usatoday--2020-10-06--'Willful denial': Top Republicans follow Trump's lead in ignoring coronavirus wake-up call

Last week ’ s news that President Donald Trump had tested positive for the novel coronavirus and needed to be hospitalized seemed to represent the ultimate wake-up call for the president and his Republican Party .
They had spent the better part of the year playing down the threat of COVID-19 and openly flouting measures that scientists and doctors recommended to stem its spread .
Now , the virus had breached the White House to infect the president and an array of top Republicans .
But any thought that Trump would emerge from Walter Reed Medical Center with a changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was gone by Monday night when , upon his return to the White House , Trump paused on a balcony in front of television cameras and , still heaving with the apparent symptoms of the virus , pointedly removed his face mask .
It was a moment crystallizing Trump 's placement of bravado over science , as he has since the start of the pandemic , this time with the highly infectious virus still coursing through his body .
Top Republicans have followed his lead even as it became obvious that their disregard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a still-metastasizing White House-centered outbreak infecting the president and more than a dozen high-level figures in the party .
In a Sept. 26 Rose Garden party to celebrate Trump ’ s nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to succeed Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court , top GOP figures sat shoulder to shoulder , embraced , shook hands and chatted .
Most of the attendees were not wearing masks .
Help USA TODAYwith its contact tracing of Washington D.C. ’ s recent COVID outbreak Since then , more than a dozen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or his aides have reported testing positive , including first lady Melania Trump , three U.S. senators , Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel , former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie , former Trump spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway , White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany and senior aide Hope Hicks .
Exposed administration officials and Republican leaders have continued traveling , politicking and appearing in public – often without that most basic health measure , the mask – in violation of their own government 's recommendations .
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in close contact with someone shown to have been positive for the virus in the previous 14 days .
Despite having been at the Rose Garden event with numerous infected colleagues , McEnany continued to interact with members of the media without a mask before testing positive on Monday .
Two members of her office reportedly tested positive , as have multiple White House journalists .
One reporter has said his wife also has tested positive , suggesting a widening orbit of the White House spread , and a CBS reporter tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covering Trump ’ s administration .
Attorney General William Barr initially refused to quarantine , even though video from the Rose Garden event showed Conway , who later tested positive , whispering in his ear .
He ultimately decided to quarantine , although other Republican officials who were at the same event , including Vice President Mike Pence , have said they will not .
Sen. Ron Johnson , R-Wis. , attended a Wisconsin fundraiser Friday after he had taken a test for the virus , but before the results came back .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ opponent of a mask mandate , learned the next day that he has tested positive .
Sen. Roger Wicker , R-Miss.
, who has worked closely with multiple infected colleagues in the Senate , was photographed by a fellow passenger on a Delta flight with his mask dangling uselessly below his chin .
Wicker ’ s spokesperson said he “ lowered his face mask to eat a snack and forgot to put it back up.
” Unlike other suspected outbreaks of the virus , there does not appear to have been diligent contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who may have been infected could be quarantined .
Multiple attendees at the event have said that they were not reached by contact tracers , and the White House has rebuffed the CDC 's offer to help .
Dr. William Schaffner , a professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine , said the disregard of basic guidelines by members at the highest level of government constituted `` willful denial '' that they too were beholden to the threat of infection .
`` There 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` That rules do n't apply to them . ''
Schaffner described Trump and top Republicans ' downplaying of the virus as dangerous both in the immediate risk posed by possibly infectious officials and in the broader threat of poor public messaging .
Schaffner predicted Trump 's actions during his illness , such as commandeering an armored sport-utility vehicle for a ride around the hospital with a retinue of Secret Service agents , would cause many Americans to be more lax about the virus and rebel against quarantines and other public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to COVID-19 rampaging through the U.S. in higher numbers than in any other country .
`` His excursion probably undermined the authority of health officials around the country to enforce quarantine , '' Schaffner said .
White House spokesman Judd Deere did not answer specific questions for this article , instead condemning members of the media who he said are `` disgustingly rooting against the President ’ s own health and his message of fight and optimism for the American people as he personally defeats this virus .
Any suggestion that the President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the threat of COVID-19 seriously is completely false . ''
Deere also defended the Rose Garden event on Monday night , referring to protesters he said who have `` burned down , looted and rioted '' in American cities and stating , `` It can ’ t be the case that one group is allowed to assemble but those who support President Trump are not . ''
Trump 's medical saga , unfolding with less than a month to go before the presidential election , seems unlikely to help him gain ground against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose campaign has already benefited from Trump 's uneven handling of the COVID-19 crisis .
Just during the time of Trump ’ s brief hospital stay over the weekend , the U.S. logged more than 136,000 new COVID cases and nearly 1,900 deaths attributed to the virus .
Yet Trump emerged from his suite at Walter Reed , where he received experimental treatment unavailable to most non-presidents , to assert that national concern over the virus was overblown .
“ Don ’ t let it dominate your life , ” Trump tweeted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We have developed , under the Trump Administration , some really great drugs & knowledge .
I feel better than I did 20 years ago !
” And on Tuesday morning , Trump reverted to the sort of comparison he had made earlier in the pandemic , comparing the novel coronavirus to the common flu .
Twitter hid the post , finding it `` misleading and potentially harmful . ''
But Trump 's supporters , including Republican members of Congress , have seized on his hospital room battle against the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s invincibility .
“ COVID stood NO chance ” against the president , U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler , R-Ga. , tweeted Monday , along with a video depicting Trump pummeling the virus in a professional wrestling arena .
Sen. Marsha Blackburn , R-Tenn. , tweeted : “ President Trump has once again defeated China.
” Both senators have also shown disregard for safety over the novel coronavirus .
Loeffler was among those at the Rose Garden event , and even after Trump ’ s positive test she and Blackburn continued campaigning , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump ’ s efforts to pitch his medical odyssey as a personal triumph seemed a tough sell to a skeptical public .
When the White House released photos showing Trump in different outfits signing documents while hospitalized , suggesting a full workday , online sleuths showed that the photos were taken only 10 minutes apart .
In at least one of the photos , he appeared to be signing a blank piece of paper with his Sharpie .
For Trump ’ s car trip around the hospital , the attention focused on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grim-looking federal agent in full personal protective equipment in the front passenger seat .
And Trump ’ s return to the White House , captured on video to show him reclaiming a spot on his balcony , without a face mask , seemed to be planned to project an image of his glorious return .
Instead , the word “ gasping ” trended on Twitter as Americans watched with alarm as Trump appeared to labor to breathe through a pained grimace on his face .
“ We all wish him the best , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ But experience with this virus shows that it ’ s typical for a patient to do pretty well for several days and then crash.
” Like many Americans , Schaffner was most struck by the image of Trump defiantly removing his mask upon his arrival at the White House and concerned that supporters will clearly receive , and follow , the president 's message .
“ As soon as he got to his turf , he took off his mask and put it in his pocket , as if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all those doctors.
’ ” Schaffner said .
“ I think this is going to continually influence the thinking of many people across the country .
”

'Willful denial': Top Republicans follow Trump's lead in ignoring coronavirus wake-up call
Show Caption Hide Caption Ben Carson adds to the list of Trump's circle positive for COVID-19 Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson adds to the running list of people who tested positive for COVID-19 since the president's diagnosis. USA TODAY
Last week’s news that President Donald Trump had tested positive for the novel coronavirus and needed to be hospitalized seemed to represent the ultimate wake-up call for the president and his Republican Party.
They had spent the better part of the year playing down the threat of COVID-19 and openly flouting measures that scientists and doctors recommended to stem its spread. Now, the virus had breached the White House to infect the president and an array of top Republicans.
But any thought that Trump would emerge from Walter Reed Medical Center with a changed stance on the severity of the virus was gone by Monday night when, upon his return to the White House, Trump paused on a balcony in front of television cameras and, still heaving with the apparent symptoms of the virus, pointedly removed his face mask.
It was a moment crystallizing Trump's placement of bravado over science, as he has since the start of the pandemic, this time with the highly infectious virus still coursing through his body.
Top Republicans have followed his lead even as it became obvious that their disregard for basic public health guidelines had caused a still-metastasizing White House-centered outbreak infecting the president and more than a dozen high-level figures in the party.
In a Sept. 26 Rose Garden party to celebrate Trump’s nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to succeed Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court, top GOP figures sat shoulder to shoulder, embraced, shook hands and chatted. Most of the attendees were not wearing masks.
Help USA TODAYwith its contact tracing of Washington D.C.’s recent COVID outbreak
Since then, more than a dozen people who came in contact with Trump or his aides have reported testing positive, including first lady Melania Trump, three U.S. senators, Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former Trump spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany and senior aide Hope Hicks.
Exposed administration officials and Republican leaders have continued traveling, politicking and appearing in public – often without that most basic health measure, the mask – in violation of their own government's recommendations.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines recommend that people quarantine if they have been in close contact with someone shown to have been positive for the virus in the previous 14 days.
Despite having been at the Rose Garden event with numerous infected colleagues, McEnany continued to interact with members of the media without a mask before testing positive on Monday. Two members of her office reportedly tested positive, as have multiple White House journalists. One reporter has said his wife also has tested positive, suggesting a widening orbit of the White House spread, and a CBS reporter tweeted that he felt safer in North Korea than covering Trump’s administration.
Attorney General William Barr initially refused to quarantine, even though video from the Rose Garden event showed Conway, who later tested positive, whispering in his ear. He ultimately decided to quarantine, although other Republican officials who were at the same event, including Vice President Mike Pence, have said they will not.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., attended a Wisconsin fundraiser Friday after he had taken a test for the virus, but before the results came back. Johnson, who has been a vocal opponent of a mask mandate, learned the next day that he has tested positive.
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who has worked closely with multiple infected colleagues in the Senate, was photographed by a fellow passenger on a Delta flight with his mask dangling uselessly below his chin. Wicker’s spokesperson said he “lowered his face mask to eat a snack and forgot to put it back up.”
Unlike other suspected outbreaks of the virus, there does not appear to have been diligent contact tracing after the Rose Garden event so those who may have been infected could be quarantined. Multiple attendees at the event have said that they were not reached by contact tracers, and the White House has rebuffed the CDC's offer to help.
Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, said the disregard of basic guidelines by members at the highest level of government constituted "willful denial" that they too were beholden to the threat of infection.
"There's a sense of entitlement," Schaffner said. "That rules don't apply to them."
Schaffner described Trump and top Republicans' downplaying of the virus as dangerous both in the immediate risk posed by possibly infectious officials and in the broader threat of poor public messaging.
Schaffner predicted Trump's actions during his illness, such as commandeering an armored sport-utility vehicle for a ride around the hospital with a retinue of Secret Service agents, would cause many Americans to be more lax about the virus and rebel against quarantines and other public health measures in ways that have already contributed to COVID-19 rampaging through the U.S. in higher numbers than in any other country.
"His excursion probably undermined the authority of health officials around the country to enforce quarantine," Schaffner said.
White House spokesman Judd Deere did not answer specific questions for this article, instead condemning members of the media who he said are "disgustingly rooting against the President’s own health and his message of fight and optimism for the American people as he personally defeats this virus. Any suggestion that the President of the United States has not taken the threat of COVID-19 seriously is completely false."
Deere also defended the Rose Garden event on Monday night, referring to protesters he said who have "burned down, looted and rioted" in American cities and stating, "It can’t be the case that one group is allowed to assemble but those who support President Trump are not."
Trump's medical saga, unfolding with less than a month to go before the presidential election, seems unlikely to help him gain ground against a front-running opponent, Joe Biden, whose campaign has already benefited from Trump's uneven handling of the COVID-19 crisis.
Just during the time of Trump’s brief hospital stay over the weekend, the U.S. logged more than 136,000 new COVID cases and nearly 1,900 deaths attributed to the virus. Yet Trump emerged from his suite at Walter Reed, where he received experimental treatment unavailable to most non-presidents, to assert that national concern over the virus was overblown.
“Don’t let it dominate your life,” Trump tweeted in his announcement that he was being discharged. “We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!”
And on Tuesday morning, Trump reverted to the sort of comparison he had made earlier in the pandemic, comparing the novel coronavirus to the common flu. Twitter hid the post, finding it "misleading and potentially harmful."
But Trump's supporters, including Republican members of Congress, have seized on his hospital room battle against the virus as an inspiring showcase of their leader’s invincibility.
“COVID stood NO chance” against the president, U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., tweeted Monday, along with a video depicting Trump pummeling the virus in a professional wrestling arena.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., tweeted: “President Trump has once again defeated China.”
Both senators have also shown disregard for safety over the novel coronavirus. Loeffler was among those at the Rose Garden event, and even after Trump’s positive test she and Blackburn continued campaigning, often without masks.
Outside of loyalists, Trump’s efforts to pitch his medical odyssey as a personal triumph seemed a tough sell to a skeptical public.
When the White House released photos showing Trump in different outfits signing documents while hospitalized, suggesting a full workday, online sleuths showed that the photos were taken only 10 minutes apart. In at least one of the photos, he appeared to be signing a blank piece of paper with his Sharpie.
For Trump’s car trip around the hospital, the attention focused on the unnecessary risks it posed and the grim-looking federal agent in full personal protective equipment in the front passenger seat.
And Trump’s return to the White House, captured on video to show him reclaiming a spot on his balcony, without a face mask, seemed to be planned to project an image of his glorious return.
Instead, the word “gasping” trended on Twitter as Americans watched with alarm as Trump appeared to labor to breathe through a pained grimace on his face.
Schaffner cautioned that Trump’s victory lap is premature.
“We all wish him the best, an uneventful and rapid recovery,” he said. “But experience with this virus shows that it’s typical for a patient to do pretty well for several days and then crash.”
Like many Americans, Schaffner was most struck by the image of Trump defiantly removing his mask upon his arrival at the White House and concerned that supporters will clearly receive, and follow, the president's message.
“As soon as he got to his turf, he took off his mask and put it in his pocket, as if to say ‘I’m free of all those doctors.’” Schaffner said. “I think this is going to continually influence the thinking of many people across the country.”
Contributing: USA TODAY reporters Rachel Axon, Katie Wedell and Daphne Duret


usatoday--2020-10-07--Who's the fattest? 'Earl of Avoirdupois,' bear 747, beats 'Chunk' in Fat Bear Week 2020 championship

Who is the fattest bear of them all ?
After a week of voting , southwest Alaska ’ s Katmai National Park and Preserve has named bear 747 the winner of Fat Bear Week 2020 .
The annual , bracket-style tournament celebrates the success of the pre-hibernation preparations by bears at Brooks River in Katmai National Park .
The park asked social-media followers to vote on which husky hibernator is the fattest bear by voting on its website between Sept. 30 to Oct. 6 .
`` For each set of two bears , vote for one who you think is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The bear with the most votes advances .
Only one will be crowned champion of Fat Bear Week . ''
The park has been keeping voters up to date on the competition 's developments via social media .
The 2020 finalists : 32 `` Chunk '' and 747 .
`` The votes are in ! ''
the park said in a tweet Tuesday .
`` You ’ ve crowned the Earl of Avoirdupois , bear 747 , the 2020 Fat Bear Week Champion .
No longer the runner-up , 747 fulfills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he heads off to hibernation . ''
The competition 's website says that 747 appears to weigh at least 1,400 pounds and has become one of the most dominant bears at Brooks Falls .
NEW : '' He ’ s found most often in the jacuzzi or the far pool , '' reads 747 's online bio .
`` Only rival males of comparable size , of which there are very few , can challenge him for fishing spots . ''
The website says Katmai National Park hosts one of the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bulking up is a necessity as bears prepare themselves for hibernation .
So the fattest bears are actually considered the healthiest , since it means they have a stronger chance of surviving the winter .
Hibernation can last half a year , and a bear can lose up to one-third of its body mass during that time , the park explains .
Before their winter slumber , bears enter a state of hyperphagia , when they eat nearly nonstop .
In order to make weight before hibernating , bears are known to stock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 4,500 calories per fish .
They can eat upward of two dozen fish per day during peak season .
2019 winner : Who is the ‘ fattest bear of all ’ ?
Her name is Holly , and she lives in Alaska What is Fat Bear Week ?
: Find out before the winner is announced Tuesday

Who's the fattest? 'Earl of Avoirdupois,' bear 747, beats 'Chunk' in Fat Bear Week 2020 championship
Show Caption Hide Caption Bear cubs wrestle and play in neighborhood The LA County sheriff's deputies said the whole bear family went back to the woods. USA TODAY, Storyful
Who is the fattest bear of them all?
After a week of voting, southwest Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve has named bear 747 the winner of Fat Bear Week 2020.
The annual, bracket-style tournament celebrates the success of the pre-hibernation preparations by bears at Brooks River in Katmai National Park. The park asked social-media followers to vote on which husky hibernator is the fattest bear by voting on its website between Sept. 30 to Oct. 6.
"For each set of two bears, vote for one who you think is the fattest," the website explained. "The bear with the most votes advances. Only one will be crowned champion of Fat Bear Week."
The park has been keeping voters up to date on the competition's developments via social media. The 2020 finalists: 32 "Chunk" and 747.
"The votes are in!" the park said in a tweet Tuesday. "You’ve crowned the Earl of Avoirdupois, bear 747, the 2020 Fat Bear Week Champion. No longer the runner-up, 747 fulfills the fate of the fat and fabulous as he heads off to hibernation."
Match 11: Lardaceous Leviathan Levels Chunky Challenger
The votes are in! You’ve crowned the Earl of Avoirdupois, bear 747, the 2020 Fat Bear Week Champion. No longer the runner-up, 747 fulfills the fate of the fat and fabulous as he heads off to hibernation.#FatBearWeek pic.twitter.com/NpyguJiZb4 — Katmai National Park (@KatmaiNPS) October 7, 2020
The competition's website says that 747 appears to weigh at least 1,400 pounds and has become one of the most dominant bears at Brooks Falls.
NEW:"He’s found most often in the jacuzzi or the far pool," reads 747's online bio. "Only rival males of comparable size, of which there are very few, can challenge him for fishing spots."
The website says Katmai National Park hosts one of the world's largest concentrations of brown bears.
Bulking up is a necessity as bears prepare themselves for hibernation. So the fattest bears are actually considered the healthiest, since it means they have a stronger chance of surviving the winter.
Today’s the day we will crown 2020’s Fat Bear Week Champion. Where 747’s sedulous quest for salmon secured him a stout stomach, 32 Chunk’s playful pursuit of protein provided him a prodigious paunch. Who will win in the battle of the bellies?
Vote Here: https://t.co/NvXCYNigTJ pic.twitter.com/XfZJ4kIDIu — Katmai National Park (@KatmaiNPS) October 6, 2020
Hibernation can last half a year, and a bear can lose up to one-third of its body mass during that time, the park explains. Before their winter slumber, bears enter a state of hyperphagia, when they eat nearly nonstop.
In order to make weight before hibernating, bears are known to stock up on sockeye salmon, which contain about 4,500 calories per fish. They can eat upward of two dozen fish per day during peak season.
Contributing: Adrianna Rodriguez, Charles Trepany
2019 winner: Who is the ‘fattest bear of all’? Her name is Holly, and she lives in Alaska
What is Fat Bear Week?: Find out before the winner is announced Tuesday


usatoday--2020-10-06--Facebook's new QAnon strategy: Remove conspiracy group's presence from any pages, groups and Instagr

Facebook said Tuesday it is escalating the campaign against QAnon , pledging to remove any Facebook pages , groups and Instagram accounts aligned with the conspiracy group .
Until now , Facebook only said it would take action against QAnon activity containing discussions about potential violence .
That action , which began in mid-August , came after sharp criticism that it had allowed the extremist conspiracy movement to spread largely unchecked on its platforms .
In the month since taking that action , Facebook said it removed more than 1,500 QAnon-related pages and groups for discussions of potential violence and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tied to more than 300 Militarized Social Movements. ''
.
`` But we believe these efforts need to be strengthened when addressing QAnon , '' Facebook said in a post on its website .
Trump and COVID-19 : Facebook , Twitter and YouTube race to contain disinformation about president 's diagnosis Beginning Tuesday , Facebook will remove any pages , groups and Instagram accounts representing QAnon , `` even if they contain no violent content , '' the company confirmed .
Facebook said several factors led to this escalation in dealing with QAnon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve removed QAnon content that celebrates and supports violence , we ’ ve seen other QAnon content tied to different forms of real world harm , including recent claims that the west coast wildfires were started by certain groups , which diverted attention of local officials from fighting the fires and protecting the public . ''
The extremist conspiracy group 's messaging `` changes very quickly and we see networks of supporters build an audience with one message and then quickly pivot to another . ''
Facebook said .
Users who act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will continue to be removed , also .
The company 's Dangerous Organizations Operations team will `` proactively detect content for removal instead of relying on user reports . ''
Sen. Mark Warner , D-Va. , the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee , said Tuesday he was pleased in Facebook 's move `` against this harmful and increasingly dangerous conspiracy theory and movement . ''
`` Just this morning I encouraged the company to take the threat of QAnon more seriously , given increasing evidence that its growth has in large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warner said in a statement .
`` Ultimately , the real test will be whether Facebook actually takes measures to enforce these new policies – we ’ ve seen in a myriad of other contexts , including with respect to right-wing militias like the Boogaloos , that Facebook has repeatedly failed to consistently enforce its existing policies.
” Warner was among those calling for Facebook to ban the violent , anti-government extremist `` boogaloo '' movement from its platform , which the social network took action against in June .
Last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ QAnon for hijacking the Save The Children movement to push falsehoods about the exploitation of children by prominent Democrats including presidential nominee Joe Biden .
“ We are taking steps to address evidence that QAnon adherents are increasingly using the issue of child safety and hashtags like # savethechildren to recruit and organize , ” Facebook said at the time .
With the change , Facebook users searching for that hashtag and related hashtags will be directed to credible child safety resources .
At the time , Facebook also said QAnon content would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's less visible on Facebook 's platforms .
QAnon followers believe that President Donald Trump is a messianic figure battling a “ deep state ” of devil-worshipping , child-molesting Democrats .
Observers say the 2016 presidential election spurred the rise of conspiracy theories once confined to the fringes .
Now these theories are circulating in the mainstream and being amplified by prominent political figures in an alarming break from the norms of presidential politicking .
Jonathan Greenblatt , CEO and national director of the Anti-Defamation League , said in a statement , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort to purge hate and antisemitism from their platform , and not another knee-jerk response to pressure from members of Congress and the public . ''
After the president announced he had tested positive for COVID-19 , QAnon conspiracy theories ramped up , he said .
Some even suggested Trump faked the diagnosis to cover up his planned move against the `` deep state . ''
Others theorized the `` left '' gave Trump the novel coronavirus purposefully .
Greenblatt hopes Facebook is transparent about `` how the ban is being enforced and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ve seen recently with the speed at which misinformation has spread around the president ’ s contraction of coronavirus , QAnon presents a serious threat to our democracy , and we are still concerned that the people behind these groups will use subterfuge in an effort to find a workaround to continue spreading disinformation . ''

Mike Snider and Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY

Facebook's new QAnon strategy: Remove conspiracy group's presence from any pages, groups and Instagram accounts
Show Caption Hide Caption Facebook won't allow new political ads the week before election Facebook's update suggests the rules don't take effect until late October. USA TODAY
Facebook said Tuesday it is escalating the campaign against QAnon, pledging to remove any Facebook pages, groups and Instagram accounts aligned with the conspiracy group.
Until now, Facebook only said it would take action against QAnon activity containing discussions about potential violence.
That action, which began in mid-August, came after sharp criticism that it had allowed the extremist conspiracy movement to spread largely unchecked on its platforms. In the month since taking that action, Facebook said it removed more than 1,500 QAnon-related pages and groups for discussions of potential violence and more than 6,500 pages and groups "tied to more than 300 Militarized Social Movements.".
"But we believe these efforts need to be strengthened when addressing QAnon," Facebook said in a post on its website.
President Trump & social media: Facebook pulls Trump post comparing COVID-19 to flu; Twitter adds warning
Trump and COVID-19: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube race to contain disinformation about president's diagnosis
Beginning Tuesday, Facebook will remove any pages, groups and Instagram accounts representing QAnon, "even if they contain no violent content," the company confirmed.
Facebook said several factors led to this escalation in dealing with QAnon. "For example, while we’ve removed QAnon content that celebrates and supports violence, we’ve seen other QAnon content tied to different forms of real world harm, including recent claims that the west coast wildfires were started by certain groups, which diverted attention of local officials from fighting the fires and protecting the public."
The extremist conspiracy group's messaging "changes very quickly and we see networks of supporters build an audience with one message and then quickly pivot to another." Facebook said.
Users who act as administrators of these pages and groups will continue to be removed, also.
The company's Dangerous Organizations Operations team will "proactively detect content for removal instead of relying on user reports."
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Tuesday he was pleased in Facebook's move "against this harmful and increasingly dangerous conspiracy theory and movement."
"Just this morning I encouraged the company to take the threat of QAnon more seriously, given increasing evidence that its growth has in large part been propelled by Facebook," Warner said in a statement. "Ultimately, the real test will be whether Facebook actually takes measures to enforce these new policies – we’ve seen in a myriad of other contexts, including with respect to right-wing militias like the Boogaloos, that Facebook has repeatedly failed to consistently enforce its existing policies.”
Warner was among those calling for Facebook to ban the violent, anti-government extremist "boogaloo" movement from its platform, which the social network took action against in June.
Last week, Facebook said it was cracking down on QAnon for hijacking the Save The Children movement to push falsehoods about the exploitation of children by prominent Democrats including presidential nominee Joe Biden.
“We are taking steps to address evidence that QAnon adherents are increasingly using the issue of child safety and hashtags like #savethechildren to recruit and organize,” Facebook said at the time. With the change, Facebook users searching for that hashtag and related hashtags will be directed to credible child safety resources.
At the time, Facebook also said QAnon content would be "down-ranked," meaning it's less visible on Facebook's platforms.
QAnon followers believe that President Donald Trump is a messianic figure battling a “deep state” of devil-worshipping, child-molesting Democrats.
Observers say the 2016 presidential election spurred the rise of conspiracy theories once confined to the fringes. Now these theories are circulating in the mainstream and being amplified by prominent political figures in an alarming break from the norms of presidential politicking.
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and national director of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement, "We hope that this is a sincere effort to purge hate and antisemitism from their platform, and not another knee-jerk response to pressure from members of Congress and the public."
After the president announced he had tested positive for COVID-19, QAnon conspiracy theories ramped up, he said.
Some even suggested Trump faked the diagnosis to cover up his planned move against the "deep state." Others theorized the "left" gave Trump the novel coronavirus purposefully.
Greenblatt hopes Facebook is transparent about "how the ban is being enforced and whether it is fully effective. As we’ve seen recently with the speed at which misinformation has spread around the president’s contraction of coronavirus, QAnon presents a serious threat to our democracy, and we are still concerned that the people behind these groups will use subterfuge in an effort to find a workaround to continue spreading disinformation."


usatoday--2020-10-06--'Ellen DeGeneres Show' faces ratings freefall after toxic workplace controversy

Ratings for last month 's premiere week of `` The Ellen DeGeneres Show '' plummeted 38 % from last year , suggesting the controversy over reports of a toxic workplace – which led to the firing of three top producers – has spilled over into dwindling fan support .
The syndicated daytime talk show averaged 1.66 million viewers for the week of Sept. 21 , when she addressed the issues on air , down from 2.67 million for the opening week of Sept. 9 , 2019 , according to the first national Nielsen figures out Tuesday for same-day viewing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk shows are down amid overall declines in broadcast television , `` Ellen '' had by far the sharpest drop .
Among rivals , `` The Kelly Clarkson Show '' fell 19 % from last year , `` Dr. Phil '' was off 18 % , `` Wendy Williams '' dropped 24 % and `` Dr. Oz '' was down 17 % in early weeks of their seasons .
But there were outliers , too : `` Live With Kelly and Ryan '' gained 2 % over last year , averaging 2.57 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up 4 % to 1.2 million ( and renewed for a third season Tuesday ) ; and `` Rachael Ray '' fell just 5 % .
It 's not ending : Is Ellen DeGeneres done with her talk show ?
Why that 's not likely , at least not now '' Drew Barrymore , '' which competes against `` Kelly and Ryan '' in several major cities , had a sluggish start with 940,000 for its premiere week starting Sept. 14 , and fell to 796,000 a week later .
Early-evening infotainment magazine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by `` Access Hollywood '' ( down 34 % ) and `` Extra '' ( off 26 % ) ; `` Entertainment Tonight '' was down 13 % .
But stalwarts like `` Judge Judy '' ( down 4 % ) , `` Jeopardy ! ''
and `` Wheel of Fortune '' ( each down 8 % ) , were comparably steadier .
All three shows average more than 8 million same-day viewers , well ahead of most prime-time series .

'Ellen DeGeneres Show' faces ratings freefall after toxic workplace controversy
Show Caption Hide Caption 'Ellen DeGeneres Show' returns after toxic workplace allegations The longtime talk show host said she learned things happened at "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" that "never should have happened." USA TODAY
Ratings for last month's premiere week of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" plummeted 38% from last year, suggesting the controversy over reports of a toxic workplace – which led to the firing of three top producers – has spilled over into dwindling fan support.
The syndicated daytime talk show averaged 1.66 million viewers for the week of Sept. 21, when she addressed the issues on air, down from 2.67 million for the opening week of Sept. 9, 2019, according to the first national Nielsen figures out Tuesday for same-day viewing. And while it's true that many talk shows are down amid overall declines in broadcast television, "Ellen" had by far the sharpest drop.
Among rivals, "The Kelly Clarkson Show" fell 19% from last year, "Dr. Phil" was off 18%, "Wendy Williams" dropped 24% and "Dr. Oz" was down 17% in early weeks of their seasons.
But there were outliers, too: "Live With Kelly and Ryan" gained 2% over last year, averaging 2.57 million viewers; "Tamron Hall" was up 4% to 1.2 million (and renewed for a third season Tuesday); and "Rachael Ray" fell just 5%.
It's not ending: Is Ellen DeGeneres done with her talk show? Why that's not likely, at least not now
"Drew Barrymore," which competes against "Kelly and Ryan" in several major cities, had a sluggish start with 940,000 for its premiere week starting Sept. 14, and fell to 796,000 a week later.
Early-evening infotainment magazine shows also saw ratings cool, led by "Access Hollywood" (down 34%) and "Extra" (off 26%); "Entertainment Tonight" was down 13%.
But stalwarts like "Judge Judy" (down 4%), "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune" (each down 8%), were comparably steadier. All three shows average more than 8 million same-day viewers, well ahead of most prime-time series.


usatoday--2020-10-07--'Very impressive rapid intensification': Delta, a Category 4 'major' hurricane, heads for Mexico, th

'Very impressive rapid intensification': Delta, a Category 4 'major' hurricane, heads for Mexico, then US Gulf Coast

Hurricane Delta rapidly intensified into a powerful Category 4 `` major '' hurricane Tuesday with 145-mph winds in the Caribbean Sea as it heads for Mexico , then treks north toward the U.S. Gulf Coast .
Delta is forecast to lash Mexico 's Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday with `` life-threatening storm surge '' and `` significant flash flooding . ''
Though forecasters are unsure exactly where or when it could hit the USA , areas from Louisiana to the western Florida panhandle could see dangerous conditions Thursday night into Friday .
The National Hurricane Center said Delta is going through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Early Monday , Delta was a tropical depression that the center pegged to muster hurricane strength Tuesday .
Delta intensified by 70 mph ( from 40 to 110 mph ) in the first 24 hours since it became a named storm , according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach .
This is the most intensification in a 24-hour period for an October Atlantic named storm since Hurricane Wilma in 2005 .
As of 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday , Delta had winds up to 145 mph and was powering forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was about 180 miles east-southeast of the Mexican island of Cozumel , forecasters said .
`` I honestly do n't see much that will stop it until it reaches Yucatan , '' a forecaster wrote in the hurricane center 's update at 5 a.m .
The worst impacts were expected along the resort-studded northeastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula , where hurricane conditions were forecast Tuesday night and landfall early Wednesday .
From Tulum to Cancun , tourism-dependent communities being soaked Tuesday by the remnants of Tropical Storm Gamma could bear the brunt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winds of about 140 mph when it hits Mexico , forecasters said .
Though it could lose strength as it tears through Mexico , `` conditions look ripe for re-intensification '' once it continues on to the USA , the hurricane center said .
Delta would be the 10th named storm to hit the USA in a single season , an all-time record .
This year has tied 1916 for nine tropical systems that made landfall in the USA , AccuWeather said .
Alabama Gov .
Kay Ivey signed a state of emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek federal aid more quickly if needed .
Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards also declared a state of emergency Tuesday and said he plans to ask President Donald Trump for a pre-landfall disaster declaration Wednesday .
Delta is the earliest 25th named storm in an Atlantic hurricane season .
The Hurricane Center turned to the Greek alphabet for naming storms , something it has done only once before , after more than 21 named storms formed , exhausting the preapproved name list .
Two hurricanes have reached `` major '' status this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least 111 mph , a Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale .
Hurricane Laura devastated parts of Louisiana and southeastern Texas when it roared ashore as a Category 4 .
Hurricane Teddy never made landfall in the USA but brushed past New England on its way to Canada .
Hurricane Sally , not a `` major '' hurricane in terms of wind speed , still caused severe flooding to parts of Alabama and the Florida Panhandle where it dumped 30 inches of rain .
The historically active hurricane season has caused some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number and intensity of storms .
Though no single weather event can be solely pegged to global warming , scientists have found that human-caused climate change makes strong storms even stronger .
Warmer air holds more moisture , making storms rainier , and rising seas make storm surges higher and more damaging .
Scientists have seen tropical storms and hurricanes slow down once they hit the USA by about 17 % since 1900 , and that gives them the opportunity to unload more rain over one place , as Sally did in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harvey did in Houston .

Ryan W. Miller and Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

'Very impressive rapid intensification': Delta, now a Category 3 'major' hurricane, heads for Mexico, then US Gulf Coast
Show Caption Hide Caption Hurricane Delta set to continue strengthening before striking land After reaching hurricane status on Monday night, Delta is expected to gain enough strength to become a major hurricane prior to landfall. Accuweather
Hurricane Delta rapidly intensified into a powerful Category 3 "major" hurricane Tuesday with winds up to 145 mph in the Caribbean Sea as it heads for Mexico, then treks north toward the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Delta is forecast to lash the Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday with "life-threatening storm surge" and "significant flash flooding." Though forecasters are unsure exactly where or when it could hit the USA, areas from Louisiana to the western Florida panhandle could see dangerous conditions Thursday night into Friday.
The National Hurricane Center said Delta is going through "a very impressive rapid intensification episode." Early Monday, Delta was a tropical depression that the center pegged to muster hurricane strength Tuesday.
Delta intensified by 70 mph (from 40 to 110 mph) in the first 24 hours since it became a named storm, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. This is the most intensification in a 24-hour period for an October Atlantic named storm since Hurricane Wilma in 2005.
As of 2 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Delta had winds up to 120 mph and was powering forward west-northwest at 16 mph. The storm was about 80 miles east-southeast of the Mexican island of Cozumel, forecasters said.
"Little change in strength is expected before the center reaches the coast of the Yucatan peninsula," the Hurricane Center said. "Although some weakening is likely when Delta moves over the Yucatan Peninsula, re-strengthening is forecast when the hurricane moves over the southern Gulf of Mexico Wednesday night and Thursday."
Thousands of tourists and residents along Mexico's Riviera Maya have evacuated, with about 160 shelters open in Cancun alone. Some hotels with structures rated for major hurricanes have offered guests to shelter in place while others are being moved into nearby shelters.
Lizeth Elena Garza Hernandez is staying at the Fiesta Americana Condesa hotel with her husband, parents-in-law and 4-year-old daughter. She arrived on Sunday from the northern Mexican border city of Reynosa.
"I’m scared because we don’t know how it could impact here, because we’ve never been in a situation like it," she said.
Joseph Potts, a deputy sheriff from Denver, is staying at the hotel with his wife and 3-year-old son. His wife attended an emergency information session at the hotel before guests were told they would be moved to a university in Cancun.
“The hurricane kind of popped up overnight and we just want to get it over with and go back to the beach,” Potts said.
The worst impacts were expected along the resort-studded northeastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, where landfall was forecast for early Wednesday.
From Tulum to Cancun, tourism-dependent communities being soaked Tuesday by the remnants of Tropical Storm Gamma could bear the brunt of the storm.
Delta could have winds of about 140 mph when it hits Mexico, forecasters said. Though it could lose strength as it tears through Mexico, "conditions look ripe for re-intensification" once it continues on to the USA, the hurricane center said.
Delta would be the 10th named storm to hit the USA in a single season, an all-time record. This year has tied 1916 for nine tropical systems that made landfall in the USA, AccuWeather said.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a state of emergency Tuesday that she said would let officials seek federal aid more quickly if needed.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards also declared a state of emergency Tuesday and said he plans to ask President Donald Trump for a pre-landfall disaster declaration Wednesday.
Delta is the earliest 25th named storm in an Atlantic hurricane season. The Hurricane Center turned to the Greek alphabet for naming storms, something it has done only once before, after more than 21 named storms formed, exhausting the preapproved name list.
The historically active hurricane season has caused some to speculate whether climate change contributes to the number and intensity of storms. Though no single weather event can be solely pegged to global warming, scientists have found that human-caused climate change makes strong storms even stronger.
Dual disasters: How is climate change worsening wildfires and hurricanes?
Warmer air holds more moisture, making storms rainier, and rising seas make storm surges higher and more damaging.
Scientists have seen tropical storms and hurricanes slow down once they hit the USA by about 17% since 1900, and that gives them the opportunity to unload more rain over one place, as Sally did in the Southeast and 2017’s Hurricane Harvey did in Houston.
Contributing: Jessica Flores, USA TODAY; Kimberly Miller, Palm Beach Post; Greg Hilburn, Monroe News-Star; The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-10-06--Bed Bath & Beyond just launched a huge fall sale—here are the best deals

— Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed ’ s editors .
Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission .
Whenever there 's a changing of the seasons , it 's often accompanied by a sudden urge to give your home a refresh—at least for me .
Whether you 've got your heart set on some festive , fall-themed décor , a few cozy blankets or a new kitchen gadget , there are tons of ways to spruce up your space this autumn .
And thanks to Bed Bath & Beyond 's Best of Fall Sale , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less .
Need help finding products ?
Sign up for our weekly newsletter .
It ’ s free and you can unsubscribe at any time .
Through Sunday , October 11 , shoppers can take advantage of the retailer 's massive savings event , which features savings on an array of at-home essentials , such as coffee makers , shower curtains , bedding , patio furniture and so much more .
While there 's thousands of marked-down items to choose from , we went ahead and combed through the entire sale to find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attention .
Ahead , find 22 of our top picks—just do n't wait to scoop 'em up , because products are selling fast !
Spending the holidays at home amid COVID-19 ?
Bed Bath & Beyond begins rolling out deals • Get the Farberware 3-Piece Nonstick Cookie Pan Set for $ 11.99 ( Save $ 3 ) • Get the Le Creuset 8-Ounce Mini Round Stoneware Cocotte for $ 19.99 ( Save $ 6 ) • Get the Capresso H2O Plus Glass Water Kettle for $ 44.99 ( Save $ 15 ) • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coffee Maker for $ 63.99 ( Save $ 16 ) • Get the Staub 3.5-quart Cast-Iron Pumpkin Cocotte from $ 179.99 ( Save $ 20 ) • Get the Lagostina Martellata Tri-Ply Copper 10-Piece Cookware Set for $ 399.99 ( Save $ 100 ) • Get the Crosley Rachel Swivel Counter Stool from $ 93.99 ( Save $ 1 to $ 12 ) • Get the Annette Storage Bench for $ 116.99 ( Save $ 33 ) • Get the Forest Gate 42-Inch Coffee Table from $ 118.79 ( Save $ 13.20 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Concept Mid-Century 2-Shelf Console Table for $ 179.99 ( Save $ 120 ) • Get the Steve Silver Co. Sherlock Lift-Top Cocktail Table with Casters for $ 257.99 ( Save $ 10 ) • Get the Origins Microfiber Tablecloth from $ 7.49 ( Save $ 1 to $ 10 ) • Get the Wamsutta Duet Bath Rugs from $ 9.99 ( Save $ 5 ) • Get the Turkish Ribbed Bath Towel Collection for $ 20.99 ( Save $ 9 ) • Get the RainSpa 3-in-1 Rainfall Combination Showerhead for $ 24.99 ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wamsutta 500-Thread-Count Pima Sheet Collection from $ 44.99 ( Save $ 5 to $ 15 ) • Get the Brookstone n-a-p Heated Plush Blanket from $ 47.99 ( Save $ 32 to $ 72 ) • Get the Yankee Candle Housewarmer Autumn Wreath-Scented Candle from $ 1.49 ( Save $ 1.50 to $ 7.50 ) • Get the Yankee Candle Housewarmer Spiced Pumpkin-Scented Candle from $ 1.99 ( Save $ 1.50 to $ 7.50 ) • Get the Isaac Mizrahi Home Natalia Square Throw Pillows , Set of 2 for $ 19.99 ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bee & Willow Home Ticking Stripe Woven Oblong Throw Pillow for $ 25.49 ( Save $ 4.50 ) • Get the Bee & Willow Home Sussex Rug in Grey/Beige from $ 71.99 ( Save $ 8 to $ 58 ) Shop the Best of Fall Sale at Bed Bath and Beyond The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered .
Follow Reviewed on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram for the latest deals , reviews , and more .
Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but @ @ @ @ @

Bed Bath & Beyond just launched a huge fall sale—here are the best deals
— Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.
Whenever there's a changing of the seasons, it's often accompanied by a sudden urge to give your home a refresh—at least for me. Whether you've got your heart set on some festive, fall-themed décor, a few cozy blankets or a new kitchen gadget, there are tons of ways to spruce up your space this autumn. And thanks to Bed Bath & Beyond's Best of Fall Sale, you can grab it all for way less.
Need help finding products? Sign up for our weekly newsletter. It’s free and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Through Sunday, October 11, shoppers can take advantage of the retailer's massive savings event, which features savings on an array of at-home essentials, such as coffee makers, shower curtains, bedding, patio furniture and so much more. While there's thousands of marked-down items to choose from, we went ahead and combed through the entire sale to find the ones that are actually worth your attention. Ahead, find 22 of our top picks—just don't wait to scoop 'em up, because products are selling fast!
Spending the holidays at home amid COVID-19? Bed Bath & Beyond begins rolling out deals
The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest deals, reviews, and more.
Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.


usatoday--2020-10-06--Why you should keep your fridge as cold as possible

Why you should keep your fridge as cold as possible Keep your fridge as cold as possible for food safety @

Fridge hack: Save money by keeping it cold
Keep your fridge as cold as possible for food safety.
ProblemSolved, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-10-06--Judge rules against Trump campaign in New Jersey lawsuit over counting ballots

President Donald Trump 's campaign lost a battle in federal court Tuesday when a judge denied its bid to stop New Jersey from counting ballots early and accepting ballots after Election Day .
The Trump campaign ’ s legal war against New Jersey is one of numerous it is waging against new election rules nationwide .
Trump ’ s lawyers had argued that the two New Jersey rules “ opened the door to voter fraud and widespread confusion in the upcoming election.
” U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp in Trenton denied the motion for a preliminary injunction on Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but absent a timely appeal , it kills the GOP 's hopes of halting the new election rules from taking place .
The state 's Republican Party joined the Trump campaign as a plaintiff .
The new rules opposed by the Trump campaign allow election officials to count ballots starting 10 days before Election Day and allow the counting of ballots received with no postmark up to two days after polls close .
They were approved by the state Legislature and signed into law by Gov .
Phil Murphy in August as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Shipp ruled against the Trump campaign , he said in a written decision , because it failed to show it was likely to succeed on the merits of its claims .
Federal law does not prohibit New Jersey from counting ballots early or setting rules of deciding when a mail-in ballot is timely received , he said .
The campaign is relying too broadly on federal laws governing the timing of Election Day , which offer wide latitude to states to make up their own election rules , Shipp said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Trump campaign would have been against the public 's interest .
`` Here the risk is not just voters remaining away from the polls but also voters traveling to the polls , '' he wrote .
`` It is foreseeable that an injunction on the even of the by-mail election could prompt such confusion or distrust that voters opt to avoid the mail system altogether and cast provision ballots in person .
Such an outcome would defeat the purpose of the vote-by-mail election and needlessly force voters and poll workers into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordered the state to conduct a largely mail-in election this fall , limiting in-person voting to people with visual impairments and those voting with provisional ballots .
The state ’ s two previous attempts at mail-in elections , local races in May and primaries in July , were marred by allegations of voter fraud and a dramatic increase in the number of rejected mail-in ballots .
The issues continue .
On Monday , nearly 7,000 Teaneck voters were sent the wrong ballots , leaving Bergen County officials scrambling to replace them .
Terrence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community , please subscribe or activate your digital account today .

Judge rules against Trump campaign in New Jersey lawsuit over counting ballots
Show Caption Hide Caption NJ mail in ballot 2020: What's inside and how to complete it | Video The Ocean County Clerk's office explains what you will find inside the mail-in ballot and how to prepare it for the upcoming election. Thomas P. Costello, Asbury Park Press
President Donald Trump's campaign lost a battle in federal court Tuesday when a judge denied its bid to stop New Jersey from counting ballots early and accepting ballots after Election Day.
The Trump campaign’s legal war against New Jersey is one of numerous it is waging against new election rules nationwide. Trump’s lawyers had argued that the two New Jersey rules “opened the door to voter fraud and widespread confusion in the upcoming election.”
U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp in Trenton denied the motion for a preliminary injunction on Tuesday. It doesn't end the lawsuit entirely, but absent a timely appeal, it kills the GOP's hopes of halting the new election rules from taking place. The state's Republican Party joined the Trump campaign as a plaintiff.
The new rules opposed by the Trump campaign allow election officials to count ballots starting 10 days before Election Day and allow the counting of ballots received with no postmark up to two days after polls close. They were approved by the state Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy in August as part of a package of election-related bills.
Shipp ruled against the Trump campaign, he said in a written decision, because it failed to show it was likely to succeed on the merits of its claims. Federal law does not prohibit New Jersey from counting ballots early or setting rules of deciding when a mail-in ballot is timely received, he said. The campaign is relying too broadly on federal laws governing the timing of Election Day, which offer wide latitude to states to make up their own election rules, Shipp said.
The judge also said a ruling in favor of the Trump campaign would have been against the public's interest.
"Here the risk is not just voters remaining away from the polls but also voters traveling to the polls," he wrote. "It is foreseeable that an injunction on the even of the by-mail election could prompt such confusion or distrust that voters opt to avoid the mail system altogether and cast provision ballots in person. Such an outcome would defeat the purpose of the vote-by-mail election and needlessly force voters and poll workers into close proximity."
Murphy in August ordered the state to conduct a largely mail-in election this fall, limiting in-person voting to people with visual impairments and those voting with provisional ballots. The state’s two previous attempts at mail-in elections, local races in May and primaries in July, were marred by allegations of voter fraud and a dramatic increase in the number of rejected mail-in ballots.
The issues continue. On Monday, nearly 7,000 Teaneck voters were sent the wrong ballots, leaving Bergen County officials scrambling to replace them.
Terrence T. McDonald is a reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: mcdonaldt@northjersey.com Twitter: @terrencemcd


usatoday--2020-10-06--Ohio GOP Gov. Mike DeWine says he wishes Trump would wear a mask more

“ I wish the president would wear the mask more , ” DeWine told reporters .
`` I wish he 'd wear it all the time when he was in public .
I said that before he had the coronavirus . ''
Trump revealed early Friday that he tested positive for COVID-19 and then spent three days at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center .
He returned to the White House Monday , tweeting `` Don ’ t be afraid of Covid .
Don ’ t let it dominate your life.
” DeWine said Ohioans should not be afraid of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discount it either .
`` Even the leader of our great country can get the virus , '' DeWine said .
`` It can happen to anyone .
No one is immune . ''
When DeWine met Trump on Air Force One before a Dayton rally last month , the Republican governor and his wife wore masks while the president did not .
DeWine has encouraged attendees of Trump rallies to wear masks .
However , he has not limited attendance or enforced mask requirements there , saying that would violate the First @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequent coronavirus testing – like Trump receives and all attendees of the Cleveland debate were subject to – can not substitute for mask-wearing and social distancing , DeWine said .
`` They have to go together , '' DeWine said .
Bengals allowed 12K fans - but that 's it Do n't expect more than 12,000 fans in Paul Brown Stadium anytime soon .
DeWine 's administration recently allowed the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns to increase the number of fans in the stands from 6,000 to 12,000 .
But that 's likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said there 's no magic number , but 12,000 fans seemed to be the right number to practice social distancing and reduce the opportunity for COVID-19 to spread .
`` We have an obligation to provide a safe environment for people who go in there , '' said DeWine , adding that games can last several hours in close proximity to many people under normal circumstances .
DeWine has n't yet made a decision about whether to change the 10 p.m. last call order on bars .
Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley has asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unintended consequences of violence in the city .
After hearing school administrator concerns about quarantining large numbers of students , Ohio 's leaders hope to deploy rapid testing to find out whether children who came in contact with an infected person get the virus .
Right now , students might be quarantined and kept home from school if they are in contact with a student who tests positive for COVID-19 even if they did n't have prolonged exposure .
DeWine hopes to study the current guidance on student quarantine and come up with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Disease Control and Prevention study released yesterday emphasized that regardless of negative test results , people should self-quarantine for 14 days after exposure .
Rapid antigen tests have been authorized for use only for people with symptoms ; negative tests are to be confirmed with a more expensive , lab-based polymerase chain reaction ( PCR ) test .
[ The Enquirer is providing most of its coronavirus-related stories free to readers .
We can ’ t do this work without your support .
Please consider a digital subscription to Cincinnati.com . ]
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , others Ohio reported 1,335 cases of COVID-19 since Monday , which is above the seven-day average of 1,166 cases .
Another 16 deaths were reported Tuesday , lower than the 21-day average of 21 deaths .
Cases and deaths can be reported days or weeks after a person becomes sick or dies .
The number of people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 has been increasing since late September , reaching 777 on Tuesday , according to the Ohio Hospital Association .
That ’ s above the seven-day rolling average of 692 .
DeWine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have adequate capacity to treat patients with COVID-19 and other issues .
Ohio ’ s seven-day test positivity rate has been below 5 % since Aug. 14 and was 3.2 % on Sunday , the most recent day that information is available .

Jessie Balmert and Jackie Borchardt, Cincinnati Enquirer

Ohio GOP Gov. Mike DeWine says he wishes Trump would wear a mask more
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19: How Herd Immunity works, why you still need to wear a mask Without masks and a vaccine, we could reach Herd Immunity from COVID-19, but deaths would skyrocket. We break down the science of it. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
COLUMBUS – President Donald Trump's recent COVID-19 diagnosis proves frequent testing isn't a substitute for wearing a mask, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday.
“I wish the president would wear the mask more,” DeWine told reporters. "I wish he'd wear it all the time when he was in public. I said that before he had the coronavirus."
Trump revealed early Friday that he tested positive for COVID-19 and then spent three days at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He returned to the White House Monday, tweeting "Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life.”
DeWine said Ohioans should not be afraid of the virus, but they should not discount it either.
"Even the leader of our great country can get the virus," DeWine said. "It can happen to anyone. No one is immune."
When DeWine met Trump on Air Force One before a Dayton rally last month, the Republican governor and his wife wore masks while the president did not.
DeWine has encouraged attendees of Trump rallies to wear masks. However, he has not limited attendance or enforced mask requirements there, saying that would violate the First Amendment right to political speech.
Even frequent coronavirus testing – like Trump receives and all attendees of the Cleveland debate were subject to – cannot substitute for mask-wearing and social distancing, DeWine said.
"They have to go together," DeWine said.
Bengals allowed 12K fans - but that's it
Don't expect more than 12,000 fans in Paul Brown Stadium anytime soon.
DeWine's administration recently allowed the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns to increase the number of fans in the stands from 6,000 to 12,000. But that's likely it, the governor said.
DeWine said there's no magic number, but 12,000 fans seemed to be the right number to practice social distancing and reduce the opportunity for COVID-19 to spread.
"We have an obligation to provide a safe environment for people who go in there," said DeWine, adding that games can last several hours in close proximity to many people under normal circumstances.
DeWine hasn't yet made a decision about whether to change the 10 p.m. last call order on bars. Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley has asked DeWine to lift the order, citing unintended consequences of violence in the city.
How to avoid unnecessary student quarantines
After hearing school administrator concerns about quarantining large numbers of students, Ohio's leaders hope to deploy rapid testing to find out whether children who came in contact with an infected person get the virus.
Right now, students might be quarantined and kept home from school if they are in contact with a student who tests positive for COVID-19 even if they didn't have prolonged exposure.
DeWine hopes to study the current guidance on student quarantine and come up with recommendations.
However, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study released yesterday emphasized that regardless of negative test results, people should self-quarantine for 14 days after exposure.
Rapid antigen tests have been authorized for use only for people with symptoms; negative tests are to be confirmed with a more expensive, lab-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
[ The Enquirer is providing most of its coronavirus-related stories free to readers. We can’t do this work without your support. Please consider a digital subscription to Cincinnati.com. ]
Hospitals have enough space for COVID patients, others
Ohio reported 1,335 cases of COVID-19 since Monday, which is above the seven-day average of 1,166 cases. Another 16 deaths were reported Tuesday, lower than the 21-day average of 21 deaths.
Cases and deaths can be reported days or weeks after a person becomes sick or dies.
The number of people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 has been increasing since late September, reaching 777 on Tuesday, according to the Ohio Hospital Association. That’s above the seven-day rolling average of 692.
DeWine said all of Ohio's hospital regions have adequate capacity to treat patients with COVID-19 and other issues.
Ohio’s seven-day test positivity rate has been below 5% since Aug. 14 and was 3.2% on Sunday, the most recent day that information is available.


usatoday--2020-10-06--White House backs FDA coronavirus vaccine guidance, potentially slowing timeline

WASHINGTON – The White House embraced guidelines published Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration that would likely slow approval of a coronavirus vaccine by requiring drug makers to conduct trials for two months before requesting approval .
President Donald Trump had previously balked at the guidance , telling reporters last month that the FDA proposal had to be approved by the White House and arguing that he thought they might have been `` a political move more than anything else . ''
The FDA published the guidelines Tuesday , a day after Trump returned to the White House after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reed National Military Medical Center and told Americans in a video they should not fear COVID-19 and that a vaccine is coming `` momentarily . ''
Trump has expressed optimism about the vaccine but public health officials have urged caution .
More : Trump could face a relapse , experts warn , as president opts to downplay threat More : Reaction to Trump saying not to 'be afraid of Covid' '' We may or may not approve it .
That sounds like a political move , '' Trump said on Sept. 23 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson and Johnson , Moderna , these great companies coming up with the vaccines and they ’ ve done testing and everything else .
I ’ m saying , why would they have to be adding great length to the process .
We want to have people not get sick . ''
A senior administration official speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations confirmed to USA TODAY that the White House backed the plan .
In documents posted on its website , the FDA said vaccine makers should follow trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule out safety issues before seeking emergency approval .
That requirement would likely preclude the introduction of a vaccine before the Nov. 3 presidential election .
`` Being open and clear about the circumstances under which the issuance of an emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine would be appropriate is critical to building public confidence and ensuring the use of COVID-19 vaccines once available , '' said Dr. Peter Marks , director of the FDA ’ s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research .
Trump , who is facing a challenging path @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the pandemic , has frequently hinted at the possibility that a vaccine could potentially be approved before the election and widely available early next year .
A senior administration told the Associated Press this week that the White House had blocked FDA ’ s plans to formally publish the safety guidelines based on the 2-month data requirement , arguing there was “ no clinical or medical reason ” for it .
Other officials within the White House disputed that characterization , arguing that the guidance was working its way through the normal @ @ @

John Fritze and David Jackson, USA TODAY

White House backs FDA coronavirus vaccine guidance, potentially slowing timeline
Show Caption Hide Caption Trump stages dramatic White House return Donald Trump staged a dramatic return to the White House Monday night after leaving the military hospital where he has been receiving an unprecedented level of care for COVID-19. Trump entered the White House without wearing a protective mask. (Oct. 5) AP
WASHINGTON – The White House embraced guidelines published Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration that would likely slow approval of a coronavirus vaccine by requiring drug makers to conduct trials for two months before requesting approval.
President Donald Trump had previously balked at the guidance, telling reporters last month that the FDA proposal had to be approved by the White House and arguing that he thought they might have been "a political move more than anything else."
The FDA published the guidelines Tuesday, a day after Trump returned to the White House after being treated for the virus at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and told Americans in a video they should not fear COVID-19 and that a vaccine is coming "momentarily." Trump has expressed optimism about the vaccine but public health officials have urged caution.
More: Trump could face a relapse, experts warn, as president opts to downplay threat
More: Reaction to Trump saying not to 'be afraid of Covid'
"We may or may not approve it. That sounds like a political move," Trump said on Sept. 23. "Because when you have Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, Moderna, these great companies coming up with the vaccines and they’ve done testing and everything else. I’m saying, why would they have to be adding great length to the process. We want to have people not get sick."
A senior administration official speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations confirmed to USA TODAY that the White House backed the plan.
In documents posted on its website, the FDA said vaccine makers should follow trial participants for at least two months to rule out safety issues before seeking emergency approval. That requirement would likely preclude the introduction of a vaccine before the Nov. 3 presidential election.
"Being open and clear about the circumstances under which the issuance of an emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine would be appropriate is critical to building public confidence and ensuring the use of COVID-19 vaccines once available," said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
Trump, who is facing a challenging path to reelection this year in part because of the pandemic, has frequently hinted at the possibility that a vaccine could potentially be approved before the election and widely available early next year.
A senior administration told the Associated Press this week that the White House had blocked FDA’s plans to formally publish the safety guidelines based on the 2-month data requirement, arguing there was “no clinical or medical reason” for it. Other officials within the White House disputed that characterization, arguing that the guidance was working its way through the normal review process.
Contributing: Associated Press


usatoday--2020-10-06--FBI, NSA confident in election: 'Security of your vote has never been higher,' says cyber security a

Federal authorities reaffirmed their confidence in the U.S. election system Tuesday , despite the persistent foreign threat and President Donald Trump ’ s repeated claims that the process is “ rigged ” and vulnerable to mass voter fraud .
William Evanina , director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center said the `` election system remains resilient '' in a video message with directors of the FBI , National Security Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency .
`` To be clear , it would be very difficult for adversaries to interfere with , or manipulate , voting results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US intel : Russia working to defeat Biden ; China and Iran prefer Trump defeat Evanina and his colleagues acknowledged that foreign adversaries were continuing to spread disinformation while engaging in operations in attempts to sway voters .
`` There ’ s been a lot of talk about efforts to hack our elections over the last four years and some of you might be wondering whether the 2020 elections will be secure , '' said Chris Krebs , director of the Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency .
`` Well , I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the security of your vote has never been higher .
`` That ’ s because of an all-of-nation , unprecedented election security effort over the last several years , '' Krebs said .
The officials made no reference to the repeated criticisms from Trump , who during last week 's debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden , referred to the mail-in voting system as `` a disaster . ''
More : Trump declines to commit to peaceful transfer of power , McConnell promises 'orderly transition' The president has made the integrity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re-election campaign , despite no evidence that the system has been compromised by large-scale fraud , and declining to commit to a peaceful transfer of power should he lose .
Last month , FBI Director Christopher Wray told a congressional committee that authorities had `` not seen , historically , any kind of coordinated national voter fraud effort in a major election , whether it 's by mail or otherwise . ''
Wray 's testimony rankled White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows , who called for a closer examination of election-related complaints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintained that federal authorities were working closely with state and local officials and would `` aggressively investigate and work with our partners to take appropriate action , including seeking criminal charges where warranted . ''
`` Rest assured that the security of the election – and safeguarding your vote – is and will continue to be one of our highest priorities , '' Wray said .

FBI, NSA confident in election: 'Security of your vote has never been higher,' says cyber security agency
Show Caption Hide Caption Elections 2020: Mail-in voting could decide next president Many states are planning on drastically different elections this year and mail-in ballots could be a big game changer. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Federal authorities reaffirmed their confidence in the U.S. election system Tuesday, despite the persistent foreign threat and President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that the process is “rigged” and vulnerable to mass voter fraud.
William Evanina, director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center said the "election system remains resilient" in a video message with directors of the FBI, National Security Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
"To be clear, it would be very difficult for adversaries to interfere with, or manipulate, voting results at scale," Evanina said.
US intel: Russia working to defeat Biden; China and Iran prefer Trump defeat
Evanina and his colleagues acknowledged that foreign adversaries were continuing to spread disinformation while engaging in operations in attempts to sway voters.
"There’s been a lot of talk about efforts to hack our elections over the last four years and some of you might be wondering whether the 2020 elections will be secure," said Chris Krebs, director of the Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency. "Well, I'm here to tell you that my confidence in the security of your vote has never been higher.
"That’s because of an all-of-nation, unprecedented election security effort over the last several years," Krebs said.
The officials made no reference to the repeated criticisms from Trump, who during last week's debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden, referred to the mail-in voting system as "a disaster."
More: Trump declines to commit to peaceful transfer of power, McConnell promises 'orderly transition'
The president has made the integrity of the election a constant theme of his re-election campaign, despite no evidence that the system has been compromised by large-scale fraud, and declining to commit to a peaceful transfer of power should he lose.
Last month, FBI Director Christopher Wray told a congressional committee that authorities had "not seen, historically, any kind of coordinated national voter fraud effort in a major election, whether it's by mail or otherwise."
BATTLEGROUND STATES: Effort to count mail-in ballots sooner hits obstacles
Wray's testimony rankled White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, who called for a closer examination of election-related complaints.
In Tuesday's video, Wray maintained that federal authorities were working closely with state and local officials and would "aggressively investigate and work with our partners to take appropriate action, including seeking criminal charges where warranted."
"Rest assured that the security of the election – and safeguarding your vote – is and will continue to be one of our highest priorities," Wray said.


usatoday--2020-10-06--Supreme Court wary of letting states regulate prescription drug   'middlemen'

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court appeared skeptical Tuesday that states should be allowed to regulate prescription drug `` middlemen , '' even though their role affects more than 250 million Americans .
A majority of the court 's eight justices expressed concern that such interference in the prescription drug marketplace would subject pharmacy benefit managers to dozens of state laws – something a 1974 federal law was meant to preclude .
The case , which pits 45 states and independent pharmacies against the trade organization representing pharmacy benefit managers , has received little attention compared to another health care dispute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the third major challenge to the Affordable Care Act in eight years .
The states and pharmacies contend that pharmacy benefit managers – which process prescription drug claims and then reimburse pharmacies – should be subject to state regulations .
Led by Arkansas , they say low reimbursement rates for generic drugs have caused thousands of independent pharmacies to close , particularly in rural areas .
On the other side is the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association , the trade group for benefit managers such as CVS/Caremark , OptumRX and Express Scripts .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 1974 preempts state laws such as the one Arkansas passed in 2015 .
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit agreed with the trade group two years ago .
During Tuesday 's oral argument , held by telephone during the COVID-19 pandemic , Chief Justice John Roberts acknowledged that Arkansas seeks to regulate drug prices , not the insurance plans themselves .
But he said the law appears to interfere with federal jurisdiction .
`` At the end of the day , all this might have an impact on drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But it seems to me that it 's very different , and those differences really do go to what ERISA is trying to regulate . ''
Associate Justice Elena Kagan noted there are `` 45 different states that have passed all kinds of laws '' regarding pharmacy benefit managers .
`` I 'm wondering why that does n't raise exactly the specter that the drafters of ERISA were concerned about , '' she said .
The case has flown under the radar as the Supreme Court prepares to hear a challenge to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coalition of states led by Texas contends that the law is unconstitutional because Congress in 2017 eliminated the tax penalty that enforced the law 's mandate to buy health insurance .
By the time that case is heard the week after Election Day , President Donald Trump 's nominee to fill the late Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg 's seat – federal appeals court Judge Amy Coney Barrett – may be on the bench .
The Trump administration has sided with Arkansas in the prescription drug dispute .
It says states should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits managers reimburse pharmacies .
The case comes to the court at a time when drug prices are an issue in the presidential and congressional elections .
Over the past 20 years , spending on drugs has risen by 330 % , compared with a 208 % increase in health care costs .

Supreme Court wary of letting states regulate prescription drug 'middlemen'
Show Caption Hide Caption Supreme Court will again hear if Obamacare if is unconstitutional The Supreme Court will take a look at another challenge of the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, in the fall. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court appeared skeptical Tuesday that states should be allowed to regulate prescription drug "middlemen," even though their role affects more than 250 million Americans.
A majority of the court's eight justices expressed concern that such interference in the prescription drug marketplace would subject pharmacy benefit managers to dozens of state laws – something a 1974 federal law was meant to preclude.
The case, which pits 45 states and independent pharmacies against the trade organization representing pharmacy benefit managers, has received little attention compared to another health care dispute the justices will consider in November: the third major challenge to the Affordable Care Act in eight years.
The states and pharmacies contend that pharmacy benefit managers – which process prescription drug claims and then reimburse pharmacies – should be subject to state regulations. Led by Arkansas, they say low reimbursement rates for generic drugs have caused thousands of independent pharmacies to close, particularly in rural areas.
On the other side is the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, the trade group for benefit managers such as CVS/Caremark, OptumRX and Express Scripts. They say the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 preempts state laws such as the one Arkansas passed in 2015. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit agreed with the trade group two years ago.
During Tuesday's oral argument, held by telephone during the COVID-19 pandemic, Chief Justice John Roberts acknowledged that Arkansas seeks to regulate drug prices, not the insurance plans themselves. But he said the law appears to interfere with federal jurisdiction.
"At the end of the day, all this might have an impact on drug prices," Roberts said. "But it seems to me that it's very different, and those differences really do go to what ERISA is trying to regulate."
Associate Justice Elena Kagan noted there are "45 different states that have passed all kinds of laws" regarding pharmacy benefit managers.
"I'm wondering why that doesn't raise exactly the specter that the drafters of ERISA were concerned about," she said.
The case has flown under the radar as the Supreme Court prepares to hear a challenge to the Affordable Care Act next month. A coalition of states led by Texas contends that the law is unconstitutional because Congress in 2017 eliminated the tax penalty that enforced the law's mandate to buy health insurance.
By the time that case is heard the week after Election Day, President Donald Trump's nominee to fill the late Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's seat – federal appeals court Judge Amy Coney Barrett – may be on the bench.
More: Six conservative justices? 10 ways the Supreme Court could change
The Trump administration has sided with Arkansas in the prescription drug dispute. It says states should be able to regulate the rates that pharmacy benefits managers reimburse pharmacies.
The case comes to the court at a time when drug prices are an issue in the presidential and congressional elections. Over the past 20 years, spending on drugs has risen by 330%, compared with a 208% increase in health care costs.