npr--2020-10-10--Coronavirus Maps: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?

Coronavirus Maps : How Severe Is Your State 's Outbreak ?
More than 7 million people in the U.S. have been infected with the coronavirus and more than 210,000 have died .
Tens of thousands of new cases are reported daily nationwide .
In the graphics below , explore the trends in your state .
View the data via a heat map ( immediately below ) , curve charts , a table of state-by-state trends over four weeks , or a map of total cases and deaths .
The map above shows the risk of infection in each state based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These color-coded risk levels were developed by a consortium of researchers and public health experts .
The group advises states in the red category to issue stay-home orders .
Orange states may need to consider stay-home orders , along with increased testing and contact tracing .
Yellow states need to keep up social distancing and mask usage , and both yellow and green states should continue testing and contact tracing .
To compare state outbreaks , the chart above graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each state 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visualization highlights a state 's daily growth or decline relative to the overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In New York , the curve rose sharply before reaching over 170,000 total cases in April .
Since then , new cases have fallen from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to under 800 per day in late September .
Explore the map above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the country for both new confirmed cases and reported deaths from COVID-19 .
New York was the original epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. As of mid August , California , Florida and Texas have surpassed New York for total cases to date , though New York still has the highest death total .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths .
To show trends , the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state , week over week for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in shades of red have growing outbreaks ; those in shades of green , are declining .
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; the World Health Organization ; national , state and local government health departments ; 1point3acres ; and local media reports .
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies .
This may result in occasional data discrepancies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resolves anomalies and updates its feeds .
State-by-state recovery data are unavailable at this time .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships .
In early June , Michigan health authorities started including probable cases in its totals .
This resulted in a brief spike in the state 's daily numbers until the JHU team was able to reconcile the historical data .
On June 25 , New Jersey included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , resulting in a spike in the state 's daily death numbers .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Elena Renken was a co-author on that version .
Sean McMinn contributed to and Carmel Wroth edited this story .

Tracking the coronavirus around the U.S.: See how your state is doing
Loading...
Note: This page was last updated on Feb. 1, 2023. It will no longer be updated. For current data on COVID cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of Feb. 1, there have been more than 101 million confirmed coronavirus infections in the U.S. and more than 1 million people have died of COVID-19. In the graphics below, explore the trends in your state.
Loading...
The above charts show average new cases per 100,000 people for each state over the last 12 months.
Note: Actual cases may be substantially higher, since many who test positive with at-home tests don't report their cases.
For additional data about COVID-19 in the U.S, including cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
To show trends, the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state, week over week for the last 28 days. States marked in shades of red have growing outbreaks; those in shades of green, are declining.
Loading...
Methodology
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the World Health Organization; national, state and local government health departments; 1point3acres; and local media reports.
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies. This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds. There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department's website. Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships.
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases, process testing backlogs or update their methodologies. The JHU team maintains a list of such changes.
This story was originally published on March 16, 2020. Elena Renken was a co-author on that version. Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story. Carmel Wroth edited this story.


npr--2020-10-10--Kim Jong Un Puts New Missiles On Display At Military Parade In North Korea

Kim Jong Un Puts New Missiles On Display At Military Parade In North Korea Kim Jong Un began a military parade in Pyongyang on Saturday with what was an unprovocative speech without any mention of the United States .
But then , the North Korean leader displayed what appeared to be several new strategic weapons , including some that could potentially hit the U.S. mainland .
The highly choreographed event in the North Korean capital marked the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers Party .
Some sort of display of new weaponry — which experts believe could serve as leverage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as Kim had promised late last year to unveil a new strategic addition to the nation 's arsenal .
The parade was staged in the early hours of Saturday morning local time , but not broadcast by state media until the evening .
Foreigners in the capital were reportedly instructed to steer clear of the event .
Standing on a newly renovated stage overlooking Kim Il Sung Square , the North Korean leader dressed in a gray suit and tie said that North Korea would `` deter , control and manage all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever-growing nuclear threats , from hostile forces . ''
But he added that the country 's military deterrent would only be used in self-defense and `` will never be abused or used first under any circumstances . ''
Following his remarks , troops marched and military hardware rolled past , including what appeared to be an upgraded and enlarged version of the Hwasong-15 , an intercontinental ballistic missile ( ICBM ) thought to be capable of hitting the U.S. , and the Pukguksong-4 , a new submarine-launched ballistic missile .
But Lee Ho-ryung @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Defense Analyses , a government-funded , Seoul-based research institute , cautions that North Korea sometimes puts on parade replicas or mock-ups of weapons which are not yet fully operational .
She adds that putting the weapons on parade is a low-risk way to send a message to the world .
`` They 're not as likely to conduct a test launch that would provoke countries such as the U.S. , '' she says , `` because they want to leave room for diplomacy . ''
North Korea has not tested an ICBM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kim Jong Un indicated that he had become disillusioned about the prospect of reaching a deal with the U.S. , and said he was no longer bound by a self-imposed moratorium on testing nuclear weapons .
The North continued to test a variety of short-range missiles and rockets this year , which have drawn a muted response from President Trump , as the weapons can not hit the U.S. , although they can reach South Korea , where some 28,500 US troops are stationed .
Lee argues that Kim Jong Un focused on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anniversary , in order to cover up and compensate for the fact that he has failed to achieve his economic goals .
`` All they have to call an achievement is reinforcing their defense powers , '' she says , because the leadership has failed to meet the economic targets set for the ruling party 's birthday .
Pyongyang has made no mention lately , for example , of a new general hospital in the capital , which was supposed to be completed by the anniversary .
To Kim 's domestic audience , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would likely be that it is only because of their military powers that they have been able to hold on this far . ''
At a meeting of the Workers Party Central Committee in August , Kim acknowledged that the goals in his five-year economic blueprint remained unmet .
New goals are expected to be set at a national congress of the Workers Party in January .
Kim Jong Un appeared emotional , as he spoke of the economic hardships North Korea 's people have endured this year .
The country is reeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and three back-to-back typhoons which destroyed thousands of homes and flooded crops .
The country 's only land border with China has been closed since January , and border guards have reportedly been given shoot-to-kill orders to stop unauthorized entry into the country .
Notably , none of the leaders , soldiers or cheering spectators shown in state media footage were wearing masks .
On a conciliatory note , after months of inter-Korean tensions , Kim wished South Korea a speedy recovery from the coronavirus epidemic , voicing hope that the two Koreas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health crisis passes .
NPR 's Se Eun Gong in Seoul contributed to this report .

Kim Jong Un Puts New Missiles On Display At Military Parade In North Korea
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images
Kim Jong Un began a military parade in Pyongyang on Saturday with what was an unprovocative speech without any mention of the United States. But then, the North Korean leader displayed what appeared to be several new strategic weapons, including some that could potentially hit the U.S. mainland.
The highly choreographed event in the North Korean capital marked the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers Party. Some sort of display of new weaponry — which experts believe could serve as leverage in future nuclear negotiations — was expected, as Kim had promised late last year to unveil a new strategic addition to the nation's arsenal.
The parade was staged in the early hours of Saturday morning local time, but not broadcast by state media until the evening. Foreigners in the capital were reportedly instructed to steer clear of the event.
Standing on a newly renovated stage overlooking Kim Il Sung Square, the North Korean leader dressed in a gray suit and tie said that North Korea would "deter, control and manage all dangerous attempts and threatening acts, including ever-growing nuclear threats, from hostile forces."
But he added that the country's military deterrent would only be used in self-defense and "will never be abused or used first under any circumstances."
Following his remarks, troops marched and military hardware rolled past, including what appeared to be an upgraded and enlarged version of the Hwasong-15, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) thought to be capable of hitting the U.S., and the Pukguksong-4, a new submarine-launched ballistic missile.
But Lee Ho-ryung, a researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, a government-funded, Seoul-based research institute, cautions that North Korea sometimes puts on parade replicas or mock-ups of weapons which are not yet fully operational.
She adds that putting the weapons on parade is a low-risk way to send a message to the world. "They're not as likely to conduct a test launch that would provoke countries such as the U.S.," she says, "because they want to leave room for diplomacy."
North Korea has not tested an ICBM since 2017. But in January, Kim Jong Un indicated that he had become disillusioned about the prospect of reaching a deal with the U.S., and said he was no longer bound by a self-imposed moratorium on testing nuclear weapons.
The North continued to test a variety of short-range missiles and rockets this year, which have drawn a muted response from President Trump, as the weapons cannot hit the U.S., although they can reach South Korea, where some 28,500 US troops are stationed.
Lee argues that Kim Jong Un focused on the parade to mark the party's anniversary, in order to cover up and compensate for the fact that he has failed to achieve his economic goals.
"All they have to call an achievement is reinforcing their defense powers," she says, because the leadership has failed to meet the economic targets set for the ruling party's birthday. Pyongyang has made no mention lately, for example, of a new general hospital in the capital, which was supposed to be completed by the anniversary.
To Kim's domestic audience, Lee says, "the main message would likely be that it is only because of their military powers that they have been able to hold on this far."
At a meeting of the Workers Party Central Committee in August, Kim acknowledged that the goals in his five-year economic blueprint remained unmet. New goals are expected to be set at a national congress of the Workers Party in January.
Kim Jong Un appeared emotional, as he spoke of the economic hardships North Korea's people have endured this year. The country is reeling from international sanctions, a coronavirus epidemic and three back-to-back typhoons which destroyed thousands of homes and flooded crops.
The country's only land border with China has been closed since January, and border guards have reportedly been given shoot-to-kill orders to stop unauthorized entry into the country. Notably, none of the leaders, soldiers or cheering spectators shown in state media footage were wearing masks.
On a conciliatory note, after months of inter-Korean tensions, Kim wished South Korea a speedy recovery from the coronavirus epidemic, voicing hope that the two Koreas will "join hands" after the health crisis passes.
NPR's Se Eun Gong in Seoul contributed to this report.


npr--2020-10-10--Chris Christie Released From Hospital A Week After Seeking COVID-19 Treatment

Former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie has been released from a hospital a week after announcing he had tested positive for the coronavirus .
Christie checked himself into the Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey on Oct. 3 after announcing his test result .
At the time , Christie called the visit an `` important precautionary measure , '' citing a history of asthma .
Christie is also overweight , which can be an added risk for coronavirus patients .
On Saturday , Christie announced that he had been released after his seven-day stay .
`` I am happy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was released from Morristown Medical Center .
I want to thank the extraordinary doctors & nurses who cared for me for the last week , '' Christie tweeted , promising to have `` more to say '' this next week .
A one-time rival turned Trump ally , Christie was one of several high-profile Republicans to test positive for the virus after attending a Rose Garden event last month for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett .
Christie also helped President Trump prep for his Sept. 29 debate against Joe Biden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus .
The Rose Garden ceremony and an accompanying indoor reception — dubbed a `` superspreader '' event by Dr. Anthony Fauci in an interview with CBS — has served as a flashpoint after multiple attendees announced positive results in the days since .
In addition to the president and first lady Melania Trump , the list of White House officials who have announced positive test results has grown to include advisers Hope Hicks and Stephen Miller and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany .
Three Republican senators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as has former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway , Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and campaign manager Bill Stepien .
The slew of cases among prominent Republicans has heightened scrutiny on how seriously the president and his allies have taken the coronavirus .
Public health experts worldwide recommend practices such as social distancing and wearing masks to slow the spread of the virus .
But at the Rose Garden ceremony , masks were eschewed by many attendees .
Videos , pictures and accounts from the event showed a convivial atmosphere where hugging @ @ @ @ @ @

Chris Christie Released From Hospital A Week After Seeking COVID-19 Treatment
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has been released from a hospital a week after announcing he had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Christie checked himself into the Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey on Oct. 3 after announcing his test result. At the time, Christie called the visit an "important precautionary measure," citing a history of asthma. Christie is also overweight, which can be an added risk for coronavirus patients.
On Saturday, Christie announced that he had been released after his seven-day stay.
"I am happy to let you know that this morning I was released from Morristown Medical Center. I want to thank the extraordinary doctors & nurses who cared for me for the last week," Christie tweeted, promising to have "more to say" this next week.
A one-time rival turned Trump ally, Christie was one of several high-profile Republicans to test positive for the virus after attending a Rose Garden event last month for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett. Christie also helped President Trump prep for his Sept. 29 debate against Joe Biden, which came three days before the president announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Rose Garden ceremony and an accompanying indoor reception — dubbed a "superspreader" event by Dr. Anthony Fauci in an interview with CBS — has served as a flashpoint after multiple attendees announced positive results in the days since.
In addition to the president and first lady Melania Trump, the list of White House officials who have announced positive test results has grown to include advisers Hope Hicks and Stephen Miller and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.
Three Republican senators have also revealed they have tested positive, as has former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and campaign manager Bill Stepien.
The slew of cases among prominent Republicans has heightened scrutiny on how seriously the president and his allies have taken the coronavirus.
Public health experts worldwide recommend practices such as social distancing and wearing masks to slow the spread of the virus. But at the Rose Garden ceremony, masks were eschewed by many attendees. Videos, pictures and accounts from the event showed a convivial atmosphere where hugging and close contact were commonplace.


npr--2020-10-10--The Boiling Resentment Behind The Foiled Plan To Kidnap Gov. Whitmer

The Boiling Resentment Behind The Foiled Plan To Kidnap Gov .
Whitmer In mid-April , thousands of citizens gridlocked the Michigan state Capitol for miles , unleashing a cacophony of noisemakers and car horns for nearly seven hours protesting Democratic Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer 's stay-at-home order .
`` Operation Gridlock '' was dotted with red `` Make American Great Again '' hats and yellow `` Live Free or Die '' flags .
President Trump cheered the protesters on , tweeting `` LIBERATE MICHIGAN ! ''
Despite polls showing long-standing approval of Whitmer 's handling of the coronavirus , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staged by conservative political groups and tacitly supported by Republicans in the state Legislature .
And at the same time , Whitmer 's political star was rising .
She earned a national reputation and a place on Democrat 's vice presidential shortlist for her management of the COVID-19 crisis in Michigan .
Under her leadership , Michigan moved from the state with the third-highest number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in April , to the bottom third in October .
As spring lingered on and other states began to ease restrictions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency in Michigan .
Over time , protests shrunk in size and attracted strong anti-Whitmer and misogynist sentiment .
Signs like `` tyrants get the rope , '' `` Ditch the Witch '' and `` Heil Whitler '' began to appear alongside Confederate flags and calls to `` Let us free from tyranny . ''
Then , on April 30 , the governor extended the state of emergency again , without approval from the Republican-controlled Legislature , and heavily armed protesters stood over lawmakers in the state Senate gallery as they debated what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May , Republicans grew tired of Whitmer 's nearly unilateral control and decided to sue , arguing she was violating the Michigan constitution .
`` I can tell you straight up that I do not know how decisions are being made in that executive office .
That curtain has been closed for a long time , '' said Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey , a Republican .
By mid-May , protesters compared life under Whitmer 's stay-at-home order to life under Nazi Germany .
One brought a naked brunette Barbie doll hanging from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the face of the Michigan coronavirus response , had reached a boiling point .
But by June , those public tensions faded into the background when the stay-home order ended and protests against Whitmer were overtaken by Black Lives Matter protests against the police killing of George Floyd .
On Thursday , the world learned that in the months since those protests , 13 men with links to the militia movement had allegedly been involved in a plot to kidnap Whitmer from her vacation home on the west side of Michigan , try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state government .
Michigan 's Democratic attorney general , Dana Nessel , stood in front of cameras explaining that the FBI , along with state police , foiled the extremist plot .
`` A multifront operation to apprehend the suspects in question was carefully coordinated and skillfully executed , '' she said .
The criminal complaint unsealed by the FBI on Thursday morning said six men surveilled the governor 's vacation home twice in an alleged attempt to kidnap her and were incensed by her power , saying , `` She has no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has uncontrolled power right now . ''
Several members of the group allegedly met and discussed plans for the plot at those protests at the Capitol in Lansing .
In mid-June , one suspect said he wanted to recruit 200 men for an operation to attack the Capitol , a plot the group allegedly later abandoned , focusing their attention on the governor instead .
On Thursday afternoon , the governor responded to the alleged plot herself in a broadcast message , saying hate groups have taken Trump 's unwillingness to condemn extremists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When our leaders meet with , encourage , or fraternize with domestic terrorists , they legitimize their actions and they are complicit .
When they stoke and contribute to hate speech , they are complicit . ''
Trump fought back on Twitter that night , saying Whitmer had done a terrible job handling the coronavirus and criticizing her for not thanking him for federal law enforcement 's role in thwarting the kidnapping plans .
And Republican speaker of the state House of Representatives , Lee Chatfield , who briefly attended an April protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement Friday saying that `` we wo n't overcome this by pointing fingers of or assigning blame , '' calling the alleged plan `` evil '' and saying that `` these terrorists should be prosecuted quickly . ''
The resentment for Whitmer has been steadily fomenting in two spheres : one in the far-right groups and militias who frequent Capitol protests and the other in the Republican majority of the state Legislature .
Shortly after a judge had heard and ruled on the side of Whitmer and her use of her executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan began to reopen .
Republicans appealed anyhow .
Then , late last week , Whitmer 's Republican critics in the state Legislature got what they had been waiting for since April — a ruling from the Michigan Supreme Court that upended her power .
In a 4-3 ruling , the Michigan Supreme Court ruled the 1945 law — the authority that underpinned the governor 's hundreds of executive orders — was unconstitutional .
The court ruled that while `` singular assertions of governmental authority '' were sometimes necessary to respond to emergencies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an emergency , '' the governor did not have the right to continue to extend the state of emergency without additional authorization from the Legislature .
In a video on Monday from the ceremonial office at the state Capitol , Whitmer addressed the ruling .
Three days later , the alleged plot to kidnap her was made public .
`` The Supreme Court has spoken , and while I vehemently disagree with the ruling , now it 's time for Republicans in the Legislature to get to work and to start showing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' said Whitmer .
The ruling cast uncertainty on the state of emergency , the statewide mask mandate and crucial public health measures like limitations on the size of gatherings aimed at limiting the spread of the coronavirus .
In the days after the ruling , the Republican majority leader said that he would n't support a mask mandate and , in an interview , that the state should instead rely on `` trusting people to do the right thing '' and that we should all learn `` to live with this virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services stepped in with an emergency statewide order that mirrored some of the key COVID-19 precautions in the original executive orders like masks and limitations on gathering sizes , angering Republicans again .
Now public health officials across the state are preparing for a patchwork response with orders coming from statewide agencies and others from county health departments .
`` I was stunned .
I was shocked , '' says Linda Vail , the public health officer for Ingham County , home of the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 'What do we do to put back together all of the pieces that were in place to keep people safe and open the economy and all of those things ? '
`` Vail says the attitude of some state Republicans that people need to learn to live with COVID-19 is naïve .
`` What about the thousands of people in this state that died ?
They did n't figure out a way to just live with it , did they ?
I mean you can not just say , 'We need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People are dying . ''
For now , public health officials can make some stopgap measures but going forward , it 's clear that Republican state lawmakers and Whitmer will be forced to work together on issues like unemployment benefits and renewing a state of emergency .
The question is : Can they ?

The Boiling Resentment Behind The Foiled Plan To Kidnap Gov. Whitmer
Enlarge this image toggle caption Paul Sancya/AP Paul Sancya/AP
In mid-April, thousands of citizens gridlocked the Michigan state Capitol for miles, unleashing a cacophony of noisemakers and car horns for nearly seven hours protesting Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order. "Operation Gridlock" was dotted with red "Make America Great Again" hats and yellow "Live Free or Die" flags. President Trump cheered the protesters on, tweeting "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!"
Despite polls showing long-standing approval of Whitmer's handling of the coronavirus, she faced loathsome criticism at protests like these staged by conservative political groups and tacitly supported by Republicans in the state Legislature.
And at the same time, Whitmer's political star was rising. She earned a national reputation and a place on Democrat's vice presidential shortlist for her management of the COVID-19 crisis in Michigan. Under her leadership, Michigan moved from the state with the third-highest number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in April, to the bottom third in October.
As spring lingered on and other states began to ease restrictions, Whitmer continued to extend the state of emergency in Michigan.
Protests go fringe
Over time, protests shrunk in size and attracted strong anti-Whitmer and misogynist sentiment. Signs like "tyrants get the rope," "Ditch the Witch" and "Heil Whitler" began to appear alongside Confederate flags and calls to "Let us free from tyranny."
Then, on April 30, the governor extended the state of emergency again, without approval from the Republican-controlled Legislature, and heavily armed protesters stood over lawmakers in the state Senate gallery as they debated what to do about it.
In early May, Republicans grew tired of Whitmer's nearly unilateral control and decided to sue, arguing she was violating the Michigan constitution.
"I can tell you straight up that I do not know how decisions are being made in that executive office. That curtain has been closed for a long time," said Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, a Republican.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Scott Olson/Getty Images Scott Olson/Getty Images
By mid-May, protesters compared life under Whitmer's stay-at-home order to life under Nazi Germany. One brought a naked brunette Barbie doll hanging from a noose. Tension against Whitmer, the face of the Michigan coronavirus response, had reached a boiling point.
But by June, those public tensions faded into the background when the stay-home order ended and protests against Whitmer were overtaken by Black Lives Matter protests against the police killing of George Floyd.
A plot to kidnap the governor
On Thursday, the world learned that in the months since those protests, 13 men with links to the militia movement had allegedly been involved in a plot to kidnap Whitmer from her vacation home on the west side of Michigan, try her for treason and overthrow the Michigan state government.
Michigan's Democratic attorney general, Dana Nessel, stood in front of cameras explaining that the FBI, along with state police, foiled the extremist plot. "A multifront operation to apprehend the suspects in question was carefully coordinated and skillfully executed," she said.
The criminal complaint unsealed by the FBI on Thursday morning said six men surveilled the governor's vacation home twice in an alleged attempt to kidnap her and were incensed by her power, saying, "She has no checks and balances at all. She has uncontrolled power right now."
Several members of the group allegedly met and discussed plans for the plot at those protests at the Capitol in Lansing. In mid-June, one suspect said he wanted to recruit 200 men for an operation to attack the Capitol, a plot the group allegedly later abandoned, focusing their attention on the governor instead.
On Thursday afternoon, the governor responded to the alleged plot herself in a broadcast message, saying hate groups have taken Trump's unwillingness to condemn extremists as a call to action.
Enlarge this image toggle caption AP AP
"When our leaders meet with, encourage, or fraternize with domestic terrorists, they legitimize their actions and they are complicit. When they stoke and contribute to hate speech, they are complicit."
Trump fought back on Twitter that night, saying Whitmer had done a terrible job handling the coronavirus and criticizing her for not thanking him for federal law enforcement's role in thwarting the kidnapping plans.
And Republican speaker of the state House of Representatives, Lee Chatfield, who briefly attended an April protest and mingled with protesters, responded in a statement Friday saying that "we won't overcome this by pointing fingers of or assigning blame," calling the alleged plan "evil" and saying that "these terrorists should be prosecuted quickly."
Whitmer's 'unchecked power' undone
The resentment for Whitmer has been steadily fomenting in two spheres: one in the far-right groups and militias who frequent Capitol protests and the other in the Republican majority of the state Legislature.
Shirkey characterized Whitmer's COVID-19 response as "one-size-fits-all, heavy-handed, blunt-force instrument of government."
Shortly after a judge had heard and ruled on the side of Whitmer and her use of her executive powers that Republicans brought against her, Michigan began to reopen. Republicans appealed anyhow.
Then, late last week, Whitmer's Republican critics in the state Legislature got what they had been waiting for since April — a ruling from the Michigan Supreme Court that upended her power.
In a 4-3 ruling, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled the 1945 law — the authority that underpinned the governor's hundreds of executive orders — was unconstitutional.
The court ruled that while "singular assertions of governmental authority" were sometimes necessary to respond to emergencies and "the pandemic is clearly such an emergency," the governor did not have the right to continue to extend the state of emergency without additional authorization from the Legislature.
In a video on Monday from the ceremonial office at the state Capitol, Whitmer addressed the ruling. Three days later, the alleged plot to kidnap her was made public.
"The Supreme Court has spoken, and while I vehemently disagree with the ruling, now it's time for Republicans in the Legislature to get to work and to start showing that they're taking this crisis seriously," said Whitmer.
The ruling cast uncertainty on the state of emergency, the statewide mask mandate and crucial public health measures like limitations on the size of gatherings aimed at limiting the spread of the coronavirus.
In the days after the ruling, the Republican majority leader said that he wouldn't support a mask mandate and, in an interview, that the state should instead rely on "trusting people to do the right thing" and that we should all learn "to live with this virus."
This week, the director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services stepped in with an emergency statewide order that mirrored some of the key COVID-19 precautions in the original executive orders like masks and limitations on gathering sizes, angering Republicans again.
Now public health officials across the state are preparing for a patchwork response with orders coming from statewide agencies and others from county health departments.
"I was stunned. I was shocked," says Linda Vail, the public health officer for Ingham County, home of the state capital. "Now it's like, 'What do we do to put back together all of the pieces that were in place to keep people safe and open the economy and all of those things?' "
Vail says the attitude of some state Republicans that people need to learn to live with COVID-19 is naïve.
"What about the thousands of people in this state that died? They didn't figure out a way to just live with it, did they? I mean you cannot just say, 'We need to learn to live with this.' People are dying."
For now, public health officials can make some stopgap measures but going forward, it's clear that Republican state lawmakers and Whitmer will be forced to work together on issues like unemployment benefits and renewing a state of emergency. The question is: Can they?


npr--2020-10-10--Call For Administration's COVID-19 Vaccine Contracts To Be Disclosed

Call For Administration 's COVID-19 Vaccine Contracts To Be Disclosed Members of Congress , advocacy groups and a former administration official say Operation Warp Speed should release its vaccine contracts with pharmaceutical companies , following an NPR report that the Trump administration awarded billions of dollars through a third party , bypassing the usual contracting process .
`` The administration really just seems to be playing a game of hide and seek , '' Rep. Lloyd Doggett , D-Texas , told NPR .
When Doggett and his colleagues were working on a bipartisan bill this spring to create a central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't know some of Operation Warp Speed 's biggest contracts were going through a third party .
Now , Doggett said the legislation will be reworked to make sure the contracts between pharmaceutical companies and third parties are included in the database .
NPR reported Sept. 29 that the Trump administration 's crash coronavirus vaccine program awarded more than $ 6 billion in vaccine contracts through a third party called Advanced Technology International .
The contracts executed this way are n't required to include taxpayer protections found in traditional government contracts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal public records laws .
`` I want to be 100 % certain that we include this kind of arrangement '' in our database , said Doggett , chairman of the Health Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee .
`` Taxpayers just have too much at stake here , and we need to be sure that they 're not being shortchanged . ''
Breaking with norms , the Trump administration has n't responded to House requests for information regarding coronavirus spending , Doggett said .
`` They hide this information not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other members and from the select subcommittee on the coronavirus crisis .
.
.
We continue inquiring and they continue ducking and dodging . ''
Operation Warp Speed is `` prohibited '' from releasing any confidential or proprietary information , but it is `` committed to maximum transparency and will provide more details about contracts to Congress and the public as soon as we are legally able , '' according to an emailed statement from an HHS spokesperson .
`` We are diligently working with our interagency colleagues to gather , review , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected information , such as information that is proprietary or trade secret , or impacts any ongoing negotiations , '' the spokesperson wrote .
`` We remain committed to continued accommodation of both General Accountability Office review and congressional oversight of Operation Warp Speed . ''
Sen. Patty Murray , D-Wash. , ranking member of the Senate Health , Education , Labor & Pensions Committee , called equal access to a free vaccine around the world `` our best hope '' at ending the COVID-19 pandemic .
`` But right now , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a lack of transparency , '' she said in a written statement to NPR .
`` We absolutely need significantly more transparency and accountability when it comes to vaccine contracts and decisions being made at Operation Warp Speed .
These contracts need to be made public so Congress and the American people are not left in the dark — there is too much at stake . ''
Rick Bright , who was ousted as director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority in April , filed a whistleblower complaint in May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 response were awarded based on `` political connections and cronyism '' rather than scientific evidence .
BARDA , part of the Department of Health and Human Services , develops vaccines , tests and treatments .
In an interview with NPR , Bright said nontraditional contracts can be written to include taxpayer protections .
But issuing and administering contracts through a third party , gives him pause because the terms could be hidden .
`` We do n't know the rewards or the incentives that the companies are getting , which might drive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maybe do things inappropriately , '' he said .
The lack of transparency is particularly troubling , he said .
`` There 's no reason to hide what 's in those agreements at all , '' he said , adding that these contracts are usually disclosable under public records laws .
`` For the government to set these contracts up in this way and block that type of transparency leads me to think that there 's something interesting in there they do n't want discovered . ''
Rep. Jan Schakowsky , D-Ill. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commerce Committee , told NPR she asked the administration for contracts early in the pandemic , but never got them .
She , too , objected to the lack of transparency .
`` We are very concerned that there 's nothing in these contracts that we are aware of that would stop any kind of price gouging , '' she said , adding that it could affect patients as well as taxpayer-funded programs like Medicare and Medicaid .
During a February House hearing , Schakowsky asked Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affordable for everyone .
He declined , and told her , `` We ca n't control that price because we need the private sector to invest . ''
Eli Zupnick , a spokesman for the advocacy group Accountable Pharma , said his organization has sent several rounds of public records requests to HHS and the Department of Defense , asking for contracts related to Operation Warp Speed .
`` There is no indication that the administration has any interest in being transparent , at least with public advocacy groups , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Crickets . ''
NPR first began looking into the possibility of a third party when HHS responded that it had `` no records '' in response to a request for the $ 1.6 billion vaccine contract with Novavax , which the agency announced in July .
Accountable Pharma did n't know about the third party until NPR reported it .
Zupnick said he wished he was surprised , but instead he 's just `` dismayed . ''
`` This is par for the course for Operation Warp Speed , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for this administration , which has shrouded this Operation Warp Speed in secrecy right from the start , refused to allow any transparency or accountability , despite the fact that billions and billions of taxpayer dollars are being shoveled into the coffers of the drug companies . ''
Since the contracts are n't traditional government contracts , they do n't need to include a clause allowing the government to `` march in '' if the drugmaker engages in price gouging , for example .
( Vaccine makers have said they plan to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set higher prices once the immediate crisis is over . )
That worries Zupnick , who said he wonders what other taxpayer protections the contracts might have left out .
David Mitchell , founder of Patients for Affordable Drugs , is a cancer patient at high risk from COVID-19 .
Although he wants a vaccine and thinks speed and flexibility are important for reaching that goal , he said `` good government really does require transparency . ''
He said contracts and other information should be available to citizens through public records requests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should post them online even without formal requests to do so .
He was struck by the Trump administration 's comparison of Operation Warp Speed to the Manhattan Project .
`` This is n't a secret government weapon we 're trying to keep from an enemy , '' he said .
`` The enemy is the virus .
This is actually a rescue mission to save Americans and humanity from the virus . ''
You can contact NPR pharmaceuticals correspondent Sydney Lupkin at slupkin @ npr.org .

Call For Administration's COVID-19 Vaccine Contracts To Be Disclosed
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Members of Congress, advocacy groups and a former administration official say Operation Warp Speed should release its vaccine contracts with pharmaceutical companies, following an NPR report that the Trump administration awarded billions of dollars through a third party, bypassing the usual contracting process.
"The administration really just seems to be playing a game of hide and seek," Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, told NPR.
When Doggett and his colleagues were working on a bipartisan bill this spring to create a central database to track COVID-19 spending, they didn't know some of Operation Warp Speed's biggest contracts were going through a third party.
Now, Doggett said the legislation will be reworked to make sure the contracts between pharmaceutical companies and third parties are included in the database.
NPR reported Sept. 29 that the Trump administration's crash coronavirus vaccine program awarded more than $6 billion in vaccine contracts through a third party called Advanced Technology International. The contracts executed this way aren't required to include taxpayer protections found in traditional government contracts. They also may not be disclosable under federal public records laws.
"I want to be 100% certain that we include this kind of arrangement" in our database, said Doggett, chairman of the Health Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee. "Taxpayers just have too much at stake here, and we need to be sure that they're not being shortchanged."
Breaking with norms, the Trump administration hasn't responded to House requests for information regarding coronavirus spending, Doggett said. "They hide this information not only from our subcommittee, but from other members and from the select subcommittee on the coronavirus crisis . . . We continue inquiring and they continue ducking and dodging."
Operation Warp Speed is "prohibited" from releasing any confidential or proprietary information, but it is "committed to maximum transparency and will provide more details about contracts to Congress and the public as soon as we are legally able," according to an emailed statement from an HHS spokesperson.
"We are diligently working with our interagency colleagues to gather, review, and appropriately release relevant contracts without revealing protected information, such as information that is proprietary or trade secret, or impacts any ongoing negotiations," the spokesperson wrote. "We remain committed to continued accommodation of both General Accountability Office review and congressional oversight of Operation Warp Speed."
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee, called equal access to a free vaccine around the world "our best hope" at ending the COVID-19 pandemic.
"But right now, the entire process is riddled with political interference and a lack of transparency," she said in a written statement to NPR. "We absolutely need significantly more transparency and accountability when it comes to vaccine contracts and decisions being made at Operation Warp Speed. These contracts need to be made public so Congress and the American people are not left in the dark — there is too much at stake."
Unknown contract terms
Rick Bright, who was ousted as director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority in April, filed a whistleblower complaint in May, alleging some federal contracts for the COVID-19 response were awarded based on "political connections and cronyism" rather than scientific evidence. BARDA, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, develops vaccines, tests and treatments.
In an interview with NPR, Bright said nontraditional contracts can be written to include taxpayer protections. But issuing and administering contracts through a third party, gives him pause because the terms could be hidden.
"We don't know the rewards or the incentives that the companies are getting, which might drive some companies to take additional risk or maybe do things inappropriately," he said.
Health Care Whistleblower On How Political Pressure Affects Safety Of Coronavirus Vaccines Whistleblower On How Political Pressure Affects Safety Of Coronavirus Vaccines Listen · 7:50 7:50
The lack of transparency is particularly troubling, he said.
"There's no reason to hide what's in those agreements at all," he said, adding that these contracts are usually disclosable under public records laws. "For the government to set these contracts up in this way and block that type of transparency leads me to think that there's something interesting in there they don't want discovered."
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., who sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, told NPR she asked the administration for contracts early in the pandemic, but never got them. She, too, objected to the lack of transparency.
"We are very concerned that there's nothing in these contracts that we are aware of that would stop any kind of price gouging," she said, adding that it could affect patients as well as taxpayer-funded programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
During a February House hearing, Schakowsky asked Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to promise that coronavirus treatments would be affordable for everyone. He declined, and told her, "We can't control that price because we need the private sector to invest."
Eli Zupnick, a spokesman for the advocacy group Accountable Pharma, said his organization has sent several rounds of public records requests to HHS and the Department of Defense, asking for contracts related to Operation Warp Speed.
"There is no indication that the administration has any interest in being transparent, at least with public advocacy groups," he said. "We got literally nothing back. Crickets."
NPR first began looking into the possibility of a third party when HHS responded that it had "no records" in response to a request for the $1.6 billion vaccine contract with Novavax, which the agency announced in July.
Accountable Pharma didn't know about the third party until NPR reported it. Zupnick said he wished he was surprised, but instead he's just "dismayed."
"This is par for the course for Operation Warp Speed," he said. "And par for the course for this administration, which has shrouded this Operation Warp Speed in secrecy right from the start, refused to allow any transparency or accountability, despite the fact that billions and billions of taxpayer dollars are being shoveled into the coffers of the drug companies."
Price protection
Since the contracts aren't traditional government contracts, they don't need to include a clause allowing the government to "march in" if the drugmaker engages in price gouging, for example. (Vaccine makers have said they plan to make a profit on their coronavirus vaccines and set higher prices once the immediate crisis is over.) That worries Zupnick, who said he wonders what other taxpayer protections the contracts might have left out.
David Mitchell, founder of Patients for Affordable Drugs, is a cancer patient at high risk from COVID-19. Although he wants a vaccine and thinks speed and flexibility are important for reaching that goal, he said "good government really does require transparency."
He said contracts and other information should be available to citizens through public records requests — or better yet, the government should post them online even without formal requests to do so.
He was struck by the Trump administration's comparison of Operation Warp Speed to the Manhattan Project.
"This isn't a secret government weapon we're trying to keep from an enemy," he said. "The enemy is the virus. This is actually a rescue mission to save Americans and humanity from the virus."
You can contact NPR pharmaceuticals correspondent Sydney Lupkin at slupkin@npr.org.


npr--2020-10-10--Michigan's Minority Voters: Lukewarm On Biden, But 'Damn Sure Don't Want Trump'

Michigan 's Minority Voters : Lukewarm On Biden , But 'Damn Sure Do n't Want Trump' Michael Coleman did n't vote in the 2016 presidential election .
But this year , on a chilly fall day around lunchtime , the 69-year-old came to the Detroit Department of Elections to hand-deliver his ballot roughly a month before Election Day .
He said he did n't want to take the risk of it getting lost in the mail .
`` I do n't like neither one of them , but I voted for Biden , you know , '' Coleman said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — he 's not good .
He wo n't denounce white supremacists ; he has disbanded the pandemic team , '' Coleman added .
`` I 'm not real political , but for lack of a better word , he 's an a**hole . ''
Coleman did n't love his choices in 2016 , and he does n't love them this year either .
But he 's adamant President Trump needs to go .
If that means voting for Joe Biden , he 'll do it .
Democrats ' so-called `` blue wall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out a victory in Michigan by 10,704 votes .
It was the first time the state elected a Republican for president since George H.W .
Bush in 1988 .
Turnout in Detroit 's solidly Democratic Wayne County fell with roughly 34,000 fewer voters in 2016 compared with in 2012 .
Some Democratic Black and brown voters like Coleman did n't like their options that year , so they either voted third party or stayed home .
And this was n't unique to Wayne County — Milwaukee County in Wisconsin , another state narrowly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story .
But after seeing Trump in power for nearly four years , activists and voters say politics feels more perilous .
COVID-19 has hit communities like Detroit particularly hard ; a disproportionate number of Black voters have lost a relative or known someone personally diagnosed with COVID-19 .
For them , the 2020 election is a referendum on the president 's response to a crisis that has already claimed the lives of more than 213,000 Americans .
The disillusionment some voters felt in 2016 has been replaced with outright anger directed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A lot of people did n't like Hillary Clinton .
Let 's be honest , '' said Ken Whittaker with the Michigan People 's Campaign , a progressive group that endorsed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the primaries but then decided to back Biden this summer .
`` I 'm not gon na say everybody likes Joe Biden , but there is a much better understanding that progress does n't always mean running 10 blocks forward .
Sometimes progress is stopping your slide going 20 blocks backwards . ''
In the last presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high school English teacher in Dearborn , Mich. , voted third party .
`` This year feels different ; it feels like there 's more at stake , '' Chami said .
`` There 's a possibility that I 'll vote for Biden .
And that possibility of voting for Clinton did not exist in 2016 I 'll tell you . ''
Chami is torn between voting for Biden and leaving the top of the ticket blank .
`` The only reason I 'm even considering an establishment Democrat is because the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Chami said , after a day of teaching virtual school .
But she 's suspect of Democrats ' foreign policy writ large , and she thinks Biden and his running mate , Kamala Harris , have shown unrelenting support for Israel despite what she views as its deeply problematic behavior toward Palestinians .
As a teacher in the era of COVID-19 , issues like public education and health care are also important to her .
`` I feel like Donald Trump and his movement are trying to kind of tear down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
She worries that four more years of a Trump administration could be devastating for domestic issues that matter to her .
But as a progressive who wants universal health care and a reassessment of the United States ' foreign policy , she 's also worried that a Biden presidency pushes those conversations aside .
`` My concern is that if Joe Biden becomes president , people are going to be so relieved that we 're rid of Donald Trump that they 're going to say , 'OK , that 's it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this country , we are back to status quo , ' `` Chami explained .
Her concerns are common among progressive voters , who say Trump is a symptom of the social and political unrest in the country , rather than the cause .
`` Honestly , if [ Trump ] won again , then there would be no resistance to a progressive candidate next time , '' said Michael Cushman , a Detroit resident and former organizer for Barack Obama 's campaign who voted third party in 2016 .
Getting voters to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people like Chami and Cushman into concrete Biden voters .
The question is how they do that .
Whittaker believes one viable tactic is relational organizing , a strategy his group first championed in 2018 , in which volunteers contact friends and family , rather than strangers .
`` If you 're getting cold calls from an organization , you tend to ignore it , but if it 's your daughter or your husband or your wife , uncle , auntie that 's saying this issue is concerning to me , you 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whittaker .
His goal for the Michigan People 's Campaign this year is to tap into a network of 100,000 people through family and friend connections .
Cushman acknowledged that family pressure played a role in his decision to ultimately fill out his mail-in ballot for Biden .
`` Me and my father have been having this generational debate for a long time , '' said Cushman .
`` He believes that we need the safest choice , which is Biden ... so between that and my aunties , you know , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' But Cushman , like Chami , is n't a fan of Biden 's policies .
He says his politics are much more closely aligned to someone like New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez .
`` People may be uncertain , people may not be sure about Biden per se .
But they damn sure do n't want Trump , '' said Branden Snyder , executive director of Detroit Action , a group focused on building political power among low-income Black and brown people in the city .
Snyder previously worked as the youth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan .
`` Objectively , the energy 's different , '' he said .
Still there are skeptics .
El Jay Parker , a 33-year-old autoworker , reluctantly voted for Clinton in 2016 , but this year , he 's leaning toward leaving the top of the ballot empty .
`` I know that people are terrified of Trump , but I do n't feel like being a little bit better than Trump is good enough for me , '' Parker said .
The Democratic presidential nominee is not as progressive as Parker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and criminal justice reform .
Neither was Clinton , he admits , but he felt like when she was pressured from the left , she was willing to move , whether or not she genuinely agreed .
`` With Biden , throughout his campaign , with town halls and interactions with people , he does n't seem like he 's going to budge , '' said Parker .
He was turned off seeing the former vice president spar with a couple of voters during the primaries .
`` Any time that he 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' I 'm not the guy for you .
Go vote for someone else , ' `` said Parker .
`` If you 're running for president and you want my vote and you 're not willing to listen to my concerns , then why do I owe you my vote , regardless if there 's Trump there or not ? ''

Biden's Test In Michigan: Winning Over Black And Brown Voters Disillusioned In 2016
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Michael Coleman didn't vote in the 2016 presidential election. But this year, on a chilly fall day around lunchtime, the 69-year-old came to the Detroit Department of Elections to hand-deliver his ballot roughly a month before Election Day. He said he didn't want to take the risk of it getting lost in the mail.
"I don't like neither one of them, but I voted for Biden, you know," Coleman said, his voice trailing off.
"Trump — he's not good. He won't denounce white supremacists; he has disbanded the pandemic team," Coleman added. "I'm not real political, but for lack of a better word, he's an a**hole."
Coleman didn't love his choices in 2016, and he doesn't love them this year either. But he's adamant President Trump needs to go. If that means voting for Joe Biden, he'll do it.
Democrats' so-called "blue wall" crumbled in 2016 as Trump eked out a victory in Michigan by 10,704 votes. It was the first time the state elected a Republican for president since George H.W. Bush in 1988.
Turnout in Detroit's solidly Democratic Wayne County fell with roughly 34,000 fewer voters in 2016 compared with in 2012. Some Democratic Black and brown voters like Coleman didn't like their options that year, so they either voted third party or stayed home. And this wasn't unique to Wayne County — Milwaukee County in Wisconsin, another state narrowly carried by Trump, tells a similar story.
But after seeing Trump in power for nearly four years, activists and voters say politics feels more perilous. COVID-19 has hit communities like Detroit particularly hard; a disproportionate number of Black voters have lost a relative or known someone personally diagnosed with COVID-19. For them, the 2020 election is a referendum on the president's response to a crisis that has already claimed the lives of more than 213,000 Americans. The disillusionment some voters felt in 2016 has been replaced with outright anger directed at the president and his administration.
"A lot of people didn't like Hillary Clinton. Let's be honest," said Ken Whittaker with the Michigan People's Campaign, a progressive group that endorsed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the primaries but then decided to back Biden this summer. "I'm not gonna say everybody likes Joe Biden, but there is a much better understanding that progress doesn't always mean running 10 blocks forward. Sometimes progress is stopping your slide going 20 blocks backwards."
"This year feels different"
In the last presidential election, Zeinab Chami, a 36-year-old high school English teacher in Dearborn, Mich., voted third party.
"This year feels different; it feels like there's more at stake," Chami said. "There's a possibility that I'll vote for Biden. And that possibility of voting for Clinton did not exist in 2016 I'll tell you."
Chami is torn between voting for Biden and leaving the top of the ticket blank.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Asma Khalid/NPR Asma Khalid/NPR
"The only reason I'm even considering an establishment Democrat is because the current president is such a morally repugnant person," Chami said, after a day of teaching virtual school.
But she's suspect of Democrats' foreign policy writ large, and she thinks Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris, have shown unrelenting support for Israel despite what she views as its deeply problematic behavior toward Palestinians.
As a teacher in the era of COVID-19, issues like public education and health care are also important to her.
"I feel like Donald Trump and his movement are trying to kind of tear down the social safety net," she said.
She worries that four more years of a Trump administration could be devastating for domestic issues that matter to her. But as a progressive who wants universal health care and a reassessment of the United States' foreign policy, she's also worried that a Biden presidency pushes those conversations aside.
"My concern is that if Joe Biden becomes president, people are going to be so relieved that we're rid of Donald Trump that they're going to say, 'OK, that's it, no more change is needed in this country, we are back to status quo,' " Chami explained.
Her concerns are common among progressive voters, who say Trump is a symptom of the social and political unrest in the country, rather than the cause.
"Honestly, if [Trump] won again, then there would be no resistance to a progressive candidate next time," said Michael Cushman, a Detroit resident and former organizer for Barack Obama's campaign who voted third party in 2016.
Getting voters to turn out
Democrats are desperate to turn people like Chami and Cushman into concrete Biden voters. The question is how they do that.
Whittaker believes one viable tactic is relational organizing, a strategy his group first championed in 2018, in which volunteers contact friends and family, rather than strangers.
"If you're getting cold calls from an organization, you tend to ignore it, but if it's your daughter or your husband or your wife, uncle, auntie that's saying this issue is concerning to me, you're more likely to engage," said Whittaker.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Asma Khalid/NPR Asma Khalid/NPR
His goal for the Michigan People's Campaign this year is to tap into a network of 100,000 people through family and friend connections.
Cushman acknowledged that family pressure played a role in his decision to ultimately fill out his mail-in ballot for Biden.
"Me and my father have been having this generational debate for a long time," said Cushman. "He believes that we need the safest choice, which is Biden ... so between that and my aunties, you know, we talk about politics all the time."
But Cushman, like Chami, isn't a fan of Biden's policies. He says his politics are much more closely aligned to someone like New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
"People may be uncertain, people may not be sure about Biden per se. But they damn sure don't want Trump," said Branden Snyder, executive director of Detroit Action, a group focused on building political power among low-income Black and brown people in the city. Snyder previously worked as the youth vote director for the Clinton campaign in Michigan.
"Objectively, the energy's different," he said.
The unconvinced
Still there are skeptics. El Jay Parker, a 33-year-old autoworker, reluctantly voted for Clinton in 2016, but this year, he's leaning toward leaving the top of the ballot empty.
"I know that people are terrified of Trump, but I don't feel like being a little bit better than Trump is good enough for me," Parker said.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Asma Khalid/NPR Asma Khalid/NPR
The Democratic presidential nominee is not as progressive as Parker would like on issues of health care and criminal justice reform. Neither was Clinton, he admits, but he felt like when she was pressured from the left, she was willing to move, whether or not she genuinely agreed.
"With Biden, throughout his campaign, with town halls and interactions with people, he doesn't seem like he's going to budge," said Parker. He was turned off seeing the former vice president spar with a couple of voters during the primaries.
"Any time that he's challenged, he just tells you, 'I'm not the guy for you. Go vote for someone else,' " said Parker. "If you're running for president and you want my vote and you're not willing to listen to my concerns, then why do I owe you my vote, regardless if there's Trump there or not?"


npr--2020-10-11--Senate Judiciary Panel To Begin Barrett Confirmation Hearings Amid Pandemic

The Senate Judiciary Committee begins confirmation hearings on Monday for Amy Coney Barrett , President Trump 's pick to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court .
The hearings are moving ahead under exceedingly unusual circumstances with an election looming and an outbreak of the coronavirus still roiling Washington .
Republicans are aiming to stick to a tight and closely choreographed timeline that would allow Barrett to join the court before Election Day on November 3 .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , has been adamant that the Judiciary Committee hearings should proceed despite 3 Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , testing positive for the virus .
The Judiciary members were among those that attended an event in the White House Rose Garden to announce Barrett 's nomination .
That event has been at the nexus of the ongoing spread of the coronavirus in GOP political circles .
McConnell has said the committee is capable of holding hearings that are part virtual and part in-person and that the development will not prevent Barrett 's confirmation .
The GOP leader did postpone floor votes for two weeks after the news of the outbreak .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominee , you know , very soon , '' McConnell said in a recent appearance on the Hugh Hewitt radio show .
`` I have n't picked an exact point to bring the nomination up , but it 's front and center for the American people . ''
The committee plans to allow members to appear either in person or virtually and has drastically reduced the number of people allowed in the hearing room .
Barrett 's family will be seated as a pod , press access will be pared down and hygiene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be accessible throughout the room , according to committee aides .
Those protections have not been enough to assuage protests from Democrats who say the hearings should be halted .
They are calling for committee-wide testing and in-person hearings for a nominee who is chosen by whoever wins the election in November .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , has accused Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , of barreling ahead with the confirmation even as committee members Sens .
Mike Lee R-Utah and Thom Tillis , R-N.C. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moving forward with the committee process when three Senators have recently tested positive for Covid-19 is irresponsible and dangerous , but doing so without requiring all members to be tested before a hearing in accordance with CDC best practices would be intentionally reckless , '' Schumer said in a statement .
`` If Chairman Graham does n't require testing , it may make some wonder if he just does n't want to know the results . ''
Republicans have rejected those calls and are moving ahead with the ambitious schedule that leaves little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known since shortly after Barrett was nominated that they have the votes to confirm her .
The lack of drama over the potential outcome of a final vote on the Senate floor opens opportunities for both parties to use the hearings as part of a final pitch to voters who are deciding the outcome of both the presidential election and Senate races that could shift the balance of power in Washington for several years .
For Republicans , the four days of hearings will be an opportunity to highlight Barrett 's legal career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with former Justice Antonin Scalia .
They also plan to draw out political attacks from Democrats , according to several aides familiar with the committee .
Outside groups have rushed to help both parties build not only a case for Barrett but a political argument to the public .
Groups like the Article III Project , which was created to defend Trump 's judicial nominees , have been holding press calls , writing opinion pieces and appearing on TV to advocate for Barrett .
`` Wrapped within the whole political moment of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the very question of what do we want our structure of government to look like ? ''
said Ian Prior , a senior counselor for the group .
`` The Senate is really the place where there 's going to be the most to gain or to lose based on how how those hearings go , how people conduct themselves in those hearings , especially when you 're talking about in the middle of a presidential election . ''
Four Republicans on the committee are running for re-election , many in races @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Committee chairman Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , Sens .
John Cornyn , R-Texas , Joni Ernst , R-Iowa and Thom Tillis R-N.C. are all on the ballot in their home states .
Democrats hope to use the nationally televised hearings to their advantage , according to several Democratic aides .
Democrats have few options for slowing the nomination or preventing a vote on the Senate floor .
However the hearings create a national stage for members of the Judiciary Committee to make a final pitch to voters .
For Democrats that means talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They say Barrett could be the key vote to GOP attempts to overturn the Affordable Care Act in a case that is scheduled to be argued before the court on November 10 , one week after the election .
Democrats say Barrett was chosen specifically on the belief that she would dismantle the health care law .
Sen. Chris Coons , D-Del.
, told reporters on a call last week that he 's already raised those concerns with Barrett and plans to do so again during the hearing .
`` I just wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what I 'm most concerned about is that in the middle of a pandemic , President Trump , and 18 Republican state attorneys general , are trying to overturn the Affordable Care Act and its protections , '' Coons said .
`` The ACA is not just on the docket of the Supreme Court , it 's on the ballot in the fall . ''
Democrats also plan to focus on Barrett 's stance on abortion .
That has become a tricky subject as Republicans accuse Democrats of attacking Barrett for her conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Republicans , from McConnell to committee members , have spent the past several weeks accusing Democrats of religious bigotry in how they discuss Catholicism and Barrett 's faith .
They point to questions Sen. Dianne Feinstein , D-Calif. , asked Barrett during her confirmation hearings in 2017 when she was before the committee for her current post on the Seventh Circuit .
At the time Feinstein said `` the dogma lives loudly within '' Barrett .
Democrats have vowed to avoid discussions of faith with Barrett in recent weeks but Republicans have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members like Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas , have been on cable news and Twitter denouncing Democrats for a `` smear campaign '' against Barrett .
But Democrats call the religion discussion an attempt at a political trap that they have vowed to avoid .

'Courts Are Not Designed To Solve Every Problem,' Barrett To Say In Opening Statement
Enlarge this image toggle caption Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
Updated at 12:50 p.m. ET
Judge Amy Coney Barrett is set to give a glimpse of her judicial philosophy as her Supreme Court confirmation hearing begins in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday.
"Courts have a vital responsibility to enforce the rule of law, which is critical to a free society," Barrett is set to say in her opening statement. "But courts are not designed to solve every problem or right every wrong in our public life. The policy decisions and value judgments of government must be made by the political branches elected by and accountable to the People. The public should not expect courts to do so, and courts should not try."
NPR obtained the opening statement from a source familiar with the hearing preparations who was not authorized to speak on the record.
Barrett, who is President Trump's pick to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court, also plans to detail in her opening statement her link to the late Justice Antonin Scalia, for whom she clerked.
"When I write an opinion resolving a case, I read every word from the perspective of the losing party," Barrett will say in her statement. "I ask myself how would I view the decision if one of my children was the party I was ruling against: Even though I would not like the result, would I understand that the decision was fairly reasoned and grounded in the law? That is the standard I set for myself in every case, and it is the standard I will follow as long as I am a judge on any court."
Voting "very soon"
The confirmation hearing is moving ahead under exceedingly unusual circumstances, with Election Day looming and a coronavirus outbreak still roiling Washington.
Republicans are aiming to stick to a tight and closely choreographed timeline that would allow Barrett to join the court before Election Day on Nov. 3.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has been adamant that the Judiciary Committee hearing should proceed despite three Republican senators, including two members of the committee, testing positive for the coronavirus.
The committee members were among those who attended an event in the White House Rose Garden to announce Barrett's nomination. That event has been at the nexus of the ongoing spread of the coronavirus in GOP political circles.
McConnell has said that the committee is capable of holding hearings that are part virtual and part in person and that the development will not prevent Barrett's confirmation. The Republican leader did postpone floor votes for two weeks after the news of the outbreak.
"We will be voting on the nominee, you know, very soon," McConnell said in a recent appearance on Hugh Hewitt's radio show. "I haven't picked an exact point to bring the nomination up, but it's front and center for the American people."
Confirmation in a pandemic
The committee plans to allow members to appear either in person or virtually and has drastically reduced the number of people allowed in the hearing room. Barrett's family will be seated as a pod, press access will be pared down and hygiene stations with masks, gloves and sanitizer will be accessible throughout the room, according to committee aides.
Those protections have not been enough to assuage protests from Democrats, who say the hearings should be halted. They are calling for committee-wide testing and in-person hearings for a nominee who is chosen by whoever wins the election in November.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has accused Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., of barreling ahead with the confirmation even as committee members Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
"Moving forward with the committee process when three Senators have recently tested positive for Covid-19 is irresponsible and dangerous, but doing so without requiring all members to be tested before a hearing in accordance with CDC best practices would be intentionally reckless," Schumer said in a statement. "If Chairman Graham doesn't require testing, it may make some wonder if he just doesn't want to know the results."
Republicans have rejected those calls and are moving ahead with the ambitious schedule that leaves little room for error.
Election politics in the hearing room
Republican leaders have known since shortly after Barrett was nominated that they have the votes to confirm her.
The lack of drama over the potential outcome of a final vote on the Senate floor opens opportunities for both parties to use the hearings as part of a final pitch to voters who are deciding the outcome of both the presidential election and Senate races that could shift the balance of power in Washington for several years.
For Republicans, the four days of hearings will be an opportunity to highlight Barrett's legal career, conservative judicial philosophy and close connection with Scalia. They also plan to draw out political attacks from Democrats, according to several aides familiar with the committee.
Outside groups have rushed to help both parties build not only a case for Barrett but also a political argument to the public. Groups like the Article III Project, which was created to defend Trump's judicial nominees, have been holding press calls, writing opinion pieces and appearing on TV to advocate for Barrett.
"Wrapped within the whole political moment of a presidential election and a Supreme Court confirmation is the very question of, what do we want our structure of government to look like?" said Ian Prior, a senior counselor for the group. "The Senate is really the place where there's going to be the most to gain or to lose based on how those hearings go, how people conduct themselves in those hearings, especially when you're talking about in the middle of a presidential election."
Four Republicans on the Senate committee are running for reelection, many in races that have tightened in recent weeks. Graham, Tillis, Texas' John Cornyn and Iowa's Joni Ernst are all on the ballot in their home states. Democrats hope to use the nationally televised hearings to their advantage, according to several Democratic aides.
Democrats have few options for slowing the nomination or preventing a vote on the Senate floor. However, the hearings create a national stage for members of the Judiciary Committee to make a final pitch to voters.
For Democrats, that means talking first and foremost about health care. They say Barrett could be the key vote for GOP attempts to overturn the Affordable Care Act in a case that is scheduled to be argued before the court on Nov. 10, one week after Election Day.
Democrats say Barrett was chosen specifically on the belief that she would dismantle the health care law. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., told reporters on a call last week that he has already raised those concerns with Barrett and plans to do so again during the hearing.
"I just wanted her to hear directly from me that what I'm most concerned about is that in the middle of a pandemic, President Trump and 18 Republican state attorneys general are trying to overturn the Affordable Care Act and its protections," Coons said. "The ACA is not just on the docket of the Supreme Court — it's on the ballot in the fall."
Faith and judicial decisions
Democrats also plan to focus on Barrett's stance on abortion. That has become a tricky subject as Republicans accuse Democrats of attacking Barrett for her conservative Catholic faith, not her judicial philosophy.
Republicans, from McConnell to committee members, have spent the past several weeks accusing Democrats of religious bigotry in how they discuss Catholicism and Barrett's faith. They point to questions Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., asked Barrett during her confirmation hearings in 2017 when she was before the committee for her current post on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. At the time, Feinstein said, "The dogma lives loudly within" Barrett.
Democrats have vowed to avoid discussions of faith with Barrett in recent weeks, but Republicans have focused intently on the issue. Committee members like Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, have been on cable news and Twitter denouncing Democrats for a "smear campaign" against Barrett.
But Democrats call the religion discussion an attempt at a political trap that they have vowed to avoid.


npr--2020-10-11--COVID-19 Stalks A Montana Town Already Grappling With Asbestos Disease

LIBBY , Mont .
— Frank Fahland has spent most days since the pandemic began at the site of his dream house , working to finish a 15-year labor of love while keeping away from town and the people closest to him .
Like thousands of people from Libby and Lincoln County , in the far northwestern corner of Montana , the 61-year-old Fahland has lungs already scarred by years of breathing in the asbestos fibers that have contaminated the area 's dust and soil .
The asbestos is a legacy of a now-defunct plant in the area that made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gardening .
Fahland recently gave a visitor a tour of his partially finished log home , overlooking a meadow that stretches to the foothills of the Cabinet Mountains .
He struggled to climb a small hill and stopped to reach for his inhaler .
`` It feels like someone is standing on your chest , '' he explains , `` or almost like someone stuffed a pillow down there in your lung . ''
Fahland 's condition makes him more vulnerable to complications from COVID-19 , so he 's keeping his distance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection .
He has kept his distance from his son and granddaughter for months and he recently wrote his will .
`` If it had n't been for COVID my will would not be written .
But it is now , '' Fahland says .
`` It 's filed in the courthouse and the whole goddamn thing is done .
That gives you some idea of how seriously I take this . ''
He 's not alone in taking such precautions against the virus .
Lincoln County has one of the nation 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 400 people have died from asbestos-related diseases , which can include asbestosis , mesothelioma and lung cancer .
At least 1 in 10 people in Libby have an asbestos-related illness , according to Miles Miller , a physician assistant at the Center for Asbestos Related Disease .
`` Our patients having an underlying lung disease would make recovery from COVID-19 more difficult , '' Miller says .
Lincoln County , population 20,000 , largely was spared from outbreaks of the novel coronavirus at the beginning , which Miller chalked up to the community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevention efforts .
But by the fall , cases began to climb in the county along with the rest of Montana .
By early October , the number of confirmed cases in Lincoln County was 170 , nearly double the count at the end of August .
County health officials said in a Facebook post that cases were all over the county and `` it would be irresponsible to classify any towns as safe . ''
The vermiculite mine closed in 1990 .
For decades before that , Miller says , the mine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` During the heyday , I do n't think you could shop for groceries in this town without breathing some of the dust , '' Miller says .
The extent of the public health disaster in Libby became known only after the Seattle Post-Intelligencer published a series of stories by journalist Andrew Schneider in 1999 .
Lawsuits began pouring in from across the nation , and W.R. Grace filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001 , putting a hold on more than 100,000 pending claims against it .
The Environmental Protection Agency added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Superfund site in 2002 and declared a public health emergency in 2009 .
The EPA spent more than $ 600 million to clean up 2,600 homes and properties and removed more than 1 million cubic yards of contaminated soil , according to the agency .
The company and its executives were acquitted in 2009 of federal charges that the company had conspired to conceal the mine 's health risks .
Grace emerged from bankruptcy in 2014 after a legal settlement that set up trust funds to pay for current and future asbestos victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pay $ 250 million for the cleanup in 2008 .
Asbestos victims also sued the state of Montana , saying that state officials knew the danger but failed to stop it .
Settlements in 2011 and 2017 totaled $ 68 million .
The threat is n't over .
People are still being diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases .
Three decades or more can pass between exposure and the development of symptoms , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Also , the former mine site and surrounding forest have not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ classify the Superfund site as still not under control for human exposure to asbestos .
Those most at risk of exposure are loggers , firefighters and trespassers , the EPA said .
The county public health officer has issued an order requiring people in the area to wear masks in public , regardless of how many cases of COVID-19 the county has — a more stringent rule than the statewide requirement to wear a mask in counties where there are four or more active cases of the viral disease .
Though many in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid the coronavirus , a strong libertarian streak runs through this remote county on the U.S.-Canada border , where residents ' distrust of government is heightened by the town 's history with the mine .
Doug Shaw , 69 , is another resident with lungs scarred from breathing in asbestos .
He blames W.R. Grace and the state government for covering up the contamination for decades , and calls Libby 's asbestos deaths murder .
`` They profiteered off our precious lives and soul , '' Shaw says .
Grace officials did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but instead referred to the company 's financial relief fund for residents with asbestos-related illness .
Shaw is also frustrated by the government 's coronavirus-related restrictions on events and businesses .
`` It 's nuts .
Nobody has to live like this .
We need to get back to work , '' he says .
The county has allowed large public events , such as a rodeo and an international chainsaw competition , to take place .
The local economy is dependent on tourism cash from those events , but there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the community .
`` We need people to come here and spend money and jolt the economy , '' Fahland says .
`` Problem is , with that rodeo , there were faces in that crowd that have different license plates that came from different places that may have had issues . ''
Julie Kendall works as a phlebotomist at a local hospital and was diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease two months ago .
She echoed that concern .
`` These people that come to these events from out of town are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grocery stores , '' she says .
`` They could be exposing you right there . ''
Kendall sat at a picnic table near some railroad tracks where she was exposed to asbestos as a child .
The area used to be home to a community swimming pool and children would play near piles of mine waste .
She says she sees a similarity between asbestos and the novel coronavirus .
`` It 's unseen , '' she says .
`` You can be doing the most innocent thing and it could still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believes those parallels have given folks like her a leading edge on dealing with this pandemic .
`` We 're already afraid here , '' she says .
`` So it 's kind of like one more shake of the dice .
You ca n't live every day in fear .
But here we do . ''
This story came from a reporting partnership between NPR , Kaiser Health News and the Mountain West News Bureau .

COVID-19 Stalks A Montana Town Already Grappling With Asbestos Disease
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nate Hegyi / Mountain West News Bureau Nate Hegyi / Mountain West News Bureau
Frank Fahland has spent most days since the pandemic began at the site of his dream house, working to finish a 15-year labor of love while keeping away from town and the people closest to him.
Like thousands of people from Libby and Lincoln County, in the far northwestern corner of Montana, the 61-year-old Fahland has lungs already scarred by years of breathing in the asbestos fibers that have contaminated the area's dust and soil. The asbestos is a legacy of a now-defunct plant in the area that made vermiculite, a mineral used in insulation and gardening.
Fahland recently gave a visitor a tour of his partially finished log home, overlooking a meadow that stretches to the foothills of the Cabinet Mountains. He struggled to climb a small hill and stopped to reach for his inhaler.
"It feels like someone is standing on your chest," he explains, "or almost like someone stuffed a pillow down there in your lung."
Fahland's condition makes him more vulnerable to complications from COVID-19, so he's keeping his distance from people, in hopes of avoiding infection. He has kept his distance from his son and granddaughter for months and he recently wrote his will.
"If it hadn't been for COVID my will would not be written. But it is now," Fahland says. "It's filed in the courthouse and the whole goddamn thing is done. That gives you some idea of how seriously I take this."
He's not alone in taking such precautions against the virus. Lincoln County has one of the nation's highest asbestos mortality rates. At least 400 people have died from asbestos-related diseases, which can include asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer. At least 1 in 10 people in Libby have an asbestos-related illness, according to Miles Miller, a physician assistant at the Center for Asbestos Related Disease.
"Our patients having an underlying lung disease would make recovery from COVID-19 more difficult," Miller says.
Lincoln County, population 20,000, largely was spared from outbreaks of the novel coronavirus at the beginning, which Miller chalked up to the community's vigilance in testing, tracking and prevention efforts.
But by the fall, cases began to climb in the county along with the rest of Montana. By early October, the number of confirmed cases in Lincoln County was 170, nearly double the count at the end of August. County health officials said in a Facebook post that cases were all over the county and "it would be irresponsible to classify any towns as safe."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rick Bowmer/AP Rick Bowmer/AP
The vermiculite mine closed in 1990. For decades before that, Miller says, the mine constantly spewed asbestos-laden dust throughout the town.
"During the heyday, I don't think you could shop for groceries in this town without breathing some of the dust," Miller says.
The extent of the public health disaster in Libby became known only after the Seattle Post-Intelligencer published a series of stories by journalist Andrew Schneider in 1999. Lawsuits began pouring in from across the nation, and W.R. Grace filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001, putting a hold on more than 100,000 pending claims against it.
The Environmental Protection Agency added Libby and the surrounding area as a Superfund site in 2002 and declared a public health emergency in 2009. The EPA spent more than $600 million to clean up 2,600 homes and properties and removed more than 1 million cubic yards of contaminated soil, according to the agency.
The company and its executives were acquitted in 2009 of federal charges that the company had conspired to conceal the mine's health risks. Grace emerged from bankruptcy in 2014 after a legal settlement that set up trust funds to pay for current and future asbestos victims' medical costs. The company agreed to pay $250 million for the cleanup in 2008.
Asbestos victims also sued the state of Montana, saying that state officials knew the danger but failed to stop it. Settlements in 2011 and 2017 totaled $68 million.
The threat isn't over. People are still being diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases. Three decades or more can pass between exposure and the development of symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images
Also, the former mine site and surrounding forest have not been cleaned, leading the EPA to classify the Superfund site as still not under control for human exposure to asbestos. Those most at risk of exposure are loggers, firefighters and trespassers, the EPA said.
The county public health officer has issued an order requiring people in the area to wear masks in public, regardless of how many cases of COVID-19 the county has — a more stringent rule than the statewide requirement to wear a mask in counties where there are four or more active cases of the viral disease.
Though many in the community have accepted public health guidelines to avoid the coronavirus, a strong libertarian streak runs through this remote county on the U.S.-Canada border, where residents' distrust of government is heightened by the town's history with the mine.
Doug Shaw, 69, is another resident with lungs scarred from breathing in asbestos. He blames W.R. Grace and the state government for covering up the contamination for decades, and calls Libby's asbestos deaths murder.
"They profiteered off our precious lives and soul," Shaw says.
Grace officials did not directly respond to Shaw's accusations, but instead referred to the company's financial relief fund for residents with asbestos-related illness.
Shaw is also frustrated by the government's coronavirus-related restrictions on events and businesses.
"It's nuts. Nobody has to live like this. We need to get back to work," he says.
The county has allowed large public events, such as a rodeo and an international chainsaw competition, to take place. The local economy is dependent on tourism cash from those events, but there is worry that visitors could help spread coronavirus through the community.
"We need people to come here and spend money and jolt the economy," Fahland says. "Problem is, with that rodeo, there were faces in that crowd that have different license plates that came from different places that may have had issues."
Julie Kendall works as a phlebotomist at a local hospital and was diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease two months ago. She echoed that concern.
"These people that come to these events from out of town are going to our gas stations and our grocery stores," she says. "They could be exposing you right there."
Kendall sat at a picnic table near some railroad tracks where she was exposed to asbestos as a child. The area used to be home to a community swimming pool and children would play near piles of mine waste. She says she sees a similarity between asbestos and the novel coronavirus.
"It's unseen," she says. "You can be doing the most innocent thing and it could still get you."
But Kendall also believes those parallels have given folks like her a leading edge on dealing with this pandemic.
"We're already afraid here," she says. "So it's kind of like one more shake of the dice. You can't live every day in fear. But here we do."
This story came from a reporting partnership between NPR, Kaiser Health News and the Mountain West News Bureau.