thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-08--Skeptical Judge Could Hold Up Trump Administration's Bid To Clear Flynn, Legal Experts Say

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) - The notoriously independent-minded federal judge who once said he was disgusted by the conduct of Michael Flynn could block the administration ’ s bid to drop criminal charges against the former adviser to President Donald Trump , legal experts said .
The Department of Justice on Thursday told U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan in Washington it wants to drop the case against Flynn , Trump ’ s former national security adviser , following a pressure campaign by the Republican president and his political allies .
While judges typically sign off on such motions , Sullivan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the DOJ about who requested the sudden about-face , said Seth Waxman , a former federal prosecutor now at the law firm Dickinson Wright .
Flynn , a retired Army lieutenant general who served as an adviser to Trump during the 2016 election campaign , had been seeking to withdraw his 2017 guilty plea in which he admitted to lying to the FBI about interactions with Russia ’ s ambassador to the United States in the weeks before Trump took office .
Flynn ’ s lawyers , both in court and in public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of a plot by biased investigators and that the case should be dismissed .
Trump said in March that he was considering a pardon for Flynn .
The Justice Department said in a court filing on Thursday it is no longer persuaded that the FBI ’ s January 2017 interview with Flynn that led to the charges was conducted with a “ legitimate investigative basis ” and does not think Flynn ’ s statements were “ material even if untrue.
” While the judge still has to rule on the submission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was no way Sullivan could force the department to prosecute if it did not want to .
But the judge could stop Flynn from withdrawing his guilty plea and impose sentence .
In that case , Trump could pardon Flynn .
The judge is unlikely to sign off on the request as a pro forma matter , said Channing Phillips , the former acting U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia during the Obama administration , adding that with Sullivan “ nothing is pro forma.
” “ I can guarantee you , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Phillips said in a phone interview .
“ He is going to want to understand exactly the basis for this motion ... You have a new attorney general .
You have a new U.S. attorney .
You have new prosecutors who take a different position .
But the facts haven ’ t changed.
” Sullivan , 72 , was appointed to the federal bench in 1994 by former Democratic President Bill Clinton and is known for an independent streak , often delivering strong rebukes of conduct he views as unjust .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over its high-profile corruption prosecution of former Senator Ted Stevens , saying prosecutors had concealed evidence in their quest to secure the Alaska senator ’ s conviction .

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The notoriously independent-minded federal judge who once said he was disgusted by the conduct of Michael Flynn could block the administration’s bid to drop criminal charges against the former adviser to President Donald Trump, legal experts said.
The Department of Justice on Thursday told U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan in Washington it wants to drop the case against Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser, following a pressure campaign by the Republican president and his political allies.
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While judges typically sign off on such motions, Sullivan could refuse and instead demand answers from the DOJ about who requested the sudden about-face, said Seth Waxman, a former federal prosecutor now at the law firm Dickinson Wright.
“If Judge Sullivan wanted to he could conduct an inquiry and start asking a lot of questions,” said Waxman.
Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general who served as an adviser to Trump during the 2016 election campaign, had been seeking to withdraw his 2017 guilty plea in which he admitted to lying to the FBI about interactions with Russia’s ambassador to the United States in the weeks before Trump took office.
Flynn’s lawyers, both in court and in public, had argued that he was ambushed as part of a plot by biased investigators and that the case should be dismissed. Trump said in March that he was considering a pardon for Flynn.
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The Justice Department said in a court filing on Thursday it is no longer persuaded that the FBI’s January 2017 interview with Flynn that led to the charges was conducted with a “legitimate investigative basis” and does not think Flynn’s statements were “material even if untrue.”
While the judge still has to rule on the submission, elated supporters of Flynn said there was no way Sullivan could force the department to prosecute if it did not want to. But the judge could stop Flynn from withdrawing his guilty plea and impose sentence. In that case, Trump could pardon Flynn.
The judge is unlikely to sign off on the request as a pro forma matter, said Channing Phillips, the former acting U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia during the Obama administration, adding that with Sullivan “nothing is pro forma.”
“I can guarantee you, he is going to question the prosecutors,” Phillips said in a phone interview. “He is going to want to understand exactly the basis for this motion ... You have a new attorney general. You have a new U.S. attorney. You have new prosecutors who take a different position. But the facts haven’t changed.”
Sullivan, 72, was appointed to the federal bench in 1994 by former Democratic President Bill Clinton and is known for an independent streak, often delivering strong rebukes of conduct he views as unjust.
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In 2009, Sullivan excoriated the Justice Department over its high-profile corruption prosecution of former Senator Ted Stevens, saying prosecutors had concealed evidence in their quest to secure the Alaska senator’s conviction.
Sullivan has shown no such sympathy for the defense in the Flynn case, however.
“I am not hiding my disgust, my disdain for this criminal offense,” the judge said at a December 2018 hearing.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--Kellyanne Conway Rails Against Husband's Anti-Trump Group On Fox News

She made the remarks during an at-times testy interview on Fox News with host Harris Faulkner , who asked her to address this week ’ s public feud between President Donald Trump and The Lincoln Project over a new ad released by the Republican group .
Faulkner also quoted from George Conway ’ s op-ed published Wednesday in The Washington Post in which he said that Trump ’ s “ narcissism ” renders him unable to perform his duties as president under the Constitution and that “ he can only act for himself , not for the nation.
” Faulkner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not about your husband , this is not about your marriage .
This is about that group .
It just so happens that George Conway wrote this op-ed today.
” “ It certainly is about my husband or you would have quoted other people in the group , ” Conway fired back .
She went on to criticize the political strategists who run The Lincoln Project as having failed where she had succeeded in electing a president .
They “ never achieved what I achieved , which is success as a presidential campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
The group , founded by a number of “ never Trump ” Republicans , released a blistering ad Monday targeting the president ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic as having created a “ weaker , sicker and poorer ” United States .
Titled “ Mourning in America , ” it was a grim take on former President Ronald Reagan ’ s optimistic 1984 “ Morning in America ” campaign ad .
The ad prompted a visceral midnight Twitter reaction from Trump that drew significant publicity for the group .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the PAC said it saw its biggest fundraising day yet .
Trump had invoked the Conways ’ marriage himself in the four-tweet blast .
“ I don ’ t know what Kellyanne did to her deranged loser of a husband , Moonface , but it must have been really bad , ” he wrote .
He labeled the group ’ s founders as “ losers ” who “ failed badly ” on various campaigns .
Asked if Trump would do better to “ ignore them ” than tweet the way he did ― @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with this behavior ― Conway said , “ That ’ s great advice .
I sure do.
” “ Once in a while he doesn ’ t , ” she said , claiming he wanted to “ expose ” its members “ who act like they are so dignified and holier-than-thou than everyone when nobody ever says what their track record is .
”

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White House counselor Kellyanne Conway on Thursday slammed The Lincoln Project, the conservative anti-Trump group co-founded by her husband, conservative attorney George Conway.
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Faulkner added a disclaimer that “this is not about your husband, this is not about your marriage. This is about that group. It just so happens that George Conway wrote this op-ed today.”
“It certainly is about my husband or you would have quoted other people in the group,” Conway fired back.
She went on to criticize the political strategists who run The Lincoln Project as having failed where she had succeeded in electing a president.
They “never achieved what I achieved, which is success as a presidential campaign manager. They all failed,” she said.
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The group, founded by a number of “never Trump” Republicans, released a blistering ad Monday targeting the president’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic as having created a “weaker, sicker and poorer” United States. Titled “Mourning in America,” it was a grim take on former President Ronald Reagan’s optimistic 1984 “Morning in America” campaign ad.
The ad prompted a visceral midnight Twitter reaction from Trump that drew significant publicity for the group. Following Trump’s insult-laden tirade, the PAC said it saw its biggest fundraising day yet.
Trump had invoked the Conways’ marriage himself in the four-tweet blast. “I don’t know what Kellyanne did to her deranged loser of a husband, Moonface, but it must have been really bad,” he wrote. He labeled the group’s founders as “losers” who “failed badly” on various campaigns.
Asked if Trump would do better to “ignore them” than tweet the way he did ― and if he’s alienating moderates with this behavior ― Conway said, “That’s great advice. I sure do.”
“But the president isn’t ignoring them,” Faulkner interjected.
“Once in a while he doesn’t,” she said, claiming he wanted to “expose” its members “who act like they are so dignified and holier-than-thou than everyone when nobody ever says what their track record is.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--Trump Campaign Manager Debuts Trump-Branded Face Mask; Twitter Critics Flip

The irony was not lost on many Twitter users , who pointed out the president persistently dismissed the threat of the coronavirus , leading to a severe outbreak in the United States that has claimed more than 75,000 lives .
The production of these promotional masks seems a particularly absurd move given the administration ’ s failure to help provide adequate personal protective equipment for health care workers and Trump ’ s own refusal to wear a mask at events despite safety guidelines .
Trump said Thursday he and his staff would be tested daily for coronavirus after a military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had tested positive for the virus .
Parscale said the image of him wearing the mask was shot at the White House “ pre-covid results ” : Earlier this week , The Wall Street Journal reported that the campaign was ordering Trump-branded masks in an effort to connect with older voters who are more vulnerable to COVID-19 and are increasingly supporting presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
These masks would be given away at events in return for donations , the Journal reported .
In a bizarre twist , a similar scenario @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Saturday Night Live , ” in a mocking skit featuring a top administration official proposing “ Make America Great Again ” masks made in China .
Both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence ― whose name was also featured on the mask ― have faced backlash in the past two weeks for not wearing masks in public .
And Parscale , who has been the subject of scrutiny this week for collecting $ 38.9 million from the president ’ s reelection committees between January 2017 and the end of March , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign did not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s request for comment on where and when the masks will be made available .
I ’ m not sure what ’ s worse — that you ’ re brazenly hawking campaign merchandise from the White House , or that you were dumb enough to put KEEP AMERICA GREAT on the medical protective gear we all have to wear now .
https : //t.co/qGQ7Cv2XLI — Kevin M. Kruse ( @ KevinMKruse ) May 8 , 2020 The Trump campaign selling Trump-branded masks to stave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unprepared for and has given up on mitigating is a next level MAGA grift https : //t.co/zzcL8CNb52 — Aaron Rupar ( @ atrupar ) May 7 , 2020

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President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign manager, Brad Parscale, tweeted images Thursday of “Keep America Great”-branded face masks.
The irony was not lost on many Twitter users, who pointed out the president persistently dismissed the threat of the coronavirus, leading to a severe outbreak in the United States that has claimed more than 75,000 lives. The production of these promotional masks seems a particularly absurd move given the administration’s failure to help provide adequate personal protective equipment for health care workers and Trump’s own refusal to wear a mask at events despite safety guidelines.
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Trump said Thursday he and his staff would be tested daily for coronavirus after a military aide with whom he’d interacted had tested positive for the virus. Parscale said the image of him wearing the mask was shot at the White House “pre-covid results”:
Walking into the @WhiteHouse today pre-covid results. #maga @realDonaldTrump face mask. More coming soon! pic.twitter.com/fn16W8YFP5 — Brad Parscale - Download our Trump 2020 App today! (@parscale) May 7, 2020
Those wanting a different color! pic.twitter.com/Dqww6Ya7l8 — Brad Parscale - Download our Trump 2020 App today! (@parscale) May 7, 2020
A campaign representative told HuffPost that the campaign is giving the branded masks away.
Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal reported that the campaign was ordering Trump-branded masks in an effort to connect with older voters who are more vulnerable to COVID-19 and are increasingly supporting presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. These masks would be given away at events in return for donations, the Journal reported.
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In a bizarre twist, a similar scenario played out in a February episode of “Saturday Night Live,” in a mocking skit featuring a top administration official proposing “Make America Great Again” masks made in China.
Both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence ― whose name was also featured on the mask ― have faced backlash in the past two weeks for not wearing masks in public.
And Parscale has been the subject of scrutiny this week for collecting $38.9 million from the president’s reelection committees between January 2017 and the end of March.
Here’s how Twitter users responded to the new product:
I’m not sure what’s worse — that you’re brazenly hawking campaign merchandise from the White House, or that you were dumb enough to put KEEP AMERICA GREAT on the medical protective gear we all have to wear now. https://t.co/qGQ7Cv2XLI — Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) May 8, 2020
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Reminds me of that time we sold Obama-branded PPE during the Ebola cris—oh wait, of course that didn't happen because it's insane. — Ezra Mechaber (@ezramechaber) May 8, 2020
Gotta say, I didn’t have Trump branded plague masks on my apocalypse bingo card. https://t.co/U90Hzfnkdg — Leah McElrath 🏳🌈 (@leahmcelrath) May 7, 2020
Were these made in China? — Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) May 7, 2020
This story has been updated with comments from the campaign.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--Tara Reade’s Ex Mentions Biden Office Harassment In 1996 Court Document

The court declaration was first obtained and published Thursday by The San Luis Obispo Tribune and appears to be the first official public record confirming that Reade made sexual misconduct allegations at the time .
The filing contains a passage uploaded by the Tribune in which Dronen wrote that Reade had told him about “ a problem she was having at work regarding sexual harassment , in U.S .
Senator Joe Biden ’ s office.
” Dronen also reportedly wrote that Reade said she “ eventually struck a deal with the chief of staff of the Senator ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that “ it was obvious that this event had a very traumatic effect ” on her .
“ This is further evidence supporting Ms. Reade ’ s claims , ” Douglas Wigdor , whose firm is legally representing Reade , told HuffPost in a statement .
“ The [ Democratic National Committee ] ought to call for an immediate independent investigation into its putative nominee for the 2020 presidential election.
” Reade first came forward with other women last year to say that Biden had touched her inappropriately and made her feel uncomfortable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more mindful of people ’ s personal space .
In an interview with podcast host Katie Halper this March , Reade explicitly accused Biden of sexual assault .
A spokesperson for the Biden campaign did not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s request for comment , but the campaign has vehemently denied Reade ’ s most recent allegation that Biden kissed her , reached under her skirt and penetrated her with his fingers without consent in 1993 when she was a Senate staffer in his office .
“ Every day , more and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Campaign Manager Kate Bedingfield said in a statement on Thursday , though not in response to the Tribune article .
“ Women must receive the benefit of the doubt .
They must be able to come forward and share their stories without fear of retribution or harm - and we all have a responsibility to ensure that.
” “ At the same time , we can never sacrifice the truth , ” she continued .
“ And the truth is that these allegations are false and that the material that has been presented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , keeps proving their falsity.
” After Reade shared her sexual assault allegation in March , Business Insider spoke to Reade ’ s former neighbor , who said that she told her about the alleged assault in 1995 or 1996 .
A former colleague from a different job and Reade ’ s brother have also said they remember her confiding in them about the alleged assault .
Last month , a video surfaced of a woman Reade identified as her mother calling in to a live broadcast of “ Larry King Live ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what she should do if her daughter had a problem with a “ prominent senator.
” The call did not explicitly mention either sexual assault or sexual harassment .
Reade says she filed a limited complaint about Biden ’ s conduct with a personnel office on Capitol Hill , but later told The Associated Press “ the main word I used — and I know I didn ’ t use sexual harassment — I used ‘ uncomfortable.
’ And I remember ‘ retaliation.
’ Biden requested that the National Archives and the secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed a complaint about the alleged assault .
The Archives said it does not hold any such records , and the Senate said it did not have the legal authority to release such information .
Senate Democrats have defended Biden this week despite maintaining that Reade should be heard .
Earlier on Thursday , former Fox News host Megyn Kelly released clips of her on-air interview with Reade in which the former staffer says she wants Biden to drop out of the 2020 presidential race and that she would “ absolutely ” go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ You and I were there , Joe Biden , ” Reade said in the clip .
“ Please , step forward and be held accountable .
You should not be running on character for the president of the United States .
”

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A local California court document from 1996 reportedly shows that Joe Biden’s accuser, Tara Reade, told her ex-husband she was sexually harassed while working for the presumptive 2020 Democratic nominee when he was a senator in 1993.
The court declaration was first obtained and published Thursday by The San Luis Obispo Tribune and appears to be the first official public record confirming that Reade made sexual misconduct allegations at the time.
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Reade’s then-husband, Theodore Dronen, wrote a court declaration on March 25, 1996, contesting a restraining order Reade filed against him soon after he filed for divorce, the Tribune reported based on records from the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court.
The filing contains a passage uploaded by the Tribune in which Dronen wrote that Reade had told him about “a problem she was having at work regarding sexual harassment, in U.S. Senator Joe Biden’s office.”
Dronen also reportedly wrote that Reade said she “eventually struck a deal with the chief of staff of the Senator’s office and left her position,” and that “it was obvious that this event had a very traumatic effect” on her.
“This is further evidence supporting Ms. Reade’s claims,” Douglas Wigdor, whose firm is legally representing Reade, told HuffPost in a statement. “The [Democratic National Committee] ought to call for an immediate independent investigation into its putative nominee for the 2020 presidential election.”
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A spokesperson for the Biden campaign did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment, but the campaign has vehemently denied Reade’s most recent allegation that Biden kissed her, reached under her skirt and penetrated her with his fingers without consent in 1993 when she was a Senate staffer in his office.
“Every day, more and more inconsistencies arise,” Biden Deputy Campaign Manager Kate Bedingfield said in a statement on Thursday, though not in response to the Tribune article. “Women must receive the benefit of the doubt. They must be able to come forward and share their stories without fear of retribution or harm - and we all have a responsibility to ensure that.”
“At the same time, we can never sacrifice the truth,” she continued. “And the truth is that these allegations are false and that the material that has been presented to back them up, under scrutiny, keeps proving their falsity.”
Biden campaign’s @KBeds with a new statement on Tara Reade: "Every day, more and more inconsistencies arise. Women must receive the benefit of the doubt...At the same time, we can never sacrifice the truth. And the truth is that these allegations are false." pic.twitter.com/9uYSOHUT6q — Matt Viser (@mviser) May 7, 2020
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After Reade shared her sexual assault allegation in March, Business Insider spoke to Reade’s former neighbor, who said that she told her about the alleged assault in 1995 or 1996. A former colleague from a different job and Reade’s brother have also said they remember her confiding in them about the alleged assault.
Last month, a video surfaced of a woman Reade identified as her mother calling in to a live broadcast of “Larry King Live” on CNN in 1993 and asking him what she should do if her daughter had a problem with a “prominent senator.” The call did not explicitly mention either sexual assault or sexual harassment.
Reade says she filed a limited complaint about Biden’s conduct with a personnel office on Capitol Hill, but later told The Associated Press “the main word I used — and I know I didn’t use sexual harassment — I used ‘uncomfortable.’ And I remember ‘retaliation.’
Biden requested that the National Archives and the secretary of the Senate look into whether Reade filed a complaint about the alleged assault. The Archives said it does not hold any such records, and the Senate said it did not have the legal authority to release such information. Senate Democrats have defended Biden this week despite maintaining that Reade should be heard.
Earlier on Thursday, former Fox News host Megyn Kelly released clips of her on-air interview with Reade in which the former staffer says she wants Biden to drop out of the 2020 presidential race and that she would “absolutely” go under oath and subject herself to cross-examination.
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“You and I were there, Joe Biden,” Reade said in the clip. “Please, step forward and be held accountable. You should not be running on character for the president of the United States.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-08--Supercut Shows Kayleigh McEnany Repeatedly Ripping Donald Trump Before He Became President

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany hasn ’ t always been so keen to defend and praise President Donald Trump .
In a series of TV appearances in 2015 , she slammed Trump ’ s rhetoric on immigrants as “ racist.
” McEnany also called Trump a “ showman ” and a “ sideshow ” and suggested he wasn ’ t a serious candidate for the presidency .
“ I don ’ t want to claim this guy , ” she said at the time .
McEnany also criticized Trump on Twitter before her tone began to change around July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became a pro-Trump contributor for CNN during the 2016 election , later taking on the roles of spokesperson for the Republican National Committee and the Trump 2020 re-election campaign .
In April , she became the fourth press secretary of the Trump White House ( following Sean Spicer , Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Stephanie Grisham ) , pledging during her first press briefing to never lie to the media .
The claim was greeted with much skepticism , however , given her past falsehoods about the coronavirus , former President Barack Obama and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany hasn’t always been so keen to defend and praise President Donald Trump.
In a series of TV appearances in 2015, she slammed Trump’s rhetoric on immigrants as “racist.” McEnany also called Trump a “showman” and a “sideshow” and suggested he wasn’t a serious candidate for the presidency. “I don’t want to claim this guy,” she said at the time.
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CNN shared a montage of her past comments Thursday:
McEnany also criticized Trump on Twitter before her tone began to change around July 2015, the network noted.
Everyone seems to have a plan except Trump #GOPDebate — Kayleigh McEnany (@kayleighmcenany) August 7, 2015
McEnany became a pro-Trump contributor for CNN during the 2016 election, later taking on the roles of spokesperson for the Republican National Committee and the Trump 2020 re-election campaign.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-08--Fox News Host Encourages Healthy People To Get Out There Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Fox News ’ Pete Hegseth faced backlash on Thursday after he appeared to call on healthy people to “ have some courage ” to get “ out there ” and contract the coronavirus in a bid to achieve “ herd immunity , ” a strategy that has been condemned by leading epidemiologists .
Hegseth , appearing on the “ Outnumbered ” panel show from what appeared to be his home , said he didn ’ t like the way in which President Donald Trump had described Americans as “ warriors ” amid the pandemic .
That term was more suited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that risk their life voluntarily to go to the most dangerous places in the world , ” he said .
But Hegseth suggested the U.S. would now need that “ kind of ethos and that spirit to put freedom before fear ” during the public health crisis that has now killed more than 76,000 people nationwide .
Listen , there ’ s a lot of anxiety .
There ’ s a lot of misinformation .
The ‘ experts ’ have been telling us that hundreds of thousands of people are going to die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , herd immunity is our friend .
Healthy people getting out there , they are going to have to have some courage .
And we ’ ve seen courage [ … ] in Texas where people are defying ridiculous orders .
That takes courage , that ’ s not easy .
And , so I think that spirit , the American spirit frankly , is in full supply and ready to go if some of our experts and some of our leaders will get out of their way , they are drunk on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open up , that ’ s my sense .
Fox News ' Pete Hegseth calls for people to go out and get infected by coronavirus : `` Now that we are learning more , herd immunity is our friend .
Healthy people getting out there -- they are going to have to have some courage . ''
pic.twitter.com/PCSHm9yUAW — Justin Baragona ( @ justinbaragona ) May 7 , 2020 Epidemiologists from Johns Hopkins University , however , have previously cautioned against seeking early herd immunity by allowing vast swaths of the population to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ dangerous misconception.
” “ Without a vaccine , over 200 million Americans would have to get infected before we reach this threshold , ” they warned .
“ Put another way , even if the current pace of the COVID-19 pandemic continues in the United States – with over 25,000 confirmed cases a day – it will be well into 2021 before we reach herd immunity .
If current daily death rates continue , over half a million Americans would be dead from COVID-19 by that time.
” Hegseth in March said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease caused the virus , “ the less there is to worry about.
” In 2019 , he declared on “ Fox & Friends ” that “ germs are not a real thing ” because he can ’ t see them and that he hasn ’ t washed his hands for a decade .
He later said he was joking .
Fox News has faced considerable blowback over its coverage of the pandemic , with its prime time personalities including Sean Hannity downplaying the threat of the virus for weeks in lockstep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hayes last month slammed the network ’ s “ concerted effort ” to “ peddle dangerous misinformation , ” describing it as “ coronavirus trutherism.
” Critics of Hegseth ’ s latest comments accused him of hypocrisy , given how he and the majority of Fox News ’ New York workforce are currently working remotely .
They also called him “ irresponsible ” for appearing to encourage people to break stay-at-home orders aimed at slowing the spread of the disease .
Recognize : @ PeteHegseth is home .
If I was irresponsible , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some courage and go out in public like he is telling Fox News viewers to do .
But see , I 'm actually glad he 's home .
Because we all should be .
But , take solace that Pete calling himself a coward .
https : //t.co/5SA4UBGg5X — Angelo Carusone ( @ GoAngelo ) May 7 , 2020 Hey @ PeteHegseth - you first .
`` Fox News ' Pete Hegseth calls for people to go out and get infected by coronavirus : `` Now that we are learning more , herd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting out there -- they are going to have to have some courage . ''
'' — Lisa Rowe ( @ txvoodoo ) May 8 , 2020

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Fox News’ Pete Hegseth faced backlash on Thursday after he appeared to call on healthy people to “have some courage” to get “out there” and contract the coronavirus in a bid to achieve “herd immunity,” a strategy that has been condemned by leading epidemiologists.
Hegseth, appearing on the “Outnumbered” panel show from what appeared to be his home, said he didn’t like the way in which President Donald Trump had described Americans as “warriors” amid the pandemic. That term was more suited to describe the “guys and gals that risk their life voluntarily to go to the most dangerous places in the world,” he said.
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But Hegseth suggested the U.S. would now need that “kind of ethos and that spirit to put freedom before fear” during the public health crisis that has now killed more than 76,000 people nationwide.
“The ‘experts’ have been telling us that hundreds of thousands of people are going to die. Now that we are learning more, herd immunity is our friend,” he argued. “Healthy people getting out there, they are going to have to have some courage. And we’ve seen courage … in Texas, where people are defying ridiculous orders.”
“That spirit, the American spirit, frankly, is in full supply and ready to go if some of our experts and some of our leaders will get out of their way,” Hegseth added. “They are drunk on power. It’s time to open up, that’s my sense.”
Check out the segment here:
Fox News' Pete Hegseth calls for people to go out and get infected by coronavirus: "Now that we are learning more, herd immunity is our friend. Healthy people getting out there -- they are going to have to have some courage." pic.twitter.com/PCSHm9yUAW — Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) May 7, 2020
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Epidemiologists from Johns Hopkins University, however, have previously cautioned against seeking early herd immunity by allowing vast swaths of the population to become infected, describing it as a “dangerous misconception.”
“Without a vaccine, over 200 million Americans would have to get infected before we reach this threshold,” they warned. “Put another way, even if the current pace of the COVID-19 pandemic continues in the United States – with over 25,000 confirmed cases a day – it will be well into 2021 before we reach herd immunity. If current daily death rates continue, over half a million Americans would be dead from COVID-19 by that time.”
Hegseth said in March that the more he learned about COVID-19, the disease caused the virus, “the less there is to worry about.” In 2019, he declared on “Fox & Friends” that “germs are not a real thing” because he can’t see them and that he hasn’t washed his hands for a decade. He later said he was joking.
Fox News has faced considerable blowback over its coverage of the pandemic, with prime-time personalities including Sean Hannity downplaying the threat of the virus for weeks in lockstep with Trump. MSNBC’s Chris Hayes last month slammed the network’s “concerted effort” to “peddle dangerous misinformation,” describing it as “coronavirus trutherism.”
Critics of Hegseth’s latest comments accused him of hypocrisy, given how he and the majority of Fox News’ employees in New York City are currently working remotely. They also called him “irresponsible” for appearing to encourage people to break stay-at-home orders aimed at slowing the spread of the virus.
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More like "herd stupidity" for those who follow @PeteHegseth's advice. But you do you. https://t.co/F1OTeMOzsT — Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) May 7, 2020
Recognize: @PeteHegseth is home.
If I was irresponsible, I'd call on Pete to have some courage and go out in public like he is telling Fox News viewers to do. But see, I'm actually glad he's home. Because we all should be.
But, take solace that Pete calling himself a coward. https://t.co/5SA4UBGg5X — Angelo Carusone (@GoAngelo) May 7, 2020
Hey @PeteHegseth - you first.
"Fox News' Pete Hegseth calls for people to go out and get infected by coronavirus: "Now that we are learning more, herd immunity is our friend. Healthy people getting out there -- they are going to have to have some courage."" — Lisa Rowe (@txvoodoo) May 8, 2020
Pete Hegseth is paid a lot of money by fox to tell people to have the "courage" to break the law and help spread a deadly disease https://t.co/QFJxl3u7UK — Eliza Relman (@eliza_relman) May 7, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-08--Andrew Cuomo Goes Full ‘Taxi Driver’ At Robert De Niro Playing Him In Coronavirus Movie

New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) channeled one of Robert De Niro ’ s most iconic characters @ @ @ @ @ actor would like to play him in the eventual movie chronicling the coronavirus pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday ’ s broadcast of “ The Late Show.
” “ I am a @ @ @ @ @ he is just phenomenal , the breadth of his ability , I mean just look @ @ @ @ @ has played , he can do anything , ” Cuomo told Stephen Colbert , naming @ @ @ @ @ s famous films .
Cuomo then joked about going full “ Taxi Driver ” on @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus press briefing , imitating De Niro ’ s character Travis Bickle ’ s legendary @ @ @ @ @ to me ?
” “ Oh boy , that would be a treat .
I @ @ @ @ @ Niro fan .
He ’ s a genius , ” he added .
Check out @ @ @ @

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) channeled one of Robert De Niro’s most iconic characters after finding out that the actor wants to play him in an eventual movie chronicling the coronavirus pandemic.
After De Niro made the revelation on Wednesday’s broadcast of “The Late Show,” Cuomo responded on Thursday’s episode.
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“I am a big De Niro fan. He is just phenomenal — the breadth of his ability. I mean, just look at all the roles he has played. He can do anything,” Cuomo told host Stephen Colbert, naming some of De Niro’s famous films.
The governor then joked about going full “Taxi Driver” on a reporter at his next coronavirus press briefing, imitating De Niro’s character Travis Bickle’s legendary line: “You talking to me?”
“Oh boy, that would be a treat. I’m a big De Niro fan. He’s a genius,” Cuomo said.
Check out the interview here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--Rabbis Cite Religious Beliefs In Call To Expand Absentee Voting During Pandemic

Gov .
Mike Parson ( R ) indicated last month that he doesn ’ t believe that fear of spreading or contracting COVID-19 should be one of the excuses Missourians can cite when requesting an absentee ballot for upcoming elections .
On Friday , he appeared to vacillate , saying he ’ d “ probably ” be open to expanding access to absentee ballots under certain conditions .
However , no rules have been changed as of yet ― even though municipal elections are just around the corner .
“ As the pandemic continues , our Jewish teachings , laws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home except in situations where leaving the home is essential to preserving life , ” the leaders wrote Monday .
“ Wherever else possible , one must do everything in one ’ s power to do whatever else is needed from the safety and security of one ’ s own home.
” Maharat Rori Picker Neiss , head of St. Louis ’ s Jewish Community Relations Council , said leaders in her area were “ dismayed ” by Parson ’ s suggestion last month that COVID-19 was not a valid excuse to vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wisconsin ’ s recent election , at least 40 cases of the coronavirus arose in people who had voted in person .
“ In drafting and signing this letter , we are hoping to raise more awareness of the need to have better access to voting , and access to voting that does not require any person to choose between their personal health and their democratic values , ” Neiss told HuffPost .
The availability of absentee ballots ― and the government ’ s ability to count large numbers of them ― have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primaries and elections while dealing with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic .
President Donald Trump and Republicans in some states have painted voting by mail as a threat to their party ― even though researchers haven ’ t found evidence to back up the argument that absentee voting favors Democrats .
Two-thirds of states have “ no-excuse ” absentee voting , which means any qualified voter can vote by mail without having to provide a reason .
But Missouri is one of 16 states that require certain voters to declare exactly why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in person .
The state has three elections coming up , including municipal contests set to take place in June .
Missouri counties have come to differing conclusions about whether the fear of contracting or spreading COVID-19 can be a valid excuse .
St. Louis County has said that people quarantining due to elevated risk from COVID-19 can choose “ confined due to illness or disability ” as a reason for voting absentee .
This is the preferred option , Neiss said , since it doesn ’ t require a notarized ballot , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Particularly in this age of the pandemic , most of us find ourselves vulnerable —whether because of lack of child care , employment obligations , caring for sick family members or fear of catching the virus , ” she said .
“ Absentee ballots should be made available to all Missourians , and the necessary infrastructure must be put into place to properly manage and tally all the mail-in votes.
” The rabbis are making a plausible case for a religious exemption , according to Katherine Franke , director of the Law , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Law School .
Missouri ’ s Constitution grants protections for religious liberty that are much broader than those provided by the U.S. Constitution , she said .
The state also has a Religious Freedom Restoration Act , which provides additional protections for people of faith or people with deep philosophical convictions .
Most of the religious liberty challenges that have emerged in light of the COVID-19 pandemic have centered on clergy ― largely evangelical Christians ― who want to hold in-person services despite their states ’ stay-at-home orders .
In at least two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in to defend the religious liberty of churches engaged in these legal battles .
“ What this initiative on the part of rabbis in Missouri raises is a fundamental principle of religious liberty ― that governments must protect religious liberty rights whether or not they are in alignment with elected officials ’ larger political agendas , ” Franke said .
“ The principle of neutrality is foundational to the concept of the free exercise of religion , [ and ] a governor may not favor exercises of religion he agrees with while rejecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond to the rabbis ’ letter , Parson ’ s office directed HuffPost to Missouri ’ s secretary of state , who has not replied to a request for comment .
The governor ’ s office also pointed to Parson ’ s Friday briefing in which , in response to a question about pairing no-excuse absentee balloting with a requirement for voters to present photo ID , the governor said he ’ s “ probably much more lenient ” to the idea of no-excuse absentees than to changing other voting regulations .
Parson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early ” to start making decisions about the issue for November ’ s elections .
Missouri ’ s American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit seeking to clarify the state ’ s absentee voting rules so that all Missourians have the same options , no matter where they reside .
The state ’ s lawyers are seeking to dismiss the lawsuit for a number of reasons , including their belief that the pandemic is not a good enough excuse to avoid voting in person , according to Tony Rothert , legal director @ @ @ @ @ @

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A group of Missouri rabbis has come up with what could be a novel workaround for state rules about who can vote absentee during the coronavirus pandemic.
Gov. Mike Parson (R) said last month he didn’t believe that concern about spreading or contracting the virus should be one of the excuses Missourians could cite when requesting an absentee ballot for upcoming elections. On May 1, though, he appeared to vacillate, saying he’d “probably” be open to expanding access to absentee ballots under certain conditions.
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No state rules have been changed as of yet, even as municipal elections remain set for June 2.
But the rabbis have a plan. They’ve discovered that it’s valid in Missouri to cite “religious belief or practice” as a reason for needing to vote by mail.
In a letter to their religious community, 37 Jewish clergy members affirmed that their “deeply-held religious belief” about the sanctity of human life compels them to vote absentee during the pandemic.
Citing the Torah and rabbinical teaching, the clergy members said they have a religious obligation to protect their own lives and the lives of others.
“As the pandemic continues, our Jewish teachings, laws, and traditions require us to stay home except in situations where leaving the home is essential to preserving life,” the leaders wrote Monday. “Wherever else possible, one must do everything in one’s power to do whatever else is needed from the safety and security of one’s own home.”
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Maharat Rori Picker Neiss, head of St. Louis’s Jewish Community Relations Council, said leaders in her area were “dismayed” by Parson saying last month that the coronavirus crisis was not a valid excuse for people to request to an absentee ballot. She pointed out that after Wisconsin’s recent election, at least 40 cases of the coronavirus were reported in people who had voted in person.
“In drafting and signing this letter, we are hoping to raise more awareness of the need to have better access to voting, and access to voting that does not require any person to choose between their personal health and their democratic values,” Neiss told HuffPost.
Rabbi Daniel Bogard, left, Rabbi Karen Bogard, Maharat Rori Picker Neiss and Rabbi Michael Alper are among 37 Missouri clergy who claim they are obligated by Jewish values to vote absentee during the pandemic. Courtesy of the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis
The availability of absentee ballots ― and the government’s ability to count large numbers of them ― have become growing concerns as states prepare for primaries and elections while dealing with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. President Donald Trump and Republicans in some states have painted voting by mail as a threat to their party ― even though researchers haven’t found evidence to back up the argument that absentee voting favors Democrats.
Two-thirds of states have “no-excuse” absentee voting, which means any qualified voter can vote by mail without having to provide a reason. But Missouri is one of 16 states that require certain voters to declare exactly why they can’t cast their ballots in person. The state has three elections coming up, including municipal contests set to take place in June.
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Asked to clarify if Missourians can cite the coronavirus pandemic as a reason for voting absentee, a spokesperson for Missouri’s secretary of state told HuffPost on Friday that the law “does not state that fear of an illness is an acceptable excuse.” The spokesperson added, “Our office follows the plain language of the law, and the authority of this office does not include judging a person’s eligibility to vote by absentee ballot.”
Missouri counties have come to differing conclusions about the issue. St. Louis County has said that people quarantining due to elevated risk from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, can choose “confined due to illness or disability” as a reason for voting absentee. This is the preferred option, Neiss said, since it doesn’t require a notarized ballot, unlike the religious belief option.
The rabbis wrote Monday’s joint letter to ensure a path forward for Missourians who don’t have the option to cite confinement due to illness while applying to vote by mail, Neiss said.
“Particularly in this age of the pandemic, most of us find ourselves vulnerable —whether because of lack of child care, employment obligations, caring for sick family members or fear of catching the virus,” she said. “Absentee ballots should be made available to all Missourians, and the necessary infrastructure must be put into place to properly manage and tally all the mail-in votes.”
A Missouri mother casts her vote in the state's presidential primary on March 10 in St. Charles, Missouri. The exemptions that allow absentee voting in the state are limited. Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via Getty Images
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The rabbis are making a plausible case for a religious exemption, according to Katherine Franke, director of the Law, Rights, and Religion Project at Columbia Law School. Missouri’s Constitution grants protections for religious liberty that are much broader than those provided by the U.S. Constitution, she said. The state also has a Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which provides additional protections for people of faith or people with deep philosophical convictions.
Most of the religious liberty challenges that have emerged in light of the COVID-19 pandemic have centered on clergy ― largely evangelical Christians ― who want to hold in-person services despite their states’ stay-at-home orders. In at least two instances, the Justice Department has stepped in to defend the religious liberty of churches engaged in these legal battles.
But the rabbis’ request is different, Franke said. They are seeking to force the governor to grant greater, not lesser, protections for public health, she said.
Missouri state lawmakers pushed hard several years ago to strengthen the state’s religious liberty protections, so Franke said it will be “interesting” to see if those politicians will also support faith-based requests for an exemption from in-person voting.
“What this initiative on the part of rabbis in Missouri raises is a fundamental principle of religious liberty ― that governments must protect religious liberty rights whether or not they are in alignment with elected officials’ larger political agendas,” Franke said. “The principle of neutrality is foundational to the concept of the free exercise of religion, [and] a governor may not favor exercises of religion he agrees with while rejecting those he does not.”
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The governor’s office pointed to Parson’s briefing on May 1, when in response to a question about pairing no-excuse absentee balloting with a requirement for voters to present photo ID, the governor said he’s “probably much more lenient” to the idea of no-excuse absentees than to changing other voting regulations. Parson also said it’s “too early” to start making decisions about the issue for November’s elections.
“We’ve been at this for 50 days,” Parson said, referring to the state’s response to the pandemic. “And I think to start making decisions for next year’s elections or for November’s elections, I think we’re too early to do that right now.”
President Donald Trump speaks with Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) at a stop in St. Louis on July 26, 2018. Joshua Roberts / Reuters
Missouri’s American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit seeking to clarify the state’s absentee voting rules so that all Missourians have the same options, no matter where they reside. The state’s lawyers are seeking to dismiss the lawsuit for a number of reasons, including their belief that the pandemic is not a good enough excuse to avoid voting in person, according to Tony Rothert, legal director of the ACLU of Missouri.
The rabbis’ strategy of citing their religious beliefs is a viable path forward for religious voters who think it is immoral to gather at a polling place in the upcoming months, Rothert said, but it’s not a fully satisfactory solution.
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“Many people have very good reasons that have nothing to do with religion not to want to gather with a crowd in a small place during this pandemic,” Rothert told HuffPost.
Neiss said she’s glad that Missouri has a religious exemption built in for requesting absentee ballots. But she also thinks Missourians shouldn’t need to have a deeply held religious belief to vote absentee during the pandemic.
Since 2010, the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis ― an umbrella group that represents 33 member agencies in the region ― has supported allowing all Missourians to request absentee ballots without needing to provide an excuse, she said.
“Voting is a fundamental right and the very foundation of our democracy. We should be doing everything within our power to make it as easy as possible for people to vote and enhance access to voting for all citizens,” she said.
“The idea that anyone should ever feel that they need to sacrifice anything to vote is astounding to me, and the notion that what people might need to sacrifice is their health, personal safety or peace of mind is contemptible.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--Ahmaud Arbery’s Dad Wants Son's Killers Caught ‘Before They Lynch Anybody Else’s Kids’

The father of Ahmaud Arbery , the unarmed Black man fatally shot by two white men who pursued him while he was jogging , pleaded Thursday for his son ’ s killers to be imprisoned before they take another life .
Marcus Arbery , father of the 25-year-old who was gunned down in his south Georgia neighborhood in February , begged for justice in an interview on “ PBS NewsHour.
” Later Thursday , two men were arrested in the case .
“ Get them out , get them off the streets , before they try to lynch anybody else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be behind bars for a long , long time , ” he told host Yamiche Alcindor .
Ahmaud Arbery died more than two months ago , but video of his death just surfaced last week .
In it , he ’ s seen attempting to run past the vehicle of Gregory McMichael , 64 , and his son Travis , 34 ― one of whom shoots Arbery at least twice .
The elder McMichael claims he thought Arbery was a burglary suspect .
After the video ’ s release , there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t arrested the McMichaels .
Shortly after Marcus Arbery gave the interview to PBS , state authorities arrested the father and son on charges of murder and aggravated assault .
Marcus Arbery ’ s attorney Benjamin Crump , who joined him for the interview Thursday , said he ’ s demanding that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation , which has taken over the probe from local authorities , “ look at the case with fresh eyes.
” “ We asked them not to allow anything from the local officials from that southeastern Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too close to Gregory McMichaels , who worked as a former police officer and a detective for the district attorney for over 30 years , ” Crump said .
Two prosecutors originally assigned to the case have had to recuse themselves because of their professional ties to the elder McMichaels .
Marcus Arbery said he often discussed racial profiling with his son and his other children while they were growing up .
“ I just told him that racism is pretty deep when you ’ re a Black African American , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2012 case of Trayvon Martin , who would be the same age as his son if they were both still alive .
Ahmaud Arbery , who loved to run up to five miles a day and was working to become an electrician , should be remembered for his generosity , his father said .
“ He was the kind of young man , if you needed a dollar , and he had one dollar , ” he said , “ he gave it to you .
”

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The father of Ahmaud Arbery, the unarmed Black man fatally shot by two white men who pursued him while he was jogging, pleaded Thursday for his son’s killers to be imprisoned before they take another life.
Marcus Arbery, father of the 25-year-old who was gunned down in his south Georgia neighborhood in February, begged for justice in an interview on “PBS NewsHour.” Later Thursday, two men were arrested in the case.
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“Get them out, get them off the streets, before they try to lynch anybody else’s kids. ... They need to be behind bars for a long, long time,” he told host Yamiche Alcindor.
Ahmaud Arbery died more than two months ago, but video of his death just surfaced last week. In it, he’s seen attempting to run past the vehicle of Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis, 34 ― one of whom shoots Arbery at least twice. The elder McMichael claims he thought Arbery was a burglary suspect.
After the video’s release, there was widespread public outrage that authorities hadn’t arrested the McMichaels. Shortly after Marcus Arbery gave the interview to PBS, state authorities arrested the father and son on charges of murder and aggravated assault.
Marcus Arbery’s attorney Benjamin Crump, who joined him for the interview Thursday, said he’s demanding that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which has taken over the probe from local authorities, “look at the case with fresh eyes.”
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“We asked them not to allow anything from the local officials from that southeastern Georgia law enforcement community because they’re too close to Gregory McMichaels, who worked as a former police officer and a detective for the district attorney for over 30 years,” Crump said.
Two prosecutors originally assigned to the case have had to recuse themselves because of their professional ties to the elder McMichaels.
Marcus Arbery said he often discussed racial profiling with his son and his other children while they were growing up.
“I just told him that racism is pretty deep when you’re a Black African American,” he said, noting that they closely followed the 2012 case of Trayvon Martin, who would be the same age as his son if they were both still alive.
Ahmaud Arbery, who loved to run up to five miles a day and was working to become an electrician, should be remembered for his generosity, his father said.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-08--New Bill Would Give Americans $2,000 Per Month Until Coronavirus Pandemic Is Over

A new bill seeks to dramatically increase financial relief for struggling American families amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic by extending the government ’ s stimulus checks months after the crisis is over .
The Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act , introduced Friday by Sens .
Kamala Harris ( D-Calif. ) , Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) and Ed Markey ( D-Mass . )
, would provide a monthly $ 2,000 check to every person with an income below $ 120,000 throughout the public health crisis and for three months after it officially ends .
“ The CARES Act gave Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s clear that wasn ’ t nearly enough to meet the needs of this historic crisis , ” Harris said in a statement .
“ Bills will continue to come in every single month during the pandemic and so should help from the government.
” The plan stands a poor chance of passage in the Republican-controlled Senate , which has soured on spending .
But with more than 30 million people unemployed over the last seven weeks and no end to the pandemic in sight , Democrats are aiming to up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussions over another fiscal relief package that is expected sometime this month .
The CARES Act provided Americans making up to $ 99,000 with a maximum of $ 1,200 , with families eligible to receive an additional $ 500 per child .
The checks were limited to Americans with a Social Security number who filed a tax return in the last couple years .
The new bill offered by Senate Democrats would not impose such limitations .
The plan would forbid debt collectors from seizing rebate payments , something that has occurred with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CARES Act .
It would also ensure that homeless people and foster children receive payments .
“ Providing recurring monthly payments is the most direct and efficient mechanism for delivering economic relief to those most vulnerable in this crisis , particularly low-income families , immigrant communities , and our gig and service workers , ” Markey said in a statement .
The senators did not provide a cost estimate for the legislation , though given the expanded timeline and the increased amount per check , it would likely eclipse the cost of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CARES Act ( about $ 300 billion ) .
The House is expected to take the lead on writing the next coronavirus relief bill , with a draft to come as early as next week .
On a call with her caucus on Thursday , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) and other lawmakers voiced support for including $ 2,000 in recurring monthly payments in the next package for Americans .

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A new bill seeks to dramatically increase financial relief for struggling American families amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic by extending the government’s stimulus checks months after the crisis is over.
The Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act, introduced Friday by Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), would provide a monthly $2,000 check to every person with an income below $120,000 throughout the public health crisis and for three months after it officially ends.
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In late March, the Senate passed a $2 trillion package called the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, but the trio of progressive senators believes it’s insufficient.
“The CARES Act gave Americans an important one-time payment, but it’s clear that wasn’t nearly enough to meet the needs of this historic crisis,” Harris said in a statement. “Bills will continue to come in every single month during the pandemic and so should help from the government.”
The plan stands a poor chance of passage in the Republican-controlled Senate, which has soured on spending. But with more than 30 million people unemployed over the last seven weeks and no end to the pandemic in sight, Democrats are aiming to up the pressure on congressional leaders as they begin discussions over another fiscal relief package that is expected sometime this month.
The CARES Act provided Americans making up to $99,000 with a maximum of $1,200, with families eligible to receive an additional $500 per child. The checks were limited to Americans with a Social Security number. The new bill offered by Senate Democrats would not impose such a limitation.
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The plan would forbid debt collectors from seizing rebate payments, something that has occurred with the Trump administration’s blessing under the CARES Act. It would also ensure that homeless people and foster children receive payments.
“Providing recurring monthly payments is the most direct and efficient mechanism for delivering economic relief to those most vulnerable in this crisis, particularly low-income families, immigrant communities, and our gig and service workers,” Markey said in a statement.
The senators did not provide a cost estimate for the legislation, though given the expanded timeline and the increased amount per check, it would likely eclipse the cost of the first round of stimulus checks under the CARES Act (about $300 billion).
A couple of House Democrats introduced a similar measure last month that would provide monthly checks to Americans until unemployment falls to pre-coronavirus levels.
The House is expected to take the lead on writing the next coronavirus relief bill, with a draft to come as early as next week. On a call with her caucus on Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other lawmakers voiced support for including $2,000 in recurring monthly payments in the next package for Americans.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-08--Governors Cut Off New Unemployment Benefits Before Some People Even Got Checks

As a contract worker , McFetridge , 38 , would not normally have been eligible for unemployment , but the Coronavirus Aid , Relief and Economic Stability ( CARES ) Act broadened eligibility to include independent contractors .
Many states have struggled to update their systems , however , and it wasn ’ t until last Friday that McFetridge was finally able to file a claim .
So this week , she returned to the small , windowless room where she gives 60- and 90-minute massages .
She still filed her unemployment claim and expects to receive benefits for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from now on she ’ ll be back at her job , changing her shirt between clients and wiping down equipment as much as she can .
The U.S. Labor Department has said that if someone ’ s employer wants them back , they can ’ t keep their benefits .
There are a few exceptions , such as if a claimant has been diagnosed with the coronavirus or they have to watch their children because of school closures .
But the department has specifically said workers can ’ t refuse employment just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contract COVID-19 , the highly contagious and mysterious illness caused by the coronavirus .
Arkansas is probably not one of the friendlier states to workers .
It ’ s one of several asking employers to report any former employees who refuse to come back .
It is also one of about 20 states that hasn ’ t yet managed to provide the special pandemic unemployment assistance that Congress promised to workers like McFetridge at the end of March .
Congress expanded the jobless benefits and added an unprecedented $ 600 per week in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , since social distancing is essentially the only effective way to slow the spread of COVID-19 , for which there is no vaccine yet and no cure .
But Republicans have simply complained that the benefits will stop people from taking jobs .
“ I mean , you ’ ve got a million Americans infected .
Deaths averaging almost 2,000 per day .
It ’ s very important that folks stay home until it ’ s safe to go back to work , ” Wyden told HuffPost .
“ I believe the law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economic crisis has passed and that people should get these benefits as Congress intended.
” The extra $ 600 is set to expire at the end of July , but the economy is unlikely to be back on track by then , and the pandemic may still be raging .
Lawmakers are now debating whether to pass another law addressing the economic fallout , and unemployment policy is already one of the biggest disagreements .
Wyden and other Democrats want the benefits phased out only if economic conditions improve ; the Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 600 say they will insist on changes .
McFetridge knows most of her regular clients have been staying home , but she has a new client this weekend and doesn ’ t know whether that person has been social distancing .
She said she wishes Arkansas hadn ’ t followed the lead of states like Georgia in reopening nonessential businesses , especially since the outcome in those states could demonstrate whether reopening is safe .

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In March, Congress boosted unemployment insurance so that people could stay home and not catch the coronavirus currently killing a thousand Americans a day.
But now, as governors lift restrictions on commerce even amid the mounting death toll, some people are losing eligibility for the benefits ― before receiving a single dime.
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Tracy McFetridge is a massage therapist in Springdale, Arkansas, who stopped working in March after Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) ordered a halt to certain business activities.
As a contract worker, McFetridge, 38, would not normally have been eligible for unemployment, but the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Stability (CARES) Act broadened eligibility to include independent contractors. Many states have struggled to update their systems, however, and it wasn’t until last Friday that McFetridge was finally able to file a claim.
That same day, Hutchinson announced that more businesses could reopen ― including massage therapy. And state Secretary of Commerce Michael Preston said anyone claiming unemployment who refused to return to their job could get in trouble.
“That’s a fraudulent claim for us, and we will be tracking that,” Preston said at a news conference with the governor.
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The menacing tone shocked McFetridge.
“At that point, I knew they wanted people off unemployment,” she said.
So this week, she returned to the small, windowless room where she gives 60- and 90-minute massages. She still filed her unemployment claim and expects to receive benefits for the month of work she missed, but from now on she’ll be back at her job, changing her shirt between clients and wiping down equipment as much as she can.
“Going back to work and coming back in contact with everybody else’s bubble kind of makes me nervous,” she said.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) is allowing more businesses to reopen. Bill Clark via Getty Images
The unemployment policy battle is a microcosm of the larger debate between public health experts who want people to stay home and President Donald Trump, who wants the nation’s economy to reopen.
The U.S. Labor Department has said that if someone’s employer wants them back, they can’t keep their benefits. There are a few exceptions, such as if a claimant has been diagnosed with the coronavirus or they have to watch their children because of school closures. But the department has specifically said workers can’t refuse employment just because they don’t want to contract COVID-19, the highly contagious and mysterious illness caused by the coronavirus.
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Nevertheless, there may be some wiggle room on what counts as “suitable work” under the law, said Michele Evermore, a senior researcher and policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project.
“Workers could argue that the conditions are no longer safe and try to refuse work in the first place instead of going in,” she said.
Workers can also quit for health and safety reasons if their employer isn’t following guidelines from public health experts and in some states still receive benefits, Evermore said.
Arkansas is probably not one of the friendlier states to workers. It’s one of several asking employers to report any former employees who refuse to come back. It is also one of about 20 states that hasn’t yet managed to provide the special pandemic unemployment assistance that Congress promised to workers like McFetridge at the end of March.
Congress expanded the jobless benefits and added an unprecedented $600 per week in order to encourage people to stay home, since social distancing is essentially the only effective way to slow the spread of COVID-19, for which there is no vaccine yet and no cure. But Republicans have simply complained that the benefits will stop people from taking jobs.
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“Going back to work and coming back in contact with everybody else’s bubble kind of makes me nervous.” - Tracy McFetridge, a massage therapist in Arkansas
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), one of the Senate Democrats who crafted the expanded unemployment benefits, said Republicans are undermining the foundation of the government’s response to the pandemic.
“I mean, you’ve got a million Americans infected. Deaths averaging almost 2,000 per day. It’s very important that folks stay home until it’s safe to go back to work,” Wyden told HuffPost. “I believe the law is clear that benefits should continue until the economic crisis has passed and that people should get these benefits as Congress intended.”
The extra $600 is set to expire at the end of July, but the economy is unlikely to be back on track by then, and the pandemic may still be raging. Lawmakers are now debating whether to pass another law addressing the economic fallout, and unemployment policy is already one of the biggest disagreements.
Wyden and other Democrats want the benefits phased out only if economic conditions improve; the Republicans who were vocal in opposing the extra $600 say they will insist on changes.
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“You can’t pay people more than they’re making. It just hurts our small businesses,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) told HuffPost this week.
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), meanwhile, said, “We’re not extending it without fewer dollars.”
When Arkansas said barbers, cosmetologists, tattoo artists and massage therapists could return to work this week, the state listed some “required precautions,” including “appropriate social distancing,” even though massage typically involves physical touch.
McFetridge knows most of her regular clients have been staying home, but she has a new client this weekend and doesn’t know whether that person has been social distancing. She said she wishes Arkansas hadn’t followed the lead of states like Georgia in reopening nonessential businesses, especially since the outcome in those states could demonstrate whether reopening is safe.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-08--Agency Says Vaccine Official's Ouster May Have Been Retaliation: Report

“ I believe this transfer was in response to my insistence that the government invest the billions of dollars allocated by Congress to address the COVID-19 pandemic into safe and scientifically vetted solutions , and not in drugs , vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit , ” he said in his statement .
“ I am speaking out because to combat this deadly virus , science — not politics or cronyism — has to lead the way.
” One of Bright ’ s concerns about hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine , another drug pushed by Trump , was that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pakistan that had not been inspected by the FDA , he said in his whistleblower statement .
He tried to express his concerns to government officials , but felt that they “ refused to listen or take appropriate action to accurately inform the public.
” Bright finally turned to the media himself after concluding “ that he had a moral obligation to the American public , including those vulnerable as a result of illness from COVID-19 , to protect it from drugs which he believed constituted a substantial and specific danger to public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his whistleblower complaint .
Bright earned his PhD from Emory University and has worked in infectious disease research and treatment development for more than 25 years .
Until April , he had been serving in his position at the HHS since 2010 .

“I believe this transfer was in response to my insistence that the government invest the billions of dollars allocated by Congress to address the COVID-19 pandemic into safe and scientifically vetted solutions, and not in drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit,” he said in his statement. “I am speaking out because to combat this deadly virus, science — not politics or cronyism — has to lead the way.”
Trump called Bright a “disgruntled employee” when asked about the Office of Special Counsel’s findings, according to a Friday afternoon pool report.
One of Bright’s concerns about hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, another drug pushed by Trump, was that they are manufactured in factories in India and Pakistan that had not been inspected by the FDA, he said in his whistleblower statement. He tried to express his concerns to government officials, but felt that they “refused to listen or take appropriate action to accurately inform the public.”
Bright finally turned to the media himself after concluding “that he had a moral obligation to the American public, including those vulnerable as a result of illness from COVID-19, to protect it from drugs which he believed constituted a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety,” according to his whistleblower complaint.
Bright earned his PhD from Emory University and has worked in infectious disease research and treatment development for more than 25 years. Until April, he had been serving in his position at the HHS since 2010.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-08--Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Rhetoric Is Laid Bare In 'Morning Joe’ Death Count Montage

MSNBC ’ s “ Morning Joe ” on Friday looked back at President Donald Trump ’ s bombastic , shifting @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus , as the nationwide death toll from the contagion topped 76,000 .
The @ @ @ @ @ ( above ) features the number of infections and deaths superimposed on the right side @ @ @ @ @ date of Trump ’ s comments to the left .
The toll mounts as the @ @ @ @ @ remarks unspools .
The video begins with Trump ’ s declaration on Jan. 22 that @ @ @ @ @ under control.
” Later , he repeatedly downplays the threat , saying the virus would @ @ @ @ @ , he acknowledges the severity as he attacks the media and his predecessor .
The @ @ @ @ @ injecting disinfectant as a treatment for COVID-19 , the disease that the virus causes .
@ @ @ @ @ was trying to be sarcastic .
Check out the “ Morning Joe ” montage above @

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MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Friday looked back at President Donald Trump’s bombastic, shifting and sometimes bonkers rhetoric about the coronavirus, as the nationwide death toll from the contagion topped 76,000.
The show’s six-minute montage (above) features the number of infections and deaths superimposed on the right side of the screen and the date of Trump’s comments to the left. The toll mounts as the record of Trump’s remarks unspools.
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The video begins with Trump’s declaration on Jan. 22 that the outbreak was “totally under control.” Later, he repeatedly downplays the threat, saying the virus would “go away.” Eventually, he acknowledges the severity as he attacks the media and his predecessor.
The montage ends with Trump pondering injecting disinfectant as a treatment for COVID-19, the disease that the virus causes. The president later claimed he was trying to be sarcastic.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-08--Jimmy Kimmel Apologizes To Mike Pence For Photo Op Accusation

Here he is , with no mask on , wheeling boxes of PPEs into a health care center and doing @ @ @ @ @ .
What a hero .
Just barely in the door .
And since it was @ @ @ @ @ also because he didn ’ t realize he had a mic on , Magic Mike @ @ @ @ @ .

Here he is, with no mask on, wheeling boxes of PPEs into a health care center and doing his best to lift them. What a hero. Just barely in the door.
And since it was going so well, and also because he didn’t realize he had a mic on, Magic Mike decided to keep it going.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-08--GOP Senate Candidate Wants To Ban Chinese Students From American Universities

Corky Messner U.S. Senate site Corky Messner is a Republican running for Senate in New Hampshire .
He wants to ban Chinese students from attending American colleges and universities .
Bryant “ Corky ” Messner , a Republican running for his party ’ s U.S. Senate nomination in New Hampshire , wants to crack down on China for its role in spreading the coronavirus .
“ The Chinese Communist Party must be held accountable for the damages they have caused the world as a result of their gross negligence , conduct ― and I might even argue that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a virtual town hall he hosted Thursday .
He said the “ developed countries of the world who owe China money ” should stand “ shoulder-to-shoulder ” and refuse to pay the debt .
He argued there should be a focus on border security and bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States .
“ We also have to , I think , not allow Chinese students to attend American universities , because they come here and they become educated , and they go back with our intellectual property , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no longer be the research and development arm for the Chinese Communist Party .
It ’ s just not acceptable.
” The White House has considered a proposal similar to Messner ’ s .
The Financial Times reported in 2018 that anti-immigration hardliner Stephen Miller urged President Donald Trump to stop providing visas to Chinese citizens , which would make it impossible for them to study in the United States .
The administration ultimately decided not to go forward with Miller ’ s plan because of the economic and diplomatic effect it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be made that U.S. colleges and universities rely too much on international students .
They tend to pay full tuition , and schools use them as a major source of revenue .
As Inside Higher Ed notes , Chinese students are the largest group of international students , making up just over one-third of the population .
But banning students from just China as retaliation for the coronavirus would not address that issue .
Many Chinese students are already facing barriers in continuing , or starting , their education in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
And Chinese students have faced xenophobia and discrimination while studying here , dealing with questions and suspicions that they ’ re spies for the Communist Party or are in the United States in order to steal research .
Messner , an attorney and former Army Ranger , is running for the GOP nomination in the Sept. 8 primary to take on Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen .
Messner is largely self-funding his campaign .
He has praised Trump for his work fighting the coronavirus and defended the president ’ s suggestion that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ aspirational ” talk .
Messner is running against Don Bolduc , a retired U.S. Army brigadier general and the former commander of American Special Operations Forces in Africa .
Bolduc has repeatedly claimed that China likely created the coronavirus in a lab , which is a theory that has been widely rejected by scientists but pushed by pro-Kremlin voices .

Corky Messner is a Republican running for Senate in New Hampshire. He wants to ban Chinese students from attending American colleges and universities. Corky Messner U.S. Senate site
Bryant “Corky” Messner, a Republican running for his party’s U.S. Senate nomination in New Hampshire, wants to crack down on China for its role in spreading the coronavirus.
“The Chinese Communist Party must be held accountable for the damages they have caused the world as a result of their gross negligence, conduct ― and I might even argue that it was criminally negligent conduct,” Messner said during a virtual town hall he hosted Thursday.
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He said the “developed countries of the world who owe China money” should stand “shoulder-to-shoulder” and refuse to pay the debt. He argued there should be a focus on border security and bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States.
And, Messner said, Chinese students should be banned from American colleges and universities.
“We also have to, I think, not allow Chinese students to attend American universities, because they come here and they become educated, and they go back with our intellectual property,” he said. “The United States can no longer be the research and development arm for the Chinese Communist Party. It’s just not acceptable.”
Listen to Messner’s comments, as captured by the Democratic super PAC American Bridge 21st Century:
Messner did not respond to a request for additional comment.
The White House has considered a proposal similar to Messner’s. The Financial Times reported in 2018 that anti-immigration hardliner Stephen Miller urged President Donald Trump to stop providing visas to Chinese citizens, which would make it impossible for them to study in the United States.
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The administration ultimately decided not to go forward with Miller’s plan because of the economic and diplomatic effect it would have.
There is an argument to be made that U.S. colleges and universities rely too much on international students. They tend to pay full tuition, and schools use them as a major source of revenue. As Inside Higher Ed notes, Chinese students are the largest group of international students, making up just over one-third of the population.
But banning students from just China as retaliation for the coronavirus would not address that issue. Many Chinese students are already facing barriers in continuing, or starting, their education in the United States because of travel restrictions related to the pandemic.
And Chinese students have faced xenophobia and discrimination while studying here, dealing with questions and suspicions that they’re spies for the Communist Party or are in the United States in order to steal research.
Messner, an attorney and former Army Ranger, is running for the GOP nomination in the Sept. 8 primary to take on Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. Messner is largely self-funding his campaign. He has praised Trump for his work fighting the coronavirus and defended the president’s suggestion that people should consume disinfectants, saying it was “aspirational” talk.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-08--Mike Pence Spokesperson Katie Miller Tests Positive For Coronavirus

A staffer in Vice President Mike Pence ’ s office tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday , marking the second known case of COVID-19 this week in someone who has access to President Donald Trump ’ s inner circle .
CBS News and Politico confirmed that the staffer is Katie Waldman Miller , Pence ’ s press secretary who is married to Stephen Miller , a senior adviser to Trump .
Trump had said earlier that the infected staffer was a “ press person ” for Pence named Katie .
Bloomberg News , CNN and NBC News were the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ill with COVID-19 .
Pence ’ s office did not immediately return HuffPost ’ s request for comment .
According to White House pool reports , Pence ’ s flight to Des Moines , Iowa , was delayed on the tarmac of Joint Base Andrews in Maryland for an hour Friday morning , and multiple people deplaned .
Six people who had contact with Katie Miller were removed from the flight , CNN reported , citing White House sources .
On Thursday , the White House confirmed that a personal military valet for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in close contact with both him and his family and serves them food ― had a confirmed case of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
He and other valets have not been wearing masks , the White House said Thursday .
Trump said Friday morning on Fox News that “ they ’ ve already started ” to wear them .
Both Trump and Pence tested negative for the coronavirus on Thursday , the White House reported .
However , this second diagnosis again raises the possibility that Trump has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downplays the magnitude of the pandemic and focuses on reopening the nation ’ s economy .
Pence came under fire last week for not wearing a mask during a visit to Minnesota ’ s prestigious Mayo Clinic .
He has admitted that was a mistake , saying he “ didn ’ t think it was necessary , but I should have worn a mask .
”

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A staffer in Vice President Mike Pence’s office tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday, marking the second known case of COVID-19 this week in someone who has access to President Donald Trump’s inner circle.
CBS News and Politico confirmed that the staffer is Katie Waldman Miller, Pence’s press secretary who is married to Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to Trump. Trump had said earlier that the infected staffer was a “press person” for Pence named Katie.
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Bloomberg News, CNN and NBC News were the first to confirm that a staffer was ill with COVID-19. Pence’s office did not immediately return HuffPost’s request for comment.
According to White House pool reports, Pence’s flight to Des Moines, Iowa, was delayed on the tarmac of Joint Base Andrews in Maryland for an hour Friday morning, and multiple people deplaned. Six people who had contact with Katie Miller were removed from the flight, CNN reported, citing White House sources.
On Thursday, the White House confirmed that a personal military valet for Trump ― a staff member who comes in close contact with both him and his family and serves them food ― had a confirmed case of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
He and other valets have not been wearing masks, the White House said Thursday. Trump said Friday morning on Fox News that “they’ve already started” to wear them.
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Both Trump and Pence tested negative for the coronavirus on Thursday, the White House reported. However, this second diagnosis again raises the possibility that Trump has been exposed to the virus. He often downplays the magnitude of the pandemic and focuses on reopening the nation’s economy.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-08--Trump Advisers Slammed For Bragging About How Low Unemployment Used To Be

OJ Simpson may have murdered his ex-wife , but remember when he was the only player to ever rush for @ @ @ @ @ regular season ?
After all , that was pretty cool .

OJ Simpson may have murdered his ex-wife, but remember when he was the only player to ever rush for over 2,000 yards in a regular season? After all, that was pretty cool.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-08--Top White House Officials Buried CDC Report On Reopening Country

The trove of emails show the nation ’ s top public health experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spending weeks working on guidance to help the country deal with a public health emergency , only to see their work quashed by political appointees with little explanation .
The document , titled “ Guidance for Implementing the Opening Up America Again Framework , ” was researched and written to help faith leaders , business owners , educators and state and local officials as they begin to reopen .
It included detailed “ decision trees , ” or flow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the difficult decision of whether to reopen or remain closed .
As early as April 10 , Redfield , who is also a member of the White House coronavirus task force , shared via email the guidance and decision trees with President Donald Trump ’ s inner circle , including his son-in-law Jared Kushner , top adviser Kellyanne Conway and Joseph Grogan , assistant to the president for domestic policy .
Also included were Dr. Deborah Birx , Dr. Anthony Fauci and other task force members .
Three days later , CDC ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60-page report with attached flow charts to the White House Office of Management and Budget , a step usually taken only when agencies are seeking final White House approval for documents they have already cleared .
The 17-page version later released by The AP and other news outlets was only part of the actual document submitted by the CDC , and targeted specific facilities like bars and restaurants .
The AP obtained a copy Friday of the full document .
That version is a more universal series of phased guidelines , “ Steps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” geared to advise communities as a whole on testing , contact tracing and other fundamental infection control measures .
On April 24 , Redfield again emailed the guidance documents to Birx and Grogan , according to a copy viewed by The AP .
Redfield asked Birx and Grogan for their review so that the CDC could post the guidance publicly .
Attached to Redfield ’ s email were the guidance documents and the corresponding decision trees — including one for meat packing plants .
Two days later , on April 26 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ word from the administration , according to the internal communications .
Robert McGowan , the CDC chief of staff who was shepherding the guidance through the OMB , sent an email seeking an update .
“ We need them as soon as possible so that we can get them posted , ” he wrote to Nancy Beck , an OMB staffer .
Beck said she was awaiting review by the White House Principals Committee , a group of top White House officials .
“ They need to be approved before they can move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the task force so the task force should be aware of the status , ” Beck wrote to McGowan .
“ However , I am passing along their message : they have given strict and explicit direction that these documents are not yet cleared and can not go out as of right now — this includes related press statements or other communications that may preview content or timing of guidances.
” According to the documents , CDC continued inquiring for days about the guidance that officials had hoped to post by Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had targeted for reopening some businesses , according to a source who was granted anonymity because they were not permitted to speak to the press .
“ The guidance should be more cross-cutting and say when they should reopen and how to keep people safe .
Fundamentally , the Task Force cleared this for further development , but not for release , ” wrote Quinn Hirsch , a staffer in the White House ’ s office of regulatory affairs ( OIRA ) , in an email to the CDC ’ s parent agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Services .
The administration had already released its Opening Up America Again Plan , and the clock was ticking .
Staff at CDC thought if they could get their reopening advice out there , it would help communities do so with detailed expert help .
But hours later on April 30 , CDC ’ s Chief of Staff McGowan told CDC staff that neither the guidance documents nor the decision trees “ would ever see the light of day , ” according to three officials who declined to be named because they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The decision to shelve detailed advice from the nation’s top disease control experts for reopening communities during the coronavirus pandemic came from the highest levels of the White House, according to internal government emails obtained by The Associated Press.
The files also show that after the AP reported Thursday that the guidance document had been buried, the Trump administration ordered key parts of it to be fast-tracked for approval.
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The trove of emails show the nation’s top public health experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spending weeks working on guidance to help the country deal with a public health emergency, only to see their work quashed by political appointees with little explanation.
The document, titled “Guidance for Implementing the Opening Up America Again Framework,” was researched and written to help faith leaders, business owners, educators and state and local officials as they begin to reopen. It included detailed “decision trees,” or flow charts aimed at helping local leaders navigate the difficult decision of whether to reopen or remain closed.
White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said Friday that the documents had not been approved by CDC Director Robert Redfield. The new emails, however, show that Redfield cleared the guidance.
This new CDC guidance — a mix of advice already released along with newer information — had been approved and promoted by the highest levels of its leadership, including Redfield. Despite this, the administration shelved it on April 30.
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As early as April 10, Redfield, who is also a member of the White House coronavirus task force, shared via email the guidance and decision trees with President Donald Trump’s inner circle, including his son-in-law Jared Kushner, top adviser Kellyanne Conway and Joseph Grogan, assistant to the president for domestic policy. Also included were Dr. Deborah Birx, Dr. Anthony Fauci and other task force members.
Three days later, CDC’s upper management sent the more than 60-page report with attached flow charts to the White House Office of Management and Budget, a step usually taken only when agencies are seeking final White House approval for documents they have already cleared.
The 17-page version later released by The AP and other news outlets was only part of the actual document submitted by the CDC, and targeted specific facilities like bars and restaurants. The AP obtained a copy Friday of the full document. That version is a more universal series of phased guidelines, “Steps for All Americans in Every Community,” geared to advise communities as a whole on testing, contact tracing and other fundamental infection control measures.
On April 24, Redfield again emailed the guidance documents to Birx and Grogan, according to a copy viewed by The AP. Redfield asked Birx and Grogan for their review so that the CDC could post the guidance publicly. Attached to Redfield’s email were the guidance documents and the corresponding decision trees — including one for meat packing plants.
“We plan to post these to CDC’s website once approved. Peace, God bless r3,” the director wrote. (Redfield’s initials are R.R.R.)
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Redfield’s comments contradict the White House assertion Thursday that it had not yet approved the guidelines because the CDC’s own leadership had not yet given them the green light.
Two days later, on April 26, the CDC still had not received any word from the administration, according to the internal communications. Robert McGowan, the CDC chief of staff who was shepherding the guidance through the OMB, sent an email seeking an update. “We need them as soon as possible so that we can get them posted,” he wrote to Nancy Beck, an OMB staffer.
Beck said she was awaiting review by the White House Principals Committee, a group of top White House officials. “They need to be approved before they can move forward. WH principals are in touch with the task force so the task force should be aware of the status,” Beck wrote to McGowan.
The next day, April 27, Satya Thallam of the OMB sent the CDC a similar response: “The re-opening guidance and decision tree documents went to a West Wing principals committee on Sunday. We have not received word on specific timing for their considerations.
“However, I am passing along their message: they have given strict and explicit direction that these documents are not yet cleared and cannot go out as of right now — this includes related press statements or other communications that may preview content or timing of guidances.”
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According to the documents, CDC continued inquiring for days about the guidance that officials had hoped to post by Friday, May 1, the day Trump had targeted for reopening some businesses, according to a source who was granted anonymity because they were not permitted to speak to the press.
On April 30 the CDC’s documents were killed for good.
The agency had not heard any specific critiques from either the White House Principals Committee or the coronavirus task force in days, so officials asked for an update.
“The guidance should be more cross-cutting and say when they should reopen and how to keep people safe. Fundamentally, the Task Force cleared this for further development, but not for release,” wrote Quinn Hirsch, a staffer in the White House’s office of regulatory affairs (OIRA), in an email to the CDC’s parent agency, the Department of Health and Human Services.
CDC staff working on the guidance decided to try again.
The administration had already released its Opening Up America Again Plan, and the clock was ticking. Staff at CDC thought if they could get their reopening advice out there, it would help communities do so with detailed expert help.
But hours later on April 30, CDC’s Chief of Staff McGowan told CDC staff that neither the guidance documents nor the decision trees “would ever see the light of day,” according to three officials who declined to be named because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.
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The next day, May 1, the emails showed, a staffer at CDC was told “we would not even be allowed to post the decision trees. We had the team (exhausted as they are) stand down.”
The CDC’s guidance was shelved. Until May 7.
That morning The Associated Press reported that the Trump administration had buried the guidance, even as many states had started allowing businesses to reopen.
After the story ran, the White House called the CDC and ordered them to refile all of the decision trees, except one that targeted churches. An email obtained by the AP confirmed the agency resent the documents late Thursday, hours after news broke.
“Attached per the request from earlier today are the decision trees previously submitted to both OIRA and the WH Task Force, minus the communities of faith tree,” read the email. “Please let us know if/when/how we are able to proceed from here.”
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Associated Press reporter Zeke Miller contributed to this story from Washington.