npr--2020-08-30--Kenosha Mayor Does Not Want President Trump To Visit 'At This Point In Time'

Kenosha Mayor Does Not Want President Trump To Visit 'At This Point In Time' President Trump will travel to Kenosha , Wis. on Tuesday to survey the damage from last week 's protests in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake .
But the city 's Democratic mayor , John Antaramian , would rather he did n't .
`` Realistically , from our perspective , our preference would have been for him not to be coming at this point in time , '' Antaramian told NPR 's Weekend Edition on Sunday .
`` All presidents are always welcome and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But it would have been , I think , better had he waited to have for another time to come . ''
The White House announced late Saturday that Trump will visit Kenosha this week , as he leans into a law and order message that has emerged as a dominant theme of his reelection bid .
The president has decried the violence in Kenosha , alluding to it at last week 's Republican National Convention to accuse his November rival , Joe Biden , of failing to address `` rioters and criminals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The president 's rhetoric has been denounced by Democrats , including Wisconsin 's Democratic lieutenant governor , Mandela Barnes , who told CNN on Sunday the state did not need a visit from the president .
`` I do n't know how given any of the previous statements that the president made , that he intends to come here to be helpful , and we absolutely do n't need that right now , '' Barnes said .
California Democratic congresswoman Karen Bass said on Sunday that Trump 's plan to visit Kenosha has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that 's to agitate things . ''
Speaking to NPR , Antaramian said the situation in Kenosha was `` not the situation , I think , that people perceive — that the people in Kenosha are rioting ... they are protesting and absolutely have every right to protest . ''
He said the city supports peaceful protest , but not the `` damage and destruction . ''
`` Peaceful protests are not a problem , '' Antaramian said .
`` Our biggest problem really did come from people coming from outside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damage and destruction , '' he said .
Antaramian said that overnight , protests in Kenosha had been very peaceful , with a prayer vigil led by Blake 's family just a week after he was shot seven times in front of his three children by a police officer .
Blake was left paralyzed from the waist down , sparking the protests .
The demonstrations turned deadly on Tuesday , when a 17-year-old from Illinois allegedly shot and killed two protesters and injured a third .
The teen , Kyle Rittenhouse , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counts , including homicide .
In a video recorded before the shootings , a person who appears to be Rittenhouse described himself as part of a local militia whose job was to protect Kenosha businesses .
In the aftermath of the shooting , police in Kenosha have faced criticism for not stopping Rittenhouse sooner .
`` The police chief does have my confidence , '' Antaramian said .
`` But I think the other part of it is , is that you have to remember at the time that this was going on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all over the area .
And I do n't believe they understood at the time what was happening with actually someone down at the moment . ''
This story was produced and edited for radio by Isabella Gomez and Ed McNulty .

Kenosha Mayor Does Not Want President Trump To Visit 'At This Point In Time'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
President Trump will travel to Kenosha, Wis. on Tuesday to survey the damage from last week's protests in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake. But the city's Democratic mayor, John Antaramian, would rather he didn't.
"Realistically, from our perspective, our preference would have been for him not to be coming at this point in time," Antaramian told NPR's Weekend Edition on Sunday. "All presidents are always welcome and campaign issues are always going on. But it would have been, I think, better had he waited to have for another time to come."
The White House announced late Saturday that Trump will visit Kenosha this week, as he leans into a law and order message that has emerged as a dominant theme of his reelection bid. The president has decried the violence in Kenosha, alluding to it at last week's Republican National Convention to accuse his November rival, Joe Biden, of failing to address "rioters and criminals spreading mayhem in Democrat-run cities."
The president's rhetoric has been denounced by Democrats, including Wisconsin's Democratic lieutenant governor, Mandela Barnes, who told CNN on Sunday the state did not need a visit from the president.
"I don't know how given any of the previous statements that the president made, that he intends to come here to be helpful, and we absolutely don't need that right now," Barnes said.
California Democratic congresswoman Karen Bass said on Sunday that Trump's plan to visit Kenosha has "one purpose and one purpose only and that's to agitate things."
Speaking to NPR, Antaramian said the situation in Kenosha was "not the situation, I think, that people perceive — that the people in Kenosha are rioting ... they are protesting and absolutely have every right to protest." He said the city supports peaceful protest, but not the "damage and destruction."
"Peaceful protests are not a problem," Antaramian said. "Our biggest problem really did come from people coming from outside the area and causing a great deal of damage and destruction," he said.
Antaramian said that overnight, protests in Kenosha had been very peaceful, with a prayer vigil led by Blake's family just a week after he was shot seven times in front of his three children by a police officer. Blake was left paralyzed from the waist down, sparking the protests.
The demonstrations turned deadly on Tuesday, when a 17-year-old from Illinois allegedly shot and killed two protesters and injured a third. The teen, Kyle Rittenhouse, was arrested Wednesday and now faces six criminal counts, including homicide.
In a video recorded before the shootings, a person who appears to be Rittenhouse described himself as part of a local militia whose job was to protect Kenosha businesses. In the aftermath of the shooting, police in Kenosha have faced criticism for not stopping Rittenhouse sooner.
"The police chief does have my confidence," Antaramian said. "But I think the other part of it is, is that you have to remember at the time that this was going on, officers were responding to shots fired all over the area. And I don't believe they understood at the time what was happening with actually someone down at the moment."
This story was produced and edited for radio by Isabella Gomez and Ed McNulty.


npr--2020-08-30--A Father's Fight Paved Way For Independent Investigation Into Kenosha Shooting

A Father 's Fight Paved Way For Independent Investigation Into Kenosha Shooting The Wisconsin Department of Justice is overseeing the investigation into the police shooting of Jacob Blake , a Black man who was left paralyzed after he was shot seven times in front of his three kids by a police officer in Kenosha , Wis. Until recently , it was common practice that any time an officer fired a gun , the police department conducted the investigation .
In 2014 , Wisconsin became the first state to end that process – one that has led to accusations of conflicts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bell , whose own son was killed by Kenosha police , helped lead a decade-long fight for that change .
In 2004 , Michael Bell Jr. , a white 21-year-old , pulled up to his home in Kenosha after a night of drinking .
As NPR previously reported , a police report showed that a Kenosha officer followed Bell Jr. after observing his driving and pulled up behind his car at the home shortly before Bell Jr. exited his vehicle .
Police tried to arrest him .
Bell Jr. ignored them , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sister then saw an officer shoot Bell in the head .
After an investigation that lasted just two calendar days , according to Bell , the Kenosha Police Department ruled the shooting justified .
The swiftness of the investigation stunned Bell , a retired lieutenant colonel with the Air Force who has experience with accident investigations .
`` I knew in my own military training and military career that typically accident and safety investigations take far longer to conduct than that , '' Bell said in an interview with NPR 's Weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed a civil lawsuit against the department for wrongful death .
In 2010 , they reached a settlement with the Bell family , but Bell said he refused to sign a confidentiality agreement .
He did n't want to be silenced ; he wanted reform .
Using some of the settlement money , Bell used Milwaukee 's available billboards as part of a campaign to blast messages like , `` When Police Kill , Should They Judge Themselves ? ''
`` After we created enough ruckus , the unions ended up sitting down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Bell told NPR in 2014 .
The law that came out of that campaign made Wisconsin , beginning in 2014 , the first state in the nation to mandate , on the legislative level , that if an officer was involved in a loss of life , outside investigators must be the ones to investigate that shooting .
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul is overseeing the investigation into the shooting of Jacob Blake .
His office has come under fire for releasing limited details about the shooting .
`` I absolutely understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told NPR .
`` We have a history of systemic racism , and our criminal justice system is part of that .
What I can tell you is that I am personally committed to making sure that this investigation is conducted vigorously and that we 're pursuing justice and following the facts where they lead . ''
Bell , who recalled trying to get Kaul 's attention in the aftermath of his son 's death , is n't reassured by the state attorney general 's promises .
`` I brought extremely credible evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give us the time of day .
So if he 's doing an about-face on this , I am bothered by that , '' said Bell .
Still , Bell hopes that his work to get Wisconsin the protection of outside investigations into police shootings will pay off in the form of a just outcome for Blake 's family .
`` I want everybody to know that there are a lot of parallels between Jacob Blake and my own son , '' Bell said .
`` But we did not have the benefit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And after fighting so hard for that law , Jacob Blake 's family has that benefit that we never had . ''
NPR 's Sophia Boyd and Martha Ann Overland produced and edited the audio version of this story .

A Father's Fight Paved Way For Independent Investigation Into Kenosha Shooting
Enlarge this image toggle caption STEPHEN MATUREN/AFP via Getty Images STEPHEN MATUREN/AFP via Getty Images
The Wisconsin Department of Justice is overseeing the investigation into the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was left paralyzed after he was shot seven times in front of his three kids by a police officer in Kenosha, Wis.
Until recently, it was common practice that any time an officer fired a gun, the police department conducted the investigation. In 2014, Wisconsin became the first state to end that process – one that has led to accusations of conflicts of interest and police cover-ups.
Michael Bell, whose own son was killed by Kenosha police, helped lead a decade-long fight for that change.
In 2004, Michael Bell Jr., a white 21-year-old, pulled up to his home in Kenosha after a night of drinking. As NPR previously reported, a police report showed that a Kenosha officer followed Bell Jr. after observing his driving and pulled up behind his car at the home shortly before Bell Jr. exited his vehicle. Police tried to arrest him. Bell Jr. ignored them, which lead to a tussle. His mom and sister then saw an officer shoot Bell in the head.
After an investigation that lasted just two calendar days, according to Bell , the Kenosha Police Department ruled the shooting justified. The swiftness of the investigation stunned Bell, a retired lieutenant colonel with the Air Force who has experience with accident investigations.
"I knew in my own military training and military career that typically accident and safety investigations take far longer to conduct than that," Bell said in an interview with NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday.
In response, Bell filed a civil lawsuit against the department for wrongful death. In 2010, they reached a settlement with the Bell family, but Bell said he refused to sign a confidentiality agreement. He didn't want to be silenced; he wanted reform.
Using some of the settlement money, Bell used Milwaukee's available billboards as part of a campaign to blast messages like, "When Police Kill, Should They Judge Themselves?"
"After we created enough ruckus, the unions ended up sitting down with us and talking with us," Bell told NPR in 2014.
The law that came out of that campaign made Wisconsin, beginning in 2014, the first state in the nation to mandate, on the legislative level, that if an officer was involved in a loss of life, outside investigators must be the ones to investigate that shooting.
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul is overseeing the investigation into the shooting of Jacob Blake. His office has come under fire for releasing limited details about the shooting.
"I absolutely understand why people are skeptical," Kaul told NPR. "We have a history of systemic racism, and our criminal justice system is part of that. What I can tell you is that I am personally committed to making sure that this investigation is conducted vigorously and that we're pursuing justice and following the facts where they lead."
Bell, who recalled trying to get Kaul's attention in the aftermath of his son's death, isn't reassured by the state attorney general's promises.
"I brought extremely credible evidence to Josh Kaul and he wouldn't give us the time of day. So if he's doing an about-face on this, I am bothered by that," said Bell.
Still, Bell hopes that his work to get Wisconsin the protection of outside investigations into police shootings will pay off in the form of a just outcome for Blake's family.
"I want everybody to know that there are a lot of parallels between Jacob Blake and my own son," Bell said. "But we did not have the benefit of having an outside investigation conducted. And after fighting so hard for that law, Jacob Blake's family has that benefit that we never had."
NPR's Sophia Boyd and Martha Ann Overland produced and edited the audio version of this story.


npr--2020-08-30--Fact Check: Trump's And Biden's Records On Criminal Justice

For four nights , speakers at the Republican National Convention pilloried Democrat Joe Biden over his alleged weakness on crime and painted a dystopian future if he were to be elected in November .
Biden and Democrats were `` completely silent about the rioters and criminals spreading mayhem in Democrat-run cities , '' during their convention , President Trump charged on Thursday .
The previous evening , Vice President Pence warned , `` The hard truth is you will not be safe in Joe Biden 's America . ''
The speeches came as residents of Kenosha , Wis. , were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jacob Blake , a 29-year-old Black man , and the resulting protests — during which two people were fatally shot .
The unrest follows turmoil in other cities after police killed George Floyd , also a Black man , in Minneapolis in May .
Pence claimed that Biden would `` double down in the very policies that are leading to violence in American cites , '' to which Biden responded with a reminder that `` right now ... we 're in Donald Trump 's America . ''
Statistics show that some crime has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayors who are Democrats and Republicans .
According to figures compiled by data analyst and consultant Jeff Asher , the murder rate this year has increased by 26 % through July , compared with a year ago .
Other violent crimes are up slightly , while property crimes are down by 7.7 % .
This is a reversal of longer-term trends , in which violent crimes have been generally declining since the 1990s .
In an email , Asher says determining the cause for the increase this year is complicated .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new trend is occurring , much less to be able to properly evaluate and diagnose its cause , '' he says .
But the `` intense stresses being placed on numerous aspects of society by the pandemic is as persuasive as any . ''
The Trump administration announced this summer that it was sending federal resources to cities , including additional FBI agents , along with U.S. marshals and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives , to — in the Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sudden surge of violent crime . ''
But Trump — who promised in his 2016 acceptance speech that `` the crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon , and I mean very soon , come to an end '' — has a spotty record when it comes to criminal justice reform .
His signature achievement on the issue , the widely touted First Step Act , signed in 2018 and passed with bipartisan support in Congress , instituted sentencing reforms , including reducing harsh penalties for crack cocaine possession .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson , a criminal justice reform advocate who delivered a powerful address at the Republican National Convention this week and whose cause had been espoused by Kim Kardashian West .
But some parts of the law have fallen short , activists say .
In June , following the unrest after Floyd 's killing , Trump signed an executive order that would provide federal grants to improve police training and create a national database of police misconduct complaints .
But it fell well short of what activists say is needed .
Congress was unable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer .
As Republicans were fond of noting during their convention , Biden has a 47-year record as a U.S. senator and then vice president .
During much of his Senate career , he was a member of and chairman of the Judiciary Committee and in 1994 sponsored the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act .
It came in a different era , as Democrats set out to prove that they , too , were `` tough on crime . ''
The bill included a 10-year ban on assault-style weapons as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Biden points to today as a signal of his commitment to ending domestic violence .
But the act also included harsh penalties for drug-related crimes and money to construct new prisons , which critics said led to the mass incarceration of Black men .
It also included funding to hire 100,000 additional police officers .
Now , Biden has backed away from some of the provisions in that bill , while at the same time rejecting calls by some in his party to defund police departments .
He has proposed a ban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police oversight commission , new national standards for when and how police use force , more mandatory data collection from local law enforcement and other steps .
Biden 's running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris , brings her own record on criminal justice issues to the Democratic ticket .
She was San Francisco 's district attorney and then California 's attorney general before her election to the Senate .
As district attorney , she initiated a policy for first-time drug offenders to get a high school diploma and a job instead of prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to seek the death penalty for a man who killed a police officer .
She also instituted a controversial policy that threatened to prosecute parents of children who skipped school as a way to reduce truancy .
She told NPR 's Morning Edition in March , when she was still running for president in the Democratic primary , that `` nobody went to jail , and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of families went through our program , which was a program of getting greater resources to them so the child could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate , she co-sponsored with Republican Sen. Rand Paul a bail reform measure as a way of reducing the number of people held , arguing in a 2017 New York Times op-ed with Rand that `` excessive bail disproportionately harms people from low-income communities and communities of color . ''

Fact Check: Trump's And Biden's Records On Criminal Justice
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Duricka/AP John Duricka/AP
For four nights, speakers at the Republican National Convention pilloried Democrat Joe Biden over his alleged weakness on crime and painted a dystopian future if he were to be elected in November.
Biden and Democrats were "completely silent about the rioters and criminals spreading mayhem in Democrat-run cities," during their convention, President Trump charged on Thursday. The previous evening, Vice President Pence warned, "The hard truth is you will not be safe in Joe Biden's America."
The speeches came as residents of Kenosha, Wis., were reeling from the shooting by police of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, and the resulting protests — during which two people were fatally shot. The unrest follows turmoil in other cities after police killed George Floyd, also a Black man, in Minneapolis in May.
Pence claimed that Biden would "double down in the very policies that are leading to violence in American cites," to which Biden responded with a reminder that "right now ... we're in Donald Trump's America."
The current crime rate
Statistics show that some crime has been increasing in big cities, with mayors who are Democrats and Republicans. According to figures compiled by data analyst and consultant Jeff Asher, the murder rate this year has increased by 26% through July, compared with a year ago. Other violent crimes are up slightly, while property crimes are down by 7.7%.
This is a reversal of longer-term trends, in which violent crimes have been generally declining since the 1990s.
In an email, Asher says determining the cause for the increase this year is complicated.
"We barely have the data to recognize that a new trend is occurring, much less to be able to properly evaluate and diagnose its cause," he says. But the "intense stresses being placed on numerous aspects of society by the pandemic is as persuasive as any."
Trump's record
The Trump administration announced this summer that it was sending federal resources to cities, including additional FBI agents, along with U.S. marshals and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, to — in the Justice Department's words — "fight the sudden surge of violent crime."
But Trump — who promised in his 2016 acceptance speech that "the crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon, and I mean very soon, come to an end" — has a spotty record when it comes to criminal justice reform.
His signature achievement on the issue, the widely touted First Step Act, signed in 2018 and passed with bipartisan support in Congress, instituted sentencing reforms, including reducing harsh penalties for crack cocaine possession. And on Friday, Trump pardoned Alice Johnson, a criminal justice reform advocate who delivered a powerful address at the Republican National Convention this week and whose cause had been espoused by Kim Kardashian West. But some parts of the law have fallen short, activists say.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Wilson/Getty Images Mark Wilson/Getty Images
In June, following the unrest after Floyd's killing, Trump signed an executive order that would provide federal grants to improve police training and create a national database of police misconduct complaints. But it fell well short of what activists say is needed.
Congress was unable to reconcile police reform proposals earlier this summer.
Biden's record
As Republicans were fond of noting during their convention, Biden has a 47-year record as a U.S. senator and then vice president. During much of his Senate career, he was a member of and chairman of the Judiciary Committee and in 1994 sponsored the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act.
It came in a different era, as Democrats set out to prove that they, too, were "tough on crime." The bill included a 10-year ban on assault-style weapons as well as the Violence Against Women Act, which Biden points to today as a signal of his commitment to ending domestic violence.
But the act also included harsh penalties for drug-related crimes and money to construct new prisons, which critics said led to the mass incarceration of Black men. It also included funding to hire 100,000 additional police officers.
Now, Biden has backed away from some of the provisions in that bill, while at the same time rejecting calls by some in his party to defund police departments.
He has proposed a ban on police chokeholds, a new federal police oversight commission, new national standards for when and how police use force, more mandatory data collection from local law enforcement and other steps.
Former prosecutor Kamala Harris
Biden's running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, brings her own record on criminal justice issues to the Democratic ticket. She was San Francisco's district attorney and then California's attorney general before her election to the Senate.
As district attorney, she initiated a policy for first-time drug offenders to get a high school diploma and a job instead of prison.
As attorney general, she refused to seek the death penalty for a man who killed a police officer. She also instituted a controversial policy that threatened to prosecute parents of children who skipped school as a way to reduce truancy.
She told NPR's Morning Edition in March, when she was still running for president in the Democratic primary, that "nobody went to jail, and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of families went through our program, which was a program of getting greater resources to them so the child could be in school every day."
In the Senate, she co-sponsored with Republican Sen. Rand Paul a bail reform measure as a way of reducing the number of people held, arguing in a 2017 New York Times op-ed with Rand that "excessive bail disproportionately harms people from low-income communities and communities of color."


npr--2020-08-31--Some In GOP Fear Trump's Push Against Mail-In Voting Could Harm The Party's Chances

Some In GOP Fear Trump 's Push Against Mail-In Voting Could Harm The Party 's Chances President Trump 's campaign to discourage the use of mail-in voting this fall is raising concerns among Republicans , particularly in the key swing state of Wisconsin , that his efforts could hinder their party on election night .
Last week , Trump called expanding mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic `` the greatest scam in the history of politics '' — although there 's no evidence to back up his claim that it will lead to widespread voter fraud .
`` I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican voters about the mail-in balloting thing , '' said Rohn Bishop , the GOP county chairman in Fond du Lac , north of Milwaukee .
`` They do n't trust it , and one of the reasons they do n't trust it is the president 's previous tweets and comments about it . ''
The stakes are high in Wisconsin , which Trump won by a little more than 22,000 votes in 2016 and is key to any Electoral College path to his reelection .
And even as Trump ramped up his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recent stop in Wisconsin this month he encouraged supporters to vote either in person or absentee , like he recently did in another must-win state , Florida .
While Wisconsin has long had no-excuse absentee voting , there 's a clear partisan divide in how voters plan to cast ballots this fall .
In the most recent statewide poll from Marquette University Law School , 55 % of Democrats said they planned to vote by mail , while only 15 % of Republicans said they would .
Habit and not necessarily the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters still plan to vote in person .
`` If it 's OK to go to McDonald 's and get your food during the pandemic through a drive-through , it 's certainly OK to receive a piece of paper , '' said Benjamin Horvat of Racine , who plans to use curbside voting this fall .
`` Not a big deal . ''
Andrew Hitt , the chair of the state GOP , said he does n't think the president 's message will inhibit getting supporters in the state to vote by mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence , '' Hitt said , `` that it 's going to dissuade people who want to vote absentee to vote absentee . ''
He emphasized that Trump 's concerns about voting were with other states , not Wisconsin .
`` We need to do all we can to make sure that our voters either vote absentee and are comfortable voting absentee , '' said Hitt , `` and if they 're not , then we need to make sure they understand that it is safe to go to the polls and vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lac GOP chair , said that many of the claims about mail-in voting that he sees spreading on social media , including accusations that ballots for Republicans could be stolen by postal workers , are `` conspiratorial hype . ''
`` The system 's pretty solid , '' Bishop said .
`` You have to sign the ballot ; you need a witness ; you can track your ballot .
I know a lot of people like to confuse it and say , 'Well , look at California , where they mailed ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if ballots just show up and they do n't belong to anyone , they do n't count them . ''
Bishop 's defense of voting by mail has made him a target from some within his party .
`` There 's a radio talk show host that I 've never heard of in Green Bay who spent the last two and a half weeks ... he seems to ridicule me a lot , '' said Bishop .
`` And he says I 'm a RINO and not a real Republican simply because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in voting program . ''
Before the pandemic , most voters in Wisconsin typically cast ballots on Election Day , with fewer than 10 % of ballots cast by mail .
During the state 's chaotic presidential primary in April , at the height of lockdown orders nationwide , more than 6 in 10 voters statewide cast ballots by mail , a record for a Wisconsin election .
In the midst of that election , Republicans did convince a sizable number of voters to cast mail-in ballots .
But it was the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by mail a priority for subsequent elections during the pandemic .
Bishop is concerned that Democrats are building a structural advantage and that if there is another flare-up of the virus or an early snowstorm on Election Day , some Republican voters may not turn out , while the Democrats would have mailed in their ballots .
`` Because we are scaring our voters away from it , we are hurting ourselves and putting ourselves at a disadvantage , '' Bishop said .
`` Not a big disadvantage , but a disadvantage , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I push back against it , because it is a legitimate way to vote . ''
Republicans are taking steps to encourage voting by mail .
The state GOP has launched an educational campaign to teach voters how to request a ballot on their phone , while Republicans on the bipartisan state elections commission were part of a unanimous vote to send mail-in ballot request forms to 2.7 million registered voters .
`` There 's a lot of Trump people out there that are going to vote for President Trump that we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spindell , one of the Republican election commissioners .
`` And this is really the only way that we could assure that all those people would get an absentee ballot . ''
Another practice Trump and other Republicans have criticized is having a third party collect completed ballots and return them , which they 've derisively called `` ballot harvesting . ''
`` We will have something like that too , '' Spindell said , because the state 's Democrats plan to collect ballots that way .

Some In GOP Fear Trump's Push Against Mail-In Voting Could Harm The Party's Chances
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andy Manis/Getty Images Andy Manis/Getty Images
President Trump's campaign to discourage the use of mail-in voting this fall is raising concerns among Republicans, particularly in the key swing state of Wisconsin, that his efforts could hinder their party on election night.
Last week, Trump called expanding mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic "the greatest scam in the history of politics" — although there's no evidence to back up his claim that it will lead to widespread voter fraud.
"I do sense the skepticism among a lot of Republican voters about the mail-in balloting thing," said Rohn Bishop, the GOP county chairman in Fond du Lac, north of Milwaukee. "They don't trust it, and one of the reasons they don't trust it is the president's previous tweets and comments about it."
The stakes are high in Wisconsin, which Trump won by a little more than 22,000 votes in 2016 and is key to any Electoral College path to his reelection.
And even as Trump ramped up his false claims about mail-in voting, during a recent stop in Wisconsin this month he encouraged supporters to vote either in person or absentee, like he recently did in another must-win state, Florida.
While Wisconsin has long had no-excuse absentee voting, there's a clear partisan divide in how voters plan to cast ballots this fall. In the most recent statewide poll from Marquette University Law School, 55% of Democrats said they planned to vote by mail, while only 15% of Republicans said they would.
Habit and not necessarily the president's words is one reason some voters still plan to vote in person.
"If it's OK to go to McDonald's and get your food during the pandemic through a drive-through, it's certainly OK to receive a piece of paper," said Benjamin Horvat of Racine, who plans to use curbside voting this fall. "Not a big deal."
Andrew Hitt, the chair of the state GOP, said he doesn't think the president's message will inhibit getting supporters in the state to vote by mail.
"We don't see any evidence," Hitt said, "that it's going to dissuade people who want to vote absentee to vote absentee." He emphasized that Trump's concerns about voting were with other states, not Wisconsin.
"We need to do all we can to make sure that our voters either vote absentee and are comfortable voting absentee," said Hitt, "and if they're not, then we need to make sure they understand that it is safe to go to the polls and vote."
Bishop, the Fond du Lac GOP chair, said that many of the claims about mail-in voting that he sees spreading on social media, including accusations that ballots for Republicans could be stolen by postal workers, are "conspiratorial hype."
"The system's pretty solid," Bishop said. "You have to sign the ballot; you need a witness; you can track your ballot. I know a lot of people like to confuse it and say, 'Well, look at California, where they mailed ballots to everyone.' While they do, if ballots just show up and they don't belong to anyone, they don't count them."
Bishop's defense of voting by mail has made him a target from some within his party.
"There's a radio talk show host that I've never heard of in Green Bay who spent the last two and a half weeks ... he seems to ridicule me a lot," said Bishop. "And he says I'm a RINO and not a real Republican simply because I feel this way about the absentee mail-in voting program."
Before the pandemic, most voters in Wisconsin typically cast ballots on Election Day, with fewer than 10% of ballots cast by mail.
During the state's chaotic presidential primary in April, at the height of lockdown orders nationwide, more than 6 in 10 voters statewide cast ballots by mail, a record for a Wisconsin election.
In the midst of that election, Republicans did convince a sizable number of voters to cast mail-in ballots. But it was the state's Democrats who decided to make voting by mail a priority for subsequent elections during the pandemic.
Bishop is concerned that Democrats are building a structural advantage and that if there is another flare-up of the virus or an early snowstorm on Election Day, some Republican voters may not turn out, while the Democrats would have mailed in their ballots.
"Because we are scaring our voters away from it, we are hurting ourselves and putting ourselves at a disadvantage," Bishop said. "Not a big disadvantage, but a disadvantage, and that's one of the reasons I push back against it, because it is a legitimate way to vote."
Republicans are taking steps to encourage voting by mail. The state GOP has launched an educational campaign to teach voters how to request a ballot on their phone, while Republicans on the bipartisan state elections commission were part of a unanimous vote to send mail-in ballot request forms to 2.7 million registered voters.
"There's a lot of Trump people out there that are going to vote for President Trump that we don't know about," said Bob Spindell, one of the Republican election commissioners. "And this is really the only way that we could assure that all those people would get an absentee ballot."
Another practice Trump and other Republicans have criticized is having a third party collect completed ballots and return them, which they've derisively called "ballot harvesting."
"We will have something like that too," Spindell said, because the state's Democrats plan to collect ballots that way.


npr--2020-08-31--After Laura, Learning How To Recover From A Hurricane During A Pandemic

After Laura , Learning How To Recover From A Hurricane During A Pandemic In Orange , Texas , just across the Sabine River from Louisiana , a line of cars hundreds deep snakes along a highway shoulder and into a parking lot .
A local supermarket has set up an aid distribution center in the hot sun and humidity .
Families are packed in their cars , waiting to get the basics : ice , water , a hot meal .
Hurricane Laura is the first major test of whether the Gulf Coast is prepared to handle two disasters at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louisiana were already spiking at an alarming rate .
Then a Category 4 hurricane came ashore .
While Laura spared Houston and New Orleans , more than 600,000 homes were in the path of the storm , which caused widespread power outages and disrupted the water system .
`` It 's definitely more stressful , '' says Tory Carter as she waits to pick up her supplies .
She evacuated to Austin with her 5-year-old son and mother as the storm approached .
Now , she 's come back to take stock of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job .
`` It 's rough staying safe when you do n't have water at the moment or electricity , to try to keep everything clean . ''
In the food line , volunteers wear face shields and ask people to keep their car windows rolled up .
`` It 's just kind of hard right now , '' says Trichee Abraham , who lost her job as a cashier recently , one of millions of Americans pushed to the brink by the financial crisis that accompanied the pandemic .
Like many evacuees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storm in a hotel .
She says she used up her savings to pay for the stay , and she has yet to receive any aid from the local , state or federal government .
A half-hour drive east into Louisiana , Interstate 10 is clogged with emergency vehicles and utility trucks .
There are car accidents ; debris and enormous downed trees block parts of the road .
The city of Lake Charles , population 80,000 , took a direct hit .
Whole neighborhoods are decimated , trees completely uprooted , roofs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Red Cross says it 's received an unprecedented number of calls for assistance .
During past storms , officials have turned gyms and stadiums into giant shelters .
But with coronavirus cases rising at an alarming rate in the weeks before the hurricane , it became clear those shelters represented a new danger of their own .
Far fewer shelters than normal appear to have been set up in Louisiana , and as of Sunday night , emergency officials were advising anyone who needed shelter to go to the New Orleans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lake Charles .
Near the airport , first responders have set up a makeshift staging area , powered by generators .
In non-pandemic times , their work was already challenging , the search for survivors hampered by downed power lines , falling debris and impassable roads .
`` COVID brings it to a whole new level , '' says Michael Kimble , who is in charge of Louisiana 's search and rescue teams .
His crew is doing daily COVID-19 screenings and temperature checks , and wearing personal protective equipment to shield themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teams who have come from out of state .
An Orlando-based rescue team got rapid COVID-19 tests for each of their firefighters .
`` Everybody tested negative , '' says team leader Jeremiah Plasters .
`` Since we 're all staying together and we 're using our PPE , the only way that we would get it is by someone else making contact with us . ''
But if they pull people out of wrecked homes into their small boats and trucks , there is no way to be sure they 're not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have warned that public coronavirus testing , like so many services , has been disrupted .
That means there will be limited data about how the cycle of evacuation and return may have spread the virus .
While the damage from the Laura 's 150 mile-per-hour winds revealed itself after the storm passed , the true impact of the hurricane may take weeks to assess .

After Laura, Learning How To Recover From A Hurricane During A Pandemic
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kirk Siegler/NPR Kirk Siegler/NPR
In Orange, Texas, just across the Sabine River from Louisiana, a line of cars hundreds deep snakes along a highway shoulder and into a parking lot. A local supermarket has set up an aid distribution center in the hot sun and humidity. Families are packed in their cars, waiting to get the basics: ice, water, a hot meal.
Hurricane Laura is the first major test of whether the Gulf Coast is prepared to handle two disasters at once. Coronavirus case numbers in Southwest Louisiana were already spiking at an alarming rate. Then a Category 4 hurricane came ashore.
While Laura spared Houston and New Orleans, more than 600,000 homes were in the path of the storm, which caused widespread power outages and disrupted the water system.
"It's definitely more stressful," says Tory Carter as she waits to pick up her supplies. She evacuated to Austin with her 5-year-old son and mother as the storm approached. Now she's come back to take stock of the damage and get back to her job. "It's rough staying safe when you don't have water at the moment or electricity, to try to keep everything clean," she says.
In the food line, volunteers wear face shields and ask people to keep their car windows rolled up.
"It's just kind of hard right now," says Trichee Abraham, who lost her job as a cashier recently, one of millions of Americans pushed to the brink by the financial crisis that accompanied the pandemic. Like many evacuees, she chose to ride out the storm in a hotel. She says she used up her savings to pay for the stay, and she has yet to receive any aid from the local, state or federal government.
A half-hour drive east into Louisiana, Interstate 10 is clogged with emergency vehicles and utility trucks. There are car accidents; debris and enormous downed trees block parts of the road. The city of Lake Charles, population 80,000, took a direct hit. Whole neighborhoods are decimated, trees completely uprooted, roofs of hotels and apartment complexes peeled off.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Joe Raedle/Getty Images Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The Red Cross says it has received an unprecedented number of calls for assistance. During past storms, officials have turned gyms and stadiums into giant shelters. But with coronavirus cases rising at an alarming rate in the weeks before the hurricane, it became clear those shelters represented a new danger of their own. Far fewer shelters than normal appear to have been set up in Louisiana, and as of Sunday night, emergency officials were advising anyone who needed shelter to go to the New Orleans area, some 200 miles east of Lake Charles.
Near the airport, first responders have set up a makeshift staging area powered by generators. In nonpandemic times, their work was already challenging with the search for survivors hampered by downed power lines, falling debris and impassable roads.
"COVID brings it to a whole new level," says Michael Kimble, who is in charge of Louisiana's search and rescue teams. His crew is doing daily COVID-19 screenings and temperature checks while wearing personal protective equipment to shield themselves. Protocols are especially stringent for the teams that have come from out of state. An Orlando-based rescue team got rapid COVID-19 tests for each of its firefighters.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kirk Siegler/NPR Kirk Siegler/NPR
"Everybody tested negative," says team leader Jeremiah Plasters. "Since we're all staying together and we're using our PPE, the only way that we would get it is by someone else making contact with us."
But if they pull people out of wrecked homes into their small boats and trucks, there is no way to be sure they're not exposing themselves to COVID-19.
Louisiana officials have warned that public coronavirus testing, like so many services, has been disrupted. That means there will be limited data about how the cycle of evacuation and return may have spread the virus. While the damage from Laura's 150 mph winds revealed itself after the storm passed, the true impact of the hurricane may take weeks to assess.


npr--2020-08-31--Wis. Governor Calls Session On Police Reform; Republicans Refuse To Show

The Wisconsin State Legislature is scheduled to officially convene Monday for a special session on police training requirements and policy standards .
But GOP lawmakers are n't expected to be present , nor are any debates or votes expected to happen .
The special session , called by Gov .
Tony Evers , puts on display the policy stalemate between the Democratic governor and the state 's Republican-controlled Legislature after a police officer shot Jacob Blake in Kenosha , Wis. , a little more than a week ago .
The shooting spurred several days of unrest in the city , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For months , Evers has urged lawmakers to consider bills that would set statewide standards for police use of force and ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants , but Republicans have argued they need more time to craft their own proposals .
Less than 24 hours after Blake 's shooting , the governor signed an executive order compelling the Legislature to convene in a special session .
However , neither state law nor the state constitution require lawmakers to participate in debate or to vote on any bills during a special session .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They did just that for a session Evers called last November to address state gun laws .
Republican State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald , who is in the middle of a campaign for Congress , was silent for several days following Blake 's shooting and the governor 's call .
On Friday , his office confirmed the Senate will officially convene on Monday without any senators present .
In a prepared statement , Fitzgerald said he expects lawmakers to consider a variety of proposals related to policing `` in the coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like those bills to include legislation to increase penalties for violence against police .
`` The riots in Kenosha and Madison this week further demonstrated that first responders are performing their public service duties at great risk to their personal safety , '' he said .
Another proposal from a different Republican state senator , unveiled last week , would penalize local governments for shifting money from their law enforcement budgets to other things , like public health or education initiatives — a move many activists are calling `` defunding the police .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Evers is being disingenuous and partisan in calling the special session .
`` We have an opportunity to bring people together to find solutions , '' Vos said shortly after Evers called the special session .
`` Instead , the governor is choosing to turn to politics again by dictating liberal policies that will only deepen the divisions in our state . ''
As an alternative , Vos announced a legislative task force on `` racial disparities , educational opportunities , public safety , and police policies and standards . ''
Similar past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have taken several months to produce legislation .
Meanwhile , Wisconsin Democrats are meeting Republicans ' resistance to convene with anger and frustration .
`` We 've got 400 years of systemic racism in this country , and if we do n't do something about it , we 'll be repeating Kenosha in cities all over our country and in our state , '' Evers said on Thursday .
`` I 'm counting on the Republicans to show up next Monday . ''
Democratic state Sen. LaTonya Johnson of Milwaukee issued a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to [ her ] stomach '' at the GOP 's resistance .
`` The question for us , Wisconsin , is when are we going to make Republicans do their jobs , or do we continue to sit idly by and watch this state burn ? ''
she said .
Late last week , a woman from Burlington , Wis. , began a petition drive to try to recall Gov .
Evers , citing in part his response to the aftermath of Blake 's shooting .
The state Republican party is not affiliated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the move .

Wis. Governor Calls Session On Police Reform; Republicans Refuse To Show
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brandon Bell/Getty Images Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Updated 10:14 a.m. ET
The Wisconsin state Legislature is scheduled to officially convene Monday for a special session on police training requirements and policy standards. But GOP lawmakers aren't expected to be present, nor are any debates or votes expected to happen.
The special session, called by Gov. Tony Evers, who Sunday asked President Trump not to visit the state, puts on display the policy stalemate between the Democratic governor and the state's Republican-controlled Legislature after a police officer shot Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis., a little more than a week ago.
The shooting spurred several days of unrest in the city, including the shooting deaths of two protesters.
For months, Evers has urged lawmakers to consider bills that would set statewide standards for police use of force and ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants, but Republicans have argued they need more time to craft their own proposals.
Less than 24 hours after Blake's shooting, the governor signed an executive order compelling the Legislature to convene in a special session. However, neither state law nor the state Constitution requires lawmakers to participate in debate or to vote on any bills during a special session. They may simply convene and immediately adjourn. They did just that for a session Evers called last November to address state gun laws.
Republican state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, who is in the middle of a campaign for Congress, was silent for several days following Blake's shooting and the governor's call. On Friday, his office confirmed the Senate will officially convene on Monday without any senators present.
In a prepared statement, Fitzgerald said he expects lawmakers to consider a variety of proposals related to policing "in the coming months." He said he would like those bills to include legislation to increase penalties for violence against police.
"The riots in Kenosha and Madison this week further demonstrated that first responders are performing their public service duties at great risk to their personal safety," he said.
Another proposal from a different Republican state senator, unveiled last week, would penalize local governments for shifting money from their law enforcement budgets to other things such as public health or education initiatives — a move many activists are calling "defunding the police."
State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos argues that Evers is being disingenuous and partisan in calling the special session.
"We have an opportunity to bring people together to find solutions," Vos said shortly after Evers called the special session. "Instead, the governor is choosing to turn to politics again by dictating liberal policies that will only deepen the divisions in our state."
As an alternative, Vos announced a legislative task force on "racial disparities, educational opportunities, public safety, and police policies and standards." Similar past initiatives on subjects such as homelessness and adoption have taken several months to produce legislation.
Meanwhile, Wisconsin Democrats are meeting Republicans' resistance to convene with anger and frustration.
"We've got 400 years of systemic racism in this country, and if we don't do something about it, we'll be repeating Kenosha in cities all over our country and in our state," Evers said Thursday. "I'm counting on the Republicans to show up next Monday."
Democratic state Sen. LaTonya Johnson of Milwaukee issued a statement last week that she was "sick to [her] stomach" at the GOP's resistance.
"The question for us, Wisconsin, is when are we going to make Republicans do their jobs, or do we continue to sit idly by and watch this state burn?" she said.
Late last week, a woman from Burlington, Wis., began a petition drive to try to recall Gov. Evers, citing in part his response to the aftermath of Blake's shooting. The state Republican Party is not affiliated, but state Democrats did sharply criticize the move.


npr--2020-08-31--Black Americans Worry Postal Changes Could Disrupt History Of Secure Jobs

Black Americans Worry Postal Changes Could Disrupt History Of Secure Jobs Postmaster General Louis DeJoy 's cost-cutting measures have raised concerns about mail-in voting .
But critics worry they may also set the stage for privatizing the U.S .
Postal Service , something the Trump administration called for in a 2018 plan to reorganize the federal government .
Unions say that could disrupt an important role the Postal Service has played in providing generations of African Americans secure middle class employment .
Retired Philadelphia mail handler Garry Simmons says his 32-year career with the agency provided a good life for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to raise them , help pay for my son 's college education , provide a good middle-class lifestyle for us , '' says Simmons , who retired before turning 60 in 2017 .
The postal service has long given African American workers a place to avoid some of the discrimination that exists in the broader employment world .
That started just after the Civil War when Congress passed a law that ended the whites-only hiring practice for postal jobs .
`` African Americans , starting with Union Army veterans , abolitionists and others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government job , '' says Phil Rubio , a history professor at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University who 's also written several books on African American workers and the Postal Service .
Rubio says the pay was n't always good , but the job came with some prestige and it offered security , benefits , and civil service protections that improved over the decades .
Today , African Americans make up 27 percent of the Postal Service , about twice their share of the overall workforce .
Among those who say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Danny Glover .
In a 2015 video Glover says his parents , a sister and a brother all worked for the Postal Service , and he worked there as a teenager during Christmas breaks .
`` Working for the Postal Service enabled my parents to buy their first home , '' he says in the video .
Glover 's been a frequent advocate for postal worker unions in recent years .
In 2018 he wrote an opinion piece opposing efforts to privatize the agency , saying that would would hit African Americans especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chris Edwards , an economist with the libertarian think tank CATO Institute .
`` The postal industry is no longer any kind of natural monopoly .
And when you do n't have natural monopoly I think we ought to let entrepreneurs come into this industry and show us how they can improve it , '' says Edwards .
Supporters say Postmaster General DeJoy is just that kind of savvy businessman , with a background in logistics and shipping that will help him fix what 's broken at USPS .
But private sector jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compensation for the median postal service employee in 2019 was $ 96,105 , according to an SEC filing .
At FedEx the median employee eared $ 49,059 and at UPS the figure is $ 74,395 .
Privatization likely would bring downward pressure on Postal Service wages and benefits .
But Edwards says there 's another issue of fairness at issue here , because `` people paying for postal services are paying all those benefits , so it seems to me that the government should be reflective , somewhat , of the private sector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among the loudest opposition voices to privatization .
`` The Postal Service is not a business .
It 's a service .
It 's a service to the American people , '' says Judy Beard , legislative and political director of the American Postal Workers Union Beard says she started at the Postal Service more than 50 years ago to pay her way through college .
She says these jobs benefit more than black postal workers and their families .
`` By shopping in the community , buying gas in the community , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she says .
`` All of that just raises the whole community . ''
Unions are among those pushing for financial help for the Postal Service now .
Citing the effects of the coronavirus pandemic , the U.S. House passed a $ 25 billion aid package earlier this month .
But the Senate is not expected to take up the proposal and the White House has threatened a veto .
Meantime , Postmater General DeJoy has suspended budget-cutting measures put in place this summer until after November 's election .
But he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bolster the agency 's finances .

Black Americans Worry Postal Changes Could Disrupt History Of Secure Jobs
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Lennihan/AP Mark Lennihan/AP
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's cost-cutting measures have raised concerns about mail-in voting. But critics worry they may also set the stage for privatizing the U.S. Postal Service, something the Trump administration called for in a 2018 plan to reorganize the federal government.
Unions say that could disrupt an important role the Postal Service has played in providing generations of African Americans secure middle class employment.
Retired Philadelphia mail handler Garry Simmons says his 32-year career with the agency provided a good life for his family.
"I was able to raise them, help pay for my son's college education, provide a good middle-class lifestyle for us," says Simmons, who retired before turning 60 in 2017.
The postal service has long given African American workers a place to avoid some of the discrimination that exists in the broader employment world. That started just after the Civil War when Congress passed a law that ended the whites-only hiring practice for postal jobs.
"African Americans, starting with Union Army veterans, abolitionists and others, began finding their way into this government job," says Phil Rubio, a history professor at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University who's also written several books on African American workers and the Postal Service.
Rubio says the pay wasn't always good, but the job came with some prestige and it offered security, benefits, and civil service protections that improved over the decades.
Today, African Americans make up 27% of the Postal Service, about twice their share of the overall workforce.
Among those who say they benefited from postal careers is actor Danny Glover. In a 2015 video Glover says his parents, a sister and a brother all worked for the Postal Service, and he worked there as a teenager during Christmas breaks.
"Working for the Postal Service enabled my parents to buy their first home," he says in the video.
Glover's been a frequent advocate for postal worker unions in recent years. In 2018 he wrote an opinion piece opposing efforts to privatize the agency, saying that would would hit African Americans especially hard.
No longer a "natural monopoly"
Among advocates for privatization is Chris Edwards, an economist with the libertarian think tank CATO Institute.
"The postal industry is no longer any kind of natural monopoly. And when you don't have natural monopoly I think we ought to let entrepreneurs come into this industry and show us how they can improve it," says Edwards.
Supporters say Postmaster General DeJoy is just that kind of savvy businessman, with a background in logistics and shipping that will help him fix what's broken at USPS.
But private sector jobs don't pay as much. Total compensation for the median postal service employee in 2019 was $96,105, according to an SEC filing. At FedEx the median employee eared $49,059 and at UPS the figure is $74,395.
Privatization likely would bring downward pressure on Postal Service wages and benefits. But Edwards says there's another issue of fairness at issue here, because "people paying for postal services are paying all those benefits, so it seems to me that the government should be reflective, somewhat, of the private sector."
Postal worker unions have been among the loudest opposition voices to privatization.
"The Postal Service is not a business. It's a service. It's a service to the American people," says Judy Beard, legislative and political director of the American Postal Workers Union.
Beard says she started at the Postal Service more than 50 years ago to pay her way through college. She says these jobs benefit more than Black postal workers and their families.
"By shopping in the community, buying gas in the community, going to church in the community," she says. "All of that just raises the whole community."
Unions are among those pushing for financial help for the Postal Service now.
Citing the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. House passed a $25 billion aid package earlier this month. But the Senate is not expected to take up the proposal and the White House has threatened a veto.
Meantime, Postmaster General DeJoy has suspended budget-cutting measures put in place this summer until after November's election. But he says the steps are still needed to bolster the agency's finances.


npr--2020-08-31--As Telemedicine Replaces The Physical Exam, What Are Doctors Missing?

As Telemedicine Replaces The Physical Exam , What Are Doctors Missing ?
Despite a foothold in medicine that predates Hippocrates himself , the traditional physical exam might be on the verge of extinction .
The coronavirus crisis has driven more routine medical appointments online , accelerating a trend toward telemedicine that has already been underway .
This worries Dr. Paul Hyman , author of a recently published essay in JAMA Internal Medicine , who reflects on what 's lost when physicians see their patients almost exclusively through a screen .
A primary care physician in Maine , Hyman acknowledges he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthy patients as insurance requirements pushed doctors away from them .
But while Hyman is now providing mostly telemedicine , like many doctors during the pandemic , he writes that he has gained a clearer sense of the value of the age-old practice of examining patients in person .
He notes the ability to offer reassurance , be present for his patients and find personal fulfillment as a doctor .
`` I think there 's something therapeutic about seeing a physician and having them lay their hands on you , and my sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the article already is that a lot of people agree that it 's therapeutic in its own right — and that can be lost without the physical exam , '' Hyman told NPR .
Hyman spoke with NPR about his experience adjusting to a new world of medicine , one that eases access to health care providers yet has the potential to erode basic human connection .
This interview has been edited for clarity and length .
How has the sudden shift toward mostly virtual visits changed the way you practice medicine ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as I go through and learn , then try to understand what the virtual visit is providing and what it 's not providing .
It 's kind of a learning experiment in real time .
In some ways , I am more cautious because I am not sure what I am missing from not seeing the patient in person .
And so I try to think through what I would have gained from the physical exam .
And if there is enough of a concern about that , then I will advocate for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does give me , for some patients , a lot of insight into the way they live their lives and what their home or work environment is like , which can help me understand more about where their health concerns fit into their overall priorities .
I think it 's helped me connect with patients in different ways .
What are some things that are much easier to catch through a physical exam or might be missed using telehealth ?
We do n't really completely understand sometimes what we 're missing because we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I give the example of a patient whose heart is not working as well , and that 's causing fluid buildup in their body .
For that specific patient , it would have been challenging to make the diagnosis over the video or a phone ; it takes touching the patient , being able to listen to their heart , legs , look at their blood pressure and look at the veins in their neck to make that diagnosis .
Another one that I often worry about is dizziness .
People can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them are very common and not concerning , but occasionally the reason is serious .
It 's very hard to distinguish some of those reasons on a video trying to walk a patient through an exam .
Beyond the obvious potential for missing a diagnosis , what else is lost in the doctor-patient relationship when you ca n't do physical exams ?
I have to agree with [ Abraham Verghese 's ] description of a ritual , that there 's something about coming into the office and going through a history and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real comfort and meaning to both a physician and to the patient .
I mentioned in the article , too , that the exam is an objective piece of data .
The patient has a narrative of their illness that the physician is trying to understand to help them feel better , but then the patient may think one thing is going on and the physician may think another .
The exam can really be helpful as a piece of science or data that helps clarify what should happen next .
Especially in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of other things that can be very distracting , it 's that moment in time when the physician is fully present .
And I think that can be really supportive , meaningful and important .
You mentioned in the essay that one of the primary roles of a physician is listening to the patient .
Are there instances where a virtual visit provides a better environment for doing that ?
I think there are , if the patient is fully present during the visit .
Sometimes patients can be distracted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunities in the virtual visit to actually really connect and listen without some of the distractions of a busy office and an exam room .
We still have to remember that most of what we 're going to learn about a patient 's illness is going to be through listening to them .
Insurance providers and volume-based metrics have already reduced the frequency of performing routine physical exams on healthy patients .
Has the business of medicine already started to devalue a doctor 's touch ?
I think what is devalued is humanistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — development of a relationship and good listening .
The way billing codes have worked for primary care , you could put down parts of your physical exam , so it was n't being completely devalued .
But I think it is devaluing to patients to request doctors do visits so quickly .
More time is needed , as physicians , to listen to our patients and develop relationships , to think critically about them .
Less time with patients seems to be the enemy for doctors , both virtually and in person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical part .
And we 're just getting less and less of it .
I just got an email from a doctor , a pediatric specialist , about how he always does a very complete physical exam because he needs , as we 've learned in medical school , to take a step back , think about the big picture and not miss something .
That mindset is not valued in the current situation .
You anticipated some wearable technologies that might give more objective information about patients during virtual visits in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replace the physical exam ?
I think there 's tremendous benefit to some of the wearable technologies , but I think that society is going to need people to interpret what the wearable technology is telling you .
But , we 're primary care physicians , we 're detectives and we still follow the rules of `` when in doubt , examine the patient , '' right ?
Right .
So a lot of times where I see a patient , when it 's not clear what is going on and I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I put all these puzzle pieces together .
I think that [ the physical exam is ] a skill and a tool .
I still agree it 's a core and fundamental part of being a physician .
This is n't , you know , the end to our identity as physicians .
I think that we need to evolve .
As our data evolves and technology evolves , we need to evolve with it .
But we just ca n't leave it fully behind .
Kristen Kendrick is a board-certified family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a health and media fellow at NPR and Georgetown University School of Medicine .

As Telemedicine Replaces The Physical Exam, What Are Doctors Missing?
Enlarge this image toggle caption filadendron/Getty Images filadendron/Getty Images
Despite a foothold in medicine that predates Hippocrates himself, the traditional physical exam might be on the verge of extinction. The coronavirus crisis has driven more routine medical appointments online, accelerating a trend toward telemedicine that has already been underway.
This worries Dr. Paul Hyman, author of a recently published essay in JAMA Internal Medicine, who reflects on what's lost when physicians see their patients almost exclusively through a screen.
A primary care physician in Maine, Hyman acknowledges he'd already begun second-guessing routine physicals on healthy patients as insurance requirements pushed doctors away from them.
But while Hyman is now providing mostly telemedicine, like many doctors during the pandemic, he writes that he has gained a clearer sense of the value of the age-old practice of examining patients in person. He notes the ability to offer reassurance, be present for his patients and find personal fulfillment as a doctor.
"I think there's something therapeutic about seeing a physician and having them lay their hands on you, and my sense from the feedback I've gotten from the article already is that a lot of people agree that it's therapeutic in its own right — and that can be lost without the physical exam," Hyman told NPR.
Hyman spoke with NPR about his experience adjusting to a new world of medicine, one that eases access to health care providers yet has the potential to erode basic human connection.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
How has the sudden shift toward mostly virtual visits changed the way you practice medicine?
It's changing almost week to week as I go through and learn, then try to understand what the virtual visit is providing and what it's not providing. It's kind of a learning experiment in real time. In some ways, I am more cautious because I am not sure what I am missing from not seeing the patient in person. And so I try to think through what I would have gained from the physical exam. And if there is enough of a concern about that, then I will advocate for the patient to be examined.
It does give me, for some patients, a lot of insight into the way they live their lives and what their home or work environment is like, which can help me understand more about where their health concerns fit into their overall priorities. I think it's helped me connect with patients in different ways.
What are some things that are much easier to catch through a physical exam or might be missed using telehealth?
We don't really completely understand sometimes what we're missing because we haven't really done medicine this way. I give the example of a patient whose heart is not working as well, and that's causing fluid buildup in their body. For that specific patient, it would have been challenging to make the diagnosis over the video or a phone; it takes touching the patient, being able to listen to their heart, legs, look at their blood pressure and look at the veins in their neck to make that diagnosis.
Another one that I often worry about is dizziness. People can feel dizzy for many reasons. Some of them are very common and not concerning, but occasionally the reason is serious. It's very hard to distinguish some of those reasons on a video trying to walk a patient through an exam.
Beyond the obvious potential for missing a diagnosis, what else is lost in the doctor-patient relationship when you can't do physical exams?
I have to agree with [Abraham Verghese's] description of a ritual, that there's something about coming into the office and going through a history and being examined — and that ritual provides real comfort and meaning to both a physician and to the patient.
I mentioned in the article, too, that the exam is an objective piece of data. The patient has a narrative of their illness that the physician is trying to understand to help them feel better, but then the patient may think one thing is going on and the physician may think another. The exam can really be helpful as a piece of science or data that helps clarify what should happen next.
Especially in our world of electronic health records and a lot of other things that can be very distracting, it's that moment in time when the physician is fully present. And I think that can be really supportive, meaningful and important.
You mentioned in the essay that one of the primary roles of a physician is listening to the patient. Are there instances where a virtual visit provides a better environment for doing that?
I think there are, if the patient is fully present during the visit. Sometimes patients can be distracted, doing other things. But there are opportunities in the virtual visit to actually really connect and listen without some of the distractions of a busy office and an exam room. We still have to remember that most of what we're going to learn about a patient's illness is going to be through listening to them.
Insurance providers and volume-based metrics have already reduced the frequency of performing routine physical exams on healthy patients. Has the business of medicine already started to devalue a doctor's touch?
I think what is devalued is humanistic interaction between a patient and a physician — development of a relationship and good listening. The way billing codes have worked for primary care, you could put down parts of your physical exam, so it wasn't being completely devalued. But I think it is devaluing to patients to request doctors do visits so quickly. More time is needed, as physicians, to listen to our patients and develop relationships, to think critically about them.
Less time with patients seems to be the enemy for doctors, both virtually and in person.
Yeah, time is the most critical part. And we're just getting less and less of it. I just got an email from a doctor, a pediatric specialist, about how he always does a very complete physical exam because he needs, as we've learned in medical school, to take a step back, think about the big picture and not miss something. That mindset is not valued in the current situation.
You anticipated some wearable technologies that might give more objective information about patients during virtual visits in the future. Are you worried technology may replace the physical exam?
I think there's tremendous benefit to some of the wearable technologies, but I think that society is going to need people to interpret what the wearable technology is telling you. But, we're primary care physicians, we're detectives and we still follow the rules of "when in doubt, examine the patient," right? Right. So a lot of times where I see a patient, when it's not clear what is going on and I'm trying to figure [it] out, I put all these puzzle pieces together.
I think that [the physical exam is] a skill and a tool. I still agree it's a core and fundamental part of being a physician. This isn't, you know, the end to our identity as physicians. I think that we need to evolve. As our data evolves and technology evolves, we need to evolve with it. But we just can't leave it fully behind.
Kristen Kendrick is a board-certified family physician in Washington, D.C., and a health and media fellow at NPR and Georgetown University School of Medicine.


npr--2020-08-31--D.C. Mayor Bowser Blames Outside Agitators As Cause Of Weekend Violence

D.C. Mayor Bowser Blames Outside Agitators As Cause Of Weekend Violence When it comes to the violence that has occurred in the streets of some American cities , authorities with different political bents are pointing to the same culprit : outside agitators .
Among them is Washington , D.C. , Mayor Muriel Bowser , who said in a press conference Monday that violent encounters between police and protesters over the weekend were the result of people who came to the city prepared to battle police .
Bowser described a marked shift between the peacefulness of Friday , when thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington , and the unrest that followed on Saturday and Sunday nights .
`` What we saw were agitators who descended on the city , '' the mayor said .
`` It sounds like many of them came on Wednesday and Thursday armed for battle with fireworks , baseball bats , laser pointers , and they were looking for the police to confront .
They set fire to local newspaper boxes , accomplishing absolutely nothing . ''
The agitators are a distraction , she said , from the systemic reforms the country needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : We do n't know who they are , necessarily who funds them , who organizes them , but we know they came together to create havoc .
And they are not the same as our residents who proudly say Black Lives Matter . ''
Between Thursday afternoon and Monday morning , D.C. police made 27 arrests related to unrest .
Police Chief Peter Newsham said 70 % of the people arrested came from outside the District .
Some of those came from the neighboring states of Maryland and Virginia , while others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ore. , and Minneapolis , Bowser said .
Among the arrests , Newsham said , was a person arrested for driving a van recklessly , endangering pedestrians and police officers .
The van is registered in Washington state , and Newsham said videos on social media show what appears to be the same van present during violent activity in Portland and Kenosha , Wis. Eleven officers were injured between Saturday night and Monday morning , Newsham said , including one who had vision difficulties resulting from a laser that was pointed in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported , the response from police was aggressive at the weekend 's demonstrations : At Monday 's press conference , Bowser was asked if she was concerned that police tactics would exacerbate tensions with protesters .
`` What I 'm worried about is this country descending into race war , '' the mayor replied .
President Trump has repeatedly criticized Bowser and other Democratic mayors for their handling of protests in their cities .
At a campaign rally Friday in New Hampshire , Trump labeled as `` thugs '' the protesters who gathered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republican nomination for president last week .
He repeated the line in a tweet on Sunday : `` @ MayorBowser should arrest these agitators and thugs !
Clean up D.C. or the Federal Government will do it for you .
Enough !
!
! ''
Bowser replied that the city 's police have indeed been making arrests for violent protest — but said that the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia , which functions as the District 's local prosecutor , has not been prosecuting the cases .
`` When we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need the U.S. attorney for the District , who is a federal appointee of the president , to prosecute them , '' Bowser said .
`` Right now , there 's no accountability for the people who came to these protests and attacked our police . ''
The U.S. attorney 's office responded on Monday evening , saying that Bowser 's public statement `` serves no purpose other than to pass blame and foster innuendo . ''
The office said it had `` aggressively charged '' 121 criminal cases between May 28 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began , this office has never turned down a single case for prosecution in which there was sufficient evidence to support probable cause . ''

D.C. Mayor Bowser Blames Outside Agitators As Cause Of Weekend Violence
Enlarge this image toggle caption Patrick Semansky/AP Patrick Semansky/AP
When it comes to the violence that has occurred in the streets of some American cities, authorities with different political bents are pointing to the same culprit: outside agitators.
Among them is Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, who said in a press conference Monday that violent encounters between police and protesters over the weekend were the result of people who came to the city prepared to battle police.
Bowser described a marked shift between the peacefulness of Friday, when thousands of people took part in the March on Washington, and the unrest that followed on Saturday and Sunday nights.
"What we saw were agitators who descended on the city," the mayor said. "It sounds like many of them came on Wednesday and Thursday armed for battle with fireworks, baseball bats, laser pointers, and they were looking for the police to confront. They set fire to local newspaper boxes, accomplishing absolutely nothing."
The agitators are a distraction, she said, from the systemic reforms the country needs.
"Those outside groups of people: We don't know who they are, necessarily who funds them, who organizes them, but we know they came together to create havoc. And they are not the same as our residents who proudly say Black Lives Matter."
Between Thursday afternoon and Monday morning, D.C. police made 27 arrests related to unrest. Police Chief Peter Newsham said 70% of the people arrested came from outside the District. Some of those came from the neighboring states of Maryland and Virginia, while others arrived from cities such as Portland, Ore., and Minneapolis, Bowser said.
Among the arrests, Newsham said, was a person arrested for driving a van recklessly, endangering pedestrians and police officers. The van is registered in Washington state, and Newsham said videos on social media show what appears to be the same van present during violent activity in Portland and Kenosha, Wis.
Eleven officers were injured between Saturday night and Monday morning, Newsham said, including one who had vision difficulties resulting from a laser that was pointed in his eyes.
As WAMU's Jenny Gathright reported, the response from police was aggressive at the weekend's demonstrations:
"Locals who had been going to demonstrations in the District since the end of May said it was some of the most aggressive policing they had experienced at protests. Police deployed flash bangs and sprayed protesters with chemical irritants. Street medics with Medics for Justice, who have organized to provide medical assistance at protests throughout the summer, rushed to aid protesters who had chemical sprays in their eyes and were injured by what appeared to be nonlethal bullets and flash bangs."
At Monday's press conference, Bowser was asked if she was concerned that police tactics would exacerbate tensions with protesters.
"What I'm worried about is this country descending into race war," the mayor replied.
President Trump has repeatedly criticized Bowser and other Democratic mayors for their handling of protests in their cities.
At a campaign rally Friday in New Hampshire, Trump labeled as "thugs" the protesters who gathered outside the White House as he accepted the Republican nomination for president last week.
He repeated the line in a tweet on Sunday: "@MayorBowser should arrest these agitators and thugs! Clean up D.C. or the Federal Government will do it for you. Enough!!!"
Bowser replied that the city's police have indeed been making arrests for violent protest — but said that the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, which functions as the District's local prosecutor, has not been prosecuting the cases. "When we arrest people with felony charges, we need the U.S. attorney for the District, who is a federal appointee of the president, to prosecute them," Bowser said. "Right now, there's no accountability for the people who came to these protests and attacked our police."
The U.S. attorney's office responded on Monday evening, saying that Bowser's public statement "serves no purpose other than to pass blame and foster innuendo." The office said it had "aggressively charged" 121 criminal cases between May 28 and Aug. 1. "Since the protests began, this office has never turned down a single case for prosecution in which there was sufficient evidence to support probable cause."


npr--2020-08-31--Zoom Turns Record Profit Thanks To Coronavirus Shutdowns

Zoom reported higher sales and profit in the three months from May through July than it did in all of 2019 , as more people work and learn remotely during the coronavirus pandemic .
The videoconferencing company expects that trend to continue : It raised its sales forecast for the rest of the year by a third to $ 2.37 billion to $ 2.39 billion .
In the second quarter , sales more than quadrupled from a year ago to $ 663.5 million , well above the $ 500 million that Wall Street analysts were expecting .
Profit ballooned to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million in the same quarter last year .
By comparison , in Zoom 's last fiscal year , which ended in January , sales totaled $ 622.7 million and net profit was $ 21.7 million .
Zoom has emerged as one of the biggest corporate success stories of this year , as video meetings have become an essential part of work , school and entertainment for many people during the pandemic .
The company has seen a big surge in use of its free service and has been pushing to convert many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eric Yuan told analysts on Monday that corporate customers are shifting their focus to longer-term changes in how people communicate , describing `` a future of working anywhere , learning anywhere and connecting anywhere . ''
The company said more customers are signing up for its paid video service , including oil company ExxonMobil and video game company Activision Blizzard .
Medium and large companies make up the bulk of Zoom 's paying clients .
The number of customers with more than 10 employees grew more than fivefold from a year ago to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in popularity with small businesses , however : 36 % of revenue now comes from customers with 10 or fewer employees , up from 30 % in the first quarter .
Zoom 's rapid growth has come with hurdles , including concerns over privacy and security .
It recently completed a 90-day plan to focus on those areas .
Its popularity has also tested its capacity .
Just last week , Zoom experienced widespread outages that took several hours to resolve , leaving many students and workers unable to log in to classes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zoom is among NPR 's financial supporters .

Zoom Turns Record Profit Thanks To Coronavirus Shutdowns
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sam Wasson/Getty Images Sam Wasson/Getty Images
Zoom reported higher sales and profit in the three months from May through July than it did in all of 2019, as more people work and learn remotely during the coronavirus pandemic.
The videoconferencing company expects that trend to continue: It raised its sales forecast for the rest of the year by a third to $2.37 billion to $2.39 billion.
In the second quarter, sales more than quadrupled from a year ago to $663.5 million, well above the $500 million that Wall Street analysts were expecting. Profit ballooned to $185.7 million from just $5.5 million in the same quarter last year.
By comparison, in Zoom's last fiscal year, which ended in January, sales totaled $622.7 million and net profit was $21.7 million.
Zoom shares surged 25% in after-hours trading on Monday.
Zoom has emerged as one of the biggest corporate success stories of this year, as video meetings have become an essential part of work, school and entertainment for many people during the pandemic. The company has seen a big surge in use of its free service and has been pushing to convert many of those users to paying customers.
CEO Eric Yuan told analysts on Monday that corporate customers are shifting their focus to longer-term changes in how people communicate, describing "a future of working anywhere, learning anywhere and connecting anywhere."
The company said more customers are signing up for its paid video service, including oil company ExxonMobil and video game company Activision Blizzard.
Medium and large companies make up the bulk of Zoom's paying clients. The number of customers with more than 10 employees grew more than fivefold from a year ago to 370,200. The company has been growing in popularity with small businesses, however: 36% of revenue now comes from customers with 10 or fewer employees, up from 30% in the first quarter.
Zoom's rapid growth has come with hurdles, including concerns over privacy and security. It recently completed a 90-day plan to focus on those areas.
Its popularity has also tested its capacity. Just last week, Zoom experienced widespread outages that took several hours to resolve, leaving many students and workers unable to log in to classes and meetings.
Editor's note: Zoom is among NPR's financial supporters.


npr--2020-08-31--Appeals Court Rejects Justice Department Effort To Shut Down Michael Flynn Case

A federal appeals court has declined to order a criminal case against Michael Flynn dismissed .
Instead , it ruled Monday that a judge can hear arguments about the Justice Department 's motivations for dropping the case against President Trump 's former national security adviser .
The 8-2 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit , keeps alive a Department of Justice case that Attorney General William Barr had ordered dropped in May .
The court also refused to remove U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan , who has been overseeing the case .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sullivan had appointed a retired federal judge to look into whether political motives had any bearing on the Justice Department 's decision and to argue those findings in court .
In June , a three-judge appellate panel sided with the Justice Department in a 2-1 ruling .
But Sullivan asked for a rehearing by the full bench , resulting in Monday 's decision , which effectively voids the earlier ruling .
The dissenters in Monday 's ruling are the same two Republican appointees — Karen Henderson , appointed by President George H.W @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rao — who sided with the Justice Department in June .
Flynn admitted he lied to the FBI in 2016 about contacts with Russia 's then-U.S. ambassador , Sergey Kislyak .
However , after twice pleading guilty , Flynn suddenly withdrew his plea just weeks before his scheduled sentencing .
He is the only former Trump administration official to face criminal charges in connection with special counsel Robert Mueller 's probe into Russian election meddling .
Flynn , who was forced to resign in February 2017 , spent less than a month in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the time , White House advisers said he had lied to Vice President Pence and others about his contacts with Kislyak during the transition .
Among other things , transcripts show , Flynn and Kislyak discussed Russia 's reaction to sanctions imposed in the waning days of the Obama administration in retaliation for election meddling .
According to the charging document , Flynn asked Kislyak to `` refrain from escalating the situation in response '' to U.S. sanctions and that Kislyak acknowledged that the Kremlin `` had chosen to moderate its response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's ] request . ''

Appeals Court Rejects Justice Department Effort To Shut Down Michael Flynn Case
toggle caption John Angelillo/Pool/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A federal appeals court has declined to order a criminal case against Michael Flynn dismissed. Instead, it ruled Monday that a judge can hear arguments about the Justice Department's motivations for dropping the case against President Trump's former national security adviser.
The 8-2 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, keeps alive a Department of Justice case that Attorney General William Barr had ordered dropped in May. The court also refused to remove U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, who has been overseeing the case.
In response to Barr's move this spring, Sullivan had appointed a retired federal judge to look into whether political motives had any bearing on the Justice Department's decision and to argue those findings in court.
In June, a three-judge appellate panel sided with the Justice Department in a 2-1 ruling. But Sullivan asked for a rehearing by the full bench, resulting in Monday's decision, which effectively voids the earlier ruling.
The dissenters in Monday's ruling are the same two Republican appointees — Karen Henderson, appointed by President George H.W. Bush, and Trump appointee Neomi Rao — who sided with the Justice Department in June.
Flynn admitted he lied to the FBI in 2016 about contacts with Russia's then-U.S. ambassador, Sergey Kislyak. However, after twice pleading guilty, Flynn suddenly withdrew his plea just weeks before his scheduled sentencing. He is the only former Trump administration official to face criminal charges in connection with special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian election meddling.
Flynn, who was forced to resign in February 2017, spent less than a month in the role of national security adviser. At the time, White House advisers said he had lied to Vice President Pence and others about his contacts with Kislyak during the transition.
Among other things, transcripts show, Flynn and Kislyak discussed Russia's reaction to sanctions imposed in the waning days of the Obama administration in retaliation for election meddling.
According to the charging document, Flynn asked Kislyak to "refrain from escalating the situation in response" to U.S. sanctions and that Kislyak acknowledged that the Kremlin "had chosen to moderate its response ... as a result of [Flynn's] request."
NPR justice correspondent Carrie Johnson contributed to this report.