npr--2020-09-29--Evictions Damage Public Health, Which Is Why The CDC Has Banned Them ― For Now

Evictions Damage Public Health , Which Is Why The CDC Has Banned Them ― For Now In August , Robert Pettigrew was working a series of odd jobs .
While washing the windows of a cellphone store he saw a sign , one that he believes the `` good Lord '' placed there for him .
`` Facing eviction ? ''
the sign read .
`` You could be eligible for up to $ 3,000 in rent assistance .
Apply today . ''
It seemed a hopeful omen after a series of financial and health blows .
In March , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an invasive mass on his lung that restricts his breathing .
His doctor told him his condition puts him at high risk of developing deadly complications from COVID-19 and advised him to stop working as a night auditor at a Motel 6 , where he manned the front desk .
Reluctantly , he had to leave that job and start piecing together other work .
With pay coming in less steadily , Pettigrew and his wife , Stephanie , fell behind on the rent .
Eventually , they were many months late , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evict them .
Then Pettigrew saw the rental assistance sign .
`` There were nights I would lay in bed and my wife would be asleep , and all I could do was say , 'God , you need to help me .
We need you , ' `` Pettigrew says .
`` And here he came .
He showed himself to us . ''
As many as 40 million Americans faced a looming eviction risk in August , according to a report authored by 10 national housing and eviction experts .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cited that estimate in early September when it ordered an unprecedented , nationwide eviction moratorium through the end of 2020 .
That move — a moratorium from the country 's top public health agency — spotlights a message experts have preached for years without prompting much policy action : Housing stability and health are intertwined .
The CDC is now citing stable housing as a vital tool to control the coronavirus , which has killed more than 200,000 Americans .
Home is where people isolate themselves to avoid transmitting the virus or becoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders in the name of public health , they presume that residents have a home .
For people who have the virus , home is often where they recover from COVID-19 's fever , chills and dry cough — in lieu of , or after a hospital stay .
But the moratorium is not automatic .
Renters have to submit a declaration form to their landlord , agreeing to a series of statements under threat of perjury , including `` my housing provider may require payment in full for all payments not made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and failure to pay may make me subject to eviction pursuant to state and local laws . ''
Confusion surrounding the CDC 's order means some tenants are still being ordered to leave their homes .
Princeton University is tracking eviction filings in 17 U.S. cities during the pandemic .
As of Sept. 19 , landlords in those cities have filed for more than 50,000 evictions since March 15 .
The tally includes about 11,900 in Houston , 10,900 in Phoenix and 4,100 in Milwaukee .
It 's an incomplete snapshot that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indianapolis , where local housing advocates say court cases are difficult to track , but landlords have sought to evict thousands of renters .
Children raised in unstable housing are more prone to hospitalization than those with stable housing .
Homelessness is associated with delayed childhood development , and mothers in families that lose homes to eviction show higher rates of depression and other health challenges .
Mounting research illustrates that even the threat of eviction can exact a physical and mental toll from tenants .
Nicole MacMillan , 38 , lost her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Fla. , in March when the pandemic shut down businesses .
Later , she also lost the apartment where she had been living with her two children .
`` I actually contacted a doctor , because I thought mentally I ca n't handle this anymore , '' MacMillan says .
`` I do n't know what I 'm going to do or where I 'm going to go .
And maybe some medication can help me for a little bit . ''
But the doctor she reached out to was n't accepting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MacMillan moved north to live with her grandparents in Grayslake , Ill .
Her children are staying with their fathers while she gets back on her feet .
She recently started driving for Uber Eats in the Chicagoland area .
`` I need a home for my kids again , '' MacMillan says , fighting back tears .
The pandemic `` has ripped my whole life apart . ''
Searching for assistance to stay at home That store window sign ?
It directed Pettigrew to Community Advocates , a Milwaukee nonprofit that received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funds to help administer a local rental aid program .
More than 3,800 applications for assistance have flooded the agency , says Deborah Heffner , its housing strategy director , while tens of thousands more applications have flowed to a separate agency administering the state 's rental relief program in Milwaukee .
Persistence helped the Pettigrews break through the backlog .
`` I blew their phone up , '' says Stephanie Pettigrew , with a smile .
She qualifies for federal Social Security Disability Insurance , which sends her $ 400 to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has become increasingly vital since March when Robert left his motel job .
He has since pursued a host of odd jobs to keep food on the table — such as the window-washing he was doing when he saw the rental assistance sign — work where he can limit his exposure to the virus .
He brings home $ 40 on a good day , he says , $ 10 on a bad one .
Before they qualified for rent assistance , February had been the last time the Pettigrews could fully pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Just as their finances tightened and their housing situation became less stable , the couple welcomed more family members .
Heavenly , Robert 's adult daughter , arrived in May from St. Louis after the child care center where she worked shut down because of concerns over the coronavirus .
She brought along her 3-year-old son .
The CDC hopes through its order to curtail evictions that only add additional family members and friends to already stressed households .
The federal order notes that `` household contacts are estimated to be 6 times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a person with ] COVID-19 than other close contacts . ''
`` That 's where that couch surfing issue comes up ― people going from place to place every few nights , not trying to burden anybody in particular , but possibly at risk of spreading around the risk of coronavirus , '' says Andrew Bradley of Prosperity Indiana , a nonprofit focusing on community development .
The Pettigrews ' Milwaukee apartment — a kitchen , a front room , two bedrooms and one bathroom — is tight for the three generations now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our home , '' Robert says .
`` We 've got a roof over our head .
I ca n't complain . ''
A U.S. Census Bureau survey conducted before the federal eviction moratorium was announced found that 5.5 million of American adults feared they were either somewhat or very likely to face eviction or foreclosure in the next two months .
State and local governments nationwide are offering a patchwork of help for those people .
In Massachusetts , the governor extended the state 's pause on evictions and foreclosures until Oct. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both in state and federal court , but both courts have let the ban stand while the lawsuits proceed .
`` Access to stable housing is a crucial component of containing COVID-19 for every citizen of Massachusetts , '' Judge Paul Wilson wrote in a state court ruling .
`` The balance of harms and the public interest favor upholding the law to protect the public health and economic well-being of tenants and the public in general during this health and economic emergency . ''
The cases from Massachusetts may offer one glimpse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order could play out .
By contrast , in Wisconsin , Gov .
Tony Evers was one of the first governors to lift a state moratorium on evictions during the pandemic — thereby enabling about 8,000 eviction filings from late May to early September , according to a search of an online database of Wisconsin circuit courts .
Milwaukee , Wisconsin 's biggest city , has seen nearly half of those filings , which have largely hit the city 's Black-majority neighborhoods , according to an Eviction Lab analysis .
`` Poor neighborhoods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates of asthma and blood pressure — which , of course , are all health issues that the COVID pandemic is then being impacted by , '' says Amy Nelson , executive director of the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana .
`` This deadly virus is killing people disproportionately in Black and brown communities at alarming rates , '' says Dee Ross , founder of the Indianapolis Tenants Rights Union .
`` And disproportionately , Black and brown people are the ones being evicted at the highest rate in Indiana . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels of government have set aside millions in federal pandemic aid for housing assistance for struggling renters and homeowners .
That includes $ 240 million earmarked in Florida , between state and county governments , $ 100 million in Los Angeles County and $ 18 million in Mississippi .
In Wisconsin , residents report that a range of barriers — from application backlogs to onerous paperwork requirements — have limited their access to aid .
In Indiana , more than 36,000 people applied for that state 's $ 40 million rental assistance program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , home to Indianapolis , had a separate $ 25 million program , but it cut off applications after just three days because of overwhelming demand .
About 25,000 people sat on the county 's waiting list in late August .
Of that massive need , Bradley , who works in economic development in Indiana , says : '' We 're not confident that the people who need the help most even know about the program — that there 's been enough proactive outreach to get to the households that are most impacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that sign in the store window and reached out to the nonprofit Community Advocates , the group covered more than $ 4,700 of the Pettigrews ' rental payments , late charges , utility bills and court fees .
The nonprofit also referred the couple to a pro-bono lawyer , who helped seal their eviction case — that means it ca n't hurt the Pettigrews ' ability to rent in the future , and ensures the family will have housing at least through September .
The CDC moratorium has added to that security .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ withstands legal challenges from housing industry groups , `` buys critical time '' for renters to find assistance through the year 's end , says Emily Benfer , founding director of the Wake Forest Law Health Justice Clinic .
`` It 's protecting 30 to 40 million adults and children from eviction and the downward spiral that it causes in long-term , poor health outcomes , '' she says .
Megan Sandel , a pediatrician at Boston Medical Center , says at least a third of the 14,000 families with children that seek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind on their rent , a figure mirrored in national reports .
Hospital officials worry that evictions during the pandemic will trigger a surge of homeless patients — and patients who lack homes are more challenging and expensive to treat .
One study from 2016 found that stable housing reduced Medicaid spending by 12 % — and not because members stopped going to the doctor .
Primary care use increased 20 % , while more expensive emergency room visits dropped by 18 % .
A year ago , Boston Medical Center and two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million in emergency housing assistance as community organizing focused on affordable housing policies and development .
Now the hospitals are looking for additional emergency funds , trying to boost legal resources to prevent evictions and work more closely with public housing authorities and state rental assistance programs .
`` We are a safety-net hospital .
We do n't have unlimited resources , '' Sandel says .
`` But being able to avert an eviction is like avoiding a toxic exposure . ''
Sandel says the real remedy for avoiding an eviction crisis is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistance , along the lines of the $ 100 billion included in a package proposed by House Democrats in May and dubbed the Heroes Act .
Boston Medical Center is among the 26 health care associations and systems that signed a letter urging congressional leaders to agree on rental and homeless assistance as well as a national moratorium on evictions for the entire pandemic .
`` Without action from Congress , we are going to see a tsunami of evictions , '' the letter stated , `` and its fallout will directly impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health of families and individuals for years to come . ''
Groups representing landlords urge passage of rental assistance , too , although some oppose the CDC order .
They point out that property owners must pay bills as well and may lose apartments where renters ca n't or wo n't pay .
In Milwaukee , Community Advocates is helping the Pettigrews look for a more affordable apartment .
Robert Pettigrew continues attending doctors ' appointments for his lungs , searching for safe work .
He looks to the future with a sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no one pity his family .
`` Life just kicks you in the butt sometimes '' he says .
`` But I 'm the type of person — I 'm gon na kick life 's ass back . ''
For this story , NPR and Kaiser Health News partnered with the investigative journalism site Wisconsin Watch , Side Effects Public Media , Wisconsin Public Radio and WBUR .

Evictions Damage Public Health. The CDC Aims To Curb Them ― For Now
Enlarge this image toggle caption Coburn Dukehart/Wisconsin Watch Coburn Dukehart/Wisconsin Watch
In August, Robert Pettigrew was working a series of odd jobs. While washing the windows of a cellphone store he saw a sign, one that he believes the "good Lord" placed there for him.
"Facing eviction?" the sign read. "You could be eligible for up to $3,000 in rent assistance. Apply today."
It seemed a hopeful omen after a series of financial and health blows. In March, Pettigrew, 52, learned he has an invasive mass on his lung that restricts his breathing. His doctor told him his condition puts him at high risk of developing deadly complications from COVID-19 and advised him to stop working as a night auditor at a Motel 6, where he manned the front desk. Reluctantly, he had to leave that job and start piecing together other work.
With pay coming in less steadily, Pettigrew and his wife, Stephanie, fell behind on the rent. Eventually, they were many months late, and the couple's landlord filed to evict them.
Then Pettigrew saw the rental assistance sign.
"There were nights I would lay in bed and my wife would be asleep, and all I could do was say, 'God, you need to help me. We need you,' " Pettigrew says. "And here he came. He showed himself to us."
toggle caption Coburn Dukehart/Wisconsin Watch
As many as 40 million Americans faced a looming eviction risk in August, according to a report authored by 10 national housing and eviction experts. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cited that estimate in early September when it ordered an unprecedented, nationwide eviction moratorium through the end of 2020.
That move — a moratorium from the country's top public health agency — spotlights a message experts have preached for years without prompting much policy action: Housing stability and health are intertwined.
The CDC is now citing stable housing as a vital tool to control the coronavirus, which has killed more than 200,000 Americans. Home is where people isolate themselves to avoid transmitting the virus or becoming infected. When local governments issue stay-at-home orders in the name of public health, they presume that residents have a home. For people who have the virus, home is often where they recover from COVID-19's fever, chills and dry cough — in lieu of, or after a hospital stay.
"Without action from Congress, we are going to see a tsunami of evictions, and its fallout will directly impact the health care system and harm the health of families and individuals for years to come."
But the moratorium is not automatic. Renters have to submit a declaration form to their landlord, agreeing to a series of statements under threat of perjury, including "my housing provider may require payment in full for all payments not made prior to and during the temporary halt, and failure to pay may make me subject to eviction pursuant to state and local laws."
Confusion surrounding the CDC's order means some tenants are still being ordered to leave their homes.
Princeton University is tracking eviction filings in 17 U.S. cities during the pandemic. As of Sept. 19, landlords in those cities have filed for more than 50,000 evictions since March 15. The tally includes about 11,900 in Houston, 10,900 in Phoenix and 4,100 in Milwaukee.
toggle caption Coburn Dukehart/Wisconsin Watch
It's an incomplete snapshot that excludes some major American cities such as Indianapolis, where local housing advocates say court cases are difficult to track, but landlords have sought to evict thousands of renters.
Children raised in unstable housing are more prone to hospitalization than those with stable housing. Homelessness is associated with delayed childhood development, and mothers in families that lose homes to eviction show higher rates of depression and other health challenges.
Mounting research illustrates that even the threat of eviction can exact a physical and mental toll from tenants.
Nicole MacMillan, 38, lost her job managing vacation rentals in Fort Myers, Fla., in March when the pandemic shut down businesses. Later, she also lost the apartment where she had been living with her two children.
"I actually contacted a doctor, because I thought mentally I can't handle this anymore," MacMillan says. "I don't know what I'm going to do or where I'm going to go. And maybe some medication can help me for a little bit."
But the doctor she reached out to wasn't accepting new patients.
With few options, MacMillan moved north to live with her grandparents in Grayslake, Ill. Her children are staying with their fathers while she gets back on her feet. She recently started driving for Uber Eats in the Chicagoland area.
toggle caption Image from Nicole MacMillan
"I need a home for my kids again," MacMillan says, fighting back tears. The pandemic "has ripped my whole life apart."
Searching for assistance to stay at home
That store window sign? It directed Pettigrew to Community Advocates, a Milwaukee nonprofit that received $7 million in federal pandemic stimulus funds to help administer a local rental aid program. More than 3,800 applications for assistance have flooded the agency, says Deborah Heffner, its housing strategy director, while tens of thousands more applications have flowed to a separate agency administering the state's rental relief program in Milwaukee.
Persistence helped the Pettigrews break through the backlog.
"I blew their phone up," says Stephanie Pettigrew, with a smile.
She qualifies for federal Social Security Disability Insurance, which sends her $400 to $900 in monthly assistance. That income has become increasingly vital since March when Robert left his motel job.
He has since pursued a host of odd jobs to keep food on the table — such as the window-washing he was doing when he saw the rental assistance sign — work where he can limit his exposure to the virus. He brings home $40 on a good day, he says, $10 on a bad one. Before they qualified for rent assistance, February had been the last time the Pettigrews could fully pay their $600 monthly rent bill.
Just as their finances tightened and their housing situation became less stable, the couple welcomed more family members. Heavenly, Robert's adult daughter, arrived in May from St. Louis after the child care center where she worked shut down because of concerns over the coronavirus. She brought along her 3-year-old son.
The CDC hopes through its order to curtail evictions that only add additional family members and friends to already stressed households. The federal order notes that "household contacts are estimated to be 6 times more likely to become infected by [a person with] COVID-19 than other close contacts."
"That's where that couch surfing issue comes up ― people going from place to place every few nights, not trying to burden anybody in particular, but possibly at risk of spreading around the risk of coronavirus," says Andrew Bradley of Prosperity Indiana, a nonprofit focusing on community development.
The Pettigrews' Milwaukee apartment — a kitchen, a front room, two bedrooms and one bathroom — is tight for the three generations now sharing it.
"But it's our home," Robert says. "We've got a roof over our head. I can't complain."
Housing loss hits Black and Latino communities
A U.S. Census Bureau survey conducted before the federal eviction moratorium was announced found that 5.5 million of American adults feared they were either somewhat or very likely to face eviction or foreclosure in the next two months.
State and local governments nationwide are offering a patchwork of help for those people.
In Massachusetts, the governor extended the state's pause on evictions and foreclosures until Oct. 17. Landlords are challenging that move both in state and federal court, but both courts have let the ban stand while the lawsuits proceed.
"Access to stable housing is a crucial component of containing COVID-19 for every citizen of Massachusetts," Judge Paul Wilson wrote in a state court ruling. "The balance of harms and the public interest favor upholding the law to protect the public health and economic well-being of tenants and the public in general during this health and economic emergency."
The cases from Massachusetts may offer one glimpse of how federal challenges to the CDC order could play out.
By contrast, in Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers was one of the first governors to lift a state moratorium on evictions during the pandemic — thereby enabling about 8,000 eviction filings from late May to early September, according to a search of an online database of Wisconsin circuit courts.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin's biggest city, has seen nearly half of those filings, which have largely hit the city's Black-majority neighborhoods, according to an Eviction Lab analysis.
In other states, housing advocates note similar disparities.
"Poor neighborhoods, neighborhoods of color, have higher rates of asthma and blood pressure — which, of course, are all health issues that the COVID pandemic is then being impacted by," says Amy Nelson, executive director of the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana.
"This deadly virus is killing people disproportionately in Black and brown communities at alarming rates," says Dee Ross, founder of the Indianapolis Tenants Rights Union. "And disproportionately, Black and brown people are the ones being evicted at the highest rate in Indiana."
Across the country, officials at various levels of government have set aside millions in federal pandemic aid for housing assistance for struggling renters and homeowners. That includes $240 million earmarked in Florida, between state and county governments, $100 million in Los Angeles County and $18 million in Mississippi.
In Wisconsin, residents report that a range of barriers — from application backlogs to onerous paperwork requirements — have limited their access to aid.
In Indiana, more than 36,000 people applied for that state's $40 million rental assistance program before the application deadline. Marion County, home to Indianapolis, had a separate $25 million program, but it cut off applications after just three days because of overwhelming demand. About 25,000 people sat on the county's waiting list in late August.
Of that massive need, Bradley, who works in economic development in Indiana, says:
"We're not confident that the people who need the help most even know about the program — that there's been enough proactive outreach to get to the households that are most impacted."
After Milwaukeean Robert Pettigrew saw that sign in the store window and reached out to the nonprofit Community Advocates, the group covered more than $4,700 of the Pettigrews' rental payments, late charges, utility bills and court fees. The nonprofit also referred the couple to a pro-bono lawyer, who helped seal their eviction case — that means it can't hurt the Pettigrews' ability to rent in the future, and ensures the family will have housing at least through September. The CDC moratorium has added to that security.
The federal eviction moratorium, if it withstands legal challenges from housing industry groups, "buys critical time" for renters to find assistance through the year's end, says Emily Benfer, founding director of the Wake Forest Law Health Justice Clinic.
"It's protecting 30 to 40 million adults and children from eviction and the downward spiral that it causes in long-term, poor health outcomes," she says.
Doctor: Evictions akin to "toxic exposure"
Megan Sandel, a pediatrician at Boston Medical Center, says at least a third of the 14,000 families with children that seek treatment at her medical center have fallen behind on their rent, a figure mirrored in national reports.
Hospital officials worry that evictions during the pandemic will trigger a surge of homeless patients — and patients who lack homes are more challenging and expensive to treat. One study from 2016 found that stable housing reduced Medicaid spending by 12% — and not because members stopped going to the doctor. Primary care use increased 20%, while more expensive emergency room visits dropped by 18%.
A year ago, Boston Medical Center and two area hospitals collaborated to invest $3 million in emergency housing assistance as community organizing focused on affordable housing policies and development. Now the hospitals are looking for additional emergency funds, trying to boost legal resources to prevent evictions and work more closely with public housing authorities and state rental assistance programs.
"We are a safety-net hospital. We don't have unlimited resources," Sandel says. "But being able to avert an eviction is like avoiding a toxic exposure."
Sandel says the real remedy for avoiding an eviction crisis is to offer Americans substantially more emergency rental assistance, along the lines of the $100 billion included in a package proposed by House Democrats in May and dubbed the Heroes Act. Boston Medical Center is among the 26 health care associations and systems that signed a letter urging congressional leaders to agree on rental and homeless assistance as well as a national moratorium on evictions for the entire pandemic.
"Without action from Congress, we are going to see a tsunami of evictions," the letter stated, "and its fallout will directly impact the health care system and harm the health of families and individuals for years to come."
Groups representing landlords urge passage of rental assistance, too, although some oppose the CDC order. They point out that property owners must pay bills as well and may lose apartments where renters can't or won't pay.
In Milwaukee, Community Advocates is helping the Pettigrews look for a more affordable apartment. Robert Pettigrew continues attending doctors' appointments for his lungs, searching for safe work. He looks to the future with a sense of resolve — and a request that no one pity his family.
"Life just kicks you in the butt sometimes" he says. "But I'm the type of person — I'm gonna kick life's ass back."
For this story, NPR and Kaiser Health News partnered with the investigative journalism site Wisconsin Watch, Side Effects Public Media, Wisconsin Public Radio and WBUR.


npr--2020-09-28--COVID-19 Deaths Top 1 Million Worldwide. How These 5 Nations Are Driving The Pandemic

COVID-19 Deaths Top 1 Million Worldwide .
How These 5 Nations Are Driving The Pandemic The coronavirus pandemic has now killed at least 1 million people worldwide .
That 's according to a tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University .
This sobering milestone was reached just nine months after the first reported fatality in China last January .
And public health experts believe the actual toll – the recorded deaths plus the unrecorded deaths – is much higher .
What 's more , in the five worst-off countries , the trend line remains worrisome .
Here 's how they line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ join their ranks .
Take the United States , which currently leads the world in terms of both total number of dead and total number of infected over the course of the pandemic .
While several Northeastern states that were clobbered by the virus early on managed to use social distancing and masking to push down their new cases by early spring , states in other regions then quickly moved to re-open .
This fueled an even bigger wave of deaths across wide swaths of the U.S. throughout the summer .
Since then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their numbers — as well as the overall U.S. daily death count .
Yet it remains far higher than it was in July .
Also , most recently , daily deaths have actually begun rising again — largely driven by increasing transmission in various states in the Great Plains and the South .
Brazil , the second-biggest driver of the worldwide death toll , is also once again trouble .
Led by a president who repeatedly downplayed the threat from the coronavirus , Brazil 's initial response was chaotic at best , enabling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and August .
About a month ago , the daily death count began dropping .
But more recently that progress seems to have stalled .
The trajectory has been even more unremittingly terrible in India — which has the third-highest death toll .
Since May , when the government largely lifted a strict lockdown , infections and deaths have been on a virtually uninterrupted upward spiral .
One caveat is that when these cases are measured as a share of India 's population , India actually ranks fairly low .
That 's in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States .
Also , over the last several weeks India 's daily death count appears to have hit something of plateau .
Still , the total number of people dying there remains extremely high — with an average of about 1,100 deaths each day over the last week .
Mexico too is struggling .
It does n't just follow the U.S. , Brazil and India when it comes to highest total deaths over the entirety of the pandemic .
Over the last two weeks , all four countries have also had the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The United Kingdom — ranked fifth when it comes to total death toll — is faring only slightly better .
New infections have risen to their highest level there since early May .
And while the death toll remains much lower , it too has begun creeping up again .
More alarming , however , is the situation in European neighbors Spain and France — where both daily new cases and daily new deaths have recently increased markedly , putting both countries in the top 10 on those measures over the last two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Meanwhile , countries such as Argentina offer a reminder that the full contours of the pandemic 's impact wo n't be clear until it 's over .
Three months ago Argentina seemed to be doing comparatively well .
That 's one reason it still does n't quite rank among the top 10 countries in terms of total deaths over the entirety of the pandemic .
But since June , Argentina has seen a steady increase in infections and fatalities .
And over the last two weeks its daily new death count has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little sign of slowing down .

COVID-19 Deaths Top 1 Million Worldwide. How These 5 Nations Are Driving The Pandemic
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andre Coelho/Getty Images Andre Coelho/Getty Images
The coronavirus pandemic has now killed at least 1 million people worldwide. That's according to a tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University. This sobering milestone was reached just nine months after the first reported fatality in China last January. And public health experts believe the actual toll – the recorded deaths plus the unrecorded deaths – is much higher. What's more, in the five worst-off countries, the trend line remains worrisome. Here's how they line up — and why Argentina could soon join their ranks.
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1. United States
Take the United States, which currently leads the world in terms of both total number of dead and total number of infected over the course of the pandemic. While several Northeastern states that were clobbered by the virus early on managed to use social distancing and masking to push down their new cases by early spring, states in other regions then quickly moved to reopen. This fueled an even bigger wave of deaths across wide swaths of the U.S. throughout the summer. Since then many states have managed to bring down their numbers — as well as the overall U.S. daily death count. Yet it remains far higher than it was in the start of July. Also, most recently, daily deaths have actually begun rising again — largely driven by increasing transmission in various states in the Great Plains and the South.
2. Brazil
Brazil, the second-biggest driver of the worldwide death toll, is also trouble once again. Led by a president who repeatedly downplayed the threat from the coronavirus, Brazil's initial response was chaotic at best, enabling a surge in deaths all through July and August. About a month ago, the daily death count began dropping. But more recently that progress seems to have stalled.
3. India
The trajectory has been even more unremittingly terrible in India, which has the third-highest death toll. Since May, when the government largely lifted a strict lockdown, infections and deaths have been on a virtually uninterrupted upward spiral. One caveat is that when these cases are measured as a share of India's population, India actually ranks fairly low. That's in marked contrast with both Brazil and the United States. Also, over the past several weeks India's daily death count appears to have hit something of a plateau. Still, the total number of people dying there remains extremely high with an average of about 1,100 deaths each day over the past week.
4. Mexico
Mexico, too, is struggling. It doesn't just follow the U.S., Brazil and India when it comes to highest total deaths over the entirety of the pandemic. Over the past two weeks, all four countries have also had the highest number of average daily deaths.
5. United Kingdom
The United Kingdom — ranked fifth when it comes to total death toll — is faring only slightly better. New infections have risen to their highest level there since early May. And while the death toll remains much lower, it has begun creeping up again. More alarming, however, is the situation in European neighbors Spain and France, where both daily new cases and daily new deaths have recently increased markedly, putting both countries in the top 10 on those measures over the past two weeks.
Could Argentina be far behind?
Meanwhile, countries such as Argentina offer a reminder that the full contours of the pandemic's impact won't be clear until it's over. Three months ago Argentina seemed to be doing comparatively well. That's one reason it still doesn't quite rank among the top 10 countries in terms of total deaths over the entirety of the pandemic. But since June, Argentina has seen a steady increase in infections and fatalities. And over the past two weeks its daily new death count has ranked fifth-highest in the world with little sign of slowing down.


npr--2020-09-29--Florida's Miami-Dade Pushes Back On Loosening Of Coronavirus Restrictions

Miami-Dade County says it will not fully comply with a decision by Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis to lift most restrictions aimed at controlling the spread of coronavirus , saying it 's too soon to safely reverse the precautions .
County Mayor Carlos Gimenez , speaking Tuesday with local medical advisors , and in a conference call with White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx and the nation 's leading infectious disease expert , Dr. Anthony Fauci , said that the number of COVID-19 cases in the county has declined because it has reopened very slowly .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` And my concern is that opening up too many things too quickly could lead us in the opposite direction . ''
Birx and Fauci have both expressed concern at DeSantis ' order issued Friday that lifts statewide restrictions on restaurants , bars and other businesses .
As part of the order , the governor also said that local governments would no longer be able to issue fines to people for not wearing mandated face coverings .
In addition , he said fines issued so far would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caught many local governments off-guard and officials scrambled to determine what it meant for local rules .
Gimenez acknowledged that Miami-Dade 's Home Rule Charter gives the county standing to challenge some state oversight .
But he said , `` At this point , we can work within the boundaries of the rules . ''
He said bars and restaurants that are able to keep a six-foot separation between tables can now go to 100 % capacity .
But other establishments with less space will still have to limit occupancy to 50 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to issue civil citations with fines to people who do n't wear face coverings in public places , Gimenez said .
To comply with the Governor 's emergency order , he said the fines wo n't be collected until after the order expires .
For now , a county-wide 11 p.m. curfew remains in place , even though the Miami Heat are in the NBA finals .
`` Let 's celebrate , '' Gimenez said , `` by watching the Heat and the Lakers at home . ''

Florida's Miami-Dade Pushes Back On Loosening Of Coronavirus Restrictions
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lynne Sladky/AP Lynne Sladky/AP
Miami-Dade County says it will not fully comply with a decision by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to lift most restrictions aimed at controlling the spread of coronavirus, saying it's too soon to safely reverse the precautions.
County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, speaking Tuesday with local medical advisors, and in a conference call with White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx and the nation's leading infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said that the number of COVID-19 cases in the county has declined because it has reopened very slowly.
"We've seen good results from that," he said. "And my concern is that opening up too many things too quickly could lead us in the opposite direction."
Birx and Fauci have both expressed concern at DeSantis' order issued Friday that lifts statewide restrictions on restaurants, bars and other businesses. As part of the order, the governor also said that local governments would no longer be able to issue fines to people for not wearing mandated face coverings. In addition, he said fines issued so far would be suspended.
Friday's decision by DeSantis caught many local governments off-guard and officials scrambled to determine what it meant for local rules.
Gimenez acknowledged that Miami-Dade's Home Rule Charter gives the county standing to challenge some state oversight. But he said, "At this point, we can work within the boundaries of the rules."
He said bars and restaurants that are able to keep a six-foot separation between tables can now go to 100% capacity. But other establishments with less space will still have to limit occupancy to 50%, he said.
The county will continue to issue civil citations with fines to people who don't wear face coverings in public places, Gimenez said. To comply with the Governor's emergency order, he said the fines won't be collected until after the order expires.
For now, a county-wide 11 p.m. curfew remains in place, even though the Miami Heat are in the NBA finals.
"Let's celebrate," Gimenez said, "by watching the Heat and the Lakers at home."


npr--2020-09-29--NYC To Send New Ballots To Nearly 100,000 Voters After Printing Error

NYC To Send New Ballots To Nearly 100,000 Voters After Printing Error A version of this story was first published by Gothamist , a news site operated by NPR member station WNYC .
On Tuesday , the New York City Board of Elections announced a plan to print and mail new absentee ballots to nearly 100,000 voters who received erroneous envelopes in their absentee ballot packages .
The decision comes after an unknown number of Brooklyn voters received absentee ballots with the wrong name and address printed on the return envelope .
`` It is essential that confidence be established @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain that all of the voters who potentially have a problem have a full and fair opportunity to remedy that problem , '' said Michael Ryan , executive director of the New York City Board of Elections .
`` It is also essential to point out that this is a vendor error , '' he added , noting that the Rochester , N.Y.-based company , Phoenix Graphics , has agreed to pay for the cost of the additional printing of the ballots , while the election board will ensure those new ballots are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting by mail is set to expand significantly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and as President Trump has frequently made false claims that the practice will lead to widespread electoral fraud .
Phoenix was awarded a $ 4.6 million contract to produce and distribute the absentee ballots for the Board of Elections in May , The CITY reported , noting that `` the contract was a negotiated acquisition , which means that there was no competitive bidding . ''
Ryan told Gothamist/WNYC that he was alerted to this issue by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his team immediately contacted the vendor .
Based on the election board 's investigation , Ryan said they believed the error was limited to voters in Brooklyn in a single print run .
That printing took place on Sept. 17 and included 99,477 voters .
The board says about 140,000 absentee ballots have gone out in Brooklyn so far , out of the nearly half a million that have gone out citywide .
`` We want to , out of an abundance of caution , give a reprinted ballot to all of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run , '' Ryan said Tuesday .
For voters receiving a replacement ballot , Ryan said the board would include a notice in the new absentee ballot package alerting the voters as to why they are receiving it .
He also said the board would be reaching out to affected voters via email and phone if that information is available through the person 's voter file .
He said the board planned to alert voters through social media , too .
Despite its efforts to correct the problem Tuesday , the board came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who said they were fed up with the agency 's inability to carry out the key elements of its central mission reliably .
`` I do n't know how many times we 're going to see the same thing happen at the Board of Elections and be surprised , '' Mayor Bill de Blasio said at his daily briefing Tuesday .
`` There 's some good people there , and I know there 's some people that are trying hard , but it just is not a modern agency and it must be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work . ''
During de Blasio 's tenure , he has urged the board to make a series of reforms that would overhaul its management structure .
But since the board is empowered through New York state election law , with 10 commissioners appointed by the Democratic and Republican county party leaders in each of the five boroughs , the board has resisted any calls for reform .
Voters took news of the board 's plan with a healthy dose of skepticism .
Michael Johnson , 27 , applied for his absentee ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in August since he said he never received his absentee ballot for the June primary .
Johnson said he is immunocompromised and is currently staying in Washington state with family .
He received a mislabeled absentee ballot on Monday .
When he learned about the board 's plan to fix this problem , he said , `` It sounds great on paper , but it also sounded great when we were going to receive our ballots without any issues . ''
Johnson said he was considering taking a flight back to New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote .
`` I 'm not missing this vote , '' he said .
Joan Arkin , 65 , who cast her first vote for Mayor Abe Beame in 1973 , said if it were n't for a hyperlocal neighborhood message board , she would have never known to look at the problem with her ballot .
When she learned about the board 's proposed solution , she was still concerned because she worried this mistake had already eroded people 's confidence in absentee ballot voting .
`` Somebody should have been double-checking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Triple-checking . ''

NYC To Send New Ballots To Nearly 100,000 Voters After Printing Error
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Minchillo/AP John Minchillo/AP
A version of this story was first published by Gothamist, a news site operated by NPR member station WNYC.
On Tuesday, the New York City Board of Elections announced a plan to print and mail new absentee ballots to nearly 100,000 voters who received erroneous envelopes in their absentee ballot packages. The decision comes after an unknown number of Brooklyn voters received absentee ballots with the wrong name and address printed on the return envelope.
"It is essential that confidence be established in this process and that we make certain that all of the voters who potentially have a problem have a full and fair opportunity to remedy that problem," said Michael Ryan, executive director of the New York City Board of Elections.
"It is also essential to point out that this is a vendor error," he added, noting that the Rochester, N.Y.-based company, Phoenix Graphics, has agreed to pay for the cost of the additional printing of the ballots, while the election board will ensure those new ballots are processed appropriately.
The error comes as voting by mail is set to expand significantly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and as President Trump has frequently made false claims that the practice will lead to widespread electoral fraud.
Phoenix was awarded a $4.6 million contract to produce and distribute the absentee ballots for the Board of Elections in May, The CITY reported, noting that "the contract was a negotiated acquisition, which means that there was no competitive bidding."
Ryan told Gothamist/WNYC that he was alerted to this issue by a voter in Brooklyn on Saturday and that his team immediately contacted the vendor. Based on the election board's investigation, Ryan said they believed the error was limited to voters in Brooklyn in a single print run. That printing took place on Sept. 17 and included 99,477 voters.
The board says about 140,000 absentee ballots have gone out in Brooklyn so far, out of the nearly half a million that have gone out citywide.
"We want to, out of an abundance of caution, give a reprinted ballot to all of the voters potentially affected in that first print run," Ryan said Tuesday.
For voters receiving a replacement ballot, Ryan said the board would include a notice in the new absentee ballot package alerting the voters as to why they are receiving it. He also said the board would be reaching out to affected voters via email and phone if that information is available through the person's voter file. He said the board planned to alert voters through social media, too.
Despite its efforts to correct the problem Tuesday, the board came under fire from elected leaders and voters who said they were fed up with the agency's inability to carry out the key elements of its central mission reliably.
"I don't know how many times we're going to see the same thing happen at the Board of Elections and be surprised," Mayor Bill de Blasio said at his daily briefing Tuesday. "There's some good people there, and I know there's some people that are trying hard, but it just is not a modern agency and it must be changed. It just structurally doesn't work."
During de Blasio's tenure, he has urged the board to make a series of reforms that would overhaul its management structure. But since the board is empowered through New York state election law, with 10 commissioners appointed by the Democratic and Republican county party leaders in each of the five boroughs, the board has resisted any calls for reform.
Voters took news of the board's plan with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Michael Johnson, 27, applied for his absentee ballot as soon as the portal was live in August since he said he never received his absentee ballot for the June primary. Johnson said he is immunocompromised and is currently staying in Washington state with family. He received a mislabeled absentee ballot on Monday.
When he learned about the board's plan to fix this problem, he said, "It sounds great on paper, but it also sounded great when we were going to receive our ballots without any issues."
Johnson said he was considering taking a flight back to New York City just to make sure he could vote.
"I'm not missing this vote," he said.
Joan Arkin, 65, who cast her first vote for Mayor Abe Beame in 1973, said if it weren't for a hyperlocal neighborhood message board, she would have never known to look at the problem with her ballot. When she learned about the board's proposed solution, she was still concerned because she worried this mistake had already eroded people's confidence in absentee ballot voting.
"Somebody should have been double-checking this," Arkin said. "Triple-checking."


npr--2020-09-29--Anita Hill On Sexual Harassment In Hollywood And Beyond

Anita Hill On Sexual Harassment In Hollywood And Beyond In the three years since the Harvey Weinstein story broke and the # MeToo movement took off , a new report finds that people working in Hollywood and the entertainment business say not enough has changed .
The Hollywood Commission , a nonprofit that works to eradicate harassment and discrimination , surveyed nearly 10,000 people in the entertainment industry nationwide .
It found many are staying silent because they fear retaliation , or they do n't believe people in positions of power will be held to account .
Anita Hill , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience fighting to have allegations of sexual harassment in the workplace taken seriously .
In 1991 , she testified under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee — led by Sen. Joe Biden — that now-Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas had sexually harassed her while he was her boss .
Hill tells All Things Considered the standout data from the newly released Hollywood Survey was on accountability : 64 % of people surveyed said they did not think a person who was found to have harassed a subordinate would be held accountable .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in the spotlight , there have been numerous high-profile cases of powerful men losing their jobs because of their abusive , harassing or bullying behavior , but Hill says it 's not enough .
`` What we want to make sure is that it does n't stop with just a few high-profile cases , '' she says .
`` We know that there are problems throughout workplaces , and we want to make sure that everybody , whatever their position is , can count on being heard . ''
Hill , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also talks about the Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 and her endorsement of Biden , who she has criticized in the past for his role in the 1991 hearings .
The interview highlights contain some extra content that did not air in the broadcast version .
On the challenges of coming forward with allegations of abuse There are personal costs .
But even when people are willing to take the risk , there are other things that they 're considering .
People do n't come forward because they think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unfortunately , the Kavanaugh hearing really gave the impression that the Senate Judiciary Committee did not take Christine Blasey Ford 's claim seriously .
And people see that example and [ it ] becomes what they think will happen to them .
They think it 's not going to be taken seriously .
And even if it is investigated , nothing is going to happen to the person who has violated the rules .
And so you combine all of that and you have a mix where people are staying silent .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Joe Biden When I talk about the model of what should be happening [ to address issues of sexual harassment , abuse and discrimination ] , I think the government should be our model .
It was n't in 1991 , it was n't in 2018 .
But what we also know that in that time , between 1991 and today , we know how serious the issues that have been raised by me and by Christine Blasey Ford are .
And my feeling is that this is an opportunity , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Violence Against Women Act — to really take responsibility for charting a different course .
On whether she fully endorses Biden I do n't do political endorsements , I 'm not really involved in politics .
... What I do know is that I 'm making a choice about who I think can better address these issues .
NPR 's Courtney Dorning and Noah Caldwell edited and produced the radio interview .

Anita Hill On Sexual Harassment In Hollywood And Beyond
Enlarge this image toggle caption Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP
In the three years since the Harvey Weinstein story broke and the #MeToo movement took off, a new report finds that people working in Hollywood and the entertainment business say not enough has changed.
The Hollywood Commission, a nonprofit that works to eradicate harassment and discrimination, surveyed nearly 10,000 people in the entertainment industry nationwide. It found many are staying silent because they fear retaliation, or they don't believe people in positions of power will be held to account.
Anita Hill, chair of the commission, has personal experience fighting to have allegations of sexual harassment in the workplace taken seriously. In 1991, she testified under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee — led by Sen. Joe Biden — that now-Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas had sexually harassed her while he was her boss.
Hill tells All Things Considered the standout data from the newly released Hollywood Survey was on accountability: 64% of people surveyed said they did not think a person who was found to have harassed a subordinate would be held accountable.
In the three years that #MeToo has been in the spotlight, there have been numerous high-profile cases of powerful men losing their jobs because of their abusive, harassing or bullying behavior, but Hill says it's not enough.
"What we want to make sure is that it doesn't stop with just a few high-profile cases," she says. "We know that there are problems throughout workplaces, and we want to make sure that everybody, whatever their position is, can count on being heard."
Hill, who is a professor at Brandeis University, also talks about the Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 and her endorsement of Biden, who she has criticized in the past for his role in the 1991 hearings.
The interview highlights contain some extra content that did not air in the broadcast version.
Interview Highlights
On the challenges of coming forward with allegations of abuse
There are personal costs. But even when people are willing to take the risk, there are other things that they're considering. People don't come forward because they think they won't be taken seriously. Unfortunately, the Kavanaugh hearing really gave the impression that the Senate Judiciary Committee did not take Christine Blasey Ford's claim seriously.
And people see that example and [it] becomes what they think will happen to them. They think it's not going to be taken seriously. And even if it is investigated, nothing is going to happen to the person who has violated the rules. And so you combine all of that and you have a mix where people are staying silent.
On her announcement that she plans to vote for Joe Biden
When I talk about the model of what should be happening [to address issues of sexual harassment, abuse and discrimination], I think the government should be our model. It wasn't in 1991, it wasn't in 2018.
But what we also know that in that time, between 1991 and today, we know how serious the issues that have been raised by me and by Christine Blasey Ford are. And my feeling is that this is an opportunity, with Joe Biden — who was involved in the Violence Against Women Act — to really take responsibility for charting a different course.
On whether she fully endorses Biden
I don't do political endorsements, I'm not really involved in politics. ... What I do know is that I'm making a choice about who I think can better address these issues.
NPR's Courtney Dorning and Noah Caldwell edited and produced the radio interview.


npr--2020-09-29--'Kobe Bryant Bill' Makes It A Crime For First Responders To Photograph Dead Bodies

'Kobe Bryant Bill ' Makes It A Crime For First Responders To Photograph Dead Bodies Shortly after the helicopter crash that killed NBA legend Kobe Bryant , his daughter Gianna , and seven others , reports surfaced that gruesome photos of the crash scene were being shared online .
Those photos , said to contain images of mangled bodies , were allegedly taken by some of the first responders to arrive at the accident scene .
So , a California lawmaker proposed a bill that would make it a misdemeanor for any first responder to take unauthorized photos of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unanimously by both houses of the California legislature , and on Monday Gov .
Gavin Newsom signed it into law .
`` Like many others , I was mortified after I 'd heard that first responders captured and shared unauthorized photos from the scene of the helicopter crash , '' Assemblyman Mike Gipson , who drafted the law , said in a statement when the bill went to Newsom 's desk .
`` The actions of the first responders involved were unacceptable , and they highlighted a problem that demands a strong remedy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per offense .
Newsom 's signature comes just weeks after Bryant 's widow , Vanessa Bryant , sued the Los Angeles County sheriff , alleging that its deputies shared unauthorized photos of the crash .
The lawsuit says Bryant was `` shocked and devastated '' by reports of the photos .
`` Mrs. Bryant feels ill at the thought of strangers gawking at images of her deceased husband and child and she lives in fear that she or her children will one day confront horrific images of their loved ones online , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press .
She 's seeking damages for negligence , invasion of privacy , and intentional infliction of emotional distress .
`` This lawsuit is about accountability and about preventing this disgraceful behavior from happening to other families in the future who have suffered loss , '' Bryant 's attorney , Luis Li , said in a statement .

'Kobe Bryant Bill' Makes It A Crime For First Responders To Photograph Dead Bodies
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Shortly after the helicopter crash that killed NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others, reports surfaced that gruesome photos of the crash scene were being shared online.
Those photos, said to contain images of mangled bodies, were allegedly taken by some of the first responders to arrive at the accident scene.
So, a California lawmaker proposed a bill that would make it a misdemeanor for any first responder to take unauthorized photos of the dead bodies. The bill was approved unanimously by both houses of the California legislature, and on Monday Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it into law.
"Like many others, I was mortified after I'd heard that first responders captured and shared unauthorized photos from the scene of the helicopter crash," Assemblyman Mike Gipson, who drafted the law, said in a statement when the bill went to Newsom's desk.
"The actions of the first responders involved were unacceptable, and they highlighted a problem that demands a strong remedy."
The penalty is $1,000 per offense.
Newsom's signature comes just weeks after Bryant's widow, Vanessa Bryant, sued the Los Angeles County sheriff, alleging that its deputies shared unauthorized photos of the crash.
The lawsuit says Bryant was "shocked and devastated" by reports of the photos. "Mrs. Bryant feels ill at the thought of strangers gawking at images of her deceased husband and child and she lives in fear that she or her children will one day confront horrific images of their loved ones online," the suit says, according to The Associated Press.
She's seeking damages for negligence, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
"This lawsuit is about accountability and about preventing this disgraceful behavior from happening to other families in the future who have suffered loss," Bryant's attorney, Luis Li, said in a statement.


npr--2020-09-29--You Literally Can't Believe The Facts Tucker Carlson Tells You. So Say Fox's Lawyers

You Literally Ca n't Believe The Facts Tucker Carlson Tells You .
So Say Fox 's Lawyers Tucker Carlson appears to be made of Teflon .
Fox News ' top-rated host has been repeatedly accused of anti-immigrant and racist comments , which have cost his political opinion show many of its major advertisers .
Yet Carlson endures in his prime-time slot .
Carlson even attacked his own network 's chief news anchor on the air , with no real consequences .
That anchor , Shepard Smith , quit mid-contract shortly after Carlson went after him .
Now comes the claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe the words that come out of Carlson 's mouth .
And that assertion is not coming from Carlson 's critics .
It 's being made by a federal judge in the Southern District of New York and by Fox News 's own lawyers in defending Carlson against accusations of slander .
It worked , by the way .
Just read U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil 's opinion , leaning heavily on the arguments of Fox 's lawyers : The `` 'general tenor ' of the show should then inform a viewer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actual facts ' about the topics he discusses and is instead engaging in 'exaggeration ' and 'non-literal commentary . '
`` She wrote : `` Fox persuasively argues , that given Mr. Carlson 's reputation , any reasonable viewer 'arrive [ s ] with an appropriate amount of skepticism ' about the statement he makes . ''
Vyskocil , an appointee of President Trump 's , added , `` Whether the Court frames Mr. Carlson 's statements as 'exaggeration , ' 'non-literal commentary , ' or simply bloviating for his audience , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not actionable . ''
Vyskocil 's ruling last week , dismissing a slander lawsuit filed against Carlson , was a win for Fox , First Amendment principles and the media more generally , as Fox News itself maintains .
As a legal matter , the judge ruled that Karen McDougal , the woman suing Carlson , failed to surmount the challenge .
But in the process of saving the Fox star , the network 's attorneys raised the journalistic question : Just what level of fact-checking does Fox News expect , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyers note this is not the first time this sort of defense has been offered .
A $ 10 million libel lawsuit filed by the owners of One America News Network against MSNBC 's top star , Rachel Maddow , was dismissed in May when the judge ruled she had stretched the established facts allowably : `` The context of Maddow 's statement shows reasonable viewers would consider the contested statement to be opinion . ''
In the Fox case , Carlson was presenting his own narrative , not even one extrapolating from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign , McDougal , a former Playboy model , had sought to tell her account of an earlier affair with Trump .
The National Enquirer tabloid bought McDougal 's story for $ 150,000 during the 2016 campaign and then buried it to protect Trump from any fallout .
More than two years later , in December 2018 , Carlson began presenting Trump as the victim of extortion .
Seeking to discredit former Trump attorney Michael Cohen 's tale of hush payments — and alleged campaign finance law violations — Carlson first told viewers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story .
These are undisputed . ''
But they are n't undisputed .
They 're not even facts .
He then proceeded to say , `` Two women approach Donald Trump and threaten to ruin his career and humiliate his family if he does n't give them money .
Now that sounds like a classic case of extortion . ''
Pictures of former adult film star Stephanie Clifford , known as Stormy Daniels , and McDougal flashed on screen .
Cohen paid Daniels $ 130,000 on behalf of Trump , who denies that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McDougal never approached Trump .
She and her representative had spoken to ABC News and to the National Enquirer because , she said , she feared word of the affair would leak out during the campaign anyway and she preferred to be the one to tell the story .
It was n't publicly known that David Pecker , then the CEO of the tabloid 's parent company , had promised Trump he would help keep stories about extramarital affairs from seeing the light of day .
Carlson and Fox never corrected that significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Erik Wemple underscored .
Not to worry , Carlson 's lawyers said .
In written briefs , they cited previous rulings to argue Carlson 's words were `` loose , figurative or hyperbolic . ''
They took note of a nonjournalist 's use of the word `` extort , '' which proved nondefamatory because it was mere `` rhetorical hyperbole , a vigorous epithet . ''
Carlson has been accused of hyperbolic , vicious and unfounded claims about women , people of color and immigrants in the past .
This year , his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program in the history of cable news .
He maintains the backing of Fox Corp. Executive Chairman and CEO Lachlan Murdoch .
The Daily Beast reported Tuesday that Fox recently slashed its research team , cutting it by about one-fourth during modest networkwide layoffs .
Fox News said that is overstating the size of the cut to the unit .
It said it eliminated duplication and those functions are conducted elsewhere throughout its newsroom and programs .
In Carlson 's defense , Fox 's attorneys , from Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Hunton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the standard of `` actual malice '' requires more than just showing someone should have researched or investigated a subject before popping off , thanks to U.S. Supreme Court rulings .
The Fox team 's legal briefs compared Carlson 's show to radio talk-show programs hosted by ex-MSNBC and Fox Business star Don Imus , who won a case more than two decades ago because an appellate court ruled that `` the complained of statements would not have been taken by reasonable listeners as factual pronouncements but simply as instances in which the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the air in the crude and hyperbolic manner that has , over the years , become their verbal stock in trade . ''
In sum , the Fox News lawyers mocked the legal case made by McDougal 's legal team .
She alleged `` a reasonable viewer of ordinary intelligence listening or watching the show ... would conclude that [ she ] is a criminal who extorted Trump for money '' and that `` the statements about [ her ] were fact . ''
`` Context makes plain , '' Fox 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewer would do no such thing . ''

You Literally Can't Believe The Facts Tucker Carlson Tells You. So Say Fox's Lawyers
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Tucker Carlson appears to be made of Teflon. Fox News' top-rated host has been repeatedly accused of anti-immigrant and racist comments, which have cost his political opinion show many of its major advertisers. Yet Carlson endures in his prime-time slot.
Carlson even attacked his own network's chief news anchor on the air, with no real consequences. That anchor, Shepard Smith, quit mid-contract shortly after Carlson went after him.
Now comes the claim that you can't expect to literally believe the words that come out of Carlson's mouth. And that assertion is not coming from Carlson's critics. It's being made by a federal judge in the Southern District of New York and by Fox News's own lawyers in defending Carlson against accusations of slander. It worked, by the way.
Just read U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil's opinion, leaning heavily on the arguments of Fox's lawyers: The "'general tenor' of the show should then inform a viewer that [Carlson] is not 'stating actual facts' about the topics he discusses and is instead engaging in 'exaggeration' and 'non-literal commentary.' "
She wrote: "Fox persuasively argues, that given Mr. Carlson's reputation, any reasonable viewer 'arrive[s] with an appropriate amount of skepticism' about the statement he makes."
Vyskocil, an appointee of President Trump's, added, "Whether the Court frames Mr. Carlson's statements as 'exaggeration,' 'non-literal commentary,' or simply bloviating for his audience, the conclusion remains the same — the statements are not actionable."
Vyskocil's ruling last week, dismissing a slander lawsuit filed against Carlson, was a win for Fox, First Amendment principles and the media more generally, as Fox News itself maintains. As a legal matter, the judge ruled that Karen McDougal, the woman suing Carlson, failed to surmount the challenge.
But in the process of saving the Fox star, the network's attorneys raised the journalistic question: Just what level of fact-checking does Fox News expect, or subject its opinion shows to?
Media lawyers note this is not the first time this sort of defense has been offered. A $10 million libel lawsuit filed by the owners of One America News Network against MSNBC's top star, Rachel Maddow, was dismissed in May when the judge ruled she had stretched the established facts allowably: "The context of Maddow's statement shows reasonable viewers would consider the contested statement to be opinion."
In the Fox case, Carlson was presenting his own narrative, not even one extrapolating from known facts.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, McDougal, a former Playboy model, had sought to tell her account of an earlier affair with Trump. The National Enquirer tabloid bought McDougal's story for $150,000 during the 2016 campaign and then buried it to protect Trump from any fallout.
More than two years later, in December 2018, Carlson began presenting Trump as the victim of extortion. Seeking to discredit former Trump attorney Michael Cohen's tale of hush payments — and alleged campaign finance law violations — Carlson first told viewers, "Remember the facts of the story. These are undisputed."
But they aren't undisputed. They're not even facts.
He then proceeded to say, "Two women approach Donald Trump and threaten to ruin his career and humiliate his family if he doesn't give them money. Now that sounds like a classic case of extortion."
Pictures of former adult film star Stephanie Clifford, known as Stormy Daniels, and McDougal flashed on screen. Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 on behalf of Trump, who denies that either affair occurred.
In reality, McDougal never approached Trump. She and her representative had spoken to ABC News and to the National Enquirer because, she said, she feared word of the affair would leak out during the campaign anyway and she preferred to be the one to tell the story. It wasn't publicly known that David Pecker, then the CEO of the tabloid's parent company, had promised Trump he would help keep stories about extramarital affairs from seeing the light of day.
Carlson and Fox never corrected that significant error, as The Washington Post's Erik Wemple underscored.
Not to worry, Carlson's lawyers said. In written briefs, they cited previous rulings to argue Carlson's words were "loose, figurative or hyperbolic." They took note of a nonjournalist's use of the word "extort," which proved nondefamatory because it was mere "rhetorical hyperbole, a vigorous epithet."
Carlson has been accused of hyperbolic, vicious and unfounded claims about women, people of color and immigrants in the past. This year, his audiences have made his show the top-rated program in the history of cable news. He maintains the backing of Fox Corp. Executive Chairman and CEO Lachlan Murdoch.
The Daily Beast reported Tuesday that Fox recently slashed its research team, cutting it by about one-fourth during modest networkwide layoffs. Fox News said that is overstating the size of the cut to the unit. It said it eliminated duplication and those functions are conducted elsewhere throughout its newsroom and programs.
In Carlson's defense, Fox's attorneys, from Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, noted that meeting the standard of "actual malice" requires more than just showing someone should have researched or investigated a subject before popping off, thanks to U.S. Supreme Court rulings.
The Fox team's legal briefs compared Carlson's show to radio talk-show programs hosted by ex-MSNBC and Fox Business star Don Imus, who won a case more than two decades ago because an appellate court ruled that "the complained of statements would not have been taken by reasonable listeners as factual pronouncements but simply as instances in which the defendant radio hosts had expressed their views over the air in the crude and hyperbolic manner that has, over the years, become their verbal stock in trade."
In sum, the Fox News lawyers mocked the legal case made by McDougal's legal team. She alleged "a reasonable viewer of ordinary intelligence listening or watching the show ... would conclude that [she] is a criminal who extorted Trump for money" and that "the statements about [her] were fact."
"Context makes plain," Fox's lawyers wrote, "that the reasonable viewer would do no such thing."
The judge fully agreed.


npr--2020-09-29--Flynn Attorney Says She Briefed Trump On Case Amid DOJ Intervention

Flynn Attorney Says She Briefed Trump On Case Amid DOJ Intervention An attorney for former national security adviser Michael Flynn said she briefed President Trump and a lawyer working for him on the status of Flynn 's criminal case in the past two weeks , according to statements in court on Tuesday .
The lawyer , Sidney Powell , initially told the judge she was wary of disclosing the contact because of so-called executive privilege , even though she does not work for Trump or the White House .
The disclosure emerged at an unusual hearing in which the judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Department 's motives for abandoning charges against the former national security adviser , who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador .
A former federal judge working as a friend of the court said the Justice Department 's decision smacked of political favoritism to help a friend of the president 's .
`` Not for nothing , but this crime was committed in the West Wing , '' said John Gleeson , the former judge .
Gleeson said that this White House , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had trampled on the independence of the Justice Department and the FBI , which had yielded to pressure from the president to drop the case against Flynn .
Trump has tweeted or retweeted more than 100 times about what he views as the unfairness of the Flynn case , but Gleeson and the government lawyers disagreed about whether the presiding judge , Emmet Sullivan , should weigh those comments in deciding how to proceed .
Powell , the lawyer for Flynn , argued the case had been infected by bias from FBI investigators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would have helped his defense .
She also trained her ire at Sullivan — before acknowledging that despite her criticism , she had not yet acted on it by filing a formal motion seeking to remove the judge from the case .
`` It is a hideous abuse of power that continues to this very minute , '' Powell said of the case against Flynn .
Powell ultimately backed down from her assertion about executive privilege after the judge repeatedly pressed her about meetings and conversations she had with Trump , Attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeffrey Rosen .
Legal experts pointed out that the privilege would not apply to communications between the president and a private citizen not acting as his legal counsel .
Questions about evidence tampering Also in court on Tuesday , Sullivan said he was `` floored '' by a letter submitted by an attorney for former FBI agent Peter Strzok contending that someone had doctored his notes in the case from early January 2017 — potentially to cast aspersions on former Vice President Joe Biden .
The judge said someone from the government would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coming days about the integrity of the evidence .
Trump , Flynn 's camp and supporters have sought to use Strzok 's notes to tie Biden to what they call the biased treatment Flynn received from authorities — although former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates sought to deflate that narrative at a Senate hearing last month .
Sullivan also asked whether it would be `` appropriate '' for him to dismiss the current lying-to-the-FBI case against Flynn — but leave it for a future Justice Department and a future attorney general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statements and Foreign Agent Registration Act charges for his work on behalf of government interests in Turkey .
Flynn did not face prosecution over other alleged wrongdoing in which he may have been involved as part of the plea agreement in which he agreed to provide evidence in the Russia investigation — which prosecutors said he did eagerly until his relationship with the government turned sour .
For its part , the Justice Department said Tuesday it had not found a single appeals court case in history in which the government had sought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a federal judge had then denied the motion .
The executive branch has the `` exclusive authority '' to prosecute a case , Deputy Assistant Attorney General Hashim Mooppan said .
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Kohl , who said he was the senior-most career lawyer in the U.S. Attorney 's Office for the District of Columbia , told the judge the Flynn case now would be impossible to prosecute because of doubts that had been cast about witnesses , including Strzok , whose text messages raised questions about bias against Trump .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to dismiss this case was the right call for the right reasons , '' Kohl said .
At one point , the judge asked why no members of the team led by former special counsel Robert Mueller had signed onto the idea of walking away from the Flynn case .
Separately , Mueller issued a rare public statement Tuesday after his former team member , Andrew Weissmann , published a book criticizing the investigators for pulling their punches under intense pressure from the Trump White House .
`` It is not surprising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office did not always agree , but it is disappointing to hear criticism of our team based on incomplete information , '' Mueller wrote .
He added that the office mission was to follow the facts and act with integrity .
`` That is what we did , knowing that our work would be scrutinized from all sides , '' he said .
`` When important decisions had to be made , I made them .
I did so as I have always done , without any interest in currying favor or fear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those decisions and by the conclusions of our investigation . ''

Flynn Attorney Says She Briefed Trump On Case Amid DOJ Intervention
Enlarge this image toggle caption Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
Updated at 4:47 p.m. ET
An attorney for former national security adviser Michael Flynn said she briefed President Trump and a lawyer working for him on the status of Flynn's criminal case in the past two weeks, according to statements in court on Tuesday.
The lawyer, Sidney Powell, initially told the judge she was wary of disclosing the contact because of so-called executive privilege, even though she does not work for Trump or the White House.
The disclosure emerged at an unusual hearing in which the judge presiding over Flynn's case probed the Justice Department's motives for abandoning charges against the former national security adviser, who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador.
A former federal judge working as a friend of the court said the Justice Department's decision smacked of political favoritism to help a friend of the president's.
"Not for nothing, but this crime was committed in the West Wing," said John Gleeson, the former judge.
Gleeson said that this White House, more than any other since Richard Nixon, had trampled on the independence of the Justice Department and the FBI, which had yielded to pressure from the president to drop the case against Flynn.
Trump has tweeted or retweeted more than 100 times about what he views as the unfairness of the Flynn case, but Gleeson and the government lawyers disagreed about whether the presiding judge, Emmet Sullivan, should weigh those comments in deciding how to proceed.
Flynn's lawyers allege bias
Powell, the lawyer for Flynn, argued the case had been infected by bias from FBI investigators and a failure to turn over evidence that would have helped his defense. She also trained her ire at Sullivan — before acknowledging that despite her criticism, she had not yet acted on it by filing a formal motion seeking to remove the judge from the case.
"It is a hideous abuse of power that continues to this very minute," Powell said of the case against Flynn.
Powell ultimately backed down from her assertion about executive privilege after the judge repeatedly pressed her about meetings and conversations she had with Trump, Attorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen.
Legal experts pointed out that the privilege would not apply to communications between the president and a private citizen not acting as his legal counsel.
Questions about evidence tampering
Also in court on Tuesday, Sullivan said he was "floored" by a letter submitted by an attorney for former FBI agent Peter Strzok contending that someone had doctored his notes in the case from early January 2017 — potentially to cast aspersions on former Vice President Joe Biden.
The judge said someone from the government would have to make a certification to him in the coming days about the integrity of the evidence.
Trump, Flynn's camp and supporters have sought to use Strzok's notes to tie Biden to what they call the biased treatment Flynn received from authorities — although former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates sought to deflate that narrative at a Senate hearing last month.
Sullivan also asked whether it would be "appropriate" for him to dismiss the current lying-to-the-FBI case against Flynn — but leave it for a future Justice Department and a future attorney general to consider prosecuting him on other false statements and Foreign Agent Registration Act charges for his work on behalf of government interests in Turkey.
Flynn did not face prosecution over other alleged wrongdoing in which he may have been involved as part of the plea agreement in which he agreed to provide evidence in the Russia investigation — which prosecutors said he did eagerly until his relationship with the government turned sour.
Government frustration
For its part, the Justice Department said Tuesday it had not found a single appeals court case in history in which the government had sought to drop a case against a defendant and a federal judge had then denied the motion. The executive branch has the "exclusive authority" to prosecute a case, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Hashim Mooppan said.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Kohl, who said he was the senior-most career lawyer in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, told the judge the Flynn case now would be impossible to prosecute because of doubts that had been cast about witnesses, including Strzok, whose text messages raised questions about bias against Trump.
"The U.S. attorney's office's decision to dismiss this case was the right call for the right reasons," Kohl said.
At one point, the judge asked why no members of the team led by former special counsel Robert Mueller had signed onto the idea of walking away from the Flynn case. Separately, Mueller issued a rare public statement Tuesday after his former team member, Andrew Weissmann, published a book criticizing the investigators for pulling their punches under intense pressure from the Trump White House.
"It is not surprising that members of the special counsel's office did not always agree, but it is disappointing to hear criticism of our team based on incomplete information," Mueller wrote.
He added that the office mission was to follow the facts and act with integrity.
"That is what we did, knowing that our work would be scrutinized from all sides," he said. "When important decisions had to be made, I made them. I did so as I have always done, without any interest in currying favor or fear of the consequences. I stand by those decisions and by the conclusions of our investigation."


npr--2020-09-29--NHL Completes Season In Bubble; Tampa Bay Lightning Win Stanley Cup

For the NHL , the bubble experiment paid off .
On Monday night , the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Dallas Stars 2-0 to win the Stanley Cup .
The NHL carried out more than 33,000 coronavirus tests over the course of nine weeks — and says none of them have come back positive as of Sept. 26 .
The league is expected to release a final report soon .
The NHL is the first of the four major North American pro sports leagues to crown a champion during the pandemic .
The teams who made it to the final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zones , '' where they were sequestered from outsiders .
Their immediate family members were only allowed to join them for the conference finals and the Cup Final .
In the bubble , they were tested daily and required to adhere to strict rules designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
After the final buzzer went off , the Lightning were n't just celebrating winning the team 's second-ever Stanley Cup — it also meant the players could go home .
`` The gauntlet that you have to run to hoist this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unbelievable than this year , '' NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said during the cup presentation .
`` This Stanley Cup run will go down in the record books as perhaps the hardest run of all times .
You guys should all be incredibly proud . ''
The Lightning won four of the six games in the Stanley Cup Final against the Stars .
Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman was crowned the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs MVP .
The post-season saw 24 teams in two hub cities , Toronto and Edmonton .
Each team could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bubbles , with daily testing for each person .
Looking ahead to next year , the league appears unlikely to repeat the same bubble environment long term .
`` Certainly not for a season , '' Don Fehr , NHL Players Association executive director , told The Associated Press on Sunday .
`` Nobody is going to do that for four months or six months or something like that . ''
He outlined one potential alternative : a protected environment where players could cycle in and out for a `` substantially shorter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it as a short-term bubble .
The NHL had its eyes on a tentative Dec. 1 start date for next season , but already acknowledged a later December or January start is possible .

NHL Completes Season In Bubble; Tampa Bay Lightning Win Stanley Cup
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bruce Bennett/Getty Images Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
For the NHL, the bubble experiment paid off.
On Monday night, the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Dallas Stars 2-0 to win the Stanley Cup.
The NHL carried out more than 33,000 coronavirus tests over the course of nine weeks — and says none of them have come back positive as of Sept. 26. The league is expected to release a final report soon.
The NHL is the first of the four major North American pro sports leagues to crown a champion during the pandemic. The teams who made it to the final spent over two months in "secure zones," where they were sequestered from outsiders. Their immediate family members were only allowed to join them for the conference finals and the Cup Final.
In the bubble, they were tested daily and required to adhere to strict rules designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
After the final buzzer went off, the Lightning weren't just celebrating winning the team's second-ever Stanley Cup — it also meant the players could go home.
"The gauntlet that you have to run to hoist this trophy is unbelievable. And never more unbelievable than this year," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said during the cup presentation. "This Stanley Cup run will go down in the record books as perhaps the hardest run of all times. You guys should all be incredibly proud."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bruce Bennett/Getty Images Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
The Lightning won four of the six games in the Stanley Cup Final against the Stars. Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman was crowned the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs MVP.
The post-season saw 24 teams in two hub cities, Toronto and Edmonton. Each team could only have a 52-member traveling party in the bubbles, with daily testing for each person.
Looking ahead to next year, the league appears unlikely to repeat the same bubble environment long term.
"Certainly not for a season," Don Fehr, NHL Players Association executive director, told The Associated Press on Sunday. "Nobody is going to do that for four months or six months or something like that."
He outlined one potential alternative: a protected environment where players could cycle in and out for a "substantially shorter period of time." Think of it as a short-term bubble.
The NHL had its eyes on a tentative Dec. 1 start date for next season, but already acknowledged a later December or January start is possible.
Reese Oxner is an intern on NPR's News Desk.