bonginoreport--2020-03-25--A Number of States Are Halting Abortions

• Several states deemed abortion procedures non-essential or ordered that they must cease during the pandemic .
• Health departments under Republican governors in Texas and Ohio as well as the governor of Mississippi said abortions should stop during the coronavirus outbreak .
• “ Those who violate the governor ’ s order will be met with the full force of the law , ” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton .
As state health departments ban medical procedures that use Personal Protective Equipment during the coronavirus pandemic , several state health departments deemed abortions to be non-essential or ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic governors in New York , Washington and New Jersey have deemed abortion an “ essential ” procedure .
( RELATED : ‘ COMPLETE AND UTTER BULL**** ’ : Abortion Supporters Furious After Ohio Shuts Down ‘ Nonessential ’ Abortion Providers ) But health departments under Republican governors in Texas and Ohio as well as the governor of Mississippi said the procedures are non-essential and must be banned in order to reserve Personal Protective Equipment ( PPE ) for fighting coronavirus .
PPE can include respirators , eye protection , hearing protection , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , overalls , boots and googles , according to the CDC .
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton declared Monday that abortion providers “ must postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately medically necessary , ” pursuant to an executive order from Republican Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott .
The order took effect immediately and will be in place at least until April 21 .
“ Failure to comply with an executive order issued by the governor related to the COVID-19 disaster can result in penalties of up to $ 1,000 or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the AG ’ s office said in a press release .
( RELATED : ‘ WE ARE OPEN ’ : Cleveland Abortion Clinic Defies Health Department Order To Stop Performing Abortions ) Paxton added : “ We must work together as Texans to stop the spread of COVID-19 and ensure that our health care professionals and facilities have all the resources they need to fight the virus at this time .
No one is exempt from the governor ’ s executive order on medically unnecessary surgeries and procedures , including abortion providers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ order will be met with the full force of the law.
” Abortion clinics and groups condemned Paxton ’ s actions , saying that abortion access is essential .
“ There are many reasons women decide to have an abortion in the already limited time window state law allows , and a delay means denying them the constitutional right to make those decisions in a safe , timely manner with the help of their doctors , ” Texas Freedom Network president Kathy Miller said in a statement .
Amy Hagstrom Miller , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health and Whole Women ’ s Health Alliance operating three Texas clinics as well as facilities in other states , said abortion is “ essential ” and “ time-sensitive.
” “ Many of our patients travel hundreds of miles across the state for care , and some even travel across state lines to access abortion .
Additionally , our patients are subjected to mandatory delays and multiple medically-unnecessary visits – all of which already delay timely care , ” she told the DCNF on Wednesday .
She added : “ Emergency actions during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety for us all , not force people to delay much needed care and possibly exacerbate their health situations by doing so .
Patients can not wait until this pandemic is over to receive safe abortion care.
” Mississippi Gov .
Tate Reeves announced Tuesday that the only abortion clinic in the state , Jackson Women ’ s Health Organization , must stop performing abortions due to the Mississippi Department of Health ’ s temporary ban on all elective medical procedures and non-essential medical visits during the pandemic .
“ We ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the not only the lives of unborn children , but also the lives of anyone who may contract this particular virus , ” he told reporters , according to the Clarion Ledger .
” … I don ’ t know any specifics , so I ’ m not saying they are currently operating .
I just simply don ’ t know … We ’ ll take whatever necessary actions.
” He added : “ We ’ re doing everything in our power , and have for many years , to make Mississippi the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He also said he would take “ additional action ” against the Jackson , Mississippi , clinic if it continues to perform abortions .
Dr. Thomas Dobbs , a state health officer , said during the Tuesday news conference with the governor that he was not familiar with Reeves ’ s promise .
“ And before I would make any comments , I think we have to review the situation a bit more , ” he added , according to the Clarion Ledger .
The Mississippi Department of Health did not yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the DCNF as to whether the state will ban abortions .
An unnamed employee at the abortion clinic , Jackson Women ’ s Health Organization , told the DCNF the clinic is open but will not be performing abortions on Wednesday , for the rest of the week , or for the foreseeable future until given direction by the government .
Jackson Women ’ s Health Organization will follow government direction , the employee said .
She refused to give a name , directed the DCNF to the clinic ’ s communications team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same employee refused to connect the DCNF with the clinic ’ s communications team when the DCNF called an additional time and said the clinic declined to comment .
Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine announced March 17 that the Ohio Department of Health would postpone elective surgeries and procedures that use PPE .
The order went into effect March 18 .
Following the order , Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost sent Friday letters to the Women ’ s Med Center in Dayton and Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio ’ s Cincinnati Surgery Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any services that require personal protective equipment , Ohio attorney general spokeswoman Bethany McCorkle told the DCNF on Saturday .
Preterm employee Fiona Thomas confirmed to the DCNF on Monday morning that the Cleveland clinic would not stop performing abortions , despite a Wednesday order from the ODH and a Friday letter from Attorney General Dave Yost .
Following the DCNF ’ s report on the matter , press secretary Melanie Amato said in a Monday evening statement to the DCNF that the ODH “ has been made aware of allegations that some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the order on performing non-elective procedures.
” ( RELATED : Ohio Department Of Health Issues Cease And Desist To Abortion Clinic Defying Coronavirus Order ) “ When ODH is made aware of allegations that medical facilities are not being complied with ODH ’ s order , ODH is asking the Ohio Attorney General ’ s Office to issue cease and desist orders , ” Amato said .
“ These orders have started going out.
” “ This is now an enforcement issue , ” she added .
Amato told the DCNF on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the situation .
The Louisiana Department of Health announced March 21 that all licensed health care facilities in the state postpone all medical and surgical procedures until further notice ( unless to treat an emergency medical condition ) .
The measure is intended to preserve PPE and “ to utilize hospital staffing , equipment , and bed capacity ” for the transition to the COVID-19 emergency .
The Louisiana Attorney General directed the DCNF to the Louisiana Department of Health , which has not yet responded to a request for comment .
Mississippi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liz Sharlot told the DCNF Wednesday evening that MSDH has put out recommendations that elective procedures , which would not negatively impact a patient , should be suspended .
“ It is up to each facility and healthcare provider to determine whether a procedure is elective or non-elective , ” Sharlot said .
This post will be updated if additional states ban abortion procedures during the coronavirus pandemic .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Several states deemed abortion procedures non-essential or ordered that they must cease during the pandemic.
Health departments and governors in various states have said abortions should stop during the coronavirus outbreak.
“Those who violate the governor’s order will be met with the full force of the law,” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
As state health departments ban medical procedures that use Personal Protective Equipment during the coronavirus pandemic, several state health departments deemed abortions to be non-essential or ordered that they cease during the outbreak.
Democratic governors in New York, Washington and New Jersey have deemed abortion an “essential” procedure. But health departments under Republican governors in Alaska, Texas, Ohio, Oklahoma, Indiana, and Iowa as well as the governor of Mississippi said the procedures are non-essential and must be banned in order to reserve Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for fighting coronavirus.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) responded to abortions bans by announcing lawsuits against government entities in Ohio, Alabama and Iowa, in coordination with the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and abortion providers in each of these states.(RELATED: ‘COMPLETE AND UTTER BULL****’: Abortion Supporters Furious After Ohio Shuts Down ‘Nonessential’ Abortion Providers)
Texas
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton declared Monday that abortion providers “must postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately medically necessary,” pursuant to an executive order from Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. The order took effect immediately and will be in place at least until April 21.
“Failure to comply with an executive order issued by the governor related to the COVID-19 disaster can result in penalties of up to $1,000 or 180 days of jail time,” the AG’s office said in a press release. (RELATED: ‘WE ARE OPEN’: Cleveland Abortion Clinic Defies Health Department Order To Stop Performing Abortions)
Paxton added: “We must work together as Texans to stop the spread of COVID-19 and ensure that our health care professionals and facilities have all the resources they need to fight the virus at this time. No one is exempt from the governor’s executive order on medically unnecessary surgeries and procedures, including abortion providers. Those who violate the governor’s order will be met with the full force of the law.”
Abortion clinics and groups condemned Paxton’s actions, saying that abortion access is essential.
“There are many reasons women decide to have an abortion in the already limited time window state law allows, and a delay means denying them the constitutional right to make those decisions in a safe, timely manner with the help of their doctors,” Texas Freedom Network president Kathy Miller said in a statement.
Amy Hagstrom Miller, who is president of Whole Women’s Health and Whole Women’s Health Alliance operating three Texas clinics as well as facilities in other states, said abortion is “essential” and “time-sensitive.”
“Many of our patients travel hundreds of miles across the state for care, and some even travel across state lines to access abortion. Additionally, our patients are subjected to mandatory delays and multiple medically-unnecessary visits – all of which already delay timely care,” she told the DCNF on Wednesday.
She added: “Emergency actions during a global pandemic should advance health and safety for us all, not force people to delay much needed care and possibly exacerbate their health situations by doing so. Patients cannot wait until this pandemic is over to receive safe abortion care.”
Mississippi
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced that the only abortion clinic in the state, Jackson Women’s Health Organization, must stop performing abortions due to the Mississippi Department of Health’s temporary ban on all elective medical procedures and non-essential medical visits during the pandemic.
“We’ll take whatever action we need to protect the not only the lives of unborn children, but also the lives of anyone who may contract this particular virus,” he told reporters, according to the Clarion Ledger. ” … I don’t know any specifics, so I’m not saying they are currently operating. I just simply don’t know … We’ll take whatever necessary actions.”
He added: “We’re doing everything in our power, and have for many years, to make Mississippi the safest place in America for unborn children.”
He also said he would take “additional action” against the Jackson, Mississippi, clinic if it continues to perform abortions.
Dr. Thomas Dobbs, a state health officer, said during a news conference with the governor that he was not familiar with Reeves’s promise.
“And before I would make any comments, I think we have to review the situation a bit more,” he added, according to the Clarion Ledger.
An unnamed employee at the abortion clinic, Jackson Women’s Health Organization, told the DCNF the clinic is open but will not be performing abortions for the foreseeable future until given direction by the government. Jackson Women’s Health Organization will follow government direction, the employee said.
She refused to give a name, directed the DCNF to the clinic’s communications team, and ended the call. The same employee refused to connect the DCNF with the clinic’s communications team when the DCNF called an additional time and said the clinic declined to comment.
Mississippi Department of Health (MSDH) spokeswoman Liz Sharlot told the DCNF that MSDH has put out recommendations that elective procedures, which would not negatively impact a patient, should be suspended.
“It is up to each facility and healthcare provider to determine whether a procedure is elective or non-elective,” Sharlot said.
Ohio
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced March 17 that the Ohio Department of Health would postpone elective surgeries and procedures that use PPE. The order went into effect March 18.
Following the order, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost sent Friday letters to the Women’s Med Center in Dayton and Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio’s Cincinnati Surgery Center ordering the abortion clinics to stop providing any services that require personal protective equipment, Ohio attorney general spokeswoman Bethany McCorkle told the DCNF on Saturday.
Preterm employee Fiona Thomas confirmed to the DCNF that the Cleveland clinic would not stop performing abortions, despite a order from the ODH and a letter from Attorney General Dave Yost.
Following the DCNF’s report on the matter, press secretary Melanie Amato said in a Monday evening statement to the DCNF that ODH “has been made aware of allegations that some health care providers appear to have violated the order on performing non-elective procedures.” (RELATED: Ohio Department Of Health Issues Cease And Desist To Abortion Clinic Defying Coronavirus Order)
“When ODH is made aware of allegations that medical facilities are not being complied with ODH’s order, ODH is asking the Ohio Attorney General’s Office to issue cease and desist orders,” Amato said. “These orders have started going out.”
“This is now an enforcement issue,” she added.
Oklahoma
Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced in an executive order that elective medical procedures would be postponed until April 7. The governor clarified afterwards that abortions are included in this executive order.
No abortions will be permitted in the state of Oklahoma until April 7 unless there is a medical emergency, the governor’s office said in a press release. The move comes as a result of an increased demand for hospitals beds and PPE.
“We must ensure that our health care professionals, first responders and medical facilities have all of the resources they need to combat COVID-19,” Stitt said. “I am committed to doing whatever necessary to protect those who are on the front lines fighting against this virus.”
Iowa
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds office announced that all elective medical procedures must halt due to the pandemic until April 16. The governor followed up on this announcement by further clarifying that abortions are to be considered non-essential procedures.
“Proclamation suspends all nonessential or elective surgeries and procedures until April 16. That includes surgical abortion procedures,” governor spokesman Pat Garrett said in an email, according to CBS2Iowa.
Reynolds further clarified that the move is intended to preserve PPE.
“The decisions that I have made have been made in the vein of really helping us strategically use our PPE stockpile that we have. That has been an issue from the very beginning of this,” Reynolds said in a press conference.
The governor emphasized that none of the decisions she has made concerning the coronavirus have been made lightly.
“I didn’t close down bars and restaurants to go after the hospitality sector. I did that because we felt that that was an area where we would have potential spread based on data,” she said. “We didn’t make the decision lightly to recommend shutting schools for four weeks. We did that, again, because we wanted to [flatten] the curve, [not] overwhelm our health care systems and really help spread this out so we could preserve that PPE.”
“I didn’t suspend churches and gatherings of more than 10 people to go after our faith community,” she continued. “I did that, again, as part of our metric and our strategy in helping to protect our most vulnerable. It was to make sure that we could protect the PPE and that we could get through this pandemic sooner rather than later.”
“Everyone is making sacrifices, everyone,” the governor added.
Indiana
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed an executive order banning all ‘elective and non-urgent’ medical procedures in the state.
The executive order, according to The Indy Channel, urges “medical, dental or other, and health care facilities, whether hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, dental facilities, plastic surgery centers, dermatology offices and abortion clinics” to cease elective medical procedures beginning Wednesday in order to preserve PPE.
Holcomb said that he signed the order with the predicted surges in coronavirus cases in mind.
“That’s why I directed all healthcare facilities — hospitals, surgical centers, veterinarians, dermatologists, yes, abortion clinics — to cancel all elective or non-urgent procedures,” the governor said.
“We are all watching the numbers, both positive cases of COVID-19 and deaths mount by the day,” Holcomb said, the Indy Channel reports. “We’re living in and through an ‘all hands on deck’ moment if I’ve ever seen one and it is unifying our state in ways that I could not imagine.”
Alaska
Republican Alaska Gov. Michael issued an April 7 COVID-19 update mandating that “all patients, providers, hospitals, and surgical centers” must postpone non-urgent or elective medical procedures to “decrease the overall impact on the Alaska health care structure and preserve personal protective equipment.”
The order will stay in effect until June 15, and included surgical abortions, an attachment stated. (RELATED: Governor Of Alaska Bans Abortions During Coronavirus)
“Healthcare providers are to postpone surgical abortion procedures unless the life or physical health of the mother is endangered by continuation of the pregnancy during the period of postponement.”
Louisiana
The Louisiana Department of Health announced March 21 that all licensed health care facilities in the state postpone all medical and surgical procedures until further notice (unless to treat an emergency medical condition). The measure is intended to preserve PPE and “to utilize hospital staffing, equipment, and bed capacity” for the transition to the COVID-19 emergency.
It is unclear whether abortions are currently banned in the state. (RELATED: Louisiana Department Of Health Refuses To Specify If Abortions Are Banned)
The Louisiana Department of Health refused to address whether abortions are banned in the state to the DCNF. After multiple requests for comment, the state health department said that “the state has not issued guidance or directives to any specific medical field.”
“LDH has, in an attempt to conserve our limited hospital bed space and personal protective equipment, issued an emergency rule requiring any and all medical and surgical procedures to be postponed,” Press Secretary Kelly Zimmerman told the DCNF. “However, medical and surgical treatments necessary to treat an emergency medical condition are still allowed.”
“Doctors have to use their medical judgment to determine what is and what isn’t an emergency medical procedure,” Zimmerman added.
The LDH’s refusal to address the matter comes despite reports that abortions are banned in the state of Louisiana.
Local New Orleans Radio outlet WWNO reported that three remaining abortion clinics in Louisiana have temporarily closed as a result of the state health department order banning abortions, while the pro-life group Live Action publicized that Hope Medical Group for Women remains open.
This post will be updated if additional states ban abortion procedures during the coronavirus pandemic.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


bonginoreport--2020-03-25--New York Times Continues Politicizing Coronavirus in Attempt to Discredit Trump

The New York Times is consumed with using the coronavirus crisis against President Trump , with Monday ’ s front-page “ news analysis ” mocking the idea of presidential leadership during the pandemic in “ Trump Shifts Image : Leader For ‘ Wartime.
’ ” Reporters Annie Karni , Maggie Haberman , and Reid Epstein stacked the deck against Trump ’ s reelection right from the lead .
With the economy faltering and the political landscape unsettled as the coronavirus death toll climbs , a stark and unavoidable question now confronts President Trump and his advisers : Can he save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is suddenly going so wrong ?
The option , which he has brazenly pushed in recent days , is to cast himself as a “ wartime president ” who looks in charge of a nation under siege ...
This gambit , however , requires a rewriting of history -- Mr. Trump ’ s muted approach to the virus early on -- and it ’ s far from clear if many voters will accept the idea of him as a wartime leader .
The reporters fretted voters might ignore anti-Trump stories and instead swallow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ propaganda .
They cited their favorite liberal historian for backup : In perhaps the best-case scenario for Mr. Trump , the patina of a “ wartime president ” could prove to be influential with casual voters who don ’ t dig into the details of his belated response to the coronavirus , which included dismissing the criticism of his handling of the threat as a Democratic “ hoax ” and contributing to a slow start in testing for the virus .
“ He is counting on people being so traumatized on a day-to-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Douglas Brinkley , a professor of history at Rice University ... .
The reporters dourly noted the rise in Trump ’ s polling ( `` seized on by his political advisers ” ) before smearing Trump ’ s welcome change of attitude regarding the coronavirus as cynical .
... .In his new posture , he is trying to rewrite recent history , erasing his comments from as recently as a week ago when he told Americans that they needed to “ just relax ” because “ it all will pass.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ resistance to calls for additional federal action from governors in hard-hit states .
Mr. Trump , so far , has struggled to feel anyone ’ s pain , unlike past presidents , while continuing to play out the fights with the news media that enliven his base .
Last week , he lashed out at a journalist who had prompted him to explain what his message was to the millions of Americans watching him from home , who felt scared .
The above is a truncated version of the NBC reporter ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference .
The story ended with laughable promotion of likely Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
“ You can see the contrast between the steady , assured , informed and strong leadership that Vice President Biden has shown and the bungling , chaotic and dishonest start-stop approach that Mr. Trump has shown us since the beginning of this crisis , ” said Gilberto Hinojosa , chairman of the Texas Democratic Party .

The New York Times is consumed with using the coronavirus crisis against President Trump, with Monday’s front-page “news analysis” mocking the idea of presidential leadership during the pandemic in “Trump Shifts Image: Leader For ‘Wartime.’”
Reporters Annie Karni, Maggie Haberman, and Reid Epstein stacked the deck against Trump’s reelection right from the lead.
With the economy faltering and the political landscape unsettled as the coronavirus death toll climbs, a stark and unavoidable question now confronts President Trump and his advisers: Can he save his campaign for re-election when so much is suddenly going so wrong? .... The option, which he has brazenly pushed in recent days, is to cast himself as a “wartime president” who looks in charge of a nation under siege...This gambit, however, requires a rewriting of history -- Mr. Trump’s muted approach to the virus early on -- and it’s far from clear if many voters will accept the idea of him as a wartime leader.
The reporters fretted voters might ignore anti-Trump stories and instead swallow Trump’s “wartime president” propaganda. They cited their favorite liberal historian for backup:
In perhaps the best-case scenario for Mr. Trump, the patina of a “wartime president” could prove to be influential with casual voters who don’t dig into the details of his belated response to the coronavirus, which included dismissing the criticism of his handling of the threat as a Democratic “hoax” and contributing to a slow start in testing for the virus. “He is counting on people being so traumatized on a day-to-day basis that they will forget his inaction,” said Douglas Brinkley, a professor of history at Rice University....
The reporters dourly noted the rise in Trump’s polling ("seized on by his political advisers”) before smearing Trump’s welcome change of attitude regarding the coronavirus as cynical.
....In his new posture, he is trying to rewrite recent history, erasing his comments from as recently as a week ago when he told Americans that they needed to “just relax” because “it all will pass.” It is also undercut by his resistance to calls for additional federal action from governors in hard-hit states. .... Mr. Trump, so far, has struggled to feel anyone’s pain, unlike past presidents, while continuing to play out the fights with the news media that enliven his base. Last week, he lashed out at a journalist who had prompted him to explain what his message was to the millions of Americans watching him from home, who felt scared.
The above is a truncated version of the NBC reporter’s hostile baiting of Trump at a press conference.
The story ended with laughable promotion of likely Democratic nominee Joe Biden.


bonginoreport--2020-03-25--Pelosi Demands a Quid Pro Quo From the American Public

Personal favors , government corruption , and withholding aid .
If the congressional relief bill headlines sound familiar , that ’ s because we spent the better part of the last year hearing the same phrases from Democrats who alleged President Donald Trump withheld aid from Ukraine to extrapolate favors , caught in the hellish hamster wheel of undoing the 2016 election with Democrats cast in the role of rodents on a spirited sprint to nowhere , and the mainstream media playing the part of the shrill spin machine .
Who could have predicted that a month and a half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , wherein congressional Democrats and the media establishment lost their minds over a phone call between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine , America would be reeling once again — this time from a global pandemic straight out of communist China ?
Not only that , who would have expected we ’ d be staring into the face of another quid pro quo ?
This time from none other than progressive icon Nancy Pelosi herself .
While Senate Democrats and Republicans have been working tirelessly to craft a bipartisan solution to bail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a kneecapped economy , the Democratic House speaker waltzed in , promptly dismissed their efforts , and announced her intent to introduce her own relief bill .
Of course , with each passing day and even hour , thousands of businesses are closing , millions of employees are facing layoffs , and more and more people across the country are testing positive for the Wuhan coronavirus , so to say a legislative solution is time-sensitive is to wildly understate the urgency .
The U.S. economy is in trouble .
Nancy Pelosi knows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They also know that ’ s exactly what they want — anything to paint Trump in the worst possible light and stop the incumbent from achieving re-election in November .
The booming economy and virtual full employment wouldn ’ t have fanned the flame of revolution , but a global pandemic with a helping of obstinance might do the trick .
But Pelosi ’ s reticence to come together with both Senate Republicans and Democrats isn ’ t even the worst of the partisan slime .
Pelosi thought a global pandemic would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laundry list of progressive pipe dreams .
Instead of directing her efforts toward aiding ailing citizens , the House speaker ’ s 1,400-page bill proposal , which began circulating Monday , provides for non-COVID-19 frivolities such as “ grants for conducting ” election audits , as well as “ same day [ voter ] registration ” and access for early voting .
It includes “ collective bargaining … for federal workers , ” a federal “ study on climate mitigation efforts , ” expanded solar and wind energy tax credits , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annual carbon emissions … for domestic flights beginning in 2025 ” and give passengers information “ regarding greenhouse gas emissions resulting from each individual flight.
” Don ’ t let it be lost on you , America , that the reason your small business isn ’ t yet getting relief yet is that House Democrats are more concerned with bailing out the U.S .
Postal Service and giving $ 35 million to D.C. ’ s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts than fighting for their constituents .
This is to say nothing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aims such as “ corporate board diversity ” requirements and “ pay equity ” between men and women as well as white employees and minorities .
The words “ diverse ” or “ diversity ” appear in the bill more than 60 times .
By holding Americans hostage unless she gets her carbon emission fantasies and postal bailouts , Nancy Pelosi is offering her own quid pro quo .
You want relief for dying Americans , Mr. President ?
Fine , give me more minorities and women in board position .
Otherwise , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You give me what I want , I ’ ll give you what you want .
Quid pro quo , plain and simple , or as Pelosi herself might say , “ bribery.
” Back in fall 2019 , when Pelosi first launched the Trump impeachment inquiry , the speaker said she didn ’ t want it to “ take a long time because I don ’ t want it to be further divisive in the country .
And that was one of the reasons I was reluctant to go down this path @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But then again , the president is divisive.
” Pot , meet kettle .
Since Pelosi ’ s joke of a virus bill began circulating Monday , it appears she may now capitulate to growing pressures from exasperated Americans to advance the bipartisan legislation .
But even if she folds and finally grants the aid Americans desperately need , under the Democrats ’ self-righteous and asinine quid pro quo framework , Pelosi ’ s still guilty .
After all , Trump never actually withheld aid from Ukraine either , and the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t tell if he knows right from wrong , ” Pelosi said of Trump ’ s July 17 phone call with the Ukrainian president .
“ He just done wrong.
” Do you know right from wrong , Madam Speaker ?

Personal favors, government corruption, and withholding aid. If the congressional relief bill headlines sound familiar, that’s because we spent the better part of the last year hearing the same phrases from Democrats who alleged President Donald Trump withheld aid from Ukraine to extrapolate favors, caught in the hellish hamster wheel of undoing the 2016 election with Democrats cast in the role of rodents on a spirited sprint to nowhere, and the mainstream media playing the part of the shrill spin machine.
Who could have predicted that a month and a half after the conclusion of the impeachment circus, wherein congressional Democrats and the media establishment lost their minds over a phone call between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, America would be reeling once again — this time from a global pandemic straight out of communist China? Not only that, who would have expected we’d be staring into the face of another quid pro quo? This time from none other than progressive icon Nancy Pelosi herself.
While Senate Democrats and Republicans have been working tirelessly to craft a bipartisan solution to bail out Americans and their businesses suddenly shuddered in a kneecapped economy, the Democratic House speaker waltzed in, promptly dismissed their efforts, and announced her intent to introduce her own relief bill.
Of course, with each passing day and even hour, thousands of businesses are closing, millions of employees are facing layoffs, and more and more people across the country are testing positive for the Wuhan coronavirus, so to say a legislative solution is time-sensitive is to wildly understate the urgency. The U.S. economy is in trouble.
Nancy Pelosi knows that. House Democrats know that. They also know that’s exactly what they want — anything to paint Trump in the worst possible light and stop the incumbent from achieving re-election in November. The booming economy and virtual full employment wouldn’t have fanned the flame of revolution, but a global pandemic with a helping of obstinance might do the trick. But Pelosi’s reticence to come together with both Senate Republicans and Democrats isn’t even the worst of the partisan slime.
Pelosi thought a global pandemic would be a good time to push through a laundry list of progressive pipe dreams. Instead of directing her efforts toward aiding ailing citizens, the House speaker’s 1,400-page bill proposal, which began circulating Monday, provides for non-COVID-19 frivolities such as “grants for conducting” election audits, as well as “same day [voter] registration” and access for early voting. It includes “collective bargaining … for federal workers,” a federal “study on climate mitigation efforts,” expanded solar and wind energy tax credits, and it demands that airlines “fully offset the annual carbon emissions … for domestic flights beginning in 2025” and give passengers information “regarding greenhouse gas emissions resulting from each individual flight.”
Don’t let it be lost on you, America, that the reason your small business isn’t yet getting relief yet is that House Democrats are more concerned with bailing out the U.S. Postal Service and giving $35 million to D.C.’s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts than fighting for their constituents.
This is to say nothing of the bill’s woke identity politics aims such as “corporate board diversity” requirements and “pay equity” between men and women as well as white employees and minorities. The words “diverse” or “diversity” appear in the bill more than 60 times.
By holding Americans hostage unless she gets her carbon emission fantasies and postal bailouts, Nancy Pelosi is offering her own quid pro quo. You want relief for dying Americans, Mr. President? Fine, give me more minorities and women in board position. Otherwise, I’ll withhold the aid.
You give me what I want, I’ll give you what you want. Quid pro quo, plain and simple, or as Pelosi herself might say, “bribery.”
Back in fall 2019, when Pelosi first launched the Trump impeachment inquiry, the speaker said she didn’t want it to “take a long time because I don’t want it to be further divisive in the country. And that was one of the reasons I was reluctant to go down this path because I know it’s divisive. But then again, the president is divisive.” Pot, meet kettle.
Since Pelosi’s joke of a virus bill began circulating Monday, it appears she may now capitulate to growing pressures from exasperated Americans to advance the bipartisan legislation.
Worth noting that the changes to the Senate bill are minimal and could have easily occurred the same way without filibuster or House bill so what happened? Dems realized trying to hold a relief bill hostage for special interests was backfiring and people were pissed. https://t.co/TeZ6xtTwgo — AG (@AGHamilton29) March 24, 2020
But even if she folds and finally grants the aid Americans desperately need, under the Democrats’ self-righteous and asinine quid pro quo framework, Pelosi’s still guilty. After all, Trump never actually withheld aid from Ukraine either, and the House still impeached him.
“I can’t tell if he knows right from wrong,” Pelosi said of Trump’s July 17 phone call with the Ukrainian president. “He just done wrong.”
Do you know right from wrong, Madam Speaker?


bonginoreport--2020-03-25--Twenty Charged in Connection to Murder of Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Embassy

Turkey has charged 20 suspects , including two former aides to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman , over the 2018 murder of Riyadh critic Jamal Khashoggi .
Prosecutors accuse Saudi Arabia 's deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri and the royal court 's media czar Saud al-Qahtani of leading the operation and giving orders to a Saudi hit team .
Khashoggi , 59 , a commentator who wrote for The Washington Post , was killed after he entered the Saudi consulate on October 2 , 2018 , to obtain paperwork for his wedding to Turkish fiancee Hatice Cengiz .
Turkey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder after being unhappy with Saudi explanations .
The Istanbul prosecutor 's office said in a statement that Assiri and Qahtani were charged with 'instigating the deliberate and monstrous killing , causing torment ' .
Eighteen other suspects - including intelligence operative Maher Mutreb who frequently travelled with the crown prince on foreign tours , forensic expert Salah al-Tubaigy and Fahad al-Balawi , a member of the Saudi royal guard - were also charged with 'deliberately and monstrously killing , causing torment ' .
They face life in jail if convicted .
Mutreb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 on trial in Riyadh , during which sources said many of those accused defended themselves by saying they were carrying out Assiri 's orders , describing him as the operation 's 'ringleader ' .
The Turkish prosecutor said a trial in absentia would be opened against the 20 suspects but did not give a date .
The prosecutor had already issued arrest warrants for the suspects , who are not in Turkey .
Khashoggi , a Saudi insider-turned-critic , was strangled and his body cut into pieces by a 15-man Saudi squad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials .
His remains have never been found .
The CIA , UN special envoy Agnes Callamard and Turkey have directly linked Crown Prince Mohammed to the killing , a charge the kingdom vehemently denies .

Turkey has charged 20 suspects, including two former aides to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, over the 2018 murder of Riyadh critic Jamal Khashoggi.
Prosecutors accuse Saudi Arabia's deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri and the royal court's media czar Saud al-Qahtani of leading the operation and giving orders to a Saudi hit team.
Khashoggi, 59, a commentator who wrote for The Washington Post, was killed after he entered the Saudi consulate on October 2, 2018, to obtain paperwork for his wedding to Turkish fiancee Hatice Cengiz.
Turkey carried out its own investigation into the murder after being unhappy with Saudi explanations.
Journalist Jamal Khashoggi (pictured) was strangled and his body cut into pieces by a 15-man Saudi squad
The Istanbul prosecutor's office said in a statement that Assiri and Qahtani were charged with 'instigating the deliberate and monstrous killing, causing torment'.
Eighteen other suspects - including intelligence operative Maher Mutreb who frequently travelled with the crown prince on foreign tours, forensic expert Salah al-Tubaigy and Fahad al-Balawi, a member of the Saudi royal guard - were also charged with 'deliberately and monstrously killing, causing torment'.
They face life in jail if convicted.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (pictured) has been directly linked to the killing
Mutreb, Tubaigy and Balawi had been among 11 on trial in Riyadh, during which sources said many of those accused defended themselves by saying they were carrying out Assiri's orders, describing him as the operation's 'ringleader'.
The Turkish prosecutor said a trial in absentia would be opened against the 20 suspects but did not give a date.
The prosecutor had already issued arrest warrants for the suspects, who are not in Turkey.
Khashoggi, a Saudi insider-turned-critic, was strangled and his body cut into pieces by a 15-man Saudi squad inside the consulate, according to Turkish officials.
His remains have never been found.
The CIA, UN special envoy Agnes Callamard and Turkey have directly linked Crown Prince Mohammed to the killing, a charge the kingdom vehemently denies.


bonginoreport--2020-03-25--National Guard and Military Take Leading Role on Protecting Border

At the urging of President Trump , troops with the U.S. National Guard and military reserves are taking a leading role on the border and in several states to help in the “ war ” on the coronavirus outbreak .
After Trump ’ s authorization over the weekend , some 10,000 National Guard forces were at work , helping to set up medical facilities in key states .
“ National Guard and Reserve forces make daily contributions to our national security , ” said John Ullyot , spokesman for the White House National Security Council .
He said that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already been activated by the governors of California , New York , and Washington to help support state and local emergency virus response efforts in those states.
” In addition , nearly 3,000 Guard troops are deployed along the southern border , where Trump has doubled down on efforts to block illegal immigrants from crossing and potentially bringing the coronavirus in with them .
Some reports have suggested that the troops on the border should instead be shifted to states with the virus .
For example , the Los Angeles Times headlined this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at southern border despite waning migration , as coronavirus spreads elsewhere.
” It also suggested that the border mission has dried up because the U.S. has stopped travel into the country , though in fact the effort to find illegal crossers is still occurring .
Administration officials said that blocking those with the virus from entering the U.S. requires a bigger effort on the border to find illegal immigrants and send them back .
That ’ s where the troops are helping .
And , they added , while up to 5,000 troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are another 2 million active , reserve , and National Guard troops in the military that can be tapped to help disaster efforts in states .
Ullyot said that the smaller group on the U.S.-Mexico line is key to helping the U.S. Border Patrol .
“ Protecting our border is a national security priority , and without proper precautions , which can only happen through orderly , lawful entry at the borders , the virus could pose greater risk of harm to Americans , migrants , law enforcement personnel , healthcare professionals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Trump has said during his daily coronavirus task force briefings that protecting the border now is more important than ever .
“ This experience shows how important borders are .
Without borders , you don ’ t have a nation , ” the president said on Tuesday .
On Sunday , he directed the Pentagon to allow the three states to tap the Guard under a provision that aims to support state and local emergency efforts .
Title 32 also reimburses the states for the Guard ’ s support of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in virus testing .
Air Force Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel , chief of the National Guard , said that his 450,000 troops are ready to help .
“ We remain flexible and committed for whatever mission we may be called to do , ” Lengyel said last week .
The National Guard lists on its virus webpage at least 10 states it is helping in the efforts against the outbreak .

At the urging of President Trump, troops with the U.S. National Guard and military reserves are taking a leading role on the border and in several states to help in the “war” on the coronavirus outbreak.
After Trump’s authorization over the weekend, some 10,000 National Guard forces were at work, helping to set up medical facilities in key states.
“National Guard and Reserve forces make daily contributions to our national security,” said John Ullyot, spokesman for the White House National Security Council.
Today, approximately 10,700 National Guard members from 54 states, territories and the District of Columbia are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we need your help. Please follow guidance from officials and continue to practice "social distancing." https://t.co/2jl5PqdNh6 pic.twitter.com/ICj0jysOjW — National Guard (@USNationalGuard) March 25, 2020
He said that “federally-funded members of the National Guard have already been activated by the governors of California, New York, and Washington to help support state and local emergency virus response efforts in those states.”
In addition, nearly 3,000 Guard troops are deployed along the southern border, where Trump has doubled down on efforts to block illegal immigrants from crossing and potentially bringing the coronavirus in with them.
Some reports have suggested that the troops on the border should instead be shifted to states with the virus.
For example, the Los Angeles Times headlined this week, “U.S. troops remain at southern border despite waning migration, as coronavirus spreads elsewhere.” It also suggested that the border mission has dried up because the U.S. has stopped travel into the country, though in fact the effort to find illegal crossers is still occurring.
Administration officials said that blocking those with the virus from entering the U.S. requires a bigger effort on the border to find illegal immigrants and send them back. That’s where the troops are helping.
And, they added, while up to 5,000 troops are authorized to line the border, there are another 2 million active, reserve, and National Guard troops in the military that can be tapped to help disaster efforts in states.
Ullyot said that the smaller group on the U.S.-Mexico line is key to helping the U.S. Border Patrol.
“Protecting our border is a national security priority, and without proper precautions, which can only happen through orderly, lawful entry at the borders, the virus could pose greater risk of harm to Americans, migrants, law enforcement personnel, healthcare professionals, and so many more,” he said.
Trump has said during his daily coronavirus task force briefings that protecting the border now is more important than ever.
“This experience shows how important borders are. Without borders, you don’t have a nation,” the president said on Tuesday.
On Sunday, he directed the Pentagon to allow the three states to tap the Guard under a provision that aims to support state and local emergency efforts. Title 32 also reimburses the states for the Guard’s support of their disaster response, such as aiding in virus testing.
Air Force Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel, chief of the National Guard, said that his 450,000 troops are ready to help. “We remain flexible and committed for whatever mission we may be called to do,” Lengyel said last week.
The National Guard lists on its virus webpage at least 10 states it is helping in the efforts against the outbreak.


bonginoreport--2020-03-25--Teen Licks Toilet As Part of “Coronavirus Challange” – Contracts Coronavirus

Social media 'influencer ' goes viral after licking a toilet .
Now he 's reportedly in the hospital with COVID-19 @

A Beverly Hills social media influencer is reportedly hospitalized after contracting COVID-19 — mere days after licking a public toilet bowl.
What are the details?
The influencer, 21-year-old "Larz," went viral earlier this week after sharing a video of himself licking a toilet bowl, according to the Daily Mail.
He reportedly shared the video with the caption "RT to spread awareness for the Coronavirus."
Larz licking toilet 😍 www.youtube.com
Larz announced in a since-deleted tweet that he was diagnosed with the coronavirus.
According to The Gay UK, video of the incident gained more than 90,000 views before being yanked off the internet.
A later post reportedly included a video of the influencer lying in a hospital bed. In the video, he reportedly says that he's "pretty doped up from his meds."
What else?
The social media influencer gained notoriety after reportedly being involved in viral videos featuring him licking stores' ice cream cartons and more.
He was just one of many young people who engaged in a bizarre summer 2019 trend of defiling ice cream in stores and filming the act for posterity.
Larz, who interviewed in 2019 with Dr. Phil McGraw, also previously said that his own family is "irrelevant."
"None of them have followers, if they got followers or got rich, I'd probably talk to them again," he reasoned.
Larz's Twitter account appears to be suspended at the time of this writing.


bonginoreport--2020-03-25--Biden Bizarrely Claims He Was a University of Pennsylvania Professor

Vice President Joe Biden claims he “ became a professor ” after leaving the White House in 2017 , but reports from the time say neither he nor the university that hired him expected him to teach any classes , and students and faculty were confused about what he would be doing .
Biden made the claim Wednesday at a campaign event in Georgetown , South Carolina , saying he “ became a teacher , became a professor ” rather than “ taking a Wall Street job ” before his book about his son , Beau , released .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ Benjamin Franklin Presidential Practice Professor ” in 2017 , but neither the school nor Biden expected him to teach any classes , according to comments at the time .
“ He will not be teaching classes , ” Biden spokesperson Kate Bedingfield said in 2017 .
One article at The Daily Pennsylvanian featured the headline “ No One Is Really Sure What Joe Biden Will Be Doing At Penn.
” UPenn announced Biden ’ s hiring on February 7 , just a week after he left office , and by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ still uncertain ” and “ being ironed out , ” University spokesperson Stephen MacCarthy told the Pennsylvanian .
MacCarthy did not respond to a request for comment .
( RELATED : ‘ I Wasn ’ t Arrested ’ : Joe Biden Admits He Lied Numerous Times About South African Trip ) One student at the time wrote that UPenn was paying Biden “ to essentially do nothing but sporadically show his face on campus.
” The student was not far from the truth .
Biden appeared on the UPenn campus four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made another four speeches in 2018 .
Penn paid him $ 776,527 for his trouble , nearly double the average salary for everyday professors , according to PhillyMag .
When the Daily Caller asked whether Biden had in fact taught any courses since being hired , UPenn Vice Provost for Faculty Anita Allen did not list any , saying his work was instead based in Washington .
( RELATED : Joe Bide : ‘ No Man Has The Right To Touch A Woman…Other Than Self-Defense ) “ Vice President Biden was hired principally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center , which opened in 2018 , ” she said , clarifying that he began a leave of absence in April 2019 .
Allen emphasized that “ it is not unusual for a Penn faculty member to engage in something other than ordinary classroom teaching as their primary responsibility.
” The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment .

Vice President Joe Biden claims he “became a professor” after leaving the White House in 2017, but reports from the time say neither he nor the university that hired him expected him to teach any classes, and students and faculty were confused about what he would be doing.
Biden made the claim Wednesday at a campaign event in Georgetown, South Carolina, saying he “became a teacher, became a professor” rather than “taking a Wall Street job” before his book about his son, Beau, released. The University of Pennsylvania did indeed make Biden the “Benjamin Franklin Presidential Practice Professor” in 2017, but neither the school nor Biden expected him to teach any classes, according to comments at the time.
“He will not be teaching classes,” Biden spokesperson Kate Bedingfield said in 2017.
One article at The Daily Pennsylvanian featured the headline “No One Is Really Sure What Joe Biden Will Be Doing At Penn.”
UPenn announced Biden’s hiring on February 7, just a week after he left office, and by the end of February Biden’s role was “still uncertain” and “being ironed out,” University spokesperson Stephen MacCarthy told the Pennsylvanian.
MacCarthy did not respond to a request for comment. (RELATED: ‘I Wasn’t Arrested’: Joe Biden Admits He Lied Numerous Times About South African Trip)
One student at the time wrote that UPenn was paying Biden “to essentially do nothing but sporadically show his face on campus.”
The student was not far from the truth. Biden appeared on the UPenn campus four times to make speeches in 2017 and made another four speeches in 2018. Penn paid him $776,527 for his trouble, nearly double the average salary for everyday professors, according to PhillyMag.
When the Daily Caller asked whether Biden had in fact taught any courses since being hired, UPenn Vice Provost for Faculty Anita Allen did not list any, saying his work was instead based in Washington. (RELATED: Joe Bide: ‘No Man Has The Right To Touch A Woman…Other Than Self-Defense)
“Vice President Biden was hired principally to lead the Washington D.C. Penn Biden Center, which opened in 2018,” she said, clarifying that he began a leave of absence in April 2019.
Allen emphasized that “it is not unusual for a Penn faculty member to engage in something other than ordinary classroom teaching as their primary responsibility.”
The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


bonginoreport--2020-04-16--Sens. Grassley and Johnson Request FBI Director Wray Turn Over All FBI Records on Crossfire Hurrican

Sens. Grassley and Johnson Request FBI Director Wray Turn Over All FBI Records on Crossfire Hurricane

Two powerful GOP Senators sent a letter Thursday to FBI Director Christopher Wray requesting all the records from the FBI ’ s Crossfire Hurricane team , which investigated the now debunked theory that President Donald Trump ’ s campaign conspired with Russia during the 2016 election .
Sen. Ron Johnson , Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee , and Sen. Chuck Grassley , chairman of the Senate Finance Committee , who have been investigating the circumstances surrounding the FBI ’ s investigation and alleged malfeasance in obtaining Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Warrants to spy on then Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request in a letter .
The senators stated in the letter that “ on January 28 , 2020 , we wrote to Attorney General Barr and requested the declassification of four footnotes in the Office of the Inspector General ( OIG ) report about the Federal Bureau of Investigation ’ s ( FBI ) Crossfire Hurricane investigation.
” “ Since then , we received declassified versions of those and other footnotes , and they reveal disturbing facts about the FBI ’ s investigation : the Crossfire Hurricane team ’ s investigative file included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key parts of the reporting from Christopher Steele—reporting that “ played a central and essential role ” in the decision to request FISA orders —were part of a Russian disinformation campaign , ” the pair added .
The Senator ’ s noted that the information in the now-declassified footnotes from Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz ’ s December report investigating the FBI ’ s probe into the Trump campaign “ also directly contradicts statements provided by FBI officials in the OIG report.
” The footnotes revealed that former senior Obama officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Crossfire Hurricane team knew the dossier compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele during the 2016 election was Russian disinformation to target Trump and his administration .
Further , those partially declassified footnotes reveal that those senior intelligence officials were aware of the disinformation when they included the dossier in the Obama administration ’ s Intelligence Communities Assessment ( ICA ) .
Further , the recently declassified footnotes raise numerous other issues of “ significant concern.
” “ What other parts of the FBI ’ s investigation were infected by Russian disinformation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was targeting Christopher Steele ’ s company , that Steele relied on sources affiliated with Russian intelligence , and at least two of Steele ’ s reports were described as the product of a Russian disinformation campaign .
Because these facts show the intention , means , and ability to plant Russian disinformation in Steele ’ s reporting , they suggest that the prevalence of such disinformation in the FBI ’ s Crossfire Hurricane investigation may have been widespread .
”

Two powerful GOP Senators sent a letter Thursday to FBI Director Christopher Wray requesting all the records from the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane team, which investigated the now debunked theory that President Donald Trump’s campaign conspired with Russia during the 2016 election.
Sen. Ron Johnson, Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, who have been investigating the circumstances surrounding the FBI’s investigation and alleged malfeasance in obtaining Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Warrants to spy on then Trump campaign official Carter Page, made the request in a letter.
The senators stated in the letter that “on January 28, 2020, we wrote to Attorney General Barr and requested the declassification of four footnotes in the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report about the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Crossfire Hurricane investigation.”
“Since then, we received declassified versions of those and other footnotes, and they reveal disturbing facts about the FBI’s investigation: the Crossfire Hurricane team’s investigative file included at least two intelligence reports stating that key parts of the reporting from Christopher Steele—reporting that “played a central and essential role” in the decision to request FISA orders —were part of a Russian disinformation campaign,” the pair added.
The Senator’s noted that the information in the now-declassified footnotes from Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s December report investigating the FBI’s probe into the Trump campaign “also directly contradicts statements provided by FBI officials in the OIG report.”
The footnotes revealed that former senior Obama officials, including members of the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane team knew the dossier compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele during the 2016 election was Russian disinformation to target Trump and his administration.
Further, those partially declassified footnotes reveal that those senior intelligence officials were aware of the disinformation when they included the dossier in the Obama administration’s Intelligence Communities Assessment (ICA).
Johnson and Grassley said they were “deeply troubled by the Crossfire Hurricane team’s awareness of and apparent indifference to Russian disinformation, as well as by the grossly inaccurate statements by the FBI official in charge of the investigation and its supervisory intelligence analyst.”
Further, the recently declassified footnotes raise numerous other issues of “significant concern.”
“What other parts of the FBI’s investigation were infected by Russian disinformation? …The FBI knew that Russian intelligence was targeting Christopher Steele’s company, that Steele relied on sources affiliated with Russian intelligence, and at least two of Steele’s reports were described as the product of a Russian disinformation campaign. Because these facts show the intention, means, and ability to plant Russian disinformation in Steele’s reporting, they suggest that the prevalence of such disinformation in the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation may have been widespread.”


bonginoreport--2020-04-16--Every GOP Senator Except Mitt Romney Invited to Join Task Force to Reopen Economy

Sen. Mitt Romney was the only Republican senator left off the list of members of the White House coronavirus task force announced Thursday .
Romney , a Utah Republican , was the only senator in the party not asked to join President Trump 's task force on reopening the U.S. economy as the coronavirus pandemic begins to subside .
All other Republican senators and 12 Democratic senators were invited to join the team .
The task force also includes a bipartisan slate of 32 representatives from the House , including 22 Republicans and 10 Democrats .
Trump has touted his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his positive relationship with Democratic governors , such as Gavin Newsom of California and John Bel Edwards of Louisiana .
The feud between Trump and Romney has been simmering for years .
Trump has routinely mocked Romney for losing the presidential election to President Barack Obama in 2012 , and Romney called Trump a `` con man '' during the 2016 presidential primary .
Romney was the only Republican to vote to convict Trump during his impeachment earlier this year .
Utah has had a relatively mild outbreak of the coronavirus compared with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Thursday , the state had 2,500 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 20 related deaths .
Romney was one of several senators who had to quarantine after coming in contact with someone who had the virus .
When Trump was asked about Romney 's quarantine , he responded , `` Gee , that ’ s too bad . ''

Sen. Mitt Romney was the only Republican senator left off the list of members of the White House coronavirus task force announced Thursday.
Romney, a Utah Republican, was the only senator in the party not asked to join President Trump's task force on reopening the U.S. economy as the coronavirus pandemic begins to subside. All other Republican senators and 12 Democratic senators were invited to join the team.
The task force also includes a bipartisan slate of 32 representatives from the House, including 22 Republicans and 10 Democrats. Trump has touted his bipartisan efforts throughout the pandemic, including his positive relationship with Democratic governors, such as Gavin Newsom of California and John Bel Edwards of Louisiana.
The feud between Trump and Romney has been simmering for years. Trump has routinely mocked Romney for losing the presidential election to President Barack Obama in 2012, and Romney called Trump a "con man" during the 2016 presidential primary. Romney was the only Republican to vote to convict Trump during his impeachment earlier this year.


bonginoreport--2020-04-16--Seven Midwestern Governors Form Coalition to Plan Easing Restrictions

The statement seems to go out of its way to underline that state CEOs , and not someone else , will decide what ’ s right for their residents , and that health will be the top consideration .
The states “ will work in close coordination to reopen our economies in a way that prioritizes our workers ' health , ” the joint statement says .
“ We look forward to working with experts and taking a fact-based , data-driven approach to reopening our economy in a way that protects families from the spread of COVID-19.
” The statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different times—perhaps in different sections of states—is a possibility .
“ But close coordination will ensure we get this right , ” it says .
“ Over time , people will go back to work , restaurants will reopen and things will go back to normal .
We look forward to working together as one region to tackle this challenge together.
” The seven-state coalition brings together states that share industrial and agricultural roots but still have wide cultural and political differences .
Of the seven governors , five are Democrats : Pritzker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Evers , Minnesota ’ s Walz and Kentucky ’ s Andy Beshear .
Two are Republicans : DeWine in Ohio and Holcomb in Indiana .
The deal was announced as pressure is building in some areas relatively free of the coronavirus to turn the focus on economic issues , something Trump in particular has pushed .
The states generally show signs of flattening the growth in COVID-related cases and deaths—both Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot say they see that happening—but the situation varies from state to state and within states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID stats , see the charts at the bottom of this story .
Officials have responded to critics by asserting that reopening too early risks setting off another wave of infections and undoing all the good that has been done by keeping most people at home .
Meantime , Evers has extended Wisconsin 's stay-at-home order to May 26 .
We 'll be watching to see whether Pritzker matches that at his 2:30 daily COVID briefing .
4 p.m. update : At his daily briefing , Pritzker described the Midwest deal as “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The decisions made by each of the seven states will not necessarily be identical .
What ’ s most important is that the states have agreed to use “ similar criteria ” in making decisions about reopening their economies and to act to “ protect workers and customers ” when they do , he said .
Iowa , Illinois ' neighbor to the west , “ chose not to be a part ” of the partnership , Pritzker said , noting it 's the only state in the region that has not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the governors of Missouri , North Dakota and South Dakota also declined to join the partnership , citing a person familiar with the talks who asked not to be identified .
Of those , only Missouri has issued a stay-at-home order .
The bulk of the governor 's briefing focused on testing for COVID , with good news on both the availability of tests and of needed equipment .
Pritzker said Massachusetts-based medical device producer Thermo Fisher Scientific now has five machines fully online that were inoperative last week .
They will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day by next week .
Problems obtaining swabs and other materials needed to get maximum use out testing equipment appear also to be resolved .
And the University of Chicago has agreed to step up activities in minority neighborhoods , with UC Medicine promising to process 1,000 tests a day on the South Side and south suburbs .
A list of testing sites , updated daily , is here from the Illinois Department of Public Health .
Earlier today , Twitter reaction to the coalition announcement was swift :

The statement seems to go out of its way to underline that state CEOs, and not someone else, will decide what’s right for their residents, and that health will be the top consideration.
The states “will work in close coordination to reopen our economies in a way that prioritizes our workers' health,” the joint statement says. “We look forward to working with experts and taking a fact-based, data-driven approach to reopening our economy in a way that protects families from the spread of COVID-19.”
The statement says reopening portions of the economy at different times—perhaps in different sections of states—is a possibility.
“But close coordination will ensure we get this right,” it says. “Over time, people will go back to work, restaurants will reopen and things will go back to normal. We look forward to working together as one region to tackle this challenge together.”
The seven-state coalition brings together states that share industrial and agricultural roots but still have wide cultural and political differences. Of the seven governors, five are Democrats: Pritzker, Michigan’s Whitmer, Wisconsin’s Evers, Minnesota’s Walz and Kentucky’s Andy Beshear. Two are Republicans: DeWine in Ohio and Holcomb in Indiana.
The deal was announced as pressure is building in some areas relatively free of the coronavirus to turn the focus on economic issues, something Trump in particular has pushed.
The states generally show signs of flattening the growth in COVID-related cases and deaths—both Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot say they see that happening—but the situation varies from state to state and within states. For the latest state and city COVID stats, see the charts at the bottom of this story.
Officials have responded to critics by asserting that reopening too early risks setting off another wave of infections and undoing all the good that has been done by keeping most people at home.
Meantime, Evers has extended Wisconsin's stay-at-home order to May 26. We'll be watching to see whether Pritzker matches that at his 2:30 daily COVID briefing.
4 p.m. update: At his daily briefing, Pritzker described the Midwest deal as “a formal partnership” to work together. The decisions made by each of the seven states will not necessarily be identical.
What’s most important is that the states have agreed to use “similar criteria” in making decisions about reopening their economies and to act to “protect workers and customers” when they do, he said.
Iowa, Illinois' neighbor to the west, “chose not to be a part” of the partnership, Pritzker said, noting it's the only state in the region that has not issued a stay-home order. Reuters reports the governors of Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota also declined to join the partnership, citing a person familiar with the talks who asked not to be identified. Of those, only Missouri has issued a stay-at-home order.
The bulk of the governor's briefing focused on testing for COVID, with good news on both the availability of tests and of needed equipment. Pritzker said Massachusetts-based medical device producer Thermo Fisher Scientific now has five machines fully online that were inoperative last week. They will be able to produce thousands of tests a day by next week. Problems obtaining swabs and other materials needed to get maximum use out testing equipment appear also to be resolved.
And the University of Chicago has agreed to step up activities in minority neighborhoods, with UC Medicine promising to process 1,000 tests a day on the South Side and south suburbs. A list of testing sites, updated daily, is here from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Earlier today, Twitter reaction to the coalition announcement was swift:


bonginoreport--2020-04-16--Federal Agencies Spent $175 Billion on “Errors” Last Fiscal Year

Federal agencies paid out a total $ 175 billion in error during fiscal 2019 , roughly $ 24 billion more than in the previous fiscal year , according to a recently released Government Accountability Office report .
The GAO refers to the payments as “ improper ” and said they occur when the federal government “ overpays , underpays , or makes payments to ineligible recipients.
” It also includes payments made for “ an ineligible good or service.
” The report found that the majority of the improper payments occurred in the areas of Medicaid , Medicare and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occur because of fraud and other reasons , which the GAO describes in its full report .
“ Increasingly , the federal government is making payments it shouldn ’ t , ” the GAO reported on its WatchBlog .
According to the Office of Management and Budget , the 2019 improper payments were reported in four categories : • Technically improper due to statute or regulation , about $ 8.7 billion , equaling roughly 5 percent .
A payment is classified as “ unknown ” when a federal agency is `` unable to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improper as a result of insufficient or lack of documentation.
” The payment category listed as “ technically improper due to statute or regulation ” represents “ a payment made to the right recipient for the right amount but the payment process failed to follow applicable regulation and statute.
” To put the total number of improper payments in perspective , not including underpayments , $ 162 billon is larger than the combined annual budgets of the Education Department ( $ 62 billion ) , Homeland Security Department ( $ 51 billion ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , Labor Department ( $ 11 billion ) and the Environmental Protection Agency ( $ 6 billion ) – based on the latest figures .
Improper payments in FY2018 were lower at $ 151 billion .
In FY2017 , the figure was $ 141 billion .

Federal agencies paid out a total $175 billion in error during fiscal 2019, roughly $24 billion more than in the previous fiscal year, according to a recently released Government Accountability Office report.
The GAO refers to the payments as “improper” and said they occur when the federal government “overpays, underpays, or makes payments to ineligible recipients.” It also includes payments made for “an ineligible good or service.”
The report found that the majority of the improper payments occurred in the areas of Medicaid, Medicare and the Earned Income Tax Credit. The payments occur because of fraud and other reasons, which the GAO describes in its full report.
“Increasingly, the federal government is making payments it shouldn’t,” the GAO reported on its WatchBlog.
According to the Office of Management and Budget, the 2019 improper payments were reported in four categories:
Overpayments, about $79.1 billion, equaling roughly 45.2 percent;
Underpayments, about $12.9 billion, equaling roughly 7.4 percent;
Unknown, about $74.1 billion, equaling roughly 42.4 percent;
Technically improper due to statute or regulation, about $8.7 billion, equaling roughly 5 percent.
A payment is classified as “unknown” when a federal agency is "unable to discern whether the payment was proper or improper as a result of insufficient or lack of documentation.”
The payment category listed as “technically improper due to statute or regulation” represents “a payment made to the right recipient for the right amount but the payment process failed to follow applicable regulation and statute.”
To put the total number of improper payments in perspective, not including underpayments, $162 billon is larger than the combined annual budgets of the Education Department ($62 billion), Homeland Security Department ($51 billion), Energy Department ($32 billion), Labor Department ($11 billion) and the Environmental Protection Agency ($6 billion) – based on the latest figures.
Improper payments in FY2018 were lower at $151 billion. In FY2017, the figure was $141 billion.


bonginoreport--2020-04-16--China Fears Manufacturing Exodus

China Fears Manufacturing Exodus

TOKYO -- Amid the coronavirus pandemic , Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has proposed building an economy that is less dependent on one country , China , so that the nation can better avoid supply chain disruptions .
The call touched off a heated debate in the Chinese political world .
In Zhongnanhai , the area in central Beijing where leaders of the Chinese Communist Party and the state government have their offices , `` there are now serious concerns over foreign companies withdrawing from China , '' a Chinese economic source said .
`` What has particularly been talked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency economic package that encourages ( and funds ) the re-establishment of supply chains . ''
Had the pandemic not struck , Chinese President Xi Jinping 's maiden state visit to Japan would have been wrapped up by now with Xi proudly declaring a `` new era '' of Sino-Japanese relations .
He would have cheered on Abe as Japan prepared for the next big event , the 2020 Olympics .
Instead , both Xi 's trip and the Tokyo Olympics have been postponed , and Sino-Japanese relations find themselves at a crossroads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were visible as early as March 5 .
Japan had finally been able to put the Diamond Princess cruise ship disaster behind it but was still snowed under by the challenge of preventing the virus 's further spread .
On that date , coincidentally the same day the postponement of Xi 's Japan visit was announced , the Japanese government held a meeting of the Council on Investments for the Future .
Abe , who chairs the council , said he wanted high value-added product manufacturing bases to come home to Japan .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as Hiroaki Nakanishi , chairman of the Japan Business Federation , the country 's biggest business lobby better known as Keidanren .
`` Due to the coronavirus , fewer products are coming from China to Japan , '' Abe said .
`` People are worried about our supply chains . ''
Of the products that rely heavily on a single country for manufacturing , `` we should try to relocate high added value items to Japan , '' the leader said .
`` And for everything else , we should diversify to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abe 's remarks were clear .
They came as disruptions hit the procurement of auto parts and other products for which Japan relies on China , seriously impacting corporate Japan 's activities .
And they asked for something more than the traditional `` China plus one '' concept , in which companies add a non-China location to diversify production .
Abe was forming a `` shift away from China '' policy .
With the nation transfixed by coronavirus coverage , the proposal failed to generate big headlines in Japan .
But China was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was about to undergo an industrial hollowing-out like Japan once experienced .
Such a trend would shake the foundation of China 's long-standing growth model .
In its emergency economic package adopted on April 7 , the Japanese government called for the re-establishment of supply chains that have been hit by the virus 's proliferation .
It earmarked more than 240 billion yen ( about $ 2.2 billion ) in its supplementary budget plan for fiscal 2020 to assist domestic companies to move production back home or to diversify their production bases into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sum of money .
The next day , April 8 , China 's Politburo Standing Committee , the party 's top decision-making body , held a meeting in Beijing .
Speaking at the meeting , President Xi said that `` as the pandemic continues its global spread , the world economy faces a mounting downside risk . ''
He added , `` Unstable and uncertain factors are notably increasing . ''
Xi , who doubles as the party 's general secretary , stressed the need to stick to `` bottom-line thinking '' -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called for `` preparedness in mind and work to cope with prolonged external environment changes . ''
The seven-member Politburo Standing Committee usually meets once a week , and it is rare for the holding and content of these meetings to be reported .
Xi sounded the call to prepare for `` a protracted battle '' while assuming the worst .
There are talks in the U.S. regarding China dependency .
Larry Kudlow , chairman of the White House 's National Economic Council , has expressed his intention to consider shouldering the relocation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China .
It fits with President Donald Trump 's `` America first '' agenda .
If the U.S. and Japan , the world 's biggest and third-biggest economies respectively , move away from China , it will have a huge impact on the world 's second-biggest economy .
One topic has now set tongues wagging in the world of Chinese intellectuals .
According to the Chinese astrology chart , 2020 is the year of Geng-Zi , or the metal rat , which comes once every 60 years .
It is said that every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rolls around a big history-shaking incident takes place .
In 1840 , during the Qing dynasty , the Opium War broke out , leading to China 's stagnation for more than a century .
Sixty years later , in 1900 , toward the end of the Qing dynasty , forces from an alliance of eight nations -- the U.K. , U.S. , Germany , France , Italy , Russia , Japan and Austria-Hungary -- moved from Tianjin to Beijing , an incident triggered by the Boxer Rebellion , which had started in 1899 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is an American film starring Charlton Heston and depicting the siege of the foreign legations ' compounds in Peking , now known as Beijing , during the Boxer Rebellion .
The metal rat 's next return , in 1960 , coincided with a famine caused by the Great Leap Forward led by Mao Zedong , the founding father of `` a new China , '' or the People 's Republic of China .
Yang Jisheng , a former journalist for Xinhua News Agency who lost his foster father to the famine , later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reportage about the epic disaster .
Based on field work and interviews , Yang revealed that as many as 36 million people died of hunger during the Great Leap Forward , far more than China once announced .
What will this year 's metal rat jinx be like for China ?
The peak of China 's coronavirus outbreak has passed .
But Zhang Wenhong , the head of a coronavirus clinical expert team whose profile has been on the rise , has said a second round of infections will hit in November or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , the second wave of infections was more serious than the first .
No pandemic has been more deadly since then .
Estimates are that 500 million people , a third of the planet 's population , were infected and that 50 million died .
Zhong Nanshan , an 83-year-old medical doctor , has shined since 2003 , when he played a major role in the fight against severe acute respiratory syndrome , or SARS .
The new coronavirus has already mutated , and its death rate has reached levels up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Zhong has warned .
The new virus emerged in China late last year and then spread globally .
China 's crackdown on information and social media posts regarding the outbreak through mid-January and its delayed initial response to the public health crisis ended up contributing to a catastrophe and sparking an international uproar .
Trump had been calling the coronavirus `` the Chinese virus , '' although he has since stopped doing so .
Global public opinion will greatly affect the re-establishment of a post-virus world order .
As things stand now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the U.S. and China .
In ancient China , bamboo strips were the main canvas for documents before the introduction of paper .
They were called `` green logs '' because bamboo strips are green before they are cured and sewn into books .
Bamboo strips are official documents that are kept for posterity , and it was important for an emperor to inscribe his name on them .
If the scourge of the coronavirus were to drastically change the world order in the 21st century , will it be the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
China can not afford to lose .
Much will depend on how the U.S. and China rebuild their respective virus-hit economies .
If major foreign companies withdraw from China , it will become a big drag on the Middle Kingdom 's economic revival .
Katsuji Nakazawa is a Tokyo-based senior staff writer and editorial writer at Nikkei .
He has spent seven years in China as a correspondent and later as China bureau chief .
He is the 2014 recipient of the Vaughn-Ueda International Journalist prize for international reporting .

TOKYO -- Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has proposed building an economy that is less dependent on one country, China, so that the nation can better avoid supply chain disruptions.
The call touched off a heated debate in the Chinese political world.


bonginoreport--2020-04-16--Poll: Democrats More Accepting of Big Brother Than Republicans

As governments around the world turn to technology to help fight the spread of COVID-19 , a majority of Americans are skeptical that tracking someone ’ s location through their cellphone would help curb the outbreak .
At the same time , the public holds mixed views on when – and if – this type of monitoring is acceptable .
Six-in-ten Americans say that if the government tracked people ’ s locations through their cellphone it would not make much of a difference in limiting the spread of the virus , according to a new Pew Research Center survey of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Smaller shares of Americans – about four-in-ten – believe this type of monitoring would help a lot ( 16 % ) or a little ( 22 % ) in limiting the spread of COVID-19 .
Across demographic groups , roughly half or more believe this type of tracking would have little impact on slowing the COVID-19 outbreak .
Still , Democrats ( 46 % ) and independents ( 42 % ) are more likely than Republicans ( 31 % ) to say that if the government tracked people ’ s locations through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help at least a little to limit the spread of the virus .
Views also differ by educational attainment and by race and ethnicity .
About half of postgraduates ( 51 % ) believe cellphone tracking would help curtail the spread of COVID-19 to some degree , compared with roughly four-in-ten or fewer of those who have a bachelor ’ s degree , some college experience , or a high school education or less .
And Hispanic adults ( 50 % ) are far more likely than their white ( 35 % ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to think this type of government surveillance would be helpful during the outbreak .
Pitting trade-offs between data collection for public good against privacy concerns has emerged as an issue in the coronavirus pandemic .
Last month , Israel authorized the use of cellphone location data to help combat the spread of the virus , while some nations have used smartphone apps to ensure that people are complying with quarantine guidelines .
In the United States , government officials have used anonymized cellphone data to better understand how the outbreak is spreading in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been met with some resistance .
Advocates have raised concerns about what these practices mean for digital privacy , data security and whether this level of surveillance could remain long after the pandemic .
Amid this tension between personal privacy and public safety , 52 % of Americans surveyed in early April say it is at least somewhat acceptable for the government to use people ’ s cellphones to track the location of those who have tested positive for the virus to understand how the virus is spreading , but a similar share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very or somewhat unacceptable to do .
At the same time , 45 % of the public says it is acceptable for the government to use cellphones to track the location of people who may have had contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 , while a somewhat larger share ( 54 % ) describes this type of tracking as unacceptable .
By comparison , there is less support for monitoring mobile devices to make sure people are following social distancing guidelines .
Some 37 % of Americans say it is at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use people ’ s cellphones to track the location of people to ensure they are complying with experts ’ advice on limiting social contact during the coronavirus outbreak .
But a much larger share ( 62 % ) believes this type of cellphone tracking is very ( 43 % ) or somewhat ( 20 % ) unacceptable .
Republicans and Democrats tend to hold contrasting views about the appropriateness of tracking people ’ s movements during the pandemic .
While 61 % of Democrats say it is very or somewhat acceptable for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ location of people who have tested positive for the coronavirus in order to understand how the virus may be spreading , that share falls to fewer than half among Republicans ( 45 % ) .
Independents ’ views fall in between these two groups .
Democrats are also more likely than Republicans to say it is acceptable for the government to track via cellphone the location of people who may have come in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 ( 52 % vs. 40 % ) or to use this type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with experts ’ advice on limiting social contact ( 44 % vs. 31 % ) .
Overall , Hispanic Americans are more accepting of these measures than black or white people .
For example , 55 % of Hispanic adults say it is at least somewhat acceptable for the government to use cellphones to track the location of people to make sure they are limiting social contact during the outbreak , compared with 45 % of black adults and just 31 % of whites .
There are similar patterns by race and ethnicity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have tested positive for the virus or who may have been in contact with someone who was infected .
Age is also a factor .
Americans ages 30 and older are more likely than those ages 18 t0 29 to say it is acceptable for the government to track the location of people through their cellphone to ensure they are complying with experts ’ advice on limiting social contact ( 39 % vs. 28 % ) or to track the location of people who may have had contact with someone who tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
Note : Here are the questions used for the report , along with responses , and its methodology .

As governments around the world turn to technology to help fight the spread of COVID-19, a majority of Americans are skeptical that tracking someone’s location through their cellphone would help curb the outbreak. At the same time, the public holds mixed views on when – and if – this type of monitoring is acceptable.
Six-in-ten Americans say that if the government tracked people’s locations through their cellphone it would not make much of a difference in limiting the spread of the virus, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults conducted April 7-12, 2020. Smaller shares of Americans – about four-in-ten – believe this type of monitoring would help a lot (16%) or a little (22%) in limiting the spread of COVID-19.
Across demographic groups, roughly half or more believe this type of tracking would have little impact on slowing the COVID-19 outbreak. Still, Democrats (46%) and independents (42%) are more likely than Republicans (31%) to say that if the government tracked people’s locations through their cellphone during the outbreak it would help at least a little to limit the spread of the virus.
How we did this Pew Research Center conducted this study to understand how Americans think about surveillance and cellphone tracking as it relates to the response to the new coronavirus outbreak. For this analysis, we surveyed 4,917 U.S. adults from April 7 to 12, 2020. Everyone who took part is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses (see our Methods 101 explainer on random sampling). This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology. Here are the questions used for the report, along with responses, and its methodology.
Views also differ by educational attainment and by race and ethnicity. About half of postgraduates (51%) believe cellphone tracking would help curtail the spread of COVID-19 to some degree, compared with roughly four-in-ten or fewer of those who have a bachelor’s degree, some college experience, or a high school education or less. And Hispanic adults (50%) are far more likely than their white (35%) or black counterparts (34%) to think this type of government surveillance would be helpful during the outbreak.
Pitting trade-offs between data collection for public good against privacy concerns has emerged as an issue in the coronavirus pandemic. Last month, Israel authorized the use of cellphone location data to help combat the spread of the virus, while some nations have used smartphone apps to ensure that people are complying with quarantine guidelines. In the United States, government officials have used anonymized cellphone data to better understand how the outbreak is spreading in some areas.
These new efforts have been met with some resistance. Advocates have raised concerns about what these practices mean for digital privacy, data security and whether this level of surveillance could remain long after the pandemic.
Amid this tension between personal privacy and public safety, 52% of Americans surveyed in early April say it is at least somewhat acceptable for the government to use people’s cellphones to track the location of those who have tested positive for the virus to understand how the virus is spreading, but a similar share (48%) believes this is very or somewhat unacceptable to do. At the same time, 45% of the public says it is acceptable for the government to use cellphones to track the location of people who may have had contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, while a somewhat larger share (54%) describes this type of tracking as unacceptable.
By comparison, there is less support for monitoring mobile devices to make sure people are following social distancing guidelines. Some 37% of Americans say it is at least somewhat acceptable for the government to use people’s cellphones to track the location of people to ensure they are complying with experts’ advice on limiting social contact during the coronavirus outbreak. But a much larger share (62%) believes this type of cellphone tracking is very (43%) or somewhat (20%) unacceptable.
Republicans and Democrats tend to hold contrasting views about the appropriateness of tracking people’s movements during the pandemic. While 61% of Democrats say it is very or somewhat acceptable for the government to use cellphones to track the location of people who have tested positive for the coronavirus in order to understand how the virus may be spreading, that share falls to fewer than half among Republicans (45%). Independents’ views fall in between these two groups.
Democrats are also more likely than Republicans to say it is acceptable for the government to track via cellphone the location of people who may have come in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 (52% vs. 40%) or to use this type of tracking to ensure people are complying with experts’ advice on limiting social contact (44% vs. 31%).
Overall, Hispanic Americans are more accepting of these measures than black or white people. For example, 55% of Hispanic adults say it is at least somewhat acceptable for the government to use cellphones to track the location of people to make sure they are limiting social contact during the outbreak, compared with 45% of black adults and just 31% of whites. There are similar patterns by race and ethnicity when asked about location tracking for those who have tested positive for the virus or who may have been in contact with someone who was infected.
Age is also a factor. Americans ages 30 and older are more likely than those ages 18 t0 29 to say it is acceptable for the government to track the location of people through their cellphone to ensure they are complying with experts’ advice on limiting social contact (39% vs. 28%) or to track the location of people who may have had contact with someone who tested positive (47% vs. 38%).
Note: Here are the questions used for the report, along with responses, and its methodology.