thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-09--Supreme Court Gives Progressive Challenger Ammunition Against Rep. Richard Neal

Morse , who has the chance to unseat Neal in Massachusetts ’ Sept. 1 Democratic primaries , lambasted Neal for waiting until April 2019 to formally request Trump ’ s personal tax returns .
The delay made it less likely the Supreme Court would rule on whether the Ways and Means Committee can compel their release before the November election , depriving the public of information that might influence its vote .
In a statement issued by his House office , Neal celebrated the Supreme Court opinions as evidence that he would prevail in his own federal lawsuit to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain confident that the Ways and Means case ultimately will prevail , ” he said .
“ The law is on our side and the Administration has no basis whatsoever to continue to refuse to comply with my request.
” From the minute Democrats took control of the House of Representatives in January 2019 , Neal , as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee , which oversees federal tax laws , had the power to ask for copies of President Donald Trump ’ s tax returns .
Tax returns can reveal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , charitable giving , and the amount of taxes they paid .
They are generally treated as private information , with stiff penalties for unlawful disclosures .
A law dating to the 1920s , however ― enacted specifically as a check on corruption in the executive branch ― gives tax committees the power to ask the Treasury Department to hand over any American ’ s tax info to committees sitting in a closed session .
The 16-term incumbent alternately explained his foot-dragging as the result of his desire to draft the letter “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counsel Robert Mueller completed his investigation of the president .
( Neal would end up requesting the returns two weeks before Mueller issued his final report . )
All along though , critics warned that time was of the essence , since Trump ’ s Treasury Department was sure to deny the request and the president would then have the power to tie up efforts to compel their disclosure in the courts .
One such critic , Jeff Hauser , who runs the Center for Economic and Policy Research ’ s Revolving Door @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimates that a speedier Neal could have gotten his case into federal court by February 2019 .
That timeline could have put it on track for a Supreme Court hearing in the fall of 2019 , and a decision between January and March 2020 .
In the event , Neal filed his federal lawsuit seeking to enforce a subpoena for the tax returns in July 2019 .
Despite Neal ’ s earlier comments about not needing to rush , Democrats asked the court to hurry ― a request denied by U.S. District Judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in 2017 .
But Democrats only subpoenaed McGahn after Mueller reported “ substantial evidence ” that Trump had pressured McGahn to fire Mueller .
It is possible that if Neal had requested the records months before Mueller ’ s report , McGahn would not have become an issue in the federal courts .
Those courts must assess whether the “ asserted legislative purpose ” of the subpoenas requires disclosure of the president ’ s personal papers .
Part of the reason Neal didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his committee held hearings and drafted legislation related to the annual Internal Revenue Service audit of the president , which Neal cited as his main justification for requesting Trump ’ s returns .
Hauser believes that unlike the two House committees whose subpoenas the Supreme Court addressed ― the panels overseeing financial services , as well as government oversight and reform ― Neal ’ s Ways and Means Committee has a stronger case in court , given its explicit legal mandate to compel the release of a president ’ s tax returns .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A progressive mayor who is challenging Massachusetts Rep. Richard Neal (D) from the left seized on Thursday’s Supreme Court rulings as evidence of Neal’s failure as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee to hold President Donald Trump accountable.
In a pair of historic opinions written by conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s lawyers’ arguments that the president is immune from subpoenas of his personal records. The rulings could clear the way for the disclosure of Trump’s tax returns.
Advertisement
“What good is Richie Neal’s power in Congress if even [conservative Supreme Court justices] Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch are doing more work to hold Trump accountable than he is?” Holyoke, Massachusetts, Mayor Alex Morse asked in a Thursday statement.
Morse, who has the chance to unseat Neal in Massachusetts’ Sept. 1 Democratic primaries, lambasted Neal for waiting until April 2019 to formally request Trump’s personal tax returns. The delay made it less likely the Supreme Court would rule on whether the Ways and Means Committee can compel their release before the November election, depriving the public of information that might influence its vote.
Holyoke, Massachusetts, Mayor Alex Morse faults Rep. Richard Neal, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, for waiting more than three months to request Trump's tax returns. Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe/Getty Images
Neal has also declined to take advantage of a New York state law allowing Congress to obtain the president’s New York tax filings.
Advertisement
“As Chair of Ways and Means, Richard Neal should have been leading the fight to get Trump’s tax returns,” Morse added. “Instead, he’s been the biggest obstacle.”
In a statement issued by his House office, Neal celebrated the Supreme Court opinions as evidence that he would prevail in his own federal lawsuit to make the tax returns public. “I remain confident that the Ways and Means case ultimately will prevail,” he said. “The law is on our side and the Administration has no basis whatsoever to continue to refuse to comply with my request.”
Neal’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Morse’s attacks.
From the minute Democrats took control of the House of Representatives in January 2019, Neal, as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees federal tax laws, had the power to ask for copies of President Donald Trump’s tax returns.
Tax returns can reveal information about a person’s income, charitable giving, and the amount of taxes they paid. They are generally treated as private information, with stiff penalties for unlawful disclosures. A law dating to the 1920s, however ― enacted specifically as a check on corruption in the executive branch ― gives tax committees the power to ask the Treasury Department to hand over any American’s tax info to committees sitting in a closed session.
Since Trump became the first major candidate and sitting president to withhold his tax returns in the decades since releasing them became common practice, Democrats anticipated wielding this power even before they retook the House.
Advertisement
But Neal was in no rush, saying he couldn’t do his oversight with an eye toward November 2020. “I can’t substitute my timetable for the federal courts’,” Neal told HuffPost in March 2019.
The 16-term incumbent alternately explained his foot-dragging as the result of his desire to draft the letter “methodically” or to wait until then-special counsel Robert Mueller completed his investigation of the president. (Neal would end up requesting the returns two weeks before Mueller issued his final report.)
All along though, critics warned that time was of the essence, since Trump’s Treasury Department was sure to deny the request and the president would then have the power to tie up efforts to compel their disclosure in the courts.
One such critic, Jeff Hauser, who runs the Center for Economic and Policy Research’s Revolving Door Project, an executive branch watchdog, estimates that a speedier Neal could have gotten his case into federal court by February 2019. That timeline could have put it on track for a Supreme Court hearing in the fall of 2019, and a decision between January and March 2020.
In the event, Neal filed his federal lawsuit seeking to enforce a subpoena for the tax returns in July 2019. Despite Neal’s earlier comments about not needing to rush, Democrats asked the court to hurry ― a request denied by U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, whom Trump had appointed to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in 2017.
Advertisement
Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) has defended the slow pace of his request for Trump's tax returns on the grounds that he needed to be "methodical." Tom Williams/Getty Images
This past March, McFadden put the case on hold pending a federal appeals court ruling on House Democrats’ subpoena of former White House counsel Don McGahn.
But Democrats only subpoenaed McGahn after Mueller reported “substantial evidence” that Trump had pressured McGahn to fire Mueller. It is possible that if Neal had requested the records months before Mueller’s report, McGahn would not have become an issue in the federal courts.
“This was always a matter of great urgency and it was not treated as such by Richard Neal,” Hauser said. “His approach has very clearly failed.”
Of course, even if he had acted more quickly, there is no guarantee that Neal would have obtained a positive outcome before the Supreme Court.
Advertisement
While the Supreme Court invalidated the Trump’s administration’s case that a president’s personal records are inherently immune from subpoena power and upheld a Manhattan prosecutor’s subpoena of the accounting firm that handles those records, it also handed other House Democrats’ subpoenas of Trump records back to lower courts.
Those courts must assess whether the “asserted legislative purpose” of the subpoenas requires disclosure of the president’s personal papers. Part of the reason Neal didn’t rush to court was that his committee held hearings and drafted legislation related to the annual Internal Revenue Service audit of the president, which Neal cited as his main justification for requesting Trump’s returns.
Hauser believes that unlike the two House committees whose subpoenas the Supreme Court addressed ― the panels overseeing financial services, as well as government oversight and reform ― Neal’s Ways and Means Committee has a stronger case in court, given its explicit legal mandate to compel the release of a president’s tax returns.
He also maintains that Neal would have a clear “legislative purpose” for seeking the disclosure, since it would bear on whether Congress needs to update the law giving it authority to request the president’s tax returns.
If Neal had moved faster, Hauser said, “We’d have the tax returns or we’d have a constitutional war, because we’d have the committee waving the Supreme Court ruling and the president failing to comply with the Supreme Court, which would have clarified the stakes for the election in a meaningful way.”
Advertisement
Neil Kinkopf, a professor at the Georgia State University College of Law, disagreed. McFadden should have respected the fact that the 1924 law granting committees access to private tax information already represented a compromise between the executive and legislative branches. But that didn’t happen, and it probably wouldn’t have made a difference if Neal had rushed to court.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-09--Female Soldier Set To Become First Woman To Join A Green Beret Team

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — For the first time , a female soldier has graduated from the Army ’ s elite Special Forces course and will join one of the all-male Green Beret teams , capping a years long campaign to move women into the military ’ s front-line combat jobs .
The unidentified woman is one of three female soldiers who have been going through the Army Special Forces qualification course at Fort Bragg , North Carolina .
She graduated Thursday and donned her Green Beret , along with about 400 other soldiers .
Defense officials , speaking on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have confirmed that she is a member of the National Guard .
Lt. Gen. Fran Beaudette , commander of Army Special Operations Command , presided over the ceremony and was able to say , for the first time , that “ our Green Beret men and women will forever stand in the hearts of free people everywhere.
” “ From here , you will go forward and join the storied formation of the Green Berets where you will do what you are trained to do : challenge assumptions , break down barriers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ achieve the impossible , ” he said .
The Army does not release the identities of its commandos or disclose to which special forces group they will be assigned .
The more than 6,700 Army Green Berets are highly trained commandos who usually work in 12-person teams .
They are often used for specialized combat and counterterrorism operations and to train other nations ’ forces in battle skills .
Many work with Afghan forces fighting the Taliban or are training troops in up to 60 countries .
The path to becoming a Green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a grueling assessment and selection phase where commanders believe they can identify soldiers who can not make the grade or do not belong .
The bulk of those who try out fail .
Some who get injured or fail are allowed to return and try again .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time, a female soldier has graduated from the Army’s elite Special Forces course and will join one of the all-male Green Beret teams, capping a years long campaign to move women into the military’s front-line combat jobs.
The unidentified woman is one of three female soldiers who have been going through the Army Special Forces qualification course at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. She graduated Thursday and donned her Green Beret, along with about 400 other soldiers. Defense officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters have confirmed that she is a member of the National Guard.
Advertisement
Lt. Gen. Fran Beaudette, commander of Army Special Operations Command, presided over the ceremony and was able to say, for the first time, that “our Green Beret men and women will forever stand in the hearts of free people everywhere.”
“From here, you will go forward and join the storied formation of the Green Berets where you will do what you are trained to do: challenge assumptions, break down barriers, smash through stereotypes, innovate, and achieve the impossible,” he said.
The Army does not release the identities of its commandos or disclose to which special forces group they will be assigned.
The more than 6,700 Army Green Berets are highly trained commandos who usually work in 12-person teams. They are often used for specialized combat and counterterrorism operations and to train other nations’ forces in battle skills. Many work with Afghan forces fighting the Taliban or are training troops in up to 60 countries.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-09--California Suing Trump Administration Over New Student Visa Rule

California is pursuing a legal challenge against the Trump administration ’ s controversial new student visa policy , which will force foreigners studying in the U.S. to leave the country or switch schools if they attend a university doing online-only instruction this fall because of the coronavirus pandemic .
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said he ’ s filing a lawsuit against the administration over the rule , which his office described as an “ unlawful policy that threatens to exacerbate the spread of COVID-19 and exile hundreds of thousands of college students studying in the United States through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . )
” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the revised visa measure earlier this week , saying any students found in violation of the rule may be subject to deportation .
International students attending a school conducting both online and in-person instruction may remain in the U.S. if they have at least one in-person class .
“ Shame on the Trump Administration for risking not only the education opportunities for students who earned the chance to go to college , but now their health and well-being as well , ” Becerra said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President ( Donald ) Trump appears set to do just that — amidst a global pandemic of historic proportions .
Not on our watch.
” There are roughly 1 million foreign students attending college in the U.S .
The biggest share of them come from China and India , which more than half of those students call home .
Those students are a major source of funding for U.S. universities , as the vast majority of them fund their education with money from their home countries instead of relying on financial assistance or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Institute of International Education .
Becerra ’ s office said Trump ’ s plan would “ further burden educational institutions at a time when the state faces significant budget shortfalls and schools are already struggling to confront the economic and public health impacts of COVID-19.
” Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have also filed a lawsuit against the administration ’ s new rule .
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has vowed to back up the schools , saying , “ This decision from ICE is cruel , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop it .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
California is pursuing a legal challenge against the Trump administration’s controversial new student visa policy, which will force foreigners studying in the U.S. to leave the country or switch schools if they attend a university doing online-only instruction this fall because of the coronavirus pandemic.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said he’s filing a lawsuit against the administration over the rule, which his office described as an “unlawful policy that threatens to exacerbate the spread of COVID-19 and exile hundreds of thousands of college students studying in the United States through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP.)”
Advertisement
The state is home to the largest public university system in the country.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the revised visa measure earlier this week, saying any students found in violation of the rule may be subject to deportation. International students attending a school conducting both online and in-person instruction may remain in the U.S. if they have at least one in-person class.
“Shame on the Trump Administration for risking not only the education opportunities for students who earned the chance to go to college, but now their health and well-being as well,” Becerra said in a statement. “Today, President (Donald) Trump appears set to do just that — amidst a global pandemic of historic proportions. Not on our watch.”
There are roughly 1 million foreign students attending college in the U.S. The biggest share of them come from China and India, which more than half of those students call home.
Those students are a major source of funding for U.S. universities, as the vast majority of them fund their education with money from their home countries instead of relying on financial assistance or scholarships from U.S. schools, according to the Institute of International Education.
Advertisement
Becerra’s office said Trump’s plan would “further burden educational institutions at a time when the state faces significant budget shortfalls and schools are already struggling to confront the economic and public health impacts of COVID-19.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-09--Judge Calls For Full Appeals Court Review Of Ruling Dropping Michael Flynn Charges

Federal Judge Emmet Sullivan in a court petition Thursday demanded a rehearing of a controversial appeals court decision allowing the Justice Department to drop charges against Michael Flynn , who briefly served as President Donald Trump ’ s national security adviser .
In a 2-1 ruling last month , a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ordered Sulivan to terminate the case , even though Flynn had pleaded guilty — twice — to lying to the FBI about his private negotiations with a Russian diplomat shortly after Trump ’ s 2016 election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing by all active judges on the appeals court , arguing that the three-member panel ’ s ruling was a “ dramatic break from precedent ” that threatens to the judicial process upside down.
” The Justice Department made the startling decision to drop charges against Flynn in May after Trump praised his former aide and claimed Flynn was set up by the FBI .
Trump said Flynn had been treated “ horribly ” by “ very bad people.
” But Sullivan refused to grant the request spearheaded by Attorney General William Barr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argue why the charges shouldn ’ t be dropped .
Flynn ’ s attorneys appealed Sullivan ’ s action before he had made a final decision , claiming bias .
Lawyers for Sullivan in response raised suspicions about the government ’ s motivation , and said that ordering judges to “ rubber stamp ” moves by the executive branch threatens the “ integrity of the judicial process.
” Trump appointee Judge Neomi Rao wrote the majority opinion for the appeals panel , saying that allowing Sullivan to examine the DOJ ’ s motivations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the exercise of the Executive Branch ’ s exclusive prosecutorial power .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan in a court petition Thursday demanded a rehearing of a controversial appeals court decision allowing the Justice Department to drop charges against Michael Flynn, who briefly served as President Donald Trump’s national security adviser.
In a 2-1 ruling last month, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ordered Sullivan to terminate the case, even though Flynn had pleaded guilty — twice — to lying to the FBI about his private negotiations with a Russian diplomat shortly after Trump’s 2016 election.
Advertisement
Sullivan is now calling for a full hearing by all active judges on the appeals court, arguing that the three-member panel’s ruling was a “dramatic break from precedent” that “threatens to turn ordinary judicial process upside down.”
The Justice Department made the startling decision to drop charges against Flynn in May after Trump praised his former aide and claimed Flynn was set up by the FBI. Trump said Flynn had been treated “horribly” by “very bad people.”
But Sullivan refused to simply grant the request spearheaded by Attorney General William Barr, instead appointing a retired judge to argue why the charges shouldn’t be dropped.
Flynn’s attorneys appealed Sullivan’s action before he had made a final decision, claiming bias. Lawyers for Sullivan in response raised suspicions about the government’s motivation and said that ordering judges to “rubber stamp” moves by the executive branch threatens the “integrity of the judicial process.”
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-09--Republicans And Democrats Are Trillions Apart On The Next Stimulus Bill

Pelosi said the next bill ― which would be Congress ’ fifth coronavirus response measure ― needed $ 1 trillion for state and local funding , $ 1 trillion for expanded unemployment benefits and direct payments , and “ something like that , probably not as much ” for COVID-19 testing , contact tracing and treatment .
A roughly $ 3 trillion bill is far from the price tag that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) is looking at .
A senior GOP aide said Senate Republicans are pushing for $ 1 trillion overall , and McConnell himself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come close to the $ 3 trillion amount that the Democratic House passed in May .
That Democratic bill would extend the extra $ 600 in unemployment benefits for the rest of the year ― currently , that extra money expires at the end of July ― and it would send out another round of stimulus checks to most Americans , in addition to approving $ 13 an hour in hazard pay for certain workers , paid sick leave , and $ 1 trillion for struggling state and local governments .
All of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Republicans seem increasingly intent on holding the line on spending , despite an unemployment rate above 11 % and coronavirus cases spiking .
And McConnell has said his top priority is tamping down a supposed “ epidemic of lawsuits ” that will result from people getting sick as economic activity picks up .
President Donald Trump is already touting those increases as evidence that the economy is in the midst of a historic rally , and Republicans already seem to have forgotten that the United States lost more than 20 million jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill set an unrealistic expectation for the next stimulus package , ” a senior White House aide told HuffPost on Thursday .
“ Any thought that the proposal Democrats put forth was serious could be quickly dismissed by talking to thoughtful Democrats , let alone Republicans .
One trillion properly allocated will take care of the outstanding needs.
” Huffman said he ’ d be very surprised if Democrats were willing to throw state and local governments “ under the bus ” by not giving them significant funding , and he said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ― say , $ 200 in extra unemployment benefits , a few hundred billion for state and local governments , and direct payments for only those making less than $ 40,000 ― was “ crazy.
” Huffman predicted there would need to be a lapse in benefits before Republicans came around to numbers that provide a sufficient response .
“ A lot of people would be hurt if we accepted their stimulus-lite proposal , ” Huffman said .
Kildee said the GOP would see the stimulative effect of the payments , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from their own constituents if they tried to hold the line on spending .
Republicans have indicated they won ’ t extend the additional $ 600 a week in unemployment benefits , but there are indications that they may go along with a reduced amount ― like $ 200 or $ 300 .
Kildee , however , thinks that once Republicans concede the added benefits aren ’ t the thing that ’ s keeping unemployment above 10 % , it would be difficult for them not to go along with an amount closer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also seem to generally support another round of direct payments in some form , but they want to significantly restrain who gets the money .
That , too , is a concession .
And so is the position that state and local governments need funding .
But the one thing Republicans and Democrats do agree on is that there should be another stimulus .
And Democrats may be willing to accept less than all of their demands if it means extending some portion of the unemployment benefits , while Republicans may come around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than they initially wanted if it means juicing the economy in advance of the November elections .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON ― As lawmakers prepare to begin negotiations on another coronavirus stimulus bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) indicated Thursday just how far apart Republicans and Democrats are on the cost of the legislation.
“$1 trillion doesn’t do it for us,” Pelosi told reporters. “But we can negotiate from there.”
Pelosi said the next bill ― which would be Congress’ fifth coronavirus response measure ― needed $1 trillion for state and local funding, $1 trillion for expanded unemployment benefits and direct payments, and “something like that, probably not as much” for COVID-19 testing, contact tracing and treatment.
Advertisement
A roughly $3 trillion bill is far from the price tag that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is looking at. A senior GOP aide said Senate Republicans are pushing for $1 trillion overall, and McConnell himself has said the Senate won’t come close to the $3 trillion amount that the Democratic House passed in May.
“It won’t be a $3 trillion left-wing wishlist,” McConnell said at the end of May.
That Democratic bill would extend the extra $600 in unemployment benefits for the rest of the year ― currently, that extra money expires at the end of July ― and it would send out another round of stimulus checks to most Americans, in addition to approving $13 an hour in hazard pay for certain workers, paid sick leave, and $1 trillion for struggling state and local governments.
All of those items would help the economy. But Republicans seem increasingly intent on holding the line on spending, despite an unemployment rate above 11% and coronavirus cases spiking. And McConnell has said his top priority is tamping down a supposed “epidemic of lawsuits” that will result from people getting sick as economic activity picks up.
A significant gap between Democrats and Republicans on the cost of the coronavirus stimulus bill makes it unlikely that Congress will act before extra unemployment benefits expire on July 31. Caroline Brehman via Getty Images
Advertisement
Part of the issue is that two consecutive jobs reports have beaten Wall Street’s expectations, with the economy adding back 2.5 million jobs in May and 4.8 million jobs in June.
President Donald Trump is already touting those increases as evidence that the economy is in the midst of a historic rally, and Republicans already seem to have forgotten that the United States lost more than 20 million jobs in April alone.
“The House bill set an unrealistic expectation for the next stimulus package,” a senior White House aide told HuffPost on Thursday. “Any thought that the proposal Democrats put forth was serious could be quickly dismissed by talking to thoughtful Democrats, let alone Republicans. One trillion properly allocated will take care of the outstanding needs.”
This senior aide added that there was a shared belief between the Hill and the White House that Republicans and Democrats could reach an agreement before the August recess.
But the distance between the two parties doesn’t exactly bode well for a deal in three weeks.
“This is like everything else: Trump just sees an alternate reality,” Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) told HuffPost on Thursday. “He’s in a complete denial about the severity of the pandemic and the depth of the economic crisis.”
Advertisement
Huffman said he’d be very surprised if Democrats were willing to throw state and local governments “under the bus” by not giving them significant funding, and he said the idea of Democrats settling for “stimulus-lite” ― say, $200 in extra unemployment benefits, a few hundred billion for state and local governments, and direct payments for only those making less than $40,000 ― was “crazy.”
“We’ll never go for that,” he said.
Huffman predicted there would need to be a lapse in benefits before Republicans came around to numbers that provide a sufficient response. “A lot of people would be hurt if we accepted their stimulus-lite proposal,” Huffman said.
But the major sticking point in any of these negotiations ― the extra unemployment money ― remains the one thing that could drive a deal.
“They’re gonna have to explain why $200 is enough for a family to survive.” - Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.)
Republicans have already moved from earlier positions that there shouldn’t be any extra money for unemployment to the position that it should just be significantly reduced.
Advertisement
“If it’s moved from ‘whether’ to ‘what’s the right number,’ we’re winning that argument,” Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), one of the lead proponents for extending the extra $600 a week, told HuffPost on Thursday.
Kildee said the GOP would see the stimulative effect of the payments, and he argued that Republicans would face backlash from their own constituents if they tried to hold the line on spending.
“At that point, they’re gonna have to explain why $200 is enough for a family to survive,” he said.
Republicans have indicated they won’t extend the additional $600 a week in unemployment benefits, but there are indications that they may go along with a reduced amount ― like $200 or $300. Kildee, however, thinks that once Republicans concede the added benefits aren’t the thing that’s keeping unemployment above 10%, it would be difficult for them not to go along with an amount closer to the original $600.
Republicans also seem to generally support another round of direct payments in some form, but they want to significantly restrain who gets the money. That, too, is a concession. And so is the position that state and local governments need funding.
Some Republicans have said it’s “common sense” to bail out state and local governments. They’re just not close to the $1 trillion that Democrats want.
Advertisement
On all of these items, there’s a significant gap between the two parties. And that would seem to make it unlikely that Congress acts before the extra unemployment benefits expire at the end of July.
But the one thing Republicans and Democrats do agree on is that there should be another stimulus. And Democrats may be willing to accept less than all of their demands if it means extending some portion of the unemployment benefits, while Republicans may come around to the idea of spending more money than they initially wanted if it means juicing the economy in advance of the November elections.
As Kildee said Thursday, Democrats were willing to have a conversation about the appropriate number for unemployment benefits. “But it’s got to be a real conversation, and it’s gotta be a real number,” he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-09--Bill Nye: Wearing A Mask Is 'Literally A Matter Of Life And Death'

In two videos uploaded to TikTok mimicking the “ Consider the Following ” segment of his hit 1990s kids show “ Bill Nye the Science Guy , ” Nye demonstrated why masks are absolutely vital in the era of COVID-19 .
“ Why do people in the scientific community want you to wear a face mask when you ’ re out in public ?
” Nye asked in the first video , answering : “ Face masks ... prevent particles from my respiratory system from getting into the air and then into your respiratory system .
Blocking the movement of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went on to hold a scarf , a homemade face mask and an N95 mask in front of his face as he attempted to blow out a candle .
The N95 mask was the most effective at restricting airflow and the scarf the least .
See that video below : “ The reason we want you to wear a mask is to protect you , sure , ” Nye said in the second video , which appears below .
“ But the main reason we want you to wear a mask is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from your respiratory system from getting into my respiratory system.
” He then concluded with an urgent plea : “ Everybody , this is a matter literally of life and death .
And when I use the word ‘ literally , ’ I mean literally a matter of life and death .
So when you ’ re out in public , please wear a mask.
” Nye has been a vocal proponent of masks since the coronavirus pandemic began , predicting that “ five years from now , it will be common for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public , ” and that “ like other articles of clothing , these masks will be washable and reusable , but still effective.
” “ Intuitively , if both people — that is to say , the infector or infectrix and the infectee — are both wearing masks , you ’ ve got to think you ’ re coming out ahead , ” Nye said in an early June interview with The Washington Post .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Bill Nye is sick and tired of people not wearing masks.
In two videos uploaded to TikTok mimicking the “Consider the Following” segment of his hit 1990s kids show “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” Nye demonstrated why masks are absolutely vital in the era of COVID-19.
“Why do people in the scientific community want you to wear a face mask when you’re out in public?” Nye asked in the first video, answering: “Face masks ... prevent particles from my respiratory system from getting into the air and then into your respiratory system. Blocking the movement of air is an old trick.”
Advertisement
Nye went on to hold a scarf, a homemade face mask and an N95 mask in front of his face as he attempted to blow out a candle. The N95 mask was the most effective at restricting airflow and the scarf the least. See that video below:
“The reason we want you to wear a mask is to protect you, sure,” Nye said in the second video, which appears below. “But the main reason we want you to wear a mask is to protect me from you and the particles from your respiratory system from getting into my respiratory system.”
He then concluded with an urgent plea: “Everybody, this is a matter literally of life and death. And when I use the word ‘literally,’ I mean literally a matter of life and death. So when you’re out in public, please wear a mask.”
Advertisement
Nye has been a vocal proponent of masks since the coronavirus pandemic began, predicting that “five years from now, it will be common for city dwellers to wear face masks in public,” and that “like other articles of clothing, these masks will be washable and reusable, but still effective.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-09--Ousted NY Prosecutor Who Investigated Trump Allies Says Barr 'Urged' Him To Resign

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The ousted U.S. attorney who was leading investigations into President Donald Trump ’ s allies told the House Judiciary panel on Thursday that Attorney General William Barr “ repeatedly urged ” him to resign during a hastily arranged meeting that sheds light on the extraordinary standoff surrounding his departure .
Geoffrey Berman , the former federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York , provided the committee with a detailed account behind closed doors of three days in June as he was pushed out , according to his opening statement , which was obtained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barr , over a 45-minute session at the Pierre Hotel in New York , “ pressed ” him to step aside and take on a new job heading up the Justice Department ’ s Civil Division so the administration could install Jay Clayton , chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission , to the top prosecutor post in Manhattan .
Berman explained , “ There were important investigations in the office that I wanted to see through to completion.
” He told Barr that , while he liked Clayton , he viewed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” for the job .
When Barr warned that if he didn ’ t go , he would be fired , “ I told him that while I did not want to get fired , I would not resign , ” Berman said .
Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler , D-N.Y. , has called Berman ’ s dismissal “ part of a clear and dangerous pattern ” of behavior by Barr .
The panel ’ s Democratic majority is pursuing its investigation of the attorney general , who they say operates more like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation ’ s top law enforcement official .
Barr is set to testify before the committee later this month .
Berman ’ s office is looking into the business dealings of Rudy Giuliani , Trump ’ s personal lawyer and a former New York mayor .
It has also prosecuted Trump ’ s former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen , who went to prison for lying to Congress and campaign finance crimes .
The closed-door interview with Berman spanned three hours .
He was not expected to disclose information about the investigations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather to discuss only his removal , according to a person familiar with the proceeding who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss it .
He arrived without a lawyer .
As he sat alone before the committee , Berman told the panel of the series of events that started with a Thursday email from Barr ’ s office requesting the meeting .
He said he was not told what it was about .
Back and forth it went , with Barr saying the move would be good for Berman ’ s resume @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Berman said .
Berman would “ only have to sit there ” for five months until the presidential election determined next steps , Barr said .
He told Berman it would be an opportunity to accumulate a “ book of business ” — clients — to bring to a private firm .
As Berman remain unmoved , Barr told him “ he was trying to think of other jobs in the administration ” that might be of interest .
“ I said that there was no job offer that would entice me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Berman recalled .
Late that Friday the Justice Department issued a statement saying Berman was stepping down , launching the standoff .
Berman issued his own statement saying he had “ no intention of resigning.
” He showed up for work Saturday .
Berman told the panel the letter also contained a “ critical concession ” from Barr .
In it , Barr stated that Berman ’ s hand-picked deputy would take over as acting U.S. attorney until the permanent successor was in place .
Berman said that with “ full confidence ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ I decided to step down and not litigate my removal .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — The ousted U.S. attorney who was leading investigations into President Donald Trump’s allies told the House Judiciary panel on Thursday that Attorney General William Barr “repeatedly urged” him to resign during a hastily arranged meeting that sheds light on the extraordinary standoff surrounding his departure.
Geoffrey Berman, the former federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York, provided the committee with a detailed account behind closed doors of three days in June as he was pushed out, according to his opening statement, which was obtained by The Associated Press.
Advertisement
Berman said Barr, over a 45-minute session at the Pierre Hotel in New York, “pressed” him to step aside and take on a new job heading up the Justice Department’s Civil Division so the administration could install Jay Clayton, chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to the top prosecutor post in Manhattan.
“I told the attorney general that I was not interested,” Berman told the panel.
Berman explained, “There were important investigations in the office that I wanted to see through to completion.” He told Barr that, while he liked Clayton, he viewed the SEC commissioner as “an unqualified choice” for the job.
“He had had no criminal experience,” Berman said.
When Barr warned that if he didn’t go, he would be fired, “I told him that while I did not want to get fired, I would not resign,” Berman said.
The Judiciary Committee interview, which is being transcribed for public release later, comes as the panel deepens its probe of politicization at the Justice Department.
Advertisement
Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., has called Berman’s dismissal “part of a clear and dangerous pattern” of behavior by Barr. The panel’s Democratic majority is pursuing its investigation of the attorney general, who they say operates more like Trump’s personal lawyer than the nation’s top law enforcement official. Barr is set to testify before the committee later this month.
The Southern District, known for its high-profile prosecutions, is where Berman oversaw several ongoing investigations of Trump associates, including some who figured prominently in the House impeachment inquiry of the president.
Berman’s office is looking into the business dealings of Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer and a former New York mayor. It has also prosecuted Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, who went to prison for lying to Congress and campaign finance crimes.
The closed-door interview with Berman spanned three hours. He was not expected to disclose information about the investigations into Trump’s circle, but rather to discuss only his removal, according to a person familiar with the proceeding who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss it. He arrived without a lawyer.
The session comes as the Capitol remains partially shut down during the COVID-19 crisis. A handful of lawmakers, but not all those on the panel, attended.
Advertisement
Berman, a Republican lawyer and donor to Trump, was tapped by the administration in 2018 as the U.S. attorney for SDNY.
He ultimately agreed to step down from his post, but only after being assured his office’s probes of Trump’s circle would continue.
As he sat alone before the committee, Berman told the panel of the series of events that started with a Thursday email from Barr’s office requesting the meeting. He said he was not told what it was about.
When he arrived at Barr’s hotel suite the next day, there “were sandwiches on the table, but nobody ate.”
Barr told him he wanted to make changes at the office. Berman resisted, saying he “loved” his job and asked if Barr was “dissatisfied” with his performance.
Advertisement
Barr assured him the move was solely because Clayton wanted to relocate to New York and the administration wanted to “keep him on the team.”
Back and forth it went, with Barr saying the move would be good for Berman’s resume and eventual return to the private sector, Berman said. Berman would “only have to sit there” for five months until the presidential election determined next steps, Barr said. He told Berman it would be an opportunity to accumulate a “book of business” — clients — to bring to a private firm.
As Berman remain unmoved, Barr told him “he was trying to think of other jobs in the administration” that might be of interest. “I said that there was no job offer that would entice me to resign from my position,” Berman recalled.
Late that Friday the Justice Department issued a statement saying Berman was stepping down, launching the standoff. Berman issued his own statement saying he had “no intention of resigning.” He showed up for work Saturday.
On Saturday night, Barr publicly released a letter saying Berman had been fired by the president.
At the time, Trump told reporters it was “all up to the attorney general,” adding, “I wasn’t involved.”
Advertisement
Berman told the panel the letter also contained a “critical concession” from Barr. In it, Barr stated that Berman’s hand-picked deputy would take over as acting U.S. attorney until the permanent successor was in place. Berman said that with “full confidence” the work of the office would continue, “I decided to step down and not litigate my removal.”
It’s not the first ouster of a U.S. attorney from the SDNY. Preet Bharara, a former federal prosecutor appointed by President Barack Obama, announced that he was fired in March 2017, shortly after Trump took office.
Berman had worked from 1987 to 1990 for the independent counsel who investigated the administration of President Ronald Reagan in the Iran-Contra affair.
He previously served in the SDNY office as an assistant U.S. attorney from 1990 to 1994 before joining private practice, including time at the same firm as Giuliani. He reportedly met with Trump before being assigned the top federal prosecutor job in Manhattan.
SDNY has probed Trump’s inaugural fundraising and overseen the prosecution of two Florida businessmen, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, who were associates of Giuliani and tied to the Ukraine impeachment investigation. The men were charged in October with federal campaign finance violations.
Advertisement
____


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-09--More Federal Charges For El Paso Shooting Suspect

EL PASO , Texas ( AP ) — A man accused of shooting scores of people at a Texas Walmart last summer was indicted Thursday on new federal hate crime and gun charges following the death of another person injured in the attack .
A grand jury returned a new indictment against Patrick Wood Crusius , who was already charged with 90 counts under federal hate crime and firearms laws for the shooting in the border city of El Paso .
Authorities say Crusius aimed to scare Hispanics into leaving the United States .
The new charges stem from 36-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death nine month after the August 3. massacre , making him its 23rd fatality .
They mirror a similar move by county prosecutors in the state capital murder case against Crusius .
Crusius , 21 , faces the death penalty if convicted on the state charges , to which he pleaded not guilty last year , and federal prosecutors could also pursue capital punishment .
He has not entered a plea in the federal case and does not have a trial date in either .
David Lane , a Colorado-based lawyer representing Crusius @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic has made it impossible for the defense team to interview witnesses and for experts to speak with Crusius in jail .
“ This pandemic has stopped everyone in their tracks , ” Lane said .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
EL PASO, Texas (AP) — A man accused of shooting scores of people at a Texas Walmart last summer was indicted Thursday on new federal hate crime and gun charges following the death of another person injured in the attack.
A grand jury returned a new indictment against Patrick Wood Crusius, who was already charged with 90 counts under federal hate crime and firearms laws for the shooting in the border city of El Paso. Authorities say Crusius aimed to scare Hispanics into leaving the United States.
Advertisement
The new charges stem from 36-year-old Guillermo “Memo” Garcia’s death nine month after the August 3. massacre, making him its 23rd fatality. They mirror a similar move by county prosecutors in the state capital murder case against Crusius.
Crusius, 21, faces the death penalty if convicted on the state charges, to which he pleaded not guilty last year, and federal prosecutors could also pursue capital punishment. He has not entered a plea in the federal case and does not have a trial date in either.
David Lane, a Colorado-based lawyer representing Crusius in federal court, said the coronavirus pandemic has made it impossible for the defense team to interview witnesses and for experts to speak with Crusius in jail.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-09--Johnny Depp Calls Marriage To Amber Heard 'A Crime Scene Waiting To Happen'

LONDON ( AP ) — Johnny Depp said Thursday that his relationship with Amber Heard was “ a crime scene waiting to happen , ” but denied assaulting his ex-wife during a drug-fueled rampage in Australia while he was filming a “ Pirates of the Caribbean ” movie .
Under cross-examination by The Sun ’ s lawyer , Sasha Wass , Depp depicted a volatile relationship with Heard , during a period when he was trying to kick drugs and alcohol , and sometimes lapsing .
He said he came to feel he was in a “ constant tailspin ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Listen , we are a crime scene waiting to happen.
” But he denied being violent .
Depp rejected Heard ’ s claim that he subjected her to a “ three-day ordeal of assaults ” in March 2015 in Australia , where Depp was appearing as Capt .
Jack Sparrow in the fifth “ Pirates of the Caribbean ” film .
Depp agreed with the lawyer that the house was “ wrecked ” after the couple ’ s argument , which he said was triggered by Heard ’ s unhappiness about being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wass also alleged that Depp had lashed out at Heard during an attempt to break an addiction to the opioid Roxicodone on his private island in the Bahamas in 2014 .
Wass said that at the time Depp praised Heard ’ s efforts to help him get clean .
The lawyer read from a message Depp sent to Heard ’ s mother , saying “ your daughter has risen far above the nightmarish task of taking care of this poor old junkie ” and speaking of her “ heroism.
” “ I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lowest point I believe I ’ ve ever been in in my life , ” he said .
Depp accused Heard of telling “ porky pies ” — slang for lies — about his behavior .
He acknowledged striking out at objects , saying it was better than “ taking it out on the person that I love.
” Depp has admitted in court that he may have done things he can ’ t remember while he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs .
But he denied he could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The case is shining a light on the tempestuous relationship between Depp , 57 , and Heard , 34 , who met on the set of the 2011 comedy “ The Rum Diary ” and married in Los Angeles in February 2015 .
Heard , a model and actress , filed for divorce the following year and obtained a restraining order against Depp on the grounds of domestic abuse .
The divorce was finalized in 2017 .
In a text message to his doctor after the Australia altercation , Depp called Heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said she was “ desperate ” for fame , adding “ that is probably why I was acquired.
” On Wednesday Wass read the court an email to Depp that Heard had composed in 2013 but never sent , saying he was “ like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde .
Half of you I love madly , and the other half scares me .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
LONDON (AP) — Johnny Depp said Thursday that his relationship with Amber Heard was “a crime scene waiting to happen,” but denied assaulting his ex-wife during a drug-fueled rampage in Australia while he was filming a “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie.
The Hollywood star was giving evidence for a third day in his libel suit against a U.K. tabloid newspaper that called him a “wife-beater.”
Advertisement
Depp is suing News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and the paper’s executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article that said he’d physically abused Heard. He strongly denies the allegation.
Under cross-examination by The Sun’s lawyer, Sasha Wass, Depp depicted a volatile relationship with Heard, during a period when he was trying to kick drugs and alcohol, and sometimes lapsing. He said he came to feel he was in a “constant tailspin” and recalled telling Heard several times: “Listen, we are a crime scene waiting to happen.” But he denied being violent.
Depp rejected Heard’s claim that he subjected her to a “three-day ordeal of assaults” in March 2015 in Australia, where Depp was appearing as Capt. Jack Sparrow in the fifth “Pirates of the Caribbean” film.
“I vehemently deny it and will go as far as to say it’s pedestrian fiction,” he said.
Depp and Wass sparred over disputed details of the Australia episode, which ended up with the couple’s rented house being trashed and Depp’s fingertip being severed to the bone.
Advertisement
Depp accuses Heard of cutting off his fingertip by throwing a vodka bottle at him. She denies being in the room when the digit was severed.
According to Heard, Depp snorted cocaine, swigged Jack Daniels from the bottle, broke bottles, screamed at Heard, smashed her head against a refrigerator, threw her against a pingpong table and broke a window.
“These are fabrications,” he said.
He denied taking drugs but agreed that the couple had argued and he “decided to break my sobriety because I didn’t care anymore. I needed to numb myself.”
Depp agreed with the lawyer that the house was “wrecked” after the couple’s argument, which he said was triggered by Heard’s unhappiness about being asked to sign a postnuptial agreement.
The court was shown photographs of graffiti-covered mirrors, which Depp acknowledged he’d written on by dipping his bloody fingertip in paint.
Advertisement
But he said Heard was responsible for most of the damage to the house.
“That is completely untrue,” Wass said.
“Thank you, but it’s not,” Depp replied.
Wass also alleged that Depp had lashed out at Heard during an attempt to break an addiction to the opioid Roxicodone on his private island in the Bahamas in 2014.
Wass said that at the time Depp praised Heard’s efforts to help him get clean. The lawyer read from a message Depp sent to Heard’s mother, saying “your daughter has risen far above the nightmarish task of taking care of this poor old junkie” and speaking of her “heroism.”
Heard alleges that Depp became violent towards her. He denied physical violence, but said Heard’s claim that he was “flipping” and “screaming” might be accurate.
“I was not in good shape. It was the lowest point I believe I’ve ever been in in my life,” he said.
Depp accused Heard of telling “porky pies” — slang for lies — about his behavior. He acknowledged striking out at objects, saying it was better than “taking it out on the person that I love.”
Depp has admitted in court that he may have done things he can’t remember while he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs. But he denied he could have been physically abusive and not remember it.
Advertisement
“There were blackouts, sure, but in any blackout there are snippets of memory,” Depp said.
The Sun’s defense relies on a total of 14 allegations by Heard of Depp’s violence between 2013 and 2016.
The case is shining a light on the tempestuous relationship between Depp, 57, and Heard, 34, who met on the set of the 2011 comedy “The Rum Diary” and married in Los Angeles in February 2015. Heard, a model and actress, filed for divorce the following year and obtained a restraining order against Depp on the grounds of domestic abuse. The divorce was finalized in 2017.
The former spouses now accuse each other of being controlling, violent and deceitful during their marriage.
In a text message to his doctor after the Australia altercation, Depp called Heard “malicious, evil and vindictive” and said she was “desperate” for fame, adding “that is probably why I was acquired.”
Heard has claimed Depp felt threatened by her career and was jealous of her male co-stars, including James Franco and Billy Bob Thornton.
Advertisement
On Wednesday Wass read the court an email to Depp that Heard had composed in 2013 but never sent, saying he was “like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Half of you I love madly, and the other half scares me.”
Depp accused Heard of compiling a dossier of “hoax” abuse claims and said her claim that drugs and alcohol made him a monster was “delusional.”
He also denied claims he hit Heard when she laughed at one of his tattoos, dangled her Yorkshire terrier, Pistol, out a car window and threatened to put the dog in a microwave.
Wass alleged to Depp that by the waning months of the marriage in December 2015, “you were routinely using violence against Ms. Heard when you were intoxicated and when you were angry.”
She said that during one fight at the couple’s LA penthouse, Depp trashed Heard’s closet, slapped her and headbutted her, causing two black eyes.
Advertisement
Depp claimed Heard was the aggressor, and he had only tried to restrain her “to stop her flailing and punching me.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-09--Autopsy Shows Police Shot Latinx Teen In The Back 5 Times

Andres Guardado , 18 , was shot five times in the back by a Los Angeles sheriff ’ s deputy last month , according to an independent autopsy report his family released Wednesday .
“ Our son did not deserve to die this way , ” the teen ’ s parents said in a statement , per NBC News .
They said the autopsy report confirmed “ what we have known all along , which is that Andres was unjustifiably killed by a Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputy.
” The family is demanding that the sheriff ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s report , which the sheriff ’ s department has put under a “ security hold.
” LA County Sheriff ’ s Department Cmdr .
Chris Marks said in a press conference Wednesday that the hold will stay in place until the investigation concludes .
Marks said sheriff ’ s investigators have not yet interviewed the officer who shot Guardado , but the officer is “ scheduled to be ” interviewed .
“ Andres was a good boy , he was our son and he had so much life ahead of him , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We want answers.
” Jennifer Guardado , sister of Andres Guardado , and other relatives of speak at a rally seeking justice for the 18-year-old on June 28 , 2020 in Gardena , California .
Police shot and killed Guardado on June 18 near an auto body shop in Gardena , a city in LA County .
The sheriff ’ s department claimed Guardado “ produced a firearm ” and ran away from police , who then ran after him and shot him dead .
The teen ’ s family disputes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week that they do not believe Guardado had a gun and don ’ t know “ how and why ” police found a handgun at the scene or “ who it belonged to.
” Guardado was a student at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and was working two jobs while dreaming of becoming a registered nurse .
“ Another day , and another Black or Brown kid has been shot in the back by police , ” the congresswomen wrote .
“ These killings must stop .
We demand it .
The American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office told HuffPost that in Guardado ’ s case , which it noted is being investigated by local authorities , it is “ not aware of information at this time indicating that an additional separate investigation and review by our office is required.
” Guardado ’ s autopsy report was released amid nationwide protests against racism and police brutality that have been ongoing since police killed George Floyd in Minneapolis in May .
Last week , the families of two other young Latino men — Sean Monterrosa , 22 , and Erik Salgado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement shot the men dead in the San Francisco Bay Area just days apart in June .
The men ’ s loved ones rallied to demand legal consequences for the officers involved .
Both families also called for Becerra to investigate the shootings .
“ We are sick and tired of murderers being on the force and still getting paid , yet no convictions , ” Michelle Monterrosa , Sean ’ s sister , said in a video after the rally that was provided to HuffPost .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Andres Guardado, 18, was shot five times in the back by a Los Angeles sheriff’s deputy last month, according to an independent autopsy report his family released Wednesday.
“Our son did not deserve to die this way,” the teen’s parents said in a statement, per NBC News. They said the autopsy report confirmed “what we have known all along, which is that Andres was unjustifiably killed by a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy.”
Advertisement
The family is demanding that the sheriff’s department release the official medical examiner’s report, which the sheriff’s department has put under a “security hold.”
LA County Sheriff’s Department Cmdr. Chris Marks said in a press conference Wednesday that the hold will stay in place until the investigation concludes. Marks said sheriff’s investigators have not yet interviewed the officer who shot Guardado, but the officer is “scheduled to be” interviewed.
“Andres was a good boy, he was our son and he had so much life ahead of him,” his parents said in the statement. “We want answers.”
Jennifer Guardado, sister of Andres Guardado, and other relatives of speak at a rally seeking justice for the 18-year-old on June 28, 2020 in Gardena, California. Jason Armond via Getty Images
Advertisement
Police shot and killed Guardado on June 18 near an auto body shop in Gardena, a city in LA County. The sheriff’s department claimed Guardado “produced a firearm” and ran away from police, who then ran after him and shot him dead.
The teen’s family disputes that account. Their attorney told reporters last week that they do not believe Guardado had a gun and don’t know “how and why” police found a handgun at the scene or “who it belonged to.”
Guardado was a student at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and was working two jobs while dreaming of becoming a registered nurse.
Last month, California Democratic Reps. Maxine Waters and Nanette Diaz Barragán urged California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to investigate Guardado’s shooting.
“Another day, and another Black or Brown kid has been shot in the back by police,” the congresswomen wrote. “These killings must stop. We demand it. The American people demand it.”
Advertisement
Becerra’s office told HuffPost that in Guardado’s case, which it noted is being investigated by local authorities, it is “not aware of information at this time indicating that an additional separate investigation and review by our office is required.”
Guardado’s autopsy report was released amid nationwide protests against racism and police brutality that have been ongoing since police killed George Floyd in Minneapolis in May.
Last week, the families of two other young Latino men — Sean Monterrosa, 22, and Erik Salgado, 23 — demanded justice after law enforcement shot the men dead in the San Francisco Bay Area just days apart in June. The men’s loved ones rallied to demand legal consequences for the officers involved. Both families also called for Becerra to investigate the shootings.
“We are sick and tired of murderers being on the force and still getting paid, yet no convictions,” Michelle Monterrosa, Sean’s sister, said in a video after the rally that was provided to HuffPost.
“We want justice. We want convictions, too,” said Amanda Majail-Blanco, Salgado’s sister. “They robbed them of their future.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-09--Report: Feds Feared Ghislaine Maxwell Might Kill Herself

LITTLE ROCK , Ark .
( AP ) — Federal officials were so worried Jeffrey Epstein ’ s longtime confidante Ghislaine Maxwell might take her own life after her arrest that they took away her clothes and sheets and made her wear paper attire while in custody , an official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press .
The steps to ensure Maxwell ’ s safety while she ’ s locked up at a federal jail in New York City extend far beyond the measures federal officials took when they first arrested her in New Hampshire last week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ protocols and federal officials , outside of the Bureau of Prisons , have been specifically tasked with ensuring there ’ s adequate protection and the prisons protocols are being followed , the official said .
The protections are in case she harms herself , and in case other inmates wish to harm her .
The concern comes in part because Epstein , 66 , killed himself in a federal jail in Manhattan last summer while in custody on sex trafficking charges .
The Bureau of Prisons has been the subject of intense scrutiny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff shakeups and leadership changes .
Attorney General William Barr said his death was the result of the “ perfect storm of screw ups.
” The other protocols put in place for Maxwell ’ s confinement include ensuring that she has a roommate in her cell , is monitored and making sure someone is always with her while she ’ s behind bars , the official said .
Maxwell was arrested last Thursday on charges she helped lure at least three girls — one as young as 14 — to be sexually abused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victimizing dozens of girls and women over many years .
Maxwell , the daughter of the late British publishing magnate Robert Maxwell , was the former girlfriend and longtime close associate of Epstein .
She is accused of facilitating his crimes and on some occasions joined him in sexually abusing the girls , according to the indictment against her .
Several Epstein victims have described Maxwell as his chief enabler , recruiting and grooming young girls for abuse .
She has denied wrongdoing and called claims against her “ absolute rubbish.
” Maxwell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agents last week at a $ 1 million estate she had purchased in New Hampshire .
The investigators had been keeping an eye on Maxwell and knew she had been hiding out in various locations in New England .
She had switched her email address , ordered packages under someone else ’ s name and registered at least one new phone number under an alias “ G Max , ” prosecutors have said .
When the agents swooped in to arrest her , they weren ’ t sure that she was even at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some of the investigators believed she may have already fled from the United States in order to avoid prosecution , the official added .
After her arrest , Maxwell was put into the custody of the U.S .
Marshals Service , which utilized a series of suicide-prevention protocols , including taking away her sheets , as well as other safety measures , fearing a repeat of what happened with Epstein .
The Bureau of Prisons been plagued for years by serious misconduct , violence and staffing shortages so severe that guards often work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work mandatory double shifts and has struggled recently with an exploding number of coronavirus cases in prisons across the U.S .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Federal officials were so worried Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime confidante Ghislaine Maxwell might take her own life after her arrest that they took away her clothes and sheets and made her wear paper attire while in custody, an official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
The steps to ensure Maxwell’s safety while she’s locked up at a federal jail in New York City extend far beyond the measures federal officials took when they first arrested her in New Hampshire last week.
Advertisement
The Justice Department has implemented additional safety protocols and federal officials, outside of the Bureau of Prisons, have been specifically tasked with ensuring there’s adequate protection and the prisons protocols are being followed, the official said. The protections are in case she harms herself, and in case other inmates wish to harm her.
The concern comes in part because Epstein, 66, killed himself in a federal jail in Manhattan last summer while in custody on sex trafficking charges. The Bureau of Prisons has been the subject of intense scrutiny and conspiracy theories since then, with staff shakeups and leadership changes. Attorney General William Barr said his death was the result of the “perfect storm of screw ups.”
Maxwell was sent to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, over the Brooklyn Bridge from where Epstein was held.
The other protocols put in place for Maxwell’s confinement include ensuring that she has a roommate in her cell, is monitored and making sure someone is always with her while she’s behind bars, the official said.
Advertisement
The official could not discuss the ongoing investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Maxwell was arrested last Thursday on charges she helped lure at least three girls — one as young as 14 — to be sexually abused by Epstein, who was accused of victimizing dozens of girls and women over many years.
Maxwell, the daughter of the late British publishing magnate Robert Maxwell, was the former girlfriend and longtime close associate of Epstein. She is accused of facilitating his crimes and on some occasions joined him in sexually abusing the girls, according to the indictment against her. Several Epstein victims have described Maxwell as his chief enabler, recruiting and grooming young girls for abuse. She has denied wrongdoing and called claims against her “absolute rubbish.”
Maxwell was arrested by a team of federal agents last week at a $1 million estate she had purchased in New Hampshire. The investigators had been keeping an eye on Maxwell and knew she had been hiding out in various locations in New England.
She had switched her email address, ordered packages under someone else’s name and registered at least one new phone number under an alias “G Max,” prosecutors have said.
Advertisement
When the agents swooped in to arrest her, they weren’t sure that she was even at the home, the official said. Some of the investigators believed she may have already fled from the United States in order to avoid prosecution, the official added.
After her arrest, Maxwell was put into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, which utilized a series of suicide-prevention protocols, including taking away her sheets, as well as other safety measures, fearing a repeat of what happened with Epstein.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-09--NYC Paints ‘Black Lives Matter’ In Front Of Trump Tower

President Donald Trump ’ s most famous New York City building is getting new artwork after a group , including @ @ @ @ @ painted “ Black Lives Matter ” in front of the building .

NYC Paints ‘Black Lives Matter’ In Front Of Trump Tower
President Donald Trump’s most famous New York City building is getting new artwork after a group, including Mayor Bill de Blasio, painted “Black Lives Matter” in front of the building.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-09--Christian Summer Camp Shuts Down After Dozens Of Coronavirus Infections

A Christian organization shut down its summer camp for teenagers in Lampe , Missouri , after 82 children and staffers tested positive for the coronavirus .
Kanakuk Ministries closed its K-2 camp for 13 to 18-year-olds last week after the outbreak was discovered , Stone County Health Department announced on Facebook Monday .
Many of the people who tested positive for COVID-19 did so after leaving the camp and returning home , health officials said .
Missouri is among several states nationwide that are seeing record numbers of new infections following the easing of lockdown restrictions .
Camp attendees were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to arrival , according to the Kanakuk website , where it also spelled out in detail the precautions it was taking to help curb the virus .
Parents of campers who were sent home after the camp was closed received emails from the organization last week recommending that their children self-quarantine for two additional weeks , NBC News reported .
The outbreak does not appear to have spread to the organization ’ s five other camps , health officials said .
Kanakuk Ministries describes the K-2 camp on its website as “ a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play , train , laugh , learn and grow.
” The organization did not immediately return HuffPost ’ s request for comment , nor does it appear to have addressed the closure on any of its social media channels .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A Christian organization shut down its summer camp for teenagers in Lampe, Missouri, after 82 children and staffers tested positive for the coronavirus.
Advertisement
Many of the people who tested positive for COVID-19 did so after leaving the camp and returning home, health officials said.
Missouri is among several states nationwide that are seeing record numbers of new infections following the easing of lockdown restrictions.
Camp attendees were asked to self-quarantine for 14 days prior to arrival, according to the Kanakuk website, where it also spelled out in detail the precautions it was taking to help curb the virus.
Advertisement
Parents of campers who were sent home after the camp was closed received emails from the organization last week recommending that their children self-quarantine for two additional weeks, NBC News reported.
The outbreak does not appear to have spread to the organization’s five other camps, health officials said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--Rachel Maddow: Trump's COVID-Spreading Rally Circuit Is 'Worst Road Show' Ever

Rachel Maddow slammed President Donald Trump on Thursday as a kind of modern-day Typhoid Larry , helping to spread COVID-19 wherever he chooses for his campaign rallies .
The Trump reelection campaign rally season kicked off last month with a lackluster crowd in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
But there were still plenty of jam-packed , yelling , maskless Trump fans to contract coronavirus in the arena — particularly after campaign workers removed seat stickers encouraging social distancing , noted the host of MSNBC ’ s “ Rachel Maddow Show.
” The rally “ likely ” contributed to a dramatic surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the local health director .
Trump campaign staff working on the rally tested positive for the virus .
And former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is still in the hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19 soon after attending the event — without a mask .
Trump then stumped at a megachurch in Phoenix packed with 3,000 young people , almost all without masks .
At least eight Secret Service agents preparing shortly afterward for a visit to the city by Vice President Mike Pence holed up in a Phoenix hotel battling symptoms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but spent the days leading up to the rally tirelessly campaigning for Trump — without a mask — in Montana and South Dakota .
Montana GOP gubernatorial candidate Rep. Greg Gianforte suspended in-person campaigning last week to self-quarantine after his wife , Susan , was exposed to Guilfoyle .
“ This is the national roadshow that the president is doing right now .
There aren ’ t any other big congregant events indoors for thousands of people of any kind ... anywhere in the country .
It ’ s just events for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And so far it ’ s not going great.
” Next on Trump ’ s list : A rally Saturday in New Hampshire , one of only two states in the U.S. where cases of COVID-19 are decreasing .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Rachel Maddow slammed President Donald Trump on Thursday as a kind of modern-day Typhoid Larry, helping to spread COVID-19 wherever he chooses for his campaign rallies.
The Trump reelection campaign rally season kicked off last month with a lackluster crowd in Tulsa, Oklahoma. But there were still plenty of jam-packed, yelling, maskless Trump fans to contract coronavirus in the arena — particularly after campaign workers removed seat stickers encouraging social distancing, noted the host of MSNBC’s “Rachel Maddow Show.”
Advertisement
The rally “likely” contributed to a dramatic surge in Tulsa coronavirus cases, according to the local health director.
Trump campaign staff working on the rally tested positive for the virus. And former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is still in the hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19 soon after attending the event — without a mask.
Trump then stumped at a megachurch in Phoenix packed with 3,000 young people, almost all without masks. At least eight Secret Service agents preparing shortly afterward for a visit to the city by Vice President Mike Pence holed up in a Phoenix hotel battling symptoms of COVID-19.
Advertisement
She skipped the appearance, but spent the days leading up to the rally tirelessly campaigning for Trump — without a mask — in Montana and South Dakota. Montana GOP gubernatorial candidate Rep. Greg Gianforte suspended in-person campaigning last week to self-quarantine after his wife, Susan, was exposed to Guilfoyle.
“This is the national roadshow that the president is doing right now. There aren’t any other big congregant events indoors for thousands of people of any kind ... anywhere in the country. It’s just events for the president,” said Maddow. “And so far it’s not going great.”
Next on Trump’s list: A rally Saturday in New Hampshire, one of only two states in the U.S. where cases of COVID-19 are decreasing.
“But now,” said Maddow, “the president’s coming to town.”
Maddow blasted Trump’s “viral campaign” as the “worst road show in the history of America.”
Check it out in the video below.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--4 Positive Ways The Pandemic Has Changed How We Eat

The coronavirus pandemic has uprooted food systems as we knew them , leading to grocery shortages and devastating the restaurant industry .
But it has also driven some food trends that have helped people stay connected ― and could lead to long-lasting , positive change .
Research has shown that 30 % -35 % of families often eat fewer than three meals a week together , but the lockdown has changed that for the better .
Kids are having dinner with their parents , which hasn ’ t always been the norm for families with dual-income parents , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that eating together as a family helps children with self-esteem and success in school and lowers the risk for depression .
According to the Family Meals Movement , lower rates of childhood obesity are associated with kids eating meals with their families .
Although some parents have more time to plan meals due to COVID-19 , family dinners don ’ t have to be labor-intensive ― you don ’ t even have to cook .
According to Thalia E. Prum , an accredited dietitian and nutritionist focused on family meal planning , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as canned or frozen vegetables , or ready-to-use meals.
” According to Plum , children reap the benefits of family meals from as few as three meals a week .
It ’ s also important to note that it doesn ’ t always have to be dinner .
“ A family meal can definitely be breakfast or lunch , ” Plum said .
“ Taking the time to eat together is the most important thing , whether it ’ s sitting on the floor , in a car or under a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the family meal is a pleasant experience they ’ ll want to continue beyond the pandemic .
They just need to make it a priority.
” Meat shortages due to health issues in the meat-packing industry have forced people to rely more on plant-based foods .
This isn ’ t a such a bad thing , given that plant-based foods are healthy for both individuals and our planet .
Livestock alone produces 18 % of greenhouse gases , more than cars , planes and all other forms of transport put together .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ go vegan to improve your health or the environment .
Registered nurse and dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner created the Flexitarian Diet , which has been rated highly by U.S. News & World Report , for those who want to eat more “ vegetarianish , ” as she described it .
The term flexitarian , coined by Blatner over a decade ago , is derived from the words “ flexible ” and “ vegetarian.
” Blatner said she has seen a spike of interest in her diet plan amid the pandemic .
“ People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , and the pro-plants , not anti-meat , approach appeals to those interested in making healthier food choices , ” she told HuffPost .
3 .
We ’ re Baking More For Ourselves And Others Working away from home often leaves little time for meal preparation , let alone baking .
But working from home has its perks , and baking can be one of them .
Many of us have jumped into baking as a welcome distraction these days , with sourdough bread and banana bread rising to the top of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no exception .
An NBC food show winner and etiquette coach , she has taken the time to reconnect with family through food .
Her son , Ollie , graduated from high school this year , but there was no ceremony due to COVID-19 .
“ It was all too much for Ollie .
He decided to celebrate his birthday instead of graduation , so I baked him a Momofuku birthday cake ( inspired by the Milkbar ) .
It took his mind off the fact that he missed out on a graduation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the love doesn ’ t stop there .
Delivering food to those in need helps others while getting us out of isolation .
Not everyone is able to leave their home right now ― for those at high risk , the delivery of a meal , baked goods or groceries can be a lifesaver .
Providing nourishment to those in need also allows for much-needed human connection .
When shelter-at-home mandates went into effect , more Americans began cooking at home , and they started looking for healthy options .
Sales of regionally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ membership in community-supported agriculture programs ( CSAs ) , which are most often focused on fruits and vegetables , have skyrocketed .
People are also supporting local vendors , and the money has helped sustain small businesses , some of which have been surprisingly adaptive .
“ Some farms , who sell direct to consumers through CSAs and farmers markets , have expanded or offered online ordering , pickup and delivery to adapt to market closures or limited market access , and the need to provide products with minimal contact , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Agriculture spokesperson .
Farmers markets are installing hand sanitizer stations and encouraging proper social distancing with signs , while restaurants like Chez Panisse are selling produce boxes from their local suppliers .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The coronavirus pandemic has uprooted food systems as we knew them, leading to grocery shortages and devastating the restaurant industry. But it has also driven some food trends that have helped people stay connected ― and could lead to long-lasting, positive change.
It’s up to us to decide whether they continue long after the pandemic is over.
1. Family Meals Are Making A Comeback
Research has shown that 30%-35% of families often eat fewer than three meals a week together, but the lockdown has changed that for the better. Kids are having dinner with their parents, which hasn’t always been the norm for families with dual-income parents, and the benefits are proven. Studies have found that eating together as a family helps children with self-esteem and success in school and lowers the risk for depression. According to the Family Meals Movement, lower rates of childhood obesity are associated with kids eating meals with their families.
Advertisement
Although some parents have more time to plan meals due to COVID-19, family dinners don’t have to be labor-intensive ― you don’t even have to cook. According to Thalia E. Prum, an accredited dietitian and nutritionist focused on family meal planning, “Takeout can be a great option, as well as canned or frozen vegetables, or ready-to-use meals.”
PavelVinnik via Getty Images
According to Prum, children reap the benefits of family meals from as few as three meals a week. It’s also important to note that it doesn’t always have to be dinner.
“A family meal can definitely be breakfast or lunch,” Prum said. “Taking the time to eat together is the most important thing, whether it’s sitting on the floor, in a car or under a tree. Hopefully, parents will find that the family meal is a pleasant experience they’ll want to continue beyond the pandemic. They just need to make it a priority.”
Advertisement
2. People Are Eating More Plant-Based Foods
Meat shortages due to health issues in the meat-packing industry have forced people to rely more on plant-based foods. This isn’t a such a bad thing, given that plant-based foods are healthy for both individuals and our planet. Livestock alone produces 18% of greenhouse gases, more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together.
But you don’t have to go vegan to improve your health or the environment. Registered nurse and dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner created the Flexitarian Diet, which has been rated highly by U.S. News & World Report, for those who want to eat more “vegetarianish,” as she described it. The term flexitarian, coined by Blatner over a decade ago, is derived from the words “flexible” and “vegetarian.”
Blatner said she has seen a spike of interest in her diet plan amid the pandemic. “People are more focused on their health right now, and the pro-plants, not anti-meat, approach appeals to those interested in making healthier food choices,” she told HuffPost.
Blatner offered some suggestions on how to make the transition to more plant-based foods easier:
Re-portion your plate: “If you usually serve a 9-ounce steak, reduce it to 4 ounces.”
Re-invent your favorites: “When serving stir-fry chicken, try switching out half the chicken with beans; or for beef tacos, switch out half the beef with lentils.”
Try a new vegetarian recipe each week: “Source one recipe from your favorite cookbook, online or from friends each week. By the end of the year you’ll have 50 new vegetarian recipes.”
3. We’re Baking More For Ourselves And Others
Working away from home often leaves little time for meal preparation, let alone baking. But working from home has its perks, and baking can be one of them.
Advertisement
Many of us have jumped into baking as a welcome distraction these days, with sourdough bread and banana bread rising to the top of Google recipe searches. Cortney Anderson-Sanford is no exception. An NBC food show winner and etiquette coach, she has taken the time to reconnect with family through food.
Her son, Ollie, graduated from high school this year, but there was no ceremony due to COVID-19. “It was all too much for Ollie. He decided to celebrate his birthday instead of graduation, so I baked him a Momofuku birthday cake (inspired by the Milkbar). It took his mind off the fact that he missed out on a graduation ceremony,” she said.
invincible_bulldog via Getty Images
And the love doesn’t stop there. Delivering food to those in need helps others while getting us out of isolation. Not everyone is able to leave their home right now ― for those at high risk, the delivery of a meal, baked goods or groceries can be a lifesaver. Providing nourishment to those in need also allows for much-needed human connection.
Not to mention, baking can bring a host of psychological benefits, including stress relief. It’s a productive form of self-expression and communication, mindfulness and distraction, and it fits within a type of therapy known as behavioral activation.
Advertisement
4. We’re Buying Locally
The upside of shortages in the supply chain is that some people have turned to local sources for food, boosting small businesses hit hard by the pandemic.
When shelter-at-home mandates went into effect, more Americans began cooking at home, and they started looking for healthy options. Sales of regionally milled flour and sustainably caught fish and membership in community-supported agriculture programs (CSAs), which are most often focused on fruits and vegetables, have skyrocketed.
People are also supporting local vendors, and the money has helped sustain small businesses, some of which have been surprisingly adaptive. “Some farms, who sell direct to consumers through CSAs and farmers markets, have expanded or offered online ordering, pickup and delivery to adapt to market closures or limited market access, and the need to provide products with minimal contact,” said Lillie Weiya Zeng, a U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesperson. Farmers markets are installing hand sanitizer stations and encouraging proper social distancing with signs, while restaurants like Chez Panisse are selling produce boxes from their local suppliers.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--More Than 1,000 TSA Employees Test Positive For COVID-19

More than 1,000 employees of the Transportation Security Administration have tested positive for COVID-19 , according to figures released Thursday by the agency .
At least 907 were airport security officers who worked screening passengers .
Six workers and a contractor have died of the disease , per the TSA .
Union President Hydrick Thomas acknowledged an ongoing struggle to keep workers and passengers safe as travelers start flying again .
“ Right now they ’ re bringing people back to work and the social distance is not in total effect , ” Thomas told The Washington Post .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too many of them in one area.
” The TSA implemented new safety measures just before the July 4th holiday , following a complaint in June over “ gross mismanagement ” of safety protocol by whistleblower Jay Brainerd , a TSA director who supervises security at airports in Kansas .
TSA officers must now clean their gloves or change into a fresh pair between interactions with passengers to avoid cross-contamination , Brainerd told CNN .
Officers must wear face shields in addition to masks .
Transparent screens will also be erected between TSA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interact without social distancing , such as during ID checks .
TSA remains committed to the health and safety of our frontline workers and airline travelers .
We continue to routinely disinfect frequently touched checkpoint surfaces and equipment .
For more information , visit https : //t.co/MW5q4PSvMO # StayHealthyStaySecure — TSA ( @ TSA ) July 9 , 2020 According to the agency ’ s data , the airports where the most TSA personnel have contracted COVID-19 were New York ’ s JFK ( 116 ) , Newark Liberty International ( 69 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago ’ s O ’ Hare ( 42 ) , Orlando International ( 40 ) , Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International ( 39 ) and New York ’ s LaGuardia ( 39 ) .
The first TSA staffer to die of the disease was Newark airport K-9 officer Francis “ Big Frank ” Boccabella , who died on April 2 .
He was 39 .
“ When we all heard that he passed away , it hit a lot of the workers very hard , ” Thomas told the Post .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
More than 1,000 employees of the Transportation Security Administration have tested positive for COVID-19, according to figures released Thursday by the agency.
At least 907 were airport security officers who worked screening passengers. Six workers and a contractor have died of the disease, per the TSA.
Advertisement
Union President Hydrick Thomas acknowledged an ongoing struggle to keep workers and passengers safe as travelers start flying again.
“Right now they’re bringing people back to work and the social distance is not in total effect,” Thomas told The Washington Post. “Employees are still complaining there’s too many of them in one area.”
Jeff Swensen via Getty Images
The TSA implemented new safety measures just before the July 4th holiday, following a complaint in June over “gross mismanagement” of safety protocol by whistleblower Jay Brainerd, a TSA director who supervises security at airports in Kansas. TSA officers must now clean their gloves or change into a fresh pair between interactions with passengers to avoid cross-contamination, Brainerd told CNN. Officers must wear face shields in addition to masks.
Advertisement
Transparent screens will also be erected between TSA officers and passengers at locations where they interact without social distancing, such as during ID checks.
TSA remains committed to the health and safety of our frontline workers and airline travelers. We continue to routinely disinfect frequently touched checkpoint surfaces and equipment. For more information, visit https://t.co/MW5q4PSvMO #StayHealthyStaySecure — TSA (@TSA) July 9, 2020
According to the agency’s data, the airports where the most TSA personnel have contracted COVID-19 were New York’s JFK (116), Newark Liberty International (69), Miami International (56), Chicago’s O’Hare (42), Orlando International (40), Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International (39) and New York’s LaGuardia (39).
The first TSA staffer to die of the disease was Newark airport K-9 officer Francis “Big Frank” Boccabella, who died on April 2. He was 39.
“When we all heard that he passed away, it hit a lot of the workers very hard,” Thomas told the Post.
Advertisement