inquisitr--2020-05-10--Donald Trump Doesn’t Deserve Reelection After His ‘Shameful’ Response To Coronavirus, Piers Morgan S

Donald Trump Doesn’t Deserve Reelection After His ‘Shameful’ Response To Coronavirus, Piers Morgan Says

Piers Morgan is calling out U.S. President Donald Trump for his response to the coronavirus , saying the president doesn ’ t deserve reelection due to the “ shameful ” way he has handled the deadly outbreak .
The British television host said in an interview with The Sunday Times that Trump has failed as a leader in response to the global pandemic , which has struck the United States particularly hard .
Morgan , once a backer of Trump , criticized the president for making what he sees as insensitive remarks and pushing “ stupid , crazy theories ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morgan added that Trump should be better connecting with the American people who are hurting from the health and economic effects of the outbreak , but said the president doesn ’ t know how .
“ Trump ’ s biggest Achilles heel has always been his complete inability to show empathy , ” Morgan said , via Newsweek .
“ Right now , I do not think he deserves to be re-elected.
” Morgan also slammed Trump for his encouragement of the anti-lockdown protests that have arisen across the United States .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberate ” a series of states with Democratic governors , and Morgan feared that some of the gun-carrying protesters could be moved to violence if the president continues to push them .
“ And they ’ re all heavily armed with semi-automatic weapons , and if , God forbid , they lose their jobs , have no income , are angry and are persuaded by Trump that his political opponents are being tyrannical , I can see some very ugly scenes , ” Morgan said .
“ Aided and abetted by the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morgan and Trump have had a long-running relationship , with the British television host winning the first season of Trump ’ s reality television show , The Celebrity Apprentice , in 2007 and at times supporting the president .
After Trump ’ s former chief of staff , John Kelly , resigned from the position in December 2018 , Morgan wrote an op-ed describing why he would be a good choice to replace him .
This is not the first time that Morgan has voiced his displeasure with how Trump has handled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he also said last month that Trump ’ s musing that disinfectants could either be injected or ingested to treat the coronavirus was going to get people killed .
Trump later said that he was just being sarcastic to see how reporters would respond , but poison control centers across the United States reported a rise in cases of people ingesting household cleaners in the hours after Trump ’ s comments .
In the wake of that criticism , Trump unfollowed Morgan on social media .

Piers Morgan is calling out U.S. President Donald Trump for his response to the coronavirus, saying the president doesn’t deserve reelection due to the “shameful” way he has handled the deadly outbreak.
The British television host said in an interview with The Sunday Times that Trump has failed as a leader in response to the global pandemic, which has struck the United States particularly hard. Morgan, once a backer of Trump, criticized the president for making what he sees as insensitive remarks and pushing “stupid, crazy theories” about potential treatments for the coronavirus.
Morgan added that Trump should be better connecting with the American people who are hurting from the health and economic effects of the outbreak, but said the president doesn’t know how.
“Trump’s biggest Achilles heel has always been his complete inability to show empathy,” Morgan said, via Newsweek. “Right now, I do not think he deserves to be re-elected.”
Morgan also slammed Trump for his encouragement of the anti-lockdown protests that have arisen across the United States. Trump had previously tweeted a call to “liberate” a series of states with Democratic governors, and Morgan feared that some of the gun-carrying protesters could be moved to violence if the president continues to push them.
“And they’re all heavily armed with semi-automatic weapons, and if, God forbid, they lose their jobs, have no income, are angry and are persuaded by Trump that his political opponents are being tyrannical, I can see some very ugly scenes,” Morgan said. “Aided and abetted by the president. And it’s shameful.”
Morgan and Trump have had a long-running relationship, with the British television host winning the first season of Trump’s reality television show, The Celebrity Apprentice, in 2007 and at times supporting the president. After Trump’s former chief of staff, John Kelly, resigned from the position in December 2018, Morgan wrote an op-ed describing why he would be a good choice to replace him.
This is not the first time that Morgan has voiced his displeasure with how Trump has handled the crisis. As The Inquisitr reported, he also said last month that Trump’s musing that disinfectants could either be injected or ingested to treat the coronavirus was going to get people killed. Trump later said that he was just being sarcastic to see how reporters would respond, but poison control centers across the United States reported a rise in cases of people ingesting household cleaners in the hours after Trump’s comments.
In the wake of that criticism, Trump unfollowed Morgan on social media.


inquisitr--2020-05-10--Joe Biden Holds A Historically Steady Lead Over Donald Trump In Presidential Polls, Analyst Says

Joe Biden ’ s lead over Donald Trump is historic in its steadiness , a polling expert says .
Harry Enten noted in an analysis for CNN that a new Monmouth University poll released this weekend shows that Biden leads Trump 50 percent to 41 percent , with Biden dropping to 47 percent and Trump to 40 percent when third-party candidate Justin Amash was added .
As Enten noted , this is in line with the 6-point national lead that Biden has held over Trump for months of head-to-head polling .
Enten noted that polls over the last month showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on average , matching the polling average from the last year and even going back to the start of 2019 , before the former vice president had officially entered the race .
As Enten added , this level of continuity has not been seen in presidential polling in nearly 60 years .
“ The steadiness in the polls is record breaking .
Biden ’ s advantage is the steadiest in a race with an incumbent running since at least 1944 , ” he wrote , noting that 95 percent of all polls have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the average .
“ That could mean it ’ ll be harder to change the trajectory of the race going forward , though this remains more than close enough that either candidate could easily win.
” Polling has remained steady through a series developments that in other years could have brought major swings for the candidates , including criticism of Trump ’ s handling of the coronavirus and the nation ’ s rising death toll , the suspension of Bernie Sanders ’ campaign making Biden the presumptive nominee , and an allegation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staffer .
Though the race may be relatively close on a national level , Biden has shown an advantage in the polling of key battleground states that could turn the election .
This includes a strength in the Rust Belt states of Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin , which Trump won in 2016 and would likely need to hold in order to win in 2020 .
Biden has also done well in polling of some key battleground states that could turn the U.S. Senate .
As The Inquisitr reported , a recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week showed that Biden was opening up a significant lead in areas that could help turn control of the Senate over to the Democrats .
As The Hill reported , the poll shows that Biden up 9 points over the president among voters in Iowa , Maine , North Carolina , Arizona , Colorado , and Montana .
The report noted that all of these states have Republican senators up for reelection who could be at risk of losing .

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inquisitr--2020-05-10--California Politician Tweets ‘F*ck Elon Musk’ After Tesla Founder’s Threat To Pull Company Out Of Th

California Politician Tweets ‘F*ck Elon Musk’ After Tesla Founder’s Threat To Pull Company Out Of The State

A California politician is not taking well to Elon Musk ’ s threat to pull his Tesla company out of the state .
After the billionaire tech mogul said this week that he was considering pulling out of California due to the state ’ s ongoing coronavirus restrictions , state representative Lorena Gonzales responded with a succinct tweet attacking him .
The tweet attracted some viral interest , with the New York Post noting that many criticized the state assemblywoman for what they saw as an unnecessary attack , while others said it is the state ’ s fault that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Yeah .
Screw the guy who has actually created a company and jobs and accomplished something , ” one person replied .
“ To hell with anyone who has actually made the world a better place.
” The tweet also highlighted the growing tension between Musk and state officials over the continued restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
California was one of the earlier states to issue stay-at-home orders , and many local governments have kept those restrictions in place even as the state began planning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case in Alameda County , where local officials reportedly rejected a plan put forward by Tesla to begin opening limited operations at its factory there .
Musk had taken to Twitter this week to announce plans to sue country health officials for the decision .
“ Tesla is filing a lawsuit against Alameda County immediately .
The unelected & ignorant ‘ Interim Health Officer ’ of Alameda is acting contrary to the Governor , the President , our Constitutional freedoms & just plain common sense , ” Musk tweeted .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plant would begin to reopen , but Musk made it clear that he would like to do so immediately .
Musk later tweeted that he was considering moving the company ’ s headquarters and programs to Texas and Nevada , saying the future of the company in California would depend on how it was treated there .
This came after California Gov .
Gavin Newsom announced a plan that would allow factories in the state to start reopening , though local officials had the authority to impose their own limitations depending on conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been criticized for some early inaccurate statements about the coronavirus outbreak , saying fears were overblown .
He has since become a vocal advocate for reopening the American economy , taking to Twitter to praise states that had started to allow businesses to reopen and making calls to “ FREE AMERICA NOW .
”

A California politician is not taking well to Elon Musk’s threat to pull his Tesla company out of the state.
After the billionaire tech mogul said this week that he was considering pulling out of California due to the state’s ongoing coronavirus restrictions, state representative Lorena Gonzales responded with a succinct tweet attacking him.
“F*ck Elon Musk,” she tweeted.
The tweet attracted some viral interest, with the New York Post noting that many criticized the state assemblywoman for what they saw as an unnecessary attack, while others said it is the state’s fault that Musk wants to pull Tesla out.
“Yeah. Screw the guy who has actually created a company and jobs and accomplished something,” one person replied. “To hell with anyone who has actually made the world a better place.”
The tweet also highlighted the growing tension between Musk and state officials over the continued restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus. California was one of the earlier states to issue stay-at-home orders, and many local governments have kept those restrictions in place even as the state began planning for a phased-in reopening.
That is the case in Alameda County, where local officials reportedly rejected a plan put forward by Tesla to begin opening limited operations at its factory there. Musk had taken to Twitter this week to announce plans to sue country health officials for the decision.
“Tesla is filing a lawsuit against Alameda County immediately. The unelected & ignorant ‘Interim Health Officer’ of Alameda is acting contrary to the Governor, the President, our Constitutional freedoms & just plain common sense,” Musk tweeted.
It was not clear when the company’s plant would begin to reopen, but Musk made it clear that he would like to do so immediately. Musk later tweeted that he was considering moving the company’s headquarters and programs to Texas and Nevada, saying the future of the company in California would depend on how it was treated there.
This came after California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a plan that would allow factories in the state to start reopening, though local officials had the authority to impose their own limitations depending on conditions in their county.
The Tesla founder has been criticized for some early inaccurate statements about the coronavirus outbreak, saying fears were overblown. He has since become a vocal advocate for reopening the American economy, taking to Twitter to praise states that had started to allow businesses to reopen and making calls to “FREE AMERICA NOW.”


inquisitr--2020-05-10--Donald Trump Praises Dana White & The UFC For Putting On Major Event Amid Pandemic

With President Donald Trump angling to reopen the American economy during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic , state governments and corporations around the country are taking steps to re-engage in commerce .
The president has consistently indicated that a return to play for professional sports could be an important part of that equation ; to that end , he offered words of congratulation to the Ultimate Fighting Championship and UFC President Dana White for holding a major event on Saturday .
As reported by USA Today/MMA Junkie , Trump appeared on the broadcast of the UFC 249 pre-show on ESPN in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oval Office .
In the video , the president praised White and the mixed martial arts organization for doing their part to bring professional sports back to the U.S. “ I want to congratulate Dana White and the UFC .
They ’ re going to have a big match .
We love it .
We think it ’ s important – get the sports leagues back .
Let ’ s play .
We do the social distancing and whatever else you have to do , but we need sports .
We want our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White and the UFC.
” White previously told TMZ that Trump would be watching UFC 249 closely as a possible “ blueprint ” for reopening the country at large .
White and the president share a friendship , and the UFC boss previously spoke in support of Trump at the 2016 Republican National Convention .
UFC 249 , which was supposed to have featured a main event bout between UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson , was originally scheduled to take place in April at Barclays Center in Brooklyn , New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to May 9 in the wake of the pandemic and moved to VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville , Florida .
Meanwhile , Justin Gaethje replaced Nurmagomedov , who was unable to leave his home in Dagestan due to Russia ’ s travel restrictions .
The pay-per-view now holds the distinction of being the first major sporting event outside of professional wrestling to be held since the coronavirus outbreak forced leagues to suspend activity earlier this year .
Trump had been pushing for pro sports ’ return for some time and , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call with the commissioners and presidents of just about every major pro sports league in April , expressing to them his belief that their respective organizations would be able to resume competition sooner rather than later .
Although UFC 249 did happen on Saturday , there was some level of controversy heading into the event .
As reported by The Inquisitr , video showed a coronavirus-infected Ronaldo Souza fist-bump White , who subsequently made contact with other fighters .


inquisitr--2020-05-11--Woman Who Accused Joe Biden Of Inappropriate Touching Supports Presidential Run, Calls Him ‘Obvious

Woman Who Accused Joe Biden Of Inappropriate Touching Supports Presidential Run, Calls Him ‘Obvious Choice’

A former congressional staffer who last year came forward to accuse Joe Biden of inappropriate touching says she supports the former vice president ’ s run for president and believes he is the “ obvious choice ” in the race .
Amy Lappos was one of a number of women who came forward to accuse Biden of unwanted touching , though not in a sexual manner .
The Connecticut woman spoke to Hearst Connecticut Media this week , saying she did not agree with people trying to weaponize her story into an attack against Biden and pushing back against those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is protecting Biden .
The 44-year-old said she began facing online attacks after tweeting an interview with former Senate staffer Tara Reade , who accused Biden of sexual assault in a 1993 incident .
Lappos said some commenters accused her of withholding her own story because she supports Biden ’ s presidential bid , a charge she denies .
Lappos has insisted that she was not sexually harassed or assaulted by Biden .
“ I want to make sure that the message I tried to send last year about bodily autonomy and survivorship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that story is preserved , ” Lappos told the outlet .
“ And I don ’ t want to be weaponized .
I support Joe Biden right now.
” Biden had responded to the claims of inappropriate touching last year , saying that he always tried to create a human connection with others and often shook hands and grabbed men and women by the shoulder , though recognized that this crossed lines .
He vowed to change the behavior .
But the former vice president has categorically denied the allegation from Reade , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she described never happened .
Lappos added that she believes and supports Reade , though is skeptical of some of the details of her story .
The Connecticut woman , who said she was also the victim of an unrelated incident of sexual violence , added that she would not be joining others in “ bashing ” Reade as she believes that her story comes “ from a place of trauma.
” Lappos has also remained firm in her support of Biden , even if he was not her first choice in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to end up with Joe Biden , two white males in the election ?
Not really .
I don ’ t see it being so progressive , ” said Lappos .
“ However , Joe Biden is the obvious choice to beat [ President Donald ] Trump right now and therefore , I support him .
”


inquisitr--2020-05-11--Former Top DOJ Official Says Department Twisted Her Words In Bid To Drop Case Against Michael Flynn

A former top Justice Department official said the department misrepresented her words in a bid to drop the prosecution of Michael Flynn , who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI but now may be getting off without punishment .
Mary McCord , who served as acting assistant attorney general for national security , wrote in a New York Times column that officials wrongly used remarks she had made after retiring from the department and used that as a basis for dropping the case against Flynn .
As The Hill noted , McCord ’ s name was cited more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motion to dismiss the case against the former national security adviser .
McCord said she believed the FBI mishandled the Flynn investigation and should have coordinated his interviews with the Justice Department , but said that did not mean there was no reason to suspect Flynn of potential criminal activity .
She noted that Flynn had lied to incoming Vice President Mike Pence about his phone calls with then-Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak , and later admitted to lying to FBI investigators .
“ It has no bearing on whether Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
were material to the clear counterintelligence threat posed by the susceptible position Mr. Flynn put himself in when he told Mr. Pence and others in the new administration that he had not discussed the sanctions with Mr. Kislyak , ” she wrote .
The move to drop the case against Flynn has been met with widespread criticism , especially after President Donald Trump had spent months criticizing the case against him and publicly weighing the idea of pardoning Flynn .
Former President Barack Obama , who reportedly warned Trump not to hire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days after the 2016 election , is among those critics .
As The Inquisitr reported , Obama was heard criticizing the decision to drop the case against Flynn in an audio clip published this week by Yahoo !
News .
Obama said he could not remember another time that the Department of Justice dropped a case against someone who had admitted lying to investigators .
“ And the fact that there is no precedent that anybody can find for someone who has been charged with perjury just getting off scot-free .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begin to get worried that basic — not just institutional norms — but our basic understanding of rule of law is at risk , ” the former president said in a call to members of the Obama Alumni Association .

A former top Justice Department official said the department misrepresented her words in a bid to drop the prosecution of Michael Flynn, who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI but now may be getting off without punishment.
Mary McCord, who served as acting assistant attorney general for national security, wrote in a New York Times column that officials wrongly used remarks she had made after retiring from the department for dropping the case against Flynn. As The Hill noted, McCord’s name was cited more than two dozen times in a legal motion to dismiss the case against the former national security adviser.
McCord said she believed the FBI mishandled the Flynn investigation and should have coordinated his interviews with the Justice Department, but said that did not mean there was no reason to suspect Flynn of potential criminal activity. She noted that Flynn had lied to incoming Vice President Mike Pence about his phone calls with Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak and later admitted to lying to FBI investigators.
“It has no bearing on whether Mr. Flynn’s lies to the F.B.I. were material to the clear counterintelligence threat posed by the susceptible position Mr. Flynn put himself in when he told Mr. Pence and others in the new administration that he had not discussed the sanctions with Mr. Kislyak,” she wrote.
The move to drop the case against Flynn has been met with widespread criticism, especially after President Donald Trump had spent months criticizing the case against him and publicly weighing the idea of pardoning Flynn. Former President Barack Obama, who reportedly warned Trump not to hire Flynn during a White House meeting two days after the 2016 election, is among those critics.
As The Inquisitr reported, Obama was heard criticizing the decision to drop the case against Flynn in an audio clip published this week by Yahoo! News. Obama said he could not remember another time that the Department of Justice dropped a case against someone who had admitted lying to investigators.
“And the fact that there is no precedent that anybody can find for someone who has been charged with perjury just getting off scot-free. That’s the kind of stuff where you begin to get worried that basic — not just institutional norms — but our basic understanding of rule of law is at risk,” the former president said in a call to members of the Obama Alumni Association.


inquisitr--2020-05-11--Donald Trump Campaign Reportedly Launching Swing State Offensive Against Joe Biden

President Donald Trump ‘ s 2020 re-election campaign is gearing up to launch a series of “ tailored ” attacks against Joe Biden , reports Axios .
According to the report , Trump ’ s team is preparing an ad blitz to attack the Democratic Party ’ s presumptive presidential nominee over issues such as trade , foreign policy , and climate change .
Trump ’ s advisers have reportedly been looking for new ways to attack Biden amid the coronavirus pandemic , which has caused an unprecedented economic crisis .
“ A lot of people have told the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tone deaf to the needs of the country right now , ” an administration official revealed .
Shaped by extensive polling , the ad campaign will focus on swing states in the the industrial Midwest , Pennsylvania , and Florida .
To damage the Democratic Party ’ s standing in the Midwest , the Trump campaign reportedly plans on attacking Biden ’ s record on trade .
The former vice president has vocally supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the North American Free Trade Agreement .
“ He is going to try to campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pa. ’ But he will be exposed as ‘ NAFTA Joe , ' ” an official briefed on the matter said .
In the state of Pennsylvania , Trump will attack Biden over climate change policy .
The president ’ s campaign will reportedly try to paint the Democratic Party ’ s presidential nominee as a radical who has embraced the regulation-heavy Green New Deal .
As Axios notes , Biden does not actually support the Green New Deal .
When it comes to Florida , Trump ’ s allies will attack Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. and Cuba .
The former vice president recently said that he would restore Barack Obama ’ s policies toward the country .
According to a Trump official , the remarks could sink Biden in Florida .
“ That would only make it easier for Cuba to help prop up [ Venezuelan President Nicolás ] Maduro if they were able to refill their coffers with American money .
You try to sell that idea to Cuban Americans and Venezuelan Americans in Florida .
Go ahead and try !
” the official said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the 2020 presidential election has apparently not changed .
The president ’ s team plans to attack Biden as “ soft on China , ” and the swing state-targeted attacks are just the latest edition to that tactic .
Polling suggests that Biden is ahead of Trump in a number of potential swing states .
A Hart Research Associates survey released on Friday shows the former vice president with a significant advantage in North Carolina , Arizona , Maine , Montana , and Iowa , all of which are Senate battlegrounds .

President Donald Trump‘s 2020 re-election campaign is gearing up to launch a series of “tailored” attacks against Joe Biden, reports Axios.
According to the report, Trump’s team is preparing an ad blitz to attack the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee over issues such as trade, foreign policy, and climate change.
Trump’s advisers have reportedly been looking for new ways to attack Biden amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused an unprecedented economic crisis.
“A lot of people have told the president to be careful, or risk seeming tone deaf to the needs of the country right now,” an administration official revealed.
Shaped by extensive polling, the ad campaign will focus on swing states in the the industrial Midwest, Pennsylvania, and Florida.
To damage the Democratic Party’s standing in the Midwest, the Trump campaign reportedly plans on attacking Biden’s record on trade. The former vice president has vocally supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the North American Free Trade Agreement.
“He is going to try to campaign as ‘Joe Lunchbox from Scranton, Pa.’ But he will be exposed as ‘NAFTA Joe,'” an official briefed on the matter said.
In the state of Pennsylvania, Trump will attack Biden over climate change policy. The president’s campaign will reportedly try to paint the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee as a radical who has embraced the regulation-heavy Green New Deal. As Axios notes, Biden does not actually support the Green New Deal.
When it comes to Florida, Trump’s allies will attack Biden over his comments about relations between the U.S. and Cuba. The former vice president recently said that he would restore Barack Obama’s policies toward the country. According to a Trump official, the remarks could sink Biden in Florida.
“That would only make it easier for Cuba to help prop up [Venezuelan President Nicolás] Maduro if they were able to refill their coffers with American money. You try to sell that idea to Cuban Americans and Venezuelan Americans in Florida. Go ahead and try!” the official said.
The Trump campaign’s national strategy for the 2020 presidential election has apparently not changed. The president’s team plans to attack Biden as “soft on China,” and the swing state-targeted attacks are just the latest edition to that tactic.
Polling suggests that Biden is ahead of Trump in a number of potential swing states. A Hart Research Associates survey released on Friday shows the former vice president with a significant advantage in North Carolina, Arizona, Maine, Montana, and Iowa, all of which are Senate battlegrounds.


inquisitr--2020-05-11--Donald Trump Accuses CBS News And ’60 Minutes’ Of Using Platform To Defend China Amid Coronavirus Pa

Donald Trump Accuses CBS News And ’60 Minutes’ Of Using Platform To Defend China Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Donald Trump took aim at CBS News and 60 Minutes on Sunday , accusing the network of improperly using its platform to defend China amid the global coronavirus pandemic .
Trump has been highly critical of the role China has played in the outbreak of the deadly virus , accusing the country ’ s government of withholding information and slowing the global response .
On Sunday , he claimed that the CBS network is going too far in defending China “ .
@ CBS and their show , @ 60Minutes , are doing everything within their power , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past , to defend China and the horrible Virus pandemic that was inflicted on the USA and the rest of the World .
I guess they want to do business in China !
” he tweeted .
As The Hill noted , Trump ’ s tweet came not long after the network had aired a story about a virologist who said he has been warning for close to two decades that a virus-borne pandemic was a real possibility .
The scientist , Peter Daszak , said that his funding at the National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ago .
The report blamed the funding cut on what it called a “ political disinformation campaign ” claiming that a lab in Wuhan , China , may have been responsible for the novel coronavirus outbreak .
The Hill noted that Trump had incorrectly suggested that a $ 3.7 million grant for Daszak ’ s research was actually earmarked for the Wuhan laboratory .
In reality , close to $ 100,000 of the grant went to a partnership with that lab .
While some members of the Trump administration have also pressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may have been responsible for the outbreak of the coronavirus , either intentionally or accidentally , Chinese officials have pushed back .
As Time noted , the Community Party chief for the Wuhan lab said there is no truth to the conspiracy theories .
“ There is absolutely no way that the virus originated from our institute , ” the government official , Yuan Zhiming , said in an interview with local media .
Other reports have backed Trump ’ s criticism that China was not forthcoming with information about the virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak .
As The Inquisitr noted this week , a recent report from the German newspaper Der Spiegel , citing information from German ’ s Federal Intelligence Service , claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping asked the World Health Organization to delay a global warning about the coronavirus after it had been spreading for weeks inside China .

Donald Trump took aim at CBS News and 60 Minutes on Sunday, accusing the network of improperly using its platform to defend China amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
Trump has been highly critical of the role China has played in the outbreak of the deadly virus, accusing the country’s government of withholding information and slowing the global response. On Sunday, he claimed that the CBS network is going too far in defending China
“.@CBS and their show, @60Minutes, are doing everything within their power, which is far less today than it was in the past, to defend China and the horrible Virus pandemic that was inflicted on the USA and the rest of the World. I guess they want to do business in China!” he tweeted.
As The Hill noted, Trump’s tweet came not long after the network had aired a story about a virologist who said he has been warning for close to two decades that a virus-borne pandemic was a real possibility. The scientist, Peter Daszak, said that his funding at the National Institutes of Health was cut just two weeks ago.
The report blamed the funding cut on what it called a “political disinformation campaign” claiming that a lab in Wuhan, China, may have been responsible for the novel coronavirus outbreak. The Hill noted that Trump had incorrectly suggested that a $3.7 million grant for Daszak’s research was actually earmarked for the Wuhan laboratory. In reality, close to $100,000 of the grant went to a partnership with that lab.
While some members of the Trump administration have also pressed the idea that the laboratory in Wuhan may have been responsible for the outbreak of the coronavirus, either intentionally or accidentally, Chinese officials have pushed back. As Time noted, the Community Party chief for the Wuhan lab said there is no truth to the conspiracy theories.
“There is absolutely no way that the virus originated from our institute,” the government official, Yuan Zhiming, said in an interview with local media.
Other reports have backed Trump’s criticism that China was not forthcoming with information about the virus, especially in the early days of the outbreak. As The Inquisitr noted this week, a recent report from the German newspaper Der Spiegel, citing information from German’s Federal Intelligence Service, claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping asked the World Health Organization to delay a global warning about the coronavirus after it had been spreading for weeks inside China.


inquisitr--2020-05-11--Larry Kudlow Says He Expects ‘Very Difficult’ Economic Numbers In May: ‘I Don’t Want To Sugarcoat It

Larry Kudlow Says He Expects ‘Very Difficult’ Economic Numbers In May: ‘I Don’t Want To Sugarcoat It’

In an interview with ABC News broadcast on Sunday , White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow said that the economic numbers in May could be “ very difficult.
” Per statistics released by the United States Department of Labor , more than 20 million jobs were lost in the month of April .
But according to Kudlow , “ inside the numbers is a glimmer of hope.
” The White House adviser told anchor George Stephanopoulos that 80 percent of the 20 million “ was furloughs and temporary layoffs.
” Even though that does not necessarily mean all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worker and the business is still intact , ” he argued .
Kudlow conceded that the trend is likely to continue .
Kudlow discussed the measures to stabilize the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic , pointing out that the stimulus bills approved by President Donald Trump are the largest in history .
However , he pushed back against the suggestion that another stimulus package needs to be introduced .
“ I think that many people would like to pause for a moment and take a look at the economic impact of ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
As ABC News notes , House Democrats have proposed an additional stimulus bill .
The legislation includes financial help for state governments and has a $ 2 trillion price tag .
Kudlow also weighed in on the Trump administration ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic , defending the president from criticism .
The White House adviser pushed back against former President Barack Obama ’ s suggestion that the response has been “ chaotic , ” arguing that Trump and his allies are dealing with an unprecedented situation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cash payments .
Notably , Senators Kamala Harris of California and Ed Markey of Massachusetts have voiced support for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ plan .
Sanders is calling for monthly $ 2,000 stimulus payments for every American .
According to Sanders , the American people are “ hurting in a way that we have never ever seen in our lifetimes , ” which is why such payments are necessary .
Senate Republicans and Kudlow have pushed back against the senator ’ s suggestion , however , with Kudlow recently stating that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begin until June .
Trump has insisted that the economy needs to reopen as soon as possible , but according to some experts the administration ’ s response has been inadequate .
On Saturday , Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman slammed Trump and the Republican Party as “ quitters , ” arguing that they have “ put a hold on policy ” instead of dealing with the crisis .


inquisitr--2020-05-11--Larry Kudlow On Barack Obama’s Criticism Of Donald Trump: ‘I Don’t Know What He’s Talking About’

In an interview broadcast on Sunday , White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow pushed back against former President Barack Obama ‘ s recent remarks about the Trump administration ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic , reports Mediaite .
Speaking with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos , Kudlow said that he is not sure what Obama was trying to say , suggesting that the former president was making a political statement about President Donald Trump .
Obama has not publicly slammed Trump , but an audio recording of a private phone call obtained by Yahoo !
News suggests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impressed with how the Trump administration has handled the federal government ’ s response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
In the recording , Obama can be heard describing Trump ’ s response to the crisis as an “ absolute chaotic disaster.
” During the phone call , Obama discussed a number of other pressing issues , including the 2020 presidential election .
The former president can be heard vowing to campaign as “ hard ” as he can for Joe Biden , the Democratic Party ’ s presumptive presidential nominee .
But according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harsh .
The White House economic adviser told Stephanopoulos that the Trump administration is dealing with an unprecedented crisis , arguing that the economy will begin to recover by the end of the year .
“ Look , what we have done may not be 100 percent perfect .
These things happen once every 100 years , but the overall picture is we created a massive health and safety infrastructure to deal with the pandemic here in the United States , ” Kudlow said , adding that the administration is “ preparing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama ’ s criticism , Trump took to Twitter to argue that the former president ’ s administration mismanaged the response to the 2009 swine flu pandemic .
However , polling suggests that the American public is split when it comes to Trump ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic .
According to an April Gallup poll , 48 percent disapprove of Trump ’ s handling of the crisis and 50 percent approve .
The president ’ s ratings have dropped 10 points since March .
Although he has publicly boasted about his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reportedly concerned about his re-election prospects .
According to White House insiders , the commander-in-chief has “ struggled ” to grapple with the fact that his popularity appears to have declined .


inquisitr--2020-05-11--Donald Trump Accused Of Racism After Telling Reporter Weijia Jiang ‘Go Ask China’ About Coronavirus

Critics are accusing Donald Trump of racism after telling Weijia Jiang , a reporter of Asian descent , to “ go ask China ” a question she had posed him on the response to the coronavirus .
The statement led to a heated exchange that ended with Trump abruptly ending the press conference , and prompted many of his critics to accuse Trump of a racially charged reply to the CBS News reporter .
As the Independent reported , the exchange took place after Jiang asked Trump why he sometimes seems to view the coronavirus outbreak as a “ global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and number of tests given .
Trump in the daily coronavirus briefings had frequently compared the United States to other countries as he touted the number of tests administered .
When Trump told Jiang to “ go ask China ” the same question , the CBS News reporter lowered her face mask and asked Trump if there was a reason he was asking her that question .
Trump replied that he asks that of all reporters .
As CNN reporter Kaitlin Collins approached the microphone to ask a question after having been called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When Collins pointed out that Trump had called on her and continued with her question as Trump called on another reporter , the president ended the press conference .
The incident led to criticism for Trump , including many who accused him of racism for telling a reporter of Asian descent to ask China a question .
Jiang is an Asian American , having been born in China and moving to West Virginia with her family when she was 2 .
As reporter Shannon Watts noted on Twitter , Jiang had previously revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the coronavirus as the “ Kung-Flu ” when speaking to her .
This is not the first time that Trump has been accused of racism after a testy exchange with a female reporter of color at his daily coronavirus press briefings .
In another incident in March , Trump told PBS News reporter Yamiche Alcindor , who is black , that “ you people ” should be more positive when addressing him at the press conferences .
Many people accused Trump of racism after the incident .
Though it appeared from his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to refer to reporters , many critics pointed out that the phrase has historically had a negative racial connotation when used to address people of color .
As Politico noted in a 2018 report , a number of media groups and reporters have accused Trump of being particularly harsh and often using personal insults in his treatment with female reporters , and more so with female reporters of color .
“ While the president insults many journalists , these critics say his barbs targeting women and people of color feel especially sharp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s basic intelligence and competence as a person , ” the report noted .
“ It ’ s a tone that black reporters and scholars of African-American history say particularly stings , given that African-Americans journalists were not allowed into the White House until 1947 — and that the White House press corps remains overwhelmingly white to this day .
”


inquisitr--2020-05-11--White House West Wing Staff Now Required To Wear Masks As Coronavirus Spreads Among Administration

Reports indicate that a new policy is being put into place at the White House after staffers close to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence tested positive for the novel coronavirus .
Most people working in the West Wing at the White House will now be required to wear masks while on the grounds , but there are some notable exceptions .
According to ABC News , details regarding the new mask policy were distributed to West Wing staff on Monday afternoon .
This new policy comes just days after several people close to Trump and Pence tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ valet of the president ’ s and Katie Miller , the vice president ’ s press secretary .
Staffers have apparently been told that they must now wear a mask upon entering the West Wing or moving around the public grounds .
In addition , they are being asked to social distance as much as possible .
However , when at their desks , staff can take off the masks .
The Washington Post notes that this requirement that staffers wear masks will apply to “ most ” White House officials .
Aides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably still not wear any type of mask or protective face covering , though .
In addition , Pence was spotted on the White House grounds on Monday .
Apparently , he was not wearing a mask either .
The new requirement comes as the president has publicly been questioning the value of testing .
He has said that he thinks testing makes the country look bad , as it escalates the number of confirmed cases found .
Last week , he also questioned whether testing was helpful , given that Miller had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then was positive on Friday .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has started to recommend that the general public wear masks when away from home .
Up to this point , however , many senior officials around Trump have gone without wearing masks .
Masks seem to rarely be seen in photos or videos from appearances or meetings involving Trump , for example .
Whether mask usage among top staffers will become more commonplace in private during routine tasks given this new directive remains to be seen .
The president was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday — his first in a couple of weeks .
Reports suggest he will point out that there is enough coronavirus testing available to allow much of the country to reopen .
Some areas have already started this process , while others are taking a slower approach .
Given the significant changes brought about by the recent increase in COVID-19 cases among White House staffers , many people will be interested to see how thoroughly the new directive is implemented in everyday practice , and whether Pence and Trump will set the tone @ @ @ @ @ @ @


inquisitr--2020-05-11--Americans See Donald Trump As The ‘Main Source’ Of Coronavirus Misinformation, Poll Says

A new poll from the Knight Foundation suggests that 47 percent of Americans see Donald Trump as the “ main source ” of coronavirus misinformation , Raw Story reports .
In comparison , 33 percent said mainstream media was the primary source of such false information , while 15 percent said social media .
As expected , the survey found that among partisans , Democrats are more likely to view Trump as the primary source of COVID-19 misinformation than Republicans .
“ Partisans have clear ideas of what entities are most responsible for misinformation , ” the survey reads .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ point to Trump as the culprit of misinformation than Republicans are to blame mainstream media outlets — their top choice for the primary source of wrong information about the pandemic .
As for Independents , they are equally likely to blame both the Trump administration and mainstream media .
Outside of partisans , the poll also focuses on how Americans sift through inaccurate reports to find the truth .
“ Americans are about equally likely to rely on one of three approaches — consulting health professionals or information sources directly , sticking with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking at a wider variety of news sources than usual — to help them sort out accurate from inaccurate information , ” the Knight Foundation stated .
As the poll notes , young adults and older adults employ different strategies to guide them .
In particular , adults under the age of 25 are more likely to use health websites and speak to healthcare professionals , while adults 55 and older typically look to one or two trusted news sources .
Trump has faced criticism for spreading misinformation about the coronavirus on numerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this has led to clashes with coronavirus expert Dr. Anthony Fauci , who has , on many occasions , had to correct the president ’ s comments .
Per NBC News , the conspiracy theories linked to the pandemic — regardless of their source — have been frustrating doctors .
Dr. Hadi Halazun described the feeling of working a long shift treating COVID-19 patients and then seeing a man on Facebook claim that the coronavirus is “ fake news ” perpetrated by media networks .
“ I left work and I felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I let it get to me.
” Believers in such coronavirus conspiracy theories have reportedly harassed health care professionals both online and offline , sometimes asking for proof of the pandemic ’ s severity .
According to NBC News , several other doctors shared experiences similar to Halazun ’ s .
According to Halazun , dealing with such theorists is the “ second most painful thing ” he has had to deal with aside from “ separation of families from their loved one .
”


inquisitr--2020-05-11--Donald Trump Says High Coronavirus Testing Makes The US ‘Look Bad,’ But Many Want More Tests

President Donald Trump said that more testing in the United States makes the country “ look bad ” because the numbers of those infected with the novel coronavirus climb higher , NPR reported .
However , many people , including Republicans and Democrats , would like to see more testing available as the country reopens amid the pandemic .
Right now , the U.S. has conducted more than 8 million tests , which is the highest in the world in total testing .
“ If we did very little testing , [ America ] wouldn ’ t have the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For now , Trump ’ s focus appears to be on his re-election , and late last week , he claimed that many Democrats are using the COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting closures to prevent the spread of the virus to hurt him politically .
“ I will tell you , you look at some cases , some people think they ’ re doing it for politics , ” Trump told Fox News .
However , others , even those who are Republican , feel that there isn ’ t a safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go back to work or school safely .
Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander , who is a Republican , is self quarantining after a member of his office tested positive for the coronavirus .
As a result , he will chair a Senate hearing called “ COVID-19 : Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School ” via video conference .
Members of Trump ’ s coronavirus task force — Drs .
Robert Redfield , Stephen Hahn , and Anthony Fauci — are also quarantining themselves .
They chose to do that after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House who tested positive in recent days despite weekly or even daily testing for those who have close contact with the president .
They will testify via video during Monday ’ s hearing .
According to Senator Alexander , there is not nearly enough testing in the U.S. to allow for a safe return to work or school .
“ There is no safe path forward to combat the novel coronavirus without adequate testing , ” Alexander said in recent days .
Former President Barack Obama also criticized the president ’ s handling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He called Trump ’ s response “ chaotic ” during a call to members of the Obama Alumni Association .
For now , it is unclear what the federal testing plan is , and it seems to be left up to each state to decide the level of testing to do as things begin to reopen .
Right now , the official U.S. coronavirus death toll is roughly 80,000 , with between 1,000 and 2,000 people dying each day of COVID-19 , and it appears as if the curve has flattened .
Still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas of the country while they are falling in New York and New Jersey .


inquisitr--2020-05-11--Calls For William Barr’s Resignation As Attorney General Grow, Almost 2,000 Former DOJ Officials Sig

Calls For William Barr’s Resignation As Attorney General Grow, Almost 2,000 Former DOJ Officials Sign Letter

Many have called for Attorney General William Barr to resign in the wake of an alleged improper intervention in the government ’ s case against former national security adviser to President Trump , Michael Flynn .
Nearly 2,000 former United States Department of Justice ( DOJ ) officials have signed a letter urging Barr to step down , according to an ABC News report .
The reason they want him to resign is that the DOJ , under his direction , reportedly made a move to drop all the charges Flynn faces .
The reversal came even though Flynn has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FBI about his contact with a former Russian ambassador during President Donald Trump ’ s transition to the White House .
Barr denied that he asked to drop the charges against Flynn at the request of the president .
He pointed to Jeffrey Jensen , the U.S. attorney from the Eastern District of Missouri , as the person who made the recommendation .
The reason is that Jensen purportedly said that the investigation into Flynn was not legitimate .
So far , the judge in the case has not responded to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter , the former DOJ officials organized by the group Protect Democracy indicated their belief that Barr inappropriately worked with the president to push “ political interference in the Department ’ s law enforcement decisions.
” “ Attorney General Barr ’ s repeated actions to use the Department as a tool to further President Trump ’ s personal and political interests have undermined any claim to the deference that courts usually apply to the Department ’ s decisions about whether or not to prosecute a case , ” the letter read .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal prosecutor , Jonathan Kravis , who quit the DOJ after it overruled sentencing recommendations for Flynn , accused Barr of “ egregious ” conduct , according to CNBC .
Also , Mary McCord , who was the former acting assistant Attorney General for National Security , heavily criticized last week ’ s filing for using comments she made in an interview as the basis for recommending the charges against Flynn be dropped .
She accused the DOJ of twisting her remarks , and she insisted that nothing about what happened in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlawful or unjustified .
Since reportedly asking the judge to drop the charges against Flynn despite his two guilty pleas , Barr has faced a sizable backlash from former career officials from the department .
However , Barr admitted that he was prepared for the criticism he is receiving due to the move , and he suggested that those who criticize him are merely partisan and allowing that to blind them to true justice .

Many have called for Attorney General William Barr to resign in the wake of an alleged improper intervention in the government’s case against former national security adviser to President Trump, Michael Flynn. Nearly 2,000 former United States Department of Justice (DOJ) officials have signed a letter urging Barr to step down, according to an ABC News report.
The reason they want him to resign is that the DOJ, under his direction, reportedly made a move to drop all the charges Flynn faces. The reversal came even though Flynn has given two guilty pleas for lying to the FBI about his contact with a former Russian ambassador during President Donald Trump’s transition to the White House. Barr denied that he asked to drop the charges against Flynn at the request of the president. He pointed to Jeffrey Jensen, the U.S. attorney from the Eastern District of Missouri, as the person who made the recommendation. The reason is that Jensen purportedly said that the investigation into Flynn was not legitimate. So far, the judge in the case has not responded to the DOJ’s request.
In the letter, the former DOJ officials organized by the group Protect Democracy indicated their belief that Barr inappropriately worked with the president to push “political interference in the Department’s law enforcement decisions.”
“Attorney General Barr’s repeated actions to use the Department as a tool to further President Trump’s personal and political interests have undermined any claim to the deference that courts usually apply to the Department’s decisions about whether or not to prosecute a case,” the letter read.
In addition to the letter, another former federal prosecutor, Jonathan Kravis, who quit the DOJ after it overruled sentencing recommendations for Flynn, accused Barr of “egregious” conduct, according to CNBC.
Also, Mary McCord, who was the former acting assistant Attorney General for National Security, heavily criticized last week’s filing for using comments she made in an interview as the basis for recommending the charges against Flynn be dropped. She accused the DOJ of twisting her remarks, and she insisted that nothing about what happened in the FBI’s handling of Flynn was unlawful or unjustified.
Since reportedly asking the judge to drop the charges against Flynn despite his two guilty pleas, Barr has faced a sizable backlash from former career officials from the department. However, Barr admitted that he was prepared for the criticism he is receiving due to the move, and he suggested that those who criticize him are merely partisan and allowing that to blind them to true justice.


inquisitr--2020-05-12--Donald Trump Pressed On Crime He Claims Barack Obama Committed With Obamagate: ‘You Know What The Cr

Donald Trump Pressed On Crime He Claims Barack Obama Committed With Obamagate: ‘You Know What The Crime Is’

Donald Trump would not say specifically what crime he was accusing Barack Obama of committing after tweeting over the weekend that the former president was behind the “ biggest political crime in American history.
” As the Independent reported , Trump was pressed by a reporter at Monday ’ s press briefing on exactly what he meant with the allegation , though the president would not give specifics .
Trump had taken aim at his predecessor in a series of tweets on Sunday as the president spoke out against the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flynn .
In one of Trump ’ s tweets , he replied to a conservative talk show host who claimed that “ the outgoing president used his last weeks in office to target incoming officials and sabotage the new administration.
” “ The biggest political crime in American history , by far !
” Trump replied to the tweet , not adding any details about what crime specifically he believed Obama may have committed .
Philip Rucker of the Washington Post pressed Trump about the tweet on Monday , asking him exactly what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After being further pressed to say more precisely what Obama had done , Trump again did not offer details .
“ You know what the crime is .
The crime is very obvious to everybody , ” Trump said .
Trump ’ s apparent claim of lawbreaking on the part of Obama came close to a day after a report that Obama had privately slammed the Department of Justice ’ s decision to drop the prosecution of Flynn , who had pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators about his contact with Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audio of a conference call with the Obama Alumni Association showed the former president saying there was no precedent for someone who had been charged with perjury “ just getting off scot-free.
” Obama warned the former members of his administration that the “ rule of law is at risk.
” Others criticized the decision to drop the case against Flynn after his guilty plea , especially after Trump had publicly criticized the prosecution and floated the idea of issuing a pardon for Flynn .
The former national security adviser ’ s prosecution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Special Counsel Robert Mueller ’ s Russia investigation .

Donald Trump would not say specifically what crime he was accusing Barack Obama of committing after tweeting over the weekend that the former president was behind the “biggest political crime in American history.”
As the Independent reported, Trump was pressed by a reporter at Monday’s press briefing on exactly what he meant with the allegation, though the president would not give specifics. Trump had taken aim at his predecessor in a series of tweets on Sunday as the president spoke out against the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and conviction of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.
In one of Trump’s tweets, he replied to a conservative talk show host who claimed that “the outgoing president used his last weeks in office to target incoming officials and sabotage the new administration.”
“The biggest political crime in American history, by far!” Trump replied to the tweet, not adding any details about what crime specifically he believed Obama may have committed.
Philip Rucker of the Washington Post pressed Trump about the tweet on Monday, asking him exactly what crime the former president had committed.
“Obamagate,” Trump replied.
“It’s been going on for a long time. It’s been going on from before I even got elected, and it’s a disgrace that it happened.”
After being further pressed to say more precisely what Obama had done, Trump again did not offer details.
“You know what the crime is. The crime is very obvious to everybody,” Trump said.
“All you have to do is read the newspapers – except yours.”
Trump’s apparent claim of lawbreaking on the part of Obama came close to a day after a report that Obama had privately slammed the Department of Justice’s decision to drop the prosecution of Flynn, who had pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators about his contact with Russia. As The Inquisitr reported, leaked audio of a conference call with the Obama Alumni Association showed the former president saying there was no precedent for someone who had been charged with perjury “just getting off scot-free.” Obama warned the former members of his administration that the “rule of law is at risk.”
Others criticized the decision to drop the case against Flynn after his guilty plea, especially after Trump had publicly criticized the prosecution and floated the idea of issuing a pardon for Flynn. The former national security adviser’s prosecution had been one of the major developments of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.


inquisitr--2020-05-12--Justin Amash Says Mitch McConnell ‘Must Be Stopped’ Amid Push For Warrantless Surveillance Of Intern

Justin Amash Says Mitch McConnell ‘Must Be Stopped’ Amid Push For Warrantless Surveillance Of Internet History

Congressman Justin Amash , who is seeking the presidential nomination for the Libertarian Party , took aim at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday evening for his push for the warrantless collection of Americans ’ search and browsing history .
“ The Patriot Act must be stopped , ” Amash tweeted .
“ Mitch McConnell must be stopped .
He ’ s working to expand warrantless surveillance on the web browsing habits of millions of Americans .
A president who cares about privacy and our Constitution would tell McConnell this will be vetoed .
Period.
” Amash ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beast ’ s national security reporter Spencer Ackerman , who reported that expired parts of the PATRIOT Act are set to reach the Senate for a vote this week and will include a “ push to expand surveillance authorities ” into the “ warrantless collection ” of American search and browsing history .
Not only that , but McConnell ’ s push , Ackerman says , is only just the beginning .
According to Ackerman , McConnell ’ s planned amendment is under the cover of Donald Trump and his allies , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s “ witch hunt ” of the president ’ s alleged collusion with Russia , which included alarming abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ( FISA ) .
Ackerman claims that McConnell ’ s push is an “ alarming expansion ” of Attorney General William Barr ‘ s powers under FISA , giving him “ oversight of surveillance on political candidates , ” while also expanding surveillance authorities on average Americans .
Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden expressed concern over the new amendment and claimed it would allow investigations to harness internet-spying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and political rivals .
According to The Daily Beast , the vote on the provision restoration could come as early as Tuesday or Wednesday .
When Amash was pressed by a user who noted that such amendments are usually passed by “ veto-proof majorities ” in the Senate , the congressman outlined how he would approach the issue if he were president .
“ It ’ s broadly unpopular with the public , so a president strongly opposed to it means Congress likely won ’ t have a veto-proof majority , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not obligated to use his veto if Congress overrides it .
“ [ I ] n fact , I ’ m obligated to order officials not to execute unconstitutional acts , ” he added .
Amash has battled for FISA reform throughout his years in Congress and has also expressed opposition to McConnell and Barr on numerous occasions .
As The Inquisitr reported , the 40-year-old politician previously called Barr “ one of the architects of the surveillance state ” and said he supports warrantless searches and seizures unsupported by the Constitution @

Congressman Justin Amash, who is seeking the presidential nomination for the Libertarian Party, took aim at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday evening for his push for the warrantless collection of Americans’ search and browsing history.
“The Patriot Act must be stopped,” Amash tweeted. “Mitch McConnell must be stopped. He’s working to expand warrantless surveillance on the web browsing habits of millions of Americans. A president who cares about privacy and our Constitution would tell McConnell this will be vetoed. Period.”
Amash’s tweet was in response to The Daily Beast’s national security reporter Spencer Ackerman, who reported that expired parts of the PATRIOT Act are set to reach the Senate for a vote this week and will include a “push to expand surveillance authorities” into the “warrantless collection” of search and browsing history. Not only that, but McConnell’s push, Ackerman says, is only just the beginning.
According to Ackerman, McConnell’s planned amendment is under the cover of Donald Trump and his allies, who continue to take aim at the FBI’s “witch hunt” of the president’s alleged collusion with Russia, which included alarming abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). He claims that the senate majority leader’s push is an “alarming expansion” of Attorney General William Barr‘s powers under FISA, giving him “oversight of surveillance on political candidates,” while also expanding surveillance authorities on average Americans.
Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden expressed concern over the new amendment and claimed it would allow investigations to harness internet-spying that can be used to target journalists, politicians, and political rivals.
According to The Daily Beast, the vote on the provision restoration could come as early as Tuesday or Wednesday.
Sen. McConnell is pushing the USA Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2020 through the Senate, which would bring back the invasive surveillance authorities embedded in the Patriot Act after they expired in March. #StopTrumpSpying #Section215 pic.twitter.com/n1SSmDSbjj — Free Press (@freepress) May 12, 2020
When Amash was pressed by a user who noted that such amendments are usually passed by “veto-proof majorities” in the Senate, the congressman outlined how he would approach the issue if he were president.
“It’s broadly unpopular with the public, so a president strongly opposed to it means Congress likely won’t have a veto-proof majority,” he wrote before noting that he’s not obligated to use his veto if Congress overrides it.
“[I]n fact, I’m obligated to order officials not to execute unconstitutional acts.”
Amash has battled for FISA reform throughout his years in Congress and has also expressed opposition to McConnell and Barr on numerous occasions. As The Inquisitr reported, the 40-year-old politician previously called the attorney general “one of the architects of the surveillance state,” alleging that he supports warrantless searches and seizures unsupported by the Constitution.


inquisitr--2020-05-12--Donald Trump Goes After ‘Psycho Joe Scarborough’ For Florida ‘Murder’

President Donald Trump ratcheted up his feud with MSNBC host Joe Scarborough on Tuesday when he questioned whether the former Republican lawmaker had gotten away with killing one of his staffers in the early 2000s .
Trump tweeted about Scarborough ’ s departure from Congress Tuesday morning , calling him “ psycho ” and a “ total nut job ” and writing that “ some people ” think the news personality may have gotten away with murder .
According to Politico , the president is referring to the death of former Scarborough staffer Lori Klausutis .
Klausutis worked out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beach , Florida office while he served as a congressman for the state ’ s first district .
Klausutis died under suspicious circumstances — however , an autopsy later reported a previously undiagnosed heart condition .
While the stated cause of death was a blow to the head , the Associated Press reported the coroner laid out an explanation .
They concluded that — rather than being struck by another person — Klausutis hit her head after passing out .
The staffer was in Washington at the time of her death , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced his departure from office .
Trump also tweeted about the case just over a week ago , saying the “ cold case ” should be re-opened .
Scarborough addressed the president ’ s tweet during the May 4 broadcast of Morning Joe , suggesting his show ’ s consistent references to confirmed science could be a potential reason for the attacks .
The MSNBC host said he knows Trump “ meant to be extraordinarily cruel to me by attacking me , by bringing up a conspiracy theory that has lived in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now.
” Scarborough accused him of not understanding “ the pain you cause to families who have already lost a loved one.
” Scarborough suggested that Trump step aside and let his vice president take the reigns for a while , saying the president “ not well.
” “ Mr .
President , I ask that you get checked out , I ask that you take a rest I ask that you take care of yourself .
Maybe let Mike Pence run things for the next week , you ’ re not well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feeling a little better and when you can really actually focus on your job .
You just can ’ t do that right now .
Americans are dying every day because of it.
” Trump and Scarborough have a long history of disagreements , dating back to the president ’ s early days running for office in 2015 .
The morning news host was himself a Republican politician , serving as a representative for six years between 1995 and 2001 .
Scarborough officially announced his political change in 2017 , making the jump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump was sworn in as president .
Trump has also launched attacks targeting Scarborough ’ s wife and co-host , Mika Brzezinski , mocking her appearance and intelligence .
His tweet caused several Republican lawmakers — including Paul Ryan , Susan Collins , Ben Sasse , and Lisa Murkowski — to speak out against the president ’ s treatment of the MSNBC host .


inquisitr--2020-05-12--Donald Trump’s Base ‘May Be Having Some Second Thoughts’ After Economic Collapse, Columnist Says

In a Tuesday opinion piece for The New York Times , conservative columnist Bret Stephens speaks with liberal columnist Gail Collins about Donald Trump ‘ s reelection prospects , which they both believe are dwindling amid the economic collapse driven by the coronavirus pandemic .
Although Collins noted that Trump will face off against the Democratic nominee with the advantages of social media reach and money — as well as betting odds that are reportedly in his favor — Stephens cautioned that the political landscape is “ very different ” today than even one month ago .
“ Trump managed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least six catastrophic ways , ” Stephens said .
The 46-year-old journalist pointed to Trump ’ s initial dismissal of the COVID-19 threat , his administration ’ s “ fumbling bureaucratic response , ” as well as his notorious press conferences , one of which he used to suggest that scientists investigate the benefit of internal disinfectant use .
“ He tried to throw money at the problem without effectively administering the funds , ” Stephens continued .
“ He demonstrated near-zero empathy with the victims of the disease or their families .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ alternative to the lockdown strategy.
” Stephens also noted Trump ’ s recent polling in the key battleground states of Pennsylvania and North Carolina , where he is currently trailing presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
In addition , Stephens noted that a recent Dallas Morning News poll put Trump tied with Biden in the traditionally red state of Texas , which he suggests is a reflection that Trump ’ s base “ may be having some second thoughts.
” The president is also allegedly losing the support of elderly voters — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t afford to lose .
While Stephens claims that taking on Trump pre-coronavirus came down to merely offering an alternative to Trump , the columnist says that the new political and economic landscape has upended this narrative .
Amid skepticism about his strength in November , Trump recently launched an offensive against Biden in crucial swing states .
As The Inquisitr reported , the media blitz will allegedly focus on states in the industrial Midwest , Pennsylvania , and Florida .
In regards to the Midwest , Trump is reportedly planning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including his vocal support of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership .
In Pennsylvania , Trump will focus on Biden ’ s climate change policy , and in Florida , the president will attack his comments on U.S.-Cuba relations .

In a Tuesday opinion piece for The New York Times, conservative columnist Bret Stephens speaks with liberal columnist Gail Collins about Donald Trump‘s reelection prospects, which they both believe are dwindling amid the economic collapse driven by the coronavirus pandemic.
Although Collins noted that Trump will face off against the Democratic nominee with the advantages of social media reach and money — as well as betting odds that are reportedly in his favor — Stephens cautioned that the political landscape is “very different” today than even one month ago.
“Trump managed to screw up this crisis in at least six catastrophic ways,” Stephens said.
The 46-year-old journalist pointed to Trump’s initial dismissal of the COVID-19 threat, his administration’s “fumbling bureaucratic response,” as well as his notorious press conferences, one of which he used to suggest that scientists investigate the benefit of internal disinfectant use.
“He tried to throw money at the problem without effectively administering the funds,” Stephens continued.
“He demonstrated near-zero empathy with the victims of the disease or their families. And he never really articulated a sensible alternative to the lockdown strategy.”
Stephens also noted Trump’s recent polling in the key battleground states of Pennsylvania and North Carolina, where he is currently trailing presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. In addition, Stephens noted that a recent Dallas Morning News poll put Trump tied with Biden in the traditionally red state of Texas, which he suggests is a reflection that Trump’s base “may be having some second thoughts.”
The president is also allegedly losing the support of elderly voters — a key demographic Stephens says Trump can’t afford to lose.
While Stephens claims that taking on Trump pre-coronavirus came down to merely offering an alternative to Trump, the columnist says that the new political and economic landscape has upended this narrative.
“The economic collapse we are witnessing now is absolutely terrifying. It’s going to hit nearly every family in the country, hard. And it’s a natural for a blue-collar candidate like Biden to make his own.”
Amid skepticism about his strength in November, Trump recently launched an offensive against Biden in crucial swing states. As The Inquisitr reported, the media blitz will allegedly focus on states in the industrial Midwest, Pennsylvania, and Florida. In regards to the Midwest, Trump is reportedly planning to hit Biden’s record on trade, including his vocal support of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. In Pennsylvania, Trump will focus on Biden’s climate change policy, and in Florida, the president will attack his comments on U.S.-Cuba relations.


inquisitr--2020-05-12--Anthony Fauci Refutes Donald Trump’s Claim That Obama Administration Responsible For Lack Coronaviru

Anthony Fauci Refutes Donald Trump’s Claim That Obama Administration Responsible For Lack Coronavirus Vaccine

In recent days , President Donald Trump has placed blame on his predecessor , Barack Obama , for the lack of testing and an effective vaccine against the novel coronavirus .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , a member of Trump ’ s coronavirus task force and head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , refuted that claim .
On Tuesday , Fauci appeared before the Senate for a health committee meeting , which was held remotely as Fauci and others practice social distancing measures .
As a video on NBC of the conference shows , the doctor was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether or not the previous administration holds any responsibility for the fact a vaccine doesn ’ t exist yet .
“ The President said the other day that President Obama is responsible for lack of vaccine .
Dr. Fauci , is President Obama – or by extension President Trump – did they do something that made the likelihood of creating the vaccine less likely ?
” Romney asked .
Fauci refuted the claim that either man was to be blamed for not currently having a vaccine and cheered the speed with which scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an inoculation that could help put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ No , Senator , not at all .
Certainly , [ neither ] President Obama nor President Trump are responsible for not having a vaccine .
We moved , as you said , rather rapidly .
No one has ever gone from knowing what the virus was to a phase one trial as fast as we ’ ve done .
So I don ’ t think that ’ s something that one should say anybody ’ s responsible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he was “ surprised ” that the president had targeted his predecessor for the current lack of a vaccine and thanked the respected immunologist for his response .
The senator then asked whether a vaccine was likely to be developed at all .
The World Health Organization recently warned that not all diseases can be vaccinated against .
HIV , for instance , has resisted all attempts to develop an effective vaccine .
Fauci assured Romney that it is more likely than not that people will have an effective inoculation for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed that there is no guarantee .
Trump has increased his criticism of Obama in recent days , with several attacks through social media and at a recent press conference .
His comments come after Obama was revealed via leaked audio to have criticized the job that the Trump administration is doing during the coronavirus crisis .


inquisitr--2020-05-12--Elizabeth Warren Asks Dr. Fauci If America Has The Coronavirus Contained, He Says ‘We Don’t’

Dr. Anthony Fauci and others from President Donald Trump ’ s coronavirus task force are testifying before members of the Senate Health , Education , Labor , and Pensions Committee in a hearing called “ COVID-19 : Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School ” on Tuesday .
During the hearing , Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren pressed the doctor about the state of the virus ’ s containment in the United States , according to a CBS Boston report .
When it was time for her to speak , Senator Warren noted that Dr. Fauci had served under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his opinion about the state of containment of the novel coronavirus throughout the country .
“ Right now , it depends on what you mean by containment .
If you think that we have it completely under control , we don ’ t .
I mean , if you look at the dynamics of the outbreak , we are seeing a diminution of hospitalizations and infections in some places such as in New York City , which has plateaued and started to come down , New Orleans .
But in other parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think we ’ re going in the right direction .
But the right direction does not mean we have , by any means , total control of this outbreak.
” The senator went on to ask the doctor about predictions that foreshadow as many as 200,000 new cases of COVID-19 per day in the U.S. in June .
Those numbers would be up from the roughly 25,000 infections each day currently .
However , Dr. Fauci said that he does not foresee that the country will end up with that many new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be flattening .
Warren also asked Dr. Fauci about the measures that the U.S. needs to have in place by the fall to help keep a predicted second wave from being bad for the end of 2020 , and he said that while such things aren ’ t in place right now , they should be there by Labor Day .
The doctor also repeated his concerns that the fall will end up seeing many infections and deaths if the country does not put in place the proper testing and tracing over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has left to prepare .
After Dr. Fauci answered her questions , Senator Warren , who ran for president in 2020 but dropped out when she didn ’ t win enough delegates during the Democratic primaries , said that she wished she could tell the American people that the Federal government had the pandemic under control .
She also accused President Trump of “ magical thinking ” and encouraged him to act now to ensure that more American ’ s don ’ t end up dying later this year as a result of @ @


inquisitr--2020-05-12--House Democrats Reveal Proposal For The Next Coronavirus Relief Package

On Tuesday , House Democrats released their proposal for the next phase of coronavirus relief , The Hill reported .
The proposed bill , which the House of Representatives is expected to pass on Friday , includes $ 3 trillion in additional aid .
According to CBS News , the proposed bill revealed by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday provides a wide range of economic relief targeted at businesses , local governments , and workers .
It calls for financial assistance to be sent directly to state and local government and also authorizes hazard pay for healthcare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the travel industry .
The bill , which has been dubbed the HEROES Act ( Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act ) , seeks to provide systemic relief as well by giving additional support to Medicare and Medicaid , granting student debt forgiveness , and preventing landlords and banks from evicting or foreclosing on renters and homeowners , CBS News reported .
An important addition to the HEROES Act that has been left out of previous coronavirus relief packages is financial assistance for farmers .
The agriculture industry was notably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for small businesses in the last couple of stimulus packages .
On Monday , before the details of the HEROES Act were revealed , Pelosi said that passing another stimulus package as soon as possible is crucial , according to CBS News .
However , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell doesn ’ t agree with Pelosi ’ s assessment , CBS News reported .
During a live-streamed campaign event for President Donald Trump on Monday evening , McConnell said that Congress needs to reassess how to move forward with providing coronavirus relief .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ size of our economy , ” he said .
“ So I ’ ve said , and the president has said as well , that we have to take a pause here and take a look at what we ’ ve done.
” Friday ’ s House vote is expected to follow party lines as Republicans are not totally on board with the next round of relief , per The Hill .
Senate Republicans , along with the White House , have repeatedly stated that they want more time to assess the impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving on to passing a new one .
However , Democrats are eager to pass the next round of stimulus , and they have the votes to get the bill through the House .


inquisitr--2020-05-12--Dr. Fauci Hits Back After Senator Rand Paul Says He Is Not ‘The End-All’

On Tuesday , Dr. Anthony Fauci and several others from President Donald Trump ‘ s coronavirus task force testified in front of the United States Senate in a hearing called “ COVID-19 : Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School.
” During the hearing , which some attended via video conference due to quarantining after exposure to the virus , Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky had an exchange with Fauci , in which Paul appeared to accuse the doctor of thinking he ’ s the “ end-all.
” The doctor quickly cleared that up for the senator and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing , Paul said that experts have consistently made incorrect predictions throughout the coronavirus pandemic .
He further argued that the power to hold school or not next year shouldn ’ t be a national one-size-fits-all plan , but instead reside with each school district .
“ I think we ought to have a little bit of humility in our belief that we know what ’ s best for the economy , and as much I respect you , Dr. Fauci , I don ’ t think you ’ re the end-all… We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are people on the other side saying there ’ s not going to be a surge.
” Paul went on to discuss his concern that if children don ’ t go back to school in the fall , those who are at a disadvantage who don ’ t have a parent that can teach them at home will end up missing out on a full year of learning .
He noted that everybody involved needed to be humble about what isn ’ t known in the situation .
“ I have never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and only voice of this .
I ’ m a scientist , a physician , and a public health official .
I give advice according to the best scientific evidence , ” Fauci said .
The doctor noted that he does not advise about anything other than public health since he ’ s not an expert on the other things that Paul mentioned .
Fauci also countered the senator ’ s words about being humble , noting that officials don ’ t know everything about the virus .
He cautioned that those in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choices made for children .
Fauci pointed out that there are cases of children who have had COVID-19 and a strange inflammatory disorder that is similar to Kawasaki syndrome .
ABC New York recently reported that possibly as many as five children have died and 93 became ill with the syndrome in New York while also having the coronavirus .
“ I think we better be careful if we are not cavalier in thinking that children are completely immune to the deleterious effects , ” Fauci warned .
Ultimately , Fauci said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he does not know everything about the novel coronavirus , which is why he is careful about making broad predictions about it .
He agreed that children typically fare better than the elderly and those with other underlying conditions , but that the unknowns are worrisome when it comes to young people .


inquisitr--2020-05-12--Donald Trump Claims Governors’ Coronavirus High Approval Ratings Wouldn’t Have Happened Without Him

President Donald Trump wants the country to know he ’ s happy about the high approval ratings several governors received as a result of their response to the coronavirus outbreak .
Trump also wants the public to know those governors wouldn ’ t have gotten these positive approval ratings without him and his administration .
Trump took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to tout his views on the topic .
“ Remember this , every Governor who has sky high approval on their handling of the Coronavirus , and I am happy for them all , could in no way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that success , without me and the Federal Governments help .
From Ventilators to Testing , we made it happen !
” The tweet was likely influenced by an article The Washington Post did last month showing several governors posting higher approval ratings than Trump since the outbreak began .
Key among those numbers were polls in Michigan , Florida , and Pennsylvania .
All three are considered battleground states for the 2020 presidential election .
Notably , Michigan and Pennsylvania have Democratic governors .
Trump started off Tuesday morning dealing with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that had critics voicing their concern over his arguing with reporters and then abruptly leaving the stage .
The president was asked a question by Asian reporter Weijia Chang about his desire to — as she put it — make testing a competition with other countries .
He responded she should ask China .
Chang then asked why she , in particular , should ask China a question she ’ d posed to him , apparently believing it was because she was Asian .
The president attempted to ignore her follow-up and called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Collins then tried to let Wang press for an answer and he moved on to a third reporter , this time Yamiche Alcindor .
When Alcindor reportedly also attempted to let Wang get her question answered , Trump walked away from the podium and into the White House .
The president ’ s tweet also underlines a point he ’ s made at numerous recent press conferences .
He does not believe he and his administration are getting enough credit for the good work they ’ ve been doing .
In another exchange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was asked why White House staffers were getting tested daily while the rest of the country was still having issues procuring as many tests as they needed .
Sidestepping the question , he told the reporter if his staff wasn ’ t getting tested as often as they were , she ’ d complain about that instead .
Trump ’ s tweet comes while some governors are still saying they had to come up with inventive ways to work around the federal government in order to get testing and the personal protection equipment @ @ @ @ @


inquisitr--2020-05-12--Mitch McConnell Says Barack Obama ‘Should Have Kept His Mouth Shut’ About Donald Trump’s Coronavirus

Mitch McConnell Says Barack Obama ‘Should Have Kept His Mouth Shut’ About Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Response

During a live stream for the Trump campaign on Monday night , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called out former President Barack Obama for his comments about the Trump administration ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic , CNN reported .
McConnell told President Donald Trump ’ s daughter-in-law , Lara Trump , that he thought Obama “ should have kept his mouth shut.
” The Senate majority leader continued to criticize Obama , saying that it wasn ’ t the place of the former president to criticize the next administration , per CNN .
“ I think it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to critique an administration that comes after you .
You had your shot , you were there for eight years .
I think the tradition that the Bush ’ s set up — of not critiquing the president who comes after you — is a good tradition.
” McConnell didn ’ t specify which comments of Obama ’ s he was referring to , per The Hill .
The former president has criticized the Trump administration ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic a few times over the past few weeks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ private call between Obama and some former White House colleagues were leaked .
The purpose of the call was to get some of his former staffers more involved in the Biden campaign , according to CNN .
During the call , the former president cited the Trump administration ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic as a demonstration of the impact weak leadership has during a global crisis .
He called their response “ an absolute chaotic disaster.
” Obama also appeared to take a shot at the administration in an April tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we continue to wait for a coherent national plan to navigate this pandemic , states like Massachusetts are beginning to adopt their own public health plans to combat this virus––before it ’ s too late , ” he wrote .
He also linked to an article published in The New Yorker outlining the plan for testing and contact tracing Massachusetts had been developing .
According to CNN , the harsh criticism goes against the former president ’ s typical tradition of not commenting on the actions of the current administration .
McConnell also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity to blame the previous administration for the pandemic response , Politico reported .
“ The Obama administration did not leave to this administration any kind of game plan , ” he stated .
However , reports have shown that the Obama administration did , in fact , have a pandemic response plan in place .
According to Politico , Obama ’ s National Security Council developed a detailed guide for dealing with a global pandemic .
The Trump administration was reportedly made aware of the guide in 2017 , but have not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .


inquisitr--2020-05-12--Donald Trump Calls On California To Let Elon Musk Reopen Tesla Plant

Elon Musk announced he was going to reopen the Tesla assembly plant in Fremont , California , despite the county ’ s lockdown policies , daring the local sheriffs to arrest him for doing so .
Now , he has a powerful supporter cheering on his efforts after President Donald Trump backed Musk ’ s message .
“ California should let Tesla & @ elonmusk open the plant , NOW .
It can be done Fast & Safely !
” Trump tweeted .
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also backed the Tesla CEO , according to CNBC .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s one of the biggest employers and manufacturers in California , and California should prioritize doing whatever they need to do to solve those health issues so that he can open quickly and safely , ” he said .
While certain California businesses statewide have been given the go-ahead to begin reopening , Governor Gavin Newsom has left the ultimate decision up to the local cities and counties to decide whether or not to allow businesses to reopen .
Alameda County determined that the Tesla factory is a nonessential business and should remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
Since late April , Musk has been railing about the closure orders .
Last week , in a now-deleted tweet , Musk threatened to move the plant to another state if the county wouldn ’ t allow him to get back to business .
“ Frankly , this is the final straw , ” Musk tweeted .
“ Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately.
” On Monday , Musk announced he would be opening the plant and told authorities that if they came to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he be the one arrested , as The Inquisitr previously reported .
As local station KCRA reports , on Monday , the parking lot was nearly full as employees returned to work .
While no law enforcement appeared at the factory on Monday , the county ’ s public health department warned Tesla that it was violating local law and asked that it submit a site-specific plan for opening that details how it will protect the workers inside the plant , which employs 10,000 individuals .
“ We look forward to reviewing Tesla @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an ] agreement on protocol and a timeline to reopen safely , ” the warning read .
Trump has been vocal in supporting those wanting to reopen the economy .
In mid-April , he tweeted support of protestors in states like Michigan and Minnesota who appeared at state capitols to call for the stay-at-home orders to be lifted .
While the president has conceded that the ultimate decision is up to local state leaders , he has repeatedly pushed to see states reopen to bolster their economies amidst a historic level of unemployment @

Elon Musk announced he was going to reopen the Tesla assembly plant in Fremont, California, despite the county’s lockdown policies, daring the local sheriffs to arrest him for doing so. Now, he has a powerful supporter cheering on his efforts after President Donald Trump backed Musk’s message.
“California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW. It can be done Fast & Safely!” Trump tweeted.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also backed the Tesla CEO, according to CNBC.
“I agree with Elon Musk. He’s one of the biggest employers and manufacturers in California, and California should prioritize doing whatever they need to do to solve those health issues so that he can open quickly and safely,” he said.
While certain California businesses statewide have been given the go-ahead to begin reopening, Governor Gavin Newsom has left the ultimate decision up to the local cities and counties to decide whether or not to allow businesses to reopen.
Alameda County determined that the Tesla factory is a nonessential business and should remain shuttered to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.
Since late April, Musk has been railing about the closure orders. Last week, in a now-deleted tweet, Musk threatened to move the plant to another state if the county wouldn’t allow him to get back to business.
“Frankly, this is the final straw,” Musk tweeted. “Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately.”
On Monday, Musk announced he would be opening the plant and told authorities that if they came to apprehend people at the factory, that he be the one arrested, as The Inquisitr previously reported.
As local station KCRA reports, on Monday, the parking lot was nearly full as employees returned to work.
While no law enforcement appeared at the factory on Monday, the county’s public health department warned Tesla that it was violating local law and asked that it submit a site-specific plan for opening that details how it will protect the workers inside the plant, which employs 10,000 individuals.
“We look forward to reviewing Tesla’s plan and coming to [an] agreement on protocol and a timeline to reopen safely,” the warning read.
Trump has been vocal in supporting those wanting to reopen the economy. In mid-April, he tweeted support of protestors in states like Michigan and Minnesota who appeared at state capitols to call for the stay-at-home orders to be lifted.
While the president has conceded that the ultimate decision is up to local state leaders, he has repeatedly pushed to see states reopen to bolster their economies amidst a historic level of unemployment.