shareblue--2020-05-26--Only 1 state has met the federal government's criteria for reopening

Only one state has met all of the criteria contained in guidelines issued by the federal government for safely reopening businesses and easing social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic , according to an analysis by ProPublica .
Despite the lack of progress by the overwhelming majority of states , Donald Trump is still pushing them to reopen .
ProPublica based its analysis on state-level data , updated daily , for five metrics stemming from the guidelines for reopening issued by the White House and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Its metrics are the number of positive tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests that are positive ; the number of tests per 100,000 per day ; the availability of ICU beds ; and the number of hospital visits for `` flu-like illness . ''
Thirty states have met only three of the goals or fewer , and three of them — Alabama , Alaska , and West Virginia — have met only one of the five .
As of Tuesday , Illinois was the only state to have met all five .
New York and California , two of the states hit hardest by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the five criteria , with New York failing at ICU bed capacity and California failing to decrease the number of positive tests per 100,000 residents .
Despite most states falling short of standards the White House and CDC said were `` based on the advice of public health experts , '' Trump is demanding states reopen businesses immediately , no matter the risks , for the benefit of the stock market .
`` Stock Market up BIG , DOW crosses 25,000 .
S & P 500 over 3000 .
States should open up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The Transition to Greatness has started , ahead of schedule .
There will be ups and downs , but next year will be one of the best ever ! ''
Trump has been pushing states to reopen for weeks against the advice of health experts .
On April 17 , Trump encouraged protesters to revolt against stay-at-home orders in Minnesota , Michigan , and Virginia , and later praised armed protesters in Michigan as `` very good people . ''
Michigan has only met two of the five criteria for reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met four .
`` The great people of Pennsylvania want their freedom now , '' Trump tweeted on May 11 , blaming Democrats for moving too slowly to reopen businesses .
According to ProPublica , Pennsylvania has only met three of the five criteria set by the federal government .
During a May 12 Senate hearing , Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation 's top infectious disease expert , warned that states would face `` suffering and death that could be avoided '' if they opted to ignore federal guidance and reopen too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus is still spreading rapidly in 24 states across the South and Midwest , the Washington Post reported on May 22 .
`` There 's evidence that the U.S. is not under control , as an entire country , '' said Samir Bhatt , a lecturer at London 's Imperial College .
Over Memorial Day weekend , some states saw crowds flocking to beaches and other venues , largely ignoring social distancing guidelines , the Post reported .
`` This reckless behavior endangers countless people and risks setting us back substantially from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of COVID-19 , '' said Sam Page , the executive of St. Louis County in Missouri , in response to videos showing people flouting social distancing rules in the state .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Only one state has met all of the criteria contained in guidelines issued by the federal government for safely reopening businesses and easing social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic, according to an analysis by ProPublica. Despite the lack of progress by the overwhelming majority of states, Donald Trump is still pushing them to reopen.
ProPublica based its analysis on state-level data, updated daily, for five metrics stemming from the guidelines for reopening issued by the White House and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its metrics are the number of positive tests per 100,000 people; the percentage of tests that are positive; the number of tests per 100,000 per day; the availability of ICU beds; and the number of hospital visits for “flu-like illness.”
Thirty states have met only three of the goals or fewer, and three of them — Alabama, Alaska, and West Virginia — have met only one of the five.
As of Tuesday, Illinois was the only state to have met all five.
New York and California, two of the states hit hardest by the coronavirus, have each met four of the five criteria, with New York failing at ICU bed capacity and California failing to decrease the number of positive tests per 100,000 residents.
Despite most states falling short of standards the White House and CDC said were “based on the advice of public health experts,” Trump is demanding states reopen businesses immediately, no matter the risks, for the benefit of the stock market.
“Stock Market up BIG, DOW crosses 25,000. S&P 500 over 3000. States should open up ASAP,” Trump tweeted Tuesday morning. “The Transition to Greatness has started, ahead of schedule. There will be ups and downs, but next year will be one of the best ever!”
Trump has been pushing states to reopen for weeks against the advice of health experts.
On April 17, Trump encouraged protesters to revolt against stay-at-home orders in Minnesota, Michigan, and Virginia, and later praised armed protesters in Michigan as “very good people.”
Michigan has only met two of the five criteria for reopening, while Minnesota and Virginia have each met four.
“The great people of Pennsylvania want their freedom now,” Trump tweeted on May 11, blaming Democrats for moving too slowly to reopen businesses. According to ProPublica, Pennsylvania has only met three of the five criteria set by the federal government.
During a May 12 Senate hearing, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, warned that states would face “suffering and death that could be avoided” if they opted to ignore federal guidance and reopen too soon.
British researchers estimated that the virus is still spreading rapidly in 24 states across the South and Midwest, the Washington Post reported on May 22.
“There’s evidence that the U.S. is not under control, as an entire country,” said Samir Bhatt, a lecturer at London’s Imperial College.
Over Memorial Day weekend, some states saw crowds flocking to beaches and other venues, largely ignoring social distancing guidelines, the Post reported.
“This reckless behavior endangers countless people and risks setting us back substantially from the progress we have made in slowing the spread of COVID-19,” said Sam Page, the executive of St. Louis County in Missouri, in response to videos showing people flouting social distancing rules in the state.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-26--Restrictions on abortion begin much earlier than you think

Abortion , though studies show it to be one of the safest medical procedures , is not required to be taught in over one-third of all obstetrics and gynecology residency training programs in the United States .
Most family residency programs do n't provide abortion training , and those programs train doctors to be primary care providers — the physicians that provide the majority of care for underserved rural and urban areas .
Additionally , only a very small number of abortions are performed in a hospital setting , even though public hospitals provide the bulk of training for medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows that policies at the majority of obstetrics and gynecology teaching hospitals restrict abortion beyond what state law requires , to `` the detriment of abortion access and training opportunities . ''
The study , published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology , found that these policies were not typically based on legal or medical concerns .
Instead , it notes , sometimes `` abortion criteria would become narrower based on the political and religious beliefs of hospital funders or political leadership . ''
One interviewee said policies at their teaching hospital were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal beliefs .
The lack of training and policies against providing abortions during medical training contribute to a shortage of abortion providers , according to the study .
One physician who sought to become an abortion provider told ThinkProgress she `` was criticized and discouraged from learning about abortion or talking about it with patients '' during her family planning residency program in Arkansas , even though she was motivated to learn .
The number of independent clinics providing abortions has declined by 28 % since 2012 owing to a variety of factors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age already live over an hour away from the nearest facility that provides abortions .
Anti-abortion activists have had a good deal of success passing restrictive laws targeting abortion access , including 25 new abortion bans passed in 2019 alone .
The provider shortage is worst in rural areas .
Research by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists found that OB-GYN providers in rural areas were `` significantly less likely to perform abortions than their urban counterparts . ''
Some states with large rural populations , such as Kentucky and Mississippi , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortions .
In Wyoming , North Dakota , and South Dakota , at least 50 % of people of reproductive age reside over 90 miles from the nearest abortion provider .
Similarly , in Alaska , 20 % of people would have to travel over 150 miles to reach a clinic .
Sometimes , that lengthy travel is very difficult , if not impossible .
A study that examined the national availability of abortion care concluded that `` access to transportation is a barrier '' and that lower-income people who do not have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to travel by train or bus , delaying access even further .
Those delays due to transportation issues or distance , the study also found , `` can push women seeking abortion to later gestations and are likely to disproportionately affect low-income women , who may struggle to cover the cost of transport . ''
The same study found that delays in obtaining care can result in people being unable to obtain an abortion at all , depending on the distance and any restrictions in place in their states or nearby states .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommends abortion education be required at all medical schools and that non-OB-GYN providers , including family physicians , receive training on integrating first-trimester abortion into their family medicine practice .
Individuals with a moral or religious objection could `` opt out '' of the training , but otherwise all aspiring OB-GYN providers would receive training in providing abortions .
That , the organization says , would `` improve access by increasing the number of abortion providers . ''
Doing so may decrease the distance people must travel and ensure greater abortion access , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rare .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Abortion, though studies show it to be one of the safest medical procedures, is not required to be taught in over one-third of all obstetrics and gynecology residency training programs in the United States.
Most family residency programs don’t provide abortion training, and those programs train doctors to be primary care providers — the physicians that provide the majority of care for underserved rural and urban areas. Additionally, only a very small number of abortions are performed in a hospital setting, even though public hospitals provide the bulk of training for medical students.
Now, a new study shows that policies at the majority of obstetrics and gynecology teaching hospitals restrict abortion beyond what state law requires, to “the detriment of abortion access and training opportunities.”
The study, published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, found that these policies were not typically based on legal or medical concerns. Instead, it notes, sometimes “abortion criteria would become narrower based on the political and religious beliefs of hospital funders or political leadership.” One interviewee said policies at their teaching hospital were changed based on a particular executive’s personal beliefs.
The lack of training and policies against providing abortions during medical training contribute to a shortage of abortion providers, according to the study. One physician who sought to become an abortion provider told ThinkProgress she “was criticized and discouraged from learning about abortion or talking about it with patients” during her family planning residency program in Arkansas, even though she was motivated to learn.
The number of independent clinics providing abortions has declined by 28% since 2012 owing to a variety of factors. Over 11 million people of reproductive age already live over an hour away from the nearest facility that provides abortions. Anti-abortion activists have had a good deal of success passing restrictive laws targeting abortion access, including 25 new abortion bans passed in 2019 alone.
The provider shortage is worst in rural areas. Research by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists found that OB-GYN providers in rural areas were “significantly less likely to perform abortions than their urban counterparts.”
Some states with large rural populations, such as Kentucky and Mississippi, have only one independent clinic that provides abortions. In Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota, at least 50% of people of reproductive age reside over 90 miles from the nearest abortion provider. Similarly, in Alaska, 20% of people would have to travel over 150 miles to reach a clinic.
Sometimes, that lengthy travel is very difficult, if not impossible. A study that examined the national availability of abortion care concluded that “access to transportation is a barrier” and that lower-income people who do not have a car may have to make arrangements to travel by train or bus, delaying access even further.
Those delays due to transportation issues or distance, the study also found, “can push women seeking abortion to later gestations and are likely to disproportionately affect low-income women, who may struggle to cover the cost of transport.”
The same study found that delays in obtaining care can result in people being unable to obtain an abortion at all, depending on the distance and any restrictions in place in their states or nearby states.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends abortion education be required at all medical schools and that non-OB-GYN providers, including family physicians, receive training on integrating first-trimester abortion into their family medicine practice. Individuals with a moral or religious objection could “opt out” of the training, but otherwise all aspiring OB-GYN providers would receive training in providing abortions.
That, the organization says, would “improve access by increasing the number of abortion providers.”
Doing so may decrease the distance people must travel and ensure greater abortion access, particularly in rural areas where practitioners are rare.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-26--Courts rule against two major GOP attempts to block people from voting

Republican attempts to make voting more difficult in Florida and South Carolina faced major setbacks over the weekend as separate courts ruled in favor of challenges to GOP voter suppression efforts .
On Sunday , U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled against a law backed by Florida Republicans aimed at forcing former felons to pay for the right to vote .
After Florida voters passed a ballot measure in 2018 to restore voting rights to most felons who have completed their sentences , Republicans responded with a law requiring that former felons , regardless of their financial situation , must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before being allowed to vote .
Hinkle wrote that legislators `` can not condition voting on payment of amounts a person is unable to pay , '' calling it a `` pay-to-vote system . ''
During closing arguments in the trial , Hinkle had noted that all Republican lawmakers voted for the law and all Democratic lawmakers voted against the law , which , he said , was `` not a coincidence . ''
`` It would be stunning if somebody told me that they did not realize that African Americans tend to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Terrie Rizzo , chair of the Florida Democratic Party , celebrated the decision , saying in an email on Monday , `` American Democracy and the people of Florida had a victory this weekend . ''
On Monday , U.S. District Judge Michelle Childs blocked a South Carolina law that would have forced absentee ballots to be signed by a witness , even during the coronavirus pandemic , in response to arguments against the law made by Democratic and civil rights groups .
Childs wrote that voters are living through the `` worst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planet has seen in over a century '' and said forcing voters with confirmed cases of the coronavirus to find a witness to sign their absentee ballot is not `` in the best interests of the public during a pandemic of this nature , '' as it would expose `` the witness and whoever comes in contact with the witness '' to the virus .
`` During this pandemic , absentee voting is the safest tool through which voters can use to effectuate their fundamental right to vote , '' Childs wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Republicans forcing people to vote in person during a pandemic .
Republican lawmakers and conservative justices in Wisconsin forced voters to go to the polls for the state 's April 7 primary , and , in cases that officials say could be related to that in-person voting , at least 67 people tested positive for the coronavirus afterwards , including some poll workers .
In Texas , Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton fought an effort to allow any voter in the state who wanted one to request an absentee ballot , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` damages the integrity of our elections and increases the risk of voter fraud . ''
Donald Trump has also falsely claimed that absentee voting is linked to fraud , despite the fact that there is no evidence to support the claim .
Democrats , by contrast , have tried to make voting safer .
In Texas , the state Democratic Party launched an effort to enable voter registration at home , although the state does not allow online voter registration .
Texas residents can go to the website RegisterTexas.com to check their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The state Democratic Party will mail a pre-filled registration form to them with a postage-paid envelope to mail the form to their local registrar .
In Congress , Democrats introduced the VoteSafe Act , a bill that would require states to offer no-excuse absentee voting and ensure that they all ensure at least 20 days of early voting .
`` We must make sure the pandemic does not impede full , unfettered access to the ballot box , '' Rep. Marcia Fudge , one of the lead sponsors of the bill , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Republican attempts to make voting more difficult in Florida and South Carolina faced major setbacks over the weekend as separate courts ruled in favor of challenges to GOP voter suppression efforts.
On Sunday, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled against a law backed by Florida Republicans aimed at forcing former felons to pay for the right to vote.
After Florida voters passed a ballot measure in 2018 to restore voting rights to most felons who have completed their sentences, Republicans responded with a law requiring that former felons, regardless of their financial situation, must pay all outstanding fines and legal fees before being allowed to vote.
Hinkle wrote that legislators “cannot condition voting on payment of amounts a person is unable to pay,” calling it a “pay-to-vote system.”
During closing arguments in the trial, Hinkle had noted that all Republican lawmakers voted for the law and all Democratic lawmakers voted against the law, which, he said, was “not a coincidence.”
“It would be stunning if somebody told me that they did not realize that African Americans tend to vote Democratic,” Hinkle said.
Terrie Rizzo, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, celebrated the decision, saying in an email on Monday, “American Democracy and the people of Florida had a victory this weekend.”
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Michelle Childs blocked a South Carolina law that would have forced absentee ballots to be signed by a witness, even during the coronavirus pandemic, in response to arguments against the law made by Democratic and civil rights groups.
Childs wrote that voters are living through the “worst pandemic this state, country, and planet has seen in over a century” and said forcing voters with confirmed cases of the coronavirus to find a witness to sign their absentee ballot is not “in the best interests of the public during a pandemic of this nature,” as it would expose “the witness and whoever comes in contact with the witness” to the virus.
“During this pandemic, absentee voting is the safest tool through which voters can use to effectuate their fundamental right to vote,” Childs wrote.
One state has already witnessed the repercussions of Republicans forcing people to vote in person during a pandemic.
Republican lawmakers and conservative justices in Wisconsin forced voters to go to the polls for the state’s April 7 primary, and, in cases that officials say could be related to that in-person voting, at least 67 people tested positive for the coronavirus afterwards, including some poll workers.
In Texas, Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton fought an effort to allow any voter in the state who wanted one to request an absentee ballot, and argued that expanding safe access to voting “damages the integrity of our elections and increases the risk of voter fraud.”
Donald Trump has also falsely claimed that absentee voting is linked to fraud, despite the fact that there is no evidence to support the claim.
Democrats, by contrast, have tried to make voting safer.
In Texas, the state Democratic Party launched an effort to enable voter registration at home, although the state does not allow online voter registration. Texas residents can go to the website RegisterTexas.com to check their registration status or begin the registration process. The state Democratic Party will mail a pre-filled registration form to them with a postage-paid envelope to mail the form to their local registrar.
In Congress, Democrats introduced the VoteSafe Act, a bill that would require states to offer no-excuse absentee voting and ensure that they all ensure at least 20 days of early voting.
“We must make sure the pandemic does not impede full, unfettered access to the ballot box,” Rep. Marcia Fudge, one of the lead sponsors of the bill, said in a press release.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-26--These 16 companies are funding the GOP's war on voting

The Republican National Committee has filed a lawsuit to stop California from making it easier for citizens to vote by mail during the pandemic , part of a massive $ 20 million effort to undermine voting rights .
More than a dozen U.S. corporations are helping bankroll that effort .
The suit — filed Sunday by the RNC , the National Republican Congressional Committee , and the California Republican Party — challenges an decision by Gov .
Gavin Newsom to automatically send a mail-in ballot to the state 's registered voters for the November general election .
Newsom said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a pandemic .
The groups claimed without evidence this week that sending these ballots to inactive voters `` invites fraud , coercion , theft , and otherwise illegitimate voting . ''
`` Democrats are using the coronavirus as an excuse to get wholesale election changes that fit their far-left agenda , but we are fighting back to protect the vote , '' RNC spokesperson Steve Guest said in an email on Tuesday .
`` While the RNC of course supports efforts to ensure that no voters are disenfranchised due to the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Democrats strip away important election safeguards and throw election integrity out the window .
Americans deserve to have confidence in their elections , and it is critical we work to preserve the democratic process . ''
The RNC functions on donations from some of the country 's biggest corporations , through their corporate political action committees .
According to the Center for Responsive Politics , so far in the 2020 campaign the committee has received at least $ 985,000 total from 16 large companies and trade associations .
$ 165,000 from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ association for the real estate agents industry .
$ 75,000 from the Credit Union National Association , the trade association for credit unions .
$ 60,000 from Lockheed Martin , a U.S. aerospace company and defense contracting firm .
$ 60,000 from Associated Builders & Contractors , a trade association representing tens of thousands of non-union construction firms and contractors .
$ 45,000 from AT & T Inc. , the telecommunications giant .
$ 30,000 from Boeing Co. , an aerospace company and defense contractor .
$ 30,000 from Pfizer Inc. , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Associated General Contractors , the trade association for the construction industry .
A spokesperson said in an email on Tuesday that the PAC 's annual contribution to the RNC is `` based on a host of factors , including support for infrastructure , regulatory & tort reform , and more recently support for measures to rebuild our economy and help contractors withstand the coronavirus pandemic and related economic lock downs . ''
He noted that the association has `` not taken a position on efforts to counter voter fraud and that issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selections . ''
He then accused this reporter of working for an `` advocacy group '' and asking `` leading questions '' about the lawsuit .
$ 30,000 from the Independent Community Bankers of America , a trade association for smaller banks .
The organization declined to comment on its donation when reached .
$ 30,000 from the National Association of Home Builders , the trade association for the home construction industry .
$ 30,000 from the National Automobile Dealers Association , the trade association for car dealers .
$ 30,000 from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ association for beer distributors .
With the exception of Associated General Contractors and the Independent Community Bankers of America , which declined to comment on its donation , the groups did not immediately answer questions about their ongoing support of the RNC .
The lawsuit is the latest in an ongoing effort by Donald Trump and the Republican Party to undermine the right to vote .
The New York Times reported last week that the party plans to recruit 50,000 people to `` challenge ballots and voters deemed suspicious '' and spend $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of voting restrictions .
The RNC did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the suit .
As of May 24 , California had more than 94,500 confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 3,700 fatalities .
This article was updated to include a response from the Independent Community Bankers of America , as well as a statement from an RNC spokesperson .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

The Republican National Committee has filed a lawsuit to stop California from making it easier for citizens to vote by mail during the pandemic, part of a massive $20 million effort to undermine voting rights.
More than a dozen U.S. corporations are helping bankroll that effort.
The suit — filed Sunday by the RNC, the National Republican Congressional Committee, and the California Republican Party — challenges an decision by Gov. Gavin Newsom to automatically send a mail-in ballot to the state’s registered voters for the November general election.
Newsom said the move was needed to protect public health during a pandemic.
The groups claimed without evidence this week that sending these ballots to inactive voters “invites fraud, coercion, theft, and otherwise illegitimate voting.”
“Democrats are using the coronavirus as an excuse to get wholesale election changes that fit their far-left agenda, but we are fighting back to protect the vote,” RNC spokesperson Steve Guest said in an email on Tuesday. “While the RNC of course supports efforts to ensure that no voters are disenfranchised due to the coronavirus, we will not stand idly by while Democrats strip away important election safeguards and throw election integrity out the window. Americans deserve to have confidence in their elections, and it is critical we work to preserve the democratic process.”
The RNC functions on donations from some of the country’s biggest corporations, through their corporate political action committees. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, so far in the 2020 campaign the committee has received at least $985,000 total from 16 large companies and trade associations.
The list includes:
$210,000 from Comcast Corporation, the telecommunications behemoth.
$165,000 from the National Association of Realtors, the trade association for the real estate agents industry.
$90,000 from Deloitte LLP, a major accounting and professional services company.
$75,000 from the Credit Union National Association, the trade association for credit unions.
$60,000 from Lockheed Martin, a U.S. aerospace company and defense contracting firm.
$60,000 from Associated Builders & Contractors, a trade association representing tens of thousands of non-union construction firms and contractors.
$45,000 from AT&T Inc., the telecommunications giant.
$40,000 from the GEO Group, a private prison company.
$30,000 from AFLAC Inc., a major supplemental insurance company.
$30,000 from Boeing Co., an aerospace company and defense contractor.
$30,000 from Pfizer Inc., the multinational pharmaceutical company.
$30,000 from the Associated General Contractors, the trade association for the construction industry. A spokesperson said in an email on Tuesday that the PAC’s annual contribution to the RNC is “based on a host of factors, including support for infrastructure, regulatory & tort reform, and more recently support for measures to rebuild our economy and help contractors withstand the coronavirus pandemic and related economic lock downs.” He noted that the association has “not taken a position on efforts to counter voter fraud and that issue is not a factor in our contribution selections.” He then accused this reporter of working for an “advocacy group” and asking “leading questions” about the lawsuit.
$30,000 from the Independent Community Bankers of America, a trade association for smaller banks. The organization declined to comment on its donation when reached.
$30,000 from the National Association of Home Builders, the trade association for the home construction industry.
$30,000 from the National Automobile Dealers Association, the trade association for car dealers.
$30,000 from the National Beer Wholesalers Association, the trade association for beer distributors.
With the exception of Associated General Contractors and the Independent Community Bankers of America, which declined to comment on its donation, the groups did not immediately answer questions about their ongoing support of the RNC.
The lawsuit is the latest in an ongoing effort by Donald Trump and the Republican Party to undermine the right to vote. The New York Times reported last week that the party plans to recruit 50,000 people to “challenge ballots and voters deemed suspicious” and spend $20 million on lawsuits to oppose loosening of voting restrictions.
The RNC did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the suit.
As of May 24, California had more than 94,500 confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 3,700 fatalities.
This article was updated to include a response from the Independent Community Bankers of America, as well as a statement from an RNC spokesperson.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-26--Georgia governor claims he can 'safely host' GOP convention as virus surges

Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp invited Donald Trump to move the 2020 Republican National Convention to his state , claiming on Tuesday that it could `` safely host '' the massive event in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic .
`` With world-class facilities , restaurants , hotels , and workforce , Georgia would be honored to safely host the Republican National Convention , '' Kemp tweeted .
`` We hope you will consider the Peach State , @ realDonaldTrump ! ''
Trump had threatened over the weekend that he might move the August event out of North Carolina if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions .
Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R-GA ) , who Kemp appointed in December to fill a vacant seat , quickly endorsed the idea .
`` Totally agree , Governor , '' she replied .
`` Georgia is open for business , and we have what it takes to safely and successfully host the Republican National Convention , Mr .
President ! ''
This comes as Georgia saw a surge in coronavirus cases over the holiday weekend .
According to the Georgia Department of Public Health , more than 2,000 new cases were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Memorial Day weekend , bringing the state 's total to 43,586 .
The state 's curve has been ticking up lately , with its 14-day average rising from 505 new cases per day on May 11 to 675 new daily cases on May 19 .
Kemp has been pushing hard for weeks to reopen the state , ignoring public health expert 's advice .
He announced in late April that he would drop many of the state 's emergency social distancing requirements .
`` In the same way that we carefully closed businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus ' spread , today we 're announcing plans to incrementally and safely reopen sectors of our economy , '' he said at the time .
Even Donald Trump publicly chastised Kemp for reopening too quickly .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation 's top epidemiologist , warned Congress on May 12 that , `` if states or cities or regions , in their attempt , understandable , to get back to some form of normality , disregard to a greater or lesser degree the checkpoints that we put in our guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control . ''
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised that `` [ l ] arge events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities . ''
The Republican National Convention is expected to attract thousands of delegates and others from every state in the country .
Still , Republicans have pushed to go forward with an in-person convention and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even as the virus continues to spread widely .
`` States should open up ASAP , '' Trump demanded on Tuesday in a tweet .
`` The Transition to Greatness has started , ahead of schedule .
There will be ups and downs , but next year will be one of the best ever ! ''
Voters in Georgia have not been pleased with Kemp 's handling of the COVID-19 crisis .
A 50-state poll released last week found that while 49 of the 50 governors get majority approval for their responses to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Just 43 % of Georgians surveyed approved of his performance .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp invited Donald Trump to move the 2020 Republican National Convention to his state, claiming on Tuesday that it could “safely host” the massive event in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With world-class facilities, restaurants, hotels, and workforce, Georgia would be honored to safely host the Republican National Convention,” Kemp tweeted. “We hope you will consider the Peach State, @realDonaldTrump!” Trump had threatened over the weekend that he might move the August event out of North Carolina if its governor does not drop pandemic safety restrictions.
Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), who Kemp appointed in December to fill a vacant seat, quickly endorsed the idea. “Totally agree, Governor,” she replied. “Georgia is open for business, and we have what it takes to safely and successfully host the Republican National Convention, Mr. President!”
This comes as Georgia saw a surge in coronavirus cases over the holiday weekend. According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, more than 2,000 new cases were reported in the state over the long Memorial Day weekend, bringing the state’s total to 43,586. The state’s curve has been ticking up lately, with its 14-day average rising from 505 new cases per day on May 11 to 675 new daily cases on May 19.
Kemp has been pushing hard for weeks to reopen the state, ignoring public health expert’s advice. He announced in late April that he would drop many of the state’s emergency social distancing requirements.
“In the same way that we carefully closed businesses and urged operations to end to mitigate the virus’ spread, today we’re announcing plans to incrementally and safely reopen sectors of our economy,” he said at the time. Even Donald Trump publicly chastised Kemp for reopening too quickly.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top epidemiologist, warned Congress on May 12 that, “if states or cities or regions, in their attempt, understandable, to get back to some form of normality, disregard to a greater or lesser degree the checkpoints that we put in our guidelines … there is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised that “[l]arge events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities.”
The Republican National Convention is expected to attract thousands of delegates and others from every state in the country. Still, Republicans have pushed to go forward with an in-person convention and demanded that the country quickly reopen, even as the virus continues to spread widely.
“States should open up ASAP,” Trump demanded on Tuesday in a tweet. “The Transition to Greatness has started, ahead of schedule. There will be ups and downs, but next year will be one of the best ever!”
Voters in Georgia have not been pleased with Kemp’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis. A 50-state poll released last week found that while 49 of the 50 governors get majority approval for their responses to the pandemic, he alone did not. Just 43% of Georgians surveyed approved of his performance.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-26--Widower slams Trump for 'disparaging the memory' of his wife to attack a critic

The husband of a woman who died accidentally in an office of then-GOP Rep. Joe Scarborough two decades ago is demanding that Twitter remove Donald Trump 's tweets suggesting Scarborough , now a fierce Trump critic , murdered her .
`` My request is simple : Please delete these tweets , '' Timothy J. Klausutis wrote to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey .
The body of Lori Kaye Klausutis , 28 , was found in Scarborough 's Fort Walton Beach , Florida , congressional office on July 20 , 2001 .
Klausutis said in the letter , sent last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition , fell , and hit her head on her desk at work .
He called her death `` the single most painful thing that I have ever had to deal with '' and said he feels a marital obligation to protect her memory amid `` a constant barrage of falsehoods , half-truths , innuendo and conspiracy theories since the day she died . ''
Klausutis said Trump is among the conspiracy theorists spreading `` bile and misinformation '' on Twitter `` disparaging the memory '' of his wife and their marriage .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules and terms of service , he said .
`` An ordinary user like me would be banished , '' Klausutis wrote .
In a statement , Twitter said it was `` deeply sorry about the pain these statements , and the attention they are drawing , are causing the family . ''
But the company did not say it would do anything about Trump 's tweets or mention them directly .
`` We 've been working to expand existing product features and policies so we can more effectively address things like this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have those changes in place shortly , '' Twitter said .
In general , Twitter has taken a hands-off approach to political leaders , contending that publishing controversial tweets from politicians helps hold them accountable and encourages discussion .
It modified those rules last year to say that world leaders `` are n't entirely '' above the rules and some tweets violating its policy could be slapped with warning labels .
Trump has long feuded with Scarborough , now a host of MSNBC 's `` Morning Joe '' show , and has repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even though Scarborough was in Washington , not Florida , at the time .
Trump tweeted this month : `` When will they open a Cold Case on the Psycho Joe Scarborough matter in Florida .
Did he get away with murder ?
Some people think so .
Why did he leave Congress so quietly and quickly ?
Is n't it obvious ?
What 's happening now ?
A total nut job ! ''
He echoed that `` cold case '' allegation in a new tweet on Tuesday .
Trump also has asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political talk show host based on the `` unsolved mystery '' years ago in Florida .
`` Investigate ! ''
he tweeted in 2017 .
But there is no mystery .
Medical officials ruled that Lori Kaye Klausutis , who had a heart condition and told friends hours earlier that she was n't feeling well , had fainted and hit her head .
Foul play was not suspected .
Scarborough has urged the president to stop his baseless attacks .

The husband of a woman who died accidentally in an office of then-GOP Rep. Joe Scarborough two decades ago is demanding that Twitter remove Donald Trump’s tweets suggesting Scarborough, now a fierce Trump critic, murdered her.
“My request is simple: Please delete these tweets,” Timothy J. Klausutis wrote to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.
The body of Lori Kaye Klausutis, 28, was found in Scarborough’s Fort Walton Beach, Florida, congressional office on July 20, 2001.
Klausutis said in the letter, sent last week, that his wife had an undiagnosed heart condition, fell, and hit her head on her desk at work. He called her death “the single most painful thing that I have ever had to deal with” and said he feels a marital obligation to protect her memory amid “a constant barrage of falsehoods, half-truths, innuendo and conspiracy theories since the day she died.”
Klausutis said Trump is among the conspiracy theorists spreading “bile and misinformation” on Twitter “disparaging the memory” of his wife and their marriage.
Trump’s tweets violate Twitter’s community rules and terms of service, he said.
“An ordinary user like me would be banished,” Klausutis wrote.
In a statement, Twitter said it was “deeply sorry about the pain these statements, and the attention they are drawing, are causing the family.”
But the company did not say it would do anything about Trump’s tweets or mention them directly.
“We’ve been working to expand existing product features and policies so we can more effectively address things like this going forward, and we hope to have those changes in place shortly,” Twitter said.
In general, Twitter has taken a hands-off approach to political leaders, contending that publishing controversial tweets from politicians helps hold them accountable and encourages discussion. It modified those rules last year to say that world leaders “aren’t entirely” above the rules and some tweets violating its policy could be slapped with warning labels.
Trump has long feuded with Scarborough, now a host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” show, and has repeatedly tried to implicate him in the death even though Scarborough was in Washington, not Florida, at the time.
Trump tweeted this month: “When will they open a Cold Case on the Psycho Joe Scarborough matter in Florida. Did he get away with murder? Some people think so. Why did he leave Congress so quietly and quickly? Isn’t it obvious? What’s happening now? A total nut job!”
He echoed that “cold case” allegation in a new tweet on Tuesday.
Trump also has asked via Twitter if NBC would fire the political talk show host based on the “unsolved mystery” years ago in Florida. “Investigate!” he tweeted in 2017.
But there is no mystery.
Medical officials ruled that Lori Kaye Klausutis, who had a heart condition and told friends hours earlier that she wasn’t feeling well, had fainted and hit her head. Foul play was not suspected.
Scarborough has urged the president to stop his baseless attacks.


shareblue--2020-05-26--9 ways Trump insulted Americans over Memorial Day weekend

Memorial Day weekend had an added somber tone this year , as millions of Americans still under stay-at-home orders gave up their barbecues and get-togethers and the coronavirus death toll neared 100,000 .
Yet Donald Trump spent much of his weekend either on the golf course , attacking his perceived political enemies , or pushing false conspiracy theories Trump gave a speech on Monday at Fort McHenry in Baltimore , where he memorialized the dead in prepared remarks , saying , `` We mourn alongside every single family that has lost loved ones , including the families of our great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those comments , Trump seemed to have his own self-interest at the top of his mind as he fired off insults and lies via his Twitter feed .
Here are nine things Trump did over the Memorial Day weekend that did not involve honoring military members who died in service to their country .
Trump returned to the links this weekend for the first time since March 8 , spending a total of 8 hours and 40 minutes at his golf property in Virginia on Saturday and Sunday , according to Trump Golf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump was criticized for golfing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic , including in an ad from presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
`` Nearly 100,000 lives have been lost , and tens of millions are out of work .
Meanwhile , the president spent his day golfing , '' Biden tweeted alongside the ad .
Many also pointed out that Trump attacked former President Barack Obama in 2014 for golfing during the Ebola scare .
During an appearance on `` Fox & Friends '' at the time , when there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States , Trump said Obama 's golfing sent `` the wrong signal , '' according to CNN 's Andrew Kaczynski .
After the criticism rolled in about his decision to golf , Trump sought to defend himself in a series of tweets that were riddled with lies .
Unlike Trump 's claim , Sunday 's golf outing was n't his first in months .
He had golfed the day before .
Biden also was not `` constantly vacationing , '' nor was Obama `` always playing golf '' as Trump claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has spent millions in taxpayer funds at his own properties .
Since taking office , Trump has spent 329 days at his own properties , 245 of which were at golf properties , according to a count from NBC .
That amounts to 27 % of his days in office .
At the same point in his presidency , Obama had played 98 rounds of golf , according to CNN .
Encouraged the use of a drug that studies show is not an effective treatment for COVID-19 Trump once again promoted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease associated with the coronavirus , even though studies have shown is it not only ineffective but increases the risk of death in patients who took it .
`` Many physicians agree with you .
Also , some very good studies ! ''
Trump tweeted in response to a comment from a man on Twitter , purporting to be a plastic surgeon , who said that hydroxychloroquine is `` most effective early '' in treatment for COVID-19 .
A study released on May 22 showed that the drug was linked to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mortality , '' as well as a 137 % increase in the risk of heart complications .
Trump again accused MSNBC host Joe Scarborough of murdering a woman who worked as an intern to Scarborough when he served as a member of Congress from Florida .
An autopsy report of the woman , Lori Klausutis , found she died from hitting her head in a fall caused by an undiagnosed heart condition .
Scarborough was not even in Florida , where Klausutis died , at the time of her death .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death .
`` A blow to her head ?
Body found under his desk ?
Left Congress suddenly ?
Big topic of discussion in Florida ... and , he ’ s a Nut Job ( with bad ratings ) .
Keep digging , use forensic geniuses ! ''
Trump tweeted on Saturday .
On Sunday , Trump tweeted : `` A lot of interest in this story about Psycho Joe Scarborough .
So a young marathon runner just happened to faint in his office , hit her head on his desk , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a lot more to this story than that ?
An affair ?
What about the so-called investigator ?
Read story ! ''
The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Klausutis ' widower implored Jack Dorsey , the CEO of Twitter , to delete Trump 's tweets , which he said were spreading `` bile and misinformation '' and were `` disparaging the memory of my wife . ''
After that report , Trump on Tuesday tried to explain why he is pushing a false conspiracy theory , tweeting : Trump once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win back his old Senate seat in Alabama , reaffirming his endorsement of Sessions ' opponent in a Republican runoff .
`` 3 years ago , after Jeff Sessions recused himself , the Fraudulent Mueller Scam began .
Alabama , do not trust Jeff Sessions .
He let our Country down .
That ’ s why I endorsed Coach Tommy Tuberville ( @ TTuberville ) , the true supporter of our # MAGA agenda ! ''
Trump tweeted on Friday , along with a link to an online fundraising portal for Sessions ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again attacked Sessions , tweeting on Saturday : Falsely said voting by mail is fraud Trump again tweeted out a false claim that voting by mail is prone to fraud and can not be trusted .
`` The United States can not have all Mail In Ballots .
It will be the greatest Rigged Election in history , '' Trump tweeted on Sunday .
`` People grab them from mailboxes , print thousands of forgeries and 'force ' people to sign .
Also , forge names .
Some absentee OK , when necessary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scam ! ''
Democrats have been pushing for increased funding for voting by mail this fall , as the coronavirus may make in-person voting unsafe .
Republicans have publicly echoed Trump 's false claims that the method is bad and should n't be adopted .
But privately , Republicans have been encouraging their voters to vote by mail and obtain absentee ballots .
Trump retweeted two tweets from the same user that called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ugly and fat-shamed Stacey Abrams , the Georgia Democrat who is vying to be Biden 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look at the official portrait for the self proclaimed Governor of Georgia .
She fought a tough race , kissed a lot of babies and visited every buffet restaurant in the State .
Joe will be a racist if he doesn ’ t pick her , '' reads the tweet Trump amplified about Abrams from John K Stahl .
Trump also retweeted another one of Stahl 's tweets that mocked Pelosi 's teeth and eyebrows .
Called for schools to be reopened even though public health experts say it 's unsafe Schools across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
While school closures have put a strain on working parents , 48 states have canceled school until the fall and public health experts say a lot more needs to be done in order to ensure schools can even resume again in the fall .
Yet Trump on Sunday called for schools to reopen against those public health experts ' guidance .
`` Schools in our country should be opened ASAP .
Much very good information now available , '' Trump tweeted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( D-PA ) in a lie-filled tweet meant to endorse Lamb 's Republican opponent .
`` Sean Parnell is an American Hero .
Conor Lamm has proven to be an American fraud , and a puppet for Crazy Nancy Pelosi .
He said he would NOT vote for her for Speaker , and did .
Will kill 2A .
Voted to impeach ( on nothing ) .
A TOTAL & COMPLETE Sean Parnell Endorsement ! ''
Trump tweeted .
Lamb , a Marine Corps veteran , did not vote for Pelosi for speaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also pro-gun , unlike what Trump claimed .
Trump deleted the initial tweet , which misspelled Lamb 's name as `` Lamm . ''
He tweeted it again on Tuesday with Lamb 's name spelled correctly but the other lies left intact .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Memorial Day weekend had an added somber tone this year, as millions of Americans still under stay-at-home orders gave up their barbecues and get-togethers and the coronavirus death toll neared 100,000.
Yet Donald Trump spent much of his weekend either on the golf course, attacking his perceived political enemies, or pushing false conspiracy theories
Trump gave a speech on Monday at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, where he memorialized the dead in prepared remarks, saying, “We mourn alongside every single family that has lost loved ones, including the families of our great veterans.”
However, aside from those comments, Trump seemed to have his own self-interest at the top of his mind as he fired off insults and lies via his Twitter feed.
Here are nine things Trump did over the Memorial Day weekend that did not involve honoring military members who died in service to their country.
Golfed
Trump returned to the links this weekend for the first time since March 8, spending a total of 8 hours and 40 minutes at his golf property in Virginia on Saturday and Sunday, according to Trump Golf Count, which tracks his golfing.
Trump was criticized for golfing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, including in an ad from presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
“Nearly 100,000 lives have been lost, and tens of millions are out of work. Meanwhile, the president spent his day golfing,” Biden tweeted alongside the ad.
Nearly 100,000 lives have been lost, and tens of millions are out of work. Meanwhile, the president spent his day golfing. pic.twitter.com/H1BVNtgVjA — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 24, 2020
Many also pointed out that Trump attacked former President Barack Obama in 2014 for golfing during the Ebola scare.
During an appearance on “Fox & Friends” at the time, when there were just two cases of Ebola in the United States, Trump said Obama’s golfing sent “the wrong signal,” according to CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski.
Lied about playing golf
After the criticism rolled in about his decision to golf, Trump sought to defend himself in a series of tweets that were riddled with lies.
Trump tweeted on Sunday:
“Sleepy Joe’s representatives have just put out an ad saying that I went to play golf (exercise) today. They think I should stay in the White House at all times. What they didn’t say is that it’s the first time I’ve played golf in almost 3 months, that Biden was constantly vacationing, relaxing & making shady deals with other countries, & that Barack was always playing golf, doing much of his traveling in a fume spewing 747 to play golf in Hawaii – Once even teeing off immediately after announcing the gruesome death of a great young man by ISIS!”
Unlike Trump’s claim, Sunday’s golf outing wasn’t his first in months. He had golfed the day before.
Biden also was not “constantly vacationing,” nor was Obama “always playing golf” as Trump claimed.
In fact, it’s Trump who has spent millions in taxpayer funds at his own properties. Since taking office, Trump has spent 329 days at his own properties, 245 of which were at golf properties, according to a count from NBC. That amounts to 27% of his days in office.
At the same point in his presidency, Obama had played 98 rounds of golf, according to CNN.
Encouraged the use of a drug that studies show is not an effective treatment for COVID-19
Trump once again promoted the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, the disease associated with the coronavirus, even though studies have shown is it not only ineffective but increases the risk of death in patients who took it.
“Many physicians agree with you. Also, some very good studies!” Trump tweeted in response to a comment from a man on Twitter, purporting to be a plastic surgeon, who said that hydroxychloroquine is “most effective early” in treatment for COVID-19.
A study released on May 22 showed that the drug was linked to a 34% “increased risk of in-hospital mortality,” as well as a 137% increase in the risk of heart complications.
Accused a TV host of murder based on debunked conspiracy
Trump again accused MSNBC host Joe Scarborough of murdering a woman who worked as an intern to Scarborough when he served as a member of Congress from Florida.
An autopsy report of the woman, Lori Klausutis, found she died from hitting her head in a fall caused by an undiagnosed heart condition. Scarborough was not even in Florida, where Klausutis died, at the time of her death.
However, Trump twice called for more investigation of the death.
“A blow to her head? Body found under his desk? Left Congress suddenly? Big topic of discussion in Florida…and, he’s a Nut Job (with bad ratings). Keep digging, use forensic geniuses!” Trump tweeted on Saturday.
On Sunday, Trump tweeted: “A lot of interest in this story about Psycho Joe Scarborough. So a young marathon runner just happened to faint in his office, hit her head on his desk, & die? I would think there is a lot more to this story than that? An affair? What about the so-called investigator? Read story!”
The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Klausutis’ widower implored Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter, to delete Trump’s tweets, which he said were spreading “bile and misinformation” and were “disparaging the memory of my wife.”
After that report, Trump on Tuesday tried to explain why he is pushing a false conspiracy theory, tweeting:
“The opening of a Cold Case against Psycho Joe Scarborough was not a Donald Trump original thought, this has been going on for years, long before I joined the chorus. In 2016 when Joe & his wacky future ex-wife, Mika, would endlessly interview me, I would always be thinking about whether or not Joe could have done such a horrible thing? Maybe or maybe not, but I find Joe to be a total Nut Job, and I knew him well, far better than most. So many unanswered & obvious questions, but I won’t bring them up now! Law enforcement eventually will?”
Attacked former Attorney General Jeff Sessions
Trump once again waded into Sessions’ attempt to win back his old Senate seat in Alabama, reaffirming his endorsement of Sessions’ opponent in a Republican runoff.
“3 years ago, after Jeff Sessions recused himself, the Fraudulent Mueller Scam began. Alabama, do not trust Jeff Sessions. He let our Country down. That’s why I endorsed Coach Tommy Tuberville (@TTuberville), the true supporter of our #MAGA agenda!” Trump tweeted on Friday, along with a link to an online fundraising portal for Sessions’ opponent.
After Sessions responded, Trump again attacked Sessions, tweeting on Saturday:
“Jeff, you had your chance & you blew it. Recused yourself ON DAY ONE (you never told me of a problem), and ran for the hills. You had no courage, & ruined many lives. The dirty cops, & others, got caught by better & stronger people than you. Hopefully this slime will pay a big price. You should drop out of the race & pray that super liberal @DougJones, a weak & pathetic puppet for Crazy Nancy Pelosi & Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, gets beaten badly. He voted for impeachment based on ‘ZERO’. Disgraced Alabama. Coach @TTuberville will be a GREAT Senator!”
Falsely said voting by mail is fraud
Trump again tweeted out a false claim that voting by mail is prone to fraud and cannot be trusted.
“The United States cannot have all Mail In Ballots. It will be the greatest Rigged Election in history,” Trump tweeted on Sunday. “People grab them from mailboxes, print thousands of forgeries and ‘force’ people to sign. Also, forge names. Some absentee OK, when necessary. Trying to use Covid for this Scam!”
Democrats have been pushing for increased funding for voting by mail this fall, as the coronavirus may make in-person voting unsafe.
Republicans have publicly echoed Trump’s false claims that the method is bad and shouldn’t be adopted. But privately, Republicans have been encouraging their voters to vote by mail and obtain absentee ballots.
Retweeted cruel comments about female Democrats’ appearance
Trump retweeted two tweets from the same user that called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ugly and fat-shamed Stacey Abrams, the Georgia Democrat who is vying to be Biden’s running-mate.
“We just got a look at the official portrait for the self proclaimed Governor of Georgia. She fought a tough race, kissed a lot of babies and visited every buffet restaurant in the State. Joe will be a racist if he doesn’t pick her,” reads the tweet Trump amplified about Abrams from John K Stahl.
Trump also retweeted another one of Stahl’s tweets that mocked Pelosi’s teeth and eyebrows.
Called for schools to be reopened even though public health experts say it’s unsafe
Schools across the country have been closed for months in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
While school closures have put a strain on working parents, 48 states have canceled school until the fall and public health experts say a lot more needs to be done in order to ensure schools can even resume again in the fall.
Yet Trump on Sunday called for schools to reopen against those public health experts’ guidance.
“Schools in our country should be opened ASAP. Much very good information now available,” Trump tweeted.
Falsely attacked a Democratic veteran
Trump on Monday attacked Rep. Conor Lamb (D-PA) in a lie-filled tweet meant to endorse Lamb’s Republican opponent.
“Sean Parnell is an American Hero. Conor Lamm has proven to be an American fraud, and a puppet for Crazy Nancy Pelosi. He said he would NOT vote for her for Speaker, and did. Will kill 2A. Voted to impeach (on nothing). A TOTAL & COMPLETE Sean Parnell Endorsement!” Trump tweeted.
Lamb, a Marine Corps veteran, did not vote for Pelosi for speaker, as Trump claimed.
Lamb is also pro-gun, unlike what Trump claimed.
Trump deleted the initial tweet, which misspelled Lamb’s name as “Lamm.” He tweeted it again on Tuesday with Lamb’s name spelled correctly but the other lies left intact.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-27--Trump brags about lowering drug costs after vowing to veto bill that would do just that

Donald Trump boasted this week that he had made a deal to lower drug costs for seniors taking insulin — despite rejecting legislation in December that would cut prescription drug costs for everyone .
On Tuesday , Trump announced a new Medicare prescription drug plan that would cap insulin costs at $ 35 per month , adding that he hopes `` seniors are going to remember it , '' in November .
The White House noted that 3 million seniors on Medicare take insulin .
A top health care official said seniors would save about 66 % on insulin with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see the cost of one prescription drug come down , however , Trump has threatened to veto H.R .
3 , the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act , which would do the same for all Americans .
The bill , which passed the House with a bipartisan majority in December , would limit out-of-pocket costs for Medicare participants , allow everyone to benefit from Medicare drug price negotiations , and would prevent companies from hiking the price of some drugs .
A January analysis by the House Ways and Means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drop the costs of some prescription drugs by as much as 96 % .
For example , the legislation would reduce the cost of Humira , an arthritis drug , by 81 % , from $ 34,411 per year to $ 8,276 per year .
Premarin , a drug to fight breast cancer , would drop in cost by 96 % , from $ 568 to just $ 21 per year .
The bill would also lower the cost of medication for diabetes and multiple sclerosis among other conditions .
Advocates also noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waging war on the Affordable Care Act , which would kick millions off of their health insurance .
`` If the President is serious about helping senior citizens being crushed by skyrocketing drug prices , he 'll stop blocking bipartisan House-passed legislation to lower drug costs and he 'll drop his House-Republican-backed lawsuit to rip health care away from millions of Americans amid a global pandemic , '' Darwin Pham , a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee , said in an email on Wednesday .
Pham was referring to a GOP-backed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to overturn the ACA .
Trump supports the lawsuit , which could force 20 million people to lose their health insurance , including some of the 1.9 million Americans with diabetes who rely on the law to be able to afford insulin .
Trump has maintained his support for that lawsuit even as the nation faces a health crisis that has left more than 100,000 Americans dead .
`` Obamacare is a disaster , '' he claimed , before suggesting he had made it `` barely acceptable . ''
Trump has in fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , threatening people 's ability to access health care despite majority support for the law .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump boasted this week that he had made a deal to lower drug costs for seniors taking insulin — despite rejecting legislation in December that would cut prescription drug costs for everyone.
On Tuesday, Trump announced a new Medicare prescription drug plan that would cap insulin costs at $35 per month, adding that he hopes “seniors are going to remember it,” in November.
The White House noted that 3 million seniors on Medicare take insulin. A top health care official said seniors would save about 66% on insulin with the new plan.
While seniors may see the cost of one prescription drug come down, however, Trump has threatened to veto H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which would do the same for all Americans.
The bill, which passed the House with a bipartisan majority in December, would limit out-of-pocket costs for Medicare participants, allow everyone to benefit from Medicare drug price negotiations, and would prevent companies from hiking the price of some drugs.
A January analysis by the House Ways and Means Committee showed that H.R. 3 would drop the costs of some prescription drugs by as much as 96%.
For example, the legislation would reduce the cost of Humira, an arthritis drug, by 81%, from $34,411 per year to $8,276 per year.
Premarin, a drug to fight breast cancer, would drop in cost by 96%, from $568 to just $21 per year. The bill would also lower the cost of medication for diabetes and multiple sclerosis among other conditions.
Advocates also noted this week that Trump is still currently waging war on the Affordable Care Act, which would kick millions off of their health insurance.
“If the President is serious about helping senior citizens being crushed by skyrocketing drug prices, he’ll stop blocking bipartisan House-passed legislation to lower drug costs and he’ll drop his House-Republican-backed lawsuit to rip health care away from millions of Americans amid a global pandemic,” Darwin Pham, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in an email on Wednesday.
Pham was referring to a GOP-backed lawsuit in federal court that is seeking to overturn the ACA. Trump supports the lawsuit, which could force 20 million people to lose their health insurance, including some of the 1.9 million Americans with diabetes who rely on the law to be able to afford insulin.
Trump has maintained his support for that lawsuit even as the nation faces a health crisis that has left more than 100,000 Americans dead.
“Obamacare is a disaster,” he claimed, before suggesting he had made it “barely acceptable.”
Trump has in fact undermined several key components of the ACA, threatening people’s ability to access health care despite majority support for the law.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-27--GOP using coronavirus relief in latest attack on Planned Parenthood

The Trump administration is trying to claw back some of the $ 80 million in coronavirus relief received by Planned Parenthood affiliates across the country as part of a program to offset financial losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
A number of the affiliates received letters from the Small Business Administration claiming that it had found the groups `` ineligible '' for loans from the Paycheck Protection Program , created by Congress to help businesses stay afloat and pay their employees when they 're closed under coronavirus stay-at-home orders .
The move is the latest attempt by the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provides a wide range of health care services to women and men across the country .
Conservatives have long targeted the organization for performing abortions and providing abortion referrals .
The Trump administration and other Republican lawmakers are taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic in working to eliminate abortion access .
GOP governors have tried to use fear of the coronavirus to ban abortion services , and Republican lawmakers are trying to strip abortion coverage from some stop-gap private health care plans Americans can purchase when they lose their employer-sponsored coverage .
Planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same financial strain as other small businesses , with stay-at-home orders forcing the cancellation of some in-person health services and making fundraising difficult .
To offset the lost revenue , Planned Parenthood affiliates applied for and received loans under the Paycheck Protection Program .
Organizations with more than 500 employees , such as Planned Parenthood Federation of America , are not eligible to receive loans under the program ; however , the Planned Parenthood affiliates that applied for the loans operate independently , with far fewer employees .
Other similarly structured organizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
News that the SBA was trying to take back the PPP loans first leaked on Fox News host Tucker Carlson 's show before any Planned Parenthood affiliates received the letter , according to a source with knowledge of the timing .
More than two dozen Senate Republicans have supported the effort , but took it a step further by demanding Attorney General William Barr investigate Planned Parenthood for applying for the loans .
`` We write to urge you to investigate the activities of dozens of Planned Parenthood affiliates that reportedly applied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in loans from the Paycheck Protection Program , despite actual knowledge that they were ineligible for such loans , '' the GOP senators wrote in a letter to Barr .
`` It was not designed to give government funds to politicized , partisan abortion providers like Planned Parenthood . ''
Jacqueline Ayers , vice president of government relations and public policy at the Planned Parenthood Federation of America , said the effort is `` a clear political attack on Planned Parenthood health centers and access to reproductive health care . ''
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care organizations ' eligibility for COVID-19 relief efforts , and everything to do with the Trump administration using a public health crisis to advance a political agenda and distract from their own failures in protecting the American public from the spread of COVID-19 , '' Ayers said in a statement .
And 41 Democratic senators condemned the Trump administration 's attempt to take the money back , echoing the accusations that this is a politically motivated attack .
`` We ask that the SBA stop ideologically-driven action against Planned Parenthood organizations through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to score political points for this administration by attacking nonprofit health care providers , '' the Democratic senators wrote in a letter to the SBA on Saturday .
The results of a poll conducted by Navigator Research that were released May 15 find that 65 % of registered voters , including 51 % of Republican voters , agree that `` Politicians should not be fighting over issues like abortion amidst the ongoing pandemic , and should avoid doing anything to restrict women 's access to time-sensitive reproductive care . ''
Published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The Trump administration is trying to claw back some of the $80 million in coronavirus relief received by Planned Parenthood affiliates across the country as part of a program to offset financial losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A number of the affiliates received letters from the Small Business Administration claiming that it had found the groups “ineligible” for loans from the Paycheck Protection Program, created by Congress to help businesses stay afloat and pay their employees when they’re closed under coronavirus stay-at-home orders.
The move is the latest attempt by the Trump administration to defund Planned Parenthood, which provides a wide range of health care services to women and men across the country. Conservatives have long targeted the organization for performing abortions and providing abortion referrals.
The Trump administration and other Republican lawmakers are taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic in working to eliminate abortion access. GOP governors have tried to use fear of the coronavirus to ban abortion services, and House Republicans are trying to strip abortion coverage from some stop-gap private health care plans Americans can purchase when they lose their employer-sponsored coverage.
Planned Parenthood affiliates across the country are facing the same financial strain as other small businesses, with stay-at-home orders forcing the cancellation of some in-person health services and making fundraising difficult.
To offset the lost revenue, Planned Parenthood affiliates applied for and received loans under the Paycheck Protection Program. Organizations with more than 500 employees, such as Planned Parenthood Federation of America, are not eligible to receive loans under the program; however, the Planned Parenthood affiliates that applied for the loans operate independently, with far fewer employees.
Other similarly structured organizations received PPP loans that were not challenged.
News that the SBA was trying to take back the PPP loans first leaked on Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s show before any Planned Parenthood affiliates received the letter, according to a source with knowledge of the timing.
More than two dozen Senate Republicans have supported the effort, but took it a step further by demanding Attorney General William Barr investigate Planned Parenthood for applying for the loans.
“We write to urge you to investigate the activities of dozens of Planned Parenthood affiliates that reportedly applied for and received approximately $80 million in loans from the Paycheck Protection Program, despite actual knowledge that they were ineligible for such loans,” the GOP senators wrote in a letter to Barr. “It was not designed to give government funds to politicized, partisan abortion providers like Planned Parenthood.”
Jacqueline Ayers, vice president of government relations and public policy at the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said the effort is “a clear political attack on Planned Parenthood health centers and access to reproductive health care.”
“It has nothing to do with Planned Parenthood health care organizations’ eligibility for COVID-19 relief efforts, and everything to do with the Trump administration using a public health crisis to advance a political agenda and distract from their own failures in protecting the American public from the spread of COVID-19,” Ayers said in a statement.
And 41 Democratic senators condemned the Trump administration’s attempt to take the money back, echoing the accusations that this is a politically motivated attack.
“We ask that the SBA stop ideologically-driven action against Planned Parenthood organizations through the unequal application of the affiliation rule in order to score political points for this administration by attacking nonprofit health care providers,” the Democratic senators wrote in a letter to the SBA on Saturday.
The results of a poll conducted by Navigator Research that were released May 15 find that 65% of registered voters, including 51% of Republican voters, agree that “Politicians should not be fighting over issues like abortion amidst the ongoing pandemic, and should avoid doing anything to restrict women’s access to time-sensitive reproductive care.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-27--Trump's favorite pollster shows his disapproval rating at 57%

A new tracking poll from a Republican-leaning pollster shows Donald Trump 's approval rating has taken a huge hit during the coronavirus pandemic .
Wednesday 's Rasmussen Reports ' Daily Presidential Tracking Poll found Trump 's approval rating at just 42 % and his disapproval rating at 57 % .
The -15 point margin is his worst in the survey since late 2017 .
The poll was sponsored by pro-Trump activist Jack Posobiec of the far-right One American News Network .
Trump has frequently praised Rasmussen 's polls , calling the company `` one of the most accurate in predicting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company for its `` honest polling . ''
As recently as February 25 , he tweeted that he had reached `` 52 % in the new Rasmussen Poll . ''
Rasmussen itself has a distinct pro-GOP bias .
After the 2016 elections , polling analyst Nate Silver noted that `` the Republican lean in its polls ran pretty much wire to wire . ''
`` It had a significant Republican house effect early in the election cycle and a significant Republican house effect late in the election , and it would up turning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day , '' he wrote .
In September 2018 , Ipsos Public Affairs research director Mallory Newall told Hill.TV that Rasmussen 's adjustment of data based on party identification tends `` to be more along the partisan angle , leaning toward the Republicans . ''
Rasmussen has consistently shown better numbers for Trump and his allies than other major polling firms .
CNN analyst Harry Enten noted after the 2018 midterms that Rasmussen 's polling had been the least accurate of any firm , actually showing Republicans ahead nationally by one point before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections prove that at least for now Rasmussen is dead wrong and traditional pollsters are correct , '' he argued .
Wednesday 's Rasmussen data , by contrast , reflect the same trends as other national pollsters .
Following a brief approval boost in March , as the coronavirus was first beginning to take hold , Trump 's approval tumbled .
FiveThirtyEight 's current average puts him at 42.6 % approval and 53.7 % disapproval , while RealClearPolitics puts Trump 's average at 43.5 % approval and 54.5 % disapproval .
Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and downplaying the threat .
Harvard Global Health Institute head Ashish Jha told Bloomberg in March that the administration wasted about two months failing to ramp up widespread coronavirus testing as the pandemic spread across the country .
Though Trump has said that he does not `` take responsibility at all '' for the situation , the American people have increasingly blamed him , with a Pew Research Center poll as far back as April showing at least 65 % of U.S. adults believed he had acted `` too slow '' in responding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of The American Independent Foundation .

A new tracking poll from a Republican-leaning pollster shows Donald Trump’s approval rating has taken a huge hit during the coronavirus pandemic.
Wednesday’s Rasmussen Reports’ Daily Presidential Tracking Poll found Trump’s approval rating at just 42% and his disapproval rating at 57%. The -15 point margin is his worst in the survey since late 2017.
The poll was sponsored by pro-Trump activist Jack Posobiec of the far-right One American News Network.
Trump has frequently praised Rasmussen’s polls, calling the company “one of the most accurate in predicting the 2016 Election” and lauding the company for its “honest polling.” As recently as February 25, he tweeted that he had reached “52% in the new Rasmussen Poll.”
Rasmussen itself has a distinct pro-GOP bias. After the 2016 elections, polling analyst Nate Silver noted that “the Republican lean in its polls ran pretty much wire to wire.”
“It had a significant Republican house effect early in the election cycle and a significant Republican house effect late in the election, and it would up turning into a significant Republican bias on Election Day,” he wrote.
In September 2018, Ipsos Public Affairs research director Mallory Newall told Hill.TV that Rasmussen’s adjustment of data based on party identification tends “to be more along the partisan angle, leaning toward the Republicans.”
Rasmussen has consistently shown better numbers for Trump and his allies than other major polling firms. CNN analyst Harry Enten noted after the 2018 midterms that Rasmussen’s polling had been the least accurate of any firm, actually showing Republicans ahead nationally by one point before the blue wave. “The midterm elections prove that at least for now Rasmussen is dead wrong and traditional pollsters are correct,” he argued.
Wednesday’s Rasmussen data, by contrast, reflect the same trends as other national pollsters.
Following a brief approval boost in March, as the coronavirus was first beginning to take hold, Trump’s approval tumbled. FiveThirtyEight’s current average puts him at 42.6% approval and 53.7% disapproval, while RealClearPolitics puts Trump’s average at 43.5% approval and 54.5% disapproval.
Trump has been criticized broadly for his botched response and downplaying the threat. Harvard Global Health Institute head Ashish Jha told Bloomberg in March that the administration wasted about two months failing to ramp up widespread coronavirus testing as the pandemic spread across the country.
Though Trump has said that he does not “take responsibility at all” for the situation, the American people have increasingly blamed him, with a Pew Research Center poll as far back as April showing at least 65% of U.S. adults believed he had acted “too slow” in responding to the virus.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-27--Tennessee wants to tell transgender kids which sports teams they're allowed on

Tennessee House lawmakers are advancing a bill that would require state elementary and high school students to be assigned to sports teams according to the gender marker on their birth certificate .
The bill , HB 1572 , would effectively stop many transgender students from playing on the team consistent with their gender identity .
The Statehouse has been in recess since March due to the pandemic and will return in official capacity on June 1 .
Lawmakers have been holding committee meetings this week in order to discuss `` a wide variety of bills '' according to the Associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
In addition to assigning students to certain teams , the bill would also prohibit a school from accepting revised or amended birth certificates and would block any school that does not comply with all those requirements from receiving state and local public funds .
If a state or local official is thought to have willfully or intentionally violated that rule , they could face a penalty of up to $ 10,000 , immediate dismissal , and would be barred from working as a school administrator or holding public office for five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill back in March , stating that `` athletic teams or sports designated for females , women , or girls shall not be open to students of the male sex . ''
But Idaho 's regulation subjects transgender students , and anyone whose sex is `` in dispute , '' to get medical screenings .
According to the text of the Idaho bill , if the sex of a student is disputed , a student may provide a signed physician 's statement that `` indicates the student 's sex based solely on `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ student 's normal endogenously produced levels of testosterone , '' and `` an analysis of the student 's genetic makeup . ''
The American Civil Liberties Union and the Legal Voice filed a federal lawsuit against the Idaho law back in April , arguing that it is unconstitutional and a violation of Title IX , a federal civil rights law that says no one can be excluded , denied benefits , or subjected to discrimination on the basis of sex under an education program that receives federal funds .
`` We 're suing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girls who are transgender and intersex and subjects all female athletes to the possibility of invasive genital and genetic screenings , '' ACLU attorney Gabriel Arkles told NBC Out at the time .
`` In Idaho and around the country , transgender people of all ages have been participating in sports consistent with their gender identity for years . ''
In March , Idaho also passed a law allowing changes to birth certificates only to correct `` a clerical or data entry error '' but it prohibits changes to a person 's gender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biological distinctions between male and female are a matter of scientific fact , and biological sex is an objectively defined category that has obvious , immutable , and distinguishable characteristics . ''
The state is facing yet another civil rights lawsuit over that law .
The Tennessee bill is particularly restrictive when it comes to birth certificate changes .
It prohibits amending one 's gender marker on a birth certificate and specifically states that the `` sex of an individual will not be changed on the original certificate of birth as a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also prohibits changing one 's gender marker .
Fifteen other states require proof of sex reassignment surgery , according to the Movement Advancement Project .
Not all transgender people want surgeries or can afford them if they do .
In some cases , such as in the District of Columbia and Massachusetts , the law notes that if a transgender person is under 18 years old , they can get a written request or affidavit from a parent , guardian , or legal representative to request the accurate gender designation .
GLSEN , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discrimination against LGBTQ students , has repeatedly opposed laws that police transgender people 's participation in sports and has spoken out against the Idaho law specifically .
`` Public officials must not allow transgender students to be targeted for political gain or in the service of a radical anti-LGBTQ agenda , '' GLSEN executive director Eliza Byard stated in April .
`` In this time of national trauma and crisis , we need them to pursue policies that increase connection and community , and support all students . ''
Byard noted in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during an election year and called it `` an insidious coordinated national strategy '' by far right legal activists determined to `` undermine the rights and full citizenship of LGBTQ people . ''
Byard added , `` We know that nearly half of transgender students report having seriously considered committing suicide within the past year .
Above all , we know that transgender students need stronger connections to their teachers , classmates and school communities — exactly the kind of connections that school athletics can provide . ''
Published with permission of The @ @ @ @

Tennessee House lawmakers are advancing a bill that would require state elementary and high school students to be assigned to sports teams according to the gender marker on their birth certificate.
The bill, HB 1572, would effectively stop many transgender students from playing on the team consistent with their gender identity.
The Statehouse has been in recess since March due to the pandemic and will return in official capacity on June 1. Lawmakers have been holding committee meetings this week in order to discuss “a wide variety of bills” according to the Associated Press, HB 1572 being one of them.
In addition to assigning students to certain teams, the bill would also prohibit a school from accepting revised or amended birth certificates and would block any school that does not comply with all those requirements from receiving state and local public funds.
If a state or local official is thought to have willfully or intentionally violated that rule, they could face a penalty of up to $10,000, immediate dismissal, and would be barred from working as a school administrator or holding public office for five years.
Idaho recently passed a similar bill back in March, stating that “athletic teams or sports designated for females, women, or girls shall not be open to students of the male sex.” But Idaho’s regulation subjects transgender students, and anyone whose sex is “in dispute,” to get medical screenings.
According to the text of the Idaho bill, if the sex of a student is disputed, a student may provide a signed physician’s statement that “indicates the student’s sex based solely on “internal and external reproductive anatomy, the student’s normal endogenously produced levels of testosterone,” and “an analysis of the student’s genetic makeup.”
The American Civil Liberties Union and the Legal Voice filed a federal lawsuit against the Idaho law back in April, arguing that it is unconstitutional and a violation of Title IX, a federal civil rights law that says no one can be excluded, denied benefits, or subjected to discrimination on the basis of sex under an education program that receives federal funds.
“We’re suing because HB 500 illegally targets women and girls who are transgender and intersex and subjects all female athletes to the possibility of invasive genital and genetic screenings,” ACLU attorney Gabriel Arkles told NBC Out at the time. “In Idaho and around the country, transgender people of all ages have been participating in sports consistent with their gender identity for years.”
In March, Idaho also passed a law allowing changes to birth certificates only to correct “a clerical or data entry error” but it prohibits changes to a person’s gender markers. The state claimed that “biological distinctions between male and female are a matter of scientific fact, and biological sex is an objectively defined category that has obvious, immutable, and distinguishable characteristics.”
The state is facing yet another civil rights lawsuit over that law.
The Tennessee bill is particularly restrictive when it comes to birth certificate changes. It prohibits amending one’s gender marker on a birth certificate and specifically states that the “sex of an individual will not be changed on the original certificate of birth as a result of sex change surgery.”
Ohio also prohibits changing one’s gender marker. Fifteen other states require proof of sex reassignment surgery, according to the Movement Advancement Project.
Not all transgender people want surgeries or can afford them if they do. In some cases, such as in the District of Columbia and Massachusetts, the law notes that if a transgender person is under 18 years old, they can get a written request or affidavit from a parent, guardian, or legal representative to request the accurate gender designation.
GLSEN, an organization focused on ending bullying and discrimination against LGBTQ students, has repeatedly opposed laws that police transgender people’s participation in sports and has spoken out against the Idaho law specifically.
“Public officials must not allow transgender students to be targeted for political gain or in the service of a radical anti-LGBTQ agenda,” GLSEN executive director Eliza Byard stated in April. “In this time of national trauma and crisis, we need them to pursue policies that increase connection and community, and support all students.”
Byard noted in an email that Idaho had passed the law during an election year and called it “an insidious coordinated national strategy” by far right legal activists determined to “undermine the rights and full citizenship of LGBTQ people.”
Byard added, “We know that nearly half of transgender students report having seriously considered committing suicide within the past year. Above all, we know that transgender students need stronger connections to their teachers, classmates and school communities — exactly the kind of connections that school athletics can provide.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-27--White House press secretary accidentally makes case for absentee voting

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany made the case for allowing more people to vote by mail during the November election when she defended her decision to cast absentee ballots 11 times in the past 10 years .
`` Absentee voting has the word absent in it for a reason , '' McEnany said in a press statement on Wednesday .
`` It means you 're absent from the jurisdiction or unable to vote in person . ''
Health experts have warned that in-person voting during this pandemic inevitably means a high risk of infection , making it difficult or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a May 19 amicus brief to the Texas Supreme Court supporting expanded access to absentee voting , a group of health care experts wrote that in-person voting would lead to `` heightened danger '' of the transmission of coronavirus , even if facilities regularly wiped down voting machines .
The brief looked at whether `` voting in person on election day would be likely to injure voters ' health , '' and declared , `` the answer is simply , 'Yes , it would . '
'' Without immunity to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made at the polling place to effectively protect against injuring those voters ' health given the virulence of COVID-19 , '' the group wrote .
In April , Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation 's top infectious disease expert , said he was not sure in-person voting in November would be safe .
`` Do you think it will be safe in November for voters to physically go to vote at the polls ? ''
Fauci was asked by CNN in an interview .
`` I hope so , '' Fauci said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guarantee it . ''
McEnany 's statement came in response to a report by the Tampa Bay Times showing that she has regularly voted by mail over the past decade , even as she currently opposes allowing more people to do the same .
Her stance is the same as that of Donald Trump , who has also voted by mail in the past but now regularly lies about voter fraud as he argues against allowing more people to use absentee ballots .
On Wednesday , Trump falsely claimed that allowing more people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` a free for all on cheating , forgery and the theft of Ballots . ''
According to the Brennan Center for Justice , `` it is still more likely for an American to be struck by lightning than to commit mail voting fraud . ''
The center 's analysis of votes from 2000 through 2012 , a time period during which billions of votes were cast across the country , found fewer than 500 cases of absentee voter fraud .
It also said that absentee ballots `` are secure and essential to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany made the case for allowing more people to vote by mail during the November election when she defended her decision to cast absentee ballots 11 times in the past 10 years.
“Absentee voting has the word absent in it for a reason,” McEnany said in a press statement on Wednesday. “It means you’re absent from the jurisdiction or unable to vote in person.”
Health experts have warned that in-person voting during this pandemic inevitably means a high risk of infection, making it difficult or impossible for many people to do it.
In a May 19 amicus brief to the Texas Supreme Court supporting expanded access to absentee voting, a group of health care experts wrote that in-person voting would lead to “heightened danger” of the transmission of coronavirus, even if facilities regularly wiped down voting machines.
The brief looked at whether “voting in person on election day would be likely to injure voters’ health,” and declared, “the answer is simply, ‘Yes, it would.'”
Without immunity to the virus, “no accommodation can be made at the polling place to effectively protect against injuring those voters’ health given the virulence of COVID-19,” the group wrote.
In April, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said he was not sure in-person voting in November would be safe.
“Do you think it will be safe in November for voters to physically go to vote at the polls?” Fauci was asked by CNN in an interview.
“I hope so,” Fauci said, before saying, “I can’t guarantee it.”
McEnany’s statement came in response to a report by the Tampa Bay Times showing that she has regularly voted by mail over the past decade, even as she currently opposes allowing more people to do the same.
Her stance is the same as that of Donald Trump, who has also voted by mail in the past but now regularly lies about voter fraud as he argues against allowing more people to use absentee ballots.
On Wednesday, Trump falsely claimed that allowing more people to use absentee ballots would result in “a free for all on cheating, forgery and the theft of Ballots.”
According to the Brennan Center for Justice, “it is still more likely for an American to be struck by lightning than to commit mail voting fraud.”
The center’s analysis of votes from 2000 through 2012, a time period during which billions of votes were cast across the country, found fewer than 500 cases of absentee voter fraud. It also said that absentee ballots “are secure and essential to holding a safe election amid the coronavirus pandemic.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.