usatoday--2020-08-13--Voting by mail is popular in Florida, despite President Trump's criticisms

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic , nearly half of Florida voters cast their ballots by mail in the March primaries , up sharply from the less than one-third who did so only two years before in 2018 's general election .
Now as coronavirus cases continue to climb , state elections officials say even more are likely to do so in November , making vote-by-mail a deciding factor in the 2020 race in Florida and , likely by extension , the country .
President Donald Trump has spent much of this year calling it a practice ripe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where mail-in ballots have been part of elections for a generation , the process is not a controversial one — even among the GOP .
Florida voting rights advocates , operatives from both parties , elections analysts and the state ’ s supervisors of elections consider it a non-issue .
And most expect the process to run relatively smoothly , even if the 2020 presidential contest promises to be an unpredictable one .
“ I do n't think that by mail is controversial , ” said Patti Brigham , president of the League @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the process in this state and elsewhere .
“ I do think it 's being used as a partisan tool , which is extremely unfortunate .
Spreading misinformation that vote by mail is fraudulent is a form of voter suppression .
Because it 's just not true.
” Trump , himself a 2018 voter by mail in Florida , has alleged that `` universal mail-in voting '' will cause `` fraudulent '' votes in 2020 and could even be counterfeited by foreign nations , something a number of fact-checkers have rated as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November election may even need to be delayed .
He backtracked on some of that criticism this month , saying that Florida 's system , which he has participated in , is not the problem .
In an Aug. 4 tweet , the president called Florida ’ s system “ Safe and Secure , Tried and True.
” Florida ’ s system of allowing voters to request a mail-in ballot for any reason is similar to those in 30 other states , according to the National Council of State Legislatures .
( Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting '' in 2016 , though it has had no-excuse-needed mailed votes for two decades . )
Gov .
Ron DeSantis , who last month was asked during a news conference about the president 's comments , also expressed support for Florida 's mail-in system .
`` There 's verification , and it 's a process that I think has worked , '' he said .
`` And so I support Florida ’ s system .
I would not support just mass mailing everyone a ballot regardless of whether they 've asked for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems : Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon , Utah and Washington .
Florida ’ s two-decade-old mail-in ballot system can handle an increase in such votes , said Craig Latimer , Hillsborough County 's elections supervisor and president of the Florida Supervisors of Elections , which represents supervisors in all 67 counties .
One key factor : Florida may begin verifying vote-by-mail ballots — such as making sure signatures match those on record — 22 days before the election .
Those ballots are machine counted and preliminary returns are reported on election night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be received by 7 p.m. on election night .
“ We 've dealt with this .
The only difference we 're talking about here is a little bit of volume , ” Latimer said .
“ We may have to do two shifts to get things done , but it 's not something that 's going to hold up and be a showstopper on election night.
” Still , voting by mail has had its problems .
And some people worry that a sharp increase in such ballots could snarl the budget-strapped U.S @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential allegations of wrongdoing on election night if the vote is close .
A study conducted by the ACLU on the 2018 election found that voters were more likely to have their votes count if they filled out ballots at polling stations .
It also found that ballots cast by voters of color and those who are younger , first-time and overseas military voters were twice as likely as older and white voters to have their ballots rejected .
The rejection rates also increased from the 2012 and 2016 elections , the study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ballots cast by voters between 18 and 21 were rejected in Florida 's 2018 general election .
Compare that to the rejection rates of those between 30 and 44 ( 2.1 % ) and those over 65 ( 0.6 % ) .
The rejection rate for all voters was 1.2 % .
Blacks and Hispanics also had higher rejection rates than most voters in 2018 .
About 1.9 % of mailed votes cast by Black voters were rejected , compared to 0.9 % of whites ' mailed votes .
Hispanic voters had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time .
The report did not give the reasons for all rejected votes , but it did note some common mistakes such as not updating signatures of record with local elections authorities to make sure signed ballots match them .
Voting by mail will be a first-time experience for many 2020 voters .
Educating them about how to make sure their ballots will get counted is a key priority , groups representing Blacks and Hispanics say .
`` Vote by mail signature matching is a very , very big deal , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for policy and advocacy for UnidosUS , the nation 's largest Latino nonprofit advocacy organization .
It 's unclear how much of a role voting by mail will play with Florida 's many Hispanic communities , he said .
`` I think , by and large , we ( traditionally ) vote early or go to the polls on Election Day , '' he said .
`` We 're much more of a younger community here in Florida , so it 's not something we typically do . ''
Shirley Chapman , first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Myers , has been leading the vote-by-mail drive in that Gulf Coast community .
Fear of the pandemic will likely drive an increase in Black votes by mail , she said .
`` The signatures have to be the same , otherwise they will be rejected , '' Chapman said .
`` The sad part is sometimes you do n't know .
Hopefully ( if there 's a problem ) , you 'll find out in time to get something done about it .
So we 're encouraging everybody to be sure to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the exact same way they did when they registered . ''
Voting rights groups and the state of Florida settled a lawsuit last month over concerns that `` structural racism '' existed in the voting system .
The voting groups had called for an extension of the voting by mail deadlines , free postage for mailers and allowing paid workers to collect mail-in ballots from voters .
While they did n't get everything they wanted , the groups said at the time they accepted the state 's pledge that county supervisors of elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting by mail and use as many early-voting days as are available .
More : Fact check : Voters should request ballots 2 weeks early , but mail is n't intentionally slow More : Federal COVID-19 funds for Florida election supervisors delayed over a month , expected this week The Republican Party , which sided with the state , also declared a victory .
Trump alluded to it in his Aug. 4 tweet , and state Sen. Joe Gruters , the Florida GOP chair , told the USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's `` fair '' election system .
Some also worry that the financially strained U.S .
Postal Service , which is charged with delivering ballots , could result in delayed deliveries to election offices and otherwise eligible ballots missing their tally deadlines .
Trump added fuel to those worries on Thursday when he told Fox Business that he opposes the Democrats ' coronavirus relief bill because it would provide $ 25 billion to the postal service to help with the expected influx of ballots .
`` Now they need that money in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots , '' Trump said .
`` Now , in the meantime , they aren ’ t getting there .
By the way , those are just two items .
But if they don ’ t get those two items , that means you can ’ t have universal mail-in voting.
” The public seems to largely have confidence in the system .
A poll conducted in July by St. Pete Polls on behalf of the AARP and Florida Politics found that 65 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secure ” or “ mostly secure ” about casting a vote by mail .
Nearly half of the respondents said they plan to vote by mail this year .
The poll has a margin of error of 1.8 % .
The survey also found that 93 % of Floridians are also confident in the validity of the state ’ s elections system .
But the survey did find a slightly negative shift in Republican views of voting by mail , said Zayne Smith , associate state director of advocacy for AARP Florida .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ trusting the process and maybe a little bit dissuaded from voting by mail because of different comments , whether it be from the president , from party leaders on either side of the aisle , '' Smith said .
Another poll , conducted by the University of Florida in late July , suggests the partisan divide on mail voting may be growing .
While it found that more than 60 % of Floridians plan to vote by mail in November , that intention is far stronger among Democrats ( 79.1 % ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 64.7 % ) , compared to 44.5 % of Republicans who plan to do so .
Only 14 % of Republicans said their means of voting would change compared to 2016 .
Three times as many Democrats and nearly the same number of unaffiliated voters have said they are likely to vote differently , the poll found .
`` The President ’ s supporters are less likely to say they ’ re worried about their health when it comes to voting , and less likely to say they will change their vote method @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smith , chairman of the University of Florida Political Science Department , said in a news release .
`` The President has been railing against voting by mail , Republican voters have been listening ; his latest equivocation is likely too little , too late.
” As of this week , Florida Republicans trailed Democrats in mail-in ballot requests by nearly 432,000 .
That may be why Trump changed his tune on voting by mail , at least as it relates to Florida , said Joshua Scacco , an associate professor at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communication strategies .
He noted that the GOP traditionally led on voting by mail in the state .
`` The Republican Party of Florida has gamed its operations so much around mail voting , and banking those votes early , that what they 're going to have to do is shift their operation to get voters out in a different way , '' Scacco said .
`` So what the president has done is make it harder for Republicans to actually win the state . ''
The continuing COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the vote .
Gone are mass rallies drawing hundreds or thousands of supporters .
And encouraging people to stand in lines at polling stations is potentially dangerous in a state demographically older than much of the country .
The Joe Biden campaign has decided to forgo door-to-door voter canvassing , believing it could endanger volunteers and residents , said Kevin Muñoz , Biden 's Florida spokesman .
The president 's continued criticism of voting by mail is harmful and is an attempt to suppress voting , he said .
`` Time and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his lack of reliability and inconsistencies on so many issues important to our community .
When it comes to the act of voting — the very core of our democracy — we can not afford to have inconsistencies that undermine our community 's faith and trust in participating in the democratic process , '' Muñoz said .
`` Vote-by-mail is safe . ''
Gruters , the Florida GOP chair , said the Democratic Party 's emphasis on voting by mail ca n't match the enthusiasm Florida GOP voters have for Trump .
Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , while Biden `` hides in his basement . ''
Encouraging voters to cast ballots by mail , while important , is n't the GOP 's priority , he said .
`` When you have low voter intensity like the Democrats have , they need to do everything they can to try to get as many voters to the polls as we can on our side , '' Gruters said .
`` Our intensity is off the charts .
People love the president . ''
Whomever Floridians vote for this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many more may do so by mail .
As of Aug. 13 , two days before the end of early voting and five days before the primary , more than 1.8 million had voted by mail , according to state statistics .
That 's compared to the 321,624 who had voted early .
More Democrats voted by mail — 913,496 versus the GOP 's 643,663 .
And more Republicans voted in person — 179,688 versus the Democrats ' 122,016 .
Frank Gluck is a watchdog reporter with The News-Press and the Naples Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news-press.com or on Twitter : @ FrankGluck

Voting by mail is popular in Florida, despite President Trump's criticisms
Show Caption Hide Caption Elections 2020: Mail-in voting could decide next president Many states are planning on drastically different elections this year and mail-in ballots could be a big game changer. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly half of Florida voters cast their ballots by mail in the March primaries, up sharply from the less than one-third who did so only two years before in 2018's general election.
Now as coronavirus cases continue to climb, state elections officials say even more are likely to do so in November, making vote-by-mail a deciding factor in the 2020 race in Florida and, likely by extension, the country.
President Donald Trump has spent much of this year calling it a practice ripe for fraud. But in Florida, where mail-in ballots have been part of elections for a generation, the process is not a controversial one — even among the GOP.
Florida voting rights advocates, operatives from both parties, elections analysts and the state’s supervisors of elections consider it a non-issue. And most expect the process to run relatively smoothly, even if the 2020 presidential contest promises to be an unpredictable one.
“I don't think that by mail is controversial,” said Patti Brigham, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida, speaking about the process in this state and elsewhere. “I do think it's being used as a partisan tool, which is extremely unfortunate. Spreading misinformation that vote by mail is fraudulent is a form of voter suppression. Because it's just not true.”
Trump, himself a 2018 voter by mail in Florida, has alleged that "universal mail-in voting" will cause "fraudulent" votes in 2020 and could even be counterfeited by foreign nations, something a number of fact-checkers have rated as false. He then suggested that the November election may even need to be delayed.
Trump backs mail in voting in Florida battleground In an abrupt reversal, President Donald Trump now is encouraging voters in the critical swing state of Florida to vote by mail after months of criticizing the practice. (August 4) AP
He backtracked on some of that criticism this month, saying that Florida's system, which he has participated in, is not the problem.
In an Aug. 4 tweet, the president called Florida’s system “Safe and Secure, Tried and True.”
Florida’s system of allowing voters to request a mail-in ballot for any reason is similar to those in 30 other states, according to the National Council of State Legislatures. (Florida did away with the term "absentee voting" in 2016, though it has had no-excuse-needed mailed votes for two decades.)
Gov. Ron DeSantis, who last month was asked during a news conference about the president's comments, also expressed support for Florida's mail-in system.
"There's verification, and it's a process that I think has worked," he said. "And so I support Florida’s system. I would not support just mass mailing everyone a ballot regardless of whether they've asked for it.”
Five states have all-mail election systems: Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote??? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2020
Florida’s two-decade-old mail-in ballot system can handle an increase in such votes, said Craig Latimer, Hillsborough County's elections supervisor and president of the Florida Supervisors of Elections, which represents supervisors in all 67 counties.
One key factor: Florida may begin verifying vote-by-mail ballots — such as making sure signatures match those on record — 22 days before the election. Those ballots are machine counted and preliminary returns are reported on election night after the polls close. Ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on election night.
“We've dealt with this. The only difference we're talking about here is a little bit of volume,” Latimer said. “We may have to do two shifts to get things done, but it's not something that's going to hold up and be a showstopper on election night.”
Whether you call it Vote by Mail or Absentee Voting, in Florida the election system is Safe and Secure, Tried and True. Florida’s Voting system has been cleaned up (we defeated Democrats attempts at change), so in Florida I encourage all to request a Ballot & Vote by Mail! #MAGA — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2020
Potential problems
Still, voting by mail has had its problems. And some people worry that a sharp increase in such ballots could snarl the budget-strapped U.S. Postal System and add fuel to potential allegations of wrongdoing on election night if the vote is close.
A study conducted by the ACLU on the 2018 election found that voters were more likely to have their votes count if they filled out ballots at polling stations.
It also found that ballots cast by voters of color and those who are younger, first-time and overseas military voters were twice as likely as older and white voters to have their ballots rejected. The rejection rates also increased from the 2012 and 2016 elections, the study found.
For instance, 5.4% of ballots cast by voters between 18 and 21 were rejected in Florida's 2018 general election. Compare that to the rejection rates of those between 30 and 44 (2.1%) and those over 65 (0.6%). The rejection rate for all voters was 1.2%.
Blacks and Hispanics also had higher rejection rates than most voters in 2018. About 1.9% of mailed votes cast by Black voters were rejected, compared to 0.9% of whites' mailed votes. Hispanic voters had their mailed votes rejected 2.1% of the time.
The report did not give the reasons for all rejected votes, but it did note some common mistakes such as not updating signatures of record with local elections authorities to make sure signed ballots match them.
Voting by mail will be a first-time experience for many 2020 voters. Educating them about how to make sure their ballots will get counted is a key priority, groups representing Blacks and Hispanics say.
"Vote by mail signature matching is a very, very big deal," said Jared Nordlund, Florida state director for policy and advocacy for UnidosUS, the nation's largest Latino nonprofit advocacy organization. It's unclear how much of a role voting by mail will play with Florida's many Hispanic communities, he said.
"I think, by and large, we (traditionally) vote early or go to the polls on Election Day," he said. "We're much more of a younger community here in Florida, so it's not something we typically do."
Shirley Chapman, first vice president of the NAACP in Fort Myers, has been leading the vote-by-mail drive in that Gulf Coast community. Fear of the pandemic will likely drive an increase in Black votes by mail, she said.
"The signatures have to be the same, otherwise they will be rejected," Chapman said. "The sad part is sometimes you don't know. Hopefully (if there's a problem), you'll find out in time to get something done about it. So we're encouraging everybody to be sure to fill out their ballots and sign them the exact same way they did when they registered."
Voting rights groups and the state of Florida settled a lawsuit last month over concerns that "structural racism" existed in the voting system.
The voting groups had called for an extension of the voting by mail deadlines, free postage for mailers and allowing paid workers to collect mail-in ballots from voters.
While they didn't get everything they wanted, the groups said at the time they accepted the state's pledge that county supervisors of elections will work harder to educate voters about voting by mail and use as many early-voting days as are available.
Related coverage: Voting rights groups and state of Florida settle vote-by-mail lawsuit
More: Fact check: Voters should request ballots 2 weeks early, but mail isn't intentionally slow
More: Federal COVID-19 funds for Florida election supervisors delayed over a month, expected this week
The Republican Party, which sided with the state, also declared a victory. Trump alluded to it in his Aug. 4 tweet, and state Sen. Joe Gruters, the Florida GOP chair, told the USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida this week that the decision helped maintain Florida's "fair" election system.
Some also worry that the financially strained U.S. Postal Service, which is charged with delivering ballots, could result in delayed deliveries to election offices and otherwise eligible ballots missing their tally deadlines.
Trump added fuel to those worries on Thursday when he told Fox Business that he opposes the Democrats' coronavirus relief bill because it would provide $25 billion to the postal service to help with the expected influx of ballots.
"Now they need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots," Trump said. "Now, in the meantime, they aren’t getting there. By the way, those are just two items. But if they don’t get those two items, that means you can’t have universal mail-in voting.”
Partisan divide in confidence?
The public seems to largely have confidence in the system.
A poll conducted in July by St. Pete Polls on behalf of the AARP and Florida Politics found that 65% of Florida voters are “very secure” or “mostly secure” about casting a vote by mail. Nearly half of the respondents said they plan to vote by mail this year. The poll has a margin of error of 1.8%.
The survey also found that 93% of Floridians are also confident in the validity of the state’s elections system.
But the survey did find a slightly negative shift in Republican views of voting by mail, said Zayne Smith, associate state director of advocacy for AARP Florida.
“We certainly are finding people not trusting the process and maybe a little bit dissuaded from voting by mail because of different comments, whether it be from the president, from party leaders on either side of the aisle," Smith said.
Another poll, conducted by the University of Florida in late July, suggests the partisan divide on mail voting may be growing.
While it found that more than 60% of Floridians plan to vote by mail in November, that intention is far stronger among Democrats (79.1%) and those with no stated party affiliation (64.7%), compared to 44.5% of Republicans who plan to do so.
Only 14% of Republicans said their means of voting would change compared to 2016. Three times as many Democrats and nearly the same number of unaffiliated voters have said they are likely to vote differently, the poll found.
"The President’s supporters are less likely to say they’re worried about their health when it comes to voting, and less likely to say they will change their vote method from four years ago," Daniel Smith, chairman of the University of Florida Political Science Department, said in a news release. "The President has been railing against voting by mail, Republican voters have been listening; his latest equivocation is likely too little, too late.”
As of this week, Florida Republicans trailed Democrats in mail-in ballot requests by nearly 432,000.
That may be why Trump changed his tune on voting by mail, at least as it relates to Florida, said Joshua Scacco, an associate professor at the University of South Florida who studies political communication strategies.
He noted that the GOP traditionally led on voting by mail in the state.
"The Republican Party of Florida has gamed its operations so much around mail voting, and banking those votes early, that what they're going to have to do is shift their operation to get voters out in a different way," Scacco said. "So what the president has done is make it harder for Republicans to actually win the state."
A key get-out-the-vote strategy?
The continuing COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered how campaigns traditionally have tried to get out the vote.
Gone are mass rallies drawing hundreds or thousands of supporters. And encouraging people to stand in lines at polling stations is potentially dangerous in a state demographically older than much of the country.
The Joe Biden campaign has decided to forgo door-to-door voter canvassing, believing it could endanger volunteers and residents, said Kevin Muñoz, Biden's Florida spokesman. The president's continued criticism of voting by mail is harmful and is an attempt to suppress voting, he said.
"Time and time again, Donald Trump has shown his lack of reliability and inconsistencies on so many issues important to our community. When it comes to the act of voting — the very core of our democracy — we cannot afford to have inconsistencies that undermine our community's faith and trust in participating in the democratic process," Muñoz said. "Vote-by-mail is safe."
Gruters, the Florida GOP chair, said the Democratic Party's emphasis on voting by mail can't match the enthusiasm Florida GOP voters have for Trump. Republicans have more than 180 people canvassing door-to-door, he said, while Biden "hides in his basement."
Encouraging voters to cast ballots by mail, while important, isn't the GOP's priority, he said.
"When you have low voter intensity like the Democrats have, they need to do everything they can to try to get as many voters to the polls as we can on our side," Gruters said. "Our intensity is off the charts. People love the president."
Whomever Floridians vote for this fall, August's primaries are suggesting many more may do so by mail.
As of Aug. 13, two days before the end of early voting and five days before the primary, more than 1.8 million had voted by mail, according to state statistics. That's compared to the 321,624 who had voted early.
More Democrats voted by mail — 913,496 versus the GOP's 643,663. And more Republicans voted in person — 179,688 versus the Democrats' 122,016.
Frank Gluck is a watchdog reporter with The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. Connect with him at fgluck@news-press.com or on Twitter: @FrankGluck


usatoday--2020-08-14--Joe Biden, Kamala Harris to give DNC convention speeches in Wilmington, Delaware

WILMINGTON — Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris will deliver their convention speeches at the Chase Center in Wilmington next week , the Biden campaign said Thursday .
In the days leading up to the Democratic National Convention , there has been speculation about where the former vice president will deliver the biggest speech of his political career .
Biden was scheduled to accept the Democratic Party ’ s presidential nomination in Milwaukee .
But due to the coronavirus , he will accept the nomination next Thursday in Wilmington .
Harris will speak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Harris made their first appearance as a presidential ticket .
More:11 names , 120 hours of interviews : Inside the grueling VP search that led Joe Biden to Kamala Harris Unlike previous presidential campaigns , the candidates did not address a roaring crowd of supporters .
Instead , they gave remarks at a gym in A.I .
du Pont High School that was filled with about a dozen reporters and some campaign staff .
Due to the coronavirus , Delaware has played an unexpected role in Biden ’ s campaign for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skip the traditional campaign events and instead conduct virtual interviews , town halls and fundraisers from his basement .
In recent weeks , Biden has attacked President Donald Trump from Wilmington community centers and churches , and unveiled economic recovery plans in Delaware high school gyms .
Harris , 55 , is the first Black and South Asian American woman to be on a major party 's ticket for vice president .
She was among a handful of Black women being considered for vice president .
Harris has had ties to the Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close friend of Beau Biden , Delaware ’ s attorney general who died of brain cancer in 2015 .
The two worked closely , as respective attorneys general , in the midst of the housing crisis .
On early Thursday afternoon , Biden and Harris had two briefings with public health and economic experts at the Hotel du Pont , focusing on the pandemic and economic downturn .
In afternoon remarks that lasted less than 10 minutes , Biden called for governors immediately to mandate that Americans wear masks outside for the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more COVID-19 related deaths .
The candidates did not take questions from reporters . ''
Contact Meredith Newman at ( 302 ) 324-2386 or at mnewman @ delawareonline.com .
Follow her on Twitter at @ merenewman .

Joe Biden, Kamala Harris to give DNC convention speeches in Wilmington, Delaware
WILMINGTON — Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris will deliver their convention speeches at the Chase Center in Wilmington next week, the Biden campaign said Thursday.
In the days leading up to the Democratic National Convention, there has been speculation about where the former vice president will deliver the biggest speech of his political career.
Biden was scheduled to accept the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in Milwaukee. But due to the coronavirus, he will accept the nomination next Thursday in Wilmington. Harris will speak Wednesday night.
On Wednesday, Biden and Harris made their first appearance as a presidential ticket.
More: 11 names, 120 hours of interviews: Inside the grueling VP search that led Joe Biden to Kamala Harris
Unlike previous presidential campaigns, the candidates did not address a roaring crowd of supporters. Instead, they gave remarks at a gym in A.I. du Pont High School that was filled with about a dozen reporters and some campaign staff.
Due to the coronavirus, Delaware has played an unexpected role in Biden’s campaign for the presidency. The candidate has had to skip the traditional campaign events and instead conduct virtual interviews, town halls and fundraisers from his basement.
In recent weeks, Biden has attacked President Donald Trump from Wilmington community centers and churches, and unveiled economic recovery plans in Delaware high school gyms.
Harris, 55, is the first Black and South Asian American woman to be on a major party's ticket for vice president. She was among a handful of Black women being considered for vice president.
More: When Kamala Harris faced political heat, Joe Biden's son Beau had her back
Harris has had ties to the Biden family for years. She was a close friend of Beau Biden, Delaware’s attorney general who died of brain cancer in 2015. The two worked closely, as respective attorneys general, in the midst of the housing crisis.
On early Thursday afternoon, Biden and Harris had two briefings with public health and economic experts at the Hotel du Pont, focusing on the pandemic and economic downturn.
In afternoon remarks that lasted less than 10 minutes, Biden called for governors immediately to mandate that Americans wear masks outside for the next three months, in order to prevent more COVID-19 related deaths. The candidates did not take questions from reporters."
Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 324-2386 or at mnewman@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @merenewman.


usatoday--2020-08-13--Trump campaign, Republican groups sue Iowa election officials over absentee ballot forms

IOWA CITY , Iowa –President Donald Trump 's campaign and several national Republican political committees are suing auditors in two Iowa counties who they accuse of having gone `` rogue '' in issuing absentee ballot request forms ahead of November 's election .
Already , the Johnson County Auditor 's Office is reporting 9,634 requests in their system with more than 3,000 awaiting processing .
And Linn County Auditor Joel Miller told the Press-Citizen he had already received an estimated 40,000 requests .
The suit asks the courts to invalidate these absentee ballot requests , requiring voters to resubmit before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive their absentee ballot .
Citing public health concerns , the auditors announced plans on July 1 to mail every active registered voter a request already containing information the voter will need to request an absentee ballot ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election .
The prepopulated form only requires the voter to check that the information is correct , sign the request and send it to the county auditor .
While neither auditor will comment on pending litigation , the auditors defended their actions in the past .
Since they already have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law prevents their office staff from filling in missing information on voters ' behalf , they argue that prepopulating the forms helps remove barriers to voting .
The Republican National Committee , Donald J. Trump for President Inc. , the National Republican Senatorial Committee , the National Republican Congressional Committee and the Republican Party of Iowa announced lawsuits Wednesday .
They were filed in the district courts for Johnson and Linn counties .
The suits seek to invalidate tens of thousands of ballot request forms already returned to the auditors on the grounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the forms than those being sent by the Iowa Secretary of State 's Office .
At the end of July , the same group of Republican organizations sought to dismiss a lawsuit from the League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa and the group Majority Forward , which challenged a new state law barring county auditors from filling in missing information when voters request absentee ballots .
More states turn to absentee ballots as an safety measure during the pandemic .
However , Iowa 's state officials say , if not checked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This despite a lack of evidence of widespread voter fraud in previous mail-in elections .
This summer , state Republicans have gone as far as to add additional oversight over fellow Republican Secretary of State Paul Pate 's emergency election powers to make sure absentee request forms meet the party 's expectations .
Linn and Johnson are the second and fourth-most populated counties in the state .
As of August , Johnson County had 91,616 active registered voters : 54 % were registered Democrats ; just 19 % were registered Republicans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : 40 % were registered Democrats ; 27 % were registered Republicans .
The lawsuit specifically relates to what kind of information can be included on absentee ballot request forms sent to active registered voters .
State Republicans believe that only the election 's date and that the ballot is for a general election should be completed on voters ' behalf .
The county auditors are being sued for sending out request forms that are already populated with all of the required information and only need to be signed and returned .
Vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request to block Rhode Island from accepting absentee ballots without witnesses '' Iowans overwhelmingly support voter ID laws to uphold the integrity of our elections , and we strongly believe election officials should be upholding current state law , not defying it , '' Jeff Kaufmann , the chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa , said in a statement .
`` While Iowa County Auditors have gone rogue and rewritten the rules for absentee ballot security , President Trump and his team are once again standing up for election integrity and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and securely cast their ballot this fall , '' Matthew Morgan , general counsel for Trump 's reelection campaign , said in a news release .
`` Dropping thousands of ballot applications with personal information already filled out in the mail is wildly irresponsible.
” The dust-up over mail-in voting comes after Pate announced record-breaking voter participation after sending absentee ballot request forms to active registered voters ahead of Iowa 's June 2 primaries .
According to Pate 's office 's website , more than 411,000 of the ballots cast in June 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number that dramatically outpaced the 38,000 absentee votes cast in the 2016 primaries .
After the primary election , though , Republican Gov .
Kim Reynolds signed a law that dictated secretaries of state can not issue ballot request forms without approval from Iowa 's Legislative Council , a body comprised of members from both the Iowa Senate and the Iowa House of Representatives and which is controlled by Republicans .
On July 1 , the council rejected a push from the Legislature 's Democrats to have ballot request forms mailed out to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson County Auditor Travis Weipert and Linn County Auditor Joel Miller announced their plans to send absentee ballot request forms to their respective counties ' active registered voters .
Both counties ' forms are prepopulated with a voter 's name , four-digit voter PIN , date of birth and other information that the voter is required to provide in order for a ballot to be issued .
Voters requesting a ballot are asked to review the information and ensure it is correct , sign the form and return it in a prepaid envelope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met and approved a plan proposed by Pate , clearing the way for his office to send every active registered voter a form .
The council stipulated , however , that the forms distributed by the Secretary of State 's office would include just the date of November 's election and that the ballot requested would be for a general election .
Election 2020 : Union warns of U.S .
Postal Service cost cuts as states prepare for mail-in voting If the secretary of state 's office 's forms are returned to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information , the measure signed into law on June 25 prevents the offices from filling in missing information or correcting errors .
`` How can you tell me that what I 'm doing is wrong when all I 'm doing is promoting voting .
I 'm not targeting one party and not another , '' Weipert told the Press-Citizen in July .
The Press-Citizen reached out to Weipert and Miller , who said he was unable to comment on pending litigation .
Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness was not immediately available for comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this possible .
Subscribe today at Press-Citizen.com/Subscribe .

Zachary Oren Smith, Iowa City Press-Citizen

Trump campaign, Republican groups sue Iowa election officials over absentee ballot forms
Show Caption Hide Caption Elections 2020: Mail-in voting could decide next president Many states are planning on drastically different elections this year and mail-in ballots could be a big game changer. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
IOWA CITY, Iowa –President Donald Trump's campaign and several national Republican political committees are suing auditors in two Iowa counties who they accuse of having gone "rogue" in issuing absentee ballot request forms ahead of November's election.
Already, the Johnson County Auditor's Office is reporting 9,634 requests in their system with more than 3,000 awaiting processing. And Linn County Auditor Joel Miller told the Press-Citizen he had already received an estimated 40,000 requests.
The suit asks the courts to invalidate these absentee ballot requests, requiring voters to resubmit before an Oct. 24 deadline in order to receive their absentee ballot.
Citing public health concerns, the auditors announced plans on July 1 to mail every active registered voter a request already containing information the voter will need to request an absentee ballot ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election. The prepopulated form only requires the voter to check that the information is correct, sign the request and send it to the county auditor.
While neither auditor will comment on pending litigation, the auditors defended their actions in the past. Since they already have the required information and because a new law prevents their office staff from filling in missing information on voters' behalf, they argue that prepopulating the forms helps remove barriers to voting.
Mail-in balloting increase puts the spotlight on the U.S. Postal Service With the coronavirus pandemic changing the overall conversation in the 2020 election, it’s also changing the way millions of Americans plan to vote...by mail in balloting. And that increase in vote-by-mail is going to place the United States Postal Service in the spotlight. Buzz60
The Republican National Committee, Donald J. Trump for President Inc., the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee and the Republican Party of Iowa announced lawsuits Wednesday. They were filed in the district courts for Johnson and Linn counties.
The suits seek to invalidate tens of thousands of ballot request forms already returned to the auditors on the grounds that the auditors included more information on the forms than those being sent by the Iowa Secretary of State's Office.
At the end of July, the same group of Republican organizations sought to dismiss a lawsuit from the League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa and the group Majority Forward, which challenged a new state law barring county auditors from filling in missing information when voters request absentee ballots.
More states turn to absentee ballots as an safety measure during the pandemic. However, Iowa's state officials say, if not checked, the system here could be abused. This despite a lack of evidence of widespread voter fraud in previous mail-in elections. This summer, state Republicans have gone as far as to add additional oversight over fellow Republican Secretary of State Paul Pate's emergency election powers to make sure absentee request forms meet the party's expectations.
Linn and Johnson are the second and fourth-most populated counties in the state. As of August, Johnson County had 91,616 active registered voters: 54% were registered Democrats; just 19% were registered Republicans. Linn County had 146,784 active registered voters: 40% were registered Democrats; 27% were registered Republicans.
The lawsuit specifically relates to what kind of information can be included on absentee ballot request forms sent to active registered voters. State Republicans believe that only the election's date and that the ballot is for a general election should be completed on voters' behalf. The county auditors are being sued for sending out request forms that are already populated with all of the required information and only need to be signed and returned.
Vote by mail: Supreme Court rejects GOP request to block Rhode Island from accepting absentee ballots without witnesses
"Iowans overwhelmingly support voter ID laws to uphold the integrity of our elections, and we strongly believe election officials should be upholding current state law, not defying it," Jeff Kaufmann, the chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa, said in a statement.
"While Iowa County Auditors have gone rogue and rewritten the rules for absentee ballot security, President Trump and his team are once again standing up for election integrity and the right of every eligible voter to safely and securely cast their ballot this fall," Matthew Morgan, general counsel for Trump's reelection campaign, said in a news release. "Dropping thousands of ballot applications with personal information already filled out in the mail is wildly irresponsible.”
Absentee Ballot Request forms: This summer's hot-button issue
The dust-up over mail-in voting comes after Pate announced record-breaking voter participation after sending absentee ballot request forms to active registered voters ahead of Iowa's June 2 primaries.
According to Pate's office's website, more than 411,000 of the ballots cast in June's primaries came from absentee voters — a number that dramatically outpaced the 38,000 absentee votes cast in the 2016 primaries.
After the primary election, though, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a law that dictated secretaries of state cannot issue ballot request forms without approval from Iowa's Legislative Council, a body comprised of members from both the Iowa Senate and the Iowa House of Representatives and which is controlled by Republicans. On July 1, the council rejected a push from the Legislature's Democrats to have ballot request forms mailed out to registered voters.
The same day, Johnson County Auditor Travis Weipert and Linn County Auditor Joel Miller announced their plans to send absentee ballot request forms to their respective counties' active registered voters.
Both counties' forms are prepopulated with a voter's name, four-digit voter PIN, date of birth and other information that the voter is required to provide in order for a ballot to be issued. Voters requesting a ballot are asked to review the information and ensure it is correct, sign the form and return it in a prepaid envelope.
On July 17, the council met and approved a plan proposed by Pate, clearing the way for his office to send every active registered voter a form.
The council stipulated, however, that the forms distributed by the Secretary of State's office would include just the date of November's election and that the ballot requested would be for a general election.
Election 2020: Union warns of U.S. Postal Service cost cuts as states prepare for mail-in voting
If the secretary of state's office's forms are returned to a county auditor's office without the correct information, the measure signed into law on June 25 prevents the offices from filling in missing information or correcting errors.
"How can you tell me that what I'm doing is wrong when all I'm doing is promoting voting. I'm not targeting one party and not another," Weipert told the Press-Citizen in July.
The Press-Citizen reached out to Weipert and Miller, who said he was unable to comment on pending litigation. Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.
Follow Zachary Oren Smith on Twitter @Zacharyos.
Your subscription makes work like this possible. Subscribe today at Press-Citizen.com/Subscribe.


usatoday--2020-08-13--Jared Kushner: I spoke with Kanye West, but not about the Donald Trump campaign

WASHINGTON – White House adviser Jared Kushner said Thursday he spoke recently with rapper Kanye West – but not about any plan to have West run for president in order to help father-in-law Donald Trump win re-election .
`` We had a general discussion , more about policy , '' Kushner told reporters .
Kushner said he and West `` both happened to be in Colorado '' at the same time last weekend , and got together because `` he has some great ideas for what he 'd like to see happen in the country .
And that 's why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been doing . ''
Democrats described the Kushner-West meeting as the latest piece of evidence that Trump 's re-election team is helping the famed producer and recording artist get on as many state ballots as possible .
The idea , they said , is that West would draw African-American voters away from Democratic candidate Joe Biden , helping Trump prevail in closely contested states .
`` This is a desperation ploy because they know they ca n't win in a head-to-head contest , '' said Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson .
Democrats have also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have helped West 's aides put together ballot petitions in Wisconsin , Colorado and other states .
More : Kanye West calls out President Trump in new rap ; Trump brushes off rapper 's run in interview Trump and members of his re-election team have denied collusion with West and his makeshift presidential campaign .
Kushner and West have described each other as friends for years , and worked together on criminal justice issues .
West , who announced his candidacy by tweet on July 4 , has said both supportive and not-so-supportive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He has also sent conflicting signals about the seriousness of his third-party presidential bid .
After a media report on his latest meeting with Kushner , West tweeted that `` I ’ m willing to do a live interview with the New York Time about my meeting with Jared where we discussed Dr Claude Anderson ’ s book Powernomics . ''
At the White House , Kushner said of West : `` There 's a lot of issues that the president 's championed that he admires , and it was just great to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far , West has qualified for the ballot in Arkansas , Colorado , Oklahoma and Vermont .
The deadlines for other states have already passed , including battleground states like Michigan , Pennsylvania , Florida , and North Carolina .
West 's attempts to get on the ballot in Wisconsin , a key battleground , are being challenged because of questions about the identities of some of the petition signers .

Jared Kushner: I spoke with Kanye West, but not about the Donald Trump campaign
Show Caption Hide Caption Kanye West tearfully discusses abortion at his political rally Rapper Kanye West ranted against historical figure Harriet Tubman and became emotional when speaking about abortion. AP Domestic
WASHINGTON – White House adviser Jared Kushner said Thursday he spoke recently with rapper Kanye West – but not about any plan to have West run for president in order to help father-in-law Donald Trump win re-election.
"We had a general discussion, more about policy," Kushner told reporters.
Kushner said he and West "both happened to be in Colorado" at the same time last weekend, and got together because "he has some great ideas for what he'd like to see happen in the country. And that's why he has the candidacy that he's been doing."
Democrats described the Kushner-West meeting as the latest piece of evidence that Trump's re-election team is helping the famed producer and recording artist get on as many state ballots as possible.
The idea, they said, is that West would draw African-American voters away from Democratic candidate Joe Biden, helping Trump prevail in closely contested states.
"This is a desperation ploy because they know they can't win in a head-to-head contest," said Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson.
Democrats have also cited local news reports that Republican operatives have helped West's aides put together ballot petitions in Wisconsin, Colorado and other states.
More: Kanye West announces he's running for president in 2020; Mark Cuban, Elon Musk tweet support
More: Kanye West calls out President Trump in new rap; Trump brushes off rapper's run in interview
Trump and members of his re-election team have denied collusion with West and his makeshift presidential campaign.
Kushner and West have described each other as friends for years, and worked together on criminal justice issues.
West, who announced his candidacy by tweet on July 4, has said both supportive and not-so-supportive things about Trump over the years. He has also sent conflicting signals about the seriousness of his third-party presidential bid.
After a media report on his latest meeting with Kushner, West tweeted that "I’m willing to do a live interview with the New York Time about my meeting with Jared where we discussed Dr Claude Anderson’s book Powernomics."
I’m willing to do a live interview with the New York Time about my meeting with Jared where we discussed Dr Claude Anderson’s book Powernomics — ye (@kanyewest) August 12, 2020
At the White House, Kushner said of West: "There's a lot of issues that the president's championed that he admires, and it was just great to have a friendly discussion."
So far, West has qualified for the ballot in Arkansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Vermont.
The deadlines for other states have already passed, including battleground states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida, and North Carolina.
West's attempts to get on the ballot in Wisconsin, a key battleground, are being challenged because of questions about the identities of some of the petition signers.


usatoday--2020-08-13--Supreme Court rejects GOP request to block Rhode Island from accepting absentee ballots without witn

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a Republican National Committee challenge to Rhode Island 's move to waive a requirement that two witnesses or a notary validate a voter 's signature on mailed-in ballots .
In April , Gov .
Gina Raimondo , a Democrat , suspended the two-witness requirement for the state ’ s June 2 presidential primary – which was originally scheduled for April 28 – because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Common Cause Rhode Island , the League of Women Voters of Rhode Island and others sued to extend the rule change .
State officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Sept. 8 statewide primary – which includes Rhode Island 's U.S. House seats and one of its Senate seats – and the November general election .
Rhode Island is set to mail absentee ballots this week for its September primary .
Races on the ballot include seats in both houses of the General Assembly , Rhode Island ’ s two congressional seats and one of the state ’ s two Senate seats .
Election 2020 : Union warns of U.S .
Postal Service cost cuts as states prepare for mail-in voting State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requirement on the grounds that it inherently forced people into close contact , increasing their risk of infection .
Republicans argued that dropping the requirement increased the risk of voter fraud and that the state had already taken steps to mitigate the risks , such as allowing 20 days of early voting and implementing measures to protect voters and poll workers .
President Donald Trump has frequently railed against vote-by-mail since the pandemic sparked demands that all voters be given the option to avoid crowded polling places .
He has made dubious distinctions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well the risk of fraud .
Experts say that while there is evidence that voter fraud occurs more with mailed ballots than in-person voting , it is still very rare and statistically insignificant .
The RNC pointed to a case in Alabama where the Supreme Court blocked a lower court ruling that sided with voters who had sued against a similar witness requirement .
In that case , the state defended the requirement , but in Rhode Island , state officials backed the change , the Supreme Court noted in its order denying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposes new funds for U.S .
Postal Service , saying he does n't want to help expand vote by mail '' And no state official has expressed opposition '' to the change , it said .
It added that because the rule had not been in place for the June presidential primary , many Rhode Island voters might assume the requirement was not in place for the other upcoming elections this year .
`` The status quo is one in which the challenged requirement has not been in effect , given the rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election , and many Rhode Island voters may well hold that belief , '' they said .
Justices Clarence Thomas , Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch would have granted the RNC request , the order said .
By rejecting the challenge , the Supreme Court leaves in place the district court ruling that found enforcing the two-witness requirement during the coronavirus outbreak `` places an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote . ''
Aug. 18 is the last day voters can apply for a mail-in ballot for the Sept. 8 primary .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oct. 13 is the last day to apply .
'He 's scaring our own voters ' : Republicans run into a Donald Trump problem as they push mail voting

Supreme Court rejects GOP request to block Rhode Island from accepting absentee ballots without witnesses
Show Caption Hide Caption Warner slams Trump over mail-in voting worries Warner slams Trump over mail-in voting worries AP
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a Republican National Committee challenge to Rhode Island's move to waive a requirement that two witnesses or a notary validate a voter's signature on mailed-in ballots.
In April, Gov. Gina Raimondo, a Democrat, suspended the two-witness requirement for the state’s June 2 presidential primary – which was originally scheduled for April 28 – because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Common Cause Rhode Island, the League of Women Voters of Rhode Island and others sued to extend the rule change. State officials eventually agreed to waive the requirement for the Sept. 8 statewide primary – which includes Rhode Island's U.S. House seats and one of its Senate seats – and the November general election.
Rhode Island is set to mail absentee ballots this week for its September primary. Races on the ballot include seats in both houses of the General Assembly, Rhode Island’s two congressional seats and one of the state’s two Senate seats.
Election 2020: Union warns of U.S. Postal Service cost cuts as states prepare for mail-in voting
State officials justified the decision to drop the requirement on the grounds that it inherently forced people into close contact, increasing their risk of infection. Republicans argued that dropping the requirement increased the risk of voter fraud and that the state had already taken steps to mitigate the risks, such as allowing 20 days of early voting and implementing measures to protect voters and poll workers.
President Donald Trump has frequently railed against vote-by-mail since the pandemic sparked demands that all voters be given the option to avoid crowded polling places. He has made dubious distinctions between vote-by-mail and absentee voting, as well the risk of fraud.
Experts say that while there is evidence that voter fraud occurs more with mailed ballots than in-person voting, it is still very rare and statistically insignificant.
The RNC pointed to a case in Alabama where the Supreme Court blocked a lower court ruling that sided with voters who had sued against a similar witness requirement. In that case, the state defended the requirement, but in Rhode Island, state officials backed the change, the Supreme Court noted in its order denying the Republican request.
Vote-by-mail: Trump opposes new funds for U.S. Postal Service, saying he doesn't want to help expand vote by mail
"And no state official has expressed opposition" to the change, it said. It added that because the rule had not been in place for the June presidential primary, many Rhode Island voters might assume the requirement was not in place for the other upcoming elections this year.
"The status quo is one in which the challenged requirement has not been in effect, given the rules used in Rhode Island’s last election, and many Rhode Island voters may well hold that belief," they said.
Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch would have granted the RNC request, the order said.
By rejecting the challenge, the Supreme Court leaves in place the district court ruling that found enforcing the two-witness requirement during the coronavirus outbreak "places an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote."
Aug. 18 is the last day voters can apply for a mail-in ballot for the Sept. 8 primary. For the Nov. 3 general election, Oct. 13 is the last day to apply.
Contributing: The Associated Press
'He's scaring our own voters': Republicans run into a Donald Trump problem as they push mail voting


usatoday--2020-08-13--Decades-old photo of Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell and a Confederate flag lives on and on

The photo has circulated for years , shared on Twitter feeds and political sites when issues of racism and discrimination dominate the news : Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , much younger than he is now , smiling beside another white man in front of a Confederate battle flag .
The Kentucky Democratic Party , for example , uses the picture periodically and featured it again in a pair of blog posts criticizing the Louisville Republican this summer .
The photo got a wave of attention last year after a racist picture from Virginia Gov .
Ralph Northam 's medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to once wearing shoe polish on his face for a Michael Jackson costume .
And it has popped up lately on social media as people protest against racism and police brutality .
`` I think he owes the public an explanation , '' Kentucky Democratic Party spokeswoman Marisa McNee said of the photo .
`` If he wouldn ’ t stand in front of a Confederate flag today , he needs to be able to say , ' I shouldn ’ t have done that . '
'' From apartheid to affirmative action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on race The history behind the photo of McConnell , now 78 , is somewhat obscure .
The photo is believed to have originated in the early 1990s at a Big Spring Country Club event held by the Louisville-based John Hunt Morgan Camp 1342 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans , an organization of men who are descendants of Confederate soldiers .
Adjutant Bill Hayes of John Hunt Morgan Camp 1342 told The Courier Journal their camp has very few members left who were around in the early '90s .
He once asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who told him it was taken at one of their events where McConnell was invited to speak .
McConnell himself , in an interview with The Courier Journal , said he thinks the photograph was taken during his first term in the Senate , which spanned from 1984 to 1990 , at a Sons of Confederate Veterans meeting in Louisville .
`` My recollection of that is skimpy , '' he said of the photograph .
`` But the reason I was invited to come speak to them is because I am indeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I had looked up some information on him .
And my recollection was that that ’ s what I talked about . ''
Looking back on it now , he said : `` I do n't regret going to speak to a group which at the time was not being considered , you know , a pariah in our society .
I , over the years , have probably been to plenty of groups and shaken hands with a whole lot of people who didn ’ t agree with me . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has long been controversial because of the Confederacy 's well-documented history of racism and support for slavery .
Choosing the running mate:11 names , 120 hours of interviews : Inside the grueling VP search that led Joe Biden to Kamala Harris McConnell — who grew up in the South when segregation was still legal and has described how his parents instilled him with a belief in civil rights — stressed that the fact that he appeared at the Sons of Confederate Veterans event is `` not nearly as important '' as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public official .
As an example , he pointed to his tenure as Jefferson County judge-executive in the late 1970s and early 1980s , when he said he agreed to a consent decree in a federal court case concerning racial discrimination in the police department .
Under that decree , he said the county government instituted affirmative action policies for hiring Black people .
`` As you might imagine , this did n't go over very well with the Fraternal Order of Police , '' he said , and the union opposed him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took me out . ''
Then , during his first couple of years as a senator in the mid '80s , he supported legislation to put economic sanctions on the South African government 's racist apartheid regime even though Republican President Ronald Reagan opposed it .
Referring back to the photo , he said : `` I was there to talk about my ancestor , which I did .
And everything else I was doing ...
I think underscored that I was a vigorous opponent of racial discrimination .
I showed it in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) a reelection over it because the FOP hated what I did , and I overrode President Reagan ’ s veto of the anti-apartheid act . ''
Debates over Confederate symbols have emerged again and again over the decades .
In 1993 , then-Sen. Carol Moseley Braun , the first Black woman ever elected to the Senate , urged her colleagues to refuse to renew a longstanding patent the United Daughters of the Confederacy had for an emblem featuring the Confederate flag .
`` The issue is whether or not Americans such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this country ... will have to suffer the indignity of being reminded time and time again that at one point in this country 's history we were human chattel , '' she said at the time .
'Battle for the soul of the nation ' : Before they were running mates , Joe Biden and Kamala Harris both used slogan McConnell supported renewing the patent , citing his `` reverence for my ancestors , '' but a majority of the Senate voted with Braun .
He has n't disputed that , although he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` The Long Game . ''
He did write that his great-grandfather enlisted as a Confederate soldier in 1863 at age 17 .
In that book , he also talked about growing up in the South in the early 1950s and how he and many other boys back then `` had great-grandparents who fought under Robert E. Lee , whose grandmothers belonged to the United Daughters of the Confederacy ... '' In a thread of recent postings on Twitter , Kentucky native and documentary filmmaker David Schankula connected the Moseley-Braun debate and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a Sons of Confederate Veterans meeting where the photo of him may have been taken .
Schankula includes a snippet from a 1994 issue of Confederate Veteran magazine that notes McConnell spoke on behalf of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and says the senator was honored by the John Hunt Morgan Camp at their meeting on Oct. 23 .
In recent years , the public pressure on McConnell and other government officials to denounce and remove Confederate flags , monuments and names from places of honor has intensified .
And since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support for their removal in some instances .
UAE-Israel deal : Trump announces Israel and United Arab Emirates will reestablish diplomatic ties in potentially historic deal After a white supremacist killed nine Black churchgoers attending a Bible study in Charleston , South Carolina , in June 2015 , he agreed with then-South Carolina Gov .
Nikki Haley that the Confederate battle flag should no longer be displayed at that state 's ( or any other state 's ) Capitol .
`` The Confederate Battle Flag means different things to different people , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a painful reminder of racial oppression to many suggests to me at least that it 's time to move beyond it , and that the time for a state to fly it has long since passed , '' he said then .
That same summer , McConnell indicated he was OK with removing the statue of Confederate president Jefferson Davis from the Rotunda in the Kentucky Capitol , where a statue of former President Abraham Lincoln also stands .
`` I do n't think we ought to airbrush history .
The Civil War @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an interview with WDRB News .
`` It just seems to me that Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln are not equal in stature , which is not to say that Jefferson Davis was n't an important person in American history .
He was .
But I think there 's a way to remember history in a quite less prominent fashion . ''
Five years later , in June 2020 , the statue of Davis was finally removed from the Rotunda .
Another statue of Jefferson Davis stands on the grounds of the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McConnell and other congressional lawmakers work .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently proposed that Confederate statues like that should be removed from the Capitol .
McConnell , on the other hand , said that decision is up to the individual states , which have the ability to choose which statues they want displayed .
Crypto seizure : Feds seize millions of dollars in cryptocurrency raised by major terrorist groups , DOJ says '' But what I do think is clearly a bridge too far is this nonsense that we need to airbrush the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago who had any connection to slavery , '' he told reporters in June .
`` Look , as far as the statues are concerned , every state gets two .
Any state can trade out ... if they choose to , and some actually are choosing to for one reason or another . ''
He did , however , indicate that he 's fine with renaming military bases that bear the monikers of Confederate military officers — something President Donald Trump opposes .
“ If it ’ s appropriate to take another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m personally OK with that , ” McConnell said .
“ Whatever is ultimately decided , I don ’ t have a problem with .
”

Morgan Watkins, Louisville Courier Journal

Decades-old photo of Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell and a Confederate flag lives on and on
The photo has circulated for years, shared on Twitter feeds and political sites when issues of racism and discrimination dominate the news: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, much younger than he is now, smiling beside another white man in front of a Confederate battle flag.
The Kentucky Democratic Party, for example, uses the picture periodically and featured it again in a pair of blog posts criticizing the Louisville Republican this summer.
The photo got a wave of attention last year after a racist picture from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's medical school yearbook turned up and Northam admitted to once wearing shoe polish on his face for a Michael Jackson costume.
And it has popped up lately on social media as people protest against racism and police brutality.
"I think he owes the public an explanation," Kentucky Democratic Party spokeswoman Marisa McNee said of the photo. "If he wouldn’t stand in front of a Confederate flag today, he needs to be able to say, 'I shouldn’t have done that.'"
From apartheid to affirmative action: Sen. Mitch McConnell's complicated history on race
The history behind the photo of McConnell, now 78, is somewhat obscure.
The photo is believed to have originated in the early 1990s at a Big Spring Country Club event held by the Louisville-based John Hunt Morgan Camp 1342 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, an organization of men who are descendants of Confederate soldiers.
Adjutant Bill Hayes of John Hunt Morgan Camp 1342 told The Courier Journal their camp has very few members left who were around in the early '90s. He once asked an older member about the photo, who told him it was taken at one of their events where McConnell was invited to speak.
McConnell himself, in an interview with The Courier Journal, said he thinks the photograph was taken during his first term in the Senate, which spanned from 1984 to 1990, at a Sons of Confederate Veterans meeting in Louisville.
"My recollection of that is skimpy," he said of the photograph. "But the reason I was invited to come speak to them is because I am indeed the ancestor of a Confederate soldier, and I had looked up some information on him. And my recollection was that that’s what I talked about."
Looking back on it now, he said: "I don't regret going to speak to a group which at the time was not being considered, you know, a pariah in our society. I, over the years, have probably been to plenty of groups and shaken hands with a whole lot of people who didn’t agree with me."
Confederate iconography, including the battle flag, has long been controversial because of the Confederacy's well-documented history of racism and support for slavery.
Choosing the running mate: 11 names, 120 hours of interviews: Inside the grueling VP search that led Joe Biden to Kamala Harris
McConnell — who grew up in the South when segregation was still legal and has described how his parents instilled him with a belief in civil rights — stressed that the fact that he appeared at the Sons of Confederate Veterans event is "not nearly as important" as the actions he took back then as a public official.
As an example, he pointed to his tenure as Jefferson County judge-executive in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when he said he agreed to a consent decree in a federal court case concerning racial discrimination in the police department. Under that decree, he said the county government instituted affirmative action policies for hiring Black people.
"As you might imagine, this didn't go over very well with the Fraternal Order of Police," he said, and the union opposed him in his reelection campaign and "almost took me out."
Then, during his first couple of years as a senator in the mid '80s, he supported legislation to put economic sanctions on the South African government's racist apartheid regime even though Republican President Ronald Reagan opposed it.
Referring back to the photo, he said: "I was there to talk about my ancestor, which I did. And everything else I was doing ... I think underscored that I was a vigorous opponent of racial discrimination. I showed it in county government. I almost (lost) a reelection over it because the FOP hated what I did, and I overrode President Reagan’s veto of the anti-apartheid act."
Debates over Confederate symbols have emerged again and again over the decades.
In 1993, then-Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, the first Black woman ever elected to the Senate, urged her colleagues to refuse to renew a longstanding patent the United Daughters of the Confederacy had for an emblem featuring the Confederate flag.
"The issue is whether or not Americans such as myself who believe in the promise of this country ... will have to suffer the indignity of being reminded time and time again that at one point in this country's history we were human chattel," she said at the time.
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McConnell supported renewing the patent, citing his "reverence for my ancestors," but a majority of the Senate voted with Braun.
McConnell's great-great-grandfathers, James McConnell and Richard Daley, owned slaves.
He hasn't disputed that, although he didn't mention it in his memoir, "The Long Game."
He did write that his great-grandfather enlisted as a Confederate soldier in 1863 at age 17.
In that book, he also talked about growing up in the South in the early 1950s and how he and many other boys back then "had great-grandparents who fought under Robert E. Lee, whose grandmothers belonged to the United Daughters of the Confederacy ..."
In a thread of recent postings on Twitter, Kentucky native and documentary filmmaker David Schankula connected the Moseley-Braun debate and McConnell's contrary stance to his appearance at a Sons of Confederate Veterans meeting where the photo of him may have been taken.
Schankula includes a snippet from a 1994 issue of Confederate Veteran magazine that notes McConnell spoke on behalf of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and says the senator was honored by the John Hunt Morgan Camp at their meeting on Oct. 23.
The 1994 issue of "Confederate Veteran" magazine notes McConnell was one of the only Senators to speak against Mosley Braun's "infamous speech." He was honored on October 23rd by the Sons of the Confederacy, John Hunt Morgan Camp 1342 in Louisville. https://t.co/BuZSD4dyOA — David M.F. Schankula 🤔😬😷🔥 (@davidschankula) June 21, 2020
In recent years, the public pressure on McConnell and other government officials to denounce and remove Confederate flags, monuments and names from places of honor has intensified. And since at least 2015, McConnell has expressed support for their removal in some instances.
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After a white supremacist killed nine Black churchgoers attending a Bible study in Charleston, South Carolina, in June 2015, he agreed with then-South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley that the Confederate battle flag should no longer be displayed at that state's (or any other state's) Capitol.
"The Confederate Battle Flag means different things to different people, but the fact that it continues to be a painful reminder of racial oppression to many suggests to me at least that it's time to move beyond it, and that the time for a state to fly it has long since passed," he said then.
That same summer, McConnell indicated he was OK with removing the statue of Confederate president Jefferson Davis from the Rotunda in the Kentucky Capitol, where a statue of former President Abraham Lincoln also stands.
"I don't think we ought to airbrush history. The Civil War did happen," McConnell said in an interview with WDRB News. "It just seems to me that Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln are not equal in stature, which is not to say that Jefferson Davis wasn't an important person in American history. He was. But I think there's a way to remember history in a quite less prominent fashion."
Five years later, in June 2020, the statue of Davis was finally removed from the Rotunda.
Another statue of Jefferson Davis stands on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., where McConnell and other congressional lawmakers work.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently proposed that Confederate statues like that should be removed from the Capitol. McConnell, on the other hand, said that decision is up to the individual states, which have the ability to choose which statues they want displayed.
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"But what I do think is clearly a bridge too far is this nonsense that we need to airbrush the Capitol and scrub out everybody from years ago who had any connection to slavery," he told reporters in June. "Look, as far as the statues are concerned, every state gets two. Any state can trade out ... if they choose to, and some actually are choosing to for one reason or another."
He did, however, indicate that he's fine with renaming military bases that bear the monikers of Confederate military officers — something President Donald Trump opposes.
“If it’s appropriate to take another look at these names, I’m personally OK with that,” McConnell said. “Whatever is ultimately decided, I don’t have a problem with.”
Reach reporter Morgan Watkins at mwatkins@courierjournal.com; Twitter: @morganwatkins26.


usatoday--2020-08-13--FDA denies Henry Ford Health request to use hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 patients

Weeks after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revoked emergency use authorization of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 , saying the drug does n't help coronavirus patients and has potentially dangerous side effects , Henry Ford Health System filed for permission to continue using it .
The Detroit-based health system told the Free Press this week that it sought emergency use authorization July 6 to resume treating some COVID-19 patients with the drug , which is commonly used as an anti-malarial medication and for people with autoimmune diseases like lupus .
The request came four days after Henry Ford published a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Infectious Diseases that suggested hydroxychloroquine slashed the COVID-19 death rate in half .
The peer-reviewed observational study contradicted other published reports that showed the drug does n't help coronavirus patients and could cause heart rhythm problems in some people .
`` The U.S. Food and Drug Administration informed us that it would not grant our request for an emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine for a segment of COVID-19 patients meeting very specific criteria , '' said Dr. Adnan Munkarah , Henry Ford 's executive vice president and chief clinical officer , in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received the drug would have had to meet the same criteria as those who were enrolled in Henry Ford 's initial study : • Be admitted to any of its six hospitals • Be low risk for heart complications based on an electrocardiogram algorithm .
A QT interval higher than 500 milliseconds was considered an elevated cardiac risk .
Henry Ford 's study was widely criticized because it was observational , retrospective and not randomized or controlled .
Additionally , the health system used hydroxychloroquine in combination with dexamethasone , a steroid , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people with COVID-19 .
Early in the pandemic , hydroxychloroquine looked like it could be a promising treatment for COVID-19 , but use of the drug quickly became political .
A French study published March 20 suggested the drug helped people with coronavirus , reporting it `` is significantly associated with viral load reduction/disappearance in patients with COVID-19 . ''
Positive outcomes , it noted , were improved when used in combination with the antibiotic azithromycin .
The next day , President Donald Trump tweeted that hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin `` have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest game changers in the history of medicine . ''
Encouraged by those preliminary findings , researchers around the world began to launch their own investigations of the drug , and the FDA issued an emergency use authorization March 28 to allow doctors to begin treating patients with it in hospitalized settings outside clinical trials .
Henry Ford Health System was among many nationally and across the state to begin using hydroxychloroquine in that way .
Michigan Medicine , the Detroit Medical Center and McLaren Health Care also used it .
In early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ford announced they would enroll patients in studies testing the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of coronavirus .
Henry Ford ’ s study was a retrospective analysis of 2,541 patients hospitalized between March 10 and May 2 , 2020 across its six hospitals .
In the weeks that followed , more research suggested that the drug might not help coronavirus patients and could cause some harm .
An April 23 preliminary review of 368 novel coronavirus patients at U.S. Veterans Health Administration hospitals suggested that the use of hydroxychloroquine — with or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likelihood of needing a mechanical ventilator and it may actually have made patients more likely to die .
And a review of the initial French study found it was flawed and overstated the benefits of hydroxychloroquine treatment .
The review also showed that patients who had bad outcomes after using the drug were dropped from the study , skewing the results .
Still , Trump continued to publicly praise the drug 's effectiveness , and spoke at White House Coronavirus Task Force news conferences about how he was taking it himself with hopes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
With evidence mounting , the FDA issued a warning in late April , urging caution about using hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients .
`` Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have not been shown to be safe and effective for treating or preventing COVID-19 , '' it said .
`` They are being studied in clinical trials . ''
The drugs , it warned , `` can cause abnormal heart rhythms such as QT interval prolongation and a dangerously rapid heart rate called ventricular tachycardia .
...
Patients who also have other health issues such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be at increased risk of these heart problems when receiving these medicines . ''
But the federal agency did n't revoke emergency use authorization of hydroxychloroquine until June 15 , writing : `` In light of ongoing serious cardiac adverse events and other potential serious side effects , the known and potential benefits of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine no longer outweigh the known and potential risks for the authorized use . ''
The World Health Organization announced June 17 that it would stop testing hydroxychloroquine in coronavirus patients through its Solidarity Trial .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hydroxychloroquine study a few days later .
The FDA 's Adverse Events Reporting System logged 9,363 reports of bad reactions to hydroxychloroquine and related medications just in the first eight months of this year .
Of them , 8,936 were classified as serious reactions in which 402 people died .
Comparatively , in all of 2019 , there were 8,059 reports of adverse reactions to the drug , and 6,982 were considered serious ; 146 people died .
When Henry Ford Health System published its hydroxychloroquine study in early July showing success in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mortality rate from 26 % among those who did not receive the medicine to 13 % among those who did — it was met with skepticism by many in the medical community .
Among the critics was Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease , who called the study `` flawed '' in his testimony in late July at a Congressional hearing on the federal government 's efforts to control the pandemic .
Patients in the Henry Ford study , Fauci said , were given corticosteroids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a benefit to people with COVID-19 .
And it was n't randomized or placebo-controlled , the gold standard for medical studies .
Yet , Henry Ford 's hydroxychloroquine research was hailed by the president as proof that the drug he touted from the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis works .
Trump took to Twitter July 6 — the same day Henry Ford asked the FDA for authorization to resume using hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients — alleging Democrats disparaged the drug for political reasons .
The next day , Dr. Steven Kalkanis , Henry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and senior vice president , told the Free Press that medicine should n't be political .
`` We 're scientists , not politicians , '' Kalkanis said .
`` We 've never had a preconceived agenda with this study or any study regarding hydroxychloroquine .
We simply wanted to use the resources and the opportunity of COVID , given that Detroit was such a hard-hit region , to find out which treatments worked and which treatment did n't .
`` So early on , we embarked on several different studies , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to what is appropriate for patients .
We stand behind the results of our study .
We found that , you know , among 2,500 patients , the use of hydroxychloroquine cut the death rate in half . ''
Last week , Henry Ford issued an open letter about its study , saying , `` the political climate that has persisted has made any objective discussion about this drug impossible . ''
The health system said in the letter that it will no longer comment outside the medical community on the use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are deeply saddened by this turn of events , '' said the letter , signed by both Munkarah and Kalkanis .
`` Like all observational research , these studies are very difficult to analyze and can never completely account for the biases inherent in how doctors make different decisions to treat different patients .
Furthermore , it is not unusual that results from such studies vary in different populations and at different times , and no one study can ever be considered all by itself . ''
Trump has continued to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a July 28 White House news briefing that he believes in its benefit and that `` many doctors think it is extremely successful . ''
`` I took it for a 14-day period , and I ’ m here .
Right ? ''
he said .
`` I ’ m here .
I happen to think it ’ s — it works in the early stages .
I think front-line medical people believe that , too — some , many .
And so we ’ ll take a look at it .
... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t cause problems .
I had no problem .
I had absolutely no problem , felt no different .
Didn ’ t feel good , bad , or indifferent . ''
Henry Ford is continuing with another research study of hydroxychloroquine that was announced in April in conjunction with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan .
Called the WHIP COVID-19 study , it 's the first large-scale U.S. study to investigate whether using the drug can prevent coronavirus among 3,000 health care workers and first responders .
`` The decision does not impact the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , double-blind investigation of hydroxychloroquine as a preventive treatment , '' Munkarah said .
The outcome of that research has yet to be published .
Contact Kristen Jordan Shamus : 313-222-5997 or kshamus @ freepress.com .
Follow her on Twitter @ kristenshamus .

Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press

FDA denies Henry Ford Health request to use hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 patients
Show Caption Hide Caption FDA: Hydroxychloroquine will not prevent COVID-19 Despite President Trump's thoughts, drug and disease experts seem to agree that hydroxychloroquine is not a proven preventative measure for COVID-19. USA TODAY
Weeks after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revoked emergency use authorization of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, saying the drug doesn't help coronavirus patients and has potentially dangerous side effects, Henry Ford Health System filed for permission to continue using it.
The Detroit-based health system told the Free Press this week that it sought emergency use authorization July 6 to resume treating some COVID-19 patients with the drug, which is commonly used as an anti-malarial medication and for people with autoimmune diseases like lupus.
The request came four days after Henry Ford published a controversial study in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases that suggested hydroxychloroquine slashed the COVID-19 death rate in half. The peer-reviewed observational study contradicted other published reports that showed the drug doesn't help coronavirus patients and could cause heart rhythm problems in some people.
The FDA denied Henry Ford's request this week.
More: After Fauci criticism, Henry Ford Health clams up on hydroxychloroquine study
More: Hydroxychloroquine saved coronavirus patients' lives, Michigan study shows
"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration informed us that it would not grant our request for an emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine for a segment of COVID-19 patients meeting very specific criteria," said Dr. Adnan Munkarah, Henry Ford's executive vice president and chief clinical officer, in a statement.
The patients who would have received the drug would have had to meet the same criteria as those who were enrolled in Henry Ford's initial study:
Age 18 or older
Have a positive COVID-19 test
Be admitted to any of its six hospitals
Be low risk for heart complications based on an electrocardiogram algorithm. A QT interval higher than 500 milliseconds was considered an elevated cardiac risk.
Henry Ford's study was widely criticized because it was observational, retrospective and not randomized or controlled. Additionally, the health system used hydroxychloroquine in combination with dexamethasone, a steroid, which has been known to improve outcomes for people with COVID-19.
Hope, and conflicting research
Detroit health system to study virus treatment Henry Ford Health System in Detroit will lead a 3,000-person U.S. study to determine the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine in preventing COVID-19 infections. (April 3) AP
Early in the pandemic, hydroxychloroquine looked like it could be a promising treatment for COVID-19, but use of the drug quickly became political.
A French study published March 20 suggested the drug helped people with coronavirus, reporting it "is significantly associated with viral load reduction/disappearance in patients with COVID-19." Positive outcomes, it noted, were improved when used in combination with the antibiotic azithromycin.
The next day, President Donald Trump tweeted that hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin "have a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine."
HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE & AZITHROMYCIN, taken together, have a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine. The FDA has moved mountains - Thank You! Hopefully they will BOTH (H works better with A, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents)..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 21, 2020
Encouraged by those preliminary findings, researchers around the world began to launch their own investigations of the drug, and the FDA issued an emergency use authorization March 28 to allow doctors to begin treating patients with it in hospitalized settings outside clinical trials.
Henry Ford Health System was among many nationally and across the state to begin using hydroxychloroquine in that way. Michigan Medicine, the Detroit Medical Center and McLaren Health Care also used it.
In early April, both Michigan Medicine and Henry Ford announced they would enroll patients in studies testing the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of coronavirus. Henry Ford’s study was a retrospective analysis of 2,541 patients hospitalized between March 10 and May 2, 2020 across its six hospitals.
In the weeks that followed, more research suggested that the drug might not help coronavirus patients and could cause some harm.
An April 23 preliminary review of 368 novel coronavirus patients at U.S. Veterans Health Administration hospitals suggested that the use of hydroxychloroquine — with or without azithromycin — did not reduce the likelihood of needing a mechanical ventilator and it may actually have made patients more likely to die.
And a review of the initial French study found it was flawed and overstated the benefits of hydroxychloroquine treatment. The review also showed that patients who had bad outcomes after using the drug were dropped from the study, skewing the results.
Still, Trump continued to publicly praise the drug's effectiveness, and spoke at White House Coronavirus Task Force news conferences about how he was taking it himself with hopes it would prevent him from contracting the virus.
With evidence mounting, the FDA issued a warning in late April, urging caution about using hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients.
"Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have not been shown to be safe and effective for treating or preventing COVID-19," it said. "They are being studied in clinical trials."
The drugs, it warned, "can cause abnormal heart rhythms such as QT interval prolongation and a dangerously rapid heart rate called ventricular tachycardia. ... Patients who also have other health issues such as heart and kidney disease are likely to be at increased risk of these heart problems when receiving these medicines."
But the federal agency didn't revoke emergency use authorization of hydroxychloroquine until June 15, writing: "In light of ongoing serious cardiac adverse events and other potential serious side effects, the known and potential benefits of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine no longer outweigh the known and potential risks for the authorized use."
The World Health Organization announced June 17 that it would stop testing hydroxychloroquine in coronavirus patients through its Solidarity Trial. The National Institutes of Health halted its hydroxychloroquine study a few days later.
The FDA's Adverse Events Reporting System logged 9,363 reports of bad reactions to hydroxychloroquine and related medications just in the first eight months of this year. Of them, 8,936 were classified as serious reactions in which 402 people died.
Comparatively, in all of 2019, there were 8,059 reports of adverse reactions to the drug, and 6,982 were considered serious; 146 people died.
The politics of hydroxychloroquine
When Henry Ford Health System published its hydroxychloroquine study in early July showing success in the treatment of COVID-19 — cutting the mortality rate from 26% among those who did not receive the medicine to 13% among those who did — it was met with skepticism by many in the medical community.
Among the critics was Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, who called the study "flawed" in his testimony in late July at a Congressional hearing on the federal government's efforts to control the pandemic.
Patients in the Henry Ford study, Fauci said, were given corticosteroids, which are known to be of a benefit to people with COVID-19. And it wasn't randomized or placebo-controlled, the gold standard for medical studies.
Yet, Henry Ford's hydroxychloroquine research was hailed by the president as proof that the drug he touted from the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis works.
Trump took to Twitter July 6 — the same day Henry Ford asked the FDA for authorization to resume using hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients — alleging Democrats disparaged the drug for political reasons.
The highly respected Henry Ford Health System just reported, based on a large sampling, that HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE cut the death rate in certain sick patients very significantly. The Dems disparaged it for political reasons (me!). Disgraceful. Act now @US_FDA @TuckerCarlson @FoxNews — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 7, 2020
The next day, Dr. Steven Kalkanis, Henry Ford Health System's chief academic officer and senior vice president, told the Free Press that medicine shouldn't be political.
"We're scientists, not politicians," Kalkanis said. "We've never had a preconceived agenda with this study or any study regarding hydroxychloroquine. We simply wanted to use the resources and the opportunity of COVID, given that Detroit was such a hard-hit region, to find out which treatments worked and which treatment didn't.
"So early on, we embarked on several different studies, and we wanted to let the data lead us to what is appropriate for patients. We stand behind the results of our study. We found that, you know, among 2,500 patients, the use of hydroxychloroquine cut the death rate in half."
Last week, Henry Ford issued an open letter about its study, saying, "the political climate that has persisted has made any objective discussion about this drug impossible."
The health system said in the letter that it will no longer comment outside the medical community on the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat novel coronavirus.
"We are deeply saddened by this turn of events," said the letter, signed by both Munkarah and Kalkanis.
"Like all observational research, these studies are very difficult to analyze and can never completely account for the biases inherent in how doctors make different decisions to treat different patients. Furthermore, it is not unusual that results from such studies vary in different populations and at different times, and no one study can ever be considered all by itself."
Trump has continued to support the use of hydroxychloroquine, saying in a July 28 White House news briefing that he believes in its benefit and that "many doctors think it is extremely successful."
"I took it for a 14-day period, and I’m here. Right?" he said. "I’m here. I happen to think it’s — it works in the early stages. I think front-line medical people believe that, too — some, many. And so we’ll take a look at it. ... It’s safe. It doesn’t cause problems. I had no problem. I had absolutely no problem, felt no different. Didn’t feel good, bad, or indifferent."
Henry Ford is continuing with another research study of hydroxychloroquine that was announced in April in conjunction with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. Called the WHIP COVID-19 study, it's the first large-scale U.S. study to investigate whether using the drug can prevent coronavirus among 3,000 health care workers and first responders.
"The decision does not impact the ongoing WHIP COVID-19 study, a randomized, double-blind investigation of hydroxychloroquine as a preventive treatment," Munkarah said.
The outcome of that research has yet to be published.
Contact Kristen Jordan Shamus: 313-222-5997 or kshamus@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kristenshamus.