theguardian--2020-12-04--California plans sweeping stay-at-home orders as coronavirus strains hospitals - as it happened

Dr. Fauci ’ s daily schedule : 5 am wakeup , one meal a day , hundreds of emails , back-t0-back Zoom meetings A reporter from HuffPost has given us a window into the daily schedule of real-life superhuman Anthony Fauci .
The nearly-80-year-old director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has been carrying the Trump administration and the rest of the country through the coronavirus pandemic for months now .
It ’ s a calling that takes a lot of work , and his schedule shows it .
“ Each day is different , ” Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just , you know , drinking out of a firehose trying to keep ahead of everything that ’ s going on.
” The director works nearly 18 hours per day , according to a schedule shared with the publication .
He starts each day at 5:10 am EST , showering before answering emails and appearing remotely on a number of media outlets .
This particular interview was conducted the day before Thanksgiving , so many of his press appearances focused on staying safe for the holidays .
Fauci , who is still a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the morning on Covid patients and meets with National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases staff .
He has just one scheduled break in his marathon day , from 1:30 pm - 1:50 pm .
Unlike many public figures we have seen breaking their own Covid-19 mandates in recent weeks , Fauci seems to practice what he preaches .
He does not ride public transportation , he does not socialize with friends or anyone else outside the home , and he does not go out to eat .
“ I have federal agents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me to work , they stay here , they make sure that nobody tries to break in [ to my home ] and , as Steve Bannon would like , have somebody behead me , ” Fauci said .
“ I don ’ t socialize .
It ’ s my wife and I and the federal agents .
We ’ ve sort of become like a new family unit .
”

Kari Paul (now), Kenya Evelyn and Martin Belam (earlier)

4 Dec 2020 01.41 GMT Evening summary Kari Paul here, logging out for the night. Here are the top stories of the last few hours: Joe Biden says he will call on Americans to wear masks for 100 days from his inauguration
says he will call on Americans to wear masks for 100 days from his inauguration White House communications director Alyssa Farah has stepped down
has stepped down An intensive look at Dr Fauci’s grueling daily schedule: 5 am wakeup, one meal a day, hundreds of emails, back-to-back Zoom meetings That’s all! Have a good Friday and weekend, folks.
Updated at 01.50 GMT
4 Dec 2020 00.56 GMT Dr. Fauci’s daily schedule: 5 am wakeup, one meal a day, hundreds of emails, back-t0-back Zoom meetings A reporter from HuffPost has given us a window into the daily schedule of real-life superhuman Anthony Fauci. The nearly-80-year-old director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has been carrying the Trump administration and the rest of the country through the coronavirus pandemic for months now. It’s a calling that takes a lot of work, and his schedule shows it. “Each day is different,” Fauci told HuffPost. “It’s just, you know, drinking out of a firehose trying to keep ahead of everything that’s going on.” The director works nearly 18 hours per day, according to a schedule shared with the publication. He starts each day at 5:10 am EST, showering before answering emails and appearing remotely on a number of media outlets. This particular interview was conducted the day before Thanksgiving, so many of his press appearances focused on staying safe for the holidays. Fauci, who is still a practicing doctor, also does rounds in the morning on Covid patients and meets with National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases staff. He has just one scheduled break in his marathon day, from 1:30 pm - 1:50 pm. Unlike many public figures we have seen breaking their own Covid-19 mandates in recent weeks, Fauci seems to practice what he preaches. He does not ride public transportation, he does not socialize with friends or anyone else outside the home, and he does not go out to eat. “I have federal agents that protect me. So they drive me to work, they stay here, they make sure that nobody tries to break in [to my home] and, as Steve Bannon would like, have somebody behead me,” Fauci said. “I don’t socialize. It’s my wife and I and the federal agents. We’ve sort of become like a new family unit.”
Updated at 00.58 GMT
3 Dec 2020 22.42 GMT Trump administration communications director steps down White House communications director Alyssa Farah announced Thursday she will be resigning from her role “to pursue new opportunities”. “It’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve in the Trump administration over the last three and a half years,” she said in a statement on her Twitter account. I am deeply proud of the incredible things we were able to accomplish to make our country stronger, safer, and more secure. — Alyssa Farah (@Alyssafarah) December 3, 2020 Farah has worked with the administration in a variety of capacities since Trump first ennntered office. She first worked as Vice-president Mike Pence’s press secretary, then as the press secretary for the defense department, becoming the youngest person to ever serve as the Pentagon’s press secretary. In April, she was brought on to be the White House communications director, taking on much of the responsibility of messaging around the coronavirus pandemic.
Updated at 22.53 GMT
3 Dec 2020 22.34 GMT Biden says he will call on Americans to wear masks for 100 days from his inauguration Joe Biden will publicly be administered the Covid-19 vaccine and call on Americans to wear masks for the first few months after he is inaugurated, the president-elect said in a CNN interview to be aired Thursday evening.
In a CNN exclusive, Biden says he will take the COVID vaccine as a model to the nation, and that he spoke to Dr. Fauci today:
"I asked him to stay on in the exact same role he has had for the past several presidents. And I asked him to be chief medical adviser for me." pic.twitter.com/Ug1l5yzihN — The Recount (@therecount) December 3, 2020 In clips shared early from the interview, Biden laid out his plan to address the coronavirus pandemic as soon as he takes office in January. He said he spoke with Anthony Fauci on Thursday afternoon to confirm the doctor will stay on as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and to appoint him as a chief medical adviser. He also echoed statements from former presidents Barack Obama, George W Bush, and Bill Clinton that he will get the Covid-19 vaccine “in public” as soon as Fauci says it is safe. Biden said he will encourage Americans to wear masks outside the home for 100 days after he is inaugurated, but it is unclear if that will be a mandate or a suggestion. The interview airs at 9pm EST on Thursday.
Updated at 00.24 GMT
3 Dec 2020 22.22 GMT Kari Paul here on the west coast – I will be blogging for the next few hours. Stand by for more news.
Updated at 22.27 GMT
3 Dec 2020 21.51 GMT Sunrise Movement slams Biden over economic council pick The Sunrise Movement criticised Joe Biden’s selection of Brian Deese for director of the national economic council, noting “there are many diverse, qualified people that can help Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Build Back Better who didn’t choose to work at predatory investment firms”. “The revolving door between Wall Street and the White House does no good for working people or the planet,” the climate advocacy group said in a statement. “If the Biden-Harris team wants to show that they will treat the crises we face with the urgency they demand, just appointing people around in the Obama years isn’t going to inspire confidence”. The Sunrise Movement are among many groups to call on the incoming Biden administration to choose a more diverse cabinet, reflective of what the statement called “concerns of younger generations and is committed to building a diverse team that goes beyond the old guard”.
Updated at 22.00 GMT
3 Dec 2020 21.45 GMT California stay-at-home orders linked to 15% ICU capacity California has unveiled plans to issue regional stay-at-home orders for areas in the state where intensive care units are expected to fall below a capacity of 15%, with the vast majority of the state expected to meet that criteria within the next few days.
#BREAKING: New CA stay-at-home order to go into effect in regions with less than 15% ICU availability. Health officials tracking CA by 5 regions:
Southern CA
Northern CA
Bay Area
Greater Sacramento
San Joaquin Valley.
No regions meet threshold but some expected to this week — Anabel Muñoz (@abc7anabel) December 3, 2020 Gavin Newsom, California’s governor, announced the new restrictions as cases in the state reached the highest reported since the pandemic began. “The bottom line is if we don’t act now, our hospital system will be overwhelmed,” Newsom said. “If we don’t act now, our death rate will continue to climb.” Read more from Guardian reporter Vivian Ho.
Updated at 22.01 GMT
3 Dec 2020 21.33 GMT AP: White House liaison banned from justice department The Associated Press is reporting that the White House liaison to the justice department, Heidi Stirrup, has been banned from accessing its buildings. At least three sources confirmed the restriction was imposed after the liaison attempted to pressure staffers into accessing sensitive files related to voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. The liaison apparently did not have required authorization to access the files. [The] ally of top [Donald] Trump adviser Stephen Miller, was quietly installed at the justice department as a White House liaison a few months ago. She was told within the last two weeks to vacate the building after top justice officials learned of her efforts to collect insider information about ongoing cases and the department’s work on election fraud, the people said. One source also revealed: Stirrup had also extended job offers to political allies for positions at some of the highest levels of the justice department without consulting any senior department officials or the White House counsel’s office and also attempted to interfere in the hiring process for career staffers, a violation of the government’s human resources policies. The AP also confirmed Stirrup was appointed a member of the board of visitors of the US Air Force Academy on Thursday.
Updated at 21.59 GMT
3 Dec 2020 20.57 GMT Senator Marsha Blackburn invokes Chinese stereotype a racist tweet Republican senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee received swift backlash Thursday for a racist tweet invoking the history of China to allude to a stereotype of cheating. China has a 5,000 year history of cheating and stealing. Some things will never change... — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) December 3, 2020
3 Dec 2020 20.47 GMT Trump once again threatens to veto over Section 230 While recognizing Republican criticism, Donald Trump still refused to back down from earlier calls to repeal Section 230, a provision of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that protects tech firms from liability over third-party content. In a tweet, the president called it a “must”. Looks like certain Republican Senators are getting cold feet with respect to the termination of Big Tech’s Section 230, a National Security and Election Integrity MUST. For years, all talk, no action. Termination must be put in Defense Bill!!! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2020 Earlier, democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, of Hawaii, defended Trump’s demand to abolish Section 230, telling the president the future of the country is at stake if the law is not abolished. .@realDonaldTrump I fully support you on this. Please don’t back down. The freedom and future of our country is at stake. https://t.co/A5EPgvAuqX — Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) December 3, 2020 Trump first attempted to get Republicans on board last weekend. Critics suggested the move is a veiled attempted to thwart a provision mandating that the Pentagon rename confederate-named military bases.
Updated at 21.11 GMT
3 Dec 2020 20.27 GMT Former US attorney calls on Georgia election officials to investigate Lindsey Graham A former US attorney has called on the Georgia state election board to investigate South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham for pressuring the state’s top election official to interfere in the presidential election. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Michael J Moore – an attorney based in Atlanta – asked the state election board to investigate whether Graham had violated Georgia law in a letter dated Thursday. From AJC’s report on the letter: I am particularly concerned that the chairman of the United States Senate Judiciary Committee would make any attempt to interfere with the Georgia secretary of state as he endeavored to lawfully perform his constitutional duties in overseeing the 2020 election and the counting, and re-counting, of the votes cast in the state of Georgia,” Moore wrote. He also requested the board investigate any attempt by Graham to discard lawful ballots cast for the upcoming 5 January Georgia senate runoff election.
Updated at 21.30 GMT
3 Dec 2020 20.19 GMT Mary Trump: “Impossible for Donald to believe that he lost” In an appearance on ABC’s The View, Mary Trump - niece of Donald Trump - insisted it’s “impossible for [the president] to believe that he lost,” calling her uncle “a very desperate man” who knows “that his best option is to cling to power no matter who gets hurt in the process”. “Obviously there really isn’t any way for him to do [stay in office] legitimately,” she said. “So he’s going to pursue whatever illegitimate means that he has at his disposal”. The daughter of the Trump’s brother, Fred Trump Jr and sister-in-law Linda Clapp was commenting about the Republican’s 46-minute speech posted to Facebook. With cautions of a leader with “serious psychological disorders” echoing her best-selling book Too Much and Never Enough, Mary Trump insisted her uncle was hurting his own bruised ego looking “like a sore loser” and “behaving like an immature bully”. “It is going to increase his irrelevance after the inauguration,” she said. “I think it increases the urgency for holding him accountable when he no longer has the protection of the Oval Office.”
Updated at 20.27 GMT
3 Dec 2020 20.04 GMT Justice department laws alleges Facebook illegally reserved jobs for H-1B visa holders
A justice department lawsuit alleges the Facebook, the world’s largest social-media platform, illegally reserved high-paying jobs for immigrant workers it was sponsoring for permanent residence, failing to sufficiently search for US applicants and potential hires. From Reuters:
The suit said Facebook didn’t advertise the reserved positions on its website and required candidates to mail in their applications rather than accepting them online. Companies sponsoring workers for employment-based green cards are required to show as part of the federal application process that they couldn’t find any qualified American workers to fill the job. Read more at the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).
Updated at 20.20 GMT


theguardian--2020-12-04--Biden plans to urge all Americans to wear masks for 100 days after inauguration

Joe Biden intends to call for all Americans to wear masks for 100 days after he becomes president in an attempt to bring down infection rates , as the coronavirus crisis continues to rage out of control in the US .
The president-elect and vice-president-elect , Kamala Harris , have also committed to receiving coronavirus vaccinations as soon as possible when , as expected , the first vaccines are approved by US regulators .
Sitting for their first joint interview since the November election , with CNN ’ s Jake Tapper , Biden said he would be willing to join @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pledged on Thursday that they would be injected with the Covid-19 vaccine in public in order to boost faith in the inoculations among the American public .
Bill Clinton , George W Bush and Barack Obama all said they would be willing to be vaccinated on television , once a vaccine is approved in the US .
The full interview with Biden and Harris airs on Thursday evening , but CNN released some snippets on Thursday afternoon .
“ I would be happy to do that one , ” Biden said when asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus vaccine before he is inaugurated as the 46th president in January .
He added : “ I think that my three predecessors have set the model as to what should be done.
” Biden said he would adhere to what Obama said on Thursday : that the former president , would be vaccinated if Anthony Fauci , the top public health official on the White House coronavirus taskforce , affirmed that the vaccines awaiting US regulatory approval for emergency use are safe .
“ When Dr Fauci says we have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s the moment at which I will stand before the public … Part of what ’ s happened is that people have lost faith in the ability of the vaccine to work … It matters what a president and a vice-president do .
Harris has previously said in an interview that she ’ s be eager to line up for a shot when Fauci says it ’ s safe to do so .
Earlier on Thursday , the former president Jimmy Carter , who is 96 , put out a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying that he and his wife Rosalynn “ are in full support of Covid-19 vaccine efforts and encourage everyone who is eligible to get immunized as soon as it becomes available in their communities.
” Donald Trump has not spoken publicly about whether he will get the vaccine .
On Thursday he remained silent about the record deaths and hospitalizations recorded in the US in the previous 24 hours , as the American death toll exceeded 275,000 and recorded cases crossed the 14m threshold , according to Johns Hopkins University data .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” when asked if he had spoken to Fauci since beating Trump in the November presidential election and whether he would keep Fauci on as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , a role he has held since 1984 , when Ronald Reagan was president .
Biden said he spoke to Fauci on Thursday afternoon and his “ Covid team ” of health advisers had also spoken with him .
He said he also asked Fauci to be his chief medical adviser and be part of the Covid team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has in recent months tried to sideline Fauci while taking advice from less qualified figures such as Scott Atlas , who resigned from his position as a White House adviser on the pandemic earlier this week .
He boosted the president ’ s public ambivalence on protections such as mask-wearing and rules on social distancing .
In contrast , Biden said he had talked to Fauci on Thursday about face masks .
“ It ’ s important that the president and the vice-president , we set the pattern by wearing masks , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has authority I ’ m going to issue a standing order that in federal buildings you have to be masked , and on interstate transportation you must be masked , on airplanes and buses , etc , ” he said .
The president-elect then added that it was his “ inclination ” that on the first day of his presidency “ I ’ m going to ask the public for 100 days to mask , just 100 days , not for ever … and I think we ’ ll see a significant reduction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to drive down the numbers considerably.
” CNN also reported that Biden said he thought it would be important for the nation for Trump as the outgoing president to attend the inauguration ceremony of his successor , as presidents always do but as many predict Trump will not .
Biden reportedly pointed out that this was nothing to do with his own feelings but that he thought it was important in relation to the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next and also for how the US is perceived @ @ @ @

Joe Biden intends to call for all Americans to wear masks for 100 days after he becomes president in an attempt to bring down infection rates, as the coronavirus crisis continues to rage out of control in the US.
The president-elect and vice-president-elect, Kamala Harris, have also committed to receiving coronavirus vaccinations as soon as possible when, as expected, the first vaccines are approved by US regulators.
Sitting for their first joint interview since the November election, with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Biden said he would be willing to join with the three previous US presidents who pledged on Thursday that they would be injected with the Covid-19 vaccine in public in order to boost faith in the inoculations among the American public.
Bill Clinton, George W Bush and Barack Obama all said they would be willing to be vaccinated on television, once a vaccine is approved in the US.
“I would be happy to do that one,” Biden said when asked if he would be prepared to have the coronavirus vaccine before he is inaugurated as the 46th president in January.
He added: “I think that my three predecessors have set the model as to what should be done.”
Biden said he would adhere to what Obama said on Thursday: that the former president, would be vaccinated if Anthony Fauci, the top public health official on the White House coronavirus taskforce, affirmed that the vaccines awaiting US regulatory approval for emergency use are safe.
“When Dr Fauci says we have a vaccine and it’s safe, that’s the moment at which I will stand before the public … Part of what’s happened is that people have lost faith in the ability of the vaccine to work … It matters what a president and a vice-president do.
“That’s my measure,” Biden said.
Harris has previously said in an interview that she’s be eager to line up for a shot when Fauci says it’s safe to do so.
Earlier on Thursday, the former president Jimmy Carter, who is 96, put out a statement via his charitable foundation the Carter Center, saying that he and his wife Rosalynn “are in full support of Covid-19 vaccine efforts and encourage everyone who is eligible to get immunized as soon as it becomes available in their communities”.
Statement on vaccines from The Carter Center: pic.twitter.com/GOYgpa9fdD — The Carter Center (@CarterCenter) December 3, 2020
Donald Trump has not spoken publicly about whether he will get the vaccine. On Thursday he remained silent about the record deaths and hospitalizations recorded in the US in the previous 24 hours, as the American death toll exceeded 275,000 and recorded cases crossed the 14m threshold, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
Biden also answered “yes and yes” when asked if he had spoken to Fauci since beating Trump in the November presidential election and whether he would keep Fauci on as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a role he has held since 1984, when Ronald Reagan was president.
Biden said he spoke to Fauci on Thursday afternoon and his “Covid team” of health advisers had also spoken with him.
He said he also asked Fauci to be his chief medical adviser and be part of the Covid team advising him on the pandemic.
Trump has in recent months tried to sideline Fauci while taking advice from less qualified figures such as Scott Atlas, who resigned from his position as a White House adviser on the pandemic earlier this week. He boosted the president’s public ambivalence on protections such as mask-wearing and rules on social distancing.
In contrast, Biden said he had talked to Fauci on Thursday about face masks. “It’s important that the president and the vice-president, we set the pattern by wearing masks, but beyond that, where the federal government has authority I’m going to issue a standing order that in federal buildings you have to be masked, and on interstate transportation you must be masked, on airplanes and buses, etc,” he said.
Both Kamala Harris and Joe Biden have committed to taking a Covid vaccine as soon as possible. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
The president-elect then added that it was his “inclination” that on the first day of his presidency “I’m going to ask the public for 100 days to mask, just 100 days, not for ever … and I think we’ll see a significant reduction that occurs, with vaccinations and masking, to drive down the numbers considerably.”
Biden said he had spoken with teachers’ unions in addition to public health experts about the best practices to keep schools open. This includes vaccines, frequent testing, and sanitizing at schools. He added that there was a clear path to keeping kids in school, but it would not be cheap.
“It’s going to cost literally billions of dollars to get this done,” Biden said.
The pair also addressed other aspects of their agenda, including tackling the climate crisis. Answering a question on whether their ambitious goals will be achievable, given obstructions by Congress, Harris said: “Our agenda is pretty progressive. And some might call it ambitious. But we, the American people, and frankly the world, can’t afford anything less. The clock is ticking rapidly on this issue.”
CNN’s Tapper also asked Biden if he thought it would be important for the nation for Trump as the outgoing president to attend the inauguration ceremony of his successor, as presidents always do but as many predict Trump will not.
Biden said it had little to do with his own feelings but that he thought it was important in relation to the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next and also for how the US is perceived around the world.
“It is totally his decision,” Biden said. “It is of no personal consequence to me, but I think it is to the country.” He further lamented Trump’s refusal to concede, saying, “These kinds of things happen in tin-horn dictatorships.”
The president-elect remained mostly civil when discussing the “chaos” of his predecessor Trump, with the exception of several pointed comments. He said the Biden-Harris administration would not be using its power to pardon family members and other associates, as Trump is reportedly exploring.
“You are not going to see in our administration that kind of approach to pardons, nor are you going to see in our administration an approach to making policy by tweets,” he said.
Biden said he did not personally have any plans to prosecute Trump for crimes committed in office and that the justice department officials he appoints will work independently. He added that while Trump and his allies seemed to be publicly downplaying or outright denying Biden’s win, some senators had privately called the president-elect to congratulate him.
While many Republican senators have not publicly acknowledged him as the President-elect, Biden says "more than several" sitting GOP senators have privately called to congratulate him: "I understand the situation they find themselves in" pic.twitter.com/NSr2XLtiOO — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) December 4, 2020
Harris said the US would be lucky to have Biden take over as president, especially after four years of Trump, saying “there could not be a more extreme exercise in stark contrast between the current occupant of the White House and the next occupant of the White House”.
“The American people deserve in their president to have someone who is truly patriotic who loves our country,” Harris said. “Who puts the people of the country first, not themselves.”


theguardian--2020-12-03--US logs a record 2,804 coronavirus deaths in one day

The US recorded its highest daily number of coronavirus deaths on Wednesday , as the number of people admitted to hospital with Covid exceeded 100,000 for the first time since the pandemic began .
According to the Johns Hopkins University tracker , 2,804 new deaths were recorded on Wednesday , nearly the number of people killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks .
The previous high was the 2,607 deaths recorded on 15 April , at the beginning of the pandemic .
( Johns Hopkins had earlier reported 3,157 deaths on Wednesday , reportedly due to an error in one state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday , only the second time that new cases had exceeded 200,000 .
With the total caseload now standing at 14,061,616 , the US recorded its 14-millionth case on Thursday , and experts predict the death toll could reach nearly 450,000 by the end of February .
The deaths , cases and hospitalizations showed a country slipping deeper into crisis , with perhaps the worst yet to come , in part because of the delayed effects from Thanksgiving last week , when millions of Americans disregarded warnings to stay home and celebrate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Across the US , the surge has swamped hospitals and left nurses and other healthcare workers shorthanded and burned out .
“ The reality is December and January and February are going to be rough times .
I actually believe they are going to be the most difficult time in the public health history of this nation , ” Dr Robert Redfield , head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , said on Wednesday .
Redfield said that about 90 % of hospitals in the country were at stretched capacity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ time right now about being able to maintain the resilience of our healthcare system , ” he said .
The grave total came as Joe Biden , the president-elect , threw his weight behind a bipartisan $ 908bn coronavirus relief effort in Congress which would provide $ 300 a week in federal unemployment benefits and direct $ 160bn to states and cities .
Hospital admissions grew over the course of November , setting new records nearly every day .
The American Ambulance Association referred to a 911 emergency call system “ at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Kansas said there were no staffed ICU beds in the south-west of the state , while in New Mexico , coronavirus patients were using 27 % of hospital beds , which has left the state with just 16 intensive care beds left to spare .
In California alone , more than 8,000 people were being treated for coronavirus on Wednesday , after the state saw a record number of hospitalizations for the fourth day in a row .
Health authorities had warned that the numbers could fluctuate strongly before and after Thanksgiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and weekends , when because of reporting delays , figures often drop , then rise sharply a few days later as state and local agencies catch up with the backlog .
The White House coronavirus taskforce coordinator , Dr Deborah Birx , urged Americans who had travelled over the recent holiday weekend to behave as though they had the virus .
“ If you are under 40 , you need to assume you became infected during the Thanksgiving period if you gathered beyond your immediate household .
Most likely , you will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous to others.
” April ’ s peak of cases and deaths was concentrated mostly in New York and New England , but the current spread of the virus is across the whole country , and shows no sign of slowing down .
More than 1m new cases have been recorded in the last seven days alone , and more than 275,000 people have died in total .
Donald Trump ’ s few public appearances recently have been dedicated to efforts to overturn the results of the election rather than deal with coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the country was rounding the corner , and the media would no longer talk about Covid after the election .
The mayor of Los Angeles , the second largest city in the US , with a population of 3.9 million , warned it was nearing a “ devastating tipping point ” this week , as officials introduced new guidance prohibiting mingling of households .
“ It ’ s time to hunker down , ” Eric Garcetti said .
“ It ’ s time to cancel everything .
And if it isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” Los Angeles ’ s restrictions are far from a blanket ban on activity , however , with retail businesses allowed to remain open if they implement a set of protocols , and golf courses , tennis courts and outdoor gyms allowed to remain open .
Film and TV production are also allowed to continue .
Los Angeles county , which includes Los Angeles and surrounding areas , is home to 10 million people and has recorded 421,881 infections so far .
So far 7,782 people have died .
Some coronavirus relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expire at the end of the year .
Twelve million people are due to lose unemployment benefits as Democrats and Republicans remain at an impasse over the size of a new relief package .
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed a stimulus bill worth $ 3tn in May and has pushed for a more than $ 2tn measure in recent weeks , but have dropped their demands to a $ 908bn bill , which Biden said on Wednesday he would support .
Mitch McConnell , the Republican leader of the Senate , supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but abandoned that after criticism from conservatives .
McConnell has since been fixed on a $ 550bn bill , which has twice failed in the Senate .
The vice-president , Mike Pence , who has been leading the Trump administration response to the pandemic , will participate in a coronavirus response roundtable in Memphis on Thursday .
• None This article was updated on Thursday 3 December to reflect an adjustment in Johns Hopkins University ’ s coronavirus tally .

Adam Gabbatt in New York and Martin Belam in London

The US recorded its highest daily number of coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, as the number of people admitted to hospital with Covid exceeded 100,000 for the first time since the pandemic began.
According to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, 2,804 new deaths were recorded on Wednesday, nearly the number of people killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The previous high was the 2,607 deaths recorded on 15 April, at the beginning of the pandemic. (Johns Hopkins had earlier reported 3,157 deaths on Wednesday, reportedly due to an error in one state.)
01:15 US facing 'most difficult time in the public health history of this nation', warns CDC chief – video
There were 200,070 new cases on Wednesday, only the second time that new cases had exceeded 200,000. With the total caseload now standing at 14,061,616, the US recorded its 14-millionth case on Thursday, and experts predict the death toll could reach nearly 450,000 by the end of February.
The deaths, cases and hospitalizations showed a country slipping deeper into crisis, with perhaps the worst yet to come, in part because of the delayed effects from Thanksgiving last week, when millions of Americans disregarded warnings to stay home and celebrate only with members of their household.
Across the US, the surge has swamped hospitals and left nurses and other healthcare workers shorthanded and burned out.
“The reality is December and January and February are going to be rough times. I actually believe they are going to be the most difficult time in the public health history of this nation,” Dr Robert Redfield, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on Wednesday.
Redfield said that about 90% of hospitals in the country were at stretched capacity.
“We are at a very critical time right now about being able to maintain the resilience of our healthcare system,” he said.
The grave total came as Joe Biden, the president-elect, threw his weight behind a bipartisan $908bn coronavirus relief effort in Congress which would provide $300 a week in federal unemployment benefits and direct $160bn to states and cities.
Hospital admissions grew over the course of November, setting new records nearly every day. The American Ambulance Association referred to a 911 emergency call system “at a breaking point”.
Governor Laura Kelly of Kansas said there were no staffed ICU beds in the south-west of the state, while in New Mexico, coronavirus patients were using 27% of hospital beds, which has left the state with just 16 intensive care beds left to spare.
In California alone, more than 8,000 people were being treated for coronavirus on Wednesday, after the state saw a record number of hospitalizations for the fourth day in a row.
Health authorities had warned that the numbers could fluctuate strongly before and after Thanksgiving, as they often do around holidays and weekends, when because of reporting delays, figures often drop, then rise sharply a few days later as state and local agencies catch up with the backlog.
The White House coronavirus taskforce coordinator, Dr Deborah Birx, urged Americans who had travelled over the recent holiday weekend to behave as though they had the virus.
“If you are under 40, you need to assume you became infected during the Thanksgiving period if you gathered beyond your immediate household. Most likely, you will not have symptoms; however, you are dangerous to others.”
April’s peak of cases and deaths was concentrated mostly in New York and New England, but the current spread of the virus is across the whole country, and shows no sign of slowing down. More than 1m new cases have been recorded in the last seven days alone, and more than 275,000 people have died in total.
Donald Trump’s few public appearances recently have been dedicated to efforts to overturn the results of the election rather than deal with coronavirus. Before the election, Trump said that the country was rounding the corner, and the media would no longer talk about Covid after the election.
The mayor of Los Angeles, the second largest city in the US, with a population of 3.9 million, warned it was nearing a “devastating tipping point” this week, as officials introduced new guidance prohibiting mingling of households.
“It’s time to hunker down,” Eric Garcetti said. “It’s time to cancel everything. And if it isn’t essential, don’t do it.”
Los Angeles’s restrictions are far from a blanket ban on activity, however, with retail businesses allowed to remain open if they implement a set of protocols, and golf courses, tennis courts and outdoor gyms allowed to remain open. Film and TV production are also allowed to continue.
Los Angeles county, which includes Los Angeles and surrounding areas, is home to 10 million people and has recorded 421,881 infections so far. So far 7,782 people have died.
Some coronavirus relief programs passed by Congress are due to expire at the end of the year. Twelve million people are due to lose unemployment benefits as Democrats and Republicans remain at an impasse over the size of a new relief package.
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed a stimulus bill worth $3tn in May and has pushed for a more than $2tn measure in recent weeks, but have dropped their demands to a $908bn bill, which Biden said on Wednesday he would support.
Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader of the Senate, supported a $1tn bill in the summer but abandoned that after criticism from conservatives. McConnell has since been fixed on a $550bn bill, which has twice failed in the Senate.
The vice-president, Mike Pence, who has been leading the Trump administration response to the pandemic, will participate in a coronavirus response roundtable in Memphis on Thursday.


theguardian--2020-12-03--Donald Trump stays silent as US sees record 2,804 coronavirus deaths in a day

A day after 2,804 Americans died in a single day from the coronavirus pandemic – almost as many as in the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks – Donald Trump said nothing about the harrowing national crisis .
The US president ’ s silence broke from the tradition of predecessors who have sought to play the role of “ consoler-in-chief ” to the American public after deadly bombings , school shootings and other tragedies .
Trump instead remains consumed with false allegations that last month ’ s presidential election , which he lost to Joe Biden , was rigged against him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death toll hit its record , he released a 46-minute videotaped speech that spread lies and disinformation about voter fraud .
On Thursday , as the country grappled with the traumatic loss of life , Trump was preoccupied with presenting an award to an American football coach .
In a subsequent exchange with reporters he did not directly address the unfolding national tragedy , while on Twitter he continued to push baseless conspiracy theories .
Covid-19 cases in the US have doubled within 10 weeks to a total of 14m .
Wednesday saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in hospital .
The day ’ s death toll of 2,804 , recorded by Johns Hopkins University , was the worst since the start of the pandemic .
The total stands at more than 275,000 .
The US has 4 % of the world ’ s population and 19 % of its deaths from Covid-19 .
“ This is hardly what people mean by American exceptionalism , ” Chuck Todd , host of NBC ’ s influential Meet the Press programme , observed on Sunday .
Even as Trump pursues his doomed legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts warn that the holiday season could mark the most dangerous public health crisis in the history of the country , straining ambulance services and hospitals to breaking point .
Robert Redfield , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , warned on Wednesday : “ The reality is , December and January and February are going to be tough times .
I actually believe they ’ re going to be the most difficult time in the public health history of this nation.
” He added that the total number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans fail to follow public health guidelines to mitigate the spread of the virus .
Jonathan Reiner , a cardiologist and professor of medicine at George Washington University , told CNN : “ By this time next week , we are going to be talking about 3,000 deaths a day – that ’ s 9/11 every single day.
” After 9/11 , George W Bush sought to rally the nation from the Oval Office and Ground Zero in New York .
Bill Clinton offered comfort after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , South Carolina , as it tried to heal after nine African Americans were shot dead at church in 2015 .
But Trump spent the election promising his campaign rallies – with few face masks and little physical distancing – that America was “ rounding the turn ” on the pandemic and the media would pay it no attention once the votes were in .
Even now , the president , eager to claim credit for an imminent vaccine , is reportedly planning to host two dozen indoor Christmas parties that will again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health advice .
Mike Pompeo , the secretary of state , has similar plans , according to the Washington Post .
Zac Petkanas , director of the healthcare pressure group Protect Our Care ’ s coronavirus war room , said : “ The Trump administration has completely surrendered any leadership or effort to combat the spread of this virus .
While doctors , nurses , first responders and frontline workers battle the worst surges this country has experienced so far , Donald Trump and his cronies are partying away the holiday season.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Donald Trump has downplayed the danger of this virus , and now , on his temper-tantrum-fueled way out the door , he ’ s determined to leave death and destruction in his wake .
”

A day after 2,804 Americans died in a single day from the coronavirus pandemic – almost as many as in the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks – Donald Trump said nothing about the harrowing national crisis.
The US president’s silence broke from the tradition of predecessors who have sought to play the role of “consoler-in-chief” to the American public after deadly bombings, school shootings and other tragedies.
Trump instead remains consumed with false allegations that last month’s presidential election, which he lost to Joe Biden, was rigged against him. On Wednesday, when the pandemic death toll hit its record, he released a 46-minute videotaped speech that spread lies and disinformation about voter fraud.
On Thursday, as the country grappled with the traumatic loss of life, Trump was preoccupied with presenting an award to an American football coach. In a subsequent exchange with reporters he did not directly address the unfolding national tragedy, while on Twitter he continued to push baseless conspiracy theories.
Covid-19 cases in the US have doubled within 10 weeks to a total of 14m. Wednesday saw a record of more than 100,000 people in hospital. The day’s death toll of 2,804, recorded by Johns Hopkins University, was the worst since the start of the pandemic. The total stands at more than 275,000.
The US has 4% of the world’s population and 19% of its deaths from Covid-19. “This is hardly what people mean by American exceptionalism,” Chuck Todd, host of NBC’s influential Meet the Press programme, observed on Sunday.
Even as Trump pursues his doomed legal campaign to overturn the election result, experts warn that the holiday season could mark the most dangerous public health crisis in the history of the country, straining ambulance services and hospitals to breaking point.
Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned on Wednesday: “The reality is, December and January and February are going to be tough times. I actually believe they’re going to be the most difficult time in the public health history of this nation.”
He added that the total number of deaths could approach 450,000 by February if Americans fail to follow public health guidelines to mitigate the spread of the virus.
Jonathan Reiner, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at George Washington University, told CNN: “By this time next week, we are going to be talking about 3,000 deaths a day – that’s 9/11 every single day.”
After 9/11, George W Bush sought to rally the nation from the Oval Office and Ground Zero in New York. Bill Clinton offered comfort after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 and Barack Obama sang Amazing Grace in Charleston, South Carolina, as it tried to heal after nine African Americans were shot dead at church in 2015.
But Trump spent the election promising his campaign rallies – with few face masks and little physical distancing – that America was “rounding the turn” on the pandemic and the media would pay it no attention once the votes were in.
Even now, the president, eager to claim credit for an imminent vaccine, is reportedly planning to host two dozen indoor Christmas parties that will again flout his own government’s public health advice. Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state, has similar plans, according to the Washington Post.
Zac Petkanas, director of the healthcare pressure group Protect Our Care’s coronavirus war room, said: “The Trump administration has completely surrendered any leadership or effort to combat the spread of this virus. While doctors, nurses, first responders and frontline workers battle the worst surges this country has experienced so far, Donald Trump and his cronies are partying away the holiday season.”
He added: “From the start, Donald Trump has downplayed the danger of this virus, and now, on his temper-tantrum-fueled way out the door, he’s determined to leave death and destruction in his wake.”


theguardian--2020-12-03--Wisconsin supreme court refuses to hear Trump's election lawsuit

Wisconsin ’ s supreme court has refused to hear Donald Trump ’ s lawsuit attempting to overturn his loss to Joe Biden in the battleground state , sidestepping a decision on the merits of the claims and instead ruling that the case must first wind its way through lower courts .
The defeat on a 4-3 ruling on Thursday was the latest in a string of losses for Trump ’ s post-election lawsuits .
Judges in multiple battleground states have rejected his claims of fraud or irregularities .
Dissenting conservative justices said the decision would forever “ stain ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the conservative-controlled court to disqualify more than 221,000 ballots in the state ’ s two biggest Democratic counties , alleging irregularities in the way absentee ballots were administered .
His lawsuit echoed claims that were earlier rejected by election officials in those counties during a recount that barely affected Biden ’ s winning margin of about 20,700 votes .
Trump had wanted the court to take the case directly , saying there wasn ’ t enough time to wage the legal battle by starting first with a lower court given the looming 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes .
But attorneys for the Democratic governor , Tony Evers , and the state department of justice argued the lawsuit had to start with lower courts .
The swing justice Brian Hagedorn joined three liberal justices in denying the petition without weighing in on Trump ’ s allegations .
Hagedorn said the law was clear that Trump must start his lawsuit in lower courts where factual disputes can be worked out .
“ We do well as a judicial body to abide by time-tested judicial norms , even – and maybe especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote .
“ Following this law is not disregarding our duty , as some of my colleagues suggest .
It is following the law.
” It was not immediately known if Trump would still pursue the case through lower courts .
His campaign spokeswoman did not immediately return a message seeking comment .
Trump filed a similar lawsuit in federal court on Wednesday .
Chief Justice Patience Roggensack , in her dissent , said she would have taken the case and referred it to lower courts for factual findings , which could then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a ruling .
The conservative justice Rebecca Bradley wrote that the court “ forsakes its duty ” by not determining whether elections officials complied with the law and the inaction will undermine the public ’ s confidence in elections .
“ While some will either celebrate or decry the court ’ s inaction based upon the impact on their preferred candidate , the importance of this case transcends the results of this particular election , ” she wrote in a dissent joined by Roggensack and Justice Annette Ziegler .
“ The majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indelible stain on our most recent election.
” Trump ’ s lawsuit challenged procedures that have been in place for years and never been found to be illegal .
He claimed there were thousands of absentee ballots without a written application on file .
He argued that the electronic log created when a voter requests a ballot online – the way the vast majority are requested – doesn ’ t meet the letter of the law .
He also challenged ballots where election clerks filled in missing address information on the certification envelope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice that has long been accepted and that the state elections commission told clerks was OK. Roggensack said the supreme court owed it to the public to determine whether that advice was correct , especially for future elections .
“ However , doing so does not necessarily lead to striking absentee ballots that were cast by following incorrect WEC advice , ” she wrote .
“ The remedy Petitioners seek may be out of reach for a number of reasons.
” Trump also challenged absentee ballots where voters declared themselves to be “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exempts them from having to show photo identification to cast a ballot , and one that was used much more heavily this year due to the pandemic .
The court in March ruled that it was up to individual voters to determine their status .
Two other lawsuits filed by conservatives are still pending with the court seeking to invalidate ballots .
In addition to Trump ’ s federal lawsuit , there is another one in federal court with similar claims from Sidney Powell , a conservative attorney who was removed from Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week certified Biden ’ s victory , setting the stage for a Democratic slate of electors chosen earlier to cast the state ’ s 10 electoral votes for him .

Wisconsin’s supreme court has refused to hear Donald Trump’s lawsuit attempting to overturn his loss to Joe Biden in the battleground state, sidestepping a decision on the merits of the claims and instead ruling that the case must first wind its way through lower courts.
The defeat on a 4-3 ruling on Thursday was the latest in a string of losses for Trump’s post-election lawsuits. Judges in multiple battleground states have rejected his claims of fraud or irregularities. Dissenting conservative justices said the decision would forever “stain” the outcome of the election.
Trump asked the conservative-controlled court to disqualify more than 221,000 ballots in the state’s two biggest Democratic counties, alleging irregularities in the way absentee ballots were administered. His lawsuit echoed claims that were earlier rejected by election officials in those counties during a recount that barely affected Biden’s winning margin of about 20,700 votes.
Trump had wanted the court to take the case directly, saying there wasn’t enough time to wage the legal battle by starting first with a lower court given the looming 14 December date when presidential electors cast their votes. But attorneys for the Democratic governor, Tony Evers, and the state department of justice argued the lawsuit had to start with lower courts.
The swing justice Brian Hagedorn joined three liberal justices in denying the petition without weighing in on Trump’s allegations.
Hagedorn said the law was clear that Trump must start his lawsuit in lower courts where factual disputes can be worked out.
“We do well as a judicial body to abide by time-tested judicial norms, even – and maybe especially – in high-profile cases,” Hagedorn wrote. “Following this law is not disregarding our duty, as some of my colleagues suggest. It is following the law.”
It was not immediately known if Trump would still pursue the case through lower courts. His campaign spokeswoman did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Trump filed a similar lawsuit in federal court on Wednesday.
Chief Justice Patience Roggensack, in her dissent, said she would have taken the case and referred it to lower courts for factual findings, which could then be reported back to the supreme court for a ruling.
The conservative justice Rebecca Bradley wrote that the court “forsakes its duty” by not determining whether elections officials complied with the law and the inaction will undermine the public’s confidence in elections.
“While some will either celebrate or decry the court’s inaction based upon the impact on their preferred candidate, the importance of this case transcends the results of this particular election,” she wrote in a dissent joined by Roggensack and Justice Annette Ziegler. “The majority’s failure to act leaves an indelible stain on our most recent election.”
Trump’s lawsuit challenged procedures that have been in place for years and never been found to be illegal.
He claimed there were thousands of absentee ballots without a written application on file. He argued that the electronic log created when a voter requests a ballot online – the way the vast majority are requested – doesn’t meet the letter of the law.
He also challenged ballots where election clerks filled in missing address information on the certification envelope where the ballot is inserted – a practice that has long been accepted and that the state elections commission told clerks was OK.
Roggensack said the supreme court owed it to the public to determine whether that advice was correct, especially for future elections.
“However, doing so does not necessarily lead to striking absentee ballots that were cast by following incorrect WEC advice,” she wrote. “The remedy Petitioners seek may be out of reach for a number of reasons.”
Trump also challenged absentee ballots where voters declared themselves to be “indefinitely confined”, a status that exempts them from having to show photo identification to cast a ballot, and one that was used much more heavily this year due to the pandemic. The court in March ruled that it was up to individual voters to determine their status.
Two other lawsuits filed by conservatives are still pending with the court seeking to invalidate ballots. In addition to Trump’s federal lawsuit, there is another one in federal court with similar claims from Sidney Powell, a conservative attorney who was removed from Trump’s legal team.
Wisconsin this week certified Biden’s victory, setting the stage for a Democratic slate of electors chosen earlier to cast the state’s 10 electoral votes for him.


theguardian--2020-12-03--Trump team’s discredited fraud witness compared to SNL character

The quixotic quest by Donald Trump ’ s legal team to overturn the results of the election have birthed an unlikely star this week : Michigan resident Melissa Carone .
Carone , a contract worker for Dominion Voting Systems , appeared before a Michigan house panel on Wednesday and insisted , without providing evidence , that tens of thousands of votes had been counted twice .
It was the manner of her claims , however , that made her a social media hit , with numerous Twitter users comparing Carone to a Saturday Night Live character .
Carone repeatedly talked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get to the bottom of her allegations of voter fraud .
Those claims seemed to amount to vague accusations of ballot recounting and poll tampering , apparently by the Republican-controlled house .
Responding to Carone ’ s assertions that she saw ballot workers count a batch of 30,000 votes multiple times , Steve Johnson , a Republican Michigan state representative , said : “ We ’ re not seeing the poll book off by 30,000 votes.
” Carone , who repeatedly spoke over Johnson as he attempted to understand her claims , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you guys do , take it and do something crazy to it ?
” Carone said .
“ I ’ m just saying the numbers are not off by 30,000 votes , ” Johnson replied .
“ I ’ d say that poll book is off by over 100,000 [ votes ] , ” Carone said .
In her appearance before the house , Carone earned the rare distinction of making claims that were too bizarre for Rudy Giuliani , who has become a fount of unhinged election conspiracy theories in recent weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carone at the Michigan hearing , was heard shushing her as she loudly spoke over a state representative , and could be seen wincing during some of her account of witnessing fraud .
On 13 November a Wayne county judge had decided that Carone ’ s claims “ simply are not credible ” , but that did not stop Trump ’ s team from bringing her to Wednesday ’ s hearing , where Carone added of the vote total : “ It ’ s wildly off , and dead people voted , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been doing the rounds on rightwing media in recent weeks , claimed on Wednesday night she “ had to get rid of social media ” in the wake of her public appearances .
That statement also seems to be false , given a Facebook account in her name still exists on the site .

The quixotic quest by Donald Trump’s legal team to overturn the results of the election has birthed an unlikely star this week: Michigan resident Melissa Carone.
Carone, a contract worker for Dominion Voting Systems, appeared before a Michigan house panel on Wednesday and insisted, without providing evidence, that tens of thousands of votes had been counted twice.
It was the manner of her claims, however, that made her a social media hit, with numerous Twitter users comparing Carone to a Saturday Night Live character.
Carone repeatedly talked over a Michigan representative as he tried to get to the bottom of her allegations of voter fraud.
Those claims seemed to amount to vague accusations of ballot recounting and poll tampering, apparently by the Republican-controlled house.
Anyone who’s ever worked the Saturday night shift in a newsroom has gotten a call from someone just like this Republican pollwatcher
pic.twitter.com/Nr8eshGFH2 — Bill Grueskin (@BGrueskin) December 3, 2020
Responding to Carone’s assertions that she saw ballot workers count a batch of 30,000 votes multiple times, Steve Johnson, a Republican Michigan state representative, said:
“We’re not seeing the poll book off by 30,000 votes.”
Carone, who repeatedly spoke over Johnson as he attempted to understand her claims, was unmoved.
“What’d you guys do, take it and do something crazy to it?” Carone said.
“I’m just saying the numbers are not off by 30,000 votes,” Johnson replied.
“I’d say that poll book is off by over 100,000 [votes],” Carone said.
In her appearance before the house, Carone earned the rare distinction of making claims that were too bizarre for Rudy Giuliani, who has become a fount of unhinged election conspiracy theories in recent weeks.
Giuliani, who sat next to Carone at the Michigan hearing, was heard shushing her as she loudly spoke over a state representative, and could be seen wincing during some of her account of witnessing fraud.
On 13 November a Wayne county judge had decided that Carone’s claims “simply are not credible”, but that did not stop Trump’s team from bringing her to Wednesday’s hearing, where Carone added of the vote total:
“It’s wildly off, and dead people voted, and illegals voted.”
Carone, who has been doing the rounds on rightwing media in recent weeks, claimed on Wednesday night she “had to get rid of social media” in the wake of her public appearances.
That statement also seems to be false, given a Facebook account in her name still exists on the site.


theguardian--2020-12-03--The Guardian view on US presidential pardons: go no further | Editorial

A US president ’ s power to pardon and commute sentences for federal offences seems to explode America ’ s claims as a nation of laws and proper process .
Donald Trump is no respecter of laws in any aspect of his life , so there is no surprise that he may now be gearing up to make extravagant use of the power before he is prised out of the White House in January .
Two things should be remembered here .
First , the pardon power does not extend to state laws , only federal ones .
Second , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barack Obama , who issued 212 pardons in eight years , granted 330 commutations on his very last day as president in 2017 .
At this stage of his own presidency , Mr Trump is a remarkably light pardoner and commuter .
At the time of writing , he has issued a mere 28 pardons and 16 commutations , although all that could change soon .
One explanation , and a difference between Mr Trump and his predecessors , is that a high proportion of his acts of clemency have directly involved his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these included commutation for his friend Roger Stone , and a pardon for his former national security adviser Michael Flynn , both of whom were convicted of obstructing the Robert Mueller investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign .
As the end nears , Mr Trump may be planning to break new ground in other ways .
He has sometimes mused that he can pardon himself , something no president has ever done and which many lawyers think is unconstitutional .
But he is widely reported to be eyeing “ pre-emptive ” pardons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eric and Ivanka , as well as to his son-in-law , Jared Kushner , and his lawyer , Rudolph Giuliani .
This week , it has been confirmed that the justice department is investigating an alleged “ bribery for pardon ” scheme at the White House .
Any of these actions , never mind all three , would plumb new depths in Mr Trump ’ s four-year abuse of the presidency .
Shocking though such possibilities are , there is an established legal argument for pardons .
In this country , a royal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientist Alan Turing , who took his own life after being convicted under anti-homosexuality laws in 1952 .
This leads to a wider moral point .
“ Pardon ’ s the word to all , ” pronounces Cymbeline in the final scene of Shakespeare ’ s late play .
The former archbishop of Canterbury , Rowan Williams , has described Cymbeline ’ s line as a moral clarion call .
The ability to pardon a person helps to elevate human beings , the archbishop argued .
The human capacity for compassion and reconciliation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the hand of the divine .
There is , though , nothing remotely divine or compassionate about Mr Trump .
The legal power he wields should be used very sparingly , and only in line with a proper and transparent process .
Mr Trump has no interest in such things .
He may not be able to put himself beyond the law , but he can do massive damage along the way .
That would indeed be unpardonable .

A US president’s power to pardon and commute sentences for federal offences seems to explode America’s claims as a nation of laws and proper process. Donald Trump is no respecter of laws in any aspect of his life, so there is no surprise that he may now be gearing up to make extravagant use of the power before he is prised out of the White House in January.
Two things should be remembered here. First, the pardon power does not extend to state laws, only federal ones. Second, other presidents have been here too. Barack Obama, who issued 212 pardons in eight years, granted 330 commutations on his very last day as president in 2017. At this stage of his own presidency, Mr Trump is a remarkably light pardoner and commuter. At the time of writing, he has issued a mere 28 pardons and 16 commutations, although all that could change soon.
One explanation, and a difference between Mr Trump and his predecessors, is that a high proportion of his acts of clemency have directly involved his own allies and staff. The latest of these included commutation for his friend Roger Stone, and a pardon for his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, both of whom were convicted of obstructing the Robert Mueller investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign.
As the end nears, Mr Trump may be planning to break new ground in other ways. He has sometimes mused that he can pardon himself, something no president has ever done and which many lawyers think is unconstitutional. But he is widely reported to be eyeing “pre-emptive” pardons to his children, Donald Jr, Eric and Ivanka, as well as to his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his lawyer, Rudolph Giuliani. This week, it has been confirmed that the justice department is investigating an alleged “bribery for pardon” scheme at the White House. Any of these actions, never mind all three, would plumb new depths in Mr Trump’s four-year abuse of the presidency.
Shocking though such possibilities are, there is an established legal argument for pardons. In this country, a royal pardon was issued in 2013 to the scientist Alan Turing, who took his own life after being convicted under anti-homosexuality laws in 1952. This leads to a wider moral point. “Pardon’s the word to all,” pronounces Cymbeline in the final scene of Shakespeare’s late play. The former archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has described Cymbeline’s line as a moral clarion call. The ability to pardon a person helps to elevate human beings, the archbishop argued. The human capacity for compassion and reconciliation is, he has said, evidence of the hand of the divine.
There is, though, nothing remotely divine or compassionate about Mr Trump. The legal power he wields should be used very sparingly, and only in line with a proper and transparent process. Mr Trump has no interest in such things. He may not be able to put himself beyond the law, but he can do massive damage along the way. That would indeed be unpardonable.


theguardian--2020-12-04--'Move with urgency': Joe Biden's economic team in their own words

Joe Biden ’ s incoming economic team is filled with firsts .
The lineup that the incoming president introduced this week will , if approved , place women and people of color at the controls of the US economy during one of the darkest periods in recent history .
While the team is historic , it also faces a historic challenge .
Unemployment has fallen dramatically since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic .
It fell to 6.7 % in November .
But it remains 3.2 percentage points above its level before Covid-19 struck , jobs growth is slowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people of color are still suffering hardship at far higher levels than white Americans .
The pandemic has also exacerbated already worrying levels of income inequality , and across the US , shocking lines are forming at food banks as the country ’ s already frayed social safety net collapses .
Congress has been deadlocked on a new round of stimulus money for months .
A compromise now seems to be in the works but will come too late for many .
The future looks difficult too .
The US now has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 14.4tn on the day Donald Trump was inaugurated .
Republicans , who helped fuel that enormous rise , are now talking about the need for fiscal responsibility .
Biden ’ s team is strong on progressive talk .
Its members have championed the need for more government intervention , greater equality and a stronger safety net .
A look at the team ’ s own words shows just how ambitiously they are thinking .
Whether they can achieve those goals looks set to hang on two crucial Senate races in Georgia in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate .
The first woman to head the Treasury if confirmed , Yellen has had a long and distinguished career and was the first woman to head the Federal Reserve .
This week Yellen called the pandemic recession “ an American tragedy ” and said : “ It ’ s essential that we move with urgency.
” An expert on labor markets , she has long highlighted income inequality and its disproportionate impact on people of color in the US .
“ There really is a new kind of recognition that you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning to run amok and needs to be readjusted , ” she told Reuters recently .
In a 2014 speech , she said : “ The extent of and continuing increase in inequality in the United States greatly concern me.
” Yellen noted : “ The distribution of income and wealth in the United States has been widening more or less steadily for several decades , to a greater extent than in most advanced countries.
” But her long-term views on the nation ’ s debts have some progressives worried that she may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is , finally , behind us .
“ The US debt path is completely unsustainable under current tax and spending plans , ” she said in February .
Neera Tanden , head the Office of Management and Budget ( OMB ) The president of the left-leaning Center for American Progress will be the first woman of color to head the OMB if she is confirmed .
But Republicans , angered by her partisan tweets , have said she stands “ zero chance ” of being approved if they keep control of the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relied on food stamps and other government programs to raise her children after her divorce and Tanden is a strong supporter of a better social safety net .
“ I ’ m here today thanks to my mother ’ s grit , but also thanks to a country that had faith in us , that invested in her humanity , and in our dreams , ” she said this week .
The OMB is the largest office within the executive office of the president and oversees the development and implementation of the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Budgets are not abstractions , ” Tanden said .
“ They are a reflection of our values .
They touch our lives in profound ways and sometimes they make all the difference.
” If confirmed , Nigerian-born Adeyemo will be the first Black person to serve as deputy Treasury secretary .
“ Public service is about offering hope through the dark times and making sure that our economy works not just for the wealthy , but for the hard-working people who make it run , ” he wrote on Twitter this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to address income inequality .
“ In California ’ s Inland Empire , where I had grown up in a working-class neighborhood , the Great Recession hit us hard , ” he said this week .
“ We were one of the foreclosure capitals of the United States .
The pain of this was real for me.
” But his work as a senior adviser to BlackRock , the world ’ s largest asset manager , and past positions calling for “ avoiding protectionism ” and asserting the need to join the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause problems with progressive Democrats and even many Republicans in the post-Trump era .
Cecilia Rouse , chair of the Council of Economic Advisers Another first , Rouse will be the first Black chair of the Council of Economic Advisers if she is confirmed .
Currently dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs , Rouse is another expert in labor markets .
Among her most famous research papers is a study of sexism in auditions and hiring for symphony orchestras .
An expert on the impact of education on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also championed paid sick leave .
Last year , nearly 34 million workers – about a quarter of the US workforce – lacked paid sick leave .
While supportive of the private sector , she recently wrote that the pandemic had exposed “ a ‘ Franken-system ’ of support that is inadequate , costly , unnecessarily bureaucratic , and ultimately not trusted by many Americans ” .

Joe Biden’s incoming economic team is filled with firsts. The lineup that the incoming president introduced this week will, if approved, place women and people of color at the controls of the US economy during one of the darkest periods in recent history.
While the team is historic, it also faces a historic challenge. Unemployment has fallen dramatically since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. It fell to 6.7% in November. But it remains 3.2 percentage points above its level before Covid-19 struck, jobs growth is slowing sharply, long-term unemployment is growing and people of color are still suffering hardship at far higher levels than white Americans.
The pandemic has also exacerbated already worrying levels of income inequality, and across the US, shocking lines are forming at food banks as the country’s already frayed social safety net collapses.
Congress has been deadlocked on a new round of stimulus money for months. A compromise now seems to be in the works but will come too late for many.
The future looks difficult too. The US now has a $21.2tn national debt – up from $14.4tn on the day Donald Trump was inaugurated. Republicans, who helped fuel that enormous rise, are now talking about the need for fiscal responsibility.
Biden’s team is strong on progressive talk. Its members have championed the need for more government intervention, greater equality and a stronger safety net. A look at the team’s own words shows just how ambitiously they are thinking.
Whether they can achieve those goals looks set to hang on two crucial Senate races in Georgia in January that will decide who controls the Senate.
Janet Yellen, treasury secretary
The first woman to head the Treasury if confirmed, Yellen has had a long and distinguished career and was the first woman to head the Federal Reserve.
This week Yellen called the pandemic recession “an American tragedy” and said: “It’s essential that we move with urgency.”
An expert on labor markets, she has long highlighted income inequality and its disproportionate impact on people of color in the US. “There really is a new kind of recognition that you’ve got a society where capitalism is beginning to run amok and needs to be readjusted,” she told Reuters recently.
In a 2014 speech, she said: “The extent of and continuing increase in inequality in the United States greatly concern me.” Yellen noted: “The distribution of income and wealth in the United States has been widening more or less steadily for several decades, to a greater extent than in most advanced countries.”
But her long-term views on the nation’s debts have some progressives worried that she may look to cut welfare programs once Covid-19 is, finally, behind us. “The US debt path is completely unsustainable under current tax and spending plans,” she said in February.
Neera Tanden, head the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
The president of the left-leaning Center for American Progress will be the first woman of color to head the OMB if she is confirmed. But Republicans, angered by her partisan tweets, have said she stands “zero chance” of being approved if they keep control of the Senate.
Imagine a world where Mitch McConnell is not in the Senate. Now let's go make that happen. https://t.co/iOwO3GgDf1 — Neera Tanden (@neeratanden) February 13, 2019
Her India-born mother, Maya, relied on food stamps and other government programs to raise her children after her divorce and Tanden is a strong supporter of a better social safety net.
“I’m here today thanks to my mother’s grit, but also thanks to a country that had faith in us, that invested in her humanity, and in our dreams,” she said this week.
The OMB is the largest office within the executive office of the president and oversees the development and implementation of the federal budget. Her priorities are unmistakable.
“Budgets are not abstractions,” Tanden said. “They are a reflection of our values. They touch our lives in profound ways and sometimes they make all the difference.”
Adewale ‘Wally’ Adeyemo, deputy treasury secretary
If confirmed, Nigerian-born Adeyemo will be the first Black person to serve as deputy Treasury secretary.
“Public service is about offering hope through the dark times and making sure that our economy works not just for the wealthy, but for the hard-working people who make it run,” he wrote on Twitter this week.
Like Yellen he has emphasized the need to address income inequality. “In California’s Inland Empire, where I had grown up in a working-class neighborhood, the Great Recession hit us hard,” he said this week. “We were one of the foreclosure capitals of the United States. The pain of this was real for me.”
But his work as a senior adviser to BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, and past positions calling for “avoiding protectionism” and asserting the need to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal are likely to cause problems with progressive Democrats and even many Republicans in the post-Trump era.
Cecilia Rouse, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers
Another first, Rouse will be the first Black chair of the Council of Economic Advisers if she is confirmed.
Currently dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Rouse is another expert in labor markets. Among her most famous research papers is a study of sexism in auditions and hiring for symphony orchestras.
An expert on the impact of education on the labor force and long-term unemployment, Rouse has also championed paid sick leave. Last year, nearly 34 million workers – about a quarter of the US workforce – lacked paid sick leave.
While supportive of the private sector, she recently wrote that the pandemic had exposed “a ‘Franken-system’ of support that is inadequate, costly, unnecessarily bureaucratic, and ultimately not trusted by many Americans”.