thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-27--Unemployment Benefits For Millions Expire As Trump Rages

Instead , he has assailed the bill ’ s plan to provide $ 600 COVID relief checks to most Americans — insisting it should be $ 2,000 .
House Republicans swiftly rejected that idea during a rare Christmas Eve session.But Trump has not been swayed in spite of the nation being in the grip of a pandemic .
“ I simply want to get our great people $ 2000 , rather than the measly $ 600 that is now in the bill , ” Trump tweeted Saturday from Palm Beach , Florida , where he is spending the holiday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars in ‘ pork.
’ ” “ It is the day after Christmas , and millions of families don ’ t know if they ’ ll be able to make ends meet because of President Donald Trump ’ s refusal to sign an economic relief bill approved by Congress with an overwhelming and bipartisan majority , ” Biden said in a statement .
He accused Trump of an “ abdication of responsibility ” that has “ devastating consequences.
” “ I ’ ve been talking to people who are scared they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes , during the Christmas holidays , and still might be if we don ’ t sign this bill , ’ ’ said Rep. Debbie Dingell , a Michigan Democrat .
How and when people would be affected by the lapse depended on the state they lived in , the program they were relying on and when they applied for benefits .
In some states , people on regular unemployment insurance would continue to receive payments under a program that extends benefits when the jobless rate surpassed a certain threshold , Stettner said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rely on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program that expired altogether Saturday .
That program made unemployment insurance available to freelancers , gig workers and others who are normally not eligible .
After receiving their last checks , those recipients will not be able to file for more aid after Saturday , Stettner said .
While payments could be received retroactively , any gap would mean more hardship and uncertainty for Americans who had already grappled with bureaucratic delays , often depleting much of their savings to stay afloat while waiting for payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Earl McCarthy , a father of four who lives in South Fulton , Georgia , and had been relying on unemployment since losing his job as a sales representative for a luxury senior living community .
He said he would be left with no income by the second week of January if Trump refused to sign the bill .
Corpening , who lives in the Atlanta area , had launched a freelance content strategy business that was just taking off before the pandemic hit , prompting several of her contracts to fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 125 a week under the pandemic unemployment program and says she would be unable to pay her bills in about a month .
This , despite her temporary work for the U.S. Census and as an elections poll worker .
In addition to the unemployment benefits that have already lapsed , Trump ’ s continued refusal to sign the bill would lead to the expiration of eviction protections and put on hold a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses , restaurants and theaters , as well as money for cash-starved transit systems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meanwhile , has been spending his final days in office golfing and angrily tweeting as he refuses to accept his loss to Biden in the Nov. 3 election .
On Saturday , he again lashed out at members of his own party for failing to join his quest to try to overturn the results of the election with baseless claims of mass voter fraud that have been repeatedly rejected by the courts .

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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Unemployment benefits for millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet lapsed overnight as President Donald Trump refused to sign an end-of-year COVID relief and spending bill that had been considered a done deal before his sudden objections.
The fate of the bipartisan package remained in limbo Sunday as Trump continued to demand larger COVID relief checks and complained about “pork” spending. Without the widespread funding provided by the massive measure, a government shutdown would occur when money runs out at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.
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“It’s a chess game and we are pawns,” said Lanetris Haines, a self-employed single mother of three in South Bend, Indiana, who stood to lose her $129 weekly jobless benefit unless Trump signed the package into law or succeeded in his improbable quest for changes.
Washington has been reeling since Trump turned on the deal after it had won sweeping approval in both houses of Congress and after the White House had assured Republican leaders that Trump would support it.
Instead, he assailed the bill’s plan to provide $600 COVID relief checks to most Americans — insisting it should be $2,000. House Republicans swiftly rejected that idea during a rare Christmas Eve session. But Trump has not been swayed in spite of the nation being in the grip of a pandemic.
“I simply want to get our great people $2000, rather than the measly $600 that is now in the bill,” Trump tweeted Saturday from Palm Beach, Florida, where he is spending the holiday. “Also, stop the billions of dollars in ‘pork.’”
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President-elect Joe Biden called on Trump to sign the bill immediately as the midnight Saturday deadline neared for two federal programs providing unemployment aid.
“It is the day after Christmas, and millions of families don’t know if they’ll be able to make ends meet because of President Donald Trump’s refusal to sign an economic relief bill approved by Congress with an overwhelming and bipartisan majority,” Biden said in a statement. He accused Trump of an “abdication of responsibility” that has “devastating consequences.”
“I’ve been talking to people who are scared they’re going to be kicked out from their homes, during the Christmas holidays, and still might be if we don’t sign this bill,” said Rep. Debbie Dingell, a Michigan Democrat.
Lauren Bauer, a fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution, has calculated that 11 million people would lose aid from the programs immediately without additional relief; millions more would exhaust other unemployment benefits within weeks.
Andrew Stettner, an unemployment insurance expert and senior fellow at the Century Foundation think tank, said the number may be closer to 14 million because joblessness has spiked since Thanksgiving.
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“All these folks and their families will suffer if Trump doesn’t sign the damn bill,” Heidi Shierholz, director of policy at the liberal Economic Policy Institute, tweeted Wednesday.
How and when people would be affected by the lapse depended on the state they lived in, the program they were relying on and when they applied for benefits. In some states, people on regular unemployment insurance would continue to receive payments under a program that extends benefits when the jobless rate surpassed a certain threshold, Stettner said.
About 9.5 million people, however, had been relying on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program that expired altogether Saturday. That program made unemployment insurance available to freelancers, gig workers and others who were normally not eligible. After receiving their last checks, those recipients would not be able to file for more aid, Stettner said.
While payments could be received retroactively, any gap would mean more hardship and uncertainty for Americans who had already grappled with bureaucratic delays, often depleting much of their savings to stay afloat while waiting for payments to kick in.
They were people like Earl McCarthy, a father of four who lives in South Fulton, Georgia, and had been relying on unemployment since losing his job as a sales representative for a luxury senior living community. He said he would be left with no income by the second week of January if Trump refused to sign the bill.
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McCarthy said he already burned through much of his savings as he waited five months to begin receiving about $350 a week in unemployment benefits.
“The entire experience was horrifying,” said McCarthy. “I shudder to think if I had not saved anything or had an emergency fund through those five months, where would we have been?”
He added, “It’s going to be difficult if the president doesn’t sign this bill.”
The bill, which was in Florida awaiting Trump’s signature, would also activate a weekly $300 federal supplement to unemployment payments.
Sharon Shelton Corpening had been hoping the extra help would allow her 83-year-old mother, with whom she lives, to stop eating into her social security payments to make their $1,138 rent.
Corpening, who lives in the Atlanta area, had launched a freelance content strategy business that was just taking off before the pandemic hit, prompting several of her contracts to fall through. She was receiving about $125 a week under the pandemic unemployment program and says she would be unable to pay her bills in about a month. This, despite her temporary work for the U.S. Census and as an elections poll worker.
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“On the brink,” Corpening, who lobbies for Unemployment Action, a project launched by the Center for Popular Democracy to fight for relief, said of her predicament. “One more month, if that. Then, I run out of everything.”
In addition to the unemployment benefits that have already lapsed, Trump’s continued refusal to sign the bill would lead to the expiration of eviction protections and put on hold a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses, restaurants and theaters, as well as money for cash-starved transit systems and for vaccine distribution.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-27--Dan Rather Rips 'Abject Cruelty' Of Trump's 'Malignant Ego' As Jobless Benefits Expire

Veteran journalist Dan Rather scorched Donald Trump Saturday night for his callous indifference to the suffering of millions of Americans as the president kicked back at his Palm Beach golf resort while desperately needed extended unemployment benefits ran out for lack of his signature .
Trump refused to sign the COVID relief and spending bill that had been considered a done deal before his last-minute demands for larger relief checks and complaints about unspecified “ pork ” spending .
At least 9.5 million Americans have been relying on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program section of the package that expired at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was thinking of all those “ desperate ” for the help .
“ Heartbreaking , ” he wrote .
“ The abject cruelty , the callousness , the lack of a single drop of empathy ... during the holidays and a pandemic ... All for no purpose but a malignant ego , ” he added , referring to the president .
I am thinking of all those desperate for extended unemployment benefits tonight .
Heartbreaking .
The abject cruelty , the callousness , the lack of a single drop of empathy ... during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added tragedy .
All for no purpose but a malignant ego .
— Dan Rather ( @ DanRather ) December 27 , 2020 President-elect Joe Biden denounced Trump ’ s refusal to sign the stimulus package , calling it an “ abdication of responsibility ” with “ devastating consequences.
” Trump didn ’ t even acknowledge the expiration of the critically important unemployment benefits as he continued to angrily tweet late Saturday night about the presidential election that he continues to falsely claim he won .
The unemployment package would have extended enhanced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job market and struggling mightily to cover costs for food and shelter amid a devastating pandemic .
Others were as stunned as Rather that the vital aid could simply drop by the wayside .
I will never understand or forgive this cruelty .
He must be a very sick man .
— Nancy Sinatra ( @ NancySinatra ) December 27 , 2020 I was laid off earlier in 2020 when the hospital eliminated our entire department .
I 'm getting kicked off unemployment today , too , despite being notified this month of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As of today , my income is now zero .
A rotten year has gotten worse .
— stonecircle ( @ stone_circle ) December 27 , 2020 How can he have this much power and the ability to kill thousands upon thousands of Americans & not be removed or held accountable ?
I 'm truly not understanding how ONE mentally deranged man in the USA can hold the lives of all Americans in his hands .
Why ca n't someone remove him ?
— Kathy_H ( @ SouthernKat60 ) December 27 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American people .
And to make Republicans look foolish , because he ’ s mad at them for not helping him to throw out the election results .
Because it ’ s never the narcissist ’ s fault .
— Robert Cowles ( Kolz ) ( @ CowlesR ) December 27 , 2020 There will be no help from Republicans .
They have unleashed the Frankenstein monster on us .
All we have is the promise of the incoming administration .
So we will flounder until January 20 .
— Nate Bartholemew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 The KKK White House and Moscow Mitch are letting unemployment benefits expire today , no extension , in a pandemic causing joblessness , because evil , greed , vindictiveness and cruelty was always the point .
— Ricky Davila ( @ TheRickyDavila ) December 27 , 2020 Unemployment benefits EXPIRE for millions of Americans today and trump has not signed a bill to extend them because he is a lazy , loser , selfish scumbag .
— BrooklynDad_Defiant !
( @ mmpadellan ) December 26 , 2020

Veteran journalist Dan Rather scorched Donald Trump Saturday night for his callous indifference to the suffering of millions of Americans as the president kicked back at his Palm Beach golf resort while desperately needed extended unemployment benefits ran out for lack of his signature.
Trump refused to sign the COVID relief and spending bill that had been considered a done deal before his last-minute demands for larger relief checks and complaints about unspecified “pork” spending. At least 9.5 million Americans have been relying on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program section of the package that expired at midnight Saturday.
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Rather tweeted that he was thinking of all those “desperate” for the help. “Heartbreaking,” he wrote. “The abject cruelty, the callousness, the lack of a single drop of empathy... during the holidays and a pandemic ... All for no purpose but a malignant ego,” he added, referring to the president.
I am thinking of all those desperate for extended unemployment benefits tonight. Heartbreaking. The abject cruelty, the callousness, the lack of a single drop of empathy... during the holidays and a pandemic, in added tragedy. All for no purpose but a malignant ego. — Dan Rather (@DanRather) December 27, 2020
President-elect Joe Biden denounced Trump’s refusal to sign the stimulus package, calling it an “abdication of responsibility” with “devastating consequences.”
Trump didn’t even acknowledge the expiration of the critically important unemployment benefits as he continued to angrily tweet late Saturday night about the presidential election that he continues to falsely claim he won.
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The unemployment package would have extended enhanced benefits for Americans hit hard in the job market and struggling mightily to cover costs for food and shelter amid a devastating pandemic.
Others were as stunned as Rather that the vital aid could simply drop by the wayside.
I will never understand or forgive this cruelty.
He must be a very sick man. — Nancy Sinatra (@NancySinatra) December 27, 2020
I was laid off earlier in 2020 when the hospital eliminated our entire department. I'm getting kicked off unemployment today, too, despite being notified this month of eligibility for a 20 week extension. As of today, my income is now zero. A rotten year has gotten worse. — stonecircle (@stone_circle) December 27, 2020
How can he have this much power and the ability to kill thousands upon thousands of Americans & not be removed or held accountable? I'm truly not understanding how ONE mentally deranged man in the USA can hold the lives of all Americans in his hands. Why can't someone remove him? — Kathy_H (@SouthernKat60) December 27, 2020
He’s doing it to hurt the American people.
And to make Republicans look foolish, because he’s mad at them for not helping him to throw out the election results.
Because it’s never the narcissist’s fault. — Robert Cowles (Kolz) (@CowlesR) December 27, 2020
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There will be no help from Republicans. They have unleashed the Frankenstein monster on us. All we have is the promise of the incoming administration. So we will flounder until January 20. — Nate Bartholemew (@BartholemewNate) December 27, 2020
The KKK White House and Moscow Mitch are letting unemployment benefits expire today, no extension, in a pandemic causing joblessness, because evil, greed, vindictiveness and cruelty was always the point. — Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) December 27, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-27--Virginia Deputy Fired After Far Right Calls For Violence On Social Media

One of the comments — posted on the deputy ’ s “ WeThePeopleWarrior ” profile on rightwing social media platform Parler — called on followers to find the homes of politicians and “ liberal ” judges , and “ remove them from their sanctuary.
” “ Take back your state capitals , ” the post urged .
“ Find the homes of every governor , mayor , attorney general , liberal judge , senator , congressman and every major media/social media CEO .
Find them .
Remove them from their sanctuary .
Bring the nightmare to where they lay their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Show them that they are NOT untouchable.
” The deputy was identified in a local press report and by The Washington Post as Aaron Hoffman .
He was exposed by Charlottesville freelance journalist Molly Conger , who revealed the posts in a Twitter thread .
Hoffman told the Post that the account was his , but insisted he didn ’ t post the comments.
“ I did not make those posts , ” Hoffman said .
“ I ’ m trying to figure out who did.
” He said the comments also “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hoffman ’ s account included a threat to kill anyone who touched his children to vaccinate them against COVID-19 without his consent .
“ Not a threat , but a promise , ” the post added .
The person behind the WeThePeopleWarrior account also posted that he would become “ insanely violent ” if anyone tried to make him wear a face mask .
There was also a threatening comment about Barack Obama , and a suggestion that the life of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts “ needs to be shortened.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the extreme rightwing because of his lack of action to overturn the presidential election .
Prince William Sheriff Glendell Hill ( R ) told the Post that he found the comments “ very despicable .
That ’ s why I took the action that I took , ” he added , referring to Hoffman ’ s firing .
“ I certainly don ’ t approve of that , and , of course , it ’ s against our policy.
” The Sheriff ’ s Office issued a statement on Facebook Saturday noting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disturbing comments being made on several social media outlets by a deputy sheriff , ” who was not named .
Following an internal affairs investigation , the “ deputy has been terminated from employment with our office , ” the statement added .
The office thanked the public for “ bringing this to our attention.
” People commenting on the Facebook page hailed the quick action by authorities , but feared that Hoffman might seek employment now on another police force .
Many were also concerned that he ’ s still apparently heavily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Parler showing off his weapons .
my advice would be that when you post pictures of your arsenal alongside threats to kill judges , keep your government-issue work vest that says SHERIFF on the front of it out of the picture , but what do i know .
pic.twitter.com/vPYpILhJSL — molly conger ( @ socialistdogmom ) December 25 , 2020 An Arkansa police chief resigned last month after a Parler message calling for “ death to all Marxist Democrats ” was linked to him .
Lang Holland , now the former police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account had been hacked , but later admitted he had penned the posts .

A Virginia sheriff’s deputy was fired Saturday after a freelance journalist linked his social media account to chilling threats against politicians and judges.
One of the comments — posted on the deputy’s “WeThePeopleWarrior” profile on the right-wing social media platform Parler — called on followers to find the homes of politicians and “liberal” judges, and “remove them from their sanctuary.”
“Take back your State capitals,” the post urged. “Find the homes of every Governor, mayor, attorney general, liberal judge, senator, congressman and every major media/social media CEO...find them, remove them from their sanctuary. Bring the nightmare to where they lay their heads and kiss their loved ones. Show them that they are NOT untouchable.”
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The deputy was identified in a local press report and by The Washington Post as Aaron Hoffman. He was exposed by Charlottesville, Virginia, freelance journalist Molly Conger, who revealed the posts in a Twitter thread.
Hoffman told the Post that the account was his, but insisted he didn’t post the comments. “I did not make those posts,” Hoffman said. “I’m trying to figure out who did.” He said the comments also “disturbed” him.
By Saturday afternoon all of Hoffman’s social media accounts had either been set to private or deleted.
Another post from Hoffman’s account included a threat to kill anyone who touches his children to vaccinate them against COVID-19 without his consent. “Not a threat, but a promise,” the post said.
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The person behind the WeThePeopleWarrior account also posted that he would become “insanely violent” if anyone tried to make him wear a face mask. Additionally, there was a threatening comment about former President Barack Obama, and a suggestion that the life of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts “needs to be shortened.” Roberts has become a particular target recently of the extreme right wing because of his lack of action to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
WeThePeopleWarrior posts in response to a comment about "corrupt" Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. Screen Shot/Parler/WeThePeopleWarrior
Prince William County Sheriff Glendell Hill, a Republican, told the Post that he found the comments “very despicable. That’s why I took the action that I took,” he added, referring to Hoffman’s firing. “I certainly don’t approve of that, and, of course, it’s against our policy.”
The sheriff’s office issued a statement via Facebook on Saturday, saying it had been “notified about disturbing comments being made on several social media outlets by a deputy sheriff,” who was not named.
Following an internal affairs investigation, the “deputy has been terminated from employment with our office,” the statement said. The office thanked the public for “bringing this to our attention.”
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People commenting on the Facebook page hailed the quick action by authorities, but feared that Hoffman might now seek employment on another police force. Many were also concerned that he’s still apparently heavily armed. Conger reposted a WeThePeopleWarrior post on Parler showing off an assortment of weapons.
my advice would be that when you post pictures of your arsenal alongside threats to kill judges, keep your government-issue work vest that says SHERIFF on the front of it out of the picture, but what do i know. pic.twitter.com/vPYpILhJSL — molly conger (@socialistdogmom) December 25, 2020
An Arkansas police chief resigned last month after a Parler message calling for “death to all Marxist Democrats” was linked to him. Lang Holland, now the former police chief of Marshall, initially claimed his account had been hacked, but later admitted he had written the posts.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-26--Former Bush Official Lashes GOP For Supporting 'Delusional' And 'Unhinged' Trump

A former official in the George W. Bush administration blasted Republicans on Saturday for continuing to back an “ unhinged ” and “ delusional ” Donald Trump and his twisted “ fantasy ” about a rigged presidential election .
Elise Jordan , an MSNBC political analyst who worked as a speechwriter for former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice , commented as Trump appears eager to create chaos to get the GOP to block the results of the 2020 election on Jan. 6 , when the electoral votes are set to be counted .
“ Maybe some of us in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will sit around and coddle and comfort us when we are being completely delusional and unhinged and downright playing in fantasy fairyland , ” Jordan said on MSNBC .
“ Those are the kind of friends who are willing to play that game with Donald Trump right now.
” Jordan criticized Republicans for patiently playing “ political Candy Land ” as they “ continue to coddle and help encourage Donald Trump ’ s delusion.
” She called it “ so unhealthy for American democracy ” and “ disrespectful to everything that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN ’ s Jake Tapper on Saturday also criticized the president ’ s support for “ deranged conspiracy theories ” about the election .
In another blast from Trump ’ s side of the aisle , Rep. Adam Kinzinger ( R-Ill. ) called the president ’ s continued snit over his loss “ embarrassing.
” “ My God .
Trying to burn the place down on the way out because you can ’ t handle losing , ” Kinzinger tweeted .
“ No evidence , nothing but your temper tantrum and crazy conspiracies.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a “ grift ” that will allow Trump and his backers to “ raise money and gain followers by blaming everyone else [ , ] knowing full well they can ’ t do anything ” to change the election .
My God .
Trying to burn the place down on the way out because you can ’ t handle losing .
No evidence , nothing but your temper tantrum and crazy conspiracies .
Embarrassing .
# RestoreOurGOP https : //t.co/dck64tuxJa — Adam Kinzinger ( @ RepKinzinger ) December 26 , 2020 All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ realDonaldTrump and other congressional grifters is simply explained : they will raise money and gain followers by blaming everyone else knowing full well they can ’ t do anything .
It ’ s sad , and an utter scam .
# restoreourgop — Adam Kinzinger ( @ RepKinzinger ) December 26 , 2020

A former official in the George W. Bush administration blasted Republicans on Saturday for continuing to back an “unhinged” and “delusional” Donald Trump and his twisted “fantasy” about a rigged presidential election.
Elise Jordan, an MSNBC political analyst who worked as a speechwriter for former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, commented as Trump appears eager to create chaos to get the GOP to block the results of the 2020 election on Jan. 6, when the electoral votes are set to be counted.
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“Maybe some of us in this world are lucky enough to have friends that will sit around and coddle and comfort us when we are being completely delusional and unhinged and downright playing in fantasy fairyland,” Jordan said on MSNBC. “Those are the kind of friends who are willing to play that game with Donald Trump right now.”
Jordan criticized Republicans for patiently playing “political Candy Land” as they “continue to coddle and help encourage Donald Trump’s delusion.” She called it “so unhealthy for American democracy” and “disrespectful to everything that this republic is supposed to stand for.”
CNN’s Jake Tapper on Saturday also criticized the president’s support for “deranged conspiracy theories” about the election.
In another blast from Trump’s side of the aisle, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) called the president’s continued snit over his loss “embarrassing.”
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“My God. Trying to burn the place down on the way out because you can’t handle losing,” Kinzinger tweeted. “No evidence, nothing but your temper tantrum and crazy conspiracies.”
He called the baseless complaints part of a “grift” that will allow Trump and his backers to “raise money and gain followers by blaming everyone else[,] knowing full well they can’t do anything” to change the election.
“It’s sad, and an utter scam,” Kinzinger wrote.
My God. Trying to burn the place down on the way out because you can’t handle losing. No evidence, nothing but your temper tantrum and crazy conspiracies. Embarrassing. #RestoreOurGOP https://t.co/dck64tuxJa — Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) December 26, 2020
All this talk about Jan 6th from @realDonaldTrump and other congressional grifters is simply explained: they will raise money and gain followers by blaming everyone else knowing full well they can’t do anything. It’s sad, and an utter scam. #restoreourgop — Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) December 26, 2020
Check out Jordan’s comments in the MSNBC video clip above.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-27--Trump’s Donors Funnel $10.5 Million Into His Businesses During His Presidency

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images A supporter of President Donald Trump waits outside the Trump National Golf Club as the president played golf on Dec. 13 in Sterling , Virginia .
Since losing reelection to Democrat Joe Biden , Trump has continued his fundraising , with the vast majority of the money going into a virtual slush fund that Trump can legally use for just about any purpose — from McDonald ’ s Quarter Pounders to jet fuel for his airplane to hush money payments to women .
The HuffPost analysis is based on a review of filings by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and their two joint fundraising committees , representing all spending reported between Jan. 20 , 2017 — Trump ’ s inauguration day and also the day he opened his reelection account —and Nov. 23 , the last date for the final filing period this year .
Trump Tower , the New York City skyscraper where Trump keeps a penthouse residence and his business offices , received $ 1,716,155 in donor money in the form of rent payments for space in his building , even though the campaign was based in a high-rise office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Potomac River from the White House .
But the biggest beneficiary was Trump ’ s hotel in New York City , which took in a total of $ 3,039,979 over the four years of his presidency , with $ 891,003 of that in just the final four months of the campaign .
Meanwhile , Trump ’ s Washington hotel , just blocks from the White House , was the biggest recipient of money from Republican candidates and groups not under Trump ’ s control : $ 1,632,700 over four years , accounting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received by all of Trump ’ s properties from a total of 166 GOP groups .
These included Rick Scott for Florida , which spent $ 20 there , and America First Action , the pro-Trump super PAC , which spent $ 573,132 .
Trump ’ s various committees managed to hide $ 761 million of their spending — the majority of all his expenditures ― by running it through a shell company created specifically for that purpose and through the private firm owned by his initial reelection campaign manager .
The Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company , American Made Media Consultants , ostensibly to save money on ad purchases by cutting out the middleman ; it received $ 721.8 million .
Campaign manager Brad Parscale ’ s companies , meanwhile , received $ 39.7 million .
A similar maneuver was used to hide the amounts flowing to Trump ’ s chief campaign strategist , Jason Miller , whose name never shows up in the FEC filings .
He was secretly paid $ 35,000 a month , which was routed through American Made to his former employer , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own request , the Republican source said .
That monthly payment amount was first reported by Business Insider .
Miller is involved in a drawn-out child support lawsuit with the mother of his son , and hiding his income might help him reduce the amount he owes .
The Republican close to the campaign said Miller never explained why he wanted his payments run that way .
“ However , it was easy enough to know why , ” the source said .
“ The law requires that political candidates and parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent , ” said Brendan Fischer , an attorney with the Campaign Legal Center , which has filed a complaint with the FEC over the issue .
“ But Trump and the RNC routed their political spending through shell companies , leaving the public in the dark about where over three-quarters of a billion dollars have actually gone.
” That date is also the first opportunity to determine how much Trump raised and spent on “ Save America , ” the political committee Trump created six days after the election and which began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by his fundraising operation in late November .
It is unclear how that money is being used .
Trump ’ s email and text solicitations said the money was needed for legal challenges to his election loss and to help win two Georgia runoff elections that will determine control of the Senate .
But the fine print on donation webpages showed that the money is going elsewhere .
In the first days after Trump lost the election , 60 % of each dollar raised went to his campaign to pay down debt .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fund .
Since Nov. 18 , a full 75 % of each dollar has been going to Trump ’ s Save America , with the rest going to the RNC .
Because the new committee is structured as a “ leadership PAC , ” with almost no restrictions on how it can spend , Trump could legally use the money for almost anything he wants .
Indeed , one of the few things he can not use the money for is a formal 2024 campaign .

A supporter of President Donald Trump waits outside the Trump National Golf Club as the president played golf on Dec. 13 in Sterling, Virginia. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s donors — the vast majority of whom are working-class supporters and retirees contributing just a few dollars a month — put $10.5 million into the erstwhile billionaire’s own personal businesses over the course of his presidency, a HuffPost analysis found.
Some $8.5 million came from the Trump campaign and related entities that Trump controls directly. Another $2 million came from other Republican candidates and committees.
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Through a trust that he controls, Trump owns the hotels, golf courses and buildings that received the money, with every penny of profit flowing to him personally.
Since losing reelection to Democrat Joe Biden, Trump has continued his fundraising, with the vast majority of the money going into a virtual slush fund that Trump can legally use for just about any purpose — from McDonald’s Quarter Pounders to jet fuel for his airplane to hush money payments to women.
“If you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail. If you’re Donald Trump, everything looks like a chance to make money,” said Jordan Libowitz with Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog group that has filed multiple lawsuits to obtain details of government spending at Trump’s businesses.
The HuffPost analysis is based on a review of filings by the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee and their two joint fundraising committees, representing all spending reported between Jan. 20, 2017 — Trump’s inauguration day and also the day he opened his reelection account —and Nov. 23, the last date for the final filing period this year.
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Trump Tower, the New York City skyscraper where Trump keeps a penthouse residence and his business offices, received $1,716,155 in donor money in the form of rent payments for space in his building, even though the campaign was based in a high-rise office building in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River from the White House.
Trump’s hotel in Washington, where Trump held several fundraisers, took in $967,599 in donor money. His struggling golf resort near the Miami airport got $1,363,565. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, where Trump spent some three months of his presidency playing golf and where he also hosted several fundraisers, received $639,031.
But the biggest beneficiary was Trump’s hotel in New York City, which took in a total of $3,039,979 over the four years of his presidency, with $891,003 of that in just the final four months of the campaign.
One top RNC fundraiser close to Trump acknowledged that the hotel was not necessarily the best value. “The Trump is pricey,” he said.
“It should come as no surprise that millions in political money has been funneled to his businesses or through opaque corporations to hide how much was going to his inner circle,” Libowitz said.
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Meanwhile, Trump’s Washington hotel, just blocks from the White House, was the biggest recipient of money from Republican candidates and groups not under Trump’s control: $1,632,700 over four years, accounting for 84% of the $1,944,243 received by all of Trump’s properties from a total of 166 GOP groups. These included Rick Scott for Florida, which spent $20 there, and America First Action, the pro-Trump super PAC, which spent $573,132.
Hiding Hundreds Of Millions
Trump’s various committees managed to hide $761 million of their spending — the majority of all his expenditures ― by running it through a shell company created specifically for that purpose and through the private firm owned by his initial reelection campaign manager. The Trump campaign and the RNC created the shell company, American Made Media Consultants, ostensibly to save money on ad purchases by cutting out the middleman; it received $721.8 million. Campaign manager Brad Parscale’s companies, meanwhile, received $39.7 million.
The campaign used Parscale’s firms to secretly pay $15,000 a month each to Kimberly Guilfoyle — the girlfriend of Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. —and to Lara Trump — the wife of Trump’s middle son, Eric Trump. Guilfoyle chaired Trump Victory, the campaign’s large-dollar fundraising operation. Lara Trump was a “senior adviser” to the campaign.
The campaign routed their payments through Parscale Strategies at the direction of the president himself, according to a Republican familiar with the campaign’s finances, who spoke to HuffPost on condition of anonymity.
A similar maneuver was used to hide the amounts flowing to Trump’s chief campaign strategist, Jason Miller, whose name never shows up in the FEC filings. He was secretly paid $35,000 a month, which was routed through American Made to his former employer, the GOP consulting firm Jamestown Associates, at his own request, the Republican source said. That monthly payment amount was previously reported by Salon and Business Insider.
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Miller is involved in a drawn-out child support lawsuit with the mother of his son, and hiding his income might help him reduce the amount he owes. The Republican close to the campaign said Miller never explained why he wanted his payments run that way. “However, it was easy enough to know why,” the source said.
Miller, other Trump campaign officials and the RNC did not respond to HuffPost queries on that or any other matter for this report.
“The law requires that political candidates and parties tell voters how campaign money is being spent,” said Brendan Fischer, an attorney with the Campaign Legal Center, which has filed a complaint with the FEC over the issue. “But Trump and the RNC routed their political spending through shell companies, leaving the public in the dark about where over three-quarters of a billion dollars have actually gone.”
The ultimate totals for the Trump campaign and the RNC’s spending will not be publicly available until Jan. 31, when the final filings for the 2020 election year are due to the FEC.
That date is also the first opportunity to determine how much Trump raised and spent on “Save America,” the political committee Trump created six days after the election and which began receiving the majority of every dollar raised by his fundraising operation in late November.
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Building A Slush Fund
Most campaigns wind down their solicitations after an election. But Trump and the RNC continued at nearly the same breakneck pace as in the final weeks before the election. As a result, the campaign boasted in a Dec. 3 news release a $207.5 million haul.
It is unclear how that money is being used. Trump’s email and text solicitations said the money was needed for legal challenges to his election loss and to help win two Georgia runoff elections that will determine control of the Senate. But the fine print on donation webpages showed that the money is going elsewhere.
In the first days after Trump lost the election, 60% of each dollar raised went to his campaign to pay down debt. The remainder went to the RNC general fund. Since Nov. 18, a full 75% of each dollar has been going to Trump’s Save America, with the rest going to the RNC.
A donor would have to give $6,667 before a single penny went to Trump’s dedicated “recount” fund — an unlikely scenario, given that the solicitations are being sent to his small-dollar donor list.
Depending on how much of that $207.5 million came in before Nov. 18 and how much after, Trump could easily leave the White House with upwards of $150 million available to him personally.
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Because the new committee is structured as a “leadership PAC,” with almost no restrictions on how it can spend, Trump could legally use the money for almost anything he wants. Indeed, one of the few things he cannot use the money for is a formal 2024 campaign.
“His donors are being duped,” said Robert Weissman, president of the liberal watchdog group Public Citizen. “They believe they are contributing to his litigation to overturn the election results, when in fact their money is not supporting his pathetic lawsuits to sabotage our democracy but to a leadership PAC.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-26--Illinois Bowling Alley Shooting Leaves 3 Dead, 3 Injured

ROCKFORD , Ill. ( AP ) — A gunman opened fire inside an Illinois bowling alley , killing three people and injuring three others Saturday night in what authorities believe was a random attack .
A 37-year-old male suspect was in custody after the shooting at Don Carter Lanes , Rockford police said in a social media post .
Two of those who were shot were teenagers , police Chief Dan O ’ Shea said during a news conference .
O ’ Shea did not immediately release additional information about the victims .
He described the scene as contained and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fired their weapons while apprehending the suspected gunman .
Mayor Tom McNamara released a statement saying he was “ angered and saddened ” about the shooting .
“ My thoughts are with the families of those who lost loved ones , ” McNamara said .
“ I ’ m also thinking of those who were injured and my hopes are with them for a quick and full recovery.
” The Rockford Register Star reported that 2020 has been the city ’ s deadliest year for homicides , according to records that date back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed in the city this year , breaking the previous record of 31 in 1996 .

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ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) — A gunman opened fire inside an Illinois bowling alley, killing three people and injuring three others Saturday night in what authorities believe was a random attack.
A 37-year-old male suspect was in custody after the shooting at Don Carter Lanes, Rockford police said in a social media post.
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Two of those who were shot were teenagers, police Chief Dan O’Shea said during a news conference.
O’Shea did not immediately release additional information about the victims. He described the scene as contained and said he did not think any officers fired their weapons while apprehending the suspected gunman.
Rockford is about 80 miles northwest of Chicago.
Mayor Tom McNamara released a statement saying he was “angered and saddened” about the shooting.
“My thoughts are with the families of those who lost loved ones,” McNamara said. “I’m also thinking of those who were injured and my hopes are with them for a quick and full recovery.”
The Rockford Register Star reported that 2020 has been the city’s deadliest year for homicides, according to records that date back to 1965. Thirty-five people have been killed in the city this year, breaking the previous record of 31 in 1996.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-26--FBI At Home Of Possible Person Of Interest In Nashville Bomb Case

NASHVILLE , Tenn. ( AP ) — Federal agents converged Saturday on the home of a possible person of interest in the explosion that rocked downtown Nashville as investigators scoured hundreds of tips and leads in the blast that damaged dozens of buildings on Christmas morning .
More than 24 hours after the explosion , a motive remained elusive as investigators worked round-the-clock to resolve unanswered questions about a recreational vehicle that blew up on a mostly deserted street on a sleepy holiday morning and was prefaced by a recorded warning advising those nearby to evacuate .
The attack , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , continued to wreak havoc Saturday on cellphone service and police and hospital communications in several Southern states .
Investigators from multiple federal and local law enforcement agencies were at a home in Antioch , in suburban Nashville , after receiving information relevant to the investigation , said FBI Special Agent Jason Pack .
Another law enforcement official , who was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity , said investigators regard a person associated with the property as a person of interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the property , searching the home and the backyard .
A Google Maps image had shown a similar recreational vehicle parked in the backyard when the photo was captured in May 2019 ; an AP reporter at the scene did not see the vehicle at the property in the late afternoon Saturday .
There were other signs of progress in the investigation , as the FBI revealed that it was looking at a number of individuals who may be connected to it .
Officials also said no additional explosive devices have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area .
Investigators have received around 500 tips and leads .
“ It ’ s just going to take us some time , ” Douglas Korneski , the special agent in charge in charge of the FBI ’ s Memphis field office , said at a Saturday afternoon news conference .
“ Our investigative team is turning over every stone ” to understand who did this and why .
Law enforcement officers investigate the house belonging to Anthony Quinn Warner , a 63 year-old man who has been reported to be of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December 26 , 2020 in Nashville , Tennessee .
( Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images ) Beyond that , the only known casualties were three injured people .
Investigators said they were working to identify human remains found at the scene .
The infrastructure damage , meanwhile , was broadly felt , due to an AT & T central office being affected by the blast .
Police emergency systems in Tennessee , Kentucky and Alabama , as well as Nashville ’ s COVID-19 community hotline and a handful of hospital systems , remained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a telephone exchange , with network equipment in it — but the company has declined to say exactly how many people have been impacted .
Asked whether the AT & T building could have been a possible target , Korneski said , “ We ’ re looking at every possible motive that could be involved.
” Investigators shut down the heart of downtown Nashville ’ s tourist scene — an area packed with honky-tonks , restaurants and shops — as they shuffled through broken glass and damaged buildings to learn more about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts are facing several challenges , which include a fire that “ reignited overnight and led to the evacuation of the building.
” This has forced their teams to work with safety and structural engineers and drilling access holes into the building in order to reconnect power .
“ Our teams continue to work around the clock on recovery efforts from yesterday morning ’ s explosion in Nashville , ” the company said in a Saturday statement .
“ We have two portable cell sites operating in downtown Nashville with numerous additional portable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in the region.
” Ray Neville , president of technology at T-Mobile , said on Twitter that service disruptions affected Louisville , Nashville , Knoxville , Birmingham and Atlanta .
“ We continue to see service interruptions in these areas following yesterday ’ s explosion .
Restoration efforts continue around the clock & we will keep you updated on progress , ” he said in a tweet Saturday .
The outages had even briefly grounded flights at the Nashville International Airport , but service was continuing normally as of Saturday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporary flight restriction around the airport , requiring pilots to follow strict procedures until Dec. 30 .

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Federal agents converged Saturday on the home of a possible person of interest in the explosion that rocked downtown Nashville as investigators scoured hundreds of tips and leads in the blast that damaged dozens of buildings on Christmas morning.
More than 48 hours after the explosion, a motive remained elusive as investigators worked round-the-clock to resolve unanswered questions about a recreational vehicle that blew up on a mostly deserted street on a sleepy holiday morning after a recorded warning advised those nearby to evacuate.
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The attack, which damaged an AT&T building, continued to wreak havoc on cellphone service and police and hospital communications in several Southern states as the company worked to restore service.
Investigators from multiple federal and local law enforcement agencies descended on the home in Antioch, in suburban Nashville, on Saturday after receiving information relevant to the investigation, said FBI Special Agent Jason Pack. Another law enforcement official, who was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said investigators regard a person associated with the property as a person of interest.
Federal agents could be seen looking around the property, searching the home and the backyard. A Google Maps image captured in May 2019 had shown a similar recreational vehicle parked in the backyard; an AP reporter at the scene did not see the vehicle at the property in the late afternoon Saturday.
There were other signs of progress in the investigation, as the FBI revealed that it was looking at a number of individuals who may be connected to it. Officials also said no additional explosive devices have been found — indicating no active threat to the area. Investigators have received around 500 tips and leads.
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“It’s just going to take us some time,” Douglas Korneski, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Memphis field office, said at a Saturday afternoon news conference. “Our investigative team is turning over every stone” to understand who did this and why.
Law enforcement officers investigate the house belonging to Anthony Quinn Warner, a 63 year-old man who has been reported to be of interest in the Nashville bombing, on December 26, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images) Terry Wyatt via Getty Images
Investigators said they were working to identify human remains found at the scene. Beyond that, the only known casualties were three injured people.
The infrastructure damage, meanwhile, was broadly felt, due to an AT&T central office being affected by the blast. Police emergency systems in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama, as well as Nashville’s COVID-19 community hotline and a handful of hospital systems, remained out of service.
The building contained a telephone exchange, with network equipment in it — but the company has declined to say exactly how many people have been impacted.
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Asked whether the AT&T building could have been a possible target, Korneski said, “We’re looking at every possible motive that could be involved.”
Investigators shut down the heart of downtown Nashville’s tourist scene — an area packed with honky-tonks, restaurants and shops — as they shuffled through broken glass and damaged buildings to learn more about the explosion.
Mayor John Cooper has enforced a curfew in the downtown area until Sunday via executive order to limit public access. More than 40 buildings were affected.
AT&T said Sunday it was rerouting service to other facilities as the company worked to restore its heavily damaged building. The company said in a statement that it was bringing in resources to help recover affected voice and data services and expects to have 24 additional trailers of disaster recovery equipment at the site by the end of the day.
Restoration efforts faced several challenges, which included a fire that forced their teams to work with safety and structural engineers and drilling access holes into the building in order to reconnect power.
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Neville Ray, president of technology at T-Mobile, said on Twitter Saturday that service disruptions affected Louisville, Nashville, Knoxville, Birmingham and Atlanta. “We continue to see service interruptions in these areas ... Restoration efforts continue around the clock & we will keep you updated on progress,” he said.
The outages had briefly grounded flights at the Nashville International Airport, but service was continuing normally as of Saturday. The Federal Aviation Administration has since issued a temporary flight restriction around the airport, requiring pilots to follow strict procedures until Dec. 30.
According to Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake, police officers responded on Friday to a report of shots fired when they encountered the RV blaring a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes. Police evacuated nearby buildings and called in the bomb squad. The RV exploded shortly afterward.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-27--Los Angeles Testing For Dangerous New Coronavirus Variant As COVID-19 Cases Soar

Los Angeles health officials are testing for the new , more contagious coronavirus variant first detected in the United Kingdom as COVID-19 cases skyrocket in California .
The variant , which researchers have determined is approximately 56 % more contagious than other strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus , has already jumped from Britain to several European nations , Scandinavia , Japan , Australia , Lebanon and Canada , despite hastily enacted travel bans .
A public health laboratory has begun gene sequencing virus samples collected in LA County in an attempt to detect the variant , but it will take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , county public health director Barbara Ferrer told the Los Angeles Times Friday .
A memo from the County Department of Public Health on Thursday also asked labs to review recent data from positive coronavirus tests to look for a specific genetic pattern and any unusual molecular patterns .
COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing in Los Angeles County , with more than 707,00 cases and a death toll of more than 9,400 .
The county hit a record number of deaths in a single day — 140 — on Thursday .
More than 24,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has tallied more than 2.1 million cases .
As of Saturday , California was reporting the highest number of new daily cases per capita in the nation .
Ferrer said the latest spike is believed to be largely linked to Thanksgiving gatherings and activities like increased shopping for the holidays , but she told the LA Times that the area may also be dealing with the more contagious variant .
“ I think everyone at this point that ’ s seeing these kinds of surges is obviously looking to see , ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ” Ferrer told the Times .
The surge occurred “ devastatingly quickly , ” he told the Times .
“ Everybody I talked to said this acceleration was beyond any model and any expectation , so then people say ‘ What broke down ?
’ and I ’ ve got to think it ’ s partly the strain that was out there.
” The new VOC 202012/01 variant has yet to be officially traced to the U.S. , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
But the country conducts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus , so the “ variant could already be in the United States without having been detected , ” the agency said in a statement .
The variant has become a prominent strain in England .
It doesn ’ t appear to be deadlier per case , but with the same fatality rate , a greater number of cases would translate to a higher death toll .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) last Sunday called on President Donald Trump ’ s administration — which he called “ grossly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.K. travel ban or require testing of airline passengers as six flights daily fly into New York airports .
Beginning Monday , new U.S. regulations will finally require travelers from the U.K. to have a negative COVID-19 test within three days of boarding a plane to America .
Current COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be effective against the variant .
But because the variant could suddenly trigger an alarming increase in cases , it “ may be necessary to greatly accelerate vaccine rollout , ” researchers warned in a recent study on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The variant was first detected in the U.K. in September , but health officials only recently discovered how much more easily it spreads .
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned of the new threat in a press conference last week .

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Los Angeles health officials are testing for the new, more contagious coronavirus variant first detected in the United Kingdom as COVID-19 cases skyrocket in California.
“I wouldn’t be surprised that it’s already here,” Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease professor at UCSF School of Medicine, told ABC-7 News.
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A public health laboratory has begun gene sequencing virus samples collected in LA County in an attempt to detect the variant, but it will take about a week to finish the process, county public health director Barbara Ferrer told the Los Angeles Times Friday.
A memo from the County Department of Public Health on Thursday also asked labs to review recent data from positive coronavirus tests to look for a specific genetic pattern and any unusual molecular patterns.
COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing in Los Angeles County, with more than 707,00 cases and a death toll of more than 9,400. The county hit a record number of deaths in a single day — 140 — on Thursday.
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More than 24,000 people have died in the state, which has tallied more than 2.1 million cases. As of Saturday, California was reporting the highest number of new daily cases per capita in the nation.
Ferrer said the latest spike is believed to be largely linked to Thanksgiving gatherings and activities like increased shopping for the holidays, but she told the LA Times that the area may also be dealing with the more contagious variant.
“I think everyone at this point that’s seeing these kinds of surges is obviously looking to see, ‘Do we have that particular variant?’” Ferrer told the Times.
LA Mayor Eric Garcetti also said he suspects the variant is having in impact.
The surge occurred “devastatingly quickly,” he told the Times. “Everybody I talked to said this acceleration was beyond any model and any expectation, so then people say ‘What broke down?’ and I’ve got to think it’s partly the strain that was out there.”
The new VOC 202012/01 variant has yet to be officially traced to the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the country conducts little genetic sequencing to trace strains of the coronavirus, so the “variant could already be in the United States without having been detected,” the agency said in a statement.
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The variant has become a prominent strain in England. It doesn’t appear to be deadlier per case, but with the same fatality rate, a greater number of cases would translate to a higher death toll.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) last Sunday called on President Donald Trump’s administration — which he called “grossly negligent” — to immediately institute a U.K. travel ban or require testing of airline passengers as six flights daily fly into New York airports. Beginning Monday, new U.S. regulations will finally require travelers from the U.K. to have a negative COVID-19 test within three days of boarding a plane to America.
Current COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be effective against the variant. But because the variant could suddenly trigger an alarming increase in cases, it “may be necessary to greatly accelerate vaccine rollout,” researchers warned in a recent study on the variant that has not yet been peer-reviewed.
The variant was first detected in the U.K. in September, but health officials only recently discovered how much more easily it spreads. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned of the new threat in a press conference last week.
CORRECTION: This article previously misidentified Eric Garcetti as Gil, his father.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-27--Bernie Sanders: Trump Needs To Stop 'Diddling Around' On COVID-19 Relief Bill

“ What the president is doing right now is unbelievably cruel , ” Sanders told ABC “ This Week ” host Jonathan Karl .
“ Many millions of people are losing their extended unemployment benefits .
They ’ re going to be evicted from their apartments because the eviction moratorium is ending .
We are looking at a way to get the vaccine distributed to tens of millions of people .
There ’ s money in that bill .
And this president is diddling around , and he may actually veto it.
” Given the dire straits of many Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was imperative to distribute $ 2,000 checks .
But he stressed that Trump actually needed to do something .
“ You can ’ t diddle around with the bill , ” Sanders said .
“ Sign the bill , Mr. President , and then immediately — Monday , Tuesday — we can pass a $ 2,000 direct payment for the working families of this country.
” Sanders has long been a proponent of distributing more coronavirus relief money to working class citizens .
He called in March for $ 2,000 monthly checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 2 trillion COVID-19 relief proposal .
The senator said that he heard “ not a word ” of support from the White House for the bill until Trump ’ s sudden refusal on Tuesday to sign the COVID-19 relief package .
Trump called the bipartisan bill that had taken months of negotiations a “ disgrace ” for offering only $ 600 checks .
“ Suddenly , because we have an extraordinary narcissist , pathologically narcissistic [ president ] in the White House , he said , ... ‘ You know what , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m going to jump into the game , and I want $ 2,000 , ’ ” Sanders said .
“ The government may shut down because this was a combination of a COVID bill plus an omnibus bill , which keeps the government running , ” Sanders said .
“ So you ’ re not going to have all the protections that working people need , and then on top of that , we may be looking at a government shutdown in the midst of the most difficult moment in modern American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is really insane , and this president has got to do the right thing for the American people and stop worrying about his ego .
”

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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Sunday condemned President Donald Trump’s inaction on the $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill passed by Congress.
“What the president is doing right now is unbelievably cruel,” Sanders told ABC “This Week” host Jonathan Karl. “Many millions of people are losing their extended unemployment benefits. They’re going to be evicted from their apartments because the eviction moratorium is ending. We are looking at a way to get the vaccine distributed to tens of millions of people. There’s money in that bill. And this president is diddling around, and he may actually veto it.”
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Given the dire straits of many Americans affected by the coronavirus, Sanders said it was imperative to distribute $2,000 checks. But he stressed that Trump actually needed to do something.
“You can’t diddle around with the bill,” Sanders said. “Sign the bill, Mr. President, and then immediately — Monday, Tuesday — we can pass a $2,000 direct payment for the working families of this country.”
Sanders has long been a proponent of distributing more coronavirus relief money to working class citizens. He called in March for $2,000 monthly checks to be distributed as part of a $2 trillion COVID-19 relief proposal.
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The senator said that he heard “not a word” of support from the White House for the bill until Trump’s sudden refusal on Tuesday to sign the COVID-19 relief package. Trump called the bipartisan bill that had taken months of negotiations a “disgrace” for offering only $600 checks.
“Suddenly, because we have an extraordinary narcissist, pathologically narcissistic [president] in the White House, he said, ... ‘You know what, I’ve now decided that I’m going to jump into the game, and I want $2,000,’” Sanders said.
Asked what might happen if Trump refuses to sign the bill, Sanders painted a dire picture.
“The government may shut down because this was a combination of a COVID bill plus an omnibus bill, which keeps the government running,” Sanders said. “So you’re not going to have all the protections that working people need, and then on top of that, we may be looking at a government shutdown in the midst of the most difficult moment in modern American history. It is insane. It is really insane, and this president has got to do the right thing for the American people and stop worrying about his ego.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-27--GOP Senator: Trump Will Be Remembered For 'Chaos And Misery' If COVID-19 Relief Expires

Sen. Pat Toomey ( R-Penn . )
on Sunday said President Donald Trump would leave behind a disastrous legacy if he doesn ’ t sign the latest COVID-19 relief bill and allows pandemic aid to expire at the end of the month .
After a months-long impasse , Republicans and Democrats finally reached agreement on a $ 900 billion COVID-19 stimulus package .
The proposed legislation is tied to a $ 1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill that would fund the government through September .
But Trump , whose administration helped negotiate the relief bill , stunned Republicans last week by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bill from $ 600 to $ 2,000 per eligible American .
Democrats expressed support for the president ’ s request for the more robust payments ― relief some Democrats have been pushing for for months .
“ You don ’ t get everything you want , even if you ’ re the president of the United States , ” Toomey told “ Fox News Sunday ” and urged Trump to sign the relief bill .
He added : “ I think the COVID relief measures are really , really important .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as in many other states , we have governors who are closing down businesses again .
People are out of work certainly through no fault of their own.
” Toomey suggested Trump sign the bill that includes up to $ 600 relief checks and then make the case to Congress for additional payments in a subsequent bill .
“ Time ’ s running out , ” Toomey said .
“ I understand the president would like to send bigger checks to everybody .
...
I don ’ t agree with $ 2,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost income whatsoever , which is the vast majority of Americans .
But the president ’ s free to make that case ― Democrats will agree with that ― and see where it ends up .
But we ’ ve got a bill right now that his administration helped negotiate .
I think we ought to get that done.
” Enhanced unemployment benefits for those affected by the pandemic expired the day after Christmas , and an eviction moratorium created to protect those struggling to make ends is set to expire at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refuses to sign the bill , Americans could be without COVID-19 relief until President-elect Joe Biden takes office on Jan. 21 and a new administration is installed .
What ’ s more , the government could be thrust this week into another shutdown ― the third under the Trump presidency .
“ I understand he wants to be remembered for advocating for big checks , ” Toomey said .
“ But the danger is he ’ ll be remembered for chaos and misery and erratic behavior if he allows this to expire .
@

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Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Penn.) on Sunday said President Donald Trump would leave behind a disastrous legacy if he doesn’t sign the latest COVID-19 relief bill and allows pandemic aid to expire at the end of the month.
After a months-long impasse, Republicans and Democrats finally reached agreement on a $900 billion COVID-19 stimulus package. The proposed legislation is tied to a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill that would fund the government through September.
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But Trump, whose administration helped negotiate the relief bill, stunned Republicans last week by demanding lawmakers boost relief payments outlined in the bill from $600 to $2,000 per eligible American. Democrats expressed support for the president’s request for the more robust payments ― relief some Democrats have been pushing for for months.
“You don’t get everything you want, even if you’re the president of the United States,” Toomey told “Fox News Sunday,” urging Trump to sign the relief bill.
He added: “I think the COVID relief measures are really, really important. And, you know, in my state, as in many other states, we have governors who are closing down businesses again. People are out of work certainly through no fault of their own.”
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Toomey suggested Trump sign the bill that includes up to $600 relief checks and then make the case to Congress for additional payments in a subsequent bill.
“Time’s running out,” Toomey said. “I understand the president would like to send bigger checks to everybody. ... I don’t agree with $2,000 checks to people who have had no lost income whatsoever, which is the vast majority of Americans. But the president’s free to make that case ― Democrats will agree with that ― and see where it ends up. But we’ve got a bill right now that his administration helped negotiate. I think we ought to get that done.”
Enhanced unemployment benefits for those affected by the pandemic expired the day after Christmas, and an eviction moratorium created to protect those struggling to make ends meet is set to expire at the end of the month.
If Trump refuses to sign the bill, Americans could be without COVID-19 relief until President-elect Joe Biden takes office on Jan. 21 and a new administration is installed. What’s more, the government could be thrust this week into another shutdown ― the third under the Trump presidency.
Asked if he’s worried about a potential shutdown, Toomey said he’s unsure but “hopeful” since Trump hasn’t explicitly said he’ll veto the bill.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-27--Trump Begrudgingly Signs COVID-19 Relief Bill, Government Spending, Averting Shutdown

It was an act of mercy for millions , after the president suddenly indicated Tuesday night that he wouldn ’ t support the bill .
Trump said he wanted to increase direct stimulus payments from $ 600 to $ 2,000 ― as well as eliminate a number of foreign aid provisions that were included in his own budget request earlier this year ― but Republicans wouldn ’ t go along with his call to increase checks , and Trump seemed to realize that holding out on the bill would cause chaos and distress across the country .
On top of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million people , Trump would have caused a government shutdown , delayed vaccine distribution , and held up stimulus checks for weeks ― if they ever even came .
Instead , Trump folded and agreed to the bill that lawmakers and his own administration negotiated .
An hour before signing the bill , Trump tweeted from his Mar-a-Lago resort that he had “ good news on Covid Relief Bill.
” He is vacationing at the Florida resort for the Christmas holiday .
But Trump ’ s sudden turn against the legislation threatened to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ session ends on January 3rd , Trump could have waited to veto the bill and seen the measure die then , forcing both chambers to pass the bill again to send it to his desk , at which point he could have waited another 10 days before deciding to either veto it or let it become law without his signature .
The federal programs Congress created to help the jobless earlier this year expired on Dec. 26 , cutting off much needed financial help to upward of 14 million Americans who have lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact , because Trump waited to sign the bill until Sunday night , millions won ’ t receive benefits this week .
“ I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed , ” he continued .
“ I will send back to Congress a redlined version , item by item , accompanied by the formal rescission request to Congress insisting that those funds be removed from the bill.
” CFRB estimates the aid in the COVID-19 relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three months of 2021 between 11 and 13 % above pre-pandemic levels .
Previous studies have shown the federal programs created under the CARES Act kept millions from sinking into poverty over the summer .
“ While this boost will not last through the second quarter of next year , higher household savings in the first quarter and a robust economic recovery as the weather warms and vaccines are distributed could make a huge difference for the remainder of 2021 , ” the CRFB said in its analysis .
But in the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political win .
By criticizing the bill before ultimately signing it , Trump has stepped all over the GOP ’ s message that this bill is a major win for his party — and he ’ s done it just weeks before two high-stakes Senate races in Georgia on Jan. 5 that will decide control of Congress , where Republican incumbents Sens .
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue now have to eat their words touting a law that Trump is on record saying he hates .

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After throwing the bill into doubt earlier this week, President Donald Trump caved Sunday night and signed the coronavirus relief and federal spending measure, averting a government shutdown and ensuring millions of unemployed Americans get some relief going into the new year.
It was an act of mercy for millions, after the president suddenly indicated Tuesday night that he wouldn’t support the bill. Trump said he wanted to increase direct stimulus payments from $600 to $2,000 ― as well as eliminate a number of foreign aid provisions that were included in his own budget request earlier this year ― but Republicans wouldn’t go along with his call to increase checks, and Trump seemed to realize that holding out on the bill would cause chaos and distress across the country. On top of ending unemployment benefits for more than 10 million people, Trump would have caused a government shutdown, delayed vaccine distribution, and held up stimulus checks for weeks ― if they ever even came.
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Instead, Trump folded and agreed to the bill that lawmakers and his own administration negotiated. An hour before signing the bill, Trump tweeted from his Mar-a-Lago resort that he had “good news on Covid Relief Bill.” He is vacationing at the Florida resort for the Christmas holiday.
Trump’s decision to sign the bill is a major sigh of relief for Republican lawmakers, who were surprised to see the president, who spent months seemingly uninterested in negotiations, suddenly turn on a bill that’s been tediously hashed out for months.
Trump released a ranting four-minute video on Twitter Tuesday, where he called the government spending Congress had passed “wasteful” and criticized the COVID-19 provisions as inadequate. He also demanded $2,000 stimulus checks, even though he hadn’t pushed for them in a package his own White House negotiated.
The bill, which was largely seen as the only compromise that could get through a deeply divided Congress, passed with veto-proof majorities — 359-53 in the House and 92-6 in the Senate.
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“The Senate will start the process for a vote that increases checks to $2,000, repeals Section 230, and starts an investigation into voter fraud,” Trump said in a statement after signing the bill. Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act shields social media companies from being liable for their users’ behavior.
But Trump’s sudden turn against the legislation threatened to sink it entirely. Because the congressional session ends on January 3rd, Trump could have waited to veto the bill and seen the measure die then, forcing both chambers to pass the bill again to send it to his desk, at which point he could have waited another 10 days before deciding to either veto it or let it become law without his signature.
Such a decision would have caused another government shutdown ― absent a stopgap spending bill ― and withheld aid from tens of millions of struggling Americans who have lost their jobs or have seen reduced income due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The federal programs Congress created to help the jobless earlier this year expired on Dec. 26, cutting off much needed financial help to upward of 14 million Americans who have lost their jobs during the pandemic. In fact, because Trump waited to sign the bill until Sunday night, millions won’t receive benefits this week.
According to Michele Evermore, an unemployment policy expert with the National Employment Law Project, unemployment recipients will miss out on one week of the extra $300, already bringing the 11 weeks of extra federal unemployment benefits provided by the legislation down to 10.
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Congress could still try to pass extra stimulus. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) already attempted to increase direct payments in the COVID-19 relief bill from $600 to $2,000 — as Trump demanded — on Christmas Eve, but Republicans blocked the attempt.
In the end, Trump signed what Congress gave him in the first place.
“As President, I have told Congress that I want far less wasteful spending and more money going to the American people in the form of $2,000 checks per adult and $600 per child,” Trump said in the statement.
POTUS statement on signing COVID relief/government funding bill pic.twitter.com/RDUFnPZm3j — Matt Smith (@mattsmith_news) December 28, 2020
“I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed,” he continued. “I will send back to Congress a redlined version, item by item, accompanied by the formal rescission request to Congress insisting that those funds be removed from the bill.”
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) released a statement about Trump wanting to “reverse funding his own administration requested and undo the careful bipartisan agreement he has just signed.”
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“The House Appropriations Committee has jurisdiction over rescissions, and our Democratic Majority will reject any rescissions submitted by President Trump,” said Lowey, who chairs the committee.
Pelosi said in a statement Sunday night that the COVID-19 relief package is “a down payment on what is needed to crush the virus.”
“We need to ensure robust support for state and local government to distribute and administer a vaccine, keep workers employed and prevent devastating service cuts — and we must do so as soon as possible,” she said.
The legislation signed tonight is a down payment on what is needed to crush the virus, put money in Americans’ pockets & honor our heroes. We must quickly take further action to help Americans struggling to stay afloat during this historic pandemic & economic crisis. — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) December 28, 2020
The law will provide $300 a week in unemployment insurance until mid-March, and a $600 direct payment to those making under $75,000.
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The law also includes $20 billion for vaccine procurement, and $9 billion for vaccine distribution. K-12 schools, colleges and universities will get $82 billion to deal with pandemic.
Small businesses get the most funding; the Paycheck Protection Program will get $284 billion more for forgivable loans to businesses, and there’s an additional $20 billion in Economic Injury Disaster Loans, $15 billion for live entertainment venues and movie theaters, and several billion for other Small Business Administration programs.
Federal emergency relief has been a crucial part of keeping Americans afloat as the economy has tanked this year.
This law would make people’s lives better by dramatically reversing a persistent decline in personal income caused by the CARES Act programs expiring, according to an analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a federal spending watchdog group.
CFRB estimates the aid in the COVID-19 relief bill would increase income in the first three months of 2021 between 11 and 13% above pre-pandemic levels. Previous studies have shown the federal programs created under the CARES Act kept millions from sinking into poverty over the summer.
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“While this boost will not last through the second quarter of next year, higher household savings in the first quarter and a robust economic recovery as the weather warms and vaccines are distributed could make a huge difference for the remainder of 2021,” the CRFB said in its analysis.
Trump’s penchant for drama threw Washington in a frenzy this week, completely scrambling political alliances and risking the livelihoods of millions. Suddenly Republicans were forced to defy their own president’s calls for an even bigger relief bill and Democrats were given renewed hope that they could renegotiate parts of the proposal more to their liking.
But in the end, Democrats got a different kind of political win. By criticizing the bill before ultimately signing it, Trump has stepped all over the GOP’s message that this bill is a major win for his party — and he’s done it just weeks before two high-stakes Senate races in Georgia on Jan. 5 that will decide control of Congress, where Republican incumbents Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue now have to eat their words touting a law that Trump is on record saying he hates.
“Now, the President must immediately call on Congressional Republicans to end their obstruction and to join him and Democrats in support of our stand-alone legislation to increase direct payment checks to $2,000, which will be brought to the Floor tomorrow,” Pelosi said in her statement. “Every Republican vote against this bill is a vote to deny the financial hardship that families face and to deny the American people the relief they need.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-27--Lawmakers Press Trump On Relief Bill As Jobless Aid Expires

The package passed with wide margins in the House and Senate and with the understanding of members of both parties that Trump supported it .
Now , the federal government will run out of money at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday if Trump refuses to sign the bill in time as he spends the holidays in Florida .
In the face of economic hardship and spreading disease , lawmakers urged Trump on Sunday to sign the legislation immediately , then have Congress follow up with more .
Aside from unemployment benefits and relief payments to families , money for vaccine distribution , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more is on the line .
Protections against evictions also hang in the balance .
“ What the president is doing right now is unbelievably cruel , ” Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said Sunday .
“ So many people are hurting .
...
It is really insane and this president has got to finally ... do the right thing for the American people and stop worrying about his ego.
” Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania , with more measured words , agreed Trump should sign the bill , then make the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve got a bill right now that his administration helped negotiate , ” he said .
“ I think we ought to get that done.
” The same point was echoed by Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan , a Republican who ’ s criticized Trump ’ s pandemic response and his efforts to undo the election results .
“ I just gave up guessing what he might do next , ” he said .
He has given no indication he plans to sign the bill as he spends the last days of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his dissatisfaction with the legislation seems only to have grown in recent days as he has criticized it both privately to club members and publicly on Twitter .
As the impasse dragged on , Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health warned that the country is at a “ critical point ” in COVID-19 infections , with the Christmas and New Year ’ s holidays posing the threat of a “ surge upon a surge ” as people congregate with families and others , against the advice of public-health officials .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ call House lawmakers back to Washington for a vote Monday on Trump ’ s proposal to send out $ 2,000 relief checks , instead of the $ 600 approved by Congress .
The idea is likely to die in the Republican-controlled Senate .
Democrats were also considering a vote Monday on a stop-gap measure aimed at keeping the government running until Democrat Joe Biden is inaugurated Jan. 20 .
Washington has been reeling since Trump turned on the deal , without warning , after it had won sweeping approval in both houses of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assured Republican leaders that Trump would support it .
Instead , he assailed the bill ’ s plan to provide $ 600 COVID relief checks to most Americans — insisting it should be $ 2,000 .
House Republicans swiftly rejected that idea during a rare Christmas Eve session .
But Trump has not been swayed despite the pandemic gripping the nation .
The impact of the sidelined aid is already being felt .
Lauren Bauer of the Brookings Institution has calculated that at least 11 million people were losing aid from the programs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would exhaust other unemployment benefits within weeks .
How and when people would be affected by the lapse depended on the state they lived in , the program they were relying on and when they applied for benefits .
About 9.5 million people , however , had been relying on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program that expired altogether Saturday .
That program made unemployment insurance available to freelancers , gig workers and others who were normally not eligible .
After receiving their last checks , those recipients would not be able to file @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump appeared no closer to signing an end-of-year COVID relief and spending bill Sunday as unemployment aid expired, the government barrels toward a mid-pandemic shutdown and lawmakers implored him to break the impasse he created after Congress approved the deal.
Trump blindsided members of both parties with a demand for larger COVID relief checks, imperiling not only a massive package of economic and public-health assistance but the basic functions of government itself.
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The package passed with wide margins in the House and Senate and with the understanding of members of both parties that Trump supported it. Now, the federal government will run out of money at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday if Trump refuses to sign the bill in time as he spends the holidays in Florida.
In the face of economic hardship and spreading disease, lawmakers urged Trump on Sunday to sign the legislation immediately, then have Congress follow up with more. Aside from unemployment benefits and relief payments to families, money for vaccine distribution, businesses, cash-starved public transit systems and more is on the line. Protections against evictions also hang in the balance.
“What the president is doing right now is unbelievably cruel,” Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said Sunday. “So many people are hurting. ... It is really insane and this president has got to finally ... do the right thing for the American people and stop worrying about his ego.”
Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, with more measured words, agreed Trump should sign the bill, then make the case for more. “We’ve got a bill right now that his administration helped negotiate,” he said. “I think we ought to get that done.”
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The same point was echoed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican who’s criticized Trump’s pandemic response and his efforts to undo the election results. “I just gave up guessing what he might do next,” he said.
Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois said too much is at stake for Trump to “play this old switcheroo game.”
“I don’t get the point,” he said. “I don’t understand what’s being done, why, unless it’s just to create chaos and show power and be upset because you lost the election.”
Trump was spending Sunday golfing at his West Palm Beach course.
He has given no indication he plans to sign the bill as he spends the last days of his presidency in a rage. Indeed, his dissatisfaction with the legislation seems only to have grown in recent days as he has criticized it both privately to club members and publicly on Twitter.
As the impasse dragged on, Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health warned that the country is at a “critical point” in COVID-19 infections, with the Christmas and New Year’s holidays posing the threat of a “surge upon a surge” as people congregate with families and others, against the advice of public-health officials.
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“As we get into the next few weeks, it might actually get worse,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Days ago, Democrats said they would call House lawmakers back to Washington for a vote Monday on Trump’s proposal to send out $2,000 relief checks, instead of the $600 approved by Congress. The idea is likely to die in the Republican-controlled Senate. Democrats were also considering a vote Monday on a stop-gap measure aimed at keeping the government running until Democrat Joe Biden is inaugurated Jan. 20.
Washington has been reeling since Trump turned on the deal, without warning, after it had won sweeping approval in both houses of Congress and after the White House had assured Republican leaders that Trump would support it.
Instead, he assailed the bill’s plan to provide $600 COVID relief checks to most Americans — insisting it should be $2,000. House Republicans swiftly rejected that idea during a rare Christmas Eve session. But Trump has not been swayed despite the pandemic gripping the nation.
The impact of the sidelined aid is already being felt. Lauren Bauer of the Brookings Institution has calculated that at least 11 million people were losing aid from the programs immediately without additional relief; millions more would exhaust other unemployment benefits within weeks.
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How and when people would be affected by the lapse depended on the state they lived in, the program they were relying on and when they applied for benefits.
In some states, people on regular unemployment insurance would continue to receive payments under a program that extends benefits when the jobless rate surpassed a certain threshold, said Andrew Stettner, an unemployment insurance expert and senior fellow at the Century Foundation think tank.
About 9.5 million people, however, had been relying on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program that expired altogether Saturday. That program made unemployment insurance available to freelancers, gig workers and others who were normally not eligible. After receiving their last checks, those recipients would not be able to file for more aid, Stettner said.
The relief was attached to a $1.4 trillion government funding bill to keep the federal government operating through September, which would mean that failing to sign it by Tuesday would trigger a federal shutdown.
“Now to be put in a lurch, after the president’s own person negotiated something that the president doesn’t want, it’s just ― it’s surprising,” Kinzinger said. “But we will have to find a way out.”
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Kinzinger and Fauci spoke on CNN’s “State of the Union,” and Hogan and Sanders on ABC’s “This Week.”
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-27--Virginia Deputy Fired After Far-Right Calls For Violence On Social Media

One of the comments — posted on the deputy ’ s “ WeThePeopleWarrior ” profile on the right-wing social media platform Parler — called on followers to find the homes of politicians and “ liberal ” judges , and “ remove them from their sanctuary.
” “ Take back your State capitals , ” the post urged .
“ Find the homes of every Governor , mayor , attorney general , liberal judge , senator , congressman and every major media/social media CEO ... find them , remove them from their sanctuary .
Bring the nightmare to where they lay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Show them that they are NOT untouchable.
” The deputy was identified in a local press report and by The Washington Post as Aaron Hoffman .
He was exposed by Charlottesville , Virginia , freelance journalist Molly Conger , who revealed the posts in a Twitter thread .
Hoffman told the Post that the account was his , but insisted he didn ’ t post the comments .
“ I did not make those posts , ” Hoffman said .
“ I ’ m trying to figure out who did.
” He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
Another post from Hoffman ’ s account included a threat to kill anyone who touches his children to vaccinate them against COVID-19 without his consent .
“ Not a threat , but a promise , ” the post said .
The person behind the WeThePeopleWarrior account also posted that he would become “ insanely violent ” if anyone tried to make him wear a face mask .
Additionally , there was a threatening comment about former President Barack Obama , and a suggestion that the life of Supreme Court Chief Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Roberts has become a particular target recently of the extreme right wing because of his lack of action to overturn the 2020 presidential election .
Prince William County Sheriff Glendell Hill , a Republican , told the Post that he found the comments “ very despicable .
That ’ s why I took the action that I took , ” he added , referring to Hoffman ’ s firing .
“ I certainly don ’ t approve of that , and , of course , it ’ s against our policy.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement via Facebook on Saturday , saying it had been “ notified about disturbing comments being made on several social media outlets by a deputy sheriff , ” who was not named .
Following an internal affairs investigation , the “ deputy has been terminated from employment with our office , ” the statement said .
The office thanked the public for “ bringing this to our attention.
” People commenting on the Facebook page hailed the quick action by authorities , but feared that Hoffman might now seek employment on another police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s still apparently heavily armed .
Conger reposted a WeThePeopleWarrior post on Parler showing off an assortment of weapons .
my advice would be that when you post pictures of your arsenal alongside threats to kill judges , keep your government-issue work vest that says SHERIFF on the front of it out of the picture , but what do i know .
pic.twitter.com/vPYpILhJSL — molly conger ( @ socialistdogmom ) December 25 , 2020 An Arkansas police chief resigned last month after a Parler message calling for “ death to all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Lang Holland , now the former police chief of Marshall , initially claimed his account had been hacked , but later admitted he had written the posts .


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-27--Geraldo Rivera Has Had Enough Of 'Entitled Frat Boy' Trump

Geraldo Rivera , once a steadfast ally of President Donald Trump , minced no words Saturday when he tweeted that he was fed up with Trump ’ s unwillingness to accept the results of the Nov. 3 election .
Rivera admitted that he defended Trump for four years from what he called “ leftist creeps ” but added that the president has behaved “ like an entitled frat boy ” since the election .
The Fox News personality — who insisted in 2019 that Trump was surrounded by “ backstabbers and vipers and rats and snitches ” — also expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whom he called a “ pathetic lawyer ” who was only wrecking Trump ’ s legacy with failed lawsuits .
For almost 4 years I ’ ve supported @ realDonaldTrump who was assailed by leftist creeps who conjured the Russia Hoax to wreck his presidency .
Nevertheless he prevailed .
Sadly he lost a bitterly contested election .
Shit happens .
However since he has behaved like an entitled frat boy — Geraldo Rivera ( @ GeraldoRivera ) December 27 , 2020 Rivera ’ s condemnation of Trump is a strong if belated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ praised the 45th president as a “ civil rights leader.
” Rivera recently recognized President-elect Joe Biden ’ s election victory .
He has also acknowledged that Trump is upset with him , going so far as to ignore his phone calls .
“ It is over , ” Rivera said earlier this month after the Electoral College confirmed Biden ’ s victory on Dec. 14 .
“ I want the president , my friend , the current president , the 45th president , to understand it is over .
The Electoral College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this out , the more we damage the fabric of our democracy.
” Rivera called out Trump and fellow GOP members on Twitter as they promoted unsubstantiated conspiracy theories of voter fraud .
He urged them to “ know when to hold ’ em , know when to fold ’ em.
” Rivera on Wednesday blasted Trump for heading off to Mar-a-Lago for the holidays and leaving U.S. citizens suffering from financial hardship “ adrift ” without leadership amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic .

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Geraldo Rivera, once a steadfast ally of President Donald Trump, minced no words Saturday when he tweeted that he was fed up with Trump’s unwillingness to accept the results of the Nov. 3 election.
Rivera admitted that he defended Trump for four years from what he called “leftist creeps” but added that the president has behaved “like an entitled frat boy” since the election.
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The Fox News personality — who insisted in 2019 that Trump was surrounded by “backstabbers and vipers and rats and snitches” — also expressed no love for attorney Sidney Powell, whom he called a “pathetic lawyer” who was only wrecking Trump’s legacy with failed lawsuits.
For almost 4 years I’ve supported @realDonaldTrump who was assailed by leftist creeps who conjured the Russia Hoax to wreck his presidency. Nevertheless he prevailed. Sadly he lost a bitterly contested election. Shit happens. However since he has behaved like an entitled frat boy — Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) December 27, 2020
Sidney Powell is a pathetic lawyer who among others is working to destroy the legacy of @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/MxkpuOUoCT — Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) December 27, 2020
Rivera’s condemnation of Trump is a strong if belated reversal for a conservative commentator who once praised the 45th president as a “civil rights leader.”
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Rivera recently recognized President-elect Joe Biden’s election victory. He has also acknowledged that Trump is upset with him, going so far as to ignore his phone calls.
“It is over,” Rivera said earlier this month after the Electoral College confirmed Biden’s victory on Dec. 14. “I want the president, my friend, the current president, the 45th president, to understand it is over. The Electoral College has voted. The longer we drag this out, the more we damage the fabric of our democracy.”
Rivera called out Trump and fellow GOP members on Twitter as they promoted unsubstantiated conspiracy theories of voter fraud. He urged them to “know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em.”