thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-20--Foreign-Born Health Workers Want To Treat Coronavirus — If The U.S. Lets Them

Sheeba Shafaq carries the memory with her everywhere .
She was 13 when she witnessed her aunt die from bleeding out while giving birth .
No one in the village was able to help her .
Shafaq vowed that day to spare other Afghan mothers the same fate and , after she completed medical school , she began to work for a local obstetrics and gynecology office .
“ For the first few weeks , it was so hard because every patient I would see , it was like PTSD remembering what happened to my aunt , ” said Shafaq @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the few female doctors in Afghanistan who advocated for better maternal and reproductive health care .
Shafaq volunteered with nonprofits and made trips to hard-to-reach villages where she provided emergency care and guidance on contraception and women ’ s health ― a move that was not welcomed by the men in charge .
But Shafaq ’ s activism subsequently made her a target .
When she heard about an exchange program in America , she jumped at the chance and was later granted refugee status .
She found herself in a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So she wanted to turn to what she knew best : working in medicine .
Shafaq is one of the thousands of foreign-born health care workers in the United States providing critical care during the coronavirus pandemic .
Foreign-born workers make up approximately 17 % of the American health care and social services sector , according to the Migration Policy Institute .
At least 29 % of American physicians were born outside the United States , as were an additional 38 % of nursing assistants and home health aides .
Nearly 16 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical assistants were also all born outside the country .
And now , many of the nearly 3 million foreign-born professionals in the American health care and social services industries are currently on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic .
Yet health care professionals from abroad face a slew of challenges if they want to work in their field once they come to the U.S. — including language barriers , financial costs , immigration issues and being shut out of residency programs because American institutions don ’ t efficiently transfer education credentials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump administration announced it would ease some immigration rules to allow for more foreign doctors to practice in crisis areas , especially in rural areas where they are needed most .
States like New York and New Jersey have also eased some of its licensing requirements to allow for foreign medical graduates to contribute to the coronavirus response .
Earlier this year , the International Rescue Committee launched its Refugees Rescue program , which helps immigrants and refugees who are not accredited in the U.S. but have medical degrees find work volunteering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
More than 400 refugees signed up for the program in the last two weeks .
Even though Shafaq was a licensed physician in Afghanistan , she was not able to work as a doctor when she arrived in the U.S. without going back to medical school .
She completed a medical assistant degree in 2019 and then in March was hired by the Elica Health Centers in Sacramento , California .
Now she works 12-hour days screening and testing potential COVID-19 patients .
Born and raised in Afghanistan , Ahmadi graduated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a physician for several hospitals before joining the U.S. Army in Afghanistan in June 2008 where he treated American and Afghan soldiers during the invasion .
Ahmadi spent nearly eight years working alongside American forces .
But when he was no longer needed , he knew it would be dangerous for him to stay in the country .
In 2015 , he fled to America with his wife and children .
“ We should really think about refugee and immigrant populations in terms of the contributions they make to the country , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the country , rather than perceiving refugees as people that come and take things from us , ” he said .
Ahmadi said that his work dealing with trauma patients in the intensive care unit back in Afghanistan has given him a leg up treating COVID-19 patients in his capacity as a medical assistant .
He knows how to work a ventilator , intubate a patient , and work with few resources while many of his counterparts do not .
Ahmadi and Shafaq are fortunate that they have found a way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many others in their position aren ’ t as lucky .
Over 260,000 immigrants and refugees in the U.S. hold health care degrees but are not working in jobs commensurate with their education .
Experts like Julia Gelatt , a senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute , argue that there is more the U.S can do to make it possible for immigrants and refugees to put their expertise and training to use .
“ We ’ re lucky as the United States to have people who want to come here and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States , but we ’ re not always doing the best job at making it possible for people to come and then to use their training to contribute to the country , ” said Gelatt .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Sheeba carries the memory with her everywhere. She was 13 when she witnessed her aunt die from bleeding out while giving birth. No one in the village was able to help her. She vowed that day to spare other Afghan mothers the same fate and, after she completed medical school, she began to work for a local obstetrics and gynecology office.
“For the first few weeks, it was so hard because every patient I would see, it was like PTSD remembering what happened to my aunt,” said Sheeba, who is only being identified by her first name due to safety concerns. But she persisted, becoming one of the few female doctors in Afghanistan who advocated for better maternal and reproductive health care. Sheeba volunteered with nonprofits and made trips to hard-to-reach villages where she provided emergency care and guidance on contraception and women’s health ― a move that was not welcomed by the men in charge.
Advertisement
In addition to providing critical medical care, Sheeba organized and participated in women’s rights protests, outraged by the 2015 death of Farkhunda Malikzada, a young Afghan woman who was fatally beaten while hundreds watched.
But Sheeba’s activism subsequently made her a target. When she heard about an exchange program in America, she jumped at the chance and was later granted refugee status. She found herself in a new country, alone and with no help. So she wanted to turn to what she knew best: working in medicine.
Sheeba is one of the thousands of foreign-born health care workers in the United States providing critical care during the coronavirus pandemic. Foreign-born workers make up approximately 17% of the American health care and social services sector, according to the Migration Policy Institute. At least 29% of American physicians were born outside the United States, as were an additional 38% of nursing assistants and home health aides. Nearly 16% of American based registered nurses and medical assistants were also all born outside the country.
And now, many of the nearly 3 million foreign-born professionals in the American health care and social services industries are currently on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. Yet health care professionals from abroad face a slew of challenges if they want to work in their field once they come to the U.S. — including language barriers, financial costs, immigration issues and being shut out of residency programs because American institutions don’t efficiently transfer education credentials from other countries. Last week, the Trump administration announced it would ease some immigration rules to allow for more foreign doctors to practice in crisis areas, especially in rural areas where they are needed most. States like New York and New Jersey have also eased some of its licensing requirements to allow for foreign medical graduates to contribute to the coronavirus response.
Advertisement
There are nearly 3 million foreign-born professionals in the American health care and social services industries, many of who are currently on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. Graph provided by Migration Policy Institute
Earlier this year, the International Rescue Committee launched its Refugees Rescue program, which helps immigrants and refugees who are not accredited in the U.S. but have medical degrees find work volunteering or working in the fight against the coronavirus. More than 400 refugees signed up for the program in the last two weeks.
Even though Sheeba was a licensed physician in Afghanistan, she was not able to work as a doctor when she arrived in the U.S. without going back to medical school. She completed a medical assistant degree in 2019 and then in March was hired by the Elica Health Centers in Sacramento, California. Now she works 12-hour days screening and testing potential COVID-19 patients.
“We can take a lot — a lot of stress and a lot of work and we don’t complain. Maybe it’s in our system. We have been built to just cope and get through,” Sheeba said.
Advertisement
Also in Sacramento, Sayed Ahmadi had been working as a medical assistant in the U.S. for less than a year before the pandemic hit. But he knew how to operate under pressure and felt equipped to deal with the influx of patients at his clinic.
Born and raised in Afghanistan, Ahmadi graduated with a medical degree and worked as a physician for several hospitals before joining the U.S. Army in Afghanistan in June 2008 where he treated American and Afghan soldiers during the invasion. Ahmadi spent nearly eight years working alongside American forces. But when he was no longer needed, he knew it would be dangerous for him to stay in the country. In 2015, he fled to America with his wife and children.
Once in the U.S., he applied to several medical schools and programs with his Afghan degree and experience but was rejected. He was defeated and worried his skills would go to waste until a community of immigrant health care workers pointed him to the IRC’s services.
“People completely forget the skills, the talents, the energy and the diversity that refugees bring to America,” said Hans Van de Weerd, the senior director of resettlement, asylum and integration at IRC.
“We should really think about refugee and immigrant populations in terms of the contributions they make to the country, the solutions that they have for the challenges of the country, rather than perceiving refugees as people that come and take things from us,” he said.
Advertisement
Ahmadi said that his work dealing with trauma patients in the intensive care unit back in Afghanistan has given him a leg up treating COVID-19 patients in his capacity as a medical assistant. He knows how to work a ventilator, intubate a patient, and work with few resources while many of his counterparts do not.
More than 25% of those registered with the IRC's Refugee Rescue program earned their degrees in refugee-producing countries, including Iraq and Syria. Photo provided by the IRC
Ahmadi and Sheeba are fortunate that they have found a way to work in their chosen fields, but many others in their position aren’t as lucky. Over 260,000 immigrants and refugees in the U.S. hold health care degrees but are not working in jobs commensurate with their education. Experts like Julia Gelatt, a senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, argue that there is more the U.S can do to make it possible for immigrants and refugees to put their expertise and training to use.
“We’re lucky as the United States to have people who want to come here and to contribute those talents to the United States, but we’re not always doing the best job at making it possible for people to come and then to use their training to contribute to the country,” said Gelatt.
Despite not being able to work as a physician in the U.S., Sheeba said she is grateful for the opportunity to at least be in medicine.
Advertisement
Earlier this month, she quarantined at home for two weeks after displaying coronavirus-like symptoms. She knows it’s possible that she could contract the virus from the dozens of patients that she sees on a weekly basis — but she’s not too worried.
Being quarantined, though, did eerily remind Sheeba of when she was forced to stay at home as a young girl during Taliban rule. At the time, girls were prohibited from receiving an education, but her mother secretly homeschooled her using her brothers’ textbooks and homework until the regime collapsed and schools reopened.
At least this time, she was able to go back to work after two weeks.
“I never imagined it would be this hard to be able to bring stability to your life when you move to a new country,” she said.
But, she added, her experiences have made her stronger and more than capable of battling the pandemic as a health care worker.
“If it wasn’t for all those hardships, I wouldn’t have been able to get through everything that I’ve been through,” Sheeba said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-20--Trump Threatens 'Funding' To States Expanding Mail-In Voting During The Pandemic

Trump , who previously said he was “ allowed to ” vote by mail in Florida ’ s March 17 primary , has railed against Democratic-led states offering that same opportunity to their voters .
Despite the risk of casting in-person ballots during the coronavirus pandemic , Trump has encouraged Republicans to fight against mail-in voting , claiming it “ doesn ’ t work out well ” for their party politically .
Lately , the president and his allies have amplified the conspiracy theory that voting by mail encourages voter fraud .
On Wednesday , Trump posted a tweet threatening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state of Michigan after it sent applications for voting by mail to registered voters .
Trump ’ s tweet falsely claimed both that Michigan sent voters the actual ballots needed to vote and that Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson “ illegally ” permitted them to be sent .
“ I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path !
” he said .
“ It ’ s outrageous , ” Sen. Gary Peters ( D-Mich. ) told HuffPost when asked about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s particularly remarkable given the fact that the president has voted by mail .
...
So it ’ s OK for him , apparently .
It ’ s just not OK for everyday Americans.
” When asked why it was okay for the Trump to mail his ballot but not okay for other Americans , McEnany claimed Trump “ had to ” because he was unable to cast his ballot in Florida , where he lives and frequently visits .
In a later tweet on Wednesday , Trump issued a similar threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently sent voters ballots ahead of the state ’ s June 9 primary , due to concerns about the potential spread of coronavirus .
A number of states , including Nevada , already allow absentee voting and voting rights advocates in several others are pushing to ensure that people can vote safely from their homes in upcoming elections .
Trump ’ s obvious and persistent desire to curb legal voting illustrates the extent to which he and his allies see voter suppression as key to their political fortunes .
Because Trump uses Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for pseudo-governance ― like announcing cabinet firings and air strikes , and encouraging investigations into his opponents — it is unclear what lengths the president will actually go to in order to restrict voter access .
In his tweets threatening Michigan and Nevada , Trump tagged the U.S. Treasury and Russ Vought , the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget .
Trump was impeached in December after investigators found he misused the Office of Management and Budget to force Ukraine to investigate his political rivals .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Seemingly motivated by worries about his political prospects heading into the 2020 presidential election, President Donald Trump on Wednesday intensified his attacks on mail-in ballots.
Trump, who previously said he was “allowed to” vote by mail in Florida’s March 17 primary, has railed against Democratic-led states offering that same opportunity to their voters. Despite the risk of casting in-person ballots during the coronavirus pandemic, Trump has encouraged Republicans to fight against mail-in voting, claiming it “doesn’t work out well” for their party politically. Lately, the president and his allies have amplified the conspiracy theory that voting by mail encourages voter fraud.
Advertisement
On Wednesday, Trump posted a tweet threatening to “hold up funding” to the state of Michigan after it sent applications for voting by mail to registered voters. Trump’s tweet falsely claimed both that Michigan sent voters the actual ballots needed to vote and that Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson “illegally” permitted them to be sent.
“I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!” he said.
“It’s outrageous,” Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) told HuffPost when asked about Trump’s tweet. “It’s particularly remarkable given the fact that the president has voted by mail. ... So it’s OK for him, apparently. It’s just not OK for everyday Americans.”
During a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, White House press secretary Kaleigh McEnany would not clarify what “funding” Trump was threatening to withhold.
When asked why it was okay for the Trump to mail his ballot but not okay for other Americans, McEnany claimed Trump “had to” because he was unable to cast his ballot in Florida, where he lives and frequently visits.
Advertisement
In a later tweet on Wednesday, Trump issued a similar threat to the state of Nevada, which recently sent voters ballots ahead of the state’s June 9 primary, due to concerns about the potential spread of coronavirus. A number of states, including Nevada, already allow absentee voting and voting rights advocates in several others are pushing to ensure that people can vote safely from their homes in upcoming elections.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) told HuffPost he expects “90%” of Utahns to submit mail-in ballots, rebutting Trump’s claim that voting by mail hurts Republicans.
“It works very, very well. And it’s a very Republican state,” Romney added.
Trump’s obvious and persistent desire to curb legal voting illustrates the extent to which he and his allies see voter suppression as key to their political fortunes. Because Trump uses Twitter both for expressing his fury and also for pseudo-governance ― like announcing cabinet firings and air strikes, and encouraging investigations into his opponents — it is unclear what lengths the president will actually go to in order to restrict voter access.
In his tweets threatening Michigan and Nevada, Trump tagged the U.S. Treasury and Russ Vought, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Trump was impeached in December after investigators found he misused the Office of Management and Budget to force Ukraine to investigate his political rivals.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-20--Mika Brzezinski Calls Trump 'A Sick Person' For Latest Joe Scarborough Attacks

When Mika Brzezinski went after Donald Trump on “ Morning Joe ” Wednesday morning , she didn ’ t mince words , calling the president “ a sick person !
Brzezinski ’ s brutal takedown came in response to Trump ’ s recent revival of an old , debunked conspiracy theory suggesting that her husband and talk show co-host Joe Scarborough may have murdered a former aide in 2001 when he was in Congress .
Trump ’ s attacks , probably not coincidentally , have occurred as the MSNBC program has harshly criticized his handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s show , she accused Trump of trying to deflect attention from the way he ’ s dealing with his targeting of Scarborough in the death of 28-year-old Lori Klausutis , who was found dead in his district office in Florida when he was a Republican House member .
Her death long since was ruled accidental , with a medical examiner that determining a heart condition caused her to pass out and hit her head on a desk .
“ He ’ s tweeting again all sorts of crazy things , ” Brzezinski @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Once again tweeting conspiracy theories about Joe , falsely accusing him of murder , talking about a death of a young staffer in his congressional office years ago , and calling him dangerous to walk the streets.
” Trump on Wednesday had wondered in a tweet why Scarborough was “ allowed to walk the streets ” and added , “ Open Cold Case !
” Last week he had tweeted , “ Did he get away with murder ?
Some people think so.
” “ Donald , you ’ re a sick person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
To put this family through this , to put her husband through this , to do this just ’ cause you ’ re mad at Joe , because Joe got you again today .
Because he speaks the truth , and he speaks plainly about your lack of interest , and empathy in others , and your lack of ability to handle this massive human catastrophe , the fact that you have made it worse and you make it worse every day.
” After the show , Brzezinski took to Twitter in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried and failed to do : Get the platform to ban the president .
I will be reaching out to head of twitter about their policies being violated every day by President Tump .
Hope my call is taken .
Please retweet if you agree — Mika Brzezinski ( @ morningmika ) May 20 , 2020 Brzezinski ’ s call out of Twitter founder Jack Dorsey seemed to pay off in one aspect : She later tweeted that a call was being set up with him to discuss the issue .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
When Mika Brzezinski went after Donald Trump on “Morning Joe” Wednesday morning, she didn’t mince words, calling the president “a sick person!
Brzezinski’s brutal takedown came in response to Trump’s recent revival of an old, debunked conspiracy theory suggesting that her husband and talk show co-host Joe Scarborough may have murdered a former aide in 2001 when he was in Congress.
Advertisement
Trump’s attacks, probably not coincidentally, have occurred as the MSNBC program has harshly criticized his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Brzezinski had enough. On Wednesday’s show, she accused Trump of trying to deflect attention from the way he’s dealing with his targeting of Scarborough in the death of 28-year-old Lori Klausutis, who was found dead in his district office in Florida when he was a Republican House member. Her death long since was ruled accidental, with a medical examiner that determining a heart condition caused her to pass out and hit her head on a desk.
“He’s tweeting again all sorts of crazy things,” Brzezinski began in her Trump tirade. “Once again tweeting conspiracy theories about Joe, falsely accusing him of murder, talking about a death of a young staffer in his congressional office years ago, and calling him dangerous to walk the streets.”
Trump on Wednesday had wondered in a tweet why Scarborough was “allowed to walk the streets” and added, “Open Cold Case!” Last week he had tweeted, “Did he get away with murder? Some people think so.”
Advertisement
Brzezinski on Wednesday called the president’s attacks “sick and continued:
“Donald, you’re a sick person! You’re a sick person! To put this family through this, to put her husband through this, to do this just ’cause you’re mad at Joe, because Joe got you again today. Because he speaks the truth, and he speaks plainly about your lack of interest, and empathy in others, and your lack of ability to handle this massive human catastrophe, the fact that you have made it worse and you make it worse every day.”
After the show, Brzezinski took to Twitter in an attempt to do what others have tried and failed to do: Get the platform to ban the president.
.@twitter need to know why trump is not banned? — Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) May 20, 2020
I will be reaching out to head of twitter about their policies being violated every day by President Tump. Hope my call is taken. Please retweet if you agree — Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) May 20, 2020
. @jack please take my call today. Please stop allowing your platform policies to be abused by the day. It’s called libel. — Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) May 20, 2020
Advertisement
.@jack At what point is @Twitter a part of this? TAKE DOWN TRUMP’s ACCOUNT— the world world be safer. Retweet if you agree — Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) May 20, 2020
Curious @twitter Why not delete Trumps misleading tweets?Twitter Deleted Two Tweets From Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro For Spreading Coronavirus Misinformation https://t.co/SB4d5TyFCR — Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) May 20, 2020
Brzezinski’s call out of Twitter founder Jack Dorsey seemed to pay off in one aspect: She later tweeted that a call was being set up with him to discuss the issue.
A call is being set up with @jack and the GC. Thanks for your interest. I will keep you posted https://t.co/eyQwke6KB4 — Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) May 20, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-20--Here's How Most Americans Really Feel About Wearing Face Masks

Eblis via Getty Images In a new HuffPost/YouGov poll , most Americans say that wearing a mask is at least as much about protecting others as it is about protecting themselves .
In recent weeks , President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence ’ s frequent eschewal of masks , combined with a few high-profile incidents of public protest , have seemingly threatened to turn the issue into another front for partisan hostilities .
But public opinion on masks , like other aspects of the coronavirus crisis , doesn ’ t fit neatly into the hyperpolarized framework that defined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are still significant partisan and demographic divides , but they ’ re not so pronounced as to leave the two parties diametrically opposed .
Rather , the gap is a matter of degrees , with a broad majority of Democrats and a more modest majority of Republicans offering support for masks and rejecting the idea that wearing them is a pointless practice or a sign of weakness .
A 45 % plurality say they feel that wearing a face mask protects the person wearing it and others equally , with 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ germs the wearer may be carrying .
Just 9 % say it serves mainly to protect the person wearing it , and just 8 % that it offers no benefits at all .
About two-thirds say they always or mostly wear a face mask or other covering when they ’ re in public and near other people ( while grocery shopping , for instance ) , with another 23 % saying they do so only once in a while or not at all , and the rest saying they haven ’ t faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re in public but not coming near others ( say , taking a walk somewhere quiet ) , 46 % say they mostly or always wear masks , and 46 % that they rarely or never do , with the rest staying inside entirely .
These numbers deserve a few caveats : They rely on Americans ’ self-reports of their own behavior , and their own definitions for “ most of the time.
” They ’ re also potentially subject to social desirability bias ― people may be inclined to overreport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they feel as though their actual behavior isn ’ t quite in line with what others think they should be doing .
Just 8 % of people who wear masks around others , however , say they feel they ’ re being judged negatively for doing so .
Another 23 % feel they ’ re being judged positively , and the majority , 54 % that they ’ re not being judged at all .
The rest aren ’ t sure .
A 63 % majority of Americans say that Trump and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re in public and near other people .
Just 7 % say that they shouldn ’ t do so , with the rest unsure or without an opinion .
Even after controlling for partisanship , there are a few significant gender divides around mask-wearing .
Democratic women are 23 points likelier than Democratic men to say they always wear masks when outside around others , and 9 points likelier to say they always wear them when outside but not near others .
But there ’ s little gender difference within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how they feel they ’ re being perceived by others while wearing masks .
Republican women are 14 points likelier than Republican men to say they always wear masks when outside around others .
Twenty percent of Republican men also say they consider wearing a face mask in public near others to be a sign of weakness , compared to just 6 % of Republican women ( and similarly single-digit shares of Democrats across gender ) who say the same .
Even within that group , however , it ’ s still the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 62 % majority of GOP men say mask-wearing shows respect , and more than half say they consider it a matter of public health .
There are also some geographical divides .
People who live in cities or suburbs report more frequent mask-wearing than do those living in towns or rural areas , and are more likely to see the issue as a public health matter .
About a third of city-dwellers who wear masks around others also say they feel positively judged by others for doing so , compared to a fifth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dense areas .
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey , using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups .
Most surveys report a margin of error that represents some but not all potential survey errors .
YouGov ’ s reports include a model-based margin of error , which rests on a specific set of statistical assumptions about the selected sample rather than the standard methodology for random probability sampling .
If these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of error may also be inaccurate .

In a new HuffPost/YouGov poll, most Americans say that wearing a mask is at least as much about protecting others as it is about protecting themselves. Eblis via Getty Images
Most Americans consider wearing a mask near others a sign of respect and a matter of public health, a new HuffPost/YouGov poll finds.
In recent weeks, President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence’s frequent eschewal of masks, combined with a few high-profile incidents of public protest, have seemingly threatened to turn the issue into another front for partisan hostilities. But public opinion on masks, like other aspects of the coronavirus crisis, doesn’t fit neatly into the hyperpolarized framework that defined past political battles over issues like impeachment.
Advertisement
There are still significant partisan and demographic divides, but they’re not so pronounced as to leave the two parties diametrically opposed. Rather, the gap is a matter of degrees, with a broad majority of Democrats and a more modest majority of Republicans offering support for masks and rejecting the idea that wearing them is a pointless practice or a sign of weakness.
Americans say, 62% to 29%, that deciding to wear a face mask is more a matter of public health than a matter of personal choice, the survey finds.
A 45% plurality say they feel that wearing a face mask protects the person wearing it and others equally, with 31% saying it mostly protects others from germs the wearer may be carrying. Just 9% say it serves mainly to protect the person wearing it, and just 8% that it offers no benefits at all.
A chart showing results from a HuffPost/YouGov survey on mask-wearing. Ariel Edwards-Levy/HuffPost
Advertisement
Relatively few Americans say that they’re always wearing a mask or other face covering outdoors, with even fewer saying that they’re never doing so.
About two-thirds say they always or mostly wear a face mask or other covering when they’re in public and near other people (while grocery shopping, for instance), with another 23% saying they do so only once in a while or not at all, and the rest saying they haven’t faced such a situation. In situations where they’re in public but not coming near others (say, taking a walk somewhere quiet), 46% say they mostly or always wear masks, and 46% that they rarely or never do, with the rest staying inside entirely.
A chart showing results from a HuffPost/YouGov survey on mask-wearing. Ariel Edwards-Levy/HuffPost
These numbers deserve a few caveats: They rely on Americans’ self-reports of their own behavior, and their own definitions for “most of the time.” They’re also potentially subject to social desirability bias ― people may be inclined to overreport (or underreport) their mask-wearing if they feel as though their actual behavior isn’t quite in line with what others think they should be doing.
Just 8% of people who wear masks around others, however, say they feel they’re being judged negatively for doing so. Another 23% feel they’re being judged positively, and the majority, 54% that they’re not being judged at all. The rest aren’t sure.
Advertisement
Americans say, 69% to 19%, that it’s a sign of respectfulness to wear a face mask when in public and near other people. Just 8% see wearing a mask as a sign of weakness, with 83% rejecting that interpretation.
A chart showing results from a HuffPost/YouGov survey on mask-wearing. Ariel Edwards-Levy/HuffPost
A 63% majority of Americans say that Trump and other government officials should wear face masks when they’re in public and near other people. Just 7% say that they shouldn’t do so, with the rest unsure or without an opinion.
Even after controlling for partisanship, there are a few significant gender divides around mask-wearing. Democratic women are 23 points likelier than Democratic men to say they always wear masks when outside around others, and 9 points likelier to say they always wear them when outside but not near others. But there’s little gender difference within the party on most other questions, including how they feel they’re being perceived by others while wearing masks.
Republican women are 14 points likelier than Republican men to say they always wear masks when outside around others. Twenty percent of Republican men also say they consider wearing a face mask in public near others to be a sign of weakness, compared to just 6% of Republican women (and similarly single-digit shares of Democrats across gender) who say the same. Even within that group, however, it’s still the minority position. By contrast, a 62% majority of GOP men say mask-wearing shows respect, and more than half say they consider it a matter of public health.
Advertisement
There are also some geographical divides. People who live in cities or suburbs report more frequent mask-wearing than do those living in towns or rural areas, and are more likely to see the issue as a public health matter. About a third of city-dwellers who wear masks around others also say they feel positively judged by others for doing so, compared to a fifth or less of those living in less dense areas.
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey, using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups.
The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted May 14-16 among U.S. adults, using a sample selected from YouGov’s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population.
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls. You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov’s nationally representative opinion polling. More details on the polls’ methodology are available here.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-20--Pompeo Confirms He Was Questioned By IG's Office Before Firing, Denies Retaliation

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday confirmed that he submitted written answers to questions from the State Department ’ s Office of the Inspector General before recommending the inspector general be fired .
Pompeo , however , denied that he was retaliating against State Department Inspector General Steve Linick when he recommended his termination to President Donald Trump last week .
The president fired Linick on Friday .
“ There are claims that this was for retaliation for some investigation that the inspector general ’ s office here was engaged in , ” Pompeo said during a press briefing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false .
I have no sense of what investigations were taking place here inside the inspector general ’ s office.
” But there ’ s “ one exception , ” Pompeo added .
He said he responded to a series of questions in writing “ with respect to a particular investigation ” sometime earlier this year .
He did not specify how long ago .
“ I don ’ t know the scope , ” Pompeo said .
“ I don ’ t know the nature of that investigation other than what I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the questions that I was presented .
I did what was right .
I don ’ t know if that is continuing .
I don ’ t know if that investigation has been closed out.
” Prior to his dismissal , Linick ’ s office had reportedly launched a series of investigations into Pompeo , including one related to an unorthodox arms deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia .
Pompeo has said he did not know he was under investigation when he recommended Linick ’ s firing .
The Wall Street Journal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week that Pompeo had declined to sit for an interview with the inspector general ’ s office .
Pompeo said this week that Linick was undermining the State Department ’ s mission , but both he and Trump have refused to provide examples to back up their claim .
The president said Monday that he doesn ’ t “ know anything ” about Linick other than Pompeo wanted him removed as inspector general .
“ I guess they were not happy with the job he ’ s doing or something , ” Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to do it , I said sure , I ’ ll do it.
” Both Republicans and Democrats have demanded answers over Linick ’ s firing .
Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley , the most senior Republican in the Senate , has asked Trump to “ provide a detailed reasoning ” by no later than June 1 for the removal of Linick .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) said Wednesday that Pompeo should testify before Congress , calling Linick ’ s firing “ scandalous.
” House Foreign Affairs Chair Eliot Engel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office was investigating the Trump administration ’ s effort to sell arms to Saudi Arabia without congressional approval .
The Trump administration invoked a rarely used emergency provision last year to force through the $ 8.1 billion sale .
The inspector general ’ s office was also reportedly investigating whether Pompeo had a political aide run personal errands for him , including walking his dog and picking up his dry cleaning .
“ It ’ s all crazy stuff , ” Pompeo said of the reports Wednesday .
“ I didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so it would have been impossible to retaliate .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday confirmed that he submitted written answers to questions from the State Department’s Office of the Inspector General before recommending the inspector general be fired.
Pompeo, however, denied that he was retaliating against State Department Inspector General Steve Linick when he recommended his termination to President Donald Trump last week. The president fired Linick on Friday.
Advertisement
“There are claims that this was for retaliation for some investigation that the inspector general’s office here was engaged in,” Pompeo said during a press briefing Wednesday. “That’s patently false. I have no sense of what investigations were taking place here inside the inspector general’s office.”
But there’s “one exception,” Pompeo added. He said he responded to a series of questions in writing “with respect to a particular investigation” sometime earlier this year. He did not specify how long ago.
“I don’t know the scope,” Pompeo said. “I don’t know the nature of that investigation other than what I would have seen from the nature of the questions that I was presented. I did what was right. I don’t know if that is continuing. I don’t know if that investigation has been closed out.”
"I've seen the various stories that someone was walking my dog to sell arms to my dry cleaner. I mean, it's all just crazy" -- Pompeo wasn't thrilled to answer questions about ousted IG Steve Linick pic.twitter.com/j1EMmpwkHc — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 20, 2020
Advertisement
Echoing Trump’s remarks during a press briefing earlier this week, Pompeo said he should have recommended Linick’s termination “some time ago.”
Prior to his dismissal, Linick’s office had reportedly launched a series of investigations into Pompeo, including one related to an unorthodox arms deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.
Pompeo has said he did not know he was under investigation when he recommended Linick’s firing. The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times reported this week that Pompeo had declined to sit for an interview with the inspector general’s office.
The State Department did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Pompeo said this week that Linick was undermining the State Department’s mission, but both he and Trump have refused to provide examples to back up their claim. The president said Monday that he doesn’t “know anything” about Linick other than Pompeo wanted him removed as inspector general.
“I guess they were not happy with the job he’s doing or something,” Trump said. “Because it is my right to do it, I said sure, I’ll do it.”
Advertisement
Asked to elaborate on the reasons behind Linick’s firing, Pompeo refused.
“Unlike others, I don’t talk about personnel matters,” he said Wednesday. “I don’t leak to y’all. ... We’ll share with the appropriate people the rationale.”
Both Republicans and Democrats have demanded answers over Linick’s firing. Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the most senior Republican in the Senate, has asked Trump to “provide a detailed reasoning” by no later than June 1 for the removal of Linick. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that Pompeo should testify before Congress, calling Linick’s firing “scandalous.”
House Foreign Affairs Chair Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) revealed Monday that Linick’s office was investigating the Trump administration’s effort to sell arms to Saudi Arabia without congressional approval. The Trump administration invoked a rarely used emergency provision last year to force through the $8.1 billion sale.
The inspector general’s office was also reportedly investigating whether Pompeo had a political aide run personal errands for him, including walking his dog and picking up his dry cleaning.
“It’s all crazy stuff,” Pompeo said of the reports Wednesday. “I didn’t have access to that information so it would have been impossible to retaliate.”
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-20--Why It Matters That Jane Roe Says She Was Paid By The Religious Right

Norma McCorvey was one of the anti-abortion movement ’ s biggest success stories .
Republican lawmakers shared her story in Congress : how she went from the center of Roe v. Wade , the Supreme Case that legalized abortion in 1973 , to decrying the procedure as an anti-abortion activist .
Abortion opponents invited her to speak at rallies , and legislators hosted her before committees .
The film might not change minds ― the anti-abortion movement is well-funded and energized by an increasingly religious Republican Party .
But it shows the lengths to which anti-abortion groups are willing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terminate a pregnancy .
Caught in the middle was a woman who grew up poor , survived a physically abusive childhood and later escaped an abusive husband .
She was homeless for certain periods , and was closeted and shamed for being a gay woman throughout her life .
“ My heart breaks for her because her ultimate truth highlights the genuine nature of the anti-abortion movement ’ s motivations and its playbook for women .
They canonized her publicly for playing their part while simultaneously dehumanizing her by using her as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an OBGYN in California and fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health , told HuffPost .
“ Yes , she had agency , but they had half a million dollars and knew she was homeless.
” The documentary , which comes out on Friday , digs into McCorvey ’ s sudden change of course in the late 1990s after meeting two evangelical leaders , Rev .
Flip Benham and Rev .
Rob Schenck .
“ I was the Big Fish , ” McCorvey says in the film , referencing how valuable the Christian right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to anti-abortion Christian activist .
Schenck was also featured in the documentary and admits that he knew McCorvey was being used by the movement as something of a pawn .
“ I knew what we were doing , ” he says in the film .
“ And there were times when I was sure she knew .
And I wondered , ‘ Is she playing us ?
’ What I didn ’ t have the guts to say was , ‘ because I know damn well we ’ re playing her.
’ ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights movement for nearly two decades , but because she never actually had an abortion and reportedly had little in common with many of the educated , upper-middle-class feminists of the pro-choice movement , they never fully embraced her .
Robin Marty , a former reporter and current communications director for the Yellowhammer Fund , a group advocating reproductive justice in the South , said she was not surprised when McCorvey aligned herself with the anti-abortion side back in the late 1990s .
And she was “ absolutely not , in any way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by McCorvey ’ s confession in the FX documentary , she told HuffPost .
“ Most of the people in the [ pro-choice ] movement honestly already assumed that , ” Marty said .
“ Our movement doesn ’ t really do a lot to elevate people or really share power in a lot of ways .
So it ’ s not surprising that feeling somewhat rejected by our side , eventually , Norma chose to take advantage of the other side.
” McCorvey was born in Louisiana and raised in Texas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ alcoholic mother and got married at 16 to a sheet metal worker , who became abusive when she got pregnant .
They divorced before the birth of their daughter and McCorvey moved back to Texas .
McCorvey ’ s mother went on to adopt her daughter , citing McCorvey ’ s drinking and drug use .
McCorvey had a second child , who was raised by the child ’ s father , and when she became pregnant for the third time in 1970 , she looked for a way to get an abortion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel to the states where the procedure was legal , and six months into her pregnancy , she met Linda Coffee and Sarah Weddington , the two lawyers who were looking for a plaintiff for their case against Texas abortion laws that would become Roe v. Wade .
Then McCorvey became a born-again Christian , baptized by anti-abortion extremists from Operation Rescue .
She converted to Catholicism in 1998 and traveled around the country protesting against abortion .
She was even arrested in 2006 for protesting at the University of Notre Dame against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a commencement speech , for his “ child killing.
” “ Norma McCorvey was exploited by the abortion lobby to achieve the ‘ right ’ to violently kill innocent children in abortion , and she is now being exploited even after her death to spread a narrative designed to distract the nation from the gruesome brutality of dismembering and poisoning tens of millions of the tiniest Americans in abortion , ” Rose told HuffPost on Wednesday .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Norma McCorvey was one of the anti-abortion movement’s biggest success stories. Republican lawmakers shared her story in Congress: how she went from the center of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Case that legalized abortion in 1973, to decrying the procedure as an anti-abortion activist. Abortion opponents invited her to speak at rallies, and legislators hosted her before committees.
When she died in 2017, anti-choice activists applauded her life as evidence that even ardent abortion rights supporters could see the light.
Advertisement
Now that’s all coming apart. In “AKA Jane Roe,” an FX documentary filmed shortly before her death, McCorvey revealed that she was paid to advocate against abortion. One activist confirmed this; others have denied it.
The film might not change minds ― the anti-abortion movement is well-funded and energized by an increasingly religious Republican Party. But it shows the lengths to which anti-abortion groups are willing to go to fight against the right to terminate a pregnancy. Caught in the middle was a woman who grew up poor, survived a physically abusive childhood and later escaped an abusive husband. She was homeless for certain periods, and was closeted and shamed for being a gay woman throughout her life.
“My heart breaks for her because her ultimate truth highlights the genuine nature of the anti-abortion movement’s motivations and its playbook for women. They canonized her publicly for playing their part while simultaneously dehumanizing her by using her as a pawn,” Dr. Jenn Conti, an OBGYN in California and fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health, told HuffPost. “Yes, she had agency, but they had half a million dollars and knew she was homeless.”
Advertisement
“Ms. McCorvey is no longer with us, but her story lives on,” Rose said. “Today I call on my colleagues to search their souls, just as Ms. McCorvey ― Jane Roe ― did, and choose life.”
The documentary, which comes out on Friday, digs into McCorvey’s sudden change of course in the late 1990s after meeting two evangelical leaders, Rev. Flip Benham and Rev. Rob Schenck. “I was the Big Fish,” McCorvey says in the film, referencing how valuable the Christian right viewed her conversion from a pro-choice symbol to anti-abortion Christian activist.
Schenck was also featured in the documentary and admits that he knew McCorvey was being used by the movement as something of a pawn. “I knew what we were doing,” he says in the film. “And there were times when I was sure she knew. And I wondered, ‘Is she playing us?’ What I didn’t have the guts to say was, ‘because I know damn well we’re playing her.’”
“They canonized her publicly for playing their part while simultaneously dehumanizing her by using her as a pawn. Yes, she had agency, but they had half a million dollars and knew she was homeless.” - Dr. Jenn Conti
McCorvey was a symbol for the abortion rights movement for nearly two decades, but because she never actually had an abortion and reportedly had little in common with many of the educated, upper-middle-class feminists of the pro-choice movement, they never fully embraced her.
Advertisement
Robin Marty, a former reporter and current communications director for the Yellowhammer Fund, a group advocating reproductive justice in the South, said she was not surprised when McCorvey aligned herself with the anti-abortion side back in the late 1990s. And she was “absolutely not, in any way, shape or form, surprised” by McCorvey’s confession in the FX documentary, she told HuffPost.
“Most of the people in the [pro-choice] movement honestly already assumed that,” Marty said. “Our movement doesn’t really do a lot to elevate people or really share power in a lot of ways. So it’s not surprising that feeling somewhat rejected by our side, eventually, Norma chose to take advantage of the other side.”
Toni Van Pelt, president of the National Organization for Women, echoed Marty’s reaction. “I am actually not surprised at all by this. I thought she was lying when I first heard it,” she told HuffPost. “Did I blame her? No. Being a woman, being queer, she had a long, hard road to travel.”
Jane Roe’s Turbulent Story
McCorvey was born in Louisiana and raised in Texas. She was raised by an abusive and alcoholic mother and got married at 16 to a sheet metal worker, who became abusive when she got pregnant. They divorced before the birth of their daughter and McCorvey moved back to Texas. McCorvey’s mother went on to adopt her daughter, citing McCorvey’s drinking and drug use. McCorvey had a second child, who was raised by the child’s father, and when she became pregnant for the third time in 1970, she looked for a way to get an abortion.
She couldn’t afford to travel to the states where the procedure was legal, and six months into her pregnancy, she met Linda Coffee and Sarah Weddington, the two lawyers who were looking for a plaintiff for their case against Texas abortion laws that would become Roe v. Wade.
Advertisement
McCorvey never did have an abortion, but spent about 20 years working for abortion rights organizations and women’s centers. She identified as a lesbian and was in a long-term partnership with a woman, Connie Gonzalez.
Then McCorvey became a born-again Christian, baptized by anti-abortion extremists from Operation Rescue. She converted to Catholicism in 1998 and traveled around the country protesting against abortion. She was even arrested in 2009 for protesting at the University of Notre Dame against President Barack Obama, who was delivering a commencement speech, for his “child killing.”
“When I got arrested, I loved it! I felt like I was high. But it was a God high. I’d never been arrested before. But who better to be arrested for than the unborn children?” she told The Guardian.
Norma McCorvey testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee with Sandra Cano of Atlanta on June 23, 2005. Both women went on the record saying they never had abortions and were seeking to overturn their cases that made abortion legal. Reuters Photographer / Reuters
Grappling With The Revelation
The final twist in McCorvey’s life was the revelation that she was paid to promote anti-abortion causes. Anti-abortion movement leaders expressed skepticism that her claim was true, insisting she was genuine in her support for the cause.
Advertisement
“For this new documentary to quote Norma saying she was not genuinely pro-life is very suspicious,” Father Frank Pavone, who led McCorvey through her conversion to Catholicism in the ’90s, said in a statement Tuesday. “Her pro-life convictions were not an act.”
The documentary “is disgusting,” Lila Rose, founder and president of anti-abortion organization Live Action, tweeted on Monday. “She spent her last 20+ yrs fighting abortion. She defied the abortion lobby & their control. Now abortion activists twist her words when she can’t fight back.”
“Norma McCorvey was exploited by the abortion lobby to achieve the ‘right’ to violently kill innocent children in abortion, and she is now being exploited even after her death to spread a narrative designed to distract the nation from the gruesome brutality of dismembering and poisoning tens of millions of the tiniest Americans in abortion,” Rose told HuffPost on Wednesday.
Rose said Vice Studios, which produced the documentary, should share “full, unedited footage of the interviews” to show it was accurately representing what McCorvey said.
Abortion rights advocates had mixed reactions to McCorvey’s confession. Some were saddened but galvanized by her revelation, pointing to how emblematic it was of the religious right’s ability to exploit women. Others, while still acknowledging the tragic nature of McCorvey’s story, were less convinced that Jane Roe’s confession will have any lasting impact.
Advertisement
Van Pelt, the president of NOW, believes McCorvey’s revelation will only further energize advocates fighting the current onslaught of attacks on abortion care. “The truth of Norma McCorvey will ignite new activists into action,” she told HuffPost.
Marty, at the Yellowhammer Fund, was less optimistic. The anti-abortion movement, she said, is essentially one massive money flood: It starts with the deep pockets of Catholic churches and ends with small religious organizations and individuals quite literally paid to shame women, lobby lawmakers and protest outside of abortion clinics. Money always prevails, she said, even over principles.
But there’s one way that may work in reproductive rights activists’ favor.
“Quite frankly, it’s one of the reasons why, in my opinion, we’re never going to see abortion become completely illegal in this country,” Marty said. “Because there are far, far too many people who are making their living off of [fighting] it.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-20--Breaking With Tradition, Trump Reportedly Won't Unveil Obama Portrait

President Donald Trump , breaking with decades of White House tradition , reportedly will not host a ceremony unveiling the official portrait of his immediate predecessor amid burgeoning tensions with former President Barack Obama .
All U.S. presidents since Gerald Ford ― save for Jimmy Carter , who requested not to have a ceremony ― have returned to the White House at some point during their successor ’ s first term for an unveiling of their official portrait , NBC News reported .
First ladies have traditionally also attended the ceremony and their portraits are unveiled as well .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama and Michelle Obama for such an unveiling , NBC and CNN reported this week .
Further , the former president “ has no interest in participating in the post-presidency rite of passage so long as Trump is in office , ” NBC reported , citing people familiar with the matter .
If “ Trump wins a second term in November , it could be 2025 before Obama returns to the White House to see his portrait displayed ” in the East Room , the network added .
It would be the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hosting their immediate predecessor at the White House to unveil an official portrait https : //t.co/x2a4QmqsiF — CNN ( @ CNN ) May 19 , 2020 News of the apparent nixing of the portrait ceremony comes days after Trump accused Obama of an unspecified crime he dubbed “ Obamagate ” and after Obama ’ s swipe at Trump ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic in a video commencement address .
Trump , who falsely claimed Obama isn ’ t a U.S. citizen before his election , has spent his presidency attacking Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legacy .
White House portrait unveilings are among the few major events that typically bring former presidents together with the current White House occupant , journalist Kate Andersen Brower , author of “ Team of Five : The Presidents Club in the Age of Trump , ” told CNN .
But , Brower pointed out , the “ level of animosity between a sitting president and his predecessors is unprecedented in modern history .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump, breaking with decades of White House tradition, reportedly will not host a ceremony unveiling the official portrait of his immediate predecessor amid burgeoning tensions with former President Barack Obama.
All U.S. presidents since Gerald Ford ― save for Jimmy Carter, who requested not to have a ceremony ― have returned to the White House at some point during their successor’s first term for an unveiling of their official portrait, NBC News reported. First ladies have traditionally also attended the ceremony and their portraits are unveiled as well.
Advertisement
But Trump has no plans to invite Barack Obama and Michelle Obama for such an unveiling, NBC and CNN reported this week. Further, the former president “has no interest in participating in the post-presidency rite of passage so long as Trump is in office,” NBC reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
If “Trump wins a second term in November, it could be 2025 before Obama returns to the White House to see his portrait displayed” in the East Room, the network added.
It would be the end of a long tradition of first-term presidents hosting their immediate predecessor at the White House to unveil an official portrait https://t.co/x2a4QmqsiF — CNN (@CNN) May 19, 2020
News of the apparent nixing of the portrait ceremony comes days after Trump accused Obama of an unspecified crime he dubbed “Obamagate” and after Obama’s swipe at Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic in a video commencement address. Trump, who falsely claimed Obama isn’t a U.S. citizen before his election, has spent his presidency attacking Obama’s signature accomplishments and smearing his legacy.
Advertisement
White House portrait unveilings are among the few major events that typically bring former presidents together with the current White House occupant, journalist Kate Andersen Brower, author of “Team of Five: The Presidents Club in the Age of Trump,” told CNN.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-20--Michigan Governor Warns 'Devastating' Floods Haven't Yet Reached Peak

Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer warned residents on Wednesday that dangerous floodwaters are expected to rise in the state .
“ We are anticipating the height being around 8 p.m. tonight ” in Midland County , Whitmer said at a midday press conference , adding that the floods have already been “ devastating.
” More than 10,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes in central Michigan due to what the National Weather Service called “ catastrophic dam failures ” at the Edenville Dam .
The nearby Sanford Dam is currently overflowing .
“ This is going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feet of water across this area , ” Whitmer said .
“ It is a tough time to be sure , but we are going to get through this.
” There have been concerns about the Edenville Dam for at least two years .
Built in 1924 , the dam was rated as in unsatisfactory condition by the state in 2018 .
That same year , the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission revoked the license of the company that operated the dam due to noncompliance issues .
“ This incredible damage requires that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This was a known problem for a while and that ’ s why it ’ s important that we do our due diligence and take action.
” As residents prepare for the worst , President Donald Trump said he was monitoring the situation and thanked first responders in tweets on Wednesday .
But that didn ’ t stop the president from also threatening to “ hold up funding ” for Michigan during a rage tweet over the state mailing out absentee voting applications , which the president falsely claimed were actual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet to call the mass mailing of applications “ illegal .
” )

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer warned residents on Wednesday that dangerous floodwaters are expected to rise in the state.
“We are anticipating the height being around 8 p.m. tonight” in Midland County, Whitmer said at a midday press conference, adding that the floods have already been “devastating.”
Advertisement
More than 10,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes in central Michigan due to what the National Weather Service called “catastrophic dam failures” at the Edenville Dam. The nearby Sanford Dam is currently overflowing.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared an emergency for Midland county after two dams breached and on expectations of extreme flooding https://t.co/4guOTPTlmC pic.twitter.com/8XvEkCquLZ — Reuters (@Reuters) May 20, 2020
“This is going to be hard, but we are anticipating several feet of water across this area,” Whitmer said. “It is a tough time to be sure, but we are going to get through this.”
Experts describe the flooding as a 500-year event, the Democratic governor added.
There have been concerns about the Edenville Dam for at least two years. Built in 1924, the dam was rated as in unsatisfactory condition by the state in 2018. That same year, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission revoked the license of the company that operated the dam due to noncompliance issues.
Advertisement
“This incredible damage requires that we hold people responsible,” Whitmer said. “This was a known problem for a while and that’s why it’s important that we do our due diligence and take action.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-20--Megan Rapinoe Rips 'White Nationalist' Trump, Refuses To Rule Out Run For Office

In a new interview with Vice released Tuesday , the co-captain of the U.S. women ’ s national soccer team accused the president of being a white nationalist who dupes his supporters into feeling unhappy about their lives but offers them nothing to help .
The athlete — who clashed with Trump during the team ’ s World Cup-winning campaign last year — also refused to rule out running for office herself .
If she does , it would be for the “ biggest , baddest post ” of president , she said .
And as the U.S. leader , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expert advisers ― in contrast to how Trump operates .
“ Now , obviously , we have a white nationalist , I think , in the White House , and the spewing of hate and the ‘ othering ’ of the rest of the country has only led to more rift between people and more despair and more anxiety and more fear going forward , ” said Rapinoe .
“ There ’ s been nothing to ease Donald Trump ’ s base , really , ” she noted .
“ There ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like he ’ s given them a bunch of jobs .
It ’ s not like he ’ s made life really better for them .
He ’ s just given them this false reason why maybe they ’ re not happy with their lives .
There ’ s been no sort of path forward.
” Check out the first part of the interview here :

LOADING ERROR LOADING
U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe is renewing hostilities with President Donald Trump.
In a new interview with Vice released Tuesday, the co-captain of the U.S. women’s national soccer team accused the president of being a white nationalist who dupes his supporters into feeling unhappy about their lives but offers them nothing to help.
The athlete — who clashed with Trump during the team’s World Cup-winning campaign last year — also refused to rule out running for office herself. If she does, it would be for the “biggest, baddest post” of president, she said. And as the U.S. leader, she said she’d defer to expert advisers ― in contrast to how Trump operates.
Advertisement
“Now, obviously, we have a white nationalist, I think, in the White House, and the spewing of hate and the ‘othering’ of the rest of the country has only led to more rift between people and more despair and more anxiety and more fear going forward,” said Rapinoe.
“There’s been nothing to ease Donald Trump’s base, really,” she noted. “There’s been nothing. It’s not like he’s given them a bunch of jobs. It’s not like he’s made life really better for them. He’s just given them this false reason why maybe they’re not happy with their lives. There’s been no sort of path forward.”
Check out the first part of the interview here:
And the second clip here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-20--Twitter Users Slam Donald Trump's Spin On High Coronavirus Case Count

Donald Trump faced backlash on Tuesday after saying he viewed the United States ’ high coronavirus case count as a “ badge of honor ” because it means a lot of testing .
Critics ― including Republicans ― accused the president of attempting to spin the figures and of being “ dishonest ” with his phrasing .
“ When we have a lot of cases , I don ’ t look at that as a bad thing , ” Trump said during a White House meeting with his Cabinet .
“ I look at that as in a certain respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means our testing is much better.
” “ So , if we were testing a million people instead of 14 million people , we would have far fewer cases , right ?
” Trump continued .
“ So , I view it as a badge of honor .
Really , it ’ s a badge of honor .
It ’ s a great tribute to the testing and a lot of the work that the professionals have done.
” Donald Trump says it ’ s “ a badge of honor ” that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus , saying the total is simply a reflection of a successful testing regime https : //t.co/Prolmrzjiz pic.twitter.com/gbImXbUeTW — Bloomberg ( @ business ) May 20 , 2020 Critics accused the president of attempting to change the narrative on the high numbers of infections in the U.S. , which they attributed to Trump ’ s dithering and downplaying the threat as the outbreak advanced .
Others acknowledged the U.S. has indeed conducted more tests ( 12.6 million ) than any other country and had ramped up testing in recent weeks .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ languishes in around 38th position .
The U.S. has upwards of 1.5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 .
More than 93,000 people have died from the disease .
“ Folks , I have no head left to shake , ” tweeted Michael Steele , the former chair of the Republican National Committee , in response to Trump ’ s comments .
“ Here ’ s how ignorant & dishonest Trump is , ” added former GOP Rep. Joe Walsh , the onetime favorite of the far-right tea party movement who is now a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If the US had the fewest confirmed cases in the world , Trump would say THE EXACT SAME THING , ” he wrote .
Our high-level of cases is “ a badge of honor ” because it reflects the great job we ’ re doing testing .
That line is so stupid that it will actually work on his base .
— Tom Nichols ( @ RadioFreeTom ) May 19 , 2020 This is like calling a trail of corpses a badge of honor for the police department that let the serial murderer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down .
Trump is a ghoul and an idiot .
https : //t.co/nwP6imo8UZ — Laurence Tribe ( @ tribelaw ) May 19 , 2020 Trump : “ When we have a lot of cases I don ’ t look at that as a bad thing because it means our testing is much better .
So if we ’ re testing a million people instead of 14 million people it would have far fewer cases right ?
It ’ s a badge of honor.
” Folks , I have no head left to shake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MichaelSteele ) May 20 , 2020 Here ’ s how ignorant & dishonest Trump is : So the US has the most confirmed cases in the world , and Trump says : “ It ’ s a badge of honor .
We ’ re doing a great job.
” If the US had the fewest confirmed cases in the world , Trump would say THE EXACT SAME THING .
https : //t.co/YABtw8syxp — Joe Walsh ( @ WalshFreedom ) May 19 , 2020 People are fighting for their lives .
Workers are losing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
President Trump has repeatedly failed to get this country enough tests and still doesn ’ t have a plan .
And he is trying to spin this response as a “ badge of honor ?
” I don ’ t think so .
https : //t.co/pq1YCbZ7fw — Senator Patty Murray ( @ PattyMurray ) May 19 , 2020 '' So when we have a lot of cases I do n't look at that as a bad thing .
I look at that , in a certain respect , as being a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much better ...
I view it as a badge of honor . ''
- Trump , on the U.S. having more coronavirus cases than any other country pic.twitter.com/McT88ioyOp — Robert Maguire ( @ RobertMaguire_ ) May 19 , 2020 The president* says it 's a `` badge of honor '' that the U.S. has the most covid19 cases and deaths .
This reverse psychology works on those who believe tax breaks for the rich will help them , a border wall will keep them safe , and that it 's raining while he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Stay-at-Home '' Morrison ( @ JamesPMorrison ) May 20 , 2020 “ A badge of HONOR.
” That ’ s right # TweetyTrump , you have the MOST dead citizens in your country !
More than any other !
Maybe you should have a parade to celebrate how goodly you ’ re doing .
https : //t.co/Qsjg7vrZ0d — Debra Messing✍🏻 ( @ DebraMessing ) May 20 , 2020 This schmuck with no shame wears a badge of honor ?
Yet another prize he made up and gave himself .
Meanwhile *Americans* are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ //t.co/9HuMqVtqg3 — Tina Dupuy ( @ TinaDupuy ) May 19 , 2020 Having the most # COVID19 cases is not a “ badge of honor ” .
It is the most ignoble thing to brag about .
People are suffering and dying , not celebrating your badge .
https : //t.co/7qRGvEj5IF — Eric Feigl-Ding ( @ DrEricDing ) May 20 , 2020

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Donald Trump faced backlash on Tuesday after saying he viewed the United States’ high coronavirus case count as a “badge of honor” because it means a lot of testing.
Critics ― including Republicans ― accused the president of attempting to spin the figures and of being “dishonest” with his phrasing.
Advertisement
“When we have a lot of cases, I don’t look at that as a bad thing,” Trump said during a White House meeting with his Cabinet. “I look at that as in a certain respect as being a good thing because it means our testing is much better.”
“So, if we were testing a million people instead of 14 million people, we would have far fewer cases, right?” Trump continued. “So, I view it as a badge of honor. Really, it’s a badge of honor. It’s a great tribute to the testing and a lot of the work that the professionals have done.”
Check out Trump’s comments here:
Donald Trump says it’s “a badge of honor” that the U.S. has more than 1.5 million cases of coronavirus, saying the total is simply a reflection of a successful testing regime https://t.co/Prolmrzjiz pic.twitter.com/gbImXbUeTW — Bloomberg (@business) May 20, 2020
Trump’s turn of phrase drew blistering responses on Twitter.
Critics accused the president of attempting to change the narrative on the high numbers of infections in the U.S., which they attributed to Trump’s dithering and downplaying the threat as the outbreak advanced.
Advertisement
Others acknowledged the U.S. has indeed conducted more tests (12.6 million) than any other country and had ramped up testing in recent weeks. But in per capita testing, the U.S. languishes in around 38th position.
The U.S. has upwards of 1.5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19. More than 93,000 people have died from the disease.
“Folks, I have no head left to shake,” tweeted Michael Steele, the former chair of the Republican National Committee, in response to Trump’s comments.
“Here’s how ignorant & dishonest Trump is,” added former GOP Rep. Joe Walsh, the onetime favorite of the far-right tea party movement who is now a fierce critic of the president. “If the US had the fewest confirmed cases in the world, Trump would say THE EXACT SAME THING,” he wrote.
Our high-level of cases is “a badge of honor” because it reflects the great job we’re doing testing. That line is so stupid that it will actually work on his base. — Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) May 19, 2020
Advertisement
This is like calling a trail of corpses a badge of honor for the police department that let the serial murderer run free for months before shutting him down. Trump is a ghoul and an idiot. https://t.co/nwP6imo8UZ — Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 19, 2020
Trump: “When we have a lot of cases I don’t look at that as a bad thing because it means our testing is much better. So if we’re testing a million people instead of 14 million people it would have far fewer cases right? It’s a badge of honor.” Folks, I have no head left to shake. pic.twitter.com/7On5izyz4S — Michael Steele (@MichaelSteele) May 20, 2020
Here’s how ignorant & dishonest Trump is:
So the US has the most confirmed cases in the world, and Trump says: “It’s a badge of honor. We’re doing a great job.” If the US had the fewest confirmed cases in the world, Trump would say THE EXACT SAME THING. https://t.co/YABtw8syxp — Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) May 19, 2020
People are fighting for their lives. Workers are losing their jobs. Our economy is crumbling.
President Trump has repeatedly failed to get this country enough tests and still doesn’t have a plan.
And he is trying to spin this response as a “badge of honor?” I don’t think so. https://t.co/pq1YCbZ7fw — Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) May 19, 2020
"So when we have a lot of cases I don't look at that as a bad thing. I look at that, in a certain respect, as being a good thing because it means our testing is much better...I view it as a badge of honor." - Trump, on the U.S. having more coronavirus cases than any other country pic.twitter.com/McT88ioyOp — Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) May 19, 2020
Advertisement
The president* says it's a "badge of honor" that the U.S. has the most covid19 cases and deaths. This reverse psychology works on those who believe tax breaks for the rich will help them, a border wall will keep them safe, and that it's raining while he pisses on their heads. — James "Stay-at-Home" Morrison (@JamesPMorrison) May 20, 2020
“A badge of HONOR.” That’s right #TweetyTrump, you have the MOST dead citizens in your country! More than any other! Maybe you should have a parade to celebrate how goodly you’re doing. https://t.co/Qsjg7vrZ0d — Debra Messing✍🏻 (@DebraMessing) May 20, 2020
There is nothing Trump won't view as a badge of honor. https://t.co/znFIbWSByI — Josh Gross (@yay_yee) May 19, 2020
This schmuck with no shame wears a badge of honor? Yet another prize he made up and gave himself. Meanwhile *Americans* are rotting in mass graves... https://t.co/9HuMqVtqg3 — Tina Dupuy (@TinaDupuy) May 19, 2020
Having the most #COVID19 cases is not a “badge of honor”. It is the most ignoble thing to brag about. People are suffering and dying, not celebrating your badge. https://t.co/7qRGvEj5IF — Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) May 20, 2020
Advertisement
Worst response on planet is “a badge of honor “ — John Cusack (@johncusack) May 19, 2020
Counterpoint: Having the most COVID-19 cases in the world is not a badge of honor. https://t.co/bc9g6gFtBs — Dr. Al Gross (@DrAlGrossAK) May 19, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-20--California Prosecutors Are Using Loopholes To Keep People In Jail During COVID-19

Last month , the Judicial Council of California issued a statewide rule that reduced bail for most misdemeanors and low-level felonies to $ 0 during the coronavirus pandemic .
The emergency bail schedule was an acknowledgment by the chief justice of the Supreme Court of California that people in jails and prisons have a significantly higher risk of being exposed to COVID-19 — and that individuals accused of many lesser crimes shouldn ’ t have to risk contracting a potentially fatal disease while they await their court date .
Last month , the Los Angeles Times credulously quoted Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in repeat offenders , supposedly due to criminals feeling emboldened because they know they won ’ t sit behind bars until after they ’ re convicted of a crime .
The Times story featured a man who had been arrested four times in three weeks on suspicion of grand theft auto — a crime , the Times story seemed to suggest , that warrants being subjected to COVID-19 exposure in jail .
In the ninth paragraph of the story , the Times acknowledged that people with multiple arrests now account for 5 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just one percentage point from the same period last year .
When Stealing Groceries Is Treated As Looting One of the exempted offenses is felony looting , which is legally defined as theft or burglary during a state of emergency .
Looting is generally understood to be different from other forms of stealing in that it typically involves people pillaging shuttered businesses .
But several district attorneys in California have directed their offices to file looting charges in cases of ordinary theft and burglary as a way to ensure that the suspect is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , someone who steals from a store that is still open during the pandemic — even during regular business hours — could be charged with looting .
In Los Angeles County , home to 10 million people , a deputy district attorney detailed the looting loophole to a colleague in an April 14 email obtained by HuffPost .
“ For fraud/theft cases where the defendant is currently in custody , we have a couple arguments to obtain appropriate amount of bail , ” Deputy District Attorney Michael Fern wrote .
“ The emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PC 463 ( looting ) from ‘ zero bail , ’ ” he noted .
In cases of grand theft , where the value of the stolen goods is more than $ 950 , prosecutors can file felony looting charges , Fern continued .
According to Fern , it would be preferable — but not necessary — for prosecutors to be able to prove that the incident had any of the typical characteristics of looting .
“ A violation of PC 463 does not require any proof of a nexus between the theft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ However , as a policy matter we would probably want to be able to articulate some connection , such as how the theft was aided by decreased vigilance due to depleted law enforcement resources , business closures , or sheltering-in-place.
” Other California jurisdictions have openly boasted about their efforts to use looting charges to jail people who would not otherwise face pretrial detention .
“ Looting charges have the effect of preventing a person arrested for grand theft or burglary from being immediately released by the jail upon arrest , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kinsel told The Bakersfield Californian .
A Fresno County assistant district attorney , Steve Wright , told the Fresno Bee that he would look into looting charges against a man accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of baby formula , bottled water , cosmetics , and perishable food .
Yolo County ’ s district attorney put out a press release about a man who was charged with looting for allegedly stealing cars .
“ It seems a little backwards because the chief justice created zero bail because of the state of emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theft during a state of emergency and it ’ s being used to get around the remedy the chief justice put in place to keep people out of custody so they don ’ t get sick , ” Yolo County Public Defender Tracie Olson said in an interview .
Stanislaus County District Attorney Birgit Fladager announced in a press release last month that “ anyone who commits a crime of Burglary in the Second Degree , Grand Theft or Petty Theft , in our county , during the State of Emergency could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a 32-year-old woman who took $ 400 worth of groceries from a Save Mart without paying was charged with felony looting .
Prosecutors later agreed to drop the charge to misdemeanor looting , which qualifies for zero bail .
But by that point , the woman had already spent several days in jail , where she was at increased risk of contracting COVID-19 .
Stanislaus County Public Defender Laura Arnold told HuffPost that despite Fladager ’ s press release , she has not seen the district attorney ’ s office inappropriately charge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month .
Asked about the dozens of individuals currently in the county ’ s jail system facing looting charges , Arnold said that they could be facing other charges exempt from the zero bail order or that arresting officers may have taken people into custody by mistake before the DA had a chance to weigh in .
The district attorney ’ s office and the sheriff ’ s department for San Diego County “ have taken several proactive steps to address the threat of the coronavirus to individuals being held in local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that promote the release of individuals arrested for low-level , non-violent crimes who normally would have been released if the court was open or can ’ t afford to post bail , ” Tanya Sierra , a spokeswoman for the DA ’ s office , wrote in an email on Tuesday .
“ The jail population on any given day in San Diego County is generally close to 5,500 .
Today it ’ s about 3,750 , ” Sierra added .
In Los Angeles County , where District Attorney Jackie Lacey has publicly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office has slow-rolled efforts to release eligible defendants from jail , according to a lawyer in the Los Angeles Public Defender ’ s office .
About a month ago , the LA Sheriff ’ s Department created a spreadsheet of more than 2,000 people in jail who were potentially eligible for release under the zero bail order .
The court asked prosecutors and defense attorneys to review each case and determine who qualified for release .
As of last week , approximately 500 people on the list have been let out , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office , who requested anonymity to discuss ongoing negotiations .
About 300 got out after the DA ’ s office agreed to their release — the rest were freed through plea bargains or individual bail hearings .
Some of the same prosecutors who are currently claiming the authority to deviate from the zero bail schedule are on record acknowledging that the Judicial Council ’ s order does not allow judges or prosecutors to decide when $ 0 bail is appropriate .
Days before the emergency rule went into effect , San Diego @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter to Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye asking her to amend it to include a mechanism “ for judicial review in cases that present a threat to public safety .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Last month, the Judicial Council of California issued a statewide rule that reduced bail for most misdemeanors and low-level felonies to $0 during the coronavirus pandemic. The emergency bail schedule was an acknowledgment by the chief justice of the Supreme Court of California that people in jails and prisons have a significantly higher risk of being exposed to COVID-19 — and that individuals accused of many lesser crimes shouldn’t have to risk contracting a potentially fatal disease while they await their court date.
But since the rule went into effect, prosecutors throughout the state have exploited loopholes in the policy or flat-out refused to comply with it. As a result, thousands of people in California who are eligible for pretrial release under the state’s zero bail order have wound up stuck in jail.
Advertisement
The policy shift has also been challenged by a fear-mongering campaign in which some law enforcement officials have pushed misleading information to perpetuate the false narrative that the $0 bail policy is putting communities in danger.
Last month, the Los Angeles Times credulously quoted Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore describing a rise in repeat offenders, supposedly due to criminals feeling emboldened because they know they won’t sit behind bars until after they’re convicted of a crime. The Times story featured a man who had been arrested four times in three weeks on suspicion of grand theft auto — a crime, the Times story seemed to suggest, that warrants being subjected to COVID-19 exposure in jail. In the ninth paragraph of the story, the Times acknowledged that people with multiple arrests now account for 5% of all arrests — an increase of just one percentage point from the same period last year.
When Stealing Groceries Is Treated As Looting
The zero bail policy excludes 13 offenses, mostly violent crimes. People accused of committing any of these crimes can be assigned bail under the regular, pre-coronavirus guidelines.
One of the exempted offenses is felony looting, which is legally defined as theft or burglary during a state of emergency. Looting is generally understood to be different from other forms of stealing in that it typically involves people pillaging shuttered businesses. But several district attorneys in California have directed their offices to file looting charges in cases of ordinary theft and burglary as a way to ensure that the suspect is sent to jail. Under this guidance, someone who steals from a store that is still open during the pandemic — even during regular business hours — could be charged with looting.
Advertisement
In Los Angeles County, home to 10 million people, a deputy district attorney detailed the looting loophole to a colleague in an April 14 email obtained by HuffPost. “For fraud/theft cases where the defendant is currently in custody, we have a couple arguments to obtain appropriate amount of bail,” Deputy District Attorney Michael Fern wrote. “The emergency bail schedule specifically exempts felony violations of PC 463 (looting) from ‘zero bail,’” he noted. In cases of grand theft, where the value of the stolen goods is more than $950, prosecutors can file felony looting charges, Fern continued.
According to Fern, it would be preferable — but not necessary — for prosecutors to be able to prove that the incident had any of the typical characteristics of looting. “A violation of PC 463 does not require any proof of a nexus between the theft and the emergency,” he wrote. “However, as a policy matter we would probably want to be able to articulate some connection, such as how the theft was aided by decreased vigilance due to depleted law enforcement resources, business closures, or sheltering-in-place.”
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office declined to comment.
Other California jurisdictions have openly boasted about their efforts to use looting charges to jail people who would not otherwise face pretrial detention. “Looting charges have the effect of preventing a person arrested for grand theft or burglary from being immediately released by the jail upon arrest,” Kern County District Attorney spokesman Joseph Kinsel told The Bakersfield Californian. A Fresno County assistant district attorney, Steve Wright, told the Fresno Bee that he would look into looting charges against a man accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of baby formula, bottled water, cosmetics, and perishable food. Yolo County’s district attorney put out a press release about a man who was charged with looting for allegedly stealing cars.
“It seems a little backwards because the chief justice created zero bail because of the state of emergency. And yet, looting is simply theft during a state of emergency and it’s being used to get around the remedy the chief justice put in place to keep people out of custody so they don’t get sick,” Yolo County Public Defender Tracie Olson said in an interview.
Stanislaus County District Attorney Birgit Fladager announced in a press release last month that “anyone who commits a crime of Burglary in the Second Degree, Grand Theft or Petty Theft, in our county, during the State of Emergency could be charged with Looting.” The next day, a 32-year-old woman who took $400 worth of groceries from a Save Mart without paying was charged with felony looting. Prosecutors later agreed to drop the charge to misdemeanor looting, which qualifies for zero bail. But by that point, the woman had already spent several days in jail, where she was at increased risk of contracting COVID-19.
Advertisement
Prosecutors who charge theft cases as looting are “significantly increasing the likelihood of an outbreak for no other reason than their political desire to circumvent the mandatory bail schedule,” said Yoel Haile of the Northern California branch of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Stanislaus County Public Defender Laura Arnold told HuffPost that despite Fladager’s press release, she has not seen the district attorney’s office inappropriately charge defendants with felony looting since that case last month. Asked about the dozens of individuals currently in the county’s jail system facing looting charges, Arnold said that they could be facing other charges exempt from the zero bail order or that arresting officers may have taken people into custody by mistake before the DA had a chance to weigh in.
If law enforcement officials are jailing people accused of theft, Haile said, they are doing so in accordance with guidance provided by the district attorney. Fladager’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
A ‘Mandatory’ Policy Interpreted As ‘Discretionary’
The Judicial Council’s zero bail order includes a section titled “Mandatory application,” which instructs courts to apply the emergency bail schedule “to every accused person arrested and in pretrial custody” by April 13 at 5 p.m. Despite the seemingly clear language, prosecutors have argued that complying with the “mandatory” zero bail order is discretionary.
By the time the Judicial Council’s order went into effect last month, the district attorney’s office in the Central Valley’s Tulare County had already filed more than 100 motions opposing the reduction of bail to $0.
Advertisement
In San Diego, prosecutors sought higher bail against 186 people in custody who were eligible for zero bail when the order went into effect, Deputy Public Defender Whitney Antrim told HuffPost.
The district attorney’s office and the sheriff’s department for San Diego County “have taken several proactive steps to address the threat of the coronavirus to individuals being held in local jails, including putting policies in place that promote the release of individuals arrested for low-level, non-violent crimes who normally would have been released if the court was open or can’t afford to post bail,” Tanya Sierra, a spokeswoman for the DA’s office, wrote in an email on Tuesday. “The jail population on any given day in San Diego County is generally close to 5,500. Today it’s about 3,750,” Sierra added.
In Los Angeles County, where District Attorney Jackie Lacey has publicly praised the zero bail policy, her office has slow-rolled efforts to release eligible defendants from jail, according to a lawyer in the Los Angeles Public Defender’s office. About a month ago, the LA Sheriff’s Department created a spreadsheet of more than 2,000 people in jail who were potentially eligible for release under the zero bail order. The court asked prosecutors and defense attorneys to review each case and determine who qualified for release. As of last week, approximately 500 people on the list have been let out, said the lawyer in the public defender’s office, who requested anonymity to discuss ongoing negotiations. About 300 got out after the DA’s office agreed to their release — the rest were freed through plea bargains or individual bail hearings.
Claiming Fears For Public Safety
Several prosecutors have pointed to provisions in California’s state Constitution that allow a defendant to be held in pretrial detention without bail in cases where their release would endanger public safety.
Advertisement
“We still have the constitutional authority to request the court for an upward deviation or deny bail altogether, as appropriate,” Fern, the deputy district attorney in Los Angeles, wrote in his April 14 email. Nothing in the zero bail order “restricts the ability of the court to deny bail as authorized by … the California Constitution,” he noted.
Invoking public safety to deny bail is a somewhat rare tactic usually reserved for serious violent offenses. But some prosecutors are now using it as a work-around to the pandemic policy.
Some of the same prosecutors who are currently claiming the authority to deviate from the zero bail schedule are on record acknowledging that the Judicial Council’s order does not allow judges or prosecutors to decide when $0 bail is appropriate. Days before the emergency rule went into effect, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan wrote a letter to Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye asking her to amend it to include a mechanism “for judicial review in cases that present a threat to public safety.”
“Release decisions should be made thoughtfully after consideration of many factors, including criminal history and current level of dangerousness, and not solely based on the present charges,” Stephan wrote. “By setting the scheduled bail for most felony offenses at zero, our ability and opportunity to add release conditions has been curtailed, and our ability to protect the public has been taken from us,” Stephan continued.
The Judicial Council has not, however, amended the rule as she requested.
After HuffPost reported on Los Angeles prosecutors’ efforts to seek pre-coronavirus bail levels in cases covered by the Judicial Council’s order, Chief Deputy District Attorney Joseph Esposito sent an internal memo with the subject line: “EMERGENCY BAIL SCHEDULE — ZERO BAIL IS NOT DISCRETIONARY.” It is the DA office’s position that “courts do not have discretion to set bail other than $0 for offenses that are not found in the 13 listed exceptions,” Esposito wrote.
Advertisement