thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-09--What That Sturgis COVID-19 Paper Doesn't Show — And What It Does

The paper , by four economists from three U.S. universities , claims that the 10-day event in Sturgis led to nearly 267,000 cases around the country .
That figure is dramatically higher than the number of cases public health departments have linked directly to the festival ― 124 in South Dakota , according to state officials , and 290 across the country , according to a tally from The Associated Press .
She isn ’ t the only one questioning the paper , however .
A number of public health specialists raised concerns about its assumptions and findings .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to undergo peer review , which refers to the process of using outside scholars to vet a paper before it ’ s published in an academic journal .
At the same time , plenty of outside experts are taking the paper seriously ― noting that the authors used a widely accepted methodology and were transparent about their assumptions .
That ’ s is a far cry from making up the numbers , as Noem suggested .
Warnings Before The Rally , COVID Cases After It The Sturgis rally took place over 10 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimated 460,000 visitors from all over the country .
It was one of the few mass public gatherings to proceed as planned in the last few months , as COVID-19 has forced cancellations of everything from professional sports to rock concerts .
Since the festival , COVID-19 cases have spiked in South Dakota , North Dakota and neighboring Iowa , and public health workers in those states and others have identified cases originating from people who likely got sick while attending the event .
That includes one Minnesota man who died last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not much more than 100 , and it is not clear how much those big spikes in the Dakotas and adjacent states are byproducts of Sturgis .
Other factors , starting with the return of college students to campus , could be playing a big role .
The findings , in a working paper published by the Iza Institute of Labor Economics , provide “ strong evidence that the Sturgis Rally appears to have been a superspreader event for COVID-19 , ” the authors wrote .
“ We find significant case increases within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as increases extending to counties from which relatively more residents attended the event.
” One reason the number of coronavirus cases the working paper links to Sturgis is so much higher than the official numbers is that public health departments rely on contact tracing ― that is , interviewing everybody who tests positive for the virus to get their known contacts , then getting in touch with those people , and so on .
It ’ s labor-intensive work that can strain even well-funded public health departments .
“ What the paper doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have happened in these communities if the rally had been cancelled , ” Lauren Ancel Meyers , director of the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium , said in an email .
“ Would the folks who attended the rally still have gathered in large groups or engaged in other activities that exacerbated COVID-19 spread ?
” Other scholars weighed in on Twitter , with Kevin Griffith of Vanderbilt urging “ caution ” before taking results at face value and Jimi Adams from the University of Colorado Denver saying , “ Author ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less convinced of their methods , rather than moreso.
” The paper , he said , “ likely vastly overstates the impact .
”

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A new research paper on the spread of COVID-19 from a South Dakota motorcycle rally last month has generated a lot of attention ― and a lot of skepticism.
In both cases, it’s easy to see why.
The paper, by four economists from three U.S. universities, claims that the 10-day event in Sturgis led to nearly 267,000 cases around the country. That figure is dramatically higher than the number of cases public health departments have linked directly to the festival ― 124 in South Dakota, according to state officials, and 290 across the country, according to a tally from The Associated Press.
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The study prompted splashy headlines and has lit up social media all week. Even Bette Middler tweeted about it. “Thanks assholes,” she wrote.
South Dakota officials have rejected the paper’s findings, with Gov. Kristi Noem calling it “fiction.” Noem, a Republican, said the researchers “took a snapshot in time, and they did a lot of speculation, did some back-of-the-napkin math, made up some numbers and published them.”
“Models are very valuable tools when we can’t have our ideal, but there are limitations.” - Keri Altoff, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
Noem’s attitude may not be surprising, given the relatively lax approach she’s taken to the pandemic ― eschewing mask mandates, for example, and allowing the Sturgis rally to go forward despite warnings that it would become a “superspreader” event.
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She isn’t the only one questioning the paper, however. A number of public health specialists raised concerns about its assumptions and findings. They have noted that the paper has yet to undergo peer review, which refers to the process of using outside scholars to vet a paper before it’s published in an academic journal.
At the same time, plenty of outside experts are taking the paper seriously ― noting that the authors used a widely accepted methodology and were transparent about their assumptions. That’s is a far cry from making up the numbers, as Noem suggested.
Whatever the merits of that 266,000 figure, several outside scholars told HuffPost, the paper offers more reason to think that Sturgis significantly increased COVID-19 spread well beyond what official figures suggest.
Warnings Before The Rally, COVID Cases After It
The Sturgis rally took place over 10 days in early August and ultimately attracted an estimated 460,000 visitors from all over the country. It was one of the few mass public gatherings to proceed as planned in the last few months, as COVID-19 has forced cancellations of everything from professional sports to rock concerts.
Many public health scholars warned beforehand that Sturgis would cause outbreaks, not just near the festival site but also in communities around the country once riders returned home.
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During the event, images showed attendees crowded together, sometimes indoors, creating precisely the conditions in which the virus spreads most readily. Most people were not wearing masks.
Concertgoers attend a performance by Saul at the Iron Horse Saloon on Aug. 14, 2020, during the 80th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. Amy Harris/Invision/AP
Since the festival, COVID-19 cases have spiked in South Dakota, North Dakota and neighboring Iowa, and public health workers in those states and others have identified cases originating from people who likely got sick while attending the event. That includes one Minnesota man who died last week.
Still, the official tally is not much more than 100, and it is not clear how much those big spikes in the Dakotas and adjacent states are byproducts of Sturgis. Other factors, starting with the return of college students to campus, could be playing a big role.
To address these questions, four economists affiliated with the Center for Health Economics and Policy Studies at the San Diego State University ― Dhaval Dave, Andrew Friedson, Drew McNichols and Joseph Sabia ― used mathematical modeling, based in part on anonymized cell phone data, to compare outbreaks in communities with Sturgis attendees to those without.
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That is how the scholars got their 267,000 caseload figure ― which, they said, would account for nearly 1 in 5 COVID-19 cases at the time.
The findings, in a working paper published by the Iza Institute of Labor Economics, provide “strong evidence that the Sturgis Rally appears to have been a superspreader event for COVID-19,” the authors wrote. “We find significant case increases within the state of South Dakota as well as increases extending to counties from which relatively more residents attended the event.”
The authors also said evidence suggested lower spread in states that were taking active mitigation steps, like requiring masks and restricting business activity.
The Difficulties Of Pinpointing A Number
One reason the number of coronavirus cases the working paper links to Sturgis is so much higher than the official numbers is that public health departments rely on contact tracing ― that is, interviewing everybody who tests positive for the virus to get their known contacts, then getting in touch with those people, and so on. It’s labor-intensive work that can strain even well-funded public health departments.
“At the scale we’re talking about here, contact tracing is just not going to be effective, at least as it’s currently implemented,” Elizabeth Stuart, a biostatistician at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told HuffPost on Wednesday.
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Keri Althoff, a professor of epidemiology also at the Hopkins Bloomberg School, said she, too, found the paper’s general finding “plausible.” She also said that’s not the same thing as saying the finding is right.
“Models are very valuable tools when we can’t have our ideal, but there are limitations,” Althoff said.
Among the key issues, she and other scholars said, were the assumptions the authors plugged into their models.
“What the paper doesn’t tell us is what would have happened in these communities if the rally had been cancelled,” Lauren Ancel Meyers, director of the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium, said in an email. “Would the folks who attended the rally still have gathered in large groups or engaged in other activities that exacerbated COVID-19 spread?”
Stuart added, “I would have liked to have seen more acknowledgment of the uncertainty, the noise in there.”
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“What the paper doesn’t tell us is what would have happened in these communities if the rally had been cancelled.” - Lauren Ancel Meyers, University of Texas
Other scholars weighed in on Twitter, with Kevin Griffith of Vanderbilt urging “caution” before taking results at face value and Jimi Adams from the University of Colorado Denver saying, “Author’s summary of the assumptions left me less convinced of their methods, rather than moreso.” The paper, he said, “likely vastly overstates the impact.”
But Stuart said the general approach of the paper was “reasonable” and “widely accepted.” Although she might not vouch for the 266,000 figure, she said, all current estimates of COVID-19 spread are going to be highly imprecise.
Meyers also saw the paper as a contribution: “Even though the analysis makes key assumptions that need further validation,” she said, “it provides initial evidence that the pandemic spread faster in communities that hosted or had large numbers of residents that attended the rally than communities that largely stayed away.”
It’s entirely possible that, as the paper continues to get attention and scrutiny, a consensus among scholars will form ― that it’s mostly right, that it’s mostly wrong, or somewhere in between. That’s the nature of academic research, especially for hastily written working papers.
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“I think it’s really important to do these sorts of studies, but it’s also incredibly hard to do,” Stuart said. “I’m a big fan of building a body of evidence, knowing that any one study is not going to be definitive.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-09--Bob Woodward Defends Withholding Trump’s Coronavirus Comments For Months

NEW YORK ( AP ) — Bob Woodward , facing widespread criticism for only now revealing President Donald Trump ’ s early concerns about the severity of the coronavirus , told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he needed time to be sure that Trump ’ s private comments from February were accurate .
In Woodward ’ s upcoming book on Trump , “ Rage , ” the president is quoted saying the virus was highly contagious and “ deadly stuff ” at a time he was publicly dismissing it as no worse than the flu .
Woodward , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , spoke with Trump more than a dozen times for his book .
“ He tells me this , and I ’ m thinking , ‘ Wow , that ’ s interesting , but is it true ?
’ Trump says things that don ’ t check out , right ?
” Woodward told the AP during a telephone interview .
Using a famous phrase from the Watergate era , when Woodward ’ s reporting for the Post helped lead to President Richard Nixon ’ s resignation , Woodward said his mission was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know and when did he know it ?
” On Twitter and elsewhere online , commentators accused Woodward of valuing book sales over public health .
“ Nearly 200,000 Americans have died because neither Donald Trump nor Bob Woodward wanted to risk anything substantial to keep the country informed , ” wrote Esquire ’ s Charles P. Pierce .
The issue of daily journalists presenting newsworthy information in books isn ’ t new .
The competition for attention is intense , and headlines help boost sales and guest shots for interviews .
Reporter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times recently attracted attention for his book , “ Donald Trump v. The United States , ” by reporting new details on an unannounced visit by Trump to Walter Reed military hospital in November 2019 .
Schmidt reported that Vice President Mike Pence was put on alert that he might have to briefly assume the powers of the presidency if the president had to undergo a procedure that required anesthesia .
Pence later said he didn ’ t recall being put on standby for the Reed visit , which the White House has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s routine annual physical .
But Schmidt ’ s book renewed speculation about Trump ’ s health .
Political figures with book deals also have been chastised for holding back timely material .
Former national security adviser John Bolton , whose scathing memoir “ The Room Where It Happened ” came out in June , declined discussing Trump ’ s actions towards Ukraine while the impeachment hearings were being held earlier this year .
Woodward ’ s book , which comes out next week , draws from 18 conversations with Trump between December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Woodward said Trump called him “ out of the blue ” in early February to “ unburden himself ” about the virus , which then had few cases in the U.S .
But Woodward said that only in May was he satisfied that Trump ’ s comments were based on reliable information and that by then the virus had spread nationwide .
“ If I had done the story at that time about what he knew in February , that ’ s not telling us anything we didn ’ t know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , the issue was no longer one of public health but of politics .
His priority became getting the story out before the election in November .
“ That was the demarcation line for me , ” he said .
“ Had I decided that my book was coming out on Christmas , the end of this year , that would have been unthinkable.
” “ Could I have brought others in ?
Could they have done things I couldn ’ t do ?
” he asked .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was ( still ) on the trail when it ( the virus ) exploded .
”

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NEW YORK (AP) — Bob Woodward, facing widespread criticism for only now revealing President Donald Trump’s early concerns about the severity of the coronavirus, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he needed time to be sure that Trump’s private comments from February were accurate.
In Woodward’s upcoming book on Trump, “Rage,” the president is quoted saying the virus was highly contagious and “deadly stuff” at a time he was publicly dismissing it as no worse than the flu. Woodward, the celebrated Washington Post journalist and best-selling author, spoke with Trump more than a dozen times for his book.
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“He tells me this, and I’m thinking, ‘Wow, that’s interesting, but is it true?’ Trump says things that don’t check out, right?” Woodward told the AP during a telephone interview. Using a famous phrase from the Watergate era, when Woodward’s reporting for the Post helped lead to President Richard Nixon’s resignation, Woodward said his mission was to determine, “What did he know and when did he know it?”
On Twitter and elsewhere online, commentators accused Woodward of valuing book sales over public health. “Nearly 200,000 Americans have died because neither Donald Trump nor Bob Woodward wanted to risk anything substantial to keep the country informed,” wrote Esquire’s Charles P. Pierce.
The issue of daily journalists presenting newsworthy information in books isn’t new. The competition for attention is intense, and headlines help boost sales and guest shots for interviews. Reporter Michael S. Schmidt of The New York Times recently attracted attention for his book, “Donald Trump v. The United States,” by reporting new details on an unannounced visit by Trump to Walter Reed military hospital in November 2019. Schmidt reported that Vice President Mike Pence was put on alert that he might have to briefly assume the powers of the presidency if the president had to undergo a procedure that required anesthesia.
Pence later said he didn’t recall being put on standby for the Reed visit, which the White House has said was part of the president’s routine annual physical. But Schmidt’s book renewed speculation about Trump’s health.
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Political figures with book deals also have been chastised for holding back timely material. Former national security adviser John Bolton, whose scathing memoir “The Room Where It Happened” came out in June, declined discussing Trump’s actions towards Ukraine while the impeachment hearings were being held earlier this year.
Woodward’s book, which comes out next week, draws from 18 conversations with Trump between December and July. During his AP interview, Woodward said Trump called him “out of the blue” in early February to “unburden himself” about the virus, which then had few cases in the U.S. But Woodward said that only in May was he satisfied that Trump’s comments were based on reliable information and that by then the virus had spread nationwide.
“If I had done the story at that time about what he knew in February, that’s not telling us anything we didn’t know,” Woodward said. At that point, he said, the issue was no longer one of public health but of politics. His priority became getting the story out before the election in November.
“That was the demarcation line for me,” he said. “Had I decided that my book was coming out on Christmas, the end of this year, that would have been unthinkable.”
Asked why he didn’t share Trump’s February remarks for a fellow Post reporter to pursue, Woodward said he had developed “some pretty important sources” on his own.
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“Could I have brought others in? Could they have done things I couldn’t do?” he asked. “I was on the trail, and I was (still) on the trail when it (the virus) exploded.”
____


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-09--Trump Defends Decision To Play Down COVID-19 Before Peak Of Pandemic

Following the release of damning quotes he reportedly gave to journalist Bob Woodward , President Donald Trump defended his decision to play down the coronavirus as it spread throughout the country .
At a press conference Wednesday , Trump did not deny the remarks he made as quoted by Woodward .
Instead , he said that he didn ’ t want to cause panic in the country after learning how deadly COVID-19 really was .
When a reporter asked if Trump had misled the country about the virus to reduce panic , Trump said : “ If you said ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perhaps that ’ s so.
” Excerpts of Woodward ’ s interviews with Trump were made public on Wednesday , revealing that the president was aware of the deadly threat that the coronavirus posed to the U.S. weeks before the country saw its first confirmed virus-linked death in Washington state .
As of Wednesday , the U.S. had reported at least 175,866 coronavirus-related deaths , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
John Hopkins University tallied the U.S. death toll at 189,653 .
“ Certainly , I ’ m not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world into a frenzy , ” Trump said Wednesday , defending the comments he made to Woodward .
“ We want to show strength as a nation.
” “ But we don ’ t want to instill panic , ” he added .
“ We don ’ t want to jump up and down and start shouting that we have a problem that is a tremendous problem , scare everybody.
” According to Woodward , Trump knew how deadly the virus was as early as Feb. 7 , when he told the investigative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the air and described the virus as “ more deadly than even your strenuous flus.
” However , Trump and his administration understated the threat of the virus in public in the following months , even as case numbers and deaths climbed in hot spots around the U.S. On Feb. 24 , Trump maintained that the U.S. had “ it very much under control in this country.
” On March 10 , he claimed that the virus would just “ go away ” and repeated that again in late April , saying “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ we ’ re very prepared to handle it ” if the virus returned in the fall .
Despite knowing the virus could be contracted through the air , Trump also held his first summer campaign rally in June and continues to hold in-person rallies as the 2020 election draws near .
When a reporter asked Trump on Wednesday whether he thinks he could have saved more lives if he was more “ forthcoming ” about the risk of the virus , Trump said that “ millions of people ” would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do what we did.
” “ We closed up our country ... very quickly , very effectively , ” Trump said , noting that the U.S. learned about the disease along with the rest of the world .
“ And then we opened it up , ” he said of the U.S. economy .
“ And now we know the vulnerable , who it attacks , who it ’ s so vicious against.
” “ I think we ’ ve done , from every standpoint , an incredible job .
We shouldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added , before blaming the spread of the virus in the U.S. on China .

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Following the release of damning quotes he reportedly gave to journalist Bob Woodward, President Donald Trump defended his decision to play down the coronavirus as it spread throughout the country.
At a press conference Wednesday, Trump did not deny the remarks he made as quoted by Woodward. Instead, he said that he didn’t want to cause panic in the country after learning how deadly COVID-19 really was.
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When a reporter asked if Trump had misled the country about the virus to reduce panic, Trump said: “If you said ‘in order to reduce panic,’ perhaps that’s so.”
“I’m a cheerleader for this country,” Trump continued. “I don’t want people to be frightened. I don’t want to create panic.”
Trump says "perhaps" he misled public on coronavirus to "reduce panic" https://t.co/YPZDYkmbrX pic.twitter.com/3yhsIBdIKN — The Hill (@thehill) September 9, 2020
Excerpts of Woodward’s interviews with Trump were made public on Wednesday, revealing that the president was aware of the deadly threat that the coronavirus posed to the U.S. weeks before the country saw its first confirmed virus-linked death in Washington state.
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As of Wednesday, the U.S. had reported at least 175,866 coronavirus-related deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. John Hopkins University tallied the U.S. death toll at 189,653.
“Certainly, I’m not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy,” Trump said Wednesday, defending the comments he made to Woodward. “We want to show strength as a nation.”
The president continued by commending the White House’s response to the pandemic: “The job we’ve done has been incredible.
“But we don’t want to instill panic,” he added. “We don’t want to jump up and down and start shouting that we have a problem that is a tremendous problem, scare everybody.”
Without denying what he said, Trump then called the scoop by Woodward a “just another political hit job.”
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According to Woodward, Trump knew how deadly the virus was as early as Feb. 7, when he told the investigative journalist that COVID-19 could be transmitted through the air and described the virus as “more deadly than even your strenuous flus.”
However, Trump and his administration understated the threat of the virus in public in the following months, even as case numbers and deaths climbed in hot spots around the U.S.
On Feb. 24, Trump maintained that the U.S. had “it very much under control in this country.” On March 10, he claimed that the virus would just “go away” and repeated that again in late April, saying “this is going to go away” and “we’re very prepared to handle it” if the virus returned in the fall.
Despite knowing the virus could be contracted through the air, Trump also held his first summer campaign rally in June and continues to hold in-person rallies as the 2020 election draws near.
When a reporter asked Trump on Wednesday whether he thinks he could have saved more lives if he was more “forthcoming” about the risk of the virus, Trump said that “millions of people” would have died “if we didn’t do what we did.”
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“We closed up our country ... very quickly, very effectively,” Trump said, noting that the U.S. learned about the disease along with the rest of the world.
“And then we opened it up,” he said of the U.S. economy. “And now we know the vulnerable, who it attacks, who it’s so vicious against.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-09--Alec And Hilaria Baldwin Welcome Baby No. 5 And 'He Is Perfect'

Hilaria Baldwin announced Wednesday that she and husband Alec Baldwin welcomed their fifth child together .
“ We had a @ @ @ @ @ the yoga instructor and “ Mom Brain ” podcaster captioned an Instagram photo of the @ @ @ @ @ is perfect and we couldn ’ t be happier .
Stay tuned for a name.
@ @ @ @ @ actor known of late for impersonating President Donald Trump on “ Saturday Night Live , @ @ @ @ @ media as well to announce the birth of “ número cinco.
” “ I love @ @ @ @ @ he wrote .
“ My karma is your karma .
Your karma is mine.
” @ @ @ @ @ Romeo , 2 , Leonardo , nearly 4 , Rafael , 5 , and Carmen @ @ @ @ @ has a big sister in 24-year-old Ireland , Alec ’ s daughter with ex-wife Kim @ @ @ @ @ she was pregnant in April , after having had two miscarriages in 2019 .
Important @ @ @ @ @ Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

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And baby makes ... a basketball team.
Hilaria Baldwin announced Wednesday that she and husband Alec Baldwin welcomed their fifth child together.
“We had a baby last night,” the yoga instructor and “Mom Brain” podcaster captioned an Instagram photo of the new arrival. “He is perfect and we couldn’t be happier. Stay tuned for a name.”
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Alec Baldwin, the actor known of late for impersonating President Donald Trump on “Saturday Night Live,” chimed in on social media as well to announce the birth of “número cinco.”
“I love you, @hilariabaldwin.” he wrote. “My karma is your karma. Your karma is mine.”
The latest addition joins siblings Romeo, 2, Leonardo, nearly 4, Rafael, 5, and Carmen, 7. He also has a big sister in 24-year-old Ireland, Alec’s daughter with ex-wife Kim Basinger.
Hilaria Baldwin revealed she was pregnant in April, after having had two miscarriages in 2019.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-09--Amy Schumer Reveals She Has Lyme Disease And Asks Internet For Help

Comedian Amy Schumer said Tuesday that she has the tick-borne infection Lyme disease ― and may have had it for years .
The “ I Feel Pretty ” star posted a throwback photo of her with her first fishing pole .
“ Anyone get LYME this summer ?
I got it and I ’ m on doxycycline , ” she wrote .
“ I have maybe had it for years .
Any advice ?
Can you have a glass of wine or 2 on it ?
” Schumer said she was avoiding the sun and was taking “ lyme-2 ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good and am excited to get rid of it.
” Schumer is likely to make a full recovery if she caught her Lyme disease early , according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
“ For early Lyme disease , a short course of oral antibiotics , such as doxycycline or amoxicillin , cures the majority of cases , ” the government institute says on its website .
“ In more complicated cases , Lyme disease can usually be successfully treated with three to four weeks of antibiotic therapy.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the disease can sometimes persist .
Early symptoms of Lyme , which one can contract from the bite of a deer tick , include rash , neck stiffness and fever , according to the Mayo Clinic .
Later ones can include neurological problems such as temporary paralysis on one side of the face .
Ticks are having a field day with more people spending time outdoors during the coronavirus pandemic , according to experts .
More than half of ticks carry Lyme disease or other pathogens that can disrupt people ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable to COVID-19 .

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Comedian Amy Schumer said Tuesday that she has the tick-borne infection Lyme disease ― and may have had it for years.
The “I Feel Pretty” star posted a throwback photo of her with her first fishing pole.
“Anyone get LYME this summer? I got it and I’m on doxycycline,” she wrote. “I have maybe had it for years. Any advice? Can you have a glass of wine or 2 on it?”
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Schumer said she was avoiding the sun and was taking “lyme-2” herbs, adding: “I feel good and am excited to get rid of it.”
Schumer is likely to make a full recovery if she caught her Lyme disease early, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
“For early Lyme disease, a short course of oral antibiotics, such as doxycycline or amoxicillin, cures the majority of cases,” the government institute says on its website. “In more complicated cases, Lyme disease can usually be successfully treated with three to four weeks of antibiotic therapy.” But joint pain and neurological symptoms associated with the disease can sometimes persist.
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Early symptoms of Lyme, which one can contract from the bite of a deer tick, include rash, neck stiffness and fever, according to the Mayo Clinic. Later ones can include neurological problems such as temporary paralysis on one side of the face.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-09--Fauci Calls AstraZeneca Vaccine Pause Unfortunate But Not Uncommon

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) - U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said on Wednesday that AstraZeneca ’ s decision to pause global trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine was unfortunate but not an uncommon safety precaution in a vaccine development process .
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it voluntarily paused trials , including late-stage ones , after an unexplained illness in a participant , to allow an independent committee to review safety data .
It was working to expedite the review to minimize any potential impact on the trial timeline .
Fauci , director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not uncommon in vaccine development and that he hoped the company could proceed with its trial .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , seen in July , said that AstraZeneca ’ s decision to pause global trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine was unfortunate but not an uncommon safety precaution in a vaccine development process .
“ This particular candidate from the AstraZeneca company had a serious adverse event , which means you put the rest of the enrollment of individual volunteers on hold until you can work out precisely what went on , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CBS “ This Morning.
” “ It ’ s really one of the safety valves that you have on clinical trials such as this , so it ’ s unfortunate that it happened , ” Fauci said .
“ Hopefully , they ’ ll work it out and be able to proceed along with the remainder of the trial but you don ’ t know .
They need to investigate it further.
” The vaccine , which AstraZeneca is developing with the University of Oxford , has been described by the World Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading candidate and the most advanced in terms of development .
Tuesday ’ s move was seen as dimming prospects for an early rollout .

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said on Wednesday that AstraZeneca’s decision to pause global trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine was unfortunate but not an uncommon safety precaution in a vaccine development process.
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it voluntarily paused trials, including late-stage ones, after an unexplained illness in a participant, to allow an independent committee to review safety data. It was working to expedite the review to minimize any potential impact on the trial timeline.
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Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the pause was not uncommon in vaccine development and that he hoped the company could proceed with its trial.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, seen in July, said that AstraZeneca’s decision to pause global trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine was unfortunate but not an uncommon safety precaution in a vaccine development process. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“This particular candidate from the AstraZeneca company had a serious adverse event, which means you put the rest of the enrollment of individual volunteers on hold until you can work out precisely what went on,” Fauci said in an interview with CBS “This Morning.”
“It’s really one of the safety valves that you have on clinical trials such as this, so it’s unfortunate that it happened,” Fauci said. “Hopefully, they’ll work it out and be able to proceed along with the remainder of the trial but you don’t know. They need to investigate it further.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-09--Trump Admits He Lied About COVID-19 Threat In New Woodward Book

President Donald Trump knew in early February that the coronavirus posed a unique and deadly threat to the United States , and was “ more deadly than even your strenuous flus.
” “ You just breathe the air and that ’ s how it ’ s passed , ” Trump said in a Feb. 7 call with Woodward .
“ And so that ’ s a very tricky one .
That ’ s a very delicate one .
It ’ s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus.
” “ I wanted to always play it down , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to a copy of the book obtained by CNN .
“ I still like playing it down , because I don ’ t want to create a panic.
” But by ignoring reality in public , the president didn ’ t prevent panic , he provoked it .
Many statements Trump made as the virus spread in the U.S. were outright falsehoods : “ We have it very much under control in this country.
” “ It ’ s going to be just fine.
” “ It ’ s one person coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re doing a great job with it.
” “ It ’ s going to have a very good ending for us.
” “ We ’ re in great shape.
” “ We have 12 cases — 11 cases , and many of them are in good shape now.
” “ Just stay calm .
It will go away.
” “ And again , when you have 15 people , and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero.
” “ It ’ s going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a miracle — it will disappear.
” Responding to the bombshell on Wednesday , White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Trump “ has never lied to the American public on COVID ” and also claimed he “ never downplayed the virus.
” “ I don ’ t think he needs to be on TV screaming , ‘ We ’ re all going to die , ’ ” Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) , a staunch supporter of the president , countered .
“ His actions shutting the economy down were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls to shut down businesses in order to save lives .
In March , he claimed that the U.S. would see more deaths from an economic shutdown than from coronavirus .
Separately on Wednesday , emails obtained by Politico showed that the Trump administration has tried to muzzle Anthony Fauci , the government ’ s top infectious disease expert , and encouraged him to minimize the risk that the coronavirus poses to children .
Fauci told the outlet that nobody tells him what to say , and that he “ speaks on scientific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Woodward ’ s book is based in part on 18 on-the-record interviews with Trump from December through July .
Woodward also interviewed former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and former Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats .

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President Donald Trump knew in early February that the coronavirus posed a unique and deadly threat to the United States, and was “more deadly than even your strenuous flus.”
At the time, Trump repeatedly publicly downplayed the virus as no more dangerous than the flu.
The revelation is one of many in journalist Bob Woodward’s forthcoming book, “Rage,” for which Trump granted Woodward a series of interviews.
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“You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed,” Trump said in a Feb. 7 call with Woodward. “And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus.”
“This is deadly stuff,” he repeated.
“I wanted to always play it down,” Trump told Woodward on March 19, according to a copy of the book obtained by CNN. “I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”
But by ignoring reality in public, the president didn’t prevent panic, he provoked it. Many statements Trump made as the virus spread in the U.S. were outright falsehoods:
“We have it very much under control in this country.” “It’s going to be just fine.” “It’s one person coming in from China.” “We’re doing a great job with it.” “It’s going to have a very good ending for us.” “We’re in great shape.” “We have 12 cases — 11 cases, and many of them are in good shape now.” “Just stay calm. It will go away.” “And again, when you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero.” “It’s going to disappear. One day it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.”
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Responding to the bombshell on Wednesday, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Trump “has never lied to the American public on COVID” and also claimed he “never downplayed the virus.”
Republican lawmakers had mixed reactions.
When asked about Trump’s admission in Woodward’s book that he downplayed the coronavirus, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) told reporters on Capitol Hill, “It doesn’t sound ideal to me.”
“I don’t think he needs to be on TV screaming, ‘We’re all going to die,’” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a staunch supporter of the president, countered. “His actions shutting the economy down were the right actions.”
Trump repeatedly resisted calls to shut down businesses in order to save lives. In March, he claimed that the U.S. would see more deaths from an economic shutdown than from coronavirus.
Nearly 190,000 Americans so far have died of COVID-19, according to data tracked by Johns Hopkins University.
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Separately on Wednesday, emails obtained by Politico showed that the Trump administration has tried to muzzle Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, and encouraged him to minimize the risk that the coronavirus poses to children. Fauci told the outlet that nobody tells him what to say, and that he “speaks on scientific evidence.”
According to The Washington Post, Woodward’s book is based in part on 18 on-the-record interviews with Trump from December through July. Woodward also interviewed former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and former Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats.
In addition to documenting the Trump administration’s failed and fragmented coronavirus response, the book also chronicles Trump’s response to anti-racism demonstrations, North Korean diplomacy and other topics.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-09--Republicans Defend Trump After He Admitted Downplaying True Threat Of COVID-19

At the time , however , the president was repeatedly downplaying the virus in public as no more dangerous than the flu and saying it would soon “ go away ” and “ disappear.
” “ This is deadly stuff , ” Trump told Woodward in a series of taped interviews , according to a copy of the book obtained by CNN .
“ I wanted to always play it down , ” he said on March 19 .
“ I still like playing it down , because I don ’ t want to create a panic.
” Most Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked about the revelations , saying they wanted to read Woodward ’ s book first .
But some of the president ’ s top GOP allies on Capitol Hill tried to mount a defense .
“ It doesn ’ t bother me , ” Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota told reporters .
“ I don ’ t feel like he was ever lying to anybody .
He ’ s a hopeful , upbeat , positive person .
...
The gravity of it , when it was becoming clearer , was also reflected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ wanted to give people hope rather than despair ” and pointed to his travel ban on China as proof that the president took the virus seriously .
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina similarly argued that voters should take more heed of Trump ’ s actions amid the pandemic rather than his rhetoric ― which has been all over the place in recent months , from briefly encouraging mask-wearing and social distancing to mocking Democrats and reporters for wearing masks .
“ I don ’ t think he needs to be on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all going to die , ’ ” Graham said Wednesday .
“ His actions shutting the economy down were the right actions.
” Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina , who , like Graham , is seeking reelection in November , agreed .
“ When you ’ re in a crisis situation , you have to inform people for their public health but you also don ’ t want to create hysteria , ” Tillis said , declining further comment because he had not yet read Woodward ’ s book .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over threats of undocumented immigrants , the Ebola virus , crime and terrorism .
Only one Republican senator on Wednesday offered a very gentle criticism of the president : Mitt Romney of Utah , who frequently speaks out against Trump ’ s behavior .
Woodward ’ s report is only the latest in a string of embarrassing and shocking stories involving the president and his incendiary rhetoric in recent months .
Last week , The Atlantic quoted unnamed military officials who said Trump had repeatedly disparaged U.S. service members , including when refusing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in France where American troops were buried .
Unlike The Atlantic ’ s story , which relied on unnamed sources ― though it was confirmed by numerous other outlets , including The Associated Press and Fox News ― Trump ’ s many interviews with Woodward were recorded on audiotape .
Democrats on Wednesday accused Trump of lying to the American people early on in the pandemic by issuing statements that may have cost lives .
“ There is damning proof that Donald Trump lied .
And people died , ” Senate Minority Leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Addressing the revelations at a campaign stop in Michigan , Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden slammed Trump , saying the president “ knew and purposely played it down.
” “ He failed to do his job on purpose , ” Biden added .
“ It was a life-and-death betrayal of the American people .
It ’ s beyond despicable .
It ’ s a dereliction of duty .
It ’ s a disgrace .
”

At the time, however, the president was repeatedly downplaying the virus in public as no more dangerous than the flu and saying it would soon “go away” and “disappear.”
“This is deadly stuff,” Trump told Woodward in a series of taped interviews, according to a copy of the book obtained by CNN .
“I wanted to always play it down,” he said on March 19. “I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”
Most Senate Republicans declined to comment on Wednesday when asked about the revelations, saying they wanted to read Woodward’s book first. But some of the president’s top GOP allies on Capitol Hill tried to mount a defense.
“It doesn’t bother me,” Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota told reporters. “I don’t feel like he was ever lying to anybody. He’s a hopeful, upbeat, positive person. ... The gravity of it, when it was becoming clearer, was also reflected by him.”
Cramer said that Trump “wanted to give people hope rather than despair” and pointed to his travel ban on China as proof that the president took the virus seriously.
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina similarly argued that voters should take more heed of Trump’s actions amid the pandemic rather than his rhetoric ― which has been all over the place in recent months, from briefly encouraging mask-wearing and social distancing to mocking Democrats and reporters for wearing masks.
“I don’t think he needs to be on TV screaming, ‘We’re all going to die,’” Graham said Wednesday. “His actions shutting the economy down were the right actions.”
Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who, like Graham, is seeking reelection in November, agreed.
“When you’re in a crisis situation, you have to inform people for their public health but you also don’t want to create hysteria,” Tillis said, declining further comment because he had not yet read Woodward’s book.
In the past, Trump has stoked public hysteria over threats of undocumented immigrants, the Ebola virus, crime and terrorism.
Only one Republican senator on Wednesday offered a very gentle criticism of the president: Mitt Romney of Utah, who frequently speaks out against Trump’s behavior.
“It doesn’t sound ideal to me,” Romney told reporters before entering a caucus lunch.
Woodward’s report is only the latest in a string of embarrassing and shocking stories involving the president and his incendiary rhetoric in recent months. Last week, The Atlantic quoted unnamed military officials who said Trump had repeatedly disparaged U.S. service members, including when refusing to visit a World War I cemetery in France where American troops were buried.
Unlike The Atlantic’s story, which relied on unnamed sources ― though it was confirmed by numerous other outlets, including The Associated Press and Fox News ― Trump’s many interviews with Woodward were recorded on audiotape.
Democrats on Wednesday accused Trump of lying to the American people early on in the pandemic by issuing statements that may have cost lives.
“There is damning proof that Donald Trump lied. And people died,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said.
Addressing the revelations at a campaign stop in Michigan, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden slammed Trump, saying the president “knew and purposely played it down.”
“He failed to do his job on purpose,” Biden added. “It was a life-and-death betrayal of the American people. It’s beyond despicable. It’s a dereliction of duty. It’s a disgrace.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-09--Kayleigh McEnany Says Trump 'Never Lied' About COVID-19 After Recordings Show He Lied

“ I wanted to always play it down , ” Trump told Woodward on March 19 , according to a copy of the book obtained by CNN .
“ I still like playing it down , because I don ’ t want to create a panic.
” “ The president never downplayed the virus , ” McEnany said .
“ The president expressed calm .
The president was serious about this when the Democrats were pursuing their sham impeachment.
” Woodward ’ s forthcoming book , “ Rage , ” is based on a series of interviews with Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a Feb. 7 conversation with Woodward , Trump suggested he knew how dangerous the virus was .
“ You just breathe the air and that ’ s how it ’ s passed , ” Trump said .
“ And so that ’ s a very tricky one .
That ’ s a very delicate one .
It ’ s also more deadly than even your strenuous flu.
” “ It ’ s going to disappear , ” Trump said of the coronavirus later that same month .
“ One day it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will disappear.
” Trump has continued to downplay the virus in the more than six months since the pandemic hit the U.S .
In July , Trump held an indoor campaign rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , where the majority of rallygoers attended without masks .
It “ likely contributed ” to a surge in coronavirus cases in the area , health officials said .
And Herman Cain , who ran for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination and attended the Tulsa rally , died after being hospitalized with COVID-19 .
At a press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporter to remove his mask .
“ You ’ re going to have to take that off .
Just take it off , ” said Trump as he pointed to the mask worn by Jeff Mason , White House correspondent for Reuters .
Mason did not remove his mask .
McEnany added Wednesday that Trump “ embodied the American spirit ” in his response to the coronavirus early in the pandemic .
More than 190,000 Americans have died from the virus .

“I wanted to always play it down,” Trump told Woodward on March 19, according to a copy of the book obtained by CNN. “I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”
McEnany denied Trump’s own words on Wednesday.
“The president never downplayed the virus,” McEnany said. “The president expressed calm. The president was serious about this when the Democrats were pursuing their sham impeachment.”
Woodward’s forthcoming book, “Rage,” is based on a series of interviews with Trump, who allowed the conversations to be recorded. In a Feb. 7 conversation with Woodward, Trump suggested he knew how dangerous the virus was.
“You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed,” Trump said. “And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flu.”
“It’s going to disappear,” Trump said of the coronavirus later that same month. “One day it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.” Trump has continued to downplay the virus in the more than six months since the pandemic hit the U.S. In July, Trump held an indoor campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the majority of rallygoers attended without masks. It “likely contributed” to a surge in coronavirus cases in the area, health officials said. And Herman Cain, who ran for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination and attended the Tulsa rally, died after being hospitalized with COVID-19. At a press briefing on Monday, Trump ordered a reporter to remove his mask. “You’re going to have to take that off. Just take it off,” said Trump as he pointed to the mask worn by Jeff Mason, White House correspondent for Reuters. Mason did not remove his mask.
McEnany added Wednesday that Trump “embodied the American spirit” in his response to the coronavirus early in the pandemic.
More than 190,000 Americans have died from the virus.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-09--Melania Trump’s Ex-Friend Shuts Down Meghan McCain's 'Gotcha' Questions

Meghan McCain ’ s attempt to scold a former friend of Melania Trump for writing a tell-all book about the first lady probably didn ’ t go as she intended .
When Winston Wolkoff appeared on “ The View ” Wednesday to discuss her new book , “ Melania and Me : The Rise and Fall of My Friendship With the First Lady , ” McCain immediately accused her of being unethical in her dealings with her former friend .
“ You recently revealed you secretly recorded your conversations with Melania , ” McCain said before adding , “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this .
I think they ’ re in bad taste , and generally , I think secretly recording your friend and selling [ the ] contents for profit certainly ups the ante , and seems not only unethical but just gross.
” McCain also questioned Winston Wolkoff ’ s motives for publishing her book .
“ The first lady ’ s office says you ’ re , quote , just out for revenge .
... Can you honestly just sit here and tell me that ’ s not true ?
” Winston Wolkoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it gave her the opportunity to clear up misconceptions about her motives .
“ I did not write this book for money ; I did not take any advance for this , ” she said .
“ This was for me to be able to tell the true story and not be anonymous anymore .
I ’ m on the record.
” Winston Wolkoff was in charge of President Trump ’ s 2017 inauguration , which cost a record $ 107 million and has come under fire for inflated billings .
She said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House accused her of profiting excessively from the event .
“ All the stories that crushed me , burned me , and the White House propaganda machine made up about me that made headlines around the world , broke me , my integrity ; my life literally went into shatters because of exactly what you are talking about , ” Winston Wolkoff said .
She then explained that she was no longer friends with Melania by the time she decided to record their conversations .
“ I didn ’ t press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record after I was accused of a crime and I was thrown under the bus and I was told by my friend , ‘ I ‘ m sorry , this is the way it has to be.
’ That ’ s when I pressed record.
” Winston Wolkoff said she had to write the book for both herself and the country .
“ The fact is , I do have the facts , I do have the proof , and I ’ m willing to actually stand by every single word , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest reasons she wrote the book was “ for the country to understand who these people are .
”

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Meghan McCain’s attempt to scold a former friend of Melania Trump for writing a tell-all book about the first lady probably didn’t go as she intended.
That’s because Stephanie Winston Wolkoff came prepared to shut down McCain’s “gotcha” questions.
When Winston Wolkoff appeared on “The View” Wednesday to discuss her new book, “Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship With the First Lady,” McCain immediately accused her of being unethical in her dealings with her former friend.
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“You recently revealed you secretly recorded your conversations with Melania,” McCain said before adding, “I don’t like tell-all books like this. I think they’re in bad taste, and generally, I think secretly recording your friend and selling [the] contents for profit certainly ups the ante, and seems not only unethical but just gross.”
McCain also questioned Winston Wolkoff’s motives for publishing her book. “The first lady’s office says you’re, quote, just out for revenge. ... Can you honestly just sit here and tell me that’s not true?”
Winston Wolkoff thanked McCain for the question, saying it gave her the opportunity to clear up misconceptions about her motives. “I did not write this book for money; I did not take any advance for this,” she said. “This was for me to be able to tell the true story and not be anonymous anymore. I’m on the record.”
Winston Wolkoff was in charge of President Trump’s 2017 inauguration, which cost a record $107 million and has come under fire for inflated billings. She said she starting recording the first lady after the White House accused her of profiting excessively from the event.
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“All the stories that crushed me, burned me, and the White House propaganda machine made up about me that made headlines around the world, broke me, my integrity; my life literally went into shatters because of exactly what you are talking about,” Winston Wolkoff said.
She then explained that she was no longer friends with Melania by the time she decided to record their conversations.
“I didn’t press record on a friend. I pressed record after I was accused of a crime and I was thrown under the bus and I was told by my friend, ‘I‘m sorry, this is the way it has to be.’ That’s when I pressed record.”
Winston Wolkoff said she had to write the book for both herself and the country.
“The fact is, I do have the facts, I do have the proof, and I’m willing to actually stand by every single word,” she said, adding that one of the biggest reasons she wrote the book was “for the country to understand who these people are.”
You can watch the complete exchange below.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-09--DHS Official Told To Alter Intelligence On Russian Interference, White Supremacy: Whistleblower Comp

DHS Official Told To Alter Intelligence On Russian Interference, White Supremacy: Whistleblower Complaint

ASSOCIATED PRESS Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf speaks during an event at DHS headquarters in Washington , Wednesday , Sept. 9 , 2020 .
( AP Photo/Susan Walsh ) WASHINGTON ( AP ) — An official at the Department of Homeland Security said in a whistleblower complaint released Wednesday that he was pressured by agency leaders to suppress details in his intelligence reports that President Donald Trump might find objectionable , including intelligence on Russian interference in the election and the threat posed by white supremacists .
Brian Murphy says in a whistleblower complaint filed with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was demoted for refusing to alter his intelligence reports in an “ illegal and improper ” manner .
The former FBI agent and Marine Corps veteran had served as principal deputy under secretary in the Office of Intelligence and Analysis .
In August , he was demoted to assistant to the deputy under secretary for DHS Management .
“ Mr .
Murphy is , put simply , a dedicated public servant who has had a laudable career prior to the recent events that have led to the submission of this package to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Prior to his current circumstances , he had never had so much as a negative fitness report in his professional career with the U.S. Government.
” In his complaint , he alleges that former DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen , current acting Secretary Chad Wolf and his deputy , Ken Cuccinelli , repeatedly pressed him to change intelligence assessments in ways that would support administration policies or avoid offending the president .
In one example , he said Nielsen and her deputies pressed him to exaggerate the number of migrants with links to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Southwest border .
Murphy said she falsely used a higher figure in testimony to Congress .
The complaint says Wolf , who has been nominated to be secretary by Trump , directed Murphy to cease providing intelligence assessments on the threat of Russian interference to the U.S. because it “ made the President look bad.
” Murphy said he declined because it would be a violation of his duties not to do it .
He said Cuccinelli directed him to modify a section of a report on white supremacy to make the threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information on left-wing groups to echo administration talking points around civil unrest following the protests over the killing of George Floyd .
A copy of the complaint was released Wednesday by Rep. Adam Schiff of the House Intelligence Committee .
Schiff says he has asked Murphy to testify to Congress .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A Department of Homeland Security official said in a whistleblower complaint that he was pressured by more senior officials to suppress facts in intelligence reports that President Donald Trump might find objectionable, including information about Russian interference in the election and the rising threat posed by white supremacists.
The official, Brian Murphy, alleged that senior DHS officials also pressed him to alter reports so they would reflect administration policy goals and that he was demoted for refusing to go along with the changes and for filing confidential internal complaints about the conduct.
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Murphy, a former FBI agent and Marine Corps veteran, was demoted in August from his post as principal deputy under secretary in the Office of Intelligence and Analysis. He is seeking to be reinstated in a complaint filed with the DHS Office of Inspector General.
Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, on Wednesday released the complaint, which he said contained “grave and disturbing” allegations. He said Murphy has been asked to give a deposition to Congress as part of an investigation into intelligence collection by DHS related to its response to protests in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere.
“We will get to the bottom of this, expose any and all misconduct or corruption to the American people, and put a stop to the politicization of intelligence,” the California Democrat said.
A Homeland Security spokesman, Alexei Woltornist, said the department generally does not comment on referrals to the inspector general but denied Murphy’s allegations. “DHS looks forward to the results of any resulting investigation and we expect it will conclude that no retaliatory action was taken against Mr. Murphy,” he said.
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The complaint came the same day that acting Secretary Chad Wolf, who has been nominated by Trump to lead the agency, gave a “state of the Homeland” speech in which he said DHS is working to thwart election interference from any foreign power and all threats regardless of ideology.
“DHS stands in absolute opposition to any form of violent extremism whether by white supremacist extremists or anarchist extremists,” Wolf said. “We will continue our daily efforts to combat all forms of domestic terror.”
Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf speaks during an event at DHS headquarters in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Murphy said in his complaint that he was directed by Ken Cuccinelli, the acting deputy DHS secretary, to modify a section of a report to make the threat posed by white supremacists less severe. He was told to play up the threat posed by left-wing groups to echo administration talking points around civil unrest following the protests over the killing of George Floyd.
Murphy said he refused to alter the report because doing so would “constitute an abuse of authority and improper administration of an intelligence program.” He was then taken off the project.
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He said he made a number of reports on Russian disinformation efforts to senior DHS and administration officials between March 2018 and March 2020. The details are classified and not included in the whistle-blower complaint.
Then, in July, Wolf told him to hold back any reports on Russian election interference because they “made the president look bad,” according to the complaint. He also said Wolf told him to report on interference by China and Iran, instead of Russia, and those instructions came from White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien. Murphy said he objected and was excluded from future meetings on the subject.
Trump has repeatedly resisted claims of Russian interference, including doubting findings by U.S. officials and lawmakers that Russia meddled in the 2016 campaign to help him and sow chaos in the electoral process. He has dismissed reports that Russia is continuing to interfere in the 2020 race, claiming that China is the more pernicious threat, even though a statement from intelligence officials last month said Moscow was directly trying to undermine Democrat Joe Biden.
Murphy said that, after he was removed from working on a DHS intelligence report, a draft was leaked to the media in which Russia’s interference was placed on an equal footing as activities by Iran and China in a way that was “misleading and inconsistent with the actual intelligence,” the complaint said.
Murphy came to DHS in March 2018 from the FBI, where his career included being assigned to the New York field office on Sept. 11, 2001. In his complaint, he alleged that efforts to manipulate the intelligence he oversaw started under former Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.
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He said Nielsen and her deputies pressed him to vastly overstate the number of migrants apprehended at the southwest border who have confirmed links to any terrorist organization. That occurred as the Trump administration was rolling out tougher measures against illegal immigration. Murphy said he declined to confirm an inflated figure, saying to do so would be not only improper but illegal. The secretary nonetheless provided the incorrect figure to Congress.
Cuccinelli, he said, pressed him to change reports on conditions in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras as the administration was seeking to halt a surge of people seeking asylum from Central America at the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Mr. Cuccinelli expressed frustration with the intelligence reports, and he accused unknown ‘deep state intelligence analysts’ of compiling the intelligence information to undermine President Donald J. Trump’s policy objectives with respect to asylum,” he said in the complaint.
Murphy said that over the summer he was instructed by Wolf and Cuccinelli to alter assessments on protests to make sure “they matched up” with Trump’s statements on the involvement of antifa and anarchists in the demonstrations in Portland and elsewhere. He said he told them he would only report accurate information.
Shortly thereafter, Wolf reassigned him to the management division. That followed media reports that Murphy’s unit collected information on journalists covering the DHS response to the protests. Murphy said the reports were incorrect and Wolf agreed but said it would be “politically good” to move him while the acting secretary hoped to be nominated to the secretary post by Trump.
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The complaint, which also asks that officials who retaliated against Murphy be given written reprimands, was filed by Mark Zaid, a prominent attorney who also represented the whistle-blower who spurred the Trump impeachment inquiry.
Zaid said in a statement that Murphy “followed proper, lawful whistleblower rules in reporting serious allegations of misconduct” and would cooperate with congressional investigations into the matter, especially in a classified setting.
___
Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.
Read Murphy’s full complaint below.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-09--Sen. Thom Tillis Staffer Sums Up The GOP Stance On Health Insurance: Like Buying A Shirt

The staff member in Tillis ’ Washington office had been called by Bev Veals , one of the senator ’ s North Carolina constituents and a three-time cancer survivor worried about her health insurance status .
Frustrated by the staffer ’ s lack of empathy , Veals tried to make him understand her and her husband ’ s situation by asking him to imagine his parents in their position ― out of work , struggling to continue paying their health insurance premiums .
Veals said she was “ incensed ” by that comment , so she started recording the conversation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really his and the GOP ’ s position that if you can ’ t afford health care , you shouldn ’ t get to have it .
“ Yeah , ” the staffer said , according to the recording , “ just like , if I want to go to the store and buy a new dress shirt , if I can ’ t afford that dress shirt , I don ’ t get to get it.
” Veals , 56 , and her husband , Scott , 55 , told HuffPost in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard from Tillis or anyone on his staff since the conversation earlier this week .
Scott Veals theorized that ’ s because Tillis has no real answer for what they should do .
“ ‘ I ’ m very sorry that my staffer in the office spoke to you in that manner , ’ ” Scott said , imagining what Tillis would tell his wife , “ and then he has nothing else to say .
He can ’ t tell you that we ’ re working very hard toward health care .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re working very hard to help ordinary citizens.
” The reality is , the staffer came clean about the Republican position on the issue that is uppermost in the mind of many voters .
Underneath the exchange with Veals is a philosophical and economic debate about health care .
Republicans ( as well as some Democrats ) want to apply free-market ideas to health care ― comparable to shopping for clothes .
But as Bev Veals pointed out , health care is something people need .
If you need medical treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it because of cost ― like a dress shirt ― isn ’ t seen as viable in virtually every other industrialized nation .
In those nations , health care is considered a right , not an option .
The Veals went through a medical bankruptcy in their late-40s during one of Bev ’ s cancer treatments .
The strategy for dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses “ should not be trying to figure out how to manipulate a health care system so that you can get the coverage and the treatment that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easily accessible , Bev said .
With no money coming in , the Veals have had to dip into their savings to cover their nearly $ 1,700 a month health insurance premium .
They could try to get on the Affordable Care Act ’ s exchange , but only one option is available in North Carolina , and it would cost more than their current plan .
Faced with their dilemma , Bev decided to contact her state ’ s congressional representatives to ask what they should do .
Tillis ’ office was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with many offices closed down or operating on limited hours because of coronavirus .
She didn ’ t expect someone to be so blunt and uncaring about their position .
“ My wife is a three-time cancer survivor , ” Scott said .
“ And she and I have spent a lot of time and effort and money to continue her life .
And I ’ m not going to allow anybody to claim that the health insurance that we desperately need as a safety-net is comparative to a frivolous cost .
@

A staffer for Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) may have weakened his boss’ already shaky political fortunes when he made one of Washington’s worst political gaffes: telling the truth.
The staff member in Tillis’ Washington office had been called by Bev Veals, one of the senator’s North Carolina constituents and a three-time cancer survivor worried about her health insurance status. Frustrated by the staffer’s lack of empathy, Veals tried to make him understand her and her husband’s situation by asking him to imagine his parents in their position ― out of work, struggling to continue paying their health insurance premiums.
That’s when the staffer, according to Veals, told her that his parents would “gladly die if they couldn’t afford medical care.”
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Veals said she was “incensed” by that comment, so she started recording the conversation. She again asked if it was really his and the GOP’s position that if you can’t afford health care, you shouldn’t get to have it.
“Yeah,” the staffer said, according to the recording, “just like, if I want to go to the store and buy a new dress shirt, if I can’t afford that dress shirt, I don’t get to get it.”
“But health care is something that people need,” Veals responded, “especially if they have cancer.”
“Well, you got to find a way to get it,” the staffer responded, with a laugh.
Tillis’ office did not respond to multiple HuffPost requests for comment. But the office told a local North Carolina TV station that the staffer has been reprimanded, though how was not specified.
Tillis, who first won his seat in 2014, faces a tough reelection challenge this November from Democrat Cal Cunningham. Polls have shown a close race, with Cunningham having a slight edge in most of them.
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“I’m not going to allow anybody to claim that the health insurance that we desperately need as a safety-net is comparative to a frivolous cost.” - Bev Veals' husband, Scott.
Veals, 56, and her husband, Scott, 55, told HuffPost in an interview Wednesday that they had not heard from Tillis or anyone on his staff since the conversation earlier this week. Scott Veals theorized that’s because Tillis has no real answer for what they should do.
“‘I’m very sorry that my staffer in the office spoke to you in that manner,’” Scott said, imagining what Tillis would tell his wife, “and then he has nothing else to say. He can’t tell you that we’re working very hard toward health care. He can’t tell you that we’re working very hard to help ordinary citizens.”
The reality is, the staffer came clean about the Republican position on the issue that is uppermost in the mind of many voters. Underneath the exchange with Veals is a philosophical and economic debate about health care.
Republicans (as well as some Democrats) want to apply free-market ideas to health care ― comparable to shopping for clothes. But as Bev Veals pointed out, health care is something people need. If you need medical treatment, your choice to just not get it because of cost ― like a dress shirt ― isn’t seen as viable in virtually every other industrialized nation. In those nations, health care is considered a right, not an option.
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The Veals went through a medical bankruptcy in their late-40s during one of Bev’s cancer treatments. The strategy for dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses “should not be trying to figure out how to manipulate a health care system so that you can get the coverage and the treatment that you need,” it should be easily accessible, Bev said.
Scott, who is an independent contractor in the TV sports industry, stopped working in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. “When I don’t work, I don’t get paid,” Scott said.
With no money coming in, the Veals have had to dip into their savings to cover their nearly $1,700 a month health insurance premium. They could try to get on the Affordable Care Act’s exchange, but only one option is available in North Carolina, and it would cost more than their current plan.
Faced with their dilemma, Bev decided to contact her state’s congressional representatives to ask what they should do. Tillis’ office was the first she had gotten through to, with many offices closed down or operating on limited hours because of coronavirus. She didn’t expect someone to be so blunt and uncaring about their position.
“My wife is a three-time cancer survivor,” Scott said. “And she and I have spent a lot of time and effort and money to continue her life. And I’m not going to allow anybody to claim that the health insurance that we desperately need as a safety-net is comparative to a frivolous cost.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-09--Trump ‘Willingly Lied’ About COVID-19, Biden Says Of Damning Recordings

“ He knew how deadly it was .
It was much more deadly than the flu .
He knew and purposely played it down , ” the Democratic presidential nominee said at an event for the UAW International Union .
“ Worse , he lied to the American people .
He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months.
” While Biden was en route to Michigan for the campaign event , media outlets reported excerpts of journalist Bob Woodward ’ s forthcoming book on Trump , who reportedly told Woodward in March that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the pandemic .
Biden said he was briefed on the news when he landed for Wednesday ’ s event .
“ He had the information .
He knew how dangerous it was .
And while this deadly disease ripped through our nation , he failed to do his job on purpose , ” Biden told union workers before his prepared remarks .
“ How many families are missing loved ones at their dinner table tonight because of his failures ?
It ’ s beyond despicable , ” Biden said .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disgrace.
” According to excerpts from Woodward ’ s book , Trump told the journalist in a Feb. 7 call that people can catch the coronavirus just by breathing air .
“ You just breathe the air and that ’ s how it ’ s passed , ” Trump reportedly said during the call .
“ And so that ’ s a very tricky one .
That ’ s a very delicate one .
It ’ s also more deadly than even your strenuous flu .
”

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“He knew how deadly it was. It was much more deadly than the flu. He knew and purposely played it down,” the Democratic presidential nominee said at an event for the UAW International Union. “Worse, he lied to the American people. He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months.”
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While Biden was en route to Michigan for the campaign event, media outlets reported excerpts of journalist Bob Woodward’s forthcoming book on Trump, who reportedly told Woodward in March that he was intentionally playing down the severity of the pandemic.
Biden said he was briefed on the news when he landed for Wednesday’s event.
“He had the information. He knew how dangerous it was. And while this deadly disease ripped through our nation, he failed to do his job on purpose,” Biden told union workers before his prepared remarks.
“How many families are missing loved ones at their dinner table tonight because of his failures? It’s beyond despicable,” Biden said. “It’s a dereliction of duties and disgrace.”
According to excerpts from Woodward’s book, Trump told the journalist in a Feb. 7 call that people can catch the coronavirus just by breathing air.
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“You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed,” Trump reportedly said during the call. “And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flu.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-09--Donald Trump Jr. Defends Kenosha Protest Shooter: 'We All Do Stupid Things At 17'

Donald Trump Jr. on Tuesday defended Kyle Rittenhouse , the 17-year-old who fatally shot two anti-racism protesters in Wisconsin last month , stating that “ we all do stupid things ” at that age .
He continued : “ If I put myself in Kyle Rittenhouse [ sic ] ― maybe I shouldn ’ t have been there .
He ’ s a young kid .
I don ’ t want 17-year-olds running around the streets with AR-15s .
Maybe I wouldn ’ t have put myself in that situation .
Who knows ?
But we all do stupid things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fine , ” Trump said .
“ But we all have to let that process play out and let due process take its course.
” Police arrested Rittenhouse on Aug. 26 at his house in Antioch , Illinois , which is about 30 minutes southwest of Kenosha .
He was charged with first-degree intentional homicide in connection to the deaths of two people during a demonstration held the night before to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake .
Blake , a 29-year-old Black man , was shot in the back several times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 23 .
The shooting sparked protests in Kenosha and in other cities across the country , including in Minneapolis , where George Floyd was killed by police in May .
Hours before the shooting on Aug. 25 , Rittenhouse ― armed with a military-style semi-automatic rifle ― told right-wing news site The Daily Caller that he was in Kenosha to protect businesses that might be vandalized by protesters .
Bystander video obtained by The New York Times shows a group of unknown people pursuing Rittenhouse at one point during the night .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be seen firing a handgun into the air .
Another person from the group ― 36-year-old Joseph Rosenbaum ― can be seen throwing a plastic bag at Rittenhouse and attempting to disarm him .
Rittenhouse then fired multiple shots at Rosenbaum , who was later transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead , according to police .
Moments later , after appearing to make a phone call , Rittenhouse can be seen fleeing the scene .
Several bystanders chase after him before Rittenhouse trips and falls to the ground .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people rushed toward him , killing Anthony Huber and injuring Gaige Grosskreutz , both 26 .
Rittenhouse then walks toward nearby police cars ― mostly with his hands in the air , but lowering them to his rifle at times ― as bystanders shout that he had just shot people , according to video from the scene .
Police went straight over to the victims and did not apprehend Rittenhouse at the time .
An attorney for Rittenhouse has said his client was acting in self-defense and called him “ a shining example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump has refused to condemn Rittenhouse ’ s actions , suggesting days after the shooting that the teenager “ probably would ’ ve been killed ” had he not fired his rifle at the anti-racism protesters .

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Donald Trump Jr. on Tuesday defended Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old who fatally shot two anti-racism protesters in Wisconsin last month, stating that “we all do stupid things” at that age.
During an interview with the TV show “Extra,” the president’s eldest son was asked why the Trump administration hasn’t condemned Rittenhouse’s actions.
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“We’re waiting for due process,” said Trump, whose father frequently attempts to undermine due process and the rule of law. “We’re not jumping to a conclusion.”
He continued: “If I put myself in Kyle Rittenhouse [sic] ― maybe I shouldn’t have been there. He’s a young kid. I don’t want 17-year-olds running around the streets with AR-15s. Maybe I wouldn’t have put myself in that situation. Who knows? But we all do stupid things at 17.”
“Extra” correspondent Rachel Lindsay interrupted that Rittenhouse’s actions were “a little beyond stupid.”
“Really stupid — fine,” Trump said. “But we all have to let that process play out and let due process take its course.”
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Police arrested Rittenhouse on Aug. 26 at his house in Antioch, Illinois, which is about 30 minutes southwest of Kenosha. He was charged with first-degree intentional homicide in connection to the deaths of two people during a demonstration held the night before to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot in the back several times by a Kenosha police officer on Aug. 23. The shooting sparked protests in Kenosha and in other cities across the country, including in Minneapolis, where George Floyd was killed by police in May.
Hours before the shooting on Aug. 25, Rittenhouse ― armed with a military-style semi-automatic rifle ― told right-wing news site The Daily Caller that he was in Kenosha to protect businesses that might be vandalized by protesters.
Bystander video obtained by The New York Times shows a group of unknown people pursuing Rittenhouse at one point during the night. One of the people in the group can be seen firing a handgun into the air.
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Another person from the group ― 36-year-old Joseph Rosenbaum ― can be seen throwing a plastic bag at Rittenhouse and attempting to disarm him. Rittenhouse then fired multiple shots at Rosenbaum, who was later transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to police.
Moments later, after appearing to make a phone call, Rittenhouse can be seen fleeing the scene. Several bystanders chase after him before Rittenhouse trips and falls to the ground. He then fired multiple shots as three people rushed toward him, killing Anthony Huber and injuring Gaige Grosskreutz, both 26.
Rittenhouse then walks toward nearby police cars ― mostly with his hands in the air, but lowering them to his rifle at times ― as bystanders shout that he had just shot people, according to video from the scene. Police went straight over to the victims and did not apprehend Rittenhouse at the time.
An attorney for Rittenhouse has said his client was acting in self-defense and called him “a shining example of the American fighting spirit.”
President Donald Trump has refused to condemn Rittenhouse’s actions, suggesting days after the shooting that the teenager “probably would’ve been killed” had he not fired his rifle at the anti-racism protesters.
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Asked Tuesday whether he understands what the phrase “Black Lives Matter” means, Trump Jr. said “of course.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-09--Trump Releases List Of Potential Supreme Court Nominees

“ Over the next four years , America ’ s president will choose hundreds of federal judges and , in all likelihood , one , two , three and even four Supreme Court justices , ” Trump said in his announcement , after a significant amount of fearmongering about a non-conservative court .
“ The outcome of these decisions will determine whether we hold fast to our nation ’ s founding principles or whether they are lost forever.
” “ Should there be another vacancy on the Supreme Court during my presidency , my nominee will come from the names @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including the original list , ” he added .
Talk of the list picked up this summer after the Supreme Court delivered decisions on protecting people from workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity , as well as on maintaining the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that shields nearly 650,000 undocumented people who came to the U.S. as children from deportation .
Both decisions were a blow to the Trump administration , leading the president to announce in June that he planned to release a new list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 .
Trump said he would select a candidate from that list should there be another vacancy on the high court , but that deadline came and went .
“ We ’ ve been working on the SCOTUS picks , I don ’ t know that there ’ s been a delay as much as there has been a whole lot of other priorities that we ’ ve been working on , ” White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said .
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said in June that his campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people to potentially nominate to the Supreme Court , but he has not announced plans to release that list .
He has promised to nominate a Black woman if given the opportunity .
However , neither candidate ’ s list carries much significance if their respective party doesn ’ t have a majority in the Senate , which confirms the nominations .
Republicans currently control the Senate , with 53 of 100 seats .
The Senate confirmed both nominees despite backlash over Republicans ’ decision to block Merrick Garland from the high court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as over sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh .
Senate Republicans have worked diligently the past four years to confirm more than 200 of Trump ’ s judicial nominees to lifetime federal court seats — which is more than any president has confirmed in a first term in decades .
All told , Trump has notched two Supreme Court justices , 53 appeals court judges , 147 district court judges and two judges on the U.S. Court of International Trade .
His picks are overwhelmingly young , conservative white men with records of being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reproductive rights .
“ As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee , I ’ ve been proud to help confirm to the bench over 200 of President Trump ’ s judicial nominees , including two to the Supreme Court , ” Cruz wrote in a statement .
“ It ’ s humbling and an immense honor to be considered for the Supreme Court.
” Minutes after Trump ’ s announcement , Cotton tweeted about his wish to dismantle Roe v. Wade ― the landmark 1973 decision that protects a woman ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortion without government restriction .
Hawley tweeted that he appreciated Trump considering him as a potential Supreme Court nominee , but said he had plans to take on the role .
“ As I told the President , Missourians elected me to fight for them in the Senate , and I have no interest in the high court , ” he said .

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UPDATE: Sept. 18 — Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday, creating a vacancy on the high court. ABC News reports Trump is expected to put forth a nominee to replace Ginsburg in the coming days.
PREVIOUSLY:
President Donald Trump on Wednesday released a shortlist of his potential Supreme Court nominees, a move that could help shore up support from voters prioritizing a conservative high court and federal judiciary.
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“Over the next four years, America’s president will choose hundreds of federal judges and, in all likelihood, one, two, three and even four Supreme Court justices,” Trump said in his announcement, after a significant amount of fearmongering about a non-conservative court. “The outcome of these decisions will determine whether we hold fast to our nation’s founding principles or whether they are lost forever.”
“Should there be another vacancy on the Supreme Court during my presidency, my nominee will come from the names I have shared with the American public, including the original list,” he added.
Trump has added 20 candidates to his original list from 2016. The list includes many big names in conservative politics, including Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, as well as GOP Sens. Tom Cotton (Ark.), Ted Cruz (Texas) and Josh Hawley (Mo.).
The shortlist of potential nominees is as follows:
Bridget Bade ― Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
Daniel Cameron ― 51st attorney general of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Tom Cotton ― Republican U.S. senator from Arkansas
Paul Clement ― Partner with Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Ted Cruz ― Republican U.S. senator from Texas
Stuart Kyle Duncan ― Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
Steven Engel ― Assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Counsel of the U.S. Department of Justice
Noel Francisco ― Former Solicitor General of the United States
Josh Hawley ― Republican U.S. senator from Missouri
James Ho ― Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
Gregory Katsas ― Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Barbara Lagoa ― Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
Christopher Landau ― U.S. Ambassador to Mexico
Carlos Muniz ― Justice on the Florida Supreme Court
Martha Pacold ― Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Peter Phipps ― Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit
Sarah Pitlyk ― Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
Allison Jones Rushing ― Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit
Kate Todd ― Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President
Lawrence VanDyke ― Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
Talk of the list picked up this summer after the Supreme Court delivered decisions on protecting people from workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, as well as on maintaining the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that shields nearly 650,000 undocumented people who came to the U.S. as children from deportation.
Both decisions were a blow to the Trump administration, leading the president to announce in June that he planned to release a new list of potential Supreme Court nominees by Sept. 1. Trump said he would select a candidate from that list should there be another vacancy on the high court, but that deadline came and went.
“We’ve been working on the SCOTUS picks, I don’t know that there’s been a delay as much as there has been a whole lot of other priorities that we’ve been working on,” White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said.
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Joe Biden: "We are putting together a list of a group of African American women who are qualified and have the experience to be in the Court." pic.twitter.com/Tebsx5bbm1 — The Hill (@thehill) July 1, 2020
However, neither candidate’s list carries much significance if their respective party doesn’t have a majority in the Senate, which confirms the nominations. Republicans currently control the Senate, with 53 of 100 seats.
In his announcement, Trump demanded that Biden release his shortlist of potential Supreme Court nominees “for people to properly make a decision as to how they will vote.”
The Senate confirmed both nominees despite backlash over Republicans’ decision to block Merrick Garland from the high court during the Obama administration, as well as over sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh.
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Senate Republicans have worked diligently the past four years to confirm more than 200 of Trump’s judicial nominees to lifetime federal court seats — which is more than any president has confirmed in a first term in decades. All told, Trump has notched two Supreme Court justices, 53 appeals court judges, 147 district court judges and two judges on the U.S. Court of International Trade. His picks are overwhelmingly young, conservative white men with records of being hostile toward voting rights, LGBTQ rights and reproductive rights.
Some of the people who have been added to Trump’s list of potential Supreme Court picks reacted to the news Wednesday.
“As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I’ve been proud to help confirm to the bench over 200 of President Trump’s judicial nominees, including two to the Supreme Court,” Cruz wrote in a statement. “It’s humbling and an immense honor to be considered for the Supreme Court.”
It's humbling and an immense honor to be considered for #SCOTUS.
Read my statement here on @realDonaldTrump’s list of potential Supreme Court nominees he announced today he might choose from in a second term.👇 pic.twitter.com/oOjuCHSs80 — Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) September 9, 2020
Minutes after Trump’s announcement, Cotton tweeted about his wish to dismantle Roe v. Wade ― the landmark 1973 decision that protects a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion without government restriction.
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Hawley tweeted that he appreciated Trump considering him as a potential Supreme Court nominee, but said he had plans to take on the role. “As I told the President, Missourians elected me to fight for them in the Senate, and I have no interest in the high court,” he said.
Demand Justice, a progressive group aimed at fighting Trump’s steamrolling of the judicial branch, launched a project this summer called Supreme Court Voter in response to the president making his plan to install more conservative justices a centerpiece of his 2020 campaign.
The group announced Wednesday that the project is beginning a digital ad campaign in key states highlighting the far-right views of several potential nominees on Trump’s list.
“This gambit may have paid off for Trump in 2016, but the politics are different this time around,” Demand Justice Executive Director Brian Fallon said in a statement. “The Kavanaugh confirmation process provoked a major backlash, and Democratic voters are more attuned to the Supreme Court’s importance than ever before.”
“For every base conservative activist that is excited by this new Trump shortlist, there is likely to be a swing voter that will be turned off by the prospect of a Trump supermajority on the Supreme Court.”