inquisitr--2020-05-04--Michelle Obama Says Black Americans Not Voting In 2016 Was A ‘Slap In The Face’

In a clip from Michelle Obama ‘ s highly-anticipated Netflix documentary , Becoming , the former first lady speaks of Hillary Clinton ‘ s loss to Donald Trump in 2016 and her reaction , The New York Post reported .
“ You know , the day I left the White House , it was painful to sit on that stage , and then a lot of our folks didn ’ t vote — it was almost a slap in the face , ” Michelle said in a clip of her speaking to African American schoolchildren .
Michelle expressed sympathy with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in those who didn ’ t show up at the ballot box .
As reported by CNN , Michelle ’ s husband and former U.S. president , Barack Obama , made the push for Clinton in 2016 and suggested that he would consider it a “ personal insult ” to his legacy if black voters don ’ t vote for the former secretary of state over Trump .
Before Barack ’ s call to action , Clinton praised him and Michelle and said they represented the U.S. with “ class , grace and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s presidency was a “ disaster ” for the wealth of middle-class Americans , and , in particular , African Americans .
Although black wealth reportedly returned to its 2007 level by the year 2016 , the publication claims that black home equity was still reduced by $ 16,700 .
Per Jacobin , the majority of this decline can be tied to Barack and his refusal to use his power to “ ameliorate the foreclosure crisis.
” “ He chose not to use it , ” Matt Bruenig and Ryan Cooper wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pair , Barack ’ s decision to bail out Wall Street after the 2008 crisis “ directly concentrated ” U.S. wealth into the hands of “ rich white families.
” Regardless , Michelle explores her disappointment in her husband ’ s supporters not just in 2016 but throughout his presidency .
As The Inquisitr reported , CNN political commentator Van Jones previously claimed that courting black voters is part of Trump ’ s strategy to win in 2020 .
According to Jones , Trump is focusing on appeasing the African American community while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he continues to push a hardline approach to Latin American immigrants and refugees .
Jones claimed that Trump ’ s appeal to African Americans — which includes criminal justice reform , school choice , and funds for struggling black colleges and universities — could be useful in gaining the community ’ s support for November .

In a clip from Michelle Obama‘s highly-anticipated Netflix documentary, Becoming, the former first lady speaks of Hillary Clinton‘s loss to Donald Trump in 2016 and her reaction, The New York Post reported.
“You know, the day I left the White House, it was painful to sit on that stage, and then a lot of our folks didn’t vote — it was almost a slap in the face,” Michelle said in a clip of her speaking to African American schoolchildren.
Michelle expressed sympathy with people who voted for Trump but disappointment in those who didn’t show up at the ballot box.
As reported by CNN, Michelle’s husband and former U.S. president, Barack Obama, made the push for Clinton in 2016 and suggested that he would consider it a “personal insult” to his legacy if black voters don’t vote for the former secretary of state over Trump. Before Barack’s call to action, Clinton praised him and Michelle and said they represented the U.S. with “class, grace and integrity.”
According to Jacobin, Barack’s presidency was a “disaster” for the wealth of middle-class Americans, and, in particular, African Americans. Although black wealth reportedly returned to its 2007 level by the year 2016, the publication claims that black home equity was still reduced by $16,700. Per Jacobin, the majority of this decline can be tied to Barack and his refusal to use his power to “ameliorate the foreclosure crisis.”
“He chose not to use it,” Matt Bruenig and Ryan Cooper wrote in the piece.
According to the pair, Barack’s decision to bail out Wall Street after the 2008 crisis “directly concentrated” U.S. wealth into the hands of “rich white families.”
Why didn't Obama save homes of victims of predatory lending, a disproportionate # Black resulting in greatest lost of Black wealth since the end of reconstruction? But he bailed out the banks! This conversation about white supremacy/power is not serious reduced to a Trump. — Ajamu Baraka (@ajamubaraka) August 7, 2019
Regardless, Michelle explores her disappointment in her husband’s supporters not just in 2016 but throughout his presidency.
“It wasn’t just in this election, but every midterm, every time Barack didn’t get the Congress he needed, that was because our folks didn’t show up. After all that work, they just couldn’t be bothered to vote at all. That’s my trauma.”
As The Inquisitr reported, CNN political commentator Van Jones previously claimed that courting black voters is part of Trump’s strategy to win in 2020. According to Jones, Trump is focusing on appeasing the African American community while trading off support from the Latino community as he continues to push a hardline approach to Latin American immigrants and refugees.
Jones claimed that Trump’s appeal to African Americans — which includes criminal justice reform, school choice, and funds for struggling black colleges and universities — could be useful in gaining the community’s support for November.


inquisitr--2020-05-04--Former US Attorney Warns ‘It’s All A Game’ To President Trump After His ‘Reviews’ Tweet

Joyce Alene , United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama from 2009 to 2017 , took to Twitter with some strong words of warning for citizens of the country .
Her words came after President Donald Trump tweeted about the great reviews his administration received for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. Alene retweeted Trump and added her own commentary to his words .
“ Getting great reviews , finally , for how well we are handling the pandemic , especially our strong production of desperately needed ventilators , the building of field hospitals & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things we are doing on testing .
People are really working well together !
” the president wrote on the popular social media platform early Monday morning .
The tweet is one of several times throughout the COVID-19 crisis that the president has mentioned his good ratings in some way , and it received more than 16,000 retweets and nearly 85,000 likes on Twitter .
Several weeks ago , Fox News ’ Brit Hume slammed Trump for bragging about his ratings during the coronavirus briefings , according to a Deadline report .
Alene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is approaching the coronavirus pandemic and the mentions of reviews , which he mentions similarly to the way he talks about TV ratings .
“ ‘ Great Reviews.
’ It ’ s all a game to him – TV & ratings .
There is no substance to this presidency , just smoke , mirrors & outright lies .
Our country fell for a slick conman whose biggest success was selling his name .
Make sure you ’ re registered to vote , so it doesn ’ t happen again , ” she warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” on Twitter , and 3,200 people retweeted her comments on Trump ’ s original tweet .
Many Twitter users who replied agreed with her sentiment and some made jokes related to ratings and awards .
“ This is definitely a two-star pandemic .
Not Emmy worthy , ” replied one jaded Twitter user .
Others also pointed out how many individuals stayed home during the 2016 election , and most of those who chimed in agreed with Alene ’ s assertion that people should register to vote .
Further , many expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election day to ensure that their voices are heard when the time comes to pick the next president of the United States this November .
Meanwhile , some also noted that the electoral college — and not the popular vote — elected Trump .
Alene ’ s criticism comes at a time when The New York Times revealed that Trump ’ s administration expects coronavirus deaths in the U.S. to jump to 3,000 per day by June , The Inquisitr reported .
At the same time , daily new cases could also reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 1,750 die each day of COVID-19 .

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inquisitr--2020-05-04--Donald Trump’s Re-Election Will Lead To ‘Firing Squads’ For Journalists, Author Says

During a Monday appearance on SiriusXM ’ s Joe Madison — The Black Eagle , author and former New York Times investigative reporter David Cay Johnson offered a grim prediction on life after a Donald Trump win in November , Breitbart reported .
When asked by Madison about the possibility that Trump will postpone or cancel November ’ s election , Johnson suggested it ’ s more likely the president will attempt to try instead to turn people away from the polls .
“ We ’ ve got to get this man out of office or it ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that road , Joe , lie firing squads , ” he said .
Johnson told Madison that Trump is a dictator , suggesting that firing squads are a logical progression of his approach to power .
“ I mean , I have no , you know , I said after Donald Trump won the electoral college , that if he could find a way to have me arrested , cause he said he hates me more than any other journalist in the world , that he would do so , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lacks empathy and views other individuals not as people but as objects for his own personal gain .
Johnson has expressed these sentiments before .
As reported by Salon , he previously suggested in November 2019 that firing squads lie at the end of Trump ’ s presidential story .
He urged Americans to remain involved in the political process to retain the country ’ s democracy and avoid going down the path toward electing a dictator .
Nevertheless , the 71-year-old Pulitzer Prize winner also warned that removing Trump will leave open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power vacuum — a person that may be more organized and hard-working than the current president .
In a similar op-ed for The Washington Post , Matt Bai argued that Trump ’ s attacks on journalists and reporters are part of his re-election strategy .
Bai pointed to the coronavirus briefings , where the president often clashed with reporters , as evidence of this purported strategy .
Although Bai noted the outrage that he and his media colleagues feel over Trump ’ s treatment of reporters , he advised people to ignore it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a deliberate campaign strategy .
Trump has taken particular aim at members of the media as his administration continues to face criticism for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Even before the spread of the coronavirus , his attacks on the media ’ s alleged corruption and bias against his White House have been a staple of his presidency .

During a Monday appearance on SiriusXM’s Joe Madison — The Black Eagle, author and former New York Times investigative reporter David Cay Johnston offered a grim prediction on life after a Donald Trump win in November, Breitbart reported.
When asked by Madison about the possibility that Trump will postpone or cancel November’s election, Johnston suggested it’s more likely the president will attempt to try instead to turn people away from the polls.
“We’ve got to get this man out of office or it’s the end of our democracy, and down that road, Joe, lie firing squads,” he said.
Johnston told Madison that Trump is a dictator, suggesting that firing squads are a logical progression of his approach to power.
“I mean, I have no, you know, I said after Donald Trump won the electoral college, that if he could find a way to have me arrested, cause he said he hates me more than any other journalist in the world, that he would do so,” he said.
Afterward, Johnston claimed that Trump lacks empathy and views other individuals not as people but as objects for his own personal gain.
“Every case that I’ve ever studied that a country has been taken over by a dictator, of course there are firing squads. And I would expect to get shot in the first round.”
Johnston has expressed these sentiments before. As reported by Salon, he previously suggested in November 2019 that firing squads lie at the end of Trump’s presidential story. He urged Americans to remain involved in the political process to retain the country’s democracy and avoid going down the path toward electing a dictator. Nevertheless, the 71-year-old Pulitzer Prize winner also warned that removing Trump will leave open room for an authoritarian to fill the power vacuum — a person that may be more organized and hard-working than the current president.
In a similar op-ed for The Washington Post, Matt Bai argued that Trump’s attacks on journalists and reporters are part of his re-election strategy. Bai pointed to the coronavirus briefings, where the president often clashed with reporters, as evidence of this purported strategy. Although Bai noted the outrage that he and his media colleagues feel over Trump’s treatment of reporters, he advised people to ignore it to avoid feeding into what he believes is a deliberate campaign strategy.
Trump has taken particular aim at members of the media as his administration continues to face criticism for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even before the spread of the coronavirus, his attacks on the media’s alleged corruption and bias against his White House have been a staple of his presidency.


inquisitr--2020-05-04--Barack Obama Campaign Strategists Advise Joe Biden To ‘Turn The Tables’ On Donald Trump

In a Monday op-ed for The New York Times , David Axelrod and David Plouffe , both top strategists for former President Barack Obama ‘ s 2008 presidential campaign , offered advice to Joe Biden for taking down Donald Trump in November .
Despite the former vice president ’ s current lead in national polls , the pair argue that his success hinges on his campaign ’ s preparedness for the inevitable stream of attacks from Trump , which will attempt to paint Biden as unfit for office .
“ Mr .
Trump ’ s team knows they can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so they will try to disqualify Mr. Biden , ” they wrote .
Although the president appears to be holding back on the sexual assault allegations against Biden , his allies have been doing the opposite and amplifying the accusations .
To combat such attacks from Trump ’ s camp , Axelrod and Plouffe believe Biden ’ s campaign must focus on the president ’ s coronavirus response .
In particular , they advise the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee to respond to Trump ’ s comments at COVID-19 briefings in real-time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden can “ turn the tables ” on the president with “ creative and timely interventions.
” “ You don ’ t defeat an incumbent president by playing defense , ” they wrote .
The pair also advised the former senator and his team to expand their digital footprint and provide competition with Trump on social media .
Notably , they believe Biden should use a virtual content production studio to create unique content for every major platform .
“ In recent weeks , Mr. Biden has taken impressive steps to enhance and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” they concluded the article , noting that the shifted political landscape amid coronavirus could be harnessed by Biden to gain an edge over Trump .
At the opposite end of the spectrum is Elizabeth Bruenig who — just one day before Axelrod and Plouffe ’ s piece — argued in her own op-ed in The New York Times that the Democratic Party should begin considering a backup plan amid Tara Reade ’ s sexual assault allegation against Biden .
Although Bruenig stopped short of saying whether she believed Biden or Reade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poses a danger to the Democratic Party , which has been advocating for the # MeToo movement over the last few years .
As The Inquisitr previously reported , political commentator Liz Peek speculated that Biden would choose Hillary Clinton as a running mate and then step down , allowing her to take on Trump again and vindicate her 2016 loss .

'1000 Lb Sister' Tammy Slaton Defends Her 'Filtered' Pictures, Ask Critics to Talk to Her Hand
She said, "Listen, I am not trying to be rude, but it's my profile. And if I like using the filters, I will. Plain and simple," as she waved goodbye. ...


inquisitr--2020-05-04--Andrew Yang Says UBI Is ‘More Urgent Than Ever’ As New Poll And Several Pundits Back Recurring Payme

Andrew Yang Says UBI Is ‘More Urgent Than Ever’ As New Poll And Several Pundits Back Recurring Payments

“ I thought Universal Basic Income was a good idea in the absence of this crisis , but it ’ s more urgent than ever .
It ’ s literally life or death , ” former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang said during a recent live Q & A on Bloomberg TV , returning to one of the core planks of his campaign .
Yang addressed the concerns of Americans who are living “ in desperation ” and shared a quick anecdote of a restaurateur whose establishment shut down due to the national lockdown , even though her business previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s anecdote may speak to mounting concerns about economic stability precipitated by the coronavirus pandemic , as the economic effects of the pandemic are affecting several sectors of industry .
“ I ’ ve had people in my district , Silicon Valley , tech professionals who ’ ve lost their jobs , ” Rep. Ro Khanna was quoted as saying in a New York Times op-ed , a sentiment that challenges the argument that hourly wage workers are the only ones who might need stimulus funds .
Rep. Khanna echoed Yang ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month Universal Basic Income ( UBI ) .
This UBI would , according to like-minded legislators and voters , alleviate the financial hardship of American citizens who were unexpectedly sidelined by the pandemic , regardless of how healthy their finances had looked previously .
According to The Appeal ‘ s coverage of a recent poll from Data for Progress and The Justice Collaborative Institute , 66 percent of Americans prefer recurring payments that are not contingent upon any taxpayer status .
This position may be seen to stand in contrast with the Coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( CARES Act ) , which offers stimulus funding based on income level and tax eligibility .
According to critics , the CARES Act has left many Americans behind — and will continue to — unless Congress pushes for Universal Basic Income in the form of recurring payments .
The Guardian columnist John Harris also spoke in favor of Universal Basic Income and added how pre-pandemic views of UBI ’ s long-term viability were based on people ’ s binary thinking concerning the correlation between work and a person ’ s value , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precarious losers.
” However , as the repercussions of the pandemic threaten the broader American economy , boosters of the UBI suggest that even economic “ winners ” can fall into economic desperation in the face of a significant downturn .
Yang ’ s primary motivation for introducing UBI as his signature policy was the displacement of workers as a result of rapid advances in automation , but displacement due to the pandemic accelerated the need for economic support , from his perspective .
Furthermore , he suggests that recurring payments to American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later time due to the severity of unemployment .
According to Yang , 70 members of Congress are in support of a bill which would offer $ 2,000 a month to Americans , perhaps mitigating financial hardship during the pandemic .


inquisitr--2020-05-04--White House Predicts Daily Coronavirus Deaths Will Nearly Double By June As It Pressures States To R

White House Predicts Daily Coronavirus Deaths Will Nearly Double By June As It Pressures States To Reopen

President Donald Trump has been reportedly urging states to begin the process of reopening their economies .
Yet , at the same time , the administration is predicting that the daily death toll will nearly double by June .
As The New York Times reports , there are about 1,750 new cases of the novel coronavirus every day in the United States .
The Trump administration expects that number to reach 3,000 per day by June 1 .
For weeks the president has been saying that while the decision is up to local leaders , he has been strongly encouraging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later .
At the end of April , as ABC News reported at the time , Trump had a phone call with governors where he told them that they should “ seriously consider ” reopening schools .
“ Some of you might start thinking about school openings .
Because a lot of people are wanting to have the school openings .
It ’ s not a big subject , young children have done very well in this disaster that we ’ ve all gone through , ” Trump said .
“ So a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school openings.
” Trump has also expressed support for protestors in various states calling for leaders to re-open restaurants and other businesses .
As the Times notes , while the country has been staying at home to help limit the spread of the disease , the reality is that things haven ’ t turned around as much as experts had hoped .
“ While mitigation didn ’ t fail , I think it ’ s fair to say that it didn ’ t work as well as we expected , ” Scott Gottlieb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Drug Administration , said on Sunday.
” We expected that we would start seeing more significant declines in new cases and deaths around the nation at this point .
And we ’ re just not seeing that.
” Trump adjusted his predictions on Sunday on the number of people who would likely die from COVID-19 .
Early on , he had predicted that the country would witness 60,000 deaths , and he would consider that a success .
The United States passed that number last week , with no signs that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As a result , Trump said that the death toll could reach 100,000 during a virtual town hall on Sunday .
Meanwhile , many states have begun the process of reopening their economies even as experts warn that opening too soon could push the nation toward a second wave of infections that could necessitate reintroducing social distancing measuring all over again .


inquisitr--2020-05-04--Ted Cruz Slams ‘New York Times’ Editors Over ‘Freudian Slip’ In Call For Joe Biden Investigation

The New York Times ’ editorial board recently called on the Democratic National Committee ( DNC ) to investigate Tara Reade ’ s sexual assault and harassment allegations against Joe Biden .
As reported by The Daily Wire , Texas Sen. Ted Cruz responded to the call and suggested that it contained a reflection of their true intentions .
The exchange began with Washington Examiner ’ s Byron York , who noted the choice of words used in the statement .
“ Absolutely astonishing — New York Times not only rejects role of media , but calls for an investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panel , put together by the DNC , ' ” he tweeted .
Cruz responded and contrasted the situation to former Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg and his operation of Bloomberg News , which did not offer criticism of his campaign .
In a follow-up tweet , the 49-year-old politician called the New York Times editors “ hacks ” and compared the editorial to Richard Nixon ‘ s Watergate scandal .
According to Cruz , the recent call might be one of the publication ’ s worst offenses .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They don ’ t even pretend anymore.
” As The Inquisitr previously reported , the New York Times editors called on the DNC to work in cooperation with Biden ’ s campaign to determine the credibility of Reade ’ s allegations .
Elsewhere , Biden ’ s campaign called on journalists to investigate the accusation and assured that they would be proven false .
While Reade believes documentation of her harassment complaint from Biden ’ s Senate office is located at the University of Delaware , Biden suggested on MSNBC ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be in the National Archives .
When pressed about searching for Reade ’ s name in the University of Delaware ’ s archives , he appeared speechless .
The National Archives later pushed back and said such documents are from the Senate Fair Employment Practices offices .
As noted by The New York Times in its call for a DNC investigation , there is evidence both against and in support of Reade ’ s allegation that Biden penetrated her with his fingers in 1993 .
In response to the New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it would not be investigating and said the Barack Obama campaign ’ s 2008 background check “ fully vetted ” Biden , who went on to be vice president .


inquisitr--2020-05-04--Donald Trump Should Step Down And Let Mike Pence Lead, MSNBC Host Says

MSNBC host Joe Scarborough used Monday ’ s edition of Morning Joe to call on President Donald Trump to step down and let Mike Pence lead the United States amid the coronavirus pandemic , Raw Story reported .
“ Mr .
President , I ask that you get checked out , ” Scarborough said .
“ 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.
” Scarborough suggested that Pence is better equipped to lead the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battle the coronavirus and public health experts predict a second wave will occur this fall .
“ Mr .
President , you ’ re getting worse every day .
You need to take a rest , you need to let Mike Pence actually run things for the next couple of weeks .
Come back when you ’ re 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.
” Scarborough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought up the death of Lori Klausutis , who worked in Scarborough ’ s Fort Walton Beach office during his time as a Florida congressman , and suggested the MSNBC host may be involved .
The 57-year-old television personality noted the cruelty of Trump ’ s accusation but also said it was not unexpected and pointed to the Seth Reith conspiracy that Trump and his allies pushed .
Even if Trump does not hand the reigns to pence , Bloomberg reports the vice president ’ s recent time in the spotlight paves the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In addition to being part of the coronavirus task force , Pence has his own political action committee and — before COVID-19 lockdown restrictions — was traveling the country as a Trump surrogate .
According to the publication , Pence is expected to succeed Trump , although it ’ s still unclear whether he is willing to run for the Republican Party ’ s nomination and take up the position .
As reported by NBC News , Pence ’ s role as the head of the coronavirus task force — which it calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put his future on the line .
Although the publication notes that Pence has received praise for his role on the task force thus far , it also highlights that this could change at any moment , given the unpredictable nature of the pandemic and Trump ’ s mercurial nature .
If Pence and Trump are both removed from their positions , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would be next in line to assume the presidency , as The Inquisitr previously reported .

MSNBC host Joe Scarborough used Monday’s edition of Morning Joe to call on President Donald Trump to step down and let Mike Pence lead the United States amid the coronavirus pandemic, Raw Story reported.
“Mr. President, I ask that you get checked out,” Scarborough said. “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.”
Scarborough suggested that Pence is better equipped to lead the United States as the country continues to battle the coronavirus and public health experts predict a second wave will occur this fall.
“Mr. President, you’re getting worse every day. You need to take a rest, you need to let Mike Pence actually run things for the next couple of weeks. Come back when you’re 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.”
Scarborough’s comments come after Trump again brought up the death of Lori Klausutis, who worked in Scarborough’s Fort Walton Beach office during his time as a Florida congressman, and suggested the MSNBC host may be involved. The 57-year-old television personality noted the cruelty of Trump’s accusation but also said it was not unexpected and pointed to the Seth Reith conspiracy that Trump and his allies pushed.
Even if Trump does not hand the reigns to pence, Bloomberg reports the vice president’s recent time in the spotlight paves the way for a 2024 presidential run. In addition to being part of the coronavirus task force, Pence has his own political action committee and — before COVID-19 lockdown restrictions — was traveling the country as a Trump surrogate. According to the publication, Pence is expected to succeed Trump, although it’s still unclear whether he is willing to run for the Republican Party’s nomination and take up the position.
VP Pence does not wear a mask during Tuesday’s visit to the Mayo Clinic, which is requiring all patients and visitors to wear a face covering or mask in effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/qIddFN9UTW — NBC News (@NBCNews) April 28, 2020
As reported by NBC News, Pence’s role as the head of the coronavirus task force — which it calls a “perilous job” — has put his future on the line. Although the publication notes that Pence has received praise for his role on the task force thus far, it also highlights that this could change at any moment, given the unpredictable nature of the pandemic and Trump’s mercurial nature.
If Pence and Trump are both removed from their positions, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would be next in line to assume the presidency, as The Inquisitr previously reported.


inquisitr--2020-05-05--Chris Christie Says US Needs To Reopen Despite Coronavirus Risks: ‘There Are Going To Be Deaths’

Chris Christie said the United States needs to continue lifting coronavirus restrictions and allowing the economy to reopen , despite projections that deaths could continue to rise and that more than 130,000 Americans may ultimately die from the outbreak .
The former New Jersey governor spoke to CNN ’ s Dana Bash on The Daily DC Podcast this week , saying there needs to be a balance between careful measures to slow the spread of the virus and efforts to reopen the economy .
As CNN noted , Christie said that some businesses need to reopen and out-of-work Americans need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work to avoid further economic impact .
Christie added that “ if we don ’ t , we ’ re going to destroy the American way of life in these families — and it will be years and years before we can recover.
” “ Are there ways that we can… thread the middle here to allow that there are going to be deaths , and there are going to be deaths no matter what ?
” Christie posed .
When Bash asked Christie about whether people would be willing to return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration that the number of daily coronavirus deaths could hit 3,000 by June 1 , he replied , “ They ’ re gon na have to.
” “ We ’ re in the midst of a pandemic that we haven ’ t seen in over 100 years , ” Christie said .
“ And we ’ re going to have to continue to do things.
” As CNN noted , a model on the spread of the coronavirus frequently cited by the White House is now projecting that 134,000 people will die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous prediction .
As CNN noted , Christie ’ s statement appears to dovetail with calls from other Republicans to start reopening the economy despite the continued effects of the coronavirus .
President Donald Trump has also pushed for the country ’ s restrictions to begin easing , saying in a recent virtual town hall that he recognizes that some people are afraid but that they need to find a middle ground that allows businesses to reopen .
“ If you are scared , you are going to stay back a little bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Business .
“ If you are 60 , we have to protect those people and maybe they stay back longer , ” said Trump .
“ I think you can have it both ways.
” Some Republican governors have started to ease their own restrictions , including Georgia where Governor Brian Kemp last week allowed a number of businesses to reopen .
Florida , led by Republican Ron DeSantis , has also started to remove some of the measures put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus , allowing people to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


inquisitr--2020-05-05--Nancy Pelosi Slams White House For Blocking Officials From Testifying To Congress On Coronavirus

Nancy Pelosi is slamming the White House for reportedly blocking top officials from testifying to Congress on the coronavirus , questioning whether the Trump administration has anything to hide .
The House speaker said on Monday that the Trump administration “ might be afraid of the truth ” after the White House reportedly issued guidance that instructs members of the coronavirus task force not to accept invitations to testify before Congress unless first getting approval from White House chief of staff Mark Meadows .
Pelosi and other congressional leaders are pushing to learn more about the federal government ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were rebuffed in their attempt to get Dr. Anthony Fauci to testify .
Pelosi said in an interview with CNN on Monday that Congress needs to be able to speak to these experts in order to best understand the outbreak and how to appropriate funding .
“ The fact is that we need to allocate resources for this .
In order to do that , any appropriations bill must begin in the House .
And we have to have the information to act upon , ” Pelosi said , via The Hill .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials from testifying is “ business as usual ” from the Trump administration , which also blocked witnesses from testifying during Donald Trump ’ s impeachment hearings .
As The Inquisitr reported , the Trump administration had blocked top infectious disease expert Dr. Fauci from testifying before the House Appropriations Committee , which is holding hearings about the outbreak .
Pelosi and other Democratic leaders have been critical of the federal government ’ s response to the coronavirus , including an early statement from Trump that the attention surrounding the coronavirus was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early outbreak would quickly go away .
Pelosi blamed Trump for going against the advice of his administration ’ s medical experts , often publicly contradicting them .
“ He failed , ” Pelosi said during an April interview with ABC News ’ This Week posted on Twitter .
“ He ’ s failed in the testing and the rest , and [ said ] ‘ it ’ s a hoax ’ and ‘ it ’ s going to magically disappear.
’ That ’ s not based on science .
This isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The House speaker has also been critical of what she sees as the Trump administration ’ s failure to ramp up testing capabilities .
As CNN noted , Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell last week declined an offer from the Trump administration for 1,000 coronavirus tests for lawmakers , with Pelosi saying they should instead go to front-line medical workers .


inquisitr--2020-05-05--Anthony Fauci Appears To Break With Donald Trump, Shoots Down Theory That Coronavirus Started In Chi

Anthony Fauci Appears To Break With Donald Trump, Shoots Down Theory That Coronavirus Started In Chinese Lab

Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared to publicly break with Donald Trump on Monday as he shot down rumors that the coronavirus may have originated in a lab in China .
In an interview with National Geographic , the nation ’ s top expert on infectious disease and a member of the White House coronavirus task force said that all evidence points to the prevailing theory that the virus was first transmitted to humans through bats .
“ If you look at the evolution of the virus in bats and what ’ s out there now , [ the scientific evidence ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated .
Everything about the stepwise evolution over time strongly indicates that [ this virus ] evolved in nature and then jumped species.
” Trump last week had publicly pushed the theory that the virus originated in a lab in China , saying he had seen evidence that it was not a natural transmission .
Trump declined to reveal the source of this information when asked by a reporter , saying the information was too sensitive , via Sky News .
“ I can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m not allowed to tell you that.
” Others in the Trump administration have pushed the idea that the virus could have originated in a lab in Wuhan and spread either accidentally or intentionally .
Peter Navarro , a White House trade adviser , said last month that China must provide evidence that it did not start in the lab .
Navarro also claimed that the lab origin appeared to be the most logical theory about COVID-19 , per The Hill .
“ If you simply do an Occam ’ s razor approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most likely , I think it ’ s incumbent on China to prove that it wasn ’ t that lab.
” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also backed the theory that the virus started in a Chinese lab , saying there was “ enormous evidence ” pointing to this idea .
Members of the Trump administration have also been increasingly criticizing China for what they say were efforts to conceal the outbreak and withholding information from the international community .
In his interview this week , Fauci said it was a “ circular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread from a lab , as this would still mean that it started in the wild at the beginning .
Fauci ’ s position on the spread appeared to be backed by U.S. intelligence agencies .
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a statement last week that concurred with “ the wide scientific consensus ” that the virus was not man-made or genetically modified .


inquisitr--2020-05-05--Donald Trump Ignores Warning, Goes Without Face Covering In Visit To Arizona Factory Making N95 Mask

Donald Trump Ignores Warning, Goes Without Face Covering In Visit To Arizona Factory Making N95 Masks

Donald Trump and other top White House officials did not wear face coverings during a visit to an Arizona factory where employees were manufacturing N95 masks — even though signs inside the factory warned all people to wear masks .
As the Independent reported , Trump made the visit to the Honeywell factory in Arizona to tour the facility and speak to employees who were manufacturing the critical medical gear , which has been in short supply in many areas hard-hit by the coronavirus .
Trump appeared to say earlier in the day that he planned to wear a mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit to the factory on Tuesday .
“ I think it ’ s a mask facility , right ?
If it ’ s a mask facility , I will .
Yeah , ” Trump said earlier in the day .
As he was at Joint Base Andrews preparing to depart , Trump sounded less sure about whether he would wear a mask , noting that he was slated to make a speech .
“ You ’ ll tell me — Should I leave the mask on when I ’ m speaking ?
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ It doesn ’ t sound right .
But if it ’ s a mask environment , I would certainly wear a mask.
” As the Independent report noted , there were postings inside the factory telling people to wear facial coverings , which public health experts have said are critical in slowing the spread of the virus .
During his speech , Trump thanked the factory workers and noted the importance of their work in manufacturing the N95 masks .
He also bragged about his victory in Arizona during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for going against the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that all Americans wear masks when out in public .
Shortly after the recommendation was published , Trump said that he did not think he would wear a mask in public , despite the recommendation .
Vice President Mike Pence last week did not wear a mask during his visit to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota , with video showing him to be the only person on the trip with an uncovered face .
Pence said this weekend that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not believe he needed to as he had tested negative for the coronavirus , and masks are intended to prevent the spread of the disease .
Like Trump at the Honeywell facility , Pence reportedly went against the hospital ’ s policy , which requires that all visitors wear face masks in the name of safety .


inquisitr--2020-05-05--Trump White House Considering Disbanding Of Coronavirus Task Force

The Donald Trump White House appears to be on the cusp of making major changes in how it manages the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic , according to statements reportedly made by Vice President Mike Pence .
As reported by CNBC and multiple other outlets , the vice president told reporters on Tuesday that the Trump administration has held internal discussions about scaling back and , eventually , disbanding its coronavirus task force .
“ We ’ re having a conversation about that and about what the proper time is for the task force to complete its work , ” the vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media during an off-camera briefing .
Per the CNBC report , Pence indicated that the Trump administration is looking to transition the handling of the pandemic to governmental departments and federal agencies , a process that could be conducted in early June .
The White House ’ s coronavirus task force was first established on January 29 .
Nearly one month later , Pence was tapped by President Trump to be the group ’ s chairman .
Other members include National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci , U.S .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Surgeon General Jerome Adams and other medical experts , cabinet members and advisors .
Since its inception , the task force has acted as an advisory board for the president and has coordinated the American response to the COVID-19 pandemic , spearheading efforts to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and its effects on U.S. citizens , the healthcare system , national security and the economy .
Pence ’ s statements on the group ’ s future come as multiple states have taken steps to ease restrictions on commerce and reopen businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argue could exacerbate the COVID-19 spread .
Per the May 5 numbers from the Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) , the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has reached nearly 1.2 million in the U.S. , with more than 68,000 dead .
Monday marked the lowest number of new confirmed cases since late March , however the U.S. has yet to see a sustained downward trend in the number of new cases reported daily .
It ’ s also possible that the U.S. has yet to see its worst days .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times report citing internal Trump administration documentation says that models project a sharp rise in COVID-19 deaths as a result of states re-opening .
For his part , Fauci has gone on record saying that there are no plans to wind down the task force as it exists currently .
CBS News White House Correspondent Paula Reid reported via Twitter that she had spoken to Fauci via phone about the proposed transitioning and he maintained that he had heard no such thing .
So , if conversations have been held as the vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci seemingly hasn ’ t been part of them .


inquisitr--2020-05-05--Donald Trump Claims Democrats ‘Want Us To Fail’ On Coronavirus Reopening

On Tuesday , President Donald Trump went to Arizona to tour a Honeywell mask-making facility in Phoenix .
Ahead of his trip , he made several remarks and took questions from reporters .
One of the things he said was that he believes Democrats want his administration to fail as it reopens the United States amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Trump ’ s campaign account tweeted a clip from Fox News that showed him speaking about the U.S. House of Representatives and claiming that Democrats have made him look bad .
“ The House , they should be ashamed of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be ashamed because they don ’ t want us to succeed .
They want us to fail so they can win an election , which they ’ re not gon na win , ” the president said .
“ Think of it .
They do everything they can to make things as bad as possible , and right now , the stock market ’ s way up .
Everybody ’ s excited .
They ’ re going back to work , safely , but they ’ re going back to work .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ again , and this is what we ’ re doing .
I ’ ll tell you , the whole world is excited .
Watching us because we ’ re leading the world.
” Trump also said that China should have admitted there was a problem with the novel coronavirus sooner than it did , seemingly trying to blame the country for what happened in the U.S .
The clip received more than 4,000 retweets and almost 14,000 likes on Twitter .
Many accounts responded , and some praised the president while others disparaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. through the COVID-19 pandemic .
Some people claimed that Democrats did not have to hope that Trump failed because he already had .
Meanwhile , Trump supporters pledged to vote for him in November 2020 and urged him to continue on the path he ’ s created .
During his remarks to reporters , Trump did not , however , provide any proof to his claims that Democrats want his administration to fail in its effort to combat the novel coronavirus .
COVID-19 has left more than 1 million Americans ill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the first deaths occurred , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The Inquisitr reported that Trump also said that he didn ’ t want Dr. Anthony Fauci , a prominent member of his coronavirus task force , to testify in front of the House of Representatives .
The president said the Democrat-controlled part of Congress hates him and is trying to set him up with the hearings .
Fauci is scheduled to testify in front of a Senate committee in mid-May .


inquisitr--2020-05-05--Donald Trump Says His Coronavirus Press Briefings Will Return, ‘Everybody’ Likes Them

After a short absence , President Donald Trump says that his White House coronavirus press briefings will be returning , though they won ’ t be done daily as they were before .
Trump chatted with the New York Post in the Oval Office on Monday , where he talked about the number of people who tuned into his televised press conferences , calling it the highest-rated hour on cable television in history .
“ We set every record with those press conferences .
Six million people all the time .
You know we had tremendous numbers , literally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] Bret Baier ’ s slot , and we did like 30 in a row , ” Trump said .
Trump said that part of what made the press conferences so popular , according to the Post , were the instances where he engaged in heated exchanges with members of the press .
He said that he was warned some of his followers didn ’ t like the competitive nature of his conversations with the press , but he believes that they asked repetitive questions and getting into controversial exchanges was more interesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of people love when the press hits me , you know , when I go at it with the press — they like it , ” Trump said .
“ I have a feeling everybody likes it because , you know , it ’ s more exciting than sitting there falling asleep , ” he added .
The president explained that he didn ’ t end the press conferences indefinitely .
Instead , they ’ ll return to televising them once again , but the events will probably be done once or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that his new press secretary Kayleigh McEnany will be hosting them .
Trump said that the press conferences were necessary because “ it ’ s the way that you get around fake news , ” adding once again that the number of viewers tuning in is impressive , in his opinion .
The White House coronavirus press conferences faded out after Trump made a series of comments musing about whether or not it was possible for people to take UV light , bleach , or isopropyl alcohol internally in order to combat the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer session with the press , he mused that perhaps disinfectants could be injected into the body , though he later backed away from the idea .
After facing intense backlash from people on both sides of the aisle , he claimed that the comments were meant to be sarcastic .
Since then , he hasn ’ t been holding the daily press conferences , opting to do a town hall on Sunday instead .


inquisitr--2020-05-05--Donald Trump Says Joe Biden ‘Owes’ Elizabeth Warren & Should Pick Her As His Running Mate

President Donald Trump spoke to the New York Post on Monday and revealed his thoughts on the trajectory of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden ‘ s campaign and his possible running mates .
According to the real estate mogul , the former vice president should select Massachusett ’ s Sen. Elizabeth Warren — who he often calls “ Pocahontas ” due to her previous claims of Native American heritage — to join him on the ticket .
“ I think Elizabeth Warren is responsible for Joe Biden ’ s win because she didn ’ t drop out and [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have won every single state on Super Tuesday , ” the president said .
Trump claimed Warren is responsible for Biden ’ s success more than any other person , including South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn , who endorsed Biden in February and is credited by many as a vital part of the Biden campaign ’ s revival .
Nevertheless , Trump expressed doubt that Biden — who faces questions of mental preparedness for the presidency — will be able to secure the nomination .
If the 77-year-old politician does secure the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will be directly linked to Warren ’ s decision to drop from the race .
“ She was responsible for his win , so therefore I think he owes an obligation to pick Pocahontas , ” he explained .
As The Inquisitr reported , a new CBS News poll published on Sunday claimed Warren was the top choice for Biden ’ s running mate among Democratic voters .
In particular , 36 percent of the survey ’ s respondents said Biden should pick Warren .
In second was California Sen. Kamala Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams with 14 percent , and in fourth Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar with 13 percent .
Trump addressed the possibility of Biden selecting Abrams — who the New York Post claims is the most blatant in her push for the vice-presidential position — but suggested it would not likely happen .
“ If you look at Stacey Abrams , I was the one that went to Georgia and fought Oprah Winfrey , Barack Obama , Michelle Obama , ” Trump said , referring to Abrams ’ high-profile endorsements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the finish line .
Biden insiders reportedly agree with Trump and do not take Abrams ’ campaign for the role seriously .
Others believe that Warren doesn ’ t have a shot , either .
Writing for CBS Boston , Jon Keller argued that selecting Warren would not likely help Biden ’ s campaign .
In particular , Keller pointed to Warren ’ s poor primary performance in New Hampshire — just north of her home state — as well as the bad blood between her supporters and those of Vermont Sen. @ @ @

President Donald Trump spoke to the New York Post on Monday and revealed his thoughts on the trajectory of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden‘s campaign and his possible running mates. According to the real estate mogul, the former vice president should select Massachusett’s Sen. Elizabeth Warren — who he often calls “Pocahontas” due to her previous claims of Native American heritage — to join him on the ticket.
“I think Elizabeth Warren is responsible for Joe Biden’s win because she didn’t drop out and [Vermont Sen.] Bernie [Sanders] would have won every single state on Super Tuesday,” the president said.
Trump claimed Warren is responsible for Biden’s success more than any other person, including South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, who endorsed Biden in February and is credited by many as a vital part of the Biden campaign’s revival.
Nevertheless, Trump expressed doubt that Biden — who faces questions of mental preparedness for the presidency — will be able to secure the nomination. If the 77-year-old politician does secure the Democratic Party presidential nomination, Trump said it will be directly linked to Warren’s decision to drop from the race.
“She was responsible for his win, so therefore I think he owes an obligation to pick Pocahontas,” he explained.
Warren (71%) tops the list of who Democratic voters want Biden to consider for VP in new @CBSNews poll. She’s followed by Harris, Abrams and Klobuchar. Warren (36%) also leads at the poll in Democratic voters’ first choice for. VP. pic.twitter.com/yyno3nyZ5O — Adam Brewster (@adam_brew) May 3, 2020
As The Inquisitr reported, a new CBS News poll published on Sunday claimed Warren was the top choice for Biden’s running mate among Democratic voters. In particular, 36 percent of the survey’s respondents said Biden should pick Warren. In second was California Sen. Kamala Harris with 19 percent support, in third former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams with 14 percent, and in fourth Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar with 13 percent.
Trump addressed the possibility of Biden selecting Abrams — who the New York Post claims is the most blatant in her push for the vice-presidential position — but suggested it would not likely happen.
“If you look at Stacey Abrams, I was the one that went to Georgia and fought Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama,” Trump said, referring to Abrams’ high-profile endorsements that ultimately didn’t pull her across the finish line.
Biden insiders reportedly agree with Trump and do not take Abrams’ campaign for the role seriously. Others believe that Warren doesn’t have a shot, either. Writing for CBS Boston, Jon Keller argued that selecting Warren would not likely help Biden’s campaign. In particular, Keller pointed to Warren’s poor primary performance in New Hampshire — just north of her home state — as well as the bad blood between her supporters and those of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.


inquisitr--2020-05-05--Donald Trump Blames ‘Trump Haters’ In The House For His Refusal To Let Dr. Fauci Testify

On Tuesday , President Donald Trump gave a new reason why his administration chose not to allow Dr. Fauci to testify about its COVID-19 response in front of the House of Representatives .
Steve Herman , Voice of America ’ s White House Bureau Chief , tweeted about the president ’ s latest claims .
“ Asked why Fauci can ’ t testify in the Democrat-controlled House , @ POTUS replies it ’ s because lawmakers in that chamber are ‘ Trump haters . '
” Trump further noted that he thought the invitation for Dr. Fauci to testify in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House was a “ set-up , ” The Guardian reported .
The answer came during President Trump ’ s trip to Arizona to tour Honeywell in Phoenix .
The facility is making masks to help provide protection against coronavirus infections .
During his visit , the president will tour the assembly line , and he indicated that he would wear a mask even though he ’ s typically been resistant to the facial covering that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) recommends to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci , who is a prominent member of the White House coronavirus task force , to testify before a live hearing on Wednesday .
Previously , the president prohibited members of his task force from testifying , according to a report from The Hill .
On Monday , the Trump administration issued the new guidance for its task force members , and it also advised other pandemic response agencies , including the Department of Health and Human Services , Department of Homeland Security , and the State Department , to limit appearances in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re telling agencies that during this unprecedented time our resources need to be dedicated toward the coronavirus .
At this stage , we really need everybody manning their stations and prioritizing coronavirus response work , ” a senior administration official told The Hill .
Last week , White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere also made a statement about the possibility of officials testifying before Congress .
He noted that the people who were focused on safely reopening the country did not have time to appear at hearings at the same time they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The advice from the Trump administration sought to make pandemic response the priority for the various departments involved in the government ’ s response .
Deere said that the administration would work with Congress to provide testimony at a more appropriate time .
On May 12 , Dr. Fauci is scheduled to appear and give testimony about the Trump administration ’ s pandemic response before the Republican-controlled Senate Health , Education , Labor , and Pensions Committee .


inquisitr--2020-05-05--Mitch McConnell Under Investigation For Pressuring Judge To Retire To Appoint Senate Majority Leader

Mitch McConnell Under Investigation For Pressuring Judge To Retire To Appoint Senate Majority Leader’s Protégé

Mitch McConnell is facing an investigation after watchdog groups raised concerns that he may have forced a federal appeals court judge to retire so the Senate majority leader ’ s protégé could be appointed to the vacancy .
The progressive judicial watchdog group Demand Justice has requested a postponement of the nomination of Judge Justin Walker of Louisville , Kentucky to a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia .
As the Louisville Courier Journal reported , the court ’ s chief judge has requested an investigation into the role McConnell may have played in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he lobbied for the judge to retire so President Donald Trump could name a replacement .
On Friday , Judge Sri Srinivasan , the chief justice of the court where Walker is nominated , issued a public order asking U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts to transfer the investigation to another circuit , The Hill reported .
Demand Justice has called on McConnell to answer whether he contacted Judge Thomas Griffith before his sudden retirement .
The 65-year-old Griffith would be replaced by the 38-year-old Walker , who has close ties to McConnell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kentucky senator .
Walker ’ s nomination has faced scrutiny , with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer saying during a Monday interview on Morning Joe that Walker is not considered to be qualified for the position .
“ The rumor is he wants to put a judge on the calendar whose claim to fame seems to be that he worked for [ Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) ] as a staffer… .
The ABA [ American Bar Association ] rated him unqualified , ” Schumer said , via The Hill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Courier Journal , Demand Justice stated that Walker ’ s appointment should wait until an investigation is completed .
“ Justin Walker ’ s nomination was already controversial , but this emerging investigation means an even darker cloud is hanging over his appointment , ” the statement read .
“ The hearing on Walker ’ s nomination should not go forward until we know the truth about what ethical lines Mitch McConnell crossed to get Walker this seat.
” McConnell has frequently pointed to the high number of judicial appointments as a major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office .
The Senate majority leader had sparked controversy for blocking a large number of President Barack Obama ’ s judicial nominees , creating an unusually high number of vacancies that he has moved quickly to fill since Trump took office .
That included a Supreme Court vacancy created with the death of Antonin Scalia in early 2016 , which McConnell said he would not allow to be filled during an election year .

Mitch McConnell is facing an investigation after watchdog groups raised concerns that he may have forced a federal appeals court judge to retire so the Senate majority leader’s protégé could be appointed to the vacancy.
The progressive judicial watchdog group Demand Justice has requested a postponement of the nomination of Judge Justin Walker of Louisville, Kentucky to a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. As the Louisville Courier Journal reported, the court’s chief judge has requested an investigation into the role McConnell may have played in creating the vacancy, with allegations that he lobbied for the judge to retire so President Donald Trump could name a replacement.
On Friday, Judge Sri Srinivasan, the chief justice of the court where Walker is nominated, issued a public order asking U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts to transfer the investigation to another circuit, The Hill reported.
Demand Justice has called on McConnell to answer whether he contacted Judge Thomas Griffith before his sudden retirement. The 65-year-old Griffith would be replaced by the 38-year-old Walker, who has close ties to McConnell and served as a staffer for the Kentucky senator.
Walker’s nomination has faced scrutiny, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer saying during a Monday interview on Morning Joe that Walker is not considered to be qualified for the position.
“The rumor is he wants to put a judge on the calendar whose claim to fame seems to be that he worked for [Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)] as a staffer…. The ABA [American Bar Association] rated him unqualified,” Schumer said, via The Hill.
In a statement published by the Courier Journal, Demand Justice stated that Walker’s appointment should wait until an investigation is completed.
“Justin Walker’s nomination was already controversial, but this emerging investigation means an even darker cloud is hanging over his appointment,” the statement read. “The hearing on Walker’s nomination should not go forward until we know the truth about what ethical lines Mitch McConnell crossed to get Walker this seat.”
McConnell has frequently pointed to the high number of judicial appointments as a major accomplishment of Trump’s time in office. The Senate majority leader had sparked controversy for blocking a large number of President Barack Obama’s judicial nominees, creating an unusually high number of vacancies that he has moved quickly to fill since Trump took office. That included a Supreme Court vacancy created with the death of Antonin Scalia in early 2016, which McConnell said he would not allow to be filled during an election year.


inquisitr--2020-05-05--FBI Memo Reportedly Claims Russia May Have Plans To ‘Secretly Advise Political Candidates’ In 2020 E

FBI Memo Reportedly Claims Russia May Have Plans To ‘Secretly Advise Political Candidates’ In 2020 Election

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that it obtained a February 3 memo jointly issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) and Department of Homeland Security that outlined warnings about possible Russian plans to influence political candidates in the 2020 United States elections .
According to the report , the document — titled “ Possible Russian Tactics Ahead of 2020 US Election ” — outlined the strategies and tactics U.S. intelligence officials believe Russia may use in the upcoming elections .
Per Associated Press , one notable moderate threat described was the possibility that Russia will “ covertly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publication noted , the concern is of particular interest , as it is not usually a warning intelligence officials convey to the public amid fears of Kremlin influence .
“ Russia has sought to take advantage of countries that have perceived loopholes in laws preventing foreign campaign assistance , ” the memo allegedly read .
The memo reportedly noted that officials claim they “ have not previously observed Russia attempt this action against the United States ” and pointed to Russian-linked political strategists who have been campaigning in African countries as a cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ document highlighted various other threats , including the use of Russian-controlled media arms , the creation of fake social media personas , and the utilization of economic and business centers to influence U.S. politics .
“ Among the high threats are the possibility Russia could hack and leak information like it did in the 2016 campaign , when emails stolen from the Clinton campaign by Russian military hackers were published by WikiLeaks , ” the publication wrote .
The news of the memo comes as the FBI continues to face scrutiny for its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ s 2016 campaign and possible conspiracy with Russia — a theory that was ultimately unsupported by evidence .
Recently declassified information from the Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz ’ s report revealed that the FBI discovered — at some point in 2017 — that Russian disinformation was present in the Steele Dossier that partly drove the investigation .
Regardless , according to the memo outlined in the Associated Press report , Trump administration officials have been warned that Russia could interfere in the 2020 election .
As reported by The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election .
In 2019 , the Senate Intelligence Committee released a report that claimed the country worked to benefit Trump and damage Hillary Clinton , who went on to lose the 2016 election .
The warnings of 2020 interference come as the president continues to downplay the alleged influence Russia had on the 2016 election and attack the FBI ’ s reported malpractice in its 2016 investigation of his campaign .

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that it obtained a February 3 memo jointly issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Homeland Security that outlined warnings about possible Russian plans to influence political candidates in the 2020 United States elections.
According to the report, the document — titled “Possible Russian Tactics Ahead of 2020 US Election” — outlined the strategies and tactics U.S. intelligence officials believe Russia may use in the upcoming elections. Per Associated Press, one notable moderate threat described was the possibility that Russia will “covertly advise candidates and campaigns.” As the publication noted, the concern is of particular interest, as it is not usually a warning intelligence officials convey to the public amid fears of Kremlin influence.
“Russia has sought to take advantage of countries that have perceived loopholes in laws preventing foreign campaign assistance,” the memo allegedly read.
The memo reportedly noted that officials claim they “have not previously observed Russia attempt this action against the United States” and pointed to Russian-linked political strategists who have been campaigning in African countries as a cause for concern.
Associated Press claimed the document highlighted various other threats, including the use of Russian-controlled media arms, the creation of fake social media personas, and the utilization of economic and business centers to influence U.S. politics.
“Among the high threats are the possibility Russia could hack and leak information like it did in the 2016 campaign, when emails stolen from the Clinton campaign by Russian military hackers were published by WikiLeaks,” the publication wrote.
The news of the memo comes as the FBI continues to face scrutiny for its handling of the investigation into Donald Trump‘s 2016 campaign and possible conspiracy with Russia — a theory that was ultimately unsupported by evidence. Recently declassified information from the Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s report revealed that the FBI discovered — at some point in 2017 — that Russian disinformation was present in the Steele Dossier that partly drove the investigation.
Regardless, according to the memo outlined in the Associated Press report, Trump administration officials have been warned that Russia could interfere in the 2020 election. As reported by The Hill, intelligence officials previously concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election. In 2019, the Senate Intelligence Committee released a report that claimed the country worked to benefit Trump and damage Hillary Clinton, who went on to lose the 2016 election.
The warnings of 2020 interference come as the president continues to downplay the alleged influence Russia had on the 2016 election and attack the FBI’s reported malpractice in its 2016 investigation of his campaign.


inquisitr--2020-05-05--Donald Trump Is Unraveling Under Pressure Of Coronavirus & 2020 Election, Ex-Bush Administration Off

Donald Trump Is Unraveling Under Pressure Of Coronavirus & 2020 Election, Ex-Bush Administration Official Says

In a Tuesday op-ed for The Atlantic , Peter Wehner , who served as head of the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives under former President George W. Bush , argued that America is witnessing the unraveling of President Donald Trump as he struggles to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic gripping the United States ahead of the 2020 election .
“ We are witnessing the steady , uninterrupted intellectual and psychological decomposition of an American president , ” Wehner wrote .
Amid Trump ’ s purported decline , Wehner claims that some people in positions of influence are doing nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formerly serious individuals on the right , including the Christian right , become Trump courtiers has been a painful and dispiriting thing for many of us to witness , ” Wehner wrote .
“ In the process , they have reconfigured their own character , intellect , and moral sensibilities to align with the disordered mind and deformed ethical world of Donald Trump.
” In line with the recent pattern of behavior seen in the Republican Party , Wehner says the GOP will continue to fall in line behind Trump .
Some , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to defend the president , while others will lay low out of fear .
Wehner ’ s column comes not long after Bush released a call for unity amid the pandemic .
The call was praised by many on the left , while some progressives took the time to point to the former president ’ s blood-soaked record in office .
In response to the positive message , Vox reported that Trump attacked Bush and called out his lack of support during the impeachment probe and subsequent trial .
Along with Wehner , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is losing his remaining sanity — something she believes is reflected in reports of his recent spat with his campaign manager , Brad Parscale .
According to the reports , Trump threatened to sue Parscale and appeared fixated on ensuring he doesn ’ t lose in November against presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
Trump ’ s purported mental decline comes as he faces pressure to reopen the U.S. economy as COVID-19 cases show no signs of declining .
As reported by Global News , the president said Sunday during a virtual town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the total U.S. death toll from the virus would be around 80,000 or 90,000 ( the death toll is at 69,680 as of Tuesday morning ) .
However , the president also stressed the importance of reopening the economy in a safe but quick fashion .


inquisitr--2020-05-05--Sean Hannity Breaks With Donald Trump & Condemns Michigan’s Armed Lockdown Protesters

Fox News host Sean Hannity , who is usually in lockstep with Donald Trump , broke with the president on Monday ’ s edition of Hannity and condemned the armed anti-lockdown protesters in Michigan , Raw Story reported .
“ In Michigan — I ’ m the number one supporter of the First Amendment and the Second Amendment , ” Hannity said .
“ Now , no one is a bigger defender of the Second Amendment than yours truly .
Everyone has the right to protest , protect themselves , and try to get the country open .
This , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long guns ?
Uhhh , no.
” According to Hannity , putting on a show of force is “ dangerous ” and ineffective , as it puts police lives at risk and is unlikely to help one convey their message .
Per Yahoo Entertainment , Fox News contributor and Trump ally Dan Bongino joined Hannity and offered a counterargument , claiming that the liberal media is attempting to portray the protesters as “ lunatics.
” Bongino , who is allegedly one of the social media influencers working with the White House to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that this alleged media portrayal does not reflect the true character of the protesters .
In response , Hannity noted that the demonstrators could easily conceal their weapons and said their decision to brandish them was motivated by a desire to intimidate .
As reported by The Guardian , Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer slammed the protesters and suggested they were reviving “ some of the worst racism ” and “ awful parts ” of United States history .
In particular , Whitmer pointed to the alleged presence of swastikas , nooses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The latter has become the center of controversy in recent years , with some arguing it ’ s a reflection of southern heritage and others claiming it ’ s a reminder of America ’ s racist past .
Conversely , Trump had kinder words for the dissidents , who often were not wearing protective face masks and carried assault rifles .
“ These are very good people , ” he said .
Outside of the disagreement on Michigan ’ s protesters , Hannity has been one of Trump ’ s most vocal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the president has drawn criticism for some .
After Trump ’ s pre-Super Bowl interview with Hannity earlier this year , media analyst Matt Gertz blasted the conversation and claimed it contained propaganda .
Gertz has notably reported on the link between Fox News broadcasts and Trump ’ s Twitter activity and suggested that the network has decided to forgo using its massive platform for journalism and push pro-Trump disinformation instead .

Fox News host Sean Hannity, who is usually in lockstep with Donald Trump, broke with the president on Monday’s edition of Hannity and condemned the armed anti-lockdown protesters in Michigan, Raw Story reported.
“In Michigan — I’m the number one supporter of the First Amendment and the Second Amendment,” Hannity said.
“Now, no one is a bigger defender of the Second Amendment than yours truly. Everyone has the right to protest, protect themselves, and try to get the country open. This, with the militia look here and these long guns? Uhhh, no.”
According to Hannity, putting on a show of force is “dangerous” and ineffective, as it puts police lives at risk and is unlikely to help one convey their message.
“No one should be attempting to intimidate officials with a show of force. And God forbid something happens, they’re going to go after all of us law-abiding Second Amendment people!”
Per Yahoo Entertainment, Fox News contributor and Trump ally Dan Bongino joined Hannity and offered a counterargument, claiming that the liberal media is attempting to portray the protesters as “lunatics.” Bongino, who is allegedly one of the social media influencers working with the White House to help the president with coronavirus messaging, suggested that this alleged media portrayal does not reflect the true character of the protesters. In response, Hannity noted that the demonstrators could easily conceal their weapons and said their decision to brandish them was motivated by a desire to intimidate.
As reported by The Guardian, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer slammed the protesters and suggested they were reviving “some of the worst racism” and “awful parts” of United States history. In particular, Whitmer pointed to the alleged presence of swastikas, nooses, and Confederate flags among the armed militia. The latter has become the center of controversy in recent years, with some arguing it’s a reflection of southern heritage and others claiming it’s a reminder of America’s racist past.
Conversely, Trump had kinder words for the dissidents, who often were not wearing protective face masks and carried assault rifles.
“These are very good people,” he said.
“We have to listen to the epidemiologist and health experts and displays like the one we saw at our capitol is not representative of who we are.” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reacts to protesters descending on her state’s capitol, including some who were armed. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/lfPgGnpkGC — State of the Union (@CNNSotu) May 3, 2020
Outside of the disagreement on Michigan’s protesters, Hannity has been one of Trump’s most vocal and prominent allies, and his closeness to the president has drawn criticism for some. After Trump’s pre-Super Bowl interview with Hannity earlier this year, media analyst Matt Gertz blasted the conversation and claimed it contained propaganda. Gertz has notably reported on the link between Fox News broadcasts and Trump’s Twitter activity and suggested that the network has decided to forgo using its massive platform for journalism and push pro-Trump disinformation instead.


inquisitr--2020-05-06--Joe Walsh Warns ‘Watching Fox News Can Get You Killed’ After Host Questions Social Distancing

Former Republican presidential candidate Joe Walsh took to Twitter to give Fox News viewers a dire warning after one of the network ’ s hosts discussed social distancing .
The former congressman retweeted a clip of Fox News host Laura Ingraham discussing an unnamed doctor with whom she discussed the merits of social distancing to reduce the spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic .
“ Have I mentioned before that watching Fox News can get you killed ?
” Walsh wrote .
In the video , Ingraham tried to explain to her audience that the social distancing that much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States practiced for the last four to six weeks might not have been effective .
“ There was no real scientific basis for believing that since it ’ d never been studied .
And as one infectious disease doc told me last week , trying to stop this virus with social distancing is like trying to drive a nail through jello .
Viruses spread .
It ’ s what they do , ” Ingraham said .
Of course , the Fox News host didn ’ t mention who the infectious disease doctor she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she seemed plenty convinced about her statements that social distancing wasn ’ t necessary to fight the novel coronavirus .
Walsh ’ s retweet received 1,400 retweets , and 4,500 Twitter accounts also hit the “ like ” button in support of his warning .
Some people who replied to Walsh ’ s thoughts noted that Ingraham talked about social distancing as if many other countries throughout the world hadn ’ t successfully managed to curb the spread of the virus within them due to strict measures enacted .
Others also pointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that social distancing has no evidence to back it up while she is likely practicing it herself at Fox News .
Several people urged the host to practice what she preaches and go out and about without worrying .
According to the American Society of Microbiology revealed that studying the history of social distancing and other Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions ( NPI ) proves that there is data that supports the efficacy of containment strategies , including quarantine , border controls , contact tracing , and surveillance .
The sooner that such approaches are implemented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it works properly , social distancing helps slow the spread of diseases and reduces the number of disease-related deaths .
The Inquisitr previously reported that Walsh predicted that after 2020 , the Republican party would end no matter who ends up winning the presidency .

Former Republican presidential candidate Joe Walsh took to Twitter to give Fox News viewers a dire warning after one of the network’s hosts discussed social distancing.
The former congressman retweeted a clip of Fox News host Laura Ingraham talking about an unnamed doctor with whom she reportedly discussed the merits of social distancing to reduce the spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic.
“Have I mentioned before that watching Fox News can get you killed?” Walsh wrote.
In the video, Ingraham tried to explain to her audience that the social distancing that much of the world recently experienced and the United States practiced for the last four to six weeks might not have been effective.
“There was no real scientific basis for believing that since it’d never been studied. And as one infectious disease doc told me last week, trying to stop this virus with social distancing is like trying to drive a nail through jello. Viruses spread. That’s what they do,” Ingraham said.
I just did it. I just voted in the Democratic Primary for the very 1st time. I voted for Joe Biden. First time I’ve ever voted for a Democrat for President. You see, Donald Trump is a horrible human being. He must be defeated. We all gotta #BeBrave this year to get it done. pic.twitter.com/le5vHtMzDH — Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) March 17, 2020
The Fox News host didn’t name the infectious disease doctor she said she spoke to. Still, she seemed plenty convinced about her statements that social distancing wasn’t necessary to fight the novel coronavirus.
Walsh’s retweet received 1,400 retweets, and 4,500 Twitter users also hit the “like” button in support of his warning.
Some people who replied to Walsh’s thoughts noted that Ingraham talked about social distancing as if many other countries throughout the world hadn’t successfully managed to curb the spread of the virus by enacting strict measures.
Others also pointed out the hypocrisy of Ingraham telling viewers that social distancing has no evidence to back it up while she is likely practicing it herself at Fox News. Several people urged the host to practice what she preaches, and go out and about without worrying about contracting the virus.
The American Society of Microbiology revealed that studying the history of social distancing and other Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPI) proves that there is data that supports the efficacy of containment strategies — including quarantine, border controls, contact tracing, and surveillance. The sooner that such approaches are implemented, the better they work. When it works properly, social distancing helps slow the spread of diseases and reduces the number of disease-related deaths.
“In recent years, NPI measures have been influential in lessening the impact of H1N1 and containing the 2003 outbreak of SARS-CoV.”
The Inquisitr previously reported that Walsh predicted that after 2020, the Republican party would end no matter who wins the presidency.


inquisitr--2020-05-06--Judge Orders New York To Hold Presidential Primary Vote, Reinstate Bernie Sanders And Others On Ball

Judge Orders New York To Hold Presidential Primary Vote, Reinstate Bernie Sanders And Others On Ballot

A federal judge has ruled that New York must hold its Democratic primary in June , and that Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and others taken off the Democratic Party ’ s ballot must have their names restored .
As The Hill reported , Judge Analisa Torres of the Southern District of New York ruled on Tuesday that Governor Andrew Cuomo ’ s decision to cancel the primary was a violation of the First and 14th Amendment rights of those on the ballot .
Cuomo had announced last month that he was canceling the primary after Sanders announced he was suspending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden the presumptive nominee .
New York has been the hardest hit in the country from the coronavirus , and the state has adopted a number of stringent measures to slow its spread , including banning all public gatherings .
The New York State Democratic Party concurred with Cuomo ’ s decision , saying that the primary should not be held .
“ We shouldn ’ t have nonessential primaries .
There is only one candidate who is running , ” state party chairman Jay Jacobs said at the time .
Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he wanted to remain on the ballot and collect as many delegates as possible ahead of this summer ’ s Democratic National Convention , which would allow him more sway in crafting the party ’ s platform .
A number of candidates including entrepreneur Andrew Yang had filed suit against the state , asking for the primary to be held with their names still on the ballot .
In the ruling , Judge Torres said that removing all candidates other than Biden and canceling the primary would mean Yang and others filing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity to compete for delegate slots and shape the course of events at the convention and voters will lose the chance to express their support for delegates who share their views , ” Torres said , via Bloomberg .
“ The loss of these First Amendment rights is a heavy hardship.
” A number of other states postponed primaries or moved to only mail-in votes after the outbreak of the coronavirus .
Some that chose to go forward with traditional elections were met with controversy , including in Wisconsin where a number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were shut down , leading to long lines and large crowds at the ones that remained open .
As The Inquisitr reported , a number of positive coronavirus cases were traced back to voting locations from election day .
New York ’ s presidential primary will be held on June 23 .

A federal judge has ruled that New York must hold its Democratic primary in June, and that Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and others taken off the Democratic Party’s ballot must have their names restored.
As The Hill reported, Judge Analisa Torres of the Southern District of New York ruled on Tuesday that Governor Andrew Cuomo’s decision to cancel the primary was a violation of the First and 14th Amendment rights of those on the ballot. Cuomo had announced last month that he was canceling the primary after Sanders announced he was suspending his campaign, making former Vice President Joe Biden the presumptive nominee. New York has been the hardest hit state in the country during the coronavirus pandemic. In response, it has adopted a number of stringent measures to slow its spread, including banning all public gatherings.
The New York State Democratic Party concurred with Cuomo’s decision, with state party chairman Jay Jacobs saying at the time that the primary should not be held.
“We shouldn’t have nonessential primaries. There is only one candidate who is running.”
Despite his decision to stop campaigning, Sanders said he wanted to remain on the ballot and collect as many delegates as possible ahead of this summer’s Democratic National Convention. This would give him more sway in crafting the party’s platform. A number of candidates including entrepreneur Andrew Yang had filed suit against the state, asking for the primary to be held with their names still on the ballot.
In the ruling reported by Bloomberg, Judge Torres said that removing all candidates other than Biden and canceling the primary would mean Yang and others filing suit “will be deprived of the opportunity to compete for delegate slots and shape the course of events at the convention.”
“Voters will lose the chance to express their support for delegates who share their views. The loss of these First Amendment rights is a heavy hardship.”
A number of other states postponed primaries or moved to an exclusively mail-in voting process after the coronavirus outbreak. Some that chose to go forward with traditional elections were met with controversy. In Wisconsin, a number of voting locations around the city of Milwaukee were shut down, leading to long lines and large crowds at the ones that remained open. As The Inquisitr reported, a number of positive coronavirus cases were traced back to voting locations from election day.
New York’s presidential primary will be held on June 23.


inquisitr--2020-05-06--Donald Trump Says Coronavirus Is ‘Worse Than Pearl Harbor’ And September 11

On Wednesday , nurses from across the United States gathered in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump to celebrate National Nurses Day .
During the event , the president was surrounded by several people , and none of them wore a mask or other protective equipment .
At one point , members of the media asked questions .
Trump explained that more people would die when the country reopened .
Still , he noted that the U.S. could not withstand remaining closed any longer while comparing the coronavirus pandemic to Pearl Harbor and the World Trade Center attacks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Business Insider reported .
“ The stock market is 24,000 , and we went through the worst attack we ’ ve ever had on our country .
This is really the worst attack we ’ ve ever had .
This is worse than Pearl Harbor .
This is worse than the World Trade Center .
There ’ s never been an attack like this , and it should ’ ve never happened .
It could ’ ve been stopped at the source .
Could ’ ve been stopped in China .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the source , and it wasn ’ t. ” The president also reiterated a point that he ’ d said before — his belief that the virus would disappear .
Trump discussed that people who are older or higher risk might need to stay home longer than younger and less at-risk populations .
He said that COVID-19 outbreaks could return either in small or big ways .
The difference between possible future occurrences and the first experience that the U.S. had with the devastating virus is that now the country understands how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small embers or more massive fires should outbreaks of infection occur , according to the president .
As Trump discussed the third quarter transitioning oof the U.S. economy and predicted a great fourth quarter for 2020 , he said that for those who lost loved ones , an excellent economy would not make up for their unimaginable loss .
However , despite the human toll of the coronavirus , Trump predicted that at least economically , the U.S. will have a great year next year of recovery after the initial losses from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cold comfort for families in mourning .
At the same event , reporters talked to the nurses who ’ d gathered with the president , The Inquisitr reported .
Trump pushed back at one nurse who admitted that her area had experienced sporadic personal protective equipment throughout the pandemic response .
He contradicted her and said that the U.S. supply is reliable .


inquisitr--2020-05-06--Arizona Governor Doug Ducey Accused Of Firing Scientist Who Warned Him Not To Reopen The State

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey is coming under fire for starting to loosen the state ’ s coronavirus restrictions despite warnings from public health experts — including one scientist who Ducey is accused of firing after warning against reopening too soon .
As the Laurie Roberts claimed in an opinion piece for AzCentral.com , Ducey has gone against public health models that show the coronavirus is still a danger in the state and that reopening now would lead to a dramatic spike in cases across the state .
“ Just hours after Ducey announced on Monday that he ’ s accelerating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s economy , state health officials told a team of university experts to stop working on models that project what will happen next , ” Roberts wrote , noting that Ducey is instead basing decisions on a federal model that is not available for the public to see .
Ducey has declared that some businesses in the start will start to reopen on May 11 , including barbershops and hair salons .
But this comes weeks after warnings from scientists employed by the state to model the spread of the coronavirus warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start opening up yet .
Roberts also accused Ducey of firing the scientists who raised those warnings about reopening .
Tim Lant , a mathematical epidemiologist at Arizona State University , told AZCentral.com in an April 22 interview that it was not yet safe to reopen unless the state was planning to have to shut down again in a few weeks .
“ Shortly after Ducey ’ s Monday announcement that he ’ s reopening parts of the economy , DHS notified Lant and his team that their services are no longer needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only that , but they ’ ll be cut off from access to state data they need to continue their modeling.
” The state has since disbanded the Arizona State group creating the modeling , working instead with federal models that are not available to the public to see .
Though the state has come under fire for cutting off work with the group of public health experts who created the models , state health director Cara Christ said that the modeling team was not disbanded entirely , only asked “ to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Christ said that the state continues to get updated information from models created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency , which she said are more representative of where the state stands today .
Christ said that the disbanded modeling group at Arizona State University could have more work as the summer goes on , especially as the influenza season starts later in the year .
“ But we did tell them to please stay engaged , because we may need to bring them back in the fall to look at modeling during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via AZCentral.com .


inquisitr--2020-05-06--President Trump Pushes Back At Nurse Who Reported Sporadic PPE

On Wednesday , President Donald Trump met with a group of nurses in the oval office at an event recognizing National Nurses Day .
During the gathering , where nobody wore masks or practiced social distancing , Trump contradicted a nurse who reported that hospitals in some parts of the United States are still experiencing a shortage of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) , according to a Bloomberg report .
During the event , Luke Adams , who is a volunteer nurse from New York , answered a reporter ’ s question about PPE .
Adams said he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , Sophia Thomas , the president of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners , who was also present , noted that some areas in the U.S. still didn ’ t have enough supplies .
Thomas works with the Daughters of Charity Health System , which is located in the New Orleans region .
According to Thomas , she ’ d worn the same N95 face mask for a few weeks and noted that her health system had sporadic access to PPE supplies .
The nurse also said that she and her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do to make their equipment last and provide care to their patients because they are nurses and that ’ s what they do .
However , President Trump interrupted her as she discussed her experience .
“ Sporadic for you , ” he said .
Then , he went on to say that PPE hasn ’ t been sporadic for a lot of other people lately , and Thomas quickly agreed .
Trump also said that most of the country is “ loaded up with gowns ” and other supplies .
The president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had nothing because the cupboards were left bare by the previous administration .
Later , a nursing supervisor at a community hospital in Willingboro , New Jersey named Maria Arvonio , said that she had not heard of any shortages in her area despite it being in one of the nation ’ s hotspots for COVID-19 infections during the pandemic crisis .
“ I really appreciate you saying that .
It ’ s so nice that you stepped up because they ’ re fake news , ” said the president , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were present and had asked the questions about PPE supplies .
In an interview with ABC ’ s David Muir last night , President Trump also mentioned that the cupboards had been left bare by the Obama administration .
When asked why he wasn ’ t able to replenish the supplies in the over three years he ’ d been president , Trump pointed to various situations that he called hoaxes as the reason .