usatoday--2020-09-24--Coronavirus has exposed a secret underbelly of the travel business: Ponzi-style schemes to pay booki

The Grand Palladium resort in Punta Cana , Dominican Republic , was a swank respite in March for Leigh Anne Belcher and her daughter until they got a call to stop by the front desk about a billing question .
Their travel agency , swamped with coronavirus cancellations , had abruptly closed its doors and disconnected its phone lines – and refused to pay the hotel for the room even though Belcher had paid the agency in full for the trip .
On the spot , Belcher had to come up with thousands of dollars to pay the upscale hotel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advised the front-gate attendants to make sure no one escaped without paying .
When she and her daughter tried to head home to Lexington , Kentucky , they had to shell out more money ; their flight had been canceled , and the airline wouldn ’ t allow them to change it since it , too , was booked by Florida ’ s BookIt.com .
The coronavirus has exposed a secret underbelly of the travel business .
Many travel agencies operate Ponzi-style schemes in which one traveler 's deposit pays for a previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so on .
Everything ran smoothly as long as bookings continued to roll in .
The pandemic blurred the muddy line between business ethics and fraud and has led to not just fried nerves but official complaints and legal action .
Through public records requests , USA TODAY obtained consumer complaints related to COVID-19 filed with attorneys generals and other agencies in 20 states .
Those documents include more than 5,300 travelers , from New Jersey to Texas and Washington state , who struggled to secure refunds for trips interrupted by the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More than 24,000 more have complained to the Federal Trade Commission about travel-related scams , reporting more than $ 43.5 million in losses – far above any other category of coronavirus-related fraud complaints on file with the FTC .
Some complaints accuse agencies of exaggerating their own costs , not actively seeking refunds from providers such as airlines and hotels – or even receiving refunds that they did not pass on .
BookIt and two educational tour companies – NAWAS and EF Tours – were among the most frequent targets of consumer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I paid for a vacation and the travel agent just decided not to pay the hotel ?
How was this my problem ?
” Belcher said .
“ I think I went through all the stages of grief in about an hour .
It wasn ’ t until we were wheels-up in Santo Domingo that I felt like I could take a breath .
And then , the anger set in.
” Belcher channeled some of that anger into managing a Facebook group , Scammed by BookIt , for people seeking refunds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to nearly 3,000 members .
While the company ’ s website and phone lines are still dead , the group shares tips on how to get credit card companies to cover the charges .
More on refunds : I snagged an airline refund amid the pandemic ; here 's how to get one if you 're eligible Representatives from BookIt did not respond to requests for comment .
In a written statement provided to a Florida television station in July , the company 's interim chief financial officer , Ryan Tennyson , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its customers .
Travel agents , either online or traditional , often bundle together flights , accommodations and transportation and make money either through commissions or bulk discounts – or both .
Customer deposits are supposed to be passed on to vendors , hotels and tour operators to hold the reservations .
Increasingly , travel experts say companies have lengthened the time between receiving and releasing those funds .
The practice can be buried in the fine-print terms of deposit agreements .
State laws offer little recourse .
Scott Keyes , who runs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said online travel agencies “ make their money by making commissions of 20 or 30 percent for those activities and car rentals .
They save money by having less customer service , which can be a problem if you ’ re caught in limbo like this.
” “ If a catastrophic event happens like a worldwide pandemic , ” Keyes said , “ they ’ re really up a creek.
” Experts noted that the practice of stockpiling customer deposits , then holding onto them if things go wrong , is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies – and most airlines .
This month , online booking site Expedia was sued by travelers whose class-action lawsuit blames the company for not more aggressively pursuing refunds .
After consumer backlash , airline executives followed federal policy and began issuing cash refunds instead of only offering vouchers for travel .
Discount brokers that operate as middlemen , which lack the financial backing of major companies , play a particularly precarious role .
Some , such as educational tour companies , pay upfront fees for group reservations and say they struggle to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Virginia-based WorldStrides , which offered educational travel and group tours , filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July .
The student travel company said it was negotiating with lenders to reduce more than $ 750 million in debt .
“ These agencies were operating on the edge of solvency , ” said John Breyault of the National Consumer League , a nonprofit advocacy group .
“ Suddenly when everything went to hell , everyone goes back to these middlemen , and they don ’ t have the money to cover refunds.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Travel magazine , said middlemen and tour companies alike are always at the mercy of the end suppliers – the airlines , hotels and so on – when it comes to issuing refunds .
“ The industry was roaring and had a 10-year run where demand exceeded supply , and people got greedy , ” Gayduk said .
“ Now suddenly a crowbar has been stuck in the flywheel , and everyone is wrongly holding onto customer deposits.
” Gayduk said a travel industry colleague had packaged Kentucky Derby experiences before officials reversed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sept. 5 .
That tour operator can ’ t get back the $ 300,000 his company spent on ticket deposits , Gayduk said , leaving him to face angry customers who want their money .
Cruise companies have a slightly different business model , typically selling trips up to 18 months in advance , with perks such as drink packages and free Internet for those plunking down early deposits .
Final payments usually are due 90 to 120 days in advance of sail dates .
That cash flow helps keep earlier cruises afloat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney Jim Walker , said the companies continue to sell cruises to finance refunds of other recently canceled cruises – despite scant evidence most will sail in the near-term .
“ Carnival is essentially running a quasi-Ponzi scheme , ” Walker said .
“ It is collecting money for new cruises , which will probably not take place , to be used to eventually refund fares which Carnival owes to its customers for the past several months.
” Carnival spokesman Roger Frizzell called that accusation “ a ridiculous assertion that could not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filing with the Securities Exchange Commission , Carnival executives said about 45 % of its customers opted for cruise credits instead of cash refunds .
At the end of August , the company reported it held more than $ 2.4 billion in customer deposits .
“ We have an extremely loyal customer base , ” Frizzell said , “ who is anxiously ready to cruise again with our brands , when ready.
” Once every 10 years , the villagers of Oberammergau , Germany , perform a Passion play depicting the crucifixion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a centuries-old pact with God to protect the town from the bubonic plague .
In 2020 , a different pandemic forced the production to be postponed – and thousands of religious travelers from Wisconsin to Florida were out thousands of dollars .
NAWAS , the tour company partnering with their churches , would not release all of their money .
Many customers were particularly upset because trusted leaders at their churches and schools had recruited them for the trips .
“ They ’ re supposed to be a Christian organization , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a dozen trips with NAWAS over the years .
“ That ’ s anything but Christian to do that to these people .
Most of these people have scraped together their money for years for these tours.
” More than 400 consumers complained about NAWAS to the attorney general in Connecticut , where the Christian tour operator is based .
The company works through churches to recruit customers for pilgrimages to the Holy Land and Europe and to see the Oberammergau Passion play .
When COVID-19 forced the play to pause until 2022 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on fixed incomes – wanted refunds .
They were stunned when the company initially refused .
USA TODAY interviewed several of those who filed formal complaints , who agreed to speak only if they could remain anonymous because they settled with the company and signed nondisclosure agreements .
Customers told USA TODAY they had spent up to $ 10,000 on their canceled trips and NAWAS sought to withhold $ 1,150 per person or to keep their deposits as credits for travel through 2022 .
Some senior citizens said they were not even sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justified keeping their money through a technicality , they said , maintaining that they had violated the original terms of their contracts by canceling the trip themselves .
Customers argued that canceled flights and worldwide shutdowns made it impossible to go on vacation as planned , even if they had been willing to forgo the performance .
“ They said we canceled the trip , ” said Mary Manning of Rockaway , New Jersey .
“ My argument was the whole world was shut down.
” In relatively good health at 69 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money over for a future trip to see the Passion play , but she said she would prefer a full refund of her $ 4,000 in deposits .
Jeff Ment , an attorney who represents NAWAS , said unlike cruises or airlines , the tour operator could not provide full refunds because companies further down the supply chain already had been paid .
NAWAS , he said , did not have the cash on hand .
He cited government red tape in Germany and Italy that made it more difficult to recover refunds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ended up giving customers refunds they “ usually weren ’ t entitled to.
” All told , the company rescheduled , rebooked or partially refunded about 16,000 customers , Ment said .
“ There are no winners in this ; NAWAS is not a winner for losing its entire year , ” he said .
“ NAWAS did the best it could under extremely difficult circumstances.
” Although it costs tour companies money to coordinate and reserve trips , that didn ’ t justify the amount of funds NAWAS wanted to withhold , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TODAY .
“ People were not getting their money back , and we were very concerned they were not being treated well , ” Tong said .
“ We are talking about a lot of seniors and people on fixed incomes , and this is a big expense for them.
” The company reached an agreement with the attorney general to refund all but $ 500 per person , an amount negotiated based on an analysis of consumer deposits and business costs .
There was one catch : Consumers had to contact NAWAS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some , who told USA TODAY they were unaware of the settlements , missed the deadline .
After reporters questioned the state and company about the situation , they received their refunds .
EF Educational Tours has partnered with school districts across the nation to organize group tours .
When the virus took hold , the company attempted to deny full refunds to parents – until attorneys general got involved .
Lona Lamar and her partner had planned to head to Spain in June as chaperones for her son ’ s class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12,000 on the trip , booked through her son ’ s high school in Missouri .
At first , the company offered a voucher for future travel , Lamar said , which she thought made little sense for a school trip .
The company then agreed to refund some of her deposit but wanted to keep about $ 1,000 per traveler – $ 3,000 in all in her case .
Lamar filed a complaint with the attorney general in Missouri in April .
Because the tour company was based out of Cambridge , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in May that secured more than $ 1.4 million in partial refunds for nearly 4,200 consumers in the state .
EF Tours agreed to roll out those policies for all customers , including Lamar .
The company kept $ 565 per person .
That leaves Lamar ’ s trio still out more than $ 1,500 for a trip they never took .
“ I thought it was very predatorial of the company , considering it was a pandemic , ” she said .
“ From a parent ’ s standpoint , you put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s just really disappointing.
” Company spokesman Adam Bickelman said policies evolved as the extent of the pandemic became clearer .
He pointed to global staff overhead and supplier costs to explain why the company could not offer full cash refunds .
Bickelman noted that the customer disputes mostly related to EF Educational Tours .
The domestic division , EF Explore America , offered different cash refund options because those programs cost less than the overseas excursions .
The majority of 2020 tour groups opted to accept vouchers for travel redeemable for another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bickelman said .
“ The health and safety of our travelers and staff have been our top priority for more than 55 years , ” he said .
“ Our singular focus during this time has been to provide our customers with the best and most flexible rebooking and refund options.
” By the time Carol Petrini reached out to EF Tours in late March to explore her options , trips around the world were being canceled , countries were banning visitors and cruise ships were getting stuck at sea .
She had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through an installment plan , then up to $ 3,000 in all .
The company wanted to withhold $ 1,000 for the cancellation , Petrini said .
After the settlement with the attorney general in Massachusetts , she got all but about $ 500 back .
She questions the company ’ s justification for keeping any of her money .
The company “ just kept saying over and over that they had already expended money on these trips , ” Petrini said , “ but there was no evidence that there were reservations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” BookIt was attractive to blue-collar travelers who could slowly fund their dream vacations through a “ pay delay ” system .
Their angst and anger is palpable on the Facebook group started by Leigh Anne Belcher and in official consumer complaints .
“ I feel so stupid even booking with them .
I don ’ t care about my trip getting canceled .
I just want my money back , ” one member of the Facebook group wrote about his monthslong battle with his bank , USAA , to refund his canceled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jamaica .
“ From what I understand , the BookIt business model was to not pay the resorts or airlines until the last moment of the actual trip beginning , even though I paid in full nearly four months in advance , ” a Wisconsin customer complained to the state ’ s attorney general .
“ American Airlines says I should be talking with the travel agency I booked with , not American , ” Douglas Callies wrote to Wisconsin ’ s attorney general about his canceled trip to Cancun , Mexico .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ money for the stated purpose , but merely pocketed it to ( their ) personal advantage.
” Andrea Koos , a spokeswoman for American Airlines , confirmed that the company issued refunds to BookIt.com but halted them once it received a notice from a travel billing clearing house that the agency had shut down .
Florida ’ s attorney general says more than 800 people lodged complaints about BookIt , which is based in Panama City Beach .
The U.S. Attorney 's Office , Federal Bureau of Investigation and police department , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vendors , collect cases in an online portal to potentially pursue fraud charges .
“ I ’ m not in the travel business , but I just assume when I pay for my vacation , it ’ s paid for when I make my purchase , ” Panama City police Lt. J.R. Talamantez said .
“ We ’ re trying to wrap our head around this business concept and whether it falls into fraud .
It ’ s a sad and unfortunate situation.
” Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey filed a civil suit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and deceptive business practices .
BookIt has not responded to the complaint .
Wisconsin ’ s Mikayla Schmidt and her fiancé Jordan Stiefel should have been on their honeymoon in Punta Cana , Dominican Republic , this month , all planned through BookIt .
They were paying for the $ 4,100 trip in installments , and their last payment was due in March .
Their first clue came when they noticed the last payment had not been debited from their bank account .
“ We had it on a pay delay schedule and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the website said everything was canceled , ” Schmidt said .
Schmidt and her fiance joined Belcher ’ s Facebook group and filed complaints with state agencies .
They disputed the earlier payments with their bank but are short about $ 900 , Schmidt said .
When the couple got married , they instead honeymooned in California .
'Tip of the iceberg ' : Airbnb , VRBO guests fight for refunds after coronavirus cancellations Documents provided by customers to USA TODAY show BookIt contacted partner hotels in March to say it wouldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as some of them arrived .
It warned customers then that they ’ d probably end up paying twice and told them to fight it out with their credit card companies .
“ The resort may be asking to collect the money for your stay directly from you at this time , despite that you have paid in full directly with us , ” a letter from BookIt.com reads .
“ To get reimbursement , you need to work with your bank directly.
” A front page of the website instructs customers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said she developed a guide for disputing charges directly with credit agencies , but members of the Facebook group who booked with debit cards or funds through their credit unions have had more trouble .
In a statement toWMBB-TV in Panama City Beach , Tennyson – the BookIt executive – said the company continues to operate and its 35 remaining staff members , down from 300 , were working to refund customers .
Federal records show the company took a $ 1 million to $ 2 million Payroll Protection Program loan through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saved 168 jobs .
Tennyson 's statement said BookIt “ hopes to resume its activities as a full service travel agency once some semblance of order returns to the international travel industry.
” Nick Penzenstadler and Josh Salman are reporters on the USA TODAY investigations team .
Nick can be reached npenz @ usatoday.com or @ npenzenstadler , or on Signal at ( 720 ) 507-5273 .
Josh can be reached at jsalman @ gatehousemedia.com or @ joshsalman , or ( 941 ) 361-4967 .

Nick Penzenstadler and Josh Salman, USA TODAY

Coronavirus has exposed a secret underbelly of the travel business: Ponzi-style schemes to pay bookings
Show Caption Hide Caption 6 travel tips to stay safe while flying Here are 6 tips to know before you book your flight during the COVID-19 pandemic. ProblemSolved, USA TODAY
The Grand Palladium resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, was a swank respite in March for Leigh Anne Belcher and her daughter until they got a call to stop by the front desk about a billing question.
Their travel agency, swamped with coronavirus cancellations, had abruptly closed its doors and disconnected its phone lines – and refused to pay the hotel for the room even though Belcher had paid the agency in full for the trip.
On the spot, Belcher had to come up with thousands of dollars to pay the upscale hotel, which threatened to call authorities and advised the front-gate attendants to make sure no one escaped without paying. When she and her daughter tried to head home to Lexington, Kentucky, they had to shell out more money; their flight had been canceled, and the airline wouldn’t allow them to change it since it, too, was booked by Florida’s BookIt.com.
The coronavirus has exposed a secret underbelly of the travel business. Many travel agencies operate Ponzi-style schemes in which one traveler's deposit pays for a previous traveler's tickets and accommodations, and so on.
Everything ran smoothly as long as bookings continued to roll in.
The pandemic blurred the muddy line between business ethics and fraud and has led to not just fried nerves but official complaints and legal action.
Through public records requests, USA TODAY obtained consumer complaints related to COVID-19 filed with attorneys generals and other agencies in 20 states. Those documents include more than 5,300 travelers, from New Jersey to Texas and Washington state, who struggled to secure refunds for trips interrupted by the coronavirus – among the most common complaints lodged.
More than 24,000 more have complained to the Federal Trade Commission about travel-related scams, reporting more than $43.5 million in losses – far above any other category of coronavirus-related fraud complaints on file with the FTC.
Some complaints accuse agencies of exaggerating their own costs, not actively seeking refunds from providers such as airlines and hotels – or even receiving refunds that they did not pass on. BookIt and two educational tour companies – NAWAS and EF Tours – were among the most frequent targets of consumer ire.
“How could it happen that I paid for a vacation and the travel agent just decided not to pay the hotel? How was this my problem?” Belcher said. “I think I went through all the stages of grief in about an hour. It wasn’t until we were wheels-up in Santo Domingo that I felt like I could take a breath. And then, the anger set in.”
Belcher channeled some of that anger into managing a Facebook group, Scammed by BookIt, for people seeking refunds from the company, which has grown to nearly 3,000 members. While the company’s website and phone lines are still dead, the group shares tips on how to get credit card companies to cover the charges.
More on refunds: I snagged an airline refund amid the pandemic; here's how to get one if you're eligible
Representatives from BookIt did not respond to requests for comment. In a written statement provided to a Florida television station in July, the company's interim chief financial officer, Ryan Tennyson, said the company had refunded 70% of its customers.
Deposit shell game part of modern travel
Travel agents, either online or traditional, often bundle together flights, accommodations and transportation and make money either through commissions or bulk discounts – or both.
Customer deposits are supposed to be passed on to vendors, hotels and tour operators to hold the reservations. Increasingly, travel experts say companies have lengthened the time between receiving and releasing those funds. The practice can be buried in the fine-print terms of deposit agreements. State laws offer little recourse.
Scott Keyes, who runs the website Scott’s Cheap Flights, said online travel agencies “make their money by making commissions of 20 or 30 percent for those activities and car rentals. They save money by having less customer service, which can be a problem if you’re caught in limbo like this.”
“If a catastrophic event happens like a worldwide pandemic,” Keyes said, “they’re really up a creek.”
Experts noted that the practice of stockpiling customer deposits, then holding onto them if things go wrong, is the business model for various kinds of travel companies – and most airlines.
This month, online booking site Expedia was sued by travelers whose class-action lawsuit blames the company for not more aggressively pursuing refunds. After consumer backlash, airline executives followed federal policy and began issuing cash refunds instead of only offering vouchers for travel.
Discount brokers that operate as middlemen, which lack the financial backing of major companies, play a particularly precarious role. Some, such as educational tour companies, pay upfront fees for group reservations and say they struggle to get the money back themselves.
Charlottesville, Virginia-based WorldStrides, which offered educational travel and group tours, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July. The student travel company said it was negotiating with lenders to reduce more than $750 million in debt.
“These agencies were operating on the edge of solvency,” said John Breyault of the National Consumer League, a nonprofit advocacy group. “Suddenly when everything went to hell, everyone goes back to these middlemen, and they don’t have the money to cover refunds.”
Jeff Gayduk, publisher of Leisure Group Travel magazine, said middlemen and tour companies alike are always at the mercy of the end suppliers – the airlines, hotels and so on – when it comes to issuing refunds.
“The industry was roaring and had a 10-year run where demand exceeded supply, and people got greedy,” Gayduk said. “Now suddenly a crowbar has been stuck in the flywheel, and everyone is wrongly holding onto customer deposits.”
Gayduk said a travel industry colleague had packaged Kentucky Derby experiences before officials reversed course and barred fans from the race Sept. 5. That tour operator can’t get back the $300,000 his company spent on ticket deposits, Gayduk said, leaving him to face angry customers who want their money.
Help us report on coronavirus scams Are you a government contract officer? A vendor? A purchasing agent in the private sector? Do you know about a scam tied to coronavirus we should know about? Email us at covidscams@usatoday.com. Email Us
Cruise companies have a slightly different business model, typically selling trips up to 18 months in advance, with perks such as drink packages and free Internet for those plunking down early deposits. Final payments usually are due 90 to 120 days in advance of sail dates.
That cash flow helps keep earlier cruises afloat financially. In the pandemic, maritime attorney Jim Walker, said the companies continue to sell cruises to finance refunds of other recently canceled cruises – despite scant evidence most will sail in the near-term.
“Carnival is essentially running a quasi-Ponzi scheme,” Walker said. “It is collecting money for new cruises, which will probably not take place, to be used to eventually refund fares which Carnival owes to its customers for the past several months.”
Carnival spokesman Roger Frizzell called that accusation “a ridiculous assertion that could not be further from the truth.”
In a filing with the Securities Exchange Commission, Carnival executives said about 45% of its customers opted for cruise credits instead of cash refunds. At the end of August, the company reported it held more than $2.4 billion in customer deposits.
“We have an extremely loyal customer base,” Frizzell said, “who is anxiously ready to cruise again with our brands, when ready.”
Cruise refunds elusive: Some cruise customers waited months for refunds
Scuttled faith-based trips cause grief
Once every 10 years, the villagers of Oberammergau, Germany, perform a Passion play depicting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It’s part of a centuries-old pact with God to protect the town from the bubonic plague.
In 2020, a different pandemic forced the production to be postponed – and thousands of religious travelers from Wisconsin to Florida were out thousands of dollars. NAWAS, the tour company partnering with their churches, would not release all of their money.
Many customers were particularly upset because trusted leaders at their churches and schools had recruited them for the trips.
“They’re supposed to be a Christian organization,” said one man who has taken nearly a dozen trips with NAWAS over the years. “That’s anything but Christian to do that to these people. Most of these people have scraped together their money for years for these tours.”
More than 400 consumers complained about NAWAS to the attorney general in Connecticut, where the Christian tour operator is based. The company works through churches to recruit customers for pilgrimages to the Holy Land and Europe and to see the Oberammergau Passion play.
When COVID-19 forced the play to pause until 2022, these travelers – many elderly and on fixed incomes – wanted refunds. They were stunned when the company initially refused.
USA TODAY interviewed several of those who filed formal complaints, who agreed to speak only if they could remain anonymous because they settled with the company and signed nondisclosure agreements.
Customers told USA TODAY they had spent up to $10,000 on their canceled trips and NAWAS sought to withhold $1,150 per person or to keep their deposits as credits for travel through 2022. Some senior citizens said they were not even sure they would live that long.
NAWAS justified keeping their money through a technicality, they said, maintaining that they had violated the original terms of their contracts by canceling the trip themselves. Customers argued that canceled flights and worldwide shutdowns made it impossible to go on vacation as planned, even if they had been willing to forgo the performance.
“They said we canceled the trip,” said Mary Manning of Rockaway, New Jersey. “My argument was the whole world was shut down.”
In relatively good health at 69, Manning opted to roll all of the money over for a future trip to see the Passion play, but she said she would prefer a full refund of her $4,000 in deposits.
Jeff Ment, an attorney who represents NAWAS, said unlike cruises or airlines, the tour operator could not provide full refunds because companies further down the supply chain already had been paid. NAWAS, he said, did not have the cash on hand.
He cited government red tape in Germany and Italy that made it more difficult to recover refunds from overseas suppliers. Ment said NAWAS ended up giving customers refunds they “usually weren’t entitled to.”
All told, the company rescheduled, rebooked or partially refunded about 16,000 customers, Ment said.
“There are no winners in this; NAWAS is not a winner for losing its entire year,” he said. “NAWAS did the best it could under extremely difficult circumstances.”
Although it costs tour companies money to coordinate and reserve trips, that didn’t justify the amount of funds NAWAS wanted to withhold, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong told USA TODAY.
“People were not getting their money back, and we were very concerned they were not being treated well,” Tong said. “We are talking about a lot of seniors and people on fixed incomes, and this is a big expense for them.”
The company reached an agreement with the attorney general to refund all but $500 per person, an amount negotiated based on an analysis of consumer deposits and business costs.
There was one catch: Consumers had to contact NAWAS before Aug. 20 to obtain a refund. Some, who told USA TODAY they were unaware of the settlements, missed the deadline. After reporters questioned the state and company about the situation, they received their refunds.
Five-figure student trips only partially refunded
EF Educational Tours has partnered with school districts across the nation to organize group tours. When the virus took hold, the company attempted to deny full refunds to parents – until attorneys general got involved.
Lona Lamar and her partner had planned to head to Spain in June as chaperones for her son’s class trip. She spent more than $12,000 on the trip, booked through her son’s high school in Missouri.
At first, the company offered a voucher for future travel, Lamar said, which she thought made little sense for a school trip. The company then agreed to refund some of her deposit but wanted to keep about $1,000 per traveler – $3,000 in all in her case.
Lamar filed a complaint with the attorney general in Missouri in April. Because the tour company was based out of Cambridge, the Massachusetts attorney general negotiated a settlement in May that secured more than $1.4 million in partial refunds for nearly 4,200 consumers in the state.
EF Tours agreed to roll out those policies for all customers, including Lamar. The company kept $565 per person. That leaves Lamar’s trio still out more than $1,500 for a trip they never took.
“I thought it was very predatorial of the company, considering it was a pandemic,” she said. “From a parent’s standpoint, you put your trust in them. It’s just really disappointing.”
Company spokesman Adam Bickelman said policies evolved as the extent of the pandemic became clearer. He pointed to global staff overhead and supplier costs to explain why the company could not offer full cash refunds.
Bickelman noted that the customer disputes mostly related to EF Educational Tours. The domestic division, EF Explore America, offered different cash refund options because those programs cost less than the overseas excursions.
The majority of 2020 tour groups opted to accept vouchers for travel redeemable for another trip through Sept. 30, 2022, Bickelman said.
“The health and safety of our travelers and staff have been our top priority for more than 55 years,” he said. “Our singular focus during this time has been to provide our customers with the best and most flexible rebooking and refund options.”
This city's empty airport terminal is like nothing you’ve ever seen The Southwest Airlines gates of National Airport are almost completely without flying customers, showing the impact COVID-19 is having on air travel. USA TODAY, Wochit
By the time Carol Petrini reached out to EF Tours in late March to explore her options, trips around the world were being canceled, countries were banning visitors and cruise ships were getting stuck at sea. She had been paying for her tour to France through an installment plan, then up to $3,000 in all.
The company wanted to withhold $1,000 for the cancellation, Petrini said. After the settlement with the attorney general in Massachusetts, she got all but about $500 back. She questions the company’s justification for keeping any of her money.
The company “just kept saying over and over that they had already expended money on these trips,” Petrini said, “but there was no evidence that there were reservations for the airlines or hotels or anything.”
Investigations, lawsuits and charges pending
BookIt was attractive to blue-collar travelers who could slowly fund their dream vacations through a “pay delay” system. Their angst and anger is palpable on the Facebook group started by Leigh Anne Belcher and in official consumer complaints.
“I feel so stupid even booking with them. I don’t care about my trip getting canceled. I just want my money back,” one member of the Facebook group wrote about his monthslong battle with his bank, USAA, to refund his canceled $3,000 trip to Montego Bay, Jamaica.
“From what I understand, the BookIt business model was to not pay the resorts or airlines until the last moment of the actual trip beginning, even though I paid in full nearly four months in advance,” a Wisconsin customer complained to the state’s attorney general.
“American Airlines says I should be talking with the travel agency I booked with, not American,” Douglas Callies wrote to Wisconsin’s attorney general about his canceled trip to Cancun, Mexico. “(BookIt) never used the money for the stated purpose, but merely pocketed it to (their) personal advantage.”
Andrea Koos, a spokeswoman for American Airlines, confirmed that the company issued refunds to BookIt.com but halted them once it received a notice from a travel billing clearing house that the agency had shut down.
Florida’s attorney general says more than 800 people lodged complaints about BookIt, which is based in Panama City Beach. The U.S. Attorney's Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation and police department, which fielded hundreds of complaints from consumers and vendors, collect cases in an online portal to potentially pursue fraud charges.
“I’m not in the travel business, but I just assume when I pay for my vacation, it’s paid for when I make my purchase,” Panama City police Lt. J.R. Talamantez said. “We’re trying to wrap our head around this business concept and whether it falls into fraud. It’s a sad and unfortunate situation.”
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey filed a civil suit against BookIt in June, alleging unfair and deceptive business practices. BookIt has not responded to the complaint.
Wisconsin’s Mikayla Schmidt and her fiancé Jordan Stiefel should have been on their honeymoon in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, this month, all planned through BookIt.
They were paying for the $4,100 trip in installments, and their last payment was due in March. Their first clue came when they noticed the last payment had not been debited from their bank account.
“We had it on a pay delay schedule and … we went to check, and the website said everything was canceled,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt and her fiance joined Belcher’s Facebook group and filed complaints with state agencies. They disputed the earlier payments with their bank but are short about $900, Schmidt said.
When the couple got married, they instead honeymooned in California.
'Tip of the iceberg': Airbnb, VRBO guests fight for refunds after coronavirus cancellations
Documents provided by customers to USA TODAY show BookIt contacted partner hotels in March to say it wouldn’t make payments for guests, even as some of them arrived. It warned customers then that they’d probably end up paying twice and told them to fight it out with their credit card companies.
“The resort may be asking to collect the money for your stay directly from you at this time, despite that you have paid in full directly with us,” a letter from BookIt.com reads. “To get reimbursement, you need to work with your bank directly.”
A front page of the website instructs customers to contact credit agencies for refunds.
Belcher said she developed a guide for disputing charges directly with credit agencies, but members of the Facebook group who booked with debit cards or funds through their credit unions have had more trouble.
In a statement to WMBB-TV in Panama City Beach, Tennyson – the BookIt executive – said the company continues to operate and its 35 remaining staff members, down from 300, were working to refund customers.
Federal records show the company took a $1 million to $2 million Payroll Protection Program loan through the Small Business Administration, claiming to have saved 168 jobs.
Tennyson's statement said BookIt “hopes to resume its activities as a full service travel agency once some semblance of order returns to the international travel industry.”
Contributing: Mary Claire Molloy and Taylor Killough
Nick Penzenstadler and Josh Salman are reporters on the USA TODAY investigations team. Nick can be reached npenz@usatoday.com or @npenzenstadler, or on Signal at (720) 507-5273. Josh can be reached at jsalman@gatehousemedia.com or @joshsalman, or (941) 361-4967.


usatoday--2020-09-24--Joe Biden endorsed, Trump ripped by nearly 500 retired military, national security officials

Joe Biden endorsed , Trump ripped by nearly 500 retired military , national security officials Nearly 500 retired generals , @ @ @ @ @ security officials endorse Joe Biden and blast President Donald Trump .

Nearly 500 generals, admirals endorse Biden and blast President Trump
Nearly 500 retired generals, admirals and senior civilian national security officials endorse Joe Biden and blast President Donald Trump.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-09-24--Not old enough to vote, but old enough to help: How teens are helping to avert an election crisis

WASHINGTON — Like thousands of other teenagers , Abhinand Keshamouni 's introduction to working the polls came from watching `` The Daily Show . ''
Host Trevor Noah ends each episode with a pitch for Power the Polls , a national recruitment network working to ensure there are enough poll workers on Election Day .
The message resonated with Keshamouni , a 17-year-old senior from Canton , Michigan , a suburb of Detroit .
He signed up first for the Michigan state primary in August .
And he will be back at a polling site Nov. 3 , when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high school that 's conducting classes online .
Keshamouni will be among more 1 million poll workers braving a pandemic to ensure people can vote – and he got four of his buddies to do the same .
`` I thought it was a really good way to help our democracy , especially because I ca n't vote right now , '' Keshamouni said , adding that he also got a little pressure from his parents , Indian immigrants who will be voting in their first presidential election .
`` My entire family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were like , 'Go work the polls ! '
`` Facing a drastic shortage of poll workers in November because of the coronavirus pandemic , an army of voting rights groups and other organizations this summer waged the most robust poll-worker recruitment campaign in modern election history .
It has included high-profile allies , from Noah to NBA star LeBron James , whose recently formed More Than a Vote organization has worked to increase poll workers in predominantly Black districts .
Companies like Starbucks , Warby Parker and Target are paying their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work the polls .
Are you registered to vote ?
: Check your status or register online now Senior citizens historically make up the bulk of the workforce at polling sites but hundreds opted out this year because they 're the most vulnerable to coronavirus .
For months , voting rights advocates feared cities might not have the manpower to keep all in-person polling sites open – particularly in battleground states like Pennsylvania , Wisconsin and Michigan that could decide the presidential election .
But now election officials in cities such as Milwaukee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Houston are n't just confident they will be able to keep an expanded number of polling sites open .
Fueled in part by a willingness of people in their 20s and 30s to step up , some cities said they have thousands more applications than they need .
`` We have way more than we can even use right now , '' said Richard Barron , Fulton County director of registration and elections in Atlanta , which has added 91 new polling locations since the state 's June primary .
Fulton County has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We 're in very good shape .
A lot of people saw what happened in June and they decided they needed to get involved . ''
Barron said that includes many poll workers in their late teens and early 20s , pointing to one early voting site during the state 's August 's primary runoff that was staffed by six people under 25 years old .
`` We 've never had that before , '' he said .
In some states , poll workers can be as young as 16 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recruits return for future elections , making it their new civic tradition and creating a “ new generation of poll workers.
” Prompting much of the activism : the scenes of hours-long lines of voters during state primaries early on in the pandemic .
Among the longest lines were in Milwaukee , where only five of 180 polling locations opened for Wisconsin ’ s April primary , and Atlanta , where voters – some who did not receive absentee ballots in the mail – packed the limited number of polling sites open during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really the poster-child across the country for what it looks like not to have enough poll workers , '' said Claire Woodall-Vogg , executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission .
`` The only good thing to come out of that is that our voters really had a visual of what a poll-worker shortage looks like .
Ever since April 7 , we 've had hundreds and hundreds of people applying to be an election worker . ''
Although an unprecedented number of Americans are expected to vote by mail in November , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-person voting sites to remain open to avoid voter suppression , particularly in communities of color that are often the most likely to see polling locations closed and consolidated .
To recruit younger poll workers , Milwaukee partnered with the local Service Employees International Union , which represents restaurant workers and others in the service industry who tend to be young .
The Metro Atlanta Chamber launched an initiative to recruit `` young , tech-savvy Georgians '' in the region while the state of Georgia teamed with the ACLU .
Drawing more attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home to the NBA 's Atlanta Hawks and the WNBA 's Atlanta Dream , is one of several arenas and NFL stadiums nationally that will be used as voting sites .
In Houston , the Harris County Clerk 's Office has a young clerks program in which more than 4,500 high school students in the Houston area will work polls in November .
Texas law allows two excused absences a year for election work .
The students are among the 25,000 poll-worker applications received this year in Houston – far more than is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The city anticipates having 808 voting sites this year , around 60 more than 2016 .
`` There 's still more work to do , but we are in really good shape , '' Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins said .
`` We 're going to have more election workers than ever before – as many as 11,000 – but so far there 's been an outpouring of enthusiasm of folks wanting to be election workers .
Certainly , there are many more young people and middle-aged folks who have applied than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up pay during pandemic Hollins said fewer senior poll workers backed out in Houston than expected , which combined with the thousands of more applicants , led to the large surplus .
Election officials are optimistic in Detroit , where widespread problems from the state 's August primary led Michigan Secretary of State Joceyln Benson , a Democrat , to help oversee the November election .
Her office recruited 20,000 poll workers for the state , and with efforts ongoing , they believe there will be plenty to cover Detroit 's 6,000 election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to count absentee ballots .
“ It ’ s looking very , very promising , '' Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey said .
In Philadelphia , another city that will closely watched in the race between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden , election officials said they 've filled 5,660 of the city 's 8,515 poll worker positions – far ahead of the typical pace after receiving `` thousands '' of applications .
The response has been so great they 've been unable to contact everyone who has inquired .
`` Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the millennials , trying to get them involved in the democratic process , '' said Nakea Hurdle , chief deputy for Philadelphia City Commissioner Omar Sabir , who is overseeing the recruitment efforts .
`` We 've seen an overwhelmingly large response . ''
Part of attracting more poll workers in some cities during a pandemic is increasing pay .
Houston is paying poll workers , including the 4,500 high school students , $ 17 an hour .
Milwaukee , thanks to a grant from the Center for Tech and Civic Life , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on top of its normal $ 130 daily pay .
Fulton County , Georgia has $ 150 in `` hazard pay '' on top of flat rates that range between $ 175 and $ 275 based on responsibilities .
Philadelphia pays at least $ 200 .
The Center for Tech and Civic Life received a $ 250 million donation from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg to provide grants to cities to support the staffing and training of poll workers .
The flood of applicants does n't mean the work is done – recruitment efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nor does it mean that Election Day will take place without problems , long lines or fewer in-person polling sites .
Some cities and states have already cut voting sites .
Maryland , for example , will have 80 % fewer polling locations in November , opting to instead adopt a limited number of `` voting centers , '' because of a sharp a decrease in people willing to be poll workers .
More : Maryland plans to open fewer polling places .
What does that mean for rural voters ?
Complicating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a higher-than-usual 20 % drop-off rate when it comes to showing up for work assignments because of the pandemic .
An analysis from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Democracy Works in August found more than 1.1 million poll workers are needed for the Nov. 3 election .
Typically , more than half are over the age of 60 years old .
Researchers projected a shortage of more than 465,000 poll workers .
Although that figure has been cut dramatically , a gap still remains .
Power the Polls , which formed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poll workers , surpassed its goal of signing up 250,000 people and is now nearing 500,000 .
But not all applicants will find available positions , making it complicated to say how many poll workers are still needed nationally .
More than 100,000 people alone signed up during the first three days of September , coinciding with National Poll Worker Recruitment Day .
The nonprofit connects the applicants with local jurisdictions .
The goal is to create a `` bench ” of prospective poll workers who can fill in as needs arise and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We 're really trying to emphasize young folks as sort of the next generation of poll workers , '' said Scott Duncombe , co-director of Power the Polls .
`` Not only are they less at risk for the disease , they 're a little more tech-savvy .
A lot of times , we 've seen election technology causing lines and issues .
Additionally , young folks tend to be a little more representative . ''
He called the threat of a shortage a real `` crisis '' – but “ not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together.
” Power the Poll ’ s partners include Alpha Phi Alpha , the country 's oldest historically African American fraternity that has recruited members to work polls .
The group has also tapped into the Million Mask Challenge to help provide protective equipment at polling sites .
`` It 's certainly been a huge challenge .
We 've never had to vote in a pandemic , ” Duncombe said .
“ What really makes me hopeful is that it seems that a lot of folks really are stepping up .
It seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the need to serve .
Young folks in particularly are stepping up and recognizing that you got ta do something . ''
A push for more data from states Nathaniel Persily , a law professor from Stanford University , helped launch the Healthy Elections Project with MIT in April to help local election officials ensure a smooth election during the pandemic .
The project is working with two groups , Campus Compact and the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition , to recruit college undergraduate and graduate students to work polls .
“ While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was concerned about their ability to recruit poll workers , I think they ’ re in much better position now than they were then , ” he said , referring to cities like Philadelphia , Milwaukee and Detroit .
He said the “ baptism by fire ” from the primary elections sounded the alarm early enough .
But before the election , the Healthy Elections Project is urging states to adopt an online poll-worker dashboard like Ohio has that shows needs on a county-by-county basis .
Persily said one of the problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not knowing where exactly help is needed .
“ Naturally the poll-worker recruitment efforts are focusing on the battleground states and the biggest cities within them , but we don ’ t really know who ’ s doing well and who ’ s not . ''
Despite the strong recruitment , voting-rights advocates said they are continuing to monitor communities with large Black and Latino populations , which have historically experienced a disproportionate share of poll closures .
A 2019 report from the Leadership Conference Education Fund found 868 polling place closures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identified as Section 5 jurisdictions under the Voting Rights Act .
Dig deeper on race and identity : Subscribe to This Is America , USA TODAY 's newsletter “ The closing of polling places has been a problem long before COVID , ” said Vanita Gupta , president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights , “ and now COVID and the impact on poll workers have made that an even dire situation .
`` What 's interesting right now is that there 's so much energy right now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democracy at a time when it is getting battered by the president and the administration , ” she said .
“ I think there are a lot of folks who want to be ‘ democracy workers.
’ ” Megan Lewis , co-founder and executive director of the Voting Rights Lab , which is working to ensure voter accessibility , noted that African Americans vote by mail at lower rates than other voters .
She said that makes it more important to ensure in-person polling sites remain open in neighborhoods with large Black populations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after study , even in prior elections , that if you close polling places you will have a disproportionate impact on voters of color , ” Lewis said .
`` Vigilance is key , ” she said , but added she ’ s optimistic “ the combination of efforts ” will allow the November election to run smoother than the primaries .
That optimism is thanks to people like Valerie Ogamba , a 31-year-old sales worker , avid volunteer and budding law school student from Dublin , California , in the Bay Area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ status of mail-voting for herself , she saw an online link to volunteer as a poll worker .
She signed up to work four days of early voting in Alameda County .
It will be the first time she ’ s worked as a poll worker .
“ As an African American woman , I just really wanted to put an emphasis on my volunteering and making sure I was all hands-on deck , ” Ogamba said .
“ I ’ m really thrilled .
With how important this election , I just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the voting polls.
” Detroit Free Press staff writer Dave Boucher contributed to this report .
Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @ joeygarrison .

Not old enough to vote, but old enough to help: How teens are helping to avert an election crisis
Show Caption Hide Caption Why voter suppression in the US has increased since 2013 Civil rights experts point to long wait times to vote as a sign of growing voter suppression in the U.S. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Like thousands of other teenagers, Abhinand Keshamouni's introduction to working the polls came from watching "The Daily Show."
Host Trevor Noah ends each episode with a pitch for Power the Polls, a national recruitment network working to ensure there are enough poll workers on Election Day. The message resonated with Keshamouni, a 17-year-old senior from Canton, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit.
He signed up first for the Michigan state primary in August. And he will be back at a polling site Nov. 3, when he will take off a day from his high school that's conducting classes online. Keshamouni will be among more 1 million poll workers braving a pandemic to ensure people can vote – and he got four of his buddies to do the same.
"I thought it was a really good way to help our democracy, especially because I can't vote right now," Keshamouni said, adding that he also got a little pressure from his parents, Indian immigrants who will be voting in their first presidential election. "My entire family can vote except for me, so they were like, 'Go work the polls!' "
Facing a drastic shortage of poll workers in November because of the coronavirus pandemic, an army of voting rights groups and other organizations this summer waged the most robust poll-worker recruitment campaign in modern election history. It has included high-profile allies, from Noah to NBA star LeBron James, whose recently formed More Than a Vote organization has worked to increase poll workers in predominantly Black districts. Companies like Old Navy, Warby Parker and Target are paying their employees who take a day off to work the polls.
Are you registered to vote?: Check your status or register online now
Senior citizens historically make up the bulk of the workforce at polling sites but thousands opted out this year because they're the most vulnerable to coronavirus. For months, voting rights advocates feared cities might not have the manpower to keep all in-person polling sites open – particularly in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan that could decide the presidential election.
But now election officials in cities such as Milwaukee, Detroit, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Houston aren't just confident they will be able to keep an expanded number of polling sites open. Fueled in part by a willingness of people in their 20s and 30s to step up, some cities said they have thousands more applications than they need.
"We have way more than we can even use right now," said Richard Barron, Fulton County director of registration and elections in Atlanta, which has added 91 new polling locations since the state's June primary. Fulton County has nearly 7,000 applications for 2,900 poll-worker positions. "We're in very good shape. A lot of people saw what happened in June and they decided they needed to get involved."
Long lines snarl voting in Georgia amid pandemic Voters face long lines and waits at polling places in Georgia as the state holds its delayed primary election amid a shortage of poll workers and social-distancing precautions. (June 9) AP
Barron said that includes many poll workers in their late teens and early 20s, pointing to one early voting site during the state's August's primary runoff that was staffed by six people under 25 years old.
"We've never had that before," he said.
Lessons from recent state primaries
In some states, poll workers can be as young as 16 years old. Election officials hope the young recruits return for future elections, making it their new civic tradition and creating a “new generation of poll workers.”
Prompting much of the activism: the scenes of hours-long lines of voters during state primaries early on in the pandemic. Among the longest lines were in Milwaukee, where only five of 180 polling locations opened for Wisconsin’s April primary, and Atlanta, where voters – some who did not receive absentee ballots in the mail – packed the limited number of polling sites open during its June primary.
"We were really the poster-child across the country for what it looks like not to have enough poll workers," said Claire Woodall-Vogg, executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission. "The only good thing to come out of that is that our voters really had a visual of what a poll-worker shortage looks like. Ever since April 7, we've had hundreds and hundreds of people applying to be an election worker."
Although an unprecedented number of Americans are expected to vote by mail in November, voting rights advocates have pushed for all in-person voting sites to remain open to avoid voter suppression, particularly in communities of color that are often the most likely to see polling locations closed and consolidated.
To recruit younger poll workers, Milwaukee partnered with the local Service Employees International Union, which represents restaurant workers and others in the service industry who tend to be young.
The Metro Atlanta Chamber launched an initiative to recruit "young, tech-savvy Georgians" in the region while the state of Georgia teamed with the ACLU. Drawing more attention, Atlanta's State Farm Arena, home to the NBA's Atlanta Hawks and the WNBA's Atlanta Dream, is one of several arenas and NFL stadiums nationally that will be used as voting sites.
In Houston, the Harris County Clerk's Office has a young clerks program in which more than 4,500 high school students in the Houston area will work polls in November. Texas law allows two excused absences a year for election work. The students are among the 25,000 poll-worker applications received this year in Houston – far more than is needed to fill a record 11,000 positions. The city anticipates having 808 voting sites this year, around 60 more than 2016.
"There's still more work to do, but we are in really good shape," Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins said. "We're going to have more election workers than ever before – as many as 11,000 – but so far there's been an outpouring of enthusiasm of folks wanting to be election workers. Certainly, there are many more young people and middle-aged folks who have applied than ever before."
Some cities bump up pay during pandemic
Hollins said fewer senior poll workers backed out in Houston than expected, which combined with the thousands of more applicants, led to the large surplus.
Election officials are optimistic in Detroit, where widespread problems from the state's August primary led Michigan Secretary of State Joceyln Benson, a Democrat, to help oversee the November election. Her office recruited 20,000 poll workers for the state, and with efforts ongoing, they believe there will be plenty to cover Detroit's 6,000 election workers – one-third of whom are needed to count absentee ballots.
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
“It’s looking very, very promising," Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey said.
In Philadelphia, another city that will closely watched in the race between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, election officials said they've filled 5,660 of the city's 8,515 poll worker positions – far ahead of the typical pace after receiving "thousands" of applications. The response has been so great they've been unable to contact everyone who has inquired.
"Our poll-working endeavors have been largely focused on the millennials, trying to get them involved in the democratic process," said Nakea Hurdle, chief deputy for Philadelphia City Commissioner Omar Sabir, who is overseeing the recruitment efforts. "We've seen an overwhelmingly large response."
Part of attracting more poll workers in some cities during a pandemic is increasing pay. Houston is paying poll workers, including the 4,500 high school students, $17 an hour. Milwaukee, thanks to a grant from the Center for Tech and Civic Life, added an additional $100 daily stipend on top of its normal $130 daily pay. Fulton County, Georgia has $150 in "hazard pay" on top of flat rates that range between $175 and $275 based on responsibilities. Philadelphia pays at least $200.
The Center for Tech and Civic Life received a $250 million donation from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg to provide grants to cities to support the staffing and training of poll workers.
The flood of applicants doesn't mean the work is done – recruitment efforts will continue up to the election – nor does it mean that Election Day will take place without problems, long lines or fewer in-person polling sites.
Some cities and states have already cut voting sites. Maryland, for example, will have 80% fewer polling locations in November, opting to instead adopt a limited number of "voting centers," because of a sharp a decrease in people willing to be poll workers.
More: Maryland plans to open fewer polling places. What does that mean for rural voters?
Complicating the outlook, some cities have prepared for a higher-than-usual 20% drop-off rate when it comes to showing up for work assignments because of the pandemic.
An analysis from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Democracy Works in August found more than 1.1 million poll workers are needed for the Nov. 3 election. Typically, more than half are over the age of 60 years old. Researchers projected a shortage of more than 465,000 poll workers. Although that figure has been cut dramatically, a gap still remains.
A 'bench' of poll workers
Power the Polls, which formed in June to help recruit low-risk and diverse poll workers, surpassed its goal of signing up 250,000 people and is now nearing 500,000. But not all applicants will find available positions, making it complicated to say how many poll workers are still needed nationally.
More than 100,000 people alone signed up during the first three days of September, coinciding with National Poll Worker Recruitment Day. The nonprofit connects the applicants with local jurisdictions. The goal is to create a "bench” of prospective poll workers who can fill in as needs arise and avoid any voting sites shutting down.
"We're really trying to emphasize young folks as sort of the next generation of poll workers," said Scott Duncombe, co-director of Power the Polls. "Not only are they less at risk for the disease, they're a little more tech-savvy. A lot of times, we've seen election technology causing lines and issues. Additionally, young folks tend to be a little more representative."
He called the threat of a shortage a real "crisis" – but “not one that we can’t solve together.”
Power the Poll’s partners include Alpha Phi Alpha, the country's oldest historically African American fraternity that has recruited members to work polls. The group has also tapped into the Million Mask Challenge to help provide protective equipment at polling sites.
"It's certainly been a huge challenge. We've never had to vote in a pandemic,” Duncombe said. “What really makes me hopeful is that it seems that a lot of folks really are stepping up. It seems like people are recognizing in many ways the need to serve. Young folks in particularly are stepping up and recognizing that you gotta do something."
A push for more data from states
Nathaniel Persily, a law professor from Stanford University, helped launch the Healthy Elections Project with MIT in April to help local election officials ensure a smooth election during the pandemic. The project is working with two groups, Campus Compact and the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition, to recruit college undergraduate and graduate students to work polls.
“While at the beginning of the summer, I was concerned about their ability to recruit poll workers, I think they’re in much better position now than they were then,” he said, referring to cities like Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Detroit. He said the “baptism by fire” from the primary elections sounded the alarm early enough.
But before the election, the Healthy Elections Project is urging states to adopt an online poll-worker dashboard like Ohio has that shows needs on a county-by-county basis. Persily said one of the problems with national efforts to recruit poll workers is not knowing where exactly help is needed.
“Naturally the poll-worker recruitment efforts are focusing on the battleground states and the biggest cities within them, but we don’t really know who’s doing well and who’s not."
Despite the strong recruitment, voting-rights advocates said they are continuing to monitor communities with large Black and Latino populations, which have historically experienced a disproportionate share of poll closures. A 2019 report from the Leadership Conference Education Fund found 868 polling place closures from 2012 and 2018 in areas previously identified as Section 5 jurisdictions under the Voting Rights Act.
Dig deeper on race and identity: Subscribe to This Is America, USA TODAY's newsletter
“The closing of polling places has been a problem long before COVID,” said Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, “and now COVID and the impact on poll workers have made that an even dire situation.
"What's interesting right now is that there's so much energy right now to engage and show up for our democracy at a time when it is getting battered by the president and the administration,” she said. “I think there are a lot of folks who want to be ‘democracy workers.’”
'Vigilance is key'
Megan Lewis, co-founder and executive director of the Voting Rights Lab, which is working to ensure voter accessibility, noted that African Americans vote by mail at lower rates than other voters. She said that makes it more important to ensure in-person polling sites remain open in neighborhoods with large Black populations.
“We've seen in study after study, even in prior elections, that if you close polling places you will have a disproportionate impact on voters of color,” Lewis said.
"Vigilance is key,” she said, but added she’s optimistic “the combination of efforts” will allow the November election to run smoother than the primaries.
That optimism is thanks to people like Valerie Ogamba, a 31-year-old sales worker, avid volunteer and budding law school student from Dublin, California, in the Bay Area.
As Ogamba was checking on the status of mail-voting for herself, she saw an online link to volunteer as a poll worker. She signed up to work four days of early voting in Alameda County. It will be the first time she’s worked as a poll worker.
“As an African American woman, I just really wanted to put an emphasis on my volunteering and making sure I was all hands-on deck,” Ogamba said. “I’m really thrilled. With how important this election, I just can’t wait to be at the voting polls.”
Detroit Free Press staff writer Dave Boucher contributed to this report. Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.


usatoday--2020-09-24--Crowd boos President Trump as he paid respects to Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Crowd boos President Trump as he paid respects to Ruth Bader Ginsburg President Donald Trump was booed by crowds at @ @ @ @ @ and Melania Trump paid their respects to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .

Trump booed and chanted at as he paid respects to Ruth Bader Ginsburg
President Donald Trump was booed by crowds at the Supreme Court when he and Melania Trump paid their respects to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
USA TODAY, Wochit


usatoday--2020-09-25--Hopes dashed twice for Breonna Taylor's mother over lack of charges against officers

LOUISVILLE , Ky. — When Breonna Taylor 's mother learned there were only three wanton endangerment charges filed against one officer at her daughter 's home the night Louisville police shot and killed her daughter , she fell apart .
Tamika Palmer made the hourlong drive from Louisville to Frankfort on Wednesday to hear the news from Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron directly — only to learn she would n't get the justice she sought .
And when she learned those three charges were n't even for her daughter 's slaying , she fell apart again .
`` I said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tell you this , ' '' attorney Lonita Baker recounted to The Courier Journal on Thursday , `` 'but I ca n't let you leave here and see it on the news , on social media or anything else .
Do you know what the three counts of wanton endangerment was for ? '
`` She looked at me and it instantly clicked , and she broke down again , '' Baker said .
Breonna Taylor announcement : Kentucky grand jury indicts 1 of 3 police officers in fatal Breonna Taylor shooting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Palmer , furious about the grand jury 's decision and at the case Cameron presented , are also frustrated by how he handled relaying that news to Taylor 's mother .
Had they known the decision , they would not have sent Palmer to Frankfort .
`` Everything that happened with Tamika was foreseeable , '' said Sam Aguiar , Baker 's Louisville-based co-counsel .
`` And shame on the attorney general 's office for not recognizing that . ''
Aguiar told The Courier Journal he twice conveyed to Cameron 's office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only wanted Palmer to travel to Frankfort if there were indictments against the officers who killed her daughter .
Otherwise , the drive would be torture for Palmer , and it would n't be worth it , Aguiar said .
`` To get that news in Frankfort and then basically be cooped up in a car … it would be awful , '' Aguiar said , recalling his message .
2X confirmed he told Cameron 's office that Palmer did n't want to meet if there were n't indictments .
He also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the result of a promise made during an Aug. 12 meeting , in which Cameron told Palmer he 'd tell her the decision in person .
But on Wednesday , after they got the call to come to Frankfort and made the trip , Aguiar 's fear came true .
There was an indictment — but not for Taylor 's death .
What is wanton endangerment ?
Explaining former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison 's charge As Cameron met with Taylor 's family and attorneys in Frankfort , Jefferson Circuit Judge Annie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grand jury over a public video call .
Only former LMPD Detective Brett Hankison would be charged .
He faces three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment for shots he fired that went into an apartment next to Taylor 's with three people inside .
There were no charges for any of the officers who shot Taylor , according to Cameron 's investigation — Detective Myles Cosgrove and Sgt .
Jonathan Mattingly — or for the shots from Hankison that hit her Taylor 's apartment .
Baker said Cameron began the conversation with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the justice system does n't always give people what they want .
`` And so he says that the grand jury decided only to charge Brett Hankison , and it charged him with wanton endangerment , '' Baker said .
`` Tamika immediately breaks down . ''
It was Aguiar who asked how many counts of wanton endangerment Hankison faced .
For Baker , a former prosecutor , it clicked immediately .
`` The wanton endangerment charges were not even for Breonna , '' she said .
`` Daniel Cameron never said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Outside , after the meeting was done , Palmer collapsed to the ground .
But Baker still had to deliver more unwanted news — that 's when she told Palmer the charges were for the neighbors .
Baker said she is angry Cameron put her in that position .
She noted as the state 's top law enforcement official , he 'll have to deal with many victims during his tenure .
`` Even if you think it 's something they do n't want to hear , you have to fully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Not only is it the right thing to do , we have a legal obligation to do it . ''
Only Bianca Austin , Taylor 's aunt , was composed enough to console Palmer without betraying her sadness , anger and frustration .
Austin had to drive back to Louisville because Palmer could n't .
`` They never expressed any sort of apology , '' Aguiar said .
`` They did not explain the process to her .
They did not explain what they presented to the grand jury .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the grand jury came back with an indictment for wanton endangerment . ''
A day after the news , Palmer walked through Jefferson Square — the hub of protests demanding justice for her daughter — with supporters , snapping a few photos , then walked to Market Street to her car .
There , she said it was the first time she ’ d been at the square since the grand jury decision .
“ It ’ s crazy , ” she said .
“ The love is still here.
” She recalled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier .
“ Mad .
Pissed .
Upset .
Hurt .
A lot of emotions , '' she said .
`` I wasn ’ t surprised , though .
I didn ’ t have faith in them to begin with .
I was holding out hope . ''

Darcy Costello and Tessa Duvall, Louisville Courier Journal

Hopes dashed twice for Breonna Taylor's mother over lack of charges against officers
Show Caption Hide Caption Breonna Taylor's mom: 'the system as a whole has failed her' The aunt of Breonna Taylor reads a statement from Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, describing her heartbreak and anger. USA TODAY
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — When Breonna Taylor's mother learned there were only three wanton endangerment charges filed against one officer at her daughter's home the night Louisville police shot and killed her daughter, she fell apart.
Tamika Palmer made the hourlong drive from Louisville to Frankfort on Wednesday to hear the news from Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron directly — only to learn she wouldn't get the justice she sought.
And when she learned those three charges weren't even for her daughter's slaying, she fell apart again.
"I said, 'Tamika, I hate to have to tell you this,'" attorney Lonita Baker recounted to The Courier Journal on Thursday, "'but I can't let you leave here and see it on the news, on social media or anything else. Do you know what the three counts of wanton endangerment was for?'
"She looked at me and it instantly clicked, and she broke down again," Baker said.
"The neighbors," Palmer replied.
Protests in Louisville: Breonna Taylor protesters defy curfew, confront armed counter-protesters
Breonna Taylor announcement: Kentucky grand jury indicts 1 of 3 police officers in fatal Breonna Taylor shooting – but not for her death
Attorneys for Palmer, furious about the grand jury's decision and at the case Cameron presented, are also frustrated by how he handled relaying that news to Taylor's mother.
Had they known the decision, they would not have sent Palmer to Frankfort.
"Everything that happened with Tamika was foreseeable," said Sam Aguiar, Baker's Louisville-based co-counsel. "And shame on the attorney general's office for not recognizing that."
Aguiar told The Courier Journal he twice conveyed to Cameron's office through local activist Christopher 2X that he only wanted Palmer to travel to Frankfort if there were indictments against the officers who killed her daughter.
Otherwise, the drive would be torture for Palmer, and it wouldn't be worth it, Aguiar said.
"To get that news in Frankfort and then basically be cooped up in a car … it would be awful," Aguiar said, recalling his message.
Breonna Taylor: Kentucky grand jury indicts 1 officer Former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison has been indicted on criminal charges after shooting into the apartment next door to Breonna Taylor. USA TODAY
2X confirmed he told Cameron's office that Palmer didn't want to meet if there weren't indictments. He also said the invitation to meet in person Wednesday was the result of a promise made during an Aug. 12 meeting, in which Cameron told Palmer he'd tell her the decision in person.
But on Wednesday, after they got the call to come to Frankfort and made the trip, Aguiar's fear came true.
There was an indictment — but not for Taylor's death.
Breonna Taylor case investigation: Daniel Cameron's statement Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron spoke about the grand jury's decision and outlined the findings. Michael Clevenger, Louisville Courier Journal
What is wanton endangerment? Explaining former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison's charge
As Cameron met with Taylor's family and attorneys in Frankfort, Jefferson Circuit Judge Annie O'Connell read the indictment returned by the grand jury over a public video call.
Only former LMPD Detective Brett Hankison would be charged. He faces three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment for shots he fired that went into an apartment next to Taylor's with three people inside.
There were no charges for any of the officers who shot Taylor, according to Cameron's investigation — Detective Myles Cosgrove and Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly — or for the shots from Hankison that hit her Taylor's apartment.
Baker said Cameron began the conversation with a discussion of the grand jury presentation and how the justice system doesn't always give people what they want.
"And so he says that the grand jury decided only to charge Brett Hankison, and it charged him with wanton endangerment," Baker said. "Tamika immediately breaks down."
It was Aguiar who asked how many counts of wanton endangerment Hankison faced.
Cameron told them three.
For Baker, a former prosecutor, it clicked immediately.
"The wanton endangerment charges were not even for Breonna," she said. "Daniel Cameron never said anything about who the counts were for."
Outside, after the meeting was done, Palmer collapsed to the ground.
Breonna Taylor's family dismayed: 'I'm mad as hell because nothing's changing'
But Baker still had to deliver more unwanted news — that's when she told Palmer the charges were for the neighbors.
Baker said she is angry Cameron put her in that position. She noted as the state's top law enforcement official, he'll have to deal with many victims during his tenure.
"Even if you think it's something they don't want to hear, you have to fully communicate with them," Baker said. "Not only is it the right thing to do, we have a legal obligation to do it."
Only Bianca Austin, Taylor's aunt, was composed enough to console Palmer without betraying her sadness, anger and frustration. Austin had to drive back to Louisville because Palmer couldn't.
"They never expressed any sort of apology," Aguiar said. "They did not explain the process to her. They did not explain what they presented to the grand jury. The only thing they basically said was that the grand jury came back with an indictment for wanton endangerment."
A day after the news, Palmer walked through Jefferson Square — the hub of protests demanding justice for her daughter — with supporters, snapping a few photos, then walked to Market Street to her car.
There, she said it was the first time she’d been at the square since the grand jury decision.
“It’s crazy,” she said. “The love is still here.”
She recalled her reaction to his announcement a day earlier.
“Mad. Pissed. Upset. Hurt. A lot of emotions," she said.
"I wasn’t surprised, though. I didn’t have faith in them to begin with. I was holding out hope."
Follow Darcy Costello on Twitter: @TessaDuvall.