theguardian--2020-05-13--California special election: Republicans take back Katie Hill’s House seat

Republican Mike Garcia has beat Democrat Christy Smith in the special election to fill the seat of the former US representative Katie Hill , who resigned amid scandal in late 2019 .
After a bitter political battle complicated and constrained by the pandemic , Garcia ’ s win was a blow for Democrats who in 2018 had secured the suburban Los Angeles district for the first time in since 1990 .
But the candidates will soon have a rematch .
Garcia will serve only five months before the seat is up for a vote again in November .
The circumstances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quit amid allegations that she had an affair with a staffer , and after private photos of her had been published online without her consent – had brought national attention to the race .
Donald Trump , who endorsed Garcia and alleged that the election was “ rigged ” because of the opening of a new voting center in the district , also ensured that the race was closely watched , especially by Democrats who believed it would be a referendum on the president .
In the election based almost entirely on mailed-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic , the full results likely won ’ t be clear for days .
Officials will accept ballots postmarked by election day , even if they arrive up to three days later .
Still , Smith conceded on Wednesday afternoon as she trailed Garcia by 11 points in the results reported so far .
“ While it ’ s critical that we ensure every vote is counted and recorded , we believe that the current tally shows Mike Garcia is the likely victor in the 12 May special election , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That said , this is only one step in this process , and I look forward to having a vigorous debate about the issues in the upcoming November 2020 election.
” As victory appeared assured , Garcia said his campaign ’ s “ message of lower taxes and ensuring we don ’ t take liberal Sacramento dysfunction to Washington prevailed ” .
This is Garcia ’ s first time taking public office .
He ran unencumbered by a voting record , on a typically conservative platform .
Though Democrats tried to paint him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aligns with a new guard of young , moderate Republicans the party has sent out to woo the typically blue state .
“ California Republicans have to learn to adapt to the local climate , ” said Bill Whalen , a Republican campaign strategist based in Sacramento .
Garcia ’ s victory may not guarantee he ’ ll win a rematch against Smith in November , but it does give him a leg up , Whalen said .
Smith , a state assembly member , lost despite earning the endorsements of Barack Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s unpopularity in the district , post-scandal , was a hurdle .
Prior to the election , the Cook Political Report changed its assessment of the race from “ lean Democratic ” to a “ tossup ” as the pandemic shut down traditional campaigning through door-knocking and town halls .
Despite the challenges of campaigning , Democrats are still hopeful about Smith ’ s chances in the general election .
“ The electorate will be very different then , ” said Rose Kapolczynski , a Democratic strategist based in Los Angeles .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a strong chance.
” Special elections are usually plagued with low voter turnout , though early numbers indicated that more people voted in this election than expected .
All registered voters were automatically mailed a ballot , making this election a test case for November .
California ’ s governor , Gavin Newsom , recently announced that all Californians would have the option to mail in their ballots during the general election , amid uncertainty over how long the coronavirus crisis will limit people ’ s ability to safely leave their homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projecting too much about the November elections based on this race , said Paul Mitchell , with the campaign research firm Political Data Inc. “ To do so would be like predicting the championship based on the results of two-on-two basketball game before the finals , ” Mitchell said .
He expects the same district will have 80 % turnout in November , compared with less than half of that in the special election .
According to the data available so far , 30 % of registered Democrats and 46 % of registered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More than 103,000 mailed in ballots , and about 4,200 ballots cast in person have been counted so far .
Local officials said in-person voting should be an option for those who wanted to register and vote provisionally the same day , as well as people with disabilities who need assistance or adaptive devices to vote .
The president , who has previously disparaged efforts to increase voting opportunities , criticized Newsom ’ s decision to keep restaurants and bars closed while installing “ a voting both [ sic ] system in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be mail in ballots only ) because our great candidate , @ MikeGarcia2020 , is winning by a lot .
CA25 Rigged Election !
” Traditionally , older , white , and Republican voters are overrepresented in special elections , Mitchell said .
Younger and minority voters , who lean Democratic , are more likely to vote in larger numbers in November .
Although California is checkered with some red districts , it had been nearly 20 years since a Republican picked up a congressional seat in the state .
The California election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week as preludes to the general election in November , when many states will move to mail-in voting amid the coronavirus pandemic .
In Wisconsin , the Republican Tom Tiffany , a state senator endorsed by Trump , easily won a special congressional election on Tuesday in a heavily conservative , rural Wisconsin district .
But Democrats are likely to watch his margin of victory – and consider it evidence of that party ’ s gains if Tiffany ’ s opponent Tricia Zunker performs better than the 20-point defeat the Democrats faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show Tiffany leading by 14 points .
“ For Trump to win re-election , red areas have to get redder to balance out blue areas getting bluer , “ said the Wisconsin Democratic party spokeswoman , Courtney Beyer .
But Tiffany dismissed the argument .
“ Any time you lose by 14 points , I don ’ t think that ’ s a moral victory , ” he said .
“ This is a decisive victory here .
”

Republican Mike Garcia has defeated Democrat Christy Smith in the special election to fill the seat of the former US representative Katie Hill, who resigned amid scandal in late 2019.
After a bitter political battle complicated and constrained by the pandemic, Garcia’s win was a blow for Democrats who in 2018 had secured the suburban Los Angeles district for the first time in since 1990. But the candidates will soon have a rematch. Garcia will serve only five months before the seat is up for a vote again in November.
The circumstances of Hill’s resignation – she quit amid allegations that she had an affair with a staffer, and after private photos of her had been published online without her consent – had brought national attention to the race. Donald Trump, who endorsed Garcia and alleged that the election was “rigged” because of the opening of a new voting center in the district, also ensured that the race was closely watched, especially by Democrats who believed it would be a referendum on the president.
In the election based almost entirely on mailed-in ballots amid stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus pandemic, the full results will probably not be clear for days. Officials will accept ballots postmarked by election day, even if they arrive up to three days later.
Still, Smith conceded on Wednesday afternoon as she trailed Garcia by 11 points in the results reported so far. “While it’s critical that we ensure every vote is counted and recorded, we believe that the current tally shows Mike Garcia is the likely victor in the 12 May special election,” she said in her concession statement. “That said, this is only one step in this process, and I look forward to having a vigorous debate about the issues in the upcoming November 2020 election.”
As victory appeared assured, Garcia said his campaign’s “message of lower taxes and ensuring we don’t take liberal Sacramento dysfunction to Washington prevailed”.
This is Garcia’s first time taking public office. He ran unencumbered by a voting record, on a typically conservative platform. Though Democrats tried to paint him as a mini-Trump, Garcia more closely aligns with a new guard of young, moderate Republicans the party has sent out to woo the typically blue state. “California Republicans have to learn to adapt to the local climate,” said Bill Whalen, a Republican campaign strategist based in Sacramento. Garcia’s victory may not guarantee he’ll win a rematch against Smith in November, but it does give him a leg up, Whalen said.
Smith, a state assembly member, lost despite earning the endorsements of Barack Obama and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Hill’s unpopularity in the district, post-scandal, was a hurdle. Before the election, the Cook Political Report changed its assessment of the race from “lean Democratic” to a “tossup” as the pandemic shut down traditional campaigning through door-knocking and town halls. Despite the challenges of campaigning, Democrats are still hopeful about Smith’s chances in the general election. “The electorate will be very different then,” said Rose Kapolczynski, a Democratic strategist based in Los Angeles. “And I still think Smith will have a strong chance.”
Special elections are usually plagued with low voter turnout, though early numbers indicated that more people voted in this election than expected. All registered voters were automatically mailed a ballot, making this election a test case for November. California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, recently announced that all Californians would have the option to mail in their ballots during the general election, amid uncertainty over how long the coronavirus crisis will limit people’s ability to safely leave their homes.
But it is wise to avoid projecting too much about the November elections based on this race, said Paul Mitchell, with the campaign research firm Political Data Inc. “To do so would be like predicting the championship based on the results of two-on-two basketball game before the finals,” Mitchell said. He expects the same district will have 80% turnout in November, compared with less than half of that in the special election.
According to the data available so far, 30% of registered Democrats and 46% of registered Republicans in the district voted from home. More than 103,000 mailed in ballots, and about 4,200 ballots cast in person have been counted so far. Local officials said in-person voting should be an option for those who wanted to register and vote provisionally the same day, as well as people with disabilities who need assistance or adaptive devices to vote.
The president, who has previously disparaged efforts to increase voting opportunities, criticized Newsom’s decision to keep restaurants and bars closed while installing “a voting both [sic] system in a highly Democrat area (supposed to be mail in ballots only) because our great candidate, @MikeGarcia2020, is winning by a lot. CA25 Rigged Election!”
Traditionally, older, white and Republican voters are overrepresented in special elections, Mitchell said. Younger and minority voters, who lean Democratic, are more likely to vote in larger numbers in November.
Although California is checkered with some red districts, it had been nearly 20 years since a Republican picked up a congressional seat in the state.
The California election was among two races being closely watched this week as preludes to the general election in November, when many states will move to mail-in voting amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In Wisconsin, the Republican Tom Tiffany, a state senator endorsed by Trump, easily won a special congressional election on Tuesday in a heavily conservative, rural Wisconsin district. But Democrats are likely to watch his margin of victory – and consider it evidence of that party’s gains if Tiffany’s opponent Tricia Zunker performs better than the 20-point defeat the Democrats faced in district in 2018. Preliminary results show Tiffany leading by 14 points.
“For Trump to win re-election, red areas have to get redder to balance out blue areas getting bluer,“ said the Wisconsin Democratic party spokeswoman, Courtney Beyer.
But Tiffany dismissed the argument. “Any time you lose by 14 points, I don’t think that’s a moral victory,” he said. “This is a decisive victory here.”
Agencies contributed reporting


theguardian--2020-05-13--Ex-Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort released from prison to home confinement

Paul Manafort , the disgraced former chairman of Donald Trump ’ s 2016 presidential campaign , was released from prison on Wednesday and will serve out the rest of his sentence under home confinement .
Lawyers for Manafort , who is serving a seven-year sentence for charges that emerged from special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election , had argued their client was at high risk from the coronavirus due to his age and underlying health issues .
ABC News , the first to report Manafort ’ s release , said the 71-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prison in Pennsylvania on Wednesday morning .
He will be confined to his apartment in northern Virginia .
Manafort was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison in March 2019 , for convictions including unregistered lobbying , tax fraud , bank fraud and money laundering .
He worked for Trump ’ s election campaign for five months in 2016 , including as campaign chair .
Manafort ’ s lawyers wrote to the Federal Bureau of Prisons in April , asking that he be transferred to home confinement for “ the remainder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the duration of the on-going Covid-19 pandemic ” .
The attorneys wrote that Manafort has “ high blood pressure , liver disease , and respiratory ailments ” .
In March 2019 Manafort arrived at his sentencing hearing in Washington DC , in a wheelchair , suffering from gout .
He has been in custody since June 2018 , when a federal judge revoked his bail after Manafort was charged with attempting to influence witness testimony .
Manafort later pleaded guilty to a count related to witness tampering .
In April the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several epidemiologists , said jails could cause an extra 99,000 US deaths from coronavirus , owing to overcrowding and only basic levels of sanitation .
The Department of Justice ( DoJ ) issued guidelines in April relating to the release of inmates to home confinement .
The DoJ said it would focus on inmates at low or medium-security prisons , prioritizing the release of those who have served half of their sentence , or have 18 months or less left and have served at least 25 % of their time .
Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Cohen , who is serving a three- year prison sentence for crimes including facilitating illegal payments to silence two women who alleged affairs with Trump , is due to be moved to home confinement later this month .

Paul Manafort, the disgraced former chairman of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, was released from prison on Wednesday and will serve out the rest of his sentence under home confinement.
Lawyers for Manafort, who is serving a seven-year sentence for charges that emerged from special counsel Robert Mueller’s inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election, had argued their client was at high risk from the coronavirus due to his age and underlying health issues.
ABC News, the first to report Manafort’s release, said the 71-year-old was let go from the FCI Loretto prison in Pennsylvania on Wednesday morning. He will be confined to his apartment in northern Virginia.
Manafort was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison in March 2019, for convictions including unregistered lobbying, tax fraud, bank fraud and money laundering. He worked for Trump’s election campaign for five months in 2016, including as campaign chair.
Manafort’s lawyers wrote to the Federal Bureau of Prisons in April, asking that he be transferred to home confinement for “the remainder of his sentence or, alternatively, for the duration of the on-going Covid-19 pandemic”.
The attorneys wrote that Manafort has “high blood pressure, liver disease, and respiratory ailments”.
In March 2019 Manafort arrived at his sentencing hearing in Washington DC, in a wheelchair, suffering from gout.
He has been in custody since June 2018, when a federal judge revoked his bail after Manafort was charged with attempting to influence witness testimony. Manafort later pleaded guilty to a count related to witness tampering.
In April the American Civil Liberties Union, in conjunction with several epidemiologists, said jails could cause an extra 99,000 US deaths from coronavirus, owing to overcrowding and only basic levels of sanitation.
The Department of Justice (DoJ) issued guidelines in April relating to the release of inmates to home confinement. The DoJ said it would focus on inmates at low or medium-security prisons, prioritizing the release of those who have served half of their sentence, or have 18 months or less left and have served at least 25% of their time.
Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, who is serving a three- year prison sentence for crimes including facilitating illegal payments to silence two women who alleged affairs with Trump, is due to be moved to home confinement later this month.


theguardian--2020-05-13--Republicans appear on track to win two congressional seats

Republicans appeared poised to win two congressional seats – one in Wisconsin and one in California – in special election races that are being watched closely as preludes to the general election in November as many states will move to mail-in voting amid the coronavirus pandemic .
In Wisconsin , the Republican Tom Tiffany notched an easy victory , in a reliably red district .
In California , early results indicated the Republican Mike Garcia is on track to retake a seat that Democrats had flipped in 2018 .
Both seats will be up for election again in November .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on mailed-in ballots , and the full results likely won ’ t be clear for days .
Officials will accept ballots postmarked by election day , even if they arrive up to three days later .
Whoever wins the California special election would fill the seat of the former US representative Katie Hill , who resigned amid scandal in late 2019 .
The circumstances of Hill ’ s resignation – she quit amid allegations that she had an affair with a staffer , and after private photos of her had been published online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attention to the race .
Donald Trump , who endorsed Garcia and alleged that the election was “ rigged ” because of the opening of a new voting center in the district , also ensured that the race was closely watched , especially by Democrats who believed it would be a referendum on the president .
On Wednesday morning , Garcia , a former navy fighter pilot , was ahead of the Democratic California state legislator Christy Smith by 55.9 % to 44.1 % , preliminary results from the California secretary of state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is looking extremely good , ” Garcia said on a conference call .
“ I won ’ t give a victory speech tonight .
We ’ ll save that for hopefully tomorrow night as the data comes in.
” Smith earned the endorsements of Barack Obama and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus .
Hill ’ s unpopularity in the district , post-scandal , had been a hurdle for her campaign .
Prior to the election , the Cook Political Report changed its assessment of the race from “ lean Democratic ” to a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditional campaigning through door-knocking and town halls .
Regardless of the outcome , Democrats are hopeful about Smith ’ s chances in the November election .
“ The electorate will be very different then , ” said Rose Kapolczynski , a Democratic strategist based in Los Angeles .
“ And I still think Smith will have a strong chance.
” It is wise to avoid projecting too much about the November elections based on this race , said Paul Mitchell , with the campaign research firm Political Data Inc. “ To do so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the results of two-on-two basketball game before the finals , ” Mitchell said .
Traditionally , older , white , and Republican voters are overrepresented in special elections , Mitchell said .
Younger and minority voters , who lean Democratic , are more likely to vote in larger numbers in November .
In Wisconsin , Tiffany , a state senator endorsed by Trump , easily won a special congressional election in a heavily conservative , rural Wisconsin district .
But Democrats are likely to watch his margin of victory – and consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gains if Tiffany ’ s opponent Tricia Zunker performs better than the 20-point defeat the Democrats faced in district in 2018 .
Preliminary results show Tiffany leading by 14 points .
“ For Trump to win re-election , red areas have to get redder to balance out blue areas getting bluer , “ said the Wisconsin Democratic party spokeswoman , Courtney Beyer .
But Tiffany dismissed the argument .
“ Any time you lose by 14 points , I don ’ t think that ’ s a moral victory , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here.
” Tiffany will replace the former reality TV star Sean Duffy , a Republican who retired in September .
The district has been vacant since Duffy ’ s retirement .
Zunker , the president of the Wausau school board , was trying to become the first Native American from Wisconsin elected to Congress .
She pulled in big-name endorsements including Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts , but the numbers were against her .
The district has been under Republican control since 2011 and was redistricted to more heavily favor Republicans .

Republicans appeared poised to win two congressional seats – one in Wisconsin and one in California – in special election races that are being watched closely as preludes to the general election in November as many states will move to mail-in voting amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In Wisconsin, the Republican Tom Tiffany notched an easy victory, in a reliably red district. In California, early results indicated the Republican Mike Garcia is on track to retake a seat that Democrats had flipped in 2018. Both seats will be up for election again in November.
The California vote was based almost entirely on mailed-in ballots, and the full results likely won’t be clear for days. Officials will accept ballots postmarked by election day, even if they arrive up to three days later.
Whoever wins the California special election would fill the seat of the former US representative Katie Hill, who resigned amid scandal in late 2019. The circumstances of Hill’s resignation – she quit amid allegations that she had an affair with a staffer, and after private photos of her had been published online without her consent – had brought national attention to the race. Donald Trump, who endorsed Garcia and alleged that the election was “rigged” because of the opening of a new voting center in the district, also ensured that the race was closely watched, especially by Democrats who believed it would be a referendum on the president.
On Wednesday morning, Garcia, a former navy fighter pilot, was ahead of the Democratic California state legislator Christy Smith by 55.9% to 44.1%, preliminary results from the California secretary of state’s office said.
“It is looking extremely good,” Garcia said on a conference call. “I won’t give a victory speech tonight. We’ll save that for hopefully tomorrow night as the data comes in.”
Smith earned the endorsements of Barack Obama and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Hill’s unpopularity in the district, post-scandal, had been a hurdle for her campaign. Prior to the election, the Cook Political Report changed its assessment of the race from “lean Democratic” to a “tossup” as the pandemic shut down traditional campaigning through door-knocking and town halls.
Regardless of the outcome, Democrats are hopeful about Smith’s chances in the November election. “The electorate will be very different then,” said Rose Kapolczynski, a Democratic strategist based in Los Angeles. “And I still think Smith will have a strong chance.”
It is wise to avoid projecting too much about the November elections based on this race, said Paul Mitchell, with the campaign research firm Political Data Inc. “To do so would be like predicting the championship based on the results of two-on-two basketball game before the finals,” Mitchell said.
Traditionally, older, white, and Republican voters are overrepresented in special elections, Mitchell said. Younger and minority voters, who lean Democratic, are more likely to vote in larger numbers in November.
In Wisconsin, Tiffany, a state senator endorsed by Trump, easily won a special congressional election in a heavily conservative, rural Wisconsin district. But Democrats are likely to watch his margin of victory – and consider it evidence of that party’s gains if Tiffany’s opponent Tricia Zunker performs better than the 20-point defeat the Democrats faced in district in 2018. Preliminary results show Tiffany leading by 14 points.
“For Trump to win re-election, red areas have to get redder to balance out blue areas getting bluer,“ said the Wisconsin Democratic party spokeswoman, Courtney Beyer.
But Tiffany dismissed the argument. “Any time you lose by 14 points, I don’t think that’s a moral victory,” he said. “This is a decisive victory here.”
Tiffany will replace the former reality TV star Sean Duffy, a Republican who retired in September. The district has been vacant since Duffy’s retirement.
Zunker, the president of the Wausau school board, was trying to become the first Native American from Wisconsin elected to Congress. She pulled in big-name endorsements including Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, but the numbers were against her. The district has been under Republican control since 2011 and was redistricted to more heavily favor Republicans.


theguardian--2020-05-13--Mitch McConnell: Obama 'should have kept his mouth shut' - video

The Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell , has said Barack Obama should have 'kept his mouth shut ' instead @ @ @ @ @ and called his intervention 'classless ' .
McConnell was speaking to Trump ’ s daughter-in-law @ @ @ @ @ fundraiser on Monday night • McConnell tells Obama to 'keep his mouth shut ' after @ @

The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, has said Barack Obama should have 'kept his mouth shut' instead of criticising Donald Trump, and called his intervention 'classless'. McConnell was speaking to Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump in an online fundraiser on Monday night


theguardian--2020-05-14--Revealed: long-troubled US oil firms are capitalizing on coronavirus assistance

American oil and gas companies were often in financial trouble well before the coronavirus economic crisis , and now many are asking for taxpayer assistance to cushion their fall .
Texas-based Battalion Oil , which recently changed its name from Halcón , has taken a $ 2.2m coronavirus relief loan , after going bankrupt twice within the last four years and facing accusations of excessive spending on an executive pay , private planes and luxury vehicles .
Despite a history of financial woes , Battalion is receiving assistance under the paycheck protection program ( PPP ) , the US government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small businesses so they can continue to pay workers during the coronavirus shutdown as part of a more than $ 2tn aid package .
The company will not have to return the money if it spends it on approvable expenses , including payroll , rent and utilities .
Many independent drillers were already mired in debt from chasing the fracking boom , according to analysts .
They were finding it harder to secure investment and even facing bankruptcy .
Other companies that analysts have flagged as having risky levels of debt have received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Petroleum , which took a $ 1.2m payment .
Laredo ’ s former CEO also lobbied the Trump administration to scrutinize what he saw as uncertainty in climate science .
PDC Energy took a $ 10m payment but repaid it , citing new guidelines from the government .
Oil and gas companies – even large ones – are not breaking any rules by taking the loans .
But government oversight and environmental advocates , as well as Democratic lawmakers , are warning the payments are bad investments that will only prolong the lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate crisis and eat into government assistance meant for mom-and-pop businesses and individuals .
A recent review by the Guardian and the investigative research group Documented , found that at least $ 50m in taxpayer-backed coronavirus loans meant for small businesses have gone to the fossil fuel industry .
That figure has since grown to at least $ 113m .
Donald Trump in early April met with oil and gas industry representatives seeking government help during the crisis and since then , the aid has flowed .
In addition to doling out PPP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government has expanded the Federal Reserve ’ s Main Street lending program in a way that could potentially help indebted independent oil and gas companies , including Occidental Petroleum Corporation , one of the companies that met with Trump .
The Fed also plans to offer bond buybacks that could benefit at least 90 fossil fuel companies , including giants such as ExxonMobil , Chevron and Koch Industries – which are feeling the huge decrease in oil demand but are not expected to be hit as hard as smaller companies .
One top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steny Hoyer – has endorsed purchasing oil to restock the Strategic Petroleum Reserve , which other leaders in the party have resisted .
The Democratic senators Brian Schatz and Sheldon Whitehouse in a letter to the Fed this week said the pandemic “ was not the source of the oil and gas industry ’ s dire financial condition ” , and that accommodating it “ poses both a credit risk and a more profound climate transition risk to taxpayers ” .
Lawmakers in the House have proposed prohibiting the oil and gas industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ they are not used to pay off bad debt taken on by fossil fuel corporations before the public health crisis ” .
Government assistance to fossil fuel companies during the pandemic comes as scientists warn the world must stop extracting and burning coal , oil and gas to avoid the worst of the already-severe climate crisis .
An activist investor last year accused Battalion of “ excessive ” spending , including on executive pay and a private plane used by its former CEO , Floyd Wilson .
A company controlled by Wilson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 800A – to Battalion for $ 2.4m , according to a regulatory filing .
His contract also guaranteed his membership of a Houston country club and the use of a “ late model luxury automobile valued at up to $ 100,000 ” .
Wilson ’ s total compensation rose to $ 24m the year the company first filed for bankruptcy in 2016 .
He also received a $ 5m severance package when he stepped down in 2019 .
Battalion confirmed receiving the government coronavirus aid when queried by the Guardian during an earnings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disclose the loan ’ s value in recent regulatory filings .
“ We think that was the right thing to do , ” a company official said .
“ We felt like those PPP loans were set up for businesses of our size and I think it helped us to [ further ] our operations.
” Battalion has 69 employees , and its market capitalization , or total value of its shares , is $ 74m , according to Bloomberg .
Battalion saw the 12th biggest bankruptcy in its sector since 2015 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t alone in its debt problems in the sector .
Seven North American exploration and production firms have declared bankruptcy just in 2020 , according to the law firm Haynes and Boone .
US drillers expanded immensely when they discovered hydraulic fracturing , a new technique for extracting oil and gas .
Independent producers borrowed money to fund their exploits .
But capital has begun to dry up as investors see the companies can ’ t make as much money as they hoped .
Leslie Hayward , the director of business and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Energy Group , said the outlook for US shale companies was bad before the pandemic and the recent steep decline in oil demand that forced oil prices negative .
“ The sector has been experiencing some strain for quite some time , and going into 2020 it was clear that there was going to be consolidation , a drop in production , and likely some bankruptcies .
The pandemic poured gasoline on that fire , ” Hayward said .
Andrew Grant , the head of oil , gas and mining at Carbon Tracker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of climate change on markets – said investors have begun to turn away from shale companies .
“ You have to wonder if trying to bail out the industry indefinitely would amount to just trying to defy gravity essentially , ” he said .

American oil and gas companies were often in financial trouble well before the coronavirus economic crisis, and now many are asking for taxpayer assistance to cushion their fall.
Texas-based Battalion Oil, which recently changed its name from Halcón, has taken a $2.2m coronavirus relief loan, after going bankrupt twice within the last four years and facing accusations of excessive spending on an executive pay, private planes and luxury vehicles.
Despite a history of financial woes, Battalion is receiving assistance under the paycheck protection program (PPP), the US government’s strategy for getting cash to small businesses so they can continue to pay workers during the coronavirus shutdown as part of a more than $2tn aid package. The company will not have to return the money if it spends it on approvable expenses, including payroll, rent and utilities.
Many independent drillers were already mired in debt from chasing the fracking boom, according to analysts. They were finding it harder to secure investment and even facing bankruptcy.
Oil and gas companies – even large ones – are not breaking any rules by taking the loans. But government oversight and environmental advocates, as well as Democratic lawmakers, are warning the payments are bad investments that will only prolong the lives of already-troubled companies, contribute to the climate crisis and eat into government assistance meant for mom-and-pop businesses and individuals.
A recent review by the Guardian and the investigative research group Documented, found that at least $50m in taxpayer-backed coronavirus loans meant for small businesses have gone to the fossil fuel industry. That figure has since grown to at least $113m.
Donald Trump in early April met with oil and gas industry representatives seeking government help during the crisis and since then, the aid has flowed. In addition to doling out PPP loans to fossil fuel companies, the government has expanded the Federal Reserve’s Main Street lending program in a way that could potentially help indebted independent oil and gas companies, including Occidental Petroleum Corporation, one of the companies that met with Trump.
Donald Trump speaks about the paycheck protection program. The US president met with oil and gas representatives seeking government help in April. Photograph: Carlos Barría/Reuters
The Fed also plans to offer bond buybacks that could benefit at least 90 fossil fuel companies, including giants such as ExxonMobil, Chevron and Koch Industries – which are feeling the huge decrease in oil demand but are not expected to be hit as hard as smaller companies.
One top Democrat – the House majority leader, Steny Hoyer – has endorsed purchasing oil to restock the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which other leaders in the party have resisted.
The Democratic senators Brian Schatz and Sheldon Whitehouse in a letter to the Fed this week said the pandemic “was not the source of the oil and gas industry’s dire financial condition”, and that accommodating it “poses both a credit risk and a more profound climate transition risk to taxpayers”.
Lawmakers in the House have proposed prohibiting the oil and gas industry from taking coronavirus funds to make sure “they are not used to pay off bad debt taken on by fossil fuel corporations before the public health crisis”.
Government assistance to fossil fuel companies during the pandemic comes as scientists warn the world must stop extracting and burning coal, oil and gas to avoid the worst of the already-severe climate crisis.
Debt problems
An activist investor last year accused Battalion of “excessive” spending, including on executive pay and a private plane used by its former CEO, Floyd Wilson.
A company controlled by Wilson sold the plane – a Raytheon Hawker 800A – to Battalion for $2.4m, according to a regulatory filing. His contract also guaranteed his membership of a Houston country club and the use of a “late model luxury automobile valued at up to $100,000”.
Wilson’s total compensation rose to $24m the year the company first filed for bankruptcy in 2016. He also received a $5m severance package when he stepped down in 2019.
Battalion confirmed receiving the government coronavirus aid when queried by the Guardian during an earnings call on Tuesday, after declining to disclose the loan’s value in recent regulatory filings.
“We think that was the right thing to do,” a company official said. “We felt like those PPP loans were set up for businesses of our size and I think it helped us to [further] our operations.”
The sector has been experiencing some strain for quite some time … The pandemic poured gasoline on that fire Leslie Hayward
Battalion has 69 employees, and its market capitalization, or total value of its shares, is $74m, according to Bloomberg.
Battalion saw the 12th biggest bankruptcy in its sector since 2015, according to Documented.
The company isn’t alone in its debt problems in the sector. Seven North American exploration and production firms have declared bankruptcy just in 2020, according to the law firm Haynes and Boone.
US drillers expanded immensely when they discovered hydraulic fracturing, a new technique for extracting oil and gas. Independent producers borrowed money to fund their exploits.
But capital has begun to dry up as investors see the companies can’t make as much money as they hoped.
Leslie Hayward, the director of business and content development at the analysis firm Rapidan Energy Group, said the outlook for US shale companies was bad before the pandemic and the recent steep decline in oil demand that forced oil prices negative.
“The sector has been experiencing some strain for quite some time, and going into 2020 it was clear that there was going to be consolidation, a drop in production, and likely some bankruptcies. The pandemic poured gasoline on that fire,” Hayward said.
Andrew Grant, the head of oil, gas and mining at Carbon Tracker – a thinktank that analyzes the impact of climate change on markets – said investors have begun to turn away from shale companies.
“You have to wonder if trying to bail out the industry indefinitely would amount to just trying to defy gravity essentially,” he said.


theguardian--2020-05-14--US judge asks if Michael Flynn should be held in contempt for perjury

A US judge has signalled reluctance to allow the Department of Justice to drop its criminal prosecution of Michael Flynn , tasking a retired judge with advising on whether the former Trump administration official should face an additional criminal contempt charge for perjury .
In a short written order , the US district judge Emmet Sullivan in Washington asked John Gleeson , a former federal judge in New York , to present arguments in the case as an amicus curiae , or friend of the court .
Sullivan said he was seeking Gleeson ’ s recommendation on whether Flynn should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because he testified under oath that he was guilty of lying to the FBI but then reversed course and said he had never lied .
Sullivan also said he wanted Gleeson to make the case for why a motion to dismiss the Flynn case filed by the DoJ last week should be rejected .
A spokeswoman for the department declined to comment .
The DoJ ’ s surprising decision on 7 May to drop its case against Flynn came after growing pressure from Donald Trump and his political allies who repeatedly accused the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the investigation .
Until then , the DoJ had defended the FBI ’ s actions in the case .
Flynn , a retired lieutenant general who served as an adviser to Trump during the 2016 campaign , pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about his interactions with Russia ’ s US ambassador Sergey Kislyak in the weeks before Trump took office .
However , later in the case he switched lawyers and tactics , accusing the FBI of tricking him and seeking to have his guilty plea withdrawn .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in February he had tapped Jeffrey Jensen , a federal prosecutor in Missouri , to work alongside career prosecutors to help review the case .
Jensen ultimately recommended that Barr abandon the case , which the DoJ did in a filing on 7 May , saying that the FBI ’ s Flynn interview on 24 January 2017 that underpinned the charges was conducted without a “ legitimate investigative basis ” and that Flynn ’ s statements were not “ material even if untrue ” .
Since then , Barr has been criticised by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said his actions amounted to improper political meddling and harm the integrity of the DoJ .

Michael Flynn could be charged with perjury as the fallout from Donald Trump’s attempt to exonerate his former national security adviser continues.
The Department of Justice announced last week it was dropping its case against Flynn amid pressure from Donald Trump and his political allies. Flynn had testified under oath that he had lied to the FBI, while he also lied to the vice-president, Mike Pence, about his conversations with the Russian ambassador during the transition from the Obama to the Trump administrations, about a possible easing of sanctions for interfering in the 2016 election.
The judge in Flynn’s case, however, on Wednesday asked a former federal judge to examine whether Flynn should face a criminal contempt charge for perjury, given Flynn later changed course and said he had not lied to the federal agency.
US district judge Emmet Sullivan, in Washington, said he had asked John Gleeson, a former federal judge in New York, to recommend whether Flynn should face a new criminal contempt charge for perjury. Gleeson has also been asked to make the case for why the DoJ’s motion to dismiss the Flynn case should be rejected.
Flynn, a retired lieutenant general who served as an adviser to Trump during the 2016 campaign, pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about his interactions with Russia’s US ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, in the weeks before Trump took office.
However, later in the case Flynn switched lawyers and tactics, accusing the FBI of tricking him. In January this year Flynn sought to have his guilty plea withdrawn.
The attorney general, William Barr, revealed in February he had tapped Jeffrey Jensen, a federal prosecutor in Missouri, to work alongside career prosecutors to help review the case.
Jensen ultimately recommended that Barr abandon the case, which the DoJ did in a filing on 7 May, saying that the FBI’s Flynn interview on 24 January 2017 that underpinned the charges was conducted without a “legitimate investigative basis” and that Flynn’s statements were not “material even if untrue”.
Since then, Barr has been criticised by Democrats and former career prosecutors, who said his actions amounted to improper political meddling and harmed the integrity of the DoJ.
Sullivan, known for his independence and willingness to go against any potential government overreach, had lambasted Flynn during his trial.
“Arguably,” Sullivan said, describing how Flynn had secretly been working for the Turkish government before he joined the White House, “that undermines everything this flag over here stands for.”
Sullivan said: “I’m not hiding my disgust, my disdain, for this criminal offense.”
James Clapper, former director of national intelligence, told CNN on Thursday morning: “I know Michael Flynn, and it wasn’t just Flynn. It was others. So what exactly was going on with the Russians … with this engagement with our primary adversary? That’s why the warning light on everyone’s dashboard was on.”
The Republican senator Lindsey Graham has said Clapper should testify to Congress, and Clapper agreed that he would if required – in person after a coronavirus vaccine is available, or remotely, as Anthony Fauci and other public health experts did before the Senate earlier this week.
Donald Trump then went on Twitter to encourage Graham but also once again to needle Barack Obama.
If I were a Senator or Congressman, the first person I would call to testify about the biggest political crime and scandal in the history of the USA, by FAR, is former President Obama. He knew EVERYTHING. Do it @LindseyGrahamSC, just do it. No more Mr. Nice Guy. No more talk! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 14, 2020
Clapper added that the way Flynn was investigated was routine, using “a very important capability for protecting the national security of our country”.
He said he thought that Trump and some Republican senators have been raising the topic in order to “create the impression that there was something untoward, or improper, or illegitimate going on. There was not.”
Clapper pointed out that the request to identify Flynn during the initial investigation was approved through proper NSA procedures and that members of the Obama administration who were involved were all “authorized recipients” of the reports about Flynn.


theguardian--2020-05-14--Where is the CDC? How Trump sidelined the public health agency in a pandemic

Robert Redfield , the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) , the world ’ s premier public health agency , was stooped over the White House lectern .
He conceded that the coronavirus pandemic had “ overwhelmed ” the US , and that there would be a “ difficult ” second wave of the virus later in the year .
His boss had different thoughts , however .
Redfield , a career virologist , made way for Donald Trump , the US president and former host of The Apprentice , who intoned to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misquoted ” in a previous Washington Post story warning of a damaging resurgence of Covid-19 .
Invited to clarify , Redfield confirmed he was quoted correctly .
Trump again took to the lectern to try a different tack .
“ You may not even have corona coming back , ” the president said , contradicting Redfield again .
“ Just so you understand.
” The CDC director , looking on impassively , would not appear at a White House coronavirus press conference again .
The exchange , on 22 April , was seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the agency ’ s venerated expertise has been shoved to one side as Covid-19 continues to ravage the US , causing more than 80,000 deaths so far .
For the first time since 1946 , when the CDC flickered to life in a cramped Atlanta office with a brief to fight malaria , the agency is not at the frontline of a public health emergency in the US .
The low profile of the CDC has caused “ frustration and some embarrassment ” , according to Jeffrey Koplan , the director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ W Bush .
“ It ’ s like you ’ re an accomplished violinist playing in a quartet and you ’ re told you can ’ t use your right arm .
That ’ s the feeling.
” When facing previous threats to public health , from the H1N1 flu pandemic to salmonella outbreaks to the emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ( Sars ) , the CDC was a hive of activity publicly and behind the scenes , holding daily briefings , working on vaccines , and crafting guidance solemnly followed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 , the greatest health emergency in a century , the CDC has been almost entirely erased by the Trump administration as the public face of pandemic response .
An approach of collaboration and open dialogue has been replaced by reticence and a fear of retribution from the Trump administration , according to some CDC staff .
The diminished role of the CDC is obvious to its former leaders .
“ There ’ s no question the CDC has been sidelined , ” said Tom Frieden , CDC director during Barack Obama ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not been making use of CDC ’ s expertise , and as a result the response has not been good as it could have been .
I can only imagine how distressing it is to not contribute during to the biggest public health crisis in our lifetimes.
” Frieden said there is “ puzzlement ” among the American people over the CDC ’ s absence from the public stage , leading to confusion over the scope of the pandemic and the best measures to tackle it .
The early days of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stark warnings , only to disappear from public view .
Nancy Messonnier , the director of the CDC ’ s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases , accurately forecast on 25 February that the virus was not contained and would grow into a pandemic .
This comment , which diverged from the confident assurances given by other administration officials , caused the stock market to plunge and prompted a reportedly enraged Trump to threaten to fire her .
Messonnier , one of the country ’ s most respected virus experts , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conferences and , after subsequently warning that the virus could extend into next year , has not featured since in public briefings held by the CDC .
“ When we were hearing from Nancy regularly , we had a real sense of what was happening with the pandemic .
But it clearly wasn ’ t popular with the administration , ” said Frieden .
The White House ’ s coronavirus taskforce has taken on much of the CDC ’ s mantle .
Redfield , currently self-quarantining after coming into contact with an administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the taskforce , but has been largely eclipsed by Anthony Fauci , the longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , who is also isolating himself for the same reason .
The presence of these experts has not prevented Trump making a string of inaccurate and potentially dangerous statements , such as claiming the virus would fade away by April , that a vaccine will be shortly available and that people may want to inject themselves with disinfectant to treat the virus .
“ These weird therapies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Koplan .
“ During a pandemic you ’ re not looking for weird , particularly from someone in ultimate authority.
” CDC advisories have either been fatally undermined or buried by the Trump administration or the president ’ s own pronouncements .
After the CDC recommended the wearing of face coverings in public , Trump used the same announcement to confirm he would not , in fact , be wearing a mask .
“ Somehow sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk , the great Resolute Desk , I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidents , dictators , kings , queens , I don ’ t know , I don ’ t see it for myself , ” the president said .
Frieden said the garbled message conveyed to the public was “ very unfortunate ” .
Other advice sent from the CDC ’ s Atlanta base to the White House has been rejected , such as a suggestion in March that sick and elderly Americans be advised not to fly on commercial airlines because of Covid-19 .
A CDC stipulation that cruise ships remain docked until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allow the ships to set sail a month earlier .
As Trump shifted from fraught attempts to contain the coronavirus to advocate for a reopening of American businesses , the CDC drew up a step-by-step guide , approved by Redfield , for state and local authorities on how to safely allow people to frequent restaurants , bars and other public spaces again .
However , the White House told scientists the guidance would “ never see the light of day ” , according to reporting by AP .
Trump advisers , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mark Meadows , reportedly felt the document was too prescriptive .
The CDC put forward much stricter advice on reopenings than the White House , according to AP , such as placing a much longer timeframe before non-essential travel was recommended to resume .
The decision has left the US with no detailed federal plan on how to emerge from the pandemic lockdown , echoing the administration ’ s lack of a plan to roll out widespread testing and contact tracing to try to curb the spread of the virus .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultimate authority over such matters but has since left it to individual states on how to proceed .
“ There continues to be absent a cohesive , thoughtful plan that everyone can buy into and follow , ” said Koplan .
“ Leaving it to the states alone is somewhat misguided .
There is no federal game plan , and there is a price to pay for that.
” The CDC has also erred during the pandemic , most significantly in the initial effort to develop its own test for Covid-19 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the problem compounded by sluggish efforts to rectify the deficiencies and then by severe bottlenecks in distributing enough tests to the public .
The US is still falling well short of the number of tests experts say is needed every day to allow a safe resumption of normal life .
But public health specialists are still mystified by the CDC ’ s low profile as the pandemic has swept across the country .
“ The CDC has the best public health officials there are – they are very intelligent and tremendous public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Howard Koh , former assistant secretary for health .
“ We need their scientific leadership right now.
” Koplan said the last few months has left the CDC “ badly bruised ” but added it was encouraging that polling shows Americans still mostly have positive feelings about the agency .
“ The CDC has been shaken but this experience will show that we need to reaffirm its role , ” he said .
A spokesman for the CDC said there was no ban or restriction on agency experts speaking publicly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemiology , laboratory science and surveillance – are helping shape our nation ’ s response , as well as the response by our state and local health department partners who continue to be on the frontline fighting this war , ” he said .
“ CDC is 100 % engaged operationalizing the response throughout this nation .
”

Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the world’s premier public health agency, was stooped over the White House lectern. He conceded that the coronavirus pandemic had “overwhelmed” the US, and that there would be a “difficult” second wave of the virus later in the year.
His boss had different thoughts, however. Redfield, a career virologist, made way for Donald Trump, the US president and former host of The Apprentice, who intoned to the cameras that Redfield had been “totally misquoted” in a previous Washington Post story warning of a damaging resurgence of Covid-19.
Invited to clarify, Redfield confirmed he was quoted correctly. Trump again took to the lectern to try a different tack. “You may not even have corona coming back,” the president said, contradicting Redfield again. “Just so you understand.”
The CDC director, looking on impassively, would not appear at a White House coronavirus press conference again.
The exchange, on 22 April, was seen by some CDC staff as grim confirmation that the agency’s venerated expertise has been shoved to one side as Covid-19 continues to ravage the US, causing more than 80,000 deaths so far.
For the first time since 1946, when the CDC flickered to life in a cramped Atlanta office with a brief to fight malaria, the agency is not at the frontline of a public health emergency in the US.
The low profile of the CDC has caused “frustration and some embarrassment”, according to Jeffrey Koplan, the director of the CDC under Bill Clinton and George W Bush. “It’s like you’re an accomplished violinist playing in a quartet and you’re told you can’t use your right arm. That’s the feeling.”
When facing previous threats to public health, from the H1N1 flu pandemic to salmonella outbreaks to the emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars), the CDC was a hive of activity publicly and behind the scenes, holding daily briefings, working on vaccines, and crafting guidance solemnly followed by governments domestic and foreign.
But during Covid-19, the greatest health emergency in a century, the CDC has been almost entirely erased by the Trump administration as the public face of pandemic response. An approach of collaboration and open dialogue has been replaced by reticence and a fear of retribution from the Trump administration, according to some CDC staff.
The diminished role of the CDC is obvious to its former leaders. “There’s no question the CDC has been sidelined,” said Tom Frieden, CDC director during Barack Obama’s presidency.
“The US has not been making use of CDC’s expertise, and as a result the response has not been good as it could have been. I can only imagine how distressing it is to not contribute during to the biggest public health crisis in our lifetimes.”
Frieden said there is “puzzlement” among the American people over the CDC’s absence from the public stage, leading to confusion over the scope of the pandemic and the best measures to tackle it.
Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, has been out of public view since accurately predicting a pandemic in February. Photograph: Amanda Voisard/Reuters
The early days of the virus outbreak did see several CDC officials issue stark warnings, only to disappear from public view. Nancy Messonnier, the director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, accurately forecast on 25 February that the virus was not contained and would grow into a pandemic.
This comment, which diverged from the confident assurances given by other administration officials, caused the stock market to plunge and prompted a reportedly enraged Trump to threaten to fire her.
Messonnier, one of the country’s most respected virus experts, was then removed from future White House press conferences and, after subsequently warning that the virus could extend into next year, has not featured since in public briefings held by the CDC.
“When we were hearing from Nancy regularly, we had a real sense of what was happening with the pandemic. But it clearly wasn’t popular with the administration,” said Frieden.
The White House’s coronavirus taskforce has taken on much of the CDC’s mantle. Redfield, currently self-quarantining after coming into contact with an administration adviser with Covid-19, is a member of the taskforce, but has been largely eclipsed by Anthony Fauci, the longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who is also isolating himself for the same reason.
The presence of these experts has not prevented Trump making a string of inaccurate and potentially dangerous statements, such as claiming the virus would fade away by April, that a vaccine will be shortly available and that people may want to inject themselves with disinfectant to treat the virus.
“These weird therapies and concepts have undermined confidence,” said Koplan. “During a pandemic you’re not looking for weird, particularly from someone in ultimate authority.”
Members of a cleaning crew push a barrel to be loaded in a CDC truck after cleaning the New York apartment of a doctor exposed to Ebola in October 2014. The CDC has hitherto been at the forefront the US response to pandemics. Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters
CDC advisories have either been fatally undermined or buried by the Trump administration or the president’s own pronouncements. After the CDC recommended the wearing of face coverings in public, Trump used the same announcement to confirm he would not, in fact, be wearing a mask.
“Somehow sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk, the great Resolute Desk, I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, dictators, kings, queens, I don’t know, I don’t see it for myself,” the president said. Frieden said the garbled message conveyed to the public was “very unfortunate”.
Other advice sent from the CDC’s Atlanta base to the White House has been rejected, such as a suggestion in March that sick and elderly Americans be advised not to fly on commercial airlines because of Covid-19. A CDC stipulation that cruise ships remain docked until August was amended by the White House to allow the ships to set sail a month earlier.
As Trump shifted from fraught attempts to contain the coronavirus to advocate for a reopening of American businesses, the CDC drew up a step-by-step guide, approved by Redfield, for state and local authorities on how to safely allow people to frequent restaurants, bars and other public spaces again.
04:30 How Trump has berated, insulted and demeaned female reporters – video
However, the White House told scientists the guidance would “never see the light of day”, according to reporting by AP. Trump advisers, including the president’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, reportedly felt the document was too prescriptive. The CDC put forward much stricter advice on reopenings than the White House, according to AP, such as placing a much longer timeframe before non-essential travel was recommended to resume.
The decision has left the US with no detailed federal plan on how to emerge from the pandemic lockdown, echoing the administration’s lack of a plan to roll out widespread testing and contact tracing to try to curb the spread of the virus. At one point, Trump claimed to have ultimate authority over such matters but has since left it to individual states on how to proceed.
“There continues to be absent a cohesive, thoughtful plan that everyone can buy into and follow,” said Koplan. “Leaving it to the states alone is somewhat misguided. There is no federal game plan, and there is a price to pay for that.”
Robert Redfield, the CDC director, addresses a US Senate hearing on Covid-19 by video link from his home, where he is self-isolating. Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock
The CDC has also erred during the pandemic, most significantly in the initial effort to develop its own test for Covid-19. The testing kits proved to be faulty, with the problem compounded by sluggish efforts to rectify the deficiencies and then by severe bottlenecks in distributing enough tests to the public. The US is still falling well short of the number of tests experts say is needed every day to allow a safe resumption of normal life.
But public health specialists are still mystified by the CDC’s low profile as the pandemic has swept across the country.
“The CDC has the best public health officials there are – they are very intelligent and tremendous public servants. But they have been sidelined,” said Howard Koh, former assistant secretary for health. “We need their scientific leadership right now.”
Koplan said the last few months has left the CDC “badly bruised” but added it was encouraging that polling shows Americans still mostly have positive feelings about the agency. “The CDC has been shaken but this experience will show that we need to reaffirm its role,” he said.
A spokesman for the CDC said there was no ban or restriction on agency experts speaking publicly.
“The mainstays of CDC – epidemiology, laboratory science and surveillance – are helping shape our nation’s response, as well as the response by our state and local health department partners who continue to be on the frontline fighting this war,” he said.
“CDC is 100% engaged operationalizing the response throughout this nation.”


theguardian--2020-05-14--Trump versus Biden: the 2020 pandemic election – podcast

The US election campaign is usually in full swing by this stage of the political cycle , but the coronavirus pandemic has put a halt to rallies and fundraising events .
David Smith in Washington looks at how the race between Donald Trump and Joe Biden is playing out No sooner had Senator Joe Biden staged a remarkable political comeback to seal the Democratic party ’ s presidential nomination than he was forced into lockdown as coronavirus struck America .
In the White House , Donald Trump switched from holding rallies to hosting freewheeling daily coronavirus press conferences .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death toll grew , his poll ratings began to drop .
The Guardian ’ s Washington bureau chief , David Smith , tells Rachel Humphreys that this is an election campaign like no other .
Trump has been determined to offload any blame for the current crisis on to the media , the previous administration and China .
Biden , stuck campaigning from his basement in Delaware , has been forced to defend himself from allegations of sexual assault brought by a former staffer .
There are plenty of chapters in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in November , but already the 2020 race is proving to be one of the most unpredictable in history .

Presented by Rachel Humphreys with David Smith; produced by Courtney Yusuf and Axel Kacoutié; executive producers Phil Maynard and Nicole Jackson

The US election campaign is usually in full swing by this stage of the political cycle, but the coronavirus pandemic has put a halt to rallies and fundraising events. David Smith in Washington looks at how the race between Donald Trump and Joe Biden is playing out
No sooner had Senator Joe Biden staged a remarkable political comeback to seal the Democratic party’s presidential nomination than he was forced into lockdown as coronavirus struck America. In the White House, Donald Trump switched from holding rallies to hosting freewheeling daily coronavirus press conferences. As the economy was forced into shutdown and the death toll grew, his poll ratings began to drop.
The Guardian’s Washington bureau chief, David Smith, tells Rachel Humphreys that this is an election campaign like no other. Trump has been determined to offload any blame for the current crisis on to the media, the previous administration and China. Biden, stuck campaigning from his basement in Delaware, has been forced to defend himself from allegations of sexual assault brought by a former staffer.
There are plenty of chapters in this race still to unfold before election day in November, but already the 2020 race is proving to be one of the most unpredictable in history.


theguardian--2020-05-14--'Obamagate': Trump seeks to draw Biden into conspiracy theory

Donald Trump has ratcheted up his “ Obamagate ” conspiracy theory to implicate Joe Biden and other former White House officials in what critics say is a desperate attempt to distract from the coronavirus pandemic .
Ric Grenell , the acting director of national intelligence , on Wednesday sent Congress a list of high-ranking Obama administration members he alleged were involved in the “ unmasking ” of retired general Michael Flynn , in intelligence reports dating from the presidential transition .
“ Sideshow to distract from the shitshow , ” tweeted David Plouffe , a former Obama campaign manager .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” observed Matthew Miller , an ex-justice department spokesperson .
Trump ’ s aggressive tactic looks set to deepen fears that he will stop at nothing to damage Obama and his vice-president , Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee .
It also provides a counter-narrative to criticism of Trump ’ s handling of the pandemic , which has killed more than 80,000 in the US .
Fox News and Fox Business have mentioned Flynn and the FBI more frequently than the virus in recent days , according to data compiled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GDELT .
Grenell , a Trump ally , declassified and sent the list of names to Republican senators .
“ I am providing a revised list of identities of any officials who submitted requests to the National Security Agency at any point between 8 November 2016 and 31 January 2017 to unmask the identity of former National Security Adviser , Lieutenant General Michael T Flynn , ” read a memo from Gen Paul Nakasone , director of the National Security Agency , released by Grenell .
Unmasking is a routine practice used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an intelligence document .
It takes place hundreds of times a year , without controversy .
Flynn was under scrutiny because of his conversations with the Russian ambassador about sanctions .
The list of officials released by Grenell includes former ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power , former director of national intelligence James Clapper , former FBI director James Comey and former CIA director John Brennan .
The last name on the list , from 12 January 2017 , is Biden .
The Trump campaign seized on the document .
Brad Parscale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We already knew Biden was briefed on the Flynn case before President Trump took office and now we know that he wanted Flynn unmasked .
Americans have a right to know the depth of Biden ’ s involvement in the setup of Gen Flynn to further the Russia collusion hoax.
” Republicans demanded further investigation .
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said : “ The unmasking of Gen Flynn by the Obama administration regarding conversations during the presidential transition [ is ] deeply troubling and smell [ s ] of politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ I specifically want to know how many unmasking requests were made , if any , beyond Gen Flynn regarding members of the Trump campaign team , family , or associates.
” Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky said : “ I am greatly disturbed by the shocking information my office received today that gives a window into possible abuses of power motivated by political decisions … “ I call upon the Senate to immediately hold hearings .
Clapper , Comey , Brennan and even Joe Biden owe it to the American people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump himself has struggled to articulate his “ Obamagate ” conspiracy theory .
Essentially it holds that Obama , Biden , Clapper , Comey and others plotted against Trump by concocting a hoax allegation that he colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election .
Among those it contends were “ framed ” is Flynn .
Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador between the election and Trump ’ s inauguration .
He was fired as national security adviser for lying to Vice-President Mike Pence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seized on disclosed FBI documents .
One handwritten note from the FBI ’ s then director of counterintelligence said : “ What ’ s our goal ?
Truth/Admission or to get him to lie , so we can prosecute him or get him fired ?
” Last week the justice department said it would seek to drop charges against Flynn , contending that the FBI had insufficient grounds for interviewing him and that any imperfect statements he made were not material to the broader counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign .
The decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule of law is at risk ” , in a leaked tape which may partly explain Trump ’ s current crusade .
In a statement , a Biden spokesman , Andrew Bates , said : “ Donald Trump ’ s attempt at dishonest media manipulation to distract from his response to the worst public health crisis in 100 years has backfired .
“ These documents simply indicate the breadth and depth of concern across the American government – including among career officials – over intelligence reports of Michael Flynn ’ s attempts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accused Republicans of “ abusing their congressional powers to act as arms of the Trump campaign after having [ documents ] provided by a partisan official installed for this very purpose ” .
While the the investigation into links between Moscow and the Trump campaign started under Obama , the special counsel Robert Mueller was appointed by Rod Rosenstein , Trump ’ s own deputy attorney general .
While he did not establish a conspiracy , Mueller did find evidence of numerous contacts between the campaign and Russia and did not exonerate Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s claim that Obama and the FBI tried to take him down .
The president ’ s allies have struggled to explain why the FBI reopened a damaging investigation into his opponent Hillary Clinton just before the election .
Nevertheless , Trump has spent the past few days pushing the word “ OBAMAGATE ” and describing it as “ the biggest political crime in American history ” .
Asked by a Washington Post reporter on Monday to define his predecessor ’ s exact offence , he answered : “ You know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is very obvious to everybody .
All you have to do is read the newspapers , except yours.
” David Frum , a former speechwriter for George W Bush , tweeted : “ ‘ Obama-gate ’ is basically Al Capone trying to indict the IRS for tax evasion.
” Susan Hennessey , a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington , tweeted : “ The latest right-wing attempt to gin up a fictitious scandal would be laughable if it weren ’ t actually a grotesque attempt to distract from 83,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inept president rage tweets and interjects helpful suggestions like drinking bleach .
”

Donald Trump has ratcheted up his “Obamagate” conspiracy theory to implicate Joe Biden and other former White House officials in what critics say is a desperate attempt to distract from the coronavirus pandemic.
Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence, on Wednesday sent Congress a list of high-ranking Obama administration members he alleged were involved in the “unmasking” of retired general Michael Flynn, in intelligence reports dating from the presidential transition.
Alumni of Barack Obama’s staff gave the move short shrift.
“Sideshow to distract from the shitshow,” tweeted David Plouffe, a former Obama campaign manager.
“Rather talk about unmasking than masks,” observed Matthew Miller, an ex-justice department spokesman.
Trump’s aggressive tactic looks set to deepen fears that he will stop at nothing to damage Obama and his vice-president, Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
It also provides a counter-narrative to criticism of Trump’s handling of the pandemic, which has killed more than 80,000 in the US. Fox News and Fox Business have mentioned Flynn and the FBI more frequently than the virus in recent days, according to data compiled by the Internet Archive and analysed by GDELT.
Grenell, a Trump ally, declassified and sent the list of names to Republican senators.
“I am providing a revised list of identities of any officials who submitted requests to the National Security Agency at any point between 8 November 2016 and 31 January 2017 to unmask the identity of former National Security Adviser, Lieutenant General Michael T Flynn,” read a memo from Gen Paul Nakasone, director of the National Security Agency, released by Grenell.
Unmasking is a routine practice used to identify a person anonymously referred to in an intelligence document. It takes place hundreds of times a year, without controversy.
Flynn was under scrutiny because of his conversations with the Russian ambassador about sanctions.
The list of officials released by Grenell includes the former ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, former director of national intelligence James Clapper, former FBI director James Comey and former CIA director John Brennan. The last name on the list, from 12 January 2017, is Biden.
The Trump campaign seized on the document. Brad Parscale, his campaign manager, said: “We already knew Biden was briefed on the Flynn case before President Trump took office and now we know that he wanted Flynn unmasked. Americans have a right to know the depth of Biden’s involvement in the set-up of Gen Flynn to further the Russia collusion hoax.”
Republicans demanded further investigation. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said: “The unmasking of Gen Flynn by the Obama administration regarding conversations during the presidential transition [is] deeply troubling and smell[s] of politics, not national security.”
He added: “I specifically want to know how many unmasking requests were made, if any, beyond Gen Flynn regarding members of the Trump campaign team, family or associates.”
Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky said: “I am greatly disturbed by the shocking information my office received today that gives a window into possible abuses of power motivated by political decisions …
“I call upon the Senate to immediately hold hearings. Clapper, Comey, Brennan and even Joe Biden owe it to the American people. They should testify under oath.”
Trump himself has struggled to articulate his “Obamagate” conspiracy theory. Essentially it holds that Obama, Biden, Clapper, Comey and others plotted against Trump by concocting a hoax allegation that he colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election. Among those it contends were “framed” is Flynn.
01:01 'You know what the crime is': Trump stumped on 'Obamagate' details – video
Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador between the election and Trump’s inauguration. He was fired as national security adviser for lying to Vice-President Mike Pence.
But Trump and his allies have seized on disclosed FBI documents. One handwritten note from the FBI’s then director of counterintelligence said: “What’s our goal? Truth/Admission or to get him to lie, so we can prosecute him or get him fired?”
Last week the justice department said it would seek to drop charges against Flynn, contending that the FBI had insufficient grounds for interviewing him and that any imperfect statements he made were not material to the broader counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign.
The decision prompted Obama to warn that the “rule of law is at risk”, in a leaked tape which may partly explain Trump’s current crusade.
In a statement, a Biden spokesman, Andrew Bates, said: “Donald Trump’s attempt at dishonest media manipulation to distract from his response to the worst public health crisis in 100 years has backfired.
“These documents simply indicate the breadth and depth of concern across the American government – including among career officials – over intelligence reports of Michael Flynn’s attempts to undermine … national security policy.”
Bates accused Republicans of “abusing their congressional powers to act as arms of the Trump campaign after having [documents] provided by a partisan official installed for this very purpose”.
While the the investigation into links between Moscow and the Trump campaign started under Obama, the special counsel Robert Mueller was appointed by Rod Rosenstein, Trump’s own deputy attorney general. While he did not establish a conspiracy, Mueller did find evidence of numerous contacts between the campaign and Russia and did not exonerate Trump.
There is no evidence to support Trump’s claim that Obama and the FBI tried to take him down. The president’s allies have struggled to explain why the FBI reopened a damaging investigation into his opponent Hillary Clinton just before the election.
Nevertheless, Trump has spent the past few days pushing the word “OBAMAGATE” and describing it as “the biggest political crime in American history”.
Asked by a Washington Post reporter on Monday to define his predecessor’s exact offence, he answered: “You know what the crime is. The crime is very obvious to everybody. All you have to do is read the newspapers, except yours.”
David Frum, a former speechwriter for George W Bush, tweeted: “‘Obama-gate’ is basically Al Capone trying to indict the IRS for tax evasion.”
Susan Hennessey, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution thinktank in Washington, tweeted: “The latest right-wing attempt to gin up a fictitious scandal would be laughable if it weren’t actually a grotesque attempt to distract from 83,000 American deaths and counting while a criminally inept president rage tweets and interjects helpful suggestions like drinking bleach.”


theguardian--2020-05-14--Trump says Fauci lockdown easing warning 'surprising' – video

Donald Trump accused Dr Anthony Fauci , the government ’ s top public health expert , of 'playing all sides @ @ @ @ @ Fauci warned in the Senate that reopening the US economy too early could cause a @ @ @ @ @ .
'To me , it 's not an acceptable answer , ' Trump said , @ @ @ @ @ in the young and healthy returning to work and education • Fauci says US reopening @ @ @ @ @ not be able to control '

Donald Trump accused Dr Anthony Fauci, the government’s top public health expert, of 'playing all sides of the equation' after Fauci warned in the Senate that reopening the US economy too early could cause a spike in new coronavirus cases. 'To me, it's not an acceptable answer,' Trump said, suggesting there was little risk in the young and healthy returning to work and education