thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-19--Arnold Schwarzenegger: 'Biden Was Successful Because He Appeared To Be In The Center'

Arnold Schwarzenegger told CNN ’ s Michael Smerconish Saturday that President Donald Trump ’ s leadership shortcomings cost him the Nov. 3 election while President-elect Joe Biden likely benefitted from a more centrist reputation .
“ I think with Trump it was very simply that four years ago , they voted for Trump because he promised them a certain amount of things , ” Schwarzenegger said about his fellow Republicans .
“ I think the second time , when you get reelected or want to get reelected , it ’ s more about what promises did you keep and how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And I think that ’ s where obviously people felt that he fell short .
And so this is why he was voted out.
” Schwarzenegger added “ people like to see a balance in Washington between the Democrats and the Republicans , ” and told Smerconish that “ Biden was successful because he appeared to be in the center.
” The former California governor and action movie star brought up examples of presidents with more centrist policies , such as Dwight D. Eisenhower , who famously shunned partisan squabbling in favor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Middle Way.
” “ People that are in the center create the action , ” said Schwarzenegger , who himself became known for moderate policies as governor from 2003 to 2011 .
“ I believe in what Eisenhower said : Politics is like a road .
...
The center is drivable , and the left and the right is the gutter .
That ’ s exactly what it is.
” Schwarzenegger has exchanged many verbal barbs with Trump in both the political and entertainment arenas .
He famously replaced Trump as host @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , causing ratings to fall — a fact that Trump frequently lorded over him .
In response , Schwarzenegger once said that Trump “ wants to be me , ” publicly criticized the president ’ s policies and said last year that he doubted he would vote for Trump in the presidential election .

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Arnold Schwarzenegger told CNN’s Michael Smerconish Saturday that President Donald Trump’s leadership shortcomings cost him the Nov. 3 election while President-elect Joe Biden likely benefitted from a more centrist reputation.
“I think with Trump it was very simply that four years ago, they voted for Trump because he promised them a certain amount of things,” Schwarzenegger said about his fellow Republicans. “I think the second time, when you get reelected or want to get reelected, it’s more about what promises did you keep and how did you perform as the leader. And I think that’s where obviously people felt that he fell short. And so this is why he was voted out.”
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Schwarzenegger added “people like to see a balance in Washington between the Democrats and the Republicans,” and told Smerconish that “Biden was successful because he appeared to be in the center.”
The former California governor and action movie star brought up examples of presidents with more centrist policies, such as Dwight D. Eisenhower, who famously shunned partisan squabbling in favor of a more neutral philosophy known as “The Middle Way.”
“People that are in the center create the action,” said Schwarzenegger, who himself became known for moderate policies as governor from 2003 to 2011. “I believe in what Eisenhower said: Politics is like a road. ... The center is drivable, and the left and the right is the gutter. That’s exactly what it is.”
Schwarzenegger has exchanged many verbal barbs with Trump in both the political and entertainment arenas. He famously replaced Trump as host of “Celebrity Apprentice” in 2017, causing ratings to fall — a fact that Trump frequently lorded over him.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-19--Trump Shrugs Off Massive Kremlin Cyberattack As No Biggie, Baselessly Points To China

President Donald Trump on Friday broke his silence on a massive cyberattack on federal agencies linked to Russia and suggested that it ’ s not all that disturbing , all evidence to the contrary .
He also suggested without any basis that China was behind the attack — contradicting his own secretary of state and U.S. intelligence agencies .
The “ Cyber Hack is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality , ” Trump tweeted .
“ I have been fully briefed and everything is well under control.
” The intrusion into federal and other computer systems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and it ’ s hardly under control .
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said the sophisticated operation posed a grave risk to government and private networks .
Hackers gained access to computer systems used by Treasury , Commerce , State and Homeland Security departments and by the National Nuclear Security Administration , which maintains the American stockpile of nuclear weapons .
Officials said that the intrusion continues and that it could take months before the extent of the operation is known or before the hackers can be stopped from accessing U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspicion that the Kremlin is responsible for the assault .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview Friday that Russia was “ pretty clearly ” behind the operation .
“ This was a very significant effort , and I think it ’ s the case that now we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity , ” Pompeo said .
The attack also targeted other nations and private companies around the world .
Trump tried to redirect suspicion away from that nation .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ priority chant when anything happens because Lamestream [ media ] is ... petrified of discussing the possibility that it may be China ( it may ! )
, ” he tweeted .
He also insisted without evidence that the operation “ likely hacked voting ” machines in the presidential election , adding falsely , “ Which is now obvious that I won big.
” The Cyber Hack is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality .
I have been fully briefed and everything is well under control .
Russia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when anything happens because Lamestream is , for mostly financial reasons , petrified of ... .
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) December 19 , 2020 ... .discussing the possibility that it may be China ( it may ! )
.
There could also have been a hit on our ridiculous voting machines during the election , which is now obvious that I won big , making it an even more corrupted embarrassment for the USA .
@ DNI_Ratcliffe @ SecPompeo — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) December 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consequential cyberespionage campaign in history , and the fact that the government is absent is a huge problem for the nation , ” Dmitri Alperovitch , a co-founder of the security firm CrowdStrike , told the Times .
Sen. Mitt Romney ( R-Utah ) said Thursday that it was “ extraordinary ” that Trump had yet to utter a single word about the hack at that time .
He compared it to a president remaining silent had Russian bombers buzzed the White House .
Not only should the president condemn the action , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia , Romney added .
Trump has taken a soft line against Russia and its president , Vladimir Putin , throughout his administration .
When Putin denied that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election , the president took his word for it , despite evidence to the contrary .

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President Donald Trump on Saturday broke his silence on a massive cyberattack on federal agencies linked to Russia and suggested that it’s not all that disturbing, all evidence to the contrary.
He also suggested without any basis that China was behind the attack — contradicting his own secretary of state and U.S. intelligence agencies.
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The “Cyber Hack is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality,” Trump tweeted. “I have been fully briefed and everything is well under control.”
The intrusion into federal and other computer systems is considered the most extensive in history — and it’s hardly under control. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said the sophisticated operation posed a grave risk to government and private networks.
Hackers gained access to computer systems used by Treasury, Commerce, State and Homeland Security departments and by the National Nuclear Security Administration, which maintains the American stockpile of nuclear weapons.
Officials said that the intrusion continues and that it could take months before the extent of the operation is known or before the hackers can be stopped from accessing U.S. systems.
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Trump also contradicted experts’ suspicion that the Kremlin is responsible for the assault. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview Friday that Russia was “pretty clearly” behind the operation.
“This was a very significant effort, and I think it’s the case that now we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity,” Pompeo said. The attack also targeted other nations and private companies around the world.
The Kremlin denied any role in the hack.
Trump tried to redirect suspicion away from that nation. “Russia, Russia, Russia is the priority chant when anything happens because Lamestream [media] is ... petrified of discussing the possibility that it may be China (it may!),” he tweeted.
He also insisted without evidence that the operation “likely hacked voting” machines in the presidential election, adding falsely, “Which is now obvious that I won big.”
Twitter placed an advisory note on Trump’s tweet that Joe Biden won the election.
The Cyber Hack is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality. I have been fully briefed and everything is well under control. Russia, Russia, Russia is the priority chant when anything happens because Lamestream is, for mostly financial reasons, petrified of.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2020
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....discussing the possibility that it may be China (it may!). There could also have been a hit on our ridiculous voting machines during the election, which is now obvious that I won big, making it an even more corrupted embarrassment for the USA. @DNI_Ratcliffe @SecPompeo — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2020
Trump privately dismissed the hack as a “hoax,” The New York Times reported, citing unnamed sources.
“This is the most consequential cyberespionage campaign in history, and the fact that the government is absent is a huge problem for the nation,” Dmitri Alperovitch, a co-founder of the security firm CrowdStrike, told the Times.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said Thursday that it was “extraordinary” that Trump had yet to utter a single word about the hack at that time.
He compared it to a president remaining silent had Russian bombers buzzed the White House. Not only should the president condemn the action, but he should also consider sanctions against Russia, Romney added.
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Trump has taken a soft line against Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, throughout his administration. When Putin denied that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election, the president took his word for it, despite evidence to the contrary.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-19--Mike Pompeo: ‘Pretty Clearly’ Russians Behind Mass Cyberattack

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Russia was “ pretty clearly ” behind the grave cyberattack against the United States , the first administration official to publicly tie the Kremlin to the widespread intrusion at a time when President Donald Trump has kept silent on the failure to protect government and private-sector computer networks .
“ We ’ re still unpacking precisely what it is , and I ’ m sure some of it will remain classified , ” Pompeo said in an interview late Friday with radio talk show host Mark Levin .
“ But suffice it to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a piece of third-party software to essentially embed code inside of U.S. government systems and it now appears systems of private companies and companies and governments across the world as well .
This was a very significant effort , and I think it ’ s the case that now we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity.
” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on a conservative talk show Friday , “ I think it ’ s the case that now we can say pretty clearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this activity . ''
Pompeo , in the interview with Levin , said Russia was on the list of “ folks that want to undermine our way of life , our republic , our basic democratic principles .
... You see the news of the day with respect to their efforts in the cyberspace .
We ’ ve seen this for an awfully long time , using asymmetric capabilities to try and put themselves in a place where they can impose costs on the United States.
” It ’ s going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the U.S. government networks they have been quietly rifling through since as far back as March .
Experts say there simply are not enough skilled threat-hunting teams to duly identify all the government and private-sector systems that may have been hacked .
FireEye , the cybersecurity company that discovered the intrusion into U.S. agencies and was among the victims , has already tallied dozens of casualties .
It ’ s racing to identify more .
Many federal workers — and others in the private sector — must presume that unclassified networks are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more inclined to conduct sensitive government business on Signal , WhatsApp and other encrypted smartphone apps .
If the hackers are indeed from Russia ’ s SVR foreign intelligence agency , as experts believe , their resistance may be tenacious .
When they hacked the White House , the Joint Chiefs of Staff , and the State Department in 2014 and 2015 “ it was a nightmare to get them out , ” Alperovitch said .

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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Russia was “pretty clearly” behind the grave cyberattack against the United States, the first administration official to publicly tie the Kremlin to the widespread intrusion at a time when President Donald Trump has kept silent on the failure to protect government and private-sector computer networks.
It’s not clear exactly what the hackers were seeking, but experts say it could include nuclear secrets, blueprints for advanced weaponry, COVID-19 vaccine-related research, and information for dossiers on key government and industry leaders.
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“We’re still unpacking precisely what it is, and I’m sure some of it will remain classified,” Pompeo said in an interview late Friday with radio talk show host Mark Levin. “But suffice it to say there was a significant effort to use a piece of third-party software to essentially embed code inside of U.S. government systems and it now appears systems of private companies and companies and governments across the world as well. This was a very significant effort, and I think it’s the case that now we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity.”
Russia has said it had “nothing to do” with the hacking.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on a conservative talk show Friday, “I think it’s the case that now we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity." ASSOCIATED PRESS
Deputy White House press secretary Brian Morgenstern told reporters Friday that national security adviser Robert O’Brien has sometimes been leading multiple daily meetings with the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the intelligence agencies, looking for ways to mitigate the hack.
He would not provide details, “but rest assured we have the best and brightest working hard on it each and every single day.”
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The Democratic leaders of four House committees given classified briefings by the administration on the hack issued a statement complaining that they “were left with more questions than answers.”
“Administration officials were unwilling to share the full scope of the breach and identities of the victims,” they said.
President Donald Trump has not commented publicly on the matter. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pompeo, in the interview with Levin, said Russia was on the list of “folks that want to undermine our way of life, our republic, our basic democratic principles. ... You see the news of the day with respect to their efforts in the cyberspace. We’ve seen this for an awfully long time, using asymmetric capabilities to try and put themselves in a place where they can impose costs on the United States.”
What makes this hacking campaign so extraordinary is its scale: 18,000 organizations were infected from March to June by malicious code that piggybacked on popular network-management software from an Austin, Texas, company called SolarWinds.
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It’s going to take months to kick elite hackers out of the U.S. government networks they have been quietly rifling through since as far back as March.
Experts say there simply are not enough skilled threat-hunting teams to duly identify all the government and private-sector systems that may have been hacked. FireEye, the cybersecurity company that discovered the intrusion into U.S. agencies and was among the victims, has already tallied dozens of casualties. It’s racing to identify more.
Florida became the first state to acknowledge falling victim to a SolarWinds hack. towfiqu ahamed via Getty Images
Many federal workers — and others in the private sector — must presume that unclassified networks are teeming with spies. Agencies will be more inclined to conduct sensitive government business on Signal, WhatsApp and other encrypted smartphone apps.
“We should buckle up. This will be a long ride,” said Dmitri Alperovitch, co-founder and former chief technical officer of the leading cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. “Cleanup is just phase one.”
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The only way to be sure a network is clean is “to burn it down to the ground and rebuild it,” Schneier said.
Florida became the first state to acknowledge falling victim to a SolarWinds hack. Officials told The Associated Press that hackers apparently infiltrated the state’s health care administration agency and others.
SolarWinds’ customers include most Fortune 500 companies, and it’s U.S. government clients are rich with generals and spymasters.
If the hackers are indeed from Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence agency, as experts believe, their resistance may be tenacious. When they hacked the White House, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the State Department in 2014 and 2015 “it was a nightmare to get them out,” Alperovitch said.
The Pentagon has said it has so far not detected any intrusions from the SolarWinds campaign in any of its networks — classified or unclassified.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-19--Biden Introduces His Climate Team, Says 'No Time To Waste'

WILMINGTON , Del .
( AP ) — Just as the United States has needed a unified , national response to COVID-19 , it needs one for dealing with climate change , President-elect Joe Biden said Saturday as he rolled out key members of his environmental team .
The approach is a shift from Donald Trump ’ s presidency , which has been marked by efforts to boost oil and gas production while rolling back government efforts intended to safeguard the environment .
The incoming Biden team will try to undo or block many of the current administration ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emphasis on looking out for the low-income , working class and minority communities hit hardest by fossil fuel pollution and climate change .
In his remarks , Biden stressed the diversity of an emerging team that he described as “ brilliant , qualified , tested and they are barrier-busting.
” “ Already there are more people of color in our Cabinet than any Cabinet ever , more women than ever , ” said the former vice president , who has promised to assemble a group of department leaders who reflect the diversity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be the first Native American to lead the Interior Department , which has wielded influence over the nation ’ s tribes for generations .
She said her life has not been easy .
She struggled with homelessness and relied on food stamps at one point .
“ This moment is profound when we consider the fact that a former secretary of the Interior once proclaimed his goal , was to quote , ‘ civilize or exterminate ’ us , ” Haaland said .
“ I ’ m a living testament to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-term Michigan Gov .
Jennifer Granholm is in line to be energy secretary .
She described arriving in the U.S. at age 4 and brought from Canada by a family “ seeking opportunity.
” She said her father found work as a bank teller and retired as head of the bank .
“ It ’ s because of my family ’ s journey and my experience in fighting for hardworking Michigan families that I have become obsessed , obsessed with gaining good-paying jobs in America in a global economy , ” Granholm said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the first African American man to run the Environmental Protection Agency .
Regan , the state environmental head since 2017 , has made a name for himself by pursuing cleanups of industrial toxins and helping the low-income and minority communities significantly affected by pollution .
Regan said he grew up in North Carolina hunting and fishing with his father and grandfather and that he has great respect for the outdoors and the country ’ s natural resources , but he also had a respiratory condition that required him to use an inhaler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ career , my goals have been the same , ” Regan said .
“ To safeguard our natural resources , to improve the quality of our air and water , to protect our families and our communities , and to help them see the opportunities of a cleaner , healthier world.
” Biden ’ s nominee to oversee the Council on Environmental Quality is Brenda Mallory .
The office oversees environmental reviews for virtually all major infrastructure projects and advises the president on major environmental issues .
If confirmed , she would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position since it was created more than half a century ago .
Two other members of the team introduced Saturday do not need Senate confirmation .
They are Gina McCarthy , to serve as national climate adviser , and Ali Zaidi , to serve as her deputy .
McCarthy was EPA administrator from 2013 to 2017 during President Barack Obama ’ s second term .

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WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Just as the United States has needed a unified, national response to COVID-19, it needs one for dealing with climate change, President-elect Joe Biden said Saturday as he rolled out key members of his environmental team.
“We literally have no time to waste,” Biden told reporters as introduced his choices.
The approach is a shift from Donald Trump’s presidency, which has been marked by efforts to boost oil and gas production while rolling back government efforts intended to safeguard the environment. The incoming Biden team will try to undo or block many of the current administration’s initiatives. There also will be an emphasis on looking out for the low-income, working class and minority communities hit hardest by fossil fuel pollution and climate change.
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In his remarks, Biden stressed the diversity of an emerging team that he described as “brilliant, qualified, tested and they are barrier-busting.”
“Already there are more people of color in our Cabinet than any Cabinet ever, more women than ever,” said the former vice president, who has promised to assemble a group of department leaders who reflect the diversity of America.
The nominees Biden introduced Saturday had compelling personal stories that they cited as guiding them if confirmed by the Senate.
New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland would be the first Native American to lead the Interior Department, which has wielded influence over the nation’s tribes for generations. She said her life has not been easy. She struggled with homelessness and relied on food stamps at one point.
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“This moment is profound when we consider the fact that a former secretary of the Interior once proclaimed his goal, was to quote, ‘civilize or exterminate’ us,” Haaland said. “I’m a living testament to the failure of that horrific ideology.”
Haaland was referring to Alexander H.H. Stuart, who said that in 1851.
Former two-term Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm is in line to be energy secretary. She described arriving in the U.S. at age 4 and brought from Canada by a family “seeking opportunity.” She said her father found work as a bank teller and retired as head of the bank.
“It’s because of my family’s journey and my experience in fighting for hardworking Michigan families that I have become obsessed, obsessed with gaining good-paying jobs in America in a global economy,” Granholm said.
North Carolina official Michael Regan would be the first African American man to run the Environmental Protection Agency. Regan, the state environmental head since 2017, has made a name for himself by pursuing cleanups of industrial toxins and helping the low-income and minority communities significantly affected by pollution.
Regan said he grew up in North Carolina hunting and fishing with his father and grandfather and that he has great respect for the outdoors and the country’s natural resources, but he also had a respiratory condition that required him to use an inhaler.
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“Since the start of my career, my goals have been the same,” Regan said. “To safeguard our natural resources, to improve the quality of our air and water, to protect our families and our communities, and to help them see the opportunities of a cleaner, healthier world.”
Biden’s nominee to oversee the Council on Environmental Quality is Brenda Mallory. The office oversees environmental reviews for virtually all major infrastructure projects and advises the president on major environmental issues. If confirmed, she would be the first African American to hold the position since it was created more than half a century ago.
Two other members of the team introduced Saturday do not need Senate confirmation. They are Gina McCarthy, to serve as national climate adviser, and Ali Zaidi, to serve as her deputy. McCarthy was EPA administrator from 2013 to 2017 during President Barack Obama’s second term.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-19--Employers Are Allowed To Require Employees To Get Coronavirus Vaccine, Government Says

The U.S .
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has determined that employers will be allowed to require employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine and block them from entering the workplace if they refuse .
The commission explained in newly updated guidance that such a requirement does not violate the Americans with Disabilities Act , which forbids employers from performing medical examinations on employees .
A vaccine does not constitute a medical examination , the EEOC said , because the employer is “ not seeking information about an individual ’ s impairments or current health status.
” Employers may also choose to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 vaccine , the commission said , because it would not amount to a disability-related inquiry .
Additional questioning about an individual ’ s medical history , however , must be handled with caution .
While the ADA generally shields people from having their employers inquire about their personal health , it does permit employers to ensure that any one employee “ shall not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of individuals in the workplace.
” Employers may therefore prove to be a key influence on whether Americans seek out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Food and Drug Administration has now granted emergency approval for two drugs ― one manufactured by Pfizer and BioNTech , and the other by Moderna ― which both offer about 95 % efficacy .
Millions of doses are currently rolling out for nationwide distribution , and thousands of high-risk individuals and frontline workers have already received the first shots .
Polling , however , suggests that a significant portion of American adults are wary of the vaccines .
Around 60 % have indicated that they would “ definitely ” or “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were available to them immediately ― leaving a whopping 40 % leaning against it .
Conservatives are generally more likely to be skeptical of COVID-19 vaccines , which is not helped by the fact that some high-profile conservative media figures have spread misinformation about the vaccines , and not provided information about what the medical community does and does not know about the disease and its treatments .
Experts believe it is highly unlikely that either of the mRNA-based vaccines approved so far will cause unexpected widespread side effects .
The most common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body aches , which dissipate after a day or two .
Moncef Slaoui , the top science advisor for the White House ’ s Operation Warp Speed , has said that 70 % to 80 % of the U.S. population will need to get vaccinated in order to put a stop to the crisis , which has already killed more than 310,000 in the country .

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The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has determined that employers will be allowed to require employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine and block them from entering the workplace if they refuse.
The commission explained in newly updated guidance that such a requirement does not violate the Americans with Disabilities Act, which forbids employers from performing medical examinations on employees.
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A vaccine does not constitute a medical examination, the EEOC said, because the employer is “not seeking information about an individual’s impairments or current health status.” Employers may also choose to require documentation that an individual received a COVID-19 vaccine, the commission said, because it would not amount to a disability-related inquiry. Additional questioning about an individual’s medical history, however, must be handled with caution.
While the ADA generally shields people from having their employers inquire about their personal health, it does permit employers to ensure that any one employee “shall not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of individuals in the workplace.”
Employers may therefore prove to be a key influence on whether Americans seek out a coronavirus vaccine, and how quickly.
The Food and Drug Administration has now granted emergency approval for two drugs ― one manufactured by Pfizer and BioNTech, and the other by Moderna ― which both offer about 95% efficacy. Millions of doses are currently rolling out for nationwide distribution, and thousands of high-risk individuals and frontline workers have already received the first shots.
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Polling, however, suggests that a significant portion of American adults are wary of the vaccines. Around 60% have indicated that they would “definitely” or “probably” get the vaccine if it were available to them immediately ― leaving a whopping 40% leaning against it.
Conservatives are generally more likely to be skeptical of COVID-19 vaccines, which is not helped by the fact that some high-profile conservative media figures have spread misinformation about the vaccines, and not provided information about what the medical community does and does not know about the disease and its treatments.
Experts believe it is highly unlikely that either of the mRNA-based vaccines approved so far will cause unexpected widespread side effects. The most common side effects are fatigue, headache and body aches, which dissipate after a day or two.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-19--States Spent Over $7 Billion Fighting For Early Virus Supplies

The data , obtained through open-records requests , is the most comprehensive accounting to date of how much states were buying , what they were spending , and whom they were paying during a chaotic spring when inadequate national stockpiles left state governments scrambling for hard-to-get supplies .
Much of the buying happened outside normal competitive bidding procedures and , in many states , a lack of transparency from governors ’ administrations made it difficult for the public — and even lawmakers — to see how taxpayer money was being spent .
The spending data covers the period from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early 2020 to the start of summer .
Some governors described the early PPE marketplace as the Wild West , where supplies often went to the highest bidder , even if they had already been promised to someone else .
States set up their own fraud tests , rejecting masks that failed to meet safety specifications or lacked medical labeling .
In some states , normal recordkeeping went by the wayside .
Idaho didn ’ t initially itemize how much it paid for each mask and glove ordered from each supplier .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buyers were preoccupied with trying to buy large quantities as quickly as possible against hundreds of competitors — all while working from home because of the pandemic , said J.P. Brady , senior buyer for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare .
Ray Bellia stocks shelves with personal protective gloves , used by medical and law enforcement professionals , while unpacking pallets of other PPE goods in the warehouse of his Body Armor Outlet store , Wednesday , Dec. 9 , 2020 , in Salem , N.H. A nationwide analysis of state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governors ' administrations spent at least $ 7 billion to purchase personal protective equipment and high-demand medical devices during the first frenzied months of the coronavirus pandemic .
Bellia adapted his inventory and supply chain as the pandemic hit toward delivering PPE goods , which were a minor part of his business in previous years .
( AP Photo/Charles Krupa ) During the first quarter of 2020 , when China was in lockdown , BYD reported a 35 % decline in operating income .
That ’ s when company Chairman Wang Chuanfu decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BYD ’ s income rebounded to post a 12 % gain through the first three-quarters of the year .
Its stock price surged from $ 5 a share in January to more than $ 20 this fall , although it ’ s unclear how much of that is attributable to new PPE production versus its sales of electric vehicles and other products .

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Ray Bellia had a good business before the coronavirus pandemic. He topped $4 million in annual sales from his New Hampshire store that specialized in protective gear for police.
Then he got a call from a buyer with the state of Massachusetts asking if he had anything that could protect people from COVID-19. As it happened, he did. He went on to sell the state 300,000 disposable masks for 97 cents each.
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“From that point on, it’s been just insanity,” Bellia said.
Masks. Gowns. Gloves. Goggles. Sanitizer. Coveralls. Thermometers. Bellia has sold it all, and not just to Massachusetts. From Maine to Hawaii, numerous other states, counties, cities, colleges, and schools have lined up to buy from him.
While countless other businesses tanked amid coronavirus shutdowns, Bellia’s store — Body Armor Outlet — rapidly evolved into one of the nation’s 20 largest suppliers of personal protective equipment to states this past spring, according to a nationwide analysis of state purchasing data by The Associated Press.
The AP tallied more than $7 billion in purchases by states this spring for personal protective equipment and high-demand medical devices such as ventilators and infrared thermometers.
The data, obtained through open-records requests, is the most comprehensive accounting to date of how much states were buying, what they were spending, and whom they were paying during a chaotic spring when inadequate national stockpiles left state governments scrambling for hard-to-get supplies. Much of the buying happened outside normal competitive bidding procedures and, in many states, a lack of transparency from governors’ administrations made it difficult for the public — and even lawmakers — to see how taxpayer money was being spent.
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The spending data covers the period from the emergence of COVID-19 in the U.S. in early 2020 to the start of summer. Some governors described the early PPE marketplace as the Wild West, where supplies often went to the highest bidder, even if they had already been promised to someone else. States set up their own fraud tests, rejecting masks that failed to meet safety specifications or lacked medical labeling.
In some states, normal recordkeeping went by the wayside. Idaho didn’t initially itemize how much it paid for each mask and glove ordered from each supplier. That’s because the state’s buyers were preoccupied with trying to buy large quantities as quickly as possible against hundreds of competitors — all while working from home because of the pandemic, said J.P. Brady, senior buyer for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
“It was chaos, pandemonium,” Brady said. “None of us knew what we were doing.”
Ray Bellia stocks shelves with personal protective gloves, used by medical and law enforcement professionals, while unpacking pallets of other PPE goods in the warehouse of his Body Armor Outlet store, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Salem, N.H. A nationwide analysis of state purchasing data by The Associated Press showed governors' administrations spent at least $7 billion to purchase personal protective equipment and high-demand medical devices during the first frenzied months of the coronavirus pandemic. Bellia adapted his inventory and supply chain as the pandemic hit toward delivering PPE goods, which were a minor part of his business in previous years. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Though states have spent millions more this fall as COVID-19 cases surged again, the initial PPE spending panic has subsided as production increased and supply chains improved.
California spent the most during the pandemic’s initial months — at least $1.5 billion in the AP’s data — followed by Texas, Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington. New York also spent several hundred million dollars on PPE and ventilators through November, though it’s unclear how much of that occurred in the spring.
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New Jersey and New York provided total figures but not specific details about their purchases. New Jersey’s health department said it would be too “disruptive” to agency operations to do so, and New York repeatedly postponed a response.
The AP’s data shows that millions of dollars flowed from states to businesses that had never before sold PPE, including a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, an American tribal organization and consultants with international connections. Traditional safety equipment suppliers also saw a surge in PPE sales, offsetting their losses from other products amid the sudden recession.
But the states’ burst of spending wasn’t a boon for everyone. Some businesses that tried to supply PPE lost millions of dollars when states canceled orders that failed to meet aggressive delivery deadlines or strict product specifications. Businesses selling PPE faced a treacherous market, with backlogs at foreign manufacturers, shipping delays and multiple intermediaries.
All of that led to a spike in prices paid by the states, costing taxpayers millions of dollars.
Before the pandemic, an N95 mask that filters out tiny particles might have cost about 50 cents. This spring, states paid an average of $3 each, according to the AP’s analysis. Some states paid more than $10 a mask to get them quickly. Average prices for gloves rose fourfold.
In mid-March, Louisiana paid $57,450 for 5,000 N95 masks — at $11.49 each — from Grey Wolf Safety Group in Broussard. Grey Wolf owner Sean McClellan said that to fulfill the state’s order, he had to buy out whatever his competitors had in stock. Some masks he got were designed for painting, others for welding. Some came with special breathing valves, while others did not.
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“All the cheap masks that were N95, those were already gone,” McClellan said. “So I basically bought up the expensive ones that were left.”
Then he marked up the price a bit more and resold them to the state, making a couple of dollars per mask.
“I’m not price-gouging,” McClellan said. “I have to make something, and I then have to pay my salesperson something.”
Other businesses that charged high prices to states offered similar explanations. Go Green Solutions Inc. in South Grafton, Massachusetts sold its home state several thousand N95 masks in early April for $11.25 to $11.50 each. The price was a product of limited supply and high demand, resulting in only modest profit margins, manager Jim Fisher said.
“Usually, if you found inventory with some of your suppliers, you had to make a purchase right then and there. You couldn’t wait,” he said, “because, within an hour, it would be gone.”
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States competed with each other, hospital systems, the federal government, and even other countries to find and buy medical gear as the virus began spreading.
The pressure to obtain protective supplies led some states to unusual sources. Minnesota bought 2,300 waterproof gowns intended for milking cows from Udder Tech Inc. The special gowns cost about $46 each when freight was included — about seven times the average price that states were paying for medical gowns this spring. Before the pandemic, some health care systems could buy disposable gowns for about 40 cents each.
“They were looking to acquire anything they could at that point to help protect the health care workers,” said Dana Casto, business manager at the Rosemount, Minnesota-based dairy supply company.
Ray Bellia holds up N95 personal protective masks, used by medical and law enforcement professionals, in the warehouse of his Body Armor Outlet store, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Salem, N.H. Bellia's store rapidly evolved into one of the nation's 20 largest suppliers of personal protective equipment to states this past spring, according to a nationwide analysis of state purchasing data by The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) ASSOCIATED PRESS
While some states paid a premium for small orders from local suppliers, their purchasing agents also scrambled to secure large quantities of protective equipment, much of it manufactured in Asia. That created an opportunity for companies to enter the PPE field.
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The largest supplier of PPE to states this spring had never sold a single mask before the pandemic. But from mid-March to early June, Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD sold $930 million worth of masks and sanitizer to states. Two-thirds of that went to California, where Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom drew criticism for initially keeping secret the details of his “bold and big” deal that paid BYD $3.30 for each N95.
Like the leaders of some other states, Newsom sidestepped the traditional purchasing process of publicly soliciting competitive bids from vendors, which can take weeks or even months. Some state lawmakers responsible for budgeting complained that Newsom left them out of the loop.
Washington, which was among the first states to record coronavirus cases, bought tens of millions of N95 masks and similar KN95 masks from BYD this spring at prices ranging from $2.58 to $4.02 each. That helped rank Washington among the top states in mask purchasing rates per COVID-19 cases among its residents, according to the AP’s analysis.
BYD also sold to Connecticut, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Texas this spring and signed an additional $316 million deal with California in July, after the period covered by the AP’s data. By then, the price the company charged to California had fallen to $2.13 per N95 mask and 20 cents per surgical mask, barely a third of the spring rate.
During the first quarter of 2020, when China was in lockdown, BYD reported a 35% decline in operating income. That’s when company Chairman Wang Chuanfu decided to begin making masks and sanitizer. BYD’s income rebounded to post a 12% gain through the first three-quarters of the year. Its stock price surged from $5 a share in January to more than $20 this fall, although it’s unclear how much of that is attributable to new PPE production versus its sales of electric vehicles and other products.
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Frank Girardot, senior communications director for BYD North America, compared Chuanfu to an inventor “along the lines of Thomas Edison” who got into the PPE business for altruistic reasons.
“He, in January, decided that this was something that the company had to do in service to the world,” Girardot said.
BYD’s largest U.S. investor is Berkshire Hathaway, led by Warren Buffett.
Fastenal Co. and W.W. Grainger, two industrial suppliers, also saw surges in PPE sales. The AP’s data includes $99 million in PPE sales to 32 states by Fastenal, and $50 million in PPE sales to 40 states by Grainger, which said its profits on those sales were squeezed by increased freight costs and previous contracts with reduced prices.
Many of the companies in the AP’s data set are not publicly traded and thus can keep their financial figures private. For example, one of the largest deals is California’s $179 million order of 20 million gowns from BuKo LLC. The New York-based company has a bare-bones website that describes it as “a brand and product development think tank.” Few other details are available about the company.
BuKo owner Rashmi Budhram declined to comment when reached by telephone.
Others, however, were more than willing to describe how PPE sales provided a lifeline at the onset of the pandemic.
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The leaders at Grand Traverse Economic Development, a commercial investment entity for the Ottawa and Chippewa Native American tribes in Michigan, decided to get into the PPE business when a shutdown affected the tribe’s other business ventures. The organization quickly became New Hampshire’s top PPE supplier, selling the state nearly $28 million worth of masks, gowns, coveralls, face shields, and sanitizing wipes this spring. It made a profit of around 10% to 15%, business development director Lauren Tucker said.
“This helped us keep our doors open, keep our staff fully employed and engaged, and we grew during the pandemic,” she said.
Bellia, president of Body Armor Outlet, also expanded. The AP’s data for the spring includes just over $50 million in PPE sales to states by the Salem, New Hampshire, company. But Bellia said his total PPE sales this year are around $120 million — a roughly thirtyfold increase over his company’s total sales for 2019.
Because of the success, Bellia increased his payroll from eight to 12 employees. And while he continues to sell body armor, he cleared almost all of it out of his warehouse to make room for coronavirus PPE.
“While in a heartbeat I would trade this to go back to the way it was, I think unequivocally it’s been a great thing for us,” he said.
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___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-19--Fauci Says He Personally Vaccinated Santa Claus Against COVID-19

Dr. Anthony Fauci laid to rest any concerns that kids might have about Santa and COVID-19 , announcing that he personally vaccinated the jolly old guy .
“ I took a trip up there to the North Pole , I went there and I vaccinated Santa Claus myself , ” Fauci said Saturday on CNN , responding to multiple queries from worried children .
“ I measured his level of immunity , and he is good to go .
He can come down the chimney .
He can leave the presents , he can leave and you have nothing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Didn ’ t Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , say only last month that Santa was immune to the novel coronavirus ?
It ’ s true that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that even people who have had the virus , and thus may have natural immunity , get the vaccine .
That ’ s because scientists don ’ t know how long immunity may last after someone has had COVID-19 .
Here are some more questions raised by Santa ’ s preferential treatment @

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Dr. Anthony Fauci laid to rest any concerns that kids might have about Santa and COVID-19, announcing that he personally vaccinated the jolly old guy.
“I took a trip up there to the North Pole, I went there and I vaccinated Santa Claus myself,” Fauci said Saturday on CNN, responding to multiple queries from worried children. “I measured his level of immunity, and he is good to go. He can come down the chimney. He can leave the presents, he can leave and you have nothing to worry about.”
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👌 Definitely one of the best moments on television today 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/wKg9kZSE7l — Rajesh Menon (@rajeshmenon) December 19, 2020
But wait a minute. Didn’t Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, say only last month that Santa was immune to the novel coronavirus?
It’s true that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that even people who have had the virus, and thus may have natural immunity, get the vaccine. That’s because scientists don’t know how long immunity may last after someone has had COVID-19.
Even so, when Fauci discussed Santa’s immunity before, he made it sound like Kris Kringle’s “good innate immunity” was sufficient protection for a safe Christmas night. In that case, why give one of the first available vaccines to him, rather than someone more immediately vulnerable?
Here are some more questions raised by Santa’s preferential treatment:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-19--Desi Lydic Calls Her Fox News 'Family' For Christmas And It Does Not Go Well

Desi Lydic gave her “ family ” members at Fox News another shot at behaving themselves on a spoof video @ @ @ @ @ But just like when “ The Daily Show ” correspondent “ called ” the network @ @ @ @ @ in a cleverly-edited parody segment for Thanksgiving that aired last month , this latest “ @ @ @ @ @ to conspiracy theories and the coronavirus pandemic .
Things go even further awry when Fox @ @ @ @ @ call , leaving Lydic with no option but to mute them all .
Check out @ @ @ @ @ conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-19--Biden Defeats Trump Once Again In Colbert’s 'Twas The Coup Before Christmas'

President-elect Joe Biden teams up with Santa Claus to save Christmas from President Donald Trump in a new animated short @ @ @ @ @ s broadcast of “ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
” In the seven-minute skit @ @ @ @ @ Before Christmas , ” Biden visits Santa and asks him to grant his wish of @ @ @ @ @ divisive presidency of his predecessor .
But Trump , his attorney Rudy Giuliani and Senate @ @ @ @ @ R-Ky. ) are hellbent on proving the election was stolen from Trump ― which , @ @ @ @ @ a claim Trump continues to make .
Trump and his backers in the video allege @ @ @ @ @ him are actually hidden inside Santa ’ s sack .
But Trump ’ s narcissism @ @ @ @ @ downfall when he opens the sack for his own gain .
Check out the full @ @ @ @ @ are happening now .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

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President-elect Joe Biden teams up with Santa Claus to save Christmas from President Donald Trump in a new animated short that aired on Friday’s broadcast of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
In the seven-minute skit called “Twas The Coup Before Christmas,” Biden visits Santa and asks him to grant his wish of unifying the country following the divisive presidency of his predecessor.
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But Trump, his attorney Rudy Giuliani and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) are hellbent on proving the election was stolen from Trump ― which, in real life, is a claim Trump continues to make.
Trump and his backers in the video allege that trillions of ballots for him are actually hidden inside Santa’s sack. But Trump’s narcissism ultimately leads to his own downfall when he opens the sack for his own gain.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-20--Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccine Prepares To Ship Out Following FDA Authorization

OLIVE BRANCH , Miss .
( AP ) — Workers on Sunday began packaging shipments of the second COVID-19 vaccine authorized in the U.S. , a desperately needed boost to efforts to bring the coronavirus pandemic under control .
Employees at a factory in the Memphis area were boxing up the vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. and the National Institutes of Health .
The much-needed shots are expected to be given starting Monday , just three days after the Food and Drug Administration authorized their emergency rollout .
Later Sunday , an expert committee will debate who should be next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moderna vaccine and a similar one from Pfizer Inc. and Germany ’ s BioNTech .
Pfizer ’ s shots were first shipped out a week ago and started being used the next day , kicking off the nation ’ s biggest vaccination drive .
Public health experts say the shots — and others in the pipeline — are the only way to stop a virus that has been spreading wildly .
Nationwide , more than 219,000 people per day on average test positive for the virus , which has killed more than 314,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worldwide .
The Pfizer and Moderna shots shipped so far and going out over the next few weeks are nearly all going to health care workers and residents of long-term care homes , based on the advice of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices .
That panel meets Sunday to debate who should get the doses available after those early shots are given .
There won ’ t be enough shots for the general population until spring , so doses will be rationed at least for the next several months .
The panel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers ” next in line , because people like bus drivers , grocery store clerks and others are the ones getting infected most often .
But other experts say people 65 and older should be next , along with people with certain medical conditions , because those are the Americans who are dying at the highest rates .
The expert panel ’ s advice is almost always endorsed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
No matter what the CDC says , there will be differences from state to state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ideas about who should be closer to the front of the line .
Both the new Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech shot require two doses several weeks apart .
The second dose must be from the same company as the first .
Both vaccines appeared safe and strongly protective in large , still unfinished studies .

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OLIVE BRANCH, Miss. (AP) — Workers on Sunday began packaging shipments of the second COVID-19 vaccine authorized in the U.S., a desperately needed boost to efforts to bring the coronavirus pandemic under control.
Employees at a factory in the Memphis area were boxing up the vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. and the National Institutes of Health. The much-needed shots are expected to be given starting Monday, just three days after the Food and Drug Administration authorized their emergency rollout.
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Later Sunday, an expert committee will debate who should be next in line for early doses of the Moderna vaccine and a similar one from Pfizer Inc. and Germany’s BioNTech. Pfizer’s shots were first shipped out a week ago and started being used the next day, kicking off the nation’s biggest vaccination drive.
Public health experts say the shots — and others in the pipeline — are the only way to stop a virus that has been spreading wildly. Nationwide, more than 219,000 people per day on average test positive for the virus, which has killed more than 314,000 in the U.S. and nearly 1.7 million worldwide.
The Pfizer and Moderna shots shipped so far and going out over the next few weeks are nearly all going to health care workers and residents of long-term care homes, based on the advice of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
That panel meets Sunday to debate who should get the doses available after those early shots are given.
Advertisement
There won’t be enough shots for the general population until spring, so doses will be rationed at least for the next several months.
The panel members are leaning toward putting “essential workers” next in line, because people like bus drivers, grocery store clerks and others are the ones getting infected most often. But other experts say people 65 and older should be next, along with people with certain medical conditions, because those are the Americans who are dying at the highest rates.
The expert panel’s advice is almost always endorsed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No matter what the CDC says, there will be differences from state to state, because their health departments have different ideas about who should be closer to the front of the line.
Both the new Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech shot require two doses several weeks apart. The second dose must be from the same company as the first. Both vaccines appeared safe and strongly protective in large, still unfinished studies.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-19--Fight Over Fed Powers Stalls $900 Billion Pandemic Relief Plan

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — An arcane battle over emergency Federal Reserve powers foiled efforts on Saturday to lock down an agreement on an almost $ 1 trillion COVID-19 economic relief package .
The deadlock was just the latest stumble in a partisan , months-long fight over pandemic relief and the lack of progress is backing lawmakers once again up against a government shutdown deadline Sunday night .
Lawmakers on both sides said a provision by Sen. Pat Toomey , R-Pa. , that would curb emergency Federal Reserve powers was the sticking point .
Republicans are insisting on the Toomey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
After some posturing earlier Saturday , efforts intensified at forging a compromise , and Toomey met twice with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , to try to iron it out .
“ I think they agreed to go back and write down what they were saying , so everybody can read it and exchange paper , ” said Sen. John Cornyn , R-Texas .
Toomey defended his controversial provision in a floor speech , saying the emergency powers were designed to stabilize capital markets at the height of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the end of the month anyway .
The language would block the Biden administration from restarting them .
Even Toomey said this week that his provision “ could be seen as redundant , ” but neither he nor his Democratic adversaries were backing down from the fight , though compromise language was being shuttled back and forth .
At issue are Fed emergency programs , launched amid the pandemic this spring , that provided loans to small and mid-size businesses and bought state and local government bonds .
Those bond purchases have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borrow , at a time when their finances are under pressure from job losses and health costs stemming from the pandemic .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said last month that those programs , along with two that purchased corporate bonds , would close at the end of the year , prompting an initial objection by the Fed .
Under the Dodd-Frank financial reform law passed after the Great Recession , the Fed can only set up emergency programs with the support of the treasury secretary .
But in Mnuchin ’ s letter closing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could request that future treasury secretaries renew them .
Fed Chair Jerome Powell echoed that view Wednesday at a news conference .
Yet Toomey ’ s language would bar the Fed from doing so .
It is “ vital that the Federal Reserve ’ s ability to respond promptly to damaging disruptions in credit markets not be circumscribed , ” Bernanke said .
“ The relief act should ensure , at least , that the Federal Reserve ’ s emergency lending authorities , as they stood before the passage of the CARES Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intact and available to respond to future crises.
” “ This is about existing authorities that the Fed has had for a very long time , to be able to use in an emergency , ” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass .
“ It ’ s about a lending authority for helping small businesses , state government , local government in the middle of a crisis.
” The massive package would wrap much of Capitol Hill ’ s unfinished 2020 business into a take-it-or-leave-it measure that promises to be a foot thick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have only a few hours to study it before voting as early as Sunday night .
A Senate vote would follow , possibly on Monday .
One more short-term funding bill will be needed to avoid the looming deadline — or a partial shutdown of non-essential agencies would start on Monday .
The $ 900 billion package comes as the pandemic is delivering its most fearsome surge yet , killing more than 3,000 victims per day and straining the health care system .
While vaccines are on the way , most people won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jobless claims are on the rise .
The emerging agreement would deliver more than $ 300 billion in aid to businesses and provide the jobless a $ 300-per-week bonus federal unemployment benefit and renewal of state benefits that would otherwise expire right after Christmas .
It includes $ 600 direct payments to individuals ; vaccine distribution funds and money for renters , schools , the Postal Service and people needing food aid .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — An arcane battle over emergency Federal Reserve powers foiled efforts on Saturday to lock down an agreement on an almost $1 trillion COVID-19 economic relief package. The deadlock was just the latest stumble in a partisan, months-long fight over pandemic relief and the lack of progress is backing lawmakers once again up against a government shutdown deadline Sunday night.
Lawmakers on both sides said a provision by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., that would curb emergency Federal Reserve powers was the sticking point. Republicans are insisting on the Toomey plan, while Democrats are adamantly against it. After some posturing earlier Saturday, efforts intensified at forging a compromise, and Toomey met twice with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to try to iron it out.
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“I think that we should be able to get a deal done,” Toomey said after the first meeting
“I think they agreed to go back and write down what they were saying, so everybody can read it and exchange paper,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.
The latest pratfall likely upends hopes for a House vote Sunday and quick Senate action on an agreement that’s virtually ready save for Toomey’s provision.
“That has to be resolved. And then everything will fall into place,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. “It’s a very significant difference.”
A new deadline of midnight Sunday for a government shutdown served as a backstop for the tortuous negotiations, which were being conducted in secret largely among the top four leaders in Congress.
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“We need to conclude our talks, draft legislation, and land this plane,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Toomey defended his controversial provision in a floor speech, saying the emergency powers were designed to stabilize capital markets at the height of the COVID panic this spring and are expiring at the end of the month anyway. The language would block the Biden administration from restarting them.
Even Toomey said this week that his provision “could be seen as redundant,” but neither he nor his Democratic adversaries were backing down from the fight, though compromise language was being shuttled back and forth.
At issue are Fed emergency programs, launched amid the pandemic this spring, that provided loans to small and mid-size businesses and bought state and local government bonds. Those bond purchases have made it easier for those governments to borrow, at a time when their finances are under pressure from job losses and health costs stemming from the pandemic.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said last month that those programs, along with two that purchased corporate bonds, would close at the end of the year, prompting an initial objection by the Fed. Under the Dodd-Frank financial reform law passed after the Great Recession, the Fed can only set up emergency programs with the support of the treasury secretary.
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But in Mnuchin’s letter closing the programs, he said the Fed could request that future treasury secretaries renew them. Fed Chair Jerome Powell echoed that view Wednesday at a news conference. Yet Toomey’s language would bar the Fed from doing so.
That prompted a rare statement Saturday from former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, who oversaw a dramatic expansion of the Fed’s emergency lending during the Great Recession, which most economists credit with helping end the financial crisis.
It is “vital that the Federal Reserve’s ability to respond promptly to damaging disruptions in credit markets not be circumscribed,” Bernanke said. “The relief act should ensure, at least, that the Federal Reserve’s emergency lending authorities, as they stood before the passage of the CARES Act (in March), remain fully intact and available to respond to future crises.”
Democrats in Congress also say that Toomey is trying to limit the Fed’s ability to boost the economy, just as Biden takes office.
“This is about existing authorities that the Fed has had for a very long time, to be able to use in an emergency,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. “It’s about a lending authority for helping small businesses, state government, local government in the middle of a crisis.”
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Toomey disputed that charge, saying his proposal “is emphatically not a broad overhaul of the Federal Reserve’s emergency lending authority.”
The massive package would wrap much of Capitol Hill’s unfinished 2020 business into a take-it-or-leave-it measure that promises to be a foot thick or more. House lawmakers will probably have only a few hours to study it before voting as early as Sunday night. A Senate vote would follow, possibly on Monday. One more short-term funding bill will be needed to avoid the looming deadline — or a partial shutdown of non-essential agencies would start on Monday.
An agreement in principle Saturday would be a precursor to more hours of translating compromises into detailed legislation. Lawmakers are eager to exit Washington and close out a tumultuous year.
The $900 billion package comes as the pandemic is delivering its most fearsome surge yet, killing more than 3,000 victims per day and straining the health care system. While vaccines are on the way, most people won’t get them for months. Jobless claims are on the rise.
The emerging agreement would deliver more than $300 billion in aid to businesses and provide the jobless a $300-per-week bonus federal unemployment benefit and renewal of state benefits that would otherwise expire right after Christmas. It includes $600 direct payments to individuals; vaccine distribution funds and money for renters, schools, the Postal Service and people needing food aid.
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It would be the first significant legislative response to the pandemic since the landmark CARES Act passed virtually unanimously in March, delivering $1.8 trillion in aid, more generous $600 per week bonus jobless benefits and $1,200 direct payments to individuals.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-20--Path Cleared For $900 Billion COVID-19 Relief Package As Fed Compromise Is Reached

Lawmakers grew significantly closer to a final agreement on a COVID-19 stimulus package late Saturday as a conflict over the Federal Reserve was resolved , a Democratic aide told HuffPost .
The disagreement appeared to be the only remaining barrier to finalizing the $ 900 billion deal before a Sunday night deadline to avoid a government shutdown .
Sen. Pat Toomey ( R-Pa. ) finally agreed late Saturday to drop the broad language in his proposal that would have strictly curbed Federal Reserve emergency powers to launch lending facilities .
The Fed used those powers in March to provide loans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to buy state and local government bonds to aid the economy .
The compromise would give the central bank more flexibility to respond to economic calamities .
Compromise language was being finalized late Saturday after a day of back-and-forth arguing between Toomey and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) .
“ If things continue on this path , and nothing gets in the way , we ’ ll be able to vote tomorrow , ” Schumer told reporters as he left the Capitol just before midnight .
“ House and Senate.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes as soon as early Sunday afternoon , The New York Times reported .
The deal being finalized would send direct payments of $ 600 to many Americans , and would give the jobless a $ 300-a-week bonus federal unemployment benefit .
It would also provide hundreds of billions of dollars for small businesses , schools and other institutions facing hardship amid the pandemic .

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Lawmakers grew significantly closer to a final agreement on a COVID-19 stimulus package late Saturday as a conflict over the Federal Reserve was resolved, a Democratic aide told HuffPost.
The disagreement appeared to be the only remaining barrier to finalizing the $900 billion deal before a Sunday night deadline to avoid a government shutdown.
Advertisement
Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) finally agreed late Saturday to drop the broad language in his proposal that would have strictly curbed Federal Reserve emergency powers to launch lending facilities. The Fed used those powers in March to provide loans to small and midsize businesses, and to buy state and local government bonds to aid the economy. The compromise would give the central bank more flexibility to respond to economic calamities.
Compromise language was being finalized late Saturday after a day of back-and-forth arguing between Toomey and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
“If things continue on this path, and nothing gets in the way, we’ll be able to vote tomorrow,” Schumer told reporters as he left the Capitol just before midnight. “House and Senate.”
House leaders notified lawmakers to expect votes as soon as early Sunday afternoon, The New York Times reported.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-19--Reports: Trump Alarms Aides As He Mulls Naming QAnon Lawyer Sidney Powell As Special Counsel

Donald Trump worried aides Friday when he revealed in an Oval Office meeting that he was considering naming fringe conspiracy theorist attorney Sidney Powell as a special counsel to probe imagined election fraud , The New York Times reported .
He even talked about getting security clearance for Powell , who was at the meeting , sources told The Associated Press .
In another disturbing development , the increasingly desperate president reportedly discussed seizing voting machines in his drive to overturn his election loss to President-elect Joe Biden — a move his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani , who phoned into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to AP .
Trump ’ s former national security adviser Michael Flynn , who was recently pardoned by the president after confessing to felonies , encouraged the president at the meeting to declare martial law and remain as president to “ rerun ” the election , AP reported .
White House Counsel Pat Cipollone and Chief of Staff Mark Meadows “ repeatedly and aggressively ” opposed the moves in a “ raucous ” meeting that involved people shouting at one another , sources told the Times .
Cipollone informed Trump that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authority to carry out his plans .
Powell has been stingingly criticized for promoting a bizarre conspiracy theory that Americans working with Venezuela , China , Serbia , Canada , Venezuela , Cuba , the CIA , billionaire philanthropist George Soros and the Clinton Foundation ( among others ) plotted to rig the presidential election against Trump by tampering with voting machines .
She has filed a series of failed , typo-riddled lawsuits challenging the election results , vowing to expose the “ kraken , ” a mythical sea monster , presumably lurking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued his connection with the QAnon supporter — even after the campaign ousted her from its legal team to distance itself from her disturbingly wild theories .
It ’ s unclear what steps Trump will decide to take .
Under federal law , the U.S. attorney general , not the president , appoints special counsels .
AG William Barr has said there ’ s no evidence of voter fraud that would have changed the election results .
But he ’ s stepping down next week .

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Donald Trump worried aides Friday when he revealed in an Oval Office meeting that he was considering naming fringe conspiracy theorist attorney Sidney Powell as a special counsel to probe imagined election fraud, The New York Times reported.
He even talked about getting security clearance for Powell, who was at the meeting, sources told The Associated Press.
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In another disturbing development, the increasingly desperate president reportedly discussed seizing voting machines in his drive to overturn his election loss to President-elect Joe Biden — a move his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, who phoned into the meeting, encouraged him to do, according to the AP.
Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was recently pardoned by the president after confessing to felonies, encouraged the president at the meeting to declare martial law and remain as president to “rerun” the election, the AP reported.
White House counsel Pat Cipollone and chief of staff Mark Meadows “repeatedly and aggressively” opposed the moves in a “raucous” meeting that involved people shouting at one another, sources told the Times. Cipollone informed Trump that he didn’t have the constitutional authority to carry out his plans.
Powell has been stingingly criticized for promoting a bizarre conspiracy theory that Americans working with Venezuela, China, Serbia, Canada, Venezuela, Cuba, the CIA, billionaire philanthropist George Soros and the Clinton Foundation (among others) plotted to rig the presidential election against Trump by tampering with voting machines.
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She has filed a series of failed, typo-riddled lawsuits challenging the election results.
Trump has continued his connection with the QAnon supporter — even after the campaign ousted her from its legal team to distance itself from her disturbingly wild theories.
Even Giuliani objected to naming Powell special counsel, according to the Times.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-20--Biden To Consider Sanctions, Cyberattacks Against Russia As Punishment For Hacking

WILMINGTON , Del./WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) ― President-elect Joe Biden ’ s team will consider several options to punish Russia for its suspected role in the unprecedented hacking of U.S. government agencies and companies once he takes office , from new financial sanctions to cyberattacks on Russian infrastructure , people familiar with the matter say .
The response will need to be strong enough to impose a high economic , financial or technological cost on the perpetrators , but avoid an escalating conflict between two nuclear-armed Cold War adversaries , said one of the people familiar with Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The overarching goal of any action , which could also include stepped-up counter cyber espionage efforts , would be to create an effective deterrence and diminish the potency of future Russian cyber spying , the person said .
The unfolding crisis ― and the lack of visibility over the extent of the infiltration into the computer networks of federal agencies including the Treasury , Energy and Commerce Departments ― will push to the front of Biden ’ s agenda when he takes office on Jan. 20 .
The discussions among Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and will need to be refined once they are in office and have full view of U.S. capabilities .
Biden ’ s team will also need a better grasp of U.S. intelligence about the cyber breach before making any decisions , one of the people familiar with his deliberations said .
Biden ’ s access to presidential intelligence briefings was delayed until about three weeks ago as Trump disputed the Nov. 3 election results .
With Trump taking no action , Biden ’ s team are concerned that in the coming weeks the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tool : bluster , according to one of the people familiar with his options .
“ They ’ ll be held accountable , ” Biden said in an interview broadcast on CBS on Thursday when asked about how he would deal with the Russian-led hack .
He vowed to impose “ financial repercussions ” on “ individuals as well as entities.
” The response could be an early test of the president-elect ’ s promise to cooperate and consult more effectively with U.S. allies , as some proposals likely to be put before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infrastructure of countries friendly to the United States , a person familiar with the matter said .
One potential target for U.S. Treasury financial sanctions would be the SVR , said Edward Fishman , an Atlantic Council fellow who worked on Russia sanctions at the State Department during the Obama administration .
Media reports have suggested the SVR-linked hacking group known as “ Cozy Bear ” or APT29 was responsible for the attacks .
The United States , Britain and Canada in July accused here “ Cozy Bear ” of trying to steal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies and academic institutions .
“ I would think , at the bare minimum , imposing sanctions against the SVR would be something that the U.S. government should consider , ” Fishman said , noting that the move would be largely symbolic and not have a major economic impact .
The U.S. Treasury has already imposed financial sanctions on other Russian security services , the FSB and the GRU .
Financial sanctions against Russian state companies and the business empires of Russian oligarchs linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin may be more effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollar transactions , both Fishman and Lewis said .
Lewis said a stronger option could be to cut Russia off from the SWIFT international bank transfer and financial messaging system , a crippling move that would prevent Russian companies from processing payments to and from foreign customers .
The Pentagon ’ s U.S. Cyber Command likely has options for counter actions that could cripple Russian technology infrastructure , such as disrupting phone networks or denial of internet actions , Lewis said , adding that this too could hurt European allies .
The hackers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would let them access U.S. systems for retaliation against any U.S. cyber attack and it will take months to find and eliminate those “ Easter eggs , ” he added .

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WILMINGTON, Del./WASHINGTON (Reuters) ― President-elect Joe Biden’s team will consider several options to punish Russia for its suspected role in the unprecedented hacking of U.S. government agencies and companies once he takes office, from new financial sanctions to cyberattacks on Russian infrastructure, people familiar with the matter say.
The response will need to be strong enough to impose a high economic, financial or technological cost on the perpetrators, but avoid an escalating conflict between two nuclear-armed Cold War adversaries, said one of the people familiar with Biden’s deliberations, speaking on condition of anonymity.
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The overarching goal of any action, which could also include stepped-up counter cyber espionage efforts, would be to create an effective deterrence and diminish the potency of future Russian cyber spying, the person said.
The unfolding crisis ― and the lack of visibility over the extent of the infiltration into the computer networks of federal agencies including the Treasury, Energy and Commerce Departments ― will push to the front of Biden’s agenda when he takes office on Jan. 20.
President Donald Trump only acknowledged the hacking on Saturday almost a week after it surfaced, downplaying its importance and questioning whether the Russians were to blame.
The discussions among Biden’s advisers are theoretical at this point and will need to be refined once they are in office and have full view of U.S. capabilities.
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Biden’s team will also need a better grasp of U.S. intelligence about the cyber breach before making any decisions, one of the people familiar with his deliberations said. Biden’s access to presidential intelligence briefings was delayed until about three weeks ago as Trump disputed the Nov. 3 election results.
With Trump taking no action, Biden’s team are concerned that in the coming weeks the president-elect may be left with only one tool: bluster, according to one of the people familiar with his options.
“They’ll be held accountable,” Biden said in an interview broadcast on CBS on Thursday when asked about how he would deal with the Russian-led hack. He vowed to impose “financial repercussions” on “individuals as well as entities.”
Test Of Working With Allies
The response could be an early test of the president-elect’s promise to cooperate and consult more effectively with U.S. allies, as some proposals likely to be put before Biden could hit the financial interests or infrastructure of countries friendly to the United States, a person familiar with the matter said.
“Symbolic won’t do it” for any U.S. response, said James Andrew Lewis, a cyber security expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. “You want the Russians to know we’re pushing back”
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A spokeswoman for Biden’s transition team did not respond to a request for comment.
The massive data breach, first reported by Reuters, enabled hackers believed to be from Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service to explore the networks of government agencies, private companies and think-tanks for months.
Moscow has denied involvement.
One potential target for U.S. Treasury financial sanctions would be the SVR, said Edward Fishman, an Atlantic Council fellow who worked on Russia sanctions at the State Department during the Obama administration.
Media reports have suggested the SVR-linked hacking group known as “Cozy Bear” or APT29 was responsible for the attacks. The United States, Britain and Canada in July accused here “Cozy Bear” of trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research from drug companies and academic institutions.
“I would think, at the bare minimum, imposing sanctions against the SVR would be something that the U.S. government should consider,” Fishman said, noting that the move would be largely symbolic and not have a major economic impact. The U.S. Treasury has already imposed financial sanctions on other Russian security services, the FSB and the GRU.
Financial sanctions against Russian state companies and the business empires of Russian oligarchs linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin may be more effective, as they would deny access to dollar transactions, both Fishman and Lewis said.
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Those targets could include aluminum giant Rusal, which saw U.S. sanctions lifted in 2018 after blacklisted Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska reduced his stake to a minority in a deal with the Treasury.
Lewis said a stronger option could be to cut Russia off from the SWIFT international bank transfer and financial messaging system, a crippling move that would prevent Russian companies from processing payments to and from foreign customers.
Such a move was contemplated in 2014 when Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula, but it would hurt the Russian energy sector, complicating gas sales to Europe and hit European companies with Russian operations.
Neither the Treasury nor State Department responded to questions about possible actions in response to the hacking.
The Pentagon’s U.S. Cyber Command likely has options for counter actions that could cripple Russian technology infrastructure, such as disrupting phone networks or denial of internet actions, Lewis said, adding that this too could hurt European allies.
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“They’ll need to think through the diplomacy of that,” Lewis said.
The hackers likely left behind some malicious code that would let them access U.S. systems for retaliation against any U.S. cyber attack and it will take months to find and eliminate those “Easter eggs,” he added.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-19--Videos Show Boston Police Shove, Pepper-Spray Protesters

BOSTON ( AP ) — Boston police and prosecutors are investigating after body camera footage surfaced that shows officers pushing protesters , pepper-spraying crowds and one officer talking about hitting protesters with a police vehicle .
A sergeant has been placed on administrative leave after the leak this week of the footage captured during Boston demonstrations early June 1 after the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis .
The videos posted Friday by The Appeal , an online news outlet , show officers pushing nonviolent demonstrators to the ground , spraying pepper spray on people and into crowds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have hit people with a car .
Police Commissioner William Gross said in a statement that he ordered an investigation as soon as the videos were brought to his attention .
“ I have placed a Sergeant involved in this incident on administrative leave and I will take any additional action as necessary at the conclusion of the investigation , ” Gross said .
“ I want to encourage people to bring these matters to our attention so that we can investigate them appropriately.
” Mayor Marty Walsh said in a statement that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he hopes to get answers through the investigation .
“ We never want to see police officers using more force than necessary , even when tensions are high , ” he said .
The head of Boston ’ s largest police union accused the the defense attorney who provided the videos to the news outlet of “ stitching together several contextually deficient video snippets ” to falsely portray police as “ the real enemy in the city that night.
” “ The reality-altering effort and insult aside , the fact remains , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers and our City that night will forever be engrained in the minds and memories of our officers and their families because of the damage done by cop-hating anarchists and agitators who showed up to a peaceful protest armed for violence and looking for a fight , ” Larry Calderone of the Boston Police Patrolmen ’ s Association said in a statement .
Thousands marched peacefully through Boston in several protests May 31 .
But as the marches ended around 9 p.m. , protesters and police clashed .
People plundered stores , smashed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a police cruiser .
The National Guard was called in .
Fifty-three people were arrested , about half of them city residents .
Nine officers were also hospitalized after being pelted with rocks , glass bottles and even fireworks , he said .
Dozens more officers and about 18 citizens were also treated for injuries , and 21 police cruisers were damaged .
This story has been corrected to show that the video is from June 1 , not May 31 .

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BOSTON (AP) — Boston police and prosecutors are investigating after body camera footage surfaced that shows officers pushing protesters, pepper-spraying crowds and one officer talking about hitting protesters with a police vehicle.
A sergeant has been placed on administrative leave after the leak this week of the footage captured during Boston demonstrations early June 1 after the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis.
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The videos posted Friday by The Appeal, an online news outlet, show officers pushing nonviolent demonstrators to the ground, spraying pepper spray on people and into crowds, and one officer saying he may have hit people with a car.
An attorney for the protesters has requested the video.
Police Commissioner William Gross said in a statement that he ordered an investigation as soon as the videos were brought to his attention.
“I have placed a Sergeant involved in this incident on administrative leave and I will take any additional action as necessary at the conclusion of the investigation,” Gross said. “I want to encourage people to bring these matters to our attention so that we can investigate them appropriately.”
Mayor Marty Walsh said in a statement that the footage is difficult to watch and that he hopes to get answers through the investigation.
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“We never want to see police officers using more force than necessary, even when tensions are high,” he said.
A spokesperson for Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins said she is also investigating.
The head of Boston’s largest police union accused the the defense attorney who provided the videos to the news outlet of “stitching together several contextually deficient video snippets” to falsely portray police as “the real enemy in the city that night.”
“The reality-altering effort and insult aside, the fact remains, the violence and hatred perpetrated against our officers and our City that night will forever be engrained in the minds and memories of our officers and their families because of the damage done by cop-hating anarchists and agitators who showed up to a peaceful protest armed for violence and looking for a fight,” Larry Calderone of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association said in a statement.
Thousands marched peacefully through Boston in several protests May 31. But as the marches ended around 9 p.m., protesters and police clashed. People plundered stores, smashed windows, scrawled graffiti and set fire to a police cruiser. The National Guard was called in.
Fifty-three people were arrested, about half of them city residents. Nine officers were also hospitalized after being pelted with rocks, glass bottles and even fireworks, he said. Dozens more officers and about 18 citizens were also treated for injuries, and 21 police cruisers were damaged.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-20--Angry Gov. Cuomo Calls For Ban On U.K. Flights As Dangerous COVID-19 Variant Surges

New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo called on the Trump administration Sunday to enact a ban on travel from the U.K. or require mandatory testing as a new , significantly more dangerous strain of the coronavirus emerges there .
The new variant in the U.K. could be “ up to 70 % more transmissible ” than the current version , Britain ’ s Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned at a press conference Saturday .
“ Today that variant is getting on a plane and landing at JFK , ” Cuomo said in a statement .
“ How many times in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same mistake before you learn ?
” he asked , referring to a lack of action on the pandemic by the Trump administration .
“ The federal government is being grossly negligent just like the spring .
All it takes is one person ” to transmit the virus , he noted .
“ We have done absolutely nothing , ” Cuomo added .
“ To me , this is reprehensible.
” He said the thought that the variant may already have crossed the sea to New York “ kept me up last night.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Netherlands , France , Austria , Belgium , Italy and Germany — have already shut down or are about to stop all U.K. flights .
But the U.S. has taken no new action .
As many as 120 countries — but not the U.S. — require a negative COVID test for travelers before they leave the U.K. Foreign nationals are currently banned from flying into the U.S. if they ’ ve been in any of several European and other countries in the past 14 days .
But American citizens are free to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently six daily flights from the U.K. to New York , Cuomo noted .
Britain this week instituted stiff new coronavirus restrictions for England , with particularly stringent limits in the South-East , East and in London , where households are prohibited from mixing even over Christmas .
The government announced the frightening rates of transmission of the new strain as cases burgeoned in southern and eastern regions of England .
The strain was first detected in September , but its rates of transmission have only recently been understood .
The new danger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is grappling with a record number of cases and deaths .
A post-Thanksgiving spike is expected to grow as cases surge after the winter holidays .
The death toll in the U.S. is nearing 318,000 , and there have been nearly 18 million cases .

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called on the Trump administration Sunday to enact a ban on travel from the U.K. or require mandatory testing as a new, significantly more dangerous strain of the coronavirus emerges there.
The new variant in the U.K. could be “up to 70% more transmissible” than the current version, Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned at a press conference Saturday.
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“Today that variant is getting on a plane and landing at JFK,” Cuomo said in a statement.
“How many times in life do you have to make the same mistake before you learn?” he asked, referring to a lack of action on the pandemic by the Trump administration. “The federal government is being grossly negligent just like the spring. All it takes is one person” to transmit the virus, he noted.
“We have done absolutely nothing,” Cuomo added. “To me, this is reprehensible.” He said the thought that the variant may already have crossed the sea to New York “kept me up last night.”
At least six European nations — the Netherlands, France, Austria, Belgium, Italy and Germany — have already shut down or are about to stop all U.K. flights. But the U.S. has taken no new action. As many as 120 countries — but not the U.S. — require a negative COVID test for travelers before they leave the U.K.
Foreign nationals are currently banned from flying into the U.S. if they’ve been in any of several European and other countries in the past 14 days. But American citizens are free to fly back and forth. There are currently six daily flights from the U.K. to New York, Cuomo noted.
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The government announced the frightening rates of transmission of the new strain as cases burgeoned in southern and eastern regions of England. The strain was first detected in September, but its rates of transmission have only recently been understood.
The new danger from abroad comes just as the U.S. is grappling with a record number of cases and deaths. A post-Thanksgiving spike is expected to grow as cases surge after the winter holidays. The death toll in the U.S. is nearing 318,000, and there have been nearly 18 million cases.