thetennesseestar--2020-05-02--White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley Joins the Tennessee Star Report to Discuss the New N

White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley Joins the Tennessee Star Report to Discuss the New Nursing Home Safety Initiative

On Friday ’ s Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Michael Patrick Leahy spoke to special guest Hogan Gidley who serves as the current Deputy Press Secretary at the White House .
During the second hour , Gidley briefed listeners on President Trump ’ s plans to launch a personal protective equipment ( PPE ) initiative for nursing homes across the nation .
He also took a question from all-star panelist Clint Brewer later on in the show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of insurance companies who are not adhering to contractual agreements with their small businesses .
Gidley advocated that the Trump administration should look into this issue and will .
Leahy : We are joined now by our longtime friend we know from Breitbart and he ’ s been on our program before he became the White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley .
Good morning Hogan .
Gidley : Morning !
Thanks so much for having me on .
I hope you guys are having a good day so far .
Leahy : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re delighted to have you back on the program .
President Trump is making news today .
He ’ s focused on nursing homes .
I ’ ve been reading in the news that nursing homes have been a big problem in many states .
I know in New York about a third of all cases of the 20,000 were related to residents of nursing homes .
In North Carolina over half of the 400 deaths were from nursing homes .
Tell us what the president is going to be doing today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nursing homes .
Gidley : Well he ’ s launching an initiative to deliver personal protection equipment , PPE that people talk about to more than 15,000 nursing homes across the nation .
That ’ s important .
It should be noted that obviously that nursing homes are really a safe controlled situation .
A private entity situation .
But because we understand the gravity of this moment and the situation this president has really gone above and beyond what government is capable to do .
And what the government is designed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve developed with corporations across the country .
He ’ s been able to move government at a speed that it ’ s not designed to do quite frankly .
You ’ ve seen the success of that .
Not just with this nursing home initiate but also with the development of ventilators .
that didn ’ t even know they had .
How we partnered with companies to build more .
We partnered with companies to not only get the air grid system in place massive cargo planes from companies overseas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other medical communities .
We have about 100 flights set up and done .
This is the type of thing that only Donald Trump could orchestrate .
While we have faced such a serious and grave moment .
It ’ s truly sad .
Anybody that ’ s lost a life you feel for their families or loved ones and friends .
This has been an unprecedented crisis .
But on the backside of the American spirit and we ’ re starting to see how we are reemerging with rebirth and reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s going to go safely as well because the American people have really stepped up here by listening to the guidelines and following the advice of the health experts and medical experts .
And now we ’ re in a place in which states like Tennessee can take a look at potentially opening back up because everyone ’ s been following the rules .
And that ’ s a testament to the American people .
Leahy : The president has directed FEMA to send more PPE equipment to nursing homes all around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the country .
700 here in Tennessee Also , the CARES act has 80 million bucks going to nursing homes for inspections and things of that nature .
I noticed Governor Lee was up at the White House yesterday .
And it looks like this initiative for nursing homes is really going to be focused here in Tennessee .
The governor has committed .
This is going to happen in all 700 nursing homes .
The testing is going to happen here in Tennessee .
Is Tennessee leading the way in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way and is one of the models we ’ re taking a look at .
The president has been working with governors .
The Governor of New Jersey obviously a Democrat and the Governor of Louisiana , a Democrat as well .
He ’ s met with these governors not just via phone and teleconference in the last several weeks and months individually , personally , and in-person so often .
Yesterday you saw a little bit of that as well because there are some states out there that are doing a great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ones that get to test and practice different policies and it becomes a blueprint for so many policies that come out of the federal government .
Tennessee is at the forefront of that .
Kudos to the Volunteer State for all you guys are doing over there because you have to look and listen to what some of the guidelines we ’ ve put out .
And we didn ’ t put it out on May 1 .
We put it out several weeks ago .
The reason we did that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other and their contiguous states and figure out the best way and best practices to begin to reopen .
Listen , I understand the economy is suffering but its more than just the “ economy at large.
” It ’ s about individuals that are sacrificing their livelihoods at this time because the government has told them they have to stay home .
Businesses are shutting down .
People are struggling to make ends meet .
That ’ s why the president developed PPP to deliver paychecks to people and pass the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine trillion in assistance right now .
But that ’ s still not going to fix or solve everything because at our core as just human beings we want to be social and we want to see our friends and families .
But we also want to work .
We want to provide and get our hands dirty .
And hopefully , because states like Tennessee and others have gone on to follow the guidelines and been sensible and responsible by the way they ’ ve been conducting themselves the opening and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pick up speed across the country and hopefully , we ’ ll be back to normal sooner rather than later .
Leahy : Hogan , you ’ re the Deputy Press Secretary at the White House .
A big big job .
I think you are doing a great job by the way so keep it up .
Here at The Tennessee Star Report , we have all-star panelists that join us every day , and today ’ s all-star panelist this morning is Clint Brewer who is a former journalist and public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clint has a question for your Hogan .
Clint , you ’ re on .
Brewer : So the president several weeks ago that seemed sympathetic to small businesses who are having trouble across the country with their business interruption insurance .
A lot of claims are not being met with insurers because of the coronavirus/COVID-19 .
Typically insurance is regulated at the state level but is the White House or is the president willing to get involved further to mediating this problem/standoff between businesses and insurance companies .
Gidley : Well what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a state issue .
There is no issue to big or too small or in between at this point to have us take a look at because obviously these are not just trying times but they are unprecedented .
There are all types of issues developing out of this coronavirus that so many people didn ’ t coming .
Thankfully the president was out ahead early and bought us some serious significant time to begin to look at some of these issues .
Dr. Birx and Dr. Fauci the new faces of some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and time again that time is always your friend .
But when people at the state level like you just brought up talk to him about these types of issues we are more than happy to take a look at those because we don ’ t want people to suffer and we don ’ t want abuses and obviously the promises that were made in those types of partnerships or business contracts need to be absolutely honored .
And so that ’ s something we ’ re willing to take a look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about making sure people get through this with as little suffering as possible .
Leahy : I have kind of a personal question for you .
I ’ ve been dying to ask you this .
Leahy : What is a typical day like for ( Gidley chuckles ) a Deputy Press Secretary at the White House ?
It ’ s got to be a little bit crazy .
Gidley : A little bit is probably not the right word .
And crazy although an extreme word seems somehow not up to what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leahy laughs ) It ’ s an honor , and a privilege and a blessing to work there .
There ’ s no doubt that D.C. is a different animal .
It ’ s a bubble as you know .
I promise you I much rather be in Nashville at a Vanderbilt game or in Knoxville at a Tennessee game for sure considering I ’ m an SEC fan of course .
Hopefully , we can reopen and go back to some of that football when spring practice is over and we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here .
As far as work here is concerned , I don ’ t think I ’ ve seen a football game since I ’ ve taken over this position .
We have a president that cares so much about the people that he never stops !
I don ’ t know how he does it .
Leahy : Does he get more than four hours of sleep a night ?
He seems like he ’ s always awake and always working .
Gidley : If it ’ s four hours it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That is rarely the case .
And of course , it ’ s been well documented that he calls us at all hours of the night .
He ’ s always reading getting information and then asking us to execute .
He never stops and so we can ’ t either .
Leahy : Hogan Gidley White House Deputy Press Secretary , thanks for joining us .
Come back again and visit us on The Tennessee Star Report .
Listen to the full second hour : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ Hogan Gidley and President Trump ” by Hogan Gidley .

On Friday’s Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Michael Patrick Leahy spoke to special guest Hogan Gidley who serves as the current Deputy Press Secretary at the White House.
During the second hour, Gidley briefed listeners on President Trump’s plans to launch a personal protective equipment (PPE) initiative for nursing homes across the nation. He also took a question from all-star panelist Clint Brewer later on in the show regarding how there is a growing trend of insurance companies who are not adhering to contractual agreements with their small businesses. Gidley advocated that the Trump administration should look into this issue and will.
Leahy: We are joined now by our longtime friend we know from Breitbart and he’s been on our program before he became the White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley. Good morning Hogan.
Gidley: Morning! Thanks so much for having me on. I hope you guys are having a good day so far.
Leahy: We are! We are and we’re delighted to have you back on the program. President Trump is making news today. He’s focused on nursing homes. I’ve been reading in the news that nursing homes have been a big problem in many states. I know in New York about a third of all cases of the 20,000 were related to residents of nursing homes. In North Carolina over half of the 400 deaths were from nursing homes. Tell us what the president is going to be doing today to make it safer for residents of nursing homes.
Gidley: Well he’s launching an initiative to deliver personal protection equipment, PPE that people talk about to more than 15,000 nursing homes across the nation. That’s important. It should be noted that obviously that nursing homes are really a safe controlled situation. A private entity situation.
But because we understand the gravity of this moment and the situation this president has really gone above and beyond what government is capable to do. And what the government is designed to do. The private partnerships that we’ve developed with corporations across the country.
He’s been able to move government at a speed that it’s not designed to do quite frankly. You’ve seen the success of that. Not just with this nursing home initiate but also with the development of ventilators. that didn’t even know they had. How we partnered with companies to build more.
We partnered with companies to not only get the air grid system in place massive cargo planes from companies overseas to bring PPE into our hot spots and other medical communities. We have about 100 flights set up and done. This is the type of thing that only Donald Trump could orchestrate. While we have faced such a serious and grave moment. It’s truly sad.
Anybody that’s lost a life you feel for their families or loved ones and friends. This has been an unprecedented crisis. But on the backside of the American spirit and we’re starting to see how we are reemerging with rebirth and reopening of this country.
Hopefully, that’s going to go safely as well because the American people have really stepped up here by listening to the guidelines and following the advice of the health experts and medical experts. And now we’re in a place in which states like Tennessee can take a look at potentially opening back up because everyone’s been following the rules. And that’s a testament to the American people.
Leahy: The president has directed FEMA to send more PPE equipment to nursing homes all around the country. There are about 15,000 around the country. 700 here in Tennessee Also, the CARES act has 80 million bucks going to nursing homes for inspections and things of that nature.
I noticed Governor Lee was up at the White House yesterday. And it looks like this initiative for nursing homes is really going to be focused here in Tennessee. The governor has committed. This is going to happen in all 700 nursing homes. The testing is going to happen here in Tennessee. Is Tennessee leading the way in this?
Gidley: Tennessee is leading the way and is one of the models we’re taking a look at. The president has been working with governors. The Governor of New Jersey obviously a Democrat and the Governor of Louisiana, a Democrat as well. He’s met with these governors not just via phone and teleconference in the last several weeks and months individually, personally, and in-person so often.
Yesterday you saw a little bit of that as well because there are some states out there that are doing a great job. As you know states are the ones that get to test and practice different policies and it becomes a blueprint for so many policies that come out of the federal government.
Tennessee is at the forefront of that. Kudos to the Volunteer State for all you guys are doing over there because you have to look and listen to what some of the guidelines we’ve put out. And we didn’t put it out on May 1. We put it out several weeks ago.
The reason we did that was that it allowed governors to talk to each other and their contiguous states and figure out the best way and best practices to begin to reopen. Listen, I understand the economy is suffering but its more than just the “economy at large.” It’s about individuals that are sacrificing their livelihoods at this time because the government has told them they have to stay home. Businesses are shutting down. People are struggling to make ends meet.
That’s why the president developed PPP to deliver paychecks to people and pass the CARES Act. We are talking almost nine trillion in assistance right now. But that’s still not going to fix or solve everything because at our core as just human beings we want to be social and we want to see our friends and families. But we also want to work.
We want to provide and get our hands dirty. And hopefully, because states like Tennessee and others have gone on to follow the guidelines and been sensible and responsible by the way they’ve been conducting themselves the opening and the rebirth will continue and will start to pick up speed across the country and hopefully, we’ll be back to normal sooner rather than later.
Leahy: Hogan, you’re the Deputy Press Secretary at the White House. A big big job. I think you are doing a great job by the way so keep it up. Here at The Tennessee Star Report, we have all-star panelists that join us every day, and today’s all-star panelist this morning is Clint Brewer who is a former journalist and public affairs strategist here in Tennessee. And Clint has a question for your Hogan. Clint, you’re on.
Brewer: Great thanks. Good morning Hogan.
Gidley: Good morning.
Brewer: So the president several weeks ago that seemed sympathetic to small businesses who are having trouble across the country with their business interruption insurance. A lot of claims are not being met with insurers because of the coronavirus/COVID-19. Typically insurance is regulated at the state level but is the White House or is the president willing to get involved further to mediating this problem/standoff between businesses and insurance companies.
Gidley: Well what you just brought up that is obviously a state issue. There is no issue to big or too small or in between at this point to have us take a look at because obviously these are not just trying times but they are unprecedented. There are all types of issues developing out of this coronavirus that so many people didn’t coming.
Thankfully the president was out ahead early and bought us some serious significant time to begin to look at some of these issues. Dr. Birx and Dr. Fauci the new faces of some of this stuff made that point time and time again that time is always your friend.
But when people at the state level like you just brought up talk to him about these types of issues we are more than happy to take a look at those because we don’t want people to suffer and we don’t want abuses and obviously the promises that were made in those types of partnerships or business contracts need to be absolutely honored.
And so that’s something we’re willing to take a look at. Of course. It’s about making sure people get through this with as little suffering as possible.
Leahy: I have kind of a personal question for you. I’ve been dying to ask you this.
Gidley: Ok.
Leahy: What is a typical day like for (Gidley chuckles) a Deputy Press Secretary at the White House? It’s got to be a little bit crazy.
Gidley: A little bit is probably not the right word. And crazy although an extreme word seems somehow not up to what we go through every day. (Leahy laughs) It’s an honor, and a privilege and a blessing to work there. There’s no doubt that D.C. is a different animal. It’s a bubble as you know.
I promise you I much rather be in Nashville at a Vanderbilt game or in Knoxville at a Tennessee game for sure considering I’m an SEC fan of course. Hopefully, we can reopen and go back to some of that football when spring practice is over and we’ll be heading into the fall shortly here.
As far as work here is concerned, I don’t think I’ve seen a football game since I’ve taken over this position. We have a president that cares so much about the people that he never stops! I don’t know how he does it.
Leahy: Does he get more than four hours of sleep a night? He seems like he’s always awake and always working.
Gidley: If it’s four hours it’s a good night for him. That is rarely the case. And of course, it’s been well documented that he calls us at all hours of the night. He’s always reading getting information and then asking us to execute. He never stops and so we can’t either.
Leahy: Hogan Gidley White House Deputy Press Secretary, thanks for joining us. Come back again and visit us on The Tennessee Star Report.
Listen to the full second hour:

– – –
Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.
Photo “Hogan Gidley and President Trump” by Hogan Gidley.


thetennesseestar--2020-05-02--Commentary: COVID-19 Lockdowns May Destroy Our Immune Systems

What happens when trees are planted in a “ perfect ” growing environment ?
Give the trees rich soil , just the right amount of water and no wind , and they grow rapidly , but topple over before they reach maturation .
Wind stimulates the tree to grow stress wood , which “ helps a tree position itself for optimal sun absorption , and it also helps trees grow more solidly.
” In a recent interview , two immunology doctors , former emergency-room physician Dr. Daniel W. Erickson and his partner at a California Urgent Care , Dr. Artin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibility that draconian lockdowns are counterproductive .
Without exposure to pathogens , we can not build a healthy immune system : “ The immune system is built by exposure to antigens : viruses , bacteria .
When you ’ re a little child crawling on the ground , putting stuff in your mouth , viruses and bacteria come in .
You form an antigen antibody complex .
You form IgG IgM .
This is how your immune system is built .
You don ’ t take a small child put them in bubble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ go have a healthy immune system.
’ “ This is immunology , microbiology 101 .
This is the basis of what we ’ ve known for years .
When you take human beings and you say , ‘ go into your house , clean all your counters—Lysol them down you ’ re gon na kill 99 % of viruses and bacteria ; wear a mask ; don ’ t go outside , ’ what does it do to our immune system ?
Our immune system is used to touching .
We share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , viruses.
” Erickson and Massih are alarmed at the unintended consequences of a prolonged lockdown : “ Sheltering in place decreases your immune system .
And then as we all come out of shelter in place with a lower immune system and start trading viruses , bacteria—what do you think is going to happen ?
Disease is going to spike .
And then you ’ ve got diseases spike—amongst a hospital system with furloughed doctors and nurses .
This is not the combination we want to set up for a healthy society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense.
” When the lockdown ends , will we face a similar danger as a sheltered tree ?
Will we have the necessary stress wood to withstand the wind ?
On a spiritual level , Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski , a graduate of Marquette University ’ s medical school , asks us to consider how lobsters grow .
Lobsters are soft-bodied animals encased in an exoskeleton .
As the lobster grows , the older , now too-small shell must be discarded so a new shell can grow .
Twerski points out , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to grow is that it feels uncomfortable.
” Twerski also hypothesizes that if lobsters had doctors , they would seek painkillers when they got uncomfortable .
Relieved from discomfort , they would not shed their old shells and grow .
Twerski challenges us to use adversity properly and recognize that times of stress are also times for growth .
Human beings are not trees or lobsters , yet the warnings from Dr. Erickson and Dr. Massih echo lessons from the natural world .
Faced with a virulent virus , reasonable precautions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society , are wise .
But , have we gone overboard ?
This past weekend , my wife and I hiked trails in the White Mountains of New Hampshire on a lovely spring day .
These trails are not always wide , and sometimes you closely pass other people on the path .
Only one man stepped off the trail when we were passing by .
No one else seemed concerned that a brief outdoor encounter with another person ’ s airspace was putting them at a risk .
The next day we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and closed many trails in the White Mountains , citing an “ unseasonably high ” number of visitors .
A Forest Service spokesperson said , “ We can only imagine what was going on up the trails as far as people crossing lanes with each other as they ’ re going in opposite directions.
” If Forest Service personnel hiked , they would not have to imagine trail conditions .
They would find solo hikers or pairs of people widely interspersed .
Hikers are behaving like they always have .
They politely greet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share news of trail conditions or provide directions .
In “ protecting ” people from enjoying the outdoors during social distancing , is our fear simply creating a dangerously unhealthy society ?
Perhaps it is time to head the warnings of Erickson and Massih – too much protection might later turn out to be as harmful as refusing to take reasonable coronavirus precautions .

by Barry Brownstein
What happens when trees are planted in a “perfect” growing environment? Give the trees rich soil, just the right amount of water and no wind, and they grow rapidly, but topple over before they reach maturation. Wind stimulates the tree to grow stress wood, which “helps a tree position itself for optimal sun absorption, and it also helps trees grow more solidly.”
In a recent interview, two immunology doctors, former emergency-room physician Dr. Daniel W. Erickson and his partner at a California Urgent Care, Dr. Artin Massih, challenged us to consider the possibility that draconian lockdowns are counterproductive. Without exposure to pathogens, we cannot build a healthy immune system:
“The immune system is built by exposure to antigens: viruses, bacteria. When you’re a little child crawling on the ground, putting stuff in your mouth, viruses and bacteria come in. You form an antigen antibody complex. You form IgG IgM. This is how your immune system is built. You don’t take a small child put them in bubble wrap in a room and say, ‘go have a healthy immune system.’
“This is immunology, microbiology 101. This is the basis of what we’ve known for years. When you take human beings and you say, ‘go into your house, clean all your counters—Lysol them down you’re gonna kill 99% of viruses and bacteria; wear a mask; don’t go outside,’ what does it do to our immune system? Our immune system is used to touching. We share bacteria. Staphylococcus, streptococcal, bacteria, viruses.”
Erickson and Massih are alarmed at the unintended consequences of a prolonged lockdown:
“Sheltering in place decreases your immune system. And then as we all come out of shelter in place with a lower immune system and start trading viruses, bacteria—what do you think is going to happen? Disease is going to spike. And then you’ve got diseases spike—amongst a hospital system with furloughed doctors and nurses. This is not the combination we want to set up for a healthy society. It doesn’t make any sense.”
When the lockdown ends, will we face a similar danger as a sheltered tree? Will we have the necessary stress wood to withstand the wind?
On a spiritual level, Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski, a graduate of Marquette University’s medical school, asks us to consider how lobsters grow. Lobsters are soft-bodied animals encased in an exoskeleton. As the lobster grows, the older, now too-small shell must be discarded so a new shell can grow. Twerski points out, “The stimulus for the lobster to be able to grow is that it feels uncomfortable.”
Twerski also hypothesizes that if lobsters had doctors, they would seek painkillers when they got uncomfortable. Relieved from discomfort, they would not shed their old shells and grow. Twerski challenges us to use adversity properly and recognize that times of stress are also times for growth.
Human beings are not trees or lobsters, yet the warnings from Dr. Erickson and Dr. Massih echo lessons from the natural world.
Faced with a virulent virus, reasonable precautions, especially for the most vulnerable members of society, are wise. But, have we gone overboard?
This past weekend, my wife and I hiked trails in the White Mountains of New Hampshire on a lovely spring day. These trails are not always wide, and sometimes you closely pass other people on the path.
Only one man stepped off the trail when we were passing by. No one else seemed concerned that a brief outdoor encounter with another person’s airspace was putting them at a risk.
The next day we learned that the Forest Service felt otherwise and closed many trails in the White Mountains, citing an “unseasonably high” number of visitors. A Forest Service spokesperson said, “We can only imagine what was going on up the trails as far as people crossing lanes with each other as they’re going in opposite directions.”
If Forest Service personnel hiked, they would not have to imagine trail conditions. They would find solo hikers or pairs of people widely interspersed. Hikers are behaving like they always have. They politely greet other hikers and sometimes pause briefly to share news of trail conditions or provide directions.
In “protecting” people from enjoying the outdoors during social distancing, is our fear simply creating a dangerously unhealthy society? Perhaps it is time to head the warnings of Erickson and Massih – too much protection might later turn out to be as harmful as refusing to take reasonable coronavirus precautions.
– – –
Barry Brownstein is a senior contributor to Intelligence Takeout.


thetennesseestar--2020-05-02--IRS Glitch Leads to Thousands of Foreign Workers Getting Stimulus Checks: Report

A glitch within the Internal Revenue Service ( IRS ) has reportedly led to as many as thousands of foreign nationals receiving coronavirus stimulus checks intended for U.S. residents .
Many of the $ 1,200 stimulus checks to Americans coping with the economic downturn also went to foreign workers , many of whom are living overseas , according to a report from Politico .
Allegations of misdirected coronavirus funds come from tax consultants and even recipients themselves .
Many of the unintended recipients are racing to spend the money before the IRS realizes what went wrong .
“ We were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of a sudden , on the one day when they started hitting their accounts or that the checks started going out , asking what to do , ” Donna Kepley , president of the tax firm Arctic International , told Politico .
The tax firm has spoken with “ dozens of clients ” in the past days .
“ And so we had to try to figure out how to return it , which is not easy , ” Keply said , and added that “ thousands ” of foreign individuals likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have visited the United States in the past couple of years , many of them gone well before the coronavirus pandemic began , were shocked to discover $ 1,200 checks directly deposited into their banks .
The ones who spoke publicly about the issue said they wanted to return the money out of fear of reprimand , but were unable to reach the IRS .
Politico spoke to three student visa holders who unexpectedly found an extra stack in their bank account .
“ One day I just saw my account and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything , ” a French citizen who finished a graduate program at the University of Toledo in 2018 said about the surprise .
“ I knew they were planning to give stimulus payments but I didn ’ t know when it was happening.
” How did this glitch occur ?
The incorrect payments are believed to be a result of a common tax-filing glitch , specifically with foreign college students on F-1 and J-1 exchange visas .
These foreign students , who are able to work summer jobs , typically use TurboTax or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programs are intended for U.S. residents .
Consequently , there are many temporary workers who file incorrect tax forms each year .
The IRS usually does not catch this error because Social Security numbers assigned to non-immigrant workers are the same number of digits as those assigned to U.S. citizens — making both sets look identical .
While this usually doesn ’ t cause a problem during tax season , this year became a blunder when the U.S. government apparently mistook many foreign workers as eligible for these one-time stimulus checks .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Jason Hopkins is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ IRS Building ” by Joshua Doubek .
CC BY-SA 3.0 .

by Jason Hopkins
A glitch within the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has reportedly led to as many as thousands of foreign nationals receiving coronavirus stimulus checks intended for U.S. residents.
Many of the $1,200 stimulus checks to Americans coping with the economic downturn also went to foreign workers, many of whom are living overseas, according to a report from Politico. Allegations of misdirected coronavirus funds come from tax consultants and even recipients themselves.
Many of the unintended recipients are racing to spend the money before the IRS realizes what went wrong.
“We were contacted by a lot of our clients all of a sudden, on the one day when they started hitting their accounts or that the checks started going out, asking what to do,” Donna Kepley, president of the tax firm Arctic International, told Politico.
The tax firm has spoken with “dozens of clients” in the past days.
“And so we had to try to figure out how to return it, which is not easy,” Keply said, and added that “thousands” of foreign individuals likely received checks in April.
Young workers who have visited the United States in the past couple of years, many of them gone well before the coronavirus pandemic began, were shocked to discover $1,200 checks directly deposited into their banks. The ones who spoke publicly about the issue said they wanted to return the money out of fear of reprimand, but were unable to reach the IRS.
Politico spoke to three student visa holders who unexpectedly found an extra stack in their bank account.
“One day I just saw my account and I had 1,200 bucks without even requesting anything,” a French citizen who finished a graduate program at the University of Toledo in 2018 said about the surprise. “I knew they were planning to give stimulus payments but I didn’t know when it was happening.”
How did this glitch occur?
The incorrect payments are believed to be a result of a common tax-filing glitch, specifically with foreign college students on F-1 and J-1 exchange visas. These foreign students, who are able to work summer jobs, typically use TurboTax or similar e-filing services without realizing that these programs are intended for U.S. residents.
Consequently, there are many temporary workers who file incorrect tax forms each year. The IRS usually does not catch this error because Social Security numbers assigned to non-immigrant workers are the same number of digits as those assigned to U.S. citizens — making both sets look identical.
While this usually doesn’t cause a problem during tax season, this year became a blunder when the U.S. government apparently mistook many foreign workers as eligible for these one-time stimulus checks.
The Treasury Department did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
– – –
Jason Hopkins is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “IRS Building” by Joshua Doubek. CC BY-SA 3.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-05-02--Crom Carmichael Weighs in on the New Evidence in General Michael Flynn’s Case

Friday morning on the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy was joined on the line by the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael .
During the second hour , Carmichael gave his opinion on the recent new information revealing how Michael Flynn was forced into a perjury trap by the FBI in a coordinated effort to bring down newly elected President Donald Trump .
Leahy : That ’ s President Trump talking about the framing of Michael Flynn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apparently was framed by James Comey , Andrew McCabe , and Peter Strzok of the FBI .
Crom , what do you make of this ?
Carmichael : Well , the information that ’ s coming out now Sydney Powell has unearthed , if it turns out that not only did the people that you just mention know about this but also Andrew Weisman knew about it .
Leahy : He ’ s the guy who really ran the Mueller probe .
Carmichael : Yes .
And he ’ s the one who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he didn ’ t run it he oversaw it of Michael Flynn and the strategy involved .
If he knew all this he could be implicated in the criminality of this .
And there ’ s no telling how high this goes because we know that James Comey , it ’ s a little bit like that soundbite of Joe Biden telling the Ukrainians to fire the prosecutor who was looking into the company that his son is on the board of .
And you ’ ve got Comey who is on stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two FBI people over to entrap Michael Flynn because he could .
Leahy : It was the fourth day that he was serving on the Trump administration .
Typically these things go through the general counsel of the White House particularly if they are going to do a perjury trap investigation .
Carmichael : If they are going to do a perjury trap investigation you can ’ t go through the general counsel ’ s office because they would stop you .
Leahy : There you go .
Carmichael : You have about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the other question is did it leak over into the Justice Department and if it did was it also in the White House ?
Because let ’ s remember , this whole thing started back in I guess the spring of 2016 when they started going after George Papadopoulos in somewhere I guess in the summer or fall .
I can ’ t remember the exact time but I know it was well before the election they did that surveillance that went to the FISA court and faked their way into doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who participated in this obvious conspiracy , that ’ s the only word you can use for it , conspiracy to take down Trump .
I know that espionage has to do with a foreign government but I believe that there ’ s also an internal word for the word traitor that could carry the death penalty .
Leahy : This looks like a setup .
It looks like a dirty deal .
And they tried to get the guy .
Andrew McCarthy the former U.S. Assistant Attorney who brought down the Blind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Trade Center in the 90s was on Tucker Carlson last night and he said clearly they wanted to take out Flynn because he knew how the intelligence community worked and he would discover ultimately that the Russia investigation was a sham .
And that would point to of course all of the leaders of the FBI James Comey , and you might by implication think perhaps President Obama .
Carmichael : That ’ s where you get over to the DOJ also because there were people in the Department of Justice that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now called the conspiracy .
Then you had KT McFarland and they went after her also .
Leahy : KT McFarland has been a guest on this program .
She wrote a book about her experiences .
This was in the first few days of the Trump administration .
Flynn was the National Security Advisor and McFarland was his deputy .
After they took down Flynn they went after McFarland but they couldn ’ t get anything on her .
She wrote about it .
It was very very troubling for her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost her a lot of money for having to defend herself against something she did not do .
But she then saw up close and personal exactly what the Obama administration was trying to do .
And there ’ s no other word for it .
And the media people on the left won ’ t even look into it .
And you know Rush Limbaugh wondered one day , why aren ’ t there any Woodward Bernstein ’ s out there today ?
And the answer is pretty simple .
The media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very bright people who are vastly overpaid .
And they are paid to say what they say .
They are not paid to investigate .
Leahy : They are paid to be basically propagandists .
Carmichael : Yes .
So they are not going to risk a million-dollar job .
They are getting paid to lie .
And the media at this point has protection under the law that it can say what it wants to .
Now , I don ’ t know , I heard something about Hannity was either going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bunch of media outlets that were saying things about him that he believes to be false and malicious .
Either that or he ’ s already filed a lawsuit .
But the teenager out of Kentucky he ’ s going to end up being very very wealthy and good for him because he has sued about 10 outlets for falsely reporting the circumstances involving Nathan Phillips the activist Native-American who may or may not have ever done anything in Vietnam .
( Chuckles ) Leahy : Who claimed to be a Vietnam vet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That guy .
Carmichael : He is as much a Vietnam vet as Elizabeth Warren is a sister of Nathan Phillips .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 am to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .

Friday morning on the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy was joined on the line by the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael.
During the second hour, Carmichael gave his opinion on the recent new information revealing how Michael Flynn was forced into a perjury trap by the FBI in a coordinated effort to bring down newly elected President Donald Trump.
(Trump clip plays)
When I look at what they did to him. They tormented him, dirty cops tormented General Flynn. Flynn is a fine man with 35 years or so in the military. You don’t get to be where he is by being bad. That I can tell you.
Leahy: That’s President Trump talking about the framing of Michael Flynn. The former National Security Advisor who apparently was framed by James Comey, Andrew McCabe, and Peter Strzok of the FBI. Crom, what do you make of this?
Carmichael: Well, the information that’s coming out now Sydney Powell has unearthed, if it turns out that not only did the people that you just mention know about this but also Andrew Weisman knew about it.
Leahy: He’s the guy who really ran the Mueller probe.
Carmichael: Yes. And he’s the one who I think ran the prosecution. If he didn’t run it he oversaw it of Michael Flynn and the strategy involved. If he knew all this he could be implicated in the criminality of this. And there’s no telling how high this goes because we know that James Comey, it’s a little bit like that soundbite of Joe Biden telling the Ukrainians to fire the prosecutor who was looking into the company that his son is on the board of. And you’ve got Comey who is on stage yucking it up about how he sent two FBI people over to entrap Michael Flynn because he could.
Leahy: It was the fourth day that he was serving on the Trump administration. Typically these things go through the general counsel of the White House particularly if they are going to do a perjury trap investigation.
Carmichael: If they are going to do a perjury trap investigation you can’t go through the general counsel’s office because they would stop you.
Leahy: There you go.
Carmichael: You have about six to eight people in the FBI and the other question is did it leak over into the Justice Department and if it did was it also in the White House? Because let’s remember, this whole thing started back in I guess the spring of 2016 when they started going after George Papadopoulos in somewhere I guess in the summer or fall.
I can’t remember the exact time but I know it was well before the election they did that surveillance that went to the FISA court and faked their way into doing Carter Page. All of the people who participated in this obvious conspiracy, that’s the only word you can use for it, conspiracy to take down Trump. I know that espionage has to do with a foreign government but I believe that there’s also an internal word for the word traitor that could carry the death penalty.
Leahy: This looks like a setup. It looks like a dirty deal. And they tried to get the guy. Andrew McCarthy the former U.S. Assistant Attorney who brought down the Blind Sheik in the first bombing of the World Trade Center in the 90s was on Tucker Carlson last night and he said clearly they wanted to take out Flynn because he knew how the intelligence community worked and he would discover ultimately that the Russia investigation was a sham. And that would point to of course all of the leaders of the FBI James Comey, and you might by implication think perhaps President Obama.
Carmichael: That’s where you get over to the DOJ also because there were people in the Department of Justice that were implicated in that whole scam which is now called the conspiracy. Then you had KT McFarland and they went after her also.
Leahy: KT McFarland has been a guest on this program. She wrote a book about her experiences. This was in the first few days of the Trump administration. Flynn was the National Security Advisor and McFarland was his deputy. After they took down Flynn they went after McFarland but they couldn’t get anything on her. She wrote about it. It was very very troubling for her.
Carmichael: Yes, because it cost her a lot of money for having to defend herself against something she did not do. But she then saw up close and personal exactly what the Obama administration was trying to do. And there’s no other word for it.
And the media people on the left won’t even look into it. And you know Rush Limbaugh wondered one day, why aren’t there any Woodward Bernstein’s out there today? And the answer is pretty simple. The media people on the left aren’t very bright people who are vastly overpaid. And they are paid to say what they say. They are not paid to investigate.
Leahy: They are paid to be basically propagandists.
Carmichael: Yes. So they are not going to risk a million-dollar job. They are getting paid to lie. And the media at this point has protection under the law that it can say what it wants to. Now, I don’t know, I heard something about Hannity was either going to write a threatening letter to a bunch of media outlets that were saying things about him that he believes to be false and malicious. Either that or he’s already filed a lawsuit.
But the teenager out of Kentucky he’s going to end up being very very wealthy and good for him because he has sued about 10 outlets for falsely reporting the circumstances involving Nathan Phillips the activist Native-American who may or may not have ever done anything in Vietnam. (Chuckles)
Leahy: Who claimed to be a Vietnam vet. But wasn’t. Yeah. That guy.
Carmichael: He is as much a Vietnam vet as Elizabeth Warren is a sister of Nathan Phillips.
Leahy: Yes. Exactly.
Listen to the full second hour here:

– – –
Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 am to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.


thetennesseestar--2020-05-02--Biden on Sexual Assault Allegations: ‘It Never Happened’

Former Vice President Joe Biden , in a nationally televised interview , denied accusations of sexual assault from a former staffer in the early 1990s , saying Friday morning that the alleged attack “ never happened.
” Tara Reade , who worked for Biden when he was a U.S. senator from Delaware , has alleged in a number of interviews that Biden assaulted her in 1993 on Capitol Hill .
Biden , the presumed Democratic nominee for president , put out a statement shortly before he appeared on MSNBC ’ s “ Morning Joe ” program denying that Reade ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue with some of the specifics of Reade ’ s allegations , saying that her assertion she ’ d reported his alleged misconduct at the time was not true .
“ She has said she raised some of these issues with her supervisor and senior staffers from my office at the time , ” Biden said in the statement .
“ They – both men and a woman – have said , unequivocally , that she never came to them and complained or raised issues .
News organizations that have talked with literally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one – not one – who corroborated her allegations in any way.
” The former vice president repeated his denials when he appeared on MSNBC .
“ No , it is not true , ” he said .
“ I ’ m saying unequivocally it never , never happened , and it didn ’ t .
It never happened.
” Biden , 77 , is in the midst of his third and thus far most successful campaign for the presidency .
He left the race in 1988 after allegations that he had plagiarized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was bested by eventual nominee Barack Obama , who chose Biden as his running mate .
He was also a key figure in the impeachment of President Donald Trump over allegations that the president had improperly withheld aid to Ukraine as a means to compel the country to investigate Biden and his son , Hunter Biden .
The younger Biden was on the board of a Ukraine-based energy company , Burisma , that has been linked to corruption in the country .
Biden said Friday that encourage a search of Senate records for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reade ’ s claims , but he declined to agree to a search of his own private records , which are housed at the University of Delaware .
“ The material in the University of Delaware has no personnel files , ” Biden said .
“ But it does have a lot of confidential conversations.
” Dave Lemery is a veteran editor and journalist with more than 20 years of experience .
He is a contributor to The Center Square .
Photo “ Joe Biden Interview ” by MSNBC .

by Dave Lemery
Former Vice President Joe Biden, in a nationally televised interview, denied accusations of sexual assault from a former staffer in the early 1990s, saying Friday morning that the alleged attack “never happened.”
Tara Reade, who worked for Biden when he was a U.S. senator from Delaware, has alleged in a number of interviews that Biden assaulted her in 1993 on Capitol Hill.
Biden, the presumed Democratic nominee for president, put out a statement shortly before he appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program denying that Reade’s allegations were true.
He took issue with some of the specifics of Reade’s allegations, saying that her assertion she’d reported his alleged misconduct at the time was not true.
“She has said she raised some of these issues with her supervisor and senior staffers from my office at the time,” Biden said in the statement. “They – both men and a woman – have said, unequivocally, that she never came to them and complained or raised issues. News organizations that have talked with literally dozens of former staffers have not found one – not one – who corroborated her allegations in any way.”
The former vice president repeated his denials when he appeared on MSNBC.
“No, it is not true,” he said. “I’m saying unequivocally it never, never happened, and it didn’t. It never happened.”
Biden, 77, is in the midst of his third and thus far most successful campaign for the presidency. He left the race in 1988 after allegations that he had plagiarized a speech, and in 2008 he was bested by eventual nominee Barack Obama, who chose Biden as his running mate.
He was also a key figure in the impeachment of President Donald Trump over allegations that the president had improperly withheld aid to Ukraine as a means to compel the country to investigate Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. The younger Biden was on the board of a Ukraine-based energy company, Burisma, that has been linked to corruption in the country.
Biden said Friday that encourage a search of Senate records for any evidence that would corroborate or refute Reade’s claims, but he declined to agree to a search of his own private records, which are housed at the University of Delaware.
“The material in the University of Delaware has no personnel files,” Biden said. “But it does have a lot of confidential conversations.”
– – –
Dave Lemery is a veteran editor and journalist with more than 20 years of experience. He is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “Joe Biden Interview” by MSNBC.


thetennesseestar--2020-05-02--Counties Surrounding Nashville Now Have Higher COVID-19 Numbers

Counties that surround Nashville and Davidson County now have a higher number of COVID-19 cases than Davidson County does .
This , according to Metro Coronavirus Task Force Chair Alex Jahangir at a press conference Friday .
Jahangir said that , as of Friday , Davidson County had 2,832 confirmed COVID-19 cases , which was an increase of 163 individuals in the previous 24 hours .
Counties surrounding Davidson , meanwhile , tallied an additional 3,227 cases — or an increase of 955 people in just one day , he said .
“ The total for our region is over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Of the Davidson County cases , 1,339 are currently active , and 1,466 residents have recovered and have been cleared.
” COVID-19 claimed two additional lives in Nashville Thursday , an 85-year-old woman and an 87-year-old man .
Both people had underlying medical conditions .
The virus has now killed 27 people in Davidson County , Jahangir said .
“ The 163 new cases in Davidson County is concerning , but we need to see more data over the next several days before drawing any conclusions , ” Jahangir said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the transmission rate in the 14-day trend of new cases both continue to be yellow , or less than satisfactory , while the other four metrics are green or satisfactory , including our public health capacity , hospital bed capacity , and testing capacity.
” Jahangir said community assessment centers in Davidson County are open five days a week each Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m .
In addition , county officials are finalizing plans to have mobile testing teams respond to long-term care facilities in other places that may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So far we have tested 1,600 people this week at our centers , and nearly 7,000 people have been tested since we opened on March 31 , ” Jahangir said .
Jahangir said the county ’ s assessment hotline is open every day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 615-862-7777 for people who think they have the virus or think they were exposed to it .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]

Counties that surround Nashville and Davidson County now have a higher number of COVID-19 cases than Davidson County does, according to a claim made by Metro Coronavirus Task Force Chair Alex Jahangir at a press conference Friday.
“We now have 2,832 confirmed cases. That’s an increase of 163 cases in the last 24 hours. There are an additional 3,227 cases in the surrounding counties. That’s an increase of 955 in one day. Now, for the first time, the surrounding counties have more cases than Davidson County,” Jahangir said at Friday’s press conference.
“The total for our region is over 6,000 [cases],” Jahangir said.
“Of the Davidson County cases, 1,339 are currently active, and 1,466 residents have recovered and have been cleared.”
COVID-19 claimed two additional lives in Nashville Thursday, an 85-year-old woman and an 87-year-old man. Both people had underlying medical conditions. The virus has now killed 27 people in Davidson County, Jahangir said.
“The 163 new cases in Davidson County is concerning, but we need to see more data over the next several days before drawing any conclusions,” Jahangir said.
“Today’s dashboard shows the transmission rate in the 14-day trend of new cases both continue to be yellow, or less than satisfactory, while the other four metrics are green or satisfactory, including our public health capacity, hospital bed capacity, and testing capacity.”
Jahangir said community assessment centers in Davidson County are open five days a week each Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. In addition, county officials are finalizing plans to have mobile testing teams respond to long-term care facilities in other places that may need testing, he added.
“So far we have tested 1,600 people this week at our centers, and nearly 7,000 people have been tested since we opened on March 31,” Jahangir said.
Jahangir said the county’s assessment hotline is open every day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 615-862-7777 for people who think they have the virus or think they were exposed to it.
– – –
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected]


thetennesseestar--2020-05-02--Report: Durham Using Latest Flynn Files to Build a ‘Serious Case’ Against Corrupt FBI Officials

U.S. Attorney for Connecticut John Durham has reviewed the damning , recently released FBI files on Gen. Michael Flynn , and is using them to build a “ serious case , ” Fox News reported Friday .
According to a Fox source , the new information “ could be sufficient ” to bring charges against corrupt FBI officials .
Newly released handwritten notes confirmed that the intent of the two agents [ Peter Strzok and Joe Pientka ] who interviewed Flynn at the White House on Jan. 24 , 2017 was not to get to the truth , but to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can prosecute or get him fired.
” On Jan. 4 , 2017 , members of the FBI team investigating Flynn had recommended that the case be closed because despite their surveillance efforts , “ no derogatory information ” had been found on Flynn .
But disgraced FBI agent Peter Strzok intervened , insisting that the case remain open because “ the 7th floor ” of FBI headquarters—where then-Director James Comey and then-Deputy Director Andrew McCabe worked—was involved .
Later that month , knowing that there was no case to be made against Flynn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set up a perjury trap at the White House by questioning him about his phone call with the Russian ambassador .
The objective , according to former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy , was to remove Flynn from office because he was “ a seasoned intelligence professional , ” and would quickly figure out that the Obama administration had been engaged in a political investigation of the Trump campaign during an election year .
Flynn was in the U.S. Army for 33-years and began his career as a second lieutenant in military intelligence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Joint Special Operations Command in Iraq , and was the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency under President Obama from July of 2012 to August of 2014 .
Then-President Barack Obama reportedly advised President-elect Trump in November of 2016 not to hire Flynn as his national security adviser because Flynn was “ not up for the job.
” The truth is , McCarthy told Fox News ’ Tucker Carlson Thursday night , Flynn was standing in the way of the Obama administration ’ s ongoing investigations into Trump and his associates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , charges could be coming against the FBI and DOJ officials who were involved in this coup attempt .
Sources even said charges could be justified against officials , and that those reviewing the Justice Department and the FBI ’ s actions are building a “ serious case.
” Durham and Attorney General Bill Barr are said to be speaking regularly .
“ Durham has seen all of this already , ” one source told Fox News , adding that they “ could be sufficient for some charges against agents.
” Another source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been reviewed by Durham , as well as Jeff Jensen , the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri who was tapped by the Justice Department in February to review the Flynn case .
“ They ’ re building a very serious case , ” the second source told Fox News .
The source added that it is “ disturbing to Durham ” that “ there weren ’ t any whistleblowers ” that came forward in the FBI and Justice Department at the onset of the Russia probe .
Sources also told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forthcoming , as Attorney General Barr continues to look over the DOJ ’ s investigation into the handling of the Flynn case .
“ Barr talks to Durham every day , ” a source told Fox News .
“ The president has been briefed that the case is being pursued , and it ’ s serious.
” Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to government agents in December of 2017 , after his legal fees had reached $ 3 million , and he ’ d been forced to sell his house .
Special Counsel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flynn and his son with serious jail time for FARA violations related to their work at Flynn ’ s firm , Flynn Intel Group .
“ They needed him out of there , ” McCarthy explained , because “ they would not be able to continue this investigation if he was the national security advisor.
” The crooked cops thought they could handle the other relatively green people in the incoming Trump administration , but not the more seasoned Flynn .
“ I think they thought that they needed him out of there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McCabe said at a senior-attended FBI meeting or video conference : “ First we f*ck Flynn , then we f*ck Trump , ” or words to that effect .

by Debra Heine
U.S. Attorney for Connecticut John Durham has reviewed the damning, recently released FBI files on Gen. Michael Flynn, and is using them to build a “serious case,” Fox News reported Friday. According to a Fox source, the new information “could be sufficient” to bring charges against corrupt FBI officials.
Newly released handwritten notes confirmed that the intent of the two agents [Peter Strzok and Joe Pientka] who interviewed Flynn at the White House on Jan. 24, 2017 was not to get to the truth, but to set a perjury trap “so we can prosecute or get him fired.”
On Jan. 4, 2017, members of the FBI team investigating Flynn had recommended that the case be closed because despite their surveillance efforts, “no derogatory information” had been found on Flynn. But disgraced FBI agent Peter Strzok intervened, insisting that the case remain open because “the 7th floor” of FBI headquarters—where then-Director James Comey and then-Deputy Director Andrew McCabe worked—was involved.
Later that month, knowing that there was no case to be made against Flynn on the Russia matter, the FBI set up a perjury trap at the White House by questioning him about his phone call with the Russian ambassador.
The objective, according to former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy, was to remove Flynn from office because he was “a seasoned intelligence professional,” and would quickly figure out that the Obama administration had been engaged in a political investigation of the Trump campaign during an election year.
Flynn was in the U.S. Army for 33-years and began his career as a second lieutenant in military intelligence. He spent three years as intelligence chief of the Joint Special Operations Command in Iraq, and was the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency under President Obama from July of 2012 to August of 2014.
Then-President Barack Obama reportedly advised President-elect Trump in November of 2016 not to hire Flynn as his national security adviser because Flynn was “not up for the job.”
The truth is, McCarthy told Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Thursday night, Flynn was standing in the way of the Obama administration’s ongoing investigations into Trump and his associates.
According to Fox’s sources, charges could be coming against the FBI and DOJ officials who were involved in this coup attempt.
Sources even said charges could be justified against officials, and that those reviewing the Justice Department and the FBI’s actions are building a “serious case.” Durham and Attorney General Bill Barr are said to be speaking regularly. “Durham has seen all of this already,” one source told Fox News, adding that they “could be sufficient for some charges against agents.”
Another source also told Fox that the files have been reviewed by Durham, as well as Jeff Jensen, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri who was tapped by the Justice Department in February to review the Flynn case.
“They’re building a very serious case,” the second source told Fox News.
The source added that it is “disturbing to Durham” that “there weren’t any whistleblowers” that came forward in the FBI and Justice Department at the onset of the Russia probe. Sources also told Fox News that more exculpatory documents are forthcoming, as Attorney General Barr continues to look over the DOJ’s investigation into the handling of the Flynn case. “Barr talks to Durham every day,” a source told Fox News. “The president has been briefed that the case is being pursued, and it’s serious.”
Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to government agents in December of 2017, after his legal fees had reached $3 million, and he’d been forced to sell his house. Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team also threatened Flynn and his son with serious jail time for FARA violations related to their work at Flynn’s firm, Flynn Intel Group.
“They needed him out of there,” McCarthy explained, because “they would not be able to continue this investigation if he was the national security advisor.” The crooked cops thought they could handle the other relatively green people in the incoming Trump administration, but not the more seasoned Flynn.
“I think they thought that they needed him out of there, ” McCarthy said.
Allegedly, McCabe said at a senior-attended FBI meeting or video conference: “First we f*ck Flynn, then we f*ck Trump,” or words to that effect.
– – –
Debra Heine reports for American Greatness.
Background Photo “DOJ Building” by Coolcaesar. CC BY-SA 3.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-05-02--Coffee County DA Won’t Prosecute People Going Against Gov. Bill Lee’s COVID-19 Executive Orders

Coffee County District Attorney General Craig Northcott said this week he will not prosecute anyone engaging in otherwise lawful activity just because it violates Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee ’ s executive orders on COVID-19 .
Northcott announced this on his personal Facebook page this week .
Members of Lee ’ s staff did not return The Tennessee Star ’ s request for comment Friday .
Northcott told The Star Friday that no one in Lee ’ s office had contacted him .
“ I have had private conversations with others regarding this but will not violate those confidences .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision , pursuant to the Tennessee Constitution as well as multiple Tennessee and U.S. Supreme Court holdings , the decision as to whether to pursue criminal charges rests solely with the elected District Attorney , ” Northcott said by email .
“ Thus , I don ’ t know of any situation which would require me to decide whether to take that stance in this particular circumstance , ” he added .
“ That said , if that would somehow materialize , I will evaluate the situation at that time.
” Samantha Fisher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Slatery , said Friday that her office had no comment .
Northcott said on his Facebook post that he has “ grave concerns about the constitutionality of the statutory construct under which Gov .
Lee exercised this authority.
” “ As Gov .
Lee continues to modify these orders , they are becoming increasingly vague and arbitrary .
How does it make sense that a restaurant with a capacity of 400 can serve 200 people but a barber who rarely has more than 5 people in his shop at a time can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family ?
How does it make sense that a tattoo artist in Knox County can operate legally but one in Coffee County can ’ t ?
, ” Northcott asked .
“ How does it make sense that people can go to a gym to workout but a high school football team can ’ t workout together in its own facilities ?
How does it make sense that a group of people can gather together to eat at a restaurant but the same group can ’ t gather in a home or public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it make sense that urban areas where there is the biggest concentration of COVID-19 can have less restrictions than rural areas where there has been minimal impact ?
” Northcott said he did not believe that Coffee County residents would stand for him prosecuting people under these circumstances .
“ Equally concerning , I believe that there is a growing public safety threat from those who are acting or will act out of frustration brought on by the financial , emotional and other pressures caused by these restrictions , ” Northcott wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]

Coffee County District Attorney General Craig Northcott said this week he will not prosecute anyone engaging in otherwise lawful activity just because it violates Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s executive orders on COVID-19.
Northcott announced this on his personal Facebook page this week.
Members of Lee’s staff did not return The Tennessee Star’s request for comment Friday.
Northcott told The Star Friday that no one in Lee’s office had contacted him.
“I have had private conversations with others regarding this but will not violate those confidences. As to continuing to abide by my decision, pursuant to the Tennessee Constitution as well as multiple Tennessee and U.S. Supreme Court holdings, the decision as to whether to pursue criminal charges rests solely with the elected District Attorney,” Northcott said by email.
“Thus, I don’t know of any situation which would require me to decide whether to take that stance in this particular circumstance,” he added. “That said, if that would somehow materialize, I will evaluate the situation at that time.”
Samantha Fisher, spokeswoman for Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery, said Friday that her office had no comment.
Northcott said on his Facebook post that he has “grave concerns about the constitutionality of the statutory construct under which Gov. Lee exercised this authority.”
“As Gov. Lee continues to modify these orders, they are becoming increasingly vague and arbitrary. How does it make sense that a restaurant with a capacity of 400 can serve 200 people but a barber who rarely has more than 5 people in his shop at a time can’t ply his trade to support his family? How does it make sense that a tattoo artist in Knox County can operate legally but one in Coffee County can’t?,” Northcott asked.
“How does it make sense that people can go to a gym to workout but a high school football team can’t workout together in its own facilities? How does it make sense that a group of people can gather together to eat at a restaurant but the same group can’t gather in a home or public park to do so? How does it make sense that urban areas where there is the biggest concentration of COVID-19 can have less restrictions than rural areas where there has been minimal impact?”
Northcott said he did not believe that Coffee County residents would stand for him prosecuting people under these circumstances.
“Equally concerning, I believe that there is a growing public safety threat from those who are acting or will act out of frustration brought on by the financial, emotional and other pressures caused by these restrictions,” Northcott wrote.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected]


thetennesseestar--2020-05-02--WHO Says China Blocking It from Investigation into Coronavirus Origin

A top World Health Organization official said Thursday that China is blocking the WHO from participating in China ’ s investigation into the origin of coronavirus .
Dr. Gauden Galea , the WHO ’ s representative to China , told Sky News that the WHO has made repeated requests to join the investigation to no avail .
“ We know that some national investigation is happening but at this stage we have not been invited to join , ” Galea said .
“ We are expecting to get in the near future a briefing on where that is and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ WHO is making requests of the health commission and of the authorities .
The origins of [ the ] virus are very important , the animal-human interface is extremely important and needs to be studied.
” When asked whether China had a good reason for excluding the WHO , Galea answered : “ From our point of view , no.
” China ’ s refusal to cooperate with the WHO — which has aligned itself with China throughout the pandemic — came as the U.S. Intelligence Community is investigating whether the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The [ Intelligence Community ] will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan , ” the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a statement Thursday .
President Donald Trump said Thursday that information he has seen leads him to believe the virus originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology .
“ Have you seen anything at this point that gives you a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute of Virology was the origin of this virus ?
” a reporter asked Trump at Thursday ’ s press briefing .
“ Yes , I have , ” Trump answered .
“ And I think the World Health Organization should be ashamed of themselves , because they ’ re like the public relations agency for China.
” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called for an “ independent assessment ” into the origins of the deadly virus — a statement that sparked backlash from China .
“ This is a virus that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world .
It has shut down the global economy .
The implications and impacts of this are extraordinary , ” Morrison told reporters Wednesday .
“ Now , it would seem entirely reasonable and sensible that the world would want to have an independent assessment.
” Republican Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton has similarly argued that the virus most likely leaked from a Wuhan lab in the area where the outbreak is believed to have first started .
In an April 21 Wall Street Journal op-ed , Cotton pointed to Chinese authorities ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stages to argue that they have something to hide .
“ This evidence is circumstantial , to be sure , but it all points toward the Wuhan labs , ” he wrote .
“ Thanks to the Chinese coverup , we may never have direct , conclusive evidence — intelligence rarely works that way — but Americans justifiably can use common sense to follow the inherent logic of events to their likely conclusion.
” Peter Hasson is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .

by Peter Hasson
A top World Health Organization official said Thursday that China is blocking the WHO from participating in China’s investigation into the origin of coronavirus.
Dr. Gauden Galea, the WHO’s representative to China, told Sky News that the WHO has made repeated requests to join the investigation to no avail.
“We know that some national investigation is happening but at this stage we have not been invited to join,” Galea said. “We are expecting to get in the near future a briefing on where that is and to discuss possible collaboration.”
He added: “WHO is making requests of the health commission and of the authorities. The origins of [the] virus are very important, the animal-human interface is extremely important and needs to be studied.”
When asked whether China had a good reason for excluding the WHO, Galea answered: “From our point of view, no.”
China’s refusal to cooperate with the WHO — which has aligned itself with China throughout the pandemic — came as the U.S. Intelligence Community is investigating whether the virus could have leaked from a Wuhan lab.
“The [Intelligence Community] will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan,” the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a statement Thursday.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that information he has seen leads him to believe the virus originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
“Have you seen anything at this point that gives you a high degree of confidence that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was the origin of this virus?” a reporter asked Trump at Thursday’s press briefing.
“Yes, I have,” Trump answered. “And I think the World Health Organization should be ashamed of themselves, because they’re like the public relations agency for China.”
Reporter: “Have you seen anything at this point that gives you a high degree of confidence that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was the origin of this virus?” President Trump: “Yes, I have. And I think the WHO should be ashamed of themselves.”pic.twitter.com/4hU6k1YAeE — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 30, 2020
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called for an “independent assessment” into the origins of the deadly virus — a statement that sparked backlash from China.
“This is a virus that has taken more than 200,000 lives across the world. It has shut down the global economy. The implications and impacts of this are extraordinary,” Morrison told reporters Wednesday.
“Now, it would seem entirely reasonable and sensible that the world would want to have an independent assessment.”
Republican Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton has similarly argued that the virus most likely leaked from a Wuhan lab in the area where the outbreak is believed to have first started.
In an April 21 Wall Street Journal op-ed, Cotton pointed to Chinese authorities’ cover-up of the virus in its early stages to argue that they have something to hide.
“This evidence is circumstantial, to be sure, but it all points toward the Wuhan labs,” he wrote.
“Thanks to the Chinese coverup, we may never have direct, conclusive evidence — intelligence rarely works that way — but Americans justifiably can use common sense to follow the inherent logic of events to their likely conclusion.”
– – –
Peter Hasson is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.


thetennesseestar--2020-05-02--Planned Parenthood Will Receive Zero Coronavirus Aid, Trump Admin Official Says

The Trump administration has ensured that no coronavirus funding will go to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America , according to a senior administration official .
No funding from the Paycheck Protection Program ( PPP ) , a program created to assist small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic , will go to the nation ’ s largest abortion provider , the official told the Daily Caller News Foundation Thursday .
“ Through the Paycheck Protection Program , President Trump is delivering vital relief to help small businesses keep employees on payroll , ” a senior administration official told the DCNF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the abortion industry shouldn ’ t be able to qualify for those funds , which are desperately needed by small businesses , ” the official added .
News that Planned Parenthood will not receive the PPP funding was first reported by the Daily Signal Thursday .
The publication notes that the PPP forgives the government loans of businesses with less than 500 employees if these businesses don ’ t lay off their employees .
Employers must still pay interest on the loans , a process which the Small Business Administration ( SBA ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is for ‘ small business , ’ so SBA has regulations called ‘ affiliation rules ’ to define when small employers might be so closely affiliated with a parent organization that they should be considered one large employer , ” a senior administration official told the Daily Signal .
The official noted that Planned Parenthood has over 16,000 employees nationwide and thus is not eligible for PPP money .
“ The interim final rule made crystal clear that an organization with Planned Parenthood ’ s corporate structure doesn ’ t qualify , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as abortion providers across the nation protest coronavirus abortion bans that some governors have mandated in order to preserve personal protective equipment ( PPE ) during the virus .
Abortion advocates , led by Planned Parenthood and the Center for Reproductive Rights , have struck back at such bans through legal measures .
The National Abortion Right ’ s Action League has accused both President Donald Trump and Republicans of using the coronavirus to limit abortion access , to which the Trump campaign responded by saying the abortion lobby ’ s attempts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disgusting.
” “ President Trump is the most pro-life president in American history , ” Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh told the DCNF at the time .
He added : “ It ’ s disgusting , but not surprising , that the extreme abortion lobby would try to use a global health crisis to promote the killing of unborn children.
” Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Defund Planned Parenthood ” by Elvert Barnes .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .

by Mary Margaret Olohan
The Trump administration has ensured that no coronavirus funding will go to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, according to a senior administration official.
No funding from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a program created to assist small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, will go to the nation’s largest abortion provider, the official told the Daily Caller News Foundation Thursday.
“Through the Paycheck Protection Program, President Trump is delivering vital relief to help small businesses keep employees on payroll,” a senior administration official told the DCNF.
“It’s clear that the abortion industry shouldn’t be able to qualify for those funds, which are desperately needed by small businesses,” the official added.
News that Planned Parenthood will not receive the PPP funding was first reported by the Daily Signal Thursday. The publication notes that the PPP forgives the government loans of businesses with less than 500 employees if these businesses don’t lay off their employees. Employers must still pay interest on the loans, a process which the Small Business Administration (SBA) oversees.
“The SB in SBA is for ‘small business,’ so SBA has regulations called ‘affiliation rules’ to define when small employers might be so closely affiliated with a parent organization that they should be considered one large employer,” a senior administration official told the Daily Signal.
The official noted that Planned Parenthood has over 16,000 employees nationwide and thus is not eligible for PPP money.
“The interim final rule made crystal clear that an organization with Planned Parenthood’s corporate structure doesn’t qualify,” the official added.
The news comes as abortion providers across the nation protest coronavirus abortion bans that some governors have mandated in order to preserve personal protective equipment (PPE) during the virus. Abortion advocates, led by Planned Parenthood and the Center for Reproductive Rights, have struck back at such bans through legal measures.
The National Abortion Right’s Action League has accused both President Donald Trump and Republicans of using the coronavirus to limit abortion access, to which the Trump campaign responded by saying the abortion lobby’s attempts to use coronavirus to promote abortion are “disgusting.”
“President Trump is the most pro-life president in American history,” Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh told the DCNF at the time.
He added: “It’s disgusting, but not surprising, that the extreme abortion lobby would try to use a global health crisis to promote the killing of unborn children.”
– – –
Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Defund Planned Parenthood” by Elvert Barnes. CC BY-SA 2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-05-02--Hundreds of Protestors Gather Inside Michigan Capitol Building Thursday Against Continued Government

Hundreds of Protestors Gather Inside Michigan Capitol Building Thursday Against Continued Government Overreach

Hundreds gathered outside and inside Michigan ’ s Capitol building Thursday to protest government overreach in the prolonged COVID-19 lockdown .
There were no reports of arrests , though some media outlets styled the event with armed protestors as “ storming ” the Capitol , American Greatness reported .
The protestors arrived to protest as lawmakers were gathered to vote on a possible extension of the statewide disaster and emergency declaration .
Some were armed while others held American flags .
The group first gathered outside the building before eventually entering , being stopped just outside the doors to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by state police , with some of the protesters chanting “ Let us in.
” As a result , some mainstream outlets falsely labeled the protest as a “ storming ” of the legislature .
The protest was the latest display by Michiganders upset with Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ’ s stay at home order .
Another notable protest was “ Operation Gridlock ” in which thousands of cars clogged Lansing streets in mid-April .
In late April , Whitmer renewed her stay at home order to May 15 , The Michigan Star @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like limiting funerals to under 10 and telling people to wear face coverings in enclosed public spaces .
She allowed big box stores to reopen closed areas like garden centers .
Holding American flags and handmade signs , the demonstrators on Thursday first gathered shoulder-to-shoulder on the outside before demanding to be let inside the Capitol in Lansing , Fox News said .
BBC News reported that police checked some of the protestors ’ temperatures before they entered the building .
Whitmer said Friday that her stay-at-home order is good through May 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans ’ refusal to extend her coronavirus emergency declaration .
Republicans authorized suing Whitmer over her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic , BBC News said .
She replied she does not need legislative authorization to extend the lockdown .
In response to the situation , investor Mike Coudrey tweeted , “ It is a constitutional right to keep and bear arms .
It is a constitutional right to be in a “ well-regulated militia.
” “ The more liberal politicians stray away from the constitution , & enforce draconian policies , the more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ topic was trending on Twitter under the hashtag “ # MichiganProtest ” .
Many denounced the protestors , often in graphic terms , but they had support as well .
One user tweeted , “ This is exactly why we protested , her ridiculous unjustifiable restrictions & removal of our freedoms w/o listening to our cries or the legislators ; She ’ s destroying the lives of ALL while claiming that she is saving the lives of FEW # RECALLWHITMER # MichiganProtest ” .
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib ( D-MI-13 ) did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play the race card and tweeted , “ Black people get executed by police for just existing , while white people dressed like militia members carrying assault weapons are allowed to threaten State Legislators and staff .
Our gun laws are so broken.
” On Friday , The Star reported that Dr .
Rob Steele published an open letter to the public as well as Michigan legislators .
He said the coronavirus is no worse than the common flu and that shelter-in-place orders and other treatments should be restricted by region and industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 years ’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes .
Photo “ Michigan Protests ” by Rod Meloni .

Hundreds gathered outside and inside Michigan’s Capitol building Thursday to protest government overreach in the prolonged COVID-19 lockdown.
There were no reports of arrests, though some media outlets styled the event with armed protestors as “storming” the Capitol, American Greatness reported.
The protestors arrived to protest as lawmakers were gathered to vote on a possible extension of the statewide disaster and emergency declaration. Some were armed while others held American flags. The group first gathered outside the building before eventually entering, being stopped just outside the doors to the floor of the Michigan House of Representatives by state police, with some of the protesters chanting “Let us in.” As a result, some mainstream outlets falsely labeled the protest as a “storming” of the legislature.
The protest was the latest display by Michiganders upset with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay at home order. Another notable protest was “Operation Gridlock” in which thousands of cars clogged Lansing streets in mid-April.
In late April, Whitmer renewed her stay at home order to May 15, The Michigan Star reported. The extension kept many provisions like limiting funerals to under 10 and telling people to wear face coverings in enclosed public spaces. She allowed big box stores to reopen closed areas like garden centers.
Holding American flags and handmade signs, the demonstrators on Thursday first gathered shoulder-to-shoulder on the outside before demanding to be let inside the Capitol in Lansing, Fox News said.
BBC News reported that police checked some of the protestors’ temperatures before they entered the building.
Whitmer said Friday that her stay-at-home order is good through May 15, the Associated Press reported, despite Republicans’ refusal to extend her coronavirus emergency declaration.
She denounced the protest as ”disturbing,” noting there were swastikas, Confederate flags, nooses and some people with assault weapons who “do not represent who we are as Michiganders.”
Republicans authorized suing Whitmer over her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, BBC News said. She replied she does not need legislative authorization to extend the lockdown.
In response to the situation, investor Mike Coudrey tweeted, “It is a constitutional right to keep and bear arms. It is a constitutional right to be in a “well-regulated militia.”
“The more liberal politicians stray away from the constitution, & enforce draconian policies, the more people will rebel against them.”
It is a constitutional right to keep and bear arms. It is a constitutional right to be in a “well-regulated militia.” The more liberal politicians stray away from the constitution, & enforce draconian policies, the more people will rebel against them. #MichiganProtest pic.twitter.com/GtLUNloEbZ — Mike Coudrey (@MichaelCoudrey) April 30, 2020
The topic was trending on Twitter under the hashtag “#MichiganProtest”. Many denounced the protestors, often in graphic terms, but they had support as well.
One user tweeted, “This is exactly why we protested, her ridiculous unjustifiable restrictions & removal of our freedoms w/o listening to our cries or the legislators; She’s destroying the lives of ALL while claiming that she is saving the lives of FEW #RECALLWHITMER #MichiganProtest”.
This is exactly why we protested, her ridiculous unjustifiable restrictions & removal of our freedoms w/o listening to our cries or the legislators; She's destroying the lives of ALL while claiming that she is saving the lives of FEW #RECALLWHITMER #MichiganProtest — Maiden Mitten (@ethylmima04) May 1, 2020
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) did not let the opportunity go to waste to play the race card and tweeted, “Black people get executed by police for just existing, while white people dressed like militia members carrying assault weapons are allowed to threaten State Legislators and staff. Our gun laws are so broken.”
Black people get executed by police for just existing, while white people dressed like militia members carrying assault weapons are allowed to threaten State Legislators and staff. 📣Our gun laws are so broken. https://t.co/w6Vw97kTV9 — Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) April 30, 2020
On Friday, The Star reported that Dr. Rob Steele published an open letter to the public as well as Michigan legislators. He said the coronavirus is no worse than the common flu and that shelter-in-place orders and other treatments should be restricted by region and industry.
“All available data suggests the mortality rate of COVID-19 in the general population will approximate that of the seasonal flu in the long run,” said Dr. Rob Steele, a doctor of internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, interventional cardiology and echocardiography. “It is the same patients in danger from either infection with similar hospitalization and mortality rates. Seasonal influenza is dramatically more dangerous for those ages 2 and under than COVID.” “The goal of shelter in place orders was to ‘flatten the curve’ and protect the healthcare system,” Steele wrote. “With public private partnerships and large amounts of federal government funding and logistical support there are now plenty of PPE, ICU beds and ventilators available with many temporary overflow facilities being decommissioned without ever being used.”
– – –
Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
Photo “Michigan Protests” by Rod Meloni.


thetennesseestar--2020-05-02--Whitmer Expands Coronavirus Order for K-12 Schools, Suspends Certain Requirements

Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday clarified and added to an earlier executive order that closed all K-12 school buildings for the rest of the school year , also suspending early childhood programs and some portions of teacher evaluations .
Under the reissued executive order , school districts that run Great Start Readiness Programs must provided a detailed plan on how the team will continue to work enrolled families , as well as a plan to transition from GSRP to kindergarten .
The GSRP is a state-funded preschool program for children at risk for educational failure .
Per the order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference with the family and begin implementation of the plan by May 7 .
“ A few weeks ago , I made the difficult choice to close our school facilities for the remainder of the school year .
I understand the tremendous impact this has placed on families , teachers , staff and students .
It was not a decision I took lightly , ” Whitmer said in a statement .
“ I am so thankful for the tireless work of our frontline school employees who are working every day to ensure the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Whitmer originally closed the schools on March 16 and announced that they would stay closed for the rest of the school year on April 2 .
Schools were originally slated to reopen on April 6 .
The new executive order , in addition to continuing the school closures and clarifying directions for GSRP programming , also suspends certain other requirements .
According to the order , teachers with individualized development plans will receive an annual year-end performance evaluation , but administrators should only use data from prior to the school shutdown .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown and tornado drills that schools will be unable to complete , as well as attendance requirements and truancy enforcement for the rest of the school year .
The order also cancels standardized testing , including the M-STEP and the SAT .
Rising high school seniors who need to take the SAT and other high school students who need to take the PSAT will be able to do so in October .
“ Already , I have seen amazing stories of teachers doing their part and working hard to make sure their students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitmer said .
“ This order builds upon my previous order to ensure schools have the clear guidance they need to give Michigan students the best , most equitable education possible from the safety of their homes.
” Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .
Email her at [ email protected ]

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday clarified and added to an earlier executive order that closed all K-12 school buildings for the rest of the school year, also suspending early childhood programs and some portions of teacher evaluations.
Under the reissued executive order, school districts that run Great Start Readiness Programs must provided a detailed plan on how the team will continue to work enrolled families, as well as a plan to transition from GSRP to kindergarten. The GSRP is a state-funded preschool program for children at risk for educational failure. Per the order, the plan must include a virtual conference with the family and begin implementation of the plan by May 7.
“A few weeks ago, I made the difficult choice to close our school facilities for the remainder of the school year. I understand the tremendous impact this has placed on families, teachers, staff and students. It was not a decision I took lightly,” Whitmer said in a statement. “I am so thankful for the tireless work of our frontline school employees who are working every day to ensure the continued education of Michigan’s kids.”
Whitmer originally closed the schools on March 16 and announced that they would stay closed for the rest of the school year on April 2. Schools were originally slated to reopen on April 6.
The new executive order, in addition to continuing the school closures and clarifying directions for GSRP programming, also suspends certain other requirements.
According to the order, teachers with individualized development plans will receive an annual year-end performance evaluation, but administrators should only use data from prior to the school shutdown. It also suspends the mandatory fire, lockdown and tornado drills that schools will be unable to complete, as well as attendance requirements and truancy enforcement for the rest of the school year.
The order also cancels standardized testing, including the M-STEP and the SAT. Rising high school seniors who need to take the SAT and other high school students who need to take the PSAT will be able to do so in October.
“Already, I have seen amazing stories of teachers doing their part and working hard to make sure their students have the resources they need,” Whitmer said. “This order builds upon my previous order to ensure schools have the clear guidance they need to give Michigan students the best, most equitable education possible from the safety of their homes.”
Read the full order here.
– – –
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair. Email her at [email protected]