npr--2020-11-29--Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rejects Republican Suit To Throw Out Ballots

Another Republican effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election has been stopped , this time by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court , which on Saturday rejected a request that some 2.5 million mail-in ballots in the state be thrown out .
In its ruling , the high court unanimously dismissed a lawsuit that claimed that a 2019 state law allowing no-excuse absentee ballots was unconstitutional .
The suit , filed by U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly and others on Nov. 21 , requested that the state reject mail ballots submitted under that law or allow state lawmakers to select presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Republicans .
The justices contended that if the plaintiffs had constitutional concerns over the mail-in voting law , their suit would have been filed earlier and not after millions of mail-in ballots were cast in the 2020 primary and general election .
The justices further noted that the plaintiffs waited until after the votes had been tallied and their preferred presidential candidate lost the state .
`` Unsatisfied with the results of that wager , they would now flip over the table , scattering to the shadows the votes of millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement concurring with the three-page order .
`` It is not our role to lend legitimacy to such transparent and untimely efforts to subvert the will of Pennsylvania voters . ''
The state Supreme Court decision also threw out a lower court decision to halt the state from further certifying election results .
That order came a day after Pennsylvania Gov .
Tom Wolf , a Democrat , declared President-elect Joe Biden the certified winner of the state 's ballot count , The Associated Press reports .
Biden won the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easily won reelection in the state 's 16th Congressional District .
Another of the lawsuit 's plaintiffs , Sean Parnell — who lost his bid for the state 's 17th District — tweeted Saturday evening that `` it 's not over . ''
State Democrats celebrated the court 's decision .
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro called it another `` win for democracy . ''
Saturday 's decision came a day after a federal appeals court struck down an effort by President Trump 's legal team to block certification of Pennsylvania 's election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the suits thrown out in the Friday and Saturday decisions were the last two active challenges in the state involving the 2020 election .
According to the Inquirer , a legal adviser for Trump , Jenna Ellis , declared Saturday 's court ruling a `` ridiculous political game . ''
Neither the president nor his legal team was a party to Kelly 's lawsuit .
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday — his first since the election — Trump said he thought Kelly will have `` a great appeal '' to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said his team would be appealing various — and so far largely unsuccessful — cases as well .
Meanwhile , officials in Wisconsin on Sunday finished a partial recount confirming that Biden had won the state by more than 20,000 votes .
That recount had been requested and paid for by Trump and his team .

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rejects Republican Suit To Throw Out Ballots
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mary Altaffer/AP Mary Altaffer/AP
Another Republican effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election has been stopped, this time by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which on Saturday rejected a request that some 2.5 million mail-in ballots in the state be thrown out.
In its ruling, the high court unanimously dismissed a lawsuit that claimed that a 2019 state law allowing no-excuse absentee ballots was unconstitutional.
The suit, filed by U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly and others on Nov. 21, requested that the state reject mail ballots submitted under that law or allow state lawmakers to select presidential electors. The state legislature is controlled by Republicans.
The justices contended that if the plaintiffs had constitutional concerns over the mail-in voting law, their suit would have been filed earlier and not after millions of mail-in ballots were cast in the 2020 primary and general election. The justices further noted that the plaintiffs waited until after the votes had been tallied and their preferred presidential candidate lost the state.
"Unsatisfied with the results of that wager, they would now flip over the table, scattering to the shadows the votes of millions of Pennsylvanians," Justice David Wecht wrote in a statement concurring with the three-page order. "It is not our role to lend legitimacy to such transparent and untimely efforts to subvert the will of Pennsylvania voters."
The state Supreme Court decision also threw out a lower court decision to halt the state from further certifying election results. That order came a day after Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, declared President-elect Joe Biden the certified winner of the state's ballot count, The Associated Press reports.
Biden won the state by more than 80,000 votes.
Kelly easily won reelection in the state's 16th Congressional District. Another of the lawsuit's plaintiffs, Sean Parnell — who lost his bid for the state's 17th District — tweeted Saturday evening that "it's not over."
State Democrats celebrated the court's decision. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro called it another "win for democracy."
Saturday's decision came a day after a federal appeals court struck down an effort by President Trump's legal team to block certification of Pennsylvania's election results.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the suits thrown out in the Friday and Saturday decisions were the last two active challenges in the state involving the 2020 election.
According to the Inquirer, a legal adviser for Trump, Jenna Ellis, declared Saturday's court ruling a "ridiculous political game." Neither the president nor his legal team was a party to Kelly's lawsuit.
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday — his first since the election — Trump said he thought Kelly will have "a great appeal" to the U.S. Supreme Court. Trump also said his team would be appealing various — and so far largely unsuccessful — cases as well.
Meanwhile, officials in Wisconsin on Sunday finished a partial recount confirming that Biden had won the state by more than 20,000 votes. That recount had been requested and paid for by Trump and his team.


npr--2020-11-29--Advocates Push For Resurrection Of DoJ Civil Rights Division Under Biden

Advocates Push For Resurrection Of DoJ Civil Rights Division Under Biden Six months after Donald Trump became president , he delivered remarks about law enforcement that set the tone for civil rights .
In a speech to law enforcement officers on Long Island , Trump said : `` Please do n't be too nice . ''
To applause from the crowd , the president added that it might not be necessary to protect the heads of suspects being folded into the back of police cars .
For former civil rights prosecutor Kristy Parker , those words marked a major turnaround @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a real fall-down by this administration , and a purposeful one , is in prosecutions of police officers who do their work out on the streets , '' said Parker , who now works at the nonprofit group Protect Democracy .
The incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden says reinvigorating the Civil Rights Division at the Justice Department is a top priority come January .
The question for former officials and advocates who closely follow the department : Where to begin ?
It 's not just cases against individual cops who break the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say there 's been a retreat on another front : investigating entire police departments for patterns or practices of discrimination .
`` There 's been 70 investigations that were brought , and 25 of those were brought during the Obama administration and one was brought during the Trump administration , '' said Jonathan Smith , who ran the special litigation section in DoJ 's Civil Rights Division during the Obama years .
In the Trump era , Smith said , states including Illinois , Colorado and Minnesota have tried to step in to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as the federal government can .
`` It 's very different than the kinds of resources and authority that comes from the United States Department of Justice , '' said Smith , executive director of the Washington Lawyers ' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs .
`` And I do n't think it 's a substitute . ''
Trump 's first attorney general , Jeff Sessions , viewed state and local law enforcement as partners .
He warned that federal investigations would demoralize police .
In one of his last acts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removing a key tool from civil rights enforcers : His memo made it nearly impossible to use court-enforced consent decrees to help oversee police forces .
In the past , the Justice Department has used such agreements — for example , with the Seattle Police Department , which was found to have a pattern of excessive force — to bring about new practices .
Vanita Gupta , who ran the civil rights division in the Obama years , said she thinks the new Biden team should revoke that memo right away .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this new administration , '' said Gupta , who now serves as president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights .
Legacy of George Floyd and others Gupta said the country is in a different place now when it comes to police oversight , following the summer 's protests across the United States following the deaths of Black citizens at the hands of law enforcement .
`` I think there is no question that George Floyd 's murder in Minneapolis this summer really forced a crucial reckoning around race and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden said in an interview with NBC News that he believes there has to be `` accountability '' — and he wants to bring police and civil rights groups to the White House next year to talk .
Civil rights advocates said the election has highlighted another big action : the need to do more to protect voters .
Lisa Cylar Barrett , director of policy at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund , said she wants to see lawmakers pass a new voting rights law named after the late Rep. John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Department can act even without Congress .
`` The Civil Rights Division has previously played a very active role in enforcing voting rights by bringing cases under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act , '' Cylar Barrett observed .
The law allows Justice and others to sue states over discriminatory practices , a step the Obama DoJ took , only to be reversed under Trump .
Gupta , of the Leadership Conference , said new civil rights enforcers need to examine the role of social media platforms and their role in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tricked voters .
In the early weeks of the transition , Gupta said , team members will spend a of time looking at Trump 's executive orders and ongoing litigation , to see if they want to reverse course in lawsuits involving affirmative action at colleges and universities and cases that involve LGBTQ rights .
Cylar Barrett says expectations for the new team are high .
`` We are hopeful to have the Civil Rights Division restored to its intended purpose , '' more than 6o years after Congress created it to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Certainly , we 'll be pushing from the outside to make sure that does in fact happen . ''

Advocates Push For Resurrection Of DOJ Civil Rights Division Under Biden
Enlarge this image toggle caption Charlie Riedel/AP Charlie Riedel/AP
Six months after Donald Trump became president, he delivered remarks about law enforcement that set the tone for civil rights.
In a speech to law enforcement officers on Long Island, Trump said: "Please don't be too nice." To applause from the crowd, the president added that it might not be necessary to protect the heads of suspects being folded into the back of police cars.
For former civil rights prosecutor Kristy Parker, those words marked a major turnaround.
"Where I think we see a real fall-down by this administration, and a purposeful one, is in prosecutions of police officers who do their work out on the streets," said Parker, who now works at the nonprofit group Protect Democracy.
The incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden says reinvigorating the Civil Rights Division at the Justice Department is a top priority come January. The question for former officials and advocates who closely follow the department: Where to begin?
Call for return to consent decrees
It's not just cases against individual cops who break the law. Veterans of the Justice Department say there's been a retreat on another front: investigating entire police departments for patterns or practices of discrimination.
"There's been 70 investigations that were brought, and 25 of those were brought during the Obama administration and one was brought during the Trump administration," said Jonathan Smith, who ran the special litigation section in DoJ's Civil Rights Division during the Obama years.
In the Trump era, Smith said, states including Illinois, Colorado and Minnesota have tried to step in to police their police — not always as well as the federal government can.
"It's very different than the kinds of resources and authority that comes from the United States Department of Justice," said Smith, executive director of the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. "And I don't think it's a substitute."
Trump's first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, viewed state and local law enforcement as partners. He warned that federal investigations would demoralize police.
In one of his last acts in office, Sessions issued a memo removing a key tool from civil rights enforcers: His memo made it nearly impossible to use court-enforced consent decrees to help oversee police forces.
In the past, the Justice Department has used such agreements — for example, with the Seattle Police Department, which was found to have a pattern of excessive force — to bring about new practices.
Vanita Gupta, who ran the civil rights division in the Obama years, said she thinks the new Biden team should revoke that memo right away.
"That memo should be withdrawn day one of this new administration," said Gupta, who now serves as president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
Legacy of George Floyd and others
Gupta said the country is in a different place now when it comes to police oversight, following the summer's protests across the United States following the deaths of Black citizens at the hands of law enforcement.
"I think there is no question that George Floyd's murder in Minneapolis this summer really forced a crucial reckoning around race and public safety," she said.
Biden said in an interview with NBC News that he believes there has to be "accountability" — and he wants to bring police and civil rights groups to the White House next year to talk.
Civil rights advocates said the election has highlighted another big action: the need to do more to protect voters.
Lisa Cylar Barrett, director of policy at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said she wants to see lawmakers pass a new voting rights law named after the late Rep. John Lewis.
But she said the new Justice Department can act even without Congress.
"The Civil Rights Division has previously played a very active role in enforcing voting rights by bringing cases under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act," Cylar Barrett observed.
The law allows Justice and others to sue states over discriminatory practices, a step the Obama DoJ took, only to be reversed under Trump.
Gupta, of the Leadership Conference, said new civil rights enforcers need to examine the role of social media platforms and their role in fueling misinformation and disinformation that confused and tricked voters.
In the early weeks of the transition, Gupta said, team members will spend a of time looking at Trump's executive orders and ongoing litigation, to see if they want to reverse course in lawsuits involving affirmative action at colleges and universities and cases that involve LGBTQ rights.
Cylar Barrett says expectations for the new team are high.
"We are hopeful to have the Civil Rights Division restored to its intended purpose," more than 6o years after Congress created it to protect the most vulnerable communities, she said. "Certainly, we'll be pushing from the outside to make sure that does in fact happen."


npr--2020-11-30--More Good News For Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate

The biotech company Moderna released new data Monday morning that strengthens the case for its COVID-19 vaccine .
It concludes the vaccine is 94 percent effective – and strongly protects against serious illness .
Based on these latest findings , the company plans to submit an application for emergency use authorization to the Food and Drug Administration today .
They build on Moderna 's previously reported findings , based on a smaller number of cases detected in its study of some 30,000 volunteers .
Overall , the study identified 185 cases in the people who received a placebo shot , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got the active vaccine .
These latest findings are similar to results from Pfizer , which has developed a similar vaccine .
And , like the Pfizer vaccine , this one seems to prevent severe cases .
`` There were 30 cases on placebo and zero cases that were on the vaccine , '' says Dr. Stephen Hoge , the president of Moderna .
`` So , it looks like in the trial we 've been 100 percent effective at preventing severe COVID-19 , which is really what 's driving the burden of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health systems . ''
Based on those findings – and an analysis of the vaccine 's safety and side-effects — Moderna has decided it has enough information to submit an application to the FDA .
The agency will consider granting emergency-use authorization for the product in the coming weeks .
`` They will receive a good stack of paper , '' Hoge says , `` but they 've been receiving paper almost continuously from when we started . ''
Pfizer applied for emergency use authorization on November 9 for its COVID-19 vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committee to discuss that application on December 10 .
That meeting is open to the public .
The FDA 's charge is to assure that drugs are both safe and effective and the agency says it is not cutting corners when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines , which after all , will potentially be given to many millions of healthy people .
`` They still have an important and solemn responsibility to review that data and develop an independent perspective on it , '' Hoge says , `` and that 's not an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time horizon . ''
Moderna expects that on December 17 , the FDA will be ready for a public meeting to discuss this data .
A vaccine could get the thumbs-up shortly thereafter .
Either or both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines may start to become available in mid to late December , though supplies will be limited .
Both use the same novel technology .
Instead of injecting a weakened or dead virus , which is a common strategy for vaccines , these products are essentially small pieces of genetic material .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's arm , it 's picked up by cells in the immune system .
The cells read the genetic code and use that to produce a protein that is actually a key fragment of the coronavirus .
The body then builds antibodies that latch onto that fragment , so if and when someone encounters the actual coronavirus , the body is primed to fight it off with antibodies .
Though the key action is happening at a cellular level , inoculation can trigger noticeable symptoms , ranging from a sore arm to achiness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dr. Carlos del Rio , a vaccine scientist at Emory University in Atlanta , was involved in testing the Moderna vaccine .
The symptoms he saw were quite similar to symptoms people get when they get the shingles vaccine .
For many , the shingles vaccine creates a strong reaction .
`` You feel terrible for a day or two but then you 're fine , '' del Rio says .
That 's the price of getting a vaccine that protects you , in the case of COVID , from a potentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is a complication in administering the vaccine , because people who get these symptoms after a shot might think the vaccine actually gave them COVID-19 .
`` We 're going to have to do very good messaging to explain to people this is not COVID , it 's a side effect of the vaccine and it 's OK to have it , '' del Rio says .
`` It actually means the vaccine is working . ''
The vaccine studies have been designed to show whether a shot prevents someone from falling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know whether people who are vaccinated can still get infected but remain without symptoms .
That 's important because if a vaccine can prevent even silent infections , it can further reduce the spread of the pandemic .
Hoge said the company is collecting data to look for those silent infections among vaccinated volunteers , but that information wo n't be in hand until early next year .
So , it 's possible that some people who are vaccinated can still spread the virus .
`` That 's why I tell people when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask , '' del Rio says .
`` We 're going to know later if the vaccine actually prevents infection . ''
He says it 's remarkable how quickly all this has come together – less than a year from the time the novel coronavirus was first identified , to now , apparently the verge of having tens of millions of doses of vaccine ready to go .
`` A vaccine that prevents people from getting , sick , especially from getting critically ill ?
It 's a great vaccine right now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,000 deaths per day , `` My God , we really need this vaccine . ''
You can contact NPR Science Correspondent Richard Harris at rharris @ npr.org .

Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Gets More Good News
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images
The biotech company Moderna released new data Monday morning that strengthens the case for its COVID-19 vaccine. It concludes the vaccine is 94% effective — and strongly protects against serious illness. Based on these latest findings, the company plans to submit an application for emergency use authorization to the Food and Drug Administration today.
They build on Moderna's previously reported findings, based on a smaller number of cases detected in its study of about 30,000 volunteers.
Overall, the study identified 185 cases in the people who received a placebo shot, compared with 11 cases in people who got the active vaccine. These latest findings are similar to results from Pfizer, which has developed a similar vaccine. And, like the Pfizer vaccine, this one seems to prevent severe cases.
"There were 30 cases on placebo and zero cases that were on the vaccine," says Dr. Stephen Hoge, the president of Moderna. "So, it looks like in the trial we've been 100% effective at preventing severe COVID-19, which is really what's driving the burden of disease in hospitals and ultimately straining our public health systems."
Based on those findings — and an analysis of the vaccine's safety and side effects — Moderna has decided it has enough information to submit an application to the FDA. The agency will consider granting emergency use authorization for the product in the coming weeks.
"They will receive a good stack of paper," Hoge says, "but they've been receiving paper almost continuously from when we started."
Pfizer applied for emergency use authorization on Nov. 9 for its COVID-19 vaccine. The FDA will hold its advisory committee to discuss that application on Dec. 10. That meeting is open to the public.
The FDA's charge is to assure that drugs are both safe and effective, and the agency says it is not cutting corners when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines, which will potentially be given to many millions of healthy people.
"They still have an important and solemn responsibility to review that data and develop an independent perspective on it," Hoge says, "and that's not an easy thing to do on a short time horizon."
Moderna expects that on Dec. 17, the FDA will be ready for a public meeting to discuss this data. A vaccine could get the thumbs-up shortly thereafter. Either or both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines may start to become available in mid to late December, though supplies will be limited.
Both use the same novel technology. Instead of injecting a weakened or dead virus, which is a common strategy for vaccines, these products are essentially small pieces of genetic material. When that's injected into a person's arm, it's picked up by cells in the immune system. The cells read the genetic code and use that to produce a protein that is actually a key fragment of the coronavirus. The body then builds antibodies that latch onto that fragment, so if and when someone encounters the actual coronavirus, the body is primed to fight it off with antibodies.
Though the key action is happening at a cellular level, inoculation can trigger noticeable symptoms, ranging from a sore arm to achiness, or even fever and flu-like symptoms.
Dr. Carlos del Rio, a vaccine scientist at Emory University in Atlanta, was involved in testing the Moderna vaccine. The symptoms he saw were quite similar to symptoms people get when they get the shingles vaccine. For many, the shingles vaccine creates a strong reaction.
"You feel terrible for a day or two but then you're fine," del Rio says.
That's the price of getting a vaccine that protects you, in the case of COVID-19, from a potentially deadly disease. But del Rio says it is a complication in administering the vaccine, because people who get these symptoms after a shot might think the vaccine actually gave them COVID-19.
"We're going to have to do very good messaging to explain to people this is not COVID, it's a side effect of the vaccine and it's OK to have it," del Rio says. "It actually means the vaccine is working."
The vaccine studies have been designed to show whether a shot prevents someone from falling ill. But scientists don't yet know whether people who are vaccinated can still get infected but remain without symptoms. That's important because if a vaccine can prevent even silent infections, it can further reduce the spread of the pandemic.
Hoge said the company is collecting data to look for those silent infections among vaccinated volunteers, but that information won't be in hand until early next year. So, it's possible that some people who are vaccinated can still spread the virus.
"That's why I tell people when you get vaccinated, continue wearing your mask," del Rio says. "We're going to know later if the vaccine actually prevents infection."
He says it's remarkable how quickly all this has come together — less than a year from the time the novel coronavirus was first identified, to now, apparently on the verge of having tens of millions of doses of vaccine ready to go.
"A vaccine that prevents people from getting, sick, especially from getting critically ill? It's a great vaccine right now," del Rio says. With nearly 2,000 deaths per day, "My God, we really need this vaccine."
You can contact NPR Science Correspondent Richard Harris at rharris@npr.org.


npr--2020-11-30--Diego Maradona Doctor Under Investigation In Soccer Legend's Death

Police searched the home and offices of the personal doctor of deceased soccer legend Diego Maradona , amid questions over his medical treatment .
Argentine prosecutors announced Sunday they are investigating the death of Maradona as well as his personal doctor , Leopoldo Luque , five days after the former player 's death .
Maradona reportedly suffered a heart attack Nov. 25 at his home following surgery that took place weeks prior to relieve swelling in his brain .
He was 60 .
Luque was the neurosurgeon for that procedure .
Police raided the offices and home of Luque outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aires Times .
Police took information related to Maradona 's medical history , computers , notebooks , and other documents .
The investigation stems from questions that were raised by Maradona 's family over the circumstances surrounding his Nov. 25 death , prosecutors said Sunday .
Maradona 's lawyer , Matias Morla , had posted Thursday on Twitter , demanding an investigation into the soccer legend 's death .
His focus was over the slow response time for emergency services after they were called to assistance the ailing Maradona , he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Luque , during an emotional news conference Sunday , denied any wrongdoing .
He called Maradona an `` unmanageable '' patient , but emphasized his love for the man .
`` You want to know what I am responsible for ? ''
Luque asked rhetorically through tears at the news conference .
`` For having loved him , for having taken care of him , for having extended his life , for having improved it to the end . ''
Luque said Maradona refused to go to a rehabilitation center following his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home .
Luque said he `` did everything [ I ] could . ''
The death of Maradona , who is considered a national hero in Argentina , devastated thousands in the South American country .

Diego Maradona Doctor Under Investigation In Soccer Legend's Death
Enlarge this image toggle caption Javier Gonzalez Toledo/AFP via Getty Images Javier Gonzalez Toledo/AFP via Getty Images
Police searched the home and offices of the personal doctor of deceased soccer legend Diego Maradona, amid questions over his medical treatment.
Argentine prosecutors announced Sunday they are investigating the death of Maradona as well as his personal doctor, Leopoldo Luque, five days after the former player's death.
Maradona reportedly suffered a heart attack Nov. 25 at his home following surgery that took place weeks prior to relieve swelling in his brain. He was 60. Luque was the neurosurgeon for that procedure.
Police raided the offices and home of Luque outside Buenos Aires Sunday, according to Buenos Aires Times. Police took information related to Maradona's medical history, computers, notebooks, and other documents.
The investigation stems from questions that were raised by Maradona's family over the circumstances surrounding his Nov. 25 death, prosecutors said Sunday.
Maradona's lawyer, Matias Morla, had posted Thursday on Twitter, demanding an investigation into the soccer legend's death. His focus was over the slow response time for emergency services after they were called to assistance the ailing Maradona, he said.
No charges have been filed against Luque.
Luque, during an emotional news conference Sunday, denied any wrongdoing. He called Maradona an "unmanageable" patient, but emphasized his love for the man.
"You want to know what I am responsible for?" Luque asked rhetorically through tears at the news conference. "For having loved him, for having taken care of him, for having extended his life, for having improved it to the end."
Luque said Maradona refused to go to a rehabilitation center following his surgery, and instead chose to recover at home. Luque said he "did everything [I] could."
The death of Maradona, who is considered a national hero in Argentina, devastated thousands in the South American country.


npr--2020-11-30--As Hospitals Fill With COVID-19 Patients, Medical Reinforcements Are Hard To Find

As Hospitals Fill With COVID-19 Patients , Medical Reinforcements Are Hard To Find Hospitals in much of the country are trying to cope with unprecedented numbers of COVID-19 patients .
As of Sunday , 93,238 were hospitalized , an alarming record that far exceeds the two previous peaks in April and July , of just under 60,000 inpatients .
But beds and space are n't the main concern .
It 's the work force .
Hospitals are worried that staffing levels wo n't be able to keep up with demand , as doctors , nurses and specialists such as respiratory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become infected or sick themselves .
The typical workaround for staffing shortages — hiring clinicians from out of town — is n't the solution anymore , even though it helped ease the strain early in the pandemic , when the first surge of cases was concentrated in a handful of `` hot spot '' cities like New York , Detroit , Seattle and New Orleans .
Recruiting those temporary reinforcements was also easier in the spring because hospitals outside of the initial hot spots were actually seeing fewer patients than normal , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many nurses were able — and excited — to catch a flight to another city and help with treatment on the front lines .
In many cases , hospitals were forced to compete for traveling nurses , and the payment rates for temporary nurses spiked .
In April , Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville had to increase the pay of some staff nurses , who were making less than newly-arrived temporary nurses .
In the spring , nurses who answered the call from beleaguered `` hot spot '' hospitals were n't just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also spoke about how meaningful and gratifying the work felt , trying to save lives in a historic pandemic , or the importance of being present for family members who could not visit loved ones who were sick or dying .
`` It was really a hot zone , and we were always in full PPE and everyone who was admitted was COVID positive , '' says Laura Williams of Knoxville , Tennessee , who helped launch the Ryan Larkin Field Hospital in New York City .
`` I was working six or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt very invigorated . ''
After two taxing months , Williams returned in June to her nursing job at the University of Tennessee Medical Center .
For awhile , the COVID front remained relatively quiet in Knoxville .
But then the fall surge hit : there have been record hospitalizations in Tennessee nearly every day , increasing by 60 % in the last month .
Health officials report that backup clinicians are becoming much harder to find .
Tennessee has now built its own field hospitals to handle patient overflows — one is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Memphis , and another occupies two unused floors in Nashville General Hospital .
But if they were needed right now , the state would have trouble finding the doctors and nurses to run them because hospitals are already struggling to staff the beds they have .
`` Hospital capacity is almost exclusively about staffing , '' says Dr. Lisa Piercey , who heads the Tennessee Department of Health .
`` Physical space , physical beds , not the issue . ''
When it comes to staffing , the coronavirus creates a compounding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highs , record numbers of hospital employees are themselves out sick with COVID-19 or temporarily forced to stop working because they have to quarantine after a possible exposure .
`` But here 's the kicker , '' says Dr. Alex Jahangir , who chairs Nashville 's coronavirus task force .
`` They 're not getting infected in the hospitals .
In fact , hospitals for the most part are fairly safe .
They 're getting infected in the community . ''
Some states , like North Dakota , have already decided to allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they feel okay , a move that has generated some backlash .
Colorado , California and Illinois have asked retired nurses and doctors to consider returning to the workforce .
In Tennessee , Gov .
Bill Lee has issued an emergency order loosening some regulatory restrictions on who can do what within a hospital , giving them more staffing flexibility .
For months , staffing in much of the country had been a concern behind the scenes .
But it 's becoming palpable to any patient .
Dr. Jessica Rosen is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nashville , where having to divert patients to other hospitals has been rare over the last decade .
She says it 's a common occurrence now .
`` We have been frequently on diversion , meaning we do n't take transfers from other hospitals , '' she says .
`` We try to send ambulances to other hospitals because we have no beds available . ''
Even the region 's largest hospitals are filling up .
This week , Vanderbilt University Medical Center made space in its children 's hospital for non-COVID patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 700 beds .
And like many hospitals , it 's had the challenge of staffing two intensive care units — one exclusively for COVID patients and another for everyone else .
And they 're coming from as far away as Arkansas and southwest Virginia .
`` The vast majority of our patients now in the intensive care unit are not coming in through our emergency department , '' says Dr. Matthew Semler , a pulmonary specialist at VUMC who works with COVID patients .
`` They 're being sent hours to be at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between here and where they present to the emergency department are on diversion . ''
Semler says his hospital would typically bring in nurses from out of town to help .
But there is nowhere to pull them from right now .
National provider groups are still moving personnel around , though increasingly it means leaving somewhere else a little short-staffed .
Dr. James Johnson with the Nashville-based physician services firm Envision has deployed reinforcements to Lubbock and El Paso this month .
He says the country has n't hit it yet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity .
`` I honestly do n't know where that limit is , '' he says .
At this point , the limitation wo n't be ventilators or protective gear .
In most cases , it will be the medical workforce .
People power .
Johnson , an Air Force veteran who treated wounded soldiers in Afghanistan , says he 's more focused than ever on trying to boost morale in the doctors and stave off burnout .
He 's generally optimistic , especially after serving four weeks in New York City early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experienced in New York and happened in every episode since , is that humanity rises to the occasion , '' he says .
But Johnson says the sacrifices should n't just come from the country 's health care workers .
Everyone bears a responsibility , he says , to try to keep themselves and others from getting sick in the first place .
This story is part of NPR 's health reporting partnership with Nashville Public Radio and Kaiser Health News .

As Hospitals Fill With COVID-19 Patients, Medical Reinforcements Are Hard To Find
Enlarge this image toggle caption Theresa Montgomery/TN Photo Services Theresa Montgomery/TN Photo Services
Hospitals in much of the country are trying to cope with unprecedented numbers of COVID-19 patients. As of Sunday, 93,238 were hospitalized, an alarming record that far exceeds the two previous peaks in April and July, of just under 60,000 inpatients.
But beds and space aren't the main concern. It's the work force. Hospitals are worried that staffing levels won't be able to keep up with demand as doctors, nurses and specialists such as respiratory therapists become exhausted or, worse, become infected or sick themselves.
The typical workaround for staffing shortages — hiring clinicians from out of town — isn't the solution anymore, even though it helped ease the strain early in the pandemic, when the first surge of cases was concentrated in a handful of "hot spot" cities such as New York, Detroit, Seattle and New Orleans.
Recruiting those temporary reinforcements was also easier in the spring because hospitals outside of the initial hot spots were actually seeing fewer patients than normal, which led to mass layoffs. That meant many nurses were able — and excited — to catch a flight to another city and help with treatment on the front lines.
In many cases, hospitals competed for traveling nurses, and the payment rates for temporary nurses spiked. In April, Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville had to increase the pay of some staff nurses, who were making less than newly arrived temporary nurses.
In the spring, nurses who answered the call from beleaguered "hot spot" hospitals weren't just able to command higher pay. Some also spoke about how meaningful and gratifying the work felt, trying to save lives in a historic pandemic, or the importance of being present for family members who could not visit loved ones who were sick or dying.
"It was really a hot zone, and we were always in full PPE and everyone who was admitted was COVID positive," says Laura Williams of Knoxville, Tenn., who helped launch the Ryan Larkin Field Hospital in New York City.
"I was working six or seven days a week, but I felt very invigorated."
After two taxing months, Williams returned in June to her nursing job at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. For a while, the COVID-19 front remained relatively quiet in Knoxville. Then the fall surge hit. There have been record hospitalizations in Tennessee nearly every day, increasing by 60% in the past month.
Health officials report that backup clinicians are becoming much harder to find.
Tennessee has now built its own field hospitals to handle patient overflows — one is inside the old Commercial Appeal newspaper offices in Memphis, and another occupies two unused floors in Nashville General Hospital. But if they were needed right now, the state would have trouble finding the doctors and nurses to run them because hospitals are already struggling to staff the beds they have.
"Hospital capacity is almost exclusively about staffing," says Dr. Lisa Piercey, who heads the Tennessee Department of Health. "Physical space, physical beds, not the issue."
When it comes to staffing, the coronavirus creates a compounding challenge.
As patient caseloads reach new highs, record numbers of hospital employees are themselves out sick with COVID-19 or temporarily forced to stop working because they have to quarantine after a possible exposure.
"But here's the kicker," says Dr. Alex Jahangir, who chairs Nashville's coronavirus task force. "They're not getting infected in the hospitals. In fact, hospitals for the most part are fairly safe. They're getting infected in the community."
Some states, like North Dakota, have already decided to allow COVID-positive nurses to keep working as long as they feel OK, a move that has generated some backlash. Colorado, California and Illinois have asked retired nurses and doctors to consider returning to the workforce.
In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee has issued an emergency order loosening some regulatory restrictions on who can do what within a hospital, giving them more staffing flexibility.
For months, staffing in much of the country had been a concern behind the scenes. But it's becoming palpable to any patient.
Dr. Jessica Rosen is an emergency physician at Saint Thomas Health in Nashville, where having to divert patients to other hospitals has been rare over the past decade. She says it's a common occurrence now.
"We have been frequently on diversion, meaning we don't take transfers from other hospitals," she says. "We try to send ambulances to other hospitals because we have no beds available."
Even the region's largest hospitals are filling up. This week, Vanderbilt University Medical Center made space in its children's hospital for non-COVID-19 patients. Its adult hospital has more than 700 beds. And like many other hospitals, it's had the challenge of staffing two intensive care units — one exclusively for COVID-19 patients and another for everyone else.
And they're coming from as far away as Arkansas and southwest Virginia.
"The vast majority of our patients now in the intensive care unit are not coming in through our emergency department," says Dr. Matthew Semler, a pulmonary specialist at VUMC who works with COVID-19 patients.
"They're being sent hours to be at our hospital because all of the hospitals between here and where they present to the emergency department are on diversion."
Semler says his hospital would typically bring in nurses from out of town to help. But there is nowhere to pull them from right now.
National provider groups are still moving personnel around, though increasingly it means leaving somewhere else a little short-staffed. Dr. James Johnson with the Nashville-based physician services company Envision has deployed reinforcements to Lubbock and El Paso this month.
He says the country hasn't hit it yet, but there's a limit to hospital capacity.
"I honestly don't know where that limit is," he says.
At this point, the limitation won't be ventilators or protective gear. In most cases, it will be the medical workforce. People power.
Johnson, an Air Force veteran who treated wounded soldiers in Afghanistan, says he's more focused than ever on trying to boost morale in the doctors and stave off burnout.
He's generally optimistic, especially after serving four weeks in New York City early in the pandemic.
"What we experienced in New York and happened in every episode since, is that humanity rises to the occasion," he says.
But Johnson says the sacrifices shouldn't just come from the country's health care workers. Everyone bears a responsibility, he says, to try to keep themselves and others from getting sick in the first place.
This story is part of NPR's health reporting partnership with Nashville Public Radio and Kaiser Health News.


npr--2020-11-30--IRS Says Its Own Error Sent $1,200 Stimulus Checks To Non-Americans Overseas

IRS Says Its Own Error Sent $ 1,200 Stimulus Checks To Non-Americans Overseas The IRS now acknowledges that its own error caused some citizens of other countries to mistakenly receive $ 1,200 coronavirus relief payments — and that the mistake is likely to happen again if more stimulus money goes out .
When reports of the mistake first surfaced , the U.S government placed the blame on those non-Americans , saying that many noncitizens erroneously received stimulus checks because they had filed incorrect tax returns that made them appear to be American .
But many non-Americans who received stimulus money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One of them is Susanne Wigforss , a 78-year-old Swedish citizen who lives in Stockholm .
Wigforss was surprised in July to get a $ 1,200 check in the mail from the U.S. Treasury .
It was followed by a letter from the White House signed by President Trump , addressed to `` My Fellow American '' and informing her that `` your economic impact payment has arrived . ''
`` I thought , ' I ca n't believe it , ' `` Wigforss recalled .
`` They 're sending it to me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's crazy , is n't it ? ''
Only U.S. citizens and U.S. `` resident aliens '' are eligible for stimulus money — `` resident alien '' is a federal tax classification , and to qualify an individual needs a green card or must have been in the U.S. for a certain amount of time — and Wigforss is neither .
Asked about this by NPR , the IRS acknowledged it mistakenly sent checks to some noncitizens who receive Social Security and other federal benefits — such as Wigforss , who receives a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in California for several years .
`` This is so wrong , '' Wigforss said , `` because I saw that a number of people were being evicted every month in Chicago , for instance , and I thought one of those families would have needed this stimulus check .
Why should a Swedish citizen living abroad receive $ 1,200 ? ''
`` There 's no way I 'm going to cash this money — it does n't belong to me , '' she added .
`` But how much money is bleeding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these [ misdirected ] stimulus checks , I wonder ? ''
The U.S. government can not answer that question .
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration did find that , as of late May , $ 34 million in stimulus money had gone to people who filed a tax return with a foreign address .
But that includes eligible people , such as U.S. citizens living abroad , and does not include ineligible foreign citizens who received a check at a U.S. address .
For example , NPR interviewed a citizen of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet received a $ 1,200 economic impact payment at his former address in Massachusetts .
That $ 34 million also does not include people , such as Wigforss , who received a check but did not file a U.S. tax return .
Since Congress passed its coronavirus relief package in a hurry in March , the U.S. government has put no mechanisms in place to prevent these mistakes from happening again .
As a result , if a new relief plan with more stimulus payments passes in the final weeks of the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of that money is likely to mistakenly end up in mailboxes overseas again .
U.S. Treasury officials said they are `` continuing to assess the accuracy of the economic impact payments ... and the recovery efforts for any erroneous payments . ''
In the meantime , they told NPR , the IRS is `` relying on individuals to voluntarily return these payments . ''
`` I think the poor folks in the IRS do n't have the bandwidth to go chasing this , '' said Enda Kelleher , a vice president at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for nonresidents , `` but it would be great if they did , because I believe that there 's millions of dollars that have gone to people that were n't entitled to it , or they 're certainly not the intended recipients . ''
Kelleher said Sprintax has clients from about 150 countries who mistakenly received stimulus checks , mostly commonly in India , China , South Korea , Vietnam and the United Kingdom , as well as numerous nations in Latin America .
`` It 's awful when we hear of millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he added , `` but it was probably within a somewhat acceptable threshold of error or margin of error '' because Congress opted for speed over accuracy when it flooded the U.S. economy with money last spring .
Many non-Americans who erroneously received a check are trying to return it because they worry it will jeopardize their visa or immigration status , `` but there 's equally thousands that are saying , 'Well , if they were silly enough to make this mistake , it 's their mistake and I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ask for it , ' `` Kelleher said .
Van Shockley falls in that category .
He 's 74 and was born in Pennsylvania , but he moved to Australia after becoming disillusioned with U.S. politics in the 1960s .
`` I had always been depressed when JFK was killed , '' he explained .
`` I just could n't get over that , so I started looking for someplace else [ to ] start all over . ''
Shockley gave up his U.S. citizenship and has now been an Australian citizen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trip to the U.S. was 40 years ago .
But he , too , received stimulus money , even though he is not eligible for it and does not file a U.S. tax return .
`` That was the weirdest thing ever , '' he recalled .
`` I checked the mail and I pulled out a check .
It had a Federal Reserve/Treasury thingamajig on it with the eagle and all that .
It 's made out to me .
I thought : 'What 's it from — America ?
What the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am I getting a check from the government ? '
`` Shockley suspects he mistakenly got a check because he receives Social Security from having worked in the U.S. before moving overseas .
`` At first , I thought it was a joke , '' he said , `` and then I went down to the bank and I said , 'Do you have some way of verifying that this is legal ? '
And the girl came back after five minutes and said , 'It 's legal .
You got the money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask for the money .
I did n't expect any money , '' Shockley added .
`` But as soon as I got it , I stuck it in the bank .
You ai n't getting it back ! ''
He attributes the mistake to U.S. government incompetence .
`` Oh , complete stupidity .
They 're just not doing their job properly , '' Shockley said .
`` But I 'm not complaining totally because I was happy with the money ! ''

IRS Says Its Own Error Sent $1,200 Stimulus Checks To Non-Americans Overseas
Enlarge this image toggle caption Miami Herald/TNS via Getty Images Miami Herald/TNS via Getty Images
The IRS now acknowledges that its own error caused some citizens of other countries to mistakenly receive $1,200 coronavirus relief payments — and that the mistake is likely to happen again if more stimulus money goes out.
When reports of the mistake first surfaced, the U.S government placed the blame on those non-Americans, saying that many noncitizens erroneously received stimulus checks because they had filed incorrect tax returns that made them appear to be American.
But many non-Americans who received stimulus money do not file U.S. tax returns. One of them is Susanne Wigforss, a 78-year-old Swedish citizen who lives in Stockholm.
Wigforss was surprised in July to get a $1,200 check in the mail from the U.S. Treasury. It was followed by a letter from the White House signed by President Trump, addressed to "My Fellow American" and informing her that "your economic impact payment has arrived."
"I thought, 'I can't believe it,' " Wigforss recalled. "They're sending it to me. Why? I mean, it's crazy, isn't it?"
Only U.S. citizens and U.S. "resident aliens" are eligible for stimulus money — "resident alien" is a federal tax classification, and to qualify an individual needs a green card or must have been in the U.S. for a certain amount of time — and Wigforss is neither.
Asked about this by NPR, the IRS acknowledged it mistakenly sent checks to some noncitizens who receive Social Security and other federal benefits — such as Wigforss, who receives a small Social Security payment from having worked in California for several years.
"This is so wrong," Wigforss said, "because I saw that a number of people were being evicted every month in Chicago, for instance, and I thought one of those families would have needed this stimulus check. Why should a Swedish citizen living abroad receive $1,200?"
"There's no way I'm going to cash this money — it doesn't belong to me," she added. "But how much money is bleeding out from the Treasury Department because of these [misdirected] stimulus checks, I wonder?"
The U.S. government cannot answer that question. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration did find that, as of late May, $34 million in stimulus money had gone to people who filed a tax return with a foreign address.
But that includes eligible people, such as U.S. citizens living abroad, and does not include ineligible foreign citizens who received a check at a U.S. address. For example, NPR interviewed a citizen of the Dominican Republic who was not eligible yet received a $1,200 economic impact payment at his former address in Massachusetts. That $34 million also does not include people, such as Wigforss, who received a check but did not file a U.S. tax return.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Susanne Wigforss Susanne Wigforss
Since Congress passed its coronavirus relief package in a hurry in March, the U.S. government has put no mechanisms in place to prevent these mistakes from happening again. As a result, if a new relief plan with more stimulus payments passes in the final weeks of the Trump administration or during the Biden administration, some of that money is likely to mistakenly end up in mailboxes overseas again.
U.S. Treasury officials said they are "continuing to assess the accuracy of the economic impact payments ... and the recovery efforts for any erroneous payments." In the meantime, they told NPR, the IRS is "relying on individuals to voluntarily return these payments."
"I think the poor folks in the IRS don't have the bandwidth to go chasing this," said Enda Kelleher, a vice president at Sprintax, which does U.S. tax preparation for nonresidents, "but it would be great if they did, because I believe that there's millions of dollars that have gone to people that weren't entitled to it, or they're certainly not the intended recipients."
Kelleher said Sprintax has clients from about 150 countries who mistakenly received stimulus checks, mostly commonly in India, China, South Korea, Vietnam and the United Kingdom, as well as numerous nations in Latin America.
"It's awful when we hear of millions of dollars going into the wrong hands," he added, "but it was probably within a somewhat acceptable threshold of error or margin of error" because Congress opted for speed over accuracy when it flooded the U.S. economy with money last spring.
Many non-Americans who erroneously received a check are trying to return it because they worry it will jeopardize their visa or immigration status, "but there's equally thousands that are saying, 'Well, if they were silly enough to make this mistake, it's their mistake and I'm not going to give it back until they ask for it,' " Kelleher said.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Van Shockley Van Shockley
Van Shockley falls in that category. He's 74 and was born in Pennsylvania, but he moved to Australia after becoming disillusioned with U.S. politics in the 1960s.
"I had always been depressed when JFK was killed," he explained. "I just couldn't get over that, so I started looking for someplace else [to] start all over."
Shockley gave up his U.S. citizenship and has now been an Australian citizen for about a half-century. His last trip to the U.S. was 40 years ago. But he, too, received stimulus money, even though he is not eligible for it and does not file a U.S. tax return.
"That was the weirdest thing ever," he recalled. "I checked the mail and I pulled out a check. It had a Federal Reserve/Treasury thingamajig on it with the eagle and all that. It's made out to me. I thought: 'What's it from — America? What the hell's going on here? Why am I getting a check from the government?' "
Shockley suspects he mistakenly got a check because he receives Social Security from having worked in the U.S. before moving overseas.
"At first, I thought it was a joke," he said, "and then I went down to the bank and I said, 'Do you have some way of verifying that this is legal?' And the girl came back after five minutes and said, 'It's legal. You got the money.' "
"I didn't ask for the money. I didn't expect any money," Shockley added. "But as soon as I got it, I stuck it in the bank. You ain't getting it back!"
He attributes the mistake to U.S. government incompetence.
"Oh, complete stupidity. They're just not doing their job properly," Shockley said. "But I'm not complaining totally because I was happy with the money!"


npr--2020-11-30--With 2020 Called A Success, Big Questions Lie Ahead For Election Security

The 2020 elections ran well and were largely free from foreign interference , U.S. officials say .
That does n't mean the story is over .
Improving elections practices is a `` race without a finish line , '' as Pennsylvania 's secretary of state told NPR in 2019 , and big questions remain about what 's to become of the fast maturing but still partly formed discipline of election security .
A range of pending decisions , moves and countermoves now stands between governments , voters and their ballots in upcoming races , meaning the environment likely will continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — the United States , Russia , China and others — likely stay the same .
Here are some of the unresolved issues as the clock begins to tick toward Americans voting again in large numbers , including in important U.S. Senate runoff elections early next year in Georgia .
Although this year 's presidential race was declared secure and successful , there was some mischief , including cases announced by the leaders of the intelligence community such as intimidating emails traced to Iran and cyberattacks blamed on Russia .
How much else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publicly by authorities ?
Revelations about Russia 's cyberattacks on the 2016 presidential election dribbled out for years with subsequent discoveries and in later reports .
It is n't clear whether outgoing Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe might prepare an `` intelligence community assessment '' on 2020 's activity — as his predecessor released in early 2017 on 2016 's activity — or whether a congressional committee might attempt something similar or whether the new administration might .
Detailing the extent of this year 's activity , such as it was , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the successes claimed by elections leaders , who said this month that the 2020 race was `` the most secure in American history . ''
One big specific question posed by U.S. officials but never addressed fully was about the interference efforts of China .
A top Justice Department official suggested there was more taking place than he could discuss in the open .
How much of that was real , and how much was part of what critics called a political strategy to spread blame away from Russia ?
Foreign interference is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge spike that afflicted the 2016 election was a deliberate move by Russia 's government to bring about what it hoped would be a more sympathetic administration in Washington following tensions over eastern Europe .
Russian President Vladimir Putin felt that the United States was interfering in his own front yard — and probably also Russia 's internal politics — after U.S. and European condemnation of Russia 's invasion of Ukraine .
Accordingly , Putin wanted someone other than Hillary Clinton , whom he considered too hawkish , to become president .
Putin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's school of European and foreign policy , and Russia 's comparatively subdued efforts to interfere in the 2020 election were aimed at hurting Biden , U.S intelligence officials said .
So the question about Russian attacks and American countermoves now fits into that broader context of statecraft .
The last time Biden worked in the White House , as vice president to President Barack Obama , he pushed for a `` reset '' with Russia following the chill between Washington and Moscow under President George W. Bush .
That is likely not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vowed during the presidential campaign that Russia and other nations would face consequences for interfering in U.S. elections , although he stopped short of spelling out what he had in mind .
Russian scheming in 2020 also specifically targeted Biden 's own family — the Treasury Department sanctioned a Ukrainian member of parliament it said was acting as an agent of Moscow — making the issue personal .
So continuing to defend American networks and other aspects of election security will be only a part of a new chapter in the long saga @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the West .
Attack and defense will be downstream of the diplomatic interplay between the two powers .
What 's to become of the Department of Homeland Security ?
Some of the unresolved outlook for election security depends on unresolved political questions in Washington .
January 's U.S. Senate runoffs in Georgia will determine which political party controls the World 's Greatest Deliberative Body and , very likely , how ambitious Biden and the Democrats can be .
Critics angry about what they call the cruelty and misuse of the Department of Homeland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take action — to smash the agency , or reorganize it , so that it ca n't handle immigration or domestic protests as it did .
DHS has many election security responsibilities in coordination with the FBI and other agencies , including via its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency .
If Republicans preserve their majority in the Senate , they 'll likely serve as a brake on any proposal to abolish or greatly restructure the legacy DHS , which already has endured a great deal of churn since it was created after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gain a majority in the Senate , that would put them — with their House majority and Biden as president — in a position to contemplate bigger changes .
Members of Congress to Biden 's left might pressure him to abolish DHS and potentially even create a stand-alone federal agency to take more responsibility for elections , as proposed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass .
The nature of the proposals and the prospect for change could dictate what follows — and whether U.S. officials are in an even stronger position than they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a big shake-up might still be underway by , for example , the 2022 midterm elections .
What will become of the U.S. information environment ?
If foreign interference boils down to two broad strategies , changing ballots or changing minds , 2020 brought another reminder about how much simpler it is to defend election infrastructure , including databases , machines and other equipment .
Americans ' minds and beliefs are a different story .
Falsehoods and misinformation on every topic spread freely on social media .
That can affect people 's behavior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to vaccinate their children against measles ; they poison themselves with chemicals wrongly believed to prevent coronavirus infection ; and significant numbers of them told pollsters they do n't believe the election was free or fair .
The paradox in 2020 was that even years of public reports on election interference and a sustained stream of false claims by President Trump about alleged `` fraud '' did n't prompt people to opt out .
Quite the opposite : Americans turned out in record numbers .
So sometimes what people say they believe does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Other times it does .
When , looking ahead , might that prove consequential ?
For example : Will Republican officeholders preserve practices intended to expand access to voting during the coronavirus pandemic — or will Trump-backed false beliefs about `` fraud '' prove too durable to make that politically possible ?
Will members of Congress in a new administration agree on legislation that could compel social media platforms to change their practices ?
Can public officials do more to address voters directly ?
David Levine , the elections integrity fellow with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a new presidential commission that would include officials from state and local governments .
Its goal , he said , should be to quash false perceptions and sell Americans on their own system .

With 2020 Called A Success, Big Questions Lie Ahead For Election Security
Enlarge this image toggle caption Marcus Marritt for NPR Marcus Marritt for NPR
The 2020 elections ran well and were largely free from foreign interference, U.S. officials say.
That doesn't mean the story is over.
Improving elections practices is a "race without a finish line," as Pennsylvania's secretary of state told NPR in 2019, and big questions remain about what's to become of the fast maturing but still partly formed discipline of election security.
A range of pending decisions, moves and countermoves now stands between governments, voters and their ballots in upcoming races, meaning the environment likely will continue to evolve even as the big players — the United States, Russia, China and others — likely stay the same.
Here are some of the unresolved issues as the clock begins to tick toward Americans voting again in large numbers, including in important U.S. Senate runoff elections early next year in Georgia.
What happened in 2020?
Although this year's presidential race was declared secure and successful, there was some mischief, including cases announced by the leaders of the intelligence community such as intimidating emails traced to Iran and cyberattacks blamed on Russia.
How much else remains undiscovered by cyberspecialists or not revealed publicly by authorities?
Revelations about Russia's cyberattacks on the 2016 presidential election dribbled out for years with subsequent discoveries and in later reports. It isn't clear whether outgoing Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe might prepare an "intelligence community assessment" on 2020's activity — as his predecessor released in early 2017 on 2016's activity — or whether a congressional committee might attempt something similar or whether the new administration might.
Detailing the extent of this year's activity, such as it was, might give a more nuanced view of the successes claimed by elections leaders, who said this month that the 2020 race was "the most secure in American history."
One big specific question posed by U.S. officials but never addressed fully was about the interference efforts of China. A top Justice Department official suggested there was more taking place than he could discuss in the open. How much of that was real, and how much was part of what critics called a political strategy to spread blame away from Russia?
What's in store for U.S.-Russia relations?
Foreign interference is as old as statecraft, but the huge spike that afflicted the 2016 election was a deliberate move by Russia's government to bring about what it hoped would be a more sympathetic administration in Washington following tensions over eastern Europe.
Russian President Vladimir Putin felt that the United States was interfering in his own front yard — and probably also Russia's internal politics — after U.S. and European condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Accordingly, Putin wanted someone other than Hillary Clinton, whom he considered too hawkish, to become president.
Putin believes President-elect Joe Biden belongs to Clinton's school of European and foreign policy, and Russia's comparatively subdued efforts to interfere in the 2020 election were aimed at hurting Biden, U.S intelligence officials said.
So the question about Russian attacks and American countermoves now fits into that broader context of statecraft. The last time Biden worked in the White House, as vice president to President Barack Obama, he pushed for a "reset" with Russia following the chill between Washington and Moscow under President George W. Bush.
That is likely not in the cards this time.
Biden vowed during the presidential campaign that Russia and other nations would face consequences for interfering in U.S. elections, although he stopped short of spelling out what he had in mind. Russian scheming in 2020 also specifically targeted Biden's own family — the Treasury Department sanctioned a Ukrainian member of parliament it said was acting as an agent of Moscow — making the issue personal.
So continuing to defend American networks and other aspects of election security will be only a part of a new chapter in the long saga of the fraught dynamic between Moscow and the West. Attack and defense will be downstream of the diplomatic interplay between the two powers.
What's to become of the Department of Homeland Security?
Some of the unresolved outlook for election security depends on unresolved political questions in Washington. January's U.S. Senate runoffs in Georgia will determine which political party controls the World's Greatest Deliberative Body and, very likely, how ambitious Biden and the Democrats can be.
Critics angry about what they call the cruelty and misuse of the Department of Homeland Security during the Trump era want Biden to take action — to smash the agency, or reorganize it, so that it can't handle immigration or domestic protests as it did.
DHS has many election security responsibilities in coordination with the FBI and other agencies, including via its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
If Republicans preserve their majority in the Senate, they'll likely serve as a brake on any proposal to abolish or greatly restructure the legacy DHS, which already has endured a great deal of churn since it was created after the 2001 terrorist attacks.
If Democrats gain a majority in the Senate, that would put them — with their House majority and Biden as president — in a position to contemplate bigger changes. Members of Congress to Biden's left might pressure him to abolish DHS and potentially even create a stand-alone federal agency to take more responsibility for elections, as proposed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
The nature of the proposals and the prospect for change could dictate what follows — and whether U.S. officials are in an even stronger position than they say they were this year or whether a big shake-up might still be underway by, for example, the 2022 midterm elections.
What will become of the U.S. information environment?
If foreign interference boils down to two broad strategies, changing ballots or changing minds, 2020 brought another reminder about how much simpler it is to defend election infrastructure, including databases, machines and other equipment.
Americans' minds and beliefs are a different story.
Falsehoods and misinformation on every topic spread freely on social media. That can affect people's behavior in important ways.
Americans choose not to vaccinate their children against measles; they poison themselves with chemicals wrongly believed to prevent coronavirus infection; and significant numbers of them told pollsters they don't believe the election was free or fair.
The paradox in 2020 was that even years of public reports on election interference and a sustained stream of false claims by President Trump about alleged "fraud" didn't prompt people to opt out. Quite the opposite: Americans turned out in record numbers.
So sometimes what people say they believe doesn't always determine what they actually do. Other times it does. When, looking ahead, might that prove consequential?
For example: Will Republican officeholders preserve practices intended to expand access to voting during the coronavirus pandemic — or will Trump-backed false beliefs about "fraud" prove too durable to make that politically possible?
Will members of Congress in a new administration agree on legislation that could compel social media platforms to change their practices? Can public officials do more to address voters directly?
David Levine, the elections integrity fellow with the Alliance for Securing Democracy, called for a new presidential commission that would include officials from state and local governments. Its goal, he said, should be to quash false perceptions and sell Americans on their own system.


npr--2020-11-30--Virtual Charter Schools Are Booming, Despite A Checkered Reputation

Parent Mandii Brower vividly remembers what it was like when her kids ' school in Yukon , Okla. , switched to distance learning in the spring : `` It was just like , we never learned with our teachers again .
They never checked on things again . ''
She says `` school '' consisted of just a few short daily assignments .
`` I [ could n't ] see my kids ' education going that way . ''
So this fall , Brower enrolled her two daughters in Epic Charter Schools , a virtual program that allows students to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with pre-recorded lessons and one-on-one teacher support .
For Brower , the difference has been night and day .
She says Epic `` [ has ] it down pat , and they know how to help families . ''
Brower was n't the only parent to give the Oklahoma-based virtual school a try this year .
Since last spring , Epic enrollment has grown to be double the size of the state 's largest public school district .
In fact , across the country , fully virtual K-12 charter schools have experienced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one sector observer put it .
K12 Inc. , one of the biggest in the business , has reported a 57 % enrollment increase , taking it up to 195,000 students ; Connections Academy , another heavy hitter , has reported a 41 % jump , and the list goes on .
Virtual charter schools have been around for a couple of decades .
In that time , they 've been both relatively niche and highly controversial .
Free to families but paid for by taxpayers , they enrolled about 300,000 full-time students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the National Education Policy Center .
The market has been dominated by publicly-traded corporations , including K12 Inc. and Pearson , which runs Connections Academy .
Together those two entities enroll about half of the nation 's virtual charter school students .
Gary Miron , at Western Michigan University , has been doing annual watchdog reports on the virtual charter sector since 2012 .
He says , `` Nothing changes — except that they continue to grow in the face of all the negative news , in the face of all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcomes , and in the face of all the scandalous reports that investigative journalists continue to dig up . ''
As Miron explains , corporate-run virtual schools have consistently been dogged by complaints about high student turnover , low student performance , fraud and waste .
Low test scores , abysmal graduation rates and disputes about headcount have led these schools to be either shut down or placed at risk of closure in several states .
Groups representing charter schools , like the National Association of Charter School Authorizers , have publicly questioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the charter school model at all , '' and called for stepped-up oversight and funding rules .
Epic Charter Schools in Oklahoma is what Miron calls `` a wannabe big guy , '' and `` one of the most scandal-ridden . ''
Case in point : A recent investigation by Oklahoma 's state auditor accused Epic of , among other things , funnelling millions of public dollars into the pockets of its co-founders and misusing funds meant for student instruction .
Epic has denied most of the allegations .
But they 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joy Hofmeister , Oklahoma 's state superintendent of public instruction .
`` We have a pattern of practice that is unacceptable and has to be changed , '' Hofmeister says .
`` Epic needs to be held accountable .
All public schools need to be held accountable . ''
Now , a special counsel is investigating possible criminal wrongdoing .
And the state school board is trying to claw back $ 11.2 million in public funding .
But because of its business structure , investigating Epic has been a challenge .
The state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigators , while the school argues its for-profit management company does n't have to share that information — Epic attorney Bill Hickman says it never has in the past .
`` And nobody told us that was wrong .
Nobody told us we could n't do that , '' he said at a recent school board meeting .
Epic is n't the only virtual charter company to stumble publicly this school year .
Miami-Dade County Public Schools , the nation 's fourth largest district , awarded K12 Inc. a $ 15.3 million no-bid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this fall , before school buildings reopened there .
But there were so many technical glitches that the district fired K12 Inc. after only a couple of weeks .
School records provided to WLRN in Miami show thousands of students left the district during that period .
`` We have had our bumps in the road .
We 've made some mistakes , '' says Kevin Chavous , K12 Inc. 's president of academics , policy and schools .
The persistent problems with the `` corporate-model '' virtual charters , as critics like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their business model and incentives .
He says they spend their money on marketing to parents and lobbying lawmakers , not on education .
For example , Miron has documented ratios of as many as 100 students per teacher .
He says a special education teacher at one school `` showed me a screenshot from her computer to show how many kids that she has .
And I just said , 'Hey , that 's impossible .
That 's illegal .
You ca n't have that many — states regulate it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I 'm quitting . '
`` When asked about their average teacher-student ratio , K12 Inc. provided NPR not with a number , but with a statement that read in part : `` Ratios are determined based on content area , grade levels , and specific student needs , and the educator-to-student ratios in K12-powered schools is similar to levels at traditional brick and mortar schools . ''
Connections Academy told NPR , `` On average , 'class size ' is typically between 30-50 . ''
Virtual charter schools have countered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' desire for choice , and that 's been even more true during the pandemic .
Epic Charter Schools co-founder Ben Harris told NPR , `` I 'm glad we are here to make sure they do n't have to choose between a school they do n't think is safe for their child and their child having a quality education .
No parent should have to make that choice . ''
Chavous says families are choosing virtual charters because in the `` areas that are most important in terms of administering a robust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience for families , we know what we 're doing . ''
He says parents prefer them for their customized online curriculum and teachers who are specifically trained to use it — many public school districts pivoting to remote learning ca n't say the same .
He also says that virtual charter students have tended to underperform because they are lower-performing to begin with .
`` Only 12 % of our first-time-enrolled K-12 students are at grade level , '' Chavous explains .
`` That 's been our historical track . ''
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school students , including at K12 Inc. , underperform even when their previous learning level is taken into account .
Unprecedented numbers of students have experienced virtual learning last spring and this fall , and some proportion of them will doubtless stick with it going forward .
This may include students with ADHD , social anxiety or students who are victims of bullying and discrimination and prefer learning from home .
Chavous says that the parents signing up for K12 Inc. right now are highly educated and more engaged compared to their previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be frank : To keep them , we 'd better be on our game . ''
He says they 've stepped up efforts with things like virtual extracurricular activities and community building among parents .
Meanwhile , Miron is clear that he does believe in virtual learning as a model .
In fact , he says , there 's a better alternative to for-profit charters out there — and it 's also growing .
He points to state-run `` virtual academies '' that exist in about half of states .
They offer millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schoolers , the chance to take individual courses online .
These academies help students who need to retake a course to graduate , or allow a rural high school to offer a foreign language or an AP course that they otherwise would not be able to offer .
Many have full-time online programs as well , and even hybrid models with both in-person and online learning days .
For example , Florida Virtual School , which is state run and has been around since 1997 , has both full-time and class-by-class offerings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ better than the state average on end-of-course exams and Advanced Placement exams .
And during the pandemic , its in-state , full-time enrollment has nearly doubled , to 11,000 students .
`` I think [ families are ] choosing us because we 've done this for a long time , '' says Courtney Calfee of Florida Virtual School .
Given the increased parent experience with online learning , it 's possible that public school districts will be moved to offer more quality full-time and hybrid options , even beyond the pandemic .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oversight , whether companies like Epic or K12 Inc. are moved to change their stripes is a whole other question .

Virtual Charter Schools Are Booming, Despite A Checkered Reputation
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jayme Gershen/Bloomberg via Getty Images Jayme Gershen/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Parent Mandii Brower vividly remembers what it was like when her kids' school in Yukon, Okla., switched to distance learning in the spring: "It was just like, we never learned with our teachers again. They never checked on things again." She says "school" consisted of just a few short daily assignments.
"I [couldn't] see my kids' education going that way."
So this fall, Brower enrolled her two daughters in Epic Charter Schools, a virtual program that allows students to study online, at their own pace, with prerecorded lessons and one-on-one teacher support. For Brower, the difference has been night and day. She says Epic "[has] it down pat, and they know how to help families."
Brower wasn't the only parent to give the Oklahoma-based virtual school a try this year. Since last spring, Epic enrollment has grown to be double the size of the state's largest public school district.
In fact, across the country, fully virtual K-12 charter schools have experienced a pandemic-induced "surge," as one sector observer put it. K12 Inc., one of the biggest in the business, has reported a 57% enrollment increase, taking it up to 195,000 students; Connections Academy, another heavy hitter, has reported a 41% jump, and the list goes on.
Virtual charter schools have been around for a couple of decades. In that time, they've been both relatively niche and highly controversial. Free to families but paid for by taxpayers, they enrolled about 300,000 full-time students in the 2017-18 school year, according to the National Education Policy Center. The market has been dominated by publicly traded corporations, including K12 Inc. and Pearson, which runs Connections Academy. Together those two entities enroll about half of the nation's virtual charter school students.
... they continue to grow in the face of all the negative news, in the face of all the reports that demonstrate that they have terrible outcomes, and in the face of all the scandalous reports that investigative journalists continue to dig up.
Gary Miron, at Western Michigan University, has been doing annual watchdog reports on the virtual charter sector since 2012. He says, "Nothing changes — except that they continue to grow in the face of all the negative news, in the face of all the reports that demonstrate that they have terrible outcomes, and in the face of all the scandalous reports that investigative journalists continue to dig up."
As Miron explains, corporate-run virtual schools have consistently been dogged by complaints about high student turnover, low student performance, fraud and waste. Low test scores, abysmal graduation rates and disputes about headcount have led these schools to be either shut down or placed at risk of closure in several states. Groups representing charter schools, like the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, have publicly questioned "whether virtual schools should be included in the charter school model at all," and called for stepped-up oversight and funding rules.
Oklahoma's Epic scandal
Epic Charter Schools in Oklahoma is what Miron calls "a wannabe big guy," and "one of the most scandal-ridden." Case in point: A recent investigation by Oklahoma's state auditor accused Epic of, among other things, funneling millions of public dollars into the pockets of its co-founders and misusing funds meant for student instruction.
Epic has denied most of the allegations. But it has run out of goodwill with regulators like Joy Hofmeister, Oklahoma's state superintendent of public instruction. "We have a pattern of practice that is unacceptable and has to be changed," Hofmeister says.
"Epic needs to be held accountable. All public schools need to be held accountable."
Now, a special counsel is investigating possible criminal wrongdoing. And the state school board is trying to claw back $11.2 million in public funding.
But because of its business structure, investigating Epic has been a challenge. The state says Epic has withheld financial records from investigators, while the school argues its for-profit management company doesn't have to share that information — Epic attorney Bill Hickman says it never has in the past.
"And nobody told us that was wrong. Nobody told us we couldn't do that," he said at a recent school board meeting.
Bumps in the road
Epic isn't the only virtual charter company to stumble publicly this school year. Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the nation's fourth largest district, awarded K12 Inc. a $15.3 million no-bid contract to power its virtual learning platform this fall, before school buildings reopened there. But there were so many technical glitches that the district fired K12 Inc. after only a couple of weeks. School records provided to WLRN in Miami show thousands of students left the district during that period.
"We have had our bumps in the road. We've made some mistakes," says Kevin Chavous, K12 Inc.'s president of academics, policy and schools.
The persistent problems with the "corporate-model" virtual charters, as critics like Gary Miron see it, come down to their business model and incentives. He says they spend their money on marketing to parents and lobbying lawmakers, not on education.
We have had our bumps in the road. We've made some mistakes.
For example, Miron has documented ratios of as many as 100 students per teacher. He says a special education teacher at one school "showed me a screenshot from her computer to show how many kids that she has. And I just said, 'Hey, that's impossible. That's illegal. You can't have that many — states regulate it.' And she said, 'Yep, and I'm quitting.' "
When asked about their average teacher-student ratio, K12 Inc. provided NPR not with a number, but with a statement that read in part: "Ratios are determined based on content area, grade levels, and specific student needs, and the educator-to-student ratios in K12-powered schools is similar to levels at traditional brick and mortar schools." Connections Academy told NPR, "On average, 'class size' is typically between 30-50."
Virtual charter schools have countered the critics by saying that they meet families' desire for choice, and that's been even more true during the pandemic. Epic Charter Schools co-founder Ben Harris told NPR, "I'm glad we are here to make sure they don't have to choose between a school they don't think is safe for their child and their child having a quality education. No parent should have to make that choice."
Chavous says families are choosing virtual charters because in the "areas that are most important in terms of administering a robust, meaningful, quality based online learning experience for families, we know what we're doing." He says parents prefer them for their customized online curriculum and teachers who are specifically trained to use it — many public school districts pivoting to remote learning can't say the same.
He also says that virtual charter students have tended to underperform because they are lower-performing to begin with. "Only 12% of our first-time-enrolled K-12 students are at grade level," Chavous explains. "That's been our historical track."
However, research has shown that virtual charter school students, including at K12 Inc., underperform even when their previous learning level is taken into account.
The future of virtual learning
Unprecedented numbers of students have experienced virtual learning last spring and this fall, and some proportion of them will doubtless stick with it going forward. This may include students with ADHD, social anxiety or students who are victims of bullying and discrimination and prefer learning from home.
Chavous says that the parents signing up for K12 Inc. right now are highly educated and more engaged compared to their previous population of families. "Let me be frank: To keep them, we'd better be on our game." He says they've stepped up efforts with things like virtual extracurricular activities and community building among parents.
Meanwhile, Miron is clear that he does believe in virtual learning as a model. In fact, he says, there's a better alternative to for-profit charters out there — and it's also growing. He points to state-run "virtual academies" that exist in about half of states. They offer millions of public school students, especially high schoolers, the chance to take individual courses online. These academies help students who need to retake a course to graduate, or allow a rural high school to offer a foreign language or an AP course that they otherwise would not be able to offer. Many have full-time online programs as well, and even hybrid models with both in-person and online learning days.
For example, Florida Virtual School, which is state run and has been around since 1997, has both full-time and class-by-class offerings. The school says its students actually do better than the state average on end-of-course exams and Advanced Placement exams. And during the pandemic, its in-state, full-time enrollment has nearly doubled, to 11,000 students.
"I think [families are] choosing us because we've done this for a long time," says Courtney Calfee of Florida Virtual School.
Given the increased parent experience with online learning, it's possible that public school districts will be moved to offer more quality full-time and hybrid options, even beyond the pandemic. But without big changes in state regulations and oversight, whether companies like Epic or K12 Inc. are moved to change their stripes is a whole other question.