thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--Trump Sitting On Funds Meant To Boost Coronavirus Testing, Top Democrats Say

Top Senate Democrats are demanding to know why the Trump administration has not yet spent funds that Congress allocated earlier this year to ramp up the nation ’ s coronavirus testing and contact tracing capacity .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) and Sen. Patty Murray ( Wash. ) , the top Democrat on the Senate health committee , wrote a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar over the weekend inquiring about the status of nearly $ 14 billion in funding for coronavirus testing they say has yet to go out the door .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ juncture in its fight against COVID-19 , and now is the time for an aggressive and fast response , ” the senators wrote in the Sunday letter .
“ This Administration will put our country at grave risk if it tries to declare an early victory , leave lifesaving work undone , and leave resources our communities desperately need sitting untouched.
” The emergency coronavirus stimulus legislation Congress passed in March , titled the CARES Act , included $ 25 billion to help expand state and local testing efforts .
According to Schumer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet to distribute more than $ 8 billion of that package , in addition to other funds Congress set aside to provide free testing for the uninsured .
The U.S. is finally reporting 500,000 coronavirus tests a day ― a level experts say is needed to properly track and contain the outbreak .
But the milestone was only reached in mid-June , months after the coronavirus pandemic began , with over 120,000 deaths and counting .
President Donald Trump , meanwhile , told supporters at a rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ slow the testing down.
” Though his aides later said the comments were made in jest , Trump repeatedly declined to walk back the remark in an interview on Monday .
“ If we did slow it down , we wouldn ’ t show nearly as many cases , ” Trump said in an interview with Scripps News at the White House .
It ’ s not the first time Trump has seemingly come out against more testing .
Last month , during an event in Pennsylvania , the president said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad if the U.S. simply did not test its population for the virus .
“ When you test , you have a case .
When you test , you find something is wrong with people .
If we didn ’ t do any testing , we would have very few cases .
They [ the media ] don ’ t want to write that , ” Trump said .
The White House on Monday stopped conducting mandatory temperature checks for staffers and visitors entering the grounds , removing another layer of safeguards put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for COVID-19 earlier this year .
Top Democrats ripped into Trump after his rally on Saturday , accusing him of intentionally putting Americans in harm ’ s way to serve his political interests .
“ To hear him say tonight that he has ordered testing slowed — a transparent attempt to make the numbers look better — is appalling .
Americans deserve a president who will not make excuses in a crisis , ” deputy Biden campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said in a statement .

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Top Senate Democrats are demanding to know why the Trump administration has not yet spent funds that Congress allocated earlier this year to ramp up the nation’s coronavirus testing and contact tracing capacity.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate health committee, wrote a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar over the weekend inquiring about the status of nearly $14 billion in funding for coronavirus testing they say has yet to go out the door.
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“The United States is at a critical juncture in its fight against COVID-19, and now is the time for an aggressive and fast response,” the senators wrote in the Sunday letter. “This Administration will put our country at grave risk if it tries to declare an early victory, leave lifesaving work undone, and leave resources our communities desperately need sitting untouched.”
The emergency coronavirus stimulus legislation Congress passed in March, titled the CARES Act, included $25 billion to help expand state and local testing efforts. According to Schumer and Murray, the Trump administration has yet to distribute more than $8 billion of that package, in addition to other funds Congress set aside to provide free testing for the uninsured.
The U.S. is finally reporting 500,000 coronavirus tests a day ― a level experts say is needed to properly track and contain the outbreak. But the milestone was only reached in mid-June, months after the coronavirus pandemic began, with over 120,000 deaths and counting.
President Donald Trump, meanwhile, told supporters at a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, over the weekend that he told his staff to “slow the testing down.” Though his aides later said the comments were made in jest, Trump repeatedly declined to walk back the remark in an interview on Monday.
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“If we did slow it down, we wouldn’t show nearly as many cases,” Trump said in an interview with Scripps News at the White House.
VIDEO: Just asked President Trump if he actually ordered testing to be slowed down. He said in his Saturday speech he did. He didn't answer the direct question. pic.twitter.com/aDKGu6F2Ok — Joe St. George (@JoeStGeorge) June 22, 2020
It’s not the first time Trump has seemingly come out against more testing. Last month, during an event in Pennsylvania, the president said the pandemic wouldn’t be as bad if the U.S. simply did not test its population for the virus.
“When you test, you have a case. When you test, you find something is wrong with people. If we didn’t do any testing, we would have very few cases. They [the media] don’t want to write that,” Trump said.
The White House on Monday stopped conducting mandatory temperature checks for staffers and visitors entering the grounds, removing another layer of safeguards put in place after Trump staffers tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this year.
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Top Democrats ripped into Trump after his rally on Saturday, accusing him of intentionally putting Americans in harm’s way to serve his political interests.
In a statement issued by her office, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called Trump “ethically unfit and intellectually unprepared to lead.”
The campaign of former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump’s 2020 election rival, also lambasted Trump over his testing remarks on Saturday.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--Trump Baselessly Claims 2020 Election Is 'RIGGED' Months Before Any Votes Are Cast

President Donald Trump on Monday baselessly claimed that the general election in November will be “ RIGGED ” because of mail-in ballots , a method for voting that the president himself has used multiple times .
“ This will be the Election disaster of our time , ” Trump tweeted , citing an article from right-wing website Breitbart that featured comments Attorney General William Barr made Sunday during an interview with Fox News .
Barr told Fox News that voting by mail “ opens the floodgates to fraud.
” He warned a foreign country could “ print up tens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would be difficult to figure out which ballots were valid .
Barr has not publicly provided any evidence to support his claim .
And election administrators in multiple states have disputed this theory , stating it would be virtually impossible for a foreign country to peddle phony ballots undetected .
“ RIGGED 2020 ELECTION : MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WILL BE PRINTED BY FOREIGN COUNTRIES , AND OTHERS , ” he tweeted without evidence .
“ IT WILL BE THE SCANDAL OF OUR TIMES !
” In a subsequent tweet , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stupidity ” of mail-in ballots and appeared to accuse Democrats of “ using Covid in order to cheat.
” Several states have moved to expand mail-in voting practices in response to the public health threat that the coronavirus poses .
The method could help curb contagion by reducing the number of voters at polling locations , particularly in some poorer communities where voters have traditionally waited in line for hours to cast their ballots .
Plus , much of the country already votes by mail .
More than 23 % of voters cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general election .
Though Trump has questioned the legitimacy of mail-in voting , he has voted by mail multiple times .
Barr , first lady Melania Trump , the president ’ s adviser and eldest daughter Ivanka Trump and White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany have also voted or attempted to vote using absentee ballots .
Trump ’ s tweets Monday are the latest examples of him sowing doubt about the integrity of the upcoming presidential election .
He has peddled unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in battleground states and had threatened to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail voting .
He later backed off that threat .
Earlier this month , presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden warned that Trump is “ going to try and steal this election.
” The New York Times reported that several Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans share the former vice president ’ s concerns .
“ Since 2016 , Donald Trump has shown that he is always ready to sacrifice our basic democratic norms for his personal and political interests , ” Bob Bauer , a Biden senior adviser and a lawyer for the campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assume he may well resort to any kind of trick , ploy or scheme he can in order to hold onto his presidency .
”

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President Donald Trump on Monday baselessly claimed that the general election in November will be “RIGGED” because of mail-in ballots, a method for voting that the president himself has used multiple times.
“This will be the Election disaster of our time,” Trump tweeted, citing an article from right-wing website Breitbart that featured comments Attorney General William Barr made Sunday during an interview with Fox News.
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Barr told Fox News that voting by mail “opens the floodgates to fraud.” He warned a foreign country could “print up tens of thousands of counterfeit ballots” and that it would be difficult to figure out which ballots were valid.
Barr has not publicly provided any evidence to support his claim. And election administrators in multiple states have disputed this theory, stating it would be virtually impossible for a foreign country to peddle phony ballots undetected.
Nonetheless, Trump declared the process compromised, months before any votes have been cast in the general election.
“RIGGED 2020 ELECTION: MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WILL BE PRINTED BY FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND OTHERS,” he tweeted without evidence. “IT WILL BE THE SCANDAL OF OUR TIMES!”
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In a subsequent tweet, Trump called for an end to the “stupidity” of mail-in ballots and appeared to accuse Democrats of “using Covid in order to cheat.”
Several states have moved to expand mail-in voting practices in response to the public health threat that the coronavirus poses. The method could help curb contagion by reducing the number of voters at polling locations, particularly in some poorer communities where voters have traditionally waited in line for hours to cast their ballots.
Plus, much of the country already votes by mail. More than 23% of voters cast their ballot by mail in the 2016 general election.
Though Trump has questioned the legitimacy of mail-in voting, he has voted by mail multiple times. Barr, first lady Melania Trump, the president’s adviser and eldest daughter Ivanka Trump and White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany have also voted or attempted to vote using absentee ballots.
Trump’s tweets Monday are the latest examples of him sowing doubt about the integrity of the upcoming presidential election. He has peddled unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in battleground states and had threatened to withhold federal funding to states that expand mail voting. He later backed off that threat.
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Earlier this month, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden warned that Trump is “going to try and steal this election.” The New York Times reported that several Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans share the former vice president’s concerns.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--Neo-Nazi U.S. Soldier Faces Federal Terrorism Charges For Plotting Attack On Unit

A United States Army private is facing federal terrorism-related charges after reportedly confessing to a plot of work with an extremist neo-Nazi group to attack his own military unit .
Ethan Melzer , a 22-year-old from Kentucky , was arrested by federal agents on charges of conspiring and attempting to murder U.S. nationals ; conspiring and attempting to murder military service members ; providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists ; and conspiring to murder and maim in a foreign country .
Melzer was interviewed in late May and arrested on June 10 , but the criminal complaint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday .
Federal authorities said Melzer worked with the Order of the Nine Angles , also known as O9A , which they described as “ an occult-based neo-Nazi and racially motivated violent extremist group.
” Melzer joined the Army in 2018 and the O9A around 2019 , according to the feds .
They said he “ consumed propaganda from multiple extremist groups , ” including ISIS , and found that Melzer ’ s iCloud account had an “ ISIS-issued document with a title that included the phrase ‘ HARVEST OF THE SOLDIERS ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personnel.
” Melzer fed information about his deployment to someone he believed would use it to attack his unit in Turkey , and said he didn ’ t give “ a fuck ” about getting shot in an attack .
“ It would be another war ...
I would ’ ve died successfully ...
Cause if another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark , ” he allegedly wrote on May 17 .
Melzer , according to an FBI affidavit , later confessed he was “ prepared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unit , believed his actions were treasonous , and considered himself to be a traitor.
” Federal terrorism charges against white supremacists are rare , because federal terrorism laws broadly criminalize behavior that supports designated foreign terrorist organizations like ISIS but not domestic extremist organizations like the Ku Klux Klan , which enjoy First Amendment protections .
While some specific types of terrorist activities are specifically banned by federal law , some common types of terrorist attacks aren ’ t covered by federal terrorism laws unless they are motivated by “ foreign ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to investigate members of extremist white nationalist organizations within its ranks , as HuffPost has previously reported .
Earlier this year , a white nationalist Coast Guard lieutenant was sentenced to 13 years on weapons charges after federal prosecutors say he planned a domestic terrorist attack .

A United States Army private is facing federal terrorism-related charges after reportedly confessing to a plot of work with an extremist neo-Nazi group to attack his own military unit.
Ethan Melzer, a 22-year-old from Kentucky, was arrested by federal agents on charges of conspiring and attempting to murder U.S. nationals; conspiring and attempting to murder military service members; providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists; and conspiring to murder and maim in a foreign country. Melzer was interviewed in late May and arrested on June 10, but the criminal complaint and indictment weren’t unsealed until Monday.
Federal authorities said Melzer worked with the Order of the Nine Angles, also known as O9A, which they described as “an occult-based neo-Nazi and racially motivated violent extremist group.”
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Melzer joined the Army in 2018 and the O9A around 2019, according to the feds. They said he “consumed propaganda from multiple extremist groups,” including ISIS, and found that Melzer’s iCloud account had an “ISIS-issued document with a title that included the phrase ‘HARVEST OF THE SOLDIERS’ and described attacks and murders of U.S. personnel.”
Melzer fed information about his deployment to someone he believed would use it to attack his unit in Turkey, and said he didn’t give “a fuck” about getting shot in an attack.
“It would be another war ... I would’ve died successfully ... Cause if another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark,” he allegedly wrote on May 17.
Melzer, according to an FBI affidavit, later confessed he was “prepared to die to facilitate an attack on the Unit, believed his actions were treasonous, and considered himself to be a traitor.”
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A photo found on Melzer's iCloud account. U.S. Department of Justice
Federal terrorism charges against white supremacists are rare, because federal terrorism laws broadly criminalize behavior that supports designated foreign terrorist organizations like ISIS but not domestic extremist organizations like the Ku Klux Klan, which enjoy First Amendment protections. While some specific types of terrorist activities are specifically banned by federal law, some common types of terrorist attacks aren’t covered by federal terrorism laws unless they are motivated by “foreign” ideologies.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--Brexit Leader Allowed To Attend Trump Rally With A ‘National Interest’ Travel Ban Waiver

Farage , who recently lost his radio show in Britain after comparing Black Lives Matter protesters to the Taliban , was flown from Palm Beach , Florida , to Tulsa for the evening rally , and then to New York City , according to an informal Trump adviser who spoke on condition of anonymity .
“ This was supposed to be a festival to celebrate Trump and Trumpism , and it laid an egg , ” the adviser said , adding that more than 100 high-profile guests had been flown in and put up in hotels on the campaign ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the Republican National Committee paid for Farage and the other invited guests to fly to the rally and stay in Tulsa is unclear .
Neither the campaign nor the RNC responded to HuffPost queries on the matter , and filings that could shed some light on that question are not due at the Federal Election Commission until July 20 .
“ The decision of the Trump Administration to admit Mr. Farage to the United States to enable him to attend a campaign rally at a time when most travel from the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raises numerous troubling questions , ” Thompson wrote .
Farage , who had already returned to Britain on Monday , could not be reached for comment .
He has for several years been popular with white nationalist groups both in the U.K. and the United States .
He led the United Kingdom Independence Party and its successful push for that country to leave the European Union , which Trump also supported .
Farage appeared at a Trump rally in Mississippi in 2016 , and then visited the president-elect at Trump Tower after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , also speaking on condition of anonymity , said he could not understand the value of spending campaign funds to ferry Farage around .
“ I don ’ t know why they ’ d waste money on that , ” he said .
The chartered flights would add additional tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cost of the rally , which included a massive outdoor stage with concert-quality sound for an expected overflow crowd that never materialized , a daylong onsite party of food and music , and even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would have featured other speakers and musicians .
The campaign had initially scheduled the rally for June 19 , apparently unaware that the date was Juneteenth , an annual commemoration of the emancipation of the last remaining Black slaves in the U.S .
The campaign also seemed unaware that Tulsa was the site of the worst anti-Black massacre in the nation ’ s history .
Trump backed down from that date following several days of criticism and moved it to Saturday , June 20 .
He continued claiming his campaign had received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least a 10th of those ticketholders would actually show up in Tulsa .
“ We ’ re either close to or over 1 million people wanting to go , ” he said last week in the White House Cabinet Room .
“ Which would mean they would have over 900,000 people that won ’ t be able to go.
” In the end , though , only a tiny fraction of those expected to attend and an even tinier fraction of those who requested tickets showed up .
Tulsa ’ s fire department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside the arena .
There was no overflow crowd , and campaign officials began breaking down the outdoor stage even before Trump ’ s arrival .
Trump was incensed by the poor turnout , which both he and his campaign blamed on protesters blocking access to the entrances -- which neither journalists at the site nor the Tulsa Police Department reported happening -- and on media coverage of Trump ’ s insistence on holding a rally even as the coronavirus pandemic continues .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where masks are not being worn .
That description fit the Bank of Oklahoma Center nearly perfectly , as most attendees followed Trump ’ s lead and chose not to wear a mask .
Whether Trump will replace campaign manager Brad Parscale or others who planned the rally and assured him of high turnout is unclear .
Parscale had no experience in politics prior to 2015 , when he was hired to make Trump ’ s campaign web site , but then he earned millions after Trump won the Republican nomination and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager for his 2020 run in 2018 .
Neither Parscale nor others at the campaign responded to HuffPost queries , but the outside Trump adviser said Parscale is likely safe because he continues secretly paying the wife of one Trump son and the girlfriend of another $ 180,000 per year using campaign money funneled through his personal business .

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WASHINGTON ― Donald Trump’s presidential reelection campaign chartered jets to fly in VIPs to attend his much-hyped but ultimately flopped Oklahoma rally on Saturday, including his pro-Brexit ally Nigel Farage, who was given a “national interest” waiver to enter the country despite the coronavirus travel ban.
Farage, who recently lost his radio show in Britain after comparing Black Lives Matter protesters to the Taliban, was flown from Palm Beach, Florida, to Tulsa for the evening rally, and then to New York City, according to an informal Trump adviser who spoke on condition of anonymity.
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“This was supposed to be a festival to celebrate Trump and Trumpism, and it laid an egg,” the adviser said, adding that more than 100 high-profile guests had been flown in and put up in hotels on the campaign’s dime.
How much the campaign or the Republican National Committee paid for Farage and the other invited guests to fly to the rally and stay in Tulsa is unclear. Neither the campaign nor the RNC responded to HuffPost queries on the matter, and filings that could shed some light on that question are not due at the Federal Election Commission until July 20.
Neither the White House nor the Department of Homeland Security would explain what “national interest” was served by allowing in Farage solely to let him attend a Trump rally.
His presence in Palm Beach ― a photo of which was posted to his Twitter account Saturday morning ― and at the rally has piqued the interest of House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), who on Monday asked DHS to produce documents explaining Farage’s entry.
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“The decision of the Trump Administration to admit Mr. Farage to the United States to enable him to attend a campaign rally at a time when most travel from the United Kingdom to the U.S. has been suspended raises numerous troubling questions,” Thompson wrote.
Farage, who had already returned to Britain on Monday, could not be reached for comment. He has for several years been popular with white nationalist groups both in the U.K. and the United States. He led the United Kingdom Independence Party and its successful push for that country to leave the European Union, which Trump also supported. Farage appeared at a Trump rally in Mississippi in 2016, and then visited the president-elect at Trump Tower after the November election.
One top Republican donor, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said he could not understand the value of spending campaign funds to ferry Farage around. “I don’t know why they’d waste money on that,” he said.
The chartered flights would add additional tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cost of the rally, which included a massive outdoor stage with concert-quality sound for an expected overflow crowd that never materialized, a daylong onsite party of food and music, and even a street festival for the surrounding blocks that would have featured other speakers and musicians.
The off-site plans fell by the wayside last week when it became clear that protesters against police brutality following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month would also descend on Trump’s appearance.
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Brexit Party leader and former European Parliament member Nigel Farage speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Oxon Hill, Maryland, on Feb. 28. The British politician has been given a waiver to enter the U.S. for Donald Trump's reelection campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Jose Luis Magana/ASSOCIATED PRESS
The campaign had initially scheduled the rally for June 19, apparently unaware that the date was Juneteenth, an annual commemoration of the emancipation of the last remaining Black slaves in the U.S. The campaign also seemed unaware that Tulsa was the site of the worst anti-Black massacre in the nation’s history.
Trump backed down from that date following several days of criticism and moved it to Saturday, June 20. He continued claiming his campaign had received 1 million ticket requests and that at least a 10th of those ticketholders would actually show up in Tulsa.
“We’re either close to or over 1 million people wanting to go,” he said last week in the White House Cabinet Room. “Which would mean they would have over 900,000 people that won’t be able to go.”
Indeed, the original plan called for nearly 20,000 inside the arena, 25,000 more outside who would get their own Trump appearance and 100,000 at the street festival in the surrounding area.
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In the end, though, only a tiny fraction of those expected to attend and an even tinier fraction of those who requested tickets showed up. Tulsa’s fire department reported a total of just under 6,200 inside the arena. There was no overflow crowd, and campaign officials began breaking down the outdoor stage even before Trump’s arrival.
Trump was incensed by the poor turnout, which both he and his campaign blamed on protesters blocking access to the entrances -- which neither journalists at the site nor the Tulsa Police Department reported happening -- and on media coverage of Trump’s insistence on holding a rally even as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised Americans to avoid crowded indoor areas, particularly where masks are not being worn. That description fit the Bank of Oklahoma Center nearly perfectly, as most attendees followed Trump’s lead and chose not to wear a mask.
Whether Trump will replace campaign manager Brad Parscale or others who planned the rally and assured him of high turnout is unclear. Parscale had no experience in politics prior to 2015, when he was hired to make Trump’s campaign web site, but then he earned millions after Trump won the Republican nomination and then the presidency. Trump made him campaign manager for his 2020 run in 2018.
“I think this one finally put a stake in him,” the GOP donor said, adding that a number of Trump’s advisers have been clamoring for Parscale’s firing for months. “He’s got the brag thing down, but he doesn’t have the delivery thing down.”
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Neither Parscale nor others at the campaign responded to HuffPost queries, but the outside Trump adviser said Parscale is likely safe because he continues secretly paying the wife of one Trump son and the girlfriend of another $180,000 per year using campaign money funneled through his personal business.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--Tulsa Rally Failure May Spark Trump Campaign Team Shakeup

According to the former adviser , Trump , who is “ getting madder by the day , ” has recently made dismissive comments about Parscale ’ s experience .
Prior to working with Trump , Parscale worked at a web design and marketing company he founded in San Antonio , Texas .
He was named campaign manager of Trump ’ s re-election bid in early 2018 .
Multiple sources said Trump is also considering giving more responsibility to two other top campaign staffers — Jason Miller and Bill Stepien .
Earlier this month , Miller , who was Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hired to be a senior adviser .
Stepien , who has worked for the Trump campaign and the White House since 2016 , was recently promoted to deputy campaign manager .
The sources said either of the pair could serve as potential replacements for Parscale or be granted greater power behind the scenes .
Parscale did not respond to a request for comment .
Miller dismissed the idea Trump was dissatisfied with Parscale and mulling changes to his campaign strategy as “ fake news.
” He also suggested the Tulsa rally was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has held off on large events since March due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Fire marshal ’ s in Tulsa said Trump drew under 6,200 people at the BOK Center , which can hold about 19,000 .
The Trump campaign also prepped for overflow crowds by setting up an outdoor stage where Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were scheduled to make speeches prior to the rally .
Those remarks were scrapped and the stage was dismantled after no crowds were left outside the venue .
The rally was set to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event since the pandemic led to lockdowns and cancellations of major gatherings across the country .
Oklahoma saw a spike in cases of COVID-19 in the days leading up to the event and the Trump campaign announced on Saturday that six staffers who were in Tulsa to set up tested positive .
Whatever caused the attendance to fall below the campaign ’ s expectations , the rows of empty seats were an embarrassing sight , particularly given Trump ’ s infamous preoccupation with crowd sizes .
Parscale ’ s prior social media boasts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added to the negative headlines , as did claims an anti-Trump campaign led by teens on TikTok was behind this large number ( though there is no data supporting those claims . )
As Biden ’ s position has improved in the polls , multiple reports have appeared of tension on Trump ’ s team , and of the president ’ s growing frustration with Parscale , even before Tulsa .
This included a story published by CNN in late April that Trump “ shouted ” at the campaign manager about his poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denied the outburst occurred .
The former campaign adviser said Trump felt “ poorly served ” by recent advice from his aides including the execution of the Tulsa rally and the handling of his appearance at St. John ’ s Church earlier this month , which took place after protesters were tear gassed and cleared from the surrounding street .
According to the adviser , Parscale ’ s lack of political gravitas made it hard for him to question Trump when the president has his own ideas that might not work .
Still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sources suggested Trump could be mulling a shakeup , they all warned against counting Parscale out entirely and noted the campaign manager ’ s support from members of the president ’ s family .
The former adviser pegged Trump ’ s daughter in law , Lara Trump , and Kimberly Guilfoyle , who is dating the president ’ s son , Don Jr. , as strong supporters of Parscale .
Both Lara and Guilfoyle work for the Trump campaign .
Jared Kushner , Trump ’ s son-in-law and a top White House adviser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the campaign — albeit in an unofficial capacity — and has a good relationship with Parscale .
A person familiar with Kushner ’ s thinking told Yahoo News that Trump ’ s son-in-lw is close to Parscale and is unlikely to be eager for him to leave the campaign .
“ I would go on the record effusively praising Brad and saying that he has been great to work with .
I would also go on record saying Brad had never worked in politics before and he would even admit that he knew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Walsh said .
“ There were a lot of times when Brad would admit , ‘ Yeah , I don ’ t know.
’ But he ’ s a really smart guy .
What I love about Brad , to be totally honest , is that Brad admits what he doesn ’ t know .
”

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Poor attendance at his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday night has President Trump increasingly frustrated with his campaign manager, Brad Parscale and considering shaking up the re-election team, according to sources familiar with the issue.
“The president has diminishing confidence in Brad,” the former adviser said of Parscale, who served as the campaign’s digital director in 2016.
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According to the former adviser, Trump, who is “getting madder by the day,” has recently made dismissive comments about Parscale’s experience. Prior to working with Trump, Parscale worked at a web design and marketing company he founded in San Antonio, Texas. He was named campaign manager of Trump’s re-election bid in early 2018.
“I’ve been in the room when Trump refers to him as ‘the website guy.’ …. And that’s not that long ago. It’s a problem for Brad,” the former campaign adviser said of Parscale.
Multiple sources said Trump is also considering giving more responsibility to two other top campaign staffers — Jason Miller and Bill Stepien. Earlier this month, Miller, who was Trump’s communications director in 2016, was hired to be a senior adviser. Stepien, who has worked for the Trump campaign and the White House since 2016, was recently promoted to deputy campaign manager. The sources said either of the pair could serve as potential replacements for Parscale or be granted greater power behind the scenes.
Parscale did not respond to a request for comment. Miller dismissed the idea Trump was dissatisfied with Parscale and mulling changes to his campaign strategy as “fake news.” He also suggested the Tulsa rally was a success compared to Biden’s campaign, which has held off on large events since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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“Brad has built an amazing team and the Biden campaign is in full meltdown trying to explain why Trump had 11,990 more supporters than Biden did at their last event,” Miller said.
Fire marshal’s in Tulsa said Trump drew under 6,200 people at the BOK Center, which can hold about 19,000. The Trump campaign also prepped for overflow crowds by setting up an outdoor stage where Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were scheduled to make speeches prior to the rally. Those remarks were scrapped and the stage was dismantled after no crowds were left outside the venue.
Parscale later blamed the more modest attendance on coronavirus and media coverage that he claimed warned “people away” to avoid sickness and violent protests. The campaign manager also suggested demonstrations “blocked access,” a claim which has been debunked.
The rally was set to be the country’s largest indoor event since the pandemic led to lockdowns and cancellations of major gatherings across the country. Oklahoma saw a spike in cases of COVID-19 in the days leading up to the event and the Trump campaign announced on Saturday that six staffers who were in Tulsa to set up tested positive.
Whatever caused the attendance to fall below the campaign’s expectations, the rows of empty seats were an embarrassing sight, particularly given Trump’s infamous preoccupation with crowd sizes. Parscale’s prior social media boasts that 800,000 people signed up for tickets added to the negative headlines, as did claims an anti-Trump campaign led by teens on TikTok was behind this large number (though there is no data supporting those claims.)
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As Biden’s position has improved in the polls, multiple reports have appeared of tension on Trump’s team, and of the president’s growing frustration with Parscale, even before Tulsa. This included a story published by CNN in late April that Trump “shouted” at the campaign manager about his poll numbers. Both Trump and Parscale subsequently denied the outburst occurred.
The former campaign adviser said Trump felt “poorly served” by recent advice from his aides including the execution of the Tulsa rally and the handling of his appearance at St. John’s Church earlier this month, which took place after protesters were tear gassed and cleared from the surrounding street. According to the adviser, Parscale’s lack of political gravitas made it hard for him to question Trump when the president has his own ideas that might not work.
“Brad never has experience to point to and offer a counterpoint when the president has a bad instinct,” the adviser said.
Still even as the former adviser and other sources suggested Trump could be mulling a shakeup, they all warned against counting Parscale out entirely and noted the campaign manager’s support from members of the president’s family. The former adviser pegged Trump’s daughter in law, Lara Trump, and Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is dating the president’s son, Don Jr., as strong supporters of Parscale. Both Lara and Guilfoyle work for the Trump campaign.
“If Trump wanted to get rid of Brad, I think Kimberly and Lara are an impediment to that,” the former adviser said.
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Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and a top White House adviser, also plays a key role on the campaign — albeit in an unofficial capacity — and has a good relationship with Parscale. A person familiar with Kushner’s thinking told Yahoo News that Trump’s son-in-lw is close to Parscale and is unlikely to be eager for him to leave the campaign.
Parscale has been widely credited with masterminding a data and social media strategy that was a key component of Trump’s 2016 victory. He has also been paid handsomely for his work for Trump.
However, veterans of Trump’s initial White House bid have noted his limitations. In November 2016, just after Trump won, former Republican National Committee Chief of Staff Katie Walsh, who worked with Parscale’s data operation, spoke candidly with Yahoo News about his limitations.
“I would go on the record effusively praising Brad and saying that he has been great to work with. I would also go on record saying Brad had never worked in politics before and he would even admit that he knew almost nothing about politics before this,” Walsh said. “There were a lot of times when Brad would admit, ‘Yeah, I don’t know.’ But he’s a really smart guy. What I love about Brad, to be totally honest, is that Brad admits what he doesn’t know.”
The former campaign adviser who discussed the president’s frustrations also offered a simple prediction about how Trump will react if he continues to lose ground to Biden.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--Never-Trump GOP Group Dumps On Puny Tulsa Rally In New Ad

“ Hey , Donald , ” the ad begins .
“ Your campaign manager told you a million fans wanted to come to your first big rally .
Turnout in Tulsa ?
A dud.
” As the video shows a closeup of Trump ’ s smallish hands , the female narrator snidely adds : “ You ’ ve probably heard this before , but it was smaller than we expected .
It sure wasn ’ t as big as you promised.
” Donald Trump “ can ’ t deliver on his wall .
He can ’ t deliver on COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t even deliver crowds , ” Lincoln Project co-founder and Republican media consultant Rick Wilson said in a statement .
The ad was out less than 24 hours after the surprisingly low turnout in Tulsa for a rally that was supposed to jumpstart Trump ’ s coronavirus-idled reelection campaign .
Trump boasted that over a million supporters had signed up to cheer him at the 19,000-capacity BOK Center arena .
His campaign also booked the neighboring convention center , which hold an additional 40,000 fans .
The Tulsa fire marshal reported Sunday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rally , leaving large , gaping sections of blue seats in the BOK Center as Trump spoke .
The convention center was not needed .
Trump canceled his plans to speak to the overflow crowd , since there was none .

“Hey, Donald,” the ad begins. “Your campaign manager told you a million fans wanted to come to your first big rally. Turnout in Tulsa? A dud.”
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As the video shows a closeup of Trump’s smallish hands, the female narrator snidely adds: “You’ve probably heard this before, but it was smaller than we expected. It sure wasn’t as big as you promised.”
She adds: “You talk a big game.”
Donald Trump “can’t deliver on his wall. He can’t deliver on COVID-19 testing. And now he can’t even deliver crowds,” Lincoln Project co-founder and Republican media consultant Rick Wilson said in a statement.
The ad was out less than 24 hours after the surprisingly low turnout in Tulsa for a rally that was supposed to jumpstart Trump’s coronavirus-idled reelection campaign.
Trump boasted that over a million supporters had signed up to cheer him at the 19,000-capacity BOK Center arena. His campaign also booked the neighboring convention center, which hold an additional 40,000 fans.
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The Tulsa fire marshal reported Sunday that fewer than 6,200 tickets were scanned for the rally, leaving large, gaping sections of blue seats in the BOK Center as Trump spoke.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--Trump Expands Immigration Ban To Suspend Foreign Worker Visas

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) - U.S. President Donald Trump will suspend the entry of certain foreign workers , a senior administration official said on Monday , a move the official said would help the economy , but which business groups strongly oppose .
Trump will block the entry of foreign workers on H-1B visas for skilled workers and L-1 visas for workers being transferred within a company through the end of the year , the official said .
Trump will also block seasonal workers on H-2B visas , with an exception for workers in the food service industry .
Businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chamber of Commerce have said the visa suspension would stifle the economic recovery after the damage done by the novel coronavirus pandemic .
Critics of the measure say Trump is using the pandemic to enact his longstanding goal to limit immigration into the United States .
Trump owned- or Trump branded businesses have used the H-2B program to hire seasonal guest workers .
The immediate effects of the proclamation will likely be limited , as U.S. consulates around the world remain closed for most routine visa processing .
A senior Department of Homeland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affect valid visa holders already in the United States .
Republican Trump is running for re-election on Nov. 3 and has made his tough immigration stance a central pitch to voters , although the coronavirus , faltering economy and nationwide protests over police brutality have overshadowed that issue .
The visa suspension announced on Monday will open up 525,000 jobs for U.S. workers , the senior official said on a call with reporters , saying it was geared at “ getting Americans back to work as quickly as possible.
” The official did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that figure .
BSA , The Software Alliance , whose members include Microsoft and Slack , strongly urged the administration to “ refrain from restricting employment of highly-skilled foreign professionals ” , adding that “ these restrictions will negatively impact the US economy ” and decrease job opportunities for Americans .
Doug Rand , co-founder of Boundless , a pro-migrant group that helps families navigate the U.S. immigration system , said the fact that H2-A visas used to bring in foreign farmworkers were exempt signals that “ big agriculture interests are the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this administration.
” “ The immigration restrictionists would like us all to believe that every single company bringing over foreign-born workers is nefarious and just wants to bring in people who are underpaid , ” said Rand .
“ That is a false premise.
” Trump also will renew an April proclamation that temporarily blocks some foreigners from permanent residence in the United States , the senior administration official said on Monday .
The official said that proclamation freed up roughly 50,000 jobs for Americans , but did not provide details .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ visa program so that the 85,000 visas available in the program each year go to the highest-paid applicants , instead of the current lottery system .
In addition , the administration plans to issue rules that make it harder for companies to use the H-1B visa program to train foreign workers to perform the same job in another country , the official said .

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will suspend the entry of certain foreign workers, a senior administration official said on Monday, a move the official said would help the economy, but which business groups strongly oppose.
Trump will block the entry of foreign workers on H-1B visas for skilled workers and L-1 visas for workers being transferred within a company through the end of the year, the official said. Trump will also block seasonal workers on H-2B visas, with an exception for workers in the food service industry.
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Businesses including major tech companies and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have said the visa suspension would stifle the economic recovery after the damage done by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Critics of the measure say Trump is using the pandemic to enact his longstanding goal to limit immigration into the United States. Trump owned- or Trump branded businesses have used the H-2B program to hire seasonal guest workers.
The immediate effects of the proclamation will likely be limited, as U.S. consulates around the world remain closed for most routine visa processing. A senior Department of Homeland Security official said the proclamation will not affect valid visa holders already in the United States.
Republican Trump is running for re-election on Nov. 3 and has made his tough immigration stance a central pitch to voters, although the coronavirus, faltering economy and nationwide protests over police brutality have overshadowed that issue.
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The visa suspension announced on Monday will open up 525,000 jobs for U.S. workers, the senior official said on a call with reporters, saying it was geared at “getting Americans back to work as quickly as possible.” The official did not explain how the administration arrived at that figure.
The temporary visa suspension will include work-authorized J visas, which are available for cultural exchange opportunities in the United States, and visas for the spouses of H-1B workers.
BSA, The Software Alliance, whose members include Microsoft and Slack, strongly urged the administration to “refrain from restricting employment of highly-skilled foreign professionals”, adding that “these restrictions will negatively impact the US economy” and decrease job opportunities for Americans.
Doug Rand, co-founder of Boundless, a pro-migrant group that helps families navigate the U.S. immigration system, said the fact that H2-A visas used to bring in foreign farmworkers were exempt signals that “big agriculture interests are the only stakeholder with any sway over immigration policy in this administration.”
Many other business groups were lobbying against a temporary visa ban before it was announced.
“The immigration restrictionists would like us all to believe that every single company bringing over foreign-born workers is nefarious and just wants to bring in people who are underpaid,” said Rand. “That is a false premise.”
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Trump also will renew an April proclamation that temporarily blocks some foreigners from permanent residence in the United States, the senior administration official said on Monday. The official said that proclamation freed up roughly 50,000 jobs for Americans, but did not provide details.
An exemption for medical workers in Trump’s April ban on permanent residence will be narrowed to people working on coronavirus research and care, the official said.
In addition to the new visa suspension, the Trump administration will take several other moves to tighten rules around temporary work visas.
The administration plans to rework the H-1B visa program so that the 85,000 visas available in the program each year go to the highest-paid applicants, instead of the current lottery system.
In addition, the administration plans to issue rules that make it harder for companies to use the H-1B visa program to train foreign workers to perform the same job in another country, the official said.
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Both moves would likely require regulatory changes.
Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia will use the department’s statutory authority to investigate abuse of the H-1B visa program, the senior official said.
The Trump administration also finalized a regulation on Monday that will lift a requirement to process work permits for asylum seekers within 30 days, a move that will likely result in longer waits for work authorization.
Trump rolled out new health-focused rules in March that allow for the rapid deportation of immigrants caught at the border and virtually cut off access to the U.S. asylum system.
At the same time, he announced the land borders with Canada and Mexico would be closed to non-essential crossings, a measure that has been extended several times.
(Reporting by Ted Hesson and Steve Holland in Washington; Additional reporting by Raphael Satter in Washington and Mica Rosenberg in New York Editing by Sandra Maler and Grant McCool)


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--How The Black Lives Matter Protests Are Shaking Up New York’s Primaries

In addition , the mass demonstrations against racist policing practices have shifted public opinion , noted Saikat Chakrabarty , the former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-N.Y. ) .
Over two-thirds of Americans now say that Floyd ’ s death is a “ sign of broader problems in treatment of Black Americans by police , ” rather than an isolated incident , according to a Washington Post poll conducted earlier this month .
That ’ s a major uptick from 2014 when just 43 % of Americans felt that way in the wake of the police killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Torres referred HuffPost to a speech he delivered at the time of the bill ’ s passage in which he defended the reform as a compromise that would provide immediate relief and could be built upon later .
“ Progress in the present does not foreclose the possibility of even more progress in the future , ” he said then .
That has left some challengers arguing simply that New Yorkers need new representation to combat the stark inequality exposed by the pandemic and police protests .
Adem Bunkeddeko , a graduate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s economic development agency , is seeking to unseat Rep. Yvette Clarke in central Brooklyn , in part by arguing that too little has changed in the criminal justice system during Clarke ’ s time in Congress .

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THE BRONX, N.Y. ― It’s easy to forget now, but the hot mic moment that may end up costing Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) his seat only arose because of the recent wave of Black Lives Matter protests.
The peaceful demonstrations across New York City turned into civil unrest and looting on a major Bronx thoroughfare one night in early June. The following day, emerging from a prolonged stay in his Maryland home, Engel joined a press conference that combined condemnations of property destruction with calls for an end to police brutality and racism.
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A live TV broadcast picked up Engel unsuccessfully pleading for a speaking slot: “If I didn’t have a primary, I wouldn’t care,” he said.
The words ricocheted through the media, amplified by six-figure advertising buys that used the remarks as a symbol of Engel’s absence from the district and inattention to the concerns of his mostly Black and Latino constituents.
Dorrel Wallen, a retired health care worker, greeted middle school principal Jamaal Bowman, Engel’s challenger, before Bowman’s appearance marking the Juneteenth holiday in Co-Op City on Friday. Wallen, who had voted for Engel for years, is opting for Bowman this time — and the hot mic moment was at the top of her mind.
“How can you say that?” she said. “You can’t say that and expect us to give you a vote. You take it for granted.”
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Black Lives Matter demonstrators rally in downtown Brooklyn on Friday. The protest movements have reverberated through New York's Democratic congressional primaries. Ira L. Black/Corbis/Getty Images
In the country’s largest city and its surrounding suburbs, Democratic House candidates ― incumbents and newcomers alike ― are responding to changes in the political landscape caused by uprisings across the country following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the end of May.
On paper, the involvement of new people in the political process, dissatisfaction with the existing power structure, and appetite for solutions to long-standing inequities would seem to benefit left-leaning candidates like Bowman.
Bowman’s bid to oust Engel, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has attracted national resources and endorsements, thanks to excitement for the race among members of the activist left chastened by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ loss in the presidential primary.
Engel and Bowman agree on a number of police reforms, including the prohibition of police chokeholds, ending “qualified immunity” laws that prevent some victims of police misconduct from recovering civil damages in court, and outlawing no-knock warrants.
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But Bowman, who has recounted enduring police abuse as young as age 11, goes further, calling for “reparations” for Black Americans, a “truth and reconciliation” process to get the country to reckon with its history of racism, and defunding the police (which he defines as reallocating resources from the police to public health and social programs that prevent crime).
Bowman’s supporters see him as the kind of change agent that the current crisis requires.
“This election is about meeting the moment.” - Charles Khan, Strong Economy for All Coalition
“This election is about meeting the moment,” said Charles Khan, organizing director of New York’s progressive Strong Economy for All Coalition. “There are so many elected officials [of all races] that don’t meet this moment. They’re happy to tinker around the edges.”
Khan, a Black Brooklynite, pointed to the confluence of the racial justice protests with preexisting concerns about ongoing housing and health care crises gripping the city. The economic and public health fallout from the coronavirus, which disproportionately affected New York City’s Black and Latino communities, only exacerbated those problems.
In addition, the mass demonstrations against racist policing practices have shifted public opinion, noted Saikat Chakrabarti, the former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). Over two-thirds of Americans now say that Floyd’s death is a “sign of broader problems in treatment of Black Americans by police,” rather than an isolated incident, according to a Washington Post poll conducted earlier this month. That’s a major uptick from 2014 when just 43% of Americans felt that way in the wake of the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
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Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) is scrambling to protect his seat amid a wave of protests against racist policing. An effort to show solidarity with the cause resulted in a game-changing gaffe. Samuel Corum/Getty Images
“It plays to the advantage of people running on these issues,” said Chakrabarti, a founder of the left-wing group Justice Democrats, which recruits primary challengers.
In New York’s 17th Congressional District, which includes suburban Rockland and upper Westchester Counties, progressives have a shot at sending one of their own to Congress in an open primary to replace retiring House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey.
The left’s preferred candidate in the race, attorney Mondaire Jones, would be Congress’ first openly gay Black man. He initially ran as a challenger seeking to unseat Lowey and has made his family’s struggles to overcome the legacy of racism a focus of his campaign from the start. The Black Lives Matter protests nudged at least one silent supporter, Croton-on-Hudson Mayor Brian Pugh, to publicly endorse Jones.
But in the wake of the demonstrations, Jones’ more moderate rivals are doing their best to catch up. State Sen. David Carlucci, former Pentagon official Evelyn Farkas, and former federal prosecutor Adam Schleifer all touted their commitment to police reforms in speeches laden with social-justice buzzwords at a Juneteenth celebration in Ossining on Friday evening.
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Carlucci, who is known nationally for his past membership in a breakaway faction of state Senate Democrats that aligned with Republicans, called for making Juneteenth a national holiday, just as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo did for Empire State government employees.
“Jim Crow is alive and present in our education system, in our criminal justice system,” Carlucci declared.
“Quite a few New Yorkers are feeling like there are incumbents who have an advantage that they may not deserve.” - Christina Greer, Fordham University
Jones, however, points out that Carlucci did not sign on as a co-sponsor of state legislation enabling the public to request access to the disciplinary records of law enforcement officers until he faced public pressure to do so in the primary a few weeks ago.
Carlucci told HuffPost that he had always supported the bill but did not deny that he became a co-sponsor months after it was introduced. “Prior to this, unfortunately, that legislation was not in the forefront,” he said.
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The challenge for Jones, and progressive candidates like him, is in getting voters to reward him for making police brutality and racism a central theme of his campaign before it began dominating headlines in late May.
As a Black man and the son of an impoverished single mother, Jones speaks to the issue from personal experience. “I’ve been saying from the beginning of this race that we need more people in Congress for whom policy is personal,” he told HuffPost.
In New York’s 15th Congressional District, the 11 Democrats clamoring to take over for Rep. José Serrano, who has represented the South Bronx since 1990, are likewise mired in debates over the authenticity of one another’s police reform credentials.
New York City Councilman Ritchie Torres, who could also be the first openly gay Black man in Congress, has highlighted his efforts to increase police accountability, including city legislation he shepherded that requires cops to, among other things, provide personal business cards during most police stops.
But at the time of the bill’s passage in 2017, Torres’ measure already had critics on the left who worried that it carved out too many exceptions.
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Attorney Mondaire Jones would be the first openly gay Black man in Congress. He maintains that his moderate rivals began talking more about racism only when it was politically expedient. Mondaire Jones for Congress
Those simmering objections to Torres’ record burst into the open on Saturday when the family members of 11 people killed by the New York Police Department wrote an open letter to Bronx voters asking them not to vote for Torres. Torres, they argued, “let the NYPD rewrite part of the bill,” which made it “harmful to Black and Latino communities.”
One of Torres’ competitors, state Assemblyman Michael Blake, circulated the letter to his fundraising email list and posted it on social media.
Torres referred HuffPost to a speech he delivered at the time of the bill’s passage in which he defended the reform as a compromise that would provide immediate relief and could be built upon later. “Progress in the present does not foreclose the possibility of even more progress in the future,” he said then.
Even before the recent protest movements, metropolitan New York City was ripe for political upheaval thanks to Ocasio-Cortez’s success in 2018 and the numerous Democratic officials who have held their seats for decades.
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“We just can’t dismiss someone because they’ve been there working in the vineyard.” - Kenneth Jenkins, Westchester County deputy executive
“Quite a few New Yorkers are feeling like there are incumbents who have an advantage that they may not deserve,” said Christina Greer, a Fordham University political scientist and author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration and the Pursuit of the American Dream.”
That has left some challengers arguing simply that New Yorkers need new representation to combat the stark inequality exposed by the pandemic and police protests. Adem Bunkeddeko, a graduate of Harvard business school who worked for the state’s economic development agency, is seeking to unseat Rep. Yvette Clarke in central Brooklyn, in part by arguing that too little has changed in the criminal justice system during Clarke’s time in Congress.
“For 12 years Yvette Clarke has failed to act and Brooklyn deserves better,” a Bunkeddeko mailer says.
In fact, Clarke was an outspoken voice in Congress against the city’s stop-and-frisk program, which a federal judge ultimately struck down for violating the civil rights of the city’s Black and Latino residents. She called for the Department of Justice to intervene against the program in 2012.
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And Clarke was an original cosponsor of a 2015 bill banning police chokeholds. That legislation is the basis for a provision in a suite of policing reforms that House Democrats plan to vote on this week.
Suraj Patel, an attorney and business school instructor, has made a similar argument in his bid to unseat Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who has represented Manhattan’s East Side and parts of Queens and Brooklyn since 1993.
“Can we take the aspirations of an entire generation and turn them into law?” Patel said in a closing video pitch centered on the protest movements. “The people that make those laws need to change.”
Jamaal Bowman, right, greets people outside of a subway station on Wednesday. He argues that Rep. Engel's seniority has not done enough for the district. Jeenah Moon/Getty Images
Even Bowman, whose ideological differences with Engel are clearer, made an anti-incumbent case to voters. He ticked off the urgent issues in the majority-minority district that straddles New York City’s northern border, including opioid addiction and homelessness crises.
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“What has that seniority and that so-called power brought to this district?” he asked at the Friday press conference in Co-Op City.
Of course, some of Engel’s constituents, including a number of prominent Black officials, maintain that he has used his influence to improve life for the most vulnerable residents.
Kenneth Jenkins, Westchester County’s first Black deputy county executive, cited Engel’s support for a cap on rents in public housing developments, securing of funding for safety-net hospitals in the district and solidarity with the family members of constituents killed by police, like Ramarley Graham.
“He’s been a fighter for a long time,” Jenkins said. “We just can’t dismiss someone because they’ve been there working in the vineyard.”
Wallen, the Bowman supporter in Co-Op City, was optimistic that Bowman would be a stronger advocate for racial justice.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Approved For Insect Population Control In The U.S.

Genetically modified mosquitoes with the ability to prevent other mosquitoes from spreading deadly diseases may be making their way to Florida backyards in the near future .
British biotech group Oxitec announced on Tuesday that the company had won both federal and state approval to release its so-called “ Friendly ” mosquitoes in the U.S. on an experimental trial basis , expected to last until 2022 , according to documents provided by the Environmental Protection Agency .
The insects will first be released in Monroe County , Florida , and Oxitec has plans to also bring them to Harris County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involves Aedes aegypti , the mosquito that spreads yellow fever , dengue fever and Zika , among other diseases .
While female Aedes aegypti feed on blood and are the transmitters of such illnesses , male Aedes aegypti are harmless , and Oxitec ’ s “ Friendly ” mosquitoes are males who have been altered to carry a specific “ self-limiting gene , ” according to a description on the company ’ s website .
This gene will reduce the lifespan of any female offspring they might foster , but will live on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generations of suppression ” that can lower the general Aedes aegypti population over time , theoretically leading to a decrease in the diseases that the insects are known for .
“ There is broad consensus amongst public health officials in the U.S. that a new generation of safe , targeted and cost-effective vector control tools are needed urgently to combat the growing threat posed by Aedes aegypti without impacting the ecosystem , ” Grey Frandsen , Oxitec CEO , said in the company ’ s announcement .
“ We ’ re pleased that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after extensive scientific reviews , approved our demonstration trials and we look forward to continuing the collaboration with our local partners as they take up the matter.
” This novel method of mosquito population control was recently tested in the municipality of Indaiatuba , near São Paulo , Brazil , from May 2018 to 2019 .
In one of the tested communities , Oxitec observed that the genetically modified mosquitoes managed to suppress the population of Aedes aegypti up to 96 % within a four-week period .
Jaydee Hanson , policy director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the mosquito project a “ ‘ Jurassic Park ’ experiment ” in a statement .
Hanson argued that by not carrying out in-depth consultations with local wildlife agencies before allowing Oxitec free rein with its insects , the EPA had “ unlawfully refused to seriously analyze environmental risks.
” “ The Florida Keys and Houston and the surrounding communities are home to some of the most diverse and threatened species in our country , ” Dana Perls , food and technology program manager of Friends of the Earth U.S. , echoed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Trump administration is callously disregarding scientific experts and the will of communities to force this risky experiment through .
”

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Genetically modified mosquitoes with the ability to prevent other mosquitoes from spreading deadly diseases may be making their way to Florida backyards in the near future.
British biotech group Oxitec announced on Tuesday that the company had won both federal and state approval to release its so-called “Friendly” mosquitoes in the U.S. on an experimental trial basis, expected to last until 2022, according to documents provided by the Environmental Protection Agency. The insects will first be released in Monroe County, Florida, and Oxitec has plans to also bring them to Harris County, Texas.
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Oxitec’s project involves Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that spreads yellow fever, dengue fever and Zika, among other diseases. While female Aedes aegypti feed on blood and are the transmitters of such illnesses, male Aedes aegypti are harmless, and Oxitec’s “Friendly” mosquitoes are males who have been altered to carry a specific “self-limiting gene,” according to a description on the company’s website. This gene will reduce the lifespan of any female offspring they might foster, but will live on in males, “offering ... self-limiting generations of suppression” that can lower the general Aedes aegypti population over time, theoretically leading to a decrease in the diseases that the insects are known for.
“There is broad consensus amongst public health officials in the U.S. that a new generation of safe, targeted and cost-effective vector control tools are needed urgently to combat the growing threat posed by Aedes aegypti without impacting the ecosystem,” Grey Frandsen, Oxitec CEO, said in the company’s announcement. “We’re pleased that the EPA and Florida state regulators have, after extensive scientific reviews, approved our demonstration trials and we look forward to continuing the collaboration with our local partners as they take up the matter.”
This novel method of mosquito population control was recently tested in the municipality of Indaiatuba, near São Paulo, Brazil, from May 2018 to 2019. In one of the tested communities, Oxitec observed that the genetically modified mosquitoes managed to suppress the population of Aedes aegypti up to 96% within a four-week period.
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Jaydee Hanson, policy director for the Center for Food Safety, called the mosquito project a “‘Jurassic Park’ experiment” in a statement. Hanson argued that by not carrying out in-depth consultations with local wildlife agencies before allowing Oxitec free rein with its insects, the EPA had “unlawfully refused to seriously analyze environmental risks.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-13--Conservation Officer Fired For Refusing To Shoot Bear Cubs Wins Court Victory

A conservation officer in Canada has won a lengthy legal battle after being fired for refusing to kill two bear cubs .
A judge in British Columbia ruled this week that disciplinary proceedings surrounding Bryce Casavant , a former conservation officer with the British Columbia Ministry of Environment , were handled improperly .
Casavant was suspended without pay and ultimately fired in 2015 .
He had defied instructions to kill black bear cubs whose mother had been found eating garbage and raiding a freezer .
His supervisor ordered him to kill the entire bear family “ on the basis that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” court documents said .
He killed the mother but did not kill the 8-week-old cubs since they had not been seen eating garbage , and there was no evidence they had become habituated to humans .
Instead , he tranquillized them and brought them to a veterinarian .
The cubs later transferred to a wildlife rehabilitation facility and were ultimately released back into the wild .
Bear cubs Athena and Jordan at the North Island Wildlife Recovery Association in Errington , British Columbia , in 2015 .
The cubs went to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bryce Casavant refused orders to shoot them .
Casavant was fired over not following orders and began a lengthy legal battle to fight the decision .
This week , the British Columbia Court of Appeal ruled that disciplinary proceedings surrounding Casavant ’ s case should have been handled in accordance with the province ’ s Police Act .
Casavant argued that as a special constable appointed under the act , it was his right to make the final decision about whether or not to use a firearm .
The judge did not rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former job , writing instead that she would “ leave the parties to sort out the consequences ” of her decision .
Animal law expert Rebeka Breder told The Star that the decision could make a big difference in future cases where officers believe it ’ s wrong to kill animals .
“ It took a lot of guts to do what he did , ” she said .
“ In the bigger picture , the ruling sets a precedent that conservation officers could stand up to supervisors against kill orders when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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A conservation officer in Canada has won a lengthy legal battle after being fired for refusing to kill two bear cubs.
A judge in British Columbia ruled this week that disciplinary proceedings surrounding Bryce Casavant, a former conservation officer with the British Columbia Ministry of Environment, were handled improperly.
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“It nullifies what’s happened,” Casavant told Global News. “Legally speaking, it’s like [the dismissal] never happened.”
Casavant was suspended without pay and ultimately fired in 2015. He had defied instructions to kill black bear cubs whose mother had been found eating garbage and raiding a freezer.
His supervisor ordered him to kill the entire bear family “on the basis that they had become habituated to human food,” court documents said. He killed the mother but did not kill the 8-week-old cubs since they had not been seen eating garbage, and there was no evidence they had become habituated to humans.
Instead, he tranquillized them and brought them to a veterinarian. The cubs later transferred to a wildlife rehabilitation facility and were ultimately released back into the wild.
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Bear cubs Athena and Jordan at the North Island Wildlife Recovery Association in Errington, British Columbia, in 2015. The cubs went to the wildlife rehabilitation facility after conservation officer Bryce Casavant refused orders to shoot them. Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press via AP
Casavant was fired over not following orders and began a lengthy legal battle to fight the decision.
This week, the British Columbia Court of Appeal ruled that disciplinary proceedings surrounding Casavant’s case should have been handled in accordance with the province’s Police Act. Casavant argued that as a special constable appointed under the act, it was his right to make the final decision about whether or not to use a firearm.
The judge did not rule that Casavant must be reinstated in his former job, writing instead that she would “leave the parties to sort out the consequences” of her decision.
Animal law expert Rebeka Breder told The Star that the decision could make a big difference in future cases where officers believe it’s wrong to kill animals.
“It took a lot of guts to do what he did,” she said. “In the bigger picture, the ruling sets a precedent that conservation officers could stand up to supervisors against kill orders when it is appropriate to do so.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-08--Eerie Golden Gate Bridge ‘Music’ Fills San Francisco After Railing Replacement

San Francisco ’ s iconic Golden Gate Bridge has found its voice ... and it ’ s already driving some locals nuts .
The city ’ s help line says the noise ― variously described as a whistle , hum , howl or even scream ― is caused by “ high winds blowing through the newly installed railing slats along the bike path on the bridge.
” It ’ s not constant , only when the winds are just right , as was the case on Friday : Anthony J. : “ Engineers designed new sides for the sidewalk to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t take into account the EXTREME sound it creates when wind passes through it .
The bridge sings crazy songs now it ’ s so trippy .
It hurts the ears and unbearable it ’ s that loud.
” pic.twitter.com/GWdVia1GNS — Mark Krueger ( @ markkrueg ) June 6 , 2020 It can be heard for miles throughout the City by the Bay and beyond : The Golden Gate Bridge now makes music .
You can hear this whistle all over the city pic.twitter.com/W1V9Dw4sXb — Raemond ( @ RaemondBW ) June 6 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started to sing , ” Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz , a spokesman for the Golden Gate Bridge , Highway and Transportation District , told the station .
“ The new musical tones coming from the bridge are a known and inevitable phenomenon that stem from our wind retrofit during very high winds.
” He said the retrofit is “ necessary to ensure the safety and structural integrity of the bridge for generations to come.
” In other words , unless there ’ s another retrofit , the haunting sounds are here to stay .

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San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge has found its voice... and it’s already driving some locals nuts.
The city’s help line says the noise ― variously described as a whistle, hum, howl or even scream ― is caused by “high winds blowing through the newly installed railing slats along the bike path on the bridge.”
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It’s not constant, only when the winds are just right, as was the case on Friday:
Anthony J.:
“Engineers designed new sides for the sidewalk to help with wind resistance but didn’t take into account the EXTREME sound it creates when wind passes through it. The bridge sings crazy songs now it’s so trippy. It hurts the ears and unbearable it’s that loud.” pic.twitter.com/GWdVia1GNS — Mark Krueger (@markkrueg) June 6, 2020
It can be heard for miles throughout the City by the Bay and beyond:
THANK YOU!!!! Here’s the sound from Land’s End pic.twitter.com/JjEWy6zrlX — chilibrianno (@chilibrianno) June 6, 2020
The Golden Gate Bridge now makes music. You can hear this whistle all over the city pic.twitter.com/W1V9Dw4sXb — Raemond (@RaemondBW) June 6, 2020
Local public radio station KQED referred to the bridge as a “a giant orange wheezing kazoo.”
“The Golden Gate Bridge has started to sing,” Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz, a spokesman for the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, told the station. “The new musical tones coming from the bridge are a known and inevitable phenomenon that stem from our wind retrofit during very high winds.”
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He said the retrofit is “necessary to ensure the safety and structural integrity of the bridge for generations to come.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-06--Russian Diesel Spill That Stained Rivers Red May Have Been Due To Melting Permafrost

Melting permafrost may have caused the spill of about 20,000 tons of diesel in northern Siberia that turned rivers deep red last week , an ominous sign as the Earth warms .
The disaster happened on May 29 at a power plant in the remote Russian industrial city of Norilsk , about 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle .
A collapsed fuel tank began spilling diesel into nearby rivers and a reservoir , ABC News reported .
Two rivers , the Ambarnaya and Daldykan , turned shades of red .
Norilsk Nickel , the mining conglomerate that owns the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wake of Russia ’ s warmest winter since temperatures have been recorded ― may have been to blame : The thaw made the ground unstable beneath the diesel storage tank .
“ What we can suggest is that as a result of the abnormally mild temperatures , a melting of the permafrost could have happened that led to the partial subsiding of the support on which the tank sits , ” according to a company statement reported by ABC .
Permafrost is ground that has been continuously frozen for at least two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frozen for tens or hundreds of thousands of years .
“ Entire cities and roads were built on permafrost , ” Guido Grosse , a permafrost expert at Germany ’ s Alfred Wegener Institute , told Bloomberg Green .
“ When permafrost thaws , the ice deep in the ground that has been there for thousands of years melts , and you lose stability .
That has an impact on infrastructure.
” Arctic permafrost has been melting at an alarming rate in recent years , threatening human communities , wildlife and potentially releasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the air as it thaws .
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a state of emergency to clean up the spill this week and criticized Norilsk Nickel , saying it did not alert government officials about what happened soon enough .
“ Why did government agencies only find out about this two days after the fact ?
” Putin said in a video conference , as widely translated .
“ Are we going to learn about emergency situations from social media ?
” The region “ will be seeing the repercussions for years to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia said in a statement translated by The New York Times .
“ We are talking about dead fish , polluted plumage of birds and poisoned animals.
” Norilsk Nickel was also responsible for turning the Daldykan blood red , apparently from pollution , in 2016 , and the sulfur dioxide the plant emits has resulted in a “ dead zone ” around it that ’ s twice the size of Rhode Island .

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Melting permafrost may have caused the spill of about 20,000 tons of diesel in northern Siberia that turned rivers deep red last week, an ominous sign as the Earth warms.
The disaster happened on May 29 at a power plant in the remote Russian industrial city of Norilsk, about 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle. A collapsed fuel tank began spilling diesel into nearby rivers and a reservoir, ABC News reported. Two rivers, the Ambarnaya and Daldykan, turned shades of red.
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State of emergency in Norilsk after 20,000 tons of diesel leaks into Arctic river system. Fear that thawing permafrost caused damage to storage tank https://t.co/EYvzar8jUQ pic.twitter.com/oN4pOtLZy0 — The Siberian Times (@siberian_times) June 2, 2020
Norilsk Nickel, the mining conglomerate that owns the plant, said melting permafrost ― in the wake of Russia’s warmest winter since temperatures have been recorded ― may have been to blame: The thaw made the ground unstable beneath the diesel storage tank.
“What we can suggest is that as a result of the abnormally mild temperatures, a melting of the permafrost could have happened that led to the partial subsiding of the support on which the tank sits,” according to a company statement reported by ABC.
A European Space Agency photo taken on Sunday shows the extent of the diesel spill, in red. European Space Agency via AP
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Permafrost is ground that has been continuously frozen for at least two years, and much permafrost has been frozen for tens or hundreds of thousands of years.
“Entire cities and roads were built on permafrost,” Guido Grosse, a permafrost expert at Germany’s Alfred Wegener Institute, told Bloomberg Green. “When permafrost thaws, the ice deep in the ground that has been there for thousands of years melts, and you lose stability. That has an impact on infrastructure.”
Arctic permafrost has been melting at an alarming rate in recent years, threatening human communities, wildlife and potentially releasing millions of tons of additional carbon into the air as it thaws.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a state of emergency to clean up the spill this week and criticized Norilsk Nickel, saying it did not alert government officials about what happened soon enough.
“Why did government agencies only find out about this two days after the fact?” Putin said in a video conference, as widely translated. “Are we going to learn about emergency situations from social media?”
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Workers attempt to prevent the spread of the spill. Russian Marine Rescue Service via AP
Vyacheslav Starostin, the power plant’s manager, has been detained in a criminal investigation.
The region “will be seeing the repercussions for years to come,” Sergey Verkhovets of WWF Russia said in a statement translated by The New York Times. “We are talking about dead fish, polluted plumage of birds and poisoned animals.”
A full cleanup could take five to 10 years.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-03--Scientists Learn How Tiny Critters Make Ocean 'Snot Palaces'

MBARI via AP This 2002 photo provided by the Monterrey Bay Aquarium Research Institute shows a close up view of a `` giant larvacean '' and its `` inner house '' - a mucus filter that the animal uses to collect food .
The creature , usually three to ten centimeters ( about one to four inches ) in length , builds a huge mucous structure that functions as an elaborate feeding apparatus , guiding food particles into the animal 's mouth .
When the filters get clogged , the larvacean abandons them .
The abandoned filters sink toward the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source for other marine animals .
KENSINGTON , Maryland ( AP ) — Master builders of the sea construct the equivalent of a complex five-story house that protects them from predators and funnels and filters food for them — all from snot coming out of their heads .
Her team took a step toward solving the mystery of the snot houses and maybe someday even replicating them , according to a study in Wednesday ’ s journal Nature .
The creatures inside these houses may be small — the biggest are around 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are smart and crucial to Earth ’ s environment .
Found globally , they are the closest relatives to humans without a backbone , Katija and other scientists said .
Together with their houses “ they are like an alien life form , made almost entirely out of water , yet crafted with complexity and purpose , ” said Dalhousie University marine biologist Boris Worm , who wasn ’ t part of the study .
“ They remind me of a cross between a living veil and a high tech filter pump.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ clogged homes about every day , the creatures collectively drop millions of tons of carbon to the seafloor , where it stays , preventing further global warming , Worm said .
They also take microplastics out of the water column and dump it on the sea floor .
And if that ’ s not enough , the other waste in their abandoned houses is eaten by the ocean ’ s bottom dwellers .
But it ’ s what they build that fascinates and mystifies scientists .
Because the snot houses are so delicate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to take them to the lab to study them .
So Katija and team used a remote submarine , cameras and lasers to watch these creatures in water about 650 to 1300 feet ( 200 to 400 meters ) deep off Monterey Bay in Northern California .
These mucus structures aren ’ t simple .
They include two heart-like chambers that act as a maze for the food that drifts in , except there ’ s only one way for it to go : into the larvacean ’ s mouth .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flow all around the critter that looks like a tadpole , but isn ’ t .
“ It could be the most kind of complex structure that an animal makes , ” Katija said .
“ It ’ s pretty astonishing that a single animal is able to do it.
” And the houses are comparatively big — about 10 times bigger than the critters themselves — reaching more than three feet wide ( one meter ) .
It would be the equivalent of a person making a five-story house , Katija said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of houses by secreting mucus from cells on their heads and then expand those much like a balloon into the structures that we see , ” Katija said .
All in about an hour .
Water can flow through the structure so that when it moves through the water it doesn ’ t give much of a motion detectable by predatory fish .
That , Katija said , essentially masks the house from whatever wants to eat the larvaceans .
None of this could be done in the lab .
Katija ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtually fly through the inner chambers of the snot palaces , then recreated them with software to model the inner-workings of the structure .
But she said the scientists are still far from understanding everything going on there .
Providence College biologist Jack Costello , who wasn ’ t part of the study , said Katija ’ s team did “ really cool work ... to detail the complex houses .
It ’ s not easy to do in the best circumstances and they ’ ve done it deep in the oceans .
@

This 2002 photo provided by the Monterrey Bay Aquarium Research Institute shows a close up view of a "giant larvacean" and its "inner house" - a mucus filter that the animal uses to collect food. The creature, usually three to ten centimeters (about one to four inches) in length, builds a huge mucous structure that functions as an elaborate feeding apparatus, guiding food particles into the animal's mouth. When the filters get clogged, the larvacean abandons them. The abandoned filters sink toward the seafloor, and become an important food source for other marine animals. MBARI via AP
KENSINGTON, Maryland (AP) — Master builders of the sea construct the equivalent of a complex five-story house that protects them from predators and funnels and filters food for them — all from snot coming out of their heads.
And when these delicate mucus homes get clogged, the tadpole-looking critters — called giant larvaceans — build a new one. Usually every day or so.
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These so-called “snot palaces” could possibly help human construction if scientists manage to crack the mucus architectural code, said Kakani Katija, a bioengineer at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.
Her team took a step toward solving the mystery of the snot houses and maybe someday even replicating them, according to a study in Wednesday’s journal Nature.
The creatures inside these houses may be small — the biggest are around 4 inches (10 centimeters) — but they are smart and crucial to Earth’s environment. Found globally, they are the closest relatives to humans without a backbone, Katija and other scientists said.
Together with their houses “they are like an alien life form, made almost entirely out of water, yet crafted with complexity and purpose,” said Dalhousie University marine biologist Boris Worm, who wasn’t part of the study. “They remind me of a cross between a living veil and a high tech filter pump.”
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Also, when they abandon their clogged homes about every day, the creatures collectively drop millions of tons of carbon to the seafloor, where it stays, preventing further global warming, Worm said. They also take microplastics out of the water column and dump it on the sea floor. And if that’s not enough, the other waste in their abandoned houses is eaten by the ocean’s bottom dwellers.
But it’s what they build that fascinates and mystifies scientists. Because the snot houses are so delicate, researchers haven’t often been able to take them to the lab to study them. So Katija and team used a remote submarine, cameras and lasers to watch these creatures in water about 650 to 1300 feet (200 to 400 meters) deep off Monterey Bay in Northern California.
These mucus structures aren’t simple. They include two heart-like chambers that act as a maze for the food that drifts in, except there’s only one way for it to go: into the larvacean’s mouth. The snot houses often are nearly transparent and flow all around the critter that looks like a tadpole, but isn’t.
“It could be the most kind of complex structure that an animal makes,” Katija said. “It’s pretty astonishing that a single animal is able to do it.”
And the houses are comparatively big — about 10 times bigger than the critters themselves — reaching more than three feet wide (one meter). It would be the equivalent of a person making a five-story house, Katija said.
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“They create these small versions of houses by secreting mucus from cells on their heads and then expand those much like a balloon into the structures that we see,” Katija said. All in about an hour.
Water can flow through the structure so that when it moves through the water it doesn’t give much of a motion detectable by predatory fish. That, Katija said, essentially masks the house from whatever wants to eat the larvaceans.
NASA engineers looking to build structures on the moon would probably like to learn from the larvaceans, she said.
None of this could be done in the lab. Katija’s team used 3D laser scan technology to virtually fly through the inner chambers of the snot palaces, then recreated them with software to model the inner-workings of the structure. But she said the scientists are still far from understanding everything going on there.
Providence College biologist Jack Costello, who wasn’t part of the study, said Katija’s team did “really cool work ... to detail the complex houses. It’s not easy to do in the best circumstances and they’ve done it deep in the oceans.”
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“We have a lot to learn,” Costello said. “I’m in awe of these animals.”
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Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter: @borenbears
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-01--The Extinction Crisis Is Accelerating, New Study Finds

The sixth mass extinction in Earth ’ s history is accelerating as humans rapidly and relentlessly destroy the natural world , according to a new study looking at the loss of terrestrial vertebrate species .
And the crisis poses an existential threat not only to thousands of animal and plant species , but to human civilization as a whole .
The analysis , published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , comes as nations around the globe reel from the coronavirus pandemic — rooted in environmental destruction and the latest novel infectious disease to leap from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Researchers examined data on more than 29,000 species of amphibians , birds , mammals and reptiles and found that more than 500 of them ― 1.7 % ― are “ on the brink of extinction , ” with populations of fewer than 1,000 individuals .
More than half of those species have populations below 250 , they found .
“ The ongoing sixth mass extinction may be the most serious environmental threat to the persistence of civilization , because it is irreversible , ” the authors write in the report .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ animal species have been lost in a century , indicating that the sixth mass extinction is human caused and accelerating.
” One reason for this alarming trend is that human pressure on natural ecosystems continues to mount .
The authors point to COVID-19 as the most recent example and stress that their results “ reemphasize the extreme urgency of taking much-expanded worldwide actions to save wild species and humanity ’ s crucial life-support systems from this existential threat.
” “ The vaccine for Covid-19 was natural habitat , ” Gerardo Ceballos , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexico and lead author of the study , told The New York Times .
“ The pandemic is a great example of how badly we ’ ve treated nature.
” Scientists believe that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 originated in bats and crossed over to humans at a live animal market in Wuhan , China .
The analysis includes a call for global action .
Along with advocating for a complete ban on the trade of wildlife for human consumption in China and throughout Asia , the authors argue that the scientific community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to do whatever necessary to stop what they describe as “ biological annihilation.
” “ In view of the current extinction crisis and the lack of widespread actions to halt it , it is very important that scientists should metaphorically take to the streets , ” they write .
A United Nations report last year found that humans have driven up to 1 million species around the globe to the brink of extinction , and the global body released a draft biodiversity plan in January that calls for protecting 30 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combat the crisis .
Tierra Curry , a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity who was not involved in the new study , said in a statement that the findings confirm yet again that humans are gambling with their own long-term survival .
“ Extinction is a political choice , ” Curry said .
“ We ’ ve reached a crossroads where our own future is at stake if we don ’ t move away from fossil fuels and end wildlife exploitation , and at the same time , necessarily , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tone-deaf Trump administration has gutted nearly 100 environmental regulations , including the Endangered Species Act .
”

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The sixth mass extinction in Earth’s history is accelerating as humans rapidly and relentlessly destroy the natural world, according to a new study looking at the loss of terrestrial vertebrate species. And the crisis poses an existential threat not only to thousands of animal and plant species, but to human civilization as a whole.
The analysis, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, comes as nations around the globe reel from the coronavirus pandemic — rooted in environmental destruction and the latest novel infectious disease to leap from animals to humans, with devastating consequences.
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Researchers examined data on more than 29,000 species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles and found that more than 500 of them ― 1.7% ― are “on the brink of extinction,” with populations of fewer than 1,000 individuals. More than half of those species have populations below 250, they found.
“The ongoing sixth mass extinction may be the most serious environmental threat to the persistence of civilization, because it is irreversible,” the authors write in the report. “Thousands of populations of critically endangered vertebrate animal species have been lost in a century, indicating that the sixth mass extinction is human caused and accelerating.”
A poisonous harlequin dart frog on a tree trunk in the jungle on Oct. 4, 2012, in Utria National Park, Colombia. Ronald Patrick via Getty Images
One reason for this alarming trend is that human pressure on natural ecosystems continues to mount. The authors point to COVID-19 as the most recent example and stress that their results “reemphasize the extreme urgency of taking much-expanded worldwide actions to save wild species and humanity’s crucial life-support systems from this existential threat.”
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“The vaccine for Covid-19 was natural habitat,” Gerardo Ceballos, an ecologist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and lead author of the study, told The New York Times. “The pandemic is a great example of how badly we’ve treated nature.”
Scientists believe that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 originated in bats and crossed over to humans at a live animal market in Wuhan, China.
The analysis includes a call for global action. Along with advocating for a complete ban on the trade of wildlife for human consumption in China and throughout Asia, the authors argue that the scientific community has “a scientific and moral imperative” to do whatever necessary to stop what they describe as “biological annihilation.”
“In view of the current extinction crisis and the lack of widespread actions to halt it, it is very important that scientists should metaphorically take to the streets,” they write.
A United Nations report last year found that humans have driven up to 1 million species around the globe to the brink of extinction, and the global body released a draft biodiversity plan in January that calls for protecting 30% of all lands and oceans by 2030 to combat the crisis.
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Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity who was not involved in the new study, said in a statement that the findings confirm yet again that humans are gambling with their own long-term survival.
“Extinction is a political choice,” Curry said. “We’ve reached a crossroads where our own future is at stake if we don’t move away from fossil fuels and end wildlife exploitation, and at the same time, necessarily, address poverty and injustice. Meanwhile the tone-deaf Trump administration has gutted nearly 100 environmental regulations, including the Endangered Species Act.”