thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--Elderly Florida Residents Camp Out Overnight In Line For COVID-19 Vaccine

States and local jurisdictions distributing shots of the coronavirus vaccine have largely begun by going into health care facilities and nursing homes to reach front-line workers and the very old .
One Florida county tried something different : In a press release on Sunday , the Lee County Department of Health announced that it would be offering free COVID-19 vaccines on a first-come , first-serve basis at several sites beginning Monday .
Anyone aged 65 or older would be eligible , along with health care workers who could show valid identification .
Although the shots were intended for Lee County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away if they fit either target group .
In response , hundreds of old people began lining up outside the first distribution site ― a parks and recreation center ― about two hours after the press release went up on Sunday , according to the Fort Myers-based News-Press .
As temperatures dropped into the 40s , elderly Floridians camped out all night under blankets in portable lawn chairs for a chance at getting one of 300 Moderna vaccine doses .
Seniors and first responders wait in line to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 , in Fort Myers , Florida .
There were 800 doses of vaccine available at the site .
On Monday , two hours before it was scheduled to start giving the shots , the Lee County Department of Health announced via Twitter that the distribution site had reached capacity for the day .
A similar scene played out Tuesday across three sites , with the county announcing they had reached capacity before 7 a.m. ― even though the available doses per location had been increased from 300 to 400 .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached capacity before 6:30 a.m. , adding that more sites would be set up next week .
While waiting in line for Monday ’ s shots , Florida resident Mary Ravis , 69 , told the News-Press that both she and her 72-year-old husband have preexisting health conditions that motivated them to get there early .
The county ’ s strategy has begun to spark controversy in a state that is home to about 4 million people aged 65 and older .
Some have questioned the wisdom of handing out the first vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside all night .
“ Our governor has had 10 months to come up with a vaccination distribution plan , and what we saw ( Monday ) is what we get ?
Really ?
” one Florida resident wrote to the Naples Daily News , based in neighboring Collier County .
Debate over how the initial doses should be distributed led the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to recommend a strategy that prioritizes front-line health care workers and people in long-term care facilities in the first phase , followed by other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for whom the virus is particularly deadly , in the second phase .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis ( R ) said explicitly last week that he planned to disregard the CDC guidelines somewhat , directing the vaccines chiefly toward those aged 65 and up after covering “ the tip-of-the-spear health care workers.
” Like much of the country , Florida is facing a new wave of infections this holiday season after an earlier high-water mark in July .
More than 1.2 million people are known to have contracted the virus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and over 21,000 have died .
With some 2 million people having received a COVID-19 vaccine shot across the U.S. as of Monday , health experts are now starting to voice concerns that the process is moving too slowly .

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States and local jurisdictions distributing shots of the coronavirus vaccine have largely begun by going into health care facilities and nursing homes to reach front-line workers and the very old.
One Florida county tried something different: In a press release on Sunday, the Lee County Department of Health announced that it would be offering free COVID-19 vaccines on a first-come, first-serve basis at several sites beginning Monday. Anyone aged 65 or older would be eligible, along with health care workers who could show valid identification.
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Although the shots were intended for Lee County residents, no one would be turned away if they fit either target group.
In response, hundreds of old people began lining up outside the first distribution site ― a parks and recreation center ― about two hours after the press release went up on Sunday, according to the Fort Myers-based News-Press. As temperatures dropped into the 40s, elderly Floridians camped out all night under blankets in portable lawn chairs for a chance at getting one of 300 Moderna vaccine doses.
Seniors and first responders wait in line to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at the Lakes Regional Library on Dec. 30, 2020, in Fort Myers, Florida. There were 800 doses of vaccine available at the site. Octavio Jones via Getty Images
On Monday, two hours before it was scheduled to start giving the shots, the Lee County Department of Health announced via Twitter that the distribution site had reached capacity for the day. A similar scene played out Tuesday across three sites, with the county announcing they had reached capacity before 7 a.m. ― even though the available doses per location had been increased from 300 to 400.
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On Wednesday, the county announced it had reached capacity before 6:30 a.m., adding that more sites would be set up next week.
While waiting in line for Monday’s shots, Florida resident Mary Ravis, 69, told the News-Press that both she and her 72-year-old husband have preexisting health conditions that motivated them to get there early.
“Our lives have been on hold for the past 10 months,” Ravis told the newspaper.
All three vaccination sites are AT CAPACITY.
Additional sites will open next week. Please visit https://t.co/mnHDel2Jp8 for updates. — FDOH Lee (@flhealthlee) December 30, 2020
The county’s strategy has begun to spark controversy in a state that is home to about 4 million people aged 65 and older. Some have questioned the wisdom of handing out the first vaccine doses to people healthy enough to wait outside all night.
“Our governor has had 10 months to come up with a vaccination distribution plan, and what we saw (Monday) is what we get? Really?” one Florida resident wrote to the Naples Daily News, based in neighboring Collier County.
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Debate over how the initial doses should be distributed led the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to recommend a strategy that prioritizes front-line health care workers and people in long-term care facilities in the first phase, followed by other essential workers and anyone over age 75, for whom the virus is particularly deadly, in the second phase.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said explicitly last week that he planned to disregard the CDC guidelines somewhat, directing the vaccines chiefly toward those aged 65 and up after covering “the tip-of-the-spear health care workers.”
“We are not going to put young, healthy workers ahead of our elderly, vulnerable population,” the governor said on Dec. 22.
Like much of the country, Florida is facing a new wave of infections this holiday season after an earlier high-water mark in July. More than 1.2 million people are known to have contracted the virus in a state of around 21 million, and over 21,000 have died.
With some 2 million people having received a COVID-19 vaccine shot across the U.S. as of Monday, health experts are now starting to voice concerns that the process is moving too slowly.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--Fist-Bumps Handily Beat Handshakes In Pandemic-Conscious 2020

Here ’ s the scene , from Dec. 21 : Tabe Mase , the director of employee health services and a nurse practitioner at ChristianaCare Christiana Hospital in Newark , Delaware , had just inserted a needle — one delivering the COVID-19 vaccine — into the left arm of President-elect Joe Biden .
After Biden said a few words about the magnitude of the moment , Mase extended her right arm to begin bidding him farewell .
“ It certainly would have been a handshake if it was 2019 , ” Mase said several days after the fist bump seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re in the middle of a pandemic .
We ’ re trying to figure out ways to keep our patients safe and keep that human connection .
... That fist bump was , ‘ I see you , I hear you , I ’ m connecting with you , but I ’ m keeping you safe.
’ ” Safety is the primary reason why the status of the fist bump elevated big-time this year .
The handshake was simply a causality of the coronavirus .
Once a customary greeting , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less of an authority than Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s leading infectious disease expert , flatly called for the end of shaking hands believing it not only would be a deterrent against spreading coronavirus , but even other viruses such as influenza .
But let ’ s face it : They lack the coolness of the fist bump .
It ’ s been here for years - just look to athletes ’ celebrations - but never more popular than now .
Barack and Michelle Obama famously fist-bumped when he clinched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , making the move very cool in some circles , causing outrage in others .
A Fox News analyst suggested at the time the then soon-to-be First Lady offering the fist bump to her husband was akin to a “ terrorist ’ s fist jab.
” Santa Claus fist-bumped kids this year in lieu of trips to his lap .
Heads of state from around the world — Japan , China , Malaysia , Canada , Kenya , France , Greece , Cyprus and many more — openly fist-bumped in 2020 .
Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year in the U.S. , as racial tensions and cries to end social inequality reached new heights following the deaths of Black men and women at the hands of police , cops and protesters sometimes would tap their fists as a sign of compromise or even peace .
“ When you think about it , it is definitely weird how we ’ ve converted and transitioned into doing this , with the fist bump all we do , ” Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro said .
“ But I feel like just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gotten used to it and that ’ s what we do because of the circumstances.
” “ I never was a big believer in shaking hands , ” President Donald Trump said in late March , as the nation was in the earliest throes of the pandemic that has caused more than 330,000 deaths already and with the toll certain to keep climbing .
“ Once I became a politician , you shake hands and you get a little bit used to it .
You don ’ t have to shake hands anymore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good coming out of this.
” “ I ’ ve been dreaming of that handshake many times , ” Rahm said .
“ Well , it was a fist bump because of the situation , but still , how many people can say they got a congratulatory fist bump from Jack Nicklaus ?
” Fitting , it seems , that the fist bump punctuated one of the year ’ s most significant moments — Biden getting the vaccine that may eventually deliver some normalcy again .
Mase said fist-bumping the soon-to-be President of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vaccine that we can all hope reverts the world to some sort of normal again , “ just came naturally .
”

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The moment called for a handshake. Or would have, under what used to be considered normal circumstances.
As in, before 2020.
Here’s the scene, from Dec. 21: Tabe Mase, the director of employee health services and a nurse practitioner at ChristianaCare Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware, had just inserted a needle — one delivering the COVID-19 vaccine — into the left arm of President-elect Joe Biden. After Biden said a few words about the magnitude of the moment, Mase extended her right arm to begin bidding him farewell.
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Not for a handshake. For a fist bump — the official greeting of 2020, and probably beyond.
“It certainly would have been a handshake if it was 2019,” Mase said several days after the fist bump seen live around the world. “But we’re in the middle of a pandemic. We’re trying to figure out ways to keep our patients safe and keep that human connection. ... That fist bump was, ‘I see you, I hear you, I’m connecting with you, but I’m keeping you safe.’”
Safety is the primary reason why the status of the fist bump elevated big-time this year. The handshake was simply a causality of the coronavirus. Once a customary greeting, it has become beyond frowned upon. No less of an authority than Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, flatly called for the end of shaking hands believing it not only would be a deterrent against spreading coronavirus, but even other viruses such as influenza.
So, now we bump, not shake. Some — Fauci among them — seem to prefer the elbow bump, maybe even a brush of forearms.
But let’s face it: They lack the coolness of the fist bump. It’s been here for years - just look to athletes’ celebrations - but never more popular than now.
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Barack and Michelle Obama famously fist-bumped when he clinched the Democratic presidential nomination in June 2008, making the move very cool in some circles, causing outrage in others. A Fox News analyst suggested at the time the then soon-to-be First Lady offering the fist bump to her husband was akin to a “terrorist’s fist jab.”
“Let me tell you, I’m not that hip. I got this from the young staff,” Michelle Obama said that year on ABC’s “The View.” “That’s the new high-five.”
Now, it’s the new handshake.
Santa Claus fist-bumped kids this year in lieu of trips to his lap. Heads of state from around the world — Japan, China, Malaysia, Canada, Kenya, France, Greece, Cyprus and many more — openly fist-bumped in 2020. Even in the demonstrations that dominated much of the year in the U.S., as racial tensions and cries to end social inequality reached new heights following the deaths of Black men and women at the hands of police, cops and protesters sometimes would tap their fists as a sign of compromise or even peace.
“When you think about it, it is definitely weird how we’ve converted and transitioned into doing this, with the fist bump all we do,” Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro said. “But I feel like just everyone across the world ... has just gotten used to it and that’s what we do because of the circumstances.”
The handshake has been around for centuries. A widely held belief is that the handshake originated to prove to someone that a person was offering peace and not holding a weapon.
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Turns out, maybe they were holding weapons after all.
“The reality of it is, in modern times, you may well be harboring a bio-weapon,” Dr. Gregory Poland of the Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group said earlier this year.
Poland’s point mirrors the one Fauci has made repeatedly this year: Hands carry germs, and shaking hands simply exposes someone to the germs of another.
“I never was a big believer in shaking hands,” President Donald Trump said in late March, as the nation was in the earliest throes of the pandemic that has caused more than 330,000 deaths already and with the toll certain to keep climbing. “Once I became a politician, you shake hands and you get a little bit used to it. You don’t have to shake hands anymore with people. That might be something good coming out of this.”
Trump shared a three-fist bump with then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G-20 summit — in 2019, long before we knew what the coronavirus was.
But in 2020, the bump exploded.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell fist-bumped Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Capitol Hill; the prime minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, fist-bumped Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Tokyo; cadets at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York fist-bumped at their graduation.
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The player who wins the Memorial golf tournament, hosted by golf great Jack Nicklaus, traditionally gets a handshake from the 18-time major champion. Jon Rahm won the tournament on July 19 and happily accepted a fist bump from Nicklaus, who revealed he battled the coronavirus in March and April.
“I’ve been dreaming of that handshake many times,” Rahm said. “Well, it was a fist bump because of the situation, but still, how many people can say they got a congratulatory fist bump from Jack Nicklaus?”
This year, probably more than ever.
Fitting, it seems, that the fist bump punctuated one of the year’s most significant moments — Biden getting the vaccine that may eventually deliver some normalcy again. Mase said fist-bumping the soon-to-be President of the United States, after he received the vaccine that we can all hope reverts the world to some sort of normal again, “just came naturally.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--Second Case Of New COVID-19 Variant Suspected In Colorado

Researchers in the U.K. warned last week that B.1.1.7 is at least 56 % more contagious than the initial strain @ @ @ @ @ emerged late last year in China .
So far , the mutations do not appear @ @ @ @ @ , though it follows that a greater rate of infection will lead to a greater @ @ @ @ @ approved COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna are expected to be effective against the @ @ @

Researchers in the U.K. warned last week that B.1.1.7 is at least 56% more contagious than the initial strain of the coronavirus that first emerged late last year in China. So far, the mutations do not appear to make it more deadly, though it follows that a greater rate of infection will lead to a greater number of hospitalizations.
Recently approved COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna are expected to be effective against the new strain.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--No Travel History Linked To First Reported U.S. Case Of Virus Variant

DENVER ( AP ) — A new variant of the coronavirus that may be more contagious has been found in a Colorado man who had not been traveling , triggering a host of questions about how the first reported U.S. case of the new version showed up in the Rocky Mountain state .
The new variant was first identified in England , and infections are soaring now in Britain , where the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients has surpassed the first peak of the outbreak in the spring .
The new variant has also been found in several other countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more details at a news conference Wednesday about how the man in his 20s from a mostly rural area of rolling plains at the edge of the Denver metro area came down with the variant .
Gov .
Jared Polis announced the case Tuesday , adding urgency to efforts to vaccinate Americans .
For the moment , the variant is likely still rare in the U.S. , but the lack of travel history in the first case means it is spreading , probably seeded by travelers from Britain in November or December , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of COVID-19 at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle .
“ Now I ’ m worried there will be another spring wave due to the variant , ” Bedford said .
“ It ’ s a race with the vaccine , but now the virus has just gotten a little bit faster.
” Colorado Politics reported there is a second suspected case of the variant in the state according to Dwayne Smith , director of public health for Elbert County .
Both of the people were working in the Elbert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a resident of that county — expanding the possibility that the variant has spread in the state .
Scientists in the United Kingdom believe the variant is more contagious than previously identified ones — though they have found no evidence that it is more lethal or causes more severe illness .
Experts also believe the vaccines being given now will be effective against the variant .
Amid the strain on its hospitals , Britain announced Wednesday that it would prioritize giving a single dose of the newly authorized AstraZeneca vaccine to as many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested with two doses a few weeks apart , but one dose is believed to give a large measure of protection against the virus .
The British government now plans to give everyone a second shot about 12 weeks later .
It ’ s not clear exactly why the new variant appears to spread faster .
It has an unusually large number of genetic changes , or mutations , particularly in areas that affect the Spike protein , according to reports by Public Health England .
“ There is a lot we don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ variant , but scientists in the United Kingdom are warning the world that it is significantly more contagious .
The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority , and we will closely monitor this case , as well as all COVID-19 indicators , very closely , ” Polis , the Colorado governor , said .
The discovery of the new variant led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue new rules on Christmas Day for travelers arriving to the U.S. from the U.K. , requiring they show proof of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries barred flights from the U.K. , and southern England was placed under strict lockdown measures .
Scientists say there is reason for concern but the new strains should not cause alarm .
New versions of the coronavirus have been seen almost since the virus was first detected in China nearly a year ago .
It is common for viruses to undergo minor changes as they reproduce and move through a population .
The slight modifications are how scientists track the spread of a virus from one place to another .
But if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern is that current vaccines might no longer offer the same protections .
Although that ’ s a possibility to watch for over time with the coronavirus , experts say they don ’ t believe it will be the case with the latest variant .

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DENVER (AP) — A new variant of the coronavirus that may be more contagious has been found in a Colorado man who had not been traveling, triggering a host of questions about how the first reported U.S. case of the new version showed up in the Rocky Mountain state.
The new variant was first identified in England, and infections are soaring now in Britain, where the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients has surpassed the first peak of the outbreak in the spring. The new variant has also been found in several other countries.
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Colorado officials were expected to provide more details at a news conference Wednesday about how the man in his 20s from a mostly rural area of rolling plains at the edge of the Denver metro area came down with the variant. Gov. Jared Polis announced the case Tuesday, adding urgency to efforts to vaccinate Americans.
For the moment, the variant is likely still rare in the U.S., but the lack of travel history in the first case means it is spreading, probably seeded by travelers from Britain in November or December, said scientist Trevor Bedford, who studies the spread of COVID-19 at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.
“Now I’m worried there will be another spring wave due to the variant,” Bedford said. “It’s a race with the vaccine, but now the virus has just gotten a little bit faster.”
The man is in isolation southeast of Denver in Elbert County, state health officials said.
Colorado Politics reported there is a second suspected case of the variant in the state according to Dwayne Smith, director of public health for Elbert County. Both of the people were working in the Elbert County community of Simla. Neither is a resident of that county — expanding the possibility that the variant has spread in the state.
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Public health officials are investigating other potential cases of the variant, which was confirmed by the Colorado State Laboratory, and performing contact tracing to determine its spread.
Scientists in the United Kingdom believe the variant is more contagious than previously identified ones — though they have found no evidence that it is more lethal or causes more severe illness. Experts also believe the vaccines being given now will be effective against the variant.
Still, authorities in Britain have blamed the variant for a spike in hospitalizations since a higher rate of transmission increases the likelihood that more people will become very ill.
Amid the strain on its hospitals, Britain announced Wednesday that it would prioritize giving a single dose of the newly authorized AstraZeneca vaccine to as many people as possible. The vaccine was tested with two doses a few weeks apart, but one dose is believed to give a large measure of protection against the virus. The British government now plans to give everyone a second shot about 12 weeks later.
It’s not clear exactly why the new variant appears to spread faster. It has an unusually large number of genetic changes, or mutations, particularly in areas that affect the Spike protein, according to reports by Public Health England.
Advertisement
“There is a lot we don’t know about this new COVID-19 variant, but scientists in the United Kingdom are warning the world that it is significantly more contagious. The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority, and we will closely monitor this case, as well as all COVID-19 indicators, very closely,” Polis, the Colorado governor, said.
The discovery of the new variant led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue new rules on Christmas Day for travelers arriving to the U.S. from the U.K., requiring they show proof of a negative COVID-19 test.
Worry has been growing about the variant, known as B.1.1.7, since the weekend before Christmas, when Britain’s prime minister said the new variant was moving rapidly through southeast England.
Dozens of countries barred flights from the U.K., and southern England was placed under strict lockdown measures. Scientists say there is reason for concern but the new strains should not cause alarm.
Japan announced Monday it would bar entry of all nonresident foreign nationals as a precaution against the new variant.
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New versions of the coronavirus have been seen almost since the virus was first detected in China nearly a year ago. It is common for viruses to undergo minor changes as they reproduce and move through a population. The slight modifications are how scientists track the spread of a virus from one place to another.
But if the virus has significant mutations, one concern is that current vaccines might no longer offer the same protections. Although that’s a possibility to watch for over time with the coronavirus, experts say they don’t believe it will be the case with the latest variant.
South Africa has also discovered a highly contagious COVID-19 variant that is driving the country’s latest spike of confirmed cases, hospitalizations and deaths. The variant, known as 501.V2, is dominant among the newly confirmed infections in South Africa, according to health officials and scientists leading the country’s virus strategy.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--Year Of The Pandemic

Year Of The Pandemic

Lockdowns across the country , more than 300,000 Americans dead and counting , and a global race to find a @ @ @ @ @ a virus smaller than a speck of dust brought the world to a standstill .

Year Of The Pandemic
Lockdowns across the country, more than 300,000 Americans dead and counting, and a global race to find a cure. In 2020, a virus smaller than a speck of dust brought the world to a standstill.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--GOP Senator Says He Will Object To Election Certification Process On Jan. 6

Sen. Josh Hawley ( R-Mo . )
on Wednesday announced that he plans to object to the Electoral College certification process during a Jan. 6 joint congressional session , marking another effort by President Donald Trump ’ s allies to overturn the election .
Hawley is the first senator to say he will object to the process , joining fellow Trump loyalist Rep. Mo Brooks ( R-Ala. ) in a long-shot bid to throw out President-elect Joe Biden ’ s win .
“ At the very least , Congress should investigate allegations of voter fraud and adopt measures to secure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hawley said in a statement .
“ But Congress has so far failed to act.
” The Justice Department and election officials nationwide have found no evidence of widespread voter fraud or ballot-counting irregularities , despite Trump ’ s baseless claims to the contrary .
Under federal law , if one House member and one senator jointly object to the returns from any state , then the certification process pauses while each chamber separately debates the objection .
Each body then votes whether to accept or reject the electoral votes in question .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely symbolic , as they ’ re likely to be voted down in the Senate and the House , respectively .
Nonetheless , it ’ s a move that is sure to curry favor with Trump and his supporters .
Trump has publicly dragged Republican leaders in the Senate for not doing enough to support his unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud .
Though every state has certified its election results and members of the Electoral College have formally cast their votes , cementing Biden ’ s win , Trump has refused to concede @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hawley pointed to Democrats who objected to the Electoral College certification process in 2017 after Trump ’ s win , in an effort to justify his planned objection .
But no senator joined House Democrats in their objections at that time .
Hawley said his objection is intended to raise several “ critical issues , ” such as Pennsylvania failing to “ follow their own state election laws.
” Earlier this month , the Supreme Court rejected a request from Pennsylvania Republicans to overturn Biden ’ s win in the state .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges filed by the Trump campaign and Republicans after the election that were ultimately thrown out .
Asked about Hawley ’ s plan , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) said Wednesday that she has “ no doubt ” Congress will accept the electoral votes next week and confirm Biden as the next president .

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Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) on Wednesday announced that he plans to object to the Electoral College certification process during a Jan. 6 joint congressional session, marking another effort by President Donald Trump’s allies to overturn the election.
Hawley is the first senator to say he will object to the process, joining fellow Trump loyalist Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) in a long-shot bid to throw out President-elect Joe Biden’s win.
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“At the very least, Congress should investigate allegations of voter fraud and adopt measures to secure the integrity of our elections,” Hawley said in a statement. “But Congress has so far failed to act.”
The Justice Department and election officials nationwide have found no evidence of widespread voter fraud or ballot-counting irregularities, despite Trump’s baseless claims to the contrary.
Under federal law, if one House member and one senator jointly object to the returns from any state, then the certification process pauses while each chamber separately debates the objection. Each body then votes whether to accept or reject the electoral votes in question.
The objections from Hawley and Brooks are largely symbolic, as they’re likely to be voted down in the Senate and the House, respectively. Nonetheless, it’s a move that is sure to curry favor with Trump and his supporters.
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Trump has publicly dragged Republican leaders in the Senate for not doing enough to support his unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud. Though every state has certified its election results and members of the Electoral College have formally cast their votes, cementing Biden’s win, Trump has refused to concede the election.
In his statement Wednesday, Hawley pointed to Democrats who objected to the Electoral College certification process in 2017 after Trump’s win, in an effort to justify his planned objection. But no senator joined House Democrats in their objections at that time.
Hawley said his objection is intended to raise several “critical issues,” such as Pennsylvania failing to “follow their own state election laws.”
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court rejected a request from Pennsylvania Republicans to overturn Biden’s win in the state. It was one of dozens of legal challenges filed by the Trump campaign and Republicans after the election that were ultimately thrown out.
Asked about Hawley’s plan, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that she has “no doubt” Congress will accept the electoral votes next week and confirm Biden as the next president.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--Census Bureau To Miss Deadline, Jeopardizing Trump Plan

The Census Bureau plans to announce it will miss a year-end deadline for handing in numbers used for divvying up congressional seats , a census official said .
That delay could undermine President Donald Trump ’ s efforts to exclude people in the country illegally from the count if the figures aren ’ t turned in before President-elect Joe Biden takes office .
A census official who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter confirmed the delay to the Associated Press on Wednesday .
It will be the first time that the Dec. 31 target date is missed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four decades ago by Congress .
Internal documents obtained earlier this month by a House committee show that Census Bureau officials don ’ t see the apportionment numbers being ready until days after Biden is inaugurated on Jan. 20 .
Once in office , Biden could rescind Trump ’ s presidential memorandum directing the Census Bureau to exclude people in the country illegally from numbers used for divvying up congressional seats among the states .
An influential GOP adviser had advocated excluding them from the apportionment process to advantage Republicans and non-Hispanic whites @

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The Census Bureau plans to announce it will miss a year-end deadline for handing in numbers used for divvying up congressional seats, a census official said. That delay could undermine President Donald Trump’s efforts to exclude people in the country illegally from the count if the figures aren’t turned in before President-elect Joe Biden takes office.
A census official who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter confirmed the delay to the Associated Press on Wednesday.
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It will be the first time that the Dec. 31 target date is missed since the deadline was implemented more than four decades ago by Congress.
Internal documents obtained earlier this month by a House committee show that Census Bureau officials don’t see the apportionment numbers being ready until days after Biden is inaugurated on Jan. 20.
Once in office, Biden could rescind Trump’s presidential memorandum directing the Census Bureau to exclude people in the country illegally from numbers used for divvying up congressional seats among the states. An influential GOP adviser had advocated excluding them from the apportionment process to advantage Republicans and non-Hispanic whites.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--Biden's Team Tells Senate Democrats To Send Him Judicial Nominees ASAP

President-elect Joe Biden is signaling that he ’ s ready to move quickly with nominating judges once he ’ s sworn into office .
And he specifically wants Democratic senators to recommend nominees to him who are diverse , not just in terms of race or gender , but professionally ― something progressives have been clamoring for for years .
In a letter obtained by HuffPost , Biden ’ s incoming White House counsel Dana Remus tells Democratic senators to try to find public defenders and civil rights attorneys in their states who they think would be a good fit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respect to U.S. District Court positions , we are particularly focused on nominating individuals whose legal experiences have been historically underrepresented on the federal bench , including those who are public defenders , civil rights and legal aid attorneys , and those who represent Americans in every walk of life , ” reads the Dec. 22 letter .
Biden also wants judicial nominee recommendations for existing district court vacancies “ as soon as possible , ” said Remus , and no later than Jan. 19 ― a day before Biden is formally sworn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants Democratic senators to recommend nominees to him within weeks of any vacancy opening up on a U.S. district court .
“ Moving forward , we will request that you forward names to us within 45 days of any new vacancy being announced , so that we can expeditiously consider your recommendations , ” she added .
Progressives have long been calling for more diversity in federal court picks , particularly when it comes to a nominee ’ s professional background .
President Donald Trump ’ s didn ’ t add much diversity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his federal judges are white men with ties to corporate law firms .
President Barack Obama put a historic number of women and minorities onto the federal bench .
But even he didn ’ t put forward many people who didn ’ t have a background in corporate law .
“ We face a federal bench that has a striking lack of diversity , ” Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
said back in 2014 , during an Obama-era event on professional diversity on the courts .
“ President Obama has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s nominees have thus far been largely in line with the prior statistics.
” Chris Kang of Demand Justice , a progressive judicial advocacy group , said the letter reflects “ exactly the kind of priorities and processes that we have been pushing for and that will be necessary to rebalance our courts after four years of Trump and McConnell.
” That Biden is emphasizing the need for professional diversity in judicial nominees before he ’ s even sworn in “ demonstrates his commitment to build on the historic demographic diversity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Kang said .
“ And his clear timeline underscores that judges will be a priority from day one of his administration.
” Of course , Biden ’ s plan for confirming judges hangs in the balance ahead of Georgia ’ s Senate runoff elections in January .
The outcome of these elections will decide which party controls the Senate for the next two years .
Even if just one of Georgia ’ s two Republican senators , David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler , holds on to his or her seat , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McConnell ( R-Ky. ) will remain in charge .
That would mean Biden may have to prepare for the kind of unwavering obstruction that Obama faced from McConnell in getting his judicial picks confirmed .
For years , Republicans tossed aside Senate rules and traditions to block Obama ’ s court picks , even noncontroversial nominees they previously supported .
That experience has left some experts skeptical of Biden ’ s chances of diversifying the courts if the GOP controls the Senate .
“ I don ’ t think McConnell is likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all , ” said Russell Wheeler , a visiting fellow in the Brookings Institution ’ s Governance Studies Program , recently told HuffPost .
“ Some people have said that maybe Joe and Mitch would get together , these old buddies , these members of the Senate club are going to work things out .
I don ’ t think that ’ s going to happen .
”

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President-elect Joe Biden is signaling that he’s ready to move quickly with nominating judges once he’s sworn into office. And he specifically wants Democratic senators to recommend nominees to him who are diverse, not just in terms of race or gender, but professionally ― something progressives have been clamoring for for years.
In a letter obtained by HuffPost, Biden’s incoming White House counsel Dana Remus tells Democratic senators to try to find public defenders and civil rights attorneys in their states who they think would be a good fit for a federal judgeship.
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“With respect to U.S. District Court positions, we are particularly focused on nominating individuals whose legal experiences have been historically underrepresented on the federal bench, including those who are public defenders, civil rights and legal aid attorneys, and those who represent Americans in every walk of life,” reads the Dec. 22 letter.
Biden also wants judicial nominee recommendations for existing district court vacancies “as soon as possible,” said Remus, and no later than Jan. 19 ― a day before Biden is formally sworn in.
As of Wednesday, there are 43 district court vacancies.
Beyond that, the president-elect wants Democratic senators to recommend nominees to him within weeks of any vacancy opening up on a U.S. district court.
“Moving forward, we will request that you forward names to us within 45 days of any new vacancy being announced, so that we can expeditiously consider your recommendations,” she added.
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Here’s Remus’ full letter, which urges senators to propose judicial nominees who are also diverse based on race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, veteran status and disability.
A spokesperson for Biden’s transition team did not respond to a request for comment for more details on the judicial nominees Biden plans to put forward once he’s sworn in.
Progressives have long been calling for more diversity in federal court picks, particularly when it comes to a nominee’s professional background. President Donald Trump’s didn’t add much diversity to the courts at all; most of his federal judges are white men with ties to corporate law firms. President Barack Obama put a historic number of women and minorities onto the federal bench. But even he didn’t put forward many people who didn’t have a background in corporate law.
“We face a federal bench that has a striking lack of diversity,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said back in 2014, during an Obama-era event on professional diversity on the courts. “President Obama has supported some notable exceptions but ... the president’s nominees have thus far been largely in line with the prior statistics.”
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Chris Kang of Demand Justice, a progressive judicial advocacy group, said the letter reflects “exactly the kind of priorities and processes that we have been pushing for and that will be necessary to rebalance our courts after four years of Trump and McConnell.”
That Biden is emphasizing the need for professional diversity in judicial nominees before he’s even sworn in “demonstrates his commitment to build on the historic demographic diversity of President Obama’s judges,” Kang said. “And his clear timeline underscores that judges will be a priority from day one of his administration.”
Of course, Biden’s plan for confirming judges hangs in the balance ahead of Georgia’s Senate runoff elections in January. The outcome of these elections will decide which party controls the Senate for the next two years.
Even if just one of Georgia’s two Republican senators, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, holds on to his or her seat, which is likely, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will remain in charge. That would mean Biden may have to prepare for the kind of unwavering obstruction that Obama faced from McConnell in getting his judicial picks confirmed. For years, Republicans tossed aside Senate rules and traditions to block Obama’s court picks, even noncontroversial nominees they previously supported.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--Jon Ossoff Commandeers Fox News Interview To Skewer Loeffler, Perdue

Jon Ossoff , one of two Democratic Senate candidates in Georgia , took charge of a live interview with a Fox News reporter Wednesday to take down the state ’ s Republican Sens .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler seeking to keep their seats in elections next Tuesday .
As Ossoff was speaking to reporters on the campaign trail in Marietta , Georgia , Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy cut in for some questions .
He told the former congressional staffer he was broadcasting live and asked him what “ relevant experience ” he had in order to deliver on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his background as an investigative journalist , “ fighting injustice , exposing war crimes and corruption , ” before segueing to torch his opponent , Perdue , as well as Loeffler , who is running against Rev .
Raphael Warnock ( D ) in Georgia ’ s other Senate runoff election .
The outcomes will determine control of the Senate .
“ Right now , we have a crisis of corruption in American politics , ” Ossoff said .
“ And since we ’ re live on Fox , let me take this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We have two United States senators in Georgia who have blatantly used their offices to enrich themselves .
This is beyond partisanship.
” Loeffler and Perdue , two of the wealthiest members of Congress , have come under scrutiny this year over their well-timed stock trading activities early this year that occurred shortly after Congress was briefed on what was then the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic .
Ossoff then made a campaign pitch and asked for contributions from viewers of the network that patterns most of its programming to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns “ whatsoever ” it would impact the Democratic ticket , and turned the tables again .
Loeffler posed for a photo with former KKK leader Chester Doles earlier this month , and has been pictured with numerous other white supremacists and far-right extremists .
She is a vocal opponent of the Black Lives Matter movement .
“ So she ’ s stooping to these vicious personal attacks to distract from the fact that she has been campaigning with a former member of the Ku Klux Klan , ” Ossoff added .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia , ” Ossoff concluded .
” And I want to encourage everybody to make a plan to vote on Tuesday.
” As of Wednesday .
more than 2.5 million ballots had been cast , either at early-voting locations or through absentee voting .
In the November general election , about 5 million votes were cast .
Under Georgia law , the runoff elections were required because no candidate topped 50 % of the vote .
Perdue led his race with 49.7 % of the vote to Ossoff ’ s 47.9 % .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 25.9 % behind Warnock , who secured 32.9 % .

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Jon Ossoff, one of two Democratic Senate candidates in Georgia, took charge of a live interview with a Fox News reporter Wednesday to take down the state’s Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler seeking to keep their seats in elections next Tuesday.
As Ossoff was speaking to reporters on the campaign trail in Marietta, Georgia, Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy cut in for some questions. He told the former congressional staffer he was broadcasting live and asked him what “relevant experience” he had in order to deliver on his campaign promises.
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Ossoff pointed to his background as an investigative journalist, “fighting injustice, exposing war crimes and corruption,” before segueing to torch his opponent, Perdue, as well as Loeffler, who is running against the Rev. Raphael Warnock (D) in Georgia’s other Senate runoff election. The outcomes will determine control of the Senate.
“Right now, we have a crisis of corruption in American politics,” Ossoff said. “And since we’re live on Fox, let me take this opportunity to address directly the Fox audience.
“We have two United States senators in Georgia who have blatantly used their offices to enrich themselves. This is beyond partisanship.”
Loeffler and Perdue, two of the wealthiest members of Congress, have come under scrutiny over their well-timed stock trading activities early this year that occurred shortly after Congress was briefed on what was then the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic.
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Ossoff then made a campaign pitch and asked for contributions from viewers of the network that patterns most of its programming to conservatives.
Doocy also asked Ossoff about abuse allegations that Loeffler has leveled against Warnock involving a children’s camp he used to oversee.
Ossoff said he had no concerns “whatsoever” it would impact the Democratic ticket, and turned the tables again.
Warnock “addressed this issue a year ago and here’s the bottom line: Kelly Loeffler has been campaigning with a Klansman,” he said.
Loeffler posed for a photo with former KKK leader Chester Doles earlier this month, and has been pictured with numerous other white supremacists and far-right extremists. She is a vocal opponent of the Black Lives Matter movement.
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“So she’s stooping to these vicious personal attacks to distract from the fact that she has been campaigning with a former member of the Ku Klux Klan,” Ossoff added.
“We deserve better than that here in Georgia,” Ossoff concluded. ”And I want to encourage everybody to make a plan to vote on Tuesday.”
As of Wednesday. more than 2.5 million ballots had been cast, either at early-voting locations or through absentee voting. In the November general election, about 5 million votes were cast.
Under Georgia law, the runoff elections were required because no candidate topped 50% of the vote. Perdue led his race with 49.7% of the vote to Ossoff’s 47.9%. Loeffler came in second in her race with 25.9% behind Warnock, who secured 32.9%.
Watch Ossoff’s interview below via Raw Story.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--Trump's $2,000 Checks All But Dead As GOP Senate Refuses Aid

Liberal senators led by Bernie Sanders of Vermont who support the relief aid are blocking action on the defense bill until a vote can be taken on Trump ’ s demand for $ 2,000 for most Americans .
“ The working class of this country today faces more economic desperation than at any time since the Great Depression of the 1930s , ” Sanders said .
“ Working families need help now.
” He also tried to force a vote on the relief checks , but McConnell objected a second time .
The GOP blockade is causing turmoil for some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump amplifies his unexpected demands .
The two GOP senators from Georgia , David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler , announced Tuesday they support Trump ’ s plan for bigger checks as they face Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock in runoff elections that will determine which party controls the Senate .
Republican Sens .
Josh Hawley of Missouri and Marco Rubio of Florida , among the party ’ s potential 2024 presidential hopefuls , also are pushing the party in the president ’ s direction .
Other Republicans panned the bigger checks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tag was too high , the relief is not targeted to those in need and Washington has already dispatched ample sums on COVID aid .
Sen. Pat Toomey , R-Penn.
, tweeted that he would block the House bill .
He said “ blindly borrowing ” billions “ so we can send $ 2,000 checks to millions of people who haven ’ t lost any income is terrible policy.
” In the House , dozens of Republicans calculated it was better to link with Democrats to increase the pandemic payments rather than buck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the money .
House Democrats led passage , 275-134 , but 44 Republicans joined almost all Democrats on Monday for a robust two-thirds vote of approval .
No votes are scheduled in the Senate on either the House-passed measure supporting Trump ’ s $ 2,000 checks or McConnell ’ s new version .
With time running out , it ’ s almost ensures neither bill will pass .
Trump ’ s push could fizzle out in the Senate but the debate over the size and scope of the year-end package — $ 900 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trillion to fund government agencies through September — is potentially one last confrontation before the new Congress is sworn in Sunday .
The COVID-19 portion of the bill revives a weekly pandemic jobless benefit boost — this time $ 300 , through March 14 — as well as the popular Paycheck Protection Program of grants to businesses to keep workers on payrolls .
It extends eviction protections , adding a new rental assistance fund .
Americans earning up to $ 75,000 will qualify for the direct $ 600 payments , which are phased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s an additional $ 600 payment per dependent child .
Associated Press writer Ashraf Khalil in Washington contributed to this report .

Liberal senators led by Bernie Sanders of Vermont who support the relief aid are blocking action on the defense bill until a vote can be taken on Trump’s demand for $2,000 for most Americans.
“The working class of this country today faces more economic desperation than at any time since the Great Depression of the 1930s,” Sanders said. “Working families need help now.” He also tried to force a vote on the relief checks, but McConnell objected a second time.
The GOP blockade is causing turmoil for some as the virus crisis worsens nationwide and Trump amplifies his unexpected demands.
The two GOP senators from Georgia, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, announced Tuesday they support Trump’s plan for bigger checks as they face Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock in runoff elections that will determine which party controls the Senate.
Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Marco Rubio of Florida, among the party’s potential 2024 presidential hopefuls, also are pushing the party in the president’s direction.
Other Republicans panned the bigger checks, saying the nearly $400 billion price tag was too high, the relief is not targeted to those in need and Washington has already dispatched ample sums on COVID aid.
Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Penn., tweeted that he would block the House bill. He said “blindly borrowing” billions “so we can send $2,000 checks to millions of people who haven’t lost any income is terrible policy.”
In the House, dozens of Republicans calculated it was better to link with Democrats to increase the pandemic payments rather than buck the outgoing president and constituents counting on the money. House Democrats led passage, 275-134, but 44 Republicans joined almost all Democrats on Monday for a robust two-thirds vote of approval.
No votes are scheduled in the Senate on either the House-passed measure supporting Trump’s $2,000 checks or McConnell’s new version. With time running out, it’s almost ensures neither bill will pass.
Trump’s push could fizzle out in the Senate but the debate over the size and scope of the year-end package — $900 billion in COVID-19 aid and $1.4 trillion to fund government agencies through September — is potentially one last confrontation before the new Congress is sworn in Sunday.
The COVID-19 portion of the bill revives a weekly pandemic jobless benefit boost — this time $300, through March 14 — as well as the popular Paycheck Protection Program of grants to businesses to keep workers on payrolls. It extends eviction protections, adding a new rental assistance fund.
Americans earning up to $75,000 will qualify for the direct $600 payments, which are phased out at higher income levels, and there’s an additional $600 payment per dependent child.
___
Associated Press writer Ashraf Khalil in Washington contributed to this report.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--Walmart Apologizes For 'Mistakenly' Calling GOP Senator A 'Sore Loser' On Twitter

Walmart on Wednesday apologized to Sen. Josh Hawley ( R-Mo . )
after its official corporate account tweeted that he was a “ sore loser ” for planning to object to the presidential election certification process during a joint congressional session next week .
“ Go ahead , ” Walmart had tweeted earlier Wednesday in response to Hawley ’ s tweet announcing his intent to object to the Electoral College certification process slated for Jan. 6 .
“ Get your 2 hour debate .
# soreloser ” Hawley was the first senator to say he would object to the certification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rep. Mo Brooks ( R-Ala. ) .
Under federal law , if a House member and senator object to any state ’ s electoral votes , both chambers of Congress must debate the objection , separately , and then vote on whether to throw out those electoral votes .
The move is more symbolic than substantive as the House and Senate are expected to vote down such an objection .
Nonetheless , it will likely draw praise from Trump and his supporters .
“ We deleted the post and have no intention of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral college , ” Walmart tweeted .
“ We apologize to Senator Hawley for this error and any confusion about our position.
” But Hawley had already fired off a couple of tweets tearing into the retail giant for its apparent jab .
“ Thanks @ Walmart for your insulting condescension , ” Hawley tweeted with a screenshot of Walmart ’ s tweet .
“ Now that you ’ ve insulted 75 million Americans , will you at least apologize for using slave labor ?
” It ’ s unclear whether the Walmart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the tweet in question .
The company declined to comment .
Hawley said earlier Wednesday that he intended to object to the certification process as a way to raise several “ critical issues , ” such as Pennsylvania failing to “ follow their own state election laws.
” Earlier this month , the Supreme Court rejected a request from Pennsylvania Republicans to overturn President-elect Joe Biden ’ s win in the state .
It was one of dozens of legal challenges filed by the Trump campaign and Republicans after the election that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department and election officials nationwide have found no evidence of widespread voter fraud or ballot-counting irregularities , despite Trump ’ s baseless claims to the contrary .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Walmart on Wednesday apologized to Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) after its official corporate account tweeted that he was a “sore loser” for planning to object to the presidential election certification process during a joint congressional session next week.
“Go ahead,” Walmart had tweeted earlier Wednesday in response to Hawley’s tweet announcing his intent to object to the Electoral College certification process slated for Jan. 6. “Get your 2 hour debate. #soreloser”
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Hawley was the first senator to say he would object to the certification, joining fellow President Donald Trump loyalist Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.). Under federal law, if a House member and senator object to any state’s electoral votes, both chambers of Congress must debate the objection, separately, and then vote on whether to throw out those electoral votes.
The move is more symbolic than substantive as the House and Senate are expected to vote down such an objection. Nonetheless, it will likely draw praise from Trump and his supporters.
Walmart blamed a member of its social media team for “mistakenly” responding to Hawley’s announcement with the trash-talking tweet.
“We deleted the post and have no intention of commenting on the subject of certifying the electoral college,” Walmart tweeted. “We apologize to Senator Hawley for this error and any confusion about our position.”
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But Hawley had already fired off a couple of tweets tearing into the retail giant for its apparent jab.
“Thanks @Walmart for your insulting condescension,” Hawley tweeted with a screenshot of Walmart’s tweet. “Now that you’ve insulted 75 million Americans, will you at least apologize for using slave labor?”
Thanks @Walmart for your insulting condescension. Now that you’ve insulted 75 million Americans, will you at least apologize for using slave labor? pic.twitter.com/oYJP4Cv2qE — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) December 30, 2020
It’s unclear whether the Walmart social media employee responsible has been disciplined for the tweet in question. The company declined to comment.
Hawley said earlier Wednesday that he intended to object to the certification process as a way to raise several “critical issues,” such as Pennsylvania failing to “follow their own state election laws.”
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Earlier this month, the Supreme Court rejected a request from Pennsylvania Republicans to overturn President-elect Joe Biden’s win in the state. It was one of dozens of legal challenges filed by the Trump campaign and Republicans after the election that were ultimately thrown out.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--Trump’s $2,000 Checks Stall In Senate As GOP Blocks Vote

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — President Donald Trump ’ s push for bigger $ 2,000 COVID- 19 relief checks stalled out in the Senate as Republicans blocked a swift vote proposed by Democrats and split within their own ranks over whether to boost spending or defy the White House .
The roadblock mounted Tuesday by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may not be sustainable as pressure mounts .
Trump wants the Republican-led chamber to follow the House and increase the checks from $ 600 for millions of Americans .
A growing number of Republicans , including two senators in runoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have said they will support the larger amount .
But most GOP senators oppose more spending , even if they are also wary of bucking Trump .
Meanwhile , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said some of the $ 600 payments might be sent by direct deposit to Americans ’ bank accounts as early as Tuesday night .
Mnuchin tweeted that paper checks will begin to go out Wednesday .
The showdown over the $ 2,000 checks has thrown Congress into a chaotic year-end session just days before new lawmakers are set to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s preventing action on another priority — overturning Trump ’ s veto on a sweeping defense bill that has been approved every year for 60 years .
Saying little , McConnell signaled an alternative approach to Trump ’ s checks that may not divide his party so badly , but may result in no action at all .
The GOP leader filed new legislation late Tuesday linking the president ’ s demand for bigger checks with two other Trump priorities — repealing protections for tech companies like Facebook or Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservatives as well the establishment of a bipartisan commission to review the 2020 presidential election he lost to President-elect Joe Biden .
The president ’ s last-minute push for bigger checks leaves Republicans deeply split between those who align with Trump ’ s populist instincts and those who adhere to what had been more traditional conservative views against government spending .
Congress had settled on smaller $ 600 payments in a compromise over the big , year-end relief bill Trump reluctantly signed into law .
Liberal senators led by Bernie Sanders of Vermont @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action on the defense bill until a vote can be taken on Trump ’ s demand for $ 2,000 for most Americans .
“ The working class of this country today faces more economic desperation than at any time since the Great Depression of the 1930s , ” Sanders said .
“ Working families need help now.
” He also tried to force a vote on the relief checks , but McConnell objected a second time .
Other Republicans panned the bigger checks , saying the nearly $ 400 billion price tag was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ targeted to those in need and Washington has already dispatched ample sums on COVID aid .
In the House , dozens of Republicans calculated it was better to link with Democrats to increase the pandemic payments rather than buck the outgoing president and constituents counting on the money .
House Democrats led passage , 275-134 , but 44 Republicans joined almost all Democrats on Monday for a robust two-thirds vote of approval .
It ’ s highly possible that McConnell will set up votes ahead on both the House-passed measure supporting Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own new version linking it with the repeal of tech company liability shield in “ section 230 ” of communications law as well as the new presidential election review commission .
Trump ’ s push could fizzle out in the Senate but the debate over the size and scope of the year-end package — $ 900 billion in COVID-19 aid and $ 1.4 trillion to fund government agencies through September — is potentially one last confrontation before the new Congress is sworn in Sunday .
The COVID-19 portion of the bill revives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this time $ 300 , through March 14 — as well as the popular Paycheck Protection Program of grants to businesses to keep workers on payrolls .
It extends eviction protections , adding a new rental assistance fund .
The president also objected to foreign aid funding that his own administration had requested and vowed to send Congress “ a redlined version ” with spending items he wants removed .
But those are merely suggestions to Congress .
Democrats said they would resist such cuts .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s push for bigger $2,000 COVID- 19 relief checks stalled out in the Senate as Republicans blocked a swift vote proposed by Democrats and split within their own ranks over whether to boost spending or defy the White House.
The roadblock mounted Tuesday by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may not be sustainable as pressure mounts. Trump wants the Republican-led chamber to follow the House and increase the checks from $600 for millions of Americans. A growing number of Republicans, including two senators in runoff elections on Jan. 5 in Georgia, have said they will support the larger amount. But most GOP senators oppose more spending, even if they are also wary of bucking Trump.
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Senators will be back at it Wednesday as McConnell is devising a way out of the political bind, but the outcome is highly uncertain.
“There’s one question left today: Do Senate Republicans join with the rest of America in supporting $2,000 checks?” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said as he made a motion to vote.
Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said some of the $600 payments might be sent by direct deposit to Americans’ bank accounts as early as Tuesday night. Mnuchin tweeted that paper checks will begin to go out Wednesday.
The showdown over the $2,000 checks has thrown Congress into a chaotic year-end session just days before new lawmakers are set to be sworn into office for the new year. It’s preventing action on another priority — overturning Trump’s veto on a sweeping defense bill that has been approved every year for 60 years.
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Saying little, McConnell signaled an alternative approach to Trump’s checks that may not divide his party so badly, but may result in no action at all.
The GOP leader filed new legislation late Tuesday linking the president’s demand for bigger checks with two other Trump priorities — repealing protections for tech companies like Facebook or Twitter that the president complained are unfair to conservatives as well the establishment of a bipartisan commission to review the 2020 presidential election he lost to President-elect Joe Biden.
The president’s last-minute push for bigger checks leaves Republicans deeply split between those who align with Trump’s populist instincts and those who adhere to what had been more traditional conservative views against government spending. Congress had settled on smaller $600 payments in a compromise over the big, year-end relief bill Trump reluctantly signed into law.
Liberal senators led by Bernie Sanders of Vermont who support the relief aid are blocking action on the defense bill until a vote can be taken on Trump’s demand for $2,000 for most Americans.
“The working class of this country today faces more economic desperation than at any time since the Great Depression of the 1930s,” Sanders said. “Working families need help now.” He also tried to force a vote on the relief checks, but McConnell objected a second time.
Advertisement
The GOP blockade is causing turmoil for some as the virus crisis worsens nationwide and Trump amplifies his unexpected demands.
The two GOP senators from Georgia, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, announced Tuesday they support Trump’s plan for bigger checks as they face Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock in runoff elections that will determine which party controls the Senate.
Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Marco Rubio of Florida, among the party’s potential 2024 presidential hopefuls, also are pushing the party in the president’s direction.
Other Republicans panned the bigger checks, saying the nearly $400 billion price tag was too high, the relief is not targeted to those in need and Washington has already dispatched ample sums on COVID aid.
In the House, dozens of Republicans calculated it was better to link with Democrats to increase the pandemic payments rather than buck the outgoing president and constituents counting on the money. House Democrats led passage, 275-134, but 44 Republicans joined almost all Democrats on Monday for a robust two-thirds vote of approval.
Advertisement
It’s highly possible that McConnell will set up votes ahead on both the House-passed measure supporting Trump’s $2,000 checks as well as his own new version linking it with the repeal of tech company liability shield in “section 230” of communications law as well as the new presidential election review commission.
That’s a process that almost ensures neither bill will pass.
Trump’s push could fizzle out in the Senate but the debate over the size and scope of the year-end package — $900 billion in COVID-19 aid and $1.4 trillion to fund government agencies through September — is potentially one last confrontation before the new Congress is sworn in Sunday.
The COVID-19 portion of the bill revives a weekly pandemic jobless benefit boost — this time $300, through March 14 — as well as the popular Paycheck Protection Program of grants to businesses to keep workers on payrolls. It extends eviction protections, adding a new rental assistance fund.
Americans earning up to $75,000 will qualify for the direct $600 payments, which are phased out at higher income levels, and there’s an additional $600 payment per dependent child.
Biden supports the $2,000 checks and said Tuesday the aid package is merely a “down payment” on what he plans to deliver once in office.
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The president also objected to foreign aid funding that his own administration had requested and vowed to send Congress “a redlined version” with spending items he wants removed. But those are merely suggestions to Congress. Democrats said they would resist such cuts.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--People Are Not Paying Attention To The Trump Administration’s Execution Spree

The Trump administration has executed 10 people over the last five months — the first federal executions in nearly two decades .
The government is trying to execute three more people before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden , who now opposes the death penalty .
An outgoing administration has not carried out an execution after losing reelection since 1889 .
And this has already been the most federal executions conducted in one year since 1896 .
But most voters have barely noticed the unusual federal execution spree , according to a new HuffPost/YouGov survey .
Only 13 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot about the news that President Donald Trump resumed the practice of federal executions this year .
Four in 10 say they ’ d heard nothing about the executions at all .
The Trump administration resumed federal executions in July , following a 17-year hiatus that was caused by legal challenges , drug availability issues and an Obama-era review of capital punishment .
When then-Attorney General William Barr announced the decision , he claimed the people selected for death were the “ worst criminals.
” In reality , the cases are more complicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disability or untreated mental illness , as well as people who were barely old enough to be sentenced to death .
Some were given the harshest punishment even though they were not the ones to pull the trigger .
The people chosen for execution are disproportionately Black , an indication of the racist origins of the punishment .
Voters narrowly favor Trump ’ s decision to resume the executions , with 44 % approving , 38 % disapproving , and the remainder unsure .
Reactions are sharply divided along partisan lines , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreement as a group than his opposition .
Roughly three-quarters of Republican voters approve of the decision , while a smaller 63 % majority of Democratic voters disapprove .
Biden , who sponsored the 1994 crime bill that put several people on death row , now says he opposes capital punishment .
He has pledged to work with Congress to pass legislation to eliminate the federal death penalty and “ incentivize ” states to do the same .
But activists and some lawmakers are pushing for more decisive action : As president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by commuting the sentences of the 52 people condemned to death , and instead giving them life sentences without parole or a lesser punishment .
This would prevent the people who are currently on death row from being executed by a future president if Congress fails to pass legislation .
Just 27 % of voters want Biden to change the sentences of prisoners on federal death row so that they instead receive life in prison , with 45 % saying Biden should not commute their sentences and another 28 % saying they weren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such commutations , 65 % to 12 % .
Democrats favor them by a far more modest 41 % to 23 % .
Support for the use of the death penalty continues to outstrip opposition : 46 % of voters say they ’ d prefer the federal government to allow the death penalty , with 28 % saying they ’ d prefer it to be banned , and the remaining quarter are not sure .
That could suggest a minor downtick in support since a July 2019 HuffPost/YouGov poll , when 54 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalty .
But the share of voters favoring an outright ban , which stood at 30 % last summer , hasn ’ t similarly moved .
The change is due instead mostly to a rising number of undecideds ― a shift that implies opinions on the issue are often less than firmly set .
Those most open to changing their minds are also the least likely to be paying attention to the latest developments .
Of voters who currently say they ’ re unsure about the federal death penalty , 59 % reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s executions .
Views remain sharply polarized , with Republican voters 34 percentage points likelier than Democratic voters to favor allowing the federal death penalty .
Demographic divides along generational , racial and educational lines exist as well : Voters older than 65 are 13 points likelier to be in favor than those under age 30 , white voters are 15 points more supportive than Black voters , and those without a college degree are 13 points more supportive than degree-holders .
Voters are split on whether the death penalty is applied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , another third saying it ’ s applied unfairly , and the remaining third saying they ’ re not sure .
Nearly half ( 47 % ) say the death penalty does not help prevent crime , compared to the 31 % who say they view it as a deterrent .
Public support for the death penalty has fallen from its peak in the 1990s , although it remains the consensus position .
Gallup , which has tracked the issue since 1936 , found this year that 55 % of Americans favor the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder , down from 80 % in 1994 .
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey , using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups : Most surveys report a margin of error that represents some but not all potential survey errors .
YouGov ’ s reports include a model-based margin of error , which rests on a specific set of statistical assumptions about the selected sample rather than the standard methodology for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are wrong , the model-based margin of error may also be inaccurate .

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The Trump administration has executed 10 people over the last five months — the first federal executions in nearly two decades. The government is trying to execute three more people before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, who now opposes the death penalty. An outgoing administration has not carried out an execution after losing reelection since 1889. And this has already been the most federal executions conducted in one year since 1896.
But most voters have barely noticed the unusual federal execution spree, according to a new HuffPost/YouGov survey. Only 13% of voters say they’ve heard a lot about the news that President Donald Trump resumed the practice of federal executions this year. Four in 10 say they’d heard nothing about the executions at all.
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The Trump administration resumed federal executions in July, following a 17-year hiatus that was caused by legal challenges, drug availability issues and an Obama-era review of capital punishment. When then-Attorney General William Barr announced the decision, he claimed the people selected for death were the “worst criminals.” In reality, the cases are more complicated. They include people with an intellectual disability or untreated mental illness, as well as people who were barely old enough to be sentenced to death. Some were given the harshest punishment even though they were not the ones to pull the trigger. The people chosen for execution are disproportionately Black, an indication of the racist origins of the punishment.
The Trump administration's federal execution spree has gone largely unnoticed by voters. Jeremy Hoga/Getty Images
Voters narrowly favor Trump’s decision to resume the executions, with 44% approving, 38% disapproving, and the remainder unsure. Reactions are sharply divided along partisan lines, but Trump’s backers are more in agreement as a group than his opposition. Roughly three-quarters of Republican voters approve of the decision, while a smaller 63% majority of Democratic voters disapprove.
Although the Trump administration’s spate of executions has not attracted widespread national attention, it has mobilized death penalty opponents to ramp up pressure on the incoming Biden administration to put an end to the practice.
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Biden, who sponsored the 1994 crime bill that put several people on death row, now says he opposes capital punishment. He has pledged to work with Congress to pass legislation to eliminate the federal death penalty and “incentivize” states to do the same. But activists and some lawmakers are pushing for more decisive action: As president, Biden could empty the federal death row by commuting the sentences of the 52 people condemned to death, and instead giving them life sentences without parole or a lesser punishment. This would prevent the people who are currently on death row from being executed by a future president if Congress fails to pass legislation.
Just 27% of voters want Biden to change the sentences of prisoners on federal death row so that they instead receive life in prison, with 45% saying Biden should not commute their sentences and another 28% saying they weren’t sure. Republican voters oppose such commutations, 65% to 12%. Democrats favor them by a far more modest 41% to 23%.
Support for the use of the death penalty continues to outstrip opposition: 46% of voters say they’d prefer the federal government to allow the death penalty, with 28% saying they’d prefer it to be banned, and the remaining quarter are not sure. That could suggest a minor downtick in support since a July 2019 HuffPost/YouGov poll, when 54% of voters supported allowing a federal death penalty. But the share of voters favoring an outright ban, which stood at 30% last summer, hasn’t similarly moved.
The change is due instead mostly to a rising number of undecideds ― a shift that implies opinions on the issue are often less than firmly set. Those most open to changing their minds are also the least likely to be paying attention to the latest developments. Of voters who currently say they’re unsure about the federal death penalty, 59% reported having heard nothing about the Trump administration’s executions.
Views remain sharply polarized, with Republican voters 34 percentage points likelier than Democratic voters to favor allowing the federal death penalty. Demographic divides along generational, racial and educational lines exist as well: Voters older than 65 are 13 points likelier to be in favor than those under age 30, white voters are 15 points more supportive than Black voters, and those without a college degree are 13 points more supportive than degree-holders.
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The survey also finds significant doubts among the public about the effectiveness of the punishment and the impartiality with which it’s applied.
Voters are split on whether the death penalty is applied fairly, with one-third saying it is, another third saying it’s applied unfairly, and the remaining third saying they’re not sure. Nearly half (47%) say the death penalty does not help prevent crime, compared to the 31% who say they view it as a deterrent.
Just 6% of Black voters say they believe the death penalty is generally applied fairly, compared to 38% of white voters who say the same.
Public support for the death penalty has fallen from its peak in the 1990s, although it remains the consensus position. Gallup, which has tracked the issue since 1936, found this year that 55% of Americans favor the death penalty for a person convicted of murder, down from 80% in 1994.
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey, using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups:
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The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted Dec. 16-20 among U.S. registered voters, using a sample selected from YouGov’s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the population.
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls. You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov’s nationally representative opinion polling. More details on the polls’ methodology are available here.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--Well-Preserved Ice Age Woolly Rhino Found In Siberia

MOSCOW ( AP ) — A well-preserved Ice Age woolly rhino with many of its internal organs still intact has been recovered from permafrost in Russia ’ s extreme north .
Russian media reported Wednesday that the carcass was revealed by melting permafrost in Yakutia in August .
Scientists are waiting for ice roads in the Arctic region to become passable to deliver it to a lab for studies next month .
It ’ s among the best-preserved specimens of the Ice Age animal found to date .
The carcass has most of its soft tissues still intact , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a lump of fat .
Its horn was found next to it .
Recent years have seen major discoveries of mammoths , woolly rhinos , Ice Age foal , and cave lion cubs as the permafrost increasingly melts across vast areas of Siberia because of global warming .
Yakutia 24 TV quoted Valery Plotnikov , a paleontologist with the regional branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences , as saying the woolly rhino was likely 3 or 4 years old when it died .
Scientists dated the carcass as anywhere between 20,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dating will be possible once it is delivered to a lab for radiocarbon studies .
The carcass was found on the bank of the Tirekhtyakh river in the Abyisk district , close to the area where another young woolly rhino was recovered in 2014 .
Researchers dated that specimen , which they called Sasha , at 34,000 years old .

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MOSCOW (AP) — A well-preserved Ice Age woolly rhino with many of its internal organs still intact has been recovered from permafrost in Russia’s extreme north.
Russian media reported Wednesday that the carcass was revealed by melting permafrost in Yakutia in August. Scientists are waiting for ice roads in the Arctic region to become passable to deliver it to a lab for studies next month.
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It’s among the best-preserved specimens of the Ice Age animal found to date. The carcass has most of its soft tissues still intact, including part of the intestines, thick hair and a lump of fat. Its horn was found next to it.
Recent years have seen major discoveries of mammoths, woolly rhinos, Ice Age foal, and cave lion cubs as the permafrost increasingly melts across vast areas of Siberia because of global warming.
Yakutia 24 TV quoted Valery Plotnikov, a paleontologist with the regional branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as saying the woolly rhino was likely 3 or 4 years old when it died.
Plotnikov said the young rhino likely drowned.
Scientists dated the carcass as anywhere between 20,000 to 50,000 years old. More precise dating will be possible once it is delivered to a lab for radiocarbon studies.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--Rare Alerts For Rumbling Volcanoes Issued In Eastern Caribbean

SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico ( AP ) — Volcanoes that have been quiet for decades are rumbling to life in the eastern Caribbean , prompting officials to issue alerts in Martinique and St. Vincent and the Grenadines as scientists rush in to study activity they say hasn ’ t been observed in years .
The most recent warning was issued late Tuesday for La Soufriere volcano in St. Vincent and the Grenadines , a chain of islands home to more than 100,000 people .
Officials reported tremors , strong gas emissions , formation of a new volcanic dome and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency said that scientists observed an “ effusive eruption within the crater , with visible gas and steam ” on Tuesday .
The government warned those living near the volcano to prepare to evacuate if needed , declaring an orange alert that means eruptions could occur with less than 24 hours ’ notice .
La Soufriere , located near the northern tip of the main island of St. Vincent , last erupted in 1979 , and a previous eruption in 1902 killed some 1,600 people .
That occurred shortly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ erupted and destroyed the town of Saint-Pierre , killing more than 30,000 people .
Mt .
Pelee too is now active once again .
In early December , officials in the French Caribbean territory issued a yellow alert due to seismic activity under the mountain .
It was the first alert of its kind issued since the volcano last erupted in 1932 , Fabrice Fontaine , with Martinique ’ s Volcanological and Seismological Observatory , told The Associated Press .
While the eastern Caribbean is one long chain of active and extinct volcanoes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University in Ohio , said the activity at Mt .
Pelee and La Soufriere are not related .
“ It ’ s not like one volcano starts erupting that others will , ” he said .
“ It falls into the category of coincidence.
” He said the activity is evidence that magma is lurking underground and percolating toward the surface , although he added that scientists still don ’ t have a very good understanding of what controls how quickly that happens .
Klemetti said the most active volcano in recent years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hills in Montserrat , which has erupted continuously since 1995 , destroying the capital of Plymouth and killing at least 19 people in 1997 .
Seventeen of the eastern Caribbean ’ s 19 live volcanoes are located on 11 islands , with the remaining two are underwater near the island of Grenada , including one called Kick ’ Em Jenny that has been active in recent years .

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Volcanoes that have been quiet for decades are rumbling to life in the eastern Caribbean, prompting officials to issue alerts in Martinique and St. Vincent and the Grenadines as scientists rush in to study activity they say hasn’t been observed in years.
The most recent warning was issued late Tuesday for La Soufriere volcano in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a chain of islands home to more than 100,000 people. Officials reported tremors, strong gas emissions, formation of a new volcanic dome and changes to its crater lake.
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The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency said that scientists observed an “effusive eruption within the crater, with visible gas and steam” on Tuesday.
The government warned those living near the volcano to prepare to evacuate if needed, declaring an orange alert that means eruptions could occur with less than 24 hours’ notice.
La Soufriere, located near the northern tip of the main island of St. Vincent, last erupted in 1979, and a previous eruption in 1902 killed some 1,600 people. That occurred shortly before Martinique’s Mt. Pelee erupted and destroyed the town of Saint-Pierre, killing more than 30,000 people.
Mt. Pelee too is now active once again. In early December, officials in the French Caribbean territory issued a yellow alert due to seismic activity under the mountain. It was the first alert of its kind issued since the volcano last erupted in 1932, Fabrice Fontaine, with Martinique’s Volcanological and Seismological Observatory, told The Associated Press.
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While the eastern Caribbean is one long chain of active and extinct volcanoes, volcanologist Erik Klemetti, at Denison University in Ohio, said the activity at Mt. Pelee and La Soufriere are not related.
“It’s not like one volcano starts erupting that others will,” he said. “It falls into the category of coincidence.”
He said the activity is evidence that magma is lurking underground and percolating toward the surface, although he added that scientists still don’t have a very good understanding of what controls how quickly that happens.
“The answers are not entirely satisfying,” he said. “It’s science that’s still being researched.”
Klemetti said the most active volcano in recent years in the eastern Caribbean has been Soufriere Hills in Montserrat, which has erupted continuously since 1995, destroying the capital of Plymouth and killing at least 19 people in 1997.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--N.Y. Man Hospitalized With COVID-19 After Attending GOP Club's 'Covid Conga Line' Party

A New York man has been hospitalized with COVID-19 after attending an indoor holiday party hosted by a local Republican club that made headlines earlier this month , the Queens Daily Eagle reported Wednesday .
James Trent , chair of an affiliate club , reportedly began experiencing symptoms of infection two days after attending the Dec. 9 event .
He is recovering at the North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset on Long Island , and said he would be discharged Thursday morning .
Trent expressed surprise he caught the virus after the bash because he “ wasn ’ t doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eagle .
“ I wasn ’ t on the conga line .
I ate by myself , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t know how I got this.
” In a viral video from the Whitestone Republican Club ’ s party , more than a dozen people were seen dancing a conga line without masks or social distancing .
Both the club and the owner of the venue , an Italian restaurant called Il Bacco , insisted they followed COVID-19 guidelines that were in place at the time .
Trent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Club .
He could not be reached by HuffPost for comment .
Asked if he regretted attending the party , he told the Eagle it was a “ wonderful time and a great party , but I ’ m not happy I got sick.
” Another couple that went to the party has also tested positive , according to the Eagle .
The event was held five days before New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) shuttered indoor dining amid an explosion in COVID-19 cases in the state and nationwide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in place for public settings since April .
A City Hall official said last week that the party would result in “ significant fines ” and that “ we ’ re looking at both the group that held the event and the establishment that hosted it.
” Under fire , the club posted statements on Facebook last week denying wrongdoing and accusing the media and Cuomo of overreacting .
“ But we are not the mask police , nor are we the social distancing police .
Adults have the absolute right to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to interact like normal humans and not paranoid zombies in hazmat suits , ” the statement said .

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A New York man has been hospitalized with COVID-19 after attending an indoor holiday party hosted by a local Republican club that made headlines earlier in December, the Queens Daily Eagle reported Wednesday.
James Trent, chair of an affiliate club, reportedly began experiencing symptoms of infection two days after attending the Dec. 9 event. He is recovering at the North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset on Long Island, and said he would be discharged Thursday morning.
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Trent expressed surprise he caught the virus after the bash because he “wasn’t doing anything risky,” he told the Eagle.
“I wasn’t on the conga line. I ate by myself,” he said. “I don’t know how I got this.”
In a viral video from the Whitestone Republican Club’s party, more than a dozen people were seen dancing a conga line without masks or social distancing. Both the club and the owner of the venue, an Italian restaurant called Il Bacco, insisted they followed COVID-19 guidelines that were in place at the time.
the Whitestone Republican Club in NYC apparently held a Christmas party this year without a care in the world about COVID pic.twitter.com/mHzW86d9M7 — Matt Binder (@MattBinder) December 21, 2020
Trent is chairman of the Queens Village Republican Club. He could not be reached by HuffPost for comment.
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Asked if he regretted attending the party, Trent told the Eagle that it was a “wonderful time and a great party, but I’m not happy I got sick.”
Another couple that went to the party has also tested positive, according to the Eagle.
In response to a request for comment, the Whitestone Republican Club directed HuffPost to a Dec. 31 Facebook post in which they defended their right to “personal liberties” and praised President Donald Trump for the rollout of vaccines.
The club said it was aware of only one COVID-19 infection among the party’s attendees, and wished Trent a speedy recovery.
The event was held five days before New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) shuttered indoor dining amid an explosion in COVID-19 cases in the state and nationwide. New York has had a mask mandate in place for public settings since April.
A City Hall official said last week that the party would result in “significant fines” and that “we’re looking at both the group that held the event and the establishment that hosted it.”
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Cuomo also addressed the video, saying the “covid conga line” was “not smart.”
Under fire, the club posted statements on Facebook last week denying wrongdoing and accusing the media and Cuomo of overreacting.
“We are not the mask police, nor are we the social distancing police,” the statement said. “Adults have the absolute right to make their own decisions and clearly many chose to interact like normal humans and not paranoid zombies in hazmat suits.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-30--Woman Who Falsely Accused Black Teen Of Phone Theft Claims She Was Assaulted

A woman accused of assaulting the 14-year-old Black son of prominent jazz musician Keyon Harrold after she falsely accused him of stealing her cellphone has reportedly claimed that she was , in fact , the one assaulted and that a viral video of Saturday ’ s incident doesn ’ t portray her accurately .
“ That ’ s not who I am , ” the 22-year-old told CNN on the condition of anonymity due to safety concerns .
“ I actually ... try very hard to make sure that I am always doing the right thing.
” The woman was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotel in lower Manhattan when she thought that someone had stolen her cellphone .
She told CNN that she demanded to see the hotel ’ s surveillance video and then asked someone else in the lobby to “ empty their pocket ” before confronting Harrold ’ s son , who she said had an iPhone in his back pocket .
A video shared by musician Keyon Harrold shows the woman trying to take his son 's cellphone away from him while accusing the child of having stolen it from her .
Video taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows the woman , who appears to be white , repeatedly lunging at his son while trying to take his iPhone .
The woman calls for help from a hotel manager , who , over Harrold ’ s objection , asks to see the boy ’ s phone .
“ You don ’ t have to explain nothing to her , ” Harrold tells his son as the frenzied woman demands that the boy ’ s phone case be removed and the phone given to her .
Harrold , later speaking with The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone ’ s video cut off just as the woman tackled his son and tried to search his pockets .
Harrold can be heard saying , “ Get your hands off , ” immediately before the video ends .
In her retelling of the events to CNN , the woman said that she was the one assaulted in the hotel ’ s lobby .
She reportedly agreed to provide evidence that might confirm her assault allegation but then stopped responding to the news outlet ’ s phone calls and text messages .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that after reviewing video of the incident , it plans to bring charges against the woman .
Those charges may include assault , grand larceny or attempted robbery .
“ Our perpetrator initially started a verbal argument of this accusation and then tried to attack our teenager by grabbing for his phone , grabbing his leg and trying to tackle him .
Our victim didn ’ t suffer any injuries .
But his father , who he was with , received slight injuries , ” Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison said at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told NBC New York that the department has identified the woman but at the time had not yet interviewed her .
Though Harrold and others have suggested that the incident involved racial profiling , the spokesperson said police are not investigating it as a bias attack .

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A woman accused of assaulting the 14-year-old Black son of prominent jazz musician Keyon Harrold after she falsely accused him of stealing her cellphone has reportedly claimed that she was, in fact, the one assaulted and that a viral video of Saturday’s incident doesn’t portray her accurately.
“That’s not who I am,” the 22-year-old told CNN on the condition of anonymity due to safety concerns. “I actually ... try very hard to make sure that I am always doing the right thing.”
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The woman was inside New York’s Arlo SoHo hotel in lower Manhattan when she thought that someone had stolen her cellphone. She told CNN that she demanded to see the hotel’s surveillance video and then asked someone else in the lobby to “empty their pocket” before confronting Harrold’s son, who she said had an iPhone in his back pocket.
“That’s when everything got a bit more serious,” the woman said.
A video shared by musician Keyon Harrold shows the woman trying to take his son's cellphone away from him while accusing the child of having stolen it from her. Instagram/Keyon Harrold
Video taken by Harrold and posted to social media shows the woman, who appears to be white, repeatedly lunging at his son while trying to take his iPhone. The woman calls for help from a hotel manager, who, over Harrold’s objection, asks to see the boy’s phone.
“You don’t have to explain nothing to her,” Harrold tells his son as the frenzied woman demands that the boy’s phone case be removed and the phone given to her.
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Harrold, later speaking with The New York Times, said that his phone’s video cut off just as the woman tackled his son and tried to search his pockets. Harrold can be heard saying, “Get your hands off,” immediately before the video ends.
At some point after the confrontation, Harrold said, an Uber driver showed up with the woman’s missing phone.
In her retelling of the events to CNN, the woman said that she was the one assaulted in the hotel’s lobby. She reportedly agreed to provide evidence that might confirm her assault allegation but then stopped responding to the news outlet’s phone calls and text messages.
The New York Police Department on Tuesday said that after reviewing video of the incident, it plans to bring charges against the woman. Those charges may include assault, grand larceny or attempted robbery.
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“Our perpetrator initially started a verbal argument of this accusation and then tried to attack our teenager by grabbing for his phone, grabbing his leg and trying to tackle him. Our victim didn’t suffer any injuries. But his father, who he was with, received slight injuries,” Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison said at a press briefing.