theguardian--2020-06-03--Pentagon chief opposes Trump threat to deploy military at protests

The US defence secretary has opposed Donald Trump ’ s threatened use of the Insurrection Act to allow active duty troops to be deployed in American cities , Mark Esper was speaking to journalists in the Pentagon amid mounting disquiet about the increasingly militarized response to the George Floyd protests , and confusion over the role of the troops .
About 700 troops from the 82nd airborne division , mostly military police and combat engineers , were flown to bases around Washington on Monday night .
The Associated Press reported that 200 would fly out on Wednesday , but then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reversed and the airborne troops stayed put in the bases on the outskirts of the capital .
Trump has threatened to invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act that would allow him to deploy troops on city streets , against the wishes of state and city authorities .
The president said he would use the law if local authorities failed “ to defend the life and property of their residents ” .
Esper categorically opposed using the act on Wednesday .
“ I say this not only as secretary of defence , but also as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member of the national guard , the option to use active-duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort , and only in the most urgent and dire of situations , ” the defence secretary said .
“ We are not in one of those situations now .
I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act.
” Esper has been supportive of Trump and has avoided contradicting him until now .
But there is reported to be mounting unease about senior officers about the politicisation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over Esper ’ s own actions .
“ Esper has directly challenged Trump , ” Thomas Wright , director of the centre on the United States and Europe on the Brookings Institution , said on Twitter .
“ Trump hates being boxed in .
If he fires Esper , it could set in motion a crisis that may lead to a wider revolt within the GOP.
” Esper was due in the White House to meet Trump straight after his Wednesday morning press briefing .
It was not clear if Trump had ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deployments around Washington .
Trump ’ s spokeswoman , Kayleigh McEnany , told reporters : “ As of right now , Secretary Esper is still Secretary Esper.
” She added that the press would hear if Trump lost confidence in him and noted : “ The president has the sole authority to invoke the Insurrection Act.
” There has been widespread outrage – including from former officers – over the participation of Esper and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff who were present at a photo op outside a church near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrounding area had been cleared with gas canisters , mounted police and baton charges .
Esper ’ s participation provoked the resignation of a member of the defense science board , James Miller , who alleged the defence secretary had “ visibly supported ” the use of force .
Esper said he was not aware of the measures that had been taken to drive protesters out .
He said he was under the impression that he and Milley would inspect damage in Lafayette Park , just in front of the White House and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where there had been a fire in the basement .
“ I was not aware a photo op was happening , ” Esper said .
“ Of course , the president drags a large press pool along with him .
And look , I do everything I can to try to stay apolitical and try and stay out of situations that may appear political and sometimes I ’ m successful with doing that , and sometimes I ’ m not as successful , but my aim is to keep the department out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Esper defended his call to state governors on Monday “ to dominate the battlespace ” in responding to protests over the police killing of George Floyd .
“ The sooner that you mass and dominate the battlespace , the quicker this dissipates , and we can get back to the right normal , ” Esper said on the call with Trump and the governors .
Speaking on Wednesday he said battlespace was “ part of our military lexicon ” .
“ It ’ s what we routinely use to describe a bounded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a phrase focused on people , and certainly not on our fellow Americans , ” Esper said .
But he added : “ In retrospect I would use different wording , so as not to distract from the more important matters at hand.
” Esper also said he had asked the army secretary , Ryan McCarthy , to launch an inquiry into a national guard medevac helicopter which was filmed hovering low over protesters in Washington , in an apparent effort to disperse them .
Esper refused to be drawn in making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an alternative to the view that the helicopter was used for intimidation .
“ I got a report back that they were asked by law enforcement to look at a checkpoint , a national guard checkpoint , to see if there were protesters around .
So there ’ s conflicting reports.
” He did not explain why a helicopter would be needed to spot protesters when the streets were full of law enforcement officers from various agencies , nor why a helicopter would have to hover so low to confirm the presence of @ @ @ @ @

The US defence secretary has opposed Donald Trump’s threatened use of the Insurrection Act to allow active duty troops to be deployed in American cities.
Mark Esper was speaking to journalists in the Pentagon amid mounting disquiet about the increasingly militarized response to the George Floyd protests, and confusion over the role of the troops.
About 700 troops from the 82nd airborne division, mostly military police and combat engineers, were flown to bases around Washington on Monday night. The Associated Press reported that 200 would fly out on Wednesday, but then with a few hours that decision was reversed and the airborne troops stayed put in the bases on the outskirts of the capital.
Trump has threatened to invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act that would allow him to deploy troops on city streets, against the wishes of state and city authorities. The president said he would use the law if local authorities failed “to defend the life and property of their residents”.
Esper categorically opposed using the act on Wednesday.
“I say this not only as secretary of defence, but also as a former soldier, and a former member of the national guard, the option to use active-duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort, and only in the most urgent and dire of situations,” the defence secretary said. “We are not in one of those situations now. I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act.”
Esper has been supportive of Trump and has avoided contradicting him until now. But there is reported to be mounting unease about senior officers about the politicisation of the armed forces, and concern over Esper’s own actions.
“Esper has directly challenged Trump,” Thomas Wright, director of the centre on the United States and Europe on the Brookings Institution, said on Twitter. “Trump hates being boxed in. If he fires Esper, it could set in motion a crisis that may lead to a wider revolt within the GOP.”
Esper was due in the White House to meet Trump straight after his Wednesday morning press briefing. It was not clear if Trump had ordered him to reverse his order on troops deployments around Washington.
Trump’s spokeswoman, Kayleigh McEnany, told reporters: “As of right now, Secretary Esper is still Secretary Esper.”
She added that the press would hear if Trump lost confidence in him and noted: “The president has the sole authority to invoke the Insurrection Act.”
There has been widespread outrage – including from former officers – over the participation of Esper and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff who were present at a photo op outside a church near the White House on Monday after the surrounding area had been cleared with gas canisters, mounted police and baton charges.
Esper’s participation provoked the resignation of a member of the defense science board, James Miller, who alleged the defence secretary had “visibly supported” the use of force.
Esper said he was not aware of the measures that had been taken to drive protesters out. He said he was under the impression that he and Milley would inspect damage in Lafayette Park, just in front of the White House and in St John’s Episcopal church, where there had been a fire in the basement.
“I was not aware a photo op was happening,” Esper said. “Of course, the president drags a large press pool along with him. And look, I do everything I can to try to stay apolitical and try and stay out of situations that may appear political and sometimes I’m successful with doing that, and sometimes I’m not as successful, but my aim is to keep the department out of politics, to stay apolitical.”
But Esper defended his call to state governors on Monday “to dominate the battlespace” in responding to protests over the police killing of George Floyd.
“The sooner that you mass and dominate the battlespace, the quicker this dissipates, and we can get back to the right normal,” Esper said on the call with Trump and the governors.
Speaking on Wednesday he said battlespace was “part of our military lexicon”.
“It’s what we routinely use to describe a bounded area of operations. It’s not a phrase focused on people, and certainly not on our fellow Americans,” Esper said.
But he added: “In retrospect I would use different wording, so as not to distract from the more important matters at hand.”
Esper also said he had asked the army secretary, Ryan McCarthy, to launch an inquiry into a national guard medevac helicopter which was filmed hovering low over protesters in Washington, in an apparent effort to disperse them.
Esper refused to be drawn in making an initial assessment but he did offer an alternative to the view that the helicopter was used for intimidation.
“I got a report back that they were asked by law enforcement to look at a checkpoint, a national guard checkpoint, to see if there were protesters around. So there’s conflicting reports.”
He did not explain why a helicopter would be needed to spot protesters when the streets were full of law enforcement officers from various agencies, nor why a helicopter would have to hover so low to confirm the presence of protesters on the street.


theguardian--2020-06-03--Trump tried to vote with wrong address while railing against voter fraud

Donald Trump has been railing against vote by mail for the past few months – falsely citing the potential for voter fraud , which is extremely rare .
As it turns out , the president himself bungled the system .
Trump registered to vote in Florida last September under his White House address – 1600 Pennsylvania Ave , according to the Washington Post .
But Florida does not allow people to register to vote without an in-state address , and one month later , Trump resubmitted his application with a Florida address and voted in the Republican primary .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials his legal residence was in Washington DC but on another day also said he was a “ bona fide resident ” of Palm Beach , Florida , home to his Mar-a-Lago Club , according to the public records reviewed by the Post .
Other voters have faced significant consequences for the same mistake .
In fact , as some Democrats pointed out , the same issue is listed on White House website as voter fraud .
A city manager in Florida paid $ 5,000 in fines for putting the wrong address on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Palm Beach county .
Florida Republicans also challenged state Democrats in 2018 in a vote-by-mail investigation , but the state found there was no fraud .
Florida also tossed out thousands of mail-in ballots for supposedly having signatures that did not match original registration forms .
Meanwhile , Democrats and some Republicans have called on states to ease vote-by-mail restrictions amid the pandemic .
Tuesday ’ s primary election showed people waiting in line for hours in cities such as Washington DC , some of whom had not received absentee ballots in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , election officials fear the public could be at risk for contracting Covid-19 , as some did in Florida and Wisconsin during elections earlier this year .

Donald Trump has been railing against vote by mail for the past few months – falsely citing the potential for voter fraud, which is extremely rare. As it turns out, the president himself bungled the system.
Trump registered to vote in Florida last September under his White House address – 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, according to the Washington Post. But Florida does not allow people to register to vote without an in-state address, and one month later, Trump resubmitted his application with a Florida address and voted in the Republican primary.
On his registration form, Trump told Florida officials his legal residence was in Washington DC but on another day also said he was a “bona fide resident” of Palm Beach, Florida, home to his Mar-a-Lago Club, according to the public records reviewed by the Post.
Other voters have faced significant consequences for the same mistake. In fact, as some Democrats pointed out, the same issue is listed on White House website as voter fraud.
Beyond Trump's dangerous, dishonest claims of widespread voter fraud, it's really rich because the WH website uses the case of someone trying to vote at their second home as an example of voter fraud! https://t.co/syhg4fsehh pic.twitter.com/pEIyXy89Ck — American Bridge (@American_Bridge) June 3, 2020
A city manager in Florida paid $5,000 in fines for putting the wrong address on her registration, as did a restaurateur in Palm Beach county. Florida Republicans also challenged state Democrats in 2018 in a vote-by-mail investigation, but the state found there was no fraud. Florida also tossed out thousands of mail-in ballots for supposedly having signatures that did not match original registration forms.
Meanwhile, Democrats and some Republicans have called on states to ease vote-by-mail restrictions amid the pandemic. Tuesday’s primary election showed people waiting in line for hours in cities such as Washington DC, some of whom had not received absentee ballots in time.
If this happens in November, election officials fear the public could be at risk for contracting Covid-19, as some did in Florida and Wisconsin during elections earlier this year.


theguardian--2020-06-03--Trump claims he was in bunker for a ‘tiny' period of time to inspect it

Donald Trump has claimed to have spent only a “ tiny ” amount of time in a reinforced security bunker under the White House as protesters clashed with Secret Service agents outside and has insisted his time there was for an “ inspection ” , not his own safety .
In an interview with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade on his radio show on Wednesday , Trump also claimed to have visited the bunker in the daytime , not after dark , when protesters and law enforcement officers clashed outside the executive mansion .
The New York Times first reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Emergency Operations Center on Friday night , for about an hour .
Other outlets , citing White House sources , confirmed it .
The protected space under the White House was used by Vice-President Dick Cheney on 11 September 2001 , when authorities feared a plane might strike the building .
It has since been reinforced .
Trump told Kilmeade : “ I was there for a tiny , short little period of time ” and said he had visited the bunker “ two or three times , all for inspection ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you may need it , but you go there , I went down , I looked at it , it was during the day , it was not a problem .
And I read about it like a big thing .
There was never a problem , nobody ever came close to giving us a problem.
” Trump earned rebukes on Saturday by tweeting that had protesters breached the White House fence , they would have been met by “ vicious dogs ” and “ ominous weapons ” .
The protests in Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst civil unrest since the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr in 1968 , arose from the killing in Minneapolis last week of George Floyd , a 46-year-old African American man who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck for almost nine minutes .
“ After we had the one evening which was a little rough , ” Trump told Kilmeade , “ we brought in the troops ” .
In a call on Monday which was leaked to outlets including the Guardian , Trump harangued governors about the need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they call in the national guard .
Guardsmen and federal officers have been deployed in Washington .
On Tuesday , combat soldiers of the regular US army were moved within reach of the capital .
Kilmeade asked Trump if , as was reported , the Secret Service had told him he had to “ go downstairs ” in order to protect his welfare .
“ No , they didn ’ t tell me that at all , ” the president said , “ but they said it would be a good time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because maybe some time you ’ re going to need it … I looked , I was down for a very , very short period of time … a whole group of people went with me , as an inspecting factor.
” It was reported at the weekend that the first lady , Melania Trump , and the president ’ s son Barron Trump also went to the bunker .
“ And Brian it was during the day , ” Trump insisted , “ it wasn ’ t during the night .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
During the night , maybe some day it makes sense.
” On Monday evening , Trump gave a speech in the White House Rose Garden , promising “ law and order ” but also expressing sympathy with peaceful protesters .
At the same time , the attorney general , William Barr , ordered the forcible clearance of peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square and the area around St John ’ s church , in front of the White House , so Trump could walk to the church for a photo op with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Trump wanted to make the walk – and therefore precipitated the assault with rubber bullets and chemical agents on peaceful protesters including priests , a hugely controversial move – to counter the perception he had hidden in the bunker on Friday .
The decision to use the historic “ Church of the Presidents ” for such a photo op attracted widespread criticism , including from religious leaders .
Some Trump supporters expressed approval .
Trump insisted : “ Most religious leaders loved it .
I heard [ evangelical leader ] Franklin Graham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I heard many other people think it was great … it was only the other side that didn ’ t like it.
” Trump falsely claimed protesters “ burned down the church the day before .
I heard how nice and wonderful the protesters were over there .
Really ?
Then why did they burn down a big section of it ?
” In a letter to parishioners , the Rev Robert Fisher , rector of the church , said : “ There was a small fire in the parish house basement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ contained to the nursery – though , as you might imagine there is smoke and water damage to other areas of the basement.
” The church was boarded up when Trump arrived .
“ We walked over to the church it was very fast , it was very symbolic , ” the president told Kilmeade , adding : “ The fake news makes everything bad no matter what you do .
”

Donald Trump has claimed to have spent only a “tiny” amount of time in a reinforced security bunker under the White House as protesters clashed with Secret Service agents outside and has insisted his time there was for an “inspection”, not his own safety.
In an interview with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade on his radio show on Wednesday, Trump also claimed to have visited the bunker in the daytime, not after dark, when protesters and law enforcement officers clashed outside the executive mansion.
The New York Times first reported that Trump was taken to the Presidential Emergency Operations Center on Friday night, for about an hour. Other outlets, citing White House sources, confirmed it.
The protected space under the White House was used by Vice-President Dick Cheney on 11 September 2001, when authorities feared a plane might strike the building. It has since been reinforced.
Trump told Kilmeade: “I was there for a tiny, short little period of time” and said he had visited the bunker “two or three times, all for inspection”.
“And you go there, someday you may need it, but you go there, I went down, I looked at it, it was during the day, it was not a problem. And I read about it like a big thing. There was never a problem, nobody ever came close to giving us a problem.”
It wasn’t during the night. I think they reported during the night. During the night, maybe some day it makes sense Donald Trump
Trump earned rebukes on Saturday by tweeting that had protesters breached the White House fence, they would have been met by “vicious dogs” and “ominous weapons”.
The protests in Washington and cities across the country, the worst civil unrest since the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr in 1968, arose from the killing in Minneapolis last week of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck for almost nine minutes.
“After we had the one evening which was a little rough,” Trump told Kilmeade, “we brought in the troops”.
01:03 Protesters brutally dispersed ahead of Trump's photo opportunity with a Bible – video
In a call on Monday which was leaked to outlets including the Guardian, Trump harangued governors about the need to “dominate” protesters, and demanded they call in the national guard. Guardsmen and federal officers have been deployed in Washington. On Tuesday, combat soldiers of the regular US army were moved within reach of the capital.
Kilmeade asked Trump if, as was reported, the Secret Service had told him he had to “go downstairs” in order to protect his welfare.
“No, they didn’t tell me that at all,” the president said, “but they said it would be a good time to go down, to take a look, because maybe some time you’re going to need it … I looked, I was down for a very, very short period of time … a whole group of people went with me, as an inspecting factor.”
It was reported at the weekend that the first lady, Melania Trump, and the president’s son Barron Trump also went to the bunker.
“And Brian it was during the day,” Trump insisted, “it wasn’t during the night. I think they reported during the night. During the night, maybe some day it makes sense.”
On Monday evening, Trump gave a speech in the White House Rose Garden, promising “law and order” but also expressing sympathy with peaceful protesters.
At the same time, the attorney general, William Barr, ordered the forcible clearance of peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square and the area around St John’s church, in front of the White House, so Trump could walk to the church for a photo op with a Bible.
Extensive reporting citing administration officials said Trump wanted to make the walk – and therefore precipitated the assault with rubber bullets and chemical agents on peaceful protesters including priests, a hugely controversial move – to counter the perception he had hidden in the bunker on Friday.
The decision to use the historic “Church of the Presidents” for such a photo op attracted widespread criticism, including from religious leaders. Some Trump supporters expressed approval.
Trump insisted: “Most religious leaders loved it. I heard [evangelical leader] Franklin Graham this morning thought it was great, I heard many other people think it was great … it was only the other side that didn’t like it.”
Trump falsely claimed protesters “burned down the church the day before. I heard how nice and wonderful the protesters were over there. Really? Then why did they burn down a big section of it?”
In a letter to parishioners, the Rev Robert Fisher, rector of the church, said: “There was a small fire in the parish house basement. Thankfully, it appears to have been contained to the nursery – though, as you might imagine there is smoke and water damage to other areas of the basement.”
The church was boarded up when Trump arrived.
“We walked over to the church it was very fast, it was very symbolic,” the president told Kilmeade, adding: “The fake news makes everything bad no matter what you do.”


theguardian--2020-06-03--Nirvana: Krist Novoselic praises Trump's 'strong and direct' protest speech

Former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic has praised Donald Trump for the “ law and order ” speech he gave on 1 June in response to protests sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody .
Speaking in the White House rose garden , Trump said he was dispatching “ thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers , military personnel , and law enforcement officers to stop the rioting , looting , vandalism , assaults , and the wanton destruction of property ” .
In a post on Facebook , Novoselic wrote : “ Wow !
!
!
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t stand him , however , Trump knocked it out of the park with this speech.
” He continued : “ I agree , the president should not be sending troops into states – and he legally might not be able to anyway – nevertheless , the tone in this speech is strong and direct.
” The National Guard has deployed thousands of troops across America .
However , Trump would have to invoke the 19th-century Insurrection Act to deploy armed troops .
State governor approval is not required if the president determines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US laws or when citizens ’ rights are threatened in any US state .
Novoselic alleged that the violence “ appears as a leftist insurrection ” , despite a lack of clarity about the left-wing antifascist group antifa ’ s involvement with the protests .
“ Imagine if so called ‘ patriot militias ’ were raising this kind of hell ?
” Novoselic wrote .
“ If this were the case , left-wing people would welcome federal intervention .
Most Americans want peace in their communities and President Trump spoke to this desire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few understand – Trump said he would stop the violence and this speaks to many.
” Novoselic dismissed a fan ’ s query about whether this was a parody account , and said it was “ certainly not a partisan echo chamber .
I prefer to think for myself , thank you.
” Following backlash over his remarks , Novoselic made his Facebook page private and deactivated his Twitter account .
He offered clarification of his views in a public follow-up post on Facebook : “ As an avowed independent , I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate .
And it feels insane to have to say this , but I don ’ t support fascism , and I don ’ t support an authoritarian state .
I believe in a civilised society and that we all have to work toward that.
” Novoselic describes himself as an “ anarcho-capitalist socialist moderate I-don ’ t know ” .
He has campaigned for political reform .
In the 2016 election , he supported Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson .

Former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic has praised Donald Trump for the “law and order” speech he gave on 1 June in response to protests sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody.
Speaking in the White House rose garden, Trump said he was dispatching “thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers, military personnel, and law enforcement officers to stop the rioting, looting, vandalism, assaults, and the wanton destruction of property”.
In a post on Facebook, Novoselic wrote: “Wow!!! I know many of you can’t stand him, however, Trump knocked it out of the park with this speech.”
He continued: “I agree, the president should not be sending troops into states – and he legally might not be able to anyway – nevertheless, the tone in this speech is strong and direct.”
The National Guard has deployed thousands of troops across America. However, Trump would have to invoke the 19th-century Insurrection Act to deploy armed troops. State governor approval is not required if the president determines that it has become impossible to enforce US laws or when citizens’ rights are threatened in any US state.
Novoselic alleged that the violence “appears as a leftist insurrection”, despite a lack of clarity about the left-wing antifascist group antifa’s involvement with the protests. “Imagine if so called ‘patriot militias’ were raising this kind of hell?” Novoselic wrote.
“If this were the case, left-wing people would welcome federal intervention. Most Americans want peace in their communities and President Trump spoke to this desire. Never mind the legal details that few understand – Trump said he would stop the violence and this speaks to many.”
Novoselic dismissed a fan’s query about whether this was a parody account, and said it was “certainly not a partisan echo chamber. I prefer to think for myself, thank you.”
Following backlash over his remarks, Novoselic made his Facebook page private and deactivated his Twitter account.
He offered clarification of his views in a public follow-up post on Facebook: “As an avowed independent, I don’t endorse a major party or candidate. And it feels insane to have to say this , but I don’t support fascism, and I don’t support an authoritarian state. I believe in a civilised society and that we all have to work toward that.”
Novoselic describes himself as an “anarcho-capitalist socialist moderate I-don’t know”. He has campaigned for political reform. In the 2016 election, he supported Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.


theguardian--2020-06-04--George Floyd killing: reports of over 10,000 arrested as protests enter 10th day – live

Fired Minneapolis police officers Alexander Kueng , 26 , Thomas Lane , 37 , and Tou Thao , 34 , are due to appear in court this afternoon to face charges filed yesterday of aiding and abetting former officer Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd on May 25 .
The men are at the Hennepin County Jail .
Derek Chauvin was charged yesterday with second degree murder after Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison took over the case , an upgrade of the third degree murder charge brought last week by the Hennepin County prosecutor .
Just before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service will begin in Minneapolis for George Floyd .
The four officers were fired on May 26 , the day after Chauvin kneeled on 46-year-old Floyd ’ s neck as he was pinned to the street , for almost nine minutes .
The death has been ruled a homicide by two autopsies , one official , one private carried out at the request of Floyd ’ s family .
Protests continue across the country , with many demonstrators echoing some of Floyd ’ s dying words , “ I can ’ t breathe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 46 seconds , the length of time Chauvin , who is white , kneeled on the African-American man ’ s neck during an arrest .
Kueng was seen on video taken by a witness pressing on Floyd ’ s back , while Lane pinned his legs .
Thao stood alongside and warned bystanders against intervening .

5 Jun 2020 10.49 BST Donald Trump loves boasting about his polling numbers when they are great for him. He might not be so keen on some numbers that have just come out from ABC News. For the second week since ABC News and Ipsos began polling on the coronavirus in mid-March, Trump’s approval for his stewardship over the nation’s response to the outbreak remains at a record low 39%. Six in 10 Americans disapprove of the president’s handling of the virus.
The company also polled US adults on whether they viewed George Floyd’s death as an underlying racial injustice problem - and 74% of Americans polled did. Writing for ABC News, Kendall Karson observes that: This poll shows a more than 30-point increase in the belief that recent events reflect a broader issue over racial injustice from an ABC News/Washington Post poll from December 2014, four months after the shooting of Michael Brown, an 18-year black man, by a white cop, and five months after the death of Eric Garner, a black man, who died after being put in a chokehold by a white officer. It possibly bears out what Barack Obama was saying earlier this week - that the people on the streets protesting racial injustice have been more ethnically and racially diverse than previous bouts of civil rights demonstrations. You can read the full details of the ABC News poll here: 74% of Americans view George Floyd’s death as an underlying racial injustice problem
5 Jun 2020 10.23 BST Luke Henriques-Gomes The Age newspaper in Melbourne, Australia has issued an apology for its front page story this morning, which claimed without evidence that Black Lives Matter protesters had threatened “police command with spitting, inflammatory chanting and other forms of physical abuse” ahead of a demonstration planned for tomorrow. After significant backlash, the paper said in a “clarification” added to a re-written version of the story: The headline and opening paragraphs of the original version of this story reported concerns within the Victorian Government about the potential for some activists to provoke physical confrontation with police during planned protests. The story fell short of The Age’s editorial values and standards and caused understandable offence to many members of the community. The claim that some activists had threatened police with spitting and abuse was not backed up beyond one unnamed senior government source. The story put undue emphasis on these claims. The main organisers of the rally, the Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, clearly stated that they had no knowledge of any threats to police. The Age apologises.
5 Jun 2020 10.07 BST NFL players issued a powerful video statement overnight, which posed a challenge directly to the organisers to make a stronger explicit anti-racism message - and an apology for their past behaviour to players. The video message posted on social media includes Saquon Barkley, Patrick Mahomes, Michael Thomas, Odell Beckham Jr and Ezekiel Elliott among others. ✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/ltJwmjVVMW — Saquon Barkley (@saquon) June 5, 2020 In the clip players take turns asking the question “What if I was George Floyd?”, and go on to name several black men and women who have recently been killed, including Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice and Trayvon Martin. They then tell the NFL that they want to hear the league condemn the systematic oppression of black people and admit they were wrong to silence the players’ peaceful protests. The video also acts as a firm slap-down of Drew Brees, whose comments about NFL player protests have been described as both ignorant and dangerous. The NFL, which of course prohibited players from taking a knee to protest police brutality, did put out an anti-racist statement on 30 May, dismissed as “trash” by Jacksonville Jaguars safety Peyton Thompson.
5 Jun 2020 09.34 BST One of the stories that is likely to develop further as the US wakes up is the suspension without pay of two police officers in Buffalo, New York after they were caught on film pushing a 75-year-old man to the ground. Buffalo mayor Byron Brown said he was “deeply distrubed” by the video and New York state governor Andrew Cuomo said the incident was “wholly unjustified and utterly disgraceful” You can see the incident in this video clip - be warned you may find it distressing. 01:01 Video shows police in New York state shoving 75-year-old to ground The 75-year old man is reported to be in a stable but serious condition.
5 Jun 2020 08.59 BST The tenth night of protests and grief over the death of George Floyd continues to produce some strong images from the US and around the world. Here are a selection of some of the most striking from the last few hours. A protestor in downtown Los Angeles holds up a picture of George Floyd Photograph: Ringo Chiu/ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock Reverend Al Sharpton finishes up his speech at the George Floyd memorial at North Central University in Minneapolis, Minnesota Photograph: Chris Juhn/ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock People raise their hands as they protest in honour of George Floyd in Minneapolis Photograph: Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images A woman lights a candle during a protest in front of the US embassy in Mexico City Photograph: Pedro Pardo/AFP/Getty Images People gathered in the rain outside of the White House for a peaceful protest against police brutality Photograph: Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images A demonstrator walks past a mural for George Floyd during a protest near the White House Photograph: Olivier Douliery/AFP/Getty Images A demonstrator holds up a sign - no justice, no peace - in Los Angeles Photograph: Ringo Chiu/ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock
5 Jun 2020 08.37 BST While work continues on beefing up the security around the White House, Donald Trump will be out and about today with a planned visit to rural Maine. It is his first trip to Maine since taking office, and he is scheduled to visit Guilford, where he will be visiting Puritan Medical Products, one of only two major companies producing a special type of swab needed to ramp up coronavirus testing. The Trump administration is providing $75.5 million through the Defense Production Act for Puritan to double production to 40 million swabs a month, and the company plans to open a second production site by July 1. Trump is also scheduled to meet with members of the commercial fishing industry. He’ll be flying in to Bangor, where he is also likely to encounter protest. And the local political ground isn’t perhaps as welcoming as the president might hope - all four members of Maine’s congressional delegation, including Republican Senator Susan Collins, have been critical of Trump’s actions this week. Earlier this week she called his church and bible photo opportunity “unsympathetic” and “insensitive”. Marie Follayttar, director of Mainers for Accountable Leadership, which is helping organise the demonstration today, simple says “It’s not the right time for him to be coming to our state.”
5 Jun 2020 08.10 BST There will inevitably be a huge focus on what happens now with the Minneapolis police force. Associated Press reporters Tammy Webber and Amy Forliti have been looking at the challenges faced by Medaria Arradondo, the city’s first African American police chief. In his 2017 swearing-in ceremony he spoke of restoring trust. But George Floyd’s death has raised questions about whether Arradondo — or any chief — can fix the department. The city’s own data going back to 2015 shows that when police officers use force, 60% of the time the person they’re dealing with is black, though only 20% of the population is black.
“I think the chief’s heart is in the right place,” City Council member Steve Fletcher said. “But I don’t think this department was ever going to let him get there. I think people understand he was in an impossible situation.” Fletcher argues that Arradondo was too lenient with discipline in his first year as chief as he worked to build department morale, which made getting rid of problem officers difficult later. Arradondo’s predecessor, Janee Harteau, was forced out over the fatal shooting of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. She said she received push-back from the union when she was trying to implement reforms and this week she called on police union President Lt. Bob Kroll to resign after his controversial comments. The Minnesota Department of Human Rights filed civil rights charges related to Floyd’s death and will investigate the Minneapolis Police Department to determine if it has engaged in discriminatory practices, Governor Tim Walz said this week. Fletcher said he wants to examine whether the police department should be disbanded, saying he believes it’s “so broken it can’t be fixed.”
“I think we need to rebuild from the ground up,” said Fletcher, vice chair of the city’s public safety committee.
Bob Bennett, an attorney who said he has sued the department “hundreds” of times over police misconduct allegations, said Arradondo probably did the best he could, but the union has more sway than chiefs do over police conduct. “I know he wants to reform the department as much as anyone I’ve ever met or seen,” Bennett said. “Hopefully this whole mess will bring about some change.”
5 Jun 2020 07.10 BST That’s it from me, Helen Sullivan, for today. Thank you so much to those of you who got in touch on Twitter. Before I go – this video was taken earlier this week, but because it’s Friday: here are protestors singing along to Tupac’s 1992 song “Changes” at the George Floyd protest all the way in Aotearoa (the Māori name for New Zealand): Tupac at the George Floyd protests in Aotearoa (New Zealand) earlier this week 💔: pic.twitter.com/Fui4zAksnk — Helen Sullivan (@helenrsullivan) June 5, 2020
Updated at 07.18 BST


theguardian--2020-06-04--Ex-defense secretary James Mattis condemns Trump's handling of protests – as it happened

Meghan Markle has spoken out about the death of George Floyd in a video recorded for students graduating from her old high school , Immaculate Heart , in Los Angeles “ I know you know that black lives matter , ” the Duchess of Sussex said in the video .
“ For the past couple of weeks I ’ ve been planning on saying a few words to you for your graduation and as we ’ ve all seen over the last week what is happening in our country , and in our state and in our home town of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I want to say to you is that I ’ m sorry , I ’ m so sorry that you have to grow up in a world where this is still present , ” she said in her message .
The duchess admitted in the video that she was worried about saying the right thing and that she expected her words to be “ picked apart ” .
It is unusual for members of the British royal family to comment on political issues - however Meghan and her husband Prince Harry have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ royal life .
They effectively retired from royal duties in March , and are currently living in Los Angeles with their son Archie .
“ The only wrong thing to say is to say nothing .
Because George Floyd ’ s life mattered , and Breonna Taylor ’ s life mattered , and Philando Castile ’ s life mattered and Tamir Rice ’ s life mattered and so did so many other people whose names we know , and whose names we do not know , ” she said .
The 38-year-old also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1992 LA riots .
“ Those memories don ’ t go away and I can ’ t imagine that at 17 or 18 years old , which is how old you are now , that you would have to have a different version of that same type of experience , ” she said .
“ That ’ s something you should have an understanding of , but an understanding of as a history lesson not as your reality .
So I ’ m sorry that in a way we have not gotten the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be .
”

Martin Belam (now); Helen Sullivan, Maanvi Singh, Martin Pengelly, Joan E Greve and Joanna Walters (earlier)

4 Jun 2020 10.24 BST Alex Hern Lego has asked its partners to pull all marketing for police themed sets as part of its response to the ongoing black lives matter protests in the US.
More than 30 building sets, minifigures and accessories are included on the list, distributed amongst affiliate marketers and widely published on social media.
Amongst the sets to be pulled are “Police Dog Unit”, “Police Bike” and “Police Station”, but also some products with a less obvious connection to the police, including “Fire Plane”, “Barbecue Burn Out” and “Donut Shop Opening”.
The Lego Architecture version of the White House, a £90 model intended for adult builders, is also included on the list.
LEGO Architecture White House model Photograph: LEGO In a statement, a Lego spokesperson said “We requested that our affiliate partners refrain from posting promotional LEGO content as part of our decision to respect #BlackOutTuesday and pause posting content on our social media channels in response to the tragic events in the US. We regret any misunderstanding and will ensure that we are clearer about our intentions in the future.”
On its Twitter feed Lego, a statement said the company “stands with the black community against racism and inequality. There is much to do.
pic.twitter.com/gpWKJ8pr7V — LEGO (@LEGO_Group) June 3, 2020 “We will donate $4m to organisations dedicated to supporting black children and educating all children about racial equality,” the company added.
4 Jun 2020 10.01 BST In a move sure to irk Donald Trump, Iranian president Hassan Rouhani has described George Floyd’s killing as “brutal” and criticised Trump for posing for photos while holding a Bible. In a televised speech he said “We express sympathy toward the American people who are on the streets while harshly condemning the crime. It is a shame that the president stands with a Bible when he plans to act against his people.” Rouhani in Tehran. In his TV address he said George Floyd “was killed in the most brutal way” Photograph: Iranian Presidency/ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock The two presidents are not shy about discussing protests in the other’s nation. Earlier in the year Trump repeatedly tweeted support for protestors in Iran, including a direct appeal to them in Farsi. به مردم شجاع و رنج کشیده ایران: من از ابتدای دوره ریاست جمهوریم با شما ایستاده‌ام و دولت من همچنان با شما خواهد ایستاد. ما اعتراضات شما را از نزدیک دنبال می کنیم. شجاعت شما الهام بخش است. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2020
4 Jun 2020 09.52 BST In the UK overnight the family of Lee Rigby have issued a statement asking right-wing social media users to stop using the name of the late soldier in posts aimed at denigrating the #BlackLivesMatter movement. The statement, posted on Facebook by the Lee Rigby Foundation reads: As a foundation and a family we are aware of a number of posts using images of Lee and his murder in a divisive way to fuel arguments against the Black Lives Matter protests. Lee proudly served his country to protect the rights and freedoms of all members of this great melting pot of a nation. Seeing his image used to cause hate of any kind especially for those exercising their freedoms in protest against this issue hurts. We find these post extremely heartbreaking and distressing, and in complete opposition to what Lee stood for. We ask you all to please stop using his image and memory in such posts as he was a lover of all humanity. Signed by Lee’s mother Lyn, the message goes on to state that “Our thoughts and support goes out to George Floyd’s friends and family at this tragic time.” Statement from the Lee Rigby Foundation about #BlackLivesMatter Photograph: Lee Rigby Foundation/Facebook Fusilier Lee Rigby of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers was murdered in a terror attack in Woolwich, southeast London, in May 2013. His attackers were sentenced in 2014 to life imprisonment.
4 Jun 2020 09.06 BST Arrests at George Floyd protests reach 10,000 Associated Press are reporting that more than 10,000 people have now been arrested in protests against racism and police brutality in the wake of George Floyd’s death. It’s not an official figure, but comes from their own tally of arrest reports. The AP figures show that Los Angeles has had more than a quarter of the national arrests, followed by New York, Dallas and Philadelphia. Many of the arrests have been for low-level offences such as curfew violations and failure to disperse. Hundreds were arrested on burglary and looting charges. During the course of the protests it has been a common refrain from the authorities that “outside agitators” from out-of-town were responsible for the highly visible protests. Minnesota governor Tim Walz even went as far as to say that 80 percent of the participants in the demonstrations were from out of state. The AP figures tell a different story. In a nearly 24-hour period from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon, 41 of the 52 people cited with protest-related arrests in Minneapolis had Minnesota driver’s licenses, according to the Hennepin County sheriff. Likewise, in the nation’s capital, 86 percent of the more than 400 people arrested as of Wednesday afternoon were, according to AP, from Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Los Angeles Chief Michel Moore told the city’s Police Commission Tuesday the bulk of the arrests, about 2,500, were for failure to disperse or curfew violations. The rest were for crimes including burglary, looting, assaults on police officers and other violence. The only other U.S. city with an arrest toll that comes close to Los Angeles’ is New York, with about 2,000.
4 Jun 2020 08.42 BST If you’ve been following the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag on social media you may have been surprised this morning by a sudden flood of Korean characters and the repeated phrase: “We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together.” The source of this is the world’s biggest K-Pop band, BTS, who posted on social media this morning: 우리는 인종차별에 반대합니다.
우리는 폭력에 반대합니다.
나, 당신, 우리 모두는 존중받을 권리가 있습니다. 함께 하겠습니다.
We stand against racial discrimination.
We condemn violence.
You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together.#BlackLivesMatter — 방탄소년단 (@BTS_twt) June 4, 2020 The post on Twitter is already rapidly approaching 1 million likes after just an hour, and has mobilised their huge social media army, who are currently retweeting, quoting and fund-raising for the #BlackLivesMatter movement. K-Pop boy band Bangtan Boys BTS in Seoul - they are the best-selling Korean pop export of all time Photograph: EPA The band’s following were also active on social media earlier in the week - flooding hashtags like #BlueLivesMatter and #WhiteLivesMatter with pictures and videos of the band, to drown out anti-#BlackLivesMatter sentiment. Their K-Pop tweets on the main #BlackLivesMatter hashtag itself may not be universally welcomed however. Tuesday’s attempt at a social media blackout was criticised by some activists complaining that the string of blank images and silent posts was inhibiting the ability for people to share useful information with the hashtag.
4 Jun 2020 08.16 BST Meghan Markle speaks out about the death of George Floyd Meghan Markle has spoken out about the death of George Floyd in a video recorded for students graduating from her old high school, Immaculate Heart, in Los Angeles “I know you know that black lives matter,” the Duchess of Sussex said in the video. “For the past couple of weeks I’ve been planning on saying a few words to you for your graduation and as we’ve all seen over the last week what is happening in our country, and in our state and in our home town of LA is absolutely devastating “First thing I want to say to you is that I’m sorry, I’m so sorry that you have to grow up in a world where this is still present,” she said in her message.
Meghan on George Floyd killing: 'the only wrong thing to say is nothing' – video The duchess admitted in the video that she was worried about saying the right thing and that she expected her words to be “picked apart”. It is unusual for members of the British royal family to comment on political issues - however Meghan and her husband Prince Harry have been anything but conventional in their approach to royal life. They effectively retired from royal duties in March, and are currently living in Los Angeles with their son Archie. “The only wrong thing to say is to say nothing. Because George Floyd’s life mattered, and Breonna Taylor’s life mattered, and Philando Castile’s life mattered and Tamir Rice’s life mattered and so did so many other people whose names we know, and whose names we do not know,” she said. The 38-year-old also reflected on her own memories of the 1992 LA riots.
“Those memories don’t go away and I can’t imagine that at 17 or 18 years old, which is how old you are now, that you would have to have a different version of that same type of experience,” she said.
“That’s something you should have an understanding of, but an understanding of as a history lesson not as your reality. So I’m sorry that in a way we have not gotten the world to the place you deserve it to be.”
Updated at 09.19 BST
4 Jun 2020 08.08 BST The MLS winger Aleksandar Katai, who plays for LA Galaxy, has found himself embroiled in a racism row after it appeared his wife had posted inflammatory messages about the George Floyd protests on her Instagram account. Tea Katai’s posts were written in Serbian and appeared to be a call to “kill” protesters, with another calling them “disgusting cattle”.
The team issued the following statement: “The LA Galaxy strongly condemned the social posts and requested their immediate removal. The LA Galaxy stands firmly against racism of any kind, including that which suggests violence or seeks to demean the efforts of those in pursuit of racial equality. The LA Galaxy stand with communities of color, and especially the Black community, in the protests and fight against systemic racism, social inequality, bigotry and violence.”
4 Jun 2020 07.56 BST There’s a steady stream of stunning images coming through from last nights protests from across the US, and indeed the world. Protester organizers shed tears while speaking during a peaceful march in Detroit Photograph: Seth Herald/AFP/Getty Images A person pours milk on the face of a protester who was teargassed by police officers in New Orleans Photograph: Sophia Germer/AP Members of the Pennsylvania National Guard monitor activity outside City Hall in Philadelphia Photograph: Mark Makela/Getty Images Protestors lie down in protest in San Mateo, California Photograph: Neal Waters/ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock Protestors in Sydney last night, showing how far the death of George Floyd has sparked outrage around the world Photograph: Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock A protesters in Detroit wearing a face mask with the words “I can’t breath” which have come to symbolise George Floyd’s death at the hands of the police Photograph: Seth Herald/AFP/Getty Images
4 Jun 2020 07.33 BST The protests and grief over the killing of George Floyd have dominated headlines in the US and around the world for over a week, and are not likely to let up at any point soon. A huge focus today will be the first of the memorial services for Floyd. Associated Press reports that the first service will be this afternoon at North Central University in Minneapolis. Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network, and Floyd family attorney Ben Crump will speak. Floyd’s body will then go to Raeford in North Carolina, where he was born, for a two-hour public viewing and private service for the family on Saturday. Finally, a public viewing will be held Monday in Houston, where he was raised and lived most of his life. A 500-person service on Tuesday will take place at The Fountain of Praise church and will include addresses from Sharpton, Crump, and the Rev. Remus E. Wright.
4 Jun 2020 07.03 BST That’s it from me, Helen Sullivan, for today. Thank you for following along and, as always, to those who took the time to get in touch. My colleague Martin Belam will once again be steering this ship for the next few hours.
4 Jun 2020 06.59 BST LA Mayor scraps planned police department budget boost Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has announced that he will scrap a planned budget boost for the city’s police department, diverting some of the funds to efforts to address problems faced by black residents, NPR reports. The planned boost had included $41 million in bonuses. NPR continues, “Not only will the LAPD budget not increase, the mayor is also looking to make cuts. He said he is committed to slashing another $250 million within the department as he plans to do across all others.”


theguardian--2020-06-04--Can Joe Biden convince protesters he would be a 'transformational' president?

Hours before peaceful protests against police brutality were dispersed with teargas so that Donald Trump could pose with a Bible in front of St John ’ s church , Joe Biden also went to church .
Head bowed , Biden prayed with community leaders at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal church in his home town of Wilmington , Delaware .
For days the nation had been convulsed over the killing of George Floyd , a 46-year-old black man pinned under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer for a fatal eight minutes and 46 seconds .
The former vice-president then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s black community express collective anger and anguish .
Their message was clear : he must do more .
“ The people in this room , we love you , ” state senator Darius Brown told the former vice-president .
“ But we ’ re here not only to love you , but to push you.
” America faces a stark choice in November .
But contrast is not a vision , say activists , scholars and strategists , echoing calls from protesters for changes to the economic and political conditions that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man in police custody .
In the last several days , the official death toll of the Covid-19 outbreak , which has been disproportionately affecting black communities , surpassed 100,000 Americans , while the economic turmoil left 40 million people without jobs – all before Minneapolis erupted in furious protest , sparking demonstrations in cities across the country and the globe .
The compounding crises present a critical test of leadership for the 77-year-old presumptive Democratic nominee who has cast his candidacy as a “ battle for the soul of the nation ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than beating Donald Trump , ” Akunna Cook , the former president of the Black Economic Alliance .
“ It is not enough to just be better than Trump.
” So far , Biden , who was vice president under Barack Obama , the nation ’ s first black president , has sought to demonstrate he is capable of both listening and leading .
On Sunday , he made an unannounced visit to a protest site in Wilmington .
He hosted a virtual roundtable with mayors to discuss the upheaval .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the birthplace of American democracy , to confront the “ racial wounds that have long plagued our country ” .
Cook , now a senior fellow at the Democratic thinktank Third Way , is encouraged but challenged Biden to do more to address deep-rooted racial and economic disparities .
“ Biden has the latitude to be a transformational president and to have a transformational presidency , ” she said .
Biden won the Democratic primary on the strength of his support among black voters , particularly older , more moderate black voters in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling presidential campaign starting in South Carolina .
Yet this coalition alone will probably not be enough to beat Trump .
Biden ’ s campaign has acknowledged he must also motivate younger and disaffected black voters who have lost faith in electoral politics .
Many of them are in the streets protesting police killings and institutionalized racism at this moment , said Cliff Albright , the co-founder of Black Voters Matter .
He fears Democrats are charting a path that is vulnerable to low turnout .
“ Come November , Democrats are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it takes to get them out to vote , ” Albright said .
“ They ’ re telling you what it will take .
Does he listen ?
That will be the real test.
” The support of African American voters is critical to the success of any Democratic nominee .
In 2016 , black voter turnout fell for the first time in two decades , the result of disillusionment , compounded by voter disenfranchisement and Russia interference targeting African Americans online .
Trump has made a show of his efforts to peel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , despite his long history of racist remarks and behavior .
His campaign hosts online gatherings featuring African American surrogates and seized on Biden ’ s comment last month that African American voters torn between him and the president “ ain ’ t black ” .
Since the protests began , Biden has sought to emphasize unity and solidarity , drawing a sharp contrast with Trump who characterized those demonstrating as “ thugs ” and “ terrorists ” and threatened to deploy the military if governors failed to “ dominate ” the protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has expressed hope that “ the blinders have been taken off ” for many Americans , creating space for substantive change .
A Monmouth University poll conducted as protests erupted , found more Americans trusted Biden than Trump to handle race relations in the country .
Fifty-two per cent said they have a great deal or some confidence in Biden ’ s ability to address the issue while only 40 % said they felt the same about the president .
Jabari Nyomba , 30 , was among a crowd of thousands that circled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police brutality , chanting “ I can ’ t breathe ” and carrying signs that memorialized George Floyd , Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery .
“ We ’ re tired of institutional racism , ” he said .
“ We ’ re tired of seeing our brothers and sisters getting killed by the ones that are supposed to serve and protect us .
I ’ ve just had enough.
” Nyomba said he hoped the fury on display would be channeled into voting come November .
“ These protests demonstrate that people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president of She the People , a political advocacy group focused on women of color .
“ But I ’ m not hearing the same excitement about Biden and about the Democrats because they haven ’ t stepped up yet.
” Allison said Biden not only needs to lay out specific policy proposals but to demonstrate that he has the “ political will ” to implement them .
Without a robust political agenda that responds to their demands , she said it would be “ hubris ” to expect young black voters to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , Biden called on Congress to pass legislation that would ban police chokeholds , create model use of force standards and end the transfer of military weapons to police forces .
He also recommitted to creating a national police oversight commission during his first 100 days in office .
Biden said he plans to set forth a detailed set of policy proposals in the coming weeks , building on his six-point “ plan for black America ” that addresses the racial wealth gap , voting rights and environmental justice .
Yet he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was greater than any one election or one president .
“ That action will not be completed in the first 100 days of my presidency – or even an entire term , ” he said .
“ It is the work of a generation.
” National moments of racial strife have bracketed Biden ’ s 50-year political career .
He was first drawn to public office after the national guard occupied Wilmington in response to the race riots that followed Martin Luther King Jr ’ s assassination in 1968 .
Entering the race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was motivated by the president ’ s failure to unequivocally condemn white supremacists in the wake of violent clashes in Charlottesville , Virginia , in 2017 .
But Biden ’ s record on matters of race is complicated .
His treatment of Anita Hill during the 1991 Supreme Court nomination hearings for Clarence Thomas and his authorship of a 1994 crime bill that many activists and researchers say led to an era of mass incarceration are still points of contention .
During the primary , his more liberal rivals attacked him over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , abortion and marijuana legalization .
And his comment about black voters renewed a discussion about whether Biden – and the Democratic party – took their support for granted .
As the nation reckons with its history , so too must Biden , said Keneshia Grant , a political science professor at Howard University .
Apologizing for his role in crime bill , parts of which he still defends , would be a start , she said .
“ We are in the middle of an uprising unseen in this nation in at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be politics as usual , ” Grant said .
“ It has to be different.
” The events of the last week have also recast his search for a vice-presidential candidate .
Pressure was already building on Biden to choose a black woman , a list that includes California senator Kamala Harris , congresswoman Val Demings of Florida and former Georgia House Democratic leader Stacey Abrams .
Others are more concerned about the candidate ’ s criminal justice credentials , arguing that prosecutors should not be considered .
Progressives have singled out Minnesota @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutor in Minnesota , as particularly problematic , though Harris , a former state attorney general , and Demings , a former Orlando police chief , have also come under renewed scrutiny .
Perhaps more important than who is on his ticket is who Biden mobilizes behind him , said Rashad Robinson , the president of Color of Change , a racial justice organization .
Biden , he said , must do more to engage grassroots organizers leading the next generation of civil rights leaders .
“ This is a fight for political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will stand in the way of any change , ” he said .
“ He can not just aspirationally ask us to come together .
He has to get in this fight with us.
” Ankita Rao contributed to this article from Brooklyn

Hours before peaceful protests against police brutality were forcibly dispersed so Donald Trump could pose with a Bible in front of St John’s, Joe Biden also went to church.
Head bowed, Biden prayed with community leaders at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal church in his home town of Wilmington, Delaware. For days the nation had been convulsed over the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man pinned under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer for a fatal eight minutes and 46 seconds.
Biden then listened silently to members of the city’s black community express collective anger and anguish. Their message was clear: he must do more.
“The people in this room, we love you,” state senator Darius Brown told him. “But we’re here not only to love you, but to push you.”
America faces a stark choice in November. But contrast is not a vision, say activists, scholars and strategists, echoing calls from protesters for changes to the economic and political conditions that led to the death of another black man in police custody.
In the last several days, the official death toll of the Covid-19 outbreak, which has been disproportionately affecting black communities, surpassed 100,000 Americans, while the economic turmoil left more than 40 million people without jobs – all before Minneapolis erupted in furious protest, sparking demonstrations in cities across the country and the globe.
The compounding crises present a critical test of leadership for the 77-year-old presumptive Democratic nominee who has cast his candidacy as a “battle for the soul of the nation”.
“This has to be about more than beating Donald Trump,” Akunna Cook, the former president of the Black Economic Alliance. “It is not enough to just be better than Trump.”
Representative Lisa Blunt speaks with Joe Biden, along with members of the clergy and community leaders at Bethel AME church in Wilmington, Delaware. Photograph: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
So far, Biden, vice-president under Barack Obama, the nation’s first black president, has sought to demonstrate he is capable of listening and leading. On Sunday, he made an unannounced visit to a protest site in Wilmington. He hosted a virtual roundtable with mayors to discuss the upheaval. On Tuesday, he traveled to Philadelphia, the birthplace of American democracy, to confront the “racial wounds that have long plagued our country”.
Cook, now a senior fellow at the Democratic thinktank Third Way, is encouraged but challenged Biden to do more to address deep-rooted racial and economic disparities.
“Biden has the latitude to be a transformational president and to have a transformational presidency,” she said.
Biden won the Democratic primary on the strength of his support among black voters, particularly older, more moderate black voters who helped turn around his struggling presidential campaign starting in South Carolina.
Yet this coalition alone will probably not be enough to beat Trump. Biden’s campaign has acknowledged he must also motivate younger and disaffected black voters who have lost faith in electoral politics.
Many of them are in the streets protesting police killings and institutionalized racism at this moment, said Cliff Albright, the co-founder of Black Voters Matter. He fears Democrats are charting a path that is vulnerable to low turnout.
“Come November, Democrats are going to be trying to figure out what it takes to get them out to vote,” Albright said. “They’re telling you what it will take. Does he listen? That will be the real test.”
The support of African American voters is critical to the success of any Democratic nominee. In 2016, black voter turnout fell for the first time in two decades, the result of disillusionment, compounded by voter disenfranchisement and Russia interference targeting African Americans online.
Trump has made a show of his efforts to peel away black support for the Democratic party, despite his long history of racist remarks and behavior. His campaign hosts online gatherings featuring African American surrogates and seized on Biden’s comment last month that African American voters torn between him and the president “ain’t black”.
Since the protests began, Biden has sought to emphasize unity and solidarity, drawing a sharp contrast with Trump who characterized those demonstrating as “thugs” and “terrorists” and threatened to deploy the military if governors failed to “dominate” the protests. Amid the national upheaval, Biden has expressed hope that “the blinders have been taken off” for many Americans, creating space for substantive change.
A person holds a banner during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Washington on Tuesday. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
A Monmouth University poll conducted as protests erupted, found more Americans trusted Biden than Trump to handle race relations in the country. Fifty-two per cent said they have a great deal or some confidence in Biden’s ability to address the issue while only 40% said they felt the same about the president.
Jabari Nyomba, 30, was among a crowd of thousands that circled the Barclays Center in Brooklyn to protest police brutality, chanting “I can’t breathe” and carrying signs that memorialized George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.
“We’re tired of institutional racism,” he said. “We’re tired of seeing our brothers and sisters getting killed by the ones that are supposed to serve and protect us. I’ve just had enough.”
Nyomba said he hoped the fury on display would be channeled into voting come November.
“These protests demonstrate that people are activated,” said Aimee Allison, president of She the People, a political advocacy group focused on women of color. “But I’m not hearing the same excitement about Biden and about the Democrats because they haven’t stepped up yet.”
Allison said Biden not only needs to lay out specific policy proposals but to demonstrate that he has the “political will” to implement them. Without a robust political agenda that responds to their demands, she said it would be “hubris” to expect young black voters to turn out.
02:13 'A wake-up call for the nation': Joe Biden addresses the killing of George Floyd – video
In his speech on Tuesday, Biden called on Congress to pass legislation that would ban police chokeholds, create model use-of-force standards and end the transfer of military weapons to police forces. He also recommitted to creating a national police oversight commission during his first 100 days in office.
Biden said he plans to set forth a detailed set of policy proposals in the coming weeks, building on his six-point “plan for black America” that addresses the racial wealth gap, voting rights and environmental justice.
Yet he acknowledged that the scale of change needed was greater than any one election or one president.
“That action will not be completed in the first 100 days of my presidency – or even an entire term,” he said. “It is the work of a generation.”
National moments of racial strife have bracketed Biden’s 50-year political career. He was first drawn to public office after the national guard occupied Wilmington in response to the race riots that followed Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination in 1968. Entering the race for president in 2019, Biden said he was motivated by the president’s failure to unequivocally condemn white supremacists in the wake of violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.
But Biden’s record on matters of race is complicated. His treatment of Anita Hill during the 1991 supreme court nomination hearings for Clarence Thomas, and his authorship of a 1994 crime bill that many activists and researchers say led to an era of mass incarceration, are still points of contention.
During the primary, his more liberal rivals attacked him over his past stances on mandatory school busing, abortion and marijuana legalization. And his comment about black voters renewed a discussion about whether Biden – and the Democratic party – took their support for granted.
As the nation reckons with its history, so too must Biden, said Keneshia Grant, a political science professor at Howard University. Apologizing for his role in crime bill, parts of which he still defends, would be a start, she said.
The aftermath of rioting in Washington DC following the death of Martin Luther King in 1968. ‘We are in the middle of an uprising unseen in this nation in at least 50 years.’ Photograph: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
“We are in the middle of an uprising unseen in this nation in at least 50 years. It cannot be politics as usual,” Grant said. “It has to be different.”
The events of the last week have also recast his search for a vice-presidential candidate. Pressure was already building on Biden to choose a black woman, a list that includes California senator Kamala Harris, congresswoman Val Demings of Florida and former Georgia House Democratic leader Stacey Abrams.
Others are more concerned about the candidate’s criminal justice credentials, arguing that prosecutors should not be considered. Progressives have singled out Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar, a former top prosecutor in Minnesota, as particularly problematic, though Harris, a former state attorney general, and Demings, a former Orlando police chief, have also come under renewed scrutiny.
Perhaps more important than who is on his ticket is who Biden mobilizes behind him, said Rashad Robinson, the president of Color of Change, a racial justice organization. Biden, he said, must do more to engage grassroots organizers leading the next generation of civil rights leaders.
“This is a fight for political power and there are deeply entrenched forces that will stand in the way of any change,” he said. “He cannot just aspirationally ask us to come together. He has to get in this fight with us.”
Ankita Rao contributed to this article


theguardian--2020-06-04--Iowa touted its Covid-19 testing. Now officials are calling for an investigation

Iowa is betting on its new public health program to allow for the reopening of businesses such as bars and movie theaters following weeks of Covid-19 closures .
But health experts and lawmakers are raising questions about the program and the little-known company behind it , pointing at missed deadlines , long test delays and complaints over the accessibility of testing sites .
The principle behind TestIowa is one familiar to many states and countries by now .
Residents participate in a survey that determines whether they qualify for Covid-19 testing ; people determined to be at higher risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing sites , and positive cases are identified to allow those residents to isolate and curb the spread of the virus .
“ Our ability to target the virus down to a zip code means that we can act with precision , to identify and isolate positive cases , track and contain the spread and keep things operating as normal , ” Iowa state governor Kim Reynolds told reporters .
To run the program , Reynolds in April signed a $ 26m no-bid contract with Nomi Health , after being pitched on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is originally from Iowa .
The company bills itself as a general contractor , that helps governments rebuild the testing supply chain and lower costs .
Nomi Health was contracted to have the TestIowa website built and to supply the state with 10 machines for testing and 540,000 coronavirus tests over six months at an eventual rate of 3,000 tests per day .
To meet those goals , the company works with partners including departments of health , the national guard and private companies like diagnostic firm Co-Diagnostics and tech firms Qualtrics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity the state would be testing 5,000 people per day with TestIowa and other testing capacities combined .
But the program was off to a contentious start .
The number of daily tests following TestIowa ’ s launch on 21 April fell far short of what the governor had promised .
Some residents reported their results were lost , marked as “ incomplete ” , or damaged .
Others complained they waited weeks for their results .
By 13 May , three weeks after its launch and two days before the state officially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results to only 4,000 Iowans .
Part of the delays stemmed from questions over the accuracy of some of the tests .
Utah-based Nomi had also been serving as the general contractor for testing programs in Utah and Nebraska , and after a Salt Lake Tribune report cast doubt on the accuracy of testing used by TestIowa ’ s counterpart in Utah , Iowa resolved to crosscheck results through its State Hygienic Laboratory .
Until the TestIowa machines were vetted , Covid-19 samples had to be processed at Iowa ’ s State Hygienic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was completed by 14 May and , according to the governor , showed 95 % accuracy for determining positive results and 99.7 % for determining negative results .
A spokeswoman from Nomi health said the company does not “ collect , process , or provide clinical advice on test results ” and that sample collection , test administration and processing of tests are all carried out by its partners .
In Iowa , that partner is Co-Diagnostics , a Utah-based company that provides TestIowa with its Covid-19 diagnostic tests , which are FDA-approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meanwhile , public health experts raised concerns about the design of the TestIowa portal , and accessibility of the testing sites .
“ I have taken the TestIowa assessment and I felt as though the questions were designed by analysts and not people with expertise on infectious disease , ” said Lina Tucker Reinders , executive director at the Iowa public health association .
The way the program is constructed , she argued , “ could result in or exacerbate inequities ” .
Tucker Reinders pointed out that the platform ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a state with known broadband access issues , especially in rural areas .
Only about 65 % of Iowa ’ s 216,007 census blocks have access to broadband internet at speeds of at least 25 mbps download and 3 mbps upload , according to 2019 data .
“ If someone doesn ’ t own a computer , tablet or mobile phone with internet connection , they can not access the TestIowa site independently , ” she said .
“ They are advised to have a family member or friend help them enter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the assessment asks personal medical information.
” In addition , the platform is only offered in English and Spanish , making it inaccessible to speakers of other languages common in the factories where Covid-19 is most prevalent in Iowa , where immigrants from Mexico , Bosnia and Burma work .
And residents have complained that the program ’ s eight drive-through testing sites are hard to access by public transportation and are only open certain hours , mostly weekdays and during day time .
Some Iowans have found their closest testing site is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor said “ the program also works directly with employers to overcome language barriers that exist ” for people who do not speak Spanish or English , and that TestIowa is just one tool individuals can use to get a Covid-19 test .
“ That being said , we have made significant improvements in this area and the governor has been a champion for expanding broadband access , especially in rural communities , ” the spokesman added .
Some health experts in the state have questioned the government ’ s decision to award @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The expertise of Nomi Health and their partners appear to be in the fields of data analytics and engineering , which are not the same as epidemiology , ” said Tucker Reinders .
To Rossana Rosa , an infectious disease specialist based in Des Moines , it ’ s clear when looking at the TestIowa platform that it was not made in partnership with existing public health framework in Iowa .
“ Of course we welcome any effort to expand testing in Iowa , ” she said .
“ But this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationship or integration with any of the healthcare systems .
Patients get a lot of the burden of interpreting a test result or knowing what to do once they get it.
” “ I was surprised by the fact that instead of utilizing established public health entities , we went to a company that has never been involved in diagnostics before , ” said Megan Srinivas , an infectious disease physician at the University of North Carolina ’ s Institute of Global Health and infectious disease .
“ It is unusual to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we really want to use resources that are reliable.
” A Nomi Health spokeswoman disputed the company lacked expertise , and said its co-founder and COO Josh Walker has more than 20 years of healthcare experience and the company has partnered with hospital systems , leading disease detection technologies , and other established healthcare entities .
“ While Nomi Health may be a new company , our partners executing on these testing programs are not , ” she said .
Iowa lawmakers , however , are calling for an investigation .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet the goals outlined by Governor Reynolds .
Iowa taxpayers are on the hook for $ 26m and they deserve to know whether their money is being spent wisely , ” representatives Ruth Ann Gaines and Chris Hall said in a letter last week calling for a government oversight investigation .
“ We trust what Iowans and local officials are communicating about their experiences with TestIowa .
If Iowans can ’ t get the answers they deserve regarding TestIowa , it may be time to cancel the contract , ” said the letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of transparency around how the TestIowa contract got awarded .
A spokesman for the governor said decision was made in coordination with the Iowa Department of Public Health and the State Medical Director and Epidemiologist .
He said Reynolds also spoke with Utah Governor Gary Herbert and his staff regarding its parallel program , TestUtah , before making her decision .
Lawmakers in other states where Nomi Health is operating have called for similar reviews .
In Utah , disease specialists have questioned the company ’ s results after data showed far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providers .
And in Nebraska , the Journal Star reported the TestNebraska initiative results were showing a 2 % positive rate , which is “ well below the 18 % average positive rate for all other tests conducted in Nebraska since testing began in early March ” .
Nebraska lawmakers have asked the state ’ s governorto terminate the $ 27m contract with Nomi , saying the company has no prior experience with epidemiology .
“ Perhaps not the best entity to be dealing with this massive project , considering they aren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t know anything about lab testing prior to March of this year , ” Nebraska senator Machaela Cavanaugh wrote .
Nomi Health said it ’ s “ unfortunate ” that “ some politicians have decided to use their positions to target a community health program run by the state to serve their own political agendas in the midst of a crisis , instead of directing their energy toward taking meaningful action to help the State ’ s COVID-19 response.
” “ It ’ s also clear these politicians don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pull together an effective testing operation like this so quickly with no defined playbook , ” the company added .
A Nomi spokeswoman said the backlog of results in Iowa has been resolved and were a normal part of the program ramping up its capabilities during a health crisis .
“ It is a herculean effort to launch a state-wide assessment and testing program in record time in the midst of a pandemic with no precedent for doing so , ” she said .
Despite the widespread concerns , Reynolds is moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is approaching its original goal of 5,000 daily tests .
But some Iowans still say they are still having trouble getting results .
Meanwhile , Iowa is one of the fastest growing states for cases of coronavirus , fueled in part by spikes at meatpacking plants where hundreds of mostly-immigrant workers have fallen ill. Nearly 60 % of employees at one Tyson plant in Perry , Iowa – 730 employees – reportedly were infected with the virus .
Another Tyson plant , in Waterloo , Iowa had 1,031 reported cases among about 2,800 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a news conference in May in Storm Lake where 555 of the plant ’ s 2,517 employees have tested positive .
In that announcement , the Iowa Department of Public Health said it would not be publicly announcing continuing outbreaks at meatpacking plants unless directly asked by reporters .
The Iowa Department of Public Health and the governor ’ s office declined to respond to questions about the number of coronavirus hotspots in the state , and whether those would be tracked by TestIowa .

Iowa is betting on its new public health program to allow for the reopening of businesses such as bars and movie theaters following weeks of Covid-19 closures. But health experts and lawmakers are raising questions about the program and the little-known company behind it, pointing at missed deadlines, long test delays and complaints over the accessibility of testing sites.
The principle behind TestIowa is one familiar to many states and countries by now. Residents participate in a survey that determines whether they qualify for Covid-19 testing; people determined to be at higher risk of having contracted Covid-19 are directed to free testing sites, and positive cases are identified to allow those residents to isolate and curb the spread of the virus.
“Our ability to target the virus down to a zip code means that we can act with precision, to identify and isolate positive cases, track and contain the spread and keep things operating as normal,” Iowa’s governor, Kim Reynolds, told reporters.
Governor Kim Reynolds holds a coronavirus briefing in Johnston. Photograph: Charlie Neibergall/AP
To run the program, Reynolds in April signed a $26m no-bid contract with Nomi Health, after being pitched on the company by Ashton Kutcher, the actor-turned-investor who is originally from Iowa. The company bills itself as a general contractor, that helps governments rebuild the testing supply chain and lower costs.
A contentious start
Nomi Health was contracted to have the TestIowa website built and to supply the state with 10 machines for testing and 540,000 coronavirus tests over six months at an eventual rate of 3,000 tests a day. To meet those goals, the company works with partners including departments of health, the national guard and private companies like diagnostic firm Co-Diagnostics and tech firms Qualtrics and Domo. Reynolds said at full capacity the state would be testing 5,000 people a day with TestIowa and other testing capacities combined.
But the program was off to a contentious start.
A healthcare worker waits for people to show up to a testing site in Sioux City. Photograph: Jerry Mennenga/Zuma Wire/Rex/Shutterstock
The number of daily tests following TestIowa’s launch on 21 April fell far short of what the governor had promised. Some residents reported their results were lost, marked as “incomplete”, or damaged. Others complained they waited weeks for their results. By 13 May, three weeks after its launch and two days before the state officially started to reopen, TestIowa had sent results to only 4,000 Iowans.
Part of the delays stemmed from checking the accuracy of some of the tests. Utah-based Nomi had also been serving as the general contractor for testing programs in Utah and Nebraska, where some local reports cast doubt on the accuracy of testing. Iowa, before using Nomi-contracted testing, cross-checked results through its State Hygienic Laboratory. But until the TestIowa machines were vetted, Covid-19 samples had to be processed at Iowa’s State Hygienic Lab, causing more delays.
Vetting was completed by 14 May and, according to the governor, showed 95% accuracy for determining positive results and 99.7% for determining negative results.
A spokeswoman from Nomi health said the company does not “collect, process, or provide clinical advice on test results” and that sample collection, test administration and processing of tests are all carried out by its partners.
Co-Diagnostics develops and manufactures the Covid-19 molecular diagnostics that Nomi uses, in addition to tests for other infectious diseases. It does not, according to its spokeswoman, collect, process or retain test data. Co-Diagnostics’ Covid-19 test has received emergency use authorization from the FDA.
“The accuracy of Co-Diagnostics’ test has been demonstrated time and again in independent third party evaluations, including the recent validation in Iowa,” Co-diagnostics told the Guardian in a statement. “The company continues to be surprised by reports that ignore this data and that parrot ‘concerns’ that were originally raised by a competitor and published by the Salt Lake Tribune.”
Additional concerns
Meanwhile, public health experts raised concerns about the design of the TestIowa portal, and accessibility of the testing sites. “I have taken the TestIowa assessment and I felt as though the questions were designed by analysts and not people with expertise on infectious disease,” said Lina Tucker Reinders, executive director at the Iowa public health association. The way the program is constructed, she argued, “could result in or exacerbate inequities”.
Nomi Health refutes these allegations and indicates that it collaborated with “leading medical experts” to create the assessment.
Tucker Reinders pointed out that the platform’s accessibility is affected by internet access – in a state with known broadband access issues, especially in rural areas. Only about 65% of Iowa’s 216,007 census blocks have access to broadband internet at speeds of at least 25 mbps download and 3 mbps upload, according to 2019 data.
“If someone doesn’t own a computer, tablet or mobile phone with internet connection, they cannot access the TestIowa site independently,” she said. “They are advised to have a family member or friend help them enter their data. This is inappropriate because the assessment asks personal medical information.”
In addition, the platform is only offered in English and Spanish, making it inaccessible to speakers of other languages common in the factories where Covid-19 is most prevalent in Iowa, where immigrants from Mexico, Bosnia and Burma work.
Iowa department of public health workers administer coronavirus tests in a parking lot in Waterloo. Photograph: Brian Powers/AP
And residents have complained that the program’s eight drive-through testing sites are hard to access by public transportation and are only open certain hours, mostly weekdays and during day time. Some Iowans have found their closest testing site is hours away.
A spokesman for the governor said “the program also works directly with employers to overcome language barriers that exist” for people who do not speak Spanish or English, and that TestIowa is just one tool individuals can use to get a Covid-19 test. “That being said, we have made significant improvements in this area and the governor has been a champion for expanding broadband access, especially in rural communities,” the spokesman added.
Calls for an investigation
Some health experts in the state have questioned the government’s decision to award the testing contract to an out-of-state company. “The expertise of Nomi Health and their partners appear to be in the fields of data analytics and engineering, which are not the same as epidemiology,” said Tucker Reinders.
To Rossana Rosa, an infectious disease specialist based in Des Moines, it’s clear when looking at the TestIowa platform that it was not made in partnership with the existing public health framework in Iowa. “Of course we welcome any effort to expand testing in Iowa,” she said. “But this is a web-based platform without any relationship or integration with any of the healthcare systems. Patients get a lot of the burden of interpreting a test result or knowing what to do once they get it.”
“I was surprised by the fact that instead of utilizing established public health entities, we went to a company that has never been involved in diagnostics before,” said Megan Srinivas, an infectious disease physician at the University of North Carolina’s Institute of Global Health and Infectious Diseases. “It is unusual to do in the setting of a pandemic when we really want to use resources that are reliable.”
A Nomi Health spokeswoman disputed the suggestion that the company lacked expertise, and said its co-founder and COO, Josh Walker, had more than 20 years of healthcare experience and the company has partnered with hospital systems, leading disease detection technologies, and other established healthcare entities.
“While Nomi Health may be a new company, our partners executing on these testing programs are not,” she said.
Healthcare worker test a resident at a drive-through Covid-19 testing site in Waterloo. Photograph: Charlie Neibergall/AP
Iowa lawmakers, however, are calling for an investigation. “It’s clear that TestIowa failed to meet the goals outlined by Governor Reynolds. Iowa taxpayers are on the hook for $26m and they deserve to know whether their money is being spent wisely,” representatives Ruth Ann Gaines and Chris Hall said in a letter last week calling for a government oversight investigation.
“We trust what Iowans and local officials are communicating about their experiences with TestIowa. If Iowans can’t get the answers they deserve regarding TestIowa, it may be time to cancel the contract,” said the letter.
Lawmakers are also concerned about the lack of transparency around how the TestIowa contract got awarded. A spokesman for the governor said decision was made in coordination with the Iowa department of public health and the state medical director and epidemiologist. He said Reynolds also spoke with the Utah governor, Gary Herbert, and his staff regarding its parallel program, TestUtah, before making her decision.
Lawmakers in other states where Nomi Health is operating have called for similar reviews. In Utah, disease specialists have questioned the company’s results after data showed far lower positive rates than those of other providers.
And in Nebraska, the Journal Star reported the TestNebraska initiative results were showing a 2% positive rate, which is “well below the 18% average positive rate for all other tests conducted in Nebraska since testing began in early March”.
Nebraska lawmakers have asked the state’s governorto terminate the $27m contract with Nomi, saying the company has no prior experience with epidemiology. “Perhaps not the best entity to be dealing with this massive project, considering they aren’t a healthcare company and they admittedly don’t know anything about lab testing prior to March of this year,” the Nebraska state senator Machaela Cavanaugh wrote.
Nomi Health said it was “unfortunate” that “some politicians have decided to use their positions to target a community health program run by the state to serve their own political agendas in the midst of a crisis, instead of directing their energy toward taking meaningful action to help the State’s COVID-19 response”.
“It’s also clear these politicians don’t understand our role or what it takes to pull together an effective testing operation like this so quickly with no defined playbook,” the company added.
A Nomi spokeswoman said the backlog of results in Iowa has been resolved and were a normal part of the program ramping up its capabilities during a health crisis. “It is a herculean effort to launch a state-wide assessment and testing program in record time in the midst of a pandemic with no precedent for doing so,” she said.
A Tyson Foods employee dons a second protective mask outside of the company’s meat processing plant in Waterloo, Iowa. Photograph: USA Today Sports/Reuters
Where TestIowa stands
Despite the widespread concerns, Reynolds is moving forward with TestIowa, saying the state is approaching its original goal of 5,000 daily tests. But some Iowans say they are still having trouble getting results.
Meanwhile, Iowa is one of the fastest-growing states for cases of coronavirus, fueled in part by spikes at meatpacking plants where hundreds of mostly immigrant workers have fallen ill. Nearly 60% of employees at one Tyson plant in Perry, Iowa – 730 employees – reportedly were infected with the virus. Another Tyson plant, in Waterloo, Iowa, had 1,031 reported cases among about 2,800 workers.
An additional outbreak was revealed in a news conference in May in Storm Lake where 555 of the plant’s 2,517 employees have tested positive.
In that announcement, the Iowa department of public health said it would not be publicly announcing continuing outbreaks at meatpacking plants unless directly asked by reporters. The Iowa department of public health and the governor’s office declined to respond to questions about the number of coronavirus hotspots in the state, and whether those would be tracked by TestIowa.