thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-09--Teachers On U.S. Military Bases Abroad Say They're At Risk Of Coronavirus Exposure

Italy has been the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Europe , with more than 7,000 confirmed cases of the flu-like illness and 132 deaths , according to the World Health Organization .
The Italian government closed schools in its northern region last month , and the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity ( DODEA ) followed suit for its facilities in the area .
But the office asked teachers to continue to report to work so they could teach online from their classrooms .
( Italy on Monday escalated its response to the COVID-19 outbreak by essentially shutting down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) The DODEA ’ s policy could be dangerous for the roughly 700 teachers on military bases in Italy , Bahrain , Spain and Turkey who continue to report to work as the virus continues to spread , American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten said .
She argued the Department of Defense ought to allow the instructors to teach virtually from home if they ’ re already doing classes online .
“ Asking teachers to report to work every day when students are at home is not only ridiculous , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement late last week .
“ It callously disregards the well-being of our educators and puts our teachers in the dangerous position of possibly spreading the virus in their community.
” Weingarten and Overseas Federation of Teachers President Linda Hogan have complained in two letters to Department of Defense Education Activity director Tom Brady , who as of Monday had not responded .
But DODEA spokesman Will Griffin said the office ’ s policy has been a great help to the department ’ s mission of supporting the troops who protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are no more at risk than other civilian employees .
“ Further , all travel to and from affected areas is extremely limited , approved at the senior level and only when deemed essential for mission accomplishment , ” Griffin said .
“ In addition , our school buildings remain safe .
They are being cleaned to standards established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
” Amy Ney , a biology teacher at Vicenza High School on the military base in Vicenza , said the day after the school ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 150 other teachers were called into a room for a briefing on social distancing , handwashing and how to teach classes online .
Ney said most students have kept up with their lessons .
A note from the superintendent for the Defense Department ’ s schools in southern Europe praised teachers in Italy and Bahrain , where schools are also closed , for their virtual teaching skills .
“ I can not thank you enough for stepping up to create digital learning spaces for students , ” Superintendent Michelle Howard-Brahaney said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ’ s a cancer survivor and has been taking all the precautions she can .
When she ’ s gone grocery shopping , for example , she ’ s worn rubber gloves and used cleaning wipes to disinfect the items she brings home .
She said she and her colleagues are happy to keep doing their jobs , but she sees no reason to drag them to the school building to do so .
“ I felt devalued and I am bothered by the fact that the way that they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our lives and our children ’ s lives are less important than everybody else ’ s , ” Ney told HuffPost in an interview .
“ We ’ re telling everybody else ’ s children to stay home .
”

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Teachers at U.S. military schools in Europe say they’re at risk of coronavirus exposure because they’re being forced to physically report to work.
Italy has been the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Europe, with more than 7,000 confirmed cases of the flu-like illness and 132 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
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The Italian government closed schools in its northern region last month, and the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) followed suit for its facilities in the area. But the office asked teachers to continue to report to work so they could teach online from their classrooms. (Italy on Monday escalated its response to the COVID-19 outbreak by essentially shutting down the entire country, including schools.)
The DODEA’s policy could be dangerous for the roughly 700 teachers on military bases in Italy, Bahrain, Spain and Turkey who continue to report to work as the virus continues to spread, American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten said. She argued the Department of Defense ought to allow the instructors to teach virtually from home if they’re already doing classes online.
“Asking teachers to report to work every day when students are at home is not only ridiculous, it’s also unsafe,” Weingarten said in a statement late last week. “It callously disregards the well-being of our educators and puts our teachers in the dangerous position of possibly spreading the virus in their community.”
Weingarten and Overseas Federation of Teachers President Linda Hogan have complained in two letters to Department of Defense Education Activity director Tom Brady, who as of Monday had not responded.
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But DODEA spokesman Will Griffin said the office’s policy has been a great help to the department’s mission of supporting the troops who protect U.S. interests abroad, and that teachers are no more at risk than other civilian employees.
“Further, all travel to and from affected areas is extremely limited, approved at the senior level and only when deemed essential for mission accomplishment,” Griffin said. “In addition, our school buildings remain safe. They are being cleaned to standards established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
Amy Ney, a biology teacher at Vicenza High School on the military base in Vicenza, said the day after the school’s closure was announced last month, she and 150 other teachers were called into a room for a briefing on social distancing, handwashing and how to teach classes online. Ney said most students have kept up with their lessons.
A note from the superintendent for the Defense Department’s schools in southern Europe praised teachers in Italy and Bahrain, where schools are also closed, for their virtual teaching skills.
“I cannot thank you enough for stepping up to create digital learning spaces for students,” Superintendent Michelle Howard-Brahaney said in an email last week.
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Ney said she’s a cancer survivor and has been taking all the precautions she can. When she’s gone grocery shopping, for example, she’s worn rubber gloves and used cleaning wipes to disinfect the items she brings home. She said she and her colleagues are happy to keep doing their jobs, but she sees no reason to drag them to the school building to do so.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-10--Trump Not Tested For Coronavirus Despite Contact With Self-Quarantined Lawmakers

The White House said Monday that President Donald Trump has not been tested for COVID-19 — even though the 73-year-old leader had direct contact with at least three people who ’ ve since put themselves under self-quarantine after possibly interacting with an attendee of the Conservative Political Action Conference who tested positive for the coronavirus .
The president was also at CPAC — but officials said he was not in close proximity to the infected individual .
Trump did , however , come into contact with GOP Reps. Doug Collins ( Ga. ) , Matt Gaetz ( Fla. ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incoming White House chief of staff— in the days after the conference .
All three lawmakers have since placed themselves under self-quarantine after being informed that they ’ d potentially come into contact with the coronavirus patient during CPAC .
Collins shook Trump ’ s hand during the president ’ s visit to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday , and Gaetz rode with Trump in the presidential limousine and Air Force One on Monday , CNN reported .
Meadows , who was named Trump ’ s new chief of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House meeting , Politico said .
President Donald Trump was greeted by Congressman Doug Collins , who later announced that he was self-quarantining after coming in contact with a person who tested positive for # coronavirus https : //t.co/l89JeCSs7t pic.twitter.com/FzphIZkbFh — Reuters ( @ Reuters ) March 10 , 2020 Despite these interactions , White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement that Trump had “ not received COVID-19 testing because he has neither had prolonged close contact with any known confirmed COVID-19 patients , nor does he have any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excellent health , and his physician will continue to closely monitor him , ” she added .
“ Per current CDC guidelines , medical professionals should base testing decisions on patient symptoms and exposure history.
” Vice President Mike Pence , who also attended CPAC , said earlier in the day that he too had not been tested for the novel coronavirus .
The disease has sickened more than 100,000 people globally .
In the U.S. , more than 600 people have been diagnosed with the virus .

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The White House said Monday that President Donald Trump has not been tested for COVID-19 — even though the 73-year-old leader had direct contact with at least three people who’ve since put themselves under self-quarantine after possibly interacting with an attendee of the Conservative Political Action Conference who tested positive for the coronavirus.
The president was also at CPAC — but officials said he was not in close proximity to the infected individual.
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Trump did, however, come into contact with GOP Reps. Doug Collins (Ga.), Matt Gaetz (Fla.) and Mark Meadows (N.C.) — the incoming White House chief of staff — in the days after the conference. All three lawmakers have since placed themselves under self-quarantine after being informed that they’d potentially come into contact with the coronavirus patient during CPAC.
Collins shook Trump’s hand during the president’s visit to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday, and Gaetz rode with Trump in the presidential limousine and Air Force One on Monday, CNN reported.
Meadows, who was named Trump’s new chief of staff last week, attended a recent White House meeting, Politico said.
President Donald Trump was greeted by Congressman Doug Collins, who later announced that he was self-quarantining after coming in contact with a person who tested positive for #coronavirus https://t.co/l89JeCSs7t pic.twitter.com/FzphIZkbFh — Reuters (@Reuters) March 10, 2020
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Despite these interactions, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement that Trump had “not received COVID-19 testing because he has neither had prolonged close contact with any known confirmed COVID-19 patients, nor does he have any symptoms.”
“President Trump remains in excellent health, and his physician will continue to closely monitor him,” Grisham added. “Per current CDC guidelines, medical professionals should base testing decisions on patient symptoms and exposure history.”
Vice President Mike Pence, who also attended CPAC, said earlier in the day that he too had not been tested for the novel coronavirus.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-10--New York Sending National Guard To Control Coronavirus Spread In NYC Suburb

New York ’ s governor announced Tuesday he is sending the National Guard into a New York City suburb to help fight what is believed to be the nation ’ s biggest cluster of coronavirus cases — one of the most dramatic actions yet to control the outbreak in the U.S. Schools , houses of worship and large gathering places will be shuttered for two weeks in a “ containment area ” centered in New Rochelle , and the troops will scrub surfaces and deliver food to the zone , which extends a mile in all directions from a point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cases , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said .
New Rochelle is at the center of an outbreak of 108 cases in Westchester County , out of 173 identified statewide .
New York City has 36 cases , while its population is more than 100 times that of New Rochelle .
In Oakland , California , meanwhile , thousands of increasingly bored and restless passengers aboard a cruise ship struck by the coronavirus waited their turn to get off the vessel and go to U.S. military bases or back to their home countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington state , where at least 19 deaths have been connected to a Seattle-area nursing home , Gov .
Jay Inslee announced new rules for screening health care workers and limiting visitors .
“ If we assume there are 1,000 or more people who have the virus today ... the number of people who are infected will double in five to eight days , ” he warned .
The virus has infected over 700 people in the U.S. and killed at least 27 , with one state after another recording its first infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its first coronavirus death .
In California , passengers from the coronavirus-stricken Grand Princess were allowed off the vessel and walked to the bottom of a ramp , where masked officials in yellow protective gear and blue plastic gloves took their temperature and led them to a tent for more screening before they lined up to board a bus .
“ We ’ re trying to stay calm and were trying to stay positive , but it ’ s getting harder and harder .
They can ’ t make up their minds how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passenger Beryl Ward , 77 , of Santa Fe , New Mexico .
The slow evacuation of the 951-foot ( 290-meter ) ship began Monday with several hundred people let off the ship .
About two dozen people who needed acute medical care were taken off first , though it was unclear how many of them were infected , California emergency authorities said .
Also , more than 200 Canadians on board were flown to a military base in their country , Canadian officials said .
The Grand Princess ship had been held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of evidence that it was the breeding ground for more than 20 infections tied to a previous voyage .
Passengers were mostly confined to their cabins .
She added : “ I ’ m just totally freaked out by that .
It ’ s outrageous .
If that ’ s safe , then why were we stuck in our rooms ?
It ’ s been stressed for the past five days that we ’ re not to have any contact with any other passengers ?
” About 1,100 crew members , 19 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship , which will dock elsewhere after passengers are unloaded , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said .
He and Oakland ’ s mayor sought to reassure people that no passengers would be exposed to the public before completing quarantine .
Elsewhere around the country , the United Nations said it will close its headquarters in New York to the public and suspend all guided tours .
On Wall Street , stocks climbed higher during the day , recouping some of their staggering losses from the day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .
Most people recover in a matter of weeks , as has happened with three-quarters of those infected in mainland China .

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New York’s governor announced Tuesday he is sending the National Guard into a New York City suburb to help fight what is believed to be the nation’s biggest cluster of coronavirus cases — one of the most dramatic actions yet to control the outbreak in the U.S.
The move came as health authorities contended with alarming concentrations of the disease on both sides of the country and scattered cases in between.
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Schools, houses of worship and large gathering places will be shuttered for two weeks in a “containment area” centered in New Rochelle, and the troops will scrub surfaces and deliver food to the zone, which extends a mile in all directions from a point near a synagogue connected to some of the cases, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
“It is a dramatic action, but it is the largest cluster of cases in the country,” Cuomo said. “The numbers are going up unabated, and we do need a special public health strategy.”
New Rochelle is at the center of an outbreak of 108 cases in Westchester County, out of 173 identified statewide. New York City has 36 cases, while its population is more than 100 times that of New Rochelle.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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In Oakland, California, meanwhile, thousands of increasingly bored and restless passengers aboard a cruise ship struck by the coronavirus waited their turn to get off the vessel and go to U.S. military bases or back to their home countries for two weeks of quarantine. In Washington state, where at least 19 deaths have been connected to a Seattle-area nursing home, Gov. Jay Inslee announced new rules for screening health care workers and limiting visitors.
“If we assume there are 1,000 or more people who have the virus today ... the number of people who are infected will double in five to eight days,” he warned.
The virus has infected over 700 people in the U.S. and killed at least 27, with one state after another recording its first infections in quick succession. New Jersey recorded its first coronavirus death.
In California, passengers from the coronavirus-stricken Grand Princess were allowed off the vessel and walked to the bottom of a ramp, where masked officials in yellow protective gear and blue plastic gloves took their temperature and led them to a tent for more screening before they lined up to board a bus.
After days of being forced to idle off the Northern California coast, the ship docked Monday at Oakland with about 3,500 passengers and crew, including at least 21 who tested positive for the new virus.
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“We’re trying to stay calm and were trying to stay positive, but it’s getting harder and harder. They can’t make up their minds how to keep us safe,” said passenger Beryl Ward, 77, of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The slow evacuation of the 951-foot (290-meter) ship began Monday with several hundred people let off the ship. About two dozen people who needed acute medical care were taken off first, though it was unclear how many of them were infected, California emergency authorities said. Also, more than 200 Canadians on board were flown to a military base in their country, Canadian officials said.
On the ship, about 2,000 passengers, including hundreds of Californians, were still aboard Tuesday morning..
Authorities said foreign passengers would be flown home, while U.S. passengers would be flown or bused to military bases in California, Texas and Georgia for testing and 14-day quarantines.
The Grand Princess cruise ship is shown docked at the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., Tuesday, March 10, 2020. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The Grand Princess ship had been held off the coast since last week because of evidence that it was the breeding ground for more than 20 infections tied to a previous voyage. Passengers were mostly confined to their cabins.
But Ward’s cabin mate, Carolyn Wright, 63, also of Santa Fe, said she looked out her cabin window as passengers lined up to depart and also saw people in yellow protective clothing, gloves and hazardous materials suits.
“They were queuing up the passengers like cattle,” Wright said. “Everybody was bunched up. They were physically touching each other and they were backed up along the gangplank.”
She added: “I’m just totally freaked out by that. It’s outrageous. If that’s safe, then why were we stuck in our rooms? It’s been stressed for the past five days that we’re not to have any contact with any other passengers?”
About 1,100 crew members, 19 of whom tested positive for the virus, will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship, which will dock elsewhere after passengers are unloaded, Gov. Gavin Newsom said. He and Oakland’s mayor sought to reassure people that no passengers would be exposed to the public before completing quarantine.
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Another Princess ship, the Diamond Princess, was quarantined for two weeks in Yokohama, Japan, last month because of the virus. Ultimately, about 700 of the 3,700 people aboard became infected in what experts pronounced a public health failure.
Elsewhere around the country, the United Nations said it will close its headquarters in New York to the public and suspend all guided tours. On Wall Street, stocks climbed higher during the day, recouping some of their staggering losses from the day before,
For most people, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. Most people recover in a matter of weeks, as has happened with three-quarters of those infected in mainland China.
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Rodriguez reported from San Francisco. Associated Press writers Janie Har, Jocelyn Gecker and Juliet Williams in San Francisco, Robert Jablon in Los Angeles and Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-10--Group Asks Congress To Investigate If Betsy DeVos Is Tied To Her Brother's Work

Barcroft Media via Getty Images Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speaks at a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor , Health and Human Services , Education , and Related Agencies in Washington .
A progressive government watchdog nonprofit group is asking Congress to investigate whether Education Secretary Betsy DeVos had any involvement in her brother ’ s efforts to spy on a Michigan teachers union , HuffPost has learned .
Over the weekend , The New York Times reported that in 2017 , DeVos ’ s brother , Erik Prince , recruited an ex-spy to infiltrate a Michigan office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He did this work through Project Veritas , a right-wing group that is known to infiltrate media organizations and liberal groups in an attempt to collect potentially damaging information .
A spokesperson for DeVos told Politico that “ Secretary DeVos has absolutely nothing to do with this.
” But on Tuesday , the group Accountable.US wrote to top officials on the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform asking them to take a closer look .
“ The involvement of DeVos ’ brother in this scheme to spy on a labor organization in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious questions about what role the Education Secretary played in it , particularly in light of DeVos ’ history of hostility with the same union , ” the group wrote in the letter , a copy of which was shared with HuffPost .
DeVos has long had a hostile relationship with teachers unions .
In 2018 , she said unions are “ not really focused on what is right for individual students ” and have a “ stranglehold on many of the politicians in this country.
” Her family has donated to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequently spars with Randi Weingarten , the national leader of the American Federation of Teachers .
“ It stretches the imagination to the breaking point to believe her brother never at least mentioned his intel operation to her , ” the group continued in its letter .
“ At the end of the day , who would benefit more from this ill-gotten information than the Education Secretary at war with the union ?
” Prince is famous for founding a mercenary firm called Blackwater whose employees were caught killing Iraqi civilians .
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Trump administration , enmeshing himself in some of the administration ’ s biggest controversies .
Before becoming education secretary , DeVos reportedly paid to “ suppress Google search hits connecting her to her brother , ” the Wall Street Journal reported in December .

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A progressive government watchdog nonprofit group is asking Congress to investigate whether Education Secretary Betsy DeVos had any involvement in her brother’s efforts to spy on a Michigan teachers union, HuffPost has learned.
Over the weekend, The New York Times reported that in 2017, DeVos’s brother, Erik Prince, recruited an ex-spy to infiltrate a Michigan office of the American Federation of Teachers. He did this work through Project Veritas, a right-wing group that is known to infiltrate media organizations and liberal groups in an attempt to collect potentially damaging information. A spokesperson for DeVos told Politico that “Secretary DeVos has absolutely nothing to do with this.”
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But on Tuesday, the group Accountable.US wrote to top officials on the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform asking them to take a closer look.
“The involvement of DeVos’ brother in this scheme to spy on a labor organization in their shared home state of Michigan raises serious questions about what role the Education Secretary played in it, particularly in light of DeVos’ history of hostility with the same union,” the group wrote in the letter, a copy of which was shared with HuffPost.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speaks at a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies in Washington. Barcroft Media via Getty Images
DeVos has long had a hostile relationship with teachers unions. In 2018, she said unions are “not really focused on what is right for individual students” and have a “stranglehold on many of the politicians in this country.” Her family has donated to a number of anti-union groups, and she frequently spars with Randi Weingarten, the national leader of the American Federation of Teachers.
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“It stretches the imagination to the breaking point to believe her brother never at least mentioned his intel operation to her,” the group continued in its letter. “At the end of the day, who would benefit more from this ill-gotten information than the Education Secretary at war with the union?”
Prince is famous for founding a mercenary firm called Blackwater whose employees were caught killing Iraqi civilians. Since that time, he has worked closely with the Trump administration, enmeshing himself in some of the administration’s biggest controversies.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-10--House Democrats Can See Secret Mueller Grand Jury Testimony, Appeals Court Rules

The House of Representatives is entitled to see redacted portions of the grand jury testimony collected during Robert Mueller ’ s special counsel investigation into President Donald Trump and Russian interference in the 2016 election , a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday .
The three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C .
Circuit ruled in a 2-to-1 decision that a lower federal district court did not abuse its discretion in ordering the Justice Department to disclose certain grand jury materials .
The majority opinion noted that the Mueller report “ stopped short of making any ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct , ’ ... in part to avoid preempting the House ’ s sole power of impeachment ” and that the House Judiciary Committee had “ established that it can not ‘ fairly and diligently ’ make a final determination about the conduct described in both volumes of the Mueller Report ‘ without the grand jury material referenced ’ therein.
” The majority opinion was written by Judge Judith Rogers and joined by Judge Thomas Griffith .
Judge Neomi Rao dissented , in part because the Senate already acquitted Trump after the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Rogers wrote that “ second-guessing ” Congress ’ need for evidence would be “ potentially problematic ” and that the courts “ can not tell the House how to conduct its impeachment investigation or what lines of inquiry to pursue.
” But Rao , a Trump appointee , suggested that the question about needing to access the materials might be moot , writing that the majority opinion ignores the fact that the Senate impeachment trial is over .
“ In the months following the Committee ’ s initial petition , the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate conducted an impeachment trial and voted to acquit President Donald J. Trump , ” Rao wrote .
“ In light of these circumstances , I would remand to the district court to consider in the first instance whether the Committee can continue to demonstrate that its inquiry is preliminary to an impeachment proceeding and that it has a ‘ particularized need ’ for disclosure of the grand jury records.
” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler ( D-N.Y. ) applauded the decision and said the appeals court rightly rejected the Justice Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains committed to holding the President accountable to the rule of law and preventing improper interference in law enforcement investigations , ” he said in a statement .
The Justice Department will likely appeal the ruling , which could be reviewed by the full U.S. Court of Appeals and ultimately the Supreme Court .
The win for House Democrats followed a separate appeals court panel ruling that dismissed another lawsuit in which House lawmakers sought to force testimony from former White House counsel Don McGahn , who played a major role in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Former special counsel Robert Mueller testifies before a House committee on July 24, 2019. Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The House of Representatives is entitled to see redacted portions of the grand jury testimony collected during Robert Mueller’s special counsel investigation into President Donald Trump and Russian interference in the 2016 election, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.
The three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled in a 2-to-1 decision that a lower federal district court did not abuse its discretion in ordering the Justice Department to disclose certain grand jury materials.
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The majority opinion noted that the Mueller report “stopped short of making any ‘ultimate conclusions about the President’s conduct,’ ... in part to avoid preempting the House’s sole power of impeachment” and that the House Judiciary Committee had “established that it cannot ‘fairly and diligently’ make a final determination about the conduct described in both volumes of the Mueller Report ‘without the grand jury material referenced’ therein.”
The majority opinion was written by Judge Judith Rogers and joined by Judge Thomas Griffith. Judge Neomi Rao dissented, in part because the Senate already acquitted Trump after the House impeached him.
In the majority opinion, Rogers wrote that “second-guessing” Congress’ need for evidence would be “potentially problematic” and that the courts “cannot tell the House how to conduct its impeachment investigation or what lines of inquiry to pursue.”
But Rao, a Trump appointee, suggested that the question about needing to access the materials might be moot, writing that the majority opinion ignores the fact that the Senate impeachment trial is over.
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“In the months following the Committee’s initial petition, the House passed two articles of impeachment and the Senate conducted an impeachment trial and voted to acquit President Donald J. Trump,” Rao wrote. “In light of these circumstances, I would remand to the district court to consider in the first instance whether the Committee can continue to demonstrate that its inquiry is preliminary to an impeachment proceeding and that it has a ‘particularized need’ for disclosure of the grand jury records.”
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) applauded the decision and said the appeals court rightly rejected the Justice Department’s arguments. “The Committee remains committed to holding the President accountable to the rule of law and preventing improper interference in law enforcement investigations,” he said in a statement.
The Justice Department will likely appeal the ruling, which could be reviewed by the full U.S. Court of Appeals and ultimately the Supreme Court.
The win for House Democrats followed a separate appeals court panel ruling that dismissed another lawsuit in which House lawmakers sought to force testimony from former White House counsel Don McGahn, who played a major role in the events laid out in the Mueller report.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-10--Bloomberg Aides Say Campaign Not Following Through On Employment Promises: Reports

Staffers for Mike Bloomberg ’ s failed presidential campaign say they were laid off despite promises that they would be employed through the November election , reported Politico and The New York Times .
Hundreds of the aides received emails Monday saying they were terminated but adding that they could reapply for positions in battleground states where some campaign offices would remain open , the Times reported .
The staffers were informed they would be paid through March 31 and could keep the cell phones and laptops issued to them by the campaign .
Some of the individuals laid off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they would have jobs through the general election , regardless of whether Bloomberg stayed in the race .
Bloomberg suspended his Democratic bid for the White House after the Super Tuesday balloting last week in which he failed to win a single state in the jam-packed day of primary contests .
He has endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for the party ’ s nomination .
“ Mike Bloomberg entered the race to defeat Donald Trump , and he will keep up the fight to remove Trump from office in November , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ve said over the course of the campaign , this election will come down to six battleground states , ” the statement continued .
“ It ’ s imperative that we invest there with staff and infrastructure .
Staff who were working in non-battleground states and would like to learn about future opportunities in the battleground states are being asked to let us know so we can consider them for jobs there.
” The Wall Street Journal reported in December that Bloomberg ’ s campaign intended to keep staffers in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Michigan , Wisconsin , Arizona and Florida .
Trump narrowly carried all of them in the 2016 election , three by less than 1 percentage point : Pennsylvania , Michigan and Wisconsin .
Bloomberg has pledged to help whoever becomes the Democratic nominee to defeat Trump .
His new operation in these battleground states will also work to fund Democratic candidates in key Senate and House races , according to Politico .
The news outlet reviewed hiring materials from Bloomberg ’ s presidential campaign that stated field organizers could expect to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through November , but did not promise a specific location where they would be based .
Some of the former aides have reportedly asked to be released from the nondisclosure agreements they signed when hired so they can speak about their work while applying for new jobs .

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Staffers for Mike Bloomberg’s failed presidential campaign say they were laid off despite promises that they would be employed through the November election, reported Politico and The New York Times.
Hundreds of the aides received emails Monday saying they were terminated but adding that they could reapply for positions in battleground states where some campaign offices would remain open, the Times reported.
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The staffers were informed they would be paid through March 31 and could keep the cell phones and laptops issued to them by the campaign.
Some of the individuals laid off say they were promised when hired that they would have jobs through the general election, regardless of whether Bloomberg stayed in the race.
Bloomberg suspended his Democratic bid for the White House after the Super Tuesday balloting last week in which he failed to win a single state in the jam-packed day of primary contests. He has endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for the party’s nomination.
In a statement to HuffPost, a spokesperson for Bloomberg confirmed that staffers could apply for positions in the battleground states.
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“Mike Bloomberg entered the race to defeat Donald Trump, and he will keep up the fight to remove Trump from office in November,” according to the statement.
“As we’ve said over the course of the campaign, this election will come down to six battleground states,” the statement continued. “It’s imperative that we invest there with staff and infrastructure. Staff who were working in non-battleground states and would like to learn about future opportunities in the battleground states are being asked to let us know so we can consider them for jobs there.”
The Wall Street Journal reported in December that Bloomberg’s campaign intended to keep staffers in the key states of North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona and Florida. Trump narrowly carried all of them in the 2016 election, three by less than 1 percentage point: Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Bloomberg has pledged to help whoever becomes the Democratic nominee to defeat Trump. His new operation in these battleground states will also work to fund Democratic candidates in key Senate and House races, according to Politico.
The news outlet reviewed hiring materials from Bloomberg’s presidential campaign that stated field organizers could expect to have a job with “Team Bloomberg” through November, but did not promise a specific location where they would be based.
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Organizers were paid $6,000 a month, as well as a $5,000 relocation stipend and provided full health, dental and vision benefits, according to the hiring materials.
Some of the former aides have reportedly asked to be released from the nondisclosure agreements they signed when hired so they can speak about their work while applying for new jobs.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-10--Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden Cancel Campaign Rallies Amid Coronavirus Concerns

AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes Alaina Marasa ( left ) and Tobias Riker of La Mirada , California , wear face masks and gloves at a Los Angeles campaign event for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) on Sunday .
Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) and former Vice President Joe Biden have canceled Ohio rallies due to the coronavirus outbreak , their campaigns announced Tuesday .
These are the first campaign events in the 2020 presidential election cycle to be canceled because of the virus .
“ We are heeding the public warnings from Ohio state officials , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , indoor events during the coronavirus outbreak , ” the Sanders campaign said in a statement about the rally in Cleveland that was scheduled to take place Tuesday night .
“ Sen .
Sanders would like to express his regret to the thousands of Ohioans who had planned to attend the event tonight.
” Biden ’ s campaign spokesperson released a similar statement soon after , saying Biden ’ s event was being canceled “ out of an abundance of caution.
” Both campaigns said all future events would be scheduled on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidance from public health officials .
Ohio has been proactively recommending against large indoor events .
Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine ( R ) asked on Tuesday that spectators not be allowed at indoor sports in the state , including high school , professional and collegiate sports .
Over the past week , the Biden and Sanders campaigns have been taking precautions to keep supporters safe at events .
Both offered hand sanitizer at events and have kept in touch with local public safety officials .
The candidates have been more lax with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands , plus take pictures with and hug supporters .
Biden said he would be doing fewer “ rope line ” interactions — where he ’ s been known to get very close to supporters — though the former vice president was seen surrounded by voters at an auto factory in Michigan on Tuesday .
More than 760 cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , have been confirmed in the U.S. , and there had been more than two dozen deaths as of Tuesday afternoon .
The Centers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans to practice social distancing , avoid touching their faces and shaking hands .

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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Vice President Joe Biden have canceled Ohio rallies due to the coronavirus outbreak, their campaigns announced Tuesday.
These are the first campaign events in the 2020 presidential election cycle to be canceled because of the virus.
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“We are heeding the public warnings from Ohio state officials, who have communicated concern about holding large, indoor events during the coronavirus outbreak,” the Sanders campaign said in a statement about the rally in Cleveland that was scheduled to take place Tuesday night. “Sen. Sanders would like to express his regret to the thousands of Ohioans who had planned to attend the event tonight.”
Biden’s campaign spokesperson released a similar statement soon after, saying Biden’s event was being canceled “out of an abundance of caution.”
Both campaigns said all future events would be scheduled on a case by case basis, depending on guidance from public health officials.
Alaina Marasa (left) and Tobias Riker of La Mirada, California, wear face masks and gloves at a Los Angeles campaign event for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Sunday. AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes
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Ohio has been proactively recommending against large indoor events. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) asked on Tuesday that spectators not be allowed at indoor sports in the state, including high school, professional and collegiate sports.
Over the past week, the Biden and Sanders campaigns have been taking precautions to keep supporters safe at events. Both offered hand sanitizer at events and have kept in touch with local public safety officials. The candidates have been more lax with their own safety, continuing to shake hands, plus take pictures with and hug supporters.
Biden said he would be doing fewer “rope line” interactions — where he’s been known to get very close to supporters — though the former vice president was seen surrounded by voters at an auto factory in Michigan on Tuesday.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-10--How Different Countries Are Responding To The Coronavirus Outbreak

An Ipsos poll published on March 4 suggests Canada ’ s approach to the virus appears to be relatively calm .
Among nine countries surveyed ( Australia , Canada , France , Germany , Italy , Japan , Russia , the US , the UK , and Vietnam ) , the lowest percentage of people who think the virus poses a high or very high threat to their country is Canada at 21 % .
In comparison , 65 % of Japanese respondents and 49 % in France feel this way , according to the survey .
In the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached 319 , with five reported deaths .
The World Health Organisation ( WHO ) said China ’ s move to quarantine about 60 million people in central Hubei province , where Covid-19 originated , in late January helped the rest of the planet prepare .
Gail Carson , head of ISARIC , an international clinical research federation , told HuffPost : “ WHO has shown great leadership in bringing together multiple disciplines from within the research community to develop a research agenda and roadmap to help facilitate a coordinated research response .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ research by China , even whilst in the ‘ eye of the storm ’ has been remarkable and we will learn from their research outputs.
” However , similar moves by Italy ’ s prime minister Giuseppe Conte to isolate millions of people in its northern provinces , and then Monday ’ s extreme decision to lock down the entire country , could prove more difficult to implement in Europe .
While the “ aggressive ” measures were praised by WHO experts , Conte faced criticism after leaks of his government ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before they were approved , leading to widespread uncertainty and panic .
“ On Saturday night many people went to Milan station to take the last train to South Italy .
It was an incredible scene , ” one HuffPost Italy editor said .
But the picture is not quite the same in the US , where the efforts of experts at the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) to control the virus have been hampered by a confused White House approach .
Donald Trump has been criticized for claiming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few months , only to be contradicted by a medical expert at the same table saying it could take up to 18 months .
“ It ’ s going to disappear , ” Trump said of the coronavirus last Thursday .
“ One day it ’ s like a miracle , it will disappear.
” Trump has also come under fire for reportedly overruling his health officials , who wanted to recommend elderly and physically fragile Americans be advised not to fly on commercial airlines .
On Friday , the CDC updated its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with severe medical conditions such as heart , lung or kidney disease to “ stay home as much as possible ” and avoid crowds .
But on the whole , ISARIC ’ s Gail Carson said , experts across countries and continents have worked well together .
“ The spirit of collegiality across the clinical research groups across the globe has been humbling and inspiring , ” she added .

An Ipsos poll published on March 4 suggests Canada’s approach to the virus appears to be relatively calm. Among nine countries surveyed (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the US, the UK, and Vietnam), the lowest percentage of people who think the virus poses a high or very high threat to their country is Canada at 21%. In comparison, 65% of Japanese respondents and 49% in France feel this way, according to the survey.
In the UK, the number of confirmed cases has reached 319, with five reported deaths.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said China’s move to quarantine about 60 million people in central Hubei province, where Covid-19 originated, in late January helped the rest of the planet prepare.
Gail Carson, head of ISARIC, an international clinical research federation, told HuffPost: “WHO has shown great leadership in bringing together multiple disciplines from within the research community to develop a research agenda and roadmap to help facilitate a coordinated research response.
“The effort regarding all aspects of research by China, even whilst in the ‘eye of the storm’ has been remarkable and we will learn from their research outputs.”
However, similar moves by Italy’s prime minister Giuseppe Conte to isolate millions of people in its northern provinces, and then Monday’s extreme decision to lock down the entire country, could prove more difficult to implement in Europe.
While the “aggressive” measures were praised by WHO experts, Conte faced criticism after leaks of his government’s draft plans appeared in the press hours before they were approved, leading to widespread uncertainty and panic. “On Saturday night many people went to Milan station to take the last train to South Italy. It was an incredible scene,” one HuffPost Italy editor said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-10--Bernie Sanders Is Hoping For Another, Much-Needed Upset In Michigan

The attention Sanders is giving Michigan is a sign of just how much he is counting on the state to revive his electoral fortunes , just like it did four years ago , in 2016 , when he narrowly defeated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton .
Although Sanders went on to lose the Democratic presidential nomination , the victory in Michigan gave him enough standing to stay in the race until the end .
But Biden also has a reservoir of goodwill with white working-class voters , which is one reason he performed so well on Super Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ know exactly why , it likely reflects a combination of factors ― including his longtime ties to major union leaders as well as his image as somebody who is both from and protective of the working class .
None of which is to say Sanders can ’ t defy the odds , like he did last time .
Turning out tens of thousands of people to rallies may not be everything in politics , but it ’ s not nothing , either .
It ’ s always possible the pollsters have underestimated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beat Biden handily among young voters , as he did against Clinton in 2016 .
Once Again , Michigan Could Be Pivotal

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. ― If Bernie Sanders doesn’t win the Michigan primary on Tuesday, it won’t be for lack of trying.
Starting on Friday night, the Vermont senator and Democratic presidential candidate held seven events in the state over the course of 72 hours. The itinerary included town hall events in Dearborn and Flint, as well as large rallies in Ann Arbor, Detroit and Grand Rapids.
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The Sanders Michigan tour featured some progressive star power, too, with the Rev. Jesse Jackson appearing in Grand Rapids to offer his official endorsement and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) introducing Sanders to the throngs in Ann Arbor.
Joe Biden, the former vice president and front-runner for the nomination, has relied heavily on paid advertising, spending $820,460 in Michigan, according to data collected by Kantar Media/CMAG. That’s just shy of the $892,090 Sanders spent.
And Biden finally came to Michigan on Monday with a blitz that also stopped in Flint before winding up a Detroit. He brought along some guests, too: Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), each of whom had just endorsed him.
But over the weekend, Sanders had the local airwaves mostly to himself, in part because he also did multiple interviews with local news correspondents. He even did a round of segments, by satellite, with anchors from the northern part of the state and Upper Peninsula ― an area that almost never gets attention from national politicians.
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The rallies, meanwhile, meant Sanders got to make contact with and energize a small army of grassroots supporters. Officially nearly 30,000 people in total turned out to see Sanders in Michigan in those three days, and even if some of those counts felt a little inflated, they dwarfed the crowds for Biden, whose largest audience fit inside a high school gymnasium.
“If we are going to defeat Trump, in Michigan ... it will be very hard for a candidate who voted for these disastrous trade agreements.” - Sen. Bernie Sanders at a rally in Detroit
The attention Sanders is giving Michigan is a sign of just how much he is counting on the state to revive his electoral fortunes, just like it did four years ago, in 2016, when he narrowly defeated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Although Sanders went on to lose the Democratic presidential nomination, the victory in Michigan gave him enough standing to stay in the race until the end.
The parallels are impossible to miss.
Then, as now, Sanders came into Michigan following significant losses across the country on Super Tuesday. Then, as now, Sanders stood to lose in other races on the same day as Michigan, especially in the South.
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And then, as now, Sanders beat Clinton in part by spending a lot more time here. It was a preview of what would happen in the fall, when Clinton lost Michigan, along with the rest of the Upper Midwest and, in the process relinquished the presidency to Donald Trump.
But at least two key factors are different this time around. Both almost certainly work in Biden’s favor. That could make it difficult for Sanders to repeat his feat from four years ago and, especially if he loses by a substantial margin, put his 2020 bid in serious trouble.
This Time Sanders Isn’t Running Against Clinton
One difference is that Sanders is not running against Clinton, whose favorability rating among Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters nationally had fallen behind Sanders’s when Michigan voted in 2016. This time, Biden is the one with the higher favorability rating, according to the latest Quinnipiac poll.
In 2016, Sanders, with his record of opposing free trade agreements and attacking Wall Street, had an easy time presenting himself as an alternative who was on the side of average Americans.
Over the weekend, Sanders did his best to draw the same kinds of distinctions with Biden by attacking the former vice president for his past support of the same trade agreements that Clinton had backed ― and for running on the support of the same political establishment, including its wealthy funders.
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“Joe Biden and I have a very different record on an issue of great importance to the people of Michigan, the Midwest and, in fact, the whole country,” Sanders said at a Friday rally. “I helped lead the opposition to NAFTA [the North American Free Trade Agreement] and PNTR [permanent normal trade relations] with China, which has cost us over 4 million good-paying jobs in this country.”
Sanders is right about Biden’s record, and it’s not a stretch to think, as Sanders said, that, “if we are going to defeat Trump, in Michigan, in Pennsylvania and in Wisconsin, it will be very hard for a candidate who voted for these disastrous trade agreements.”
“I'm not worried he'll go all wishy-washy.” - Lori Goldman, president of Fems for Dems, on Joe Biden's support for reproductive rights
But Biden also has a reservoir of goodwill with white working-class voters, which is one reason he performed so well on Super Tuesday. And though it’s impossible to know exactly why, it likely reflects a combination of factors ― including his longtime ties to major union leaders as well as his image as somebody who is both from and protective of the working class.
Sanders in Michigan also did his best to win over female voters by emphasizing his staunch defense of reproductive rights and contrasting it to Biden’s record.
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As Sanders made sure to note at every stop and in his interviews with local TV, Biden once criticized Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court case that guaranteed a right to abortion, and supported the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funding of abortion through programs like Medicaid, until changing his position on it just last year.
But though every word of what Sanders said was true, polling around the country suggests women in the Democratic Party prefer Biden anyway. That’s especially true of the suburban women who in 2018 helped Democrats win back the U.S. House and sweep statewide races in Michigan.
Lori Goldman, founder of an organization called Fems for Dems based in Detroit’s Oakland County suburbs, says she isn’t surprised.
Yes, the women there feel strongly about reproductive rights, she says, but they believe Biden will be there for them, in part because he’s responsive to the party and that’s where the party is.
“I’m not worried he’ll go all wishy-washy,” she told HuffPost.
This Time Trump Is President
The other difference from 2016 is that, back then, the prospect of a Trump presidency was purely hypothetical ― and a far-fetched one at that. If people were restive and wanted change, that meant change from President Barack Obama’s administration, in which Clinton had served and which Sanders had frequently attacked.
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Now Trump is president and Democrats, whatever their ideological leanings, are desperate to get him out.
Sanders over the weekend made the case for why he’s actually the most electable ― because, he said, he has the ideas and the movement to increase turnout.
“I understand that Joe Biden has the support of the political establishment,” Sanders said in Ann Arbor. “But we have the support of some of the strongest grassroots movements in this country. … and I would, 100 times over, prefer to have grassroots support over establishment support.”
His supporters echo those arguments, just as they echo Sanders’s arguments that policies like “Medicare for All” and free college are more popular than critics allow. They also talk about him as somebody who speaks his mind and comes off as genuine ― and how that credibility can go a long way in an election.
“I’ve been following Bernie for at least a decade,” Jeremy Manning, a network administrator from a Detroit suburb, said on Friday night. “He’s honest and consistent, and I think people get that.”
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But on Super Tuesday, it was Biden supporters whose turnout exceeded predictions. And one reason may be that many Democratic voters still harbor doubts about whether Sanders, with his agenda for unprecedented government expansion and identity as a democratic socialist, can win.
Among those harboring the biggest doubts are African Americans, whom Sanders has struggled to attract.
More than 10,000 came out to see Sen. Bernie Sanders at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, according to official estimates. Brittany Greeson via Getty Images
“This doesn’t look like Detroit ― this looks like Ann Arbor,” Angela Gilchrist, a local public school teacher, quipped after surveying the conspicuously white crowd on Friday night. Gilchrist says she is a strong Sanders supporter but as a Black woman she can understand why so many other Black voters prefer Biden. “There’s just this practical side of things. People think about electability. I get it.”
None of which is to say Sanders can’t defy the odds, like he did last time. Turning out tens of thousands of people to rallies may not be everything in politics, but it’s not nothing, either. It’s always possible the pollsters have underestimated the youth vote. Sanders is expected to beat Biden handily among young voters, as he did against Clinton in 2016.
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In his tour of Michigan over the weekend, Sanders also zeroed in on some key issues, like the future of the state’s water supply, that traditionally figures big in state politics. In addition, Sanders can count on strong support from Detroit’s Arab American community, which is among the largest Arab communities outside of the Middle East.
Sanders has campaigned there repeatedly, going back to 2016, and with so many residents fearful of or hostile to Trump, Sanders may have more appeal than ever.
“The Arab American community is overwhelmingly supporting him,” Sam Baydoun, a Wayne County commissioner and Sanders supporter, said after the Dearborn event. “This district is full of immigrants. ... He talked about an even-handed approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That’s very important.”
Once Again, Michigan Could Be Pivotal
Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell was there, too, though she made it clear she was neutral and attending simply because the event was in her district. Ann Arbor is also part of that district, and Dingell told reporters she thought Sanders would carry it, just as he did in 2016, although she predicted he’d “have to work hard to get the victory” in the rest of the state.
Sanders seemed to be operating under the same premise. At every stop over the weekend, he reminded voters of how much was at stake ― and how much he was counting on them to do what the pollsters say they won’t: Turn out the vote enough to give him a victory.
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“He’s honest and consistent, and I think people get that.” - Jeremy Manning, Detroit-area voter, on why Sanders can win over wary voters
“Tuesday is a very very important day, and Michigan is the most important state coming up on Tuesday,” he said in Ann Arbor. “We need you to come out, or to vote early. We need you to bring out your families and your co-workers.
If it works, if those enthusiastic hordes carry Sanders to another upset, they will do more than keep him close in delegates. They will offer some much-needed proof of his political hypothesis: that, whatever his liabilities as a candidate, he can generate enough support among young people, traditionally marginalized groups and disaffected white working-class voters to win.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-10--Prisons Are Ripe For Coronavirus Outbreak. They’re Not Ready.

As the novel coronavirus has spread across the globe , prisons and jails have consistently been huge problem spots in places where the outbreaks are intense .
As with any “ congregate setting ” ― environments where groups of people are gathered in close proximity to one another , like college dorms and nursing homes ― infectious diseases thrive in correctional facilities .
But the difference in jails and prisons is that residents can neither fully self-quarantine nor leave and be fully quarantined elsewhere .
The U.S. has seen an uptick in COVID-19 cases in recent days , with public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread .
The U.S. also has a lot of prisoners ― per capita , more than any other country in the world .
The 2.3 million incarcerated people in the U.S. are scattered across 1,719 state prisons , 109 federal prisons , 1,772 juvenile correctional facilities , 3,163 local jails and 80 Indian Country jails ― on top of military prisons , immigration detention facilities , state psychiatric hospitals , and prisons in U.S. territories , according to the Prison Policy Initiative .
And up to half of them qualify as over-crowded .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's all just a recipe for disaster , so when we get no information from them about what their plan is [ it ] makes us nervous .
David Patton , executive director and attorney-in-chief of Federal Defenders of New York It can be difficult for correctional facilities to divide inmates for health reasons ― such as quarantines or separating out more vulnerable populations ― rather than the typical system of dividing them based on security classifications , as Dr. Homer Venters , president of Community Oriented Correctional Health Services , explained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ extremely challenging ” during the outbreak of H1N1 , commonly known as swine flu , he wrote .
Swine flu affected prisoners all over the country , including more than 700 prisoners in California alone .
At MDC Brooklyn , inmates and their attorneys have been kept in the dark about plans to combat the coronavirus spread .
Rachel said she ’ s been updating her husband as the situation unfolds , telling him to wash his hands constantly , especially before and after computer use .
On Monday morning , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a can of disinfectant powder without any explanation .
“ On top of that , you have all sorts of people who are medically compromised , ” he said .
“ There are a number of people with hepatitis , people with a broad spectrum of medical issues that are not dealt with well even in the best of times .
And you have older inmates , you have people who are in high-risk categories and who are kept in thoroughly unsanitary conditions.
” “ Correctional settings around the nation are often run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incarcerated people , ” Venters wrote in his op-ed .
“ The only path to effective management of COVID-19 in these settings is meaningful partnership that starts now , when plans are being designed , not two months from now when cases are being detected .
”

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In China, the coronavirus rocketed through five prisons in three provinces, causing over 500 cases. In Iran, 54,000 inmates were temporarily released as the outbreak in that country spurred concerns the illness would rapidly spread in detention facilities. And this week in Italy, prisoners at 27 facilities rioted in response to quarantine attempts by prison officials desperate to contain the spread of a disease that has infected over 9,000 people there.
As the novel coronavirus has spread across the globe, prisons and jails have consistently been huge problem spots in places where the outbreaks are intense. As with any “congregate setting” ― environments where groups of people are gathered in close proximity to one another, like college dorms and nursing homes ― infectious diseases thrive in correctional facilities. But the difference in jails and prisons is that residents can neither fully self-quarantine nor leave and be fully quarantined elsewhere.
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The U.S. has seen an uptick in COVID-19 cases in recent days, with public health officials deeply concerned about a nationwide spread. The U.S. also has a lot of prisoners ― per capita, more than any other country in the world. The 2.3 million incarcerated people in the U.S. are scattered across 1,719 state prisons, 109 federal prisons, 1,772 juvenile correctional facilities, 3,163 local jails and 80 Indian Country jails ― on top of military prisons, immigration detention facilities, state psychiatric hospitals, and prisons in U.S. territories, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. And up to half of them qualify as over-crowded.
The warning lights are already starting to flash. The chief judge for the federal Southern District of New York last week required any inmate coming from the Metropolitan Correctional Center to have a temperature check before being transported to court. Some federal courts in Washington state have postponed jury and grand jury trials.
“When it pops, and it’s about to, it’s going to be really ugly,” said Dr. Josiah Rich, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Brown University in Rhode Island.
And it’s not just the incarcerated who are at risk. Guards, doctors and other prison staff return to their communities after their shifts. Inmates, particularly at jails, rotate in and out of the community.
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The bottom line: Jails and prisons could become hotbeds for infection if public health officials and correctional facility administrators don’t act quickly to put measures in place to diminish that prospect.
Inmates Struggle To Prepare For The Worst
All Rachel could think about as she sat inside the cramped, dirty waiting room at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn was washing her hands.
She had to touch a lot of objects at the heavily trafficked facility ― paperwork, lockers, keys, doorknobs ― before she could visit her husband inside the federal detention center. (She asked to use a pseudonym to protect her husband’s privacy.)
Rachel is pregnant and was on high alert for cleanliness because of coronavirus, which has forced millions of people into lockdown in Italy, where some of her relatives live. Plus, Rachel feared transmitting the virus to inmates in a detention center notorious for its abysmal conditions and operational issues.
Once through processing, Rachel ran straight to the bathroom, but the soap dispenser inside was empty. When she asked a nearby corrections officer for soap, they told her none was available, despite the growing global panic over the deadly virus and federal health officials urging people to wash their hands frequently.
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“It's all just a recipe for disaster, so when we get no information from them about what their plan is [it] makes us nervous.” - David Patton, executive director and attorney-in-chief of Federal Defenders of New York
In fact, hand sanitizer is not allowed inside most jail and prison facilities because it contains alcohol ― even if it’s prisoners themselves making it for just 65 cents an hour.
“It was just not correct for the time we’re living in with this coronavirus scare,” Rachel told HuffPost. “You do not want to be the person responsible for bringing in such a virus.”
A Federal Bureau of Prisons official told HuffPost no known cases of the virus have been reported among its inmates as of now, and the agency maintains that it’s taken all necessary precautions in the event of any kind of outbreak.
Bureau officials said they are providing guidance to health care professionals and have a screening tool in place for use in the event an inmate or staff member is exposed or symptomatic. And there’s an online reporting system.
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Health experts warn, however, that these steps may not be enough.
“Everyone walks to the cafeteria together, walks back through the same hallway, touches the same doorknobs, uses the same showers,” Rich said. “It was pretty clear, as this thing started evolving, that there is person-to-person transmission. It’s also pretty clear that it can spread easily.”
Rich has worked for decades in the Rhode Island correctional system, researching infectious disease and providing medical care for HIV positive inmates and inmates with addiction issues at a maximum security facility.
Many of those incarcerated are older and/or unhealthy, making them more vulnerable to COVID-19 if they become infected. The majority of incarcerated people in the U.S. are between the ages of 31-59, but the number of inmates over the age of 55 increased by a whopping 400% between 1993-2013.
It can be difficult for correctional facilities to divide inmates for health reasons ― such as quarantines or separating out more vulnerable populations ― rather than the typical system of dividing them based on security classifications, as Dr. Homer Venters, president of Community Oriented Correctional Health Services, explained in The Hill last week. This was “extremely challenging” during the outbreak of H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, he wrote. Swine flu affected prisoners all over the country, including more than 700 prisoners in California alone.
At MDC Brooklyn, inmates and their attorneys have been kept in the dark about plans to combat the coronavirus spread. Rachel said she’s been updating her husband as the situation unfolds, telling him to wash his hands constantly, especially before and after computer use. On Monday morning, Rachel said, her husband was handed a can of disinfectant powder without any explanation.
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“They haven’t done anything,” she said. “It’s me telling my husband what to do.”
Rachel said she believes MDC is cleaner than the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, located just five miles north of the Brooklyn facility. Her husband, who was transferred out of MCC about a month ago, said the building is crawling with rodents and pests.
“We understand the potential disaster of this virus,” Rachel said. “If it’s a problem at MDC, I can only imagine what the situation in the Manhattan facility will be like. … My husband woke up with roaches on his face there.”
Inmates at MCC have described horrendous conditions as concerns about COVID-19 have escalated. Some say they haven’t been allowed to shower or do their laundry in weeks and don’t have access to soap or hand sanitizer.
In a statement Sunday, the Federal Defenders of New York wrote that the group was “extremely concerned about the lack of information and planning” at the MCC and MDC.
“You take a baseline of poor conditions and then you add to it,” said David Patton, executive director and attorney-in-chief for the group, a nonprofit focused on defending impoverished people accused of federal crimes. “It’s all just a recipe for disaster, so when we get no information from [officials] about what their plan is, [it] makes us nervous.”
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Detention centers like MDC and MCC, which largely house alleged criminals awaiting trials, are at greater risk during a potential pandemic like coronavirus given the amount of traffic and frequency of people going in and out of the facility, Patton said.
At the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, inmates fear the spread of coronavirus. Just over a year ago, inmates at the same facility were left without heat despite freezing temperatures. Brendan McDermid / Reuters
“On top of that, you have all sorts of people who are medically compromised,” he said. “There are a number of people with hepatitis, people with a broad spectrum of medical issues that are not dealt with well even in the best of times. And you have older inmates, you have people who are in high-risk categories and who are kept in thoroughly unsanitary conditions.”
Rachel worries a coronavirus outbreak in these facilities could result in federal officials restricting visits by family members and legal counsel for inmates.
“The entire population of federal inmates in New York City needs to be treated with respect when it comes to this virus,” she said.
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Preventing A Viral Prison Breakout
The most surefire way to avoid a COVID-19 breakout in a correctional facility is to temporarily release incarcerated people like occurred in Iran, Rich said.
“If we had some rational discussion on the issue, we would conclude what they concluded in Iran ― which is that there are a lot of people behind bars that don’t need to be,” he said.
But that’s not something likely to happen in the U.S., and advocates say measures should be taken in correctional facilities that could halt the spread of infectious disease.
Steps called for by the Federal Defenders of New York include comprehensive testing protocols, greater precautionary measures such as “frequent cleaning and ready availability of soap and tissues,” and ensuring that anyone who tests positive for the virus be quarantined not at prisons but at hospitals.
The group also urges that arrestees be detained only under “extraordinary circumstances” to avoid any new cases from entering prisons or jails.
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In a statement to HuffPost, the Bureau of Prisons denied a shortage of cleaning products, including hand soap, for inmates and staff at MDC and MCC. The bureau said it encourages inmates to wash their hands frequently and plans to discuss the concerns raised by the Federal Defenders of New York.
“At this point in time, visitation has not been limited or suspended in any BOP facility due to COVID-19,” the statement added.
Some legal proceedings have already been affected, with federal courthouses delaying trials.
A key condition to help prevent or limit a coronavirus breakout in prisons is ensuring mutual respect between incarcerated people and those providing preventative care.
“Correctional settings around the nation are often run with tolerance for abuse and neglect of incarcerated people,” Venters wrote in his op-ed. “The only path to effective management of COVID-19 in these settings is meaningful partnership that starts now, when plans are being designed, not two months from now when cases are being detected.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-10--Utah Passes Bill Requiring Abortion Clinics To Bury Or Cremate Fetal Tissue

NATALIE BEHRING via Getty Images Women protest against abortion bans at the State Capitol Building in Salt Lake City , Utah , on May 21 , 2019 .
Reproductive rights groups say the legislation , now on its way to Republican Gov .
Gary Herbert ’ s desk , will make it harder for abortion clinics to operate and will impose additional emotional and financial stresses on their patients .
If the bill becomes law , medical providers will start asking women how they want to dispose of fetal tissue after an abortion or miscarriage , either by burial or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ associated cost .
Utah only has two abortion clinics left in the state .
Both told HuffPost they were confused by the bill and unclear how to comply .
They would likely have to enter into vendor relationships with funeral homes , which may feel pressure from anti-abortion groups not to cooperate .
Karrie Galloway , the president of Planned Parenthood Association of Utah , which operates one of the abortion clinics , said that under current rules , clinics send fetal tissue to a pathology lab for examination before it is turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The only thing the sponsor ( of the bill ) has done is taken away one of the woman ’ s choices , ” she said , which is to have the tissue disposed of as is standard practice across the country .
“ What is very clear about this bill is that the woman has to pay .
It ’ s another burden that the woman takes on.
” At Wasatch Women ’ s Center , an abortion clinic in Salt Lake City , a representative who declined to use their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goal of the bill is to discourage women from getting an abortion .
“ In the 18 years I ’ ve never had a woman ask me if she could take her tissue home , ” the staffer wrote in an email .
“ Doing a burial would cost the women more money .
Most of them hardly have enough money to pay for the abortion.
” The bill impacts both abortion clinics and hospitals where an abortion or miscarriage may occur .
Just under 3,000 abortions occurred in Utah in 2017 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unclear how many miscarriages occur at medical facilities each year .
The bill does not cover miscarriages at home .
A woman who has a medication abortion at home has the right to return the fetal tissue to the abortion clinic for a burial or cremation , but is not required to do so .
The sponsor of the bill , state Sen. Curt Bramble ( R ) , says the legislation is needed to make sure hospitals and clinics are handling fetal tissue in a “ respectful and dignified manner — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Women are not required to state their preference for burial or cremation , he said in a phone call with HuffPost , but they will be asked .
“ This bill doesn ’ t impose anything on the woman , ” he said .
“ If she does not want to make a choice , she can ignore it.
” Cremation or burial “ does not appear at this point to impose significant additional costs , ” he added .
But one estimate has put the overall cost of statewide compliance for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ These regulations have nothing to do with public health or patient health , ” she said .
“ They have everything to do with trying to find ways to make it hard to keep the clinic doors open.
” “ That has always been the true purpose of the bill , and it ’ s using women ’ s experiences with miscarriage as well as abortion as political pawns to that end , ” she said .
“ Some patients are definitely going to be traumatized by this .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agenda on to one of the most personal and sensitive experiences a person can have .
”

Women protest against abortion bans at the State Capitol Building in Salt Lake City, Utah, on May 21, 2019. NATALIE BEHRING via Getty Images
Medical providers in Utah will be required to bury or cremate fetal tissue after an abortion or miscarriage under a bill that passed the state legislature on Friday.
Reproductive rights groups say the legislation, now on its way to Republican Gov. Gary Herbert’s desk, will make it harder for abortion clinics to operate and will impose additional emotional and financial stresses on their patients.
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If the bill becomes law, medical providers will start asking women how they want to dispose of fetal tissue after an abortion or miscarriage, either by burial or cremation. Women will likely incur the associated cost.
Herbert is currently reviewing the bill and has not indicated if he intends to sign or veto it.
Utah only has two abortion clinics left in the state. Both told HuffPost they were confused by the bill and unclear how to comply. They would likely have to enter into vendor relationships with funeral homes, which may feel pressure from anti-abortion groups not to cooperate.
Karrie Galloway, the president of Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, which operates one of the abortion clinics, said that under current rules, clinics send fetal tissue to a pathology lab for examination before it is turned over to processors who handle disposal.
If women want to make special arrangements for the fetal tissue to be buried or cremated, they can already do so.
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“The only thing the sponsor (of the bill) has done is taken away one of the woman’s choices,” she said, which is to have the tissue disposed of as is standard practice across the country. “What is very clear about this bill is that the woman has to pay. It’s another burden that the woman takes on.”
At Wasatch Women’s Center, an abortion clinic in Salt Lake City, a representative who declined to use their name said that it was clear the goal of the bill is to discourage women from getting an abortion.
“In the 18 years I’ve never had a woman ask me if she could take her tissue home,” the staffer wrote in an email. “Doing a burial would cost the women more money. Most of them hardly have enough money to pay for the abortion.”
The bill impacts both abortion clinics and hospitals where an abortion or miscarriage may occur. Just under 3,000 abortions occurred in Utah in 2017, according to the Guttmacher Institute. It is unclear how many miscarriages occur at medical facilities each year.
The bill does not cover miscarriages at home. A woman who has a medication abortion at home has the right to return the fetal tissue to the abortion clinic for a burial or cremation, but is not required to do so.
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The sponsor of the bill, state Sen. Curt Bramble (R), says the legislation is needed to make sure hospitals and clinics are handling fetal tissue in a “respectful and dignified manner — as they would with other deceased patients.”
Women are not required to state their preference for burial or cremation, he said in a phone call with HuffPost, but they will be asked. “This bill doesn’t impose anything on the woman,” he said. “If she does not want to make a choice, she can ignore it.”
Cremation or burial “does not appear at this point to impose significant additional costs,” he added. But one estimate has put the overall cost of statewide compliance for medical providers at $1 million.
Utah’s legislation was modeled on an Indiana law that the Supreme Court upheld in 2019. Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas have fetal remains laws that have been blocked amid lawsuits.
Five other states ― Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin ― are considering similar bills this year, said Elizabeth Nash, senior state issues manager at Guttmacher Institute.
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“These regulations have nothing to do with public health or patient health,” she said. “They have everything to do with trying to find ways to make it hard to keep the clinic doors open.”
Lauren Simpson, the policy director at Alliance for a Better Utah, said the bill is really about bolstering legal support for banning abortion in the state.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-10--The Trump Administration Is Having To Loosen Its Telework Restrictions Due To Coronavirus

After restricting telework opportunities for federal workers , the White House is now finding that it has to loosen them in order to keep the government up and running during the coronavirus outbreak .
Several federal agencies had made a point of reining in telecommuting during the Trump era , arguing that workers were more productive when they were required to be present in the office .
But the growing number of cases of COVID-19 has forced employers of all kinds to expand remote work in order to limit transmission of the virus .
The federal government is no different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday that a Washington-based employee was exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
As a result , SEC leadership advised all employees at the agency ’ s D.C. headquarters to work from home until further notice ” out of an abundance of caution , ” The Washington Post reported .
The Department of Health and Human Services has also loosened its telework guidelines .
In a letter to employees Monday , an official said the agency was testing its IT systems “ to ensure we are prepared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are already eligible to work remotely were told to take their laptops home every day in case the office closed .
Those who don ’ t have a telework plan were told “ to work with their supervisors to put one in place.
” The looser telecommuting policy marks a turnaround for HHS .
As HuffPost reported last June , the agency ’ s leadership made a point of tightening up telecommuting rights , a move that rankled employees .
HHS leaders implemented a collective bargaining agreement with narrower telework opportunities over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union , which represents HHS employees .
The public health emergency has given the federal government little choice but to prepare for more remote work .
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management , which oversees the civilian workforce , put out new guidance for agencies over the weekend saying they should have written telework policies covering “ as many employees who are willing to participate.
” But according to the NTEU , the policies have varied from one agency to the next , and several agencies have not officially relaxed their guidelines yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tony Reardon , issued a statement Monday saying tens of thousands of workers at the Internal Revenue Service were still “ awaiting detailed information ” on telecommuting and other changes due to the outbreak .
He said he had asked the agency to increase the number of days employees could work from home , and waive a requirement that frequent telecommuters work in the office at least twice per pay period .
Even though employees aren ’ t supposed to care for kids while they ’ re technically working from home , OPM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools and child care centers end up closing due to the coronavirus .
The recent cutbacks to telecommuting have been part of a broader fight between the Trump administration and the federal workforce .
The White House has portrayed federal employees as part of the “ swamp , ” and even forced office relocations in the hopes some workers would simply quit .
The Trump administration ’ s crackdown on telecommuting apparently began at the Agriculture Department , when Secretary Sonny Perdue discovered that an employee he needed to speak with was working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slashed by half a robust program used by tens of thousands of employees , ” the Washington Post ’ s Lisa Rein reported in January .
Similar cuts soon came to the Interior Department , Education Department and the Environmental Protection Agency .
Federal union leaders told HuffPost last year that telecommuting had become one of their primary sticking points in negotiations with agencies .
Collective bargaining within the federal government has reached a low point , with some agencies trying to unilaterally impose contracts against the wishes of employee unions .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now stocked with Trump appointees likely to sign off on language favored by agency heads .
The site Government Executive reported that the agencies that have cut telework arrangements have taken some of the biggest hits in employee satisfaction surveys .
For instance , the Agriculture Department suffered a 6-point drop in overall satisfaction and a four-point drop in engagement in 2018 .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
After restricting telework opportunities for federal workers, the White House is now finding that it has to loosen them in order to keep the government up and running during the coronavirus outbreak.
Several federal agencies had made a point of reining in telecommuting during the Trump era, arguing that workers were more productive when they were required to be present in the office. But the growing number of cases of COVID-19 has forced employers of all kinds to expand remote work in order to limit transmission of the virus. The federal government is no different.
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The Securities and Exchange Commission announced Monday that a Washington-based employee was exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. As a result, SEC leadership advised all employees at the agency’s D.C. headquarters to work from home until further notice ”out of an abundance of caution,” The Washington Post reported.
The Department of Health and Human Services has also loosened its telework guidelines. In a letter to employees Monday, an official said the agency was testing its IT systems “to ensure we are prepared for greater than usual telework.” Those who are already eligible to work remotely were told to take their laptops home every day in case the office closed. Those who don’t have a telework plan were told “to work with their supervisors to put one in place.”
The looser telecommuting policy marks a turnaround for HHS. As HuffPost reported last June, the agency’s leadership made a point of tightening up telecommuting rights, a move that rankled employees. HHS leaders implemented a collective bargaining agreement with narrower telework opportunities over the objections of the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents HHS employees.
The public health emergency has given the federal government little choice but to prepare for more remote work. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management, which oversees the civilian workforce, put out new guidance for agencies over the weekend saying they should have written telework policies covering “as many employees who are willing to participate.”
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OPM said supervisors should consider “ad hoc telework arrangements” to create “social distancing” during the outbreak.
But according to the NTEU, the policies have varied from one agency to the next, and several agencies have not officially relaxed their guidelines yet.
The union’s president, Tony Reardon, issued a statement Monday saying tens of thousands of workers at the Internal Revenue Service were still “awaiting detailed information” on telecommuting and other changes due to the outbreak. He said he had asked the agency to increase the number of days employees could work from home, and waive a requirement that frequent telecommuters work in the office at least twice per pay period.
“This would be especially critical in workplaces where local schools have closed,” Reardon said.
Vice President Mike Pence in a press briefing on the coronavirus. Drew Angerer via Getty Images
Even though employees aren’t supposed to care for kids while they’re technically working from home, OPM said agencies could consider that scenario if schools and child care centers end up closing due to the coronavirus.
Advertisement
The recent cutbacks to telecommuting have been part of a broader fight between the Trump administration and the federal workforce. The White House has portrayed federal employees as part of the “swamp,” and even forced office relocations in the hopes some workers would simply quit.
The Trump administration’s crackdown on telecommuting apparently began at the Agriculture Department, when Secretary Sonny Perdue discovered that an employee he needed to speak with was working remotely. “In response, he slashed by half a robust program used by tens of thousands of employees,” the Washington Post’s Lisa Rein reported in January. Similar cuts soon came to the Interior Department, Education Department and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Federal union leaders told HuffPost last year that telecommuting had become one of their primary sticking points in negotiations with agencies. Collective bargaining within the federal government has reached a low point, with some agencies trying to unilaterally impose contracts against the wishes of employee unions. The federal bodies that referee those disputes are now stocked with Trump appointees likely to sign off on language favored by agency heads.
The site Government Executive reported that the agencies that have cut telework arrangements have taken some of the biggest hits in employee satisfaction surveys. For instance, the Agriculture Department suffered a 6-point drop in overall satisfaction and a four-point drop in engagement in 2018.
The share of Agriculture employees who said they were happy with the telework guidelines plunged more than 40 points.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-10--Immigration Courts Allowed To Post Coronavirus Flyers After Told To Remove Them

The Trump administration told immigration court staffers on Tuesday to put up posters advising the public how to avoid contracting or spreading the new coronavirus , after abruptly ordering them to take down similar signage on Monday .
The Department of Justice , which operates the immigration courts , sent a memo signed by acting Chief Immigration Judge Christopher A. Santoro to supervisory judges ― and the department ’ s media list ― on Tuesday asking the judges to print a set of flyers and post them on courtroom doors .
But less than 24 hours before , Santoro had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posters from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the judges union said on Monday .
And the eventual memo encouraging immigration courts to post coronavirus signage did not go out to immigration judges within the union ― only to supervisory judges , according to the National Association of Immigration Judges , which learned about the new DOJ memo via the media .
Union president and immigration judge Ashley Tabaddor told HuffPost that the reversal suggested the department is more responsive to the media than it is to the judges who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new coronavirus began to spread , the judges union has been asking the Executive Office for Immigration Review , the part of DOJ that runs immigration courts , for additional word on how to handle the situation .
But Tabaddor said the info thus far has been minimal and not tailored to the specific needs of immigration courts as public spaces that see large numbers of individuals from around the world .
So the National Association of Immigration Judges took the matter into its own hands on Monday , encouraging its members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explained in both English and Spanish how to combat the spread of the coronavirus that causes the illness COVID-19 .
The posters encouraged people to stay home if sick and wash their hands frequently , among other advice .
Spreading this type of information is vital during the outbreak , particularly in public spaces .
So far , there have been more than 700 cases of the coronavirus in the U.S. Worldwide , there have been more than 115,000 cases reported and more than 4,000 deaths as a result of COVID-19 .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administrative staff that “ judges do not have the authority to post , or ask you to post , signage for their individual courtrooms or the waiting areas , ” the Miami Herald reported early Tuesday morning .
“ As the Department of Justice continues to work closely with the Vice President ’ s Task Force , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) , and State and Local Government leaders regarding the coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) situation , we are working to provide you and your immigration court staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Santoro wrote .
“ As Government officials who are in constant contact with the public during the work day , we recognize the need for you to have information to share , and it is critical that such information is accurate and as up-to-date as possible.
” “ Whatever one ’ s view is on any issue that we face in this nation , whatever your personal views are , whatever your ideology is , we can not in this public health crisis play fast and loose with people ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe , ” DeLauro said .
“ It is a moral responsibility for us to make sure that everyone is protected .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The Trump administration told immigration court staffers on Tuesday to put up posters advising the public how to avoid contracting or spreading the new coronavirus, after abruptly ordering them to take down similar signage on Monday.
The Department of Justice, which operates the immigration courts, sent a memo signed by acting Chief Immigration Judge Christopher A. Santoro to supervisory judges ― and the department’s media list ― on Tuesday asking the judges to print a set of flyers and post them on courtroom doors.
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But less than 24 hours before, Santoro had demanded that court staff take down coronavirus-related posters from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the judges union said on Monday.
And the eventual memo encouraging immigration courts to post coronavirus signage did not go out to immigration judges within the union ― only to supervisory judges, according to the National Association of Immigration Judges, which learned about the new DOJ memo via the media. Union president and immigration judge Ashley Tabaddor told HuffPost that the reversal suggested the department is more responsive to the media than it is to the judges who had been pleading for more guidance.
Since the new coronavirus began to spread, the judges union has been asking the Executive Office for Immigration Review, the part of DOJ that runs immigration courts, for additional word on how to handle the situation. But Tabaddor said the info thus far has been minimal and not tailored to the specific needs of immigration courts as public spaces that see large numbers of individuals from around the world.
So the National Association of Immigration Judges took the matter into its own hands on Monday, encouraging its members to post flyers from the CDC that explained in both English and Spanish how to combat the spread of the coronavirus that causes the illness COVID-19. The posters encouraged people to stay home if sick and wash their hands frequently, among other advice.
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Spreading this type of information is vital during the outbreak, particularly in public spaces. So far, there have been more than 700 cases of the coronavirus in the U.S. Worldwide, there have been more than 115,000 cases reported and more than 4,000 deaths as a result of COVID-19.
But later on Monday, Santoro notified court administrative staff that “judges do not have the authority to post, or ask you to post, signage for their individual courtrooms or the waiting areas,” the Miami Herald reported early Tuesday morning.
NAIJ had recommended to immigration judges that they post in courthouses the English and Spanish language versions of the CDC's "Stop the Spread of Germs" and "Symptoms of Coronavirus Disease 2019" posters. EOIR ordered that they be removed. — Immigration Judges (NAIJ) (@Imm_Judges_NAIJ) March 9, 2020
Santoro’s Tuesday memo, shared with the media some hours after the Herald’s report, states that coronavirus-related flyers should be posted and includes attachments of those flyers.
“As the Department of Justice continues to work closely with the Vice President’s Task Force, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and State and Local Government leaders regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, we are working to provide you and your immigration court staff with resources to support your important mission,” Santoro wrote. “As Government officials who are in constant contact with the public during the work day, we recognize the need for you to have information to share, and it is critical that such information is accurate and as up-to-date as possible.”
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DOJ did not respond to a request for comment on why the chief judge ordered that similar flyers be removed on Monday.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) condemned the earlier order during a House hearing on the coronavirus outbreak on Tuesday before DOJ told supervisors to put up posters.
“Whatever one’s view is on any issue that we face in this nation, whatever your personal views are, whatever your ideology is, we cannot in this public health crisis play fast and loose with people’s health no matter [what] we believe,” DeLauro said. “It is a moral responsibility for us to make sure that everyone is protected.”