’re forced to or because they can’t find alternatives.”
POLITICAL ELEMENT
Tuesday’s federal lawsuit marks a rare moment of agreement between the Trump administration and progressive Democrats. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren tweeted on Sept. 10, using the hash tag #BreakUpBigTech, that she wanted “swift, aggressive action.”
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Still, coming just days before the U.S. presidential election, the filing’s timing could be seen as a political gesture since it fulfills a promise made by President Donald Trump to his supporters to hold certain companies to account for allegedly stifling conservative voices.
Republicans often complain that social media companies including Google take action to reduce the spread of conservative viewpoints on their platforms. Lawmakers have sought, without explaining how, to use antitrust laws to compel Big Tech to stop these alleged limitations.
Shares of Alphabet were up 1.9% at $1,563.51 on Tuesday afternoon, after dipping in the morning.
Neil Campling, head of tech media and telecom research at Mirabaud Securities in London, said, “It’s like locking the proverbial door after the horse has bolted. Google has already got the monopolistic position, has invested billions in infrastructure, AI, technologies, software, engineering and talent. You can’t simply unwind a decade of significant progress.”
The complaint pointed to the billions of dollars that Google pays to smartphone makers such as Apple , Samsung and others to make Google’s search engine the default on their devices.
This means that rival search engines never get the scale they need to improve their algorithms, and grow, the complaint said.
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“General search services, search advertising, and general search text advertising require complex algorithms that are constantly learning which organic results and ads best respond to user queries,” the government said in its complaint. “By using distribution agreements to lock up scale for itself and deny it to others, Google unlawfully maintains its monopolies.”
Google has been successful at protecting its profit derived from the Android mobile operating system, which is officially open source but companies that change it are barred from lucrative revenue-sharing agreements.
Justice Department investigators found an internal Google analysis of restrictive agreements determined that just 1% of Google’s worldwide Android search revenue was at risk of being lost to competitors.
“This analysis noted that the growth in Google’s search advertising revenue from Android distribution was ‘driven by increased platform protection efforts and agreements,’” the complaint found.
OTHER CHALLENGES
The 11 states that joined the lawsuit all have Republican attorneys general.
More lawsuits could be in the offing since probes by state attorneys general into Google’s broader businesses are under way, as well as an investigation of its broader digital advertising businesses. Attorneys general led by Texas are expected to file a separate lawsuit focused on digital advertising as soon as November, while a group led by Colorado is contemplating a more expansive lawsuit against Google.
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The lawsuit comes more than a year after the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission began antitrust investigations into four big tech companies: Amazon.com Inc , Apple Inc , Facebook Inc and Google.
Seven years ago, the FTC settled an antitrust probe into Google over alleged bias in its search function to favor its products, among other issues. The settlement came over the objections of some FTC staff attorneys.
Google has faced similar legal challenges overseas.
The European Union fined Google $1.7 billion in 2019 for stopping websites from using Google’s rivals to find advertisers, $2.6 billion in 2017 for favoring its own shopping business in search, and $4.9 billion in 2018 for blocking rivals on its wireless Android operating system.
(Reporting by David Shepardson and Diane Bartz in Washington; Additional reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Chris Sanders, Edward Tobin and Matthew Lewis)