thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-10--Millions Of Taxpayer Dollars Are Going To Schools That Push Conversion Therapy

Damon Dahlen/HuffPost Megan Mishkin was told by her high school that she had to undergo counseling about her sexuality to remain there .
Mishkin looked around the room and knew she was outmatched .
Only a few days earlier , she had been told she was banned from attending an overnight school trip to a statewide theater competition .
Stories of Mishkin ’ s sexuality had spread ― she had a girlfriend from another school ― and administrators said her classmates ’ mothers had complained about their daughters having to share a room with her .
It was a crushing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months preparing for the competition only to be told that her peers and their families were afraid of her .
She cried and tried to explain that she would never have done anything inappropriate with another student .
Andrew LaFontaine , who attended Calvary Christian Academy at the same time as Mishkin , said school administrators also pressured him to attend conversion therapy after he reported to them that he had been sexually harassed by another male student .
Instead of focusing on the trauma of the alleged harassment , they pushed him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual orientation , which they perceived to be a problem .
LaFontaine ― who was mostly closeted at the time but is now an out gay man ― vehemently denied that he was gay until the school backed off .
Still , school leaders then made him meet with a teacher to go over Scripture and talk about his life .
“ When we met , Megan was very upset and defensive about her sexual preferences , ” read the email , which HuffPost has reviewed .
“ We decided that [ Megan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday to decide if CCA is the best place for her to be .
They would decide either to pull her out of CCA because Megan didn ’ t want to be responsible for her sexual preferences and influencing others , or repent and ask to continue at CCA thus allowing us to set her up with a counselor/mentor and begin discussing these issues of sexuality that she is wrestling with.
” At the end of the school year , Mishkin applied for a spot at a secular private school .
The admissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Calvary if she would be allowed to return for her junior year , just in case .
They asked her if she still had a girlfriend .
She told them she had found the way of the Lord and was no longer gay ― a “ ridiculous lie , ” she says now .
Over the summer , she found out she had gotten into the other school .

NEW YORK ― Megan Mishkin was drawing a still-life in art class when she heard her name called over the loudspeaker. She packed up her belongings and headed to the main office, where the school secretary was waiting for her. “Everything is going to be OK, sweetie,” the secretary told the 16-year-old high school sophomore when she walked in.
Mishkin, a student at Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the time, tried to remain calm and brace for bad news. The secretary directed her to a room where school leaders waited. The group made about five excruciating minutes of small talk before staff members got down to business.
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They suggested Mishkin was broken and in need of fixing. They hoped anti-gay counseling could be the solution.
Calvary Christian Academy is one of at least nine private schools that participate in voucher or tax credit programs and appear to push LGBTQ students to attend a form of conversion therapy, HuffPost has discovered. A 2017 HuffPost investigation found that at least 14% of religious schools in voucher programs advertised anti-gay policies or barred LGBTQ students and staff from admission and employment. Now HuffPost has found that some of these schools go so far as to push a medically discredited and often harmful treatment on their students in an attempt to change their sexual orientation.
Mishkin looked around the room and knew she was outmatched. Only a few days earlier, she had been told she was banned from attending an overnight school trip to a statewide theater competition. Stories of Mishkin’s sexuality had spread ― she had a girlfriend from another school ― and administrators said her classmates’ mothers had complained about their daughters having to share a room with her. It was a crushing, humiliating blow. She had spent months preparing for the competition only to be told that her peers and their families were afraid of her. She cried and tried to explain that she would never have done anything inappropriate with another student.
This time, as school administrators laid out her options, Mishkin tried not to react. The group reminded her they believe the Bible says homosexuality is wrong. Then they told her she would have to attend counseling to discuss her sexuality if she wanted to remain enrolled at Calvary Christian Academy.
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“I’m 16. I had just moved and had nobody,” Mishkin, who is now 21 and just finished her junior year at New York University, recalled over coffee in February. “I felt defeated.”
Megan Mishkin agreed to school-mandated counseling when she was 16. Damon Dahlen/HuffPost
Jason Rachels, the head of school at Calvary Christian Academy, told HuffPost that “‘anti-gay therapy’ is not a process we use or a part of a policy at our school.” However, he did not dispute any specific part of Mishkin’s account.
“We exist to serve families with similar values that align with our school’s statement of faith. We don’t hide our beliefs or encourage anyone to enroll who does not desire the same for their family,” wrote Rachels, who was a Calvary administrator but not head of school when Mishkin was a student there.
Calvary Christian Academy, though private and religious, received just over $3 million in public funding last year through a variety of state voucher and tax credit programs that help funnel taxpayer dollars to scholarships for private schools. The school has participated in such state programs since at least 2012, according to archived versions of the school’s website. Voucher programs use taxpayer money to fund scholarships for lower- or middle-income students, while tax credit programs give individuals and corporations incentives for donating to organizations that distribute private school scholarships.
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Advocates of these programs, which exist in 29 states and the District of Columbia, say they help level the playing field by giving poorer students the ability to choose the school that works best for them, an option more affluent students have always had.
But HuffPost’s findings raise questions about what it means to have taxpayer dollars supporting institutions that not only openly discriminate against LGBTQ children but also push them toward programs that have long been debunked by mainstream medical and mental health institutions, and often cause severe harm. One study from 2018 found that LGBTQ people who had received interventions from religious leaders, therapists and parents trying to change their sexual orientation were three times more likely to attempt suicide than other LGBTQ people. Twenty states and the District of Columbia ban licensed health professionals from practicing conversion therapy on minors; Florida is not among those states.
“Schools are places where youth should feel safe and have the opportunity to grow and mature into their best selves. Instead, they find themselves under threat from a practice that has no basis in science and is tied to potentially significant harms,” said Casey Pick, senior fellow for advocacy and government affairs at the Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth.
Indeed, the number of public dollars going to private schools ― even potentially ones with discriminatory anti-LGBTQ policies ― may increase in the near future. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has always used her position to try to increase private school choice, but she’s had more success during the COVID-19 pandemic: A new program allows states to apply for federal coronavirus relief dollars to help families cover school expenses ranging from technology services to private school tuition. Public school advocates say it’s part of DeVos’s larger agenda to shift funding away from the public school system ― which serves 90% of kids in the country ― to private, often religious, institutions.
Mishkin had only just started attending Calvary earlier that school year, in 2014, after moving from Venezuela. She knew she was gay and that she wouldn’t change. But she was also depressed, tired and afraid of what getting kicked out of school midyear would mean for her college applications and her future. She had endured months of homophobic bullying. She could barely stay awake in class. When she ate, she had trouble keeping food down.
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Mishkin’s family ― with whom she says she has a rocky relationship ― thought she should remain enrolled in the school. At this point, her only goal was survival. She agreed to the counseling.
The Human Rights Campaign, a leading LGBTQ civil rights group, defines conversion therapy, also sometimes known as reparative therapy, as “a range of dangerous and discredited practices that falsely claim to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.” It comes in many forms, including aversion therapy, in which a patient is taught to associate a thought or behavior with an unpleasant physical stimulus (like an electrical shock or chemically induced nausea) to talk therapy, which resembles typical mainstream therapy but in service of changing one’s sexual identity. There is no evidence ― per consensus in the medical community ― that conversion therapy of any form can change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
For this investigation, HuffPost combed through the handbooks, statements of faith and prospective student application forms of more than 500 schools we had previously identified as having anti-gay policies. (More than 7,500 private schools around the country received public funding through voucher or tax credit programs in 2017, and HuffPost examined their websites, handbooks, statements of faith and applications that year to identify which of those schools were religiously affiliated, as well as which had advertised anti-LGBTQ views.)
We found at least eight schools with handbooks that seemed to openly require or encourage some form of counseling for kids experiencing same-sex attraction, which experts say often acts as a euphemistic term for conversion therapy. HuffPost reached out to each of these schools with questions about what this counseling looks like. Only one responded, noting the pastor or trained professional providing the counseling decides what type of “help” to provide to students.
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We also found four additional schools whose handbooks had vaguer policies, indicating but not explicitly stating that anti-LGBTQ counseling could be a consequence for same-sex attraction or gender nonconformity.
These policies are typically intentionally vague, according to Pick. That way, schools have a great amount of discretion and can also avoid scrutiny from the outside world.
“Conversion therapists, as a whole, are being very proactive about rebranding. They recognize that public opinion is turning against sexual reorientation or gender identity change efforts,” Pick said. “Many will try to say we’re not engaging in conversion therapy ― we’re just trying to get people to live consistent with their religious values. Some of these school policies that adopt this same framework of requiring students to live consistent with religious values may well be concealing what is in practical effect conversion therapy.”
Our numbers likely represent a bare minimum. Calvary Christian Academy’s website, for example, says the school believes “acceptable sexual behavior is exclusively reserved to occur within the confines of a monogamous marriage union of a consenting man and woman,” but it doesn’t publicly promote support for conversion therapy. It’s likely that many other schools quietly promote conversion therapy without stating so in public materials. Additionally, more states have adopted or expanded their school voucher or tax credit program since HuffPost created its database in 2017, and any schools that have benefited from these programs for the first time over the last three years are not reflected in our count.
But some schools make their policies clear. For example, Westwood Christian School in Miami, which received nearly $1.3 million this year via voucher and tax credit programs, outlines its policy in its handbook. It makes parents promise that if their child “believes that he/she is gay, homosexual, lesbian, or bisexual, I/we will encourage such child to disclose the situation to the Senior Pastor or Administrator and seek guidance and counseling through the Church.” It says a child will be asked to withdraw if administrators learn a child has not sought counseling, has refused counseling, or has participated in homosexual activity after church counseling. The school did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
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The schools that maintain these policies are all across the country, including in Wisconsin, Arizona and Virginia. Collectively, all of the schools HuffPost found to push conversion therapy received over $8 million in public funding during the last school year for which public information was available.
Another Student Speaks Out
Andrew LaFontaine, who attended Calvary Christian Academy at the same time as Mishkin, said school administrators also pressured him to attend conversion therapy after he reported to them that he had been sexually harassed by another male student. Instead of focusing on the trauma of the alleged harassment, they pushed him to attend counseling to talk about his sexual orientation, which they perceived to be a problem. LaFontaine ― who was mostly closeted at the time but is now an out gay man ― vehemently denied that he was gay until the school backed off. Still, school leaders then made him meet with a teacher to go over Scripture and talk about his life.
“I honestly think that was the beginning of me spiraling into depression,” said LaFontaine, 20, who is now a veterinarian’s assistant and student in New York City. “It was an easy decision to decide to deny [my sexuality] because I knew the implications.”
Rachels, the head of school, told HuffPost that “we care for [LaFontaine and Mishkin] deeply and pray that they are doing well.”
“Bullying is something we take seriously at CCA. Regardless of where a student is in their personal journey, we do not tolerate bullying, and have strong policies around that,” he wrote in an email.
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After the administrators’ meeting with Mishkin, the man who was Calvary’s assistant principal at the time sent an email to one of her family members outlining her options. The email confirms the account Mishkin provided to HuffPost. Calvary did not respond to a question about whether that assistant principal is still employed by the school.
“When we met, Megan was very upset and defensive about her sexual preferences,” read the email, which HuffPost has reviewed. “We decided that [Megan and her mom] could take until Monday to decide if CCA is the best place for her to be. They would decide either to pull her out of CCA because Megan didn’t want to be responsible for her sexual preferences and influencing others, or repent and ask to continue at CCA thus allowing us to set her up with a counselor/mentor and begin discussing these issues of sexuality that she is wrestling with.”
The whole meeting lasted about 30 minutes, Mishkin said. Afterward, she got to work finding a counselor who she hoped would understand her dilemma. She texted a former student, whom the school had also pushed to go to counseling but for reasons unrelated to sexuality.
The student told Mishkin about a sympathetic therapist who was part of a Christian counseling service and approved by the school. Rachels told HuffPost that Calvary does “not have therapists on staff or a relationship with an organization that offers those services,” referring to “anti-gay therapy,” but he did not refute the specifics of Mishkin’s account. Indeed, Mishkin did not use a therapist employed by the school and found her counselor independently.
A few weeks later, she had her first session.
Megan Mishkin, now 21, is a student at New York University. Damon Dahlen/HuffPost
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An estimated 16,000 youth will receive conversion therapy from a mental health professional before they turn 18, according to a 2019 study from the Williams Institute at UCLA. An estimated 57,000 more will receive it from a religious der.
“It is not therapy. It is not helpful. It is harmful, and it needs to be stopped,” Pick said.
But administrators at evangelical schools with anti-LGBTQ policies maintain they have a right to educate children however they see fit.
“Parents who choose to enroll their children in a private, Christian school using voucher funds have chosen to do so with full knowledge of the school’s positions regarding philosophy of education, admissions, biblical worldview integration into academics, morality, and positions on a variety of cultural topics including marriage and sexuality as defined in Scripture,” Wesley Scott, executive director of the National Alliance of Christian Schools, wrote in an email to HuffPost.
“Private, Christian schools are autonomous [and] have the right to apply these positions within their admissions process, faculty and student handbooks, disciplinary and biblical counseling procedures,” he said.
Mishkin sees it differently. Her school may have thought it was putting her on a path to salvation, but she felt abandoned when she was screaming out for help.
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She was depressed and self-harming. She wished school leaders could see the sadness that was eating her alive. Instead, she says she only heard from them when other students brought up her sexuality or called her an atheist.
“No one was standing up for me. There were no teachers showing interest in me,” she says.
But in some ways, Mishkin got incredibly lucky with her therapist, a selection that made all the difference.
Secretly Getting ‘Normal’ Therapy
Mishkin’s counseling sessions took place in a nearby church’s office. The counselor was a woman in her early 30s with a kind demeanor.
She asked Mishkin about her faith. She asked her about her sexuality. When she realized Mishkin was at peace with it, Mishkin says she backed off.
“She was like, ‘You’re not here to stop being gay, are you?’ And I was like, ‘No, not at all,’” Mishkin recalled. “She really saved my life back then.”
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Mishkin was relieved. The counselor asked her if she had other issues she wanted to unpack, so the teen started attending regular therapy while her school thought she was trying to become straight.
At the end of the school year, Mishkin applied for a spot at a secular private school. The admissions process took months, so she asked Calvary if she would be allowed to return for her junior year, just in case. They asked her if she still had a girlfriend. She told them she had found the way of the Lord and was no longer gay ― a “ridiculous lie,” she says now. Over the summer, she found out she had gotten into the other school.
Mishkin looks back on that year as if she was in a dissociative state, going through the motions without much thought or agency. To survive, she muted her personality until she would fit into the mold her school had created for her.
“I think back on Calvary, and I just remember various offices, and crying, and various doctors, and throwing up,” she says matter-of-factly, sadness in her eyes. “[Calvary] just really made me not take care of myself. I was so hated. So oppressed. ... Even when it was like in third person, it’s not fun to hear people use the Bible to talk about hating you.”
Mishkin is now studying sound production and living in the East Village of New York with a roommate. She likes NYU and the friends she has made there. After muting herself for so long, she’s trying to figure out her actual interests, who she wants to spend her time with, what she truly thinks. She tries to imagine her life is just starting.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-10--West Virginia Elects Its First Out Transgender Official

West Virginia elected its first out transgender official on Tuesday , a victory civil rights groups said would help bolster representation and political power for LGBTQ Americans .
Rosemary Ketchum won her bid for the Wheeling City Council on Tuesday and will represent the city ’ s Ward 3 .
When she assumes her role on July 1 , Ketchum will be one of just four out LGBTQ officials in the state to hold public office .
“ I ’ m incredibly excited and grateful .
I know this was a close race , ” Ketchum told The Wheeling News-Register @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t campaign on her identity , the win “ matters a lot.
” HISTORY MADE : @ RosemaryKetchum just won a seat on the Wheeling City Council and is now the first out trans person ever elected in West Virginia !
She will be one of just 27 out trans elected officials in the entire nation .
pic.twitter.com/Ma3aMYpiTQ — LGBTQ Victory Fund ( @ VictoryFund ) June 10 , 2020 Ketchum works at the National Alliance for Mental Illness and is an active community organizer .
“ I believe that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solve problems rather than without them or worse – against them , ” she wrote on her campaign site .
“ But all too often , what we have seen is a lack of focus , a lack of drive , and most notably , a lack of presence regarding our elected community leaders.
” The LGBTQ Victory Fund , which backed Ketchum ’ s bid , noted her win is a landmark moment in the fight for representation .
There are just 26 out transgender officials in the United States , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ will resonate well beyond her state.
” “ Rosemary has shattered a lavender ceiling in West Virginia and will join the growing number of out trans elected officials serving nationwide , ” the group ’ s president , Annise Parker , said in a statement .
“ We know Rosemary ’ s race will inspire other trans people from conservative states to consider a run for office in their communities – and then those candidates will inspire others as well .
That virtuous cycle is the key to building trans acceptance and @ @ @ @ @

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West Virginia elected its first out transgender official on Tuesday, a victory civil rights groups said would help bolster representation and political power for LGBTQ Americans.
Rosemary Ketchum won her bid for the Wheeling City Council on Tuesday and will represent the city’s Ward 3. When she assumes her role on July 1, Ketchum will be one of just four out LGBTQ officials in the state to hold public office.
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“I’m incredibly excited and grateful. I know this was a close race,” Ketchum told The Wheeling News-Register on Tuesday, noting that while she didn’t campaign on her identity, the win “matters a lot.”
HISTORY MADE: @RosemaryKetchum just won a seat on the Wheeling City Council and is now the first out trans person ever elected in West Virginia! She will be one of just 27 out trans elected officials in the entire nation. pic.twitter.com/Ma3aMYpiTQ — LGBTQ Victory Fund (@VictoryFund) June 10, 2020
Ketchum works at the National Alliance for Mental Illness and is an active community organizer.
“I believe that we must work WITH our community members to solve problems rather than without them or worse – against them,” she wrote on her campaign site. “But all too often, what we have seen is a lack of focus, a lack of drive, and most notably, a lack of presence regarding our elected community leaders.”
The LGBTQ Victory Fund, which backed Ketchum’s bid, noted her win is a landmark moment in the fight for representation. There are just 26 out transgender officials in the United States, and the group said Ketchum’s victory “will resonate well beyond her state.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-10--Ex-Judge Says Push To Dismiss Flynn Case Is 'Abuse Of Power'

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — A former federal judge appointed to review the Justice Department ’ s motion to dismiss criminal charges against former national security adviser Michael Flynn has found that the government ’ s request should be denied because there is “ clear evidence of a gross abuse of prosecutorial power.
” Former U.S. District Judge John Gleeson said in a filing Wednesday that the government “ has engaged in highly irregular conduct to benefit a political ally of the President.
” Gleeson was appointed by U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan in a special role to weigh in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultimately be up to Sullivan and potentially an appeals court whether to accept the Justice Department ’ s motion to drop the case .
Flynn pleaded guilty , as part of special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s Russia investigation , to lying to the FBI about conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States during the presidential transition period .
In January , Flynn filed court papers to withdraw his guilty plea , saying federal prosecutors had acted in “ bad faith ” and broken their end of the bargain when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , prosecutors said Flynn was entitled to avoid prison time because he had cooperated extensively with the government , but the relationship with the retired Army lieutenant general grew increasingly contentious in the months before he withdrew his plea , particularly after he hired a new set of lawyers who raised misconduct allegations against the government .
But the Justice Department filed a motion last month to dismiss the case , saying the FBI had insufficient basis to question Flynn in the first place and that statements he made during the interview were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign .
Officials have said they sought to dismiss the case in the interest of justice , upon the recommendation of a U.S. attorney who had been appointed by Attorney General William Barr to review the handling of the Flynn investigation .
“ The Government ’ s ostensible grounds for seeking dismissal are conclusively disproven by its own briefs filed earlier in this very proceeding , ” Gleeson wrote .
“ They contradict and ignore this Court ’ s prior orders , which constitute law of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact .
And they depart from positions that the Government has taken in other cases .
”

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A former federal judge appointed to review the Justice Department’s motion to dismiss criminal charges against former national security adviser Michael Flynn has found that the government’s request should be denied because there is “clear evidence of a gross abuse of prosecutorial power.”
Former U.S. District Judge John Gleeson said in a filing Wednesday that the government “has engaged in highly irregular conduct to benefit a political ally of the President.”
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Gleeson was appointed by U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan in a special role to weigh in on the case, but it will ultimately be up to Sullivan and potentially an appeals court whether to accept the Justice Department’s motion to drop the case.
Flynn pleaded guilty, as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, to lying to the FBI about conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States during the presidential transition period.
In January, Flynn filed court papers to withdraw his guilty plea, saying federal prosecutors had acted in “bad faith” and broken their end of the bargain when they sought prison time for him.
Initially, prosecutors said Flynn was entitled to avoid prison time because he had cooperated extensively with the government, but the relationship with the retired Army lieutenant general grew increasingly contentious in the months before he withdrew his plea, particularly after he hired a new set of lawyers who raised misconduct allegations against the government.
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But the Justice Department filed a motion last month to dismiss the case, saying the FBI had insufficient basis to question Flynn in the first place and that statements he made during the interview were not material to the broader counterintelligence investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.
Officials have said they sought to dismiss the case in the interest of justice, upon the recommendation of a U.S. attorney who had been appointed by Attorney General William Barr to review the handling of the Flynn investigation.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-10--Trump Campaign Demands CNN Apologize For Poll That Shows Him Losing To Biden

Donald Trump ’ s reelection campaign is demanding that CNN apologize for a poll that shows Joe Biden with a 14-point lead over the president .
The campaign also wants the news network to retract the poll , supposedly because it ’ s biased ( but really because it points out the serious challenges Trump faces in his quest for a second term ) .
The campaign whined about the negative poll stated its position in a cease-and-desist letter to CNN President Jeff Zucker .
It argued that the CNN poll is “ designed to mislead American voters through a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter — signed by the Trump campaign ’ s senior legal adviser , Jenna Ellis , and chief operating officer Michael Glassner — called CNN ’ s poll “ phony ” and “ a stunt ” meant to “ cause voter suppression , stifle momentum and enthusiasm for the President , and present a false view generally of the actual support across America for the President.
” Trump ’ s campaign minions also requested that CNN publish a “ full , fair , and conspicuous retraction , apology , and clarification to correct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s letter griped that the CNN poll surveyed only 1,259 people — only 25 % of whom were Republican — and that it was taken before last Friday ’ s better-than-expected jobs report .
CNN said political pollsters typically sample registered voters rather than likely ones at this stage of the race because it ’ s difficult to project who ’ s actually going to vote in an election five months from now .
Deadline.com reported that Biden also beats Trump in other polls by an average of 8.1 points .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump campaign has threatened the media for accurately covering the president .
In March , the campaign sent cease-and-desist letters to TV stations that were airing an ad criticizing how Trump handled the coronavirus crisis .
The complete CNN letter can be seen in this tweet .
Every time I see a `` retraction '' demand like that , I think of Trump walking out on a 1990 CNN interview because `` Your demeanor was inaccurate , '' which is just the essence of Trump https : //t.co/oFGJB4GHVG — James Poniewozik ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign complaining about CNN poll only draws more attention to it .
It shows : 1 ) Biden ahead of Trump 55 % -41 % ( registered voters ) 2 ) Trump approval at 38 % ( worst since Jan. 2019 ) 3 ) about where Carter & Bush HW were at same point in '80 & '92 .
Both lost .
( survey by SSRS ) — West Wing Reports ( @ WestWingReport ) June 10 , 2020

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The campaign also wants the news network to retract the poll, supposedly because it’s biased (but really because it points out the serious challenges Trump faces in his quest for a second term).
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The campaign whined about the negative poll stated its position in a cease-and-desist letter to CNN President Jeff Zucker. It argued that the CNN poll is “designed to mislead American voters through a biased questionnaire and skewed sampling.”
The letter — signed by the Trump campaign’s senior legal adviser, Jenna Ellis, and chief operating officer Michael Glassner — called CNN’s poll “phony” and “a stunt” meant to “cause voter suppression, stifle momentum and enthusiasm for the President, and present a false view generally of the actual support across America for the President.”
Trump’s campaign minions also requested that CNN publish a “full, fair, and conspicuous retraction, apology, and clarification to correct its misleading conclusions.”
CNN’s response?
“We stand by our poll,” Matt Dornic, a network spokesman, said.
The Trump campaign’s letter griped that the CNN poll surveyed only 1,259 people — only 25% of whom were Republican — and that it was taken before last Friday’s better-than-expected jobs report.
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CNN said political pollsters typically sample registered voters rather than likely ones at this stage of the race because it’s difficult to project who’s actually going to vote in an election five months from now.
Deadline.com reported that Biden also beats Trump in other polls by an average of 8.1 points.
This isn’t the first time, the Trump campaign has threatened the media for accurately covering the president.
In March, the campaign sent cease-and-desist letters to TV stations that were airing an ad criticizing how Trump handled the coronavirus crisis.
The complete CNN letter can be seen in this tweet.
Here’s the Trump campaign cease and desist letter to CNN. pic.twitter.com/NhmqbV1YWF — Ted Johnson (@tedstew) June 10, 2020
CNN lawyers responded with their own tweet.
Official response from CNN General Counsel to @TeamTrump‘s letter demanding CNN apologize for a poll that shows @JoeBiden leading. pic.twitter.com/pQaGPxsA0y — CNN Communications (@CNNPR) June 10, 2020
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Twitter users offered up their trademark mockery.
Trump campaign demands to see CNN’s manager. https://t.co/cHTDYu6Fq4 — Seth Masket (@smotus) June 10, 2020
trump: i am very strong and powerful and i dominate
also trump: cnn must apologize for the poll showing me losing to biden by a lot — Oliver Willis (@owillis) June 10, 2020
Every time I see a "retraction" demand like that, I think of Trump walking out on a 1990 CNN interview because "Your demeanor was inaccurate," which is just the essence of Trump https://t.co/oFGJB4GHVG — James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) June 10, 2020
Trump campaign complaining about CNN poll only draws more attention to it. It shows:
1) Biden ahead of Trump 55%-41% (registered voters)
2) Trump approval at 38% (worst since Jan. 2019)
3) about where Carter & Bush HW were at same point in '80 & '92. Both lost. (survey by SSRS) — West Wing Reports (@WestWingReport) June 10, 2020
Trump had his lawyers send a letter to CNN demanding they apologize for showing a very real poll with Biden leading. This is what dictators do. Weak, desperate and pathetic dictators. — Scott Dworkin (@funder) June 10, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-10--Trump Won't 'Even Consider' Renaming Bases Named For Confederate Generals

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he “ will not even consider ” renaming military bases named for Confederate generals , claiming it would be a disrespect to the armed forces .
Trump , in remarks he tweeted and directed press secretary Kayleigh McEnany to read at a White House press briefing , did not acknowledge that the bases are named for men who fought during the Civil War to preserve the enslavement of Black people ― America ’ s “ original sin ” that still affects the life of Black Americans today .
“ These monumental and very powerful bases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heritage , and a history of winning , victory and freedom , ” Trump tweeted and McEnany echoed at the briefing after White House officials took the unusual move of passing out copies of the remarks .
It has been suggested that we should rename as many as 10 of our Legendary Military Bases , such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina , Fort Hood in Texas , Fort Benning in Georgia , etc .
These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage , and a ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) June 10 , 2020 ... history of Winning , Victory , and Freedom .
The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds , and won two World Wars .
Therefore , my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations ... — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) June 10 , 2020 Trump ’ s insistence on keeping the names comes even as Army officials signaled a willingness to consider the matter .
In a statement Monday , Army @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Esper and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy were “ open to a bi-partisan discussion ” about renaming the bases in question .
There are 10 bases named for Confederate leaders , something activists have long fought to change .
The recent nationwide protests over racism , police brutality and systemic problems in law enforcement have amplified those demands .
In some cases , protesters have toppled monuments to those leaders in various communities .
“ Fort Bragg is known for the heroes within it , that train there , that deployed from there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say to the men and women who left there that the last thing they saw on American soil before going overseas , and in some cases losing their lives , to tell them that what they left was inherently a racist institution because of the name.
” Fort Bragg is named for the confederate commander Braxton Bragg who , along with being a proponent of slavery , is characterized by many historians as one of the Civil War ’ s worst generals , notable for his poor military tactics .
Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and freedom ” also struck an apparently unintended note of irony , given that Bragg and the other Confederate generals fighting for states that seceded from the U.S. ultimately lost the war in which they sought to keep Blacks from being free .
In an op-ed for The Atlantic on Tuesday , retired U.S. Army general and former CIA director David Petraeus argued that the Confederate names should come off the bases .
He noted that the names stemmed from an effort to “ ingratiate ” the military with “ the southern states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and increase morale in the region in the build-up to World War II .
“ The irony of training at bases named for those who took up arms against the United States , and for the right to enslave others , is inescapable to anyone paying attention , ” Petraeus wrote .
“ Now , belatedly , is the moment for us to pay such attention .
”

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President Donald Trump said Wednesday he “will not even consider” renaming military bases named for Confederate generals, claiming it would be a disrespect to the armed forces.
Trump, in remarks he tweeted and directed press secretary Kayleigh McEnany to read at a White House press briefing, did not acknowledge that the bases are named for men who fought during the Civil War to preserve the enslavement of Black people ― America’s “original sin” that still affects the life of Black Americans today.
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“These monumental and very powerful bases have become part of a great American heritage, and a history of winning, victory and freedom,” Trump tweeted and McEnany echoed at the briefing after White House officials took the unusual move of passing out copies of the remarks.
It has been suggested that we should rename as many as 10 of our Legendary Military Bases, such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia, etc. These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, and a... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 10, 2020
...history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom. The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars. Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 10, 2020
...Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with. Respect our Military! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 10, 2020
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Trump’s insistence on keeping the names comes even as Army officials signaled a willingness to consider the matter. In a statement Monday, Army spokesperson Cynthia Smith said Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy were “open to a bi-partisan discussion” about renaming the bases in question.
There are 10 bases named for Confederate leaders, something activists have long fought to change. The recent nationwide protests over racism, police brutality and systemic problems in law enforcement have amplified those demands. In some cases, protesters have toppled monuments to those leaders in various communities.
McEnany insisted changing the names would be insulting to the soldiers who deployed from those bases.
“Fort Bragg is known for the heroes within it, that train there, that deployed from there, and it’s an insult to say to the men and women who left there that the last thing they saw on American soil before going overseas, and in some cases losing their lives, to tell them that what they left was inherently a racist institution because of the name.”
Fort Bragg is named for the confederate commander Braxton Bragg who, along with being a proponent of slavery, is characterized by many historians as one of the Civil War’s worst generals, notable for his poor military tactics.
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Trump’s reference to “winning, victory, and freedom” also struck an apparently unintended note of irony, given that Bragg and the other Confederate generals fighting for states that seceded from the U.S. ultimately lost the war in which they sought to keep Blacks from being free.
In an op-ed for The Atlantic on Tuesday, retired U.S. Army general and former CIA director David Petraeus argued that the Confederate names should come off the bases. He noted that the names stemmed from an effort to “ingratiate” the military with “the southern states in which the forts were located” and increase morale in the region in the build-up to World War II.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-10--White House Doubles Down On Trump’s Smear Against Protester Shoved By Police

“ They ’ re questions that need to be asked , ” McEnany said of Trump ’ s tweet , which offered zero evidence to back up his claim .
“ In every case , we can ’ t jump on one side without looking at all the facts at play.
” McEnany said that , despite whatever questions Trump may have about Gugino ’ s background , “ no one condones any sort of violence.
” She added that only the “ appropriate amount of force ” should be used in any interaction .
Trump , however , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 , he encouraged police officers to hit suspects ’ heads on the doors of their patrol cars .
The following year , he praised a Montana Republican congressman who body-slammed a reporter as “ my kind of guy.
” Last month , as anti-racism protests gained momentum across the U.S. following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis , one Trump tweet effectively called for looters to be shot .
Twitter then applied a warning label to the post , stating that it violated the site ’ s rules against glorifying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed Gugino falling backward after being pushed and hitting his head on the concrete walkway , where he then lay still , bleeding from his ear .
The officers stopped to look at him until another officer stepped in and directed them to keep walking .
Gugino has remained in the hospital since the incident .
He is expected to move to the rehabilitation floor of the hospital and be released within the next two weeks , his attorney Kelly Zarcone said in a statement Wednesday .
Gugino has been described by his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bachelor who returned to his hometown of Buffalo years ago to care for his ailing mother , The New York Times reported .
For decades , his friends said , Gugino has taken part in demonstrations against nuclear weapons , climate change and police brutality .
“ You had 56 police officers who resigned in protest of how their fellow officers were treated , ” she said .
“ I think we need to ask why those officers resigned , what happened , what facts were on the ground.
” In fact , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department but merely stepped down from their volunteer roles on the emergency response team .
Two of those officers told local ABC affiliate WKBW that they did not resign in a “ show of support ” for the suspended officers , but because their union said they would no longer have its legal and financial backing in defending cases related to the protests .
“ Why would we stand on a line for the city with no legal backing if something [ were to ] happen ?
” one officer said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Look , the president has acknowledged so many times , and rightfully so , the injustice with George Floyd , ” she said .
“ He gave an entire speech about Mr. Floyd and the grave injustice there .
But the president was raising some questions ― some legitimate ones ― about that particular interaction , and it ’ s his prerogative to do so .
”

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White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Wednesday defended President Donald Trump’s tweet that falsely accused a 75-year-old anti-racism protester who was shoved to the ground by police of being an “ANTIFA provocateur.”
During an interview with “Fox & Friends,” McEnany said Trump was simply raising questions based on a report he saw. The president’s tweet on Tuesday appeared to reference a segment that aired on OANN, a right-wing network that routinely disseminates conspiracy theories.
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“They’re questions that need to be asked,” McEnany said of Trump’s tweet, which offered zero evidence to back up his claim. “In every case, we can’t jump on one side without looking at all the facts at play.”
She then accused the protester, longtime peace activist Martin Gugino of Buffalo, New York, of having posted “some very questionable” and “profanity-laden” tweets about police.
As of Wednesday, Gugino’s Twitter account was set to private. His tweets are only viewable to those granted access.
McEnany said that, despite whatever questions Trump may have about Gugino’s background, “no one condones any sort of violence.” She added that only the “appropriate amount of force” should be used in any interaction.
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Trump, however, has a history of encouraging violence. In 2017, he encouraged police officers to hit suspects’ heads on the doors of their patrol cars. The following year, he praised a Montana Republican congressman who body-slammed a reporter as “my kind of guy.”
Last month, as anti-racism protests gained momentum across the U.S. following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, one Trump tweet effectively called for looters to be shot. Twitter then applied a warning label to the post, stating that it violated the site’s rules against glorifying violence.
welp, the WH is doubling down
Kilmeade: Trump tweeted the 75-year-old protester might have been an antifa provocateur, can you expand on that?
McEnany: He was raising questions, there are questions that need to be asked in every case ...This guy had profanity laden tweets pic.twitter.com/KJUjjbqQxt — Lis Power (@LisPower1) June 10, 2020
McEnany on Wednesday said there were “a lot of questions” surrounding the incident in which two police officers aggressively pushed Gugino back during a peaceful protest in Buffalo last week.
Viral video of the interaction showed Gugino falling backward after being pushed and hitting his head on the concrete walkway, where he then lay still, bleeding from his ear. The officers stopped to look at him until another officer stepped in and directed them to keep walking.
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Gugino has remained in the hospital since the incident. He is expected to move to the rehabilitation floor of the hospital and be released within the next two weeks, his attorney Kelly Zarcone said in a statement Wednesday.
The two officers involved have been suspended without pay and charged with second-degree assault.
In his tweet Tuesday, Trump accused Gugino of falling “harder than he was pushed” and using a “scanner” to “black out” officers’ equipment. “Could it be a set up?” the president asked.
No evidence has been publicly presented to suggest this.
Gugino has been described by his attorney and friends as a mild-mannered Catholic bachelor who returned to his hometown of Buffalo years ago to care for his ailing mother, The New York Times reported. For decades, his friends said, Gugino has taken part in demonstrations against nuclear weapons, climate change and police brutality.
His friends told the Times that Gugino is not a member of Antifa, an umbrella term for left-wing, anti-fascist activists.
McEnany on Wednesday rattled off a few vague questions about the incident, including why dozens of Buffalo police officers “resigned” afterward.
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“You had 56 police officers who resigned in protest of how their fellow officers were treated,” she said. “I think we need to ask why those officers resigned, what happened, what facts were on the ground.”
In fact, those 57 officers did not leave the department but merely stepped down from their volunteer roles on the emergency response team. Two of those officers told local ABC affiliate WKBW that they did not resign in a “show of support” for the suspended officers, but because their union said they would no longer have its legal and financial backing in defending cases related to the protests.
“Why would we stand on a line for the city with no legal backing if something [were to] happen?” one officer said. “Has nothing to do with us supporting.”
Asked whether the timing of Trump’s tweet ― amid memorial ceremonies for Floyd and general unrest in the country ― was appropriate, McEnany doubled down.
“Look, the president has acknowledged so many times, and rightfully so, the injustice with George Floyd,” she said. “He gave an entire speech about Mr. Floyd and the grave injustice there. But the president was raising some questions ― some legitimate ones ― about that particular interaction, and it’s his prerogative to do so.”
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The OANN segment that apparently inspired Trump’s so-called legitimate questions was reported by Kristian Rouz, who has worked for Russian propaganda state media and has a long history of peddling misinformation.
During a news conference later on Wednesday, NBC News’ Kristen Welker asked McEnany whether it should be incumbent upon the president to have facts before he posts smears like the one against Gugino.
“The president did have facts before he tweeted it out that undergirded his question,” McEnany said.
Welker asked if McEnany would acknowledge that Trump’s tweet was a “baseless conspiracy theory.” The press secretary said no.
.@kwelkernbc: Is it incumbent upon the president to have facts before he tweets out a conspiracy theory about a 75-year-old man?
McENANY: The president did have facts
WELKER: It's a baseless conspiracy theory
McENANY: It's not [it is] pic.twitter.com/c3lzx6niBz — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 10, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-10--Teacher Ousts West Virginia State Senate Leader In GOP Primary

Elementary school teacher Amy Nichole Grady defeated West Virginia state Senate President Mitch Carmichael in a Republican primary Tuesday night , another victory for educators who have scored election wins nationwide in the wake of mass teacher strikes and protests that have broken out over the last two years .
Grady was inspired to run for office by the West Virginia teacher strike that lasted for nearly two weeks in 2018 , when Carmichael , who as Senate president also serves as the state ’ s lieutenant governor , feuded with educators over pay raises .
She unsuccessfully sought a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to 100 Days in Appalachia .
But on Tuesday , Grady beat Carmichael by roughly 700 votes .
Carmichael congratulated Grady in a tweet late Tuesday night , and pledged to support her in the general election , where she will face Bruce Ashworth , a progressive .
Grady , who describes herself on Facebook as “ a Pro-life , Pro-2nd Amendment conservative teacher who is fed up with self-serving elected officials , ” is expected to win .
Congratulations to my opponent , Amy Nichole Grady , on winning the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WV ’ s 4th District .
I look forward to supporting your campaign this fall to ensure our district continues to have a leader who will always fight for conservative values .
— Mitch Carmichael ( @ SenCarmichaelWV ) June 10 , 2020 West Virginia teachers staged a rare strike in 2018 , seeking pay increases for educators and state employees , as well as a better retiree health plan , which teachers said was vital to keeping educators working in the state .
They went on strike again in 2019 to protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Virginia .
Carmichael , who was first elected in 2012 and has served as the Senate leader since 2016 , became a prime target for teachers to defeat , especially after he supported the charter school bill .
He also drew outrage from teachers after he accused the American Federation of Teachers of pushing a “ socialist agenda.
” The 2018 strike sparked a wave of teacher activism across the country , as teachers in Kentucky , Arizona and other states staged mass protests over proposed changes to pension and retirement plans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public education budgets .
The protests inspired many teachers and public school employees to run for office themselves , and Grady ’ s win is the latest example of educators flexing their muscle as candidates .
In 2018 , a teacher ousted Kentucky ’ s House majority leader in a GOP primary election .
Last year , teacher organizing helped bring down Kentucky Gov .
Matt Bevin , a Republican whose attempts to overhaul the state ’ s public pension system , cut education budgets , and bring charter schools to the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago .

West Virginia elementary school teacher Amy Nichole Grady defeated state Senate President Mitch Carmichael in a GOP primary Tuesday night. MICHAEL MATHES via Getty Images
Elementary school teacher Amy Nichole Grady defeated West Virginia state Senate President Mitch Carmichael in a Republican primary Tuesday night, another victory for educators who have scored election wins nationwide in the wake of mass teacher strikes and protests that have broken out over the last two years.
Grady was inspired to run for office by the West Virginia teacher strike that lasted for nearly two weeks in 2018, when Carmichael, who as Senate president also serves as the state’s lieutenant governor, feuded with educators over pay raises.
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She unsuccessfully sought a Senate seat as an independent in 2018, according to 100 Days in Appalachia. But on Tuesday, Grady beat Carmichael by roughly 700 votes.
Carmichael congratulated Grady in a tweet late Tuesday night, and pledged to support her in the general election, where she will face Bruce Ashworth, a progressive. Grady, who describes herself on Facebook as “a Pro-life, Pro-2nd Amendment conservative teacher who is fed up with self-serving elected officials,” is expected to win.
Congratulations to my opponent, Amy Nichole Grady, on winning the 2020 GOP nomination for State Senate in WV’s 4th District. I look forward to supporting your campaign this fall to ensure our district continues to have a leader who will always fight for conservative values. — Mitch Carmichael (@SenCarmichaelWV) June 10, 2020
West Virginia teachers staged a rare strike in 2018, seeking pay increases for educators and state employees, as well as a better retiree health plan, which teachers said was vital to keeping educators working in the state. They went on strike again in 2019 to protest legislation to bring charter schools to West Virginia.
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Carmichael, who was first elected in 2012 and has served as the Senate leader since 2016, became a prime target for teachers to defeat, especially after he supported the charter school bill. He also drew outrage from teachers after he accused the American Federation of Teachers of pushing a “socialist agenda.”
The 2018 strike sparked a wave of teacher activism across the country, as teachers in Kentucky, Arizona and other states staged mass protests over proposed changes to pension and retirement plans, expressing frustration over decades of cuts to public education budgets.
The protests inspired many teachers and public school employees to run for office themselves, and Grady’s win is the latest example of educators flexing their muscle as candidates.
In 2018, a teacher ousted Kentucky’s House majority leader in a GOP primary election. Last year, teacher organizing helped bring down Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, a Republican whose attempts to overhaul the state’s public pension system, cut education budgets, and bring charter schools to the state generated mass protests and school closures two years ago.
Bevin lost the gubernatorial race to current Gov. Andy Beshear (D) in a close election fight last November.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-10--Minneapolis Police Dept. Withdrawing From Union Negotiations

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) — The Minneapolis Police Department will withdraw from police union contract negotiations , Chief Medaria Arradondo said Wednesday in announcing the first steps in what he said would be transformational reforms to the agency in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death .
Arradondo said thorough review of the contract is planned .
He said the contract needs to be restructured to provide more transparency and flexibility for true reform .
The review would look at matters such as critical incident protocols , use of force , and disciplinary protocols including grievances and arbitration .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chief when there are grounds to terminate an officer and a third-party mechanism works to keep that person on the street .
“ This work must be transformational , but I must do it right , ” Arradondo said of reforms .
He also promised new research and strategies to spot and intervene with problem officers .
Arradondo sidestepped a question about whether he thought union head Bob Kroll , often seen as an obstacle to reform , should step down .
Arradondo , the city ’ s first African American police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1989 as a patrol officer , eventually working his way up to precinct inspector and head of the Internal Affairs Unit , which investigates officer misconduct allegations .
Along the way , he and four other black officers successfully sued the department for discrimination in promotions , pay and discipline .

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minneapolis Police Department will withdraw from police union contract negotiations, Chief Medaria Arradondo said Wednesday in announcing the first steps in what he said would be transformational reforms to the agency in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
Arradondo said thorough review of the contract is planned. He said the contract needs to be restructured to provide more transparency and flexibility for true reform. The review would look at matters such as critical incident protocols, use of force, and disciplinary protocols including grievances and arbitration.
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He said it’s debilitating for a chief when there are grounds to terminate an officer and a third-party mechanism works to keep that person on the street.
“This work must be transformational, but I must do it right,” Arradondo said of reforms.
He also promised new research and strategies to spot and intervene with problem officers.
Arradondo sidestepped a question about whether he thought union head Bob Kroll, often seen as an obstacle to reform, should step down.
Arradondo, the city’s first African American police chief, joined the Minneapolis Police Department in 1989 as a patrol officer, eventually working his way up to precinct inspector and head of the Internal Affairs Unit, which investigates officer misconduct allegations. Along the way, he and four other black officers successfully sued the department for discrimination in promotions, pay and discipline.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-10--Donald Trump Is Acting Like The Coronavirus Is Gone. It Isn’t.

“ We ’ ve made every decision correctly , ” Trump said in a rambling Rose Garden address on Friday .
With hardly a mention of the virus and its ongoing devastation , he claimed , “ We may have some embers or some ashes or we may have some flames coming , but we ’ ll put them out .
We ’ ll stomp them out.
” There ’ s no mystery behind Trump ’ s eagerness to pretend the pandemic is all but over .
His government ’ s response to the coronavirus , the ballooning economic crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police violence have sent Trump ’ s overall approval rating plummeting in every single group of likely voters .
Last week , Dr. Anthony Fauci , the government ’ s top infectious disease expert , revealed that he had not met or spoken with Trump in two weeks .
The federal official in charge of overseeing testing announced he will leave that position shortly , despite the fact that public health experts say the country is not conducting enough tests to safely reopen .
Jared Kushner , a member of the task force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of the virus was under control , Politico reported on Wednesday .
The White House is holding up its efforts to accelerate the development of vaccines — most of which are still months away from entering large human trials — as evidence that it is doing all it can to battle the virus .
From a public health perspective , the timing of Trump ’ s retreat from fighting the virus could not be more combustible .
More than a dozen states are experiencing record highs in new cases of coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rollback in stay-at-home orders , and mass demonstrations against police violence are bringing thousands of people out of their homes and into situations where the virus could easily spread .
Less than a third of states are conducting enough testing to warrant reopening , according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines , and only a handful are meeting all the benchmarks needed to contain the outbreak .
The federal government has largely washed its hand of efforts to bring states in line , leaving the task of national coordination up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he plans to hold rallies in Oklahoma , Florida , Arizona and North Carolina , three of which are struggling to contain the virus .
Arizona is currently seeing a rise in the number of new daily coronavirus cases .
Florida recently reported its highest number of new daily cases since tracking began .
And North Carolina is seeing its highest seven-day average of new infections .
Oklahoma ’ s inclusion is significant for a different reason .
Tulsa , where Trump will hold his first rally since March , was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massacres in U.S. history in 1921 .
June 19 , when he plans to hold his rally , marks the anniversary of the end of slavery in the U.S. and is also known as Juneteenth .
Many instantly read the timing and location as a deliberate insult to protesters of police violence against Black people .
Most states have nevertheless started to relax restrictions on business , travel and socializing .
Although some regions are reopening with careful safety measures in place after seeing a decline in new cases , in 21 states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of new cases is climbing .
This week , 14 states plus Puerto Rico reported their highest ever seven-day average of new infections , according to data from The Washington Post .
The latest hot spots are concentrated in rural areas — particularly in the South , Midwest and West — where health care was inadequate even before the pandemic .
Making matters more dangerous , many states seeing a surge of new cases , such as Alaska , Florida , Mississippi , Texas and South Carolina , have lax stay-at-home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .

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On Wednesday, the number of U.S. coronavirus cases leapt past 2 million, according to a New York Times database, with outbreaks growing in 21 states and more than a dozen states seeing record surges.
But President Donald Trump’s latest messages on the pandemic are almost indistinguishable from the one he was sending at the very beginning: Everything is under control.
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“We’ve made every decision correctly,” Trump said in a rambling Rose Garden address on Friday. With hardly a mention of the virus and its ongoing devastation, he claimed, “We may have some embers or some ashes or we may have some flames coming, but we’ll put them out. We’ll stomp them out.”
Days later, his reelection campaign announced the return of Trump’s massive rallies on June 19, with an event in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“This month,” declared a video tweeted out by his campaign’s spokeswoman, “we’re back.” The words loomed between footage of thousands of Trump supporters packed tightly into massive stadiums.
There’s no mystery behind Trump’s eagerness to pretend the pandemic is all but over. His government’s response to the coronavirus, the ballooning economic crisis, and the waves of protests against police violence have sent Trump’s overall approval rating plummeting in every single group of likely voters.
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A return to normal is grievously out of step with a pandemic that continues to infect roughly 20,000 new people in the United States every day and kill up to 1,000.
But it is line with the White House’s general retreat from attempts to control the outbreak.
Last week, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, revealed that he had not met or spoken with Trump in two weeks. The federal official in charge of overseeing testing announced he will leave that position shortly, despite the fact that public health experts say the country is not conducting enough tests to safely reopen.
The White House coronavirus task force, where Fauci and others are supposed to coordinate the country’s response to the deadly pandemic, convened only sporadically through the end of May and now meets just twice a week.
Jared Kushner, a member of the task force, has privately assured people that the spread of the virus was under control, Politico reported on Wednesday. The White House is holding up its efforts to accelerate the development of vaccines — most of which are still months away from entering large human trials — as evidence that it is doing all it can to battle the virus.
“This doesn’t need to be the public ‘coronavirus show’ every day anymore,” an unnamed official told Politico.
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Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) holds up a photograph of partygoers in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, celebrating Memorial Day weekend without social distancing. ASSOCIATED PRESS
From a public health perspective, the timing of Trump’s retreat from fighting the virus could not be more combustible. More than a dozen states are experiencing record highs in new cases of coronavirus, just as summer weather, a broad rollback in stay-at-home orders, and mass demonstrations against police violence are bringing thousands of people out of their homes and into situations where the virus could easily spread.
Less than a third of states are conducting enough testing to warrant reopening, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, and only a handful are meeting all the benchmarks needed to contain the outbreak. The federal government has largely washed its hand of efforts to bring states in line, leaving the task of national coordination up to governors.
And on Wednesday, Trump said he plans to hold rallies in Oklahoma, Florida, Arizona and North Carolina, three of which are struggling to contain the virus. Arizona is currently seeing a rise in the number of new daily coronavirus cases. Florida recently reported its highest number of new daily cases since tracking began. And North Carolina is seeing its highest seven-day average of new infections.
Oklahoma’s inclusion is significant for a different reason. Tulsa, where Trump will hold his first rally since March, was the site of one of the deadliest race massacres in U.S. history in 1921. June 19, when he plans to hold his rally, marks the anniversary of the end of slavery in the U.S. and is also known as Juneteenth. Many instantly read the timing and location as a deliberate insult to protesters of police violence against Black people.
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His campaign has yet to say which safety measures it will enforce to attempt to reduce rampant transmission of the virus at the rallies.
At his Friday Rose Garden speech, the White House seated reporters close together, reportedly for better optics. The president himself has avoided taking basic safety measures like wearing a mask except when pressured. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has not convened mass rallies and avoided most large public appearances.
As of Wednesday, more than 110,000 people in the United States had died of COVID-19, according to the CDC.
“It isn’t over yet,” Fauci said Tuesday.
He emphasized that the pandemic is only deepening long-standing inequalities, infecting and killing in Black communities at disproportionate rates.
Fauci also contradicted Trump’s claim on Friday that “we understand this disease now.” In fact, Fauci said, “we’re still at the beginning of really understanding.”
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Most states have nevertheless started to relax restrictions on business, travel and socializing. Although some regions are reopening with careful safety measures in place after seeing a decline in new cases, in 21 states, The New York Times found, the number of new cases is climbing.
This week, 14 states plus Puerto Rico reported their highest ever seven-day average of new infections, according to data from The Washington Post. The latest hot spots are concentrated in rural areas — particularly in the South, Midwest and West — where health care was inadequate even before the pandemic. Making matters more dangerous, many states seeing a surge of new cases, such as Alaska, Florida, Mississippi, Texas and South Carolina, have lax stay-at-home orders to reduce the spread of the virus.
Those spikes are broadly linked to Memorial Day weekend, when cellphone data suggests that thousands of residents let their guard down to shop and travel.
Health experts worry that another spike will follow the mass civil protests against police violence taking place in hundreds of cities in all 50 states.
For Trump, the protests aren’t a health concern or a moral challenge but a way to dodge questions.
Aides to his campaign told Politico that with so many people protesting, they believed it would make it difficult for critics to call Trump out. On Wednesday, asked about safeguarding voters who cast ballots in person, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany snapped back, “There’s a way to safely vote if you can safely protest.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-10--Christopher Columbus Statue Beheaded In Boston Park

Last month , protesters in Birmingham , Alabama , tore down a statue of Charles Linn , one of the city ’ s founders and a supporter of the Confederacy .
Also last month , statues of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee , Stonewall Jackson , Jefferson Davis and Gen. J.E.B .
Stuart in Richmond , Virginia , were all graffiti-bombed .
Confederate Defenders statues in Charleston , South Carolina , were spray-painted with “ BLM ” ( Black Lives Matter ) and “ traitors.
” The movement to remove statues of racist historical figures appears to be gaining strength @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D ) signed a law in April that allows “ localities to remove many of the more than 200 Confederate memorials and symbols still standing across the state.
” Virginia is the state with the most Confederate monuments .
“ I anticipate that in the next six months or a year , we ’ ll see them come down all over Virginia , ” W. Fitzhugh Brundage , a history professor at the University of North Carolina , told HuffPost ’ s Travis Waldron earlier this week .
“ That ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South .
The tipping point has been reached , ” he said .

Last month, protesters in Birmingham, Alabama, tore down a statue of Charles Linn, one of the city’s founders and a supporter of the Confederacy.
Also last month, statues of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Jefferson Davis and Gen. J.E.B. Stuart in Richmond, Virginia, were all graffiti-bombed. Confederate Defenders statues in Charleston, South Carolina, were spray-painted with “BLM” (Black Lives Matter) and “traitors.”
The movement to remove statues of racist historical figures appears to be gaining strength. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) signed a law in April that allows “localities to remove many of the more than 200 Confederate memorials and symbols still standing across the state.” Virginia is the state with the most Confederate monuments.
“I anticipate that in the next six months or a year, we’ll see them come down all over Virginia,” W. Fitzhugh Brundage, a history professor at the University of North Carolina, told HuffPost’s Travis Waldron earlier this week.
“That’s the most significant Confederate commemorative landscape in the South. The tipping point has been reached,” he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-10--Georgia's Primary Election Was A National Scandal

The state ’ s new voting machines did not work , because of either mechanical failure or poor training of poll workers .
Many voters came to wait in line after failing to receive absentee ballots they requested to avoid the in-person threat of coronavirus .
And many voters left the lines without having cast their ballots .
Even for a state marred by a recent history of malice and incompetence in its administration of elections , Tuesday ’ s election was a calamity .
It was neither free nor fair , critics said .
President Donald Trump and former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be competitive in Georgia in the general election .
The state is also in the rare position of holding races to fill two U.S. Senate seats , either one of which could decide which party holds the balance of power in that body .
The state ’ s primary election was one of many across the country that have revealed the challenges of holding elections during a viral pandemic , which may remain an obstacle for the November general election .
An unprecedented 1.5 million Georgians requested absentee ballots .
But thousands did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems and instead went in person to the limited number of open polling sites .
And Georgia experienced problems that other states have not while trying to adjust to the effects of the pandemic .
At some polling sites , voting machines had not even been delivered by the time the polls were supposed to open .
At others , unprepared poll workers could not turn them on .
And there were too few provisional ballots for voters who suddenly learned their names had been purged from the rolls .
Others discovered that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizens .
The state closed more than 200 polling locations , mostly in Black and brown communities , after the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013 .
That led to long lines snaking out of voting centers in Black neighborhoods .
In 2018 , then-Secretary of State Brian Kemp , a Republican , used his position to purge hundreds of thousands of voters from the rolls — possibly illegally — during his successful campaign for governor against Stacey Abrams .
Days before the 2018 election , he falsely accused the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information .

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Thousands of Georgia voters waited for up to seven hours in lines that stretched blocks during the state’s primary election on Tuesday, and many left before voting.
The state’s new voting machines did not work, because of either mechanical failure or poor training of poll workers. Many voters came to wait in line after failing to receive absentee ballots they requested to avoid the in-person threat of coronavirus. And many voters left the lines without having cast their ballots.
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The worst problems were concentrated in counties and localities with higher Black populations.
Even for a state marred by a recent history of malice and incompetence in its administration of elections, Tuesday’s election was a calamity. It was neither free nor fair, critics said.
The election drew national attention as former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton tweeted that Georgia’s failure was “voter suppression.”
“Many Republicans don’t want certain people to vote,” former Attorney General Eric Holder tweeted. And L.A. Lakers star LeBron James asked whether it revealed “structurally racist” barriers to voting.
“Yesterday was completely avoidable,” said Nse Ufot, executive director for the New Georgia Project. “It was a direct attack on our democracy.”
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“Maybe the Carter Center should send monitors to monitor Georgia elections,” said Jerry Gonzalez, executive director of Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, referencing the organization founded by former President Jimmy Carter that monitors foreign elections.
President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are expected to be competitive in Georgia in the general election. The state is also in the rare position of holding races to fill two U.S. Senate seats, either one of which could decide which party holds the balance of power in that body.
People wait in line to vote in Georgia's primary election at Park Tavern on Tuesday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
If the problems revealed on Tuesday recur on Nov. 3, it could throw the entire country into chaos.
The state’s primary election was one of many across the country that have revealed the challenges of holding elections during a viral pandemic, which may remain an obstacle for the November general election.
As have many other states, Georgia consolidated polling places and urged voters to request an absentee ballot. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger even sent absentee ballot applications to all active voters.
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An unprecedented 1.5 million Georgians requested absentee ballots. But thousands did not receive their ballots or had other problems and instead went in person to the limited number of open polling sites.
And Georgia experienced problems that other states have not while trying to adjust to the effects of the pandemic. At some polling sites, voting machines had not even been delivered by the time the polls were supposed to open. At others, unprepared poll workers could not turn them on. And there were too few provisional ballots for voters who suddenly learned their names had been purged from the rolls. Others discovered that they were no longer listed as U.S. citizens.
Georgia’s absentee ballot problem even affected 2018 Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. She said on Tuesday that she was forced to vote in person after her absentee ballot arrived with a defective return envelope.
“We received tons of calls from voters around the state reflecting, frankly, chaos,” said John Powers, voting rights counsel for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
Voting rights advocates said on Wednesday that their concerns about these exact problems had been relayed to Raffensperger and county election administrators prior to the election.
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“We urged the secretary of state’s office to change election procedures that would have had a huge impact on yesterday’s elections,” said Aunna Dennis, executive director of Common Cause Georgia.
Raffensperger and administrators in the counties that saw the worst problems on Tuesday ― including Cobb, Gwinnett, DeKalb and Fulton counties ― blamed each other for what happened.
Raffensperger announced an investigation into the election administration in Fulton and DeKalb counties. DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, meanwhile, called for an investigation into Raffensperger’s own election preparations.
“Instead of leading in this moment, the secretary of state’s office decided to use the kind of finger-pointing that cowards use,” said James Woodall, president of the Georgia NAACP.
Other advocates called for Raffensperger and county election officials to either resign or be fired.
“The secretary of state needs to resign,” Ufot said. “The director of elections for Fulton County should resign or be terminated.”
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“I also think our secretary of state should resign in disgrace,” Gonzalez said.
Even before Tuesday’s debacle, Georgia was in the spotlight for its recent history of voter suppression and malicious election administration.
Voters wait in line to vote at the Park Tavern polling place in Atlanta on Tuesday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The state closed more than 200 polling locations, mostly in Black and brown communities, after the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013. That led to long lines snaking out of voting centers in Black neighborhoods.
In 2018, then-Secretary of State Brian Kemp, a Republican, used his position to purge hundreds of thousands of voters from the rolls — possibly illegally — during his successful campaign for governor against Stacey Abrams. Days before the 2018 election, he falsely accused the Democratic Party of “hacking” election information.
Kemp had previously pushed a politically motivated and failed prosecution of Black politicians on trumped-up charges of voter fraud.
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Now, the state legislature is considering legislation that opponents call “the anti-voting rights bill of 2020.”
Voting rights advocates are calling for lawmakers to oppose that bill and also for the secretary of state’s office to extend the deadline by which absentee ballots can be returned; provide prepaid postage for absentee ballot return envelopes; offer better training and adequate personal protective equipment for poll workers; and implement a new communications strategy to inform voters about absentee ballot drop boxes and polling locations, among other things.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-10--More Than 1,250 Ex-DOJ Workers Demand Probe Of AG Barr Over Protesters’ Removal

More than 1,250 former Justice Department workers have signed a letter calling for an independent investigation into Attorney General William Barr ’ s role in last week ’ s violent removal of anti-racism demonstrators near a park outside of the White House .
The letter addressed to DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz on Wednesday called Barr ’ s reported role in the protesters ’ June 1 removal ahead of President Donald Trump ’ s photo-op at a nearby church “ disturbing ” as well as a likely violation of the demonstrators ’ constitutional rights .
“ If the Attorney General @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participated in actions that have deprived Americans of their constitutional rights or that physically injured Americans lawfully exercising their rights , that would be misconduct of the utmost seriousness , the details of which must be shared with the American people , ” the letter states .
Attorney General William Barr , seen during a roundtable discussion with law enforcement officials at the White House on June 8 , has defended authorities ' use of force against protesters during a June 1 event outside the White House .
The letter had 1,264 signatures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are predominantly former career prosecutors , supervisors and trial lawyers with between one and 45 years of service with the DOJ .
Their shared concerns follow complaints that protesters were tear-gassed and hit with rubber bullets while peacefully protesting near Lafayette Square ahead of the city ’ s curfew .
Minutes after police forced the demonstrators back by one block , Trump walked through the park and to St. John ’ s Church where he held up a Bible for photos .
Barr was among those accompanying him .
The letter admonished the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a politically motivated event in which Attorney General Barr participated ” and cast doubt on the officers ’ qualifications and training ― not just during the Lafayette Square event but other protests across the country .
“ We have no assurance that these officers are lawfully deployed , that they will respect the rights of the civilians they encounter , or that there are proper mechanisms in place to identify and investigate possible law enforcement misconduct , ” the letter states while addressing complaints that some of the officers have ignored protesters ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It completely undermines the ability to hold law enforcement personnel who engage in misconduct accountable , ” he said .
“ You ’ ve got to know who they are , and certainly which agency they represent.
” Protestors take a knee and raise their fists in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 1 .
The protesters were forced back with gas canisters and flash-bang grenades by officers called to the scene .
Barr admitted to CBS News that he was the one who helped coordinate a federal response to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placed on standby .
He said he personally “ gave the green light ” to have the protesters moved back one block , following an overnight request by Park Police .
This description of events followed him telling The Associated Press in an interview on Friday that he was not involved in giving tactical commands to the officers .
Video taken at the scene of the D.C. event showed protesters being beaten with police batons and riot shields as gas canisters and flash-bang grenades were hurled at them , seemingly indiscriminately .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House press secretary ’ s claim that the protesters were removed “ peaceably.
” The White House has also denied that rubber bullets were used or that chemical irritants were used .
Barr and Park Police have insisted that only pepper balls were hurled into the crowd , though some of the projectiles collected from the scene have suggested otherwise .

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More than 1,250 former Justice Department workers have signed a letter calling for an independent investigation into Attorney General William Barr’s role in last week’s violent removal of anti-racism demonstrators near a park outside of the White House.
The letter addressed to DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz on Wednesday called Barr’s reported role in the protesters’ June 1 removal ahead of President Donald Trump’s photo-op at a nearby church “disturbing” as well as a likely violation of the demonstrators’ constitutional rights.
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“If the Attorney General or any other DOJ employee has directly participated in actions that have deprived Americans of their constitutional rights or that physically injured Americans lawfully exercising their rights, that would be misconduct of the utmost seriousness, the details of which must be shared with the American people,” the letter states.
Attorney General William Barr, seen during a roundtable discussion with law enforcement officials at the White House on June 8, has defended authorities' use of force against protesters during a June 1 event outside the White House. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The letter had 1,264 signatures as of Wednesday afternoon. The individuals are predominantly former career prosecutors, supervisors and trial lawyers with between one and 45 years of service with the DOJ.
Their shared concerns follow complaints that protesters were tear-gassed and hit with rubber bullets while peacefully protesting near Lafayette Square ahead of the city’s curfew. Minutes after police forced the demonstrators back by one block, Trump walked through the park and to St. John’s Church where he held up a Bible for photos. Barr was among those accompanying him.
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The letter admonished the idea that protesters were silenced for “a politically motivated event in which Attorney General Barr participated” and cast doubt on the officers’ qualifications and training ― not just during the Lafayette Square event but other protests across the country.
Law enforcement officers are seen responding to a protest near Lafayette Park ahead of President Trump's trip to St. John's Church on June 1. Drew Angerer via Getty Images
“We have no assurance that these officers are lawfully deployed, that they will respect the rights of the civilians they encounter, or that there are proper mechanisms in place to identify and investigate possible law enforcement misconduct,” the letter states while addressing complaints that some of the officers have ignored protesters’ requests for them to provide identification.
Michael Bromwich, a former inspector general of the Justice Department whose name was on the letter, previously expressed concern to HuffPost that allowing federal law enforcement officers to operate anonymously “creates a huge problem” for oversight.
“It completely undermines the ability to hold law enforcement personnel who engage in misconduct accountable,” he said. “You’ve got to know who they are, and certainly which agency they represent.”
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Protestors take a knee and raise their fists in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 1. The protesters were forced back with gas canisters and flash-bang grenades by officers called to the scene. MANDEL NGAN via Getty Images
Barr has defended the use of force against the protesters, telling CBS News in an interview that aired Sunday that the event’s participants “were not peaceful.”
“And that’s one of the big lies that the media seems to be perpetuating at this point,” he said.
Barr admitted to CBS News that he was the one who helped coordinate a federal response to the protesters, including having active-duty troops placed on standby. He said he personally “gave the green light” to have the protesters moved back one block, following an overnight request by Park Police.
This description of events followed him telling The Associated Press in an interview on Friday that he was not involved in giving tactical commands to the officers.
President Donald Trump leaves the White House on foot to go to St John's Episcopal church, across from Lafayette Park, where he posed with a Bible. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images
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“My attitude was, get it done, but I didn’t say, ‘Go do it,’” he said.
Video taken at the scene of the D.C. event showed protesters being beaten with police batons and riot shields as gas canisters and flash-bang grenades were hurled at them, seemingly indiscriminately. This violence was a stark contrast to the White House press secretary’s claim that the protesters were removed “peaceably.”
The White House has also denied that rubber bullets were used or that chemical irritants were used. Barr and Park Police have insisted that only pepper balls were hurled into the crowd, though some of the projectiles collected from the scene have suggested otherwise.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-10--Trump Administration Hints At Support For A Smaller Unemployment Boost

The Trump administration may be open to continuing to pay higher unemployment benefits to those put out of work during the coronavirus pandemic when the $ 600 boost currently in place expires at the end of next month .
Republicans in Congress have been dead set against keeping the extra $ 600 , but U.S. Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia suggested Tuesday that a lower sum might be appropriate .
“ There ’ s been discussion of perhaps having a smaller benefit ― not $ 600 , but perhaps $ 250 , ” Scalia told the Senate Finance Committee in response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( R-La . )
about whether states would be able to gradually phase down the $ 600 .
Congress added the extra $ 600 per week to unemployment insurance in March to help people ride out the coronavirus pandemic at home , since businesses shuttered in order to slow the spread of the virus that has killed more than 110,000 Americans .
They also added three months to the duration of benefits and expanded eligibility , policies that will continue through the end of the year .
It ’ s unusual for Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits , which are paid by states .
In past recessions , Congress has simply added extra weeks of federally funded benefits for workers who run out of state benefits .
Democrats think the extra money should remain in place until the economy recovers , but have hinted they could accept a lower sum .
Lawmakers came up with $ 600 because it ’ s roughly the difference because the average unemployment payment of about $ 350 and the average weekly wage of about $ 950 .
Republicans have been protesting the extra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would discourage people from returning to work even though public health officials say social distancing is the only way to slow the spread of the virus .
In both the House and Senate , GOP lawmakers have proposed “ return to work ” bonuses in lieu of keeping the higher unemployment compensation .
The Trump administration has bragged about its effort to “ raise unemployment benefits , ” but the Labor Department has encouraged states to disqualify anyone who refuses to go back to work , and even workers at higher risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In May , payroll employment unexpectedly rose by more than 2 million , suggesting the higher payments didn ’ t hamper hiring the way Republicans feared .
The unemployment rate fell from a historically high 14.7 % to a still-historically high 13.3 % .
“ Big corporations are getting trillions of dollars in support to weather this crisis , but Congress is going to start pinching pennies when the little guy needs help ?
” Wyden said .
“ The system is already rigged to favor the powerful and wealthy .
The Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further.
” Committee chair Chuck Grassley ( R-Iowa ) said that with states reopening and unemployment falling , “ we need to shift our focus to helping people safely return to work , making sure businesses are able to come back quickly and put the country back on a path to economic growth.
” “ It was the right thing to do , at that time , in a closing economy , and I ’ m mindful of the concerns and I heard members express them at the time that that might result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .

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The Trump administration may be open to continuing to pay higher unemployment benefits to those put out of work during the coronavirus pandemic when the $600 boost currently in place expires at the end of next month.
Republicans in Congress have been dead set against keeping the extra $600, but U.S. Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia suggested Tuesday that a lower sum might be appropriate.
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“There’s been discussion of perhaps having a smaller benefit ― not $600, but perhaps $250,” Scalia told the Senate Finance Committee in response to a question from Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) about whether states would be able to gradually phase down the $600.
Congress added the extra $600 per week to unemployment insurance in March to help people ride out the coronavirus pandemic at home, since businesses shuttered in order to slow the spread of the virus that has killed more than 110,000 Americans. They also added three months to the duration of benefits and expanded eligibility, policies that will continue through the end of the year.
It’s unusual for Congress to boost the dollar amount of weekly benefits, which are paid by states. In past recessions, Congress has simply added extra weeks of federally funded benefits for workers who run out of state benefits.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), left, elbow-bumps Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia before the start of a Senate Finance Committee hearing on COVID-19/Unemployment Insurance on Capitol Hill on June 9, 2020. CAROLINE BREHMAN via Getty Images
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Democrats think the extra money should remain in place until the economy recovers, but have hinted they could accept a lower sum. Lawmakers came up with $600 because it’s roughly the difference because the average unemployment payment of about $350 and the average weekly wage of about $950.
Republicans have been protesting the extra money from the start, saying it would discourage people from returning to work even though public health officials say social distancing is the only way to slow the spread of the virus. In both the House and Senate, GOP lawmakers have proposed “return to work” bonuses in lieu of keeping the higher unemployment compensation.
The Trump administration has bragged about its effort to “raise unemployment benefits,” but the Labor Department has encouraged states to disqualify anyone who refuses to go back to work, and even workers at higher risk of illness have seen their benefits canceled.
In May, payroll employment unexpectedly rose by more than 2 million, suggesting the higher payments didn’t hamper hiring the way Republicans feared. The unemployment rate fell from a historically high 14.7% to a still-historically high 13.3%.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the committee’s top Democrat, said he’d heard his Republican colleagues say they supported halving the $600 boost.
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“Big corporations are getting trillions of dollars in support to weather this crisis, but Congress is going to start pinching pennies when the little guy needs help?” Wyden said. “The system is already rigged to favor the powerful and wealthy. The Congress certainly should not stack the deck any further.”
Committee chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said that with states reopening and unemployment falling, “we need to shift our focus to helping people safely return to work, making sure businesses are able to come back quickly and put the country back on a path to economic growth.”
Scalia emphasized that the extra cash has been a good policy, even if he supports phasing it down.