usatoday--2020-10-25--Worried about voter suppression? Lawyers set up national hotline to answer questions about election

WASHINGTON — Onika Williams sat at her dining room table in Arlington , Virginia , flipped open her laptop and began her shift fielding calls from voters across the country .
Some wanted to know where they could go to vote early .
Others called into the national hotline to ask how they could track their mail-ballot .
“ Voters are engaged and they want to make sure their votes count , ’ ’ said Williams , a 37-year-old lawyer volunteering with Election Protection , a nonpartisan coalition that provides a national hotline for voters .
Williams is among nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country navigate changes in what has become an unprecedented election cycle plagued by confusion and problems .
With the novel coronvirus pandemic , officials have scrambled to overhaul the way voters cast ballots , leaving some frustrated and worried whether their vote will count .
Organizers of Election Protection , a national coalition of civil rights and voting rights groups , said the number of volunteers has quadrupled since the 2016 presidential election and the 2018 midterm elections .
They ’ re bracing for even more calls as Election Day nears and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The volume of litigation and intensity of the phone calls makes clear that the 2020 election is a season like none other in recent times , ’ ’ said Kristen Clarke , president and executive director of Lawyers ’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law , one of the groups leading the effort .
The hotline has received more than 100,000 calls since July , averaging about 7,000 a day , organizers said .
At this point in 2016 , the group had fielded 21,000 calls since January of that year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls from states like Florida and Texas , where there have been several election law changes , and from battleground states like Pennsylvania and Ohio .
“ The onset of COVID-19 has posed really unprecedented challenges to voters all across the country , ’ ’ said Harlene Katzman , pro bono counsel/director at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York , which is working with Election Protection .
She said those challenges include voters unsure about going to the polls for fear of exposure to the virus .
Several Election Protection groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responses .
Last week , after voters called the hotline , the Lawyers ’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law sued Virginia to extend its voter registration deadline by 48 hours after a fiber optic cable was accidentally cut and crashed the system .
The Election Protection hotline ( 866-OUR-VOTE ) is available all year , but calls have ramped up in recent weeks as millions started casting ballots early in some states .
Some complained they didn ’ t get their mail-in ballot .
Others wereconfused about election changes .
Clarke said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas and Tennessee , where she said officials have put restrictions on who has access to vote by mail .
“ Many of them are pandemic-driven concerns that are coming to the fore , ’ ’ she said .
Clarke noted a call from a voter in quarantine because of COVID-19 who hadn ’ t received a ballot and wanted to know what to do .
She said others have asked whether their ballots will be delivered on time with delays in postal service while others question whether mail-in ballots are secure .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ figure out how to vote in a lot of different places because the laws and procedures that are governing the way voting works are complicated , ’ ’ said Katzman .
“ The most important role of the election protection volunteer is to figure out what the voter 's problem is.
” With the pandemic , many voters don ’ t have access to traditional support systems , including churches and civic organizations , to get reliable information , said Barbara Arnwine , president and founder of Transformative Justice Coalition , a racial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It 's an environment in which too many voters find themselves stranded , ’ ’ she said .
Another problem , said Arnwine , is the pervasiveness of voter suppression tactics .
In the last 10 years , nearly half the states have adopted measures that make it harder to vote , including requiring voter ID and limiting early voting , according to the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice in New York .
The changes disproportionately impact voters of color , the center found earlier this year .
The center said 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have government-issued ID compared to 8 % of white Americans .
“ In the past , we were able to tell you , ‘ This state is going to be ground zero .
That state is going to be ground zero , ’ ’ Arnwine said .
`` Now , when I talk to you about ground zero , I 've got to pull out a list of states.
’ ’ Common Cause Pennsylvania , a nonpartisan watchdog group and Election Protection partner , is hearing from voters who want reassurance they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are seeing such incredible voter anxiety in Pennsylvania that is really a result of a lot of the new laws , ’ ’ said Suzanne Almeida , the group 's interim executive director .
Almeida pointed to various election changes , including vote-by-mail available to eligible voters for the first time in some states , satellite election offices and deadline extensions .
“ All of which is in the midst of probably the most fraught election – at least of my lifetime , ’ ’ she said .
More : Know your voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you encounter intimidation at the polls on Election Day Election Protection has gone mostly virtual this year because of the pandemic , with most lawyers like Williams working from their homes or other spaces .
In the past , scores of lawyers fielded calls from a law office turned command center in Washington , D.C .
The virtual conditions have meant more lawyers can volunteer because they don ’ t have to travel to call centers to work hours-long shifts , recruiters said .
More than 7,000 members of the National Bar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American lawyers , are among those joining the Election Protection effort .
Last week , the volunteers were trained on election rules in 27 states .
Many of the states have barriers to voting that particularly hurt communities of color , said CK Hoffler , the association president .
“ We just think we have a clarion call , ’ ’ she said .
“ We ’ re not playing .
We ’ re serious about this .
It ’ s protecting the right to vote , not partisan politics … Black folks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beyond answering calls , some partners are also providing masks , gloves , shields and sanitizers to voters .
“ We want them to vote knowing that they are as safe as they can be , ” said Hoffler .
Williams , chair of the Young Lawyers Division of the National Bar Association , will spend upcoming days helping volunteers answer calls from voters in Alabama , Arizona , Florida , Georgia , Michigan , North Carolina , Ohio , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin .
“ We have been issued a call to action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow @ Dberrygannett on Twitter .

Worried about voter suppression? Lawyers set up national hotline to answer questions about election laws
Show Caption Hide Caption Why voter suppression in the US has increased since 2013 Civil rights experts point to long wait times to vote as a sign of growing voter suppression in the U.S. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Onika Williams sat at her dining room table in Arlington, Virginia, flipped open her laptop and began her shift fielding calls from voters across the country.
Some wanted to know where they could go to vote early. Others called into the national hotline to ask how they could track their mail-ballot.
“Voters are engaged and they want to make sure their votes count,’’ said Williams, a 37-year-old lawyer volunteering with Election Protection, a nonpartisan coalition that provides a national hotline for voters.
Williams is among nearly 24,000 lawyers volunteering to help voters across the country navigate changes in what has become an unprecedented election cycle plagued by confusion and problems. With the novel coronvirus pandemic, officials have scrambled to overhaul the way voters cast ballots, leaving some frustrated and worried whether their vote will count.
Organizers of Election Protection, a national coalition of civil rights and voting rights groups, said the number of volunteers has quadrupled since the 2016 presidential election and the 2018 midterm elections. They’re bracing for even more calls as Election Day nears and in the days and weeks following.
“The volume of litigation and intensity of the phone calls makes clear that the 2020 election is a season like none other in recent times,’’ said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, one of the groups leading the effort.
The hotline has received more than 100,000 calls since July, averaging about 7,000 a day, organizers said. At this point in 2016, the group had fielded 21,000 calls since January of that year.
Organizers are particularly expecting a flood of calls from states like Florida and Texas, where there have been several election law changes, and from battleground states like Pennsylvania and Ohio.
“The onset of COVID-19 has posed really unprecedented challenges to voters all across the country,’’ said Harlene Katzman, pro bono counsel/director at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York, which is working with Election Protection.
She said those challenges include voters unsure about going to the polls for fear of exposure to the virus.
Several Election Protection groups have filed lawsuits challenging election changes and responses. Last week, after voters called the hotline, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law sued Virginia to extend its voter registration deadline by 48 hours after a fiber optic cable was accidentally cut and crashed the system.
More: Trump 'army' of poll watchers could frighten voters, incite violence, election officials warn
New laws stirring anxiety
The Election Protection hotline (866-OUR-VOTE) is available all year, but calls have ramped up in recent weeks as millions started casting ballots early in some states.
Some complained they didn’t get their mail-in ballot. Others were confused about election changes. Clarke said there has been confusion in states like Texas and Tennessee, where she said officials have put restrictions on who has access to vote by mail.
“Many of them are pandemic-driven concerns that are coming to the fore,’’ she said.
Clarke noted a call from a voter in quarantine because of COVID-19 who hadn’t received a ballot and wanted to know what to do. She said others have asked whether their ballots will be delivered on time with delays in postal service while others question whether mail-in ballots are secure.
“It is hard for people to figure out how to vote in a lot of different places because the laws and procedures that are governing the way voting works are complicated,’’ said Katzman. “The most important role of the election protection volunteer is to figure out what the voter's problem is.”
With the pandemic, many voters don’t have access to traditional support systems, including churches and civic organizations, to get reliable information, said Barbara Arnwine, president and founder of Transformative Justice Coalition, a racial justice and voting rights advocacy group.
“It's an environment in which too many voters find themselves stranded,’’ she said.
Another problem, said Arnwine, is the pervasiveness of voter suppression tactics.
In the last 10 years, nearly half the states have adopted measures that make it harder to vote, including requiring voter ID and limiting early voting, according to the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice in New York. The changes disproportionately impact voters of color, the center found earlier this year. The center said 25% of voting-age Black Americans don't have government-issued ID compared to 8% of white Americans.
“In the past, we were able to tell you, ‘This state is going to be ground zero. That state is going to be ground zero,’’ Arnwine said. "Now, when I talk to you about ground zero, I've got to pull out a list of states.’’
Common Cause Pennsylvania, a nonpartisan watchdog group and Election Protection partner, is hearing from voters who want reassurance they’re doing everything right.
“We are seeing such incredible voter anxiety in Pennsylvania that is really a result of a lot of the new laws,’’ said Suzanne Almeida, the group's interim executive director.
Almeida pointed to various election changes, including vote-by-mail available to eligible voters for the first time in some states, satellite election offices and deadline extensions.
“All of which is in the midst of probably the most fraught election – at least of my lifetime,’’ she said.
More: Know your voting rights: Here's what to do if you encounter intimidation at the polls on Election Day
'We have a clarion call'
Election Protection has gone mostly virtual this year because of the pandemic, with most lawyers like Williams working from their homes or other spaces. In the past, scores of lawyers fielded calls from a law office turned command center in Washington, D.C.
The virtual conditions have meant more lawyers can volunteer because they don’t have to travel to call centers to work hours-long shifts, recruiters said.
More than 7,000 members of the National Bar Association, a group of mostly African American lawyers, are among those joining the Election Protection effort. Last week, the volunteers were trained on election rules in 27 states.
Many of the states have barriers to voting that particularly hurt communities of color, said CK Hoffler, the association president.
“We just think we have a clarion call,’’ she said. “We’re not playing. We’re serious about this. It’s protecting the right to vote, not partisan politics … Black folks died so that we can vote.“
Beyond answering calls, some partners are also providing masks, gloves, shields and sanitizers to voters.
“We want them to vote knowing that they are as safe as they can be,” said Hoffler.
Williams, chair of the Young Lawyers Division of the National Bar Association, will spend upcoming days helping volunteers answer calls from voters in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
“We have been issued a call to action,'' said Williams.
For more follow @Dberrygannett on Twitter.


usatoday--2020-10-26--Voting 2020 live updates: New Hampshire won't ban armed voters; Boston drop box set on fire; thousan

Voting 2020 live updates: New Hampshire won't ban armed voters; Boston drop box set on fire; thousands of lawyers offer free legal help

Most experts predict scattered violence is the worst the United States could experience this Election Day , given isolated incidents that have already taken place this year , USA TODAY 's Trevor Hughes reports .
There are reports of some people even stocking up and preparing to hunker down to ride out a possible wave of sustained election-related chaos .
The angst follows months of widespread Black Lives Matter social justice protests , more than 90 % of which were peaceful .
But some conservative news outlets and GOP leaders have pointed to looting and destruction to argue that more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ context : President Donald Trump already has called votes into question and wo n't commit to a peaceful transfer of power after the results are in .
Meanwhile , the Pentagon has repeatedly said the U.S. military has no role in the election .
More news to keep in mind : We 're eight days away from Election Day .
USA TODAY is keeping track of what 's happening as voters around the country cast ballots .
Keep refreshing this page for updates .
• Unlike Michigan , an open-carry state that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , New Hampshire wo n't try to keep armed voters away .
• The FBI is investigating a `` deliberate attack '' on a ballot drop box outside a library in Massachusetts that was set on fire Sunday .
• Native Americans have been disproportionally impacted by the coronavirus , and they face extra difficulties in choosing elected leaders who might help protect them .
( Latest updates on COVID-19 can be found here . )
If you want a long read : We mailed 64 letters and packages in battleground states to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s what we found .
Voters have been casting ballots in recent weeks : Numbers compiled by @ electproject show 59.4 million people have voted .
In other numbers , the Guardian and ProPublica report 13.8 % of registered voters in swing states have had their mail-in ballots accepted .
No more putting ‘ I Voted ’ stickers on Susan B. Anthony ’ s headstone in NY What has become an Election Day ritual in Rochester , New York will look different this year .
Despite the coronavirus pandemic , people are welcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cemetery to pay tribute to Susan B. Anthony at her gravesite .
But in a departure , visitors won ’ t be able to place their “ I Voted ” stickers directly on the famed suffragist ’ s headstone .
During a springtime restoration project , it became clear that the fragile marble marker had sustained damage from a combination of adhesive residue and the solvents and methods needed to remove it , Patricia Corcoran , president of nonprofit Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery , wrote in an email .
In an effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the group had clear plastic sleeves made for Anthony ’ s headstone and that of her sister , Mary S. Anthony , for use during election season , and people can put their `` I Voted '' stickers on the sleeves .
NYPD officer suspended for saying 'Trump 2020 ' over speaker ; almost 194K ballots already cast in NYC early voting A New York City police officer was suspended without pay after he was filmed saying `` Trump 2020 '' over a patrol vehicle 's loudspeaker , violating the department 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dermot Shea tweeted Sunday that the officer 's comments were `` unacceptable '' and that law enforcement must remain apolitical .
Mayor Bill de Blasio also criticized the officer 's action .
`` ANY NYPD Officer pushing ANY political agenda while on duty will face consequences , '' the mayor tweeted .
The incident comes after the city 's largest police union , the Police Benevolent Association , endorsed President Donald Trump in August .
Meanwhile , voters across New York are experiencing long lines during an unprecedented early voting period in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 193,915 ballots had been cast in two days of early voting , the city 's Board of Elections tweeted Sunday .
A fire was set Sunday in a Boston ballot drop box holding more than 120 ballots in what Massachusetts election officials said appears to have been a `` deliberate attack , '' now under investigation by the FBI .
The fire that was set around 4 a.m. in a ballot drop box outside the Boston Public Library downtown , Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin ’ s office said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it was emptied Sunday morning , and 87 of them were still legible and able to be processed , Galvin ’ s office said .
Voters can go online to see whether their ballot was processed .
Those who used that dropbox between Saturday afternoon and 4 a.m. Sunday and can ’ t confirm the status of their ballot online should contact the Boston Elections Department immediately , officials said .
As they consider which candidate might best help protect them from the dangers of the coronavirus , many Native Americans find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the remote location of reservations present difficulties to having their voices heard .
COVID-19 has disproportionately sickened or killed Native Americans across the U.S. , creating another Election Day challenge for a poor and geographically isolated population already fighting to overcome steep voting barriers ranging from discriminatory election laws to distant polling stations .
Election problems : What to know This cheat sheet from Columbia Journalism Review offers tips for media organizations reporting on Election 2020 .
Voting problems are n't failures .
They happen every year and , as CJR notes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working or polling places opening late do n't mean anything is `` rigged . ''
• Some problems , however , are significant .
CJR recommends the media scrutinize areas that have a history of voter suppression or obstructing minority voters , calling out Georgia as a place to monitor .
• Do n't expect a winner on Election Night .
This year is different because mail-in ballots could be as high as 30 % .
Previously , that number was 3 % -5 % .
It will take a while to tally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
State vote certification deadlines differ and do n't have to be reported to the federal level until Dec. 8 .
Additionally , the Electoral College doesn ’ t meet until Dec. 14 .
New Hampshire AG says state ca n't ban armed voters from polling places As opposed to Michigan , a fellow open-carry state that has moved to ban voters from bringing firearms into polling sites , New Hampshire wo n't attempt to keep armed voters away .
The Attorney General 's office said it does not have that authority but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intimidation in the upcoming election .
`` We are not able to use any of our New Hampshire election laws to prohibit a voter from entering to vote if they have a firearm , and that includes if the polling place is a school , ” said Assistant AG Nicholas Chong Yen , according to NHPR.org .
The website said some New Hampshire poll workers and voters have expressed concern about the presence of armed individuals at polling places .
Worried about voter suppression ?
Lawyers set up national hotline to answer questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volunteering to help voters across the country navigate changes in what has become an unprecedented election cycle .
Organizers of Election Protection , a national coalition of civil rights and voting rights groups , said the number of volunteers has quadrupled since the 2016 presidential election and the 2018 midterm elections .
They ’ re bracing for even more calls as Election Day nears and in the days and weeks following .
The Election Protection hotline ( 866-OUR-VOTE ) is available all year , but calls have ramped up in recent weeks as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states .
The hotline has received more than 100,000 calls since July , averaging about 7,000 a day , organizers said .
At this point in 2016 , the group had fielded 21,000 calls since January of that year .
Headlines from elsewhere and resources on voting • From ProPublica : Their Electionland project goes deep on issues that can affect eligible voters ' ability to cast a ballot .
• From Pew/Stateline : The Barriers to the Ballot Box project takes on how changes to polling places impact communities .
• Ballotopedia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election , but also voting .
• Associated Press : More voting headlines that should be on your radar .
☑How to make sure your a mail-in ballot is counted and not discarded .
🗳 USA TODAY 's Voter Guide has everything you need on registering to vote , when your state begins voting and what the candidates think about the issues .
📧For updates to your inbox , subscribe to our daily On Politics newsletter .

Ryan W. Miller and Cara Richardson, USA TODAY

Voting 2020 live updates: NYC lines raise worries of suppression; Supreme Court upholds Wisconsin law; Florida could set turnout record
Show Caption Hide Caption For early voting, voting locations or registration lookup, we can help Interested in early voting? Voting locations? Find out if you're registered to vote and happenings in your state at vote.usatoday.com USA TODAY
For the latest headlines on voting across the U.S., check out Tuesday's news here.
Most experts predict scattered violence is the worst the United States could experience this Election Day, given isolated incidents that have already taken place this year, USA TODAY's Trevor Hughes reports. There are reports of some people even stocking up and preparing to hunker down to ride out a possible wave of sustained election-related chaos.
The angst follows months of widespread Black Lives Matter social justice protests, more than 90% of which were peaceful. But some conservative news outlets and GOP leaders have pointed to looting and destruction to argue that more federal law enforcement is needed.
Some context: President Donald Trump already has called votes into question and won't commit to a peaceful transfer of power after the results are in. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has repeatedly said the U.S. military has no role in the election.
More news to keep in mind: We're eight days away from Election Day. USA TODAY is keeping track of what's happening as voters around the country cast ballots. Keep refreshing this page for updates.
Unlike Michigan, an open-carry state that has moved to ban firearms at polling sites, New Hampshire won't try to keep armed voters away.
The FBI is investigating a "deliberate attack" on a ballot drop box outside a library in Massachusetts that was set on fire Sunday.
Native Americans have been disproportionally impacted by the coronavirus, and they face extra difficulties in choosing elected leaders who might help protect them. (Latest updates on COVID-19 can be found here.)
If you want a long read: We mailed 64 letters and packages in battleground states to check on mail delays. Here’s what we found.
Voters have been casting ballots in recent weeks: Numbers compiled by @electproject show 59.4 million people have voted. In other numbers, the Guardian and ProPublica report 13.8% of registered voters in swing states have had their mail-in ballots accepted.
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld Wisconsin's voting laws Monday, rejecting an effort to require the counting of absentee ballots that are sent back to election officials on or just before Election Day.
The court's 5-3 ruling means that absentee ballots will be counted only if they are in the hands of municipal clerks by the time polls close on Nov. 3.
The justices determined the courts shouldn't be the ones to decide the election rules amid the coronavirus pandemic that is surging in Wisconsin and across the world.
– Patrick Marley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., on Monday criticized the long wait times voters in New York were facing at early voting locations as unacceptable, while New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called for more voting machines to be installed.
Some voters reported waiting in line for hours since early voting kicked off in New York on Saturday. Ocasio-Cortez said she was "thrilled" to see so many voters, but "there is no place in the United States of America where two-, three-, four-hour waits to vote is acceptable. ... Just because it's happening in a blue state doesn't mean that it's not voter suppression."
Long lines of voters stretched for blocks Monday around many of the 88 polling sites opened by the New York City Board of Elections for the city and state's first early voting in a presidential election. The polling sites were a fraction of the number open on Election Day.
In all, 193,915 people voted on Saturday and Sunday, according to the board, which has been plagued by other problems this year, as thousands of voters received absentee ballots with the wrong names on them.
– Kevin McCoy
More than 41% of eligible voters have already cast their ballots in Florida, which might come close to matching its record for highest rate of voter turnout in a presidential election.
The state Division of Elections said Monday that more than 6 million early ballots have been cast in Florida, the third largest total in the nation behind Texas and California. Florida has 14.4 million registered voters. The state's modern record for turnout rate was set in 1992 at 83%.
According to the Division of Elections, as of Monday morning registered Democrats outpaced registered Republicans in voting by mail, 1.79 million to 1.18 million, while Republicans held the edge in in-person early voting, 1.02 million to 767,000.
In Iowa, a swing state with tightly contested races for the presidency and a U.S. Senate seat, election officials are gearing up for possible disruptions and encouraging eligible residents to vote early partly to reduce the likelihood of Election Day trouble.
County auditors have expressed concern about voter intimidation or other issues, in some cases boosting security. Multiple auditors had said they're worried about people bringing guns into more polling places, as permitted under a new Iowa law; about disputes among voters over wearing masks — which aren’t required on Election Day despite the COVID-19 pandemic; and about the possibility that some Iowans may be inspired by recent national political rhetoric to challenge whether others are qualified to vote.
– Jason Clayworth, Des Moines Register
What has become an Election Day ritual in Rochester, New York, will look different this year.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, people are welcome to make the pilgrimage to Mount Hope Cemetery to pay tribute to Susan B. Anthony at her gravesite. But in a departure, visitors won’t be able to place their “I Voted” stickers directly on the famed suffragist’s headstone.
During a springtime restoration project, it became clear that the fragile marble marker had sustained damage from a combination of adhesive residue and the solvents and methods needed to remove it, Patricia Corcoran, president of nonprofit Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery, wrote in an email.
In an effort to protect the "iconic gravesite," the group had clear plastic sleeves made for Anthony’s headstone and that of her sister, Mary S. Anthony, for use during election season, and people can put their "I Voted" stickers on the sleeves.
– Marcia Greenwood, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
How a contentious election affects a peaceful transition of power What history has shown us about contested elections and peaceful transitions of power. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
A fire was set Sunday in a Boston ballot drop box holding more than 120 ballots in what Massachusetts election officials said appears to have been a "deliberate attack," now under investigation by the FBI.
The fire that was set around 4 a.m. in a ballot drop box outside the Boston Public Library downtown, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin’s office said.
There were 122 ballots inside the box when it was emptied Sunday morning, and 87 of them were still legible and able to be processed, Galvin’s office said. Voters can go online to see whether their ballot was processed. Those who used that drop box between Saturday afternoon and 4 a.m. Sunday and can’t confirm the status of their ballot online should contact the Boston Elections Department immediately, officials said.
As the leader of an outreach team with the Franklin County Board of Elections, Shirley Royer rolls her cart into county jails, nursing homes, psychiatric facilities and hospitals to make sure eligible voters get their chance to cast ballots.
"I'm the poll worker, and I'm here," Royer will say, reassuring the elderly and frail that she can assist with reading ballots, marking them properly and keeping them private and secure.
She and other elections officials across the state mask up and have continued to head out during the pandemic. But COVID-19 has complicated their field work. Senior communities that had long been polling sites cannot safely operate as voting locations this year. Many residents still can't come and go freely. And family members calling by phone sometimes find it difficult to ascertain whether a loved one has voted successfully.
"Never have we faced anything like this," Royer said.
– Rita Price, The Columbus Dispatch
This cheat sheet from Columbia Journalism Review offers tips for media organizations reporting on Election 2020.
Voting problems aren't failures. They happen every year and, as CJR notes, hiccups such as voting machines not working or polling places opening late don't mean anything is "rigged."
Some problems, however, are significant. CJR recommends the media scrutinize areas that have a history of voter suppression or obstructing minority voters, calling out Georgia as a place to monitor.
CJR recommends the media scrutinize areas that have a history of voter suppression or obstructing minority voters, calling out Georgia as a place to monitor. Don't expect a winner on Election Night . This year is different because mail-in ballots could be as high as 30%. Previously, that number was 3%-5%. It will take a while to tally.
. This year is different because mail-in ballots could be as high as 30%. Previously, that number was 3%-5%. It will take a while to tally. Seriously, expect to wait. State vote certification deadlines differ and don't have to be reported to the federal level until Dec. 8. Additionally, the Electoral College doesn’t meet until Dec. 14.
As opposed to Michigan, a fellow open-carry state that has moved to ban voters from bringing firearms into polling sites, New Hampshire won't attempt to keep armed voters away. The Attorney General's office said it does not have that authority but will be on the lookout for voter intimidation in the upcoming election.
"We are not able to use any of our New Hampshire election laws to prohibit a voter from entering to vote if they have a firearm, and that includes if the polling place is a school,” said Assistant AG Nicholas Chong Yen, according to NHPR.org.
The website said some New Hampshire poll workers and voters have expressed concern about the presence of armed individuals at polling places.
– Jorge L. Ortiz
Nearly 24,000 lawyers are volunteering to help voters across the country navigate changes in what has become an unprecedented election cycle. Organizers of Election Protection, a national coalition of civil rights and voting rights groups, said the number of volunteers has quadrupled since the 2016 presidential election and the 2018 midterm elections. They’re bracing for even more calls as Election Day nears and in the days and weeks following.
The Election Protection hotline (866-OUR-VOTE) is available all year, but calls have ramped up in recent weeks as millions started casting ballots early in some states. The hotline has received more than 100,000 calls since July, averaging about 7,000 a day, organizers said. At this point in 2016, the group had fielded 21,000 calls since January of that year.
– Deborah Barfield Berry
From ProPublica: Their Electionland project goes deep on issues that can affect eligible voters' ability to cast a ballot.
Their Electionland project goes deep on issues that can affect eligible voters' ability to cast a ballot. From Pew/Stateline: The Barriers to the Ballot Box project takes on how changes to polling places impact communities.
The Barriers to the Ballot Box project takes on how changes to polling places impact communities. Ballotopedia : Resources and guides to not just the election, but also voting.
: Resources and guides to not just the election, but also voting. Associated Press: More voting headlines that should be on your radar.
☑How to make sure your a mail-in ballot is counted and not discarded.
🗳 USA TODAY's Voter Guide has everything you need on registering to vote, when your state begins voting and what the candidates think about the issues.
📧For updates to your inbox, subscribe to our daily On Politics newsletter.
Contributing: Associated Press


usatoday--2020-10-26--Election 2020 live updates: Trump returns to Pennsylvania; Pence's plans to attend Amy Coney Barrett

Election 2020 live updates: Trump returns to Pennsylvania; Pence's plans to attend Amy Coney Barrett vote 'in flux'

President Donald Trump will make three campaign stops in Pennsylvania on Monday as his campaign tries to chip away at former Vice President Joe Biden 's polling lead in the Keystone State .
Trump narrowly won Pennsylvania in 2016 , but USA TODAY 's polling average has Biden leading Trump by 5.4 points there just over a week before Election Day .
Both campaigns have their eyes on Pennsylvania .
Trump gave a rally there last week , former President Barack Obama was in Philadelphia on Wednesday and Biden and wife Jill were there on Saturday .
The Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when the Senate is expected to take its final confirmation vote on Amy Coney Barrett .
Vice President Mike Pence , who campaigns in Minnesota on Monday , had planned to preside over the Senate vote , but those plans are `` in flux '' after a recent outbreak of COVID-19 among his staff .
• 'Settle for Biden ' : Not all Biden voters are enthusiastic about their candidate .
The Settle for Biden organization is geared to get young progressives to vote for the Democrat who has run as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and Jared Kushner have threatened to sue the Lincoln Project over ads running in Times Square .
• Who performed better in debate ?
: A majority of registered voters said Biden performed better than Trump in the final debate last week , according to a Politico/Morning Consult poll .
📊 What the polls are saying : Biden is leading Trump in Florida and Pennsylvania , according to a New York Times/Siena College poll released Saturday .
📆 Eight days until Election Day , 86 days until Inauguration Day , 67 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ See USA TODAY 's Voter Guide for information on registering to vote , when your state begins voting and what the candidates think about the issues .
We will update this article throughout the day .
You can follow all of USA TODAY 's politics reporters on Twitter or subscribe to our daily On Politics newsletter .
Pence 's plans to preside over Amy Coney Barrett vote 'in flux' Vice President Mike Pence ’ s plans to preside over the Senate ’ s confirmation vote of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following the recent outbreak of coronavirus among his inner circle .
`` I think that is in flux , ” White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters .
Pence ’ s vote , as president of the Senate , isn ’ t expected to be needed to break a tie .
But Pence has been heavily involved in President Donald Trump ’ s three Supreme Court nominations and he presided over the confirmation votes of Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh .
“ I ’ m gon na be in the chair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote for the world , ” Pence said of the final vote for Barrett during a campaign rally in Florida Saturday .
But that was before his office revealed that Marc Short , Pence ’ s chief of staff , had tested positive for COVID-19 .
Other close aides have also contracted the virus .
Pence has not curtailed his public schedule – which includes a campaign trip to Minnesota Monday – because the White House says he is an “ essential worker.
” Pence and second lady Karen Pence again tested negative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office said Monday morning .
Senate Democrats , however , scoffed at the notion and said his presence in the Senate would be a clear violation of guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
“ It would also be a violation of common decency and courtesy , ” Democratic leaders wrote in a letter to Pence .
“ Nothing about your presence in the Senate tomorrow can be considered essential.
” Nancy Pelosi says she will seek another speaker term if Democrats keep House House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaker should Democrats keep control of the lower chamber .
When asked whether she would seek reelection in 2021 , Pelosi told CNN `` State of the Union '' host Jake Tapper , `` Yes , I am .
But let me also say , we have to win the Senate . ''
The statement is in line with an agreement Pelosi made when she was elected to the office , which limits her speakership to four years .
Sen. Susan Collins said Sunday that she would vote against Amy Coney Barrett ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Maine Republican the only member of the GOP expected to oppose the federal appeals judge ’ s appointment to the high court .
Collins , who is facing a tough reelection battle , had said for weeks that she opposed the Senate taking up Barrett ’ s nomination before voters have their say on Election Day .
She reiterated her stance on Sunday .
`` Because this vote is occurring prior to the election , I will vote against the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett , '' Collins said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote does not reflect any conclusion that I have reached about Judge Barrett ’ s qualifications to serve on the Supreme Court '' but rather , was about fairness after the Republican majority refused to take up Merrick Garland ’ s nomination by President Barack Obama to the Supreme Court months ahead of the 2016 election .

Election 2020 live updates: Clarence Thomas to swear in ACB; Biden says he won't change SCOTUS lifetime terms
Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump says he voted for 'guy named Trump' The US President said he voted "for a guy named Trump" after he cast his ballot in Fla. in early voting in the presidential elections. (Oct. 24) AP
President Donald Trump is back in Pennsylvania on Monday as his campaign tries to chip away at former Vice President Joe Biden's polling lead in the Keystone State.
Trump narrowly won Pennsylvania in 2016, but Biden is now leading Trump by 5.4 points there, according to USA TODAY's polling average.
Both campaigns have their eyes on Pennsylvania. Trump gave a rally there last week, former President Barack Obama was in Philadelphia on Wednesday and Biden and wife Dr. Jill Biden were there on Saturday. Biden returned today to Chester, Pa.
The Supreme Court could get its ninth justice today, when the Senate is expected to take its final confirmation vote on Amy Coney Barrett. Vice President Mike Pence, who campaigns in Minnesota on Monday, had planned to preside over the Senate vote, but those plans are "in flux" after a recent outbreak of COVID-19 among his staff.
☕ The latest:
'Settle for Biden': The Settle for Biden organization urges young progressives to support the centrist as the better, if not ideal, candidate.
The Settle for Biden organization urges young progressives to support the centrist as the better, if not ideal, candidate. Lincoln Project: Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have threatened to sue the Lincoln Project over ads running in Times Square.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have threatened to sue the Lincoln Project over ads running in Times Square. Who performed better in debate?: A majority of registered voters said Biden performed better than Trump in the final debate last week, according to a Politico/Morning Consult poll.
📊 What the polls are saying: Biden is leading Trump in Florida and Pennsylvania, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll released Saturday.
📆 Eight days until Election Day, 86 days until Inauguration Day, 67 days left in 2020.
Today in #Election2020:
•There are 8 days until Election Day
•Maryland starts early voting
•It's the last day to register to vote in Colorado, Montana and Washington. However, all three states allow in-person registration on Election Day. pic.twitter.com/8lzBL9gA10 — USA TODAY Politics (@usatodayDC) October 26, 2020
🗳 Voting: See USA TODAY's Voter Guide for information on registering to vote, when your state begins voting and what the candidates think about the issues.
We will update this article throughout the day. You can follow all of USA TODAY's politics reporters on Twitter or subscribe to our daily On Politics newsletter.
Biden said Monday he wouldn’t try to limit the terms of Supreme Court justices, who serve lifetime appointments.
Biden’s comments came the same day the Senate was expected to confirm federal appeals Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the high court. Biden and other Democrats have argued that the seat should have remained open until after the election, to give voters a voice in the decision.
Trump has accused Biden of wanting to expand the high court to dilute the power of conservative justices. Biden has said if elected, he would appoint a bipartisan commission to study the federal courts for six months and make recommendations about possible changes in filling vacancies.
But at a campaign stop in Chester, Pennsylvania, he told reporters he wouldn’t change the length of terms.
“It’s a lifetime appointment,” Biden said. “I’m not going to attempt to change that at all.”
--Bart Jansen
Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner says the president wants to help Black people succeed but that they have to want to be successful.
“But he can’t want them to be successful more than they want to be successful,” Kushner said on “Fox & Friends” on Monday.
Kushner also criticized people who protested after George Floyd's killing.
“You saw a lot of people who were just virtue signaling – they go on Instagram and cry, or they would, you know, put a slogan on their jersey or write something on a basketball court,” Kushner said. “Quite frankly, that was doing more to polarize the country than it was to bring people forward. You solve problems with solutions.”
Kushner's implication that Black Americans lack a drive to succeed drew criticisms of racism and that he is blind to his own privilege from his family's wealth.
"Born on third base, thinks he hit a triple," said Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va.
--William Cummings
Justice Clarence Thomas is scheduled to swear in new Supreme Court member Amy Coney Barrett at a White House ceremony Monday night following the Senate confirmation vote, an official said.
The White House is planning to hold the event on the South Lawn, with social distancing and masks for guests as precautions against COVID-19, said an official familiar with the planning, speaking on condition of anonymity because the Senate has not yet confirmed Barrett.
After spending the day campaigning in Pennsylvania, Trump is scheduled to return to the White House around 7:40 p.m., right around the time of the Senate vote.
Trump, who took criticism when the nomination ceremony for Amy Coney Barrett became a superspreader of COVID-19, told reporters he wants a more low-key event.
“Not a large event, just a very nice event," Trump said.
More than a dozen people tested positive for COVID-19 – including Trump himself – in the days after the Barrett nomination ceremony on Sept. 26, in large part because guests were packed together in chairs set up in the Rose Garden and many did not wear masks.
"We'll be doing the best we can to encourage as much social distancing as possible," Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said of Monday's event.
A ceremony is not required for Barrett to become a member of the high-court.
– David Jackson
First Lady Melania Trump will make her first major campaign appearance Tuesday in Pennsylvania.
The first lady will speak at an event moderated by former White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway in Atglen, Pennsylvania, as the campaign looks to shore up support among suburban women, a key voting bloc crucial to the president's reelection chances. Last week she scrapped plans to appear with her husband at a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, citing a "lingering cough" from her COVID-19 diagnosis earlier this month.
Melania Trump has shied away from the campaign trail with her last appearance at a rally in June 2019, when the president announced his reelection bid. But the first lady supported her husband's campaign through a keynote speech from the White House Rose Garden at the Republican National Convention in August.
Trump was speaking in Allentown, Lititz and Martinsburg, Pennsylvania on Monday.
– Courtney Subramanian
In the first excerpt released Monday in The New Yorker from his upcoming presidential memoir, "A Promised Land," due Nov. 17, President Barack Obama, 59, recalled his early days in the White House, dealing with the H1N1 pandemic and experiencing resentment and racist comments from fellow politicians and other Americans.
"My instructions to the public-health team were simple: decisions would be made based on the best available science, and we were going to explain to the public each step of our response—including detailing what we did and didn’t know," he wrote.
Fact check: H1N1 spread quickly but COVID-19 more deadly
Obama said that he didn't call out attacks labeling him an animal or Hitler because "I didn’t believe a President should ever publicly whine about criticism from voters—it’s what you signed up for in taking the job—and I was quick to remind both reporters and friends that my white predecessors had all endured their share of vicious personal attacks and obstructionism."
--Hannah Yasharoff
A government ethics office is investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for possible violations of the Hatch Act, a federal law that bars Executive Branch employees from engaging in partisan political activities, according to two House Democrats.
The probe centers on Pompeo’s controversial decision to deliver remarks to the Republican National Convention – even though it was a break in diplomatic protocol and appeared to violate the State Department's own policy barring partisan political activity.
“Our offices have confirmed that the Office of Special Counsel has launched a probe into potential Hatch Act violations tied to Secretary Pompeo’s speech to the Republican National Convention,” Reps. Eliot Engel, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Nita Lowey, chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, said in a joint statement Monday.
"It was lawful.': Pompeo defends controversial RNC speech
The Hatch Act is intended to prevent public officials from using their taxpayer-funded office to conduct partisan politics.
“I can confirm that OSC has opened a case file, but am unable to comment beyond that,” said Zachary Kurz, a spokesman for the OSC.
The State Department’s press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The State Department previously dismissed questions about the ethics of Pompeo’s remarks by saying he was addressing the RNC in his "personal capacity." The agency said no official federal resources were used for the event. But Pompeo made his speech in the middle of an official State Department trip to the Middle East. His speech was recorded and piped in from Israel.
– Deirdre Shesgreen
Pence’s plans to preside over the Senate’s confirmation vote of Barrett were up in the air Monday, following the recent outbreak of coronavirus among his inner circle.
"I think that is in flux,” Meadows told reporters.
Pence’s vote, as president of the Senate, isn’t expected to be needed to break a tie. But Pence has been heavily involved in Trump’s three Supreme Court nominations and presided over the confirmation votes of Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
“I’m gonna be in the chair because I wouldn’t miss that vote for the world,” Pence said during a campaign rally in Florida Saturday.
But that was before his office revealed that Marc Short, Pence’s chief of staff, had tested positive for COVID-19. Other close aides have also contracted the virus.
'Totally irresponsible': Dems criticize Pence presiding over Amy Coney Barrett vote after aides contract COVID-19
Pence has not curtailed his public schedule – which includes a campaign trip to Minnesota Monday – because the White House says he is an “essential worker.”
Pence and second lady Karen Pence again tested negative for COVID-19, the vice president's office said Monday morning.
Senate Democrats, however, scoffed at the notion and said his presence in the Senate would be a clear violation of guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“It would also be a violation of common decency and courtesy,” Democratic leaders wrote in a letter to Pence. “Nothing about your presence in the Senate [Monday] can be considered essential.”
– Maureen Groppe
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that she will run for another term as speaker should Democrats keep control of the lower chamber.
When asked whether she would seek reelection in 2021, Pelosi told CNN "State of the Union" host Jake Tapper, "Yes, I am. But let me also say, we have to win the Senate."
The statement is in line with an agreement Pelosi made when she was elected to the office, which limits her speakership to four years.
– Matthew Brown
Sen. Susan Collins said Sunday that she would vote against Barrett’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, making the Maine Republican the only member of the GOP expected to oppose the federal appeals judge’s appointment to the high court.
Collins, who is facing a tough reelection battle, had said for weeks that she opposed the Senate taking up Barrett’s nomination before voters have their say on Election Day. She reiterated her stance on Sunday.
"Because this vote is occurring prior to the election, I will vote against the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett," Collins said in a statement.
She added that her "vote does not reflect any conclusion that I have reached about Judge Barrett’s qualifications to serve on the Supreme Court" but rather, was about fairness after the Republican majority refused to take up Merrick Garland’s nomination by President Barack Obama to the Supreme Court months ahead of the 2016 election.
– Christal Hayes


usatoday--2020-10-26--Coronavirus updates: In one-week span, US reports highest number of cases since pandemic began; Dems

Coronavirus updates: In one-week span, US reports highest number of cases since pandemic began; Dems criticize Pence for not self-isolating

The United States had more than 481,372 new cases of COVID-19 last week , setting a record for the most new cases reported in a week since the pandemic began .
Nearly half the country set records for new COVID-19 cases in a week while five states had a record number of deaths in a week : Montana , North Carolina , South Dakota , Wisconsin and Wyoming .
The U.S. reports a new COVID-19 case every 1.26 seconds , according to a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data .
Meanwhile , there are more than 43 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice President Mike Pence plans to attend several scheduled events this week , including the final vote to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme County on Monday , despite several of his aides testing positive for COVID-19 .
And in Mexico , health officials said the country 's coronavirus death toll is far higher than previously reported:193,170 `` excess '' deaths through late September .
Nearly 140,000 deaths are now judged attributable to COVID-19 , about 50,000 more than the country 's official death toll of 89,000 .
📈 Today 's numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8.6 million cases and 225,200 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University data .
The global totals : 43.1 million cases and 1.15 million deaths .
🗺 Mapping coronavirus : Track the U.S. outbreak in your state .
When will there be a COVID-19 vaccine ?
Our panel of experts expects at least one COVID-19 vaccine will be approved in the coming months .
Then things could really get complicated .
US sets another record for most new cases of COVID-19 in a week The United States had more than 481,372 new cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record for the most new cases reported in a week since the pandemic began .
Twenty states set new records for new cases in a week : Alaska , Arkansas , Colorado , Idaho , Indiana , Iowa , Kentucky Montana , New Hampshire , New Mexico , North Dakota , Ohio , Oklahoma , Oregon , Pennsylvania , South Dakota , Tennessee , Utah , Wisconsin and Wyoming .
Meanwhile , five states reported a record number of COVID-19 deaths in a week : Montana , North Carolina , South Dakota , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new COVID-19 case every 1.26 seconds , according to a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data .
The El Paso civic center will be converted into a medical care site and some patients will be flown to other cities as local hospitals are being inundated with COVID-19 patients .
The civic center site will have a capacity of 50 beds and can expand to 100 beds , Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott said .
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is also deploying two 35-member disaster medical assistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to El Paso , Abbott added .
The teams will arrive this week .
El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego on Sunday evening issued a stay home order with a daily curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. , unless going to work or going to an essential service .
Violation of the order is punishable by a $ 500 fine .
As of Sunday morning , a record 786 patients were hospitalized for COVID-19 in El Paso , an increase of 71 patients from the day before , and the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 11,321 , according to city-county health data .
Democrats criticize Mike Pence for not isolating after aides ' positive tests Senate Democrats on Sunday lodged harsh criticisms at Vice President Mike Pence who plans to preside over the chamber during a vote on Amy Coney Barrett 's confirmation to the Supreme Court on Monday despite several of his top aides contracting COVID-19 .
The plans drew harsh criticism from Democrats , but Republicans mostly shrugged off Pence coming to Capitol Hill , explaining they were sure the vice president would do so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , D-N.Y. , railed against Pence 's plans and said the visit would put `` the health of everyone who works in this building at risk , '' noting that Pence should quarantine as CDC guidelines dictate .
Pence and the Second Lady tested negative for COVID-19 this morning , according to the vice president 's office .
Wisconsin redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz , who put on a sparkling performance in his starting debut Friday night , has tested positive for COVID-19 .
Two people familiar with the situation told the Milwaukee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TODAY Network , on Sunday that Mertz has had one positive test .
They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter .
Mertz completed 20 of 21 passes for 248 yards and five touchdowns in the Badgers ' 45-7 victory over Illinois on Friday .
Wisconsin is ranked No .
11 in this week 's Amway Coaches Poll .
A Wisconsin official declined to comment on Mertz 's status .
But a positive test does not necessarily mean he wo n't be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released last month , athletes who test positive through point of contact ( POC ) daily testing will require a polymerase chain reaction ( PCR ) test to confirm the first result .
Mexican health authorities acknowledge the country ’ s true death toll from the coronavirus pandemic is far higher than previously reported , saying there were 193,170 “ excess ” deaths this year through Sept. 26 .
Of those , 139,153 are now judged to be attributable to COVID-19 .
Mexico ’ s official , test-confirmed death toll is about 89,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t get tested or their tests were mishandled .
Authorities had previously presented an estimated death toll of 103,882 , after taking into account mishandled tests .
But the Health Department said Sunday that they had analyzed databases to come up with the latest figure .
The analysis picked up symptoms related to COVID-19 mentioned on death certificates even if they weren ’ t listed as the cause of death .
UK police to enforce travel ban in effort to slow coronavirus infections A police force in England says it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has started a 17-day lockdown to slow a surging rate of coronavirus infections .
The Gloucestershire Constabulary will patrol routes from Wales and pull over drivers they believe are making long journeys .
Travelers without a good excuse will be asked to turn around .
If they don ’ t comply , officers will inform their Welsh counterparts so they can take action because Gloucestershire police don ’ t have the authority to fine people traveling from Wales , the department said .
The situation illustrates the patchwork of coronavirus restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has Europe ’ s deadliest coronavirus numbers , with 44,661 confirmed virus deaths .
About 1,756 of those occurred in Wales , which has a population of about 3 million .
Bulgaria 's prime minister joined the list of world leaders to test positive , Spain imposed a nationwide curfew , and Russia 's confirmed case total surpassed 1.5 million Sunday as Europe faced difficulties similar to the U.S. in the struggle to control the virus .
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov posted a note Sunday on Facebook saying that `` after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for COVID-19 . ''
He was vague about his symptoms , saying he has a “ general indisposition ” and will remain at home for treatment .
Borissov was n't the only European leader to get infected .
Poland ’ s President Andrzej Duda , Slovenia ’ s Foreign Minister Anze Logar and the mayor of Istanbul have tested positive for the coronavirus , according to their spokespeople .
And Algeria President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is in self-isolation for five days as a precautionary measure .
The Spanish government declared a national state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 p.m.-6 a.m. starting Sunday night and possibly extending for six months .
Police in England say they will try to stop people from leaving Wales , which has started a 17-day lockdown to slow a surging rate of infections .
Slovakia is adopting strict limits on movement , Greece officials introduced mandatory wearing of masks everywhere Saturday , and Slovenia shut down non-essential shops , kindergartens and hotels .
• In your inbox : Stay up to date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ newsletter .
• Tips for coping : Every Saturday and Tuesday we 'll be in your inbox , offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times .
Sign up for Staying Apart , Together .
• On Facebook : A lot is still unknown about the coronavirus .
But what we do know , we 're sharing with you .
Join our Facebook group , Coronavirus Watch , to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19 .

Adrianna Rodriguez and Jessica Flores, USA TODAY

Coronavirus updates: In one-week span, US reports highest number of cases during pandemic; NIH halts monoclonal antibody trial
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19: Pandemic is getting worse as new cases surge across the U.S. Months into the COVID-19 pandemic states are setting records for the most new cases and deaths in a week since the pandemic began. USA TODAY
The U.S. had more than 481,372 new cases of COVID-19 last week, setting a record for the most new infections reported in a week since the pandemic began.
Nearly half the country set records for new COVID-19 cases in a week while five states had a record number of deaths in a week: Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Wisconsin's public health officials and contact tracers say they're struggling to keep up with virus spread, while El Paso, Texas, is airlifting COVID-19 patients to neighboring hospitals and converting the civic center into a medical site for an additional 100 beds.
The U.S. reports a new COVID-19 case every 1.26 seconds, according to a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data. Worldwide, there have been more than 43 million coronavirus infections.
In Washington, Vice President Mike Pence plans to attend several scheduled events this week, including the final vote to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court on Monday, despite several of his aides testing positive for COVID-19.
📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 8.6 million cases and 225,500 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: 43.3 million cases and 1.15 million deaths.
🗺 Mapping coronavirus: Track the U.S. outbreak in your state.
When will there be a COVID-19 vaccine? Our panel of experts expects at least one COVID-19 vaccine will be approved in the coming months. Then things could really get complicated.
The National Institutes of Health has stopped a trial of a monoclonal antibody being tested in hospitalized patients with advanced COVID-19, deciding that it was unlikely to be of help. A similar trial in patients at an earlier stage of disease will continue, Eli Lilly and Co., which makes the antibody, said late Monday.
The trial was stopped earlier this month because of safety concern. Lilly said that an analysis showed that the drug, bamlanivimab, was not dangerous, but also unlikely to help advanced patients.
President Donald Trump, who received a different pair of monoclonal antibodies when he was sick with COVID-19, has proclaimed them a “cure” and promised to provide them free to any American who needs them.
The company that makes the drug he took, Regeneron, has requested an emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin providing it. Lilly has requested similar authorization for bamlanivimab in recently diagnosed high-risk patients.
– Karen Weintraub
With an average of 3,400 new cases each day just in the last week in Wisconsin – the third highest per-person rate in the U.S. – contact tracers are now so overrun that some have begun to wonder whether the job is futile.
A person who tests positive might report 10 or more close contacts who need to be reached quickly. Multiply that by 3,400 and the task becomes impossible: close to 40,000 people for the state's little more than 1,000 tracers to reach with each new day.
Some Wisconsin counties are now stopping short of reaching out to an infected person's contacts, instead asking the infected person to do it themselves. That includes Dane County, the second-most populous in the state, which said in a news release this week it has switched to a “crisis model.”
DHS chief medical officer Dr. Ryan Westergaard told reporters last week that Wisconsin's entire public health infrastructure – including state, local and tribal health departments – "cannot keep up."
– Madeline Heim, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Is the U.S. prepared for a coronavirus pandemic? A previous version of this video incorrectly stated how many people the 1918 Spanish influenza killed. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
California restaurants want refund for $100 million in fees
California’s financially battered restaurants filed government claims Monday to recover more than $100 million in fees for liquor and health permits and tourism charges that they say were assessed even though their businesses were shuttered or only partially operating under long-running coronavirus orders.
Few industries have been hit as hard during the pandemic as restaurants, which in California were ordered closed, reopened, closed for a second time and then were allowed to welcome customers again with restrictions. Thousands of restaurants have closed permanently.
Owners say one thing has remained constant amid the turmoil: State and county governments have continued to charge fees for liquor licenses, health permits and tourism assessments, even though the restaurants were closed down by government orders or limited in how they could operate.
-- The Associated Press
US sets another record for most new cases of COVID-19 in a week
The United States had more than 481,372 new cases of COVID-19 last week, setting a record for the most new cases reported in a week since the pandemic began. Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, all of them considered battleground states in the upcoming election, all reported their 200,000th cases Monday.
Twenty states set records for new cases in a week: Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Meanwhile, five states reported a record number of COVID-19 deaths in a week: Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
The U.S. reports a new COVID-19 case every 1.26 seconds, according to a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data.
– Michael Stucka
The capital of the state with the nation's highest incidence of new coronavirus cases per capita has drawn a rebuke from the White House coronavirus response coordinator for its careless ways.
Dr. Deborah Birx, whose tour has taken her to nearly 40 states, said Bismarck, North Dakota, has the worst COVID-19 protocols she’s seen in her travels, calling the absence of face coverings and the lack of social distancing in the capital city “deeply unfortunate” and a danger to public health.
North Dakota has ranked first in the U.S. for new virus cases per capita in the last two weeks, according to The COVID Tracking Project. Republican Gov. Doug Burgum has urged people to wear masks out of personal responsibility and care for others but declined to issue a mask mandate.
Hospitals in El Paso, Texas, overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients
The El Paso civic center will be converted into a medical care site and some patients will be flown to other cities as local hospitals are being inundated with COVID-19 patients.
The civic center site will have a capacity of 50 beds and can expand to 100 beds, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is also deploying two 35-member disaster medical assistance teams and a trauma critical care team to El Paso, Abbott added. The teams will arrive this week.
El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego on Sunday evening issued a stay-at-home order with a daily curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., unless going to work or going to an essential service. Violation of the order is punishable by a $500 fine.
As of Sunday morning, a record 786 patients were hospitalized for COVID-19 in El Paso, an increase of 71 patients from the day before, and the number of known active cases was a 11,321, according to city-county health data.
– Daniel Borunda, El Paso Times
Mexico health officials acknowledge higher COVID-19 death toll
Mexican health authorities acknowledged the country’s true death toll from the coronavirus pandemic is far higher than previously reported, saying there were 193,170 “excess” deaths this year through Sept. 26.
Of those, 139,153 are now judged to be attributable to COVID-19. Mexico’s official, test-confirmed death toll is about 89,000, but officials previously acknowledged many people didn’t get tested or their tests were mishandled.
Authorities had previously presented an estimated death toll of 103,882, after taking into account mishandled tests. But the Health Department said Sunday that they had analyzed databases to come up with the latest figure. The analysis picked up symptoms related to COVID-19 mentioned on death certificates even if they weren’t listed as the cause of death.
COVID-19 resources from USA TODAY
In your inbox: Stay up to date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network. Sign up for the daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter.
Stay up to date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network. Tips for coping: Every Saturday and Tuesday we'll be in your inbox, offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times. Sign up for Staying Apart, Together.
Every Saturday and Tuesday we'll be in your inbox, offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times. On Facebook: A lot is still unknown about the coronavirus. But what we do know, we're sharing with you. Join our Facebook group, Coronavirus Watch, to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19.
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-10-26--'He deserves it': Clayton Kershaw sets up Dodgers for first World Series title in 32 years

ARLINGTON , Texas — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stood on the mound Sunday evening , his ears reverberating with boos .
Clayton Kershaw , their three-time Cy Young award winner and future Hall of Famer was coming out of the game , and Roberts signaled for the bullpen .
The crowd of 11,437 at Globe Life Field , virtually all Dodgers ’ fans , screamed in disgust , and only when Kershaw walked off the mound and walked towards the dugout , did they stand and give him a loud , rousing ovation .
When reliever Dustin May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retreated to the dugout , the loud boos returned , echoing throughout the closed-roof ballpark .
“ I just felt , we felt , ’ ’ Roberts said , “ he was at the end.
’ ’ Well , a funny thing then happened to the Dodgers .
Those October ghosts that have haunted the Dodgers , all those decisions that backfired over the years taking Kershaw out too early or keeping him in too long , all that heartbreak , disappeared in the Texas night .
The narrative that Kershaw can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and that the Dodgers choke on the biggest stage , is on the verge of being shredded forever .
The Dodgers , behind yet another strong performance by Kershaw , knocked off the Tampa Bay Rays , 4-2 , are one victory away from winning their first World Series championship since 1988 .
The Dodgers lead the Series , 3 games to 2 , and with an off-day Monday , they ’ ve got two chances finally bring that long coveted trophy to Los Angeles .
“ The off-day is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who picked up his second win of the World Series , yielding five hits and two runs in 5 ⅔ innings .
“ One win away from the World Series ( title ) is hard , being in the same hotel after four weeks .
But it ’ s just one more day .
I ’ m still going to be ready to pitch at any moment because it ’ s the last two days of the season.
’ ’ The Dodgers certainly wouldn ’ t ’ be in this position without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postseason , going 4-1 with a 2.93 ERA , striking out 37 batters in 30 ⅔ innings .
Still , would anyone be surprised if he ’ s the last man standing on the mound , volunteering to come into the clinching game in relief ?
“ To his credit , ’ ’ Roberts said , “ he will do whatever we ask .
I don ’ t know many pitchers that would do that .
“ I couldn ’ t be happier that the postseason he ’ s had mirrors who he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ ll tell you he was much sharper in his Game 1 victory than Sunday , and gave up two runs in the third inning and scrambled out of a first-and-third , no-out jam in the fourth inning , but he was cruising when Roberts came to the mound .
Kershaw had retired seven consecutive batters , well , eight if you count throwing out Manuel Margot trying to steal home .
GAME 5 : Tampa Bay come close , but it 's not enough WATCH : Margot tries to steal home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed just two pitches to retire the hottest player in the postseason , Randy Arozarena , and Brandon Lowe , who had hit three homers , but Roberts popped out of the dugout and headed to the mound .
Dodgers ’ fans were in disbelief .
On the mound , Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner could be seen voicing his opinion to Roberts .
“ I understand that fans , players , get caught up on emotion , ’ ’ Roberts said .
“ I ’ m emotional , but I still have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultimate job is to help the Dodgers win the World Series .
“ I can ’ t get caught up with fans ’ reactions.
’ ’ Besides , Roberts already had his mind made up .
He had already told Kershaw before the sixth inning that he was only going to pitch to the first two batters .
Everything was understood .
“ It ’ s our relationship , ’ ’ Roberts said .
“ It ’ s been five years .
We ’ ve been through a lot together .
I trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I was just being honest right there .
“ I thought he pitched a heck of a game , and to go out there and get two more hitters , we felt that was good enough .
Once he did that , I thought it was time to get the baseball.
’ ’ Said Kershaw : “ That was the plan .
We talked about it before the inning .
We stuck to the plan.
’ ’ The demons , the ones that turned the greatest pitcher of his generation into merely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12-12 , 4.22 ERA ) , vanished in front of his family and friends .
Kershaw simply wanted everyone to experience what he was feeling this night , knowing just how far he has come , enduring so much postseason heartache , to now be on the verge of being a World Series champion .
“ Being in Dodger Stadium would be awesome , ’ ’ Kershaw said , “ but to have family and friends here , and it seems like everyone ’ s all Dodger fans here , is pretty special.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the first five World Series games , moved into fourth-place on the all-time list with his 13th postseason victory .
He also surpassed Justin Verlander to become the all-time leader with 207 postseason strikeouts .
“ It feels pretty good , ’ ’ Kershaw said .
“ Anytime you can have success in the postseason , it just means so much .
That ’ s what you work for .
That ’ s what you play for .
“ I know what the other end of it feels like , too , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Kershaw , with two of his three children sitting alongside him during the Zoom calls , laughed , saying he felt the best because his 5-year-old daughter , Cali , showed her appreciation for his performance .
“ Every dad just wants their kids to be proud of them , ’ ’ Kershaw said .
“ Cali told me that , so I ’ ll take that.
’ ’ And for Roberts , the man responsible for these gut-wrenching decisions , trying to distinguish between his instincts and a spreadsheet , perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t think that ever feels good , ’ ’ he said .
“ I didn ’ t get a chance to see the boos turn to cheers .
That ’ s Ok , fans have passion , that ’ s good.
’ ’ That moment , thanks to one of the greatest pitchers in franchise history , is about to arrive .

'He deserves it': Clayton Kershaw sets up Dodgers for first World Series title in 32 years
Show Caption Hide Caption Kershaw dominant again, has Dodgers on brink of title What I'm Hearing: USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale was on hand for yet another strong post season performance from Clayton Kershaw who now has the Los Angeles Dodgers one win away from a World Series title. What I'm Hearing, USA TODAY
ARLINGTON, Texas — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stood on the mound Sunday evening, his ears reverberating with boos.
Clayton Kershaw, their three-time Cy Young award winner and future Hall of Famer was coming out of the game, and Roberts signaled for the bullpen.
The crowd of 11,437 at Globe Life Field, virtually all Dodgers’ fans, screamed in disgust, and only when Kershaw walked off the mound and walked towards the dugout, did they stand and give him a loud, rousing ovation.
When reliever Dustin May came to the mound, and Roberts retreated to the dugout, the loud boos returned, echoing throughout the closed-roof ballpark.
“I just felt, we felt,’’ Roberts said, “he was at the end.’’
Well, a funny thing then happened to the Dodgers.
Those October ghosts that have haunted the Dodgers, all those decisions that backfired over the years taking Kershaw out too early or keeping him in too long, all that heartbreak, disappeared in the Texas night.
The narrative that Kershaw can’t win the big one in October, and that the Dodgers choke on the biggest stage, is on the verge of being shredded forever.
The Dodgers, behind yet another strong performance by Kershaw, knocked off the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-2, are one victory away from winning their first World Series championship since 1988.
The Dodgers lead the Series, 3 games to 2, and with an off-day Monday, they’ve got two chances finally bring that long coveted trophy to Los Angeles.
“The off-day is going to be hard,’’ said Kershaw, who picked up his second win of the World Series, yielding five hits and two runs in 5 ⅔ innings. “One win away from the World Series (title) is hard, being in the same hotel after four weeks. But it’s just one more day. I’m still going to be ready to pitch at any moment because it’s the last two days of the season.’’
Hey, why not?
The Dodgers certainly wouldn’t’ be in this position without him. He has pitched great this postseason, going 4-1 with a 2.93 ERA, striking out 37 batters in 30 ⅔ innings.
Still, would anyone be surprised if he’s the last man standing on the mound, volunteering to come into the clinching game in relief?
“To his credit,’’ Roberts said, “he will do whatever we ask. I don’t know many pitchers that would do that.
“I couldn’t be happier that the postseason he’s had mirrors who he is as a pitcher.
“He deserves it.’’
Sure, he’ll tell you he was much sharper in his Game 1 victory than Sunday, and gave up two runs in the third inning and scrambled out of a first-and-third, no-out jam in the fourth inning, but he was cruising when Roberts came to the mound.
Kershaw had retired seven consecutive batters, well, eight if you count throwing out Manuel Margot trying to steal home.
GAME 5: Tampa Bay come close, but it's not enough
WATCH: Margot tries to steal home on Clayton Kershaw in Game 5
BRETT PHILLIPS: Game 4 hero needed IV after dramatic walk-off celebration
He needed just two pitches to retire the hottest player in the postseason, Randy Arozarena, and Brandon Lowe, who had hit three homers, but Roberts popped out of the dugout and headed to the mound.
Dodgers’ fans were in disbelief. On the mound, Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner could be seen voicing his opinion to Roberts.
“I understand that fans, players, get caught up on emotion,’’ Roberts said. “I’m emotional, but I still have to have clarity making decisions. My ultimate job is to help the Dodgers win the World Series.
“I can’t get caught up with fans’ reactions.’’
Besides, Roberts already had his mind made up. He had already told Kershaw before the sixth inning that he was only going to pitch to the first two batters. Everything was understood.
“It’s our relationship,’’ Roberts said. “It’s been five years. We’ve been through a lot together. I trust him. I know he trusts me. I was just being honest right there.
“I thought he pitched a heck of a game, and to go out there and get two more hitters, we felt that was good enough. Once he did that, I thought it was time to get the baseball.’’
Said Kershaw: “That was the plan. We talked about it before the inning. We stuck to the plan.’’
This time, it finally worked.
The demons, the ones that turned the greatest pitcher of his generation into merely an average one during the postseason (12-12, 4.22 ERA), vanished in front of his family and friends.
Kershaw simply wanted everyone to experience what he was feeling this night, knowing just how far he has come, enduring so much postseason heartache, to now be on the verge of being a World Series champion.
“Being in Dodger Stadium would be awesome,’’ Kershaw said, “but to have family and friends here, and it seems like everyone’s all Dodger fans here, is pretty special.’’
Kershaw, who won two of the first five World Series games, moved into fourth-place on the all-time list with his 13th postseason victory. He also surpassed Justin Verlander to become the all-time leader with 207 postseason strikeouts.
“It feels pretty good,’’ Kershaw said. “Anytime you can have success in the postseason, it just means so much. That’s what you work for. That’s what you play for.
“I know what the other end of it feels like, too, so I’ll take it.’’
Kershaw, with two of his three children sitting alongside him during the Zoom calls, laughed, saying he felt the best because his 5-year-old daughter, Cali, showed her appreciation for his performance.
“Every dad just wants their kids to be proud of them,’’ Kershaw said. “Cali told me that, so I’ll take that.’’
And for Roberts, the man responsible for these gut-wrenching decisions, trying to distinguish between his instincts and a spreadsheet, perhaps those boos can finally end.
“I don’t think that ever feels good,’’ he said. “I didn’t get a chance to see the boos turn to cheers. That’s Ok, fans have passion, that’s good.’’
Simply, they are craving a World Series championship.
That moment, thanks to one of the greatest pitchers in franchise history, is about to arrive.
Follow Nightengale on Twitter: @Bnightengale


usatoday--2020-10-26--Ex-NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia blasts Cam Newton for flashy attire amid struggles

Former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia criticized New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton 's attire after Sunday 's 33-6 loss to the San Francisco 49ers , arguing that the former MVP Newton was playing so horribly that he should n't be dressing flashy .
Newton threw for 98 yards with three interceptions in the loss , which dropped New England to 2-4 .
He was replaced in the fourth quarter by Jarrett Stidham .
Garcia , a studio analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area , felt that Newton 's stylish outfit prior to the game did n't make any sense considering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and four interceptions .
“ You go into this game with two touchdowns , four interceptions , you threw what , three more interceptions ? ''
Garcia began on his rant about Newton .
`` You get yanked in the second half , there ’ s nothing good going your way .
Why are you dressing like that to bring more attention to yourself ?
I ’ d be trying to ask the equipment managers 'Put me in your jock sock cart and sneak me in the back door and I ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best that I can . '
'' NBC Sports Bay Area posted the initial video to Twitter but has since taken it down .
Messages made by USA TODAY Sports regarding the initial video have not yet been returned .
On the segment , the studio host responded to Garcia : “ This sounds like you 're speaking from too much experience , here.
” “ This just goes back to a couple years of just watching this guy and seeing him at the podium , but yet what he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to being that guy , ” Garcia replied .
After Newton was then compared to Hall of Famer Joe Namath , who used to wear fur coats before and after games , Garcia said : `` When you predict you ’ re going to win a Super Bowl and you go out and do it , wear whatever the hell you want . ''
Garcia correlating Newton 's attire to poor play drew its own backlash over social media .
Newton , signed this offseason after Tom Brady left for the Buccaneers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games this season .
Patriots coach Bill Belichick told reporters after the loss that Newton remains the starter despite being benched during the game .
Garcia played 11 NFL seasons , most notably for the San Francisco 49ers where he was a Pro Bowl quarterback three times before retiring from football in 2010 .

Ex-NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia blasts Cam Newton for flashy attire amid struggles
Show Caption Hide Caption NFL Week 7 overreactions: Kyler Murray and Cardinals have arrived SportsPulse: The Kliff and Klyer experiment got their first signature victory against Seattle in an instant classic. Mackenzie Salmon overreact to the biggest storylines from Week 7 in the NFL. SportsPulse, USA TODAY
Former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia criticized New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton's attire after Sunday's 33-6 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, arguing that the former MVP Newton was playing so horribly that he shouldn't be dressing flashy.
Newton threw for 98 yards with three interceptions in the loss, which dropped New England to 2-4. He was replaced in the fourth quarter by Jarrett Stidham.
Garcia, a studio analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area, felt that Newton's stylish outfit prior to the game didn't make any sense considering Newton entered the game with two touchdowns and four interceptions.
Whew, Jeff Garcia been waiting a long time to get this off his chest about Cam Newton. pic.twitter.com/clx5IEGn9x — Moneybagg Yo(hannes) 🇪🇷 (@AronYohannes) October 26, 2020
“You go into this game with two touchdowns, four interceptions, you threw what, three more interceptions?" Garcia began on his rant about Newton. "You get yanked in the second half, there’s nothing good going your way. Why are you dressing like that to bring more attention to yourself? I’d be trying to ask the equipment managers 'Put me in your jock sock cart and sneak me in the back door and I’ll show up on the field and do the best that I can.'"
NBC Sports Bay Area posted the initial video to Twitter but has since taken it down. Messages made by USA TODAY Sports regarding the initial video have not yet been returned.
On the segment, the studio host responded to Garcia: “This sounds like you're speaking from too much experience, here.”
“This just goes back to a couple years of just watching this guy and seeing him at the podium, but yet what he’s doing on the field does not translate to being that guy,” Garcia replied.
After Newton was then compared to Hall of Famer Joe Namath, who used to wear fur coats before and after games, Garcia said: "When you predict you’re going to win a Super Bowl and you go out and do it, wear whatever the hell you want."
Garcia correlating Newton's attire to poor play drew its own backlash over social media.
Newton, signed this offseason after Tom Brady left for the Buccaneers, has thrown for 969 yards in five games this season. Patriots coach Bill Belichick told reporters after the loss that Newton remains the starter despite being benched during the game.
Garcia played 11 NFL seasons, most notably for the San Francisco 49ers where he was a Pro Bowl quarterback three times before retiring from football in 2010.


usatoday--2020-10-26--Dallas Cowboys' DeMarcus Lawrence calls out team for weak 'backbone' after loss

The first half looked so familiar that Mike McCarthy decided to acknowledge the elephant in the locker room .
The realization had hit : It ’ s happening again .
For the sixth consecutive game , the Cowboys were in a hole down at least 14 points .
The offense had again fumbled and thrown an interception in the first half .
Again , Andy Dalton ’ s group could not score a touchdown before halftime .
Again , the defense couldn ’ t guard against big plays .
Pick your poison of the 40-yard rush allowed on Washington ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touchdown up the middle on drive two or the busted coverage Terry McLaurin turned into a 52-yard touchdown on Washington ’ s fourth possession .
The unraveling looked all too familiar .
“ We talked at halftime about the ‘ here-we-go-again ’ mode on the sidelines , ” McCarthy said after a 25-3 loss at Washington dropped the Cowboys to 2-5 in his first season .
“ You know , we ’ ve got to move past that .
That ’ s part of making progress throughout the season .
We need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t keep letting our mistakes hold us down and hold us back .
“ The only ones who are going to get us out of the hole are us as a football team.
” The week preceding their trip to FedEx Field was rocky .
The Cowboys fell 38-10 at home to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night .
Tuesday , reports of players anonymously criticizing the coaching staff ’ s ability traveled far enough that McCarthy publicly addressed them .
Wednesday morning , McCarthy acknowledged the resulting angst in a team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you have an issue , be a man and address it publicly with the team .
By Friday , defensive coordinator Mike Nolan ’ s remarks had stooped to jabs that “ you can lead a horse to water ” but a 69-yard Arizona rushing touchdown up the middle felt “ like putting a knife in your back.
” An 80-yard Arizona touchdown against a three-deep zone was a brain lapse against a coverage that “ it ’ s not like they ’ re too complicated , ” Nolan said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high schools play those defenses.
” So how to explain Washington rookie running back Antonio Gibson rushing right through the middle of Dallas ’ defensive line for a 12-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter ?
How to explain McLaurin burning rookie cornerback Trevon Diggs over the top for that 52-yard receiving touchdown ?
Diggs said he got “ lazy ” staring at the quarterback .
No defensive back was anywhere near McLaurin to bail the rookie out .
“ It ’ s got nothing to do with scheme , ” linebacker Leighton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence , this Cowboys team has insufficient `` backbone . ''
“ We need more belief and more high spirits around this team , ” said Lawrence , who notched his second sack in seven games .
“ And really , more fight .
That ’ s really , I feel like , one of our weaknesses .
We need to build a stronger backbone , fight and also make sure that we brought everything possible to come out with a victory.
” MORE:32 things we learned from Week 7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cam Newton , Patriots look lost as they hit historic low The Cowboys can ’ t reverse season-ending injuries to quarterback Dak Prescott ( ankle ) , right tackle La ’ el Collins ( hip ) , left tackle Tyron Smith ( neck ) , tight end Blake Jarwin ( ACL ) or defensive tackles Gerald McCoy ( torn quad tendon ) and Trysten Hill ( ACL ) .
They can ’ t magically cure shorter-term injuries , including concussions in the last two games to Dalton and right guard Zack Martin .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ improve on ball security even if protection is left to second- and third-string offensive linemen .
Defenders must tackle more cleanly and play with better gap integrity than they continue to show as opponents torch them at record rates .
The mistakes , like the injuries , look all too familiar .
The nine games remaining on the schedule at times seem like an interminable length for a shorthanded team , while simultaneously offering far too little time to right the ship in McCarthy ’ s first Dallas season .
“ I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too many times this year and spoke about basics we just haven ’ t put together yet , ” McCarthy said Sunday evening .
“ I ’ d start with the turnovers .
It obviously impacted the first-half field position and we didn ’ t handle the adversity of it – the points off of the turnovers .
And we really didn ’ t get the run game going as we had planned .
Then with that , they ran the ball too well against us .
So , not a very good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next travel to Philadelphia , where the 2-4-1 Eagles pace the NFC East .
Frustration mounts .
Disappointment , too .
McCarthy said he needs to “ quit candy coating ” the basic fundamental skills on which his team errs weekly .
“ We need to be much better , ” McCarthy said , “ and we ’ re running out of time .
”

Dallas Cowboys' DeMarcus Lawrence calls out team for weak 'backbone' after loss
Show Caption Hide Caption NFL Week 7 overreactions: Kyler Murray and Cardinals have arrived SportsPulse: The Kliff and Klyer experiment got their first signature victory against Seattle in an instant classic. Mackenzie Salmon overreact to the biggest storylines from Week 7 in the NFL. SportsPulse, USA TODAY
The first half looked so familiar that Mike McCarthy decided to acknowledge the elephant in the locker room.
The realization had hit: It’s happening again.
For the sixth consecutive game, the Cowboys were in a hole down at least 14 points. The offense had again fumbled and thrown an interception in the first half. Again, Andy Dalton’s group could not score a touchdown before halftime. Again, the defense couldn’t guard against big plays. Pick your poison of the 40-yard rush allowed on Washington’s first drive, the 26-yard catch to set up a 12-yard rushing touchdown up the middle on drive two or the busted coverage Terry McLaurin turned into a 52-yard touchdown on Washington’s fourth possession.
The unraveling looked all too familiar.
“We talked at halftime about the ‘here-we-go-again’ mode on the sidelines,” McCarthy said after a 25-3 loss at Washington dropped the Cowboys to 2-5 in his first season. “You know, we’ve got to move past that. That’s part of making progress throughout the season. We need to learn from our mistakes. We can’t keep letting our mistakes hold us down and hold us back.
“The only ones who are going to get us out of the hole are us as a football team.”
The week preceding their trip to FedEx Field was rocky. The Cowboys fell 38-10 at home to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night. Tuesday, reports of players anonymously criticizing the coaching staff’s ability traveled far enough that McCarthy publicly addressed them. Wednesday morning, McCarthy acknowledged the resulting angst in a team meeting before practice. His message: If you have an issue, be a man and address it publicly with the team. By Friday, defensive coordinator Mike Nolan’s remarks had stooped to jabs that “you can lead a horse to water” but a 69-yard Arizona rushing touchdown up the middle felt “like putting a knife in your back.” An 80-yard Arizona touchdown against a three-deep zone was a brain lapse against a coverage that “it’s not like they’re too complicated,” Nolan said. “As a matter of fact, many high schools play those defenses.”
So how to explain Washington rookie running back Antonio Gibson rushing right through the middle of Dallas’ defensive line for a 12-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter? How to explain McLaurin burning rookie cornerback Trevon Diggs over the top for that 52-yard receiving touchdown? Diggs said he got “lazy” staring at the quarterback. No defensive back was anywhere near McLaurin to bail the rookie out.
“It’s got nothing to do with scheme,” linebacker Leighton Vander Esch said.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy on whether he'd make change from DC Mike Nolan: "That hasn’t crossed my mind. I’m focused on getting better each and every day. That’s where we are." — Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) October 25, 2020
Rather, says defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, this Cowboys team has insufficient "backbone."
“We need more belief and more high spirits around this team,” said Lawrence, who notched his second sack in seven games. “And really, more fight. That’s really, I feel like, one of our weaknesses. We need to build a stronger backbone, fight and also make sure that we brought everything possible to come out with a victory.”
MORE: 32 things we learned from Week 7 of the 2020 NFL season
OPINION: Cam Newton, Patriots look lost as they hit historic low
COWBOYS: Mike McCarthy questions players' response to hit on QB Andy Dalton
The Cowboys can’t reverse season-ending injuries to quarterback Dak Prescott (ankle), right tackle La’el Collins (hip), left tackle Tyron Smith (neck), tight end Blake Jarwin (ACL) or defensive tackles Gerald McCoy (torn quad tendon) and Trysten Hill (ACL). They can’t magically cure shorter-term injuries, including concussions in the last two games to Dalton and right guard Zack Martin.
But coaches believe players can and must improve on ball security even if protection is left to second- and third-string offensive linemen. Defenders must tackle more cleanly and play with better gap integrity than they continue to show as opponents torch them at record rates.
The Cowboys are looking at their fifth 2-5 record in the franchise's 61-year history.
On the bright side, they won at least one more game each of the last four times. pic.twitter.com/KJIFfuLPfw — Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) October 25, 2020
The mistakes, like the injuries, look all too familiar. The nine games remaining on the schedule at times seem like an interminable length for a shorthanded team, while simultaneously offering far too little time to right the ship in McCarthy’s first Dallas season.
“I’ve stood in front of this camera too many times this year and spoke about basics we just haven’t put together yet,” McCarthy said Sunday evening. “I’d start with the turnovers. It obviously impacted the first-half field position and we didn’t handle the adversity of it – the points off of the turnovers. And we really didn’t get the run game going as we had planned. Then with that, they ran the ball too well against us. So, not a very good day.”
At 2-5, the Cowboys next travel to Philadelphia, where the 2-4-1 Eagles pace the NFC East. Frustration mounts. Disappointment, too. McCarthy said he needs to “quit candy coating” the basic fundamental skills on which his team errs weekly.
“We need to be much better,” McCarthy said, “and we’re running out of time.”
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein