usatoday--2020-04-22--'They should have done something': Broad failures fueled Wisconsin's absentee ballot crisis, investi

MILWAUKEE , Wis. – In Lodi and Pewaukee , voters were told the system for requesting absentee ballots crashed .
In Marshfield , Shorewood and Bristol , voters threw up their hands after spending hours in front of computers trying to request a ballot .
In Milwaukee and Green Bay , dozens of couples said one member of their household received a ballot while the other didn ’ t .
“ Nobody cared , ” said Brenda Lewis , a 61-year-old Delafield resident who said her local clerk could find no record of her or her husband ever requesting an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them had .
“ They should have done something , some sort of public service ( announcement ) , something , just something , ” Lewis said .
“ But nobody did.
” An investigation by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , the PBS series FRONTLINE and Columbia Journalism Investigations into Wisconsin ’ s missing ballot crisis reveals a system leaking from all sides , buckling under the weight of a global pandemic and partisan bickering that kept the logistics of Election Day up in the air until less than a day before polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ persisting into the fall and beyond , and more elections on the calendar ahead of the presidential ballot in November – which could produce triple the number of votes by mail – eyes will remain fixed on Wisconsin .
Election officials have largely blamed the U.S .
Postal Service for many of the missing absentee ballots that forced some citizens to don masks and stand in line on Election Day this month , increasing their risk of contracting the potentially fatal disease COVID-19 .
But the investigation by the Journal Sentinel , FRONTLINE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters , election officials and political experts , as well as responses from more than 600 people to an online questionnaire , shows the problems went far beyond mailing issues .
People from nearly 100 Wisconsin cities and towns responded to the Journal Sentinel 's online request for readers to share their information if they did not receive their absentee ballots .
Many said they tried requesting their absentee ballots multiple times .
Some people received too many ballots .
Some received empty envelopes .
Some gave up trying to navigate the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their ballots after Election Day .
Three people – two in Mequon and one in West Allis – said they were mailed duplicate ballots .
In Wauwatosa , one couple said they received envelopes with no ballots .
In Milwaukee , three would-be voters said they received a form letter from Mayor Tom Barrett thanking them for requesting an absentee ballot – but not the ballot itself .
Officials sent ballots to college students to dorms they had been forced to vacate .
For some Wisconsin residents wintering in New Mexico and Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nineteen Wisconsin citizens across eight cities – from New Auburn in the north to Bristol in the south – said they requested absentee ballots only to later be told the system had no record of their applications .
“ I was not happy , ” said Milwaukee resident Tom Arden , 71 .
He said he and his wife requested absentee ballots two weeks before Election Day but found out from a City Hall staffer that no record of their request existed .
“ It wasn ’ t her fault , but that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ It ’ s damn serious .
That ’ s crazy that they dropped the ball as badly as they did.
” Wisconsin residents can request absentee ballots through letter , email or the state-run MyVote website .
For presidential primaries , state law requires clerks to mail ballots within one business day from the time a request is received , if the request is made within 47 days of Election Day .
Roughly 1.28 million absentee ballots had been sent , but as of Friday more than 150,000 absentee ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the latest tallies from the Wisconsin Elections Commission .
Less than 12 % of votes cast in the 2016 spring election and presidential preference primary were absentee , according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission .
This year , an estimated 73 % of votes were cast absentee , although officials are still counting ballots .
In response to the Journal Sentinel , FRONTLINE and Columbia investigation , Neil Albrecht , head of the Milwaukee Election Commission , acknowledged that thousands of ballots had not reached their intended recipients in Milwaukee .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be administering an election , ” said Albrecht .
“ It was chaos , and chaos is never good for the administration of an election.
” Albrecht also pointed to inaccuracies with MyVote , the website run by the Wisconsin Elections Commission where voters can request and track the progress of their absentee ballots , including the date their ballot was mailed .
Albrecht said the date actually reflects the date the mailing label was generated – not the date a ballot was mailed .
It typically took employees another three to seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ballot , depending on how backlogged the office was , city election officials said .
Asked whether he thought the website was misleading , Albrecht said the issue was “ an improvement opportunity.
” Still , he said the majority of problems lay with the post office , and that issues such as empty envelopes or people being unable to find their registrations were rare .
According to Albrecht , dozens of staffers in Milwaukee worked seven days a week until 11 p.m. to process ballots .
At the state level , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inaccuracies with MyVote 's ballot tracking feature and said the agency is looking at improving the feature `` based on the user feedback we have received . ''
However , Magney said the commission believes the majority of problems stem from the post office or mailing vendors used by local clerks .
He said programmers looked through MyVote 's code and logs but found no explanation for the large numbers of missing or late absentee ballots reported in late March .
“ The more change you have close to an election , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Magney said .
In Madison , City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl said there was “ no way humanly possible '' to keep up with the volume of requests .
According to Witzel-Behl , staffers were working 110 hours a week but still had a week ’ s worth of backlogs by mid-March .
Their computer system became so bogged down by the volume of applications that it only began working quickly after 10 p.m. , she said .
“ You reach a point of working so many hours , your eyes glaze @ @ @ @ @ @ @ error , ” she said .
In the town of Delafield , where Brenda Lewis and her husband faced problems , Clerk Dan Green said he was unsure why the system had no trace of the pair 's absentee ballot applications .
According to Green , the MyVote website crashed “ a few times , ” but he said citizens would not have been able to request ballots at all while the system was down .
The lead-up to Wisconsin ’ s chaotic April 7 election was consumed by political infighting , changing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ascension through the court system that ended up on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court .
The result was a surreal Election Day that took place as the state topped 2,500 confirmed coronavirus cases and nearly 100 deaths , with scores of voters across the state complaining that they had not received their absentee ballots .
Facing furious voters , Milwaukee election officials called on the Postal Service the next day to investigate widespread reports of missing absentee ballots .
U.S. Sens .
Tammy Baldwin , a Democrat , and Ron Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request in a letter two days later , asking the Postal Service to “ determine the cause of these failures , which appear to have disenfranchised many Wisconsin voters.
” Bob Sheehan , a spokesperson for the U.S .
Postal Service in Wisconsin , wrote in an email that the agency ’ s Office of the Inspector General is investigating but would not comment further .
In Wauwatosa , first-time absentee voter Jesse Weinberg said he and his wife received envelopes with no ballots inside .
In an email provided to the Journal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Weinberg for the “ mishap ” and explained that employees had accidentally sent a tray of mail to the mailing room “ too soon , ” before stuffing the envelopes .
In Mequon , retiree Tom Richardson said he and his wife both received duplicate ballots .
According to Richardson , his local clerk said the office had accidentally mailed a “ batch of duplicates ” and advised the couple to discard one set of ballots and mail in the others .
Mequon City Clerk Caroline Fochs did not respond to calls and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email exchange with Richardson , a copy of which was provided to the Journal Sentinel and Columbia , Fochs assured the retiree that it is “ not possible for both ballots to end up being counted in the system.
” University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee senior Haley Peldo said her absentee ballot was delivered to her previous registered address , not to the address she requested on MyVote .
Luckily , Peldo said , she still knew the resident at her old home , who was able to bring the ballot to her .
Peldo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar stories .
`` I managed to get it , but it was very confusing , '' she said .
`` I do n't know how it would be the post office 's fault that they got an entirely different address . ''
Ryan Kapp , a college student in Minneapolis , said he waited for a week and a half before calling the clerk ’ s office in his hometown of Middleton to inquire why his absentee ballot had not arrived .
According to Kapp , the employee told him his ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ street name , and that his was among several that were returned as undeliverable .
“ They didn ’ t concern themselves with it until I decided to call , ” Kapp said .
After taking down his address for a second time , the employee sent out a replacement ballot , Kapp said .
But it didn ’ t arrive until April 10 – three days after Election Day .
The Middleton City Clerk 's Office did not respond to a call or email seeking information on what happened .
The vast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Journal Sentinel in the online questionnaire said they requested absentee ballots at least two weeks in advance of Election Day but did not receive them on time .
Paloma Chavez , four-months pregnant , said she applied for an absentee ballot on March 22 , but it never arrived .
On Election Day , the Milwaukee resident said she called and emailed both the Wisconsin Election Commission and the city office and was given conflicting information about her ability to receive an email ballot or qualify for curbside voting .
“ I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It feels like the one thing I have control over – my voice – is being taken away from me .
Mistakes got made , but not on my end here.
” Another common problem reported by voters : Forty-four people across nine cities said they did not receive their absentee ballot even though other members of their household did .
Many said they submitted their applications about the same time or even after their partners or roommates .
Milwaukee resident Lori Yanny , 65 , said she submitted her application for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ husband – on the same computer they share at home .
Her husband received his ballot a week and a half after requesting it , Yanny said .
Hers never arrived .
Nor did a replacement ballot she requested on March 31 .
Yanny said she made the “ difficult decision ” not to vote in person due to coronavirus concerns .
“ In the past 30 years , I have voted in almost every election – even the little ones , ” she said .
Albrecht , the Milwaukee election commission head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in chronological order .
As a result , he said , Yanny ’ s application was mailed on March 22 , the day after her husband ’ s .
He said a large number of ballots mailed on March 22 and March 23 appeared to have been lost in the mail – part of what the city has called on the postal service to investigate .
In Wisconsin ’ s decentralized election system , much of the responsibility falls on local clerks , whose staffs are often tiny and not equipped to handle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state-level , the Wisconsin Election Commission maintains both the MyVote website , where voters can request and track their absentee ballot , and WisVote , where absentee applications and requests are stored .
Each absentee ballot application submitted through MyVote is converted into an email .
The state 's 1,850 municipal clerks are in charge of opening each email , verifying the voter 's identification , manually entering the application information into the statewide voter registration database and printing the mailing labels .
However , most municipal clerks do not have access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as a county clerk , to manually enter the applicant 's information in the database .
“ This system was designed for a world in which 5 % of voters voted by mail , not for a system in which 70 % of voters voted by mail , ” said Charles Stewart , a political science professor and election expert at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology .
“ So something has to give , and the thing that ends up giving is probably the accuracy of the request for the ballot.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elections Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison , said officials have limited time to make improvements for Wisconsin 's upcoming elections , including a special Congressional race next month and the statewide primary in August .
Democratic state lawmakers are even calling for a mail-in vote for the November presidential election , although Republicans are unlikely to hear the bill .
“ There is not a lot of breathing room , ” Burden said .
Reporter Daphne Chen is with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ; Catharina Felke , Elizabeth Mulvey and Stephen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with support from PBS Frontline .

By Daphne Chen, Catharina Felke, Elizabeth Mulvey and Stephen Stirling, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

'They should have done something': Broad failures fueled Wisconsin's absentee ballot crisis, investigation shows
Show Caption Hide Caption Difference between caucus and primary, explained The 2020 election is nearing and with that, comes the caucuses and primary elections. But what’s the difference? Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
MILWAUKEE, Wis. – In Lodi and Pewaukee, voters were told the system for requesting absentee ballots crashed.
In Marshfield, Shorewood and Bristol, voters threw up their hands after spending hours in front of computers trying to request a ballot.
In Milwaukee and Green Bay, dozens of couples said one member of their household received a ballot while the other didn’t.
“Nobody cared,” said Brenda Lewis, a 61-year-old Delafield resident who said her local clerk could find no record of her or her husband ever requesting an absentee ballot, even though both of them had.
“They should have done something, some sort of public service (announcement), something, just something,” Lewis said. “But nobody did.”
An investigation by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the PBS series FRONTLINE and Columbia Journalism Investigations into Wisconsin’s missing ballot crisis reveals a system leaking from all sides, buckling under the weight of a global pandemic and partisan bickering that kept the logistics of Election Day up in the air until less than a day before polls opened.
Inadequate computer systems, overwhelmed clerks and misleading ballot information hampered Wisconsin’s historic – and historically troubling – spring election.
With the prospect of COVID-19 persisting into the fall and beyond, and more elections on the calendar ahead of the presidential ballot in November – which could produce triple the number of votes by mail – eyes will remain fixed on Wisconsin.
Election officials have largely blamed the U.S. Postal Service for many of the missing absentee ballots that forced some citizens to don masks and stand in line on Election Day this month, increasing their risk of contracting the potentially fatal disease COVID-19.
But the investigation by the Journal Sentinel, FRONTLINE and Columbia, based on interviews with voters, election officials and political experts, as well as responses from more than 600 people to an online questionnaire, shows the problems went far beyond mailing issues.
People from nearly 100 Wisconsin cities and towns responded to the Journal Sentinel's online request for readers to share their information if they did not receive their absentee ballots. Many said they tried requesting their absentee ballots multiple times.
Some people received too many ballots. Some received empty envelopes. Some gave up trying to navigate the state’s request system. Others got their ballots after Election Day.
Three people – two in Mequon and one in West Allis – said they were mailed duplicate ballots. In Wauwatosa, one couple said they received envelopes with no ballots.
In Milwaukee, three would-be voters said they received a form letter from Mayor Tom Barrett thanking them for requesting an absentee ballot – but not the ballot itself.
Officials sent ballots to college students to dorms they had been forced to vacate. For some Wisconsin residents wintering in New Mexico and Florida, ballots simply never showed up.
Nineteen Wisconsin citizens across eight cities – from New Auburn in the north to Bristol in the south – said they requested absentee ballots only to later be told the system had no record of their applications.
“I was not happy,” said Milwaukee resident Tom Arden, 71. He said he and his wife requested absentee ballots two weeks before Election Day but found out from a City Hall staffer that no record of their request existed.
“It wasn’t her fault, but that’s not funny,” Arden said. “It’s damn serious. That’s crazy that they dropped the ball as badly as they did.”
Wisconsin residents can request absentee ballots through letter, email or the state-run MyVote website. For presidential primaries, state law requires clerks to mail ballots within one business day from the time a request is received, if the request is made within 47 days of Election Day.
Roughly 1.28 million absentee ballots had been sent, but as of Friday more than 150,000 absentee ballots had not yet been returned, according to the latest tallies from the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
Less than 12% of votes cast in the 2016 spring election and presidential preference primary were absentee, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission. This year, an estimated 73% of votes were cast absentee, although officials are still counting ballots.
In response to the Journal Sentinel, FRONTLINE and Columbia investigation, Neil Albrecht, head of the Milwaukee Election Commission, acknowledged that thousands of ballots had not reached their intended recipients in Milwaukee.
“It was not an appropriate environment to be administering an election,” said Albrecht. “It was chaos, and chaos is never good for the administration of an election.”
Albrecht also pointed to inaccuracies with MyVote, the website run by the Wisconsin Elections Commission where voters can request and track the progress of their absentee ballots, including the date their ballot was mailed.
Albrecht said the date actually reflects the date the mailing label was generated – not the date a ballot was mailed.
It typically took employees another three to seven days to assemble, mail and deliver the ballot, depending on how backlogged the office was, city election officials said.
Asked whether he thought the website was misleading, Albrecht said the issue was “an improvement opportunity.”
Still, he said the majority of problems lay with the post office, and that issues such as empty envelopes or people being unable to find their registrations were rare. According to Albrecht, dozens of staffers in Milwaukee worked seven days a week until 11 p.m. to process ballots.
At the state level, Wisconsin Elections Commission spokesperson Reid Magney acknowledged inaccuracies with MyVote's ballot tracking feature and said the agency is looking at improving the feature "based on the user feedback we have received."
However, Magney said the commission believes the majority of problems stem from the post office or mailing vendors used by local clerks.
He said programmers looked through MyVote's code and logs but found no explanation for the large numbers of missing or late absentee ballots reported in late March.
“The more change you have close to an election, the more likely you are to have problems,” Magney said.
In Madison, City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl said there was “no way humanly possible" to keep up with the volume of requests.
According to Witzel-Behl, staffers were working 110 hours a week but still had a week’s worth of backlogs by mid-March. Their computer system became so bogged down by the volume of applications that it only began working quickly after 10 p.m., she said.
“You reach a point of working so many hours, your eyes glaze over, and you risk making an error,” she said.
In the town of Delafield, where Brenda Lewis and her husband faced problems, Clerk Dan Green said he was unsure why the system had no trace of the pair's absentee ballot applications.
According to Green, the MyVote website crashed “a few times,” but he said citizens would not have been able to request ballots at all while the system was down.
Citizens, officials still searching for explanations
The lead-up to Wisconsin’s chaotic April 7 election was consumed by political infighting, changing deadlines, four lawsuits and a breakneck ascension through the court system that ended up on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.
The result was a surreal Election Day that took place as the state topped 2,500 confirmed coronavirus cases and nearly 100 deaths, with scores of voters across the state complaining that they had not received their absentee ballots.
Facing furious voters, Milwaukee election officials called on the Postal Service the next day to investigate widespread reports of missing absentee ballots. U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat, and Ron Johnson, a Republican, made a similar request in a letter two days later, asking the Postal Service to “determine the cause of these failures, which appear to have disenfranchised many Wisconsin voters.”
Bob Sheehan, a spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service in Wisconsin, wrote in an email that the agency’s Office of the Inspector General is investigating but would not comment further.
In Wauwatosa, first-time absentee voter Jesse Weinberg said he and his wife received envelopes with no ballots inside.
In an email provided to the Journal Sentinel, their city clerk apologized to Weinberg for the “mishap” and explained that employees had accidentally sent a tray of mail to the mailing room “too soon,” before stuffing the envelopes.
In Mequon, retiree Tom Richardson said he and his wife both received duplicate ballots. According to Richardson, his local clerk said the office had accidentally mailed a “batch of duplicates” and advised the couple to discard one set of ballots and mail in the others.
Mequon City Clerk Caroline Fochs did not respond to calls and emails for comment.
But in an email exchange with Richardson, a copy of which was provided to the Journal Sentinel and Columbia, Fochs assured the retiree that it is “not possible for both ballots to end up being counted in the system.”
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee senior Haley Peldo said her absentee ballot was delivered to her previous registered address, not to the address she requested on MyVote. Luckily, Peldo said, she still knew the resident at her old home, who was able to bring the ballot to her.
Peldo said several of her college classmates reported similar stories.
"I managed to get it, but it was very confusing," she said. "I don't know how it would be the post office's fault that they got an entirely different address."
Ryan Kapp, a college student in Minneapolis, said he waited for a week and a half before calling the clerk’s office in his hometown of Middleton to inquire why his absentee ballot had not arrived.
According to Kapp, the employee told him his ballot had been accidentally mailed out without a street name, and that his was among several that were returned as undeliverable.
“They didn’t concern themselves with it until I decided to call,” Kapp said.
After taking down his address for a second time, the employee sent out a replacement ballot, Kapp said. But it didn’t arrive until April 10 – three days after Election Day.
The Middleton City Clerk's Office did not respond to a call or email seeking information on what happened.
The vast majority of people who wrote to the Journal Sentinel in the online questionnaire said they requested absentee ballots at least two weeks in advance of Election Day but did not receive them on time.
Paloma Chavez, four-months pregnant, said she applied for an absentee ballot on March 22, but it never arrived.
On Election Day, the Milwaukee resident said she called and emailed both the Wisconsin Election Commission and the city office and was given conflicting information about her ability to receive an email ballot or qualify for curbside voting.
“I was shell-shocked,” Chavez said. “It feels like the one thing I have control over – my voice – is being taken away from me. Mistakes got made, but not on my end here.”
Another common problem reported by voters: Forty-four people across nine cities said they did not receive their absentee ballot even though other members of their household did.
Many said they submitted their applications about the same time or even after their partners or roommates.
Milwaukee resident Lori Yanny, 65, said she submitted her application for an absentee ballot just two hours before her husband – on the same computer they share at home.
Her husband received his ballot a week and a half after requesting it, Yanny said. Hers never arrived. Nor did a replacement ballot she requested on March 31.
Yanny said she made the “difficult decision” not to vote in person due to coronavirus concerns.
“In the past 30 years, I have voted in almost every election – even the little ones,” she said.
Albrecht, the Milwaukee election commission head, said applications are not always processed in chronological order. As a result, he said, Yanny’s application was mailed on March 22, the day after her husband’s.
He said a large number of ballots mailed on March 22 and March 23 appeared to have been lost in the mail – part of what the city has called on the postal service to investigate.
A cumbersome system
In Wisconsin’s decentralized election system, much of the responsibility falls on local clerks, whose staffs are often tiny and not equipped to handle a surge in applications.
At the state-level, the Wisconsin Election Commission maintains both the MyVote website, where voters can request and track their absentee ballot, and WisVote, where absentee applications and requests are stored.
Each absentee ballot application submitted through MyVote is converted into an email. The state's 1,850 municipal clerks are in charge of opening each email, verifying the voter's identification, manually entering the application information into the statewide voter registration database and printing the mailing labels.
However, most municipal clerks do not have access to WisVote, and must ask another official, such as a county clerk, to manually enter the applicant's information in the database.
“This system was designed for a world in which 5% of voters voted by mail, not for a system in which 70% of voters voted by mail,” said Charles Stewart, a political science professor and election expert at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “So something has to give, and the thing that ends up giving is probably the accuracy of the request for the ballot.”
Barry Burden, director of the Elections Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said officials have limited time to make improvements for Wisconsin's upcoming elections, including a special Congressional race next month and the statewide primary in August.
Democratic state lawmakers are even calling for a mail-in vote for the November presidential election, although Republicans are unlikely to hear the bill.
“There is not a lot of breathing room,” Burden said.
Reporter Daphne Chen is with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Catharina Felke, Elizabeth Mulvey and Stephen Stirling are from Columbia Journalism Investigations, with support from PBS Frontline.


usatoday--2020-04-22--'More important things than living': GOP Texas Lt. Gov. pushes for reopening state

WASHINGTON – GOP Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick doubled down on earlier controversial comments he made about reopening his state , saying late Monday that there are `` more important things than living.
” Speaking during an interview with Tucker Carlson on Fox News , Patrick , 70 , said he was “ vindicated ” after receiving backlash for his March comments where he stated “ lots of grandparents ” would rather gamble their lives with the coronavirus than see an unstable economy for future generations .
“ I ’ m sorry to say that I was right on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are now finally beginning to open up Texas and other states because it ’ s been long overdue , ” he told Carlson on Monday night .
“ What I said when I was with you that night is there are more important things than living .
And that ’ s saving this country for my children and my grandchildren and saving this country for all of us , ” Patrick continued .
“ I don ’ t want to die , nobody wants to die , but man we ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back in the game and get this country back up and running.
” Patrick told Carlson that “ every life is valuable , ” but he believes `` our country should not have been locked down , '' and he questioned the science that led states around the country to shut their states down to flatten the curve from coronavirus .
“ They told us , Tucker , to follow the science .
Well , what science ?
” Patrick said .
“ At the end of January , Dr. [ Anthony ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for , said this wasn ’ t a big issue .
Three weeks later we were going to lose two million people , and another few weeks later it was 100,000 to 200,000 .
Now it ’ s under 60,000.
” More : Fauci takes heat from protesters of stay-at-home orders , says ignoring guidelines will 'backfire' US reopening : What states are relaxing social distancing restrictions and moving away from lockdowns ?
President Donald Trump announced guidelines last week for states to start opening their economies , and cited a handful of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gradual and phased opening . ''
These included Texas , Vermont and Ohio .
He is pushing to relax the U.S. lockdown by May 1 , a plan that hinges partly on more coronavirus testing .
Patrick claimed that it was wrong for Texas to shut down at all because it has been a small percentage of the large population that has passed away .
Texas has a population of almost 29 million people , according to 2019 population estimates .
At the time of Patrick 's Monday night television hit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which led to 495 fatalities .
By Tuesday afternoon , 20,196 cases had been reported in the state , with 517 Texans perishing , according to the state 's health department .
More : AG Barr raises prospect of more DOJ intervention if state lockdown orders go 'too far' Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott announced executive orders April 17 that will ease some of the restrictions on retail stores and parks , but he said all schools , public and private , will remain closed for the rest of the school year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for unemployment benefits over the past month , erasing a decade of job gains as the nation grapples with the unprecedented shutdown of the U.S. economy to contain the coronavirus .
Thousands of citizens from multiple states have taken to the streets following their state 's closures , and the economic hardship that has followed , demanding their states open up .
More : Anti-quarantine rally in Pennsylvania draws about 2,000 people in latest protest against coronavirus restrictions Fauci , longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday that , `` If you jump the gun and go into a situation where you have a big spike , you ’ re gon na set yourself back .
So as painful as it is to go by the careful guidelines of gradually phasing into a reopening , it ’ s going to backfire.
” Almost 1,500 Americans died Monday , raising the toll to more than 43,000 among 800,000-plus confirmed cases , according to Johns Hopkins University data .

'More important things than living': GOP Texas Lt. Gov. pushes for reopening state
Show Caption Hide Caption States rights on reopening businesses over President Trump, explained The 10th Amendment protects state powers and puts a hamper on presidential powers. Here's how the fight for control is playing out today. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – GOP Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick doubled down on earlier controversial comments he made about reopening his state, saying late Monday that there are "more important things than living.”
Speaking during an interview with Tucker Carlson on Fox News, Patrick, 70, said he was “vindicated” after receiving backlash for his March comments where he stated “lots of grandparents” would rather gamble their lives with the coronavirus than see an unstable economy for future generations.
Coronavirus live updates: Senate reaches $484B stimulus deal; Cuomo, Trump to meet; oil, stock prices plunge
“I’m sorry to say that I was right on this and I’m thankful that now we are now finally beginning to open up Texas and other states because it’s been long overdue,” he told Carlson on Monday night.
“What I said when I was with you that night is there are more important things than living. And that’s saving this country for my children and my grandchildren and saving this country for all of us,” Patrick continued. “I don’t want to die, nobody wants to die, but man we’ve got to take some risks and get back in the game and get this country back up and running.”
TX Lt Gov Dan Patrick: "There are more important things than living ... I dont want to die, nobody wants to die but man we've got to take some risks" pic.twitter.com/dRTF8Moav4 — Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) April 21, 2020
Patrick told Carlson that “every life is valuable,” but he believes "our country should not have been locked down," and he questioned the science that led states around the country to shut their states down to flatten the curve from coronavirus.
“They told us, Tucker, to follow the science. Well, what science?” Patrick said. “At the end of January, Dr. [Anthony] Fauci, who I have great respect for, said this wasn’t a big issue. Three weeks later we were going to lose two million people, and another few weeks later it was 100,000 to 200,000. Now it’s under 60,000.”
More: Fauci takes heat from protesters of stay-at-home orders, says ignoring guidelines will 'backfire'
US reopening: What states are relaxing social distancing restrictions and moving away from lockdowns?
President Donald Trump announced guidelines last week for states to start opening their economies, and cited a handful of states taking steps toward a "safe, gradual and phased opening." These included Texas, Vermont and Ohio. He is pushing to relax the U.S. lockdown by May 1, a plan that hinges partly on more coronavirus testing.
Patrick claimed that it was wrong for Texas to shut down at all because it has been a small percentage of the large population that has passed away.
Texas has a population of almost 29 million people, according to 2019 population estimates. At the time of Patrick's Monday night television hit, the coronavirus had infected 19,458 Texans, which led to 495 fatalities.
By Tuesday afternoon, 20,196 cases had been reported in the state, with 517 Texans perishing, according to the state's health department.
More: White House, congressional leaders reach deal to replenish halted coronavirus small business loan program
More: AG Barr raises prospect of more DOJ intervention if state lockdown orders go 'too far'
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced executive orders April 17 that will ease some of the restrictions on retail stores and parks, but he said all schools, public and private, will remain closed for the rest of the school year.
A record 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits over the past month, erasing a decade of job gains as the nation grapples with the unprecedented shutdown of the U.S. economy to contain the coronavirus.
Thousands of citizens from multiple states have taken to the streets following their state's closures, and the economic hardship that has followed, demanding their states open up.
More: Anti-quarantine rally in Pennsylvania draws about 2,000 people in latest protest against coronavirus restrictions
Fauci, longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned against rushing into reopening states, saying Monday that, "If you jump the gun and go into a situation where you have a big spike, you’re gonna set yourself back. So as painful as it is to go by the careful guidelines of gradually phasing into a reopening, it’s going to backfire.”
Almost 1,500 Americans died Monday, raising the toll to more than 43,000 among 800,000-plus confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
Contributing: Joel Shannon, Lorenzo Reyes, Jessica Menton


usatoday--2020-04-22--Amid coronavirus concerns, two-thirds of voters support mail-in ballots for November, poll finds

More than two-thirds of registered voters want to see election laws changed to allow them to cast their ballots by mail in November because of concerns about the coronavirus outbreak , according to an NBC News/Wall Stree Journal poll .
A majority ( 58 % ) support changing state laws around the country to allow mail-in-voting , the poll found , and 39 % opposed the idea .
But when those who said they were against it were asked if they would support changing the laws to allow people to mail in their ballots just for this year because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rose to 67 % and opposed dropped to 29 % .
The poll revealed a strong shift in support for mail-in-voting from 1996 , when a Pew poll found the country was about split on the issue with 48 % in support of changing the laws to allow it and 47 % opposed .
In response to the infection , many states have rescheduled their primary elections for later in the year .
But health experts such as Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to infect people into the fall .
That has prompted calls for a national shift to vote-by-mail to avoid a scene like that one in Wisconsin earlier this month where primary voters wearing masks and gloves were forced to line up outside voting locations .
The $ 2.2 trillion CARES Act that was signed into law late last month included $ 400 million to help states prepare for the 2020 election amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Outbreak and Election 2020 : Amid vote-by-mail push , civil rights groups say in-person voting still needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country are facing unexpected and rapidly increasing costs to mail ballots , move polling sites , and ensure the safety of voters , staff , and election workers , '' said Ben Hovland , chairman of the Election Assistance Commission , in a statement .
`` I am thankful that Congress recognized the need to help support state and local election officials by offsetting some of the increased costs of administering elections during this challenging time . ''
But Democrats , who had sought $ 4 billion in election assistance , have said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the states prepare .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , has said she would like to see at least $ 2 billion in additional election assistance in a fourth economic stimulus package .
`` Why should we be saying to people , 'Stand in line for hours , ' when we don ’ t even want you leaving the house ? ''
Pelosi asked .
Republican lawmakers have resisted the idea of a shift to vote-by-mail citing concerns about fraud and a belief that it would benefit Democrats electorally .
House Minority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ push , characterizing it as an attempt to use the pandemic for political advantage .
`` You want to hold a bill up because you want to change election law in November , that somehow you think that gives you benefit ?
That ’ s disgusting , '' he said .
Trump derided Democrats ' push to include more election assistance in the CARES ACT during a March 30 interview with `` Fox & Friends . ''
`` They had a level of voting that , if you ever agreed to it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elected in this country again , '' Trump said .
Without offering evidence , President Donald Trump said at an April 7 news conference that vote-by-mail is `` a very dangerous thing for this country '' because people `` cheat . ''
When a reporter pointed out that Trump voted by mail in Florida 's primary , Trump replied , `` because I 'm allowed to . ''
The president , who has long made unsupported claims of voters fraud , claimed the process for absentee ballots was different that than the mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told FactCheck.org that out-of-state and in-state ballots are treated the same .
Experts said fraud is more prevalent in vote-by-mail than in-person voting , though the number of incidents is low .
Richard Hasen , a professor at the University of California at Irvine School of Law and author of `` Election Meltdown : Dirty Tricks , Distrust , and the Threat to American Democracy '' , wrote in a Washington Post op-ed that ballots `` cast outside the watchful eye of election officials can be stolen , altered , sold or destroyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems are extremely rare in the five states that rely primarily on vote-by-mail , including the heavily Republican state of Utah .
`` Election design requires tradeoffs .
Many states offer absentee balloting because they realize that the tremendous convenience to voters outweighs the small risk of fraud , '' Hasen said .
`` Now , of course , the COVID-19 pandemic has radically elevated the risk of gathering at polling stations , making mail-in balloting a crucial alternative . ''
A major hurdle for a shift to vote-by-mail for the November election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election law .
Given the way the debate is shaping up along partisan lines , Republican-led states appear unlikely to embrace the shift despite the pandemic .
Last week , Republican state senators in Lousiana , which is one of the states that has been hit hardest by the pandemic with more than 1,300 deaths , blocked an emergency measure to expand mail-in balloting for the presidential primary , currently scheduled for July .
Five states conduct their elections my mail : Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon , Washington and Utah .
California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to opt for it and 17 states allow it for local or special elections , according to the National Conference of State Legislatures .
Thirty-four states allow voters to cast absentee ballots without requiring a reason for doing so , while 16 states require an excuse .

Amid coronavirus concerns, two-thirds of voters support mail-in ballots for November, poll finds
Show Caption Hide Caption Electoral College vs. the popular vote, explained President Trump and President George W. Bush won the electoral vote during the election, but not the popular vote. How does the electoral college work? Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
More than two-thirds of registered voters want to see election laws changed to allow them to cast their ballots by mail in November because of concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, according to an NBC News/Wall Stree Journal poll.
A majority (58%) support changing state laws around the country to allow mail-in-voting, the poll found, and 39% opposed the idea. But when those who said they were against it were asked if they would support changing the laws to allow people to mail in their ballots just for this year because of coronavirus concerns, the number in favor rose to 67% and opposed dropped to 29%.
The poll revealed a strong shift in support for mail-in-voting from 1996, when a Pew poll found the country was about split on the issue with 48% in support of changing the laws to allow it and 47% opposed.
In response to the infection, many states have rescheduled their primary elections for later in the year. But health experts such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, have said that the coronavirus could continue to infect people into the fall. That has prompted calls for a national shift to vote-by-mail to avoid a scene like that one in Wisconsin earlier this month where primary voters wearing masks and gloves were forced to line up outside voting locations.
The $2.2 trillion CARES Act that was signed into law late last month included $400 million to help states prepare for the 2020 election amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Outbreak and Election 2020: Amid vote-by-mail push, civil rights groups say in-person voting still needed
"State and local jurisdictions across the country are facing unexpected and rapidly increasing costs to mail ballots, move polling sites, and ensure the safety of voters, staff, and election workers," said Ben Hovland, chairman of the Election Assistance Commission, in a statement. "I am thankful that Congress recognized the need to help support state and local election officials by offsetting some of the increased costs of administering elections during this challenging time."
But Democrats, who had sought $4 billion in election assistance, have said more needs to be done to help the states prepare. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has said she would like to see at least $2 billion in additional election assistance in a fourth economic stimulus package.
"Why should we be saying to people, 'Stand in line for hours,' when we don’t even want you leaving the house?" Pelosi asked.
Republican lawmakers have resisted the idea of a shift to vote-by-mail citing concerns about fraud and a belief that it would benefit Democrats electorally.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy objected to Pelosi' push, characterizing it as an attempt to use the pandemic for political advantage.
"You want to hold a bill up because you want to change election law in November, that somehow you think that gives you benefit? That’s disgusting," he said.
Trump derided Democrats' push to include more election assistance in the CARES ACT during a March 30 interview with "Fox & Friends."
"They had a level of voting that, if you ever agreed to it, you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again," Trump said.
Mail in ballots substantially increases the risk of crime and VOTER FRAUD! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2020
Without offering evidence, President Donald Trump said at an April 7 news conference that vote-by-mail is "a very dangerous thing for this country" because people "cheat."
When a reporter pointed out that Trump voted by mail in Florida's primary, Trump replied, "because I'm allowed to." The president, who has long made unsupported claims of voters fraud, claimed the process for absentee ballots was different that than the mail-in ballots being proposed.
But election experts told FactCheck.org that out-of-state and in-state ballots are treated the same.
Experts said fraud is more prevalent in vote-by-mail than in-person voting, though the number of incidents is low.
Richard Hasen, a professor at the University of California at Irvine School of Law and author of "Election Meltdown: Dirty Tricks, Distrust, and the Threat to American Democracy", wrote in a Washington Post op-ed that ballots "cast outside the watchful eye of election officials can be stolen, altered, sold or destroyed." But he added that "problems are extremely rare in the five states that rely primarily on vote-by-mail, including the heavily Republican state of Utah.
"Election design requires tradeoffs. Many states offer absentee balloting because they realize that the tremendous convenience to voters outweighs the small risk of fraud," Hasen said. "Now, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has radically elevated the risk of gathering at polling stations, making mail-in balloting a crucial alternative."
A major hurdle for a shift to vote-by-mail for the November election is that each state writes its own election law. Given the way the debate is shaping up along partisan lines, Republican-led states appear unlikely to embrace the shift despite the pandemic.
Last week, Republican state senators in Lousiana, which is one of the states that has been hit hardest by the pandemic with more than 1,300 deaths, blocked an emergency measure to expand mail-in balloting for the presidential primary, currently scheduled for July.
Five states conduct their elections my mail: Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Utah. California, Nebraska and North Dakota allow counties to opt for it and 17 states allow it for local or special elections, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Thirty-four states allow voters to cast absentee ballots without requiring a reason for doing so, while 16 states require an excuse.
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-04-23--House is poised to vote on a nearly $500 billion coronavirus relief bill. Here's what's in it

WASHINGTON – A popular small business loan program that closed last week when it ran out of money is about to get a cash infusion .
The House is expected to give final approval Thursday to legislation that would pump $ 320 billion into the Paycheck Protection Program , which is designed to keep small businesses from shuttering and their workers from going on unemployment during the coronavirus pandemic .
The Senate approved the bill Tuesday .
Other programs also will get money under the bill .
The $ 484 billion legislation includes funding for hospitals that have been overwhelmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new coronavirus testing program .
Here ’ s a look at what ’ s in the bill : The Paycheck Protection Program was created under a $ 2.2 trillion package that President Donald Trump signed into law in late March to help Americans recover from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic .
That bill allocated nearly $ 350 billion for the program , which provides low-interest loans to small businesses .
But the program proved so popular that it quickly ran out of money and was forced to shut down last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than $ 320 billion to replenish the program and get it running again .
Some $ 60 billion of the new funding for the program will be set aside for community-based lenders , smaller banks and credit unions to assist smaller businesses that do n't have established relationships with big banks and had a harder time accessing the funds in the first round of loans .
Around $ 10 billion will be allocated for administration fees .
Hospitals that have taken a financial hit caused by a surge of coronavirus patients will get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation provides $ 75 billion in emergency funding for hospitals and health care providers .
Warning : CDC Director Redfield warns second coronavirus wave could be 'more difficult , ' hit same time as flu The availability of coronavirus testing remains a concern for some governors , who say they are running short on supplies even as the Trump administration insists there is an adequate number of tests .
The legislation provides $ 25 billion in start-up funds for a new coronavirus testing program , a provision pushed by Democrats during negotiations on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to the administration to prepare a national testing strategy and implement those funds to proper effect before it is too late , '' said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y .
Fact Check : Trump claims coronavirus tests are widely available .
They are not Democrats also pushed for relief for state and local governments , which have pleaded for federal assistance to help them provide essential services during the coronavirus pandemic .
But the final bill provides no emergency funding for them .
The funding could potentially be included in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under negotiation by the White House and congressional leaders .
Meanwhile , a separate bill filed by Sens .
Bob Menendez , D-N.J. , and Bill Cassidy , R-La.
, from two of the hardest-hit states would set up a $ 500 billion fund to help states and local governments respond to the health and economic crisis while maintaining essential services .
The money would be divided into three tranches and distributed based upon population , the number of coronavirus cases and revenue losses .
Another stimulus : Bigger checks ?
Relief for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next coronavirus bill

Michael Collins and Christal Hayes, USA TODAY

House approves a nearly $500 billion coronavirus relief bill. Here's what's in it
Show Caption Hide Caption Coronavirus: How much businesses and hospitals will get from stimulus Here is how the federal government is stepping in to support small businesses and health care providers. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – A popular small-business loan program that closed last week when it ran out of money is about to get a cash infusion.
The House approved legislation Thursday that would pump $320 billion into the Paycheck Protection Program, which is designed to keep small businesses from shuttering and their workers from going on unemployment during the coronavirus pandemic. The Senate approved the bill Tuesday.
Other programs would get money under the bill. The $484 billion legislation includes funding for hospitals that have been overwhelmed during the crisis and money for a coronavirus testing program.
Here’s a look at what’s in the bill:
Small-business loans
The Paycheck Protection Program was created under a $2.2 trillion package that President Donald Trump signed into law in late March to help Americans recover from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. That bill allocated nearly $350 billion for the program, which provides low-interest loans to small businesses. The program proved so popular that it quickly ran out of money and was forced to shut down last week.
The latest legislation would provide more than $320 billion to replenish the program and get it running again.
About $60 billion of the funding for the program would be set aside for community-based lenders, smaller banks and credit unions to assist smaller businesses that don't have established relationships with big banks and had a harder time accessing the funds in the first round of loans. About $10 billion would be allocated for administration fees.
Hospital funding
Hospitals that took a financial hit caused by a surge of coronavirus patients would get some relief under the bill. The legislation would provide $75 billion in emergency funding for hospitals and health care providers.
Warning: CDC Director Redfield warns second coronavirus wave could be 'more difficult,' hit same time as flu
Coronavirus testing
The availability of coronavirus testing remains a concern for some governors, who say they are running short on supplies even as the Trump administration insists there is an adequate number of tests.
The legislation would provide $25 billion in startup funds for a coronavirus testing program, a provision pushed by Democrats during negotiations on the bill.
“It's now up to the administration to prepare a national testing strategy and implement those funds to proper effect before it is too late," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
Fact Check:Trump claims coronavirus tests are widely available. They are not
What’s missing?
Democrats pushed for relief for state and local governments, which pleaded for federal assistance to help them provide essential services during the coronavirus pandemic. The final bill provides no emergency funding for them.
The funding could be included in another economic recovery bill being negotiated by the White House and congressional leaders.
A separate bill filed by Sens. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., from two of the hardest-hit states would set up a $500 billion fund to help states and local governments respond to the health and economic crises while maintaining essential services. The money would be divided into three tranches and distributed based upon population, the number of coronavirus cases and revenue losses.
Bigger checks? Relief for states? What could be in the next coronavirus bill


usatoday--2020-04-23--Biden fares almost as well with young voters as Sanders in match-up vs. Trump, poll finds

BOSTON — Most young voters prefer Bernie Sanders , but that does n't mean they wo n't vote for former Vice President Joe Biden in a November election against President Donald Trump , according to a new poll released Thursday by the Harvard Institute of Politics .
Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , holds a 60 % -30 % lead over Trump among likely voters ages 18 to 29 years old , the poll found , only one point below a 62 % -31 % lead Sanders , the Vermont senator , would have among young voters if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are similar even though the same poll found 50 % of likely young voters view Biden unfavorably .
Sanders is viewed favorably by 58 % of young voters , compared with 42 % for Biden .
`` This is less about Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden and more about Donald Trump , '' said John Della Volpe , director of polling at Harvard 's Institute of Politics .
`` And I think there is a sense that at this stage , young progressives and the center-left really have really seemed to unite on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sample of 2,546 people ages 18-29 , was taken between March 11 and March 23 as Biden was widening his delegate lead and before Sanders dropped out of the Democratic primary and endorsed Sanders .
The poll , which was conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs , has a margin of error of 2.8 percentage points .
Biden 's ability to turn out young progressive voters to the polls is widely seen as one of his campaign 's biggest weaknesses .
But Della Volpe warned the new poll results do not mean Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes .
In 2016 , Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton had an even larger lead among young voters against Trump at this point , 61 % -25 % , but she ended up with just a 55 % -36 % advantage among young people in the election over Trump , according to exit polls .
It contributed to her defeat .
`` Currently , they are giving him the benefit of the doubt , '' Della Volpe said , referring to Biden .
`` There are a lot of young people who preferred Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ willing to say in a two-person match-up , they 'd be with Biden right now .
He can not take that cohort for granted .
And my read over his activities the last few weeks is that he 's not taking them for granted . ''
Biden has been courting progressive Democrats who backed Sanders in the primary , this month unveiling policy proposals to lower the eligibility age for Medicare to 60 years years old and forgive college debt for millions of Americans .
An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll of all voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump among all likely voters , 49 % -42 % .
Biden holds a 5.9 point lead in Real Clear Politics ' average of polls .
The Harvard poll also found the coronavirus outbreak now tops the concerns of young people , with 19 % ranking it No.1 , followed by health care , 17 % , the economy , 14 % , and the environment , 9 % .
Notably , the poll was taken before many states started imposing stay-at-home orders and the COVID-19 death count started to rapidly increase .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stresser that young people are being forced to deal with , '' Della Volpe said , comparing it to issues like the Great Recession , school shootings and the increasing cost of living that have affected young people .
`` Now with this on top of it , this is a lens of which I think they 're kind of engaging in politics in 2020 . ''

Biden fares almost as well with young voters as Sanders in matchup vs. Trump, poll finds
Show Caption Hide Caption Bernie Sanders endorses Biden in remote meet-up: 'We need you' in WH During a livestream event, Senator Bernie Sanders explains to former Vice President Joe Biden why he's endorsing him for president. USA TODAY
BOSTON — Most young voters prefer Bernie Sanders, but that doesn't mean they won't vote for former Vice President Joe Biden in a November election against President Donald Trump, according to a new poll released Thursday by the Harvard Institute of Politics.
Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, holds a 60%-30% lead over Trump among likely voters ages 18 to 29 years old, the poll found, only one point below a 62%-31% lead Sanders, the Vermont senator, would have among young voters if he were the nominee.
The leads are similar even though the same poll found 50% of likely young voters view Biden unfavorably. Sanders is viewed favorably by 58% of young voters, compared with 42% for Biden.
"This is less about Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden and more about Donald Trump," said John Della Volpe, director of polling at Harvard's Institute of Politics. "And I think there is a sense that at this stage, young progressives and the center-left really have really seemed to unite on that front."
Poll: Two-thirds of voters support mail-in ballots for November
The poll, a sample of 2,546 people ages 18-29, was taken between March 11 and March 23 as Biden was widening his delegate lead and before Sanders dropped out of the Democratic primary and endorsed Sanders. The poll, which was conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs, has a margin of error of 2.8 percentage points.
Biden's ability to turn out young progressive voters to the polls is widely seen as one of his campaign's biggest weaknesses. But Della Volpe warned the new poll results do not mean Biden can afford to stop working for their votes.
In 2016, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton had an even larger lead among young voters against Trump at this point, 61%-25%, but she ended up with just a 55%-36% advantage among young people in the election over Trump, according to exit polls. It contributed to her defeat.
"Currently, they are giving him the benefit of the doubt," Della Volpe said, referring to Biden. "There are a lot of young people who preferred Sanders, voted for Sanders, but are willing to say in a two-person match-up, they'd be with Biden right now. He cannot take that cohort for granted. And my read over his activities the last few weeks is that he's not taking them for granted."
Biden has been courting progressive Democrats who backed Sanders in the primary, this month unveiling policy proposals to lower the eligibility age for Medicare to 60 years years old and forgive college debt for millions of Americans.
An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll of all voters released this week found Biden ahead of Trump among all likely voters, 49%-42%. Biden holds a 5.9 point lead in Real Clear Politics' average of polls.
The Harvard poll also found the coronavirus outbreak now tops the concerns of young people, with 19% ranking it No.1, followed by health care, 17%, the economy, 14%, and the environment, 9%.
Notably, the poll was taken before many states started imposing stay-at-home orders and the COVID-19 death count started to rapidly increase.
"This is just another anxiety and stresser that young people are being forced to deal with," Della Volpe said, comparing it to issues like the Great Recession, school shootings and the increasing cost of living that have affected young people. "Now with this on top of it, this is a lens of which I think they're kind of engaging in politics in 2020."
Follow Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.


usatoday--2020-04-23--Protesters in Richmond, Virginia push to end coronavirus lockdown

Protesters took to the streets around the Virginia State Capitol to show support for ending tight restrictions due to coronavirus @

Protesters in Richmond, Virginia push to end coronavirus lockdown
Protesters took to the streets around the Virginia State Capitol to show support for ending tight restrictions due to coronavirus pandemic
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-04-24--Trump touts study on sunlight to kill coronavirus, but official warns against Americans changing beh

Trump touts study on sunlight to kill coronavirus, but official warns against Americans changing behavior

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump touted a federal study Thursday that indicates sunlight and humidity can weaken the coronavirus – a finding that prompted the president to float the idea of treating patients with `` light inside the body . ''
The Department of Homeland Security study , which the agency described as `` emerging , '' found the lifespan of the virus on a surface or in the air could be significantly reduced by exposure to sunlight and humidity .
But a top official with the department warned against Americans changing their behavior based on the preliminary findings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the powerful effect that solar light appears to have on killing the virus , both on surfaces and in the air , '' said Bill Bryan , an undersecretary of science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security .
Georgia : Plans to reopen Georgia get mixed support from businesses Trump , who has used his daily White House briefings to float unproven treatment options in the past , at one point suggested the government should study bringing `` light inside the body '' as a possible treatment , which he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the skin or in some other way . ''
The president also appeared to question whether disinfectant could be used to treat coronavirus patients .
`` Is there a way we can do something like that , by injection inside or almost a cleaning , '' Trump said .
The president jumped between offering caveats about the significance of the study to suggest – possibly in jest – thathe might spend more time outdoors , such as in the Rose Garden , to receive additional exposure to sunlight as the pandemic continues .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Trump said .
`` And if it has an impact , that ’ s great . ''
Early studies have differed on the impact environmental factors such as sunlight have on the virus , and the DHS report is not the first to suggest a link .
On the other hand , warmer states such as Louisiana and Florida have also witnessed sharp increases in coronavirus cases .
Offering a similar expatiation for his early exhortations of anti-Malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for the virus , Trump said he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine have been mixed at best , and the president recently has spent far less time discussing the drug .
`` Maybe it works , maybe it does n't , '' Trump said of sunlight .
Trump spoke a day after a Health and Human Services official said he was removed from his post because he questioned the value of the drug .
The attorneys for Rick Bright said Thursday said they would soon be filing a whistleblower complaint on his behalf .
Bryan stressed that the findings were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing guidelines promoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and enforced by state orders across the country .
He said it would be `` irresponsible for us to say that we feel that the summer is just going to totally kill the virus . ''
Trump drew headlines in February for suggesting just that during a campaign rally in New Hampshire .
`` You know in theory when it gets a little warmer , it miraculously goes away , '' he said then .
`` Hope that 's true .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he reminded reporters that he had made the prediction and implied that the study confirmed his theory .
`` I once mentioned that maybe it 'll go away with heat and light , '' the president said Thursday .
`` And people did n't like that statement very much . ''
Trump 's suggestions drew criticism on social media .
Jonathan Reiner , professor of medicine at The George Washington University Hospital , said there 's no medical basis for Trump 's statements about sunlight .
`` Tanning beds are not the @ @ @ @ @ @

John Fritze and David Jackson, USA TODAY

Medical experts rip Trump's suggestion that sunlight, disinfectants may treat coronavirus
Show Caption Hide Caption Coronavirus: Trump disinfectant injection comment sparks backlash President Trump's comments on disinfectants and sunlight being used to kill coronavirus sparked backlash on social media and with medical professionals. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump's suggestion that scientists study whether sunlight or disinfectants could be used to treat coronavirus patients prompted alarm Friday from health experts who warned Americans against embracing unproven remedies.
Trump's remarks, in which he floated the idea of using "light inside the body" and studying the use of disinfectants "by injection," triggered an urgent warning from the maker of Lysol that "under no circumstances" should its product be used as treatment.
The considerable blowback, which the White House dismissed as media sensationalism, once again put the president at odds with his own health experts as his administration battles a pandemic that has killed more than 50,000 Americans. Trump has often touted remedies and raised seemingly off-the-cuff ideas at his daily press conferences that top aides have then carefully sought to temper.
Adding fuel to the controversy, the White House initially distributed a transcript of Trump's press conference in which Deborah Birx, one of the nation's leading experts on the coronavirus, said that the method Trump was touting "is a treatment." White House aides released a corrected transcript Friday in which Birx said they were not treatments.
At the White House on Friday, Trump said he was being sarcastic when he suggested that injecting disinfectants inside the body might be a treatment for coronavirus. Asked by reporters if he was encouraging their use, he replied, “Of course not.” He continued to float the possibility that sunlight might be used to treat coronavirus. “Sun has a tremendous impact on it,” he said.
The genesis of Trump's remarks was a Department of Homeland Security study that found the lifespan of the virus on a surface or in the air could be significantly reduced by exposure to sunlight, humidity and other factors. Trump invited a Homeland Security official to brief White House reporters about the study on Thursday.
"Our most striking observation to date is the powerful effect that solar light appears to have on killing the virus, both on surfaces and in the air," said Bill Bryan, an undersecretary of science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security.
More: White House issues revised transcript to show Birx said sunlight not a treatment
Georgia: Plans to reopen Georgia get mixed support from businesses
How antibodies in recovered COVID-19 patients could treat coronavirus The secret to fighting COVID-19 could be in recovered patients. Here's how antibodies could lead to a treatment for those fighting coronavirus. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Bryan described the study as "emerging" and repeatedly warned against Americans changing their behavior based on the preliminary findings. The study was limited to how environmental factors affected the virus on surfaces or in the air, not inside bodies.
After hearing Bryan's presentation, Trump – clearly excited by the findings – pressed the scientists to expand their work into studying whether disinfectants could help patients.
"So I asked Bill a question that probably some of you are thinking of, if you’re totally into that world, which I find to be very interesting," the president began.
"So, supposing we hit the body with a tremendous – whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light – and I think you said that that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it," Trump said. "And then I said, supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way, and I think you said you’re going to test that too. It sounds interesting."
Bryan responded by saying he'd ask "the right folks" who could look into that.
Trump then continued.
"And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute," he said. "And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that," he added.
The White House responded to the growing backlash with a statement Friday that blamed the "media" for "irresponsibly" quoting Trump out of context.
"President Trump has repeatedly said that Americans should consult with medical doctors regarding coronavirus treatment, a point that he emphasized again during yesterday’s briefing," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said.
In an appearance Friday, Trump claimed he was being sarcastic.
Trump has used his daily White House briefings to float unproven treatment options in the past. His early exhortations of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for the virus drew warnings from public health officials that the drug had not been clinically proven to have any impact and subsequent studies about the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine have been mixed at best.
The Food & Drug Administration warned Friday that Americans should not take the drug "outside of the hospital setting" or within a clinical trial.
Like his early embrace of hydroxychloroquine, Trump batted away questions about light and disinfectant treatments by saying he wasn't advocating for their use – rather just raising them as a possibility for Americans to consider.
"Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't," Trump said of sunlight.
But the remarks drew a rebuke from doctors and state public health officials concerned about whether the remarks – and the media firestorm surrounding them – could be misinterpreted by some. The Maryland Emergency Management Agency said on Friday it had received "several calls" raising questions about disinfectant use, for instance.
"This is a reminder that under no circumstances should any disinfectant product be administered into the body through injection, ingestion or any other route," the agency posted on Twitter.
ALERT🚨: We have received several calls regarding questions about disinfectant use and #COVID19.
This is a reminder that under no circumstances should any disinfectant product be administered into the body through injection, ingestion or any other route. — Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MDMEMA) (@MDMEMA) April 24, 2020
"I certainly wouldn't recommend the internal ingestion of a disinfectant," Food and Drug Commissioner Stephen Hahn said during a CNN town hall following Trump's comments.
Dr. Jesse Goodman, the former Chief Scientist of the FDA and now a Georgetown University professor and attending physician, told USA TODAY the amount of heat and light needed to kill the virus would be harmful to cells within the body and was "not something we now have evidence to support."
"The virus is predominantly inside cells, and the amount of light or heat that you would have to deliver would be toxic to the cells as well," he said.
Ultraviolet light is used to sterilize hospital equipment, he noted, but the level of light is "toxic to human cells, and in fact people can't be in those rooms when they're being sterilized with those devices."
Goodman added that the problem with the use of disinfectants inside the body was "if they're toxic to viruses and bacteria they're generally toxic to human cells as well."
"People should not ingest disinfectants of any kind, or bleach," he said, especially based off a quote or rumor, because "those things can be extremely harmful or even fatal."
More: Twitter names Trump the 'Tide Pods' president after he disinfectant comments
Lysol issued a statement on its website on Friday titled "Improper Use of Disinfectants." The notice said parent company Reckitt Benckiser Group had been asked whether disinfectants are safe to use as a treatment.
"We must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body (through injection, ingestion or any other route)," the company said in the statement.
More: Lysol warns against injecting disinfectant after Trump speculates on coronavirus
Trump spoke a day after a Health and Human Services official said he was removed from his post because he questioned the value of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for the disease caused by the virus. The attorneys for Rick Bright said Thursday said they would soon be filing a whistleblower complaint on his behalf.
Bryan stressed the findings of the DHS study were not so conclusive that Americans should abandon social distancing guidelines promoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and enforced by state orders across the country. He said it would be "irresponsible for us to say that we feel that the summer is just going to totally kill the virus."
Trump drew headlines in February for suggesting just that during a campaign rally in New Hampshire. "You know in theory when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away," he said then. "Hope that's true."
At the White House on Thursday, he reminded reporters he had made the prediction and implied that the study confirmed his theory.
"I once mentioned that maybe it'll go away with heat and light," the president said Thursday. "And people didn't like that statement very much."
Contributing: Michael Collins, Savannah Behrmann, Dalvin Brown


usatoday--2020-04-24--New HHS spokesman Michael Caputo deleted racist tweets related to the coronavirus

WASHINGTON – Michael Caputo , the new Department of Health and Human Services spokesman , allegedly deleted xenophobic tweets before starting his new role last week .
Caputo , a Republican political operative who worked on President Donald Trump 's 2016 presidential campaign , deleted nearly his entire Twitter feed before April 12 , according to a report by CNN .
He started his new position as assistant secretary for public affairs at HHS on April 15 .
'Convinced ' : Fauci says there will be coronavirus in the fall after Trump says 'it may not come back' Many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ xenophobic comments and were about coronavirus .
`` Millions of Chinese suck the blood out of rabid bats as an appetizer , '' he tweeted in March , while also using a vulgar term about eating anteaters .
He said the same thing on his podcast a few days later .
The new HHS spokesman also asked another Twitter user : `` Do n't you have a bat to eat ? ''
Caputo appears to be referencing the fact gene sequencing analysis suggests the virus originated in bats and was transferred to humans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early February , Chinese researchers published work suggesting the intermediary species may have been the pangolin ( also called a scaly anteater ) , though this work has not undergone a peer-reviewed study . '
I 'll miss you dearly ' : Sen. Warren announces her oldest brother died from coronavirus Caputo additionally demeaned the severity of the virus numerous times , claiming the fear surrounding it was created by the media and Democrats to discredit Trump politically , and they wanted to inflict hundreds of thousands of Americans to death .
More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even as COVID-19 cases start to stabilize Caputo tweeted Thursday that he would now be posting from his `` official capacity '' and told his followers to `` enjoy the ride '' with a GIF .
Caputo told USA TODAY Thursday night : “ I report to the president of the United States who creates controversy on Twitter to win every day , blowing the minds of the same hand wringing leftists who think my tweets are a problem .
Have fun with this distraction , I ’ m working 24/7 leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line cabinet department in a deadly pandemic.
” More : House passes $ 484 billion coronavirus stimulus for small businesses and hospitals , sends bill to Trump Many online called for Caputo 's removal following the CNN report .
Rep. Jackie Speier , D-Calif. , tweeted that Caputo must be fired immediately , following the report .
Rep. Jamie Raskin , D-Md.
, called for Caputo 's departure , saying his `` deranged , profane & hate-filled polemics disqualify him for public employment & he should quickly return to the rock he lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deserve this appalling insult & neither do the rest of us . ''
Former Rep. Joe Walsh , who briefly ran against Trump in the GOP primary , tweeted , `` Michael Caputo is a corrupt thug .
He ’ s now working for the Trump Administration .
He ’ ll fit in perfectly . ''
More : HHS official says he was ousted because he opposed drugs Trump touted as coronavirus treatment The report on Caputo 's tweets comes a day after a HHS official helping to develop a coronavirus vaccine said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he questioned the value of drugs being pushed by Trump .
Rick Bright , who until this week was director of the HHS Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority ( BARDA ) , said he is speaking out `` because to combat this deadly virus , science – not politics or cronyism – has to lead the way . ''

New HHS spokesman Michael Caputo deleted racist tweets related to the coronavirus
Show Caption Hide Caption Coronavirus: President Trump and Dr. Fauci disagree on second wave President Trump said coronavirus won't be coming back in the fall, but Dr. Fauci believes otherwise, contradicting the president's statements. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Michael Caputo, the new Department of Health and Human Services spokesman, allegedly deleted xenophobic tweets before starting his new role last week.
Caputo, a Republican political operative who worked on President Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, deleted nearly his entire Twitter feed before April 12, according to a report by CNN. He started his new position as assistant secretary for public affairs at HHS on April 15.
'Convinced': Fauci says there will be coronavirus in the fall after Trump says 'it may not come back'
Many of the now-deleted tweets reviewed by CNN included xenophobic comments and were about coronavirus.
"Millions of Chinese suck the blood out of rabid bats as an appetizer," he tweeted in March, while also using a vulgar term about eating anteaters. He said the same thing on his podcast a few days later.
The new HHS spokesman also asked another Twitter user: "Don't you have a bat to eat?"
Caputo appears to be referencing the fact gene sequencing analysis suggests the virus originated in bats and was transferred to humans through a yet-unidentified intermediary species. In early February, Chinese researchers published work suggesting the intermediary species may have been the pangolin (also called a scaly anteater), though this work has not undergone a peer-reviewed study.
'I'll miss you dearly': Sen. Warren announces her oldest brother died from coronavirus
Caputo additionally demeaned the severity of the virus numerous times, claiming the fear surrounding it was created by the media and Democrats to discredit Trump politically, and they wanted to inflict hundreds of thousands of Americans to death.
'Blue's Clues' host worries about racism toward Asians over COVID-19 "Blue's Clues & You!" host Joshua Dela Cruz is speaking out against racist attacks towards Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic. USA TODAY
More: California had its deadliest day Wednesday, even as COVID-19 cases start to stabilize
Caputo tweeted Thursday that he would now be posting from his "official capacity" and told his followers to "enjoy the ride" with a GIF.
I’ll be tweeting in my official capacity at @SpoxHHS. Follow me there. — Michael R. Caputo (@MichaelRCaputo) April 23, 2020
Caputo told USA TODAY Thursday night: “I report to the president of the United States who creates controversy on Twitter to win every day, blowing the minds of the same hand wringing leftists who think my tweets are a problem. Have fun with this distraction, I’m working 24/7 leading communications for the nation’s front line cabinet department in a deadly pandemic.”
More: House passes $484 billion coronavirus stimulus for small businesses and hospitals, sends bill to Trump
Many online called for Caputo's removal following the CNN report.
Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., tweeted that Caputo must be fired immediately, following the report.
These disgusting tweets are disqualifying for any job in government let alone Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at HHS. CAPUTO MUST BE CANNED IMMEDIATELY. https://t.co/7fP4aqsoHc — Jackie Speier (@RepSpeier) April 23, 2020
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., called for Caputo's departure, saying his "deranged, profane & hate-filled polemics disqualify him for public employment & he should quickly return to the rock he lives under. Asian Americans don’t deserve this appalling insult & neither do the rest of us."
Former Rep. Joe Walsh, who briefly ran against Trump in the GOP primary, tweeted, "Michael Caputo is a corrupt thug. He’s now working for the Trump Administration. He’ll fit in perfectly."
More: HHS official says he was ousted because he opposed drugs Trump touted as coronavirus treatment
The report on Caputo's tweets comes a day after a HHS official helping to develop a coronavirus vaccine said he was removed from his post because he questioned the value of drugs being pushed by Trump.
Rick Bright, who until this week was director of the HHS Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), said he is speaking out "because to combat this deadly virus, science – not politics or cronyism – has to lead the way."
Contributing: Matthew Brown


usatoday--2020-04-23--Federal prison system expands virus testing to find hidden asymptomatic infections

WASHINGTON – The federal prison system , confronted with mounting infections and deaths attributed to the coronavirus , is expanding testing to seek out previously hidden asymptomatic inmates in an attempt to control the spread .
The Bureau of Prisons , the largest detention system in the country , now joins a small number of states that have adopted a testing regimen to include suspected carriers of the virus beyond those who display common symptoms of infection .
`` Expanding the testing ... on asymptomatic inmates will assist the slowing of transmission with isolating those individuals who test positive and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
`` The deployment of these additional resources will be based on facility need to contain widespread transmission and the need for early , aggressive interventions required to slow transmission at facilities with a high number of at-risk inmates such as medical referral centers . ''
At the time of the announcement , the BOP reported that 620 inmates and 357 staffers had been infected , while 24 prisoner deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 's spread .
Lawsuit targets troubled prison : Prisoners sue for release from troubled federal prison where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the agency had obtained additional testing capacity that would be deployed at especially hard-hit facilities across its 122-prison system .
The largest numbers of infections were reported at bureau prisons in Fort Worth , Texas ; Lompoc , California ; and Terminal Island , California .
Seven inmates , meanwhile , have died at the prison in Oakdale , Louisiana ; six deaths were reported at the Elkton , Ohio facility .
`` Asymptomatic inmates who test positive for COVID-19 can transmit the virus to other inmates , '' the agency said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will assist in slowing transmissions within a correctional setting along with increasing the number of COVID-19 positive tests ... '' State prison systems in Ohio and North Carolina have already expanded testing in search of asymptomatic inmates , resulting in a surge of new infections .
In Ohio , authorities have tested the entire inmate population at three separate prisons , revealing startling numbers of new infections .
The expanded testing has pushed the number of infections at one prison , the Marion Correctional Institution , to more than 2,000 – the largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accounted for more than 90 % of those infections , officials said .
Officials in North Carolina recently completed mass testing at a prison near Raleigh where more than 90 % of the 458 infected inmates displayed no common symptoms .
`` Expanding COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic inmates ... with public health entities will improve the BOP ’ s ability to manage COVID-19 at facilities experiencing widespread transmission , '' the bureau said .
For more than a week , a Justice Department team has been reviewing conditions at coronavirus-plagued federal prisons .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ General William Barr have conducted in-person inspections of the hardest hit units in Louisiana , Ohio and North Carolina .
A virtual inspection was scheduled at the facility in Lompoc .
Justice 's inspector general , Michael Horowitz , also is conducting a separate inquiry into conditions at the agency .

Federal prison system expands virus testing to find hidden asymptomatic infections
WASHINGTON – The federal prison system, confronted with mounting infections and deaths attributed to the coronavirus, is expanding testing to seek out previously hidden asymptomatic inmates in an attempt to control the spread.
The Bureau of Prisons, the largest detention system in the country, now joins a small number of states that have adopted a testing regimen to include suspected carriers of the virus beyond those who display common symptoms of infection.
"Expanding the testing ... on asymptomatic inmates will assist the slowing of transmission with isolating those individuals who test positive and quarantining contacts," the agency said Thursday. "The deployment of these additional resources will be based on facility need to contain widespread transmission and the need for early, aggressive interventions required to slow transmission at facilities with a high number of at-risk inmates such as medical referral centers."
At the time of the announcement, the BOP reported that 620 inmates and 357 staffers had been infected, while 24 prisoner deaths have been attributed to COVID-19's spread.
Virus sparks prison inquiry: DOJ team reviewing conditions at virus-plagued federal prisons; IG leading separate probe
Lawsuit targets troubled prison: Prisoners sue for release from troubled federal prison where coronavirus has killed 5 inmates
Officials said that the agency had obtained additional testing capacity that would be deployed at especially hard-hit facilities across its 122-prison system.
The largest numbers of infections were reported at bureau prisons in Fort Worth, Texas; Lompoc, California; and Terminal Island, California. Seven inmates, meanwhile, have died at the prison in Oakdale, Louisiana; six deaths were reported at the Elkton, Ohio facility.
"Asymptomatic inmates who test positive for COVID-19 can transmit the virus to other inmates," the agency said. "The testing of asymptomatic inmates will assist in slowing transmissions within a correctional setting along with increasing the number of COVID-19 positive tests..."
State prison systems in Ohio and North Carolina have already expanded testing in search of asymptomatic inmates, resulting in a surge of new infections.
In Ohio, authorities have tested the entire inmate population at three separate prisons, revealing startling numbers of new infections. The expanded testing has pushed the number of infections at one prison, the Marion Correctional Institution, to more than 2,000 – the largest outbreak in the country.
Asymptomatic inmates accounted for more than 90% of those infections, officials said.
Officials in North Carolina recently completed mass testing at a prison near Raleigh where more than 90% of the 458 infected inmates displayed no common symptoms.
"Expanding COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic inmates ... with public health entities will improve the BOP’s ability to manage COVID-19 at facilities experiencing widespread transmission," the bureau said.
For more than a week, a Justice Department team has been reviewing conditions at coronavirus-plagued federal prisons.
A group of senior advisers to Attorney General William Barr have conducted in-person inspections of the hardest hit units in Louisiana, Ohio and North Carolina. A virtual inspection was scheduled at the facility in Lompoc.
Justice's inspector general, Michael Horowitz, also is conducting a separate inquiry into conditions at the agency.