usatoday--2020-07-20--Trump's campaign to paint Biden as mentally unfit becomes a gamble

WASHINGTON – Less than four months from the November election , President Donald Trump 's attacks on presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden 's mental fitness are an integral part of the president 's re-election message : the focus of television advertisements , talking points and open challenges from the president .
But analysts have raised questions over whether Trump ’ s strategy of focusing on the former vice president 's age is backfiring with a key demographic – seniors .
Making it an even riskier play , the attacks have heightened expectations for Trump 's debate performances this fall and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The strategy itself has proven difficult to execute as Biden campaigns from his home in Delaware , limiting the gaffe-prone candidate 's opportunities for flubs .
For months , Biden , 77 , has dismissed the name calling and innuendo but more recently he ’ s hitting back more forcefully and trying to turn the argument about mental fitness back on the 74-year-old Trump .
`` This president talks about cognitive capability , '' Biden said during a press conference June 30 .
`` He does n't appear to be cognitively aware of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` Sleepy Joe '' nickname Trump gave Biden and his ads showing Biden stumbling over remarks , polling suggests Biden — not Trump — has the edge on fitness among voters .
As the two septuagenarians battle it out , a poll July 2 from Monmouth University found 52 % of voters saying they believe Biden has the mental and physical stamina to be president versus 45 % for Trump .
More troubling for the president , Biden has moved ahead among voters 65 or older in several national surveys , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University poll released Wednesday , helping propel him to double-digit leads nationally .
Trump won seniors by 7 percentage points in 2016 over Hillary Clinton , according to exit polls , with white senior voters a key part of his coalition .
`` It can certainly backfire among senior voters , and it 's not something you want to do when you 're already starting to lose their votes , '' said Todd Belt , professor and political management program director at George Washington University .
`` We 've seen a big shift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is n't a really good strategy to win them back . ''
In a Biden campaign memo earlier this month , deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield sought to debunk each of Trump 's attacks .
Bedingfield said ample polling shows “ voters aren ’ t buying Trump ’ s smear ” and have concerns about Trump ’ s own fitness to lead the country .
`` Trump literally suggested Americans inject disinfectant to cure COVID-19 , '' she said More : Exclusive USA TODAY poll : Biden widens his lead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump pays big for TV ads attacking Biden as 'clearly diminished' Biden 's gains with seniors come as the coronavirus pandemic , which puts seniors disproportionately at risk , has dominated the campaign since March and caused the president to slide in polling .
Trump has pushed for the country to reopen even as more than half of states are experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases .
As Trump wages a culture war seeking to tie Biden to protesters who have targeted Confederate monuments and efforts to `` defund the police , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the GOP campaign 's playbook .
More : Trump accuses protesters who tear down statues of wanting to 'wipe out our history ' in Mount Rushmore speech A Trump television ad that aired in 12 states and the District of Columbia shows Biden struggling to finish sentences and forgetting his thoughts .
`` Sometimes I wake up and think it 's 1920 , '' Biden is shown saying in comments that are taken out of context .
The video cuts off Biden before he went on to say that , by 1920 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in politics .
`` Joe Biden is slipping , '' a narrator in the ad says .
`` Now at the age of 77 years old and running for president for the third time , Biden is clearly diminished .
Joe Biden does not have the strength , stamina and mental fortitude required to lead this country . ''
In an interview with Fox News that aired Sunday , Trump continued the attack , saying , he does n't think Biden is `` senile , '' but he is `` not competent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those in the 2016 election , when Trump regularly criticized the `` stamina '' and physical health of Clinton .
In past election cycles , such attack ads might come from an outside super PAC unaffiliated with the campaign .
But the Trump campaign paid for the ad .
The Associated Press , citing research from Advertising Analytics , reported the Trump campaign has spent more to air the `` Biden is slipping '' ad – $ 6.5 million – than any other so far in the campaign .
That includes in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home to large senior populations .
Peter Kaldes , president and CEO of the American Society on Aging , in a statement on the advertising , said , `` Like racism , ageism devalues human life . ''
He said using `` ageist stereotypes '' is a `` dubious campaign tactic , '' noting that older Americans vote at substantially higher rates than younger adults .
`` Ageist stereotypes in political campaign advertising not only perpetuates the myth that you can judge someone just by the number of years they 've been alive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a shame to being an older adult , '' said Kaldes , who worked as an economic advisor for President Barack Obama .
He said his organization would like to see leaders recognize that aging adults are vital to U.S. democracy , not `` weaponize ageism against them . ''
The AARP , which has 38 million senior members , and the National Council on Aging both declined to comment , citing practices of remaining non-partisan .
A new digital ad from the Republican National Committee , promoted by Trump on Twitter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House and warns , `` Your vote will decide who answers that call . ''
It shows Biden struggling to talk during a press conference and highlights critiques about Biden 's abilities from Democratic Sen. Cory Booker , Democratic strategist David Axelrod and media .
`` Unfit to lead , '' the ad concludes .
`` Stupid , '' said Robert Summers , 81 , a retired attorney from the St. Louis , Missouri , area , who said he objects to about everything Trump does .
`` I could n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Summers , who plans to vote for Biden , called Trump 's strategy `` insulting , '' adding , `` You can get a pretty good idea from watching these people speak if they 're OK or not . ''
He said he has no concerns about Biden 's mental capacity .
That 's not a universal take among seniors , however .
Darcy Jones , a retired computer trainer and Trump supporter near Tampa , Florida , said Biden 's age is a legitimate issue and she has concerns about his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it for themselves , '' she said .
She called it `` obvious , '' pointing to his `` scripted interviews '' and accusing the Biden campaign of `` hiding '' Biden from greater scrutiny .
`` Trump certainly has been criticized by just about everybody for his mental fitness , '' Jones , 67 , said .
`` Even before he was selected as the nominee when he ran in 2016 , people were already talking about him and his mental capacity .
I think it 's a valid issue . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and legal consultant in Bend , Oregon , said the ads do n't offend her .
`` They 're really not inconsistent with what I see Joe Biden himself do , '' said Meyer , who also plans to vote for Trump .
`` So I do n't really feel like it 's that much of a distortion .
I do n't think it 's really necessary but it does n't bother me .
Anybody paying attention and listening to Joe Biden sort of wonders if he 's all there . ''
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the time of their inauguration .
Biden , who would claim that distinction if elected , often talks about his lifelong struggle with stuttering .
He has admitted to a penchant for mis-speaking , calling himself a `` gaffe machine . ''
During the Democratic primary , he conflated stories , cited incorrect numbers and mixed up states where he was speaking .
In an appearance on the Sean Hannity show and in tweets , Trump encouraged his opponent to be tested for neurological impairment as he accused Biden of hiding his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass the test I ‘ aced ’ , ” Trump tweeted this month , referring to a cognitive assessment that his physician in 2018 said he received a perfect score on .
“ He should give it a try !
!
!
” But the attacks on Biden have invited skepticism about Trump 's own fitness , particularly after the 74-year-old president walked gingerly down a ramp at U.S. Military Academy at West Point in June and used both hands to drink a glass of water at the same event .
Trump also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Biden campaign does not have any ads targeting Trump 's mental or physical fitness .
But Biden supporters resurfaced a video from 2014 of former President Barack Obama and Biden , then vice president and 73 years old , jogging at the White House .
Allies like The Lincoln Project , led by anti-Trump Republicans , have taken the lead questioning Trump 's wellness in other online videos .
Speaking at a campaign rally last month in Tulsa , Oklahoma , Trump devoted more than 14 minutes to defend his awkward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like an ice skating rink . ''
More : 'It 's time to do it ' : Trump vows to put ' a lot of pressure ' on governors to reopen schools this fall Belt said Trump 's fixation on Biden 's cognitive abilities is part of a larger effort to `` throw all the spaghetti against the the wall and see what sticks . ''
The president trails Biden in polling on personal qualities like trustworthiness , raising the stakes for Trump to create hesitation about Biden among voters .
Trump is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election `` a choice '' between Biden and him , Belt said , rather than a referendum on his presidency .
`` I do n't know that this one is working too much .
I anticipate we will see more on Hunter Biden , Burisma , probably more on China and tying Biden to some Obama policies , '' Belt said .
`` We 're in the pre-stage here where he 's trying to find a successful strategy that can start turning the tables . ''
More : ‘ Grim resolve ’ : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in sight , but Democrats still haunted by fear of letdown Leslie Sanford , 71 , an accountant from Grand Rapids , Michigan , called Trump 's preoccupation on Biden 's mental capability `` lame . ''
`` I do n't think they have anything really strong to hang their hat on .
I think they 're grasping at straws , '' said Sanford , a self-described independent voter who plans to vote for Biden .
`` Being in that category myself , '' she said of her senior status , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ derogatory . ''
Patrick Murray , director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute , said the Trump ' campaign hopes that , because opinions on Biden are n't `` fully formed , '' the strategy can `` plant some doubts '' about him .
But while Trump is overwhelmingly seen as having greater stamina by his political base , he said , the majority of voters disagree .
`` Neither one of these candidates is seen by the vast majority of the public as fit for the job , but Biden definitely has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More : Biden in the basement : Can campaigning from home work as Trump starts to travel ?
Biden was asked June 30 whether he 's been tested for cognitive decline during his first news conference in three months following a speech in Wilmington , Delaware .
`` I 've been tested and I 'm constantly tested , '' Biden said .
`` Look , all you got to do is watch me , and I can hardly wait to compare my cognitive capability to the cognitive capability of the man I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign official clarified to USA TODAY that Biden was referring to the toll of the campaign as being `` constantly tested , '' not a scientific cognitive assessment .
Complicating his pursuit to paint Biden as mentally unfit : the coronavirus pandemic has enabled Biden to run his campaign almost entirely from his home in Wilmington , Delaware , which Murray said has limited the opportunities for gaffes .
His speeches , usually one or two per week , have been confined to Delaware or next-door Pennsylvania .
`` Right now it does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Murray said of Trump 's campaign to cast Biden as too mentally unfit for office , `` and part of it is that we are n't seeing Biden on the trail one way or the other .
So the voters they 're targeting do n't have anything to judge it on , whether it 's true or false .
Therefore it 's just kind of falling flat . ''
If the attack on Biden is not supported by events on the campaign trail , he said that opens Trump up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign must be careful about .
`` That 's the danger here right now ( for Trump ) , '' Murray said .
Richard Diamond , a 68-year-old Biden supporter , who provides equipment services for hair salons in the Atlanta area , said Trump 's attacks are fair game but it `` does n't matter . ''
He defended Biden 's experience and posed the question of fitness back at the president .
`` I think Donald Trump at 35 was unfit to be president and he 's 74 now and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he 's knows what he 's doing .
If he stumbles on a word or whatever , I do n't think that 's going to make a bit of difference being president of the United States . ''

President Trump's campaign to paint Joe Biden as mentally unfit becomes a gamble
Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump changes Tulsa rally date after Juneteenth controversy After days of controversy over Trump's choice to hold his first rally since the coronavirus lockdowns in Tulsa, Oklahoma, it was changed to July 20. USA TODAY, Wochit
WASHINGTON – Less than four months from the November election, President Donald Trump's attacks on presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden's mental fitness are an integral part of the president's reelection message: the focus of television advertisements, talking points and open challenges from the president.
But analysts have raised questions over whether Trump’s strategy of focusing on the former vice president's age is backfiring with a key demographic: seniors.
Making it an even riskier play, the attacks have heightened expectations for Trump's debate performances this fall and invited skepticism about his own fitness. The strategy itself has proven difficult to execute as Biden campaigns from his home in Delaware, limiting the gaffe-prone candidate's opportunities for flubs.
For months, Biden, 77, has dismissed the name-calling and innuendo, but more recently he’s hitting back more forcefully and trying to turn the argument about mental fitness back on the 74-year-old Trump.
"This president talks about cognitive capability," Biden said during a news conference June 30. "He doesn't appear to be cognitively aware of what's going on."
Despite the "Sleepy Joe" nickname Trump gave Biden and his ads showing Biden stumbling over remarks, polling suggests Biden – not Trump – has the edge on fitness among voters.
Elections 2020: Mail-in voting could decide next president Many states are planning on drastically different elections this year and mail-in ballots could be a big game changer. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
As the two septuagenarians battle it out, a poll July 2 from Monmouth University found 52% of voters said they believe Biden has the mental and physical stamina to be president versus 45% for Trump.
More troubling for the president, Biden has moved ahead among voters 65 or older in several national surveys, including a significant 14-point advantage in a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday, helping propel him to double-digit leads nationally. Trump won seniors by 7 percentage points in 2016 over Hillary Clinton, according to exit polls, with white senior voters a key part of his coalition.
"It can certainly backfire among senior voters, and it's not something you want to do when you're already starting to lose their votes," said Todd Belt, professor and political management program director at George Washington University. "We've seen a big shift in the over-65 population moving towards Biden. This isn't a really good strategy to win them back."
In a Biden campaign memo earlier this month, deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield sought to debunk each of Trump's attacks. Bedingfield said ample polling shows “voters aren’t buying Trump’s smear” and have concerns about Trump’s own fitness to lead the country.
"Trump literally suggested Americans inject disinfectant to cure COVID-19," she said
More: Exclusive USA TODAY poll: Biden widens his lead, but Trump keeps the edge on enthusiasm
Trump pays big for TV ads attacking Biden as 'clearly diminished'
Biden's gains with seniors come as the coronavirus pandemic, which puts seniors disproportionately at risk, has dominated the campaign since March and caused the president to slide in polling. Trump has pushed for the country to reopen even as more than half of states are experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases.
As Trump wages a culture war seeking to tie Biden to protesters who have targeted Confederate monuments and efforts to "defund the police," Biden's mental fitness remains part of the GOP campaign's playbook.
More: Trump accuses protesters who tear down statues of wanting to 'wipe out our history' in Mount Rushmore speech
A Trump television ad that aired in 12 states and the District of Columbia shows Biden struggling to finish sentences and forgetting his thoughts. "Sometimes I wake up and think it's 1920," Biden is shown saying in comments that are taken out of context. The video cuts off Biden before he went on to say that by 1920, he meant the way civility has disappeared in politics.
"Joe Biden is slipping," a narrator in the ad says. "Now at the age of 77 years old and running for president for the third time, Biden is clearly diminished. Joe Biden does not have the strength, stamina and mental fortitude required to lead this country."
In an interview with Fox News that aired Sunday, Trump continued the attack, saying he doesn't think Biden is "senile," but he is "not competent to be president."
The charges mirror those in the 2016 election, when Trump regularly criticized the "stamina" and physical health of Clinton.
In past election cycles, such attack ads might come from an outside super PAC unaffiliated with the campaign. But the Trump campaign paid for the ad.
The Associated Press, citing research from Advertising Analytics, reported the Trump campaign has spent more to air the "Biden is slipping" ad – $6.5 million – than any other so far in the campaign. That includes in the battleground states of Arizona and Florida, home to large senior populations.
Senior voters, aging advocacy group weigh in on strategy
Peter Kaldes, president and CEO of the American Society on Aging, in a statement on the advertising said, "Like racism, ageism devalues human life." He said using "ageist stereotypes" is a "dubious campaign tactic," noting that older Americans vote at substantially higher rates than younger adults.
"Ageist stereotypes in political campaign advertising not only perpetuates the myth that you can judge someone just by the number of years they've been alive, but it implies that there is a shame to being an older adult," said Kaldes, who was an economic adviser for President Barack Obama. He said his organization would like to see leaders recognize that aging adults are vital to U.S. democracy, not "weaponize ageism against them."
The AARP, which has 38 million senior members, and the National Council on Aging both declined to comment, citing practices of remaining nonpartisan.
A new digital ad from the Republican National Committee, promoted by Trump on Twitter, depicts a 3 a.m. phone call to the White House and warns, "Your vote will decide who answers that call." It shows Biden struggling to talk during a news conference and highlights critiques about Biden's abilities from Democratic Sen. Cory Booker, Democratic strategist David Axelrod and the media. "Unfit to lead," the ad concludes.
"Stupid," said Robert Summers, 81, a retired attorney from the St. Louis area, who said he objects to about everything Trump does. "I couldn't be any more more turned off."
Summers, who plans to vote for Biden, called Trump's strategy "insulting," adding, "You can get a pretty good idea from watching these people speak if they're OK or not." He said he has no concerns about Biden's mental capacity.
That's not a universal take among seniors, however.
Darcy Jones, a retired computer trainer and Trump supporter near Tampa, Florida, said Biden's age is a legitimate issue and she has concerns about his mental fitness. "People can see it for themselves," she said. She called it "obvious," pointing to his "scripted interviews" and accusing the Biden campaign of "hiding" Biden from greater scrutiny.
"Trump certainly has been criticized by just about everybody for his mental fitness," Jones, 67, said. "Even before he was selected as the nominee when he ran in 2016, people were already talking about him and his mental capacity. I think it's a valid issue."
Jeanmarie Meyer, 73, an attorney and legal consultant in Bend, Oregon, said the ads don't offend her.
"They're really not inconsistent with what I see Joe Biden himself do," said Meyer, who also plans to vote for Trump. "So I don't really feel like it's that much of a distortion. I don't think it's really necessary, but it doesn't bother me. Anybody paying attention and listening to Joe Biden sort of wonders if he's all there."
Fixation on Biden's mental fitness invites own critique
Trump was the oldest president in U.S. history at the time of their inauguration. Biden, who would claim that distinction if elected, often talks about his lifelong struggle with stuttering. He has acknowledged a penchant for misspeaking, calling himself a "gaffe machine." During the Democratic primary, he conflated stories, cited incorrect numbers and mixed up states where he was speaking.
In an appearance on the Sean Hannity show and in tweets, Trump encouraged his opponent to be tested for neurological impairment as he accused Biden of hiding his cognitive decline.
"He cannot pass the test I ‘aced’,” Trump tweeted this month, referring to a cognitive assessment for which his physician in 2018 said he received a perfect score. “He should give it a try!!!”
But the attacks on Biden have invited skepticism about Trump's own fitness, particularly after the president walked gingerly down a ramp at U.S. Military Academy at West Point in June and used both hands to drink a glass of water at the same event. Trump also has his own history of eyebrow-raising remarks.
The Biden campaign does not have any ads targeting Trump's mental or physical fitness.
But Biden supporters resurfaced a video from 2014 of former President Barack Obama and Biden, then vice president and 73 years old, jogging at the White House. Allies like The Lincoln Project, led by anti-Trump Republicans, have taken the lead questioning Trump's wellness in other online videos. Speaking at a campaign rally last month in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Trump devoted more than 14 minutes to defend his awkward ramp walk, explaining it was "like an ice skating rink."
More: 'It's time to do it': Trump vows to put 'a lot of pressure' on governors to reopen schools this fall
Belt said Trump's fixation on Biden's cognitive abilities is part of a larger effort to "throw all the spaghetti against the the wall and see what sticks." The president trails Biden in polling on personal qualities like trustworthiness, raising the stakes for Trump to create hesitation about Biden among voters.
Trump is searching for any way to make the election "a choice" between Biden and him, Belt said, rather than a referendum on his presidency.
"I don't know that this one is working too much. I anticipate we will see more on Hunter Biden, Burisma, probably more on China and tying Biden to some Obama policies," Belt said. "We're in the pre-stage here where he's trying to find a successful strategy that can start turning the tables."
More: ‘Grim resolve’: Biden is up big and the Senate is in sight, but Democrats still haunted by fear of letdown
Leslie Sanford, 71, an accountant from Grand Rapids, Michigan, called Trump's preoccupation on Biden's mental capability "lame."
"I don't think they have anything really strong to hang their hat on. I think they're grasping at straws," said Sanford, a self-described independent voter who plans to vote for Biden. "Being in that category myself," she said of her senior status, "as a group, it is pretty derogatory."
Biden's home-based campaign makes attack harder to land
Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, said the Trump' campaign hopes that, because opinions on Biden aren't "fully formed," the strategy can "plant some doubts" about him.
But while Trump is overwhelmingly seen as having greater stamina by his political base, he said, the majority of voters disagree.
"Neither one of these candidates is seen by the vast majority of the public as fit for the job, but Biden definitely has an edge overall," Murray said.
More: Biden in the basement: Can campaigning from home work as Trump starts to travel?
Biden was asked June 30 whether he has been tested for cognitive decline during his first news conference in three months after a speech in Wilmington, Delaware.
"I've been tested and I'm constantly tested," Biden said. "Look, all you got to do is watch me, and I can hardly wait to compare my cognitive capability to the cognitive capability of the man I'm running against."
A Biden campaign official clarified to USA TODAY that Biden was referring to the toll of the campaign as being "constantly tested," not a scientific cognitive assessment.
Complicating his pursuit to paint Biden as mentally unfit: The coronavirus pandemic has enabled Biden to run his campaign almost entirely from his home in Wilmington, Delaware, which Murray said has limited the opportunities for gaffes. His speeches, usually one or two a week, have been confined to Delaware or next-door Pennsylvania.
"Right now it doesn't look like it's particularly working," Murray said of Trump's campaign to cast Biden as mentally unfit for office, "and part of it is that we aren't seeing Biden on the trail one way or the other. So the voters they're targeting don't have anything to judge it on, whether it's true or false. Therefore it's just kind of falling flat."
If the attack on Biden is not supported by events on the campaign trail, he said, that opens Trump up to a "countercharge" that his campaign must be careful about.
"That's the danger here right now (for Trump)," Murray said.
Richard Diamond, 68, a Biden supporter, who provides equipment services for hair salons in the Atlanta area, said Trump's attacks are fair game, but it "doesn't matter."
He defended Biden's experience and posed the question of fitness back at the president.
"I think Donald Trump at 35 was unfit to be president, and he's 74 now and he's more unfit.
"With Biden, he's knows what he's doing. If he stumbles on a word or whatever, I don't think that's going to make a bit of difference being president of the United States."
Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.


usatoday--2020-07-20--Jennifer Aniston shares photo of friend in hospital, urges followers to wear a mask

Jennifer Aniston is sharing her personal connection to COVID-19 in order to warn other about the dangers of the coronavirus pandemic .
In a post to Instagram Sunday , the actress , 51 , shared two photos .
One of a person in a hospital bed attached to a cords and a ventilator and one of her and `` Friends '' co-star Courteney Cox wearing matching masks .
`` This is our friend Kevin .
Perfectly healthy , not one underlying health issue .
This is Covid .
This is real , '' Aniston captioned the post .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can outrun this ... if we want this to end , and we do , right ?
The one step we can take is PLEASE # wearadamnmask . ''
She continued , `` Just think about those who 've already suffered through this horrible virus .
Do it for your family .
And most of all yourself .
Covid affects all ages . ''
She added a `` PS '' that the hospital photo was taken in early April .
`` Thank god he has almost recovered now .
Thank you all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Aniston 's message was praised by people , including fellow celebs , in the comment section .
Michelle Pfeiffer commented , `` Baffling why this so hard for some people '' Naomi Campbell wrote , `` Will keep him my prayers 🙏🏾thank you for sharing @ jenniferaniston ♥ '' This is n't the first time Aniston has urged her followers to take the virus seriously .
On June 30 , she slammed the politicization of face coverings on Instagram and shared a friendly reminder to `` wear a damn mask . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ being taken away ' by being asked to wear a mask , '' Aniston captioned a picture of herself wearing one .
`` This simple and effective recommendation is being politicized at the expense of peoples ’ lives .
And it really shouldn ’ t be a debate . ''
The `` Friends '' alum said she does `` believe in the basic goodness of people '' and acknowledged that masks are `` inconvenient and uncomfortable . ''
But Aniston emphasized that `` so many lives have been taken by this virus because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to flatten the curve .
More : Jamie Foxx , Ellen Pompeo and others star in Mask Up campaign as more celebs encourage face masks

Jennifer Aniston shares photo of friend in hospital, urges followers to wear a mask
Show Caption Hide Caption 5 quotes that make us love Jennifer Aniston To celebrate Jennifer Aniston's 50th birthday, here are five quotes that make us love her. USA TODAY
Jennifer Aniston is sharing her personal connection to COVID-19 in order to warn other about the dangers of the coronavirus pandemic.
In a post to Instagram Sunday, the actress, 51, shared two photos. One of a person in a hospital bed attached to a cords and a ventilator and one of her and "Friends" co-star Courteney Cox wearing matching masks.
"This is our friend Kevin. Perfectly healthy, not one underlying health issue. This is Covid. This is real," Aniston captioned the post. "We can't be so naive to think we can outrun this...if we want this to end, and we do, right? The one step we can take is PLEASE #wearadamnmask."

She continued, "Just think about those who've already suffered through this horrible virus. Do it for your family. And most of all yourself. Covid affects all ages."
She added a "PS" that the hospital photo was taken in early April.
"Thank god he has almost recovered now. Thank you all for your prayers 🙏🏼❤" she added.
Aniston's message was praised by people, including fellow celebs, in the comment section.
Gwyneth Paltrow wrote, "Right on sister"
Michelle Pfeiffer commented, "Baffling why this so hard for some people"
Naomi Campbell wrote, "Will keep him my prayers 🙏🏾thank you for sharing @jenniferaniston ♥"
Josh Gad shared four praying hand emojis.
This isn't the first time Aniston has urged her followers to take the virus seriously.
On June 30, she slammed the politicization of face coverings on Instagram and shared a friendly reminder to "wear a damn mask."
"People seem worried about their 'rights being taken away' by being asked to wear a mask," Aniston captioned a picture of herself wearing one. "This simple and effective recommendation is being politicized at the expense of peoples’ lives. And it really shouldn’t be a debate."
The "Friends" alum said she does "believe in the basic goodness of people" and acknowledged that masks are "inconvenient and uncomfortable." But Aniston emphasized that "so many lives have been taken by this virus because we aren’t doing enough" to flatten the curve.
Contributing: Jenna Ryu and Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY
More: Tom Hanks, Bill Pullman, more stars urge people to wear masks amid coronavirus pandemic
More: Jamie Foxx, Ellen Pompeo and others star in Mask Up campaign as more celebs encourage face masks


usatoday--2020-07-20--We were whistleblowers for family separation back in 2018. It's happening again.

Two years ago , we watched in horror as our employer separated children from their parents as part of the Trump administration ’ s “ zero tolerance ” immigration policy .
We pulled the fire alarm : two of us told Congress that forced separation and child detention significantly threatened children ’ s health and safety .
The over 2,000 traumatized children separated from their families face a lifetime of increased risk for significant health issues like anxiety , depression and post-traumatic stress disorder —despite the administration ’ s discontinuance of the policy .
Now , during the largest public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) is posed to enact family separation once again .
We are medical experts for the Department of Homeland Security contracted by the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties to ensure immigration detention facilities are providing adequate medical and mental health care .
We can not remain silent as ICE considers compounding our current crisis by harming immigrant children .
Children must be released from detention , and they must be released with their parents .
Why is ICE reverting to family separation A federal judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three family residential centers , citing the imminent danger of COVID-19 exposure if they were to remain in detention , and another judge asked ICE to release these children ’ s parents .
ICE wants to release the children but keep their parents in detention .
To us , physicians and DHS whistleblowers who have warned not only about the physical and psychological harm to children in detention but also about the severe health threats to immigrants posed by the rapid spread of COVID-19 in detention , this reflects the knowing infliction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we raised the alarm two years ago , we warned Congress and the public about the foreseeable harm detention causes to migrant children — many of whom had suffered the trauma of forced separation — and how that harm was imminent in light of systemic weaknesses in ICE ’ s ability to provide adequate medical and mental health care .
Earlier this year , we warned DHS in February and Congress in March about the severe health threats to immigrants , workers and the public posed by the rapid spread of COVID-19 through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To mitigate both of these problems , we consistently advocated risk-based population reduction : the release of immigrant detainees .
Rather than heed these warnings and recommendations , echoed overwhelmingly by the medical community , the government instead ignored the advice of its own experts and failed to release most of the nearly 30,000 immigrants from detention facilities around the country .
Worse , ICE is now trying to repeat its shameful sin of the past — separating children from their families — and exacerbate the trauma to families in detention who know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a deadly , rapidly spreading pandemic .
COVID-19 should not be an excuse for family separation This virus is both deadly and rapidly spreading , especially in congregate settings like immigration detention facilities .
But using the threat of COVID-19 as an excuse to separate young children from their parents is indefensible on moral , ethical and medical grounds because ICE has always had the discretion to release families into the community .
If ICE even attempts to separate children , it will be nothing less than state-sponsored child abuse .
Adverse medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While the COVID-19 epidemic has changed everything , one thing remains the same : The detention of families with minor children is unjustifiable .
Children do not belong in locked detention facilities because of the documented and unavoidable medical and psychological risks .
The pandemic has exponentially increased the dangers and risks associated with this detention policy .
COVID-19 has already caused outbreaks and deaths in a number of congregate detention settings .
In the face of threats to health and life , families who present no threat to the community should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no legitimate argument to justify placing families at further risk of harm .
This unimaginable — and intentional — cruelty must stop .
It ’ s well past time to end the detention of immigrant families .
Another round of family separation is not the answer .
Release all children with their parents .
Scott Allen is professor of medicine emeritus at the University of California at Riverside .
Pamela McPherson is a child and adolescent psychiatry specialist in Shreveport , Louisiana .
Josiah Rich is professor of medicine and epidemiology at Brown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by DHS as subject medical experts , represented by the Government Accountability Project .
The opinions expressed are their own and do not reflect those of the U.S. government .

Scott Allen, Pamela McPherson and Josiah Rich, Opinion contributors

We were whistleblowers for family separation back in 2018. It's happening again. While the COVID-19 epidemic has changed everything, one thing remains the same: The detention of families with minor children is unjustifiable.
Two years ago, we watched in horror as our employer separated children from their parents as part of the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy. We pulled the fire alarm: two of us told Congress that forced separation and child detention significantly threatened children’s health and safety. The over 2,000 traumatized children separated from their families face a lifetime of increased risk for significant health issues like anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder —despite the administration’s discontinuance of the policy.
Now, during the largest public health crisis of the new millennium, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is posed to enact family separation once again.
We are medical experts for the Department of Homeland Security contracted by the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties to ensure immigration detention facilities are providing adequate medical and mental health care. We cannot remain silent as ICE considers compounding our current crisis by harming immigrant children. Children must be released from detention, and they must be released with their parents.
Why is ICE reverting to family separation
A federal judge recently ordered the release of children from three family residential centers, citing the imminent danger of COVID-19 exposure if they were to remain in detention, and another judge asked ICE to release these children’s parents. ICE wants to release the children but keep their parents in detention. To us, physicians and DHS whistleblowers who have warned not only about the physical and psychological harm to children in detention but also about the severe health threats to immigrants posed by the rapid spread of COVID-19 in detention, this reflects the knowing infliction of harm on children and families.
When we raised the alarm two years ago, we warned Congress and the public about the foreseeable harm detention causes to migrant children — many of whom had suffered the trauma of forced separation — and how that harm was imminent in light of systemic weaknesses in ICE’s ability to provide adequate medical and mental health care. Earlier this year, we warned DHS in February and Congress in March about the severe health threats to immigrants, workers and the public posed by the rapid spread of COVID-19 through the congregate setting of detention facilities. To mitigate both of these problems, we consistently advocated risk-based population reduction: the release of immigrant detainees.
A Midwest mosaic: In Detroit, immigrants paint a rich tapestry of community and culture
Rather than heed these warnings and recommendations, echoed overwhelmingly by the medical community, the government instead ignored the advice of its own experts and failed to release most of the nearly 30,000 immigrants from detention facilities around the country. Worse, ICE is now trying to repeat its shameful sin of the past — separating children from their families — and exacerbate the trauma to families in detention who know they are unable to protect themselves from a deadly, rapidly spreading pandemic.
COVID-19 should not be an excuse for family separation
This virus is both deadly and rapidly spreading, especially in congregate settings like immigration detention facilities. But using the threat of COVID-19 as an excuse to separate young children from their parents is indefensible on moral, ethical and medical grounds because ICE has always had the discretion to release families into the community. If ICE even attempts to separate children, it will be nothing less than state-sponsored child abuse. Adverse medical and mental health consequences will predictably ensue.
Wear a face mask: Czech Republic has lifesaving COVID-19 lesson for America
While the COVID-19 epidemic has changed everything, one thing remains the same: The detention of families with minor children is unjustifiable. Children do not belong in locked detention facilities because of the documented and unavoidable medical and psychological risks. The pandemic has exponentially increased the dangers and risks associated with this detention policy. COVID-19 has already caused outbreaks and deaths in a number of congregate detention settings. In the face of threats to health and life, families who present no threat to the community should be released from detention. There is no legitimate argument to justify placing families at further risk of harm. This unimaginable — and intentional — cruelty must stop. It’s well past time to end the detention of immigrant families. Another round of family separation is not the answer. Release all children with their parents.
Scott Allen is professor of medicine emeritus at the University of California at Riverside. Pamela McPherson is a child and adolescent psychiatry specialist in Shreveport, Louisiana. Josiah Rich is professor of medicine and epidemiology at Brown University. All are whistleblowers, contracted by DHS as subject medical experts, represented by the Government Accountability Project. The opinions expressed are their own and do not reflect those of the U.S. government.


usatoday--2020-07-19--GM offers up revealing new details of future Cadillac electric cars

General Motors on Thursday released its 2019 Sustainability Report that revealed new details of its upcoming flood of electric vehicles .
And the automaker promised to make further improvements in its diversity hiring .
`` In some cases we feel good about the progress we 've made , but we know we can do better , '' Dane Parker , GM 's Sustainability Officer , told reporters .
`` Where we are is necessary , but we need to improve as we move forward . ''
GM said Cadillac , its luxury brand , will see new all-electric SUVs that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ models already in the lineup .
Cadillac will reveal an electric `` globally sized luxury three-row SUV , '' according to the report .
That matches the description of its current XT6 SUV , a detail not previously disclosed .
Also new , Cadillac will offer an all-electric SUV with `` attainable luxury — similar to today ’ s Cadillac XT4 . ''
Another hint at Cadillac 's upcoming EV lineup is a statement in the report that there will be a full-size , three-row luxury SUV that reflects the iconic Escalade .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ school bus into a home Electric cars : Fisker Ocean SUV to arrive in 2022 as startup makes deal to go public Finally , GM has previously said it will hand-build a halo vehicle called the Cadillac Celestiq , but in the report GM discloses that only 1.2 Celestiqs will be made per day .
GM has promised to bring at least 20 new electric vehicles to market by 2023 .
GM has said it plans for additional models beyond that , with a vision of an all-electric future to support its mantra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , zero congestion . ''
`` Transitioning to all-electric vehicles is central to a zero-emissions future , '' said GM CEO Mary Barra in the opening statement of the report .
`` Our new , flexible platform and Ultium battery system will help us build EVs across all our brands .
By mid-decade , we expect to sell a million EVs a year across our global markets . ''
More than 80 % of EV charging is done at home , Parker said , but GM is vocal on its desire for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stations and other infrastructure to make EV ownership more desirable .
Also , GM seeks consistent consumer government tax incentives for EV purchases , Parker said .
GM listed these forthcoming EVs in its Sustainability Report : • The Lyriq SUV to start production in 2022 • An SUV EV with attainable luxury — similar to today ’ s Cadillac XT4 — and aimed at a key global growth segment • A full-size , three-row luxury SUV that reflects elements of the Escalade • GMC Hummer EV pickup truck that will offer 1,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 0-to-60-mph acceleration in three seconds • GMC Hummer EV SUV builds off the GMC Hummer EV truck but will be configured as an off-road-capable SUV • A mid-size SUV targeted to U.S. customers who are looking for an electric option in this segment • Chevrolet battery-electric pickup .
It will offer more than 400 miles of range on a single charge • Chevrolet Bolt that features a distinctive SUV design inspired by the Chevy Blazer and offers Super Cruise driver assistance — the first vehicle outside of Cadillac to do so Two new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the brand : • A Buick SUV will offer more conventional crossover proportions that maximize interior space and cargo • A Buick SUV will feature more expressive proportions with a greater emphasis on form and athletic fashion Additionally , GM 's self-driving Cruise Origin will be the first production vehicle from GM 's partnership with Honda .
GM is investing $ 2.2 billion to retool its Detroit-Hamtramck plant to assemble all-electric vehicles .
It will start building the electric GMC Hummer next year , then the Cruise Origin .
In fact , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zero '' because the cars it will build will all have zero emissions .
GM has said once the plant is fully operational , it will create 2,200 jobs .
In its Sustainability Report , GM said it will allocate more than $ 20 billion of capital and engineering resources to its electric and autonomous vehicle programs between now and 2025 .
GM continues to build a battery cell plant in a joint venture with LG Chem near Lordstown , Ohio , which will make Ultium cells .
The Ultium battery enables a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across brands and segments on the same platform .
Furthering its commitment to the environment , GM said by 2030 half of the content on each of its new vehicles is to be sourced from `` non-virgin '' or recycled items .
It is also studying using bio-based materials such as algae in future cars .
More : Breakroom furniture is just the start of how GM exec plans to transform trash Other goals : By 2025 , GM plans for 90 % of its global facilities to produce zero waste .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plants will run on renewable energy .
By 2040 , all of GM 's global plants will run on renewable energy .
'More work to do' GM also is committed to people , especially improving inclusion and diversity in its workplace , Parker said .
GM 's report said women hold 32.2 % of GM ’ s top management positions within two levels of the CEO , and it is the only major U.S. company with both a female CEO and CFO .
For the year , GM hired 18,311 people globally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GM CEO Barra hints at new product , promises full production soon More : Study : GM will lose US market share as it redefines its future In early June , Barra penned a letter to employees amid the race protests announcing she was commissioning and would chair an Inclusion Advisory Board made up of internal and external leaders , effective by the end of the quarter .
Its goal is to inspire GM to be `` the most inclusive company in the world . ''
`` We 've been recognized on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diversity but we realize we have more work to do , '' Parker said .
`` We 're optimistic that our voice along with the voice of others can make changes in this area . ''
Contact Jamie L. LaReau at 313-222-2149 or jlareau @ freepress.com .
Follow her on Twitter @ jlareauan .
Read more on General Motors and sign up for our autos newsletter .

GM offers up revealing new details of future Cadillac electric cars
Show Caption Hide Caption New electric vehicle batteries may last over a million miles The first million-mile electric car battery may not be far away from hitting the road and it's likely in a Tesla. Buzz60
General Motors on Thursday released its 2019 Sustainability Report that revealed new details of its upcoming flood of electric vehicles.
And the automaker promised to make further improvements in its diversity hiring.
"In some cases we feel good about the progress we've made, but we know we can do better," Dane Parker, GM's Sustainability Officer, told reporters. "Where we are is necessary, but we need to improve as we move forward."
GM said Cadillac, its luxury brand, will see new all-electric SUVs that mirror many of its internal combustion engine models already in the lineup.
Cadillac will reveal an electric "globally sized luxury three-row SUV," according to the report. That matches the description of its current XT6 SUV, a detail not previously disclosed.
Also new, Cadillac will offer an all-electric SUV with "attainable luxury — similar to today’s Cadillac XT4."
Another hint at Cadillac's upcoming EV lineup is a statement in the report that there will be a full-size, three-row luxury SUV that reflects the iconic Escalade.
Autos: This couple turned an old school bus into a home
Electric cars: Fisker Ocean SUV to arrive in 2022 as startup makes deal to go public
Finally, GM has previously said it will hand-build a halo vehicle called the Cadillac Celestiq, but in the report GM discloses that only 1.2 Celestiqs will be made per day.
GM's plans to push EVs
GM has promised to bring at least 20 new electric vehicles to market by 2023. GM has said it plans for additional models beyond that, with a vision of an all-electric future to support its mantra of "zero crashes, zero emissions, zero congestion."
"Transitioning to all-electric vehicles is central to a zero-emissions future," said GM CEO Mary Barra in the opening statement of the report. "Our new, flexible platform and Ultium battery system will help us build EVs across all our brands. By mid-decade, we expect to sell a million EVs a year across our global markets."
More than 80% of EV charging is done at home, Parker said, but GM is vocal on its desire for a federal policy that will support more charging stations and other infrastructure to make EV ownership more desirable. Also, GM seeks consistent consumer government tax incentives for EV purchases, Parker said.
GM listed these forthcoming EVs in its Sustainability Report:
Cadillac
The Lyriq SUV to start production in 2022
A globally sized luxury three-row SUV that emphasizes interior space and cargo capability
An SUV EV with attainable luxury — similar to today’s Cadillac XT4 — and aimed at a key global growth segment
A full-size, three-row luxury SUV that reflects elements of the Escalade
Cadillac Celestiq hand-made ultra-luxury EV
GMC
GMC Hummer EV pickup truck that will offer 1,000 horsepower, 11,500 pound-feet of torque and 0-to-60-mph acceleration in three seconds
GMC Hummer EV SUV builds off the GMC Hummer EV truck but will be configured as an off-road-capable SUV
Chevrolet
A mid-size SUV targeted to U.S. customers who are looking for an electric option in this segment
Chevrolet battery-electric pickup. It will offer more than 400 miles of range on a single charge
Chevrolet Bolt that features a distinctive SUV design inspired by the Chevy Blazer and offers Super Cruise driver assistance — the first vehicle outside of Cadillac to do so
Buick
Two new all-electric vehicles will be the new face of the brand:
A Buick SUV will offer more conventional crossover proportions that maximize interior space and cargo
A Buick SUV will feature more expressive proportions with a greater emphasis on form and athletic fashion
Additionally, GM's self-driving Cruise Origin will be the first production vehicle from GM's partnership with Honda.
GM's manufacturing targets
GM is investing $2.2 billion to retool its Detroit-Hamtramck plant to assemble all-electric vehicles. It will start building the electric GMC Hummer next year, then the Cruise Origin.
In fact, GM insiders dub the plant "Factory Zero" because the cars it will build will all have zero emissions. GM has said once the plant is fully operational, it will create 2,200 jobs.
In its Sustainability Report, GM said it will allocate more than $20 billion of capital and engineering resources to its electric and autonomous vehicle programs between now and 2025.
GM continues to build a battery cell plant in a joint venture with LG Chem near Lordstown, Ohio, which will make Ultium cells. The Ultium battery enables a variety of electric vehicles to be built across brands and segments on the same platform.
Furthering its commitment to the environment, GM said by 2030 half of the content on each of its new vehicles is to be sourced from "non-virgin" or recycled items. It is also studying using bio-based materials such as algae in future cars.
More: Breakroom furniture is just the start of how GM exec plans to transform trash
Other goals: By 2025, GM plans for 90% of its global facilities to produce zero waste. By 2030, all of GM's U.S. plants will run on renewable energy. By 2040, all of GM's global plants will run on renewable energy.
'More work to do'
GM also is committed to people, especially improving inclusion and diversity in its workplace, Parker said.
GM's report said women hold 32.2% of GM’s top management positions within two levels of the CEO, and it is the only major U.S. company with both a female CEO and CFO.
For the year, GM hired 18,311 people globally, 6,768 of them women.
More: GM CEO Barra hints at new product, promises full production soon
More: Study: GM will lose US market share as it redefines its future
In early June, Barra penned a letter to employees amid the race protests announcing she was commissioning and would chair an Inclusion Advisory Board made up of internal and external leaders, effective by the end of the quarter. Its goal is to inspire GM to be "the most inclusive company in the world."
"We've been recognized on the work we've done on inclusion and diversity but we realize we have more work to do," Parker said. "We're optimistic that our voice along with the voice of others can make changes in this area."
Contact Jamie L. LaReau at 313-222-2149 or jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. Read more on General Motors and sign up for our autos newsletter.


usatoday--2020-07-20--Honor John Lewis with a Senate vote on the voting rights he fought for his whole life

Within hours of the death of civil rights hero John Lewis , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell released a generous statement about his late House colleague : “ Our great nation ’ s history has only bent towards justice because great men like John Lewis took it upon themselves to help bend it , ” McConnell wrote .
The Kentucky Republican is right .
I urge him to read those words in the mirror , because McConnell himself has the historic opportunity to bend our history toward justice by taking action now to restore a powerful law that has provided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protections in modern time .
Lewis , a Georgia Democrat , spent his life fighting for equal access to the vote regardless of race , which he viewed as “ the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democracy.
” On Dec. 6 , 2019 , Lewis held the gavel as the House passed the Voting Rights Advancement Act , which would establish new criteria for determining how states with histories of voting discrimination could change their voting laws .
For decades after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other civil rights activists were clubbed and attacked on the Edmund Pettus Bridge — states and localities with long and egregious histories of voting discrimination had to secure federal “ preclearance ” from the Department of Justice before they could make changes to polling locations , voter registration criteria and a host of other voting laws .
That federal review process dealt a preemptive strike to hundreds of discriminatory voting changes throughout the years , helping to prevent some voter suppression efforts from ever taking root .
But that all changed in 2013 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devastating 5-4 decision to invalidate a provision of the Voting Rights Act that determined where those preclearance requirements applied .
Writing for the majority in Shelby County v. Holder , Chief Justice John Roberts claimed that the Voting Rights Act relied on outdated data to determine which states and counties should be subject to preclearance .
After that ruling , the states and localities that once had to meet the preclearance requirements — Alabama , Alaska , Arizona , Georgia , Louisiana , Mississippi , South Carolina , Texas and Virginia and some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Florida , New York , North Carolina and South Dakota — were suddenly free to enact whatever voting laws they liked without first obtaining federal approval .
In the years since the Shelby County decision , we have seen an almost unprecedented onslaught of voter suppression .
Texas announced a strict new photo ID law within hours of the ruling .
Shortly after , North Carolina sought to curtail early voting and adopt a photo ID law .
Officials across Georgia sought to purge voters from the registration rolls , move polling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sites to make it harder to vote on Election Day .
Nearly 1,200 polling sites — many in Black and Latino communities — were closed between the 2014 and 2018 midterms in states formerly subject to preclearance .
My organization , the Lawyers ’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law , has brought suits at virtually every level against state and local officials to quell the tide of voter suppression .
However , this litigation can be long , protracted and costly and has proven no substitute for the swift , preemptive role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazile : Pass the Voting Rights Act and rename the Pettus Bridge to honor John Lewis Even now , as the country wrestles with a pandemic that has upended life and our election system , we are continuing to see the corrosive legacy of the Shelby County decision .
Texas , Mississippi , Alabama and other states once subject to preclearance are refusing to make it easier to vote by mail during a pandemic — and , in some cases , actually making it harder .
Their actions have a starker impact on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impacted by the pandemic and in greater need of access to absentee ballots .
The Voting Rights Advancement Act would respond to the proliferation of voter suppression efforts by creating a new formula to determine which states must get preclearance before changing voting laws .
The House held numerous hearings last year documenting an extensive record of ongoing voting discrimination that makes clear the continuing need for the federal review process .
Once passed , the bill would finally get the federal government back into the business of ensuring our democracy is fair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignore this ongoing threat to our democracy as the bill gathers dust in the legislative graveyard that is the U.S. Senate .
His hostility is remarkable given that back in 2006 , Congress had previously renewed the federal review provision by a 390-33 vote in the House and unanimous 98-0 vote in the Senate .
Lewis knew how vital this bill was to safeguarding democracy .
He banged the gavel down hard as he announced its passage in the House .
Flashback : When John Lewis speaks , you hear the voice of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of his final public acts as a congressman .
Less than three weeks later , he announced he was being treated for pancreatic cancer .
It is up to those of us who stand on Lewis ' shoulders to carry on his legacy .
However , it is time for Senate Majority Leader McConnell to do his part and bring the Voting Rights Advancement Act forward for a hearing and a vote .
Kristen Clarke is the president and executive director of the Lawyers ’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @

Honor John Lewis with a Senate vote on the voting rights he fought for his whole life Lewis knew the Voting Rights Advancement Act was vital to safeguarding democracy. McConnell and his Senate have a historic chance to do their part.
Show Caption Hide Caption Remembering civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis Arrested, jailed and beaten for challenging Jim Crow laws, Lewis became a national figure in his early 20s. USA TODAY
Within hours of the death of civil rights hero John Lewis, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell released a generous statement about his late House colleague: “Our great nation’s history has only bent towards justice because great men like John Lewis took it upon themselves to help bend it,” McConnell wrote.
The Kentucky Republican is right. I urge him to read those words in the mirror, because McConnell himself has the historic opportunity to bend our history toward justice by taking action now to restore a powerful law that has provided some of the most critical voting rights protections in modern time.
Lewis, a Georgia Democrat, spent his life fighting for equal access to the vote regardless of race, which he viewed as “the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democracy.” On Dec. 6, 2019, Lewis held the gavel as the House passed the Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would establish new criteria for determining how states with histories of voting discrimination could change their voting laws.
For decades after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 — passed just months after Lewis and other civil rights activists were clubbed and attacked on the Edmund Pettus Bridge — states and localities with long and egregious histories of voting discrimination had to secure federal “preclearance” from the Department of Justice before they could make changes to polling locations, voter registration criteria and a host of other voting laws. That federal review process dealt a preemptive strike to hundreds of discriminatory voting changes throughout the years, helping to prevent some voter suppression efforts from ever taking root.
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
Onslaught of voter suppression
But that all changed in 2013, when the Supreme Court issued a devastating 5-4 decision to invalidate a provision of the Voting Rights Act that determined where those preclearance requirements applied. Writing for the majority in Shelby County v. Holder, Chief Justice John Roberts claimed that the Voting Rights Act relied on outdated data to determine which states and counties should be subject to preclearance.
After that ruling, the states and localities that once had to meet the preclearance requirements — Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia and some counties and townships in places like California, Florida, New York, North Carolina and South Dakota — were suddenly free to enact whatever voting laws they liked without first obtaining federal approval.
In the years since the Shelby County decision, we have seen an almost unprecedented onslaught of voter suppression. Texas announced a strict new photo ID law within hours of the ruling. Shortly after, North Carolina sought to curtail early voting and adopt a photo ID law. Officials across Georgia sought to purge voters from the registration rolls, move polling sites to hostile locations or shutter polling sites to make it harder to vote on Election Day. Nearly 1,200 polling sites — many in Black and Latino communities — were closed between the 2014 and 2018 midterms in states formerly subject to preclearance.
My organization, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, has brought suits at virtually every level against state and local officials to quell the tide of voter suppression. However, this litigation can be long, protracted and costly and has proven no substitute for the swift, preemptive role of the federal review process.
Donna Brazile: Pass the Voting Rights Act and rename the Pettus Bridge to honor John Lewis
Even now, as the country wrestles with a pandemic that has upended life and our election system, we are continuing to see the corrosive legacy of the Shelby County decision. Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and other states once subject to preclearance are refusing to make it easier to vote by mail during a pandemic — and, in some cases, actually making it harder. Their actions have a starker impact on Black and Latino voters who are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and in greater need of access to absentee ballots.
Ensuring fair and equitable democracy
The Voting Rights Advancement Act would respond to the proliferation of voter suppression efforts by creating a new formula to determine which states must get preclearance before changing voting laws. The House held numerous hearings last year documenting an extensive record of ongoing voting discrimination that makes clear the continuing need for the federal review process. Once passed, the bill would finally get the federal government back into the business of ensuring our democracy is fair and equitable.
But McConnell continues to ignore this ongoing threat to our democracy as the bill gathers dust in the legislative graveyard that is the U.S. Senate. His hostility is remarkable given that back in 2006, Congress had previously renewed the federal review provision by a 390-33 vote in the House and unanimous 98-0 vote in the Senate.
Lewis knew how vital this bill was to safeguarding democracy. He banged the gavel down hard as he announced its passage in the House.
Flashback: When John Lewis speaks, you hear the voice of history, conscience and hope
That was one of his final public acts as a congressman. Less than three weeks later, he announced he was being treated for pancreatic cancer.
It is up to those of us who stand on Lewis' shoulders to carry on his legacy. However, it is time for Senate Majority Leader McConnell to do his part and bring the Voting Rights Advancement Act forward for a hearing and a vote.
Kristen Clarke is the president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Follow her on Twitter: @KristenClarkeJD


usatoday--2020-07-21--As COVID-19 caseload mounts, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sued by teachers over school reopening plan

TALLAHASSEE — Florida reached its sixth straight day of 10,000-plus new coronavirus cases Monday as the state ’ s largest teachers union sued the Gov .
Ron DeSantis administration over plans to reopen schools for in-person instruction next month .
The state added 10,347 new COVID-19 cases overnight , bringing Florida ’ s total cases to 360,394 .
Another 90 deaths occurred , with 5,072 Florida people now lost to the disease in the state .
While the number of coronavirus tests fell to 78,993 , the lowest level in almost a week , the rate of positivity rose to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July 13 .
DeSantis had been pointing to the lower levels as a sign that community spread was easing in some parts of Florida .
In its lawsuit filed in Miami state circuit court , the Florida Education Association said the school reopening order violates the Florida Constitution , which requires that a “ uniform , efficient , safe , secure and high quality system ” of public schools exist .
FEA President Fedrick Ingram cited Monday ’ s case numbers and deaths as the “ backdrop , ” for the union ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be back in a classroom and reopen our school buildings more than educators , ” Ingram said .
“ We are teachers ... that ’ s what we live for ... but we want to do it safely and we don ’ t want to put people at risk.
” Joining the FEA in the lawsuit are several teachers , along with the NAACP state chapter and its national organization .
Defendants are DeSantis , Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez .
The union says decisions about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online or a hybrid system — should be made at the local level .
But there seemed to be little support among union leaders for any county moving forward with bringing students back to campus while Florida ’ s coronavirus numbers continue to surge .
Ingram said that a survey of FEA members found that 90 % were opposed to any plan that involved opening traditional schools five days a week .
He also said that 39 % of teachers are considering leaving the profession this year , if their only option is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news : Florida restaurants under no obligation to report employees who test positive for COVID-19 Educators said schools should do what ’ s best for their own communities , rather than follow DeSantis and Corcoran , who they said appeared intent on meeting the goals of President Donald Trump and Education Commissioner Betsy DeVos , who want states to reopen traditional schools this fall .
“ It might look very different in a community , depending on the infection rate in that community , ” said Lily Eskelsen Garcia , president of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials on a call to discuss the lawsuit .
“ But this order that just mimics Betsy DeVos and a federal edict that we will open all schools , all day , all week , students sitting shoulder-to-shoulder no matter what doctors say .
That ’ s asking us to sacrifice our students and their families and our educators and their families , ” she added .
What went wrong : Timing , testing , tourism and mixed signals in Florida DeSantis has been trying to walk back much of the order ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since it was issued two weeks ago .
On Monday , at an appearance in Orlando , DeSantis was heckled by several protesters who yelled , “ You ’ re lying to the public , ” when it came to his daily updates on how the state was dealing with the virus .
The governor , though , again tried to distance himself from the back-to-school order , pointing out , “ I didn ’ t do an executive order .
That was the Department of Education.
” He also said that for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” when it comes to the type of classroom that will reopen next month .
“ Our guiding principles have been , Number 1 , that ultimately parents need to be free to choose the best environment for their student , their kids , ” DeSantis said .
“ That means if they prefer distance learning because they ’ re not comfortable with having kids in school , then that ’ s their decision as a parent .
“ If people want a hybrid , ( districts ) can offer hybrid .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids need to be in school , we want to provide them with an option to do that as well , ” DeSantis said .
DeSantis last week acknowledged that the state hadn ’ t moved forward with any kind of protocols for on-campus testing , isolating of students and teachers who test positive for the virus , or how to manage the possibility of quarantining an entire classroom or school .
But Monday , the governor repeated that there were liabilities to online learning for many students .
“ We don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we really want to focus on the best interest of our students and giving our parents the maximum amount of choices to make the best decision they can , ” DeSantis said .

John Kennedy, USA TODAY NETWORK — Florida Capital Bureau

As COVID-19 caseload mounts, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sued by teachers over school reopening plan
Show Caption Hide Caption AP reporter discusses Florida teacher's lawsuit The Florida Education Association filed a lawsuit to block reopening of public schools in the fall. Associated Press' Politics and Statehouse Reporter, Bobby Caina Calvan discusses the significance of it. (July 20) AP
TALLAHASSEE — Florida reached its sixth straight day of 10,000-plus new coronavirus cases Monday as the state’s largest teachers union sued the Gov. Ron DeSantis administration over plans to reopen schools for in-person instruction next month.
The state added 10,347 new COVID-19 cases overnight, bringing Florida’s total cases to 360,394. Another 90 deaths occurred, with 5,072 Florida people now lost to the disease in the state.
While the number of coronavirus tests fell to 78,993, the lowest level in almost a week, the rate of positivity rose to 14.7%, its highest mark since July 13. DeSantis had been pointing to the lower levels as a sign that community spread was easing in some parts of Florida.
In its lawsuit filed in Miami state circuit court, the Florida Education Association said the school reopening order violates the Florida Constitution, which requires that a “uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high quality system” of public schools exist.
FEA President Fedrick Ingram cited Monday’s case numbers and deaths as the “backdrop,” for the union’s action.
“No one wants to be back in a classroom and reopen our school buildings more than educators,” Ingram said. “We are teachers... that’s what we live for... but we want to do it safely and we don’t want to put people at risk.”
Joining the FEA in the lawsuit are several teachers, along with the NAACP state chapter and its national organization. Defendants are DeSantis, Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez.
The union says decisions about the reopening of schools — whether in-person, online or a hybrid system — should be made at the local level. But there seemed to be little support among union leaders for any county moving forward with bringing students back to campus while Florida’s coronavirus numbers continue to surge.
Ingram said that a survey of FEA members found that 90% were opposed to any plan that involved opening traditional schools five days a week. He also said that 39% of teachers are considering leaving the profession this year, if their only option is returning to the school campus.
Florida news: Florida restaurants under no obligation to report employees who test positive for COVID-19
Educators said schools should do what’s best for their own communities, rather than follow DeSantis and Corcoran, who they said appeared intent on meeting the goals of President Donald Trump and Education Commissioner Betsy DeVos, who want states to reopen traditional schools this fall.
“It might look very different in a community, depending on the infection rate in that community,” said Lily Eskelsen Garcia, president of the National Education Association, who joined state officials on a call to discuss the lawsuit.
“But this order that just mimics Betsy DeVos and a federal edict that we will open all schools, all day, all week, students sitting shoulder-to-shoulder no matter what doctors say. That’s asking us to sacrifice our students and their families and our educators and their families,” she added.
What went wrong: Timing, testing, tourism and mixed signals in Florida
DeSantis has been trying to walk back much of the order’s strictest return to the classroom language since it was issued two weeks ago.
On Monday, at an appearance in Orlando, DeSantis was heckled by several protesters who yelled, “You’re lying to the public,” when it came to his daily updates on how the state was dealing with the virus.
The governor, though, again tried to distance himself from the back-to-school order, pointing out, “I didn’t do an executive order. That was the Department of Education.”
He also said that for parents and students “choice is paramount” when it comes to the type of classroom that will reopen next month.
“Our guiding principles have been, Number 1, that ultimately parents need to be free to choose the best environment for their student, their kids,” DeSantis said. “That means if they prefer distance learning because they’re not comfortable with having kids in school, then that’s their decision as a parent.
“If people want a hybrid, (districts) can offer hybrid. And, obviously, those parents that believe kids need to be in school, we want to provide them with an option to do that as well,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis last week acknowledged that the state hadn’t moved forward with any kind of protocols for on-campus testing, isolating of students and teachers who test positive for the virus, or how to manage the possibility of quarantining an entire classroom or school.
But Monday, the governor repeated that there were liabilities to online learning for many students.
“We don’t want folks to fall behind and we really want to focus on the best interest of our students and giving our parents the maximum amount of choices to make the best decision they can,” DeSantis said.


usatoday--2020-07-20--Blacks, Latinos and the poor less likely to get $1,200 coronavirus stimulus checks, new report says

WASHINGTON – With another round of stimulus checks in the works , a new study concludes that people who are poor , Black or Latino were less likely to get the $ 1,200 payments distributed last spring under a new federal law aimed at blunting the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic .
The study , by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center , concluded that while the rollout of the cash payments was a success in many ways , there were significant disparities by income , race , ethnicity and family citizenship in terms of who received the money .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 65 reported that their families had not received the stimulus payments or that they didn ’ t know if the money had arrived as of late May .
Just six in 10 adults ( nearly 59 percent ) with incomes at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level reported receiving the payments .
Nearly 74 percent of white adults reported getting the checks , compared to almost 69 percent of Black adults and nearly 64 percent of Hispanics .
The report cited various reasons for the disparities , such as some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to the internet .
Among Latinos , some adults may have been ineligible because they or their spouse were undocumented or did not qualify as residents of the United States , the report said .
What 's nex : Many Americans might not get another relief check .
Here 's where things stand on another COVID-19 bill The issues identified in the report could pose challenges again if lawmakers decide to send out a second round of stimulus payments , as expected .
Congressional leaders are hoping to have another coronavirus aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month .
President Donald Trump met with GOP leaders at the White House on Monday and laid out his key demands for the package .
While Republicans and Democrats have different ideas about what should be in the next bill , they all seem to agree that many Americans need another stimulus check to help them bounce back from the economic hardships caused by the pandemic .
“ I think we ’ ve made a lot of progress , ” Trump said of the negotiations .
Stimulus for the dead : IRS sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dead people , government watchdog agency says More than 159 million checks totaling $ 267 billion were distributed during the first round of stimulus payments earlier this year .
Payments of up to $ 1,200 went to individuals with an adjusted gross income of $ 75,000 or less .
Married couples who filed jointly and had incomes of up to $ 150,000 were eligible for $ 2,400 .
The Internal Revenue Service used tax returns from 2018 and 2019 to determine how much stimulus money a recipient would get .
But most people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level aren ’ t required to file tax returns , which made it harder for the government to find them if they were eligible for a stimulus payment .
That was the biggest barrier in getting checks to many people , the Tax Policy Center ’ s report said .
In some cases , people may not have known they were eligible for a check .
Another problems was that many people who had not received a check by the end of May did not have a bank account , the report said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a direct deposit into their account .
People without bank accounts had to wait until the Treasury Department sent them a paper check , a process that started later than the direct deposits .
Another barrier , the report said , was the role of the internet in the distribution process .
People who have not filed taxes during the past two years could enter their information into an online portal provided by the IRS .
But one in five low-income people who did not receive a check reported that they did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ That ’ s a problem anytime , but it ’ s a particular problem during the pandemic , ” said Janet Holtzblatt , a tax expert and the study ’ s lead author .
Many libraries or other facilities that offer free internet access or volunteer tax assistance were closed because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Filing a paper application wasn ’ t possible because IRS offices also were closed because of the pandemic and faced a large backlog when they began reopening in phases .
For many people , that meant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Holtzblatt said .
Are more checks coming ?
Trump signals support for another round of cash payments The study suggests one way around that problem during the next round would be to channel payments to tax nonfilers through state agencies that administer Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Medicaid benefits .
But that could require changes to federal privacy laws and investments in new infrastructure , the report said .
Another way to get the money quicker to recipients who don ’ t have bank accounts would be to issue prepaid debit cards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May and sent stimulus payments to 4 million people via debit cards .
“ The problem was they came in envelopes with the vendor ’ s name , and the cards have the vendor ’ s name , ” Holtzblatt said .
“ So what do you do when you receive a card from somebody you don ’ t recognize ?
Many people did what I would have done and said , ‘ Oh , that ’ s junk mail , ’ and tore it up and threw it away.
” The government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ round , she said , by making sure the Treasury Department is written on the envelope that the debit cards are mailed in and include on the cards themselves .
“ That would help get the money to people , ” Holtzblatt said .
Michael Collins covers the White House .
Reach him on Twitter @ mcollinsNEWS .

Black, Latino and poor people are less likely to get $1,200 coronavirus stimulus checks, new report says
Show Caption Hide Caption Blacks, Latinos and the poor less likely to receive stimulus checks A second round of stimulus checks are in the works, but a new study says people who are poor, Black or Latino were less likely to receive the $1,200. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – With another round of stimulus checks in the works, a new study concludes that people who are poor, Black or Latino were less likely to get the $1,200 payments distributed last spring under a new federal law aimed at blunting the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
The study, by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, concluded that while the rollout of the cash payments was a success in many ways, there were significant disparities by income, race, ethnicity and family citizenship in terms of who received the money.
Thirty percent of adults younger than age 65 reported that their families had not received the stimulus payments or that they didn’t know if the money had arrived as of late May.
Just six in 10 adults (nearly 59 percent) with incomes at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level reported receiving the payments. Nearly 74 percent of white adults reported getting the checks, compared to almost 69 percent of Black adults and nearly 64 percent of Hispanics.
White House, GOP crafting next virus stimulus bill Top Congressional Republicans meet President Donald Trump to discuss the next COVID-19 aid package as the crisis many hoped would have improved has dramatically worsened, just as emergency relief is expiring. (July 20) AP
The report cited various reasons for the disparities, such as some people having no bank account or lacking access to the internet. Among Latinos, some adults may have been ineligible because they or their spouse were undocumented or did not qualify as residents of the United States, the report said.
What's nex: Many Americans might not get another relief check. Here's where things stand on another COVID-19 bill
The issues identified in the report could pose challenges again if lawmakers decide to send out a second round of stimulus payments, as expected.
Congressional leaders are hoping to have another coronavirus aid package ready by the end of the month. President Donald Trump met with GOP leaders at the White House on Monday and laid out his key demands for the package.
While Republicans and Democrats have different ideas about what should be in the next bill, they all seem to agree that many Americans need another stimulus check to help them bounce back from the economic hardships caused by the pandemic.
“I think we’ve made a lot of progress,” Trump said of the negotiations.
Stimulus for the dead: IRS sent stimulus checks to more than 1 million dead people, government watchdog agency says
More than 159 million checks totaling $267 billion were distributed during the first round of stimulus payments earlier this year. Payments of up to $1,200 went to individuals with an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less. Married couples who filed jointly and had incomes of up to $150,000 were eligible for $2,400.
The Internal Revenue Service used tax returns from 2018 and 2019 to determine how much stimulus money a recipient would get. But most people whose incomes are below the federal poverty level aren’t required to file tax returns, which made it harder for the government to find them if they were eligible for a stimulus payment.
That was the biggest barrier in getting checks to many people, the Tax Policy Center’s report said. In some cases, people may not have known they were eligible for a check.
Another problem was that many people who had not received a check by the end of May did not have a bank account, the report said. Most people got the stimulus money as a direct deposit into their account. People without bank accounts had to wait until the Treasury Department sent them a paper check, a process that started later than the direct deposits.
Another barrier, the report said, was the role of the internet in the distribution process. People who have not filed taxes during the past two years could enter their information into an online portal provided by the IRS. But one in five low-income people who did not receive a check reported that they did not have internet access at home.
“That’s a problem anytime, but it’s a particular problem during the pandemic,” said Janet Holtzblatt, a tax expert and the study’s lead author.
Many libraries or other facilities that offer free internet access or volunteer tax assistance were closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Filing a paper application wasn’t possible because IRS offices also were closed because of the pandemic and faced a large backlog when they began reopening in phases.
For many people, that meant “there was no other option,” Holtzblatt said.
Are more checks coming? Trump signals support for another round of cash payments
The study suggests one way around that problem during the next round would be to channel payments to tax nonfilers through state agencies that administer Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Medicaid benefits. But that could require changes to federal privacy laws and investments in new infrastructure, the report said.
Another way to get the money quicker to recipients who don’t have bank accounts would be to issue prepaid debit cards. The Treasury tried that approach in May and sent stimulus payments to 4 million people via debit cards.
“The problem was they came in envelopes with the vendor’s name, and the cards have the vendor’s name,” Holtzblatt said. “So what do you do when you receive a card from somebody you don’t recognize? Many people did what I would have done and said, ‘Oh, that’s junk mail,’ and tore it up and threw it away.”
The government could avoid that problem in the next round, she said, by making sure the Treasury Department is written on the envelope that the debit cards are mailed in and include on the cards themselves.
“That would help get the money to people,” Holtzblatt said.
Michael Collins covers the White House. Reach him on Twitter @mcollinsNEWS.


usatoday--2020-07-20--Congress appears to be the target of a 'concerted foreign interference campaign,' top Dems say

WASHINGTON – Top congressional Democrats on Monday demanded an intelligence briefing for all lawmakers on foreign interference in the 2020 presidential election –suggesting the Trump administration has specific information about a `` concerted '' disinformation campaign in the works .
`` We are gravely concerned , in particular , that Congress appears to be the target of a concerted foreign interference campaign , which seeks to launder and amplify disinformation in order to influence congressional activity , public debate , and the presidential election in November , '' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , wrote in a letter FBI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seriousness and specificity of these threats , as members of congressional leadership and the congressional intelligence committees we believe it is imperative that the FBI provide a classified defensive briefing to all members of Congress , '' the letter states .
The missive asks the FBI to hold the briefing `` at the earliest possible opportunity . ''
It was also signed by three other Democrats : Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff , and Senate intelligence committee Vice-Chairman Mark Warner .
A congressional official familiar with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the urgent request for a briefing but said it is based on the Trump administration ’ s own intelligence reporting and analysis .
The official , who was not authorized to speak on the record about the matter , said it was vital that intelligence officials brief lawmakers before they leave for a month-long August break .
An FBI spokeswoman said the agency had received the letter but declined to comment further .
Intelligence officials told lawmakers in February that Russia was already interfering in the 2020 campaign to try to get President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports at the time .
In the 2016 election , the Kremlin hacked into Democratic Party emails and orchestrated a sophisticated disinformation campaign designed to help elect then-candidate Trump , intelligence officials concluded in a January 2017 report .
Trump has repeatedly discounted Russia 's role in the 2016 election , and he has downplayed the potential for Moscow 's potential interference in 2020 .
On Monday , Biden slammed the Trump administration for failing to take the threat of foreign interference seriously .
If elected , Biden said he would impose `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. foe that tried to meddle in America 's democratic process .
`` I will direct my administration to leverage all appropriate instruments of national power and make full use of my executive authority to impose substantial and lasting costs on state perpetrators .
These costs could include financial-sector sanctions , asset freezes , cyber responses , and the exposure of corruption , '' the former vice president said .
In a recent analysis , Clint Watts , an expert on Russian disinformation , noted that Facebook last year took down accounts associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promoting Trump , denigrating his Democratic opponent , Joe Biden , and boosting Bernie Sanders , one of Biden 's primary opponents .
And in March , Facebook closed another Russian troll farm operation that appeared to be trying to infiltrate American minority groups on Facebook and Instagram , `` presumably hoping to divide the political left and influence voters headed into Election Day , '' said Watts , a fellow with the Foreign Policy Research Institute think tank .
Experts say the U.S. is now far better prepared to weather potential election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than in 2016 .
Still , intelligence and cybersecurity officials fear Russia and other foreign actors – including China and Iran – could launch cyberattacks on voter registration databases and engage in other activity designed to sow chaos , division and doubt surrounding the election .
More : Who 's going to derail the U.S. presidential election ?
The culprit may be close to home

Congress appears to be the target of a 'concerted foreign interference campaign,' top Dems say
Show Caption Hide Caption How to prevent cyberattacks on U.S. elections systems Officials are checking security and instituting drills as America gears up for elections. But not all the threats are from outside the U.S. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Top congressional Democrats on Monday demanded an intelligence briefing for all lawmakers on foreign interference in the 2020 presidential election –suggesting the Trump administration has specific information about a "concerted" disinformation campaign in the works.
"We are gravely concerned, in particular, that Congress appears to be the target of a concerted foreign interference campaign, which seeks to launder and amplify disinformation in order to influence congressional activity, public debate, and the presidential election in November," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., wrote in a letter FBI Director Christopher Wray.
"Given the seriousness and specificity of these threats, as members of congressional leadership and the congressional intelligence committees we believe it is imperative that the FBI provide a classified defensive briefing to all members of Congress," the letter states.
The missive asks the FBI to hold the briefing "at the earliest possible opportunity." It was also signed by three other Democrats: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, and Senate intelligence committee Vice-Chairman Mark Warner.
A congressional official familiar with the matter declined to explain what prompted the urgent request for a briefing but said it is based on the Trump administration’s own intelligence reporting and analysis. The official, who was not authorized to speak on the record about the matter, said it was vital that intelligence officials brief lawmakers before they leave for a month-long August break.
An FBI spokeswoman said the agency had received the letter but declined to comment further.
Intelligence officials told lawmakers in February that Russia was already interfering in the 2020 campaign to try to get President Donald Trump re-elected, according to media reports at the time. In the 2016 election, the Kremlin hacked into Democratic Party emails and orchestrated a sophisticated disinformation campaign designed to help elect then-candidate Trump, intelligence officials concluded in a January 2017 report.
Trump has repeatedly discounted Russia's role in the 2016 election, and he has downplayed the potential for Moscow's potential interference in 2020.
On Monday, Biden slammed the Trump administration for failing to take the threat of foreign interference seriously. If elected, Biden said he would impose "substantial and lasting costs" on any U.S. foe that tried to meddle in America's democratic process.
"I will direct my administration to leverage all appropriate instruments of national power and make full use of my executive authority to impose substantial and lasting costs on state perpetrators. These costs could include financial-sector sanctions, asset freezes, cyber responses, and the exposure of corruption," the former vice president said.
In a recent analysis, Clint Watts, an expert on Russian disinformation, noted that Facebook last year took down accounts associated with a Kremlin troll farm that was promoting Trump, denigrating his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, and boosting Bernie Sanders, one of Biden's primary opponents. And in March, Facebook closed another Russian troll farm operation that appeared to be trying to infiltrate American minority groups on Facebook and Instagram, "presumably hoping to divide the political left and influence voters headed into Election Day," said Watts, a fellow with the Foreign Policy Research Institute think tank.
Experts say the U.S. is now far better prepared to weather potential election meddling by Russia or other foreign adversaries than in 2016.
Still, intelligence and cybersecurity officials fear Russia and other foreign actors – including China and Iran – could launch cyberattacks on voter registration databases and engage in other activity designed to sow chaos, division and doubt surrounding the election.
More: Who's going to derail the U.S. presidential election? The culprit may be close to home