npr--2020-09-30--Trump To Appeal Removal Of 'Polarizing' Public Lands Chief

The Trump administration says it will comply , for now , with a federal court ruling that blocks William Perry Pendley from continuing to serve as the temporary head of the Bureau of Land Management .
The court sided with Montana Gov .
Steve Bullock , who argued that Pendley 's continued appointment violated federal law because he had never been confirmed by the U.S. Senate .
Pendley ran the Department of Interior agency — which controls who gets to do what on roughly 10 % of all the land in the United States — for more than a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In statements to NPR , the Trump administration said an appeal is planned but no timeline has been given .
`` The Department of the Interior believes this ruling is erroneous , fundamentally misinterprets the law and unreasonably attempts to up-end decades of practice spanning multiple presidential administrations from both parties , '' said DOI soliciter Dan Jorjani in a statement .
Even though Pendley has been leading the agency since Aug. 2019 , his official title has remained deputy director of policy and programs .
Jordani said Pendley neither received Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acting director and therefore his appointment was not in violation of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act , which bars acting agency officials from serving for more than 210 days .
Nevertheless , the shuffling of temporary appointments and non-confirmed agency directors has been a hallmark of the Trump era .
Democrats have likened it to a shell game where the president can keep close control over his appointees while skirting Senate oversight , as is required by the Constitution .
Even so , Pendley 's appointment drew some of the most intense scrutiny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal work as head of the Colorado-based Mountain States Legal Foundation .
He was seen as a sharp and successful litigator who represented industry and rural counties in court challenges to the agency he would go on to lead .
Pendley , whose Twitter handle is `` Sagebrush Rebel , '' has also sympathized with scofflaw ranchers that led armed rebellions against the federal government .
And as late as 2016 , he called for selling U.S. public lands to states .
In the West , support for federal public lands frequently cuts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their records on everything from hunting access to federal wilderness protections .
Amid mounting political pressure , Trump withdrew his late hour nomination of Pendley in June .
A vote would have put several western Republican senators in an awkward bind , including Montana 's Sen. Steve Daines .
He 's in a tight race with the state 's governor , Steve Bullock , who filed the lawsuit .
The proposed sale or wholesale transfer of public land has lately been a key issue for voters in Montana — a state that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate next year .
`` If there is one thing that does matter to Montanans , universally , it 's protecting public lands , '' said Dave Parker , a Montana State University political scientist .
But Parker doubts the ruling will dramatically change the dynamics in that state 's Senate race , though he predicted Bullock could get a boost with independents , and anticipates campaign ads showing his success in ousting Pendley .
For now , it appears Interior Secretary David Bernhardt is officially back overseeing the BLM 's department-wide operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agency while the administration reviews `` all legal options . ''
Conservation groups have argued that the court ruling effectively nullifies any official public lands management decisions made by Pendley since he was installed late last summer .
`` Keeping him in any management position at the Bureau only underscores this administration 's contempt for the law and the balanced management of all Americans ' public lands , '' said Tracy Stone-Manning of the National Wildlife Federation .

Trump To Appeal Removal Of 'Polarizing' Public Lands Chief
Enlarge this image toggle caption Matthew Brown/AP Matthew Brown/AP
The Trump administration says it will comply, for now, with a federal court ruling that blocks William Perry Pendley from continuing to serve as the temporary head of the Bureau of Land Management.
The court sided with Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, who argued that Pendley's continued appointment violated federal law because he had never been confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Pendley ran the Department of Interior agency — which controls who gets to do what on roughly 10% of all the land in the United States — for more than a year via a series of controversial contract extensions.
In statements to NPR, the Trump administration said an appeal is planned but no timeline has been given.
"The Department of the Interior believes this ruling is erroneous, fundamentally misinterprets the law and unreasonably attempts to up-end decades of practice spanning multiple presidential administrations from both parties," said DOI soliciter Dan Jorjani in a statement.
Even though Pendley has been leading the agency since Aug. 2019, his official title has remained deputy director of policy and programs.
Jordani said Pendley neither received Senate confirmation nor was he serving as an acting director and therefore his appointment was not in violation of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, which bars acting agency officials from serving for more than 210 days.
Nevertheless, the shuffling of temporary appointments and non-confirmed agency directors has been a hallmark of the Trump era. Democrats have likened it to a shell game where the president can keep close control over his appointees while skirting Senate oversight, as is required by the Constitution.
Even so, Pendley's appointment drew some of the most intense scrutiny due to his controversial past writings and legal work as head of the Colorado-based Mountain States Legal Foundation. He was seen as a sharp and successful litigator who represented industry and rural counties in court challenges to the agency he would go on to lead.
Pendley, whose Twitter handle is "Sagebrush Rebel," has also sympathized with scofflaw ranchers that led armed rebellions against the federal government. And as late as 2016, he called for selling U.S. public lands to states.
In the West, support for federal public lands frequently cuts across party lines, with politicians touting their records on everything from hunting access to federal wilderness protections.
Amid mounting political pressure, Trump withdrew his late hour nomination of Pendley in June. A vote would have put several western Republican senators in an awkward bind, including Montana's Sen. Steve Daines. He's in a tight race with the state's governor, Steve Bullock, who filed the lawsuit.
The proposed sale or wholesale transfer of public land has lately been a key issue for voters in Montana — a state that could help determine whether Democrats take over the Senate next year.
"If there is one thing that does matter to Montanans, universally, it's protecting public lands," said Dave Parker, a Montana State University political scientist.
But Parker doubts the ruling will dramatically change the dynamics in that state's Senate race, though he predicted Bullock could get a boost with independents, and anticipates campaign ads showing his success in ousting Pendley.
For now, it appears Interior Secretary David Bernhardt is officially back overseeing the BLM's department-wide operations, though Pendley is still working at the agency while the administration reviews "all legal options."
Conservation groups have argued that the court ruling effectively nullifies any official public lands management decisions made by Pendley since he was installed late last summer.
"Keeping him in any management position at the Bureau only underscores this administration's contempt for the law and the balanced management of all Americans' public lands," said Tracy Stone-Manning of the National Wildlife Federation.


npr--2020-09-30--Graham Plans New Political Offensive In Hearing With Old Foe Comey

Graham Plans New Political Offensive In Hearing With Old Foe Comey President Trump 's allies are embarking on a new gambit in their long political war over the legacy of the Russia investigation on Wednesday — one that goes beyond simply finding fault with federal law enforcement .
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , likely intends to find a great deal of fault with his witness , former FBI Director James Comey , but Graham also has surfaced hotly controversial intelligence material from inside officialdom with the help of political allies in the Office of the Director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Ratcliffe , supplied Graham 's committee with material on Tuesday afternoon that it says it ca n't verify , but which will put Graham and Republicans in a position of questioning the actions taken by Comey and Democrats ' presidential nominee , Joe Biden , at the time he was vice president in the final year of President Obama 's administration .
Trump 's supporters ' core case not only is that the FBI and Justice Department did n't follow proper procedures in pursuing the Russia investigation , but now — supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Comey 's former bureau may have acted with bias to help then-nominee Hillary Clinton .
That 's an eyebrow-raising thesis ; Clinton blamed Comey for her loss in 2016 because of the director 's public statements about its investigation into her email practices .
But Graham said on Tuesday the basic facts of the matter are n't the point .
He 's likely to argue that much of the material in the now-infamous , unverified Russia dossier also has since been debunked .
What 's important , he argues , is that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Trump 's camp conspired with Russia 's attack on the 2016 election but not , evidently , the material supplied by Ratcliffe .
`` This latest information provided by DNI Ratcliffe shows there may have been a double standard by the FBI regarding allegations against the Clinton campaign and Russia , '' Graham said .
`` Whether these allegations are accurate is not the question .
The question is did the FBI investigate the allegations against Clinton like they did Trump ?
If not , why not ?
If so , what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If none , why was that ? ''
Critics on Tuesday blasted Ratcliffe and Graham for causing the new material to be circulated , notwithstanding Ratcliffe 's denial that it has been assessed as disinformation .
The former lead counsel in House Democrats ' impeachment inquiry , Daniel Goldman , suggested Graham might be reacting to a tightening Senate race in his home state : `` Desperate times call for desperate measures , '' he wrote .

Comey Acknowledges Surveillance Problems But Defends Overall Russia Inquiry
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stefani Reynolds/Pool/Getty Images Stefani Reynolds/Pool/Getty Images
Updated at 1:55 p.m. ET
Former FBI Director James Comey says that if he knew today what he knew during the Russia investigation, he would have taken a more skeptical view about a key surveillance request.
Comey told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that the subsequent revelations about problems with the surveillance warrant requested against one ex-junior campaign aide to Donald Trump likely would have given him pause in pursuing it.
Comey agreed with senators that omissions in the FBI and Justice Department applications to the secret court that authorized the surveillance on Carter Page were problematic, and he agreed with how troubling it has been called by critics.
Surveillance requests now involve so much bureaucracy, he said, that responsibility has become "diffuse" among the many participants. The former director said he hopes the FBI and Justice Department will adopt a new system more like those used in criminal wiretaps, in which he said only one attorney and one investigator — such as an FBI special agent — must sign their names and accordingly bear all the accountability for the process.
Overall, however, Comey continued to defend the bulk of the work done by the FBI in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election; he said that he believed it had been properly justified and professionally conducted.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stefani Reynolds/Pool/Getty Images Stefani Reynolds/Pool/Getty Images
The panel's chairman, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., repeated his frustrations about the failures in the Page warrant application process and said he wanted to continue examining that matter until he was satisfied with his findings and accountability: "Somebody needs to go to jail or get fired over that," he said.
Novel attack involving unproven allegations
For as familiar as many of the themes were on Wednesday, Graham's hearing included one major novel tactic: He alluded to new, unverified material surfaced from within the intelligence community by Republicans' political ally, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe.
The chairman did not spend as much energy defending the merits of that reporting as much as he attempted to cite it as an example of what he called biased treatment by the FBI under Comey: When suspicions arose tying Trump's camp to Russia's attack on the 2016 election, investigators pursued that fervently, he argued; when other allegations arose as contained Ratcliffe's unsubstantiated material, Graham said, the FBI wasn't interested.
"I'm beginning to understand there was a two-tiered system here," he argued.
One reason likely is that the unverified material was rejected by officials, as it was later rejected for consideration by the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee. The chairman's point was more about what he called the arbitrariness involved than about the newly revealed reporting.
Comey did not attempt to litigate the Ratcliffe material and told Graham he didn't remember it coming to his attention during the time he was directing the bureau. In reading Ratcliffe's letter surfacing the material now, Comey said he didn't understand it.
Ratcliffe said in a brief statement on Tuesday that the material hasn't been assessed as Russian disinformation, as some critics have called it, but the details aren't clear. The director said he would brief members of Congress about it but Graham said on Wednesday he hadn't received any presentation so far.
Critics, meanwhile, have howled at what they called the cynicism associated with a political spymaster, in Ratcliffe, using his access to secret and unconfirmed material to supply it to Graham for the purposes of what Democrats called a political hearing on Wednesday.
"I hope nobody on this committee had any hand in the generation on this letter," said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. "If we had any hand in this, that's a real problem ... this is something that got spun up by a political appointee. This rings just innumerable bells about the dangers of selective classification."


npr--2020-09-30--Trump Derails 1st Presidential Debate With Biden, And 5 Other Takeaways

Trump Derails 1st Presidential Debate With Biden , And 5 Other Takeaways This was maybe the worst presidential debate in American history .
If this was supposed to be a boxing match , it instead turned into Trump jumping on the ropes , refusing to come down , the referee trying to coax him off and Biden standing in the middle of the ring with his gloves on and a confused look on his face .
Trump does n't play by anyone 's rules , even those he 's agreed to beforehand .
He 's prided himself on that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump did Tuesday night crossed many lines .
He 's president .
More than 200,000 Americans are dead from the coronavirus pandemic .
And instead of a serious debate about the direction of the country , Trump sent it off the rails .
Most charitably , both former Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and former Republican New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie , who helped Trump prep for the debate , said he was `` too hot . ''
`` I think the president overplayed his hand tonight , '' Santorum said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first Trump-Biden debate .
1 .
Even for Trump , he went too far For part of the debate , Trump looked like he was controlling the stage .
He interrupted constantly and tried to distract , deflect and interject .
That 's fairly typical Trump behavior , but a few things in particular were egregious .
When Biden , for example , was talking about his late son Beau 's military service , Trump went in on Biden 's other son , Hunter , and brought up his past cocaine use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directly to the camera , turned something he rarely talks about into a positive , sympathetic moment .
`` My son , like a lot of people you know at home , he had a drug problem , '' Biden said .
`` He 's overtaken it .
He 's fixed it .
He 's worked on it .
And I 'm proud of him . ''
Later , when Trump was asked to denounce white supremacists and militia groups — and specifically the far-right extremist group Proud Boys — he instead said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back and stand by . ''
And then he denounced left-wing groups .
( Proud Boys is now using Trump 's words as part of a new logo . )
What 's more , Trump would not urge his followers to remain peaceful as votes are counted , including if there are delays in reporting the results .
`` I 'm urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully because that 's what has to happen , '' Trump said , adding , `` If it 's a fair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board .
If I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated , I ca n't go along with that . ''
2 .
Trump likely did nothing to expand beyond his base Trump 's base will probably love his performance .
But coming into the debate , Trump was behind in the polls .
That 's no secret .
He needed to try to win back suburban and independent voters , both of whom he won in 2016 and who have largely abandoned him this cycle .
So who was this performance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law and order '' appeal to white , suburban voters and tried to force Biden to repeat the words .
But Biden did n't take the bait and pivoted , calling for `` law and order with justice where people are treated fairly . ''
And Biden said this about Trump and the nature of his appeal .
`` He would n't know a suburb unless he took a wrong turn , '' Biden said .
`` I was raised in the suburbs .
This is not 1950 .
All these dog whistles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Suburbs are by and large integrated . ''
This was not Biden 's cleanest debate .
He was not crisp , was often flummoxed — as was moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News — by Trump 's antics .
`` Will you shut up , man ? ''
said Biden while trying to make a point .
He also called Trump a `` clown '' more than once .
Biden missed some opportunities .
For example , when Trump was talking about the role of masks in preventing the spread of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to talk about Trump 's largely maskless rallies .
When Trump claimed his rallies caused no harm , Biden could have pointed out the spike in coronavirus cases after Trump 's Tulsa , Okla. , rally .
The former vice president had some stumbles and some moments that were n't great for him , like not answering if he would add justices to the Supreme Court — `` pack the court '' — if Judge Amy Coney Barrett , Trump 's nominee to succeed Ruth Bader Ginsburg , is confirmed .
That was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but for the next debate — if there is one — Biden 's team will need to try to sharpen him up .
4 .
Trump tried to tie Biden to the far left , but it did n't work Trump tried his darndest to paint Biden as a socialist , or at least beholden to the `` radical left . ''
But on issue after issue — `` Medicare for All , '' defunding the police , the Green New Deal — Biden disavowed policies the Trump campaign has tried to lasso @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positions , and they all line up with the middle of the electorate , far more than Trump 's policy positions do .
That might have harmed Biden with the progressive left , particularly when it comes to the Green New Deal , if Trump had n't gone quite so Trump .
5 .
Trump 's response on his handling of COVID-19 was more of the same More than 200,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 , and coronavirus cases are spiking again in some parts of the country .
And yet Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the pandemic was to insult Biden 's smarts .
`` He panicked or just looked at the stock market , one of the two , because guess what ? ''
Biden said .
`` A lot of people died and a lot more are going to die unless he gets a lot smarter a lot quicker . ''
`` Did you use the word 'smart ? '
`` Trump asked rhetorically , adding , `` You graduated either the lowest or almost the lowest in your class .
Do n't ever use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Trump said he disagreed with his own experts on a vaccine timeline , insisting it would soon be widely available .
But making rosy assertions to the public is exactly what got him in trouble after Bob Woodward 's latest book , Rage , revealed that Trump privately knew the virus was worse than he let on publicly .
He tried to claim Biden would have made the pandemic worse .
`` Two million would be dead now , '' he said .
But Trump is president , and , on average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disapprove of the job he 's doing handling the coronavirus .
6 .
Good luck to the next moderator Before the debate , Wallace said his goal was to be `` invisible . ''
By the end , he might have wished he was .
The role was no easy task , and the next presidential debate , Oct. 15 , is set to be moderated by the far more mild-mannered Steve Scully of C-SPAN .
After the first presidential debate of the 2004 election , Internet conspiracies abounded about a mysterious bulge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bush 's jacket .
Some believed , unfoundedly , that there was a communications system rigged up by White House advisers to coach him .
`` I guess the assumption was that if I were straying off course they would ... kind of like a hunting dog , they would punch a buzzer , and I would jerk back into place , '' Bush said afterward .
Maybe something to look into .

Trump Derails 1st Presidential Debate With Biden, And 5 Other Takeaways
Enlarge this image toggle caption Patrick Semansky/AP Patrick Semansky/AP
This was maybe the worst presidential debate in American history.
If this was supposed to be a boxing match, it instead turned into President Trump jumping on the ropes, refusing to come down, the referee trying to coax him off, and Joe Biden standing in the middle of the ring with his gloves on and a confused look on his face.
Trump doesn't play by anyone's rules, even those he's agreed to beforehand. He's prided himself on that. But even by his standards, what Trump did Tuesday night crossed many lines.
More than 200,000 Americans are dead from the coronavirus pandemic. And instead of a serious debate about the direction of the country, Trump sent it off the rails.
Most charitably, both former Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and former Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who helped Trump prep for the debate, said he was "too hot."
"I think the president overplayed his hand tonight," Santorum said on CNN.
YouTube
Here are six takeaways from the first Trump-Biden debate.
1. Even for Trump, he went too far
For part of the debate, Trump looked like he was controlling the stage. He interrupted constantly and tried to distract, deflect and interject. That's fairly typical Trump behavior, but a few things in particular were egregious.
When Biden, for example, was talking about his late son Beau's military service, Trump went in on Biden's other son, Hunter, and brought up his past cocaine use. It backfired.
Biden, looking directly to the camera, turned something he rarely talks about into a positive, sympathetic moment.
"My son, like a lot of people you know at home, he had a drug problem," Biden said. "He's overtaken it. He's fixed it. He's worked on it. And I'm proud of him."
Later, when Trump was asked to denounce white supremacists and militia groups — and specifically the far-right extremist group Proud Boys — he instead said this: "Proud Boys, stand back and stand by." And then he denounced left-wing groups. (Proud Boys is now using Trump's words as part of a new logo.)
What's more, Trump would not urge his followers to remain peaceful as votes are counted, including if there are delays in reporting the results.
"I'm urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully because that's what has to happen," Trump said, adding, "If it's a fair election, I am 100% on board. If I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I can't go along with that."
2. Trump likely did nothing to expand beyond his base
Trump's base will probably love his performance. But coming into the debate, Trump was behind in the polls. That's no secret.
He needed to try to win back suburban and independent voters, both of whom he won in 2016 and who have largely abandoned him this cycle.
So who was this performance for exactly?
Trump repeated his "law and order" appeal to white, suburban voters and tried to force Biden to repeat the words. But Biden didn't take the bait and pivoted, calling for "law and order with justice where people are treated fairly."
And Biden said this about Trump and the nature of his appeal.
"He wouldn't know a suburb unless he took a wrong turn," Biden said. "I was raised in the suburbs. This is not 1950. All these dog whistles and racism don't work anymore. Suburbs are by and large integrated."
3. Biden missed opportunities
This was not Biden's cleanest debate. He was not crisp, was often flummoxed — as was moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News — by Trump's antics.
"Will you shut up, man?" said Biden while trying to make a point. He also called Trump a "clown" more than once.
Biden missed some opportunities. For example, when Trump was talking about the role of masks in preventing the spread of the coronavirus, Biden could have interjected more forcefully to talk about Trump's largely maskless rallies. When Trump claimed his rallies caused no harm, Biden could have pointed out the spike in coronavirus cases after Trump's Tulsa, Okla., rally.
The former vice president had some stumbles and some moments that weren't great for him, like not answering if he would add justices to the Supreme Court — "pack the court" — if Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Trump's nominee to succeed Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is confirmed.
That was likely overshadowed by Trump's demeanor, but for the next debate — if there is one — Biden's team will need to try to sharpen him up.
4. Trump tried to tie Biden to the far left, but it didn't work
Trump tried his darndest to paint Biden as a socialist, or at least beholden to the "radical left." But on issue after issue — "Medicare for All," defunding the police, the Green New Deal — Biden disavowed policies the Trump campaign has tried to lasso to him.
Biden just restated his positions, and they all line up with the middle of the electorate, far more than Trump's policy positions do.
That might have harmed Biden with the progressive left, particularly when it comes to the Green New Deal, if Trump hadn't gone quite so Trump.
5. Trump's response on his handling of COVID-19 was more of the same
More than 200,000 Americans have died from COVID-19, and coronavirus cases are spiking again in some parts of the country.
And yet Trump's tactic when defending himself on his management of the pandemic was to insult Biden's smarts.
"He panicked or just looked at the stock market, one of the two, because guess what?" Biden said. "A lot of people died and a lot more are going to die unless he gets a lot smarter a lot quicker."
Trump's response?
"Did you use the word 'smart?' " Trump asked rhetorically, adding, "You graduated either the lowest or almost the lowest in your class. Don't ever use the word 'smart' with me."
Trump said he disagreed with his own experts on a vaccine timeline, insisting it would soon be widely available. But making rosy assertions to the public is exactly what got him in trouble after Bob Woodward's latest book, Rage, revealed that Trump privately knew the virus was worse than he let on publicly.
He tried to claim Biden would have made the pandemic worse. "Two million would be dead now," he said.
But Trump is president, and, on average, a majority of Americans say they disapprove of the job he's doing handling the coronavirus.
6. Good luck to the next moderator
Before the debate, Wallace said his goal was to be "invisible."
By the end, he might have wished he was. The role was no easy task, and the next presidential debate, Oct. 15, is set to be moderated by the far more mild-mannered Steve Scully of C-SPAN.
After the first presidential debate of the 2004 election, Internet conspiracies abounded about a mysterious bulge in the back of President George W. Bush's jacket. Some believed, unfoundedly, that there was a communications system rigged up by White House advisers to coach him.
Bush dismissed that, cracking wise.
"I guess the assumption was that if I were straying off course they would ... kind of like a hunting dog, they would punch a buzzer, and I would jerk back into place," Bush said afterward.
Maybe something to look into.


npr--2020-09-30--Juggling Financial Stress And Caregiving, Parents Are 'Very Not OK' In The Pandemic

Juggling Financial Stress And Caregiving , Parents Are 'Very Not OK ' In The Pandemic Back in early spring , Khristan Yates worked as a quality assurance analyst at a marketing company and loved her job .
`` I had one of the best jobs of my career , '' recalls Yates , 31 , a resident of Chicago .
Yates , who 's a mother of two children , had moved into a bigger apartment just before the pandemic hit because she wanted to give her kids more space .
At the time , she felt like she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
But as the economic effects of the pandemic hit the marketing industry among others , she lost her job in May .
Yates is among the 60 % of households with children across the country that have lost jobs , or businesses , or have had wages reduced during the pandemic , according to a poll released Wednesday by NPR , the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health .
The poll also found 74 % of households with children that made less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We 're seeing skyrocketing rates of job losses and food insecurity and stress , '' says Anna Johnson , a developmental psychologist at Georgetown University .
`` I think it will be very hard for these families who 've lost income and jobs to get back to where they were .
I think there will just be a lot of stress and turmoil in the household for the foreseeable future ... that takes a toll . ''
That toll is n't just on the parents , who 're struggling to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children , says Johnson .
With stressed-out parents at home , no school to escape to and a lack of in-person interaction with friends , children have fewer ways to cope with their circumstances , says psychologist Archana Basu of the T.H .
Chan Harvard School of Public Health .
Neither Basu nor Johnson were involved with the poll .
Basu and Johnson worry that this may leave a lasting impact on kids ' mental health and education .
`` You have really big potential achievement gaps , really big potential mental health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Since losing her job , Yates feels like `` everything was yanked from under me . ''
It was n't long after she lost her job that she realized she had hardly any money for food .
`` There was this moment I looked at my cabinet and said , 'Uh oh ! '
...
There was a couple of jars [ of ] peanut butter and some pasta with no sauce . ''
That 's when she signed up for SNAP food benefits .
She now makes about $ 2,000 a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which goes to rent .
Then there are utility bills , school supplies for her kids , Internet service to allow her children to attend school virtually and for her to keep searching for a new job .
Back when she was employed , she 'd take her kids to a restaurant at least once a week , says Yates .
`` And we would always rent a movie , and I 'd always make sure they had these awesome experiences . ''
Now , she says , she has no money to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I went from having a very stable stream of income and being OK to being very not OK , '' she says .
Her anxiety has gone through the roof , she says .
She struggles to get out of bed and there have been days when she forgot to eat .
`` I would make food for my children , of course , but when it came down to like me sitting down and eating , it did n't even register , '' says Yates , who is Black .
`` So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the morning and [ realize ] 'oh well , you have n't eaten in two or three days .
That 's why your head is on fire . '
'' The NPR poll found the financial impact on families with children was disproportionately high for Hispanic and Black households : 86 % of Hispanic and 66 % of Black households with kids reported serious financial problems compared to 51 % of white households .
For families of any race or ethnicity , a majority ( 59 % ) report having serious difficulties caring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report they 're having major troubles helping children adjust to the changes in their lives .
Yates says her 7-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son are showing signs of being stressed .
Before the pandemic , `` I did n't have really much of an issue with them doing chores , '' she says .
`` Now , I have to play a lot of the mad mom card , complain and really strictly enforce stuff , where usually that was not the case . ''
Her son and daughter bicker more with each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take less interest in school .
`` As far as even getting them online to go to school , it is like pulling teeth .
They do n't want to do it .
They 're not engaged . ''
And , her own stress has affected her interaction with her children , she admits .
`` I have yelled a few times and I 've had to come back and go , 'Hey , mom should not have done that .
I was wrong . '
'' Yates is not alone .
Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial and emotional burden of the pandemic on families .
She recently surveyed parents and teachers of 1,000 children in low income families in Tulsa , Okla. , that she 's been following since 2016 .
Of the 600 parents who responded , she says , 60 % said they 've lost income due to job loss or reduced work hours and half said they were struggling to afford food .
Twenty-five percent said they 've been depressed since the pandemic started .
And 16 % reported yelling or snapping at their kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also reporting that their `` kids are acting up , '' notes Johnson .
`` Imagine parents who are now scrambling to try to figure out how to have enough food for the household , for their kids , '' says Johnson .
`` The parents are stressed .
They 're short tempered , irritable , frustrated , potentially resorting to kind of harsh disciplinary strategies .
They 're going to be distracted and tired . ''
Parental stress from financial hardship affects children 's emotional well-being and cognitive development , says Basu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do best when they are with emotionally available , consistent and responsive caregivers , and that 's what we know helps them , '' says Basu .
This is especially helpful during stressful situations , like this pandemic , when children are also experiencing a tremendous amount of change and transition .
`` They have their own experiences in terms of changes at school , losses related to peers , after-school programs and potentially increased stress at home , '' says Basu .
`` They need adults to help them make sense of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But if their parents are not as available emotionally , they are less able to see that their kids are struggling , too , she adds .
Symptoms of distress can manifest in many ways in children .
`` For example , increased worries in kids can look like somatic symptoms .
So , changes in sleep and appetite are very common in children of all ages , '' she says .
Then there are behavioral problems , like parents that Johnson has surveyed are reporting .
`` This could look like , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' says Basu .
`` It could look like school refusal . ''
Johnson found a trend of kids not attending online school , in her survey of parents and teachers in Tulsa .
`` Twenty or 30 % of [ children ] never had any contact with the teacher after the school closed , '' says Johnson .
`` So you have like really big potential achievement gaps , really big potential mental health problems arising from isolation . ''
Johnson worries that these children and their families may not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Could this course correct if everything goes back to school and everything opens up again in the next eight months to 12 months ? ''
Johnson says .
`` Maybe .
But they 're going to have to be a lot of resources targeted just to these families to help them overcome what is probably a traumatic experience for them . ''
Yates worries about the toll this is taking on her children .
She sees that her son , who is on the autism spectrum and needed a lot of one-on-one help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same support through virtual learning .
And devoid of all the in-person social interactions , he is more socially withdrawn these days .
`` He 's the more outgoing of the two and now he 's pulling back a lot , '' she says .
She can see her 7-year-old daughter 's distress manifest in her withdrawal from school .
`` She wo n't get online and she 's just like , ' I do n't care , ' `` says Yates .
And she very much wants to help her but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm her mom , and she knows like she can tell me anything , but I 'm not a trained therapist , '' says Yates .
`` So , I feel like there are things I 'm missing ...
I know there 's a hurt there , but I just do n't know how to get to it .
I do n't know how to heal it . ''

Juggling Financial Stress And Caregiving, Parents Are 'Very Not OK' In The Pandemic
Enlarge this image Nicole Xu for NPR Nicole Xu for NPR
Back in early spring, Khristan Yates worked as a quality assurance analyst at a marketing company and loved her job. "I had one of the best jobs of my career," recalls Yates, 31, a resident of Chicago.
Yates, who's a mother of two children, had moved into a bigger apartment just before the pandemic hit because she wanted to give her kids more space. At the time, she felt like she was "at the top of her world."
But as the economic effects of the pandemic hit the marketing industry among others, she lost her job in May.
Yates is among the 60% of households with children across the country that have lost jobs, or businesses, or have had wages reduced during the pandemic, according to a poll released Wednesday by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
The poll also found 74% of households with children that made less than $100,000 report facing serious financial problems.
"We're seeing skyrocketing rates of job losses and food insecurity and stress," says Anna Johnson, a developmental psychologist at Georgetown University. "I think it will be very hard for these families who've lost income and jobs to get back to where they were. I think there will just be a lot of stress and turmoil in the household for the foreseeable future ... that takes a toll."
That toll isn't just on the parents, who're struggling to make ends meet, but also on their children, says Johnson.
With stressed-out parents at home, no school to escape to and a lack of in-person interaction with friends, children have fewer ways to cope with their circumstances, says psychologist Archana Basu of the T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public Health. Neither Basu nor Johnson were involved with the poll.
Basu and Johnson worry that this may leave a lasting impact on kids' mental health and education. "You have really big potential achievement gaps, really big potential mental health problems from isolation," says Johnson.
Financial strain and mounting stress
Since losing her job, Yates feels like "everything was yanked from under me."
It wasn't long after she lost her job that she realized she had hardly any money for food. "There was this moment I looked at my cabinet and said, 'Uh oh!' ... There was a couple of jars [of] peanut butter and some pasta with no sauce."
That's when she signed up for SNAP food benefits.
She now makes about $2,000 a month in unemployment, $1,300 of which goes to rent. Then there are utility bills, school supplies for her kids, Internet service to allow her children to attend school virtually and for her to keep searching for a new job.
Back when she was employed, she'd take her kids to a restaurant at least once a week, says Yates. "And we would always rent a movie, and I'd always make sure they had these awesome experiences." Now, she says, she has no money to treat her kids with anything.
"I went from having a very stable stream of income and being OK to being very not OK," she says.
Her anxiety has gone through the roof, she says. She struggles to get out of bed and there have been days when she forgot to eat.
"I would make food for my children, of course, but when it came down to like me sitting down and eating, it didn't even register," says Yates, who is Black. "So I would get up with headaches before the morning and [realize] 'oh well, you haven't eaten in two or three days. That's why your head is on fire.'"
The NPR poll found the financial impact on families with children was disproportionately high for Hispanic and Black households: 86% of Hispanic and 66% of Black households with kids reported serious financial problems compared to 51% of white households.
For families of any race or ethnicity, a majority (59%) report having serious difficulties caring for their children. And 35% report they're having major troubles helping children adjust to the changes in their lives.
Kids acting out
Yates says her 7-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son are showing signs of being stressed. Before the pandemic, "I didn't have really much of an issue with them doing chores," she says. "Now, I have to play a lot of the mad mom card, complain and really strictly enforce stuff, where usually that was not the case."
Her son and daughter bicker more with each other lately, says Yates, and take less interest in school. "As far as even getting them online to go to school, it is like pulling teeth. They don't want to do it. They're not engaged."
And, her own stress has affected her interaction with her children, she admits. "I have yelled a few times and I've had to come back and go, 'Hey, mom should not have done that. I was wrong.'"
Yates is not alone. Johnson has done her own research about the financial and emotional burden of the pandemic on families. She recently surveyed parents and teachers of 1,000 children in low income families in Tulsa, Okla., that she's been following since 2016.
Of the 600 parents who responded, she says, 60% said they've lost income due to job loss or reduced work hours and half said they were struggling to afford food. Twenty-five percent said they've been depressed since the pandemic started. And 16% reported yelling or snapping at their kids.
The parents in her study are also reporting that their "kids are acting up," notes Johnson.
"Imagine parents who are now scrambling to try to figure out how to have enough food for the household, for their kids," says Johnson. "The parents are stressed. They're short tempered, irritable, frustrated, potentially resorting to kind of harsh disciplinary strategies. They're going to be distracted and tired."
Parental stress from financial hardship affects children's emotional well-being and cognitive development, says Basu.
"Typically we know that children do best when they are with emotionally available, consistent and responsive caregivers, and that's what we know helps them," says Basu.
This is especially helpful during stressful situations, like this pandemic, when children are also experiencing a tremendous amount of change and transition.
"They have their own experiences in terms of changes at school, losses related to peers, after-school programs and potentially increased stress at home," says Basu. "They need adults to help them make sense of what they are already experiencing."
But if their parents are not as available emotionally, they are less able to see that their kids are struggling, too, she adds.
Symptoms of distress can manifest in many ways in children.
"For example, increased worries in kids can look like somatic symptoms. So, changes in sleep and appetite are very common in children of all ages," she says.
Then there are behavioral problems, like parents that Johnson has surveyed are reporting.
"This could look like, you know, increased fighting with siblings," says Basu. "It could look like school refusal."
Potential long-term impacts
Johnson found a trend of kids not attending online school, in her survey of parents and teachers in Tulsa.
"Twenty or 30% of [children] never had any contact with the teacher after the school closed," says Johnson. "So you have like really big potential achievement gaps, really big potential mental health problems arising from isolation."
Johnson worries that these children and their families may not be able to bounce back quickly.
"Could this course correct if everything goes back to school and everything opens up again in the next eight months to 12 months?" Johnson says. "Maybe. But they're going to have to be a lot of resources targeted just to these families to help them overcome what is probably a traumatic experience for them."
Yates worries about the toll this is taking on her children. She sees that her son, who is on the autism spectrum and needed a lot of one-on-one help from his teachers, isn't getting the same support through virtual learning. And devoid of all the in-person social interactions, he is more socially withdrawn these days.
"He's the more outgoing of the two and now he's pulling back a lot," she says.
She can see her 7-year-old daughter's distress manifest in her withdrawal from school. "She won't get online and she's just like, 'I don't care,' " says Yates.
And she very much wants to help her but feels ill-equipped to do so.
"I'm her mom, and she knows like she can tell me anything, but I'm not a trained therapist," says Yates. "So, I feel like there are things I'm missing ... I know there's a hurt there, but I just don't know how to get to it. I don't know how to heal it."


npr--2020-09-30--From Debate Stage, Trump Declines To Denounce White Supremacy

President Trump 's hesitation , once again , to denounce white supremacy during Tuesday 's presidential debate is drawing quick condemnation from anti-racism activists — as are his unusual comments directed at a white supremacist group called the Proud Boys .
During an exchange on the debate stage , moderator Chris Wallace repeatedly asked Trump if he would condemn white supremacists .
Trump initially sidestepped that question , claiming that he mostly sees violence `` from the left wing . ''
Trump eventually responded to Wallace 's question by referring to a white supremacist group , saying , `` Proud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But I 'll tell you what : Somebody 's got to do something about antifa and the left . ''
Here is the exchange : WALLACE : You have repeatedly criticized the vice president for not specifically calling out antifa and other left-wing extremist groups .
But are you willing , tonight , to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities as we saw in Kenosha and as we 've seen in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do that ?
TRUMP : Sure , I 'm prepared to do that .
But I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing , not from the right wing .
If you look , I 'm willing to do anything .
I want to see peace .
WALLACE : Then do it , sir .
TRUMP : You want to call them ?
What do you want to call them ?
Give me a name , give me a name , go ahead — who would you like me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , stand back and stand by .
But I 'll tell you what : Somebody 's got to do something about antifa and the left .
Because this is not a right-wing problem — this is a left-wing problem .
BIDEN : His own FBI director said ... antifa is an idea , not an organization .
Not militias .
TRUMP : Oh , you got ta be kidding .
BIDEN : His FBI director said that .
BIDEN : Everybody in your administration .
TRUMP : When a bat hits you over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ idea .
Antifa is bad .
BIDEN : Everybody who tells you the truth in your administration has a bad idea .
TRUMP : Antifa is a dangerous , radical group , and you ought to be careful with them .
They 'll overthrow you .
The federal government has deemed white supremacist terrorism among the most serious threats facing the nation .
In testimony this month to the House Homeland Security Committee , FBI Director Christopher Wray said the majority of domestic terrorism threats and violence come from `` racially motivated violent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subscribe to white supremacist ideologies .
Contradicting Trump 's characterization , Wray described antifa as an ideology or movement rather than an organized group and said the FBI was investigating some cases involving people who self-identify with antifa .
But he said the protest-related violence does n't appear to be organized or connected to one group .
Protests for racial justice have at times turned violent but have largely been peaceful .
Quickly , as noted by Alex Kaplan of Media Matters , Internet users created memes that appeared to marry support for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Anti-Defamation League 's Jonathan Greenblatt , meanwhile , has called for Trump to apologize for that statement or explain what he meant .
The exchange came not long after former Vice President Joe Biden recalled the memory of deadly white supremacist violence that broke out in Charlottesville , Va. , in August 2017 — a moment Biden has said was pivotal in his decision to challenge Trump for the presidency .
`` Close your eyes .
Remember what those people looked like coming out of the fields , carrying torches , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bile , '' Biden said .
`` And the president said there were 'very fine people on both sides . '
No president has ever said anything like that . ''
Biden is referring to Trump 's comments responding to the violence , where he indeed said there were `` very fine people on both sides '' of the clash between white supremacists and counterprotesters .
Trump later said he was referring to both anti-racism counterprotesters and those in Charlottesville who opposed the removal of Confederate monuments .
PolitiFact called the statement a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Trump has a history of refusing to quickly denounce racism and white nationalism , and then backpedaling .
During the 2016 campaign , he was forced to issue a clarification on Twitter after initially refusing to condemn former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke .

From Debate Stage, Trump Declines To Denounce White Supremacy
Enlarge this image toggle caption Olivier Douliery/AP Olivier Douliery/AP
President Trump's hesitation, once again, to denounce white supremacy during Tuesday's presidential debate is drawing quick condemnation from anti-racism activists — as are his unusual comments directed at a white supremacist group called the Proud Boys.
During an exchange on the debate stage, moderator Chris Wallace repeatedly asked Trump if he would condemn white supremacists. Trump initially sidestepped that question, claiming that he mostly sees violence "from the left wing."
Trump eventually responded to Wallace's question by referring to a white supremacist group, saying, "Proud Boys, stand back and stand by. But I'll tell you what: Somebody's got to do something about antifa and the left."
Here is the exchange:
WALLACE: You have repeatedly criticized the vice president for not specifically calling out antifa and other left-wing extremist groups. But are you willing, tonight, to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities as we saw in Kenosha and as we've seen in Portland? Are you prepared to specifically do that? TRUMP: Sure, I'm prepared to do that. But I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing. If you look, I'm willing to do anything. I want to see peace. WALLACE: Then do it, sir. BIDEN: Do it. Say it. TRUMP: You want to call them? What do you want to call them? Give me a name, give me a name, go ahead — who would you like me to condemn?
WALLACE: White supremacists, white supremacists and right-wing militia. TRUMP: Proud Boys, stand back and stand by. But I'll tell you what: Somebody's got to do something about antifa and the left. Because this is not a right-wing problem — this is a left-wing problem. BIDEN: His own FBI director said ... antifa is an idea, not an organization. Not militias. TRUMP: Oh, you gotta be kidding. BIDEN: His FBI director said that. WALLACE: We're done, sir. BIDEN: Everybody in your administration. TRUMP: When a bat hits you over the head, that's not an idea. Antifa is bad. BIDEN: Everybody who tells you the truth in your administration has a bad idea. TRUMP: Antifa is a dangerous, radical group, and you ought to be careful with them. They'll overthrow you.
The federal government has deemed white supremacist terrorism among the most serious threats facing the nation. In testimony this month to the House Homeland Security Committee, FBI Director Christopher Wray said the majority of domestic terrorism threats and violence come from "racially motivated violent extremism," mostly from people who subscribe to white supremacist ideologies.
Contradicting Trump's characterization, Wray described antifa as an ideology or movement rather than an organized group and said the FBI was investigating some cases involving people who self-identify with antifa. But he said the protest-related violence doesn't appear to be organized or connected to one group. Protests for racial justice have at times turned violent but have largely been peaceful.
Quickly, as noted by Alex Kaplan of Media Matters, Internet users created memes that appeared to marry support for the Proud Boys with Trump's remarks.
The Anti-Defamation League's Jonathan Greenblatt, meanwhile, has called for Trump to apologize for that statement or explain what he meant.
The exchange came not long after former Vice President Joe Biden recalled the memory of deadly white supremacist violence that broke out in Charlottesville, Va., in August 2017 — a moment Biden has said was pivotal in his decision to challenge Trump for the presidency.
"Close your eyes. Remember what those people looked like coming out of the fields, carrying torches, their veins bulging, just spewing anti-Semitic bile," Biden said. "And the president said there were 'very fine people on both sides.' No president has ever said anything like that."
Biden is referring to Trump's comments responding to the violence, where he indeed said there were "very fine people on both sides" of the clash between white supremacists and counterprotesters. Trump later said he was referring to both anti-racism counterprotesters and those in Charlottesville who opposed the removal of Confederate monuments.
PolitiFact called the statement a situation where "context is needed."
Trump has a history of refusing to quickly denounce racism and white nationalism, and then backpedaling.
During the 2016 campaign, he was forced to issue a clarification on Twitter after initially refusing to condemn former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.
NPR National Desk correspondent Leila Fadel contributed to this report.


npr--2020-09-29--Census End Remains Uncertain After Judge Calls New Schedule 'A Violation'

No one knows for sure when counting for the 2020 census is set to end .
A day after the Census Bureau fired off a one-sentence tweet announcing Oct. 5 as its new `` target date '' for ending all efforts to tally the country 's residents , a federal judge said she thinks the new schedule is `` a violation '' of her court order .
`` The Oct. 5 date is doing exactly what I enjoined the defendants from doing , '' said U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in Northern California Tuesday during a virtual court conference for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abrupt decision to shorten the census schedule .
The timeline for the constitutionally mandated count was originally extended by the administration because of the coronavirus pandemic .
But Trump officials made an about-face in July .
That 's when the administration decided to end its census efforts earlier than planned in order to meet the legal deadline for reporting to President Trump the latest state population counts , which are used to determine each state 's share of seats in the House of Representatives .
Those are the same set of numbers from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unauthorized immigrants , despite the constitutional requirement to include the `` whole number of persons in each state . ''
Top career officials at the bureau , however , have publicly said that the agency can no longer meet that reporting deadline due to delays caused by COVID-19 .
Last week , Koh issued a preliminary injunction order that prohibits the bureau and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross , who oversees the bureau , from `` implementing '' Dec. 31 as a deadline for getting new state population counts to the president .
Internal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released Tuesday under the judge 's order show that Ross picked the Oct. 5 date after career officials at the Census Bureau presented him with two options — either end field operations on Oct. 5 to meet the Dec. 31 reporting deadline , or continue counting past Oct. 5 and forgo meeting that deadline but further `` the goal of a complete and accurate 2020 Census , '' as the bureau 's deputy director , Ron Jarmin , put it .
`` I just think that an entire schedule that 's predicated on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Koh told attorneys during Tuesday 's court conference , after saying she was ready to hold contempt proceedings .
After pushback from Justice Department attorney August Flentje , Koh told plaintiffs ' attorneys she 's open to reviewing any requests to find the administration in violation of her order .
The Trump administration has asked the 9th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals to suspend Koh 's order that blocks its plan to end counting early .
A federal court in Maryland is also expected to rule soon on a separate request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut the census short .
Flentje attempted to justify the Oct. 5 `` target date '' during the conference , noting that it 's part of the bureau 's planning in case of a `` very real possibility '' that the appeals court orders the bureau to adhere to the Dec. 31 reporting deadline .
Still , Koh scheduled another court hearing for Friday .
The latest legal back-and-forth leaves the final days of counting for the 2020 census mired in uncertainty .
Challengers in this lawsuit led by the National Urban League @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration to keep counting another month — through Oct. 31 — as it had previously planned to try to make up for lost time during the pandemic .
Continuing to send door knockers to try to reach unresponsive households past Oct. 5 , career bureau officials said in a slide deck they presented to Ross on Monday , could improve the count in parts of the country where census participation has been `` lagging , '' including tribal areas , rural areas and other historically undercounted communities .

Census End Remains Uncertain After Judge Calls New Schedule 'A Violation'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images
No one knows for sure when counting for the 2020 census is set to end.
A day after the Census Bureau fired off a one-sentence tweet announcing Oct. 5 as its new "target date" for ending all efforts to tally the country's residents, a federal judge said she thinks the new schedule is "a violation" of her court order.
"The Oct. 5 date is doing exactly what I enjoined the defendants from doing," said U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in Northern California Tuesday during a virtual court conference for a lawsuit over the Trump administration's abrupt decision to shorten the census schedule.
The timeline for the constitutionally mandated count was originally extended by the administration because of the coronavirus pandemic. But Trump officials made an about-face in July.
That's when the administration decided to end its census efforts earlier than planned in order to meet the legal deadline for reporting to President Trump the latest state population counts, which are used to determine each state's share of seats in the House of Representatives. Those are the same set of numbers from which Trump wants to try to exclude unauthorized immigrants, despite the constitutional requirement to include the "whole number of persons in each state."
Top career officials at the bureau, however, have publicly said that the agency can no longer meet that reporting deadline due to delays caused by COVID-19.
Last week, Koh issued a preliminary injunction order that prohibits the bureau and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who oversees the bureau, from "implementing" Dec. 31 as a deadline for getting new state population counts to the president.
Internal emails and other documents the Trump administration released Tuesday under the judge's order show that Ross picked the Oct. 5 date after career officials at the Census Bureau presented him with two options — either end field operations on Oct. 5 to meet the Dec. 31 reporting deadline, or continue counting past Oct. 5 and forgo meeting that deadline but further "the goal of a complete and accurate 2020 Census," as the bureau's deputy director, Ron Jarmin, put it.
"I just think that an entire schedule that's predicated on an enjoined date is a violation," Koh told attorneys during Tuesday's court conference, after saying she was ready to hold contempt proceedings.
After pushback from Justice Department attorney August Flentje, Koh told plaintiffs' attorneys she's open to reviewing any requests to find the administration in violation of her order.
The Trump administration has asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to suspend Koh's order that blocks its plan to end counting early. A federal court in Maryland is also expected to rule soon on a separate request to suspend the administration's efforts to cut the census short.
Flentje attempted to justify the Oct. 5 "target date" during the conference, noting that it's part of the bureau's planning in case of a "very real possibility" that the appeals court orders the bureau to adhere to the Dec. 31 reporting deadline.
Still, Koh scheduled another court hearing for Friday.
The latest legal back-and-forth leaves the final days of counting for the 2020 census mired in uncertainty.
Challengers in this lawsuit led by the National Urban League have been trying to push the Trump administration to keep counting another month — through Oct. 31 — as it had previously planned to try to make up for lost time during the pandemic.
Continuing to send door knockers to try to reach unresponsive households past Oct. 5, career bureau officials said in a slide deck they presented to Ross on Monday, could improve the count in parts of the country where census participation has been "lagging," including tribal areas, rural areas and other historically undercounted communities.


npr--2020-09-29--Disney Lays Off 28,000 Workers, 67% Are Part-Time Employees

The Walt Disney Company 's theme parks , resorts and cruises have been devastated by COVID-19 .
Tuesday Disney announced it is laying off 28,000 workers from its Parks , Experiences and Products division .
In a letter to employees , Josh D'Amaro , Chairman of Disney Parks , Experiences and Products writes , `` We initially hoped that this situation would be short-lived , and that we would recover quickly and return to normal .
Seven months later , we find that has not been the case .
And , as a result , today we are now forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across executive , salaried , and hourly roles . ''
Of the 28,000 employees affected , 67 percent are part-time .
Since April , Disney covered health care costs of furloughed employees .
D'Amaro says Disney is , `` talking with impacted employees as well as to the unions on next steps . ''
D'Amaro calls the decision `` heartbreaking '' but `` the only feasible option '' due to `` the continued uncertainty regarding the duration of the pandemic . ''
Disneyland Paris , Hong Kong Disneyland , Shanghai Disney and Disney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety protocols in place .
Disneyland in Anaheim remains closed .
In August , The Walt Disney Company reported a loss of $ 4.7 billion in its third quarter .

Disney Lays Off 28,000 Workers, 67% Are Part-Time Employees
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lam Yik/Bloomberg via Getty Images Lam Yik/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Walt Disney Company's theme parks, resorts and cruises have been devastated by COVID-19. Tuesday Disney announced it is laying off 28,000 workers from its Parks, Experiences and Products division.
In a letter to employees, Josh D'Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products writes, "We initially hoped that this situation would be short-lived, and that we would recover quickly and return to normal. Seven months later, we find that has not been the case. And, as a result, today we are now forced to reduce the size of our team across executive, salaried, and hourly roles."
Of the 28,000 employees affected, 67 percent are part-time.
Since April, Disney covered health care costs of furloughed employees. D'Amaro says Disney is, "talking with impacted employees as well as to the unions on next steps."
D'Amaro calls the decision "heartbreaking" but "the only feasible option" due to "the continued uncertainty regarding the duration of the pandemic."
Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disney and Disney World in Florida are open, with safety protocols in place. Disneyland in Anaheim remains closed. In August, The Walt Disney Company reported a loss of $4.7 billion in its third quarter.


npr--2020-09-30--Alabama Gov. Apologizes To Surviving '5th Girl' Of 1963 KKK Bombing

Sarah Collins Rudolph was 12 years old when the explosion of a bomb , planted by the Ku Klux Klan , ripped through the basement of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham , Ala. , in 1963 .
Her sister and three other young girls were killed by the dynamite blast , and although she survived , she lost an eye and was hospitalized for months .
Since then , the medical bills and the trauma of that violent Sunday have haunted her .
On Tuesday , after 57 years , 15 days and multiple pleas for an apology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ivey tried to make amends for the hateful attack .
`` There should be no question that Ms. Collins Rudolph and the families of those who perished — including Ms. Collins Rudoloph 's sister , Addie Mae , as well as Cynthia Wesley , Carole Robertson and Carole Denice McNair — suffered an egregious injustice that has yielded untold pain and suffering over the ensuing decades , '' Ivey wrote in a letter .
`` For that , they most certainly deserve a sincere , heartfelt apology — an apology that I extend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republican governor added .
The gesture comes weeks after Collins Rudolph , through her lawyers , pressed the governor to offer restitution for the decades of physical and emotional suffering she has endured .
In a Sept. 14 letter to the governor , lawyers for `` the fifth little girl , '' assert that the KKK bombing was directly incited by state leaders .
Specifically , that the white supremacist group was `` inspired and motivated by then-Gov .
[ George ] Wallace 's racist rhetoric . ''
It adds that Wallace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` played an undisputed role in encouraging its citizens to engage in racial violence . ''
Wallace championed segregation throughout the South .
During his gubernatorial inauguration months before the bombing , he infamously delivered the line : `` Segregation now , segregation tomorrow , and segregation forever ! ''
Later that year , he tried to stop integration at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa by standing in the doorway of an auditorium on the school 's campus to block two Black students from entering .
Meanwhile , the bombers of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecution .
The FBI later explained that by 1965 the bureau had built a case against several KKK members , but `` witnesses were reluctant to talk and physical evidence was lacking . ''
As a result , no federal charges were filed .
The case was reopened by Alabama Attorney General Robert Baxley in 1970 .
Seven years later , a jury convicted Klansman Robert Chambliss to life in prison for McNair 's murder .
In 1995 , the FBI reopened their own investigation , leading to the convictions of Thomas Blanton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2002 .
A fourth KKK member and suspect , Herman Cash , was never charged .
He died of cancer in 1994 .
In 2013 , days before the 50th anniversary of the bombing , the four girls who were killed received posthumous Congressional Gold Medals .
Collins Rudolph , who has worked much of her life as a house cleaner and a factory worker — both jobs without health insurance — has sought financial restitution at the state and municipal levels for decades .
`` I still shake .
I still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Collins Rudolph told NPR in a 2013 interview . ''
`` Every day I think about it , just looking in the mirror and seeing the scars on my face .
I 'm reminded of it every day , '' she said .
In October 2013 , Collins Rudolph went before the Birmingham City Council to ask for financial help , but then-Mayor William Bell said the city was not in a position to cut her a check .
But her lawyers say now is the right time for `` long overdue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like governors before her , raised questions about the culpability of the state in the attack at the church .
`` Having said that , there should be no question that the racist , segregationist rhetoric used by some of our leaders during that time was wrong and would be utterly unacceptable in today 's Alabama , '' she wrote .
Ivey invited Collins Rudolph 's lawyers to meet with attorneys from her own office and from the state legislature to begin discussions on race and the latest round of her demands .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ any type of financial restitution .
Ivey wrote that beginning a conversation `` without prejudice for what any final outcome might produce '' could be part of her administration 's efforts `` to foster fruitful conversations about the all-too-difficult — and sometimes painful — topic of race , a conversation occurring not only in Alabama but throughout America . ''

Alabama Gov. Apologizes To Surviving '5th Girl' Of 1963 KKK Bombing
Enlarge this image toggle caption Dave Martin/AP Dave Martin/AP
Sarah Collins Rudolph was 12 years old when the explosion of a bomb, planted by the Ku Klux Klan, ripped through the basement of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., in 1963.
Her sister and three other young girls were killed by the dynamite blast, and although she survived, she lost an eye and was hospitalized for months. Since then, the medical bills and the trauma of that violent Sunday have haunted her.
On Tuesday, after 57 years, 15 days and multiple pleas for an apology and compensation, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey tried to make amends for the hateful attack.
"There should be no question that Ms. Collins Rudolph and the families of those who perished — including Ms. Collins Rudoloph's sister, Addie Mae, as well as Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson and Carole Denice McNair — suffered an egregious injustice that has yielded untold pain and suffering over the ensuing decades," Ivey wrote in a letter.
"For that, they most certainly deserve a sincere, heartfelt apology — an apology that I extend today without hesitation or reservation," the Republican governor added.
The gesture comes weeks after Collins Rudolph, through her lawyers, pressed the governor to offer restitution for the decades of physical and emotional suffering she has endured.
In a Sept. 14 letter to the governor, lawyers for "the fifth little girl," assert that the KKK bombing was directly incited by state leaders. Specifically, that the white supremacist group was "inspired and motivated by then-Gov. [George] Wallace's racist rhetoric." It adds that Wallace and other state leaders of the era, "played an undisputed role in encouraging its citizens to engage in racial violence."
Wallace championed segregation throughout the South. During his gubernatorial inauguration months before the bombing, he infamously delivered the line: "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever!"
Later that year, he tried to stop integration at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa by standing in the doorway of an auditorium on the school's campus to block two Black students from entering.
Meanwhile, the bombers of the 16th Street Baptist Church escaped immediate prosecution. The FBI later explained that by 1965 the bureau had built a case against several KKK members, but "witnesses were reluctant to talk and physical evidence was lacking." As a result, no federal charges were filed.
The case was reopened by Alabama Attorney General Robert Baxley in 1970. Seven years later, a jury convicted Klansman Robert Chambliss to life in prison for McNair's murder. In 1995, the FBI reopened their own investigation, leading to the convictions of Thomas Blanton in 2001 and Frank Bobby Cherry, in 2002.
A fourth KKK member and suspect, Herman Cash, was never charged. He died of cancer in 1994.
In 2013, days before the 50th anniversary of the bombing, the four girls who were killed received posthumous Congressional Gold Medals.
Collins Rudolph, who has worked much of her life as a house cleaner and a factory worker — both jobs without health insurance — has sought financial restitution at the state and municipal levels for decades.
"I still shake. I still jump when I hear loud sounds," Collins Rudolph told NPR in a 2013 interview."
"Every day I think about it, just looking in the mirror and seeing the scars on my face. I'm reminded of it every day," she said.
In October 2013, Collins Rudolph went before the Birmingham City Council to ask for financial help, but then-Mayor William Bell said the city was not in a position to cut her a check.
But her lawyers say now is the right time for "long overdue justice."
Ivey, however, like governors before her, raised questions about the culpability of the state in the attack at the church. "Having said that, there should be no question that the racist, segregationist rhetoric used by some of our leaders during that time was wrong and would be utterly unacceptable in today's Alabama," she wrote.
Ivey invited Collins Rudolph's lawyers to meet with attorneys from her own office and from the state legislature to begin discussions on race and the latest round of her demands. But she stopped short of committing to any type of financial restitution.
Ivey wrote that beginning a conversation "without prejudice for what any final outcome might produce" could be part of her administration's efforts "to foster fruitful conversations about the all-too-difficult — and sometimes painful — topic of race, a conversation occurring not only in Alabama but throughout America."


npr--2020-09-30--'I Like What I See': FAA Chief Flies 737 Max, But Not Ready To Recertify Plane

' I Like What I See ' : FAA Chief Flies 737 Max , But Not Ready To Recertify Plane The head of the Federal Aviation Administration conducted his own test flight of a Boeing 737 Max Wednesday , and he 's giving it a positive review , as the regulatory agency gets closer to allowing the troubled jet to return to commercial passenger service more than a year after it was grounded .
The plane has been prohibited from flying since March of 2019 , after a 737 Max operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed shortly after takeoff from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 157 people on board .
That was the second 737 Max to crash in less than five months ; the first crash happened in Indonesia on Oct. 27 , 2018 , killing 189 people .
Both crashes were caused in part by a flawed automated flight control system , called MCAS , that was activated by faulty data from a single sensor , and repeatedly forced the planes into nose dives as the pilots struggled to regain control .
FAA Administrator Steve Dickson , a former Delta Air Lines pilot , sat at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flew it through a number of different scenarios to test how the plane handled in crisis situations and to evaluate Boeing 's revisions to the flight control system .
`` I completed a number of test profiles today to examine the functionality of the aircraft and I liked what I saw , so it responded well , '' Dickson told reporters in a news conference after the flight .
`` I did two landings and also some air work maneuvers over about a two hour period ... and I felt prepared .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the training prepared me to be very comfortable . ''
In the days leading up to his test flight , Dickson says he completed new pilot training procedures and a trial run in a 737 Max simulator .
The FAA administrator 's test flight was a significant step in the agency 's review of design and software changes made by Boeing to the flight control system after the crashes , as the regulatory agency works to re-certify the 737 Max and return the plane — long a mainstay of medium-haul routes — to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency 's technical and test flight data reviews are still ongoing and the re-certification process can not and will not be rushed .
`` We are not to the point yet where we have completed the process , '' Dickson said .
`` We 're in the home stretch but that does n't mean that we 're going to take shortcuts to get it done by a certain date . ''
`` The FAA and I in particular will not approve the plane for a return to passenger service until I 'm satisfied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the known safety issues that played a role in the tragic loss of 346 lives aboard Lion Air flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 . ''
But some family members of those killed call the test flight `` a PR stunt '' and `` a gimmick . ''
They 're calling on the FAA and Boeing to release the technical descriptions and test data they are using to re-certify the plane , so it can be analyzed by outside aviation experts .
`` Without that secret data , independent experts and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is safe , '' said Michael Stumo , whose 24-year old daughter Samya Rose Stumo , was among those who died in the Ethiopian 737 MAX crash .
But Dickson on Wednesday insisted `` This is not a publicity stunt . ''
`` This is simply the fulfillment of a commitment , a promise I made within my first few weeks at the FAA , '' he told reporters .
In response to the call to share data from the FAA 's analysis and review of the 737 Max , Dickson said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to an unprecedented degree ... we are providing everything we can within the law , '' but he added that `` much of the data that I believe is being asked for is proprietary in nature . ''
Since taking the helm of the FAA last fall , Dickson has said repeatedly that he was `` not going to sign off '' on the 737 Max `` until I fly it myself and am satisfied I would put my own family on it without a second thought . ''
There are indications the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FAA sometime in late October or November , putting it on track to return to service before the end of the year or in early 2021 .
Last week , Dickson 's counterpart at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency ( EASA ) , Patrick Ky , said his agency expects to approve the 737 MAX to return to service in November , not long after the FAA lifts its order grounding the plane .
An investigative report from the House Transportation Committee harshly criticized both Boeing and the FAA for a flawed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and what it called `` grossly insufficient oversight '' by the agency .
Congressional investigators found evidence of a relationship between the FAA and Boeing , a company that it is supposed to regulate , that some describe as `` too cozy . ''
Whistleblowers complained of `` undue pressure '' to rush the development and certification of the plane while keeping costs down on both Boeing safety engineers and FAA employees , amid allegations that Boeing misled regulators and withheld information detailing what the MCAS system did .
The House Transportation Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant changes to the aircraft certification process and strengthen FAA oversight , while curtailing a program critics say allows manufacturers such as Boeing to do a certain degree of self-regulation .
That legislation now moves to the full House for a vote , but before becoming law will have to be reconciled with similar legislation that has passed the Senate .

'I Like What I See': FAA Chief Flies 737 Max, But Not Ready To Recertify Plane
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elaine Thompson/AP Elaine Thompson/AP
The head of the Federal Aviation Administration conducted his own test flight of a Boeing 737 Max Wednesday, and he's giving it a positive review, as the regulatory agency gets closer to allowing the troubled jet to return to commercial passenger service more than 18 months after it was grounded.
Today, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson piloted the @Boeing 737 MAX in Seattle. A virtual news conference will start at 11:30 AM PT/2:30 PM ET and will be live streamed across all FAA digital platforms. pic.twitter.com/bsBwkgtfez — The FAA ✈ (@FAANews) September 30, 2020
The plane has been prohibited from flying since March of 2019, after a 737 Max operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed shortly after takeoff from the airport in Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board. That was the second 737 Max to crash in less than five months; the first crash happened in Indonesia on Oct. 27, 2018, killing 189 people.
Both crashes were caused in part by a flawed automated flight control system, called MCAS, that was activated by faulty data from a single sensor, and repeatedly forced the planes into nose dives as the pilots struggled to regain control.
FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, a former Delta Air Lines pilot, sat at the controls of a 737 Max and flew it through a number of different scenarios to test how the plane handled in crisis situations and to evaluate Boeing's revisions to the flight control system.
"I completed a number of test profiles today to examine the functionality of the aircraft and I liked what I saw, so it responded well," Dickson told reporters in a news conference after the flight. "I did two landings and also some air work maneuvers over about a two hour period... and I felt prepared. I think most importantly, I felt that the training prepared me to be very comfortable."
In the days leading up to his test flight, Dickson says he completed new pilot training procedures and a trial run in a 737 Max simulator.
The FAA administrator's test flight was a significant step in the agency's review of design and software changes made by Boeing to the flight control system after the crashes, as the regulatory agency works to re-certify the 737 Max and return the plane — long a mainstay of medium-haul routes — to passenger service.
But Dickson says his agency's technical and test flight data reviews are still ongoing and the re-certification process cannot and will not be rushed.
"We are not to the point yet where we have completed the process," Dickson said. "We're in the home stretch but that doesn't mean that we're going to take shortcuts to get it done by a certain date."
"The FAA and I in particular will not approve the plane for a return to passenger service until I'm satisfied that we've adequately addressed all of the known safety issues that played a role in the tragic loss of 346 lives aboard Lion Air flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines flight 302."
But some family members of those killed call the test flight "a PR stunt" and "a gimmick." They're calling on the FAA and Boeing to release the technical descriptions and test data they are using to re-certify the plane, so it can be analyzed by outside aviation experts.
"Without that secret data, independent experts and the public cannot confirm whether the aircraft is safe," said Michael Stumo, whose 24-year old daughter Samya Rose Stumo, was among those who died in the Ethiopian 737 MAX crash.
But Dickson on Wednesday insisted "This is not a publicity stunt."
"This is simply the fulfillment of a commitment, a promise I made within my first few weeks at the FAA," he told reporters.
In response to the call to share data from the FAA's analysis and review of the 737 Max, Dickson said: "I think we have been transparent to an unprecedented degree... we are providing everything we can within the law," but he added that "much of the data that I believe is being asked for is proprietary in nature."
Since taking the helm of the FAA last fall, Dickson has said repeatedly that he was "not going to sign off" on the 737 Max "until I fly it myself and am satisfied I would put my own family on it without a second thought."
There are indications the 737 Max could be re-certified by the FAA sometime in late October or November, putting it on track to return to service before the end of the year or in early 2021.
Last week, Dickson's counterpart at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Patrick Ky, said his agency expects to approve the 737 MAX to return to service in November, not long after the FAA lifts its order grounding the plane.
An investigative report from the House Transportation Committee harshly criticized both Boeing and the FAA for a flawed initial design of the 737 Max, and what it called "grossly insufficient oversight" by the agency.
Congressional investigators found evidence of a relationship between the FAA and Boeing, a company that it is supposed to regulate, that some describe as "too cozy." Whistleblowers complained of "undue pressure" to rush the development and certification of the plane while keeping costs down on both Boeing safety engineers and FAA employees, amid allegations that Boeing misled regulators and withheld information detailing what the MCAS system did.
The House Transportation Committee passed bipartisan legislation Wednesday that would make significant changes to the aircraft certification process and strengthen FAA oversight, while curtailing a program critics say allows manufacturers such as Boeing to do a certain degree of self-regulation.
That legislation now moves to the full House for a vote, but before becoming law will have to be reconciled with similar legislation that has passed the Senate.


npr--2020-09-30--Census Bureau Gets 4th Trump Appointee In 3 Months As Count Nears End

Census Bureau Gets 4th Trump Appointee In 3 Months As Count Nears End The Trump administration has added its fourth political appointee in three months to the Census Bureau amid growing concerns about partisan interference with the 2020 census .
Earl `` Trey '' Mayfield has been appointed to serve as counselor to the bureau 's director , Steven Dillingham , the bureau 's chief spokesperson , Michael Cook , confirmed in a statement Wednesday to NPR .
`` In this role , Mr. Mayfield will assist the Director in strategic decision making and litigation coordination , reporting to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Cook said .
But the bureau has not answered NPR 's question about why Dillingham — a Trump appointee who has headed the bureau since January 2019 — needs a dedicated attorney given that lawyers at the Commerce Department , which oversees the bureau , provide legal services for the agency .
It is also unclear who created this position and exactly when Mayfield joined the bureau .
Mayfield , a former assistant U.S. attorney in Utah , practices with the Virginia-based law firm Juris Day , which was originally co-founded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Department of Homeland Security by the Trump administration has been declared unlawful by a federal judge .
`` I 'm not authorized to speak to the press , '' Mayfield told NPR when reached by phone Wednesday , referring questions to the bureau 's associate director for communications , Ali Ahmad , another Trump appointee .
The bureau , which is the federal government 's largest statistical agency , is largely run by career civil servants , including Deputy Director Ron Jarmin , an economist who has spent more than a quarter-century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its chief operating officer .
Since late June , however , the administration has been installing one appointee after another without any past bureau experience or obvious qualifications for joining the agency 's highest ranks .
Before the latest appointment , two additional deputy director roles were created for Nathaniel Cogley — a political science professor who has specialized in African politics — and Benjamin Overholt — a statistician who previously worked for the U.S .
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Justice .
The administration has also brought on Adam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is a former paid political consultant to a social media personality known for racist pranks .
Questions about who created these positions and the appointees ' exact responsibilities remain unanswered .
Professional associations of statisticians , economists and demographers have objected to the lack of justification for creating top-level roles at the bureau in the final months of the national head count , which is expected to be used to determine each state 's share of political representation and federal funding for the next decade .
The inspector general 's office for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the recent appointments .

Census Bureau Gets 4th Trump Appointee In 3 Months As Count Nears End
Enlarge this image toggle caption Claire Harbage/NPR Claire Harbage/NPR
The Trump administration has added its fourth political appointee in three months to the Census Bureau amid growing concerns about partisan interference with the 2020 census.
Earl "Trey" Mayfield has been appointed to serve as counselor to the bureau's director, Steven Dillingham, the bureau's chief spokesperson, Michael Cook, confirmed in a statement Wednesday to NPR.
"In this role, Mr. Mayfield will assist the Director in strategic decision making and litigation coordination, reporting to the Department of Commerce Office of General Counsel," Cook said.
But the bureau has not answered NPR's question about why Dillingham — a Trump appointee who has headed the bureau since January 2019 — needs a dedicated attorney given that lawyers at the Commerce Department, which oversees the bureau, provide legal services for the agency. It is also unclear who created this position and exactly when Mayfield joined the bureau.
Mayfield, a former assistant U.S. attorney in Utah, practices with the Virginia-based law firm Juris Day, which was originally co-founded by Ken Cuccinelli, whose appointment to the Department of Homeland Security by the Trump administration has been declared unlawful by a federal judge.
"I'm not authorized to speak to the press," Mayfield told NPR when reached by phone Wednesday, referring questions to the bureau's associate director for communications, Ali Ahmad, another Trump appointee.
The bureau, which is the federal government's largest statistical agency, is largely run by career civil servants, including Deputy Director Ron Jarmin, an economist who has spent more than a quarter-century at the bureau and also serves as its chief operating officer.
Since late June, however, the administration has been installing one appointee after another without any past bureau experience or obvious qualifications for joining the agency's highest ranks.
Before the latest appointment, two additional deputy director roles were created for Nathaniel Cogley — a political science professor who has specialized in African politics — and Benjamin Overholt — a statistician who previously worked for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Justice.
The administration has also brought on Adam Korzeniewski, a senior adviser to Cogley who is a former paid political consultant to a social media personality known for racist pranks.
Questions about who created these positions and the appointees' exact responsibilities remain unanswered.
Professional associations of statisticians, economists and demographers have objected to the lack of justification for creating top-level roles at the bureau in the final months of the national head count, which is expected to be used to determine each state's share of political representation and federal funding for the next decade.
The inspector general's office for the Commerce Department has started an inquiry into the recent appointments.
NPR researcher Barclay Walsh contributed to this report.


npr--2020-09-30--Glass Fire Rages Across Northern California, Burning Thousands Of Acres

The Glass Fire has prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents in California 's Napa and Sonoma counties and caused the destruction of dozens of buildings .
Since igniting in the wine country on early Sunday , wind-fueled flames have engulfed 48,440 acres and consumed more than 50 homes and buildings , according to CalFire .
As of late Wednesday morning , the fire was only 2 % contained .
`` Right now we have approximately 8,200 folks who have been evacuated , '' Santa Rosa Mayor Tom Schwedhelm told NPR 's All Things Considered on Wednesday .
`` There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evacuation warning because of the wind direction . ''
The evacuations and the warnings are becoming a tragic routine for the area .
`` This is n't our first rodeo experiencing this , '' Schwedhelm said during a news conference .
Three years ago , the Tubbs Fire devastated large stretches of Sonoma and Napa counties , destroying more than 5,000 structures and killing 22 people .
`` We experienced fires both in 2017 with the Tubbs Fire that took out about 5 % of our residential stock in Santa Rosa , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fire , about 60,000 of our residents were evacuated , '' Schwedhelm said .
`` We 're actually getting better with our response to this . ''
The mayor said other states who may be experiencing wildfires for the first time need to be prepared .
`` We 've done a lot of community education about having your go bag ready so if you do get the call that you have to evacuate , '' Schwedhelm said .
`` Do n't wait for someone else to take the responsibility for your safety .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozen other fires , including the Zogg Fire in Shasta County that has left at least three civilians dead .
On Monday , California Gov .
Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Napa , Sonoma and Shasta counties due to the fires .
While the cause of the Glass Fire is still under investigation , winds have contributed to the fires and the area is bracing for potentially warm weather .
As wildfires continue to rage across the west coast , experts warn of the effect climate change has on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change , I would just say people need to take an active role in that .
Do n't pretend that it 's happening somewhere else and not here , '' Schwedhelm said .
`` The city of Santa Rosa has [ combating climate change ] as one of our priorities and we have taken several significant steps to try to lower our carbon footprint , if you will . ''
Since the beginning of 2020 , there have been over 8,100 wildfires in California that have burned more than 3.9 million acres , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ structures have been destroyed and 29 people have died .
The audio version of this story was produced and edited by Lauren Hodges , Jason Fuller , Patrick Jarenwattananon and Carol Klinger .

Glass Fire Rages Across Northern California, Burning Thousands Of Acres
Enlarge this image toggle caption Noah Berger/AP Noah Berger/AP
The Glass Fire has prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents in California's Napa and Sonoma counties and caused the destruction of dozens of buildings.
Since igniting in the wine country on early Sunday, wind-fueled flames have engulfed 48,440 acres and consumed more than 50 homes and buildings, according to CalFire. As of late Wednesday morning, the fire was only 2% contained.
"Right now we have approximately 8,200 folks who have been evacuated," Santa Rosa Mayor Tom Schwedhelm told NPR's All Things Considered on Wednesday. "There's about another 20,000 that are under evacuation warning because of the wind direction."
The evacuations and the warnings are becoming a tragic routine for the area.
"This isn't our first rodeo experiencing this," Schwedhelm said during a news conference.
Three years ago, the Tubbs Fire devastated large stretches of Sonoma and Napa counties, destroying more than 5,000 structures and killing 22 people.
"We experienced fires both in 2017 with the Tubbs Fire that took out about 5% of our residential stock in Santa Rosa, and then in 2019 we had the Kincade Fire, about 60,000 of our residents were evacuated," Schwedhelm said. "We're actually getting better with our response to this."
The mayor said other states who may be experiencing wildfires for the first time need to be prepared.
"We've done a lot of community education about having your go bag ready so if you do get the call that you have to evacuate," Schwedhelm said. "Don't wait for someone else to take the responsibility for your safety."
California is battling more than two dozen other fires, including the Zogg Fire in Shasta County that has left at least three civilians dead. On Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Napa, Sonoma and Shasta counties due to the fires.
While the cause of the Glass Fire is still under investigation, winds have contributed to the fires and the area is bracing for potentially warm weather. As wildfires continue to rage across the west coast, experts warn of the effect climate change has on the disasters.
"As far as climate change, I would just say people need to take an active role in that. Don't pretend that it's happening somewhere else and not here," Schwedhelm said. "The city of Santa Rosa has [combating climate change] as one of our priorities and we have taken several significant steps to try to lower our carbon footprint, if you will."
Since the beginning of 2020, there have been over 8,100 wildfires in California that have burned more than 3.9 million acres, according to CalFire. More than 7,200 structures have been destroyed and 29 people have died.
The audio version of this story was produced and edited by Lauren Hodges, Jason Fuller, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Carol Klinger.