thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--The Impotence of Donald Trump’s Positive Thinking

“ We have it very much under control in this country.
” “ It ’ s going to be just fine.
” “ It ’ s one person coming in from China.
” “ [ W ] e ’ re doing a great job with it.
” “ [ I ] t ’ s going to have a very good ending for us.
” “ We ’ re in great shape.
” “ We have 12 cases — 11 cases , and many of them are in good shape now.
” “ Just stay calm .
It will go away.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have 15 people , and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero.
” “ It ’ s going to disappear .
One day it ’ s like a miracle—it will disappear.
” Trump ’ s sunny statements as the pandemic accelerated its spread in the nation have been criticized as another example of his rampant lying or the result of his vast ignorance and inability to understand the concept of public health .
There ’ s an additional explanation for these statements : Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the power of positive thinking .
That type of thinking can be dangerous , as it proved to be in this health crisis .
Had Trump acted sooner , rather than try to actualize the virus away , he could have actually saved lives .
But it ’ s a philosophy that ’ s been drilled into Trump ’ s head since childhood ― one he turned into part of his own personal brand .
And not even a global pandemic that ’ s killed tens of thousands of Americans on his watch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three-step program to “ Prayerize , ” then “ Picturize , ” and then , “ Actualize , ” could turn “ people whose lives were very bad ” into “ very good people.
” He also offered mantras and strategies of self-hypnosis designed to help the reader pull themselves up by their self-esteem .
Business elites flocked to buy his book and attend his church , including real estate tycoon Fred Trump and his middle son .
“ Donald would demonstrate positive thinking throughout his life , as it became a true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D ’ Antonio wrote in his 2015 Trump biography “ Never Enough.
” “ His projects and creations would always be , in his words , ‘ the best ’ and ‘ the greatest , ’ and when reminded of failures or inconsistencies in his claims , he would respond with phrases like , ‘ Yeah , whatever ’ and race on to describe another of his achievements .
Positive thinking all the way.
” Another part of “ Think Like A Champion ” describes how Trump came to view himself as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reader can , too .
“ Someone asked me if I thought I was a genius , ” the passage goes .
“ I decided to say yes .
Why not ?
Try it out .
Tell yourself that you are a genius.
” This manner of thinking suggests that individuals can force reality to turn positive simply by embracing a narrative in their own heads and casting out any negativity .
It ’ s a credo that discourages acceptance of realities that don ’ t fit a positive narrative , and encourages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and suppressing negative thoughts when you don ’ t .
It ’ s how a man without political experience persuaded himself he should be the president .
The same goes for Trump ’ s bizarre cheerleading for the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a cure-all and prophylaxis against COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
Trump has touted the medication ― unproven as a COVID-19 treatment ― ever since a tweet by an anti-Semitic “ philosopher ” claimed the drug as a miracle cure led to a pseudo-study , which was subsequently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Musk .
No conclusive evidence has emerged that hydroxychloroquine helps to either prevent or mitigate the effects of COVID-19 .
It is being tested in clinical trials .
One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found it has no benefit .
Another study , currently pending peer review , conducted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found the drug provided no benefit and even led to higher death rates .
In April , at one of his briefings on the crisis ( which routinely featured other officials lauding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not painting a rosy picture of the situation .
When he shot down a reporter ’ s question about “ happy talk , ” he acknowledged briefly that not all was well .
The bottom line remains ― none of his usually pervasive happy talk and positivity-promoting has been able to mask the rising U.S. body count , due to soon hit 100,000 people .
New estimates from Columbia University suggest that 36,000 lives would have been saved had the country imposed lockdowns one week earlier than it did .

As the coronavirus pandemic first loomed over and then raged through the U.S., President Donald Trump gave the public a heavy dose of happy talk to sweep away any worries.
“We have it very much under control in this country.” “It’s going to be just fine.” “It’s one person coming in from China.” “[W]e’re doing a great job with it.” “[I]t’s going to have a very good ending for us.” “We’re in great shape.” “We have 12 cases — 11 cases, and many of them are in good shape now.” “Just stay calm. It will go away.” “And again, when you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero.” “It’s going to disappear. One day it’s like a miracle—it will disappear.”
Advertisement
Trump’s sunny statements as the pandemic accelerated its spread in the nation have been criticized as another example of his rampant lying or the result of his vast ignorance and inability to understand the concept of public health. There’s an additional explanation for these statements: Trump is a lifelong student and proponent of the power of positive thinking.
That type of thinking can be dangerous, as it proved to be in this health crisis. Had Trump acted sooner, rather than try to actualize the virus away, he could have actually saved lives. But it’s a philosophy that’s been drilled into Trump’s head since childhood ― one he turned into part of his own personal brand. And not even a global pandemic that’s killed tens of thousands of Americans on his watch will make him abandon it.
As a child, Trump attended the midtown Manhattan Marble Collegiate Church where the famous pastor and self-help guru Norman Vincent Peale preached a doctrine of positivity. Peale blended evangelism, free-market capitalism, psychology and snake-oil salesmanship in his 1952 best-seller “The Power of Positive Thinking.”
His three-step program to “Prayerize,” then “Picturize,” and then, “Actualize,” could turn “people whose lives were very bad” into “very good people.” He also offered mantras and strategies of self-hypnosis designed to help the reader pull themselves up by their self-esteem. Business elites flocked to buy his book and attend his church, including real estate tycoon Fred Trump and his middle son.
Advertisement
Peale was, “the greatest speaker I think I’ve ever witnessed,” Donald Trump told the Christian Broadcasting Network in 2015. Trump’s affinity for Peale has been noted by many publications including The New York Times, Politico and The New Republic.
“Donald would demonstrate positive thinking throughout his life, as it became a true habit of his heart,” Michael D’Antonio wrote in his 2015 Trump biography “Never Enough.” “His projects and creations would always be, in his words, ‘the best’ and ‘the greatest,’ and when reminded of failures or inconsistencies in his claims, he would respond with phrases like, ‘Yeah, whatever’ and race on to describe another of his achievements. Positive thinking all the way.”
Donald Trump and Norman Vincent Peale at the latter's 90th birthday celebration at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel in May 1988. Peale's percepts, as outlined in his bestselling book "The Power of Positive Thinking," have served as a major influence in Trump's life -- but have served him poorly amid the coronavirus pandemic. Tom Gates via Getty Images
Trump’s own books (ghostwritten to parrot his own voice) are themselves heirs to Peale’s self-help success genre. And they are peppered with paeans to Peale’s brand of positive thinking.
“Positive thoughts create positive visuals,” Trump (and ghostwriter Meredith McIver) wrote in 2004′s “How To Get Rich.” “I know from experience that if I can just see something as a possibility, it has a much better chance of happening than if I can’t see it happening.”
Advertisement
In 2009′s “Think Like A Champion,” Trump (or who the uncredited ghostwriter was) recounted an interviewer asking him about his “greatest fears.”
“I said I don’t have any,” the book says. “He seemed surprised, but this is how I see it: If you label something a fear, then it creates fear when sometimes it’s not a fear but a concern.”
Another part of “Think Like A Champion” describes how Trump came to view himself as a “genius” ― and how the reader can, too. “Someone asked me if I thought I was a genius,” the passage goes. “I decided to say yes. Why not? Try it out. Tell yourself that you are a genius.”
This manner of thinking suggests that individuals can force reality to turn positive simply by embracing a narrative in their own heads and casting out any negativity. It’s a credo that discourages acceptance of realities that don’t fit a positive narrative, and encourages faking it until you make it, and suppressing negative thoughts when you don’t. It’s how a man without political experience persuaded himself he should be the president.
“Never entertain a failure thought,” Peale wrote. When you do, “you’re disintegrating. You’re deteriorating. You’re dying on the vine.”
Advertisement
“[I]t is an affront to God when you have a low opinion of yourself,” Peale added.
When Trump refuses to acknowledge a negative reality by telling the public, “We’re in great shape,” or, “It will just go away,” he is just following his own positivity script. A negative must be spun into positive, even when the word “negative” is involved.
“I tested very positively in another sense,” Trump told reporters about the coronavirus test he said he took Thursday (he’s tested daily, according to the White House). “So this morning, I tested positively toward negative, right? So no, I tested perfectly this morning. Meaning I tested negative. But that’s a way of saying it. Positively toward the negative.”
The same goes for Trump’s bizarre cheerleading for the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a cure-all and prophylaxis against COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Trump has touted the medication ― unproven as a COVID-19 treatment ― ever since a tweet by an anti-Semitic “philosopher” claimed the drug as a miracle cure led to a pseudo-study, which was subsequently shared in a tweet by billionaire Elon Musk.
Trump has since said he is a “big fan” of hydroxychloroquine, which he calls a “game-changer.” He has insisted “there’s a very good chance” it works as a preventative medicine “especially early on.”
He’s not just a spokesman, he’s a client. Trump claimed on May 18 that he has been taking the drug daily.
Advertisement
"Someone asked me if I thought I was a genius," reads a passage in one of Trump's books. “I decided to say yes. Why not? Try it out. Tell yourself that you are a genius.” ASSOCIATED PRESS
No conclusive evidence has emerged that hydroxychloroquine helps to either prevent or mitigate the effects of COVID-19. It is being tested in clinical trials. One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found it has no benefit. Another study, currently pending peer review, conducted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found the drug provided no benefit and even led to higher death rates.
As Trump described in his books, by simply telling people you are a genius, you will become one. By simply promoting hydroxychloroquine, Trump believes he can visualize its success into being. He also believes that claiming a pandemic has been well-handled makes it so.
In April, at one of his briefings on the crisis (which routinely featured other officials lauding his leadership), he insisted he was not painting a rosy picture of the situation. When he shot down a reporter’s question about “happy talk,” he acknowledged briefly that not all was well.
“These people have done an incredible job,” Trump said, pointing to members of his administration’s task force who stood with him on stage. “This is not happy talk. Maybe it’s happy talk for you. It’s not happy talk for me. We are talking about death.”
Advertisement
The bottom line remains ― none of his usually pervasive happy talk and positivity-promoting has been able to mask the rising U.S. body count, due to soon hit 100,000 people. New estimates from Columbia University suggest that 36,000 lives would have been saved had the country imposed lockdowns one week earlier than it did.
Now Trump is urging states to reopen businesses and public spaces, in spite of the continued spread of the virus in many areas. The power of positive thinking is not only impotent in the face of Mother Nature, but downright dangerous.
Peale’s critics recognized the dangerous implications of his positive thinking ideology at the time.
“The mastery Peale speaks of is not the mastery of skills, but the mastery of fleeing and avoiding one’s own negative thoughts.” Harvard University professor Donald Meyer wrote in a 1955 piece for The New Republic titled “Confidence Man.”
Peale’s teachings amounted to “saccharine terrorism,” psychiatrist Robert C. Murphy wrote in his 1955 article in The Nation.
For Peale, “real human suffering does not exist; there is no such thing as murderous rage, suicidal despair, cruelty, lust, greed, mass poverty, or illiteracy,” Murphy wrote. “All these things he would dismiss as relatively trivial mental processes [that] will evaporate if thoughts are simply turned into more cheerful channels. This attitude is so unpleasant it bears some search for its real meaning. It is clearly not genuine denial of evil but rather a horror of it.”
Advertisement
Trump, too, cannot cope with the morbid reality of the dead on his watch. He retreats to his pleasing positive imaginings where he can “picturize” and “actualize” a positive outcome.
A magic cure, perhaps. Or, “One day it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--Trump Calls On Governors To Reopen Houses Of Worship

President Donald Trump announced Friday that he was designating churches , synagogues and mosques as “ essential places that provide essential services ” as the nation continues to combat the coronavirus , despite lacking legal power over state governance .
“ Some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential , but have left out houses of worship .
It ’ s not right , ” Trump said .
“ So I ’ m correcting this injustice by calling houses of worship essential.
” Trump has previously attempted to wield his authority over state governors , particularly those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scholars say he has little formal power to force governors or businesses to do what he wants .
TRUMP : `` Some governors have deemed liquor stores & abortion clinics essential , but have left out churches ... it 's not right .
So I am correcting this injustice & am calling houses of worship essential .
I call upon governors to allow churches & places of worship to open right now '' pic.twitter.com/e0VU8XeLEm — Aaron Rupar ( @ atrupar ) May 22 , 2020 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to reopen safely as early as this weekend .
The agency ’ s recommendations change depending on how severely the virus has spread in the area .
Trump said he believes religious leaders will be able to keep their congregations safe .
Normal church services , however , can be ideal “ superspreader ” events , opening the gate for the virus to spread widely within the community .
One church in South Korea is believed to have provided a setting for thousands of people to contract the virus over the course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it accounted for half the country ’ s total confirmed cases .
Dr. Deborah Birx , a member of the White House ’ s coronavirus task force , clarified the president ’ s announcement , suggesting that the most at-risk worshippers should continue to stay home .
Elderly people , for example , are significantly more likely to experience severe symptoms or to die from complications of COVID-19 .
For weeks , some churches have been protesting or choosing to ignore stay-at-home orders , with tragic consequences .
An evangelical pastor in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sermons unless he was “ in jail or in the hospital ” died of COVID-19 in mid-April .
In Northern California , someone who had tested positive for the virus attended a Mother ’ s Day service , potentially exposing some 180 people .
And sudden spike in coronavirus cases and the death of a priest forced a newly reopened Catholic church in Texas to quickly change its plans .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump announced Friday that he was designating churches, synagogues and mosques as “essential places that provide essential services” as the nation continues to combat the coronavirus, despite lacking legal power over state governance.
“Some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential, but have left out houses of worship. It’s not right,” Trump said. “So I’m correcting this injustice by calling houses of worship essential.”
Advertisement
“If they don’t do it, I will override the governors,” the president threatened.
Trump has previously attempted to wield his authority over state governors, particularly those who have criticized him, but legal scholars say he has little formal power to force governors or businesses to do what he wants.
TRUMP: "Some governors have deemed liquor stores & abortion clinics essential, but have left out churches ... it's not right. So I am correcting this injustice & am calling houses of worship essential. I call upon governors to allow churches & places of worship to open right now" pic.twitter.com/e0VU8XeLEm — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 22, 2020
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued revised guidance to places of worship on how to reopen safely as early as this weekend. The agency’s recommendations change depending on how severely the virus has spread in the area.
Trump said he believes religious leaders will be able to keep their congregations safe.
Normal church services, however, can be ideal “superspreader” events, opening the gate for the virus to spread widely within the community. One church in South Korea is believed to have provided a setting for thousands of people to contract the virus over the course of a month. At one point, it accounted for half the country’s total confirmed cases.
Advertisement
Dr. Deborah Birx, a member of the White House’s coronavirus task force, clarified the president’s announcement, suggesting that the most at-risk worshippers should continue to stay home. Elderly people, for example, are significantly more likely to experience severe symptoms or to die from complications of COVID-19.
“Certainly people who have significant comorbidities, we want them protected,” Birx said.
For weeks, some churches have been protesting or choosing to ignore stay-at-home orders, with tragic consequences.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--Lindsey Graham's Hypocrisy On Donald Trump Is Laid Bare In New Attack Ad

The rank hypocrisy of Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) on President Donald Trump is laid bare in a searing new attack ad released Friday .
Footage of Graham blasting Trump as a “ jackass , ” “ kook , ” “ crazy ” and “ unfit for office ” before the 2016 election is juxtaposed with clips of him later lavishing praise on the president , even calling for him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize .
The 81-second spot , produced by the new Democratic LindseyMustGo super PAC , slams the senator as “ spineless , ” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls for him to be voted out of office in the November election .
Graham , now one of Trump ’ s most reliable congressional defenders , faces tough competition from Democratic challenger Jamie Harrison .
Pundits have predicted Graham could face “ a single-digit race ” against Harrison , the former chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party .
“ We ’ re simply tired of his snarling , revengeful , dirty payback politics down here and I promise you we will do whatever we legally can to make his last nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hell , ” former MSNBC contributor Jimmy Williams , a senior adviser to the PAC , told The Washington Post .
It ’ s not the first time that Graham ’ s astonishing reversal on Trump has come under scrutiny .
The Intercept ’ s Mehdi Hasan in January showed why Graham is “ the most shameless man in American politics ” with this montage : A mocking Twitter account pretending to be the lawmaker ’ s conscience was launched by a video editor at the conservative news website The Bulwark .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brain snatch ” in order to perform his Trump U-turn .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The rank hypocrisy of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on President Donald Trump is laid bare in a searing new attack ad released Friday.
Footage of Graham blasting Trump as a “jackass,” “kook,” “crazy” and “unfit for office” before the 2016 election is juxtaposed with clips of him later lavishing praise on the president, even calling for him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Advertisement
The 81-second spot, produced by the new Democratic LindseyMustGo super PAC, slams the senator as “spineless,” “shameless” and “dangerous” and calls for him to be voted out of office in the November election.
Graham, now one of Trump’s most reliable congressional defenders, faces tough competition from Democratic challenger Jamie Harrison. Pundits have predicted Graham could face “a single-digit race” against Harrison, the former chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party.
Check out the ad here:
“We’re simply tired of his snarling, revengeful, dirty payback politics down here and I promise you we will do whatever we legally can to make his last nine months in the U.S. Senate a miserable hell,” former MSNBC contributor Jimmy Williams, a senior adviser to the PAC, told The Washington Post.
Advertisement
It’s not the first time that Graham’s astonishing reversal on Trump has come under scrutiny. The Intercept’s Mehdi Hasan in January showed why Graham is “the most shameless man in American politics” with this montage:
Author Don Winslow released this “Valentine’s Day” tribute in February:
Dear @LindseyGrahamSC,
I made you a Valentine's Day video.
Regards,
Don Winslow pic.twitter.com/oAp1L11o72 — Don Winslow (@donwinslow) February 15, 2020
A mocking Twitter account pretending to be the lawmaker’s conscience was launched by a video editor at the conservative news website The Bulwark. And Hillary Clinton suggested Graham had “a brain snatch” in order to perform his Trump U-turn.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--Black Voters Who Support Trump 'Ain't Black,' Joe Biden Tells Charlamagne Tha God (UPDATE: Biden Apo

Black Voters Who Support Trump 'Ain't Black,' Joe Biden Tells Charlamagne Tha God (UPDATE: Biden Apologizes)

Joe Biden sought to defend his Washington record on a wide range of issues in an interview Friday with New York radio host Charlamagne tha God before joking at the end : “ If you have a problem figuring out whether you ’ re for me or Trump , then you ain ’ t Black.
” The comment provoked immediate backlash , prompting the former vice president to apologize for the “ really unfortunate ” remark later Friday on a phone call with the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce .
“ No one should have to vote for any party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , their background , ” he added .
The line concluded a freewheeling 20-minute discussion that touched on everything from the legalization of marijuana to COVID-19′s disproportionate impact on minority communities and the mass incarceration of Black people .
“ It has nothing to do with Trump , ” Charlamagne responded .
“ I want something for my community.
” Biden urged him to take a closer look at his record in the Senate .
“ I extended the Voting Rights Act 25 years , ” he said .
“ I have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The NAACP has endorsed me every time I ’ ve run .
Come on , take a look at my record.
” Biden quickly got some backlash .
Patrick Gaspard , who was an aide to former President Barack Obama and U.S. ambassador to South Africa , said on MSNBC that Biden was in “ no position to determine who was Black enough or not.
” “ The comments made at the end of the Breakfast Club interview were in jest , ” Sanders tweeted , “ but let ’ s be clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American community up against Trump ’ s any day .
Period.
” She continued : “ Vice President Biden spent his career fighting alongside and for the African American community .
He won his party ’ s nomination by earning every vote and meeting people where they are and that ’ s exactly what he intends to do this November .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Joe Biden sought to defend his Washington record on a wide range of issues in an interview Friday with New York radio host Charlamagne tha God before joking at the end: “If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t Black.”
The comment provoked immediate backlash, prompting the former vice president to apologize for the “really unfortunate” remark later Friday on a phone call with U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.
Advertisement
“I shouldn’t have been such a wise guy,” Biden said. “I shouldn’t have been so cavalier.”
“No one should have to vote for any party based on their race, their religion, their background,” he added.
The line concluded a freewheeling 20-minute discussion that touched on everything from the legalization of marijuana to COVID-19′s disproportionate impact on minority communities and the mass incarceration of Black people.
(Biden supports decriminalizing marijuana, but has stopped short of calling to legalize it. And regarding mass incarceration, Charlamagne called out tough-on-crime policies Biden supported in the 1980s and ’90s that critics say landed millions in jail.)
“It has nothing to do with Trump,” Charlamagne responded. “I want something for my community.”
Biden urged him to take a closer look at his record in the Senate.
“I extended the Voting Rights Act 25 years,” he said. “I have a record that is second to none. The NAACP has endorsed me every time I’ve run. Come on, take a look at my record.”
Advertisement
Biden quickly got some backlash. Patrick Gaspard, who was an aide to former President Barack Obama and U.S. ambassador to South Africa, said on MSNBC that Biden was in “no position to determine who was Black enough or not.”
Biden senior adviser Symone Sanders attempted to clarify the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee’s remarks as the interview clip went viral.
“The comments made at the end of the Breakfast Club interview were in jest,” Sanders tweeted, “but let’s be clear about what the VP was saying: he was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American community up against Trump’s any day. Period.”
She continued: “Vice President Biden spent his career fighting alongside and for the African American community. He won his party’s nomination by earning every vote and meeting people where they are and that’s exactly what he intends to do this November.”
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--Outspoken Progressive Rashida Tlaib Is Facing A Major Primary Challenge

In between all of that , we ’ re doing these wellness check-in calls .
My team gave me 50 to do .
We all split it and we check in on neighbors .
And at the end of the call , we ask them to check in on three other neighbors to make sure everyone is doing OK and that somebody out here cares about their well-being .
That ’ s where we also hear about what the needs are ― from water shutoffs to folks worried about , “ Hey , what are we doing to make sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead to more spread of COVID.
” There ’ s a huge fear that we continue to brush them aside , that somehow Palestinians ’ voices , their lives , are disposable .
It is something that really puts my grandmother ’ s life in danger , when we ’ re so eager to choose a side instead of focusing on equality and freedom and these values that I really do think if we were centered around that , we would actually have peace there .
People would have some sort of human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about everybody ― Israelis , Palestinians , others .
No one should live in fear , but no one should be told that they exist less because of who they are .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Rep. Rashida Tlaib was only elected to Congress in 2018, but she is already something of a household name.
Tlaib, one of the first two Muslim women to ever serve in Congress, is a member of the “Squad” of four freshman women of color ― a kind of left-wing sub-caucus within the Congressional Progressive Caucus with celebrity to boot. The Michigan Democrat arrived in the House with a bang, calling for the impeachment of President Donald Trump, whom she labeled a “motherfucker,” on the day she was sworn in wearing a traditional Palestinian thobe dress.
Advertisement
Now Tlaib might be facing a formidable primary challenge from Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones on Aug. 4. Tlaib won in 2018 partly thanks to a crowded field of contenders who split the vote in a Detroit area district that is 54% Black. An early April poll showed Jones, who is Black, within striking distance of Tlaib, despite spending a minuscule amount of money.
In a Thursday interview with HuffPost, Tlaib skirted around the upcoming contest, focusing instead on the work she and her team are doing to address the needs of constituents suffering in one of the metropolitan areas that the coronavirus has hit hardest.
“I don’t want to become numb,” the congresswoman said. “I see a lot of my colleagues lacking that sense of urgency to move quickly to help people or not fully understanding the current pain and hurt that’s on the ground right now.”
Tlaib also discussed her work to contain the damage from COVID-19 in her district, her feelings about former Vice President Joe Biden’s stance on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, why House Democrats’ response to the pandemic has disappointed her, and why she wants Biden to visit her district.
Advertisement
The interview below has been edited for length and clarity.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib is being challenged in the Democratic primary by Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones. Tom Williams/Getty Images
What is a typical day in the life of a member of Congress representing a city where COVID is raging?
Because we can’t physically go into offices, I check in with my team at 9:30 a.m. every morning. We go through what’s going on at my office’s four neighborhood service centers. The caseworker that manages the constituent services programs does a report on what’s happening on the ground.
I would describe it almost like triaging where all kinds of emergencies are coming in. One person will say, “I can’t get unemployment benefits,” or even one senior said, “Is there a chance anyone can drop off Depends for me?” Another asked about what else we could be doing right now to get masks into nursing homes.
We’ve also been in constant contact with our steelworkers. We expect hundreds to be on a call today at 1 p.m. about what they need to know, [and we’ll try to] answer any questions they have.
I have a House Democratic Caucus call around 2 p.m. We’re doing a lot of those where we check in and go over what we just passed and what is the state of the HEROES Act, and what do we need to be looking out for and how can we work with outside organizations to get more support for it.
Advertisement
Later today, the freshman class is going to be having a call with our municipal leaders.
In between all of that, we’re doing these wellness check-in calls. My team gave me 50 to do. We all split it and we check in on neighbors. And at the end of the call, we ask them to check in on three other neighbors to make sure everyone is doing OK and that somebody out here cares about their well-being. That’s where we also hear about what the needs are ― from water shutoffs to folks worried about, “Hey, what are we doing to make sure Memorial Day weekend is not going to lead to more spread of COVID.”
And in the middle of all of this, you’re also running for reelection. There have been polls that suggest that it’s close. How do you make time for that? What has your strategy been to address the lingering sense from some residents that the district should be represented by a Black person in Congress?
One of the things I center around is being rooted in community. What I mean by that is I come home every week. Unless there’s voting and committee hearings, I’m here at home and staying as close to my residents as possible. I actually think that it makes sure that I don’t become numb.
I don’t want to become numb. I see a lot of my colleagues lacking that sense of urgency to move quickly to help people or not fully understanding the current pain and hurt that’s on the ground right now.
We’re trying to be as accessible as possible. When we show up for each other, we save lives.
We were already doing that work, but now we’re laser-focused on it.
It sounds like you’re not doing traditional campaigning for reelection. It’s really just full-time service as a member of Congress and hoping it shines through to people.
Advertisement
Well, I hope it saves lives.
One of my team members sent a text message today and said, “Hey, it’s Carolina from Rashida for Congress. We just want to make sure you have the resources you need. Is there anything you need help with?” The woman said, “Thank you, you all were the only ones to call me back about who to call for my unemployment benefits.”
That’s how we show up for each other and that’s how we expose what we should be doing right now. In the midst of all of that, we are actually learning more about what our priorities on policy should be. That’s where I hear folks saying, “Did you know 60% of firefighters in Wayne County have COVID?”
This is, again, triaging and bringing in these critical services to our residents that need help now. And they don’t have time to wait for [Senate Majority Leader Mitch] McConnell and others to understand how much pain is on the ground right now.
“I just have this connection of what’s happening in Detroit and what’s happening in Palestine.” - Rep. Rashida Tlaib
Biden’s plan for the Jewish community includes a promise to “firmly reject the BDS movement, which singles out Israel — home to millions of Jews — and too often veers into anti-Semitism, while letting Palestinians off the hook for their choices.” Do you have a reaction to that language on his website?
Advertisement
When I hear about various statements like that, I think of my grandmother, my sity, in occupied Palestine.
Right now, during COVID, this is not helpful. This is not about choosing sides. I wrote an op-ed with [California Rep.] Alan Lowenthal, one of my colleagues, about making sure we do not leave Palestinians behind during COVID relief. You see the president of the United States not providing adequate funding, even drawing it back ― almost like they’re disposable.
There’s a huge fear that we continue to brush them aside, that somehow Palestinians’ voices, their lives, are disposable. It is something that really puts my grandmother’s life in danger, when we’re so eager to choose a side instead of focusing on equality and freedom and these values that I really do think if we were centered around that, we would actually have peace there. People would have some sort of human dignity. And I’m talking about everybody ― Israelis, Palestinians, others. No one should live in fear, but no one should be told that they exist less because of who they are.
A majority of my residents who are African American don’t have access to equal testing, to quality health care. They live in polluted communities and neighborhoods where they have respiratory issues and asthma. So add the pandemic on top of it, and they are going to die at a higher rate. Even though a significantly lower number of African Americans live in Michigan, 40% of the deaths from COVID are African American.
I feel like that is how I connect my roots as a Palestinian and hearing my grandmother and my cousins saying, “Who is out there really fighting for us?”
Advertisement
These are incredibly strong people and I just have this connection of what’s happening in Detroit and what’s happening in Palestine. And for me, it just makes me more of a warrior when it comes to these issues and speaking the truth about it.
Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones poses with then-Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) in April 2016. Conyers' resignation opened up the House seat that Tlaib now occupies. Monica Morgan/Getty Images
You were a supporter of Bernie Sanders. Why do you think he fell short?
I don’t know. But I know this much: He put movement work on the national stage ― on “Medicare for All,” on immigration, on poverty. We talk about the middle class so much but nobody talks about the “p-word.” Nobody talks about poverty or the economic divide. Nobody says, “You know what? There’s something wrong where this many people are making more money than the majority of our neighbors.”
This is a person that finally spoke that kind of truth, where everybody else doesn’t want to speak that truth ― even though that is increasingly popular among so many people across the nation.
Bernie showed us ― many people, myself and others ― that you can do it without selling out. People are talking about issues now that they never would have if he hadn’t run for president. That is something that I continue to draw that motivation and inspiration from.
Advertisement
Is the Congressional Progressive Caucus effective? Would you like to see it act more as a bloc?
If you went to my district, in every single corner of my district, they wouldn’t be able to tell you who the Freedom Caucus, the New Dems caucus are or anything. They wouldn’t even understand it.
That’s the issue: There’s this dynamic that happens in the capital that’s very much disconnected from what’s happening in various communities. People don’t know these dynamics are happening and these dynamics are the reason that there’s a lack of urgency.
I don’t know all of these labels. I don’t understand them. Before I got to Congress, I never heard of them.
OK, have progressives, have House Democrats done everything in their power to demand that urgency?
When you say “House Democrats,” it’s like we’re all under one umbrella. I don’t see it that way. You say you’re a progressive caucus member but there are also New Dems. You see that? We have people that say, “Oh, I’m a Democrat,” but they really vote with Republicans. There’s a lot of that I think.
I’m just saying ―
Oh, I know what you’re saying.
I came in and these structures were in place. On the floor, all I do is bring my district into my room and I demand action based on that, versus based on calculations, based on political relationships, based on things that I feel like can get away from the need of the people on the ground.
Advertisement
I used to always wonder why every time I hear Congress is not popular. Now that I’m there, I can see. You can get anybody off the street and they would feel very much like they don’t have this strong connection to those that actually vote in D.C. on issues that are impacting their lives.
“It’s very difficult sometimes when we’re saying, ‘We’re being bold, we’re being big in how we approach this,’ but we always seem to fall short when it comes to direct help for people.” - Rep. Rashida Tlaib
There are a number of primary races left in the election cycle where progressive candidates are taking on incumbents, including Jamaal Bowman in the Bronx against Rep. Eliot Engel. It’s a majority-minority district with a white representative. Are you interested in backing any of those candidates to bring more urgency to Congress, including Bowman in the Bronx?
Right now, I’ve been very much focused on local electeds, some of them running for the first time, that are incredibly important. They’re just really important to the service center work that I’m doing.
You voted first to defer a vote on the House’s most recent COVID relief bill, the HEROES Act, and then ultimately voted for the bill itself. Why did you do that?
Advertisement
I wanted to be bolder. Having recurring relief payments ― that’s the one issue that has overwhelming support. It’s ironic how much bipartisan support outside of Congress there is for recurring payments.
In my bill it says, “Let’s do recharged debit cards,” because 25% of our neighbors are unbanked and even more are probably underbanked. We need to acknowledge and go to people where they’re at. Neighbors of mine are disconnected from these systems.
These corporate bailouts, the corporations hoard them. But if you give it to my residents, they’ll pay down their debt, because one-third of folks across the nation couldn’t pay their rent in April.
I was very upset not to see recurring payments. I spoke to Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi about it. And I was taken aback by it.
I voted for the HEROES Act because there was $1.5 billion for water shutoffs. This is historic. I fought so hard prior to the pandemic and then now during the pandemic to create a permanent fix for a water shutoff. Fifteen million people are affected by water shutoffs right now. During a pandemic, they can’t wash their hands. It was important to me to see that work through and continue to fight for it in the Senate.
Advertisement
It’s very difficult sometimes when we’re saying, “We’re being bold, we’re being big in how we approach this,” but we always seem to fall short when it comes to direct help for people. I described it to leadership and others: There’s human dignity when you give people money. Let them decide. Direct payments work. Even small businesses have been advocating for it because they know that when folks are able to take care of themselves and their home, then they are able to take care of their community and their neighborhoods.
The Squad, from left: Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Tlaib, responding to President Donald Trump's disparaging remarks in July 2019. Tom Williams/Getty Images
If you had an audience with Joe Biden, what would you tell him about what agenda he needs to run on and what he needs to do to win in Michigan?
Sen. [Elizabeth] Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders both did a “toxic tour” of my district. They came and they smelled what my residents smell. They talked to a mother who had a sick child because they live in the shadow of the steel companies and Marathon petroleum refinery. They talked to community advocates who said, “Guess what? Flint still doesn’t have clean drinking water.”
I welcome anybody that wants to lead our nation to come to the third-poorest congressional district. To talk to workers who haven’t seen a wage increase but have seen their health benefits decrease. To talk to a mother, Carly, in Redford Township in my district who has a daughter with all these conditions ― she’s this beautiful young child ― and they struggle every single month to get access to the prescription medications she needs to live.
Advertisement
For me, it’s not telling, it’s showing. I want to show whoever wants to be president of the United States the sense of urgency my residents have and do it now.
Do you think having a less war-oriented foreign policy is also something that resonates in your district?
It’s so interconnected. When we allow one group of people to be completely oppressed and not feel like they can equally exist with others, that alone leads to this culture we create within our own country.
Go to the Department of Defense website every single day and watch the billions of dollars that are being pumped into defense, to wars. It’s billions of dollars, and you look at what goes into health and human services and you wonder why people are dying at a higher rate from COVID in the United States of America compared to any other country?
The way we put our budgets is so reflective of our values. And I continue to see us giving a blank check to the Department of Defense, giving a blank check to these wars, but they don’t want to give any checks to residents.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--GOP Senate Nominee 'Literally Physically In Tears' After Campaign Retracts QAnon Support

Republicans , including the National Republican Senatorial Committee and The White House , have so far declined to comment on their new ally , ABC News reported .
But Perkins own campaign team attempted to distance its candidate from QAnon on Wednesday , saying in a statement that Perkins “ would never describe herself as a follower.
” Perkins didn ’ t agree with that statement , telling ABC News the following day that she was “ literally physically in tears ” after she read the statement on her personal Twitter account .
“ My campaign is gon na kill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ How do I say this ?
Some people think that I follow Q like I follow Jesus .
Q is the information and I stand with the information resource.
” That “ information resource ” is bunk and has led to dangerous real-world consequences .
In 2018 , a man took his AR-15 and his armored car to Hoover Dam to demand the government come clean about supposed crimes related to QAnon beliefs .
A Colorado woman was arrested earlier this year after attempting to kidnap her son with the help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Police Department arrested a woman in April who was carrying 18 knives and threatened political figures .

Republicans, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee and The White House, have so far declined to comment on their new ally, ABC News reported. But Perkins own campaign team attempted to distance its candidate from QAnon on Wednesday, saying in a statement that Perkins “would never describe herself as a follower.”
Perkins didn’t agree with that statement, telling ABC News the following day that she was “literally physically in tears” after she read the statement on her personal Twitter account.
“My campaign is gonna kill me,” Perkins told the publication. “How do I say this? Some people think that I follow Q like I follow Jesus. Q is the information and I stand with the information resource.”
That “information resource” is bunk and has led to dangerous real-world consequences. In 2018, a man took his AR-15 and his armored car to Hoover Dam to demand the government come clean about supposed crimes related to QAnon beliefs. A Colorado woman was arrested earlier this year after attempting to kidnap her son with the help of QAnon followers. And the New York Police Department arrested a woman in April who was carrying 18 knives and threatened political figures.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--Man Serving 18 Years On Marijuana Charges Just Died In Federal Prison COVID-19 Outbreak

The most recent inmate to die as the COVID-19 crisis rips through the federal prison system is a 62-year-old who had less than two years left on an 18-year sentence for marijuana charges .
Fidel Torres was sentenced to 220 months in prison way back in 2006 after he waived a jury trial and let a judge decide his fate .
Torres was convicted on a conspiracy charge for possession with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana , as well as with aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also pointed to two previous convictions on Torres ’ record , both of which were marijuana-related .
The same judge who found Torres guilty and decided his sentence — U.S. District Judge George Kazen of the Southern District of Texas — later denied Torres a sentencing reduction for which he would otherwise have qualified under revised 2014 U.S .
Sentencing Commission guidelines , based on relatively minor instances of prison misconduct .
Kazen filed a form order stating that Torres “ qualifies for sentence reduction , but the Court will not grant the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Those violations , according to the government , included “ sanctions for stealing , possessing stolen property , possessing an unauthorized item , being insolent to staff , and interfering with taking count.
” “ After the commission reduced the drug guideline retroactively in 2014 , nearly 32,000 people got shorter , fairer sentences , ” said Kevin Ring , who heads the group Families Against Mandatory Minimums .
Some 19,000 people were denied relief , Ring added .
Less than 2 % of those denials were due to prison misconduct , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been part of that very small and unfortunate minority , ” he said .
Kazen also banned Torres , who became a prolific pro se litigator behind bars , from filing anything to the court docket without the court ’ s permission .
Advocates like Ring say that cases like Torres ’ show that the federal Bureau of Prisons needs to do more to expand home confinement to save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Bureau records show that Torres was scheduled for release in February 2022 .
“ Fidel Torres was 62 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a lengthy sentence for selling marijuana .
He seems like a poster child for home confinement , ” Ring told HuffPost .
“ Instead , he dies on the same day Michael Cohen goes home after spending a year in prison , ” Ring said , referring to the recent release of President Donald Trump ’ s former personal attorney , who wasn ’ t scheduled for release until November 2021 .
“ Even if one assumes the BOP is acting with the best of intentions , its decision-making process is impossible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press release about Torres ’ death doesn ’ t mention any medical issues .
But in 2006 , his attorney told the court that Torres was diabetic and going blind .
The judge ordered Torres to undergo a psychiatric evaluation .
Torres , according to BOP , tested positive for COVID-19 on May 2 .
He was admitted to a hospital on May 6 and placed on a ventilator .
He died on Wednesday , “ with immediate cause of death listed as septic shock due to COVID-19 pneumonia.
” At the Lexington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Torres was incarcerated , 212 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 .
Four Lexington inmates have died .
As of Thursday , BOP reported that 1,735 federal inmates had confirmed positive COVID-19 tests and 59 inmates have died .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The most recent inmate to die as the COVID-19 crisis rips through the federal prison system is a 62-year-old who had less than two years left on an 18-year sentence for marijuana charges.
Fidel Torres was sentenced to 220 months in prison way back in 2006 after he waived a jury trial and let a judge decide his fate. Torres was convicted on a conspiracy charge for possession with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, as well as with aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana. During the case, federal prosecutors also pointed to two previous convictions on Torres’ record, both of which were marijuana-related.
Advertisement
The same judge who found Torres guilty and decided his sentence — U.S. District Judge George Kazen of the Southern District of Texas — later denied Torres a sentencing reduction for which he would otherwise have qualified under revised 2014 U.S. Sentencing Commission guidelines, based on relatively minor instances of prison misconduct.
Kazen filed a form order stating that Torres “qualifies for sentence reduction, but the Court will not grant the reduction because of behavior while in custody.” Those violations, according to the government, included “sanctions for stealing, possessing stolen property, possessing an unauthorized item, being insolent to staff, and interfering with taking count.”
“After the commission reduced the drug guideline retroactively in 2014, nearly 32,000 people got shorter, fairer sentences,” said Kevin Ring, who heads the group Families Against Mandatory Minimums. Some 19,000 people were denied relief, Ring added. Less than 2% of those denials were due to prison misconduct, “and Mr. Torres appears to have been part of that very small and unfortunate minority,” he said.
Kazen also banned Torres, who became a prolific pro se litigator behind bars, from filing anything to the court docket without the court’s permission.
Advertisement
Advocates like Ring say that cases like Torres’ show that the federal Bureau of Prisons needs to do more to expand home confinement to save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bureau records show that Torres was scheduled for release in February 2022.
“Fidel Torres was 62 years old and was nearing the end of a lengthy sentence for selling marijuana. He seems like a poster child for home confinement,” Ring told HuffPost.
“Instead, he dies on the same day Michael Cohen goes home after spending a year in prison,” Ring said, referring to the recent release of President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, who wasn’t scheduled for release until November 2021. “Even if one assumes the BOP is acting with the best of intentions, its decision-making process is impossible to understand.”
Several other defendants in Torres’ case received shorter sentences under plea deals or later had their sentences reduced.
The Bureau of Prisons press release about Torres’ death doesn’t mention any medical issues. But in 2006, his attorney told the court that Torres was diabetic and going blind. The judge ordered Torres to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
Advertisement
Torres, according to BOP, tested positive for COVID-19 on May 2. He was admitted to a hospital on May 6 and placed on a ventilator. He died on Wednesday, “with immediate cause of death listed as septic shock due to COVID-19 pneumonia.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--Trump Gripes That Fox News Is 'Doing Nothing' To Get Him Reelected

President Donald Trump complained Thursday that Fox News wasn ’ t aiding his bid to remain in the White House .
“ Many will disagree , but Fox News is doing nothing to help Republicans , and me , get re-elected on November 3rd , ” he tweeted .
The president praised some “ GREAT ” people at his favored network , but listed several names he considered “ garbage , ” including anchor Neil Cavuto , who harshly criticized Trump this week for claiming he 's taking the unproven and potentially dangerous drug hydroxychloroquine to protect against the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FoxNews is doing nothing to help Republicans , and me , get re-elected on November 3rd .
Sure , there are some truly GREAT people on Fox , but you also have some real “ garbage ” littered all over the network , people like Dummy Juan Williams , Schumerite Chris ... — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) May 21 , 2020 “ They repeat the worst of the Democrat speaking points , and lies , ” Trump wrote of the Fox News personalities he considered critical .
“ All of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more .
Net Result = BAD !
CNN & MSDNC are all in for the Do Nothing Democrats !
Fox WAS Great !
” ... .Hahn , Richard Goodstein , Donna Brazile , Niel Cavuto , and many others .
They repeat the worst of the Democrat speaking points , and lies .
All of the good is totally nullified , and more .
Net Result = BAD !
CNN & MSDNC are all in for the Do Nothing Democrats !
Fox WAS Great !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annoyance with Fox News , which he has regarded as an ally and a safe place to give interviews to the likes of Sean Hannity , has been on the uptick recently .
On Monday he lamented that Fox “ is no longer the same .
We miss the great Roger Ailes , ” referring to the former Fox News chairman and CEO who stepped down in 2016 amid a sexual misconduct scandal that cost the network tens of millions in lawsuit settlements .
( Ailes died in 2017 . )
Trump griped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ more anti-Trump people , by far , than ever before ” and that he was “ looking for a new outlet !
” Despite his pique , Fox News has clearly been effective at boosting Trump ’ s chances in the November election , according to The Washington Post .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump complained Thursday that Fox News wasn’t aiding his bid to remain in the White House.
“Many will disagree, but Fox News is doing nothing to help Republicans, and me, get re-elected on November 3rd,” he tweeted.
Advertisement
The president praised some “GREAT” people at his favored network, but listed several names he considered “garbage,” including anchor Neil Cavuto, who harshly criticized Trump this week for claiming he's taking the unproven and potentially dangerous drug hydroxychloroquine to protect against the coronavirus.
“This will kill you,” the anchor warned at-risk viewers.
Many will disagree, but @FoxNews is doing nothing to help Republicans, and me, get re-elected on November 3rd. Sure, there are some truly GREAT people on Fox, but you also have some real “garbage” littered all over the network, people like Dummy Juan Williams, Schumerite Chris... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 21, 2020
“They repeat the worst of the Democrat speaking points, and lies,” Trump wrote of the Fox News personalities he considered critical. “All of the good is totally nullified, and more. Net Result = BAD! CNN & MSDNC are all in for the Do Nothing Democrats! Fox WAS Great!”
....Hahn, Richard Goodstein, Donna Brazile, Niel Cavuto, and many others. They repeat the worst of the Democrat speaking points, and lies. All of the good is totally nullified, and more. Net Result = BAD! CNN & MSDNC are all in for the Do Nothing Democrats! Fox WAS Great! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 21, 2020
Advertisement
Trump’s annoyance with Fox News, which he has regarded as an ally and a safe place to give interviews to the likes of Sean Hannity, has been on the uptick recently.
On Monday he lamented that Fox “is no longer the same. We miss the great Roger Ailes,” referring to the former Fox News chairman and CEO who stepped down in 2016 amid a sexual misconduct scandal that cost the network tens of millions in lawsuit settlements. (Ailes died in 2017.)
Trump griped earlier this week that the channel had “more anti-Trump people, by far, than ever before” and that he was “looking for a new outlet!”
Despite his pique, Fox News has clearly been effective at boosting Trump’s chances in the November election, according to The Washington Post.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--Former Trump Official Won Contract To Give Masks To Navajo Hospitals. Some May Not Work.

The IHS told ProPublica it has found that 247,000 of the masks delivered by Fuentes ’ company — at a cost of roughly $ 800,000 — may be unsuitable for medical use .
An additional 130,400 , worth about $ 422,000 , are not the type specified in the procurement data , the agency said .
“ The IHS Navajo Area Office will determine if these masks will be returned , ” the agency said in a statement .
The agency said it is verifying Fuentes ’ company ’ s April 8 statement to IHS that all the masks were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and an FDA spokesperson said the agency can not verify if the products were certified without the name of the manufacturer .
Hospitals in the Navajo Nation , which spans Utah , New Mexico and Arizona , have been desperate for protective supplies as the numbers of coronavirus infections and deaths have grown quickly .
As of Friday , the Navajo Nation reported 4,434 COVID-19 cases and 147 deaths , a crisis that has prompted outcries from members of Congress and demands for increased funding .
Fuentes initiated email contact with officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Health and Human Services , the agency said .
After the contact , the agency informally solicited prices from a handful of face mask providers and chose Fuentes of the six companies that responded because his firm offered the best price and terms , IHS said .
Fuentes also benefited from government procurement rules favoring veteran- and minority-owned businesses , the procurement data shows .
IHS told ProPublica that Fuentes ’ company reported that the masks were made in China , but the agency did not specify the manufacturer .
Federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refunded $ 250,000 to the IHS this month , and he said in an interview last week that he gave back money when he procured masks at a slightly reduced cost .
Fuentes ’ contract price of $ 3.24 per mask is more expensive than the pre-pandemic rate of about $ 1 per mask , but far less than what some government entities have paid at the height of the crisis .
Mask costs can vary widely depending on availability , demand , quality and exact specifications .
Fuentes is a retired Coast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House chief of staff John Kelly .
He formerly served as Kelly ’ s military aide while he was secretary of the Department of Homeland Security , and Fuentes followed Kelly to the White House .
In December 2018 , as Kelly prepared to leave , The New York Times reported that Fuentes had told associates he planned to “ hide out ” in a vague role at the White House until he qualified for a Coast Guard early retirement program .
Fuentes retired in January from the Coast Guard after 15 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was for medical reasons .
He jumped into the federal contracting world in April at a time of great opportunity — and high risk .
The coronavirus pandemic loosened many federal procurement rules as agencies scrambled to respond to a national emergency .
But as supplies of personal protective equipment ran out and many countries restricted exports , delivering on contracts became more difficult , and agencies have wrestled with incomplete orders , cancellations and possible counterfeit goods .
N95 masks were so scarce that the FDA in April allowed the use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certified by U.S. regulators .
But in recent weeks , the FDA narrowed its guidance after tests indicated that some of the products were not as effective as they should be , and it tightened restrictions on the use of Chinese masks by hospital and medical personnel .
One IHS hospital slated to receive masks from Fuentes is the Gallup Indian Medical Center in New Mexico .
A doctor there , who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak publicly , said the facility initially had a shortage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to federal purchases and donations , he said , though staffers still have to reuse masks up to five times each , he said .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.
Advertisement
A former White House aide won a $3 million federal contract to supply respirator masks to Navajo Nation hospitals in New Mexico and Arizona 11 days after he created a company to sell personal protective equipment in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Zach Fuentes, President Donald Trump’s former deputy chief of staff, secured the deal with the Indian Health Service with limited competitive bidding and no prior federal contracting experience.
The IHS told ProPublica it has found that 247,000 of the masks delivered by Fuentes’ company — at a cost of roughly $800,000 — may be unsuitable for medical use. An additional 130,400, worth about $422,000, are not the type specified in the procurement data, the agency said.
What’s more, the masks Fuentes agreed to provide — Chinese-made KN95s — have come under intense scrutiny from U.S. regulators amid concerns that they offered inadequate protection.
Advertisement
“The IHS Navajo Area Office will determine if these masks will be returned,” the agency said in a statement. The agency said it is verifying Fuentes’ company’s April 8 statement to IHS that all the masks were certified by the Food and Drug Administration, and an FDA spokesperson said the agency cannot verify if the products were certified without the name of the manufacturer.
Hospitals in the Navajo Nation, which spans Utah, New Mexico and Arizona, have been desperate for protective supplies as the numbers of coronavirus infections and deaths have grown quickly. As of Friday, the Navajo Nation reported 4,434 COVID-19 cases and 147 deaths, a crisis that has prompted outcries from members of Congress and demands for increased funding.
Fuentes initiated email contact with officials at IHS, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, the agency said. After the contact, the agency informally solicited prices from a handful of face mask providers and chose Fuentes of the six companies that responded because his firm offered the best price and terms, IHS said. Fuentes also benefited from government procurement rules favoring veteran- and minority-owned businesses, the procurement data shows.
Fuentes said political connections to the Trump White House played no role in his company’s selection. “Nobody referred me from the White House. It was nothing like that,” he said. “Emphatically no.”
The White House did not respond to a question about Fuentes’ contract.
IHS told ProPublica that Fuentes’ company reported that the masks were made in China, but the agency did not specify the manufacturer. Federal contracting records show without explanation that Fuentes refunded $250,000 to the IHS this month, and he said in an interview last week that he gave back money when he procured masks at a slightly reduced cost.
Advertisement
“We went back to IHS and said, ‘We were able to get this cheaper,’” Fuentes said. “We will never gouge our customers.”
Fuentes referred questions about the mask manufacturer and FDA certifications to his consultant, Sia N. Ashok, a business school classmate. In a phone interview, Ashok declined to name the manufacturer because it could violate the company’s contract, she said.
Ashok said the company lived up to the terms of its contract with IHS and has all the FDA certifications it needs in place.
“If the customer or IHS or anyone has any issues with anything, we would be more than happy to replace,” she said.
Fuentes’ contract price of $3.24 per mask is more expensive than the pre-pandemic rate of about $1 per mask, but far less than what some government entities have paid at the height of the crisis. Mask costs can vary widely depending on availability, demand, quality and exact specifications.
Advertisement
Fuentes is a retired Coast Guard officer and protege of former White House chief of staff John Kelly. He formerly served as Kelly’s military aide while he was secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and Fuentes followed Kelly to the White House. In December 2018, as Kelly prepared to leave, The New York Times reported that Fuentes had told associates he planned to “hide out” in a vague role at the White House until he qualified for a Coast Guard early retirement program. Fuentes retired in January from the Coast Guard after 15 years of service. He said his retirement was for medical reasons.
He jumped into the federal contracting world in April at a time of great opportunity — and high risk. The coronavirus pandemic loosened many federal procurement rules as agencies scrambled to respond to a national emergency. But as supplies of personal protective equipment ran out and many countries restricted exports, delivering on contracts became more difficult, and agencies have wrestled with incomplete orders, cancellations and possible counterfeit goods.
N95 masks were so scarce that the FDA in April allowed the use of some Chinese masks that had not been certified by U.S. regulators. But in recent weeks, the FDA narrowed its guidance after tests indicated that some of the products were not as effective as they should be, and it tightened restrictions on the use of Chinese masks by hospital and medical personnel.
Fuentes formed Zach Fuentes LLC as the emergency regulations were evolving.
In April, the FDA authorized the use of masks made by close to 90 manufacturers in China.
But the masks made by some of those manufacturers did not pass CDC tests because they did not filter out enough fine particles. In some cases, the masks failed utterly.
This month, the FDA rescinded its authorization for the vast majority of the Chinese manufacturers, published a much smaller list of respirators made by 14 approved manufacturers and tightened the standards for evaluating Chinese masks.
Advertisement
Eleven federal agencies, including IHS, have reported buying either KN95 masks, or N95 masks made outside the United States, according to contract data. Of those, Fuentes’ contract with IHS is the second-largest that mentions KN95 masks specifically. The largest contract was struck by FEMA, for $3.9 million, on May 4.
Overall, IHS has spent $85.4 million to respond to COVID-19 as of May 22, signing 318 contracts with 211 vendors, according to federal procurement records. The masks provided by Fuentes went to five IHS medical facilities and to a government warehouse.
Fuentes’ new company has also received a much smaller contract from the Bureau of Prisons to provide 10,000 N95 masks for $1.31 each, according to a BOP statement to ProPublica and procurement documents.
One IHS hospital slated to receive masks from Fuentes is the Gallup Indian Medical Center in New Mexico. A doctor there, who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said the facility initially had a shortage of protective equipment. Conditions have improved thanks to federal purchases and donations, he said, though staffers still have to reuse masks up to five times each, he said.
“IHS facilities have sufficient quantities of N95 respirators at this time,” an agency spokesman said.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--FBI Director Orders Internal Review Of Flynn Investigation

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — FBI Director Christopher Wray has ordered an internal review into possible misconduct in the investigation of former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn , the bureau said Friday .
The after-action review will examine whether any employees engaged in misconduct during the course of the investigation and evaluate whether any improvements in FBI policies and procedures need to be made .
In announcing the review , the FBI , a frequent target of President Donald Trump ’ s wrath , is stepping into a case that has become a rallying cry for Trump supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushes back on criticism that its decision to dismiss the prosection earlier this month was a politically moticated effort to do Trump ’ s bidding .
The announcement adds to the internal scrutiny over one of special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s signature prosecutions during his investigation into ties between Russia and the 2016 presidential campaign .
It underscores how a case that was seemingly resolved by Flynn ’ s 2017 guilty plea has instead given way to a protracted , politically charged debate about FBI tactics during that prosecution and the Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be led by the FBI ’ s Inspections Division , which examines potential misconduct among bureau employees .
Though the division does not have authority on its own to bring a criminal prosecution , the after-action review will look at whether any current employees engaged in misconduct deserving of discipline .
The division can not recommend discipline for former employees .
Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about conversations with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition period , but the Justice Department says its own review of the case determined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agents to have interviewed Flynn in the first place and that any statements he made to agents were therefore not relevant to the underlying investigation into ties between Russia and Trump ’ s presidential campaign .
The department ’ s request to dismiss the case is now pending before a federal judge , who has not indicated whether he will grant it .
The FBI said that in addition to its own internal review , it has cooperated with other inquiries assigned by Attorney General William Barr , including investigations into the Flynn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray has ordered an internal review into possible misconduct in the investigation of former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn, the bureau said Friday.
The after-action review will examine whether any employees engaged in misconduct during the course of the investigation and evaluate whether any improvements in FBI policies and procedures need to be made.
Advertisement
In announcing the review, the FBI, a frequent target of President Donald Trump’s wrath, is stepping into a case that has become a rallying cry for Trump supporters. It comes as the Justice Department pushes back on criticism that its decision to dismiss the prosection earlier this month was a politically moticated effort to do Trump’s bidding.
The announcement adds to the internal scrutiny over one of special counsel Robert Mueller’s signature prosecutions during his investigation into ties between Russia and the 2016 presidential campaign. It underscores how a case that was seemingly resolved by Flynn’s 2017 guilty plea has instead given way to a protracted, politically charged debate about FBI tactics during that prosecution and the Russia investigation more broadly.
The review will be led by the FBI’s Inspections Division, which examines potential misconduct among bureau employees. Though the division does not have authority on its own to bring a criminal prosecution, the after-action review will look at whether any current employees engaged in misconduct deserving of discipline. The division cannot recommend discipline for former employees.
Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about conversations with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition period, but the Justice Department says its own review of the case determined that there was an insufficient basis for agents to have interviewed Flynn in the first place and that any statements he made to agents were therefore not relevant to the underlying investigation into ties between Russia and Trump’s presidential campaign.
Advertisement
The department’s request to dismiss the case is now pending before a federal judge, who has not indicated whether he will grant it.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--Billionaires' Net Worth Rises During Pandemic As Millions Go Unemployed: Report

U.S. billionaires ’ wealth grew substantially over the last two months even as tens of millions of Americans lost their jobs , providing stark proof of the unequal impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the related economic crisis .
From March 18 — when much of the U.S. was under an economic shutdown to slow the spread of COVID-19 — to May 19 , the total net worth of the more than 600 billionaires in the U.S. grew by 15 % , or $ 434 billion , per a new report from the Institute for Policy Studies .
The report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday , relied on data from Forbes ’ tracking of Americans ’ net worth .
Over the same nine-week period , more than 38 million people in the U.S. filed for unemployment benefits .
That figure doesn ’ t include those who were unable to file and those deemed ineligible for the benefits , including millions of undocumented immigrants .
“ While millions risk their lives and livelihoods as first responders and front line workers , these billionaires benefit from an economy and tax system that is wired to funnel wealth to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-author of the report and director of the institute ’ s program on inequality , said in a release .
More and more of our country 's wealth—and power—is piling up in the vaults of a few billionaires , as they pay less and less taxes .
Unless we stop this extreme inequality , this spells one thing for U.S. workers : disaster.https : //t.co/F5qHnA0rmP @ RosiePerper via @ businessinsider — Institute for Policy Studies ( @ IPS_DC ) May 22 , 2020 Among the billionaires who have seen the most gains is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Amazon , whose wealth grew by a total of $ 34.6 billion , or 30 % , over the past two months .
Online orders through Amazon have ballooned as millions of Americans have been forced to largely stay home due to coronavirus restrictions .
Meanwhile , the company ’ s warehouse and delivery employees — considered “ essential ” workers and continuing to show up to fulfill said orders — have been demanding stronger protection amid the pandemic , including better hazard pay and paid sick leave .
Some Amazon workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their working conditions , along with employees at several other major companies still on the job , including Instacart and McDonald ’ s .
Several Amazon warehouse workers have died from COVID-19 .
Amazon told HuffPost in a statement Friday that the company ’ s “ top concern is ensuring the health and safety of our employees , ” pointing to safety measures it has implemented amid the pandemic , including providing masks and hand sanitizer to workers and $ 2 per hour hazard pay .
This extra pay will end at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been more than 1.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. as of Friday — more than any other country in the world — and over 95,000 people have died here so far .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
U.S. billionaires’ wealth grew substantially over the last two months even as tens of millions of Americans lost their jobs, providing stark proof of the unequal impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the related economic crisis.
From March 18 — when much of the U.S. was under an economic shutdown to slow the spread of COVID-19 — to May 19, the total net worth of the more than 600 billionaires in the U.S. grew by 15%, or $434 billion, per a new report from the Institute for Policy Studies. The report, released by the progressive think tank on Thursday, relied on data from Forbes’ tracking of Americans’ net worth.
Advertisement
Over the same nine-week period, more than 38 million people in the U.S. filed for unemployment benefits. That figure doesn’t include those who were unable to file and those deemed ineligible for the benefits, including millions of undocumented immigrants.
“While millions risk their lives and livelihoods as first responders and front line workers, these billionaires benefit from an economy and tax system that is wired to funnel wealth to the top,” Chuck Collins, co-author of the report and director of the institute’s program on inequality, said in a release.
More and more of our country's wealth—and power—is piling up in the vaults of a few billionaires, as they pay less and less taxes.
Unless we stop this extreme inequality, this spells one thing for U.S. workers: disaster.https://t.co/F5qHnA0rmP@RosiePerper via @businessinsider — Institute for Policy Studies (@IPS_DC) May 22, 2020
Among the billionaires who have seen the most gains is Jeff Bezos, chief executive and part-owner of Amazon, whose wealth grew by a total of $34.6 billion, or 30%, over the past two months. Online orders through Amazon have ballooned as millions of Americans have been forced to largely stay home due to coronavirus restrictions.
Advertisement
Amazon told HuffPost in a statement Friday that the company’s “top concern is ensuring the health and safety of our employees,” pointing to safety measures it has implemented amid the pandemic, including providing masks and hand sanitizer to workers and $2 per hour hazard pay. This extra pay will end at the end of the month.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--Tribes Desperately Need More COVID-19 Relief As The Government Idles

ASSOCIATED PRESS Annabelle Dinehdeal , 8 , watches as her father Eugene Dinehdeal , plays ball with their dog Wally on their family compound in Tuba City , Arizona , on the Navajo reservation .
The family has been devastated by COVID-19 .
The Navajo reservation has some of the highest rates of coronavirus in the country .
Navajo Nation has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic .
It has more confirmed COVID-19 cases per capita than any state .
Its tax base has been wiped out as casinos and other tribal businesses remain closed .
And like so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peshlakai ’ s community is facing a public health and economic crisis because of a combination of factors that left them vulnerable to the virus before it hit : poverty , health disparities , poor infrastructure and decades of negligence by the U.S. government .
House Democrats went big last week when they passed a $ 3 trillion coronavirus relief package , and they didn ’ t skimp on help for Native communities .
Their bill , the HEROES Act , included a historic level of $ 24 billion for the nation ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of it , $ 20 billion , would go directly to tribal governments to help them stabilize .
Another $ 2 billion would go to the Indian Health Service , which provides health care to more than 2.5 million indigenous people .
The package also included $ 900 million for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to address overcrowded housing and sanitation ; $ 450 million for the Bureau of Indian Education ; $ 100 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; and $ 4 million to assist tribes with domestic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be a literal lifesaver for tribes if it became law , but it won ’ t .
Republicans have sniffed at its price tag and scope , and the White House vowed to veto it .
But House Democrats passed it as their opening bid in negotiations on the next COVID-19 relief bill , and as millions of Americans continue to struggle amid the pandemic , the pressure is on Senate Republicans to do something .
The question for tribes is which , if any , of the House bill ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winning GOP support .
Grijalva , a co-sponsor of the bill , said its aid for tribes targets chronic issues that have hurt indigenous communities and have only worsened amid the pandemic .
The Indian Health Service has been underfunded for years , he said , and violence against women , already sky-high on reservations , has increased .
The fact that so many Navajo people lack potable water means they can ’ t wash their hands to protect themselves from COVID-19 .
“ I think that the sense of benign neglect and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s historic in Indian Country , ” Grijalva said .
“ What this pandemic did is , our historic nasty secret and embarrassment is in plain view for everybody right now .
And I think it ’ s going to be very difficult for my Republican colleagues to turn their back on this.
” The first two bills required tribes to go through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for emergency aid that should have been directly routed to tribal governments .
Because of the added layer of bureaucracy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of applications for money to fight the spread of COVID-19 .
It added weeks to a process when the timing was critical .
In the last bill , the $ 2 trillion CARES Act , the White House wanted to give $ 0 to tribes .
Senate Democrats fought and got them $ 8 billion , an historic amount but still less than half of what tribal advocacy groups said was needed .
Once it became law in late March , the Treasury Department took more than a month to begin distributing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incompetence but in part because of a lawsuit that complicated matters .
Nearly two months later , about 60 % of the money has gone out , but Treasury is sitting on the other 40 % pending the outcome of the lawsuit , which it does not need to do .
“ They have historically and chronically been underfunded , ” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski ( R-Alaska ) , a member of the Indian Affairs Committee .
“ Recognizing the needs within Indian Country , and recognizing so many of the basic needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alaska , my sense is that we ’ re going to be looking at this and talking about further allocation.
” Absent Senate action , tribes will have to get by with the resources they can come up with on their own ― and hope that the Treasury Department hurries up and distributes the billions of dollars that they were supposed to have gotten by now .
The situation is so dire in Navajo Nation that Doctors Without Borders sent in a team , and tribal leaders are asking for help from people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in TV and film .

Annabelle Dinehdeal, 8, watches as her father Eugene Dinehdeal, plays ball with their dog Wally on their family compound in Tuba City, Arizona, on the Navajo reservation. The family has been devastated by COVID-19. The Navajo reservation has some of the highest rates of coronavirus in the country. ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON ― Jamescita Peshlakai is an Arizona state senator. She represents more than 122,000 people in a massive district in the northeastern portion of the state. She’s also a member of the Navajo Nation and lives in a small town on the reservation, about a mile from her mother.
Neither of them have running water or electricity.
“We’ve gotten used to it,” said Peshlakai. “I’m a veteran of [the 1991 Gulf War operation] Desert Storm. I’ve said before, it’s easier to be a military person in a war zone across the world than to be a Native American in the United States.”
Advertisement
Navajo Nation has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. It has more confirmed COVID-19 cases per capita than any state. Its tax base has been wiped out as casinos and other tribal businesses remain closed. And like so many other tribes around the country, Peshlakai’s community is facing a public health and economic crisis because of a combination of factors that left them vulnerable to the virus before it hit: poverty, health disparities, poor infrastructure and decades of negligence by the U.S. government.
Congress has provided some emergency COVID-19 relief to tribes, but it hasn’t been enough. In the case of Navajo Nation, a reservation with more than 173,000 people where 30% don’t have potable water and 10% don’t have electricity, it’s going to take a more comprehensive response when a pandemic hits.
House Democrats went big last week when they passed a $3 trillion coronavirus relief package, and they didn’t skimp on help for Native communities. Their bill, the HEROES Act, included a historic level of $24 billion for the nation’s 574 federally recognized tribes. Most of it, $20 billion, would go directly to tribal governments to help them stabilize. Another $2 billion would go to the Indian Health Service, which provides health care to more than 2.5 million indigenous people. The package also included $900 million for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to address overcrowded housing and sanitation; $450 million for the Bureau of Indian Education; $100 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and $4 million to assist tribes with domestic violence programs.
“What this pandemic did is, our historic nasty secret and embarrassment is in plain view for everybody right now.” - Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.)
Advertisement
A bill like this would be a literal lifesaver for tribes if it became law, but it won’t. Republicans have sniffed at its price tag and scope, and the White House vowed to veto it. But House Democrats passed it as their opening bid in negotiations on the next COVID-19 relief bill, and as millions of Americans continue to struggle amid the pandemic, the pressure is on Senate Republicans to do something. The question for tribes is which, if any, of the House bill’s tribal provisions have the best chance of winning GOP support.
“Honestly, Jen, all of it,” an overly optimistic Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, told me.
Grijalva, a co-sponsor of the bill, said its aid for tribes targets chronic issues that have hurt indigenous communities and have only worsened amid the pandemic. The Indian Health Service has been underfunded for years, he said, and violence against women, already sky-high on reservations, has increased. The fact that so many Navajo people lack potable water means they can’t wash their hands to protect themselves from COVID-19.
“I think that the sense of benign neglect and outright neglect ― not even benign ― it’s historic in Indian Country,” Grijalva said. “What this pandemic did is, our historic nasty secret and embarrassment is in plain view for everybody right now. And I think it’s going to be very difficult for my Republican colleagues to turn their back on this.”
"What this pandemic did is, our historic nasty secret and embarrassment is in plain view for everybody right now," Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said of the U.S. government's treatment of Native American tribes. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Advertisement
Congress has passed four COVID-19 relief bills so far, and each time, tribes had to jump through hoops to get their fair share of federal resources.
The first two bills required tribes to go through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for emergency aid that should have been directly routed to tribal governments. Because of the added layer of bureaucracy, tribes had to fill out multiple rounds of applications for money to fight the spread of COVID-19. It added weeks to a process when the timing was critical.
In the last bill, the $2 trillion CARES Act, the White House wanted to give $0 to tribes. Senate Democrats fought and got them $8 billion, an historic amount but still less than half of what tribal advocacy groups said was needed. Once it became law in late March, the Treasury Department took more than a month to begin distributing that money, largely because of its own incompetence but in part because of a lawsuit that complicated matters. Nearly two months later, about 60% of the money has gone out, but Treasury is sitting on the other 40% pending the outcome of the lawsuit, which it does not need to do.
A Treasury Department spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on how much of the $8 billion in tribal relief has actually gone out the door.
Meanwhile, the Small Business Administration decided that many casinos ― the financial lifeblood of many tribal governments ― wouldn’t be eligible for the $350 billion in emergency payroll relief provided by CARES Act, despite outcry from tribes and lawmakers who said it was never the intent of the bill to exclude them from relief.
Advertisement
It wasn’t until late last month, after the first pot of $350 billion was depleted and Congress OK’d more funding for payroll relief, that the SBA changed its rules to make casinos with fewer than 500 employees eligible for aid.
Putting it all together, between the federal government’s bureaucracy, the delays in getting aid and the denial of financial help to casinos, tribes have been largely on their own for months as COVID-19 has ravaged their communities.
All eyes are now on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who controls whether the Senate will advance another COVID-19 relief package. He’s already said he doesn’t feel any urgency to act, and senators left town Thursday for a weeklong recess, after a three-week session that didn’t produce any legislation related to the coronavirus.
“We’ll discuss the way forward in the next couple weeks,” he told reporters Tuesday.
But even Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin thinks there’s “a strong likelihood” there will need to be another emergency spending bill, despite the administration’s position that more stimulus isn’t needed yet. And some Senate Republicans say now is definitely not the time for the federal government to turn its back on tribes.
“They have historically and chronically been underfunded,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a member of the Indian Affairs Committee. “Recognizing the needs within Indian Country, and recognizing so many of the basic needs that we have in a place like Alaska, my sense is that we’re going to be looking at this and talking about further allocation.”
Advertisement
Asked if she’s been satisfied with the federal government’s response to tribes amid the pandemic, Murkowski cited the Treasury Department’s delays in distributing relief to Native communities and said, “No. Not at all.”
Democrats were more critical.
“At every turn, the Trump administration has failed to live up to its trust responsibility to tribes across the country — deploying COVID-19 resources in a way that systemically excludes Native communities,” charged Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico.
Udall, the vice chair of the Indian Affairs Committee, said funding in the HEROES Act for safe drinking water access and improved broadband services for telehealth is critical to combatting the coronavirus in Native communities.
“These should be bipartisan priorities,” said the New Mexico senator. “Indian Country is confronting this pandemic while bearing the weight of historic funding gaps for health care, infrastructure, and economic resources ... Senate Republicans should stop keeping us on the sidelines and let us get to work for Native communities.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is not happy with the Trump administration's response to tribes amid the pandemic. “Not at all.” ASSOCIATED PRESS
Advertisement
Absent Senate action, tribes will have to get by with the resources they can come up with on their own ― and hope that the Treasury Department hurries up and distributes the billions of dollars that they were supposed to have gotten by now. The situation is so dire in Navajo Nation that Doctors Without Borders sent in a team, and tribal leaders are asking for help from people in Hollywood who have used their land in TV and film.
Peshlakai called it “unprecedented” that Doctors Without Borders is aiding a community within the United States.
“They go to extreme places all over the world in developing countries,” she said. “It just goes to show the lack of federal government help in tribal nations.”
Asked how the morale is in her community, Peshlakai said people are “very angry” and have no faith that the Trump administration will help them. As of Tuesday, Navajo Nation hit a total of 4,153 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 144 confirmed deaths. Peshlakai said she’s lost three of her grandmothers to the virus, referring to three elders who weren’t biologically related to her but were part of her clan.
“The federal government has really failed tribal people all around, but this delay [in emergency relief to tribes], it has translated into lives lost now,” she said. “There is nobody in Indian Country and the Navajo Nation that is untouched.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--Epidemiologist Warns 'All-Or-Nothing' Messaging On Coronavirus Can Backfire

Epidemiologist Julia Marcus , an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School , warned of the pitfalls of “ abstinence-only messaging ” amid the coronavirus pandemic .
During CNN ’ s global town hall on the public health crisis on Thursday , Marcus said a possible side effect of attempting to totally eliminate the risk of spreading the virus ( which she accepted is currently not possible ) was people shaming others on social media “ for what seems to be risky behavior.
” That shaming , she said , drives those activities underground , possibly to an indoor dinner party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be actually higher risk.
” “ The last thing we want is for contact tracers to be trying to trace people who may have been exposed in an outbreak and people not being willing to disclose they attended an event , ” Marcus said .
Marcus instead advocated a harm-reduction approach that equips people with the knowledge and tools to differentiate between high-risk and low-risk activities .
People can ’ t stay inside forever or until a vaccine is developed , which could take several months or even years , she noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ve really been telling people to stay home , ” was needed during the pandemic ’ s first months , she said .
But now , a more sustainable strategy is required , she said .
To that end , Marcus said she was “ very happy ” to hear Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and member of the Trump White House coronavirus task force , encouraging people during the same town hall to “ go out ” over Memorial Day weekend ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and maintaining physical distance ) .
“ I think that ’ s the approach we need moving forward , is to encourage people to be outdoors where we know the risk of transmission is much lower , ” said Marcus .
Epidemiologist Julia Marcus says `` abstinence-only messaging '' and trying to totally eliminate risk can backfire .
`` If we start to see people gathering in a park ... and call them out on social media , then what they might do is take that indoors and have a dinner party .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 360° ( @ AC360 ) May 22 , 2020 Dr. Anthony Fauci , a member of the White House ’ s coronavirus task force , says Americans should “ go out ” for Memorial Day .
“ Go out , wear a mask , stay 6 feet away from anyone so you have the physical distancing , and go out.
” # CNNTownHall https : //t.co/265ucspaQ5 pic.twitter.com/GS5NZXBeH5 — Anderson Cooper 360° ( @ AC360 ) May 22 , 2020

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Epidemiologist Julia Marcus, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, warned of the pitfalls of “abstinence-only messaging” amid the coronavirus pandemic.
During CNN’s global town hall on the public health crisis on Thursday, Marcus said a possible side effect of attempting to totally eliminate the risk of spreading the virus (which she accepted is currently not possible) was people shaming others on social media “for what seems to be risky behavior.” That shaming, she said, drives those activities underground, possibly to an indoor dinner party, “which we know is going to be actually higher risk.”
Advertisement
“The last thing we want is for contact tracers to be trying to trace people who may have been exposed in an outbreak and people not being willing to disclose they attended an event,” Marcus said.
Marcus instead advocated a harm-reduction approach that equips people with the knowledge and tools to differentiate between high-risk and low-risk activities.
People can’t stay inside forever or until a vaccine is developed, which could take several months or even years, she noted. The “all-or-nothing approach, where we’ve really been telling people to stay home,” was needed during the pandemic’s first months, she said.
But now, a more sustainable strategy is required, she said.
To that end, Marcus said she was “very happy” to hear Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and member of the Trump White House coronavirus task force, encouraging people during the same town hall to “go out” over Memorial Day weekend (while still avoiding crowds, wearing masks and maintaining physical distance).
Advertisement
“I think that’s the approach we need moving forward, is to encourage people to be outdoors where we know the risk of transmission is much lower,” said Marcus.
Check out the interview here:
Epidemiologist Julia Marcus says "abstinence-only messaging" and trying to totally eliminate risk can backfire.
"If we start to see people gathering in a park... and call them out on social media, then what they might do is take that indoors and have a dinner party."#CNNTownHall pic.twitter.com/NK4tSR5ITH — Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) May 22, 2020
And Fauci’s comments here:
Dr. Anthony Fauci, a member of the White House’s coronavirus task force, says Americans should “go out” for Memorial Day.
“Go out, wear a mask, stay 6 feet away from anyone so you have the physical distancing, and go out.” #CNNTownHall https://t.co/265ucspaQ5 pic.twitter.com/GS5NZXBeH5 — Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) May 22, 2020