thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--DOJ's Watchdog Knocks Department On Lax Police Oversight, Urges 'Swift' Federal Action

The Justice Department ’ s top watchdog said Wednesday that the erosion of public confidence in law enforcement after the high-profile deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police officers is one of “ the most pressing challenges ” facing federal law enforcement .
Inspector General Michael Horowitz , in a letter to Attorney General William Barr , also chided the Trump administration for cutting back on police oversight .
And he wrote that strengthening public confidence in law enforcement and protecting civil liberties would “ require appropriate and swift action ” from the Justice Department .
His report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by police this year as well as a Black man slain by a white man while jogging in Georgia , calls for “ urgent ” action to improve community trust in law enforcement .
“ One of the most pressing challenges facing the Department of Justice ... in the wake of nationwide protests following the deaths of George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , and Ahmaud Arbery , among other incidents , is how it can most effectively work to strengthen public confidence in law enforcement and protect individuals ’ civil liberties , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in handcuffs , died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee against Floyd ’ s neck for several minutes in late May , a killing that sparked a wave of nationwide protests .
Taylor was fatally shot in her apartment in March during a botched police raid in Louisville , Kentucky , and Arbery was gunned down in February after a father and son began following him in a truck as he jogged through a neighborhood in Brunswick , Georgia .
Horowitz notes that the Justice Department “ has numerous tools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and promote constitutional policing practices at the state and local levels.
” But he also says that the department , under President Donald Trump , has significantly curtailed its police oversight work , writing that it “ has not fully effectuated the tools ” at its disposal and , “ in some cases , has cut back ” on their use .
“ We believe that among the most significant challenges facing the department is responding to the potential erosion of confidence in law enforcement ... as well as embracing its leadership role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these issues to the fullest extent practicable , ” the report says .
Horowitz ’ s report points out that this “ is not a new challenge ” for the DOJ , saying it was an issue in a similar 2015 report , which followed the “ police killings of unarmed African Americans ” in Ferguson , Missouri , and Baltimore , Maryland , in 2014 that reignited the Black Lives Matter movement .
Demonstrators sit on New York 's Brooklyn Bridge during one of the many marches in various cities that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Louisville , Kentucky .
The new report , citing a 2019 Pew Research Center survey , notes that majorities of Americans , both Black and white , believe that Black Americans are treated less fairly than whites by police and the criminal justice system .
The report discusses Trump ’ s Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice , which a federal judge ruled had violated federal law by excluding the voices of civil rights advocates and anyone besides law enforcement officials .
A prosecutor on one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying he believed the commission was “ intent on providing cover for a predetermined agenda that ignores the lessons of the past ” and would “ only widen the divisions in our nation.
” The judge ’ s finding , the inspector general ’ s report states , “ may undermine public confidence in the commission ’ s work.
” Horowitz ’ s office continues to investigate the Justice Department ’ s response to unrest in Washington , D.C. , and Portland , Oregon , this year by people protesting systematic racism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials in Washington “ did not wear badges or other identifying information and , in some instances , allegedly refused to identify themselves when asked.
” “ The department must assure the public that its law enforcement components can be held accountable for actions they take while seeking to enforce the law , ” the report says .
The report comes as President-elect Joe Biden ’ s administration begins to examine the work necessary to overhaul the Justice Department ― particularly the Civil Rights Division , which was undercut during the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of the division has been cut in half since former President Barack Obama left office , and the Trump administration effectively killed a collaborative reform initiative that gave local police departments a way to voluntarily implement reforms .

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The Justice Department’s top watchdog said Wednesday that the erosion of public confidence in law enforcement after the high-profile deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police officers is one of “the most pressing challenges” facing federal law enforcement.
Inspector General Michael Horowitz, in a letter to Attorney General William Barr, also chided the Trump administration for cutting back on police oversight. And he wrote that strengthening public confidence in law enforcement and protecting civil liberties would “require appropriate and swift action” from the Justice Department.
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His report, which mentions two Black Americans killed by police this year as well as a Black man slain by a white man while jogging in Georgia, calls for “urgent” action to improve community trust in law enforcement.
“One of the most pressing challenges facing the Department of Justice ... in the wake of nationwide protests following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, among other incidents, is how it can most effectively work to strengthen public confidence in law enforcement and protect individuals’ civil liberties,” the report says.
Floyd, who was in handcuffs, died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for several minutes in late May, a killing that sparked a wave of nationwide protests. Taylor was fatally shot in her apartment in March during a botched police raid in Louisville, Kentucky, and Arbery was gunned down in February after a father and son began following him in a truck as he jogged through a neighborhood in Brunswick, Georgia.
Horowitz notes that the Justice Department “has numerous tools at its disposal to safeguard individual rights and promote constitutional policing practices at the state and local levels.” But he also says that the department, under President Donald Trump, has significantly curtailed its police oversight work, writing that it “has not fully effectuated the tools” at its disposal and, “in some cases, has cut back” on their use.
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“We believe that among the most significant challenges facing the department is responding to the potential erosion of confidence in law enforcement ... as well as embracing its leadership role and using all available tools to address these issues to the fullest extent practicable,” the report says.
Horowitz’s report points out that this “is not a new challenge” for the DOJ, saying it was an issue in a similar 2015 report, which followed the “police killings of unarmed African Americans” in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore, Maryland, in 2014 that reignited the Black Lives Matter movement.
Demonstrators sit on New York's Brooklyn Bridge during one of the many marches in various cities that have spotlighted the police killing of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky. Jeenah Moon / Reuters
The new report, citing a 2019 Pew Research Center survey, notes that majorities of Americans, both Black and white, believe that Black Americans are treated less fairly than whites by police and the criminal justice system.
The report discusses Trump’s Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice, which a federal judge ruled had violated federal law by excluding the voices of civil rights advocates and anyone besides law enforcement officials. A prosecutor on one of the commission’s working groups quit, saying he believed the commission was “intent on providing cover for a predetermined agenda that ignores the lessons of the past” and would “only widen the divisions in our nation.” The judge’s finding, the inspector general’s report states, “may undermine public confidence in the commission’s work.”
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In a wide-ranging report, Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz says federal law enforcement officials need to take “urgent” action to improve community trust in policing. Joshua Roberts / Reuters
Horowitz’s office continues to investigate the Justice Department’s response to unrest in Washington, D.C., and Portland, Oregon, this year by people protesting systematic racism. His report notes that federal law enforcement officials in Washington “did not wear badges or other identifying information and, in some instances, allegedly refused to identify themselves when asked.”
The report states that such actions “raised concerns about individuals’ ability to hold unidentified law enforcement officers accountable for potential civil rights violations.”
“The department must assure the public that its law enforcement components can be held accountable for actions they take while seeking to enforce the law,” the report says.
A spokeswoman for Barr did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the watchdog’s findings and recommendations.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Trump Campaign Asks Judge To Disenfranchise Up To 1.5 Million Pennsylvania Voters

A day after attorney Rudy Giuliani ’ s disastrous appearance in federal court , the Trump campaign claimed ― with zero evidence ― that Democrats devised and executed a dastardly scheme to process “ hundreds of thousands of mail ballots under the cover of darkness in an illegal scheme to favor Joseph Biden over President Donald J. Trump , knowing that mail votes in the Counties at issue would favor Biden.
” Somehow , Democrats executed this alleged scheme while still losing two statewide races to Republican candidates .
Giuliani , along with attorneys Marc Scaringi and Brian Caffrey , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of court filings on Wednesday .
The attorneys claimed to show that a “ substantial portion of the 1.5 million mail votes received in the Defendant Counties were counted in violation of Pennsylvania law ” as part of an “ improper scheme to favor Biden over Trump by counting improper votes in violation of the Equal Protection , Due Process , and Electors and Elections clauses under the Constitution ” and the Civil Rights Act .
Why do you bring a case that ’ s not going to win ?
Do you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to ask them .
Mark Aronchick , attorney for Philadelphia and other counties “ This simple exercise will determine whether Plaintiffs can prove their case – that sufficient illegal ballots were counted that changed the result of the election , ” they write in one court filing .
“ For example , ” they write in a footnote , “ if 10 % of the 1.5 million mail ballots were improperly counted because they lacked signatures , dates , or inside security envelopes , 75 % x 150,000 votes should be deducted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 150,000 votes should be deducted from Trump , a margin of 75,000 votes for Biden which would be sufficient to overturn reported results.
” “ These are upstanding , patriotic citizens who really believe in the elections process , and spend a lot of time trying to get it right , ” Aronchick said .
“ They ’ re the people that make the wheels of democracy work correctly and properly for everybody .
They ’ re people that we should applaud .
To just throw a whole blanket on a whole bunch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wrong.
” The attorney said that while there might be problems here and there with voting in Philadelphia and everywhere else , it was wrong to paint a picture of a broad criminal conspiracy and to smear elections officials of both parties who worked to make the system operate amid a pandemic .
Aronchick said he didn ’ t hear anything from Giuliani in court on Tuesday that made it sound like he was actually familiar with the legal arguments .
At one point , Giuliani struggled to understand “ strict scrutiny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that law students learn in their first year .
“ I don ’ t think that he was really steeped in what this case was all about , ” Aronchick said .
“ His presentation was all about another case , or some other place , or some strange world , but it wasn ’ t what was in this complaint.
” He also said it was “ absurd ” to claim that hundreds of thousands of voters should be disenfranchised because a small number of voters had an opportunity to cure their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One of the Trump campaign ’ s central complaints is that officials in Democratic-leaning counties did a better job than officials in Republican-leaning counties at informing voters of problems with their ballots .
“ Let me put it this way : I ’ ve been involved in election cases for a long , long time , and I would never bring a case like this if this was a case I was trying to win because it ’ s so defective , ” Aronchick said .
“ Why do you bring a case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Do you have some other motivation ?
You ’ ll have to ask them.
” “ Let me say this .
I ’ ve had the good blessing to be able to argue for fundamental , fundamental things in my day , and the two that come to mind are when I argued for the importance of love in the same-sex marriage case , and [ this week ] when I argued for the importance of voting in our democracy , ” Aronchick said .
“ Any lawyer who has the opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

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Donald Trump’s presidential campaign would like a federal judge to disenfranchise up to 1.5 million Pennsylvania voters and declare Trump the winner of the commonwealth’s Electoral College votes, despite his loss.
A day after attorney Rudy Giuliani’s disastrous appearance in federal court, the Trump campaign claimed ― with zero evidence ― that Democrats devised and executed a dastardly scheme to process “hundreds of thousands of mail ballots under the cover of darkness in an illegal scheme to favor Joseph Biden over President Donald J. Trump, knowing that mail votes in the Counties at issue would favor Biden.” Somehow, Democrats executed this alleged scheme while still losing two statewide races to Republican candidates.
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President-elect Joe Biden received over 80,000 more votes than Trump in Pennsylvania, and would still win the Electoral College vote even without the commonwealth’s 20 electors.
Giuliani, along with attorneys Marc Scaringi and Brian Caffrey, made the extraordinary asks in a series of court filings on Wednesday. The attorneys claimed to show that a “substantial portion of the 1.5 million mail votes received in the Defendant Counties were counted in violation of Pennsylvania law” as part of an “improper scheme to favor Biden over Trump by counting improper votes in violation of the Equal Protection, Due Process, and Electors and Elections clauses under the Constitution” and the Civil Rights Act.
“Ultimately, Plaintiffs will seek the remedy of Trump being declared the winner of the legal votes cast in Pennsylvania in the 2020 General Election, and, thus, the recipient of Pennsylvania’s electors,” reads a motion signed by both Giuliani and Scaringi, a radio talk show host.
“Why do you bring a case that’s not going to win? Do you have some other motivation? You’ll have to ask them.” - Mark Aronchick, attorney for Philadelphia and other counties
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Trump’s team wants to examine the main-in ballots, determine which they think were “illegally counted,” and then use “statistical expert analysis” to determine how many Biden and Trump votes they think should be tossed out.
“This simple exercise will determine whether Plaintiffs can prove their case – that sufficient illegal ballots were counted that changed the result of the election,” they write in one court filing. “For example,” they write in a footnote, “if 10% of the 1.5 million mail ballots were improperly counted because they lacked signatures, dates, or inside security envelopes, 75% x 150,000 votes should be deducted from Biden, and 25% x 150,000 votes should be deducted from Trump, a margin of 75,000 votes for Biden which would be sufficient to overturn reported results.”
Mark Aronchick, who represented Philadelphia and other counties and called Giuliani’s arguments in court “disgraceful,” told HuffPost after the Tuesday hearing that the Trump team’s case was absurd and that they made “deplorable” attacks on elections workers.
“These are upstanding, patriotic citizens who really believe in the elections process, and spend a lot of time trying to get it right,” Aronchick said. “They’re the people that make the wheels of democracy work correctly and properly for everybody. They’re people that we should applaud. To just throw a whole blanket on a whole bunch of people like that is just reckless and wrong.”
The attorney said that while there might be problems here and there with voting in Philadelphia and everywhere else, it was wrong to paint a picture of a broad criminal conspiracy and to smear elections officials of both parties who worked to make the system operate amid a pandemic.
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“I really take great umbrage with arguments, with presentations that start off with these big, slashing and deplorable comments about the way our elections are run,” Aronchick said.
“The court process has a very good function in revealing merits and truth,” he added. “It’s different than press conferences at Four Seasons Total Landscaping.”
Rudy Giuliani, seen here at Four Seasons Total Landscaping, wants to disenfranchise a whole bunch of Pennsylvania voters. Chris McGrath via Getty Images
Aronchick said he didn’t hear anything from Giuliani in court on Tuesday that made it sound like he was actually familiar with the legal arguments. At one point, Giuliani struggled to understand “strict scrutiny,” which is a critical concept that law students learn in their first year.
“I don’t think that he was really steeped in what this case was all about,” Aronchick said. “His presentation was all about another case, or some other place, or some strange world, but it wasn’t what was in this complaint.”
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A massive criminal conspiracy to steal the election would require the involvement of a huge number of officials from both parties, and the Trump campaign hasn’t produced a single person who could make such an absurd claim.
Additionally, as Aronchick noted, Republicans won two statewide races over Democrats on Election Day: Republican Stacy Garrity is state treasurer-elect, while Republican Tim DeFoor, the auditor general-elect, is the first Black man elected to state executive office in the history of the commonwealth.
“Giuliani wants to say all these ballots need to be thrown out. So two Republican officeholders are going to watch their ballots thrown out?” Aronchick asked.
He also said it was “absurd” to claim that hundreds of thousands of voters should be disenfranchised because a small number of voters had an opportunity to cure their defective mail-in ballots before Election Day. One of the Trump campaign’s central complaints is that officials in Democratic-leaning counties did a better job than officials in Republican-leaning counties at informing voters of problems with their ballots.
“Let me put it this way: I’ve been involved in election cases for a long, long time, and I would never bring a case like this if this was a case I was trying to win because it’s so defective,” Aronchick said. “Why do you bring a case that’s not going to win? Do you have some other motivation? You’ll have to ask them.”
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During the hearing on Tuesday, 71-year-old Aronchick ― who argued remotely due to concerns over COVID-19 ― spoke passionately about what he saw as a scheme to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters.
“To come along if you don’t win and then just castigate the people who voted against you and the system that produced a loss for you, of course I’m going to get passionate about that,” he said.
Aronchick, who previously argued for same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania, has been working on elections cases for decades. He’s represented both Democrats and Republicans on such issues. But he considered his argument this week, in support of the “foundational right” of Pennsylvanians, to be among the most important in his career.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Tory Lanez Pleads Not Guilty In Megan Thee Stallion Shooting

LOS ANGELES ( AP ) — Rapper Tory Lanez pleaded not guilty through his attorney Wednesday to felony assault charges in the July shooting of hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion .
Lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley entered the plea in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom to counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded , unregistered firearm in a vehicle on behalf of Lanez , 28 , who was not at the hearing .
Lanez was told to return for a hearing Jan. 20 and an order keeping him from making any kind of contact with Megan Thee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaint , prosecutors said Lanez , whose legal name is Daystar Peterson , fired on a victim identified as “ Megan P. ” after she got out of an SUV during an argument in the Hollywood Hills on July 12 , and “ inflicted great bodily injury ” on her .
Megan Thee Stallion ’ s legal name is Megan Pete .
If convicted , Lanez faces a maximum sentence of roughly 23 years .
The Canadian rapper was charged in October after months of speculation and publicity surrounding the incident .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident only as shots fired , a woman with foot injuries , and a man arrested on a weapons allegation .
Megan Thee Stallion , whose legal name is Megan Pete , revealed a few days later that her foot injuries came from gunshots , and more than a month later said in an Instagram video that it was Lanez who fired them .
She slowly revealed more via social media in subsequent weeks .
“ The way people have publicly questioned and debated whether I played a role in my own violent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what happened were , unfortunately , warranted , ” she wrote .
The day after he was charged , Lanez tweeted “ the truth will come to the light , ” and “ a charge is not a conviction.
” Lanez has not reached the stardom that Megan the Stallion has , but his album “ Daystar , ” released in September after the shooting but before he was charged , reached the top 10 on the Billboard album chart , and he has had a successful run of mixtapes and major-label records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Megan Thee Stallion was already a major up-and-coming star at the time of the shooting , and since then , her guest stint on the Cardi B song “ WAP ” helped turn the track — and music video — into a huge cultural phenomenon , and she appeared on the season premiere of “ Saturday Night Live .
”

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rapper Tory Lanez pleaded not guilty through his attorney Wednesday to felony assault charges in the July shooting of hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion.
Lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley entered the plea in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom to counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle on behalf of Lanez, 28, who was not at the hearing.
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Lanez was told to return for a hearing Jan. 20 and an order keeping him from making any kind of contact with Megan Thee Stallion was extended.
In a criminal complaint, prosecutors said Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, fired on a victim identified as “Megan P.” after she got out of an SUV during an argument in the Hollywood Hills on July 12, and “inflicted great bodily injury” on her. Megan Thee Stallion’s legal name is Megan Pete. If convicted, Lanez faces a maximum sentence of roughly 23 years.
The Canadian rapper was charged in October after months of speculation and publicity surrounding the incident. At first, Los Angeles police reported the incident only as shots fired, a woman with foot injuries, and a man arrested on a weapons allegation.
Megan Thee Stallion, whose legal name is Megan Pete, revealed a few days later that her foot injuries came from gunshots, and more than a month later said in an Instagram video that it was Lanez who fired them. She slowly revealed more via social media in subsequent weeks.
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“The way people have publicly questioned and debated whether I played a role in my own violent assault proves that my fears about discussing what happened were, unfortunately, warranted,” she wrote.
The day after he was charged, Lanez tweeted “the truth will come to the light,” and “a charge is not a conviction.”
Lanez has not reached the stardom that Megan the Stallion has, but his album “Daystar,” released in September after the shooting but before he was charged, reached the top 10 on the Billboard album chart, and he has had a successful run of mixtapes and major-label records since his career began in 2009.
Megan Thee Stallion was already a major up-and-coming star at the time of the shooting, and since then, her guest stint on the Cardi B song “WAP” helped turn the track — and music video — into a huge cultural phenomenon, and she appeared on the season premiere of “Saturday Night Live.”
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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Steve Kornacki And His Khaki Slacks Land On People's 'Sexiest Men Alive' List

It has been more than two weeks since Election Day , but the thirst for journalist Steve Kornacki is still strong .
The MSNBC and NBC political correspondent , who skyrocketed to viral fame for his tireless vote coverage in the days following Nov. 3 , has been named one of People magazine ’ s “ Sexiest Men Alive , ” alongside the likes of A-listers Brad Pitt , Dwayne Johnson , Chris Evans and this year ’ s winner , Michael B. Jordan .
“ Never before have khakis and a striped tie gotten so many hot under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People in its profile of Kornacki .
The journalist ’ s round-the-clock efforts to track the lengthy vote counting process won him the hearts ( and concern ) of many Americans , including Chrissy Teigen , who captured the general mood when she wondered : “ I honestly dunno how steve is still going im bout to die.
” Political journalist Steve Kornacki , aka `` Kornacki the snacki , '' `` chartthrob , '' `` map daddy '' and one of 2020 's `` Sexiest Men Alive . ''
His masterful handling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him dubbed “ chartthrob , ” “ Steve Korsnacki ” and “ map daddy ” ; earned him a surprise in-person thank you ( and wellness check ) from “ The Tonight Show ” host Jimmy Fallon ; and garnered an overwhelming amount of delirious internet swooning .
His endearingly modest prime-time uniform ― khaki slacks , shirt and a threadbare striped navy necktie ― became a topic of much discussion and investigation .
The Gap reported a 90 % increase in sales for its Straight Fit Palomino Brown khakis ( or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election .
Kornacki said last week that he ’ d been “ truly blindsided ” by the sudden fame .
On Wednesday , his colleagues and fans were thrilled by his newest title .
Umm guys , @ SteveKornacki is on the sexiest men list with Michael B Jordan , Brad Pitt , Chris Evans and more .
This is a moment for all of us .
# TrackingKornacki https : //t.co/Nyr6Kxiy8S — Lauren Peikoff ( @ laurenpeikoff ) November 18 , 2020

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It has been more than two weeks since Election Day, but the thirst for journalist Steve Kornacki is still strong.
The MSNBC and NBC political correspondent, who skyrocketed to viral fame for his tireless vote coverage in the days following Nov. 3, has been named one of People magazine’s “Sexiest Men Alive,” alongside the likes of A-listers Brad Pitt, Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans and this year’s winner, Michael B. Jordan.
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“Never before have khakis and a striped tie gotten so many hot under the (Oxford) collar,” wrote People in its profile of Kornacki.
The journalist’s round-the-clock efforts to track the lengthy vote counting process won him the hearts (and concern) of many Americans, including Chrissy Teigen, who captured the general mood when she wondered: “I honestly dunno how steve is still going im bout to die.”
Political journalist Steve Kornacki, aka "Kornacki the snacki," "chartthrob," "map daddy" and one of 2020's "Sexiest Men Alive." MSNBC
His masterful handling of the interactive election map also got him dubbed “chartthrob,” “Steve Korsnacki” and “map daddy”; earned him a surprise in-person thank you (and wellness check) from “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon; and garnered an overwhelming amount of delirious internet swooning.
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His endearingly modest prime-time uniform ― khaki slacks, shirt and a threadbare striped navy necktie ― became a topic of much discussion and investigation. The Gap reported a 90% increase in sales for its Straight Fit Palomino Brown khakis (or the Kornacki khakis) the day after the election.
Kornacki said last week that he’d been “truly blindsided” by the sudden fame. On Wednesday, his colleagues and fans were thrilled by his newest title.
Absolutely losing it over the fact that Steve Kornacki made it onto People’s Sexiest Man Alive list. pic.twitter.com/C6gzxJx3FW — Nerd Girl Says (@Rachael_Conrad) November 18, 2020
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I knew @SteveKornacki when he was just my scrubby editor at @Salon. Tear of pride. A sexy tear. https://t.co/PkBedXlu4G — Wajahat "Wears a Mask Because of a Pandemic" Ali (@WajahatAli) November 18, 2020
Best pick they ever made. https://t.co/abszYTS46E — Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) November 18, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--MLB Suspends Robinson Canó For 162 Games After He Tests Positive For Drugs

ASSOCIATED PRESS New York Mets second baseman Robinson Cano throws to first after fielding a ground out by Philadelphia Phillies ' Didi Gregorius during the fourth inning of a baseball game , Tuesday , Sept. 15 , 2020 , in Philadelphia .
( AP Photo/Matt Slocum ) NEW YORK ( AP ) — Mets second baseman Robinson Canó was suspended for 162 games by Major League Baseball on Wednesday after his positive test for a performance-enhancing drug .
The 38-year-old Canó will miss the entire 2021 season and lose $ 24 million in salary .
The eight-time All-Star hit a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 RBIs in this year ’ s pandemic-shortened season .
The commissioner ’ s office said Canó tested positive for Stanozolol , an anabolic steroid .
He was penalized 80 games in May 2018 while with Seattle after a positive test for furosemide , a diuretic that some athletes have used to mask other substances .
The penalty came less than two weeks after Steve Cohen bought the Mets for $ 2.4 billion .
Sandy Alderson was hired as team president and general manager Brodie Van Wagenen exited the team — Van Wagenen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seattle in December 2018 after previously being his agent .
“ We were extremely disappointed to be informed about Robinson ’ s suspension for violating Major League Baseball ’ s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program , ” Alderson said in a statement .
“ The violation is very unfortunate for him , the organization , our fans , and the sport .
The Mets fully support MLB ’ s efforts toward eliminating performance-enhancing substances from the game.
” There was no immediate comment from Canó or the players ’ union .
Minus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McNeil into a permanent spot at second base .
McNeil has played all over the infield and outfield while batting .319 in three seasons with the Mets .

New York Mets second baseman Robinson Cano throws to first after fielding a ground out by Philadelphia Phillies' Didi Gregorius during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK (AP) — Mets second baseman Robinson Canó was suspended for 162 games by Major League Baseball on Wednesday after his positive test for a performance-enhancing drug.
The 38-year-old Canó will miss the entire 2021 season and lose $24 million in salary. The eight-time All-Star hit a robust .316 with 10 home runs and 30 RBIs in this year’s pandemic-shortened season.
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The commissioner’s office said Canó tested positive for Stanozolol, an anabolic steroid. He was penalized 80 games in May 2018 while with Seattle after a positive test for furosemide, a diuretic that some athletes have used to mask other substances.
The penalty came less than two weeks after Steve Cohen bought the Mets for $2.4 billion. Sandy Alderson was hired as team president and general manager Brodie Van Wagenen exited the team — Van Wagenen made the trade to get Canó from Seattle in December 2018 after previously being his agent.
“We were extremely disappointed to be informed about Robinson’s suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program,” Alderson said in a statement. “The violation is very unfortunate for him, the organization, our fans, and the sport. The Mets fully support MLB’s efforts toward eliminating performance-enhancing substances from the game.”
There was no immediate comment from Canó or the players’ union.
Minus Canó, the Mets could move Jeff McNeil into a permanent spot at second base. McNeil has played all over the infield and outfield while batting .319 in three seasons with the Mets.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Coronavirus Live Updates: Experts Warn Of Potential Surge In Cases After U.S. Thanksgiving

The U.S. is repeatedly breaking coronavirus records , and experts predict cases will surge after the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday .
@ @ @ @ @ 11.4 million Americans have contracted the coronavirus , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins @ @ @ @ @ million people worldwide , including more than 250,000 Americans , have died .
The virus @ @ @ @ @ around the globe , with more than 55.9 million people confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ first coronavirus lockdown in the city of Wuhan in January .
But pharmaceutical companies Pfizer @ @ @ @ @ promising results from vaccine trials , which some experts ― including Dr. Anthony Fauci , @ @ @ @ @ of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ― have called “ good news .
”

The U.S. is repeatedly breaking coronavirus records, and experts predict cases will surge after the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
To date, more than 12.2 million Americans have contracted the coronavirus, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. More than 1.39 million people worldwide, including more than 256,000 Americans, have died.
The virus continues to disrupt daily life around the globe, with more than 58.7 million people confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 since Chinese officials implemented the first coronavirus lockdown in the city of Wuhan in January. But pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna have both seen promising results from vaccine trials, which some experts ― including Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ― have called “good news.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Man Ignites Flamethrower On Top Of Occupied NYC Bus, Cops Investigating

A rapper who said he was making a tribute to a legendary New York City hip-hop group was recorded shooting a flamethrower from the top of an occupied city bus in an unsanctioned stunt a transit agency spokesman called “ absurd , dangerous and just plain stupid.
” Bystander video , taken in Brooklyn earlier this month , gained attention on social media on Tuesday after a police union tweeted it as an example of the city becoming less safe .
The police department said it was investigating the Nov. 8 incident .
The city ’ s transit agency said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rapper Dupree G.O.D , who said in an in Instagram post that he was shooting a video tribute to the Wu-Tang Clan , the celebrated New York City hip-hop group .
Dupree , who also refers to himself as the Flame G.O.D , posted drone footage of the effort .
In an earlier Instagram post , he invited people to the area for ice cream , T-shirts and champagne .
A message seeking comment was left with Dupree .
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said 25 passengers on the bus were discharged at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next bus on the route .
No injuries were reported .
“ We don ’ t even need to say how absurd , dangerous and just plain stupid this was , ” MTA spokesperson Tim Minton said .
“ The reckless individual who torched over the top of an occupied bus put New Yorkers , including the bus operator , in life-threatening peril .
”

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A rapper who said he was making a tribute to a legendary New York City hip-hop group was recorded shooting a flamethrower from the top of an occupied city bus in an unsanctioned stunt a transit agency spokesman called “absurd, dangerous and just plain stupid.”
Bystander video, taken in Brooklyn earlier this month, gained attention on social media on Tuesday after a police union tweeted it as an example of the city becoming less safe. The police department said it was investigating the Nov. 8 incident.
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The city’s transit agency said it was an unauthorized event performed by the rapper Dupree G.O.D, who said in an in Instagram post that he was shooting a video tribute to the Wu-Tang Clan, the celebrated New York City hip-hop group.
Dupree, who also refers to himself as the Flame G.O.D, posted drone footage of the effort. In an earlier Instagram post, he invited people to the area for ice cream, T-shirts and champagne. A message seeking comment was left with Dupree.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said 25 passengers on the bus were discharged at the next stop and picked up by the next bus on the route. No injuries were reported.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--7 Charged With Stealing Millions In COVID Aid, Using It To Buy Lamborghini, Porsche

Seven people in two states have been charged with allegedly stealing millions of dollars in federal coronavirus relief funds , some of which was spent on a Porsche and Lamborghini sports car , authorities said Tuesday .
The suspects , located in Texas and Illinois , allegedly received $ 16 million after submitting at least 80 fraudulent applications through the Paycheck Protection Program ( PPP ) using fake bank records and federal tax forms , prosecutors said .
The PPP loans are taxpayer-subsidized loans that were given to small businesses to help pay employees ’ salaries amid the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they laundered a portion of it by writing checks to fake employees from the companies that received the loans , authorities say .
The defendants ’ relatives were among those who received more than 1,100 of the checks , which were then cashed at a check cashing company owned by one of the defendants .
Those cashed checks totaled more than $ 3 million , authorities said .
Amir Aqeel , 52 , and Pardeep Basra , 51 , both of Houston , Texas ; Rifat Bajwa , 51 , of Richmond , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Cypress , Texas ; Mauricio Navia , 41 , of Katy , Texas ; and Richard Reuth , 57 , of Spring , Texas , are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud .
Aqeel is additionally charged with three counts of money laundering .
In Minneapolis , a 47-year-old man was arrested last week after he was accused of submitting a fake loan application that successfully awarded him $ 562,500 , local station WCCO reported .
In Florida , a Miami man was charged in July after allegedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which authorities said he used to buy a $ 318,000 Lamborghini , among other personal expenses .
A second man in Dade City , northeast of Tampa , was similarly charged in October after allegedly securing $ 1.9 million in PPP loans which he partially used to purchase a new Mercedes and pickup truck .
The Justice Department back in September said that it has charged 57 people with trying to steal $ 175 million in PPP loans .
“ The department and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ongoing national emergency for their own benefit , ” he said in a statement .
Anyone with general information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it to the Department of Justice ’ s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form here .

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Seven people in two states have been charged with allegedly stealing millions of dollars in federal coronavirus relief funds, some of which was spent on a Porsche and Lamborghini sports car, authorities said Tuesday.
The suspects, located in Texas and Illinois, allegedly received $16 million after submitting at least 80 fraudulent applications through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) using fake bank records and federal tax forms, prosecutors said.
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The PPP loans are taxpayer-subsidized loans that were given to small businesses to help pay employees’ salaries amid the pandemic.
Once the suspects received the money, they laundered a portion of it by writing checks to fake employees from the companies that received the loans, authorities say. The defendants’ relatives were among those who received more than 1,100 of the checks, which were then cashed at a check cashing company owned by one of the defendants. Those cashed checks totaled more than $3 million, authorities said.
Amir Aqeel, 52, and Pardeep Basra, 51, both of Houston, Texas; Rifat Bajwa, 51, of Richmond, Texas; Mayer Misak, 40, of Cypress, Texas; Mauricio Navia, 41, of Katy, Texas; and Richard Reuth, 57, of Spring, Texas, are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. Aqeel is additionally charged with three counts of money laundering.
Siddiq Azeemuddin, 41, of Naperville, Illinois, who allegedly owned the cash checking company, faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.
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The charges are just the latest filed against a PPP recipient.
In Minneapolis, a 47-year-old man was arrested last week after he was accused of submitting a fake loan application that successfully awarded him $562,500, local station WCCO reported.
In Florida, a Miami man was charged in July after allegedly securing $3.9 million in PPP loans, which authorities said he used to buy a $318,000 Lamborghini, among other personal expenses. A second man in Dade City, northeast of Tampa, was similarly charged in October after allegedly securing $1.9 million in PPP loans which he partially used to purchase a new Mercedes and pickup truck.
The Justice Department back in September said that it has charged 57 people with trying to steal $175 million in PPP loans.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt, of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, warned Tuesday that federal authorities are still actively investigating PPP fraud allegations.
“The department and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue those who would seek to illegally exploit the ongoing national emergency for their own benefit,” he said in a statement.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--FAA Clears Boeing 737 Max Jet To Fly Again

Regulators around the world grounded the Max in March 2019 , after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jet .
That happened less than five months after another Max flown by Indonesia ’ s Lion Air plunged into the Java Sea .
A total of 346 passengers and crew members on both planes were killed .
The move follows exhaustive congressional hearings on the crashes that led to criticism of the FAA for lax oversight and Boeing for rushing to implement a new software system that put profits over safety and ultimately led to the firing of its CEO .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had devised to counter the plane ’ s tendency to tilt nose-up because of the size and placement of the engines .
That software pushed the nose down repeatedly on both planes that crashed , overcoming the pilots ’ struggles to regain control .
In each case , a single faulty sensor triggered the nose-down pitch .
FILE - In this Sept. 30 , 2020 , file photo , a Boeing 737 Max jet , piloted by Federal Aviation Administration Chief Steve Dickson , prepares to land at Boeing Field following a test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poised to clear the Boeing 737 Max to fly again after grounding the jets for nearly two years due to a pair of disastrous crashes that killed 346 people .
( AP Photo/Elaine Thompson , File ) Boeing shares rose 3.5 % to $ 217.38 in early trading Wednesday .
That ’ s about half of the all-time high of $ 440.62 reached on March 1 , 2019 , just days before the Ethiopian crash , but well above the $ 95 trough in March , when the pandemic caused massive disruptions to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aircraft maker ’ s redemption comes in the middle of a pandemic that has scared away passengers and decimated the aviation industry , limiting the company ’ s ability to make a comeback .
Air travel in the U.S. alone is down about 65 % from a year ago .
Boeing sales of new planes have plunged because of the Max crisis and the coronavirus pandemic .
Orders for more than 1,000 Max jets have been canceled or removed from Boeing ’ s backlog this year .
Each plane has a sticker price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million , although airlines routinely pay less .
John Hansman , an aeronautics professor at MIT , said people typically avoid airplanes for a few months after there are problems .
But the Max case is unusual , and were it not for the novel coronavirus , Hansman said he would feel safe flying on a Max .
American is the only U.S. airline to put the Max back in its schedule so far , starting with one round trip daily between New York and Miami beginning Dec. 29 .
United expects to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while Southwest said its Max jets won ’ t fly before the second quarter of 2021 .
Boeing ’ s reputation has taken a beating since the crashes .
Its then-CEO , Dennis Muilenburg , initially suggested that the foreign pilots were to blame .
However , congressional investigators discovered an FAA analysis — conducted after the first Max crash — that predicted there would be 15 more crashes during the plane ’ s life span if the flight-control software were not fixed .
After an 18-month investigation , the House Transportation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was under pressure to develop the Max to compete with a plane from European rival Airbus , and the FAA , which certified the Max and was the last agency in the world to ground it after the crashes .
The investigators said Boeing suffered from a “ culture of concealment , ” and pressured engineers to rush the plane to the market .
Europe ’ s aviation regulator , the European Union Aviation Safety Agency , said it will take public comment on plans to clear the Max for flight and expects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
Some EU states will have to lift their own grounding notices as well .
Regulators in Canada and China are still doing their own reviews .

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After nearly two years and a pair of deadly crashes, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has cleared Boeing’s 737 Max for flight.
The nation’s air safety agency announced the move early Wednesday, saying it was done after a “comprehensive and methodical” 20-month review process.
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Regulators around the world grounded the Max in March 2019, after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jet. That happened less than five months after another Max flown by Indonesia’s Lion Air plunged into the Java Sea. A total of 346 passengers and crew members on both planes were killed.
Federal Aviation Administration chief Stephen Dickson signed an order Wednesday rescinding the grounding. U.S. airlines will be able to fly the Max once Boeing updates critical software and computers on each plane and pilots receive training in flight simulators.
The FAA says the order was made in cooperation with air safety regulators worldwide.
The move follows exhaustive congressional hearings on the crashes that led to criticism of the FAA for lax oversight and Boeing for rushing to implement a new software system that put profits over safety and ultimately led to the firing of its CEO.
Investigators focused on anti-stall software that Boeing had devised to counter the plane’s tendency to tilt nose-up because of the size and placement of the engines. That software pushed the nose down repeatedly on both planes that crashed, overcoming the pilots’ struggles to regain control. In each case, a single faulty sensor triggered the nose-down pitch.
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The new software now requires inputs from two sensors in order to activate the software. Boeing says the software also does not override the pilot’s controls like it did in the past.
The company changed the software so it doesn’t repeatedly point the nose of the plane down to counteract possible aerodynamic stalling. Boeing also must install new display systems for pilots and change the way wires are routed to a tail stabilizer bar.
On CNBC Wednesday, Dickson said the design and pilot training changes required by the FAA “makes it impossible for the airplanes to have the same kind of accident that unfortunately killed 346 people.”
FILE - In this Sept. 30, 2020, file photo, a Boeing 737 Max jet, piloted by Federal Aviation Administration Chief Steve Dickson, prepares to land at Boeing Field following a test flight in Seattle. The FAA is poised to clear the Boeing 737 Max to fly again after grounding the jets for nearly two years due to a pair of disastrous crashes that killed 346 people. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Boeing shares rose 3.5% to $217.38 in early trading Wednesday. That’s about half of the all-time high of $440.62 reached on March 1, 2019, just days before the Ethiopian crash, but well above the $95 trough in March, when the pandemic caused massive disruptions to travel and the global economy.
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“These events and the lessons we have learned as a result have reshaped our company and further focused our attention on our core values of safety, quality and integrity,” Boeing CEO David Calhoun said in a statement.
The aircraft maker’s redemption comes in the middle of a pandemic that has scared away passengers and decimated the aviation industry, limiting the company’s ability to make a comeback. Air travel in the U.S. alone is down about 65% from a year ago.
Boeing sales of new planes have plunged because of the Max crisis and the coronavirus pandemic. Orders for more than 1,000 Max jets have been canceled or removed from Boeing’s backlog this year. Each plane has a sticker price of $99 million to $135 million, although airlines routinely pay less.
John Hansman, an aeronautics professor at MIT, said people typically avoid airplanes for a few months after there are problems. But the Max case is unusual, and were it not for the novel coronavirus, Hansman said he would feel safe flying on a Max.
“This whole thing has had more scrutiny than any airplane in the world,” he said. “It’s probably the safest airplane to be on.”
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American is the only U.S. airline to put the Max back in its schedule so far, starting with one round trip daily between New York and Miami beginning Dec. 29. United expects to start using the plane early next year, while Southwest said its Max jets won’t fly before the second quarter of 2021.
Some consumer groups urged airlines to fully disclose when Max flights are planned. That’s usually on an airline’s website, although passengers have to know where to click. Advocates are concerned about airlines using the Max in a last-minute switch.
Nearly 400 Max jets were in service worldwide when they were grounded, and Boeing has built and stored about 450 more since then. All have to undergo maintenance before they can fly.
Pilots must also undergo simulator training, which was not required when the aircraft was introduced. Hansman said training for qualified 737 pilots shouldn’t take long because Boeing has fixed software problems.
Relatives of people who died in the crashes aren’t convinced the Max is safe. They accused Boeing of hiding critical design features from the FAA.
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“The flying public should avoid the Max,” said Michael Stumo, whose 24-year-old daughter died in the second crash. “Change your flight. This is still a more dangerous aircraft than other modern planes.”
Boeing’s reputation has taken a beating since the crashes. Its then-CEO, Dennis Muilenburg, initially suggested that the foreign pilots were to blame. However, congressional investigators discovered an FAA analysis — conducted after the first Max crash — that predicted there would be 15 more crashes during the plane’s life span if the flight-control software were not fixed.
After an 18-month investigation, the House Transportation Committee heaped blame on Boeing, which was under pressure to develop the Max to compete with a plane from European rival Airbus, and the FAA, which certified the Max and was the last agency in the world to ground it after the crashes. The investigators said Boeing suffered from a “culture of concealment,” and pressured engineers to rush the plane to the market.
Boeing was repeatedly wrong about how quickly it could fix the plane. When those predictions continued to be wrong, and Boeing was perceived as putting undue pressure on the FAA, Muilenburg was fired in December 2019.
Dickson — a former Air Force and Delta Air Lines pilot — flew the plane personally before it was cleared.
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Europe’s aviation regulator, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, said it will take public comment on plans to clear the Max for flight and expects to finalize a plan by early next year. Some EU states will have to lift their own grounding notices as well. Regulators in Canada and China are still doing their own reviews.
Relatives say it’s too soon, and they and their lawyers say Boeing and the FAA are withholding documents. Anton Sahadi, who lives in Jakarta, Indonesia, and lost two brothers in the Lion Air crash, said it’s too early for the Max to fly again.
“The cases from the incidents are not 100% finished yet,” he said. “I think all the victims’ family in Indonesia and Ethiopia will feel the same, so regretful, why it can fly again because we are still in the recovery process for our problems because of the incidents.”
Naoise Ryan, an Irish citizen whose husband died in the Ethiopian crash, said the Max is “the same airplane that crashed not once but twice because safety was not a priority for this company.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--Frontline Workers, Hospitals Overwhelmed With Virus Cases

“ We are depressed , disheartened and tired to the bone , ” said Alison Johnson , director of critical care at Johnson City Medical Center in Tennessee , adding that she drives to and from work some days in tears .
The number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 in the U.S. has doubled in the past month and set new records every day this week .
As of Tuesday , nearly 77,000 were hospitalized with the virus .
Newly confirmed infections per day in the U.S. have exploded more than 80 % over the past two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the daily count running at close to 160,000 on average .
Cases are on the rise in all 50 states .
Deaths are averaging more than 1,155 per day , the highest in months .
The out-of-control surge is leading governors and mayors across the U.S. to grudgingly issue mask mandates , limit the size of private and public gatherings ahead of Thanksgiving , ban indoor restaurant dining , close gyms or restrict the hours and capacity of bars , stores and other businesses .
In the worsening rural Panhandle , roughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s two main hospitals had COVID-19 , and a dozen people with the virus were waiting in the emergency room for beds to open up Tuesday night , said Dr. Ron Cook , the Lubbock County health authority .
In the Texas border city of El Paso , overwhelmed morgues have begun paying jail inmates $ 2 an hour to help transport the bodies of virus victims .
The crush of patients is forcing the city to send its non-COVID-19 cases to hospitals elsewhere in the state .
More than 5,400 extra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the state alone , said Lara Anton , a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of State Health Services .
And that doesn ’ t include the help surging into Texas from the military and volunteer organizations .
Ballad Health system , which is located in the Appalachian mountains and includes the Tennessee hospital where Alison Johnson works , has warned that it and its workers are stretched so thin that without a change in course , its hospitals might have to turn patients away .
Ballad reported having just 16 available ICU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in isolation or quarantine .
It is trying to recruit hundreds more nurses .
In Idaho , doctors warned that hospitals have almost reached the point where they need to ration care , unable to treat everyone because there aren ’ t enough beds or staffers to go around .
Video of the converted garage before it opened to patients showed rows and rows of beds separated by moveable white screens set up on one level of the stark , cavernous garage , each section designated by letters and each bed space marked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The garage unit currently houses 27 patients but at peak capacity will have enough beds to accommodate more than 1,400 , said Dr. Paul Sierzenski , Renown ’ s chief medical officer for acute care .
Kansas health chief Dr. Lee Norman said a system that he likened to air traffic control for coronavirus patients is being put in place so nurses from rural hospitals can make a single call to find a larger hospital that can take their sickest patients .
In some cases , nurses and doctors in Kansas have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a large hospital with an opening in cities as far away as Denver , Omaha or Kansas City .

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Overwhelmed hospitals are converting chapels, cafeterias, waiting rooms, hallways, even a parking garage into patient treatment areas. Staff members are desperately calling around to other medical centers in search of open beds. Fatigue and frustration are setting in among front-line workers.
Conditions inside the nation’s hospitals are deteriorating by the day as the coronavirus rages across the U.S. at an unrelenting pace and the confirmed death toll surpasses 250,000.
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“We are depressed, disheartened and tired to the bone,” said Alison Johnson, director of critical care at Johnson City Medical Center in Tennessee, adding that she drives to and from work some days in tears.
The number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 in the U.S. has doubled in the past month and set new records every day this week. As of Tuesday, nearly 77,000 were hospitalized with the virus.
Newly confirmed infections per day in the U.S. have exploded more than 80% over the past two weeks to the highest levels on record, with the daily count running at close to 160,000 on average. Cases are on the rise in all 50 states. Deaths are averaging more than 1,155 per day, the highest in months.
The out-of-control surge is leading governors and mayors across the U.S. to grudgingly issue mask mandates, limit the size of private and public gatherings ahead of Thanksgiving, ban indoor restaurant dining, close gyms or restrict the hours and capacity of bars, stores and other businesses.
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New York City’s school system — the nation’s largest, with more than 1 million students — suspended in-person classes Wednesday amid a mounting infection rate, a painful setback in a corner of the country that suffered mightily in the spring but had seemingly beaten back the virus months ago.
Texas is rushing thousands of additional medical staff to overworked hospitals as the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients statewide accelerates toward 8,000 for the first time since a deadly summer outbreak.
In the worsening rural Panhandle, roughly half of the admitted patients in Lubbock’s two main hospitals had COVID-19, and a dozen people with the virus were waiting in the emergency room for beds to open up Tuesday night, said Dr. Ron Cook, the Lubbock County health authority.
“We’re in trouble,” Cook said.
In the Texas border city of El Paso, overwhelmed morgues have begun paying jail inmates $2 an hour to help transport the bodies of virus victims. The crush of patients is forcing the city to send its non-COVID-19 cases to hospitals elsewhere in the state.
More than 5,400 extra medical personnel have been deployed around Texas by the state alone, said Lara Anton, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of State Health Services. And that doesn’t include the help surging into Texas from the military and volunteer organizations.
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“There are only so many medical personnel to go around,” said Dr. Mark McClellan, a former head of the Food and Drug Administration.
Ballad Health system, which is located in the Appalachian mountains and includes the Tennessee hospital where Alison Johnson works, has warned that it and its workers are stretched so thin that without a change in course, its hospitals might have to turn patients away. Ballad reported having just 16 available ICU beds Wednesday and about 250 team members in isolation or quarantine. It is trying to recruit hundreds more nurses.
In Idaho, doctors warned that hospitals have almost reached the point where they need to ration care, unable to treat everyone because there aren’t enough beds or staffers to go around.
“Never in my career did I think we would even contemplate the idea of rationing care in the United States of America,” said Dr. Jim Souza, chief medical officer for St. Luke’s Health System.
In Reno, Nevada, Renown Regional Medical Center began moving some coronavirus patients into its parking garage.
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Video of the converted garage before it opened to patients showed rows and rows of beds separated by moveable white screens set up on one level of the stark, cavernous garage, each section designated by letters and each bed space marked by a number on the ground. The garage unit currently houses 27 patients but at peak capacity will have enough beds to accommodate more than 1,400, said Dr. Paul Sierzenski, Renown’s chief medical officer for acute care.
In Kansas, hospitals are converting spaces such as chapels and cafeterias for use by COVID-19 patients, said Cindy Samuelson, spokeswoman for the Kansas Hospital Association.
Stormont Vail Health in Topeka, Kansas, devoted an entire hospital floor to COVID-19 patients as their numbers swelled, hitting 90 on Wednesday. The hospital also converted two surgery waiting rooms for use by non-infected patients, spokesman Matt Lara said.
Kansas health chief Dr. Lee Norman said a system that he likened to air traffic control for coronavirus patients is being put in place so nurses from rural hospitals can make a single call to find a larger hospital that can take their sickest patients.
In some cases, nurses and doctors in Kansas have been spending up to eight hours looking for a large hospital with an opening in cities as far away as Denver, Omaha or Kansas City.
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“The problem with this is, by the time you transfer these patients out they already are very ill at that point,” said Kansas nurse practitioner Perry Desbien.
At the same time, patience is wearing thin over the lack of mask wearing that is contributing to the problem in rural areas.
“It kind of feels like we’re just, you know, yelling into the abyss,” said Cheyanne Seematter, a registered nurse at Stormont Vail. “We keep telling everybody to stay home, wear a mask, that it is actually bad here.”
Maryland health officials similarly set up a centralized clearinghouse with information on available ICU beds so that hospitals need only make a single phone call. State authorities also issued an emergency order prohibiting most hospital visitors until further notice.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--I Love My Grown Children, But I’m Not Willing To Die Because Of Their Pandemic Choices

Not that I am opposed to your personal enjoyment .
I am all for recreation — within reason , of course .
But the eschewing of caution , throwing it all to the wind in order to hang out with your friends and laugh for a few hours , stand near each other , drink , eat — well , it ’ s just too reckless for me .
Now that two of you are living back home because of COVID-19 ― and there is room for all of us and you are welcome here , of course ― it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what you do on the weekends .
And when your middle brother comes home to visit for Thanksgiving , we all need to be vigilant .
I know you have had multiple tests , but not lately .
I know you have no symptoms .
But I worry that you simply hanging out with your friends will be the end of me .
You wear masks in public , I know , but you don ’ t wear masks with your friends ; I ’ ve seen the photos .
I understand many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same way you do , especially young men in your 20s and 30s — you feel an immunity to the reality of COVID-19 contagion and consequence .
The photos and videos of the maskless gatherings , rallies and celebrations all over the country make me cringe .
I am relieved all three of you are years out of high school and college , because as athletes , you would have likely insisted you compete .
I would not have gone along with parents like the ones who recently attempted to sue the Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resume .
It ’ s true no one in our large family has contracted COVID-19 , only parents of friends or friends of friends , so I don ’ t know what it feels like to you when I say these things on the phone , at dinner or in passing about positivity rates , death tolls , local incidents .
Do I seem overly cautious with my nagging superstition and unnecessary worry ?
The blue bowl of masks and plastic gloves by the phone in the breakfast room and the hand sanitizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not for show ; these are because this pandemic is real , even if you don ’ t think it will happen to you .
Or me .
You may not have noticed , but March 15 was the last time I left the house for anything other than a weekly trip to the small grocery store a few blocks away , occasionally Target and CVS , or an evening walk alone .
I dined outside twice this summer at restaurants where we sat a few tables away from other customers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too ; now we Zoom .
All of my work is remote .
Of course , you love me , I ’ m your mom , and I love you always .
I ’ m not so sure if it is denial , lack of understanding , or blocking out “ worst-case scenario ” thinking , but at this address , I am the only one in the family who is wearing a mask when the Amazon delivery person drops off another package that one of you ordered .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive together somewhere , and I wear a mask .
If I can control it , I do not want to be one of the 1.3 million deaths worldwide .
I ’ m 62 , and a cancer survivor with asthma and high blood pressure .
Three strikes and I am out .
Even if I am lucky and survive , I can ’ t be away from work for a lengthy sickness ; I am on contracts .
Perhaps all this worry I project feels made-up to you , fiction , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wicked witch .
I remember when each one of you was afraid of the dark .
But this is not a childish fear you naturally outgrow .
Nothing like this has ever happened in my lifetime ; I am afraid .
Sure , in my 20s , I went to clubs , waited in line to get in , stood close to strangers and danced and laughed and drank glasses of wine bought by men who waved at me , then came over to say hello .
It was the early ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and scarred my generation ; neither was airborne .
It could be incredulity , disbelief in the severity of it all , or does it feel like a game of odds to you ?
Is this all about calculating risks , performing exercises of chance ?
You think your privilege means you can ’ t be touched by the pandemic ?
I was never one for gambling , never liked the idea of randomly throwing away money without something guaranteed when I could easily buy a pair of shoes with that money — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk losing $ 20 on this bet or that horse ?
I never even liked betting on football games .
I never took chances with your health or your safety .
I was cautious .
I am happy you all will be home for Thanksgiving in this house .
I ordered a small turkey and will make most ― not all ― of the sides for the four of us , but I am still a little skittish .
We can sit six feet apart , maybe ?
I may wear a mask @ @ @ @ @ @

Julia_Sudnitskaya via Getty Images
I love you, but I do not want to die because of your good time.
Not that I am opposed to your personal enjoyment. I am all for recreation — within reason, of course. But the eschewing of caution, throwing it all to the wind in order to hang out with your friends and laugh for a few hours, stand near each other, drink, eat — well, it’s just too reckless for me.
Because you will come home and breathe on me.
Now that two of you are living back home because of COVID-19 ― and there is room for all of us and you are welcome here, of course ― it becomes my business where you go and what you do on the weekends. And when your middle brother comes home to visit for Thanksgiving, we all need to be vigilant.
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I know you have had multiple tests, but not lately. I know you have no symptoms. But I worry that you simply hanging out with your friends will be the end of me. You wear masks in public, I know, but you don’t wear masks with your friends; I’ve seen the photos.
You are my sons, and I love all three of you, but this takes priority. The more than 11 million cases nationwide and 247,000 deaths are up 800%. If you’re in doubt, just watch this visualization of how COVID-19 spreads through the air indoors.
“This common-sense gap is not generational, but perhaps informational and emotional; an empathy gap about how personal actions lead to communal reactions and harm.”
I understand many around the country feel and act the same way you do, especially young men in your 20s and 30s — you feel an immunity to the reality of COVID-19 contagion and consequence. The photos and videos of the maskless gatherings, rallies and celebrations all over the country make me cringe.
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The thousands of University Of Notre Dame students who rushed the field recently after winning a football game in double overtime were mandated to have coronavirus testing.
Or there’s Justin Turner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who had learned he was COVID-19 positive just minutes before he refused to refrain from celebrating the team’s World Series victory with his teammates and family. No masks, no distance.
I am relieved all three of you are years out of high school and college, because as athletes, you would have likely insisted you compete. I would not have gone along with parents like the ones who recently attempted to sue the Illinois High School Association so fall sports could resume.
This common-sense gap is not generational, but perhaps informational and emotional; an empathy gap about how personal actions lead to communal reactions and harm. Everyone’s behavior has consequences beyond themselves.
Did I fail to model that, or did you miss that key point?
It’s true no one in our large family has contracted COVID-19, only parents of friends or friends of friends, so I don’t know what it feels like to you when I say these things on the phone, at dinner or in passing about positivity rates, death tolls, local incidents. Do I seem overly cautious with my nagging superstition and unnecessary worry?
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The blue bowl of masks and plastic gloves by the phone in the breakfast room and the hand sanitizer in almost every room of the house are not for show; these are because this pandemic is real, even if you don’t think it will happen to you. Or me.
You may not have noticed, but March 15 was the last time I left the house for anything other than a weekly trip to the small grocery store a few blocks away, occasionally Target and CVS, or an evening walk alone. I dined outside twice this summer at restaurants where we sat a few tables away from other customers. I miss going out with my friends, too; now we Zoom. All of my work is remote.
Of course, you love me, I’m your mom, and I love you always. I’m not so sure if it is denial, lack of understanding, or blocking out “worst-case scenario” thinking, but at this address, I am the only one in the family who is wearing a mask when the Amazon delivery person drops off another package that one of you ordered.
“What did you get today?”
That’s why I open the windows when we drive together somewhere, and I wear a mask. If I can control it, I do not want to be one of the 1.3 million deaths worldwide. I’m 62, and a cancer survivor with asthma and high blood pressure. Three strikes and I am out. Even if I am lucky and survive, I can’t be away from work for a lengthy sickness; I am on contracts.
Is it because you think I am strong? Thanks for that, but COVID-19 has nothing to do with strength.
Perhaps all this worry I project feels made-up to you, fiction, a fairytale, like fearing the boogeyman, the wicked witch. I remember when each one of you was afraid of the dark. But this is not a childish fear you naturally outgrow. Nothing like this has ever happened in my lifetime; I am afraid.
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I remember as a child throwing trash randomly out of the car window; everyone seemed to. Smokers threw cigarette butts anywhere and everywhere; that was before public ashtrays outside of buildings were the norm. And more people smoked.
Then national advertising campaigns helped shift societal norms, instructing everyone to throw their trash into garbage cans so as not to be a litterbug.
Sure, in my 20s, I went to clubs, waited in line to get in, stood close to strangers and danced and laughed and drank glasses of wine bought by men who waved at me, then came over to say hello. It was the early ’80s, when herpes and AIDS scared and scarred my generation; neither was airborne.
At the ages you are now, I considered myself independent, but not invincible. I think that’s the difference.
It could be incredulity, disbelief in the severity of it all, or does it feel like a game of odds to you? Is this all about calculating risks, performing exercises of chance? You think your privilege means you can’t be touched by the pandemic?
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I was never one for gambling, never liked the idea of randomly throwing away money without something guaranteed when I could easily buy a pair of shoes with that money — for me or for you. Why risk losing $20 on this bet or that horse? I never even liked betting on football games. I never took chances with your health or your safety. I was cautious.
Just to be clear, we’re not doing the usual Thanksgiving this year with all your favorite cousins. I know you adore them, but maybe we can Zoom.
I am happy you all will be home for Thanksgiving in this house. I ordered a small turkey and will make most ― not all ― of the sides for the four of us, but I am still a little skittish. We can sit six feet apart, maybe? I may wear a mask, yes, even indoors.
It’s odd for me too, not to put a 25-30 pound specially ordered fresh turkey in the oven at 7 a.m. and make mounds of cornbread stuffing, gravy and Brussels sprouts, but the CDC guidelines recommend no more than six people indoors together at a time, and for sure no buffets. Last time I checked, our family holidays were for more than 40.
Risk-averse, I guess you would call me, but I am not sure that it is a bad thing to be now, because what if you are wrong? What if the chance you take is not just an exercise in free will and asserting your right to enjoy yourself, but a decision that harms someone other than you?
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What if that someone is me?
Michele Weldon is an author, journalist, emerita faculty at Northwestern University, senior leader with The OpEd Project. Her latest book is ”Act Like You’re Having A Good Time.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--Which Airlines Are Blocking Middle Seats During Holiday Travel?

Of course , the biggest way to reduce your risk is by not flying at all .
As the CDC puts it , travel “ increases your chances of getting and spreading ” COVID-19 .
But if you must , you should know what you ’ re getting into .
Science is clear that face masks and social distancing work well at reducing infections , and all U.S. airlines have policies requiring travelers to wear masks on board .
After the pandemic began , three of the nation ’ s four biggest carriers ― American , Delta and Southwest ― @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empty so passengers could sit at a distance .
A working paper out of MIT argued this practice makes a difference : Assuming that every seat is sold and every passenger is wearing a mask , professor and aviation expert Arnold Barnett said that the probability of getting COVID-19 from a nearby passenger on a flight of average duration drops from 1 in 4,300 when middle seats are sold to 1 in 7,700 when they are left empty .
Some airlines have since updated their policies , however , and others never stopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , see which carriers are currently blocking them off and how other safety measures differ , too .
Middle seats American Airlines no longer blocks off the middle seat and allows planes to fly completely full .
AA says it will instead alert passengers when their flights are getting full during the check-in process , giving them the chance to switch , free of charge , if their flight is eligible .
Face masks Only children under 2 years old are exempt from wearing a face mask , and if you decline to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denied boarding and future travel on American , ” AA ’ s COVID-19 policy states .
Face shields are not an acceptable substitute for a mask , and masks may not have exhaust valves or vents .
Snacks For flights under 900 miles , in-flight water , canned drinks and juice are by request only and no snacks , alcohol or food are available in the Main Cabin , though you can bring your own snacks .
For flights above 900 miles , complimentary pretzels or cookies and bottled water will be available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you are a party of one or two people , you can not buy a middle seat , but if you are a party of three or more , you can buy the middle seat if you wish to sit next to your travel companions .
Face masks In October , Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in an internal memo that 460 people have been added to Delta ’ s no-fly list for refusing to follow its mask requirement .
Only “ children under the age two and young children who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exempt , ” Delta states .
If you have a medical condition that doesn ’ t allow you to wear a mask , you must complete a complete a “ Clearance-to-Fly ” process prior to departure .
Snacks In all U.S. domestic and international flights to Mexico , Canada , the Caribbean and Central America , a snack selection is available but meal pre-select and special meal service is temporarily suspended .
The only time you can take off your mask is while eating and drinking , but you are expected to immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can still bring your own snack and nonalcoholic beverage .
Middle seats JetBlue said it will keep flights under 70 % full through Dec. 1 , 2020 .
This means some seats will be blocked , but it is not guaranteed that this will include the middle seat next to you .
From Dec. 2 , 2020 , to Jan. 7 , 2021 , JetBlue will bump capacity to 85 % of available seats , then resume selling all available seats on Jan. 8 , 2021 .
Middle seats Southwest will stop blocking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airline ’ s CEO announced .
The airline ’ s blog says Southwest will notify customers two to three days before travel if their flight is booked to a capacity at which middle seats will likely be occupied , and customers will be given the option to change flights at no charge if another is available that is less full .
Snacks United says you can bring your own snack , but food is not available in Economy for flights under 2 hours and 20 minutes or in First Class for flights under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hour and 2 hours and 20 minutes , passengers in First Class receive an “ all-in-one ” bag with a wrapped sanitizing wipe , bottled water and two snacks .
That option is available for Economy in flights 2 hours and 20 minutes or longer .

tonefotografia via Getty Images Here's what American, Southwest, United, Delta and JetBlue are doing differently during COVID-19.
If you’re traveling by plane for the holidays this year, your top concern should be reducing your risk of catching and spreading the coronavirus.
Of course, the biggest way to reduce your risk is by not flying at all. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put it, travel “increases your chances of getting and spreading” COVID-19. But if you must, you should know what you’re getting into. Science is clear that face masks and social distancing work well at reducing infections, and all U.S. airlines have policies requiring travelers to wear masks on board.
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But are airlines still blocking off the middle seats on each plane?
After the pandemic began, three of the nation’s four biggest carriers ― American, Delta and Southwest ― initially agreed to leave the middle seats empty so passengers could sit at a distance. A working paper out of MIT argued this practice makes a difference: Assuming that every seat is sold and every passenger is wearing a mask, professor and aviation expert Arnold Barnett said that the probability of getting COVID-19 from a nearby passenger on a flight of average duration drops from 1 in 4,300 when middle seats are sold to 1 in 7,700 when they are left empty.
Some airlines have since updated their policies, however, and others never stopped selling middle seats at all. Below, see which carriers are currently blocking them off and how other safety measures differ, too.
American Airlines: Not Blocking Middle Seats
Middle seats
American Airlines no longer blocks off the middle seat and allows planes to fly completely full. AA says it will instead alert passengers when their flights are getting full during the check-in process, giving them the chance to switch, free of charge, if their flight is eligible.
Face masks
Only children under 2 years old are exempt from wearing a face mask, and if you decline to wear one, “you may be denied boarding and future travel on American,” AA’s COVID-19 policy states. Face shields are not an acceptable substitute for a mask, and masks may not have exhaust valves or vents.
Snacks
For flights under 900 miles, in-flight water, canned drinks and juice are by request only and no snacks, alcohol or food are available in the Main Cabin, though you can bring your own snacks. For flights above 900 miles, complimentary pretzels or cookies and bottled water will be available in the Main Cabin and First Class.
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Delta Air Lines: Middle Seats Blocked Until The End Of March
Middle seats
On Wednesday, Delta announced it would continue to block the selection of middle seats through at least March 30, 2021.
If you are a party of one or two people, you cannot buy a middle seat, but if you are a party of three or more, you can buy the middle seat if you wish to sit next to your travel companions.
For planes without middle seats, Delta will block one aisle of seats.
Face masks
In October, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in an internal memo that 460 people have been added to Delta’s no-fly list for refusing to follow its mask requirement. Only “children under the age two and young children who cannot maintain a face covering are exempt,” Delta states. If you have a medical condition that doesn’t allow you to wear a mask, you must complete a complete a “Clearance-to-Fly” process prior to departure.
Snacks
In all U.S. domestic and international flights to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Central America, a snack selection is available but meal pre-select and special meal service is temporarily suspended. The only time you can take off your mask is while eating and drinking, but you are expected to immediately put it back on afterward. You can still bring your own snack and nonalcoholic beverage.
JetBlue: Not Blocking Middle Seats
Middle seats
JetBlue said it will keep flights under 70% full through Dec. 1, 2020. This means some seats will be blocked, but it is not guaranteed that this will include the middle seat next to you. From Dec. 2, 2020, to Jan. 7, 2021, JetBlue will bump capacity to 85% of available seats, then resume selling all available seats on Jan. 8, 2021.
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Face masks
Only children under the age of 2 are exempt from JetBlue’s face covering requirement.
Snacks
Iced drinks, alcohol and hot beverages have been suspended, but you can still get a free snack and bottled water delivered in a pre-sealed bag in Main Cabin.
Southwest Airlines: Middle Seats Blocked Until Dec. 1
Middle seats
Southwest will stop blocking middle seats after Dec. 1, the airline’s CEO announced. The airline’s blog says Southwest will notify customers two to three days before travel if their flight is booked to a capacity at which middle seats will likely be occupied, and customers will be given the option to change flights at no charge if another is available that is less full.
Masks
You must wear a face mask. Bandanas, face shields and neck gaiters do not count, and Southwest has removed noncompliant passengers. Only children under 2 are exempt from the mask policy; medical excuses are not accepted.
Snacks
In-flight beverage and snack service is possible on some flights over 200 miles, but on all others, snack and beverage services are indefinitely suspended.
United Airlines: Not Blocking Middle Seats
Middle seats
United Airlines makes no commitment to blocking off middle seats, but says it will notify customers when “their flight is fairly full” to give them the option to change it.
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Face masks
You must wear a face covering on the plane and at the airport. If you refuse, you “may be refused travel and banned from flying United at least while the mask requirement is in place,” the airline states.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--Top Trump Health Official: I Lose Sleep Over Where We Are In Pandemic Right Now

The Trump administration ’ s COVID-19 testing czar on Wednesday laid out the dire situation the United States faces with the exploding coronavirus pandemic .
Adm. Brett Giroir , a Department of Health and Human Services assistant secretary and member of the White House coronavirus task force , told MSNBC ’ s Andrea Mitchell that the successful development of two COVID-19 vaccines is “ very positive news.
” But he said it was imperative to “ understand where we are right now ” as new daily case numbers , hospitalizations and deaths soar to record levels .
“ This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Giroir , describing the U.S. as “ at a critical , dangerous point ” in the public health emergency .
The current data is “ absolutely concerning , ” he said .
“ I lose sleep at night over where we are in the pandemic right now , ” Giroir continued .
“ This is crunch time .
This is not crying wolf.
” “ This is a time that we need to really double down , ” he added , “ because we are at the most serious and dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in , in the United States until this time.
” Giroir made similar comments on CNN ’ s “ OutFront , ” saying “ the end of the pandemic is in sight ” with the vaccines , but warning things “ will get worse ” before they improve .
“ This will get worse , ” says Dr. Brett Giroir , the Trump administration ’ s Covid-19 testing czar about the coronavirus pandemic .
“ We have had 1 million cases documented over the past week .
Our rate of rise is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer.
” https : //t.co/xN7cQ6iyJj pic.twitter.com/xsBzojwW94 — OutFrontCNN ( @ OutFrontCNN ) November 19 , 2020

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The Trump administration’s COVID-19 testing czar on Wednesday laid out the dire situation the United States faces with the exploding coronavirus pandemic.
Adm. Brett Giroir, a Department of Health and Human Services assistant secretary and member of the White House coronavirus task force, told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell that the successful development of two COVID-19 vaccines is “very positive news.” But he said it was imperative to “understand where we are right now” as new daily case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths soar to record levels.
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“This is not going in the right direction,” said Giroir, describing the U.S. as “at a critical, dangerous point” in the public health emergency.
The current data is “absolutely concerning,” he said.
“I lose sleep at night over where we are in the pandemic right now,” Giroir continued. “This is crunch time. This is not crying wolf.”
“This is a time that we need to really double down,” he added, “because we are at the most serious and dangerous part of the pandemic that we have been in, in the United States until this time.”
(Check out the interview above.)
Giroir made similar comments on CNN’s “OutFront,” saying “the end of the pandemic is in sight” with the vaccines, but warning things “will get worse” before they improve.
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He urged people to wear masks, avoid crowds and respect social distancing.
Check out that interview here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--Trump's Transition-Blocking GSA Boss Finally Tweeted And It Was Weird As Hell

General Services Administration chief Emily Murphy , who has refused to authorize the transition process for President-elect Joe Biden , @ @ @ @ @ in nearly two weeks on Wednesday and it wasn ’ t what anyone was expecting @ @ @ @ @ Murphy to the administrator position in 2017 .
As head of the GSA , she @ @ @ @ @ apolitical ascertainment naming the “ apparent successful candidate ” of the presidential election , which @ @ @ @ @ of the transition of power .
To date , Murphy has refused to do so @ @ @ @ @ win in the Electoral College and a lead of nearly 6 million ballots in the @ @ @ @ @ not spoken publicly about her decision , leaving many Twitter critics to guess at what @ @ @ @ @ i can almost hear the sound of people simultaneously screenshotting this for posterity pic.twitter.com/riI2SmnNrE — @ @ @ @ @ ) November 19 , 2020 Dcccf Rex zzz come in .
This is Covfefe .
@ @ @ @ @ : //t.co/WQp3CTvJwd — Tim Courtney 🇺🇸 ( @ timcourtney ) November 19 , 2020

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General Services Administration chief Emily Murphy, who has refused to authorize the transition process for President-elect Joe Biden, fired off her first tweet in nearly two weeks on Wednesday and it wasn’t what anyone was expecting:
Emily Murphy Tweet HuffPost
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The tweet was ultimately deleted.
President Donald Trump appointed Murphy to the administrator position in 2017. As head of the GSA, she is expected to deliver an apolitical ascertainment naming the “apparent successful candidate” of the presidential election, which in turn begins the process of the transition of power.
To date, Murphy has refused to do so despite Biden’s 306-232 win in the Electoral College and a lead of nearly 6 million ballots in the popular vote.
Murphy has not spoken publicly about her decision, leaving many Twitter critics to guess at what her enigmatic tweet meant:
i can almost hear the sound of people simultaneously screenshotting this for posterity pic.twitter.com/riI2SmnNrE — Emily Dreyfuss (@EmilyDreyfuss) November 19, 2020
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Wow. A federal employee just tweeted this https://t.co/jWVAZfNXsG — Donna Brazile (@donnabrazile) November 19, 2020
so where is the rooftop sex party pic.twitter.com/Xx2C1ei0yp — Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) November 19, 2020
Maybe it was supposed to be a Fleet? https://t.co/sc3TSq4esq — Brett Meiselas (@BMeiselas) November 19, 2020
Dcccf Rex zzz come in. This is Covfefe. Do you copy? https://t.co/WQp3CTvJwd — Tim Courtney 🇺🇸 (@timcourtney) November 19, 2020
Little help please, I lost my Q decoder ring. pic.twitter.com/YnsL1blgtu — 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐭 💫 (@JoeExecutive1) November 19, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-19--Donald Trump’s Lawyer Slammed Him As An 'Idiot' In Unearthed Facebook Posts, Interviews

Jenna Ellis , a senior legal adviser to Donald Trump , has been appearing on TV to staunchly defend the defeated president ’ s desperate attempts to steal the 2020 election .
But in a series of Facebook posts and radio interviews from 2015 and early 2016 that CNN ’ s “ KFile ” unearthed this week , the lawyer described Trump as an “ idiot ” and a “ bully ” who “ can not handle criticism.
” She acknowledged her previous antipathy to the president in a statement to CNN .
“ I am glad to have learned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back then and I ’ ve said that over and over publicly , as I saw him keeping his promises , and then eventually getting to know him personally , ” she said .
“ I appreciate KFILE showing clearly through past statements that I think for myself , and that my mind was changed based on fact and personal knowledge , ” Ellis added .
“ President Trump is a sincere Christian , the best president in modern history , and made and kept his promises to the American people .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his goals for the future of this country and all of its citizens.
” Ellis is not the first Trump acolyte forced to justify their flip-flopping .
Kayleigh McEnany in 2015 dismissed Trump as a “ showman.
” After his election , she became an ardent defender , landing herself the role of White House press secretary .
McEnany also had some compliments for Joe Biden back in the day .

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Jenna Ellis, a senior legal adviser to Donald Trump, has been appearing on TV to staunchly defend the defeated president’s desperate attempts to steal the 2020 election.
But in a series of Facebook posts and radio interviews from 2015 and early 2016 that CNN’s “KFile” unearthed this week, the lawyer described Trump as an “idiot” and a “bully” who “cannot handle criticism.”
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Ellis also slammed Trump’s supporters for not “seeking truth.”
Jenna Ellis Facebook Huffington Post
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Ellis changed her tune and supported Trump in the 2016 election.
She acknowledged her previous antipathy to the president in a statement to CNN.
“I am glad to have learned that I was completely wrong about Trump back then and I’ve said that over and over publicly, as I saw him keeping his promises, and then eventually getting to know him personally,” she said.
“I appreciate KFILE showing clearly through past statements that I think for myself, and that my mind was changed based on fact and personal knowledge,” Ellis added. “President Trump is a sincere Christian, the best president in modern history, and made and kept his promises to the American people. I am proud to stand with him and his goals for the future of this country and all of its citizens.”
Ellis is not the first Trump acolyte forced to justify their flip-flopping.
Kayleigh McEnany in 2015 dismissed Trump as a “showman.” After his election, she became an ardent defender, landing herself the role of White House press secretary. McEnany also had some compliments for Joe Biden back in the day.